bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Further Investigation on the Application of Critical Pore Size as an Approach for Reservoir Rock Typing
Authors: Faramarzi-Palangar Mohsen , Sedaee Behnam , Emami Niri Mohammad
Published: January 2021

The correct definition of rock types plays a critical role in reservoir characterization, simulation, and field development planning. In this study, we use the critical pore size (linf) as an approach for reservoir rock typing. Two linf relations were separately derived based on two permeability prediction models and then merged together to drive a generalized linf relation. The proposed rock typing methodology includes two main parts: in the first part, we determine an appropriate constant coefficient, and in the second part, we perform reservoir rock typing based on two different scenarios. The first scenario is based on the forming groups of rocks using statistical analysis, and the second scenario is based on the forming groups of rocks with similar capillary pressure curves. This approach was applied to three data sets. In detail, two data sets were used to determine the constant coefficient, and one data set was used to show the applicability of the linf method in comparison with FZI for rock typing.
Phylodynamics for cell biologists
Authors: Stadler T. , Pybus O. G. , Stumpf M. P. H.
Published: January 2021

Ancestry and evolution in cell biology

Advances in experimental approaches for single-cell analysis allow in situ sequencing, genomic barcoding, and mapping of cell lineages within tissues and organisms. Large amounts of data have thus accumulated and present an analytical challenge. Stadler
et al.
recognized the need for conceptual and computational approaches to fully exploit these technological advances for the understanding of normal and disease states. The authors review ideas taken from phylodynamics of infectious disease and show how similar tree-building techniques can be applied to monitoring changes in somatic cell lineages for applications ranging from development and differentiation to cancer biology.

Science
, this issue p.
eaah6266
Deflating the opaque online ad bubble
Subprime Attention Crisis: Advertising and the Time Bomb at the Heart of the Internet
Tim Hwang
FSG Originals, 2020. 176 pp.
Authors: Tadelis Steve
Published: January 2021

A lightweight book aims a heavyweight punch at the digital advertising ecosystem
Noor hard red spring wheat
Authors: Iqbal M. , Spaner D. , Strenzke K. , Ciechanowska I. , Beres B.
Published: January 2021

Noor hard red spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) was developed using a modified bulk breeding method at the University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB Canada. Noor is an apically awnletted, hollow-stemmed line with a combination of high yield potential, good lodging tolerance, and medium maturity. During the three years (2016–2018) of evaluation in the Parkland Wheat Cooperative test, Noor yielded 12% higher than the mean of all the checks and matured similarly to Carberry and Glenn, but 3.1 and 2.6 d later than AC Splendor and Parata, respectively. Noor was 94.9 cm tall, shorter than AC Splendor (98.4 cm), similar in height to Glenn (94.0 cm) and Parata (93.5 cm), but taller than Carberry (86.0 cm). The lodging score of Noor (2.1) was lower than Parata (3.0) and AC Splendor (3.0), but similar to Carberry (2.3) and Glenn (2.1). The test weight (kg·hL−1) of Noor (80.0) was higher than AC Splendor (78.6), similar to Carberry (80.2) and Parata (80.4), but lower than Glenn (82.2). Grain weight (35 g) and NIR protein of Noor (14.1%) was lower than all the checks. Overall, Noor was rated resistant (R) to the prevalent races of leaf, stem, and stripe rusts during the three years of testing. Noor was rated intermediate (I) to common bunt and Fusarium head blight. Three years of end-use quality evaluation indicated that Noor is acceptable for the Canada Western Red Spring class, with fewer flags.
A Proof of Parikh’s Theorem via Dickson’s Lemma
Authors: Koga Toshihiro
Published: January 2021

In this paper, we give a proof of Parikh’s semilinear theorem via Dickson’s lemma. It is notable that our proof provides a clear separation between properties derived from Dickson’s lemma and tree decomposition for context-free grammars.
The Book Review Column1
Authors: Green Frederic
Published: January 2021

The three books reviewed in this column are about central ideas in algorithms, complexity, and geometry. The third one brings together topics from the first two by applying techniques of both property testing (the subject of the first book) and parameterized complexity (including its more focused incarnation studied in the second book, kernelization) to geometric problems.
Review of Introduction To Property Testing by Oded Goldreich
Authors: Upadhyay Sarvagya
Published: January 2021

The area of property testing is concerned with designing methods to decide whether an input object possesses a certain property or not. Usually the problem is described as a promise problem: either the input object has the property or the input object is far from possessing the property. Here, the meaning of object being far from possessing the property is based on a specified and meaningful notion of distance.

The main objective of property testing is accomplishing this decision making by developing a super efficient tester. A tester that reads through the entire object can easily determine whether the property is satisfied or not. However, one wishes the tester to probe the input at very few random locations and determine whether the property is satisfied. As such, randomness is a necessary ingredient for testing and having the tester erring on few instances is a necessary price to pay for designing highly efficient methodologies.

