bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Consequences of school closure on access to education: Lessons from the 2013–2016 Ebola pandemic
Authors: Smith William C.
Published: April 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic has seen an unprecedented shutdown of society. Among the various safety measures taken, much attention has been given to school closure as a non-pharmaceutical mitigation tool to curb the spread of the disease through ensuring “social” (physical) distancing. Nearly 1.725 billion children in over 95% of countries worldwide have been affected by school closures implemented in April 2020 as the virus continued to spread. In the field of education, policymakers’ attention has been directed at keeping students on board through remote learning and addressing the immediate needs of schools upon reopening. The study presented in this article focuses on who remains absent after schools resume. Using publicly available survey data from the USAID Demographic Health Surveys Program and the UNICEF Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey from before and after the 2013–2016 Ebola pandemic in Guinea and Sierra Leone in West Africa, the author examined changes in school enrolment and dropout patterns, with targeted consideration given to traditionally marginalised groups. At the time, schools closed for between seven to nine months in the two countries; this length and intensity makes this Ebola pandemic the only health crisis in the recent past to come close to the pandemic-related school closures experienced in 2020. The author’s findings suggest that post-Ebola, youth in the poorest households saw the largest increase in school dropout. Exceeding expected pre-Ebola dropout rates, an additional 17,400 of the poorest secondary-age youth were out of school. This evidence is important for minimising the likely post-COVID-19 expansion in inequality. The author’s findings point to the need for sustainable planning that looks beyond the reopening of educational institutions to include comprehensive financial support packages for groups most likely to be affected.
Correction to: Small-Scale Dynamic Aurora
Authors: Kataoka Ryuho , Chaston Christopher C. , Knudsen David , Lynch Kristina A. , Lysak Robert L. , Song Yan , Rankin Robert , Murase Kiyoka , Sakanoi Takeshi , Semeter Joshua , Watanabe Tomo-Hiko , Whiter Daniel
Published: April 2021

A Correction to this paper has been published: 10.1007/s11214-021-00821-y
A review of antidiabetic active thiosugar sulfoniums, salacinol and neokotalanol, from plants of the genus Salacia
Authors: Morikawa Toshio , Ninomiya Kiyofumi , Tanabe Genzoh , Matsuda Hisashi , Yoshikawa Masayuki , Muraoka Osamu
Published: April 2021

During our studies characterizing functional substances from food resources for the prevention and treatment of lifestyle-related diseases, we isolated the active constituents, salacinol (1) and neokotalanol (4), and related thiosugar sulfoniums, from the roots and stems of the genus Salacia plants [Celastraceae (Hippocrateaceae)] such as Salacia reticulata Wight, S. oblonga Wall., and S. chinensis L., and observed their antidiabetic effects. These plant materials have been used traditionally in Ayurvedic medicine as a specific remedy at the early stage of diabetes, and have been extensively consumed in Japan, the United States, and other countries as a food supplement for the prevention of obesity and diabetes. Here, we review our studies on the antidiabetic effects of plants from the genus Salacia, from basic chemical and pharmacological research to their application and development as new functional food ingredients.

Graphic abstract
How Do Patients Want Us to Use the Computer During Medical Encounters?—A Discrete Choice Experiment Study
Authors: Lanier Cédric , Dominicé Dao Melissa , Baer Dave , Haller Dagmar M. , Sommer Johanna , Junod Perron Noëlle
Published: April 2021

Background

Primary care physicians (PCPs) now widely use electronic health records (EHRs) during medical encounters. Experts in clinical communication issued recommendations for a patient-centered use of EHRs. However, they have never been validated by patients themselves.

Objective

To explore patients’ preferences regarding physicians’ EHR-related behaviors.

Design

Discrete choice experiment study.

Patients

French-speaking patients waiting for a medical consultation at two outpatient clinics in Geneva, Switzerland.

Main Measures

We invited patients to watch videos displaying 2 or 3 variations of four specific EHR-related behaviors and asked them to indicate which one they preferred. EHR-related behaviors were (1) typing: continuous/intermittent/handwriting in biomedical or psychosocial focused consultations; (2) maintaining contact while typing: visual/verbal/both; (3) signposting the use of EHR: with/without; (4) position of physicians’ hands and bust: on the keyboard and towards the patient/away from the keyboard and towards the patient/on the keyboard and towards the screen.

Key Results

Three hundred thirty-six patients participated (response rate 61.4%). They preferred intermittent typing versus handwriting or continuous typing for biomedical issues (32.7%; 95% CI: 26.0–40.2% vs 31.6%; 95% CI: 24.9–39.0% or 14.9%; 95% CI: 10.2–21.1%) and psychosocial issues (38.7%; 95% CI: 31.6–46.3% vs 24.4% 95% CI: 18.4–31.5% or 17.9%; 95% CI; 12.7–24.4%). They favored visual and verbal contact (38.9%; 95% CI: 31.9–46.3%) over verbal (30.3%; 95% CI: 23.9–37.5%) or visual contact only (11.4%; 95% CI: 7.5–17.1%) while the doctor was typing. A majority preferred signposting the use of EHR versus no signposting (58.9%; 95% CI: 53.5–64.0% vs 34.8%; 95% CI: 29.9–40.1%). Finally, half of the patients (49.7%; 95% CI: 42.0–57.4%) favored the position with the physician’s bust towards the patient and hands away from the keyboard.

