bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Early-onset diabetes involving three consecutive generations had different clinical features from age-matched type 2 diabetes without a family history in China
Authors: Wang Da-Wei , Yuan Jing , Yang Fang-yuan , Qiu Hai-Yan , Lu Jing , Yang Jin-Kui
Published: August 2022

Purpose

Early-onset, multigenerational diabetes is a heterogeneous disease, which is often simplistically classified as type 1 diabetes (T1D) or type 2 diabetes(T2D). However, its clinical and genetic characteristics have not been clearly elucidated. The aim of our study is to investigate the clinical features of early-onset diabetes involving three consecutive generations (eDia3) in a Chinese diabetes cohort.

Methods

Of 6470 type 2 diabetic patients, 105 were identified as eDia3 (1.6%). After a case–control match on age, we compared the clinical characteristics of 89 eDia3 patients with 89 early-onset T2D patients without a family history of diabetes (eDia0). WES was carried out in 89 patients with eDia3. We primarily focused on 14 known maturity-onset diabetes of the young (MODY) genes. Variants were predicted by ten tools (SIFT, PolyPhen2_HDIV, PolyPhen2_HVAR, LRT, Mutation Assessor, Mutation Taster, FATHMM, GERP++, PhyloP, and PhastCons). All suspected variants were then validated by Sanger sequencing and further investigated in the proband families.

Results

Compared to age-matched eDia0, eDia3 patients had a younger age at diagnosis (26.5 ± 5.8 vs. 29.4 ± 5.3 years, P = 0.001), lower body mass index (25.5 ± 3.9 vs. 27.4 ± 4.6 kg/m2, P = 0.003), lower systolic blood pressure (120 ± 15 vs. 128 ± 18 mmHg, P = 0.003), and better metabolic profiles (including glucose and lipids). Of the 89 eDia3 patients, 10 (11.2%) carried likely pathogenic variants in genes (KLF11, GCK, ABCC8, PAX4, BLK and HNF1A) of MODY.

Conclusions

eDia3 patients had unique clinical features. Known MODY genes were not common causes in these patients.
Ghost edge detection based on HED network
Authors: Zhao Shengmei , Cui Yifang , He Xing , Wang Le
Published: August 2022

In this paper, we present an edge detection scheme based on ghost imaging (GI) with a holistically-nested neural network. The so-called holistically-nested edge detection (HED) network is adopted to combine the fully convolutional neural network (CNN) with deep supervision to learn image edges effectively. Simulated data are used to train the HED network, and the unknown object’s edge information is reconstructed from the experimental data. The experiment results show that, when the compression ratio (CR) is 12.5%, this scheme can obtain a high-quality edge information with a sub-Nyquist sampling ratio and has a better performance than those using speckle-shifting GI (SSGI), compressed ghost edge imaging (CGEI) and subpixel-shifted GI (SPSGI). Indeed, the proposed scheme can have a good signal-to-noise ratio performance even if the sub-Nyquist sampling ratio is greater than 5.45%. Since the HED network is trained by numerical simulations before the experiment, this proposed method provides a promising way for achieving edge detection with small measurement times and low time cost.

Graphical Abstract
Breast Conservative Surgery for Breast Cancer: Indian Surgeon’s Preferences and Factors Influencing Them
Authors: Dutta Rohini , Mahajan Anshul , Patil Priti , Bhandoria Geetu , Sarang Bhakti , Virk Sargun , Khajanchi Monty , Jain Samarvir , Bains Lovenish , Bhandarkar Prashant , Chatterjee Shamita , Roy Nobhojit , Gadgil Anita
Published: August 2022

Background

It is well established that disease-free survival and overall survival after breast conservation surgery (BCS) followed by radiotherapy are equivalent to that after mastectomy. However, in Asian countries, the rate of BCS continues to remain low. The cause may be multifactorial including the patient’s choice, availability and accessibility of infrastructure, and surgeon’s choice. We aimed to elucidate the Indian surgeons’ perspective while choosing between BCS and mastectomy, in women oncologically eligible for BCS.

Methods

We conducted a survey-based cross-sectional study in January–February 2021. Indian surgeons with general surgical or specialised oncosurgical training, who consented to participate were included in the study. Multinomial logistic regression was performed to assess the effect of study variables on offering mastectomy or BCS.

Results

A total of 347 responses were included. The mean age of the participants was 43 ± 11 years. Sixty-three of the surgeons were in the 25–44 years age group with the majority (80%) being males. 66.4% of surgeons ‘almost always’ offered BCS to oncologically eligible patients. Surgeons who had undergone specialised training in oncosurgery or breast conservation surgery were 35 times more likely to offer BCS (p < 0.01). Surgeons working in hospitals with in-house radiation oncology facilities were 9 times more likely to offer BCS (p < 0.05). Surgeons’ years of practice, age, sex and hospital setting did not influence the surgery offered.

