bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Management of Esthesioneuroblastoma: A Retrospective Study of 6 Cases and Literature Review
Authors: Alami Zenab , Farhane Fatima Zahrae , Bouziane Amina , Mhirech Samiya , Amrani Joutei Sara , Hassani Wissal , Bouhafa Touria
Published: March 2022

The esthesioneuroblastoma (ENB) is a rare malignant sinonasal tumor of neuroectodermal origin. This study aimed to improve the understanding of the clinical features by reviewing the literature and analyzing the medical records of patients diagnosed with ENB in our institution between 2012 and 2019. A total of 6 cases of ENB were available for analysis. The mean age at the time of diagnosis was 36 years. The main complaints at presentation were the rhinologic signs. Tumors were classified as stage C of Kadisk in 3 cases and stage D in the others. According to TNM (modified by Dulguerov), 2 patients were T3N0M0, one T4N0M0, one T3N1M0, and two T4N1M0. The diagnosis of ENB was based on pathological examination. According to Hyams histological grading, low-grade lesions (Hyams I and II) were seen in 2 cases, high-grade undifferentiated lesions (Hyams III and IV) were seen in 4. Of the 6 patients, 4 received surgery. The surgical approaches mainly included an endoscopic endonasal resection in 2 cases, a cranial-facial resection surgery in 1 case, and an expanded endoscopic endonasal approach in combination with craniotomy in 1 case. Four patients received adjuvant radiotherapy (RT). RT dose ranged from 60 to 70 Gy. A total of 3 patients had lymph node metastasis and received RT of the neck. Chemotherapy was delivered in 2 patients. After a mean follow-up of 4.5 years, 4 patients were free of recurrence. Unfortunately, 1 patient died from a progressive disease 6 months after RT. ENB is a rare locally aggressive tumor of the nasosinusal cavities. The first-line treatment for resectable tumors should include primary surgical resection with adjuvant RT. However, this tumor remains of poor prognosis. Therefore, long-term close follow-up based on symptoms, endoscopy, and imaging is essential.
Optimal Value for Serum Anti-PLA2R Antibody in Primary Membranous Nephropathy: A Multicenter Observational Study
Authors: Chen Juan , Jia Xiaoyan , Wei Xin , Li Jiao , Liu Yipeng , Lian Ying , Cui Zhao , Zhao Minghui , Luan Sen , Zhang Minghui , Mi Jie , Wang Dongyan , Xu Dongmei
Published: March 2022

Introduction: Anti-phospholipase A2 receptor antibody (PLA2R-Ab) is highly specific for primary membranous nephropathy (PMN). Here, we compare the diagnostic value of different circulating PLA2R-Ab cutoff titers in multicenter cohorts, with particular focus on determining the optimal cutoff value for Chinese patients. Methods: In total, 288 patients with PMN and 301 with other nephropathies were recruited retrospectively from five hospitals in China between September 2011 and October 2018. PLA2R-Ab in serum obtained at renal biopsy was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve of PLA2R-Ab in diagnosing PMN were assessed. Diagnostic efficiency was evaluated by internal validation. Results: The sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV, and Youden index for PMN diagnosis were 71%, 90%, 88%, 75%, and 0.61 at the cutoff of 3.8 RU/mL; 74%, 86%, 84%, 76%, and 0.60 at 2.7 RU/mL; 68%, 92%, 90%, 73%, and 0.60 at 5.2 RU/mL; 64%, 95%, 93%, 72%, and 0.59 at 9.0 RU/mL; 57%, 96%, 94%, 68%, and 0.54 at 14.0 RU/mL; 51%, 97%, 95%, 66%, and 0.49 at 20.0 RU/mL; 47%, 98%, 96%, 64%, and 0.45 at 40.0 RU/mL, respectively. The area under the ROC curve was 0.83. Conclusion: By comprehensively considering specificity and sensitivity, we show that 3.8 RU/mL is the optimal cutoff of PLA2R-Ab in Chinese PMN patients, with a sensitivity of 71% and a specificity of 90%. The cutoff values were 5.2 RU/mL and 9.0 RU/mL when the diagnostic specificity was increased to 92% and 95%, respectively.
Use of Pembrolizumab in End-Stage Renal Disease: A Case Report with Complete Response
Authors: Vitorino Marina , Santos Catarina
Published: March 2022

Second-line treatment in urothelial carcinoma is not well defined. Immunotherapy has shown good outcomes in this setting, but it has not been tested in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). We present a clinical case describing the use of pembrolizumab in a patient under hemodialysis (HD) that achieved a complete response. A 72-year-old man was diagnosed with urothelial carcinoma in 2001. Following transurethral resection of the bladder tumor, bacillus Calmette-Guérin, and mitomycin treatment, he underwent surgery in 2018. The patient required HD since surgery. A few months after surgery, there was disease progression with lung metastasis. A first-line treatment with carboplatin and gemcitabine was started, but after 5 cycles, disease progression was confirmed. It was decided to initiate second-line treatment with pembrolizumab. After 13 months of immunotherapy, a CT scan showed a complete response with total involution of lung metastasis. Immune checkpoint inhibitors are an option to second-line treatment in urothelial carcinoma. Further studies are needed to clarify the efficacy and tolerance of this therapy in ESRD patients.
Animal Model of Neonatal Immune Challenge by Lipopolysaccharide: A Study of Sex Influence in Behavioral and Immune/Neurotrophic Alterations in Juvenile Mice
Authors: Cristino Larissa Maria Frota , Chaves Filho Adriano José Maia , Custódio Charllyany Sabino , Vasconcelos Silvânia Maria Mendes , de Sousa Francisca Cléa F. , Sanders Lia Lira O. , de Lucena David Freitas , Macedo Danielle S.
Published: March 2022

