bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hereford and Lincoln Cathedral Libraries during the High Middle Ages
Authors: CLARK MARK J.
Published: April 2020

In this study evidence is brought forth from large treasuries of scholastic manuscripts at Hereford and Lincoln that challenges R. M. Thomson's assessment of the importance of those collections during the High Middle Ages. As it turns out, as early as the twelfth century those libraries contained copies of the most important works in the developing Parisian theological curriculum, and the earliest copies of those works may reside in these and other English cathedral libraries. Manuscripts preserving early versions of the Sentences are especially interesting, since they make it possible to study the evolution of Peter Lombard's thought during his lifetime.
Executive functions in youths with autism spectrum disorder and their unaffected siblings
Authors: Seng Guan-Jye , Tseng Wan-Ling , Chiu Yen-Nan , Tsai Wen-Che , Wu Yu-Yu , Gau Susan Shur-Fen
Published: April 2020

Background

Executive dysfunction is one of the main cognitive theories of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Despite evidence of deficits in executive functions in individuals with ASD, little is known about executive dysfunctions as candidate cognitive endophenotypes for ASD. In this study, we investigated executive functions in youths with ASD, their unaffected siblings and typically developing controls (TDC).

Methods

We recruited 240 youths with a clinical diagnosis of ASD (aged 6–18 years), 147 unaffected siblings of ASD youths, and 240 TDC youths. TDC youths were recruited based on the age and sex distribution of the ASD youths. Participants were assessed using the verbal Digit Span test and four executive function tasks from the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery, including Intra-dimensional/Extra-dimensional Shift (I/ED), Spatial Span (SSP), Spatial Working Memory (SWM), and Stocking of Cambridge (SoC).

Results

ASD youths, relative to TDC, performed significantly worse in executive function tasks assessing verbal working memory (forward and backward digit span), set-shifting (I/ED), visuospatial working memory (SSP, SWM), and planning/problem solving (SoC). Furthermore, unaffected siblings, relative to TDC, performed worse in forward and backward digit recalls and made more errors in SWM. These results were independent of the effects of age, sex, IQ, and symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

Conclusions

Our findings support impaired executive functions in youths with ASD. However, unaffected siblings were mostly unimpaired except in the areas of verbal and spatial working memory, which may be potential cognitive endophenotypes for ASD.
Is that all there is? Or is chimpanzees group hunt “fair” enough?
Authors: Kaufmann Angelica
Published: April 2020

Tomasello claims that we lack convincing evidence that nonhuman animals manifest a sense of moral obligation (i.e., the concept of fairness) in their group activities. The philosophical analysis of distinctive evidence from ethology, namely group hunting practices among chimpanzees, can help the author appreciate the distinctive character of this behaviour as a display of fairness put into practice.
A hard choice for Tomasello
Authors: Pettit Philip
Published: April 2020

Michael Tomasello explains the human sense of obligation by the role it plays in negotiating practices of acting jointly and the commitments they underwrite. He draws in his work on two models of joint action, one from Michael Bratman, the other from Margaret Gilbert. But Bratman's makes the explanation too difficult to succeed, and Gilbert's makes it too easy.
Children's everyday moral conversation speaks to the emergence of obligation
Authors: Bartsch Karen
Published: April 2020

For Tomasello's proposed ontology of the human sense of moral obligation, observations of early moral language may provide useful evidence complementary to that afforded by experimental research. Extant reports of children's everyday moral talk reveal patterns of participation and content that accord with the proposal and hint at extensions addressing individual differences.
The sense of obligation is culturally modulated
Authors: Bender Andrea
Published: April 2020

Tomasello argues in the target article that, in generalizing the concrete obligations originating from interdependent collaboration to one's entire cultural group, humans become “ultra-cooperators.” But are all human populations cooperative in similar ways? Based on cross-cultural studies and my own fieldwork in Polynesia, I argue that cooperation varies along several dimensions, and that the underlying sense of obligation is culturally modulated.
Tomasello on “we” and the sense of obligation
Authors: Bratman Michael E.
Published: April 2020

Tomasello explores four interrelated phenomena: (1) joint intentional collaboration; (2) joint commitment; (3) “self-regulative pressure from ‘we’”; and (4) the sense of interpersonal obligation. He argues that the version of (1) that involves (2) is the “source” of (3) and so the source of (4). I note an issue that arises once we distinguish two versions of (3).
Obligations to whom, obligations to what? A philosophical perspective on the objects of our obligations
Authors: Kish Bar-On Kati
Published: April 2020

Tomasello strives to understand the underlying psychology behind the human sense of obligation, but he only addresses a specific kind of obligation: to other human beings. We argue that in order to account for the psychological underpinning of human behavior, one should also consider people's sense of commitment to non-human entities, such as ideals, values, and moral principles.
The nature of obligation's special force
Authors: Olbrich David
Published: April 2020

Tomasello's characterization of obligation as demanding and coercive is not an implication of the centrality of collaborative commitment. Not only is this characterization contentious, it appears to be falsified in some cases of personal conviction. The theory would be strengthened if the nature of obligation's force and collaborative commitment were directly linked, possibly through Tomasello's notions of identity and identification.
Tomasello's tin man of moral obligation needs a heart
Authors: Carpendale Jeremy I. M. , Lewis Charlie
Published: April 2020

