bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparison of Pre‐ and Post‐transplant Parathyroidectomy in Renal Transplant Recipients and the Impact of Parathyroidectomy Timing on Calcium Metabolism and Renal Allograft Function: A Retrospective Single‐Center Analysis
Authors: Okada Manabu , Hiramitsu Takahisa , Ichimori Toshihiro , Goto Norihiko , Narumi Shunji , Watarai Yoshihiko , Sato Tetsuhiko , Tominaga Yoshihiro
Published: August 2019

Background

The effect of parathyroidectomy (PTx) timing on serum calcium (Ca) levels and renal functions in renal transplant recipients with severe hyperparathyroidism (HPT) remains unclear. We retrospectively aimed to investigate and compare the clinical data of patients who underwent pre‐ and post‐transplant PTx and elucidated the impact of PTx timing on serum Ca levels and renal graft outcomes after renal transplantation (RTx).

Methods

During January 2000–December 2016, 53 and 55 patients underwent post‐transplant PTx (Post‐RTx group) and pretransplant PTx (Pre‐RTx group), respectively. The serum Ca levels and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) were assessed in both groups.

Results

At the end of the follow‐up, the serum Ca levels were significantly higher and the incidence of hypocalcemia was significantly lower in the Pre‐RTx group than in the Post‐RTx group [9.5 vs. 8.9 mg/dL, P < 0.001; 14.5% vs. 34.0%, P = 0.024]. The decrease in the eGFR 12–36 months after RTx was more significant in the Post‐RTx group than in the Pre‐RTx group (−13.8% vs. −0.9%; P = 0.001). A logistic regression involving age, sex, dialysis period, and serum parathormone level revealed that post‐transplant PTx is an independent risk factor for persistent hypocalcemia at the end of the follow‐up (P = 0.034) and for a >20% decrease in the eGFR 12–36 months after RTx (P = 0.029).

Conclusions

In renal transplant candidates with severe HPT, pretransplant PTx should be considered to prevent persistent hypocalcemia and deterioration of the renal graft function.
A randomized phase 2 trial of apatinib vs observation as maintenance treatment following first­line induction chemotherapy in extensive­ stage small cell lung cancer
Authors: Luo Hao , Zhang Liang , Yang Bo , Feng Yan , Xiong Yanli , Zhang Shiheng , Li Xuemei , Qian Chengyuan , Dong Wang , Dai Nan
Published: August 2019

Background The 5-year survival rate for extensive-disease small-cell lung carcinoma (ED-SCLC) is only 1%. Recently, apatinib exerted promising effects on cancer patients after failure of first-line chemotherapy. Methods This study enrolled 24 ED-SCLC patients to study the efficacy and toxicity of apatinib in combination with chemotherapy and maintenance therapy. The primary endpoints were overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). The secondary endpoints included toxicity and safety. Apatinib was given 250 mg/day during the chemotherapy interval, and as maintenance therapy after 4–6 cycles until the patient progressed, died, or was intolerant to drug toxicity. The study further evaluated the cytotoxicity, cell-cycle arrest and apoptotic induction of apatinib in A549 and H446 cells. Results There was no difference in short-term efficacy between combined and chemotherapy groups. Long-term efficacy showed that the median PFS was 7.8 months and 4.9 months in combination and chemotherapy groups, respectively [p = 0.002, HR(95%CI): 0.18(0.06–0.60)]. The median OS was 12.1 months and 8.2 months in combination and chemotherapy groups, respectively [p = 0.023, HR(95%CI): 0.38 (0.16–0.90)]. Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that apatinib combined with chemotherapy was an independent prognostic factor for OS and PFS. The ECOG score was an independent prognostic factor affecting OS. In vitro analysis showed that apatinib inhibited cell proliferation and caused cell-cycle arrest and apoptosis. Conclusion Apatinib combination/maintenance therapy showed promising efficacy and safety to extend OS/PFS in ED-SCLC and will be a potent therapeutic option in future practice. Although the scale of this study is small, further research on large sample sizes is needed.
Mineralogical investigation of fine clastic rocks from Central Sarawak, Malaysia
Authors: Ibrahim Walaa Elnasir , Salim Ahmed Mohamed Ahmed , Sum Chow Weng
Published: August 2019

The reduction in the conventional resources and insistent request for hydrocarbons and energy lead us to look forward for the increasing interest in unconventional resources by exploring new technologies for the national economy and local utilization in Malaysia. Upper Mesozoic-Cenozoic is considered the age of Central Sarawak Formations. This paper attempts to evaluate the clay mineralogy, depositional environment, gamma ray evaluation and the relationship between total organic carbon and uranium concentration of the Nyalau, Tatau, Begrih, Liang and Belaga Formation which eventually comprise black shales and mudstones using spectral gamma ray (SGR), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), XRD clay separation and total organic content (TOC%). The results from SGR indicate that the formations composed mainly of kaolinite, smectite and chlorite. These results are confirmed by XRD, XRD clay separation and FESEM with the presence of illite as a dominant clay mineral component. Based on Th/U ratios which vary between 0.42 and 3.95, the formations are expected to be deposited in the reduced marine environment. Results from calculated API (90.76–233.32 API) reveal the ability of the clay minerals to absorb uranium and thorium through cation exchange capacity. The relationship between TOC% and U cross plots also show a significant positive correlation. The presence of high U concentrations in the formations is possible because of their relatively higher clay contents and the existence of organic matter.
Purpose and coping with adversity: A repeated measures, mixed‐methods study with young adolescents
Authors: Malin Heather , Morton Emily , Nadal Amber , Smith Krystal Ann
Published: August 2019

Introduction

Purpose in life is associated with positive outcomes following adversity, but the mechanisms of this relationship are unclear. In this repeated measures, mixed‐methods study, we examined the relationship of purpose to coping with adversity among young adolescents.

