bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Multimodality Imaging of Fluid Saturation and Chemical Transport for Two-Phase Surfactant/Polymer Floods in Porous Rocks
Authors: Rovelli Andrea , Brodie James , Rashid Bilal , Tay Weparn J. , Pini Ronny
Published: December 2024

Multicomponent, two-phase flow in porous media is a problem of practical relevance that remains difficult to study experimentally. Advanced methodologies are needed that enable the monitoring of both the saturation of each fluid phase within the pore space and the concentration of the chemical species within the fluids. We present an approach based on multimodality imaging and apply it to the case study of surfactant/polymer flooding in a sandstone for enhanced oil recovery. X-ray computed tomography and positron emission tomography (PET) are applied for the asynchronous acquisition of dynamic profiles of saturations (aqueous and oleic) and of the solute concentration within the surfactant/polymer slug, respectively. This complementary dataset enables precise investigation of the evolution of both the oil bank and the induced mixing at its rear arising from the surfactant/polymer flooding process. The dilution index, intensity of segregation and the spreading length are used to quantify the degree of mixing within the surfactant/polymer slug as a function of time from the spatial structure of the solute concentration field. Relative to the single-phase flow scenario, a threefold increase in dispersivity is observed. We demonstrate that mixing is systematically overestimated if only the PET dataset is used—highlighting the importance of implementing multimodality imaging. We also show that the advection–dispersion equation model, parameterised using the dispersivity derived from the experiments, provides reasonable estimates for the rate of both mixing and spreading.
Assessment of the stability of intracranial aneurysms using a deep learning model based on computed tomography angiography
Authors: Zeng Lu , Wen Li , Jing Yang , Xu Jing-xu , Huang Chen-cui , Zhang Dong , Wang Guang-xian
Published: December 2024

Purpose

Assessment of the stability of intracranial aneurysms is important in the clinic but remains challenging. The aim of this study was to construct a deep learning model (DLM) to identify unstable aneurysms on computed tomography angiography (CTA) images.

Methods

The clinical data of 1041 patients with 1227 aneurysms were retrospectively analyzed from August 2011 to May 2021. Patients with aneurysms were divided into unstable (ruptured, evolving and symptomatic aneurysms) and stable (fortuitous, nonevolving and asymptomatic aneurysms) groups and randomly divided into training (833 patients with 991 aneurysms) and internal validation (208 patients with 236 aneurysms) sets. One hundred and ninety-seven patients with 229 aneurysms from another hospital were included in the external validation set. Six models based on a convolutional neural network (CNN) or logistic regression were constructed on the basis of clinical, morphological and deep learning (DL) features. The area under the curve (AUC), accuracy, sensitivity and specificity were calculated to evaluate the discriminating ability of the models.

Results

The AUCs of Models A (clinical), B (morphological) and C (DL features from the CTA image) in the external validation set were 0.5706, 0.9665 and 0.8453, respectively. The AUCs of Model D (clinical and DL features), Model E (clinical and morphological features) and Model F (clinical, morphological and DL features) in the external validation set were 0.8395, 0.9597 and 0.9696, respectively.

Conclusions

The CNN-based DLM, which integrates clinical, morphological and DL features, outperforms other models in predicting IA stability. The DLM has the potential to assess IA stability and support clinical decision-making.
The Implementation Climate for Integrating Buprenorphine Prescribing into Rural Primary Care
Authors: Fenstemaker Cheyenne , Abrams Elizabeth A. , King Katherine , Obringer Benjamin , Brook Daniel L. , Go Vivian , Miller William C. , Dhanani Lindsay Y. , Franz Berkeley
Published: December 2024

Background

Rural communities have been significantly affected by opioid use disorder (OUD) and related harms but have less access to evidence-based medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), such as buprenorphine. Given the shortage of specialists in these areas, rural primary care is an important setting to expand buprenorphine access, but implementation is limited.

Objective

To explore implementation climate factors that support or hinder buprenorphine implementation in rural primary care.

Design

A qualitative study design using in-depth interviews.

Participants

Primary care physicians, nurse practitioners (NPs), and physician associates (PAs) practicing in rural Ohio counties.

Approach

Between December 2022 and March 2023, we interviewed participants about their perspectives on buprenorphine prescribing, including using rural primary care as an implementation setting for buprenorphine. Using a deductive, framework-based approach, codes were grouped based on the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) inner setting factors that contribute to a positive implementation climate for an intervention.

Key Results

Three implementation climate constructs emerged as decision points for whether to implement buprenorphine in rural primary care: (1) relative priority: the extent to which OUD treatment should be prioritized over other chronic diseases; (2) compatibility: whether buprenorphine prescribing protocols are compatible with the rural primary care setting; (3) tension for change: the extent to which current buprenorphine access shortages in rural communities can be tolerated. Participants expressed mixed perspectives on whether the implementation climate in rural primary care currently supports buprenorphine prescribing.

