bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Satellite Remote Sensing of Herring (Clupea pallasii) Spawning Events: A Case Study in the Strait of Georgia
Authors: Qi Lin , Zhang Shuai , Manos Alexander J. , Hay Douglas E. , McCarter Bruce , Wang Menghua , Mikelsons Karlis , Hu Chuanmin 
Published: March 2021

AbstractIn this proof‐of‐concept study, we show how satellite remote sensing can be used to detect and monitor Pacific herring spawning events in the Strait of Georgia (SoG), British Columbia, Canada. Multi‐sensor medium‐resolution (∼300 m) and high‐resolution (3–30 m) images reveal bright waters in the SoG due to high concentrations of herring milt from multiple spawning events. The milt‐infused waters lead to enhanced reflectance with unique spectral characteristic that can be distinguished from other optically active constituents such as suspended sediments, coccolithophores, “whiting” particles, and shallow bottoms. While the medium‐resolution images may be used to search for cloud‐free and potential spawning sites, high‐resolution images show more details in milt distributions. Given the increased availability of high‐resolution satellite imagery at the global scale, this demonstration may promote more applications of satellite remote sensing in fisheries and ocean ecology research.
Record‐Low Cloud Temperatures Associated With a Tropical Deep Convective Event
Authors: Proud Simon Richard , Bachmeier Scott 
Published: March 2021

AbstractEarth‐orbiting satellites have long been used to examine meteorological processes. In the context of severe weather, brightness temperatures (BTs) at infrared wavelengths allow the determination of convective cloud properties. The anvils of cumulonimbus clouds, for example, typically produce BTs close to the tropopause temperature. Particularly severe storms generate overshoots that penetrate the stratosphere and are cooler than the anvil. In this study, we describe clustered storm overshoots in the tropical West Pacific on December 29, 2018 that resulted in the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) aboard NOAA‐20 measuring a temperature of 161.96K (−111.2°C), which is, to our knowledge, the coldest on record. We describe the local meteorological conditions, examine the VIIRS overpass that produced the cold temperature, compare VIIRS with other sensors that observed the region and, finally, analyze the historical context provided by two other satellite instruments to show that such cold temperatures may be becoming more common.
Climatology of Near‐Surface Daily Peak Wind Gusts Across Scandinavia: Observations and Model Simulations
Authors: Minola Lorenzo , Azorin‐Molina Cesar , Guijarro Jose A. , Zhang Gangfeng , Son Seok‐Woo , Chen Deliang 
Published: March 2021

AbstractAn observed daily peak wind gusts (DPWG) dataset over Scandinavia, consisting of time series from 127 meteorological stations across Finland, Norway and Sweden, has been created. This dataset provides high‐quality and homogenized near‐surface DPWG series for Scandinavia, spanning the longest available time period (1996–2016). The aim of this study is to evaluate the ability of two regional climate models (RCMs) in simulating DPWG winds. According to the observed DPWG climatology, meteorological stations are classified into three regions for which wind conditions are influenced by similar physical processes: coast, inland and mountain. Smaller‐scale DPWG features of the three regions are only captured when coarser general circulation models or reanalyses are downscaled by a RCM. Dynamic downscaling is thus needed to achieve more realistic simulations of DPWG when compared to their driving models. The performances of the RCMs are found to be more dependent on model dynamics and physics (such as gust parametrization) than on the boundary conditions provided by the driving models. We also found that the RCMs cannot accurately simulate observed DPWG in inland and mountainous areas, suggesting the need for higher horizontal resolution and/or better representation of relevant boundary‐layer processes.
Contrasting Observed Atmospheric Responses to Tropical Sea Surface Temperature Warming Patterns
Authors: Mackie Anna , Brindley Helen E. , Palmer Paul I. 
Published: March 2021

