bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mid-level clouds are frequent above the southeast Atlantic stratocumulus clouds
Authors: Adebiyi Adeyemi A. , Zuidema Paquita , Chang Ian , Burton Sharon P.
Published: April 2020

Abstract. Shortwave-absorbing aerosols seasonally overlay extensive low-level stratocumulus clouds over the southeast Atlantic. While a lot of attention has been focused on the interactions between the low-level clouds and the overlying aerosols, no study has yet focused on the mid-level clouds that also occur over the region. The presence of mid-level clouds over the region complicates the attribution of the cloud radiation budget, as well as of space-based remote-sensing retrievals. Here we characterize the mid-level clouds over the southeast Atlantic using lidar- and radar-based satellite cloud retrievals in addition to the observations collected in September 2016 during the ORACLES (ObseRvations of Aerosols above CLouds and their intEractionS) field campaign. We find that the mid-level clouds over the southeast Atlantic are relatively common, with the overwhelming majority of the cloud occurring between altitudes of 5 and 7 km and temperatures of 0 and −20 °C. These clouds occur at the top of a moist mid-tropospheric smoke aerosol layer, most frequently between August and October, closer to the southern African coast than farther offshore, and more frequently during the night than during the day. Between July and October, we find that about 64 % of the mid-level clouds have a geometric cloud thickness less than 1 km, and about 60 % have a cloud optical depth less than 4. Using the lidar-based depolarization–backscatter relationship for September 2016, we find that the mid-level clouds are liquid-only clouds with no evidence of the existence of ice. Furthermore, we also find that these clouds are mostly associated with synoptically-modulated mid-tropospheric moisture outflow that can be linked to the detrainment from the continental-based clouds. Overall, the presence of these supercooled mid-level clouds influences the regional cloud radiative budget by reducing the radiative cooling rates by about 10 K/day near the top of the more-dominant low-level clouds.
Evaluation of equivalent black carbon source apportionment using observations from Switzerland between 2008 and 2018
Authors: Grange Stuart K. , Lötscher Hanspeter , Fischer Andrea , Emmenegger Lukas , Hueglin Christoph
Published: April 2020

Abstract. Black carbon (BC) or soot is a constituent of particulate matter (PM) which is relevant for negative human health and climate effects, and despite the lack of direct legal limits, it is recognised as an important atmospheric pollutant to monitor, understand, and control. Aethalometers are instruments which continuously monitor BC by measuring absorption at a number of distinct wavelengths. If collocated elemental carbon (EC) observations are used to transform these values into BC mass, by convention, the result is named equivalent black carbon (EBC). BC emitted by different combustion processes has different optical absorption characteristics, and this can be used to apportion EBC mass into traffic (EBCTR) and woodburning (EBCWB) components with a data processing technique known as the aethalometer model. The aethalometer model was applied to six EBC monitoring sites across Switzerland (using data between 2008 and 2018) and was evaluated by investigating diurnal cycles, model coefficients, and ambient temperature dependence of the two EBC components. For one monitoring site, San Vittore, the aethalometer model failed to produce plausible outputs. The reason for this failure was likely due to a high load of freshly emitted wood smoke during the winter which should be thought of as a third distinct emission source. After model evaluation, the trend analysis indicated that EBCTR concentrations at the remaining five locations significantly decreased between 2008 and 2018. EBCWB also demonstrated significant decreases in most monitoring locations but not at a monitoring site south of the Alps with a high PM load sourced from biomass burning. Ratios of EBC and particulate matter with a diameter of less than 2.5 µm (PM2.5) suggested that EBC contributes 6 %–14 % of the PM2.5 mass in Switzerland. The aethalometer model is a useful data analysis procedure but can fail under certain conditions; thus, careful evaluation is required to ensure the method is robust and suitable in other locations.
Nano-hygroscopicity tandem differential mobility analyzer (nano-HTDMA) for investigating hygroscopic properties of sub-10 nm aerosol nanoparticles
Authors: Lei Ting , Ma Nan , Hong Juan , Tuch Thomas , Wang Xin , Wang Zhibin , Pöhlker Mira , Ge Maofa , Wang Weigang , Mikhailov Eugene , Hoffmann Thorsten , Pöschl Ulrich , Su Hang , Wiedensohler Alfred , Cheng Yafang
Published: April 2020

Abstract. Interactions between water and nanoparticles are relevant for atmospheric multiphase processes, physical chemistry, and materials science. Current knowledge of the hygroscopic and related physico-chemical properties of nanoparticles, however, is restricted by limitations of the available measurement techniques. Here, we present the design and performance of a nano-hygroscopicity tandem differential mobility analyzer (nano-HTDMA) apparatus that enables high accuracy and precision in hygroscopic growth measurements of aerosol nanoparticles with diameters less than 10 nm. Detailed methods of calibration and validation are provided. Beside maintaining accurate and stable sheath/aerosol flow rates (± 1 %), high accuracy of DMA voltage (± 0.1 %) in the range of ~0–50 V is crucial to achieve accurate sizing and small sizing offsets between the two DMAs (
Intra-annual variations of spectrally resolved gravity wave activity in the UMLT region
Authors: Sedlak René , Zuhr Alexandra , Schmidt Carsten , Wüst Sabine , Bittner Michael , Didebulidze Goderdzi G. , Price Colin
Published: April 2020

