bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Small carnivores of Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary, the southern Western Ghats, India
Authors: Sreekumar E. R. , Nameer P. O.
Published: January 2018

The small carnivores of Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary were surveyed using camera traps.  The study was conducted between November 2016 and February 2017 at 111 camera trap locations.  Twenty-five mammal species were recorded, including nine small carnivores from the Mustelidae, Viverridae, Herpestidae and Felidae families.  Species included the Asian Small-clawed Otter Aonyx cinereus, Brown Palm Civet Paradoxurus jerdoni, Common Palm Civet Paradoxurus hermaphroditus, Small Indian Civet Viverricula indica, Indian Grey Mongoose Herpestes edwardsii, Ruddy Mongoose Herpestes smithii, Stripe-necked Mongoose Herpestes vitticollis, Jungle Cat Felis chaus and Leopard Cat Prionailurus bengalensis.  The most common small carnivore was Viverricula indica, followed by Herpestes vitticollis and Paradoxurus hermaphroditus.  Time activity patterns revealed that the viverrids were nocturnal while the herpestids were diurnal.  The sanctuary supports one endemic species of small carnivore, Paradoxurus jerdoni, and one threatened species, Aonyx cinereus, which is Vulnerable according to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.  This documentation highlights the biodiversity significance of Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary and the Nilgiri mountain range in the Western Ghats.
Rhododendron diversity along the Kusong-Panch Pokhari transect in Khangchendzonga Biosphere Reserve, the eastern Himalaya: a conservation perspective
Authors: Chettri Prem K. , Chhetri Bijoy , Badola Hemant K.
Published: January 2018

Sikkim Himalaya, India is part of one of the richest global biodiversity hotspots, exhibiting a significant amount of native flora including Rhododendron (Ericaceae) species, which are particularly well represented with 37 species, 11 subspecies, seven varieties and two natural hybrids occurring along the rolling mountains between 1,500m to 6,000m.  Most of the habitats of rhododendrons in Sikkim Himalaya have not only been threatened by climate change but also by emerging eco-tourism and economic activities vis-à-vis trekking corridors.  In recent decades, it has been observed that the climate-governed phenology of rhododendrons of eastern Himalaya is shifting; further the urbanization, tourism influx, and clearances for the footpaths have adversely impacted the diversity of many forest areas.  To better understand the effects of trekking corridors on Rhododendron species for the tourist destinations, we performed a pilot survey along the Kusong-Panch Pokhari transect in relatively virgin forest of the northern part of Sikkim to assess the status of both Rhododendron diversity and potential environmental management strategies that can be employed within the transect as a new tourist destination in the Sikkim Himalaya.  Along with this transect, we recorded 23 Rhododendron species, with five eastern Himalayan endemics.  Our results indicate that the diversity of rhododendrons seem good along the Kusong-Panch Pokhari transect and we further recommend it could be a new potential eco-tourism destination as an alternative income generating source for the local people, provided that appropriate conservation management strategies are in place.
Ceylon Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus seebohmi breeding in Vani Vilasa Sagara, Hiriyur Taluka, Karnataka, India
Authors: Rao Golusu Babu , Babu Santhanakrishnan , Kumara Honnavalli Nagaraj , Bilaskar Mahesh
Published: January 2018

We report the breeding of the Ceylon Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus seebohmi in Vani Vilasa Sagara, Hiriyur Taluka in the state of Karnataka, India.  This is the first breeding record of the sub-species from Karnataka and this shows a lack of ornithological explorations in the wetlands of central Karnataka.
A new subspecies of the Malayan Bamboo Bat (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae: Tylonycteris malayana eremtaga) from the Andaman Islands, India
Authors: Srinivasulu Chelmala , Srinivasulu Aditya , Srinivasulu Bhargavi , Jones Gareth
Published: January 2018

The bamboo bats belonging to the genus Tylonycteris are unique due to their morphology and ecology, and are known from few locations in South Asia.  We collected voucher specimens of Tylonycteris malayana from North Andaman Island, which forms the basis of the first specimen-based record of this species from the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, and the second record from India.  Our analyses based on morphometrics, craniodental measurements, bacular morphology and molecular phylogeny based on cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene indicate that the insular population of T. malayana may have diversified in isolation to differ from the mainland forms, and could represent putative new subspecies, described herein.  In light of the new findings, we discuss the importance of conducting detailed study on the specimens of the Lesser Bamboo Bat earlier reported from the Andaman & Nicobar Islands to ascertain their taxonomic status.
Nonmuscle Myosin Light Chain Kinase: A Key Player in Intermittent Hypoxia‐Induced Vascular Alterations
Authors: Arnaud Claire , Bouyon Sophie , Recoquillon Sylvain , Brasseur Sandrine , Lemarié Emeline , Briançon‐Marjollet Anne , Gonthier Brigitte , Toral Marta , Faury Gilles , Martinez M. Carmen , Andriantsitohaina Ramaroson , Pepin Jean‐Louis
Published: January 2018

Background

Obstructive sleep apnea is characterized by repetitive pharyngeal collapses during sleep, leading to intermittent hypoxia (
IH
), the main contributor of obstructive sleep apnea–related cardiovascular morbidity. In patients and rodents with obstructive sleep apnea exposed to IH, vascular inflammation and remodeling, endothelial dysfunction, and circulating inflammatory markers are linked with
IH
severity. The nonmuscle myosin light chain kinase (nm
MLCK
) isoform contributes to vascular inflammation and oxidative stress in different cardiovascular and inflammatory diseases. Thus, in the present study, we hypothesized that nm
MLCK
plays a key role in the
IH
‐induced vascular dysfunctions and inflammatory remodeling.

