bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Use of Integrated Global Climate Model Simulations and Statistical Time Series Forecasting to Project Regional Temperature and Precipitation
Authors: Lai Yuchuan , Dzombak David A.
Published: March 2021

An integrated technique combining global climate model (GCM) simulation results and a statistical time series forecasting model [the autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) model] was developed to bring together the climate change signal from GCMs to city-level historical observations as an approach to obtain location-specific temperature and precipitation projections. This approach assumes that regional temperature and precipitation time series reflect a combination of an underlying climate change signal series and a regional-deviation-from-the-signal series. An ensemble of GCMs is used to describe and provide the climate change signal, and the ARIMA model is used to model and project the regional deviation. Qualitative and quantitative assessments were conducted for evaluating the projection performance of the hybrid GCM-ARIMA (G-ARIMA) model. The results indicate that the G-ARIMA model can provide projected city-specific daily temperature and precipitation series comparable to historical observations and can have improved projection accuracy for several assessed annual indices compared to a commonly used downscaled projection product. The G-ARIMA model is subject to some limitations and uncertainties from the GCM-provided climate change signal. A notable feature of the G-ARIMA model is the efficiency with which projections can be updated when new observations become available, thus facilitating updating of regional temperature and precipitations projections. Given the increasing need for and use of location-specific climate projections in practical engineering applications, the G-ARIMA model is an option for regional temperature and precipitation projection for such applications.
The Terminal Velocity of Axisymmetric Cloud Drops and Raindrops Evaluated by the Immersed Boundary Method
Authors: Ong Chia Rui , Miura Hiroaki , Koike Makoto
Published: March 2021

The terminal velocity of cloud drops and raindrops used in numerical model calculations can significantly affect weather predictions. Current formulations rely on laboratory experiments made in the 1940s and 1960s. Because these experiments were performed only at typical environmental conditions of 20°C and 1013 hPa, parameterizations have been introduced to deduce the terminal velocity aloft without rigorous evaluation. In this study, an incompressible two-phase flow direct numerical simulation model is used to calculate the free-falling motion of axisymmetric drops with diameters between 0.025 and 0.5 mm to study the terminal fall velocity. Simulated terminal fall velocities of free-falling drops at 20°C and 1013 hPa agree within 3.2% with the previous empirical parameterization (Beard formula), and 4.5% with existing laboratory data in the diameter range between 0.3 and 0.5 mm. The velocities converge to the analytic Hadamard–Rybczynski solution within 2% for small Reynolds numbers, demonstrating the robustness of our simulations. Simulations under various atmospheric conditions show that existing empirical parameterizations that account for the air density dependence of the terminal velocity have errors up to 11.8% under the conditions examined in this study. We propose a new empirical formula that describes the air density dependence of the terminal velocity. It is also shown that the falling speed of a small drop is not sensitive to shape oscillation, and the terminal velocity decreases by only less than 1.3% when the axis ratio increases by 12% with reduced surface tension. Internal circulation within falling drops is also presented and compared with previous studies.
Intense precipitation events during the monsoon season in Bangladesh as captured by satellite-based products
Authors: Montes Carlo , Acharya Nachiketa , Hassan S. M. Quamrul , Krupnik Timothy J.
Published: March 2021

Extreme precipitation events are a serious threat to societal well-being over rainy areas such as Bangladesh. The reliability of studies of extreme events depends on data quality and their spatial and temporal distribution, although these subjects remain knowledge gaps in many countries. This work focuses on the analysis of four satellite-based precipitation products for monitoring intense rainfall events: the Climate Hazards Group Infrared Precipitation with Station Data (CHIRPS), the PERSIANN-Climate Data Record (PERSIANN-CDR), the Integrated Multisatellite Retrievals (IMERG), and the CPC Morphing Technique (CMORPH). Five indices of intense rainfall were considered for the period 2000-2019 and a set of 31 rain gauges for evaluation. The number and amount of precipitation associated with intense rainfall events are systematically underestimated or overestimated throughout the country. While random errors are higher over the wetter and higher-elevation north- and southeastern parts of Bangladesh, biases are more homogeneous. CHIRPS, PERSIANN-CDR and IMERG perform similar capturing total seasonal rainfall, but variability is better represented by CHIRPS and IMERG. Better results were obtained by IMERG, followed by PERSIANN-CDR and CHIRPS, in terms of climatological intensity indices based on percentiles, although the three products exhibited systematic errors. IMERG and CMORPH systematically overestimate the occurrence of intense precipitation events. IMERG showed the best performance representing events over a value of 20 mm/day; CMORPH exhibited random and systematic errors strongly associated with a poor representation of interannual variability in seasonal total rainfall. The results suggest that the datasets have different potential use and such differences should be considered in future applications regarding extreme rainfall events and risk assessment in Bangladesh.
Intraseasonal Sea Level Variability in the Persian Gulf
Authors: Piecuch Christopher G. , Fukumori Ichiro , Ponte Rui M.
Published: March 2021

