bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
3 Assessing inequality using labour income
Authors: Gomis Roger , Kapsos Steven
Published: March 2020

This chapter focuses on the implications for inequality of recent ILO estimates of the labour income share and distribution. Using household surveys for 95 countries, mainly from the ILO Harmonized Microdata collection, we estimate the labour income of the self‐employed to produce an internationally comparable labour income share dataset. Furthermore, we use the same methodology to obtain the first‐ever estimates of the labour income distribution. The labour income distribution estimates complement the two main data sources used until now to study inequality: expenditure distribution and total income distribution. Crucially, labour income distribution data have a reasonable coverage for all country income groups, unlike other data sources that are characterized by undercoverage for either lower‐income countries (regarding data on total income) or higher‐income countries (regarding data on expenditure).

The estimates show that the global labour income share declined substantially between 2004 and 2017. In high‐income countries, the decline in the labour share is driven largely by decreases in the average labour income of the self‐employed. This is consistent with a scenario in which new forms of work erode the earning power of the self‐employed. Focusing on income inequality, the use of the labour income distribution as a proxy for the total income distribution is found to be a more reliable proxy than the commonly used expenditure distribution data. Moreover, the estimates suggest that the use of expenditure as a proxy of income have led earlier studies to underestimate total income inequality severely in less developed countries. Hence, global income inequality is likely to be much higher than previously assumed.
Fluorotrimethyl[(Z)‐pentafluoropropen‐1‐yl]phosphorane: Structure, Bonding, and Reactivity
Authors: Keßler Mira , Neumann Beate , Stammler Hans‐Georg , Hoge Berthold
Published: March 2020

In this contribution we report on fluorotrimethyl[(Z)‐pentafluoropropen‐1‐yl]phosphorane as a phosphorus based fluorinating reagent. Its solid state structure can be described as a trigonal bipyramid featuring elongated axial bonds due to the formation of a 3‐center 4‐electron bond. Abstraction of the fluoride ion leads to a shortening of the axial P–C bond. Thus the title compound can be utilized for substitution of bromine with fluorine and for the transfer of fluoride ions onto electrophilic compounds. Reaction with Sn(C2F5)2Br2 afforded salt [P(CH3)3(C3F5)]2[Sn(C2F5)2F4]. When fluorotrimethyl[(Z)‐pentafluoropropen‐1‐yl]phosphorane was treated with P(C2F5)2F the primarily produced anion is sufficiently nucleophilic to attack the propenyl group of the cation in β‐position to the phosphorus atom to yield zwitterionic [Me3PCF=C(CF3)–PF3(C2F5)2].
Quality of life among Ethiopian cancer patients
Authors: Wondie Yemataw , Hinz Andreas
Published: March 2020

Purpose

Cancer is of increasing prevalence in less-developed countries. However, research on the patients’ quality of life (QoL) in these countries is very limited. The aim of this study was to examine QoL of cancer patients in Africa.

Method

A sample of 256 cancer patients treated in an Ethiopian hospital was examined with the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire EORTC QLQ-C30, the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory, and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. A group of 1664 German cancer patients served as a comparison group.

Results

Most of the scales of the EORTC QLQ-C30 showed acceptable reliability in the Ethiopian sample. Compared with the German cancer patients, the Ethiopian patients showed lower QoL in most dimensions, especially in financial difficulties, physical functioning, pain, and appetite loss (effect sizes between 0.52 and 0.75). Illiteracy, tumor stage, and treatment (surgery and chemotherapy) were associated with QoL in the Ethiopian sample. QoL was strongly correlated with fatigue, anxiety, and depression.

Conclusion

The EORTC QLQ-C30 is a suitable instrument for measuring QoL in Ethiopia. The detriments in QoL in the Ethiopian patients indicate specific cancer care needs for the patients in a developing country.
Aarhus-Konvention und Unionsrecht als prägende Faktoren für die Verbandsklage im UmwRG
Authors: Guckelberger Annette
Published: March 2020

Die Aarhus-Konvention kann auf eine nunmehr 20-jährige Geschichte zurückblicken. Bis heute
sind aber noch keineswegs alle Rechtsfragen geklärt. Die Haltung des Aarhus Convention Compliance
Committee sowie die Rechtsprechung des EuGH zu Art. 9 Abs. 2, 3 Aarhus-Konvention (nachfolgend: AK) haben
erhebliche Folgen für die Ausgestaltung der Verbandsklage im UmwRG. Dieses musste mehrmals nachjustiert
werden, weitere Änderungen sind zu prognostizieren.
Allgemeiner Rahmen der energetischen Folgenutzung von ehemaligen Kohlestandorten im Zuge des Kohleausstiegs
Authors: Wehmeyer Anna
Published: March 2020

Dieser Beitrag befasst sich mit der Frage, unter welchen Bedingungen die ehemals bergbaulich und zum
Zweck der Kohleverstromung genutzten Flächen zum erforderlichen Ausbau der erneuerbaren Energien und
Energiezwischenspeicher verwendet werden können. Dazu wird untersucht, welche Empfehlungen der Abschlussbericht
der Kommission “Wachstum, Strukturwandel und Beschäftigung” zur Folgenutzung ehemaliger
Kohlestandorte enthält und danach, welche rechtlichen Bestimmungen sich durch das Bundesberggesetz
(BBergG), das Raumordnungsrecht und das Genehmigungsrecht für erneuerbare Energien und Energiezwischenspeicher
ergeben. Außerdem wird der aktuelle Stand in Form von aktuellen Projekten und die aktuelle Gesetzgebung
diesbezüglich betrachtet. Der erste Teil untersucht den Abschlussbericht der Kommission “Wachstum,
Strukturwandel und Beschäftigung” und die allgemeinen rechtlichen Rahmenbedingungen, denen die
Folgenutzung der ehemaligen Kohlestandorte und die Errichtung von Anlagen zur Erzeugung von Strom aus erneuerbaren
Energien unterstehen.
Neue Regeln für die Gentechnik in Europa?
Authors: Andersen Elisabeth , Schreiber Katharina
Published: March 2020

