bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Uncommon Manifestations in Tuberculosis
Authors: Singh Jitendra , Dinkar Anju , Gupta Poonam
Published: April 2023

Background:

Despite being given the best by the health department to eradicate the disease, an alarming rise of tuberculosis (TB) remains a significant public health concern in India. Recently, highly variable clinical manifestations of TB have been reported. This study highlights the unusual presentations of TB with a comprehensive overview of epidemiology, demography and risk factors in the expended clinical spectrum of TB patients and their outcomes.

Methods:

It is a retrospective study using the records of 503 TB patients of all age groups of either sex from July 2017 to January 2021 at two tertiary care hospitals in North India.

Results:

Out of 503 cases, pulmonary, extrapulmonary, and disseminated TB were 77.7%, 19.5%, and 2.8%, respectively. Among all TB cases, 36 (7.2%) had uncommon manifestations, including the most common was pyrexia of unknown origin in 12 (33.3%) cases and liver abscess in 5 (13.9%) cases, followed by pancytopenia in 4 (11.1%) cases and chyluria in 3 (8.3%) cases. Atypical skin nodules and multiple swellings were also noted in three (8.3%) cases. Male sex (58%) and rural area (66.7%) were dominant in TB with uncommon manifestation (TBU) cases. The mean age in TBU cases was 46.92 years, whereas 34.26 years in all TB cases. It was extremely significant. The statistically significant risk factors in the TBU case were low socioeconomic status (24, 66.7%), inadequate nutrition (11, 30.6%), and smoking (19, 52.8%).

Conclusions:

Early recognition of uncommon presentations is imperative to respond better.
Development and Feasibility Testing of a Brief Yoga Module on Well-being and Cognition of Postgraduate Mental Healthcare Students in Tertiary Settings
Authors: Hakkim Adil , Jagannathan Aarti , Bhargav Hemant , Jasti Nishitha , Varambally Shivarama , Gangadhar Bangalore N
Published: April 2023

Background:

Mental health-care students experience stress and burnout during their training period. Yoga has been found to be helpful in improving one's mental health and well-being.

Aim:

The aim of this study is to develop and test the feasibility of a brief yoga module for postgraduate mental health-care students.

Methods:

Amixed method design was used. Phase 1 involved development and validation of the yoga module using the qualitative exploratory method. Phase II tested the feasibility of the module on a sample of 28 first-year postgraduate students. These students participated in a 15-day (30 min/day) brief yoga module for improving their well-being and cognition (mirror neuron activation [MNA] and tower of London task as assessed on day 0, day 15 (2 weeks), and day 30 (4 weeks). Qualitative feedback of the student volunteers was also recorded.

Results:

Significant improvement in the well-being scores was observed in the students who adhered to the yoga practice after 2 weeks and 4 weeks. Functional near infra-red spectroscopy (fNIRS) data indicated that adherents showed significant activation of left somatosensory region of the brain and deactivation in the right primary somatosensory region during the static and active phase of the MNA task, respectively. Adherent group showed significant improvement in reaction time during “Zero-Moves” tasks of Tower of London. The qualitative thematic analysis showed that the module helped improve the well-being and mental health of the students.

Conclusion:

The yoga program was found to have high need and medium to high feasibility. A systemic integration of student well-being-oriented interventions including yoga in the curriculum of postgraduate mental health-care courses is advocated.
Bioassay for total serum bioactivity of Atractylodes lancea
Authors: Na-Bangchang Kesara , Cheoymang Anurak , Muhamad Nadda , Kulma Inthuon
Published: April 2023

The study aimed to establish a bioassay for total bioactivity of Atractylodes
lancea (AL) in human serum samples. Inhibition of bacterial growth (Staphylococcus
aureus ATCC 25923) was assessed using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. The calibration curve (0, 0.39, 0.78, 1.56, 3.13, 2.56, and 50 ng/ml) was linear with correlation coefficients >0.990. The limit of quantification (LOQ) was 1.66 mg/ml using 20-ml serum sample. The developed bioassay method meets the standard of the bioanalytical method for determination of serum bioactivity of AL.
Utility of Handheld Ultrasound Performed by Cardiology Fellows in Patients Presenting with Suspected ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction
Authors: Samaeekia Ravand , Jolly George , Marais Ryan , Amini Reza , Abramov Dmitry , Abudayyeh Islam
Published: April 2023

Background:

In academic hospitals, cardiology fellows may be the first point of contact for patients presenting with suspected ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) or acute coronary syndrome (ACS). In this study, we sought to determine the role of handheld ultrasound (HHU) in patients with suspected acute myocardial injury (AMI) when used by fellows in training, its association with the year of training in cardiology fellowship, and its influence on clinical care.

Methods:

This prospective study's sample population comprised patients who presented to the Loma Linda University Medical Center Emergency Department with suspected acute STEMI. On-call cardiology fellows performed bedside cardiac HHU at the time of AMI activation. All patients subsequently underwent standard transthoracic echocardiography (TTE). The impact of the detection of wall motion abnormalities (WMAs) on HHU in regard to clinical decision-making, including whether the patient would undergo urgent invasive angiography, was also evaluated.

