bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Epidemiology and treatment of phalangeal fractures: conservative treatment is the predominant therapeutic concept
Authors: Kremer Laura , Frank Johannes , Lustenberger Thomas , Marzi Ingo , Sander Anna Lena
Published: May 2020

Purpose

Despite the high number of patients with phalangeal fractures, evidence-based recommendations for the treatment of specific phalangeal fractures could not be concluded from the literature. The purpose of the present study was to assess current epidemiological data, classification of the fracture type, and mode of treatment.

Methods

This study presents a retrospective review of 261 patients with 283 phalangeal fractures ≥ 18 years of age who were treated in our level I trauma centre between 2017 and 2018. The data were obtained by the analysis of the institution’s database, and radiological examinations.

Results

The average age of the patients was 40.4 years (range 18–98). The ratio of male to female patients was 2.7:1. The two most typical injury mechanisms were crush injuries (33%) and falls (23%). Most phalangeal fractures occurred in the distal phalanx (P3 43%). The 4th ray (D4 29%) was most frequently affected. The P3 tuft fractures, and the middle phalanx (P2) base fractures each accounted for 25% of fracture types. A total of 74% of fractures were treated conservatively, and 26% required surgery, with Kirschner wire(s) (37%) as the preferred surgical treatment. The decision for surgical treatment correlated with the degree of angular and/or rotational deformity, intraarticular step, and sub-/luxation of specific phalangeal fractures, but not with age and gender.

Conclusions

Our findings demonstrated the popularity of conservative treatment of phalangeal fractures, while surgery was only required in properly selected cases. The correct definition of precise fracture pattern in addition to topography is essential to facilitate treatment decision-making.
Digital Public Health – Hebel für Capacity Building in der kommunalen Gesundheitsförderung
Authors: Zens Maria , Shajanian Zarneh Yvette , Dolle Jürgen , De Bock Freia
Published: May 2020

Mit der Ottawa-Charta von 1986 wurde ein Paradigmenwechsel vollzogen, der alle Public-Health-Anstrengungen auf die Stärkung kommunaler Aktivitäten und die Schaffung gesundheitsförderlicher Lebensumstände orientiert. Ein Schlüssel hierfür ist „capacity building“ (CB), verstanden als die Entwicklung und möglichst nachhaltige Implementierung von strukturellen Kapazitäten – wie koordinierte Datenerhebung, Abstimmungsprozesse über Sektorengrenzen hinweg, dauerhafte Bereitstellung grundständiger Ressourcen – in allen Bereichen der Gesundheitsförderung „vor Ort“.

Vielfältige Anstrengungen und dreieinhalb Jahrzehnte später sehen wir uns noch viel zu oft Infrastrukturdefiziten, fragmentierten Public-Health-Landschaften und Hemmnissen für die intersektorale Zusammenarbeit gegenüber. Während der theoretische Konsens über das Notwendige breit erscheint, bleibt es eine Herausforderung, diese theoretischen Einsichten in die Praxis umzusetzen. In dieser Situation kann Digital Public Health (DPH) dazu beitragen, Barrieren zu überwinden und „Daten für Taten“ sichtbarer und zugänglicher zu machen. Durch DPH können Daten auf neuartige Weise integriert, strukturiert und disseminiert werden.

In diesem Beitrag wird erörtert, wie die Kapazitätsentwicklung auf lokaler und kommunaler Ebene von technologischen Entwicklungen profitieren und was DPH für die Bereitstellung von Informationsservices im Bereich Public Health Capacity tun kann. Der Fokus liegt auf der webbasierten, interaktiven Repräsentation von Gesundheitsförderungsdaten, die für Informations‑, Steuerungs- und Benchmarkingzwecke genutzt werden können. Als Beispiel aus der Public-Health-Praxis wird das Tool „TEAviisari“ (National Institute for Health and Welfare, Finnland) vorgestellt.

Die EU-Ratspräsidentschaft Deutschlands 2020 – u. a. mit den Themen Digitalisierung und gemeinsamer Gesundheitsdatenraum – bietet die Gelegenheit, die Kapazitätsentwicklung in der kommunalen Gesundheitsförderung auch hierzulande entscheidend voranzubringen.
The finishing touches: the role of friction and roughness in haptic perception of surface coatings
Authors: Skedung Lisa , Harris Kathryn L. , Collier Elizabeth S. , Rutland Mark W.
Published: May 2020

Humans are extraordinarily skilled in the tactile evaluation of, and differentiation between, surfaces. The chemical and mechanical properties of these surfaces are translated into tactile signals during haptic exploration by mechanoreceptors in our skin, which are specialized to respond to different types of temporal and mechanical stimulation. Describing the effects of measurable physical characteristics on the human response to tactile exploration of surfaces is of great interest to manufacturers of household materials so that the haptic experience can be considered during design, product development and quality control. In this study, methods from psychophysics and materials science are combined to advance current understanding of which physical properties affect tactile perception of a range of furniture surfaces, i.e., foils and coatings, thus creating a tactile map of the furniture product landscape. Participants’ responses in a similarity scaling task were analyzed using INDSCAL from which three haptic dimensions were identified. Results show that specific roughness parameters, tactile friction and vibrational information, as characterized by a stylus profilometer, a Forceboard, and a biomimetic synthetic finger, are important for tactile differentiation and preferences of these surface treatments. The obtained dimensions are described as distinct combinations of the surface properties characterized, rather than as ‘roughness’ or ‘friction’ independently. Preferences by touch were related to the roughness, friction and thermal properties of the surfaces. The results both complement and advance current understanding of how roughness and friction relate to tactile perception of surfaces.
SPG7 mutations in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a genetic link to hereditary spastic paraplegia
Authors: Osmanovic Alma , Widjaja Maylin , Förster Alisa , Weder Julia , Wattjes Mike P. , Lange Inken , Sarikidi Anastasia , Auber Bernd , Raab Peter , Christians Anne , Preller Matthias , Petri Susanne , Weber Ruthild G.
Published: May 2020

