bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Baricitinib for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis
Authors: Urits Ivan , Israel Jacob , Hakobyan Hayk , Yusin George , Lassiter Grace , Fackler Nathan , Berger Amnon A. , Kassem Hisham , Kaye Alan , Viswanath Omar
Published: January 2021

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a common inflammatory disease with several implications on health, disability and economy. Conventional treatment for RA centers on anti-inflammatory drugs and specific targeting of tumor necrosis factor  (TNF-) and interleukin 6 (IL-6). Baricitinib is a novel, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved, once daily oral drug that is effective in combination with current treatment and results in significantly reduced symptoms with good safety profile. Further studies are required to find rare side effects and evaluate the long term efficacy in disease modulation and patient symptom reduction. This is a comprehensive review of the literature on baricitinib for the treatment of RA.

This review provides an update on the pathophysiology, diagnosis and conventional treatment of RA, then proceeds to introduce baricitinib and the data that exists to support or refute its use in RA. The presented study also indicated clinical trials confirming the effectiveness of baricitinib in this indication.
Esquema de la Subclase 340 (Derecho)
Authors: Biblioteca Nacional del Perú
Published: January 2021

Esquema de la Subclase 340 (Derecho), Adaptación expansiva en la Biblioteca Nacional del Perú. Al iniciar la clasificación decimal de las colecciones de ciencias sociales, se tuvo que considerar la necesidad de planear una reforma expansiva y una adaptación nacional, no sólo por razones teóricas, sino, sobre todo, por claras exigencias técnicas. Muy en particular, la colección de Derecho, formada por tratados alemanes, españoles, franceses, italianos e hispanoamericanos, así como por textos de códigos, de legislación y jurisprudencia, presentó un conjunto bibliográfico para clasificar el cual era de todo punto inaplicable e inadecuado el esquema del N° 340, según como aparece en las ediciones décima cuarta y décima quinta de la Tabla de Dewey, publicadas en 1942 y 1951 respectivamente.
The effects of plastic slatted floor and a deep- litter system on the growth performance of hybrid Pekin ducks
Authors: Eratalar Sabri Arda
Published: January 2021

Abstract. This research was conducted to evaluate the effects of
plastic slatted floors and a deep-litter system using wood shavings on the
growth performance of current commercial hybrid Pekin ducks. A total of 96 Pekin ducks (Star 53) were reared for 42 d. Live weight, live-weight
gain, feed consumption, feed conversion ratio, water consumption, and
water ∕ feed consumption ratio were investigated as the performance criteria.
With the use of plastic slatted floors, the feed conversion rate dropped and
the water ∕ feed consumption ratio showed an incline (p<0.05). This
is a very favourable result for the poultry industry and growers. The
remaining parameters did not change by altering the ground system (p>0.05). Generally, it can be stated that plastic slatted floor
use has advantages concerning the performance criteria of the feed consumption
ratio and the water ∕ feed consumption ratio in comparison to the deep-litter
system. Furthermore, improvement in the feed conversion ratio is known to
benefit the overall performance of poultry as well as having a positive
economic impact. It should also be noted that as the birds grew, they were
visually less stained, which is another important factor determining feather
quality. However, this should be further investigated in future research.
Rapid increase in summer surface ozone over the North China Plain during 2013–2019: a side effect of particulate matter reduction control?
Authors: Ma Xiaodan , Huang Jianping , Zhao Tianliang , Liu Cheng , Zhao Kaihui , Xing Jia , Xiao Wei
Published: January 2021

Abstract. While the elevated ambient levels of particulate matters with
aerodynamic diameter of 2.5 µm or less (PM2.5) are alleviated
largely with the implementation of effective emission control measures, an
opposite trend with a rapid increase has been seen in surface ozone (O3) in
the North China Plain (NCP) region over the past several years. It is
critical to determine the real culprit causing such a large increase in
surface O3. In this study, 7-year surface observations and
satellite retrieval data are analyzed to determine the long-term change in
surface O3 as well as driving factors. Results indicate that
anthropogenic emission control strategies and changes in aerosol
concentrations as well as aerosol optical properties such as
single-scattering albedo (SSA) are the most important factors driving such a
large increase in surface O3. Numerical simulations with the National
Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) Master Mechanism (MM) model suggest
that reduction of O3 precursor emissions and aerosol radiative effect
accounted for 45 % and 23 % of the total change in surface O3 in
summertime during 2013–2019, respectively. Planetary boundary layer (PBL)
height with an increase of 0.21 km and surface air temperature with an
increase of 2.1 ∘C contributed 18 % and 12 % to the total
change in surface O3, respectively. The combined effect of these factors
was responsible for the rest of the change. Decrease in SSA or strengthened
absorption property of aerosols may offset the impact of aerosol optical depth (AOD) reduction on
surface O3 substantially. While the MM model enables quantification of an
individual factor's percentage contributions, it requires further refinement
with aerosol chemistry included in the future investigation. The study
indicates an important role of aerosol radiative effect in development of
more effective emission control strategies on reduction of ambient levels of
O3 as well as alleviation of national air quality standard exceedance
events.
Cloud adjustments dominate the overall negative aerosol radiative effects of biomass burning aerosols in UKESM1 climate model simulations over the south-eastern Atlantic
Authors: Che Haochi , Stier Philip , Gordon Hamish , Watson-Parris Duncan , Deaconu Lucia
Published: January 2021