Results:

Eighty-two patients (mean age: 65 years, 70% male) were included. The use of HHU by cardiology fellows resulted in a concordance correlation coefficient of 0.71 (95% confidence interval: 0.58–0.81) between HHU and TTE for left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), and a concordance correlation coefficient of 0.76 (0.65–0.84) for wall motion score index. Patients with WMA on HHU were more likely to undergo invasive angiogram during hospitalization (96% vs. 75%, P < 0.01). The time interval between the performance of HHU to initiation of cardiac catheterization (time-to-cath) was shorter in patients with abnormal versus normal HHU examinations (58 ± 32 min vs. 218 ± 388 min, P = 0.06). Finally, among patients who underwent angiography, those with WMA were more likely to undergo angiography within 90 min of presentation (96% vs. 66%, P < 0.001).

Conclusion:

HHU can be reliably used by cardiology fellows in training for measurement of LVEF and assessment of wall motion abnormalities, with good correlation to findings obtained via standard TTE. HHU-identified WMA at first contact was associated with higher rates of angiography as well as sooner angiography compared to patients without WMA.
Prospective cohort study investigating quality of life outcomes following multi-speciality robotic-assisted surgery
Authors: Li Ang , Stanislaus Christina T. , Steffens Daniel , McBride Kate E. , Leslie Scott , Thanigasalam Ruban , Cunich Michelle
Published: April 2023

Introduction:

Despite recent evidence on the surgical outcomes of robotic-assisted surgery (RAS), other patient centre outcomes, including quality of life (QOL), are lacking. This study aims to examine changes in QoL trajectories following RAS across different surgical specialities.

Patients and Methods:

A prospective cohort study was conducted for patients undergoing urologic, cardiothoracic, colorectal or benign gynaecological RAS, between June 2016 and January 2020 at a tertiary referral hospital in Australia. QoL was measured using the 36-item Short-Form Health Survey at pre-operative, 6 weeks and 6 months postoperatively. Physical and mental summary scores and utility index were primary outcomes, and sub-domains were secondary outcomes.

Statistical Analysis Used:

Mixed-effects linear regressions were used to determine changes in QoL trajectories.

Results:

Of the 254 patients undergoing RAS, 154 underwent urologic, 36 cardiothoracic, 24 colorectal and 40 benign gynaecological surgery. Overall, the average age was 58.8 years and most patients were male (75.1%). Physical summary scores significantly decreased from pre-operative to 6 weeks’ post-operative in urologic and colorectal RAS; with all surgical specialities at least returning to pre-operative levels within 6 months postoperatively. Mental summary scores consistently increased from pre-operative to 6 months postoperatively for colorectal and gynaecological RAS.

Conclusions:

RAS contributed to positive changes in QoL, with physical health returning to the pre-operative level and mental health improvements across specialities, in the short term. While degrees of post-operative changes varied amongst specialities, significant improvements demonstrate benefits in RAS.
La comunicación, en proyectos de promoción y protección de la salud en Costa Rica
Authors: Colón Peña Arama
Published: April 2023

Costa Rica es un país democrático y de respeto a los derechos humanos, con cincuenta años sin ejército. Además del crecimiento económico y estabilidad del sistema político, presenta significativos avances en el plano social. Es reconocido mundialmente por su lucha a favor de la conservación de los recursos ambientales, y goza de un 6% de toda la biodiversidad del planeta, a pesar de tener tan solo 51,000 Km cuadrados de superficie.
Intranasal antihistamines in the treatment of idiopathic non-allergic rhinitis: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Khoueir N , Khalaf M G , Assily R , Rassi S , Hamad W A
Published: April 2023

Background: Idiopathic rhinitis (IR), previously known as vasomotor rhinitis (VMR), is the most common type of non-allergic rhinitis (NAR) which affects around 100 million people worldwide. The treatment of patients with IR is not standardized. Intranasal antihistamines (INAH) are potent drugs in the treatment of allergic rhinitis but are frequently prescribed in the treatment of IR. This systematic review of the literature and meta-analysis aims to assess the effects of INAH on IR. Methodology: A comprehensive review of the literature was conducted on Medline, Embase and Cochrane library. Randomized, controlled trials and non-randomized comparative parallel group trials comparing INAH to placebo or different INAHs were included. The primary outcome was the change in disease specific quality of life questionnaires, total nasal symptom score (TNSS). The secondary outcomes were other reported nasal symptom scores, individual symptom scores and adverse events. Results: Six trials out of 987 assessing a total of 675 participants were deemed relevant for inclusion. Compared to placebo, INAH decreased total nasal symptom scores. One study also reported reduction of symptoms recorded on a visual analogue scale. There was no difference between the INAHs in terms of efficacy. Bitter taste sensation was the most frequently reported adverse event. Conclusions: INAHs seem to have benefit over placebo on nasal symptoms improvement in the treatment of NAR. No superiority between INAHs was identified.
On the sum of Gaussian martingale and an independent fractional Brownian motion
Authors: Belfadli Rachid , Chadad Mounir , Erraoui Mohammed
Published: April 2023

