bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Exploring risk pooling in hospitals to reduce demand and lead time uncertainty
Authors: Oeser Gerald , Romano Pietro
Published: December 2020

Nearly every eighth German hospital faces an elevated risk of bankruptcy. An inappropriate use of inventory management practices is among the causes. Hospitals suffer from demand and lead time uncertainty, and the current COVID-19 pandemic worsened the plight. The popular business logistics concept of risk pooling has been shown to reduce these uncertainties in industry and trade, but has been neglected as a variability reduction method in healthcare operations research and practice. Based on a survey with 223 German hospitals, this study explores how ten risk pooling methods can be adapted and applied in the healthcare context to reduce economic losses while maintaining a given service level. The results suggest that in general risk pooling may improve the economic situation of hospitals and, in particular, inventory pooling, transshipments, and product substitution for medications and consumer goods are the most effective methods in the healthcare context, while form postponement may be unsuitable for hospitals due to the required efforts, delay in treatments, and liability issues. The application of risk pooling in healthcare requires willingness to exchange information and to cooperate, adequate IT infrastructure, compatibility, adherence to healthcare laws and regulations, and securing the immediate treatment of emergencies. Compared to manufacturing and trading companies, hospitals seem to currently neglect the variability reducing effect of risk pooling.
Glomerular C4d in Post-Transplant IgA Nephropathy is associated with decreased allograft survival
Authors: Eder Michael , Kozakowski Nicolas , Omic Haris , Aigner Christof , Kläger Johannes , Perschl Brian , Reindl-Schwaighofer Roman , Bond Gregor , Böhmig Georg A. , Kikić Željko
Published: December 2020

Background

Glomerulonephritis (GN), including post-transplant IgAN (post-Tx IgAN) is an important contributor to decreased long-term allograft survival. The immunopathological detection of the complement degradation product C4d in glomeruli (C4dG) has been recently described as a risk factor in native kidney IgAN, however little is known about C4dG deposition in post-Tx IgAN. We hypothesized that glomerular C4d may indicate a more aggressive disease course and worse allograft survival in patients with post-Tx IgAN.

Methods

In this retrospective study we assessed the presence and clinical relevance of C4dG in patients with post-transplant IgAN. We analyzed 885 renal allograft recipients, including 84 patients with post-transplant GN. All patients were transplanted between January 1999 and April 2006 and underwent at least one biopsy for differnt causes. The primary endpoint was death-censored graft survival, with a median follow-up of 9.6 (IQR 3.8–13.2) years.

Results

The prevalence of post-Tx GN was 9.5%. Twenty-seven patients with post-Tx IgAN were included. C4dG positive patients (N = 18, 66.7%) had significantly worse allograft survival compared to C4dG negative post-Tx IgAN patients and patients without post-Tx IgAN [C4dG positive: 27.8% vs. 55.6% and 66.0%; log-rank: p = 0.01]. C4dG remained a significant risk factor (HR 2.22, 95% CI 1.27–3.87) for allograft loss even after adjustment for T cell mediated rejection (TCMR) and antibody mediated rejection.

Conclusion

Glomerular C4d deposition is an independent risk factor for worse graft-survival in patients with post-Tx IgAN, even after adjusting for other risk factors such as antibody mediated rejection.  Assessment of glomerular C4d deposition may provide a valuable prognostic risk assessment tool to identify high risk patients in post-Tx IgAN.

Graphic abstract
Soluble CD59 in peritoneal dialysis: a potential biomarker for peritoneal membrane function
Authors: Faria Bernardo , Gaya da Costa Mariana , Lima Carla , Willems Loek , Brandwijk Ricardo , Berger Stefan P. , Daha Mohamed R. , Pestana Manuel , Seelen Marc A. , Poppelaars Felix
Published: December 2020

Introduction

Various studies have reported the importance of complement regulators in preventing mesothelial damage during peritoneal dialysis (PD). Its assessment, however, is limited in clinical practice due to the lack of easy access to the peritoneal membrane. Recently, a soluble form of the complement regulatory protein CD59 (sCD59) has been described. We therefore aimed to investigate the role of sCD59 in PD.

Methods

Plasma sCD59 was measured in 48 PD patients, 41 hemodialysis patients, 15 non-dialysis patients with chronic kidney disease and 14 healthy controls by ELISA (Hycult; HK374-02). Additionally, sCD59 and sC5b-9 were assessed in the peritoneal dialysate.

Results

sCD59 and sC5b-9 were detectable in the peritoneal dialysate of all patients, and marginally correlated (r = 0.27, P = 0.06). Plasma sCD59 levels were significantly higher in PD patients than in patients with chronic kidney disease and healthy controls, but did not differ from hemodialysis patients. During follow-up, 19% of PD patients developed peritoneal membrane failure and 27% of PD patients developed loss of residual renal function. In adjusted models, increased sCD59 levels in the dialysate (HR 3.44, 95% CI 1.04–11.40, P = 0.04) and in plasma (HR 1.08, 95% CI 1.01–1.17, P = 0.04) were independently associated with the occurrence of peritoneal membrane failure. Higher plasma levels of sCD59 were also associated with loss of residual renal function (HR 1.10, 95% CI 1.04–1.17, P < 0.001).