Abstract. The south-eastern Atlantic Ocean (SEA) is semi-permanently covered by one of
the most extensive stratocumulus cloud decks on the planet and experiences
about one-third of the global biomass burning emissions from the southern
Africa savannah region during the fire season. To get a better understanding
of the impact of these biomass burning aerosols on clouds and the radiation
balance over the SEA, the latest generation of the UK Earth System Model
(UKESM1) is employed. Measurements from the CLARIFY and ORACLES flight
campaigns are used to evaluate the model, demonstrating that the model has
good skill in reproducing the biomass burning plume. To investigate the
underlying mechanisms in detail, the effects of biomass burning aerosols on
the clouds are decomposed into radiative effects (via absorption and
scattering) and microphysical effects (via perturbation of cloud
condensation nuclei – CCN – and cloud microphysical processes).
July–August means are used to characterize aerosols, clouds, and the
radiation balance during the fire season. Results show that around 65 % of CCN
at 0.2 % supersaturation in the SEA can be attributed to biomass burning.
The absorption effect of biomass burning aerosols is the most significant on clouds and radiation. Near the continent, it increases the
supersaturation diagnosed by the activation scheme, while further from the
continent it reduces the altitude of the supersaturation. As a result, the
cloud droplet number concentration responds with a similar pattern to the
absorption effect of biomass burning aerosols. The microphysical effect,
however, decreases the supersaturation and increases the cloud droplet
concentration over the ocean, although this change is relatively small. The
liquid water path is also significantly increased over the SEA (mainly
caused by the absorption effect of biomass burning aerosols) when biomass
burning aerosols are above the stratocumulus cloud deck. The microphysical
pathways lead to a slight increase in the liquid water path over the ocean.
These changes in cloud properties indicate the significant role of biomass
burning aerosols for clouds in this region. Among the effects of biomass
burning aerosols on the radiation balance, the semi-direct radiative effects
(rapid adjustments induced by the radiative effects of biomass burning aerosols)
have a dominant cooling impact over the SEA, which offset the warming direct
radiative effect (radiative forcing from biomass burning aerosol–radiation
interactions) and lead to an overall net cooling radiative effect in the SEA.
However, the magnitude and the sign of the semi-direct effects are sensitive
to the relative location of biomass burning aerosols and clouds, reflecting
the critical task of the accurate modelling of the biomass burning plume and
clouds in this region.
The potential of increasing man-made air pollution to reduce rainfall over southern West Africa
Authors: Pante Gregor , Knippertz Peter , Fink Andreas H. , Kniffka Anke
Published: January 2021

Abstract. Southern West Africa has one of the fastest-growing populations worldwide. This has led to a higher water demand and lower air quality. Over the last 3 decades, most of the region has experienced decreasing rainfall during the little dry season (LDS; mid-July to end of August) and more recently also during the second rainy season (SRS; September–October), while trends during the first rainy season (FRS; mid-May to mid-July) are insignificant. Here we analyse spatio-temporal variations in precipitation, aerosol, radiation, cloud, and visibility observations from surface stations and from space to find indications for a potential contribution of anthropogenic air pollution to these rainfall trends. The proposed mechanism is that the dimming of incoming solar radiation by aerosol extinction contributes to reducing vertical instability and thus convective precipitation. To separate a potential aerosol influence from large-scale climatic drivers, a multilinear-regression model based on sea-surface temperature (SST) indices is used. During both LDS and SRS, weakly statistically significant but accelerating negative rainfall trends unrelated to known climatic factors are found. These are accompanied by a strong increase in pollution over the upstream tropical Atlantic caused by fire aerosol from Central Africa, particularly during the LDS. Over southern West Africa, no long-term aerosol records are available, inhibiting a direct quantification of the local man-made effect. However, significant decreases in horizontal visibility and incoming surface solar radiation are strong indicators for an increasing aerosol burden, in line with the hypothesized pollution impact on rainfall. The radiation trend is further enhanced by an increase in low-level cloudiness. The large spatial extent of potentially aerosol-related trends during the LDS is consistent with the stronger monsoon flow and less wet deposition during this season. Negligible aerosol impacts during the FRS are likely due to the high degree of convective organization, which makes rainfall less sensitive to surface radiation. The overall coherent picture and the accelerating trends – some of which are concealed by SST effects – should alarm policymakers in West Africa to prevent a further increase in air pollution as this could endanger water supply and food and energy production for a large and growing population.
Response of dust emissions in southwestern North America to 21st century trends in climate, CO2 fertilization, and land use: implications for air quality
Authors: Li Yang , Mickley Loretta J. , Kaplan Jed O.
Published: January 2021