Conclusion

Two-thirds of Indian surgeons preferred BCS over mastectomy. Lack of radiotherapy facilities and specialised surgical training were deterrents to offering BCS to eligible women.
Organizational Changes Needed in Disasters and Public Health Emergencies: A Qualitative Study among Managers at a Major Hospital
Authors: Wennman Ingela , Jacobson Catharina , Carlström Eric , Hyltander Anders , Khorram-Manesh Amir
Published: August 2022

Most hospitals have a contingency plan, based on all-risks and all-hazards assessment principles. However, emerging threats and risks often necessitate a flexible approach to emergency management at several levels of a disaster response system, for example, in hospitals. Sweden, and possibly other countries, has limited possibilities of surge capacity in the management of large-scale disasters and emergencies, which necessitates a local/national partnership and a flexible local disaster and contingency plan. This study evaluates the opinions of a selected managerial group, both at operative and strategic levels, regarding possible changes in a major hospital’s contingency plan during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Semistructured interviews were conducted to explore the elements of surge capacity and an operational tool, consisting of command and control, safety, communication, assessment, triage, treatment, and transport. The results show a need to create feasible management methods that can be evaluated, establish clear leadership, put preparedness as a constant point on the highest managerial agenda, improve external monitoring, and create a regional coordinating center. Furthermore, the results emphasize the significant role played by the incident command system and qualified leadership to facilitate competent and crucial medical decision making, as well as to provide reliable communication, collaboration, and coordination in a multi-agency response system during dynamic and unexpected emergencies. These steps enable a constant connection between reactive contingency plans and the proactivity in continuous risk assessment and enhance the flexibility of the contingency plans.
Log-concavity of infinite product generating functions
Authors: Heim Bernhard , Neuhauser Markus
Published: August 2022

In the 1970s Nicolas proved that the coefficients$$p_d(n)$$pd(n)defined by the generating function$$\begin{aligned} \sum _{n=0}^{\infty } p_d(n) \, q^n = \prod _{n=1}^{\infty } \left( 1- q^n\right) ^{-n^{d-1}} \end{aligned}$$∑n=0∞pd(n)qn=∏n=1∞1-qn-nd-1are log-concave for$$d=1$$d=1. Recently, Ono, Pujahari, and Rolen have extended the result to$$d=2$$d=2. Note that$$p_1(n)=p(n)$$p1(n)=p(n)is the partition function and$$p_2(n)=\mathrm{pp}\left( n\right) $$p2(n)=ppnis the number of plane partitions. In this paper, we invest in properties for$$p_d(n)$$pd(n)for generald. Let$$n \ge 6$$n≥6. Then$$p_d(n)$$pd(n)is almost log-concave forndivisible by 3 and almost strictly log-convex otherwise.
More Detailed Disturbance Measurement and Active Disturbance Rejection Altitude Control for a Flapping Wing Robot Under Internal and External Disturbances
Authors: Mou Jiawang , Zhang Weiping , Zheng Kexin , Wang Yao , Wu Chaofeng
Published: August 2022

With the goal of designing a biologically inspired robot that can hold a stable hover under internal and external disturbances. We designed a tailless Flapping-wing Micro Aerial Vehicle (FMAV) with onboard 3D velocity perception. In this way, the wind disturbance caused by the relative motion of the FMAV can be quantified in real time based on the established altitudinal dynamics model. For the rest of the total disturbance, an active disturbance rejection controller is proposed to estimate and suppress those disturbances. In comparison with the traditional PID controller, this proposed approach has been validated. The results show that, in the hovering flight with the internal unmodeled dynamics, the root-mean-square of height controlled is only 2.53 cm. Even with the different weights of loads mounting on the FMAV, the ascending trajectory of flights remains impressively consistent. In the forward flight with the external disturbance, the root-mean-square error of height controlled is 2.78 cm. When the FMAV flies over a ladder introducing an abrupt external disturbance, the maximum overshoot is only half of that controlled by the PID controller. To our best knowledge, this is the first demonstration of FMAVs with the capability of sensing motion-generated wind disturbance onboard and handling the internal and external disturbances in hover flight.
Large Deviations for Markov Chains
Authors: de Acosta Alejandro D.
Published: August 2022

This book studies the large deviations for empirical measures and vector-valued additive functionals of Markov chains with general state space. Under suitable recurrence conditions, the ergodic theorem for additive functionals of a Markov chain asserts the almost sure convergence of the averages of a real or vector-valued function of the chain to the mean of the function with respect to the invariant distribution. In the case of empirical measures, the ergodic theorem states the almost sure convergence in a suitable sense to the invariant distribution. The large deviation theorems provide precise asymptotic estimates at logarithmic level of the probabilities of deviating from the preponderant behavior asserted by the ergodic theorems.
Material Culture Studies in the Age of Big Data: Digital Excavation of Homemade Face-Mask Production during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Magnani Matthew , Clindaniel Jon , Magnani Natalia
Published: August 2022

This manuscript presents a novel approach to the study of contemporary material culture using digital data. Scholars interested in the materiality of past and contemporary societies have been limited to information derived from assemblages of excavated, collected, or physically observed materials; they have yet to take full advantage of large or complex digital datasets afforded by the internet. To demonstrate the power of this approach and its potential to disrupt our understanding of the material world, we present a study of an ongoing global health crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic. In particular, we focus on face-mask production during the pandemic across the United States in 2020 and 2021. Scraping information on homemade face-mask characteristics at multimonth intervals—including location and materials—we analyze the production of masks and their change over time. We demonstrate that this new methodology, coupled with a sociopolitical examination of mask use according to state policies and politicization, provides an unprecedented avenue to understand the changing distributions and social significances of material culture. Our study of mask making elucidates a clear linkage between partisan politics and decreasing disease mitigation effectiveness. We further reveal how time-averaged asssemblages drown out the political meanings of artifacts otherwise visible with finer temporal resolution.
Impact of the electron density and temperature gradient on drift-wave turbulence in the Large Plasma Device
Authors: Perks Conor , Mordijck Saskia , Carter Troy , Van Compernolle Bart , Vincena Stephen , Rossi Giovanni , Schaffner David
Published: August 2022