Methods

A sample of 1357 adolescents completed a survey about purpose, negative life events, and positive reframing coping four times at six month intervals. A sub‐sample of 91 survey respondents participated in an interview. Surveys were analyzed using fixed‐effects and mixed‐effects modeling to test the relationship between purpose and coping over time. Interviews were analyzed for purpose, adversity, and coping to understand this relationship as perceived by the participant.

Results

Survey results indicate that purpose and positive reframing coping are related and change together over time. Interview results suggest that purpose can be a response to negative experiences.

Conclusions

There are likely underlying factors or processes driving the relationship between purpose and positive reframing coping. Some of the potential underlying factors and processes are discussed.
The Problem of Evil
Authors: Tooley Michael
Published: August 2019

Chapter 1 addresses some preliminary issues that it is important to think about in formulating arguments from evil. Chapter 2 is then concerned with the question of how an incompatibility argument from evil is best formulated, and with possible responses to such arguments. Chapter 3 then focuses on skeptical theism, and on the work that skeptical theists need to do if they are to defend their claim of having defeated incompatibility versions of the argument from evil. Finally, Chapter 4 discusses evidential arguments from evil, and four different kinds of evidential argument are set out and critically examined.
Should Benefit-Cost Analysis Include a Correction for the Marginal Excess Burden of Taxation?
Authors: Bos Frits , van der Pol Thomas , Romijn Gerbert
Published: August 2019

This paper provides an overview of theoretical, empirical, and practical arguments in favor of or against a correction for the marginal excess burden of taxation (MEB). Benefit-cost analysis (BCA) should be used to compare the costs and benefits of a policy measure and its major alternatives, and whenever relevant, also to compare different ways of financing this. The best pragmatic approach is then to assume first that a policy measure is financed out of general tax revenues and then that the MEB of these taxes is broadly counterbalanced by the benefits of redistribution of these taxes. The latter assumption is consistent with the preferences for equality in a country’s current tax system. It is a simple and politically neutral assumption, and it implies that the marginal cost of public funds is equal to 1 and that no correction is needed in BCAs for the MEB. This shortcut assumption does not imply that the tax system is optimal or that BCAs should be distributionally weighted. Choosing an alternative source of financing, i.e., other than general tax revenues, should be regarded as a separate policy measure that should be analyzed separately in a BCA, including its distortionary and distributive effects.
Revisiting the Battle of Solferino: The Worsening Plight of Civilian Casualties in War and Conflict
Authors: Burkle Frederick M.
Published: August 2019

The toll of civilian deaths in current wars and conflicts has been building for decades. Civilian populations, particularly since WWII, have suffered most of the consequences of armed violence and today represent the most at-risk population. This is attributed to the rise of religious and ethnic hatreds, the collapse of State structures, the battle for control of natural resources, the vast availability of weapons, the proliferation of acts of terrorism, and the spread of so-called asymmetric conflicts. Protections provided to innocent civilians under International Humanitarian Law and the Geneva Conventions have been ignored. This commentary captures the experience of the immediate care and transportation provided to military casualties of the Battle of Solferino in 1859 with civilian casualties recently documented in a Stanford-led study during the “golden hour” after injury in 13 conflicts from 1990 to 2017. Despite many advances in triage and management of war injuries over the intervening decades, the common thread of these 2 scenarios is that transport times and early resuscitation capacity and capabilities, first recognized in the 19th century wars and now accepted as global norms and markers for survival from trauma, are as unavailable today to civilians caught up in war and conflict as they were to soldiers in the 19th century.
Environmentally stable Er-fiber mode-locked pulse generation and amplification by spectrally filtered and phase-biased nonlinear amplifying long-loop mirror
Authors: Guo Zhengru , Hao Qiang , Peng Junsong , Zeng Heping
Published: August 2019

We report on environmentally stable long-cavity ultrashort erbium-doped fiber lasers, which self-start mode-locking at quite low thresholds by using spectrally filtered and phase-biased nonlinear amplifying long-loop mirrors. By employing 100-m polarization-maintaining fiber (PMF) in the nonlinear loop, the fundamental repetition rate reaches 1.84 MHz and no practical limitation is found to further decrease the repetition rate. The filter used in the long loop not only suppresses Kelly sidebands of the solitons, but also eliminates the amplified spontaneous emission which exists widely in low-repetition-rate ultrafast fiber lasers. The bandwidth of the filter is optimized by using a numerical model. The laser emits approximately 3-ps pulses with an energy of 17.4 pJ, which is further boosted to
$1.5~\unicode[STIX]{x03BC}\text{J}$
by using a fiber amplifier.
Interaction between curvature-driven width oscillations and channel curvature in evolving meander bends
Authors: Monegaglia F. , Tubino M. , Zolezzi G.
Published: August 2019