Conclusions

Our study suggests that sCD59 has potential as a biomarker to predict peritoneal membrane function and loss of residual renal function in PD, thereby offering a tool to improve patient management.

Graphic abstract
Bilateral hydrosalpinges, what to do :Salpingectomy or salpingoplasty? Result of a 480 cases continuous series
Authors: Watrelot Antoine , Guan Jing
Published: December 2020

Background

Hydrosalpinx is the most common lesion of the distal part of the tube. Hydrosalpinx is well known to have deleterious effect on fertility.

Methods

Two options are doable in case of hydrosalpinx: radical treatment(salpingectomy) or conservative treatment (salpingoneostomy).

Results

This work demonstrates that in experienced hands and with an acute selection, salpingoneostomy gives results comparable to those obtained after IVF.

The cuff salpingoneostomy technique is much better than racket form salpingoneostomy and should be preferred whenever it is possible.

Conclusions

Conservative treatment should be discussed in infertile patients having hydrosalpinx after a careful selection.
Clinical features and outcome of 15 patients with recurrent endometrial cancer or atypical endometrial hyperplasia received primary fertility-sparing therapy followed by hysterectomy
Authors: Li Yuanting , Wang Yiqin , He Yijiao , Zhou Rong , Tang Huiru , Xu Lijiang , He Mian , Li Weili , Chen Chunlin , Zhang Weifeng , Wang Jianliu
Published: December 2020

Objective

To investigate the clinical features and outcome of recurrent endometrial cancer (EC) or atypical endometrial hyperplasia (AEH) patients who underwent hysterectomy after fertility-sparing therapy.

Methods

Clinical data was retrospectively collected for 15 recurrent endometrial cancer or atypical endometrial hyperplasia patients who underwent hysterectomy in six hospitals from 2003 to 2019. According to the indicators of hysterectomy, patients were divided into four groups: 7 patients who underwent direct hyesterectomy after the first relapse, 4 due to re-treatment failure, 1 after full term live birth, and 3 because of multiple recurrence. Clinical coexisting conditions, regimen and outcome of fertility-sparing therapy, pre- and post-operative pathological results, and prognosis were analyzed.

Results

(1) Fertility-spraring treatment was given to a total of 15 eligible patients, including 6 with EC and 9 with AEH. Median time interval from remission to recurrence was 12 months (range 3–92). Oral progestin-based medicine was the main fertility-sparing therapy in both primary treatment and re-treatment after recurrence. Six (6/8) patients received progestin combined with gonadotrophin releasing hormone agonist or metformin in three re-treatment groups. (2) Nine patients underwent hysterectomy and 6 staging surgery. Three patients had pathological upgrade after surgery. Five (5/10) EC patients had superficial myometrial invasion in postoperative pathology. All patients showed no evidence of disease in the median follow-up of 17 months (range 3–118). (3) Among seven patients who failed to re-treatment and had multiple recurrence, six were overweight/obesity and six had insulin resistance. Two of these patients had synchronous ovarian cancer in the postoperative pathology.

Conclusion

For the patients with recurrent EC or AEH after primary fertility-sparing therapy, overweight/obesity and insulin resistance might be the risk factors for re-treatment failure. Hysterectomy is recommended when patients had re-treatment failure or multiple recurrence; and generally the prognosis is favorable.
Uncertainty Analysis for Engineers and Scientists
Authors: Morrison Faith A.
Published: December 2020

Build the skills for determining appropriate error limits for quantities that matter with this essential toolkit. Understand how to handle a complete project and how uncertainty enters into various steps. Provides a systematic, worksheet-based process to determine error limits on measured quantities, and all likely sources of uncertainty are explored, measured or estimated. Features instructions on how to carry out error analysis using Excel and MATLAB®, making previously tedious calculations easy. Whether you are new to the sciences or an experienced engineer, this useful resource provides a practical approach to performing error analysis. Suitable as a text for a junior or senior level laboratory course in aerospace, chemical and mechanical engineering, and for professionals.
Introduction to Computable General Equilibrium Models
Authors: Burfisher Mary E.
Published: December 2020

Computable general equilibrium (CGE) models play an important role in supporting public-policy making on such issues as trade, climate change and taxation. This significantly revised volume, keeping pace with the next-generation standard CGE model, is the only undergraduate-level introduction of its kind. The volume utilizes a graphical approach to explain the economic theory underlying a CGE model, and provides results from simple, small-scale CGE models to illustrate the links between theory and model outcomes. Its eleven hands-on exercises introduce modelling techniques that are applied to real-world economic problems. Students learn how to integrate their separate fields of economic study into a comprehensive, general equilibrium perspective as they develop their skills as producers or consumers of CGE-based analysis.
Settling in a Changing World
Authors: Habermehl Diederick
Published: December 2020

Offering a broad analysis of the complex developments in rural habitation of the northern provinces of the Roman Empire, 'Settling in a Changing World' reconstructs the colonial villa from social and economic perspectives to create a broad geographical and chronological framework that sheds light on both local and regional patterns. Considering data from the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, and France, Diederick Habermehl analyzes, visualizes, and reconstructs the developments in settlement space and architecture. Applying theoretical concepts from both archaeology and cultural studies, this groundbreaking book ultimately offers a new perspective on the Roman villa as an architectural and cultural phenomenon.
Same-sex Sexuality in Later Medieval English Culture
Authors: Linkinen Tom
Published: December 2020