In this paper we present an experimental study of edge turbulence in the Large Plasma Device at UCLA. We utilize a scan of discharge power and prefill pressure (neutral density) to show experimentally that turbulent density fluctuations decrease with decreasing density gradient, as predicted for resistive drift-wave turbulence (RDWT). As expected for RDWT, we observe that the cross-phase between the density and potential fluctuations is close to 0. Moreover, the addition of an electron temperature gradient leads to a reduction in the amplitude of the density fluctuations, as expected for RDWT. However, counter to theoretical expectations, we find that the potential fluctuations do not follow the same trends as the density fluctuations for changes either in density gradients or the addition of a temperature gradient. The disconnect between the density and potential fluctuations is connected to changes in the parallel flows as a result of differences in the prefill pressure, i.e. neutral density. Further analysis of the density and potential fluctuation spectra show that the electron temperature gradient reduces the low frequency fluctuations up to

$10 \,{\rm kHz}$

and the introduction of a temperature gradient leads to an unexpected

${\sim }{\rm \pi}$

shift of the density–potential cross-phase at

${\sim }10\,{\rm kHz}$

, while maintaining the typical resistive drift-wave cross-phase at lower frequencies. These experiments partly confirm existing knowledge on resistive drift-wave turbulence, but also introduce new observations that indicate a need for dedicated nonlinear three-dimensional turbulence simulations that include neutrals.
Is there a ‘bipolar iceberg’ in UK primary care psychological therapy services?
Authors: Strawbridge Rebecca , Alexander Laith , Richardson Thomas , Young Allan H. , Cleare Anthony J.
Published: August 2022

Background

Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) is a primary care therapy service commissioned by England's National Health Service (NHS) for people with unipolar depression and anxiety-related disorders. Its scope does not extend to ‘severe mental illness’, including bipolar disorders (BD), but evidence suggests there is a high BD prevalence in ostensibly unipolar major depressive disorder (uMDD) samples. This study aimed to indicate the prevalence and characteristics of people with BD in a naturalistic cohort of IAPT patients.

Methods

371 participants were assessed before initiating therapy. Participants were categorised by indicated diagnoses: BD type-I (BD-I) or type-II (BD-II) as defined using a DSM diagnostic interview, bipolar spectrum (BSp, not meeting diagnostic criteria but exceeding BD screening thresholds), lifetime uMDD or other. Information about psychiatric history and co-morbidities was examined, along with symptoms before and after therapy.

Results

368 patients provided sufficient data to enable classification. 10% of participants were grouped as having BD-I, 20% BD-II, 40% BSp, 25% uMDD and 5% other. BD and uMDD participants had similar demographic characteristics, but patients meeting criteria for BD-I/BD-II had more complex psychiatric presentations. All three ‘bipolar’ groups had particularly high rates of anxiety disorders. IAPT therapy receipt was comparable between groups, as was therapy response (F9704 = 1.113, p = 0.351).

Conclusions

Notwithstanding the possibility that bipolar diathesis was overestimated, findings illustrate a high prevalence of BD in groups of people notionally with uMDD or anxiety. As well as improving the detection of BD, further substantive investigation is required to establish whether individuals affected by BD should be eligible for primary care psychological intervention.
CONSISTENT LOCAL SPECTRUM INFERENCE FOR PREDICTIVE RETURN REGRESSIONS
Authors: Andersen Torben G. , Varneskov Rasmus T.
Published: August 2022

This paper studies the properties of predictive regressions for asset returns in economic systems governed by persistent vector autoregressive dynamics. In particular, we allow for the state variables to be fractionally integrated, potentially of different orders, and for the returns to have a latent persistent conditional mean, whose memory is difficult to estimate consistently by standard techniques in finite samples. Moreover, the predictors may be endogenous and “imperfect.” In this setting, we develop a consistent local spectrum (LCM) estimation procedure, that delivers asymptotic Gaussian inference. Furthermore, we provide a new LCM-based estimator of the conditional mean persistence, that leverages biased regression slopes as well as new LCM-based tests for significance of (a subset of) the predictors, which are valid even without estimating the return persistence. Simulations illustrate the theoretical arguments. Finally, an empirical application to monthly S&P 500 return predictions provides evidence for a fractionally integrated conditional mean component. Our new LCM procedure and tools indicate significant predictive power for future returns stemming from key state variables such as the default spread and treasury interest rates.
Wage Interdependence and Competitiveness
Authors: de la Croix David
Published: August 2022

We build a multi-sector model with wage bargaining and imperfect competition to analyse the links between wage interdependence and competitiveness. Quantity constraints together with union power, firm market power and wage externalities play a significant role in the determination of competitiveness and in the transmission of shocks among sectors. This is verified by an empirical study on Belgian data. We identify leading sectors in wage formation and evaluate the effect of sector-specific shocks on the competitiveness of the other sectors.
Efficient Bargaining and Accommodation Policies
Authors: Jensen Henrik
Published: August 2022