Abstract. The period range between 6 min and 480 min is known to represent the major part of the gravity wave spectrum driving mesospheric dynamics. We present a method using wavelet analysis to calculate gravity wave activity with a high period-resolution and apply it to temperature data acquired with the OH* airglow spectrometers GRIPS (GRound-based Infrared P-branch Spectrometer) within the framework of the NDMC (Network for the Detection of Mesospheric Change; https://ndmc.dlr.de). We analyse data measured at the NDMC sites Abastumani in Georgia (ABA, 41.75° N, 42.82° E), ALOMAR in Norway (ALR, 69.28° N, 16.01° E), Neumayer III in the Antarctic (NEU, 70.67° S, 8.27° W), Observatoire de Haute-Provence in France (OHP, 43.93° N, 5.71° E), Oberpfaffenhofen in Germany (OPN, 48.09° N, 11.28° E), Sonnblick in Austria (SBO, 47.05° N, 12.95° E), Tel Aviv in Israel (TAV, 32.11° N, 34.80° E), and the Environmental Research Station Schneefernerhaus on top of Mt. Zugspitze, Germany (UFS, 47.42° N, 10.98° E). All eight instruments are identical in construction and deliver consistent and comparable data sets. For periods shorter than 60 min, gravity wave activity is found to be relatively low and hardly shows any seasonal variability on the time scale of months. We find a semi-annual cycle with maxima during winter and summer for gravity waves with periods longer than 60 min, which gradually develops into an annual cycle with a winter maximum for longer periods. The transition from a semi-annual pattern to a primarily annual pattern occurs around a gravity wave period of 200 min. Although there are indications of enhanced gravity wave sources above mountainous terrain, the overall pattern of gravity wave activity does not differ significantly for the abovementioned observation sites. Thus, large-scale mechanisms such as stratospheric wind filtering seem to dominate the temporal course of mesospheric gravity wave activity.
CAMELS-GB: Hydrometeorological time series and landscape attributes for 671 catchments in Great Britain
Authors: Coxon Gemma , Addor Nans , Bloomfield John P. , Freer Jim , Fry Matt , Hannaford Jamie , Howden Nicholas J. K. , Lane Rosanna , Lewis Melinda , Robinson Emma L. , Wagener Thorsten , Woods Ross
Published: April 2020

Abstract. We present the first large-sample catchment hydrology dataset for Great Britain, CAMELS-GB (Catchment Attributes and MEteorology for Large-sample Studies). CAMELS-GB collates river flows, catchment attributes and catchment boundaries from the UK National River Flow Archive together with a suite of new meteorological timeseries and catchment attributes. These data are provided for 671 catchments that cover a wide range of climatic, hydrological, landscape and human management characteristics across Great Britain. Daily timeseries covering 1970–2015 (a period including several hydrological extreme episodes) are provided for a range of hydro-meteorological variables including rainfall, potential evapotranspiration, temperature, radiation, humidity and river flow. A comprehensive set of catchment attributes are quantified including topography, climate, hydrology, land cover, soils and hydrogeology. Importantly, we also derive human management attributes (including attributes summarising abstractions, returns and reservoir capacity in each catchment), as well as attributes describing the quality of the flow data including the first set of discharge uncertainty estimates for Great Britain. CAMELS-GB (Coxon et al, 2020; available at https://doi.org/10.5285/8344e4f3-d2ea-44f5-8afa-86d2987543a9) is intended for the community as a publicly available, easily accessible dataset to use in a wide range of environmental and modelling analyses.
Built From the Crater Up – Site Museums in Geosciences Communication and Outreach
Authors: Urrutia Fucugauchi Jaime , Perez-Cruz Ligia , Urrutia Araxi O.
Published: April 2020

Abstract. What is the role of site museums and geological sites in geosciences communication, education and outreach? Natural history and site museums contribute to learning, outreach and educational programs, with geological sites in National Parks, GeoParks and UNESCO heritage sites attracting large numbers of visitors, as well as scholars and students. Here, we examine the role and potential of science museums in relation to the Chicxulub impact and the Cretaceous/Paleogene boundary mass extinction. The impact ranks among major single events shaping Earth’s history, triggering global climatic change and wiping out ~ 76 % of species. The crater, with a ~ 200 km rim diameter, is the best preserved of the three large terrestrial multi-ring impact structures, being a natural laboratory for investigating impact dynamics, crater formation and planetary evolution. The crater and impact deposits are not exposed at the surface, being covered by carbonate sediments after its formation, which presents a challenge for outreach and educational programs. The Chicxulub center and museum have a core mission to serve as a hub for multi-disciplinary research on the impact, planetary sciences, climate change and life evolution, as well as educational, outreach and science communication programs. It fulfills a recognized task for dissemination and communication of geosciences. After decades of studies, Chicxulub impact remains under intense scrutiny and the new facilities built inside the crater, play a major role in expanding those efforts.
St. Francis and Giotto: the saint and the artist who started the ecological movement
Authors: Pizzorusso Ann C.
Published: April 2020

