Tropical tropospheric responses to a sudden stratospheric warming (SSW) event that occurred over Antarctica in September 2019 have been investigated by conducting a series of ensemble forecast ...experiments. Comparative examinations between the normal forecast and the partially nudged forecast, whose stratospheric circulation is constrained to a reanalysis, reveal a significant enhancement/suppression in the convective activity (upwelling/downwelling) over the northern/southern part of the tropics. Such an acceleration of the Hadley circulation is set up by thermal structural changes in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere. The tropical cooling caused by the enhanced Brewer‐Dobson circulation destabilizes the environment there and stimulates deep cumulus convections. In this case, the southern area of the Asian monsoon region is particularly sensitive. Although details of the triggered response depend on the adopted cumulus parameterization scheme, a boosting tendency of the convective upwelling via the SSW is robust.
Plain Language Summary
A rare Antarctic sudden stratospheric warming (SSW) event that occurred in September 2019 provides an opportunity to investigate its impact on convective activity in the tropics. By comparing the normal forecast and a “perfect stratosphere” forecast, this study confirmed the robust influence of the SSW on the cumulus convection over the Northern Hemisphere tropics. In other words, the Antarctic SSW could enhance the probability of extreme weather in boreal summer to early autumn, including the genesis and development of tropical cyclones. Therefore, this process of the teleconnection between the Antarctic stratosphere and the tropical troposphere has the potential to be a valuable source of extended‐range predictability in practical seasonal forecasts.
Key Points
Enhancement in the tropical convective activity during the 2019 Antarctic sudden warming is confirmed by ensemble nudging integrations
Enhanced Brewer‐Dobson circulation is linked to Hadley cells via thermal structure changes in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere
For certain parameterizations, the large stratospheric effect is observed in cumulus convections at the south of the Asian monsoon zone
Genotyping graft livers by short tandem repeats after human living-donor liver transplantation (n = 20) revealed the presence of recipient or chimeric genotype cases in hepatocytes (6 of 17, 35.3%), ...sinusoidal cells (18 of 18, 100%), cholangiocytes (15 of 17, 88.2%) and cells in the periportal areas (7 of 8, 87.5%), suggesting extrahepatic cell involvement in liver regeneration. Regarding extrahepatic origin, bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) have been suggested to contribute to liver regeneration but compose a heterogeneous population. We focused on a more specific subpopulation (1–2% of BM-MSCs), called multilineage-differentiating stress-enduring (Muse) cells, for their ability to differentiate into liver-lineage cells and repair tissue. We generated a physical partial hepatectomy model in immunodeficient mice and injected green fluorescent protein (GFP)-labeled human BM-MSC Muse cells intravenously (n = 20). Immunohistochemistry, fluorescence in situ hybridization and species-specific polymerase chain reaction revealed that they integrated into regenerating areas and expressed liver progenitor markers during the early phase and then differentiated spontaneously into major liver components, including hepatocytes (≈74.3% of GFP-positive integrated Muse cells), cholangiocytes (≈17.7%), sinusoidal endothelial cells (≈2.0%), and Kupffer cells (≈6.0%). In contrast, the remaining cells in the BM-MSCs were not detected in the liver for up to 4 weeks. These results suggest that Muse cells are the predominant population of BM-MSCs that are capable of replacing major liver components during liver regeneration.
We present new large field observations of molecular clouds with NANTEN2 toward the super star cluster NGC 3603 in the transitions super(12)CO(J = 2-1, J = 1-0) and super(13)CO(J = 2-1, J = 1-0). We ...suggest that two molecular clouds at 13 km s super(-1) and 28 km s super(-1) are associated with NGC 3603 as evidenced by higher temperatures toward the H II region, as well as morphological correspondence. The mass of the clouds is too small to gravitationally bind them, given their relative motion of ~20 km s super(-1). We suggest that the two clouds collided with each other 1 Myr ago to trigger the formation of the super star cluster. This scenario is able to explain the origin of the highest mass stellar population in the cluster, which is as young as 1 Myr and is segregated within the central sub-pc of the cluster. This is the second super star cluster along with Westerlund 2 where formation may have been triggered by a cloud-cloud collision.
We developed a segmented reactor-antineutrino detector made of plastic scintillators for application as a tool in nuclear safeguards inspection and performed mostly unmanned field operations at a ...commercial power plant reactor. At a position outside the reactor building, we measured the difference in reactor antineutrino flux above the ground when the reactor was active and inactive.
