Notable Events Research Articles

The alteration from agricultural to nomadic regimes resulted in human livelihood transformation in North-Central China during the 12th century: The archaeobotanical evidence.

Human livelihoods provided a crucial economic foundation for social development in ancient times and were influenced by various factors including environmental change, agricultural origin and intensification, as well as long-distance exchange and culinary tradition. The effect of geopolitical change on human subsistence, especially the shifts between agricultural and nomadic regimes, has not been well understood due to the absence of detailed historical records and archaeological evidence. During the 12th century, the control of the Zhengding area in Hebei Province of north-central China changed from the Northern Song (960–1127 CE) to the Jurchen Jin Dynasty (Jin Dynasty; 1115–1234 CE). Recent excavation of the Zhengding Kaiyuan Temple South (ZKS) site in the area provides a rare opportunity to study human livelihood transformation in relation to geopolitical change. In total, 21,588 charred crop caryopses including foxtail millet, wheat, broomcorn millet, hulled barley, and rice, and other carbonized remains including 55.15 g of boiled foxtail millet and 353.5 g of foxtail millet caryopses were identified, and nine AMS 14C dates of crop remains were obtained from the Northern Song and Jin layers at the ZKS site. This revealed that the dominant plant subsistence transformed from wheat to foxtail millet during the change from the Northern Song to the Jin Dynasties in Zhengding area. By comparing with historical documents and paleoclimate records, we propose that this abnormal shift of primary staple food from the relatively high-yield wheat to low-yield foxtail millet was induced by the traditional dietary preference for foxtail millet in the nomadic Jin society. The Jin government levied foxtail millet as taxation and promoted massive immigration from northeastern China to north-central China to consolidate their rule, which resulted in the adoption of foxtail millet as the most important crop in Zhengding area. The advantage for the cultivation of this frost-sensitive crop in north-central China over northeast China was probably enhanced by notable cold events during the 12th century, while the primary influencing factor for the transformation of human livelihoods in north-central China during that period was geopolitics rather than climate change.

Analysis of Tutoring in the Professional Development of STEM Teachers

The aim of this work is to explore the impact of the use of five lenses for the professional development of mathematics teachers in a Practicum environment of a master’s degree in Teaching in Secondary Schools in Spain, based on based on the video-related model and facilitated by a tutor. This qualitative ethnographic study is part of an action research and focuses on two cases of future secondary mathematics teachers who share a university tutor. The results indicate that the application of the lenses in the video-related model produces signs of changes in professional development, both in terms of the notable events noticed by the teachers and in their narrative, and, in addition, promotes self-regulation of training. It should be noted that, throughout this process, the intervention of the university tutor or facilitator is essential. It is concluded that this model can be replicated in other STEM teacher training specializations.

Low-energy amplitude-modulated radiofrequency electromagnetic fields as a systemic treatment for cancer: Review and proposed mechanisms of action.

Exposure to Low-Energy Amplitude-Modulated Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Fields (LEAMRFEMF) represents a new treatment option for patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (AHCC). We focus on two medical devices that modulate the amplitude of a 27.12 MHz carrier wave to generate envelope waves in the low Hz to kHz range. Each provides systemic exposure to LEAMRFEMF via an intrabuccal antenna. This technology differs from so-called Tumour Treating Fields because it uses different frequency ranges, uses electromagnetic rather than electric fields, and delivers energy systemically rather than locally. The AutemDev also deploys patient-specific frequencies. LEAMRFEMF devices use 100-fold less power than mobile phones and have no thermal effects on tissue. Tumour type-specific or patient-specific treatment frequencies can be derived by measuring haemodynamic changes induced by exposure to LEAMRFEMF. These specific frequencies inhibited growth of human cancer cell lines in vitro and in mouse xenograft models. In uncontrolled prospective clinical trials in patients with AHCC, minorities of patients experienced complete or partial tumour responses. Pooled comparisons showed enhanced overall survival in treated patients compared to historical controls. Mild transient somnolence was the only notable treatment-related adverse event. We hypothesize that intracellular oscillations of charged macromolecules and ion flows couple resonantly with LEAMRFEMF. This resonant coupling appears to disrupt cell division and subcellular trafficking of mitochondria. We provide an estimate of the contribution of the electromagnetic effects to the overall energy balance of an exposed cell by calculating the power delivered to the cell, and the energy dissipated through the cell due to EMF induction of ionic flows along microtubules. We then compare this with total cellular metabolic energy production and conclude that energy delivered by LEAMRFEMF may provide a beneficial shift in cancer cell metabolism away from aberrant glycolysis. Further clinical research may confirm that LEAMRFEMF has therapeutic value in AHCC.

