bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Single-incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy using totally homemade glove port versus conventional laparoscopic approach: A cross-sectional study in a developing country
Authors: Pham Van Thuong , Vu Ngoc Son , Hoang Huu Doan , Do Minh-Tung
Published: August 2023

Abstract

Purpose

Several home made glove ports for single-incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy (SILC) has been proposed but no comparison in surgical outcomes with conventional laparoscopic cholecystectomy (CLC) was made. Therefore, we aimed to compare the outcomes of SILC using a totally homemade glove port versus CLC.

Methods

This cross-sectional study compared the surgical outcomes between 90 patients, who underwent SILC and 123 patients who underwent CLC. Patients with acute cholecystitis grade 3 according to the Tokyo Guidelines 2018, body mass index ≥30, and previous abdominal surgeries were excluded. Totally homemade glove port was made of a small and a big rubber ring and a surgical glove to creat the wound retractor. Trocars were inserted into the glove’s fingers.

Results

The proportion of patients with acute cholecystitis was lower in the SILC group (7.78%) than in CLC (21.79%). Intraoperative complication rate, the prevalence of additional trocar or conversion to open surgery, success rate, and postoperative complication rate were similar between the two groups. However, SILC showed a significantly longer operative time (62.9 ± 25.1 verus 50.4 ± 20.7 min) and lower postoperative pain than CLC. The discrepancy in operative time was more likely to be remarkable in acute cholecystitis (50.43 min) compared with symptomatic cholelithiasis (14.28 min).

Conclusions

The SILC using a totally homemade glove port is feasible and safe compared with the CLC. However, in the case of acute cholecystitis, SILC should be indicated with caution because of the longer operative time than CLC.

Highlights
Effects of Cold Plasma on the Mode Conversion From Fast Magnetosonic Wave to Electromagnetic Ion Cyclotron Wave in the Inner Plasmasphere
Authors: Xu Xiang , Zhou Chen
Published: August 2023

Previous studies show that fast magnetosonic (MS) wave with frequency of tens of Hz may propagate to low L‐shells (L < 2.0) in the inner plasmasphere and mode convert to electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) wave where its wave frequency is close to the local crossover‐cutoff‐resonance frequency triplet through different propagation paths. In this study, we investigate how this mode conversion process may depend on the ion composition and electron density by full‐wave simulation with various plasma density profiles and initial wave normal angles (WNAs) of incoming MS wave from magnetic equator and a higher latitude of 15°. We find that critical fraction of minority ion (He+ or M/Q = 2 ion − D+ or He++) exists during the mode conversion, over which the conversion from MS wave to H+ band right‐handedly polarized EMIC wave starts to become negligible. This critical fraction decreases with the incident WNA of MS wave from equator. The efficiency of this conversion process also decreases with the electron density. As incoming MS is from higher latitudes off equator, optimal fraction of minority ion exists, with which the efficiency of conversion from MS wave to H+ band left‐handedly polarized EMIC wave reaches a maximum. Moreover, this maximum conversion efficiency varies with the incident WNA and may approach 100% with WNA close to 90° at the magnetic latitude of 15°. We also find that localized wave structure may be formed when the converted H+ band EMIC wave is trapped between local H+ − D+(He++) bi‐ion resonance frequency and D+(He++) − He+ left‐handed polarization cut‐off frequency with a small M/Q = 2 ion fraction and a relatively larger He+ fraction as incoming MS wave is near equator.
Aerosol Optical Properties of Extreme Global Wildfires and Estimated Radiative Forcing With GCOM‐C SGLI
Authors: Tanada Kazuhisa , Murakami Hiroshi , Hayasaka Tadahiro , Yoshida Mayumi
Published: August 2023

To understand the climate impact of the wildfires, it is essential to monitor the aerosol emissions from biomass burning and to estimate their optical properties and radiative forcing. This study analyzed wildfires in Brazil, Angola, Australia, California, Siberia, and South‐east Asia that occurred after 2018 using data obtained with the Second‐generation GLobal Imager (SGLI) onboard Global Change Observation Mission—Climate which is a polar‐orbit satellite launched by JAXA on 23 December 2017. We showed the SGLI‐based 4‐year variation of the aerosol optical properties, Aerosol Optical Thickness, Ångström Exponent (AE), and Single Scattering Albedo (SSA) for each region complemented with other satellite‐ and ground‐based data. From the SSA and AE relationship analyses, we confirmed that their optical properties depend on the relative humidity and type of burned vegetation, which is consistent with the previous studies. Moreover, we estimated the net incoming radiation at the top of the atmosphere during the intense fire periods to understand the impact of the direct effect of biomass burning aerosols on radiative forcing. The estimates show a significant negative radiative forcing (i.e., a cooling effect) over the ocean (−78 and −96 Wm−2 in Australia and California, respectively). In contrast, small values are observed over land (∼−10 Wm−2 for all six regions). Therefore, taking the regional characteristics of the optical properties and surface reflectance into account is necessary to estimate the effect on radiative forcing and future impacts of a short‐lived climate forcer from wildfires.
The Impact of Observed Drag Reduction Over Land on Typhoon Forecasting
Authors: Shao Xin , Zhang Ning , Tang Jie
Published: August 2023