Conclusion

Implementation strategies targeted toward the implementation climate are critical to support buprenorphine prescribing in rural primary care.
Der talentierte Mr. Coach? – Eine empirische Untersuchung zu narzisstischer Grandiosität bei Coaches im Vergleich zur Normalbevölkerung
Authors: Bachmann Thomas , Bernau Marla Jil
Published: December 2024

In der vorliegenden Studie wird untersucht, ob Coaches sich in ihrer wahrgenommenen Grandiosität als Facette des Narzissmus signifikant von der Normalbevölkerung unterscheiden und welche Variablen Grandiosität prädiktieren. Es wurden Daten von 559 Teilnehmern der Coaching-Umfrage Deutschland des Jahres 2022 analysiert. Grandiosität wurde mithilfe von Items der deutschen Kurzversion des Narcissistic Personal Inventory (NPI-d-5) ermittelt. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass Coaches signifikant höhere Ausprägungen hinsichtlich der Grandiosität aufweisen als die Normalbevölkerung. Gleichzeitig zeigen sich verschiedene Zusammenhänge zwischen Grandiosität, Gender, Alter, Coaching-Erfahrung.
Impact of land transformation, management and governance on subjective wellbeing across social–ecological systems
Authors: Santillán-Carvantes Patricia , Tauro Alejandra , Balvanera Patricia , Requena-Mullor Juan Miguel , Castro Antonio J. , Quintas-Soriano Cristina , Martín-López Berta
Published: December 2024

Recognizing and understanding the subjective wellbeing (SWB) of individuals is essential for designing effective policies that promote human development and the sustainable management of social-ecological systems (SES). This is particularly important for smallholders, critical stewards of biodiversity who face acute livelihood challenges. This article explores how smallholders inhabiting tropical dry forests in Mexico perceive their SWB and how it changes across a spectrum of SES that undergo different land transformations, management intensities, and governance dynamics. Our aims are to identify the dimensions of SWB that smallholders perceive, understand how these dimensions change across SES, and examine how smallholders’ perceptions of fulfilled material and non-material dimensions vary across SES. We analyzed the content of 25 in-depth interviews with farmers and identified 48 SWB items belonging to six categories: (1) social capital, (2) economic capital, (3) agency, (4) nature, (5) pleasant non-work activities, and (6) governmental services, and two additional dimensions referred to obstacles and enablers. We found two prevailing visions of SWB: ‘living well’ prevails especially in areas with communal governance and medium management intensity, and ‘need to earn more’ prevails in areas with individual governance and intensified land management. As management is intensified and governance fosters individualism, the lower the self-perceived material and non-material satisfaction. We discuss the different SWB found per SES, as well as strategies that can foster smallholder’s SWB and SES dynamics that can motivate different conservation goals and sustainable uses of nature, especially in biodiverse areas.
NCF-1 plays a pivotal role in the survival of adenocarcinoma cells of pancreatic and gastric origins
Authors: Furuya-Ikude Chiemi , Kitta Akane , Tomonobu Naoko , Kawasaki Yoshihiro , Sakaguchi Masakiyo , Kondo Eisaku
Published: December 2024

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) play a pivotal biological role in cells, with ROS function differing depending on cellular conditions and the extracellular environment. Notably, ROS act as cytotoxic factors to eliminate infectious pathogens or promote cell death under cellular stress, while also facilitating cell growth (via ROS-sensing pathways) by modifying gene expression. Among ROS-related genes, neutrophil cytosolic factor-1 (NCF-1; p47phox) was identified as a ROS generator in neutrophils. This product is a subunit of a cytosolic NADPH oxidase complex activated in response to pathogens such as bacteria and viruses. NCF-1 has been examined primarily in terms of ROS-production pathways in macrophages and neutrophils; however, the expression of this protein and its biological role in cancer cells remain unclear. Here, we report expression of NCF-1 in pancreatic and gastric cancers, and demonstrate its biological significance in these tumor cells. Abundant expression of NCF-1 was observed in pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC) lines and in patient tissues, as well as in gastric adenocarcinomas. Accumulation of the protein was also detected in the invasive/metastatic foci of these tumors. Unexpectedly, BxPC-3 underwent apoptotic cell death when transfected with a small interfering RNA (siRNA) specific to NCF-1, whereas the cells treated with a control siRNA proliferated in a time-dependent manner. A similar phenomenon was observed in HSC-58, a poorly differentiated gastric adenocarcinoma line. Consequently, the tumor cells highly expressing NCF-1 obtained coincident accumulation of ROS and reduced glutathione (GSH) with expression of glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4), a quencher involved in ferroptosis. Unlike the conventional role of ROS as a representative cytotoxic factor, these findings suggest that NCF-1-mediated ROS generation may be required for expansive growth of PDAC and gastric cancers.
DC Ferrochrome Smelting: The Arcing Zone and Its Influence on Energy Transport and Exergy Dissipation
Authors: Oterdoom Harmen , Reuter Markus , Zietsman Johan
Published: December 2024

