bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Increasing the proportion of plasma MUFA, as a result of dietary intervention, is associated with a modest improvement in insulin sensitivity
Authors: Johns I. , Frost G. , Dornhorst A.
Published: January 2020

The effect of modifying dietary fatty acid (FA) composition on insulin sensitivity remains unclear. We aimed to investigate whether changes in plasma phospholipid (PL) FA composition, as a result of dietary intervention, correspond with changes in insulin sensitivity. The RISCK study was a 6-month randomised controlled dietary intervention study, which assessed the effect of modifying dietary fat and the glycaemic index (GI) of carbohydrates on insulin sensitivity. Total NEFA levels, fasting plasma PL FA profiles and an insulin sensitivity index (Si), derived from intravenous glucose tolerance minimal-model analysis, were available from 533 participants, all at elevated risk of type 2 diabetes. Bivariate correlations between changes in saturated PL FA (SFA), MUFA (as a percentage of total plasma NEFA) and changes in Si were assessed according to treatment group. Age, sex, ethnicity, percentage change in body mass and change in dietary GI were controlled for. Increasing total NEFA concentration was associated with worsening Si (r −0·152; P = 0·001). In the high-MUFA/low-GI diet group, change in PL-MUFA was positively and independently associated with change in Si (r 0·297; P = 0·002). Among MUFA, change in oleic acid (18 : 1) was most strongly correlated with change in Si (r 0·266; P = 0·005), as was change in minor FA 24 : 1 (r 0·244; P = 0·011) and 17 : 1 (r 0·196; P = 0·042). In the high-SFA/high-GI group, change in SFA concentration was not significantly associated with change in Si. In conclusion, increases in the proportion of plasma PL-MUFA following a high-MUFA dietary intervention were associated with improvements in insulin sensitivity.
Prenatal restraint stress impairs recognition memory in adult male and female offspring
Authors: Moura Clarissa A. , Oliveira Matheus C. , Costa Layse F. , Tiago Pamella R. F. , Holanda Victor A. D. , Lima Ramon H. , Cagni Fernanda C. , Lobão-Soares Bruno , Bolaños-Jiménez Franscico , Gavioli Elaine C.
Published: January 2020

Objective:

Accumulating evidence from preclinical and clinical studies indicates that prenatal exposure to stress impairs the development of the offspring brain and facilitates the emergence of mental illness. This study aims to describe the impact of prenatal restraint stress on cognition and exploration to an unfamiliar environment at adulthood in an outbred strain of mice.

Methods:

Late pregnant mice were exposed to restraint stress and adult offspring (60 days of age) behaviours were assessed in the object recognition task and open field test.

Findings:

Prenatal stress (PNS) impaired new object recognition in male and female mice. Importantly, the learning deficits in female PNS mice were linked to their estrous cycle. Actually, PNS females in metestrus/diestrus but not in proestrus/estrus phases displayed recognition deficits compared to controls. Concerning locomotion in an unfamiliar environment, male but not female PNS mice displayed significant increase, but showed no differences in the distance travelled within the centre zone of the arena.

Conclusion:

Present findings support the view that maternal restraint-stress during late pregnancy impairs recognition memory in both male and female offspring, and in females, this cognitive deficit is dependent on the estrous cycle phase. Ultimately, these data reinforce that PNS is an aetiological component of psychiatric disorders associated with memory deficits.
Regularity for solutions of fully nonlinear elliptic equations with nonhomogeneous degeneracy
Authors: De Filippis Cristiana
Published: January 2020

We prove that viscosity solutions to fully nonlinear elliptic equations with degeneracy of double phase type are locally C1, γ-regular.
Glucose absorption from peritoneal dialysate is associated with a gain in fat mass and a reduction in lean body mass in prevalent peritoneal dialysis patients
Authors: Law Steven , Davenport Andrew
Published: January 2020

The majority of peritoneal dialysates use glucose to generate an osmotic gradient for the convective removal of water and Na. Although glucose can potentially be absorbed, previous studies have failed to establish whether this leads to increased fat weight gain. We measured body composition using bioimpedance in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients, electively starting PD, attending for their first assessment of peritoneal membrane function after 2–3 months, and then after 12 months. We studied 143 patients: eighty-nine (62·2 %) males, fifty-three (37·1 %) diabetics, mean age 61·3 (SD14·9) years, with ninety (62·1 %) patients treated by automated PD cyclers with a daytime icodextrin exchange and thirty-seven (25·9 %) by continuous ambulatory PD. Median fat mass increased by 1·8 (–0·5 to 4·1) kg, whereas fat-free mass fell –1·3 (–2·9 to 1·0) kg, and the increase in fat mass was negatively associated with the fall in soft lean mass (r–0·41,P< 0·001). Increased fat mass was associated with measured peritoneal glucose absorption (r0·69,P< 0·001), and glucose absorption was associated with the amount of 22·7 g/l glucose dialysate (OR 2·0, 95 % CI 1·5, 2·5,P< 0·001), peritoneal urea clearance (OR 9·5, 95 % CI 2·4, 37·1,P= 0·001) and male sex (OR 4·8, 95 % CI 1·5, 14·9,P= 0·008). We report an observational study in prevalent PD patients following body composition from their first assessment of PD membrane function for approximately 12 months, and despite the majority of patients prescribed icodextrin, we have demonstrated not only an association between intra-peritoneal glucose absorption and fat weight gain but also loss of fat-free mass.
Flaxseed oil in the context of a weight loss programme ameliorates fatty liver grade in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: a randomised double-blind controlled trial
Authors: Rezaei Shahla , Sasani Mohammad Reza , Akhlaghi Masoumeh , Kohanmoo Ali
Published: January 2020

