bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Exposure to general anesthesia before 4 years of age did not affect growth and development: A nationwide retrospective cohort study using an early childhood health screening database
Authors: Ahn Eun-Jin , Bang Si Ra 
Published: July 2020

ABSTRACT

Introduction:
There is little evidence that anesthetics are associated with neurotoxicity in children. In this study, we used a nationwide database to evaluate the association between general anesthesia and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in pediatric patients.

Methods:
We retrospectively analyzed data from the National Health Insurance Service-infant medical checkup cohort database. We included all pediatric patients born in 2008 and 2009 and classified them into two groups according to their history of exposure to general anesthesia. Group G included pediatric patients who had been exposed to general anesthesia at least once before 4 years of age. Group O included a 1:4 matched cohort based on birth weight, sex, and income decile. The primary outcome was the prevalence of ADHD. Secondary outcomes included head circumference, height, weight, visual and auditory development.

Results:
Among 17,451 participants, 315 (1.8%) underwent general anesthesia before 4 years of age. After propensity score matching, 1259 participants were selected in group O, with no significant differences between the groups in terms of birth weight, sex, income decile, and prematurity. Among all 1574 participants, 17 (1.08%) were diagnosed with ADHD, without a significant difference between the two groups (P = 0.33). There was also no significant difference in head circumference, height, weight, auditory and visual development (P = 0.43, 0.45, 0.49, 0.32, 0.13, respectively).

Conclusion:
Children who underwent surgery requiring general anesthesia before 4 years of age did not have an increased risk of ADHD or developmental disorders. Future studies should assess the association between duration of surgery and occurrence of ADHD.

Highlights:
An Innovative Strategy for Non-Grafting Penile Enlargement: A Novel Paradigm for Tunica Expansion Procedures
Authors: Egydio Paulo H. 
Published: July 2020

Abstract

Background
Peyronie’s disease, diabetes, trauma, pelvic surgeries, and aging are conditions that promote penile fibrosis and trigger erectile dysfunction associated with penile reduction. These pathologies require an objective preoperative diagnosis and intraoperative management of penile shrinkage.

Aim
The goal is to develop a non-grafting procedure to promote lengthening using geometric patterns of multiple staggered small cuts on the tunica albuginea with an optimal ratio between tissue expansion and resistance to confine the cylinders inside the corpora cavernosa.

Methods
Between February 2016 and February 2019, 416 patients suffering penile shortening with or without Peyronie’s disease received implants using the tunica expansion procedures (TEP). Incisions were distributed in respective areas of the tunica to allow maximum expansion while maintaining strength to confine prosthetic cylinders within the corpora cavernosa to prevent bulges and denting.

Outcomes
In accordance with these principles, surgical objectives and patient satisfaction were achieved in length and girth restoration regardless of the type of implant used to obtain adequate axial rigidity.

Results
The sample of 416 patients included 287 cases of Peyronie’s disease having a mean axial deviation of 51° (0–90°) whose curvature was corrected in surgery, with pressure from the cylinders maintaining straightness for malleable and inflatable devices. Tunica constriction in 40.86% of cases was corrected with vertical relaxing incisions. Ventral glanspexy was performed intraoperatively in 92.8% of patients to prevent hypermobility. A penile gain of 3.3 cm (2–6) was measured intraoperatively.

Clinical Implications
Diagnosis of penile shortening was performed by a stretch length test and pharmacologically induced erection together with the patient’s subjective opinion of penile loss. Lengthening procedure depends on the limit of the dissected neurovascular bundle. The patient and surgeon select the type of implant in accordance with his individual anatomic characteristics.

Strengths and Limitations
The TEP strategy is a non-grafting procedure based on tissue restitution by expansion instead of substitution, which provides surgeons a solution for penile enlargement to the limit of the dissected neurovascular bundle.