In place of Tomasello's explanation for the source of moral obligation, we suggest that it develops from the concern for others already implicit in the human developmental system. Mutual affection and caring make the development of communication and thinking possible. Humans develop as persons within such relationships and this develops into respect and moral obligation.
Who are “we” and why are we cooperating? Insights from social psychology
Authors: Clark Margaret S. , Earp Brian D. , Crockett Molly J.
Published: April 2020

Tomasello argues in the target article that a sense of moral obligation emerges from the creation of a collaborative “we” motivating us to fulfill our cooperative duties. We suggest that “we” takes many forms, entailing different obligations, depending on the type (and underlying functions) of the relationship(s) in question. We sketch a framework of such types, functions, and obligations to guide future research in our commentary.
A lifelong preoccupation with the sociality of moral obligation
Authors: Liberman Zoe , Du Bois John W.
Published: April 2020

Tomasello provides compelling evidence that children understand that people are morally obligated toward members of their social group. We call for expanding the scope of inquiry to encompass the full developmental trajectory of humans’ understanding of the relation between moral obligation, sociality, and stancetaking in interaction. We suggest that humans display a lifelong preoccupation with the sociality of moral obligation.
Edge corrections for parallel-plate capacitors
Authors: YARIV EHUD
Published: April 2020

As a result of field fringing, the capacitance of a parallel-plate capacitor differs from that predicted by the textbook formula. Using singular perturbations and conformal mapping techniques, we calculate the leading-order correction to the capacitance in the limit of large aspect ratio. We additionally obtain a comparable approximation for the electrostatic attraction between the plates.
Decriminalizing LGBTQ+: Reproducing and resisting mental health inequities
Authors: Argüello Tyler M.
Published: April 2020

Secure settings are not queer because lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, Two Spirit, and asexual (LGBTQ+) people populate them, and neither are LGBTQ+ people inherently criminal because they are found in those spaces. Queer people bear disproportionate health, mental health, and social inequities that have had, historically and currently, the effect to criminalize them. This review discusses effective language and ideologies when working with LGBTQ+ people in secure settings. Major health, mental health, and social inequities are reviewed, along with the applied framework of minority stress. Then, the process of criminalization is diagrammed across the phases of predetainment, being in the system, and through re-entering the community. Finally, multilevel strategies are offered to decriminalize LGBTQ+ people ideologically and in practice.
God and the Structure of the Transcendental Dialectic: On Willaschek’s Kant on the Sources of Metaphysics
Authors: Guyer Paul
Published: April 2020

Marcus Willaschek’s new book Kant on the Sources of Metaphysics: The Dialectic of Pure Reason (Cambridge University Press, 2018) is a penetrating analysis of the Transcendental Dialectic of Kant’s Critique of Pure Reason. In his comments, the author first raises some questions concerning the structure of the Transcendental Dialectic (and Willaschek’s reconstruction of it) and then proposes that looking at the second Critique and continuing on into the third Critique will reveal more roles for the idea of God in Kant’s reconstruction of traditional metaphysics than Willaschek’s treatment suggests.
Health, federalism and the European Union: lessons from comparative federalism about the European Union
Authors: Greer Scott L.
Published: April 2020

Bringing together the results of a large-scale review of European Union (EU) policies affecting health and a large-scale analysis of social policy and federalism, this paper uses comparative federalism to identify the scope and tensions of EU health policy at the end of the Juncker Commission. Viewing health care and public health policy through the lens of comparative federalism highlights some serious structural flaws in EU health policy. The regulatory state form in which the EU has evolved makes it difficult for the EU to formulate a health policy that actually focuses on health. Of the three faces of EU health policy, which are health policy, internal market policy and fiscal governance, health policy is legally, politically and financially the weakest. A comparison of the EU to other federations suggests that this creates basic weaknesses in the EU's design: its key powers are regulatory and its redistribution minimal. No federal welfare state so clearly pools risks at a low level while making markets so forcefully or creating rights whose costs are born by other levels of government. This structure, understandable in light of the EU's history and development, limits its health and social policy initiatives and might not be stable over the long term.
Non-Judicial, Advisory, Yet Impactful? The Aarhus Convention Compliance Committee as a Gateway to Environmental Justice
Authors: Samvel Gor
Published: April 2020

In accordance with Article 15 of the Aarhus Convention, the first meeting of the parties to this Convention established a non-judicial and consultative Compliance Committee to consider, among other matters, individual cases concerning compliance by parties with their obligations. The Committee is traditionally viewed as a non-judicial, soft mechanism and its rulings as non-binding, soft law. In recent years, however, to support the claim that rulings of the Committee have an impact and legal effects, some scholars have departed from the traditional perspective and characterized the Committee as a more judicialized mechanism, which issues legally binding rulings.

