bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The Quasi-Linear Relation between Planetary Outgoing Longwave Radiation and Surface Temperature: A Climate Footprint of Radiative and Nonradiative Processes
Authors: Cai Ming , Sun Jie , Ding Feng , Kang Wanying , Hu Xiaoming 
Published: June 2023

Abstract
The slope of the quasi-linear relation between planetary outgoing longwave radiation (OLR) and surface temperature (TS) is an important parameter measuring the sensitivity of Earth’s climate system. The primary objective of this study is to seek a general explanation for the quasi-linear OLR–TS relation that remains valid regardless of the strength of the atmospheric window’s narrowing effect on planetary thermal emission at higher temperatures. The physical understanding of the quasi-linear OLR–TS relation and its slope is gained from observation analysis, climate simulations with radiative–convective equilibrium and general circulation models, and a series of online feedback suppression experiments. The observed quasi-linear OLR–TS relation manifests a climate footprint of radiative (such as the greenhouse effect) and nonradiative processes (poleward energy transport). The former acts to increase the meridional gradient of surface temperature and the latter decreases the meridional gradient of atmospheric temperatures, causing the flattening of the meridional profile of the OLR. Radiative processes alone can lead to a quasi-linear OLR–TS relation that is more steeply sloped. The atmospheric poleward energy transport alone can also lead to a quasi-linear OLR–TS relation by rerouting part of the OLR to be emitted from a warmer place to a colder place. The combined effects of radiative and nonradiative processes make the quasi-linear OLR–TS relation less sloped with a higher degree of linearity. In response to anthropogenic radiative forcing, the slope of the quasi-linear OLR–TS relation is further reduced via stronger water vapor feedback and enhanced poleward energy transport.

Significance Statement
The slope of the quasi-linear relation between planetary outgoing longwave radiation (OLR) and surface temperature (TS) is an important parameter measuring the sensitivity of Earth’s climate system. The observed quasi-linear OLR–TS relation manifests a climate footprint of radiative (greenhouse effect) and nonradiative processes (poleward energy transport). Radiative processes alone can lead to a quasi-linear OLR–TS relation that is more steeply sloped. The atmospheric poleward energy transport alone can also lead to a quasi-linear OLR–TS relation by rerouting part of the OLR to be emitted from a warmer place to a colder place. The combined effects of radiative and nonradiative processes make the quasi-linear OLR–TS relation less sloped with a higher degree of linearity.
Observable Large-Scale Impacts of Tropical Cyclones on the Subtropical Gyre
Authors: Lu Zhumin , Wang Guihua , Shang Xiaodong 
Published: June 2023

Abstract
The large-scale ocean circulation in an ocean basin was previously thought to be impacted cumulatively by all the overlying tropical cyclones (TCs). Based on idealized numerical experiments and altimetry observation, this study reveals that, unnecessarily by cumulative impacts, a single TC actually has the ability to plow the large-scale sea surface height (SSH) field due to the TC-induced geostrophic response. This ability is dictated by the along-track length scale of the geostrophic response, i.e., the total track length. Some of the observed along-track signals, including the SSH trough, jet, and SSH rise, can confirm the TC-induced large-scale impacts. Shortly after the TC passage, the observable large-scale signals are generally the SSH trough. However, the jet and the SSH rise easily emerge from the evolved SSH trough due to Rossby wave dispersion. By identifying and tracking the observable signals, this study demonstrates that the subtropical gyre primarily over 4°–20°N, 122°E–180° is plowed by nine typhoons (2015) into several large blocks of SSH troughs and SSH rises. These long-lived SSH troughs and SSH rises dominate the upper-layer circulation from April to December in 2015. If the large-scale signals cannot be observed, the estimated TC-induced mean SSH decreases suggest that the large-scale impacts may still exist but merely cannot be seen intuitively. This study provides compelling observational evidence for the TC-induced large-scale impacts, further highlighting that TCs may play a nonnegligible role in the upper-ocean dynamics in the subtropical gyre.

Significance Statement
This study aims to demonstrate the ability of a typhoon to affect the large-scale ocean dynamics. The ability manifests as some along-track signals in altimetry observations, including sea surface height trough, jet, and sea surface height rise, which can be frequently observed after some typhoons in 2015. The sea surface height field in the western North Pacific is continuously plowed by these typhoons into several large blocks of sea surface height troughs and rises. These long-lived sea surface height troughs and rises dominate the upper-layer circulation from April to December in 2015. This study indicates that typhoons play a vital role in the upper-ocean dynamics in the western North Pacific.
Developing a Hail and Wind Damage Swath Event Database from Daily MODIS True Color Imagery and Storm Reports for Impact Analysis and Applications
Authors: Bell Jordan R. , Wisinski Emily F. , Molthan Andrew L. , Schultz Christopher J. , Gilligan Emma , Sharp Kaylee G. 
Published: June 2023