We study the morphodynamics of channel width oscillations associated with the planform development of river meander bends. With this aim we develop a novel planform evolution model, based on the framework of the classical bend theory of river meanders by Ikedaet al. (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 112, 1981), that accounts for local width changes over space and time, tied to the local hydro-morphodynamics through a two-way feedback process. We focus our attention on ‘autogenic’ width variations, which are forced by flow nonlinearities driven by channel curvature dynamics. Under the assumption of regular, sinusoidal width and curvature oscillations, we obtain a set of ordinary differential equations, formally identical to those presented by Seminaraet al. (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 438, 2001, pp. 213–230), with an additional equation for the longitudinal oscillation of the channel width. The proposed approach gives insight into the interaction between autogenic width variations and curvature in meander development and between forcing and damping effects in the formation of width variations. Model outcomes suggest that autogenic width oscillations mainly determine wider-at-inflection meandering river patterns, and affect their planform development particularly at super-resonant aspect ratios, where the width oscillation reaches its maximum and reduces meander sinuosity and lateral floodplain size. The coevolution of autogenic width oscillation and curvature occurs through temporal hysteresis cycles, whereby the peak in channel curvature lags behind that of width oscillation. Width oscillation amplitudes predicted by the model are consistent with those extracted from remotely sensed data.
Droplets in homogeneous shear turbulence
Authors: Rosti Marco E. , Ge Zhouyang , Jain Suhas S. , Dodd Michael S. , Brandt Luca
Published: August 2019

We simulate the flow of two immiscible and incompressible fluids separated by an interface in a homogeneous turbulent shear flow at a shear Reynolds number equal to 15 200. The viscosity and density of the two fluids are equal, and various surface tensions and initial droplet diameters are considered in the present study. We show that the two-phase flow reaches a statistically stationary turbulent state sustained by a non-zero mean turbulent production rate due to the presence of the mean shear. Compared to single-phase flow, we find that the resulting steady-state conditions exhibit reduced Taylor-microscale Reynolds numbers owing to the presence of the dispersed phase, which acts as a sink of turbulent kinetic energy for the carrier fluid. At steady state, the mean power of surface tension is zero and the turbulent production rate is in balance with the turbulent dissipation rate, with their values being larger than in the reference single-phase case. The interface modifies the energy spectrum by introducing energy at small scales, with the difference from the single-phase case reducing as the Weber number increases. This is caused by both the number of droplets in the domain and the total surface area increasing monotonically with the Weber number. This reflects also in the droplet size distribution, which changes with the Weber number, with the peak of the distribution moving to smaller sizes as the Weber number increases. We show that the Hinze estimate for the maximum droplet size, obtained considering break-up in homogeneous isotropic turbulence, provides an excellent estimate notwithstanding the action of significant coalescence and the presence of a mean shear.
Novel insights for SREBP-1 as a key transcription factor in regulating lipogenesis in a freshwater teleost, grass carp Ctenopharyngodon idella
Authors: Xu Yi-Huan , Tan Xiao-Ying , Xu Yi-Chuang , Zhao Tao , Zhang Li-Han , Luo Zhi
Published: August 2019

Disturbances in lipid metabolism are at the core of several health issues facing modern society, including fatty liver and obesity. The sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1 (SREBP-1) is one important transcription factor regulating lipid metabolism, but the relevant mechanism still remains unknown. The present study determined the transcriptional regulation of SREBP-1 and its target genes (including acetyl-CoA carboxylase α (accα), fatty acid synthase (fas) and stearoyl-CoA desaturase 1 (scd1)) in a freshwater teleost, grass carp Ctenopharyngodon idella. We cloned and characterised the 1988 bp, 2043 bp, 1632 bp and 1889 bp sequences of srebp-1, accα, scd1 and fas promoters, respectively. A cluster of putative binding sites of transcription factors, such as specific protein, yin yang 1, nuclear factor Y, sterol response elements (SRE) and enhancer box (E-box) element, were predicted on their promoter regions. Overexpression of nSREBP-1 reduced srebp-1 promoter activity, increased scd1 and fas promoter activity but did not influence accα promoter activity. The site-mutation and electrophoretic mobility shift assay analysis indicated that srebp-1, fas and scd1 promoters, but not accα promoter, possessed SRE. In Ctenopharyngodon idella kidney (CIK) cells of grass carp, nSREBP-1 overexpression significantly reduced srebp-1 mRNA expression and up-regulated miR-29 mRNA expression. The 3′UTR of srebp-1 possessed the potential miR-29 binding site and miR-29 up-regulated the luciferase activity of srebp-1 3′UTR and srebp-1 mRNA expression, implying a self-activating loop of SREBP-1 and miR-29 in grass carp. Based on the above-mentioned results, we found two novel transcriptional mechanisms for SREBP-1 in grass carp: (1) the auto-regulation sited on the SREBP-1 promoter regions was suppressive and (2) there was a self-activating loop of SREBP-1 and miR-29.
Short-Sale Constraints and Options Trading: Evidence from Reg SHO
Authors: Chen Yi-Wen , Chen Sheng-Syan , Chou Robin K.
Published: August 2019

