bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Not avian but mammalian scavengers efficiently consume carcasses under heavy snowfall conditions: a case from northern Japan
Authors: Enari Hiroto , Enari Haruka S.
Published: January 2021

Interest in trophic interactions and ecosystem functions derived from carcass consumption by scavengers has been increasing. Here, we conducted the first evaluation of scavenging processes in an ecosystem with heavy snow, located in northern Japan, which is characterized by the limitations of visual and odor cues to detect carcasses. In this study, we verified the behavioral traits and assemblage compositions of avian and mammalian scavengers, which consumed six different carcass types buried in snow. We measured the visits of scavengers using camera traps between 2010 and 2020. The total scavenger richness observed was relatively low (only 12 species) compared to warmer biomes. We observed seven avian scavenger species, but their visit frequencies were extremely low compared with those of nocturnal mammalian scavengers, such as raccoon dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides) and martens (Martes melampus), which were able to detect carcasses more rapidly and frequently. Our findings imply that large snow piles significantly prevent avian scavengers from detecting carcasses. In contrast, the snow piles could protect carcasses from the freezing air and ensure the occurrence of a basal level of microbial decomposition, possibly leading to carcass decomposition. This probably results in carcasses still providing odor cues for mammalian scavengers with heightened sense of smell. Moreover, considering the high carcass consumption rate (91.3% of full-body carcass; n = 23) and short carcass detection times (approximately 90 h) observed, it is possible that scavenging in heavy snowfall conditions has become systematically integrated into the foraging tactics of many mammalian scavengers.
Piecemeal Transparency: An Appraisal of Regulation (EU) No. 2019/1381 on the Transparency and Sustainability of the EU Risk Assessment in the Food Chain
Authors: NÍ CHEARNAIGH Blánaid
Published: January 2021

For some time, pressure was placed on the European Food Safety Authority concerning the manner in which it conducted risk assessments in relation to food safety. This pressure culminated in the introduction of Regulation (EU) No. 2019/1381 as the upshot to the European Citizens’ Initiative on glyphosate. Concerns were expressed in the initiative regarding the transparency of the scientific studies used to evaluate pesticides, and following a Fitness Check conducted by the European Commission. Effectively, the new Regulation seeks to impose an obligation on EFSA to publish industry studies at the beginning of the risk assessment process. However, the mandatory nature of this obligation raises a number of concerns as to whether the urge to increase the transparency of the work of the EU authorities is more important than keeping the research confidential, two converse ideals in the realm of European law and effective processes. The present article submits that this codified focus on the risk assessment process and its accessibility for European citizens is a new frontier for transparency within the EU risk assessment processes. Yet while the changes pioneered by this framework are laudable, the Regulation is not without its qualifications.
Constraining subglacial processes from surface velocity observations using surrogate-based Bayesian inference
Authors: Brinkerhoff Douglas , Aschwanden Andy , Fahnestock Mark
Published: January 2021

Basal motion is the primary mechanism for ice flux in Greenland, yet a widely applicable model for predicting it remains elusive. This is due to the difficulty in both observing small-scale bed properties and predicting a time-varying water pressure on which basal motion putatively depends. We take a Bayesian approach to these problems by coupling models of ice dynamics and subglacial hydrology and conditioning on observations of surface velocity in southwestern Greenland to infer the posterior probability distributions for eight spatially and temporally constant parameters governing the behavior of both the sliding law and hydrologic model. Because the model is computationally expensive, characterization of these distributions using classical Markov Chain Monte Carlo sampling is intractable. We skirt this issue by training a neural network as a surrogate that approximates the model at a sliver of the computational cost. We find that surface velocity observations establish strong constraints on model parameters relative to a prior distribution and also elucidate correlations, while the model explains 60% of observed variance. However, we also find that several distinct configurations of the hydrologic system and stress regime are consistent with observations, underscoring the need for continued data collection and model development.
Processing GOTO data with the Rubin Observatory LSST Science Pipelines I: Production of coadded frames
Authors: Mullaney J. R. , Makrygianni L. , Dhillon V. , Littlefair S. , Ackley K. , Dyer M. , Lyman J. , Ulaczyk K. , Cutter R. , Mong Y.-L. , Steeghs D. , Galloway D. K. , O’Brien P. , Ramsay G. , Poshyachinda S. , Kotak R. , Nuttall L. , Pallé E. , Pollacco D. , Thrane E. , Aukkaravittayapun S. , Awiphan S. , Breton R. , Burhanudin U. , Chote P. , Chrimes A. , Daw E. , Duffy C. , Eyles-Ferris R. , Gompertz B. , Heikkilä T. , Irawati P. , Kennedy M. , Killestein T. , Levan A. , Marsh T. , Mata-Sanchez D. , Mattila S. , Maund J. , McCormac J. , Mkrtichian D. , Rol E. , Sawangwit U. , Stanway E. , Starling R. , Tooke S. , Wiersema K.
Published: January 2021

