bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Deep Study on Fouling Modelling of Ultrafiltration Membranes Used for OMW Treatment: Comparison Between Semi-empirical Models, Response Surface, and Artificial Neural Networks
Authors: Cifuentes-Cabezas Magdalena , Bohórquez-Zurita José Luis , Gil-Herrero Sandra , Vincent-Vela María Cinta , Mendoza-Roca José Antonio , Álvarez-Blanco Silvia
Published: March 2023

Olive oil production generates a large amount of wastewater called olive mill wastewater. This paper presents the study of the effect of transmembrane pressure and cross flow velocity on the decrease in permeate flux of different ultrafiltration membranes (material and pore size) when treating a two-phase olive mill wastewater (olive oil washing wastewater). Both semi-empirical models (Hermia models adapted to tangential filtration, combined model, and series resistance model), as well as statistical and machine learning methods (response surface methodology and artificial neural networks), were studied. Regarding the Hermia model, despite the good fit, the main drawback is that it does not consider the possibility that these mechanisms occur simultaneously in the same process. According to the accuracy of the fit of the models, in terms of R2 and SD, both the series resistance model and the combined model were able to represent the experimental data well. This indicates that both cake layer formation and pore blockage contributed to membrane fouling. The inorganic membranes showed a greater tendency to irreversible fouling, with higher values of the Ra/RT (adsorption/total resistance) ratio. Response surface methodology ANOVA showed that both cross flow velocity and transmembrane pressure are significant variables with respect to permeate flux for all membranes studied. Regarding artificial neural networks, the tansig function presented better results than the selu function, all presenting high R2, ranging from 0.96 to 0.99. However, the comparison of all the analyzed models showed that depending on the membrane, one model fits better than the others. Finally, through this work, it was possible to provide a better understanding of the data modelling of different ultrafiltration membranes used for the treatment of olive mill wastewater.
“What does not kill you… mutates and tries again.” A study on personality determinants of post-traumatic growth during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Petrocchi Serena , Pellegrino Sara Angela , Manoni Greta , Petrovic Giada , Schulz Peter J.
Published: March 2023

Introduction. The COVID-19 pandemic was recognized as a collective trauma and as a major threat to mental health. Recent literature focused on the stress symptomatology or post-traumatic stress disorder associated to the COVID-19 exposure. The concept that people have a natural inclination toward growth, even under stressful and threatening events, gathered less attention. Previous research has analyzed antecedents of post-traumatic growth (PTG) with non-conclusive results. Methods. The present research aimed at including findings on PTG from personality traits, i.e., sense of control and self-mastery, and distal condition of nurturance and support received by others, i.e., cognitive and affective well-being. Analyses were based on 4934 interviews with adults (Mage = 57.81 years, 55.5% women) from the Swiss Household Panel study. Results. Relationships over time emerged between sense of control and self-mastery on PTG and worries, measured after two years, via the mediation of cognitive and affective well-being. Conclusion. Results come from a large study in a design seldom employed in this type of research and can inform both research and interventions.
Creativity as the key to success—a plea for more guts in social marketing communication
Authors: Vilmar Answin
Published: March 2023

Despite numerous campaigns, the efforts made not only to inform people of the Strategic Development Goals (SDGs) but also to persuade them to contribute individually to the task of achieving these goals have not yet been sufficient. Namely, awareness of the SDGs remains very low among broad sections of the population. In addition, the statements of these goals are not understood in many cases (World Economic Forum 2020). Finally, behavioural changes based on relevant insights have hitherto been insufficient. This situation is also reflected in the UN report, which attests to the insufficient progress made with regard to achieving the SDGs in most countries and notes that in 2020 and 2021, the SDG Index Score even stagnated (Sachs et al., 2022). However, when one’s back is literally against the wall and the achievement of the SDGs within the establish timeframe seems to be becoming increasingly unlikely, the promotion of the courage necessary to find new creative solutions can represent an escape from this perceived standstill.
Schumpeter meets Goldilocks: the scarring effects of firm destruction
Authors: González Beatriz , Moral-Benito Enrique , Soler Isabel
Published: March 2023

This paper uncovers an inverted U-shaped relationship between firm exit and total factor productivity (TFP) growth using Spanish data. At low levels of firm exit, Schumpeterian cleansing effects dominate and the effect of firm destruction on TFP is positive, but when exit rates are very high, this effect turns negative. In order to rationalize this finding, we build on Asturias et al. (Firm entry and exit and aggregate growth, Technical report, National Bureau of Economic Research, 2017) and develop a model of firm dynamics with exit spillovers calibrated to match the nonlinearity found in the data. This reduced-form spillover captures amplification effects from very high destruction rates that might force viable firms to exit, for example, due to disruptions in the production network and a generalized contraction in credit supply. Armed with the calibrated model, we perform counterfactual scenarios depending on the severity of the shock to firm’s outcomes. We find that when the shock is mild and firm destruction rates at impact are similar to those observed during the Global Financial Crisis (GFC), TFP growth increases, and the recovery is faster. However, when the shock is severe and firm exit is well above that of the GFC, TFP growth decreases, since high-efficiency firms are forced out of the market, which makes the recovery much slower.
Zwischen Wissen und Handeln – eine qualitative Studie zu Sachbilderbüchern für Kinder über Umwelt und Klima
Authors: Knauf Marcus
Published: March 2023

