julilili42/papers huggingface dataset:
Does residential mobility affect child development at age five? A comparative study of children born in U.S. and U.K. cities.
2022-03-28

Residential mobility is a normal feature of family life but thought to be a source of disruption to a child's development. Mobility may have its own direct consequences or reflect families' capabilities and vulnerabilities. This article examines the association between changes of residence and verbal and behavioral scores of children aged 5, contributing to the literature in three ways. First, it compares two countries, by drawing on the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing study in the United States (N = up to 1,820) and an urban subsample of the U.K. Millennium Cohort study (N = up to 7,967). Second, beside taking into account an extensive range of demographic characteristics, it applies inverse probability weights to minimize observable selection bias associated with residential mobility and further controls for a wide range of family changes that often co-occur with moves. Third, the article adds to extant research on residential mobility by incorporating the type of locality from and into which families move. Individual-level longitudinal data are linked to objective measures of neighborhood socioeconomic status to gauge the quality of moves families make. Results show that residential moves are not inevitably deleterious to children. In both countries the poorer outcomes of some moves result not from moving per se but rather from the context in which they occur. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).
Genotype–Phenotype correlations of SCARB2 associated clinical presentation: a case report and in-depth literature review
2022-03-28

Abstract Background Biallelic pathogenic variants in the SCARB2 gene have been associated with action myoclonus-renal failure (AMRF) syndrome. Even though SCARB2 associated phenotype has been reported to include typical neurological characteristics, depending on the localization and the feature of the pathogenic variants, clinical course and the presentations have been shown to differ. Case presentation Whole exome sequencing (WES) analysis revealed a homozygous truncating variant (p.N45MfsX88) in SCARB2 gene in the index case, and subsequent sanger sequencing analysis validated the variant in all affected family members from a Turkish family with the clinical characteristics associated with AMRF and related disorders. Intrafamilial clinical heterogeneity with common features including dysarthria, tremor and proteinuria, and distinct features such as peripheral neuropathy (PNP), myoclonus and seizures between the affected cases, was observed in the family. In-depth literature review enabled the detailed investigation of the reported variants associated with AMRF and suggested that while the type of the variant did not have a major impact on the course of the clinical characteristics, only the C terminal localization of the pathogenic variant significantly affected the clinical presentation, particularly the age at onset (AO) of the disease. Conclusions In this study we showed that biallelic SCARB2 pathogenic variants might cause a spectrum of common and distinct features associated with AMRF. Of those features while the common features include myoclonus (100%), ataxia (96%), tonic clonic seizures (82%), dysarthria (68%), tremor (65%), and renal impairment (62%), the uncommon features involve PNP (17%), hearing loss (6.8%), and cognitive impairment (13.7%). AO has been found to be significantly higher in the carriers of the p.G462DfsX34 pathogenic variant. SCARB2 pathogenic variants have not been only implicated in AMRF but also in the pathogenesis of Parkinson’s disease (PD) and Gaucher disease (GD), suggesting the importance of genetic and functional studies in the clinical and the diagnostic settings. Given the proven role of SCARB2 gene in the pathogenesis of AMRF, PD and GD with a wide spectrum of clinical symptoms, investigation of the possible modifiers, such as progranulin and HSP7, has a great importance.
Rhinitis allergica in storage mite allergy
2022-03-28

Abstract Background Storage mites are frequently found in our daily environment. Nevertheless, storage mite allergy is often neglected in allergological diagnostics and possible allergies requiring therapy are thus overlooked. Methods Recommendations for action are made based on a literature review from March 2021 to August 2021 in PubMed, Medline, and GoogleScholar. Results This review article provides an overview of the species of storage mites, sensitization rates in different countries and occupations, and co-sensitization rates to house dust mite. Recommendations for diagnosis as well as therapy are given. The importance of provocation testing as well as causal therapy by allergen immunotherapy (AIT) is presented. Conclusion The position paper gives recommendations for the diagnosis and therapy of allergic rhinitis in case of storage mite allergy. AIT is recommended in symptomatic allergy and proven storage mite allergy. Reliable detection by provocation testing is advised in this persistent allergy. The therapy should be carried out independently of the treatment of a possible house dust mite allergy.
The cave bears from Imanay Cave (Southern Urals, Russia)
2022-03-28