Long-chain n-3 fatty acids have been shown to regulate lipid metabolism and reduce fat accumulation in the liver. This trial investigated the effect of flaxseed oil, as a rich source of α-linolenic acid, on fatty liver and cardiometabolic risk factors in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The randomised, double-blind, controlled trial was performed on sixty-eight NAFLD patients who were divided into flaxseed (n 34) and sunflower (n 34) oil groups. Patients were given a hypoenergetic diet (−2092 kJ/d) and 20 g/d of the corresponding oil for 12 weeks. Fatty liver grade, liver enzymes and cardiometabolic parameters were determined. The intention-to-treat approach was used for data analysis. Fatty liver grade significantly decreased in both groups (−0·68 in flaxseed v. −0·29 in sunflower, P = 0·002). Alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase decreased in both groups (P < 0·01). Also, significant reduction was observed in blood glucose (P = 0·005) and fat mass (P = 0·01) in the flaxseed and muscle mass (P = 0·01) in the sunflower group. However, none of these alterations was significantly different between the groups. Weight, waist circumference and blood pressure were significantly decreased in both groups but only weight change was significantly different between the groups (P = 0·01). IL-6 did not significantly change in either group but showed a significant between-group difference (P = 0·03). Overall, the results showed that in the context of a low-energy diet and moderate physical activity, flaxseed oil may benefit NAFLD patients to improve fatty liver grade, weight and IL-6 compared with sunflower oil.
Dirofilaria immitis possesses molecules with anticoagulant properties in its excretory/secretory antigens
Authors: Diosdado Alicia , Simón Fernando , Morchón Rodrigo , González-Miguel Javier
Published: January 2020

Dirofilaria immitis is a parasitic nematode that survives in the circulatory system of suitable hosts for many years, causing the most severe thromboembolisms when simultaneous death of adult worms occurs. The two main mechanisms responsible for thrombus formation in mammals are the activation and aggregation of platelets and the generation of fibrin through the coagulation cascade. The aim of this work was to study the anticoagulant potential of excretory/secretory antigens from D. immitis adult worms (DiES) on the coagulation cascade of the host. Anticoagulant and inhibition assays respectively showed that DiES partially alter the coagulation cascade of the host and reduce the activity of the coagulation factor Xa, a key enzyme in the coagulation process. In addition, a D. immitis protein was identified by its similarity to the homologous serpin 6 from Brugia malayi as a possible candidate to form an inhibitory complex with FXa by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry. These results indicate that D. immitis could use the anticoagulant properties of its excretory/secretory antigens to control the formation of blood clots in its immediate intravascular habitat as a survival mechanism.
Determinants of external and blood parasite load in African penguins (Spheniscus demersus) admitted for rehabilitation
Authors: Snyman Albert , Vanstreels Ralph Eric Thijl , Nell Chandré , Schaefer Adam M. , Stracke Thomas , Parsons Nola J. , Ludynia Katrin , Pistorius Pierre A.
Published: January 2020

We investigate the factors associated with the occurrence and abundance of external and blood parasites in African penguins (Spheniscus demersus), an endangered seabird that breeds exclusively on the coasts of Namibia and South Africa. External parasites were collected using the dust-ruffling method from 171 African Penguins admitted at a rehabilitation facility in the Western Cape, South Africa. Additionally, blood smears were obtained upon admission and weekly during rehabilitation and examined for blood parasites. Fleas Parapsyllus longicornis humboldti, ticks Ornithodoros capensis and lice Austrogoniodes demersus were recovered from 93, 63 and 40%, respectively, of the penguins upon admission to the centre. Rescue location and age group were identified as significant determinants of flea abundance, whereas month of admission was a significant determinant of tick abundance. Blood parasites were also common on admission, with Babesia being the most frequent (46% prevalence) whereas Borrelia was recorded sporadically (1.2%) and Plasmodium was recorded once. The prevalence and abundance of ticks on admission was positively associated with Babesia infection on admission. Our findings demonstrate the variability and contributing factor of parasite infections in an endangered species of penguin, and highlight the need for additional research on the parasite–host dynamics involving these potential disease vectors.
Inequalities in Spatial Accessibility of Childcare: The Role of Non-profit Providers
Authors: PENNERSTORFER ASTRID , PENNERSTORFER DIETER
Published: January 2020

Equal access to childcare services is a key concern of childcare policy. This article analyses social inequalities in the availability of such services. We explore how observed disparities are related to the socio-economic status of neighbourhoods and investigate how different provider types contribute to such differences. To do so, we use data on all childcare centres in the city of Vienna, Austria, on the spatial distribution of children aged under six and on three measures of neighbourhood status, over a period of eight years. We find that spatial accessibility is highest in neighbourhoods with the highest socio-economic status, that such inequality has increased over time and that both effects can be attributed to the role of non-profits. The results indicate that the policy change undertaken in Vienna towards increased communitarisation – that is, a shift towards non-profit provision – has undermined the universal character of the city’s childcare system.
Historiography & Fieldwork: Wyman Abbott's Great Fengate Ring-Ditch (a Lost Manuscript Found)
Authors: Evans Christopher , Appleby Grahame
Published: January 2020

