bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Land-Use and Land-Cover Change Detection in a North-Eastern Wetland Ecosystem of Bangladesh Using Remote Sensing and GIS Techniques
Authors: Bhattacharjee Shwarnali , Islam Md Tariqul , Kabir Mohammad Ehsanul , Kabir Md Muhib
Published: June 2021

Lakshmibaur-Nalair Haor, a freshwater wetland ecosystem is situated in the north-eastern region of Bangladesh. This place hosts the second largest freshwater swamp forest in Bangladesh. Containing rich biodiversity, this unique area experiences significant landscape changes. This study examines land-use and land-cover (LULC) changes between 1989 and 2019 in the Lakshmibaur-Nalair Haor area by operating Landsat multispectral imageries through remote sensing (RS) and geographic information system (GIS) techniques. The changing status of the haor was analyzed by initiating normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and modified normalized difference water index (MNDWI). The unsupervised classification technique was implemented to classify these images into five major classes (vegetation, cropland, bare soil, shallow water, and deep water bodies) using threshold values of NDVI and MNDWI. After accuracy assessment, the post-classification comparison method was performed to evaluate the change detection. This study demonstrates that this valuable area lost ~ 2208.6 ha (37.54%) of the deep water body and 489.6 ha (8.34%) of vegetation over the last 3 decades. However, it has gained about 1729 ha (29.39%) of cropland, 2673 ha (45.44%) of shallow water and 1124 ha (28%) of bare soil. Such changes indicate significant human interventions such as expansion of croplands with increased population pressure. Gradual change of deep water into shallow water over time is enabling local community to expand agricultural lands and activities during the dry season. This study’s findings are useful in understanding and tracking changes in wetlands in Bangladesh and other similar settings.
Lau Effect Using LED Array for Lithography
Authors: Cao Xinrui , Feßer Patrick , Sinzinger Stefan
Published: June 2021

Illumination with LEDs is of increasing interest in imaging and lithography. In particular, compared to lasers, LEDs are temporally and spatially incoherent, so that speckle effects can be avoided by the application of LEDs. Besides, LED arrays are qualified due to their high optical output power. However, LED arrays have not been widely used for investigating optical effects, e.g., the Lau effect. In this paper, we propose the application of an LED array for realizing the Lau effect by taking into account the influence of the coherence properties of illumination on the Lau effect. Using spatially incoherent illumination with the LED array or a single LED, triangular distributed Lau fringes can be obtained. We apply the obtained Lau fringes in the optical lithography to produce analog structures. Compared to a single LED, the Lau fringes using the LED array have significantly higher intensities. Hence, the exposure time in the lithography process is largely reduced.
Fachspezifität von Unterrichtsqualität in der Deutschdidaktik
Authors: Wiprächtiger-Geppert Maja , Stahns Ruven , Riegler Susanne
Published: June 2021

Ausgehend von der Beobachtung, dass sich die Deutschdidaktik in der Vergangenheit nur implizit mit Unterrichtsqualität auseinandergesetzt hat, werden in diesem Beitrag aktuelle Tendenzen der deutschdidaktischen Forschung in Bezug auf Unterrichtsqualität dargestellt. Dabei kann man feststellen, dass es mittlerweile einige Studien gibt, die an Befunde der allgemeinen Unterrichtsqualitätsforschung anschließen und diese vor allem mit Blick auf das Merkmal „kognitive Aktivierung“ für den Deutschunterricht spezifizieren. Dabei handelt es sich zum einen um Fragebogenstudien im Rahmen von Large-Scale-Assessements, die eher allgemein gehaltene Merkmale von Unterrichtsqualität auf den Deutschunterricht beziehen und damit fachbezogensind. Zum anderen handelt es sich um Videostudien, in denen kognitive Aktivierung nicht mehr allgemein, sondern fachspezifischkonzipiert und operationalisiert wird. Im zweiten Teil wird das im Projekt „Profess-R“ verwendete Konzept fachspezifischer Unterrichtsqualität kurz präsentiert. Ausgehend von der Überzeugung, dass für eine angemessene fachspezifische Konturierung von Unterrichtsqualität die Spezifizierung von kognitiver Aktivierung nicht ausreichend ist, wird ein Modell vorgestellt, in demgenerische, fachbezogeneundfachspezifischeAspekte auf mehreren Ebenen ineinandergreifen.
Lost Nationalism
Authors: Vezzadini Elena
Published: June 2021

Winner of the African Studies Association 2016 Bethwell A. Ogot Book Prize A lively account of the 1924 Revolution in Sudan and the way in which the colonial situation has affected its representation, a case in point in the histories of nationalist anti-colonial movements in Africa and the Middle East.
Darwin's bulbuls: South Asian cultures of bird fighting and Darwin's theory of sexual selection
Authors: Mukharji Projit Bihari
Published: June 2021

The article explores the extent and nature of the relationship between Darwinian science and the British Empire. It does so by unpicking Darwin's British Indian examples of avian combat in constructing his ‘law of battle’. The article shows how Darwin's interpretation of these reports was simultaneously enabled, shaped and limited by the imperial context within which the reports were generated. Particularly important was Darwin's inability to see the enormous investment of human labour and complex knowledge in sculpting and curating these avian fights through a culture ofshauq. Partly this oversight followed from the South Asian birds having already been saturated by Romantic poetic associations, even before Darwin began considering them. Somewhat surprisingly, I note, Clifford Geertz shared Darwin's blindness towards the ‘cultural’ sculpting of ‘nature’ during avian combat.
‘Unravelling Babel’: Mary LeCron Foster on the origins of language
Authors: Kaplan Judith R. H.
Published: June 2021

