bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bariatric Surgery in Adults with Obesity: the Impact on Performance, Metabolism, and Health Indices
Authors: Jabbour Georges , Salman Ahmad
Published: January 2021

This systematic review summarizes current evidence on the impact of bariatric surgery (BS) on physical performance, metabolic, and health indices in adults with obesity. This systematic review suggests that BS induced significant reductions in body weight, fat mass, and fat-free mass in individuals with obesity. Additionally, BS may improve many physical fitness and health indicators. Observed improvements manifest during a distinct period of time. To date, studies on BS and performance have been small in number, nonrandomized in design, and not controlled regarding gender distribution and/or post-surgery follow-up. Future studies should further investigate concerns associated with understanding of BS outcomes to improve these outcomes with potential benefits for quality of life, disability, mortality, morbidity, and overall BS success.
Judging accidental harm: Due care and foreseeability of side effects
Authors: Margoni Francesco , Surian Luca
Published: January 2021

Both in philosophy and in cognitive psychology, models of moral judgment posit that individuals take into account both agents’ intentions and actions’ outcomes. The present research focused on a third crucial piece of information, agents’ negligence. In Study 1, participants judged the moral wrongness and punishability of agents’ actions that resulted in negative side effects. In the scenarios, we orthogonally manipulated whether the agent acted with or without due care and whether she had or did not have information to foresee the negative side effects of her actions. Participants judged careless agents more condemnable than careful agents, especially when negative side effects could have been easily foreseen. In Study 2, we manipulated due care in acting in cases where the agent’s primary intention was to bring about a certain outcome without knowing that such outcome would actually be harmful. Here information about the foreseeability of negative outcomes was not provided, and participants judged actions performed with care more wrong and punishable than actions performed without care. This suggests that sometimes acting carefully and nevertheless causing harm may constitute evidence of the presence of negative intentions in the agents or evidence of the fact that agents indeed could have foreseen the negative effects of their actions. Together, these findings indicate that carefulness in acting and foreseeability are highly intertwined in moral judgment, and highlight the need to improve existing processing models of moral judgment to account for people’s evaluation of agents and actions whenever negligence can be attributed.
Application of ion-engineered Persian Gulf seawater in EOR: effects of different ions on interfacial tension, contact angle, zeta potential, and oil recovery
Authors: Saeedi Dehaghani Amir Hossein , Ghalamizade Elyaderani Seyed Masoud
Published: January 2021

In this study, we initially performed interfacial tension (IFT) tests to investigate the potential of using the Persian Gulf seawater (PGSW) as smart water with different concentrations of NaCl, KCl, MgCl2, CaCl2, and Na2SO4. Next, for each salt, at the concentration where IFT was minimum, we conducted contact angle, zeta potential, and micromodel flooding tests. The results showed that IFT is minimized if NaCl or KCl is removed from PGSW; thus, for solutions lacking NaCl and KCl, the IFT values were obtained at 26.29 and 26.56 mN/m, respectively. Conversely, in the case of divalent ions, minimum IFT occurred when the concentration of MgCl2, CaCl2, and Na2SO4 in PGSW increased. Specifically, a threefold rise in the concentration of Na2SO4 further reduced IFT as compared to optimal concentrations of MgCl2 or CaCl2. It should be mentioned that eliminating NaCl from PGSW resulted in the lowest IFT value compared to adding or removing other ions. Whereas the removal of NaCl caused the contact angle to decrease from 91.0° to 67.8° relative to PGSW and changed surface wettability to weakly water-wet, eliminating KCl did not considerably change the contact angle, such that it only led to a nine-degree reduction in this angle relative to PGSW and left wettability in the same neutral-wet condition. At optimal concentrations of MgCl2, CaCl2, and Na2SO4, only an increase in Na2SO4 concentration in PGSW could change wettability from neutral-wet to weakly water-wet. For solutions with optimal concentrations, the removal of NaCl or KCl caused the rock surface to have slightly higher negative charges, and increasing the concentration of divalent ions led to a small reduction in the negative charge of the surface. The results of micromodel flooding indicated that NaCl-free PGSW could raise oil recovery by 10.12% relative to PGSW. Furthermore, when the Na2SO4 concentration in PGSW was tripled, the oil recovery increased by 7.34% compared to PGSW. Accordingly, depending on the conditions, it is possible to use PGSW so as to enhance the efficiency of oil recovery by removing NaCl or by increasing the concentration of Na2SO4 three times.
Low-Level Environmental Heavy Metals are Associated with Obesity Among Postmenopausal Women in a Southern State
Authors: Stahr Shelbie , Chiang Tung-chin , Bauer Michael A. , Runnells Gail A. , Rogers Lora J. , Do Huyen Vi , Kadlubar Susan A. , Su L. Joseph
Published: January 2021