We examine the effects of a temporary suspension of short-sale price tests on the options market. Consistent with the notion that put option trading substitutes for short selling, we find a significant reduction in put option volume. In addition, pressure on put option prices significantly declines, violations of the put-call parity become significantly less frequent, and option volume becomes less informed. Our findings add clarity to a long-standing debate on whether investors use options to circumvent equity short-selling restrictions.
The Causal Effects of Proximity on Investment: Evidence from Flight Introductions
Authors: Ellis Jesse , Madureira Leonardo , Underwood Shane
Published: August 2019

We use the introduction of direct flights as an exogenous shock to the travel time between mutual funds and firms to estimate the causal effects of proximity on fund investment decisions and performance. We find that a fund invests significantly more in firms that become more proximate following the introduction of direct flights and that these more proximate investments exhibit superior performance. Our findings are robust to including a variety of fixed effects and potential confounders such as firm-level shocks, fund-level shocks, and time trends. Collectively, our results indicate that proximity enhances investors’ ability to acquire value-relevant information about firms.
The Speed of Information and the Sell-Side Research Industry
Authors: Bradley Daniel , Clarke Jonathan , Zeng Linghang
Published: August 2019

Between 2009 and 2013, the Fly on the Wall (FLY) leaked 58% of recommendation revisions with a median delay of 27 minutes relative to the IBES announcement time. We show that FLY improves price discovery, but leaked recommendations hamper brokers’ ability to offer price improvement on trades routed through them. Three major brokers sued FLY; using key court dates, we show significant wealth and real effects to the brokerage industry. Overall, the speed with which analyst recommendations are disseminated has led to more rapid price discovery at the expense of a decline in the scope of the sell-side research industry.
Visceral larva migrans detection using PCR–RFLP in BALB/c mice infected withToxocara canis
Authors: Özbakış G. , Doğanay A.
Published: August 2019

Toxocara canisis an important zoonotic roundworm distributed worldwide. The infective larvae ofT. canisare one of the causes of visceral larva migrans (VLM), a clinical syndrome in humans. Diagnosing VLM is difficult, and the differential diagnosis of the larval development stage is limited. Therefore, this experimental research aimed to diagnoseT. canislarvae using a molecular method, not only in liver tissue, which is the most commonly affected tissue, but also in the limb muscles, lungs and brain tissues. For this purpose, 24 BALB/c mice were infected with 1000 embryonatedT. caniseggs. Necropsies were performed on the second, fourth, seventh and 14th days post-infection. While a part of the samples were digested with pepsin-HCl, the molecular method was used for the remainder of the samples to replicate the mitochondrial DNA adenosine triphosphate (ATP) synthase subunit-6 gene region ofT. canis. BbsI, a restriction endonuclease, was used to determine the specificity of the amplicons obtained from Polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The detection limit for embryonated eggs was recorded. The PCR results showed that the sensitivity of the PCR analysis was 83.3% in the liver (with 88.8% accuracy), 87.5% in the lungs (with 91.6% accuracy) and 75.0% in the brain, forelimb and hindlimb muscles (with 83.3% accuracy). In all tissues, the test specificity was determined to be 100%. In this study, the molecular method was applied to only experimentally infected BALB/c mice tissues; thus, it is suggested that it can be also employed in different paratenic hosts and materials possibly infected withT. canis.
Spatial inhomogeneity effects on burst temperature estimation using a triple probe configuration in Tokamak Chauffage Alfvén Brésilien tokamak
Authors: Hernandez W. A. , Guimarães-Filho Z. O. , Grenfell G. G. , Nascimento I. C.
Published: August 2019

The effects of coherent structures in plasma edge turbulence are an important topic in the study of plasma cross-field transport in magnetically confined plasmas. To properly characterize these structures, their temperature must be measured, which is often done by using Langmuir probes. In this work, the techniques of Langmuir sweep and triple probe are used, considering the effect of plasma sheath expansion in both methods. It is shown that if the sheath expansion is ignored, the triple probe technique gives overestimated temperature values. In addition, the conditional analysis is applied to both techniques in order to evaluate the mean temperature time trace of the coherent structures. It is shown that these time traces can be distorted in the case of the triple probe technique, due to fact that coherent structures destroy the homogeneity condition on the pins array. Therefore, the sweep technique with a conditional selection of points is more suitable than the triple probe to study coherent structures related to bursts, as it performs a local measurement.
Drug repurposing for the treatment of alveolar echinococcosis: in vitro and in vivo effects of silica nanoparticles modified with dichlorophen
Authors: Fabbri Julia , Pensel Patricia E. , Albani Clara M. , Arce Valeria B. , Mártire Daniel O. , Elissondo María C.
Published: August 2019

Alveolar echinococcosis is a neglected parasitic zoonosis caused by the metacestode Echinococcus multilocularis, which grows as a malignant tumour-like infection in the liver of humans. Albendazole (ABZ) is the antiparasitic drug of choice for the treatment of the disease. However, its effectiveness is low, due to its poor absorption from the gastro-intestinal tract. It is also parasitostatic and in some cases produces side-effects. Therefore, an alternative to the treatment of this severe human disease is necessary. In this context, the repositioning of drugs combined with nanotechnology to improve the bioavailability of drugs emerges as a useful, fast and inexpensive tool for the treatment of neglected diseases. The in vitro and in vivo efficacy of dichlorophen (DCP), an antiparasitic agent for intestinal parasites, and silica nanoparticles modified with DCP (NP-DCP) was evaluated against E. multilocularis larval stage. Both formulations showed a time and dose-dependent in vitro effect against protoscoleces. The NP-DCP had a greater in vitro efficacy than the drug alone or ABZ. In vivo studies demonstrated that the NP-DCP (4 mg kg−1) had similar efficacy to ABZ (25 mg kg−1) and greater activity than the free DCP. Therefore, the repurposing of DCP combined with silica nanoparticles could be an alternative for the treatment of echinococcosis.
Common Law Confrontations
Authors: Meyler Bernadette
Published: August 2019

