bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Formability studies on plasma arc welded duplex stainless steel 2205 sheet
Authors: Pramod R. , Mohan Kumar S. , Shanmugam N. Siva , Vendan S. Arungalai
Published: February 2020

Sheet metal forming is cost‐effective manufacturing process and hold a significant key position in fabrication works. Welding being a popular technique the industries primarily prefer for joining of sheet metal formed parts. The inherent material properties changes at the weld metal and heat affected zone post welding process, hence the impact and changes on mechanical strength aspects need to be studied. The current study focuses on influence of plasma arc welding on formability of 1.6 mm thick duplex stainless steel 2205 sheet using Erichsen cupping test by gauging the height of the cup formed. The performed tests such as uniaxial tensile, microhardness showed better mechanical properties and decrease in formability noted from Erichsen cupping test for weld metal compared to base metal. Finite element analysis of Erichsen cupping test is conducted using ABAQUS software and results are matched with experimental outcomes for validation. The comparison shows that a deviation of less than 5 % is noticed between actual and predicted formability index values. Microstructure examination reveals that, equiaxed grains at the weld center and columnar grains at sides typically formed in the weld metal region. The decrease in formability of weld blank compared to base blank is attributed to an increase in ferrite content. This is supported by amount of ferrite content measured in weld metal is 55 % and base metal is 52 %. The scanning electron micrographs (base and weld blank) reveal the mode of failure is ductile.
Comparison of PGSE and STEAM DTI acquisitions with varying diffusion times for probing anisotropic structures in human kidneys
Authors: Stabinska Julia , Ljimani Alexandra , Frenken Miriam , Feiweier Thorsten , Lanzman Rotem Shlomo , Wittsack Hans‐Jörg
Published: February 2020

Purpose

To evaluate the sensitivity of stimulated‐echo acquisition mode (STEAM) and pulsed‐gradient spin‐echo (PGSE) diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) acquisitions with different diffusion times for measuring renal tissue anisotropy.

Methods

Twelve healthy volunteers underwent an MRI examination at a 3T scanner including STEAM and PGSE DTI with variable diffusion times Δ (20.3, 37 and 125 ms). Three volunteers were scanned twice to test the reproducibility for repeated examinations. Diffusion parameters fractional anisotropy (FA) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) in the automatically segmented cortical and medullary regions of interests in both kidneys were calculated and averaged over all subjects for further analysis. Moreover, 5‐grade qualitative evaluation of the FA and ADC maps from each sequence was conducted by two experienced radiologists in a consensus.

Results

The cortex‐medulla difference in the STEAM sequence was significantly higher than that in PGSE with short ∆ = 20.3 ms (P < 0.001) and in PGSE with intermediate ∆ = 37 ms (P < 0.05) diffusion times. Reproducibility of the FA/ADC measurements was very good and comparable for all acquisition modes investigated. For the FA maps, the PGSE sequence with intermediate diffusion time scored highest in the subjective visual assessment of radiologists.

Conclusion

The delineation of anisotropy in renal tissue is depending on the used diffusion time of the DTI sequence. A PGSE acquisition at a diffusion time of about 37 ms provides reproducible results with optimal corticomedullary contrast in FA and ADC maps and good image quality.
A walk on the wild side: How interactions with non‐companion animals might help reduce human stress
Authors: Sumner Rachel C. , Goodenough Anne E.
Published: February 2020

The literature addressing the potential for nature and natural environments to reduce stress and improve health outcomes has a relative paucity of work regarding interactions with animals, particularly those that are not domestic pets.

The present observational study sought to understand whether a brief encounter with non‐domestic animals might reduce stress and improve well‐being of participants, and whether participants' nature relatedness, and their appraisals of the interaction might influence these changes.

Participants (N = 86, mean age = 20.8 years, 81.8% women) took part in a brief wildlife encounter at a UK safari park, walking for approximately 11 min around an enclosure with free‐roaming lemurs. Heart rate, cortisol and measures of mood were taken before and after the encounter to understand whether this activity could reduce biological levels of stress and improve psychological well‐being.

There was no decrease in participants’ heart rate after their encounter but there was a statistically significant decrease in salivary cortisol. Measures of mood significantly improved immediately after the encounter. Reductions in cortisol were associated with dimensions of an individual's nature relatedness, as well as aspects of the animal encounter (number of lemurs and lemur proximity).

The findings contribute to parallel literature on nature–health relationships, with the addition of factors seemingly driving the interaction (individuals' nature relatedness, and the number and proximity of the animals) providing important contributory information. The present study provides new information on how encounters with nature, particularly those involving animals, may be beneficial for health and well‐being. Critically, this study was carried out in a setting where potential impact of visitors on animals is negligible, thereby demonstrating the potential for creating environments where both human and animal well‐being are maximised.