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP) are motor neuron diseases sharing clinical, pathological, and genetic similarities. While biallelic SPG7 mutations are known to cause recessively inherited HSP, heterozygous SPG7 mutations have repeatedly been identified in HSP and recently also in ALS cases. However, the frequency and clinical impact of rare SPG7 variants have not been studied in a larger ALS cohort. Here, whole-exome (WES) or targeted SPG7 sequencing was done in a cohort of 214 European ALS patients. The consequences of a splice site variant were analyzed on the mRNA level. The resulting protein alterations were visualized in a crystal structure model. All patients were subjected to clinical, electrophysiological, and neuroradiological characterization. In 9 of 214 (4.2%) ALS cases, we identified five different rare heterozygous SPG7 variants, all of which were previously reported in patients with HSP or ALS. All detected SPG7 variants affect the AAA+ domain of the encoded mitochondrial metalloprotease paraplegin and impair its stability or function according to predictions from mRNA analysis or crystal structure modeling. ALS patients with SPG7 mutations more frequently presented with cerebellar symptoms, flail arm or leg syndrome compared to those without SPG7 mutations, and showed a partial clinical overlap with HSP. Brain MRI findings in SPG7 mutation carriers included cerebellar atrophy and patterns suggestive of frontotemporal dementia. Collectively, our findings suggest that SPG7 acts as a genetic risk factor for ALS. ALS patients carrying SPG7 mutations present with distinct features overlapping with HSP, particularly regarding cerebellar findings.
The impact of total body water on breath alcohol calculations
Authors: Reiter Gregor S. , Boeckle Markus , Reiter Christian , Seltenhammer Monika H.
Published: May 2020

Due to a legislative amendment in Austria to determine breath alcohol (BrAC) instead of blood alcohol (BAC) in connection with traffic offences, many results of blood alcohol calculations were simply converted using distinct conversion factors. In Austria, the transformation of BAC to BrAC was carried out by using a factor of 1:2000, which, however, is commonly known to be too low. Noticing the great demand for a calculation method that is not exclusively based on blood alcohol, a formula for calculating breath alcohol based on blood alcohol was published in 1989, but in which the body surface area (BSA) was considered the most important influencing variable. In order to refine this new method, a liquor intake experiment was conducted combined with measurements of total body water (TBW) as an additional variable, using hand to foot bioelectrical impedance assessment (BIA). The test group comprised 37 men and 40 women to evaluate the accuracy of TBW and BSA as an individual parameter for alcohol concentration. The correlation coefficient of BrAC with TBW was constantly higher than with BSA (maximum = 0.921 at 1 h and 45 min after cessation of alcohol intake). These results are valid for both men and women as well as in a gender independent calculation. Hence, for an accurate back calculation of BrAC adjusted values of eliminations rates had to be found. This study describes mean elimination rates of BrAC for both men (0.065 ± 0.011 mg/L h−1) and women (0.074 ± 0.017 mg/L h−1). As previously shown women displayed a significantly higher elimination rate than men (p = 0.006).
Confounding factors of non-invasive tests for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease
Authors: Wai Janae Wentong , Fu Charmaine , Wong Vincent Wai-Sun
Published: May 2020

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) affects at least 25% of the general adult population worldwide. Because only a fraction of the patients would develop liver-related complications, it is preferable to perform non-invasive tests as the initial assessment. This review summarizes the known and potential confounding factors that affect the performance of non-invasive tests of hepatic steatosis and fibrosis in patients with NAFLD. Clinicians may apply the knowledge and exercise caution in selecting investigations and interpreting test results when confounding factors are present.
Multi-functional coating of polymeric spherulites for chiral photonic cellulose nanocrystal films
Authors: Bazrafshan Zahra
Published: May 2020

Cellulose Nanocrystal (CNC) films are from emerging nanoparticles recently known for photonic properties. The CNC films show nonuniform photonic domains resulting from structural irregularities in their typical self-assembled arrangements. This paper presents a drop-casting approach from Polyamide 6 to form a coating layer on the CNC films. This coating approach led to polycrystalline growth patterns known as spherulites on the CNC film. For the resulting coated CNC film, the spherulites yielded a unique set of enhanced physical properties including optical, mechanical and thermal as well as a new morphological appearance from their micro-scale average spherical shape; the ordering effect of their local radial symmetry and orientation positively influenced the effects of structural irregularities of the typical CNC films. Under polarized light, the optical transmission bands of the CNC film were perceived through radial symmetry of banded spherulites which were responsible for the formation of circular extinction patterns for the coated CNC film. The intermolecular interactions and interlamellar entanglement of spherulites provided enhanced flexibility and tensile strength for the coated CNC film. This protecting design allows for the future development of a variety of portable functional assemblies requiring enhanced performance in optical, mechanical and thermal properties of CNC films.
The Detectability of Welding Defects in MIAB Welded Thin-Walled Tubular Components by Immersion Ultrasonic Technique
Authors: Kustroń Paweł , Piwowarczyk Tomasz , Korzeniowski Marcin , Sokołowski Paweł , Bicz Agnieszka
Published: May 2020