Phenomena between the electrode tip, the arc attachment zone (AAZ), and the bath below the AAZ—taken together as arc attachment volume (AAV)—have a significant impact on the performance and efficiency of DC arc furnaces. This paper investigates the phenomena in the AAV in detail. Phenomena are analyzed with reference to industrial scale furnace viz. a Kazakh DC ferrochrome furnace. The impact of the various reactions in the AAV under different conditions both from an energy and exergy flow perspective is analyzed. The temperature, carbon in feed (thus the carbon to feed ratio called RC), and slag from the slag bath are investigated as the significant variables affecting phenomena in the AAV. Results show that alloy can become the reductant to fume specifically Mg(g), SiO(g), Cr(g) and even Fe(g) from slag containing MgO

$$\text{SiO}_{2}$$

SiO
2

, FeO

$$_{x}$$

x

and

$$\text{Cr}_{2}\text{O}_{3}$$

Cr
2

O
3

. The implications and resulting mass and energy transfer by these fumes can play a significant role in understanding open-bath ferrochrome smelting better as well as the energy balance of the arc and its impact on overall furnace efficiency. The irreversibility of the fuming reactions and reoxidation of metal vapor has a significant negative impact on furnace operation if the temperature in the AAV is not managed well due to poor operation regarding charging of feed. This implies not only that the average slag and metal temperature are of importance, but especially the actual AAV temperature is crucial. To fully understand the effect of chemical potential of the gases coming from the AAV, an exergy analysis uniquely showed that the fumes can be essential to reduce energy consumption if managed well, especially if the chemical potential energy can be harnessed in other zones within the furnace. This investigation is also relevant to other open-bath processes with fumable oxides, for example in smelting of ferronickel, titania slag, direct reduced iron, or even iron ore. Understanding the reaction mechanisms in the AAV in detail will be significant to push efficiencies of these applications to their thermodynamic, kinetic, and technological limits to ensure that their green metallurgical impact is fully realized.
Diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up of patients with hypophosphatasia
Authors: Cárdenas-Aguilera Juan Guillermo , González-López Vladimir , Zarante-Bahamón Ana María , Prieto-Rivera Juan Carlos , Baquero-Rodríguez Richard , Chacón-Acevedo Kelly Rocío , Meza-Martínez Adriana Isabel , Serrano-Gayubo Ana Katherina , Medina-Orjuela Adriana , Cáceres-Mosquera Jimena Adriana , Guerrero-Tinoco Gustavo Adolfo , García-Rueda María Fernanda , Guarnizo-Zuccardi Pilar , Herrera-Ortiz Gilberto , Rojas-Barrera Carolina , Carrascal-Guzmán Martha Isabel , Reina-Ávila María Fernanda , Arguinzoniz-Valenzuela Sletza Lissette , Belmont-Martínez Leticia , del-Pino Mariana , Viterbo Gisela Lorena , Seijo Mariana , Calzada-Hernández Joan , Guerra-Hernández Norma Elizabeth , Brunetto Oscar Héctor
Published: December 2024

Introduction

Hypophosphatasia is a rare inherited systemic metabolic disorder, with an estimated prevalence in the severe forms of the disease of 1/100.000–1/300.000, that affects the typical architecture of bone, leading to defective mineralization during growth and remodeling. It is characterized by loss-of-function variants in the ALPL gene, resulting in low activity of tissue-nonspecific alkaline phosphatase. In severe cases, it can be fatal.

Objective

To generate recommendations on the diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up of patients with hypophosphatasia based on available evidence.

Materials and methods

A search for evidence published between 2012 and 2024 was carried out in Medline and Embase. The search was expanded with information from various sources, including official sites of development groups, consensuses, technology evaluations, Google Scholar, clinical experts, and reference lists. The quality of the evidence was evaluated according to the type of document type. A modified Delphi consensus process was carried out with external experts, apart from the development group, it was established an 80% agreement threshold to define the final recommendations.

Results

Sixty-one papers were found in the evidence search. The global quality of the evidence was low. In addition, a consensus was reached on 94 recommendations regarding diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up. Those recommendations were approved by external clinical experts from Colombia, Argentina, Spain, and Mexico.

Conclusions

The recommendations proposed in this document are based on the evidence available to the date the search was carried out, and the judgment of clinical experts. The recommendations on diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up are expected to guide the daily clinical practice for patients with HPP.
Pentagonia plicatifolia (Rubiaceae, Dialypetalantheae) a new species from the Middle Magdalena Valley of Colombia, with a key for the Colombian species of the genus
Authors: Majín-Ladino Andrés F. , Jaramillo M. Alejandra , Aymard Gerardo A.
Published: December 2024

We describe and illustrate Pentagonia plicatifolia A.F.Majín-L. & M.A.Jaram, a new species from the foothills and wet montane forest remnants (at elevations of 300–1,240 m) at Serranía de Las Quinchas, a region located in the Middle Magdalena Valley (the easternmost part of the Chocó Region), in the western slopes of the Eastern Cordillera of Colombia (Boyacá department). We compared this new taxon with morphologically similar species by leaf characters (color and shape) and flower size. Colombia is the country with the largest number of Pentagonia species, likely because three important centers of diversification converge: the tropical Andes, the Chocó region, and the northwestern Amazon. A key to the 22 Pentagonia species occurring in Colombia is also presented.
Fragebogen zu subjektiven Beschwerden im Muskel-Skelett-System – Anpassungen in leichter Sprache
Authors: Ohlendorf Daniela , Schultz Eva , Kullmann Mirjam , Gaum Christian , Bredereck Bettina , Heim Christopher , Weber Britta , Ellegast Rolf , Groneberg David A. , Holzgreve Fabian
Published: December 2024

Einleitung

In wenigen Studien konnte gezeigt werden, dass Menschen mit Behinderungen oder gesundheitlichen Beeinträchtigungen eine erhöhte Prävalenz für Muskel-Skelett-Erkrankungen aufweisen. Problematisch ist in diesem Zusammenhang das Erhebungsverfahren. Aufgrund der fehlenden Übertragbarkeit war es erforderlich, durch leichte Sprache und unterstützende Kommunikation einen Fragebogen zu entwickeln, der an die Bedürfnisse von Beschäftigten mit Behinderung (die u. a. in Inklusionsbetrieben arbeiten) bzw. Menschen mit geringem Bildungsgrad oder schlechten Deutschkenntnissen angepasst ist. Dieser Fragebogen zielt auf die Erfassung möglicher subjektiver Beschwerden im Muskel-Skelett-System, deren Ursachen und der Erfassung von Arbeitsbeeinträchtigung ab.

