bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of Wood Ash-Based Alkaline Treatment on Nitrogen, Carbon, and Phosphorus Availability in Food Waste and Agro-Industrial Waste Digestates
Authors: Moure Abelenda Alejandro , Semple Kirk T. , Lag-Brotons Alfonso Jose , Herbert Ben M. J. , Aggidis George , Aiouache Farid
Published: August 2020

Handling of food waste and agro-industrial waste digestates, and fly and bottom wood ashes represents an economic and environmental problem for society and industries where they are produced due to the requirement of large capacity storage facilities with special conditions. Since both materials contain important nutrients for crops, two different blending combinations were examined as potential slow-release fertilizers to enhance the circular economy. High share of biomass ashes were selected aiming the chemical alkaline stabilization of the digestates. The concentrations of nitrogen, carbon, and phosphorus in the water-soluble extract of the blends, which was obtained by adding ten parts of milli-Q® per each part of sample and subsequent solid–liquid separation, were measured during a 10-h incubation at 22 °C and 100 rpm. The volatilization of ammonia was the main route of losing nitrogen, with the greatest rate of volatilization at the time of blending and approximately 50 mg NH3-N/kg blend/hour by the end of the incubation. The hydrolysis taking place at alkaline pH was found responsible of the conversion of organic nitrogen to ammoniacal nitrogen and of the increase of the amount of water-soluble carbon, which rose progressively during the incubation. The release of CO2 was prevented by the high pH (> 10) of the blends. The drop in the concentration of water-soluble orthophosphate at the time of preparing the mixtures was driven by adsorption onto the ashes. The desorption of some of the orthophosphate was found to be inversely related to the amount of ashes added to the digestates.

Graphic Abstract
Improvements in Mindfulness Facets Mediate the Alleviation of Burnout Dimensions
Authors: Kinnunen Sanna M. , Puolakanaho Anne , Tolvanen Asko , Mäkikangas Anne , Lappalainen Raimo
Published: August 2020

Objectives

While interventions using mindfulness have been effective in treating burnout, the mechanisms of change need more research. This study investigated which of five mindfulness facets (observing, describing, acting with awareness, non-judging, and non-reacting) mediated the intervention effects on three burnout dimensions (exhaustion, cynicism, and reduced professional efficacy) during an 8-week mindfulness-, acceptance-, and value-based (MAV) intervention and a 10-month follow-up.

Methods

The participants were a heterogeneous sample of employees suffering from burnout (n = 202, 80% women, mean age = 47.5 years). Latent change score modeling was conducted for each combination of the mindfulness facets and the burnout dimensions. Confidence intervals were calculated for the coefficients in the models.

Results

The modeling results showed that mindfulness improvement during the intervention mediated burnout alleviation during both the intervention and the 10-month follow-up. A large spread of mindfulness facets mediated changes in all the burnout dimensions during the intervention (all for cynicism, all except describing for exhaustion, and all except observing for reduced professional efficacy). The improvement in non-judging skills mediated the reductions in all burnout dimensions during the follow-up. For exhaustion, it was the only significant mediator during the follow-up, whereas for cynicism and reduced professional efficacy, describing and observing were additional mediators.

Conclusions

Improving mindfulness facets using a MAV intervention had significant long-term effects on burnout in this study. Non-judging is possibly the most important mindfulness facet to improve in burnout interventions, given that it mediated the changes in all burnout dimensions during both the intervention and 10-month follow-up.
Motor oil degradation during urban cycle road tests
Authors: Wei Lei , Duan Haitao , Jin Yongliang , Jia Dan , Cheng Bingxue , Liu Jianfang , Li Jian
Published: August 2020

Several civilian vehicles in China operate in urban traffic conditions and have their motor oil changed every 5,000 km. This study investigates the variations in oil properties after servicing at 5,000 km, based on systematic road tests (including a repeated test, a parallel test, and a new vehicle test). The physicochemical properties, changes in components, oxidation stability, detergent-dispersant performance, and tribological properties of motor oils were analyzed. The results showed that the total acid number (TAN) of oils increased with the operation mileage, by up to 1.41 mgKOH/g. The total base number (TBN) decreased after the road tests were completed, and the decrease was less than 44.6%. The kinematic viscosity (KV) of most oils decreased initially and then stabilized in the middle stage, before starting to increase later in the experiment. The change in KV at 100 °C was less than 15.96%. The oxidation onset temperature (OOT) of the oils diminished gradually with the operation mileage. All OOT values of the used oils were higher than 210 °C. A spot test indicated that the used oils retained their detergent-dispersant performance to an appropriate extent. The four-ball wear scar diameters and friction coefficient of the used oils did not increase significantly after the road tests were completed. This study can serve as a reference for end-users when changing motor oils.
Whose Cultural Objects? Introducing Heritage Title for Cross-Border Cultural Property Claims
Authors: Campfens Evelien
Published: August 2020

