bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Feasibility of delivering integrated COPD-asthma care at primary and secondary level public healthcare facilities in Pakistan: a process evaluation
Authors: Amir Khan Muhammad , Ahmar Khan Muhammad , Walley John D , Khan Nida , Imtiaz Sheikh Faisal , Ali Saima , Salahuddin Ehsan , King Rebecca , Ellahi Khan Shaheer , Manzoor Farooq , Jehangir Khan Haroon
Published: February 2019

Background

In Pakistan,the estimated prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma are 2.1% and 4.3% respectively, and existing care is grossly lacking both in coverage and quality. An integrated approach is recommended for delivering COPD and asthma care at public health facilities.

Aim

To understand how an integrated care package was experienced by care providers and patients, and to inform modifications prior to scaling up.

Design & setting

The mixed-methods study was conducted as part of cluster randomised trials on integrated COPD and asthma care at 30 public health facilities.

Method

The care practices were assessed by analysing the clinical records ofn= 451 asthma andn= 313 COPD patients. Semi-structured interviews with service providers and patients were used to understand their care experiences. A framework approach was applied to analyse and interpret qualitative data.

Results

Utilisation of public health facilities for chronic lung conditions was low, mainly because of the non-availability of inhalers. When diagnosed, around two-thirds (69%) of male and more than half (55%) of female patients had severe airway obstruction. The practice of prescribing inhalers differed between intervention and control arms. Patient non-adherence to follow-up visits remained a major treatment challenge (though attrition was lower and slower in the intervention arm). Around half of the male responders who smoked at baseline reported having quit smoking.

Conclusion

The integrated care of chronic lung conditions at public health facilities is feasible and leads to improved diagnosis and treatment in a low-income country setting. The authors recommend scaling of the intervention with continued implementation research, especially on improving patient adherence to treatment.
LONG-TERM STRENGTH AND DEFORMATIONAL ANALYSIS OF REINFORCED CONCRETE COLUMNS
Authors: Simbirkin Valery , Balevičius Robertas
Published: February 2019

The paper presents a method of non‐linear analysis of load‐carrying capacity and deformations of reinforced concrete columns subjected to long‐term loads. Physical relationships expressing non‐linear relations between internal forces and stresses, strains and stiffness are derived on the basis of the fracture and creep theories for concrete and using non‐linear stress‐strain diagrams modified for time effects. Second‐order geometrical effects are taken into account by solving a second‐order differential equation for elements subjected to compression and bending. A number of numerical and test results are presented. The technique proposed is verified by comparison of analysis results with extensive experimental data.
Partnership to Enhance Resident Outcomes for Community Living Center Residents With Dementia: Description of the Protocol and Preliminary Findings
Authors: Carpenter Joan , Miller Susan C. , Kolanowski Ann M. , Karel Michele J. , Periyakoil Vyjeyanthi S. , Lowery Jill , Levy Cari , Sales Anne E. , Ersek Mary
Published: February 2019

The goal of this quality improvement project is to improve care planning around preferences for life-sustaining treatments (LST) and daily care to promote quality of life, autonomy, and safety for U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Community Living Center (CLC) (i.e., nursing home) residents with dementia. The care planning process occurs through partnerships between staff and family surrogate decision makers. This process is separate from but supports implementation of the LST Decision Initiative—developed by the VA National Center for Ethics in Health Care—which seeks to increase the number, quality, and documentation of goals of care conversations (GOCC) with Veterans who have life-limiting illnesses. The current authors will engage four to six VA CLCs in the Mid-Atlantic states, provide teams with audit and feedback reports, and establish learning collaboratives to address implementation concerns and support action planning. The expected outcomes are an increase in CLC residents with dementia who have documented GOCC and LST plans. [
Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 45
(3), 21–30.]
Type 2 Diabetes Self-Management Barriers in Older Adults: An Integrative Review of the Qualitative Literature
Authors: Saunders Tina
Published: February 2019

Type 2 diabetes is a prevalent chronic health condition more frequently affecting adults ages 65 and older. Furthermore, these individuals tend to have more type 2 diabetes–associated complications, compared with younger individuals with diabetes, and face unique challenges throughout the self-management process. Despite many studies and reviews about diabetes self-management, few researchers focus specifically on older adults. Of particular importance is the need to understand self-management challenges through the patient's lens. Therefore, the purpose of the current review is to examine and summarize the qualitative literature concerning type 2 diabetes self-management barriers in older adults. Following critical appraisal of literature published from 2007–2018, 10 articles were reviewed and content analysis performed. Four themes emerged:
Lack of Knowledge and Understanding
,
Self-Management Implementation Challenges
,
Culture and Language Barriers
, and
Health Care Providers as a Perceived Barrier
. The state of the qualitative science, implications for nursing practice, and recommendations for future research are discussed. [
Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 45
(3), 43–54.]
« Le démon de la possibilité » : listes et tableaux dans les brouillons de Paul Valéry
Authors: Johansson Franz
Published: February 2019