The surface drag coefficient plays a crucial role in determining the momentum exchange between the Earth's surface and the atmosphere. Previous studies have observed a tendency for the drag coefficient to decrease at high wind speeds over land, primarily due to the inverse energy cascade. This study aims to examine the impacts of the reduced drag coefficient on the typhoon forecasting skills in terms of the track, the central pressure, and the 10‐m maximum wind speed. Drag reduction is approached through the logarithmic wind profile and a new formula that considers the reduction in roughness length. The results show that the track and the 10‐m maximum wind speed forecasts are improved, but these improvements are primarily evident over plain areas, as the typhoon structure is significantly disrupted by the topography over mountainous areas. Additionally, the reduced drag coefficient results in less dissipation of the typhoon's wind fields over land. As the wind speeds at coastal areas are enhanced compared with those in operational model, the changes in the Coriolis force are responsible for the track prediction improvement. These findings highlight the importance of parameterizing coherent processes in current numerical models.
The Subglacial Lake That Wasn't There: Improved Interpretation From Seismic Data Reveals a Sediment Bedform at Isunnguata Sermia
Authors: Hofstede C. , Wilhelms F. , Neckel N. , Fritzsche D. , Beyer S. , Hubbard A. , Pettersson R. , Eisen O.
Published: August 2023

Radio Echo Sounding (RES) surveys conducted in May 2010 and April 2011 revealed a 2 km2 flat area with increased bed reflectivity at the base of Isunnguata Sermia at the western margin of the Greenland Ice Sheet. This flat reflector was located within a localized subglacial hydraulic potential (hydropotential) minimum, as part of a complex and elongated trough system. By analogy with comparable features in Antarctica, the initial interpretation of such a feature was a potential subglacial lake. In September 2013 a co‐located seismic survey revealed a 1,750 m by 540 and 37 m thick stratified lens‐shaped bedform at the base of a subglacial trough system. Amplitude Versus Angle (AVA) analysis yields a derived reflection coefficient R = 0.09 ± 0.14 indicative of consolidated sediments possibly overlain by dilatant till. The bed and flank on the northern side of the trough consist of unconsolidated, possibly water‐bearing sediments with R = −0.10 ± 0.08, whereas on the southern side it consists of more consolidated material. We interpret the trough as a key component of the wider subglacial drainage network, for which the sediments on its northern side act as a localized water‐storage reservoir. Given the observation of seasonally forming and rapidly draining supraglacial meltwater lakes in this area, we interpret the lens‐shaped bedform as deposited by episodically ponding meltwater within the subglacial trough system. Our results highlight the importance of transient subglacial hydrological and sedimentological processes such as drainage events for the interaction of ice sheets and their substrates, to understand ice dynamics in a warming climate.
The Global Drivers of Chronic Coastal Flood Hazards Under Sea‐Level Rise
Authors: Hague Ben S. , McGregor Shayne , Jones David A. , Reef Ruth , Jakob Doerte , Murphy Bradley F.
Published: August 2023

We present the first global estimates of annual average exceedances of contemporary minor, moderate, and major flood levels under sea‐level rise (SLR). Applying established methods, we show that minor flooding will occur most days worldwide under 0.7 m global SLR. Moderate flooding occurs at the same frequency under 1.0 m SLR. Local and regional differences in flood threshold elevations, tidal ranges, and non‐tidal variability lead to differences in the SLR required for this chronic flooding to emerge. Lower flood thresholds, smaller tidal ranges, and larger extreme skew surges mean chronic flooding can emerge with less SLR. We discuss several implications of these findings for coastal flood hazard assessments. First, tide‐driven water level variability dominates weather‐driven water level variability when determining locations' propensities for frequent and chronic flooding under SLR. Second, centimeter‐accurate flood threshold information is necessary to accurately estimate present and future flood hazards. Third, locations with the most frequent floods at present may not be those that have the most frequent floods under SLR. We develop the Rapid Assessment Framework for Frequent Flood Transitions under SLR (RAFFFTS) to apply these findings to locations not previously considered in global coastal flood hazard studies. RAFFFTS can robustly identify potential future tidal flooding hotspots using only 1‐year observational records. We anticipate RAFFFTS will be a valuable tool for identifying locations at risk of chronic flooding under SLR, complementing existing tools for identifying changes in less frequent episodic floods.
A Lake Paves the Way for Defining the Anthropocene
Authors: Kornei Katherine
Published: August 2023

Scientists recently voted to designate Crawford Lake, a small body of water in southern Canada, as the reference site of the “Age of Man.”
Appreciating GBC 2022 Reviewers
Authors: Santos Isaac , Fletcher Sara Mikaloff , Houlton Benjamin , Matsumoto Katsumi , Chase Zanna
Published: August 2023

The Editors of the Global Biogeochemical Cycles express their appreciation to those who served as peer reviewers for the journal in 2022.
Evaluating Data Product Exposure Metrics for Use in Epidemiologic Studies of Dust Storms
Authors: Hohsfield Kirk , Rowan Claire , D’Souza Rohan , Ebelt Stefanie , Chang Howard , Crooks James
Published: August 2023

