bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The relationship between intra–guild diet overlap and breeding in owls in Israel
Authors: Charter Motti , Izhaki Ido , Roulin Alexandre 
Published: October 2018

AbstractEven though intra‐guild predators frequently prey on the same species, it is unclear whether diet overlap between two predators is a source of interspecific competition or whether predators simply use the same abundant prey resource. We measured the extent to which the diets of barn owls (Tyto alba) and long‐eared owls (Asio otus) in Israel overlap and examined whether yearly differences in diet overlap correlate with barn owl breeding success. Pianka's index of niche overlap was positively related to barn owl population size but not to its breeding success. The number of breeding barn owls was higher when long‐eared owls consumed more rodents, suggesting that diet overlap most likely increased when rodents became more abundant. Therefore, in Israel, when these two owl species prey more often on rodents, their diets are more similar and interspecific competition is reduced. Unlike sympatric populations in Europe, in years when rodents are less abundant in Israel long‐eared owls switch to hunting alternative prey (e.g., birds), perhaps to avoid competition with barn owls.
Moroccan Counter-terrorism Policy: Case of Moroccan Female Migrants to
ISIS
Authors: Jamal Bahija 
Published: October 2018

AbstractIn this paper, Moroccan female migration to the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) is
explored within the overall framework of Moroccan counter-terrorism policy. According to
available data, Moroccans are considered as one of the main suppliers of fighters to ISIS.
However, as it will be highlighted in this research, there is a scarcity of data related to
Moroccan female migration to ISIS, to their sociodemographic profile, methods of their
recruitment and programs of their reintegration once they come back home. This article
focuses on Moroccan counter-terrorism policy and analyzes the extent to which it provides an
exemplary precedent in effectively fighting terrorism. This policy includes, as will be
examined, repressive and “soft” counter-radicalization and de-mobilization measures.
Genséric fossoyeur de laRomanitasafricaine?
Authors: Nsiri Mohamed-Arbi 
Published: October 2018

AbstractDuring his four decades of rule, Genseric appears to many Africans – Catholic and pro-Roman – as the incarnation of the Antichrist. For the African municipal aristocracy he represented the image of a greedy barbarian obsessed with power, the persecutor and the gravedigger ofRomanitas. If we look closely, Genseric had learned from the Romans how to manage strength and diplomacy, for negotiating with the Romans in particular. He sought to perpetuate his conquests by organising treaties with Ravenna and Constantinople, which did not prevent him from launching parallel plundering campaigns in Africa and along the coast that brought him respect and financial gain. First king of the vandals, he managed to create the first barbaric state on the territory of the empire. He was the type of leader who can be considered a visionary, bringing to fulfilment the material, political and spiritual conquests of a new era, theSpätantike.
A Computational Network Control Theory Analysis of Depression Symptoms
Authors: Kenett Yoed N. , Beaty Roger E. , Medaglia John D. 
Published: October 2018

AbstractRumination and impaired inhibition are considered core characteristics of depression. However, the neurocognitive mechanisms that contribute to these atypical cognitive processes remain unclear. To address this question, we apply a computational network control theory approach to structural brain imaging data acquired via diffusion tensor imaging in a large sample of participants, to examine how network control theory relates to individual differences in subclinical depression. Recent application of this theory at the neural level is built on a model of brain dynamics, which mathematically models patterns of inter-region activity propagated along the structure of an underlying network. The strength of this approach is its ability to characterize the potential role of each brain region in regulating whole-brain network function based on its anatomical fingerprint and a simplified model of node dynamics. We find that subclinical depression is negatively related to higher integration abilities in the right anterior insula, replicating and extending previous studies implicating atypical switching between the default mode and Executive Control Networks in depression. We also find that subclinical depression is related to the ability to “drive” the brain system into easy to reach neural states in several brain regions, including the bilateral lingual gyrus and lateral occipital gyrus. These findings highlight brain regions less known in their role in depression, and clarify their roles in driving the brain into different neural states related to depression symptoms.
Assessing the relationship between epidemic growth scaling and epidemic size: The 2014–16 Ebola epidemic in West Africa
Authors: Ganyani Tapiwa , Roosa Kimberlyn , Faes Christel , Hens Niel , Chowell Gerardo 
Published: October 2018