Abstract. From Antiquity to the Middle Ages, man had a conflictual relationship with nature, seeing it as representing either divine or satanic forces. On the vanguard of a change in perspective toward the natural world was St. Francis of Assisi (c. 1181–1226) who is now, thanks to his pioneering work, patron of ecology. He set forth the revolutionary philosophy that the Earth and all living creatures should be respected as creations of the Almighty. St. Francis' affinity for the environment influenced the artist Giotto (c. 1270–1337) who revolutionized art history by including natural elements in his religious works. In this manner, Giotto portrayed sacred images on Earth, separating them definitively from their abstract, unapproachable representation in Byzantine art. Giotto’s works are distinctive because they portray daily life as blessed, thus demonstrating that the difference between the sacred and profane is minimal. Disseminating the new ideas of St. Francis visually was very effective, as the general populace was illiterate. Seeing frescoes reflecting their everyday lives in landscapes that were familiar, changed their way of thinking. The trees, plants, animals and rocky landscapes were suddenly perceived as gifts from the Creator to be used, enjoyed and respected. Further, Giotto recognized that the variety of dramatic landscapes would provide spectacular visual interest in the works. The Umbria/Lazio/Tuscany regions of central Italy, where the Franciscan monasteries were located, are seismically active, geologically complex mountainous areas with faults, upthrusts, nappes and diverse lithologic deposits. By including the striking landforms, and portraying them accurately, Giotto allows us the opportunity to identify the types of rock in his frescoes and possibly even the exact location he depicted.
Direct U-Pb dating of carbonates from micron scale fsLA-ICPMS images using robust regression
Authors: Hoareau Guilhem , Claverie Fanny , Pecheyran Christophe , Paroissin Christian , Grignard Pierre-Alexandre , Motte Geoffrey , Chailan Olivier , Girard Jean-Pierre
Published: April 2020

Abstract. U-Pb dating of carbonates by LA-ICPMS spot analysis is an increasingly used method in the field of geosciences, as it brings very strong constraints over the geological history of basins, faults or reservoirs. Most ages currently published are based on the measurement of U and Pb ratios on spot ablations, using nanosecond lasers coupled to sector-field or multi-collector ICPMS. Here, we present a new strategy for the U-Pb dating of carbonates from 2D isotopic ratio maps, based on the use of a robust regression approach in the data reduction workflow. The isotopic maps, having minimum area of 0.65 mm2 (∼ 1000 pixels of 13 x 25 µm resolution), are obtained using a 257 nm femtosecond laser ablation system at high repetition rate (500 Hz) coupled to a High Resolution ICPMS. The maps commonly show significant variations in isotope ratios at the pixel scale, allowing the plotting of pixel U-Pb ratios in concordia or isochron diagrams and the calculation of U-Pb ages. Due to the absence of individual ratio uncertainties, the ages are calculated by using MM-robust linear regression rather than the more commonly used York-type regression. Provided examples demonstrate that this strategy allows calculating ages and uncertainties similar to those obtained for samples already dated by more traditional techniques (isotope dilution or LA-ICPMS spot analyses). The goodness-of-fit to the data is assessed by the calculation of the residual standard error of the regression (RSE), and by the calculation of a MSWD on discretized data. The regression method proposed is a statistically robust, alternative approach to that proposed by Drost et al. (2018), that can be easily applied to U-Pb age determination from isotopic maps.
CoupModel (v6.0): an ecosystem model for coupled phosphorus, nitrogen and carbon dynamics – evaluated against empirical data from a climatic and fertility gradient in Sweden
Authors: He Hongxing , Jansson Per-Erik , Gärdenäs Annemieke
Published: April 2020

Abstract. This study presents the integration of the phosphorus (P) cycle into CoupModel (Coup-CNP). The extended Coup-CNP enables simulations of coupled carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and P dynamics for terrestrial ecosystems which explicitly consider mycorrhizal interactions. The model was evaluated against observed forest growth and measured leaf C/P, C/N and N/P ratios in four managed forest regions in Sweden. The four regions form a climatic and fertility gradient from 64° N in the North to 56° N in South Sweden with the mean annual temperature varying between 0.7–7.1 °C and the soil C/N and C/P ratios between 19.8–31.5 and 425–633, respectively. The growth of the southern forests was found to be P-limited, with harvested biomass representing the largest P loss over the studied rotation period. The simulated P budgets revealed that southern forests are losing P while northern forests are close to a steady state in P availability. Mycorrhizal fungi account for half of the total plant P uptake across all four regions, which highlights the importance of fungal-tree interactions in Swedish forests. Sensitivity analysis results demonstrated that the highest forest growth occurs at a soil N/P ratio of 15 to 20. A soil N/P ratio above 15–20 resulted in decreased soil C sequestration and total P leaching, but significantly increased N leaching. The development and evaluation of the new Coup-CNP model demonstrate that P fluxes need to be further considered in studies of how climate change will influence C turnover and ecosystem responses. We conclude that the potential P-limitation of terrestrial ecosystems highlights the need of a proper consideration of the P cycle in biogeochemical models. The inclusion of the P cycle is necessary in order to make models reliable tools for assessing long-term impacts of climate change and N deposition on C sequestration and N leaching.
Global sea level reconstruction for 1900–2015 reveals regional variability in ocean dynamics and an unprecedented long weakening in the Gulf Stream flow since the 1990s
Authors: Ezer Tal , Dangendorf Sonke
Published: April 2020