Dust storms are increasing in frequency and correlate with adverse health outcomes but remain understudied in the United States (U.S.), partially due to the limited spatio‐temporal coverage, resolution, and accuracy of current data sets. In this work, dust‐related metrics from four public areal data products were compared to a monitor‐based “gold standard” dust data set. The data products included the National Weather Service (NWS) storm event database, the Modern‐Era Retrospective analysis for Research and Applications—Version 2, the EPA's Air QUAlity TimE Series (EQUATES) Project using the Community Multiscale Air Quality Modeling System (CMAQ), and the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service global reanalysis product. California, Nevada, Utah, and Arizona, which account for most dust storms reported in the U.S., were examined. Dichotomous and continuous metrics based on reported dust storms, particulate matter concentrations (PM10 and PM2.5), and aerosol‐type variables were extracted or derived from the data products. Associations between these metrics and a validated dust storm detection method utilizing Interagency Monitoring of Protected Visual Environments monitors were estimated via quasi‐binomial regression. In general, metrics from CAMS yielded the strongest associations with the “gold standard,” followed by the NWS storm database metric. Dust aerosol (0.9–20 μm) mixing ratio, vertically integrated mass of dust aerosol (9–20 μm), and dust aerosol optical depth at 550 nm from CAMS generated the highest standardized odds ratios among all metrics. Future work will apply machine‐learning methods to the best‐performing metrics to create a public dust storm database suitable for long‐term epidemiologic studies.
Decoupling of the Surface and Bottom‐Intensified Antarctic Slope Current in Regions of Dense Shelf Water Export
Authors: Huneke Wilma G. C. , Morrison Adele K. , Hogg Andrew McC.
Published: August 2023

The Antarctic Slope Current is guided by the topographic gradient of the Antarctic continental slope and creates a dynamical barrier between the continental shelf and the open ocean. The current's vertical structure varies around the continent affecting cross‐slope water mass exchange with consequences for Antarctic mass loss, ventilation of the deep ocean, and carbon uptake. The Antarctic Slope Current is surface‐intensified in many regions but bottom‐intensified in regions of dense overflows. This study investigates the role of dense overflows in modifying the dynamics of the bottom‐intensified flow using a 0.1° global ocean‐sea ice model. The occurrence of bottom‐intensification is tightly linked with dense overflows and bottom speeds correlate with dense overflows on interannual time scales. A lack of vertical connectivity between the bottom and surface flow, however, suggests that the along‐slope bottom water flows are coincidentally co‐located with the Antarctic Slope Current, rather than dynamically a part of the current.
Reprocessing of Legacy Seismic Reflection Profile Data and Its Implications for Plate Flexure in the Vicinity of the Hawaiian Islands
Authors: Cilli P. , Watts A. B. , Boston B. , Shillington D. J.
Published: August 2023

During 1975–1988, an academic research ship, R/V Robert D. Conrad, acquired more than 150,000‐line‐km of multichannel seismic reflection profile data from each of the world's main ocean basins and their margins. This extensive legacy seismic data set, which involved both single ship and two‐ship data acquisition, has been widely used by the marine geoscience community. We report on our experience in reprocessing seismic reflection profile data acquired during Conrad cruise RC2308 to the Hawaiian Islands region in August/September 1982. We show that the application of modern, industry standard processing techniques, including filtering, de‐bubble, deconvolution, and migration, can significantly enhance 40+ year old legacy seismic reflection profile data. The reprocessed data reveals more precisely, and with much less scatter, the flexure of Cretaceous Pacific oceanic crust caused by the Pliocene‐Recent volcanic loads that comprise the Hawaiian Islands. A comparison of observed picks of top oceanic crust which has been corrected for the Hawaiian swell and the Molokai Fracture Zone with the calculations of a simple 3‐dimensional elastic plate (flexure) model reveals a best fit elastic plate thickness of the lithosphere, Te, of 26.7 km, an average infill density of 2,701 kg m−3, and a Root Mean Square difference between observations and calculations of 305 m. Tests show these results depend weakly on the load density assumed and that the average infill density is close to what would be predicted from an arithmetic average of the flanking moat infill density and the infill density that immediately underlies the volcanic edifice.
Syn‐Rift Magmatism and Sequential Melting of Fertile Lithologies in the Lithosphere and Asthenosphere
Authors: Mayle M. , Harry D. L.
Published: August 2023

The timing and rate of decompression melting of a compositionally heterogeneous mantle during continental rifting are assessed with a new one‐dimensional geodynamic code, MELT1D. MELT1D computes pressure and temperature in the extending lithosphere and rising asthenosphere and calculates the resulting melt fraction and eruption rates for different lithologies. A series of models simulate syn‐rift melt production from (a) dry and wet depleted lherzolite similar to the mantle that underlies most mid‐ocean ridges, (b) dry and wet relatively fertile ultramafic compositions representing plume or primitive mantle material, (c) pyroxenite representing recycled ultramafic oceanic crust or magmatic metasomes, and (d) basalt representing recycled mafic crust or metasomes. The models predict sequential melting of the different compositions that is broadly consistent with basalt eruption histories in many Phanerozoic rifts. Results show a progressive transition in magma sources as the lithosphere thins, beginning with melting of wet mantle and compositionally fertile mafic components near the lithosphere‐asthenosphere boundary during the earliest stages of extension. This transitions to magmatism dominated by melting of relatively fertile ultramafic components (pyrolitic and pyroxenitic compositions) as extension progresses, and finally to melting of ambient lherzolite asthenosphere as lithosphere thinning approaches breakup. Mantle composition, pre‐rift lithosphere thickness, and mantle temperature exert the greatest controls on the timing and volumes of magmas produced from each lithology. In general, a cool or thick lithosphere has a greater capacity to sequester fertile lithologies than thin or warm lithosphere, and thus has a greater capacity to produce early syn‐rift magmas without requiring a hot mantle plume.
Modeling Wind‐Blown Umbrella Clouds in Lagrangian Dispersion Models
Authors: Millward F. J. , Webster H. N. , Johnson C. G.
Published: August 2023