The origin of human language has been a perennial – and perennially controversial – topic in linguistics since the nineteenth century. Much of this work has engaged themes Charles Darwin set out inThe Descent of Man, though few authors acknowledge the text directly. How might we interpret such neglect? This essay contends that Darwin's reflections on language challenged foundational commitments in linguistics about the barrier between the history and prehistory of human communication. These commitments are thrown into relief through a detailed study of the dissenting symbolic and gestural theory of language origin put forth by Mary LeCron Foster, who rejected doctrines of linguistic arbitrariness and transformational-generative grammar. Her work on the frontier between animal and human communication is presented through a description of her ‘phememic’ account of the language origins. The paper also emphasizes the rhythm of Foster's career, which provides a significant counterpoint to standard accounts of the development and institutionalization of American linguistics during the twentieth century.
Darwin's bawdy: the popular, gendered and radical reception of theDescent of Manin the US, 1871–1910
Authors: Hamlin Kimberly A.
Published: June 2021

Most studies of the American reception of Darwin have focused on theOrigin. TheDescent of Man, however, was even more widely read and discussed, especially by those outside the emerging scientific establishment. This essay maps the varied, popular and radical responses to theDescentand suggests that these unauthorized readers helped shape the formation of American scientific institutions (by encouraging scientists to close ranks), as well as ordinary Americans’ perceptions of gender and sex. I argue that the radical – freethinkers, socialists and feminists – embrace of sexual selection theory provides one explanation for naturalists’ scepticism of the theory.
Neurodegeneration with Brain Iron Accumulation and a Brief Report of the Disease in Iran
Authors: Hajati Reza , Emamikhah Maziar , Danaee Fard Fardad , Rohani Mohammad , Alavi Afagh
Published: June 2021

Neurodegeneration with brain iron accumulation (NBIA) is a term used for a group of hereditary neurological disorders with abnormal accumulation of iron in basal ganglia. It is clinically and genetically heterogeneous with symptoms such as dystonia, dysarthria, Parkinsonism, intellectual disability, and spasticity. The age at onset and rate of progression are variable among individuals. Current therapies are exclusively symptomatic and unable to hinder the disease progression. Approximately 16 genes have been identified and affiliated to such condition with different functions such as iron metabolism (only two genes: Ferritin Light Chain (FTL) Ceruloplasmin (CP)), lipid metabolism, lysosomal functions, and autophagy process, but some functions have remained unknown so far. Subgroups of NBIA are categorized based on the mutant genes. Although in the last 10 years, the development of whole-exome sequencing (WES) technology has promoted the identification of disease-causing genes, there seem to be some unknown genes and our knowledge about the molecular aspects and pathogenesis of NBIA is not complete yet. There is currently no comprehensive study about the NBIA in Iran; however, one of the latest discovered NBIA genes, GTP-binding protein 2 (GTPBP2), has been identified in an Iranian family, and there are some patients who have genetically remained unknown.
Prehispanic Highland Textile Technologies: A View from the First Millennium AD at Hualcayán, Ancash, Peru
Authors: Grávalos M. Elizabeth , Bria Rebecca E.
Published: June 2021

The exceptional preservation of perishable artifacts on the arid west coast of the Andes has led to an abundance of knowledge on prehispanic textile production. Yet comparatively little of this knowledge is based on highland examples due to their poor preservation in the moist environment of the Andean sierra. Systematic excavations in 2011–2012 at the archaeological complex of Hualcayán in highland Ancash, Peru, revealed surprisingly well-preserved textiles and cordage from four partially lootedmachay-style tombs. In this article we provide an overview of textile forms, production techniques, and iconography from a sample of 292 textile and cordage fragments, equaling 20% of Hualcayán's assemblage. This work contributes to a better understanding of ancient Andean weaving in general and interregional interaction during the Early Intermediate period and Middle Horizon (ca. AD 1–1000) in particular. Significantly, we document variability in cotton yarn and a general uniformity in camelid yarn and weaving techniques in the overall sample. These findings, in combination with similarities in weaving techniques and style between coastal examples and Hualcayán's fabrics, suggest a coastal–highland relationship.
Processing GOTO survey data with the Rubin Observatory LSST Science Pipelines II: Forced Photometry and lightcurves
Authors: Makrygianni L. , Mullaney J. , Dhillon V. , Littlefair S. , Ackley K. , Dyer M. J. , 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. P. , 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. , Strøm P. A , Tooke S. , Wiersema K.
Published: June 2021