Abstract. A new monthly global sea level reconstruction for 1900–2015 was analyzed and compared with various observations to examine regional variability and trends in the ocean dynamics of the western North Atlantic Ocean and the U.S. East Coast. A proxy of the Gulf Stream (GS) strength in the Mid-Atlantic Bight (GS-MAB) and in the South Atlantic Bight (GS-SAB) were derived from sea level differences across the GS in the two regions. While decadal oscillations dominate the 116-year record, the analysis showed an unprecedented long period of weakening in the GS flow since the late 1990s. The only other period of long weakening in the record was during the 1960s–1970s. Ensemble Empirical Mode Decomposition (EEMD) was used to separate oscillations at different time scales, showing that the low-frequency variability of the GS is connected to the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillations (AMO) and the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC). The recent weakening of the reconstructed GS-MAB was mostly influenced by weakening of the upper mid-ocean transport component of AMOC as observed by the RAPID measurements for 2005–2015. Comparison between the reconstructed sea level near the coast and tide gauge data for 1927–2015 showed that the reconstruction underestimated observed coastal sea level variability for time scales less than ~ 5 years, but lower frequency variability of coastal sea level was captured very well in both amplitude and phase by the reconstruction. Comparison between the GS-SAB proxy and the observed Florida Current transport for 1982–2015 also showed significant correlations for oscillations with periods longer than ~ 5 years. The study demonstrated that despite the coarse horizontal resolution of the global reconstruction (1° x 1°), long-term variations in regional dynamics can be captured quite well, thus making the data useful for studies of long-term variability in other regions as well.
Properties and dynamics of mesoscale-eddies in the Fram Strait from a comparison between two high-resolution ocean-sea ice models
Authors: Wekerle Claudia , Hattermann Tore , Wang Qiang , Crews Laura , von Appen Wilken-Jon , Danilov Sergey
Published: April 2020

Abstract. The Fram Strait, the deepest gateway to the Arctic Ocean, is strongly influenced by eddy dynamics. Here we analyse the output from two eddy-resolving models (ROMS and FESOM) with around 1 km mesh resolution in the Fram Strait, with focus on their representation of eddy properties and dynamics. A comparison with mooring observations shows that both models reasonably simulate hydrography and eddy kinetic energy. Despite differences in model formulation, they show relatively similar eddy properties. The eddies have a mean radius of 4.9 km and 5.6 km in ROMS and FESOM, respectively, with slightly more cyclones than anticyclones (ROMS: 54 %, FESOM: 55 %). The lifetime of detected eddies is relatively short in both simulations (ROMS: 10 days, FESOM: 11 days), and the mean travel distance is 35 km in both models. More anticyclones are trapped in deep depressions or move toward deep locations. The two models show comparable patterns of baroclinic and barotropic instability. However, ROMS has relatively stronger eddy intensity and baroclinic instability, possibly due to its smaller grid size and higher effective resolution. Overall, the relatively good agreement between the two models strengthens our confidence in their ability to realistically represent the Fram Strait ocean dynamics, and also highlights the need for very high mesh resolution.
The ERA5-Land Soil-Temperature Bias in Permafrost Regions
Authors: Cao Bin , Gruber Stephan , Zheng Donghai , Li Xin
Published: April 2020

Abstract. ERA5-Land (ERA5L) is a reanalysis product derived by running the land component of ERA5 at increased resolution. This study evaluates its soil temperature in permafrost regions based on observations and published permafrost products. Soil in ERA5L is predicted too warm in northern Canada and Alaska, but too cold in mid-low latitudes, leading to an average bias of −0.08 °C. The warm bias of ERA5L soil is stronger in winter than in other seasons. Diagnosed from its soil temperature, ERA5L overestimates active-layer thickness and underestimates near-surface (
The Impact of High Involvement Management on Employee Retention
Authors: Ismail Hassan , Warrak Ahmad
Published: April 2020

The purpose of this study is to explore the impact of high involvement management (power, information, rewards, and knowledge) on employee retention in Syrian Private Financial Institutions. A sample of 238 employees participated in this study. The research concluded that there is a significant positive impact of rewards and knowledge practices on employee's retention, without any significant impact from power and information practices on employee's retention.
Space-temporal Dynamics of Agriculture in the Primavera Municipality, Pará State, Brazil: Subsidies for Agroecological Transition
Authors: Souza Caio Cezar Ferreira de , Santos Marcos Antônio Souza dos , Rebello Fabrício Khoury , Martins Cyntia Meireles , Lopes Maria Lúcia Bahia , Barbosa Antônia do Socorro Aleixo
Published: April 2020