Infectious Diseases Associated with Hydrometeorological Hazards in Europe: Disaster Risk Reduction in the Context of the Climate Crisis and the Ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic.

Hydrometeorological hazards comprise a wide range of events, mainly floods, storms, droughts, and temperature extremes. Floods account for the majority of the related disasters in both developed and developing countries. Flooding alters the natural balance of the environment and frequently establish a favorable habitat for pathogens and vectors to thrive. Diseases caused by pathogens that require vehicle transmission from host to host (waterborne) or a host/vector as part of their life cycle (vector-borne) are those most likely to be affected by flooding. Considering the most notable recent destructive floods events of July 2021 that affected several Central Europe countries, we conducted a systematic literature review in order to identify documented sporadic cases and outbreaks of infectious diseases in humans in Europe, where hydrometeorological hazards, mainly floods, were thought to have been involved. The occurrence of water-, rodent-, and vector-borne diseases in several European countries is highlighted, as flooding and the harsh post-flood conditions favor their emergence and transmission. In this context, strategies for prevention and management of infectious disease outbreaks in flood-prone and flood-affected areas are also proposed and comprise pre- and post-flood prevention measures, pre- and post-outbreak prevention measures, as well as mitigation actions when an infectious disease outbreak finally occurs. Emphasis is also placed on the collision of floods, flood-related infectious disease outbreaks, and the evolving COVID-19 pandemic, which may result in unprecedented multi-hazard conditions and requires a multi-hazard approach for the effective disaster management and risk reduction.

Sallust’s Motivation and Cicero’s Influence in the Writing of the Bellum Catilinae

In 80 BC, at the age of 26, the future Roman statesman Marcus Tullius Cicero defended one Sextus Roscius from accusations of patricide. For Cicero, the stakes were high for challenging such a strong accusation, as patricide was seen as a horrific crime in the public eye of Rome. For one, if Cicero were to lose his defense, he would be the one to blame for Roscius’ consequential harsh punishment, Poena Cullei. Reserved only for patricide, this type of sentence involved wrapping the perpetrator’s head in wolf skin and their beaten body sewn into a sack with live animals—namely snakes, dogs, chickens, and monkeys; only then was the body bag thrown into the water, preventing the traditional and honorable burial that most Romans had.1 Furthermore, Cicero decided to blame the murder on some men with close relations to Sulla, the dictator of the republic and an influential man easily able to silence him. Ultimately, the amateur lawyer won his first public case and used its high stakes to bring himself public recognition. Cicero acknowledges this in one of his works: Itaque prima causa publica pro Sex. Roscio dicta tantum commendationis habuit ut non ulla esset quae non digna nostro patrocinio videretur (“My defense of Sex. Roscius, which was the first public cause I pleaded, met with such a favorable reception, that I was looked upon as an advocate of the first class, and equal to the greatest and most important causes”).2 This fame kickstarted Cicero’s public career, facilitated his rise to consulship in 63 BC, and foreshadowed one of the most notable events of his political career: the Catilinarian conspiracy.

A Hollow Victory: Understanding the Anti-Immigration Shift of Denmark's Social Democrats

The Social Democratic victory in the 2019 Danish general election was a surprising and notable event. The election stands out as an important win for Social Democrats as this party family has experienced a significant decline in voter support across Europe in recent decades. At the same time, the election was marked by controversy as Denmark’s Social Democrats not only doubled-down on their traditional support for the welfare state but also took a sharp turn to the right on immigration policies. This article analyses the effects of political systems, ideology and polarisation, as well as issue salience and framing on party strategies. These variables help to account for the abrupt policy shift adopted by the Social Democrats in Denmark and why similar anti-immigration platforms were not embraced by Social Democratic parties in other Nordic countries. Further examination of voter survey data suggests that the adoption of stronger anti-immigration policies is likely to be an ineffective strategy for Social Democrats going forward.