Abstract. Climate models predict a shift toward warmer and drier
environments in southwestern North America. The consequences of such a shift
for dust mobilization and dust concentration are unknown, but they could have
large implications for human health, given the connections between dust
inhalation and disease. Here we link a dynamic vegetation model (LPJ-LMfire)
to a chemical transport model (GEOS-Chem) to assess the impacts of future
changes in three factors – climate, CO2 fertilization, and land use
practices – on vegetation in this region. From there, we investigate the
impacts of changing vegetation on dust mobilization and assess the net
effect on fine dust concentration (defined as dust particles less than
2.5 µm in diameter) on surface air quality. We find that surface
temperatures in southwestern North America warm by 3.3 K and precipitation
decreases by nearly 40 % by 2100 in the most extreme warming scenario
(RCP8.5; RCP refers to Representative Concentration Pathway) in spring (March, April, and May) – the season of greatest dust
emissions. Such conditions reveal an increased vulnerability to drought and
vegetation die-off. Enhanced CO2 fertilization, however, offsets the
modeled effects of warming temperatures and rainfall deficit on vegetation
in some areas of the southwestern US. Considering all three
factors in the RCP8.5 scenario, dust concentrations decrease over Arizona and
New Mexico in spring by the late 21st century due to greater CO2
fertilization and a more densely vegetated environment, which inhibits dust
mobilization. Along Mexico's northern border, dust concentrations increase as
a result of the intensification of anthropogenic land use. In contrast, when
CO2 fertilization is not considered in the RCP8.5 scenario, vegetation
cover declines significantly across most of the domain by 2100, leading to
widespread increases in fine dust concentrations, especially in southeastern
New Mexico (up to ∼ 2.0 µg m−3 relative to the
present day) and along the border between New Mexico and Mexico (up to
∼ 2.5 µg m−3). Our results have implications for
human health, especially for the health of the indigenous people who make up
a large percentage of the population in this region.
Robust statistical calibration and characterization of portable low-cost air quality monitoring sensors to quantify real-time O3 and NO2 concentrations in diverse environments
Authors: Sahu Ravi , Nagal Ayush , Dixit Kuldeep Kumar , Unnibhavi Harshavardhan , Mantravadi Srikanth , Nair Srijith , Simmhan Yogesh , Mishra Brijesh , Zele Rajesh , Sutaria Ronak , Motghare Vidyanand Motiram , Kar Purushottam , Tripathi Sachchida Nand
Published: January 2021

Abstract. Low-cost sensors offer an attractive solution to the challenge of establishing affordable and dense spatio-temporal air quality monitoring networks with greater mobility and lower maintenance costs. These low-cost sensors offer reasonably consistent measurements but require in-field calibration to improve agreement with regulatory instruments. In this paper, we report the results of a deployment and calibration study on a network of six air quality monitoring devices built using the Alphasense O3 (OX-B431) and NO2 (NO2-B43F) electrochemical gas sensors. The sensors were deployed in two phases over a period of 3 months at sites situated within two megacities with diverse geographical, meteorological and air quality parameters. A unique feature of our deployment is a swap-out experiment wherein three of these sensors were relocated to different sites in the two phases. This gives us a unique opportunity to study the effect of seasonal, as well as geographical, variations on calibration performance. We report an extensive study of more than a dozen parametric and non-parametric calibration algorithms. We propose a novel local non-parametric calibration algorithm based on metric learning that offers, across deployment sites and phases, an R2 coefficient of up to 0.923 with respect to reference values for O3 calibration and up to 0.819 for NO2 calibration. This represents a 4–20 percentage point increase in terms of R2 values offered by classical non-parametric methods. We also offer a critical analysis of the effect of various data preparation and model design choices on calibration performance. The key recommendations emerging out of this study include (1) incorporating ambient relative humidity and temperature into calibration models; (2) assessing the relative importance of various features with respect to the calibration task at hand, by using an appropriate feature-weighing or metric-learning technique; (3) using local calibration techniques such as k nearest neighbors (KNN); (4) performing temporal smoothing over raw time series data but being careful not to do so too aggressively; and (5) making all efforts to ensure that data with enough diversity are demonstrated in the calibration algorithm while training to ensure good generalization. These results offer insights into the strengths and limitations of these sensors and offer an encouraging opportunity to use them to supplement and densify compliance regulatory monitoring networks.
W-band Radar Observations for Fog Forecast Improvement: an
Analysis of Model and Forward Operator Errors
Authors: Bell Alistair , Martinet Pauline , Caumont Olivier , Vié Benoît , Delanoë Julien , Dupont Jean-Charles , Borderies Mary
Published: January 2021

