Anomalous evolution of the magnetocaloric effect in dilute triangular Ising antiferromagnets Tb1−xYx(HCO2)3Tb_{1-x}Y_{x}(HCO_{2})_{3}

We investigate the effects of diamagnetic doping in the solid-solution series $Tb_{1-x}Y_{x}(HCO_{2})_{3}$, in which the parent $Tb(HCO_{2})_{3}$ phase has previously been shown to host a combination of frustrated and quasi-1D physics, giving rise to a triangular Ising antiferromagnetic ground state that lacks long range 3D order. Heat capacity measurements show three key features: (i) a low temperature Schottky anomaly is observed, which is constant as a function of x; (ii) the transition temperature and associated entropy change are both surprisingly robust to diamagnetic doping; and (iii) an additional contribution at T < 0.4 K appears with increasing x. The origin of this unusual behaviour is rationalised in terms of the fragmentation of quasi-1D spin chains by the diamagnetic $Y^{3+}$ dopant. Magnetocaloric measurements show a nonlinear dependence on x. The mass-weighted magnetocaloric entropy decreases across the series from the promising values in $Tb(HCO_{2})_{3}$; however, the magnetocaloric entropy per magnetic $Tb^{3+}$ ion first decreases then increases with increasing x. Our results establish $Tb_{1-x}Y_{x}(HCO_{2})_{3}$ as a model system in which to explore the functional ramifications of dilution in a low-dimensional magnet.Comment: 11 pages and 5 figures excluding supplementary informatio

An ice-core proxy for northerly air mass incursions into West Antarctica

A 200-year proxy for northerly air mass incursions (NAMI) into central and western West Antarctica is developed from the examination of 19 shallow (21–150 m deep) Antarctic ice-core non-sea-salt (nss) Ca2+ concentration records. The NAMI proxy reveals a significant rise in recent decades. This rise is unprecedented for at least the past 200 years and is coincident with anthropogenically driven changes in other large-scale Southern Hemisphere (SH) environmental phenomena such as greenhouse gas (GHG) induced warming, ozone depletion, and the associated intensification of the SH westerlies. The Hysplit trajectory model is used to examine air mass transport pathways into West Antarctica. Empirical orthogonal function analysis, in combination with trajectory results, suggests that atmospheric circulation is the dominant factor affecting nssCa2+ concentrations throughout central and western West Antarctica. Ozone recovery will likely weaken the spring-summer SH westerlies in the future. Consequently, Antarctica could lose one of its best defences against SH GHG warming. Copyright 2011 Royal Meteorological Societ

A record of Neogene seawater δ11B reconstructed from paired δ11B analyses on benthic and planktic foraminifera

The work was supported by NERC grants NE/I006176/1 (Gavin L. Foster and Caroline H. Lear), NE/H006273/1 (Gavin L. Foster), NE/I006168/1 and NE/K014137/1 and a Royal Society Research Merit Award (Paul A. Wilson), a NERC Independent Research Fellowship NE/K00901X/1 (Mathis P. Hain) and a NERC studentship (Rosanna Greenop).The boron isotope composition (δ11B) of foraminiferal calcite reflects the pH and the boron isotope composition of the seawater the foraminifer grew in. For pH reconstructions, the δ11B of seawater must therefore be known, but information on this parameter is limited. Here we reconstruct Neogene seawater δ11B based on the δ11B difference between paired measurements of planktic and benthic foraminifera and an estimate of the coeval water column pH gradient from their δ13C values. Carbon cycle model simulations underscore that the ΔpH-Δδ13C relationship is relatively insensitive to ocean and carbon cycle changes, validating our approach. Our reconstructions suggest that δ11Bsw was ∼37.5‰ during the early and middle Miocene (roughly 23-12 Ma) and rapidly increased during the late Miocene (between 12 and 5 Ma) towards the modern value of 39.61 ‰. Strikingly, this pattern is similar to the evolution of the seawater isotope composition of Mg, Li and Ca, suggesting a common forcing mechanism. Based on the observed direction of change, we hypothesize that an increase in secondary mineral formation during continental weathering affected the isotope composition of riverine input to the ocean since 14 Ma.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Modelling the dynamics of support for a right-wing populist party: the case of UKIP