AbstractWe assess the relationship between epidemic size and the scaling of epidemic growth of Ebola epidemics at the level of administrative areas during the 2014–16 Ebola epidemic in West Africa. For this purpose, we quantify growth scaling parameters from the ascending phase of Ebola outbreaks comprising at least 7 weeks of epidemic growth. We then study how these parameters are associated with observed epidemic sizes. For validation purposes, we also analyse two historic Ebola outbreaks. We find a high monotonic association between the scaling of epidemic growth parameter and the observed epidemic size. For example, scaling of growth parameters around 0.3–0.4, 0.4–0.6 and 0.6 are associated with epidemic sizes on the order of 350–460, 460–840 and 840–2500 cases, respectively. These results are not explained by differences in epidemic onset across affected areas. We also find the relationship between the scaling of epidemic growth parameter and the observed epidemic size to be consistent for two past Ebola outbreaks in Congo (1976) and Uganda (2000). Signature features of epidemic growth could become useful to assess the risk of observing a major epidemic outbreak, generate improved diseases forecasts and enhance the predictive power of epidemic models. Our results indicate that the epidemic growth scaling parameter is a useful indicator of epidemic size, which may have significant implications to guide control of Ebola outbreaks and possibly other infectious diseases.
Response of the Hydrological Cycle in Asian Monsoon Systems to Global Warming Through the Lens of Water Vapor Wave Activity Analysis
Authors: Xue Daokai , Lu Jian , Leung L. Ruby , Zhang Yaocun 
Published: October 2018

AbstractThe column integrated water vapor (CWV)‐based local wave activity (LWA) is adapted to examine the response of the hydrological cycle and extremes of the Asian summer monsoon in CMIP5 simulations under the RCP8.5 forcing scenario. A tight linear relationship between CWV LWA (
) and its sink (
, which measures the intensity of the local hydrological cycle and extremes, affords a simple scaling framework for the hydrological cycle intensity in terms of the contributions from (i) ratio of moisture participating in the hydrological cycle, (ii) stirring length scale, (iii) background moisture gradient, and (iv) hydrological cycling rate. Future CWV LWA over the broad Asian monsoon region shows a large increase (~35%), attributable largely to the increase of the background moisture. The scaling analysis reveals a distinct mix of the contributing factors for the increase in
between East Asian and Indian monsoon regions, despite both experiencing sizable increase of
.
Biogeochemical Anatomy of a Cyclonic Warm‐Core Eddy in the Arctic Ocean
Authors: Nishino Shigeto , Kawaguchi Yusuke , Fujiwara Amane , Shiozaki Takuhei , Aoyama Michio , Harada Naomi , Kikuchi Takashi 
Published: October 2018

AbstractIn the oligotrophic Arctic Ocean, previous studies have implied positive impacts of eddies on phytoplankton biomass. However, direct observations for estimating vertical nutrient fluxes in various parts of eddies are still lacking; these could explain the mechanism of high phytoplankton biomass associated with eddies compared to their surroundings. Here we conducted conductivity‐temperature‐depth surveys with water sampling to examine the characteristics of a cyclonic warm‐core eddy found over the Chukchi shelf slope in late summer 2015. Furthermore, we measured ocean microstructures to estimate vertical nutrient fluxes and their contributions to nutrient uptake by phytoplankton. The results imply that nutrients were supplied to the euphotic zone from a lower layer through vertical shear mixing near the center of the eddy and through double‐diffusive mixing associated with an interleaving structure at the rim of the eddy. Phytoplankton size structures differed markedly between the center and rim of the eddy.
First Observations of Volcanic Eruption Clouds From the L1 Earth‐Sun Lagrange Point by DSCOVR/EPIC
Authors: Carn S. A. , Krotkov N. A. , Fisher B. L. , Li C. , Prata A. J. 
Published: October 2018