The ash and gas released by large explosive volcanic eruptions rises to its neutral buoyancy level in the atmosphere, then spreads laterally to form an umbrella cloud. Density stratification of the atmosphere generates buoyancy forces in the cloud, which drive the outward spread. Although umbrella clouds are often modeled as circular axisymmetric structures, in practice they are usually influenced quite strongly by the meteorological wind, with spread in the upwind direction halted by the oncoming wind, and different rates of spreading in the downwind and crosswind directions. In this work, we derive a simple parametrization of non‐axisymmetric umbrella cloud spreading from a much more complex physically based shallow‐layer intrusion model. The new parametrization is quick to evaluate and so is suitable for use in operational Volcanic Ash Transport and Dispersion Models (VATDMs). In contrast to previous parametrizations, in which there is assumed to be no interaction between a circular umbrella cloud and the meteorological wind, here the umbrella cloud is influenced by the wind and adopts a shape determined by the balance of buoyant spreading and downwind drag forces. We apply the new scheme to four historical case studies of eruptions at Puyehue 2011, Pinatubo 1991, Ulawun 2019, and Calbuco 2015. The results are compared with VATDM simulations using a conventional circular umbrella cloud parametrization. Using the new scheme, good descriptions of cloud spread are recovered and the prediction of horizontal ash distribution is improved relative to the axisymmetric parametrization.
Meteors May Masquerade as Lightning in the Atmosphere of Venus
Authors: Blaske C. H. , O'Rourke J. G. , Desch S. J. , Borrelli M. E.
Published: August 2023

Lightning in the atmosphere of Venus is either ubiquitous, rare, or non‐existent, depending on how one interprets diverse observations. Quantifying when and where, or even if lightning occurs, would provide novel information about Venus' atmospheric dynamics and chemistry. Lightning is also a potential risk to future missions, which could float in the cloud layers (∼50–70 km above the surface) for up to an Earth‐year. Over decades, spacecraft and ground‐based telescopes have searched for lightning at Venus using many instruments, including magnetometers, radios, and optical cameras. Two optical surveys (from the Akatsuki orbiter and the 61‐inch telescope on Mt. Bigelow, Arizona) observed several flashes at 777 nm (the unresolved triplet emission lines of excited atomic oxygen) that have been attributed to lightning. This conclusion is based, in part, on the statistical unlikelihood of so many meteors producing such energetic flashes, based in turn on the presumption that a low fraction (<1%) of a meteor's optical energy is emitted at 777 nm. We use observations of terrestrial meteors and analogue experiments to show that a much higher conversion factor (∼5%–10%) should be expected. Therefore, we calculate that smaller, more numerous meteoroids could have caused the observed flashes. Lightning is likely too rare to pose a hazard to missions that pass through or dwell in the clouds of Venus. Likewise, small meteoroids burn up at altitudes of ∼100 km, roughly twice as high above the surface as the clouds, and also would not pose a hazard.
Tan DEM‐X Preserves the Relationship Between Hilltop Curvature and Erosion Rate in the Qilian Shan
Authors: Zhang Yunbo , Geng Haopeng , Cai Shun , Pan Baotian
Published: August 2023

Hilltop curvature (CHT) can record erosional responses to tectonic forces and/or climate change. Although CHT has a linear relationship with the erosion rate, which is a significant advantage over traditional indicators, it is not widely used, mainly because it requires high‐resolution terrain data. Previous studies show that terrain steepness is strongly correlated with catchment‐wide erosion rates in the Qilian Shan. This relationship enables us to test the potential of CHT based on medium‐resolution terrain data (e.g., Tan DEM‐X with a resolution of ∼12 m) as an indicator of the erosion rate. We selected three typical sites in the Qilian Shan with evenly spaced ridge valleys and a continuous soil cover. At each site, we produced a high‐resolution digital surface model (DSM) using uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs), and then compared CHT from the UAV DSM with that from Tan DEM‐X, via LSDTopoTools. The results show that both Tan DEM‐X and the UAV DSM record similar spatial patterns of CHT, although the magnitudes vary between the three selected areas. We then examined the relationship between CHT based on Tan DEM‐X and the catchment‐wide erosion rate in the Qilian Shan. CHT has a linear relationship with the erosion rate in an area of clastic rocks, where the erosion rate is below 400 mm/Kyr. CHT extracted by Tan DEM‐X is superior to the mean basin slope in predicting the erosion rate in this clastic rock landscape. Overall, our results demonstrate the utility of Tan DEM‐X in calculating CHT to indicate the erosion rate.
Experimental Observations of Floodplain Vegetation, Bedforms, and Sediment Transport Interactions in a Meandering Channel
Authors: White Daniel C. , Morrison Ryan R. , Nelson Peter A.
Published: August 2023