The exploitation of natural resources to meet human needs for, among other reasons, the advancement of agriculture, livestock, and mining projects, causes changes in environmental systems in time and space. The research objective of this study is to evaluate the space-temporal dynamics of agriculture in the Primavera municipality, located in the Pará Northeast, from 1980 to 2018, and to offer subsidies for the agroecological transition of current agricultural production systems. The methodology is based on the analysis of land use and land cover maps, in three different periods (1984, 2008 and 2018), by using image processing from the LANDSAT (1984 and 2008) and Sentinel (2018) satellites. Agricultural sector characterization was also analyzed, by using secondary data on socioeconomic and productivity variables. The results show that, even after the setup of a large mining enterprise in the Primavera municipality, the agricultural sector did not show major changes in terms of land occupation, increasing from 23.3% (2008) to 29.3% (2018). In addition, when analyzing the agricultural sector, the technology level was found to be at a low level, with little use of chemical inputs and machines. Agricultural diversification was also found to be at a low level, with the cultivation of five crops, predominantly. It is necessary to seek alternatives to improve agricultural production, which can be made viable through the incorporation of sustainable production systems, based on agroecological principles.
Multidimensional Analysis of Sao Paulo State (Brazil) Rural Development
Authors: Palácio Vinicius , Lourenzani Wagner Luiz , Bánkuti Ferenc Istvan , Souza Raquel Pereira de , Reis Thiago
Published: April 2020

The objective of this study is to evaluate, through a multidimensional index, the level of rural development of the municipalities in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. The process used to determine the rural development factors, the contextualization of the dimensions, as well as the definition of the variables assigned to each one of them were carried out in order to accomplish this proposal. Thus, it was possible to elaborate and to analyze the mathematical index. Methodologically, we used Systematic Bibliographic Review, analytical exploration of the results, cluster analysis and Tukey test for index validation. Based on the analysis of the results it was possible to observe neighboring municipalities with similar results, which may justify not only the local evaluation but also a micro-regional or meso-regional study. The understanding of the quality of rural life of São Paulo, through a multidimensional index, was able to generate prior knowledge for development policies at regional and local scale.
Evaluation of Morphophysiological and Biochemical Features in Young Plants of Khaya senegalensis Under Increasing Salinity
Authors: Campos Willian Viana , Cairo Paulo Araquém Ramos , Bonfim Raul Antonio Araújo do , Barbosa Mateus Pires , Silva Leandro Dias da , Souza Mikaela Oliveira , Sá Milton Carriço
Published: April 2020

A greenhouse study was carried out to evaluate the effects of increasing sodium chloride (NaCl) concentrations in a nutrient solution on growth-related morphophysiological and biochemical features during development of young plants of African mahogany (Khaya senegalensis). The NaCl concentrations were 0 mM (1.0 dS m-1), 20 mM (3.38 dS m-1), 145 mM (15.14 dS m-1), 270 mM (29.90 dS m-1), 395 mM (42.61 dS m-1) and 520 mM (53.60 dS m-1). Morphological features were negatively affected by increasing NaCl concentrations, except for plant height, which had no significant effect. Relative water content was not affected, whereas water potential decreased, suggesting osmotic adjustment. Whole plant dry mass was reduced, especially on roots, whose dry mass reduced up to 66% lower than in control. Regarding biochemical features, chlorophyll, chlorophyll content was reduced by salinity stress from 15.14 dS m-1, whereas reducing sugars, starch and proline contents were increased. We conclude that in the early development Khaya senegalensis is tolerant to salinity stress, since plant height was not affected, whereas the other morphophysiological parameters became significantly lower than the control only from moderate salinity levels. Salinity tolerance must have probably been favored by the osmotic adjustment provided by increased compatible osmolytes.
Association of RETN − 420 C/G Genotypes with CRP, Brain Edema, GCS, and GOS Among Patients with Traumatic Cerebral Hemorrhagic Contusion
Authors: Ibrahim Samah Abdelrahman Hassan , Arbab Mohamed Abdel Rahman , Musa Hassan Hussein
Published: April 2020

Background: Traumatic cerebral hemorrhage is a common type of traumatic brain injury. This medical condition exists in two phases: primary, which occurs at the time of trauma, and secondary, which occurs later as a result of multiple biochemical, metabolic, and inflammatory changes that develop over time. The secondary injury is mainly irreversible and worsens the primary injury. Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in RETN gene − 420 C/G is involved in the secondary injury by enhancing the inflammatory process. This study aims to find out the association of − 420 C/G RETN genotypes with C-reactive protein (CRP), brain edema, Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), and Glasgow Outcome Score (GOS) among traumatic cerebral hemorrhagic contusions. Methods: Ninety patients with traumatic cerebral hemorrhagic contusion were enrolled in this study. Patients with hemorrhagic contusion associated with other types of brain bleeding and those with chronic diseases were excluded. GCS score was assessed upon admission and GOS was assessed upon discharge. CRP level was measured in serum by a Nyco-Card Reader II system. RETN genotypes were defined by using PCR-RFLP. Results: Ninety patients were included, 93.3% were males, and 78.9% of the patients were below 44 years old. The most common mechanism of trauma was RTA constituting 68.9%. The RETN genotypes were 25.6%, 41.1%, and 33.3% for CC, GG, and CG, respectively. G mutant allele was significantly associated with brain edema (P = 0.019) but not significantly associated with CRP, GCS, and GOS. Conclusions: SNP in RETN − 420 C/G gene was significantly associated with brain edema (P = 0.019).
Major hospital transformations: An integrative review and implications for nursing
Authors: Fréchette Julie , Lavoie-Tremblay Mélanie , Aubry Monique , Kilpatrick Kelley , Bitzas Vasiliki
Published: April 2020

