bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Charles Darwin, sexual selection and the evolution of other-regarding ethics
Authors: Hale Piers J.
Published: June 2021

Although many read Charles Darwin's Origin of Species as an endorsement, rather than merely a description, of individualism and competition, in Descent of Man (1871) Darwin intended to show that natural selection could account for the most noble aspects of human morality and conscience. He did so in response to Alfred Russel Wallace's 1869 statement to the contrary. In doing so, Darwin appealed to the natural selection of groups rather than individuals, and to the maternal, parental and filial instincts, as the origin of truly other-regarding moral sentiments. Further, the inheritance of acquired characters and sexual selection had important implications for Darwin's understanding of how other-regarding ethics might prevail in an evolutionary framework that seemed to reward self-interest. In a short addendum to this essay I highlight just three of a number of Darwin's contemporaries who were impressed by this aspect of his work: the science popularizer Arabella Buckley, the Scottish Presbyterian scholar Henry Drummond and the anarchist geographer and naturalist Peter Kropotkin. In closing, I point to an extensive network of others who framed their concerns about both the ‘labour question’ and the ‘woman question’ in evolutionary terms, as a fruitful area for future research in this direction.
Three Roman Republican Seal-Rings Discovered in the Eastern Pyrenees and their Significance
Authors: Oller Guzmán Joan , Olesti Vila Oriol , Morera Camprubí Jordi , Platz-Horster Gertrud
Published: June 2021

The Roman presence in high mountainous areas has traditionally been considered marginal, but recent archaeological studies in several European regions have reshaped our understanding of the occupation and exploitation of these regions. Archaeological research conducted in the Cerdanya valley shows this to be the case in the eastern Pyrenees. The discovery and excavation of several indigenous settlements have allowed us to document an earlier and more intensive Roman presence there, attested by military activity and the exploitation of the area's resources. The site of Tossal de Baltarga (Lleida), where a group of Roman seal-rings was recovered, offers a window into this situation.
Anosov diffeomorphisms, anisotropic BV spaces and regularity of foliations
Authors: BAHSOUN WAEL , LIVERANI CARLANGELO
Published: June 2021

Given any smooth Anosov map, we construct a Banach space on which the associated transfer operator is quasi-compact. The peculiarity of such a space is that, in the case of expanding maps, it reduces exactly to the usual space of functions of bounded variation which has proved to be particularly successful in studying the statistical properties of piecewise expanding maps. Our approach is based on a new method of studying the absolute continuity of foliations, which provides new information that could prove useful in treating hyperbolic systems with singularities.
Modified reporting of positive urine cultures to reduce inappropriate antibiotic treatment of catheter-associated asymptomatic bacteriuria (CA-ASB) among inpatients, a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Pratt Claire L. , Rehan Zahra , Xing Lydia , Gilbert Laura , Fillier Brenda , Barrett Brendan , Daley Peter
Published: June 2021

Objective:

To determine whether modified reporting of positive urine cultures collected from indwelling catheters improved treatment decisions without causing harm.

Design:

Prospective, unblinded, randomized control trial.

Setting:

Two tertiary-care hospitals.

Participants:

Overall, 100 consecutive positive urine cultures collected from catheterized inpatients were randomized between standard and modified laboratory reporting between November 2018 and June 2019. Exclusion criteria were pregnancy, current antibiotic treatment, ICU or urology admission, or neutropenia.

Intervention:

The modified report included significant growth without providing identification, quantification, or susceptibility. The standard report included identification, quantitation and susceptibility. Diagnosis of catheter-associated asymptomatic bacteriuria (CA-ASB) and catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CA-UTI) followed published criteria, using prospective chart review. The appropriate antibiotic treatment was defined as treatment of CA-UTI, and no treatment of CA-ASB. Patients were followed for 7 days.

Results:

Of 543 urine cultures, 443 (82%) were excluded. Of 100 patients, 75 (75%) had CA-ASB and 25 (25%) had CA-UTI. Treatment was given to 45 of 75 CA-ASB patients (60%) and all 25 CA-UTI patients (100%). Appropriate treatment rate was higher in the modified reporting arm than in the standard reporting arm: 57% vs 50% (+7.4%; relative risk [RR], 1.15; P = .45). Untreated CA-ASB was higher in the modified reporting arm: 45% vs 33% (+12%; RR, 1.36; P = .30). The standard report was requested for 33% of modified reports. Furthermore, 4 deaths and 26.9% adverse events occurred in the modified reporting arm, and 3 deaths and 41.3% adverse events occurred in the standard reporting arm.

Conclusions:

Modified reporting increased the appropriateness of treatment, and may be safe.

