bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Crystallization and electrical measurements of sintered qandilite (Mg2TiO4)-borosilicate glass composite
Authors: Hamzawy Esmat M. A. , Margha Fatma H. , Morsi Reham M. M.
Published: February 2023

Qandilite Mg2TiO4 ceramic was prepared from MgO-TiO2 powder/borosilicate glass composite. Composite materials were prepared by nominal MgTiO3 alone and with 10, 30, and 50% borosilicate glass. The sintering process resulted in qandilite alone either in nominal Mg2TiO4 alone or with 10% glass. Incorporation of 30% and 50% glass gave crystalline magnesium titanate (MgTi2O5) in both sintered samples with either forsterite (Mg2SiO4) in 30% containing glass or rutile (TiO2) and enstatite (MgSiO3) in 50% containing glass. The microstructure of sintered samples presented clear tetragonal or octahedral which referred to qandilite in the case of nominal MgTiO3 alone or that containing 10% glass. Also, the later crystals appeared in the case of 70% glass-containing samples whereas in the case of 50% containing glass, in addition to the later clear crystals, rod-like crystals were embedded in glassy matrix. The dielectric constant of the studied composite samples was decreased with increasing the glass fraction until 30 wt%, and then increased to lead to the highest values of dielectric constant (⁓125 at room temperature and 1 kHz) at a glass fraction of 50 wt%. The activation energy (Ea) attained values in the range 0.145–0.438 eV. The results of Ea values and AC conductivity may indicate the dominance of electronic mechanism over the ionic transfer one in the studied sample. The prepared composite samples exhibited a semiconducting nature.
Transit Thrombus in a Patent Foramen Ovale — Time Is Running Out: a Case Report
Authors: Kronberg Kay , Schwarz Arne Kristian , Faist Diana , Elsässer Albrecht
Published: February 2023

We report a case of a large thrombus entrapped in a patent foramen ovale after bariatric surgery and pulmonary embolism. The 60-year-old female patient was admitted to hospital as an emergency after syncope. She suffered from metabolic syndrome with obesity (height: 180 cm, weight: 170 kg, BMI: 49.4 kg/m2) and an insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus type 2. She had had bariatric surgery (implantation of a gastric balloon) 4 weeks prior to hospitalization. A transthoracic echocardiography was performed which indicated a large entrapped thrombus in the patent foramen ovale with extensions of approximately 10 cm in both the right and the left heart. Surgical embolectomy was performed to remove the circa 20-cm-long thrombus.At the time of surgery, only 2 cm of the transit thrombus remained in the right atrium. Thus, during the time between diagnosis and emergency surgery, the thrombus had gradually migrated 8 cm. Pulmonary embolectomy and closure of the patent foramen ovale were performed during the same procedure. The patient recovered completely without any complications and was discharged 11 postoperatively. This case demonstrates the importance of urgent medical decision-making with transit thrombi — time is running out.
Exogenous Pre-harvest Application of Abscisic and Jasmonic Acids Improves Fruit Quality by Enhancing Sugar Synthesis and Reducing Acidity in Pomegranate (Punica granatum L. cv. Wonderful)
Authors: Hussein Azza S. , Ibrahim Rashad A. , Eissa Mamdouh A.
Published: February 2023

One of the major issues with pomegranate production in arid and semi-arid climate is the white arils of fruit. The known plant regulators abscisic and jasmonic acids play a variety of roles in plant growth and the reduction of abiotic stresses. However, little is known about their application to improve the quality of pomegranate fruit, particularly white arils, in semi-arid environments. Herein, the experiments, in this study, were performed in two consecutive seasons 2020 and 2021 on 10-year-old Wonderful pomegranate trees to spotlight the improvement of the aril coloration and fruit quality by spraying with abscisic and jasmonic acids under semi-arid climatic conditions. Fifteen Wonderful pomegranate trees were subjected to five treatments (three replications for each). The tested treatments included abscisic acid (ABA) at the concentrations of 600 and 800 µg−1 mL, jasmonic acid (JA) at the concentrations of 10 and 15 Mm, and the control treatment (distilled water). The physical and chemical characteristics of the fruit quality of Wonderful pomegranate improved significantly when the trees were treated with abscisic or jasmonic acids. The foliar addition of ABA at 600 and 800 µg−1 mL increased the anthocyanin index by 96.74 and 114.75%, respectively, in the first year and by 49.48 and 67.62% in the second year, in comparison with the control. The foliar addition of ABA at 800 µg−1 mL was more effective than jasmonic acid in enhancing most of the chemical fruit properties, especially the anthocyanin index. The high level of ABA (800 µg−1 mL) gave the minimum fruit acidity and the highest fruit quality. Abscisic acid induces the fruit acidity and enhances the aril coloration in Wonderful pomegranate. In semi-arid conditions, it is recommended to spray the Wonderful pomegranate trees with abscisic acid at 800 µg−1 mL to improve the fruit quality and to increase the aril coloration.
Biochar-derived dissolved organic matters influencing bacterium characteristics during biodegradation of sulfamethoxazole and chloramphenicol under alternation of visible and avoiding light
Authors: Yang Fang , Xue Yanan , Gao Yue , Zhu Qing , Wang Cuiping , Sun Hongwen
Published: February 2023

