bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Passing Strategies and Performative Identities: Coping with (In)Visible Chronic Diseases
Authors: Spratt Tanisha Jemma Rose
Published: December 2019

In this article I consider the role of passing and performance in the everyday lives of alkaptonuria (AKU) and vitiligo patients. Race, LGBTQ, gender and disability scholars have long used the term passing to describe sub-groups of people within marginal populations who intentionally manipulate their bodies or alter their behaviour in order to claim identities that are not socially assigned to them at birth. In this paper I demonstrate the effectiveness of the passing strategies that patients use in order to mitigate their disease symptoms and render them invisible, thus enabling them to pass as “healthy” or unaffected by their condition. I further consider how patients who choose not to pass utilise resistance strategies in order to generate awareness of their disease and encourage funding for it. I conclude by assessing the effectiveness of these strategies in determining whether or not patients can pass, and the ways in which this is aided or hindered by their social and economic status.
The Fundamental Problem of Logical Omniscience
Authors: Hawke Peter , Özgün Aybüke , Berto Francesco
Published: December 2019

We propose a solution to the problem of logical omniscience in what we take to be its fundamental version: as concerning arbitrary agents and the knowledge attitude per se. Our logic of knowledge is a spin-off from a general theory of thick content, whereby the content of a sentence has two components: (i) an intension, taking care of truth conditions; and (ii) a topic, taking care of subject matter. We present a list of plausible logical validities and invalidities for the logic of knowledge per se for arbitrary agents, and isolate three explanatory factors for them: (1) the topic-sensitivity of content; (2) the fragmentation of knowledge states; (3) the defeasibility of knowledge acquisition. We then present a novel dynamic epistemic logic that yields precisely the desired validities and invalidities, for which we provide expressivity and completeness results. We contrast this with related systems and address possible objections.
Correction to: Towards a Better Understanding of Cognitive Deficits in Absence Epilepsy: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Fonseca Wald Eric L. A. , Hendriksen Jos G. M. , Drenthen Gerald S. , Kuijk Sander M. J. V. , Aldenkamp Albert P. , Vles Johan S. H. , Vermeulen R. Jeroen , Debeij van Hall Mariette H. J. A. , Klinkenberg Sylvia
Published: December 2019

Due to an error during the editorial phase, a correction regarding Fig. 2 is added to the original article: “Towards a Better Understanding of Cognitive Deficits in Absence Epilepsy: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis”. Please see below correct Fig. 2.
Modeling of the minimum cutting thickness in micro cutting with consideration of the friction around the cutting zone
Authors: Zhou Tianfeng , Wang Ying , Ruan Benshuai , Liang Zhiqiang , Wang Xibin
Published: December 2019

Friction modeling between the tool and the workpiece plays an important role in predicting the minimum cutting thickness during TC4 micro machining and finite element method (FEM) cutting simulation. In this study, a new three-region friction modeling is proposed to illustrate the material flow mechanism around the friction zone in micro cutting; estimate the stress distributions on the rake, edge, and clearance faces of the tool; and predict the stagnation point location and the minimum cutting thickness. The friction modeling is established by determining the distribution of normal and shear stress. Then, it is applied to calculate the stagnation point location on the edge face and predict the minimum cutting thickness. The stagnation point and the minimum cutting thickness are also observed and illustrated in the FEM simulation. Micro cutting experiments are conducted to validate the accuracy of the friction and the minimum cutting thickness modeling. Comparison results show that the proposed friction model illustrates the relationship between the normal and sheer stress on the tool surface, thereby validating the modeling method of the minimum cutting thickness in micro cutting.
Stenostephanus (Acanthaceae) in Peru
Authors: Wood John R. I.
Published: December 2019

An account of the hill forest genus Stenostephanus Nees in Peru is presented. The salient characteristics and distribution of the genus are outlined to provide a wider context for the Peruvian species. Five new species, S. antiquorum J.R.I.Wood, S. atrocalyx J.R.I.Wood, S. cuscoensis J.R.I.Wood, S. densiflorus J.R.I.Wood and S. wasshausenii J.R.I.Wood are described as well as two varieties, var. angustissimus J.R.I.Wood and var. hirtiflorus J.R.I.Wood of S. longistamineus (Ruiz & Pav.) V.M.Baum. A key to all species occurring in Peru is provided together with diagnostic summaries of their salient characteristics and maps of their distribution. The new taxa are illustrated with line drawings and their conservation status is assessed.
Conflicting Discourses on Wildfire Risk and the Role of Local Media in the Amazonian and Temperate Forests
Authors: Silva Nathália Thaís Cosmo da , Fra.Paleo Urbano , Ferreira Neto José Ambrósio
Published: December 2019

This article examines how risk is communicated by different actors, particularly local print newspapers and actors at the community level, in two different geographical contexts that are severely affected by wildfires—the Brazilian Amazon and Atlantic Spain. We analyzed how wildfire risk is framed in local print media and local actor discourse to elucidate how wildfire risk is interpreted and aimed to identify the main priorities of these risk governance systems. The main findings reveal that the presentation of wildfire as a spectacle is a serious obstacle to the promotion of coherent risk governance and social learning, which involves recognizing wildfire risk as a social, political, economic, and environmental problem. Proactive risk governance should communicate the multifaceted nature of risk and stimulate dialogue and negotiation among all actors to build consensus regarding land use and the creation of risk.
Partial Versus General Compulsory Solidarity: an Experimental Analysis
Authors: Angelovski Andrej , Galliera Arianna , Güth Werner
Published: December 2019