В том же контексте, что и в основополагающей работе П. Черидито "Mixed fractional Brownian motion" (2001 г.), мы изучаем семимартингальное свойство суммы некоторого гауссовского мартингала и независимого дробного броуновского движения с параметром Хeрста $H\in(0,1)$. В то же время мы подчеркиваем, что марковское свойство утрачивается, даже если мартингал им обладает.
Асимптотика моментов численностей частиц в вершинах для надкритического ветвящегося случайного блуждания на периодическом графе
Authors: Platonova Mariya V , Ryadovkin K S
Published: April 2023

Рассматривается надкритическое симметричное ветвящееся случайное блуждание по многомерному графу с непрерывным временем и источниками генерации частиц, расположенными периодически. Получена логарифмическая асимптотика для моментов численностей частиц в каждой вершине графа при $t\to\infty$.
Main developments in abuse of dominance enforcement in the EU (November 2020–October 2022)
Authors: Kjølbye Lars , Malamataris Christos , Wileur John
Published: April 2023

This article provides an overview of the main developments in abuse of dominance enforcement in the EU between November 2020 and October 2022. The EU Court judgments and European Commission decisions adopted in the past two years discussed fundamental principles in the application of Article 102 TFEU, with a particular focus on the digital/tech sector and regulated industries with former statutory monopolies. The judgments and decisions concern a wide range of practices, including access to essential facilities, exclusivity, leveraging, and excessive pricing.
Independent energy: how stakeholders work together to find common solutions
Authors: Krieger Michael
Published: April 2023

This article traces the German path that was found after the so-called Red Kite verdict of 2018. The federal and state governments are working together with the relevant stakeholders on solutions to put the approval of wind turbines – it is primarily about the species protection test – on a broader footing. The process was initiated in 2019 and is currently still in progress. The last work is currently being done by the Probabilistic Working Group, which will be discussed in more detail later. The aspect of the increase in the risk of death of specially protected species on wind turbines, to be assessed using probabilistic methods, is a new issue in the debate and therefore represents a decisive moment in the joint development.
Assessing the design and the outcome of the new renewable electricity auctions in Spain
Authors: del Río Pablo , Kiefer Christoph P.
Published: April 2023

Similarly to other countries in the EU, Spain has very ambitious renewable electricity targets for the 2030 timeframe. According to its National Climate and Energy Plan, 74% of electricity will have to be generated from renewable electricity sources. This means that around 60 GW of new renewable electricity capacity (mostly wind and solar PV) will have to be deployed in the next decade, which will certainly be a challenge. Auctions are the main instrument to reach those targets. A radically different design of the auctions was adopted in 2020 and already four auctions have been conducted with the new design. Based on an analysis of official data and secondary sources, the aim of this article is to assess the main design features and the outcome of those auctions. The design of the auction is considered to be appropriate. However, the ex-ante effectiveness of the auction has decreased over the auction rounds. Similarly, support cost efficiency was very high in the first auction and decreased over auction rounds (higher bid prices) due to the higher costs of materials, logistics and financing. Finally, technological and actor diversity have been low in most auctions.
Responsabilidad Diversión Autoestima como Predictor de la Satisfacción en la clase de Educación Física
Authors: Valdivieso Guamán Darwin Armando , Jarrín Navas Santiago Alejandro , Romero Frómeta Edgardo
Published: April 2023

La Educación Física (EF) es una asignatura académica que está inmersa en el diseño curricular de todos los países, generando un aporte significativo y fundamental al desarrollo de las habilidades y destrezas del estudiante, adquiriendo hábitos y actitudes personales que permiten la integración en la sociedad. El presente estudio tiene como objetivo, determinar la influencia de la responsabilidad diversión autoestima como predictor de la satisfacción en la clase de EF, por medio de encuestas a los estudiantes de la Unidad Educativa del Milenio Arutam del cantón El Pangui. El estudio tiene un enfoque cuantitativo, de tipo descriptivo no experimental y de corte transversal. La muestra fueron 203 estudiantes, distribuidos en diferentes años de educación, 8vo EBG (n= 15), 9no EBG (n= 37), 10mo EBG (n= 38), 1er BGU (n= 48), 2do BGU (n= 41) y 3er BGU (n= 21), de los cuales 114 son mujeres, 89 varones, con edades comprendidas entre 12 a los 17 años. Se aplicó encuestas para la recolección de datos. Los resultados mostraron una buena correlación de las variables con significancia positiva. Se concluye que la responsabilidad, diversión y autoestima considerados como metas sociales, son determinantes para aumentar la satisfacción, por lo cual el docente deberá aplicar en las clases métodos, estrategias y actividades innovadoras, para el fortalecimiento de los mismos, y así mantener un buen clima motivacional en sus clases, garantizando aprendizajes significativos en todo el alumnado.
Productivity and nutritional value of common beans with organic fertilization in Durango,
Mexico
Authors: Ortiz-Sánchez Ixchel , Gamero-Posada Erika , Nava-Berumen Cynthia , Valdez-Ortega Sonia , Alaniz-Villanueva Oscar
Published: April 2023