Satellite observations are used to establish the dominant magnitudes, scales, and mechanisms of intraseasonal variability in ocean dynamic sea level (ζ) in the Persian Gulf over 2002–15. Empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis applied to altimetry data reveals a basinwide, single-signed intraseasonal fluctuation that contributes importantly to ζ variance in the Persian Gulf at monthly to decadal time scales. An EOF analysis of Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) observations over the same period returns a similar large-scale mode of intraseasonal variability, suggesting that the basinwide intraseasonal ζ variation has a predominantly barotropic nature. A linear barotropic theory is developed to interpret the data. The theory represents Persian Gulf average ζ () in terms of local freshwater flux, barometric pressure, and wind stress forcing, as well as ζ at the boundary in the Gulf of Oman. The theory is tested using a multiple linear regression with these freshwater flux, barometric pressure, wind stress, and boundary ζ quantities as input and as output. The regression explains 70% ± 9% (95% confidence interval) of the intraseasonal variance. Numerical values of regression coefficients computed empirically from the data are consistent with theoretical expectations from first principles. Results point to a substantial nonisostatic response to surface loading. The Gulf of Oman ζ boundary condition shows lagged correlation with ζ upstream along the Indian subcontinent, Maritime Continent, and equatorial Indian Ocean, suggesting a large-scale Indian Ocean influence on intraseasonal variation mediated by coastal and equatorial waves and hinting at potential predictability. This study highlights the value of GRACE for understanding sea level in an understudied marginal sea.
The Impact of Logic (In)Compatibility: Green Investing, State Policy, and Corporate Environmental Performance
Authors: Yan Shipeng , Almandoz Juan (John) , Ferraro Fabrizio
Published: March 2021

Environmental protection is widely perceived as a state responsibility, but market-based solutions such as green investing have emerged in the financial sector. Little research has addressed whether green investing can affect corporate environmental performance and how the state would moderate such an impact. Using an institutional logics perspective, we extend the literature on institutional complexity by exploring the factors leading to compatibility of logics and practices. We theorize that the success of green investing as a novel hybrid practice combining financial means and environmental goals depends on the legitimacy it achieves as an appropriate solution to the stated goal, and this legitimacy can be boosted or dampened by other hybrid practices in the field. Analyzing a panel dataset of 3,706 firms from 20 countries between 2002 and 2013, we find a positive relationship between the relative size of green investment in the economy and firm-level environmental performance in that country. This relationship is moderated by state policies: a strong environmental protection policy weakens the positive relationship between green investing and corporate environmental performance, and a strong shareholder protection policy strengthens the relationship. We contribute to research on institutional complexity, logic compatibility, and public–private cooperation in pursuing the common good.
Learning from Paris
Authors: Maynard Beth
Published: March 2021

While Christianity in France continues to decline overall, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Paris seems to be experiencing a small-scale revival among a “creative minority” of often younger Christians. Rooted in the vision and leadership of Jean-Marie Cardinal Lustiger, these pockets of vitality exhibit several common themes, among them intentional formation, rootedness in prayer, the importance of beauty, pilgrimage, and the influence of monastic or neo-monastic movements. Despite many French cultural distinctives, some of the emphases of these flourishing communities and initiatives might be useful as American Episcopalians attempt to reshape ministry and community life for an increasingly post-Christian culture.
Testing for Differential Item Functioning Under the D-Scoring Method
Authors: Dimitrov Dimiter M. , Atanasov Dimitar V.
Published: March 2021

This study offers an approach to testing for differential item functioning (DIF) in a recently developed measurement framework, referred to as D-scoring method (DSM). Under the proposed approach, called P–Z method of testing for DIF, the item response functions of two groups (reference and focal) are compared by transforming their probabilities of correct item response, estimated under the DSM, into Z-scale normal deviates. Using the liner relationship between such Z-deviates, the testing for DIF is reduced to testing two basic statistical hypotheses about equal variances and equal means of the Z-deviates for the reference and focal groups. The results from a simulation study support the efficiency (low Type error and high power) of the proposed P–Z method. Furthermore, it is shown that the P–Z method is directly applicable in testing for differential test functioning. Recommendations for practical use and future research, including possible applications of the P–Z method in IRT context, are also provided.
A novel understanding of circular four-coil configuration for uniform magnetic field generation
Authors: Hu Liangliang , Xu Jinzhang , Qu Zheng , Zhang Xun , Hu Zongyuan
Published: March 2021

The uniform magnetic field is widely used in sensors and other laboratory devices. The four-coil configuration has the advantage of open space and good uniformity. Traditional schemes include Lee-Whiting, Tetracoil, Braunbeck, etc. The first two schemes have rounding errors of coil turns. The Braunbeck configuration avoids rounding errors, but the structure is solidified and cannot meet the requirements of flexible sensors. In this study, we derive a general constraint equation that fits various four-coil configurations and show that the constraint parameter uniquely defines the configuration. Moreover, we develop a simple optimization approach that allows building the optimized configuration that lacks rounding errors of coil turns. We analyzed system performance for different coil cross sections and configurations. The comparison of the original Lee-Whiting and optimized coils revealed that the normalized maximum radius Rmax increased by 7.67%. Finally, the increase in cross-section resulted in performance that was principally different from classical models. The proposed approach makes both scientific and educational contributions for future studies.
Developing the Inner Musician: Practical Strategies for Large Ensembles
Authors: Goh Wilson , Tan Leonard , Sin Hui Xing
Published: March 2021

