bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Early Adverse Impact of Transfusion After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement
Authors: Zimarino Marco , Barbanti Marco , Dangas George D. , Testa Luca , Capodanno Davide , Stefanini Giulio G. , Radico Francesco , Marchioni Michele , Amat-Santos Ignacio , Piva Tommaso , Saia Francesco , Reimers Bernhard , De Innocentiis Carlo , Picchi Andrea , Toro Alessandro , Rodriguez-Gabella Tania , Nicolini Elisa , Moretti Carolina , Gallina Sabina , Maddestra Nicola , Bedogni Francesco , Tamburino Corrado
Published: December 2020

Background:

There is no consensus on the benefit of red blood cell (RBC) transfusion after transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

Methods:

The multicenter Transfusion Requirements in Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TRITAVI) registry retrospectively included patients after transfemoral transcatheter aortic valve replacement; propensity score-matching identified pairs of patients with and without RBC transfusion. The primary end point was 30-day mortality; nonfatal myocardial infarction, cerebrovascular accident, and stage 2 to 3 acute kidney injury at 30 days were secondary end points. We repeated propensity score-matching according to the hemoglobin nadir, hemoglobin drop, and in the subgroup of uncomplicated patients, without major vascular complications or major bleeding.

Results:

Among 2587 patients, RBC transfusion was administered in 421 cases (16%). The primary end point occurred in 104 (4.0%) patients, myocardial infarction in 9 (0.4%), cerebrovascular accident in 38 (1.5%), and acute kidney injury in 125 (4.8%) cases. In the 842 propensity-matched patients, RBC transfusion was associated with increased mortality (hazard ratio, 2.07 [95% CI, 1.06–4.05];
P
=0.034) and acute kidney injury (hazard ratio, 4.35 [95% CI, 2.21–8.55];
P
<0.001). Interaction testing between RBC transfusion and mortality was not statistically significant in the above-mentioned subgroups, and such association was not documented in the corresponding propensity score-matched cohorts. In the multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression model, major vascular complications (
P
=0.044), major bleeding (
P
=0.041), and RBC transfusion (
P
=0.048) were independent correlates of 30-day mortality.

Conclusions:

RBC transfusion correlates with increased mortality and acute kidney injury early after transcatheter aortic valve replacement and is an independent predictor of 30-day mortality, irrespective of periprocedural major bleeding and vascular complications.

Registration:

URL:
https://www.clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifier: NCT03740425.
Association of Splanchnic Vein Thrombosis on Survival: 15‐Year Institutional Experience With 1561 Cases
Authors: Wells Philip S. , Theberge Isabel , Bowdridge Joshua , Kelly Erin , Kielar Ania , Forgie Melissa A , John Susan , van Walraven Carl
Published: December 2020

Background

Previous studies regarding survival in patients with splanchnic vein thrombosis (SVT) are limited. This study measured overall survival in a large cohort of SVTs through linkage to population‐based data.

Methods and Results

Using a previously derived text‐search algorithm, we screened the reports of all abdominal ultrasound and contrast‐enhanced computed tomography studies at The Ottawa Hospital over 14 years. Screen‐positive reports were manually reviewed by at least 2 authors to identify definite SVT cases by consensus. Images of uncertain studies were independently reviewed by 2 radiologists. One thousand five hundred sixty‐one adults with SVT (annual incidence ranging from 2.8 to 5.9 cases/10 000 patients) were linked with population‐based data sets to measure the presence of concomitant cancer and survival status. Thrombosis involved multiple veins in 314 patients (20.1%), most commonly the portal vein (n=1410, 90.3%). Compared with an age‐sex‐year matched population, patients with SVT had significantly reduced survival in particular with local cancer (adjusted relative excess risk for recent cases 12.0 [95% CI, 9.8–14.6] and for remote cases 9.7 [7.7–12.2]), distant cancer (relative excess risk for recent cases 5.7 [4.5–7.3] and for remote cases 5.4 [4.4–6.6]), cirrhosis (relative excess risk 8.2 [5.3–12.7]), and previous venous thromboembolism (relative excess risk 3.8 [2.4–6.0]). One hundred fifty (23.9%) of patients >65 years of age were anticoagulated within 1 month of diagnosis.

Conclusions

SVT is more common than expected. Most patients have cancer and the portal vein is by far the most common vein involved. Compared with the general population, patients with SVT had significantly reduced survival, particularly in patients with concomitant cancer, cirrhosis, and previous venous thromboembolic disease. Most elderly patients did not receive anticoagulant therapy.
Adiposity and Outcome After Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Liu Zuolu , Sanossian Nerses , Starkman Sidney , Avila-Rinek Gilda , Eckstein Marc , Sharma Latisha K. , Liebeskind David , Conwit Robin , Hamilton Scott , Saver Jeffrey L. ,   on behalf of the FAST-MAG Investigators and Coordinators
Published: December 2020

Background and Purpose:

A survival advantage among individuals with higher body mass index (BMI) has been observed for diverse acute illnesses, including stroke, and termed the obesity paradox. However, prior ischemic stroke studies have generally tested only for linear rather than nonlinear relations between body mass and outcome, and few studies have investigated poststroke functional outcomes in addition to mortality.

