Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Local Finite-Amplitude Wave Activity as a Diagnostic for Rossby Wave Packets

Upper-tropospheric Rossby wave packets (RWPs) are important dynamical features, because they are often associated with weather systems and sometimes act as precursors to high-impact weather. The present work introduces a novel diagnostic to identify RWPs and to quantify their amplitude. It is based on the local finite-amplitude wave activity (LWA) of Huang and Nakamura, which is generalized to the primitive equations in isentropic coordinates. The new diagnostic is applied to a specific episode containing large-amplitude RWPs and compared with a more traditional diagnostic based on the envelope of the meridional wind. In this case, LWA provides a more coherent picture of the RWPs and their zonal propagation. This difference in performance is demonstrated more explicitly in the framework of an idealized barotropic model simulation, where LWA is able to follow an RWP into its fully nonlinear stage, including cutoff formation and wave breaking, while the envelope diagnostic yields reduced amplitudes in such situations.
A brief review of equatorial ionization anomaly and ionospheric irregularities

Following a brief history and progress of ionospheric research, this paper presents a brief review of the recent developments in the understanding of two major phenomena in low and mid latitude ionosphere—the equatorial ionization anomaly (EIA) and involved equatorial plasma fountain (EPF) and ionospheric irregularities. Unlike the easy‐to‐understand misinterpretations, the EPF involves field perpendicularE×B plasma drift and field‐aligned plasma diffusion acting together and plasma flowing in the direction of the resultant at all points along the field lines at all altitudes. The EIA is formed mainly from the removal of plasma from around the equator by the upward E×B drift creating the trough and consequently the crests with small accumulation of plasma at the crests when the crests are within ~±20° magnetic latitudes and no accumulation when they are beyond ~±25° magnetic latitudes. The strong EIA under magnetically active conditions arises from the simultaneous impulsive action of eastward prompt penetration electric field and equatorward neutral wind. Intense ionospheric irregularities develop in the post‐sunset bottom‐side equatorial ionosphere when it rises to high altitudes, and evolve nonlinearly into the topside. Pre‐reversal enhancement (PRE) of the vertical upward E×B drift and its fluctuations amplified during PRE provide the driving force and seed, with neutral wind and gravity waves being the primary sources. At low solar activity especially in summer when fast varying PRE is absent, the slow varying gravity waves including large scale waves (LSW) seem to act as both driver and seed for weak irregularities. At mid latitudes, the irregularities are weak and associated with medium scale traveling ionospheric disturbances (MSTIDs). A low latitude minimum in the occurrence of the irregularities at March equinox predicted by theoretical models is identified. The minimum occurs on the poleward side of the EIA crest and shifts equatorward from ~25° magnetic latitudes at high solar activity to below 17° at low solar activity.
Evaluation of numerical pounding models with experimental validation

Pounding damage in major earthquakes has been observed frequently in the form of aesthetic, minor or major structural cracks and collapse of buildings. These observations have attracted many numerical and experimental studies that led to analytical models for simulating seismic pounding. This study considers pounding between two steel portal frames without a seismic gap. The first frame has a constant natural period while the second frame has variable stiffness and mass values. Five different ground motions are applied to eight combinations of adjacent frames using a shake table. Numerical simulations for the same configurations are carried out with five pounding force models, viz. linear viscoelastic model, modified linear viscoelastic model, nonlinear viscoelastic model, Hertzdamp model and modified Hertzdamp model. The contact element stiffness and coefficient of restitution for numerical models are determined experimentally. The amplification of maximum displacement of the first frame predicted by the numerical simulations is compared with the shake table results. It was found that the Hertzdamp model always overestimated the responses while the other four models also frequently overestimated the amplifications. The predictions from the four models were not significantly different. Since the linear viscoelastic model requires substantially less computation, compared with the other models this model is more suitable for numerical modelling of pounding responses. However, more study is required to refine the numerical models before building pounding can be modelled with enough confidence.
Risk of contamination of sturgeon species along the Lower Danube with AcIV-E virus from sturgeons raised in aquaculture systems

