| 1. |
- Kueppers, Michael, et al.
(author)
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Triple F-a comet nucleus sample return mission
- 2009
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In: Experimental astronomy. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0922-6435 .- 1572-9508. ; 23:3, s. 809-847
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The Triple F (Fresh From the Fridge) mission, a Comet Nucleus Sample Return, has been proposed to ESA's Cosmic Vision program. A sample return from a comet enables us to reach the ultimate goal of cometary research. Since comets are the least processed bodies in the solar system, the proposal goes far beyond cometary science topics (like the explanation of cometary activity) and delivers invaluable information about the formation of the solar system and the interstellar molecular cloud from which it formed. The proposed mission would extract three sample cores of the upper 50 cm from three locations on a cometary nucleus and return them cooled to Earth for analysis in the laboratory. The simple mission concept with a touch-and-go sampling by a single spacecraft was proposed as an M-class mission in collaboration with the Russian space agency ROSCOSMOS.
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| 2. |
- Phillips, Helen R. P., et al.
(author)
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Global distribution of earthworm diversity
- 2019
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In: Science. - : American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). - 0036-8075 .- 1095-9203. ; 366:6464, s. 480-
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Soil organisms, including earthworms, are a key component of terrestrial ecosystems. However, little is known about their diversity, their distribution, and the threats affecting them. We compiled a global dataset of sampled earthworm communities from 6928 sites in 57 countries as a basis for predicting patterns in earthworm diversity, abundance, and biomass. We found that local species richness and abundance typically peaked at higher latitudes, displaying patterns opposite to those observed in aboveground organisms. However, high species dissimilarity across tropical locations may cause diversity across the entirety of the tropics to be higher than elsewhere. Climate variables were found to be more important in shaping earthworm communities than soil properties or habitat cover. These findings suggest that climate change may have serious implications for earthworm communities and for the functions they provide.
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| 3. |
- Potapov, Anton M., et al.
(author)
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Globally invariant metabolism but density-diversity mismatch in springtails
- 2023
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In: Nature Communications. - : Springer Nature. - 2041-1723. ; 14:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Soil life supports the functioning and biodiversity of terrestrial ecosystems. Springtails (Collembola) are among the most abundant soil arthropods regulating soil fertility and flow of energy through above- and belowground food webs. However, the global distribution of springtail diversity and density, and how these relate to energy fluxes remains unknown. Here, using a global dataset representing 2470 sites, we estimate the total soil springtail biomass at 27.5 megatons carbon, which is threefold higher than wild terrestrial vertebrates, and record peak densities up to 2 million individuals per square meter in the tundra. Despite a 20-fold biomass difference between the tundra and the tropics, springtail energy use (community metabolism) remains similar across the latitudinal gradient, owing to the changes in temperature with latitude. Neither springtail density nor community metabolism is predicted by local species richness, which is high in the tropics, but comparably high in some temperate forests and even tundra. Changes in springtail activity may emerge from latitudinal gradients in temperature, predation and resource limitation in soil communities. Contrasting relationships of biomass, diversity and activity of springtail communities with temperature suggest that climate warming will alter fundamental soil biodiversity metrics in different directions, potentially restructuring terrestrial food webs and affecting soil functioning.
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| 4. |
- Prentice, S. J., et al.
(author)
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Investigating the properties of stripped-envelope supernovae; what are the implications for their progenitors?
- 2019
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In: Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0035-8711 .- 1365-2966. ; 485:2, s. 1559-1578
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We present observations and analysis of 18 stripped-envelope supernovae observed during 2013-2018. This sample consists of five H/He-rich SNe, sixH-poor/He-rich SNe, three narrow lined SNe Ic, and four broad lined SNe Ic. The peak luminosity and characteristic time-scales of the bolometric light curves are calculated, and the light curves modelled to derive Ni-56 and ejecta masses (M-Ni and M-cj). Additionally, the temperature evolution and spectral line velocity curves of each SN are examined. Analysis of the [O I] line in the nebular phase of eight SNe suggests their progenitors had initial masses < 20 M-circle dot. The bolometric light curve properties are examined in combination with those of other SE events from the literature. The resulting data set gives the M-ej distribution for 80 SE-SNe, the largest such sample in the literature to date, and shows that SNe Ib have the lowest median M-ej, followed by narrow-lined SNe Ic, H/He-rich SNe, broad-lined SNe Ic, and finally gamma-ray burst SNe. SNe Ic-6/7 show the largest spread of M-ej ranging from similar to 1.2-11 M-circle dot, considerably greater than any other subtype. For all SE-SNe = 2.8 +/- 1.5 M-circle dot which further strengthens the evidence that SE-SNe arise from low-mass progenitors which are typically <5 M-circle dot at the time of explosion, again suggesting M-ZAMS < 25 M-circle dot. The low and lack of clear bimodality in the distribution implies < 30 M-circle dot progenitors and that envelope stripping via binary interaction is the dominant evolutionary pathway of these SNe.