Introduction: The prenatal/perinatal exposure to infections may trigger neurodevelopmental alterations that lead to neuropsychiatric disorders such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Previous evidence points to long-term behavioral consequences, such as autistic-like behaviors in rodents induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) pre- and postnatal (PN) exposure during critical neurodevelopmental periods. Additionally, sex influences the prevalence and symptoms of ASD. Despite this, the mechanisms underlying this influence are poorly understood. We aim to study sex influences in behavioral and neurotrophic/inflammatory alterations triggered by LPS neonatal exposure in juvenile mice at an approximate age of ASD diagnosis in humans. Methods: Swiss male and female mice on PN days 5 and 7 received a single daily injection of 500 μg/kg LPS from Escherichia coli or sterile saline (control group). We conducted behavioral determinations of locomotor activity, repetitive behavior, anxiety-like behavior, social interaction, and working memory in animals on PN25 (equivalent to 3–5 years old of the human). To determine BDNF levels in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus, we used animals on PN8 (equivalent to a human term infant) and PN25. In addition, we evaluated iba-1 (microglia marker), TNFα, and parvalbumin expression on PN25. Results: Male juvenile mice presented repetitive behavior, anxiety, and working memory deficits. Females showed social impairment and working memory deficits. In the neurochemical analysis, we detected lower BDNF levels in brain areas of female mice that were more evident in juvenile mice. Only LPS-challenged females presented a marked hippocampal expression of the microglial activation marker, iba-1, and increased TNFα levels, accompanied by a lower parvalbumin expression. Discussion/Conclusion: Male and female mice presented distinct behavioral alterations. However, LPS-challenged juvenile females showed the most prominent neurobiological alterations related to autism, such as increased microglial activation and parvalbumin impairment. Since these sex-sensitive alterations seem to be age-dependent, a better understanding of changes induced by the exposure to specific risk factors throughout life represents essential targets for developing strategies for autism prevention and precision therapy.
Successful Treatment with Radiation Therapy in an Older Patient with Endobronchial Schwannoma
Authors: Nishi Yoshihiro , Handa Hiroshi , Tsuruoka Hajime , Inoue Takeo , Naruki Saeko , Abe Tatsuyuki , Mineshita Masamichi
Published: March 2022

Bronchial schwannoma is extremely rare, accounting for a small percentage of benign bronchial tumors, with no determined standardized treatment. An 89-year-old woman with a persistent cough underwent CT scan which revealed a tracheal tumor. A diagnosis of endobronchial schwannoma was confirmed based on tissue obtained by high-frequency snare polypectomy. A hybrid stent was implanted in the trachea due to tumor regrowth; however, stent migration occurred, and it was removed after 1 month. Subsequently, radiation therapy was performed, and airway patency was well maintained for over 3 years. In general, surgical resection is recommended for endobronchial schwannoma; however, due to the age of this patient, resection was deemed invasive. Therefore, radiation therapy was administered as an alternative treatment.
Diagnosis and Monitoring of White Coat Hypertension in Pregnancy: an ISSHP Consensus Delphi Procedure
Authors: Johnson Sonia , Gordijn Sanne , Damhuis Stefanie , Ganzevoort Wessel , Brown Mark , von Dadelszen Peter , Magee Laura A. , Khalil Asma ,   on behalf of the ISSHP
Published: March 2022

Background:

There is no accepted definition or standardized monitoring for white coat hypertension in pregnancy. This Delphi procedure aimed to reach consensus on out-of-office blood pressure (BP) monitoring, and white coat hypertension diagnostic criteria and monitoring.

Method:

Relevant international experts completed three rounds of a modified Delphi questionnaire. For each item, the predefined cutoff for group consensus was ≥70% agreement, with 60% to 70% considered to warrant reconsideration at the subsequent round, and <60% considered insufficient to warrant consideration.

Results:

Of 230 experts, 137 completed the first round and 114 (114/137, 83.2%) completed all three. For out-of-office BP monitoring, there was consensus that home BP monitoring (HBPM) should be chosen; instructions given, pairs of BP values taken, opportunity given for women to qualify values they do not regard as valid, and BP considered evaluated when ≥25% of values are above a cutoff. For HBPM, BP should be taken at least 2 to 3 d/wk, at minimum in the morning; however, many factors may affect frequency and timing. Experts endorsed a clinic BP <140/90 mm Hg as normal. While not reaching consensus, most agreed that HBPM values should be lower than clinic BP. Among those, HBPM <135/85 mm Hg was considered normal. There was consensus that white coat hypertension warrants: HBPM at least 1 d/wk before 20 weeks, 2 to 3 d/wk after 20 weeks or if persistent hypertension develops, and symptom monitoring (ie, headache, visual symptoms, and right upper quadrant/epigastric pain).