Cultural objects have a special, protected, status because of their intangible ‘heritage’ value to people, as symbols of an identity. This has been so since the first days of international law and, today, there is an extensive legal framework to protect cultural objects and to prohibit looting. Despite this, for as long as demand exists and profits are high, cultural objects continue to be looted, smuggled and traded. At some point, their character tends to change from protected heritage in an original setting to valuable art and commodity in the hands of new possessors. In this new setting, the legal status of such objects most likely will be a matter of ownership and the private law regime in the country where they happen to end up. This article suggests that, irrespective of the acquired rights of others, original owners should still be able to rely on a ‘heritage title’ if there is a continuing cultural link. The term aims to capture the legal bond between cultural objects and people, distinct from ownership, and is informed by international cultural heritage and human rights law norms. The proposition is that, whilst ownership interests are accounted for in national private law, legal tools are lacking to address heritage interests and identity values that are acknowledged in international law. Neither the existing legal framework for the art trade, based on the 1970 UNESCO Convention, nor regular ownership concepts appear particularly suited to solve title issues over contested cultural objects. The notion of ‘heritage title’ in a human rights law approach can act as a bridge in that regard.
Developing image analysis pipelines of whole-slide images: Pre- and post-processing
Authors: Smith Byron , Hermsen Meyke , Lesser Elizabeth , Ravichandar Deepak , Kremers Walter
Published: August 2020

Deep learning has pushed the scope of digital pathology beyond simple digitization and telemedicine. The incorporation of these algorithms in routine workflow is on the horizon and maybe a disruptive technology, reducing processing time, and increasing detection of anomalies. While the newest computational methods enjoy much of the press, incorporating deep learning into standard laboratory workflow requires many more steps than simply training and testing a model. Image analysis using deep learning methods often requires substantial pre- and post-processing order to improve interpretation and prediction. Similar to any data processing pipeline, images must be prepared for modeling and the resultant predictions need further processing for interpretation. Examples include artifact detection, color normalization, image subsampling or tiling, removal of errant predictions, etc. Once processed, predictions are complicated by image file size – typically several gigabytes when unpacked. This forces images to be tiled, meaning that a series of subsamples from the whole-slide image (WSI) are used in modeling. Herein, we review many of these methods as they pertain to the analysis of biopsy slides and discuss the multitude of unique issues that are part of the analysis of very large images.
Travel-screening documentation to enable the “Identify–Isolate–Inform” framework for emerging infectious diseases: It’s all in the details
Authors: Sánchez Sarimer M. , Searle Eileen F. , Rubins David , Dutta Sayon , Ware Winston , Biddinger Paul D. , Shenoy Erica S.
Published: August 2020

The early phase of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and ongoing efforts for mitigation underscore the importance of universal travel and symptom screening. We analyzed adherence to documentation of travel and symptom screening through a travel navigator tool with clinical decision support to identify patients at risk for Middle East Respiratory Syndrome.
Autism in the workforce: A case study
Authors: Grenawalt Teresa Ann , Brinck Emily A. , Friefeld Kesselmayer Rachel , Phillips Brian N. , Geslak David , Strauser David R. , Chan Fong , Tansey Timothy N.
Published: August 2020

In a global society experiencing an increasing shortage of qualified workers and the recognition that individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can be effective employees, there is an uptick in private sector initiatives to address employment needs through the recruitment of workers with ASD. A case study methodology with consensual qualitative research analysis was used to gain a rich understanding of employment of people with ASD at a medium-sized clothier in collaboration with a service provider for people with ASD. Perceptions of implementation and effectiveness were collected. Results suggest the hiring of people with ASD was positively perceived by employees. Components of this success included changes to the physical work environment, diversity training specific to individuals with disabilities, and a company climate of engaging and supporting employees with ASD. This research suggests that the collaborative initiative may prove a meaningful model for other companies interested in employing people with ASD.
Managing (out) corruption in NGOs: A case study from the Bangladesh delta
Authors: Muurlink Olav , Macht Stephanie A.
Published: August 2020

Corruption is one of the most destructive and pervasive wicked problems, present in commercial enterprises, governmental agencies and Non-Government Organisations (NGOs). The reduction of corruption is prominent amongst the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals, but research on corruption in the context of NGOs in developing countries is scarce, particularly relating to the identification and management of corruption in this context. This paper adds new insights to this under-researched field by providing a rich description of a single, longitudinal ethnographic case study of one NGO in Bangladesh, which has successfully identified and managed (out) complex, entrenched corruption through a simple sustainable intervention: expanding and improving information channels for stakeholders.
Women's decision-making autonomy and its relationship with child feeding practices and postnatal growth
Authors: Saaka Mahama
Published: August 2020

Childhood stunting remains a global public health concern. Little has been documented on the effect of women's decision-making autonomy on child growth in settings where decision-making at the household and community levels is largely dominated by men. To assess the relationship between maternal autonomy and child growth, we analysed data from a cross-sectional study of 422 mothers and their youngest child aged 6–24 months in the Bawku West District of Ghana. The dimensions of women's autonomy measured were decision-making power, freedom of mobility and financial autonomy. We then compared how each dimension was associated with the likelihood of stunting and wasting. The important predictors of child growth and dietary intake as measured by the mean length-for-ageZ-score (LAZ) and minimum acceptable (MAD) diet, respectively, were determined using multivariable regression models. The overall composite index of women autonomy (CIWA) showed that 52⋅8 % of women were of high autonomy and half of them had higher autonomy regarding their own and their children's health. After adjusting (multiple regression analysis) for potential confounders, the mean LAZ of children born to women of high autonomy was significantly higher than LAZ of children born to women of low autonomy (β = 0⋅132; 95 % CI 0⋅19, 0⋅95;P= 0⋅004). Similarly, high women's autonomy was a significant independent predictor of meeting MAD (AOR = 1⋅59; CI 1⋅09, 2⋅34). Of all, the dimensions of women's autonomy measured in this study, health care autonomy better predicted child growth and dietary intake. Based on the findings, nutrition policies and interventions that enhance women's decision-making autonomy could have a positive impact on child growth outcomes.
Creating Postfascist Families: Reforming Family Law and Gender Roles in Postwar East and West Germany
Authors: Ruble Alexandria N.
Published: August 2020