Methods and Results

Twelve‐week‐old nm
MLCK
+/+
or nm
MLCK
−/−
mice were exposed to 14‐day
IH
or normoxia.
IH
was associated with functional alterations characterized by an elevation of arterial blood pressure and stiffness and perturbations of
NO
signaling.
IH
caused endothelial barrier dysfunction (ie, reduced transendothelial resistance in vitro) and induced vascular oxidative stress associated with an inflammatory remodeling, characterized by an increased intima‐media thickness and an increased expression and activity of inflammatory markers, such as interferon‐γ and nuclear factor‐κB, in the vascular wall. Interestingly, nm
MLCK
deletion prevented all
IH
‐induced functional and structural alterations, including the restoration of
NO
signaling, correction of endothelial barrier integrity, and reduction of both oxidative stress and associated inflammatory response.

Conclusions

nm
MLCK
is a key mechanism in
IH
‐induced vascular oxidative stress and inflammation and both functional and structural remodeling.
Erythrocyte Fraction Within Retrieved Thrombi Contributes to Thrombolytic Response in Acute Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Choi Mun Hee , Park Geun Hwa , Lee Jin Soo , Lee Sung Eun , Lee Seong-Joon , Kim Jang-Hee , Hong Ji Man
Published: January 2018

Background and Purpose—

Recent advent of endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) enables us to provide a new perspective on the use of tPA (tissue-type plasminogen activator) through histological analysis of retrieved thrombus. We investigated the responsiveness of intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) according to the thrombus composition in EVT-attempted patients with acute ischemic stroke.

Methods—

We reviewed 92 consecutive patients with anterior circulation stroke who received combined IVT and EVT for 2 years. IVT responsiveness is defined as any decrease in the clot burden from baseline computed tomographic angiography to digital subtraction angiography during EVT. We histologically analyzed the relative fractions of red blood cells (RBCs), congregated fibrin and platelets, and white blood cells in the retrieved thrombi using semiautomated color-based segmentation method. Clinical characteristics according to the RBC fraction were investigated, and associated factors with IVT responsiveness were explored.

Results—

Fifty-two patients with histological analyses were stratified into lowest, middle, and highest tertiles of RBC fraction. Toward higher RBC fraction, there was more common susceptibility vessel signs on magnetic resonance imaging (50.0% versus 66.7% versus 91.7%;
P
=0.022) and prevalent IVT responsiveness (25.0% versus 41.7% versus 75.0%;
P
=0.010). IVT-responsive group (n=23) had higher RBC fraction (45.7±15.5% versus 35.9±12.2%;
P
=0.010), lower fibrin and platelet (50.4±14.0% versus 58.5±11.1%;
P
=0.027), and lower white blood cells fraction (3.9±2.1% versus 5.5±3.0%;
P
=0.027) than IVT-unresponsive group (n=29). After adjusting for potential variables, RBC fraction (odds ratio, 1.05; 95% confidence interval, 1.01–1.10) remained only independent determinant of IVT responsiveness.

Conclusions—

In EVT-attempted patients with acute ischemic stroke, IVT responsiveness would be closely associated with RBC fraction.
Comorbid Psychiatric Disease Is Associated With Lower Rates of Thrombolysis in Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Bongiorno Diana M. , Daumit Gail L. , Gottesman Rebecca F. , Faigle Roland
Published: January 2018

Background and Purpose—

Intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) improves outcomes after acute ischemic stroke but is underused in certain patient populations. Mental illness is pervasive in the United States, and patients with comorbid psychiatric disease experience inequities in treatment for a range of conditions. We aimed to determine whether comorbid psychiatric disease is associated with differences in IVT use in acute ischemic stroke.

Methods—

Acute ischemic stroke admissions between 2007 and 2011 were identified in the Nationwide Inpatient Sample. Psychiatric disease was defined by
International Classification of Diseases
, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification codes for secondary diagnoses of schizophrenia or other psychoses, bipolar disorder, depression, or anxiety. Using logistic regression, we tested the association between IVT and psychiatric disease, controlling for demographic, clinical, and hospital factors.

Results—

Of the 325 009 ischemic stroke cases meeting inclusion criteria, 12.8% had any of the specified psychiatric comorbidities. IVT was used in 3.6% of those with, and 4.4% of those without, psychiatric disease (
P
<0.001). Presence of any psychiatric disease was associated with lower odds of receiving IVT (adjusted odds ratio, 0.80; 95% confidence interval, 0.76–0.85). When psychiatric diagnoses were analyzed separately individuals with schizophrenia or other psychoses, anxiety, or depression each had significantly lower odds of IVT compared to individuals without psychiatric disease.