Methods:

We analyzed consecutive patients with acute ischemic stroke enrolled in a 60-center acute treatment trial, the NIH FAST-MAG acute stroke trial. Outcomes at 3 months analyzed were (1) death; (2) disability or death (modified Rankin Scale score, 2–6); and (3) low stroke-related quality of life (Stroke Impact Scale<median). Relations with BMI were analyzed univariately and in multivariate models adjusting for 14 additional prognostic variables.

Results:

Among 1033 patients with acute ischemic stroke, average age was 71 years (±13), 45.1% female, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale 10.6 (±8.3), and BMI 27.5 (±5.6). In both unadjusted and adjusted analysis, increasing BMI was linearly associated with improved 3-month survival (
P
=0.01) odds ratios in adjusted analysis for mortality declined across the BMI categories of underweight (odds ratio, 1.7 [CI, 0.6–4.9]), normal (odds ratio, 1), overweight (0.9 [CI, 0.5–1.4]), obese (0.5, [CI, 0.3–1.0]), and severely obese (0.4 [CI, 0.2–0.9]). In unadjusted analysis, increasing BMI showed a U-shaped relation to poststroke disability or death (modified Rankin Scale score, 2–6), with odds ratios of modified Rankin Scale score, 2 to 6 for underweight, overweight, and obese declined initially when compared with normal weight patients, but then increased again in severely obese patients, suggesting a U-shaped or J-shaped relation. After adjustment, including for baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale, modified Rankin Scale score 2 to 6 was no longer related to adiposity.

Conclusions:

Mortality and functional outcomes after acute ischemic stroke have disparate relations with patients’ adiposity. Higher BMI is linearly associated with increased survival; and BMI has a U-shaped or J-shaped relation to disability and stroke-related quality of life. Potential mechanisms including nutritional reserve aiding survival during recovery and greater frequency of atherosclerotic than thromboembolic infarcts in individuals with higher BMI.
Cerebral Venous Thrombosis
Authors: Ruuskanen Jori O. , Kytö Ville , Posti Jussi P. , Rautava Päivi , Sipilä Jussi O.T.
Published: December 2020

Background and Purpose:

Epidemiology of cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) has been reported to be changing. Because long-term nationwide data are needed to confirm this, we studied CVT occurrence between 2005 and 2014 in Finland.

Methods:

All acute CVT admissions were retrieved from a mandatory registry covering mainland Finland. Patients aged ≥18 years were included. One admission per patient was allowed.

Results:

We identified 563 patients with CVT (56.5% women). Overall incidence was 1.32/100 000 (95% CI, 1.21–1.43) per year with a 5.0% annual increase. In people <55 years of age, incidence was 0.92/100 000 (0.76–1.10) for men and 1.65/100 000 (1.43–1.89) for women, whereas for those 55 years or older incidence was 1.61 (1.34–1.91) for men and 1.17 (0.96–1.41) for women. In-hospital mortality was 2.1% with no sex difference. One-year mortality was 7.9%. Long-term mortality was higher in men (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.61 [1.09–2.38]) and in older patients (1.95 [1.69–2.24]; per 10-year increment).

Conclusions:

Overall incidence of CVT in Finland was similar to that reported in the Netherlands and in Australia. There was a 5.0% yearly increase in the rate of admissions while in-hospital mortality was low. Sex-specific incidence rates differed markedly between younger and older people. Long-term mortality increased with age and was higher in men.
Medications as Traumatic Reminders in Patients With Stroke/Transient Ischemic Attack-Induced Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
Authors: Liyanage-Don Nadia , Birk Jeffrey , Cornelius Talea , Sanchez Gabriel , Moise Nathalie , Edmondson Donald , Kronish Ian
Published: December 2020

Background and Purpose:

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms are common after stroke/transient ischemic attack (TIA) and have been associated with medication nonadherence, potentially because medications serve as traumatic reminders of the prior stroke/TIA. This study examined associations between stroke/TIA-induced PTSD and aversive cognitions toward preventive medications.

Methods:

We enrolled a cohort of patients presenting to the emergency department with suspected stroke/TIA. One month posthospitalization, we assessed PTSD symptoms specific to the index stroke/TIA using the PTSD checklist specific and asked patients how often (1) did thinking about your stroke medication make you feel nervous or anxious?; (2) did thinking about your stroke medication make you think about your risk for future strokes?; and (3) did you skip or avoid taking your stroke medication so you would not have to think about your stroke? Logistic regression models tested the association between PTSD symptoms and each aversive cognition, adjusting for age, sex, ethnicity, and depression.

Results:

Among 408 included patients, 11.0% had elevated PTSD symptoms. These patients were more likely to report that thinking about their stroke medication made them feel nervous or anxious (37.8% versus 9.9%,
P
<0.001) that thinking about their stroke medication made them think about their risk for future stroke/TIA (60.0% versus 24.0%,
P
<0.001), and that they skipped or avoided their stroke medication to not think about their prior stroke/TIA (11.1% versus 2.2%,
P
=0.009). In adjusted analyses, higher PTSD checklist specific scores were associated with increased nervousness/anxiety (odds ratio, 1.33 [95% CI, 1.18–1.50],
P
<0.001) and thoughts of future stroke (odds ratio, 1.27 [95% CI, 1.14–1.41],
P
<0.001), with a trend toward significance for skipping medications to avoid reminders of stroke (odds ratio, 1.20 [95% CI, 0.99–1.44],
P
=0.06).