We show that accommodation policies may render efficient bargaining in
the labour market unsustainable as a perfect Nash equilibrium of the
infinitely repeated game. In fact, in the eyes of the labour market
participants, efficient bargaining may be Pareto-dominated by the
monopoly-union solution when the government places sufficiently high weight
on employment targets.
Killing me softly: Creative and cognitive aspects of implicitness in abusive language online
Authors: Frenda Simona , Patti Viviana , Rosso Paolo
Published: August 2022

Abusive language is becoming a problematic issue for our society. The spread of messages that reinforce social and cultural intolerance could have dangerous effects in victims’ life. State-of-the-art technologies are often effective on detecting explicit forms of abuse, leaving unidentified the utterances with very weak offensive language but a strong hurtful effect. Scholars have advanced theoretical and qualitative observations on specific indirect forms of abusive language that make it hard to be recognized automatically. In this work, we propose a battery of statistical and computational analyses able to support these considerations, with a focus on creative and cognitive aspects of the implicitness, in texts coming from different sources such as social media and news. We experiment with transformers, multi-task learning technique, and a set of linguistic features to reveal the elements involved in the implicit and explicit manifestations of abuses, providing a solid basis for computational applications.
Assessment of symptom intensity and psychological well-being of patients with advanced cancer undergoing palliative care in a Brazilian public hospital: A cross-sectional study
Authors: Traldi Macedo Ligia , Gomes Bastos Fernandes Líllian , Palmeira Heloísa Maria , Souza Tanios Bruna , Gaspar Karla Cristina , Lima Carmen Silvia Passos
Published: August 2022

Objectives

The characterization of clinical–emotional aspects of advanced cancer patients is essential for palliative care. To date, there is scarce information regarding the socio-demographic and clinical profiles, as well as the quality of care given to hospitalized patients under this condition, particularly in South American countries. The objectives of this study were to analyze the socio-demographic profile, symptoms (including psychological well-being), and the quality of life of advanced cancer patients admitted to the oncology ward of the General Hospital of the University of Campinas, Brazil.

Methods

In this cross-sectional study, patients were invited to fill the selected questionnaires such as Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (ESAS) and Palliative Care Outcome Scale (POS). Descriptive analyses were performed, regarding socio-demographic profile, symptoms, level of information over treatment aims, and quality-of-life scores.

Results

Fifty-nine patients were included, of whom 29 were male and 30 female, with a mean age of 58 years. Overall, 31.9% presented pain at the time of the interview, 52.5% depression, and 76.3% anxiety. The median individual scores for ESAS and POS (and interquartile range) were, respectively, 27 (17–41) and 14 (9–19). Patients with previous knowledge of treatment objectives reported worse depression scores in the ESAS (median 2 vs. 0, p 0.02), even when correcting for possible confounders.

Significance of results

In contrast to current literature, in which pain is a prevalent report, depression and anxiety were more evident in this specific population of hospitalized patients. This framework reflects the need for valuing not only physical but also emotional symptoms to achieve the integrality of care.
The Perks of Being Female: Gender Stereotypes and Voters’ Preferences in Brazil
Authors: Lucciola Natalia
Published: August 2022

Do voters rely on gendered stereotypes when evaluating candidates in Brazil? The literature shows that gendered stereotypes about politicians can result in women being consistently judged as unfit for office. This article investigates the influence of gendered stereotypes on voters’ preferences in a context that combines severe female underrepresentation and incentives for voters to rely on politicians’ personal attributes. In two survey experiments, I identify the gendered stereotypes of politicians in Brazil and estimate how they influence voters’ behavior toward hypothetical candidates who do or do not comply with those stereotypes. The findings suggest that voters hold positive stereotypes of women and a broad pro-female bias.
Benchmarking iSALE and CTH Shock Physics Codes to In Situ High‐Velocity Impact Experiments Into Fe‐Ni Targets
Authors: Alexander A. M. , Marchi S. , Chocron S. , Walker J.
Published: August 2022

Cratering is a prominent evolutionary process on asteroids. Crater morphologies, regolith generation, bulk fracturing and projectile implantation are all examples of asteroidal surface evolution resulting from impact processes. The characterization of these processes on metal‐rich bodies has become a priority due to the upcoming NASA Psyche mission, poised to study the likely metal‐rich 225‐km main belt asteroid, (16) Psyche. Small‐scale impact experiments into metals (e.g., iron, aluminum, copper, steel) have shown that crater morphologies into these materials are different than rocky targets—exhibiting notable distinctive features such as raised, sharp rims, and deeper cavities. In this work, we determine strength constants for different metals used in prior impact experiments, namely manufactured Fe‐Ni materials and the Gibeon iron meteorite at 77 K. These parameters have been used as inputs for the Johnson and Cook (1983) strength model in a suite of numerical simulations reproducing impact experiments. Using the Johnson and Cook strength model and our laboratory‐derived material constants, we find that it is possible to closely match small‐scale experimental crater diameters and depths using iSALE and CTH shock physics codes.
Atmospheric N Deposition Significantly Enhanced Soil N2O Emission From Eastern China Forests
Authors: Cen Xiaoyu , Li Mingxu , Xu Li , Zhu Jianxing , He Nianpeng
Published: August 2022