The article demonstrates an effective solution for ultrasonic quality monitoring of transmission and drive components of motor vehicles, joined using an innovative method called magnetically impelled arc butt welding (MIAB). The major challenge was the application of ultrasonic technology for quick and reliable testing of thin-walled components with complex geometry. To solve this problem the idea of using ultrasonic subsurface waves was investigated. By using finite elements method (FEM) the angle of the ultrasonic beam incident on the tested element and the frequency of the ultrasonic transducer were verified. Then, scanning acoustic microscopy (SAM) and X-ray computed tomography (CT), both nondestructive tests on thin-walled welded tubular components were performed. The research have shown that it is possible to detect defects with diameter of 0.3 mm with the angle of incidence of wave 31.5°. The results of the numerical analysis were compared with the experimental approach and confirmed the usefulness of proposed method. Finally, the potential of using immersion ultrasonic technique for quick and reliable validation of thin-walled tubular components was proven, as the test duration for a one elements was around 3 s.
Eudaimonia and well-being: questioning the moral authority of advance directives in dementia
Authors: Byers Philippa
Published: May 2020

This paper revisits Ronald Dworkin’s influential position that a person’s advance directive for future health care and medical treatment retains its moral authority beyond the onset of dementia, even when respecting this authority involves foreshortening the life of someone who is happy and content and who no longer remembers or identifies with instructions included within the advance directive. The analysis distils a eudaimonist perspective from Dworkin’s argument and traces variations of this perspective in further arguments for the moral authority of advance directives by other authors. It then critiques a feature of the eudaimonist perspectives within these arguments—namely, the position that dementia has a retroactive negative impact on what a person has previously valued—and challenges the commonly held assumption underlying them that a person’s life and well-being have relatively low value beyond the onset of dementia. Although advance directives have moral authority as a means of guiding one’s future health care, accounts that dismiss the value of the lives and well-being of people living with dementia should be questioned to the extent that such accounts are used to support the moral authority of advance directives stipulating measures to foreshorten individuals’ lives.
Deep Brain Stimulation in the Nucleus Accumbens for Binge Eating Disorder: a Study in Rats
Authors: Oterdoom D. L. Marinus , Lok Renske , van Beek André P. , den Dunnen Wilfred F.A. , Emous Marloes , van Dijk J. Marc C. , van Dijk Gertjan
Published: May 2020

Binge eating disorder (BED), with its compulsive and addictive components, may often underlie weight regain after gastrointestinal bariatric surgeries. BED is therefore considered an exclusion criterion for these surgeries. Anecdotal reports suggest that deep brain stimulation (DBS) is an effective treatment for addictive disorders with, similar to BED, pathological changes in cerebral reward circuitry. We therefore assessed effect of DBS of the nucleus accumbens (NAC) in a rat model of BED. Twenty-one male obesity prone Wistar rats with DBS electrodes placed in NAC subregions were subjected to a binge eating protocol. Binge eating was significantly reduced with DBS during (NAC core) or before (NAC lateral shell) the binge. These outcomes provide a base to further explore the potential of DBS in the treatment of BED.
Design and rationale of a randomized, placebo-controlled trial on the efficacy and safety of sulodexide for extended treatment in elderly patients after a first venous thromboembolism
Authors: Palareti Gualtiero , Legnani Cristina , Antonucci Emilia , Zorzi Serena , Bignamini Angelo A. , Lodigiani Corrado , Tosetto Alberto , Bertù Lorenza , Pengo Vittorio , Testa Sophie , Ageno Walter , Prisco Domenico , Prandoni Paolo , Poli Daniela
Published: May 2020

How to prevent recurrences after a first venous thromboembolic (VTE) event in elderly patients is still an open issue, especially because of the high bleeding risk of anticoagulation in these patients. The placebo-controlled “Jason” study aims at assessing the efficacy and safety for secondary VTE prevention in elderly patients of oral Sulodexide (Vessel®) administration, a mixture of glycosaminoglycans (Alfasigma, Bologna, Italy) which proved effective against recurrences in a general population (SURVET study) without major bleeding (MB) complications. 1450 patients, aged ≥ 75 years, after at least 3 months of anticoagulation treatment for a first VTE episode, are double-blind randomized to receive for 12 months either sulodexide 500 lipasemic units (LSUs) twice daily, or sulodexide 250 LSU twice daily + indistinguishable placebo, or indistinguishable placebo. Primary outcomes for efficacy are the composite of death for VTE and recurrent VTE, and occurrence of MB for safety. Secondary outcomes include stroke, cardiovascular death and other thromboembolic events, and MB + clinically relevant non-MB. The first patient is scheduled to be randomized in May 2020. The study protocol has been approved by AIFA (Agenzia Italiana del Farmaco) and the Ethics Committee of the coordinating center. Written informed consent will be obtained from all patients prior to study participation. Jason study is an investigator-initiated trial, promoted by “Arianna Anticoagulazione” Foundation, Bologna, Italy, and supported by Alfasigma, Bologna, Italy. Study findings will be disseminated to participant centers, at research conferences and in peer-reviewed journals. Trial registration numbers NCT 04257487; EudraCT (2019–000570-33).
Self-adaptive learning for hybrid genetic algorithms
Authors: El-Mihoub Tarek A. , Hopgood Adrian A. , Nolle Lars
Published: May 2020

