bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of k-nearest neighbour classifier performance for heterogeneous data sets
Authors: Ali Najat , Neagu Daniel , Trundle Paul
Published: November 2019

Distance-based algorithms are widely used for data classification problems. The k-nearest neighbour classification (k-NN) is one of the most popular distance-based algorithms. This classification is based on measuring the distances between the test sample and the training samples to determine the final classification output. The traditional k-NN classifier works naturally with numerical data. The main objective of this paper is to investigate the performance of k-NN on heterogeneous datasets, where data can be described as a mixture of numerical and categorical features. For the sake of simplicity, this work considers only one type of categorical data, which is binary data. In this paper, several similarity measures have been defined based on a combination between well-known distances for both numerical and binary data, and to investigate k-NN performances for classifying such heterogeneous data sets. The experiments used six heterogeneous datasets from different domains and two categories of measures. Experimental results showed that the proposed measures performed better for heterogeneous data than Euclidean distance, and that the challenges raised by the nature of heterogeneous data need personalised similarity measures adapted to the data characteristics.
Eco-friendly preparation of chitooligosaccharides with different degrees of deacetylation from shrimp shell waste and their effects on the germination of wheat seeds
Authors: Fu Xiaodan , Zhu Lin , Li Li , Zhang Tan , Li Meng , Mou Haijin
Published: November 2019

Production of chitosan and its derivatives by traditional methods involves the excessive use of a reaction solution comprised of sodium hydroxide and hydrochloric acid. Waste water resulting from this process has limited the application of chitosan as a fertilizer as the process causes serious environmental pollution. Specifically, the resulting waste water contains high levels of dissolved nitrogen and minerals from shrimp shells. In this study, an eco-friendly method was established to produce chitooligosaccharides (COS) with different degrees of deacetylation (DDAs) from shrimp shell waste. At a solid-to-solvent ratio of 1:6, the degree of demineralization was above 90% with the treatment of 30 g·L−1 H3PO4, and the degree of deproteinization was above 80% when treated with 30 g·L−1 KOH at 70 °C. Chitosans with different DDAs were obtained by microwave-assisted KOH metathesis and the COS with Mw approximately 1500 Da were then prepared by oxidative degradation. In summary, 33.73 kg H3PO4, 12.77 kg, and 241.31 kg KOH were supplied during the processes of demineralization, deproteinization, and deacetylation of 100 kg shrimp shell waste, respectively. The process water was totally recycled, demonstrating that the shrimp shell could be wholly transformed into fertilizer. The entire process created a product with the fractions of N:P2O5:K2O:COS = 7.94:24.44:10.72:18.27. The test on the germination promotion of wheat seeds revealed that the COS with 72.12% DDA significantly promoted germination. This work demonstrated the use of an eco-friendly preparation method of COS with a specific degree of deacetylation that can be applied as a fertilizer.
Mapping the Perceived Sexuality of Heterosexual Men and Women in Mid- and Later Life: A Mixed-Methods Study
Authors: Macleod Ashley , Busija Lucy , McCabe Marita
Published: November 2019

Introduction

There is currently limited research that examines the meaning of sexuality at midlife and later life.

Aim

This study investigates how heterosexual men and women in mid- and later life perceive their sexuality and the factors that influence it.

Methods

Group concept mapping was used to produce a conceptual map of the experience of sexuality for heterosexual adults ages 45 years and above. Group concept mapping data were collected using 6 open-ended survey questions that asked about sexuality, intimacy, and desire. Thematic analysis was used to examine how participants perceived their sexuality to have changed as they aged. Thematic analysis data were collected using a single open-ended survey question.

Main Outcome Measure

Statements generated from 6 of the open-ended survey questions were rated by participants using a 5-point Likert scale for how important participants felt that each statement was to themselves personally. Participants responses to the seventh open-ended survey question were examined using thematic analysis to understand whether participants felt that their sexual experiences had changed over time and, if so, how they had changed.

Results

Eight themes were identified across the different phases of group concept mapping. These were, in order of importance, partner compatibility, intimacy and pleasure, determinants of sexual desire, sexual expression, determinants of sexual expression, barriers to intimacy, sexual urges, and barriers to sexual expression. Seven areas of change were identified in terms of perceived changes to sexuality with age. These included changes to perspective, relationship dynamics, environment, behavior, body/function, sexual interest/desire, and sexual enjoyment.

Conclusion

The results highlight the prioritization of interrelationship dynamics in mid- and later life sexuality over sexual functioning and sexual urges. These findings may facilitate the development of new perspectives on how sexuality is experienced in the later years and provide new avenues for intervention in situations where sexual problems arise.
Role of micronize purified flavonoid fraction and ethanol Graptophyllum pictum extract on experimental anal ulcer healing. Study on Wistar rat
Authors: Prasetyo Sigit Adi , Wisnu Yan , Nugroho Eriawan Agung , Dharmana Edi , Susilaningsih Neni , Riwanto Ignatius
Published: November 2019

Aim of the study To evaluate the role of micronized purified flavanoid fraction and ethanol Graptophyllum pictum extract in the treatment of anal ulcer.