Conclusions

Our study shows that patients’ preferences regarding EHR-related behaviors are in line with most experts’ recommendations. Such recommendations should be more consistently integrated into under- and postgraduate communication skills training.
Experimental and Numerical Analysis of Cavity/Mean-Flow Interaction in Low Pressure Axial Flow Turbines
Authors: Barsi Dario , Costa Carlo , Lengani Davide , Simoni Daniele , Venturino Giulio , Zunino Pietro
Published: April 2021

The increasing performance of modern aeroengines led the research towards the optimization of machine components not deeply analyzed in the past. In this context, the mechanisms driving the interaction process between the secondary flows evolving at the hub of low-pressure turbines with the rotor-stator cavity systems have been poorly investigated in the literature. In this work, an experimental and numerical analysis of the interaction between the endwall near wall flow and the leakage flow of a real cavity system is presented. The experimental results were carried out in the annular low-pressure axial flow turbine of the University of Genova. Experimental blade loading and pressure distributions into the cavity, as well as the measured total pressure loss coefficient, have been used for a proper validation of CFD results. Both steady and unsteady calculations were carried out through the commercial solver Numeca. Particularly, several numerical approaches have been tested into this work: RANS, Non Linear Harmonic (NLH), and URANS. The most promising CFD techniques have been firstly identified by comparison with experimental results and then systematically employed to extend the analysis of secondary flow-cavity flow interaction to positions and quantities not available from the experiments. Losses characterizing the mean flow-cavity flow interaction process will be shown to cover a great amount of the overall stage losses and should be properly accounted for the design of future optimized cavity configurations.
Basal Plane Delamination Energy Measurement in a Ti3SiC2 MAX Phase
Authors: Gavalda-Diaz Oriol , Lyons Jack , Wang Siyang , Emmanuel Max , Marquardt Katharina , Saiz Eduardo , Giuliani Finn
Published: April 2021

The {0001} basal plane delamination dominating the crack-wake bridging in MAX phases at a bulk scale has been investigated by studying the small-scale fracture of a Ti3SiC2. In situ micro-double cantilever beam (DCB) tests in a scanning electron microscope were used to grow a stable crack along the basal plane, measure the fracture energy, and study the crack propagation mechanism at the nanoscale. The results show that the fracture energy (10–50 J/m2) depends on small misorientations angles (e.g., 5°) of the basal plane to the stress field. This induces permanent deformation which can be observed once the DCB has been unloaded. The nanoscale study of the crack shows that the plasticity at the crack tip is small, but a number of pairs of dislocations are forming at each side of the crack. Hence, this study helps to explain the enhanced fracture energy values and possible sources of energy dissipation in basal plane delamination, which is the one of the main toughening mechanisms in the bulk fracture of MAX phases.
Extracellular Vesicles from Human Adipose-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells: A Review of Common Cargos
Authors: Alonso-Alonso Maria Luz , García-Posadas Laura , Diebold Yolanda
Published: April 2021

In recent years, the interest in adipose tissue mesenchymal cell–derived extracellular vesicles (AT-MSC-EVs) has increasingly grown. Numerous articles support the potential of human AT-MSC-EVs as a new therapeutic option for treatment of diverse diseases in the musculoskeletal and cardiovascular systems, kidney, skin, and immune system, among others. This approach makes use of the molecules transported inside of EVs, which play an important role in cell communication and in transmission of macromolecules. However, to our knowledge, there is no database where essential information about AT-MSC-EVs cargo molecules is gathered for easy reference. The aim of this study is to describe the different molecules reported so far in AT-MSC- EVs, their main molecular functions, and biological processes in which they are involved. Recently, the presence of 591 proteins and 604 microRNAs (miRNAs) has been described in human AT-MSC-EVs. The main molecular function enabled by both proteins and miRNAs present in human AT-MSC-EVs is the binding function. Signal transduction and gene silencing are the biological processes in which a greater number of proteins and miRNAs from human AT-MSC-EVs are involved, respectively. In this review we highlight the therapeutics effects of AT-MSC-EVs related with their participation in relevant biological processes including inflammation, angiogenesis, cell proliferation, apoptosis and migration, among others.

Graphical abstract
HOXC10 promotes growth and migration of melanoma by regulating Slug to activate the YAP/TAZ signaling pathway
Authors: Miao Yuanxin , Zhang Weina , Liu Su , Leng Xiangfeng , Hu Chunnan , Sun Hao
Published: April 2021

Homeobox C10 (HOXC10) has been reported to participate in various cancers. However, the involvement of HOXC10 in melanoma is still unknown. Here, we attempted to determine whether HOXC10 can affect the development of melanoma. We separated melanoma tissues and the matched tumor-adjacent normal tissues from melanoma patients, and examined HOXC10 expression in the melanoma cells and tissues. Comparing with the tumor-adjacent normal tissues, HOXC10 was up-regulated in melanoma tissues. Melanoma cells also displayed an up-regulation of HOXC10. Moreover, HOXC10 inhibition suppressed cell proliferation, clone formation and promoted apoptosis of melanoma cells. Knockdown of HOXC10 also retarded migration, invasion and epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) in melanoma cells. Additionally, HOXC10 accelerated Slug expression by interacting with Slug, and activating the promoter of Slug. Slug activated the YAP/TAZ signaling pathway, which was reversed by HOXC10 silencing. The in vitro assays demonstrated that inhibition of HOXC10 significantly repressed tumor growth and lung metastasis of melanoma in mice by inhibiting Slug and YAP/TAZ signaling pathway. In conclusion, this work demonstrated that HOXC10 promoted growth and migration of melanoma by regulating Slug to activate the YAP/TAZ signaling pathway. Therefore, this study suggests that inhibition of HOXC10 has therapeutic potential in melanoma.
Microstructure and properties of nano-laminated Y3Si2C2 ceramics fabricated via in situ reaction by spark plasma sintering
Authors: Shi Lin-Kun , Zhou Xiaobing , Dai Jian-Qing , Chen Ke , Huang Zhengren , Huang Qing
Published: April 2021