Floodplains provide important ecological, hydrological, and geomorphic functions within river corridors. During overbank flows, complex hydrodynamic conditions occur as water exits and re‐enters the channel and interacts with hydraulically rough floodplain vegetation. However, the extent to which floodplain vegetation influences channel‐altering hydrodynamic forces and thus bedform topography and sediment transport is poorly understood. We address this knowledge gap and present the results of flume experiments where we measured bedform topography under varied floodplain vegetation conditions at two overbank flow relative depths. The experiments were conducted in a 1‐m wide meandering compound channel inset in a 15.4 long, 4.9‐m wide basin. The channel bed was a mobile sand‐and‐gravel mixture with a median sediment size of 3.3 mm, and sediment transport occurred only within the channel. We tested bare and vegetated floodplain conditions with 2.7‐cm diameter rigid emergent vegetation elements at spacings of 3.0 and 12.1 units m−2. We performed a moving‐window analysis of topographic surface metrics including skewness, coefficient of variation, and standard deviation, as well as topographic patch analysis of area and contagion to measure changes in bedform heterogeneity as flow depth and vegetation density were varied. Our results show that both greater density vegetation and larger flows can increase bedform topographic heterogeneity. These findings suggest that floodplain vegetation and natural hydrologic regimes that include overbank flows can enhance stream habitat complexity. Designing for the effects of established vegetation conditions and prioritizing floodplain vegetation planting may be useful for river managers striving to achieve successful biomic river restoration.
A Perspective of Surge Dynamics in Natural Debris Flows Through Pulse‐Doppler Radar Observations
Authors: Schöffl Tobias , Nagl Georg , Koschuch Richard , Schreiber Helmut , Hübl Johannes , Kaitna Roland
Published: August 2023

As a consequence of their natural occurrence and the frequent formation of multiple surges with high sediment loads, debris flows are considered one of the most hazardous gravity‐driven mass movements in mountain regions. Field measurements of surge dynamics are an essential link in the chain of understanding fundamental process dynamics and engineering protection against debris flows. However, continuous information on the velocities of multiple consecutive surges within a single debris‐flow event with high temporal resolution is rare. In this study, we present a new pulse‐Doppler radar (PD radar) for high‐resolution real‐time debris‐flow monitoring. We analyze PD radar data sets over a torrent length of 250 m for two debris flows that occurred at the Gadria creek (IT), on 26 July 2019 and 10 August 2020. The radar data were validated with independently derived data from particle image velocimetry and manually tracked velocities. We observe that between surges, the flow frequently comes to a complete halt and is re‐mobilized by subsequent surges, resembling erosion‐deposition waves in granular flows. In addition, our data confirm that surges can superimpose and merge. We anticipate that the outcomes of this work serve as a blueprint for future high‐resolution observations of debris‐flow surge dynamics with PD radar and that our findings provide new insights into the physical principles of natural debris flows.
Mapping and Characterizing Rock Glaciers in the Arid Western Kunlun Mountains Supported by InSAR and Deep Learning
Authors: Hu Yan , Liu Lin , Huang Lingcao , Zhao Lin , Wu Tonghua , Wang Xiaowen , Cai Jiaxin
Published: August 2023

Rock glaciers (RGs) manifest the creep of mountain permafrost occurring in the past or at present. Their presence and dynamics are indicators of permafrost distribution and changes in response to climate forcing. There is a complete lack of knowledge about RGs in the Western Kunlun Mountains, one of the driest mountain ranges in Asia, where extensive permafrost is rapidly warming. In this study, we first mapped and quantified the kinematics of active RGs based on satellite Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) and Google Earth images. Then, we trained DeepLabv3+, a deep learning network for semantic image segmentation, to automate the mapping task. The well‐trained model was applied for a region‐wide extensive delineation of RGs from Sentinel‐2 images to map the landforms that were previously missed due to the limitations of the InSAR‐based identification. Finally, we mapped 413 RGs across the Western Kunlun Mountains: 290 of them were active RGs mapped manually based on InSAR and 123 of them were newly identified and outlined by deep learning. The RGs are categorized by their spatial connection to the upslope geomorphic units. All the RGs are located at altitudes between 3,390 and 5,540 m with an average size of 0.26 km2 and a mean slope angle of 17°. Characteristics of the inventoried RGs provided insights into permafrost distribution in the Western Kunlun Mountains. The median and maximum surface downslope velocities of the active ones are 17 ± 1 and 127 ± 6 cm yr−1, respectively.
Deglacial Temperature and Carbonate Saturation State Variability in the Tropical Atlantic at Antarctic Intermediate Water Depths
Authors: Oppo D. W. , Lu W. , Huang K.‐F. , Umling N. E. , Guo W. , Yu J. , Curry W. B. , Marchitto T. M. , Wang S.
Published: August 2023