Conclusions
The TEP strategy has been demonstrated to be safe and effective to resolve problems of penile size reduction independently of penile curvature. It eliminates grafting and improves penile lengthening techniques using small, staggered cuts on the tunica albuginea, while maintaining tunica structural resistance to contain cylinders inside the corpora, preventing bulges and denting, facilitating tissue regeneration, and improving axial rigidity.
Synergistic Impacts of Rainfall Variability and Land Use Heterogeneity on Nitrate Retention in River Networks: Exacerbation or Compensation?
Authors: Ye Sheng , Sivapalan Murugesu , Ran Qihua 
Published: July 2020

AbstractEutrophication of rivers and receiving waters has become a major environmental issue worldwide, which may further intensify due to projected climate changes and expansion of urbanization or agricultural development to meet the needs of increased human population. However, our understanding of climatic and land use change impacts on riverine nutrient retention and export to receiving waters is limited due to lack of empirical measurements and uncertainties about the nature of future climate changes. The aim of this paper is to analyze the response of nitrate transport and transformation in river systems to potential changes in climate and land use management, individually, and in combination. A coupled hydrological and biogeochemical model is implemented in a hypothetical river basin, with realistic inputs and parameters, for the simulation of nitrate dynamics in river networks. Results indicate that for the same annual rainfall, increased within‐year rainfall variability propagates to increased streamflow variability and a significant reduction in nitrate retention. Analysis of the effects of the spatial distribution of nitrate inputs around the river network showed that for the same total nitrate input from land, nitrate retention increased considerably through locating land use types with high nitrate input away from the river outlet. Simulation results also indicated that even without a reduction in total nitrogen input from land, optimized land use distribution around the river network can compensate the enhanced nitrogen input that may arise from increased rainfall variability. These findings offer viable strategies for catchment management to mitigate increased water quality degradation caused by expected future climate changes.
Processes of Stratification and Destratification During An Extreme River Discharge Event in the German Bight ROFI
Authors: Chegini Fatemeh , Holtermann Peter , Kerimoglu Onur , Becker Marius , Kreus Markus , Klingbeil Knut , Gräwe Ulf , Winter Christian , Burchard Hans 
Published: July 2020

AbstractProcesses of stratification and destratification in the German Bight region of fresh water influence (ROFI) are investigated following an extreme river discharge event in June 2013. For this purpose, a high‐resolution baroclinic ocean model is set up and validated against field data. The model results are used to study the temporal and spatial variability of stratification and the duration of persistent stratification in 2013. The relevant processes affecting stratification are investigated by analyzing the potential energy anomaly budget, with a focus on mixing and tidal straining. It is shown that the stratification in the German Bight is highly affected by the spring‐neap tidal cycle, with generally less stratification at spring tides due to dominant tidal mixing. It is also shown that the location of the river plume can modify this pattern. During spring tides, if the river plume is confined to the eastern region, stratification decreases significantly, as expected, due to the dominance of mixing over tidal straining. On the other hand, if the river plume moves toward deeper regions at spring tides, strong tidal straining becomes present. In this condition, mixing is weak, and the dominant tidal straining results in persistent stratification.
Within‐Stand Boundary Effects on Snow Water Equivalent Distribution in Forested Areas
Authors: Webb R. W. , Raleigh M. S. , McGrath D. , Molotch N. P. , Elder K. , Hiemstra C. , Brucker L. , Marshall H. P. 
Published: July 2020

AbstractForested areas exhibit high spatial variability in the distribution of snow water equivalent (SWE). Previous work has focused on forested areas with respect to snow accumulation in adjacent clearings. There is generally less snow in forested areas with greater variability relative to open areas due to the influence of tree canopies. However, the length scale of the transition from open areas to forested conditions is uncertain. Hence, the goal of this paper is to determine the length scales associated with forest boundary effects on SWE accumulation distribution patterns within forest stands. To accomplish this, we utilize a unique ground‐penetrating radar data set collected during the NASA SnowEx campaign on Grand Mesa, Colorado, in February 2017 to determine spatial SWE distribution patterns of areas under canopy and in clearings, and the length scales of transitions between these patterns (i.e., the size of within‐stand boundary areas). We define within‐stand boundary areas as the transitional zone from a clearing to relatively stable SWE distribution, or background distribution patterns, within forest stands. The largest within‐stand boundary effect occurred on the leeward side of stands with a mean extent of 44 m, or 4.3 mean canopy heights. In contrast, windward within‐stand boundary effects showed a mean extent of 28 m, or 3.7 mean canopy heights. We present a conceptual framework of the complex wind dynamics that occur in forest stands to explain the within‐stand boundary effects on SWE distribution. Future investigations could improve understanding of this complex process and associated driving variables.
Determinants of the Asymmetric Parameter in the Generalized Complementary Principle of Evaporation
Authors: Wang Liming , Tian Fuqiang , Han Songjun , Wei Zhongwang 
Published: July 2020