A free Plain Language Summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this article.
A transgenic mouse expressing miR‐210 in proximal tubule cells shows mitochondrial alteration: possible association of miR‐210 with a shift in energy metabolism
Authors: Nakada Chisato , Hijiya Naoki , Tsukamoto Yoshiyuki , Yano Shinji , Kai Tomoki , Uchida Tomohisa , Kimoto Mami , Takahashi Mika , Daa Tsutomu , Matsuura Keiko , Shin Toshitaka , Mimata Hiromitsu , Moriyama Masatsugu
Published: February 2020

Previously we reported that the microRNA miR‐210 is aberrantly upregulated in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) via deregulation of the VHL–HIF pathway. In the present study, to investigate the biological impact of miR‐210 in ccRCC tumorigenesis, we developed a transgenic mouse line expressing miR‐210 in proximal tubule cells under control of the mouse SGLT2/Slc5a2 promoter. Light microscopy revealed desquamation of the tubule cells and regeneration of the proximal tubule, suggesting that miR‐210 expression led to damage of the proximal tubule cells. Electron microscopy revealed alterations to the mitochondria in proximal tubule cells, with marked reduction of the mitochondrial inner membrane, which is the main site of ATP production via oxidative phosphorylation (OxPhos). An additional in vitro study revealed that this loss of the inner membrane was associated with downregulation of Iscu and Ndufa4, the target genes of miR‐210, suggesting that the miR‐210–ISCU/NDUFA4 axis may affect mitochondrial energy metabolism. Furthermore, metabolome analysis revealed activation of anaerobic glycolysis in miR‐210‐transfected cells, and consistent with this the secretion of lactate, the final metabolite of anaerobic glycolysis, was significantly increased. Lactate concentration was higher in the kidney cortex of transgenic mice relative to wild‐type mice, although the difference was not significant (p = 0.070). On the basis of these findings, we propose that miR‐210 may induce a shift of energy metabolism from OxPhos to glycolysis by acting on the mitochondrial inner membrane. In addition to activation of glycolysis, we observed activation of the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) and an increase in the total amount of amino acids in miR‐210‐transfected cells. This may help cells synthesize nucleotides and proteins for building new cells. These results suggest that miR‐210 may be involved in the metabolic changes in the early stage of ccRCC development, helping the cancer cells to acquire growth and survival advantages. © 2020 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Making heads or tails – the emergence of capicua (CIC) as an important multifunctional tumour suppressor
Authors: Wong Derek , Yip Stephen
Published: February 2020

Capicua, encoded by the gene CIC, is an evolutionarily conserved high‐mobility group‐box transcription factor downstream of the receptor tyrosine kinase and mitogen‐activated protein kinase pathways. It was initially discovered and studied in Drosophila. Recurrent mutations in CIC were first identified in oligodendroglioma, a subtype of low‐grade glioma. Subsequent studies have identified CIC aberrations in multiple types of cancer and have established CIC as a potent tumour suppressor involved in regulating pathways related to cell growth and proliferation, invasion and treatment resistance. The most well‐known and studied targets of mammalian CIC are the oncogenic E‐Twenty Six transcription factors ETV1/4/5, which have been found to be elevated in cancers with CIC aberrations. Here, we review the role of CIC in normal mammalian development, oncogenesis and tumour progression, and the functional interactors that mediate them. © 2020 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Cyclic compressive deformation behavior of polymer matrix composites: Experiments and constitutive modeling
Authors: Ban Ge , Jia Jingjing , Liang Yingbing
Published: February 2020

This article presents integrated experiments and constitutive modeling of cyclic compressive deformation and Poisson behavior of unidirectional (UD) fiber‐reinforced polymer matrix composites (PMCs). Consecutive loading‐unloading tests with a gradually increasing peak stress are performed for five cycles and on UD laminates with different fiber orientations. Nonlinear accumulation of plastic strain with the peak stress is observed both in the axial and lateral directions for all fiber orientations and described by a nonassociative plasticity model. This model enables the collapsing of axial and lateral stress‐plastic strain curves from different fiber orientations into a single master curve in the effective stress‐effective plastic strain plane and allows accurate predictions of compressive plastic Poisson's ratio. Nonlinear unloading behavior appears in the cycles and is attributed to the recovery of nonlinear elastic strain. A linear relationship between plastic strain and nonlinear elastic strain is assumed regardless of the axial and lateral directions. By incorporating this linear dependence into the nonassociative plasticity model, the cyclic evolution of nonlinear elastic strain is simulated. Experimental results of UD laminates with different fiber orientations are used to validate the accuracy of the model in the cyclic compressive nonlinear response and Poisson effect of PMCs.
A unified approach for synthesizing population‐level covariate effect information in semiparametric estimation with survival data
Authors: Huang Chiung‐Yu , Qin Jing
Published: February 2020

There has been a growing interest in developing methodologies to combine information from public domains to improve efficiency in the analysis of relatively small‐scale studies that collect more detailed patient‐level information. The auxiliary information is usually given in the form of summary statistics or regression coefficients. Thus, the question arises as to how to incorporate the summary information in the model estimation procedure. In this article, we consider statistical analysis of right‐censored survival data when additional information about the covariate effects evaluated in a reduced Cox model is available. Recognizing that such external information can be summarized using population moments, we present a unified framework by employing the generalized method of moments to combine information from different sources for the analysis of survival data. The proposed estimator can be shown to be consistent and asymptotically normal; moreover, it is more efficient than the maximum partial likelihood estimator. We also consider incorporating uncertainty of the external information in the inference procedure. Simulation studies show that, by incorporating the additional summary information, the proposed estimators enjoy a substantial gain in efficiency over the conventional approach. A data analysis of a pancreatic cancer cohort study is presented to illustrate the methods and theory.
Therapeutic psychological and biological responses to mindfulness‐based art therapy
Authors: Beerse Megan E. , Van Lith Theresa , Stanwood Gregg
Published: February 2020