Die qualitative Studie geht der Frage nach, wie die Themen Umwelt und Klima in Sachbilderbüchern für Kinder präsentiert werden. Die große Stärke der Bilderbücher für einen Einsatz in Schule und Kita liegt darin, dass sie eine Brücke von der Erfahrungswelt der Kinder zur abstrakteren Welt der Natur- und Umweltwissenschaften schlagen können. Die Bilderbücher sind dadurch geprägt, dass sie an die Verantwortung der Kinder appellieren, um sie so zu einem umweltbewussten Handeln zu motivieren. Die Veränderung des Verhaltens der Kinder und ihrer Familien wird als zentrale Lösung für die beschriebenen Probleme beschrieben. Suffizienz ist dabei die wichtigste Strategie; die Darstellung möglicher technischer Innovationen hingegen fehlt fast vollkommen. Zahlreiche Bücher gehen über die Darstellung von Information und Wissen deutlich hinaus und verlassen den neutralen Rahmen der Naturwissenschaften. Die untersuchten Sachbilderbücher haben insgesamt einen stark normativen Charakter.
Il follow-up a lungo termine della chirurgia metabolica
Authors: Capoccia Danila
Published: March 2023

Sommario

La chirurgia metabolica è oggi considerata la terapia a lungo termine più efficace per la cura dell’obesità e il suo utilizzo è raccomandato dalle linee guida internazionali. I pazienti sottoposti a intervento bariatrico possono andare incontro a nuovi specifici problemi: le abitudini alimentari devono adattarsi alla nuova fisiologia gastrointestinale; possono insorgere deficit nutrizionali a seconda del tipo di procedura; può cambiare la gestione di altre malattie associate all’obesità; durante la gravidanza possono insorgere problemi specifici; i pazienti possono sperimentare alcune difficoltà psicologiche nell’adattarsi ai cambiamenti del comportamento alimentare e dell’immagine corporea; il recupero del peso necessita di programmi di prevenzione e gestione. Per tutte queste ragioni, il paziente sottoposto a chirurgia metabolica necessita di una gestione multidisciplinare a lungo termine.
The Songs of Edvard Grieg
Authors: Foster Beryl
Published: March 2023

Comprehensive survey of Grieg's 180 songs, considering particularly questions and issues of performance.
On-demand, hospital-based, severe acute respiratory coronavirus virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) genomic epidemiology to support nosocomial outbreak investigations: A prospective molecular epidemiology study
Authors: Benoit Patrick , Jolicoeur Gisèle , Point Floriane , Soucy Chantal , Normand Karine , Morency-Potvin Philippe , Gagnon Simon , Kaufmann Daniel E. , Tremblay Cécile , Coutlée François , Harrigan P. Richard , Hardy Isabelle , Smith Martin , Savard Patrice , Grandjean Lapierre Simon
Published: March 2023

Objectives:

We evaluated the added value of infection control-guided, on demand, and locally performed severe acute respiratory coronavirus virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) genomic sequencing to support outbreak investigation and control in acute-care settings.

Design and setting:

This 18-month prospective molecular epidemiology study was conducted at a tertiary-care hospital in Montreal, Canada. When nosocomial transmission was suspected by local infection control, viral genomic sequencing was performed locally for all putative outbreak cases. Molecular and conventional epidemiology data were correlated on a just-in-time basis to improve understanding of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) transmission and reinforce or adapt control measures.

Results:

Between April 2020 and October 2021, 6 outbreaks including 59 nosocomial infections (per the epidemiological definition) were investigated. Genomic data supported 7 distinct transmission clusters involving 6 patients and 26 healthcare workers. We identified multiple distinct modes of transmission, which led to reinforcement and adaptation of infection control measures. Molecular epidemiology data also refuted (n = 14) suspected transmission events in favor of community acquired but institutionally clustered cases.

Conclusion:

SARS-CoV-2 genomic sequencing can refute or strengthen transmission hypotheses from conventional nosocomial epidemiological investigations, and guide implementation of setting-specific control strategies. Our study represents a template for prospective, on site, outbreak-focused SARS-CoV-2 sequencing. This approach may become increasingly relevant in a COVID-19 endemic state where systematic sequencing within centralized surveillance programs is not available.