Abstract. The development of ground based cloud radars offers a new capability to continuously monitor the fog structure. Retrievals of fog microphysics is key for future process studies, data assimilation or model evaluation, and can be performed using a variational method. Both the one-dimensional variational retrieval method (1D-Var) or direct 3D/4D-Var data assimilation techniques rely on the combination of cloud radar measurements and a background profile weighted by their corresponding uncertainties to obtain the optimal solution for the atmospheric state. In order to prepare for the use of ground-based cloud radar measurements for future applications based on variational approaches, the different sources of uncertainty due to instrumental, background, and the forward operator errors need to be properly treated and accounted for. This paper aims at preparing 1D-Var retrievals by analysing the errors associated with a background profile and a forward operator during fog conditions. For this, the background was provided by a high-resolution numerical weather prediction model and the forward operator by a radar simulator. Firstly, an instrumental dataset was taken from the SIRTA observatory near Paris, France for winter 2018–19 during which 31 fog events were observed. Statistics were calculated comparing cloud radar observations to those simulated. It was found that the accuracy of simulations could be drastically improved by correcting for significant spatio-temporal background errors. This was achieved by implementing a most resembling profile method in which an optimal model background profile is selected from a domain and time window around the observation location and time. After selecting the best background profile a good agreement was found between observations and simulations. Moreover, observation minus simulation errors were found to satisfy the conditions needed for future 1D-var retrievals (un-biased and normally distributed).
Sensitivity of 21st-century projected ocean new production changes
to idealized biogeochemical model structure
Authors: Brett Genevieve Jay , Whitt Daniel B. , Long Matthew C. , Bryan Frank , Feloy Kate , Richards Kelvin J.
Published: January 2021

Abstract. While there is agreement that global warming over the 21st century is likely to influence the biological pump, Earth system models (ESM) display significant divergence in their projections of future new production. This paper quantifies and interprets the sensitivity of projected changes in new production in an idealized global ocean-biogeochemistry model. The model includes two tracers that explicitly represent nutrient transport, light- and nutrient-limited nutrient uptake by the ecosystem (new production), and export via sinking organic particles. Globally, new production declines with warming due to reduced surface nutrient availability, as expected. However, the magnitude, seasonality, and underlying dynamics of the nutrient uptake are sensitive to the light and nutrient dependencies of uptake, which we summarize in terms of a single biological timescale that is a linear combination of the partial derivatives of production with respect to light and nutrients. Although the relationships are non-linear, this biological timescale is correlated with several measures of biogeochemical function: shorter timescales are associated with greater global annual new production and higher nutrient utilization. Shorter timescales are also associated with greater declines in global new production in a warmer climate and greater sensitivity to changes in nutrient than light. Future work is needed to characterize more complex ocean biogeochemical models in terms of similar timescale generalities to examine their climate change implications.
Developing a hydrological monitoring and sub-seasonal to seasonal forecasting system for South and Southeast Asian river basins
Authors: Zhou Yifan , Zaitchik Benjamin F. , Kumar Sujay V. , Arsenault Kristi R. , Matin Mir A. , Qamer Faisal M. , Zamora Ryan A. , Shakya Kiran
Published: January 2021

Abstract. South and Southeast Asia is subject to significant
hydrometeorological extremes, including drought. Under rising temperatures,
growing populations, and an apparent weakening of the South Asian monsoon in
recent decades, concerns regarding drought and its potential impacts on
water and food security are on the rise. Reliable sub-seasonal to seasonal
(S2S) hydrological forecasts could, in principle, help governments and
international organizations to better assess risk and act in the face of an
oncoming drought. Here, we leverage recent improvements in S2S
meteorological forecasts and the growing power of Earth observations to
provide more accurate monitoring of hydrological states for forecast
initialization. Information from both sources is merged in a South and
Southeast Asia sub-seasonal to seasonal hydrological forecasting system
(SAHFS-S2S), developed collaboratively with the NASA SERVIR program and
end users across the region. This system applies the
Noah-Multiparameterization (NoahMP) Land Surface Model (LSM) in the NASA
Land Information System (LIS), driven by downscaled meteorological fields
from the Global Data Assimilation System (GDAS) and Climate Hazards InfraRed
Precipitation products (CHIRP and CHIRPS) to optimize initial conditions.
The NASA Goddard Earth Observing System Model sub-seasonal to seasonal
(GEOS-S2S) forecasts, downscaled using the National Center for Atmospheric
Research (NCAR) General Analog Regression Downscaling (GARD) tool and
quantile mapping, are then applied to drive 5 km resolution hydrological
forecasts to a 9-month forecast time horizon. Results show that the skillful
predictions of root zone soil moisture can be made 1 to 2 months in
advance for forecasts initialized in rainy seasons and up to 8 months when
initialized in dry seasons. The memory of accurate initial conditions can
positively contribute to forecast skills throughout the entire 9-month
prediction period in areas with limited precipitation. This SAHFS-S2S has
been operationalized at the International Centre for Integrated Mountain
Development (ICIMOD) to support drought monitoring and warning needs in the
region.
Comment on: “A review of the complementary principle of evaporation: from the original linear relationship to generalized nonlinear functions” by Han and Tian (2020)
Authors: Crago Richard D. , Szilagyi Jozsef , Qualls Russell
Published: January 2021