Clinical trials identifier: ClinicalTrials.gov#NCT03488355.
Diplomats in Robes: Judicial Career Paths and Free Speech Decision-Making at the European Court of Human Rights
Authors: Bleich Erik , Keck Thomas M. , Sharma Neha , Sigsworth Claire
Published: June 2021

A substantial body of scholarly research has examined decision-making in domestic high courts, but international judicial behavior remains relatively poorly understood. Building on research that uses judges’ career background as a proxy for their motivations at the European Court of Human Rights, we deploy a new measure of judicial career backgrounds and a new dataset of the Court’s free expression decisions. We combine quantitative analysis of judicial votes with qualitative analysis of judges’ signed dissenting opinions to advance existing understandings of the Court’s decision-making. We show that former diplomats are less likely to support contested free expression claims than their colleagues with different career backgrounds. In their published opinions, former diplomats are more likely to voice concerns about the objectionable nature of particular speech acts and to call for broad judicial deference to state restrictions on such speech. By contrast, judges with prior service in domestic government roles, as well as judges with career backgrounds outside of government, exhibit greater tolerance of objectionable speech, greater willingness to impose European-wide standards, and more frequent invocation of extra-European legal standards. Our findings contribute to broader debates about the influence of individual-level preferences on judicial behavior in international courts.
How to Read James Fitzjames Stephen: Technocracy and Pluralism in a Misunderstood Victorian
Authors: CONTI GREGORY
Published: June 2021

This paper offers a new reading of the political thought of the mid-Victorian jurist and intellectual James Fitzjames Stephen. Contrary to impressions of Stephen as a conservative or religious authoritarian, this article recognizes the liberal character of Stephen’s thought, and it argues that investigating Stephen’s liberalism holds lessons for us today about the structure of liberal theory. Stephen, the paper demonstrates, articulated robustly both technocratic and pluralistic visions of politics. Perhaps more stridently than any Victorian, he put forward an argument for the necessity and legitimacy of expert rule against claims for popular government. Yet he also insisted on the plurality of perspectives on public affairs and on the ineluctable conflict between them. Because both of these facets existed in his work, he fit within the liberal ranks, but he did not show how the two dimensions fit together. The tension that we discover from reading Stephen is, the article concludes, not peculiar to him, but a permanent feature of liberal theories, which always include both technocratic and pluralistic elements.
Forging Polity in Times of International Class War: The Parliamentary Rhetoric on Labour in the First Polish Diet, 1919–1922
Authors: Marzec Wiktor
Published: June 2021

This article examines the impact of internal and external pressures on the parliamentary debate concerning the place of the working class within a newly emerging polity. Based on machine-assisted distant reading and close hermeneutics of parliamentary session transcripts, I ask how the first diet of the modern Polish state (1919–1922) responded to labour militancy and war. My analysis demonstrates that social unrest was successfully used by the left to foster inclusion of the popular classes in a political, social, and economic sense, contributing to the democratization of the state. In contrast, the external threat of war had an opposite effect. Although it justified the left advocating greater inclusion of workers and peasants because of their high death toll on the battlefields, it was actually the right that capitalized on national unity and readily used arguments about the Bolshevik threat or traitors among the landless masses to block or even reverse reforms aimed at democratization. The external threat of war, waged against a nominally leftist political force, helped the weak state to reduce the high impact of labour unrest on parliamentary proceedings.
Psychological trauma and the genetic overlap between posttraumatic stress disorder and major depressive disorder
Authors: Mundy Jessica , Hübel Christopher , Gelernter Joel , Levey Daniel , Murray Robin M. , Skelton Megan , Stein Murray B. ,   The Million Veteran Program, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Working Group of the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium, Vassos Evangelos , Breen Gerome , Coleman Jonathan R. I.
Published: June 2021

Background

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and major depressive disorder (MDD) are commonly reported co-occurring mental health consequences of psychological trauma exposure. The disorders have high genetic overlap. Trauma is a complex phenotype but research suggests that trauma sensitivity has a heritable basis. We investigated whether sensitivity to trauma in those with MDD reflects a similar genetic component in those with PTSD.

Methods

Genetic correlations between PTSD and MDD in individuals reporting trauma and MDD in individuals not reporting trauma were estimated, as well as with recurrent MDD and single-episode MDD, using genome-wide association study (GWAS) summary statistics. Genetic correlations were replicated using PTSD data from the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium and the Million Veteran Program. Polygenic risk scores were generated in UK Biobank participants who met the criteria for lifetime MDD (N = 29 471). We investigated whether genetic loading for PTSD was associated with reporting trauma in these individuals.

Results

Genetic loading for PTSD was significantly associated with reporting trauma in individuals with MDD [OR 1.04 (95% CI 1.01–1.07), Empirical-p = 0.02]. PTSD was significantly more genetically correlated with recurrent MDD than with MDD in individuals not reporting trauma (rg differences = ~0.2, p < 0.008). Participants who had experienced recurrent MDD reported significantly higher rates of trauma than participants who had experienced single-episode MDD (χ2 > 166, p < 0.001)

Conclusions

Our findings point towards the existence of genetic variants associated with trauma sensitivity that might be shared between PTSD and MDD, although replication with better powered GWAS is needed. Our findings corroborate previous research highlighting trauma exposure as a key risk factor for recurrent MDD.
The origins of syncopation in American popular music
Authors: Temperley David
Published: June 2021

The origins of syncopation in 20th-century American popular music have been a source of controversy. I offer a new account of this historical process. I distinguish between second-position syncopation, an accent on the second quarter of a half-note or quarter-note unit, and fourth-position syncopation, an accent on the fourth quarter of such a unit. Unlike second-position syncopation, fourth-position syncopation tends to have an anticipatory character. In an earlier study I presented evidence suggesting British roots for second-position syncopation. in contrast, fourth-position syncopation – the focus of the current study – seems to have had no presence in published 19th-century vocal music, British or American. It first appears in notation in ragtime songs and piano music at the very end of the 19th century; it was also used in recordings by African-American singers before it was widely notated.
Gender in the maritime space: how can the experiences of women seafarers working in the UK shipping industry be improved?
Authors: Pike Kate , Wadsworth Emma , Honebon Sarah , Broadhurst Emma , Zhao Minghua , Zhang Pengfei
Published: June 2021