Conclusions—

Acute ischemic stroke patients with comorbid psychiatric disease have significantly lower odds of IVT. Understanding barriers to IVT use in such patients may help in developing interventions to increase access to evidence-based stroke care.
The Development of Phonological Stratification: Evidence from Stop Voicing Perception in Gurindji Kriol and Roper Kriol
Authors: Stewart Jesse , Meakins Felicity , Algy Cassandra , Joshua Angelina
Published: January 2018

This study tests the effect of multilingualism and language contact on consonant perception. Here, we explore the emergence of phonological stratification using two alternative forced-choice (2afc) identification task experiments to test listener perception of stop voicing with contrasting minimal pairs modified along a 10-step continuum. We examine a unique language ecology consisting of three languages spoken in Northern Territory, Australia: Roper Kriol (an English-lexifier creole language), Gurindji (Pama-Nyungan), and Gurindji Kriol (a mixed language derived from Gurindji and Kriol). In addition, this study focuses on three distinct age groups: children (group i, 8>), preteens to middle-aged adults (groupii, 10–58), and older adults (groupiii, 65+). Results reveal that both Kriol and Gurindji Kriol listeners in groupiicontrast the labial series [p] and [b]. Contrarily, while alveolar [t] and velar [k] were consistently identifiable by the majority of participants (74%), their voiced counterparts ([d] and [g]) showed random response patterns by 61% of the participants. Responses to the voiced stimuli from the preteen-adult Kriol group were, however, significantly more consistent than in the Gurindji Kriol group, suggesting Kriol listeners may be further along in acquiring the voicing contrast. Significant results regarding listener exposure to Standard English in both language groups also suggests constant exposure to English maybe a catalyst for setting this change in motion. The more varied responses from the Gurindji, Kriol, and Gurindji Kriol listeners in groupsiiandiii, who have little exposure to English, help support these findings.
Morphological and taxonomical analysis of the terrestrial diatom genus Humidophila (Bacillariophyta) on Ile Amsterdam and Ile Saint-Paul (Southern Indian Ocean)
Authors: CHATTOVÁ BARBORA , LEBOUVIER MARC , VAN DE VIJVER BART
Published: January 2018

During a survey of the non-marine diatom flora of the volcanic islands, Ile Amsterdam and Ile Saint-Paul (southern Indian Ocean), seven species belonging to the terrestrial diatom genus Humidophila have been recorded. Apart from five previously known taxa (Humidophila contenta, H. crozetikerguelensis, H. gallica, H. brekkaensis, H. vidalii), two taxa could not be identified based on the currently available literature and are described as new to science: Humidophila amsterdamensis sp. nov. and Humidophila rouhaniana sp. nov.                 Detailed morphological descriptions of these taxa are given based on both light (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observations. The morphological features of each taxon have been compared with similar species and notes on their ecology and associated diatom communities have been added.
Flora of Nam Kading National Protected Area IV: Two new species of Annonaceae, Monoon namkadingense and Neo-uvaria laosensis
Authors: TAGANE SHUICHIRO , SOULADETH PHETLASY , ZHANG MENG , YAHARA TETSUKAZU
Published: January 2018

Two new species of Annonaceae, Monoon namkadingense and Neo-uvaria laosensis, from Nam Kading National Protected Area, Bolikhamxay Province, Central Laos, are described and illustrated. DNA barcodes of rbcL and matK, vernacular name and primary conservation assessment are also provided. Both species are considered to be endemic to this area and categorized as Endangered (EN). The distribution of Neo-uvaria laosensis represents northern limit of distribution range for the genus.
Nephelaphyllum maliauensis (Orchidaceae; Collabiinae), a new species from the Maliau Basin, Sabah, Borneo, with a discussion of the taxonomic identities of N. pulchrum, N. latilabre and N. flabellatum
Authors: SUETSUGU KENJI , SULEIMAN MONICA , TSUKAYA HIROKAZU
Published: January 2018

Nephelaphyllum is a relatively small genus, containing only 11 species distributed from China through Indochina to Thailand and from Peninsular Malaysia eastwards through Indonesia to the Philippines (Chan et al. 1994). The species are easily recognised, even when not in flower, by their characteristic light green or yellowish leaves and dark green venation and blotches (Comber 1990). All species grow in deep, well-drained humus in dark conditions on the forest floor, especially in areas without severe dry seasons (Comber 1990).
Tian, J., Liu, L., Xiao, S.Y., Zhu, X.W., Wu, Y.J., Zhou, L., Yin, J., Peng, L., Cai, X.Z., Liu, L.H., Liu, Y.D., & Liu, K.M., (2018) Primulina hengshanensis (Gesneriaceae), a new species from Danxia landform in Hunan, China. Phytotaxa 333 (2): 293–297.
Authors: TIAN JING , LIU LEI , XIAO SHUN-YONG , ZHU XIAO-WEN , WU YAO-JING , ZHOU LIU , YIN JUAN , PENG LING , CAI XIU-ZHEN , LIU LIN-HAN , LIU YING-DI , LIU KE-MING
Published: January 2018

N/A
A taxonomic monograph of the fern genus Ctenitis (Dryopteridaceae) in South America
Authors: VIVEROS RAQUEL STAUFFER , ROUHAN GERMINAL , SALINO ALEXANDRE
Published: January 2018