Local search can be introduced into genetic algorithms to create a hybrid, but any improvement in performance is dependent on the learning mechanism. In the Lamarckian model, a candidate solution is replaced by a fitter neighbour if one is found by local search. In the Baldwinian model, the original solution is retained but with an upgraded fitness if a fitter solution is found in the local search space. The effectiveness of using either model or a variable proportion of the two within a hybrid genetic algorithm is affected by the topology of the fitness function and the details of the hybrid algorithm. This paper investigates an intelligent adaptive approach to decide on the learning mechanism to be used by an individual over the course of the search. Evolution is used to self-adapt both the frequency of a steepest-descent local search and the relative proportions of Lamarckian and Baldwinian inheritance. Experiments have shown that this form of adaptive learning can improve the ability to find high-quality solutions and can accelerate the hybrid search without the need to find optimal control parameters for the learning process.
Potential biomarkers for early detection of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma
Authors: Kriz D. , Ansari D. , Andersson R.
Published: May 2020

Pancreatic cancer has the highest mortality amongst all major organ cancers. Early detection is key to reduce deaths related to pancreatic cancer. However, early detection has been challenged by the lack of non-invasive biomarkers with enough sensitivity and specificity to allow for screening. The gold standard is still carbohydrate antigen (CA 19-9), against which all new biomarkers must be evaluated. In this paper, we describe recent progress in the development of new pancreatic cancer biomarkers, focusing on proteins, metabolites, and genetic and epigenetic biomarkers. Although several promising biomarkers have been identified, they are all derived from retrospective studies and additional prospective studies are needed to confirm their clinical validity.
Investing in climate change adaptation and mitigation: A methodological review of real-options studies
Authors: Ginbo Tsegaye , Di Corato Luca , Hoffmann Ruben
Published: May 2020

Uncertain future payoffs and irreversible costs characterize investment in climate change adaptation and mitigation. Under these conditions, it is relevant to analyze investment decisions in a real options framework, as this approach takes into account the economic value associated with investment time flexibility. In this paper, we provide an overview of the literature adopting a real option approach to analyze investment in climate change adaptation and mitigation, and examine how the uncertain impacts of climate change on the condition of the human environment, risk preferences, and strategic interactions among decisions-makers have been modeled. We found that the complex nature of uncertainties associated with climate change is typically only partially taken into account and that the analysis is usually limited to decisions taken by individual risk neutral profit maximizers. Our findings call for further research to fill the identified gaps.
Ecosystem restoration in fire-managed savanna woodlands: Effects on biodiversity, local livelihoods and fire intensity
Authors: Johansson Maria Ulrika , Abebe Firew Bekele , Nemomissa Sileshi , Bekele Tamrat , Hylander Kristoffer
Published: May 2020

Ethiopia aims to restore 15 million ha degraded forests and woodlands, but effects on the potentially contrasting goals of long-term carbon storage, biodiversity and sustainable livelihoods are unknown. To quantify the effects of grazing exclusion on vegetation and fire behaviour, we established six 30 × 30 m fenced exclosures with grazed controls, in a mesic wooded savanna. Experimental burns were done after 1.5 years. Tree seedlings were few but more common inside fences. Field layer cover and biomass increased inside fences, and grass species increased in numbers and cover. Fire intensity was higher inside fences, killing shrubs and saplings but not mature trees. Interviews confirmed that overgrazing has resulted in “cool fires”, causing shrub encroachment. High-intensity fires occurred in the 1980s after a zoonotic disease killed most livestock. Short-term increase in carbon storage through fire and grazing exclusion may lead to loss of pasture, and in the long-term increased wildfire risk.
Mitigation of eutrophication caused by wastewater discharge: A simulation-based approach
Authors: Preisner Michał , Neverova-Dziopak Elena , Kowalewski Zbigniew
Published: May 2020

Mitigation of eutrophication, intensified by excessive nutrient load discharge in wastewaters regulated by restrictive legal requirements, remains one of today’s most important global problems. Despite implementation of the Water Framework Directive, the Urban Wastewater Directive and the HELCOM recommendations, the actual condition of surface water is still not satisfactory. In response to the above, the study presents an alternative approach for surface water protection against eutrophication based on the selection of appropriate nutrient removal technologies. An activated sludge model simulation was used to enable the identification of environmentally justified nutrient removal systems with lowest eutrophication potential of treated wastewater conditioned by bioavailable nutrient forms content. Based on the outcome of the study, the 3-stage Bardenpho system was identified as the most efficient for bioavailable phosphorus removal, while the Johannesburg system proved to have the highest efficiency for bioavailable nitrogen removal. The proposed eutrophication mitigation approach underlines the need for a reconsideration of current legal regulations which ignore nutrient bioavailability and key eutrophication limiting factors.
Using forest gap models and experimental data to explore long-term effects of tree diversity on the productivity of mixed planted forests
Authors: Morin Xavier , Damestoy Thomas , Toigo Maude , Castagneyrol Bastien , Jactel Hervé , de Coligny François , Meredieu Céline
Published: May 2020

Key message

In this exploratory study, we show how combining the strength of tree diversity experiment with the long-term perspective offered by forest gap models allows testing the mixture yielding behavior across a full rotation period. Our results on a SW France example illustrate how mixing maritime pine with birch may produce an overyielding (i.e., a positive net biodiversity effect).