The influence of biochar-released dissolved organic matter (BDOM) on the transcription of gene (DEG) in Pseudomonas stutzeri and Shewanella putrefacien during sulfamethoxazole (SMX) and chloramphenicol (CAP) biodegradation under visible light was investigated in this study. The results indicated that BDOM components would be nutrients for bacterial amplification and growth under the culture conditions of xenon lamp irradiation and avoiding light, especially BDOM from low temperatures. Additionally, visible light irradiation would improve the saturated fatty acid by stimulating the cell membrane of the microorganism, thus promoting the biodegradation of antibiotics through altering P. stutzeri and S. putrefaciens reoxidative and catabolism processes and significantly inhabiting the copy number of their genes. Moreover, the upregulated genes and enzymes related to SMX and CAP-metabolic and catabolic processes were enriched, which were involved in the pathways of biodegradation, further improving biodegradation efficiency. In particular, interaction network analysis between the top 100 dominant functional genes from P. stutzeri and S. putrefaciens and the molecular types of BDOM, e.g., CHO, CHON, and CHOS (p < 0.05), indicated that the genes of molecular function showed a high positive or negative correlation with the CHO type of BDOM. The results revealed that the CHO type of BDOM affected the functional genes of molecular function, cellular component, and biological process from P. stutzeri and S. putrefaciens, influencing the biodegradation of SMX and CAP. This study provided an basis for BDOM playing a role in antibiotic removal from the aqueous solution using biochar combined with photobiodegradation.

Graphical Abstract
CACA guidelines for holistic integrative management of rectal cancer
Authors:   Committee of Colorectal Cancer Society Chinese Anti-Cancer Association, Wang Guiyu , Fan Daiming , Gu Jin , Ding Kefeng , Fang Xuedong , Shen Lin , Xu Zhongfa , Xu Jianmin , Cai Jianchun , Cai Lianming , Cai Sanjun , Chen Gong , Chen Jiansi , Cheng Longwei , Cheng Yong , Chi Pan , Cui Binbin , Dai Guanghai , Fu Chuangang , Gu Yanhong , He Guodong , Hu Junhong , Huang Jing , Huang Rui , Huang Zhongcheng , Jiang Zheng , Jie Zhigang , Ju Haixing , Li Hai , Li Jian , Li Jun , Li Ming , Li Yaoping , Li Yunfeng , Lin Guole , Liu Haiying , Liu Ming , Liu Qian , Pan Zhizhong , Peng Yifan , Qian Niansong , Qiu Meng , Ren Li , Sun Yueming , Tang Jianqiang , Tang Qingchao , Tang Yuan , Tao Kaixiong , Tao Min , Wang Haijiang , Wang Meng , Wang Zejun , Wang Zhengguang , Wang Ziqiang , Wang Ziwei , Wei Shaozhong , Xing Baocai , Xiong Bin , Xu Ye , Yan Su , Yang Bin , Yang Chunkang , Yao Qinghua , Ye Yingjiang , Yuan Ying , Zhang Guozhi , Zhang Haizeng , Zhang Hongmei , Zhang Zhen , Zhong Yunshi , Zhu Ji , Zhu Yuan , Zhu Yuping , Zou Shuangmei , Wang Yuliuming , Lv Jingfang , Liu Enrui , Yang Ming , Zhang Qian , Zhang Weiyuan , Zhang Lin , Luo Jun , Zheng Zhaoxu , Zhao Zhixun , Liu Zheng , Tao Jinhua , Huang Haiyang , Chen Tianli , Wang Xishan
Published: February 2023

Purpose

Colorectal cancer is a common malignant tumor worldwide. In China, the ratio of rectal cancer to colon cancer in terms of incidence is close to 1: 1. Low rectal cancer accounts for more than half of all cases of rectal cancer. In recent years, the proportion of rectal cancer has trended downward, however the incidence of rectal cancer in younger adults is increasing. The CACA Guidelines for Holistic Integrative Management of Rectal Cancer were edited to help improve the diagnosis and comprehensive treatment in China.

Methods

This guideline has been prepared by consensuses reached by the CACA Committee of Colorectal Cancer Society, based on a careful review of the latest evidence including China’s studies, and referred to domestic and international relative guidelines, also considered China’s specific national conditions and clinical practice.

Results

The CACA Guidelines for Holistic Integrative Management of Rectal Cancer include the epidemiology of rectal cancer, prevention and screening, diagnosis, treatment of nonmetastatic and metastatic rectal cancer, follow-up, and whole-course rehabilitation management.

Conclusion

Committee of Colorectal Cancer Society, Chinese Anti-Cancer Association, standardizes the diagnosis and treatment of rectal cancer in China through the formulation of the CACA Guidelines.
Short-term outcomes following purse-string versus conventional closure of ileostomy wounds in Chinese colorectal cancer patients — a single center retrospective study
Authors: Jiao Yu-Rong , Zhou Xin-Bin , Ye Yao , Xiao Qian , Kong Xiang-Xing , Ding Ke-Feng , Li Jun
Published: February 2023

Background

Nearly 15% colorectal cancer (CRC) patients received ileostomy, while surgical site infection (SSI) is a common complication after ileostomy wound closure. Purse-string closure was reported to reduce SSI rate in ileostomy wound closure compared with conventional linear closure, but had never been systematically reported in CRC patients. The present study aimed to compare the short-term outcomes between purse-string and conventional closure in Chinese CRC patients.