Methoden

Als Vorlage des Fragebogens zu subjektiven Beschwerden im Muskel-Skelett-System bei Menschen mit Behinderung diente hauptsächlich die deutsche Version des Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire der Bundesanstalt für Arbeitsschutz und Arbeitsmedizin (BAuA). Zudem wurden Elemente aus dem Deutschen Schmerzfragebogen und dem Multidimensionalen Schmerzfragebogen im professionellen Tanz ergänzend hinzugefügt. Der neue Fragebogen wurde auf Grundlage eines kognitiven Interviews mit 5 Proband*innen mit psychischer Behinderung entwickelt. Dabei wurde auf folgende kognitive Techniken zurückgegriffen: Nachfragen zum Verständnis, Nachfragen zum Besitz relevanter Informationen und Sortiertechnik.

Ergebnisse

Die deutsche Version des Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire wurde in leichte Sprache übersetzt und durch eine vergrößerte Darstellung sowie die Kennzeichnung der Vorder- und Rückseite der abgebildeten Menschen angepasst. Zusätzlich wurden alle Abbildungen durch einen erklärenden Satz ergänzt. Außerdem wurden Fragen über die Dauer, Ursache und den Umgang mit Beschwerden bei der Arbeit aus dem Deutschen Schmerzfragebogen und dem Multidimensionalen Schmerzfragebogen im professionellen Tanz verwendet sowie durch Reduktion von Antwortmöglichkeiten gekürzt.

Diskussion

Der Fragebogen wurde an die Bedürfnisse von Menschen mit Behinderung (u. a. Mitarbeitende in Inklusionsbetrieben) bzw. Menschen mit geringem Bildungsgrad oder schlechten Deutschkenntnissen angepasst. Da die Vielfalt der Behinderungen und deren Grade bei Beschäftigten mit Behinderung variieren, ist demnach die allgemeine Anwendbarkeit des Fragebogens limitiert. Die gewonnenen Erkenntnisse können dazu dienen, speziell angepasst Gesundheitsfördermaßnahmen zu entwickeln und langfristig die Gesundheit zu verbessern.
The relationship between ethics and innovation: specifically regarding the application and ethical considerations of artificial intelligence in animal models
Authors: Yin Hong , Li Qiannan , Yang Shuling , Zhang Chunhuan , Zhai Yueyi , Hou Haowei , Qu Yan
Published: December 2024

Objective

To examine the role of animal models in tumor research, the ethical issues surrounding their use, and the potential of artificial intelligence technology in improving animal welfare and addressing ethical concerns.

Methods

This paper reviews the role of animal models in cancer research and considers the ethical issues surrounding their use. The various types and applications of animal models used in cancer research, as well as the controversy surrounding the use of experimental animals and the potential and feasibility of AI in improving animal welfare and addressing ethical issues, were examined in detail.

Results

Tumor animal models are a valuable research tool for advancing our understanding of tumor formation and for evaluating the efficacy of therapeutic approaches. The implementation of AI has the potential to diminish or supplant the necessity for animal experimentation, enhance the precision and credibility of research outcomes, and address ethical concerns.

Conclusion

Animal models are very important in tumor research, and they should be combined with the development of science and technology to improve animal welfare and relieve ethical pressure.
The rural health initiative: Bridging gaps in healthcare access and grant-funded research in central Idaho
Authors: Zigman Suchsland Monica , van Rensburg Dillon , McGrath Kelly , Wilkinson Cody , Johnson Kimberly , Steinbruecker Ashley , Probus James , Cole Allison
Published: December 2024

Introduction:

Translational science rarely addresses the needs of rural communities, perpetuating health inequities. Furthermore, policy and resource allocation reflect this dynamic. Through a partnership between a rural community and a community engagement program, the Rural Health Initiative (RHI) was developed with the goal of building capacity for community-driven translational research in rural settings.

Methods:

We describe the process of forming the RHI and selection of a community health priority to motivate the translational research agenda in this particular rural setting. We used a mixed methods approach utilizing literature review, community survey data, and qualitative evaluation of community meeting discussions. Consensus on a final health priority was built through voting and comparison of voting responses across the three RHI counties through Fisher’s Exact test.

Results:

Four priority topics were identified through literature search, community needs assessment, state/national trend data, and community experts. Priority ranking from a community forum and survey selected the final health priority topic. Healthcare access was selected by all three counties in the RHI community as the most critical health priority to address.