Seafaring, as a traditionally male-dominated industry, continues to have very few female seafarers, with approximately 2% globally being women. This paper draws on the findings of a study that considered both the experiences of women seafarers working in the UK shipping industry and the views of key industry stakeholder representatives, and asks what must be done to improve those experiences? Responses across the industry suggest that all women seafarers will experience some form of harassment during their careers, which has significant implications for their occupational health, safety and wellbeing. These experiences reflect failures of leadership in developing and promoting a safe and inclusive onboard culture. This paper calls for fundamental change within the industry, including improvements in training and leadership to reflect modern seafaring and diversity on board. It also calls for relevant policy and strategic changes to be based on the views of seafarers and their representatives. It concludes that improving the experiences of women on board will improve the occupational health, safety and wellbeing of all seafarers, regardless of gender or any other characteristic or classification.
Vicarius Christi: Extraterritoriality, pastoral power, and the critique of secular international law
Authors: Quiroga-Villamarín Daniel Ricardo
Published: June 2021

Since the end of the Cold War, the content, scope, and extent of extraterritorial human rights obligations has become a pressing concern for international lawyers. On one end of the debate, mainstream scholarship argues that jurisdiction is primarily territorial, identifying a limited range of situations in which jurisdiction (and responsibility) is triggered. On the other end, critical scholars suggest that Empire still haunts jurisdiction. By reconstructing the history of this doctrine, they show that the imperial reach has always been extra-territorial and that the intimate linkage between state, territory, and population is of a rather recent and tenuous origin. In both of these narratives, however, lies the assumption that jurisdiction operates as a secularized power. Even if empires/states were once religious, faith’s legacy remains confined to the past. In this article, conversely, I trace a critical genealogy of Christian authority as a jurisdictional structure, in which territoriality was never presumed. After all, one cannot forget that Catholicism and Universalism were forged in the same etymological crucible. By drawing from Foucault’s analysis of pastoral power, I argue that international law has deep roots in Christianity’s claims of governmentality upon ‘men and souls’ instead of over defined territories.
Characterisation of neurodevelopmental and psychological outcomes in CHD: a research agenda and recommendations from the cardiac neurodevelopmental outcome collaborative
Authors: Sanz Jacqueline H. , Anixt Julia , Bear Laurel , Basken Amy , Beca John , Marino Bradley S. , Mussatto Kathleen A. , Nembhard Wendy N. , Sadhwani Anjali , Sananes Renee , Shekerdemian Lara S. , Sood Erica , Uzark Karen , Willen Elizabeth , Ilardi Dawn
Published: June 2021

The Neurodevelopmental and Psychological Outcomes Working Group of the Cardiac Neurodevelopmental Outcome Collaborative was formed in 2018 through support from an R13 grant from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute with the goals of identifying knowledge gaps regarding the neurodevelopmental and psychological outcomes of individuals with CHD and investigations needed to advance science, policy, clinical care, and patient/family outcomes. Accurate characterisation of neurodevelopmental and psychological outcomes in children with CHD will drive improvements in patient and family outcomes through targeted intervention. Decades of research have produced a generalised perspective about neurodevelopmental and psychological outcomes in this heterogeneous population. Future investigations need to shift towards improving methods, measurement, and analyses of outcomes to better inform early identification, prevention, and intervention. Improved definition of underlying developmental, neuropsychological, and social-emotional constructs is needed, with an emphasis on symptom networks and dimensions. Identification of clinically meaningful outcomes that are most important to key stakeholders, including patients, families, schools and providers, is essential, specifically how and which neurodevelopmental differences across the developmental trajectory impact stakeholders. A better understanding of the discontinuity and patterns of neurodevelopment across the lifespan is critical as well, with some areas being more impactful at some ages than others. Finally, the field needs to account for the impact of race/ethnicity, socio-economic status, cultural and linguistic diversity on our measurement, interpretation of data, and approach to intervention and how to improve generalisability to the larger worldwide population of patients and families living with CHD.
Delusions of Certainty: Commercial Vessel COVID-19 Risk Stratification
Authors: Codreanu Tudor A. , Armstrong Paul K.
Published: June 2021

Since the World Health Organization’s (WHO’s) pandemic declaration on March 11, 2020, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreaks have occurred on numerous maritime vessels and the containment measures, travel restrictions, and border closures continue to make it increasingly difficult for ship operators world-wide to be granted pratique, conduct trade, and conduct crew changes.

Knowledge of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) circulating on-board a ship prior to its arrival has significant implications for the protection of shore-based maritime workers (ie, pilots, stevedores, and surveyors), the broader community, and trade. A useful approach is a graded assessment of the public health risk. The Western Australia (WA) experience and associated observed pitfalls in implementing the prediction equation for the potential presence of SARS-CoV-2 on-board based on five COVID-19 outbreaks on commercial and cruise vessels during 2020 is described.

Despite best efforts, the qualitative and quantitative predictors of SARS-CoV-2 circulating on-board commercial vessels are failing to deliver the required certainty, and to date, the only accepted method of ascertaining the presence of SARS-CoV-2 remains the real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) testing reported by an accredited laboratory.