Both arsenic and cadmium are reported to be toxic to humans. The use of saliva as a biomarker of low-level exposures to these elements has not been adequately explored, and the putative relationship between exposure and obesity is unclear. This cross-sectional study aims to investigate the relationship between salivary arsenic and cadmium concentrations and their association with obesity. Arsenic and cadmium concentrations were analyzed in human saliva samples by Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry on 270 randomly selected women who participated in the Arkansas Rural Community Health Study. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to evaluate the association between heavy metal concentrations and obesity. Stratified logistic regression was performed based on menopausal status. Generalized linear models were used to evaluate weight gain velocity. Significant positive associations were observed in postmenopausal women for both arsenic (OR = 4.43, 95% CI 1.91–10.28) and cadmium (OR = 2.72, 95% CI 1.23–5.99) concentrations, as well as significant trends among tertiles (p < 0.01 and p  = 0.01, respectively). No relationship with obesity was evident among premenopausal women for either metal. A dose–response relationship was observed between increasing weight gain velocity and increasing metal concentrations. At concentrations well below governmental and industrial standards for acute toxicity, significant associations between obesity and concentration of these heavy metals are evident. The rate at which individuals gain weight is affected by metal concentrations and may play a role in the rapid increase in weight in postmenopausal women. These results might explain, in part, the missing variability in the increasing obesity pandemic in certain population exposed to these environmental toxicants.
Hydrogeochemical status and geoelectrical characteristics of the shallow aquifers of Kalanad Basin, Kasaragod, Kerala, India
Authors: Anoop S. , Ashwathi C. , Baburaj V. Haritha , Pillai Resma S.
Published: January 2021

Groundwater demand has increased due to overpopulation and intensive irrigation which resulted in decline of water resources and deterioration of water quality. In this view, a microlevel study was conducted through hydrogeochemical investigation and resistivity survey (VES) in Kalanad river basin, Kasaragod, Kerala. The study aims to determine the spatial variations in physicochemical parameters with delineation of geological layers of the study area through VES. Hydrogeochemical investigation and water suitability assessment for drinking and irrigation purposes were confined to open well water samples of the study area. The sample analysis and comparison with various standards (WHO and BIS) show that the groundwater is not entirely fit for drinking with respect to pH. Almost all samples fall within standard values as per the irrigation water quality indices. The chemical nature of the groundwater samples was dominated by alkalies and majority of the samples belonged to sodium chloride type. This study also dealt with the interpretation of hydrogeochemical data using correlation and R mode factor analyses. VES was carried out at seven locations, and the apparent resistivity values obtained had been analysed. The interpretation delineated a maximum of four geologic layers in the study area. The sequence of geologic formation is composed of highly resistive top lateritic soil followed by saturated zone and then the basement topography in the entire basin.
NABat: A top-down, bottom-up solution to collaborative continental-scale monitoring
Authors: Reichert Brian E. , Bayless Mylea , Cheng Tina L. , Coleman Jeremy T. H. , Francis Charles M. , Frick Winifred F. , Gotthold Benjamin S. , Irvine Kathryn M. , Lausen Cori , Li Han , Loeb Susan C. , Reichard Jonathan D. , Rodhouse Thomas J. , Segers Jordi L. , Siemers Jeremy L. , Thogmartin Wayne E. , Weller Theodore J.
Published: January 2021

Collaborative monitoring over broad scales and levels of ecological organization can inform conservation efforts necessary to address the contemporary biodiversity crisis. An important challenge to collaborative monitoring is motivating local engagement with enough buy-in from stakeholders while providing adequate top-down direction for scientific rigor, quality control, and coordination. Collaborative monitoring must reconcile this inherent tension between top-down control and bottom-up engagement. Highly mobile and cryptic taxa, such as bats, present a particularly acute challenge. Given their scale of movement, complex life histories, and rapidly expanding threats, understanding population trends of bats requires coordinated broad-scale collaborative monitoring. The North American Bat Monitoring Program (NABat) reconciles top-down, bottom-up tension with a hierarchical master sample survey design, integrated data analysis, dynamic data curation, regional monitoring hubs, and knowledge delivery through web-based infrastructure. NABat supports collaborative monitoring across spatial and organizational scales and the full annual lifecycle of bats.
Representative boreal forest habitats in northern Europe, and a revised model for ecosystem management and biodiversity conservation
Authors: Berglund Håkan , Kuuluvainen Timo
Published: January 2021

The natural range of variation of ecosystems provides reference conditions for sustainable management and biodiversity conservation. We review how the understanding of natural reference conditions of boreal forests in northern Europe has changed from earlier perceptions of even-aged dynamics driven by stand-replacing disturbances towards current understanding highlighting the role of non-stand-replacing disturbances and the resultant complex forest dynamics and structures. We show how earlier views and conceptual models of forest disturbance dynamics, including the influential ASIO model, provide estimates of reference conditions that are outside the natural range of variation. Based on a research synthesis, we present a revised forest reference model incorporating the observed complexity of ecosystem dynamics and the prevalence of old forests. Finally, we outline a management model and demonstrate its use in forest ecosystem management and show how regional conservation area needs can be estimated. We conclude that attaining favourable conservation status in northern Europe’s boreal forests requires increasing emphasis on ecosystem management and conservation for old forest characteristics.
Uptake of fluorescent d- and l-glucose analogues, 2-NBDG and 2-NBDLG, into human osteosarcoma U2OS cells in a phloretin-inhibitable manner
Authors: Ogawa Tetsuya , Sasaki Ayako , Ono Koki , Ohshika Shusa , Ishibashi Yasuyuki , Yamada Katsuya
Published: January 2021