Conclusions:

This program highlights the importance of and methods for community involvement in directing the research conducted in their community. Additionally, through this project, guidance was developed to define the role of community engagement programs supporting work led by communities.
Using Continuous Quality Improvement in Community-based Programming During Disasters: Lessons Learned from the 2015 Ebola Crisis in Sierra Leone
Authors: Nally Cora , Temmerman Marleen , Van de Voorde Patrick , Koroma Adama , Adam Mary
Published: December 2024

This paper describes the CQI (Continuous Quality Improvement) process of collecting and analyzing field level qualitative data in an ongoing cycle. This data can be used to guide decision-making for effective emergency response. When medical and community components are integrated from the earliest stages of the disaster, it allows for true collaboration and supports the CQI process to be responsive to evolving data. Our CQI process identified and addressed gaps in communication and coordination, problems with strategy implementation and, on a conceptual level, gaps in the disaster response model. The 2015 Ebola crisis in Sierra Leone provided a case study demonstrating improved effectiveness when a CQI approach is implemented in the Humanitarian Setting, equally in terms of reducing disease spread, and in meeting the broader needs of the population served.
All the President's Men: Comparing the Secretary General of the French Presidency and the US Chief of Staff in an Era of Presidentialization
Authors: Martigny Vincent , Peters B. Guy
Published: December 2024

This article compares the Secretary General of the Elysée Palace and the US Chief of Staff, central political advisors to the French and US presidents. Our aim is twofold. Firstly, we identify the precise roles of these advisors. By mapping their respective powers, we demonstrate their importance in presidential decision-making. By examining what the French Elysée Secretary General and the US White House Chief of Staff have in common and how they differ, we develop a comparative understanding of the mechanisms of the presidentialization of political executives. We show that the similarities of the two offices are linked to the ongoing presidentialization of the French and American political systems, which, by giving greater power to heads of state, also strengthens their advisors. This commonality does not rule out marked differences between these officials, demonstrating that presidentialization takes distinct forms, reflecting distinct political cultures as well as different balances of power within each institutional system.
Closure of Constraints as a Theoretical Model
Authors: Rider Campbell
Published: December 2024

In this paper I offer a model-theoretic interpretation of Autonomy Theory as defended by Moreno, Mossio, Montévil, and Bich. I address accusations that Autonomy Theory is excessively liberal, such as those made by Garson (2017), arguing that these misunderstand the role of strategic abstractions and generalizations in theory construction. Conceiving of closure of constraints as a model-building effort that emphasizes generality—in the spirit of Levins (1966)—also clarifies its potential for application in empirical contexts.
The first record of the appearance of green turtles in the winter in a summer-to-autumn habitat in northeast Japan
Authors: Fukuoka Takuya , Fukuda Kaito
Published: December 2024

Recent increases in seawater temperature have been predicted to induce a poleward shift in the distribution of marine organisms. This study reports the first record of the winter appearance of green turtles (Chelonia mydas) in a habitat restricted to summer and autumn in northeast Japan. One individual was observed by a diver at Tomari-hama on the Oshika Peninsula (38°21′ N, 141°31′ E) on 28 December 2023. Another individual was incidentally captured in a fixed net near Tashiro-jima on the Oshika Peninsula (38°17′ N, 141°24′ E) on 18 April 2024 with a straight carapace length of 41.5 cm and body mass of 6.4 kg. Because previous bycatch surveys show that the earliest and latest appearances of green turtles in this area occurred in late June and late November, respectively, the occurrences reported in this study were two months earlier and one month later. The sea surface temperatures at the time of these observations were 15.9 and 16.0°C, respectively, which are 3.5 and 6.6°C higher than those of normal years. The unexpected winter appearance of green turtles implies an expansion of the habitable period for this species in response to climate change, and it, therefore, is emphasizes the need for continued monitoring surveys to collect additional sightings.
Novel Pharyngeal Oxygen Delivery Device Provides Superior Oxygenation during Simulated Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation
Authors: Hanson Jeramie B. , Williams John R. , Garmon Emily H. , Morris Phillip M. , McAllister Russell K. , Culp William C.
Published: December 2024

Introduction:

Passive oxygenation with non-rebreather face mask (NRFM) has been used during cardiac arrest as an alternative to positive pressure ventilation (PPV) with bag-valve-mask (BVM) to minimize chest compression disruptions. A dual-channel pharyngeal oxygen delivery device (PODD) was created to open obstructed upper airways and provide oxygen at the glottic opening. It was hypothesized for this study that the PODD can deliver oxygen as efficiently as BVM or NRFM and oropharyngeal airway (OPA) in a cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) manikin model.

Methods:

Oxygen concentration was measured in test lungs within a resuscitation manikin. These lungs were modified to mimic physiologic volumes, expansion, collapse, and recoil. Automated compressions were administered. Five trials were performed for each of five arms: (1) CPR with 30:2 compression-to-ventilation ratio using BVM with 15 liters per minute (LPM) oxygen; continuous compressions with passive oxygenation using (2) NRFM and OPA with 15 LPM oxygen, (3) PODD with 10 LPM oxygen, (4) PODD with 15 LPM oxygen; and (5) control arm with compressions only.

Results:

Mean peak oxygen concentrations were: (1) 30:2 CPR with BVM 49.3% (SD = 2.6%); (2) NRFM 47.7% (SD = 0.2%); (3) PODD with 10 LPM oxygen 52.3% (SD = 0.4%); (4) PODD with 15 LPM oxygen 62.7% (SD = 0.3%); and (5) control 21% (SD = 0%). Oxygen concentrations rose rapidly and remained steady with passive oxygenation, unlike 30:2 CPR with BVM, which rose after each ventilation and decreased until the next ventilation cycle (sawtooth pattern, mean concentration 40% [SD = 3%]).