Anknüpfend an den Beitrag der Autorinnen in NuR 2020, 99ff. zum EuGH-Urteil C-528/16 vom 25.
Juli 2018 zur Anwendbarkeit der Europäischen Freisetzungsrichtlinie 2001/18/EG auf zielgerichtete Mutageneseverfahren
im Rahmen der Grünen Gentechnologie und den dazu ergangenen Reaktionen beleuchtet der vorliegende Beitrag
die Auswirkungen des Urteils auf den Handel und die Forschung. Darüber hinaus gibt der Beitrag durch
die Darstellung und Kommentierung der im Nachgang zur Entscheidung ergangenen Reformvorschläge einen
Ausblick auf die möglichen weiteren Entwicklungen im Bereich der europäischen Regulierung von
genetisch veränderten Organismen.
Determining the total energy budget of the tick Ixodes ricinus
Authors: Alasmari Saeed , Wall Richard
Published: March 2020

Precise and accessible techniques for measuring metabolic responses to environmental stress are essential to allow the likely impacts of climate and climate change on tick distribution, abundance and phenology to be predicted. A more detailed understanding of the metabolic profile of ticks may also help the complex responses to pathogen infection and effects on transmission to be evaluated. Here, a series of biochemical protocols employing spectrophotometric methods are used to determine the entire energy budget of ticks. Protein, carbohydrate, total lipid, neutral lipid and glycogen were measured in individualIxodes ricinusnymphs and adults. Two key trends were identified: in adults, protein was relatively more abundant than in nymphs, whereas in nymphs, glycogen and carbohydrate were more abundant than in adults, with glycogen alone composing 39% of the mass of metabolites in nymphs compared to 15 and 10% in females and males, respectively. The methods used were able to successfully separate neutral lipids from the polar phospholipids and the importance of distinguishing stored from structural lipid in estimates of lipid reserves is emphasised. The results demonstrate that the spectrophotometric approaches deliver relatively rapid and reliable estimates of the total energetic budget and can be used to quantify the metabolic profiles of individual ticks, demonstrating their suitability for use in ecological and epidemiological studies.
The impact of Oncotype DX breast cancer assay results on clinical practice: a UK experience
Authors: Crolley Valerie E. , Marashi Husam , Rawther Shabbir , Sirohi Bhawna , Parton Marina , Graham Janine , Vinayan Anup , Sutherland Stephanie , Rigg Anne , Wadhawan Anshu , Harper-Wynne Catherine , Spurrell Emma , Bond Hannah , Raja Fharat , King Judy
Published: March 2020

Background

Genomic tests are increasingly being used by clinicians when considering adjuvant chemotherapy for patients with oestrogen receptor-positive (ER+), human epidermal growth factor 2-negative (HER2−) breast cancer. The Oncotype DX breast recurrence score assay was the first test available in the UK National Health Service. This study looked at how UK clinicians were interpreting Recurrence Scores (RS) in everyday practice.

Methods

RS, patient and tumour characteristics and adjuvant therapy details were retrospectively collected for 713 patients from 14 UK cancer centres. Risk by RS-pathology-clinical (RSPC) was calculated and compared to the low/intermediate/risk categories, both as originally defined (RS < 18, 18–30 and > 30) and also using redefined boundaries (RS < 11, 11–25 and > 25).

Results

49.8%, 36.2% and 14% of patients were at low (RS < 18), intermediate (RS 18–30) and high (RS > 30) risk of recurrence, respectively. Overall 26.7% received adjuvant chemotherapy. 49.2% of those were RS > 30; 93.3% of patients were RS > 25. Concordance between RS and RSPC improved when intermediate risk was defined as RS 11–25.

Conclusions

This real-world data demonstrate the value of genomic tests in reducing the use of adjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer. Incorporating clinical characteristics or RSPC scores gives additional prognostic information which may also aid clinicians’ decision making.
Reversible and non-reversible Markov chain Monte Carlo algorithms for reservoir simulation problems
Authors: Dobson P. , Fursov I. , Lord G. , Ottobre M.
Published: March 2020

We compare numerically the performance of reversible and non-reversible Markov Chain Monte Carlo algorithms for high-dimensional oil reservoir problems; because of the nature of the problem at hand, the target measures from which we sample are supported on bounded domains. We compare two strategies to deal with bounded domains, namely reflecting proposals off the boundary and rejecting them when they fall outside of the domain. We observe that for complex high-dimensional problems, reflection mechanisms outperform rejection approaches and that the advantage of introducing non-reversibility in the Markov Chain employed for sampling is more and more visible as the dimension of the parameter space increases.
The Dilemmas of Constitutional Courts and the Case for a New Design of Kelsenian Institutions
Authors: Castillo-Ortiz Pablo
Published: March 2020