This study analyzes the change in the sense of food safety over time, from 2 years before to 8 years after the Fukushima accident in 2011, and its association with social connectedness using cohort ...data, taking into account regional differences in Fukushima Prefecture.
Repeated cross-sectional data from Fukushima Prefectural Government from 2009 to 2018 were used.
We randomly selected 1300 people every fiscal year (FY). The survey gathered data on age, gender, occupation, residential region, and the explanatory variables ‘sense of social connectedness’ and ‘recovery-related information source’ (information source). The prefecture was divided into three regions for the survey—Hamadori region, where the nuclear power plant is located, Nakadori region, where the air dose rate after the earthquake was high, and in Aizu, far from the nuclear power station but has suffered from harmful rumors.
Focusing on FY 2014, when the sense of safety first showed recovery, we performed a binominal logistic regression analysis with ‘sense of safety’ as the outcome and ‘sense of social connectedness’ and ‘information source’ as the explanatory variables. The sense of safety significantly decreased in all regions in 2011 relative to earlier years. The sense of food safety decreased markedly in Hamadori and Nakadori but started to improve 3 years after the earthquake and reached the pre-earthquake level in 2018. The effect sizes were larger in the Hamadori region and in Nakadori than in Aizu. In FY 2014, multivariate analysis found that a sense of food safety was significantly positively associated with a sense of social connectedness, whereas the use of information from newspapers and TV and word of mouth was negatively associated.
Although the recovery of a sense of food safety may take some time, a focus on social connectedness during recovery and scrutiny of information sources may facilitate recovery. Health communication has an important role when the provider sends information intelligibly and the recipient can distinguish good news from bad and link it to self-determination. It is necessary to improve literacy.
Summary Objective To investigate whether higher daily cumulative hip moment at baseline is associated with subsequent radiographic progression of hip osteoarthritis (OA) over 12 months. Design Fifty ...patients with secondary hip OA, excluding patients with end-stage hip OA, participated in this prospective cohort study. Joint space width (JSW) of the hip was measured at baseline and 12 months later. With radiographic progression of hip OA (>0.5 mm/year in JSW) as dependent variable (yes/no), univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to assess the association between load-related parameters during gait (i.e., peak hip moment, hip moment impulse, and daily cumulative hip moment product of hip moment impulse and mean steps/day) and hip OA progression with and without adjustment for age, body weight, and minimum JSW. Results Of the 50 patients (47.4 ± 10.7 years old), 21 (42.0%) were classified into the progression group. The higher daily cumulative hip moment in the frontal plane at baseline was statistically significantly associated with radiographic progression of hip OA (adjusted OR 95% CI, 1.34 1.06–1.70; P = 0.013). The higher daily cumulative hip moment in the sagittal plane was also approaching significance in its association with hip OA progression (adjusted OR, 1.80 0.99–3.26; P = 0.052). Conclusions In the female patients with secondary hip OA, higher daily cumulative hip moment, particularly in the frontal plane, was a predictor of radiographic progression of hip OA over 12 months. Reduction in daily cumulative hip moment by modification in gait and physical activity may potentially slow hip OA progression.
The purpose of the article was to explore the application and interpretation of indigenous stories introduced in 2015–2017 in relation to the identity and leadership (well-being elements) of players ...and coaches of a men's provincial rugby team in Aotearoa/New Zealand (NZ).
The study utilised a Kaupapa Māori case study approach and indigenous forms of storytelling (pūrākau, whakataukī) to encourage participants to share their narratives and experiences of how the inclusion of Māori knowledge in a team context influenced their sense of identity and leadership and thus well-being on and off the field.
Semi-structured, one-on-one, interviews alongside focus group discussions generated the data (narratives) collected. Data were thematically analysed, utilising aspects of an indigenous model of Health Promotion known as Te Pae Māhutonga. Specifically, the cultural identity affirmation (Mauri Ora) and leadership (Ngā Manukura) elements were illustrated as these were applicable to high performance sport contexts.
Analysis revealed that the team narrative, values and expectations were enhanced by embracing Māori stories (pūrākau) and symbols. In particular, this enhanced the cultural identity, sense of belonging, leadership and well-being of a number of team members on and off-field. Neither the players nor coaches disclosed any negative impacts to their well-being from incorporating indigenous storytelling (pūrākau, whakataukī) into their team building practices and culture.