Conclusions:

Continuous compressions and passive oxygenation with the PODD resulted in higher lung oxygen concentrations than NRFM and BVM while minimizing CPR interruptions in a manikin model.
Effect of egg consumption on early childhood development: evidence from Un Oeuf study
Authors: Ernyey Helen , Tiwari Chhavi , Stark Heather , Hunniford Emma , N’Diaye Aissata Wereme , Zare Yacouba , Omer Anteneh , McKune Sarah Lindley
Published: December 2024

Objective:

Recent studies have shown that inclusion of eggs in young children’s diet can help meet nutritional requirements associated with cognitive development. This study aims to investigate the effect of egg consumption on early childhood development using Ages and Stages Questionnaire-3 in Burkina Faso.

Design:

The study presented here uses data collected during a follow-up of the Un Oeuf-a three-arm clustered randomised controlled trial (RCT), conducted roughly 4 months after the end of the RCT.

Setting:

This research was conducted in eighteen rural villages within the Kaya Department of the Sanmatenga Province in Burkina Faso.

Participants:

Participants of this study include a total of 244 children aged between 18 and 33 months, with seventy-eight children in the full intervention group, eighty-three in the partial group, and eighty-three in the control group.

Results:

Results show that children with consistent egg consumption (in all months) had a lower odd of falling below the cut-off scores in gross motor (

${\rm{OR}} = {\rm 0\!\cdot\!13},{\it P} = \rm{0\!\cdot\!02}$

) and personal social skills (

${\rm{OR}} = 0\!\cdot\!34,{\it P} =0 \!\cdot\!05$

). And a dose–response was established; for each additional egg/week, a 1·9 % increase in scores for problem-solving skills was observed.

Conclusions:

Findings from this study contribute to a growing body of evidence that increasing egg consumption among children in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) can improve growth and development. The study highlights the need for additional research in LMIC to better understand the multifactorial relationship between diet and childhood development.
Exploring the uptake of economic evaluation in Spanish reports positioning medicines for public reimbursement
Authors: Vallejo-Torres Laura , Oliva-Moreno Juan , Lobo Félix
Published: December 2024

Therapeutic positioning reports (IPTs, Spanish acronym) are a crucial tool for informing funding and pricing decisions for drugs in the Spanish healthcare system. In 2020, for the first time the inclusion of economic evaluations (EEs) was explicitly set as a primary objective in a new Action Plan aimed at consolidating IPTs. This paper seeks to examine the uptake of EE into IPTs and to compare the methods and techniques employed in the EEs conducted during the two-year pilot phase following the reform, i.e., from June 2021 to July 2023. During this period, a total of 181 IPTs were published, with 19 (10.5%) incorporating an EE section. However, out of these 19 identified IPTs, six did not actually conduct a de novo EE, and four only performed a drug cost minimisation analysis. Six IPTs conducted EE analyses following international methodological standards. Based on this review, we observe that the percentage of IPTs incorporating EEs had remained low and exhibited significant heterogeneity. The experience of these two years must be translated into lessons that can serve to reinforce the evaluation of the efficiency of medicines in Spain in the coming years.
Boundary assembly: An institutional proposal for democratizing membership politics
Authors: Ahlhaus Svenja
Published: December 2024

How should democratic communities decide who should belong? Recent debates about issues such as voting rights for prisoners, denationalization policies or citizenship tests raise this fundamental democratic question. While many scholars argue that decisions about citizenship and voting rights should be more inclusive of subjected outsiders and more independent from electoral partisan politics, we still lack institutional proposals for inclusive and independent membership politics. This article contributes to the nascent institutional turn in the debate about democratic membership boundaries. My aim is to show that normative debates about membership politics can benefit from recent advances in democratic theory on sortition-based democratic innovations, constructive representation and systems thinking.

I argue that membership politics could be democratized by introducing a randomly selected political institution, which I call ‘boundary assembly’, that equally represents members and nonmembers and is charged with making binding decisions on a subset of a state’s membership questions. I argue that the strongest objections to empowered randomly selected assemblies (shortcut objection, alienation objection, capture objection, technocracy objection) lose most of their force in the ‘extraordinary’ political context of decisions on membership boundaries. Boundary assemblies cannot ‘solve’ the democratic boundary problem, but they could be a first step toward more democratic membership politics.
Testing the Three-Step Theory of Suicide
Authors: Baker Shelby N. , Bowers Clint A. , Beidel Deborah C. , Rozek David C.
Published: December 2024

Abstract: Background: Suicide risk is elevated among first responders. The three-step theory of suicide (3ST), not yet tested in first responders, proposes that the combination of pain and hopelessness leads to suicidal desire, but most relevant studies examine psychological pain and a few studies exist regarding the impact of physical pain. Aims: This study aimed to replicate and expand the understanding of the 3ST by examining physical and psychological pain in Step 1 within first responders. Method: First responders ( n = 204) completed an anonymous online survey assessing physical pain, psychological pain, hopelessness, and suicidal desire. Moderation analyses were used to test whether psychological pain and physical pain, respectively, potentiate the relationship between hopelessness and suicidal desire. Results: Physical pain moderated the relationship between hopelessness and suicidal desire, such that high levels of physical pain potentiated the relationship and low levels diminished the relationship, while psychological pain did not. Findings support the 3ST and provide evidence for the important role of physical pain in examining suicidal desire among first responders. Limitations and Conclusion: Although data were cross-sectional, results may inform development of measures tailored to first responders, which could ultimately lead to improved methods for assessing critical components of first responder and suicide risk.
Influence of Early Spring Arctic Sea Ice on Midsummer Precipitation in Northeast China: The Intermediate Links and Temporal‐Spatial Channels
Authors: Yuan Dian , Lu Er
Published: December 2024