Patients and methods

A total of 57 CRC patients underwent ileostomy wounds closure in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University during November, 2015 and October, 2017 were retrospectively reviewed. Twenty-nine received purse-string closure while the others received conventional closure. The short-term outcomes including SSI rate, scar length, pain score and hospital stay were reviewed and analyzed.

Results

There were no significant differences in the characteristics of the patients between two groups. The SSI rate was similar within two groups (10.3% vs 10.7%, p = 1.000). The purse-string closure group had a significantly short scar length (1.66 cm vs 5.30 cm, p < 0.0001), but had no difference in operation time, hospital stay and postoperative pain.

Conclusion

The present study did not find superiority of Purse-string closure in SSI rate control. It seemed only had a cosmetic effect according to its shorter scar length.
Reading Abolition
Authors: Yothers Brian
Published: February 2023

A pathbreaking consideration of the intertwined critical responses to Harriet Beecher Stowe and Frederick Douglass, giants of abolitionist literature.
Decreased hospital readmissions after programmatic strengthening of an outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT) program
Authors: Agnihotri Gaurav , Gross Alan E. , Seok Minji , Yen Cheng Yu , Khan Farah , Ebbitt Laura M. , Gay Cassandra , Bleasdale Susan C. , Sikka Monica K. , Trotter Andrew B.
Published: February 2023

Objective:

To determine whether a structured OPAT program supervised by an infectious disease physician and led by an OPAT nurse decreased hospital readmission rates and OPAT-related complications and whether it affected clinical cure. We also evaluated predictors of readmission while receiving OPAT.

Patients:

A convenience sample of 428 patients admitted to a tertiary-care hospital in Chicago, Illinois, with infections requiring intravenous antibiotic therapy after hospital discharge.

Methods:

In this retrospective, quasi-experimental study, we compared patients discharged on intravenous antimicrobials from an OPAT program before and after implementation of a structured ID physician and nurse-led OPAT program. The preintervention group consisted of patients discharged on OPAT managed by individual physicians without central program oversight or nurse care coordination. All-cause and OPAT-related readmissions were compared using the χ2 test. Factors associated with readmission for OPAT-related problems at a significance level of P < .10 in univariate analysis were eligible for testing in a forward, stepwise, multinomial, logistic regression to identify independent predictors of readmission.

Results:

In total, 428 patients were included in the study. Unplanned OPAT-related hospital readmissions decreased significantly after implementation of the structured OPAT program (17.8% vs 7%; P = .003). OPAT-related readmission reasons included infection recurrence or progression (53%), adverse drug reaction (26%), or line-associated issues (21%). Independent predictors of hospital readmission due to OPAT-related events included vancomycin administration and longer length of outpatient therapy. Clinical cure increased from 69.8% before the intervention to 94.9% after the intervention (P < .001).

Conclusion:

A structured ID physician and nurse-led OPAT program was associated with a decrease in OPAT-related readmissions and improved clinical cure.
Potential mechanisms by which cash transfer programmes could improve the mental health and life chances of young people: A conceptual framework and lines of enquiry for research and policy
Authors: Evans-Lacko Sara , Araya Ricardo , Bauer Annette , Garman Emily , Álvarez-Iglesias Alejandra , McDaid David , Hessel Philipp , Matijasevich Alicia , Paula Cristiane Silvestre , Park A-La , Lund Crick
Published: February 2023

Mental health is inextricably linked to both poverty and future life chances such as education, skills, labour market attachment and social function. Poverty can lead to poorer mental health, which reduces opportunities and increases the risk of lifetime poverty. Cash transfer programmes are one of the most common strategies to reduce poverty and now reach substantial proportions of populations living in low- and middle-income countries. Because of their rapid expansion in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, they have recently gained even more importance. Recently, there have been suggestions that these cash transfers might improve youth mental health, disrupting the cycle of disadvantage at a critical period of life. Here, we present a conceptual framework describing potential mechanisms by which cash transfer programmes could improve the mental health and life chances of young people. Furthermore, we explore how theories from behavioural economics and cognitive psychology could be used to more specifically target these mechanisms and optimise the impact of cash transfers on youth mental health and life chances. Based on this, we identify several lines of enquiry and action for future research and policy.
Parametric generation and phase locking of multiple sidebands in the regime of full-back-conversion
Authors: Wang Wenhao , Tao Yudong , Ma Jingui , Wang Jing , Yuan Peng , Zhang Dongfang , Qian Liejia
Published: February 2023