Based on collections of 45 Herbaria in addition to newly collected specimens and some field observations, a taxonomic treatment for South American Ctenitis is provided, a hundred years after Christensen’s monographs. Guided by morphological species concept, 26 taxa are recognized (23 species and three varieties). A key including all taxa is provided, and all species are fully morphologically described, with information on distribution and habitat. Brazil is the richest country with 22 taxa, of which 13 are endemic, restricted mainly to Atlantic Forest. Taxa occurring in the other South American countries are also widely distributed in Mesoamerica and West Indies, except C. megalastriformis, only known from Peru, and C. refulgens var. peruviana, recorded in Peru and Bolivia. We dealt with 163 names that apply to the South American species. In addition, we propose three new combinations, and designate 38 lectotypes and three neotypes.
Review of the genus Pachyanthrax François (Diptera: Bombyliidae) from Egypt, with description of two new species
Authors: EL-HAWAGRY MAGDI S.
Published: January 2018

The characters of the genus Pachyanthrax have been applied to the Egyptian species that placed under the genera of Villa group in the main Egyptian insect collections especially the genus Thyridanthrax sensu Bezzi. Six Pachyanthrax spp. are here determined to be represented in Egypt: Pachyanthrax albosegmentataus (Engel, 1936), Pachyanthrax amri sp. nov., Pachyanthrax circe (Klug, 1832), Pachyanthrax mogyi sp. nov., Pachyanthrax nomadorum (Greathead, 1970) [new country record], and Pachyanthrax tabaninus (Bezzi, 1925) comb. nov. Species previously misidentified as Villa albifacies (Macquart, 1840) by Engel are here found to be the same as P. nomadorum. A key to species, diagnoses, and photographs of some species and genitalia are provided.
A new species of Homatula from the Red River drainage in Yunnan based on morphological and genetic data (Teleostei: Nemacheilidae)
Authors: ENDRUWEIT MARCO , MIN RUI , YANG JUNXING
Published: January 2018

Homatula coccinocola, new species, is described from a Red River affluent in Honghe Prefecture, Yunnan, China. The combination of a fully scaled body, a notched lower jaw, 4+42–44 vertebrae, 11 pectoral-fin and 8 pelvic-fin rays, and a color pattern of 16–19 brown, somewhat straight and vertically solid bars on a beige background distinguishes the new species from its congeners. The generic diagnosis of Homatula is revised.
Reaching Students and Parents Through Weather Science and Safety Workshops for Teachers
Authors: Stewart Alan E. , Knox John A. , Schneider Pat
Published: January 2018

Weeklong weather science and safety workshops were conducted with 66 teachers of kindergarten through eighth grade (K–8) in three Georgia counties using the American Red Cross (ARC) Masters of Disaster (MoD) curriculum. The workshop goals included building teacher interests in the MoD, increasing teacher knowledge about the MoD curriculum, increasing and evaluating its use by teachers, disseminating information about it to other teachers, evaluating students’ weather science and safety knowledge, and evaluating students’ and families’ weather safety behavior. Workshop participation produced significant increases in teachers’ knowledge about the MoD curriculum, their general knowledge of weather science and safety, and self-efficacy in teaching their students about severe weather. In the year following the workshops, at least 32 teachers from the workshops delivered 178 MoD lessons to 2,465 students in K–8. In a sample of 291 students whose teachers delivered an MoD lesson on lightning, tornadoes, hurricanes, or floods, students obtained a mean of 60% correct responses on a comprehensive postlesson follow-up test. In a follow-up study with a subsample of 94 parents whose children received instruction from the MoD curriculum, 71% of the families indicated that they had developed safety plans and took additional steps (e.g., assembled safety kits, identified evacuation routes, and/or gathered supplies) to prepare for severe weather. This project is thought to be the first of its kind to demonstrate systematically the effectiveness of weather science and safety education for teachers, their students, and the students’ parents.
Stratiform Precipitation Processes in Cyclones Passing over a Coastal Mountain Range
Authors: Zagrodnik Joseph P. , McMurdie Lynn A. , Houze Robert A.
Published: January 2018

The Olympic Mountains Experiment (OLYMPEX) documented precipitation and drop size distributions (DSDs) in landfalling midlatitude cyclones with gauges and disdrometers located at various distances from the coast and at different elevations on the windward side of the mountain range. Statistics of the drop size and gauge data for the season and case study analysis of a high-rainfall-producing storm of the atmospheric river type show that DSDs during stratiform raining periods exhibit considerable variability in regions of complex terrain. Seasonal statistics show that different relative proportions of drop sizes are present, depending on synoptic and mesoscale conditions, which vary within a single storm. The most frequent DSD regime contains modest concentrations of both small and large drops with synoptic factors near their climatological norms and moderate precipitation enhancement on the lower windward slopes. The heaviest rains are the most strongly enhanced on the lower slope and have DSDs marked by large concentrations of small to medium drops and varying concentrations of large drops. During the heavy-rain period of the case examined here, the low-level flow was onshore and entirely up terrain, the melting level was ~2.5 km, and stability moist neutral so that large amounts of small raindrops were produced. At the same time, melting ice particles produced at upper levels contributed varying amounts of large drops to the DSD, depending on the subsynoptic variability of the storm structure. When the low-level flow is directed downslope and offshore, small-drop production at low altitudes is reduced or eliminated.
Moist Adiabats with Multiple Condensing Species: A New Theory with Application to Giant-Planet Atmospheres
Authors: Li Cheng , Ingersoll Andrew P. , Oyafuso Fabiano
Published: January 2018