Abstract. The paper by Han and Tian (2020) reviews the history of developments in the
complementary relationship (CR) between actual and potential evaporation and
introduces the generalized complementary principle (GCP) developed by the
authors. This comment assesses whether the GCP: (1) can give reasonable
results from a wide range of surfaces worldwide; (2) is supported by
experimental data that verify the three stages of evaporation implicit in
the GCP, particularly in the wet-surface limit; (3) has been proven to be
correct by the authors in a previous paper; and (4) is supported by model
studies showing that wet surfaces occur predominantly during periods of
large-scale moisture convergence. The assessment finds that arguments in
favor of the GCP deserve to be taken seriously but ultimately remain
unconvincing.
Assessment of probability distributions and analysis of the minimum storage draft rate in the equatorial region
Authors: Hasan Hasrul Hazman , Mohd Razali Siti Fatin , Muhammad Nur Shazwani , Mohamad Hamzah Firdaus
Published: January 2021

Abstract. Rapid urbanization in the state of Selangor, Malaysia,
has led to a change in the land use, physical properties of basins,
vegetation cover and impermeable surface water. These changes have affected
the pattern and processes of the hydrological cycle, resulting in the ability
of the basin region to store water supply to decline. Reliability on water
supply from river basins depends on their low-flow characteristics. The
impacts of minimum storage on hydrological drought are yet to be
incorporated and assessed. Thus, this study aims to understand the concept
of low-flow drought characteristics and the predictive significance of
river storage draft rates in managing sustainable water catchment. In this
study, the long-term streamflow data of 40 years from seven stations in
Selangor were used, and the streamflow trends were analyzed. Low-flow
frequency analysis was derived using the Weibull plotting position and four
specific frequency distributions. Maximum likelihood was used to
parameterize, while Kolmogorov–Smirnov tests were used to evaluate their fit
to the dataset. The mass curve was used to quantify the minimum storage
draft rate required to maintain the 50 % mean annual flow for the 10-year
recurrence interval of low flow. Next, low-flow river discharges were
analyzed using the 7 d mean annual minimum, while the drought event was determined
using the 90th percentile (Q90) as the threshold level. The inter-event
time and moving average was employed to remove the dependent and minor
droughts in determining the drought characteristics. The result of the
study shows that the lognormal (2P) distribution was found to be the best
fit for low-flow frequency analysis to derive the low-flow return period. This
analysis reveals September to December to be a critical period in river
water storage to sustain the water availability during low flow in a 10-year
occurrence interval. These findings indicated that hydrological droughts have
generally become more critical in the availability of rivers to sustain
water demand during low flows. These results can help in emphasizing the
natural flow of water to provide water supply for continuous use during low
flow.
A low-cost method for monitoring snow characteristics at remote field sites
Authors: Tutton Rosamond J. , Way Robert G.
Published: January 2021

Abstract. The lack of spatially distributed snow depth measurements in
natural environments is a challenge worldwide. These data gaps are of
particular relevance in northern regions such as coastal Labrador where
changes to snow conditions directly impact Indigenous livelihoods, local
vegetation, permafrost distribution and wildlife habitat. This problem is
exacerbated by the lack of cost-efficient and reliable snow observation
methods available to researchers studying cryosphere–vegetation interactions in remote regions. We propose a new method termed snow characterization with
light and temperature (SCLT) for estimating snow depth using vertically
arranged multivariate (light and temperature) data loggers. To test this new
approach, six snow stakes outfitted with SCLT loggers were installed in
forested and tundra ecotypes in Arctic and subarctic Labrador. The results
from 1 year of field measurement indicate that daily maximum light
intensity (lux) at snow-covered sensors is diminished by more than an order
of magnitude compared to uncovered sensors. This contrast enables
differentiation between snow coverage at different sensor heights and allows
for robust determination of daily snow heights throughout the year. Further
validation of SCLT and the inclusion of temperature determinants is needed
to resolve ambiguities with thresholds for snow detection and to elucidate
the impacts of snow density on retrieved light and temperature profiles.
However, the results presented in this study suggest that the proposed
technique represents a significant improvement over prior methods for snow
depth characterization at remote field sites in terms of practicality,
simplicity and versatility.
Zonal scale and temporal variability of the Asian monsoon
anticyclone in an idealised numerical model
Authors: Rupp Philip , Haynes Peter
Published: January 2021

