bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
American Association Of Critical-Care Nurses’ National Survey of Facilities and Units Providing Critical Care
Authors: Kirchhoff Karin T. , Dahl Nancy
Published: April 2020

• Background Little information is available nationally about critical care units and nurses. What is known about nurses in hospitals is generally not broken down among all the specialties.

• Objectives To describe issues of workforce, compensation, and care specific to critical care units and nurses who work in them.

• Methods The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses conducted a survey of randomly selected facilities with critical care units in the United States. Facilities were solicited via e-mail to respond to a survey on the World Wide Web and provide information on operations, evaluations, nursing staff reimbursement and incentives, staffing, and quality indicators. Responding facilities also provided contact information for units in the facilities. Those units were surveyed about operations, acuity systems, staffing, policies on visitation and end-of-life care, administrative structure, documentation, certification, professional advancement, vacancy/floating, staff satisfaction, orientation, association membership, wages, advanced practice nursing, and quality indicators.

• Results The initial response rate (120 of 658 eligible facilities) was 18.2%, and 300 of 576 solicited units nominated by the facilities responded, yielding a 52.1% response rate for the second phase.

• Conclusions These survey data define the scope and intensity of services offered and provide more specific figures about staffing issues and unit practices than has been accessible before. Healthcare providers may use this information for benchmarking purposes, especially for instances in which the tables provide data for each particular type of critical care unit.
Weaning Readiness and Fluid Balance in Older Critically Ill Surgical Patients
Authors: Epstein Carol Diane , Peerless Joel R.
Published: April 2020

• BackgroundFew studies address predictors for successful weaning of older adults from mechanical ventilation.

• ObjectiveTo develop a clinical profile of older patients who are successfully weaned from long-term mechanical ventilation.

• MethodsForty patients in the trauma and surgical intensive care unit who were at least 60 years old were enrolled in the study after 3 days of active weaning and were monitored daily until successfully weaned or until the end of the 14-day study. Hemodynamic and gas exchange variables, fluid balance, oxygen cost of breathing, and scores on the Burns Weaning Assessment Program were analyzed.

• ResultsCompared with patients who were not weaned, successfully weaned patients required mechanical ventilation for 5.3 days, started active weaning earlier (mean 10.7 vs 14.5 days, P = .04), had lower mean negative daily fluid balances in the beginning (−0.394 vs 1.107 L, P = .004), and had lower mean net cumulative fluid balances (6.856 vs 16.212 L) at the time of enrollment. They also maintained both a lower mean net cumulative fluid balance (10.753 vs 25.049 L, P= .02) and a negative daily fluid balance (−0.389 vs 1.904 L, P = .03) throughout. Their mean central venous pressure decreased over time and was significantly lower (P<.001).

• ConclusionPersistent positive fluid balance in older surgical patients is associated with prolonged mechanical ventilation. Estimates of fluid balance might be useful in weaning older patients from long-term mechanical ventilation.
Measuring Intensive Care Nurses’ Perspectives on Family-Centered End-of-Life Care: Evaluation of 3 Questionnaires
Authors: Downey Lois , Engelberg Ruth A. , Shannon Sarah E. , Curtis J. Randall
Published: April 2020

• Background Attempts to improve end-of-life care increasingly focus on family-centered care, but few validated assessment tools exist.

• Objectives To evaluate 3 new short questionnaires measuring nurses’ perspectives on family-centered end-of-life care in the intensive care unit and to show the usefulness of the questionnaires.

• Methods Principal components analysis of data from 141 critical care nurses evaluating care given to families of 218 patients was used to develop domain scores for number of nursing activities with each family, number of barriers experienced, and nurses’ satisfaction that the family’s needs were met. Random effects models were used to test associations between critical care processes and outcome.

• Results Nursing activities fell into 2 domains: general and culture-related communication/support. Barriers consisted of 2 domains: patient/family barriers and system/team barriers. Meeting the needs of patients’ families represented a single dimension. In a path model based on domain scores, general activities had significant associations with both nurse communication and meeting families’ needs; patient/family barriers, with nurse communication; and nurse and physician communication, with meeting families’ needs. In a path model based on total activities and barriers scores, total activities and total barriers had significant associations with nurse communication ratings and meeting families’ needs. Patients’ and nurses’ characteristics were not significant independent predictors of meeting the needs of patients’ families.

• Conclusions The 3 questionnaires provide a consistent, valid picture of nurses’ perspectives on family-centered critical care and may be useful in evaluating family care processes and outcomes and in targeting areas for improvement.
Hemodynamic Changes During Discontinuation of Mechanical Ventilation in Medical Intensive Care Unit Patients
Authors: Frazier Susan K. , Stone Kathleen S. , Moser Debra , Schlanger Rebecca , Carle Carolyn , Pender Lauren , Widener Jeanne , Brom Heather
Published: April 2020

• Background Cardiac dysfunction can prevent successful discontinuation of mechanical ventilation. Critically ill patients may have undetected cardiac disease, and cardiac dysfunction can be produced or exacerbated by underlying pathophysiology.

• Objective To describe and compare hemodynamic function and cardiac rhythm during baseline mechanical ventilation with function and rhythm during a trial of continuous positive airway pressure in medical intensive care patients.

