Search

This study examines the linkages between the upper-ocean (0–200 m) oxygen (O2) content and stratification in the North Pacific Ocean using four Earth system models (ESMs), an ocean hindcast simulation, and an ocean reanalysis. The trends and variability in oceanic O2 content are driven by the imbalance between physical supply and biological demand. Physical supply is primarily controlled by ocean ventilation, which is responsible for the transport of O2-rich surface waters to the subsurface. Isopycnic potential vorticity (IPV), a quasi-conservative tracer proportional to density stratification that can be evaluated from temperature and salinity measurements, is used herein as a dynamical proxy for ocean ventilation. The predictability potential of the IPV field is evaluated through its information entropy. The results highlight a strong O2–IPV connection and somewhat higher (as compared to the rest of the basin) predictability potential for IPV across the tropical Pacific, where the El Niño–Southern Oscillation occurs. This pattern of higher predictability and strong anticorrelation between O2 and stratification is robust across multiple models and datasets. In contrast, IPV at mid-latitudes has low predictability potential and its center of action differs from that of O2. In addition, the locations of extreme events or hotspots may or may not differ between the two fields, with a strong model dependency, which persists in future projections. On the one hand, these results suggest that it may be possible to monitor ocean O2 in the tropical Pacific based on a few observational sites co-located with the more abundant IPV measurements; on the other, they lead us to question the robustness of the IPV–O2 relationship in the extratropics. The proposed framework helps to characterize and interpret O2 variability in relation to physical variability and may be especially useful in the analysis of new observation-based data products derived from the BGC-Argo float array in combination with the traditional but far more abundant Argo data.

Observations and models indicate that climate warming is associated with the loss of dissolved oxygen from the ocean. Dissolved oxygen is a fundamental requirement for heterotrophic marine organisms (except marine mammals) and, since the basal metabolism of ectotherms increases with temperature, warming increases organisms' oxygen demands. Therefore, warming and deoxygenation pose a compound threat to marine ecosystems. In this study, we leverage an ecophysiological framework and a compilation of empirical trait data quantifying the temperature sensitivity and oxygen requirements of metabolic rates for a range of marine species (“ecotypes”). Using the Community Earth System Model Large Ensemble, we investigate how natural climate variability and anthropogenic forcing impact the ability of marine environments to support aerobic metabolisms on interannual to multi-decadal timescales. Warming and deoxygenation projected over the next several decades will yield a reduction in the volume of viable ocean habitats. We find that fluctuations in temperature and oxygen associated with natural variability are distinct from those associated with anthropogenic forcing in the upper ocean. Further, the joint temperature–oxygen anthropogenic signal emerges sooner than temperature and oxygen independently from natural variability. Our results demonstrate that anthropogenic perturbations underway in the ocean will strongly exceed those associated with the natural system; in many regions, organisms will be pushed closer to or beyond their physiological limits, leaving the ecosystem more vulnerable to extreme temperature–oxygen events.

The molten salt synthesis has recently opened up new opportunities to functionalize two-dimensional MXenes with uniform halogen terminations. In this work, we synthesize Nb2CCl2 MXenes by etching the Al layer from the Nb2AlC precursor in the melt of CuCl2 Lewis acid. In Cl-terminated MXenes, intercalation of water is negligible, so that MXenes get closer to ideal, ordered van der Waals solids. We identify the preferential atomic stacking arrangement, which is of the AB type, as opposed to the AA stack assumed in previous works. We combine X-ray absorption near edge spectroscopy with density functional theory to clarify the local chemical environment of Cl atoms. Using vibrating sample magnetometry and specific heat measurements, we confirm that Nb2CCl2 MXenes are superconducting with a transition temperature of 6.0 K and find a Debye temperature of 320 K. We further show that the transition temperature slightly decreases with applied isostatic pressure.