Context

Understanding the link between tree diversity and stand productivity is a key issue at a time when new forest management methods are investigated to improve carbon sequestration and climate change mitigation. Well-controlled tree diversity experiments have been set up over the last decades, but they are still too young to yield relevant results from a long-term perspective. Alternatively, forest gap models appear as appropriate tools to study the link between diversity and productivity as they can simulate mixed forest growth over an entire forestry cycle.

Aims

We aimed at testing whether a forest gap model could first reproduce the results from a tree diversity experiment, using its plantation design as input, and then predict the species mixing effect on productivity and biomass in the long term.

Methods

Here, we used data from different forest experimental networks to calibrate the gap model ForCEEPS for young pine (Pinus pinaster) and birch (Betula pendula) stands. Then, we used the refined model to compare the productivity of pure and mixed pine and birch stands over a 50-year cycle. The mixing effect was tested for two plantation designs, i.e., species substitution and species addition, and at two tree densities.

Results

Regarding the comparison with the experiment ORPHEE (thus on the short term), the model well reproduced the species interactions observed in the mixed stands. Simulations showed an overyielding (i.e., a positive net biodiversity effect) in pine-birch mixtures in all cases and during the full rotation period. A transgressive overyielding was detected in mixtures resulting from birch addition to pine stands at low density. These results were mainly due to a positive mixing effect on pine growth being larger than the negative effect on birch growth.

Conclusion

Although this study remains explorative, calibrating gap models with data from monospecific stands and validating with data from the manipulative tree diversity experiment (ORPHEE) offers a powerful tool for further investigation of the productivity of forest mixtures. Improving our understanding of how abiotic and biotic factors, including diversity, influence the functioning of forest ecosystems should help to reconsider new forest managements optimizing ecosystem services.
PICO: Testosteronsuppletie bij prostaatcarcinoom na curatieve behandeling of onder active surveillance
Authors: Kolenburg Jeroen , de Vries P.
Published: May 2020

Samenvatting

Deze literatuurstudie komt voort uit een casus over testosteronsuppletietherapie (TST) bij een patiënt met curatief behandeld prostaatcarcinoom. TST is tot op heden volgens vele (internationale) richtlijnen nog gecontra-indiceerd bij behandeld of onbehandeld prostaatcarcinoom (PCa). Recente literatuur suggereert een alternatieve hypothese over het verband tussen testosteron en PCa. Na de casusbeschrijving wordt in dit artikel een overzicht gegeven van de huidige literatuur over TST bij PCa na curatieve behandeling (radicale prostatectomie, brachytherapie en uitwendige bestraling) of bij active surveillance van PCa.
To Heaven or to Hell: Are Muslims’ Afterlife Hope and Fear Balanced? A Cross-Cultural Study
Authors: Al-Issa Riyad Salim , Krauss Steven Eric , Roslan Samsilah , Abdullah Haslinda
Published: May 2020

Islamic theology emphasizes the importance of achieving balance (equilibrium) between afterlife hope and fear for spiritual health. This study is a preliminary step to measure this phenomenon among young Muslims. The aim of this study is to examine afterlife expectations balance by developing new survey measures of afterlife hope expectations (AHE) and afterlife fear expectations (AFE). After validating the content of both measures, data were collected from Jordanian university students ( N = 605) and Malaysian university students ( N = 303). Exploratory and confirmatory analyses support the validity of the AHE and AFE. The results from both countries indicate a high level of AHE and a low level of AFE among Muslim youth. Potential implications on spiritual health and recommendations for future research are discussed.
Psychological Aposematism: An Evolutionary Analysis of Suicide
Authors: Wiley James C.
Published: May 2020

The evolutionary advantage of psychological phenomena can be gleaned by comparing them with physical traits that have proven adaptive in other organisms. The present article provides a novel evolutionary explanation of suicide in humans by comparing it with aposematism in insects. Aposematic insects are brightly colored, making them conspicuous to predators. However, such insects are equipped with toxins that cause a noxious reaction when eaten. Thus, the death of a few insects conditions predators to avoid other insects of similar coloration. Analogously, human suicides may increase the credibility of future suicide threats and attempts from others, conveying an evolutionary advantage to the phenotypic expression of suicidal behavior in low-fitness contexts.
Linking a Storm Water Management Model to a Novel Two-Dimensional Model for Urban Pluvial Flood Modeling
Authors: Yang Yuhan , Sun Leifeng , Li Ruonan , Yin Jie , Yu Dapeng
Published: May 2020

