The impact of Arctic sea ice loss on mid-Holocene climate.

Mid-Holocene climate was characterized by strong summer solar heating that decreased Arctic sea ice cover. Motivated by recent studies identifying Arctic sea ice loss as a key driver of future climate change, we separate the influences of Arctic sea ice loss on mid-Holocene climate. By performing idealized climate model perturbation experiments, we show that Arctic sea ice loss causes zonally asymmetric surface temperature responses especially in winter: sea ice loss warms North America and the North Pacific, which would otherwise be much colder due to weaker winter insolation. In contrast, over East Asia, sea ice loss slightly decreases the temperature in early winter. These temperature responses are associated with the weakening of mid-high latitude westerlies and polar stratospheric warming. Sea ice loss also weakens the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation, although this weakening signal diminishes after 150-200 years of model integration. These results suggest that mid-Holocene climate changes should be interpreted in terms of both Arctic sea ice cover and insolation forcing

Electrical conductivity of segregated network polymer nanocomposites

A set of experiments was designed and performed to gain a fundamental understanding of various aspects of the segregated network concept. The electrical and mechanical properties of composites made from commercial latex and carbon black are compared with another composite made from a polymer solution. The percolation threshold of the emulsion-based composite is nearly one order of magnitude lower than that of the solution-based composite. The segregated network composite also shows significant improvement in both electrical and mechanical properties with low carbon black loading, while the solution-based composite achieves its maximum enhancement at higher carbon black loading (~25wt%). The effect of the particle size ratio between the polymer particle and the filler was also studied. In order to create a composite with an extremely large particle size ratio (> 80,000), layer-by-layer assembly was used to coat large polyethylene particles with the carbon black. Hyper-branched polyethylenimine was covalently grafted to the surface of polyethylene to promote the film growth. The resulting composite has a percolation threshold below 0.1 wt%, which is the lowest percolation threshold ever reported for a carbon-filled composite. Theoretical predictions suggest that the actual percolation threshold may be lower than 0.002 wt%. Finally, the effect of the emulsion polymer modulus on the segregated network was studied. Monodispersed emulsions with the different glass transition temperature were used as the matrix. The composites made using the emulsion with higher modulus show lower percolation threshold and higher conductivity. Higher modulus causes tighter packing of carbon black between the polymer particles. When the drying temperature was increased to 80°C, the percolation thresholds became closer between some systems because their moduli were very close. This work suggests modulus is a variable that can be used to tailor percolation threshold and electrical conductivity, along with polymer particle size

Effect of modified fasting therapy on body weight, fat and muscle mass, and blood chemistry in patients with obesity

AbstractObjectiveThe aim of this study was to investigate the effects and safety of modified fasting therapy using fermented medicinal herbs and exercise on body weight, fat and muscle mass, and blood chemistry in obese subjects.MethodsTwenty-six patients participated in a 14-day fast, during which they ingested a supplement made from fermented medicinal herbs and carbohydrates (intake: 400-600 kcal/d). The schedule included 7 prefasting relief days and 14 days of stepwise reintroduction of food. The patients also took part in an exercise program that incorporated Qigong, weight training, and walking exercises. The efficacy of treatments was observed by assessing body fat mass and muscle mass, and alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), cholesterol, and triglycerides in each study period. Specific symptoms or side effects were reported.ResultsBody weight and body fat mass both decreased significantly by (5.16 ± 0.95) and (3.89 ± 0.79) kg (both P < 0.05), while muscle mass decreased by an average of (0.26 ± 0.22) kg, without statistical significance. ALT levels were significantly decreased (P < 0.05), while AST levels decreased without statistical significance (P = 0.052). The levels of total cholesterol and triglycerides were also significantly decreased (both P < 0.05). There were few adverse events except for mild dizziness, which did not affect everyday living.ConclusionThese results suggest that modified fasting therapy using fermented medicinal herbs and exercise could be effective and safe on obese patients

Navigating Home Language Practice for Children With Disabilities: Insights From Korean-American Mothers\u27 Online Communications

This study explores the home language practice (HLP) of Korean-American mothers with children who have developmental disabilities, including autism spectrum disorder. Data was collected from an online forum where these mothers discussed their experiences and decision-making processes following their child\u27s diagnosis. Thematic analysis was conducted on the collected data to identify and develop themes related to their experiences. The study\u27s framework is based on family-centered practices, emphasizing the importance of equal partnerships, cultural responsiveness, and information sharing between families and early intervention and early childhood special education (EI/ECSE) professionals. Factors that influence HLP decisions include mothers\u27 perceptions of disabilities, professional advice, and children’s intervention progress. The study highlights the vital role of EI/ECSE professionals in sharing current research findings, their experiences with culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) families, and the long-term outcomes of families that chose bilingual or single-language environments. By offering this information, professionals can assist parents in making informed decisions about their child\u27s HLP. Furthermore, the study emphasizes the value of online communities for CLD parents and the need for professionals to engage with these communities to provide accurate information on bilingualism for children with disabilities. Collaborating with ethnolinguistic communities and establishing parent support groups can create a nurturing environment for parents navigating EI/ECSE services for their children

Distribution and Kinematics of H I through Raman He II Spectroscopy of NGC 6302

The young planetary nebula NGC 6302 is known to exhibit Raman-scattered He II features at 6545 and 4851 Angstrom. These features are formed through inelastic scattering of He II$\lambda\lambda$ 1025 and 972 with hydrogen atoms in the ground state, for which the cross sections are $1.2 \times 10^{-21}$ and $1.4\times 10^{-22} {\rm\ cm^2}$, respectively. We investigate the spectrum of NGC 6302 archived in the ESO Science Portal. Our Gaussian line fitting analysis shows that the Raman-scattered He II features are broader and more redshifted than the hypothetical model Raman features that would be formed in a cold static H I medium. We adopt a simple scattering geometry consisting of a compact He II emission region surrounded by a H I medium to perform Monte Carlo simulations using the radiative transfer code ${\it STaRS}$. Our simulations show that the H I region is characterized by the H I column density $N_{\rm HI}=3\times 10^{21}{\rm\ cm^{-2}}$ with the random speed component $v_{\rm ran}=10{\rm\ km\ s^{-1}}$ expanding with a speed $v_{\rm exp}= 13{\rm\ km\ s^{-1}}$from the He II emission region. Based on our best fit parameters, we estimate the H I mass of the neutral medium$M_{\rm HI} \simeq 1.0\times 10^{-2}\ {\rm M_\odot}$, pointing out the usefulness of Raman He II spectroscopy as a tool to trace H I components.Comment: 12 pages, 8 figures, accepted for publication in Ap