bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prulifloxacin Effectiveness in Moderate-to-Severe Acute Exacerbations of Chronic Bronchitis: Α Noninterventional, Multicentre, Prospective Study in Real-Life Clinical Practice—The “AIOLOS” Study
Authors: Gourgoulianis Konstantinos , Ruggieri Alessandro , Vecchio Alessandra del , Calisti Fabrizio , Comandini Alessandro , Esposito Giovanna , Di Loreto Giorgio , Tzanakis Nikolaos
Published: May 2021

Real-world evidence regarding the effectiveness of prulifloxacin in the treatment of acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis (AECB) is limited. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the rates and time to symptom improvement and resolution in patients with moderate-to-severe AECB who were given prulifloxacin in the routine care in Greece. This observational, prospective study, conducted in 15 hospital-based clinics across Greece, enrolled outpatients >40 years old, with moderate-to-severe AECB, for whom the physician had decided to initiate treatment with prulifloxacin. Data were collected at prulifloxacin onset (baseline), 7–10 days after baseline, and at least 28 days after therapy completion. Between 23 November 2015 and 27 January 2018, 305 patients (males: 76.4%; mean (standard deviation) (SD) age: 69.7 (9.8) years; Anthonisen type I/II: 94.8%; chronic bronchitis duration >10 years: 24.9%) were consecutively enrolled. At baseline, >80% had increased sputum volume, cough, dyspnoea, and sputum purulence. Prulifloxacin improved symptoms in 99.7% of the patients after a mean (SD) of 5.47 (3.57) days, while symptoms fully recovered after a mean (SD) of 10.22 (5.00) days in 95.4%. The rate of adverse events related to prulifloxacin was 1.3% (serious: 0.7%). In the routine care in Greece, prulifloxacin was highly effective in moderate-to-severe AECB, while displaying a predictable safety profile.
Massive Chondrolysis and Joint Destruction after Artificial Anterior Cruciate Ligament Repair
Authors: Carlson Jack , Fox Olivia , Kilby Peter
Published: May 2021

The Ligament Augmentation Reconstruction System (LARS) is an artificial ligament made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) used for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction in Australia. Poor results with previous generations of synthetic grafts causing synovitis, graft failure, and premature osteoarthritis have encouraged the production of the newer LARS ligament with good results. We present a case of massive chondrolysis and joint destruction after LARS implantation requiring total knee replacement in a 23-year-old male. This case documents a rare and severe complication to the LARS ligament as caution for the implementation of this device in young athlete.
Cryptococcal Meningitis in an HIV-Negative Puerperal Woman
Authors: Robalo Nunes Tomás , Pires Helena , Alves Liliana , Guerra Ana , Boavida Susana , Brito Ana , Marques Inês , Marques Nuno
Published: May 2021

Cryptococcal meningitis is a common opportunistic infection in HIV-infected patients and other immunocompromised people. Pregnancy, which is a state of relative immunosuppression, can also be a risk factor for the development of cryptococcal meningitis. We report a clinical case of a 41-year-old woman who developed a severe meningeal syndrome after an otherwise normal pregnancy. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cytochemical analysis presented hypoglycorrhachia, high protein levels, and pleocytosis. Cryptococcal antigen tested positive in serum and CSF, and Cryptococcus neoformans was identified in the CSF culture. The diagnosis of cryptococcal meningitis was confirmed, and antifungal induction therapy was started with liposomal amphotericin B and flucytosine. After clinical improvement, induction therapy was discontinued, and the patient was discharged under maintenance therapy with fluconazole. While under antifungal maintenance therapy, the patient presented worsening of symptoms and a new brain magnetic resonance showed the development of multiple cryptococcoma. Despite sterile CSF cultures, there was a deterioration of the cytochemical parameters. The diagnosis of immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome was assumed, and after initiation of corticotherapy, the patient improved considerably. This is a rare case of cryptococcal meningitis in a puerperal woman with a challenging management.
Large‐Eddy Simulation (LES) on the Square and Triangular Tall Buildings to Measure Drag Force
Authors: Daemei Abdollah B. , Darvish Amiraslan , Aeinehvand Roya , Razzaghipour Amirali
Published: May 2021

The wind load issues play a significant role in designing tall buildings, which has sometimes been considered an even more essential factor than earthquake loads. Also, investigating wind behavior in tall buildings is a crucial issue in architectural and structural design. A primary concern of wind engineering and aerodynamics is drag force. Drag force refers to a solid object’s behavior in the relative wind flow velocity direction in terms of fluid dynamics. The investigation involved only drag forces. The Autodesk Flow Design 2014 software was utilized as a wind tunnel simulator. The Large Eddy Simulation (LES) method was used for turbulence solving. This study aims to optimize tall square and triangular‐shaped buildings in order to reduce drag force under along‐wind motion. For this purpose, architectural aerodynamic strategies such as chamfered, rounded, and recessed corners were applied as aerodynamic modifications. Moreover, aerodynamic forms, including tapering and setting back on shapes, were applied on 24 building models. Generally, the height (H) and breadth (b) ratios were set to H: 200 m, which is equivalent to almost 60 stories, and b: 25 m wide. The obtained results indicate that model S5 (with a square floor plan) achieved 0.65 CD, and the t1 (with a triangular floor plan) achieved 0.30 CD, which could provide the best building model to reduce drag force. In this regard, the s1 could perform over 50% better in reducing wind load. Concerning the aerodynamic modification performance, the simulation results indicate that these modifications were able to lead to over 50% better performance in reducing wind force in square samples compared to triangular samples.
Whitening Efficacy of 3% Carbamide Peroxide Gel Activated by Lactoperoxidase
Authors: Khemiss Mehdi , Kallel Ines , Zouaghi Hela , Ben Khelifa Mohamed , Bagga Sana
Published: May 2021