After 1945 both German states overturned longstanding laws and policies from the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries that designated women as second-class citizens in spousal rights, parental authority and marital property. From the early postwar years, female politicians and activists in the women's movement pursued in both Germanys reforms of the obsolete marriage and family law. The article compares how these women and mainly male legislators in both states envisioned the role of women in the family and in gender relations. It shows that these debates in the FRG and the GDR were influenced on the one hand by earlier, pre-1933 ideas, and on the other hand reacted to Nazi-era politics. Yet, because of their different political, economic and social conditions, discourses and policies developed in the context of the Cold War in both states in different directions, though they continued to be related to each other.
The Testimony of the Spirit, the Decline of Calvinism, and the Origins of Restoration Rational Religion
Authors: CROMARTIE ALAN
Published: August 2020

The mid-seventeenth century turn to moralism in English Protestant theology – exemplified here by ‘Ignorance’ in Bunyan's Pilgrim's progress – involved a clear rejection of the Calvinistic doctrine of the ‘internal testimony’ of Scripture. The upshot was the emergence of a religious impulse that emphasised the salience of a ‘rational account’ of Scripture's credibility. The shift is conventionally traced through Richard Hooker, William Chillingworth and the Cambridge Platonists. Hooker was, however, more Calvinist and Chillingworth more Laudian than has been recognised. The Cambridge Platonists and their ‘latitudinarian’ successors emerged from and were shaped by puritan culture.
The politics of public land dispossession in Egypt: 1975–2011 and beyond
Authors: Koussa Ziad
Published: August 2020

This article examines changes in the allocation of urban land in Egypt between 1975–2011 with the rise and incorporation of state authoritarianism and neoliberal economics in what I call ‘authoritarian neoliberalism’. Authoritarian neoliberalism in Egypt transferred ownership of urban lands from public wealth to an affluent class of local and foreign capitalists – often in a non-transparent fashion. The article focuses on the government's legally sanctioned practices of subsidisations, privatisations and evictions as they relate to what I call, inspired by David Harvey's formulation, the accumulation of wealth by dispossession. Dispossession of public urban land, I maintain, generated widespread resentment that played a vital, but inadequately discussed, role in the series of revolts that culminated in the 2011 uprising in Egypt. Social tensions engendered in this authoritarian neoliberal regime, I argue, endure under the administration of President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, who continues to transfer public urban lands, from lower to higher socioeconomic classes, at an even faster pace than his predecessor.
Anticipatory tribalism: accusatory politics in the ‘New Gambia’
Authors: Hultin Niklas , Sommerfelt Tone
Published: August 2020

This article examines the upsurge in denunciations of ‘tribalism’ in public debate during The Gambia's transition from the autocracy of Yahya Jammeh to the ‘New Gambia’ under President Adama Barrow. In these public debates, derogatory statements about particular ethnicities articulate fears of present or future alliances to monopolise political power. These fears are disproportionate to attempts of organised political mobilisation on ethnic grounds, which remain marginal. It is argued that accusatory politics are a salient, and neglected, feature of ethnic dynamics in contemporary Gambian – and African – politics. This politics of accusation involves the contestation and negotiation of moral legitimacy in the political sphere, in a manner challenging the separation of the moral and the political undergirding scholarly distinctions between ethnicity and tribalism.
On magnetic helicity generation and transport in a nonlinear dynamo driven by a helical flow
Authors: Cattaneo F. , Bodo G. , Tobias S. M.
Published: August 2020

The relationship between nonlinear large-scale dynamo action and the generation and transport of magnetic helicity is investigated at moderate values of the magnetic Reynolds number (

$Rm$

). The model consists of a helically forced, sheared flow in a Cartesian domain. The boundary conditions are periodic in the horizontal and impenetrable for the vertical. The magnetic field is required to be vertical at the upper and lower boundaries. There are two consequences of this choice; one is that the magnetic helicity is not gauge invariant, the second is that fluxes of magnetic helicity are allowed in and out of the domain. We select the winding gauge, define all the contributions to the evolution of the helicity in this gauge and measure these contributions for various solutions of the dynamo equations. We vary

$Rm$

and the shear strength, and find a rich landscape of dynamo solutions including travelling waves, pulsating waves and non-wave-like solutions. We find that, at the

$Rm$

considered, the main contribution to the growth of magnetic helicity comes from processes throughout the volume of the fluid and that boundary terms respond by limiting the growth. We find that, in this magnetic Reynolds number regime, helicity conservation is not a strong constraint on large-scale dynamo action. We speculate on what may happen at higher