Trial registration:

clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT05411562
Responsible conduct of research: Preparedness for times of crisis
Authors: Hahn Cynthia , Kim Emmelyn , Apara Arinayo O. , Chuck Tina , Kassan Hallie , Steinberg Bettie M.
Published: March 2023

A live, virtual conference, “Driving Responsible Conduct of Research during a Pandemic,” was held in April 2021, 13 months after the COVID-19 pandemic fundamentally altered the conduct of clinical research across the USA. New York was an early epicenter of the US pandemic, highlighting preexisting problems in clinical research and allowing us to assess lessons learned and to identify best practices for the future. Risks and opportunities were categorized broadly into three areas, protecting the welfare and safety of human subjects, ensuring trust in science and medicine, and implementing efficient, ethical, and compliant clinical research. Analysis of conference proceedings, and recent publications, shows a need for preparedness that is more effective, robust partnerships, and organizational systems and standards to strengthen the ethical and responsible conduct of research.
Uncertain Cures: The Medical Marketplace in Pahlavi Iran
Authors: Ahmadi Shaherzad
Published: March 2023

Historians of Pahlavi Iran have demonstrated that physicians, pharmacists, dentists, and nurses were encouraged by early nation-builders to civilize patients and shepherd the masses into modernity. Medicine, however, was not only a top-down affair. Medical professionals maintained a dialogue with their patients, cognizant of the cultural mores of local communities and the threat of medical malpractice lawsuits. In fact, medicine, far from a universal science, was highly localized, inflected by traditional curatives (like herbs and spices), shortages of medical equipment and drugs, and local policing to safeguard patient rights. Through social history, scholars may examine the dialectic between patient and provider, which proved fundamental to the practice of modern medicine in Pahlavi Iran.
On the transition to dripping of an inverted liquid film
Authors: Blyth M.G. , Lin T.-S. , Tseluiko D.
Published: March 2023

The transition to dripping in the gravity-driven flow of a liquid film under an inclined plate is investigated at zero Reynolds number. Computations are carried out on a periodic domain assuming either a fixed fluid volume or a fixed flow rate for a hierarchy of models: two lubrication models with either linearised curvature or full curvature (the LCM and FCM, respectively), and the full equations of Stokes flow. Of particular interest is the breakdown of travelling-wave solutions as the plate inclination angle is increased. For any fixed volume, the LCM reaches the horizontal state where it attains a cosine-shaped profile. For sufficiently small volume, the FCM and Stokes solutions attain a weak Young–Laplace equilibrium profile, the approach to which is described by an asymptotic analysis generalising that of Kalliadasis & Chang (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 261, 1994, pp. 135–168) for the LCM. For large volumes, the bifurcation curves for the FCM and Stokes model have a turning point so that the fully inverted state is never reached. For fixed flow rate, the LCM blows up at a critical angle that is well predicted by asymptotic analysis. The bifurcation curve for the FCM either has a turning point or else reaches a point at which the surface profile has an infinite slope singularity, indicating the onset of multi-valuedness. The latter is confirmed by the Stokes model, which can be continued to obtain overturning surface profiles. Overall, the thin-film models either provide an accurate prediction for dripping onset or else supply an upper bound on the critical inclination angle.
Global stability analysis of bubbles rising in a vertical capillary with an external flow
Authors: Herrada Miguel A. , Yu Yingxian Estella , Stone Howard A.
Published: March 2023

We study the linear stability of bubbles in a capillary tube under external flow. Yu et al. (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 911, 2021, pp. 1–19) showed that a rich variety of bubble dynamics occurs when a downward external flow is applied, opposing the buoyancy-driven ascent of the bubble. They found experimentally and numerically the existence of two branches of solutions that overlap over a finite range of the capillary number of the downward external flow in cases where the Reynolds number is small and the Bond number is larger than the critical value for which the bubble can rise spontaneously (Bretherton, J. Fluid Mech., vol. 10, issue 2, 1961, pp. 166–188). Furthermore, inertialess, symmetry-breaking steady-state shapes were found as the bubble transits near the tipping points of the solution branches. In this work, using steady axisymmetric simulations, we show that the reported multiplicity of solutions can be described using bifurcation diagrams with three branches of steady axisymmetric solutions and two limit points. The linear global stability analysis of the different branches of the stationary axisymmetric solutions demonstrates that the symmetry breaking is due to the development of three-dimensional instabilities with azimuthal wavenumber

$|m|=1$

.
A Strategy to Improve Knowledge about Health Policies and Evidence Based Medicine for Federal Magistrates in Health Litigation
Authors: Reis Bruno Barcala , Borin Marcus Carvalho , da Costa Marcelo Dolzany , Dresch Renato Luís , Firmo Osvaldo Oliveira Araújo , Guimarães Melissa Cordeiro , Alves Carla Barbosa Morais , Junior Nelio Gomes Ribeiro , Gargano Ludmila Peres , Sarmento Túlio Tadeu Rocha , Azevedo Pâmela Santos , de Figueiredo Zuppo Isabella , Dias Carolina Zampirolli , dos Santos Vania Cristina Canuto , Alvares-Teodoro Juliana , de Assis Acurcio Francisco , Guerra Augusto Afonso
Published: March 2023

Several countries maintain universal health coverage, which implies responsibility to organize delivery formats of healthcare services and products for citizens. In Brazil, the health system has a principle of universal access for more than 30 years, but many deficiencies remain and the country observes a day practice for those seeking judicial decisions to determine provision of healthcare.
Ethical and Public Health Considerations for Integrating Physicians with Mental Disability into the Physician Workforce
Authors: Sweet Amalia R. , Haque Omar Sultan , Stein Michael Ashley
Published: March 2023