Method Twenty-eight Wistar rats were randomly allocated into four groups. Groups 2, 3 and 4 the anus were induced with croton oil, but was not induced on group 1. Groups 1 and 2 were treated with normal saline, while groups 3 and 4 were treated with micronized purified flavanoid fraction, and ethanol G. pictum extract, respectively. On 9th days blood sample were taken from the retro-orbital region, and Wistar was killed by cervical dislocation under ether anesthesia. The anal canal was resected up 2 cm from anal opening, weighted, photographically taken to measure the percentage of residual ulcer, and then prepared for microscopic examination. Elisa methods were done for superoxide dismutase and malondialdedhyde. The total leukocyte in the anal specimen was counted under 400 magnification power. superoxide dismutase, anal coefficient, and total leukocyte for statistical analysis were using ANOVA and LSD, while malondialdedhyde and percentage of ulcers were using Kruskal–Wallis and Mann–Whitney.

Result Treatment with ethanol G. pictum extract dose of 100 mg/kg BW significantly reduces the percentage of anal ulcer, the edema, leukocyte infiltration, and malondialdedhyde, and increase the superoxide dismutase in comparison without treatment. Treatment with micronized purified flavanoid fraction did not reduce the leukocyte, anal coefficient, and percentage of anal ulcer, only increase malondialdedhyde and decrease superoxide dismutase significantly.
Ophthalmology Training in Greece as Perceived by Resident Ophthalmologists in the Times of Crisis
Authors: Lamprogiannis Lampros , Tzamalis Argyrios , Tsaousis Konstantinos T , Ziakas Nikolaos , Symeonidis Chrysanthos , Karamitsos Athanasios , Dimitrakos Stavros , Tsinopoulos Ioannis
Published: November 2019

Purpose:

To assess the level of perceived satisfaction with the current level of ophthalmology training in Greece from the perspective of residents and to identify deficiencies in the training curriculum.

Methods:

This is a prospective, cross-sectional questionnaire-based study. An online, semi-structured questionnaire was designed to evaluate ophthalmology residents' extent of satisfaction with the quality of their postgraduate medical training. The survey was divided in two parts: demographics and evaluation of training. Resident ophthalmologists in all teaching hospitals in Greece were contacted and encouraged to complete it.

Results:

A response rate of 53.8% was achieved. Two out of three participants stated their disappointment with the quality of training they received and deemed the four-year residency training program as insufficient. Surgical training was also viewed as unsatisfactory by the majority of the respondents. An interest in subspecialty training, as well as a significant participation in research activities, was noted.

Conclusions:

Both training and overall satisfaction with working conditions must be improved to preserve the appeal of ophthalmology for young academics. A new, structured curriculum, reduction of unnecessary bureaucracy, and improved surgical training rank among the most essential priorities in order to improve postgraduate ophthalmology training.
Not All Experience is Created Equal: MP Career Typologies and Ministerial Appointments in the Canadian House of Commons, 1968–2015
Authors: Kerby Matthew , Snagovsky Feodor
Published: November 2019

While there is widespread agreement in the ministerial promotion and resignation literature that experience matters, experience has typically been defined as the length of time a legislator has worked in politics or served in a legislature. This approach fails to account for the different kinds of experience legislators accumulate as they progress through their political careers prior to appointment to cabinet. We demonstrate how researchers can use sequence and cluster analysis to obtain a more complete understanding of ministerial appointment. We identify four data-driven archetypes of political careers in Canada for the period 1968–2015. We find that MPs with diverse political careers are more likely to be appointed to cabinet, while MPs with opposition experience are more successful than MPs with government experience. We also find that parliamentary secretary is not necessarily a stepping stone to a full cabinet position, calling into question traditional conceptions of parliamentary politics as a ‘ladder’.
Bringing planktonic crinoids back to the bottom: Reassessment of the functional role of scyphocrinoid loboliths
Authors: Gorzelak Przemysław , Kołbuk Dorota , Salamon Mariusz A. , Łukowiak Magdalena , Ausich William I. , Baumiller Tomasz K.
Published: November 2019