The past few decades have seen the burgeoning of wide-field, high-cadence surveys, the most formidable of which will be the Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) to be conducted by the Vera C. Rubin Observatory. So new is the field of systematic time-domain survey astronomy; however, that major scientific insights will continue to be obtained using smaller, more flexible systems than the LSST. One such example is the Gravitational-wave Optical Transient Observer (GOTO) whose primary science objective is the optical follow-up of gravitational wave events. The amount and rate of data production by GOTO and other wide-area, high-cadence surveys presents a significant challenge to data processing pipelines which need to operate in near-real time to fully exploit the time domain. In this study, we adapt the Rubin Observatory LSST Science Pipelines to process GOTO data, thereby exploring the feasibility of using this ‘off-the-shelf’ pipeline to process data from other wide-area, high-cadence surveys. In this paper, we describe how we use the LSST Science Pipelines to process raw GOTO frames to ultimately produce calibrated coadded images and photometric source catalogues. After comparing the measured astrometry and photometry to those of matched sources from PanSTARRS DR1, we find that measured source positions are typically accurate to subpixel levels, and that measured L-band photometries are accurate to

$\sim50$

mmag at

$m_L\sim16$

and

$\sim200$

mmag at

$m_L\sim18$

. These values compare favourably to those obtained using GOTO’s primary, in-house pipeline, gotophoto, in spite of both pipelines having undergone further development and improvement beyond the implementations used in this study. Finally, we release a generic ‘obs package’ that others can build upon, should they wish to use the LSST Science Pipelines to process data from other facilities.
Optimizing sowing density-based management decisions with different nitrogen rates on smallholder maize farms in Northern Nigeria
Authors: Adnan Adnan Aminu , Diels Jan , Jibrin Jibrin Mohammed , Kamara Alpha Yaya , Shaibu Abdulwahab Saliu , Garba Ismail Ibrahim , Craufurd Peter , Maertens Miet
Published: January 2021

In this study, the CERES-Maize model was calibrated and evaluated using data from 60 farmers’ fields across Sudan (SS) and Northern Guinea (NGS) Savannas of Nigeria in 2016 and 2017 rainy seasons. The trials consisted of 10 maize varieties sown at three different sowing densities (2.6, 5.3, and 6.6 plants m−2) across farmers’ field with contrasting agronomic and nutrient management histories. Model predictions in both years and locations were close to observed data for both calibration and evaluation exercises as evidenced by low normalized root mean square error (RMSE) (≤15%), high modified d-index (> 0.6), and high model efficiency (>0.45) values for the phenology, growth, and yield data across all varieties and agro-ecologies. In both years and locations and for both calibration and evaluation exercises, very good agreements were found between observed and model-simulated grain yields, number of days to physiological maturity, above-ground biomass, and harvest index. Two separate scenario analyses were conducted using the long-term (26 years) weather records for Bunkure (representing the SS) and Zaria (representing the NGS). The early and extra-early varieties were used in the SS while the intermediate and late varieties were used in the NGS. The result of the scenario analyses showed that early and extra-early varieties grown in the SS responds to increased sowing density up to 8.8 plants m−2 when the recommended rate of N fertilizers (90 kg N ha−1) was applied. In the NGS, yield responses were observed up to a density of 6.6 plants m−2 with the application of 120 kg N ha−1 for the intermediate and late varieties. The highest mean monetary returns to land (US$1336.1 ha−1) were simulated for scenarios with 8.8 plants m−2 and 90 kg N ha−1, while the highest return to labor (US$957.7 ha−1) was simulated for scenarios with 6.6 plants m−2 and 90 Kg N ha−1 in the SS. In the NGS, monetary return per hectare was highest with a planting density of 6.6 plants m−2 with the application of 120 kg N, while the return to labor was highest for sowing density of 5.3 plants m−2 at the same N fertilizer application rates. The results of the long-term simulations predicted increases in yield and economic returns to land and labor by increasing sowing densities in the maize belts of Nigeria without applying N fertilizers above the recommended rates.
Morphometrics of 39 fishes from the Seychelles artisanal fisheries
Authors: Bodin Nathalie , Govinden Rodney , Souffre Andrew , Adam Pierre-André , Morgan Matthew , Collier Tom , Appoo Jennifer , Burt April J. , Sanchez Cheryl , Fleischer-Dogley Frauke , Chassot Emmanuel
Published: January 2021

A total of 5478 fishes were sampled between 2009 and 2020 to assess length–weight, length–length and weight–weight relationships in 39 marine species from 10 families caught in the Seychelles waters by the artisanal fishery. Two types of length (total length TL, fork length FL) and three types of weight (whole weight WT, gutted weight GW and gilled-gutted weight GGW) were measured. The parameters of the relationships were estimated using the log-transformed allometric model with bias correction. Our results include length–weight, length–length and weight–weight relationships for 39, 20 and 18 species, respectively. Our length–weight data and resulting relationships were compared against FishBase database for 36 species and were in the Bayesian 95% confidence interval of the relationships available for 33 species and above for Gnathanodon speciosus, Lutjanus gibbus and Variola louti. Finally, for five abundant and widely dispersed species we tested for spatial differences in morphometric relationships between the Mahé Plateau and three southern atoll groups. Significant differences were found for two species only, but their magnitude was small. We thus argue for the regression relationships based on pooled data to be used for most types of population and community analyses. The availability of these morphometric relationships will support the application of accurate size-based analyses for Seychelles fisheries survey data, and so enhance understanding of the ecology of the reef-associated fish component of marine ecosystems and food webs, and improve fisheries research management.
Divine simplicity and scripture: a theological reading of Exodus 3:14
Authors: Platter Jonathan M.
Published: January 2021