Stress and anxiety pose a threat to college students' academic performance as well as their long‐term mental and physical health, but the time constraints of a rigorous academic schedule make it difficult to offer even brief mental health interventions. A convenience sample of full‐time students at a public university was recruited for a 5‐week study conducted mostly using an online platform. Participants were randomly assigned to a Mindfulness‐Based Art Therapy (MBAT) intervention or a Neutral Clay Task (NCT). Anxiety, perceived stress, and salivary cortisol outcomes were measured. A total of n = 77 participants completed the study. The MBAT group experienced significant reductions in anxiety and perceived stress compared to the NCT group. Significant reductions in salivary cortisol were observed, but only time could be identified as a confounding variable. Art making alone is not enough to induce significant positive responses, but this study suggests MBAT can, and that an online intervention could offer feasible and accessible mental health services on college campuses. Further refinement of biological data collection and analysis is needed to determine what the mediating effects MBAT could have, if any, at the molecular level.
Using Molecular Fine Structure to Identify Optimal Methods of Extracting Starch
Authors: Zhao Yingting , Tan Xiaoyan , Wu Gaosheng , Gilbert Robert G.
Published: February 2020

Obtaining relations between starch genetics/environment, its molecular structure, and its properties requires that the extraction of starch does not extract more small than large molecules and does minimal damage to molecular structure. There is no single study examining a range of techniques with more than one starch type and with clearly defined criteria for optimal extraction. Here two very different substrates are considered: rice and chickpeas. Eight different techniques are used, and the criteria for optimal extraction are that there should be the greatest number of longer chains (quantified by the average size of the debranched starch) and of larger molecules (quantified by the average size of the whole—undebranched—molecules), these being the most susceptible to degradation and loss during extraction. Size‐exclusion chromatography is used to obtain the requisite structural data. The optimal method of extraction from rice is found by using 0.45% sodium metabisulfite at 4 °C for 0.5 h with protease addition, while that for chickpea starch extraction is by using 0.45% sodium bisulfite for 6 h and washing the starch repeatedly with water. The methodology for determining optimal methods can be readily used for other starch sources.
Prediction of PV Output Transition by Means of Estimated Confidence Interval
Authors: Koura Naohiro , Watanabe Ritsuya , Wakao Shinji
Published: February 2020

In our previous study, we carried out confidence interval estimation of next‐day photovoltaic (PV) output with just‐in‐time modeling hour by hour. When the target reliability is high in particular, the width of the confidence interval becomes large certainly. Therefore, in this paper, based on behavior of the measured PV output in the morning of the targeted day, we predict of PV output transition in the estimated confidence interval in the afternoon. The proposed method, which is consistently based on black box modeling, enables us to easily and effectively narrow the confidence interval width, i.e., sharpness, of PV output. Some numerical examples, which demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method, are also reported. © 2020 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Prevalence of HPV and pathological changes among women 70 years of age, 10 years after exclusion from the Swedish cervical cancer screening program
Authors: Bergengren Lovisa , Karlsson Mats G. , Helenius Gisela
Published: February 2020

Purpose

Örebro County introduced an updated screening program 2016 with primary HPV test for women over 30 years and prolonged screening, increasing the cut-off age from 56–60 to 64–70. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of HPV genotypes and their correlation to histological changes in women, 10 years after exclusion from the screening program, due to an eventual implementation of a catch-up program including all women aged 60–70.

Methods

All women in Örebro County, born 1,946 (n = 1,968), were invited to a liquid-based cell sample with primary HPV screening. Samples were analyzed for hrHPV mRNA and positive samples were genotyped. hrHPV positive women were offered to do a conization.

Results

Out of 809 participants, 31 (3.8%) were hrHPV positive, of these 22 did a conization. Histologically, 5/22 (23%) had LSIL and 5/22 (23%) had HSIL. Normal histology was found in 12/22 (55%). The most prevalent genotypes were HPV 16, 33, 52, 56, and 68. Of the women with HSIL, one case of cervical cancer was confirmed in a recone biopsy after 4 months.