Sensitivities of Cross‐Tropopause Transport in Midlatitude Overshooting Convection to the Lower Stratosphere Environment

AbstractTropopause‐overshooting convection in the midlatitudes rapidly transports lower troposphere air and cloud material to the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere (UTLS), with notable events resulting in the formation of above‐anvil cirrus plumes (AACPs). However, there is limited understanding of how transport driven by overshooting convection and AACP properties are modified by variations in UTLS environments, especially the extent of stratosphere‐to‐troposphere (i.e., downward) transport. Here, AACP development and UTLS transport sensitivities to lower stratosphere stability and the UTLS wind environment are evaluated. The Bryan Cloud Model is used to simulate midlatitude supercell convection and evaluate resulting UTLS composition changes within two common midlatitude thermodynamic environments: a single tropopause and a double tropopause, and two UTLS wind environments: one with a stronger stratospheric wind profile supportive of frequent gravity wave breaking and AACP development and the other with a weaker stratospheric wind profile to suppress gravity wave breaking and discourage AACP formation. Multiple passive tracers and water vapor concentrations are used to evaluate the exchange of air between the troposphere and stratosphere and transport confined to each layer. It is found that greater troposphere‐to‐stratosphere transport (TST) and stratospheric hydration occurs in storms with AACPs, while stratosphere‐to‐troposphere transport (STT) is greater in storms without AACPs. This STT is facilitated by a mechanical oscillation induced by the overshoot. AACP‐producing storms have increased downward transport of stratospheric overworld air to the lowermost stratosphere, which is enhanced within a double tropopause environment. More expansive AACPs, deeper overshoots, and greater TST also occurs in double tropopause environments.

Empirical treatment against cytomegalovirus and tuberculosis in HIV-infected infants with severe pneumonia: study protocol for a multicenter, open-label randomized controlled clinical trial

BackgroundPneumonia is the primary cause of death among HIV-infected children in Africa, with mortality rates as high as 35–40% in infants hospitalized with severe pneumonia. Bacterial pathogens and Pneumocystis jirovecii are well known causes of pneumonia-related death, but other important causes such as cytomegalovirus (CMV) and tuberculosis (TB) remain under-recognized and undertreated.The immune response elicited by CMV may be associated with the risk of developing TB and TB disease progression, and CMV may accelerate disease caused both by HIV and TB. Minimally invasive autopsies confirm that CMV and TB are unrecognized causes of death in children with HIV. CMV and TB may also co-infect the same child.The aim of this study is to compare the impact on 15-day and 1-year mortality of empirical treatment against TB and CMV plus standard of care (SoC) versus SoC in HIV-infected infants with severe pneumonia.MethodsThis is a Phase II-III, open-label randomized factorial (2 × 2) clinical trial, conducted in six African countries. The trial has four arms. Infants from 28 to 365 days of age HIV-infected and hospitalized with severe pneumonia will be randomized (1:1:1:1) to (i) SoC, (ii) valganciclovir, (iii) TB-T, and (iv) TB-T plus valganciclovir. The primary endpoint of the study is all-cause mortality, focusing on the short-term (up to 15 days) and long-term (up to 1 year) mortality. Secondary endpoints include repeat hospitalization, duration of oxygen therapy during initial admission, severe and notable adverse events, adverse reactions, CMV and TB prevalence at enrolment, TB incidence, CMV viral load reduction, and evaluation of diagnostic tests such as GeneXpert Ultra on fecal and nasopharyngeal aspirate samples and urine TB-LAM.DiscussionGiven the challenges in diagnosing CMV and TB in children and results from previous autopsy studies that show high rates of poly-infection in HIV-infected infants with respiratory disease, this study aims to evaluate a new approach including empirical treatment of CMV and TB for this patient population. The potential downsides of empirical treatment of these conditions include toxicity and medication interactions, which will be evaluated with pharmacokinetics sub-studies.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03915366, Universal Trial Number U111-1231-4736, Pan African Clinical Trial Registry PACTR201994797961340.