Legal and political controversies persist about the performance of Kelsenian-type constitutional courts in democratic systems. One of the reasons is that the design of these institutions cannot easily accommodate simultaneous but conflicting demands for the strong protection of democracy and human rights, judicial independence and constitutional restraint. Challenging the dominant approach to the design of contemporary constitutional courts, this article proposes a new way to balance these three values through reforms to the structure of Kelsenian institutions. The proposal seeks to institutionalize constitutional restraint, embedding it into courts’ internal functioning rules while, concurrently, emancipating constitutional judges from political control through a reform of appointment procedures. It is argued that the combined effects of these two reforms will produce constitutional courts that are more independent and able to protect the core elements of a democratic political community while, at the same time, increasing constitutional deference to the democratically elected legislator.
Planktonic algae abundance and diversity are similar in urban stormwater ponds of different geographic locations and natural shallow lakes
Authors: Minelgaite Greta , Frost Paul C. , Xenopoulos Marguerite A. , Stephansen Diana A. , Fejerskov Morten L. , Vollertsen Jes
Published: March 2020

Elevated levels of different contaminants are typical to stormwater management ponds. Despite that, a number of works report stormwater ponds serving as habitats for a variety of biota. In this study we aimed to examine phytoplankton communities of urban ponds, as the basis of the aquatic food web, and compare them to those of natural shallow lakes. Stormwater ponds were selected from two distant geographic locations: three in Denmark and three in Canada. As a reference to natural systems, three Danish shallow lakes were sampled. The sampling was carried out in the spring, summer and fall of 2014. The phytoplankton communities in ponds were found to be at least as rich in taxa as natural shallow lakes. Their abundance and biovolume varied highly among the types of water bodies as well as in each pond or lake individually, depending on the sampling month. We did not find any significant differences among ponds and natural shallow lakes at the investigated taxonomic level, despite some distinction observed by multivariate DCA and CCA analyses. Little difference was found between Canadian and Danish ponds as well, even though they are separated by a large geographic distance. This study shows that stormwater ponds are habitats for diverse planktonic algae communities which have some similarities to those of natural shallow lakes. Also, the similarities observed between Danish and Canadian ponds indicate some consistence with the urban homogenization hypothesis, although this should be further looked into by future works examining a larger number and distinct types of ponds.
PARP inhibitors in the treatment of ovarian cancer
Authors: Zeimet Alain G. , Wieser Verena , Knoll Katharina , Reimer Daniel , Marth Christian
Published: March 2020

The recent exciting findings on the use of poly(adenosine diphosphate [ADP]-ribose) polymerase inhibitor (PARPi) maintenance therapy in the first-line and later lines of treatment in ovarian cancer are illustrated. Unprecedented advantages have been shown in first-line therapy not only in BRCA-mutated cancers, but also in tumor exhibiting a homologous recombination repair deficiency (HRD) unrelated to BRCA aberrations. The advantages of PARP maintenance therapy in around 50% of HR-proficient high-grade ovarian cancers are far less clear and, even though of statistical significance, the clinical benefit for the patients may be of borderline significance. The pre-treatment testing of HRD remains a matter of debate especially in the light of the current era of precision medicine. Data on the combination of PARPi with bevacizumab maintenance therapy uncovered additive beneficial therapeutic effects. In recurrent ovarian cancer, results on PARPi maintenance therapy after response to platinum-based reinduction chemotherapy are also excellent. At present, however, PARPi maintenance therapy remains reserved for PARPi-naive patients, since the data on PARPi after PARPi is extremely sparse.
Trustworthy Online Controlled Experiments
Authors: Kohavi Ron , Tang Diane , Xu Ya
Published: March 2020

Getting numbers is easy; getting numbers you can trust is hard. This practical guide by experimentation leaders at Google, LinkedIn, and Microsoft will teach you how to accelerate innovation using trustworthy online controlled experiments, or A/B tests. Based on practical experiences at companies that each run more than 20,000 controlled experiments a year, the authors share examples, pitfalls, and advice for students and industry professionals getting started with experiments, plus deeper dives into advanced topics for practitioners who want to improve the way they make data-driven decisions. Learn how to • Use the scientific method to evaluate hypotheses using controlled experiments • Define key metrics and ideally an Overall Evaluation Criterion • Test for trustworthiness of the results and alert experimenters to violated assumptions • Build a scalable platform that lowers the marginal cost of experiments close to zero • Avoid pitfalls like carryover effects and Twyman's law • Understand how statistical issues play out in practice.
Performance of simplified surgical site infection (SSI) surveillance case definitions for resource limited settings: Comparison to SSI cases reported to the National Healthcare Safety Network, 2013–2017
Authors: Westercamp Matthew D. , Dudeck Margaret A. , Allen-Bridson Kathy , Konnor Rebecca , Edwards Jonathan R. , Park Benjamin J. , Smith Rachel M.
Published: March 2020

Surgical site infections (SSIs) are among the most common healthcare-associated infections in low- and middle-income countries. To encourage establishment of actionable and standardized SSI surveillance in these countries, we propose simplified surveillance case definitions. Here, we use NHSN reports to explore concordance of these simplified definitions to NHSN as ‘reference standard.’
SEQUENTIAL COLLISION-FREE OPTIMAL MOTION PLANNING ALGORITHMS IN PUNCTURED EUCLIDEAN SPACES
Authors: IPANAQUE ZAPATA CESAR A. , GONZÁLEZ JESÚS
Published: March 2020

In robotics, a topological theory of motion planning was initiated by M. Farber. We present optimal motion planning algorithms which can be used in designing practical systems controlling objects moving in Euclidean space without collisions between them and avoiding obstacles. Furthermore, we present the multi-tasking version of the algorithms.
Archaeology enters the ‘atomic age’: a short history of radiocarbon, 1946–1960
Authors: KERN EMILY M.
Published: March 2020