Nitrous oxide (N2O) is an influential greenhouse gas (GHG) and an unregulated ozone‐depleting substance. The extent to which N2O emissions from natural forest soils have been enhanced by high atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition in China during past decades is unclear; however, assessing land‐related N2O emissions for 2060 national “carbon neutrality” goal is urgent. In this study, we proposed a “gray box” conceptual model and deduced a linear relationship between soil N2O emissions and N deposition on a large scale. On this basis, we created a “process‐augmented data‐driven” approach using which we combined experimental N addition data from 38 Chinese forests with N deposition observation data to estimate regional soil N2O emissions. We found that the N2O emission budget of eastern China forest soils averaged 0.24 ± 0.07 TgN yr−1 from 1996 to 2015; of this, ∼36% (0.087 TgN yr−1) was directly induced by N deposition. Soil N2O emission rates (RN2O) fluctuated slightly after 2006, and the RN2Os of different ecoregions were significantly different (p < 0.001). Soil factors and N‐deposition‐related factors dominated the spatial variation of RN2O. Our findings provide country‐specific and ecoregion‐specific emission factors for national GHG inventories in China. Our approach bridges the gap between site‐level experiments and demand for regional N2O emissions, and is applicable for estimating N2O emissions in other countries/regions. Meanwhile, more N addition experiments are needed to comprehensively understand N cycling processes and extend the predictive capability of the approach.
Rotational Discontinuities in the Magnetopause of an Open Magnetosphere
Authors: Ma Yonghui , Wang Shu , Shen Chao , Ren Nian , Chen Tao , Shao Peng , E Peng , Bogdanova Y. V. , Burch J. L.
Published: August 2022

In this paper, we analyze the fine structure of rotational discontinuities (RDs) in the magnetopause of an open magnetosphere using four‐point magnetic field measurements recorded by the Magnetospheric MultiScale mission. An RD is commonly observed within the magnetopause when reconnection occurs in the magnetopause. Furthermore, an RD usually occurs closer to the magnetosheath side of the magnetopause. The magnetic structure of RD is usually much thinner than 110 km. The magnetic field rotation maxima and magnetic strength minima are within the RD. The radius of curvature of the magnetic field lines reaches a minimum in the RD (∼83–1,491 km). In addition, the radius of curvature of the magnetic field lines of the RD is usually much larger than the thickness of the magnetic structure of the RD, indicating that the magnetic field lines almost lie in the RD. Generally, a field‐aligned current dominates in the RD.
Joint Cluster/Ground‐Based Studies in the First 20 Years of the Cluster Mission
Authors: Fear R. C.
Published: August 2022

Ground‐based facilities make an important contribution to our understanding of the magnetospheric system. Coordination with ground‐based facilities has been embedded within the Cluster mission since before launch, and this has given rise to a large number of studies which have exploited data from both Cluster and one or more of the diverse range of ground‐based instrumentation that have been available during the mission timespan. In this paper, we review the advances that have been made to our understanding of the magnetosphere‐ionosphere system, in which insight has been enhanced by combining ground‐based observations with observations from Cluster. Topics covered span from the bow shock to the magnetotail and down to the aurora.
Study of the Electron‐Scale Magnetic Peaks in the Magnetotail Current Sheet Observed by the Magnetospheric Multiscale Mission
Authors: Chen Y. Q. , Wang G. Q. , Wu M. Y. , Xiao S. D. , Zhang T. L.
Published: August 2022

Electron‐scale magnetic holes have been revealed to widely exist in many plasma environments in the last decade, playing an important role in transporting particles and dissipating energies. Recently, electron‐scale magnetic peaks (ESMPs) have also been reported to exist in the terrestrial magnetosheath and the solar wind at 1 AU. Here, we report the existence of ESMPs in the terrestrial magnetotail current sheet for the first time based on observations of the Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission. We find a clear bipolar signature in the electron velocity inside one ESMP, suggesting the existence of an electron vortex inside it. The current in the ESMP is mainly contributed by electrons. We also find that they prefer to occur near the neutral sheet with a northward component of the magnetic field, suggesting that they prefer to occur during the dipolarization process. Our observation results suggest that both ion and electron mirror instabilities are not the generation mechanism of these ESMPs. Their role and generation mechanism in the magnetotail current sheet are unclear and need further investigation.
Strong Correspondence in Evapotranspiration and Carbon Dioxide Fluxes Between Different Eddy Covariance Systems Enables Quantification of Landscape Heterogeneity in Dryland Fluxes
Authors: Cunliffe Andrew M. , Boschetti Fabio , Clement Robert , Sitch Stephen , Anderson Karen , Duman Tomer , Zhu Songyan , Schlumpf Mikael , Litvak Marcy E. , Brazier Richard E. , Hill Timothy C.
Published: August 2022