Living crinoids are exclusively passive suspension feeders and benthic as adults. However, in the past they adapted to a broad range of ecological niches. For instance, the stratigraphically important middle Paleozoic scyphocrinoids are hypothesized to have been planktonic, employing their inferred gas-filled globular, chambered structure at the distal end of the stem, the so-called lobolith, as a buoyancy device with the crinoid calyx suspended below it. Here, we evaluate this hypothesis using evidence from skeletal micromorphology and theoretical biomechanical modeling. Lobolith walls are typically composed of ossicles, which are exclusively composed of constructional labyrinthic stereom. In plates from the distal side of the lobolith, this stereom extends into microperforate stereom layer, forming wavy ridges and spines. No microscale adaptations for preventing gas leaks and/or ingress of water (such as internal and external imperforate stereom layers) are known. Furthermore, theoretical calculations suggest that the scyphocrinoid tow-net mode of feeding would have resulted in small relative velocities between the towed filter and the ambient water, thus making it an ineffective passive filter feeder. We suggest that the lobolith of these crinoids acted as a modified holdfast rather than as a floating buoy. Its globular shape and distally positioned microspines served as adaptations for living in unconsolidated sediments, analogous to iceberg- and snowshoe-like strategies used by some mollusks and brachiopods. Like modern isocrinids, scyphocrinoids could have maintained an upright feeding posture by extending the distal portion of the stalk along the bottom. In this recumbent posture, the distal part of the stalk with the lobolith might have functioned as a drag anchor. As a consequence of the ~3-m-long stem, even with this posture, the benthic scyphocrinoids could have risen to the highest epifaunal tier in the Paleozoic.
The EHU12/24 cohort: survey design, instruments and participants
Authors: Telleria-Aramburu N. , Rocandio A. M. , Rebato E. , Arroyo-Izaga M.
Published: November 2019

The EHU12/24 (code of a survey from the University of the Basque Country/Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea, UPV/EHU) study was designed to investigate the risk factors of overweight/obesity-related lifestyles, particularly those associated with diet, their psychosocial influences and the interactions among these factors. This observational cohort study was carried out according to a standardised protocol and involved a representative sample of the UPV/EHU student population. Anthropometric measurements, direct behavioural determinants, such as physical activity and diet, and indirect determinants, such as social/psychological factors, are considered. In this paper, we present the survey design, instruments, measurements and related quality management. We describe the study sample in terms of its socio-economic and demographic factors and knowledge area and summarise the methodology used to collect the data and obtain the anthropometric measurements. The participants were 603 students (59·5 % female) aged 18–28 years. The crude participation proportion was 53·5 %. Regarding the knowledge area, the lowest response proportions were obtained from the Health Sciences (38·6 %) compared with the Non-Health Sciences (48·3 %) (P = 0·003). The mean age was 20·9 years, and 83·1 % of the sample were from Basque Country. Regarding the socio-economic characteristics, there were significant differences by sex and knowledge area in most studied variables. Moreover, the Health Sciences students were more likely younger, from outside Basque Country, to have parents with university degrees and to have a higher social status. In conclusion, the EHU12/24 cohort provides valuable data for analysing the complexity and multidimensionality of obesity in university students.
Is there anything natural about the polar?
Authors: Dahl Justiina , Roberts Peder , van der Watt Lize-Marié
Published: November 2019

Are similarities of temperature, snow and ice cover, and (certain) marine mammals sufficient to warrant both polar regions being considered a single object of study or governance? We argue that their treatment as a unit is an invitation to examine the motivations behind the choice to be polar rather than Arctic or Antarctic. For individuals such as James Clerk Ross or Roald Amundsen, logistical requirements and analogous goals facilitated careers spanning both the Arctic and the Antarctic. This trend continued through the 20th century as individual scientists studying phenomena such as glaciers, sea ice, or aurora defined their research as “polar” in nature. Organisations such as the Scott Polar Research Institute and Norwegian Polar Institute could draw on traditions of national exploration in both polar regions, while the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute in St. Petersburg gained its southern mandate with the importance of the International Geophysical Year. By comparison, neither the Arctic Institute in Copenhagen nor the Argentine Antarctic Institute felt any need to become polar. The creation of polar identity is ultimately a matter of geopolitics, of the value states see in instruments and symbols that speak to polar rather than Arctic or Antarctic interests. In cases such as Finland’s icebreaker industry, a technological capability justified Antarctic interest even without any national research tradition. We conclude by asking whether there is anything more natural about the polar regions than there is about the concept of a “tripolar” world in which the high alpine regions form a natural unit along with the Arctic and Antarctic.
Nonlinear propagation of ion acoustic waves in quantum plasma in the presence of an ion beam
Authors: Paul Indrani , Chatterjee Arkojyothi , Paul Sailendra Nath
Published: November 2019

Nonlinear propagation of ion acoustic waves has been studied in unmagnetized quantum (degenerate) plasma in the presence of an ion beam using the one-dimensional quantum hydrodynamic model. The Korteweg–de Vries (K–dV) equation has been derived by using the reductive perturbation technique. The solution of ion acoustic solitary waves is obtained from the K–dV equation. The theoretical results have been analyzed numerically for different values of plasma parameters and the results are presented graphically. It is seen that the formation and structure of solitary waves are significantly affected by the ion beam in quantum plasma. The solitary waves will be compressive or rarefactive depending upon the values of velocity, concentration, and temperature of the ion beam. The critical value of ion beam density for the nonexistence of solitary wave has been numerically estimated, and its variation with velocity and temperature of ion beam has been discussed graphically. The results are new and would be very useful for understanding the beam–plasma interactions and the formation of nonlinear wave structures in dense quantum plasma.
The Political Functions of (Premodern) Courts and Procedure and Questions of Comparative Method
Authors: Kessler Amalia D.
Published: November 2019