Conclusions:

Medications may serve as traumatic reminders after stroke/TIA-induced PTSD, potentially leading to medication nonadherence.
Intracranial Aneurysms Are Associated With Marfan Syndrome
Authors: Kim Jae Ho , Kim Jin Woo , Song Suk-Won , Ahn Sung Jun , Park Mina , Park Sang Kyu , Suh Sang Hyun
Published: December 2020

Background and Purpose:

The association between intracranial aneurysms (IAs) and Marfan syndrome (MFS) is controversial. We aimed to evaluate the prevalence and characteristics of IAs in patients with MFS using brain imaging and compare it with the general population.

Methods:

Between 2007 and 2020, 118 patients with confirmed MFS who underwent brain imaging were enrolled and classified into 2 groups; IA group versus non-IA. Demographic data were acquired from their medical records, including age, sex, comorbidities, and aortic diseases. Two readers reviewed all brain images independently regarding the presence, morphology, size, and location of IAs. All data were compared between both groups, and IA characteristics in MFS were analyzed using a database of controls with IAs.

Results:

The prevalence of IAs was 11.9% in patients with MFS. IA group were significantly older in age (44.6±12.1 years in IA versus 36.8±14.0 years in non-IA,
P
=0.039) and had female predominance (71.4% in IA versus 43.3% in non-IA,
P
=0.047). All IAs were unruptured, and there was no subarachnoid hemorrhage during the follow-up period (mean; 53.5±43.3 months). The mean diameter of IAs was significantly larger (4.23±1.80 mm in MFS versus 3.04±1.57 mm in control,
P
=0.004). IAs with MFS were frequently located in the vertebrobasilar artery (33.3% in MFS versus 2.1% in control,
P
=0.002) and more common in fusiform morphology (13.3% in MFS versus 1.1% in control,
P
=0.048).

Conclusions:

This large-cohort study demonstrated a high prevalence and differential features of IAs in MFS, which may support the association between IAs and MFS.
Invasive Monitoring of Intracranial Pressure After Decompressive Craniectomy in Malignant Stroke
Authors: Hernández-Durán Silvia , Meinen Leonie , Rohde Veit , von der Brelie Christian
Published: December 2020

Background and Purpose:

The role of decompressive hemicraniectomy (DC) in malignant cerebral infarction (MCI) has clearly been established, but little is known about the course of intracranial pressure (ICP) in patients undergoing this surgical measure. In this study, we investigated the role of invasive ICP monitoring in patients after DC for MCI, postulating that postoperative ICP predicts mortality.

Methods:

In this retrospective observational study of MCI patients undergoing DC, ICP were recorded continuously in hourly intervals for the first 72 hours after DC. For every hour, mean ICP was calculated, pooling ICP of every patient. A receiver operating characteristic analysis was performed for hourly mean ICP. A subgroup analysis by age (≥60 years and <60 years) was also performed.

Results:

A total of 111 patients were analyzed, with 29% mortality rate in patients <60 years, and 41% in patients ≥60 years. A threshold of 10 mm Hg within the first 72 postoperative hours was a reliable predictor of mortality in MCI, with an acceptable sensitivity of 70% and high specificity of 97%. Established predictors of mortality failed to predict mortality.

Conclusions:

Our study suggests the need to reevaluate postoperative ICP after DC in MCI and calls for a redefinition of ICP thresholds in these patients to indicate further therapy.
Illusory Planes in Fred Sandback’s Sculpture
Authors: Verstegen Ian
Published: December 2020

A remarkable feature often noted of artist Fred Sandback’s string constructions: The geometrical forms he created with string have a strong planar feel. Phenomenologically, viewers perceive the spaces between the strings as planes with some substance. The illusion is amodally completed, as in the well-known Kanizsa triangle, by minimal prompts, but in three dimensions. Instead of creating an illusory figure, then, Sandback creates illusory planes. By noting how the constructions are like “impossible” figures, one can see how bottom-up and top-down effects combine to complicate the illusion, and the works become about the construction of space rather than its reification.
The Fifth Passover Cup and Magical Pairs: Isaac Baer Levinsohn and the Babylonian Talmud
Authors: Jacobi Leor
Published: December 2020

The Fifth Passover Cup is mentioned in a textual variant of a baraita in Tractate Pesaḥim of the Babylonian Talmud (118a), attributed to Rabbi Ṭarfon and another anonymous Palestinian tanna. Scholars have demonstrated that the variant is primary in talmudic manuscripts and among the Babylonian Geonim. Following a nineteenth-century proposition of Isaac Baer Levinsohn, it is argued that the fifth cup was instituted in Babylonia due to concern for magical evil spirits aroused by even-numbered events [zugot]. Objections to Levinsohn’s theory can be allayed by critical source analysis: the Talmud’s attribution of the fifth cup to the Palestinian tanna Rabbi Ṭarfon in a baraita is pseudoepigraphic, based upon Rabbi Ṭarfon’s teaching regarding the recitation of Hallel ha-Gadol in Mishnah Ta‘anit 3:9. A special appendix is devoted to Levinsohn’s separate study on zugot in the ancient and medieval world.
Word Order and Agreement in Tagoi
Authors: Alamin Suzan
Published: December 2020