Nearly fifty years ago, Timothy Gallwey published The Inner Game of Tennis, which left an indelible mark on sports psychology; subsequently, Barry Green used similar principles to author The Inner Game of Music. As far as can be determined, there lacks a concise guide that translates key insights from sports and music psychology into practical strategies for large ensembles. To address this gap in the professional literature, we draw on the sports and music psychology literature, as well as our own professional applied experience, to discuss the benefits of psychological skills for musicians, and we present ten practical strategies to aid the development of psychological skills for large-ensemble musicians. We conclude with some final thoughts on developing the inner musician.
Testimonio at 50
Authors: Escobar Guadalupe
Published: March 2021

A reassessment of the testimonio genre over the past five decades reveals continuities of state-sponsored violence from the revolutionary period to the present. An analysis of Pamela Yates’s 500 Years: Life in Resistance (2017) and Katia Lara’s Berta vive (Berta Lives, 2016) shows Cold War reverberations, unfolding deeper histories of dispossession and legacies of resistance. The first uncovers entangled issues of Guatemalan genocide disavowal and extractive industry while the second denounces the political feminicide of the Honduran environmental activist Berta Cáceres. Both testimonial documentaries mobilize an “archive effect” to contest the optic of colonial capitalism through the ecofeminist perspectives of indigenous women activists.

Una reevaluación del género del testimonial durante las últimas cinco décadas revela la continuidad de la violencia estatal desde el período revolucionario hasta el presente. Un análisis de 500 Years: Life in Resistance (2017) de Pamela Yates y Berta vive (2016) de Katia Lara da cuenta de las reverberaciones de la Guerra Fría, desplegando historias más profundas de desposesión y legados de resistencia. La primera obra muestra los intrincados hilos en torno a la negación del genocidio guatemalteco y la industria extractiva, mientras que el segundo denuncia el feminicidio político de la activista ambiental hondureña Berta Cáceres. Ambos documentales testimoniales utilizan un “efecto de archivo” para impugnar la óptica del capitalismo colonial a través de las perspectivas ecofeministas de las activistas indígenas.
Reflections of Nonnormativity: Photography, Childhood, and Belonging in Mariana Rondón’s Pelo malo
Authors: Bacsán Gabriela
Published: March 2021

The mirror reflections of Junior, the young protagonist of Mariana Rondón’s film Pelo malo, attempting to straighten his hair for a school photograph reveal the racialized, gendered, sexualized, and classed aspects of normative subjecthood in Venezuela. An examination of the circumstances that frame each mirror reflection and the reactions they elicit in his mother and grandmother and of Junior’s efforts to constitute himself as a normative child reveals the possibilities the film presents for existing outside of normativity.

Los reflejos en el espejo de Junior, el joven protagonista de la película Pelo malo de Mariana Rondón, quien intenta alaciar su cabello para una fotografía escolar, revelan los aspectos raciales, de género, sexuales y de clase de la subjetivación normativa en Venezuela. Un análisis de las circunstancias que enmarcan cada reflejo y las reacciones que estas provocan en su madre y abuela, así como los esfuerzos del mismo Junior por constituirse como un niño normativo, revela las posibilidades que nos presenta la película para existir fuera de la normatividad.
A Rare Case of Hemoptysis Caused by a Laryngeal Leech
Authors: Tsetsos Nikolaos , Poutoglidis Alexandros , Skoumpas Ioannis , Garefis Konstantinos , Fyrmpas Georgios , Vlachtsis Konstantinos
Published: March 2021

The larynx is an uncommon location for live foreign bodies. The leech can reach the glottis during consumption of contaminated water but is usually expelled by an effective cough reflex. Patients present with hoarseness and dysphagia and occasionally with dyspnea or hemoptysis. Endoscopically, a mobile mass is usually noted in the supraglottic area. We present a rare case of a laryngeal leech in a 62-year-old-male farmer who lives in a rural area. The leech was removed successfully with direct laryngoscopy under general anesthesia.
Effective Nasal Disinfection as an Overlooked Strategy in Our Fight against COVID-19
Authors: Ferrer Gustavo , Sanchez-Gonzalez Marcos A.
Published: March 2021

Although the recent advent of a vaccine and other therapeutic aids in our fight against COVID-19 has brought us a step closer to controlling the pandemic, our fight is far from over. Handwashing, masks, and social distancing practices are considered reasonable measures to control the spread of the disease have been well accepted by government officials and public health officials despite scarce and conflicting scientific evidence. Taking into consideration the aforementioned measures, there is an additional perhaps overlooked practice that warrants our attention—nasal disinfection and hygiene.
A Prospective, Non-randomized Feasibility and Preliminary Efficacy Study of a Telemedicine-Enabled Co-management Intervention for Adults With Type 2 Diabetes and Moderate Anxiety and/or Depression
Authors: Magee Michelle F. , Kaltman Stacey I. , Mete Mihriye , Nassar Carine M.
Published: March 2021

Purpose

The primary aim of this pilot study was to examine the feasibility of codelivering a mental health intervention with an evidence-based type 2 diabetes (T2DM) boot camp care management program. The preliminary impact of participation on symptom scores for depression and anxiety and A1C was also examined.