This paper presents findings within Wyman Abbott's long-missing notebooks and other allied archival sources relating to his Fengate fieldwork during the early decades of the 20th century. Largely focusing upon its monuments, we here publish a manuscript concerned with his extraordinary, multiple-interment 'great' ringditch which is otherwise known from a paragraph's description in Hawkes and Fell's Antiquaries Jourual paper of 1945. Not only do these sources contribute to the further reconstruction of Fengate's renowned Bronze Age landscape, but, it is argued, the centralised multiple-lineage interment evident at his main ring-ditch site may well reflect upon the social organisation which also gave rise to Pryor's equally 'special' Flag Fen platform.
Physics and geochemistry of lakes in Vestfjella, Dronning Maud Land
Authors: Leppäranta Matti , Luttinen Arto , Arvola Lauri
Published: January 2020

Shallow Antarctic surface lakes belong to the most extreme aquatic environments on the Earth. In Vestfjella, proglacial surface lakes and ponds are characterized by a 2–5 month long period with liquid water and depths < 2 m. We give a detailed description of nine seasonal lakes and ponds situating at three nunataqs (Basen, Plogen and Fossilryggen) in western Dronning Maud Land. Their physical and geochemical properties are provided based on observations in four summers. Three main ‘lake categories‘ were found: 1) supraglacial lakes, 2) epiglacial ponds and 3) nunataq ponds. Category 3 lakes can be divided into two subgroups with regards to whether the meltwater source is glacial or just seasonal snow patches. Supraglacial lakes are ultra-oligotrophic (electrical conductivity < 10 μS cm−1, pH < 7), while in epiglacial ponds the concentrations of dissolved and suspended matter and trophic status vary over a wide range (electrical conductivity 20–110 μS cm−1, pH 6–9). In nunataq ponds, the maxima were an electrical conductivity of 1042 μS cm−1 and a pH of 10.1, and water temperature may have wide diurnal and day-to-day fluctuations (maximum 9.3°C) because snowfall, snow drift and sublimation influence the net solar irradiance.
Associations of natural language switching with executive control in early bilinguals
Authors: López-Penadés Raúl , Sanchez-Azanza Victor A. , Aguilar-Mediavilla Eva , Buil-Legaz Lucía , Adrover-Roig Daniel
Published: January 2020

This study aimed at identifying linguistic factors that could contribute to understanding individual differences in executive control among bilinguals. Directionality and type of natural language switching, age of second language acquisition, and language proficiency were evaluated in a sample of 112 early bilingual adults. Participants performed several computerized tasks tapping into three dimensions of executive control: inhibition of interference, working memory updating, and shifting. Regression analyses showed that frequent switching to the second language was associated with more efficient executive processing, enhanced working memory updating processes, and better shifting ability. Moreover, higher frequency of unintended language switches was associated with lower interference control abilities. Frequency of language switching behavior was the principal predictor of executive control, beyond age of second language acquisition and language proficiency. Results suggest that frequent language switching is related to enhanced executive control, while the unintended switching of languages could be associated with low interference control.
Reading Novels at the Winter Palace under Nicholas I: From the Tsar to the Stokers
Authors: Rebecchini Damiano
Published: January 2020

How did the reading material enjoyed by Nicholas I differ from that of one of his stokers? This article focuses on the novels enjoyed by a broad spectrum of readers at the court of Nicholas I, from the tsar himself and the members of the imperial family to their servants, shedding new light on certain mechanisms of court culture. Based on archival sources such as the loan registers and the correspondence of the tsar's and the palace staff's libraries, this paper shows how, despite social and cultural differences, these two communities of readers actually often ended up reading the same authors and novels. What distinguished them was less their consumption of different texts than the way in which they read and interpreted the same books and, more generally, the different purpose that they attributed to reading. Based on their position at court and what they experienced in the Winter Palace—a political cabinet in which state ideology was discussed, a place in which courtiers felt suffocated by hierarchies and etiquette, or a place where servants could find otherwise unobtainable books—reading novels could constitute either a form of social control, escapism, or a school of good taste and proper behavior.
Ice, Fire, or Fizzle: The Climate Footprint of Earth's Supercontinental Cycles
Authors: Jellinek A. M. , Lenardic A. , Pierrehumbert R. T.
Published: January 2020