We have adapted the Vera C. Rubin Observatory Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) Science Pipelines to process data from the Gravitational-wave Optical Transient Observer (GOTO) prototype. In this paper, we describe how we used the LSST Science Pipelines to conduct forced photometry measurements on nightly GOTO data. By comparing the photometry measurements of sources taken on multiple nights, we find that the precision of our photometry is typically better than 20 mmag for sources brighter than 16 mag. We also compare our photometry measurements against colour-corrected Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System photometry and find that the two agree to within 10 mmag (1$\sigma$) for bright (i.e.,$\sim 14{\rm th} \mathrm{mag}$) sources to 200 mmag for faint (i.e.,$\sim 18{\rm th} \mathrm{mag}$) sources. Additionally, we compare our results to those obtained by GOTO’s own in-house pipeline,gotophoto, and obtain similar results. Based on repeatability measurements, we measure a$5\sigma$L-band survey depth of between 19 and 20 magnitudes, depending on observing conditions. We assess, using repeated observations of non-varying standard Sloan Digital Sky Survey stars, the accuracy of our uncertainties, which we find are typically overestimated by roughly a factor of two for bright sources (i.e.,$< 15{\rm th} \mathrm{mag}$), but slightly underestimated (by roughly a factor of 1.25) for fainter sources ($> 17{\rm th} \mathrm{mag}$). Finally, we present lightcurves for a selection of variable sources and compare them to those obtained with the Zwicky Transient Factory and GAIA. Despite the LSST Software Pipelines still undergoing active development, our results show that they are already delivering robust forced photometry measurements from GOTO data.
CONTEMPORARY COPPER AGE BURIALS FROM THE VARNA MORTUARY ZONE, BULGARIA
Authors: Gaydarska Bisserka , Bayliss Alex , Slavchev Vladimir
Published: June 2021

The Copper Age cemetery in Varna, Bulgaria, is famous for the earliest known, massive deposition of exquisite golden artefacts. Radiocarbon dating of the Varna i cemetery, excavated in the period 1972–91, places it in the mid-fifth millennium bc and suggests a duration of c 225 years from c 4550 to c 4325 cal bc. Construction work in the adjacent area (2.5 km to the east of Varna i cemetery) in December 2017 led to the discovery of sixteen new graves, whose characteristics are identical to the burials in the cemetery investigated in the last century. This article discusses the AMS dates of ten newly discovered inhumations. The results match well the existing cemetery chronology, showing that the new graves start slightly later and end earlier than Varna i and have a shorter duration of probably no more than a few decades. It is demonstrated for the first time that some areas of burial on the terrace were in continuous use for one or two generations only, suggesting multi-focal depositional activities as opposed to expedient and opportunistic spatial utilisation.
Consumption of carbonated soft drinks, fruits and vegetables and association with macroeconomic indicators: the analysis of students from seventy-four countries (2003–2015)
Authors: Ferreira Nathália L. , Bispo Stephanie , Claro Rafael M. , Lopes Aline C. S.
Published: June 2021

This study aimed to compare fruits and vegetables (FV), and carbonated soft drink (CSD) consumption among adolescents from seventy-four countries, according to macroeconomic indicators. This is an ecological study, developed with countries evaluated through the Global School-based Student Health Survey (2003–2014) and the National School Health Survey (PeNSE-Brazil, 2015). The percentages of students in each country who consumed CSD and FV daily and their association with the Human Development Index (HDI) and the Gross National Income per capita (GNIpc) were assessed. Scatter plots were constructed for each marker, and a multilevel model was tested to consider the effects of region in the associations. The overall prevalence of daily CSD consumption was 54·1 %. CSD consumption was positively associated with HDI and GNIpc through multilevel models, and Central and South America showed a considerable higher consumption compared with other regions. Overall, FV daily consumption was 67·9 % and 74·6 %, respectively, and no associations with macroeconomic indicators were found. The study shows concerning rates of CSD consumption among adolescents, and a trend of increased consumption with the improvement of the country’s development and GNIpc. This points for the importance of public policies that regulate food and beverage industries to reduce CSD consumption and related co-morbidities among adolescents.
Homotopy nilpotency of localized spheres and projective spaces
Authors: Golasiński Marek
Published: June 2021

For the $p$-localized sphere $\mathbb {S}^{2m-1}_{(p)}$ with $p >3$ a prime, we prove that the homotopy nilpotency satisfies $\mbox {nil}\ \mathbb {S}^{2m-1}_{(p)}<\infty$, with respect to any homotopy associative $H$-structure on $\mathbb {S}^{2m-1}_{(p)}$. We also prove that $\mbox {nil}\ \mathbb {S}^{2m-1}_{(p)}= 1$ for all but a finite number of primes $p >3$. Then, for the loop space of the associated $\mathbb {S}^{2m-1}_{(p)}$-projective space $\mathbb {S}^{2m-1}_{(p)}P(n-1)$, with $m,n\ge 2$ and $m\mid p-1$, we derive that $\mbox {nil}\ \Omega (\mathbb {S}^{2m-1}_{(p)}P (n-1))\le 3$.
Japanese women singer-songwriters of the 1970s: female agency, musical impact and social change
Authors: Lehtonen Lasse
Published: June 2021

With the debuts of highly popular artists such as Matsutōya Yumi, Nakajima Miyuki and Takeuchi Mariya, Japanese popular music of the 1970s saw a rise of young female singer-songwriters. Not only were they notably successful commercially but they were also respected as creative artists. This recognition and valuation of female professional creativity was extraordinary from a gender point of view. Furthermore, their position as active social agents defied the social expectations for women in Japan at that time. In this respect, they can be conceptualised as a musical embodiment of the movements pursuing female emancipation in the 1970s. While the musical significance of these female singer-songwriters has been recognised in previous studies, the gender point of view has remained largely unaddressed. By drawing from theories about female musicians and canon formation, this article re-assesses the social significance of Japanese female singer-songwriters of the 1970s.
Feasible speeds for two optimal periodic walking gaits of a planar biped robot
Authors: Hobon Mathieu , De-León-Gómez Víctor , Abba Gabriel , Aoustin Yannick , Chevallereau Christine
Published: June 2021