Conclusions:

Consensus-based diagnostic criteria and monitoring strategies should inform clinical care and research, to facilitate evaluation of out-of-office BP monitoring on pregnancy outcomes.
Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms After Stroke: The Effects of Anatomy and Coping Style
Authors: Ben Assayag Einor , Tene Oren , Korczyn Amos D. , Solomon Zahava , Bornstein Natan M. , Shenhar-Tsarfaty Shani , Seyman Estelle , Niry Dana , Molad Jeremy , Hallevi Hen
Published: March 2022

Background:

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can be triggered by life-threatening medical emergencies, such as stroke. Data suggest that up to 25% of stroke survivors will develop PTSD symptomatology, but little is known about predisposing factors. We sought to examine whether neuroimaging measures and coping styles are related to PTSD symptoms after stroke.

Methods:

Participants were survivors of first-ever, mild-moderate ischemic stroke, or transient ischemic attack from the TABASCO study (Tel Aviv Brain Acute Stroke Cohort). All participants underwent a 3T magnetic resonance imaging at baseline and were examined 6, 12, and 24 months thereafter, using neurological, neuropsychological, and functional evaluations. At baseline, coping styles were evaluated by a self-reported questionnaire. PTSD symptoms were assessed using the PTSD checklist. Data were available for 436 patients.

Results:

Forty-eight participants (11%) developed probable PTSD (PTSD checklist ≥44) during the first year after the stroke/transient ischemic attack. Stroke was more likely to cause PTSD than transient ischemic attack. Stroke severity, larger white matter lesion volume, and worse hippocampal connectivity were associated with PTSD severity, while infarct volume or location was not. In a multivariate analysis, high-anxious and defensive coping styles were associated with a 6.66-fold higher risk of developing poststroke PTSD ([95% CI, 2.08–21.34];
P
<0.01) compared with low-anxious and repressive coping styles, after adjusting for age, education, stroke severity, brain atrophy, and depression.

Conclusions:

In our cohort, PTSD was a common sequela among stroke survivors. We suggest that risk factors for PTSD development include stroke severity, white matter damage, and premorbid coping styles. Early identification of at-risk patients is key to effective treatment.
Deciphering Turkey—Africa Summits
Authors: Özkan Mehmet , Orakçı Serhat
Published: March 2022

Over the last two decades, international summits have gained great importance for regional and global actors in terms of developing relations with African countries. China, India, Japan, the Unites States, European countries and Russia have conducted various summits and business forums to develop political, economic and military relations with Africa. In 2005, Turkey emerged as a new actor when its foreign policy opened up to Africa. It was a strategic partner to the African Union in 2008, has conducted two Turkey–Africa summits—in 2008 in Istanbul, and in 2014 in Malabo—and the third summit was held again in Istanbul in December 2021. This article analyses the Istanbul and Malabo declarations comprehensively to evaluate Turkey’s foreign policy discourse on Africa. Moreover, it examines Turkey’s Africa policy implementations and achievements in the continent through the lens of summits.
New Eyes for the Army
Authors: Siotto Andrea
Published: March 2022

Trench warfare pushed armies to adapt to modern warfare. This process of innovation was often driven by the troops on the front line, who tried to survive and succeed on the battlefield. Understanding the terrain, finding enemy’s positions, and hiding from his eyes have always been the basic needs of an army, and all three received much attention during the conflict. Scientists provided new tools such a sound ranging, providing means to record the position of well-hidden enemy’s batteries; photographers recorded the landscape, contributing to the tactical and strategic intelligence; and artists use their skills to develop camouflage to hide the armies from the controlling eyes of enemy observers. The contribution from the ground of these three groups changed how armies perceived the battlefield, helping the development of modern warfare.
Defining Greco-Egyptian Alchemy
Authors: Grimes Shannon
Published: March 2022

This paper was originally written for a conference panel responding to Radcliffe Edmonds’s survey of Greco-Roman magic, Drawing Down the Moon. I discuss his chapter on alchemy in light of two new books on Greco-Egyptian alchemy that were published while his manuscript was in press: my own work, Becoming Gold and Olivier Dufault’s Early Greek Alchemy, Patronage and Innovation in Late Antiquity. I explain why new definitions of Greco-Egyptian alchemy are needed and provide one at the end.
Erotic Love Magic and the Problem of Female Agency
Authors: Janowitz Naomi
Published: March 2022

Drawing Down the Moon is an outstanding contribution to the contemporary debate about ritual practices and magic. My review focuses on two intersecting points, the definition of magic as discourse in Chapter One and the analysis of “love charms and erotic curses” in Chapter Four. I begin with the second issue, the category love magic, and will return to the first, magic as discourse, at the end. I have a fairly narrow point to make about the category love magic: the modern classification incorporates but does not sufficiently analyze ancient notions of agency. On the issue of definitions of magic, Edmonds’s careful study reveals the problems of classifying rituals based on a narrow notion of discourse.
Surface Wind Responses to Mesoscale Sea Surface Temperature over Western Boundary Current Regions Assessed by Spectral Transfer Functions
Authors: Masunaga Ryusuke , Schneider Niklas
Published: March 2022