Dans nombre de réflexions, Valéry appelle un recensement exhaustif des éléments premiers qui fondent toute écriture, couronné par le dénombrement de leurs modes de combinaisons possibles. Ce réseau de relations latentes entre des éléments purs formerait un équivalent, à l’usage de l’écrivain, de la gamme musicale. Les brouillons valéryens portent la trace de cette ambition : des dénombrements, volontiers ordonnés en tableaux, y cherchent à consolider une maîtrise achevée des possibilités de l’écriture. Les processus génétiques sont, chez Valéry, d’une extrême richesse cependant. En même temps que les inventaires s’emploient à parachever un système clos, des listes ouvertes se lancent dans l’exploration de possibilités inattendues – quitte à faire surgir des solutions extravagantes et irréalisables. A côté des modèles combinatoires se constituent des collections de nuances, des accords de mots, des « palettes » verbales pleinement ancrées dans la dimension physique de l’acte d’écrire.
Modeling With Colored Petri Nets
Authors: Zaitsev Dmitry A. , Shmeleva Tatiana R.
Published: February 2019

Aviation and aerospace systems are complex and concurrent and require special tools for their specification, verification, and performance evaluation. The tool in demand should be easily integrated into the standard loop of model-driven development. Colored Petri nets represent a combination of a Petri net graph and a functional programming language ML that makes it powerful and convenient tool for specification of real-life system and solving both tasks: correctness proof i.e. verification and performance evaluation. This chapter studies basic and advanced features of CPN Tools – a powerful modeling system which uses graphical language of colored Petri nets. Starting with a concept of colored hierarhical timed Petri net, it goes through declaration of color sets and functions to peculiarities of hierarchical design of complex models and specification of timed characteristics. The authors accomplish the chapter with a real-life case study of performance evaluation for switched Ethernet network.
Analysis of Aviation Incidents Using the GERT-Network Taking Into Account the Psychological Characteristics of the Operator
Authors: Yakunina Iryna , Salem Abdel-Badeeh M. , Yakunin Roman
Published: February 2019

In this chapter, the authors considered the construction of network models of aviation incidents taking into account the psychological characteristics of the operator. In particular, the GERT-network of aviation disaster was built. Applying of software to calculate the elements of the GERT-network was presented. The use of network models in the analysis of aviation incidents allows one to visualize the cause-and-effect relationship in aviation incidents and gives the opportunity to obtain quantitative characteristics of the incident for subsequent analysis.
Impression Management Strategies in the Chairmen's Statements
Authors: Oliveira Jonas da Silva , Azevedo Graça Maria do Carmo , Pinheiro Stéphanie Fernandes , Borges Maria Fátima Ribeiro
Published: February 2019

This chapter assesses the influence of organizational performance in the adoption of impression management strategies in the Chairmen's statements of the Portuguese financial companies. It also evaluates the impact of the financial crisis on the adoption of impression management strategies. To this end, and using the content analysis of the Chairmen's statements included in the individual annual reports for 2006-2012 of 27 financial institutions, the authors conclude that even throughout the financial crisis period, Portuguese financial companies did not tend to adopt more impression management strategies. However, they have seen that in some years there is some evidence of its adoption.
Developments in Earnings Management Practices in the IFRS Perspective
Authors: Carikci Oguzhan , Ozturk Mahmut Sami
Published: February 2019

Financial statements are an important tool when it comes to determining the level of success of a company's management and setting its market value. Nevertheless, company managers may sometimes try to reflect the company's financial results differently. Strategic methods, used by the company to deliberately change the earnings they gain by using the flexibility provided by the accounting system, are called earnings management practices. This chapter examines the examples of a public company that is traded on the Istanbul Stock Exchange for the purpose of determining earnings management practices under International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). Given the results of the study, it is possible to say from the earnings management practices that the company only benefited from those in the legal framework.
Towards Knowledge-Based Spatial Planning
Authors: Laurini Robert
Published: February 2019

For millennia, spatial planning has been based on human knowledge about the context and its environment together with some objectives of development. Now, with artificial intelligence and especially knowledge engineering, practices of spatial planning can be renovated. Presently, novel practices can be designed. In addition to human collective knowledge, some new chunks of knowledge can be introduced, coming from physical laws, administrative regulations, standards, data mining, and best practices. By big data analytics, some regularities and patterns can be discovered, which again will lead to new actions towards cities: in other words, there is a virtuous circle linking smart territories and big data that can be the basis for novel spatial planning. The role of this chapter will be to analyze those new chunks of knowledge and to explain how human knowledge, possibly coming from different stakeholders, can be harmonized with machine-processable knowledge as to be the basis for territorial intelligence.
Defining Energy Criteria in the Absence of Open Data
Authors: Abastante Francesca , Lombardi Patrizia , Moghadam Sara Torabi
Published: February 2019