A new formula is derived for calculating the moist adiabatic temperature profile of an atmosphere consisting of ideal gases with multiple condensing species. This expression unifies various formulas published in the literature and can be generalized to account for chemical reactions. Unlike previous methods, it converges to machine precision independent of mesh size. It accounts for any ratio of condensable vapors to dry gas, from zero to infinity, and for variable heat capacities as a function of temperature. Because the derivation is generic, the new formula is not only applicable to planetary atmospheres in the solar system but also to hot Jupiters and brown dwarfs in which a variety of alkali metals, silicates, and exotic materials condense. It is demonstrated that even though the vapors are ideal gases, they interact in their effects on the moist adiabatic lapse rate. Finally, the authors apply the new thermodynamic model to study the effects of downdrafts on the distribution of minor constituents and the thermal profile in the Galileo probe hot spot. The authors find that the Galileo probe measurements can be interpreted as a strong downdraft that displaces an air parcel from the 1-bar to the 4-bar level (1 bar = 100 000 Pa).
Influence of the Pacific–Japan Pattern on Indian Summer Monsoon Rainfall
Authors: Srinivas G. , Chowdary Jasti S. , Kosaka Yu , Gnanaseelan C. , Parekh Anant , Prasad K. V. S. R.
Published: January 2018

This study discusses the impact of the Pacific–Japan (PJ) pattern on Indian summer monsoon (ISM) rainfall and its possible physical linkages through coupled and uncoupled pathways. Empirical orthogonal function analysis of 850-hPa relative vorticity over the western North Pacific (WNP) is used to extract the PJ pattern as the leading mode of circulation variability. The partial correlation analysis of the leading principal component reveals that the positive PJ pattern, which features anticyclonic and cyclonic low-level circulation anomalies over the tropical WNP and around Japan respectively, enhances the rainfall over the southern and northern parts of India. The northwestward propagating Rossby waves, in response to intensified convection over the Maritime Continent reinforced by low-level convergence in the southern flank of westward extended tropical WNP anticyclone, increase rainfall over southern peninsular India. Meanwhile, the anomalous moisture transport from the warm Bay of Bengal due to anomalous southerlies at the western edge of the low-level anticyclone extending from the tropical WNP helps to enhance the rainfall over northern India. The atmospheric general circulation model forced with climatological sea surface temperature confirms this atmospheric pathway through the westward propagating Rossby waves. Furthermore, the north Indian Ocean (NIO) warming induced by easterly wind anomalies along the southern periphery of the tropical WNP–NIO anticyclone enhances local convection, which in turn feeds back to the WNP convection anomalies. This coupled nature via interbasin feedback between the PJ pattern and NIO is confirmed using coupled model sensitivity experiments. These results are important in identifying new sources of ISM variability/predictability on the interannual time scale.
Mechanism of Future Spring Drying in the Southwestern United States in CMIP5 Models
Authors: Ting Mingfang , Seager Richard , Li Cuihua , Liu Haibo , Henderson Naomi
Published: January 2018

The net surface water budget, precipitation minus evaporation (P − E), shows a clear seasonal cycle in the U.S. Southwest with a net gain of surface water (positive P − E) in the cold half of the year (October–March) and a net loss of water (negative P − E) in the warm half (April–September), with June and July being the driest months of the year. There is a significant shift of the summer drying toward earlier in the year under a CO2 warming scenario, resulting in substantial spring drying (March–May) of the U.S. Southwest from the near-term future to the end of the current century, with gradually increasing magnitude. While the spring drying has been identified in previous studies, its mechanism has not been fully addressed. Using moisture budget analysis, it was found that the drying is mainly due to decreased mean moisture convergence, partially compensated by the increase in transient eddy moisture flux convergence. The decreased mean moisture convergence is further separated into components as a result of changes in circulation (dynamic changes) and changes in atmospheric moisture content (thermodynamic changes). The drying is found to be dominated by the thermodynamic-driven changes in column-averaged moisture convergence, mainly due to increased dry zonal advection caused by the climatological land–ocean thermal contrast, rather than by the well-known “dry get drier” mechanism. Furthermore, the enhanced dry advection in the warming climate is dominated by the robust zonal mean atmospheric warming, leading to equally robust spring drying in the southwestern United States.
How Momentum Coupling Affects SST Variance and Large-Scale Pacific Climate Variability in CESM
Authors: Larson Sarah M. , Vimont Daniel J. , Clement Amy C. , Kirtman Ben P.
Published: January 2018

The contribution of buoyancy (thermal + freshwater fluxes) versus momentum (wind driven) coupling to SST variance in climate models is a longstanding question. Addressing this question has proven difficult because a gap in the model hierarchy exists between the fully coupled (momentum + buoyancy + ocean dynamics) and slab–mixed layer ocean coupled (thermal with no ocean dynamics) versions. The missing piece is a thermally coupled configuration that permits anomalous ocean heat transport convergence decoupled from the anomalous wind stress. A mechanically decoupled model configuration is provided to fill this gap and diagnose the impact of momentum coupling on SST variance in NCAR CESM. A major finding is that subtropical SST variance increases when momentum coupling is disengaged. An “opposing flux hypothesis” may explain why the subtropics (midlatitudes) experience increased (reduced) variance without momentum coupling. In a subtropical easterly wind regime, Ekman fluxes [Formula: see text] oppose thermal fluxes [Formula: see text], such that when the air and sea are mechanically decoupled [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] variance increases. As a result, SST variance increases. In a midlatitude westerly regime where [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] typically reinforce each other, SST variance is reduced. Changes in mean surface winds with climate change could impact the [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] covariance relationships. A by-product of mechanically decoupling the model is the absence of ENSO variability. The Pacific decadal oscillation operates without momentum coupling or tropical forcing, although the pattern is modified with enhanced (reduced) variability in the subtropics (midlatitudes). Results show that Ekman fluxes are an important component to tropical, subtropical, and midlatitude SST variance.
Parameterization of Mixed Layer and Deep-Ocean Mesoscales including Nonlinearity
Authors: Canuto V. M. , Cheng Y. , Dubovikov M. S. , Howard A. M. , Leboissetier A.
Published: January 2018