A nano-laminated Y3Si2C2 ceramic material was successfully synthesized via an in situ reaction between YH2 and SiC using spark plasma sintering technology. A MAX phase-like ternary layered structure of Y3Si2C2 was observed at the atomic-scale by high resolution transmission electron microscopy. The lattice parameters calculated from both X-ray diffraction and selected area electron diffraction patterns are in good agreement with the reported theoretical results. The nano-laminated fracture of kink boundaries, delamination, and slipping were observed at the tip of the Vickers indents. The elastic modulus and Vickers hardness of Y3Si2C2 ceramics (with 5.5 wt% Y2O3) sintered at 1500 °C were 156 and 6.4 GPa, respectively. The corresponding values of thermal and electrical conductivity were 13.7 W·m-1·K-1 and 6.3×105 S·m-1, respectively.
Does comparison of self with others influence body image among adult women? An experimental study in naturalistic settings
Authors: Laker Victoria , Waller Glenn
Published: April 2021

Background and Objectives

It has been suggested that body comparison is a safety behavior in eating disorders. This experimental study investigates the causal impact of upward and downward body comparison on body image, eating pathology, self-esteem, anxiety and mood. It also considers whether trait body comparison and eating pathology are associated with responsiveness to upward and downward comparison.

Methods

Thirty-nine women participated. Each completed trait comparison and eating pathology measures. Following this, each participant spent an hour (on different days) making an upward, downward or neutral comparison in a naturalistic setting. After each condition, the participant completed measures of body satisfaction, self-esteem, anxiety, depression and eating pathology.

Results

Participants were significantly less satisfied with their bodies following upward comparison. Both upward and downward comparison were associated with particularly negative effects if an individual had greater trait eating concerns. The effects of downward comparison were correlated with increased anxiety.

Limitations

The sample was lacking in diversity. Compliance with the experimental tasks was not strictly monitored.

Conclusions

Upward comparison resulted in lower body satisfaction, but downward comparison did not result in positive effects. However, trait eating concerns and comparison influenced the impact of both forms of comparison. Body comparison should be a target for treatment in CBT for eating disorders, particularly where the individual has a strong tendency to make comparisons with other people.

Level of evidence

Level III: Evidence obtained from well-designed cohort or case–control analytic studies.
Sliding mode-based online fault compensation control for modular reconfigurable robots through adaptive dynamic programming
Authors: Xia Hongbing , Guo Ping
Published: April 2021

In this paper, a sliding mode (SM)-based online fault compensation control scheme is investigated for modular reconfigurable robots (MRRs) with actuator failures via adaptive dynamic programming. It consists of a SM-based iterative controller, an adaptive robust term and an online fault compensator. For fault-free MRR systems, the SM surface-based Hamilton–Jacobi–Bellman equation is solved by online policy iteration algorithm. The adaptive robust term is added to guarantee the reachable condition of SM surface. For faulty MRR systems, the actuator failure is compensated online to avoid the fault detection and isolation mechanism. The closed-loop MRR system is guaranteed to be asymptotically stable under the developed fault compensation control scheme. Simulation results verify the effectiveness of the present fault compensation control approach.
Solar structure and evolution
Authors: Christensen-Dalsgaard Jørgen
Published: April 2021

The Sun provides a critical benchmark for the general study of stellar structure and evolution. Also, knowledge about the internal properties of the Sun is important for the understanding of solar atmospheric phenomena, including the solar magnetic cycle. Here I provide a brief overview of the theory of stellar structure and evolution, including the physical processes and parameters that are involved. This is followed by a discussion of solar evolution, extending from the birth to the latest stages. As a background for the interpretation of observations related to the solar interior I provide a rather extensive analysis of the sensitivity of solar models to the assumptions underlying their calculation. I then discuss the detailed information about the solar interior that has become available through helioseismic investigations and the detection of solar neutrinos, with further constraints provided by the observed abundances of the lightest elements. Revisions in the determination of the solar surface abundances have led to increased discrepancies, discussed in some detail, between the observational inferences and solar models. I finally briefly address the relation of the Sun to other similar stars and the prospects for asteroseismic investigations of stellar structure and evolution.
The evolution of the solar wind
Authors: Vidotto Aline A.
Published: April 2021

How has the solar wind evolved to reach what it is today? In this review, I discuss the long-term evolution of the solar wind, including the evolution of observed properties that are intimately linked to the solar wind: rotation, magnetism and activity. Given that we cannot access data from the solar wind 4 billion years ago, this review relies on stellar data, in an effort to better place the Sun and the solar wind in a stellar context. I overview some clever detection methods of winds of solar-like stars, and derive from these an observed evolutionary sequence of solar wind mass-loss rates. I then link these observational properties (including, rotation, magnetism and activity) with stellar wind models. I conclude this review then by discussing implications of the evolution of the solar wind on the evolving Earth and other solar system planets. I argue that studying exoplanetary systems could open up new avenues for progress to be made in our understanding of the evolution of the solar wind.
Freiheit in datafizierten Kontexten?
Authors: Baum Markus
Published: April 2021