• Methods A convenience sample of 43 patients (53% men; mean age 51.1 years) who required mechanical ventilation were recruited for this pilot study. Cardiac output, stroke volume, arterial blood pressure, heart rate, cardiac rhythm, and plasma catecholamine levels were measured during mechanical ventilation and during a trial of continuous positive airway pressure.

• Results One third of the patients had difficulty discontinuing mechanical ventilation. Successful patients had significantly increased cardiac output and stroke volume without changes in heart rate or arterial pressure during the trial of continuous positive airway pressure. Unsuccessful patients had no significant changes in cardiac output, stroke volume, or heart rate but had a significant increase in mean arterial pressure. The 2 groups of patients also had different patterns in ectopy. Concurrently, catecholamine concentrations decreased in the successful patients and significantly increased in the unsuccessful patients during the trial.

• Conclusions Patterns of cardiac function and plasma catecholamine levels differed between patients who did or did not achieve spontaneous ventilation with a trial of continuous positive airway pressure. Cardiac function must be systematically considered before and during the return to spontaneous ventilation to optimize the likelihood of success.
Use of Local Anesthesia for Arterial Punctures
Authors: Hudson Timothy L. , Dukes Susan F. , Reilly Karen
Published: April 2020

• Background Except for intravenous therapy, arterial access is the most common invasive procedure performed on critically ill patients. Arterial puncture is a source of pain and discomfort. Intradermal injection of lidocaine around the puncture site decreases the incidence and severity of localized pain when used before arterial puncture.

• Objective To review the recommendations and studies related to the use of intradermal lidocaine to decrease pain during arterial punctures.

• Methods Articles were identified by doing a systematic computerized search of MEDLINE (1980 to January 2006) to evaluate articles and reference lists of articles and a manual search of the references listed in original and review articles. English-language articles that evaluated any aspect of pain related to arterial puncture and cannulation, pain related to and methods of introducing lidocaine subcutaneously, and perceptions and use of local anesthesia for arterial or intravenous punctures were reviewed.

• Results Except among anesthesia providers, the use of a local anesthetic before arterial puncture is not universal, contrary to the standard of practice. A number of false perceptions may prevent wider use of such anesthetics.

• Conclusion Before a plan for behavior modification or policy change is recommended for use of local anesthesia to decrease pain associated with arterial puncture, further research must be done to determine nurses’ perceptions of use, actual practice, and currently established local policies.
Effect of Continuous Display of Cerebral Perfusion Pressure on Outcomes in Patients With Traumatic Brain Injury
Authors: Kirkness Catherine J. , Burr Robert L. , Cain Kevin C. , Newell David W. , Mitchell Pamela H.
Published: April 2020

• Background Clinical bedside monitoring systems do not provide prominent displays of data on cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP). Immediate visual feedback would allow more rapid intervention to prevent or minimize suboptimal pressures.

• Objective To evaluate the effect of a highly visible CPP display on immediate and long-term functional outcome in patients with traumatic brain injury.

• Methods A total of 157 patients with traumatic brain injury at a level 1 trauma center who had invasive arterial blood pressure and intracranial pressure monitoring were randomized to beds with or without an additional, prominent continuous CPP display. Primary end points were scores on the Extended Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOSE) and Functional Status Examination (FSE) 6 months after injury. Secondary end points were GOSE scores at discharge and 3 months after injury and FSE score 3 months after injury.

• Results Although GOSE and FSE scores at 6 months were better in the group with the highly visible CPP display, the differences were not significant. Slope of recovery for GOSE and FSE over all follow-up time points did not differ significantly between groups. However, the intervention’s positive effect on odds of survival at hospital discharge was strong and significant. Within a subgroup of more severely injured patients, the intervention group was much less likely than the control group to have CPP deviations.

• Conclusions The presence of a highly visible display of CPP was associated with significantly better odds of survival and overall condition at discharge.
Influence of Music on the Stress Response in Patients Receiving Mechanical Ventilatory Support: A Pilot Study
Authors: Chlan Linda L. , Engeland William C. , Anthony Anita , Guttormson Jill
Published: April 2020

• Background Music is considered an ideal therapy for reducing stress in patients receiving mechanical ventilation. Previous studies of the effect of music on stress in such patients have focused solely on indirect markers of the stress response rather than on serum biomarkers.

• Objective To explore the influence of music on serum biomarkers of the stress response in patients receiving ventilatory support.

• Methods A convenience sample of 10 patients receiving mechanical ventilation was recruited from an 11-bed medical intensive care unit. Patients were randomly assigned to listen to music or to rest quietly for 60 minutes. Levels of corticotropin, cortisol, epinephrine, and norepinephrine were measured 4 times during the 60 minutes.

• Results The levels of the 4 biomarkers of the stress response did not differ significantly between patients who listened to music and patients who rested quietly, though the levels of corticotropin and cortisol showed interesting trends.