Today, the most powerful research technique available for assigning chronometric age to human cultural objects is radiocarbon dating. Developed in the United States in the late 1940s by an alumnus of the Manhattan Project, radiocarbon dating measures the decay of the radioactive isotope carbon-14 (C14) in organic material, and calculates the time elapsed since the materials were removed from the life cycle. This paper traces the interdisciplinary collaboration between archaeology and radiochemistry that led to the successful development of radiocarbon dating in the early 1950s, following the movement of people and ideas from Willard Libby's Chicago radiocarbon laboratory to museums, universities and government labs in the United States, Australia, Denmark and New Zealand. I show how radiocarbon research built on existing technologies and networks in atomic chemistry and physics but was deeply shaped by its original private philanthropic funders and archaeologist users, and ultimately remained to the side of many contemporaneous Cold War scientific and military projects.
Ostermeier’s Ein Volksfeind on the Anniversary of Turkey’s Gezi Park Protests
Authors: Schulte Hanife
Published: March 2020

In this article Hanife Schulte discusses Thomas Ostermeier’s Ein Volksfeind, a German version of Henrik Ibsen’s An Enemy of the People that toured to the International Istanbul Theatre Festival in 2014. In borrowing Maria Shevtsova’s notion of the sociology of performance, Hanife Schulte offers a sociological examination of Ein Volksfeind’s Istanbul performances and demonstrates how the first anniversary of Turkey’s Gezi Park protests at the time of the festival influenced the performances. These protests, which began in 2013, were in resistance to the Turkish government’s urban development plan for Istanbul’s Taksim Park. In her examination of the dramaturgy and stage design of the production and its Turkish reception, Schulte argues that Ein Volksfeind’s political dramaturgy-in-progress allowed Ostermeier to adapt its touring performances in Istanbul and transform them into events in which the Turkish audiences became fellow performers and adaptors who reflected on the Gezi Park protests. She also suggests that Ostermeier showed solidarity with the Turkish people resisting political violence and oppression in tackling their local politics. Hanife Schulte has completed three years of doctoral research in Theatre and Performance Studies at Tufts University and is an alumna of the Mellon School of Theater and Performance Research at Harvard University, where she participated in the 2019 Session on Migrations.
Soybean expansion and the challenge of the coexistence of agribusiness with local production and conservation initiatives: pesticides in a Ramsar site in Uruguay
Authors: Soutullo Alvaro , Ríos Mariana , Zaldúa Natalia , Teixeira-de-Mello Franco
Published: March 2020

Soybean has undergone the greatest expansion of any global crop, fuelled by the emergence of herbicide-resistant crops. In Uruguay, soybean croplands have increased from virtually zero to more than 1 million ha in 20 years. Uruguay is also implementing its system of protected areas. Here, we assess the presence of pesticides within a Ramsar site and protected area, in a basin dominated by croplands. We consider pesticides as surrogates of the subtle impacts of agribusiness on conservation initiatives and other productions. Pesticides were found in soils, fishes and beehives, both within and around the protected area. Endosulfan was found in all matrices analysed (23 of 80 samples), while glyphosate (0–2.31 mg/kg) and aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA; 0–0.61 mg/kg) were found in all soil classes. The study also allowed for a retrospective evaluation of a recent policy banning endosulfan in Uruguay, suggesting that while the protected area has not been immune to the impacts of agribusiness on human health or biodiversity, limiting the use of pesticides reduces or avoids some of them. This has implications for the design of multifunctional landscapes and for the debate on land sharing versus land sparing.
Vitamin D status among patients with drug-resistant and non-drug-resistant epilepsy
Authors: Jésus Pierre , Godet Bertrand , Darthou-Pouchard Lucile , Fayemendy Philippe , Abdallah-Lebeau Françoise , Villeneuve Olivier , Marcon Claire , Gimenez Laetitia , Preux Pierre Marie , Couratier Philippe , Desport Jean Claude
Published: March 2020

Abstract. Background & Aims: Epilepsy affects nearly 70 million people worldwide. Vitamin D deficiency may influence the balance of certain epilepsies. The purpose of this study was to determine the vitamin D status and anthropometric measurements of people with epilepsy (PWE), according to their pharmacosensitivity. Methods: Forty-six PWE, with or without drug resistance, underwent nutritional assessment after giving consent. Weight, body mass index (BMI), triceps skinfold thickness (TSF), fat mass (FM) and free fat mass (FFM) by bioelectrical impedance analysis were measured. Serum vitamin D was determined without supplementation. Deficiency was defined as a level < 30 ng/mL. Statistical analysis involved Student t test, ANOVA and Chi2. Results: Patients were aged 44.5 ± 14.3 years, with 60.9% of drug-resistance. BMI was 28.7 ± 7.0, 2.2% were malnourished and 30.4% obese according to the BMI. The average vitamin D level was 15.3 ± 9.9 ng/mL, with 87.0% of deficiency, and 40.0% of severe deficiency (<10 ng/mL). The TSF was higher in drug-resistant cases (p = 0.03). There was no link between drug resistance and anthropometric measurements, FM, FFM or vitamin D concentration. Conclusions: Although limited in size, this study showed that PWE are more often obese. Vitamin D deficiency is more common than in the general population, with a much higher prevalence of severe deficiency.
The Narrative Competence Task
Authors: Zanchi Paola , Zampini Laura
Published: March 2020

