bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Organism-specific Trends in Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales Infections in a Cohort of Hospitalized Patients, 2012–2022
Authors: Khan Mohammed , Wolford Hannah , McCarthy Natalie , Olubajo Babatunde , Bishop Jonathan , Baggs James , Lutgring Joseph , Reddy Sujan , Walters Maroya
Published: September 2024

Background: Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) infections are an urgent public health threat. An estimated 12,700 CRE (including E. coli, Klebsiella spp., and Enterobacter spp.) infections occurred in the United States in 2020. While the estimated incidence of CRE infections has been relatively stable between 2012 and 2020, organism-specific trends, including those for organisms not typically included in CRE surveillance definitions, have not been described. We estimated the annual rate of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales infections, disaggregated by organism, from 2012 to 2022. Methods: Data on inpatient hospitalizations from a dynamic cohort of short-term acute care hospitals reporting microbiology data between 2012 and 2022 were obtained from the PINC AI Database and the BD Insights Research Database. We included patients with clinical isolates of E. coli, Enterobacter spp., Klebsiella spp., Citrobacter spp., Serratia marcescens, Proteus mirabilis, and Morganella spp. and sufficient susceptibility results to identify carbapenem resistance. We limited our analysis to incident isolates, defined as a patient’s first isolate of a given organism and carbapenem resistance phenotype in a 14-day period. We calculated the annual rate of carbapenem-resistant infections per 10,000 hospitalizations for each organism. Results: There were 3,018,792 incident isolates from 55.8 million hospitalizations included in the analysis. Overall, 31,226 incident carbapenem-resistant isolates were identified. The rate of carbapenem-resistant infections varied by organism and over time (Table 1). The rate of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella spp. infections appeared to decline from 3.94 in 2012 to 2.44 infections per 10,000 hospitalizations in 2022. The rate of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacter spp. infections appeared to increase from 1.05 in 2012 to 1.44 infections per 10,000 hospitalizations in 2022. The rate of carbapenem-resistant E. coli infections also appeared to increase, from 0.61 in 2012 to 0.85 infections per 10,000 hospitalizations in 2022. Rates of carbapenem-resistant Proteus mirabilis, Morganella spp., Citrobacter spp., or Serratia marcescens infections were similar in 2022 compared to 2012. Conclusions: Disaggregating data by organism revealed heterogeneous trends, with apparent increases in rates of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacter spp. and E. coli infections and apparent decreases in rates of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella spp. infections. Organism-specific CRE analyses may provide additional insight into CRE epidemiology.
From Swiffers to Solutions: The Impact of Environmental Sampling in the Veterinary Medical Center at OSU
Authors: King Christy , Wittum Thomas , Mollenkopf Dixie , Diaz-Campos Dubraska , Van Balen Joany
Published: September 2024

Background: In 2018, the Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine (OSU CVM) implemented an Antimicrobial Stewardship Program, central to which was the integration of an environmental surveillance (ES) program. The ES focuses on pathogens recognized as urgent threats to public health by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The pathogens currently targeted include carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales (CPE), Salmonella spp., methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus spp. (MRSs), vancomycin resistant Enterococcus spp., and enrofloxacin resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Identification of these pathogens allows the hospital to be aware of the local environmental microflora which can act as a sentinel for disease in the hospital, potentially causing healthcare associated infections. Therefore, the objective of this program is to identify resistant bacterial pathogens, characterize their resistance profiles, analyze prevalence patterns, and initiate infection control interventions where needed in the OSU VMC. Method: From January 2018 through December 2023, a total of 5449 samples were collected from approximately 86 locations across the OSU VMC encompassing the small animal, equine, and farm animal sections. A majority (64%, n=3561) of samples were collected from the small animal hospital, with the farm animal section contributing 1055 samples and the equine section 899. Areas sampled were frequented by both humans and animals, as well as surfaces exclusively touched by humans. Samples were collected using Swiffers® and processed through selective culture media. Result: Approximately half (52%, n=2890) of the samples collected represented human-touch only surfaces. A total of 3794 bacterial isolates were recovered, with an overall low prevalence for all targeted pathogens. Prevalence of CPE was 2% (n=103), with Enterobacter species being the most common. Recovery of MRSs was 8.5% (n=464) and Salmonella species was 1% (n=47). Conclusion: Through this initiative, the equine division of the OSU VMC collaborated with the antimicrobial stewardship team to enhance their Salmonella fecal and ES practices. In 2019, ES was critical in identifying persistent CPE and extended-spectrum cephalosporin-resistant Enterobacteriaceae in the ICU and surrounding areas of the small animal hospital. Effective measures were taken to halt the spread of ESC among patients and eliminate CPE in the environment. With the discovery of a new CPE in early 2023 in the small animal ICU and nearby areas, the program initiated targeted ES and cleaning and disinfection protocols, to identify contaminated areas and control disease transmission. These efforts have increased patient safety, health, and well-being, demonstrating how ES can be an important tool for infection control and prevention in veterinary settings.
“AWECoP has made my teaching experience so much better!” – Creating community and improving teaching practice through an Animal Welfare Education Community of Practice (AWECoP)
Authors: Ventura Beth A , Proudfoot Kathryn
Published: September 2024