Objective. The aim of this clinical study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a whitening toothpaste containing 3% carbamide peroxide and lactoperoxidase. Materials and methods. Participants were instructed to brush their teeth using an enzymatic-activated dentifrice following a particular procedure for three weeks. Color was recorded before and after treatment using a VITA Easyshade spectrophotometer. Differences in L

∗

(tooth color lightness), a

∗

(displacement along the red-green axis), and b

∗

(displacement along the yellow-blue axis) were measured before and after treatment using the paired t and the Wilcoxon signed-rank tests. Color changes (ΔE) were calculated using the obtained measurements. Results. Thirty-four volunteers were included. ΔE was 4.03. For the set of 348 teeth, a greater tendency towards green (lower a

∗

) and blue (lower b

∗

) was observed (

p

 < 0.05). There were no significant differences in lightness after treatment. Mandibular central incisors showed a greater tendency towards green (lower a

∗

) and blue (lower b

∗

). Bleaching effectiveness was observed in both the upper and lower central incisors and in the lateral mandibular incisors. Conclusion. Based on these results, it may be concluded that brushing with an enzymatic-activated dentifrice is effective for whitening teeth.
The Behavior of a Coarse Granular Material under Complex Stress Conditions
Authors: Zhou Yuefeng , Pan Jiajun , Cheng Zhanlin , Zuo Yongzhen
Published: May 2021

In recent years, dozens of high rockfill dams are under construction or planning for hydropower exploration in western China. In dam construction, the mechanical behavior of coarse granular material greatly affects the compatible deformation of dam body. In this article, an indirect in situ density prediction approach for coarse granular material is firstly proposed to solve the technical obstacle on prediction of the material density in thick overburden layer of a dam site in southwest China. Adopting a self‐developed large‐scale true triaxial apparatus with a special friction‐reduction technique, four series of true triaxial tests were then performed to investigate the behavior of a coarse granular material with a maximum particle diameter of 60 mm. Test results show that the peak strength of the material increases together with the increasing confining stress and the increasing intermediate principal stress ratio. The material dilatancy is restricted by both the confining stress and the intermediate principal stress ratio. With the increase in intermediate principal stress ratio, the internal friction angle increases firstly and then decreases slightly, but the slope of stress path reduces gradually. The tested peak states were compared with several well‐known strength criteria under the framework of generalized stress, showing a good fitness with the Lade–Duncan criterion and underestimation by the Mohr–Coulomb criterion and the Matsuoka–Nakai criterion. The strength envelope in the π plane shrinks with the increasing confining stress.
Introducing Dynamic Programming and Persistently Exciting into Data-Driven Model Predictive Control
Authors: Jianwang Hong , Ramirez-Mendoza Ricardo A. , Morales-Menendez Ruben
Published: May 2021

In this paper, one new data-driven model predictive control scheme is proposed to adjust the varying coupling conditions between different parts of the system; it means that each group of linked subsystems is grouped as data-driven scheme, and this group is independently controlled through a decentralized model predictive control scheme. After combing coalitional scheme and model predictive control, coalitional model predictive control is used to design each controller, respectively. As the dynamic programming is only used in optimization theory, to extend its advantage in control theory, the idea of dynamic programming is applied to analyze the minimum principle and stability for the data-driven model predictive control. Further, the goal of this short note is to bridge the dynamic programming with model predictive control. Through adding the inequality constraint to the constructed model predictive control, one persistently exciting data-driven model predictive control is obtained. The inequality constraint corresponds to the condition of persistent excitation, coming from the theory of system identification. According to the numerical optimization theory, the necessary optimality condition is applied to acquire the optimal control input. Finally, one simulation example is used to prove the efficiency of our proposed theory.
The Reliability‐Based Design Optimization of considering Rock‐Support Interaction for Rock Tunnels
Authors: Zhao Hongbo , Li Shaojun , Chen Bingrui
Published: May 2021

Uncertainty is critical to the tunnel design. In this study, a novel reliability‐based design (RBD) method was developed by integrating the rock‐support interaction and its uncertainties for rock tunnels. In this method, the rock‐support interactions were analyzed based on a convergence‐confinement method. Uncertainties were estimated by reliability analysis using Excel Solver. Chaotic particle swarm optimization (CPSO) was adopted to search the optimal tunnel design parameters based on the rock‐support interaction analysis. The proposed method for estimating the reliability index and determining the tunnel support parameters was introduced in detail. To illustrate the proposed method, it was applied to two tunnels with rock‐bolt and combined support systems. The results indicated that the method could obtain accurate solutions with a dramatically improved computing efficiency, guaranteeing the tunnel stability at the same time. The developed method provides an excellent way to deal with the uncertainty in tunnel design. It was proved to be an efficient and effective method for the support designs of rock tunnels.
Hidden Geometry of Bidirectional Grid-Constrained Stochastic Processes
Authors: Taranto Aldo , Khan Shahjahan
Published: May 2021