It is considered that most infections caused by pathogen agents in fish species raised in the closed medium like fishing farms originate from the natural environment, thus there are few information on virus transmission from species raised in aquaculture programs to the wild ones. This issue is important taking into account that the wild sturgeon populations are critically endangerment, and regarding to the IUCN Red List, two of these are already declared extinct. Within Danube Basin, environmental and anthropic factors series (reproduction habitats lost, hydrotechnical works) have caused the sturgeon distribution area to be restricted mainly in the lower segment of the river. In addition, intensive fishing or the introduction of invasive species have produced negative effects and hence the decrease in the population effectiveness. As result, from six native sturgeon species within Danube Basin, in our days, only four are still found. This review shall include an analysis of the status of knowledge, regarding the possible influence which the transmission of some viruses within sNCLDV from aquaculture species to the wild ones, also it shall propose an assessment of the risk of infection within Danube ichthyofaunal.
On the estimation of link delay distributions by cumulant‐based moment matching

The statistical distribution of packet delays across individual nodes or links embeds important information for network management. For instance, upward shift of the delay distribution could point to local congestion, node mis‐functioning, or other undesirable events. Since directly measuring delays at individual links is not always possible, a problem that has been studied under the term of network delay tomography is to infer “internal” delays (per link) from “external” measurements (per path). We propose a novel estimation idea based on a combination of 2 tools from formal statistics, namely the cumulant method and the moment matching method. An outstanding feature of this approach is the extremely low implementation cost in terms of local computation and communication overhead. We formalize the estimation framework and develop a method with final closed‐form solutions. The correctness of the analysis framework is validated on synthetic data obtained via simulations.
Factors associated with treatment success after combined transforaminal epidural steroid injection and dorsal root ganglion pulsed radiofrequency treatment in patients with chronic lumbar radicular pain

Background/aim The aim of the study is to identify predictors of treatment success with combined transforaminal epidural steroid injection (TFESI) and dorsal root ganglion pulsed radiofrequency (DRG-PRF) in patients with lumbar radicular pain (LRP) associated with lumbar disc herniation. Materials and methods The study included 48 patients with herniation-related LRP who underwent TFESI and DRG-PRF treatment between November 1, 2020 and April 30, 2021. Patient age, sex, symptom duration, history of lumbar surgery, and numeric rating scale (NRS) pain scores before and at 10 days, 1 month, and 3 months after treatment were evaluated retrospectively. Treatment success was defined as ≥50% improvement or a 4-point decrease in NRS score at 3 months. Results Twenty-nine female and 19 male patients with a mean age of 51.54 ± 13.31 years were analyzed. The median symptom duration was 6 (interquartile range: 8.50) months. Symptom duration did not affect treatment success (p = 0.105). History of spinal surgery was more common among patients with failed treatment but was not statistically associated with treatment success. A 1-unit increase in pre-treatment NRS score was associated with 72% lower odds of treatment success (p = 0.022), while a 1-unit increase in NRS score on post-treatment day 10 compared to the pre-treatment value was associated with 95% lower odds of treatment success (p = 0.008). Conclusion Symptom duration and history of spinal surgery were not predictive of treatment success with combined TFESI and DRG-PRF for herniation-related LRP. However, the 3-month prognosis was significantly better for patients with a marked reduction in NRS score at 10 days.
A phase IV, randomised, double-blind, controlled, parallel group trial to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of Balneum Plus versus emollient in the treatment of chronic kidney disease–associated pruritus in haemodialysis patients