In the rich vertebrate fauna of Imanay Cave the abundant material of the small-sized cave bears was originally assigned to the taxon Ursus savini. Teeth and metapodials of statistical amounts were compared with other cave bear faunas and the taxonomic position was determined through morphological and metric analyses. The size of teeth and metapodial bones is significantly smaller in Imanay Cave bears compared to the typical U. deningeri from Mosbach and Hundsheim. Although the teeth are smaller, they reached higher evolutionary level than those from Mosbach or Hundsheim.The bear remains from Imanay Cave show great similarities to the fossils from Kizel Cave in the Ural Mountains described as Ursus rossicus Borissiak, 1930 but also to the remains of small-bodied cave bears of the Alps described as Ursus deningeroides Mottl, 1964. Remarkable are the differences in size of the front dentition: the incisors from Imanay Cave are on average >10% longer and wider than the corresponding teeth from U. deningeroides but also wider than the classic U. deningeri. Preliminary carbon and nitrogen stable isotope analyses suggest that the small cave bears from Imanay Cave were herbivorous.
Noise versus Resolution in Optical Chemical Imaging─How Reliable Are Our Measurements?
2022-03-28

Optical chemical imaging has established itself as a valuable technique for visualizing analyte distributions in 2D, notably in medical, biological, and environmental applications. In particular for image acquisitions on small scales between few millimeter to the micrometer range, as well as in heterogeneous samples with steep analyte gradients, image resolution is essential. When individual pixels are inspected, however, image noise becomes a metric as relevant as image accuracy and precision, and denoising filters are applied to preserve relevant information. While denoising filters smooth the image noise, they can also lead to a loss of spatial resolution and thus to a loss of relevant information about analyte distributions. To investigate the trade-off between image resolution and noise reduction for information preservation, we studied the impact of random camera noise and noise due to incorrect camera settings on oxygen optodes using the ratiometric imaging technique. First, we estimated the noise amplification across the calibration process using a Monte Carlo simulation for nonlinear fit models. We demonstrated how initially marginal random camera noise results in a significant standard deviation (SD) for oxygen concentration of up to 2.73% air under anoxic conditions, although the measurement was conducted under ideal conditions and over 270 thousand sample pixels were considered during calibration. Second, we studied the effect of the Gaussian denoising filter on a steep oxygen gradient and investigated the impact when the smoothing filter is applied during data processing. Finally, we demonstrated the effectiveness of a Savitzky-Golay filter compared to the well-established Gaussian filter.
Spectrum of Interventional Procedures During Hybrid Central Line Placement in Pediatric Intestinal Rehabilitation Patients With End-Stage Vascular Access
2022-03-28