This characterization assumes a correlation between judicialization and binding effect on the one hand, and legal effect on the other. The latter claim, however, has not been supported by a systematic assessment of the impact of the Committee's rulings on domestic practice. Against this background, the article assesses the impact of Article 9-related rulings of the Committee, issued between 2004 and 2012, on national legal orders. The assessment reveals that in fewer than 41% of the cases parties recorded some degree of compliance with the rulings of the Committee, whereas in 59% they recorded no progress. The quantitative assessment and respective qualitative insights, among other factors, suggest that the normative character of the Committee and its rulings play an auxiliary role in the process of ensuring compliance with the provisions of the Aarhus Convention. The decision of parties to comply is determined typically by the substance of the rulings as they stand in relation to domestic circumstances rather than by the institutional features of the Committee and binding effect of its rulings.
Self-Regulatory Aspects of Bullshitting and Bullshit Detection
Authors: Petrocelli John V. , Watson Haley F. , Hirt Edward R.
Published: April 2020

Abstract. Two experiments investigate the role of self-regulatory resources in bullshitting behavior (i.e., communicating with little to no regard for evidence, established knowledge, or truth; Frankfurt, 1986 ; Petrocelli, 2018a ), and receptivity and sensitivity to bullshit. It is hypothesized that evidence-based communication and bullshit detection require motivation and considerably greater self-regulatory resources relative to bullshitting and insensitivity to bullshit. In Experiment 1 ( N = 210) and Experiment 2 ( N = 214), participants refrained from bullshitting only when they possessed adequate self-regulatory resources and expected to be held accountable for their communicative contributions. Results of both experiments also suggest that people are more receptive to bullshit, and less sensitive to detecting bullshit, under conditions in which they possess relatively few self-regulatory resources.
When Does Imagined Contact Reduce Prejudice?
Authors: Firat Mustafa , Ataca Bilge
Published: April 2020

Abstract. Imagined contact has been argued to reduce prejudice. Although extant research supports this argument, replication attempts have been unsuccessful. To resolve conflicting evidence from previous studies, this study examined the effect of imagined contact on explicit and implicit prejudice against Kurds and Syrians in Turkey. Using data from 335 Turkish undergraduate students, the moderating role of ethnic and national identification in the imagined contact effect was tested. Results indicated that imagined contact did not reduce prejudice, and in-group identification did not have a moderating effect, even after controlling for actual contact. These findings call for a theoretical refinement to the imagined contact hypothesis and emphasize the need for further research to advance our understanding of when imagined contact works.
Continuity of the Mass Loss of the World's Glaciers and Ice Caps From the GRACE and GRACE Follow‐On Missions
Authors: Ciracì E. , Velicogna I. , Swenson S.
Published: April 2020

We use time series of time‐variable gravity from the Gravitational Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) and GRACE Follow‐On (GRACE‐FO) missions to evaluate the mass balance of the world's glaciers and ice caps (GIC) for the time period April 2002 to September 2019, excluding Antarctica and Greenland peripheral glaciers. We demonstrate continuity of the mass balance record across the GRACE/GRACE‐FO data gap using independent data from the GMAO Modern‐Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications, Version 2 (MERRA‐2) reanalysis. We report an average mass loss of 281.5 ± 30 Gt/yr, an acceleration of 50 ± 20 Gt/yr per decade, and a 13‐mm cumulative sea level rise for the analyzed period. Seven regions dominate the mass loss, with the largest share from the Arctic: Alaska (72.5 ± 8 Gt/yr), Canadian Arctic Archipelago (73.0 ± 9 Gt/yr), Southern Andes (30.4 ± 13 Gt/yr), High Mountain Asia (HMA) (28.8 ± 11 Gt/yr), Russian Arctic (20.2 ± 6 Gt/yr), Iceland (15.9 ± 4 Gt/yr), and Svalbard (12.1 ± 4 Gt/yr). At the regional level, the analysis of acceleration is complicated by a strong interannual to decadal variability in mass balance that is well reproduced by the GRACE‐calibrated MERRA‐2 data.
An Investigation of the Encirclement of Mars by Dust in the 2018 Global Dust Storm Using EMARS
Authors: Gillespie H. E. , Greybush S. J. , Wilson R. J.
Published: April 2020

Determining how global dust storms originate and develop is one of the major challenges of Martian meteorology. We model the 2018 global dust storm using the Ensemble Mars Atmosphere Reanalysis System (EMARS), combining satellite observations with a Mars global climate model via data assimilation. A reanalysis is a valuable data set for this investigation because it is anchored to the real Martian atmosphere by temperature and dust observations, and the model provides full 4D coverage of wind fields, which are not directly observed and are key to assessing advection. Dust was observed to encircle the northern hemisphere early on in the storm's development. This encirclement could be caused by either the formation of new lifting centers along the path of observed encirclement or the advection of dust from active lifting center(s) elsewhere. Results from EMARS, including particle advection from inferred EMARS winds, provide evidence that the aforementioned dust encircling Mars's northern hemisphere may come from the initial lifting center of the storm, near Chryse Planitia. We propose that dust from the initial lifting center of the storm was entrained into the Martian Hadley circulation, with the assistance of the thermal tides, and then entrained into the northern hemisphere westerly jet.
Analysis of Active Neutron Measurements From the Mars Science Laboratory Dynamic Albedo of Neutrons Instrument: Intrinsic Variability, Outliers, and Implications for Future Investigations
Authors: Kerner H. R. , Hardgrove C. J. , Czarnecki S. , Gabriel T. S. J. , Mitrofanov I. G. , Litvak M. L. , Sanin A. B. , Lisov D. I.
Published: April 2020