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| 5. |
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| 6. |
- Lopes, Renato D., et al.
(author)
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Highlights from the III International Symposium of Thrombosis and Anticoagulation (ISTA), October 14-16, 2010, Sao Paulo, Brazil
- 2011
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In: Journal of Thrombosis and Thrombolysis. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0929-5305 .- 1573-742X. ; 32:2, s. 242-266
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- To discuss and share knowledge around advances in the care of patients with thrombotic disorders, the Third International Symposium of Thrombosis and Anticoagulation was held in So Paulo, Brazil, from October 14-16, 2010. This scientific program was developed by clinicians for clinicians, and was promoted by four major clinical research institutes: the Brazilian Clinical Research Institute, the Duke Clinical Research Institute of the Duke University School of Medicine, the Canadian VIGOUR Centre, and the Uppsala Clinical Research Center. Comprising 3 days of academic presentations and open discussion, the symposium had as its primary goal to educate, motivate, and inspire internists, cardiologists, hematologists, and other physicians by convening national and international visionaries, thought-leaders, and dedicated clinician-scientists. This paper summarizes the symposium proceedings.
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| 7. |
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| 8. |
- Sarneel, Judith M., et al.
(author)
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Reading tea leaves worldwide : decoupled drivers of initial litter decomposition mass-loss rate and stabilization
- 2024
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In: Ecology Letters. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 1461-023X .- 1461-0248. ; 27:5
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The breakdown of plant material fuels soil functioning and biodiversity. Currently, process understanding of global decomposition patterns and the drivers of such patterns are hampered by the lack of coherent large-scale datasets. We buried 36,000 individual litterbags (tea bags) worldwide and found an overall negative correlation between initial mass-loss rates and stabilization factors of plant-derived carbon, using the Tea Bag Index (TBI). The stabilization factor quantifies the degree to which easy-to-degrade components accumulate during early-stage decomposition (e.g. by environmental limitations). However, agriculture and an interaction between moisture and temperature led to a decoupling between initial mass-loss rates and stabilization, notably in colder locations. Using TBI improved mass-loss estimates of natural litter compared to models that ignored stabilization. Ignoring the transformation of dead plant material to more recalcitrant substances during early-stage decomposition, and the environmental control of this transformation, could overestimate carbon losses during early decomposition in carbon cycle models.
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| 9. |
- Garcia, Claude A., et al.
(author)
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Strategy games to improve environmental policymaking
- 2022
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In: Nature Sustainability. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2398-9629. ; 5:6, s. 464-471
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Scholars develop scenarios to identify the operational margins of system Earth, but focus less on how decisions are made that affect the system one way or another. Strategy games can help increase the representation of human agency in scenario development, allowing for deliberation among diverse worldviews. While the scientific community documents environmental degradation and develops scenarios to identify the operational margins of system Earth, less attention is given to how decisions are made that steer the system in one direction or the other. We propose to use strategy games for this purpose, increasing the representation of human agency in scenario development and creating spaces for deliberation between different worldviews. Played by the right people, strategy games could help break free from established norms and support more transparent democratic dialogues, responding to the human and social limitations of current decision-making. The question is, who gets to play?
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| 13. |
- García-Palacios, Pablo, et al.
(author)
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Evidence for large microbial-mediated losses of soil carbon under anthropogenic warming
- 2021
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In: Nature Reviews Earth and Environment. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2662-138X. ; 2:7, s. 507-517
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Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Anthropogenic warming is expected to accelerate global soil organic carbon (SOC) losses via microbial decomposition, yet, there is still no consensus on the loss magnitude. In this Perspective, we argue that, despite the mechanistic uncertainty underlying these losses, there is confidence that a strong, positive land carbon–climate feedback can be expected. Two major lines of evidence support net global SOC losses with warming via increases in soil microbial metabolic activity: the increase in soil respiration with temperature and the accumulation of SOC in low mean annual temperature regions. Warming-induced SOC losses are likely to be of a magnitude relevant for emission negotiations and necessitate more aggressive emission reduction targets to limit climate change to 1.5 °C by 2100. We suggest that microbial community–temperature interactions, and how they are influenced by substrate availability, are promising research areas to improve the accuracy and precision of the magnitude estimates of projected SOC losses.