ABSTRACT Background Chronic kidney disease–associated pruritus (CKD-aP) is a common, distressing complaint in patients with advanced renal disease that is frequently overlooked. Treatment is often unsatisfactory. Balneum Plus (Almirall, Barcelona, Spain) is a cream containing 3% lauromacrogols and 5% urea, commonly used to treat atopic dermatitis. It has not been studied in CKD-aP to date. Methods Adult haemodialysis patients were randomised 1:1 to apply Balneum Plus or E45 (Reckitt Beckiser, Slough, UK) to compare the active ingredients of lauromacrogol and urea with a control cream. Itch was defined as three episodes of itching during the last 2 weeks, appearing a few times a day, lasting a few minutes and troubling the patient [1]. Patients with other causes of itch, e.g. eczema and liver disease, were excluded. The primary outcome was a reduction in itch as measured by the visual analogue scale (VAS) score at 4 weeks and analysed using an analysis of covariance approach. Results A total of 314 patients were screened and 58 patients were randomised, 29 in each group. Three patients dropped out in each group. The median baseline VAS scores were 6.5 [interquartile range (IQR) 4.4–8.0] in the Balneum Plus group and 6.3 (IQR 5.1–7.3) in the E45 group. After 4 weeks, VAS scores decreased to 2.6 (IQR 0.9–4.5) and 2.0 (IQR 0.5–4.8) in the Balneum Plus and E45 groups respectively (P = 0.64 for the difference). Using a validated questionnaire to assess secondary outcomes, we found that the Balneum Plus group had longer itching episodes, more difficulty staying asleep and itching was more annoying than in the E45 group. There was no significant difference in adverse events between the two groups. One patient reported inflamed spots on the abdominal skin in the Balneum Plus group. Conclusion This is the first randomised controlled study of two different emollients for the treatment of CKD-aP and is a negative study. We found no significant difference in itch scores between Balneum Plus and E45.
Risk factors for short birth interval: A hospital-based cross-sectional study among women in the Nkongsamba Health District, Littoral Region, Cameroon

Short birth interval remains a major reproductive health problem, especially in the developing world. It is associated with maternal, neonatal, infant and under-five morbidity and mortality. This study identifies the risk factors of short birth interval among women in Cameroon. Women in early postpartum (with at least one previous live birth) from four health facilities in the Nkongsamba Health District were consecutively included in the study from September 2021 to December 2021. All data were collected by interview, using a semi-structured questionnaire, and analysed in Epi-Info version 7.2. 3.1. With a statistically significant threshold of 5%, the adjusted odds ratio was used in multiple logistic regression to measure the association between short birth interval and potential factors. This study included a total of 679 participants with an age range of 18 to 47 years. Short birth interval was recorded in 46.10 [95%CI: 42.38–49.86]% of these women. A little more than half (56.72%) had at most 4 pregnancies already, while only 06.35% had at least 8 pregnancies in their reproductive life. Maternal age ≤ years (AOR = 2.66[1.80–3.93]), less than or equal to 10 months of breastfeeding of the previous child (OR = 2.48[1.80–3.41]), use of modern contraception before conception (AOR = 0.62 [0.43–0.89]), and the number of household occupants below 5 (AOR = 0.60[0.40–0.92]) were significantly associated with short birth interval. Short birth interval remains a significant call for concern in Cameroonian women. The likelihood of short birth interval is affected by maternal age, duration of breastfeeding, use of modern contraception and number of household occupants. Interventions to promote effective breastfeeding and postpartum family planning uptake are indispensable in the fight against short birth interval in Cameroon.
Nutritional status of children under five years and associated factors in 24 districts of Burkina Faso