This symposium essay contends that the image of the common law drawn by the Supreme Court in the Confrontation Clause context is both distorted and incomplete. In particular, the Court and scholars defending originalist positions rely almost entirely on English sources in their reconstruction of the common law basis for the Confrontation Clause, thereby neglecting the diversity of American common laws from the time of the Founding, a diversity that has already been unearthed by a number of legal historians. By drawing on hitherto untapped sources to furnish a bottom-up reconstruction of how testimony was treated in local criminal courts within mid- to late-eighteenth-century New Jersey, this essay demonstrates that, in at least some jurisdictions, the originalist vision of common law did not apply. The common law cannot, therefore, furnish a univocal answer to questions about the original meaning of the Confrontation Clause.
The Closing of the Constitution
Authors: Arlyck Kevin
Published: August 2019

Anyone who picks up a recent volume of the United States Reports or a prominent legal journal will be sure to find judges and lawyers debating, in agonizing detail, the meaning of a particular word or phrase in the Constitution. Marshaling late-eighteenth century dictionaries and legal treatises, records of debates from the drafting and ratifying conventions, and well-thumbed copies of the Federalist Papers, modern constitutional interlocutors will scrutinize text, structure, and history to discern an inherent logic. Above all, although disputants will endlessly contest what a particular provision means, they largely agree on what the Constitution itself is: as Jonathan Gienapp puts it in The Second Creation: Fixing the American Constitution in the Founding Era, “an artifact circumscribed in time and space,” the “fixed Constitution” that we have been collectively dissecting since the late 1780s (10).
Indirect costs associated with deaths of children aged 0–14 years from measles in a weak health system and conflict and fragile zone: the case of Somalia
Authors: Da'ar Omar B.
Published: August 2019

This study recognises periodic outbreaks of measles continue to affect conflict and fragile zones in the least developed countries. This study set out to provide evidence for the indirect costs or economic loss associated with measles-related deaths among children aged 0–14 years in Somalia. Using epidemiologic and economic data, the indirect cost was calculated based on the framework of the World Health Organisation guide of identifying the economic consequences of disease and injury. The baseline indirect cost was computed as the product of discounted future productive years of life lost (PYLL), non-health gross domestic product per capita (NHGDPPC) and the estimated total measles deaths (ETMD). The model was adjusted for conflict and fragility conditions and further extension considered a finite and stable upper limit growth of the instability-adjusted NHGDPPC. To discount future costs, a rate of 3% was applied. Using a ±20% variability assumption of the epidemiologic and economic factor inputs, a sensitivity analysis was conducted to account for uncertainty. In 2015 values, the ETMD of 3723 measles deaths of children aged 0–14 years could decrease non-health GDP of the country by $23.46 million, a potential loss of $6303 per death over the discounted PYLL. The loss would increase by 5.3% when adjusted for conflict and fragility conditions. Assuming growth, the future adjusted loss is expected to be $35.91 million in 2015 values. Girl-child deaths accounted for 51.2% of the burden. Results are robust to the variations in the model inputs, although sensitivity analyses suggest the proportion of total measles deaths and the discount rate accounted for greater uncertainty of the loss than do the proportion of growth and instability assumption. Conflict and fragility accounted for the least uncertainty, perhaps confirming their relative perpetuity in Somalia. Results show significant indirect cost related to measles deaths of children, exacerbated by conflict and fragility. This is an economic burden, but one which the health system, policy-makers, government and other stakeholders should be prepared to colossally discount by collectively taking measles surveillance and security measures now to reduce further deaths in the future.
Association between dietary patterns and overweight risk among Malaysian adults: evidence from nationally representative surveys
Authors: Shyam Sangeetha , Khor Geok-Lin , Ambak Rashidah , Mahadir Balkish , Hasnan Mohamad , Ambu Stephen , Chu Wan-Loy , Aris Tahir
Published: August 2019

Objective:

To investigate the association between dietary patterns (DP) and overweight risk in the Malaysian Adult Nutrition Surveys (MANS) of 2003 and 2014.

Design:

DP were derived from the MANS FFQ using principal component analysis. The cross-sectional association of the derived DP with prevalence of overweight was analysed.

Setting:

Malaysia.

Participants:

Nationally representative sample of Malaysian adults from MANS (2003, n 6928; 2014, n 3000).

Results:

Three major DP were identified for both years. These were ‘Traditional’ (fish, eggs, local cakes), ‘Western’ (fast foods, meat, carbonated beverages) and ‘Mixed’ (ready-to-eat cereals, bread, vegetables). A fourth DP was generated in 2003, ‘Flatbread & Beverages’ (flatbread, creamer, malted beverages), and 2014, ‘Noodles & Meat’ (noodles, meat, eggs). These DP accounted for 25·6 and 26·6 % of DP variations in 2003 and 2014, respectively. For both years, Traditional DP was significantly associated with rural households, lower income, men and Malay ethnicity, while Western DP was associated with younger age and higher income. Mixed DP was positively associated with women and higher income. None of the DP showed positive association with overweight risk, except for reduced adjusted odds of overweight with adherence to Traditional DP in 2003.