Methods

This was a 12-week, non-randomized pilot intervention conducted with a convenience sample of adults with uncontrolled T2DM and moderate depression and/or anxiety at an urban teaching hospital. Co-management intervention delivery was via in-person and telehealth visits. Participants were assessed at baseline and 90 days.

Results

Participants (n = 18) were African American, majority female (83%), and age 50.7 ± 13.4 years. Significant improvements in mental health outcomes were demonstrated, as measured by a reduction in Patient Health Questionnaire − 9 scores of 2.4 ± 2.9 ( P = .01) and in Generalized Anxiety Disorder − 7 scores of 2.3 ± 1.9 ( P = .001). The pre-post intervention mean A1C improved by 3.4 ± 2.1 units from 12% ± 1.4% to 8.5% ± 1.7% ( P < .001).

Conclusion

The data generated in this pilot support the feasibility of delivering a diabetes and mental health co-management intervention using a combination of in-person and telemedicine visits to engage adults with T2DM and coexisting moderate depression and/or anxiety. Further research is warranted.
Healthy snacks in hospitals: Testing the potential effects of changes in availability
Authors: Allan Julia L , Duthie Shannon , Heddle Maureen , McKenzie Fiona , Webb Susan , Johnston Marie
Published: March 2021

Background:

Hospitals offer snacks for sale to patients, staff and visitors.

Aim:

As food choice is heavily influenced by the options available, the present study (a) audited snack availability and purchase in NHS hospital sites across a large UK city; and (b) tested the potential effects of changes to this availability in an online choice experiment.

Methods:

In Study 1 (audit), single-serve snacks ( n=376) available in 76 hospital food retail units were audited. Purchasing data were obtained from six food retail units over four weeks (27,989 sales). In Study 2 (online experiment), participants ( n=159) chose snacks from pictured ranges containing 25% (minority), 50% (equivalent) or 75% (majority) healthy options.

Results:

Available single-serve snacks varied markedly in calorie (18–641 kcals), fat (0–39 g), sugar (0.1–76 g) and salt (0–2.9 g). Only 30% of available snacks were healthy options and only 25% of the most commonly purchased snacks were healthy options. In Study 2, snack choice was significantly associated with the availability of healthy options in the choice array (X2 (2)= 59.71, p<.01). More participants made healthy choices when product ranges contained 75% healthy options compared to 50% (p<.01) and 50% healthy options compared with 25% (p<.01).

Conclusions:

Healthy snacks are readily available in NHS sites but there is a greater relative variety of unhealthy snack products. Many consumers continue to purchase unhealthy items. Further increasing the availability and variety of healthy options may support consumers to make healthier choices.
Incremental effect of complications on mortality and hospital costs in adult ECMO patients
Authors: Dhamija Ankit , Thibault Dylan , Fugett James , Hayanga Heather K , McCarthy Paul , Badhwar Vinay , Awori Hayanga JW
Published: March 2021

Introduction:

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is a resource-intense modality whose usage is expanding rapidly. It is a costly endeavor and best conducted in a multidisciplinary setting. There is a growing impetus to mitigate the mortality and costs associated with ECMO. We sought to examine the impact of complications on mortality and hospital costs in patients on ECMO.

Methods:

Using the NIS database, we performed multivariable logistic regression to assess the influence of complications on the primary outcome, in-hospital mortality. Similarly, we performed multivariable survey linear regression analysis to evaluate the effect of the complications on hospital costs.

Results:

Of the 12,637 patients supported using ECMO between 2004 and 2013, 9836 (78%) developed at least one complication. The three most common complications were acute kidney injury (32.8%), bloodstream infection (31.8%), and bleeding (27.8%). An ECMO hospitalization with no complications was associated with median costs of $53,470, a single complication with costs of $97,560, two complications with costs of $139,035, and three complication with costs of $162,284. A single complication was associated with a 165% increase in odds of mortality. Two or three complications resulted in 375% or 627% higher odds of mortality, respectively. Having one, two, or three complications was associated with 24%, 38%, or 38% increase in median costs respectively (Figure 1). Complications associated with the highest median costs were central line-associated bloodstream infection $217,751; liver failure $176,201; bloodstream infection $169,529.

Conclusion:

In-hospital mortality and costs increase with each incremental complication in patients on ECMO. Accurate prediction and mitigation of complications is likely to improve outcomes and cost.
Profile of a short-acting κ-antagonist, LY2795050, on self-grooming behaviors, forced swim test and locomotor activity: sex comparison in mice
Authors: Butelman Eduardo R , Baynard Caroline , McElroy Bryan D , Prisinzano Thomas E , Kreek Mary Jeanne
Published: March 2021

Background:

Novel short-acting κ(kappa)-opioid receptor selective antagonists are translational tools to examine the impact of the κ-receptor/dynorphin system in assays related to central nervous system dysfunction (e.g., substance use disorders, anhedonia and depression). The effects of such compounds have been compared in males and females under very limited conditions.