Supercontinent assembly and breakup can influence the rate and global extent to which insulated and relatively warm subcontinental mantle is mixed globally, potentially introducing lateral oceanic‐continental mantle temperature variations that regulate volcanic and weathering controls on Earth's long‐term carbon cycle for a few hundred million years. We propose that the relatively warm and unchanging climate of the Nuna supercontinental epoch (1.8–1.3 Ga) is characteristic of thorough mantle thermal mixing. By contrast, the extreme cooling‐warming climate variability of the Neoproterozoic Rodinia episode (1–0.63 Ga) and the more modest but similar climate change during the Mesozoic Pangea cycle (0.3–0.05 Ga) are characteristic features of the effects of subcontinental mantle thermal isolation with differing longevity. A tectonically modulated carbon cycle model coupled to a one‐dimensional energy balance climate model predicts the qualitative form of Mesozoic climate evolution expressed in tropical sea‐surface temperature and ice sheet proxy data. Applied to the Neoproterozoic, this supercontinental control can drive Earth into, as well as out of, a continuous or intermittently panglacial climate, consistent with aspects of proxy data for the Cryogenian‐Ediacaran period. The timing and magnitude of this cooling‐warming climate variability depends, however, on the detailed character of mantle thermal mixing, which is incompletely constrained. We show also that the predominant modes of chemical weathering and a tectonically paced abiotic methane production at mid‐ocean ridges can modulate the intensity of this climate change. For the Nuna epoch, the model predicts a relatively warm and ice‐free climate related to mantle dynamics potentially consistent with the intense anorogenic magmatism of this period.
Upper Mantle Structure of the Southern U.S. Continental Margin From Teleseismic Traveltime Tomography
Authors: Netto Alden , Pulliam Jay
Published: January 2020

The southern U.S. continental margin records a rich tectonic history spanning ~1.35 Ga, including two complete Wilson cycles. Due to a thick sediment cover, the paucity of local seismicity, and sparse seismic instrumentation, the tectonomagmatic evolution of this passive margin remains uncertain. The recent USArray seismic network offers an opportunity to address unresolved issues by imaging the crust and upper mantle. Direct teleseismic P and S traveltimes recorded at ~1,600 stations are mapped into 3‐D velocity perturbations. P and S tomography models, although generated independently, are broadly consistent, with a strong correlation between anomaly patterns in the sublithospheric mantle and known crustal features. Fast mantle velocities correspond to the Laurentia Craton and Llano and Grenville terranes, while intracratonic rift systems and Paleozoic arc terranes are marked by slow anomalies in the upper mantle.
Stripe Mystery in GRACE Geopotential Models Revealed
Authors: Peidou Athina , Pagiatakis Spiros
Published: January 2020

The Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) gravitational models suffer from a dominant systematic error, usually referred to as “longitudinal stripes.” These stripes contaminate useful geophysical signals and limit the spectrum of geoscience applications that can be benefited from GRACE and GRACE‐Follow On. Analyses of the spatiotemporal structure of latitudinal stripe profiles show consistent spectral characteristics throughout three years of monthly solutions. Using an elegant combination of GRACE sampling characteristics and advanced moiré theory, we show that the GRACE stripes are sub‐Nyquist (pseudo‐moiré) artifacts arising from the oversampling of the Earth's low‐frequency static disturbing potential (geoid) along the parallels. The low‐frequency geoid modulates the total sampled gravitational signal with a frequency near
, where fs is the sampling frequency of the GRACE ground track “bundles” along the parallels of latitude, and m and n are mutually prime integers, with 2m ≤ n.
Multi‐Instrument Observations of Ion‐Neutral Coupling in the Dayside Cusp
Authors: Billett D. D. , Hosokawa K. , Grocott A. , Wild J. A. , Aruliah A. L. , Ogawa Y. , Taguchi S. , Lester M.
Published: January 2020

Using data from the Scanning Doppler Imager, the Super Dual Auroral Radar Network, the EISCAT Svalbard Radar, and an auroral all‐sky imager, we examine an instance of
region neutral winds which have been influenced by the presence of poleward moving auroral forms near the dayside cusp region. We observe a reduction in the time taken for the ion drag force to reorientate the neutrals into the direction of the convective plasma (on the order of minutes), compared to before the auroral activity began. Additionally, because the ionosphere near the cusp is influenced much more readily by changes in the solar wind via dayside reconnection, we observe the neutrals responding to an interplanetary magnetic field change within minutes of it occurring. This has implications on the rate that energy is deposited into the ionosphere via Joule heating, which we show to become dampened by the neutral winds.
Effects of Sea Salt Aerosol Emissions for Marine Cloud Brightening on Atmospheric Chemistry: Implications for Radiative Forcing
Authors: Horowitz Hannah M. , Holmes Christopher , Wright Alicia , Sherwen Tomás , Wang Xuan , Evans Mat , Huang Jiayue , Jaeglé Lyatt , Chen Qianjie , Zhai Shuting , Alexander Becky
Published: January 2020

Marine cloud brightening (MCB) is proposed to offset global warming by emitting sea salt aerosols to the tropical marine boundary layer, which increases aerosol and cloud albedo. Sea salt aerosol is the main source of tropospheric reactive chlorine (Cly) and bromine (Bry). The effects of additional sea salt on atmospheric chemistry have not been explored. We simulate sea salt aerosol injections for MCB under two scenarios (212–569 Tg/a) in the GEOS‐Chem global chemical transport model, only considering their impacts as a halogen source. Globally, tropospheric Cly and Bry increase (20–40%), leading to decreased ozone (−3 to −6%). Consequently, OH decreases (−3 to −5%), which increases the methane lifetime (3–6%). Our results suggest that the chemistry of the additional sea salt leads to minor total radiative forcing compared to that of the sea salt aerosol itself (~2%) but may have potential implications for surface ozone pollution in tropical coastal regions.
Opportunities and Challenges for Paleoaltimetry in “Small” Orogens: Insights From the European Alps
Authors: Botsyun S. , Ehlers T. A. , Mutz S. G. , Methner K. , Krsnik E. , Mulch A.
Published: January 2020