The urban decision processes should be optimized according to the current “green” context. Despite the literature advocating for an open availability of data to facilitate higher quality science and a more effective science-policy boundary, one of the main challenges when dealing with energy processes is the absence of accurate data. This chapter aims at illustrating a stakeholder-oriented approach based on multi-criteria analyses (MCA) in defining the set of evaluation criteria and their relevance in supporting the development of “what if” urban energy retrofitting scenarios. In this regard, the SRF method has been used highlighting that the most important criteria for the problem in exam are related to economic and environmental aspects. In this context, big data visualization and geographical locations of the alternative scenarios, producing presentation features and performing spatial operations are fundamental. Hence, the authors supported the decision process through MC-SDSS to optimize the urban decision purposes. The results of this chapter are part of the national project EEB.
Researching and Enabling Youth Geographies in the Digital and Material City
Authors: Pettenati Giacomo , Dansero Egidio , Calafiore Alessia
Published: February 2019

This contribution presents the methodologies and the results of an action-research project called Teencarto carried out by the University of Turin and the City of Turin. The project involved more than 600 teenagers from 16 high schools, in a massive process of community mapping aiming at producing a representation of their urban geography. Data collected has been analyzed to make evident the way teenagers use the city as well as how they imagine a better city. The mapping process is based on First Life, a map-based social network, which aims at reconnecting digital and real spaces, using cartographic representations and crowdsourcing. The teenagers' geographies emerging from this large-scale mapping activity reveal the crucial role of four types of “piazza” (Italian word for square) as meeting points: real squares, green squares, commercial hybrid squares, and nightlife squares.
Algorithmic Analysis of Clinical, Neuropsychological, and Imaging Data in Localization-Related Epilepsy
Authors: Latifinavid Masoud , Elisevich Kost , Soltanian-Zadeh Hamid
Published: February 2019

The current study examines algorithmic approaches for analysis of multimodal attributes in localization-related epilepsy (LRE), specifically, their impact on the selection of patients for surgical consideration. Invasive electrographic data is excluded here to concentrate upon the localized anatomical landmarks and identified/initialized brain structures in volumetric MR images as well as initial clinical presentation and the varied elements of the seizure history, ictal semiology, risk and seizure-precipitating factors and physical findings in addition to several features of the neuropsychological profile including various parameters of cognition and both speech and memory lateralization. First, the imaging modality data is excluded and just clinical, electrographic and neuropsychological data are investigated. Afterward, the imaging data are investigated and a comparison between the prediction results of the two types of data is done. In the case of using non-imaging multimodal data, 56% and using imaging features, about 71% of correct outcome prediction was obtained.
Improving the Power Quality of Rural Consumers by Means of Electricity Cost Adjustment
Authors: Vinogradov Alexander , Borodin Maxim , Bolshev Vadim , Makhiyanova Natalya , Hruntovich Nadezhda
Published: February 2019

Improving power quality of agricultural consumers by adjusting the cost of electricity is considered. The chapter lists the reasons for the output of power quality indicators beyond the standard values. There is the assessment of the quality of electricity in the Orel region. Distribution functions for distortion of power quality indicators are constructed. The relevance of the adjustment of the cost of electricity depending on its quality is justified. The mathematical model for determining the cost of consumed electric energy depending on its quality is developed in chapter. The chapter gives the method allowing to adjust the cost of consumed electric energy depending on its quality and source of distortion. In the chapter, there is the mechanism of carrying out calculations for the consumed and transferred electric power considering change of electric power cost depending on its quality. The feasibility study of the proposed methods and means of improving power quality is realized.
A Study on Linguistic Management in Online and Offline Communities
Authors: Baek U Jin , Lee Miji , Lee Jongtae
Published: February 2019

There are many conflicts among online communities' users and there are diverse types of online communities which have their own conflict management. Also, there are many users who perceive their online communities useful both in their cyber and real lives. This study clarifies the effects of jargons and focuses on finding out whether there are considerable relationships among individual inclination, linguistic habits, and conflict management types to affect the user's intention to participate in communities. There are significant relationships among jargons, conflict managements, selfishness, and perceived usefulness. This study also explains whether the frequency usage of jargon in online communities would affect the types of management, perceived usefulness, and community members' participation. Moreover, it may be clear that online jargon effect community members' participation and perceived usefulness.
Rainfall-Runoff Modeling of Sutlej River Basin (India) Using Soft Computing Techniques
Authors: Hussain Athar , Singh Jatin Kumar , Kumar A. R. Senthil , Harne K R
Published: February 2019

The prediction of the runoff generated within a watershed is an important input in the design and management of water resources projects. Due to the tremendous spatial and temporal variability in precipitation, rainfall-runoff relationship becomes one of the most complex hydrologic phenomena. Under such circumstances, using soft computing approaches have proven to be an efficient tool in modeling of runoff. These models are capable of predicting river runoff values that can be used for hydrologic and hydraulic engineering design and water management purposes. It has been observed that the artificial neural networks (ANN) model performed well compared to other soft computing techniques such as fuzzy logic and radial basis function investigated in this study. In addition, comparison of scatter plots indicates that the values of runoff predicted by the ANN model are more precise than those found by RBF or Fuzzy Logic model.
Two-step Procedure Based on the Least Squares and Instrumental Variable Methods for Simultaneous Estimation of von Bertalanffy Growth Parameters
Authors: Zlateva Ivelina Yordanova , Nikolov Nikola
Published: February 2019