Abstract
Hail and damaging winds are two threats associated with intense and severe thunderstorms that traverse the Midwest and Great Plains during the primary growing season. In certain severe thunderstorm events, large swaths of agricultural crops are impacted, allowing the damage to be viewed from multiple satellite remote sensing platforms. Previous studies have focused on analyzing individual hail and wind damage swaths (HWDSs) using satellite remote sensing, but these swaths have never been officially archived or documented. This lack of documentation has made it difficult to analyze the spatial extent and temporal frequency of HWDSs from year to year. This study utilizes daily true color imagery from MODIS aboard NASA’s Terra and Aqua satellites and daily local storm reports from the Storm Prediction Center to build a database of HWDSs occurring in the months of May–August, for years 2000–20. This database identified 1646 HWDSs in 12 states throughout the Midwest and Great Plains, confirmed through a combination of archived severe weather warnings, radar information, and official storm reports. For each entry in the HWDS database, a geospatial outline is provided along with the most likely date of first visible damage from MODIS imagery as well as the physical characteristics and time of occurrence estimated from available warnings. This study also provides a summary of the radar characteristics for a portion of the database. This database will further the understanding of severe weather damage by hail and wind to agriculture to help understand the frequency of these events and assist in mapping the impacted areas.

Significance Statement
Hail and wind damage swaths (HWDSs) frequently occur during the primary growing season throughout the Midwest and Great Plains but are not yet officially documented or tracked like other severe weather impacts (e.g., tornadoes and derechos). This study describes the creation of a 21-yr HWDS event database using archived daily storm reports and daily true color satellite imagery. Once the database was completed and underwent quality checks, the research team identified spatial and temporal trends from the confirmed swaths.
Frailty as a Predictor of Post-Surgical Outcomes in Patients With Cutaneous Malignancies of the Scalp and Neck Requiring Flap Reconstruction
Authors: Welch Christopher , Kazim Syed Faraz , Esce Antoinette , Bowers Christian , Syme Noah , Boyd Nathan 
Published: June 2023

Background: Investigate the ability of frailty status to predict post-surgical outcomes in patients with cutaneous malignancies of the scalp and neck undergoing flap reconstruction. Methods: National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database was used to isolate patients with cutaneous malignancies of the scalp and neck who underwent surgical resection between 2015 to 2019. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to determine if frailty score correlated with negative post-operative outcomes. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves allowed testing of the discriminative performance of age versus frailty. Results: This study demonstrated an independent correlation between frailty and major complications as well as non-home discharge. In ROC curve analysis, frailty demonstrated superior discrimination compared to age for predicting major complications. Conclusion: Our study demonstrated an association between increasing frailty and major complications as well as the likelihood of a non-home discharge. When compared to age, frailty was also shown to be a better predictor of major complications.
Do Left-Handed Older Adults Have Superior Visual Memories?
Authors: Lindell Annukka K. 
Published: June 2023

On demanding visual memory tasks like the Rey Complex Figure Test and Recognition Trial (RCFT), left-handers often outperform right-handers and participants with mixed handedness. Left-handers’ apparent visual memory superiority develops during late childhood and early adolescence and is established by young adulthood. Though many studies have examined RCFT performance in older adults and found that visual memory deteriorates with age, investigations of the relationship between handedness and visual memory abilities in older adults have been scarce. In the present study I sought to determine whether a left-handed RCFT performance advantage would be evident among older adults. I examined RCFT and handedness data from 800 older adults (Females = 152, Males = 648; M age = 69.86, SD = 5.18 years; range 60–85 years), who took part in prior research (Whitehall II Phase 11 sub-study). Among these participants, handedness predicted both immediate and delayed RCFT recall, with left-handers outperforming both mixed- and right-handers and with performance unrelated to gender. The absence of a left-handed advantage for copy accuracy suggests that the effects observed for recall do not stem from differences in participants’ perceptual abilities and/or motor control. Instead, these data suggest that left-handers’ superior performances stem from their advantage for visual memory. As visual memory predicts both motor learning capacity and motor skill retention in older adults, these results have potentially important implications for rehabilitation efficacy.
Bioactive Scaffold With Spatially Embedded Growth Factors Promotes Bone-to-Tendon Interface Healing of Chronic Rotator Cuff Tear in Rabbit Model
Authors: Han Jian , Han Sheng Chen , Kim Young Kyu , Tarafder Solaiman , Jeong Hun Jin , Jeong Hyeon Jang , Chung Ju Young , Lee Chang H. , Oh Joo Han 
Published: June 2023