Biofertilizers help to increase crop yields and nutritional quality, reducing the use of agrochemicals that affect ecosystems and human health. The objective of this study was to evaluate the yield and nutritional value of the Pinto Rarámuri variety bean, under an organic fertilization scheme in rainfed conditions in Durango, Mexico. Sowing was carried out in open fields in Villa Montemorelos, Durango, using a randomized complete block design with six treatments [manure tea (tea), sewage sludge (sludge), super lean (lean), commercial organic fertilizer (foc), chemical fertilizer (fqf) and control] five repetitions, 30 plots and five plants per plot as experimental unit. The variables were: emergence percentage, height and pods per plant, seeds per pod, seed thickness and length, weight of 100 seeds, yield, crude fiber percentage, protein, ash, fat, and nitrogen-free extract. A two-way analysis of variance and Tukey's comparison of means (p ≤ 0.05) were performed. The treatments showed statistical difference, the highest yield and weight of 100 seeds was presented by sludge, fqf and foc; while the highest number of pods and plant height was obtained by sludge and fqf. The lowest yield, pods per plant, seeds per pod and plant height were observed in control. The nutritional value presented statistical equality between treatments. The use of organic fertilization is a sustainable alternative to increase bean productivity in the state of Durango, without disturbing its nutritional quality.
Greek Art Music in Greece’s Schools: A Socio-Cultural Research Based on Content Analysis and Educators’ Interviews
Authors: Vlachadi Maria , Kalopana Magdalini , Argyriadis Alexandros
Published: April 2023

Music, as a subject of primary and secondary formal education, is described in the Curriculum and is consisting of educational material and teaching practices. Inclusion of all three distinct music categories –art, traditional and popular–both domestic and western is a current bibliographical matter with cultural and social correlations. Focusing on Greek Schools of Primary and Secondary Education as a case study, research of mixed methods was conducted, to depict both material and practices, regarding their inclusion to music categories. In the first part of the research, the educational material was indexed quantitatively (content analysis) and triangulated qualitatively (critical content analysis). The results of the first part identified the questions of the second part: a qualitative interview survey –including quantitative triangulation– on teaching practices for music teachers. The results of the first and the second part of the research correspond to a considerable extent, proving that the educational material identifies the content and the practice of the educational process. The three distinct music categories –art, traditional and popular– are contained in different quotas in the educational material and the teaching practices. The works of Greek art music constitute the minority of quotations, while the place of art music is occupied by Western art music. In fact, Greek music is approached through traditional and popular songs, with the latter often being confused with art creation. Further interpretation of the research results through Bourdieu’s theory highlights cultural extensions which reproduce the structure of the Greek society.
Environmental Quality, Energy Consumption and Economic Growth: Evidence from Selected African Countries
Authors: Olaoye Olugbenga
Published: April 2023

This study examines the nexus between environmental quality, energy consumption and growth performance between 1981 and 2019 in selected African Countries. The study adopts the Co-integration analytical technique based on the framework of FMOLS and DOLS to analyse the panel data. The empirical finding shows that environmental quality (CO2 Emission) positively and significantly impacts economic growth in Africa. Similarly, energy consumption impacts economic growth positively and significantly. Also, the interaction of environmental quality and energy consumption positively and significantly propel economic growth. The FMOL evidence indicates that all the key variables are significant at 1% critical value. Therefore, the study recommends that African countries be committed to sustainable measures towards sustainable economic growth and development based on Africa's aspiration by 2063 to attain growth and a quality environment.
 
Received: 27 February 2023 | Revised: 11 April 2023 | Accepted: 21 April 2023
 
Conflicts of Interest
The author declares that he has no conflicts of interest to this work.
 
Data Availability Statement
Data sharing not applicable – no new data generated.
Solar based EV Charging Station using RFID
Authors: Mr. Prajwal Devendra Thakare  , Mr. Harshal Chakrahdar Shegokar  , Ms. Revati Keshav Borde
Published: April 2023

A new and emerging technology in the electricity and transportation industries, electric vehicles offer numerous advantages from both an economic and environmental standpoint. This study provides a thorough analysis of different types of electric vehicles, as well as the accessories that go with them, including battery chargers and charging stations. Comparing the electric range, battery size, charger power, and charging time of commercial and prototype electric vehicles is done. The different kinds of electric car charging stations and industry standards have been described, and the effects of electric vehicle charging on utility distribution networks have also been covered.
Bayesian D-Optimal Design of Experiments with Quantitative and Qualitative Responses
Authors: Kang Lulu , Deng Xinwei , Jin Ran
Published: April 2023

Systems with both quantitative and qualitative responses are widely encountered in many applications. Design of experiment methods are needed when experiments are conducted to study such systems. Classic experimental design methods are unsuitable here because they often focus on one type of response. In this paper, we develop a Bayesian D-optimal design method for experiments with one continuous and one binary response. Both noninformative and conjugate informative prior distributions on the unknown parameters are considered. The proposed design criterion has meaningful interpretations regarding the D-optimality for the models for both types of responses. An efficient point-exchange search algorithm is developed to construct the local D-optimal designs for given parameter values. Global D-optimal designs are obtained by accumulating the frequencies of the design points in local D-optimal designs, where the parameters are sampled from the prior distributions. The performances of the proposed methods are evaluated through two examples.
An evaluation into Nambiti Private Game Reserve as a tourism contributor towards socio-economic sustainable development of local communities
Authors:   , Simphiwe Sandile Justice Dladla
Published: April 2023