• Conclusions Additional research is needed with a larger sample size to evaluate further the influence of music on biochemical markers of the stress response in patients receiving mechanical ventilatory support. In future studies, confounding factors such as endotracheal suctioning and administration of medications that influence the stress response should be controlled for.
Validation of Oxygen Saturation Monitoring in Neonates
Authors: Shiao Shyang-Yun Pamela K. , Ou Ching-Nan
Published: April 2020

•Background Pulse oximetry is commonly used to monitor oxygenation in neonates, but cannot detect variations in hemoglobin. Venous and arterial oxygen saturations are rarely monitored. Few data are available to validate measurements of oxygen saturation in neonates (venous, arterial, or pulse oximetric).

•Purpose To validate oxygen saturation displayed on clinical monitors against analyses (with correction for fetal hemoglobin) of blood samples from neonates and to present the oxyhemoglobin dissociation curve for neonates.

•Method Seventy-eight neonates, 25 to 38 weeks’ gestational age, had 660 arterial and 111 venous blood samples collected for analysis.

•Results The mean difference between oxygen saturation and oxyhemoglobin level was 3% (SD 1.0) in arterial blood and 3% (SD 1.1) in venous blood. The mean difference between arterial oxygen saturation displayed on the monitor and oxyhemoglobin in arterial blood samples was 2% (SD 2.0); between venous oxygen saturation displayed on the monitor and oxyhemoglobin in venous blood samples it was 3% (SD 2.1) and between oxygen saturation as determined by pulse oximetry and oxyhemoglobin in arterial blood samples it was 2.5% (SD 3.1). At a Pao2 of 50 to 75 mm Hg on the oxyhemoglobin dissociation curve, oxyhemoglobin in arterial blood samples was from 92% to 95%; oxygen saturation was from 95% to 98% in arterial blood samples, from 94% to 97% on the monitor, and from 95% to 97% according to pulse oximetry.

•Conclusions The safety limits for pulse oximeters are higher and narrower in neonates (95%–97%) than in adults, and clinical guidelines for neonates may require modification.
A Technique for Detecting Moisture Absorption in Printed Circuit Boards
Authors: Craven Jeffery D. , Oldag Ariel R. , Dean Robert N.
Published: April 2020

Most circuit boards operate in environments that have the potential to be exposed to moisture, either in vapor or liquid form. Because low-cost circuit boards can readily absorb moisture, this can lead to performance issues, reliability issues, and even catastrophic failure. However, it is difficult to detect if moisture absorption has occurred before the circuit board suffers a complete failure. To alleviate this issue, a fringing field capacitor was implemented in printed circuit board (PCB) technology and used to detect the absorption of moisture in the circuit board through the accompanying increase in capacitance. Prototype sensors were fabricated and immersed for 42 d, demonstrating an increase in capacitance of between 14% and 29%. This sensor technology can easily be added to circuit board designs because they use the standard materials and fabrication processes used in commercial PCB construction.
Cu Pillar Bump Development for 7-nm Chip Package Interaction (CPI) Technology
Authors: Fu Lei , Bhagavat Milind , Selvanayagam Cheryl , Leong Ken , Barber Ivor
Published: April 2020

Power, performance, and area gains are important metrics driving the complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor (CMOS) technology from older nodes to newer ones. Over past several decades, a steady downscaling of feature sizes of CMOS technology has been a leading force enabling continual improvement in circuit speeds and cost per functionality. Increase in functionality drives larger number of inputs/outputs (I/Os), and the scaling-driven small intellectual property (IP) block sizes force these larger number of I/Os to be accommodated by reduction of I/O pitches. The result is an unrelenting pressure to reduce bump pitches from one generation of CMOS to another. In contrast to 14-nm/16-nm nodes which used 150-um bump pitch coming out of a die, for 7-nm node, the industry is targeting 130-um bump pitch for high performance devices. With this pitch reduction, conventional tin/silver (SnAg) solder bumps face limitations in terms of bridging. Cu pillar bumps are the best candidate for smaller bump pitches. However, for large die sizes prevalent in high-performance computing (HPC), the Cu pillar bumps will induce higher stress on the silicon resulting in higher risks of extremely low K (ELK) cracking. If copper pillar bumps are not properly developed, then there is a risk of marginal reliability in terms of chip package interaction. The situation becomes even more dire in large die sizes, where coefficient of thermal expansion mismatch between silicon and laminate substrate magnifies the stress. The present article discusses successful development of Cu pillar bumps for 7-nm technology. The development program included a 2-step development path. In the first step, extensive thermomechanical modeling was carried out to find optimal design of copper pillar bump for robustness of interactions with 7-nm back end of line ELK layers. In the second step, a 460-mm2 7-nm Silicon test vehicle was fabricated, and its assembly process was optimized to characterize the copper pillar bumps and prove their extended reliability on 7-nm silicon. As a result of this development, copper pillar technology has been qualified on Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) products. Today, copper pillar is a fully integral part of AMD's ever-growing 7-nm product offering in HPC.
Inhibiting oxidation and enhancing absorption characteristics of sodium sulfite for SO2 removal from the non-ferrous smelting flue gas
Authors: Ma Yongpeng , Yuan Dongli , Zhang Xiaojing , Qu Zan , Huang Wenjun
Published: April 2020