An animal welfare education community of practice (AWECoP) for those teaching animal welfare science, applied ethology, and/or animal ethics was created to develop a dialogue amongst educators within the field of animal welfare science. The purpose of this paper is to describe the history, objectives, and members’ experiences within this community. AWECoP hosts 6–8 meetings annually for members to discuss topics relevant to our community and exchange teaching resources; within its first two years, the community has grown to 121 members representing approximately 70 institutions across six continents. A 12-question, mixed-method survey was distributed to capture member demographics, engagement with AWECoP, motivations for joining, and self-evaluation of AWECoP’s impacts. Quantitative data from the survey are presented descriptively, while reflexive thematic analysis was applied to the qualitative data. Survey respondents (n = 54) felt that AWECoP is a vital community and safe space for members to share their ideas and receive feedback, inspiration, information, and resources regarding subject-specific and broader pedagogical topics. As a result, a majority experienced professional (e.g. development of new contacts) and personal (e.g. increased feeling of belonging in their field) benefits, as well as impacts realised in their teaching practice. We conclude with an examination of challenges faced in ensuring AWECoP remains accessible to a growing membership and offer recommendations for facilitating similar communities to support fellowship and training in the teaching of animal welfare and related disciplines.
A comparison of the welfare of free-ranging native pony herds on common land with those used for conservation grazing in the UK
Authors: McDonald Sophia , Harley Jessica J , Hockenhull Jo
Published: September 2024

Free-ranging native Dartmoor and Exmoor ponies have not only held strong cultural and environmental significance for thousands of years within their respective national parks, but their environmental benefits and naturally selected characteristics have also been acknowledged and harnessed for conservation grazing and rewilding programmes. Despite a wealth of literature regarding the welfare of sports, leisure and working horses, there is little information concerning the welfare of free-ranging and extensively grazing ponies. The present study compared the welfare of native Exmoor and Dartmoor ponies grazing on the moors in their respective national parks (n = 47) with those that have been translocated to other areas of the UK for use in conservation grazing and rewilding programmes (n = 29) using a specifically designed observational welfare assessment protocol for free-ranging ponies. The results showed a significant difference between common land and conservation grazing ponies in the scores for Body Condition Score, Water Quality and Availability, Environmental Hazards, Human Disturbance, Skin and Coat Condition and the Human Approach Test. Despite no evidence of significant welfare compromise being identified, this study emphasises the importance of year-round monitoring of welfare and the feasibility of the observational welfare protocol to be used by pony keepers and grazing managers in the future.
Impact of an enterprise-wide ambulatory antibiotic stewardship bundle on patient satisfaction surveys
Authors: Jensen Kelsey L. , Stevens Ryan W. , Vergidis Paschalis , Virk Abinash , Ilges Dan
Published: September 2024

An association between antibiotic prescribing in upper respiratory infection and improved patient satisfaction has been documented, though data are mixed. Following implementation of a multifaceted antimicrobial stewardship bundle, no difference in patient satisfaction was observed between groups, despite a reduction in antibiotic prescribing from 28.3% to 14.1%.
Estimating public opinion from surveys: the impact of including a “don't know” response option in policy preference questions
Authors: Elkjær Mads Andreas , Wlezien Christopher
Published: September 2024

What are the consequences of including a “don't know” (DK) response option to attitudinal survey questions? Existing research, based on traditional survey modes, argues that it reduces the effective sample size without improving the quality of responses. We contend that it can have important effects not only on estimates of aggregate public opinion, but also on estimates of opinion differences between subgroups of the population who have different levels of political information. Through a pre-registered online survey experiment conducted in the United States, we find that the DK response option has consequences for opinion estimates in the present day, where most organizations rely on online panels, but mainly for respondents with low levels of political information and on low salience issues. These findings imply that the exclusion of a DK option can matter, with implications for assessments of preference differences and our understanding of their impacts on politics and policy.
Exposure to anti-refugee hate crimes and support for refugees in Germany
Authors: Kuhn Eroll , Maxwell Rahsaan
Published: September 2024

In recent years, anti-refugee hate crimes have soared across Europe. We know this violence has spread fear among refugees, but we know less about its effects on the non-refugee population. This is an oversight, as research suggests political violence often has effects on the broader population. Those effects can range from increased solidarity with the targets of the violence to reduced pro-social behavior and less support for the targets of the violence. In this research note, we examine the effects of exposure to anti-refugee hate crimes in Germany. Our results suggest no direct effect of exposure to anti-refugee hate crimes on support for refugees. These results have several implications for our understanding of political divides over refugees in Europe.
Geometry of milk liners affects milking performance in dairy cows
Authors: Herath H. M Gayani P. , Kudrass Dino , Bryant Racheal H. , Al-Marashdeh Omar
Published: September 2024