Malnutrition in children is a serious health problem, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa, with heavy socioeconomic burdens. The prevalence of stunting remains high in Burkina Faso. There is a need to further investigate undernutrition and identify the major factors contributing to its persistence. We aimed to assess the nutritional status of children aged under five years and the associated factors of undernutrition in Burkina Faso. We conducted a second study using a baseline household survey of the impact assessment of a performance-based financing program. The analysis focused on data of 10,032 children aged 0–59 months collected from households in 537 villages. Anthropometric indicators were assessed using the World Health Organization standards, and their association with children, mothers, and households’ characteristics were assessed using logistic regression. Stunting occurred in 40.1% of children, wasting in 25.1%, and underweight in 34%. Children having both stunting, wasting, and underweight were 7.3%. Stunting and underweight was associated with the sex. Stunting was associated with ethnic groups: Fulani with AdjOR = 1.20 (95%CI: 1.01–1.42), household economic level: poorest AdjOR = 1.25 (95%CI: 1.10–1.43), two and more children aged under five years in households: AdjOR = 1.16 (95%CI: 1.05–1.27), distance more than 5km from household to health facility: with Adj OR = 1.21 (95%CI: 1.10–1.35) and household food insecurity. This study identified the modifiable factors that determine the high prevalence of undernutrition in Burkina Faso. Strategies and interventions to improve the health and economic status of the community are needed to reduce the occurrence of undernutrition.
Characterizing clinical findings of Sjögren’s Disease patients in community practices using matched electronic dental-health record data

Established classifications exist to confirm Sjögren’s Disease (SD) (previously referred as Sjögren’s Syndrome) and recruit patients for research. However, no established classification exists for diagnosis in clinical settings causing delayed diagnosis. SD patients experience a huge dental disease burden impairing their quality of life. This study established criteria to characterize Indiana University School of Dentistry (IUSD) patients’ SD based on symptoms and signs in the electronic health record (EHR) data available through the state-wide Indiana health information exchange (IHIE). Association between SD diagnosis, and comorbidities including other autoimmune conditions, and documentation of SD diagnosis in electronic dental record (EDR) were also determined. The IUSD patients’ EDR were linked with their EHR data in the IHIE and queried for SD diagnostic ICD9/10 codes. The resulting cohorts’ EHR clinical findings were characterized and classified using diagnostic criteria based on clinical experts’ recommendations. Descriptive statistics were performed, and Chi-square tests determined the association between the different SD presentations and comorbidities including other autoimmune conditions. Eighty-three percent of IUSD patients had an EHR of which 377 patients had a SD diagnosis. They were characterized as positive (24%), uncertain (20%) and negative (56%) based on EHR clinical findings. Dry eyes and mouth were reported for 51% and positive Anti-Ro/SSA antibodies and anti-nuclear antibody (ANA) for 17% of this study cohort. One comorbidity was present in 98% and other autoimmune condition/s were present in 53% respectively. Significant differences were observed between the three SD clinical characteristics/classifications and certain medical and autoimmune conditions (p<0.05). Sixty-nine percent of patients’ EDR did not mention SD, highlighting the huge gap in reporting SD during dental care. This study of SD patients diagnosed in community practices characterized three different SD clinical presentations, which can be used to generate SD study cohorts for longitudinal studies using EHR data. The results emphasize the heterogenous SD clinical presentations and the need for further research to diagnose SD early in community practice settings where most people seek care.
Uniqueness and Nondegeneracy of Ground States for (−Δ)^sQ+Q−Q^(α+1)=0 in R

We prove uniqueness of ground state solutions Q = Q(|x|)≥0 for the nonlinear equation (−Δ)^sQ + Q − Q^(α+)1 = 0 in R, where 0 < s < 1 and 0 < α < _(4s) ^(1−2s) for s < 1/2 and 0 < α < ∞ for s ≥ 1/2. Here (−Δ)^s denotes the fractional Laplacian in one dimension. In particular, we generalize (by completely different techniques) the specific uniqueness result obtained by Amick and Toland for s = 1/2 and α = 1 in [Acta Math.,167 (1991), 107-126]. As a technical key result in this paper, we show that the associated linearized operator L_+ = (−Δ)^s + 1− (α+1)Q^α is nondegenerate; i. ,e. , its kernel satisfies ker L_+ = span {Q′}. This result about L_+ proves a spectral assumption, which plays a central role for the stability of solitary waves and blowup analysis for nonlinear dispersive PDEs with fractional Laplacians, such as the generalized Benjamin-Ono (BO) and Benjamin-Bona-Mahony (BBM) water wave equations.
Intranasal esketamine combined with oral midazolam provides adequate sedation for outpatient pediatric dental procedures: a prospective cohort study