AbstractVolcanic sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions have been measured by ultraviolet sensors on polar‐orbiting satellites for several decades but with limited temporal resolution. This precludes studies of key processes believed to occur in young (~1–3 hr old) volcanic clouds. In 2015, the launch of the Earth Polychromatic Imaging Camera (EPIC) aboard the Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR) provided an opportunity for novel observations of volcanic eruption clouds from the first Earth‐Sun Lagrange point (L1). The L1 vantage point provides continuous observations of the sunlit Earth, offering up to eight or nine observations of volcanic SO2 clouds in the DSCOVR/EPIC field of view at ~1‐hr intervals. Here we demonstrate DSCOVR/EPIC's sensitivity to volcanic SO2 using several volcanic eruptions from the tropics to midlatitudes. The hourly cadence of DSCOVR/EPIC observations permits more timely measurements of volcanic SO2 emissions, improved trajectory modeling, and novel analyses of the temporal evolution of volcanic clouds.
Coincidental TID Production by Tropospheric Weather During the August 2017 Total Solar Eclipse
Authors: Mrak Sebastijan , Semeter Joshua , Nishimura Y. , Hirsch Michael , Sivadas Nithin 
Published: October 2018

AbstractIt has been proposed (Chimonas & Hines, , https://doi.org/10.1029/JA075i004p00875) that a total solar eclipse should generate internal gravity waves (GWs) that manifest as traveling ionospheric disturbances (TIDs) at ionospheric heights. Zhang et al. (, https://doi.org/10.1002/2017GL076054) recently reported observations of electron density perturbations trailing the region of maximum obscuration, claiming the results as the first unambiguous evidences for eclipse‐induced bow waves. We present evidence showing extensive TID activity on two consecutive days, the day of the eclipse and the day before. A particularly intense TID concentric wavefield emerged from the background ionosphere 5 hr before the arrival of the totality and persisted there throughout the eclipse. The apparent center was located over Iowa/South Dakota region, 300–500 km north from the eclipse path. We examine concurrent observations of tropospheric and ionospheric weather and find a great spatiotemporal correlation. TID wave parameters do agree with previous observations and models of thunderstorm‐generated GWs/TIDs; conversely, the wave parameters are an order of magnitude off from modeling results for eclipse‐generated GWs/TIDs.
Seismic Structure of the Oceanic Crust Around Petit‐Spot Volcanoes in the Outer‐Rise Region of the Japan Trench
Authors: Ohira Akane , Kodaira Shuichi , Fujie Gou , No Tetsuo , Nakamura Yasuyuki , Kaiho Yuka , Miura Seiichi 
Published: October 2018

AbstractThe structure of an incoming oceanic plate in a subduction zone systematically changes toward the trench because of the flexure of the plate. Changes in seismic velocity from the outer rise toward the trench are widely considered to be caused by the development of bending‐related faults. However, few studies have focused on the effects of igneous activities preceding the subduction, which lead to structural changes of the incoming plate. Here we present active‐source seismic data acquired around petit‐spot volcanoes situated in the outer‐rise region of the Japan Trench. The resultant velocity model showed low seismic velocities (Vp < 4.0 km/s) at the top of the oceanic crust under the petit‐spot volcanoes. Moreover, the velocity reduction was significantly larger than that caused only by bending‐related faults. Our results suggest that petit‐spot volcanism is a contributing factor affecting structural variation and modification of the incoming oceanic plate in this subduction zone.
Improved Aerosol Processes and Effective Radiative Forcing in HadGEM3 and UKESM1
Authors: Mulcahy J. P. , Jones C. , Sellar A. , Johnson B. , Boutle I. A. , Jones A. , Andrews T. , Rumbold S. T. , Mollard J. , Bellouin N. , Johnson C. E. , Williams K. D. , Grosvenor D. P. , McCoy D. T. 
Published: October 2018

AbstractAerosol processes and, in particular, aerosol‐cloud interactions cut across the traditional physical‐Earth system boundary of coupled Earth system models and remain one of the key uncertainties in estimating anthropogenic radiative forcing of climate. Here we calculate the historical aerosol effective radiative forcing (ERF) in the HadGEM3‐GA7 climate model in order to assess the suitability of this model for inclusion in the UK Earth system model, UKESM1. The aerosol ERF, calculated for the year 2000 relative to 1850, is large and negative in the standard GA7 model leading to an unrealistic negative total anthropogenic forcing over the twentieth century. We show how underlying assumptions and missing processes in both the physical model and aerosol parameterizations lead to this large aerosol ERF. A number of model improvements are investigated to assess their impact on the aerosol ERF. These include an improved representation of cloud droplet spectral dispersion, updates to the aerosol activation scheme, and black carbon optical properties. One of the largest contributors to the aerosol forcing uncertainty is insufficient knowledge of the preindustrial aerosol climate. We evaluate the contribution of uncertainties in the natural marine emissions of dimethyl sulfide and organic aerosol to the ERF. The combination of model improvements derived from these studies weakens the aerosol ERF by up to 50% of the original value and leads to a total anthropogenic historical forcing more in line with assessed values.
On the Characterization of Intermediate‐Scale Ionospheric Structure
Authors: Rino Charles , Carrano Charles 
Published: October 2018