The geometry of milk liners may affect milking performance and cow comfort as the milk liner is the only part of the milking machine that comes into contact with the teat. To determine the effect of alternative shape of milk liners we compared square (SQR) vs. the conventional round (RND) teat cup liner on milking performance and comfort of dairy cows. Treatment milk liners were randomly allocated to clusters within each side of the 12 a side double up-herringbone dairy shed in a complete randomised block design over two periods. Milking performance data from a total of 10 065 (late stage of lactation and once-a-day milking frequency, LATE) and 18 048 (early stage of lactation and twice-a-day milking frequency, EARLY) milking events were automatically recorded by a DeLaval milk meter, and separately analysed for LATE and EARLY, respectively. In EARLY, cow comfort behaviour was also recorded during afternoon milking sessions. Across the two study periods, average milk flow rate, milk flow rate during 0–15, 15–30 and 30–60 s after cluster attachment, and milk flow rate at cluster take-off were higher in SQR compared to RND treatment. Proportion of time in a milking session with low milk flow rate and duration of milking session were less in SQR compared to RND treatment. However, effect of geometry of milk liner on peak milk flow rate was inconsistent across the two-study periods. Peak milk flow rate was higher (P < 0.001) in SQR than RND in LATE, but higher (P < 0.001) in RND than SQR in EARLY. Stomping and kicking behaviours of cows were similar between treatments. Results of this study suggest that square milk liners potentially improve milking performance, without adverse effect on cow comfort compared to conventional round liners. Long-term, multi-site studies are required to confirm potential teat-end health benefits associated with square milk liners and further verify these results.
Genetic architecture and socio-environmental risk factors for major depressive disorder in Nepal
Authors: Choi Karmel W. , Tubbs Justin D. , Lee Younga H. , He Yixuan , Tsuo Kristin , Yohannes Mary T. , Nkambule Lethukuthula L. , Madsen Emily , Ghimire Dirgha J. , Hermosilla Sabrina , Ge Tian , Martin Alicia R. , Axinn William G. , Smoller Jordan W.
Published: September 2024

Background

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is the leading cause of disability globally, with moderate heritability and well-established socio-environmental risk factors. Genetic studies have been mostly restricted to European settings, with polygenic scores (PGS) demonstrating low portability across diverse global populations.

Methods

This study examines genetic architecture, polygenic prediction, and socio-environmental correlates of MDD in a family-based sample of 10 032 individuals from Nepal with array genotyping data. We used genome-based restricted maximum likelihood to estimate heritability, applied S-LDXR to estimate the cross-ancestry genetic correlation between Nepalese and European samples, and modeled PGS trained on a GWAS meta-analysis of European and East Asian ancestry samples.

Results

We estimated the narrow-sense heritability of lifetime MDD in Nepal to be 0.26 (95% CI 0.18–0.34, p = 8.5 × 10−6). Our analysis was underpowered to estimate the cross-ancestry genetic correlation (rg = 0.26, 95% CI −0.29 to 0.81). MDD risk was associated with higher age (beta = 0.071, 95% CI 0.06–0.08), female sex (beta = 0.160, 95% CI 0.15–0.17), and childhood exposure to potentially traumatic events (beta = 0.050, 95% CI 0.03–0.07), while neither the depression PGS (beta = 0.004, 95% CI −0.004 to 0.01) or its interaction with childhood trauma (beta = 0.007, 95% CI −0.01 to 0.03) were strongly associated with MDD.

Conclusions

Estimates of lifetime MDD heritability in this Nepalese sample were similar to previous European ancestry samples, but PGS trained on European data did not predict MDD in this sample. This may be due to differences in ancestry-linked causal variants, differences in depression phenotyping between the training and target data, or setting-specific environmental factors that modulate genetic effects. Additional research among under-represented global populations will ensure equitable translation of genomic findings.
Catherine the Dominican
Authors: Bullough Sebastian
Published: September 2024

‘Look (said the Eternal Father to St Catherine) at the ship of your
father Dominic, my beloved son, and see how perfectly it is rigged. He
wanted their sole concern to be my honour and the salvation of souls by the
light of true knowledge. This light was to be his main object, but he did
not neglect real voluntary poverty. He observed it himself, and as a sign of
this and his disapproval of the contrary he left as his last will and
testament to his sons his own curse, and mine, upon any who might have
private possessions. But he took as his particular aim the light of true
knowledge, for the uprooting of the errors of the times. He assumed the
office of the Word, my only-begotten Son , … he was a light, which by means
of Mary I placed in the world within the mystical body of Mother Church, as
an uprooter of heresy.
Energy-dispersive diffraction tomography of shark vertebral centra
Authors: Park Jun-Sang , Horn Ryan M. , Chen Haiyan , James Kelsey C. , Passerotti Michelle S. , Natanson Lisa J. , Stock Stuart R.
Published: September 2024