Orit Malka's Disqualified Witnesses, Between Tannaitic Halakha and Roman Law is structured around a puzzle. Why did the rabbinic literature produced in Roman Palestine in the early centuries of the Common Era identify a list of four seemingly disparate types of people—dice-players, usurers, pigeon-flyers, and traders in Seventh Year produce—as disqualified from giving testimony in court? This argument has important implications, I suggest, for all legal systems—like most throughout history—that are not structured around a modern, positivist conception of law and of the role of courts.
Lower levels of human disturbance correspond with longer-term persistence of Endangered Green Peafowl Pavo muticus populations
Authors: SUKUMAL NITI , GRAINGER MATTHEW J. , SAVINI TOMMASO
Published: November 2019

Galliformes are one of the most threatened groups of birds in South-East Asia, with 27% of the species threatened with extinction. Long term population viability and extinction probability studies, at different levels of threat and management, are lacking due to weak life history data. This study aimed to define the long-term viability and extinction risk of two populations of the endangered Green Peafowl Pavo muticus, facing different threat and protection levels, using Bayesian Population Viability Analysis (BPVA), which requires less data than traditional methods. The results showed an increasing trend in the Green Peafowl population in HuaiKhaKhaeng Wildlife Sanctuary (western Thailand), with a high protection level and low disturbance and high probability of assuring persistence for the next 100 years. By contrast, the population in YokDon National Park (south-central Vietnam), with a high habitat disturbance level and significant hunting pressure, is predicted to decline and has a high probability (99%) of extinction by 2097. Also, the BPVA showed minimum viable population (MVP) estimates of 250 and 450 calling males for the HuaiKhaKhaeng and YokDon populations respectively, assuring high probabilities of long-term persistence if the minimum numbers of males are available. The population size of 219 calling males at YokDon during the 2013 survey is lower than the MVP threshold of 450 calling males, which suggests the species has a low probability of long-term persistence in the area. Despite limited life history and population data, BPVA predicted the future of this population under site-specific conditions, and the results could be used to promote better management and population restoration.
Diversity and the Post-Colonial Law Library
Authors: Watson Margaret
Published: November 2019

Current debates about decolonisation and diversification raise practical issues for librarians. The Bodleian Law Library is engaging with these challenges, in co-operation with the Oxford Law Faculty, the wider Bodleian Library and the collegiate university. This article by Margaret Watson describes how the Library is taking a fresh look at its collections and their organisation, with a view to acquiring, revealing and collocating material that might otherwise by overlooked.
Bridging the Gap Between University and Practice: Findings from a Study on Legal Research Education
Authors: Hand David , Terrell Matthew
Published: November 2019

Legal research is an important aspect of the legal profession and is something that students will learn how to conduct during their education. David Hand and Matthew Terrell describe a research project, conducted by Justis, a vLex company, which has identified that the teaching of legal research is highly variable across universities, who broadly adopt one of three models. At individual universities, students are not always aware of the legal research platforms to which their university may subscribe. These are factors which can have an impact on student confidence in conducting legal research and may contribute to the level of additional support that students seek. To address these issues, this research suggests the possibility of a standardised approach to legal research teaching.
Researching Customary International Law
Authors: Swift Hester
Published: November 2019

This article written by Hester Swift is based on the online course entitled, ‘Customary International Law’, which was created by the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (IALS) Library for the Postgraduate Online Research Training (PORT) platform and is available to all at . The PORT service is provided by the University of London's School of Advanced Study.
Wildy & Sons Ltd: the Benchmark for Law Bookselling and Publishing since 1830
Authors: Sinkins John
Published: November 2019

In this article, John Sinkins, Chairman of Wildy & Sons Ltd, outlines a brief history of the company and how his family have been involved since 1895. It describes how the company has evolved, particularly since the turn of the millennium. He describes his personal journey and that of the company since he joined in 1968, more than 50 years ago.
Accessing SDG Information in Nigeria: the Place of Collaboration
Authors: Dapo-Asaju Harriet Seun , Bamgbose Oludayo John
Published: November 2019

With the adoption of the new 17 SMART Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), access to government information becomes essential for these goals to be realised. This view was corroborated by IFLA (International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions) at its 2015 Cape Town Declaration. In Nigeria, the drastic reduction in the revenue accruable to the government following the sharp decline in the price of crude oil and the subsequent impact on the nation's economy have made it imperative for citizens of the country to insist on transparency and accountability regarding the activities of the government. Otherwise, the SDGs could end up like the much-talked-about MDGs (Millennium Development Goals) whose records were unimpressive despite the oil boom of that era. Public libraries could serve as useful channels for providing government information to citizens. However, their managers lack the necessary technical skills. This article considers how public libraries in Nigeria could provide access to government information for its users. This study is based on existing literature, international binding documents and observations, as well as drawing on the wealth of experience of the researchers themselves and their interactions with public librarians. It is recommended that the scope of the curricula of library schools in Nigeria be broadened to include the mandatory teaching of management of government information to budding librarians. Also, there should be collaboration between public librarians and law librarians. Such collaboration would help provide more access to government information for the citizens of Nigeria. Law librarians could also benefit from the collaboration and devise better skills to help improve their services to users.
Legal Oral Histories in the Cambridge ESA: Some Examples of Researching Personal, Institutional and Social Developments
Authors: Dingle Lesley
Published: November 2019