Exodus 3:14 had traditionally been taken as God's self-identification as ‘being-itself’, and hence as a source for the doctrine of divine simplicity. I begin this essay by arguing that the appropriateness of this interpretation of Exodus 3:14 should be evaluated by attention to the judgements about God made within scripture rather than merely the semantic range of a few words. There are three questions elicited by Exodus 3:1–14, concerning God's incomparability, intimacy and ineffability, that are relevant to the significance of verse 14 for divine simplicity. Consideration of the kind of judgements these questions elicit about God allows a case to be made for the aptness of divine simplicity to hold the judgements together, thereby allowing for a more sympathetic retrieval of premodern uses of Exodus 3:14.
The reception of Chalcedon in the West: a case study of Gregory the Great
Authors: Sidaway Janet
Published: January 2021

Gregory illustrates the complex reception of Chalcedon in the West in the way he dealt with the Istrian Schism caused by the Fifth Ecumenical Council of 553. At issue was whether Chalcedon's decisions in their entirety or its doctrinal statements alone were inviolable. Gregory strongly urged the latter, influenced by initial papal support for the Fifth Council, his conviction that only those within the church would be saved and pastoral anxiety about the imminence of the eschaton. However, his literary legacy also demonstrates his commitment to the soteriological significance of the Chalcedonian definition of the two natures of Christ.
Critical role of air and soil temperature in the development of primary and secondary physical dormancy inAlbizia julibrissin(Fabaceae)
Authors: Jaganathan Ganesh K. , Biddick Matthew
Published: January 2021

Physical dormancy (PY) is typically induced by seed coat impermeability that develops once the moisture content of seeds drops below a species-specific threshold. Considering this, we utilizedAlbizia julibrissin(Fabaceae) to ask (i) whether seeds that mature on the outer branches of trees (directly exposed to sunlight) are more likely to be impermeable than seeds matured under canopy cover; (ii) whether this difference might be explained by the maternal environment in which the seeds mature; and (iii) which conditions impose secondary dormancy following dispersal? Temperature was tracked in both shaded and sun-exposed seed pods throughout the growing season using data-loggers. Temperatures remained lower in pods under canopy cover than those exposed to direct sunlight. Consequently, the moisture content of seeds collected from sun-exposed branches were significantly lower than seeds matured under canopy cover, thereby producing a higher percentage of impermeable seeds. A dispersal-mimicking experiment revealed that seeds matured in sun-exposed branches and subsequently dispersed to an open site for 4 months were more likely to develop impermeability (i.e. secondary dormancy). The opposite was found to be true for seeds matured in shaded branches and subsequently dispersed to a canopy-covered site. We conclude that the microclimate of both the maternal environment in which seeds mature, and the site to which they disperse, determines the development of primary and secondary dormancy, respectively.
Despite reductions in muscle mass and muscle strength in adults with CHD, the muscle strength per muscle mass relationship does not differ from controls
Authors: Sandberg Camilla , Crenshaw Albert G , Christersson Christina , Hlebowicz Joanna , Thilén Ulf , Johansson Bengt
Published: January 2021

Background:

Patients with CHD exhibit reduced isometric muscle strength and muscle mass; however, little is known how these parameters relate. Therefore, the aim was to investigate the relation between isometric limb muscle strength and muscle mass for patients in comparison to age- and sex-matched control subjects.

Methods:

Seventy-four patients (35.6 ± 14.3 years, women n = 22) and 74 matched controls were included. Isometric muscle strength in elbow flexion, knee extension, and hand grip was assessed using dynamometers. Lean mass, reflecting skeletal muscle mass, in the arms and legs was assessed with dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry.

Results:

Compared to controls, patients had lower muscle strength in elbow flexion, knee extension, and hand grip, and lower muscle mass in the arms (6.6 ± 1.8 kg versus 5.8 ± 1.7 kg, p < 0.001) and legs (18.4 ± 3.5 kg versus 15.9 ± 3.2 kg, p < 0.001). There was no difference in achieved muscle force per unit muscle mass in patients compared to controls (elbow flexion 0.03 ± 0.004 versus 0.03 ± 0.005 N/g, p = 0.5; grip strength 0.008 ± 0.001 versus 0.008 ± 0.001 N/g, p = 0.7; knee extension 0.027 ± 0.06 versus 0.028 ± 0.06 N/g, p = 0.5). For both groups, muscle mass in the arms correlated strongly with muscle strength in elbow flexion (patients r = 0.86, controls, r = 0.89), hand grip (patients, r = 0.84, controls, r = 0.81), and muscle mass in the leg to knee extension (patients r = 0.64, controls r = 0.68).

Conclusion:

The relationship between isometric muscle strength and limb muscle mass in adults with CHD indicates that the skeletal muscles have the same efficiency as in healthy controls.
Fetal valproate syndrome with coronary arteriovenous fistula: a case report
Authors: Doğan Alper , Baykan Ali , Vural Cagdas
Published: January 2021

Interestingly, our case presenting with coronary AV fistula firstly reported in the literature with fetal valproate syndrome. Although differential diagnosis is sometimes difficult, it can be diagnosed with detailed history, physical examination and appropriate laboratory tests. Fetal valproate syndrome can be prevented by discontinue of the valproic acid especially during first trimester of pregnancy.
PHYSICAL CAPITAL, HUMAN CAPITAL, AND THE HEALTH EFFECTS OF POLLUTION IN AN OLG MODEL
Authors: Wei Sichao , Aadland David
Published: January 2021