AbstractThe complementary principle, which was first proposed by Bouchet (1963), illustrates a complementary relationship among the actual evaporation, the potential evaporation, and the apparent potential evaporation. It has generated increasing attention for estimating evaporation by using only routinely observed meteorological variables (radiation, wind speed, air temperature, and humidity) without complex surface property parameters. However, this principle still poses great challenges because of the underlying uncertainties in estimating its critical parameter, namely, asymmetric parameter b. In this study, we adopted a sigmoid generalized complementary function and utilized the eddy covariance (EC) data from 217 sites around the world to determine b values in different ecosystems and their correlation with environmental factors. We found b has a mean value of 6.01 ± 0.08. The asymmetric parameter b is small in dry regions (i.e., the desert ecosystem, 0.42 ± 0.02) and increases as the land surface wetness improves. The ecosystem mean air temperature and vapor pressure deficit have negative correlations with b (Pearson correlation coefficients are −0.57 and −0.52, respectively), and the mean soil water content has a positive correlation with b (0.69). Besides, the sigmoid function has a favorable capability in estimating evaporation no matter based on the site‐specific b values or the ecosystem mean b values. The ecosystem mean b values given in the current study also perform acceptably in the independent verifications, indicating these values can be applied extendedly for regional and global studies.
New Simplified Models of Single‐Well Push‐Pull Tests With Mixing Effect
Authors: Shi Wenguang , Wang Quanrong , Zhan Hongbin 
Published: July 2020

AbstractWhen using single‐well push‐pull (SWPP) tests to characterize in situ aquifer related to reactive transport, approximate analytical solutions were preferred to determine the aquifer dispersivity and other parameters, due to its computational efficiency. Simplified models were proposed in this study to estimate the retardation factor for a SWPP test with a reactive tracer, where the dispersivity had to be determined firstly using a SWPP test with a conservative tracer. Here, we find that previous models associated with SWPP tests contain an untested assumption when dealing with solute transport in the wellbore, probably causing great errors when interpreting the test data. This assumption states that the wellbore mixing effect is negligible in both injection and extraction phases, where the mixing effect refers to the mixing process between the native wellbore water and solute introduced into the wellbore. In this study, new approximate analytical solutions of the SWPP test are proposed for a fully penetrating well and a point‐source well by specifically considering the wellbore mixing effect. The new models of this study are tested by semianalytical solutions in Laplace domain and finite difference solutions. Results indicate that the new models perform substantially better than previous models of ignoring the wellbore mixing effect, which should not be overlooked when interpreting SWPP test data.
Seasonal Variations of Carbonate Chemistry at Two Western Atlantic Coral Reefs
Authors: Meléndez Melissa , Salisbury Joseph , Gledhill Dwight , Langdon Chris , Morell Julio M. , Manzello Derek , Rodriguez‐Abudo Sylvia , Musielewicz Sylvia , Sutton Adrienne 
Published: July 2020