This volume investigates the state of same-sex relations in later medieval England, drawing on a remarkably rich array of primary sources from the period that include legal documents, artworks, theological treatises, and poetry. Tom Linkinen uses those sources to build a framework of medieval condemnations of same-sex intimacy and desire and then shows how same-sex sexuality reflected-and was inflected by-gender hierarchies, approaches to crime, and the conspicuous silence on the matter in the legal systems of the period.
The Integration of the Second Generation in Germany
Authors: Wilmes Maren , Sürig Inken
Published: December 2020

This report on the German results of the Integration of the Second Generation in Europe (TIES) survey looks at the integration process for second generation inhabitants of Turkish and Yugoslavian backgrounds living in Berlin and Frankfurt. Examining the TIES results, Inken Sürig and Maren Wilmes discuss diverse topics such as educational outcomes, segregation and housing, ethnic and cultural orientations, and social relations.
Productive Fandom
Authors: Lamerichs Nicolle
Published: December 2020

To dismantle negative stereotypes of fans, this book offers a media ethnography of the digital culture, conventions, and urban spaces associated with fandoms, arguing that fandom is an area of productive, creative, and subversive value. By examining the fandoms of Sherlock, Glee, Firefly, and other popular television-based franchises, the author appeals to fans and scholars alike in her empirically grounded methodology and insightful analysis of production hierarchies, gender, sexuality, play, and affect.
Creating Memories in Late 8th-century Byzantium
Authors: Marjanović Dragoljub
Published: December 2020

The Short History of Nikephoros of Constantinople is one of the key sources for our understanding of Byzantine history in the eighth century. This book offers a close look at that volume and its manner of representing the historical role of Byzantine emperors and ecclesiology, with particular attention to the use of images, an issue of central importance amid the period's first outburst of iconoclasm. When seen through this lens, the Short History is revealed to be more engaged with and burdened by contemporary political and ecclesiastical strife than has previously been thought.
On Building Peace
Authors: von der Schulenburg Michael
Published: December 2020

Only 25 years after the end of the Cold War, the Western-dominated global order is fading and our hopes that liberal democracy would spread and bring world peace are evaporating. While the West is increasingly preoccupied with its internal problems, threats to global peace have fundamentally changed: wars among nation-states and their alliances, once the dominant scourge of humankind, have almost disappeared and are replaced by a triple threat from intra-state armed conflicts, the failing of nation-states and the rise of belligerent non-state actors. The global peace we felt within our reach in 1991, is escaping us. On Building Peace seeks the answers that the UN Charter can no longer provide. Once meant as a guarantor for peace, the Charter was never designed to deal with intra-state conflicts and today its core principles are eroded. The book makes two rather simple, but possibly unpopular suggestions for preserving future peace: first, we must rescue the nation-state, not despite but because of globalization, and second, we must not further undermine the United Nations, but expand its Charter for dealing collectively with this triple threat. The struggle for survival in a world of limited resources and environmental degradation will deepen intra-state conflicts. We must prevent slipping back into a new round of Cold War-type confrontations and focus on finding collective solutions for building peace. For the sake of billions of people of future generations, we cannot get this wrong.
Religion, Class, and the Postwar Development of the Dutch Welfare State
Authors: Oude Nijhuis Dennie
Published: December 2020

This book examines how the Netherlands managed to create and maintain one of the world's most generous and inclusive welfare systems despite having been dominated by Christian-democratic or conservative, rather than socialist dominated governments, for most of the post-war period. It emphasizes that such systems have strong consequences for the distribution of income and risk among different segments of society and argues that they could consequently only emerge in countries where middle class groups were unable to utilize their key electoral and strong labor market position to mobilize against the adverse consequences of redistribution for them. By illustrating their key role in the coming about of solidaristic welfare reform in the Netherlands, the book also offers a novel view of the roles of Christian-democracy and the labor union movement in the development of modern welfare states. By highlighting how welfare reform contributed to the employment miracle of the 1990s, the book sheds new light on how countries are able to combine high levels of welfare generosity and solidarity with successful macro-economic performance.
National Thought in Europe
Authors: Leerssen Joep
Published: December 2020

A topical history of nationalism provides also a surprising perspective on Europe's contemporary identity politics
Tendencias sobre la dieta de las poblaciones prehispánicas del sur del Noreste argentino: Análisis de indicadores bucodentales
Authors: Ramos van Raap María Agustina
Published: December 2020

Este trabajo contribuye, desde la bioarqueología, al estudio de la dieta de las poblaciones que habitaron el sur del Noreste argentino (NEA) durante el Holoceno tardío (desde ca. 2000 aP). Específicamente, se evalúa el consumo de vegetales y los posibles modos de procesamiento de los alimentos. Se revelan diferentes bioindicadores bucodentales en tres muestras bioarqueológicas de tres sectores geográficos: Delta superior e inferior del río Paraná (entre ca. 570 y 850 cal aP) y cuenca inferior del río Uruguay (ca. 2000 cal aP). Los bioindicadores observados en las tres muestras (1.355 dientes y 1.693 alveolos) se ajustan a lo esperado para economías mixtas de caza-pesca-recolección y horticultura. Los recursos animales constituyeron el componente principal de la alimentación, mientras que el consumo de vegetales fue un importante complemento en la dieta. Se registran diferentes modos de procesar los alimentos que atenuaron el estrés masticatorio y se destaca que la dieta habría sido más abrasiva en la muestra del Uruguay inferior en comparación con las otras dos muestras. Los resultados obtenidos, al integrarse con información disponible de otras líneas de análisis (e.g., arqueobotánicas, zooarqueológicas), aportan y amplían el conocimiento sobre la alimentación de las poblaciones prehispánicas del sur del NEA.
Reproductive biology and placentotrophic embryonic development of the smalleye smooth-hound shark, Mustelus higmani, from the south-eastern Caribbean
Authors: Macías-Cuyare Marioxis , Tavares Rafael , Oddone Maria Cristina
Published: December 2020