Der Text verfolgt zwei Ziele: Ausgehend von Debatten zum Verhältnis von Digitalisierung und neoliberalem Kapitalismus geht er in einem ersten Schritt der Frage nach, inwiefern der hier als politische Philosophie verstandene Neoliberalismus und die digitale Mentalität der Solution eine Verbindung in Theorie und Praxis eingegangen sind. Dabei ist der Anspruch, bisher nicht berücksichtigte Widersprüche zwischen beiden freizulegen, um einer adäquaten politikwissenschaftlichen Diskussion des gegenwärtigen Digitalisierungsprozesses den Weg zu bereiten. In einem zweiten Schritt vollzieht der Text eine in der Tradition des Republikanismus stehende Kritik des Digitalisierungsprozesses neoliberaler Gesellschaften, dessen Kern als Datafizierung einer Vielzahl gesellschaftlicher Bereiche bestimmt wird. Da mit diesem begrifflichen Mittel systemisch angelegte Dynamisierungseffekte sowie eine spezifische Rationalität des Transformationsprozesses in den Blick gerückt werden, kann der Text insbesondere die freiheitsgefährende Unterminierung von Urteils- und Handlungspotentialen zur Diskussion stellen.
The Silenced and Unsought Beneficiary: Investigating Epistemic Injustice in the Fiduciary
Authors: Mussell Helen
Published: April 2021

This article uses philosopher Miranda Fricker’s work on epistemic injustice to shed light on the legal concept of the fiduciary, alongside demonstrating the wider contribution Fricker’s work can make to business ethics. Fiduciary, from the Latin fīdūcia, meaning “trust,” plays a fundamental role in all financial and business organisations: it acts as a moral safeguard of the relationship between trustee and beneficiary. The article focuses on the ethics of the fiduciary, but from a unique historical perspective, referring back to the original formulation of the fiduciary within a familial context to investigate presuppositions regarding agential capabilities, whilst also paying attention to the power mechanism embedded in the trustee–beneficiary relationship. Using Fricker’s theory of pre-emptive testimonial injustice, the analysis elucidates the impact of cumulative beneficiary silencing in contemporary contexts, and the article uncovers ethical issues of an epistemological kind at the core of the fiduciary—of epistemic injustice.
Smooth pulse recovery based on hybrid wavelet threshold denoising and first derivative adaptive smoothing filter
Authors: Qian Xinlei , Fan Wei , Lu Xinghua , Wang Xiaochao
Published: April 2021

Based on the pulse-shaping unit in the front end of high-power laser facilities, we propose a new hybrid scheme in a closed-loop control system including wavelet threshold denoising for pretreatment and a first derivative adaptive smoothing filter for smooth pulse recovery, so as to effectively restrain the influence of electrical noise and FM-to-AM modulation in the time–power curve, and enhance the calibration accuracy of the pulse shape in the feedback control system. The related simulation and experiment results show that the proposed scheme can obtain a better shaping effect on the high-contrast temporal shape in comparison with the cumulative average algorithm and orthogonal matching pursuit algorithm combined with a traditional smoothing filter. The implementation of the hybrid scheme mechanism increased the signal-to-noise ratio of the laser pulse from about 11 dB to 30 dB, and the filtered pulse is smooth without modulation, with smoothness of about 98.8%.
Competition and R&D Financing: Evidence From the Biopharmaceutical Industry
Authors: Thakor Richard T. , Lo Andrew W.
Published: April 2021

The interaction between product market competition, R&D investment, and the financing choices of R&D-intensive firms on the development of innovative products is only partially understood. We hypothesize that as competition increases, R&D-intensive firms will: i) increase R&D investment relative to existing assets in place; ii) carry more cash; and iii) maintain less net debt. Using the Hatch–Waxman Act as an exogenous shock to competition, we provide causal evidence supporting these hypotheses through a differences-in-differences analysis that exploits differences between the biopharma industry and other industries, and heterogeneity within the biopharma industry. We also explore how these changes affect innovative output.
Vitamin E: necessary nutrient for neural development and cognitive function
Authors: Traber Maret G.
Published: April 2021

Vitamin E, discovered in 1922, is essential for pregnant rats to carry their babies to term. However, 100 years later, the molecular mechanisms for the vitamin E requirement during embryogenesis remain unknown. Vitamin E's role during pregnancy has been difficult to study and thus, a vitamin E-deficient (E–) zebrafish embryo model was developed. Vitamin E deficiency in zebrafish embryos initiates lipid peroxidation, depletes a specific phospholipid (DHA-phosphatidyl choline), causes secondary deficiencies of choline, betaine and critical thiols (such as glutathione), and dysregulates energy metabolism. Vitamin E deficiency not only distorts the carefully programmed development of the nervous system, but it leads to defects in several developing organs. Both the α-tocopherol transfer protein and vitamin E are necessary for embryonic development, neurogenesis and cognition in this model and likely in human embryos. Elucidation of the control mechanisms for the cellular and metabolic pathways involved in the molecular dysregulation caused by vitamin E deficiency will lead to important insights into abnormal neurogenesis and embryonic malformations.
Maternal smoking during pregnancy, offspring smoking, adverse childhood events, and risk of major depression: a sibling design study
Authors: Shenassa Edmond D. , Rogers Michelle L. , Buka Stephen L.
Published: April 2021

Background

Evidence of a biologically plausible association between maternal smoking during pregnancy (MSP) and the risk of depression is discounted by null findings from two sibling studies. However, valid causal inference from sibling studies is subject to challenges inherent to human studies of MSP and biases particular to this design. We addressed these challenges in the first sibling study of MSP and depression conducted among adults past the peak age for the onset of depression, utilizing a prospectively collected and biologically validated measure of MSP and accounting for non-shared as well as mediating factors.