Conclusions:

Overweight could not be attributed to adherence to a single dietary pattern among Malaysian adults. This may be due to the constantly morphing dietary landscape in Malaysia, especially in urban areas, given the ease of availability and relative affordability of multi-ethnic and international foods. Timely surveys are recommended to monitor implications of these changes.
Geologic Investigation of Deep Simple Craters in the Lunar Simple‐to‐Complex Transition
Authors: Chandnani M. , Herrick R. R. , Kramer G. Y.
Published: August 2019

From a group of well‐preserved lunar simple craters in the 15‐ to 20‐km diameter range and with the help of Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter topography data, we identified a subset of eight deep craters (depth/diameter ratio > 0.20). These craters are in the regions around the mare‐highlands boundaries, which are characterized as having the highest porosity on the lunar surface. To understand the cratering mechanics behind the formation of these craters, a geologic investigation of the terrains of these craters was performed. We evaluated the depth/diameter ratios of smaller simple craters surrounding several 15‐ to 20‐km diameter craters, analyzed the morphometry of the craters, and visually examined the cavities using multiple data sets. We conclude that deep transient cavities were formed from compaction of porous target material. The result was a deeper than normal simple crater without an identifiable increase in the volume of excavated material, as inferred from the craters' rim heights and shapes. While all of these craters formed in areas of high porosity, not all craters in high‐porosity regions are deep. It may be that some unusual impactor property is also required to produce a deep crater, such as a high velocity impact, a near‐vertical impact, or a dense impactor that yielded a large penetration depth.
Jovian Injections Observed at High Latitude
Authors: Haggerty D. K. , Mauk B. H. , Paranicas C. P. , Clark G. , Kollmann P. , Rymer A. M. , Gladstone G. R. , Greathouse T. K. , Bolton S. J. , Levin S. M.
Published: August 2019

The polar orbit of Juno at Jupiter provides a unique opportunity to observe high‐latitude energetic particle injections. We measure energy‐dispersed impulsive injections of protons and electrons. Ion injection signatures are just as prevalent as electron signatures, contrary to previous equatorial observations. Included are previously unreported observations of high‐energy banded structures believed to be remnants of much earlier injections, where the particles have had time to disperse around Jupiter. A model fit of the injections used to estimate timing fits the shape of the proton signatures better than it does the electron shapes, suggesting that electrons and protons are different in their abilities to escape the injection region. We present ultaviolet observations of Jupiter's aurora and discuss the relationship between auroral injection features and in situ injection events. We find, unexpectedly, that the presence of in situ particle injections does not necessarily result in auroral injection signatures.
Quantifying the Local Effect of Northern Hemisphere Atmospheric Blocks on the Persistence of Summer Hot and Dry Spells
Authors: Röthlisberger Matthias , Martius Olivia
Published: August 2019

The persistence of heat waves and droughts is a key factor in determining their societal impact. Here, the local effect of atmospheric blocks on the persistence of summer hot and dry spells is quantified by comparing their climatological daily survival probability, that is, the probability to survive the next day, to their daily survival probability when they co‐occur with a block. The survival odds of hot spells are increased by more than 50% over most of the Northern Hemisphere extratropical land masses when co‐occurring with blocks. Dry spell persistence is also strongly increased by colocated blocks over western North America, Europe, and southern Russia, while it is significantly decreased over the western North Atlantic and the western North Pacific. These spatial differences in the effect of blocks on both spell types are explained by considering the spatially varying surface temperature and precipitation anomalies induced by the blocks.
Tectonism and Its Relation to Magmatism Around Santorini Volcano From Upper Crustal P Wave Velocity
Authors: Heath B. A. , Hooft E. E. E. , Toomey D. R. , Papazachos C. B. , Nomikou P. , Paulatto M. , Morgan J. V. , Warner M. R.
Published: August 2019

At extensional volcanic arcs, faulting often acts to localize magmatism. Santorini is located on the extended continental crust of the Aegean microplate and is one of the most active volcanoes of the Hellenic arc, but the relationship between tectonism and magmatism remains poorly constrained. As part of the Plumbing Reservoirs Of The Earth Under Santorini experiment, seismic data were acquired across the Santorini caldera and the surrounding region using a dense amphibious array of >14,300 marine sound sources and 156 short‐period seismometers, covering an area 120 km by 45 km. Here a P wave velocity model of the shallow, upper‐crustal structure (<3‐km depth), obtained using travel time tomography, is used to delineate fault zones, sedimentary basins, and tectono‐magmatic lineaments. Our interpretation of tectonic boundaries and regional faults are consistent with prior geophysical studies, including the location of basin margins and E‐W oriented basement faults within the Christiana Basin west of Santorini. Reduced seismic velocities within the basement east of Santorini, near the Anydros and Anafi Basins, are coincident with a region of extensive NE‐SW faulting and active seismicity. The structural differences between the eastern and western sides of Santorini are in agreement with previously proposed models of regional tectonic evolution. Additionally, we find that regional magmatism has been localized in NE‐SW trending basin‐like structures that connect the Christiana, Santorini, and Kolumbo volcanic centers. At Santorini itself, we find that magmatism has been localized along NE‐SW trending lineaments that are subparallel to dikes, active faults, and regional volcanic chains. These results show strong interaction between magmatism and active deformation.
Influence of Natural Climate Variability on the Extreme Ocean Surface Wave Heights Over the Indian Ocean
Authors: Kumar Prashant , Kaur Sukhwinder , Weller Evan , Min Seung‐Ki
Published: August 2019