Conclusion

The study showed considerable prevalence of hrHPV and histologically confirmed LSIL/HSIL. These data led to catch-up screening for women between 60 and 70 years when overlapping two screening strategies.
Making and breaking alliances: on valuation in hegemonic projects
Authors: Bodirsky Katharina
Published: February 2020

In public discourse, the polarizations that accompany the success of authoritarian populisms in recent years are often portrayed as the result of “culture wars” rooted in incompatible values. This article approaches the relation between values and politics differently. It examines the role that state and capitalist modes of valuation play for the alliance-formation underpinning hegemonic projects. The argument is illustrated with the case of Turkey where processes of devaluation and dispossession were manifold in the past years. Polarization here expresses not so much unitary political identities of opposed values than a specific, polarizing dynamic of alliance-formation in authoritarian populism. The orchestration of state and capitalist modes of valuation on the one hand allows for the formation of alliances with both dominant and subordinate social groups and on the other hand also entails contradictions that might constitute a source of fragility for the continuity of the project.
Novel Hemizygous IL2RG p.(Pro58Ser) Mutation Impairs IL-2 Receptor Complex Expression on Lymphocytes Causing X-Linked Combined Immunodeficiency
Authors: Tuovinen Elina A. , Grönholm Juha , Öhman Tiina , Pöysti Sakari , Toivonen Raine , Kreutzman Anna , Heiskanen Kaarina , Trotta Luca , Toiviainen-Salo Sanna , Routes John M. , Verbsky James , Mustjoki Satu , Saarela Janna , Kere Juha , Varjosalo Markku , Hänninen Arno , Seppänen Mikko R. J.
Published: February 2020

Hypomorphic IL2RG mutations may lead to milder phenotypes than X-SCID, named variably as atypical X-SCID or X-CID. We report an 11-year-old boy with a novel c. 172C>T;p.(Pro58Ser) mutation in IL2RG, presenting with atypical X-SCID phenotype. We also review the growing number of hypomorphic IL2RG mutations causing atypical X-SCID. We studied the patient’s clinical phenotype, B, T, NK, and dendritic cell phenotypes, IL2RG and CD25 cell surface expression, and IL-2 target gene expression, STAT tyrosine phosphorylation, PBMC proliferation, and blast formation in response to IL-2 stimulation, as well as protein-protein interactions of the mutated IL2RG by BioID proximity labeling. The patient suffered from recurrent upper and lower respiratory tract infections, bronchiectasis, and reactive arthritis. His total lymphocyte counts have remained normal despite skewed T and B cells subpopulations, with very low numbers of plasmacytoid dendritic cells. Surface expression of IL2RG was reduced on his lymphocytes. This led to impaired STAT tyrosine phosphorylation in response to IL-2 and IL-21, reduced expression of IL-2 target genes in patient CD4+ T cells, and reduced cell proliferation in response to IL-2 stimulation. BioID proximity labeling showed aberrant interactions between mutated IL2RG and ER/Golgi proteins causing mislocalization of the mutated IL2RG to the ER/Golgi interface. In conclusion, IL2RG p.(Pro58Ser) causes X-CID. Failure of IL2RG plasma membrane targeting may lead to atypical X-SCID. We further identified another carrier of this mutation from newborn SCID screening, lost to closer scrutiny.
The Subjectivity in Identification of Martian Channel Networks and Its Implication for Citizen Science Projects
Authors: Bahia R. S. , Jones M.
Published: February 2020

The Martian surface is incised by numerous valley networks, which indicate the planet experienced sustained widespread flowing water in the past (e.g. Carr in Water on Mars, Oxford University Press, New York, 1996; Phil Trans R Soc A 370:2193–2212, 2012.10.1098/rsta.2011.0500). Examining the distribution and geometries of these valley networks provides invaluable information about the Martian climate during the period of formation. The recent advancement in high resolution images has provided an opportunity to build upon past valley maps of Mars (Bahia et al. in LPSC 2018, 2018), however, the identification of these valley networks is extremely time-consuming. A citizen science project may aid in reducing this time-consuming process; this project conducts a valley mapping task with participants of varying expertise in valley mapping to determine whether a citizen science project of this kind should be worth pursuing. This was conducted in a region adjacent to Vogel Crater (36.1° S, 10.2° W). Repeated mapping of the area (a repeatability test) found that participants with low experience in valley mapping (22 a-level physics student’s representative of the public) were inconsistent when mapping valleys. Additionally, when comparing the results of participants within this group (a reproducibility test), the majority of reproduced valleys are false positives (i.e. incorrectly traced valleys). These results were consistent with those found for the medium experience group (45 2nd year geology undergraduates). The validated tracings of the low experience group improve upon the number and total length of valleys mapped by previous studies (Hynek et al. in J Geophys Res 115:1–14, 2010). To validate these valleys requires the input of an expert to remove false positives which is less time consuming than manually mapping the images; this may indicate that a citizen science project is worth pursuing. However, to effectively identify the maximum amount of valleys an expert is required.
Using in situ density and strength measurements for sediment maintenance in ports and waterways
Authors: Kirichek Alex , Shakeel Ahmad , Chassagne Claire
Published: February 2020

Purpose

Fluid mud layers can be substantial in waterways and they can jeopardise navigation when the ship’s keel comes in its vicinity. The nautical bottom has therefore to be properly characterised. Mud density and yield stress are used as criteria to characterise the nautical bottom. For a decade, measuring these parameters in situ has been a challenging task. The goal of this paper is to compare the parameters obtained from recently developed in situ measuring instruments.