Parametric interaction allows both forward and backward energy transfers among the three interacting waves. The back-conversion effect is usually detrimental when unidirectional energy transfer is desired. In this theoretical work, we manifest that the back-conversion effect underpins the direct generation of the picosecond pulse train without the need for a laser resonator. The research scenario is an optical parametric amplification (OPA) that consists of a second-order nonlinear medium, a quasi-continuous pump laser and a sinusoidal amplitude-modulated seed signal. The back-conversion of OPA can transfer the modulation peaks (valleys) of the incident signal into output valleys (peaks), which inherently induces spectral sidebands. The generation of each sideband is naturally accompanied with a phase shift of ±π. In the regime of full-back-conversion, the amount and amplitude of the sidebands reach the maximum simultaneously, and their phase constitutes an arithmetic sequence, leading to the production of a picosecond pulse train. The generated picosecond pulse train can have an ultrahigh repetition rate of 40 GHz or higher, which may facilitate ultrafast applications with ultrahigh speed.
Breather interactions in a three-layer fluid
Authors: Nakayama K. , Lamb K.G.
Published: February 2023

In a three-layer system with equal upper and lower layer thicknesses that are sufficiently thin and with the same density difference across each interface, breathers have been shown to exist using fully nonlinear governing equations. These breathers are well modelled by theoretical solutions of the mKdV equation, provided the interfaces between the layers do not cross a critical depth. The soliton-like characteristics of fully nonlinear breathers, in particular how two breathers interact, have yet to be explored. Using numerical simulations, this study addresses this shortcoming by studying fully nonlinear overtaking collisions of two breathers in a three-layer symmetric stratification. We apply the fully nonlinear and strongly dispersive FDI-3s internal wave equations, based on a variational principle, in a three-layer system. When the amplitude is small, the analytic breathers fit the wave shapes of the overtaking collision breathers. We find that the larger the upper and lower layer thicknesses are, provided they are below the critical thickness, the more the breathers behave like solitons. We show that an overtaking collision of two breathers is close to elastic.
Triadic resonant instability in confined and unconfined axisymmetric geometries
Authors: Boury S. , Maurer P. , Joubaud S. , Peacock T. , Odier P.
Published: February 2023

We present an investigation of the resonance conditions governing triad interactions of cylindrical internal waves, i.e. Kelvin modes, described by Bessel functions. Our analytical study, supported by experimental measurements, is performed both in confined and unconfined axisymmetric domains. We are interested in two conceptual questions: can we find resonance conditions for a triad of Kelvin modes? What is the impact of the boundary conditions on such resonances? In both the confined and unconfined cases, we show that sub-harmonics can be spontaneously generated from a primary wave field if they satisfy at least a resonance condition on their frequencies of the form

$\omega _0 = \pm \omega _1 \pm \omega _2$

. We demonstrate that the resulting triad is also spatially resonant, but that the resonance in the radial direction may not be exact in confined geometries due to the prevalence of boundary conditions – a key difference compared with Cartesian plane waves.
Optimal proportional reinsurance to maximize an insurer’s exponential utility under unobservable drift
Authors: Liang Xiaoqing , Young Virginia R.
Published: February 2023

We study an optimal reinsurance problem for a diffusion model, in which the drift of the claim follows an Ornstein–Uhlenbeck process. The aim of the insurer is to maximize the expected exponential utility of its terminal wealth. We consider two cases: full information and partial information. Full information occurs when the insurer directly observes the drift; partial information occurs when the insurer observes only its claims. By applying stochastic control and by solving the corresponding Hamilton–Jacobi–Bellman equations, we find the value function and the optimal reinsurance strategy under both full and partial information. We determine a relationship between the value function and reinsurance strategy under full information with the value function and reinsurance strategy under partial information.
A Nonparametric Bayesian Model for Detecting Differential Item Functioning: An Application to Political Representation in the US
Authors: Shiraito Yuki , Lo James , Olivella Santiago
Published: February 2023

A common approach when studying the quality of representation involves comparing the latent preferences of voters and legislators, commonly obtained by fitting an item response theory (IRT) model to a common set of stimuli. Despite being exposed to the same stimuli, voters and legislators may not share a common understanding of how these stimuli map onto their latent preferences, leading to differential item functioning (DIF) and incomparability of estimates. We explore the presence of DIF and incomparability of latent preferences obtained through IRT models by reanalyzing an influential survey dataset, where survey respondents expressed their preferences on roll call votes that U.S. legislators had previously voted on. To do so, we propose defining a Dirichlet process prior over item response functions in standard IRT models. In contrast to typical multistep approaches to detecting DIF, our strategy allows researchers to fit a single model, automatically identifying incomparable subgroups with different mappings from latent traits onto observed responses. We find that although there is a group of voters whose estimated positions can be safely compared to those of legislators, a sizeable share of surveyed voters understand stimuli in fundamentally different ways. Ignoring these issues can lead to incorrect conclusions about the quality of representation.
The genus Microcotyle in Mediterranean scorpaenoids (Teleostei), including the description of Microcotyle merche n. sp. from Helicolenus dactylopterus (Delaroche, 1809)
Authors: Víllora-Montero M. , Pérez-del-Olmo A. , Valmaseda-Angulo M. , Raga J.A. , Montero F.E.
Published: February 2023