Background: Severe dental phobia or failure to cooperate with treatment are very common in outpatient pediatric dentistry. Personalized and appropriate noninvasive anesthesia methods can save medical expenses, improve treatment efficiency, reduce the anxiety of children, and improve the satisfaction of nursing staff. Currently, there is little conclusive evidence for noninvasive moderate sedation strategies in pediatric dental surgery. Materials and methods: The trial was conducted from May 2022 to September 2022. Each child was first given midazolam oral solution 0.5 mg·kg−1, and when the Modified Observer’s Assessment of Alertness and Sedation score reached 4, a biased coin design up-down method was used to adjust the dose of esketamine. The primary outcome was the ED95 and 95% CI of intranasal esketamine hydrochloride with midazolam 0.5 mg·kg−1. Secondary outcomes included the onset time of sedation, treatment and awakening times, and the incidence of adverse events. Results: A total of 60 children were enrolled; 53 children were successfully sedated but 7 were not. The ED95 of intranasal esketamine with 0.5 mg·kg−1 midazolam oral liquid for the treatment of dental caries was 1.99 mg·kg−1 (95% CI 1.95–2.01 mg·kg−1). The mean onset time of sedation for all patients was 43.7±6.9 min. 15.0 (10–24.0) min for examination and 89.4±19.5 min for awakening. The incidence of intraoperative nausea and vomiting was 8.3%. Adverse reactions such as transient hypertension and tachycardia occurred during the operations. Conclusion: The ED95 of intranasal esketamine with 0.5 mg·kg−1 midazolam oral liquid for the outpatient pediatric dentistry procedure under moderate sedation was 1.99 mg·kg−1. For children aged 2–6 years with dental anxiety who require dental surgery, anesthesiologists may consider using midazolam oral solution combined with esketamine nasal drops for noninvasive sedation after a preoperative anxiety scale evaluation.
Stent expansion in calcified coronary chronic total occlusions:  The impact of different stent platforms

To evaluate the stent expansion of the durable‐polymer Zotarolimus‐eluting stent (dp‐ZES), the durable‐polymer Everolimus‐eluting stent (dp‐EES), and the bioabsorbable‐polymer Sirolimus‐eluting stent (bp‐SES) in calcified coronary chronic total occlusions (CTO).
Web-based nomogram to predict postresection risk of distant metastasis in patients with leiomyosarcoma: retrospective analysis of the SEER database and a Chinese cohort

Objectives This study investigated risk factors and constructed an online tool to predict distant metastasis (DM) risk in patients with leiomyosarcoma (LMS) after surgical resection. Methods Data regarding patients with LMS who underwent surgical resection between 2010 and 2018 were extracted from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. Data were collected regarding patients with LMS who underwent surgical resection at Tianjin Medical University Cancer Hospital and Institute (TJMUCH) between October 2010 and July 2018. Patients were randomly divided into training and validation sets. Logistic regression analyses were performed; a nomogram was established. The area under the curve (AUC) and calibration curve were used to evaluate the nomogram, which served as the basis for a web-based nomogram. Results This study included 4461 and 76 patients from the SEER database and TJMUCH, respectively. Age, ethnicity, grade, T stage, N stage, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy were associated with DM incidence. C-index values were 0.815 and 0.782 in the SEER and Chinese datasets, respectively; corresponding AUC values were 0.814 and 0.773, respectively. A web-based nomogram (https://weijunqiang-leimyosarcoma-seer.shinyapps.io/dynnomapp/) was established. Conclusions Our web-based nomogram is an accurate and user-friendly tool to predict DM risk in patients with LMS; it can aid clinical decision-making.