Materials and methods

Two vertical profilers (Graviprobe and Rheotune) were used in this study. The Graviprobe measures the undrained shear strength, whereas the Rheotune measures the Bingham yield stress and density of mud layers. Four different locations at the Port of Hamburg were used to test the Rheotune. Bingham yield stresses obtained from Rheotune measurements were compared with the laboratory rheological measurements. The mud layer thicknesses profiled by Graviprobe and Rheotune at the Port of Hamburg and at the Port of Rotterdam were compared. The measurements were also compared with a model that predicts the consolidation of weak mud.

Results and discussion

The Rheotune data match well with the laboratory experiments at two of the four tested locations at the Port of Hamburg. For the other two locations, the Rheotune data underestimates the Bingham yield stress, as compared with the laboratory data. The reason for the discrepancy is discussed. The comparison between the Graviprobe’s and Rheotune’s profiles showed that the thickness of the fluid mud layer, found from each device, for all locations, is similar. The in situ density measurements were confirmed by the laboratory experiments. It was found that the standard model for consolidation of mud could reproduce the in situ strength and density measurements as a function of time relatively well. The mismatch between model and experimental data is most probably due to a change in constitutive parameters over time.

Conclusions

Our results show that the correlation between density and yield stress measurements, as a function of different measuring equipment, strongly depends on the type of mud. Therefore, a proper calibration should be performed by establishing a reference database for each equipment. In order to decrease the amount of in situ survey, it is also necessary to develop models that can accurately predict the consolidation over time.
Individual vs. Group Delivery of Acupuncture Therapy for Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain in Urban Primary Care—a Randomized Trial
Authors: McKee M. Diane , Nielsen Arya , Anderson Belinda , Chuang Elizabeth , Connolly Mariel , Gao Qi , Gil Eric N , Lechuga Claudia , Kim Mimi , Naqvi Huma , Kligler Benjamin
Published: February 2020

Background

Acupuncture has been shown to be effective for the treatment of chronic musculoskeletal back, neck, and osteoarthritis pain. However, access to acupuncture treatment has been limited in medically underserved and low-income populations.

Objective

Acupuncture therapy delivered in groups could reduce cost and expand access. We compared the effectiveness of group versus individual acupuncture for pain and function among ethnically diverse, low-income primary care patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain.

Design

This was a randomized comparative effectiveness non-inferiority trial in 6 Bronx primary care community health centers. Participants with chronic (> 3 months) back, neck, or osteoarthritis pain were randomly assigned to individual or group acupuncture therapy for 12 weeks.

Participants

Seven hundred seventy-nine participants were randomized. Mean age was 54.8 years. 35.3% of participants identified as black and 56.9% identified as Latino. Seventy-six percent were Medicaid insured, 60% reported poor/fair health, and 37% were unable to work due to disability.

Interventions

Participants received weekly acupuncture treatment in either group or individual setting for 12 weeks.

Main Measures

Primary outcome was pain interference on the Brief Pain Inventory at 12 weeks; secondary outcomes were pain severity (BPI), physical and mental well-being (PROMIS-10), and opiate use. Outcome measures were collected at baseline, 12 and 24 weeks.

Key Results

37.5% of individual arm and 30.3% in group had > 30% improvement in pain interference (d = 7.2%, 95% CI − 0.6%, 15.1%). Non-inferiority of group acupuncture was not demonstrated for the primary outcome assuming a margin of 10%. In the responder analysis of physical well-being, 63.1% of individual participants and 59.5% of group had clinically important improvement at 12 weeks (d = 3.6%, 95% CI − 4.2%, 11.4%).

Conclusions

Both individual and group acupuncture therapy delivered in primary care settings reduced chronic pain and improved physical function at 12 weeks; non-inferiority of group was not shown.

Trial Registration

Clinicaltrials.gov # NCT02456727
Thoracic mobility and its relation to pulmonary function and rib-cage deformity in patients with early onset idiopathic scoliosis: a long-term follow-up
Authors: Romberg Karin , Fagevik Olsén Monika , Kjellby-Wendt Gunilla , Lofdahl Hallerman Kerstin , Danielsson Aina
Published: February 2020

Study design

A group of adult patients with idiopathic scoliosis, diagnosed before the age of ten, at a mean of 26.5 years after treatment with either brace or surgery during childhood and adolescence attended a clinical follow-up.

Objectives

To evaluate the relation between thoracic mobility, rib-cage deformity, and pulmonary function.

Summary of background data

Long-term studies of pulmonary function in relation to thoracic mobility after treatment in this patient group have not been published.

Methods

A total of 106 patients, 57 braced and 49 operated patients, attended the follow-up. We examined thoracic mobility (range of motion of the thoracic spine, thorax expansion, and breathing movements) and rib-cage deformity (curve size and trunk deformity) as well as pulmonary function, especially total lung capacity (TLC). Respiratory muscle strength was evaluated in a subgroup.