Bidirectional Grid Constrained (BGC) stochastic processes (BGCSPs) are constrained Itô diffusions with the property that the further they drift away from the origin, the more the resistance to movement in that direction they undergo. The underlying characteristics of the BGC parameter

Ψ

X

t

,
t

are investigated by examining its geometric properties. The most appropriate convex form for

Ψ

, that is, the parabolic cylinder is identified after extensive simulation of various possible forms. The formula for the resulting hidden reflective barrier(s) is determined by comparing it with the simpler Ornstein–Uhlenbeck process (OUP). Applications of BGCSP arise when a series of semipermeable barriers are present, such as regulating interest rates and chemical reactions under concentration gradients, which gives rise to two hidden reflective barriers.
Gut Microbiota–Derived Short-Chain Fatty Acids Promote Prostate Cancer Growth via IGF1 Signaling
Authors: Matsushita Makoto , Fujita Kazutoshi , Hayashi Takuji , Kayama Hisako , Motooka Daisuke , Hase Hiroaki , Jingushi Kentaro , Yamamichi Gaku , Yumiba Satoru , Tomiyama Eisuke , Koh Yoko , Hayashi Yujiro , Nakano Kosuke , Wang Cong , Ishizuya Yu , Kato Taigo , Hatano Koji , Kawashima Atsunari , Ujike Takeshi , Uemura Motohide , Imamura Ryoichi , Rodriguez Pena Maria D.C. , Gordetsky Jennifer B. , Netto George J. , Tsujikawa Kazutake , Nakamura Shota , Takeda Kiyoshi , Nonomura Norio
Published: May 2021

Excessive intake of animal fat and resultant obesity are major risk factors for prostate cancer. Because the composition of the gut microbiota is known to change with dietary composition and body type, we used prostate-specific Pten knockout mice as a prostate cancer model to investigate whether there is a gut microbiota–mediated connection between animal fat intake and prostate cancer. Oral administration of an antibiotic mixture (Abx) in prostate cancer–bearing mice fed a high-fat diet containing a large proportion of lard drastically altered the composition of the gut microbiota including Rikenellaceae and Clostridiales, inhibited prostate cancer cell proliferation, and reduced prostate Igf1 expression and circulating insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF1) levels. In prostate cancer tissue, MAPK and PI3K activities, both downstream of the IGF1 receptor, were suppressed by Abx administration. IGF1 directly promoted the proliferation of prostate cancer cell lines DU145 and 22Rv1 in vitro. Abx administration also reduced fecal levels of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) produced by intestinal bacteria. Supplementation with SCFAs promoted tumor growth by increasing IGF1 levels. In humans, IGF1 was found to be highly expressed in prostate cancer tissue from obese patients. In conclusion, IGF1 production stimulated by SCFAs from gut microbes influences the growth of prostate cancer via activating local prostate MAPK and PI3K signaling, indicating the existence of a gut microbiota-IGF1-prostate axis. Disrupting this axis by modulating the gut microbiota may aid in prostate cancer prevention and treatment.

Significance:

These results suggest that intestinal bacteria, acting through short-chain fatty acids, regulate systemic and local prostate IGF1 in the host, which can promote proliferation of prostate cancer cells.
The Costs and Benefits of Risk Stratification for Colorectal Cancer Screening Based On Phenotypic and Genetic Risk: A Health Economic Analysis
Authors: Thomas Chloe , Mandrik Olena , Saunders Catherine L. , Thompson Deborah , Whyte Sophie , Griffin Simon , Usher-Smith Juliet A.
Published: May 2021

Population-based screening for colorectal cancer is an effective and cost-effective way of reducing colorectal cancer incidence and mortality. Many genetic and phenotypic risk factors for colorectal cancer have been identified, leading to development of colorectal cancer risk scores with varying discrimination. However, these are not currently used by population screening programs. We performed an economic analysis to assess the cost-effectiveness, clinical outcomes, and resource impact of using risk-stratification based on phenotypic and genetic risk, taking a UK National Health Service perspective. Biennial fecal immunochemical test (FIT), starting at an age determined through risk-assessment at age 40, was compared with FIT screening starting at a fixed age for all individuals. Compared with inviting everyone from age 60, using a risk score with area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.721 to determine FIT screening start age, produces 418 QALYs, costs £247,000, and results in 218 fewer colorectal cancer cases and 156 fewer colorectal cancer deaths per 100,000 people, with similar FIT screening invites. There is 96% probability that risk-stratification is cost-effective, with net monetary benefit (based on £20,000 per QALY threshold) estimated at £8.1 million per 100,000 people. The maximum that could be spent on risk-assessment and still be cost-effective is £114 per person. Lower benefits are produced with lower discrimination risk scores, lower mean screening start age, or higher FIT thresholds. Risk-stratified screening benefits men more than women. Using risk to determine FIT screening start age could improve the clinical outcomes and cost effectiveness of colorectal cancer screening without using significant additional screening resources.