The reproductive biology and embryonic development of Mustelus higmani were examined between January 2015 and December 2016 in the south-eastern Caribbean. Captures comprised 813 females (23.2–72.5 cm TL), and 960 males (22.6–62.5 cm TL). The total length at 50% maturity was estimated as 47.8 and 47.5 cm for females and males, respectively. Uterine fecundity ranged from 1 to 8 embryos and ovarian fecundity between 1 and 9 vitellogenic follicles. The time of parturition and mating season of M. higmani may occur throughout the year, peaking between November and February. The presence of pre-ovulatory ovarian follicles along with advanced embryos indicates an annual reproductive cycle for female M. higmani. The main embryonic development stages were recorded in the samples, from uterine eggs (1 to 6 per female) to term embryos (23.0–26.0 cm TL). The transition between placental pre-implantation and post-implantation occurs when embryos have attained a TL of 5.0–6.0 cm. The observation of abundant uterine histotrophic secretions in late pregnant and post-partum females demonstrates that histotrophy may intensify close to birth in this species. The local population of M. higmani appears to have relatively high productivity; nonetheless, this species is heavily harvested and lacks management measures in the study area.
Understanding the dynamics of lion attacks on humans and livestock in southern Maasailand, Kenya
Authors: Western Guy , Macdonald David W. , Loveridge Andrew J. , Dickman Amy J. , Tyrrell Peter , Russell Samantha
Published: December 2020

Negative interactions with humans resulting from livestock predation is a major factor influencing the decline of African lion Panthera leo populations across Africa. Here we investigate lion depredation within two Maasai communities in southern Kenya where people and lions coexist in the absence of any formal protected areas. We explore the factors that increase the frequency and severity of lion attacks on pastoralists and their livestock and assess the effectiveness of livestock guarding to reduce damage. Finally, we examine in which circumstances lion depredation triggers retaliation by people. Over a period of 26 months, lions attacked livestock 29 times, resulting in 41 livestock deaths and 19 injuries. There were also two attacks on people. Lions preferred cattle over the more numerous sheep and goats. Attacks on livestock occurred mostly during the dry season and were not affected by changes in prey density or variation in pastoral settlement that brought livestock into closer proximity with lions. Livestock were guarded during 48.2% of lion attacks. Active guarding at pasture disrupted the majority of lion attacks, resulting in lower mortality rates. Passive guarding in corrals at night also disrupted attacks but did not lead to lower livestock mortality.
Bilingual language experience as a multidimensional spectrum: Associations with objective and subjective language proficiency
Authors: Gullifer Jason W. , Kousaie Shanna , Gilbert Annie C. , Grant Angela , Giroud Nathalie , Coulter Kristina , Klein Denise , Baum Shari , Phillips Natalie , Titone Debra
Published: December 2020

Despite the multifactorial space of language experience in which people continuously vary, bilinguals are often dichotomized into ostensibly homogeneous groups. The timing of language exposure (age of acquisition) to a second language (L2) is one well-studied construct that is known to impact language processing, cognitive processing, and brain organization, but recent work shows that current language exposure is also a crucial determinant in these domains. Critically, many indices of bilingual experience are inherently subjective and based on self-report questionnaires. Such measures have been criticized in favor of objective measures of language ability (e.g., naming ability or verbal fluency). Here, we estimate the bilingual experience jointly as a function of multiple continuous aspects of experience, including the timing of language exposure, the amount of L2 exposure across communicative contexts, and language entropy (a flexible measure of language balance) across communicative contexts. The results suggest that current language exposure exhibits distinct but interrelated patterns depending on the socio-experiential context of language usage. They also suggest that, counterintuitively, our sample more accurately self-assesses L2 proficiency than native language proficiency. A precise quantification of the multidimensional nature of bilingualism will enhance the ability of future research to assess language processing, acquisition, and control.
Characterising older adults’ engagement in age-friendly community initiatives: perspectives from core group leaders in the Northeast United States of America
Authors: Greenfield Emily A. , Reyes Laurent
Published: December 2020