Methods

We fit GEE binomial regression models to correct for dependence in the risk of depression across pregnancies of the same mother. We also fit marginal structural models (MSM) to estimate the controlled direct effect of MSP on depression that is not mediated by the offspring's smoking status. Both models allow the estimation of within- and between-sibling risk ratios.

Results

The adjusted within-sibling risk ratios (RRW) from both models (GEE: RRW = 1.97, CI 1.16–3.32; MSM: RRW = 2.08, CI 1.04–4.17) evinced an independent association between MSP and risk of depression. The overall effects from a standard model evinced lower associations (GEE: RRT = 1.12, CI 0.98–1.28; MSM: RRT = 1.18, CI 1.01–1.37).

Conclusions

Based on within-sibling information free of unmeasured shared confounders and accounting for a range of unshared factors, we found an effect of MSP on the offspring's risk of depression. Our findings, should they be replicated in future studies, highlight the importance of considering challenges inherent to human studies of MSP and affective disorders.
More dynamical and more symbiotic: Cortico-striatal models of resolve, suppression, and routine habit
Authors: Huang Linus Ta-Lun
Published: April 2021

I extend Ainslie's core claims with three cortico-striatal models that respectively subserve the key constructs of resolve, suppression, and routine habit. I show that these models suggest a more dynamical and symbiotic relation among the constructs: there are more ways they interact to reinforce willpower, and the temporal dimension of the interactions can often determine the effectiveness of the reinforcement.
Parent- and Adolescent-reported Executive Functioning in the Context of Randomized Controlled Trials of Online Family Problem-Solving Therapy
Authors: Fisher Allison P. , Gies Lisa M. , Narad Megan E. , Austin Cynthia A. , Yeates Keith Owen , Taylor H. Gerry , Zhang Nanhua , Wade Shari L.
Published: April 2021

Objective:

We examined parent- and adolescent-reported executive functioning (EF) behaviors following pediatric traumatic brain injury (TBI) in the context of Online Family Problem-Solving Therapy (OFPST) and moderators of change in EF behaviors.

Method:

In total, 274 families were randomized to OFPST or an internet resource comparison group. Parents and adolescents completed the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function at four time points. Mixed models were used to examine EF behaviors, assessing the effects of visit, treatment group, rater, TBI severity, age, socioeconomic status, and family functioning.

Results:

Parents rated their adolescents’ EF as poorer (F(3,1156) = 220.15, p < .001; M = 58.11, SE = 0.73) than adolescents rated themselves (M = 51.81, SE = 0.73). Across raters, EF behaviors were poorer for adolescents whose parents had less education (F(3,1156) = 8.60, p = .003; M = 56.76, SE = 0.98) than for those with more education (M = 53.16, SE = 0.88). Age at baseline interacted with visit (F(3,1156) = 5.05, p = .002), such that families of older adolescents reported improvement in EF behaviors over time. Family functioning also interacted with visit (F(3, 1156) = 2.61, p = .049), indicating more improvement in EF behaviors over time in higher functioning families. There were no effects of treatment or TBI severity.

Conclusion:

We identified a discrepancy between parent- and adolescent-reported EF, suggesting reduced awareness of deficits in adolescents with TBI. We also found that poorer family functioning and younger age were associated with poorer recovery after TBI, whereas adolescents of parents with less education were reported as having greater EF deficits across time points.
Risk Profiling of the Solomon Technique versus Selective Technique of Fetoscopic Laser Surgery for Twin–Twin Transfusion Syndrome
Authors: Kanazawa Seiji , Ozawa Katsusuke , Muromoto Jin , Sugibayashi Rika , Wada Yuka , Wada Seiji , Ito Yushi , Sago Haruhiko
Published: April 2021

We evaluated the outcomes and adverse events after fetoscopic laser surgery (FLS) for twin–twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) using the Solomon technique in comparison to the selective technique. A retrospective analysis of a single-center consecutive cohort of FLS-treated TTTS using the selective (January 2010 to July 2014) and Solomon (August 2014 to December 2017) techniques was performed. Among 395 cases, 227 underwent selective coagulation and 168 underwent the Solomon technique. The incidence rates of recurrent TTTS (Solomon vs. selective: 0% vs. .9%,p= .510) and twin anemia–polycythemia sequence (.6% vs. .4%,p= .670) were very low in both groups. The incidence rates of placental abruption (Solomon vs. selective: 10.7% vs. 3.5%,p= .007) and preterm premature rupture of the membranes (pPROM) with subsequent delivery before 32 weeks (20.2% vs. 7.1%,p< .001) were higher in the Solomon group. The median birth recipient weight was significantly smaller in the Solomon group (1790 g vs. 1933 g,p= .049). The rate of survival of at least one twin was significantly higher in the Solomon group (98.2% vs. 93.8%,p= .046). The Solomon technique and total laser energy were significant risk factors for pPROM (odds ratio: 2.64, 1.07, 95% CI [1.32, 5.28], [1.01, 1.13],p= .006,p= .014, respectively). These findings suggest that the Solomon technique led to superior survival outcomes but increased risks of placental abruption, pPROM and fetal growth impairment. Total laser energy was associated with the occurrence of pPROM. Close attention to adverse events is required for perinatal management after FLS to treat TTTS using the Solomon technique.
The Perils of Reading Fiction: the Female Quixote and the Thai New Woman
Authors: Chaochuti Thosaeng
Published: April 2021