Microbial community response to a bioaugmentation test to degrade trichloroethylene in a fractured rock aquifer, Trenton, N.J.

Bioaugmentation is a promising strategy for enhancing trichloroethylene (TCE) degradation in fractured rock. However, slow or incomplete biodegradation can lead to stalling at degradation byproducts such as 1,2-dichloroethene (cis-DCE) and vinyl chloride (VC). Over the course of 7 years, we examined the response of groundwater microbial populations in a bioaugmentation test where an emulsified vegetable oil solution (EOS®) and a dechlorinating consortium (KB-1®), containing the established dechlorinator Dehalococcoides (DHC), were injected into a TCE-contaminated fractured rock aquifer. Indigenous microbial communities responded within 2 days to added substrate and outcompeted KB-1®, and over the years of monitoring, several other notable turnover events were observed. Concentrations of ethene, the end product in reductive dechlorination, had the strongest correlations (P< .05) with members of Candidatus Colwellbacteria but their involvement in reductive dechlorination is unknown and warrants further investigation.DHC never exceeded 0.6% relative abundance of groundwater microbial communities, despite its previously presumed importance at the site. Increased concentrations of carbon dioxide, acetic acid, and methane were positively correlated with increasing ethene concentrations; however, concentrations of cis-DCE and VC remained high by the end of the monitoring period suggesting preferential enrichment of indigenous partial dechlorinators over bioaugmented complete dechlorinators. This study highlights the importance of characterizing in situ microbial populations to understand how they can potentially enhance or inhibit augmented TCE degradation.

Safety and efficacy of coronavirus disease-19 vaccines in chronic kidney disease patients under maintenance hemodialysis: A systematic review.

Background and aimsPatients on maintenance dialysis are a high‐risk, immune‐compromised population with 15%–25% coronavirus disease (COVID‐19) mortality rate that has been underrepresented in COVID‐19 vaccination clinical trials. The aim of study was to review of those studies to determine the safety and efficacy of the COVID‐19 vaccination in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients receiving maintenance hemodialysis systematically.MethodsThe effectiveness was assessed by looking at the humoral and cellular responses. The humoral response is defined as de novo IgG‐ or IgA‐anti‐SpikeS1 antibody positivity. The establishment of de novo T‐cell immunity after immunization was used to measure cellular response. Adverse results were also reported of the included studies to analyze the safety of COVID‐19 vaccines. Eight previous works were included in our study.ResultsTwo doses of COVID‐19 vaccines were shown to be effective with seroconversion rate of humoral response ranging from 81% to 97% among eight studies. The T‐cell response was shown 67% and 100% in two studies. COVID‐19 vaccines did not have notable adverse events and hence can be considered safe.ConclusionAlthough a single dosage has not shown to improve humoral immune response in most hemodialysis trials, a double dose has been reported to improve seroconversion rate and humoral immune response. Further research are required to observe if hemodialysis patients generate effective T‐cell responses.

P-243 Impact of relative dose intensity of bevacizumab in first-line treatment of hepatocellular cancer