This study provides a detailed description of word order types, agreement patterns and alternations found in Tagoi, a Kordofanian language traditionally spoken in South Kordofan. After a brief presentation of the language (section 1), the noun class system is introduced (section 2) and the word order and agreement patterns are examined at the noun phrase level (section 3). Section 4 gives information about the constituent order at clause and sentence level, while Section 5 summarizes the findings and conclusion of the paper. All in all, the paper aims at contributing to a better understanding of the grammar, structure and typological features of Tagoi.
Phloem development, growth markers, and sieve-tube longevity in two Neotropical trees
Authors: Angyalossy Veronica , Pace Marcelo R. , Marcati Carmen R. , Evert Ray F.
Published: December 2020

This study provides a detailed analysis of phloem anatomy, development, the formation of cell types, differentiation, and sieve-tube element’s longevity in two tropical arboreal species, Cedrela fissilis (Meliaceae, Rosid) and Citharexylum myrianthum (Verbenaceae, Asterid), growing in natural populations in the semi-deciduous Atlantic Rainforest. We periodically collected samples from the main stem at breast height (1.3 m), during both the dry and the wet seasons. Differences in the cells produced at these different seasons suggest that annual growth increments in the phloem are present in both species, marked by files of terminal narrow sieve-tube elements radially grouped in Cedrela fissilis, and in assemblages of narrow sieve tubes and axial parenchyma in Cytharexylum myrianthum, both appearing at the end of the wet season. In Cedrela fissilis, where fiber bands are present, each fiber band marks the end of the early phloem, acting as an indirect annual growth ring marker. Sieve-tube element longevity varied for both species from 4–26 months, a result similar to that obtained in temperate species.
A History of the Muslim World Manuscript Collection at the Columbia University Libraries
Authors: Chebaro Kaoukab , Siegel Jane Rodgers
Published: December 2020

In this article, we explore the history of the development of the Islamicate manuscript collection at the Columbia University Libraries (approximately 575 manuscripts across a wide range of languages, subjects, and periods). The story of the collection is one of checkered growth and engagement, and of serendipitous development. We focus on the key actors responsible for collecting activities, mainly donors and faculty, and provide biographical information as well as details regarding the specific contributions made. Three broad phases of development are identified: the birth of the collection (1880–1930); a period of growth: the Smith-Plimpton Islamic science manuscripts (1930–1950); Arthur Jeffery, the Burke Collection and the last gasp of orientalist philological research at Columbia (1950–1970). We try to account for the ebb and flow of interest in the collection within the larger scholarly context of Islamic and Near Eastern studies in the city and at the University.
World Cinema, Third Cinema
Authors: Mazierska Ewa
Published: December 2020

This article examines the term ‘World Cinema’ by comparing it to ‘world literature’, as understood by two German thinkers of the Romantic period: Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and Karl Marx, who attributed universal appeal to it. It argues that World cinema, like world literature, testifies to the unequal distribution of economic and cultural power. World Cinema refers to cinemas of peripheries, cinematic production of ‘developing’ or Third World countries or non-Hollywood. Moreover, it does not encompass everything which is produced in the peripheries, but only that part, which lends itself to the gaze of (broadly understood) western scholars. Inevitably, such gaze privileges ‘canonical works’, which have already received national recognition and which due to their subjects, forms or ideologies, align themselves with the production in the centre. However, there are also films created in the peripheries which transcended national boundaries despite being openly local and even hostile to the idea of competing with other films on the global market, especially films made in Hollywood or modelled on Hollywood, such as Third Cinema, whose analysis concludes the discussion.
Geopora ramila sp. nov. (Pezizales, Pyronemataceae) evidenced by morphological characters and phylogenetic analyses in Iran

Authors: SHEIBANI MASOUD , JAMALI SAMAD
Published: December 2020

A new Geopora species (Pyronemataceae), Geopora ramila was described and illustrated from the soil, under or in the vicinity of Helianthemum ledifolium var. ledifolium annual plant in Fars province, Iran. Morphologically, G. ramila is similar to G. pinyonensis and G. arenicola but distinguished from both by a combination of morphological characters including, color and size of ascocarps, size and shape of ascospores, habit and associated host. The ribosomal DNA internally transcribed spacer (rDNA ITS) sequence of the new species (Acc. No. MT108930 to MT108934) showed 87.82% identity with G. pinyonensis in the BLAST search in GenBank. ITS-based phylogenetic analysis clearly supports G. ramila is a new and distinctive species lacking close relatives among described species of Geopora.
Luisia yunnanensis (Orchidaceae; Epidendroideae), a new species from China: evidence from morphology and DNA analyses
Authors: HUANG JIE , YU YU YUN , CHEN GUI-ZHEN , LIAO XING-YU , LIU ZHONG-JIAN , PENG DONG-HUI
Published: December 2020

Based on morphological and molecular evidence, Luisia yunnanensis (Epidendroideae, Orchidaceae), a new species from Yunnan, China, is described and illustrated. A detailed comparison between the newly discovered orchid and other members of Luisia is presented. Molecular analysis of nrITS and plastid DNA (matK, rbcL) sequence data show that L. yunnanensis is sister to L. filiformis with strong support.
Didymocarpus longicalyx (Gesneriaceae), a new species from southwestern Yunnan, China

Authors: ZHANG CAI-FEI , TIAN JING , PENG SHUAI , WANG JUN-JIE , WANG YAN , HU GUANG-WAN , WANG QING-FENG
Published: December 2020