The Dynamic Albedo of Neutrons (DAN) instrument onboard Mars Science Laboratory uses neutron die‐away, an active nuclear spectroscopy technique, to measure the abundance and depth distribution of hydrogen and neutron‐absorbing elements (e.g., Fe and Cl) in the top ∼0.5 m of the Mars subsurface. We examined the intrinsic variability in neutron die‐away data using simulated DAN measurements with a range of compositions relevant to equatorial and high‐latitude environments on Mars. Our analysis shows that the total neutron counts and timing of neutron arrival explain most variability in thermal neutron die‐away curves for a DAN‐like instrument configuration over homogeneous subsurfaces. We analyzed the variability in thermal neutron die‐away across a variety of elemental compositions that might be observed by DAN or future instruments. We found that when H concentration is low (e.g., in equatorial regions including Gale crater), neutron die‐away is most sensitive to variations in H. Conversely, when H concentration is high (e.g., in poleward regions of Mars or icy bodies), neutron die‐away is most sensitive to variations in neutron absorbers. We estimated that the H and neutron absorber concentrations in DAN measurements acquired Sols 1–2080 in Gale crater and found that most measurements had low H and moderate absorber content. We presented an outlier analysis of these measurements to identify targets with high potential scientific impact and found that most outliers along the traverse corresponded with abnormally low or high neutron absorber content measurements, some of which may be associated with high‐silica fracture‐associated halos and felsic igneous material.
Influences of Hillslope Biogeochemistry on Anaerobic Soil Organic Matter Decomposition in a Tundra Watershed
Authors: Philben Michael , Taş Neslihan , Chen Hongmei , Wullschleger Stan D. , Kholodov Alexander , Graham David E. , Gu Baohua
Published: April 2020

We investigated rates and controls on greenhouse gas (CO2 and CH4) production in two contrasting water‐saturated tundra soils within a permafrost‐affected watershed near Nome, Alaska, United States. Three years of field sample analysis have shown that soil from a fen‐like area in the toeslope of the watershed had higher pH and higher porewater ion concentrations than soil collected from a bog‐like peat plateau at the top of the hillslope. The influence of these contrasting geochemical and topographic environments on CO2 and CH4 production was tested in soil microcosms by incubating both the organic‐ and mineral‐layer soils anaerobically for 55 days. Nitrogen (as NH4Cl) was added to half of the microcosms to test potential effects of N limitation on microbial greenhouse gas production. We found that the organic toeslope soils produced more CO2 and CH4, fueled by higher pH and higher concentrations of water‐extractable organic C (WEOC). Our results also indicate N limitation on CO2 production in the peat plateau soils but not the toeslope soils. Together these results suggest that the weathering and leaching of ions and nutrients from tundra hillslopes can increase the rate of anaerobic soil organic matter decomposition in downslope soils by (1) increasing the pH of soil porewater; (2) providing bioavailable WEOC and fermentation products such as acetate; and (3) relieving microbial N limitation through nutrient runoff. We conclude that the soil geochemistry as mediated by landscape position is an important factor influencing the rate and magnitude of greenhouse gas production in tundra soils.
Empirical Prediction of Short‐Term Annual Global Temperature Variability
Authors: Brown Patrick T. , Caldeira Ken
Published: April 2020

Global mean surface air temperature (Tglobal) variability on subdecadal timescales can be of substantial magnitude relative to the long‐term global warming signal, and such variability has been associated with considerable environmental and societal impacts. Therefore, probabilistic foreknowledge of short‐termTglobalevolution may be of value for anticipating and mitigating some course‐resolution climate‐related risks. Here we present a simple, empirically based methodology that utilizes only global spatial patterns of annual mean surface air temperature anomalies to predict subsequent annualTglobalanomalies via partial least squares regression. The method's skill is primarily achieved via information on the state of long‐term global warming as well as the state and recent evolution of the El Niño–Southern Oscillation and the Interdecadal Pacific Oscillation. We test the out‐of‐sample skill of the methodology using cross validation and in a forecast mode where statistical predictions are made precisely as they would have been if the procedure had been operationalized starting in the year 2000. The average forecast errors for lead times of 1 to 4 years are smaller than naïve benchmarks on average, and they perform favorably relative to most dynamical Global Climate Models retrospectively initialized to the observed state of the climate system. Thus, this method can be used as a computationally efficient benchmark for dynamical model forecast systems.
Spatial Scales of Heavy Meiyu Precipitation Events in Eastern China and Associated Atmospheric Processes
Authors: Du Y. , Xie Z. Q. , Miao Q.
Published: April 2020

Analysis of ground‐based and remotely retrieved precipitation data reveals that heavy Meiyu precipitation events (HMPEs) produce a relatively independent rain belt over eastern China. A rotating calipers algorithm is applied to quantify the spatial scales of HMPEs. We find that HMPEs have regular spatial scales with an average length, width, and extent of about 1,400 km, 500 km, and 40.00 × 104 km2, respectively, through a comprehensive assessment of different types of HMPE, illustrating that HMPEs have a size similar to that of the subsynoptic‐scale Meiyu front (1,500–2,000 km). Convective activities along the Meiyu front zone and the upper westerly jet stream strongly affect the position and orientation of rain belts of HMPEs. The Meiyu front zone, strong vertical motions, and large transport of warm moisture have a comparable spatial scale to the HMPE rain belts over eastern China.
Inverse Cascade Evidenced by Information Entropy of Passive Scalars in Submerged Canopy Flows
Authors: Ghannam Khaled , Poggi Davide , Bou‐Zeid Elie , Katul Gabriel G.
Published: April 2020