Shark vertebrae and their centra (vertebral bodies) are high-performance structures able to survive millions of cycles of high amplitude strain despite lacking a repair mechanism for accumulating damage. Shark centra consist of mineralized cartilage, a biocomposite of bioapatite (bAp), and collagen, and the nanocrystalline bAp's contribution to functionality remains largely uninvestigated. Using the multiple detector energy-dispersive diffraction (EDD) system at 6-BM-B, the Advanced Photon Source, and 3D tomographic sampling, the 3D functionality of entire centra were probed. Immersion in ethanol vs phosphate-buffered saline produces only small changes in bAp d-spacing within a great hammerhead centrum. EDD mapping under in situ loading was performed an entire blue shark centrum, and 3D maps of bAp strain showed the two structural zones of the centrum, the corpus calcareum and intermedialia, contained opposite-signed strains approaching 0.5%, and application of ~8% nominal strain did not alter these strain magnitudes and their spatial distribution.
Interprofessional Ethics Simulations and Debriefing to Develop Collaborative Skills
Authors: Haddad Amy , Begley Kimberley , Ryan Haddad Ann
Published: September 2024

The Interprofessional Education Collaborative’s (IPEC’s) core competencies are accreditation standards of most, if not all, healthcare professions (Interprofessional Education Collaborative Expert Panel [2016, Core Competencies for Interprofessional Collaborative Practice: 2016 Update. Washington, DC: IPEC]). Limited literature exists on interprofessional (IP) learning outcomes in healthcare ethics; even fewer studies include debrief sessions. Interprofessional education (IPE) case discussion using web-based technology is a promising way to incorporate ethics content. This article summarizes a model for healthcare programs to create, conduct, and assess synchronous IPE ethics discussions and debrief sessions. Specifically, this article highlights debrief sessions that followed a standardized patient (SP) IP interaction with students from pharmacy and advanced practice nursing. Qualitative analysis of debrief comments identified four themes: the benefit of IP collaboration, the importance of patient-centered care, the need to adapt clinical recommendations with ethical challenges, and the importance of trust among team members. The findings indicate web-based, synchronous IP/SP ethics simulations and debrief sessions are an effective, albeit laborious, method for collaboration and reflection.
Scaling up healthy eating in early childhood education and care: evaluation of the Appetite to Play capacity-building intervention
Authors: Buckler E Jean , Hassani Kasra , McConnell-Nzunga Jennifer , Fakih Sana , Scarr Jennifer , Mâsse Louise C , Naylor Patti-Jean
Published: September 2024

Objective:

The purpose of this study was to examine the dissemination of the healthy eating component of Appetite to Play at scale using the Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, Maintenance (RE-AIM) framework.

Design:

The Appetite to Play capacity-building intervention is a set of evidence-informed implementation strategies aimed at enhancing the adoption of recommended practices for promoting healthy eating and active play in early years settings. The evaluation was pragmatic, employing both quantitative (surveys) and qualitative (interviews) data collection.

Setting:

The Appetite to Play intervention was delivered through in-person community-based workshops, virtual workshops, asynchronous e-learning and online resources.

Participants:

We received completed surveys from 1670 in-person workshop participants (96 % female), and twenty-three (all female) survey respondents also participated in a telephone interview. Approximately two-thirds of all participant groups were certified early childhood educators.

Results:

Results indicated that Appetite to Play had high reach (25 867 individual website visits, 195 workshops delivered), effectiveness (significant increases in care provider’s knowledge, confidence (P < 0·05) and high post-intervention intention to implement), adoption (11 % of educators in BC trained) and implementation (good alignment with implementation strategies and current practices), with a significant maintenance plan to support the intervention’s future success.

Conclusions:

An evidence-based capacity-building intervention with an emphasis on training and provision of practical online resources can improve early years providers’ knowledge, confidence and intention to implement recommended practices that promote healthy eating. Further research is needed to determine the impact on child-level outcomes and how parents can be supported in contributing to positive food environments.
Twenty-four hour urinary sodium and potassium excretion in adult population of Slovenia: results of the Manjsoli.si/2022 study
Authors: Kugler Saša , Blaznik Urška , Rehberger Maruša , Zaletel Metka , Korošec Aleš , Somrak Matej , Oblak Adrijana , Pravst Igor , Hribar Maša , Kušar Anita , Brguljan-Hitij Jana , Gaberšček Simona , Zaletel Katja , Eržen Ivan
Published: September 2024

Objective:

The objective of study was to assess 24-h urinary Na and K excretion and estimate the average salt and K intakes in a nationally representative sample of the adult population of Slovenia.

Design:

A nationally representative cross-sectional study was conducted in four stages between September and November 2022: study questionnaire, physical measurements, 24-h urine collection and laboratory analysis.

Setting:

Slovenia.

Participants:

We invited 2000 adult, non-institutionalised inhabitants of Slovenia, aged between 25 and 64 years. A stratified two-staged sample was selected from this population by the Statistical Office of Slovenia, using sampling from the Central Population Register. According to the WHO methodology, additional eligibility criteria were screened before participating. A total of 518 individuals participated in all four stages of the study, resulting in a response rate of 30 %.

Results:

The mean 24-h urinary Na excretion was 168 mmol/d (95 % CI 156, 180), which corresponds to a mean estimated intake of 10·3 g salt/d (95 % CI 9·6, 11·1). Mean 24-h urinary K excretion was 65·4 mmol/d (95 % CI 63·2, 67·5), and the estimated mean K intake was 2·93 g/d (95 % CI 2·84, 3·03). There were statistically significant differences in mean intakes between males and females. The mean sodium-to-potassium ratio was 2·7 (95 % CI 2·5, 2·8).