AbstractCharacterization of ionospheric structure starts with spectral analysis of one‐dimensional time series. Unknown spectral density function (SDF) parameters are estimated by model‐fitting procedures, which will be referred to in this paper collectively as irregularity parameter estimation. If the diagnostic SDF has a power law form, linear least squares estimation (LLE) can be used to estimate the power law parameters. In this paper simulations are used to investigate LLE estimates of diagnostic single‐component and two‐component power law SDFs. There is a known turbulent strength bias and a more troublesome correlation between the turbulent strength and the spectral index. We found that this intrinsic property of LLE estimators completely explains a similar correlation long observed in both in situ and radio propagation ionospheric diagnostic measurements. Maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) is superior to LLE but requires knowledge of the probability distribution function of the SDF estimator. To this end one can exploit the fact that the probability distribution function of a periodogram about the its true mean is well approximated by a χD distribution. With an hypothesized true mean SDF defined by a small set of parameters, the parameters can be adjusted to maximize the likelihood that the periodogram was generated by the parameterized SDF. Furthermore, algorithms that adjust parameters to maximize likelihood can use functions of the defining parameters being adjusted to improve performance. Recognizing that correlation between turbulent strength and spectral index estimates is an intrinsic measurement property, error minimization is particularly important. A modified MLE procedure is presented that provides robust initiation and good two‐component power law parameter estimates.
An Ensemble Optimization Framework for Coupled Design of Hydropower Contracts and Real‐Time Reservoir Operating Rules
Authors: Sahu Reetik Kumar , McLaughlin Dennis B. 
Published: October 2018

AbstractRevenues from hydropower generation often depend on the operator's ability to provide firm power in the presence of uncertain inflows. The primary options available for optimizing revenue are negotiation of a firm power contract before operations begin and adjustment of the reservoir release during operations. Contract and release strategy optimization are closely coupled and most appropriately analyzed with stochastic real‐time control methods. Here we use an ensemble‐based approach to stochastic optimization that provides a convenient way to construct nonparametric revenue probability distributions to explore the implications of uncertainty. The firm power contract is a simplified bilateral fixed price agreement that partially insulates operator and buyer from price fluctuations. The release control laws and firm energy target are jointly optimized to maximize the operator's expected revenue. Revenue probability distributions and related spill performance statistics indicate that predictive operating strategies such as stochastic dynamic programming and model predictive control can give significantly better performance than standard deterministic operating rules. The performance obtained from batch optimization with perfect inflow information establishes a convenient upper bound on potential revenue and provides a baseline for assessing the significance of differences between real‐time operating strategies. Sensitivity analysis indicates that the benefits of predictive operational strategies are greatest for reservoirs with medium nondimensional residence times and less important for reservoirs with large residence times. Overall, probabilistic analysis of the coupled hydropower contract‐operations problem provides a realistic way to assess revenue and risk for reservoirs that must provide firm power when inflows are uncertain.
C/EBPβ deletion in oncogenic Ras skin tumors is a synthetic lethal event
Authors: Messenger Zachary J. , Hall Jonathan R. , Jima Dereje D. , House John S. , Tam Hann W. , Tokarz Debra A. , Smart Robert C. 
Published: October 2018

