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This study introduces a novel diagnostic method to assess tropical atmosphere‐ocean coupling, using a two‐dimensional plane defined by the 90‐day high‐pass‐filtered sea surface temperature (SST) and column water vapor (CWV). The method was applied to reanalysis data and high‐resolution coupled atmosphere‐ocean simulation data. In the Indo–Pacific warm pool region, the phase relationship between SST and CWV remained consistent across both reanalysis and simulation data sets. However, differences in the temporal evolution of these variables were observed in the central Pacific region. The heat budget analysis results indicate that the differences between the two data sets in the central Pacific are related to variations in the effects of atmospheric disturbances on SST. This study demonstrates the potential of our novel diagnostic method for evaluating atmosphere–ocean coupling in climate models. Plain Language Summary: Weather disturbances in the tropics develop from the interaction between the ocean and the atmosphere. We can use climate models to investigate the impact of this interaction, but we need other methods to evaluate the interaction itself. In this study, we develop a new way to understand how the atmosphere and the ocean interact in the tropics. We achieve this by focusing on changes over time in the sea surface temperature and the amount of water vapor in the air. We found that these changes happen at different rates in different regions of the ocean. We also found that a climate model failed to capture these changes in some regions. Our new method improves our understanding of the atmosphere and ocean interaction and teaches us how to improve climate models. Key Points: A novel analysis method was developed to illustrate regional differences in the atmosphere‐ocean coupling across tropical oceansThe application of this diagnostic method to the reanalysis and coupled model data revealed differences in the central Pacific regionThrough heat budget analysis, we proposed distinct processes by which atmospheric disturbances change the sea surface temperatures [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies the adsorption and desorption of n-alkanethiol monolayers on Au(111) under ultra-high vacuum conditions. Phases involved during growth; Changes in the desorption species at a critical coverage; Explanation of the coverage-dependent change of desorption in term of the difference in the molecule-substrate bonding.

Extratropical cyclones, major contributors to precipitation in the midlatitudes, comprise mesoscale fronts and fine‐scale convective storms. Intense oceanic cyclones pose natural hazards, making reliable projections of their changes with global warming of great interest. Here, we analyze the first ever global climate simulations to resolve such mesoscale dynamics of extratropical cyclones. The present‐day structure, frequency, and precipitation of the oceanic extratropical cyclones compare well with reanalyses and new satellite datasets that resolve the multiscale cloud‐precipitation system. Simulated precipitation from intense oceanic cyclones increases at a rate of 7%/K1, following Clausius‐Clapeyron, with warming. The same scaling is apparent also in the interhemispheric contrast, suggesting that the latter could serve as a predictor of the former. Projected changes in precipitation from intense oceanic cyclones with warming may thus be testable using a reliable global observation network of precipitation in the present day. Plain Language Summary: Precipitation in midlatitudes is strongly governed by extratropical cyclones. Its future change is of great societal concern for adaptation to a warmer world. In this study, we use a new kind of global model and a new satellite dataset to resolve fine‐scale and frontal features of cyclones and their changes with warming. The simulation shows that the amount of precipitation around the intense oceanic cyclones will increase due to global warming, and furthermore, the rate of precipitation change around the intense oceanic cyclones is closely related to the precipitation contrast between the northern and southern hemispheres in the present climate. This suggests that the future precipitation change associated with intense oceanic cyclones could be inferred from the difference between the northern and southern hemispheres in the present climate. Key Points: The first global climate simulations to explicitly represent the mesoscale dynamics of extratropical cyclones are analyzedPrecipitation from intense cyclones scales with temperatures across hemispheres and with global warming following Clausius‐ClapeyronProjected change in precipitation from intense cyclones may thus be testable using global observations of precipitation in the present day [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extreme El Niño events affect the number of intense tropical cyclones (ITCs) over the western North Pacific (WNP). In 1997 and 2015, both extreme El Niño years, ITC numbers were above normal in the WNP. In order to clarify how, and to what extent, sea surface temperature anomaly (SSTA) distributions control the ITCs genesis, the authors conducted 50‐member ensemble simulations using a high‐resolution global nonhydrostatic model that explicitly simulates ITCs. The ensemble simulations showed a clear relationship between the number of ITCs and their genesis locations in the WNP. However, the authors found that the simulated numbers of ITCs in the WNP were also closely related to the strength of the monsoon trough, which varies under given SSTA conditions. This indicates that reliable seasonal forecasting of ITCs depends on our ability to accurately reproduce the monsoon trough, whose strength is modulated mainly by internal atmospheric variability but also by SSTA. Plain Language Summary: Tropical cyclone has a potential to cause great loss of life and damage to infrastructure. Accurate prediction of tropical cyclone activity can reduce these loss and damage. However, deterministic prediction of tropical cyclone is difficult. Development of tropical cyclones is affected by sea surface temperature and its geographical distribution (e.g., El Niño). To evaluate variability of intense tropical cyclone activity, we conducted 50‐member simulations under an identical sea surface temperature condition. Although the simulation shows the number of intense tropical cyclones differs among members despite the identical sea surface condition, the number is strongly related to the atmospheric response to the sea surface temperature. Over the western North Pacific, the monsoon trough is strongly contributing to tropical cyclone genesis and its genesis location. The simulated number was correlated with the strength of westerly wind associated with the monsoon trough. The response of the monsoon trough to the sea surface temperature itself also shows variations. However, the response was partially predictable by the sea surface temperature. This study shows that the reproducibility of the monsoon trough plays a key role in reliable seasonal forecasting of intense tropical cyclones. Key Points: Fifty‐member ensemble simulations of 1997 and 2015 assessed the impact of El Niño on intense tropical cyclones in the western North PacificThe intense tropical cyclone numbers substantially varied among ensemble members, despite their use of identical sea surface temperatureThe strength of westerly wind associated with the monsoon trough played a key role in predicting the number of intense tropical cyclones [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We demonstrate terahertz (THz) split-ring resonator (SRR) designs with incorporated germanium telluride (GeTe) thin films. GeTe is a chalcogenide that undergoes a nonvolatile phase change from the amorphous to crystalline state at approximately 200 °C, depending on the film thickness and stoichiometry. The phase change also causes a drop in the material's resistivity by six orders of magnitude. In this study, two GeTe-incorporated SRR designs were investigated. The first was an SRR made entirely out of GeTe and the second was a gold SRR structure with a GeTe film incorporated into the gap region of the split ring. These devices were characterized using THz time-domain spectroscopy and were heated in-situ to determine the change in the design operation with varying temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We demonstrate improved terahertz (THz) modulation using thermally crystallized germanium telluride (GeTe) thin films. GeTe is a chalcogenide material that exhibits a nonvolatile, amorphous to crystalline phase change at approximately 200 °C, as well as six orders of magnitude decreased electrical resistivity. In this study, amorphous GeTe thin films were sputtered on sapphire substrates and then tested using THz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS). The test samples, heated in-situ while collecting THz-TDS measurements, exhibited a gradual absorbance increase, an abrupt nonvolatile reduction at the transition temperature, followed by another gradual increase in absorbance. The transition temperature was verified by conducting similar thermal tests while monitoring electrical resistivity. THz transmittance modulation data were investigated between 10 and 110 cm-1 (0.3-3.3 THz). A peak modulation of approximately 99% was achieved at 2.3 THz with a 100 nm GeTe film on a sapphire substrate. After isolating the sapphire and the crystalline GeTe (c-GeTe) absorbance contributions, the results showed THz modulations ranging from 88.5% to 91.5% that were attributed solely to the single layer of transitioned c-GeTe. These results strongly motivate using GeTe or other chalcogenide thin films in THz modulators, filters, and metamaterial applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We demonstrate improved terahertz (THz) modulation using thermally crystallized germanium telluride (GeTe) thin films. GeTe is a chalcogenide material that exhibits a nonvolatile, amorphous to crystalline phase change at approximately 200 °C, as well as six orders of magnitude decreased electrical resistivity. In this study, amorphous GeTe thin films were sputtered on sapphire substrates and then tested using THz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS). The test samples, heated in-situ while collecting THz-TDS measurements, exhibited a gradual absorbance increase, an abrupt nonvolatile reduction at the transition temperature, followed by another gradual increase in absorbance. The transition temperature was verified by conducting similar thermal tests while monitoring electrical resistivity. THz transmittance modulation data were investigated between 10 and 110 cm-1 (0.3-3.3 THz). A peak modulation of approximately 99% was achieved at 2.3 THz with a 100 nm GeTe film on a sapphire substrate. After isolating the sapphire and the crystalline GeTe (c-GeTe) absorbance contributions, the results showed THz modulations ranging from 88.5% to 91.5% that were attributed solely to the single layer of transitioned c-GeTe. These results strongly motivate using GeTe or other chalcogenide thin films in THz modulators, filters, and metamaterial applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We conducted a randomized double-blind trial to evaluate the effects of fermented milk produced using only Lactococcus lactis strain H61 as a starter bacterium (H61-fermented milk) on the general health and various skin properties of young women. Healthy female volunteers (n = 23; age = 19-21 r) received H61-fermented milk (1010 cfu of strain H61/d) or conventional yogurt (1010 cfu of both Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus per day), as a reference food, daily for 4 wk. Before and at the end of 4 wk, blood samples were taken, and skin hydration (inner forearms and cheek) and melanin content, elasticity, and sebum content (cheek only) were measured. Skin hydration at the inner forearm was higher at wk 4 than at wk 0 in both groups. Sebum content in cheek rose significantly after intervention in the H61-fermented milk group, but not the conventional yogurt group. Other skin parameters did not differ in either group. Serum analysis showed that total protein concentration and platelet count were elevated and reactive oxygen species decreased in both groups after the intervention. Although H61-fermented milk and conventional