Satellite observations have revealed that mesoscale sea surface temperature (SST) perturbations can exert distinct influence on sea surface wind by modifying the overlying atmospheric boundary layer. Recently, spectral transfer functions have been shown to be useful to elucidate the wind response features. Spectral transfer functions can represent spatially lagged responses, their horizontal scale dependence, and background wind speed dependence. By adopting the transfer function analysis, the present study explores seasonality and regional differences in the wind response over the major western boundary current regions. Transfer functions estimated from satellite observations are found to be largely consistent among seasons and regions, suggesting that the underlying dominant dynamics are ubiquitous. Nevertheless, the wind response exhibits statistically significant seasonal and regional differences depending on background wind speed. When background wind is stronger (weaker) than 8.5 m s−1, the wind response is stronger (weaker) in winter than in summer. The Agulhas Retroflection region exhibits stronger wind response typically by 30% than the Gulf Stream and Kuroshio Extension regions. Although observed wind distributions are reasonably reconstructed from the transfer functions and observed SST, surface wind convergence zones along the Gulf Stream and Kuroshio Extension are underrepresented. The state-of-the-art atmospheric reanalysis and regional model represent well the structure of the transfer functions in the wavenumber space. The amplitude is, however, underestimated by typically 30%. The transfer function analysis can be adapted to many other atmospheric responses besides sea surface wind, and thus provide new insights into the climatic role of the mesoscale air–sea coupling.
Evidence of Aggregation Dependence of 5°-Scale Tropical Convective Evolution Using a Gross Moist Stability Framework
Authors: Tsai Wei-Ming , Mapes Brian E.
Published: March 2022

Spatial aggregation of deep convection and its possible role in larger-scale atmospheric behavior have received growing attention. Here we seek aggregation-correlated statistical properties of convective events in 5° × 5° boxes over the tropical Indian Ocean. Events are identified by box-averaged rainfall exceeding 5 mm day−1 at the center of a 4-day time window, and aggregation is estimated by an index [simple convective aggregation index (SCAI)] based on contiguous cold cloud areas and their geometrical distances in infrared imagery. A physical framework using gross moist stability (GMS) helps to interpret relationships between aggregation, box-scale ascent profiles, moist static energy budgets, and time evolution both within composite events and on longer time scales. For a given precipitation rate, more-aggregated events (with fewer and larger cloud objects on average) exhibit a drier area mean, greater horizontal gradient of moisture, more bottom-heavy ascent profile, and a greater prevalence of low-altitude cloud tops, especially for lower rain rates. In the GMS budget, this bottom-heavy ascent implies net energy import into the atmospheric column during the 4-day event composite. Consistently, net energy variations filtered to reveal longer time scales do indeed exhibit more-aggregated rain events in their growth phase than in their flat and decaying phases. More-aggregated scenes also have more drying by analysis than less-aggregated scenes in MERRA-2’s assimilation budgets. This suggests that parameterized convection (lacking any organization effect) is raining out less water than nature’s real, aggregated convection in such scenes.
Analysis of the Environment that Supports Easterly Waves over the Eastern Pacific and the Intra-Americas Sea in the Boreal Summer—A Potential Vorticity Perspective
Authors: Torres Victor M. , Thorncroft Chris D.
Published: March 2022

A review of the mean state over the tropical eastern Pacific (EPAC) and the Intra-Americas Sea (IAS) region is provided to assess the characteristics that impact the development and genesis of easterly waves (EWs). The EPAC–IAS region is characterized by complex topography, the Western Hemisphere warm pool, the ITCZ at 10°N, and predominant deep convection over the Panama Bight around 9°N, 78°W. A prominent easterly jet at 600 hPa of about 5.5 m s−1, is oriented approximately parallel to the Mexican coast. The jet is characterized by a strip of high potential vorticity (PV) on the cyclonic shear side and low PV on the anticyclonic side. This distribution of PV satisfies the necessary conditions for barotropic instability: the Charney–Stern condition, as well as the Fjørtoft condition. Together these conditions suggest the potential for barotropic growth of EWs over the EPAC region. The mean high PV region over the EPAC is created in association with two different populations of cloud/convection systems: stratiform and shallow, with the former being key for the creation of positive PV anomalies at midlevels. Evidence is also provided that suggests that the low PV region arises in association with sources of negative PV anomalies over the Sierra Madre region likely resulting from frequent dry convection. This is a key and novel result that is basic for the setting up of a negative meridional PV gradient and fundamental for the Charney–Stern condition associated with barotropic instability and growth of EWs.

Significance Statement

The tropical eastern Pacific is influenced by synoptic easterly waves that impact daily weather in the region and can trigger tropical cyclones. This research explores the nature of a midlevel jet that supports the development of easterly waves in this basin. The jet is established in association with moist convection over the ocean that leads to a midlevel potential vorticity maximum equatorward of the jet and, frequent dry convection over the Mexican Sierra Madre region that leads to a low-level potential vorticity minimum poleward of the jet. This finding highlights the need to better understand, and ultimately predict, these potential vorticity sources in order to better understand and predict the nature of the easterly wave developments in this region.
Observations of coherent transverse wakes in shoaling nonlinear internal waves
Authors: Lucas Andrew J. , Pinkel Robert
Published: March 2022