$Rm$

.
The value of collaborative learning for music practice in higher education
Authors: Forbes Melissa
Published: August 2020

This article presents evidence of the value of collaborative learning for students working in small heterogeneous groups within first year music practice courses in an Australian university popular music program. Wenger, Trayner, and de Laat’s framework for promoting and assessing value creation in communities and networks was used to gather and analyse data from students throughout one academic year. Collaborative learning created value for students through peer-to-peer learning which cultivated new skills and improved performance, causing students to reframe their criteria for musical and personal success. The value of collaborative learning promotes its use both within and beyond popular music degree programs.
The association between nutrition and behavioural health in a US Army population
Authors: Forys-Donahue Kelly L , Brooks Raina D , Beymer Matthew R , Pecko Joseph
Published: August 2020

Objective:

The relationship between nutrition and behavioural health (BH) outcomes has been established in the literature. However, the relationship between nutrition and anxiety is unclear. Furthermore, the relationship between nutrition and BH outcomes has not been examined in a US Army Soldier population. This study sought to understand the relationship between Soldiers’ nutritional intake and anxiety as well as depression.

Design:

This cross-sectional study utilised multivariable logistic regression analyses to examine the relationship between nutritional intake and BH outcomes.

Setting:

The study utilised data collected in 2018 during a BH epidemiological consultation conducted at one Army installation.

Participants:

Participants were 7043 US Army Soldiers at one Army installation.

Results:

Of the Soldiers completing the survey, 12 % (n 812) screened positive for anxiety and 11 % (n 774) for depression. The adjusted odds of anxiety were significantly higher among Soldiers who reported low fruit intake compared with Soldiers who reported high fruit intake (adjusted OR (AOR) 1·36; 95 % CI 1·04, 1·79). The adjusted odds of depression were higher for Soldiers who reported low fruit intake (AOR 1·35; 95 % CI 1·01, 1·79) and/or low green vegetable intake (AOR 1·37; 95 % CI 1·02, 1·83). Lastly, the adjusted odds of depression were lower for Soldiers who reported low sugary drink intake (AOR 0·62; 95 % CI 0·48, 0·81).

Conclusions:

This study is the first to examine the important connection between nutritional intake and anxiety and depression at a US military installation. The information learned from this study has implications for enhancing Soldiers’ nutritional knowledge and BH, ultimately improving Soldiers’ health and medical readiness.
Evaluation of nutritional status of foreign students at King Saud University, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Authors: Mohammed Mohammed A , Alshammari Ghedeir M , Babiker Elfadil E
Published: August 2020

Objective:

The current study was conducted to assess the nutritional status and associated risk factors among foreign students residing at King Saud University for different periods and to explore its correlations.

Design:

A cross-sectional study was conducted during the spring semester of 2018. A total of 400 male students aged 18–35 years had participated in the current study after signing a written consent form according to Helsinki Declaration.

Setting:

A structural questionnaire was used to collect data on daily food intake and habits and socio-economic characteristics. Nutrients of food intake were assessed using the Esha programme and compared with that of dietary requirement intake (DRI). A body composition analyser was used to measure body fat (BF), visceral fat (VF) and BMI. Spearman correlation coefficients and simple regression analysis were performed to determine associations between variables.

Participants:

Foreign students residing for different periods (<6 months: 200 students and >6 months: 200 students) were used as subjects.

Results:

The students who stayed <6 months consumed lower level of some nutrients than that of the DRI compared with those stayed >6 months. Overweight and obesity were more common among students who stayed >6 months with high values of BF and VF. Several risk factors were positively or negatively correlated with the students’ nutrition proxies.

Conclusion:

Most of the students who stayed >6 months are suffered from overweight. Some independent variables were found to be significantly correlated with the students’ nutrition proxies either positively or negatively.
Using hierarchical Archimedean copulas for modelling mortality dependence and pricing mortality-linked securities
Authors: Li Jackie , Balasooriya Uditha , Liu Jia
Published: August 2020

In this article, we explore the use of multivariate Archimedean copulas in modelling the mortality dependence between different countries and pricing mortality bonds. We study the fitting performance of multi-dimensional, fully nested, and partially nested Archimedean copulas and test 11 types of generators and two skewed distributions. To evaluate their practical usefulness, we adopt the fitted models to compute the market prices for some typical mortality bond structures. The results show that the copula assumption has a significant impact on the calculation of the prices of mortality-linked securities and the management of extreme mortality risks.
First dinosaur from the Isle of Eigg (Valtos Sandstone Formation, Middle Jurassic), Scotland
Authors: PANCIROLI Elsa , FUNSTON Gregory F. , HOLWERDA Femke , MAIDMENT Susannah C. R. , FOFFA Davide , LARKIN Nigel , CHALLANDS Tom , DEPOLO Paige E. , GOLDBERG Daniel , HUMPAGE Matthew , ROSS Dugald , WILKINSON Mark , BRUSATTE Stephen L.
Published: August 2020