The purpose is to define the range of feasible speeds for two walking motions for a particular planar biped robot, which differ in the definition of their finite-time double support phases. For each speed, these two walking motions are numerically obtained by using a parametric optimization algorithm, regarding a sthenic criterion. Results allow us to define the range of allowable speeds for each walking. One result is that the first gait is less consuming in energy for moderate to fast velocity with respect to the second one, while the second gait is more efficient for low walking velocity.
IDENTIFICATION AND ESTIMATION IN A CORRELATED RANDOM COEFFICIENTS TRANSFORMATION MODEL
Authors: Zhang Zhengyu , Jin Zequn , Mu Beili
Published: June 2021

This study examines identification and estimation in a correlated random coefficients (CRC) model with an unknown transformation of the dependent variable, namely$\lambda \left (Y^{*}\right)=B_{0}+X^{\prime }B$, where the latent outcome$Y^{*}$may be subject to a certain kind of censoring mechanism,$\lambda (\cdot)$is an unknown, one-to-one monotone function, and the random coefficients$\left (B_{0},B\right)$are allowed to be correlated with one or several components ofX. Under a conditional median independence plus a conditional median zero restriction, the mean ofBis shown to be identified up to scale. Moreover, we show the derivative of the median structural function (MSF) is point identified. This derivative of MSF resembles the marginal treatment effect introduced by Heckman and Vytlacil (2005,Econometrica73, 669–738).

It generalizes the usual average treatment effect in a linear CRC model and coincides with$E(B)$when$\lambda $is equal to the identity function; it is invariant to both location and scale normalization on the coefficients. We develop estimators for the identified parameters and derive asymptotic properties for the derivative of MSF. An empirical example using the U.K. Family Expenditure Survey is provided.
Understanding how opportunity cost affects multi-objective conservation investment in the Central and Southern Appalachian Region (USA)
Authors: Cho Seong-Hoon , Lee Young Gwan , Zhu Gengping
Published: June 2021

Consensus does not exist for which cost forms (i.e., one accounting solely for explicit cost and the other for both explicit and opportunity costs as in relative opportunity cost) are used in calculating return on investment (ROI) for conservation-related decisions. This research examines how the cost of conservation investment with and without inclusion of the opportunity cost of the protected area results in different solutions in a multi-objective optimization framework at the county level in the Central and Southern Appalachian Region of the USA. We maximize rates of ROI of both forest-dependent biodiversity and economic impact generated by forest-based payments for ecosystem services. We find that the conservation budget is optimally distributed more narrowly among counties that are more likely to be rural when the investment cost measure is relative opportunity cost than when it is explicit cost. We also find that the sacrifice in forest-dependent biodiversity per unit increase in economic impact is higher when investment cost is measured by relative opportunity cost rather than when measured by explicit cost. By understanding the consequences of using one cost measure over the other, a conservation agency can decide on which cost measure is more appropriate for informing the agency’s decision-making process.
Parent mental health and family functioning following diagnosis of CHD: a research agenda and recommendations from the Cardiac Neurodevelopmental Outcome Collaborative
Authors: Sood Erica , Lisanti Amy Jo , Woolf-King Sarah E. , Wray Jo , Kasparian Nadine , Jackson Emily , Gregory Mary R. , Lopez Keila N. , Marino Bradley S. , Neely Trent , Randall Amy , Zyblewski Sinai C. , Brosig Cheryl L.
Published: June 2021

Diagnosis of CHD substantially affects parent mental health and family functioning, thereby influencing child neurodevelopmental and psychosocial outcomes. Recognition of the need to proactively support parent mental health and family functioning following cardiac diagnosis to promote psychosocial adaptation has increased substantially over recent years. However, significant gaps in knowledge remain and families continue to report critical unmet psychosocial needs. TheParent Mental Health and Family Functioning Working Groupof the Cardiac Neurodevelopmental Outcome Collaborative was formed in 2018 through support from an R13 grant from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute to identify significant knowledge gaps related to parent mental health and family functioning, as well as critical questions that must be answered to further knowledge, policy, care, and outcomes. Conceptually driven investigations are needed to identify parent mental health and family functioning factors with the strongest influence on child outcomes, to obtain a deeper understanding of the biomarkers associated with these factors, and to better understand how parent mental health and family functioning influence child outcomes over time. Investigations are also needed to develop, test, and implement sustainable models of mental health screening and assessment, as well as effective interventions to optimise parent mental health and family functioning to promote psychosocial adaptation. The critical questions and investigations outlined in this paper provide a roadmap for future research to close gaps in knowledge, improve care, and promote positive outcomes for families of children with CHD.
Evaluating the implementation and customer acceptability of a sugar-sweetened beverage reduction initiative in thirty Australian aquatic and recreation centres
Authors: Boelsen-Robinson Tara , Jerebine Alethea , Kurzeme Ariana , Gilham Beth , Huse Oliver T , Blake Miranda R , Backholer Kathryn , Chung Alexandra , Peeters Anna
Published: June 2021

Objective:

To assess the feasibility of implementation and customer perspectives of a sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) reduction initiative across YMCA Victoria aquatic and recreation centres.