The global ocean's oxygen content has declined significantly over the past several decades and is expected to continue decreasing under global warming, with far-reaching impacts on marine ecosystems and biogeochemical cycling. Determining the oxygen trend, its spatial pattern, and uncertainties from observations is fundamental to our understanding of the changing ocean environment. This study uses a suite of CMIP6 Earth system models to evaluate the biases and uncertainties in oxygen distribution and trends due to sampling sparseness. Model outputs are sub-sampled according to the spatial and temporal distribution of the historical shipboard measurements, and the data gaps are filled by a simple optimal interpolation method using Gaussian covariance with a constant e-folding length scale. Sub-sampled results are compared to full model output, revealing the biases in global and basin-wise oxygen content trends. The simple optimal interpolation underestimates the modeled global deoxygenation trends, capturing approximately two-thirds of the full model trends. The North Atlantic and subpolar North Pacific are relatively well sampled, and the simple optimal interpolation is capable of reconstructing more than 80 % of the oxygen trend in the non-eddying CMIP models. In contrast, pronounced biases are found in the equatorial oceans and the Southern Ocean, where the sampling density is relatively low. The application of the simple optimal interpolation method to the historical dataset estimated the global oxygen loss to be 1.5 % over the past 50 years. However, the ratio of the global oxygen trend between the sub-sampled and full model output has increased the estimated loss rate in the range of 1.7 % to 3.1 % over the past 50 years, which partially overlaps with previous studies. The approach taken in this study can provide a framework for the intercomparison of different statistical gap-filling methods to estimate oxygen content trends and their uncertainties due to sampling sparseness.

Introduction In ESCAPE-TRD esketamine nasal spray (ESK-NS) significantly increased the probability of achieving remission at Week (Wk) 8 and being relapse‑free through Wk32 after remission at Wk8 versus (vs) quetiapine extended release (Q-XR) in patients (pts) with treatment resistant depression (TRD) (Reif et al. DGPPN 2022; P-01-04). We report ESK-NS vs Q-XR effects on pt-reported health-related quality of life (HRQoL) over 32 wks. Objectives Evaluate pt-reported HRQoL using the generic 36-item Short-Form Health Survey version 2 (SF-36v2, 4-wk recall, 2009 US population norms) in ESCAPE-TRD. Methods ESCAPE‑TRD (NCT04338321) was a randomised phase IIIb trial comparing the efficacy of ESK-NS vs Q-XR, both alongside an ongoing selective serotonin/serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor, in pts with TRD. SF-36v2 was assessed every 4 wks (on-treatment and retrieved dropout visits). Domain scores and change from baseline (CfB) were analysed using a mixed model for repeated measures (MMRM; observed cases) adjusted for age, prior treatment failures, baseline score. Higher scores indicate better HRQoL. P values were not adjusted for multiple testing. Results 336 and 340 pts were randomised to ESK-NS and Q-XR. Baseline domain scores were below general population norms and lowest in Role Emotional, Mental Health and Social Functioning ( Figure 1A). All scores improved to Wk32 in both arms ( Figure 1B). At Wk4, CfB was significantly higher (better HRQoL) with ESK-NS vs Q-XR across domains (all p

Holography recreates both the amplitude and wave front of a three dimensional object, meaning that the observer perceives the image in the nearly same way as they would the true object. Creating such holographic images is challenging computationally, and requires extremely fast display update. Here, the authors combine a fast memoryless computation algorithm with the ultra-rapid writing based on all-optical switching of a ferrimagnetic film.