We focus on ways and means of solidarity and their more or less voluntary and involuntary character. Alternative ways of redistribution are modeled by combining redistribution as emergent from a non-discriminatory voluntary contribution mechanism, VCM, with an outside option for a “super-rich”, R, participant to donate to VCM participants. The outsider may discriminate between participants of the VCM on the basis of information accessible at a cost to her. Inclusion in and exclusion from the VCM are involuntary while contributions in it are voluntary. How involuntary inclusion of R in VCM affects her discriminatory voluntary donations and contribution behavior is explored experimentally.
Arthrography of the temporomandibular joint: main diagnostic and therapeutic applications
Authors: Levring Jäghagen Eva , Ahlqvist Jan
Published: December 2019

Arthrography is an alternative technique for diagnosing soft tissue derangements of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) when magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is not an option. This can be due to contraindications to perform a MRI on a specific patient or when MRI is not applicable for specific diagnoses of soft tissue derangements of the TMJ. It is an invasive method and can be used not only for diagnostics but also for therapeutic injections e.g. administration of corticosteroids
A Multi-institutional Assessment of Multimodal Analgesia in Penile Implant Recipients Demonstrates Dramatic Reduction in Pain Scores and Narcotic Usage
Authors: Lucas Jacob , Gross Martin , Yafi Faysal , DeLay Kenneth , Christianson Sarah , El-Khatib Farouk M. , Osman Mahdi , Simhan Jay
Published: December 2019

Introduction

Despite the pain associated with inflatable penile prosthesis (IPP) implantation, there has been a lack of standardized, nonopioid pain control regimens described to date.

Aim

To assess the effectiveness of a multimodal analgesic regimen in patients undergoing implantation of an IPP compared with patients treated with an opioid-only regimen.

Methods

A large, multicenter patient cohort undergoing IPP implantation whose pain was managed using a multimodal analgesia (MMA) protocol (preoperative and postoperative acetaminophen, meloxicam orcelecoxib, and gabapentin and intraoperative dorsal and pudendal nerve blocks) was compared with a matched cohort of patients managed via an opioid-only protocol. Both groups were compared with respect to visual analog score (VAS) and opioid usage (total morphine equivalents [TME]) in the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU), postoperative day 0 (POD0) and postoperative day 1 (POD1), and in the immediate postdischarge period. Narcotic usage on discharge and follow-up were assessed and compared.

Main Outcome Measure

Postoperative pain scores and narcotic usage are the main outcome measures.

Results

203 patients were eligible for final analysis: 103 (50.7%) patients receiving MMA medication and 100 (49.3%) patients receiving opioids only. The VAS was significantly lower in the multimodal group in PACU (median 0.0 vs 2.0, P = .001), POD0 (median 3.0 vs 4.0, P = .001), and POD1 (median 3.0 vs 4.3, P = .04). Patients in the multimodal group also used fewer narcotics in PACU (median 0.0 vs 4.0 TME, P = .001), POD0 (median 7.5 vs 12.5 TME, P < .001), and POD1 (median 7.5 vs 13.5 TME, P = .01). Despite being discharged with fewer narcotics (median 20.0 vs 30.0 tablets, P < .001), a smaller proportion of patients in the MMA cohort required narcotic refills (10.7% vs 28.0%, P = .001). There were no narcotic- or MMA medication–related side effects in the entire cohort.

Clinical Implications

MMA confers significant improvement in pain management while also providing a significant reduction in narcotic usage in patients undergoing implantation of IPP.

Strength & Limitations

This is the 1st large multi-institutional assessment of a multimodal analgesic regimen in urologic prosthetic surgery. The analgesic regimen targets several pain pathways that provide excellent pain control throughout the recovery process. Limitations include retrospective design and lack of standardization of the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug type within the multimodal analgesic regimen.

Conclusion

The use of a MMA protocol significantly reduces postoperative pain measures in penile implant recipients and further reduces both inpatient and outpatient narcotic usage without any discernable side effects.
The Fact of Unreasonable Pluralism
Authors: ANCELL AARON
Published: December 2019

Proponents of political liberalism standardly assume that the citizens of an ideal liberal society would be overwhelmingly reasonable. I argue that this assumption violates political liberalism's own constraints of realism—constraints that are necessary to frame the central problem that political liberalism aims to solve, that is, the problem of reasonable pluralism. To be consistent with these constraints, political liberalism must recognize that, as with reasonable pluralism, widespread support for unreasonable moral and political views is an inevitable feature of any liberal society. I call this the fact of unreasonable pluralism. This fact threatens Rawlsian political liberalism's account of stability because an overlapping consensus cannot stably order a society pervaded by unreasonable views. My argument also raises questions about the coherence of Rawls's conception of ideal theory.
Social norms of corruption in the field: social nudges on posters can help to reduce bribery
Authors: KÖBIS NILS C. , TROOST MARLEEN , BRANDT CYRIL O. , SORAPERRA IVAN
Published: December 2019