Previous studies revealed that the Arctic sea ice in March can influence the July–August (JA) precipitation over northeast China (NEC). We are curious about what happens in the atmosphere during the intermediate months of April, May, and June. In this study, we use atmospheric heat source as an intermediate quantity to link the sea ice and precipitation, and aim to find the intermediate stations where atmospheric heat source can well link to both March Arctic sea ice and the JA precipitation in NEC. The stations can appear in different locations and different intermediate months. Lagged correlations are calculated to infer the response of the heat source to sea ice and the response of precipitation to the heat source. Results show that there exist two spatial‐temporal channels. The first is a direct path over high latitudes, with intermediate station appearing in April at a location between Arctic and NEC. The second is a circuitous path, with intermediate station appearing in June over the equatorial Indian Ocean, which can excite a wave train that finally affects the JA precipitation in NEC. The influence of March Arctic sea ice on the JA precipitation in NEC can be contributed jointly by these two temporal‐spatial channels.
The Jurassic–Cretaceous Transition in the Slovenian Basin (Alpine Atlantic): Further Evidence for Palaeoenvironmental Record in Pelagic Sediments
Authors: Lodowski D. G. , Grabowski J. , Rožič B. , Žvab‐Rožič P. , Reháková D. , Slapnik L. , Iwańczuk J. , Chmielewski A. , Teodorski A.
Published: December 2024

Over the vast area of present‐day Europe, the Tithonian–Berriasian transition was a time of climate aridization, which was supposedly related to the more general trend of the latest Jurassic–earliest Cretaceous cooling and restrictions in atmospheric circulation. Recent studies suggest that such conditions affected also some other paleoenvironmental processes such as monsoonal upwellings, seafloor ventilation and circulation of nutrients within the water column. In order to test this model, the uppermost Jurassic–lowermost Cretaceous sedimentary succession of the Slovenian Basin was correlated with a reference data from the Bakony Basin (Transdanubian Range, Hungary). Stratigraphic calibration was ensured by integrated stratigraphy, utilizing bio‐ (calpionellids, calcareous dinocysts) and chemostratigraphic tools (δ13C stratigraphy) as well as regional correlations of magnetic susceptibility and terrigenous input. Paleoclimate, paleoredox and paleoproductivity conditions were evaluated based on various geochemical proxies. Both the Slovenian and the Bakony basin sections were found to document late Tithonian–early Berriasian climate aridization as well as related signals of seafloor hypoxia and elevated accumulations of micronutrients. Significant geochemical contrast between the basal (lower Tithonian) radiolarites and overlying upper Tithonian–Berriasian carbonates evidences the inverse relation between the surface productivity and the amount of nutrient‐type trace metals buried in sediments. The rhythm of paleoclimatically controlled environmental changes, with relatively humid early Tithonian, arid late Tithonian–early Berriasian, and again humid late Berriasian, correlates with those estimated for Vocontian Basin (SE France) and the Sub‐Boreal domain of Western and Central Europe. This indicates that climatic stratigraphy is a useful tool for global correlation of the Jurassic/Cretaceous boundary interval.
Elasticity of Nacrite: Implications for Subduction Zone Dynamics
Authors: Das Ishita , Shukla Gaurav
Published: December 2024

Subduction zones exhibit heterogeneities in composition due to different mineral assemblages transported into the mantle by the descending slabs, thus affecting the seismic properties of the region. These minerals are typically rich in alumina and silica and often contain hydrous phases. Nacrite, Al2Si2O5(OH)4, a mineral consisting of these components, forms in basaltic crust through hydrothermal alteration and is frequently overlooked due to its structural alikeness with its polytypes, making it hard to distinguish by traditional methods. Its occurrence in oceanic sediments and altered basaltic crust significantly impacts the subduction process by facilitating the transport of water into deeper mantle regions. In this study, we investigate the equation of state and elasticity of nacrite using first‐principles calculations based on density functional theory corrected for dispersive forces over its pressure stability range. Anomalous behavior of elastic coefficients are suggestive of a polytypic transformation, evidenced by anomalous softening in the shear modulus and a decrease of approximately 3% in shear wave velocity observed at low pressures ( 2 GPa). Our studies indicate that nacrite exhibits a significantly lower shear wave velocity compared to the surrounding mantle, resulting in very high VP/VS ratios. These findings emphasize the role of nacrite in the subduction zones of Japan and Alaska, particularly in the formation of low‐velocity layers. We propose that nacrite's presence is a significant factor explaining these observations, alongside other hydrous minerals like lawsonite, glaucophane, etc., contributing to the low‐velocity layers in these regions.
Atmospheric Dryness Dominates Afternoon Depression of Global Terrestrial Photosynthesis
Authors: Liu Yue , Peñuelas Josep , Cescatti Alessandro , Zhang Yongguang , Zhang Zhaoying
Published: December 2024