Background Loss of available central vein access sites for parenteral nutrition delivery represents one of the main indications for intestinal transplantation in children with intestinal failure. Placement of central venous catheters can be challenging in advanced loss of patent venous pathways. We recently described the hybrid technique (interventional plus surgical approach) of central line placement in children. The aim of this study was to describe and analyze the interventions used during the hybrid procedures regarding feasibility, safety and outcome. Methods We retrospectively analyzed the course of all children in our intestinal rehabilitation program undergoing hybrid central line placement. We evaluated patients' conditions, interventional techniques and surgical peculiarities as well as outcome. Results 203 children were treated in our intestinal rehabilitation program between 2010 and 2021. Due to loss of venous access, hybrid technique was performed in 53 children during 76 interventions. In 40 cases the same vessel was reused via Seldinger technique. Among the 30 ultrasound-guided new vessel punctures, 12 were performed by puncture of collateral vessels. Extended interventions due to thoracic central venous obstruction and/or thrombosis requiring additional access via a femoral vein for rehabilitation of the vascular system was performed during 29 procedures including catheter extraction (1), angioplasties (18), stent placement (1), revascularization (5) and thrombectomy (4). Placement of a central line was not possible in 6 children which eventually underwent extended thoracic/vascular surgery: in three children the previously placed catheter could not be removed, in one child, placement of a thrombectomy-catheter was not possible because of inferior vena cava occlusion, and in two children, revascularization failed. Intestinal transplantation was considered in one patient because of impending loss of vascular access. Two self-limiting minor extravasations and one intervention-associated pericardial effusion occurred. Conclusions Hybrid interventions for central venous catheter placement and vascular rehabilitation enable a high success rate in children with intestinal failure and end-stage vascular access, circumventing the need for intestinal transplantation or advanced surgery. The relevant procedures are complex and require a foresighted and individualized approach with a wide range of interventional techniques. If performed with expertise, this combined interventional/surgical approach is feasible and safe.
Monitoring and integrating the expansion of vegetated areas with the rate of groundwater use in arid regions
2022-03-28

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Frequent water table measurements are crucial for sustainable groundwater management in arid regions. These locations have developed a problem with excessive withdrawal throughout time. However, continuous readings are not available for the majority of these locations. Therefore, an approximate estimate of the rate of increase/decrease in water consumption over time may serve as a temporary substitute for the missing database. The goal is achieved by tracking the increase/decrease in vegetated areas that will generally correlate with changes in the rate of water use. The technique is based on two remote sensing data sets: Landsat7&amp;amp;8 from 2001 to 2021 and Sentinel2A from 2015 to 2021, as well as five vegetation indices: Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Renormalized Difference Vegetation Index (RDVI), Soil Adjusted Vegetation Index (SAVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI), and Transformed Vegetation Index (TVI). The datasets chosen provided the best performance for small-scale land farms at the research location. (Landsat7) data with a resolution of 30m revealed a substantial increase in land farms from 2.9km&amp;lt;sup&amp;gt;2&amp;lt;/sup&amp;gt; in 2001 to 23.3km&amp;lt;sup&amp;gt;2&amp;lt;/sup&amp;gt; in 2021. The use of the five indices with (Sentinel2A) allowed the classification of vegetated regions as heavy, moderate, or light, as well as the tracking of each class's increase from 2015 through 2021. Additionally, preliminary scenarios were built to measure the pace of growth in water use at the research site by evaluating the rise in vegetated areas and obtaining general information about crop types from farmers. Finally, the NDVI index was modified to better suit the arid areas. The new index is named Arid Vegetation Index or (AVI).&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;
More than just fast flowing water: the landscape impact of the July 2021 west Germany flood
2022-03-28

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Rain driven flash floods have severe impacts on society and landscape functions. The July 2021 flood in the Eifel region, west Germany, was one drastic example of such impact. While media and scientists rightfully highlighted the meteorological and hydrological aspects of this flood, it was the concurrent reorganisation of important landscape conditions and the debris carried by the fast flowing water that made this flood so devastating and unpredictable.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Here, we take a process-based impact perspective and systematically ask, which were the specific roles of non-hydraulic but geomorphic dynamics that implemented the damage, caused flood non-linearities and amplified the landscape deterioration. We combine insights from field mapping campaigns during, right after and within the relaxation phase of the flood with high resolution geophysical and LiDAR surveys to discuss the role of hillslopes, vegetation, fluvial sediment mobilisation and the legacy of anthropogenic landscape reorganisation. We conclude that some of these elements emerged as the flood event evolved, causing either transient effects or persistent landscape features, thus modifying the response of the landscape to future events, also to less intense precipitation events.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Our findings not only support more tailored recovery efforts for the flood affected Eifel catchments, but should also inform landscape development trajectories and potentially crucial factors in other Central European regions.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;
Conceptualizing World-Earth System resilience: Exploring transformation pathways towards a safe and just operating space for humanity
2022-03-28