Turbulent mixing of scalars within canopies is investigated using a flume experiment with canopy‐like rods of height h mounted to the channel bed. The data comprised a time sequence of high‐resolution images of a dye recorded in a plane parallel to the bed at z/h= 0.2. Image processing shows that von Kármán wakes shed by canopy drag and downward turbulent transport from upper canopy layers impose distinct scaling regimes on the scalar spectrum. Measures from information theory are then used to explore the dominant directionality of the interaction between small and large scales underlying these two spectral regimes, showing that the arrival of sweeps from aloft establishes an inertial‐range spectrum with forward “information” cascade. In contrast, wake growth with downstream distance leads to persistent upscale transfer (inverse cascade) of scalar variance, which hints at their nondiffusive character and the significance of the stem diameter as an active length scale in canopy turbulence.
Interannual to Decadal Response of the Indonesian Throughflow Vertical Profile to Indo‐Pacific Forcing
Authors: Li Mingting , Gordon Arnold L. , Gruenburg Laura K. , Wei Jun , Yang Song
Published: April 2020

The Indonesian Throughflow (ITF) inflow through the Sulawesi, Maluku, and Halmahera Seas and the ITF outflow into the eastern tropical Indian Ocean, based on reanalysis and model data, are used to investigate the interannual to decadal response of the ITF vertical profile to Indo‐Pacific forcing. The thermocline (upper 300 m) inflow, driven by the North Pacific Ocean, negatively responds to El Niño‐Southern Oscillation (ENSO) with almost no lag; while the thermocline outflow lags by 5–7 months. The sub‐thermocline (300–760 m) inflow, which is influenced by both the North and South Pacific, positively responds to ENSO and Interdecadal Pacific Oscillation (IPO) indices with 13 months lag and displays a long‐term trend tracking the IPO index. Influenced by eastern Indian Ocean variations, the sub‐thermocline outflow positively correlates with the ENSO and IPO indices with about 7–9 months lag, a shorter lag time than the inflow.
Molecular Absorption and Evolution Mechanisms of PM2.5Brown Carbon Revealed by Electrospray Ionization Fourier Transform–Ion Cyclotron Resonance Mass Spectrometry During a Severe Winter Pollution Episode in Xi'an, China
Authors: Zeng Yaling , Shen Zhenxing , Takahama Satoshi , Zhang Leiming , Zhang Tian , Lei Yali , Zhang Qian , Xu Hongmei , Ning Yanli , Huang Yu , Cao Junji , Rudolf Höhn
Published: April 2020

Knowledge of the molecular‐level chemistry of brown carbon (BrC) is important in reducing the uncertainties in aerosol radiative forcing. Time‐resolved ambient PM2.5samples were collected during a severe pollution episode in January 2017 over Xi'an, China for a comprehensive nontarget and full scanning of BrC molecules and their absorption properties using electrospray ionization Fourier transform–ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry combined with partial least squares regression analysis, which apportioned the overall ultraviolet absorption to individual molecules. The estimated absorption of CHNO and CHNOS molecules exhibited nighttime prevalence, whereas CHOS, CHNS, CHN, CHO, CHS, and CH molecules presented a dynamic trend. Carbon conjugation was positively correlated with estimated absorption by CHO and CHNO molecules, while exhibiting a mixed relationship with CHNOS. Higher nitrogen content was associated with enhanced light‐absorption properties of BrC molecules, while higher oxygen and sulfur content appeared to be associated with photobleaching during secondary transformation.
Numerical Simulation of Ionospheric Depletions Resulting From Rocket Launches Using a General Circulation Model
Authors: Bowden George William , Lorrain Philippe , Brown Melrose
Published: April 2020

Rocket exhaust plumes have been observed to cause large‐scale depletions of ionospheric plasmas (“ionospheric holes”). In the F region, charge exchange reactions occur between O+ ions and exhaust species such as H2O, H2, and CO2 to form ions, which then undergo rapid dissociative recombination. The Global Ionosphere‐Thermosphere Model (GITM) was extended to include these chemical reactions and appropriate source terms to represent rocket exhaust plumes. The resulting model allowed for the detailed simulation of advection, diffusion, and chemical interactions of rocket exhaust gasses in the upper atmosphere. This model was applied to ionospheric depletions resulting from the launches of Jason‐3 and FORMOSAT‐5 on SpaceX Falcon 9 rockets from Vandenberg Air Force Base. Outputs from the model were compared with GNSS, ionosonde, and satellite Langmuir probe measurements. Simulation indicated that the FORMOSAT‐5 launch resulted in a far larger and longer‐lived ionospheric depletion than the Jason‐3 launch, consistent with observations. These differences resulted primarily from the deposition of exhaust gasses at higher altitudes in the former case, which resulted in longer residence times in the upper F region where ionospheric plasma was replenished more slowly. Simulation of the FORMOSAT‐5 launch reproduced the approximate size, shape, and motion of the observed ionospheric depletion, which reflected the advection and diffusion of the rocket exhaust gasses through the thermosphere.
Layering in Shales Controls Microfracturing at the Onset of Primary Migration in Source Rocks
Authors: Chauve Thomas , Scholtès Luc , Donzé Frédéric‐Victor , Haque Mondol Nazmul , Renard François
Published: April 2020