This article describes a new method of urban pluvial flood modeling by coupling the 1D storm water management model (SWMM) and the 2D flood inundation model (ECNU Flood-Urban). The SWMM modeling results (the overflow of the manholes) are used as the input boundary condition of the ECNU Flood-Urban model to simulate the rainfall–runoff processes in an urban environment. The analysis is applied to the central business district of East Nanjing Road in downtown Shanghai, considering 5-, 10-, 20-, 50-, and 100-year return period rainfall scenarios. The results show that node overflow, water depth, and inundation area increase proportionately with the growing return periods. Water depths are mostly predicted to be shallow and surface flows generally occur in the urban road network due to its low-lying nature. The simulation result of the coupled model proves to be reliable and suggests that urban surface water flooding could be accurately simulated by using this methodology. Adaptation measures (upgrading of the urban drainage system) can then be targeted at specific locations with significant overflow and flooding.
Anionic polyacrylamide influence on the lead(II) ion accumulation in soil – the study on montmorillonite
Authors: Fijałkowska G. , Szewczuk-Karpisz K. , Wiśniewska M.
Published: May 2020

Purpose

Polymeric substances, as soil conditioners, limit the erosion process as well as improve the soil structure. The same macromolecular compounds may influence the heavy metal accumulation in soil environment. The main aim of this study was investigation of anionic polyacrylamide (AN PAM) effect on the lead(II) ion sorption on the montmorillonite surface. The effects of Pb(II) ion concentration, sequence of heavy metal and anionic polymer addition into the system as well as anionic group content in the PAM macromolecules were also studied.

Materials and methods

The study was performed on montmorillonite (clay mineral). Two types of polymers were used: AN PAM 5% and AN PAM 30% containing 5% and 30% of carboxylic groups, respectively. The adsorbed amounts of Pb(II) ions or AN PAM on the solid were determined spectrophotometrically. Electrokinetic properties of the examined systems were established using potentiometric titration and microelectrophoresis method. The montmorillonite aggregation without and with selected substances was described based on the sedimentation study.

Results

At pH 5 the Pb(II) adsorbed amount on montmorillonite equaled 0.05 mg/m2(for the initial concentration 10 ppm). Anionic polyacrylamide increased this value significantly (it was 0.11 mg/m2with AN PAM 5% and 0.11 mg/m2with AN PAM 30%). The lead(II) ions presence causes a slight increase of the anionic PAM adsorption on the montmorillonite surface. For example, for the initial polymer concentration 100 ppm, the AN PAM 5% adsorbed amount without Pb(II) equaled 0.49 mg/m2, whereas with Pb(II) – 0.57 mg/m2. What is more, anionic polyacrylamide and lead(II) ions affected electrokinetic properties and stability of the montmorillonite suspension.

Conclusions

Anionic polyacrylamide makes the Pb(II) accumulation on the montmorillonite surface larger and, as a consequence, reduces the Pb(II) availability to organisms. Therefore, this macromolecular compound can certainly be used to remediate soils contaminated with heavy metals.
Sensitivity of Historical Climate Simulations to Uncertain Aerosol Forcing
Authors: Dittus Andrea J. , Hawkins Ed , Wilcox Laura J. , Sutton Rowan T. , Smith Christopher J. , Andrews Martin B. , Forster Piers M.
Published: May 2020

The relative importance of anthropogenic aerosol in decadal variations of historical climate is uncertain, largely due to uncertainty in aerosol radiative forcing. We analyze a novel large ensemble of simulations with HadGEM3‐GC3.1 for 1850–2014, where anthropogenic aerosol and precursor emissions are scaled to sample a wide range of historical aerosol radiative forcing with present‐day values ranging from –0.38 to –1.50 Wm–2. Five ensemble members are run for each of five aerosol scaling factors. Decadal variations in surface temperatures are strongly sensitive to aerosol forcing, particularly between 1950 and 1980. Post‐1980, trends are dominated by greenhouse gas forcing, with much lower sensitivity to aerosol emission differences. Most realizations with aerosol forcing more negative than about –1 Wm–2simulate stronger cooling trends in the mid‐20th century compared with observations, while the simulated warming post‐1980 always exceeds observed warming, likelydue to a warm bias in the transient climate response in HadGEM3‐GC3.1.
Magnetospheric Interactions of Saturn's Moon Dione (2005–2015)
Authors: Krupp N. , Kotova A. , Roussos E. , Simon S. , Liuzzo L. , Paranicas C. , Khurana K. , Jones G. H.
Published: May 2020