This study focuses on the contribution of the Nambiti Private Game Reserve as a tourism attraction towards improving the welfare of the local community of Cremin through a socio-economic sustainable development. The primary focus of tourism growth is to make the most of socio-economic gain amongst the neighboring communities. This is however not always the case as most rural communities adjacent to private game reserve, national parks and heritage sites are among the least developed communities in the Republic South Africa. it is, therefore, necessary for this study to examine and evaluate whether rural communities residing near private game reserves, heritage sites and national parks are benefiting socially and economically. The purpose of this study is to determine if Nambiti Private Game Reserve has an important responsibility in social and economic sustainable development of Cremin community. For purpose of this study, both qualitative and quantitative methods of research are applied in a form of a case study approach. The benefits of using a qualitative approach involve that of collecting more in-depth information from respondents which enables the researcher to examine respondent’s experience in detail through research tools such as the semi-structured interviews, whereas quantitative research generates statistics using large-scale survey research using tools such as questionnaires with closed-ended questions. The study was undertaken to examine the contribution of the Nambiti Private Game Reserve towards ensuring that the welfare of the Cremin community is improved socially and economically. This study was conducted in the Cremin region which had a total number of 21 households as of 2006 which than grew to 58 households with a population of 174 in 2016 (STASSA, 2011). The Cremin region falls under the uThukela District in Klipriver and is 25 kilometers from Ladysmith, Kwazulu-Natal. This study plays a key role in the exposition of the contribution of the Nambiti Private Game Reserve to emancipate the community while at the same time it reveals challenges that are faced by all the concerned stakeholders especially the Nambiti Private Game Reserve authorities to achieve the principles of sustainable development of the local community of Cremin.
Inteligencia artificial como estrategia de innovación en empresas de servicios
Authors: Pérez González Álvaro René , Villegas Estévez Cristina Jaqueline , Cabascango Jaramillo MSc. Janeth Carolina , Soria Flores Edwing Rolando
Published: April 2023

Es inconcebible el mundo actual sin avances tecnológicos. Uno de los más importantes y que tendrá un tremendo impacto en el presente y en el futuro es la inteligencia artificial. En el sector de las empresas de servicios, se realizó una revisión bibliográfica de artículos científicos, libros y revistas. Como resultado se pudo apreciar la tendencia mundial en la aplicación de las técnicas de inteligencia artificial y su repercusión en las distintas ramas de los servicios apreciándose cuanto se ha avanzado en su implementación y dándonos una idea lo más clara posible de los retos que faltan por vencer.
Rendimiento académico y problemas conductuales de los estudiantes de octavo año de educación básica
Authors: Poaquiza Poaquiza Ángel Patricio , Espín Miniguano Anita  Dalila , Torres Carrillo Silvia Susana
Published: April 2023

La investigación pretende examinar los problemas conductuales de estudiantes de educación básica como causantes del bajo rendimiento académico, estos se derivan de componentes en la instrucción formativa, la familia y los cambios del escolar. Se ocupó un enfoque cuantitativo, una indagación de campo y bibliográfica, asimismo, se obtuvo una muestra de 100 alumnos de octavo año de la Unidad Educativa Pedro Fermín Cevallos. Los resultados principales indican que los estudiantes cumplen con sus actividades correctamente y en un estado de concentración, que las estrategias de enseñanza-aprendizaje impartidas por los docentes permiten una evaluación adecuada y que existen comportamientos de maltrato entre compañeros. Se concluye que la conducta se ve afectada por la adaptabilidad del alumnado, si este se desenvuelve en un entorno escolar inadecuado puede presentar dificultades en su educación.
Considerations of Access and Inclusion in Adolescent Eating Disorder Care: A Custom Rapid Report
Authors: Herington Elijah , Butcher Robyn , MacDougall Danielle
Published: April 2023

This custom rapid report provides insight into some challenges of equitable access to and inclusion in specialized eating disorder care for racialized, LGBTQ2S+, and male adolescents living with distress related to body image, eating, and food. To do this work, the author of this custom report engaged with empirical and conceptual literature around adolescent eating disorders and investigates how access and inclusion have been conceptualized in that literature.

Equitable access to specialized and inclusive eating disorder care for racialized, LGBTQ2S+, and male adolescents can be hampered by reductive understandings of these adolescents’ needs and experiences of distress around eating and body image. Similarly, diagnostic categories, diagnostic assessment tools, and treatments designed with and for the archetype of the young, white, cisgender woman living with an eating disorder, reduce the understanding of adolescents not fitting this archetype. Cultural competency training and practising cultural humility were both described as supportive elements in working toward providing equitable access to inclusive eating disorder care.