Variations in the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) redistribute heat and nutrients, causing pronounced anomalies of temperature and nutrient concentrations in the subsurface ocean. However, exactly how millennial‐scale deglacial AMOC variability influenced the subsurface is debated, and the role of other deglacial forcings of subsurface temperature change is unclear. Here, we present a new deglacial temperature reconstruction, which, with published records, helps assess competing hypotheses for deglacial warming in the upper tropical North Atlantic. Our record provides new evidence of regional subsurface warming in the western tropical North Atlantic within the core of modern Antarctic Intermediate Water (AAIW) during Heinrich Stadial 1 (HS1), an early deglacial interval of iceberg discharge into the North Atlantic. Our results are consistent with model simulations that suggest subsurface heat accumulates in the northern high‐latitude convection regions and along the upper AMOC return path when the AMOC weakens, and with warming due to rising greenhouse gases. Warming of AAIW may have also contributed to warming in the tropics at modern AAIW depths during late HS1. Nutrient and reconstructions from the same site suggest a link between AMOC intensity and the northward extent of AAIW in the northern tropics across the deglaciation and on millennial time scales. However, the timing of the initial deglacial increase in AAIW to the northern tropics is ambiguous. Deglacial trends and variability of in the upper North Atlantic have likely biased temperature reconstructions based on the elemental composition of calcitic benthic foraminifera.
Environments affect blood pressure in toddlers: The Japan Environment and Children’s Study
Authors: Kanamori Keita , Suzuki Tomohisa , Tatsuta Nozomi , Ota Chiharu ,   The Japan Environment and Children’s Study Group, Kamijima Michihiro , Yamazaki Shin , Ohya Yukihiro , Kishi Reiko , Yaegashi Nobuo , Hashimoto Koichi , Mori Chisato , Ito Shuichi , Yamagata Zentaro , Inadera Hidekuni , Nakayama Takeo , Sobue Tomotaka , Shima Masayuki , Kageyama Seiji , Suganuma Narufumi , Ohga Shoichi , Katoh Takahiko
Published: August 2023

Background

The primary objective of this study was to examine risk factors for toddler’s hypertension.

Methods

Subjects of this study were children and parents participating in a national birth cohort study in Japan, the Japan Environment and Children’s Study. We measured the children’s blood pressure (BP) at 2 and 4 years old. We obtained children’s and parents’ backgrounds from the questionnaire. We investigated the factors that affect BP elevation.

Results

Within 4988 participants, the mean systolic BP at 2 years old was 91.2 mmHg for boys and 90.0 mmHg for girls. The mean systolic BP at 4 years old was 93.8 mmHg for boys and 93.1 mmHg for girls. Parental smoking was associated with elevated values of BP at 2 and 4 years old. Obesity, gestational hypertension, and parental lower education were associated with elevated values of BP at 4 years old. Hypertensive group had a significantly higher obesity rate. The mother’s lower education and parental smoking were involved in hypertensive groups.

Conclusion

Parental smoking had a significant effect on BP even in early toddlers. We emphasize the importance of avoiding second-hand smoking from early infancy to prevent future lifestyle-related illnesses including hypertension.

Impact

The mean systolic BP at 2 years old was 91.2 mmHg for boys and 90.0 mmHg for girls.

The mean systolic BP at 4 years old was 93.8 mmHg for boys and 93.1 mmHg for girls.

Obesity, parental smoking, and lower education were associated with hypertension at 4 years old.

Parental smoking was associated with hypertension at 2 and 4 years old.

We emphasize the importance of avoiding second-hand smoking from early infancy.
Evaluation of a digital oral health intervention (Know Your OQ™) to enhance knowledge, attitudes and practices related to oral health
Authors: Kitsaras George , Gomez Juliana , Hogan Richard , Ryan Maria
Published: August 2023

Objective/Aim

Optimal oral health behaviours are crucial to avoid preventable dental diseases and maintain good oral health. This research aimed to evaluate the impact of a digital oral health intervention (Know Your OQ™) in changing knowledge, attitudes and practices related to oral health.

Materials & methods

Two studies were conducted with a total of 296 healthy adults. Demographic data as well as knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAPs) related to oral health were collected before and after completion of the Know Your OQ™ intervention. The KAPs questionnaire included 19 multiple choice questions. Comprehension and feedback were also collected.

Results

In total, 134 (45%) male and 162 (55%) female participants completed the two studies. Across both studies, 5 out of 7 knowledge questions and 2 out of 5 attitude questions showed significant changes pre/post-intervention with participants increasing their knowledge and improving their attitudes towards oral health. Only 1 practice changed in the first study, however, in the second study, 4 out of 7 practice questions showed significant changes pre/post-intervention. Comprehensibility was high across both studies with overall, positive feedback on the intervention.

Conclusion

A digital oral health intervention was successful in increasing knowledge, changing attitudes and self-reported practices with regards to oral health in a diverse sample of the US population.
FSP1 confers ferroptosis resistance in KEAP1 mutant non-small cell lung carcinoma in NRF2-dependent and -independent manner
Authors: Kim Jong Woo , Kim Min-Ju , Han Tae-Hee , Lee Ji-Yoon , Kim Sangok , Kim Hyerin , Oh Kyoung-Jin , Kim Won Kon , Han Baek-Soo , Bae Kwang-Hee , Ban Hyun Seung , Bae Soo Han , Lee Sang Chul , Lee Haeseung , Lee Eun-Woo
Published: August 2023