Results

Thoracic range of motion was significantly less among the surgically treated patients compared with both the brace-treated and comparison group. Thorax expansion and breathing movements during maximal breathing were significantly reduced in the scoliotic patients compared with the reference values, with no significant differences between the treatment groups. The brace-treated group had better pulmonary function than the operated group, as measured by the TLC, forced vital capacity (FVC), and forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) (percentage of predicted values). The respiratory muscle strength was significantly lower only in the surgically treated patients when compared with reference values. The results of a multivariate analysis revealed that the strongest factors explaining TLC percentage of predicted were gender, brace model, and smoking habits.

Conclusions

Thoracic mobility was significantly reduced at mean 26.5 years after completed treatment in both brace-treated and surgically treated patients with early onset scoliosis, compared with the reference values, which did not influence TLC as strongly as gender, brace model, and smoking habits.

Levels of evidence

Level III.
Assessment of emergency and essential surgical service in primary hospitals of South Gondar zone, Amhara region, Ethiopia, 2019
Authors: Alemayehu Tikuneh Yetneberk , Boled Abebe Tiruneh , Taye Moges Gelaw , Kibret Simegnew , Habtie Meseret Firde
Published: February 2020

ABSTRACT

Introduction:

Surgical service at the first level referral hospitals are an important aspect of comprehensive health care. Surgical disease has been estimated to constitute 11% of the total global burden of disease, of which a substantial fraction unfortunately remains unmet in resource limited area. Surgical volume is large and continues to grow in all economic environments, yet many low-income countries fail to achieve basic levels of surgical service.

Objective:

The objective of this study was to evaluate the capacity of emergency and essential surgical service in primary hospital facilities of south Gondar zone in Amhara regional state.

Design:

A cross sectional survey was employed in seven primary hospitals of south Gondar zone.

Material:

The WHO tool for situational analysis to assess emergency and essential surgical care was employed to capture a health facility's capacity to perform basic surgical (including obstetrics and trauma) and anesthesia interventions by investigating four categories of data: infrastructure, human resources, interventions available and equipment. The tool queried the availability of eight types of care providers, 35 surgical interventions and 67 items of equipment.

Result:

Of the 35 basic interventions listed in the tool, 51.4% basic interventions including caesarean section were available at all facilities. Averaging of 51 beds per facility was reported. The mean distance travelled prior to admission was 42 km. A total of 170 healthcare providers were reported in the seven facilities. This survey found that essential equipment was not consistently available at all of the facilities.

Conclusion:

Discrepancies in infrastructure, human resources, service provision, and essential equipment and supplies demonstrate the significant gaps in capacity of hospitals to deliver emergency and essential surgical care and effectively addressing the increasing surgical burden of disease and injury in south Gondar zone primary hospitals.

Highlights:
Durrells and donkeys: the representation of animals, Greeks, and Corfu in Gerald Durrell's The Donkey Rustlers
Authors: Wills David
Published: February 2020

The celebrated conservationist, and serial memoirist, Gerald Durrell often imaginatively revisited the Corfu of his childhood. Donkeys were integral to his vision of Greek rural life. Both the setting and the style of his literary output resisted what he regarded as unwelcome modernization. His 1968 publication The Donkey Rustlers, one of his few novels, shows how Durrell attempted to perpetuate an outdated view of both Greece and children's literature. It is argued that Durrell's well-attested affection for the Greek people was not well reflected by a narrative in which both foreign children and donkeys seem to come out on top.
Chaperonin-assisted protein folding: a chronologue
Authors: Horwich Arthur L. , Fenton Wayne A.
Published: February 2020

This chronologue seeks to document the discovery and development of an understanding of oligomeric ring protein assemblies known as chaperonins that assist protein folding in the cell. It provides detail regarding genetic, physiologic, biochemical, and biophysical studies of these ATP-utilizing machines from both in vivo and in vitro observations. The chronologue is organized into various topics of physiology and mechanism, for each of which a chronologic order is generally followed. The text is liberally illustrated to provide firsthand inspection of the key pieces of experimental data that propelled this field. Because of the length and depth of this piece, the use of the outline as a guide for selected reading is encouraged, but it should also be of help in pursuing the text in direct order.
The Expression of Self and Grief in the Nineteenth Century: An Analysis through Distant Readings
Authors: Monzingo Elizabeth , Shanahan Daniel
Published: February 2020

When writing about grief, Peter N. Stearns and Mark Knapp (‘Historical Perspectives on Grief’, in The Emotions: Social, Cultural and Biological Dimensions, ed. Rom Harré and W. Gerrod Parrot (London: Sage Publications, 1996): 138) speculate that ‘[i]n contrast to eighteenth-century songs about death, which were set in the artificial pastoral world of shepherds and written in the third person, Victorian grief songs were personal and immediate’. Inspired by this claim, we investigated the usage of pronouns, as well as topics surrounding grief, in ballads taken from broadsides in the nineteenth century. We found that the use of first-person pronouns increases over the nineteenth century, and that this was not a linear trend; there were sharp increases in the usage of first-person pronouns beginning in 1815, which leveled off in the third quarter of the century. Additionally, we examined the usage of lyrical topics about death, grieving, negatively valenced emotion and sadness, and asked whether such topics correlated with the increased usage of first-person pronouns. We found that there was not a strong correlation with the usage of pronouns and such topics, though there was a small correlation between the usage of such pronouns and sadness and a stronger positive correlation between a focus on the present and positively valenced emotion. These findings suggest that first-person pronouns are not reliable indicators of lyrical topics surrounding grief, or vice-versa. Using personal pronouns as a measure of intimacy, we conclude that songs written in the beginning of the nineteenth century did see a rise in intimacy in song lyrics. However, this increase does not appear to be tied to songs about grief, specifically. Despite the existence of many personal grief songs in the Victorian period, our distant reading reveals linguistic trends and interrelations that challenge the intuition that nineteenth-century grief songs were more personal than earlier ones.
Mit Leadership zur personenzentrierten Vermittlung von Gesundheitsinformationen
Authors: Schmidkonz Nadine , Eberhardt Doris
Published: February 2020