A series of sensitizing questions are provided at the end of this report and are meant to support the CADTH team in remaining attentive to considerations of equity of access and inclusivity as they assess early intervention programs for adolescents living with eating disorders in an upcoming health technology assessment.
Alternative Therapies to Immunoglobulin for Multifocal Motor Neuropathy
Authors: Tran Khai , Horton Jennifer
Published: April 2023

We did not find any evidence regarding the clinical effectiveness and safety of alternative treatments to IV Immunoglobulin (IVIg) compared to IVIg or placebo for multifocal motor neuropathy that met our inclusion criteria for this review.

We did not find any evidence-based guidelines regarding the use of alternative treatments to IVIg for multifocal motor neuropathy that met the criteria for this review.
The SPARC water vapour assessment II: Biases and drifts of water vapour satellite data records with respect to frost point hygrometer records
Authors: Kiefer Michael , Hurst Dale F. , Stiller Gabriele P. , Lossow Stefan , Vömel Holger , Anderson John , Azam Faiza , Bertaux Jean-Loup , Blanot Laurent , Bramstedt Klaus , Burrows John P. , Damadeo Robert , Dinelli Bianca Maria , Eriksson Patrick , García-Comas Maya , Gille John C. , Hervig Mark , Kasai Yasuko , Khosrawi Farahnaz , Murtagh Donal , Nedoluha Gerald E. , Noël Stefan , Raspollini Piera , Read William G. , Rosenlof Karen H. , Rozanov Alexei , Sioris Christopher E. , Sugita Takafumi , von Clarmann Thomas , Walker Kaley A. , Weigel Katja
Published: April 2023

Abstract. Satellite data records of stratospheric water vapour have been compared to balloon-borne frost point hygrometer (FP) profiles that are coincident in space and time. The satellite data records of 15 different instruments cover water vapour data available from January 2000 through December 2016. The hygrometer data are from 27 stations all over the world in the same period. For the comparison, real or constructed averaging kernels have been applied to the hygrometer profiles to adjust them to the measurement characteristics of the satellite instruments. For bias evaluation, we have compared satellite profiles averaged over the available temporal coverage to the means of coincident FP profiles for individual stations. For drift determinations, we analyzed timeseries of relative differences between spatiotemporally coincident satellite and hygrometer profiles at individual stations. In a synopsis we have also calculated the mean biases and drifts (and their respective uncertainties) for each satellite record over all applicable hygrometer stations in three altitude ranges (10–30 hPa, 30–100 hPa, and 100 hPa to tropopause). Most of the satellite data have biases < 10 % and average drifts < 1 % yr−1 in at least one of the respective altitude ranges. Virtually all biases are significant in the sense that their uncertainty range in terms of twice the standard error of the mean does not include zero. Statistically significant drifts (95 % confidence) are detected for 35 % of the ~1200 timeseries of relative differences between satellites and hygrometers.
Spatiotemporal investigation of wet–cold compound events in Greece
Authors: Markantonis Iason , Vlachogiannis Diamando , Sfetsos Athanasios , Kioutsioukis Ioannis , Politi Nadia
Published: April 2023

Abstract. Climate change is set to affect extreme climate and meteorological events. The combination of interacting physical processes (climate drivers) across various spatial and temporal scales resulting to an extreme event is referred to as compound event. The complex geography and topography of Greece forms a variety of regions with different local climate conditions affecting the daily minimum temperature and precipitation distributions and subsequently the distribution of compound events of low temperature and high precipitation values. The aim of our study in this work is to identify these wet–cold events based on observational data from the Hellenic National Meteorological Service (HNMS) stations, which are divided into five different geographical categories, in the period 1980–2004 and coldest months of the year (November-April) on monthly basis. Two available
reanalysis products, that of ERA-Interim downscaled with the Weather
Research and Forecasting (WRF) model at 5km horizontal resolution
(WRF_5), and the coarser resolution (∼30 km) ERA5 Reanalysis dataset from European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), are adopted to derive a gridded monthly spatial distribution of wet–cold compound events, after performing a comparison with the observations. The results yield that the monthly maximum HNMS probabilities range from 0.07 % in April to 0.85 % in February, ERA5 range from 0.4 % in April to 2.97 % in February and WRF_5 from 10.4 % in November to 25.04 % in February. The results also displayed that February, January and December, are in this order, the months with the highest WCCEs.
Massive corals record deforestation in Malaysian Borneo through sediments in river discharge
Authors: Naciri Walid , Boom Arnoud , Payne Matthew , Browne Nicola , Evans Noreen J. , Holdship Philip , Rankenburg Kai , Nagarajan Ramasamy , McDonald Bradley J. , McIlwain Jennifer , Zinke Jens
Published: April 2023