Much of the literature on property testing has focused on two types of objects: functions and graphs. Naturally they form the major portion of the book: functions are discussed from Chapters 2 to 6 and graph properties are discussed from Chapters 8 to 10. The final three chapters focus on distribution testing, probabilistically checkable proofs (PCPs) and locally testable codes, and ramifications of property testing on other related topics in Computer Science and Statistics. A separate chapter is devoted to query lower bound techniques.
Review of Forbidden Configurations in Discrete Geometry by David Eppstein
Authors: Green Frederic
Published: January 2021

In 1930, the mathematician Esther Klein observed that any five points in the plane in general position (i.e., no three points forming a line) contain four points forming a convex quadrilateral. This innocentsounding discovery led to major lines of research in discrete geometry. Klein's friends Paul Erdős and George Szekeres generalized this theorem, and also conjectured that 2k-2 + 1 points (again in general position) would be enough to force a convex k-gon to exist. The resolution of this conjecture became known as the "happy ending problem," because Klein and Szekeres ended up getting married. The unhappy side is that it has, to date, not been completely solved, although a recent breakthrough of Suk made significant progress.

This both mathematically and personally charming little story is a great beginning for this elegant book about discrete geometry. It typifies the type of problems that are studied throughout, and also captures the spirit of curiosity that drives such studies. The book covers many problems that lie at the intersection of three fields: discrete geometry, algorithms and computational complexity.
SIGACT News Complexity Theory Column 107
Authors: Hemaspaandra Lane A.
Published: January 2021

Warmest thanks to Mark Bun and Justin Thaler for their terri c article, \Approximate Degree in Classical and Quantum Computing." And, amazingly, they made the time to craft it during a time of worldwide pandemic|wow!
Distributed Computing Column 80
Authors: Alistarh Dan
Published: January 2021

This has been a very difficult year from several points of view, so it is great to see that our community has stayed resilient in spite of these challenges. In particular, the committees and organizers of our community's meetings have braved the manifold issues caused by the pandemic, and managed to put on virtual events of the highest quality. Following custom, in this column, we will be covering the rst virtual version of PODC, while the next column should contain highlights from (virtual) DISC. In addition, we will be covering the Summer School on the Practice and Theory of Distributed Computing (SPTDC 2020), as well as its associated conference Hydra 2020, aimed at fostering interactions between academia and industry. That being said, I would like to brie y overview this year's awards.
Breath 13CO2—evidence for a noninvasive biomarker to measure added refined sugar uptake
Authors: Yazbeck Roger , Howarth Gordon S. , Kosek Margaret , Davidson Geoffrey P. , Butler Ross N.
Published: January 2021

We have found that breath 13CO2 is increased in rats and mice consuming diets high in sucrose. We also found that human breath 13CO2 is increased in humans consuming increasing amounts of sucrose. Our collective findings suggest that breath 13CO2 represents a potential marker of added dietary sugar consumption.
Supramolecular Biopolymers for Tissue Engineering
Authors: Pérez-Pedroza Rosario , Ávila-Ramírez Alan , Khan Zainab , Moretti Manola , Hauser Charlotte A. E.
Published: January 2021

Supramolecular biopolymers (SBPs) are those polymeric units derived from macromolecules that can assemble with each other by noncovalent interactions. Macromolecular structures are commonly found in living systems such as proteins, DNA/RNA, and polysaccharides. Bioorganic chemistry allows the generation of sequence-specific supramolecular units like SBPs that can be tailored for novel applications in tissue engineering (TE). SBPs hold advantages over other conventional polymers previously used for TE; these materials can be easily functionalized; they are self-healing, biodegradable, stimuli-responsive, and nonimmunogenic. These characteristics are vital for the further development of current trends in TE, such as the use of pluripotent cells for organoid generation, cell-free scaffolds for tissue regeneration, patient-derived organ models, and controlled delivery systems of small molecules. In this review, we will analyse the 3 subtypes of SBPs: peptide-, nucleic acid-, and oligosaccharide-derived. Then, we will discuss the role that SBPs will be playing in TE as dynamic scaffolds, therapeutic scaffolds, and bioinks. Finally, we will describe possible outlooks of SBPs for TE.
Impact of Thrombocytopenia on In-Hospital Outcome in Patients Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention
Authors: Chen Zhongxiu , Liu Zheng , Li Nan , Liu Ran , Wang Miye , Wang Duolao , Li Chen , Li Kai , Luo Fangbo , He Yong
Published: January 2021

Background. Thrombocytopenia was intuitively considered to be associated with higher risk of bleeding and multiple comorbidities after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). However, controversial results exist, and the real-world clinical impact of thrombocytopenia in patients undergoing PCI is largely unknown. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of baseline thrombocytopenia on the prognosis of patients undergoing PCI. Methods. Using the West China Hospital Inpatient Sample database, patients who underwent PCI were identified from August 2012 to January 2019. Baseline thrombocytopenia was defined as a preprocedural platelet count of

100
×

10

9

/
L

or less obtained from a routine blood sample taken within 48 hours before coronary PCI. The clinical effect of the advanced thrombocytopenia group (

≤
85
×

10

9

/
L

), according to the median value of platelet count in the thrombocytopenia cohort, was further assessed. The primary outcome was a composite of in-hospital death, bleeding events, and post-PCI transfusion. Results. Of 9531 patients enrolled in our study, 936 had baseline thrombocytopenia and 8595 patients did not have. There were no significant differences in the primary outcome between the two groups. However, advanced thrombocytopenia was independently associated with higher risk of primary outcome (OR 1.67, 95% CI 1.06 to 2.65,

p
=
0.029

). Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients with thrombocytopenia were associated with higher odds of major bleeding (