Aims:

The goal of this study was to examine potential sex differences in the effects of a κ-agonist and a short-acting κ-antagonist in an ethologically relevant test of anhedonia, the “splash test” of self-grooming, and also in the forced swim test and in locomotor activity.

Methods:

We examined the dose-dependence of grooming deficits caused by the κ-agonist U50,488 (0.1–3.2 mg/kg intraperitoneal (i.p.)) in gonadally intact adult male and female C57BL/6J mice. We then compared the effects of the short-acting κ-antagonist LY2795050 ((3-chloro-4-(4-(((2S)-2-pyridin-3-ylpyrrolidin-1-yl)methyl) phenoxy)benzamide)); 0.032–0.1 mg/kg i.p.) in blocking grooming deficits caused by U50,488 (3.2 mg/kg). The effects of LY2795050 were also studied in the forced swim test (FST). The effects of LY2795050 in blocking the locomotor depressant effects of U50,488 (10 mg/kg) were also studied.

Results:

U50,488 produced dose-dependent grooming deficits in male and female mice, and LY2795050 prevented these effects. In contrast, LY2795050 decreased immobility in the FST in males at a dose of 0.1 mg/kg, but not in females, up to a dose of 0.32 mg/kg. Also, LY2795050 (0.32 mg/kg) prevented and also reversed the locomotor-depressant effects of U50,488 (10 mg/kg), in males and females.

Conclusions:

This study further implicates the κ-receptor system in ethologically relevant aspects of anhedonia, and confirms sexual dimorphism in some behavioral effects of novel κ-antagonists.
Urokinase-type plasminogen activator promotes N-cadherin-mediated synaptic recovery in the ischemic brain
Authors: Diaz Ariel , Merino Paola , McCann Patrick , Yepes Manuel A , Quiceno Laura G , Torre Enrique , Tomkins Amelia , Zhang Xiaodong , Hales Chadwick M , Tong Frank C , Yepes Manuel
Published: March 2021

Urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) is a serine proteinase that catalyzes the generation of plasmin on the cell surface and activates cell signaling pathways that promote remodeling and repair. Neuronal cadherin (NCAD) is a transmembrane protein that in the mature brain mediates the formation of synaptic contacts in the II/III and V cortical layers. Our studies show that uPA is preferentially found in the II/III and V cortical laminae of the gyrencephalic cortex of the non-human primate. Furthermore, we found that in murine cerebral cortical neurons and induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived neurons prepared from healthy human donors, most of this uPA is associated with pre-synaptic vesicles. Our in vivo experiments revealed that in both, the gyrencephalic cortex of the non-human primate and the lissecephalic murine brain, cerebral ischemia decreases the number of intact synaptic contacts and the expression of uPA and NCAD in a band of tissue surrounding the necrotic core. Additionally, our in vitro data show that uPA induces the synthesis of NCAD in cerebral cortical neurons, and in line with these observations, intravenous treatment with recombinant uPA three hours after the onset of cerebral ischemia induces NCAD-mediated repair of synaptic contacts in the area surrounding the necrotic core.
Periinfarct rewiring supports recovery after primary motor cortex stroke
Authors: van Assche Mitsouko , Dirren Elisabeth , Bourgeois Alexia , Kleinschmidt Andreas , Richiardi Jonas , Carrera Emmanuel
Published: March 2021

After stroke restricted to the primary motor cortex (M1), it is uncertain whether network reorganization associated with recovery involves the periinfarct or more remote regions. We studied 16 patients with focal M1 stroke and hand paresis. Motor function and resting-state MRI functional connectivity (FC) were assessed at three time points: acute (<10 days), early subacute (3 weeks), and late subacute (3 months). FC correlates of recovery were investigated at three spatial scales, (i) ipsilesional non-infarcted M1, (ii) core motor network (M1, premotor cortex (PMC), supplementary motor area (SMA), and primary somatosensory cortex), and (iii) extended motor network including all regions structurally connected to the upper limb representation of M1. Hand dexterity was impaired only in the acute phase ( P = 0.036). At a small spatial scale, clinical recovery was more frequently associated with connections involving ipsilesional non-infarcted M1 (Odds Ratio = 6.29; P = 0.036). At a larger scale, recovery correlated with increased FC strength in the core network compared to the extended motor network (rho = 0.71; P = 0.006). These results suggest that FC changes associated with motor improvement involve the perilesional M1 and do not extend beyond the core motor network. Core motor regions, and more specifically ipsilesional non-infarcted M1, could hence become primary targets for restorative therapies.
Comparison of [11C]UCB-J and [18F]FDG PET in Alzheimer’s disease: A tracer kinetic modeling study
Authors: Chen Ming-Kai , Mecca Adam P , Naganawa Mika , Gallezot Jean-Dominique , Toyonaga Takuya , Mondal Jayanta , Finnema Sjoerd J , Lin Shu-fei , O’Dell Ryan S , McDonald Julia W , Michalak Hannah R , Vander Wyk Brent , Nabulsi Nabeel B , Huang Yiyun , Arnsten Amy FT , van Dyck Christopher H , Carson Richard E
Published: March 2021