The process of primary migration, which controls the transfer of hydrocarbons from source to reservoir rocks, necessitates the existence of fluid pathways in low permeability sedimentary formations. Primary migration starts with the maturation of organic matter which produces fluids that increase the effective stress locally. The interactions between local fluid production, microfracturing, stress conditions, and transport remain difficult to apprehend in shale source rocks. Here, we analyze these interactions using a coupled hydro‐mechanical numerical model based on the discrete element method. The model is used to simulate the effects of fluid production emanating from kerogen patches contained within a shale rock alternating kerogen‐poor and kerogen‐rich layers. We identify two microfracturing mechanisms that control fluid migration: (i) propagation of hydraulically driven fractures induced by kerogen maturation in kerogen‐rich layers and (ii) compression‐induced fracturing in kerogen‐poor layers caused by fluid overpressurization of the surrounding kerogen‐rich layers. The relative importance of these two mechanisms is discussed considering different elastic properties contrasts between the shale layers, as well as various stress conditions encountered in sedimentary basins, from normal to reverse faulting regimes. The layering in shales causes local stress redistribution that controls the prevalence of each mechanism over the other and the onset of microfracturing during kerogen maturation. The approach is applied to the Draupne formation, a major source rock in the Norwegian continental shelf in the North Sea.
Apolipoprotein E4 and meningeal lymphatics in Alzheimer disease: a conceptual framework
Authors: Mentis Alexios-Fotios A. , Dardiotis Efthimios , Chrousos George P.
Published: April 2020

The potential existence and roles of the meningeal lymphatic system in normal and pathological brain function have been a long-standing enigma. Recent evidence suggests that meningeal lymphatic vessels are present in both the mouse and human brain; in mice, they seem to play a role in clearing toxic amyloid-beta peptides, which have been connected with Alzheimer disease (AD). Here, we review the evidence linking the meningeal lymphatic system with human AD. Novel findings suggest that the recently described meningeal lymphatic vessels could be linked to, and possibly drain, the efferent paravascular glial lymphatic (glymphatic) system carrying cerebrospinal fluid, after solute and immune cell exchange with brain interstitial fluid. In so doing, the glymphatic system could contribute to the export of toxic solutes and immune cells from the brain (an exported fluid we wish to describe as glymph, similarly to lymph) to the meningeal lymphatic system; the latter, by being connected with downstream anatomic regions, carries the glymph to the conventional cervical lymphatic vessels and nodes. Thus, abnormal function in the meningeal lymphatic system could, in theory, lead to the accumulation, in the brain, of amyloid-beta, cellular debris, and inflammatory mediators, as well as immune cells, resulting in damage of the brain parenchyma and, in turn, cognitive and other neurologic dysfunctions. In addition, we provide novel insights into APOE4—the leading genetic risk factor for AD—and its relation to the meningeal lymphatic system. In this regard, we have reanalyzed previously published RNA-Seq data to show that induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) carrying theAPOE4allele (either asAPOE4knock-in or stemming fromAPOE4patients) express lower levels of (a) genes associated with lymphatic markers, and (b) genes for which well-characterized missense mutations have been linked to peripheral lymphedema. Taking into account this evidence, we propose a new conceptual framework, according to which APOE4 could play a novel role in the premature shrinkage of meningeal lymphatic vessels (meningeal lymphosclerosis), leading to abnormal meningeal lymphatic functions (meningeal lymphedema), and, in turn, reduction in the clearance of amyloid-beta and other macromolecules and inflammatory mediators, as well as immune cells, from the brain, exacerbation of AD manifestations, and progression of the disease. Altogether, these findings and their potential interpretations may herald novel diagnostic tools and therapeutic approaches in patients with AD.
Genetic diversity, population structure, and relationships of apricot (Prunus) based on restriction site-associated DNA sequencing
Authors: Li Wenwen , Liu Liqiang , Wang Yanan , Zhang Qiuping , Fan Guoquan , Zhang Shikui , Wang Yatong , Liao Kang
Published: April 2020

Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are the most abundant form of genomic polymorphisms and are widely used in population genetics research. Here, high-throughput sequencing was used to examine the genome-level diversity, population structure, and relationships of apricot, which are important for germplasm conservation and molecular breeding. Restriction site-associated DNA sequencing (RAD-seq) was adopted to sequence 168Prunusspp. accessions distributed in five ecological groups, including 74 accessions of cultivatedPrunus armeniacaL. and 94 accessions of wild apricots (P. armeniacaL. andPrunus sibiricaL.), which generated 417,961 high-quality SNPs. We used cluster, genetic structure, and principal component analyses to examine the genetic diversities and genetic relationships of the 168 accessions. The Dzhungar-Ili ecological group accessions showed the highest genetic diversity in terms of private allele number, observed heterozygosity, and nucleotide diversity. We speculate that the Central Asian ecological group accessions were domesticated from the Dzhungar-Ili ecological group accessions. The population structure and gene flow of the North China and European ecological group accessions suggested a genetic background ofP. sibirica. We argue that the two groups should be considered hybrid swarms connected toP. sibiricaby continuous and extensive gene flow.P. armeniacaoriginated in Northwest China (Ili Valley), subsequently spread throughout Central Asia, and eventually spread to Europe. In addition, selective sweep signatures inP. armeniacaduring domestication from wild to cultivated apricots, combined with differentially expressed genes, underlie distinct fruit traits, including sugars, aromas, organic acids, and carotenoids. This study provides substantive and valuable genomic resources that will significantly advance apricot improvement and effective utilization.
Downstream changes in river avulsion style are related to channel morphology
Authors: Valenza J. M. , Edmonds D. A. , Hwang T. , Roy S.
Published: April 2020