BARC
≥
2

) (OR 2.56, 95% CI 1.24 to 5.44,

p
=
0.011

). Compared with the nonthrombocytopenia group, the thrombocytopenia group with ticagrelor use had higher odds of major bleeding (OR 9.7, 95% CI 1.57 to 60.4 versus OR 0.22, 95% CI 0.03 to 1.69, interaction

p
=
0.025

). Conclusions. It seems feasible for patients with thrombocytopenia to receive PCI, but close attention should be paid to advanced thrombocytopenia, the risk of postprocedure bleeding in ACS patients, and the use of more potent P2Y12 inhibitor.
Effect of Transepithelial Photorefractive Keratectomy without Mitomycin C in the Treatment of Femtosecond Laser In Situ Keratomileusis Corneal Flap Complications
Authors: Wang Jing , Cao Weiqian , Tao Liming
Published: January 2021

Purpose. To assess the efficacy and safety of transepithelial photorefractive keratectomy (TPRK) without mitomycin C as treatment for femtosecond laser in situ keratomileusis (FS-LASIK) corneal flap complications. Methods. Eight patients with corneal flap complications that occurred after FS-LASIK (five with eccentric flaps, two with buttonhole flaps, and one with a thick flap) were included in the study. Patients were treated with TPRK without mitomycin C between two weeks and twelve months after surgery. The postoperative manifest refraction, uncorrected distance visual acuity, and haze formation were assessed during six months of follow-up. Results. The mean manifest refractive spherical and cylinder refraction was 0.16 ± 0.26 and −0.44 ± 0.33 diopters, respectively, at six months postoperatively. The uncorrected distance visual acuity was above 20/25 in all patients after six months of follow-up. No haze formation was detected. Conclusions. TPRK without mitomycin C appears to be a safe and effective treatment for FS-LASIK corneal flap complications.
Development of Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome in a Patient with Lewy Body Dementia after Intramuscular Administration of Paliperidone
Authors: Yeung Ho-Man , Schmitz Sarah , Kvantaliani Nino , Martin Christina
Published: January 2021

Neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS) is a potentially fatal diagnosis composed of hyperpyrexia, muscle rigidity, altered mental status, and autonomic instability. This syndrome has significant systemic complications including acute renal failure, rhabdomyolysis, hyperkalemia, and seizure. It is associated with the use of both typical and atypical antipsychotics. Due to the extensive neurodegenerative destruction of dopaminergic and acetylcholinergic pathways, patients with Lewy body dementia (LBD) are particularly sensitive to antidopaminergic and anticholinergic medications, making them more susceptible to extrapyramidal side effects and NMS. We present a case of a 72-year-old female with LBD who developed muscular rigidity, vital sign instability, and altered mental status after receiving one dose of paliperidone palmitate injection two weeks prior to admission. Initial blood work was unrevealing. Extensive workup including EEG, lumbar puncture with cerebrospinal fluid analysis, and brain MRI was unremarkable. She was treated with seven days of bromocriptine and a lorazepam taper with improvement in muscle rigidity. However, her mental status never improved, and she remained comatose. She was later intubated for airway protection after an aspiration event that led to hypoxia. Her respiratory status never recovered, and she was transitioned to comfort care. This case demonstrates the complexity and potential fatality of NMS. Clinicians should be aware of this dangerous complication of antipsychotic use in patients with LBD as these patients may be more susceptible to this complication.
Distribuição da carga interna de treinamento durante uma temporada no voleibol profissional
Authors: Toledo Heglison Custódio , Miloski Bernardo , Campos Yuri de Almeida Costa , Diaz Guerrero Rosa Virginia , Miranda Renato , Vianna Jeferson Macedo , Bara Filho Maurício
Published: January 2021

O objetivo do presente estudo foi descrever a distribuição da carga interna de treinamento (CIT) direcionada a diferentes tipos de treinamentos durante uma temporada de jogadores de voleibol profi ssionais. A CIT foi registrada em todas as sessões realizadas durante 30 semanas de treinamento da temporada, considerando os seguintes tipos de treinamento: força (F), técnico (T), técnico-tático (TT), jogo (J) e condicionante + técnico-tático (C+TT). A temporada foi dividida em 4 períodos: preparatório (PP) com 8 semanas, competitivo I (PCI) com 6 semanas, competitivo II (PCII) com 7 semanas, e competitivo III (PCIII) com 9 semanas. Para quantificação da CIT foi utilizado o método PSE-sessão. Os resultados apontam uma alternância namagnitude da CIT durante as semanas da temporada; a redução da CIT direcionada a F de PCI para PCII (p = 0,04); maiores valores de CIT para TT em PCI e PCIII comparados a PP (p < 0,01); e menores valores de CIT para C+TT em PCII comparado aos demais períodos (p < 0,01). A partir dos resultados do presente estudo pode-se concluir que a CIT apresentou uma distribuição que alternou diferentes magnitudes durante as semanas de treinamento na temporada, que ocorre uma ênfase na CIT direcionada aos atributos técnicotáticos e redução da CIT destinada ao desenvolvimento da aptidão física durante o período competitivo da temporada do voleibol.
Impacto da distribuição das cargas de treinamento no desempenho físico de jogadores de futebol durante a pré-temporada
Authors: Figueiredo Diogo Hilgemberg , Matta Marcelo Oliveira
Published: January 2021