In 2011, Chelton et al. carried out a comprehensive census of mesoscales using altimetry data and reached the following conclusions: “essentially all of the observed mesoscale features are nonlinear” and “mesoscales do not move with the mean velocity but with their own drift velocity,” which is “the most germane of all the nonlinear metrics.” Accounting for these results in a mesoscale parameterization presents conceptual and practical challenges since linear analysis is no longer usable and one needs a model of nonlinearity. A mesoscale parameterization is presented that has the following features: 1) it is based on the solutions of the nonlinear mesoscale dynamical equations, 2) it describes arbitrary tracers, 3) it includes adiabatic (A) and diabatic (D) regimes, 4) the eddy-induced velocity is the sum of a Gent and McWilliams (GM) term plus a new term representing the difference between drift and mean velocities, 5) the new term lowers the transfer of mean potential energy to mesoscales, 6) the isopycnal slopes are not as flat as in the GM case, 7) deep-ocean stratification is enhanced compared to previous parameterizations where being more weakly stratified allowed a large heat uptake that is not observed, 8) the strength of the Deacon cell is reduced. The numerical results are from a stand-alone ocean code with Coordinated Ocean-Ice Reference Experiment I (CORE-I) normal-year forcing.
The Interaction of Recirculation Gyres and a Deep Boundary Current
Authors: Le Bras Isabela Astiz , Jayne Steven R. , Toole John M.
Published: January 2018

Motivated by the proximity of the Northern Recirculation Gyre and the deep western boundary current in the North Atlantic, an idealized model is used to investigate how recirculation gyres and a deep flow along a topographic slope interact. In this two-layer quasigeostrophic model, an unstable jet imposed in the upper layer generates barotropic recirculation gyres. These are maintained by an eddy-mean balance of potential vorticity (PV) in steady state. The authors show that the topographic slope can constrain the northern recirculation gyre meridionally and that the gyre’s adjustment to the slope leads to increased eddy PV fluxes at the base of the slope. When a deep current is present along the topographic slope in the lower layer, these eddy PV fluxes stir the deep current and recirculation gyre waters. Increased proximity to the slope dampens the eddy growth rate within the unstable jet, altering the geometry of recirculation gyre forcing and leading to a decrease in overall eddy PV fluxes. These mechanisms may shape the circulation in the western North Atlantic, with potential feedbacks on the climate system.
Evaluation of Tropical Cyclone Structure Forecasts in a High-Resolution Version of the Multiscale GFDL fvGFS Model
Authors: Hazelton Andrew T. , Harris Lucas , Lin Shian-Jiann
Published: January 2018

A nested version of the cubed-sphere finite-volume dynamical core (FV3) with GFS physics (fvGFS) is capable of tropical cyclone (TC) prediction across multiple space and time scales, from subseasonal prediction to high-resolution structure and intensity forecasting. Here, a version of fvGFS with 2-km resolution covering most of the North Atlantic is evaluated for its ability to simulate TC track, intensity, and finescale structure. TC structure is evaluated through a comparison of forecasts with three-dimensional Doppler radar from P-3 flights by NOAA’s Hurricane Research Division (HRD), and the structural metrics evaluated include the 2-km radius of maximum wind (RMW), slope of the RMW, depth of the TC vortex, and horizontal vortex decay rate. Seven TCs from the 2010–16 seasons are evaluated, including 10 separate model runs and 38 individual flights. The model had some success in producing rapid intensification (RI) forecasts for Earl, Edouard, and Matthew. The fvGFS model successfully predicts RMWs in the 25–50-km range but tends to have a small bias at very large radii and a large bias at very small radii. The wind peak also tends to be somewhat too sharp, and the vortex depth occasionally has a high bias, especially for storms that are observed to be shallow. Composite radial wind shows that the boundary layer tends to be too deep, although the outflow structure aloft is relatively consistent with observations. These results highlight the utility of the structural evaluation of TC forecasts and also show the promise of fvGFS for forecasting TCs.
The Status–Health Paradox: Organizational Context, Stress Exposure, and Well-being in the Legal Profession
Authors: Koltai Jonathan , Schieman Scott , Dinovitzer Ronit
Published: January 2018

Prior research evaluates the health effects of higher status attainment by analyzing highly similar individuals whose circumstances differ after some experience a “status boost.” Advancing that research, we assess health differences across organizational contexts among two national samples of lawyers who were admitted to the bar in the same year in their respective countries. We find that higher-status lawyers in large firms report more depression than lower-status lawyers, poorer health in the American survey, and no health advantage in Canada. Adjusting for income exacerbates these patterns—were it not for their higher incomes, large-firm lawyers would have a greater health disadvantage. Last, we identify two stressors in the legal profession, overwork and work–life conflict, that are more prevalent in the private sector and increase with firm size. Adjusting for these stressors explains well-being differences across organizational contexts. This study documents the role of countervailing mechanisms in health inequality research.
Complementarity framework formulation from bond graphs to model a class of nonlinear systems and hybrid systems with fixed causality
Authors: Villa-Villaseñor Noé , Rico-Melgoza J Jesús
Published: January 2018

A systematic method for constructing models in the complementarity framework from a bond graph is proposed. Bond graphs with and without storage elements in derivative causality are considered. The proposed method allows the study of switching systems represented by a bond graph model of fixed causality. The proposed methodology allows the complementarity framework to be exploited in different engineering areas by using bond graphs.