The eddy covariance method is widely used to investigate fluxes of energy, water, and carbon dioxide at landscape scales, providing important information on how ecological systems function. Flux measurements quantify ecosystem responses to environmental perturbations and management strategies, including nature‐based climate‐change mitigation measures. However, due to the high cost of conventional instrumentation, most eddy covariance studies employ a single system, limiting spatial representation to the flux footprint. Insufficient replication may be limiting our understanding of ecosystem behavior. To address this limitation, we deployed eight lower‐cost eddy covariance systems in two clusters around two conventional eddy covariance systems in the Chihuahuan Desert of North America for a period of 2 years. These dryland settings characterized by large temperature variations and relatively low carbon dioxide fluxes represented a challenging setting for eddy covariance. We found very good closure of energy and water balance across all systems (within ±9% of unity). We found very good correspondence between the lower‐cost and conventional systems' fluxes of sensible heat (with concordance correlation coefficient (CCC) of ≥0.87), latent energy (evapotranspiration; CCC ≥ 0.89), and useful correspondence in the net ecosystem exchange ((NEE); with CCC ≥ 0.4) at the daily temporal resolution. Relative to the conventional systems, the low‐frequency systems were characterized by a higher level of random error, particularly in the NEE fluxes. Lower‐cost systems can enable wider deployment affording better replication and sampling of spatiotemporal variability at the expense of greater measurement noise that might be limiting for certain applications. Replicated eddy covariance observations may be useful when addressing gaps in the existing monitoring of critical and underrepresented ecosystems and for measuring areas larger than a single flux footprint.
Stochastic Modeling Approach to Identify Uncertainties of Karst Conduit Networks in Carbonate Aquifers
Authors: Banusch S. , Somogyvári M. , Sauter M. , Renard P. , Engelhardt I.
Published: August 2022

The characterization of the karst conduit network is an essential task to understand the complex flow system within karst aquifers. However, this task is challenging and often associated with uncertainty. Equivalent porous media approaches for modeling flow in karst aquifers fall short of capturing the hydraulic effect of individual karst features, while process‐oriented karst evolution models imply major computational efforts. In this study, we apply the Stochastic Karst Simulator (SKS) developed by Borghi et al. (2012) to generate karst conduit networks at a regional scale of a highly karstified carbonate aquifer located in the Eastern Mediterranean region and extensively used for water supply. The SKS generates conduit network geometries reasonably quick, using a mathematical proxy that mimics conduit evolution. The conduit simulation is based on a conceptual model of the genesis of the aquifer, consisting of different karstification phases. The stochastic approach of the algorithm enables us to generate an ensemble of conduit network realizations and to represent the uncertainties of these simulations in a Karst Probability Map. With only soft input information to constrain conduit evolution, multiple equivalent realizations yield similar resulting network geometries, indicating a robust approach. The presented methodology is numerically efficient, and its input can be easily adjusted. Subsequently, the resulting stochastic spatial distribution of conductivities can be employed for the parametrization of regional karst groundwater models.
The Longest Baseline Record of Vegetation Dynamics in Antarctica Reveals Acute Sensitivity to Water Availability
Authors: Colesie Claudia , Pan Yueming , Cary S. Craig , Gemal Emma , Brabyn Lars , Kim Jeong‐Hoon , Green T. G. Allan , Lee Charles K.
Published: August 2022

Against a changing climate, the development of evidence‐based and progressive conservation policies depends on robust and quantitative baseline studies to resolve habitat natural variability and rate of change. Despite Antarctica's significant role in global climate regulation, climate trend estimates for continental Antarctica are ambiguous due to sparse long‐term in situ records. Here, we present the longest, spatially explicit survey of Antarctic vegetation by harmonizing historic vegetation mapping with modern remote sensing techniques. In 1961, E. D. Rudolph established a permanent survey plot at Cape Hallett, one of the most botanically diverse areas along the Ross Sea coastline, harboring all known types of non‐vascular Antarctic vegetation. Following a survey in 2004 using ground‐based photography, we conducted the third survey of Rudolph's Plot in 2018 using near‐ground remote sensing and methodologies closely mirroring the two historic surveys to identify long‐term changes and trends. Our results revealed that the vegetation at Cape Hallett remained stable over the past six decades with no evidence of transformation related to a changing climate. Instead, the local vegetation shows strong seasonal phenology, distribution patterns that are driven by water availability, and steady perennial growth of moss. Given that East Antarctica is at the tipping point of drastic change in the near future, with biological change having been reported at certain locations, this record represents a unique and potentially the last opportunity to establish a meaningful biological sentinel that will allow us to track subtle yet impactful environmental change in terrestrial Antarctica in the 21st century.
EMIRS Observations of the Aphelion‐Season Mars Atmosphere
Authors: Smith Michael D. , Badri Khalid , Atwood Samuel A. , Edwards Christopher S. , Christensen Philip R. , Wolff Michael J. , Bertrand Tanguy , Forget François , Al Tunaiji Eman , Wolfe Christopher , Smith Nathan , Anwar Saadat
Published: August 2022

Thermal infrared spectra taken by the Emirates Mars Infrared Spectrometer (EMIRS) on‐board the Emirates Mars Mission (EMM) spacecraft are well suited for the retrieval of surface temperatures, the atmospheric temperature profile from the surface to ∼40 km, and the column abundance of dust aerosols, water ice clouds, and water vapor. A constrained linear inversion retrieval routine that includes multiple scattering has been developed and optimized for this purpose. Here, we present a brief overview of the retrieval algorithm and first atmospheric science results from observations taken by EMIRS over the first Earth year of EMM Science Phase operations. These retrievals show extensive water ice clouds, typical for the aphelion season of these observations, and the expected north polar summer maximum and subsequent equatorward transport of water vapor is well documented. An unusually strong and early regional dust storm and its associated thermal response were also observed.
Electron Precipitation Curtains—Simulating the Microburst Origin Hypothesis
Authors: O’Brien T. P. , Lemon C. L. , Blake J. B.
Published: August 2022