[11C]UCB-J PET for synaptic vesicle glycoprotein 2 A (SV2A) has been proposed as a suitable marker for synaptic density in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). We compared [11C]UCB-J binding for synaptic density and [18F]FDG uptake for metabolism (correlated with neuronal activity) in 14 AD and 11 cognitively normal (CN) participants. We assessed both absolute and relative outcome measures in brain regions of interest, i.e., K1 or R1 for [11C]UCB-J perfusion, VT (volume of distribution) or DVR to cerebellum for [11C]UCB-J binding to SV2A; and Ki or Ki R to cerebellum for [18F]FDG metabolism. [11C]UCB-J binding and [18F]FDG metabolism showed a similar magnitude of reduction in the medial temporal lobe of AD –compared to CN participants. However, the magnitude of reduction of [11C]UCB-J binding in neocortical regions was less than that observed with [18F]FDG metabolism. Inter-tracer correlations were also higher in the medial temporal regions between synaptic density and metabolism, with lower correlations in neocortical regions. [11C]UCB-J perfusion showed a similar pattern to [18F]FDG metabolism, with high inter-tracer regional correlations. In summary, we conducted the first in vivo PET imaging of synaptic density and metabolism in the same AD participants and reported a concordant reduction in medial temporal regions but a discordant reduction in neocortical regions.
Effect of continuous nursing on nursing quality and patient quality of life and satisfaction among children with pneumonia
Authors: Liu Yanan , Ren Hong , Guo Jing , Su Dan
Published: March 2021

Objective

In this study, we aimed to explore the effect of continuous nursing care on children with pneumonia, including patient survival and quality of life.

Methods

We included 90 children with pneumonia who were admitted to our hospital from May 2017 to June 20, 2017. We established two patient groups (45 children per group); the routine group received general care and the continuous group received continuous nursing care. We observed the correlation among nursing effectiveness, clinical symptom improvement, quality of life, satisfaction, and complications.

Results

Our results showed that effectiveness in the continuous care group was 95.55%, significantly higher than that in the routine group (75.55%). Duration of hypothermia (1.75 ± 0.65 days), time to cough remission (4.24 ± 1.12 days), time to rale remission (4.15 ± 0.89 days), and time to remission of shortness of breath (2.65 ± 0.65 days) in the continuous group was shorter than those in the routine group. The incidence of total complications in the continuous group was 8.89%, which was significantly lower than that in the routine group (26.67%). The continuous care group showed greater improvement after intervention.

Conclusion

Continuous care in children with pneumonia can help to reduce illness severity, pain, heart and lung failure, and serve to avoid medical disputes.
Determination of Sample Size and Influencing Factors to Characterize Faulting in Jointed Concrete Pavements
Authors: Li Ruohan , Prozzi Jorge A.
Published: March 2021

The objective of this study is to evaluate the field variability of jointed concrete pavement (JCP) faulting and its effects on pavement performance. The standard deviation of faulting along both the longitudinal and transverse directions are calculated. Based on these, the overall variability is determined, and the required sample sizes needed for a given precision at a certain confidence level are calculated and presented. This calculation is very important as state departments of transportation are required to report faulting every 0.1 mi to the Federal Highway Administration as required by the 2015 FAST Act. On average, twice the number of measurements are needed on jointed reinforced concrete pavements (JRCP) to achieve the same confidence and precision as on jointed plain concrete pavements (JPCP). For example, a sample size of 13 is needed to achieve a 95% confidence interval with a precision of 1.0 mm for average faulting of JPCP, while 26 measurements are required for JRCP ones. Average faulting was found to correlate with several climatic, structural, and traffic variables, while no significant difference was found between edge and outer wheelpath measurements. The application of Portland cement concrete overlay and the use of dowel bars (rather than aggregate interlock) are found to significantly reduce faulting. Older sections located on higher functional classes, and in regions of high precipitation or where the daily temperature change is larger, tend to have higher faulting, and might require larger samples sizes as compared with the rest when faulting surveys are to be conducted.
Gender and Sexual Identity in Adolescence: A Mixed-Methods Study of Labeling in Diverse Community Settings
Authors: Hammack Phillip L. , Hughes Sam D. , Atwood Julianne M. , Cohen Elliot M. , Clark Richard C.
Published: March 2021

Understandings of sexual and gender identity have expanded beyond traditional binaries, yet we know little about adolescents’ appropriation of identity labels across diverse communities. In a mixed-methods study of adolescents recruited from lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) spaces in communities differing in support of sexual and gender diversity, seven patterns emerged: (a) frequent use of nonbinary gender identity labels (23.9% of survey sample), especially in high-support communities; (b) greater comfort among adolescents assigned female at birth (AFAB) with diverse gender expression, which informants attributed to pressures to conform to compulsive masculinity for boys; (c) frequent use of plurisexual (60.8%) and asexual (9.9%) labels, especially among those AFAB, and discussion of online settings as a resource; (d) intersectional patterning of “queer” to describe sexual identity (12.4% of survey sample), with White youth in high-support communities signifying an intellectual/political stance and non-White youth in low-support communities using queer as an umbrella term; (e) resistance to labeling and ambivalence about labels due to intra-community dynamics; (f) labeling challenges among boys of color; and (g) challenges with stigma, sexualization, and violence for transgender and nonbinary youth. Findings highlight how contemporary adolescents engage with and challenge received conceptions of gender and sexuality and how this process is shaped by intersectional identities.
Patient Statement: Chemical Sensitivity One Victim's Perspective
Authors: Wilson Cynthia
Published: March 2021