Prevention Relevance:

Colorectal cancer screening is essential for early detection and prevention of colorectal cancer, but implementation is often limited by resource constraints. This work shows that risk-stratification using genetic and phenotypic risk could improve the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of screening programs, without using substantially more screening resources than are currently available.
Comparison of a New IgG-EIA for the Detection of Anti-Plasmodium Antibodies with Two Currently Used Assays
Authors: Niederhauser Christoph , Tinguely Caroline , Dreier Jens , Vollmer Tanja , Marti Hans Peter , Nickel Beatrice , Klemens Julia Maria , Warnecke Jens Miguel , Gowland Peter
Published: May 2021

Background: Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease caused by protozoan parasites of the genus Plasmodium. As migration of populations from endemic areas to Europe and overseas recreational travel to endemic regions increase, there is also a growing risk of transfusion-transmitted tropical diseases by blood components. Material and Methods: In the present study two routine Plasmodium spp. ELISA (CAPTIA™ Malaria EIA, Trinity Biotech, and Malaria EIA, BioRad) were compared with a new commercial ELISA (ELISA IgG, EUROIMMUN). From December 1, 2015 until November 30, 2016, 1,096 plasma samples from blood donors with a potential risk of malaria infection were collected at two blood transfusion centres in Germany and Switzerland. Results: The samples were tested comparatively with the ELISA from EUROIMMUN and the routine test used at the respective centre. Thirty-four of 595 (5.7%) tested blood samples from centre 1 and 49 of 501 (9.8%) tested blood samples from centre 2 showed reactivity on either or both ELISAs. All 83 reactive samples were sent for confirmation to the Diagnostic Centre of the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH) in Basel, Switzerland. Sixteen samples, which previously were reactive in the routine Plasmodium spp. EIA assays, were proven positive after confirmation testing (i.e., 4 positive and 12 inconclusive results), indicating an anti-Plasmodium antibody prevalence in blood donations of 1.5%. From these 16 reactive samples, 13 were also detected by the index test, resulting in an assay sensitivity of 81.2%. A specificity of 98.6% was calculated (1,065/1,080 confirmed negative samples). The overall agreement with the reference centre was 95.8% in centre 1 and 94% in centre 2. Conclusion: The comparison of the new EUROIMMUN ELISA and the established CAPTIA™ Malaria EIA (Trinity Biotech) and Malaria EIA (BioRad) used for routine blood donor screening in two laboratory blood donation centres revealed that all tested ELISAs show comparable sensitivities and are equally suitable for anti-Plasmodium antibody screening in blood banks.
3D Breast Volume Estimation
Authors: Gouveia Pedro F. , Oliveira Hélder P. , Monteiro João P. , Teixeira João F. , Silva Nuno L. , Pinto David , Mavioso Carlos , Anacleto João , Martinho Marta , Duarte Inês , Cardoso Jaime S. , Cardoso Fatima , Cardoso Maria João
Published: May 2021

Introduction: Breast volume estimation is considered crucial for breast cancer surgery planning. A single, easy, and reproducible method to estimate breast volume is not available. This study aims to evaluate, in patients proposed for mastectomy, the accuracy of the calculation of breast volume from a low-cost 3D surface scan (Microsoft Kinect) compared to the breast MRI and water displacement technique. Material and Methods: Patients with a Tis/T1–T3 breast cancer proposed for mastectomy between July 2015 and March 2017 were assessed for inclusion in the study. Breast volume calculations were performed using a 3D surface scan and the breast MRI and water displacement technique. Agreement between volumes obtained with both methods was assessed with the Spearman and Pearson correlation coefficients. Results: Eighteen patients with invasive breast cancer were included in the study and submitted to mastectomy. The level of agreement of the 3D breast volume compared to surgical specimens and breast MRI volumes was evaluated. For mastectomy specimen volume, an average (standard deviation) of 0.823 (0.027) and 0.875 (0.026) was obtained for the Pearson and Spearman correlations, respectively. With respect to MRI annotation, we obtained 0.828 (0.038) and 0.715 (0.018). Discussion: Although values obtained by both methodologies still differ, the strong linear correlation coefficient suggests that 3D breast volume measurement using a low-cost surface scan device is feasible and can approximate both the MRI breast volume and mastectomy specimen with sufficient accuracy. Conclusion: 3D breast volume measurement using a depth-sensor low-cost surface scan device is feasible and can parallel MRI breast and mastectomy specimen volumes with enough accuracy. Differences between methods need further development to reach clinical applicability. A possible approach could be the fusion of breast MRI and the 3D surface scan to harmonize anatomic limits and improve volume delimitation.
Mantids (Insecta: Mantodea) of Uttar Pradesh, India
Authors: Yadav Ramesh Singh , Painkra G.P.
Published: May 2021

Several surveys of mantid fauna from eastern Uttar Pradesh, India were carried out during the period 2017–2019.  The collected materials include 21 species of 17 genera from six families and nine subfamilies.  The Family Mantidae contributed the highest numbers of mantid fauna.  In total, 10 species of mantis are reported for the first time from the present Uttar Pradesh (after division of the state) while Tenodera costalis (Blanchard, 1853) is recorded for the first time from the country.
The diversity of small mammals in Pulau Perhentian Kecil, Terengganu, Malaysia
Authors: Baqi Aminuddin , Azhar Isham , Chen Ean Wee , Anwarali Khan Faisal Ali , Lian Chong Ju , Nelson Bryan Raveen , Kumaran Jayaraj Vijaya
Published: May 2021