The idea of representing a unidirectional switch with a model that is essentially the same as a diode is presented. By employing a similar representation for diodes and switches, the modeling and simulation of power switching converters are simplified and become more intuitive. Two application examples are shown. A non-inverting buck-boost converter and a zeta converter with an element in derivative causality are simulated.
Rousseau’s critique of market society: Property and possessive individualism in the Discours sur l’inégalité
Authors: Billing Andrew Geoffry
Published: January 2018

Recent studies have drawn welcome attention to Rousseau’s often neglected economic ideas and his analysis of market society, property and exchange. However, they usually attempt to reconcile Rousseau’s distrust of market capitalism with his proposals for ‘autarchic’ model domestic and political economies. This critical quest for a synthesis risks obscuring the contemporary salience of Rousseau’s critique of market society and its institutions, centring on the material and social forces that conspire to produce what C. B. Macpherson termed the ‘possessive individual’. I argue that when evaluated independently of his utopian model communities, Rousseau’s critique of market capitalism comes into sharp focus as a broadly compelling account of the psychological investments that lead individuals in market economies to consent to market systems, despite the presence of substantial inequality, disparities of opportunity and outcome, and other negative externalities. Rousseau’s critique speaks to contemporary concerns over rises in inequality and the concentration of wealth in advanced capitalist economies, as well as to the relative political complacency that has accompanied these changes.
Ethics and aesthetics of World War II memory: The case of David Foenkinos, Charlotte
Authors: Bracher Nathan
Published: January 2018

Winner of the 2014 Renaudot prize, David Foenkinos’s novel Charlotte recounts the tragic life and highly original work of the German Jewish artist Charlotte Salomon, arrested in the south of France and deported to her death at Auschwitz in the fall of 1943. As is often the case in twenty-first-century narratives, Foenkinos engages in a highly personal mode of narration that plunges back into the most momentous aspects of World War II and the Holocaust. Charlotte thus links the quandaries of the narrator’s own life and times to those of this protagonist in ways that lead us to face key questions of ethics and aesthetics. These concern not only the destiny of Charlotte Salomon, but also our own manner of approaching and remembering the most momentous events of the twentieth century through the medium of the literary text.
Redactions in protocols for drug trials: what industry sponsors concealed
Authors: Marquardsen Mikkel , Ogden Michelle , Gøtzsche Peter C.
Published: January 2018

Objective

To describe the redactions in contemporary protocols for industry-sponsored randomised drug trials with patient relevant outcomes and to evaluate whether there was a legitimate rationale for the redactions.

Design

Cohort study. Under the Freedom of Information Act, we requested access to trial protocols approved by a research ethics committee in Denmark from October 2012 to March 2013. We received 17 consecutive protocols, which had been redacted before we got them, and nine protocols without redactions. In five additional cases, the companies refused to let the committees give us access, and in three other cases, documents were missing.

Participants

Not applicable.

Setting

Not applicable.

Main outcome measure

Amount and nature of redactions in 22 predefined key protocol variables.

Results

The redactions were most widespread in those sections of the protocol where there is empirical evidence of substantial problems with the trustworthiness of published drug trials: data analysis, handling of missing data, detection and analysis of adverse events, definition of the outcomes, interim analyses and premature termination of the study, sponsor’s access to incoming data while the study is running, ownership to the data and investigators’ publication rights. The parts of the text that were redacted differed widely, both between companies and within the same company.

Conclusions

We could not identify any legitimate rationale for the redactions. The current mistrust in industry-sponsored drug trials can only change if the industry offers unconditional access to its trial protocols and other relevant documents and data.
Selecting Legal Advisors in M&As: Organizational Learning and the Role of Multiplicity of Mental Models
Authors: Westbrock Bastian , Muehlfeld Katrin , Weitzel Utz
Published: January 2018

Management scholars have identified a variety of firm characteristics as antecedents to organizational learning. In this study, we conceptualize intraorganizational multiplicity of mental models as a complementary element that facilitates shifting from lower- to higher-level learning. Specifically, we investigate whether multiplicity of mental models—proxied by four measures—helps acquirers to categorically adapt selection rules for legal advisors in mergers and acquisitions (M&As) from domestic toward international settings. In developing our conceptual framework, we integrate resource-based, social network, and organizational learning perspectives. Empirically, we draw on 11,511 acquisition attempts announced from 1998 to 2010 (completion/abandonment assessed as of January 10, 2015, at the latest). The results largely support our theory: First, choosing legal advisors in domestic and international deals calls for different selection rules. While in domestic deals, network-related characteristics are more important drivers of lawyers’ performance relative to their country-specific expertise, the comparative relevance of these attributes is reversed in cross-border deals. Yet, initially, acquirers fail to recognize this. Also, they do not initially adjust their selection criteria appropriately in response to accumulating M&A experience of their own. Only after having attempted a substantial number of cross-border M&As, they reach a turning point at which they rebalance their selection criteria such that they reflect the predominant relevance of country expertise in cross-border settings. Finally, recognition of the need to categorically reassess selection criteria in international deals is significantly facilitated by an acquirer’s multiplicity of mental models.
Accessibility in Central Asia
Authors: Spires Margaret , CohenMiller A. S.
Published: January 2018