Not a day goes by that I don't miss my old life and the old me. To illustrate how my life has changed, I have two brief stories. In 1982, I developed a lending procedure in conjunction with Banker's Life Insurance Company that enabled commercial real estate developers to secure permanent financing for property that had not yet been developed in essence using a permanent loan in place of a construction loan. It fixed the interest rate, at a time when new construction rates were bankrupting many projects and it allowed the developer to invest the excess funds to offset interest expenses. I received national recognition for this loan.

In 1989, the police found me wandering around in 15 inches of snow, in below zero weather with no shoes or coat. The officer took me to the hospital because I was obviously disoriented. I didn't even know my name or where I lived. These stories show the disparity between my life as a successful, independent business woman and my life as someone who is chemically disabled.
Neuropsychiatric Status of Patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: An Overview
Authors: Deluca John , Johnson Susan K. , Natelson Benjamin H.
Published: March 2021

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is an illness that results in debilitating fatigue as well as rheumatological, infectious, and neuropsychiatric symptoms. The present paper is a brief overview of the neuropsychological and psychiatric research on CFS. Studies from our laboratory contrasting CFS with patients with multiple sclerosis, depression, and healthy controls are detailed. Our hypothesis of the neuropsychological impairments in CFS is discussed.
Neurospect Findings in Patients Exposed to Neurotoxic Chemicals
Authors: Heuser Gunnar , Mena Ismael , Alamos Francisca
Published: March 2021

Exposures to neurotoxic chemicals such as pesticides, glues, solvents, etc. are known to induce neurologic and psychiatric symptomatology. We report on 41 patients 16 young patients (6 males, 10 females, age 34 8 yrs.) and 25 elderly patients (9 males, 16 females, age 55 7 yrs). Fifteen of them were exposed to pesticides, and 29 to solvents. They were studied with quantitative and qualitative analysis of regional cerebral bood flow (rCBF), performed with 30 mCi of Xe-133 by inhalation, followed by 30 mCi of Tc-HMPAO given intravenously. Imaging was performed with a brain dedicated system, distribution of rCBF was assessed with automatic ROI definition, and HMPAO was normalized to maximal pixel activity in the brain. Results of Xe rCBF are expressed as mean and S.D. in ml/min/100g, and HMPAO as mean and S.D. uptake per ROI, and compared with age-matched controls 10 young and 20 elderly individuals.

Neurotoxics

HMPAO Uptake Young Elderly

R. Orbital frontal

R. Dorsal frontal .70 .66 p < 0.05

R. Temporal .64 p < 0.001

R. Parietal .66 .66

We conclude that patients exposed to chemicals present with diminished CBF, worse in the right hemisphere, with random presentation of areas of hypoperfusion, more prevalent in the dorsal frontal and parietal lobes. These findings are significantly different from observations in patients with chronic fatigue and depression, suggesting primary cortical effect, possibly due to a vasculitis process.
Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography of the Brain in Patients with Chemical Sensitivities
Authors: Simon Theodore R. , Hickey David C. , Fincher Cynthia E. , Johnson Alfred R. , Ross Gerald H. , Rea William J.
Published: March 2021

Chemical sensitivities display a recurrent pattern on scintigraphic examinations of the brain. The pattern can include mismatching between early and late imaging, multiple hot and cold foci distributed throughout the cortex without regard to lobar distribution (salt and pepper pattern), temporal asymmetries, and sometimes increased activity in the basal ganglia.

This study used Desert Shield/Desert Storm veterans who present with abnormal neurological and psychological symptoms as a model to exhibit abnormalities by brain scintigraphy. These are typical of those seen in patients with documented exposure to neurotoxic compounds who develop a clinical syndrome that has been termed chemical sensitivity.

Exposure to cocaine, alcohol, and other substances of abuse can result in abnormal scintigrams of the brain using tracers such as [technetium 99m]hexamethylpropyleneoxime. This study used techniques combining regional cerebral blood flow data with delayed distributional data after the intracellular conversion of the tracer into a hydrophilic molecule.