Introduction Treatment resistant depression (TRD) is estimated to affect 10–30% of patients with major depressive disorder (Al‑Harbi et al. Patient Prefer Adherence 2012; 6 369–88). Esketamine nasal spray (NS), in combination with a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) or serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI), increases remission and response rates in patients with TRD compared with placebo plus SSRI/SNRI (Popova et al. Am J Psychiatry 2019; 176 428–38). ESCAPE-TRD (NCT04338321) is the first randomised clinical trial to compare esketamine NS to quetiapine extended-release (XR), an antipsychotic augmentation therapy for patients with TRD. Objectives To explore the efficacy and safety of esketamine NS compared with quetiapine XR in TRD over 32 weeks (wks). Methods In the ESCAPE-TRD phase IIIb open-label, rater-blinded trial, patients were randomised 1:1 to esketamine NS (56/84 mg; twice per wk, weekly or every 2 wks) or quetiapine XR (150–300 mg daily) both in combination with an ongoing SSRI/SNRI. Remission (Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale [MADRS] total score of ≤10) and response (≥50% improvement in MADRS total score from baseline or MADRS≤10) rates were analysed over time using last observation carried forward. MADRS change from baseline was analysed using Mixed Models for Repeated Measures (MMRM). The most common adverse events (AEs) leading to discontinuation are reported for patients who received ≥1 dose of study medication. Results At baseline, 336 patients were randomised to esketamine NS and 340 to quetiapine XR. A significantly higher percentage of patients in the esketamine NS group achieved remission (at each visit from Wk6 [p=0.008] onward) and response (at each visit from Day 15 [p

Hall transport and non-collinear magnetoresistance (NCMR) are studied for a chiral antiferromagnet (AFM) with the filled β-Mn-type structure. Magnetic and transport properties of epitaxial thin films of Co2−xPdxMo3N revealed that, in addition to a canted antiferromagnetic behavior above room temperature, thin films with x = 1.01∼1.38 exhibited a transition to a spin spiral state with a higher magnetic moment below TSR of around 50 K, which was assigned to a spin reorientation transition. The low-temperature phase shows both large anomalous Hall effect (AHE) and topological Hall effect (THE). Upon the transition to the canted AFM phase existing up to room temperature, the large AHE still persists with vanishing THE. The behavior of the Hall transport properties coupled with NCMR signals in the current-perpendicular-to-the plane configuration shows the formation of topological spin textures with locally antiferromagnetic order. The present results open the way for the study of topological antiferromagnetic spin textures, manipulation of their properties, and for future spintronic applications.

Western boundary currents act as transport pathways for nutrient-rich waters from low to high latitudes (nutrient streams) and are responsible for maintaining midlatitude and high-latitude productivity in the North Atlantic and North Pacific. This study investigates the centennial oxygen (O2) and nutrient changes over the Northern Hemisphere in the context of the projected warming and general weakening of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) in a subset of Earth system models included in the CMIP5 catalogue. In all models examined, the Atlantic warms faster than the Pacific Ocean, resulting in a greater basin-scale solubility decrease. However, this thermodynamic tendency is compensated by changes in the biologically driven O2 consumption which dominates the overall O2 budget. These changes are linked to the slowdown of the nutrient stream in this basin, in response to the AMOC weakening. The North Atlantic resists the warming-induced deoxygenation due to the weakened biological carbon export and remineralization, leading to higher O2 levels. Conversely, the projected nutrient stream and macronutrient inventory in the North Pacific remain nearly unchanged.

Recently, automatic feeders have become popular for collecting daily feed intake data in the pig industry, making it possible to evaluate genetic effects on feed efficiency and resilience traits, expressed as day-to-day fluctuations in feeding records. This study aimed to understand the influence of genetic factors on feed efficiency traits, including residual intake and BW gain (RIG), and resilience traits, as well as to compare the differences in genetic parameter estimates among three purebred pig breeds. A total of 6 103 pigs from three breeds (Large White: 1 193 pigs, Landrace: 3 010 pigs, and Duroc: 1 900 pigs) were raised in a specific pathogen-free environment. The growth and feed intake records during the testing period were obtained using automatic feeders, and the average daily gain (ADG) and average feed intake (AFI) were calculated. Feed conversion ratio (FCR), residual feed intake (RFI), residual gain, and RIG were calculated as feed efficiency traits, and the log-transformed variance of deviation for the daily feed intake (LnVar_FI), daily occupation time (LnVar_OC), and the daily number of visits to the feeder (LnVar_VT) was calculated as resilience traits. After estimating the genetic parameters for each breed, a meta-analysis was performed to obtain the weighted mean of heritability estimates (hm2) and genetic correlation estimates (GCm) for the three breeds. The hm2 were moderate and ranged from 0.31 to 0.39 for feed efficiency traits and 0.31 to 0.40 for resilience traits, and there were no significant differences in heritability estimates among the three breeds except for AFI, RFI, and RIG. For feed efficiency traits, the FCR and RIG showed favourably moderate GCm with AFI (0.29 and −0.33, respectively) and ADG (−0.39 and 0.31, respectively). For resilience traits, the LnVar_FI and LnVar_VT showed favourably low to moderate GCm with FCR (0.33 and 0.28, respectively) and RIG (−0.37 and 0.28, respectively), and there were no genetic relationships of LnVar_OC with FCR and RIG (the absolute value of GCm was 0.01). There was no significant difference in the genetic correlation estimates among the three breeds for feed efficiency and resilience traits. Our results suggest that feed efficiency and resilience traits were heritable, and resilience traits showed favourable or no genetic correlation with feed efficiency traits. In addition, the influence of genetic factors on feed efficiency and resilience traits could be the same among breeds.