Mammalian cells take in d-glucose as an essential fuel as well as a carbon source. In contrast, l-glucose, the mirror image isomer of d-glucose, has been considered merely as a non-transportable/non-metabolizable control for d-glucose. We have shown that 2-[N-(7-Nitrobenz-2-oxa-1,3-diazol-4-yl)amino]-2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-NBDG), a d-glucose analogue combining a fluorophore NBD at the C-2 position, is useful as a tracer for monitoring d-glucose uptake through glucose transporters (GLUTs) into mammalian cells. To more precisely evaluate the stereoselectivity of 2-NBDG uptake, we developed an l-glucose analogue 2-NBDLG, the mirror-image isomer of 2-NBDG. Interestingly, 2-NBDLG was taken up into mouse insulinoma MIN6 cells showing nuclear heterogeneity, a cytological feature of malignancy, while remaining MIN6 cells only exhibited a trace amount of 2-NBDLG uptake. The 2-NBDLG uptake into MIN6 cells was abolished by phloretin, but persisted under blockade of major mammalian glucose transporters. Unfortunately, however, no such uptake could be detected in other tumor cell lines. Here we demonstrate that human osteosarcoma U2OS cells take in 2-NBDLG in a phloretin-inhibitable manner. The uptake of 2-NBDG, and not that of 2-NBDLG, into U2OS cells was significantly inhibited by cytochalasin B, a potent GLUT inhibitor. Phloretin, but neither phlorizin, an inhibitor of sodium-glucose cotransporter (SGLT), nor a large amount of d/l-glucose, blocked the 2-NBDLG uptake. These results suggest that a phloretin-inhibitable, non-GLUT/non-SGLT, possibly non-transporter-mediated yet unidentified mechanism participates in the uptake of the fluorescent l-glucose analogue in two very different tumor cells, the mouse insulinoma and the human osteosarcoma cells.
Multi-Modal Analgesic Strategy for Trauma: A Pragmatic Randomized Clinical Trial
Authors: Harvin John A. , Albarado Rondel , Truong Van Thi Thanh , Green Charles , Tyson Jon E. , Pedroza Claudia , Wade Charles E. , Kao Lillian S. , Hudson Jessica A. , Taub Ethan A. , Meyer David E. , Adams Sasha D. , Moore Laura J. , McNutt Michelle K. , Holcomb John B.
Published: January 2021

BACKGROUND:

An effective strategy to manage acute pain and minimize opioid exposure is needed for injured patients. In this trial, we aimed to compare 2 multimodal pain regimens (MMPRs) for minimizing opioid exposure and relieving acute pain in a busy, urban trauma center.

METHODS:

This was an unblinded, pragmatic, randomized, comparative effectiveness trial of all adult trauma admissions except vulnerable patient populations and readmissions. The original MMPR (IV administration, followed by oral, acetaminophen, 48 hours of celecoxib and pregabalin, followed by naproxen and gabapentin, scheduled tramadol, and as-needed oxycodone) was compared with an MMPR of generic medications, termed the Multi-Modal Analgesic Strategies for Trauma (MAST) MMPR (ie oral acetaminophen, naproxen, gabapentin, lidocaine patches, and as-needed opioids). The primary endpoint was oral morphine milligram equivalents (MMEs) per day and secondary outcomes included total MMEs during hospitalization, opioid prescribing at discharge, and pain scores.

RESULTS:

During the trial, 1,561 patients were randomized, 787 to receive the original MMPR and 774 to receive the MAST MMPR. There were no differences in demographic characteristics, injury characteristics, or operations performed. Patients randomized to receive the MAST MMPR had lower MMEs per day (34 MMEs/d; interquartile range 15 to 61 MMEs/d vs 48 MMEs/d; interquartile range 22 to 74 MMEs/d; p < 0.001) and fewer were prescribed opioids at discharge (62% vs 67%; p = 0.029; relative risk 0.92; 95% credible interval, 0.86 to 0.99; posterior probability relative risk <1 = 0.99). No clinically significant difference in pain scores were seen.

CONCLUSIONS:

The MAST MMPR was a generalizable and widely available approach that reduced opioid exposure after trauma and achieved adequate acute pain control.
Improving Hurricane Boundary Layer Parameterization Scheme Based on Observations
Authors: Gopalakrishnan Sundararaman , Hazelton Andrew , Zhang Jun A.
Published: January 2021

Flight‐level data and global positioning system dropwindsonde observations collected from more than 187 flights into 19 tropical cyclones were used to examine why different planetary boundary layer parameterization schemes applied to hurricane models produce diverse forecasts of structure and intensity change. Two popular, yet diverse, physics schemes, namely, the GFS K‐Profile and a 1.5‐order turbulence kinetic energy closure parameterization from NOAA's next‐generation FV3‐based Hurricane Analysis and Forecast System were used. It was found that uncertainty related to some key variables used in the parameterization of the eddy diffusivity, Km, led to diverse solutions. For a given grid resolution, both parameterization schemes converged to a similar forecast state provided those uncertainties could be identified and improved based on observations. This is important for providing a generalized framework for the development and evaluation of parameterization schemes in operational models that resemble reality. This study also indicates that the shape of the Km profile is equally important as its maximum value. The smaller the Km near the surface, the stronger the inflow in the boundary layer.
Model Age Derivation of Large Martian Impact Craters, Using Automatic Crater Counting Methods
Authors: Lagain A. , Servis K. , Benedix G. K. , Norman C. , Anderson S. , Bland P. A.
Published: January 2021