Based on legal or regulatory requirements, germane processes, underpinned by robust and auditable processes and procedures, must be put in place to inform the risk assessment of SARS-CoV-2 circulating on-board vessels.
Lifetime risk of suicide among survivors of the atomic bombings of Japan
Authors: Amano M. A. , French B. , Sakata R. , Dekker M. , Brenner A. V.
Published: June 2021

Aims

The long-term physical health effects of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki are well characterised, but the psychological effects remain unclear. Therefore, we sought to determine whether measures of exposure severity, as indirect measures of psychological trauma arising from exposure to the atomic bombings, are associated with suicide mortality among atomic bomb survivors.

Methods

The Life Span Study is a prospective cohort study of 93 741 Japanese atomic bomb survivors who were located within 10 km of the hypocentre in Hiroshima or Nagasaki at the time of the bombings in 1945, and 26 579 residents of Hiroshima and Nagasaki who were not in either city at the time of the bombings, matched to survivors on city, sex and age. Measures of exposure severity included: proximity to the hypocentre, type of shielding between the survivor and the blast and self-reported occurrence of acute radiation and thermal injuries. Date of death was obtained from the Japanese National Family Registry system. Cause of death was obtained from death certificates. Adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) were estimated from Cox regression models overall and stratified by sex and age.

Results

During the 60-year follow-up period (1950–2009), 1150 suicide deaths were recorded among 120 231 participants (23.6 per 100 000 person-years): 510 among 70 092 women (17.2 per 100 000 person-years) and 640 among 50 139 men (33.6 per 100 000 person-years). Overall, there was no association of proximity, type of shielding or the occurrence of acute injuries with suicide mortality. Among those <25 years of age at the time of the bombings, increased suicide risk was observed for survivors outsidev. shielded inside any structure (HR: 1.24; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.03, 1.48; interactionp= 0.054) and for those who reported flash burns (HR: 1.32; 95% CI: 1.00, 1.73; interactionp= 0.025). Sex-stratified analyses indicated that these associations were limited to men. Among women, closer proximity to the hypocentre was associated with a non-significant increase in suicide risk, with a positive association between proximity and suicide risk observed among women <15 years of age (HR: 1.09 per km; 95% CI: 1.00, 1.18; interactionp= 0.067).

Conclusions

Proximity to the hypocentre, shielding and acute injury presence do not generally appear to influence suicide mortality among atomic bomb survivors. However, heterogeneity may exist by age and sex, with younger survivors potentially more sensitive to psychological trauma. Coupled with other studies, our results suggest the importance of long-term monitoring of mental health among young populations exposed to catastrophic events or mass trauma.
Improved Determination of Europa's Long‐Wavelength Topography Using Stellar Occultations
Authors: Abrahams Jacob N. H. , Nimmo Francis , Becker Tracy M. , Gladstone G. Randall , Retherford Kurt D. , Steinbrügge Gregor , Mazarico Erwan
Published: June 2021

Europa Clipper will arrive at Jupiter at the end of this decade and will explore Europa through a series of flybys. One of its many goals is to characterize Europa's topography and global shape using the Europa Imaging System and Radar for Europa Assessment and Sounding: Ocean to Near‐surface (REASON) instruments. In addition, Europa Clipper's UV Spectrograph will observe stars pass behind (be occulted by) Europa. The spectrograph has sufficiently precise timing, corresponding to a topographic precision of order meters, that these occultations can also serve as altimetric measurements. Because of gaps in the REASON radar altimeter coverage imposed by the flyby geometries, the addition of ∼100 occultations results in a substantial improvement in the recovery of Europa's long‐wavelength shape. Typically, five extra spherical harmonic degrees of topography can be recovered by combining occultations with radar altimetry.
An EPIC Tikhonov Regularization: Application to Quasi‐Static Fault Slip Inversion
Authors: Ortega‐Culaciati F. , Simons M. , Ruiz J. , Rivera L. , Díaz‐Salazar N.
Published: June 2021

Imaging subsurface fault slip from surface observations is essential to improving our understanding of the physics of earthquakes and tsunamis. As the estimation of subsurface fault slip is inherently ill‐posed, common inversion methods usually require a regularization term to counteract instabilities. Such regularization introduces biases in inferred slip estimates. Here, we discuss the effects that prior information, implied by a given regularization scheme, can have on fault slip estimates. We propose a novel Equal Posterior Information Condition (EPIC)—based Tikhonov regularization that generalizes the concept of prior information. The EPIC determines variances of prior information based on a chosen form of the structure of the posterior covariance matrix. In the context of subduction zone earthquakes, use of the EPIC counterbalances the spatial heterogeneity of observational constraints on fault slip, improving stability, quality and interpretability of fault slip estimates. We investigate the efficiency of the EPIC in the context of various synthetic fault slip distributions. We also demonstrate the methodology by inferring co‐seismic slip from geodetic data for the 2011 (Mw 9.0) Tohoku‐Oki, Japan, earthquake, obtaining robust slip estimates that are similar to those inferred using a unregularized fully Bayesian approach.
Reconstruction of Temperature, Accumulation Rate, and Layer Thinning From an Ice Core at South Pole, Using a Statistical Inverse Method
Authors: Kahle Emma C. , Steig Eric J. , Jones Tyler R. , Fudge T. J. , Koutnik Michelle R. , Morris Valerie A. , Vaughn Bruce H. , Schauer Andrew J. , Stevens C. Max , Conway Howard , Waddington Edwin D. , Buizert Christo , Epifanio Jenna , White James W. C.
Published: June 2021