Space- and time-continuous seafloor temperature observations captured the three-dimensional structure of shoaling nonlinear internal waves (NLIWs) off of La Jolla, California. NLIWs were tracked for hundreds of meters in the cross- and along-shelf directions using a fiber optic Distributed Temperature Sensing (DTS) seafloor array, complemented by an ocean-wave-powered vertical profiling mooring. Trains of propagating cold-water pulses were observed on the DTS array inshore of the location of polarity transition predicted by weakly nonlinear internal wave theory. The subsequent evolution of the temperature signatures during shoaling was consistent with that of strongly nonlinear internal waves with a large Froude number, highlighting their potential to impact property exchange. Unexpectedly, individual NLIWs were trailed by a coherent, small-scale pattern of seabed temperature variability as they moved across the mid- and inner shelf. A kinematic model was used to demonstrate that the observed patterns were consistent with a transverse instability with an along-crest wavelength of ∼10 m – a distance comparable to the cross-crest width of the wave-core – and with an inferred amplitude of several meters. The signature of this instability is consistent with the span-wise vortical circulations generated in three-dimensional direct numerical simulations of shoaling and breaking nonlinear internal waves. The coupling between the small-scale transverse wave-wake and turbulent wave-core may have an important impact on mass, momentum, and tracer redistribution in the coastal ocean.
Information Content of a Synergy of Ground-Based and Space-Based Infrared Sounders. Part I: Clear-Sky Environments
Authors: Loveless David M. , Wagner Timothy J. , Knuteson Robert O. , Turner David D. , Ackerman Steven A.
Published: March 2022

Profiles of atmospheric temperature and water vapor from remotely sensed platforms provide critical observations within the temporal and spatial gaps of the radiosonde network. The 2017 National Academies of Science Decadal Survey highlighted that observations of the planetary boundary layer (PBL) from the current space-based observing system are not of the necessary accuracy or resolution for monitoring and predicting high-impact weather phenomena. One possible solution to improving observations of the PBL is supplementing the existing space-based observing system with a network of ground-based profilers. A synthetic information content study is developed utilizing profiles from the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) program sites at the Southern Great Plains (SGP), east North Atlantic (ENA), and North Slope of Alaska (NSA) to assess the benefits, in terms of degrees of freedom (DOF), vertical resolution, and uncertainties, of a synergy between the ground-based Atmospheric Emitted Radiance Interferometer (AERI) with space-based hyperspectral infrared (IR) sounders. A combination of AERI with any of the three polar-orbiting IR sounders: the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS), the Cross-track Infrared Sounder (CrIS), or the Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer (IASI), results in a DOF increase of 30%–40% in the surface-to-700-hPa layer compared to the space-based instrument alone. Introducing AERI measurements to the observing system also results in significant improvements to vertical resolution and uncertainties in the bottom 1000 m of the atmosphere compared to CrIS measurements alone. A synergy of CrIS and AERI exceeds the 1-km-vertical-resolution goal set by the Decadal Survey in the lowest 1000 m.
Operational Evaluation of a Wildfire Air Quality Model from a Forecaster Point of View
Authors: Ainslie Bruce , So Rita , Chen Jack
Published: March 2022

An evaluation of an operational wildfire air quality model (WFAQM) has been performed. Evaluation metrics were chosen through an analysis of interviews and a survey of professionals who use WFAQM forecasts as part of their daily responsibilities. The survey revealed that professional users generally focus on whether forecast air quality will exceed thresholds that trigger local air quality advisories (e.g., an event), their analysis scale is their region of responsibility, they are interested in short-term (≈24 h) guidance, missing an event is worse than issuing a false alarm, and there are two types of users—one that takes the forecast at face value, and the other that uses it as one of several information sources. Guided by these findings, model performance of Environment and Climate Change Canada’s current operational WFAQM (FireWork) was assessed over western Canada during three (2016–18) summer (May–September) wildfire seasons. Evaluation was performed at the geographic scale at which individual forecasts are issued (the forecast region) using gridded particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5) fields developed from a machine learning–based downscaling of satellite and meteorological data. For the “at face value” user group, model performance was measured using the Peirce skill score. For the “as information source” user group, model performance was measured using the divergence skill score. For this metric, forecasts were first converted to event probabilities using binomial regression. We find when forecasts are taken at face value, FireWork cannot outperform a nearest-neighbor-based persistence model. However, when forecasts are considered as an information source, FireWork is superior to the persistence-based model.
Scan-by-Scan Storm-Motion Deviations for Concurrent Tornadic and Nontornadic Supercells
Authors: Bunkers Matthew J. , Wilson Matthew B. , Van Den Broeke Matthew S. , Healey Devon J.
Published: March 2022

In this exploratory study, storm-motion deviations are examined for concurrent tornadic and nontornadic supercells using 171 cases. This deviation, or “delta,” is defined as the shear-orthogonal distance between the observed supercell motion and a baseline supercell-motion prediction. Larger deltas—representing supercells moving farther right (in a shear-relative sense) compared to the baseline prediction—are hypothesized as more likely to be associated with tornadoes than nearby supercells with smaller deltas, consistent with recent research. Automated radar tracking is used to calculate supercell motion every scan, which then is compared to a model-derived hourly supercell-motion prediction to calculate the deltas. Tornadic supercells have larger average deltas (by 1.9–2.0 m s−1) than nearby nontornadic supercells when using 20- and 30-min storm-motion calculations, and the deltas are larger for the tornadic versus nontornadic supercells ∼80% of the time. Average delta trends also are positive 62%–70% of the time prior to tornadogenesis. The supercell-motion deltas show a modest positive correlation with EF-scale damage rating, indicating a possible relationship between tornado rating and storm deviation. The relative delta differences between tornadic and nontornadic supercells appear more meaningful than the absolute delta magnitudes (i.e., about 70% of tornadic cases with negative average deltas had deltas that were less negative compared to concurrent nontornadic supercells). This concept shows promise as a potential tool to assist operational forecasters in tornado warning decisions.