AbstractTherapeutic targeting of specific genetic changes in cancer has proven to be an effective therapy and the concept of synthetic lethality has emerged. CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein-β (C/EBPβ), a basic leucine zipper transcription factor, has important roles in cellular processes including differentiation, inflammation, survival, and energy metabolism. Using a genetically engineered mouse model, we report that the deletion C/EBPβ in pre-existing oncogenic Ha-Ras mouse skin tumors in vivo resulted in rapid tumor regression. Regressing tumors exhibited elevated levels of apoptosis and p53 protein/activity, while adjacent C/EBPβ-deleted skin did not. These results indicate that the deletion of C/EBPβ de-represses p53 in oncogenic Ras tumors but not in normal wild-type Ras keratinocytes, and that C/EBPβ is essential for survival of oncogenic Ras tumors. Co-deletion of C/EBPβ and p53 in oncogenic Ras tumors showed p53 is required for tumor regression and elevated apoptosis. In tumors, loss of a pathway that confers adaptability to a stress phenotype of cancer/tumorigenesis, such as DNA damage, could result in selective tumor cell killing. Our results show that oncogenic Ras tumors display a significant DNA damage/replicative stress phenotype and these tumors have acquired a dependence on C/EBPβ for their survival. RNAseq data analysis of regressing tumors deleted of C/EBPβ indicates a novel interface between p53, type-1 interferon response, and death receptor pathways, which function in concert to produce activation of extrinsic apoptosis pathways. In summary, the deletion of C/EBPβ in oncogenic Ras skin tumors is a synthetic lethal event, making it a promising target for future potential anticancer therapies.
Neurokinin-3 receptor activation selectively prolongs atrial refractoriness by inhibition of a background K+ channel
Authors: Veldkamp Marieke W. , Geuzebroek Guillaume S. C. , Baartscheer Antonius , Verkerk Arie O. , Schumacher Cees A. , Suarez Gedeon G. , Berger Wouter R. , Casini Simona , van Amersfoorth Shirley C. M. , Scholman Koen T. , Driessen Antoine H. G. , Belterman Charly N. W. , van Ginneken Antoni C. G. , de Groot Joris R. , de Bakker Jacques M. T. , Remme Carol Ann , Boukens Bas J. , Coronel Ruben 
Published: October 2018

AbstractThe cardiac autonomic nervous system (ANS) controls normal atrial electrical function. The cardiac ANS produces various neuropeptides, among which the neurokinins, whose actions on atrial electrophysiology are largely unknown. We here demonstrate that the neurokinin substance-P (Sub-P) activates a neurokinin-3 receptor (NK-3R) in rabbit, prolonging action potential (AP) duration through inhibition of a background potassium current. In contrast, ventricular AP duration was unaffected by NK-3R activation. NK-3R stimulation lengthened atrial repolarization in intact rabbit hearts and consequently suppressed arrhythmia duration and occurrence in a rabbit isolated heart model of atrial fibrillation (AF). In human atrial appendages, the phenomenon of NK-3R mediated lengthening of atrial repolarization was also observed. Our findings thus uncover a pathway to selectively modulate atrial AP duration by activation of a hitherto unidentified neurokinin-3 receptor in the membrane of atrial myocytes. NK-3R stimulation may therefore represent an anti-arrhythmic concept to suppress re-entry-based atrial tachyarrhythmias, including AF.
Structure-based redesign of docking domain interactions modulates the product spectrum of a rhabdopeptide-synthesizing NRPS
Authors: Hacker Carolin , Cai Xiaofeng , Kegler Carsten , Zhao Lei , Weickhmann A. Katharina , Wurm Jan Philip , Bode Helge B. , Wöhnert Jens 
Published: October 2018

AbstractSeveral peptides in clinical use are derived from non-ribosomal peptide synthetases (NRPS). In these systems multiple NRPS subunits interact with each other in a specific linear order mediated by specific docking domains (DDs), whose structures are not known yet, to synthesize well-defined peptide products. In contrast to classical NRPSs, single-module NRPS subunits responsible for the generation of rhabdopeptide/xenortide-like peptides (RXPs) can act in different order depending on subunit stoichiometry thereby producing peptide libraries. To define the basis for their unusual interaction patterns, we determine the structures of all N-terminal DDs (NDDs) as well as of an NDD-CDD complex and characterize all putative DD interactions thermodynamically for such a system. Key amino acid residues for DD interactions are identified that upon their exchange change the DD affinity and result in predictable changes in peptide production. Recognition rules for DD interactions are identified that also operate in other megasynthase complexes.