Background:Functional restoration of the bone-to-tendon interface (BTI) after rotator cuff repair is a challenge. Therefore, numerous biocompatible biomaterials for promoting BTI healing have been investigated.Purpose:To determine the efficacy of scaffolds with spatiotemporal delivery of growth factors (GFs) to accelerate BTI healing after rotator cuff repair.Study Design:Controlled laboratory study.Methods:An advanced 3-dimensional printing technique was used to fabricate bioactive scaffolds with spatiotemporal delivery of multiple GFs targeting the tendon, fibrocartilage, and bone regions. In total, 50 rabbits were used: 2 nonoperated controls and 48 rabbits with induced chronic rotator cuff tears (RCTs). The animals with RCTs were divided into 3 groups: (A) saline injection, (B) scaffold without GF, and (C) scaffold with GF. To induce chronic models, RCTs were left unrepaired for 6 weeks; then, surgical repairs with or without bioactive scaffolds were performed. For groups B and C, each scaffold was implanted between the bony footprint and the supraspinatus tendon. Four weeks after repair, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and immunofluorescence analyses were performed to evaluate early signs of regenerative healing. Histological, biomechanical, and micro–computed tomography analyses were performed 12 weeks after repair.Results:Group C had the highest mRNA expression of collagen type I alpha 1, collagen type III alpha 1, and aggrecan. Immunofluorescence analysis showed the formation of an aggrecan+/collagen II+fibrocartilaginous matrix at the BTI when repaired with scaffold with GFs. Histologic analysis revealed greater collagen fiber continuity, denser collagen fibers, and a more mature tendon-to-bone junction in GF-embedded scaffolds than those in the other groups. Group C demonstrated the highest load-to-failure ratio, and modulus mapping showed that the distribution of the micromechanical properties of the BTI repaired with GF-embedded scaffolds was comparable with that of the native BTI. Micro–computed tomography analysis identified the highest bone mineral density and bone volume/total volume ratio in group C.Conclusion:Bioactive scaffolds with spatially embedded GFs have significant potential to promote the BTI healing of chronic RCTs in a rabbit model.Clinical Relevance:The scaffolds with spatiotemporal delivery of GF may serve as an off-the-shelf biomaterial graft to promote the healing of RCTs.
Towards Global Environmental Values: Lessons from Western and Eastern Experience.1
Authors: Sarre Philip 
Published: June 2023

The paper argues that new environmental values are needed as the advanced industrial economy becomes global. Reviewing a range of values from hunter-gatherer, agricultural and industrial societies, the paper suggests that environmental value systems should ideally satisfy three criteria. They should be consistent with scientific understanding of natural systems, they should lead to practical ethical and political proposals and, crucially, they should inspire aesthetic responses of pleasure and awe. Current global value systems fall short of this ideal: Gaia has the potential to combine science and awe, but lacks humane decision criteria, while sustainable development is pragmatic but environmentally minimalist and lacks aesthetic inspiration. The short term need is to integrate different strands of current positions as Hinduism combined pre-existing views. A sequence of priorities is suggested: eliminating irreversible environmental change; stabilising population change through more equitable trade; and reconsidering the boundaries, practical and aesthetic, between society and nature.
The Value of Ecosystem Health1
Authors: Callicott J. Baird 
Published: June 2023

The concept of ecosystem health is problematic. Do ecosystems as such exist? Is health an objective condition of organisms or is it socially constructed? Can ‘health’ be unequivocally predicated of ecosystems? Is ecosystem health both objective and valuative? Are ecosystem health and biological integrity identical? How do these concepts interface with the concept of biodiversity? Ecosystems exist, although they are turning out to be nested sets of linked process-functions with temporal boundaries, not tangible superorganisms with spatial boundaries. Ecosystem health – or normal occurrence of ecological processes and functions – is an objective condition of ecosystems, although the concept of ecosystem health allows some room for personal and social determination or construction. Ecosystem health is prudentially, aesthetically, and intrinsically valuable, although the value of ecosystem health is subjectively conferred. Biodiversity and biological integrity are different from, but not unrelated to, ecosystem health. Together these three normative concepts represent complementary conservation goals.
The Isle of Harris Superquarry: Concepts of the Environment and Sustainability
Authors: Barton Harry 
Published: June 2023

In 1991 Redland Aggregates Ltd. put forward a proposal to embark upon the largest mining project in Europe, the chosen location being the remote island of Harris and Lewis in the Western Isles of Scotland. The proposal sparked off an impassioned debate between planners, conservationists and developers, while the local residents have attempted to come to terms with an operation on a scale previously inconceivable on the island. This paper attempts to examine the proposed development from a sociological angle – it is less concerned with justifying or condemning the project on economic or political grounds and more with analysing the roots of the various viewpoints held by those involved, willingly or unwillingly, in the debate. From this analysis arise implications regarding different perspectives on the environment and different interpretations of the term sustainable. It is argued that these diverse perceptions are grounded in different interpretations of the environment, shaped by the cultural and historical context within which the groups or individuals that hold these views exist and interact. Ultimately, the paper makes a plea for a wider recognition of the diversity of meanings and interpretations implied by the term ‘environment’, a broader definition of the term ‘development’, and an expansion of the concept of sustainability to incorporate the variety of situations and perceived needs of different cultures.
A Political-Ecology Approach to Wildlife Conservation in Kenya
Authors: Akama John S. , Lant Christopher L. , Burnett G. Wesley 
Published: June 2023