Determining when an impact crater formed is a complex and tedious task. However, this knowledge is crucial to understanding the geological history of planetary bodies and, more specifically, gives information on erosion rate measurements, meteorite ejection location, impact flux evolution and the loss of a magnetic field. The derivation of an individual crater's age is currently performed through manual counting. Because crater size scales as a power law, this method is limited to small (and/or young) surface areas and, in the case of the derivation of crater emplacement age, to a small set of impact craters. Here, we used a Crater Detection Algorithm, specifically retrained to detect small impact craters on large‐ and high‐resolution imagery data set to solve this issue. We applied it to a global, 5 m/pixel resolution mosaic of Mars. Here, we test the use of this data set to date 10 large impact craters. We developed a cluster analysis tool in order to distinguish potential secondary crater clusters from the primary crater population. We then use this, filtered, crater population to date each large impact crater and evaluate our results against literature ages. We found that automated counting filtered through clustering analysis produced similar model ages to manual counts. This technique can now be expanded to much wider crater dating surveys, and by extension to any other kind of Martian surface. We anticipate that this new tool will considerably expand our knowledge of the geological events that have shaped the surface of Mars, their timing and duration.
Impact‐Based Forecasting for Pluvial Floods
Authors: Rözer V. , Peche A. , Berkhahn S. , Feng Y. , Fuchs L. , Graf T. , Haberlandt U. , Kreibich H. , Sämann R. , Sester M. , Shehu B. , Wahl J. , Neuweiler I.
Published: January 2021

Pluvial floods in urban areas are caused by local, fast storm events with very high rainfall rates, which lead to inundation of streets and buildings before the storm water reaches a watercourse. An increase in frequency and intensity of heavy rainfall events and an ongoing urbanization may further increase the risk of pluvial flooding in many urban areas. Currently, warnings for pluvial floods are mostly limited to information on rainfall intensities and durations over larger areas, which is often not detailed enough to effectively protect people and goods. We present a proof‐of‐concept for an impact‐based forecasting system for pluvial floods. Using a model chain consisting of a rainfall forecast, an inundation, a contaminant transport and a damage model, we are able to provide predictions for the expected rainfall, the inundated areas, spreading of potential contamination and the expected damage to residential buildings. We use a neural network‐based inundation model, which significantly reduces the computation time of the model chain. To demonstrate the feasibility, we perform a hindcast of a recent pluvial flood event in an urban area in Germany. The required spatio‐temporal accuracy of rainfall forecasts is still a major challenge, but our results show that reliable impact‐based warnings can be forecasts are available up to 5 min before the peak of an extreme rainfall event. Based on our results, we discuss how the outputs of the impact‐based forecast could be used to disseminate impact‐based early warnings.
Summertime Evolution of Net Community Production and CO2 Flux in the Western Arctic Ocean
Authors: Ouyang Zhangxian , Qi Di , Zhong Wenli , Chen Liqi , Gao Zhongyong , Lin Hongmei , Sun Heng , Li Tao , Cai Wei‐Jun
Published: January 2021

To examine seasonal and regional variabilities in metabolic status and the coupling of net community production (NCP) and air‐sea CO2 fluxes in the western Arctic Ocean, we collected underway measurements of surface O2/Ar and partial pressure of CO2 (pCO2) in the summers of 2016 and 2018. With a box‐model, we demonstrate that accounting for local sea ice history (in addition to wind history) is important in estimating NCP from biological oxygen saturation (Δ(O2/Ar)) in polar regions. Incorporating this sea ice history correction, we found that most of the western Arctic exhibited positive Δ(O2/Ar) and negative pCO2 saturation, Δ(pCO2), indicative of net autotrophy but with the relationship between the two parameters varying regionally. In the heavy ice‐covered areas, where air‐sea gas exchange was suppressed, even minor NCP resulted in relatively high Δ(O2/Ar) and low pCO2 in water due to limited gas exchange. Within the marginal ice zone, NCP and CO2 flux magnitudes were strongly inversely correlated, suggesting an air to sea CO2 flux induced primarily by biological CO2 removal from surface waters. Within ice‐free waters, the coupling of NCP and CO2 flux varied according to nutrient supply. In the oligotrophic Canada Basin, NCP and CO2 flux were both small, controlled mainly by air‐sea gas exchange. On the nutrient‐rich Chukchi Shelf, NCP was strong, resulting in great O2 release and CO2 uptake. This regional overview of NCP and CO2 flux in the western Arctic Ocean, in its various stages of ice‐melt and nutrient status, provides useful insight into the possible biogeochemical evolution of rapidly changing polar oceans.
Neogene Development of the Terror Rift, Western Ross Sea, Antarctica
Authors: Sauli C. , Sorlien C. , Busetti M. , De Santis L. , Geletti R. , Wardell N. , Luyendyk B. P.
Published: January 2021