In a standard overlapping generations model, we show how the health effects of pollution impact the balanced-growth path (BGP) and the transition dynamics of the economy. The key driver is the differential between physical and human capital accumulation. The differential occurs because pollution alters the incentives to save and to invest in education via reductions in longevity and alters the effectiveness of education expenditures via impaired cognitive learning. Two predictions of the model are noteworthy. The first prediction is the existence of two stable BGPs with a separating saddle path. One BGP is desirable featuring high economic growth and low pollution, whereas the other should be avoided because it is associated with low economic growth and high pollution. The second prediction is that economic and environmental cycles may emerge, implying inequality between generations. These theoretical results are supported by empirical evidence and imply a role for government to steer the economy toward the desirable BGP and eliminate the cycles.
-ALGEBRAS ASSOCIATED WITH TWO-SIDED SUBSHIFTS
Authors: MATSUMOTO KENGO
Published: January 2021

This paper is a continuation of the paper, Matsumoto [‘Subshifts,$\lambda $-graph bisystems and$C^*$-algebras’,J. Math. Anal. Appl.485 (2020), 123843]. A$\lambda $-graph bisystem consists of a pair of two labeled Bratteli diagrams satisfying a certain compatibility condition on their edge labeling. For any two-sided subshift$\Lambda $, there exists a$\lambda $-graph bisystem satisfying a special property called the follower–predecessor compatibility condition. We construct an AF-algebra${\mathcal {F}}_{\mathcal {L}}$with shift automorphism$\rho _{\mathcal {L}}$from a$\lambda $-graph bisystem$({\mathcal {L}}^-,{\mathcal {L}}^+)$, and define a$C^*$-algebra${\mathcal R}_{\mathcal {L}}$by the crossed product. It is a two-sided subshift analogue of asymptotic Ruelle algebras constructed from Smale spaces. If$\lambda $-graph bisystems come from two-sided subshifts, these$C^*$-algebras are proved to be invariant under topological conjugacy of the underlying subshifts. We present a simplicity condition of the$C^*$-algebra${\mathcal R}_{\mathcal {L}}$and the K-theory formulas of the$C^*$-algebras${\mathcal {F}}_{\mathcal {L}}$and${\mathcal R}_{\mathcal {L}}$. The K-group for the AF-algebra${\mathcal {F}}_{\mathcal {L}}$is regarded as a two-sided extension of the dimension group of subshifts.
Obesity and cancer: student therapeutic radiographers’ understanding of obesity and cancer and their role in weight management
Authors: Kaur Manmeet , Charlesworth Laura
Published: January 2021

Aims:

To explore student therapeutic radiographers’ understanding of obesity and cancer and to identify if student therapeutic radiographers believe that radiographers should have a role within weight management.

Materials and Methods:

This study used a self-completed online questionnaire (google forms) to collect data from Radiotherapy and Oncology students, studying at one Higher Education Institution, to gain an understanding of their current knowledge of weight management. A retrospective margin of error calculation was carried out, showing a 9% margin of error with a 90% confidence level.

Results:

In total 57 responses were received, n = 50 BSc students and n = 7 pre-registration MSc students. Three key barriers to openly discussing weight loss management with service users emerged from the questionnaire data; these were a lack of time, lack of clear guidelines and lack of confidence. These barriers could potentially be addressed by improving education and training, making it easier for therapeutic radiographers to openly discuss weight management with service users.

Findings:

Awareness of guidelines was suboptimal, with 82% (n = 47) of respondents unaware of any guidelines. In addition to this, the majority of students identified a lack of confidence as a barrier to them providing weight management advice. Despite this, 54·4% of respondents agreed that radiographers should have a role in providing weight management advice, with 22·2% of respondents being unsure. Findings suggest that behaviour change is required amounts both students and staff members, so that healthcare professionals are more inclined to have healthy weight management discussions. Perhaps more specialist roles need to be developed, so that healthy weight management discussions can become a norm.
Thermal Constraints on the Longevity, Depth, and Vertical Extent of Magmatic Systems
Authors: Glazner Allen F.
Published: January 2021

Magmatic regions are typically viewed as vertical systems, with magma coming in the bottom and either freezing in the crust to form plutons or erupting to form volcanic rocks. Maintaining an upper‐crustal magmatic system for 105–106 Ma timescales requires establishing and maintaining a strong perturbation in the geotherm via continued input of magma from below. Thermal models indicate that establishing such a system requires the energy content of a vertical stack of magma tens of km thick, and maintaining the system requires continual supply of tens of km per million years. These rates of magma addition into the upper crust would require rapid crustal thickening and surface uplift, neither of which are observed at the required scale. Mass and energy balance issues are ameliorated if large magmatic systems are primarily lower‐crustal phenomena without long‐term upper‐crustal storage and if horizontal space‐making processes (extension), rather than vertical inflation, focus magmatism, and induce decompression melting.
Impact of Different Atmospheric Forcing Sets on Modeling Labrador Sea Water Production
Authors: Pennelly Clark , Myers Paul G.
Published: January 2021

A numerical modeling sensitivity study is carried out within the Labrador Sea by varying the atmospheric conditions. From forcing NEMO simulations with five atmospheric products commonly used in ocean modeling (DFS5.2, ERA‐Interim, CGRF, ERA5, and JRA55‐do), we calculate the air–sea heat fluxes that occur over the Labrador Sea (2002–2015 annual‐average net heat flux: −53.4, −51.0, −46.6, −58.5, and