Researchers and programme champions alike have identified older adults as key contributors to age-friendly community change efforts. There has been very little scholarship, however, to characterise the nature of older adults’ engagement in age-friendly community initiatives (AFCIs). To help address this gap, we drew on five waves of data from semi-structured interviews with core group members of eight AFCIs in a Northeast region of the United States of America. Interviews were conducted as part of a multi-year, community-engaged study on the development of philanthropically supported AFCIs. We iteratively coded segments of the interviews in which core group members described the involvement of older adults, as well as their efforts to engage older adults in the initiatives. This analysis resulted in an inductive-analytic typology with five qualitatively distinct categories, including older adults as: (a) consumers (receiving information, goods and services through the AFCI), (b) informants (sharing perspectives on ageing in the community with the core group), (c) task assistants (assisting with project-oriented tasks under the direction of the core group), (d) champions (contributing ideas and implementing action on their own initiative), and (e) core group members (holding primary responsibility for driving the work of the AFCI forward). We discuss implications of the typology for research on AFCI implementation and evaluation, as well as opportunities for AFCIs to enhance the engagement of older adults from historically marginalised groups.
Variation in adjunct islands: The case of Norwegian
Authors: Bondevik Ingrid , Kush Dave , Lohndal Terje
Published: December 2020

Finite adjunct clauses are often assumed to be among the strongest islands for filler–gap dependency creation cross-linguistically, but Kush, Lohndal & Sprouse (2019) found experimental evidence suggesting that finite conditionalom-adjunct clauses are not islands for topicalization in Norwegian. To investigate the generality of these findings, we ran three acceptability judgment experiments testing topicalization out of three adjunct clause types:om‘if’,når‘when’ andfordi‘because’ in Norwegian. Largely replicating Kush et al. (2019), we find evidence for the absence of strong island effects with topicalization fromom-adjuncts in all three experiments. We find island effects fornår- andfordi-adjuncts, but the size of the effects and the underlying judgment distributions that produce those effects differ greatly by island type. Our results suggest that the syntactic category ‘adjunct’ may not constitute a suitably fine-grained grouping to explain variation in island effects.
Teaching about Oppression and Rebellion: The “Peasants Are Revolting” Game
Authors: Asal Victor , Willis Charmaine , Linebarger Christopher , Jahanbani Nakissa
Published: December 2020

Jean Jacques Rousseau wrote that “Man is born free, but is everywhere in chains.” Whereas the former claim of the quote is contestable and gendered, the latter part is empirically true from slavery to economic exploitation and widespread oppression that occurs to this day. Nevertheless, history shows that rarely will people take up weapons and rebel against the powerful. We have found that students often do not understand why this should be the case, given the rights that all people deserve. We use the Peasant Game exercise in class to shine a light on why most people, most of the time, endure repression and choose not to rebel. The game is played in turns with some students as lords, who decide how “food” will be apportioned, and other students as peasants, who produce the food. We discuss how power differentials occur and the difference they make. Students who play the game come away with a better understanding of why many people decide not to fight back against oppression—even if it is the right thing to do.
The Cosmic Timeline of Heliophysics: A Declaration of Significance
Authors: Moore Thomas Earle
Published: December 2020

Key Points

The domain of Heliophysics, within the heliosphere, is complementary to the domain of Astrophysics, but can be studied directly by in situ probes

The domain of Heliophysics is uniquely distinguished from that of Astrophysics by the presence of living things

Heliophysics should expand its temporal horizon from that of practical meteorology and space weather to a climate evolution perspective
An Ice Probe on Earth Could Help Us Find Life in Space
Authors: Wendel JoAnna
Published: December 2020

An instrument called WATSON can help find biosignatures on icy ocean worlds.
Quantifying the Effect of Magnetic Field Line Curvature Scattering on the Loss of Ring Current Ions
Authors: Eshetu W. W. , Tu W. , Jordanova V. K. , Cowee M.
Published: December 2020

During geomagnetic storms, the ring current ions sometimes exhibit rapid loss as suggested by the fast recovery of the Dst index on a time scale of a few hours. The effects of magnetic field line curvature (FLC) scattering on the loss of ring current ions, which have not been well quantified, are studied here by test particle simulations under the T89c magnetic field model. Our simulation results show that the prediction of ion loss based on a single‐value cutoff of the κ parameter or maximum of of a single FLC scattering is not accurate. Instead, the e‐folding lifetime (τ) for the loss of ring current ions due to cumulative FLC scattering has been calculated for different initial ion energies, equatorial pitch angles, and L shells under different geomagnetic conditions. The results show that in general the FLC scattering loss is faster for ions of higher energy, higher mass, smaller pitch angle, higher L, and at high Kp level. Specifically, we find that at Kp = 6 the lifetime can be <10 h at L > 5 for 100 s keV protons and at L > 4 for 100 s keV O+, which demonstrates that FLC scattering can be an important mechanism for the observed fast loss (τ < 10 h) of ring current ions during geomagnetic storms. Furthermore, we formulate an empirical formula for τ as a function of ion energy, pitch angle, position, species, and Kp. The empirical formula can be directly included in ring current models to account for the FLC scattering effects.
A Systematic Approach to Mapping Regimes of Earthquake‐Induced Static Stress Changes Acting on Magmatic Pathways
Authors: Jenkins A. P. , Biggs J. , Rust A. C. , Jara R. L.
Published: December 2020