Sport-related research and practices that are informed by indigenous knowledge and values can benefit the well-being of indigenous people (in this case Māori), collectives (rugby team) and individuals (researchers, players and coaches). Further research exploring how indigenous knowledge is integrated into sport-related contexts is needed to understand whether the well-being of a wider range of teams and individuals (women, non-indigenous) may benefit from the inclusion of indigenous knowledge, values and practices.
•New and novel research (building upon the existing scholarship).•Kaupapa Māori methods (indigenous research methods; pūrākau).•Introduces new innovations into ethno-cultural inclusion in sport (Rugby).•Provides recent, specific, examples of the impact this has upon holistic well-being.•Discusses the impact that these practices could have for settings outside rugby/sport.•Responsive to calls from the field for empirical and theoretical research to include the often silenced voices.
The observational impacts of satellite data assimilation on extended‐range forecasts of sudden stratospheric warmings (SSWs) are investigated by conducting ensemble forecast experiments. We use two ...Japanese novel reanalysis products: the Japanese 55‐year reanalysis (JRA‐55) and its subset that assimilates conventional observations only (JRA‐55C). A comparative examination on the reproducibility for SSWs between the two ensemble forecasts reveals that the impact of satellite observations is significant for forecasts starting 5 days before the SSW onset, with 20% less accuracy in the JRA‐55C forecasts. Moreover, some of forecasts of vortex‐splitting SSWs show a sudden appearance of deep difference, which lasts over a few months in the lower stratosphere and significantly affects the surface climate. These results highlight an important role of mesospheric and upper stratospheric circulations on the onset and development of SSWs.
Plain Language Summary
Satellite observations are valuable for producing initial conditions for numerical weather prediction (NWP) systems, especially over the upper stratosphere that typical upper‐air observations cannot cover. However, many NWP models suffer from biases associated with unresolved processes. This study explores how the NWP system benefited from satellite data in forecasting the breakdown events of stratospheric polar vortexes/sudden stratospheric warmings (SSWs) by making many forecasts from typical initial conditions, both with and without satellite data. Due to unresolved bias over the upper stratosphere, some forecasts from no‐satellite initial conditions miss the onset of SSWs and subsequent anomalous tropospheric conditions. Thus, the deteriorated grasp of the upper atmosphere in the absence of satellite observations degrades the deterministic predictability of extreme stratospheric events and following downward‐propagating signals.
Key Points
Mesospheric and upper stratospheric initial conditions play an important role in forecasting the onset and development of sudden warmings
The 5‐day lead capture rate of the onset of major sudden stratospheric warmings degrades about 20% if satellite data are not assimilated
The absence of satellite observations could also affect the extended‐range forecast skill related to downward‐propagating signals
Pim-2 kinase is overexpressed in multiple myeloma (MM) cells to enhance their growth and survival, and regarded as a novel therapeutic target in MM. However, the impact of Pim-2 inhibition on bone ...disease in MM remains unknown. We demonstrated here that Pim-2 expression was also upregulated in bone marrow stromal cells and MC3T3-E1 preosteoblastic cells in the presence of cytokines known as the inhibitors of osteoblastogenesis in MM, including interleukin-3 (IL-3), IL-7, tumor necrosis factor-α, transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) and activin A, as well as MM cell conditioned media. The enforced expression of Pim-2 abrogated in vitro osteoblastogenesis by BMP-2, which suggested Pim-2 as a negative regulator for osteoblastogenesis. Treatment with Pim-2 short-interference RNA as well as the Pim inhibitor SMI-16a successfully restored osteoblastogenesis suppressed by all the above inhibitory factors and MM cells. The SMI-16a treatment potentiated BMP-2-mediated anabolic signaling while suppressing TGF-β signaling. Furthermore, treatment with the newly synthesized thiazolidine-2,4-dione congener, 12a-OH, as well as its prototypic SMI-16a effectively prevented bone destruction while suppressing MM tumor growth in MM animal models. Thus, Pim-2 may have a pivotal role in tumor progression and bone loss in MM, and Pim-2 inhibition may become an important therapeutic strategy to target the MM cell-bone marrow interaction.
PDF