Stigma against mental disability within the medical field continues to impose significant barriers on physicians and trainees. Here, we examine several implications of this stigma and propose steps toward greater inclusion of persons with mental disabilities in the physician workforce.
Federalism’s Fallacy at the Forefront of Public Health Law
Authors: Hodge James G. , Ghaith Summer , Krumholz Lauren
Published: March 2023

Amid undulating conceptions of the role and prowess of federalism emerges its central constitutional role: protecting American liberties against unwarranted governmental intrusions. To the extent that federalism is used as a guise for withdrawing fundamental rights to abortion by the U.S. Supreme Court in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, individual rights are sacrificed in contravention of constitutional structural norms.
The Social Determinants of Health, Health Disparities, and Health Justice
Authors: Yearby Ruqaiijah
Published: March 2023

Although the federal government and several state governments have recognized that structural discrimination limits less privileged groups’ ability to be healthy, the measures adopted to eliminate health disparities do not address structural discrimination. Historical and modern-day structural discrimination in employment has limited racial and ethnic minority individuals’ economic conditions by segregating them to low wage jobs that lack benefits, which has been associated with health disparities. Health justice provides a community-driven approach to transform the government’s efforts to eliminate health disparities, by acknowledging the problem of structural discrimination; empowering less privileged groups to create and implement structural change; and providing support to redress harm.
The curvilinear impact of perceived organizational politics on employee voice behavior: Mediating role of territoriality
Authors: Zhou Hao , Liu Qin
Published: March 2023

Organizational context has an important influence on voice behavior. This study investigates the curvilinear relationship between perceived organizational politics (POP) – an inevitable organizational context factor – and employee voice behavior through a conservation of resources theory lens, considering the curvilinear mediating role of territoriality. A three-wave survey of 227 full-time employees revealed that (1) POP is positively associated with territoriality, (2) territoriality has U-shaped relationships with both promotive and prohibitive voice, that is, when territoriality ranges from low to moderate, promotive/prohibitive voice behavior gradually decreases. When territoriality ranges from moderate to high, promotive/prohibitive voice behavior gradually increases and (3) territoriality acts as a curvilinear mediator between POP and promotive/prohibitive voice behavior. These findings make a significant contribution to POP literature and voice behavior literature by identifying territoriality as a mediator between these organizational factors. Implications for practice are also discussed.
Typhlocybinae leafhoppers (Hemiptera, Cicadellidae) from Eocene Rovno amber reveal a transition in wing venation and a defensive adaptation
Authors: Dietrich Christopher H. , Simutnik Serguei A. , Perkovsky Evgeny E.
Published: March 2023

The first fossil Typhlocybinae inclusions from Eocene Rovno amber are described and illustrated. They include two new monotypic genera of the extinct tribe Protodikraneurini, Retrorsotettix n. gen. with type species R. vlaskini n. sp. and Protoparallaxis n. gen. with type species P. clavatus n. sp. Also described and illustrated are two new monotypic genera of the extant tribe Dikraneurini, Eodikraneura n. gen. with type species E. obscura n. sp. and Rovnodikra n. gen. with type species Rovnodikra longipes n. sp. Retrorsotettix is the oldest leafhopper known to exhibit a false eyespot and false leg markings on the forewing, representing an early acquisition of a defensive strategy against visual predators. Appearance of a small insect with false eyespots in the Eocene fossil record may reflect increased pressure by visual predators, especially crown ornithuromorph insectivorous birds. Such birds and small insect prey with false eyespots remain unknown in the Cretaceous. Eodikraneura exhibits a unique condition of the hind wing venation in which radius posterior and media anterior veins are confluent for a short distance but then diverge before separately reaching the submarginal vein. This presumably represents a morphological transition between the Protodikraneurini, in which hind-wing radius posterior and media anterior veins are completely separate and connected by a radial-medial crossvein, and Dikraneurini, in which radius posterior and media anterior veins are completely confluent distally. A key to genera of Protodikraneurini is provided.

UUID: http://zoobank.org/f15e6f80-9708-4f5e-89a3-705f9d340a77
Choosing Beyond Compliance Over Dormancy: Corporate Response to India's Mandatory CSR Expenditure Law
Authors: Jain Shalini , Desai Naman , Pingali Viswanath , Tripathy Arindam
Published: March 2023

This article examines whether firms engaged in high levels of voluntary CSR (corporate social responsibility) alter their strategic choices in response to detrimental public policy – specifically India's Companies Act (2013) that mandates qualifying firms to spend 2% of their three-year average net profits on CSR. Drawing on the concept of organizational dormancy, we argue that firm capabilities, political awareness, exposure to political pluralism, and ownership identity may explain choice heterogeneity among these firms. Our key and non-intuitive finding is that even in the absence of discretionary choice in determining optimal CSR expenditure, firms are less likely to choose dormancy and instead embrace and even surpass the stipulations of the law in their CSR contributions. Also, politically aware firms are more likely to opt for dormancy over compliance. Managerial and policy implications are discussed.
Polypharmacy and precision medicine
Authors: Fujita Kenji , Masnoon Nashwa , Mach John , O’Donnell Lisa Kouladjian , Hilmer Sarah N.
Published: March 2023