In this work, we investigated the absorption characteristics of SO2 and the effect of inhibitors on the desulfurization performances of Na2SO3. The results showed that the NO2 had a competitive effect with SO2 on SO32- which resulted in a significant decrease in the absorption capacity of SO2. O2 in the flue gas could decrease the absorption capacity of SO2 due to the oxidation of Na2SO3. Besides, Na2S2O3 had more excellent inhibiting effect on the oxidation of SO32-; the inhibition mechanism is understood on the basis of the free radical chain reaction, whereby S2O32- combined with the sulfite free radical to form an inert substance, thus, quenching the reaction of free radical with the dissolved oxygen and invariably inhibiting the oxidation of SO32-. Furthermore, the intrinsic and the apparent oxidation kinetics of Na2SO3 oxidation process with Na2S2O3 were investigated to explain the relationships between consumption rates of SO32- and the absorption capacities of SO2 under different components in flue gas and absorption solution.
Atuação do BNDES e disparidades regionais: evidências da indústria de transformação entre 2000-2018
Authors: Silva Raphael De Oliveira , Marques Mabel Diz , Mata Henrique Tomé da Costa
Published: April 2020

Este artigo tem como objetivo analisar a dinâmica territorial de desembolso do BNDES sobre a indústria de transformação, a partir dos padrões setoriais de concorrência, regiões e unidades federativas, no período de 2000 a 2018 no Brasil. A abordagem fundamenta-se no arcabouço teórico do desenvolvimento regional e faz o uso do método analítico, descritivo e estatístico, das taxas de crescimento e índices de desigualdade de Theil (interestadual, inter-regional e intra-regional). Os resultados sugerem que a participação dos desembolsos nos grupos setoriais difusoras do progresso técnico/bens duráveis supera a parcela de indústrias de commodities e tradicionais em parte relevante dos últimos 18 anos. Ademais, nota-se que o BNDES alcançou uma distribuição regional mais equilibrada dos desembolsos entre o período de 2010-2015 influenciado, sobretudo, via o Programa de Sustentação do Investimento e fortalecimento da atuação no território. Contudo, a partir de 2015 a forte retração dos desembolsos refletiu veemente na ampliação das disparidades regionais.
Fossil fuel combustion, biomass burning and biogenic sources of fine carbonaceous aerosol in the Carpathian Basin
Authors: Salma Imre , Vasanits-Zsigrai Anikó , Machon Attila , Varga Tamás , Major István , Gergely Virág , Molnár Mihály
Published: April 2020

Abstract. Fine-fraction aerosol samples were collected, and air
pollutants and meteorological properties were measured in situ in the regional
background environment of the Carpathian Basin, a suburban area and central
part of its largest city, Budapest, in each season for a 1-year-long time
interval. The samples were analysed for PM2.5 mass, organic carbon
(OC), elemental carbon (EC), water-soluble OC (WSOC), radiocarbon,
levoglucosan (LVG) and its stereoisomers, and some chemical elements.
Carbonaceous aerosol species made up 36 % of the PM2.5 mass, with a
modest seasonal variation and with a slightly increasing tendency from the
regional background to the city centre (from 32 % to 39 %). A coupled
radiocarbon-LVG marker method was applied to apportion the total carbon
(TC = OC + EC) into contributions of EC and OC from fossil fuel (FF)
combustion (ECFF and OCFF, respectively), EC and OC from biomass
burning (BB) (ECBB and OCBB, respectively), and OC from biogenic
sources (OCBIO). Fossil fuel combustion showed rather constant daily or
monthly mean contributions (of 35 %) to the TC in the whole year in all
atmospheric environments, while the daily contributions of BB and biogenic
sources changed radically (from <2 % up to 70 %–85 %) at all
locations and over the years. In October, the three major sources
contributed equally to the TC in all environments. In January, it was the BB
that was the major source, with a share of 70 % at all sites. The
contributions from biogenic sources in January were the smallest. In April,
FF combustion and biogenic sources were the largest two contributors at all
locations with typical shares of 45 %–50 % each. In July, biogenic sources
became the major source type with a monotonically increasing tendency (from
56 % to 72 %) from the city centre to the regional background. The share of
BB was hardly quantifiable in July. The ECFF made up more than 90 %
of EC in April and July, while in October and January, the contributions of
ECBB were considerable. Biomass burning in winter and autumn offers the
largest and most considerable potential for improving the air quality in cities
as well as in rural areas of the Carpathian Basin.
Airborne measurements and large-eddy simulations of small-scale Gravity Waves at the tropopause inversion layer over Scandinavia
Authors: Gisinger Sonja , Wagner Johannes , Witschas Benjamin
Published: April 2020