The moon Dione orbits Saturn at 6.2 Saturn radii RS deep in the Kronian magnetosphere. In situ studies of the moon‐magnetosphere interaction processes near Dione were possible with the Cassini/Huygens mission which flew by close to Dione five times at distances between 99 and 516 km. In addition, Cassini crossed Dione's L‐shell more than 400 times between 2004 and 2017 and documented the variability of Saturn's magnetosphere. Different flyby geometries allowed to study the interaction processes upstream, in the low‐energy wake, and above the north pole of Dione. We describe here the energetic particle measurements from the Low Energy Magnetospheric Measurement System (LEMMS), part of the Magnetosphere Imaging Instrument (MIMI) onboard Cassini. We also use hybrid simulation results from “A.I.K.E.F.” to interpret the signatures in the particle fluxes. This paper is a continuation of Krupp et al. (2013, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2013.06.007) and Kotova et al. (2015, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2015.06.031). The key results are as follows: (1) Saturn's magnetosphere at Dione's orbit is highly variable with changes in energetic charged particle fluxes by 1–2 orders of magnitude. (2) The dropout signatures near Dione are basically consistent with a fully absorbing obstacle, but some features point to more complex interaction processes than plasma and energetic particle absorption. (3) Absorption signatures are found to be asymmetric with respect to the orientation of the moon, indicative of the presence of radial drift components for electrons. (4) The deepest absorption signatures were observed at the edge of the low‐energy wake pointing to gradient‐B drifts strongest in that part of the interaction region.
Cold Ocean Cavity and Weak Basal Melting of the Sørsdal Ice Shelf Revealed by Surveys Using Autonomous Platforms
Authors: Gwyther David E. , Spain Erica A. , King Peter , Guihen Damien , Williams Guy D. , Evans Eleri , Cook Sue , Richter Ole , Galton‐Fenzi Benjamin K. , Coleman Richard
Published: May 2020

Basal melting of ice shelves is inherently difficult to quantify through direct observations, yet it is a critical factor controlling Antarctic mass balance and global sea‐level rise. While much research attention is paid to larger ice shelves and those experiencing the most rapid change, many smaller, unstudied ice shelves offer valuable insights. Here, we investigate the oceanographic conditions and melting beneath the Sørsdal ice shelf, East Antarctica. We present results from the 2018/2019 Sørsdal deployment of the University of Tasmania's autonomous underwater vehicle nupiri muka. Oceanography adjacent to and beneath the ice shelf front shows a cold and relatively saline environment dominated by Winter Water and Dense Shelf Water, while bathymetry measurements show a deep (∼1,200 m) trough running into the ice shelf cavity. Two multiyear deployments of Autonomous Phase‐sensitive Radar Echo Sounders on the surface of the ice shelf show weak melt rates (average of 1.6 and 2.3 m yr−1) with low temporal variability. These observations are supported by numerical ocean model and satellite estimates of melting. We speculate that the presence of a ∼825 m thick (350 m to at least 1,175 m) homogeneous layer of cold, dense water blocks access from warmer waters that intrude into Prydz Bay from offshore, resulting in weak melt rates. However, the newly identified trough means that the ice shelf is vulnerable to any decrease in polynya activity that allows warm water to enter the cavity. This could lead to increased basal melting and mass loss through this sector of Antarctica.
A Semiprognostic Phenology Model for Simulating Multidecadal Dynamics of Global Vegetation Leaf Area Index
Authors: Xin Qinchuan , Zhou Xuewen , Wei Nan , Yuan Hua , Ao Zurui , Dai Yongjiu
Published: May 2020

Vegetation leaf phenology, often reflected by the dynamics in leaf area index (LAI), influences a variety of land surface processes. Robust models of vegetation phenology are pivot components in both land surface models and dynamic global vegetation models but remain challenging in terms of the model accuracy. This study develops a semiprognostic phenology model that is suitable for simulating time series of vegetation LAI. This method establishes a linear relationship between the steady‐state LAI (i.e., the LAI when the environment conditions remain unchanging) and gross primary productivity, meaning that the LAI an unchanging environment can carry is proportional to the photosynthetic products produced by plant leaves and implements with a simple light use efficiency algorithm of MOD17 to form a closed set of equations. We derive an analytical solution based on the Lambert W function to the closed equations and then apply a simple restricted growth process model to simulate the time series of actual LAI. The results modeled using global climate data demonstrate that the model is able to capture both the spatial pattern and intra‐annual and interannual variation of LAI derived from the satellite‐based product on a global scale. The results modeled using the flux tower data suggest that the developed model is able to explain over 70% variation in daily LAI for each plant functional type except evergreen broadleaf forest. The developed semiprognostic approach provides a simple solution to modeling the spatiotemporal variation in vegetation LAI across plant functional types on the global scale.
Thermochronological and Geochronological Constraints on Late Cretaceous Unroofing and Proximal Sedimentation in the Sevier Orogenic Belt, Utah
Authors: Pujols Edgardo J. , Stockli Daniel F. , Constenius Kurt N. , Horton Brian K.
Published: May 2020

A source‐to‐sink analysis incorporating geochronometric and thermochronometric data from the Sevier fold‐thrust belt (SFTB) and proximal synorogenic strata of the Canyon Range Conglomerate (CRC) and Indianola Group (IG) provides new insights into orogenic exhumation, erosional unroofing, and the interplay between thrusting and coarse clastic deposition in the Cretaceous Cordilleran foreland basin of western North America. Zircon (U‐Th)/He ages from the Pavant and Nebo thrust sheets record significant Cenomanian cooling indicative of synchronous exhumation and thrusting along a large segment of the SFTB in central and northern Utah. Detrital zircon (U‐Th)/He (DZHe) ages indistinguishable from depositional ages from the Cenomanian Dakota Formation and lower CRC also record rapid unroofing of the SFTB and synchronous deposition. DZHe data from wedge‐top deposits of the CRC record two significant unroofing episodes: Albo‐Cenomanian exhumation of the Pavant thrust and progressive unroofing of the Canyon Range culmination. For the IG, the presence of Paleozoic DZHe ages along with Paleozoic‐Mesozoic DZ U‐Pb ages in the Cenomanian Sanpete Formation suggests derivation from Paleozoic to Jurassic strata exhumed in the frontal Pavant and Nebo thrust sheets. After the Cenomanian episode of rapid exhumation, proximal foredeep strata recorded a widespread DZ provenance shift in the Turonian. Short DZHe lag time values from Campanian CRC and IG deposits reveal rapid exhumation of the SFTB during the Campanian. The synchroneity of major shortening and Campanian and Cenomanian changes in foreland basin architecture and provenance supports models proposing that active shortening in the fold‐thrust belt coincides with coarse clastic influx in foreland basins.
A Spatially Variable Time Series of Sea Level Change Due to Artificial Water Impoundment
Authors: Hawley William B. , Hay Carling C. , Mitrovica Jerry X. , Kopp Robert E.
Published: May 2020