Precision medicine is an approach to maximise the effectiveness of disease treatment and prevention and minimise harm from medications by considering relevant demographic, clinical, genomic and environmental factors in making treatment decisions. Precision medicine is complex, even for decisions about single drugs for single diseases, as it requires expert consideration of multiple measurable factors that affect pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, and many patient-specific variables. Given the increasing number of patients with multiple conditions and medications, there is a need to apply lessons learned from precision medicine in monotherapy and single disease management to optimise polypharmacy. However, precision medicine for optimisation of polypharmacy is particularly challenging because of the vast number of interacting factors that influence drug use and response. In this narrative review, we aim to provide and apply the latest research findings to achieve precision medicine in the context of polypharmacy. Specifically, this review aims to (1) summarise challenges in achieving precision medicine specific to polypharmacy; (2) synthesise the current approaches to precision medicine in polypharmacy; (3) provide a summary of the literature in the field of prediction of unknown drug–drug interactions (DDI) and (4) propose a novel approach to provide precision medicine for patients with polypharmacy. For our proposed model to be implemented in routine clinical practice, a comprehensive intervention bundle needs to be integrated into the electronic medical record using bioinformatic approaches on a wide range of data to predict the effects of polypharmacy regimens on an individual. In addition, clinicians need to be trained to interpret the results of data from sources including pharmacogenomic testing, DDI prediction and physiological-pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic modelling to inform their medication reviews. Future studies are needed to evaluate the efficacy of this model and to test generalisability so that it can be implemented at scale, aiming to improve outcomes in people with polypharmacy.
OBJECTIVES OF PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL DECISION-MAKING
Authors: Sharman Nicola
Published: March 2023

Public participation in international environmental decision-making can seek to fulfil different goals. This article explains how these goals can affect the design and appraisal of participatory processes and highlights the under-recognised value of law in determining the objectives of public participation in international environmental forums. A doctrinal analysis finds that substantive goals are most prominent in current international environmental law, but that a normative rationale for public participation could be gaining more formal endorsement through the growing legal recognition of linkages between procedural human rights and environmental protection.
The Scriptural Shape of God: Divine Anthropomorphisms in Synoptic Perspective
Authors: Wilson Brittany E.
Published: March 2023

Although an increasing number of works are focusing on depictions of God in the New Testament, none so far specifically focus on how these depictions rely on anthropomorphic language in their presentation of God. This article attends to this oversight by turning to the Synoptic Gospels (and the book of Acts) as a test case. Not only do these narratives lack an explicit anti-anthropomorphic agenda, but they also rely on divine anthropomorphisms that are derived from Jewish Scripture. To demonstrate this claim, the article concentrates on how Matthew and Luke expand Mark's anthropomorphic presentation of God and how Luke's presentation emerges as the most anthropomorphic of all. It also discusses how Mark, Matthew, and Luke's respective narratives depict God's human, or human-like, characteristics according to the following four categories: (1) God's human roles and titles, (2) God's depiction as an acting subject who speaks and desires to be in relationship with humans, (3) God's concrete presence located in space, and finally, (4) God's description as a character with recognisable body parts and other markers of corporeality. In the end, we shall see that anthropomorphism is a central component of God's characterisation in the Synoptics and that this anthropomorphic characterisation better enables readers to see the Jewish, scriptural shape of God as a personal deity who desires to be in relationship with humans.
Commemorative city-texts: Spatio-temporal patterns in street names in Leipzig, East Germany and Poznań, Poland
Authors: Buchstaller Isabelle , Fabiszak Małgorzata , Alvanides Seraphim , Brzezińska Anna Weronika , Dobkiewicz Patryk
Published: March 2023

This article contributes to research on commemorative naming strategies by presenting a comparative longitudinal study on changes in the urban toponymy of Leipzig (Germany) and Poznań (Poland) over a period of 102 years. Our analysis combines memory studies, linguistic landscape (LL) research and critical toponymy with GIS visualization techniques to explore (turnovers in) naming practices across time and space. The key difference between the two localities lies in the commemorative pantheon of referents—events, people, and places inscribed as traces of a hegemonic national past—that are replaced when commemorative priorities change. Other patterns are common to both study sites. Notably, in both Poznań and Leipzig, peaks of renaming occur at the threshold of regime change, after which commemorative renaming activity subsides. We report on our findings and propose methodological guidelines for analyzing street renaming from a longitudinal, transnational, and interdisciplinary perspective. (Collective memory, critical toponymy, memoryscape, linguistic landscapes, encoding of ideology, comparative analysis of Eastern Europe, longitudinal analysis, commemoration, GIS visualization)*
Clinical effectiveness reporting of novel cancer drugs in the context of non-proportional hazards: a review of nice single technology appraisals
Authors: Salmon David , Melendez-Torres G. J.
Published: March 2023

Objectives

The hazard ratio (HR) is a commonly used summary statistic when comparing time to event (TTE) data between trial arms, but assumes the presence of proportional hazards (PH). Non-proportional hazards (NPH) are increasingly common in NICE technology appraisals (TAs) due to an abundance of novel cancer treatments, which have differing mechanisms of action compared with traditional chemotherapies. The goal of this study is to understand how pharmaceutical companies, evidence review groups (ERGs) and appraisal committees (ACs) test for PH and report clinical effectiveness in the context of NPH.