Abstract. The upper-level monsoon anticyclone is studied in a 3-D dry dynamical model as the response of a background circulation without any imposed zonal structure to a steady imposed zonally confined heat source. The characteristics of the background circulation are determined by thermal relaxation towards a simple meridionally varying state, which gives rise to baroclinic instability if meridional gradients are sufficiently large. This model configuration allows study of the dependence of the monsoon anticyclone response on characteristics of both the imposed heating and the background state, in particular including interactions between the anticyclone and the active dynamics on its poleward side in the form of the jet and baroclinic eddies. As characteristics of forcing and background state are varied a range of different behaviours emerges, many of which strongly resemble phenomena and features associated with the monsoon anticyclone as observed in re-analysis data. For a resting background state the time-mean anticyclone is highly extended in longitude to the west of the forcing region. When the active mid-latitude dynamics is included the zonal extent of the time-mean anticyclone is limited, without any need for the explicit upper-level momentum dissipation which is often included in simple theoretical models, but difficult to justify physically. We further describe in detail the spontaneous emergence of temporal variability in the form of westward eddy shedding from the monsoon anticyclone for varying strength of the imposed heating. By varying the strength of the background mid-latitude dynamics we observe a transition of the system from a state with periodic westward eddy shedding to a state dominated by eastward shedding. The details of the time-mean structure and temporal evolution depend on the structure of the background flow and for certain flows the monsoon anticyclone shows signs of both westward and eastward shedding.
Chief information officers’ perceptions about artificial intelligence
Authors: Criado J. Ignacio , Sandoval-Almazan Rodrigo , Valle-Cruz David , Ruvalcaba-Gómez Edgar A.
Published: January 2021

This article presents a study about artificial intelligence (AI) policy based on the perceptions, expectations, and challenges/opportunities given by chief information officers (CIOs). In general, publications about AI in the public sector relies on experiences, cases, ideas, and results from the private sector. Our study stands out from the need of defining a distinctive approach to AI in the public sector, gathering primary (and comparative) data from different countries, and assessing the key role of CIOs to frame federal/national AI policies and strategies. This article reports three research questions, including three dimensions of analysis: (1) perceptions regarding to the concept of AI in the public sector; (2) expectations about the development of AI in the public sector; and, (3) challenges and opportunities of AI in the public sector. This exploratory study presents the results of a survey administered to federal/national ministerial government CIOs in ministries of Mexico and Spain. Our descriptive statistical (and exploratory) analysis provides an overall approach to our dimensions, exploratory answering the research questions of the study. Our data supports the existence of different governance models and policy priorities in different countries. Also, these results might inform research in this same area and will help senior officials to assess the national AI policies actually in process of design and implementation in different national/federal, regional/state, and local/municipal contexts.
Use of Primary Health Care Service in Cardiovascular Patients Admitted to Hospital
Authors: Deniz Kübra Sultan , Koçoğlu Tanyer Deniz
Published: January 2021

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to determine the use of primary health care services in individuals diagnosed with cardiovascular diseases and to investigate the relationship between health status and sociodemographic characteristics and health/disease characteristics. METHODS: The sample of this descriptive study consisted of 313 individuals with cardiovascular disease aged twenty years and over who were admitted to a hospital for any reason by haphazard sampling method. A questionnaire was used to collect the data. RESULTS: The mean age of the participants was 59.21 ± 13.52 years. It was seen that 46% of the individuals had hypertensive disease and 88.5% of them had continuous medication. The rate of those who prefer family health care center as the first institution for cardiovascular diseases is 13.4%, and the rate of those who prefer family health care center, as the first institution in case of any health problem is 20.1%. The individuals 89.1% came to the hospital without referral from the family health care center, 16.9% of them found family health care centers inadequate. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: It is seen that cardiovascular patients who apply to the hospital benefit less from primary health care services. Strengthening the management of cardiovascular patients in primary care is the main suggestion of this study.
Determining Nurse Workforce Requirement Based on Workload in the Public Hospitals
Authors: Özkan Şirin , Uydacı Mert
Published: January 2021

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study is to examine the requirement and distribution of nurse workforce based on workload in public hospitals. METHODS: The number of nurses required in intensive care unit, all inpatient services, emergency room, operating room and dialysis units of the hospitals affiliated to the Ministry of Health in Kocaeli was calculated based on the workload by applying the Workload Indicators of Staffing Need (WISN) method. RESULTS: When the nurses were compared based on the inter-hospital workload ratio in the province, it was found that the number of nurses in the hospitals A, B, C, D, G, H and I was inadequate, the average workload was 0.73 and the number of nurses should be increased by 27% throughout the province. It was determined that the nurses having the highest workload ratio were inpatient service nurses in hospital with A rate of 0.49 and hospital in C with 0.53 rate. In addition, although the total number of nurses in E and F hospitals is sufficient, the units within the hospital are unevenly distributed according to the workload of the nurse workforce. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: It was determined that the number of nurses in the hospitals was insufficient and the workload distribution between the hospitals and within the hospital was unbalanced. The unbalanced distribution of nurse workforce throughout the province causes labour inefficiency, decreases the quality of patient care and causes health inequalities. The study results could set an example of practice that would provide support for health and nursing managers in planning and managing healthcare human resources more effectively.
Comparison of Complete Blood Count Parameters in Children with Kawasaki Disease and Viral Febrile Infections
Authors: Çelik Serkan Fazlı , Kara Soner Sertan , Çelik Elif , Güngör Şükrü
Published: January 2021