O objetivo do estudo foi avaliar a distribuição das cargas de treinamento durante a pré-temporada visando uma competição alvo e seu impacto no desempenho de jovens atletas de futebol. Foram avaliados 17 atletas do sexo masculino de uma equipe de futebol, nove pertencentes à categoria Sub-15 e oito pertencentes à categoria Sub-17, durante um período de treinamento (mesociclo) com duração de quatro semanas. Os atletas realizaram os testes de Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test Level 1 (Yo-yo IR1), potência anaeróbia (RAST), counter moviment jump (CMJ), squat jump (SJ) e sprint de 5 e 30 metros antes e após quatro semanas, sendo a carga interna de treinamento coletada através da percepção subjetiva de esforço da sessão (PSE da sessão) diariamente. As cargas de treinamento ao longo do período investigado demonstraram que as duas primeiras semanas apresentaram maiores cargas internas, diminuindo nas duas últimas semanas que precediam a principal competição. Para as variáveis de desempenho durante esse período, houve umamudança signifi cante para as variáveis potência máxima, potência média, mínima, SJ, 30 metros, mais não para as variáveis VO2máx, índicie de fadiga (IF), CMJ e 5 metros para a categoria infantil. Já para a categoria juvenil, foram encontradas diferenças significantes para as variáveis potência mínima, VO2máx,5 metros, mais não para as variáveis de potência máxima, média, IF, CMJ, SJ e 30 metros. Os resultados deste estudo demonstram que períodos de altas cargas de treinamento com sua subsequente diminuição antes da competição alvo podem gerar adaptações positivas em certas variáveis de desempenho, sendo necessário estímulos maiores ou períodos mais prolongados para gerar maiores adaptações nas demais variáveis para ambas as categorias.
About Open Science and Autonomy of Science
Authors: Budroni Paolo
Published: January 2021

This article invites us to a concise walk through the past, offering insights defined by the major challenges science encountered during the centuries. Some lessons for today and tomorrow are enumerated in the three sections of the article, and they go beyond the relatively few perspectives offered by today's Data Science: Open Science (OS) is what has always happened and is nothing new, because science has always sought to be open. Esthetical values played a relevant role in the past. Former scientists recognized the intrinsic relation between the way they opened science and the way they followed the principles of beauty and the sense of esthetic. Their groundbreaking heritage still inspires us in being ready to open new ways in science. Whereas Latin was the original lingua franca of European science, and English is the recent lingua franca, the new lingua franca is software. Pieces of software are the filter, which connect researchers to the world, through layers of data. They assist in observing, in choosing, and in selecting. Open scientists should be aware of the fact that their autonomy in science depends on the quality of these pieces. Another lesson is that ethics—regarded as a source of innovative activities—must be a core component of innovative processes in OS, because society needs a responsible use of data and algorithms in corresponding practices that serve OS.
The Minority SafePack Initiative and Universal Basic Income: a Combination to Address Minority Issues in the European Union?
Authors: Willis Craig
Published: January 2021

The Minority SafePack Initiative (mspi) calls for a pact between minorities and majorities in order to preserve, develop and promote the linguistic and cultural diversity in Europe resulting from the high number of national minorities inside the European Union. This article examines the theory behind universal basic income as well as two policy proposals on the EU level and how these overlap with the stated goals and broader aims of the mspi. Developing four core areas as assessment criteria, the article finds that Universal Basic Income (UBI) theory overlaps significantly in terms of potential impact on the capacity for living in homeland, learning in mother tongue, preservation and development of identity and culture, and aiming for equality. These potentially diminish if the basic income amount is not enough to meet basic needs, plus the narrative differs depending on the funding mechanism.
Diversity, Autonomy and Solidarity in Multinational States: Current Developments in the Spanish-Catalan and the Jews-Arabs Political Disputes
Authors: Khen Hilly Moodrick-Even , Ninet Antoni Abat i
Published: January 2021

The concept of the nation state – and specifically the tension between affirming solidarity among nation-state compatriots and respecting national minorities’ rights in order to preserve diversity and secure their autonomy – has been on the global agenda over the last two centuries, especially in Europe. In recent years, two cases, in Catalonia and in Israel – different in many respects but similar in others – serve as inspiring test cases for analysing questions of national identities and state cohesion. Both of these cases portray the dilemmas surrounding national identity in an allegedly dichotomic fashion, thus requiring a choice between independence and secession or unionism and assimilation. This article suggests that a dichotomic perspective is not compelling and that solidarity and autonomy are not necessarily contradictory. It explores the connection between solidarity and autonomy and applies the analysis to the case studies of Catalonia and Israel separately, given the unique characteristics of each case.
Study on the Wear and Abrasion Effect of Metal Nano-Coating Plug Connectors Under Atmospheric Corrosion Conditions
Authors: Wang Peng , Xu Liangjun
Published: January 2021