Data from the South Pole ice core (SPC14) are used to constrain climate conditions and ice‐flow‐induced layer thinning for the last 54,000 years. Empirical constraints are obtained from the SPC14 ice and gas timescales, used to calculate annual‐layer thickness and the gas‐ice age difference (Δage), and from high‐resolution measurements of water isotopes, used to calculate the water‐isotope diffusion length. Both Δage and diffusion length depend on firn properties and therefore contain information about past temperature and snow‐accumulation rate. A statistical inverse approach is used to obtain an ensemble of reconstructions of temperature, accumulation‐rate, and thinning of annual layers in the ice sheet at the SPC14 site. The traditional water‐isotope/temperature relationship is not used as a constraint; the results therefore provide an independent calibration of that relationship. The temperature reconstruction yields a glacial‐interglacial temperature change of 6.7 ± 1.0°C at the South Pole. The sensitivity of δ18O to temperature is 0.99 ± 0.03 ‰°C−1, significantly greater than the spatial slope of 0.8‰°C−1 that has been used previously to determine temperature changes from East Antarctic ice core records. The reconstructions of accumulation rate and ice thinning show millennial‐scale variations in the thinning function as well as decreased thinning at depth compared to the results of a 1‐D ice flow model, suggesting influence of bedrock topography on ice flow.
The Energy Exascale Earth System Model Simulations With High Vertical Resolution in the Lower Troposphere
Authors: Bogenschutz Peter A. , Yamaguchi Takanobu , Lee Hsiang‐He
Published: June 2021

General circulation models (GCMs) are typically run with coarse vertical resolution. For example, the Energy Exascale Earth System Model (E3SM) has a vertical resolution of about 200 m in the boundary layer, which is far too coarse to resolve sharp gradients often found in the thermodynamic fields capping subtropical marine stratocumulus. In this article, we present a series of multiyear atmosphere only simulations of E3SM version 1 where we progressively increase the vertical resolution in the lower troposphere to scales approaching those often used in large eddy simulation (LES). We report marginal impacts in regards to the simulation of boundary layer clouds when vertical resolution is moderately increased, yet find significant positive impacts when the vertical resolution approaches that typically used in LES (∼10 m). In these experiments, there is a marked change in the simulated turbulence and thermodynamics which leads to more abundant marine stratocumulus. However, these simulations are burdened with excessive computational cost. They are also subject to degradations in overall climate metrics due to time step sensitivities and because some processes and parameterizations are sensitive to changes in the vertical resolution.
Warm High‐Elevation Mid‐Latitudes During the Miocene Climatic Optimum: Paleosol Clumped Isotope Temperatures From the Northern Rocky Mountains, USA
Authors: Methner K. , Mulch A. , Fiebig J. , Krsnik E. , Löffler N. , Bajnai D. , Chamberlain C. P.
Published: June 2021

Interrupting a long‐term Cenozoic cooling trend, the Miocene Climatic Optimum (MCO; ca. 17–15 Ma) represents a time interval characterized globally by warmer than present temperatures, lower ice volume, and elevated pCO2 levels. Establishing quantitative Neogene temperature estimates is an important element in the effort to explore the long‐term changes in the carbon cycle and associated climate feedbacks, yet terrestrial temperature records are still sparse. Here, we present a clumped isotope (Δ47) temperature record of the MCO from intermontane basins in the Northern Rocky Mountain (NRM) region. Arikareean (22.7–21.5 Ma) to Barstovian (16.9–14.7 Ma) paleosol carbonates from the Hepburn's Mesa Formation (Montana), supplemented with data from fossil localities in western Idaho. These records yield Δ47‐temperatures ranging from 17°C to 24°C, which are rather warm given the high elevation sites and are further relatively stable (mean of 21 ± 2°C) leading into and during the MCO until ca. 14.7 Ma. At ca. 14.7 Ma, we observe low Δ47‐temperatures (8°C–10°C) concomitantly with elevated Δ47‐temperatures (ca. 22°C). In line with recently suggested climate stability in the NRM region leading into the MCO, our Δ47‐temperature record, combined with carbon isotope (δ13C) and reconstructed soil water oxygen isotope (δ18Osw) values, indicates rather stable climate and environmental conditions throughout the MCO. Combining available records from inland sites in the western United States (NRM, Mojave region) points to prevailing stable continental climates even during the MCO.
Annual Appearance of Hydrogen Chloride on Mars and a Striking Similarity With the Water Vapor Vertical Distribution Observed by TGO/NOMAD
Authors: Aoki S. , Daerden F. , Viscardy S. , Thomas I. R. , Erwin J. T. , Robert S. , Trompet L. , Neary L. , Villanueva G. L. , Liuzzi G. , Crismani M. M. J. , Clancy R. T. , Whiteway J. , Schmidt F. , Lopez‐Valverde M. A. , Ristic B. , Patel M. R. , Bellucci G. , Lopez‐Moreno J.‐J. , Olsen K. S. , Lefèvre F. , Montmessin F. , Trokhimovskiy A. , Fedorova A. A. , Korablev O. , Vandaele A. C.
Published: June 2021