Conclusions:

The study results highlighted that the salt intake in the adult population of Slovenia remains much higher than recommended by the WHO, and K intakes are insufficient, as most participants did not meet the recommendations.
General practitioner and nurse experiences of type 2 diabetes management and prescribing in primary care: a qualitative review following the introduction of funded SGLT2i/GLP1RA medications in Aotearoa New Zealand
Authors: Norman Kimberley , Mustafa Sara Tareq , Cassim Shemana , Mullins Hilde , Clark Penny , Keenan Rawiri , Te Karu Leanne , Murphy Rinki , Paul Ryan , Kenealy Tim , Chepulis Lynne
Published: September 2024

Aim:

To explore the views of general practitioners (GPs) and nurses on type 2 diabetes (T2D) management, including the use of recently funded T2D medications in New Zealand (NZ) and their perceived barriers to providing optimal care.

Background:

T2D is a significant health concern in NZ, particularly among Māori and Pacific adults. Characterised by prolonged hyperglycaemia, T2D is generally a progressive condition requiring long-term care.

Methods:

Semi-structured interviews were conducted between July and December 2022 with 21 primary care clinicians (10 GPs and 11 nurses/nurse prescribers) from nine different general practice clinics across the Auckland and Waikato regions of NZ. Framework analysis was conducted to identify common themes in clinicians’ perceptions and experiences with T2D management.

Findings:

Three themes were identified: health-system factors, new medications, and solution-based approaches. Lack of clinician time, healthcare funding, staff shortages, and burn-out were identified as barriers to T2D management under health-system factors. The two newly funded medications, empagliflozin and dulaglutide, were deemed to be a positive change for T2D care in that they improved patient satisfaction and clinical outcomes, but several clinicians were hesitant to prescribe these medications. Participants suggested that additional education and specialist diabetes support would be helpful to inform optimal medication prescribing and that better use of a multi-disciplinary team (clinical and support staff) could support T2D care by reducing workload, addressing cultural gaps in healthcare delivery, and reducing burnout. An improved primary care work environment, including appropriate professional development to support prescribing of new medications and the value of collaboration with a non-regulated workforce, may be required to facilitate optimal T2D management in primary care. Future research should focus on interventions to increase support for both clinical teams and patients while adopting a culturally appropriate approach to increase patient satisfaction and improve health outcomes.
Psychological Impact of the Volcanic Eruption in La Palma Spanish Island: Predictors of Depression, Anxiety, Stress, and Well-being
Authors: Cruz Manzano Cristina , Nieto Romero Inés , González-Sanguino Clara , Marín Martín Carolina
Published: September 2024

Natural disasters, such as the eruption of the “Tajogaite” volcano on the Spanish island of La Palma, might have a high impact on the mental health of those who experience them. This study aims to evaluate the mental state of La Palma’s population on the acute phase of the event as well as two and seven months later. The main hypothesis was that levels of anxiety will decrease in time, while depression and perceived stress levels will remain stable. Levels of depression, anxiety, perceived stress and psychological well-being were measured, as well as their relationship and certain demographic variables such as age, gender and residential situation. Results showed that anxiety and perceived stress significantly decreased with time, but depression and well-being remained stable. Moreover, higher levels of depression could be partly explained by higher anxiety and perceived stress, previous pharmacological treatment, and lower levels of well-being. Also, being a woman, higher levels of perceived stress, living in a region affected by the eruption, and previous pharmacological treatment significantly predicted higher anxiety; being a woman, higher levels of anxiety and lower levels of well-being significantly predicted higher perceived stress. Finally, higher levels of well-being could be partly explained by lower levels of depression and perceived stress, and not living alone. This study was able to identify particularly vulnerable groups during natural disasters, such as the eruption of a volcano. This is important to provide early psychological care to those who need it in these situations.
A Monte Carlo Propagation of the Full Variance‐Covariance of GRACE‐Like Level‐2 Data With Applications in Hydrological Data Assimilation and Sea‐Level Budget Studies
Authors: Yang Fan , Forootan Ehsan , Liu Shuhao , Schumacher Maike
Published: September 2024