Methods

A thematic analysis of NICE TAs concerning novel cancer treatments published between 1 January 2020 and 31 December 2021 was undertaken. Data on PH testing and clinical effectiveness reporting for overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were obtained from company submissions, ERG reports, and final appraisal determinations (FADs).

Results

NPH were present for OS or PFS in 28/40 appraisals, with log-cumulative hazard plots the most common testing methodology (40/40), supplemented by Schoenfeld residuals (20/40) and/or other statistical methods (6/40). In the context of NPH, the HR was ubiquitously reported by companies, inconsistently critiqued by ERGs (10/28), and commonly reported in FADs (23/28).

Conclusions

There is inconsistency in PH testing methodology used in TAs. ERGs are inconsistent in critiquing use of the HR in the context of NPH, and even when critiqued it remains a commonly reported outcome measure in FADs. Other measures of clinical effectiveness should be considered, along with guidance on clinical effectiveness reporting when NPH are present.
Evaluation of French bean germplasm from Garhwal Himalayas for resistance to angular leaf spot
Authors: Chamoli Navneeti , Prabha Deepti , Negi Yogesh Kumar , Chauhan Jai Singh
Published: March 2023

Angular leaf spot (ALS) caused byPseudocercospora griseolais a major disease of french bean (Phaseolus vulgarisL.) worldwide. A good diversity of French bean is present in the Garhwal Himalayas of Uttarakhand, India, which is unexplored. The purpose of this study was to identify ALS-resistant accessions among local landraces of French bean in this region. One hundred seventy-six local accessions were collected from different villages of Garhwal, Uttarakhand. All the accessions were screened by four SCAR primers SN02 (Phg-2), SAA19, SM02, SBA16 (Phg-3), one STS primer TGA1.1 (Phg-1) and one SSR primer Pv-at006 (Phg-5). All the accessions were also screened for ALS resistance under field condition in the years 2019 and 2020. The disease-resistant score was recorded on 1–9 scale. After field screening, 48 accessions (19 resistant, 24 moderately resistant and five susceptible) were selected forin-vitroscreening under screen house condition. These 46 accessions were artificially inoculated by two different isolates ofP. griseolaP5 and P9, which are the most virulent pathotype characterized by microbiology lab, College of Forestry, Tehri, Uttarakhand. Afterin-vitroscreening, seven accessions (GFB-25, GFB-26, GFB-30, GFB-32, GFB-93, GFB-97 and GFB-136) were found resistant to both the isolates P5 and P9. TheP. griseola-resistant accessions may further be used in future breeding programmes to develop new and more resistant varieties of French bean against ALS.
Historical Diversity in Credit Intermediation: Cosignatory Lending Institutions in Europe and North America, 1700s–1960s
Authors: de Vicq Amaury , van Bochove Christiaan
Published: March 2023

Through a close reading of scattered, disparate, and largely unconnected secondary sources, supplemented with the analysis of primary sources, and backed by economic theory, this paper explores the origins, development, and socio-economic impact of so-called cosignatory lending institutions. These historical institutions were designed to issue small loans to small businesses and households and shared a reliance on cosigners to secure loans and on weekly instalments to repay them. Their shared lending format was flexible enough to display regional variations and this enabled cosignatory lending institutions to operate in societies characterized by notable differences in wealth and economic structure. It also allowed cosignatory lending institutions to fare better in a more urbanized, heterogeneous context than the more well-known credit cooperatives. As such, this systematic overview helps us better understand how credit markets were made more inclusive in urban contexts, which historical circumstances played a role in this, and perhaps even whether and how the success of cosignatory lending institutions may be replicated in present-day developed and less-developed economies.
An Analysis of Prediction Skill of Heat Waves Over India Using TIGGE Ensemble Forecasts
Authors: Rohini P. , Rajeevan M.
Published: March 2023

