bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Human development without democratic accountability: how regressive taxation contributes to human development through state capacity
Authors: Kato Junko , Tanaka Seiki 
Published: August 2018

AbstractState revenue production since the third wave of democratization contrasts sharply with the experiences of the first and second waves of democratization. The late democratizers tend to adopt and raise revenue from a regressive tax on consumption (the value-added tax: VAT), which is more compatible with economic development in global markets but is considered as unequal taxation. How does the weak redistributive (i.e., regressive) effect of this form of taxation affect the welfare of people? We build on the conventional wisdom that democratic accountability through multiparty contestation improves human development. Focused on taxation, we argue that an increasing statefinancialcapacity contributes to an increase in human development, even when electoral contestation is absent. Empirical analyses employed a reduction in infant mortality as an indicator for the improvement of human development and demonstrate the counter-intuitive effect of the VAT on human development. Despite the effect of weak redistribution, the VAT contributes to human development in countries with less democratic accountability. The results also show that the state's financial capacity to secure tax compliance, rather than a mere increase in tax revenue, intervenes critically in such development in countries since the third wave. We conclude that the increased state financial capacity with regressive taxation is expected to promote human development in newly emerging democratic states.
In vivoandin vitrobisphenol A exposure effects on adiposity
Authors: Desai M. , Ferrini M. G. , Jellyman J. K. , Han G. , Ross M. G. 
Published: August 2018

AbstractIn uteroexposure to the ubiquitous plasticizer, bisphenol A (BPA) is associated with offspring obesity. As adipogenesis is a critical factor contributing to obesity, we determined the effects ofin vivomaternal BPA andin vitroBPA exposure on newborn adipose tissue at the stem-cell level. Forin vivostudies, female rats received BPA before and during pregnancy and lactation via drinking water, and offspring were studied for measures of adiposity signals. Forin vitroBPA exposure, primary pre-adipocyte cell cultures from healthy newborns were utilized. We studied pre-adipocyte proliferative and differentiation effects of BPA and explored putative signal factors which partly explain adipose responses and underlying epigenetic mechanisms mediated by BPA. Maternal BPA-induced offspring adiposity, hypertrophic adipocytes and increased adipose tissue protein expression of pro-adipogenic and lipogenic factors. Consistent within vivodata,in vitroBPA exposure induced a dose-dependent increase in pre-adipocyte proliferation and increased adipocyte lipid content.In vivoandin vitroBPA exposure promotes the proliferation and differentiation of adipocytes, contributing to an enhanced capacity for lipid storage. These findings reinforce the marked effects of BPA on adipogenesis and highlight the susceptibility of stem-cell populations during early life with long-term consequence on metabolic homeostasis.
Bayesian Regional Flood Frequency Analysis for Large Catchments
Authors: Thorarinsdottir Thordis L. , Hellton Kristoffer H. , Steinbakk Gunnhildur H. , Schlichting Lena , Engeland Kolbjørn 
Published: August 2018

AbstractRegional flood frequency analysis is commonly applied in situations where there exists insufficient data at a location for a reliable estimation of flood quantiles. We develop a Bayesian hierarchical modeling framework for a regional analysis of data from 203 large catchments in Norway with the generalized extreme value distribution as the underlying model. Generalized linear models on the parameters of the generalized extreme value distribution are able to incorporate location‐specific geographic and meteorological information and thereby accommodate these effects on the flood quantiles. A Bayesian model averaging component additionally assesses model uncertainty in the effect of the proposed covariates. The resulting regional model is seen to give substantially better predictive performance than the regional model currently used in Norway.
Depth‐Dependent Thermal Stress Around Corals in the Tropical Pacific Ocean
Authors: Schramek T. A. , Colin P. L. , Merrifield M. A. , Terrill E. J. 
Published: August 2018

AbstractThermally driven bleaching events are a growing concern for reef ecosystems across the tropics. To assess and predict thermal stress impacts on reefs, remotely observed sea surface temperature (SST) commonly is used; however, reef communities typically extend to depths where SST alone may not be an accurate measure of in situ variability. Here nearly two decades of temperature observations (2‐ to 90‐m depth) at three stations around Palau are used to develop an empirical model of temperature variability versus depth based on SST and sea level anomaly (SLA). The technique yields depth‐averaged R2 values >0.88, with SLA predicting fore reef temperatures near the thermocline and SST capturing upper mixed layer temperatures. SLA complements SST by providing a proxy for vertical isotherm displacements driven by local and remote winds on intraseasonal to interannual time scales. Utilizing this concept, thermal stress on corals can be predicted from the surface through the mesophotic zone.
Geometrical and Frictional Effects on Incomplete Rupture and Shallow Slip Deficit in Ramp‐Flat Structures
Authors: Li Shaoyang , Barnhart William D. , Moreno Marcos 
Published: August 2018