Dinosaur body fossil material is rare in Scotland, previously known almost exclusively from the Great Estuarine Group on the Isle of Skye. We report the first unequivocal dinosaur fossil from the Isle of Eigg, belonging to a Bathonian (Middle Jurassic) taxon of uncertain affinity. The limb bone NMS G.2020.10.1 is incomplete, but through a combination of anatomical comparison and osteohistology, we determine it most likely represents a stegosaur fibula. The overall proportions and cross-sectional geometry are similar to the fibulae of thyreophorans. Examination of the bone microstructure reveals a high degree of remodelling and randomly distributed longitudinal canals in the remaining primary cortical bone. This contrasts with the histological signal expected of theropod or sauropod limb bones, but is consistent with previous studies of thyreophorans, specifically stegosaurs. Previous dinosaur material from Skye and broadly contemporaneous sites in England belongs to this group, includingLoricatosaurusandSarcolestesand a number of indeterminate stegosaur specimens. Theropods such asMegalosaurusand sauropods such asCetiosaurusare also known from these localities. Although we find strong evidence for a stegosaur affinity, diagnostic features are not observed on NMS G.2020.10.1, preventing us from referring it to any known genera. The presence of this large-bodied stegosaur on Eigg adds a significant new datapoint for dinosaur distribution in the Middle Jurassic of Scotland.
Reports on the Perceived Advantages and Disadvantages of Suicidal Behavior by Patients With Depression
Authors: Alonzo Dana
Published: August 2020

Abstract. Background: Studies suggest there may be perceived secondary advantages to engaging in suicidal behavior that impact the help-seeking behavior of at-risk individuals. Aims: The aim of this study was to assess the views of patients with depression regarding the advantages and disadvantages of engaging in suicidal behavior using a decisional balance worksheet (DBW) to inform prevention and intervention efforts. Method: Participants were adults with depression between the ages of 18 and 75 presenting to the emergency department with suicidal ideation ( N = 42) who participated in a larger pilot study of a brief intervention aimed focused on treatment engagement. Using a content analysis approach, common themes were extracted. Results: Escaping from problems and negative thoughts, ending pain and suffering, and eliciting support and help were the most commonly cited advantages of engaging in suicidal behavior. Negatively impacting family, violating one's values, and missing out on the future were the most commonly reported disadvantages of suicidal behavior. Limitations: Results may not be generalizable to patients without depression who are experiencing suicidality. Conclusion: Results suggest intervention efforts focused on addressing decision-making and problem-solving skills and reinforcing the important role patients play in the lives of their significant others may help patients to resist the urge to act on suicidal thoughts.
Ocean Acidification Has Impacted Coral Growth on the Great Barrier Reef
Authors: Guo Weifu , Bokade Rohit , Cohen Anne L. , Mollica Nathaniel R. , Leung Muriel , Brainard Russell E.
Published: August 2020

Ocean acidification (OA) reduces the concentration of seawater carbonate ions that stony corals need to produce their calcium carbonate skeletons and is considered a significant threat to the functional integrity of coral reef ecosystems. However, detection and attribution of OA impact on corals in nature are confounded by concurrent environmental changes, including ocean warming. Here we use a numerical model to isolate the effects of OA and temperature and show that OA alone has caused 13 ± 3% decline in the skeletal density of massive Porites corals on the Great Barrier Reef since 1950. This OA‐induced thinning of coral skeletons, also evident in Porites from the South China Sea but not in the central Pacific, reflects enhanced acidification of reef water relative to the surrounding open ocean. Our finding reinforces concerns that even corals that might survive multiple heatwaves are structurally weakened and increasingly vulnerable to the compounding effects of climate change
The Influence of Warming Patterns on Passive Ocean Heat Uptake
Authors: Newsom Emily , Zanna Laure , Khatiwala Samar , Gregory Jonathan M.
Published: August 2020

The climate's response to forcing depends on how efficiently heat is absorbed by the ocean. Much, if not most, of this ocean heat uptake results from the passive transport of warm surface waters into the ocean's interior. Here we examine how geographic patterns of surface warming influence the efficiency of this passive heat uptake process. We show that the average pattern of surface warming in CMIP5 damps passive ocean heat uptake efficiency by nearly 25%, as compared to homogeneous surface warming. This “pattern effect” occurs because strong ventilation and weak surface warming are robustly colocated, particularly in the Southern Ocean. However, variations in warming patterns across CMIP5 do not drive significant ensemble spread in passive ocean heat uptake efficiency. This spread is likely linked to intermodel differences in ocean circulation, which our idealized results suggest may be dominated by differences in Southern Ocean and subtropical ventilation processes.
Self‐Validating Deep Learning for Recovering Terrestrial Water Storage From Gravity and Altimetry Measurements
Authors: Irrgang Christopher , Saynisch‐Wagner Jan , Dill Robert , Boergens Eva , Thomas Maik
Published: August 2020

Quantifying and monitoring terrestrial water storage (TWS) is an essential task for understanding the Earth's hydrosphere cycle, its susceptibility to climate change, and concurrent impacts for ecosystems, agriculture, and water management. Changes in TWS manifest as anomalies in the Earth's gravity field, which are routinely observed from space. However, the complex underlying distribution of water masses in rivers, lakes, or groundwater basins remains elusive. We combine machine learning, numerical modeling, and satellite altimetry to build a downscaling neural network that recovers simulated TWS from synthetic space‐borne gravity observations. A novel constrained training is introduced, allowing the neural network to validate its training progress with independent satellite altimetry records. We show that the neural network can accurately derive the TWS in 2019 after being trained over the years 2003 to 2018. Further, we demonstrate that the constrained neural network can outperform the numerical model in validated regions.
Arctic Amplification: A Rapid Response to Radiative Forcing
Authors: Previdi Michael , Janoski Tyler P. , Chiodo Gabriel , Smith Karen L. , Polvani Lorenzo M.
Published: August 2020