British literary history routinely associated women with reading fiction, especially the novel. This association seemingly threatened male hegemony and cultural authority. It led, therefore, to the portrayal of the woman reader as a female quixote who was prone to misreading and being misled by what she read. This representation became popular during the rise of the novel in the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries and the New Woman's emergence at the fin-de-siècle. Similar developments took place in Siam/Thailand where the birth of fiction, the advent of the woman reader, and the New Woman's rise roughly coincided in the late 1910s and early 1920s. By examining San Thewarak's novel Bandai haeng khwam rak [Stairways to Love] (1932), this paper demonstrates the trope of the female quixote's invocation to describe the emerging Thai (New) Woman reader and the threat that she embodied that had to be managed and controlled.
Links Between Sea Surface Temperature Structures, Clouds and Rainfall: Study Case of the Mediterranean Sea
Authors: Desbiolles Fabien , Alberti Maria , Hamouda Mostafa E. , Meroni Agostino N. , Pasquero Claudia
Published: April 2021

Using 25 years of ERA5 reanalysis data, this study shows that wind divergence is partially driven by small‐scale sea surface temperature (SST) patterns via their effect on the boundary layer stability. Moreover, strong warm‐to‐cold fronts (the upper quartile) are associated with a mean increase of cloud cover of 10% ± 5% and a mean increase in the probability of a rain event of 15% ± 6%, with respect to the average values. The cloud and rainfall dependence on SST fronts is more pronounced in Fall, probably due to the stronger SST gradients present at the end of the summer season.
Stochastic 3D Navier‐Stokes Flow in Self‐Affine Fracture Geometries Controlled by Anisotropy and Channeling
Authors: Egert Robert , Nitschke Fabian , Gholami Korzani Maziar , Kohl Thomas
Published: April 2021

This study presents a probabilistic analysis of 3D Navier‐Stokes (NS) fluid flow through 30 randomly generated sheared fractures with equal roughness properties (Hurst exponent = 0.8). The results of numerous 3D NS realizations are compared with the highly simplified local cubic law (LCL) solutions regarding flow orientations and regimes. The transition between linear and nonlinear flow conditions cannot be described with a generally valid critical Reynolds number , but rather depends on the individual fracture's void geometry. Over 10% reduction in flow is observed for increased global Re (>100) due to the increasing impact of nonlinear conditions. Furthermore, the fracture geometry promotes flow anisotropy and the formation of channels. Flow perpendicular to the shearing leads to increased channeling and fluid flow (∼40% higher) compared to flow parallel to the shearing. In the latter case, dispersed flow and irregular flow paths cause a reduction of LCL validity.
Relationship Between Subduction Erosion and the Up‐Dip Limit of the 2014 Mw 8.1 Iquique Earthquake
Authors: Petersen Florian , Lange Dietrich , Ma Bo , Grevemeyer Ingo , Geersen Jacob , Klaeschen Dirk , Contreras‐Reyes Eduardo , Barrientos Sergio , Tréhu Anne M. , Vera Emilio , Kopp Heidrun
Published: April 2021

The aftershock distribution of the 2014 Mw 8.1 Iquique earthquake offshore northern Chile, identified from a long‐term deployment of ocean bottom seismometers installed eight months after the mainshock, in conjunction with seismic reflection imaging, provides insights into the processes regulating the updip limit of coseismic rupture propagation. Aftershocks updip of the mainshock hypocenter frequently occur in the upper plate and are associated with normal faults identified from seismic reflection data. We propose that aftershock seismicity near the plate boundary documents subduction erosion that removes mass from the base of the wedge and results in normal faulting in the upper plate. The combination of very little or no sediment accretion and subduction erosion over millions of years has resulted in a very weak and aseismic frontal wedge. Our observations thus link the shallow subduction zone seismicity to subduction erosion processes that control the evolution of the overriding plate.
Trace Elemental Partitioning on Clays Derived From Hydrothermal Muds of the El Tatio Geyser Field, Chile
Authors: Hao Weiduo , Mänd Kaarel , Swaren Logan , Myers Kimberly D. , Lalonde Stefan , Wilmeth Dylan T. , Van Zuilen Mark , Wilson Sasha , Alessi Daniel S. , Konhauser Kurt O.
Published: April 2021