The Eminent Scholars Archive (ESA) was established to record aspects of the history of the Faculty of Law at Cambridge University. It is based on 28 interviews with scholars and, currently, has 66 hours of audio recordings and transcripts, but also includes over 800 photographs and numerous associated items including biographies, bibliographies, obituaries and eulogies. Entries for faculty members cover the period from WWII to the present, while 13 entries focus on the incumbent Goodhart Visiting Professor of Legal Science. The archive is a rich source of information for researching aspects of legal communities, and in this contribution I focus on three aspects: personal histories of scholars, faculty history, and more socially-broad topics. In the first category I seek to show how the ESA identifies crossroads in the personal legal journeys of professors Higgins, Baker, Smith and Crawford, while I use their common remembrances to record an institutional landmark. For the latter, I selected the 1995 Faculty move from the Old Schools to the Foster building on the Sidgwick site. Finally, I show how ESA illustrates components of legal life writing in a broader societal context. Here I compare the experiences of curators of family histories at the British Library, and ‘group biographies’ of court officials as researched at LSE, with aspects of documenting careers of senior legal academics at Cambridge.
The Association between Socioeconomic Status and Psychological Distress: A Within and Between Twin Study
Authors: Lam Janine R. , Tyler Jessica , Scurrah Katrina J. , Reavley Nicola J. , Dite Gillian S.
Published: November 2019

Low socioeconomic status (SES) has been established as a risk factor for poor mental health; however, the relationship between SES and mental health problems can be confounded by genetic and environmental factors in standard regression analyses and observational studies of unrelated individuals. In this study, we used a within-pair twin design to control for unmeasured genetic and environmental confounders in investigating the association between SES and psychological distress. We also employed within–between pair regression analysis to assess whether the association was consistent with causality. SES was measured using the Index of Relative Socio-economic Disadvantage (IRSD), income and the Australian Socioeconomic Index 2006 (AUSEI06); psychological distress was measured using the Kessler 6 Psychological Distress Scale (K6). Data were obtained from Twins Research Australia’s Health and Lifestyle Questionnaire (2014–2017), providing a maximum sample size of 1395 pairs. Twins with higher AUSEI06 scores had significantly lower K6 scores than their co-twins after controlling for shared genetic and environmental traits (βW [within-pair regression coefficient] = −0.012 units, p = .006). Twins with higher income had significantly lower K6 scores than their co-twins after controlling for familial confounders (βW = −0.182 units, p = .002). There was no evidence of an association between the IRSD and K6 scores within pairs (βW, p = .6). Using a twin design to eliminate the effect of potential confounders, these findings further support the association between low SES and poor mental health, reinforcing the need to address social determinants of poor mental health, in addition to interventions targeted to individuals.
Precipitation δ18O Recorded by the α‐Cellulose δ18O of Plant Residues in Surface Soils: Evidence From a Broad Environmental Gradient in Inland China
Authors: Shi Fuxi , Rao Zhiguo , Li Yunxia , Cao Jiantao , Shi Xiaoyi , Li Chaozhu , Sun Weizhen
Published: November 2019

In order to determine the potential of α‐cellulose δ18O (δ18Ocell) data from multiple terrestrial plant species on an ecosystem level to record the δ18O data of precipitation (δ18Op), especially in relatively cold and arid environments, we collected samples of terrestrial plant residues from 104 surface soils covering a large environmental gradient (~29 to 51°N in latitude, ~81 to 124°E in longitude, ~200 to 5,100 m in elevation) in inland China. Despite the diverse vegetation types, wide range of climatic conditions and potentially complex biogeochemical processes operating within the vast study region, the δ18Ocell data show a similar spatial pattern to that of δ18Op. The results demonstrate that the measured values of δ18Ocell data have the potential to record variations in δ18Op. Further analysis indicated that the δ18Ocell data from the Tibetan Plateau were primarily controlled by the moisture sources. Interestingly, there are significant negative correlations between δ18Ocell/δ18Op and altitude on the Tibetan Plateau, implying the potential of δ18Ocell for paleoaltimetry in this region. The δ18Ocell data from the northern region of China (including the East Asian monsoon‐margin and arid central Asia) were mainly controlled by temperature, although the influence of relative humidity in the region is not negligible. Our results provide a fundamental reference for related δ18Ocell studies aimed to improve our understanding of environmental, hydrological, and climatic changes in inland China and elsewhere.
The Impact of Ship Emission Controls Recorded by Cloud Properties
Authors: Gryspeerdt Edward , Smith Tristan W. P. , O'Keeffe Eoin , Christensen Matthew W. , Goldsworth Fraser W.
Published: November 2019