AbstractTime series from open ocean fixed stations have robustly documented secular changes in carbonate chemistry and long‐term ocean acidification (OA) trends as a direct response to increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2). However, few high‐frequency coastal carbon time series are available in reef systems, where most affected tropical marine organisms reside. Seasonal variations in carbonate chemistry at Cheeca Rocks (CR), Florida, and La Parguera (LP), Puerto Rico, are presented based on 8 and 10 years of continuous, high‐quality measurements, respectively. We synthesized and modeled carbonate chemistry to understand how physical and biological processes affect seasonal carbonate chemistry at both locations. The results showed that differences in biology and thermodynamic cycles between the two systems caused higher amplitudes at CR despite the shorter residence times relative to LP. Analyses based on oxygen and temperature‐normalized pCO2sw showed that temperature effects on pCO2sw at CR were largely counteracted by primary productivity, while thermodynamics alone explained a majority of the pCO2sw dynamics at LP. Heterotrophy dominated from late spring to fall, and autotrophy dominated from winter to early spring. Observations suggested that organic respiration decreased the carbonate mineral saturation state (Ω) during late summer/fall. The interactive effects between the inorganic and organic carbon cycles and the assumed effects of benthic metabolism on the water chemistry at both sites appeared to cause seasonal hysteresis with the carbonate chemistry. Improved integration of observational data to modeling approaches will help better forecast how physical and biogeochemical processes will affect Ω and carbonate chemistry in coastal areas.
Balloon‐Borne Observations of Short Vertical Wavelength Gravity Waves and Interaction With QBO Winds
Authors: Vincent Robert A. , Alexander M. Joan 
Published: July 2020

AbstractThe quasi‐biennial oscillation (QBO), a ubiquitous feature of the zonal mean zonal winds in the equatorial lower stratosphere, is forced by selective dissipation of atmospheric waves that range in periods from days to hours. However, QBO circulations in numerical models tend to be weak compared with observations, probably because of limited vertical resolution that cannot adequately resolve gravity waves and the height range over which they dissipate. Observations are required to help quantify wave effects. The passage of a superpressure balloon (SPB) near a radiosonde launch site in the equatorial Western Pacific during the transition from the eastward to westward phase of the QBO at 20 km permits a coordinated study of the intrinsic frequencies and vertical structures of two inertia‐gravity wave packets with periods near 1 day and 3 days, respectively. Both waves have large horizontal wavelengths of about 970 and 5,500 km. The complementary nature of the observations provided information on their momentum fluxes and the evolution of the waves in the vertical. The near 1 day westward propagating wave has a critical level near 20 km, while the eastward propagating 3‐day wave is able to propagate through to heights near 30 km before dissipation. Estimates of the forcing provided by the momentum flux convergence, taking into account the duration and scale of the forcing, suggests zonal force of about 0.3–0.4 m s−1 day−1 for the 1‐day wave and about 0.4–0.6 m s−1 day−1 for the 3‐day wave, which acts for several days.
Low Dust Generation Potential From Active Sand Grains by Wind Abrasion
Authors: Swet N. , Kok J. F. , Huang Y. , Yizhaq H. , Katra I. 
Published: July 2020

AbstractWind‐driven dust emission has a major impact on many environmental and socioeconomic issues such as climate change, soil loss, biogeochemical cycles, and air pollution. It is generally assumed that the main global dust sources consist of nonsandy soils with high percentages of fine‐sized clay and silt particles. However, in recent years, it has been hypothesized that active sand bodies can generate significant dust emissions through the mechanism of sand abrasion. Moreover, sand abrasion has been used to explain the formation of certain soils on Earth and Mars. Here, we test the hypothesis that sand abrasion can generate substantial dust emissions by performing targeted wind tunnel experiments on sand grains in the absence of clay and silt particles. We find only minor emissions of particulate matter from noncoated active sands under wind conditions typical of natural sand transport. The findings suggest that the dust generated by the mechanism of sand abrasion is less than dust generated by the removal of clay minerals coated on sand grain surfaces; both mechanisms on active sands produce far less dust than nonsandy soils. Feldspar sand was found to be slightly more effective at generating dust through abrasion than quartz sand. However, due to the low spatial coverage of feldspar sands in active sands worldwide, dust generated from feldspar abrasion may produce a relatively small contribution to global dust emissions. We thus conclude that sand abrasion by wind transport has a low potential to generate dust‐sized particles from active sands.
Freezing Level Forecast Error Can Consume Reservoir Flood Control Storage: Potentials for Lake Oroville and New Bullards Bar Reservoirs in California
Authors: Sumargo Edwin , Cannon Forest , Ralph F. Martin , Henn Brian 
Published: July 2020