Abstract. Logging of tropical primary forests is a widely acknowledged global issue threatening biodiversity hotspots and indigenous communities leading to
significant land erosion and decreased soil stability. The downstream effects of logging on human coastal communities include poor water quality and
increased sedimentation. Quantifying the impacts of historical deforestation within a watershed requires accurate data from river discharge or
satellite images, which are rarely available prior to the 1980s. In the absence of these in situ measurements, proxies have successfully produced
accurate, long-range, historical records of temperature, hydrological balance, and sediment discharge in coastal and oceanic environments. We
present a 30-year, monthly resolved Ba/Ca proxy record of sediment in river discharge as measured from the skeletal remains of massive
corals Porites sp. from northern Malaysian Borneo. We make the comparison with local instrumental hydrology data, river discharge and
rainfall, to test the reliability of the Ba/Cacoral proxy. Our results show that averaging five records into two composites results in
significant positive annual correlations with river discharge (r = 0.5 and r = 0.59) as well as a difference in correlation strength
coherent with distance from the river mouth, with the composite closer to the river mouth displaying a higher correlation. More importantly,
Ba/Cacoral records from this region showed a very similar upward trend to that of river discharge on multi-decennial timescales. The lack
of similar increase and overall stability in the precipitation record suggests that the river discharge's trend recorded by corals is linked to the
increasing land use associated with ever-growing deforestation. We argue that massive corals in this region are therefore valuable archives of past
hydrological conditions and accurately reflect changes in land use patterns.
Weakening of springtime Arctic ozone depletion with climate change
Authors: Friedel Marina , Chiodo Gabriel , Sukhodolov Timofei , Keeble James , Peter Thomas , Seeber Svenja , Stenke Andrea , Akiyoshi Hideharu , Rozanov Eugene , Plummer David , Jöckel Patrick , Zeng Guang , Morgenstern Olaf , Josse Béatrice
Published: April 2023

Abstract. In the Arctic stratosphere, the combination of chemical ozone depletion by halogenated ozone-depleting substances (hODSs) and dynamic fluctuations can lead to severe ozone minima. These Arctic ozone minima are of great societal concern due to their health and climate impacts. Owing to the success of the Montreal Protocol, hODSs in the stratosphere are gradually declining, resulting in a recovery of the ozone layer. On the other hand, continued greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions cool the stratosphere, possibly enhancing the formation of polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs) and, thus, enabling more efficient chemical ozone destruction. Other processes, such as the acceleration of the Brewer-Dobson circulation, also affect stratospheric temperatures, further complicating the picture. Therefore, it is currently unclear whether major Arctic ozone minima will still occur at the end of the 21st century despite decreasing hODSs. We have examined this question for different emission pathways using simulations conducted within the Chemistry-Climate Model Initiative (CCMI-1 and CCMI-2022) and find large differences in the models' ability to simulate the magnitude of ozone minima in the present-day climate. Models with a generally too cold polar stratosphere ("cold bias") produce pronounced ozone minima under present-day climate conditions, because they simulate more PSCs and, thus, high concentrations of active chlorine species (ClOx). These models predict the largest decrease in ozone minima in the future. Conversely, models with a warm polar stratosphere ("warm bias") have the smallest sensitivity of ozone minima to future changes in hODS and GHG concentrations. As a result, the scatter among models in the magnitude of Arctic spring ozone minima will decrease in the future. Overall, these results suggest that Arctic ozone minima will become weaker over the next decades, largely due to the decline in hODS abundances. We note that none of the models analysed here project a notable increase of ozone minima in the future. Stratospheric cooling caused by increasing GHG concentrations is expected to play a secondary role, as its effect in the Arctic stratosphere is weakened by opposing radiative and dynamical mechanisms.
UNDERSTANDING THE BUILT-UP EVOLUTION AND COMPLEXITY OF FAST-GROWING BUILT-UP AGGLOMERATION USING THE CENTROID SHIFT MODEL AND FRACTAL DIMENSION
Authors: Ashritha K. , Patil G. R. , Mohan B. K.
Published: April 2023

Abstract. Understanding Built-up evolution and complexity over time is attained to exercise sustainable development and smart implementations in the future. The Spatiotemporal evolution of built-up analysis is carried out using the centroid shift model considering the geometry of the built-up from 1975 to 2019 (1975, 1990, 1999, 2009, and 2019). The centroid shift indicates the trajectory of the growth pattern and the future direction of growth. The study area experienced a unidirectional growth pattern till 2009, considering 1975 as the base year, and by 2019 the growth direction shifted by 3.52 degrees, and the overall centroid shift magnitude was 2.42 km2. The non-Euclidean geometric nature of the physical world puts forward fractal geometry to understand the complexity of built-up. The mean fractal dimension index shows the growth type in the study area; a directional approach towards the mean fractal dimension provides a critical understanding of the complexity around the built-up Centroid. Among all the eight directions considered, NW_W showed maximum built-up growth with infilling growth type, and the E_SE direction showed a significant jump in an area with external expansion by 2019. This direction indicates the future growth direction. The study concludes that complexity analysis critically enhances the spatiotemporal dynamics of built-up evolution.
DETECTION OF PHYTOGEOGRAPHIC INDICATORS WITH REMOTE SENSING AND GEOARCHAEOLOGY FOR DEVELOPMENT OF A LONG-TERM CLIMATE MONITORING STATION IN ISRAEL
Authors: Manspeizer N. , Karnieli A.
Published: April 2023