Design:

Two data sources were used to assess implementation and customer acceptability. Photo audits were used to assess the type of drinks available for purchase 6 months prior to initiative implementation and 6 months after, in thirty centres. Change in the range of SSB targeted for removal, non-targeted SSB, as well as drinks classified as ‘red’ (limit), ‘amber’ (choose carefully) and ‘green’ (best choice), was reported. Customer surveys were conducted in three centres to assess acceptability and awareness of the initiative. Inductive and deductive thematic analysis was used to analyse customers’ perspectives of the initiative.

Setting:

30 aquatic and recreation centres in Victoria, Australia.

Participants:

806 customers.

Results:

At post-implementation, 87 % of centres had removed targeted SSB. ‘Red’ drinks reduced by an average of 4·4 drink varieties compared to pre-implementation (11·9 varieties) and ‘green’ drinks increased by 1·4 varieties (3·2 varieties pre-implementation). Customers were largely unaware of the SSB-reduction initiative (90 %) but supported YMCA Victoria in continuing the initiative (89 %), with many believing it would support children in making healthier choices.

Conclusions:

Implementation of an initiative that limited SSB availability across a large number of aquatic and recreation centres was feasible and considered acceptable by customers. Customers frequently mentioned the importance of protecting children from consuming SSB.
Quantitative 3D Characterization of Nanoporous Gold Nanoparticles by Transmission Electron Microscopy
Authors: Mahr Christoph , Dworzak Alexandra , Schowalter Marco , Oezaslan Mehtap , Rosenauer Andreas
Published: June 2021

Quantitative structural characterization of nanomaterials is important to tailor their functional properties. Corrosion of AgAu-alloy nanoparticles (NPs) results in porous structures, making them interesting for applications especially in the fields of catalysis and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy. For the present report, structures of dealloyed NPs were reconstructed three-dimensionally using scanning transmission electron microscopy tomography. These reconstructions were evaluated quantitatively, revealing structural information such as pore size, porosity, specific surface area, and tortuosity. Results show significant differences compared to the structure of dealloyed bulk samples and can be used as input for simulations of diffusion or mass transport processes, for example, in catalytic applications.
ASYMMETRICAL CELL DIVISION WITH EXPONENTIAL GROWTH
Authors: ZAIDI A. A. , VAN BRUNT B.
Published: June 2021

An advanced pantograph-type partial differential equation, supplemented with initial and boundary conditions, arises in a model of asymmetric cell division. Methods for solving such problems are limited owing to functional (nonlocal) terms. The separation of variables entails an eigenvalue problem that involves a nonlocal ordinary differential equation. We discuss plausible eigenvalues that may yield nontrivial solutions to the problem for certain choices of growth and division rates of cells. We also consider the asymmetric division of cells with linear growth rate which corresponds to “exponential growth” and exponential rate of cell division, and show that the solution to the problem is a certain Dirichlet series. The distribution of the first moment of the biomass is shown to be unimodal.
Substantial Sea Surface Temperature Cooling in the Banda Sea Associated With the Madden‐Julian Oscillation in the Boreal Winter of 2015
Authors: Pei Suyang , Shinoda Toshiaki , Steffen John , Seo Hyodae
Published: June 2021

Substantial (∼2°C) basin averaged sea surface temperature (SST) cooling in the Banda Sea occurred in less than a  14‐day period during the 2015 boreal winter Madden‐Julian Oscillation (MJO). Such rapid and large cooling associated with the MJO has not been reported at least in the last two decades. Processes that control the substantial cooling during the 2015 MJO event are examined using high‐resolution ocean reanalysis and one‐dimensional (1‐D) ocean model simulations. Previous studies suggest that MJO‐induced SST variability in the Banda Sea is primarily controlled by surface heat flux. However, heat budget analysis of the model indicates that entrainment cooling produced by vertical mixing contributes more than surface heat flux for driving the basin‐wide SST cooling during the 2015 event. Analysis of the ocean reanalysis further demonstrates that the prominent coastal upwelling around islands in the southern basin occurs near the end of the cooling period. The upwelled cold waters are advected by MJO‐induced surface currents to a large area within the Banda Sea, which further maintains the basin‐wide cold SST. These results are compared with another MJO‐driven substantial cooling event during the boreal winter of 2007 in which the cooling is mostly driven by surface heat flux. Sensitivity experiments, in which initial temperature conditions for the two events are replaced by each other, demonstrate that the elevated thermocline associated with the 2015 strong El Niño is largely responsible for the intensified cooling generated by the vertical mixing with colder subsurface waters.
Development and Implementation of a Physics‐Based Convective Mixing Scheme in the Community Multiscale Air Quality Modeling Framework
Authors: Pouyaei Arman , Sadeghi Bavand , Choi Yunsoo , Jung Jia , Souri Amir H. , Zhao Chun , Song Chul Han
Published: June 2021