More than 65 species of the genus Microcotyle Van Beneden & Hesse, 1863, have been described to date, most of them infecting Perciformes. Among the scorpaenoids (Perciformes, formerly Scorpaeniformes) the species of the genus Microcotyle parasitize sebastids and scorpaenids worldwide. In this study, we provide new morphological and molecular data for Microcotyle spp. in sebastids and scorpaenids from the Western Mediterranean and north-east Atlantic. Specimens of Helicolenus dactylopterus (Delaroche, 1809) (n = 107) and Scorpaena spp. (n = 107) were examined and their microcotylid specimens morphologically and molecularly characterized. Microcotyle merche n. sp. ex H. dactylopterus and specimens of Microcotyle algeriensis Ayadi, Gey, Justine & Tazerouti, 2016 from a new host and locality (Scorpaena scrofa from the north-east Atlantic) are herein described. Both species are phylogenetically close, but their morphology is markedly different mostly because the anterior lobe of the haptor present in other Microcotyle species is almost absent in M. algeriensis. Findings of M. merche n. sp. in the Mediterranean also excludes the presence of Microcotyle sebastis in this sea, encouraging the review of the exceptionally large host range and geographical distribution of this species.
Health technology assessment of diagnostic tests: a state of the art review of methods guidance from international organizations
Authors: Ferrante di Ruffano Lavinia , Harris Isobel M. , Zhelev Zhivko , Davenport Clare , Mallett Sue , Peters Jamie , Takwoingi Yemisi , Deeks Jon , Hyde Chris
Published: February 2023

Objectives

To identify which international health technology assessment (HTA) agencies are undertaking evaluations of medical tests, summarize commonalities and differences in methodological approach, and highlight examples of good practice.

Methods

A methodological review incorporating: systematic identification of HTA guidance documents mentioning evaluation of tests; identification of key contributing organizations and abstraction of approaches to all essential HTA steps; summary of similarities and differences between organizations; and identification of important emergent themes which define the current state of the art and frontiers where further development is needed.

Results

Seven key organizations were identified from 216 screened. The main themes were: elucidation of claims of test benefits; attitude to direct and indirect evidence of clinical effectiveness (including evidence linkage); searching; quality assessment; and health economic evaluation. With the exception of dealing with test accuracy data, approaches were largely based on general approaches to HTA with few test-specific modifications. Elucidation of test claims and attitude to direct and indirect evidence are where we identified the biggest dissimilarities in approach.

Conclusions

There is consensus on some aspects of HTA of tests, such as dealing with test accuracy, and examples of good practice which HTA organizations new to test evaluation can emulate. The focus on test accuracy contrasts with universal acknowledgment that it is not a sufficient evidence base for test evaluation. There are frontiers where methodological development is urgently required, notably integrating direct and indirect evidence and standardizing approaches to evidence linkage.
Is early time to positivity of blood culture associated with clinical prognosis in patients with Klebsiella pneumoniae bloodstream infection?
Authors: Hou Weiwei , Han Tiantian , Qu Guangbo , Sun Yehuan , Yang Dianyu , Lin Yan
Published: February 2023

The association between time to positivity (TTP) of blood culture and the clinical prognosis of patients with Klebsiella pneumoniae bloodstream infection (BSI) remains unclear. A retrospective study of 148 inpatients with BSI caused by K. pneumoniae was performed at Shanghai Tongji Hospital, China, from October 2016–2020. The total in-hospital fatality rate was 32%. The median TTP was 11.0 (7.7–16.1) h and the optimal cutoff for prediction of in-hospital mortality was 9.4 h according to the ROC curve. Early TTP (<9.4 h) was a risk factor for in-hospital mortality by univariate analysis (OR = 2.5, 95% CI 1.2–5.0, P = 0.01), but not by multivariate analysis (OR = 2.7, 95% CI 1.0–7.4, P = 0.06). Old age, serum creatinine, white blood cells, and C-reactive protein values were risk factors for in-hospital mortality by multivariate analysis. Early TTP was not a risk factor for septic shock (OR = 1.8, 95% CI 0.6–5.1, P = 0.27) or ICU admission (OR = 1.0, 95% CI 1.0–1.0, P = 0.32). In conclusion, the in-hospital fatality rate of patients with K. pneumoniae BSI was relatively high and associated with an early TTP of blood cultures. However, no increased risk of mortality, septic shock or ICU admission was evident in early TTP patients.
SMITH AT 300: THE LURE OF POETRY AND PROFIT
Authors: Dekker Erwin
Published: February 2023

“Prose is the Stile in which all the common affairs of Life, all Business and Agreements are made. No one ever made a Bargain in verse.”

LRBLii.115–116
MESI: A Multiparameter Eddy Significance Index
Authors: Roman‐Stork H. L. , Byrne D. A. , Leuliette E. W.
Published: February 2023

In this study, we introduce the Multiparameter Eddy Significance Index (MESI) for use in conjunction with mesoscale eddy tracking to estimate the impact of mesoscale eddies on the upper ocean and marine ecosystems. MESI combines blended satellite observations of sea level anomalies, sea surface temperature, sea surface salinity, and ocean color chlorophyll‐a and is a normalized index. When used in conjunction with mesoscale eddy tracking, MESI can highlight those eddies which extend into the deeper ocean and have a greater effect on nutrient cycling. Preliminary analysis in the Gulf Stream region of the western North Atlantic shows that MESI covaries with model estimates of nitrate, phosphate, iron, and pH with cross‐correlation values between 76% and 95%. These results suggest that when MESI is used in concert with eddy tracking, it can be used as an indicator of eddies and areas that are more likely to impact nutrient cycling in the upper ocean. An additional analysis of MESI values inside eddies during Hurricane Dorian (2019) along the Carolina coast further suggests that MESI is most effective when used to enhance eddy tracking as it provides valuable insight into mesoscale eddy activity and the upper ocean circulation.
Assessing the Aerosols, Clouds and Their Relationship Over the Northern Bay of Bengal Using a Global Climate Model
Authors: Sharma Puneet , Ganguly Dilip , Sharma Amit Kumar , Kant Sunny , Mishra Shiwansha
Published: February 2023