Abstract. The oral narratives of 240 Italian children aged 3–8 years were analyzed using a new instrument, the Narrative Competence Task (NCT). The data showed a gradual increase in the children’s narrative competence in both the macrostructure and the microstructure. Statistically significant differences between preschool-age and school-age children were found on all the variables considered. In addition to increased chronological age, a significant role of cognitive abilities (general non-verbal intelligence and sequential reasoning) and linguistic skills (mean length of utterance and lexical diversity) emerged in explaining the variance in children’s narrative macrostructure. Children with superior cognitive and linguistic abilities produced richer narratives characterized by a greater quantity of information, a better structure, and a wider use of mental state lexicon.
ASSET
Authors: Folke Tomas , Gjorgjiovska Jovana , Paul Alessandro , Jakob Lea , Ruggeri Kai
Published: March 2020

Abstract. Young adults increasingly require good financial literacy to make the most of the opportunities provided to them. Unfortunately, existing financial literacy measures that may assist with targeting interventions show low reliability, ceiling effects, and a high level of abstraction. To address this, we designed and assessed the psychometric properties of a new measure specifically targeting young people, the Assessment of Economic and Financial Literacy (ASSET). We find it has better overall validity, reliability, and predictive power than existing measures. Using ASSET, we find that mathematical ability, calculator use (an example of deliberative thinking), gender, and socioeconomic status are key predictors of financial literacy. We recommend this more robust tool for use in financial literacy research to assess implications for guiding major financial decisions among young people.
Early Studies in Solar Wind Coupling and Substorms
Authors: McPherron Robert L.
Published: March 2020

The space age began while I was a Physics student at Berkeley. NASA stimulated space research by the creation of eight centers of excellence each with a new building and very large grants. These centers became the nucleus of research activities that continue 55 years later. Data from new instruments and spacecraft provided unique opportunities for young people to make significant discoveries. In my case the concept of the auroral substorm was crucial, as later were data from the first instrumented synchronous satellite ATS‐1, and one of the first eccentric orbiters OGO‐5. In this account I describe my early experiences and the difficulties of completing my undergraduate degree. I then describe graduate work at Berkeley and multiple trips to the auroral zone. On completion of my PhD I began work at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and soon became a professor. My graduate work and early research as a professor enabled me to introduce important concepts including the substorm growth phase, the concept of a magnetospheric substorm, the substorm current wedge, the near‐Earth neutral line, the dipolarization of the synchronous magnetic field during substorms, the semiannual variation in geomagnetic activity, and algorithms to predict the Dst index and AL index. I also did extensive work in investigations of ULF waves, magnetic storms, and the interaction of the solar wind with the magnetosphere, but these occurred later and are not discussed. I end with the question of whether it is possible today for young people with a background similar to mine to achieve similar success.
Extreme Phytoplankton Blooms in the Southern Tropical Indian Ocean in 2011
Authors: Liao Xiaomei , Du Yan , Wang Tianyu , He Qingyou , Zhan Haigang , Hu Shuibo , Wu Guofeng
Published: March 2020

This study investigates extreme phytoplankton blooms in the southern tropical Indian Ocean (TIO) in January–April 2011 using the extended ocean color products and in situ data. The amplitude of the blooms was approximately 4 times higher than the climatological value and 2 times higher than that in 1998–1999. The anomalous enhancement of surface chlorophyll‐a concentration (Chla) was associated with the strong upwelling Rossby waves that forced by the extraordinary strong wind stress curl in the southeastern TIO during 2010–2011 La Niña, which was much stronger than that of 1998–1999 La Niña. The Rossby waves uplifted the thermocline, which was shoaled by more than 70 m relative to the climatology. The results of the nonlinear 1.5‐layer reduced‐gravity model further suggest that the thermocline variations are mainly due to the wind stress curl over the interior TIO. In the vertical direction, the Argo data show a distinct upward and westward propagation of subsurface cooling, indicating that the upwelling of cold nutrient‐rich waters leads to the abnormally high Chla. The strong upwelling processes are also well captured by the Moored Array for African‐Asian‐Australian Monsoon Analysis and Prediction observations at 8°S, 80.5°E. Based on the climatological in situ nitrate data, the Rossby wave‐induced nitrate supply and potential new production at the mooring site are estimated. The potential f ratio ranges from 50% to 87% when the water brought to the surface is assumed to have originated from 60 to 200 m, thus indicating the dominant role of nutrient supply by the upwelling processes.
Assessing Impacts of Plant Stoichiometric Traits on Terrestrial Ecosystem Carbon Accumulation Using the E3SM Land Model
Authors: Zhu Qing , Riley William J. , Iversen Colleen M. , Kattge Jens
Published: March 2020