Many stable isotope paleoaltimetry studies have focused on paleoelevation reconstructions of orogenic plateaus such as the Tibetan or Andean Plateaus. We address the opportunities and challenges of applying stable isotope paleoaltimetry to “smaller” orogens. We do this using a high‐resolution isotope tracking general circulation model (ECHAM5‐wiso) and explore the precipitation δ18O (δ18Op) signal of Cenozoic paleoclimate and topographic change in the European Alps. Results predict a maximum δ18Op change of 4–5‰ (relative to present day) during topographic development of the Alps. This signal of topographic change has the same magnitude as changes in δ18Op values resulting from Pliocene and Last Glacial Maximum global climatic change. Despite the similar magnitude of the isotopic signals resulting from topographic and paleoclimate changes, their spatial patterns across central Europe differ. Our results suggest that an integration of paleoclimate modeling, multiproxy approaches, and low‐elevation reference proxy records distal from an orogen improve topographic reconstructions.
Are Elevation and Open‐Water Conversion of Salt Marshes Connected?
Authors: Ganju Neil K. , Defne Zafer , Fagherazzi Sergio
Published: January 2020

Salt marsh assessments focus on vertical metrics such as accretion or lateral metrics such as open‐water conversion, without exploration of how the dimensions are related. We exploited a novel geospatial data set to explore how elevation is related to the unvegetated‐vegetated marsh ratio (UVVR), a lateral metric, across individual marsh “units” within four estuarine‐marsh systems. We find that elevation scales consistently with the UVVR across systems, with lower elevation units demonstrating more open‐water conversion and higher UVVRs. A normalized elevation‐UVVR relationship converges across systems near the system‐mean elevation and a UVVR of 0.1, a critical threshold identified by prior studies. This indicates that open‐water conversion becomes a dominant lateral instability process at a relatively conservative elevation threshold. We then integrate the UVVR and elevation to yield lifespan estimates, which demonstrate that higher elevation marshes are more resilient to internal deterioration, with an order‐of‐magnitude longer lifespan than predicted for lower elevation marshes.
Fluid‐Driven Tensile Fracture and Fracture Toughness in Nash Point Shale at Elevated Pressure
Authors: Gehne S. , Forbes Inskip N. D. , Benson Philip M. , Meredith P. G. , Koor N.
Published: January 2020

A number of key processes, both natural and anthropogenic, involve the fracture of rocks subjected to tensile stress, including vein growth and mineralization, and the extraction of hydrocarbons through hydraulic fracturing. In each case, the fundamental material property of mode‐I fracture toughness must be overcome in order for a tensile fracture to propagate. While measuring this parameter is relatively straightforward at ambient pressure, estimating fracture toughness of rocks at depth, where they experience confining pressure, is technically challenging. Here we report a new analysis that combines results from thick‐walled cylinder burst tests with quantitative acoustic emission to estimate the mode‐I fracture toughness (KIc) of Nash Point Shale at confining pressure simulating in situ conditions to approximately 1‐km depth. In the most favorable orientation, the pressure required to fracture the rock shell (injection pressure, Pinj) increases from 6.1 MPa at 2.2‐MPa confining pressure (Pc), to 34 MPa at 20‐MPa confining pressure. When fractures are forced to cross the shale bedding, the required injection pressures are 30.3 MPa (at Pc = 4.5 MPa) and 58 MPa (Pc = 20 MPa), respectively. Applying the model of Abou‐Sayed et al. (1978, https://doi.org/10.1029/JB083iB06p02851) to estimate the initial flaw size, we calculate that this pressure increase equates to an increase in KIc from 0.36 to 4.05 MPa·m1/2 as differential fluid pressure (Pinj − Pc) increases from 3.2 to 22.0 MPa. We conclude that the increasing pressure due to depth in the Earth will have a significant influence on fracture toughness, which is also a function of the inherent anisotropy.
The Importance of Remote Forcing for Regional Modeling of Internal Waves
Authors: Mazloff Matthew R. , Cornuelle Bruce , Gille Sarah T. , Wang Jinbo
Published: January 2020

Regional ocean general circulation models are generally forced at the boundaries by mesoscale ocean dynamics and barotropic tides. In this work we provide evidence that remotely forced internal waves can be a significant source of energy for the dynamics. We compare global and regional model solutions within the California Current System. Both models have similar inputs, forcings, and identical grids and numerics. The global model has a steric height power spectrum consistent with mooring observations at superinertial frequencies, while the regional model spectrum is weaker. The regional model also has less sea surface height variance at high wavenumber than the global model. The vertical velocity variance is significantly larger in the global model, except in the sheltered Southern California Bight. While the regional model has roughly equal high‐pass baroclinic and barotropic kinetic energy levels, the global model high‐pass baroclinic kinetic energy is 28% (0.39 PJ) greater than the barotropic energy. An internal wave energy flux analysis reveals that the regional model domain boundaries act as a sink of 183 MW, while in the global model the analysis domain boundaries act as a source of 539 MW. This 722 MW difference can account for the relative increase of 0.39 PJ high‐pass baroclinic energy in the global model, assuming a baroclinic kinetic energy dissipation time in the domain of approximately 6.3 days. The results here imply that most regional ocean models will need to account for internal wave boundary fluxes in order to reproduce the observed internal wave continuum spectrum.
Variability in the Distribution of Fast Ice and the Sub‐ice Platelet Layer Near McMurdo Ice Shelf
Authors: Brett G. M. , Irvin A. , Rack W. , Haas C. , Langhorne P. J. , Leonard G. H.
Published: January 2020