Abstract. Coordinated airborne measurements were performed by the two research aircraft DLR Falcon and HALO (High Altitude and Long Range Aircraft) in Scandinavia during the GW-LCYCLE~II (Investigation of the life cycle of gravity waves) campaign in 2016 to investigate gravity wave processes in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere (UTLS) region. A mountain wave event was probed over Southern Scandinavia on 28 January 2016. The collected dataset constitutes a valuable combination of in-situ measurements and horizontal- and altitude-resolved wind lidar and water vapour lidar measurements. In-situ data at different flight altitudes and downward pointing Doppler wind lidar measurements show pronounced changes of the horizontal scales in the vertical velocity field and of the leg-averaged momentum fluxes (MF) in the UTLS region. The vertical velocity field was dominated by small horizontal scales with a decrease from around 20 km to
Characterization of the seismic dynamical state through joint analysis of earthquakes and seismic noise: the example of Ischia Volcanic Island (Italy)
Authors: Cusano Paola , Petrosino Simona , De Lauro Enza , De Martino Salvatore , Falanga Mariarosaria
Published: April 2020

Abstract. This work is devoted to the study of both earthquakes and background seismic
noise at Ischia Island (Italy) recorded pre and post the Md 4.0 earthquake
occurred on 21 August 2017 (18:57 UTC). We compare and characterize noise
and earthquakes in terms of Independent Component Analysis, energy and
polarization properties. The earthquakes' waveforms and the background noise
are decomposed into a few independent components with two main common
signals peaked around 1–2 and 3–4 Hz, respectively. A slight increase of
the energy of the background seismic noise is observed comparing samples
recorded in 2016 and 2017, whereas no variations are detected in 2017 pre
and post the main earthquake. The polarization analysis, performed in the
frequency bands individuated by Independent Component Analysis and applied
to the background seismic noise, indicates a shallow propagation and the
azimuthal pattern is mainly controlled by the local structural features.
These results suggest that noise and earthquakes are ascribable to a common
phenomenon of fluid-solid interaction in the hydrothermal system of Ischia
Island.
On the retrieval of snow grain morphology, the accuracy of simulated reflectance over snow using airborne measurements in the Arctic
Authors: Jafariserajehlou Soheila , Rozanov Vladimir V. , Vountas Marco , Gatebe Charles K. , Burrows John P.
Published: April 2020

Abstract. Accurate knowledge of the reflectance from snow/ice covered surface is of fundamental importance for the investigation and retrieval of snow parameters and atmospheric constituents. This is a prerequisite for identifying and quantifying changes in the environment and climate in Polar Regions. However, the current differences between simulated and measured reflectance in a coupled snow-atmosphere system, leads to systematic errors in the determination of the amount of trace gases, aerosol and cloud parameters from space based and airborne passive remote sensing observations. In this paper, we describe studies of the retrieval of snow grain morphologies, also called habits, and their use to determine reflectance and test the accuracy of our radiative transfer model simulations of reflectance by comparison with measurements. Firstly we report on a sensitivity study. This addresses the requirement for adequate a priori knowledge about snow models and ancillary information about the atmosphere; the objective being to minimize differences between measurements and simulation. For this aim we use the well-validated phenomenological radiative transfer model SCIATRAN. Secondly and more importantly, we present a novel two-stage snow grain morphology (i.e. size and shape of ice crystals in the snow) retrieval algorithm. We then describe the use of this new retrieval to estimate the most representative snow model, using different types of snow morphologies, for the airborne observation conditions, performed by NASA's Cloud Absorption Radiometer (CAR). The results show that the retrieved ice crystal shapes are consistent with the expected snow morphology (estimated from temperature information) in the measurement area over Barrow/Utqiaġvik, Alaska in 2008. Thirdly, we present a comprehensive comparison of the simulated reflectance (using retrieved snow grain size and shape as well as independent atmospheric data) with that from airborne CAR measurements in the visible and NIR wavelength range. The results of this comparison are used to assess the quality and accuracy of the radiative transfer model in the simulation of the reflectance in a coupled snow-atmosphere system. Assuming that that snow layer consists of ice crystals with aggregates of 8 column ice habit having an effective radius ~ 98.83 μm, we find that for a surface covered by old snow, the Pearson correlation coefficient, R, between measurements and simulations to be 0.98 (R2 ~ 0.96). For freshly fallen snow on areas having surface inhomogenity, the correlation is ~ 0.97 (R2 ~ 0.94) in the infrared and 0.88 (R2 ~ 0.77) in the visible wavelengths assuming that snow layer consists of aggregate of 5 plate ice habit with effective radius ~ 83.41 μm. Largest differences between simulated and measured values are observed in glint, i.e. in the angular regions of specular and near-specular reflection, with relative azimuth angles
Benthic foraminifera as tracers of brine production in the Storfjorden “sea ice factory”
Authors: Fossile Eleonora , Nardelli Maria Pia , Jouini Arbia , Lansard Bruno , Pusceddu Antonio , Moccia Davide , Michel Elisabeth , Péron Olivier , Howa Hélène , Mojtahid Meryem
Published: April 2020