−47.9 W m−2). With differences up to 12 W m−2 in net surface heat flux averaged over a central region of the Labrador Sea, each product supplied different atmospheric conditions. While the salinity‐dependent surface buoyancy fluxes were similar across all simulation, differences between each simulation's solar and nonsolar heat flux led to significant changes in the level of stratification (up to 400 J m−3), depth of the mixed layer (up to 300 m), and thickness of Labrador Sea Water (LSW; up to 300 m). Greater buoyancy loss from the Labrador Sea produced LSW with greater density. However, the production rate of LSW was not clearly affected by small changes in the surface buoyancy flux.
Water Mass Variability and Levantine Intermediate Water Formation in the Eastern Mediterranean Between 2015 and 2017
Authors: Fach Bettina A. , Orek Hasan , Yilmaz Elif , Tezcan Devrim , Salihoglu Ilkay , Salihoglu Baris , Latif Mohammed Abdul
Published: January 2021

The physical characteristics of water masses in the Cilician Basin were analyzed based on recent, comprehensive in‐situ data. Nine seasonal cruises from June 2015 to November 2017 were carried out in an area located in the north‐eastern Levantine Basin between the coasts of Turkey and Cyprus. In this little studied area, the structure of the water column, its seasonal variability, and water formation events are investigated. The extensive data set reveals that in summer Modified Atlantic Water (MAW) is observed at about 50 m depth. Saltier and warmer Levantine Intermediate Water (LIW) lies below the MAW between ∼100 and 250 m. During winter, the water column becomes mixed due to surface cooling and vertical convection, and displays uniform properties from the surface to about 200–300 m depths. The yearly cycle of a vertically uniform water column during winter and the appearance of LIW in the following period suggests that LIW is being formed in this region, which is confirmed through heat and buoyancy flux calculations. It is the first time LIW formation is reported in this area of the north‐eastern Levantine Basin and adds to the areas of LIW formation outside Rhodes Gyre. In the 2.5 years of the study, LIW salinity increased by 0.11 psu in 2017, while surface water salinity increased by 0.5 psu over the same period. The presence of meso‐scale eddies in the study area is observed throughout the year. The eddies are short‐lived, having a time span of a few months, during which they either change location or disappear.
The Spatial Distribution of Aeolian Dust and Terrigenous Fluxes in the Tropical Atlantic Ocean Since the Last Glacial Maximum
Authors: Rowland George H. , Robinson Laura F. , Hendry Katharine R. , Ng Hong Chin , McGee David , McManus Jerry F.
Published: January 2021

The flux of terrestrial material from the continents to the oceans links the lithosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere through physical and biogeochemical processes, with important implications for Earth's climate. Quantitative estimates of terrigenous fluxes from sources such as rivers, aeolian dust, and resuspended shelf sediments are required to understand how the processes delivering terrigenous material respond to and are influenced by climate. We compile thorium‐230 normalized232Th flux records in the tropical Atlantic to provide an improved understanding of aeolian fluxes since the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). By identifying and isolating sites dominated by aeolian terrigenous inputs, we show that there was a persistent meridional gradient in dust fluxes in the eastern equatorial Atlantic at the LGM, arguing against a large southward shift of the intertropical convergence zone during LGM boreal winter. The ratio of LGM to late‐Holocene232Th fluxes highlights a meridional difference in the magnitude of variations in dust deposition, with sites <10°N showing larger changes over time. This supports an interpretation of increased trade wind strength at the LGM, potentially combined with differential changes in soil moisture and reductions in higher altitude summer winds. Our results also highlight the persistent importance of continental margins as sources of high terrigenous flux to the open ocean. This is especially evident in the western tropical Atlantic, where study locations reveal the primary influence of the South American continent up to >700 km away, characterized by232Th fluxes approximately twice as large as aeolian‐dominated sites in the east.
Going Beyond the Ensemble Mean: Assessment of Future Floods From Global Multi‐Models
Authors: Giuntoli Ignazio , Prosdocimi Ilaria , Hannah David M.
Published: January 2021

Future changes in the occurrence of flood events can be estimated using multi‐model ensembles to inform adaption and mitigation strategies. In the near future, these estimates could be used to guide the updating of exceedance probabilities for flood control design and water resources management. However, the estimate of return levels from ensemble experiments represents a challenge: model runs are affected by biases and uncertainties and by inconsistencies in simulated peak flows when compared with observed data. Moreover, extreme value distributions are generally fit to ensemble members individually and then averaged to obtain the ensemble fit with loss of information. To overcome these limitations, we propose a Bayesian hierarchical model for assessing changes in future peak flows, and the uncertainty coming from global climate, global impact models and their interaction. The model we propose allows use of all members of the ensemble at once for estimating changes in the parameters of an extreme value distribution from historical to future peak flows. The approach is applied to a set of grid‐cells in the eastern United States to the full and to a constrained version of the ensemble. We find that, while the dominant source of uncertainty in the changes varies across the domain, there is a consensus on a decrease in flood magnitudes toward the south. We conclude that projecting future flood magnitude under climate change remains elusive due to large uncertainty mostly coming from global models and from the intrinsic uncertain nature of extreme values.
Excitatory–inhibitory balance within EEG microstates and resting-state fMRI networks: assessed via simultaneous trimodal PET–MR–EEG imaging
Authors: Rajkumar Ravichandran , Régio Brambilla Cláudia , Veselinović Tanja , Bierbrier Joshua , Wyss Christine , Ramkiran Shukti , Orth Linda , Lang Markus , Rota Kops Elena , Mauler Jörg , Scheins Jürgen , Neumaier Bernd , Ermert Johannes , Herzog Hans , Langen Karl-Josef , Binkofski Ferdinand Christoph , Lerche Christoph , Shah N. Jon , Neuner Irene
Published: January 2021