Didymocarpus longicalyx, a new species of Gesneriaceae from southwestern Yunnan Province, China is described and illustrated based on detailed morphological comparisons with all known species of the genus Didymocarpus from both China and neighbouring countries. Morphologically, it is most similar to D. medogensis and D. glandulosus, but can be distinguished by its puberulent peduncles, calyx with ca. 8 mm long segments and claret corollas with three yellow spots and a few yellowish striations on upper lip.
A new Eumerus hoverfly (Diptera: Syrphidae) from Namibia and South Africa, with notes on similar species
Authors: RICARTE ANTONIO , HAUSER MARTIN , KINNEE SCOTT , MARCOS-GARCÍA Mª ÁNGELES
Published: December 2020

Within the pollinator family Syrphidae, Eumerus Meigen, 1822 is a diverse genus with over 70 species recorded in the Afrotropical Region. A new species is described here from Namibia and South Africa. Adults are small to medium size flies, with spur-like expansions in the metatarsomeres 2 and 3. DNA sequences of the Cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene were obtained from Namibian specimens. This is only the second Eumerus species documented from Namibia, where it was recorded from The National Botanic Garden, Windhoek. The new species is compared with similar species such as Eumerus vestitus Bezzi, 1912, for which a lectotype is designated. In addition, a new and preliminary morphological concept of the Eumerus obliquus group is proposed and a key to its African species is provided.
Review of Scatimus Erichson (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) in Colombia with the description of a new species
Authors: MARTÍNEZ-REVELO DIEGO ESTEBAN , LOPERA-TORO ALEJANDRO , MEDINA CLAUDIA A.
Published: December 2020

We present a review of Scatimus Erichson (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae: Ateuchini: Scatimina) in Colombia, with the description of S. strenua new species from the Central Andes (Antioquia Department). Records of S. strandi Balthasar from southwestern Colombia (Caquetá and Nariño Departments) are validated. The distributions of S. ovatus Harold from the Magdalena, Chocó-Darién, and Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta provinces and S. fernandezi Martínez in the eastern foothills of the Eastern Cordillera (Orinoco-Amazon) are confirmed. New departmental records and distribution maps for Colombia are presented; an updated key for the taxonomic identification of Scatimus is included. With a total of four species, Colombia has the second highest Scatimus species richness of any country.
On the Development and Demise of the Fall 2019 Southeast U.S. Flash Drought: Links to an Extreme Positive IOD
Authors: Schubert Siegfried D. , Chang Yehui , DeAngelis Anthony M. , Wang Hailan , Koster Randal D.
Published: December 2020

Much of the southeast United States experienced record dry conditions during September of 2019, with the area in abnormally dry to exceptional drought conditions growing from 25% at the beginning of the month to 80% by the end of the month. The drought ended just as abruptly due to above-normal rain that fell during the second half of October. In this study we employed MERRA-2 and the GEOS-5 AGCM to diagnose the underlying causes of the drought’s onset, maintenance, and demise. The basic approach involves performing a series of AGCM simulations in which the model is constrained to remain close to MERRA-2 over prespecified areas that are external to the drought region. The start of the drought appears to have been forced by anomalous heating in the central/western tropical Pacific that resulted in low-level anticyclonic flow and a tendency for descending motion over much of the Southeast. An anomalous ridge associated with a Rossby wave train (emanating from the Indian Ocean region) is found to be the main source of the most intense temperature and precipitation anomalies that develop over the Southeast during the last week of September. A second Rossby wave train (emanating from the same region) is responsible for the substantial rain that fell during the second half of October to end the drought. The links to the Indian Ocean dipole (with record positive values) as well as a waning El Niño allow some speculation as to the likelihood of similar events occurring in the future.
The Thermocline Biases in the Tropical North Pacific and Their Attributions
Authors: Zhu Yuchao , Zhang Rong-Hua , Li Delei , Chen Dake
Published: December 2020

The tropical thermocline plays an important role in regulating equatorial sea surface temperature (SST); at present, it is still poorly simulated in the state-of-the-art climate models. In this paper, thermocline biases in the tropical North Pacific are investigated using the newly released CMIP6 historical simulations. It is found that CMIP6 models tend to produce an overly shallow thermocline in the northwestern tropics, accompanied by a deep thermocline in the northeastern tropics. A pronounced thermocline strength bias arises in the tropical northeastern Pacific, demonstrating a dipole structure with a sign change at about 8°N. These thermocline biases are accompanied with biases in the simulations of oceanic circulations, including a too weak North Equatorial Countercurrent (NECC), a reduction in water exchanges between the subtropics and the equatorial regions, and an eastward extension of the equatorward interior water transport. The causes of these thermocline biases are further analyzed. The thermocline bias is primarily caused by the model deficiency in simulating the surface wind stress curl, which can be further attributed to the longstanding double-ITCZ bias in the tropical North Pacific. Besides, thermocline strength bias can be partly attributed to the poor prescription of oceanic background diffusivity. By constraining the diffusivity to match observations, the thermocline strength in the tropical northeastern Pacific is greatly increased.
Wind-Driven Oscillations in the Meridional Overturning Circulation near the equator. Part I: Numerical Models
Authors: Blaker Adam T. , Hirschi Joël J.-M. , Bell Michael J. , Bokota Amy
Published: December 2020