Hydrogen chloride (HCl) was recently discovered in the atmosphere of Mars by two spectrometers onboard the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter. The reported detection made in Martian Year 34 was transient, present several months after the global dust storm during the southern summer season. Here, we present the full data set of vertically resolved HCl detections obtained by the NOMAD instrument, which covers also Martian year 35. We show that the particular increase of HCl abundances in the southern summer season is annually repeated, and that the formation of HCl is independent from a global dust storm event. We also find that the vertical distribution of HCl is strikingly similar to that of water vapor, which suggests that the uptake by water ice clouds plays an important role. The observed rapid decrease of HCl abundances at the end of the southern summer would require a strong sink independent of photochemical loss.
H2-dependent formate production by hyperthermophilic Thermococcales: an alternative to sulfur reduction for reducing-equivalents disposal
Authors: Le Guellec Sébastien , Leroy Elodie , Courtine Damien , Godfroy Anne , Roussel Erwan G
Published: June 2021

Removal of reducing equivalents is an essential catabolic process for all microorganisms to maintain their internal redox balance. The electron disposal by chemoorganotrophic Thermococcales generates H2 by proton reduction or H2S in presence of S0. Although in the absence of S0 growth of these (hyper)thermopiles was previously described to be H2-limited, it remains unclear how Thermococcales could be present in H2-rich S0-depleted habitats. Here, we report that 12 of the 47 strains tested, distributed among all three orders of Thermococcales, could grow without S0 at 0.8 mM dissolved H2 and that tolerance to H2 was always associated with formate production. Two conserved gene clusters coding for a formate hydrogenlyase (FHL) and a putative formate dehydrogenase-NAD(P)H-oxidoreductase were only present in H2-dependent formate producers, and were both systematically associated with a formate dehydrogenase and a formate transporter. As the reaction involved in this alternative pathway for disposal of reducing equivalents was close to thermodynamic equilibrium, it was strongly controlled by the substrates–products concentration ratio even in the presence of S0. Moreover, experimental data and thermodynamic modelling also demonstrated that H2-dependent CO2 reduction to formate could occur within a large temperature range in contrasted hydrothermal systems, suggesting it could also provide an adaptive advantage.
A novel, multitargeted endogenous metabolic modulator composition impacts metabolism, inflammation, and fibrosis in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis-relevant primary human cell models
Authors: Daou Nadine , Viader Andreu , Cokol Murat , Nitzel Arianna , Chakravarthy Manu V. , Afeyan Raffi , Tramontin Tony , Marukian Svetlana , Hamill Michael J.
Published: June 2021

Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a complex metabolic disease of heterogeneous and multifactorial pathogenesis that may benefit from coordinated multitargeted interventions. Endogenous metabolic modulators (EMMs) encompass a broad set of molecular families, including amino acids and related metabolites and precursors. EMMs often serve as master regulators and signaling agents for metabolic pathways throughout the body and hold the potential to impact a complex metabolic disease like NASH by targeting a multitude of pathologically relevant biologies. Here, we describe a study of a novel EMM composition comprising five amino acids and an amino acid derivative (Leucine, Isoleucine, Valine, Arginine, Glutamine, andN-acetylcysteine [LIVRQNac]) and its systematic evaluation across multiple NASH-relevant primary human cell model systems, including hepatocytes, macrophages, and stellate cells. In these model systems, LIVRQNac consistently and simultaneously impacted biology associated with all three core pathophysiological features of NASH—metabolic, inflammatory, and fibrotic. Importantly, it was observed that while the individual constituent amino acids in LIVRQNac can impact specific NASH-related phenotypes in select cell systems, the complete combination was necessary to impact the range of disease-associated drivers examined. These findings highlight the potential of specific and potent multitargeted amino acid combinations for the treatment of NASH.
Simulation-based biomechanical assessment of unpowered exoskeletons for running
Authors: Aftabi Hamidreza , Nasiri Rezvan , Ahmadabadi Majid Nili
Published: June 2021

Due to the complexity and high degrees of freedom, the detailed assessment of human biomechanics is necessary for the design and optimization of an effective exoskeleton. In this paper, we present full kinematics, dynamics, and biomechanics assessment of unpowered exoskeleton augmentation for human running gait. To do so, the considered case study is the assistive torque profile of I-RUN. Our approach is using some extensive data-driven OpenSim simulation results employing a generic lower limb model with 92-muscles and 29-DOF. In the simulation, it is observed that exoskeleton augmentation leads to $$4.62\%$$

4.62
%

metabolic rate reduction for the stiffness coefficient of $$\alpha ^*=0.6$$

α
∗

=
0.6

. Moreover, this optimum stiffness coefficient minimizes the biological hip moment by $$26\%$$

26
%

. The optimum stiffness coefficient ($$\alpha ^*=0.6$$

α
∗

=
0.6

) also reduces the average force of four major hip muscles, i.e., Psoas, Gluteus Maximus, Rectus Femoris, and Semimembranosus. The effect of assistive torque profile on the muscles’ fatigue is also studied. Interestingly, it is observed that at $$\alpha ^{\#}=0.8$$