Understanding mass (re‐)distribution within the Earth system, and addressing global challenges such as the impact of climate change on water resources requires global time‐variable terrestrial water storage (TWS) estimates along with reasonable uncertainty fields. The Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) and GRACE‐FO satellite missions provide time‐variable gravity fields with full variance‐covariance information. A rigorous uncertainty propagation of these errors to TWS uncertainties is mathematically challenging and computationally inefficient. We propose a Monte Carlo Full Variance‐Covariance (MCFVC) error propagation approach to precisely compute TWS uncertainties. We also establish theoretical criteria to predict the actual convergence and accuracy of MCFVC, showing a convergence after 10,000 realizations with the relative error of 2.8% for variance and 4.7% for covariance at the confidence level of 95%. This can be achieved in few seconds using a single CPU to compute the uncertainties of each 1° resolution globally gridded TWS field. A validation against the rigorous error propagation method indicates relative differences of less than 0.8%. A global uncertainty assessment shows that neglecting the covariance of gravity coefficients can considerably bias the TWS uncertainties, that is, up to 60%, in some basins like Eyre. Flexibility of MCFVC allows the quantification of filtering impacts on the uncertainty of TWS fields, for example, up to 35% in the Tocantins River Basin. An empirical model is provided to reproduce GRACE‐like TWS uncertainty fields for hydrological studies. Finally, experiments of GRACE(‐FO) data assimilation for hydrological applications and sea‐level budget estimation are presented that indicate the importance of accounting for the full covariance information in these studies.
On the Association of Substorm Identification Methods
Authors: Lao C. J. , Forsyth C. , Freeman M. P. , Smith A. W. , Mooney M. K.
Published: September 2024

Substorms are a rapid release of energy that is redistributed throughout the magnetosphere‐ionosphere system, resulting in many observable signals, such as enhancements in the aurora, energetic particle injections, and ground magnetic field perturbations. Numerous substorm identification techniques and onset lists based on each of these signals have been provided in the literature, but often with no cross‐calibration. Since the signals produced are not necessarily unique to substorms and may not be sufficiently similar to be identified for each and every substorm, individual event lists may miss or misidentify substorms, hindering our understanding and the development and validation of substorm models. To gauge the scale of this problem, we use metrics derived from contingency tables to quantify the association between lists of substorms derived from SuperMAG SML/SMU indices, midlatitude magnetometer data, particle injections, and auroral enhancements. Overall, although some degree of pairwise association is found between the lists, even lists generated by applying conceptually similar gradient‐based identification to ground magnetometer data achieve an association with less than 50% event coincidence. We discuss possible explanations of the levels of association seen from our results, as well as their implications for substorm analyses.
Image‐Based Retrieval of All‐Day Cloud Physical Parameters for FY4A/AGRI and Its Application Over the Tibetan Plateau
Authors: Zhao Zhijun , Zhang Feng , Li Wenwen , Li Jingwei
Published: September 2024

Satellite remote sensing serves as a crucial means to acquire cloud physical parameters. However, existing official cloud products from the advanced geostationary radiation imager (AGRI) onboard the Fengyun‐4A geostationary satellite lack spatiotemporal continuity and important micro‐physical properties. In this study, an image‐based transfer learning ResUnet (TL‐ResUnet) model was applied to realize all‐day and high‐precision retrieval of cloud physical parameters from AGRI thermal infrared measurements. Combining the observation advantages of geostationary and polar‐orbiting satellites, the TL‐ResUnet model was pre‐trained with official cloud products from advanced Himawari imager (AHI) and transfer‐trained with official cloud products from moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer (MODIS), respectively. For comparison, a pixel‐based transfer learning random forest (TL‐RF) model was trained using the equally distributed data sets. Taking MODIS official products as the benchmarks, the TL‐ResUnet model achieved an overall accuracy of 79.82% for identifying cloud phase and root mean squared errors of 1.99 km, 7.11 μm, and 12.87 for estimating cloud top height, cloud effective radius, and cloud optical thickness, outperforming the precision of AGRI and AHI official products. Compared to the TL‐RF model, the TL‐ResUnet model utilized the spatial information of clouds to significantly improve the retrieval performance and achieve more than a 6‐fold increase in speed for single full‐disk retrieval. Moreover, AGRI TL‐ResUnet products with spatiotemporal continuity and high precision were used to accurately describe the spatial distribution characteristics of cloud fractions and cloud properties over the Tibetan Plateau, and provide the diurnal variation of cloud cover and cloud properties across different seasons for the first time.
Reduced productivity and carbon drawdown of tropical forests from ground-level ozone exposure
Authors: Cheesman Alexander W. , Brown Flossie , Artaxo Paulo , Farha Mst Nahid , Folberth Gerd A. , Hayes Felicity J. , Heinrich Viola H. A. , Hill Timothy C. , Mercado Lina M. , Oliver Rebecca J. , O’ Sullivan Michael , Uddling Johan , Cernusak Lucas A. , Sitch Stephen
Published: September 2024

Elevated ground-level ozone, a result of human activity, is known to reduce plant productivity, but its influence on tropical forests remains unclear. Here we estimate how increased ozone exposure has affected tropical-forest productivity and the global carbon cycle. We experimentally measure the ozone susceptibility of various tropical tree species, and then incorporate these data into a dynamic global vegetation model. We find that current anthropogenic-derived ozone results in a substantial decline in annual net primary productivity (NPP) across all tropical forests, with some areas being particularly impacted. For example, Asia sees losses of 10.9% (7.2–19.7%) NPP. We calculate that this productivity decline has resulted in a cumulative loss in carbon drawdown of 0.29 PgC per year since 2000, equating to ~17% of the tropical contemporary annual land carbon sink in the twenty-first century. We also find that areas of current and future forest restoration are disproportionately affected by elevated ozone. Future socioeconomic pathways that reduce ozone formation in the tropics will incur benefits to the global carbon budget by relieving the current ozone impacts seen across both intact forest and areas of forest restoration, which are critical terrestrial regions for mitigation of rising atmospheric carbon dioxide.
Probing inhomogeneous cuprate superconductivity by terahertz Josephson echo spectroscopy
Authors: Liu A. , Pavićević D. , Michael M. H. , Salvador A. G. , Dolgirev P. E. , Fechner M. , Disa A. S. , M. Lozano P. , Li Q. , Gu G. D. , Demler E. , Cavalleri A.
Published: September 2024