To improve the representation of convective mixing of atmospheric pollutants in the presence of clouds, we developed a convection module based on Kain and Fritsch (KF) method and implemented it in the Community Multiscale Air Quality model. The KF‐convection method is a mass‐flux‐based model that accounts for updraft flux, downdraft flux, entrainment, detrainment, and the subsidence effect. The method is consistent with the convection parametrization of the meteorology model. We apply the KF‐convection model to an idealized case and to a reference setup prepared for East Asia during the KORUS‐AQ campaign period to investigate its impact on carbon monoxide (CO) concentration at various atmospheric altitudes. We investigate the impact of KF‐convection on the horizontal distribution of CO concentrations by comparing it to aircraft measurements and the MOPITT CO column. We further discuss two types of impacts of KF‐convection: the direct impact caused by vertical movement of CO concentrations by updraft or downdraft and the indirect impact caused by transport of lifted CO concentrations to another region. May 12 saw a high indirect impact originating from the Shanghai region at higher altitudes and a high direct impact of updraft fluxes at 1 km altitude. However, May 26 revealed an immense updraft increasing higher altitude concentrations (up to 40 ppbv) and diverse indirect impacts over the region of the study (±50 ppbv). The overall comparison shows a strong connection between differences in the amount of concentration caused by the direct impact at each altitude with the presence of an updraft at that altitude. The developed model can be employed in large domains (i.e., East Asia, Europe, North America, and Northern Hemisphere) with sub‐grid scale cloud modeling to include the impacts of convection.
A new approach for investigating the relative contribution of basal glucose and postprandial glucose to HbA1C
Authors: Ma Jing , He Hua , Yang Xiaojie , Chen Dawei , Tan Cuixia , Zhong Li , Du Qiling , Wu Xiaohua , Gao Yunyi , Liu Guanjian , Wang Chun , Ran Xingwu
Published: June 2021

To develop an accurate method for evaluating the relative contributions of basal glucose (BG) and postprandial glucose (PPG) to glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) in subjects with hyperglycaemia using a Continuous Glucose Monitoring System (CGMS®). The subjects were divided into the normal glucose tolerance (NGT), impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), newly-diagnosed type 2 diabetes (NDDM), and drug-treated type 2 diabetes (T2DM) groups. We evaluated the relative contributions of BG and PPG to HbA1c in patients with hyperglycaemia according to three different baseline values. Subjects (n = 490) were grouped as follows: 92 NGT, 36 IGT, 131 NDDM, and 231 T2DM. The relative contributions of PPG to HbA1c were calculated using baseline values of 6.1 mmol/L, 5.6 mmol/L, and the 24-h glucose curve of the NGT group. The relative contribution of PPG to HbA1c decreased progressively from the IGT group to the T2DM group. Compared with the 24-h glucose curve as the baseline, the relative contribution of PPG was overestimated in 9.04% and 1.76% of the subjects when 6.1 mmol/L and 5.6 mmol/L were used as baselines, respectively (P < 0.01), in T2DM patients. The 24-h glucose curve of NGT is more suitable for studying the relative contributions of BG and PPG to HbA1c and it is more precise, as it considers physiological fluctuations in NGT after meals. However, 5.6 mmol/L can be used when the 24-h glucose curve for NGT is unavailable; using 6.1 mmol/L as a baseline value may overestimate the contribution to the HbA1c. There is no unified standard for assessing the contributions of basal glucose (BG) and postprandial glucose (PPG) to HbA1c. The 24-h glucose curve of NGT is more suitable for studying the relative contributions of BG and PPG to HbA1c, as it considers physiological fluctuations in NGT after meals. However, 5.6 mmol/L can be used when the 24-h glucose curve for NGT is unavailable; using 6.1 mmol/L as a baseline value may overestimate the contribution to the HbA1c.
Insula sub-regions across the psychosis spectrum: morphology and clinical correlates
Authors: Sheffield Julia M. , Huang Anna S. , Rogers Baxter P. , Blackford Jennifer Urbano , Heckers Stephan , Woodward Neil D.
Published: June 2021

The insula is a heterogeneous cortical region, comprised of three cytoarchitecturally distinct sub-regions (agranular, dysgranular, and granular), which traverse the anterior-posterior axis and are differentially involved in affective, cognitive, and somatosensory processing. Smaller insula volume is consistently reported in psychosis-spectrum disorders and is hypothesized to result, in part, from abnormal neurodevelopment. To better understand the regional and diagnostic specificity of insula abnormalities in psychosis, their developmental etiology, and clinical correlates, we characterized insula volume and morphology in a large group of adults with a psychotic disorder (schizophrenia spectrum, psychotic bipolar disorder) and a community-ascertained cohort of psychosis-spectrum youth (age 8–21). Insula volume and morphology (cortical thickness, gyrification, sulcal depth) were quantified from T1-weighted structural brain images using the Computational Anatomy Toolbox (CAT12). Healthy adults (n = 196), people with a psychotic disorder (n = 303), and 1368 individuals from the Philadelphia Neurodevelopmental Cohort (PNC) (381 typically developing (TD), 381 psychosis-spectrum (PS) youth, 606 youth with other psychopathology (OP)), were investigated. Insula volume was significantly reduced in adults with psychotic disorders and psychosis-spectrum youth, following an anterior-posterior gradient across granular sub-regions. Morphological abnormalities were limited to lower gyrification in psychotic disorders, which was specific to schizophrenia and associated with cognitive ability. Insula volume and thickness were associated with cognition, and positive and negative symptoms of psychosis. We conclude that smaller insula volume follows an anterior-posterior gradient in psychosis and confers a broad risk for psychosis-spectrum disorders. Reduced gyrification is specific to schizophrenia and may reflect altered prenatal development that contributes to cognitive impairment.
Teasing apart trauma: neural oscillations differentiate individual cases of mild traumatic brain injury from post-traumatic stress disorder even when symptoms overlap
Authors: Zhang Jing , Emami Zahra , Safar Kristina , McCunn Patrick , Richardson J. Don , Rhind Shawn G. , da Costa Leodante , Jetly Rakesh , Dunkley Benjamin T.
Published: June 2021