The symbiosis of neuronal activities and glucose energy metabolism is reflected in the generation of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and electroencephalography (EEG) signals. However, their association with the balance between neuronal excitation and inhibition (E/I-B), which is closely related to the activities of glutamate and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and the receptor availability (RA) of GABAA and mGluR5, remains unexplored. This research investigates these associations during the resting state (RS) condition using simultaneously recorded PET/MR/EEG (trimodal) data. The trimodal data were acquired from three studies using different radio-tracers such as, [11C]ABP688 (ABP) (N = 9), [11C]Flumazenil (FMZ) (N = 10) and 2-[18F]fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose (FDG) (N = 10) targeted to study the mGluR5, GABAA receptors and glucose metabolism respectively. Glucose metabolism and neuroreceptor binding availability (non-displaceable binding potential (BPND)) of GABAA and mGluR5 were found to be significantly higher and closely linked within core resting-state networks (RSNs). The neuronal generators of EEG microstates and the fMRI measures were most tightly associated with the BPND of GABAA relative to mGluR5 BPND and the glucose metabolism, emphasising a predominance of inhibitory processes within in the core RSNs at rest. Changes in the neuroreceptors leading to an altered coupling with glucose metabolism may render the RSNs vulnerable to psychiatric conditions. The paradigm employed here will likely help identify the precise neurobiological mechanisms behind these alterations in fMRI functional connectivity and EEG oscillations, potentially benefitting individualised healthcare treatment measures.
Multimethod investigation of the neurobiological basis of ADHD symptomatology in children aged 9-10: baseline data from the ABCD study
Authors: Owens Max M. , Allgaier Nicholas , Hahn Sage , Yuan DeKang , Albaugh Matthew , Adise Shana , Chaarani Bader , Ortigara Joseph , Juliano Anthony , Potter Alexandra , Garavan Hugh
Published: January 2021

Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder is associated with numerous neurocognitive deficits, including poor working memory and difficulty inhibiting undesirable behaviors that cause academic and behavioral problems in children. Prior work has attempted to determine how these differences are instantiated in the structure and function of the brain, but much of that work has been done in small samples, focused on older adolescents or adults, and used statistical approaches that were not robust to model overfitting. The current study used cross-validated elastic net regression to predict a continuous measure of ADHD symptomatology using brain morphometry and activation during tasks of working memory, inhibitory control, and reward processing, with separate models for each MRI measure. The best model using activation during the working memory task to predict ADHD symptomatology had an out-of-sample R2 = 2% and was robust to residualizing the effects of age, sex, race, parental income and education, handedness, pubertal status, and internalizing symptoms from ADHD symptomatology. This model used reduced activation in task positive regions and reduced deactivation in task negative regions to predict ADHD symptomatology. The best model with morphometry alone predicted ADHD symptomatology with an R2 = 1% but this effect dissipated when including covariates. The inhibitory control and reward tasks did not yield generalizable models. In summary, these analyses show, with a large and well-characterized sample, that the brain correlates of ADHD symptomatology are modest in effect size and captured best by brain morphometry and activation during a working memory task.
Histone demethylase KDM4C controls tumorigenesis of glioblastoma by epigenetically regulating p53 and c-Myc
Authors: Lee Dong Hoon , Kim Go Woon , Yoo Jung , Lee Sang Wu , Jeon Yu Hyun , Kim So Yeon , Kang Hyeok Gu , Kim Da-Hyun , Chun Kyung-Hee , Choi Junjeong , Kwon So Hee
Published: January 2021

Glioblastoma is the most lethal brain tumor and its pathogenesis remains incompletely understood. KDM4C is a histone H3K9 demethylase that contributes to epigenetic regulation of both oncogene and tumor suppressor genes and is often overexpressed in human tumors, including glioblastoma. However, KDM4C’s roles in glioblastoma and the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we show that KDM4C knockdown significantly represses proliferation and tumorigenesis of glioblastoma cells in vitro and in vivo that are rescued by overexpressing wild-type KDM4C but not a catalytic dead mutant. KDM4C protein expression is upregulated in glioblastoma, and its expression correlates with c-Myc expression. KDM4C also binds to the c-Myc promoter and induces c-Myc expression. Importantly, KDM4C suppresses the pro-apoptotic functions of p53 by demethylating p53K372me1, which is pivotal for the stability of chromatin-bound p53. Conversely, depletion or inhibition of KDM4C promotes p53 target gene expression and induces apoptosis in glioblastoma. KDM4C may serve as an oncogene through the dual functions of inactivation of p53 and activation of c-Myc in glioblastoma. Our study demonstrates KDM4C inhibition as a promising therapeutic strategy for targeting glioblastoma.
A novel somatosensory spatial navigation system outside the hippocampal formation
Authors: Long Xiaoyang , Zhang Sheng-Jia
Published: January 2021