Comprehensive evaluation of aerosol‐cloud interactions (ACI) simulated by climate models using observations is crucial for advancing model development. Here, we use Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data to evaluate aerosol and cloud properties obtained from Community Atmosphere Model 5 (CAM5) over northern Bay of Bengal during winter season. We conduct simulations for default model setup as well as for prescribed, and nudged meteorology using Goddard Earth Observing System (GEOS5) reanalysis dataset in order to study the impact of meteorological parameters on simulated ACI. CAM5 captures the spatial variability of cloud optical depth (τc), cloud droplet number concentration (Nc), and liquid water path (LWP), although the values are overestimated in the model. Default model strongly simulates observed negative cloud effective radius (re)‐Nc susceptibility but fails to reproduce the observed positive LWP‐Nc susceptibility possibly due to evaporative cooling of the large number of smaller droplets. Compared to default and prescribed meteorology simulations, nudging specific humidity (Q) at 6‐hr relaxation time scale leads to a positive LWP‐Nc susceptibility, and an overall improved simulation of aerosol indirect effects. Increasing the relaxation time scale beyond 6‐hr degrade the simulation of indirect effects suggesting high sensitivity of indirect effects to Q and serious deficiencies in Q simulated by the model. Improvement in simulation of aerosol and cloud characteristics are also noted when winds (UV) are nudged but it worsens some of the simulated ACI sensitivities due to increased transport of absorbing aerosols over the study region and a dominant semi‐direct effect in the model.
Urbanization Amplified Asymmetrical Changes of Rainfall and Exacerbated Drought: Analysis Over Five Urban Agglomerations in the Yangtze River Basin, China
Authors: Huang Shuzhe , Gan Yuan , Zhang Xiang , Chen Nengcheng , Wang Chao , Gu Xihui , Ma Jingjin , Niyogi Dev
Published: February 2023

Urbanization has become a prominent anthropogenic activity globally, resulting in the substantial modification of temperature and rainfall in and around urban areas. Studies also indicate that rainfall exhibits an asymmetrical shift from light to extreme rainfall, causing both floods and droughts over different parts of the globe. However, to what extent urbanization influences the asymmetrical changes in rainfall and urban drought remains understudied. Accordingly, we provided an investigation of the urbanization effects on both rainfall and drought events from both statistical and model‐based perspectives. Results showed that urbanization generally increased heavy rainfall and decreased light rainfall in the rainy season over five urban agglomerations (i.e., Yangtze River Delta [YRD], Middle Region of Yangtze River [MRYR], Chengdu‐Chongqing, Guizhou, and Yunnan) in the Yangtze River Basin during 1981–2020. Specifically, urbanization contributed 42.7% and 30.8% of the increases of heavy rainfall in MRYR and YRD while 30.6% contribution to the decrease of light rainfall. Interestingly, results suggested that the urban regions were more prone to drought due to urbanization. Nevertheless, we also found that the urbanization effects showed some variabilities across different areas due to the interactions with complex terrains and climate patterns. Further model‐based simulations using the Weather Research and Forecasting model confirmed our findings and helped understand the potential underlying mechanism. The current research is expected to provide scientific knowledge for better urban planning and preparedness for urbanization‐induced hazards.
Wet Bulb Globe Temperature: Indicating Extreme Heat Risk on a Global Grid
Authors: Brimicombe Chloe , Lo Chun Hay Brian , Pappenberger Florian , Di Napoli Claudia , Maciel Pedro , Quintino Tiago , Cornforth Rosalind , Cloke Hannah L.
Published: February 2023

The Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) is an international standard heat index used by the health, industrial, sports, and climate sectors to assess thermal comfort during heat extremes. Observations of its components, the globe and the wet bulb temperature (WBT), are however sparse. Therefore WBGT is difficult to derive, making it common to rely on approximations, such as the ones developed by Liljegren et al. (2008, https://doi.org/10.1080/15459620802310770, ) and by the American College of Sports Medicine (). In this study, a global data set is created by implementing an updated WBGT method using ECMWF ERA5 gridded meteorological variables and is evaluated against existing WBGT methods. The new method, , uses globe temperature calculated using mean radiant temperature and is found to be accurate in comparison to across three heatwave case studies. In addition, it is found that is not an adequate approximation of WBGT. Our new method is a candidate for a global forecasting early warning system.
Statistical Downscaling of Seasonal Forecasts of Sea Level Anomalies for U.S. Coasts
Authors: Long Xiaoyu , Shin Sang‐Ik , Newman Matthew
Published: February 2023