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) are highly prevalent and closely related disorders. Affected individuals often exhibit substantially overlapping symptomatology – a major challenge for differential diagnosis in both military and civilian contexts. According to our symptom assessment, the PTSD group exhibited comparable levels of concussion symptoms and severity to the mTBI group. An objective and reliable system to uncover the key neural signatures differentiating these disorders would be an important step towards translational and applied clinical use. Here we explore use of MEG (magnetoencephalography)-multivariate statistical learning analysis in identifying the neural features for differential PTSD/mTBI characterisation. Resting state MEG-derived regional neural activity and coherence (or functional connectivity) across seven canonical neural oscillation frequencies (delta to high gamma) were used. The selected features were consistent and largely confirmatory with previously established neurophysiological markers for the two disorders. For regional power from theta, alpha and high gamma bands, the amygdala, hippocampus and temporal areas were identified. In line with regional activity, additional connections within the occipital, parietal and temporal regions were selected across a number of frequency bands. This study is the first to employ MEG-derived neural features to reliably and differentially stratify the two disorders in a multi-group context. The features from alpha and beta bands exhibited the best classification performance, even in cases where distinction by concussion symptom profiles alone were extremely difficult. We demonstrate the potential of using ‘invisible’ neural indices of brain functioning to understand and differentiate these debilitating conditions.
Prognostic value of measurable residual disease monitoring by next-generation sequencing before and after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation in acute myeloid leukemia
Authors: Kim Hee-Je , Kim Yonggoo , Kang Dain , Kim Hoon Seok , Lee Jong-Mi , Kim Myungshin , Cho Byung-Sik
Published: June 2021

Given limited studies on next-generation sequencing-based measurable residual disease (NGS-MRD) in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT), we longitudinally collected samples before and after allo-HSCT from two independent prospective cohorts (n = 132) and investigated the prognostic impact of amplicon-based NGS assessment. Persistent mutations were detected pre-HSCT (43%) and 1 month after HSCT (post-HSCT-1m, 20%). All persistent mutations at both pre-HSCT and post-HSCT-1m were significantly associated with post-transplant relapse and worse overall survival. Changes in MRD status from pre-HSCT to post-HSCT-1m indicated a higher risk for relapse and death. Isolated detectable mutations in genes associated with clonal hematopoiesis were also significant predictors of post-transplant relapse. The optimal time point of NGS-MRD assessment depended on the conditioning intensity (pre-HSCT for myeloablative conditioning and post-HSCT-1m for reduced-intensity conditioning). Serial NGS-MRD monitoring revealed that most residual clones at both pre-HSCT and post-HSCT-1m in patients who never relapsed disappeared after allo-HSCT. Reappearance of mutant clones before overt relapse was detected by the NGS-MRD assay. Taken together, NGS-MRD detection has a prognostic value at both pre-HSCT and post-HSCT-1m, regardless of the mutation type, depending on the conditioning intensity. Serial NGS-MRD monitoring was feasible to compensate for the limited performance of the NGS-MRD assay.
Suppression of m6A mRNA modification by DNA hypermethylated ALKBH5 aggravates the oncological behavior of KRAS mutation/LKB1 loss lung cancer
Authors: Zhang Donghong , Ning Jinfeng , Okon Imoh , Zheng Xiaoxu , Satyanarayana Ganesh , Song Ping , Xu Shidong , Zou Ming-Hui
Published: June 2021

Oncogenic KRAS mutations combined with the loss of the LKB1 tumor-suppressor gene (KL) are strongly associated with aggressive forms of lung cancer. N6-methyladenosine (m6A) in mRNA is a crucial epigenetic modification that controls cancer self-renewal and progression. However, the regulation and role of m6A modification in this cancer are unclear. We found that decreased m6A levels correlated with the disease progression and poor survival for KL patients. The correlation was mediated by a special increase in ALKBH5 (AlkB family member 5) levels, an m6A demethylase. ALKBH5 gain- or loss-of function could effectively reverse LKB1 regulated cell proliferation, colony formation, and migration of KRAS-mutated lung cancer cells. Mechanistically, LKB1 loss upregulated ALKBH5 expression by DNA hypermethylation of the CTCF-binding motif on the ALKBH5 promoter, which inhibited CTCF binding but enhanced histone modifications, including H3K4me3, H3K9ac, and H3K27ac. This effect could successfully be rescued by LKB1 expression. ALKBH5 demethylation of m6A stabilized oncogenic drivers, such as SOX2, SMAD7, and MYC, through a pathway dependent on YTHDF2, an m6A reader protein. The above findings were confirmed in clinical KRAS-mutated lung cancer patients. We conclude that loss of LKB1 promotes ALKBH5 transcription by a DNA methylation mechanism, reduces m6A modification, and increases the stability of m6A target oncogenes, thus contributing to aggressive phenotypes of KRAS-mutated lung cancer.
Predicting ROR1/BCL2 combination targeted therapy of small cell carcinoma of the lung
Authors: Wang Walter Z. , Shilo Konstantin , Amann Joseph M. , Shulman Alyssa , Hojjat-Farsangi Mohammad , Mellstedt Håkan , Schultz Johan , Croce Carlo M. , Carbone David P.
Published: June 2021