Variability in the volume of supercooled Ice Shelf Water outflow in McMurdo Sound is reflected in the thickness and distribution of fast ice and the sub‐ice platelet layer beneath. Ground‐based electromagnetic induction and drill hole surveys of the distribution and thickness of ice shelf‐influenced fast ice and the sub‐ice platelet layer in McMurdo Sound were carried out in late spring of 2011, 2013, 2016, and 2017. In 2011 and 2017, thicker sub‐ice platelet layers of up to 7.5 and 6 m were observed, respectively. Fast ice formation throughout the winters of 2011 and 2017 was influenced by a higher occurrence of strong southerly wind events and resultant activity of the Ross Sea Polynya. In contrast, lower wind conditions in 2016 led to largely undisturbed sea ice growth and anomalously extensive fast ice coverage. A thinner sub‐ice platelet layer of up to 4 m was observed in 2016. In 2011 and 2017, substantial and variable sub‐ice platelet layers were detected in a region of exchange of water masses between the Ross Sea and the McMurdo‐Ross ice shelf cavity, which were not observed in 2013 and 2016. We hypothesize that a higher frequency of strong southerly wind events, resultant polynya activity, and High Salinity Shelf Water production over winter accelerates circulation and increases melting in the proximal shallow McMurdo Ice Shelf and the deeper Ross Ice Shelf regions of the conjoined cavity. The outflow of supercooled Ice Shelf Water and sub‐ice platelet layer formation in McMurdo Sound are consequently promoted.
Geostationary Lightning Mapper Clustering Algorithm Stability
Authors: Mach Douglas M.
Published: January 2020

The stability of the operational real‐time clustering algorithm for the Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM) was tested by measuring how it varied, in regard to flash rates, when the various temporal and spatial limits for the clustering algorithm changed. GLM is an instrument on the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite R‐series designed to map total lightning activity continuously day and night with near‐uniform storm scale spatial resolution. The results were then compared to similar variations made to the algorithms used to process the Optical Transient Detector (OTD) and Lightning Imaging Sensor (LIS) data so that the science results of the three orbital optical lightning detectors (GLM, LIS, and OTD) can be compared. For temporal (200 to 1,000 ms) and spatial (8 to 64 km) variations and for storms with flash rates less than about 40 flashes per minute, the flash rates from the GLM clustering were not very sensitive to algorithm variations. One major difference between the GLM clustering methodology and those of OTD and LIS is that large groups and flashes are artificially terminated to maintain an operational product. The artificial termination of flashes and groups does not greatly change the flash rates for storms with flash rates less than about 40 flashes per minute.
Water Markets, Water Courts, and Transaction Costs in Colorado
Authors: Womble Philip , Hanemann W. Michael
Published: January 2020

Water markets increasingly facilitate adaptation to water scarcity, but transaction costs can be barriers to expanded water marketing, particularly under water rights law in the western United States. However, transaction costs are rarely measured, and existing research commonly overlooks how transaction costs differ across individual water transfers and uncertainty in those costs. We collected hundreds of estimates of procedural transaction costs—costs incurred by transfer proponents for legal and hydrologic experts—by surveying 100 water professionals in the state of Colorado. There, water markets are among the most active in the United States, convey perhaps the most clearly defined private property rights of any state, and, unique to Colorado, require approval from specialized water courts. We elicited costs for water transfers with differing physical and legal characteristics, and we elicited separate assessments of (i) probabilities of legal outcomes for water transfers and (ii) transaction costs conditional on those outcomes. Then, we estimated expected transaction costs with a statistical model that combines (i) with (ii). The model reveals systematic differences in transaction costs, with scale economies and higher transaction costs for water‐scarce regions, senior water rights, and higher‐conflict legal outcomes. It also shows substantial transaction cost uncertainty, which itself can discourage trading. Our novel survey and estimation procedure develops a replicable approach for measuring transaction cost heterogeneity and uncertainty. Additionally, qualitative survey data we collected indicate transaction costs have increased over time due to growing competition for scarce water and that, despite high transaction costs, specialized water courts offer unique benefits.
A New Derivative‐Free Linear Approximation for Solving the Network Water Flow Problem With Convergence Guarantees
Authors: Wang Shen , Taha Ahmad F. , Sela Lina , Giacomoni Marcio H. , Gatsis Nikolaos
Published: January 2020