Increasing coastal inundation risk in a warming climate will require accurate and reliable seasonal forecasts of sea level anomalies at fine spatial scales. In this study, we explore statistical downscaling of monthly hindcasts from six current seasonal prediction systems to provide a high‐resolution prediction of sea level anomalies along the North American coast, including at several tide gauge stations. This involves applying a seasonally invariant downscaling operator, constructing by linearly regressing high‐resolution (1/12°) ocean reanalysis data against its coarse‐grained (1°) counterpart, to each hindcast ensemble member for the period 1982–2011. The resulting high‐resolution coastal hindcasts have significantly more deterministic skill than the original hindcasts interpolated onto the high‐resolution grid. Most of this improvement occurs during summer and fall, without impacting the seasonality of skill noted in previous studies. Analysis of the downscaling operator reveals that it boosts skill by amplifying the most predictable patterns while damping the less predictable patterns.
Enhanced Ion Escape Rate During IMF Rotation Under Weak Intrinsic Magnetic Field Conditions on a Mars‐Like Planet
Authors: Sakai Shotaro , Seki Kanako , Terada Naoki , Shinagawa Hiroyuki , Sakata Ryoya , Tanaka Takashi , Ebihara Yusuke
Published: February 2023

The rotation of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) provides details of the escape mechanism that varies with the interaction between the intrinsic magnetic field and the IMF. A multispecies magnetohydrodynamic simulation is conducted on a Mars‐like planet under the conditions of a weak intrinsic magnetic field and the IMF rotating by 180° over 12 hr, which is comparable to the coronal mass ejection (CME) time scale. The total ion escape rate increases from ∼5 × 1023 s−1 to ∼3 × 1025 s−1 during the IMF rotation from due north (parallel to the assumed intrinsic magnetic field) to due south (antiparallel to the assumed intrinsic magnetic field). The escape rate increases significantly with the IMF rotating from due north to clock angles of 45°–75°, followed by a gentle increase until the IMF rotates to due south. The trigger for the large increase is multiple reconnections in the magnetospheric flank region, and the subsequent increase is due to the expansion of the reconnection area into the equatorial region. The IMF mass loading in the ionosphere is also responsible for the gentle increase with IMF clock angles above 90° in addition to the flank reconnection. The IMF rotation is a general feature for a CME. Exoplanets orbiting in the vicinity of M‐dwarfs might be frequently affected by IMF rotation, as they could be exposed to severe stellar winds such as in CME environments, and the current study could be helpful for future planned observations of the exoplanetary environment.
Subinertial Sea Surface Heights Anomalies Estimated Using High Frequency Radar Surface Current Data in the Mississippi Bight
Authors: Nwankwo Uchenna , Howden Stephan , Nechaev Dmitri , Dzwonkowski Brian
Published: February 2023

Sea level studies in the Mississippi Bight (MSB) are less abundant than in other coastal waters of USA. This study investigates the subinertial (time scales >2 days) sea level anomalies in the MSB shelf. The diagnostics of the terms in the invariant form of the momentum equation were computed to determine which terms have the most influence on the anomalies in sea level. It was determined that at subinertial scales the geostrophic balance is the dominant balance in the MSB while the non‐linear and time derivative terms are insignificant relative to the Coriolis term. A Least Squares procedure was applied to the subinertial surface currents data from high frequency radar surface currents (filtered with a window of 2‐day Butterworth filter) to extract subinertial sea level anomalies in the MSB shelf using both geostrophic balance and the invariant form of Reynolds' averaged momentum equations. The resulting subinertial sea level anomalies were validated using sea level observations from an offshore buoy and Sentinel‐3 along‐track satellite altimeter data. The estimated sea level anomalies were reasonably close to observations (more than half had root mean square difference of <0.04 m) and mostly influenced by geostrophic balance. Analysis of the empirical orthogonal functions showed that the first two modes explained the majority (85%) of the variance in the sea level anomalies estimated using the geostrophic approximation. Absolute sea level could be estimated if Global Navigation Satellite System buoys are deployed in the radar footprint.
Global Radiative Flux Profile Data Set: Revised and Extended
Authors: Zhang Yuanchong , Rossow William B.
Published: February 2023

The third generation of the radiative flux profile data product, called ISCCP‐FH, is described. The revisions over the previous generation (called ISCCP‐FD) include improvements in the radiative model representation of gaseous and aerosol effects, as well as a refined statistical model of cloud vertical layer variations with cloud types, and increased spatial resolution. The new product benefits from the changes in the new H‐version of the ISCCP cloud products (called ISCCP‐H): higher spatial resolution, revised radiance calibration and treatment of ice clouds, treatment of aerosol effects, and revision of all the ancillary atmosphere and surface property products. The ISCCP‐FH product is evaluated against more direct measurements from the Clouds and the Earth’s Radiant Energy System and the Baseline Surface Radiation Network products, showing some small, overall reductions in average flux uncertainties; but the main results are similar to ISCCP‐FD: the ISCCP‐FH uncertainties remain ≲10 Wm−2 at the top‐of‐atmosphere (TOA) and ≲15 Wm−2 at surface for monthly, regional averages. The long‐term variations of TOA, surface and in‐atmosphere net fluxes are documented and the possible transient cloud feedback implications of a long‐term change of clouds are investigated. The cloud and flux variations from 1998 to 2012 suggest a positive cloud‐radiative feedback on the oceanic circulation and a negative feedback on the atmospheric circulation. This example demonstrates that the ISCCP‐FH product can provide useful diagnostic information about weather‐to‐interannual scale variations of radiation induced by changes in cloudiness as well as atmospheric and surface properties.
Upscaling Tracer‐Aided Ecohydrological Modeling to Larger Catchments: Implications for Process Representation and Heterogeneity in Landscape Organization
Authors: Yang Xiaoqiang , Tetzlaff Doerthe , Müller Christin , Knöller Kay , Borchardt Dietrich , Soulsby Chris
Published: February 2023