Objective: Kawasaki disease (KD) is a childhood vasculitis, and the inflammation of coronary arteries is the most severe complication of KD. Despite the fever, diagnosis may be delayed when clinical symptoms do not fulfill the criteria. In this study, we aimed to determine whether the complete blood count (CBC) parameters can differentiate KD from other diseases that caused fever in children.
Methods: The present study included 51 patients, 21 of whom were diagnosed as KD and 30 febrile non-KD patients who had viral or infections. We analyzed groups' initial CBC parameters in the first visit.
Results: Fourteen of the 21 patients (66%) were atypical KD. There were no statistically significant differences in patients' characteristics, clinical symptoms, and signs between the groups. Six of the patients had abnormal coronary arteries like dilatation. A higher neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) (2.5 (1.8–5.9) vs. 1.41 (0.89–3.6); p=0.028, retrospectively) and higher CRP levels (58.1 (25.6–129.3) vs. 22.8 (4.3–41.6); p= 0.021, retrospectively) were found in KD group when compared with non- KD group. When combining NLR> 1.41 and CRP> 31 mg/L, there was a higher odds ratio of 24.84 (95% confident interval (2.41–198.53) of KD predicting the possibility.
Conclusion: Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio and CRP can show inflammation and immune reactivity, and they can be used to distinguish KD patients from virally infected children.
Childhood Pilomatrixoma: Case Series from a Single Center
Authors: Demir Gündoğan Begümhan , Sagcan Fatih , Alakaya Mehmet , Tuncel Daloglu Ferah , Çıtak Elvan Çağlar
Published: January 2021

Objective: The aim of this study is to describe our institutional experience with pilomatrixoma in children, specifically examining its clinical presentation, associated conditions, radiological and pathological findings and attract attention to differential diagnosis for this tumor.
Methods: The medical records of 52 patients were reviewed retrospectively.
Results: There were a total of 62 tumors in 52 children. The median age at excision was 9.5 years old. Tumors were predominantly located in head and neck region (48.4%). One patient had a family history of pilomatrixoma. One patient had Turner Syndrome and one had Tuberous Sclerosis complex. Fifty-four lesions were examined by ultrasonography (USG). Pilomatrixoma was considered in the differential diagnosis in eight patients (15.3%) by a radiologist.
Conclusion: Pilomatrixoma is one of the most common causes of superficial masses in children. It should be kept in mind for differential diagnosis in children with superficial masses.
The Implication of the Strategic Implementation Style and Middle Management Effort in Public Organization Strategic Management Implementation and Its Organizational Performance
Authors: Kombate Bienmali , Emmanuel Muganga , Richard Kouadio Konan
Published: January 2021

Strategic management implementation in public sector study has nowadays become the most commonly researched area among public administration scholars and researchers. However, to the best of our knowledge, there has been no attempt to investigate the influence of the implementation style and the middle management on the Strategic Management Implementation (SMI) and organizational performance (OP).  There is a paucity of studies that have been undertaken in developing countries. This study aims to fulfil this research gap, investigated in the moderated mediation effect of the combination of the implementation style and middle management effort in the relationship between SMI and OP. The study data was collected on a sample of 468 public managers in the Togolese central government organizations. The findings show that public organisations that opt for logical implementation style in its program implementation result in a non-significant estimate at the mean and 1SD below the middle management effort (W). However, in the organization that applies incremental implementation style in its program implementation, the estimates at mean, 1SD below and 1SD above the mean of the W are all statistically significant. Developing country public sector organisations characterized by traditional bureaucracy and lack of administrative reform program implementation that opt for logical implementation style will likely decrease performance.
Overt speakers in syntax
Authors: Akkuş Faruk , Hill Virginia
Published: January 2021

This paper focuses on a type of direct address in Sason Arabic that fails to behave like a regular vocative phrase. In particular, unlike regular vocative phrases, this form of address spells out both the speaker and the addressee, and it is conditioned by the speaker’s expression of affection towards the addressee. A DP and its adjacent invariable clitic (i.e., a frozen 3rd person singular form of a possessive pronoun) are the constituents of this form of direct address, and either of them can equally spell out the speaker or the addressee; hence, the label mutable direct address (MDA) for this construction. Coordination, constituency, pluralization and substitution tests indicate that the derivation of MDAs does not involve the left periphery of DPs (as vocative phrases do) but the left periphery of clauses. In this respect, we adopt the cartographic representation of speech act phrases (SAP) (e.g., as in Haegeman & Hill 2013) and argue that MDAs instantiate a possible variation within SAP structures. That is, while a regular SAP field is split (over speaker and hearer heads), the SAP underlying MDAs remerges the two heads, so the speech act functional features are bundled and associated with a single SA head. Thus, MDAs provide new evidence for the extent of derivational variations that may arise on the basis of the feature inventory currently accepted for SAP domains.
Releyendo a Susan Strange en clave de solución de controversias inversor-Estado
Authors: Bas Vilizzio Magdalena
Published: January 2021