The great ocean conveyor presents a time-mean perspective on the interconnected network of major ocean currents. Zonally integrating the meridional velocities, either globally or across basin-scale domains, reduces the conveyor to a 2D projection widely known as the meridional overturning circulation (MOC). Recent model studies have shown the MOC to exhibit variability on near-inertial time scales, and also indicate a region of enhanced variability on the equator. We present an analysis of three integrations of a global configuration of a numerical ocean model, which show very large amplitude oscillations in the MOCs in the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans confined to the equatorial region. The amplitude of these oscillations is proportional to the width of the ocean basin, typically about 100 (200) Sv (1 Sv ≡ 106 m3 s−1) in the Atlantic (Pacific). We show that these oscillations are driven by surface winds within 10°N/S of the equator, and their periods (typically 4–10 days) correspond to a small number of low-mode equatorially trapped planetary waves. Furthermore, the oscillations can be well reproduced by idealized wind-driven simulations linearized about a state of rest.
Lidar Observations of a Mesoscale Moisture Transport Event Impacting Convection and Comparison to Rapid Refresh Model Analysis
Authors: Carroll Brian J. , Demoz Belay B. , Turner David D. , Delgado Ruben
Published: December 2020

The 2015 Plains Elevated Convection at Night (PECAN) field campaign provided a wealth of intensive observations for improving understanding of interplay between the Great Plains low-level jet (LLJ), mesoscale convective systems (MCSs), and other phenomena in the nocturnal boundary layer. This case study utilizes PECAN ground-based Doppler and water vapor lidar and airborne water vapor lidar observations for a detailed examination of water vapor transport in the Great Plains. The chosen case, 11 July 2015, featured a strong LLJ that helped sustain an MCS overnight. The lidars resolved boundary layer moisture being transported northward, leading to a large increase in water vapor in the lowest several hundred meters above the surface in northern Kansas. A branch of nocturnal convection initiated coincident with the observed maximum water vapor flux. Radiosondes confirmed an increase in convective potential within the LLJ layer. Moist static energy (MSE) growth was generated by increasing moisture in spite of a temperature decrease in the LLJ layer. This unique dataset is also used to evaluate the Rapid Refresh (RAP) analysis model performance, comparing model output against the continuous lidar profiles of water vapor and wind. While the RAP analysis captured the large-scale trends, errors in water vapor mixing ratio were found ranging from 0 to 2 g kg−1 at the ground-based lidar sites. Comparison with the airborne lidar throughout the PECAN domain yielded an RMSE of 1.14 g kg−1 in the planetary boundary layer. These errors mostly manifested as contiguous dry or wet regions spanning spatial scales on the order of ten to hundreds of kilometers.
Microphysical Enhancement Processes within Stratiform Precipitation on the Barrier and Sub-Barrier Scale of the Olympic Mountains
Authors: Zagrodnik Joseph P. , McMurdie Lynn , Conrick Robert
Published: December 2020

High-resolution numerical model simulations of six different cases during the 2015/16 Olympic Mountains Experiment (OLYMPEX) are used to examine dynamic and microphysical precipitation processes on both the full barrier-scale and smaller sub-barrier-scale ridges and valleys. The degree to which stratiform precipitation within midlatitude cyclones is modified over the coastal Olympic Mountains range was found to be strongly dependent on the synoptic environment within a cyclone’s prefrontal and warm sectors. In prefrontal sectors, barrier-scale ascent over stably stratified flow resulted in enhanced ice production aloft at the coast and generally upstream of higher terrain. At low levels, stable flow orientated transverse to sub-barrier-scale windward ridges generated small-scale mountain waves, which failed to produce enough cloud water to appreciably enhance precipitation on the scale of the windward ridges. In moist-neutral warm sectors, the upstream side of the barrier exhibited broad ascent oriented along the windward ridges with lesser regions of adjacent downward motion. Significant quantities of cloud water were produced over coastal foothills with further production of cloud water on the lower-windward slopes. Ice production above the melting layer occurred directly over the barrier where the ice particles were further advected downstream by cross-barrier winds and spilled over into the lee. The coastal foothills were found to be essential for the production and maintenance of cloud water upstream of the primary topographic barrier, allowing additional time for hydrometeors to grow to precipitation size by autoconversion and collection before falling out on the lower-windward slopes.
Evaluating Forecast Performance and Sensitivity to the GSI EnKF Data Assimilation Configuration for the 28–29 May 2017 Mesoscale Convective System Case
Authors: Labriola Jonathan , Jung Youngsun , Liu Chengsi , Xue Ming
Published: December 2020

In an effort to improve radar data assimilation configurations for potential operational implementation, GSI EnKF data assimilation experiments based on the operational system employed by the Center for Analysis and Prediction of Storms (CAPS) real-time Spring Forecast Experiments are performed. These experiments are followed by 6-h forecasts for an MCS on 28–29 May 2017. Configurations examined include data thinning, covariance localization radii and inflation, observation error settings, and data assimilation frequency for radar observations. The results show experiments that assimilate radar observations more frequently (i.e., 5–10 min) are initially better at suppressing spurious convection. However, assimilating observations every 5 min causes spurious convection to become more widespread with time, and modestly degrades forecast skill through the remainder of the forecast window. Ensembles that assimilate more observations with less thinning of data or use a larger horizontal covariance localization radius for radar data predict fewer spurious storms and better predict the location of observed storms. Optimized data thinning and horizontal covariance localization radii have positive impacts on forecast skill during the first forecast hour that are quickly lost due to the growth of forecast error. Forecast skill is less sensitive to the ensemble spread inflation factors and observation errors tested during this study. These results provide guidance toward optimizing the configuration of the GSI EnKF system. Among the DA configurations tested, the one employed by the CAPS Spring Forecast Experiment produces the most skilled forecasts while remaining computationally efficient for real-time use.
Does the Experience of Imprisonment Affect Optimism About Reentry?
Authors: Cid José , Pedrosa Albert , Ibàñez Aina , Martí Joel
Published: December 2020