Understanding the dynamics of cuprates following photoexcitation can provide insights into the complex coupling mechanisms that underlie their exotic equilibrium behaviour. Here the authors use pump-probe reflection spectroscopy to investigate the nonequilibrium spin dynamics of Mott-insulating Nd2CuO4.

The International Fusion Materials Irradiation Facility (IFMIF), presently in the Engineering Validation and Engineering Design Activities (EVEDA) phase was started from 2007 under the frame of the Broader Approach (BA) agreement. In the activities, a prototype Li loop with the world's highest flow rate of 3000L/min was constructed in 2010, and it succeeded in generating a 100mm wide and 25mm thick with a free-surface lithium flow along a concave back plate steadily at a high-speed of 15m/s at 250°C for 1300h. In the demonstration operation it was needed to develop the Li flowing measurement system with precious resolution less than 0.1mm, and a new wave height measuring method which is laser-probe method was developed for measurements of the 3D geometry of the liquid Li target surface. Using the device, the stability of the variation in the Li flowing thickness which is required in the IFMIF specification was ±1mm or less as the liquid Li target, and the result was satisfied with it and the feasibility of the long-term stable liquid Li flow was also verified. The results of the other engineering validation tests such as lithium purification tests of lithium target facility have also been evaluated and summarized.

It is well known that some sinkholes or subsidence take place from time to time in the areas where abandoned room and pillar type mines exist. The author has been involved with the stability of abandoned mines beneath urbanized residential areas in Tokai region and there is a great concern about the stability of these abandoned mines during large earthquakes as well as in the long term. The 2003 Miyagi Hokubu and 2011 Great East Japan earthquakes caused great damage to abandoned mines and resulted in many collapses. The author presents the effect of the depth and groundwater on the formation of sinkholes or ground subsidence associated with abandoned room and pillar lignite mines under static and dynamic conditions and discusses the implications on the areas above abandoned lignite mines in this paper.

The allelic frequency of c.335A>C polymorphisms in the porcine ghrelin/obestatin prepropeptide (GHRL) gene was surveyed among six pig breeds and two subspecies of wild boars. The c.335C was the most frequent allele in Berkshire, Landrace, Large White, Yorkshire, and Clawn miniature pigs and Ryukyu wild boars (Sus scrofa riukiuanus), whereas c.335A was the most frequent allele in Duroc and Meishan pigs and Japanese wild boars (S. s. leucomystax). The association of c.335A>C with performance traits was analyzed in Duroc, Landrace, Large White, and (Landrace × Large White) × Duroc (LWD) cross-bred pigs. No associations between c.335A>C genotype and average daily weight gain, backfat thickness, or intramuscular fat were detected. However, an association was observed between loin eye muscle area (EMA) and c.335A>C genotype in Duroc gilts. The AA genotype group had larger EMA than the AC genotype group in Duroc gilts; however, this association was not significant in Duroc boars and barrows or the other pig populations investigated. These results demonstrate that GHRL c.335A>C is not a major quantitative trait loci candidate on pig chromosome 13 affecting fat deposition.