Regional Atmospheric Dynamics of Water on Mars

The investigation of water on Mars continues to be a quintessential objective in planetary exploration since water represents a critical link to Mars’ past and present climate, geology, and its potential for habitability. Direct observations of water at the regional scale is limited, and the distribution and behavior of water in the planetary boundary layer remains an outstanding question. The research in this dissertation investigates the radiative and dynamical processes governing the regional water cycle on Mars. Using global and mesoscale atmospheric models, simulations of the regional water circulation revealed a highly non-homogeneous local distribution of water that is strongly modulated by diurnal transport. Terrain-following air parcels forced along the slopes of the Tharsis volcanoes and the steep canyon walls of Valles Marineris significantly impact the local water concentration and the associated conditions for cloud formation in these regions. An investigation of water ice fogs inside Valles Marineris showed significant variability between the local atmospheric environment inside versus outside the canyon. Formation of water ice clouds is possible in Valles Marineris, but their formation is highly influenced by radiative feedbacks forced by the thermal properties of the underlying surface. An evaluation of the potential influences of the atmosphere on recurring slope lineae (RSL) activity revealed an upper limit of ~1 µm per sol for the quantity of water that can be extracted from the atmosphere through deliquescence. Ongoing efforts to understand how regional atmospheric dynamics govern the distribution of water in the planetary boundary layer represent a significant step towards a comprehensive understanding of the water cycle on Mars.Release after 03/15/202

Perceptual symbols of creativity: Coldness elicits referential, warmth elicits relational creativity

Research in the cognitive and social psychological science has revealed the pervading relation between body and mind. Physical warmth leads people to perceive others as psychological closer to them and to be more generous towards others. More recently, physical warmth has also been implicated in the processing of information, specifically through perceiving relationships (via physical warmth) and the distancing from others (via coldness). In addition, social psychological work has linked social cues (such as mimicry and power cues) to creative performance. The present work integrates these two literatures, by providing an embodied model of creative performance through relational (warm = relational) and referential (cold = distant) processing. The authors predict and find that warmth cues lead to greater creativity when 1) creating drawings, 2) categorizing objects, and 3) coming up with gifts for others. In contrast, cold cues lead to greater creativity, when 1) breaking set in a metaphor recognition task, 2) coming up with new pasta names, and 3) being abstract in coming up with gifts. Effects are found across different populations and age groups. The authors report implications for theory and discuss limitations of the present work. Keywords: Embodied Grounding, Warmth, Social Relations, Processing Styles, Creativit

Is comfort food really good for the soul? A Replication of Troisi and Gabriel's (2011) Study 2

The supplementary file contains the questionnaires and scales, consent form, and methodology used.</p

Embodied Cultural Cognition: Situating the Study of Embodied Cognition in Socio-cultural Contexts

Embodiment research has demonstrated that cognition is grounded in bodily interactions with the environment and that abstract concepts are tied to the body's sensory and motor systems. Building upon this embodiment perspective and advancing our understanding, we discuss the extension of embodied cultural cognition. We propose that some associations between bodily experiences and abstract concepts are not randomly formed; rather, the development of such associations is situated in a socio-cultural context, informed by cultural imperatives, values, and habits. We draw evidence supporting this view of embodied cultural cognition in body-mind linkages manifested in construal of emotions, time perception, person perception, social power, and moral reasoning. To further extend this research avenue that synthesizes the studies of embodied cognition and culture, we also suggest potential future research directions inspired by this view. This embodied cultural cognition account is useful in understanding and organizing accumulating discoveries of cultural variations in embodiments; it also highlights the social situatedness of embodied cognition and is, therefore, highly compatible with theorizing and research in social and cultural psychology. © 2011 The Authors. Social and Personality Psychology Compass © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd

The Effects of Culture and Friendship on Rewarding Honesty and Punishing Deception

[SSCI2010 Impact Factor = 2.202]</p

Hemolysis and methemoglobinemia due to hepatitis E virus infection in patient with G6PD deficiency

published_or_final_versionSpringer Open Choice, 21 Feb 201

Epistatic interactions between mutations of TACI (TNFRSF13B) and TCF3 result in a severe primary immunodeficiency disorder and systemic lupus erythematosus