Advanced in the present article is a Two-step procedure designed on the methods of the least squares (LS) and instrumental variable (IV) techniques for simultaneous estimation of the three unknown parameters L∞, K and t0, which represent the individual growth of fish in the von Bertalanffy growth equation. For the purposes of the present analysis, specific MATLAB-based software has been developed through simulated data sets to test the operational workability of the proposed procedure and pinpoint areas of improvement. The resulting parameter estimates have been analyzed on the basis of consecutive comparison (the initial conditions being the same) between the results delivered by the two-step procedure for simultaneous estimation of L∞, K and t0 and the results obtained via the most commonly employed methods for estimating growth parameters; first, use has been made of the Gulland-and-Holt method for estimating the asymptotic length L∞and the curvature parameter K, followed by the von Bertalanffy method for estimation of t0.
Understanding the Dependence Structure Between the Futures and Spot Prices of Wheat in Egypt
Authors: Ahmed Osama , Abdelradi Fadi
Published: February 2019

The aim of this article is to check the dependence structure for the futures-spot prices link of Egyptian wheat. Co-movements between prices are assessed by a GJR-GARCH model and semi-parametric copula estimation. Results suggest a positive futures-spot prices link, which becomes stronger the closer the markets are. Evidence of asymmetric behavior of the prices at times of extreme market situations is found. As a result, increases in wheat futures prices are expected to be passed to the Egyptian spot market, while the prices decline is not passed. This implies that the Egyptian wheat market cannot protect consumers against extreme international wheat price increases.
A Qualitative Analysis of Innovation Adoption in the Olive Oil Extraction Process
Authors: Zoccali Domenico , Gadanakis Yiorgos
Published: February 2019

Pressures on the Italian olive oil sector have increased over the past few years due to seasons of bad weather, small innovation capacity and limited long-term investment plans. Thus, it is of interest to explore signs of positive attitude towards innovation investment in the agricultural sector. The focus has been on technologies employed in the extraction process, since yield and quality of olive oil are mostly affected by this stage. To define the determinants of innovation adoption, 13 managers were interviewed. Questions covered organisation factors, personal factors, social factors, the impact of the olive oil value chain and the cost of the extraction machinery. The results of the thematic analysis showed that determinants of innovation adoption were: perceived usefulness, personal innovativeness, prior experience, influence of peers, training and managerial support, and the relative importance of quality, while major challenges are the lack of financial funds, demand pressure from customers, and lack of early warning systems to tackle bad weather conditions.
2019Spring PaduaMuscleDays: Translational Myology and Mobility Medicine
Authors: Carraro Ugo
Published: February 2019

A half-century tradition of skeletal muscles studies, started with a research on fever, is continuing under the auspices of the Interdepartmental Research Centre of Myology (CIR-Myo), Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padova, Italy, the AandC M-C Foundation for Translational Myology, Padova, Italy and the European Journal of Translational Myology (EJTM). This year an EJTM Special will be dedicated to Muscle Fascia, an under looked topic, which merits more attention. Furthermore, this year the 2019SpringPaduaMuscleDays: Translational Myology and Mobility Medicine, an International Conference, was held March 28-30, 2019 in Euganei Hills and Padova (Italy). The abstracts of the 2019SpPMD, that are reported in the Myology News of EJTM 29 (1), 2019, are excellent examples of translational research. Their excellent contents are at the level needed for approval by Ethical Committees, International Granting Agencies, and Editors of international journals, thanks to the high scientific profiles of researchers and clinicians who are eager to present their results at the PaduaMuscleDays.
Predictive performance models in the South African Business Process Services industry
Authors: Jacobs Chris T.G. , Roodt Gerhard
Published: February 2019

Orientation: An earlier systematic literature review study (Jacobs Roodt, 2011) conducted on research in Business Process Services (BPS) industry sector companies identified a number of variables that could be empirically linked to turnover intention and individual performance. The literature pointed to a potential health promotion process, as well as an individual performance process in the BPS environment.Research purpose: The purpose of this study is to test two different predictive models that may explain two distal outcomes, namely turnover intention and individual employee performance, in the South African (SA) BPS industry.Motivation for the study: There is little, if any, peer-reviewed, empirical research available on the BPS industry that links variables to either proximate or distal outcome variables, such as turnover intention and individual employee performance.Research approach/design and method: A two-stage, census-based sampling approach was followed that initially targeted 40 organisations within the industry that employ about 13000 employees. Sixteen of these organisations (employing about 6800 individuals) indicated that they wish to voluntarily participate in the study; 821 individuals were targeted to participate in the cross-sectional survey and 487 usable responses were obtained (a 59% response rate). Multivariate data analyses were conducted from an exploratory perspective to retrospectively explain relationships in the structural models.Main findings: An overall health promotion process model that predicted the distal outcome, turnover intention, was confirmed within the context of this exploratory study, where human resource management (HRM) practices, job demands (JDs) and job resources (JRs) were related to burnout as the only proximate outcome. On the other hand, an individual performance enhancing process model was also confirmed within the context of this exploratory study by using HRM practices, JRs and JDs, together with proximate variables, such as employee competence and engagement, to explain the distal outcome, individual performance.Practical/managerial implications: The study has implications for executive (strategic) management, human resource (HR) professionals and work unit team leaders in the BPS industry. This study shows which JRs contribute towards the reduction of burnout and turnover intention in the BPS context. On the other hand, it explains how HRM practices, as well as JRs and JDs, in combination with employee competence and engagement, can be used to promote individual performance.Contribution/value-add: This is the first SA study that uses a range of variables in a multivariate analysis to predict turnover intention and individual performance in the SA BPS industry.
Prevalence of postconcussion syndrome after mild traumatic brain injury in young adults from a single neurosurgical center in east coast of Malaysia
Authors: Balakrishnan Buveinthiran , Rus Razman , Chan Kin , Martin Arvind , Awang Mohamed
Published: February 2019