Spatially selective firing of place cells, grid cells, boundary vector/border cells and head direction cells constitutes the basic building blocks of a canonical spatial navigation system centered on the hippocampal-entorhinal complex. While head direction cells can be found throughout the brain, spatial tuning outside the hippocampal formation is often non-specific or conjunctive to other representations such as a reward. Although the precise mechanism of spatially selective firing activity is not understood, various studies show sensory inputs, particularly vision, heavily modulate spatial representation in the hippocampal-entorhinal circuit. To better understand the contribution of other sensory inputs in shaping spatial representation in the brain, we performed recording from the primary somatosensory cortex in foraging rats. To our surprise, we were able to detect the full complement of spatially selective firing patterns similar to that reported in the hippocampal-entorhinal network, namely, place cells, head direction cells, boundary vector/border cells, grid cells and conjunctive cells, in the somatosensory cortex. These newly identified somatosensory spatial cells form a spatial map outside the hippocampal formation and support the hypothesis that location information modulates body representation in the somatosensory cortex. Our findings provide transformative insights into our understanding of how spatial information is processed and integrated in the brain, as well as functional operations of the somatosensory cortex in the context of rehabilitation with brain-machine interfaces.
Dll1+ quiescent tumor stem cells drive chemoresistance in breast cancer through NF-κB survival pathway
Authors: Kumar Sushil , Nandi Ajeya , Singh Snahlata , Regulapati Rohan , Li Ning , Tobias John W. , Siebel Christian W. , Blanco Mario Andres , Klein-Szanto Andres J. , Lengner Christopher , Welm Alana L. , Kang Yibin , Chakrabarti Rumela
Published: January 2021

Development of chemoresistance in breast cancer patients greatly increases mortality. Thus, understanding mechanisms underlying breast cancer resistance to chemotherapy is of paramount importance to overcome this clinical challenge. Although activated Notch receptors have been associated with chemoresistance in cancer, the specific Notch ligands and their molecular mechanisms leading to chemoresistance in breast cancer remain elusive. Using conditional knockout and reporter mouse models, we demonstrate that tumor cells expressing the Notch ligand Dll1 is important for tumor growth and metastasis and bear similarities to tumor-initiating cancer cells (TICs) in breast cancer. RNA-seq and ATAC-seq using reporter models and patient data demonstrated that NF-κB activation is downstream of Dll1 and is associated with a chemoresistant phenotype. Finally, pharmacological blocking of Dll1 or NF-κB pathway completely sensitizes Dll1+ tumors to chemotherapy, highlighting therapeutic avenues for chemotherapy resistant breast cancer patients in the near future.
Adrenomedullin-CALCRL axis controls relapse-initiating drug tolerant acute myeloid leukemia cells
Authors: Larrue Clément , Guiraud Nathan , Mouchel Pierre-Luc , Dubois Marine , Farge Thomas , Gotanègre Mathilde , Bosc Claudie , Saland Estelle , Nicolau-Travers Marie-Laure , Sabatier Marie , Serhan Nizar , Sahal Ambrine , Boet Emeline , Mouche Sarah , Heydt Quentin , Aroua Nesrine , Stuani Lucille , Kaoma Tony , Angenendt Linus , Mikesch Jan-Henrik , Schliemann Christoph , Vergez François , Tamburini Jérôme , Récher Christian , Sarry Jean-Emmanuel
Published: January 2021

Drug tolerant/resistant leukemic stem cell (LSC) subpopulations may explain frequent relapses in acute myeloid leukemia (AML), suggesting that these relapse-initiating cells (RICs) persistent after chemotherapy represent bona fide targets to prevent drug resistance and relapse. We uncover that calcitonin receptor-like receptor (CALCRL) is expressed in RICs, and that the overexpression of CALCRL and/or of its ligand adrenomedullin (ADM), and not CGRP, correlates to adverse outcome in AML. CALCRL knockdown impairs leukemic growth, decreases LSC frequency, and sensitizes to cytarabine in patient-derived xenograft models. Mechanistically, the ADM-CALCRL axis drives cell cycle, DNA repair, and mitochondrial OxPHOS function of AML blasts dependent on E2F1 and BCL2. Finally, CALCRL depletion reduces LSC frequency of RICs post-chemotherapy in vivo. In summary, our data highlight a critical role of ADM-CALCRL in post-chemotherapy persistence of these cells, and disclose a promising therapeutic target to prevent relapse in AML.
The impact of the Xpert MTB/RIF screening among hospitalized patients with pneumonia on timely isolation of patients with pulmonary tuberculosis
Authors: Han Seung Beom , Park Joonhong , Ji Seul Ki , Jang So Hee , Shin Soyoung , Kim Myung Sook , Kim Seung Soo , Park Sun Hee
Published: January 2021

In South Korea where the tuberculosis (TB) burden is intermediate, the risk of in-hospital transmission of TB remains high. We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 244 inpatients diagnosed with pulmonary TB (2015–2018) to evaluate the impact of the Xpert MTB/RIF assay (Xpert) screening on timely isolation. TB screening was performed with smear microscopy and a polymerase chain reaction test, and the Xpert was additionally used from November 2016. Among all patients with pulmonary TB, the median time-to-isolation was significantly reduced (22.6 vs. 69.7 h; p < 0.001) and segmented regression analysis adjusting for the time trend showed a reduction in time-to-isolation with the introduction of the Xpert (− 39.3 h; 95% CI − 85.6, 7.0; p = 0.096). Among 213 patients who were timely screened (≤ 72 h after admission), time-to-isolation decreased significantly (− 38.2 h; 95% CI − 70.6, − 5.8; p = 0.021) with the introduction of the Xpert, and its decreasing trend continued. The Xpert provided a shorter turnaround time (4.8 vs. 49.1 h; p < 0.001) and higher sensitivity (76.6% vs. 47.8%; p < 0.001) than smear microscopy. Thus, the Xpert can be a useful screening test for pulmonary TB in real-life hospital settings with an intermediate TB burden.
Genotoxic risk assessment and mechanism of DNA damage induced by phthalates and their metabolites in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells
Authors: Sicińska Paulina , Mokra Katarzyna , Wozniak Katarzyna , Michałowicz Jaromir , Bukowska Bożena
Published: January 2021