Arctic amplification (AA) of surface warming is a prominent feature of anthropogenic climate change with important implications for human and natural systems. Despite its importance, the underlying causes of AA are not fully understood. Here, analyzing coupled climate model simulations, we show that AA develops rapidly (within the first few months) following an instantaneous quadrupling of atmospheric CO2. This rapid AA response—which occurs before any significant loss of Arctic sea ice—is produced by a positive lapse rate feedback over the Arctic. Sea ice loss is therefore not needed to produce polar‐amplified warming, although it contributes significantly to this warming after the first few months. Our results provide new and compelling evidence that AA owes its existence, fundamentally, to fast atmospheric processes.
Equatorial F‐Region Plasma Waves and Instabilities Observed Near Midnight at Solar Minimum During the NASA Too WINDY Sounding Rocket Experiment
Authors: Hysell D. L. , Rao S. , Larsen M. F.
Published: August 2020

Radar and sounding rocket observations of plasma irregularities in the F‐region ionosphere acquired on 19 June 2019 during NASA experiment Too WINDY on Kwajalein Atoll are presented. The experiment was conducted near local midnight during a period of low solar flux and quiet geomagnetic conditions. Plasma density irregularities were seen by the rocket and also in the incoherent scatter radar data to emerge and persist mainly in the topside. Density irregularities in the bottomside remained very small by comparison throughout the observations. Zonal plasma drifts measured by the rocket were highly structured in the topside. Patches of coherent scatter entrained in the large‐scale topside density irregularities appeared to propagate slowly westward in a narrow flow channel detected by the rocket. Broadband ELF emissions were also detected in the topside. Some of the characteristics of the topside irregularities are typical of postsunset equatorial F‐region irregularities observed frequently by coherent scatter radars, and some of the common features in the coherent scatter database are reviewed. Two scenarios that have been proposed to account for postmidnight spread F are tested computationally. One involves unseasonably large background zonal electric fields, and the other involves forcing from below by neutral waves and turbulence. Neither scenario appears to be able to account for the Too WINDY observations and the preponderance of topside irregularities without bottomside precursors in particular.
The Impact of the Amundsen Sea Freshwater Balance on Ocean Melting of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet
Authors: Bett David T. , Holland Paul R. , Naveira Garabato Alberto C. , Jenkins Adrian , Dutrieux Pierre , Kimura Satoshi , Fleming Andrew
Published: August 2020

The Amundsen Sea has the highest thinning rates of ice shelves in Antarctica. This imbalance is caused by changes in ocean melting induced by warm Circumpolar Deep Water (CDW) intrusions. The resulting changing freshwater balance could affect the on‐shelf currents and mixing. However, a clear understanding of the sources and sinks of freshwater in the region is lacking. Here we use a model of the Amundsen Sea, with passive freshwater tracers, to investigate the relative magnitudes and spatial distributions of the different freshwater components. In the surface layer and as a depth average, all freshwater tracer concentrations are of comparable magnitude, though on a depth average, sea ice and ice shelf are largest. The total freshwater tracer distribution is similar to that of the ice‐shelf tracer field. This implies a potential for ice‐shelf meltwater feedbacks, whereby abundant ice‐shelf meltwater alters the ocean circulation and stratification, affecting melting. Ice‐shelf and sea‐ice freshwater fluxes have the largest interannual variability. The effect of including grounded icebergs and iceberg freshwater flux are studied in detail. The presence of icebergs increases CDW intrusions that reach the base of ice shelves. This suggests another possible feedback mechanism, whereby more icebergs induce greater ice‐shelf melting and hence more icebergs. However, the strength of this potential feedback is dependent on poorly constrained sea‐ice model parameters. These results imply that poorly constrained parameters relating to the ocean freshwater balance, such as those relating to icebergs and sea ice, impact predictions for melting of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet.
Self‐Aggregation of Convective Clouds With Interactive Sea Surface Temperature
Authors: Shamekh S. , Muller C. , Duvel J.‐P. , D'Andrea F.
Published: August 2020

This study investigates the feedbacks between an interactive sea surface temperature (SST) and the self‐aggregation of deep convective clouds, using a cloud‐resolving model in nonrotating radiative‐convective equilibrium. The ocean is modeled as one layer slab with a temporally fixed mean but spatially varying temperature. We find that the interactive SST decelerates the aggregation and that the deceleration is larger with a shallower slab, consistent with earlier studies. The surface temperature anomaly in dry regions is positive at first, thus opposing the diverging shallow circulation known to favor self‐aggregation, consistent with the slower aggregation. But surprisingly, the driest columns then have a negative SST anomaly, thus strengthening the diverging shallow circulation and favoring aggregation. This diverging circulation out of dry regions is found to be well correlated with the aggregation speed. It can be linked to a positive surface pressure anomaly (PSFC), itself the consequence of SST anomalies and boundary layer radiative cooling. The latter cools and dries the boundary layer, thus increasing PSFC anomalies through virtual effects and hydrostasy. Sensitivity experiments confirm the key role played by boundary layer radiative cooling in determining PSFC anomalies in dry regions, and thus the shallow diverging circulation and the aggregation speed.
Inhibition of DNMT1 and ERRα crosstalk suppresses breast cancer via derepression of IRF4
Authors: Vernier Mathieu , McGuirk Shawn , Dufour Catherine R. , Wan Liangxinyi , Audet-Walsh Etienne , St-Pierre Julie , Giguère Vincent
Published: August 2020