AbstractSeveral recent moderate‐magnitude (Mw > 7) earthquakes, such as the 2015 Gorkha, Nepal, ruptured only the deep (>15 km depth) portions of megathrust faults, leaving the updip sections unbroken. Here we investigate the effects of geometrical and frictional variations at depth on the stress accumulation and release in ramp‐flat structures using 2‐D finite element models. Our results show that ramp‐flat structures allow for faster but lower shear stress accumulation with increasing dip of the deep ramp section while increasing frictional strength of the faults allows more stress accumulation. These factors lead to earlier yet smaller failures of the ramp followed by larger and less frequent failures affecting the shallow section. Our models thus suggest that the dynamics of strain reservoirs are related to both the frictional strength and dips of ramp‐flat megathrust structures, and the failure time of the shallow fault section is affected by the stress regime at the deep fault segment.
Seasonal Meandering of the Polar Front Upstream of the Kerguelen Plateau
Authors: Pauthenet E. , Roquet F. , Madec G. , Guinet C. , Hindell M. , McMahon C. R. , Harcourt R. , Nerini D. 
Published: August 2018

AbstractThe location of the Antarctic Polar Front (PF) is mapped in the Southern Indian Ocean by decomposing the shape of temperature and salinity profiles into vertical modes using a functional Principal Component Analysis. We define the PF as the northernmost minimum of temperature at the subsurface and represent it as a linear combination of the first three modes. This method is applied on an ocean reanalysis data set and on in situ observations, revealing a seasonal variability of the PF latitudinal position that is most pronounced between the Conrad Rise and the Kerguelen Plateau. This shift coincides with variations in the transport across the Northern Kerguelen Plateau. We suggest that seasonal changes of the upper stratification may drive the observed variability of the PF, with potentially large implications for the pathways and residence time of water masses over the plateau and the phytoplankton bloom extending southeast of the Kerguelen Islands.
North Atlantic Natural Variability Modulates Emergence of Widespread Greenland Melt in a Warming Climate
Authors: Hahn L. , Ummenhofer C. C. , Kwon Y.‐O. 
Published: August 2018

AbstractRecord‐breaking melt over Greenland in recent decades is linked not only to climate change but also to natural variability, including persistent atmospheric high‐pressure conditions in the negative phase of the North Atlantic Oscillation and warm North Atlantic Ocean temperatures during the positive phase of the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation. However, the relative importance of natural variability for Greenland melt under varying degrees of greenhouse forcing is still unclear. Using reanalysis data and a large ensemble of climate model simulations, we find that a negative North Atlantic Oscillation and positive Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation consistently promote heightened summer melt under various forcing conditions. Moreover, timing of widespread 21st century Greenland melt varies considerably between ensemble members due to different phasing of these modes of natural variability. These results indicate the importance of natural modes of variability across a range of external forcing conditions for interannual melt variability and the emergence of widespread Greenland melt.
Seismic Imaging of the North American Midcontinent Rift Using S‐to‐P Receiver Functions
Authors: Chichester Ben , Rychert Catherine , Harmon Nicholas , van der Lee Suzan , Frederiksen Andrew , Zhang Hao 
Published: August 2018