AbstractEquilibrium climate sensitivity (ECS) is a theoretical concept which describes the change in global mean surface temperature that results from a sustained doubling of atmospheric CO2. Current ECS estimates range from ∼1.8 to 5.6 K, reflecting uncertainties in climate feedbacks. The sensitivity of the lower (1,000–700 hPa) and upper (500–200 hPa) troposphere to changes in spatial patterns of tropical sea surface temperature (SST) have been proposed by recent model studies as key feedbacks controlling climate sensitivity. We examine empirical evidence for these proposed mechanisms using 14 years of satellite data. We examine the response of temperature and humidity profiles, clouds, and top‐of‐the‐atmosphere radiation to relative warming in tropical ocean regions when there is either strong convection or subsidence. We find warmer SSTs in regions of strong subsidence are coincident with a decrease in lower tropospheric stability (−0.9 ± 0.4 KK−1) and low cloud cover (∼−6% K−1). This leads to a warming associated with the weakening in the shortwave cooling effect of clouds (4.2 ± 1.9 Wm−2K−1), broadly consistent with model calculations. In contrast, warmer SSTs in regions of strong convection are coincident with an increase in upper tropospheric humidity (3.2 ± 1.5% K−1). In this scenario, the dominant effect is the enhancement of the warming longwave cloud radiative effect (3.8 ± 3.0 Wm−2K−1) from an increase in high cloud cover (∼7% K−1), though changes in the net (longwave and shortwave) effect are not statistically significant (p < 0.003). Our observational evidence supports the existence of mechanisms linking contrasting atmospheric responses to patterns in SST, mechanisms which have been linked to climate sensitivity.
Increased Marine Productivity in the Southern Humboldt Current System During MIS 2–4 and 10–11
Authors: Tapia Raúl , Ho Sze Ling , Núñez‐Ricardo Samuel , Marchant Margarita , Lamy Frank , Hebbeln Dierk 
Published: March 2021

AbstractThe Humboldt Current System (HCS) is characterized by high marine primary productivity, the dynamics of which are closely linked to climate variability. However, its changes beyond the last glacial cycle are virtually unknown due to a dearth of long sediment records. Here, we present a 500 ka multi‐proxy marine productivity reconstruction from the southernmost part of the HCS (∼43 S). At these latitudes, marine productivity changes have been typically attributed to glacial‐interglacial changes in the South Pacific Subtropical High (SPSH) and Southern Westerly Winds (SWWs). Surprisingly, our productivity reconstruction based on biomarkers and benthic foraminifera does not show recurrent glacial‐interglacial variability. Instead, large increases in organic matter flux occurred during MIS 2–4 and MIS 10–11. Micronutrients in aeolian dust and Southern Ocean‐sourced macronutrients seem to be unlikely drivers, as both would have led to recurrent glacial‐interglacial variability as observed elsewhere. Another source of micronutrients is via continental runoff, the amount of which is controlled by Patagonian Ice Sheet variability and/or precipitation. We interpret our productivity records as reflecting changes in the amount of nutrients supplied by continental runoff, which are driven by precipitation variations linked to the configuration of the SPSH‐SWWs in response to orbital forcing in the eccentricity band. During eccentricity minima, the position of SPSH changes minimally from precession minima to maxima. This SPSH‐SWWs configuration probably results in a prolonged period of high precipitation, which in turn increases the continental runoff and the supply of micronutrients to the sea.
Downregulation of ceramide synthase 1 promotes oral cancer through endoplasmic reticulum stress
Authors: Chen Wen , Wu Chenzhou , Chen Yafei , Guo Yuhao , Qiu Ling , Liu Zhe , Sun Haibin , Chen Siyu , An Zijian , Zhang Zhuoyuan , Li Yi , Li Longjiang 
Published: March 2021

AbstractC18 ceramide plays an important role in the occurrence and development of oral squamous cell carcinoma. However, the function of ceramide synthase 1, a key enzyme in C18 ceramide synthesis, in oral squamous cell carcinoma is still unclear. The aim of our study was to investigate the relationship between ceramide synthase 1 and oral cancer. In this study, we found that the expression of ceramide synthase 1 was downregulated in oral cancer tissues and cell lines. In a mouse oral squamous cell carcinoma model induced by 4-nitroquinolin-1-oxide, ceramide synthase 1 knockout was associated with the severity of oral malignant transformation. Immunohistochemical studies showed significant upregulation of PCNA, MMP2, MMP9, and BCL2 expression and downregulation of BAX expression in the pathological hyperplastic area. In addition, ceramide synthase 1 knockdown promoted cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in vitro. Overexpression of CERS1 obtained the opposite effect. Ceramide synthase 1 knockdown caused endoplasmic reticulum stress and induced the VEGFA upregulation. Activating transcription factor 4 is responsible for ceramide synthase 1 knockdown caused VEGFA transcriptional upregulation. In addition, mild endoplasmic reticulum stress caused by ceramide synthase 1 knockdown could induce cisplatin resistance. Taken together, our study suggests that ceramide synthase 1 is downregulated in oral cancer and promotes the aggressiveness of oral squamous cell carcinoma and chemotherapeutic drug resistance.
Umbilical cord blood-derived microglia-like cells to model COVID-19 exposure
Authors: Sheridan Steven D. , Thanos Jessica M. , De Guzman Rose M. , McCrea Liam T. , Horng Joy E. , Fu Ting , Sellgren Carl M. , Perlis Roy H. , Edlow Andrea G. 
Published: March 2021