Addressing challenges in urban water infrastructure systems, including aging infrastructure, supply uncertainty, extreme events, and security threats, depends highly on water distribution networks modeling emphasizing the importance of realistic assumptions, modeling complexities, and scalable solutions. In this study, we propose a derivative‐free, linear approximation for solving the network water flow problem. The proposed approach takes advantage of the special form of the nonlinear head loss equations, and, after the transformation of variables and constraints, the water flow problem reduces to a linear optimization problem that can be efficiently solved by modern linear solvers. Ultimately, the proposed approach amounts to solving a series of linear optimization problems. We demonstrate the proposed approach through several case studies and show that the approach can model arbitrary network topologies and various types of valves and pumps, thus providing modeling flexibility. Under mild conditions, we show that the proposed linear approximation converges. We provide sensitivity analysis and discuss in detail the current limitations of our approach and suggest solutions to overcome these. All the codes, tested networks, and results are freely available on Github for research reproducibility.
Perspectives of patients and physicians regarding hypertensive management from an online survey for excellence: a subanalysis of the PARADOX study by physician categories
Authors: Yoshida Takuo , Nishigaki Nobuhiro , Saita Shun , Shimasaki Yukio , Hasebe Naoyuki
Published: January 2020

An existing clinical problem in Japan is the high prevalence of uncontrolled hypertension despite the availability of various effective therapies. Here, we analyzed survey data to gain insight into this paradox from physicians’ perspectives, with results categorized according to specialty (i.e., with or without certification by the Japanese Society of Hypertension [JSH]), institution type, gender, and age. A web-based survey of typical educational activities for patients regarding hypertension management was conducted in Japan between October 19 and 31, 2017. Differences between physician groups were investigated per category. Survey results from 541 physicians were analyzed: 59 JSH certified (i.e., ‘specialist’) vs 482 non-JSH certified (i.e., ‘nonspecialist’) physicians; 192 general practitioners vs 349 hospital physicians; 500 males vs 41 females; and 178 younger (mean age: 40.7 years), 174 middle-aged (52.0 years) or 189 older (61.3 years) physicians. The most statistically significant differences between groups were observed in the category of physician specialty. Compared with nonspecialists, specialist physicians were more conscious of providing education on patient lifestyle modifications, more aware of patient- and physician-derived issues, and understood and followed the treatment guidelines. General practitioners cared more about the patient’s burden than did hospital physicians. Younger physicians identified the need to incorporate the patient’s perspective into their treatment. This analysis shows that the provision and perceptions of education differ between physician categories. Compared with specialist physicians, nonspecialists were less likely to provide adequate guidance on lifestyle modifications, possibly due to their uncertainty in understanding treatment guideline recommendations. Further education of nonspecialists on hypertension management may be warranted.
Validation of preferred salt concentration in soup based on a randomized blinded experiment in multiple regions in Japan—influence of umami (l-glutamate) on saltiness and palatability of low-salt solutions
Authors: Hayabuchi Hitomi , Morita Rieko , Ohta Masanori , Nanri Akiko , Matsumoto Hideki , Fujitani Shoji , Yoshida Shintaro , Ito Sadayoshi , Sakima Atsushi , Takase Hiroyuki , Kusaka Miho , Tsuchihashi Takuya
Published: January 2020

Sodium reduction is an important public health goal. Individual and population approaches are necessary for reducing the sodium content of processed foods and meals. The aim of the present study is to affirm the effect of monosodium l-glutamate (MSG), an umami substance, on the saltiness or palatability of low-salt solutions and to explore the preferred salt concentration in soup. Five hundred and eighty-four healthy participants from nineteen regions in Japan tasted 0.3, 0.6, and 0.9% NaCl solutions with or without 0.3% MSG. Evaluations of saltiness and palatability for each solution were conducted using a visual analog scale in a double-blinded randomized manner. Saltiness gradually increased depending on the concentration of NaCl. The saltiness of the 0.3% NaCl solution with MSG was rated significantly higher than that without MSG. The palatability ratings were higher for the solutions with MSG than for those without MSG for all NaCl concentrations. In particular, the palatability rating of the 0.3% NaCl solution with MSG was twice as high as that without MSG and was significantly higher than that of the other five test solutions. Furthermore, these results were observed to be approximately the same, irrespective of sex, age, region, etc. Salt reduction is believed to result in a loss of palatability. However, our results suggest that umami can compensate for the loss of palatability caused by salt reduction and that the addition of an appropriate amount of an umami substance can facilitate salt reduction from 0.9 to 0.3% without sacrificing palatability.
Arginine π-stacking drives binding to fibrils of the Alzheimer protein Tau
Authors: Ferrari Luca , Stucchi Riccardo , Konstantoulea Katerina , van de Kamp Gerarda , Kos Renate , Geerts Willie J. C. , van Bezouwen Laura S. , Förster Friedrich G. , Altelaar Maarten , Hoogenraad Casper C. , Rüdiger Stefan G. D.
Published: January 2020