Large earthquakes alter the crustal stress field across great distances (hundreds to thousands of kilometers) over geologically short timescales (seconds to years). These stress changes can affect magmatic systems, triggering (or suppressing) volcanic unrest and eruption, along with other deeper processes. We use simple kinematic source models in an isotropic elastic half‐space to assess earthquake‐induced static stress changes (>1 kPa) over the entire thickness of the lithosphere and consider the implications for magma ascent and storage. Modeling subduction zone earthquakes, we calculate static normal stress changes with depth on three mutually perpendicular end‐member magma pathways: vertical arc‐parallel, vertical arc‐perpendicular, and horizontal. From this, we define seven stress change regimes within the adjacent volcanic arc. Three of these regimes may strongly encourage magma ascent in dykes by inducing unclamping (decreased compressive normal stress) of vertical pathways which increases in magnitude toward the surface and clamping of horizontal pathways. Two of the regimes may encourage stalling and storage of magma in sills near the base of the crust by inducing unclamping of horizontal pathways at depth. The spatial distribution of the regimes is largely dependent on earthquake magnitude, but also varies with slip distribution and interface dip. We show how the responses of magmatic systems to earthquakes also depends on the stress change magnitude and the state of the magmatic system, with a greater impact expected for larger stress changes acting on weaker, more thermally mature systems.
Stress Promotion of the 1958 Mw∼7.8 Fairweather Fault Earthquake and Others in Southeast Alaska by Glacial Isostatic Adjustment and Inter‐earthquake Stress Transfer
Authors: Rollins Chris , Freymueller Jeffrey T. , Sauber Jeanne M.
Published: December 2020

We assess how recent glacial isostatic adjustment (GIA) and inter‐earthquake stress transfer modulated the state of stress on major faults in Southeast Alaska, and how these effects may have influenced recent large and moderate earthquakes. The Glacier Bay Icefield has lost >3,000 km3 of ice since ca. 1770, with ice thinning up to 1.5 km, and the rest of southeast Alaska has been deglaciating since ca. 1900. The resulting GIA response in the solid earth produces present‐day surface uplift rates of up to ∼4 cm/yr, among the fastest on Earth. This rapid deformation occurs directly alongside and atop the Fairweather Fault, which accommodates 4–5 cm/yr of right‐lateral motion through slip in frequent large earthquakes, recently including a Mw∼7.8 earthquake in 1958. We find that the 1958 earthquake nucleated very close to the location of maximum GIA‐induced Coulomb stress increase on the Fairweather Fault between 1770 and 1958 (estimated at ∼0.2–0.6 MPa), on the only section of fault where GIA‐induced stress changes had involved both right‐lateral shearing and unclamping. The September 10, 1899 Mw∼8.1 Yakutat Bay earthquake also promoted failure on at least the northwest part of the eventual 1958 rupture. In turn, the 1899 and 1958 earthquakes and GIA promoted failure along the St. Elias compressional margin, the site of a Mw∼7.4 event in 1979. While rapid tectonic loading is very likely the main driver of earthquakes in southeast Alaska, we estimate that 23 of 30 instrumentally constrained Mw ≥ 5.0 earthquakes in this region were also promoted by post‐1770 GIA.
Does Deep Tectonic Tremor Occur in the Central‐Eastern Mediterranean Basin?
Authors: Bocchini G. M. , Martínez‐Garzón P. , Harrington R. M. , Bohnhoff M.
Published: December 2020

Tectonic tremor has been observed at the roots of many fault systems around the Pacific rim, including convergent and transform plate boundaries. The extent to which deep tremor signals are prevalent along fault systems elsewhere, including the Mediterranean basin, has not yet been documented in detail. A body of evidence suggests that tremor triggered during the surface waves of teleseismic events may commonly occur where ambient tremor during episodic tremor and slip episodes occur, suggesting triggered tremor provides a useful tool to identify regions with ambient tremor. We perform a systematic search of triggered tremor associated with large teleseismic events between 2010 and 2020 at four major fault systems within the central‐eastern Mediterranean basin, namely the Hellenic and Calabrian subduction zones, and the North Anatolian and Kefalonia transform faults. In addition, we search for ambient tremor during a slow slip event in the eastern Sea of Marmara along a secondary branch of the North Anatolian Fault, and two slow slip events beneath western Peloponnese (Hellenic Subduction Zone). We find no unambiguous evidence for deep triggered tremor, nor ambient tremor. The absence of triggered tremor at the Hellenic and Calabrian subduction zones supports an interpretation of less favorable conditions for tremorgenesis in the presence of old and cold slabs. The absence of tremor along the transform faults may be due to an absence of the conditions commonly promoting tremorgenesis in such settings, including high‐fluid pressures and low‐differential stresses between the down‐dip limit of the seismogenic layer and the continental Moho.
Improved Measurements of Short‐Period Mass Variations With Future Earth Gravity Missions
Authors: Kang K. , Bender P. L.
Published: December 2020