Having recently adopted the United Nations Convention of Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Kazakhstan, a former Soviet Republic located in Central Asia, is currently in a position to find ways to increase accessibility and encourage inclusiveness in education. This paper describes the combined efforts of Nazarbayev University’s Library and Graduate School (located in Astana, Kazakhstan) to ensure accessibility for the university’s first ever student with a documented disability. Using co-generative qualitative data and analysis, faculty and staff worked together with the student to determine the best way to help him. As a project based in more experiential research, the authors’ focus is to document the experience and provide recommendations to others who are beginning accessibility/inclusivity efforts as well. Chief among these recommendations is close collaboration with communities to ensure what is needed and provide education regarding accessibility, as well as setting up a reasonable timeframe for adaptations needed.
Depurative capacity of molecular adsorbent recycling system (MARS): A focus on bilirubin removal
Authors: Gong D. , Cruz D. , Ronco C.
Published: January 2018

The molecular adsorbent recycling system (MARS) is now widely used in the treatment of patients with hepatic failure (HF). A great deal of interest has been directed toward its effect on clinical outcome, whereas its depurative capacity also needs attention. Bilirubin, a tightly albumin-bound toxin accumulating in patients with HF, is regarded as a surrogate to evaluate the depurative capacity of albumin-bound toxins by blood purification modalities. The removal of bilirubin by MARS is difficult to predict, because both the clearance of bilirubin and the reduction ratio of bilirubin after a single session differ between patients and sessions. A reduction of depurative capacity over the course of a treatment is observed. Furthermore, the later sessions are likely less efficient than previous ones. It cannot be taken for granted that the reduction of depurative capacity is due to the saturation and reduced efficiency of the adsorbent columns used in MARS. The answer lies in the property of bilirubin/albumin binding. The removal of bilirubin by MARS is a diffusion process, dependent on the free bilirubin concentration. Bilirubin binds to albumin in 3 ways with different affinity. High-affinity binding bilirubin is difficult to dissociate from albumin and is accompanied by a smaller free fraction, which means it is also difficult for MARS to remove. The factors affecting the free fraction of bilirubin will impact on bilirubin removal by MARS. Among them, the molar ratio of bilirubin to albumin is the most important one. Other factors include the interaction of other agents with bilirubin/albumin binding, the albumin concentration, plasma ion strength, and pH.
Clinical features of sarcomatoid renal cell carcinoma causing bilateral urinary tract obstruction
Authors: Stabellini N. , Orlandi V. , Sartori S. , Tombesi P. , Fabbian F. , Baglio V. , Galeotti R. , Catizone L.
Published: January 2018

We report on a 52-year-old female patient hospitalized because of uremia due to bilateral urinary tract obstruction caused by bilateral sarcomatoid renal cell carcinoma (SRCC). Abdominal computed tomography with contrast showed a large mass on the left side, infiltrating the left kidney, while the right kidney was described as enlarged. The latter was investigated with sonographic angiography using contrast and selective arteriography of the renal arteries, demonstrating a pseudonodular area at the inferior pole of the right kidney.

The patient underwent bilateral nephrectomy and chronic hemodialysis treatment; unfortunately, after one month she died from cachexia. To the best of our knowledge this is the first case to be reported on bilateral SRCC causing bilateral urinary tract obstruction. (Int J Artif Organs 2008; 31: 910–12)
Application of fuzzy logic to predicting erythropoietic response in hemodialysis patients
Authors: Gaweda A.E. , Jacobs A.A. , Brier M.E.
Published: January 2018

Objective

The purpose of this study was to demonstrate how fuzzy sets can be used in a pharmacodynamic model to represent the uncertainty about the classification of an end-stage renal disease patient's response to erythropoietin.

Methods

A pharmacodynamic model was developed to predict future hemoglobin response to administered erythropoietin for a population of 186 patients with end-stage renal failure and anemia. The prediction was performed by a weighted linear combination of past hemoglobin, transferrin saturation, and erythropoietin dose. Patients were classified based on their response to administered erythropoietin into (i) all patients into 1 group (population approach), (ii) all patients into either a poor or normal responder group (subpopulation approach - traditional classification), and (iii) all patients by partial membership into the poor and normal responder groups (subpopulation approach - fuzzy classification). One half of the data set was randomly selected to estimate the model parameters, and the second half was used to test the estimated model. This randomization was repeated 100 times for both males and females.

Results

Mean square error decreased significantly through the incorporation of hemoglobin response categorization from the control group (1.32 ± 0.07), to crisp coding (1.23 ± 0.07), to fuzzy coding (1.20 ± 0.07) with an overall p value < 0.001.

Conclusion

Uncertainty in the categorization of subjects into 2 erythropoietin response groups of poor or normal response has been shown to benefit from the use of fuzzy categories, with a significant improvement in model performance.