DNA methylation is implicated in the acquisition of malignant phenotypes, and the use of epigenetic modulating drugs is a promising anti-cancer therapeutic strategy. 5-aza-2’deoxycytidine (decitabine, 5-azadC) is an FDA-approved DNA methyltransferase (DNMT) inhibitor with proven effectiveness against hematological malignancies and more recently triple-negative breast cancer (BC). Herein, genetic or pharmacological studies uncovered a hitherto unknown feedforward molecular link between DNMT1 and the estrogen related receptor α (ERRα), a key transcriptional regulator of cellular metabolism. Mechanistically, DNMT1 promotes ERRα stability which in turn couples DNMT1 transcription with that of the methionine cycle and S-adenosylmethionine synthesis to drive DNA methylation. In vitro and in vivo investigation using a pre-clinical mouse model of BC demonstrated a clear therapeutic advantage for combined administration of the ERRα inhibitor C29 with 5-azadC. A large-scale bisulfite genomic sequencing analysis revealed specific methylation perturbations fostering the discovery that reversal of promoter hypermethylation and consequently derepression of the tumor suppressor gene, IRF4, is a factor underlying the observed BC suppressive effects. This work thus uncovers a critical role of ERRα in the crosstalk between transcriptional control of metabolism and epigenetics and illustrates the potential for targeting ERRα in combination with DNMT inhibitors for BC treatment and other epigenetics-driven malignancies.
1,25-dihydroxyvitamin-D3 but not the clinically applied marker 25-hydroxyvitamin-D3 predicts survival after stem cell transplantation
Authors: Peter Katrin , Siska Peter J. , Roider Tobias , Matos Carina , Bruns Heiko , Renner Kathrin , Singer Katrin , Weber Daniela , Güllstorf Martina , Kröger Nicolaus , Wolff Daniel , Herr Wolfgang , Ayuk Francis , Holler Ernst , Stark Klaus , Heid Iris M. , Kreutz Marina
Published: August 2020

The serum level of 25-hydroxyvitamin-D3 is accepted as marker for a person’s vitamin D status but its role for the outcome of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is controversially discussed. The impact of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin-D3 on HSCT outcome, however, has never been studied. In a discovery cohort of 143 HSCT patients we repeatedly (day −16 to 100) measured 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin-D3 and in comparison the well-established marker for serum vitamin D status 25-hydroxyvitamin-D3. Only lower 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin-D3 levels around HSCT (day −2 to 7, peritransplant) were significantly associated with higher 1-year treatment-related mortality (TRM) risk (Mann–Whitney U test, P = 0.001). This was confirmed by Cox-model regression without and with adjustment for baseline risk factors and severe acute Graft-versus-Host disease (aGvHD; unadjusted P = 0.001, adjusted P = 0.005). The optimal threshold for 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin-D3 to identify patients at high risk was 139.5 pM. Also in three replication cohorts consisting of altogether 365 patients 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin-D3 levels below 139.5 pM had a 3.3-fold increased risk of TRM independent of severe aGvHD compared to patients above 139.5 pM (Cox-model unadjusted P < 0.0005, adjusted P = 0.001). Our data highlight peritransplant 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin-D3 levels but not the commonly monitored 25-hydroxyvitamin-D3 levels as potent predictor of 1-year TRM and suggest to monitor both vitamin D metabolites in HSCT patients.
Y772 phosphorylation of EphA2 is responsible for EphA2-dependent NPC nasopharyngeal carcinoma growth by Shp2/Erk-1/2 signaling pathway
Authors: Xiang Yi-Ping , Xiao Ta , Li Qi-Guang , Lu Shan-Shan , Zhu Wei , Liu Yun-Ya , Qiu Jie-Ya , Song Zheng-Hui , Huang Wei , Yi Hong , Tang Yao-Yun , Xiao Zhi-Qiang
Published: August 2020