Atezolizumab-Bevacizumab (AB) is the current standard of care for treatment of unresectable hepatocellular cancer (HCC), with the recommended dosage of bevacizumab at 15mg/kg. Notable adverse events with an incidence of >20% in the AB group include hypertension and proteinuria, consistent with bevacizumab’s distinctive toxicity profile. In the real-world, many physicians choose to use a lower dose of bevacizumab upfront based on patients' comorbidities, anticipated toxicities, and cost considerations. Early phase II data comparing 5mg/kg versus 10mg/kg of bevacizumab in advanced HCC suggested no difference in outcomes, though they were not powered to examine this. In other tumour types like colon cancer, the standard dose of bevacizumab is lower, though there is some data describing higher dose intensity of bevacizumab and improved survival on progression. A relative dose intensity (RDI) of ≥70% is correlated with better overall survival (OS) and radiological responses for other first-line therapies for HCC like Lenvatinib. We sought to examine the dose effect of bevacizumab in the use of AB for HCC treatment. We retrospectively analysed data on patients treated at a single-centre in Singapore who received at least one dose of AB for unresectable HCC between September 2020 and December 2021. RDI over the 1st two doses was calculated as the cumulative dose for those two cycles divided by the weight-based standard dose of bevacizumab. We evaluated the association of RDI ≥70% compared to RDI < 70%, with OS, progression free survival (PFS), and response rate (by RECIST v1.1). 57 patients were included, with a mean age of 65 years. All were ECOG 0 and majority were male (96.49%), Chinese (85.69%), had underlying viral hepatitis (56.14%) and were Child’s-Pugh A (98%) on treatment initiation. 65.91% had BCLC C disease, while the rest had BCLC B disease. Majority used AB as 1st line of systemic therapy (82.46%), and 42.11% achieved a relative dose intensity ≥70%. Patients who had RDI ≥70% were not significantly different from those with RDI < 70% in terms of baseline characteristics such as age, gender, race, cirrhosis etiology, BCLC status, or line of usage of AB (1st or later). Response rates (25.0% vs 18.2%, p = 0.742) and disease control rates (43.8% vs 54.6%, p = 0.435) did not differ between those with RDI ≥70% or < 70%. Median OS was 10.99 months (95% CI, 5.83-NR) in the RDI ≥70% group and did not differ significantly from 10.76 months (95% CI, 8.45-NR) in the RDI < 70% group (HR 0.94; 95% CI, 0.404-2.215). Median PFS was likewise similar in both groups, at 4.04 months (95% CI, 1.01-7.76) in RDI ≥70% and 3.09 months (95% CI, 1.55-NR) in RDI < 70% (HR 0.83; 95% CI, 0.45-1.70). Both OS and PFS remained not significantly different on adjustment for age, gender, BCLC status, viral/non-viral etiologies, and line of usage of AB. Frequency of common adverse events were similar between both groups. We demonstrated that a lower dose of bevacizumab at < 70% RDI achieved similar radiological and survival outcomes as ≥70% when given in combination with atezolizumab for advanced HCC. Use of reduced dose bevacizumab can be considered to reduce cost and toxicity without significantly affecting treatment outcomes. This should be explored further in a prospective setting.

Comparison of neoadjuvant regimens for resectable gastroesophageal junction cancer: a systematic review of randomized clinical trials across three decades.

The optimal perioperative treatment for adenocarcinoma of gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) tumor remains uncertain. The systematic review aims to assess the best neoadjuvant modality, namely chemotherapy (CT) versus chemoradiotherapy (CRT) based on randomized controlled trials (RCTs) for resectable gastric, esophageal and GEJ tumors. We performed a comprehensive PubMed database and Cochrane Library search to identify relevant RCTs related to neoadjuvant treatment for resectable GEJ adenocarcinoma. We included all published RCTs (phase 2 or 3) that tested specific neoadjuvant therapies (CT or CRT) if the patient population included GEJ tumors. We applied the Version 2 Cochrane risk-of-bias tool (RoB 2) to all the eligible studies. Outcomes examined included R0 resection and pathological response based on intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis, surgical outcomes, notable adverse events, and overall survival (OS). Each randomized group of every study was noted to be neoadjuvant CRT, CT, or surgery alone in order to compare the outcomes among these treatment approaches. We identified 25 RCTs with 7,855 patients published from 1996 to 2019. Seven studies tested preoperative CT versus surgery alone, 7 tested preoperative radiotherapy (RT) or CRT versus surgery alone, 4 tested preoperative RT or CRT versus preoperative CT, and 7 tested other combinations. The R0 resection ranged 47-100% and the 3-year OS ranged 6-66.1% in all the study arms. In an exploratory analysis, CRT strategies showed a superior R0 resection rate [80.2%; 95% confidence interval (CI): 79.8-80.6%] to surgery alone (60.9%; 95% CI: 60.4-61.3%; P<0.01) and to preoperative CT (63.9%; 95% CI: 63.6-64.2%; P<0.01). When comparing 3- and 5-year OS, improvement was noted when comparing CRT to surgery alone (P<0.01), and perioperative CT to surgery alone (P<0.01), but no definite difference was noted between CRT versus CT. Preoperative CRT showed improvement in R0 resection rate to surgery alone and preoperative CT. However, there is no significant difference in OS between CRT and CT. Both neoadjuvant strategies remain clinically meaningful options for patients with resectable GEJ tumors. Lack of patient-level data and inconsistent reporting of key outcomes across studies were the main limitations of our study.