Islands are generally rich in marine biodiversity, but it also often hides unique and endemic terrestrial wildlife.  The data of terrestrial wildlife in Malaysian islands are still severely lacking, notably from small islands.  Hence, this study was conducted to survey and update the small mammal diversity (bats and non-volant small mammals) in Pulau Perhentian Kecil, a tourist destination famous for its magnificent, diverse marine life and white sandy beaches.  Despite their touristic popularity, very few information is known about the faunal diversity in this island compare to their more massive neighbouring island, Pulau Perhentian Besar.  The survey was carried out from 21 to 30 May 2014 recorded 56 individuals encompasses eight species of bats and five species of non-volant small mammals that were captured using mist nets, harp traps, and cage traps.  The survey recorded 10 new species locality records for the island in which, five species were never recorded in Pulau Perhentian Besar.  Hipposideros dyacorum, Tylonycteris fulvida, T. malayana, Rattus exulans, and Sundamys annandalei are also new distribution records for the Malaysian East Coast islands highlighting the importance of protecting island biodiversity.  Nonetheless, it is hoped that this study not only highlights the species diversity on the island but also serve as a data for sustainable island tourism management planning, which will be crucial for the sustainable development and management of this ecologically sensitive area.
Reappearance of Dhole Cuon alpinus (Mammalia: Carnivora: Canidae) in Gujarat after 70 years
Authors: Kazi A.A. , Rabari D.N. , Dahya M.I. , Lyngdoh S.
Published: May 2021

The Dhole Cuon alpinus used to be the meso carnivore of the forests throughout Indian subcontinent; however, habitat loss, low prey biomass, and human disturbance exterminated the species from India’s 60% historic range, and the numbers are less than 1,500 individuals in wild.  Following the same shrinking trend, Dholes were extirpated from Gujarat.  A few doubtful sightings and inevident reportings generated ambiguity of Dhole presence in Gujarat.  We conducted a study in Vansda National Park with 15,660 trap nights at 30 trap locations, and have confirmed the rediscovery of Dholes in Gujarat after 70 years.  We estimated the Dhole’s minimum home range as 13.7km2 and also analyzed relative abundance index of other mammals.  The future retention of Dholes requires detailed range, diet, and adaption studies along with conservational efforts to reduce re-extinction probabilities.
Mating behavior of Eastern Spotted Skunk Spilogale putorius Linnaeus, 1758 (Mammalia: Carnivora: Mephitidae) revealed by camera trap in Texas, USA
Authors: Avrin Alexandra C. , Pekins Charles E. , Allen Maximilian L.
Published: May 2021

Eastern Spotted Skunks Spilogale putorius are an understudied Vulnerable small carnivore.  Here we report a novel capture of Eastern Spotted Skunks mating via a camera trap in central Texas.  This detection adds to the minimal natural history knowledge of the species and highlights the utility of camera traps for documenting rarely observed behaviors.
A new species of shieldtail snake (Squamata: Uropeltidae: Uropeltis) from the Bengaluru uplands, India
Authors: Ganesh S.R. , Punith K.G. , Adhikari Omkar D. , Achyuthan N.S.
Published: May 2021

A new species of shieldtail snake, Uropeltis jerdoni, is here described based on eight specimens from Devarayana Durga and Nandi Durga that are under-researched hills near Bengaluru in southern India.  The new species is a member of the Uropeltis ceylanica group that can be distinguished from related taxa as follows: a truncate and flattened caudal shield with a circumscribed concave disc; part of rostral visible from above subequal to its distance from frontal; rostral partially separating nasal scales; 17: 17: 17 dorsal scale rows; 140–148 ventral scales; 7–9 pairs of subcaudals; dark blackish-grey above, powdered with minute yellow specks, yellow lateral stripes on neck and tail; ventrolateral region with yellow mottling; venter black. This new species is currently known only from two ranges Devarayana Durga and Nandi Durga but judging by the presence of similar, adjacent massifs, is hypothesized to be present in nearby hillocks surrounding Bengaluru City.
Assessing spatio-temporal patterns of human-leopard interactions based on media reports in northwestern India
Authors: Chauhan Kaushal , Srivathsa Arjun , Athreya Vidya
Published: May 2021

Large carnivores in human-use areas make for sensational print media content.  We used media reports to examine human-leopard interactions in Rajasthan, India.  We extracted news reports on leopard-related incidents from January 2016 to December 2018.  Incidents (n= 338) were categorized, mapped, and analysed to understand their nature and extent.  We found leopard-related news from 26 of 33 districts; a majority of these were in the eastern region of the State.  Most of the reported interactions appeared to be non-negative, despite losses to both leopards and people.  Our results provide a synthesis of spatio-temporal patterns of leopard-related incidents, which could help wildlife managers in better addressing negative interactions.  The study also demonstrates how news reports could be useful for examining human-wildlife interactions across large spatial scales.
Linguistic Dating of the Book of Qohelet: A New Angle
Authors: Samet Nili
Published: May 2021