yogurt had similar effects on skin status and some blood characteristics of participants, an increase of sebum content in cheek is preferable to H61-fermented milk. As skin lipids contribute to maintaining the skin barrier, H61-fermented milk would provide beneficial effects on skin for young women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Data from global high-resolution, nonhydrostatic simulations, covering a 1-yr period and with horizontal grid sizes of 7 and 14 km, were analyzed to evaluate the response of high cloud to global warming. The results indicate that, in a warmer atmosphere, high-cloud cover increases robustly and associated longwave (LW) cloud radiative forcing (CRF) increases on average. To develop a better understanding of high-cloud responses to climate change, the geographical distribution of high-cloud size obtained from the model was analyzed and compared with observations. In warmer atmospheres, the contribution per cloud to CRF decreases for both the LW and shortwave (SW) components. However, because of significant increases in the numbers of high clouds in almost all cloud size categories, the magnitude of both LW and SW CRF increases in the simulations. In particular, the contribution from an increase in the number of smaller clouds has more effect on the CRF change. It was also found that the ice and liquid water paths decrease in smaller clouds and that particularly the former contributes to reduced LW CRF per high cloud. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Project Athena is an international collaboration testing the efficacy of high-resolution global climate models. We compare results from 7-km mesh experiments of the Nonhydrostatic Icosahedral Atmospheric Model (NICAM) and 10-km mesh experiments of the Integrated Forecast System (IFS), focusing on the Intra-Seasonal Oscillation (ISO) and its relationship with tropical cyclones (TC) among the boreal summer period (21 May-31 Aug) of 8 years (2001-2002, 2004-2009). In the first month of simulation, both models capture the intra-seasonal oscillatory behavior of the Indian monsoon similar to the observed boreal summer ISO in approximately half of the 8-year samples. The IFS simulates the NW-SE-oriented rainband and the westerly location better, while NICAM marginally reproduces mesoscale organized convective systems and better simulates the northward migration of the westerly peak and precipitation, particularly in 2006. The reproducibility of the evolution of MJO depends on the given year; IFS simulates the MJO signal well for 2002, while NICAM simulates it well for 2006. An empirical orthogonal function analysis shows that both models statistically reproduce MJO signals similar to observations, with slightly better phase speed reproduced by NICAM. Stronger TCs are simulated in NICAM than in IFS, and NICAM shows a wind-pressure relation for TCs closer to observations. TC cyclogenesis is active during MJO phases 3 and 4 in NICAM as in observations. The results show the potential of high-resolution global atmospheric models in reproducing some aspects of the relationship between MJO and TCs and the statistical behavior of TCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the association between delusions and cerebral functional deficits in Alzheimer's disease (AD), we evaluated probable AD patients with and without delusions. METHODS: Functional brain imaging was performed by single photon emission computed tomography with technetium-99m-labeled ethyl cysteinate dimer (99mTc-ECD) in 64 AD patients and 76 age-matched normal healthy volunteers. SPECT data were analyzed by statistical parametric mapping. RESULTS: In AD patients, no differences were found in age and cognitive activities between those with (n = 25) and without (n = 39) delusions. Compared with normal healthy volunteers, AD patients had significantly decreased perfusion in the posterior cingulate gyri, precunei, and parietal association cortex. Moreover, in the patients with delusions, perfusion was significantly decreased in the frontal lobe with right side dominance. In the comparison between the patients with and without delusions, the patients with delusions had significantly decreased perfusion in the prefrontal cortex, anterior cingulate gyri, inferior to middle temporal cortices, and parietal cortex of the right hemisphere (p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: The functional deficits in the right hemisphere may be the cause of delusions in AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The variant form of Fabry's disease, called cardiac Fabry's disease, which has left ventricular hypertrophy as its main clinical manifestation is not uncommon. Because there has been no pedigree analysis in families with cardiac Fabry's disease, we performed gene analyses, enzyme assays, and cardiac evaluations in 3 distinct families with cardiac Fabry's disease. Gene analyses were performed in all 18 members of 3 families including 3 male probands. Five hemizygotes and 6 heterozygotes were identified. Plasma alpha-galactosidase A activity was measured in all 18 family members. Echocardiography and electrocardiography were performed in the 5 hemizygotes and in 5 of the 6 heterozygotes. The proband and 3 heterozygotes from a pedigree with a mutation in exon 6 of the alpha-galactosidase A sequence leading to a Met296Ile substitution showed a decrease in alpha-galactosidase A activity. In a separate pedigree, a proband and his hemizygous brother, with a mutation in exon 2 leading to a Glu66Gln substitution, had a decrease in alpha-galactosidase A activity, whereas 3 heterozygotes had normal values. In the third pedigree, a decrease in alpha-galactosidase A activity was observed in 2 hemizygotes who have a mutation in exon 1 leading to an Ala2OPro substitution. Although all 5 hemizygotes exhibited left ventricular hypertrophy on echocardiography, all 5 heterozygotes lacked this finding. Because plasma alpha-galactosidase A activity was normal in some heterozygotes with cardiac Fabry's disease, gene analysis is essential for an accurate diagnosis. Patients with cardiac Fabry's disease thus show an x-linked form of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]