Kenya has one of the highest remaining concentrations of tropical savanna wildlife in the world. It has been recognised by the state and international community as a ‘unique world heritage’ which should be preserved for posterity. However, the wildlife conservation efforts of the Kenya government confront complex and often persistent social and ecological problems, including land-use conflicts between the local people and wildlife, local people's suspicions and hostilities toward state policies of wildlife conservation, and accelerated destruction of wildlife habitats. This essay uses a political-ecological framework in the analysis of the social factors of wildlife conservation in Kenya. It postulates that the overriding socio-economic issue impacting wildlife conservation in Kenya is underdevelopment. The problem of underdevelopment is manifested in forms of increasing levels of poverty, famine and malnutrition. The long term survival of Kenya's wildlife depends on social and ecological solutions to the problems of underdevelopment.
A Nomogram Based on the Log Odds of Positive Lymph Nodes Predicts the Prognosis of Patients with Colon Neuroendocrine Tumors After Surgery: A Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Population-Based Study
Authors: Zhang Xue , Zhang Kui , Li Su , Xu Aman 
Published: June 2023

Purpose This work focused on determining the highly efficient nodal classification system from American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) tumor node metastasis (TNM) classification (eighth edition), positive lymph node, log odds of positive lymph nodes (LODDS), lymph node ratio, examined lymph node, and establishing the new nomogram for predicting cancer-specific survival in colon neuroendocrine tumors (CNETs). Methods From the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database, 943 CNET cases undergoing radical operation were enrolled, and randomized as training ( n  =  663) or validation set ( n  =  280). For the above 5 lymph node classification systems, their prediction performances were compared with C-index, Akaike information criterion (AIC), and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve. Univariate together with multivariate regression was carried out for identifying independent risk factors. Afterward, this work established 1 nomogram and confirmed its accuracy based on C-index, calibration curves, together with the area under the curve value. Besides, it was compared with the AJCC TNM classification system with regard to model prediction performance. Results LODSS achieved the greatest area under the curve and C-index, whereas the smallest AIC. Upon multivariate regression, age, histologic grade, T stage, M stage, and LODDS independently predicted the risk of CNETs. For the validation set, the C-index of the nomogram was 0.794, and the area under the curves at 1, 3, and 5 years was 0.826, 0.857, and 0.870, separately. Additionally, as revealed by the C-index, AIC, decision curve analysis, as well as Kaplan–Meier analysis, our nomogram had superior performance to the AJCC TNM classification system. Conclusions For postoperative patients with CNETs, the LODDS might achieve the best prediction performance. Moreover, the LODDS-based nomograms might show superior survival prediction performance to the AJCC TNM classification system (eighth edition).
Efficacy and safety of oral corticosteroids to treat outpatients with acute exacerbations of COPD in primary care: a multicentre pragmatic randomised controlled study
Authors: Thebault Jean-Laurent , Roche Nicolas , Abdoul Hendy , Lorenzo Alain , Similowski Thomas , Ghasarossian Christian 
Published: June 2023

AimTo compare prednisone and placebo for the treatment of outpatients treated for acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in a primary care setting.MethodsA multicentre, parallel, double-blind, pragmatic randomised controlled trial was performed in France. A total of 66 general practitioners included patients aged ≥40 years with cumulative smoking of ≥10 pack-years and a diagnosis of certain or likely acute exacerbation of COPD. Oral prednisone (40 mg) or placebo were administered daily for 5 days. The main outcome was treatment failure at 8 weeks, defined as a composite criterion based on the occurrence of at least one of the following: unplanned visit to an emergency department or to a practitioner in the ambulatory setting, hospital admission or death. The planned sample size was 202 patients per group.Results175 patients were included from February 2015 to May 2017 (43% of the planned sample). All-cause 8-week treatment failure rate was 42.0% in the prednisone group and 34.5% in the placebo group (relative risk 1.22, 95% CI 0.87–1.69, p=0.25). Respiratory-related 8-week treatment failure rate was 27.6% in the prednisone group and 13.6% in the placebo group (relative risk 2.00, 95% CI 1.15–3.57, p=0.015).ConclusionAlthough the planned sample size was not achieved, the study does not suggest that oral corticosteroids are more effective than placebo for the treatment of an acute exacerbation of COPD in a primary care setting.