Corruption in the form of bribery continues to be a major societal challenge around the world. The current lab-in-the-field study tested whether dynamic descriptive norms messages on posters can help to reduce bribery. Before, during and after placing posters throughout a medium-sized South African town, incentivized measures of social norms and bribery were assessed in a mobile lab. A total of 311 participants stemming from the general population took part. In line with the pre-registered predictions, the results reveal that people: (1) perceive bribery to be less common; and (b) engage in bribery in a corruption game less frequently when the posters were displayed. The discussion outlines how social norms nudging campaigns can be leveraged to spur collective action against corruption.
Conspiracy Theories and Religion: Reframing Conspiracy Theories as Bliks
Authors: Bezalel Glenn Y.
Published: December 2019

Conspiracy theories have largely been framed by the academy as a stigmatised form of knowledge. Yet recent scholarship has included calls to take conspiracy theories more seriously as an area of study with a desire to judge them on their own merits rather than an a priori dismissal of them as a class of explanation. This paper argues that the debates within the philosophy of religion, long overlooked by scholars of conspiracy theories, can help sow the seeds for re-examining our understanding of conspiracy theories in a more balanced and nuanced way. The nature of religious belief is elemental to understanding the epistemological foundations of the conspiracy theorising worldview amidst what we may call ‘conspiratorial ambiguity’. Specifically, R.M. Hare's concept of bliks, which are unfalsifiable but meaningful worldviews, offers a way forward to reframe our approach towards the theory of conspiracy theories.
Dynamic capabilities and performance: How has the relationship been assessed?
Authors: Baía Elisabeth P. , Ferreira João J. M.
Published: December 2019

The contribution of dynamic capabilities (DCs) to firm performance remains unclear and at the centre of debate. Based on a systematic literature review of 92 quantitative articles, the purpose is to explore how the DC–performance relationship have and should be assessed in the future. The most promising approach seems to be indirect, as it appears that DCs primarily causes change and intermediate outcomes, though far from being the most hypothesized relationship. Moreover, investigations employ a continuum of conceptualizations, ranging from very specific DCs to generic sets with theoretical divergences and overlapping. The same applies to the varied performance measures adopted, evidencing that the literature still has a long way to go. Based on a structured synthesis and analysis of existing studies, a conceptual model, recommendations and future avenues are proposed, along with areas of attention, which have both managerial and practical relevance, contributing to advancement within this research stream.
Geoarchaeological insights into the location of Indus settlements on the plains of northwest India
Authors: Neogi Sayantani , French Charles A.I. , Durcan Julie A. , Singh Ravindra N. , Petrie Cameron A.
Published: December 2019

This article presents a geomorphological and micromorphological study of the locational context of four Indus civilisation archaeological sites—Alamgirpur, Masudpur I and VII, and Burj—all situated on the Sutlej-Yamuna interfluve in northwest India. The analysis indicates a strong correlation between settlement foundation and particular landscape positions on an extensive alluvial floodplain. Each of the analysed sites was located on sandy levees and/or riverbank deposits associated with former channels. These landscape positions would have situated settlements above the level of seasonal floodwater resulting from the Indian summer monsoon. In addition, the sandy soils on the margins of these elevated landscape positions would have been seasonally replenished with water, silt, clay, and fine organic matter, considerably enhancing their capacity for water retention and fertility and making them particularly suitable for agriculture. These former landscapes are obscured by recent modification and extensive agricultural practices. These geoarchaeological evaluations indicate that there is a hidden landscape context for each Indus settlement. This specific type of interaction between humans and their local context is an important aspect of Indus cultural adaptations to diverse, variable, and changing environments.
Reduced influence of perceptual context in schizophrenia: behavioral and neurophysiological evidence
Authors: Pokorny Victor J. , Lano Timothy J. , Schallmo Michael-Paul , Olman Cheryl A. , Sponheim Scott R.
Published: December 2019

Background

Accurate perception of visual contours is essential for seeing and differentiating objects in the environment. Both the ability to detect visual contours and the influence of perceptual context created by surrounding stimuli are diminished in people with schizophrenia (SCZ). The central aim of the present study was to better understand the biological underpinnings of impaired contour integration and weakened effects of perceptual context. Additionally, we sought to determine whether visual perceptual abnormalities reflect genetic factors in SCZ and are present in other severe mental disorders.

Methods

We examined behavioral data and event-related potentials (ERPs) collected during the perception of simple linear contours embedded in similar background stimuli in 27 patients with SCZ, 23 patients with bipolar disorder (BP), 23 first-degree relatives of SCZ, and 37 controls.

Results

SCZ exhibited impaired visual contour detection while BP exhibited intermediate performance. The orientation of neighboring stimuli (i.e. flankers) relative to the contour modulated perception across all groups, but SCZ exhibited weakened suppression by the perceptual context created by flankers. Late visual (occipital P2) and cognitive (centroparietal P3) neural responses showed group differences and flanker orientation effects, unlike earlier ERPs (occipital P1 and N1). Moreover, behavioral effects of flanker context on contour perception were correlated with modulation in P2 & P3 amplitudes.