ABSTRACT: Similar to a number of other right-wing populist parties in Europe, Great Britain's United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) has experienced increased public support in recent years. Using aggregate data from monthly national surveys conducted between April 2004 and April 2014, time series analyses demonstrate that the dynamics of UKIP support were influenced by a combination of spatial and valence issues. A spatial issue, Euroscepticism, was fundamental, with UKIP support moving in dynamic equilibrium with changing public attitudes towards EU membership. In addition, widespread anti-immigration sentiment and dissatisfaction with the performance of the Conservative–Liberal Democrat coalition government combined with the “oxygen of publicity” to propel UKIP's surge. The political context after the 2010 general election helped as well by enabling UKIP to benefit from valence considerations. Many voters continued to doubt the competence of the major opposition party, Labour, while the Liberal Democrats were part of the government and, hence, unavailable as a protest vehicle. Since many of the forces driving UKIP support are beyond its control, the party's prospects are highly uncertain

The Relationship between Asthma and Depression in Primary Care Patients: A Historical Cohort and Nested Case Control Study

Asthma and depression are common health problems in primary care. Evidence of a relationship between asthma and depression is conflicting. Objectives: to determine 1. The incidence rate and incidence rate ratio of depression in primary care patients with asthma compared to those without asthma, and 2. The standardized mortality ratio of depressed compared to non-depressed patients with asthma.A historical cohort and nested case control study using data derived from the United Kingdom General Practice Research Database. Participants: 11,275 incident cases of asthma recorded between 1/1/95 and 31/12/96 age, sex and practice matched with non-cases from the database (ratio 1∶1) and followed up through the database for 10 years. 1,660 cases were matched by date of asthma diagnosis with 1,660 controls. Main outcome measures: number of cases diagnosed with depression, the number of deaths over the study period.The rate of depression in patients with asthma was 22.4/1,000 person years and without asthma 13.8 /1,000 person years. The incident rate ratio (adjusted for age, sex, practice, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cerebrovascular disease, smoking) was 1.59 (95% CI 1.48–1.71). The increased rate of depression was not associated with asthma severity or oral corticosteroid use. It was associated with the number of consultations (odds ratio per visit 1.09; 95% CI 1.07–1.11). The age and sex adjusted standardized mortality ratio for depressed patients with asthma was 1.87 (95% CI: 1.54–2.27).Asthma is associated with depression. This was not related to asthma severity or oral corticosteroid use but was related to service use. This suggests that a diagnosis of depression is related to health seeking behavior in patients with asthma. There is an increased mortality rate in depressed patients with asthma. The cause of this needs further exploration. Consideration should be given to case-finding for depression in this population

Long COVID clinical severity types based on symptoms and functional disability: A longitudinal evaluation

Background: Long COVID (LC) is a multisystem clinical syndrome with functional disability and compromised overall health. Information on LC clinical severity types is emerging in cross-sectional studies. This study explored the pattern and consistency of long COVID (LC) clinical severity types over time in a prospective sample. Methods: Participants with LC completed the condition-specific outcome measure C19-YRSm (Yorkshire Rehabilitation Scale modified version) at two assessment time points. A cluster analysis for clinical severity types was undertaken at both time points using the k-means partition method. Results: The study included cross-sectional data for 759 patients with a mean age of 46.8 years (SD = 12.7), 69.4% females, and a duration of symptoms of 360 days (IQR 217 to 703 days). The cluster analysis at first assessment revealed three distinct clinical severity type clusters: mild (n = 96), moderate (n = 422), and severe (n = 241). Longitudinal data on 356 patients revealed that the pattern of three clinical severity types remained consistent over time between the two assessments, with 51% of patients switching clinical severity types between the assessments. Conclusions: This study is the first of its kind to demonstrate that the pattern of three clinical severity types is consistent over time, with patients also switching between severity types, indicating the fluctuating nature of LC

The case for open science: rare diseases.

The premise of Open Science is that research and medical management will progress faster if data and knowledge are openly shared. The value of Open Science is nowhere more important and appreciated than in the rare disease (RD) community. Research into RDs has been limited by insufficient patient data and resources, a paucity of trained disease experts, and lack of therapeutics, leading to long delays in diagnosis and treatment. These issues can be ameliorated by following the principles and practices of sharing that are intrinsic to Open Science. Here, we describe how the RD community has adopted the core pillars of Open Science, adding new initiatives to promote care and research for RD patients and, ultimately, for all of medicine. We also present recommendations that can advance Open Science more globally