Common variable immunodeficiency disorders (CVID) are a group of primary immunodeficiencies where monogenetic causes account for only a fraction of cases. On this evidence, CVID is potentially polygenic and epistatic although there are, as yet, no examples to support this hypothesis. We have identified a non-consanguineous family, who carry the C104R (c.310T>C) mutation of the Transmembrane Activator Calcium-modulator and cyclophilin ligand Interactor (TACI, TNFRSF13B) gene. Variants in TNFRSF13B/TACI are identified in up to 10% of CVID patients, and are associated with, but not solely causative of CVID. The proband is heterozygous for the TNFRSF13B/TACI C104R mutation and meets the Ameratunga et al. diagnostic criteria for CVID and the American College of Rheumatology criteria for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Her son has type 1 diabetes, arthritis, reduced IgG levels and IgA deficiency, but has not inherited the TNFRSF13B/TACI mutation. Her brother, homozygous for the TNFRSF13B/TACI mutation, is in good health despite profound hypogammaglobulinemia and mild cytopenias. We hypothesised that a second unidentified mutation contributed to the symptomatic phenotype of the proband and her son. Whole-exome sequencing of the family revealed a de novo nonsense mutation (T168fsX191) in the Transcription Factor 3 (TCF3) gene encoding the E2A transcription factors, present only in the proband and her son. We demonstrate mutations of TNFRSF13B/TACI impair immunoglobulin isotype switching and antibody production predominantly via T-cell-independent signalling, while mutations of TCF3 impair both T-cell-dependent and -independent pathways of B-cell activation and differentiation. We conclude that epistatic interactions between mutations of the TNFRSF13B/TACI and TCF3 signalling networks lead to the severe CVID-like disorder and SLE in the proband.We thank AMRF, A+ Trust, IDFNZ, ASCIA and the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC, Program Grant 1054925, Project Grant 1127198 and Independent Research Institutes Infrastructure Support Scheme Grant 361646) for grant support. We also received support from Bloody Long Way (BLW) the Victorian State Government Operational Infrastructure scheme and Walter and Eliza Hall Institute (WEHI) Innovation Grant. CAS is supported by NHMRC postgraduate scholarship 1075666

Epistatic interactions between mutations of TACI (TNFRSF13B) and TCF3 result in a severe primary immunodeficiency disorder and systemic lupus erythematosus

Common variable immunodeficiency disorders (CVID) are a group of primary immunodeficiencies where monogenetic causes account for only a fraction of cases. On this evidence, CVID is potentially polygenic and epistatic although there are, as yet, no examples to support this hypothesis. We have identified a non‐consanguineous family, who carry the C104R (c.310T>C) mutation of the Transmembrane Activator Calcium‐modulator and cyclophilin ligand Interactor (TACI, TNFRSF13B) gene. Variants in TNFRSF13B/TACI are identified in up to 10% of CVID patients, and are associated with, but not solely causative of CVID. The proband is heterozygous for the TNFRSF13B/TACI C104R mutation and meets the Ameratunga et al. diagnostic criteria for CVID and the American College of Rheumatology criteria for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Her son has type 1 diabetes, arthritis, reduced IgG levels and IgA deficiency, but has not inherited the TNFRSF13B/TACI mutation. Her brother, homozygous for the TNFRSF13B/TACI mutation, is in good health despite profound hypogammaglobulinemia and mild cytopenias. We hypothesised that a second unidentified mutation contributed to the symptomatic phenotype of the proband and her son. Whole‐exome sequencing of the family revealed a de novo nonsense mutation (T168fsX191) in the Transcription Factor 3 (TCF3) gene encoding the E2A transcription factors, present only in the proband and her son. We demonstrate mutations of TNFRSF13B/TACI impair immunoglobulin isotype switching and antibody production predominantly via T‐cell‐independent signalling, while mutations of TCF3 impair both T‐cell‐dependent and ‐independent pathways of B‐cell activation and differentiation. We conclude that epistatic interactions between mutations of the TNFRSF13B/TACI and TCF3 signalling networks lead to the severe CVID‐like disorder and SLE in the proband.We thank AMRF, A+ Trust, IDFNZ,ASCIA and the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council(NHMRC, Program Grant 1054925, Project Grant 1127198 and IndependentResearch Institutes Infrastructure Support Scheme Grant 361646) for grantsupport. We also received support from Bloody Long Way (BLW) the VictorianState Government Operational Infrastructure scheme and Walter and Eliza HallInstitute (WEHI) Innovation Grant. CAS is supported by NHMRCpostgraduate scholarship 107566