Satellite observations reveal a widespread afternoon depression of photosynthesis globally. Utilizing satellite observations and eddy covariance tower‐based observations worldwide, we investigated the impact of climate factors on the diurnal patterns of ecosystem gross primary production (GPP). Our analysis revealed that the increase in vapor pressure deficit (VPD) shifts the diurnal peak of GPP activity to earlier morning hours, particularly in drylands and areas with short vegetation. After disentangling the strong correlations among VPD, temperature, and soil moisture, we unraveled that VPD emerges as the dominant driver contributing to the widespread afternoon depression of photosynthesis in terrestrial vegetation globally. However, Earth System Models (ESMs) systematically underestimate the significant role of VPD in regulating photosynthesis. Eight out of 10 ESMs exhibited a clear afternoon increase in photosynthesis, which was attributed to temperature. Our findings emphasize the need to enhance the negative effects of VPD on diurnal photosynthesis in ESMs.
Multi‐Frequency SuperDARN HF Radar Observations of the Ionospheric Response to the October 2023 Annular Solar Eclipse
Authors: Thomas E. G. , Shepherd S. G. , Kunduri B. S. R. , Themens D. R.
Published: December 2024

An annular solar eclipse was visible on 14 October 2023 from 15:00–21:00 UT as its path traveled across North, Central, and South America. In this letter, we present the first multi‐frequency Super Dual Auroral Radar Network (SuperDARN) observations of the bottomside ionospheric response to a solar eclipse using a novel experimental mode designed for the October 2023 annular eclipse. We compare our results from the mid‐latitude Christmas Valley East radar with measurements of the vertical electron density profile from the nearby Boulder Digisonde, finding the changes in 1‐ and 2‐hop ground scatter skip distance are well correlated with the ‐layer density response, which lags the peak obscuration by 30 min. Changes in the line‐of‐sight Doppler shifts are better aligned with the time derivative of eclipse obscuration.
Contribution of EMIC and Chorus Waves to the Formation of the Three‐Belt of Ultra‐Relativistic Electrons
Authors: Yang Chang , Yue Jiaxu , Yang Hongming , He Zhaoguo , Xiao Fuliang , Zhang Sai , He Yihua , Liu Si , Zhou Qinghua , Gao Zhonglei , Jin Yuyue , Zhao Hui , Johnston Archie James
Published: December 2024

The Earth's radiation belts are usually composed of an inner and an outer zone. Previous studies have reported a third belt of ultra‐relativistic electrons, but the mechanism requires to be further clarified. Here we report a very interesting feature of MeV electrons during two storms in October 2018. During the October 7 storm the electrons in the region were quickly scattered by EMIC waves, leading to a storage ring left between . Over the following days, due to the chorus‐driven acceleration, electron fluxes significantly increased in the region , consequently allowing for a three‐belt structure. During the October 13 storm the electrons in the region were swept away by EMIC waves, leaving a narrow outer radiation belt confined within the region for several days. Numerical calculations demonstrate that the EMIC‐driven loss and chorus‐induced acceleration can account for the formation and evolution of the third‐belt morphology.
Examining the Impacts of Assimilating Vertically Integrated Ice in WRF Simulations of Two Nocturnal Mesoscale Convective Systems
Authors: Miller R. L. , Coniglio M. C. , Mansell E. R. , Ziegler C. L.
Published: December 2024

To better understand nocturnal mesoscale convective system (MCS) dynamics, a novel data assimilation (DA) method has been developed and applied to the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) mesoscale model for two Plains Elevated Convection at Night (PECAN) MCS cases. This method is similar to the lightning DA (LDA) technique discussed in Fierro et al. (2012), https://doi.org/10.1175/mwr‐d‐11‐00299.1, wherein lightning data is used to nudge a column toward saturation by increasing water vapor mixing ratio. For the present study, vertically integrated ice (VII) is used in lieu of lightning to introduce virtual thermal buoyancy in the updraft column. Since VII is indicative of deep convective updrafts, VII DA should introduce buoyant updrafts before the appearance of lightning while also decreasing errors in timing and location of convection initiation. This study demonstrates the skill of the VII method compared to both a control simulation and a LDA simulation.
Climatological Adaptive Bias Correction of Climate Models
Authors: Scinocca J. F. , Kharin V. V.
Published: December 2024

All Earth System Models (ESMs) have climatological biases relative to the observed historical climate. The quality of a model and, more importantly, the accuracy of its predictions are often associated with the magnitude and properties of its biases. For more than a decade, new strategies have been developed to empirically reduce such biases in the model components of ESMs during their execution. The present study considers a cyclostationary class of empirical runtime bias corrections to a climate model, referred to here as empirical runtime bias corrections (ERBCs). Such ERBCs are state independent and designed to reduce biases in the climatological annual cycle of the model. We present a new procedure for deriving such ERBCs called Climatological Adaptive Bias Correction (CABCOR). CABCOR is argued to be superior to the standard relaxation approach to defining ERBCs because it requires only a climatological, rather than a multi‐year time evolving, observational reference data set. As part of this study, we perform a novel analysis of the relaxation approach in which a mapping is made between the parameter values that define the relaxation and the biases produced by ERBCs in the corrected model. This allows us to identify the optimal bias correction produced by the relaxation approach and to additionally demonstrate that the CABCOR approach can produce bias‐corrected models with smaller climatological biases.