We explore the hypothesis that electron precipitation curtains such as those observed by the AeroCube‐6 satellite pair can be produced by electron microbursts. Precipitation curtains are latitudinal structures of stable precipitation that persist for timescales of 10s of seconds or longer. The electrons involved have energies of 10–100s of keV. The microburst formation hypothesis states that a source region in the equatorial region produces a series of very low frequency chorus wave emissions. Each of these emissions in turn produces a microburst of electron precipitation, filling the drift and bounce loss cone on the local field line. Electrons in the drift loss cone remain on the field line and bounce‐phase mix over subsequent bounces while also drifting in azimuth. When observed at downstream azimuths by a satellite equipped with an integral energy sensor, no bounce phase structure remains, or, equivalently, the same time profile is present when two such satellites pass by many seconds apart. The spatial structure that remains reflects the pattern of microburst sources. Statistical studies of where and when curtains occur have indicated that some, but not all, curtains could be caused by microbursts. We use test particle tracing in a dipole magnetic field to show that spatially stationary source regions generating periodic microbursts can produce curtain signatures azimuthally downstream. We conclude that one viable explanation for many of the curtains observed by the AeroCube‐6 pair is the accumulation of drift‐dispersed microburst electron byproducts in the drift loss cone.
Distributed Fiber Optics Measurements of Rock Deformation and Failure in Triaxial Tests
Authors: Salazar Vásquez Antonio , Rabaiotti Carlo , Germanovich Leonid N. , Puzrin Alexander M.
Published: August 2022

The implementation of distributed strain measurement methods in triaxial and uniaxial tests have demonstrated the development of strain localization, even at early stages. This implies that single point measurement methods are location dependent. The use of distributed methods is required not only to improve the interpreted constitutive parameters obtained from triaxial tests, but also to understand the implications of strain localization in the failure process. This work uses optical fibers in triaxial tests. The developed distributed measurement method was implemented on granite, gabbro, and sandstone samples and tested under different confining pressures, reaching 200 MPa on the granite sample. Using a temporal resolution of 0.25 Hz and 5 mm of spatial resolution, the strain evolution at over 300 locations at the sample surface was measured during testing. When compared to point sensing methods, the use of optical fiber greatly increases the number of measurements at the surface of the sample, and their interpolation provides the entire deformation of the sample surface. In all the tests performed, strain localizations were revealed before failure. A three‐dimensional interpretation of a test, combining an optical scan of the sample and the distributed measurements, show good correlation between the fractures and the strain localization.
Mechanical Compliance of Individual Fractures in a Heterogeneous Rock Mass From Production‐Type Full‐Waveform Sonic Data
Authors: Zhou Zhenya , Caspari Eva , Barbosa Nicolás D. , Greenwood Andrew , Holliger Klaus
Published: August 2022

The mechanical fracture compliance is of interest in a number of geoscientific applications. Seismic borehole methods, especially full‐waveform sonic (FWS) data, have indicated their potential to infer the compliance of macroscopic fractures under in situ conditions. These approaches rely on the assumption of a homogeneous background embedding the fractures and, as of yet, compliance estimates for individual fractures are limited to static FWS measurements. In this work, we assess the potential of inferring the compliance of individual fractures from standard, production‐type FWS data in the presence of background heterogeneity. We first perform a comparative test on synthetic data to evaluate three approaches known as the transmission, phase, and group time delay methods. The results indicate that the former two produce adequate compliance estimates for scenarios with a strongly heterogeneous background or a damage zone around the fracture. These two methods are then applied to two FWS data sets acquired before and after a hydraulic stimulation campaign in a crystalline rock, which allows to test them on natural and man‐made fractures. The transmission method turned out to be unsuitable for the considered data due to its reliance on amplitudes. Conversely, the travel time behavior remained stable and the phase time delay method produced robust and consistent estimates. The results for a newly created hydro‐fracture imply the capability of resolving remarkably small compliance values of the order of 10−14 m/Pa. This estimate is one order‐of‐magnitude smaller than that for the natural fracture, which may help to distinguish between these two fracture types.
The Effect of a Weak Asthenospheric Layer on Surface Kinematics, Subduction Dynamics and Slab Morphology in the Lower Mantle
Authors: Cerpa Nestor G. , Sigloch Karin , Garel Fanny , Heuret Arnauld , Davies D. Rhodri , Mihalynuk Mitchell G.
Published: August 2022