This paper proposes a new linguistic method for dating the Book of Qohelet. While linguistic methods employed in previous studies of Qohelet led to the conclusion that it is a post-exilic book, they could not yield a more accurate dating. The methodology proposed here identifies calques in Qohelet that reflect Aramaic phrases of uneven distribution—i.e., phrases that occur only in the Aramaic dialects of a specific period. Two Aramaic calques serve as test cases: בשל אשר and כצל אשר. Tracing the inner-Aramaic development and distribution of their Aramaic equivalents, I conclude that these phrases evolved in Aramaic in the Hellenistic period, thus excluding a Persian-period dating of the relevant calques. The paper then briefly refers to the implications of these findings for the contextualization and interpretation of the Book of Qohelet.
Freedom of Thought in the United States: The First Amendment, Marketplaces of Ideas, and the Internet
Authors: Francis John Gregory , Francis Leslie
Published: May 2021

Freedom of thought is not directly protected as a right in the United States. Instead, US First Amendment law protects a range of rights that may allow thoughts to be expressed. Freedom of speech has been granted especially robust protection. US courts have extended this protection to a wide range of commercial activities judged to have expressive content. In protecting these rights, US jurisprudence frequently relies on the image of the marketplace of ideas as furthering the search for truth. This commercial image, however, has increasingly detached expressive rights from the understanding of freedom of thought as a critical forum for individual autonomy. Indeed, the commercialisation of US free speech doctrine has drawn criticism for “weaponising” free speech to attack disfavoured economic and regulatory policies and thus potentially affecting freedom of thought adversely. The Internet complicates this picture. This paper argues that the Supreme Court’s expansion of the First Amendment for the benefit of commercial actors lies in the problematic tension with the justification for individual freedom of thought resting in personal self-direction and identity.
Five new species and re-description of eight species belonging to the family Phytoseiidae (Acari: Mesostigmata) from West Bengal, India
Authors: BHOWMIK SAGARIKA , KARMAKAR KRISHNA
Published: May 2021

This paper reports on 13 species of Phytoseiidae (Acari: Mesostigmata) from West Bengal, India. Eight species, namely Euseius alstoniae (Gupta, 1975), Paraphytoseius orientalis (Narayanan, Kaur & Ghai, 1960), Amblyseiulella heveae (Oudemans, 1930), Gynaeseius ricini (Ghai & Menon, 1969), Neoseiulus longispinosus (Evans, 1952), Neoseiulus imbricatus (Corpuz & Rimando, 1966), Neoseiulus barkeri Hughes, 1948 and Phytoseius kapuri Gupta, 1969 are re-described, and five species, Typhlodromips jhilimiliensis sp. nov, Typhlodromips neosyzygii sp. nov, Proprioseiopsis amari sp. nov, Typhlodromus (Anthoseius) bolpurensis sp. nov, and Phytoseius mauritiana sp. nov. are described as new. Neoseiulus barkeri Hughes, 1948 is reported from India for the first time.
Origin of Sustained Continuous Measurements of Surface Wind and Upper-Ocean Current and Temperature on the Pacific Equator: EQUA Project
Authors: Halpern David
Published: May 2021

In 1976, a pilot experiment, called first Equatorial Mooring (EQUA-1), tested an innovative technique for anchoring a taut-line surface mooring at 0°, 150°W where the water depth is 4.5 km. The 36-day deployment contained a wind recorder and fixed-level current meters at 50 and 100 m in the Equatorial Undercurrent (EUC). The following year, in a second pilot experiment, named EQUA-2, a similar mooring was deployed at 0°, 125°W for 99 days. EQUA-2, with current meters at 10, 50, 100, 150, and 200 m, recorded a surge in EUC transport during April 1977 when 3-day-averaged eastward current speeds at 50-m depth reached 2 m s−1. The associated eastward transport per unit meridional width over the 50–200-m layer was 190 m2 s−1. Based on observations recorded in April 1980, the EQUA-2 pulse would correspond to a total EUC transport surge of about 38 Sv (1 Sv ≡ 106 m3 s−1) and would represent an equatorially trapped first-mode baroclinic Kelvin wave. This paper describes EQUA Project observations and why and how I created the high-risk-of-failure opportunity to record pioneering time series measurements at the equator. The enduring legacy of the EQUA Project is the sustained maintenance of in situ surface wind and upper-ocean current and temperature measurements at numerous sites in the equatorial oceans, starting in the Pacific to improve forecasts of the El Niño and La Niña phenomenon. For example, the 40-yr records of surface wind and upper-ocean current and temperature measurements at 0°, 110°W and 0°, 140°W are some of oceanography’s longest time series recorded far from land.
Improving WRF-Chem meteorological analyses and forecasts over aerosol polluted regions by incorporating NAAPS aerosol analyses
Authors: Carson-Marquis Brittany N. , Zhang Jianglong , Xian Peng , Reid Jeffrey S. , Marquis Jared
Published: May 2021