Carbon (C) enters into the terrestrial ecosystems via photosynthesis and cycles through the system together with other essential nutrients (i.e., nitrogen [N] and phosphorus [P]). Such a strong coupling of C, N, and P leads to the theoretical prediction that limited nutrient availability will limit photosynthesis rate, plant growth, and future terrestrial C dynamics. However, the lack of reliable information about plant tissue stoichiometric constraints remains a challenge for quantifying nutrient limitations on projected global C cycling. In this study, we harmonized observed plant tissue C:N:P stoichiometry from more than 6,000 plant species with the commonly used plant functional type framework in global land models. Using observed C:N:P stoichiometry and the flexibility of these ratios as emergent plant traits, we show that observationally constrained fixed plant stoichiometry does not improve model estimates of present‐day C dynamics compared with unconstrained stoichiometry. However, adopting stoichiometric flexibility significantly improves model predictions of C fluxes and stocks. The 21st century simulations with RCP8.5 CO2 concentrations show that stoichiometric flexibility, rather than baseline stoichiometric ratios, is the dominant controller of plant productivity and ecosystem C accumulation in modeled responses to CO2 fertilization. The enhanced nutrient limitations and plant P use efficiency mainly explain this result. This study is consistent with the previous consensus that nutrient availability will limit xfuture land carbon sequestration but challenges the idea that imbalances between C and nutrient supplies and fixed stoichiometry limit future land C sinks. We show here that it is necessary to represent nutrient stoichiometric flexibility in models to accurately project future terrestrial ecosystem carbon sequestration.
Radiocarbon in Dissolved Organic and Inorganic Carbon of the South China Sea
Authors: Ding Ling , Qi Yuanzhi , Shan Sen , Ge Tiantian , Luo Chunle , Wang Xuchen
Published: March 2020

We present the carbon isotope (14C and 13C), dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration measurements in the South China Sea (SCS) to reveal the different sources and cycling time scales of the two major carbon pools in the SCS. The DIC concentrations ranged from 1,776 to 2,328 μmol kg−1, and they were lower at the surface and increased with depth. Conversely, the DOC concentrations ranged from 38 to 95 μM, and they were higher on the surface and decreased rapidly in the upper 500‐m water depth. The DIC Δ14C and DOC Δ14C values varied from −227‰ to 68‰ and −557‰ to −258‰, respectively, and both decreased with depth until 1,500 m and then remained relatively constant. DOC Δ14C values were −330‰ lower than DIC Δ14C, indicating that DOC has cycled for much longer than DIC in the SCS. The lower Δ14C‐DIC and Δ14C‐DOC values at depths shallower than 700 m were mainly influenced by intensified vertical mixing, which upwelled the deep water with low Δ14C‐DIC and Δ14C‐DOC values for thorough mixture with the upper layer water. Conversely, the small difference in the Δ14C signature in deep water (>1,500 m) between the SCS and the North Pacific confirmed the rapid water exchange through the Luzon Strait and rapid water mixing in the SCS basin, which plays an important role in controlling carbon cycling in the deep SCS.
In Situ Microphysical Observations of a Multicell Storm Using a Balloon‐Borne Video Disdrometer During Deep Convective Clouds and Chemistry
Authors: Waugh Sean M. , Ziegler Conrad L. , MacGorman Donald R.
Published: March 2020

The microphysical characteristics of severe storms and deep convection are challenging but critical in situ observations. Adjustments to modeled microphysical parameters, radar‐based hydrometeor classifications, and lightning initiation research all depend on an accurate depiction of real‐world particle size distributions. To obtain these observations, a balloon‐borne particle imaging device known as the Particle Size, Image, and Velocity probe has been developed at the National Severe Storms Laboratory that is capable of measuring particle size distributions of different particle habits on vertical scales as small as 50 m. The Particle Size, Image, and Velocity observations show that there are rapid shifts in particle counts between successive analysis layers, documenting the small‐scale heterogeneity present inside deep convection. Furthermore, when examining functional fits using both a two and three moment scheme on the total distribution as well as individual particle habits, it is clear that a single prescribed parameter space is not adequate to describe the observations collected. When comparing radar reflectivity calculated from the distribution to independent observations from ground based mobile radars, the two sources agree to within 5 dBZ. This provides confidence to the particle density assumptions made here.
Separable neural mechanisms for the pleiotropic association of copy number variants with neuropsychiatric traits
Authors: Reinwald Jonathan R. , Sartorius Alexander , Weber-Fahr Wolfgang , Sack Markus , Becker Robert , Didriksen Michael , Stensbøl Tine B. , Schwarz Adam J. , Meyer-Lindenberg Andreas , Gass Natalia
Published: March 2020

22q11.2, 15q13.3, and 1q21.1 microdeletions attract considerable interest by conferring high risk for a range of neuropsychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia and autism. A fundamental open question is whether divergent or convergent neural mechanisms mediate this genetic pleiotropic association with the same behavioral phenotypes. We use a combination of rodent microdeletion models with high-field neuroimaging to perform a comparative whole-brain characterization of functional and structural mechanisms linked to high-risk states. Resting-state functional and structural magnetic resonance imaging data were acquired on mice carrying heterozygous microdeletions in 22q11.2 (N = 12), 15q13.3 (N = 11), and 1q21.1 (N = 11) loci. We performed network-based statistic, graph, and morphometric analyses. The three microdeletions did not share significant systems-level features. Instead, morphometric analyses revealed microcephaly in 1q21.1 and macrocephaly in 15q13.3 deletions, whereas cerebellar volume was specifically reduced in 22q11.2 deletion. In function, 22q11.2 deletion mice showed widespread cortical hypoconnectivity, accompanied by opposing hyperconnectivity in dopaminergic pathways, which was confirmed by graph analysis. 1q21.1 exhibited distinct changes in posterior midbrain morphology and function, especially in periaqueductal gray, whereas 15q13.3 demonstrated alterations in auditory/striatal system. The combination of cortical hypoconnectivity and dopaminergic hyperconnectivity and reduced cerebellum in 22q11.2 deletion mirrors key neurodevelopmental features of schizophrenia, whereas changes in midbrain and auditory/striatal morphology and topology in 1q21.1 and 15q13.3 rather indicate focal processes possibly linked to the emergence of abnormal salience perception and hallucinations. In addition to insights into pathophysiological processes in these microdeletions, our results establish the general point that microdeletions might increase risk for overlapping neuropsychiatric phenotypes through separable neural mechanisms.
Minocycline-induced microbiome alterations predict cafeteria diet-induced spatial recognition memory impairments in rats
Authors: Leigh Sarah-Jane , Kaakoush Nadeem O. , Westbrook R. Frederick , Morris Margaret J.
Published: March 2020