The Terror Rift is a 350 km‐long, 50–70 km‐wide, north‐trending deep basin in the western Ross Sea, adjacent to the Transantarctic Mountains. The Terror Rift lies within the broader Victoria Land Basin, which experienced 100 km of a mid‐Cenozoic extension. New fault and post‐29 Ma seismic stratigraphic interpretations were developed using all the seismic reflection data available from the Antarctic Seismic Data Library System and were correlated to all the scientific coreholes. A new 3D velocity model was used for depth conversions. Depth‐converted seismic profiles are used to image the faulting along the rift margins. Two segments of steep normal‐separation faults, which are connected by a broad anticline, border the eastern margin, whereas steep to sub vertical faults, combined with a stratal dip, produce the relief present at the western margin. The overall geometry of the Terror Rift shows an asymmetric half‐graben structure with a main bounding fault that dips alternatively eastward and westward in the southern and in the central parts, until it becomes a symmetric graben in the north. Both the eastern and western faults were active since at least 29 Ma in the southern and central Terror Rift and at least since 21 Ma in the north. This fault activity appears to have continued within the whole Terror Rift into post‐Miocene time, as suggested by the significant component of post‐Miocene vertical slip. The measurements of large sedimentary rock thicknesses changes over time between the rift shoulders and the deepest part of the basin and agree with the continuous faulting and relative subsidence in the southern Terror Rift that occurred between 29 and 13 Ma. These changes differ from several published papers that proposed that no significant tectonic activity occurred between 23 and 13 Ma. Despite the growth of the Terror Rift basin, the extension after 21 Ma was only ∼2–4 km across offshore mapped faults in the Terror Rift, and this minor extension agrees with a published plate tectonic study that suggests that the Terror Rift was a transtensional dextral transform boundary between 26 and 11 Ma. Therefore, the Terror Rift may have changed from an orthogonal rift into a transtensional transform boundary after 26 Ma, with the faulting after 11 Ma considered to be intraplate deformation.
Intratest Variations in Trace Element Composition of Amphistegina lessonii Using Femtosecond‐Laser Ablation‐ICP‐Mass Spectrometry: A Field Study From Akajima, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan
Authors: Khanolkar Sonal , Schiebel Ralf , Singh Asmita , Saraswati Pratul Kumar , Jochum Klaus Peter , Weis Ulrike , Stoll Brigitte , Haug Gerald H.
Published: January 2021

Amphistegina are common larger benthic foraminifer in coral reefs, with a nearly circumtropical distribution, and are major contributors to the CaCO3 budget of shallow marine environments. The family Amphisteginidae is dominant in Cenozoic carbonates. However, its potential as a proxy for paleoclimate reconstruction has not been completely explored. The intratest variability in trace elements of Amphistegina lessonii has been investigated using femtosecond‐laser ablation‐inductively coupled plasma‐mass spectrometry (fs‐LA‐ICP‐MS). We collected and analyzed adult specimens of A. lessonii in September 2003, November 2003, January 2004, and March 2004, from ∼2 m water depth in the coral reefs of Akajima, Okinawa, Japan. Tests of A. lessonii from these four collections were analyzed for Mg/Ca of the septa to observe Test Size‐Lifespan relationships. The lifespan of a specimen of A. lessonii of 1,200 µm in diameter is estimated at ∼3 and ∼2 months for specimens 900 µm in size. Over the estimated lifespans, Mg/Ca of individual specimens of A. lessonii is highly variable and displays co‐variation with temperature and tidal heights. Future projects may apply and further test this approach for the reconstruction of the tropical shallow marine paleoenvironments.
In Situ Mg/Ca Measurements on Foraminifera: Comparison Between Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry and Wavelength‐Dispersive X‐Ray Spectroscopy by Electron Probe Microanalyzer
Authors: Balestra B. , Rose T. , Fehrenbacher J. , Knobelspiesse K. D. , Huber B. T. , Gooding T. , Paytan A.
Published: January 2021

We present a comparison of two different techniques: Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (LA‐ICP‐MS) and wavelength‐dispersive X‐Ray Spectroscopy by electron probe microanalyzer (EPMA) for obtaining Mg/Ca ratios in individual foraminifera shells. The goal is to assess the use of EPMA as an alternative technique for Mg/Ca analyses of single foraminiferal calcite shells. Foraminifera obtained from sediments (benthic, Uvigerina spp.) and from plankton tows (planktonic, Orbulina universa) were analyzed. All specimens were prepared in epoxy mounts and exposed in cross‐section such that multiple high‐resolution analyses could be completed on the shells using both techniques. We examined our data using statistical methods designed for the assessment and comparison of measurement techniques. In the case of Uvigerina, the mean difference for ratios obtained using EPMA and LA‐ICP‐MS is very small (−0.046 mmol mol−1) and scale independent. The Limits of Agreement (LoA, the standard deviation of the bias plus the mean bias) is [−0.315, 0.223] mmol mol−1. For samples with ratios lower than 13 mmol mol−1, we found a mean EPMA–LA‐ICP‐MS bias of −2.44 mmol mol−1 and a corresponding LoA of [−3.85, −1.04] mmol mol−1. For ratios higher than 13 mmol mol−1, there appears to be a scale dependent bias, meaning that the EPMA measured ratios become progressively larger than those of LA‐ICP‐MS as the Mg/Ca ratio increases, so the mean bias and LoA metrics are not meaningful. Results indicate that it is possible to use EPMA to collect Mg/Ca data, if the ratios are lower than ∼13 mmol mol−1.
Earth's Magnetotail as the Reservoir of Accelerated Single‐ and Multicharged Oxygen Ions Replenishing Radiation Belts
Authors: Panasyuk Mikhail I. , Zhukova Elena I. , Kalegaev Vladimir V. , Malova Helmi V. , Popov Victor Y. , Vlasova Natalia A. , Zelenyi Lev M.
Published: January 2021