When unaccounted for in numerical weather prediction (NWP) models, heavy aerosol events can cause significant unrealized biases in forecasted meteorological parameters such as surface temperature. To improve near-surface forecasting accuracies during heavy aerosol loadings, we demonstrate the feasibility of incorporating aerosol fields from a global chemical transport model as initial and boundary conditions into a higher resolution NWP model with aerosol-meteorological coupling. This concept is tested for a major biomass burning smoke event over the Northern Great Plains region of the United States that occurred during summer of 2015. Aerosol analyses from the global Navy Aerosol Analysis and Prediction System (NAAPS) are used as initial and boundary conditions for Weather Research and Forecasting with Chemistry (WRF-Chem) simulations. Through incorporating more realistic aerosol direct effects into the WRF-Chem simulations, errors in WRF-Chem simulated surface downward shortwave radiative fluxes and near-surface temperature are reduced compared with surface-based observations. This study confirms the ability to decrease biases induced by the aerosol direct effect for regional NWP forecasts during high-impact aerosol episodes through the incorporation of analyses and forecasts from a global aerosol transport model.
Inconsistent Global Kinetic Energy Spectra in Reanalyses and Models
Authors: Aaron Wang Jih-Wang , Sardeshmukh Prashant D.
Published: May 2021

Global upper tropospheric kinetic energy (KE) spectra in several global atmospheric circulation datasets are examined. The datasets considered include the ERA-Interim, JRA-55, and ERA5 reanalyses and two versions of NOAA-GFS analyses at horizontal resolutions ranging from 0.7° to 0.12°. The mesoscale portions of the spectra are found to be highly inconsistent. This is shown to be mainly due to inconsistencies in the scale-dependent numerical damping and in the large contributions to the global mesoscale KE from the KE in convective regions and near orography.

The spectra also generally have a steeper mesoscale slope than the -5/3 slope of the observational Nastrom-Gage spectrum pursued at many modeling centers. The sensitivity of the slope in global models to 1) stochastically perturbing diabatic tendencies and 2) decreasing the horizontal hyper-viscosity coefficient is explored in large ensembles of 10-day forecasts made with the NCEP-GFS (0.7° grid) model. Both changes lead to larger mesoscale KE and a flatter spectral slope. The effect is stronger in the modified hyper-viscosity experiment.

These results show that (a) despite assimilating vastly more observations than used in the original Nastrom-Gage studies, current high-resolution global analyses still do not converge to a single “true” global mesoscale KE spectrum, and (b) model KE spectra can be made flatter not just by increasing model resolution but also by perturbing model physics and decreasing horizontal diffusion. Such sensitivities and lack of consensus on the spectral slope also raise the possibility that the true global mesoscale spectral slope may not be a precisely -5/3 slope.
The source of uncertainty in projecting the anomalous western North Pacific anticyclone during El Niño–decaying summers
Authors: Wu Mingna , Zhou Tianjun , Chen Xiaolong
Published: May 2021

The western North Pacific anomalous anticyclone (WNPAC) is a key bridge that links El Niño and East Asian climate variability. Future projections of ENSO-related WNPAC changes under global warming are highly uncertain across climate models. Based on a 40-member ensemble from the Community Earth System Model Large Ensemble (CESM-LE) project, we investigate the effects of internal variability on the El Niño-related WNPAC projection. Here, we first develop a decomposition method to separate the contributions of El Niño amplitude change and non-amplitude change from the leading uncertainty in the El Niño-related WNPAC projection. Based on the decomposition, approximately 23% of the uncertainty in the El Niño-related WNPAC projection is attributed to the El Niño amplitude change, while the remaining 77% is from the non-amplitude change, which is mainly related to the change in the El Niño decaying pace. A larger (smaller) El Niño amplitude can enhance (weaken) the WNPAC through a stronger (weaker) tropical Indian Ocean (TIO) capacitor effect. For non-amplitude change, a faster (slower) El Niño decaying pace can also enhance (weaken) the WNPAC through descending Rossby waves in response to cold sea surface temperature anomalies (SSTA) over the tropical central-eastern Pacific. The decomposition method can be generalized to investigate the sources of uncertainty related to El Niño properties in climate projections and to help improve the understanding of changes in the interannual variability of East Asian-western Pacific climate under global warming.
Extreme Fire Weather Associated with Nocturnal Drying in Elevated Coastal Terrain of California
Authors: Bagley Richard B. , Clements Craig B.
Published: May 2021

The second largest fire shelter deployment in U.S. history occurred in August 2003 during the Devil Fire, which was burning in a remote and rugged region of the San Francisco Bay Area, when relative humidity abruptly dropped in the middle of the night, causing rapid fire growth. Nocturnal drying events in the higher elevations along California’s central coast are a unique phenomenon that poses a great risk to wildland firefighters. Single-digit relative humidity with dewpoints below −25°C is not uncommon during summer nights in this region. To provide the fire management community with knowledge of these hazardous conditions, an event criterion was established to develop a climatology of nocturnal drying and to investigate the synoptic patterns associated with these events. A lower-tropospheric source region of dry air was found over the northeastern Pacific Ocean corresponding to an area of maximum low-level divergence and associated subsidence. This dry air forms above a marine inversion and advects inland overnight with the marine layer and immerses higher-elevation terrain with warm and dry air. An average of 15–20 nocturnal drying events per year occur in elevations greater than 700 m in the San Francisco Bay Area, and their characteristics are highly variable, making them a challenge to forecast.
Who commits the most to NATO? It depends on how we measure commitment
Authors: Cooper Scott , Stiles Kendall W
Published: May 2021