Abstract. The rapid response of benthic foraminifera to environmental factors
(e.g. organic matter quality and quantity, salinity, pH) and their
high fossilisation potential make them promising bio-indicators for
the intensity and recurrence of brine formation in Arctic seas. Such
an approach, however, requires a thorough knowledge of their modern
ecology in such extreme settings. To this aim, seven stations along
a north–south transect across the Storfjorden (Svalbard archipelago) have been
sampled using an interface multicorer. This fjord is an area of
intense sea ice formation characterised by the production of
brine-enriched shelf waters (BSW) as a result of a recurrent
latent-heat polynya. Living (rose bengal-stained) foraminiferal
assemblages were analysed together with geochemical and
sedimentological parameters in the top 5 cm of the
sediment. Three major biozones were distinguished. (i) The “inner
fjord” zone, dominated by typical glacier proximal calcareous species, which
opportunistically respond to fresh organic matter inputs. (ii) The
“deep basins and sill” zone, characterised by glacier distal agglutinated
fauna; these are either dominant because of the mostly
refractory nature of organic matter and/or the brine persistence that
hampers the growth of calcareous species and/or causes their
dissolution. (iii) The “outer fjord” zone, characterised by typical North
Atlantic species due to the intrusion of the North Atlantic water in
the Storfjordrenna. The stressful conditions present in the deep
basins and sill (i.e. acidic waters and low food quality) result in
a high agglutinated ∕ calcareous ratio (A∕C). This supports the
potential use of the A∕C ratio as a proxy for brine persistence and
overflow in Storfjorden.
Asset exposure data for global physical risk assessment
Authors: Eberenz Samuel , Stocker Dario , Röösli Thomas , Bresch David N.
Published: April 2020

Abstract. One of the challenges in globally consistent assessments
of physical climate risks is the fact that asset exposure data are either
unavailable or restricted to single countries or regions. We introduce a
global high-resolution asset exposure dataset responding to this challenge.
The data are produced using “lit population” (LitPop), a globally
consistent methodology to disaggregate asset value data proportional to a
combination of nightlight intensity and geographical population data. By
combining nightlight and population data, unwanted artefacts such as
blooming, saturation, and lack of detail are mitigated. Thus, the
combination of both data types improves the spatial distribution of
macroeconomic indicators. Due to the lack of reported subnational asset
data, the disaggregation methodology cannot be validated for asset values.
Therefore, we compare disaggregated gross domestic product (GDP) per subnational administrative
region to reported gross regional product (GRP) values for evaluation. The
comparison for 14 industrialized and newly industrialized countries shows
that the disaggregation skill for GDP using nightlights or population data
alone is not as high as using a combination of both data types. The
advantages of LitPop are global consistency, scalability, openness,
replicability, and low entry threshold. The open-source LitPop methodology
and the publicly available asset exposure data offer value for manifold use
cases, including globally consistent economic disaster risk assessments and
climate change adaptation studies, especially for larger regions, yet at
considerably high resolution. The code is published on GitHub as part of the
open-source software CLIMADA (CLIMate ADAptation) and archived in the ETH
Data Archive with the link https://doi.org/10.5905/ethz-1007-226
(Bresch et al., 2019b). The resulting asset exposure
dataset for 224 countries is archived in the ETH Research Repository with
the link https://doi.org/10.3929/ethz-b-000331316
(Eberenz et al., 2019).
Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) U–Pb carbonate geochronology: strategies, progress, and limitations
Authors: Roberts Nick M. W. , Drost Kerstin , Horstwood Matthew S. A. , Condon Daniel J. , Chew David , Drake Henrik , Milodowski Antoni E. , McLean Noah M. , Smye Andrew J. , Walker Richard J. , Haslam Richard , Hodson Keith , Imber Jonathan , Beaudoin Nicolas , Lee Jack K.
Published: April 2020

Abstract. Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) U–Pb
geochronology of carbonate minerals, calcite in particular, is rapidly
gaining popularity as an absolute dating method. The high spatial resolution
of LA-ICP-MS U–Pb carbonate geochronology has benefits over traditional
isotope dilution methods, particularly for diagenetic and hydrothermal
calcite, because uranium and lead are heterogeneously distributed on the
sub-millimetre scale. At the same time, this can provide limitations to the method,
as locating zones of radiogenic lead can be time-consuming and “hit or
miss”. Here, we present strategies for dating carbonates with in situ
techniques, through imaging and petrographic techniques to data
interpretation; our examples are drawn from the dating of fracture-filling
calcite, but our discussion is relevant to all carbonate applications. We
review several limitations to the method, including open-system behaviour,
variable initial-lead compositions, and U–daughter disequilibrium. We also
discuss two approaches to data collection: traditional spot analyses guided
by petrographic and elemental imaging and image-based dating that utilises
LA-ICP-MS elemental and isotopic map data.
ClimateNet: an expert-labelled open dataset and Deep Learning architecture for enabling high-precision analyses of extreme weather
Authors:   Prabhat, Kashinath Karthik , Mudigonda Mayur , Kim Sol , Kapp-Schwoerer Lukas , Graubner Andre , Karaismailoglu Ege , von Kleist Leo , Kurth Thorsten , Greiner Annette , Yang Kevin , Lewis Colby , Chen Jiayi , Lou Andrew , Chandran Sathyavat , Toms Ben , Chapman Will , Dagon Katherine , Shields Christine A. , O'Brien Travis , Wehner Michael , Collins William
Published: April 2020