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;We develop a framework within which to conceptualize World-Earth System resilience.&amp;amp;#160; Our notion of World-Earth System resilience emphasizes the need to move beyond the basin of attraction notion of resilience as we are not in a basin we can stay in. We are on a trajectory to a new basin and we have to avoid falling into undesirable basins.&amp;amp;#160; We thus focus on `pathway resilience', i.e. the relative number of paths that allow us to move from the transitional operating space we occupy now as we leave the Holocene basin&amp;amp;#160; to a safe and just operating space in the Anthropocene. We develop a mathematical model to formalize this conceptualization and demonstrate how interactions between earth system resilience&amp;amp;#160; (biophysical processes) and world system resilience (social processes) impact pathway resilience.&amp;amp;#160; Our findings show that building earth system resilience is probably our only chance to reach a safe and just operating space.&amp;amp;#160; We also illustrate the importance of world system dynamics by showing how the notion of fairness coupled with regional inequality affects pathway resilience.&amp;amp;#160;&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;
Getting Personal with Epigenetics: Towards Machine-Learning-Assisted Precision Epigenomics
2022-03-28

Abstract Epigenetic modifications are dynamic control mechanisms involved in the regulation of gene expression. Unlike the DNA sequence itself, they vary not only between individuals but also between different cell types of the same individual. Exposure to environmental factors, somatic mutations, and ageing contribute to epigenomic changes over time, which may constitute early hallmarks or causal factors of disease. Epigenetic changes are reversible and, therefore, promising therapeutic targets. However, mapping efforts to determine an individual’s cell-type-specific epigenome are constrained by experimental costs. We developed eDICE, an attention-based deep learning model, to impute epigenomic tracks. eDICE achieves improved overall performance compared to previous models on the reference Roadmap epigenomes. Furthermore, we present a proof of concept for the imputation of personalised epigenomic measurements on the ENTEx dataset, where eDICE correctly predicts individual- and cell-type-specific epigenetic patterns. This case study constitutes an important step towards robustly employing machine-learning-based approaches for personalised epigenomics.
Travel Time Uncertainty Reduction by Multiobjective Optimisation of Isotope Age Tracer Models
2022-03-28

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Quantification of the travel time distribution and transport parameters in fractured aquifers is crucial for understanding contaminant transport in fractured systems. Although knowledge about the travel time distribution is a helpful tool to assess the solute transport, it can&amp;amp;#8217;t be measured directly. Travel time is typically back-computed from different tracers in groundwater by applying well established analytical methods. However, in fractured aquifers diffusive exchange with the rock matrix, intersection of streamtubes and associated mixing, as well as other processes can cause deviation of the estimated travel time from the mean advective travel time. Direct numerical modelling of the tracer&amp;amp;#8217;s reactive behavior with the travel time as one of the calibrated parameters can lead to non-uniqueness of the result. These non-unique solutions typically lead to a high level of parametric uncertainty especially on catchment scale. In this work, we address the reduction of uncertainty in mean travel time, shape parameter of travel time distribution, fracture aperture, and porosity by means of multiobjective optimization enhanced by surrogate modelling. For pre-selection of potentially plausible model runs Gaussian Processes Emulation (GPE) was applied within four-parametric space. We use the GPE with multitracer conditioning for pre-selection of plausible parameter combinations. Posterior distributions were employed to estimate the mean groundwater travel times at sampling locations, to distinguish between different rock facies of captured streamlines, and to get an estimate of fracture apertures. We confirm the hypothesis that using tritium and helium isotopes together with radiogenic helium measurements helps to achieve a unimodal posterior distribution and reduces uncertainty significantly.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;
The enigma of multidecadal to centennial global vs. local temperature variability in models and proxies
2022-03-28