Major hospital transformations, hospital projects that combine construction and quality improvement dimensions, are booming around the globe. These costly endeavours have the potential to revolutionize healthcare, yet no known review explores this phenomenon, undermining accessibility of knowledge for healthcare leaders. In order to provide guidance on healthcare project management and on future research avenues, this article aims to synthesize empirical knowledge concerning major hospital transformations and their implications for nursing. An integrative review of the literature using the systematic approach described by Whittemore and Knafl was selected. As major hospital transformations represent a new area of research, the review includes 13 articles out of 116 retrieved for screening. The search strategy included the following electronic databases: CINAHL, MEDLINE, and Business Source Complete. Three main themes emerged from the data: the challenging context of major hospital transformations, the project management office as a key to successful healthcare change, and the absence of certain stakeholders’ voices. Major hospital transformations are important to study holistically as multi-change initiatives cannot be understood through investigating individual changes alone. Healthcare leaders are called to reflect on their governance structures during organisational transformations, as well as on the inclusion and exclusion of certain stakeholders who are essential to making sustainable change.
Literature Review on Credit Risk of China’s P2P Lending
Authors: Feiyang He
Published: April 2020

P2P lending develops fast in China and many scholars have done research on it. I explore the credit risk of China’s P2P lending by gathering and classifying essays. To be specific, I discuss the classification of credit risk and empirical research on it. Then I analyze the problems in P2P lending in China and how to control them, which is significant for investors and supervisors. Although China’s P2P lending platforms run badly in 2019, several platforms are under transformation. Other platforms can draw lessons from transformation.
Use of Collective Expertise as a Tool to Reinforce Food Safety Management in Africa
Authors: Montet Didier , Hazm Jamal Eddine , Ouadia Abdelouahab , Chichi Abdellah , Mbaye Mame Samba , Diop Michel Bakar , Kapay Paul Mobinzo , Biloso Apollinaire , Diansambu Isaac M. , Teyssier Corinne , Scher Joel , Scippo Marie Louise , Crespo Maria Teresa Barreto
Published: April 2020

The Erasmus+ project (2017-2020) entitled Societal Challenges and Governance of African Universities: the case of ALIments in Morocco, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Senegal (DAfrAli) seeks to strengthen the governance capacity of African Higher Education Institutions to mobilize their resources in order to respond to major societal challenges in relation to external stakeholders. A work package consisted of organizing three workshops to use Collective Expertise as a tool for the identification of societal risks, in the area of food safety. These three workshops were conducted in Morocco, in Senegal and in Democratic Republic of Congo. The exercise was performed by country academics with the contribution of the European project partners.

Collective Expertise gave results that demonstrated that, with a careful and diversified selection of experts, this methodology can have a deep importance to list the food hazards in a country. The results obtained can induce changes in university curricula, showed the social impacts of food safety, unveiled research needs and training needs for different agents in the food sector and above all the impact in food policy in a country. The collective expertise approach of the determination of hazards also permitted to discuss possible organization models for food risk management in the 3 countries.
Pulmonary tuberculosis in childhood: Clinical features, treatment side effects and factors associated with radiologic improvement
Authors: Batmaz Sehra Birgül
Published: April 2020

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) is a common public health problem and early diagnosis and treatment is important.
Aim of the study: The aim was to evaluate complaints and radiological features, drug side effects, changes in radiological findings after treatment, and to evaluate the factors affecting this change in patients with pulmonary TB.
Material and methods: One hundred patients with pulmonary TB were evaluated, and the following data recorded: age, gender, contact with TB patient, complaints, physical examination, tuberculin skin test, acid resistant bacillus, polymerase chain reaction and culture results, posteroanterior/lateral chest radiographs and thorax computed tomography findings at presentation and after treatment, treatment duration, and side effects. Treatment adherence and follow-up data were evaluated, and radiological findings before and after treatment were compared. In predicting radiological improvement, the effects of age, sex, duration of complaints, living in in rural/urban areas, treatment duration, treatment adherence, follow-up, and presence of cavitation were examined.
Results: Mean age was 6.0 ± 4.2 years. 66 of the patients had contact history with TB patients. The most common complaint was cough, whilst infiltration and/or mediastinal lymphadenopathy were the most common findings in radiological examination at presentation. 84 patients were scheduled a treatment program for 6 months. Improvement in radiological findings were significantly better in patients who adhered to medication and follow-up protocols. Age, sex, complaint duration, living in rural/urban areas, treatment duration and presence of cavitation were not significantly associated with radiological improvement.
Conclusions: Pulmonary TB should be considered in patients presenting with cough, even if their physical examination and chest radiographs are normal. Adherence to anti-tuberculosis treatment and follow-up were the most important factors in radiological improvement.
Overview of caustic ingestion cases at the Children’s Hospital of Vilnius University Hospital Santaros klinikos between 2011 and 2018
Authors: Narkutė Airida , Žilinskaitė Virginija
Published: April 2020

