Typing yourself healthy: Introduction to the special issue on language and health online

This chapter functions as an introduction to the special issue on Language and Health Online, which features 10 original research papers. It reviews the results of the papers and the joint emerging themes: the impact of technical and social affordances of computer-mediated interaction; discovering an emic perspective of health issues, uncovering health ideologies, and the theme of patient empowerment; the construction of identities, the construction of shared experiences, and the use of narratives. The diverse methodologies that are employed are introduced and a case is made for an open, versatile and mixed methodology when researching language and health online

Representativeness of meridional hydrographic sections in the western South Atlantic

Many studies of the oceanic circulation are based on data collected during quasi-synoptic hydrographic surveys. After spatial averaging, to filter out the effects of mesoscale variability, it is often explicitly or implicitly assumed that the synoptic hydrographic gradients are representative of a quasi-steady mean state. Climatological tracer fields and float data at the depth of the North Atlantic Deep Water in the western South Atlantic (Brazil Basin) support the notion of a quasi-steady mean circulation characterized by alternating bands of primarily zonal flow with meridional scales of several hundreds of km. Visually, the mean circulation appears to dominate three samples of the large-scale meridional-density-gradient field taken between 1983 and 1994. A quantitative comparison reveals, however, that the baroclinic temporal variability of the zonal velocities is of the same magnitude as the mean and is associated with similar spatial scales. The synoptic geostrophic flow field is, therefore, only marginally representative of the mean state. Thus, the data do not support one of the central assumptions of reference-velocity methods, such as linear box-inverse models and the β-spiral, because baroclinic temporal variability renders the equation systems underlying these methods inconsistent. A modal decomposition of the temporally varying baroclinic zonal velocity field in the Brazil Basin indicates that the first two dynamical modes dominate, accounting for ≈90% of the rms velocities. The residual flow field that remains after removing the first two baroclinic modes from the three synoptic samples is dominated by the mean circulation. However, its magnitude is not sufficient to account for the float and tracer observations. Therefore, it is necessary to determine the projection of the mean zonal velocities onto the barotropic and the first two baroclinic modes in order to diagnose fully the mean zonal circulation in the western South Atlantic. There is evidence that the representativeness of synoptic hydrographic sections in other regions may be similarly marginal

Turbulence and diapycnal mixing over the East Pacific Rise crest near 10°N

Turbulent mixing plays an important role in the return path of the global overturning circulation of the ocean. Previous measurements indicate that much of the mixing takes place near topography, in particular near seamounts and mid-ocean ridges. Here we report on the first microstructure data set collected over the crest and flanks of a fast-spreading ridge. The data indicate that in spite of weak tidally modulated background turbulence levels (ϵ≈10^-10 W kg^-1) diapycnal diffusivity is elevated above 10^-4 m^2 s^-1 below crest depth of the ridge throughout the entire region because of the weak density stratification. Near the peaks and in the narrow deep passages of a chain of seamounts, where large horizontal velocities have been observed, turbulence levels are elevated by up to an order of magnitude above background. We conclude that topographic organization plays an important role in determining spatial patterns of turbulence in this region and that both tidal and subinertial energy contribute to the mixing

The functions of narrative passages in three written online health contexts

This paper investigates and compares the functions of narrative passages in three computer-mediated health practices centering on advice-giving: (1) email counseling at a UK university, (2) online forums providing peer support for smoking quitters, and (3) anti-smoking websites by UK governmental, commercial and charitable institutions. We found that the functions of the narrative passages are manifold and often overlapping. They range from seeking advice, giving advice, indicating/seeking agreement, supporting a claim, showing compliance with advice given to reporting on progress and success. In a second step, these insights were linked to how the narrative passages were used for identity construction and relational work. The results show that narratives are employed to create various identities, such as authentic advice-seekers, active self-helpers, successful quitters and advice-givers. Our comparison reveals that narrative functions utilized in all three practices exhibit nuanced differences due to medium factors and interactional goals of the practices. Finally, in these contexts of self-improvement, narratives document stability or transformation in the sense of clients’ improved health and smokers’ change to becoming non-smokers respectively

Improving LADCP velocity with external heading, pitch, and roll

Data collected with acoustic Doppler current profilers installed on CTD rosettes and lowered through the water column [lowered ADCP (LADCP) systems] are routinely used to derive full-depth profiles of ocean velocity. In addition to the uncertainties arising from random noise in the along-beam velocity measurements, LADCP-derived velocities are commonly contaminated by bias errors due to imperfectly measured instrument attitude (heading, pitch, and roll). Of particular concern are the heading measurements, because it is not usually feasible to calibrate the internal ADCP compasses with the instruments installed on a CTD rosette, away from the magnetic disturbances of the ship. Heading data from dual-headed LADCP systems, which consist of upward- and downward-pointing ADCPs installed on the same rosette, commonly indicate heading-dependent compass errors with amplitudes exceeding 10°. In an attempt to reduce LADCP velocity errors, several dozen profiles of simultaneous LADCP and magnetometer/accelerometer data were collected in the Gulf of Mexico. Agreement between the LADCP profiles and simultaneous shipboard velocity measurements improves significantly when the former are processed with external attitude measurements. Another set of LADCP profiles with external attitude data was collected in a region of the Arctic Ocean where the horizontal geomagnetic field is too weak for the ADCP compasses to work reliably. Good agreement between shipboard velocity measurements and Arctic LADCP profiles collected at magnetic dip angles exceeding and processed with external attitude measurements indicate that high-quality velocity profiles can be obtained close to the magnetic poles