α
#

=
0.8

, both all 92 lower limb muscles’ fatigue and two hip major mono-articular muscles’ fatigue have the maximum reduction. This result re-confirm our hypothesis that ”reducing the forces of two antagonistic mono-articular muscles is sufficient for involved muscles’ total fatigue reduction.” Finally, the relation between the amount of metabolic rate reduction and kinematics of hip joint is examined carefully where for the first time, we present a reliable kinematic index for prediction of the metabolic rate reduction by I-RUN augmentation. This index not only explains individual differences in metabolic rate reduction but also provides a quantitative measure for training the subjects to maximize their benefits from I-RUN.
Vocal universals and geographic variations in the acoustic repertoire of the common bottlenose dolphin
Authors: Luís A. R. , May-Collado L. J. , Rako-Gospić N. , Gridley T. , Papale E. , Azevedo A. , Silva M. A. , Buscaino G. , Herzing D. , dos Santos M. E.
Published: June 2021

Acoustical geographic variation is common in widely distributed species and it is already described for several taxa, at various scales. In cetaceans, intraspecific variation in acoustic repertoires has been linked to ecological factors, geographical barriers, and social processes. For the common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus), studies on acoustic variability are scarce, focus on a single signal type—whistles and on the influence of environmental variables. Here, we analyze the acoustic emissions of nine bottlenose dolphin populations across the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, and identify common signal types and acoustic variants to assess repertoires’ (dis)similarity. Overall, these dolphins present a rich acoustic repertoire, with 24 distinct signal sub-types including: whistles, burst-pulsed sounds, brays and bangs. Acoustic divergence was observed only in social signals, suggesting the relevance of cultural transmission in geographic variation. The repertoire dissimilarity values were remarkably low (from 0.08 to 0.4) and do not reflect the geographic distances among populations. Our findings suggest that acoustic ecology may play an important role in the occurrence of intraspecific variability, as proposed by the ‘environmental adaptation hypothesis’. Further work may clarify the boundaries between neighboring populations, and shed light into vocal learning and cultural transmission in bottlenose dolphin societies.
The relationship between the level of vitamin D and ruptured intracranial aneurysms
Authors: Wei Sen , Yuan Xin , Fan Feng , Guo Xin‑bin , Guan Sheng
Published: June 2021

The purpose of our research is to explore whether vitamin D levels were associated with the rupture of intracranial aneurysms. In this retrospective study, 105 patients diagnosed with ruptured intracranial aneurysms (RIAs) and 185 patients diagnosed with unruptured intracranial aneurysms (UIAs) at The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University were recruited from September 2019 to September 2020. Patients’ demographic and clinical information, including vitamin D levels, were recorded and compared. Univariate analysis showed that patients with UIAs had higher vitamin D levels than RIAs (p = 0.019). In addition, there were significant differences in aneurysm location (p < 0.001), aspirin use (p = 0.001), and comorbid diabetes mellitus (p = 0.037) between patients with UIAs and RIAs. Binary logistic regression analysis showed that the level of vitamin D was independently associated with RIAs [odds ratio (OR) 0.960; 95% confidence intervals (CI), 0.926–0.996, p = 0.028].
Seaweed cellulose scaffolds derived from green macroalgae for tissue engineering
Authors: Bar-Shai Nurit , Sharabani-Yosef Orna , Zollmann Meiron , Lesman Ayelet , Golberg Alexander
Published: June 2021

Extracellular matrix (ECM) provides structural support for cell growth, attachments and proliferation, which greatly impact cell fate. Marine macroalgae speciesUlvasp. andCladophorasp. were selected for their structural variations, porous and fibrous respectively, and evaluated as alternative ECM candidates. Decellularization–recellularization approach was used to fabricate seaweed cellulose-based scaffolds for in-vitro mammalian cell growth. Both scaffolds were confirmed nontoxic to fibroblasts, indicated by high viability for up to 40 days in culture. Each seaweed cellulose structure demonstrated distinct impact on cell behavior and proliferation rates. TheCladophorasp. scaffold promoted elongated cells spreading along its fibers’ axis, and a gradual linear cell growth, while theUlvasp. porous surface, facilitated rapid cell growth in all directions, reaching saturation at week 3. As such, seaweed-cellulose is an environmentally, biocompatible novel biomaterial, with structural variations that hold a great potential for diverse biomedical applications, while promoting aquaculture and ecological agenda.
Kidney injury molecule-1 inhibits metastasis of renal cell carcinoma
Authors: Lee Jasper C. , Yotis Demitra M. , Lee Ji Yun , Sarabusky Marie A. , Shrum Bradly , Champagne Audrey , Ismail Ola Z. , Tutunea-Fatan Elena , Leong Hon S. , Gunaratnam Lakshman
Published: June 2021

Metastasis is present in approximately 30% of patients diagnosed with renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and is associated with a 5-year survival rate of < 15%. Kidney injury molecule 1 (KIM-1), encoded by the HAVCR1 gene, is a proximal tubule cell-surface glycoprotein and a biomarker for early detection of RCC, but its pathophysiological significance in RCC remains unclear. We generated human and murine RCC cell lines either expressing or lacking KIM-1, respectively, and compared their growth and metastatic properties using validated methods. Surprisingly, KIM-1 expression had no effect on cell proliferation or subcutaneous tumour growth in immune deficient (Rag1−/−) Balb/c mice, but inhibited cell invasion and formation of lung metastasis in the same model. Further, we show that the inhibitory effect of KIM-1 on metastases was observed in both immune deficient and immune competent mice. Transcriptomic profiling identified the mRNA for the pro-metastatic GTPase, Rab27b, to be downregulated significantly in KIM-1 expressing human and murine RCC cells. Finally, analysis of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data revealed that elevated HAVCR1 mRNA expression in the two most common types of RCC, clear cell and papillary RCC, tumours correlated with significantly improved overall patient survival. Our findings reveal a novel role for KIM-1 in inhibiting metastasis of RCC and suggests that tumour-associated KIM-1 expression may be a favourable prognostic factor.
Protein suppresses both bitterness and oleocanthal-elicited pungency of extra virgin olive oil
Authors: Peyrot des Gachons Catherine , O’Keefe Abigail J. , Slade Louise , Beauchamp Gary K.
Published: June 2021