The impact of aerosols on cloud properties is one of the leading uncertainties in the human forcing of the climate. Ships are large, isolated sources of aerosol creating linear cloud formations known as shiptracks. These are an ideal opportunity to identify and measure aerosol‐cloud interactions. This work uses over 17,000 shiptracks during the implementation of fuel sulfur content regulations to demonstrate the central role of sulfate aerosol in ship exhaust for modifying clouds. By connecting individual shiptracks to transponder data, it is shown that almost half of shiptracks are likely undetected, masking a significant contribution to the climate impact of shipping. A pathway to retrieving ship sulfate emissions is demonstrated, showing how cloud observations could be used to monitor air pollution.
Biologically‐Relevant Trends in Springtime Temperatures Across the United States
Authors: Crimmins Theresa M. , Crimmins Michael A.
Published: November 2019

Long‐term trends in temperature—a primary driver of phenology—are typically evaluated using monthly or seasonal averages. However, accumulated warmth, rather than average temperature, cues phenological events; further, the amount of heat necessary to trigger activity is species‐specific. We evaluated trends in the timing of three heat accumulation thresholds encompassing spring‐season biological activity in the conterminous United States over a 70‐year period to document changes from a biologically relevant perspective. The Southwest, Northeast, and Northwest regions exhibit the strongest advancements. Rates of change vary among thresholds within many regions, resulting in temporal compression and lengthening within the season. Further, in the Eastern United States, the days between when a single threshold is met in the south and north are decreasing; in the West, the opposite pattern is occurring. These trends generally match long‐term observations of species' phenology, underscoring the value of this approach for documenting biologically relevant changes in temperature.
The Mean State and Variability of the North Atlantic Circulation: A Perspective From Ocean Reanalyses
Authors: Jackson L. C. , Dubois C. , Forget G. , Haines K. , Harrison M. , Iovino D. , Köhl A. , Mignac D. , Masina S. , Peterson K. A. , Piecuch C. G. , Roberts C. D. , Robson J. , Storto A. , Toyoda T. , Valdivieso M. , Wilson C. , Wang Y. , Zuo H.
Published: November 2019

The observational network around the North Atlantic has improved significantly over the last few decades with subsurface profiling floats and satellite observations and the recent efforts to monitor the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC). These have shown decadal time scale changes across the North Atlantic including in heat content, heat transport, and the circulation. However, there are still significant gaps in the observational coverage. Ocean reanalyses integrate the observations with a dynamically consistent ocean model and can be used to understand the observed changes. However, the ability of the reanalyses to represent the dynamics must also be assessed. We use an ensemble of global ocean reanalyses to examine the time mean state and interannual‐decadal variability of the North Atlantic ocean since 1993. We assess how well the reanalyses are able to capture processes and whether any understanding can be gained. In particular, we examine aspects of the circulation including convection, AMOC and gyre strengths, and transports. We find that reanalyses show some consistency, in particular showing a weakening of the subpolar gyre and AMOC at 50°N from the mid‐1990s until at least 2009 (related to decadal variability in previous studies), a strengthening and then weakening of the AMOC at 26.5°N since 2000, and impacts of circulation changes on transports. These results agree with model studies and the AMOC observations at 26.5°N since 2005. We also see less spread across the ensemble in AMOC strength and mixed layer depth, suggesting improvements as the observational coverage has improved.
Winter Accumulation of Methane and its Variable Timing of Release from Thermokarst Lakes in Subarctic Peatlands
Authors: Matveev Alex , Laurion Isabelle , Vincent Warwick F.
Published: November 2019

Previous studies of thermokarst lakes have drawn attention to the potential for accumulation of CH4 under the ice and its subsequent release in spring; however, such observations have not been available for thermokarst waters in carbon‐rich peatlands. Here we undertook a winter profiling of five black‐water lakes located on eroding permafrost peatlands in subarctic Quebec for comparison with summer profiles and used a 2‐year data set of automated water temperature, conductivity, and oxygen measurements to evaluate how the annual mixing dynamics may affect the venting of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. All of the sampled lakes contained large amounts of dissolved CH4 under their winter ice cover. These sub‐ice concentrations were up to 5 orders of magnitude above air equilibrium (i.e., the expected concentration in lake water equilibrated with the atmosphere), resulting in calculated emission rates at ice breakup that would be 1–2 orders of magnitude higher than midsummer averages. The amount of CO2 dissolved in the water column was reduced in winter, and the estimated ratio of potential diffusive CO2 to CH4 emission in spring was half the measured summer ratio, suggesting a seasonal shift in methanogenesis and bacterial activity. All surface lake ice contained bubbles of CH4 and CO2, but this amounted to <5% of the total amount of the dissolved CH4 and CO2 in the corresponding lake water column. The continuous logging records suggested that lake morphometry may play a role in controlling the timing and extent of CH4 and CO2 release from the water column to the atmosphere.
Plant Hydraulic Stress Explained Tree Mortality and Tree Size Explained Beetle Attack in a Mixed Conifer Forest
Authors: Tai Xiaonan , Mackay D. Scott , Ewers Brent E. , Parsekian Andrew D. , Beverly Daniel , Speckman Heather , Brooks Paul D. , Anderegg William R.L.
Published: November 2019