AbstractMicroglia, the resident brain immune cells, play a critical role in normal brain development, and are impacted by the intrauterine environment, including maternal immune activation and inflammatory exposures. The COVID-19 pandemic presents a potential developmental immune challenge to the fetal brain, in the setting of maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection with its attendant potential for cytokine production and, in severe cases, cytokine storming. There is currently no biomarker or model for in utero microglial priming and function that might aid in identifying the neonates and children most vulnerable to neurodevelopmental morbidity, as microglia remain inaccessible in fetal life and after birth. This study aimed to generate patient-derived microglial-like cell models unique to each neonate from reprogrammed umbilical cord blood mononuclear cells, adapting and extending a novel methodology previously validated for adult peripheral blood mononuclear cells. We demonstrate that umbilical cord blood mononuclear cells can be used to create microglial-like cell models morphologically and functionally similar to microglia observed in vivo. We illustrate the application of this approach by generating microglia from cells exposed and unexposed to maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection. Our ability to create personalized neonatal models of fetal brain immune programming enables non-invasive insights into fetal brain development and potential childhood neurodevelopmental vulnerabilities for a range of maternal exposures, including COVID-19.
Kinesin family member 18B regulates the proliferation and invasion of human prostate cancer cells
Authors: Wu Yu-Peng , Ke Zhi-Bin , Zheng Wen-Cai , Chen Ye-Hui , Zhu Jun-Ming , Lin Fei , Li Xiao-Dong , Chen Shao-Hao , Cai Hai , Zheng Qing-Shui , Wei Yong , Xue Xue-Yi , Xu Ning 
Published: March 2021

AbstractExpression of kinesin family member 18B (KIF18B), an ATPase with key roles in cell division, is deregulated in many cancers, but its involvement in prostate cancer (PCa) is unclear. Here, we investigated the expression and function of KIF18B in human PCa specimens and cell lines using bioinformatics analyses, immunohistochemical and immunofluorescence microscopy, and RT-qPCR and western blot analyses. KIF18B was overexpressed in PCa specimens compared with paracancerous tissues and was associated with poorer disease-free survival. In vitro, KIF18B knockdown in PCa cell lines promoted cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, and inhibited cell apoptosis, while KIF18B overexpression had the opposite effects. In a mouse xenograft model, KIF18B overexpression accelerated and promoted the growth of PCa tumors. Bioinformatics analysis of control and KIF18B-overexpressing PCa cells showed that genes involved in the PI3K–AKT–mTOR signaling pathway were significantly enriched among the differentially expressed genes. Consistent with this observation, we found that KIF18B overexpression activates the PI3K–AKT–mTOR signaling pathway in PCa cells both in vitro and in vivo. Collectively, our results suggest that KIF18B plays a crucial role in PCa via activation of the PI3K–AKT–mTOR signaling pathway, and raise the possibility that KIF18B could have utility as a novel biomarker for PCa.
Local and global trace plutonium contributions in fast breeder legacy soils
Authors: Tighe Chris , Castrillejo Maxi , Christl Marcus , Degueldre Claude , Andrew Jeremy , Semple Kirk T. , Joyce Malcolm J. 
Published: March 2021

AbstractTrace-level plutonium in the environment often comprises local and global contributions, and is usually anthropogenic in origin. Here, we report estimates of local and global contributions to trace-level plutonium in soil from a former, fast-breeder reactor site. The measured 240Pu/239Pu ratio is anomalously low, as per the reduced 240Pu yield expected in plutonium bred with fast neutrons. Anomalies in plutonium concentration and isotopic ratio suggest forensic insight into specific activities on site, such as clean-up or structural change. Local and global 239Pu contributions on-site are estimated at (34 ± 1)% and (66 ± 3)%, respectively, with mass concentrations of (183 ± 6) fg g−1 and (362 ± 13) fg g−1. The latter is consistent with levels at undisturbed and distant sites, (384 ± 44) fg g−1, where no local contribution is expected. The 240Pu/239Pu ratio for site-derived material is estimated at 0.05 ± 0.04. Our study demonstrates the multi-faceted potential of trace plutonium assay to inform clean-up strategies of fast breeder legacies.
Nonlinear delay differential equations and their application to modeling biological network motifs
Authors: Glass David S. , Jin Xiaofan , Riedel-Kruse Ingmar H. 
Published: March 2021