The plug connector is the most widely used type of separable connector; however, the sliding friction that occurs during the plug-in process causes wear and wiping effects. Wear is a form of damage that occurs to the anti-corrosion coating during the sliding process, and wiping refers
to the cleaning effect of corrosion products during the sliding process. Both have negative and positive effects on electrical contact reliability in corrosive environments. Therefore, wear and wiping are key factors in studying the life and reliability of connectors in atmospheric corrosion
environments. Atmospheric corrosion is the main mechanism leading to connector contact failure. There have been many related studies on simple connector atmospheric corrosion, but research on the influence of wear and wipe on atmospheric corrosion and the influence of contact resistance degradation
is still not comprehensive. To study the influence of wear and wiping on contact reliability during the plug connector-mating process, this work evaluates the metal nano-coating connector plugging process as the object, and the contact resistance degradation model under atmospheric corrosion
as the basis, and the effect of wear and wiping on corrosion degradation as the research tool. Ultimately, the influence of wear and wiping on contact resistance is studied in detail. Finally, combined with the actual usage of the plug-in connector, the contact reliability of metal nano-coating
plug connectors under the action of abrasion and wiping is studied.
Long-Chain Non-Coding RNAs Metastasis-Associated Lung Adenocarcinoma Transcript-1 Is Involved in Growth of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Cells by Targeting miR-205-5p
Authors: Mi Yue , Li Haiyan , He Jingchuan
Published: January 2021

The incidence of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NC) has been rising. The prognosis of NC remains unsatisfactory; therefore, it is necessary to find new ways to improve it. LncRNA MALAT1 (MALAT1) is a well-studied gene, but its status in NC remains unclear. More experimental analyses are
needed to uncover the role of MALAT1 in NC for a reliable and accurate theoretical basis for NC’s diagnosis and treatment. First, NC patients admitted to our hospital from February 2018 to March 2020 and healthy controls who underwent physical examinations during the same period were
enrolled in this study. MALAT1 and miR-205-5p in the patients’ peripheral blood and tissues were detected. The expression of MALAT1 was high, and the expression of miR-205-5p was low in the NC patients. Both genes were effective in predicting the occurrence of NC, and their expression
was negatively correlated. According to in vitro experiments, inhibiting MALAT1 and increasing miR-205-5p could reduce CNE-2Z cells’ proliferation and increase their apoptotic rate. However, increasing MALAT1 and inhibiting miR-205-5p had opposite effects. Through the online website
ENCORI, complementary sites were found in MALAT1 and miR-205-5p. According to dual-luciferase reporter gene assay, MALAT1-WT’s luciferase activity was inhibited by the co-transfection of miR-205-5p-min, while MALAT1-MUT’s luciferase activity was enhanced by the co-transfection
of miR-205-5p-inh. Lastly, through rescue experiments, we found no difference in the biological behavior between the cells in the MALAT1 si-RNA+miR-205-5p-inh group and the MALAT1+NC-RNA group. Therefore, MALAT1 promotes NC cell proliferation, inhibits apoptosis, and participates in NC’s
development via specifically regulating miR-205-5p.
The Observed Relationship between Pacific SST Variability and Hadley Cell Extent Trends in Reanalyses
Authors: Rollings Michael , Merlis Timothy M.
Published: January 2021

Reanalysis and other observationally based estimates suggest that the tropics have expanded more than simulated by coupled climate models with historical radiative forcing. Previous research has attempted to reconcile this discrepancy by using climate model simulations with constrained tropical Pacific sea surface temperatures (SSTs) to account for the role of internal variability. Here the relationships between Hadley cell extent and internal SST variability and long-term warming are analyzed using purely observational techniques. Using linearly independent components of SST variability with reanalysis datasets, the statistical relationship between Pacific variability and Hadley cell extent is quantified by time scale. There is a strong correlation between North Pacific decadal SST variability and Southern Hemisphere Hadley cell extent. Conversely, there is a weaker observed relation between El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and Hadley cell extent when low-frequency variability is filtered out of the ENSO signal. The observed linear sensitivity of Hadley cell width to long-term warming agrees with coupled general circulation model experiments when accounting for uncertainties, and there is a statistically significant relationship between Northern Hemisphere Hadley cell extent and long-term warming during boreal autumn.
Assessing Sensitivity of MERRA-2 to AMSU-A in the Upper Stratosphere
Authors: Chattopadhyay Mohar , McCarty Will , Moradi Isaac
Published: January 2021

Microwave temperature sounders provide key observations in data assimilation, both in the current and historical global observing systems, as they provide the largest amount of horizontal and vertical temperature information due to their insensitivity to clouds. In the Modern-Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications, version 2 (MERRA-2), microwave sounder radiances from the Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit-A (AMSU-A) are assimilated beginning with NOAA-15 and continuing through the current period. The time series of observation minus background statistics for AMSU-A channels sensitive to the upper stratosphere and lower mesosphere show variabilities due to changes in the AMSU-A constellation in the early AMSU-A period. Noted discrepancies are seen at the onset and exit of AMSU-A observations on the NOAA-15, NOAA-16, NOAA-17, and NASA EOS Aqua satellites. This effort characterizes the sensitivity, both in terms of the observations and the MERRA-2 data. Furthermore, it explores the use of reprocessed and intercalibrated datasets to evaluate whether these homogenized observations can reduce the disparity due to change in instrumental biases against the model background. The results indicate that the AMSU-A radiances used in MERRA-2 are the fundamental cause of this interplatform sensitivity, which can be mitigated by using reprocessed data. The results explore the importance of the reprocessing of the AMSU-A radiances as well as their intercalibration.
Downstream Evolution and Coastal-to-Inland Transition of Landfalling Lake-Effect Systems
Authors: Gowan Thomas M. , Steenburgh W. James , Minder Justin R.
Published: January 2021