Stable isotopes of water are ideal tracers to integrate into process‐based models, advancing ecohydrological understanding. Current tracer‐aided ecohydrological modeling is mostly conducted in relatively small‐scale catchments, due to limited tracer data availability and often highly damped stream isotope signals in larger catchments (>100 km2). Recent model developments have prioritized better spatial representation, offering new potential for advancing upscaling in tracer‐aided modeling. Here, we adapted the fully distributed EcH2O‐iso model to the Selke catchment (456 km2, Germany), incorporating monthly sampled isotopes from seven sites between 2012 and 2017. Parameter sensitivity analysis indicated that the information content of isotope data was generally complementary to discharge and more sensitive to runoff partitioning, soil water and energy dynamics. Multi‐criteria calibrations revealed that inclusion of isotopes could significantly improve discharge performance during validations and isotope simulations, resulting in more reasonable estimates of the seasonality of stream water ages. However, capturing isotopic signals of highly non‐linear near‐surface processes remained challenging for the upscaled model, but still allowed for plausible simulation of water ages reflecting non‐stationarity in transport and mixing. The detailed modeling also helped unravel spatio‐temporally varying patterns of water storage‐flux‐age interactions and their interplay under severe drought conditions. Embracing the upscaling challenges, this study demonstrated that even coarsely sampled isotope data can be of value in aiding ecohydrological modeling and consequent process representation in larger catchments. The derived innovative insights into ecohydrological functioning at scales commensurate with management decision making, are of particular importance for guiding science‐based measures for tackling environmental changes.
A spiral microfluidic device for rapid sorting, trapping, and long-term live imaging of Caenorhabditis elegans embryos
Authors: Pan Peng , Qin Zhen , Sun William , Zhou Yuxiao , Wang Shaojia , Song Pengfei , Wang Yong , Ru Changhai , Wang Xin , Calarco John , Liu Xinyu
Published: February 2023

Caenorhabditis elegans embryos have been widely used to study cellular processes and developmental regulation at early stages. However, most existing microfluidic devices focus on the studies of larval or adult worms rather than embryos. To accurately study the real-time dynamics of embryonic development under different conditions, many technical barriers must be overcome; these can include single-embryo sorting and immobilization, precise control of the experimental environment, and long-term live imaging of embryos. This paper reports a spiral microfluidic device for effective sorting, trapping, and long-term live imaging of single C. elegans embryos under precisely controlled experimental conditions. The device successfully sorts embryos from a mixed population of C. elegans at different developmental stages via Dean vortices generated inside a spiral microchannel and traps the sorted embryos at single-cell resolution through hydrodynamic traps on the sidewall of the spiral channel for long-term imaging. Through the well-controlled microenvironment inside the microfluidic device, the response of the trapped C. elegans embryos to mechanical and chemical stimulation can be quantitatively measured. The experimental results show that a gentle hydrodynamic force would induce faster growth of embryos, and embryos developmentally arrested in the high-salinity solution could be rescued by the M9 buffer. The microfluidic device provides new avenues for easy, rapid, high-content screening of C. elegans embryos.
Multi-coefficient eigenmode operation—breaking through 10°/h open-loop bias instability in wideband aluminum nitride piezoelectric BAW gyroscopes
Authors: Liu Zhenming , Wen Haoran , Ayazi Farrokh
Published: February 2023

In this paper, a modification to the eigenmode operation of resonant gyroscopes is introduced. The multi-coefficient eigenmode operation can improve cross-mode isolation due to electrode misalignments and imperfections, which is one of the causes of residual quadrature errors in conventional eigenmode operations. A 1400 µm annulus aluminum nitride (AlN) on a silicon bulk acoustic wave (BAW) resonator with gyroscopic in-plane bending modes at 2.98 MHz achieves a nearly 60 dB cross-mode isolation when operated as a gyroscope using a multi-coefficient eigenmode architecture. The as-born frequency mismatches in multiple devices are compensated by physical laser trimming. The demonstrated AlN piezoelectric BAW gyroscope shows a large open-loop bandwidth of 150 Hz and a high scale factor of 9.5 nA/°/s on a test board with a vacuum chamber. The measured angle random walk is 0.145°/√h, and the bias instability is 8.6°/h, showing significant improvement compared to the previous eigenmode AlN BAW gyroscope. The results from this paper prove that with multi-coefficient eigenmode operations, piezoelectric AlN BAW gyroscopes can achieve a noise performance comparable to that of their capacitive counterpart while having the unique advantage of a large open-loop bandwidth and not requiring large DC polarization voltages.