Acceleration of single‐ and multicharged oxygen ions in the perturbed Earth's magnetotail is investigated as the possible source of energetic heavy ions in the ring current. The numerical model is developed that allows evaluating the acceleration of oxygen ions O+‐O+8 in two possible scenarios of characteristic perturbations: (A) passage of multiple dipolarization fronts in the magnetotail; (B) passage of fronts followed by electromagnetic turbulence. It is shown that acceleration processes depend on particle charges as well as characteristic time scales of induced electric field variations. Maximum energies gained by oxygen ions correlate with values of their charges. Our simulations show that all kinds of single‐ and multiply charged heavy particles can be efficiently accelerated during multiple dipolarizations processes of the type (A) from initial energies 12 keV to maximum energies about several MeV. The gain of energies of heavy ions under the (B) scenario of magnetospheric perturbations is about 10% higher than in (A) scenario. The shapes of obtained in the model energy spectra were shown to be in agreement with experimental spectra in the range of L‐shells corresponding to ring/radiation belts. Therefore, we conclude that the Earth's magnetotail can play the role of the depot where oxygen ions of both ionospheric and solar wind origin can be effectively accelerated during magnetic substorms to energies about several MeV and then populate the ring current and radiation belts of the Earth.
A Geology and Geodesy Based Model of Dynamic Earthquake Rupture on the Rodgers Creek‐Hayward‐Calaveras Fault System, California
Authors: Harris R. A. , Barall M. , Lockner D. A. , Moore D. E. , Ponce D. A. , Graymer R. W. , Funning G. , Morrow C. A. , Kyriakopoulos C. , Eberhart‐Phillips D.
Published: January 2021

The Hayward fault in California's San Francisco Bay area produces large earthquakes, with the last occurring in 1868. We examine how physics‐based dynamic rupture modeling can be used to numerically simulate large earthquakes on not only the Hayward fault, but also its connected companions to the north and south, the Rodgers Creek and Calaveras faults. Equipped with a wealth of images of this fault system, including those of its 3D geology and 3D geometry, in addition to inferences about its interseismic creep‐rate pattern and rock‐friction behavior, we use a finite‐element computer code to perform 3D dynamic earthquake rupture simulations. We find that the rock properties affect the locations and amount of slip produced in our simulated large earthquakes. Crucial factors that control rupture behavior in our modeling are the earthquake nucleation locations, the fault geometry, and the data that reveal where the fault system is creeping or locked. Our findings suggest that large Rodgers Creek‐Hayward‐Calaveras‐Northern Calaveras (RC‐H‐C‐NC) fault‐system earthquakes may result from dynamic rupture that starts in a locked part of the fault system, but is then stopped by the creeping parts, leading to high‐magnitude‐6 earthquakes; or, from dynamic rupture that starts in a locked part of the fault system, then cascades through some of the creeping parts, leading to magnitude‐7 earthquakes.
Seasonal and Interannual Variability of the Subtropical Front in the New Zealand Region
Authors: Behrens Erik , Hogg Andrew McC. , England Matthew H. , Bostock Helen
Published: January 2021

The meridional variability of the Subtropical Front (STF) and the drivers of variability on interannual time scales in the New Zealand region are analyzed using a multi‐decadal eddy‐resolving ocean hindcast model, in comparison with Argo data. The STF marks the water mass boundary between subtropical waters and subantarctic waters, and is defined as the southern‐most location of the 11°C isotherm and 34.8 psu isohaline between 100 and 500 m. The STF shifts up to 650 km (6°) meridionally on seasonal timescales. In addition to seasonal variability, shifts of around 200 km (2°) occur on interannual time scales. These shifts are connected to regional wind stress curl anomalies in the eastern Tasman Sea and east of New Zealand, which trigger Ekman convergence/divergence and Rossby waves and result in meridional transport of heat and salt into/out of the Tasman Sea. The net transports across the northern boundary of the Tasman Sea show the largest sensitivity to these wind stress curl anomalies. During periods of positive wind stress curl anomalies and Ekman convergence, the heat and salt content increases shifting the position of the STF southward. The opposite tendency occurs during periods of negative wind stress curl anomalies. The migration of the STF does not appear to be directly linked to regional climate oscillations.
Continuous Multitrack Assimilation of Sentinel‐1 Precipitable Water Vapor Maps for Numerical Weather Prediction: How Far Can We Go With Current InSAR Data?
Authors: Mateus P. , Miranda P. M. A. , Nico G. , Catalao J.
Published: January 2021

The present study assesses the viability of including water vapor data from Interferometry Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) in the initialization of numerical weather prediction (NWP) models, using already available Sentinel‐1 A and B products. Despite the limitations resulting from the 6‐day return period of images produced by the 2‐satellite system, it is found that for a sufficiently large domain designed to contain a set of images every 12 h (at varying locations), the impact on model performance is beneficial or at least neutral. The proposed methodology is tested in 24 consecutive 12 h forecasts, covering two cycles of the Sentinel‐1 system and 214 images, for a domain containing Iberia. A statistical analysis of the forecast precipitable water vapor (PWV) against independent GNSS observations concluded for relevant improvements in the different scores, especially during a consecutive 3‐day period where the standard initial data were less accurate. An analysis of the rain forecasts against gridded remote sensing observations further indicates an overall improvement in the grid‐point distribution of different precipitation classes throughout the simulation, even when the mean impact of PWV assimilation was not significant. It is suggested that current InSAR data are already a useful source of NWP data and will only become more relevant as new systems are put into operation.
Obliquity, Precession, and Fracture Mechanics: Implications of Europa's Global Cycloid Population
Authors: Rhoden Alyssa Rose , Mohr Kyle J. , Hurford Terry A. , Henning Wade , Sajous Stan , Patthoff D. Alex , Dubois David
Published: January 2021