AbstractThe atmospheric freezing level (ZFL) determines the rain‐snow transition zone at the surface, how much rainfall is available for runoff, and the flood risk during a precipitation event. An accurate ZFL forecast is thus critical for reservoir operation, especially in mountain watersheds with narrow elevation bands like the Feather and North Fork Yuba in California, where a 500‐m elevation gain can amount to >50% of the watershed area. Using a ±350‐m ZFL forecast error, we find inflow volume uncertainties of <10% to >50% of the flood pool storages at Lake Oroville and New Bullards Bar reservoirs, depending on the ZFL, antecedent moisture condition, and the precipitation event magnitude. The uncertainties can increase by up to >3% per inch (25.4 mm) of precipitation, depending on the ZFL and antecedent moisture condition. This result substantiates the significant impact of ZFL forecast error and the critical need of ZFL forecast accuracy to support reservoir flood control operations in the two watersheds.
LIDA: A Land Integrated Data Assimilation Framework for Mapping Land Surface Heat and Evaporative Fluxes by Assimilating Space‐Borne Soil Moisture and Land Surface Temperature
Authors: Abdolghafoorian Abedeh , Farhadi Leila 
Published: July 2020

AbstractLand surface heat and evaporative fluxes exchanged between the land and atmosphere play a crucial role in the terrestrial water and energy balance. Regional mapping of these fluxes is hampered by the lack of in situ measurements (with the required coverage and duration) and the high spatial heterogeneity. In this paper, we propose a Land Integrated Data Assimilation framework (LIDA) based on the variational data assimilation technique to estimate the key parameters of surface heat and evaporative fluxes by jointly assimilating Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) data and Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) surface temperature data into a coupled parsimonious land water and energy balance model. The method is implemented over an area of 31,500 km2 in the U.S. Southern Great Plains, and its performance is evaluated through consistency tests, comparison tests, and uncertainty analyses. The maps of retrieved heat and evaporative fluxes are used to analyze a range of feedback mechanisms in land‐atmosphere interaction, such as the dependence of evapotranspiration on vegetation and water availability.
Argument structure and the role of the body and space in Kenyan Sign Language
Authors: Morgan Hope E. 
Published: July 2020

Abstract
This paper investigates how systematically a young macro-community sign language, Kenyan Sign Language, uses two
different means to communicate about events: (i) word order, and (ii) verb agreement using spatial co-reference. The study finds
that KSL signers rely primarily on word order and using the body as a referent, rather than verb agreement, when representing
transitive events. Yet, by looking separately at how KSL signers use the sub-components of verb agreement, a pattern emerges that
indicates a possible path toward ‘canonical verb agreement’. These sub-components are evaluated using Meir’s stages/types of
grammaticalization of verb agreement (Meir 2011, 2016), and compared with other young and emerging sign languages.
Spatial metaphors in antonym pairs across sign languages
Authors: Börstell Carl , Lepic Ryan 
Published: July 2020

Abstract
We analyze sign locations in 776 signs from 16 antonym pairs across 27 sign languages to examine metaphorical mappings of
emotional valence (positive vs. negative) along different spatial axes. We conduct both an automatic and a manual analysis of sign location
and movement direction, to investigate cross-linguistic patterns of spatial valence contrasts. Contrary to our hypothesis, negative valence
concepts are generally articulated higher up than their positive counterparts. However, when we consider movement in space, we find that
although signs generally move downward over time, positive valence concepts are associated with upward movements more often than their
negative counterparts. This points to a systematic pattern for vertical valence contrasts – a known metaphor across languages – iconically
mapped onto physical sign articulation. We similarly, but surprisingly, find a difference in movements along the sagittal axis, such that
outward movement is associated with positive valence concepts more often than negative.