Conclusion

In addition to replicating and extending findings of abnormal contour integration and visual context modulation in SCZ, we provide novel evidence that the abnormal use of perceptual context is associated with higher-order sensory and cognitive processes.
Is Human Enhancement in Space a Moral Duty? Missions to Mars, Advanced AI and Genome Editing in Space
Authors: SZOCIK KONRAD
Published: December 2019

Any space program involving long-term human missions will have to cope with serious risks to human health and life. Because currently available countermeasures are insufficient in the long term, there is a need for new, more radical solutions. One possibility is a program of human enhancement for future deep space mission astronauts. This paper discusses the challenges for long-term human missions of a space environment, opening the possibility of serious consideration of human enhancement and a fully automated space exploration, based on highly advanced AI. The author argues that for such projects, there are strong reasons to consider human enhancement, including gene editing of germ line and somatic cells, as a moral duty.
Excessive gestational weight gain in the first trimester is associated with risk of gestational diabetes mellitus: a prospective study from Southwest China
Authors: Lan Xi , Zhang Yi-qi , Dong Hong-li , Zhang Ju , Zhou Feng-ming , Bao Yan-hong , Zhao Rong-ping , Cai Cong-jie , Bai Dan , Pang Xin-xin , Zeng Guo
Published: December 2019

Objective:

To evaluate the effects of gestational weight gain (GWG) in the first trimester (GWG-F) and the rate of gestational weight gain in the second trimester (RGWG-S) on gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), exploring the optimal GWG ranges for the avoidance of GDM in Chinese women.

Design:

A population-based prospective study was conducted. Gestational weight was measured regularly in every antenatal visit and assessed by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) criteria (2009). GDM was assessed with the 75-g, 2-h oral glucose tolerance test at 24–28 weeks of gestation. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to assess the effects of GWG-F and RGWG-S on GDM, stratified by pre-pregnancy BMI. In each BMI category, the GWG values corresponding to the lowest prevalence of GDM were defined as the optimal GWG range.

Setting:

Southwest China.

Participants:

Pregnant women (n1910) in 2017.

Results:

After adjusting for confounders, GWG-F above IOM recommendations increased the risk of GDM (OR; 95 % CI) among underweight (2·500; 1·106, 5·655), normal-weight (1·396; 1·023, 1·906) and overweight/obese women (3·017; 1·118, 8·138) compared with women within IOM recommendations. No significant difference was observed between RGWG-S and GDM (P> 0·05) after adjusting for GWG-F based on the previous model. The optimal GWG-F ranges for the avoidance of GDM were 0·8–1·2, 0·8–1·2 and 0·35–0·70 kg for underweight, normal-weight and overweight/obese women, respectively.

Conclusions:

Excessive GWG in the first trimester, rather than the second trimester, is associated with increased risk of GDM regardless of pre-pregnancy BMI. Obstetricians should provide more pre-emptive guidance in achieving adequate GWG-F.
The Effect of Sudden Death Bereavement on the Risk for Suicide
Authors: Hamdan Sami , Berkman Natali , Lavi Nili , Levy Sigal , Brent David
Published: December 2019

Abstract. Background: Bereavement after a sudden death is associated with psychiatric sequelae including suicidal ideation and behavior. However, there is still uncertainty about whether bereavement due to suicide increases the risk for suicidal behavior more than bereavement due to other causes of death does. Aims: This study aimed to evaluate suicidal risk among sudden death-bereaved participants and to identify risk factors for suicidality that may be over-represented in those who are suicide-bereaved. Method: In total, 180 adult participants, half of whom had experienced the sudden death of a first-degree relative within the previous 5 years, completed self-report questionnaires assessing suicidal risk, symptoms of depression, somatization, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), complicated grief, perceived social support, and demographic information. Results: Sudden death bereavement was associated with increased suicide risk even after adjusting for psychiatric symptomatology. Within the bereaved groups, the highest risk for suicide was among those bereaved by suicide, with additional contributions from depressive symptomatology, PTSD, somatization, lower perceived social support, and secular religious orientation. Limitations: The study was cross-sectional and bereaved participants had lost their loved one an average of 5 years before the assessment. Conclusion: These results are consistent with the conclusion that suicide bereavement is a risk factor for suicidal behavior.
Seven Easy Steps to Open Science
Authors: Crüwell Sophia , van Doorn Johnny , Etz Alexander , Makel Matthew C. , Moshontz Hannah , Niebaum Jesse C. , Orben Amy , Parsons Sam , Schulte-Mecklenbeck Michael
Published: December 2019

Abstract. The open science movement is rapidly changing the scientific landscape. Because exact definitions are often lacking and reforms are constantly evolving, accessible guides to open science are needed. This paper provides an introduction to open science and related reforms in the form of an annotated reading list of seven peer-reviewed articles, following the format of Etz, Gronau, Dablander, Edelsbrunner, and Baribault (2018) . Written for researchers and students – particularly in psychological science – it highlights and introduces seven topics: understanding open science; open access; open data, materials, and code; reproducible analyses; preregistration and registered reports; replication research; and teaching open science. For each topic, we provide a detailed summary of one particularly informative and actionable article and suggest several further resources. Supporting a broader understanding of open science issues, this overview should enable researchers to engage with, improve, and implement current open, transparent, reproducible, replicable, and cumulative scientific practices.
Magmatic Forcing of Cenozoic Climate?
Authors: Sternai Pietro , Caricchi Luca , Pasquero Claudia , Garzanti Eduardo , van Hinsbergen Douwe J. J. , Castelltort Sébastien
Published: December 2019

