September 2017's geoeffective space weather and impacts to Caribbean radio communications during Hurricane response

© The Author(s), 2018. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License. The definitive version was published in Space Weather 16 (2018): 1190-1201, doi:10.1029/2018SW001897.Between 4 and 10 September 2017, multiple solar eruptions occurred from active region AR12673. NOAA's and NASA's well‐instrumented spacecraft observed the evolution of these geoeffective events from their solar origins, through the interplanetary medium, to their geospace impacts. The 6 September X9.3 flare was the largest to date for the nearly concluded solar cycle 24 and, in fact, the brightest recorded since an X17 flare in September 2005, which occurred during the declining phase of solar cycle 23. Rapid ionization of the sunlit upper atmosphere occurred, disrupting high‐frequency communications in the Caribbean region while emergency managers were scrambling to provide critical recovery services caused by the region's devastating hurricanes. The 10 September west limb eruption resulted in the first solar energetic particle event since 2012 with sufficient flux and energy to yield a ground level enhancement. Spacecraft at L1, including DSCOVR, sampled the associated interplanetary coronal mass ejections minutes before their collision with Earth's magnetosphere. Strong compression and erosion of the dayside magnetosphere occurred, placing geosynchronous satellites in the magnetosheath. Subsequent geomagnetic storms produced magnificent auroral displays and elevated hazards to power systems. Through the lens of NOAA's space weather R‐S‐G storm scales, this event period increased hazards for systems susceptible to elevated “radio blackout” (R3‐strong), “solar radiation storm” (S3‐strong), and “geomagnetic storm” (G4‐severe) conditions. The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the September 2017 space weather event, and a summary of its consequences, including forecaster, post‐event analyst, and communication operator perspectives

mHealth Intervention is Effective in Creating Smoke-Free Homes for Newborns: A Randomized Controlled Trial Study in China.

Mobile-phone-based smoking cessation intervention has been shown to increase quitting among smokers. However, such intervention has not yet been applied to secondhand smoke (SHS) reduction programs that target smoking parents of newborns. This randomized controlled trial, undertaken in Changchun, China, assessed whether interventions that incorporate traditional and mobile-phone-based education will help create smoke-free homes for infants and increase quitting among fathers. The results showed that the abstinence rates of the fathers at 6 months (adjusted OR: 3.60, 95% CI: 1.41-9.25; p = 0.008) and 12 months (adjusted OR: 2.93, 95% CI: 1.24-6.94; p = 0.014) were both significantly increased in the intervention group compared to the control. Mothers of the newborns in the intervention group also reported reduced exposure to SHS at 12 months (adjusted OR: 0.53, 95% CI: 0.29-0.99; p = 0.046). The findings suggest that adding mHealth interventions to traditional face-to-face health counseling may be an effective way to increase male smoking cessation and reduce mother and newborn SHS exposure in the home

Semen quality in relation to biomarkers of pesticide exposure.

We previously reported reduced sperm concentration and motility in fertile men in a U.S. agrarian area (Columbia, MO) relative to men from U.S. urban centers (Minneapolis, MN; Los Angeles, CA; New York, NY). In the present study we address the hypothesis that pesticides currently used in agriculture in the Midwest contributed to these differences in semen quality. We selected men in whom all semen parameters (concentration, percentage sperm with normal morphology, and percentage motile sperm) were low (cases) and men in whom all semen parameters were within normal limits (controls) within Missouri and Minnesota (sample sizes of 50 and 36, respectively) and measured metabolites of eight current-use pesticides in urine samples provided at the time of semen collection. All pesticide analyses were conducted blind with respect to center and case-control status. Pesticide metabolite levels were elevated in Missouri cases, compared with controls, for the herbicides alachlor and atrazine and for the insecticide diazinon [2-isopropoxy-4-methyl-pyrimidinol (IMPY)]; for Wilcoxon rank test, p = 0.0007, 0.012, and 0.0004 for alachlor, atrazine, and IMPY, respectively. Men from Missouri with high levels of alachlor or IMPY were significantly more likely to be cases than were men with low levels [odds ratios (ORs) = 30.0 and 16.7 for alachlor and IMPY, respectively], as were men with atrazine levels higher than the limit of detection (OR = 11.3). The herbicides 2,4-D (2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid) and metolachlor were also associated with poor semen quality in some analyses, whereas acetochlor levels were lower in cases than in controls (p = 0.04). No significant associations were seen for any pesticides within Minnesota, where levels of agricultural pesticides were low, or for the insect repellent DEET (N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide) or the malathion metabolite malathion dicarboxylic acid. These associations between current-use pesticides and reduced semen quality suggest that agricultural chemicals may have contributed to the reduction in semen quality in fertile men from mid-Missouri we reported previously

Effects of a long-term lifestyle modification programme on peripheral neuropathy in overweight or obese adults with type 2 diabetes: the Look AHEAD study