One of the most dramatic events in river environments is the natural diversion, or avulsion, of a channel across its floodplain. Though rarely witnessed, avulsions can cause massive floods, and over geologic time they create most of the fluvial stratigraphic record. Avulsions exhibit behavior ranging from reoccupying abandoned channels to constructing new channels and splay complexes. To quantify avulsion behavior, or style, we measure avulsion-related floodplain disturbance in modern environments. We show that for 63 avulsions from Andean, Himalayan, and New Guinean basins, avulsion style correlates with channel morphology and changes systematically downstream. Avulsions in braided rivers reoccupy abandoned channels, whereas avulsions in meandering rivers often produce flooding and sediment deposition during channel construction. These downstream changes in avulsion style can explain the abrupt transition from channel-dominated to floodplain-dominated facies commonly observed in foreland basin stratigraphy. These dynamics also explain why some avulsions are more hazardous than others.
Selection and Validation of Reference Genes for Normalisation of Gene Expression in Glehnia littoralis
Authors: Li Li , Li Naiwei , Fang Hailing , Qi Xiwu , Zhou Yifeng
Published: April 2020

Glehnia littoralisis an important medicinal halophyte—the dried root of which is used as Chinese herbal medicine. However, the use, selection and stability of reference genes are rarely verified in studies ofG. littoralis, which hampers investigation of its salt tolerance and metabolism. In this study, we selected 13 candidate reference genes from the transcriptome data ofG. littoralis—serine/threonine-protein phosphatase PP2A (PP2A), polyubiquitin 10 (UBQ10), actin (ACT), elongation factor 1-α (EF1-α), glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), α-tubulin (α-TUB), β-tubulin (β-TUB), polypyrimidine tract-binding protein 1 (PTBP1), expressed protein 1 (EXP1), expressed protein 2 (EXP2), TIP41-like (TIP41), SAND family (SAND), and cyclophilin 2 (CYP2), and used qRT-PCR to analyse their expression levels in roots ofG. littoralistreated with NaCl, polyethylene glycol (PEG), abscisic acid (ABA), and methyl jasmonate (MeJA), as well as in various organs ofG. littoralis. The ΔCt, geNorm, NormFinder, and BestKeeper algorithms were used to assess the expression stability of the candidate reference genes and the results were then used to generate a comprehensive rank list with the RankAggreg R package. The most stable reference genes for normalisation wereEXP1andPP2Ain response to NaCl,EXP2andPP2Ain response to ABA,CYP2andα-TUBin response to MeJA, andACTandEXP1in the PEG and the organ subsets.GAPDH,β-TUB, andUBQ10exhibited low stability and so were unsuitable for normalisation. This study is the first systematic analysis of candidate reference genes inG. littoralisand will facilitate further investigation of normalisation of gene expression inG. littoralis.
Intranasal immunization with outer membrane vesicle pertussis vaccine confers broad protection through mucosal IgA and Th17 responses
Authors: Raeven René H. M. , Rockx-Brouwer Dedeke , Kanojia Gaurav , van der Maas Larissa , Bindels Tim H. E. , ten Have Rimko , van Riet Elly , Metz Bernard , Kersten Gideon F. A.
Published: April 2020

A vaccine based on outer membrane vesicles of pertussis (omvPV) is protective in a mouse-challenge model and induces a broad antibody and mixed Th1/Th2/Th17 response against multiple antigens following subcutaneous immunization. However, this route did not result in mucosal immunity and did not prevent nasopharyngeal colonization. In this study, we explored the potential of intranasal immunization with omvPV. Only intranasal immunization induced strong mucosal immune responses that encompasses enhanced pulmonary and nasal IgA antibody levels, mainly directed against Vag8 and LPS. Furthermore, high numbers of IgA- and IgG-producing plasma cells were detected as well as lung-resident IgA memory B-cells. Finally, only intranasal immunization induced pulmonary Th1/Th17-related cytokine responses. The magnitude and type of systemic immunity was comparable between both routes and included high systemic IgG antibody levels, strong IgG-producing plasma cell responses, memory B-cells residing in the spleen and systemic Th1/Th2/Th17-related cytokine responses. Importantly, only intranasal immunization prevented colonization in both the lungs and the nasal cavity. In conclusion, intranasal omvPV immunization induces mucosal IgA and Th17-mediated responses without influencing the systemic immunity profile. These responses resulted in prevention of Bordetella pertussis colonization in the respiratory tract, including the nasal cavity, thereby potentially preventing transmission.
Volcanic related methylmercury poisoning as the possible driver of the end-Devonian Mass Extinction
Authors: Rakociński Michał , Marynowski Leszek , Pisarzowska Agnieszka , Bełdowski Jacek , Siedlewicz Grzegorz , Zatoń Michał , Perri Maria Cristina , Spalletta Claudia , Schönlaub Hans Peter
Published: April 2020