Abstract. Identifying, detecting and localizing extreme weather events is a crucial first step in understanding how they may vary under different climate change scenarios. Pattern recognition tasks such as classification, object detection and segmentation have remained challenging problems in the weather and climate sciences. While there exist many empirical heuristics for detecting extreme events, the disparities between the output of these different methods even for a single event are large and often difficult to reconcile. Given the success of Deep Learning (DL) in tackling similar problems in computer vision, we advocate a DL-based approach. DL, however, works best in the context of supervised learning; when labeled datasets are readily available. Reliable, labeled training data for extreme weather and climate events is scarce. We create ClimateNet – an open, community-sourced human expert-labeled curated dataset – that captures tropical cyclones (TCs) and atmospheric rivers (ARs) in high-resolution climate model output from a simulation of a recent historical period. We use the curated ClimateNet dataset to train a state-of-the-art DL model for pixel-level identification, i.e. segmentation, of TCs and ARs. We then apply the trained DL model to historical and climate change scenarios simulated by the Community Atmospheric Model (CAM5.1) and show that the DL model accurately segments the data into TCs, ARs or the background at a pixel level. Further, we show how the segmentation results can be used to conduct spatially and temporally precise analytics by quantifying distributions of extreme precipitation conditioned on event types (TC or AR) at regional scales. The key contribution of this work is that it paves the way for DL-based automated, hi-fidelity and highly precise analytics of climate data using a curated expert-labelled dataset – ClimateNet. ClimateNet and the DL-based segmentation method provide several unique capabilities: (i) they can be used to calculate a variety of TC and AR statistics at a fine-grained level; (ii) they can be applied to different climate scenarios and different datasets without tuning as they do not rely on threshold conditions; and (iii) the proposed DL method is suitable for rapidly analyzing large amounts of climate model output. While our study has been conducted for two important extreme weather patterns (TCs and ARs) in simulation datasets, we believe that this methodology can be applied to a much broader class of patterns, and applied to observational and reanalysis data products via transfer learning.
Near-0 °C surface temperature and precipitation type patterns across Canada
Authors: Mekis Eva , Stewart Ronald E. , Theriault Julie M. , Kochtubajda Bohdan , Bonsal Barrie R. , Liu Zhuo
Published: April 2020

Abstract. The 0 ∘C temperature threshold is critical for
many meteorological and hydrological processes driven by melting and
freezing in the atmosphere, surface, and sub-surface and by the associated
precipitation varying between rain, freezing rain, wet snow, and snow. This
threshold is especially important in cold regions such as Canada, because it
is linked with freeze–thaw, snowmelt, and permafrost. This study develops a
Canada-wide perspective on near-0 ∘C conditions using hourly
surface temperature and precipitation type observations from 92 climate
stations for the period from 1981 to 2011. In addition, nine stations from
various climatic regions are selected for further analysis. Near-0 ∘C conditions are defined as periods when the surface
temperature is between −2 and 2 ∘C. Near-0 ∘C conditions occur often across all regions of the country, although the
annual number of days and hours and the duration of these events varies
dramatically. Various types of precipitation (e.g., rain, freezing
rain, wet snow, and ice pellets) sometimes occur with these temperatures. Near-0 ∘C conditions and the reported precipitation type
occurrences tend to be higher in Atlantic Canada, although high values also
occur in other regions. Trends of most temperature-based and
precipitation-based indicators show little or no change despite a systematic
warming in annual surface temperatures over Canada. Over the annual cycle,
near-0 ∘C temperatures and precipitation often exhibit a pattern:
short durations occur around summer, driven by the diurnal cycle, and a tendency toward longer
durations around winter, associated with storms. There is
also a tendency for near-0 ∘C surface temperatures to occur more
often than expected relative to other temperature windows at some stations
due, at least in part, to diabatic cooling and heating that take place with melting
and freezing, respectively, in the atmosphere and at the surface.
The role of spatial dependence for large-scale flood risk estimation
Authors: Metin Ayse Duha , Dung Nguyen Viet , Schröter Kai , Vorogushyn Sergiy , Guse Björn , Kreibich Heidi , Merz Bruno
Published: April 2020

Abstract. Flood risk assessments are typically based on scenarios which
assume homogeneous return periods of flood peaks throughout the catchment.
This assumption is unrealistic for real flood events and may bias risk
estimates for specific return periods. We investigate how three assumptions
about the spatial dependence affect risk estimates: (i) spatially
homogeneous scenarios (complete dependence), (ii) spatially heterogeneous
scenarios (modelled dependence) and (iii) spatially heterogeneous but
uncorrelated scenarios (complete independence). To this end, the model chain
RFM (regional flood model) is applied to the Elbe catchment in Germany,
accounting for the spatio-temporal dynamics of all flood generation processes,
from the rainfall through catchment and river system processes to damage
mechanisms. Different assumptions about the spatial dependence do not
influence the expected annual damage (EAD); however, they bias the risk
curve, i.e. the cumulative distribution function of damage. The widespread
assumption of complete dependence strongly overestimates flood damage of the
order of 100 % for return periods larger than approximately 200 years. On
the other hand, for small and medium floods with return periods smaller than
approximately 50 years, damage is underestimated. The overestimation
aggravates when risk is estimated for larger areas. This study demonstrates
the importance of representing the spatial dependence of flood peaks and
damage for risk assessments.
Do no harm
Authors: Hawilo Hasan , Quint Elise
Published: April 2020