Desistance research has linked prison inmate expectations with positive outcomes after release, but very little research addresses what makes them optimistic about their future. Using data from a representative sample, this article analyzes whether the manner in which a prison sentence is served impacts expectations about reentry. Results show that experiencing harsh prison conditions makes incarcerees more pessimistic about reentry, while receiving family support during imprisonment has the opposite effect. Given that the mission of the prison system is to prepare prisoners for a successful reentry, this study has several implications for correctional agencies.
“Tongues of Fire”: Hiroshima as Hell and a New Pentecost?
Authors: George William P.
Published: December 2020

Recalling the 75th anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima on August 6, 2020, and Nagasaki three days later, this article seeks to “say something theological” about these horrific attacks. With help from Bernard Lonergan and works such as Richard Rhodes’s The Making of the Atomic Bomb, I ask whether the name that J. Robert Oppenheimer gave to the testing of the bomb—“Trinity”—can fittingly name the bombings themselves. Given the grave challenges of this anniversary year, I propose especially that Hiroshima’s terrifying “tongues of fire” signals a “new Pentecost,” calling diverse peoples to form vibrant new communities of charity and grace.
The Orthodox Neo-Patristic Movement’s Encounter with the Christian “Other”: An Ecumenical Hermeneutics of Receptivity
Authors: Coman Viorel
Published: December 2020

This article discerns an ecumenical hermeneutics of receptivity towards Western theology in the writings of the Orthodox Neo-patristic author Dumitru Stăniloae (1903–1993). In so doing, the article shows that, despite its rejection of Western scholasticism, the program of the Orthodox Neo-patristic movement also included an ecumenical component which, instead of cultivating opposition between Eastern and Western Christianity, invited churches to dialogue and mutual enrichment. The exploration of Stăniloae’s notion of “open sobornicity” is the main focus of this article.
Can We Hear Him Now? James Cone’s Enduring Challenge to White Theologians
Authors: Teel Karen
Published: December 2020

The late great James Hal Cone (1938–2018) challenged white Christians to confront the sin of white supremacy. This article contends that white Catholic theologians collectively have yet to accept Cone’s righteous challenge. A scrutiny of the programming of the annual meetings of the Catholic Theological Society of America and publications in Theological Studies provides the evidence. Having made the case that white US Catholic theologians have not adequately processed Cone’s challenge, the article argues that an important reason for this failure is fear and proposes specific, concrete action steps for professional societies and scholars.
Deleuze, Balthasar, and John Paul II on the Aesthetics of the Body
Authors: Franks Angela
Published: December 2020

Is the body a grid or a window? For Gilles Deleuze, as for most post-structuralists, the body does not express the person but rather functions as a surface upon which desire writes. Deleuze’s aesthetics of the surface echoes the inchoate convictions of transgenderism. In contrast, for classical Christian aesthetics, the beauty of the surface is an expression of depth. Hans Urs von Balthasar’s theological aesthetics is analyzed along John Paul II’s theology of the body, in which the body expresses the person. I close with a trinitarian analogy of the body.
The Promise of Research to Advance Smart Decarceration
Authors: Epperson Matthew W. , Wilson Amy Blank , Fedock Gina
Published: December 2020

This paper describes the concept of “Smart Decarceration” and introduces the special issue of Criminal Justice and Behavior entitled “Research to Advance Smart Decarceration Policies, Programs, and Interventions.” The concept of Smart Decarceration originated nearly a decade ago as the United States reached a tipping point in mass incarceration, and it focuses on three interrelated outcomes: substantially reducing the use of incarceration and other forms of punishment; reversing racial disparities and other inequities in the criminal justice system; and promoting safety and well-being, particularly for communities that have been most impacted by mass incarceration. Ultimately, Smart Decarceration efforts should prioritize reducing the overall footprint of the criminal justice system, while building capacity outside of the system to support safety, health, and well-being. Research plays a critical role in advancing Smart Decarceration, as new forms of knowledge and evidence must be developed to replace ineffective and unjust policies and practices associated with mass incarceration. The paper discusses approaches to research that move beyond typical criminal justice outcomes and focus on the multifaceted goals of Smart Decarceration. The six articles in this special issue are introduced, highlighting their foci across ecological levels and the breadth of the criminal justice continuum, centering populations most impacted by incarceration, and identifying practice and policy innovations.
Unusual Thyroid Mass in an Adolescent Patient
Authors: Green Olivia , Keisling Matthew , Kambalapalli Mamatha , McDaniel Janice , Boulanger Scott , Fornwalt Brandon E. , Jeyakumar Anita
Published: December 2020