We catalog the global inventory of Europa's cycloids, arcuate fractures whose paths have been linked to diurnal tidal stress, and use the locations and orientations of their cusps to further test the formation mechanism of cycloids and constrain Europa's rotation state. We find that the global distribution of cycloids is better explained by a precessing spin pole than longitude translation due to nonsynchronous rotation, which is consistent with studies of Europa's strike‐slip faults and linear fractures. We also find that a small obliquity can reproduce the orientations of most cycloid cusps at their current locations, outperforming a model using stress from eccentricity alone. Matching cycloid locations and cusp orientations under these conditions implies a variable failure threshold and that most cusps form at stresses that are 50%–90% of the local peak tidal stress, suggesting that periodic deformation is causing failure through fatigue. The fact that cycloids are not observed in some regions, despite the low failure stresses implied by some cusp orientations, suggests an additional control on cusp formation that was not included in our simplified model. We hypothesize that the larger amplitude of tidal stress in some regions leads to fatigue‐induced failure after fewer tidal cycles, leading to a build‐up of cycloids in those regions. Why more linear fractures do not seem limited in location or density is still unknown. More physically informed constraints on how ice fails under low, periodic deformation and across generations of fractures would be helpful in interpreting Europa's cycloids.
Transparent Exopolymer Particles in a Coastal Frontal Zone of the Northern South China Sea and the Associated Biogeochemical Implications
Authors: Li Qian P. , Ge Zaiming , Liu Zijia , Zhou Weiwen , Shuai Yiping , Wu Zhengchao
Published: January 2021

Transparent exopolymer particles (TEP) are essential for the ocean carbon cycle. However, their relationships with physical and biogeochemical processes remain inadequately understood in the coastal ocean. Here, we focus on TEP dynamics across a temperature front in the coastal waters of the Northern South China Sea (NSCS). Our results suggested that TEP concentration was relatively high across the frontal system with 35.0–160.5 μg Xeq L−1 (μg Gum Xanthan equivalent per liter) in the surface waters, 70.0–197.2 μg Xeq L−1 in the bottom waters, and 12.1–16.3 mg Xeq g−1 in the surficial sediment. In the surface layer of the front, TEP distributions appeared to be driven by cross‐front physical and biogeochemical variations, as it showed significant correlations with both temperature and nutrients, as well as chlorophyll‐a along with its size‐fractionated components. TEP dominated on the shore side of the front with high phytoplankton biomass and intense TEP production in the surface layer. In contrast, there were much lower TEP concentrations and higher TEP production efficiencies on the seaside driven by nutrient limitation. In the bottom layer of the frontal zone, sediment resuspension associated with the front's secondary circulation was found to play a crucial role in enhancing the levels of TEP‐rich aggregates with prominent distribution patterns characterized by the localized accumulation in the bottom waters at the frontal zone. Our results provide valuable insights about the controlling factors that modulate TEP dynamics in a coastal frontal system and highlighted their potential role in the carbon cycling of the NSCS shelf‐sea.
A Comprehensive Review of Specific Yield in Land Surface and Groundwater Studies
Authors: Lv Meizhao , Xu Zhongfeng , Yang Zong‐Liang , Lu Hui , Lv Meixia
Published: January 2021

Specific yield is a key parameter for estimating water table depth in land surface models, which can strongly modulate the interaction between soil moisture and groundwater and further affect the water budget between the land surface and the atmosphere. The error in water table simulation comes mainly from the uncertainty in determining the specific yield. The determination of specific yield in land surface models is simplified, and a uniform empirical constant value of specific yield is generally used in global simulations, especially for deep aquifers, for its convenience. However, a uniform fixed value is insufficient for worldwide aquifers with diverse environments. Before estimating specific yields for global aquifers in Earth system simulations, a comprehensive understanding of the specific yield and comparison of current determination methods are required. This study provides a comprehensive review of the literature focusing on different concepts of the specific yield, complex variabilities, and various determination methods. Specifically, we detail the distinction and interconversion of different subconcepts that are used to reflect the influence of different factors on the specific yield and are likely to confuse scholars; present the representative comparisons of previous estimated specific yields using different methods, and summarize the applicabilities and limitations of these methods, indicating directions for their future improvement.
Satellite Observations of Strong Plasma Wave Emissions With Frequency Shifts Induced by an Engine Burn From the Cygnus Spacecraft
Authors: Bernhardt Paul A. , Griffin Michael K. , Bougas William C. , Howarth Andrew D. , James H. Gordon , Siefring Carl L. , Briczinski Stanley J.
Published: January 2021

A new discovery was made using the radio receiver instrument on the Canadian enhanced polar outflow probe (e‐POP) showing that strong plasma wave emissions (SPWE) are seen near 17 kHz and 300 Hz. The frequency of these emissions are affected by small injections of neutral gas from the Cygnus spacecraft. The technique of using a 150 g/s thruster to change frequencies and intensities of plasma waves has provided evidence that a finite kz lower hybrid mode may the source of the SPWE waves. SPWE observations in space are a sensitive diagnostic tool to measure both natural and manmade changes in the earth's ion composition.
Seismic Imaging of an Intracrustal Deformation in the Northwestern Margin of the South China Sea: The Role of a Ductile Layer in the Crust
Authors: Huang Haibo , Klingelhoefer Frauke , Qiu Xuelin , Li Yuhan , Wang Ping
Published: January 2021