Background. Although not common, caustic ingestion can cause serious injury and sequelae. Clinical symptoms do not always represent the depth of lesions of the intestinal tract, which makes management of these patients difficult. Materials and methods. Between 2011 and 2018, we performed a retrospective one-centre study on ingestion of corrosive agents by children. We used ICD-10 codes of X49, X54.X, and T28.2. Cases of eye or skin burns were excluded. Results. Sixty-five cases were found. Due to a lack of data, we analysed 56 cases. The majority of them were boys (64%); 41% of patients were between 12 and 24 months old. The median age was one year. In 68% of cases, the corrosive substance was alkali: laundry detergent pods and sodium hydroxide accounting for 25% and 14%, respectively. Of the hospitalised patients and all those admitted to the paediatric intensive care unit (PICU), 78% had oesophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD), 61% within 24 h after ingestion. The time of EGD was not known for 29% of patients. Nine (29%) had 2nd- or 3rd-degree burns of the oesophagus or the stomach, one of them did not have any visible changes of the lips and oral mucosa or any symptoms. Conclusions. Physicians should be suspicious about potential lesions of the gastrointestinal tract when managing caustic ingestion cases. It is recommended to perform EGD for symptomatic children within 24 hours after the accident.
Giant prostatic hyperplasia and its causes
Authors: Anglickis Marius , Platkevičius Gediminas , Stulpinas Rokas , Miklyčiūtė Lina , Anglickienė Giedrė , Keina Vytautas , Štarolis Edmundas , Gradauskas Audrius
Published: April 2020

We present a case of a 59-year-old male who was admitted to the emergency department with urinary retention, with a history of lower urinary tract symptoms, with the value of serum prostate specific antigen level of 100 ng/mL and an estimated prostate size of 800 mL, according to magnetic resonance imaging. A prostate biopsy showed benign prostatic hyperplasia. Transvesical prostatectomy was performed, following additional procedure of transurethral resection of the prostate. To the best of our knowledge, this is the fourth highest prostate volume reported in medical literature. In this paper, we examine the factors that may have influenced the development of giant prostate hyperplasia.
Written in Blood: Blood Devotion in Gianfrancesco Pico’s Staurostichon
Authors: Piana Marco
Published: April 2020

This article aims to provide an analysis of Gianfrancesco Pico della Mirandola’s hymn Staurostichon in view of other examples of Savonarolan blood devotion. Staurostichon describes a supernatural event that took place in Germany between 1501 and 1503, when unusual rainfalls started to mark people’s bodies and garments with shapes of red crosses and other symbols generally connected to Christ’s Passion. Often interpreted as a rain of divine blood, the Kreuzwunder gave free rein to the imagination of many historians, astrologers, and prophets of the time. Deeply engrained with Savonarola’s devotion to Christ’s blood and wounds, Gianfrancesco Pico’s Staurostichon seeks to provide a biblical and prophetic explanation of the event: an explanation that is soaked in the gory events of the sacred Scriptures and the lives of the saints.
Prevalence of Latent Tuberculosis in the Multiple Sclerosis Clinic and Effect of Multiple Sclerosis Treatment on Tuberculosis Testing
Authors: Bouley Andrew J. , Baber Ursela , Egnor Emily , Samaan Soleil , Sloane Jacob A.
Published: April 2020

Background:

Patients with a compromised immune system are at risk for converting from latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) to active tuberculosis (TB) infection. Multiple sclerosis (MS) therapies may put individuals with LTBI at higher risk of TB.

Methods:

Patients at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center MS Clinic were screened for TB as part of routine testing with the QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube (QFT-GIT) assay (Cellestis Ltd) from 2013 to 2017. Patients were tested either before or during immunomodulatory therapy.

Results:

Four of 222 patients (1.8%; 95% CI, 0.1%–3.6%) had positive QFT-GIT results; three patients had risk factors for TB, having emigrated from TB-endemic countries or worked in the health care industry. Twenty-eight of 222 patients (12.6%) had an indeterminate assay result, and 75.0% of these occurred in patients taking dimethyl fumarate. Fingolimod, natalizumab, or anti-CD20 treatments showed 0% to 7.7% indeterminate results.

Conclusions:

The prevalence of LTBI was 1.8% in the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center MS Clinic. Not all LTBI cases were associated with known risk factors for TB. Screening for LTBI before starting immunosuppressive agents for MS could help prevent activation of TB. Dimethyl fumarate use is associated with indeterminate QFT-GIT results, possibly due to functional effects on lymphocytes and levels of cytokines, such as interferon gamma. In contrast, fingolimod use was rarely associated with indeterminate QFT-GIT results despite a high rate of lymphopenia in virtually all patients.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Spinal Cord Lesions in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis in Saskatchewan, Canada
Authors: Saini Aman , Bach Kevin , Poliakov Ilia , Knox Katherine B. , Levin Michael C.
Published: April 2020

Background:

Spinal cord lesions (SCLs) contribute to disability in multiple sclerosis (MS). Data in Saskatchewan, Canada, concerning SCLs and their association with disability levels in patients with MS are lacking. The study objectives were to identify clinicodemographic profiles of patients with MS with respect to spinal cord magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) involvement; determine the frequency of individuals with MRI SCLs; and explore differences between patients with MS with and without SCLs with respect to disability and disease-modifying therapy status.