Hurthle cell tumors are rare follicular-derived thyroid neoplasms. Hurthle cell tumors may be benign or malignant. Workup includes imaging, fine needle aspiration, and treatment usually consists of observation versus thyroidectomy. We describe a case of Hurthle cell adenoma in an adolescent; to the best of our knowledge, this represents only the third case described in the English literature of adolescent Hurthle cell adenoma.
COVID-19 and Tinnitus
Authors: Chirakkal Pramod , Al Hail Amira Nasser , Zada Nasfareen , Vijayakumar Deepak S.
Published: December 2020

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an infectious respiratory disease caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, brings with it a plethora of health concerns. Although most people have mild symptoms, which are respiratory in nature, some experience neurological symptoms, central nervous system manifestations, peripheral nervous manifestations, and skeletal muscle manifestations. But the damaging impact of COVID-19 virus on the hearing organs in the inner ear is a new finding yet to be explored. Currently, there is little evidence published connecting novel coronavirus and tinnitus directly. But according to the American Tinnitus Association, preexisting behavioral conditions make it more likely for patients to experience tinnitus due to the stress and depression associated with social isolation and infection avoidance. Hearing loss and Tinnitus is a common pathology seen in otolaryngology and there are numerous papers in literature describing its associations with other infections. However, this is the first reported case of hearing loss and tinnitus in a COVID-19 patient, in the State of Qatar, and this case report strives to contribute to the ocean of literature highlighting the need for otorhinolaryngologists to be aware of its correlation with COVID-19 virus.
A Diffusion Model Approach for Understanding the Impact of 17 Interventions on the Race Implicit Association Test
Authors: Röhner Jessica , Lai Calvin K.
Published: December 2020

Performance on implicit measures reflects construct-specific and nonconstruct-specific processes. This creates an interpretive issue for understanding interventions to change implicit measures: Change in performance could reflect changes in the constructs of interest or changes in other mental processes. We reanalyzed data from six studies ( N = 23,342) to examine the process-level effects of 17 interventions and one sham intervention to change race implicit association test (IAT) performance. Diffusion models decompose overall IAT performance ( D-scores) into construct-specific (ease of decision-making) and nonconstruct-specific processes (speed–accuracy trade-offs, non-decision-related processes like motor execution). Interventions that effectively reduced D-scores changed ease of decision-making on compatible and incompatible trials. They also eliminated differences in speed–accuracy trade-offs between compatible and incompatible trials. Non-decision-related processes were affected by two interventions only. There was little evidence that interventions had any long-term effects. These findings highlight the value of diffusion modeling for understanding the mechanisms by which interventions affect implicit measure performance.
Testing the validity of Wikipedia categories for subject matter labelling of open-domain corpus data
Authors: Aghaebrahimian Ahmad , Stauder Andy , Ustaszewski Michael
Published: December 2020

The Wikipedia category system was designed to enable browsing and navigation of Wikipedia. It is also a useful resource for knowledge organisation and document indexing, especially using automatic approaches. However, it has received little attention as a resource for manual indexing. In this article, a hierarchical taxonomy of three-level depth is extracted from the Wikipedia category system. The resulting taxonomy is explored as a lightweight alternative to expert-created knowledge organisation systems (e.g. library classification systems) for the manual labelling of open-domain text corpora. Combining quantitative and qualitative data from a crowd-based text labelling study, the validity of the taxonomy is tested and the results quantified in terms of interrater agreement. While the usefulness of the Wikipedia category system for automatic document indexing is documented in the pertinent literature, our results suggest that at least the taxonomy we derived from it is not a valid instrument for manual subject matter labelling of open-domain text corpora.
Exploiting user network topology and comment semantic for accurate rumour stance recognition on social media
Authors: Luo Yongcong , Ma Jing , Yeo Chai Kiat
Published: December 2020

Online social media (OSM) has become a hotbed for the rapid dissemination of disinformation or fake news. In order to recognise fake news and guide users of OSM, we focus on the stance recognition of comments, posted on OSM on the fake news-related users. In this article, we propose a framework for recognition of rumour stances (we set four categories –‘agree’, ‘disagree’, ‘neutral’ and ‘query’), combining network topology and comment semantic enhancement (CSE). We first construct a vector matrix of comments via a novel optimised term frequency–inverse document frequency (OTI). To better recognise stances, we employ another vector matrix with novel or special attributes which comprises the network topology of the OSM users derived from the random walk with restart (RWR) method. In addition, we set a weight parameter for each word in the comments to enhance comment semantic representation, where these parameters are tuned based on sentiment score, topology features and question format words. These vector matrices are optimised and combined into an integrated matrix whose transpose matrix is fed into a neural network (NN) for final rumour stance recognition. Experimental evaluations show that our approach achieves a high precision of 93.96% and F1-score of 92.02% which are superior to baselines and other existing methods.
Judicial review without shortcuts: A vindication of the knower from a pragmatist and critical theoretical approach
Authors: Casuso Gianfranco
Published: December 2020

In my article, I want to focus on the critique Cristina Lafont makes to expertocracy and epistocracy, mainly through the institution of judicial review, to which she dedicates chapter 7 and part of chapter 6 of her book Democracy without Shortcuts. First I will reconstruct the premises that support her arguments in favour of a democratic reading of judicial review. Then, I will pose some questions about its viability as an institution that favours the participation of the citizens in the shaping and the determination of the scope of the norms they are subjected to.