Abstract. The Mediterranean basin is a strong candidate for monitoring climate change successfully, a priority of UN SDG 13, because of its long settlement history. Human-environmental contact has typically hindered monitoring efforts because the natural indicators that enable dependable monitoring have been altered anthropogenically. This research describes a two-step process which turns that synanthropism into an advantage through geoarchaeology, remote sensing, GIS, meteorology, and floristic classification. First, archaeological survey data were employed in a semi-arid region of Israel to identify areas of more and less intensive land-use over 2300 years. Trend surfaces were derived in GIS from ancient periods of most intense monoculture agriculture (Hellenistic, Byzantine, and Ottoman). 2020 land-cover was classified using VENμS satellite wet / dry season NDVI imagery and an airborne LiDAR canopy height model. This was reclassed after fieldwork to three broad land-cover classes and cross-tabulated with the 2300-year land-use intensity model in GIS. The results indicate a land-use legacy whereby woody perennial species are more abundant where land-use was cumulatively less intense. Second, unmanned aerial vehicle surveys were conducted in these areas of less-intense land-use. There, on lightly grazed lands where woody encroachment occurs but chamaephytes regenerate due to the grazing, microplots were established. Phanerophyte and chamaephyte shrubs were identified based on Raunkiaer type and the species associated with chorotype (geographic origin). This was compared with aridity index values derived for the study area between 2010-2022. The study provides a prototype, using dependable phytogeographic indicators, that may be developed into a long-term climate monitoring station (LTCMS).
BENEFIT ASSESSMENT OF COMMERCIAL SYNTHETIC APERTURE RADAR OBSERVATIONS FOR NASA’S SURFACE DEFORMATION AND CHANGE MISSION STUDY
Authors: Osmanoglu B. , Huang S. A. , Jones C. A. , Scheuchl B. , Khazendar A. , Sauber J. , Tymofyeyeva K. , Jo M. J.
Published: April 2023

Abstract. The Surface Deformation and Change (SDC) mission study is investigating a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) mission that is expected to launch in the next decade, building on the foundation established by the NASA ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) mission. Since 2019, the SDC study team has updated the observation needs identified by the 2017 Earth Science Decadal Survey, developing a Science and Applications Traceability Matrix (SATM) that includes an expanded set of geophysical observables (GOs). These needs were further refined by a team of discipline experts, resulting in 48 GOs. For each GO, imaging characteristics such as revisit, accuracy, resolution, polarisation, data latency, are defined in the SATM. This paper describes the benefit assessment methodology, provides an example to generate current commercial feasibility scores for each GO in the SATM, even though the SDC mission will not be launched until the next decade. This methodology generates a quantitative assessment of commercial SAR data in meeting the measurement needs of a GO defined in SDC's SATM. Our assessment suggests that current commercial SAR data are particularly useful for constraining geophysical processes that benefit from short-repeat acquisition times and high spatial resolution.
ASSESSMENT OF CROPLAND TRANSITION TO SOLAR FARMS AND OTHER LAND USE/COVER USING RS, GIS AND ANN-CA
Authors: Principe J. A. , Sotto M. E. , Benitez I. B.
Published: April 2023

Abstract. The balance between food security and energy security is a national issue of extreme importance. A more stable supply of electricity could be achieved as solar farms expand but at the expense of losing some of the prime agricultural lands which endangers availability of sufficient agricultural produce. This study aims to use ANN-Cellular Automata (CA) via the Geographic Information System (GIS) platform and remote sensing (RS) data to assess the impact of cropland transition to solar farms and other land use/land cover (LULC). Several remotely sensed data were processed including MODIS land cover data (MCD12Q1), VIIRS nighttime lights (VNL v2.1), Advanced Himawari Imager Shortwave Radiation (AHI-SWR) product, and population density (LandScan) as inputs to the Cellular Automata-Artificial Neural Network (CA-ANN) model to simulate LULC changes in Tarlac Province, Philippines via the Modules for Land Use Change Evaluation (MOLUSCE) plugin in QGIS. For years 2019, 2023 and 2027 with 2015 as the base year, results showed an increasing trend for savannas and grassland with ΔLULC values of +11.4% to +15.1% and +0.2% to 3.5%, respectively. Meanwhile, a decreasing trend is observed for built-up/water, forest, and cropland with ΔLULC values of −3.0% to −6.3%, −8.5% to −21.1%, and −3.9% to −4.2%, respectively. Results also showed a conversion of a 100-ha area of croplands to solar farm from year 2019 to 2023 which translates to an estimated monetary loss from agricultural produce due to solar farm conversion amounting to Php 7,584,720.00 (~USD 138,000) which is equivalent to the total average annual income of about 67 families in Tarlac. Lastly, the simulated 2027 LULC map showed pixels with unrealistic conversions from solar farm (year 2023) to cropland (year 2027). To improve the model, it is recommended to add more spatial data to effectively capture factors that may contribute to the expansion of solar farms in the future. Moreover, high resolution LULC maps (vector maps if available) can be used instead of a course resolution satellite-derived raster data. Nonetheless, this study has demonstrated the use of RS, GIS and machine learning techniques to model cropland conversion to solar farms and other LULC classes. Results from this study can provide scientific data to policy makers, solar industry players and other relevant stakeholders in doing technoeconomic assessment of solar farm development and expansion considering its effect on energy security and food security towards national sustainable development.