Studies of NATO rely heavily on military spending as a fraction of GDP as the key indicator of members’ contribution to the alliance, but a growing number of scholars have challenged this approach. We suggest that each member’s public goods provision is a better measure of commitment to the alliance. In the case of post-Cold War NATO, out-of-area troop deployments (adjusted for population) constitute one of the strongest indicators of a state’s contribution to public goods. Providing troops for NATO missions in Afghanistan, Kosovo, and Bosnia-Herzegovina is one of the clearest signals of high commitment to the alliance. Using deployment data from 2004 to 2018, we show that there is evidence of disproportionate burden-sharing within the alliance. Countries like Slovenia, Denmark, the USA and UK contributed far more to NATO deployments than others like Turkey, Spain, Poland, and Portugal. We also use the data to begin examining possible causes of these disparities. We find that wealthier countries, countries that spend more on their militaries, and newer alliance members are more likely to contribute. Our indicator and first-cut model open avenues for further research on why some members demonstrate higher commitment to NATO than others.
A Nationwide Survey of COVID-19 Testing in LGBTQ+ Populations in the United States
Authors: Martino Richard J. , Krause Kristen D. , Griffin Marybec , LoSchiavo Caleb , Comer-Carruthers Camilla , Karr Anita G. , Bullock Allie F. , Halkitis Perry N.
Published: May 2021

Objectives

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer and questioning (LGBTQ+) people and populations face myriad health disparities that are likely to be evident during the COVID-19 pandemic. The objectives of our study were to describe patterns of COVID-19 testing among LGBTQ+ people and to differentiate rates of COVID-19 testing and test results by sociodemographic characteristics.

Methods

Participants residing in the United States and US territories (N = 1090) aged ≥18 completed an internet-based survey from May through July 2020 that assessed COVID-19 testing and test results and sociodemographic characteristics, including sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI). We analyzed data on receipt and results of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and antibody testing for SARS-CoV-2 and symptoms of COVID-19 in relation to sociodemographic characteristics.

Results

Of the 1090 participants, 182 (16.7%) received a PCR test; of these, 16 (8.8%) had a positive test result. Of the 124 (11.4%) who received an antibody test, 45 (36.3%) had antibodies. Rates of PCR testing were higher among participants who were non–US-born (25.4%) versus US-born (16.3%) and employed full-time or part-time (18.5%) versus unemployed (10.8%). Antibody testing rates were higher among gay cisgender men (17.2%) versus other SOGI groups, non–US-born (25.4%) versus US-born participants, employed (12.6%) versus unemployed participants, and participants residing in the Northeast (20.0%) versus other regions. Among SOGI groups with sufficient cell sizes (n > 10), positive PCR results were highest among cisgender gay men (16.1%).

Conclusions

The differential patterns of testing and positivity, particularly among gay men in our sample, confirm the need to create COVID-19 public health messaging and programming that attend to the LGBTQ+ population.
Modeling the consumption of sewing thread for stitch class 301 through image analysis by using Fourier series
Authors: Javed Zafar , Ahmad Fayyaz , Khan Qammar , Naeem M Salman , Javaid M Usman , Jabbar Abdul , Hassan Zameerul , Karahan Mehmet
Published: May 2021

This research work aims at modeling the sewing thread consumption for stitch class 301 through image analysis by using Fourier series. A mathematical model was developed by using the geometry of stitch class 301 for calculating sewing thread consumption. The modeling of stitch class 301 was conducted by changing the stitch density and thickness of the stitched fabric. The stitch density was adjusted by varying the stitch length (2, 3 and 4 mm) and the thickness of stitched fabric (2, 3 and 4 plies of fabric).The interlacement of sewing thread between the needle and bobbin was used for the measurement of arc length of one stitch. The total consumption of sewing thread was determined by multiplying the arc length by 4. The developed model was verified by using nine different stitched samples for comparing the predicted and measured values of sewing thread consumption. This model predicted the sewing thread consumption with 95% accuracy. Error percentages were also calculated for determining the major influencing factors that affected the sewing thread consumption. The proposed model can effectively be employed in garment industries for determining sewing thread consumption.
Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children
Authors: Schneider Jordan , Tilford Bradley , Safa Raya , Dentel John , Veenstra Michelle , Ang Jocelyn , Cashen Katherine
Published: May 2021

Early reports suggested that pediatric COVID-19 cases were less severe in children. Most children requiring intensive care admission in these reports had underlying medical conditions. Shortly after the surge of adult COVID-19 cases in Detroit, Michigan, previously healthy children began to present with shock with multiorgan dysfunction, elevated inflammatory markers, and physical exam findings with features of Kawasaki disease. This disease process was later called multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C.) In this case series, we describe three previously healthy children who presented with severe manifestations of MIS-C, including cardiogenic shock and profound systemic inflammation. These children developed severely depressed myocardial function with end-organ injury and were cannulated to veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) due to cardiogenic shock with arrhythmia. All three children improved with VA-ECMO support and anti-inflammatory treatment. All had complete recovery of myocardial function at discharge and 6-month follow-up with no significant morbidity.