Recent experimental studies have demonstrated that clay minerals (e.g., kaolinite, illite, and montmorillonite) have higher affinities for some trace elements under acidic versus alkaline conditions. This suggests that clays might be important vectors in the transport of trace elements from sites of acidic chemical weathering on land to marine depositional environments. To determine if clays behave similarly in nature, we collected water and mud (consisting of 38.5%–61.1% of kaolinite and montmorillonite) samples from boiling, low‐pH, mud pools venting at the El Tatio Geyser Field (ETGF) in Chile. Based on elemental abundances in the aqueous/solid phases, we observed that mud samples collected from lower pH pools (e.g., pH = 2.42 and 3.55) have high concentration factors for anionic elements (e.g., P and As) but low concentration factors for cationic elements (e.g., Ca, Mn, and Sr), while mud samples from higher pH pools (e.g., pH = 4.87 and 5.84) display the opposite trend. Acid‐base leaching experiments further reveal that increasing solution pH (to reflect downstream transport) led to the release of As and P from the mud surfaces due to increasingly negative surface charge, while decreasing pH (to determine the effects of re‐acidification) released Li, Ca, Co, Sr, Mo, and Cd. Our study confirms previous experimental findings that demonstrate clay minerals can assemble a diverse inventory of trace elements during acid weathering (e.g., As) but then liberate them back into the aqueous phase as aqueous pH increases. Importantly, these observations provide a mechanism to account for the previous observations of regional As contamination in rivers downstream of the ETGF.
Synergistic Satellite Assessment of Global Vegetation Health in Relation to ENSO‐Induced Droughts and Pluvials
Authors: Du J. , Kimball J. S. , Sheffield J. , Velicogna I. , Zhao M. , Pan M. , Fisher C. K. , Beck H. E. , Watts J. D. , A G. , Wood E. F.
Published: April 2021

We used environmental metrics developed from multi‐source satellite observations to quantify the global influence of El Niño‐Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events on surface wetting and drying anomalies, and their impact on vegetation health. The environmental metrics included a microwave surface wetness index (ASWI) incorporating near‐surface atmospheric vapor pressure deficit (VPD), volumetric soil moisture (VSM), and land surface fractional water cover (FW) derived from Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer (AMSR) observations, and the vegetation health index (VHI) derived from NOAA Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) observations. The combined ASWI and VHI analysis reveals complex ENSO related impacts on the distribution of water availability to plant communities, and variable vegetation sensitivity to associated drought and pluvial events. A delayed VHI response to changes in surface wetness (up to 3.4 months) was observed, whereby the ASWI may provide an effective forecast predictor of climate impacts on vegetation health. The intense 2015/2016 El Niño event coincided with strong ASWI and VHI latitudinal correspondence (R ≥ 0.73). The cascading impacts of climate anomalies on water cycle components and vegetation were further investigated over ENSO‐sensitive sub‐regions including Amazonia, Australia, southern Africa, and the South American Paraná delta region. The ASWI component information linked the effect of drought and pluvial events on vegetation health to underlying changes in surface water inundation, soil moisture and atmospheric moisture deficits. The new satellite‐based assessments reveal the global complexity of ENSO‐related impacts on surface water storages, and the influence of these climate and hydrologic perturbations on ecosystem productivity.
Volcano‐Tectonic Setting of the Pisciarelli Fumarole Field, Campi Flegrei Caldera, Southern Italy: Insights Into Fluid Circulation Patterns and Hazard Scenarios
Authors: Isaia Roberto , Di Giuseppe Maria Giulia , Natale Jacopo , Tramparulo Francesco D'Assisi , Troiano Antonio , Vitale Stefano
Published: April 2021

Phreatic and hydrothermal eruptions are small energetic explosive events that generally have few to no precursors and represent a considerable hazard in tourist and urban areas. At the Campi Flegrei caldera, these events have occurred at the Solfatara volcano and have likely occurred at the nearby Pisciarelli site, where the most powerful hydrothermal phenomena are located. Here, increased hydrothermal activity has caused relevant morphological changes that has led local authorities to deny access to the site. Stratigraphic, structural, and geophysical investigations have allowed us to reconstruct the volcano‐tectonic setting of the area. In particular, we have recognized a fault system and related damage zones that act as the preferred pathway for hydrothermal fluids in the caldera. At the surface, these faults control the migration and/or accumulation of deep‐seated gases into the subsoil and the formation of fumaroles and mud pools. We have recognized two main fault systems with different ages that show variable displacements. The electrical anomalies identified by electrical resistivity tomography further highlight the main fault pattern and show the interplay between volcano‐tectonic structures and fluid circulation. Host rocks and fault zones may be involved in self‐sealing processes and/or rock failure phenomena capable of modifying the fluid pathways and establishing favorable conditions, leading to overpressure and/or rapid decompression of fluids and triggering an explosive event. Furthermore, stratigraphic mapping shows fossil mud pool sediments embedded in an old debris flow located above the modern hydrothermal system. This implies that they were at a higher elevation when they formed. The morphotectonic evolution and intense rock alterations in the area could promote further landslide episodes, producing debris‐flow deposits that can cover the active area and possibly trigger hydrothermal/phreatic events.
Sensitivity of Permeability Changes to Different Earthquakes in a Fault Zone: Possible Evidence of Dependence on the Frequency of Seismic Waves
Authors: Liao Xin , Shi Yun , Liu Chun‐Ping , Wang Guangcai
Published: April 2021