Methods:

A monocentric, cross-sectional, retrospective review of prospectively collected data from 532 research-consented patients seen at Saskatoon MS Clinic was performed. Data were collected from a database and electronic medical records.

Results:

Of the 356 patients (66.9%) with an SCL, 180 (50.6%) had only cervical cord lesions. Median Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), ambulation, and pyramidal scores of patients with SCLs were higher than those of patients without SCLs. Of patients with EDSS scores of at least 6, those with SCLs were younger than those without SCLs (P = .01). Patients with SCLs were 55% less likely to have been on continuous disease-modifying therapy since diagnosis than patients without SCLs (adjusted odds ratio, 0.45; 95% CI, 0.25–0.81; P = .008).

Conclusions:

Prevalence and association with disability of SCLs in patients with MS are comparable with existing literature. Patients with MS with SCLs have higher levels of disability and attain EDSS scores of at least 6 at a younger age.
Relevant problems of the settlement of conflict of interests in the department of internal affairs of the Russian Federation
Authors: Naryshkin Kirill Valer'evich
Published: April 2020

The subject of this research is the normative legal support of the process of settlement of conflict of interest in the department of internal affairs of the Russian Federation, with consideration of various views of researchers upon the problem of correlation of categories such as “conflict of interests”, “corruption”, “personal interest”, “settlement of conflict of interests”. Special attention is given to the mechanism of settlement of conflict of interests in anti-corruption legislation, as well as prospects for improvement of legal regulation in this area. The goal of this work is to attract attention of the scientific community to the relevant problems of settlement of conflict of interests in the service of the department of internal affairs of the Russian Federation. The methodological framework includes general scientific methods, particularly dialectic and systemic, as well as private scientific methods such as formal-legal, comparative-legal, and content analysis. The scientific novelty of this research consists in an original proposal for changes to the mechanism of the settlement of conflict of interests in the service of the department of internal affairs by introducing specific procedural measures that would contribute to its effective resolution, which in turn would allow eliminating a number of gaps within the content of the issues of not only direct settlement of the conflict, but also prevention of pre-conflict situation.
The natverse, a versatile toolbox for combining and analysing neuroanatomical data
Authors: Bates Alexander Shakeel , Manton James D , Jagannathan Sridhar R , Costa Marta , Schlegel Philipp , Rohlfing Torsten , Jefferis Gregory SXE
Published: April 2020

To analyse neuron data at scale, neuroscientists expend substantial effort reading documentation, installing dependencies and moving between analysis and visualisation environments. To facilitate this, we have developed a suite of interoperable open-source R packages called the natverse. The natverse allows users to read local and remote data, perform popular analyses including visualisation and clustering and graph-theoretic analysis of neuronal branching. Unlike most tools, the natverse enables comparison across many neurons of morphology and connectivity after imaging or co-registration within a common template space. The natverse also enables transformations between different template spaces and imaging modalities. We demonstrate tools that integrate the vast majority of Drosophila neuroanatomical light microscopy and electron microscopy connectomic datasets. The natverse is an easy-to-use environment for neuroscientists to solve complex, large-scale analysis challenges as well as an open platform to create new code and packages to share with the community.
Nomograms for predicting overall survival and cancer-specific survival in young patients with pancreatic cancer in the US based on the SEER database
Authors: Shi Min , Zhou Biao , Yang Shu-Ping
Published: April 2020

Background

The incidence of young patients with pancreatic cancer (PC) is on the rise, and there is a lack of models that could effectively predict their prognosis. The purpose of this study was to construct nomograms for predicting the overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) of young patients with PC.

Methods

PC patients younger than 50 years old from 2004 to 2015 in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database were selected and randomly divided into training set and validation set. Univariable and forward stepwise multivariable Cox analysis was used to determine the independent factors affecting OS. The Fine and Gray competing risk regression model was used to determine the independent factors affecting CSS. We used significant variables in the training set to construct nomograms predicting prognosis. The discrimination and calibration power of models were evaluated by concordance index (C-index), calibration curve and 10-flod cross-validation.

Results

A total of 4,146 patients were selected. Multivariable Cox analysis showed that gender, race, grade, pathological types, AJCC stage and surgery were independent factors affecting OS. The C-index of the nomogram predicting OS in training and validation was 0.733 (average = 0.731, 95% CI [0.724–0.738]) and 0.742 (95% CI [0.725–0.759]), respectively. Competing risk analysis showed that primary site, pathological types, AJCC stage and surgery were independent factors affecting CSS. The C-index of the nomogram predicting CSS in training and validation set was 0.792 (average = 0.765, 95% CI [0.742–0.788]) and 0.776 (95% CI [0.773–0.779]), respectively. C-index based on nomogram was better in training and validation set than that based on AJCC stage. Calibration curves showed that these nomograms could accurately predict the 1-, 3- and 5-year OS and CSS both in training set and validation set.

Conclusions

The nomograms could effectively predict OS and CSS in young patients with PC, which help clinicians more accurately and quantitatively judge the prognosis of individual patients.