The human genome is persistently exposed to damage caused by xenobiotics, therefore the assessment of genotoxicity of substances having a direct contact with humans is of importance. Phthalates are commonly used in industrial applications. Widespread exposure to phthalates has been evidenced by their presence in human body fluids. We have assessed the genotoxic potential of selected phthalates and mechanism of their action in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Studied cells were incubated with di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP), butylbenzyl phthalate (BBP) and their metabolites: mono-n-butylphthalate (MBP), mono-benzylphthalate (MBzP) in the concentrations range of 0.1–10 µg/mL for 24 h. Analyzed compounds induced DNA single and double strand-breaks (DBP and BBP ≥ 0.5 µg/mL, MBP and MBzP ≥ 1 µg/mL) and more strongly oxidized purines than pyrimidines. None of the compounds examined was capable of creating adducts with DNA. All studied phthalates caused an increase of total ROS level, while hydroxyl radical was generated mostly by DBP and BBP. PBMCs exposed to DBP and BBP could not completely repair DNA strand-breaks during 120 min of postincubation, in opposite to damage caused by their metabolites, MBP and MBzP. We have concluded that parent phthalates: DBP and BBP caused more pronounced DNA damage compared to their metabolites.
A computational platform for the virtual unfolding of Herculaneum Papyri
Authors: Stabile Sara , Palermo Francesca , Bukreeva Inna , Mele Daniela , Formoso Vincenzo , Bartolino Roberto , Cedola Alessia
Published: January 2021

Ancient Herculaneum papyrus scrolls, hopelessly charred in the 79 A.D. Vesuvius eruption, contain valuable writings of the Greek philosophers of the day, including works of the Epicurean Philodemus. X-ray phase contrast tomography has recently begun unlocking their secrets. However, only small portions of the text hidden inside the scroll have been recover. One of the challenging tasks in Herculaneum papyri investigation is their virtual unfolding because of their highly complicated structure and three-dimensional arrangement. Although this procedure is feasible, problems in segmentation and flattening hinder the unrolling of a large portion of papyrus. We propose a computational platform for the virtual unfolding procedure, and we show the results of its application on two Herculaneum papyrus fragments. This work paves the way to a comprehensive survey and to further interpretation of larger portions of text hidden inside the carbonized Herculaneum papyri.
Measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution with leaky sources
Authors: Wang Weilong , Tamaki Kiyoshi , Curty Marcos
Published: January 2021

Measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution (MDI-QKD) can remove all detection side-channels from quantum communication systems. The security proofs require, however, that certain assumptions on the sources are satisfied. This includes, for instance, the requirement that there is no information leakage from the transmitters of the senders, which unfortunately is very difficult to guarantee in practice. In this paper we relax this unrealistic assumption by presenting a general formalism to prove the security of MDI-QKD with leaky sources. With this formalism, we analyze the finite-key security of two prominent MDI-QKD schemes—a symmetric three-intensity decoy-state MDI-QKD protocol and a four-intensity decoy-state MDI-QKD protocol—and determine their robustness against information leakage from both the intensity modulator and the phase modulator of the transmitters. Our work shows that MDI-QKD is feasible within a reasonable time frame of signal transmission given that the sources are sufficiently isolated. Thus, it provides an essential reference for experimentalists to ensure the security of implementations of MDI-QKD in the presence of information leakage.
Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) modulates in vitro induced myofibroblasts by highlighting a differential protein signature
Authors: Esposito Graziana , Balzamino Bijorn Omar , Stigliano Egidio , Biamonte Filippo , Urbani Andrea , Micera Alessandra
Published: January 2021

We previously described the profibrogenic effect of NGF on conjunctival Fibroblasts (FBs) and its ability to trigger apoptosis in TGFβ1-induced myofibroblasts (myoFBs). Herein, cell apoptosis/signalling, cytokines’ signature in conditioned media and inflammatory as well as angiogenic pathway were investigated. Experimental myoFBs were exposed to NGF (0.1–100 ng/mL), at defined time-point for confocal and biomolecular analysis. Cells were analysed for apoptotic and cell signalling activation in cell extracts and for some inflammatory and proinflammatory/angiogenic factors’ activations. NGF triggered cJun overexpression and phospho-p65-NFkB nuclear translocation. A decreased Bcl2:Bax ratio and a significant expression of smad7 were confirmed in early AnnexinV-positive myoFBs. A specific protein signature characterised the conditioned media: a dose dependent decrease occurred for IL8, IL6 while a selective increase was observed for VEGF and cyr61 (protein/mRNA). TIMP1 levels were unaffected. Herein, NGF modulation of smad7, the specific IL8 and IL6 as well as VEGF and cyr61 modulation deserve more attention as opening to alternative approaches to counteract fibrosis.