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| 14. |
- Kufe, Clement N., et al.
(author)
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Increased risk for type 2 diabetes in relation to adiposity in middle-aged Black South African men compared to women
- 2022
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In: European Journal of Endocrinology. - : Bioscientifica. - 0804-4643 .- 1479-683X. ; 186:5, s. 523-533
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Aims: Despite a higher prevalence of overweight/obesity in Black South African women compared to men, the prevalence of type 2 diabetes (T2D) does not differ. We explored if this could be due to sex differences in insulin sensitivity, clearance and/or beta-cell function and also sex-specific associations with total and regional adiposity.Methods: This cross-sectional study included 804 Black South African men (n = 388) and women (n = 416). Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry was used to measure total and regional adiposity. Insulin sensitivity (Matsuda index), secretion (C-peptide index) and clearance (C-peptide/insulin ratio) were estimated from an oral glucose tolerance test.Results: After adjusting for sex differences in the fat mass index, men were less insulin sensitive and had lower beta-cell function than women (P < 0.001), with the strength of the associations with measures of total and central adiposity being greater in men than women (P < 0.001 for interactions). Further, the association between total adiposity and T2D risk was also greater in men than women (relative risk ratio (95% CI): 2.05 (1.42-2.96), P < 0.001 vs 1.38 (1.03-1.85), P = 0.031).Conclusion: With increasing adiposity, particularly increased centralisation of body fat linked to decreased insulin sensitivity and beta-cell function, Black African men are at greater risk for T2D than their female counterparts.
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| 15. |
- Luheshi, Leila M, et al.
(author)
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Systematic in vivo analysis of the intrinsic determinants of amyloid Beta pathogenicity.
- 2007
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In: PLoS biology. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1545-7885. ; 5:11, s. e290-
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Protein aggregation into amyloid fibrils and protofibrillar aggregates is associated with a number of the most common neurodegenerative diseases. We have established, using a computational approach, that knowledge of the primary sequences of proteins is sufficient to predict their in vitro aggregation propensities. Here we demonstrate, using rational mutagenesis of the Abeta42 peptide based on such computational predictions of aggregation propensity, the existence of a strong correlation between the propensity of Abeta42 to form protofibrils and its effect on neuronal dysfunction and degeneration in a Drosophila model of Alzheimer disease. Our findings provide a quantitative description of the molecular basis for the pathogenicity of Abeta and link directly and systematically the intrinsic properties of biomolecules, predicted in silico and confirmed in vitro, to pathogenic events taking place in a living organism.
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| 16. |
- Smith, Bradley P., et al.
(author)
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Taxonomic status of the Australian dingo : the case for Canis dingo Meyer, 1793
- 2019
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In: Zootaxa. - : MAGNOLIA PRESS. - 1175-5326 .- 1175-5334. ; 4564:1, s. 173-197
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The taxonomic status and systematic nomenclature of the Australian dingo remain contentious, resulting in decades of inconsistent applications in the scientific literature and in policy. Prompted by a recent publication calling for dingoes to be considered taxonomically as domestic dogs (Jackson et al. 2017, Zootaxa 4317, 201-224), we review the issues of the taxonomy applied to canids, and summarise the main differences between dingoes and other canids. We conclude that (1) the Australian dingo is a geographically isolated (allopatric) species from all other Canis, and is genetically, phenotypically, ecologically, and behaviourally distinct; and (2) the dingo appears largely devoid of many of the signs of domestication, including surviving largely as a wild animal in Australia for millennia. The case of defining dingo taxonomy provides a quintessential example of the disagreements between species concepts (e.g., biological, phylogenetic, ecological, morphological). Applying the biological species concept sensu stricto to the dingo as suggested by Jackson et al. (2017) and consistently across the Canidae would lead to an aggregation of all Canis populations, implying for example that dogs and wolves are the same species. Such an aggregation would have substantial implications for taxonomic clarity, biological research, and wildlife conservation. Any changes to the current nomen of the dingo (currently Canis dingo Meyer, 1793), must therefore offer a strong, evidence-based argument in favour of it being recognised as a subspecies of Canis lupus Linnaeus, 1758, or as Canis familiaris Linnaeus, 1758, and a successful application to the International Commission for Zoological Nomenclature - neither of which can be adequately supported. Although there are many species concepts, the sum of the evidence presented in this paper affirms the classification of the dingo as a distinct taxon, namely Canis dingo.
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