The Broken Heart of America: St. Louis and the Violent History of the United States

From the vantage point of St. Louis, careful observers can view American history as a tale of “racial capitalism” (p. 6). Walter Johnson's The Broken Heart of America, in particular, chronicles how white Americans dispossessed Indian people and then manufactured the world's largest economy by suturing the fissures and failures inherent in capitalism through the murderous exploitation of Black people. The details of the story will be familiar to students of American history, with recognizable names, patterns, and notable events punctuating each chapter. It would easily function as a textbook for a survey of American history. More than a synthesis, Johnson's newest work is also a personal reckoning. “This is a history that I have resisted,” he admits (p. 12). Historians might find this reckoning most engaging. For me, unfortunately, it falls short. The work is bookended by “the hope that we may all seek to do better” because,...

Safety and Feasibility of Low Fluence Intense Pulsed Light for Treating Pediatric Patients with Moderate-to-Severe Blepharitis.

To explore the safety and feasibility of low fluence intense pulsed light (IPL) for treating pediatric patients with moderate-to-severe blepharitis and to analyze potential factors associated with the recovery of meibomian glands (MG) dropout, a retrospective, noncomparative study, including 17 blepharitis patients (33 eyes) aged between 5 and 16 years old was conducted. All of the participants were given 4 continuous sessions of low-fluence (9–12 J/cm2) IPL at 3–4 week intervals. Corneal fluorescein staining (CFS), tear breakup time (BUT), inferior tear meniscus height, Demodex presence, and MG morphology were examined before and after the treatment. Results indicated that CFS, BUT and MG morphology (central/total gland area ratio and gland signal index) had significantly improved (p < 0.05). Symptoms and signs such as severe corneal neovascularization, limbal pannus and conjunctival congestion also subsided. Among age, gender, presence of Demodex and interval before diagnosis, age initiating the formal treatment was confirmed as a negatively correlated factor of the recovery of MG dropout (p = 0.032, B = −1.755). No notable adverse events were reported. In conclusion, low fluence IPL seems to be a safe and effective alternative for moderate-to-severe pediatric blepharitis, and MG dropout is prone to recover in younger patients.

Longitudinal Dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 IgG Antibody Responses after the Two-Dose Regimen of BNT162b2 Vaccination and the Effect of a Third Dose on Healthcare Workers in Japan.

Analysis of longitudinal dynamics of humoral immune responses to the BNT162b2 COVID-19 vaccine might provide useful information to predict the effectiveness of BNT162b2 in preventing SARS-CoV-2 infection. Herein, we measure anti-RBD IgG at 1, 3 and 6 months (M) after the second dose of BNT162b2, and at 1 M after a third dose of BNT162b2 vaccination in 431 COVID-19-naïve healthcare workers (HCWs) in Japan. All HCWs mounted high-anti-RBD IgG responses after the two-dose regimen of BNT162b2 vaccinations. Older persons and males presented lower anti-RBD IgG responses than younger adults and females, respectively. The decay in anti-RBD IgG started from 1 M after the second dose of BNT162b2 and anti-RBD IgG titers dropped to nearly one-tenth at 6 M after the second vaccination. Subsequently, the participants received a third dose of BNT162b2 at 8 M after the second dose of BNT162b2 vaccine. Anti-RBD antibody titers 1 M after the third dose of BNT162b2 increased seventeen times that of 6 M after the second dose, and was twice higher than the peak antibody titers at 1 M after the second dose of vaccination. The negative effect of age for the male gender on anti-RBD IgG antibody titers was not observed at 1 M after the third dose of BNT162b2 vaccine. There were no notable adverse events reported, which required hospitalization in these participants. These results suggest that the third dose of BNT162b2 safely improves humoral immunity against SARS-CoV-2 with no major adverse events.