A novel inactivated virus system (InViS) for a fast and inexpensive assessment of viral disintegration.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused considerable interest worldwide in antiviral surfaces, and there has been a dramatic increase in the research and development of innovative material systems to reduce virus transmission in the past few years. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) norms 18,184 and 21,702 are two standard methods to characterize the antiviral properties of porous and non-porous surfaces. However, during the last years of the pandemic, a need for faster and inexpensive characterization of antiviral material was identified. Therefore, a complementary method based on an Inactivated Virus System (InViS) was developed to facilitate the early-stage development of antiviral technologies and quality surveillance of the production of antiviral materials safely and efficiently. The InViS is loaded with a self-quenched fluorescent dye that produces a measurable increase in fluorescence when the viral envelope disintegrates. In the present work, the sensitivity of InViS to viral disintegration by known antiviral agents is demonstrated and its potential to characterize novel materials and surfaces is explored. Finally, the InViS is used to determine the fate of viral particles within facemasks layers, rendering it an interesting tool to support the development of antiviral surface systems for technical and medical applications

Essential and distinct roles for cdc42 and rac1 in the regulation of Schwann cell biology during peripheral nervous system development

During peripheral nervous system (PNS) myelination, Schwann cells must interpret extracellular cues to sense their environment and regulate their intrinsic developmental program accordingly. The pathways and mechanisms involved in this process are only partially understood. We use tissue-specific conditional gene targeting to show that members of the Rho GTPases, cdc42 and rac1, have different and essential roles in axon sorting by Schwann cells. Our results indicate that although cdc42 is required for normal Schwann cell proliferation, rac1 regulates Schwann cell process extension and stabilization, allowing efficient radial sorting of axon bundles

Gold nanoparticle distribution in advanced in vitro and ex vivo human placental barrier models

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) are promising candidates to design the next generation NP-based drug formulations specifically treating maternal, fetal or placental complications with reduced side effects. Profound knowledge on AuNP distribution and effects at the human placental barrier in dependence on the particle properties and surface modifications, however, is currently lacking. Moreover, the predictive value of human placental transfer models for NP translocation studies is not yet clearly understood, in particular with regards to differences between static and dynamic exposures. To understand if small (3–4 nm) AuNPs with different surface modifications (PEGylated versus carboxylated) are taken up and cross the human placental barrier, we performed translocation studies in a static human in vitro co-culture placenta model and the dynamic human ex vivo placental perfusion model. The samples were analysed using ICP-MS, laser ablation-ICP-MS and TEM analysis for sensitive, label-free detection of AuNPs

Exploring the ecology of deep-sea hydrothermal vents in a metacommunity framework

© The Author(s), 2018. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License. The definitive version was published in Frontiers in Marine Science 5 (2018): 49, doi:10.3389/fmars.2018.00049.Species inhabiting deep-sea hydrothermal vents are strongly influenced by the geological setting, as it provides the chemical-rich fluids supporting the food web, creates the patchwork of seafloor habitat, and generates catastrophic disturbances that can eradicate entire communities. The patches of vent habitat host a network of communities (a metacommunity) connected by dispersal of planktonic larvae. The dynamics of the metacommunity are influenced not only by birth rates, death rates and interactions of populations at the local site, but also by regional influences on dispersal from different sites. The connections to other communities provide a mechanism for dynamics at a local site to affect features of the regional biota. In this paper, we explore the challenges and potential benefits of applying metacommunity theory to vent communities, with a particular focus on effects of disturbance. We synthesize field observations to inform models and identify data gaps that need to be addressed to answer key questions including: (1) what is the influence of the magnitude and rate of disturbance on ecological attributes, such as time to extinction or resilience in a metacommunity; (2) what interactions between local and regional processes control species diversity, and (3) which communities are “hot spots” of key ecological significance. We conclude by assessing our ability to evaluate resilience of vent metacommunities to human disturbance (e.g., deep-sea mining). Although the resilience of a few highly disturbed vent systems in the eastern Pacific has been quantified, these values cannot be generalized to remote locales in the western Pacific or mid Atlantic where disturbance rates are different and information on local controls is missing.LM was supported by NSF OCE 1356738 and DEB 1558904. SB was supported by the NSF DEB 1558904 and the Investment in Science Fund at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. MB was supported by the Austrian Science Fund grants P20190-B17 and P16774-B03. LL was supported by NSF OCE 1634172 and the JM Kaplan Fund. MN was supported by NSF DEB 1558904. Y-JW was supported by a Korean Institute of Ocean Science and Technology (KIOST) grant PM60210

Modification of turbulent dissipation rates by a deep Southern Ocean eddy

The impact of a mesoscale eddy on the magnitude and spatial distribution of diapycnal ocean mixing is investigated using a set of hydrographic and microstructure measurements collected in the Southern Ocean. These data sampled a baroclinic, mid-depth eddy formed during the disintegration of a deep boundary current. Turbulent dissipation is suppressed within the eddy, but is elevated by up to an order of magnitude along the upper and lower eddy boundaries. A ray-tracing approximation is employed asa heuristic device to elucidate how the internal wave field evolves in the ambient velocity and stratification conditions accompanying the eddy. These calculations are consistent with the observations, suggesting reflection of internal wave energy from the eddy center and enhanced breaking through critical layer processes along the eddy boundaries. These results have important implications for understanding where and how internal wave energy is dissipated in the presence of energetic deep geostrophic flows