Context: Postconcussion syndrome (PCS) is a set of symptoms occurred after a mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI). Aims: This study aims to determine the prevalence of PCS in a young adult population from a single Neurological Centre in Malaysia's East Coast and to evaluate the factors associated with PCS in MTBI patients. Settings and Design: This was a cross-sectional study conducted in a Neurological Centre at Hospital Tengku Ampuan Afzan, Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia, from January 2016 to December 2016. Subjects and Methods: A total of 209 patients; 133 males and 76 females, in the age range of 16–84 years, were randomly recruited for this study. All the selected patients were subjected to the checklist for diagnosis of PCS as per International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems 10th edition classification at a 2-week interval. Statistical Analysis Used: Descriptive statistic and Multivariable Logistic Regression Model were used for frequency and percentage analyses of categorical variables, using SPSS version 23.0. Results: Only 20 patients were identified with PCS. There were more female (70%) patients with PCS than the male (30%) patients. The prevalence of PCS for 2 weeks, 3 and 6 months since injuries were 9.6%, 8.1%, and 8.1% respectively. Majority (80%) of the patients were found to have PCS due to road traffic accidents, while the remaining were attributed to assault (15%), and falls (5%). Among the sample population, 25% were smokers, while 10% of them had either skull fracture or premorbidity. Conclusion: Less than 10% of patients with MTBI had PCS after 6 months' following trauma. None of the variables tested were significant factors for the development of PCS symptoms.
A sustentabilidade econômico-financeira das operadoras de planos de saúde diante da concessão indiscriminada de tutelas de urgência no Brasil
Authors: Melo Álisson José Maia , Dantas Nathalia Aparecida Sousa
Published: February 2019

O objetivo do presente artigo é investigar as possibilidades de dar efetividade ao direito fundamental à saúde, sem inviabilizar o funcionamento das operadoras de planos de saúde, quando instadas a fornecer tratamentos de alto custo, avaliando, ainda, a repercussão que a liquidação de uma operadora pode causar no SUS. Discute-se quais ferramentas o judiciário deve se valer para análise das tutelas de urgência, considerando a necessidade de conhecimento técnico, a ponderação do custo-efetividade e da irreversibilidade da tutela, tendo em vista os valores envolvidos. Primeiramente, analisou-se os limites da atuação das operadoras de planos de saúde, a natureza jurídica dos contratos e a escassez dos recursos. Em seguida, abordou-se a utilização das tutelas de urgência como mecanismos de concretização do direito à saúde. Por fim, explorou-se a necessidade de assessoramento técnico dos julgadores e o impacto dessas decisões na saúde suplementar. Foi utilizado o método dedutivo, o qual teve por norte a ocorrência de desequilíbrio econômico das operadoras de planos de saúde, com pesquisa bibliográfica e jurisprudencial. Conclui-se que a concretização do direito à saude por meio da concessão de liminares deve ocorrer a partir do assessoramento técnico dos julgadores, tendo como alternativa a ampliação da atuação do NAT-JUS, a fim de que as deciões proferidas sejam fundamentadas na Medicina baseada em evidências. Além disso, a oitiva dos médicos assistente e da operadora, promovendo maior diálogo entre o julgador e os profissionais envolvidos, nos termos dos enunciados do CNJ, colabora para uma decisão racional e com respeito ao contraditório.
Een pleidooi voor radicale liefde
Authors: De Graeve Katrien
Published: February 2019

In this paper I make an analysis of the dominant ideas on love in Belgian society, based on the narratives of men and women in (predominantly heterosexual) non-monogamous relationships. The narratives of these men and women show that although their practices do not conform to the ideal of the monogamous couple relationship, they often reproduce the gendered power relations inherent in the romantic love complex, thereby privileging the doctrine of detached individualism and invulnerability over notions of responsibility and care. Building on feminist critiques of the romantic love complex, this paper questions the subversive potential of these non-monogamous lifestyles as they seemingly fail to adequately challenge underlying patriarchal structures and mechanisms. The paper proposes an ethics of intersubjective vulnerability, which is defined by both a critical disposition and responsiveness to our own vulnerability and the vulnerability of others, as a prerequisite for radically rethinking love.
Assessing the impact of Clean Air Action Plan on Air Quality Trends in Beijing Megacity using a machine learning technique
Authors: Vu Tuan V. , Shi Zongbo , Cheng Jing , Zhang Qiang , He Kebin , Wang Shuxiao , Harrison Roy M.
Published: February 2019