Significance Statement

Supercells are rotating thunderstorms, and these storms produce the most destructive tornadoes. However, it has been challenging to forecast which supercells will produce tornadoes. In this exploratory study to help better forecast supercell tornadoes, we looked at how the observed supercell motion compared to the predicted motion, based on a commonly used method. We found tornadic supercells tend to move somewhat differently from the predicted motion—compared to nearby nontornadic supercells. This unusual movement often starts prior to tornadogenesis, potentially providing lead time to tornado formation. Pending further validation, development, and testing of real-time analysis tools, this storm-motion behavior could be used by operational forecasters as a factor to help determine when (or when not) to issue a tornado warning for a supercell thunderstorm, thus providing better information to the public.
Assessing the Deinstitutionalization of Marriage Thesis: An Experimental Test
Authors: Robbins Blaine G. , Dechter Aimée , Kornrich Sabino
Published: March 2022

This article seeks to experimentally evaluate the thesis that marriage is deinstitutionalized in the United States. To do so, we map the character of the norm about whether different-sex couples ought to marry, and we identify the extent to which the norm is strong or weak along four dimensions: polarity, whether the norm is prescriptive, proscriptive, bipolar (both prescriptive and proscriptive), or nonexistent; conditionality, whether the norm holds under all circumstances; intensity, the degree to which individuals subscribe to the norm; and consensus, the extent to which individuals share the norm. Results of a factorial survey experiment administered to a disproportionate stratified random sample of U.S. adults ( N = 1,823) indicate that the norm to marry is weak: it is largely bipolar, conditional, and of low-to-moderate intensity, with disagreement over the norm as well as the circumstances demarcating the norm. While the norm to marry is different for men and women and for Black and White respondents, the amount of disagreement (or lack of consensus) within groups is comparable between groups. We find no significant differences across socioeconomic status (education, income, and occupational class). Overall, our findings support key claims of the deinstitutionalization of marriage thesis.
Growth in emergency department self-harm or suicidal ideation presentations in young people: Comparing trends before and since the COVID-19 first wave in New South Wales, Australia
Authors: Sara Grant , Wu Jianyun , Uesi John , Jong Nancy , Perkes Iain , Knight Katherine , O’Leary Fenton , Trudgett Carla , Bowden Michael
Published: March 2022

Introduction:

Self-harm presentations in children and young people have increased internationally over the last decade. The COVID-19 pandemic has the potential to worsen these trends.

Objective:

To describe trends in emergency department self-harm or suicidal ideation presentations for children and young people in New South Wales before and since the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods:

We studied presentations for self-harm or suicidal ideation by 10- to 24-year-olds to New South Wales emergency departments, using interrupted time series analysis to compare annualised growth before COVID (2015 to February 2020) and since COVID (March 2020 to June 2021). Subgroup analyses compared age group, gender, triage category, rurality and disadvantage. Time series decomposition via generalised additive models identified long-term, seasonal and short-term trends.

Results:

Self-harm or suicidal ideation presentations by young people in New South Wales increased by 8.4% per annum pre-COVID. Growth accelerated since COVID, to 19.2% per annum, primarily due to increased presentations by females aged 13–17 years (47.1% per annum since COVID, from 290 per 10,000 in 2019 to 466 per 10,000 in 2021). Presentations in males aged 10–24 years did not increase since COVID (105.4 per 10,000 in 2019, 109.8 per 10,000 in 2021) despite growing 9.9% per annum before COVID. Presentation rates accelerated significantly in socio-economically advantaged areas. Presentations in children and adolescents were strongly linked to school semesters.

Conclusion:

Emergency department self-harm or suicidal ideation presentations by New South Wales young people grew steadily before COVID. Understanding the sustained increase remains a priority. Growth has increased since COVID particularly for adolescent females, but not among adolescent males. Surprisingly, the largest post-COVID increases in annual growth occurred in socio-economically advantaged and urban regions. The COVID-19 pandemic appears to have added new challenges, particularly in females in the developmentally critical early adolescent and teenage years.
COVID-19 Racism, Internalized Racism, and Psychological Outcomes Among East Asians/East Asian Americans
Authors: Ahn Lydia HaRim , Yang NaYeon , An Mira
Published: March 2022