Diets rich in sugar and saturated fat are associated with cognitive impairments in both humans and rodents with several potential mechanisms proposed. To test the involvement of diet-induced pro-inflammatory signaling, we exposed rats to a high-fat, high-sugar cafeteria diet, and administered the anti-inflammatory antibiotic minocycline. In the first experiment minocycline was coadministered across the diet, then in a second, independent cohort it was introduced following 4 weeks of cafeteria diet. Cafeteria diet impaired novel place recognition memory throughout the study. Minocycline not only prevented impairment in spatial recognition memory but also reversed impairment established in rats following 4 weeks cafeteria diet. Further, minocycline normalized diet-induced increases in hippocampal pro-inflammatory gene expression. No effects of minocycline were seen on adiposity or dietary intake across the experiments. Cafeteria diet and minocycline treatment significantly altered microbiome composition. The relative abundance ofDesulfovibrio_OTU31, uniquely enriched in vehicle-treated cafeteria-fed rats, negatively and significantly correlated with spatial recognition memory. We developed a statistical model that accurately predicts spatial recognition memory based onDesulfovibrio_OTU31 relative abundance and fat mass. Thus, our results show that minocycline prevents and reverses a dietary-induced diet impairment in spatial recognition memory, and that spatial recognition performance is best predicted by changes in body composition andDesulfovibrio_OTU31, rather than changes in pro-inflammatory gene expression.
Nfkbie-deficiency leads to increased susceptibility to develop B-cell lymphoproliferative disorders in aged mice
Authors: Della-Valle Veronique , Roos-Weil Damien , Scourzic Laurianne , Mouly Enguerran , Aid Zakia , Darwiche Walaa , Lecluse Yann , Damm Frederik , Mémet Sylvie , Mercher Thomas , Aoufouchi Said , Nguyen-Khac Florence , Bernard Olivier A. , Ghamlouch Hussein
Published: March 2020

Aberrant NF-κB activation is a hallmark of most B-cell malignancies. Recurrent inactivating somatic mutations in theNFKBIEgene, which encodes IκBε, an inhibitor of NF-κB-inducible activity, are reported in several B-cell malignancies with highest frequencies in chronic lymphocytic leukemia and primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma, and account for a fraction of NF-κB pathway activation. The impact ofNFKBIEdeficiency on B-cell development and function remains, however, largely unknown. Here, we show thatNfkbie-deficient mice exhibit an amplification of marginal zone B cells and an expansion of B1 B-cell subsets. In germinal center (GC)-dependent immune response,Nfkbiedeficiency triggers expansion of GC B-cells through increasing cell proliferation in a B-cell autonomous manner. We also show thatNfkbiedeficiency results in hyperproliferation of a B1 B-cell subset and leads to increased NF-κB activation in these cells upon Toll-like receptor stimulation.Nfkbiedeficiency cooperates with mutant MYD88 signaling and enhances B-cell proliferation in vitro. In aged mice,Nfkbieabsence drives the development of an oligoclonal indolent B-cell lymphoproliferative disorders, resembling monoclonal B-cell lymphocytosis. Collectively, these findings shed light on an essential role of IκBε in finely tuning B-cell development and function.
Combined reduction in the expression of MCL-1 and BCL-2 reduces organismal size in mice
Authors: Ke Francine , Lancaster Graeme I. , Grabow Stephanie , Murphy Andrew J. , Strasser Andreas
Published: March 2020

The intrinsic apoptotic pathway is controlled by the BCL-2 family of proteins, which exhibit either a pro-death or pro-survival function. Gene knockout studies revealed that different pro-survival BCL-2 proteins are critical for the survival of distinct cell types, although overlapping functions amongst such proteins have also been identified. In the process of studying mice lacking single alleles of Mcl-1 (Mcl-1+/−), Bcl-2 (Bcl-2+/−), or both in combination (Mcl-1+/−Bcl-2+/−), we observed that Mcl-1+/−Bcl-2+/− mice weighed less when compared with their wild-type littermates as they aged. Body composition analysis demonstrated that while fat mass was similar to wild-type controls, lean mass was significantly reduced in Mcl-1+/−, Bcl-2+/−, and, most strikingly in Mcl-1+/−Bcl-2+/− mice. The weights of several tissues including the heart, tibialis anterior, and kidney were likewise reduced in Mcl-1+/−Bcl-2+/− mice. When lean mass and specific tissue weights were expressed relative to body weight, these differences were no longer significant, indicating that that Mcl-1+/−Bcl-2+/− mice, and to a lesser extent Mcl-1+/− and Bcl-2+/− mice, are smaller than their wild-type counterparts. Consistently, the anal-naso length was reduced in Mcl-1+/−Bcl-2+/− mice. While minor reductions in size were observed in female Mcl-1+/−Bcl-2+/− mice, these effects were most prominent in males. Notably, Mcl-1+/−Bcl-2+/− males had markedly smaller testes even after accounting for differences in body weight. Collectively, these data reveal that combined loss of a single allele of Mcl-1 and Bcl-2, while not overtly impairing organismal development, leads to a reduction in animal size.
Tin-graphene tubes as anodes for lithium-ion batteries with high volumetric and gravimetric energy densities
Authors: Mo Runwei , Tan Xinyi , Li Fan , Tao Ran , Xu Jinhui , Kong Dejia , Wang Zhiyong , Xu Bin , Wang Xiang , Wang Chongmin , Li Jinlai , Peng Yiting , Lu Yunfeng
Published: March 2020