Ferroptosis, a type of cell death induced by lipid peroxidation, has emerged as a novel anti-cancer strategy. Cancer cells frequently acquire resistance to ferroptosis. However, the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. To address this issue, we conducted a thorough investigation of the genomic and transcriptomic data derived from hundreds of human cancer cell lines and primary tissue samples, with a particular focus on non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC). It was observed that mutations in Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (KEAP1) and subsequent nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2, also known as NFE2L2) activation are strongly associated with ferroptosis resistance in NSCLC. Additionally, AIFM2 gene, which encodes ferroptosis suppressor protein 1 (FSP1), was identified as the gene most significantly correlated with ferroptosis resistance, followed by multiple NRF2 targets. We found that inhibition of NRF2 alone was not sufficient to reduce FSP1 protein levels and promote ferroptosis, whereas FSP1 inhibition effectively sensitized KEAP1-mutant NSCLC cells to ferroptosis. Furthermore, we found that combined inhibition of FSP1 and NRF2 induced ferroptosis more intensely. Our findings imply that FSP1 is a crucial suppressor of ferroptosis whose expression is partially dependent on NRF2 and that synergistically targeting both FSP1 and NRF2 may be a promising strategy for overcoming ferroptosis resistance in cancer.
Targeted deletion of von-Hippel-Lindau in the proximal tubule conditions the kidney against early diabetic kidney disease
Authors: Kunke Madlen , Knöfler Hannah , Dahlke Eileen , Zanon Rodriguez Luis , Böttner Martina , Larionov Alexey , Saudenova Makhabbat , Ohrenschall Gerrit M. , Westermann Magdalena , Porubsky Stefan , Bernardes Joana P. , Häsler Robert , Magnin Jean-Luc , Koepsell Hermann , Jouret François , Theilig Franziska
Published: August 2023

Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is the leading cause of end-stage renal disease. Glomerular hyperfiltration and albuminuria subject the proximal tubule (PT) to a subsequent elevation of workload, growth, and hypoxia. Hypoxia plays an ambiguous role in the development and progression of DKD and shall be clarified in our study. PT-von-Hippel-Lindau (Vhl)-deleted mouse model in combination with streptozotocin (STZ)-induced type I diabetes mellitus (DM) was phenotyped. In contrary to PT-Vhl-deleted STZ-induced type 1 DM mice, proteinuria and glomerular hyperfiltration occurred in diabetic control mice the latter due to higher nitric oxide synthase 1 and sodium and glucose transporter expression. PT Vhl deletion and DKD share common alterations in gene expression profiles, including glomerular and tubular morphology, and tubular transport and metabolism. Compared to diabetic control mice, the most significantly altered in PT Vhl-deleted STZ-induced type 1 DM mice were Ldc-1, regulating cellular oxygen consumption rate, and Zbtb16, inhibiting autophagy. Alignment of altered genes in heat maps uncovered that Vhl deletion prior to STZ-induced DM preconditioned the kidney against DKD. HIF-1α stabilization leading to histone modification and chromatin remodeling resets most genes altered upon DKD towards the control level. These data demonstrate that PT HIF-1α stabilization is a hallmark of early DKD and that targeting hypoxia prior to the onset of type 1 DM normalizes renal cell homeostasis and prevents DKD development.
CRTAC1 enhances the chemosensitivity of non-small cell lung cancer to cisplatin by eliciting RyR-mediated calcium release and inhibiting Akt1 expression
Authors: Jin Zihui , Zhao Lingling , Chang Yixin , Jin Rongjia , Hu Fangyu , Wu Shuang , Xue Zixuan , Ma Yimeng , Chen Chenglin , Zheng Minghui , Chang Yuanyuan , Jin Honglei , Xie Qipeng , Huang Chuanshu , Huang Haishan
Published: August 2023

Sensitivity to platinum-based combination chemotherapy is associated with a favorable prognosis in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Here, our results obtained from analyses of the Gene Expression Omnibus database of NSCLC patients showed that cartilage acidic protein 1 (CRTAC1) plays a role in the response to platinum-based chemotherapy. Overexpression of CRTAC1 increased sensitivity to cisplatin in vitro, whereas knockdown of CRTAC1 decreased chemosensitivity of NSCLC cells. In vivo mouse experiments showed that CRTAC1 overexpression increased the antitumor effects of cisplatin. CRTAC1 overexpression promoted NFAT transcriptional activation by increasing intracellular Ca2+levels, thereby inducing its regulated STUB1 mRNA transcription and protein expression, accelerating Akt1 protein degradation and, in turn, enhancing cisplatin-induced apoptosis. Taken together, the present results indicate that CRTAC1 overexpression increases the chemosensitivity of NSCLC to cisplatin treatment by inducing Ca2+-dependent Akt1 degradation and apoptosis, suggesting the potential of CRTAC1 as a biomarker for predicting cisplatin chemosensitivity. Our results further reveal that modulating the expression of CRTAC1 could be a new strategy for increasing the efficacy of cisplatin in chemotherapy of NSCLC patients.
SPDEF enhances cancer stem cell-like properties and tumorigenesis through directly promoting GALNT7 transcription in luminal breast cancer
Authors: Li Jingyuan , Wan Xue , Xie Dan , Yuan Hui , Pei Qin , Luo Yanan , Chen Yiyu , Xian Jiawen , Ye Ting
Published: August 2023

Background

Luminal breast cancer (BC) is the predominant subtype of breast cancer with a sustained risk of late recurrence and death. Understanding the molecular mechanisms for the oncogenesis of luminal BC would improve the prognosis for this large subset of patients. SPDEF was reported to be dysregulated in breast cancers. However, the biological functions and underlying molecular mechanism of SPDEF in luminal BC remains largely unknown. The aim of the present study was to elucidate the potential roles of SPDEF underlying subtype-specific functions in BC, especially in luminal subtypes.