The distribution and intensity of lake- and sea-effect (hereafter lake-effect) precipitation are strongly influenced by the mode of landfalling lake-effect systems. Here, we used idealized large-eddy simulations to investigate the downstream evolution and coastal-to-inland transition of two lake-effect modes: 1) a long-lake-axis-parallel (LLAP) band generated by an oval body of water (hereafter lake; e.g., Lake Ontario) and 2) broad-coverage, open-cell convection generated by an open lake (e.g., Sea of Japan). Under identical atmospheric conditions and lake-surface temperatures, the oval lake generates a LLAP band with heavy precipitation along the midlake axis, whereas the open lake generates broad-coverage, open-cell convection with widespread, light accumulations. Over the oval lake, the LLAP band features a thermally forced and diabatically enhanced cross-band secondary circulation with convergence and ascent over the midlake axis. Downstream of the lake, flanking airstreams that avoid lake modification merge beneath the band where they experience sublimational cooling, producing a cold pool. At the upstream edge of the cold pool, a coastal baroclinic zone forms. Above this zone, ascent and hydrometeor mass growth are maximized, resulting in an inland precipitation maximum due to subsequent hydrometeor transport and fallout. Over the open lake, individual open cells grow larger and stronger with overwater extent, but a convective-to-stratiform transition begins at the coast. Here, convective vigor decays, mesoscale ascent begins, and enhanced hydrometeor growth results in an inland precipitation maximum. These results highlight variations in the coastal-to-inland transition of lake-effect systems that ultimately influence the distribution and intensity of lake-effect precipitation.
Transdermal Patch Administration and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)—2020
Authors: Afanasjeva Janna , Gabay Michael , Poznanski Thomas , Kerns Stefanie
Published: January 2021

This is an update to the 2010 article published in Hospital Pharmacy on safety concerns involving transdermal patches and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Since publication of the original article, new brand and generic transdermal medications have become available and notable changes regarding the presence or absence of metallic content among existing transdermal formulations occurred. To update the tables within the article, Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved transdermal medications through October 2020 were researched in order to determine metallic content and procedures for reapplication after MRI, if applicable. Readers should consult the prescribing information or manufacturer for the most current information on use of transdermal medications in the MRI setting. Of note, manufacturers have not evaluated the use of transdermal products while patients undergo a MRI scan.
Food and water insecurity as causes of social unrest: Evidence from geolocated Twitter data
Authors: Koren Ore , Bagozzi Benjamin E , Benson Thomas S
Published: January 2021

Research often fails to account for the specific pathways by which climatic factors can cause social unrest. One challenge lies in understanding the distinct effects of food insecurity and water insecurity – which we term ‘staple insecurities’ – while accounting for their interrelated nature, especially at high-resolution spatio-temporal scales. To unpack these dynamics, we leverage geolocated Twitter data across urban areas in Kenya and deploy a supervised machine learning approach to separately identify geolocated tweets concerning food and water insecurity, in both English and Swahili. The data are then aggregated to create daily measures of food and water insecurity for standardized grid-cells to examine how perceived food insecurity moderates and/or reinforces perceived water insecurity’s impacts on social unrest, and vice versa. Our findings suggest that food and water insecurities’ respective effects should be interpreted as mutually reinforcing – in compelling citizens to take to the streets – rather than as independent. Those concerned with climate change’s impact on conflict should hence endeavor to jointly account for both forms of insecurity, and their interactive effects.
Clinical assessment of stabilisation of renal function after nephrectomy
Authors: Sarkar Debansu , Agrawal Akash , Pal Dilip Kumar
Published: January 2021

Introduction and objective:

Nephrectomy leads to derangement of renal function and various adaptive changes by the remaining kidney over a period of time. This study is performed to evaluate the amount of derangement of renal function in donor and radical nephrectomy, how much the remaining kidney adapts over a period of time and the time taken for stabilisation of renal function.

Method:

A total of 60 patients who underwent nephrectomy (Radical/Donor) were followed up for 12 months with serial estimation of renal function and was compared with preoperative renal function. Data was analysed with statistical analysis.

Result:

Patients who underwent radical nephrectomy had 37% initial decline in renal function which was later stabilised at 19% lower than baseline value. Patient who underwent donor nephrectomy had initially 39% decline in renal function which was later stabilised at 24% lower than normal.