The end-Devonian global Hangenberg event (359 Ma) is among the most devastating mass extinction events in Earth’s history, albeit not one of the “Big Five”. This extinction is linked to worldwide anoxia caused by global climatic changes. These changes could have been driven by astronomical forcing and volcanic cataclysm, but ultimate causes of the extinction still remain unclear. Here we report anomalously high mercury (Hg) concentration in marine deposits encompassing the Hangenberg event from Italy and Austria (Carnic Alps). The Hangenberg event recorded in the sections investigated can be here interpreted as caused by extensive volcanic activity of large igneous provinces (LIPs), arc volcanism and/or hydrothermal activity. Our results (very large Hg anomalies) imply volcanism as a most possible cause of the Hangenberg event, similar to other first order mass extinctions during the Phanerozoic. For the first time we show that apart from anoxia, proximate kill mechanism of aquatic life during the event could have been methylmercury formed by biomethylation of a volcanically derived, huge concentration of inorganic Hg supplied to the ocean. Methylmercury as a much more toxic Hg form, potentially could have had a devastating impact on end-Devonian biodiversity, causing the extinction of many pelagic species.
The spatial non-stationary effect of urban landscape pattern on urban waterlogging: a case study of Shenzhen City
Authors: Wu Jiansheng , Sha Wei , Zhang Puhua , Wang Zhenyu
Published: April 2020

The problem of urban waterlogging has consistently affected areas of southern China, and has generated widespread concerns among the public and professionals. The geographically weighted regression model (GWR) is widely used to reflect the spatial non-stationarity of parameters in different locations, with the relationship between variables able to change with spatial position. In this research, Shenzhen City, which has a serious waterlogging problem, was used as a case study. Several key results were obtained. (1) The spatial autocorrelation of flood spot density in Shenzhen was significant at the 5% level, but because the Z value was not large it was not very obvious. (2) The degree of impact on flood disasters from large to small was: Built up_ DIVISION > SHDI > Built up_ COHESION > CONTAG > Built up_ LPI. (3) The degree of waterlogging disasters in higher altitude regions was less affected by the landscape pattern. The results of this study highlight the important role of the landscape pattern on waterlogging disasters and also indicate the different impacts of different regional landscape patterns on waterlogging disasters, which provides useful information for planning the landscape pattern and controlling waterlogging.
Crystal structure of Type IX secretion system PorE C-terminal domain from Porphyromonas gingivalis in complex with a peptidoglycan fragment
Authors: Trinh Nhung Thi Trang , Tran Hieu Quang , Van Dong Quyen , Cambillau Christian , Roussel Alain , Leone Philippe
Published: April 2020

Porphyromonas gingivalis, the major human pathogen associated to periodontal diseases, utilizes the Bacteroidetes-specific type IX secretion system (T9SS) to export virulence factors. PorE is a periplasmic multi-domain lipoprotein associated to the outer membrane that was recently identified as essential for T9SS function. Little is known on T9SS at the structural level, and in particular its interaction with peptidoglycan. This prompted us to carry out structural studies on PorE full length as well as on its four isolated domains. Here we report the crystal structure of the C-terminal OmpA_C-like putative peptidoglycan-binding domain at 1.55 Å resolution. An electron density volume was identified in the protein cleft, making it possible to build a naturally-occurring peptidoglycan fragment. This result suggests that PorE interacts with peptidoglycan and that PorE could anchor T9SS to the cell wall.
J-CKD-DB: a nationwide multicentre electronic health record-based chronic kidney disease database in Japan
Authors: Nakagawa Naoki , Sofue Tadashi , Kanda Eiichiro , Nagasu Hajime , Matsushita Kunihiro , Nangaku Masaomi , Maruyama Shoichi , Wada Takashi , Terada Yoshio , Yamagata Kunihiro , Narita Ichiei , Yanagita Motoko , Sugiyama Hitoshi , Shigematsu Takashi , Ito Takafumi , Tamura Kouichi , Isaka Yoshitaka , Okada Hirokazu , Tsuruya Kazuhiko , Yokoyama Hitoshi , Nakashima Naoki , Kataoka Hiromi , Ohe Kazuhiko , Okada Mihoko , Kashihara Naoki
Published: April 2020

The Japan Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) Database (J-CKD-DB) is a large-scale, nation-wide registry based on electronic health record (EHR) data from participating university hospitals. Using a standardized exchangeable information storage, the J-CKD-DB succeeded to efficiently collect clinical data of CKD patients across hospitals despite their different EHR systems. CKD was defined as dipstick proteinuria ≥1+ and/or estimated glomerular filtration rate <60 mL/min/1.73 m2 base on both out- and inpatient laboratory data. As an initial analysis, we analyzed 39,121 CKD outpatients (median age was 71 years, 54.7% were men, median eGFR was 51.3 mL/min/1.73 m2) and observed that the number of patients with a CKD stage G1, G2, G3a, G3b, G4 and G5 were 1,001 (2.6%), 2,612 (6.7%), 23,333 (59.6%), 8,357 (21.4%), 2,710 (6.9%) and 1,108 (2.8%), respectively. According to the KDIGO risk classification, there were 30.1% and 25.5% of male and female patients with CKD at very high-risk, respectively. As the information from every clinical encounter from those participating hospitals will be continuously updated with an anonymized patient ID, the J-CKD-DB will be a dynamic registry of Japanese CKD patients by expanding and linking with other existing databases and a platform for a number of cross-sectional and prospective analyses to answer important clinical questions in CKD care.