Abstract. A five-year Clean Air Action Plan was implemented in 2013 to reduce air pollutant emissions and improve ambient air quality in Beijing. Assessments of this Action Plan is an essential part of the decision-making process to review the efficacy of the Plan and to develop new policies. Both statistical and chemical transport modelling were applied to assess the efficacy of this Action Plan. However, inherent uncertainties in these methods mean that new and independent methods are required to support the assessment process. Here, we improved a novel machine learning-based random forest technique to quantify the effectiveness of Beijing's Acton Plan by decoupling the impact of meteorology on ambient air quality. Our results demonstrate that meteorological conditions have an important impact on the year to year variations in ambient air quality. Further analysis show that the favorable meteorological conditions in winter 2017 contributed to a lower PM2.5 mass concentration (58 μg m−3) than predicted from the random forest model (61 μg m−3), which is higher than the target of the Plan (2017 annual PM2.5
Two-wavelength thermo-optical determination of Light Absorbing Carbon in atmospheric aerosols
Authors: Massabò Dario , Altomari Alessandro , Vernocchi Virginia , Prati Paolo
Published: February 2019

Abstract. Thermo-optical analysis is widely adopted for the quantitative determination of Total, TC, Organic, OC, and Elemental, EC, Carbon in atmospheric aerosol sampled by suitable filters. Nevertheless, the methodology suffers of several uncertainties and artefacts as the well-known issue of charring affecting the OC-EC separation. In the standard approach, the effect of the possible presence of Brown Carbon, BrC, in the sample is neglected. BrC is a fraction of OC, usually produced by biomass burning with a thermic behaviour intermediate between OC and EC. BrC is optically active: it shows an increasing absorbance when the wavelength moves to the blue/UV region of the electromagnetic spectrum. Definitively, the thermo-optical characterization of carbonaceous aerosol should be reconsidered to address the possible BrC content in the sample under analysis. We introduce here a modified Sunset Lab Inc. EC/OC Analyzer. Starting from a standard commercial set-up, the unit has been modified at the Physics Department of the University of Genoa (IT), making possible the alternative use of the standard laser diode at λ = 635 nm and of a new laser diode at λ = 405 nm. In this way, the optical transmittance through the sample can be monitored at both the wavelengths. Since at shorter wavelengths the BrC absorbance is higher, a better sensitivity to this species is gained. The modified set-up also gives the possibility to quantify the BrC concentration in the sample at both the wavelengths. The new unit has been thoroughly tested, with both artificial and real-world samples: the first experiment, in conjunction with the Multi Wavelength Absorbance Analyzer (MWAA, Massabò et al., 2013 and 2015), resulted in the first direct determination of the BrC Mass Absorption Coefficient (MAC) at λ = 405 nm: MAC = 23 ± 1 m2 g−1.
Surrogate-assisted Bayesian inversion for landscape and basin evolution models
Authors: Chandra Rohitash , Azam Danial , Kapoor Arpit , Mulller R. Dietmar
Published: February 2019

Abstract. The complex and computationally expensive features of the forward landscape and sedimentary basin evolution models pose a major challenge in the development of efficient inference and optimization methods. Bayesian inference provides a methodology for estimation and uncertainty quantification of free model parameters. In our previous work, parallel tempering Bayeslands was developed as a framework for parameter estimation and uncertainty quantification for the landscape and basin evolution modelling software Badlands. Parallel tempering Bayeslands features high-performance computing with dozens of processing cores running in parallel to enhance computational efficiency. Although parallel computing is used, the procedure remains computationally challenging since thousands of samples need to be drawn and evaluated. In large-scale landscape and basin evolution problems, a single model evaluation can take from several minutes to hours, and in certain cases, even days. Surrogate-assisted optimization has been with successfully applied to a number of engineering problems This motivates its use in optimisation and inference methods suited for complex models in geology and geophysics. Surrogates can speed up parallel tempering Bayeslands by developing computationally inexpensive surrogates to mimic expensive models. In this paper, we present an application of surrogate-assisted parallel tempering where that surrogate mimics a landscape evolution model including erosion, sediment transport and deposition, by estimating the likelihood function that is given by the model. We employ a machine learning model as a surrogate that learns from the samples generated by the parallel tempering algorithm and the likelihood from the model. The entire framework is developed in a parallel computing infrastructure to take advantage of parallelization. The results show that the proposed methodology is effective in lowering the overall computational cost significantly while retaining the quality of solutions.
Towards the Development of a Pan-European Stochastic Precipitation Dataset
Authors: Kautz Lisa-Ann , Ehmele Florian , Ludwig Patrick , Lentink Hilke S. , Kelemen Fanni D. , Kadlec Martin , Pinto Joaquim G.
Published: February 2019