Conclusion:

Removal of functional renal tissue led to reduction of renal function. This decline is more evident in the initial post-operative period and then begin to stabilise over months. The greater is the amount of normal tissue removed, the greater is the reduction of renal function and more time it will take to stabilise, increasing overall morbidity of the patient. This study suggests that even patients with normal GFRs should be followed up postoperatively to determine their ultimate renal functional outcomes.
Are Swedish swingers a risk group for sexually transmitted infections?
Authors: Andersson Nirina , Ejnestrand Jennifer , Lidgren Yvonne , Allard Annika , Boman Jens , Nylander Elisabet
Published: January 2021

The aim of this study was to investigate whether Swedish swingers constitute a risk group for sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Two swinger clubs were invited to participate. At swinger meetings, members were offered an STI sampling kit and a questionnaire. Samples were analyzed for Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Mycoplasma genitalium, and Trichomonas vaginalis using a multiplex real-time polymerase chain reaction assay. In total, 235 swingers participated (118 women and 117 men). Urogenital C. trachomatis prevalence was 1.7%. Urogenital M. genitalium prevalence was 7.6% for women and 4.3% for men. No one tested positive for N. gonorrhoeae or T. vaginalis. For women, the mean number of unprotected temporary sex partners within the last 12 months was four men (range 0–35) and three women (range 0–50). Among men, the mean number of unprotected temporary sex partners within the last 12 months was five women (range 0–50) and 0 men (range 0–10). During vaginal sex, 46.6% women and 38.5% men always used protection with a temporary sex partner. Swedish swingers did not seem to have an increased prevalence of STIs. However, there was high-risk sexual behavior with unprotected sex and multiple sex partners, thereby making them a vulnerable group for acquiring STIs.
Power matters: Posthuman entanglements in a social solidarity clinic
Authors: Kokkinidis George , Checchi Marco
Published: January 2021

This paper develops a materialist and performative conception of power, proposing a theoretical framework that bridges Barad’s intra-active agential ontology and Foucault’s microphysics of power. The article uses empirical data collected from a social clinic in Greece where the traditional apparatus of the clinic is contested and experimentally reconfigured. We focus on three overlapping themes and reflect on how power relations materialize themselves through everyday practices and multiple entanglements between human and non-human agents. We argue that these entanglements constitute the dynamic matter of power: their performative reiteration determines how power matters. By showing how power materially exceeds the manifest intentions of human agents, our case study aims to contribute to an idea of alternative organising that accounts for the materiality of mundane posthuman entanglements within an antagonistic understanding of power.
Analysis of bio-dynamic model of seated human subject and optimization of the passenger ride comfort for three-wheel vehicle using random search technique
Authors: Sharma Rakesh Chandmal , Sharma Sakshi , Sharma Sunil Kumar , Sharma Neeraj , Singh Gurpreet
Published: January 2021

Ride comfort is the major concern to the roadway vehicle passengers, travelling in as it affects their health and efficiency to work. In the present study, a 9 DoF model of a three-wheel vehicle is developed with Lagrangian approach to investigate its ride behavior when subjected to random surface irregularities. The irregularities of the track are measured with a three-wheeled setup equipped with profilometer known as opto-coupler. The present model is validated in two ways, first by comparing the vertical-lateral PSD acceleration received from simulation and actual testing and second by comparing vertical seat to head transmissibility obtained from analysis (VSTH) with past reported studies. A 7 DoF bio-dynamic model of the seated human subject is formulated and integrated with the vehicle model, ride comfort of the vehicle and human body segments are assessed based on ISO specifications. Passenger Ride Comfort is optimized through non-linear optimization using Random Search Technique. The modified values of vehicle suspension parameters are presented to obtain optimum passenger comfort based on ISO-2631-1 criteria.
Low TSH Is Associated With Frailty in an Older Veteran Population Independent of Other Thyroid Function Tests
Authors: Bhalla Nalini S , Vinales Karyne Lima , Li Ming , Bhattarai Richa , Fawcett Janet , Harman Sherman Mitchell
Published: January 2021

Low TSH is associated with frailty in the older adult. We studied whether low TSH is an independent marker of frailty or is an indicator of subclinical hyperthyroidism, which in turn predicts frailty. Of outpatient veterans seen between January 2005 and December 2016, we identified 100 patients aged ≥60 years with two low TSH (<0.5 µIU/ml) and one fT3 measurement and 50 matched controls (TSH 0.5–5.0 µIU/ml). We used a deficit accumulation approach to create a frailty index (FI). The higher the FI, the more likely (p<0.001) that patients had expired. Patients with low (0.31 ± 0.11 µIU/mL) versus normal (1.84 ± 0.84 µIU/mL) TSH had higher mean FI compared to controls (0.25 ± 0.12 vs. 0.15 ± 0.07, p < .001). Low TSH was significantly associated with frailty ( p < .001), independent of age. However, lower TSH was not associated with higher fT3 or fT4 levels. There was a nonsignificant inverse association of fT3 levels with FI ( p = .13), which disappeared when adjusted for age. Similar to prior studies, low TSH was associated with frailty. However, neither fT3 nor fT4 predicted low TSH or FI, suggesting that the association of low TSH with frailty is not due to subclinical hyperthyroidism, but perhaps to effects of comorbidities on TSH secretion.
Surgical Tracheostomy Outcomes in COVID‐19–Positive Patients
Authors: Courtney Alona , Lignos Leda , Ward Patrick A. , Vizcaychipi Marcela P. ,   Chelwest COVID‐19 AICU Consortium
Published: January 2021

Objective

The aim of this case series was to demonstrate that surgical tracheostomy can be undertaken safely in critically ill mechanically ventilated patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) and that it is an effective weaning tool.

Study Design

Retrospective case series.

Setting

Single academic teaching hospital in London.