Zusammenfassung. Zu den zentralen Aufgaben von Pflegefachpersonen in chirurgischen Abteilungen gehört es, Patienten nach operativen Eingriffen bei der Wiedererlangung ihrer Selbständigkeit zu unterstützen. Der nachfolgende Artikel beschreibt ein Praxisentwicklungsprojekt, in dem unter Einbezug der Patienten- und Professionellenperspektive ein Informationsangebot zur postoperativen selbständigen Bewegung erstellt und implementiert wurde.
Die Aufnahme der generalistischen Pflegeausbildung in die Schulgesetze der Länder – Ein Werk ahnungsloser Kultusbürokraten oder Ausdruck gesellschaftlicher Anerkennung?
Authors: Arens Frank
Published: February 2020

Zusammenfassung. Die Niedersächsische Landesregierung beabsichtigt die Aufnahme der neuen Pflegeausbildung in das Niedersächsische Schulgesetz, wie dies bereits für die Altenpflegeausbildung seit Jahrzehnten erfolgreich praktiziert wird. Damit bietet sich die große Chance einer schulrechtlichen und schulfachlichen Gleichstellung innerhalb der beruflichen Bildung und hierüber gesellschaftliche Anerkennung. Die Auswirkungen sind für eine zukunftsorientierte Berufsbildung produktiv aufzugreifen.
Inverting Topography for Landscape Evolution Model Process Representation: 2. Calibration and Validation
Authors: Barnhart Katherine R. , Tucker Gregory E. , Doty Sandra G. , Shobe Charles M. , Glade Rachel C. , Rossi Matthew W. , Hill Mary C.
Published: February 2020

We present a multimodel analysis for mechanistic hypothesis testing in landscape evolution theory. The study site is a watershed with well‐constrained initial and boundary conditions in which a river network locally incised 50 m over the last 13 ka. We calibrate and validate a set of 37 landscape evolution models designed to hierarchically test elements of complexity from four categories: hillslope processes, channel processes, surface hydrology, and representation of geologic materials. Comparison of each model to a base model, which uses stream power channel incision, uniform lithology, hillslope transport by linear diffusion, and surface water discharge proportional to drainage area, serves as a formal test of which elements of complexity improve model performance. Model fit is assessed using an objective function based on a direct difference between observed and simulated modern topography. A hybrid optimization scheme identifies optimal parameters and uncertainty. Multimodel analysis determines which elements of complexity improve simulation performance. Validation tests which model improvements persist when models are applied to an independent watershed. The three most important model elements are (1) spatial variation in lithology (differentiation between shale and glacial till), (2) a fluvial erosion threshold, and (3) a nonlinear relationship between slope and hillslope sediment flux. Due to nonlinear interactions between model elements, some process representations (e.g., nonlinear hillslopes) only become important when paired with the inclusion of other processes (e.g., erosion thresholds). This emphasizes the need for caution in identifying the minimally sufficient process set. Our approach provides a general framework for hypothesis testing in landscape evolution.
Discovery of Chile Niño/Niña
Authors: Xue Jiaqing , Luo Jing‐Jia , Yuan Chaoxia , Yamagata Toshio
Published: February 2020

A new air‐sea coupled mode is discovered off the coast of northern Chile and named Chile Niño/Niña. It shows remarkable interannual variability in sea surface temperature (SST) with the peak in austral summer from January to March. The related warm (cold) SST anomalies are mainly generated by anomalous southward (northward) alongshore surface winds that suppress (enhance) the coastal upwelling and subsurface mixing and, in turn, reinforce the wind anomalies by heating (cooling) the overlying atmosphere and strengthening the anomalous cross‐shore pressure contrast. The positive feedback is called the coastal Bjerknes feedback in analogy to the equatorial Bjerknes feedback that is responsible for generation of El Niño–Southern Oscillation. The anomalous surface shortwave radiation through the SST‐low stratus cloud thermodynamic feedback and the variation in the mixed‐layer depth play positive roles in the evolution of Chile Niño (Niña). In contrast, the wind‐evaporation‐SST feedback plays almost no role in the evolution.
Ongoing Dispersal of the 7 August 2019 Pumice Raft From the Tonga Arc in the Southwestern Pacific Ocean
Authors: Jutzeler Martin , Marsh Robert , van Sebille Erik , Mittal Tushar , Carey Rebecca J. , Fauria Kristen E. , Manga Michael , McPhie Jocelyn
Published: February 2020