A new mission called the Gravity Recovery And Climate change Experiment Follow‐On (GRACE‐FO) is now flying to continue the measurements started by the GRACE mission and to test a laser interferometry system for making more accurate measurements of the satellite separation. In this study, we discuss the potential scientific benefit of strongly reducing the acceleration noise in a Next Generation Gravity Mission (NGGM), compared with that for GRACE and for GRACE‐FO. A useful way of comparing the scientific benefits is from the view point of how well they can be used to test different procedures for estimating the changes in the geopotential based on sources of geophysical information other than satellite gravity results. In particular, changes in hydrology, the atmospheric density, and ocean conditions can make large and very nonuniform changes in the geopotential in short periods of time. To make the discussion as simple as possible, we consider mainly the variations in the geopotential at altitude along the satellite orbit for different ground tracks. For the NGGM, we initially assume laser interferometry between the two satellites but the same satellite acceleration noise level as for the GRACE‐FO mission. Then the total measurement noise level at long and medium wavelengths would be only moderately below the geopotential variation estimation uncertainty. However, if the acceleration noise level were sharply reduced by replacing the GRACE‐type accelerometers by simplified gravitational reference sensors, it appears that improved tests of our understanding of the causes of the geopotential variations could be obtained.
Integrated Analysis of Multisensor Datasets and Oil Drift Simulations—A Free‐Floating Oil Experiment in the Open Ocean
Authors: Brekke Camilla , Espeseth Martine M. , Dagestad Knut‐Frode , Röhrs Johannes , Hole Lars Robert , Reigber Andreas
Published: December 2020

A free‐floating oil spill experiment (two oil types) in the open ocean is described, and the results from slick characterization through integrated analysis of drift simulations with remote sensing and in situ data are discussed. We compare oil drift simulations (OpenOil), applying various configurations of wind, wave, and current information, with the observed slick positions and shape. We describe trajectories and dynamics of the spills, slick extent, and their evolution, and the differences in detection capabilities in optical instruments versus multifrequency PolSAR acquired by Deutsches Zentrum für Luft‐und Raumfahrt F‐SAR. When using the best available forcing from in situ data and forecast models, good agreement with the observed position and extent was found. A fair agreement is obtained using only numerical forecast data as input. This case study reveals that the accuracy when using modeled current is relatively higher after one full local inertial period, as the effect of incorrectly modeled amplitude of the inertial current is then vanishing. This should be a general result applicable to any oceanic drift forecast based on the modeled current. A novelty is the comparison of viscous‐similar soybean and mineral oil. Our findings indicate that biological oil emulsions potentially could replace mineral oil emulsions in contingency and rehearsal campaigns, but this finding is only supported from an oil drift prediction perspective. Differences in mineral oil detection capabilities are found between synthetic aperture radar and optical imagery of thinner sheen regions. F‐SAR appears to be more sensitive to thinner oil and detect a larger extent, and differences between the thinner and thicker parts are observed.
Multi‐Annual Monitoring of the Water Vapor Vertical Distribution on Mars by SPICAM on Mars Express
Authors: Fedorova Anna , Montmessin Franck , Korablev Oleg , Lefèvre Franck , Trokhimovskiy Alexander , Bertaux Jean‐Loup
Published: December 2020

The distribution of water vapor with altitude has long remained a missing piece of the observational data set of water vapor on Mars. In this study, we present the first multi‐annual survey of water vapor profile covering the altitude range from 0 to 100 km based on the SPICAM/Mars Express occultation measurements. During the aphelion season, water remains confined below 40–60 km for all Martian years observed. The highest altitude where water vapor can be spotted is between 70 and 90 km during the southern summer (Ls = 240–300°; perihelion season), approaching the transition between the middle and upper atmosphere. In this season, years without a global dust storm (GDS) show a significant moistening of the upper atmosphere (∼100 ppmv) in the southern hemisphere, confirming a seasonal impact on the hydrogen escape rate. The two observed GDS, in MY28 and MY34, show a substantial disparity in water vapor response. The storm in MY28, which coincides with the southern summer solstice, creates the largest excess of water in both hemispheres at >80 km. This climatology of water vapor will supply a robust statistical basis to address the long‐term escape processes of water from Mars.
Adaptations of Coccolithophore Size to Selective Pressures During the Oligocene to Early Miocene High CO2 World
Authors: Guitián José , Dunkley Jones Tom , Hernández‐Almeida Ivan , Löffel Tim , Stoll Heather M.
Published: December 2020

Culture experiments with coccolithophore algae—the dominant group of marine calcifying phytoplankton—imply a strong sensitivity in growth rate, degree of cellular calcification, and cell size to changes in the carbon chemistry of their growth environment. These results underpin recent studies that have explored how these physiological parameters have varied on geological time scales, in response to changing surface ocean habitats and the concentrations of carbon in the ocean‐atmosphere system. Here, we add to this work with a study of reticulofenestrid coccolith size—the dominant coccolithophore family of the Cenozoic—over the Oligocene to Early Miocene time interval. We examine sediments from contrasting latitudes and regional environmental settings, comparing sites using coherent, updated age models to distinguish globally synchronous trends in cell size from regional trends. Our results confirm several changes in coccolith size—which is strongly correlated to cell size—that are globally reproducible within the ~1 Myr age uncertainty, including a reduction in mean size by >2 μm from 30.2 to 27 and 24.5 to 23 Ma, and then increase in mean size after 20 Ma. The main difference among regions is the presence/absence of coccoliths larger than 8 μm. We evaluate which scenarios of change in carbon dioxide, temperature, and nutrient availability could have exerted selective pressure on cell size for different size classes to produce the observed size trends at each studied site. These million‐year scale adaptations of ancient coccolithophores contribute to the understanding of phytoplankton physiology in the transition to the modern “icehouse” world.
Development of a miRNA-controlled dual-sensing system and its application for targeting miR-21 signaling in tumorigenesis
Authors: Seo Yoona , Kim Sung Soo , Kim Namdoo , Cho Sungchan , Park Jong Bae , Kim Jong Heon
Published: December 2020