Methods

All adult patients admitted to the adult intensive care unit (AICU), diagnosed with severe COVID‐19 infection and requiring surgical tracheostomy between the March 10, 2020, and May 1, 2020, were included. Data collection focused upon patient demographics, AICU admission data, tracheostomy‐specific data, and clinical outcomes.

Results

Twenty patients with COVID‐19 underwent surgical tracheostomy. The main indication for tracheostomy was to assist in respiratory weaning. Patients had undergone mechanical ventilation for a median of 16.5 days prior to surgical tracheostomy. Tracheostomy remained in situ for a median of 12.5 days. Sixty percent of patients were decannulated at the end of the data collection period. There were no serious immediate or short‐term complications. Surgical tracheostomy facilitated significant reduction in intravenous sedation at 48 hours after tracheostomy formation. There was no confirmed COVID‐19 infection or reported sickness in the operating surgical or anesthetic teams.

Conclusion

Surgical tracheostomy has been demonstrated to be an effective weaning tool in patients with severe COVID‐19 infection.
Evaluation of 18F-FDG PET/CT images acquired with a reduced scan time duration in lymphoma patients using the digital biograph vision
Authors: Weber Manuel , Jentzen Walter , Hofferber Regina , Herrmann Ken , Fendler Wolfgang Peter , Rischpler Christoph , Umutlu Lale , Conti Maurizio , Costa Pedro Fragoso , Sraieb Miriam , Kersting David
Published: January 2021

Background

The superior accuracy and sensitivity of 18F-FDG-PET/CT in comparison to morphological imaging alone leads to an upstaging in up to 30% of lymphoma patients. Novel digital PET/CT scanners might enable to reduce administered tracer activity or scan time duration while maintaining diagnostic performance; this might allow for a higher patient throughput or a reduced radiation exposure, respectively. In particular, the radiation exposure reduction is of interest due to the often young age and high remission rate of lymphoma patients.

Methods

Twenty patients with (suspected) lymphoma (6 for initial staging, 12 after systemic treatment, 2 in suspicion of recurrence) sequentially underwent 18F-FDG-PET/CT examinations on a digital PET/CT (Siemens Biograph Vision) with a total scan time duration of 15 min (reference acquisition protocol) and 5 min (reduced acquisition protocol) using continuous-bed-motion. Both data sets were reconstructed using either standalone time of flight (TOF) or in combination with point spread function (PSF), each with 2 and 4 iterations. Lesion detectability by blinded assessment (separately for supra- and infradiaphragmal nodal lesions and for extranodal lesions), lesion image quantification, and image noise were used as metrics to assess diagnostic performance. Additionally, Deauville Score was compared for all patients after systemic treatment.

Results

All defined regions were correctly classified in the images acquired with reduced emission time, and therefore, no changes in staging were observed. Lesion quantification was acceptable, that is, mean absolute percentage deviation of maximum and peak standardized uptake values were 6.8 and 6.4% (derived from 30 lesions). A threefold reduction of scan time duration led to an increase in image noise from 7.1 to 11.0% (images reconstructed with 4 iterations) and from 4.7 to 7.2% (images reconstructed with 2 iterations). No deviations in Deauville Score were observed.

Conclusion

These results suggest that scan time duration or administered tracer activity can be reduced threefold without compromising diagnostic performance. Especially a reduction of administered activity might allow for a lower radiation exposure and better health economics. Larger trials are warranted to confirm our results.
Development of high-resolution future ocean regional projection datasets for coastal applications in Japan
Authors: Nishikawa Shiro , Wakamatsu Tsuyoshi , Ishizaki Hiroshi , Sakamoto Kei , Tanaka Yusuke , Tsujino Hiroyuki , Yamanaka Goro , Kamachi Masafumi , Ishikawa Yoichi
Published: January 2021

In this study, we developed two high-resolution future ocean regional projection datasets for coastal applications in Japan, in which we made use of dynamical downscaling via regional ocean models with atmospheric forcing from two climate models (i.e., MIROC5 and MRI-CGCM3) participating in Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5) under historical, representative concentration pathway (RCP) 2.6, and RCP8.5 scenarios. The first dataset was an eddy-resolving 10-km resolution product covering the North Pacific Ocean area and ranging continuously from 1981 to 2100, in which the Kuroshio current and mesoscale structures were reasonably resolved. The second dataset was a 2-km resolution product covering the regional domain surrounding Japan and comprising 10–15-year time slices, in which the coastal geometry and current structure were resolved even more realistically. An important feature of these datasets was the availability of reference datasets based on atmospheric and oceanic reanalysis data for cross-validation during the historical run period. Using these reference datasets, biases of regional surface thermal properties and the Kuroshio states during the historical run period were evaluated, which constitute important information for users of the datasets. In these downscaled datasets, the future surface thermal responses were generally consistent with those of their original data. Utilizing the high-resolution property of the downscaled data, possible future impact analyses regarding coastal phenomena such as strait throughflows, coastal sea level variability, and the Kuroshio intrusion phenomenon into bays (“Kyucho” phenomenon) were demonstrated and the important role of the Kuroshio state representation was indicated, which had proved difficult to analyze using the low-resolution projection data. Given these properties, the present datasets would be useful in climate change adaptation studies regarding the Japanese coastal region.