Extreme ocean waves are part of the climate system but responsible for significant impacts on coastal and offshore environments, structures, and populations. In the Indian Ocean (IO), the wind and wave climate can be significantly influenced by natural climate variability, such as the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO), Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD), and Southern Annular Mode (SAM), yet our understanding on their regional influence is limited, particularly for seasonal extremes. Here, seasonal extreme significant wave heights (SWHs) and winds in the IO are examined over the period 1957–2010 utilizing ERA‐20C reanalysis data and the nonstationary generalized extreme value distribution to understand climatic extremes, by considering climate indices as covariates. ENSO influence on extreme SWHs include increases in the Bay of Bengal, southwest tropical IO (TIO), southern IO (SIO; a broad extension south of Australia), and South China and Philippine (SCP) Seas, and decreases in the Arabian Sea in boreal summer during El Niño. Extreme SWH responses to the IOD include increases in the eastern TIO, southwest TIO, and SIO in boreal autumn during its positive phase. Lastly, Southern Annular Mode not only significantly affects the SIO year round but has a weak influence in the northern and tropical IO. Composite analysis of ENSO and IOD events further highlight in phase combinations display less significant influence than out of phase combinations during summer, but not autumn. Mean and extreme wind responses are consistent with SWH responses to natural climate variability, and climate mode teleconnection patterns help explain the seasonal variations.
The Interannual Variability of Surface Winds in Antarctica and the Surrounding Oceans: A Climatological Analysis Using the ERA‐Interim Reanalysis Data
Authors: Yu Lejiang , Zhong Shiyuan
Published: August 2019

Season‐dependent interannual variability of surface winds across Antarctica and the Southern Ocean is investigated using European Centre for Medium‐Range Weather Forecasts Interim (ERA‐Interim) reanalysis for 1979–2017 and the empirical orthogonal function (EOF) technique. The first three EOF modes, which account for 18–23%, 11–15%, and 8–10% of the total variances for the four austral seasons, are related to several known modes of Southern Hemisphere large‐scale circulation including the southern annular mode, Pacific South American (PSA), and Zonal Wave 3 (ZW3) and to sea surface temperature anomalies in eastern (Niño 3) and central (Niño 4) tropical Pacific Ocean. Specifically, EOF1 and EOF2 are significantly correlated with southern annular mode in all seasons except for autumn EOF2. Neither EOF1 nor EOF2 are significantly correlated to Niño 3, but Niño 4 is significantly correlated to winter EOF1 and to EOF2 in all seasons but winter. EOF1 is significantly related to ZW3 for all seasons but summer; however, no significant connection is found between EOF2 and ZW3. Significant correlations exist between spring and winter EOF2 and PSA1 and between spring EOF1 and PSA2. EOF3 is significantly correlated with Niño 3, Niño 4, and PSA2 in all seasons but summer. The spatial patterns of all three modes can be largely explained by the anomalous mean sea level pressure fields that strengthen or weaken climatological winds in different regions of the Antarctica and the Southern Ocean, although variations in katabatic forcing also plays a role in the variations of surface winds especially in East Antarctica and during winter season where and when katabatic forcing dominates.
Respective and Combined Impacts of Regional SST Anomalies on Tropical Cyclogenesis in Different Sectors of the Western North Pacific
Authors: Wu Renguang , Yang Yiya , Cao Xi
Published: August 2019

In this study, the interannual variations in the tropical cyclone (TC) over the western North Pacific (WNP) and the influences of regional sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies are documented by separating the WNP into four quadrants considering nonuniform SST‐induced environmental changes. Our analysis shows that the TC variations in the northwest and southeast quadrants are related to both equatorial central‐eastern Pacific Ocean (EPO) and tropical Indian Ocean (TIO) SST anomalies. The TC variation in the northeast quadrant is mainly related to tropical North Atlantic Ocean SST anomalies. The main environmental variables differ for the TC variations in the four quadrants. Lower‐level (850‐hPa) vorticity is important for the TC variations in the northwest, southwest, and southeast quadrants. Midlevel (700‐hPa) humidity contributes to the TC variations in the northwest, northeast, and southeast quadrants. The vertical shear has a supplementary contribution to the TC variation in the southeast quadrant. The potential intensity (PI) negatively affects the TC variations in the southwest and southeast quadrants. The remote SST anomalies modulate different environmental variables over the WNP. The TIO SST influence is manifested in the lower‐level vorticity and vertical motion. The tropical North Atlantic SST impact occurs through the lower‐level vorticity change. The EPO SST effect occurs via changing the lower‐level vorticity and vertical motion as well as the midlevel moisture and vertical shear. The environmental variables experience more prominent changes when SST anomalies coexist in two remote regions. Numerical experiments confirm the EPO and TIO SST anomaly impacts on the environmental conditions affecting the WNP TC variations.
Ovda Fluctus, the Festoon Lava Flow on Ovda Regio, Venus: Not Silica‐Rich
Authors: Wroblewski Frank B. , Treiman Allan H. , Bhiravarasu Sriram , Gregg Tracy K. P.
Published: August 2019