Aggregation of the Tau protein into fibrils defines progression of neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s Disease. The molecular basis for potentially toxic reactions of Tau aggregates is poorly understood. Here we show that π-stacking by Arginine side-chains drives protein binding to Tau fibrils. We mapped an aggregation-dependent interaction pattern of Tau. Fibrils recruit specifically aberrant interactors characterised by intrinsically disordered regions of atypical sequence features. Arginine residues are key to initiate these aberrant interactions. Crucial for scavenging is the guanidinium group of its side chain, not its charge, indicating a key role of π-stacking chemistry for driving aberrant fibril interactions. Remarkably, despite the non-hydrophobic interaction mode, the molecular chaperone Hsp90 can modulate aberrant fibril binding. Together, our data present a molecular mode of action for derailment of protein-protein interaction by neurotoxic fibrils.
Templated growth of oriented layered hybrid perovskites on 3D-like perovskites
Authors: Wang Jifei , Luo Shiqiang , Lin Yun , Chen Yifu , Deng Yehao , Li Zhimin , Meng Ke , Chen Gang , Huang Tiantian , Xiao Si , Huang Han , Zhou Conghua , Ding Liming , He Jun , Huang Jinsong , Yuan Yongbo
Published: January 2020

The manipulation of crystal orientation from the thermodynamic equilibrium states is desired in layered hybrid perovskite films to direct charge transport and enhance the perovskite devices performance. Here we report a templated growth mechanism of layered perovskites from 3D-like perovskites which can be a general design rule to align layered perovskites along the out-of-plane direction in films made by both spin-coating and scalable blading process. The method involves suppressing the nucleation of both layered and 3D perovskites inside the perovskite solution using additional ammonium halide salts, which forces the film formation starts from solution surface. The fast drying of solvent at liquid surface leaves 3D-like perovskites which surprisingly templates the growth of layered perovskites, enabled by the periodic corner-sharing octahedra networks on the surface of 3D-like perovskites. This discovery provides deep insights into the nucleation behavior of octahedra-array-based perovskite materials, representing a general strategy to manipulate the orientation of layered perovskites.
Chromatin mapping and single-cell immune profiling define the temporal dynamics of ibrutinib response in CLL
Authors: Rendeiro André F. , Krausgruber Thomas , Fortelny Nikolaus , Zhao Fangwen , Penz Thomas , Farlik Matthias , Schuster Linda C. , Nemc Amelie , Tasnády Szabolcs , Réti Marienn , Mátrai Zoltán , Alpár Donát , Bödör Csaba , Schmidl Christian , Bock Christoph
Published: January 2020

The Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor ibrutinib provides effective treatment for patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), despite extensive heterogeneity in this disease. To define the underlining regulatory dynamics, we analyze high-resolution time courses of ibrutinib treatment in patients with CLL, combining immune-phenotyping, single-cell transcriptome profiling, and chromatin mapping. We identify a consistent regulatory program starting with a sharp decrease of NF-κB binding in CLL cells, which is followed by reduced activity of lineage-defining transcription factors, erosion of CLL cell identity, and acquisition of a quiescence-like gene signature. We observe patient-to-patient variation in the speed of execution of this program, which we exploit to predict patient-specific dynamics in the response to ibrutinib based on the pre-treatment patient samples. In aggregate, our study describes time-dependent cellular, molecular, and regulatory effects for therapeutic inhibition of B cell receptor signaling in CLL, and it establishes a broadly applicable method for epigenome/transcriptome-based treatment monitoring.
Gold clay from self-assembly of 2D microscale nanosheets
Authors: Yue Youfeng , Norikane Yasuo
Published: January 2020

Nature has always demonstrated incredible ability to create amazing materials such as soft clay which are built from nanoplatelet packing structures. It is challenging to produce artificial clays owing to the difficulty in obtaining large volume fractions of nanoplatelets and the lack of structural control in layer-by-layer packing. Here, single-crystalline Au nanosheets are synthesized by controlled growth in the bilayer membranes of succinic acid surfactants. Then, a self-assembly strategy is used to make {111}-oriented gold nanostructures at the liquid−liquid interface. The stiffness of the nanosheet assemblies are six orders of magnitude softer than bulk gold. The Au nanosheet aggregates show high plasticity and deformable into macroscale free-standing metallic architectures. They show a stress/strain-dependent conductivity owing to morphological changes. Our study provides valuable insights on the chemical synthesis of 2D nanostructures as well as for the self-assembly strategy on fabrication of mouldable metals for producing free-standing metallic architectures with microscale resolutions.
Disappearance of superconductivity due to vanishing coupling in the overdoped Bi$$_{2}$$Sr$$_{2}$$CaCu$$_{2}$$O$$_{8+\delta }$$
Authors: Valla T. , Drozdov I. K. , Gu G. D.
Published: January 2020

In cuprate superconductors, superconductivity is accompanied by a plethora of orders and phenomena that complicate our understanding of superconductivity in these materials. Prominent in the underdoped regime, these orders weaken or vanish with overdoping. Here, we approach the superconducting phase from the more conventional overdoped side. We present angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy studies of Bi$$_{2}$$2Sr$$_{2}$$2CaCu$$_{2}$$2O$$_{8+\delta }$$8+δ, cleaved and annealed in ozone to increase the doping all the way to the non-superconducting phase. We show that the mass renormalization in the antinodal region of the Fermi surface that possibly reflects the pairing, weakens with doping and completely disappears precisely where superconductivity disappears. This is the evidence that in the overdoped regime, superconductivity is determined primarily by the coupling strength. A doping dependence and an abrupt disappearance above the transition temperature eliminate phononic mechanism of the observed renormalization and identify the onset of spin-fluctuations as its likely origin.