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are considered to be strong prognostic markers and key therapeutic targets in human diseases, especially cancer. A sensitive monitoring platform for cancer-associated miRNA (oncomiR) action is needed for mechanistic studies, preclinical evaluation, and inhibitor screening. In this study, we developed and systemically applied a sensitive and efficient lentivirus-based system for monitoring oncomiR actions, essentially miR-21. The specificity and sensitivity of “miRDREL” against various oncomiRs were validated by checking for tight correlations between their expression and targeting efficacy. Experiments based on the transfection of synthetic mimics and antagomir-mediated depletion of oncomiRs further confirmed the specificity of the system. Systemic application of miRDRELs to natural oncomiR targets, knockdown of key microprocessors, and physiological triggering of oncomiRs also demonstrated that the system is an effective tool for monitoring cellular oncomiR action. Importantly, molecular modeling-based screening confirmed the action of the miR-21-targeting drug ivermectin and led to the identification of a new effective derivative, GW4064, for inhibiting oncogenic DDX23-miR-21 signaling. Furthermore, proteomic-kinase inhibitor screenings identified a novel oncogenic kinome-DDX23-miR-21 axis and thus expands our understanding of miR-21 targeting therapeutics in tumorigenesis. Taken together, these data indicate that miRDREL and its versatile application have great potential in basic, preclinical studies and drug development pipelines for miRNA-related diseases, especially cancer.
Correlation between urine ACR and 24-h proteinuria in a real-world cohort of systemic AL amyloidosis patients
Authors: Visram Alissa , Al Saleh Abdullah S. , Parmar Harsh , McDonald Jennifer S. , Lieske John C. , Vaxman Iuliana , Muchtar Eli , Hobbs Miriam , Fonder Amie , Hwa Yi L. , Buadi Francis K. , Dingli David , Lacy Martha Q. , Dispenzieri Angela , Kapoor Prashant , Hayman Suzanne R. , Warsame Rahma , Kourelis Taxiarchis V. , Siddiqui Mustaqeem , Gonsalves Wilson I. , Lust John A. , Kyle Robert A. , Vincent Rajkumar S. , Gertz Morie A. , Kumar Shaji K. , Leung Nelson
Published: December 2020

A 24-h urine protein collection (24hUP), the gold standard for measuring albuminuria in systemic AL amyloidosis, is cumbersome and inaccurate. We retrospectively reviewed 575 patients with systemic AL amyloidosis to assess the correlation between a urine albumin to creatinine ratio (uACR) and the 24hUP. The uACR correlated strongly with 24hUP at diagnosis (Pearson’s r = 0.87, 95% CI 0.83–0.90) and during the disease course (Pearson’s r = 0.88, 95% CI 0.86–0.90). A uACR ≥300 mg/g estimated a 24hUP ≥ 500 mg with a sensitivity of 92% and specificity of 97% (area under the receiver operating curve = 0.938, 95% CI 0.919–0.957). A uACR cutoff of 3600 mg/g best predicted a 24hUP > 5000 g (sensitivity 93%, specificity 94%), and renal stage at diagnosis was strongly concordant using either 24hUP or uACR as the proteinuria measure (k = 0.823, 95% CI 0.728–0.919). In patients with serial urine collections, a > 30% decrease in uACR predicted a > 30% decrease in 24hUP with a sensitivity of 94%. In conclusion, the uACR is a reliable and convenient method for ruling out proteinuria >500 mg per day, prognosticating renal outcomes, and assessing renal response to therapy. Further studies are needed to validate the uACR cutoffs proposed in this study.
Linc00426 accelerates lung adenocarcinoma progression by regulating miR-455-5p as a molecular sponge
Authors: Li Hongli , Mu Qingjie , Zhang Guoxin , Shen Zhixin , Zhang Yuanyuan , Bai Jun , Zhang Liping , Zhou Dandan , Zheng Quan , Shi Lihong , Su Wenxia , Yin Chonggao , Zhang Baogang
Published: December 2020

Increasing lines of evidence indicate the role of long non-coding RNAs (LncRNAs) in gene regulation and tumor development. Hence, it is important to elucidate the mechanisms of LncRNAs underlying the proliferation, metastasis, and invasion of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). We employed microarrays to screen LncRNAs in LUAD tissues with and without lymph node metastasis and revealed their effects on LUAD. Among them, Linc00426 was selected for further exploration in its expression, the biological significance, and the underlying molecular mechanisms. Linc00426 exhibits ectopic expression in LUAD tissues and cells. The ectopic expression has been clinically linked to tumor size, lymphatic metastasis, and tumor differentiation of patients with LUAD. The deregulation of Linc00426 contributes to a notable impairment in proliferation, invasion, metastasis, and epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, the deregulation of Linc00426 could reduce cytoskeleton rearrangement and matrix metalloproteinase expression. Meanwhile, decreasing the level of Linc00426 or increasing miR-455-5p could down-regulate the level of UBE2V1. Thus, Linc00426 may act as a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) to abate miR-455-5p-dependent UBE2V1 reduction. We conclude that Linc00426 accelerates LUAD progression by acting as a molecular sponge to regulate miR-455-5p, and may be a potential novel tumor marker for LUAD.