Ovda Fluctus (6.1°S, 95.5°E) is a lava flow complex on the equatorial tessera highlands of Ovda Regio, Venus. We examined its morphology and geologic setting to determine if its apparent emplacement rheology is consistent with silica‐rich (e.g., rhyolitic) lava; this has significant implications for the compositions of Venus's tesserae. Using Magellan radar data, we find that the radar properties (emissivity, roughness, and backscatter) of Ovda Fluctus are similar to those of the surrounding tessera, although the flow is smoother at multiple scales. Ovda Fluctus is a “festoon flow complex,” whose surface is rumpled into arcuate folds. The flow includes multiple flow lobes and at least two distinct flow units. The flow complex includes a portion at high altitude (~5 km above mean planetary radius) that has low radar backscatter and high radar emissivity compared with lower‐altitude portions of the complex. The high‐altitude region of Ovda Fluctus is continuous with the lower‐elevation portions: the change in radar properties does not represent different flows. Outlines of Ovda Fluctus flow lobes have fractal dimensions consistent with basaltic pahoehoe lavas. The margin of Ovda Fluctus is at significantly higher elevation than its center, a characteristic seen in basalt flows on Earth, but not on more silica‐rich flows. Thus, the available evidence suggests that Ovda Fluctus had an emplacement rheology consistent with a basaltic composition; this result provides no support for hypotheses that Ovda Regio (a highlands tessera terrain) is composed of granitic rock.
Ongoing Increase in Eastern Tropical North Pacific Denitrification as Interpreted Through the Santa Barbara Basin Sedimentary δ15N Record
Authors: Davis C. V. , Ontiveros‐Cuadras J. F. , Benitez‐Nelson C. , Schmittner A. , Tappa E. J. , Osborne E. , Thunell R. C.
Published: August 2019

Decades of observations show that the world's oceans have been losing oxygen, with far‐reaching consequences for ecosystems and biogeochemical cycling. To reconstruct oxygenation beyond the limited scope of instrumental records, proxy records are needed, such as sedimentary δ15N. We combine two δ15N records from the Santa Barbara Basin (SBB), a 24‐year‐long, biweekly sediment trap time series, and a 114‐year, high‐resolution sediment core together spanning the years 1892–2017. These records allow for the examination of δ15N variability on seasonal to centennial timescales. Seasonal variability in SBB δ15N is consistent in timing with the poleward advection of a high δ15N signal from the Eastern Tropical North Pacific in the summer and fall. Strong El Niño events result in variable δ15N signatures, reflective of local rainfall, and neither the Pacific Decadal Oscillation nor North Pacific Gyre Oscillation impose strong controls on bulk sedimentary δ15N. Seasonal and interannual variability in sediment trap δ13Corg is consistent with local productivity as a driver; however, this signal is not retained in the sediment core. The time series from the sediment trap and core show that bulk sedimentary δ15N in SBB has now exceeded that measured for the past 2,000 years. We hypothesize that the change in δ15N reflects the increasing influence of denitrified waters from the Eastern Tropical North Pacific and ongoing deoxygenation of the Eastern Pacific. When juxtaposed with other regional δ15N records our results further suggest that SBB is uniquely situated to record long‐term change in the Eastern Tropical North Pacific.
Quantification of African Monsoon Runoff During Last Interglacial Sapropel S5
Authors: Amies Jessica D. , Rohling Eelco J. , Grant Katharine M. , Rodríguez‐Sanz Laura , Marino Gianluca
Published: August 2019

Organic‐rich sapropel layers punctuate the eastern Mediterranean sedimentary sequence, recording deep‐sea anoxic events. The timing of sapropel deposition coincides with precession minima, which are associated with the northward migration of the monsoon rain belt over North Africa. The resultant increase in monsoon precipitation over the Sahara caused an increase in low‐δ18O freshwater runoff into eastern Mediterranean surface waters, which is reflected by negative δ18O anomalies in the records of planktic foraminiferal calcite. However, despite extensive research on sapropels, the magnitude of monsoon intensification and freshwater runoff, along with its influence on δ18O, remains elusive. Here, we present a quantification of African monsoon freshwater runoff into the eastern Mediterranean for the period of deposition of last interglacial sapropel S5 (~128.3–121.5 ka). Our method uses a box model of the Mediterranean Sea, which represents different water masses, and has been calibrated using δ18O from planktic foraminiferal species of different depth and seasonal habitats. The model was constrained with existing records of sea level and sea surface temperature then inverted to deconvolve the δ18O signal of the surface‐dwelling foraminiferal species Globigerinoides ruber (w) and calculate the freshwater runoff volume. Our calculated African monsoon runoff suggests large increases in freshwater discharge to the eastern Mediterranean (up to ~8.8 times the modern pre‐Aswan Nile discharge). Rapid onset of S5 deposition following the estimated increase in runoff strongly suggests a preconditioning of the eastern Mediterranean for sapropel deposition. Our study also provides insight into the stratification and warming of eastern Mediterranean surface waters during the S5 interval.