Abstract. Heavy precipitation leading to widespread river floods are one of the main natural hazards affecting Central Europe. Since extreme precipitation events associated with devastating floods have long return periods, long-term datasets are needed to adequately quantify the frequency and intensity of these events. As long-term observations of precipitation across Europe are rare and not homogeneous in space nor time, they are generally not suitable to run hydrological models. In the present study, a combined approach is presented on how to generate a consistent precipitation dataset based on dynamical downscaling and post-processing statistics. Focus is given to five river catchments in Central Europe: Upper Danube, Elbe, Oder, Rhine, and Vistula. Reanalysis data are dynamically downscaled with a regional climate model and bias corrected towards observations. Empirical quantile mapping was identified as one of the most suitable methods to correct the bias in model precipitation. For most of the top ten precipitation events of large European river catchments, bias correction led to clear improvements towards the raw model data. However, results for Western European rivers (e.g., Rhine) are typically better than for Eastern European rivers (e.g., Vistula), which may also be associated with observational gaps for the latter. Two examples of severe river floods are presented in more detail: the Rhine river flood in winter 1995 and the flood in the Upper Danube and Vistula in June 2009. While the former was already well presented without bias correction, for the latter, bias correction improved underestimated precipitation amounts in the Upper Danube but not in the Vistula catchment. In conclusion, this method can be applied to other extensive datasets towards the development of a Pan-European stochastic precipitation dataset.
Changes of the tropical glaciers throughout Peru between 2000 and 2016 – Mass balance and area fluctuations
Authors: Seehaus Thorsten , Malz Philipp , Sommer Christian , Lippl Stefan , Cochachin Alejo , Braun Matthias
Published: February 2019

Abstract. Glaciers in tropical regions are very sensitive to climatic variations and thus strongly affected by climate change. The majority of the tropical glaciers worldwide are located in the Peruvian Andes, which have shown significant ice loss in the last century. Here, we present the first multi-temporal, region wide survey of geodetic mass balances and glacier area fluctuations throughout Peru covering the period 2000–2016. Glacier extents are derived from Landsat imagery by performing automatic glacier delineation based on a combination of the NDSI and band ratio method and final manual inspection and correction. A total glacier area loss of −548.5 ± 65.7 km2 (−29 %, −34.3 km2 a−1) is obtained for the study period. Using interferometric satellite SAR acquisitions, bi-temporal geodetic mass balances are derived. An average specific mass balance of −357 ± 43 kg m−2 a−1 is found throughout Peru for the period 2000–2016. However, there are strong regional and temporal differences in the mass budgets ranging from 68 ± 102 kg m−2 a−1 to −990 ± 476 kg m−2 a−1. The ice loss increased towards the end of the observation period. Between 2013 and 2016, a retreat of the glaciated area of −203.8 ± 65.7 km2 (− 16 %, −101.9 km2 a−1) is mapped and the average mass budget amounts to −836 ± 188 kg m−2 a−1. The glacier changes revealed can be attributed to changes in the climatic settings in the study region, derived from ERA-Interim reanalysis data and the Oceanic Niño Index. The intense El Niño activities in 2015/16 are most likely the trigger for the increased change rates in the time interval 2013–2016. Our observations provide fundamental information on the current dramatic glacier changes for local authorities and for the calibration and validation of glacier change projections.
Blowing snow in East Antarctica: comparison of ground-based and space-borne retrievals
Authors: Gossart Alexandra , Palm Stephen P. , Souverijns Niels , Lenaerts Jan T. M. , Gorodetskaya Irina V. , Lhermitte Stef , van Lipzig Nicole P. M.
Published: February 2019

Abstract. Continuous measurements of blowing snow are scarce, both in time and space. Satellites now provide the opportunity to derive blowing snow occurrences, transport and sublimation rates over Antarctica. However, little ground truth is available to validate these retrievals. The recent application of ceilometers for detection of blowing snow frequencies provides an opportunity to validate the satellite retrievals of blowing snow frequencies at the Princess Elisabeth and Neumayer stations, East Antarctica for the 2011–2016 time period. A routine to detect blowing snow occurrence from remote sensing ceilometers has been developed at those locations. Thanks to their ground-based location, ceilometers are able to detect blowing snow events in the presence of clouds and precipitation, which can be missed by the satellite, since optically thick clouds impede the penetration of the signal. This is important, since ≈ 90 % of blowing snow happens under cloudy conditions at Neumayer and Princess Elisabeth station and represent 30 % of all cloudy conditions at both stations. Although both detection methods have their limitations, 10 % (4 %) of the measurements at Princess Elisabeth (and Neumayer) are identified as blowing snow by the satellite but not by the ceilometer, likely due to differences in sensors, limitation of the surface identification by the satellite, or the spatial inhomogeneity of the blowing snow event. While the satellite blowing snow retrieval is a useful product, further investigation is needed to reduce the uncertainties on blowing snow frequencies associated with clouds.
Ecological landscape assessment in a silvicultural system in the Urdaibai Reserve (Basque Country, Spain)
Authors: Orrantia Oreina , Ortega-Hidalgo M. Mercedes , Loidi Javier
Published: February 2019