Established theories ascribe much of the observed long‐term Cenozoic climate cooling to atmospheric carbon consumption by erosion and weathering of tectonically uplifted terrains, but climatic effects due to changes in magmatism and carbon degassing are also involved. At timescales comparable to those of Milankovitch cycles, late Cenozoic building/melting of continental ice sheets, erosion, and sea level changes can affect magmatism, which provides an opportunity to explore possible feedbacks between climate and volcanic changes. Existing data show that extinction of Neo‐Tethyan volcanic arcs is largely synchronous with phases of atmospheric carbon reduction, suggesting waning degassing as a possible contribution to climate cooling throughout the early to middle Cenozoic. In addition, the increase in atmospheric CO2 concentrations during the last deglaciation may be ascribed to enhanced volcanism and carbon emissions due to unloading of active magmatic provinces on continents. The deglacial rise in atmospheric CO2 points to a mutual feedback between climate and volcanism mediated by the redistribution of surface masses and carbon emissions. This may explain the progression to higher amplitude and increasingly asymmetric cycles of late Cenozoic climate oscillations. Unifying theories relating tectonic, erosional, climatic, and magmatic changes across timescales via the carbon cycle offer an opportunity for future research into the coupling between surface and deep Earth processes.
Unraveling the Mineralogical Complexity of Sediment Iron Speciation Using Sequential Extractions
Authors: Slotznick S. P. , Sperling E. A. , Tosca N. J. , Miller A. J. , Clayton K. E. , van Helmond N. A. G. M. , Slomp C. P. , Swanson‐Hysell N. L.
Published: December 2019

Iron speciation is one of the most widely applied proxies used to reconstruct oxygen levels and redox conditions in past aqueous environments. The iron speciation proxy estimates proportions of different reactive iron species in fine‐grained sedimentary rocks, which are mapped to redox conditions based on empirical calibrations from modern sediments. It is based on a standardized extraction technique of sequentially applying acetate, hydroxlamine‐HCl, dithionite, and oxalate solutions to a powdered sample in order to dissolve iron phases and quantify the amount of iron carried by carbonates, “easily reducible” oxyhydroxides, ferric iron (oxyhydr)oxides, and magnetite, respectively. Although tested on pure minerals and mixtures, assessments of whether this sequential extraction process accurately dissolves the targeted minerals in natural sediments and sedimentary rocks are lacking. In our study, residues from each sequential extraction step were analyzed using rock magnetic and X‐ray diffraction experiments to identify and quantify the iron‐bearing minerals that were dissolved. The dithionite extraction robustly removes the targeted mineralogy as magnetic data show it to solubilize nearly all of the goethite. However, magnetic quantification of magnetite was orders of magnitude less than the iron measured in the oxalate extraction; X‐ray diffraction data suggest that dissolution of iron‐bearing clays, specifically berthierine/chamosite, could explain this disparity. Our data compilation shows higher values of iron from the oxalate extraction in Precambrian sedimentary rock samples, suggesting a significant temporal shift in iron cycling. Recognition of heterogeneity in chemical extraction efficiency and targeting is vital for holistic multiproxy interpretation of past oxygen levels and communication between disciplines.
Influence of Atlantic and Pacific Sea Surface Temperatures on Heat‐Related Mortality in the United States
Authors: Majeed Haris , Coles John G. , Moore G. W. K.
Published: December 2019

The frequency and magnitude of extreme summer temperature events in the United States have increased in the past few decades. Long‐term exposure to extreme summer temperatures can be detrimental to human health, due to potential risks of dehydration and thermoregulation strains on the cardiovascular system, which may often lead to heat‐related mortality (HRM). The summer climate of the United States is influenced by variability in Atlantic and Pacific sea surface temperatures, driven in part by Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO) and El‐Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO), respectively. However, the influence of AMO and ENSO on HRM in the United States has not been investigated. Here the longest time series of HRM spanning the past five decades is analyzed in relation with AMO and ENSO. We find that HRM doubled in the early‐1990s, coinciding with the positive phase of the AMO. Furthermore, we note a positive association between the variability in HRM and summer temperatures across all regions of the United States, with the strongest association found over the Southern United States. Therefore, this research suggests that variability in Atlantic and Pacific sea surface temperatures has both a nationwide and regional impact on HRM in the United States. Hence, by understanding variability in sea surface temperatures, the future burden of heat‐attributed emergencies during extreme summer temperature events can be reduced not only for the United States, but also worldwide.
Links Between Barents‐Kara Sea Ice and the Extratropical Atmospheric Circulation Explained by Internal Variability and Tropical Forcing
Authors: Warner J. L. , Screen J. A. , Scaife A. A.
Published: December 2019

Changes in Arctic sea ice have been proposed to affect midlatitude winter atmospheric circulation, often based on observed coincident variability. However, causality of this covariability remains unclear. Here, we address this issue using atmospheric model experiments prescribed with observed sea surface temperature variations and either constant or time‐varying sea ice variability. We show that the observed relationship between late‐autumn Barents‐Kara sea ice and the winter North Atlantic Oscillation can be reproduced by simulated atmospheric internal variability but is not simulated as a forced response to sea ice. Observations and models suggest reduced sea ice is linked to a weaker Aleutian Low. We show that simulated Aleutian Low variability is correlated with observed sea ice variability even in simulations with fixed sea ice, implying that this relationship is not incidental. Instead, we suggest that covariability between sea ice and the Aleutian Low originates from tropical sea surface temperature and rainfall variations and their teleconnections to the extratropics.
Biophysical Consequences of a Relaxing Beaufort Gyre
Authors: Zhang Jinlun , Spitz Yvette H. , Steele Michael , Ashjian Carin , Campbell Robert , Schweiger Axel
Published: December 2019