AbstractNorth America's ~1.1‐Ga failed Midcontinent Rift (MCR) is a striking feature of gravity and magnetic anomaly maps across the continent. However, how the rift affected the underlying lithosphere is not well understood. With data from the Superior Province Rifting Earthscope Experiment and the USArray Transportable Array, we constrain three‐dimensional seismic velocity discontinuity structure in the lithosphere beneath the southwestward arm of the MCR using S‐to‐P receiver functions. We image a velocity increase with depth associated with the Moho at depths of 33–40 ± 4 km, generally deepening toward the east. The Moho amplitude decreases beneath the rift axis in Minnesota and Wisconsin, where the velocity gradient is more gradual, possibly due to crustal underplating. We see hints of a deeper velocity increase at 61 ± 4‐km depth that may be the base of underplating. Beneath the rift axis further south in Iowa, we image two distinct positive phases at 34–39 ± 4 and 62–65 ± 4 km likely related to an altered Moho and an underplated layer. We image velocity decreases with depth at depths of 90–190 ± 7 km in some locations that do not geographically correlate with the rift. These include a discontinuity at depths of 90–120 ± 7 km with a northerly dip in the south that abruptly deepens to 150–190 ± 7 km across the Spirit Lake Tectonic Zone provincial suture. The negative phases may represent a patchy, frozen‐in midlithosphere discontinuity feature that likely predates the MCR and/or be related to lithospheric thickness.
Coupled Summer Circulation and Dynamics Between a Bay and the Adjacent Shelf Around Hong Kong: Observational and Modeling Studies
Authors: Liu Zhiqiang , Gan Jianping , Wu Xiaoyan 
Published: August 2018

AbstractObservational and numerical modeling studies are conducted to investigate the coupled circulation between Mirs Bay to the east of Hong Kong and the adjacent shelf sea during an upwelling season. Long‐ and short‐term observations are synthesized to characterize the circulations in the bay‐shelf region. A three‐dimensional‐coupled bay‐shelf‐estuary circulation model was developed with realistic topography and forced with time‐dependent wind, tides, and lateral fluxes to investigate the processes and physics in the circulation of the coupled bay‐shelf regime. Based on the validated model, it was found that a strong northeastward coastal upwelling jet persisted over the shelf with highly variable topography outside the bay, and a strong upslope current occurred where the topography was sharply convex. This upslope current intruded into the bay in the lower layer (>10 m) as a cold‐water stream. A horizontal anticyclonic circulation formed inside the bay with a seaward outflow in the upper layer (<10 m). Momentum and vorticity analyses showed that a southwestward along‐isobath pressure gradient force over the convex isobaths off the bay intensified that bay‐ward intrusion. Negative relative vorticity advection from the jet was responsible for this pressure gradient force. The horizontal anticyclonic circulation and elevation fluctuation inside the bay were determined by the interaction between the intruding shelf current and the topographic trough inside the bay, and they were also baroclinically modulated by the intrusion of denser shelf waters. Winds over Mirs Bay intensified exchange flow across its entrance but suppressed the anticyclonic circulation inside the bay.
Leader Polarity‐Reversal Feature and Charge Structure of Three Upward Bipolar Lightning Flashes
Authors: Shi Dongdong , Wang Daohong , Wu Ting , Thomas Ronald J. , Edens Harald E. , Rison William , Takagi Nobuyuki , Krehbiel Paul R. 
Published: August 2018

AbstractWe have analyzed three upward bipolar lightning flashes (UBLFs) that occurred in Japanese winter thunderstorms. Leader polarity‐reversal processes in three flashes share the same features. During the several tens of milliseconds (lightning A 56 ms, lightning B 21 ms, lightning C 67 ms) before the initiation of the polarity‐reversal leader, one branch of the preceding leader in bipolar flashes was nearly decayed while other branches of the preceding leader were still in propagation. Then the polarity‐reversal leader will be initiated at the end of the decayed branch of the preceding leader. Initial sources of the polarity‐reversal leader are characterized by relatively strong very high frequency power (average value in lightning A, B, and C 24, 18, and 14 dBW) and obvious upward progression. Two of the three upward lightning (lightning A and B) occurred at a normal dipolar charge structure, while the remaining one (lightning C) occurred at an inverted dipolar charge structure. Based on the common features of the polarity‐reversal leader and charge structure, we have proposed a scenario to interpret the process of upward bipolar lightning flashes.
Comparing Seven Variants of the Ensemble Kalman Filter: How Many Synthetic Experiments Are Needed?
Authors: Keller Johannes , Hendricks Franssen Harrie‐Jan , Marquart Gabriele 
Published: August 2018