The Mediterranean diet, considered one of the healthiest in the world, is characterized in part by the major source of its fat, which is extra virgin olive oil (EVOO). Among the health benefits of consuming EVOOs is the presence of phenolic compounds, which have been shown to lower the incidence of coronary heart disease and are suspected of providing many other health benefits. These phenolic compounds also contribute to the flavor of EVOO, adding both specific pungency in the throat and bitter notes that are valued by connoisseurs but reported to be unpleasant by naïve consumers. Here, we demonstrate that some food-derived proteins, specifically from egg yolks and whey, when added to pungent and bitter EVOOs, reduce or even eliminate both the throat pungency and bitterness. The sensory loss is proportional to the food protein additions. Thus, when used in various foods recipes (e.g. mayonnaise), pungent and bitter EVOOs may lose their pungent and bitter characteristics thereby rendering them more palatable to many consumers. This sensory reduction might also indicate interaction between the proteins and the phenolic compounds, which, if confirmed, would raise the question of whether the bioactivities of EVOO phenolics remain unchanged when consumed with and without protein-containing foods.
Investigation of the mechanisms of VEGF-mediated compensatory lung growth: the role of the VEGF heparin-binding domain
Authors: Yu Lumeng J. , Ko Victoria H. , Dao Duy T. , Secor Jordan D. , Pan Amy , Cho Bennet S. , Mitchell Paul D. , Kishikawa Hiroko , Bielenberg Diane R. , Puder Mark
Published: June 2021

Morbidity and mortality for neonates with congenital diaphragmatic hernia-associated pulmonary hypoplasia remains high. These patients may be deficient in vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Our lab previously established that exogenous VEGF164 accelerates compensatory lung growth (CLG) after left pneumonectomy in a murine model. We aimed to further investigate VEGF-mediated CLG by examining the role of the heparin-binding domain (HBD). Eight-week-old, male, C57BL/6J mice underwent left pneumonectomy, followed by post-operative and daily intraperitoneal injections of equimolar VEGF164 or VEGF120, which lacks the HBD. Isovolumetric saline was used as a control. VEGF164 significantly increased lung volume, total lung capacity, and alveolarization, while VEGF120 did not. Treadmill exercise tolerance testing (TETT) demonstrated improved functional outcomes post-pneumonectomy with VEGF164 treatment. In lung protein analysis, VEGF treatment modulated downstream angiogenic signaling. Activation of epithelial growth factor receptor and pulmonary cell proliferation was also upregulated. Human microvascular lung endothelial cells (HMVEC-L) treated with VEGF demonstrated decreased potency of VEGFR2 activation with VEGF121 treatment compared to VEGF165 treatment. Taken together, these data indicate that the VEGF HBD contributes to angiogenic and proliferative signaling, is required for accelerated compensatory lung growth, and improves functional outcomes in a murine CLG model.
The monoamine stabilizer OSU6162 has anxiolytic-like properties and reduces voluntary alcohol intake in a genetic rat model of depression
Authors: Melas Philippe A. , Wirf Malin , André Helder , Jayaram-Lindström Nitya , Mathé Aleksander A. , Steensland Pia
Published: June 2021

Alcohol use disorders (AUD) often co-occur with anxiety and depressive disorders, and anxiety often drives relapse during alcohol abstinence. Optimal AUD pharmacotherapies may thus need to target both excessive alcohol intake and elevated anxiety. (−)-OSU6162 (OSU) is a monoamine stabilizer that attenuates alcohol-mediated behaviors in both preclinical and clinical settings. However, OSU’s effect on anxiety-like behavior following long-term drinking remains unknown. To this end, we utilized a genetic rat model that exhibits increased anxiety- and depression-like behaviors (Flinders Sensitive Line; FSL) and their controls (Flinders Resistant Line; FRL). Using the novelty suppressed feeding (NSF) test, we evaluated anxiety-like behaviors (1) at baseline, (2) following long-term voluntary drinking and after 24 h of alcohol deprivation, and (3) following OSU administration in the same animals. At baseline, FSL animals displayed significantly elevated anxiety-like characteristics compared to FRL. Compared to alcohol-naïve animals, long-term drinking significantly reduced anxiety-like behaviors in FSL, without any significant effects in FRL animals. Compared to vehicle, OSU administration significantly reduced anxiety-like behaviors in alcohol-naïve FSL and long-term drinking FRL animals. While there was no significant difference in alcohol intake between FSL and FRL, OSU attenuated alcohol intake in both strains. Conclusively, in addition to the compound’s previously identified ability to suppress alcohol-mediated behaviors, OSU may also possess anxiolytic properties, warranting further clinical evaluation in both AUD and anxiety disorder settings.