Changes in the permeability of a fault zone are dependent upon the frequency of seismic waves, and is an important phenomenon whose mechanisms have not be completely elucidated to date. In this study, the tidal response of water level in well Chuan06 was considered as an indicator of the permeability of the fault zone, and the sensitivity of permeability changes to earthquakes with different epicentral distances were investigated. The results suggested that the permeability change induced by seismic waves is frequency dependent. In addition, based on the mechanisms of permeability changes induced by the seismic waves, the difference in sensitivity may be attributed to the different sizes of the fractures in the fault zone. These findings are likely to contribute to an understanding of hydrogeological responses and seismic activity induced by the earthquakes.
Comparison Between High‐Speed Video Observation of Sprites and Broadband Sferic Measurements
Authors: Ren Huan , Lu Gaopeng , Cummer Steven A. , Peng Kang‐Ming , Lyons Walter A. , Liu Feifan , Li Xiao , Wang Yongping , Zhang Shoubao , Cheng Zhengwei
Published: April 2021

High‐speed video observations of two sprites with halo features were analyzed with concurrent measurements of broadband magnetic sferics. Both events were produced by positive cloud‐to‐ground (CG) strokes. Moreover, the halo features appeared less than 0.5 ms after the return stroke, and the first sprite elements followed within 1  and 3 ms, respectively, for the two cases. The persistent charge transfer in the causative stroke from long continuing current can maintain the continuous glowing of existing sprite elements, and also may aid the vertical development and enhanced luminescence of later sprite elements. The observations with electric field (E‐field) simulations by the transmission line model provide evidence that the induction component of the lightning‐induced E‐field contributes significantly to halo formation. Our results suggest additional measurements and analysis are needed to identify the specific role of induction E‐field in addition to the well‐known quasi‐electrostatic (QE) field in the lightning‐induced impact on the mesosphere.
The Longest 2020 Meiyu Season Over the Past 60 Years: Subseasonal Perspective and Its Predictions
Authors: Qiao Shaobo , Chen Dong , Wang Bin , Cheung Ho‐Nam , Liu Fei , Cheng Jianbo , Tang Shankai , Zhang Zengping , Feng Guolin , Dong Wenjie
Published: April 2021

The record‐long 2020 Meiyu season since 1961 caused severe floods over the Yangtze and Huaihe River valleys (YHRV). Why the Meiyu duration doubled in 2020 remains a puzzle. We show that the long‐lasting Meiyu can be divided into three stages: advanced‐onset, strong‐persisting, and delayed‐withdrawal. The advanced‐onset was associated with an extremely negative‐phase East Atlantic/West Russia teleconnection. The strong‐persisting was attributed to a positive‐phase Pacific–Japan (PJ) pattern sustained by La Niña's rapid development. The delayed withdrawal was related to the combined effect of a positive PJ pattern and a mid‐troposphere “two ridge–one trough” pattern over Asia. Two subseasonal forecasting systems predicted the positive rainfall anomalies over the YHRV in the first two stages, but not the third stage, which may be associated with poor prediction of the two ridge–one trough pattern. These results highlight the role of subseasonal evolution in extreme climate events.
Single cell plasticity and population coding stability in auditory thalamus upon associative learning
Authors: Taylor James Alexander , Hasegawa Masashi , Benoit Chloé Maëlle , Freire Joana Amorim , Theodore Marine , Ganea Dan Alin , Innocenti Sabrina Milena , Lu Tingjia , Gründemann Jan
Published: April 2021

Cortical and limbic brain areas are regarded as centres for learning. However, how thalamic sensory relays participate in plasticity upon associative learning, yet support stable long-term sensory coding remains unknown. Using a miniature microscope imaging approach, we monitor the activity of populations of auditory thalamus (medial geniculate body) neurons in freely moving mice upon fear conditioning. We find that single cells exhibit mixed selectivity and heterogeneous plasticity patterns to auditory and aversive stimuli upon learning, which is conserved in amygdala-projecting medial geniculate body neurons. Activity in auditory thalamus to amygdala-projecting neurons stabilizes single cell plasticity in the total medial geniculate body population and is necessary for fear memory consolidation. In contrast to individual cells, population level encoding of auditory stimuli remained stable across days. Our data identifies auditory thalamus as a site for complex neuronal plasticity in fear learning upstream of the amygdala that is in an ideal position to drive plasticity in cortical and limbic brain areas. These findings suggest that medial geniculate body’s role goes beyond a sole relay function by balancing experience-dependent, diverse single cell plasticity with consistent ensemble level representations of the sensory environment to support stable auditory perception with minimal affective bias.
Generation of a mouse SWATH-MS spectral library to quantify 10148 proteins involved in cell reprogramming
Authors: Ulanga Uxue , Russell Matthew , Patassini Stefano , Brazzatti Julie , Graham Ciaren , Whetton Anthony D. , Graham Robert L. J.
Published: April 2021

Murine models are amongst the most widely used systems to study biology and pathology. Targeted quantitative proteomic analysis is a relatively new tool to interrogate such systems. Recently the need for relative quantification on hundreds to thousands of samples has driven the development of Data Independent Acquisition methods. One such technique is SWATH-MS, which in the main requires prior acquisition of mass spectra to generate an assay reference library. In stem cell research, it has been shown pluripotency can be induced starting with a fibroblast population. In so doing major changes in expressed proteins is inevitable. Here we have created a reference library to underpin such studies. This is inclusive of an extensively documented script to enable replication of library generation from the raw data. The documented script facilitates reuse of data and adaptation of the library to novel applications. The resulting library provides deep coverage of the mouse proteome. The library covers 29519 proteins (53% of the proteome) of which 7435 (13%) are supported by a proteotypic peptide.