Biliary obstruction and pancreatitis after duodenal stent placement in the descending duodenum: a retrospective study

BackgroundMetallic stents placed in the descending duodenum can cause compression of the major duodenal papilla, resulting in biliary obstruction and pancreatitis. These are notable early adverse events of duodenal stent placement; however, they have been rarely examined. This study aimed to assess the incidence of and risk factors for biliary obstruction and/or pancreatitis after duodenal stent placement in the descending duodenum.MethodsWe retrospectively reviewed data of consecutive patients who underwent metallic stent placement in the descending duodenum for malignant gastric outlet obstruction at a tertiary referral cancer center between April 2014 and December 2019. Risk factors for biliary obstruction and/or pancreatitis were analyzed using a logistic regression model.ResultsSixty-five patients were included. Biliary obstruction and/or pancreatitis occurred in 12 patients (18%): 8 with biliary obstruction, 2 with pancreatitis, and 2 with both biliary obstruction and pancreatitis. Multivariate analysis indicated that female sex (odds ratio: 9.2, 95% confidence interval: 1.4–58.6, P = 0.02), absence of biliary stents (odds ratio: 12.9, 95% confidence interval: 1.8–90.2, P = 0.01), and tumor invasion to the major duodenal papilla (odds ratio: 25.8, 95% confidence interval: 2.0–340.0, P = 0.01) were significant independent risk factors for biliary obstruction and/or pancreatitis.ConclusionsThe incidence of biliary obstruction and/or pancreatitis after duodenal stent placement in the descending duodenum was non-negligible. Female sex, absence of biliary stents, and tumor invasion to the major duodenal papilla were the primary risk factors. Risk stratification can allow endoscopists to better identify patients at significant risk and permit detailed informed consent.

Intra-Seasonal Variations and Frequency of Major Sudden Stratospheric Warmings for Northern Winter in Multi-System Seasonal Hindcast Data

This study investigates intra-seasonal variations and frequency of major sudden stratospheric warmings (MSSWs) in Northern winter seasonal hindcasts of six systems from 1993/1994 to 2016/2017, in comparison to the Japanese 55-year Reanalysis data. Results show that, over all, all systems reproduce precursory signals to the MSSWs well, such as the increase in the planetary wave heat flux in the extratropical lower stratosphere and the anomalous planetary wave patterns in the troposphere. Some systems are suggested to underestimate or overestimate the mean MSSW frequency. Such differences in the frequency of the MSSWs among the systems are related to those in the mean strength of the stratospheric polar vortex, and also may be partly contributed by those in the frequency of notable heat flux events. The hindcast data exhibit a weaker mean vortex and an increased MSSW frequency for a warm phase than for a cold phase of El Niño/Southern Oscillation, and for an easterly phase than for a westerly phase of the Quasi-Biennial Oscillation. These are qualitatively consistent with reanalysis results, except for a lower MSSW frequency for the warm phase in the reanalysis data. The reanalysis teleconnection results are larger in magnitude than the hindcast results for most ensemble members, although they are included near the edge of the distributions of the ensemble members. The changes in the MSSW frequency with the two external factors are correlated to those in the mean vortex strength among the ensemble members and also the ensemble means for some systems.

2Nd International Conference “Gas Discharge Plasma and Synthesis Of Nanostructures 2021

In the city of Kazan from December 1 to December 4, 2021 on the basis of the Kazan National Research Technical University named after V.I. A.N. Tupolev-KAI hosted the II International Conference "Gas Discharge Plasma and Synthesis of Nanostructures" was held. The main organizers of this conference are KNRTU-KAI, KFU, Academy of Science Republic of Tatarstan. This event has become a notable event for the community of scientists and researchers involved in the physics of gas discharges and the synthesis of nanostructured materials. The conference discussed issues related to fundamental, problematic issues in the physics of gas discharges, such as the theory of arc plasma, high-frequency discharges, microwave discharges, glow discharge. Nevertheless, the main attention was paid to the problems of using gas discharge plasma for the synthesis of nanostructures. It is gratifying that there are results in this direction that are ready for industrial application. This year, the topic of the conference additionally includes a section on the physics of non-ideal and dusty plasma. On this topic, several plenary reports were made at once, which were presented by leading world scientists. The conference became a platform where completely new fundamental results that are at the forefront of science were presented. The vast majority of the presented works were presented for the first time.Organizing Committee, Scientific Committee are available in the pdf