Inhomogeneities crucially influence the properties of quantum materials, yet methods that can measure them remain limited and can access only a fraction of relevant observables. For example, local probes such as scanning tunnelling microscopy have documented that the electronic properties of cuprate superconductors are inhomogeneous over nanometre length scales. However, complementary techniques that can resolve higher-order correlations are needed to elucidate the nature of these inhomogeneities. Furthermore, local tunnelling probes are often effective only far below the critical temperature. Here we develop a two-dimensional terahertz spectroscopy method to measure Josephson plasmon echoes from an interlayer superconducting tunnelling resonance in a near-optimally doped cuprate. The technique allows us to study the multidimensional optical response of the interlayer Josephson coupling in the material and disentangle intrinsic lifetime broadening from extrinsic inhomogeneous broadening for interlayer superconducting tunnelling. We find that inhomogeneous broadening persists up to a substantial fraction of the critical temperature, above which this is overcome by the thermally increased lifetime broadening.
Widespread position-dependent transcriptional regulatory sequences in plants
Authors: Voichek Yoav , Hristova Gabriela , Mollá-Morales Almudena , Weigel Detlef , Nordborg Magnus
Published: September 2024

Much of what we know about eukaryotic transcription stems from animals and yeast; however, plants evolved separately for over a billion years, leaving ample time for divergence in transcriptional regulation. Here we set out to elucidate fundamental properties of cis-regulatory sequences in plants. Using massively parallel reporter assays across four plant species, we demonstrate the central role of sequences downstream of the transcription start site (TSS) in transcriptional regulation. Unlike animal enhancers that are position independent, plant regulatory elements depend on their position, as altering their location relative to the TSS significantly affects transcription. We highlight the importance of the region downstream of the TSS in regulating transcription by identifying a DNA motif that is conserved across vascular plants and is sufficient to enhance gene expression in a dose-dependent manner. The identification of a large number of position-dependent enhancers points to fundamental differences in gene regulation between plants and animals.
An open-source framework for end-to-end analysis of electronic health record data
Authors: Heumos Lukas , Ehmele Philipp , Treis Tim , Upmeier zu Belzen Julius , Roellin Eljas , May Lilly , Namsaraeva Altana , Horlava Nastassya , Shitov Vladimir A. , Zhang Xinyue , Zappia Luke , Knoll Rainer , Lang Niklas J. , Hetzel Leon , Virshup Isaac , Sikkema Lisa , Curion Fabiola , Eils Roland , Schiller Herbert B. , Hilgendorff Anne , Theis Fabian J.
Published: September 2024

With progressive digitalization of healthcare systems worldwide, large-scale collection of electronic health records (EHRs) has become commonplace. However, an extensible framework for comprehensive exploratory analysis that accounts for data heterogeneity is missing. Here we introduce ehrapy, a modular open-source Python framework designed for exploratory analysis of heterogeneous epidemiology and EHR data. ehrapy incorporates a series of analytical steps, from data extraction and quality control to the generation of low-dimensional representations. Complemented by rich statistical modules, ehrapy facilitates associating patients with disease states, differential comparison between patient clusters, survival analysis, trajectory inference, causal inference and more. Leveraging ontologies, ehrapy further enables data sharing and training EHR deep learning models, paving the way for foundational models in biomedical research. We demonstrate ehrapy’s features in six distinct examples. We applied ehrapy to stratify patients affected by unspecified pneumonia into finer-grained phenotypes. Furthermore, we reveal biomarkers for significant differences in survival among these groups. Additionally, we quantify medication-class effects of pneumonia medications on length of stay. We further leveraged ehrapy to analyze cardiovascular risks across different data modalities. We reconstructed disease state trajectories in patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) based on imaging data. Finally, we conducted a case study to demonstrate how ehrapy can detect and mitigate biases in EHR data. ehrapy, thus, provides a framework that we envision will standardize analysis pipelines on EHR data and serve as a cornerstone for the community.
Tonic and burst-like locus coeruleus stimulation distinctly shift network activity across the cortical hierarchy
Authors: Grimm Christina , Duss Sian N. , Privitera Mattia , Munn Brandon R. , Karalis Nikolaos , Frässle Stefan , Wilhelm Maria , Patriarchi Tommaso , Razansky Daniel , Wenderoth Nicole , Shine James M. , Bohacek Johannes , Zerbi Valerio
Published: September 2024