A biophysical model shows that Beaufort Gyre (BG) intensification in 2004–2016 is followed by relaxation in 2017–2018, based on a BG variability index. BG intensification leads to enhanced downwelling in the central Canada Basin (CCB) and upwelling along the coast. In the CCB, enhanced downwelling reduces nutrients, thus lowering primary productivity (PP) and plankton biomass. Enhanced upwelling along the coast and in parts of the Chukchi shelf/slope increases nutrients, leading to elevated PP/biomass in the Pacific Arctic Ocean (PAO) outside of the CCB. The overall PAO PP/biomass is dominated by the shelf/slope response and thus increases during BG intensification. As the BG relaxes in 2017–2018, these processes largely reverse, with increasing PP/biomass in the CCB and decreasing PP/biomass in most of the shelf/slope regions. Because the shelf/slope regions are much more productive than the CCB, BG relaxation has the tendency to reduce the overall production in the PAO.
The Spatial and Temporal Variability of Mn Speciation in the Coastal Northwest Atlantic Ocean
Authors: Oldham V. E. , Lamborg C. H. , Hansel C. M.
Published: December 2019

Manganese (Mn) is distributed widely throughout the global ocean, where it cycles between three oxidation states that each play important biogeochemical roles. The speciation of Mn in seawater was previously operationally defined on filtration, with soluble Mn presumed to be Mn(II) and solid‐phase Mn as Mn(III/IV) oxides. Recent findings of abundant soluble Mn(III) complexes (Mn(III)‐L) highlights the need to reexamine the redox cycling of Mn, as these complexes can donate or accept electrons. To better understand the complex cycling of Mn in coastal waters, the distribution of Mn species at four Northwest Atlantic sites with different characteristics was examined. Diurnal influences on Mn speciation were investigated within a productive site. At all sites, Mn(III)‐L complexes dominated, particularly in surface waters, and Mn oxides were low in abundance in surface waters but high in bottom waters. Despite intrasite similarities, Mn speciation was highly variable between our stations, emphasizing the diverse processes that impact Mn redox. Diel Mn measurements revealed that the cycling of Mn is also highly variable over time, even on time scales as short as hours. We observed a change of over 100 nM total Mn over 17 hrs and find that speciation changed drastically. These changes could include contributions from biological, light‐mediated, and/or abiotic mechanisms but more likely point to the importance of lateral mixing at coastal sites. This exploration demonstrates the spatial and temporal variability of the Mn redox cycle and indicates that single timepoint vertical profiling is not sufficient when describing the geochemistry of dynamic coastal systems.
Aircraft Charging and its Influence on Triggered Lightning
Authors: Pavan C. , Fontanes P. , Urbani M. , Nguyen N. C. , Martinez‐Sanchez M. , Peraire J. , Montanya J. , Guerra‐Garcia C.
Published: December 2019

This paper reports on a laboratory experiment to study the effect of vehicle net charge on the inception of a positive leader from an aircraft exposed to high atmospheric electric fields. The experiment models the first stage of aircraft‐triggered lightning in which a positive leader typically develops from the vehicle and is shortly afterwards followed by a negative leader. This mechanism of lightning initiation amounts to around 90% of strikes to aircraft. Aircraft can acquire net charge levels of the order of a millicoulomb from a number of sources including corona emission, charged particles in the engine exhaust, and charge transfer by collisions with particles in the atmosphere. In addition, aircraft could potentially be artificially charged through controlled charge emission from the surface. Experiments were performed on a model aircraft with a 1m wingspan, which was suspended between two parallel electrodes in a 1.45m gap with voltage difference of a few hundred kilovolts applied across it. In this configuration, it is found that the breakdown field can vary by as much as 30% for the range of charging levels tested. The experimental results show agreement with an electrostatic model of leader initiation from aircraft, and the model indicates that the effect can be substantially stronger if additional negative charge is added to the aircraft. The results from this work suggest that flying uncharged is not optimal in terms of lightning avoidance and open up the possibility of developing risk‐reduction strategies based on net charge control.
Sensitivity of the Northeast Greenland Ice Stream to Geothermal Heat
Authors: Smith‐Johnsen S. , Schlegel N.‐J. , de Fleurian B. , Nisancioglu K. H.
Published: December 2019

Recent observations of ice flow surface velocities have helped improve our understanding of basal processes on Greenland and Antarctica, though these processes still constitute some of the largest uncertainties driving ice flow change today. The Northeast Greenland Ice Stream is driven largely by basal sliding, believed to be related to subglacial hydrology and the availability of heat. Characterization of the uncertainties associated with Northeast Greenland Ice Stream is crucial for constraining Greenland's potential contribution to sea level rise in the upcoming centuries. Here, we expand upon past work using the Ice Sheet System Model to quantify the uncertainties in models of the ice flow in the Northeast Greenland Ice Stream by perturbing the geothermal heat flux. Utilizing a subglacial hydrology model simulating sliding beneath the Greenland Ice Sheet, we investigate the sensitivity of the Northeast Greenland Ice Stream ice flow to various estimates of geothermal heat flux, and implications of basal heat flux uncertainties on modeling the hydrological processes beneath Greenland's major ice stream. We find that the uncertainty due to sliding at the bed is 10 times greater than the uncertainty associated with internal ice viscosity. Geothermal heat flux dictates the size of the area of the subglacial drainage system and its efficiency. The uncertainty of ice discharge from the Northeast Greenland Ice Stream to the ocean due to uncertainties in the geothermal heat flux is estimated at 2.10 Gt/yr. This highlights the urgency in obtaining better constraints on the highly uncertain subglacial hydrology parameters.
Estimation of Global Grassland Net Ecosystem Carbon Exchange Using a Model Tree Ensemble Approach
Authors: Liang Wei , Zhang Weibin , Jin Zhao , Yan Jianwu , Lü Yihe , Wang Shuai , Fu Bojie , Li Shuai , Ji Qiulei , Gou Fen , Fu Shuyi , An Shantao , Wang Fengjiao
Published: December 2019