On Earth, the velocity at which subducting plates are consumed at their trenches (termed “subduction rate” herein) is typically 3 times higher than trench migration velocities. The subduction rate is also 5 times higher than estimated lower mantle slab sinking rates. Using simple kinematic analyses, we show that if this present‐day “kinematic state” operated into the past, the subducting lithosphere should have accumulated and folded beneath near‐stationary trenches. These predictions are consistent with seismic tomography, which images localized and widened lower‐mantle slab piles. They are, however, at odds with most dynamic‐subduction models, which predict rapid trench retreat and inclined slabs in the mantle transition zone. We test the hypothesis that a weak asthenospheric layer (WAL), between the lithosphere‐asthenosphere boundary and 220 km depth, compatible with geophysical constraints, can remedy the discrepancies between numerical models and observations. The WAL lubricates the base of the lithosphere, increases the subduction rate while reducing trench retreat. As a consequence, simulations featuring a WAL predict slab accumulation at the mantle transition zone, and thicker, folded slabs in the lower mantle. A WAL viscosity only 2–5 times lower than that of the adjacent mantle is sufficient to shift subduction regimes toward a mode of vertical slab sinking and folding beneath near‐stationary trenches, across a wide range of model parameters, producing surface and slab velocities close to those observed at the present‐day. These findings provide support for the existence of a weak asthenosphere beneath Earth's lithosphere, complementing independent evidence from various geophysical data.
Pronounced Seismic Anisotropy in Kanto Sedimentary Basin: A Case Study of Using Dense Arrays, Ambient Noise Seismology, and Multi‐Modal Surface‐Wave Imaging
Authors: Jiang Chengxin , Denolle Marine A.
Published: August 2022

Metropolitan Tokyo is subject to significant seismic hazards because it is located near a triple junction of tectonic plates and because it sits atop the soft and thick sediments of the Kanto sedimentary Basin. Numerical simulations of earthquake ground motions rely on accurate velocity models of the basin elastic and anelastic structure, which remains to be improved. Here, we leverage the density of permanent stations of the Metropolitan Seismic Observation network seismic network to construct a high‐resolution radially anisotropic (VSV ≠ VSH) shear wave velocity model of the Kanto basin. We construct surface waves using ambient seismic noise cross correlations. In sedimentary structures, it is common for several surface‐wave modes to arise and to couple in time, so we use local sub‐arrays to extract the phase velocity of the fundamental mode and first overtone of Rayleigh and Love waves at short periods (1–7 s). We find that a strong and negative shear‐wave anisotropy (−5%) is confined to the upper 300 m depth range, and a strong and positive anisotropy (+5%) at greater depths. We interpret them as a result of the vertical cracks from repeated earthquake damage and sediment stratigraphy in the Kanto Basin. Because anisotropy models are not routinely used in physics‐based ground motion prediction, our study motivates the consideration of seismic anisotropy in sedimentary basins for the ground motion of future earthquakes.
Seasonal Cycle of the Confluence of the Tsugaru Warm, Oyashio, and Kuroshio Currents East of Japan
Authors: Itoh S. , Tsutsumi E. , Masunaga E. , Sakamoto T. T. , Ishikawa K. , Yanagimoto D. , Hoshiba Y. , Kaneko H. , Hasegawa D. , Tanaka K. , Fukuda H. , Nagata T.
Published: August 2022

The Sanriku Confluence east of Japan is the region of confluence of the Tsugaru Warm Current from the Sea of Japan, the Oyashio Current from the western subarctic gyre and the Sea of Okhotsk, and Kuroshio water that has detached from the subtropical gyre. It is a field of vigorous stirring driven by variability in current systems, but transition processes between water masses have yet to be clarified. High‐resolution underwater conductivity‐temperature‐depth observations were undertaken during each of the four seasons to test a hypothesis that the water‐mass gradient in the Sanriku Confluence is set without full stirring. Analyses in isopycnal coordinates indicate the seasonal occurrence of prominent fronts of both salinity and displacement, related to the emergence of various water masses. After fitting error functions to frontal features, the seasonally emerging isopycnal salinity fronts often became extremely sharp with widths typically narrower than 3 km, supporting the hypothesis. Disturbances distinguished from frontal structures indicate variance peaks with ranges similar to or slightly greater than the baroclinic Rossby radius, likely stirring the large‐scale tracer gradient at this scale. Elevated variances in isopycnal salinity were often observed around the fronts, and variances caused by isolated patches with salinity anomalies were also large. By determining the horizontal scales at which the effects of internal wave heaving becomes dominant, we were able to calculate the potential vorticity (PV) of the balanced flow field. As the PV becomes negative or near zero around the fronts, symmetric instability might have developed.
Cellular shape micromachined actuator ribbons
Authors: Abbasalipour Amin , Palit Prithviraj , Sheikhlari Sepehr , Pakdelian Siavash , Pourkamali Siavash
Published: August 2022

This work presents a new class of micromachined electrostatic actuators capable of producing output force and displacement unprecedented for MEMS electrostatic actuators. The actuators feature submicron high aspect ratio transduction gaps lined up in two-dimensional arrays. Such an arrangement of microscale actuator cells allows the addition of force and displacements of a large number of cells (up to 7600 in one demonstrated array), leading to displacements ranging in the hundreds of microns and several gram forces of axial force. For 50 µm thick actuators with horizontal dimensions in the 1–4 millimeter range, an out-of-plane displacement of up to 678 µm at 46 V, a bending moment of up to 2.0 µNm, i.e., 0.08 N (~8 gram-force) of axial force over a 50 µm by 2 mm cross-sectional area of the actuator (800 kPa of electrostatically generated stress), and an energy density (mechanical work output per stroke per volume) up to 1.42 mJ/cm3 was demonstrated for the actuators.