AbstractThe ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) is a popular estimation technique in the geosciences. It is used as a numerical tool for state vector prognosis and parameter estimation. The EnKF can, for example, help to evaluate the geothermal potential of an aquifer. In such applications, the EnKF is often used with small or medium ensemble sizes. It is therefore of interest to characterize the EnKF behavior for these ensemble sizes. For seven ensemble sizes (50, 70, 100, 250, 500, 1,000, and 2,000) and seven EnKF variants (damped, iterative, local, hybrid, dual, normal score, and classical EnKF), we computed 1,000 synthetic parameter estimation experiments for two setups: a 2‐D tracer transport problem and a 2‐D flow problem with one injection well. For each model, the only difference among synthetic experiments was the generated set of random permeability fields. The 1,000 synthetic experiments allow to calculate the probability density function of the root‐mean‐square error (RMSE) of the characterization of the permeability field. Comparing mean RMSEs for different EnKF variants, ensemble sizes and flow/transport setups suggests that multiple synthetic experiments are needed for a solid performance comparison. In this work, 10 synthetic experiments were needed to correctly distinguish RMSE differences between EnKF variants smaller than 10%. For detecting RMSE differences smaller than 2%, 100 synthetic experiments were needed for ensemble sizes 50, 70, 100, and 250. The overall ranking of the EnKF variants is strongly dependent on the physical model setup and the ensemble size.
In situ development of a methanotrophic microbiome in deep-sea sediments
Authors: Ruff S E , Felden J , Gruber-Vodicka H R , Marcon Y , Knittel K , Ramette A , Boetius A 
Published: August 2018

Abstract
Emission of the greenhouse gas methane from the seabed is globally controlled by marine aerobic and anaerobic methanotrophs gaining energy via methane oxidation. However, the processes involved in the assembly and dynamics of methanotrophic populations in complex natural microbial communities remain unclear. Here we investigated the development of a methanotrophic microbiome following subsurface mud eruptions at Håkon Mosby mud volcano (1250 m water depth). Freshly erupted muds hosted deep-subsurface communities that were dominated by Bathyarchaeota, Atribacteria and Chloroflexi. Methanotrophy was initially limited to a thin surface layer of Methylococcales populations consuming methane aerobically. With increasing distance to the eruptive center, anaerobic methanotrophic archaea, sulfate-reducing Desulfobacterales and thiotrophic Beggiatoaceae developed, and their respective metabolic capabilities dominated the biogeochemical functions of the community. Microbial richness, evenness, and cell numbers of the entire microbial community increased up to tenfold within a few years downstream of the mud flow from the eruptive center. The increasing diversity was accompanied by an up to fourfold increase in sequence abundance of relevant metabolic genes of the anaerobic methanotrophic and thiotrophic guilds. The communities fundamentally changed in their structure and functions as reflected in the metagenome turnover with distance from the eruptive center, and this was reflected in the biogeochemical zonation across the mud volcano caldera. The observed functional succession provides a framework for the response time and recovery of complex methanotrophic communities after disturbances of the deep-sea bed.
Association between amygdala neurokinin-1 receptor availability and anxiety-related personality traits
Authors: Hoppe Johanna M. , Frick Andreas , Åhs Fredrik , Linnman Clas , Appel Lieuwe , Jonasson My , Lubberink Mark , Långström Bengt , Frans Örjan , von Knorring Lars , Fredrikson Mats , Furmark Tomas 
Published: August 2018

AbstractAnimal studies indicate that substance P (SP) and its preferred neurokinin-1 (NK1) receptor modulate stress and anxiety-related behavior. Alterations in the SP-NK1 system have also been observed in human anxiety disorders, yet little is known about the relation between this system and individual differences in personality traits associated with anxiety propensity and approach-avoidance behavior, including trait anxiety, neuroticism, and extraversion. Exploring this relation could provide important insights into the neurobiological underpinnings of human anxiety and the etiology of anxiety disorders, as anxious traits are associated with increased susceptibility to develop psychopathological conditions. Here we examined the relationship between central NK1 receptor availability and self-rated measures of trait anxiety, neuroticism, and extraversion. The amygdala was chosen as the primary region of interest since this structure has been suggested to mediate the effect of the SP-NK1 system on anxiety. Anxious traits and NK1 receptor availability, determined with positron emission tomography and the radiotracer [11C]GR205171, were measured in 17 healthy individuals. Voxel-wise analyses showed a significant positive correlation between bilateral amygdala NK1 receptor availability and trait anxiety, and a trend in similar direction was observed for neuroticism. Conversely, extraversion was found to be negatively associated with amygdala NK1 receptor availability. Extraversion also correlated negatively with the NK1 measure in the cuneus/precuneus and fusiform gyrus according to exploratory whole-brain analyses. In conclusion, our findings indicate that amygdala NK1 receptor availability is associated with anxiety-related personality traits in healthy subjects, consistent with a modulatory role for the SP-NK1 system in human anxiety.
DJ-1 promotes colorectal cancer progression through activating PLAGL2/Wnt/BMP4 axis
Authors: Zhou Jing , Liu Hao , Zhang Lian , Liu Xin , Zhang Chundong , Wang Yitao , He Qing , Zhang Ying , Li Yi , Chen Quanmei , Zhang Lu , Wang Kui , Bu Youquan , Lei Yunlong 
Published: August 2018