AbstractBiological regulatory systems, such as cell signaling networks, nervous systems and ecological webs, consist of complex dynamical interactions among many components. Network motif models focus on small sub-networks to provide quantitative insight into overall behavior. However, such models often overlook time delays either inherent to biological processes or associated with multi-step interactions. Here we systematically examine explicit-delay versions of the most common network motifs via delay differential equation (DDE) models, both analytically and numerically. We find many broadly applicable results, including parameter reduction versus canonical ordinary differential equation (ODE) models, analytical relations for converting between ODE and DDE models, criteria for when delays may be ignored, a complete phase space for autoregulation, universal behaviors of feedforward loops, a unified Hill-function logic framework, and conditions for oscillations and chaos. We conclude that explicit-delay modeling simplifies the phenomenology of many biological networks and may aid in discovering new functional motifs.
Amagmatic hydrothermal systems on Mars from radiogenic heat
Authors: Ojha Lujendra , Karunatillake Suniti , Karimi Saman , Buffo Jacob 
Published: March 2021

AbstractLong-lived hydrothermal systems are prime targets for astrobiological exploration on Mars. Unlike magmatic or impact settings, radiogenic hydrothermal systems can survive for >100 million years because of the Ga half-lives of key radioactive elements (e.g., U, Th, and K), but remain unknown on Mars. Here, we use geochemistry, gravity, topography data, and numerical models to find potential radiogenic hydrothermal systems on Mars. We show that the Eridania region, which once contained a vast inland sea, possibly exceeding the combined volume of all other Martian surface water, could have readily hosted a radiogenic hydrothermal system. Thus, radiogenic hydrothermalism in Eridania could have sustained clement conditions for life far longer than most other habitable sites on Mars. Water radiolysis by radiogenic heat could have produced H2, a key electron donor for microbial life. Furthermore, hydrothermal circulation may help explain the region’s high crustal magnetic field and gravity anomaly.
Regulating Fe-spin state by atomically dispersed Mn-N in Fe-N-C catalysts with high oxygen reduction activity
Authors: Yang Gege , Zhu Jiawei , Yuan Pengfei , Hu Yongfeng , Qu Gan , Lu Bang-An , Xue Xiaoyi , Yin Hengbo , Cheng Wenzheng , Cheng Junqi , Xu Wenjing , Li Jin , Hu Jinsong , Mu Shichun , Zhang Jia-Nan 
Published: March 2021

AbstractAs low-cost electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction applied to fuel cells and metal-air batteries, atomic-dispersed transition metal-nitrogen-carbon materials are emerging, but the genuine mechanism thereof is still arguable. Herein, by rational design and synthesis of dual-metal atomically dispersed Fe,Mn/N-C catalyst as model object, we unravel that the O2 reduction preferentially takes place on FeIII in the FeN4 /C system with intermediate spin state which possesses one eg electron (t2g4eg1) readily penetrating the antibonding π-orbital of oxygen. Both magnetic measurements and theoretical calculation reveal that the adjacent atomically dispersed Mn-N moieties can effectively activate the FeIII sites by both spin-state transition and electronic modulation, rendering the excellent ORR performances of Fe,Mn/N-C in both alkaline and acidic media (halfwave positionals are 0.928 V in 0.1 M KOH, and 0.804 V in 0.1 M HClO4), and good durability, which outperforms and has almost the same activity of commercial Pt/C, respectively. In addition, it presents a superior power density of 160.8 mW cm−2 and long-term durability in reversible zinc–air batteries. The work brings new insight into the oxygen reduction reaction process on the metal-nitrogen-carbon active sites, undoubtedly leading the exploration towards high effective low-cost non-precious catalysts.
Infrared photoconduction at the diffusion length limit in HgTe nanocrystal arrays
Authors: Chu Audrey , Gréboval Charlie , Prado Yoann , Majjad Hicham , Delerue Christophe , Dayen Jean-Francois , Vincent Grégory , Lhuillier Emmanuel 
Published: March 2021