In addition to delayed image abnormalities, a mismatch occurs in the regional activity between the two image sets of the veterans. This degree of mismatch was not seen in control subjects who were screened for avoidance of neurotoxic agents. Patterns identified from examinations performed on patients with known exposure to petroleum distillates, pesticides and other materials linked with neurotoxicity were identified in some veterans of the Desert Shield/Desert Storm operation. A single case of repeated examinations on a veteran showed a reversion of these patterns toward normal after therapy. This reversion followed independent assessments of clinical improvement.
Evolutionary Constraint on Visual and Nonvisual Mammalian Opsins
Authors: Upton Brian A. , Díaz Nicolás M. , Gordon Shannon A. , Van Gelder Russell N. , Buhr Ethan D. , Lang Richard A.
Published: March 2021

Animals have evolved light-sensitive G protein–coupled receptors, known as opsins, to detect coherent and ambient light for visual and nonvisual functions. These opsins have evolved to satisfy the particular lighting niches of the organisms that express them. While many unique patterns of evolution have been identified in mammals for rod and cone opsins, far less is known about the atypical mammalian opsins. Using genomic data from over 400 mammalian species from 22 orders, unique patterns of evolution for each mammalian opsins were identified, including photoisomerases, RGR-opsin (RGR) and peropsin (RRH), as well as atypical opsins, encephalopsin (OPN3), melanopsin (OPN4), and neuropsin (OPN5). The results demonstrate that OPN5 and rhodopsin show extreme conservation across all mammalian lineages. The cone opsins, SWS1 and LWS, and the nonvisual opsins, OPN3 and RRH, demonstrate a moderate degree of sequence conservation relative to other opsins, with some instances of lineage-specific gene loss. Finally, the photoisomerase, RGR, and the best-studied atypical opsin, OPN4, have high sequence diversity within mammals. These conservation patterns are maintained in human populations. Importantly, all mammalian opsins retain key amino acid residues important for conjugation to retinal-based chromophores, permitting light sensitivity. These patterns of evolution are discussed along with known functions of each atypical opsin, such as in circadian or metabolic physiology, to provide insight into the observed patterns of evolutionary constraint.
Prolonged Capillary Refilling as a Predictor of Mortality in Patients With Septic Shock
Authors: Morocho J Pablo , Martínez A Fernando , Cevallos M Mónica , Vasconez-Gonzalez Jorge , Ortiz-Prado Esteban , Barreto-Grimaldos Alejandra , Vélez-Páez Jorge Luis
Published: March 2021

Introduction:

Microcirculatory alterations characterize septic shock; increased blood lactate level has been described as markers of microcirculation alteration in patients with septic shock. Although useful, this serological analysis is not always feasible in all settings worldwide.

Objective:

To determine if a prolonged capillary refilling is a predictor of mortality in patients with septic shock.

Methodology:

A 10-months prospective cohort study was carried out on 175 patients admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) with the diagnosis of septic shock. The capillary refilling time (CRT) was evaluated Immediately upon admission and after 6 hours post-resuscitation. Traditional tissue perfusion markers were also used to compare and analyze their predictive value on mortality at 28 days.

Results:

The area under the ROC curve (AUC) to estimate mortality in patients with septic shock with CRT at admission was 0.666 (0.584-0.748), while at 6 hours was 0.819 (0.753-0.885), with a cut-off point of 4.5 seconds at admission (PPV 52.87% NPV 72.73%) and 3.5 sec at 6 hours (PPV 95.56% NPV 79.23%). In those with CRT > 3.5 seconds at 6 hours, they had a RR of 4.60, while a CRT > 4.5 seconds at admission had a RR of 1.94, with a non-survivor proportion of 95.56% for a CRT > 3.5 sec at 6 hours vs 20.77% for CRT ≤ 3.5 sec ( P value < 0.001). The CRT at 6 hours showed significant differences in the survival curves with P-value < 0.001, where for values > 3.5 sec, survival at 28 days was 4.44% vs 79.20% for values ≤ 3.5 sec.

Conclusion:

CRT is a strong predictor of mortality in patients with septic shock. Evaluating changes in CRT during resuscitation from septic shock might be used as an important clinical tool to predict mortality; especially in low-resources settings where using other biomarkers might be sometimes difficult.
Adolescent Dating Violence: Results of a Mixed Study in Quito, Ecuador
Authors: Medina-Maldonado Venus , del Mar Pastor-Bravo María , Vargas Elka , Francisco Judith , Ruiz Ismael Jiménez
Published: March 2021

Dating violence is a public health problem affecting people worldwide. This study evaluated the occurrence of different types of adolescent dating violence using a mixed analysis of each data source. The present study addresses the following research questions: does the occurrence of the types of violence analyzed in the quantitative phase match with the narratives obtained in the qualitative phase? and does the additional information obtained in the qualitative phase improve the understanding of the analyzed phenomenon?

In the quantitative phase, 410 participants (aged 13 to 19 years) answered a questionnaire based on the Modified Conflict Tactics Scale, while in the qualitative phase, 26 participated in two focus groups. Data were collected from May to June 2019. Written informed consent was obtained from the parents or legal guardians of those who had agreed to participate. The present research was approved by the Human Research Ethics Committee of the Pontifical Catholic University of Ecuador. The results were divided on: prevalence of dating violence based on age groups and gender, management and resolution of dating conflicts, victimization and perpetration of intimate partner violence, factors favoring intimate partner violence and acceptance of abuse. The results were analyzed via triangulation and indicated that adolescents were involved in the perpetration and victimization of psychological as well as mild and severe physical violence. An analysis of the contributing factors revealed a strong tendency toward the acceptance of the traditional gender model. Challenging these models is crucial to deconstruct hierarchical models, develop conflict resolution skills, and promptly identify abusive behaviors that affect emotional development. The combination of different methodological approaches improved the understanding of the phenomenon studied.