Heat wave has become a great concern for India in the recent years due to its disastrous impact on various sectors including health. Thus, accurate forecasts of heat wave events well in advance are required for preparing adequate mitigation strategies. The present study assesses the prediction skill of numerical weather prediction models in The Observing system Research and Predictability Experiment Interactive Grand Global Ensemble (TIGGE) experiments for predicting heat waves over India up to 7 days in advance. The models considered for this analysis are; the European Centre for Medium‐Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), the UK Met Office (UKMO) and National Centre for Environmental Prediction (NCEP). The model forecast verifications have been carried out for the hot weather season (April–June) over India for the period of 2008–2013. Fourteen heat wave events were identified during the study period using gridded daily maximum temperature (Tmax). The study reveals that the spatial distribution of maximum Temperature is well predicted by the TIGGE models for a forecast lead time of 1–7 days. The analysis suggested that the magnitude of heat wave events, even with a 7 days lead time, can be correctly predicted by more than 80% of ensemble members in all the TIGGE models. The prediction skill of the maximum temperatures over heat wave prone area during heat wave events is higher for ECMWF, then UKMO and NCEP models. The forecast verification analysis thus indicates that the TIGGE models are able to provide early warnings of heat waves with at least 5 days lead time.
Cloud‐Surface Coupling Alters the Morning Transition From Stable to Unstable Boundary Layer
Authors: Su Tianning , Li Zhanqing , Zheng Youtong
Published: March 2023

Due to surface heating, the morning boundary layer transits from stable to neutral or convective conditions, exerting critical influences on low tropospheric thermodynamics. Low clouds closely interact with the boundary layer development, yet their interactions bear considerable uncertainties. Our study reveals that cloud‐surface coupling alters the morning transition from stable to unstable boundary layer and thus notably affects the diurnal variation of the boundary layer. Specifically, due to the reduction in surface fluxes, decoupled clouds can delay the process of eroding nocturnal inversion by 0.8‐hr and even prevent the transition of the boundary layer from happening for 12% of decoupled cases, keeping the boundary layer in a stable state during the noontime. On the other hand, when clouds are coupled with the surface, cloud‐top radiative cooling can directly cool the upper boundary layer to facilitate sub‐cloud convection, leading to an unstable boundary layer in the earlier morning.
Exploring the Predictability of the High‐Energy Tail of MEE Precipitation Based on Solar Wind Properties
Authors: Salice J. A. , Nesse H. , Babu E. M. , Smith‐Johnsen C. , Richardson I. G.
Published: March 2023

Medium Energy Electron (MEE) precipitation (≳30 keV) ionizes the mesosphere and initiates chemical reactions, which ultimately can reduce mesospheric and stratospheric ozone. Currently, there are considerable differences in how existing parameterizations represent flux response, timing, and duration of MEE precipitation, especially considering its high‐energy tail (≳300 keV). This study compares the nature of ≳300 to ≳30 keV electron fluxes to better understand differences within MEE precipitation. The MEE fluxes are estimated from measurements by the Medium Energy Proton and Electron Detector (MEPED) onboard the Polar Orbiting Environmental Satellite (POES) from 2004 to 2014. The fluxes are explored in the context of solar wind drivers: corotating high‐speed solar wind streams (HSSs) and coronal mass ejections (CMEs) alongside their associated solar wind properties. Three key aspects of ≳300 keV electron fluxes are investigated: maximum response, peak timing, and duration. The results reveal a structure‐dependent correlation (0.89) between the peak fluxes of ≳30 and ≳300 keV electrons. The epsilon coupling function correlates well (0.84) with the ≳300 keV peak flux, independent of solar wind structure. The ≳300 keV flux peaks 0–3 days after the ≳30 keV flux peaks. The highest probability (∼42%) occurs for a 1‐day delay, while predictive capabilities increase when accounting for solar wind speed. The ≳300 keV flux response has the highest probability of lasting 4 days for both CMEs and HSSs. The results form a base for a stochastic MEE parameterization that goes beyond the average picture, enabling realistic flux variability on both daily and decadal scales.
Joint Inversion of Geophysical Data for Geologic Carbon Sequestration Monitoring: A Differentiable Physics‐Informed Neural Network Model
Authors: Liu Mingliang , Vashisth Divakar , Grana Dario , Mukerji Tapan
Published: March 2023

Geophysical monitoring of geologic carbon sequestration is critical for risk assessment during and after carbon dioxide (CO2) injection. Integration of multiple geophysical measurements is a promising approach to achieve high‐resolution reservoir monitoring. However, joint inversion of large geophysical data is challenging due to high computational costs and difficulties in effectively incorporating measurements from different sources and with different resolutions. This study develops a differentiable physics model for large‐scale joint inverse problems with reparameterization of model variables by neural networks and implementation of a differentiable programming approach of the forward model. The proposed physics‐informed neural network model is completely differentiable and thus enables end‐to‐end training with automatic differentiation for multi‐objective optimization by multiphysics data assimilation. The application to the Sleipner benchmark model demonstrates that the proposed method is effective in estimation of reservoir properties from seismic and resistivity data and shows promising results for CO2 storage monitoring. Moreover, the global parameters that are assumed to be uncertain in the rock‐physics model are accurately quantified by integration of a Bayesian neural network.
Significant Northward Jump of the Western Pacific Subtropical High: The Interannual Variability and Mechanisms
Authors: Wang Yaning , Hu Haibo , Ren Xuejuan , Yang Xiu‐Qun , Mao Kefeng
Published: March 2023