On the 7 August 2019, a 195 km2 raft of andesitic pumice was produced at 200 m below sea level at an unnamed submarine volcano in the Tonga Islands (Southwest Pacific Ocean). Drifting chiefly westward, the raft reached the Fiji Islands on the 19 September. Yachts that crossed the raft as early as 2 days post‐eruption provided an outstanding data set of raft characteristics and pristine samples. Further, exceptional tracking of raft dispersal by satellite images allows us to contrast virtual particle tracking methods with ocean model currents to explore the relative influence of surface currents, wind, and wave action on pumice flotsam dispersal over up to 2 years. Attenuation of ocean waves by large and compact pumice rafts appears to reduce the effect of Stokes drift. The coupling of real‐time satellite observations with oceanographic Lagrangian simulations allows near‐real time forecasting for global maritime hazard mitigation.
Coastal Erosion Variability at the Southern Laptev Sea Linked to Winter Sea Ice and the Arctic Oscillation
Authors: Nielsen David Marcolino , Dobrynin Mikhail , Baehr Johanna , Razumov Sergey , Grigoriev Mikhail
Published: February 2020

Arctic coastal erosion experiences pronounced effects from ongoing climate change. The Laptev Sea figures among the Arctic regions with the most severe erosion rates. Here, we use unprecedentedly long records of almost 30 years of annual in‐situ coastal erosion rate measurements from Bykovsky Peninsula and Muostakh Island to separate the main modes of variability, which we attribute to large‐scale drivers. The first (lower‐frequency) and second (higher‐frequency) modes are associated with winter sea‐ice cover in the Laptev Sea and with the Arctic Oscillation, respectively, which together account for
of the total observed variance. Arctic coastal erosion has so far been neglected in Earth system models (ESMs). The proposed mechanisms set favorable conditions for coastal erosion at large scales (synoptic to planetary scales), compatible with those represented in modern ESMs.
Large‐Scale Atmospheric Circulation Patterns Associated With U.S. Great Plains Warm Season Droughts Revealed by Self‐Organizing Maps
Authors: Zhuang Yizhou , Fu Rong , Wang Hongqing
Published: February 2020

This study uses a multivariate self‐organizing map approach to diagnose precipitation anomalies over the United States' Great Plains during the warm season (April–August) and the associated anomalous large‐scale atmospheric patterns, as represented by standardized anomalies of 500 hPa geopotential (Z500′), integrated vapor transport (IVT′), and convective inhibition index (CINi′). Circulation patterns favoring dryness identified by the method are generally consistent with those shown in previous studies, but this study provides a more comprehensive and probabilistic characterization of those that favor drought over the Southern Great Plains (SGP) and the Central Great Plains (CGP) and their temporal evolutions. Six circulation types that are associated with warm season rainfall variability over the Great Plains are identified. The SGP droughts are attributable to more frequent and persistent northern low‐southern high as well as dominant high circulation types and are connected to larger negative CINi′. In contrast, CGP droughts are attributable to more frequent and persistent western low‐eastern high, or northern high‐southern low, or dominant high patterns, and are linked to a larger negative IVT′, but not larger CINi′. Thus, these results suggest that land surface dryness and a stable atmospheric boundary layer may play a more important role over the SGP than reduced moisture transport in warm season droughts, but reduced moisture transport may play a more important role than thermodynamic stability in droughts over the CGP.
Synergy of Satellite‐ and Ground‐Based Aerosol Optical Depth Measurements Using an Ensemble Kalman Filter Approach
Authors: Li Jing , Kahn Ralph A. , Wei Jing , Carlson Barbara E. , Lacis Andrew A. , Li Zhanqing , Li Xichen , Dubovik Oleg , Nakajima Teruyuki
Published: February 2020

Satellite‐ and ground‐based remote sensing are two widely used techniques to measure aerosol properties. However, neither is perfect in that satellite retrievals suffer from various sources of uncertainties, and ground observations have limited spatial coverage. In this study, focusing on improving estimates of aerosol information on large scale, we develop a data synergy technique based on the ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) to effectively combine these two types of measurements and yield a monthly mean aerosol optical depth (AOD) product with global coverage and improved accuracy. We first construct a 474‐member ensemble using 11 monthly mean AOD data sets to represent the variability of the AOD field. Then Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer AOD retrievals are selected as the background field into which ground‐based measurements from 135 Aerosol Robotic Network sites are assimilated using the EnKF. Compared with satellite data, the bias and root‐mean‐square errors of the combined field are greatly reduced, and correlation coefficients are greatly improved. Moreover, cross validation shows that at locations where surface observations were not assimilated, the reduction in root‐mean‐square error and bias and the increase in correlation can still reach ~20%. Locations where the spatial representativeness of AOD is large or the site density is high are where the greatest changes are typically found. This study shows that the EnKF technique effectively extends the information obtained at surface sites to a larger area, paving the way for combining information from different types of measurements to yield better estimates of aerosol properties as well as their space‐time variability.