Drought predisposes conifer forests to bark beetle attacks and mortality. Although plant hydraulic stress mechanistically links to tree mortality, its capacity to predict trees' susceptibility to beetle attacks has not been evaluated. Further, both tree size and water supply could influence plant hydraulic stress, but their relative importance remained unknown. In this study, we modeled plant hydraulic stress of individual trees in a mixed forest of Lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta), Engelmann spruce (Picea engelmannii), and Subalpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa) in southern Wyoming, using an integrated model of plant hydraulics and hydrology, ground surveys of tree size as well as physiological and geophysical measurements. Based on the established link between plant hydraulic stress and tree mortality, we found interspecific differences in the relative importance of water availability and tree size. Pine mortality was best explained by the combination of tree size and water supply, and fir mortality was best explained by variations in water supply. We next compared the prediction of beetle attack by modeled plant hydraulic stress versus tree size and found tree size best explained beetle attack consistently for all three species. Taken together, our results suggested beetle attack was primarily influenced by beetle preference for large trees, potentially as food sources, rather than more hydraulically stressed trees. These findings highlighted the importance of integrated understanding of biotic/abiotic factors and their mechanistic pathways in order to accurately predict the sustainability of forests susceptible to drought and beetle outbreaks.
Impact of Thermospheric Mass Density on the Orbit Prediction of LEO Satellites
Authors: He Changyong , Yang Yang , Carter Brett , Zhang Kefei , Hu Andong , Li Wang , Deleflie Florent , Norman Robert , Wu Suqin
Published: November 2019

Many thermospheric mass density (TMD) variations have been recognized in observations and physical simulations; however, their impact on the low‐Earth‐orbit satellites has not been fully evaluated. The present study investigates the quantitative impact of periodic spatiotemporal TMD variations modulated by the empirical DTM2013 model. Also considered are two small‐scale variations, that is, the equatorial mass anomaly and the midnight density maximum, which are reproduced by the Thermosphere‐Ionosphere‐Electrodynamics General Circulation Model. This investigation is performed through a 1‐day orbit prediction (OP) simulation for a 400‐km circular orbit. The results show that the impact of TMD variations during solar maximum is 1 order of magnitude larger than that during solar minimum. The dominant impact has been found in the along‐track direction. Semiannual and semidiurnal variations in TMD exert the most significant impact on OP among the intra‐annual and intradiurnal variations, respectively. The zero mean periodic variations in TMD may not significantly affect the predicted orbit but increase the orbital uncertainty if their periods are shorter than the time span of OP. Additionally, the equatorial mass anomaly creates a mean orbit difference of 50 m (5 m) with a standard deviation of 30 m (3 m) in 1‐day OP during high (low) solar activity. The midnight density maximum exhibits a stronger impact in the order of 150±30 and 15±6 m during solar maximum and solar minimum, respectively. This study makes clear that careful selection of TMD variations is of great importance to balance the trade‐off between efficiency and accuracy in OP problems.
Asynchronous Antarctic and Greenland ice-volume contributions to the last interglacial sea-level highstand
Authors: Rohling Eelco J. , Hibbert Fiona D. , Grant Katharine M. , Galaasen Eirik V. , Irvalı Nil , Kleiven Helga F. , Marino Gianluca , Ninnemann Ulysses , Roberts Andrew P. , Rosenthal Yair , Schulz Hartmut , Williams Felicity H. , Yu Jimin
Published: November 2019

The last interglacial (LIG; ~130 to ~118 thousand years ago, ka) was the last time global sea level rose well above the present level. Greenland Ice Sheet (GrIS) contributions were insufficient to explain the highstand, so that substantial Antarctic Ice Sheet (AIS) reduction is implied. However, the nature and drivers of GrIS and AIS reductions remain enigmatic, even though they may be critical for understanding future sea-level rise. Here we complement existing records with new data, and reveal that the LIG contained an AIS-derived highstand from ~129.5 to ~125 ka, a lowstand centred on 125–124 ka, and joint AIS + GrIS contributions from ~123.5 to ~118 ka. Moreover, a dual substructure within the first highstand suggests temporal variability in the AIS contributions. Implied rates of sea-level rise are high (up to several meters per century; m c−1), and lend credibility to high rates inferred by ice modelling under certain ice-shelf instability parameterisations.
Synergistic cancer immunotherapy combines MVA-CD40L induced innate and adaptive immunity with tumor targeting antibodies
Authors: Medina-Echeverz José , Hinterberger Maria , Testori Marco , Geiger Marlene , Giessel Raphael , Bathke Barbara , Kassub Ronny , Gräbnitz Fabienne , Fiore Giovanna , Wennier Sonia T. , Chaplin Paul , Suter Mark , Hochrein Hubertus , Lauterbach Henning
Published: November 2019