Understanding the net ecosystem CO2 exchange (NEE) between terrestrial ecosystems and the atmosphere is crucial for accurate estimation of carbon budgets, which remains unclear for grassland ecosystems. Here we upscaled site‐level NEE from 44 grassland flux towers (1,457 site‐months) to the global scale by using a model tree ensemble approach that considers the management activities (grazing and cutting) (MTE‐GM). Cross‐validation showed that MTE‐GM performs reasonably well in terms of among‐site variability and seasonal variation, with a Nash‐Sutcliffe efficiency of 0.90 and 0.86 and an R2 of 0.91 and 0.86, respectively. Radiation (shortwave and longwave), temperature, leaf area index, and fraction of absorbed photosynthetic active radiation had the highest relative explanatory power in predicting NEE. Based on MTE‐GM, mean annual NEE of global grassland was 72 ± 4 g C m−2 year−1 (1.9 ± 0.11 Pg C year−1) during 1982–2011, suggesting that the grassland ecosystems have been acting as a small carbon source during the past three decades. However, grasslands in temperate and continental regions had the largest carbon sink of −61.9 ± 5.7 and −51.8 ± 7.9 g C m−2 year−1, respectively. Moreover, we found that elimination of grassland management effect resulted in an extra emission of 1.7% CO2 to the atmosphere (CO2 sink from the management is 0.03 Pg C year−1). From the 1980s to the 2000s, 38% (22%) and 17% (18%) of pixels showed an increased (decreased) carbon uptake and decreased (increased) carbon release, respectively. Uncertainty assessment suggested that there would be higher confidence in NEE estimates in most parts of middle‐ to high‐latitude regions in the Northern Hemisphere.
Phase 2 study of vismodegib, a hedgehog inhibitor, combined with gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel in patients with untreated metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma
Authors: De Jesus-Acosta Ana , Sugar Elizabeth A. , O’Dwyer Peter J. , Ramanathan Ramesh K. , Von Hoff Daniel D. , Rasheed Zeshaan , Zheng Lei , Begum Asma , Anders Robert , Maitra Anirban , McAllister Florencia , Rajeshkumar N. V. , Yabuuchi Shinichi , de Wilde Roeland F. , Batukbhai Bhavina , Sahin Ismet , Laheru Daniel A.
Published: December 2019

Background

The Hedgehog (Hh) signalling pathway is overexpressed in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA). Preclinical studies have shown that Hh inhibitors reduce pancreatic cancer stem cells (pCSC), stroma and Hh signalling.

Methods

Patients with previously untreated metastatic PDA were treated with gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel. Vismodegib was added starting on the second cycle. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS) as compared with historical controls. Tumour biopsies to assess pCSC, stroma and Hh signalling were obtained before treatment and after cycle 1 (gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel) or after cycle 2 (gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel plus vismodegib).

Results

Seventy-one patients were enrolled. Median PFS and overall survival (OS) were 5.42 months (95% confidence interval [CI]: 4.37–6.97) and 9.79 months (95% CI: 7.85–10.97), respectively. Of the 67 patients evaluable for response, 27 (40%) had a response: 26 (38.8%) partial responses and 1 complete response. In the tumour samples, there were no significant changes in ALDH + pCSC following treatment.

Conclusions

Adding vismodegib to chemotherapy did not improve efficacy as compared with historical rates observed with chemotherapy alone in patients with newly diagnosed metastatic pancreatic cancer. This study does not support the further evaluation of Hh inhibitors in this patient population.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01088815.
El Niño-Southern oscillation and under-5 diarrhea in Botswana
Authors: Heaney Alexandra K. , Shaman Jeffrey , Alexander Kathleen A.
Published: December 2019

Childhood diarrheal disease causes significant morbidity and mortality in low and middle-income countries, yet our ability to accurately predict diarrhea incidence remains limited. El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) has been shown to affect diarrhea dynamics in South America and Asia. However, understanding of its effects in sub-Saharan Africa, where the burden of under-5 diarrhea is high, remains inadequate. Here we investigate the connections between ENSO, local environmental conditions, and childhood diarrheal disease in Chobe District, Botswana. Our results demonstrate that La Niña conditions are associated with cooler temperatures, increased rainfall, and higher flooding in the Chobe region during the rainy season. In turn, La Niña conditions lagged 0–5 months are associated with higher than average incidence of under-5 diarrhea in the early rainy season. These findings demonstrate the potential use of ENSO as a long-lead prediction tool for childhood diarrhea in southern Africa.
Evolution of satellite plasmids can prolong the maintenance of newly acquired accessory genes in bacteria
Authors: Zhang Xue , Deatherage Daniel E. , Zheng Hao , Georgoulis Stratton J. , Barrick Jeffrey E.
Published: December 2019