EphA2 is an important oncogenic protein and emerging drug target, but the oncogenic role and mechanism of ligand-independent phosphorylation of EphA2 at tyrosine 772 (pY772-EphA2) is unclear. In this study, we established nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) cell lines with stable expression of exogenous EphA2 and EphA2-Y772A (phosphorylation inactivation) using endogenous EphA2-knockdown cells, and observed that pY772A EphA2 was responsible for EphA2-promoting NPC cell proliferation and anchorage-independent and in vivo growth in mice. Mechanistically, EphA2-Y772A mediated EphA2-activating Shp2/Erk-1/2 signaling pathway in the NPC cells, and Gab1 (Grb2-associated binder 1) and Grb2 (growth factor receptor-bound protein 2) were involved in pY772-EphA2 activating this signaling pathway. Our results further showed that Shp2/Erk-1/2 signaling mediated pY772-EphA2-promoting NPC cell proliferation and anchorage-independent growth. Moreover, we observed that EphA2 tyrosine kinase inhibitor ALW-II-41-27 inhibited pY772-EphA2 and EphA2-Y772A decreased the inhibitory effect of ALW-II-41-27 on NPC cell proliferation. Collectively, our results demonstrate that pY772-EphA2 is responsible for EphA2-dependent NPC cell growth in vitro and in vivo by activating Shp2/Erk-1/2 signaling pathway, and is a pharmacologic target of ALW-II-41-27, suggesting that pY772-EphA2 can serve as a therapeutic target in NPC and perhaps in other cancers.
Identification of osteogenic progenitor cell-targeted peptides that augment bone formation
Authors: Jiang Min , Liu Ruiwu , Liu Lixian , Kot Alexander , Liu Xueping , Xiao Wenwu , Jia Junjing , Li Yuanpei , Lam Kit S. , Yao Wei
Published: August 2020

Activation and migration of endogenous mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are critical for bone regeneration. Here, we report a combinational peptide screening strategy for rapid discovery of ligands that not only bind strongly to osteogenic progenitor cells (OPCs) but also stimulate osteogenic cell Akt signaling in those OPCs. Two lead compounds are discovered, YLL3 and YLL8, both of which increase osteoprogenitor osteogenic differentiation in vitro. When given to normal or osteopenic mice, the compounds increase mineral apposition rate, bone formation, bone mass, and bone strength, as well as expedite fracture repair through stimulated endogenous osteogenesis. When covalently conjugated to alendronate, YLLs acquire an additional function resulting in a “tri-functional” compound that: (i) binds to OPCs, (ii) targets bone, and (iii) induces “pro-survival” signal. These bone-targeted, osteogenic peptides are well suited for current tissue-specific therapeutic paradigms to augment the endogenous osteogenic cells for bone regeneration and the treatment of bone loss.
Caveolin-1-mediated sphingolipid oncometabolism underlies a metabolic vulnerability of prostate cancer
Authors: Vykoukal Jody , Fahrmann Johannes F. , Gregg Justin R. , Tang Zhe , Basourakos Spyridon , Irajizad Ehsan , Park Sanghee , Yang Guang , Creighton Chad J. , Fleury Alia , Mayo Jeffrey , Paulucci-Holthauzen Adriana , Dennison Jennifer B. , Murage Eunice , Peterson Christine B. , Davis John W. , Kim Jeri , Hanash Samir , Thompson Timothy C.
Published: August 2020

Plasma and tumor caveolin-1 (Cav-1) are linked with disease progression in prostate cancer. Here we report that metabolomic profiling of longitudinal plasmas from a prospective cohort of 491 active surveillance (AS) participants indicates prominent elevations in plasma sphingolipids in AS progressors that, together with plasma Cav-1, yield a prognostic signature for disease progression. Mechanistic studies of the underlying tumor supportive onco-metabolism reveal coordinated activities through which Cav-1 enables rewiring of cancer cell lipid metabolism towards a program of 1) exogenous sphingolipid scavenging independent of cholesterol, 2) increased cancer cell catabolism of sphingomyelins to ceramide derivatives and 3) altered ceramide metabolism that results in increased glycosphingolipid synthesis and efflux of Cav-1-sphingolipid particles containing mitochondrial proteins and lipids. We also demonstrate, using a prostate cancer syngeneic RM-9 mouse model and established cell lines, that this Cav-1-sphingolipid program evidences a metabolic vulnerability that is targetable to induce lethal mitophagy as an anti-tumor therapy.
Tuning proton-coupled electron transfer by crystal orientation for efficient water oxidization on double perovskite oxides
Authors: Zhu Yunmin , He Zuyun , Choi YongMan , Chen Huijun , Li Xiaobao , Zhao Bote , Yu Yi , Zhang Hui , Stoerzinger Kelsey A. , Feng Zhenxing , Chen Yan , Liu Meilin
Published: August 2020

Developing highly efficient and cost-effective oxygen evolution reaction (OER) electrocatalysts is critical for many energy devices. While regulating the proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) process via introducing additive into the system has been reported effective in promoting OER activity, controlling the PCET process by tuning the intrinsic material properties remains a challenging task. In this work, we take double perovskite oxide PrBa0.5Sr0.5Co1.5Fe0.5O5+δ (PBSCF) as a model system to demonstrate enhancing OER activity through the promotion of PCET by tuning the crystal orientation and correlated proton diffusion. OER kinetics on PBSCF thin films with (100), (110), and (111) orientation, deposited on single crystal LaAlO3 substrates, were investigated using electrochemical measurements, density functional theory (DFT) calculations, and synchrotron-based near ambient X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The results clearly show that the OER activity and the ease of deprotonation depend on orientation and follow the order of (100) > (110) > (111). Correlated with OER activity, proton diffusion is found to be the fastest in the (100) film, followed by (110) and (111) films. Our results point out a way of boosting PCET and OER activity, which can also be successfully applied to a wide range of crucial applications in green energy and environment.