Virus-based vaccines and appropriate costimulation potently enhance antigen-specific T cell immunity against cancer. Here we report the use of recombinant modified vaccinia virus Ankara (rMVA) encoding costimulatory CD40L against solid tumors. Therapeutic treatment with rMVA-CD40L-expressing tumor-associated antigens results in the control of established tumors. The expansion of tumor-specific cytotoxic CD8+T cells is essential for the therapeutic antitumor effects. Strikingly, rMVA-CD40L also induces strong natural killer (NK) cell activation and expansion. Moreover, the combination of rMVA-CD40L and tumor-targeting antibodies results in increased therapeutic antitumor efficacy relying on the presence of Fc receptor and NK cells. We describe a translationally relevant therapeutic synergy between systemic viral vaccination and CD40L costimulation. We show strengthened antitumor immune responses when both rMVA-CD40L-induced innate and adaptive immune mechanisms are exploited by combination with tumor-targeting antibodies. This immunotherapeutic approach could translate into clinical cancer therapies where tumor-targeting antibodies are employed.
A microfluidic-induced C. elegans sleep state
Authors: Gonzales Daniel L. , Zhou Jasmine , Fan Bo , Robinson Jacob T.
Published: November 2019

An important feature of animal behavior is the ability to switch rapidly between activity states, however, how the brain regulates these spontaneous transitions based on the animal’s perceived environment is not well understood. Here we show a C. elegans sleep-like state on a scalable platform that enables simultaneous control of multiple environmental factors including temperature, mechanical stress, and food availability. This brief quiescent state, which we refer to as microfluidic-induced sleep, occurs spontaneously in microfluidic chambers, which allows us to track animal movement and perform whole-brain imaging. With these capabilities, we establish that microfluidic-induced sleep meets the behavioral requirements of C. elegans sleep and depends on multiple factors, such as satiety and temperature. Additionally, we show that C. elegans sleep can be induced through mechanosensory pathways. Together, these results establish a model system for studying how animals process multiple sensory pathways to regulate behavioral states.
Missing-linker metal-organic frameworks for oxygen evolution reaction
Authors: Xue Ziqian , Liu Kang , Liu Qinglin , Li Yinle , Li Manrong , Su Cheng-Yong , Ogiwara Naoki , Kobayashi Hirokazu , Kitagawa Hiroshi , Liu Min , Li Guangqin
Published: November 2019

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have been recognized as compelling platforms for the development of miscellaneous applications because of their structural diversity and functional tunability. Here, we propose that the electrocatalytic properties could be well modified by incorporating missing linkers into the MOF. Theoretical calculations suggest the electronic structure of MOFs can be tuned by introducing missing linkers, which improves oxygen evolution reaction (OER) performance of the MOF. Inspired by these aspects, we introduced various missing linkers into a layered-pillared MOF Co2(OH)2(C8H4O4) (termed as CoBDC) to prepare missing-linker MOFs. Transmission electron microscope and synchrotron X-ray measurements confirmed that the missing linkers in the MOF could be introduced and well controlled by our strategy. The self-supported MOF nanoarrays with missing linkers of carboxyferrocene exhibit excellent OER performance with ultralow overpotential of 241 mV at 100 mA cm−2. This work opens a new prospect to develop efficient MOF-based electrocatalysts by introducing missing linkers.
An engineered human Fc domain that behaves like a pH-toggle switch for ultra-long circulation persistence
Authors: Lee Chang-Han , Kang Tae Hyun , Godon Ophélie , Watanabe Makiko , Delidakis George , Gillis Caitlin M. , Sterlin Delphine , Hardy David , Cogné Michel , Macdonald Lynn E. , Murphy Andrew J. , Tu Naxin , Lee Jiwon , McDaniel Jonathan R. , Makowski Emily , Tessier Peter M. , Meyer Aaron S. , Bruhns Pierre , Georgiou George
Published: November 2019

The pharmacokinetic properties of antibodies are largely dictated by the pH-dependent binding of the IgG fragment crystallizable (Fc) domain to the human neonatal Fc receptor (hFcRn). Engineered Fc domains that confer a longer circulation half-life by virtue of more favorable pH-dependent binding to hFcRn are of great therapeutic interest. Here we developed a pH Toggle switch Fc variant containing the L309D/Q311H/N434S (DHS) substitutions, which exhibits markedly improved pharmacokinetics relative to both native IgG1 and widely used half-life extension variants, both in conventional hFcRn transgenic mice and in new knock-in mouse strains. engineered specifically to recapitulate all the key processes relevant to human antibody persistence in circulation, namely: (i) physiological expression of hFcRn, (ii) the impact of hFcγRs on antibody clearance and (iii) the role of competing endogenous IgG. DHS-IgG retains intact effector functions, which are important for the clearance of target pathogenic cells and also has favorable developability.