Noradrenaline (NA) release from the locus coeruleus (LC) changes activity and connectivity in neuronal networks across the brain, modulating multiple behavioral states. NA release is mediated by both tonic and burst-like LC activity. However, it is unknown whether the functional changes in target areas depend on these firing patterns. Using optogenetics, photometry, electrophysiology and functional magnetic resonance imaging in mice, we show that tonic and burst-like LC firing patterns elicit brain responses that hinge on their distinct NA release dynamics. During moderate tonic LC activation, NA release engages regions associated with associative processing, while burst-like stimulation biases the brain toward sensory processing. These activation patterns locally couple with increased astrocytic and inhibitory activity and change the brain’s topological configuration in line with the hierarchical organization of the cerebral cortex. Together, these findings reveal how the LC–NA system achieves a nuanced regulation of global circuit operations.
Comprehensive battery aging dataset: capacity and impedance fade measurements of a lithium-ion NMC/C-SiO cell
Authors: Luh Matthias , Blank Thomas
Published: September 2024

Battery degradation is critical to the cost-effectiveness and usability of battery-powered products. Aging studies help to better understand and model degradation and to optimize the operating strategy. Nevertheless, there are only a few comprehensive and freely available aging datasets for these applications. To our knowledge, the dataset1 presented in the following is one of the largest published to date. It contains over 3 billion data points from 228 commercial NMC/C+SiO lithium-ion cells aged for more than a year under a wide range of operating conditions. We investigate calendar and cyclic aging and also apply different driving cycles to cells. The dataset1 includes result data (such as the remaining usable capacity or impedance measured in check-ups) and raw data (i.e., measurement logs with two-second resolution). The data can be used in a wide range of applications, for example, to model battery degradation, gain insight into lithium plating, optimize operating strategies, or test battery impedance or state estimation algorithms using machine learning or Kalman filtering.
Performance analysis of partially shaded high-efficiency mono PERC/mono crystalline PV module under indoor and environmental conditions
Authors: Kumari Neha , Singh Sanjay Kumar , Kumar Sanjay , Jadoun Vinay Kumar
Published: September 2024

The ever-increasing demand for sustainable energy has drawn attention towards photovoltaic efficiency and reliability. In this context, the shading and associated hotpot degradation within PV modules has become an important area of research and development. The experimental approach of this paper aims to investigate single cell shading in high efficiency monocrystalline silicon PV PERC modules. Prior to the outdoor experiment, the PV module underwent experimental testing under STC to determine variation in electrical and thermal behaviour due to partial shading. The indoor experiments are performed using Sun-simulator and the I–V and P–V curves are analysed. Further, the outdoor experiments were performed under realistic conditions. In both cases, results showed that during 40–60% shading in single cell leads to critical shading scenario causing significant drop in power output in comparison with their unshaded conditions. The maximum power loss of 36.34% and 42% is recorded for indoor and outdoor experiments. The outdoor experiments recorded hotspot temperature of 85–90.1 °C under respective 40% and 60% critical shading scenarios. The efficiency recorded in the time interval of 11:00:00 and 11:30:00 was highest for the solar radiations between 940 and 990 W/m2. The maximum drop in efficiency is recorded from noon till 13:30:00 time of the day. Development of hotspot is directly related to the failure or malfunction of protecting system. Hence the importance of type of PV technology, amount of shading, and critical shading scenario is presented in the study. This study is important for researcher and manufacture to consider single cell shading in PV technology.
IF1 is a cold-regulated switch of ATP synthase hydrolytic activity to support thermogenesis in brown fat
Authors: Brunetta Henver S , Jung Anna S , Valdivieso-Rivera Fernando , de Campos Zani Stepheny C , Guerra Joel , Furino Vanessa O , Francisco Annelise , Berçot Marcelo , Moraes-Vieira Pedro M , Keipert Susanne , Jastroch Martin , Martinez Laurent O , Sponton Carlos H , Castilho Roger F , Mori Marcelo A , Bartelt Alexander
Published: September 2024

While mechanisms controlling uncoupling protein-1 (UCP1) in thermogenic adipocytes play a pivotal role in non-shivering thermogenesis, it remains unclear whether F1Fo-ATP synthase function is also regulated in brown adipose tissue (BAT). Here, we show that inhibitory factor 1 (IF1, encoded by Atp5if1), an inhibitor of ATP synthase hydrolytic activity, is a critical negative regulator of brown adipocyte energy metabolism. In vivo, IF1 levels are diminished in BAT of cold-adapted mice compared to controls. Additionally, the capacity of ATP synthase to generate mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) through ATP hydrolysis (the so-called “reverse mode” of ATP synthase) is increased in brown fat. In cultured brown adipocytes, IF1 overexpression results in an inability of mitochondria to sustain the MMP upon adrenergic stimulation, leading to a quiescent-like phenotype in brown adipocytes. In mice, adeno-associated virus-mediated IF1 overexpression in BAT suppresses adrenergic-stimulated thermogenesis and decreases mitochondrial respiration in BAT. Taken together, our work identifies downregulation of IF1 upon cold as a critical event for the facilitation of the reverse mode of ATP synthase as well as to enable energetic adaptation of BAT to effectively support non-shivering thermogenesis.