The continental margins of the South China Sea (SCS) have undergone episodic rifting since the Cenozoic, and there are ongoing debates surrounding the processes of crustal deformation and seafloor opening. In this work, we present a P‐wave velocity model extending from the north of Xisha Trough to the Zhongshanan Basin in the northwestern SCS margin, using ocean bottom seismometer data of the wide‐angle seismic profile OBS2013‐1. The results show that the crust thins symmetrically across the western Xisha Trough, from more than ∼20 km at the flanks to ∼10 km in the central valley where the sedimentary layers thicken to over 6 km. In the Zhongsha Trough, closer to the deep basin, the upper crust is detached in a ∼20 km wide region and the lower crust has seismic velocities increased by more than ∼0.3 km/s. The top boundary of the lower crust is located at a depth of ∼13 km across the Zhongsha Trough, and a ∼5 km thick midcrustal ductile layer is imaged. A ∼50 km wide ocean‐continent transition region beneath the Zhongshanan Basin characterizes a ∼6 km thick continental crust underlain by serpentinized and magnetized upper mantle. These observations, together with plate reconstructions based on gravity and magnetic analysis, suggest that deformation of the continental margin was controlled by a ductile crustal layer. Magmatism, associated with the early stage oceanic accretion, has mixed with the highly extended continental crust. Developments of the failed rifted basins were controlled by the westward propagation of the continental breakup.
Public Water Waste Reporting: Contextual Correlates and Conservation Outcomes
Authors: Zhang Y. , Teodoro M. P. , Switzer D.
Published: January 2021

The success of water conservation restrictions depends in part on governments' capacity to monitor water use. Inviting the general public to report instances of water waste is one means of expanding government capacity to monitor and enforce water use. Why are people in some communities more frequently engaged in such “participatory surveillance” than in other communities? Does participatory surveillance help achieve conservation goals? We explore the social correlates and conservation outcomes of participatory surveillance regimes with an analysis of water conservation in the U.S. state of California. During California's historic 2014–2017 drought, the state established hotlines and websites for the public to report water waste anonymously. Californians responded by reporting more than 485,000 water waste complaints over the course of the emergency. Analysis shows that besides the water supply characteristics and drought severity, several social and institutional factors correlate strongly with complaint volume. Specifically, we find that municipal and special district utilities received more complaints than investor‐owned utilities, and that complaints correlated positively with communities' level of education and partisan competition. We do not find strong evidence that communities' income, income distributions, and racial/ethnic compositions correlate with overall reporting. We further find that complaints are positively associated with conservation outcomes. Taken together, results indicate that social contexts can influence participation in participatory surveillance, and that participatory surveillance can be a potent means of enhancing water restrictions during a drought emergency.
Employing a systematic approach to biobanking and analyzing clinical and genetic data for advancing COVID-19 research
Authors:   GEN-COVID Multicenter Study, Daga Sergio , Fallerini Chiara , Baldassarri Margherita , Fava Francesca , Valentino Floriana , Doddato Gabriella , Benetti Elisa , Furini Simone , Giliberti Annarita , Tita Rossella , Amitrano Sara , Bruttini Mirella , Meloni Ilaria , Pinto Anna Maria , Raimondi Francesco , Stella Alessandra , Biscarini Filippo , Picchiotti Nicola , Gori Marco , Pinoli Pietro , Ceri Stefano , Sanarico Maurizio , Crawley Francis P. , Birolo Giovanni , Renieri Alessandra , Mari Francesca , Frullanti Elisa
Published: January 2021

Within the GEN-COVID Multicenter Study, biospecimens from more than 1000 SARS-CoV-2 positive individuals have thus far been collected in the GEN-COVID Biobank (GCB). Sample types include whole blood, plasma, serum, leukocytes, and DNA. The GCB links samples to detailed clinical data available in the GEN-COVID Patient Registry (GCPR). It includes hospitalized patients (74.25%), broken down into intubated, treated by CPAP-biPAP, treated with O2supplementation, and without respiratory support (9.5%, 18.4%, 31.55% and 14.8, respectively); and non-hospitalized subjects (25.75%), either pauci- or asymptomatic. More than 150 clinical patient-level data fields have been collected and binarized for further statistics according to the organs/systems primarily affected by COVID-19: heart, liver, pancreas, kidney, chemosensors, innate or adaptive immunity, and clotting system. Hierarchical clustering analysis identified five main clinical categories: (1) severe multisystemic failure with either thromboembolic or pancreatic variant; (2) cytokine storm type, either severe with liver involvement or moderate; (3) moderate heart type, either with or without liver damage; (4) moderate multisystemic involvement, either with or without liver damage; (5) mild, either with or without hyposmia. GCB and GCPR are further linked to the GCGDR, which includes data from whole-exome sequencing and high-density SNP genotyping. The data are available for sharing through the Network for Italian Genomes, found within the COVID-19 dedicated section. The study objective is to systematize this comprehensive data collection and begin identifying multi-organ involvement in COVID-19, defining genetic parameters for infection susceptibility within the population, and mapping genetically COVID-19 severity and clinical complexity among patients.