The intensity and position of the western Pacific subtropical high (WPSH) have crucial effects on climate and disaster events in East Asia during summer. The WPSH significant northward jump (SNJ) events are the main manifestation of the seasonal evolution of WPSH, which are important for the precipitation over East Asia. Using the daily reanalysis data sets from year 1979 to 2020, this study further defines the early and late SNJ events of WPSH on the interannual timescale, which are connected separately with the tropical, midlatitude subseasonal signals and the local air–sea interaction. However, the mechanisms of the WPSH‐SNJ events are different in the anomalous early and late years. In the early SNJ years, the subseasonal signals from the midlevel East Asia–Pacific teleconnection pattern or the low‐level boreal summer intraseasonal oscillation cause the positive 500 hPa geopotential height anomalies, which contributes to the significant WPSH northward jump in the first pentad of July. However, the above factors are unable to cause the WPSH‐SNJ in the late years. Until the second pentad of August, the collaborative effects between midhigh latitudes wave trains over high levels and cold sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies in the core region lead to the barotropic geopotential height anomalies and the lagged northward jump of WPSH. It seems that the meridional position of WPSH has a complex interannual variability, which is modulated by the solar radiation, the atmospheric disturbances at different levels, and the SST anomalies at the same time.
The 1673 Tianzhen Earthquake and Rupture Behavior of the Yanggao‐Tianzhen Fault in the Northern Shanxi Graben, China
Authors: Luo Quanxing , Li Chuanyou , Ren Guangxue , Hu Xiu , Li Xinnan , Li Youli
Published: March 2023

Studying the causative structure, extent, and magnitude of historical earthquakes is essential for regional seismic hazard assessment. There has been some debate in the literature regarding the epicenter, magnitude, and seismogenic source of the 1673 Tianzhen earthquake, one of the few documented strong earthquakes that occurred in northern Shanxi Graben, China. The Yanggao‐Tianzhen Fault (YTF) has long been recognized as a seismogenic fault; however, previous studies have suggested that the fault has not ruptured at the surface for several thousand years. In this work, we investigate fresh surface ruptures along the YTF based on field investigations, unmanned aerial vehicle photogrammetry, and ground‐penetrating radar surveys. Scarp formation at Yanjiabu is bracketed to the last 1.4 ± 0.6 kyr using optically stimulated luminescence dating. More importantly, we found that the Great Wall at Li'erkou (dated from 1546 CE) was likely faulted, which led us to conclude that the YTF is the causative fault of the 1673 event. Based on our measured fault parameters, the magnitude of the 1673 event was re‐estimated to Mw 6.8–7.2, suggesting that previous magnitudes were underestimated. Four trenches were excavated to investigate paleoearthquakes on the fault. Together with previous paleoseismic data, we suggest a bimodal rupture model in which the fault can produce multi‐segment rupturing events with large magnitudes, such as the 1673 event, and smaller partial or single‐segment rupturing events. Our results shed light on the reassessment of seismic hazards in the densely populated Yangao‐Tianzhen Basin and its nearby regions.
Updating SWAT+ to Clarify Understanding of In‐Stream Phosphorus Retention and Remobilization: SWAT+P.R&R
Authors: Wallington Kevin , Cai Ximing
Published: March 2023

Efforts to reduce riverine phosphorus (P) loads have not been as fruitful as expected or hoped. One reason for the failure of these efforts appears to be that models used for watershed P management have understated and misrepresented the role of in‐stream processes in shaping watershed P export. Here, we update the latest release of the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT+), a widely used watershed management model, to better represent in‐stream P retention and remobilization (SWAT+P.R&R). We add new streambed pools where P is stored and tracked, and we incorporate three new processes driving in‐stream P dynamics: (a) deposition and resuspension of sediment‐associated P, (b) diffusion of dissolved P between the water column and streambed, and (c) adsorption and desorption of mineral P. The objective of this modeling work is to provide a diagnostic tool that enables researchers to challenge existing assumptions regarding how watersheds store, transform, and transport P. Here, in a first diagnostic analysis, SWAT+P.R&R helps reconcile in‐stream P retention theory (that P is retained at low flows and remobilized at high flows) and a discordant data set in our validation watershed. SWAT+P.R&R results (a) clarify that the theorized relationship between P retention and flow is only valid (for this point‐source affected testbed, at least) at the temporal scale of a single rising‐or‐falling hydrograph limb and (b) illustrate that hysteresis obscures the relationship at longer temporal scales. Future work using SWAT+P.R&R could further challenge assumptions regarding timescales of in‐stream P legacies and sources of P load variability.
Making Sense of the Great Barrier Reef’s Mysterious Green Donuts
Authors: Webster Jody , McNeil Mardi , Bostock Helen , Nothdurft Luke , Byrne Maria
Published: March 2023

Researchers set sail to the Great Barrier Reef to study how ring-shaped algae deposits formed and evolved, what feeds them, and the diversity of creatures that call them home.
Lakes Can Change How Glaciers Move
Authors: Beurteaux Danielle
Published: March 2023

Lakes forming from melted ice can have a big effect on their parent glacier, and more of these bodies of water are appearing under warming conditions.