AbstractNarrow band gap nanocrystals offer an interesting platform for alternative design of low-cost infrared sensors. It has been demonstrated that transport in HgTe nanocrystal arrays occurs between strongly-coupled islands of nanocrystals in which charges are partly delocalized. This, combined with the scaling of the noise with the active volume of the film, make case for device size reduction. Here, with two steps of optical lithography we design a nanotrench which effective channel length corresponds to 5–10 nanocrystals, matching the carrier diffusion length. We demonstrate responsivity as high as 1 kA W−1, which is 105 times higher than for conventional µm-scale channel length. In this work the associated specific detectivity exceeds 1012 Jones for 2.5 µm peak detection under 1 V at 200 K and 1 kHz, while the time response is as short as 20 µs, making this performance the highest reported for HgTe NC-based extended short-wave infrared detection.
Flow-sensory contact electrification of graphene
Authors: Zhang Xiaoyu , Chia Eric , Fan Xiao , Ping Jinglei 
Published: March 2021

AbstractAll-electronic interrogation of biofluid flow velocity by electrical nanosensors incorporated in ultra-low-power or self-sustained systems offers the promise of enabling multifarious emerging research and applications. However, existing nano-based electrical flow sensing technologies remain lacking in precision and stability and are typically only applicable to simple aqueous solutions or liquid/gas dual-phase mixtures, making them unsuitable for monitoring low-flow (~micrometer/second) yet important characteristics of continuous biofluids (such as hemorheological behaviors in microcirculation). Here, we show that monolayer-graphene single microelectrodes harvesting charge from continuous aqueous flow provide an effective flow sensing strategy that delivers key performance metrics orders of magnitude higher than other electrical approaches. In particular, over six-months stability and sub-micrometer/second resolution in real-time quantification of whole-blood flows with multiscale amplitude-temporal characteristics are obtained in a microfluidic chip.
Multiplexed histology analyses for the phenotypic and spatial characterization of human innate lymphoid cells
Authors: Pascual-Reguant Anna , Köhler Ralf , Mothes Ronja , Bauherr Sandy , Hernández Daniela C. , Uecker Ralf , Holzwarth Karolin , Kotsch Katja , Seidl Maximilian , Philipsen Lars , Müller Werner , Romagnani Chiara , Niesner Raluca , Hauser Anja E. 
Published: March 2021

AbstractInnate lymphoid cells (ILCs) emerge in the last few years as important regulators of immune responses and biological processes. Although ILCs are mainly known as tissue-resident cells, their precise localization and interactions with the microenvironment are still unclear. Here we combine a multiplexed immunofluorescence technique and a customized computational, open-source analysis pipeline to unambiguously identify CD127+ ILCs in situ and characterize these cells and their microenvironments. Moreover, we reveal the transcription factor IRF4 as a marker for tonsillar ILC3, and identify conserved stromal landmarks characteristic for ILC localization. We also show that CD127+ ILCs share tissue niches with plasma cells in the tonsil. Our works thus provide a platform for multiparametric histological analysis of ILCs to improve our understanding of ILC biology.
Nutrient restriction synergizes with retinoic acid to induce mammalian meiotic initiation in vitro
Authors: Zhang Xiaoyu , Gunewardena Sumedha , Wang Ning 
Published: March 2021

AbstractThe molecular machinery and chromosome structures carrying out meiosis are frequently conserved from yeast to mammals. However, signals initiating meiosis appear divergent: while nutrient restriction induces meiosis in the yeast system, retinoic acid (RA) and its target Stra8 have been shown to be necessary but not sufficient to induce meiotic initiation in mammalian germ cells. Here, we use primary culture of mouse undifferentiated spermatogonia without the support of gonadal somatic cells to show that nutrient restriction in combination with RA is sufficient to induce Stra8- and Spo11-dependent meiotic gene and chromosome programs that recapitulate the transcriptomic and cytologic features of in vivo meiosis. We demonstrate that neither nutrient restriction nor RA alone exerts these effects. Moreover, we identify a distinctive network of 11 nutrient restriction-upregulated transcription factor genes, which are associated with early meiosis in vivo and whose expression does not require RA. Our study proposes a conserved model, in which nutrient restriction induces meiotic initiation by upregulating key transcription factor genes for the meiotic gene program and provides an in vitro platform for meiotic induction that could facilitate research and haploid gamete production.