The present study investigated the psychological effects of racism on East Asians and East Asian Americans (EAEAAs) living in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic using a mixed-methods approach. First, using an autoregressive cross-lagged panel analysis, we investigated the relations between COVID-19 racism, internalized racism, psychological distress, and social isolation among EAEAAs. We then examined the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on EAEAAs using consensual qualitative research-modified. Quantitative findings showed that COVID-19 racism at Time 1 was associated with greater subsequent psychological distress, and COVID-19 racism at Time 2 was associated with greater levels of subsequent psychological distress and social isolation at Time 3, suggesting that COVID-19 racism predicted psychological distress and social isolation over time. Qualitative findings highlighted the prevalence of racism towards EAEAAs and the associated negative consequences. Findings demonstrate that EAEAAs living in the United States are at great risk due to the detrimental effects of racism during COVID-19.
Social work in Azerbaijan: Achievements and challenges of the profession
Authors: Huseynli Aytakin
Published: March 2022

The professional social work in Azerbaijan started in 2005 with the Master of Social Work degree and it rapidly evolved. The article presents the findings of the study that evaluated the situation of the social work profession since its establishment. The sample size was 39 respondents. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and focus groups. The study found rapid development, institutionalization, and acceptance of social work by public agencies as achievements, and the wrong image of social work, lack of jobs for social work graduates, uninformed selection of social work by students, and low salaries for social workers as challenges.
Dying in times of COVID-19: Experiences in different care settings – An online questionnaire study among bereaved relatives (the CO-LIVE study)
Authors: Yildiz Berivan , Korfage Ida J , Witkamp Erica FE , Goossensen Anne , van Lent Liza GG , Pasman H Roeline , Onwuteaka-Philipsen Bregje D , Zee Masha , van der Heide Agnes
Published: March 2022

Background:

The COVID-19 pandemic and restricting measures have affected end-of-life care across different settings.

Aim:

To compare experiences of bereaved relatives with end-of-life care for a family member or friend who died at home, in a hospital, nursing home or hospice during the pandemic.

Design:

An open observational online survey was developed and disseminated via social media and public fora (March–July 2020). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and logistic regression analyses.

Participants:

Individuals who lost a family member or friend in the Netherlands during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Results:

The questionnaire was filled out by 393 bereaved relatives who lost a family member or friend at home ( n =  68), in a hospital ( n =  114), nursing home ( n =  176) or hospice ( n =  35). Bereaved relatives of patients who died in a hospital most often evaluated medical care (79%) as sufficient, whereas medical care (54.5%) was least often evaluated as sufficient in nursing homes. Emotional support for relatives was most often evaluated as sufficient at home (67.7%) and least often in nursing homes (40.3%). Sufficient emotional support for relatives was associated with a higher likelihood to rate the place of death as appropriate. Bereaved relatives of patients who died at a place other than home and whose care was restricted due to COVID-19 were less likely to evaluate the place of death as appropriate.

Conclusion:

End-of-life care during the COVID-19 pandemic was evaluated least favourably in nursing homes. The quality of emotional support for relatives and whether care was restricted or not were important for assessing the place of death as appropriate.
Learning about Pay at Work: A Labour Process Approach to Pay Transparency
Authors: Tse Fuk Ying
Published: March 2022

Using a labour process approach, this article examines how workers in three factories in China learnt about the workplace-level pay systems governing their employment relationships. By outlining the processes through which workers learnt about pay at work, this article sheds light on how workers, faced with a perplexing variable pay system and managerial control over pay disclosure, can overcome the pathways towards ignorance and ultimately challenge the workplace-level pay communication regime. It is shown that pay transparency, rather than being merely an outcome of managerial practices to improve employee motivation and organisational performance, is an outcome of dynamic and contested social interactions between management and labour.
Neural network-based air handling control for modern diesel engines
Authors: Peng Qian , Huo Da , Hall Carrie M
Published: March 2022

Complex air handling systems, featuring technologies such as exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) and variable geometry turbochargers (VGTs), are commonly used in modern diesel engines to meet stringent emissions and fuel economy requirements. The control of diesel air handling systems with EGR and VGTs is challenging because of their nonlinearity and coupled dynamics. In this paper, artificial neural networks (ANNs) and recurrent neural networks (RNNs) are applied to control the low pressure (LP) EGR valve position and VGT vane position simultaneously on a light-duty multi-cylinder diesel engine. Intake manifold pressure (IMP) and air-fuel equivalence ratio, or [Formula: see text], are selected as the control objectives since they directly impact engine emissions and cylinder power output. Meanwhile both signals are available on production engines, so no additional hardware costs for measurement systems will be introduced. Both transient and steady state experimental data are separately used to train the two categories of neural networks (NNs). The NNs with minimum mean square error (MSE) for the training data sets are compared to conventional proportional-integral (PI) control and model predictive control (MPC). The most accurate NN controller has almost no overshoot during the transient process while the steady state error [Formula: see text] and IMP are at most 7.0% and 3.8%, respectively, under a wide range of engine speeds from 2500 to 4000 rpm, thus showing the potential of this approach.
Adaptive discrete-time NN controller design for automobile steer-by-wire systems with angular velocity observer
Authors: Wang Yunlong , Liu Yan , Wang Yongfu
Published: March 2022