Methods

The expressions and clinicopathological characteristics of SPDEF in luminal BC patients were evaluated bioinformatically. In vitro and in vivo assays were performed to investigate the oncogenic function and stemness maintenance of SPDEF in luminal BC. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) and dual luciferase reporter assays were conducted to determine the transcription regulation of GALNT7 by SPDEF. GALNT7 levels in serum from luminal BC patients were further detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

Results

SPDEF is markedly upregulated in luminal BC and positively associated with tumor progression and poor prognosis. Furthermore, we confirmed that SPDEF enhanced the proliferation, migration, invasion and stemness of luminal BC cells in vitro as well the tumorigenicity in vivo. Mechanistically, we demonstrated the stimulative effect of SPDEF on the progression and stemness of luminal BC, which is mediated by its directly transcriptional target GALNT7. Clinically, we verified that the GALNT7 can be used as a noninvasive diagnostic marker. Noteworthy, the combined detection of serum GALNT7 and traditional tumor markers can enhance diagnostic accuracy thus is of vital importance in the early diagnosis of luminal BC.

Conclusions

Our study reveals a novel mechanism by which SPDEF transcriptionally activates GALNT7 via directly binding to its promoter to promote cell proliferation, motility and stemness, and led to luminal BC tumorigenesis and poor prognosis.
The Hamburg Youth Prevention Project (HYPP) for adolescents with sexual interest in children
Authors: Casademont Fabiola , Märker Viktoria , Bindt Carola , Briken Peer
Published: August 2023

Paedophilic sexual interest is often linked to an emergence during adolescence, but concrete empirical knowledge on its development and early viable treatments remains scarce. The aim of this article is to provide an overview about the current state of research on juveniles with sexual interest in children as well as to introduce the Hamburg Youth Prevention Project (HYPP). The HYPP aims to better comprehend the development of sexual interests in adolescents and seeks to find a basis for improved treatment strategies during this critical developmental period. In this perspective, we outline the framework, goals, and treatment approach for this project. It addresses adolescents who are sexually attracted to younger children or engage in sexual acts with children and who have not yet been in contact with the justice system. The project offers a diagnostic process, anonymous counselling, and treatment. It is grounded in a biopsychosocial perspective on psychosexual development and an integrative family-centred approach. The project is based on the core assumption that in adolescent participants, there is still great flexibility for development, including their sexual interests.
FAP106 is an interaction hub for assembling microtubule inner proteins at the cilium inner junction
Authors: Shimogawa Michelle M. , Wijono Angeline S. , Wang Hui , Zhang Jiayan , Sha Jihui , Szombathy Natasha , Vadakkan Sabeeca , Pelayo Paula , Jonnalagadda Keya , Wohlschlegel James , Zhou Z. Hong , Hill Kent L.
Published: August 2023

Motility of pathogenic protozoa depends on flagella (synonymous with cilia) with axonemes containing nine doublet microtubules (DMTs) and two singlet microtubules. Microtubule inner proteins (MIPs) within DMTs influence axoneme stability and motility and provide lineage-specific adaptations, but individual MIP functions and assembly mechanisms are mostly unknown. Here, we show in the sleeping sickness parasite Trypanosoma brucei, that FAP106, a conserved MIP at the DMT inner junction, is required for trypanosome motility and functions as a critical interaction hub, directing assembly of several conserved and lineage-specific MIPs. We use comparative cryogenic electron tomography (cryoET) and quantitative proteomics to identify MIP candidates. Using RNAi knockdown together with fitting of AlphaFold models into cryoET maps, we demonstrate that one of these candidates, MC8, is a trypanosome-specific MIP required for parasite motility. Our work advances understanding of MIP assembly mechanisms and identifies lineage-specific motility proteins that are attractive targets to consider for therapeutic intervention.
Practical diagnosis of cirrhosis in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease using currently available non-invasive fibrosis tests
Authors: Boursier Jérôme , Roux Marine , Costentin Charlotte , Chaigneau Julien , Fournier-Poizat Céline , Trylesinski Aldo , Canivet Clémence M. , Michalak Sophie , Le Bail Brigitte , Paradis Valérie , Bedossa Pierre , Sturm Nathalie , de Ledinghen Victor ,   AFEF group for the study of liver fibrosis, Barthelon Justine , Boursier Jerome , Cales Paul , Canivet Clémence , Decaens Thomas , Delamarre Adèle , Hermabessiere Paul , Irles-Depé Marie , de Ledinghen Victor , Hilleret Marie-Noelle , Fouchard-Hubert Isabelle , Lannes Adrien , Le Bail Brigitte , Moal Valérie , Oberti Fréderic ,   M118 study group, Allison Michael , Anstee Quentin M. , Cobbold Jeremy F. , Deeks Jonathan J. , Eddowes Peter J. , Guha Indra N. , Sheridan David , Tsochatzis Emmanuel , Newsome Philip N.
Published: August 2023

Unlike for advanced liver fibrosis, the practical rules for the early non-invasive diagnosis of cirrhosis in NAFLD remain not well defined. Here, we report the derivation and validation of a stepwise diagnostic algorithm in 1568 patients with NAFLD and liver biopsy coming from four independent cohorts. The study algorithm, using first the elastography-based tests Agile3+ and Agile4 and then the specialized blood tests FibroMeterV3G and CirrhoMeterV3G, provides stratification in four groups, the last of which is enriched in cirrhosis (71% prevalence in the validation set). A risk prediction chart is also derived to allow estimation of the individual probability of cirrhosis. The predicted risk shows excellent calibration in the validation set, and mean difference with perfect prediction is only −2.9%. These tools improve the personalized non-invasive diagnosis of cirrhosis in NAFLD.