Association of the 2020 US Presidential Election With Hospitalizations for Acute Cardiovascular Conditions

Prior studies found a higher risk of acute cardiovascular disease (CVD) around population-wide psychosocial or environmental stressors. Less is known about acute CVD risk in relation to political events. To examine acute CVD hospitalizations following the 2020 presidential election. This retrospective cohort study examined acute CVD hospitalizations following the 2020 presidential election. Participants were adult members aged 18 years or older at Kaiser Permanente Southern California and Kaiser Permanente Northern California, 2 large, integrated health care delivery systems. Statistical analysis was performed from March to July 2021. 2020 US presidential election. Hospitalizations for acute CVD around the 2020 presidential election were examined. CVD was defined as hospitalizations for acute myocardial infarction (AMI), heart failure (HF), or stroke. Rate ratios (RR) and 95% CIs were calculated comparing rates of CVD hospitalization in the 5 days following the 2020 election with the same 5-day period 2 weeks prior. Among 6 396 830 adults (3 970 077 [62.1%] aged 18 to 54 years; 3 422 479 [53.5%] female; 1 083 128 [16.9%] Asian/Pacific Islander, 2 101 367 [32.9%] Hispanic, and 2 641 897 [41.3%] White), rates of hospitalization for CVD following the election (666 hospitalizations; rate = 760.5 per 100 000 person-years [PY]) were 1.17 times higher (95% CI, 1.05-1.31) compared with the same 5-day period 2 weeks prior (569 hospitalizations; rate = 648.0 per 100 000 PY). Rates of AMI were significantly higher following the election (RR, 1.42; 95% CI, 1.13-1.79). No significant difference was found for stroke (RR, 1.02; 95% CI, 0.86-1.21) or HF (RR, 1.18; 95% CI, 0.98-1.42). Higher rates of acute CVD hospitalization were observed following the 2020 presidential election. Awareness of the heightened risk of CVD and strategies to mitigate risk during notable political events are needed.

Lake level changes and paleo-precipitation estimations based on colluvial stratigraphy of Holocene sediments in West Anatolia (Simav Graben)

Time-controlled quantitative climate data are crucial for reconstructing past environmental contexts of human history. In west Anatolia, the Simav Graben used to be occupied by a lake. However, today it is drained and associated with Holocene sediments that record lake level changes. An initial drill-core at the lake's centre reveals an arid phase before ca. 14 ka (i.e. prior to the Late Glacial warming) followed by a wet phase (marshes and lake) throughout the Holocene. Along the lake's margin, two additional sediment sequences contain a detailed Holocene record of changes in humidity throughout the Simav Graben's watershed. Classification of the shoreline facies from these sequences records drought events marked by colluvium prograding towards the lake. Using 13 radiocarbon dates, sedimentary facies suggest rapid lake contraction phases grossly around 8.0, 3.9, 2.9, 2.4 and 2.0 ka. After the drier periods, recorded by phases of terrestrial progradation, lake level increase is marked by retrogradational lake muds and peats onlapping the colluvium, consistent with increases in total lake volume. Based on modern lake morphology, climate and runoff data, and the elevations recorded by the shoreline facies identified within the marginal Holocene sedimentary sequence, we constructed a paleohydrologic balance model and a precipitation curve. According to the model, annual precipitation may have been fallen below 460 mm during the 8.2 ka event, and 468–478 mm during the 4.2 ka and 3.2 ka events – demonstrating an extreme decrease in precipitation compared to the earlier wet phases. In turn, Holocene Archaeology in West Anatolia outlines (i) a widespread abandonment and/or notable fire events at the end of the Early Bronze Age III (ca. 4.2 ka), and (ii) a high level of social instability at the beginning of the Early Iron Age (ca. 3.2 ka). The correlation between the timing of lake level falls at Simav (water volume depletion caused by drying trends) at 8.0 ka, 3.9 ka and 2.8 ka and cultural fluctuations suggest that drought events may have played a major role in these socio-political changes in western Anatolia. Furthermore, the high lake-level stages (associated with precipitation >500 mm) coincide with the Late Chalcolithic to Early Bronze Age I transition as well as the Hellenistic and Roman periods, both times of economic stability and growth in the region.