AbstractMetastasis remains a big barrier for the clinical treatment of colorectal cancer (CRC). Our previous proteomics analysis identified DJ-1 as a potential metastasis biomarker of CRC. In this study, we found that DJ-1 was upregulated in CRC. The levels of DJ-1 were closely correlated with the depths of invasion and predicted patient outcome. Enforced expression of DJ-1 could enhance CRC proliferation and metastasis in vitro and in vivo by stimulating Wnt-β-catenin signaling. Specifically, DJ-1-induced β-catenin nuclear translocation stimulated TCF transcription activity, which promoted BMP4 expression for CRC cell migration and invasion, and elevated CCND1 expression for CRC cell proliferation, respectively. Furthermore, DJ-1-induced Wnt signaling activation was dependent on PLAGL2 expression. In conclusion, our study demonstrates that DJ-1 can promote CRC metastasis by activating PLAGL2–Wnt–BMP4 axis, suggesting novel therapeutic opportunities for postoperative adjuvant therapy in CRC patients.
The expression and function of RASAL2 in renal cell carcinoma angiogenesis
Authors: Hui Ke , Yue Yangyang , Wu Shiqi , Gu Yanan , Guan Bing , Wang Xinyang , Hsieh Jer-Tsong , Chang Luke S. , He Dalin , Wu Kaijie 
Published: August 2018

AbstractPatients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC) often develop resistance to antivascular drugs and eventually succumb to disease. However, the underlying molecular mechanism remains poorly understood. In this study, we demonstrated that RASAL2, a RAS GTPase-activating protein, played a tumor-suppressive role in RCC by targeting tumor angiogenesis. Firstly, we showed that RASAL2 was frequently epigenetically silenced in RCC, and its loss was negatively correlated with overall survival of RCC patients. Furthermore, we discovered that RASAL2 could inhibit RCC angiogenesis in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, we identified that RASAL2 could activate GSK3β by reducing Ser9 phosphorylation and subsequently decrease the expression of c-FOS and vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA). Interruption of the p-GSK3β/c-FOS pathway with the specific inhibitor or small interfering RNA could reverse the expression of VEGFA, which may provide a new insight to prevent RCC from resistance to antivascular therapy.
PDI-mediated S-nitrosylation of DRP1 facilitates DRP1-S616 phosphorylation and mitochondrial fission in CA1 neurons
Authors: Lee Duk-shin , Kim Ji-Eun 
Published: August 2018

AbstractDynamin-related protein 1 (DRP1) is a key molecule to regulate mitochondrial fission. DRP1 activity is modulated by phosphorylation and S-nitrosylation on serine and cysteine residues, respectively. However, it is still unexplored whether S-nitrosylation of DRP1 affects its phosphorylation. In the present study, we found that Nω-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester hydrochloride (l-NAME, a NOS inhibitor) abolished S-nitrosylated (SNO-DRP1) and DRP1-serine (S) 616 phosphorylation levels in CA1 neurons under physiological condition. l-NAME led to mitochondrial elongation. In spite of the sustained NO synthesis, status epilepticus (a prolonged seizure activity, SE) diminished SNO-DRP1 and DRP1-S616 levels in CA1 neurons, accompanied by the reduced protein disulfide isomerase (PDI) expression and mitochondrial elongation. SE did not influence thioredoxin 1 (Trx1, a denitrosylating enzyme) activity, which was unaffected by l-NAME under physiological and post-SE condition. PDI knockdown decreased SNO-DRP1 and DRP1-S616 levels concomitant with mitochondrial elongation in CA1 neurons without altered NO synthesis under physiological condition. These findings indicate that PDI may be a NO donor of DRP1 to regulate DRP1-S616 phosphorylation, independent of Trx1 activity. Therefore, we suggest that PDI-mediated S-nitrosylation of DRP1 may be one of the major regulatory modifications for mitochondrial dynamics.