Aims/hypothesis The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects on diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) of a long-term intensive lifestyle intervention (ILI) programme designed to achieve and maintain weight loss. Methods Beginning in 2001, a total of 5145 overweight or obese people with type 2 diabetes, aged 45–76 years, participating in the multicentre Look AHEAD (Action for Health in Diabetes) study were randomised to ILI (n = 2570) or to a diabetes support and education (DSE) control group (n = 2575) using a web-based management system at the study coordinating centre at Wake Forest School of Medicine (Winston-Salem, NC, USA). Randomisation was stratified by clinical centre and was not revealed to the clinical staff responsible for obtaining data on study outcomes. Because of the nature of the study, patients and the local centre interventionists were not blinded to the study group assignments. In addition, the coordinating centre staff members responsible for data management and statistical analyses were not blinded to the study group assignments. The interventions were terminated in September 2012, 9–11 years after randomisation, but both groups continued to be followed for both primary and secondary outcomes. Neuropathy evaluations included the Michigan Neuropathy Screening Instrument (MNSI) questionnaire completed at baseline in 5145 participants (ILI n = 2570, DSE n = 2575) and repeated annually thereafter and the MNSI physical examination and light touch sensation testing conducted in 3775 participants (ILI n = 1905, DSE n = 1870) 1–2.3 years after discontinuation of the intervention. Results At baseline, the MNSI questionnaire scores were 1.9 ± 0.04 and 1.8 ± 0.04 in the ILI and DSE groups, respectively (difference not statistically significant). After 1 year, when weight loss was maximal in the ILI group (8.6 ± 6.9%) compared with DSE (0.7 ± 4.8%), the respective MNSI scores were 1.7 ± 0.04 and 2.0 ± 0.04 (p ≤ 0.001). Subsequently, the scores increased gradually in both groups, but remained significantly lower in the ILI group for the first 3 years and at the end of follow-up. In both groups, there was a significant association between changes in the MNSI scores and changes in body weight, HbA1c and serum lipids. There were no significant between-group differences in the proportions of participants with MNSI physical examination scores ≥2.5, considered to be indicative of diabetic neuropathy. The light touch sensation measured separately in either the right or left big toes (halluces) did not differ between ILI and DSE, but when the data were combined for both toes, light touch was better preserved in the ILI group. Conclusions/interpretation ILI resulted in a significant decrease in questionnaire-based DPN, which was associated with the magnitude of weight loss. In both the ILI and DSE groups, changes in the MNSI score were also related to changes in HbA1c and lipids. There were no significant effects of ILI on physical examination measures of DPN conducted 1–2.3 years after termination of the active intervention, except for light touch sensation, which was significantly better in the ILI group when measurements were combined for both toes. However, a potential limiting factor to the interpretation of the physical examination data is that no baseline studies are available for comparison

Associations between urinary metabolites of di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate and reproductive hormones in fertile men

Published in final edited form as: Int J Androl. 2011 August ; 34(4): 369-378. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2605.2010.01095.x.Widely used man-made chemicals, including phthalates, can induce hormonal alterations through a variety of cellular and molecular mechanisms. A number of rodent and observational studies have consistently demonstrated the anti-androgenic effect of several phthalates. However, there are only limited data on the relationship between exposure to these chemicals and reproductive hormone levels in men. All men (n = 425) were partners of pregnant women who participated in the Study for Future Families in five US cities and provided urine and serum samples on the same day. Eleven phthalate metabolites were measured in urine and serum samples were analysed for reproductive hormones, including follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, testosterone, inhibin B and oestradiol and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG). Pearson correlations and parametric tests were used for unadjusted analyses, and multiple linear regression analysis was performed controlling for appropriate covariates

Polar cap hot patches: enhanced density structures different from the classical patches in the ionosphere

Based on in situ and ground-based observations, a new type of “polar cap hot patch” has been identified that is different from the classical polar cap enhanced density structure (cold patches). Comparing with the classical polar cap patches, which are transported from the dayside sunlit region with dense and cold plasma, the polar cap hot patches are associated with particle precipitations (therefore field-aligned currents), ion upflows, and flow shears. The hot patches may have the same order of density enhancement as classical patches in the topside ionosphere, suggesting that the hot patches may be produced by transported photoionization plasma into flow channels. Within the flow channels, the hot patches have low-energy particle precipitation and/or ion upflows associated with field-aligned currents and flow shears. Corresponding Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) signal scintillation measurements indicate that hot patches may produce slightly stronger radio signal scintillation in the polar cap region than classical patches. A new type of polar cap patches, “polar cap hot patches,” is identified to differentiate enhanced density structures from classical patches. Hot patches are associated with particle precipitations, ion upflows, field-aligned currents, and shear flows in the polar cap. Hot patches may lead to slightly stronger ionospheric scintillations of GNSS signals in the polar cap region than classical patches

Deregulation of CREB Signaling Pathway Induced by Chronic Hyperglycemia Downregulates NeuroD Transcription

CREB mediates the transcriptional effects of glucose and incretin hormones in insulin-target cells and insulin-producing β-cells. Although the inhibition of CREB activity is known to decrease the β-cell mass, it is still unknown what factors inversely alter the CREB signaling pathway in β-cells. Here, we show that β-cell dysfunctions occurring in chronic hyperglycemia are not caused by simple inhibition of CREB activity but rather by the persistent activation of CREB due to decreases in protein phophatase PP2A. When freshly isolated rat pancreatic islets were chronically exposed to 25 mM (high) glucose, the PP2A activity was reduced with a concomitant increase in active pCREB. Brief challenges with 15 mM glucose or 30 µM forskolin after 2 hour fasting further increased the level of pCREB and consequently induced the persistent expression of ICER. The excessively produced ICER was sufficient to repress the transcription of NeuroD, insulin, and SUR1 genes. In contrast, when islets were grown in 5 mM (low) glucose, CREB was transiently activated in response to glucose or forskolin stimuli. Thus, ICER expression was transient and insufficient to repress those target genes. Importantly, overexpression of PP2A reversed the adverse effects of chronic hyperglycemia and successfully restored the transient activation of CREB and ICER. Conversely, depletion of PP2A with siRNA was sufficient to disrupt the negative feedback regulation of CREB and induce hyperglycemic phenotypes even under low glucose conditions. Our findings suggest that the failure of the negative feedback regulation of CREB is the primary cause for β-cell dysfunctions under conditions of pathogenic hyperglycemia, and PP2A can be a novel target for future therapies aiming to protect β-cells mass in the late transitional phase of non-insulin dependent type 2 diabetes (NIDDM)