Transmissible plasmids spread genes encoding antibiotic resistance and other traits to new bacterial species. Here we report that laboratory populations of Escherichia coli with a newly acquired IncQ plasmid often evolve ‘satellite plasmids’ with deletions of accessory genes and genes required for plasmid replication. Satellite plasmids are molecular parasites: their presence reduces the copy number of the full-length plasmid on which they rely for their continued replication. Cells with satellite plasmids gain an immediate fitness advantage from reducing burdensome expression of accessory genes. Yet, they maintain copies of these genes and the complete plasmid, which potentially enables them to benefit from and transmit the traits they encode in the future. Evolution of satellite plasmids is transient. Cells that entirely lose accessory gene function or plasmid mobility dominate in the long run. Satellite plasmids also evolve in Snodgrassella alvi colonizing the honey bee gut, suggesting that this mechanism may broadly contribute to the importance of IncQ plasmids as agents of bacterial gene transfer in nature.
An Abl-FBP17 mechanosensing system couples local plasma membrane curvature and stress fiber remodeling during mechanoadaptation
Authors: Echarri Asier , Pavón Dácil M. , Sánchez Sara , García-García María , Calvo Enrique , Huerta-López Carla , Velázquez-Carreras Diana , Viaris de Lesegno Christine , Ariotti Nicholas , Lázaro-Carrillo Ana , Strippoli Raffaele , De Sancho David , Alegre-Cebollada Jorge , Lamaze Christophe , Parton Robert G. , Del Pozo Miguel A.
Published: December 2019

Cells remodel their structure in response to mechanical strain. However, how mechanical forces are translated into biochemical signals that coordinate the structural changes observed at the plasma membrane (PM) and the underlying cytoskeleton during mechanoadaptation is unclear. Here, we show that PM mechanoadaptation is controlled by a tension-sensing pathway composed of c-Abl tyrosine kinase and membrane curvature regulator FBP17. FBP17 is recruited to caveolae to induce the formation of caveolar rosettes. FBP17 deficient cells have reduced rosette density, lack PM tension buffering capacity under osmotic shock, and cannot adapt to mechanical strain. Mechanistically, tension is transduced to the FBP17 F-BAR domain by direct phosphorylation mediated by c-Abl, a mechanosensitive molecule. This modification inhibits FBP17 membrane bending activity and releases FBP17-controlled inhibition of mDia1-dependent stress fibers, favoring membrane adaptation to increased tension. This mechanoprotective mechanism adapts the cell to changes in mechanical tension by coupling PM and actin cytoskeleton remodeling.
Agreement between two large pan-cancer CRISPR-Cas9 gene dependency data sets
Authors: Dempster Joshua M. , Pacini Clare , Pantel Sasha , Behan Fiona M. , Green Thomas , Krill-Burger John , Beaver Charlotte M. , Younger Scott T. , Zhivich Victor , Najgebauer Hanna , Allen Felicity , Gonçalves Emanuel , Shepherd Rebecca , Doench John G. , Yusa Kosuke , Vazquez Francisca , Parts Leopold , Boehm Jesse S. , Golub Todd R. , Hahn William C. , Root David E. , Garnett Mathew J. , Tsherniak Aviad , Iorio Francesco
Published: December 2019

Genome-scale CRISPR-Cas9 viability screens performed in cancer cell lines provide a systematic approach to identify cancer dependencies and new therapeutic targets. As multiple large-scale screens become available, a formal assessment of the reproducibility of these experiments becomes necessary. We analyze data from recently published pan-cancer CRISPR-Cas9 screens performed at the Broad and Sanger Institutes. Despite significant differences in experimental protocols and reagents, we find that the screen results are highly concordant across multiple metrics with both common and specific dependencies jointly identified across the two studies. Furthermore, robust biomarkers of gene dependency found in one data set are recovered in the other. Through further analysis and replication experiments at each institute, we show that batch effects are driven principally by two key experimental parameters: the reagent library and the assay length. These results indicate that the Broad and Sanger CRISPR-Cas9 viability screens yield robust and reproducible findings.
Dual microglia effects on blood brain barrier permeability induced by systemic inflammation
Authors: Haruwaka Koichiro , Ikegami Ako , Tachibana Yoshihisa , Ohno Nobuhiko , Konishi Hiroyuki , Hashimoto Akari , Matsumoto Mami , Kato Daisuke , Ono Riho , Kiyama Hiroshi , Moorhouse Andrew J. , Nabekura Junichi , Wake Hiroaki
Published: December 2019

Microglia survey brain parenchyma, responding to injury and infections. Microglia also respond to systemic disease, but the role of blood–brain barrier (BBB) integrity in this process remains unclear. Using simultaneous in vivo imaging, we demonstrated that systemic inflammation induces CCR5-dependent migration of brain resident microglia to the cerebral vasculature. Vessel-associated microglia initially maintain BBB integrity via expression of the tight-junction protein Claudin-5 and make physical contact with endothelial cells. During sustained inflammation, microglia phagocytose astrocytic end-feet and impair BBB function. Our results show microglia play a dual role in maintaining BBB integrity with implications for elucidating how systemic immune-activation impacts neural functions.