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Climate variability, resulting from natural radiative forcing and interactions within the climate system, is a major source of uncertainty for regional climate projections. Constraining the amplitude of these natural variations is fundamental to assess the range of plausible future scenarios.&amp;amp;#160;As the instrumental record is limited to the last two centuries, information about climate variations on multi-decadal to millennial timescales relies on the analysis of climate proxy records and climate model simulations. However, current results from systematic model-proxy comparisons of natural variability seem contradictory. Several studies suggest that simulated local temperature variability is consistently smaller than proxy-based reconstructions and conclude that climate models might have major deficiencies. Other studies find agreement in global temperature variability across timescales and argue that current models can faithfully simulate climate variability.&amp;amp;#160;&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Here, we review the evidence on the strength of natural temperature variability during recent millennia. We identify systematic biases in the reconstructions that may contribute to the model-proxy discrepancy but are likely not sufficient to reach consistency. Instead, we propose that the seemingly contradictory &amp;amp;#160;findings on the (dis)agreement between proxies and simulations can be reconciled assuming that regional climate variations persist on longer time scales than currently simulated by climate models. The combined evidence argues for deficiencies in the simulation of internal variability but a faithful response of climate models to natural radiative forcing. We propose a strategy to test our hypothesis and discuss the implications for future climate projections.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;
An unmanned aircraft system for (offshore) wind energy research
2022-03-28

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;The Multipurpose Airborne Sensor Carrier (MASC) is a fixed-wing unmanned aircraft system (UAS) that has been continuously developed and used for in-situ, high-resolution flight measurements of atmospheric variables such as wind, temperature, humidity as well as trace gas and particle concentrations by the Environmental Physics group at University of T&amp;amp;#252;bingen. The most recent innovation in the MASC-series is the MASC-V type vertical takeoff and landing UAS. It has been designed in cooperation with ElevonX d.o.o.. Compared to it&amp;lt;span&amp;gt;s&amp;lt;/span&amp;gt; predecessor, MASC-3, it can automatically takeoff and land on small patches&amp;lt;span&amp;gt; of land&amp;lt;/span&amp;gt; while carrying an identical atmospheric measurement payload. This capability, complemented by an enhanced safety and operational concept, allows &amp;lt;span&amp;gt;for &amp;lt;/span&amp;gt;deployment in offshore applications. Particularily, MASC-V has demonstrated safe operation beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) from the remote safety pilot in offshore applications&amp;amp;#160;within the EUs new legal framework introduced in 2020.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;span&amp;gt;Before its first offshore mission, MASC-V underwent a full system validation against a meteorological tower at the German Weather Service (DWD) Observatory site at Falkenberg, Germany. Offshore measurements were conducted from the German offshore island Heligoland at the Testfield for Maritime Technologies in cooperation with the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Material Science in September 2021. The goal of the Heligoland campaign was to validate the remote sensing of sea surface wind measurements by Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellites of the Sentinel-1 formation at low flight altitudes (20 m - 30 m). SAR satellites can deliver detailed wind data over large areas such as the German Bight including for example wind farm wake effects. Direct validation of these results is difficult with other in-situ techniques. Buoys and measurement towers or platforms can provide stationary data. Aerial measurements with manned aircraft are only possible at higher altitudes. The new UA&amp;lt;/span&amp;gt;&amp;lt;span&amp;gt;S&amp;lt;/span&amp;gt;&amp;lt;span&amp;gt; data provide the first aerial in-situ SAR validation measurement at low altitude. Additionally, we have demonstrated the capabilities of VTOL fixed-wing UA&amp;lt;/span&amp;gt;&amp;lt;span&amp;gt;S &amp;lt;/span&amp;gt;&amp;lt;span&amp;gt;for vertical profiling as well as&amp;lt;/span&amp;gt;&amp;lt;span&amp;gt; to operate tens of kilometers away from ground personell over open water.&amp;lt;/span&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;