The artificial impoundment of water behind dams causes global mean sea level (GMSL) to fall as reservoirs fill but also generates a local rise in sea level due to the increased mass in the reservoir and the crustal deformation this mass induces. To estimate spatiotemporal fluctuations in sea level due to water impoundment, we use a historical data set that includes 6,329 reservoirs completed between 1900 and 2011, as well as projections of 3,565 reservoirs that are expected to be completed by 2040. The GMSL change associated with the historical data (−0.2 mm yr−1 from 1900–2011) is consistent with previous studies, but the temporal and spatial resolution allows for local studies that were not previously possible, revealing that some locations experience a sea level rise of as much as 40 mm over less than a decade. Future construction of reservoirs through ~2040 is projected to cause a GMSL fall whose rate is comparable to that of the last century (−0.3 mm yr−1) but with a geographic distribution that will be distinct from the last century, including a rise in sea level in more coastal areas. The analysis of expected construction shows that significant impoundment near coastal communities in the coming decades could enhance the flooding risk already heightened by global sea level rise.
Improving Early Estimates of Large Earthquake's Final Fault Lengths and Magnitudes Leveraging Source Fault Structural Maturity Information
Authors: Hutchison Allie A. , Böse Maren , Manighetti Isabelle
Published: May 2020

Earthquake early warning would be improved if the final size of an ongoing earthquake could be predicted early in the rupture process. Previous research relies largely on parameters derived from seismic waveforms, resulting in widely varied estimates of how much of the rupture must be complete before final sizes can be predicted. We demonstrate here that incorporating prior information on along‐strike variation in source fault structural maturity helps improve constraints on the earthquake's final size. Using surface slip profiles from 26 large continental earthquakes worldwide, we derive a generic empirical relation between earthquake slip, rupture length, and along‐strike variability in source fault maturity. Using this equation, we fit successive slip profiles developing during each earthquake and find that, on average, we predict the final length and magnitude of an earthquake once it has reached ~20% of its total length. Our findings thus demonstrate a clear determinism in the rupture process.
Morphology, Development, and Sediment Dynamics of Elongating Linear Dunes on Mars
Authors: Davis Joel M. , Banham Steven G. , Grindrod Peter M. , Boazman Sarah J. , Balme Matthew R. , Bristow Charlie S.
Published: May 2020

Linear dunes occur on planetary surfaces, including Earth, Mars, and Titan, yet their dynamics are poorly understood. Recent studies of terrestrial linear dunes suggest they migrate by elongation only in supply‐limited environments. Here, we investigate elongating linear dunes in the Hellespontus Montes region of Mars which are morphologically similar to terrestrial systems. Multitemporal, high‐resolution orbital images show these linear dunes migrate by elongation only and that the fixed sediment source of the dunes probably restricts any lateral migration. Some linear dunes maintain their along‐length volume and elongate at rates comparable to adjacent barchans, whereas those which decrease in volume show no elongation, suggesting they are near steady state, matching morphometric predictions. Limited sediment supply may restrict Martian linear dunes to several kilometers, significantly shorter than many terrestrial linear dunes. Our results demonstrate the close similarities in dune dynamics across the two planetary surfaces.
Understanding the Response of Tropical Ascent to Warming Using an Energy Balance Framework
Authors: Jenney A. M. , Randall D. A. , Branson M. D.
Published: May 2020

Previous work has established that warming is associated with an increase in dry static stability, a weakening of the tropical circulation, and a decrease in the convective mass flux. Using a set of idealized simulations with specified surface warming and superparameterized convection, we find support for these previous conclusions. We use an energy and mass balance framework to develop a simple diagnostic that links the fractional area covered by the region of upward motion to the strength of the mean circulation. We demonstrate that the diagnostic works well for our idealized simulations and use it to understand how changes in tropical ascent area and the strength of the mean circulation relate to changes in heating in the ascending and descending regions. We show that the decrease in the strength of the mean circulation can be explained by the relatively slow rate at which atmospheric radiative cooling intensifies with warming. In our simulations, decreases in tropical ascent area are balanced by increases in nonradiative heating in convective regions. Consistent with previous work, we find a warming‐induced decrease in the mean convective mass flux. However, when we condition by the sign of the mean vertical motion, the warming‐induced changes in the convective mass flux are nonmonotonic and opposite between the ascending and descending regions.