Limited by the size of microelectronics, as well as the space of electrical vehicles, there are tremendous demands for lithium-ion batteries with high volumetric energy densities. Current lithium-ion batteries, however, adopt graphite-based anodes with low tap density and gravimetric capacity, resulting in poor volumetric performance metric. Here, by encapsulating nanoparticles of metallic tin in mechanically robust graphene tubes, we show tin anodes with high volumetric and gravimetric capacities, high rate performance, and long cycling life. Pairing with a commercial cathode material LiNi0.6Mn0.2Co0.2O2, full cells exhibit a gravimetric and volumetric energy density of 590 W h Kg−1 and 1,252 W h L−1, respectively, the latter of which doubles that of the cell based on graphite anodes. This work provides an effective route towards lithium-ion batteries with high energy density for a broad range of applications.
Amino acid levels determine metabolism and CYP450 function of hepatocytes and hepatoma cell lines
Authors: Boon Ruben , Kumar Manoj , Tricot Tine , Elia Ilaria , Ordovas Laura , Jacobs Frank , One Jennifer , De Smedt Jonathan , Eelen Guy , Bird Matthew , Roelandt Philip , Doglioni Ginevra , Vriens Kim , Rossi Matteo , Vazquez Marta Aguirre , Vanwelden Thomas , Chesnais François , El Taghdouini Adil , Najimi Mustapha , Sokal Etienne , Cassiman David , Snoeys Jan , Monshouwer Mario , Hu Wei-Shou , Lange Christian , Carmeliet Peter , Fendt Sarah-Maria , Verfaillie Catherine M.
Published: March 2020

Predicting drug-induced liver injury in a preclinical setting remains challenging, as cultured primary human hepatocytes (PHHs), pluripotent stem cell-derived hepatocyte-like cells (HLCs), and hepatoma cells exhibit poor drug biotransformation capacity. We here demonstrate that hepatic functionality depends more on cellular metabolism and extracellular nutrients than on developmental regulators. Specifically, we demonstrate that increasing extracellular amino acids beyond the nutritional need of HLCs and HepG2 cells induces glucose independence, mitochondrial function, and the acquisition of a transcriptional profile that is closer to PHHs. Moreover, we show that these high levels of amino acids are sufficient to drive HLC and HepG2 drug biotransformation and liver-toxin sensitivity to levels similar to those in PHHs. In conclusion, we provide data indicating that extracellular nutrient levels represent a major determinant of cellular maturity and can be utilized to guide stem cell differentiation to the hepatic lineage.
Structured graphene metamaterial selective absorbers for high efficiency and omnidirectional solar thermal energy conversion
Authors: Lin Keng-Te , Lin Han , Yang Tieshan , Jia Baohua
Published: March 2020

An ideal solar-thermal absorber requires efficient selective absorption with a tunable bandwidth, excellent thermal conductivity and stability, and a simple structure for effective solar thermal energy conversion. Despite various solar absorbers having been demonstrated, these conditions are challenging to achieve simultaneously using conventional materials and structures. Here, we propose and demonstrate three-dimensional structured graphene metamaterial (SGM) that takes advantages of wavelength selectivity from metallic trench-like structures and broadband dispersionless nature and excellent thermal conductivity from the ultrathin graphene metamaterial film. The SGM absorbers exhibit superior solar selective and omnidirectional absorption, flexible tunability of wavelength selective absorption, excellent photothermal performance, and high thermal stability. Impressive solar-to-thermal conversion efficiency of 90.1% and solar-to-vapor efficiency of 96.2% have been achieved. These superior properties of the SGM absorber suggest it has a great potential for practical applications of solar thermal energy harvesting and manipulation.
The Aurora B specificity switch is required to protect from non-disjunction at the metaphase/anaphase transition
Authors: Kelly Joanna R. , Martini Silvia , Brownlow Nicola , Joshi Dhira , Federico Stefania , Jamshidi Shirin , Kjaer Svend , Lockwood Nicola , Rahman Khondaker Miraz , Fraternali Franca , Parker Peter J. , Soliman Tanya N.
Published: March 2020

The Aurora B abscission checkpoint delays cytokinesis until resolution of DNA trapped in the cleavage furrow. This process involves PKCε phosphorylation of Aurora B S227. Assessing if this PKCε-Aurora B module provides a more widely exploited genome-protective control for the cell cycle, we show Aurora B phosphorylation at S227 by PKCε also occurs during mitosis. Expression of Aurora B S227A phenocopies inhibition of PKCε in by-passing the delay and resolution at anaphase entry that is associated with non-disjunction and catenation of sister chromatids. Implementation of this anaphase delay is reflected in PKCε activation following cell cycle dependent cleavage by caspase 7; knock-down of caspase 7 phenocopies PKCε loss, in a manner rescued by ectopically expressing/generating a free PKCε catalytic domain. Molecular dynamics indicates that Aurora B S227 phosphorylation induces conformational changes and this manifests in a profound switch in specificity towards S29 TopoIIα phosphorylation, a response necessary for catenation resolution during mitosis.