Forestry industry has transformed deciduous Cantabrian colline landscape from very diverse ecosystems into exotic monospecific Pinus spp. or Eucalyptus spp. tree plantations. Our aim was to determine the biological quality present at a forested and protected river basin based on vascular plant communities’ field examination and cartographic and aerial information analysis. We have transformed vegetation maps into biological quality maps, readily interpreted in terms of conservation state for land management. We have tested the index along an anthropized but protected area in the Atlantic Iberian Peninsula (Urdaibai Biosphere Reserve –and Natura 2000 site, Basque Country) individually assessing 158 vegetation fragments included in ten quadrats of 25 ha each. A comparison of land use distribution between exotic coniferous plantations and native forests showed a ratio ~11:1, and Quercus robur native forests have been fragmented and reduced to small patches, mostly below one ha (73.7% of fragments). The ratio real to potential cover revealed occupation below 8% of potential territory, confined to altitudes and slopes over 200 m asl and 30% respectively. Mean biological value of the basin (38.4% of maximum) correlated to conifer plantation surface and native forest emerged as the only vegetation unit attaining index values above 50%. A quantitative approach to determine whether local lowland oak forest could be considered at favourable conservation status involved studying co-variation between index values and fragment size by means of asymptotic models that would provide a maximum expected biological value associated to a minimum required surface (72.9% for ≥2.5ha). We have obtained the highest index values (77.1%) for forest patches ≥5.0 ha, although fragments over that threshold accounted for barely 2.9% of the basin. Oak forests are far from showing a favourable conservation status, revealing that actual protection policies provide little shelter to native forest where silvicultural policies rule the landscape.
Olmesartan - associated sprue-like enteropathy and colagenous colitis: A case report and review of literature
Authors: Sudhekar Nivedita , Ahmed Abrar , Feldman Mark
Published: February 2019

Olmesartan, an angiotensin II receptor blocker, is widely used for the treatment of hypertension. An association of olmesartan use with a reversible, sprue-like enteropathy has recently been recognized. There are also rare reports of olmesartan use and the combination of sprue-like enteropathy and collagenous colitis. We report a case of an elderly female who presented with both severe collagenous sprue and collagenous colitis associated with the use of olmesartan, with complete clinical and histologic recovery after discontinuation of the drug.
Análise temporal da incidência de leishmaniose tegumentar em municípios da Região do Parque Estadual do Aguapeí - SP
Authors: Henriques Natália Poiani
Published: February 2019

A Leishmaniose Tegumentar (LT) é uma doença infecto-parasitária, não contagiosa, transmitida aos mamíferos através da picada de flebotomíneos, infectados por protozoários do gênero Leishmania. Registrada em todas as regiões brasileiras desde 2003, esta doença apresenta incidência variável e diferentes perfis epidemiológicos. O presente estudo analisou temporalmente a incidência da LT na população dos municípios que integram o Parque Estadual do Aguapeí (PEA), São Paulo, Brasil. Para tanto, acessou-se o número de casos humanos confirmados de LT, por município de infecção, de 1998 a 2016, disponíveis no Centro de Vigilância Epidemiológica, da Secretaria de Saúde do Estado e dados na literatura. O registro da doença na área de estudo remonta a década de 1930 e dados recentes indicam a transmissão da LT em intensidade variável. No ano de 2015 a intensidade de transmissão da LT foi considerada alta nos municípios de São João do Pau D’Alho e Nova Independência e média em Junqueirópolis e Monte Castelo. Conclui-se que o Parque está inserido em municípios com histórico de incidência da doença, sendo importante o incentivo à realização de monitoramento de tendências espaço-temporais e de estudos sobre as condições relacionadas à transmissão da LT nesta região.
O carste nos relatos da viagem de Spix e Martius ao Brasil no século XIX e o desenvolvimento do geoturismo
Authors: Scotti Marcella Cristiane Amaral , Travassos Luiz Eduardo Panisset
Published: February 2019

No século XIX, foram várias as viagens ao Brasil realizadas por naturalistas europeus que retrataram a paisagem cárstica e suas cavernas ao longo do trajeto. Tais descrições constituem um importante registro histórico e geográfico dessas paisagens, que podem ser utilizados como um dos recursos para se desenvolver o geoturismo nessas regiões. Esse segmento propõe tornar mais acessível ao visitante o conhecimento geológico relacionado a um geossítio com o objetivo de utilizá-lo como ferramenta de interpretação e educação ambiental, bem como promover a preservação do patrimônio abiótico. Sendo assim, o presente trabalho busca fornecer uma visão geral das descrições realizadas por Spix e Martius relacionadas ao carste e às cavernas durante a sua viagem pelo Brasil, entre 1817 a 1820. Além disso, busca-se fazer uma reflexão sobre o potencial para o desenvolvimento do geoturismo em áreas mencionadas pelos naturalistas. Os resultados apontaram que essas descrições e a própria visita de Spix e Martius ainda não são utilizadas como recursos para o uso geoturístico, mas têm potencial para serem utilizadas como uma estratégia de marketing, por exemplo, para despertar o interesse dos visitantes.