As one of steering systems, the steer-by-wire (SbW) system plays a significant role in the automobile. This paper investigates the study of the adaptive discrete-time neural network (NN) steering tracking control of the SbW system based on angular velocity observer. First, the continuous second-order SbW system is discretized by the Euler approximation approach. Before the control design, an adaptive discrete-time angular velocity observer is constructed to estimate the value of angular velocity signal. Then, an adaptive discrete-time control via a backstepping scheme is proposed to achieve the exact steering tracking performance, where the unknown nonlinear function, as well as the control coefficient, are incorporated into the lumped uncertainty and approximated by one NN. The main advantages of the proposed control scheme can be concluded that: (1) without using the exact prior knowledge of system uncertainty and angular position signal, the discrete-time tracking control is achieved and (2) the noncausal problem is overcome without transforming the original system into a predictor form. Finally, the Lyapunov stability theory shows that the tracking error converges to a small neighborhood of zero. Simulations and experiments illustrate the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed adaptive discrete-time NN control.
Integrated design of adaptive fault-tolerant control for non-minimum phase hypersonic flight vehicle system with input saturation and state constraints
Authors: Wang Le , Qi Ruiyun , Peng Zhiyu
Published: March 2022

In this paper, for the six-degree-of-freedom (six-DOF) model of hypersonic flight vehicle (HFV) subject to actuator faults, state constraints, parametric uncertainties, and external disturbances, an adaptive fault tolerant control (FTC) scheme is proposed based on barrier Lyapunov functions (BLFs). The study is begun with a series of control-oriented manipulations: at first, due to the high complexity of the six-DOF model, the corresponding simplified model is proposed under reasonable assumptions; then, through the stability analysis of the internal dynamics, we can conclude that the vehicle model is a non-minimum phase system, namely, having unacceptable zero-dynamics. In order to solve the non-minimum phase problem, the elevator-to-lift coupling term is regarded as uncertainty of the model. Subsequently, in consideration of the insufficient control torque caused by the fault of the rudder or elevators, an adaptive fault-tolerant controller is designed based on BLFs, backstepping method, and Nussbaum gains. In the control law, the uncertain parameters are replaced by their estimates updated by adaptive laws. And the angle of attack and the roll angle of the aircraft are constrained in the preset range. Additionally, the convergence of the proposed FTC algorithm and the boundedness of all the signals of the closed system is proved by Lyapunov stability theory. At last, the numerical simulation results of the six-DOF model are carried out to manifest the effective tracking performance of the proposed FTC scheme.
CPG-based generation strategy of variable rhythmic chewing movements for a dental testing chewing robot
Authors: Qin Wenlong , Cong Ming , Liu Dong , Ren Xiang , Du Yu
Published: March 2022

The rhythmic chewing movement pattern is dynamically reshaped to adapt to a variable chewing environment. The variance affects the wear performance of dental prostheses. This study was aimed to generate these variable rhythmic chewing movements for dental testing equipment. A six-axis parallel chewing robot DUT-2 was adopted as the dental testing equipment. Four variances were extracted from the rhythmic movement, including period, offset, amplitude, and mode. The relevant movement cases, including gradually accelerating movement, gradually increasing movement, gradually shrinking movement, and bilateral movement, were designed. Then, a central pattern generator (CPG) model based on morphed phase oscillators was proposed. According to the coupling feature of the rhythmic movements, the specific modulation method of the CPG model was provided for these movements. The simulated incisor trajectory was outputted by importing the driving amplitudes from the CPG model to the virtual prototype of the chewing robot. The bite force (considering two-body and three-body contacts) was analyzed by writing the driving amplitudes into the motion controller of the chewing robot’s physical prototype. The relative errors of offset and amplitude in the z-direction were 4.14% and 0.74%, respectively. The transition was smooth around the turning point during the gradually increasing movement and bilateral movement. For two-body contact, the average relative error and bias of the maximum bite force were 4.15% and 1.08%, respectively. The food involvement decreased the accuracies to 13.18% and 2.50%, respectively. The CPG model supplies a bionic and explicit approach for generating the variable rhythmic chewing movements. The variable movements related to chewing preferences and food properties could be replicated. Besides, the high repeatability of the maximum bite force is beneficial for running the repetitive wear tests. Finally, the CPG model makes it possible to study the influence of the variance on wear performance.
Review of portable near infrared spectrometers: Current status and new techniques
Authors: Zhu Chenxi , Fu Xiaping , Zhang Jianyi , Qin Kai , Wu Chuanyu
Published: March 2022

Near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy is a non-destructive detection technology involving NIR spectral data acquisition and chemometric treatment. The use of an NIR spectrometer is evidently crucial in this regard; however, traditional benchtop NIR spectrometers considerably limit usage scenarios. Accordingly, the miniaturization of spectrometers with high level performance has become a research trend. Various commercial products have been developed, and new techniques have been applied to produce more portable NIR spectrometers. This paper reviews the main types of commercial portable NIR spectrometers and summarizes as well as compares their specifications. Moreover, new techniques for promoting miniaturization and the prospects for future development are introduced.
Book review: Prabhat Kumar, Public Service Ethics—A Quest for Naitik Bharat
Authors: Mitra Baishali
Published: March 2022

Prabhat Kumar, Public Service Ethics—A Quest for Naitik Bharat. IC Centre for Governance, 2021, 225 pp.
Book review: Walter Isaacson. 2021. The Code Breaker
Authors: Srivastava Samir K
Published: March 2022

Walter Isaacson. 2021. The Code Breaker. Simon & Schuster Ltd, pp. 536, ₹899, ISBN: 978-1-3985-0231-4 (Hardcover).