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) remains a deadly form of cancer, with a 5-year survival rate of less than 10 percent, necessitating novel therapies. Receptor tyrosine kinase-like orphan receptor 1 (ROR1) is an oncofetal protein that is emerging as a therapeutic target and is co-expressed with BCL2 in multiple tumor types due to microRNA coregulation. We hypothesize that ROR1-targeted therapy is effective in small cell lung cancer and synergizes with therapeutic BCL2 inhibition. Tissue microarrays (TMAs) and formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) SCLC patient samples were utilized to determine the prevalence of ROR1 and BCL2 expression in SCLC. Eight SCLC-derived cell lines were used to determine the antitumor activity of a small molecule ROR1 inhibitor (KAN0441571C) alone and in combination with the BCL2 inhibitor venetoclax. The Chou-Talalay method was utilized to determine synergy with the drug combination. ROR1 and BCL2 protein expression was identified in 93% (52/56) and 86% (48/56) of SCLC patient samples, respectively. Similarly, ROR1 and BCL2 were shown by qRT-PCR to have elevated expression in 79% (22/28) and 100% (28/28) of SCLC patient samples, respectively. KAN0441571C displayed efficacy in 8 SCLC cell lines, with an IC50 of 500 nM or less. Synergy as defined by a combination index of <1 via the Chou-Talalay method between KAN0441571C and venetoclax was demonstrated in 8 SCLC cell lines. We have shown that ROR1 inhibition is synergistic with BCL2 inhibition in SCLC models and shows promise as a novel therapeutic target in SCLC.
The N6-methyladenosine demethylase ALKBH5 negatively regulates the osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells through PRMT6
Authors: Li Zhaofeng , Wang Peng , Li Jinteng , Xie Zhongyu , Cen Shuizhong , Li Ming , Liu Wenjie , Ye Guiwen , Zheng Guan , Ma Mengjun , Wang Shan , Yu Wenhui , Wu Yanfeng , Shen Huiyong
Published: June 2021

N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification is widespread in messenger RNAs and increasing evidence suggests the crucial roles of m6A in cell differentiation and tissue development. However, whether m6A modulates the osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) has not been fully elucidated. Here we show that conditional knockout of the demethylase Alkbh5 in bone marrow MSCs strengthened bone mass in mice. Loss- and gain-of-function studies demonstrated that ALKBH5 negatively regulates the osteogenic differentiation of MSCs in vitro. At a mechanistic level, meRIP-seq and RNA-seq in MSCs following knockdown of ALKBH5 revealed changes in transcripts of PRMT6 containing consensus m6A motifs required for demethylation by ALKBH5. Furthermore, we found that ALKBH5 accelerates the degradation rate of PRMT6 mRNA in an m6A-dependent manner, and that the ALKBH5-PRMT6 axis regulates the osteogenesis of MSCs, mainly through activation of the PI3K/AKT pathway. Thus, our work reveals a different facet of the novel ALKBH5-PRMT6 axis that modulates the osteogenic differentiation of MSCs, which can serve as a target to improve the clinical use of MSCs.
H2S protects hippocampal neurons against hypoxia-reoxygenation injury by promoting RhoA phosphorylation at Ser188
Authors: Chen Ye , Wen Jiyue , Chen Zhiwu
Published: June 2021

Inhibition of RhoA-ROCK pathway is involved in the H2S-induced cerebral vasodilatation and H2S-mediated protection on endothelial cells against oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation injury. However, the inhibitory mechanism of H2S on RhoA-ROCK pathway is still unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the target and mechanism of H2S in inhibition of RhoA/ROCK. GST-RhoAwildand GST-RhoAS188Aproteins were constructed and expressed, and were used for phosphorylation assay in vitro. Recombinant RhoAwild-pEGFP-N1 and RhoAS188A-pEGFP-N1 plasmids were constructed and transfected into primary hippocampal nerve cells (HNCs) to evaluate the neuroprotective mechanism of endothelial H2S by using transwell co-culture system with endothelial cells from cystathionine-γ-lyase knockout (CSE−/−) mice and 3-mercaptopyruvate sulfurtransferase knockout (3-MST−/−) rats, respectively. We found that NaHS, exogenous H2S donor, promoted RhoA phosphorylation at Ser188 in the presence of cGMP-dependent protein kinase 1 (PKG1) in vitro. Besides, both exogenous and endothelial H2S facilitated the RhoA phosphorylation at Ser188 in HNCs, which induced the reduction of RhoA activity and membrane transposition, as well as ROCK2activity and expression. To further investigate the role of endothelial H2S on RhoA phosphorylation, we detected H2S release from ECs of CSE+/+and CSE−/−mice, and 3-MST+/+and 3-MST−/−rats, respectively, and found that H2S produced by ECs in the culture medium is mainly catalyzed by CSE synthase. Moreover, we revealed that both endothelial H2S, mainly catalyzed by CSE, and exogenous H2S protected the HNCs against hypoxia-reoxygenation injury via phosphorylating RhoA at Ser188.