Physician wellness and burnout have long been important topics in Canadian health care. Though burnout presents in various occupations, physicians experience unique professional challenges that predispose them to experience burnout. Elements inciting this chronic condition are introduced early in medical education, reinforced during residency training, and poorly addressed during clinical practice. Substantial evidence demonstrates that burnout has significant and undesirable impacts on patient outcomes and care delivery. Physician quality of life and well-being as well as health care spending are also negatively impacted by burnout. However, there is an ongoing need to apply these research results in the clinical setting. Currently, research suggests that individual, cultural, and organizational factors play a role in the development and maintenance of burnout. Best practices to prevent burnout and manage its effects, including interventions during medical education and greater work autonomy, are required to address barriers to wellness at each of these levels.
ANIONIC POLYMERIZATION AND CHAIN-END FUNCTIONALIZATION CHEMISTRY
Authors: Quirk Roderic P.
Published: April 2020

Anionic polymerization, especially alkyllithium-initiated polymerization of styrenes and dienes, is a truly living polymerization that proceeds in the absence of the kinetic steps of chain termination and chain transfer. The major discoveries in the science and technology of anionic polymerization are chronicled herein. My introduction to this fascinating science is also described. This includes research and training at Phillips Petroleum Company (1974) with Dr. Henry Hsieh and a sabbatical leave at The University of Akron (1976–1977) with Professors Maurice Morton and Lewis J. Fetters. Also detailed is the initiation of my formal anionic polymerization research career at Midland Macromolecular Institute (MMI) in 1979 with outstanding colleagues Drs. Dale Meier, Karl Solc, and Hans Georg Elias. At MMI, I started research on the use of living, alkyllithium-initiated polymerization to prepare chain-end functionalized polymers. This developed into one of my most important research areas. Based on my research experience and publications at MMI, I was appointed Professor of Polymer Science at The University of Akron in 1983. This was the most significant development in my professional career. The University of Akron offered a graduate polymer research program with outstanding, world-class colleagues and facilities; excellent graduate students; a moderate, primarily graduate teaching responsibility; a supportive university administration; and an international reputation in polymer research and education. As described herein, at The University of Akron I was able to develop a comprehensive research program on anionic polymerization, especially in the area of functionalized elastomers, which was the basis for the American Chemical Society Rubber Division Award of the Goodyear Medal to me. A summary of the many research contributions of my outstanding graduate students, visiting scientists, and postdoctoral associates is included.
BACTERIOCINOGENIC POTENTIAL OF LACTIC ACID BACTERIA ISOLATED FROM ARTISANAL COLONIAL TYPE - CHEESE
Authors: Pegoraro Kadigia , Jagnow Sereno Mallu , Quintana Cavicchioli Valéria , Viana Cibeli , Nero Luís Augusto , Dos Santos Bersot Luciano
Published: April 2020

Autochthonous microbiota from artisanal cheeses is predominantly composed of lactic acid bacteria (LAB), which are able to produce antimicrobial compounds, such as bacteriocins, suggesting their application in food biopreservation. Knowledge about LAB growth and bacteriocin production during food production and conservation is essential to determine their use. In this way, the study aimed at isolating bacteriocinogenic LAB from twenty-one artisanal cheeses from the western region of Parana state, Brazil, determining the best conditions for growth and bacteriocin production (25°C, 30°C, and 37°C/24h); bacteriocin stability under different ranges of pH (2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 for 2h) and temperature (60oC/2h; 80oC/2h; 121oC/15min). Their activity against different target microorganisms was also evaluated. A total of 34 LAB strains presented characteristics compatible with bacteriocin production. Most of them presented better results for bacteriocin production when cultured at 25ºC and 30ºC. Bacteriocins remained active against L. monocytogenes when exposed from pH 4 to 8 and a wide temperature range; some bacteriocins were even resistant to sterilization temperatures. Bacteriocins produced were able to inhibit spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms, such as L. monocytogenes, B. cereus, and P. fluorescens. These results indicated that isolated bacteriocinogenic LAB present potential to be used as food biopreservatives.
A aplicação judicial do direito: a metodologia jurídica aplicada pelos juízes do Tribunal Penal Internacional
Authors: Carapêto Maria João
Published: April 2020

O presente artigo ocupa-se da tarefa de compreender a análise das operações metodológicas impostas aos juízes do Tribunal Penal Internacional, que funcionam muitas vezes como “normas-travão” à discricionariedade e ao casuísmo. Porque se trata de um tribunal criado por tratado que constitui uma organização internacional, as problemáticas tradicionais exigem alguma reflexão adicional para a compreensão do modo como opera a metodologia aplicada por estes juízes. Usando como ponto de partida as seis operações metodológicas, identificadas pelo Professor Doutor José Lamego, autor português de referência na metodologia jurídica, refletir-se-á sobre algumas das problemáticas decorrentes do processo decisório, nomeadamente a operacionalização do princípio da separação de poderes, o princípio da legalidade e o modo como os juízes aplicam o direito, recorrendo à doutrina penal internacional e às decisões do Tribunal.