Desde la intersección entre el Derecho Internacional y la Economía Política Internacional, el presente trabajo tiene como objetivo realizar una relectura de los aportes de Susan Strange aplicándolos al régimen de solución de controversias inversor-Estado, tema no estudiado por la autora. Por consiguiente, se examina cómo impacta la retirada del Estado en el régimen de solución de controversias inversor-Estado; y de qué manera se expresa el poder estructural de las empresas transnacionales en casos concretos de controversias. El artículo cierra vinculando las ideas anteriores con la crisis de la pandemia de covid-19 y el “retorno del Estado”.
The Disease Narrative in Albert Camus’ The Plague
Authors: Huang Ya Fen
Published: January 2021

In many literary works, a character’s physical disease or illness also metaphorically references various universal characteristics of the human condition—death, religion, politics and relationships—as they are interworked amidst healthy and unhealthy bodies. In the case of Albert Camus’ The Plague, the epidemic of bubonic plague in the Algerian port city of Oran is considered an allegory for the German occupation of France from 1940 to 1944. The highly infectious disease disrupts citizens’ lives in real time, with consequences that further manifest throughout the world to varying degrees and in varying timeframes thereafter. This paper attempts to explore Camus’s metaphoric connotations of “the plague” within these social, cultural and historical narratives. This interdisciplinary study will also bring together analyses of literary and non-literary texts about the disease narrative, while also addressing literary theories related to medical science in order to better understand the allegorical definitions of illness, death, disability and exile in The Plague.
Chimpanseepolitie?
Authors: Adang Otto
Published: January 2021

Chimpanzee police? The sense and use of comparisons between humans and other animals

People like to make comparisons between humans and other animals when they think a comparison helps them to make a point (e.g. that some human behavior can or cannot be considered to be ‘natural’) or to have a laugh when animals act in ways that are seen as funny or cute. There are a lot of misunderstandings about the feasibility of these kinds of comparisons and this chapter deals with the way in which meaningful use can be made of studies into animal behavior, using research into chimpanzee behavior (and specifically research into chimpanzee conflict regulation) as an example. The conclusion is that there are three ways in which ethological studies into non-human animal behavior can be relevant for an increased understanding of human behavior: by using ethological methods of systematic observation, by asking relevant research questions and by generating new hypotheses.
Predictors of Successful Weaning in Patients Requiring Extremely Prolonged Mechanical Ventilation
Authors: Leonov Yuval , Kisil Igor , Perlov Alona , Stoichev Vladimir , Ginzburg Yulia , Nazarenko Alla , Gimelfarb Yuri
Published: January 2021

Introduction: For patients on prolonged mechanical ventilation (PMV; > 21 days), successful weaning has been attributed to various factors. The aim of this study is to determine the usefulness of the rapid shallow breathing index(RSBI) and other potential predictors of successful weaning in patients unable to wean and requiring extreme PMV at a hospital-based long-term ventilator facility in Israel. Material and ethods: Retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data over 5 years. Results: A total of 150 subjects on PMV, ready to undergo a weaning process, were included in the study. Of them, 60 (40.0%) were males. The mean age of the whole study population was 76.5 years (SD = 13.6; range 22.0–96.0 years). The subjects were on MV for a mean period of 170.1 days (SD = 237.6; range 25.0–1624.0 days). Sixty patients (40%) were successfully weaned. The mean RSBI in the successfully weaned population was 41.9 breaths/min/L (SD = 12.3; range 13.0–80.4 breaths/min/L), in the population where weaning failed, it was 114.8 breaths/min/L (SD = 69.2; range 47.5–450.0 breaths/min/L). By univariate logistic regression analysis, younger age (p < 0.007), female gender (p < 0.001), decreased duration of MV (p < 0.023), re-spiratory rate (p < 0.001) and RSBI (p < 0.001), increased tidal volume/ideal body weight (p < 0.001) and minute ventilation (p < 0.01) were found to be factors that significantly predict successful weaning. By multivariate analysis, increased tidal volume/ /ideal body weight (p < 0.007) and decreased RSBI (p < 0.046) were found to be independent predictors of successful weaning (p < 0.001; R2 Nagelkerke = 0.90). Conclusions: Factors independently predicting successful weaning in patients requiring extreme PMV included increased tidal volume/ideal body weight and decreased RSBI.
Pott Disease: When Lumbar Pain is Not Innocent
Authors: Kalamara Evgenia , Ballas Evangelos T , Petrova Guergana
Published: January 2021

Tuberculosis is a mycobacterial infection that can affect the lungs as well as other organs. The involvement of the spine, although rare, can have major consequences if not diagnosed and treated in a timely and effective manner, such as residual deformities and neurological deficits. On occasion, the atypical presentation of tuberculous spondylitis may cause a delay in treatment and therefore lead to less favorable outcomes. In this article, we present a rare case of progressed tuberculous infection involving the respiratory and musculoskeletal system in a 36-year-old patient whose main complaints were non-specific and mild, and started only two weeks before his diagnosis, despite the advanced disease.