Intensive Observation Research Articles

The effectiveness of giving young coconut water in reducing dysmenorrhea symptoms: A case study of midwifery care

Introduction: Dysmenorrhea is a common condition in women during menstruation, characterized by severe pain that can interfere with daily activities. The administration of medical therapy is often used to treat these symptoms, but natural approaches such as giving young coconut water are also starting to be considered. Objective: This study aims to analyze the effectiveness of giving young coconut water in reducing pain intensity in dysmenorrhea patients and provide an overview of the application of natural therapy-based obstetric care in patients with menstrual complaints. Methods: This study uses a case study design with a qualitative approach. The subject of the study was an adult woman who experienced primary dysmenorrhea. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, direct observation, and assessment of pain intensity using the VAS (Visual Analog Scale) scale before and after administering young coconut water. Result: The study showed a significant decrease in the intensity of dysmenorrhea pain after administering young coconut water. Before the administration of therapy, patients reported pain intensity at level 8 (scale 0-10), and after three days of administration of young coconut water, pain intensity decreased to level 3. Patients also reported feeling more comfortable and being able to continue their daily activities better. No significant side effects were found related to the consumption of young coconut water. I am injuring kei three mestiuia such does not feel jealous, the nature of the blood of meirah can bioactivity deingan good to know the absence of the current suidah in the absence of good. Conclusion: Giving young coconut water can be effective in reducing the symptoms of dysmenorrhea in patients who experience it. This therapy can be a safe and natural alternative to help relieve menstrual pain. It can be applied in obstetrics as part of a comprehensive approach to reproductive health care. Further research with larger samples is needed to reinforce these findings and explore the mechanism of action of young coconut water in dysmenorrhea

Interplay of physical and social drivers of movement in male African savanna elephants

Abstract Despite extensive research into the behavioral ecology of free-ranging animal groups, questions remain about how group members integrate information about their physical and social surroundings. This is because a) tracking of multiple group members is limited to a few easily manageable species; and b) the tools to simultaneously quantify physical and social influences on an individual’s movement remain challenging, especially across large geographic scales. A relevant example of a widely ranging species with complex social structure and of conservation concern is the African savanna elephant. We evaluate highly synchronized GPS tracks from five male elephants in Etosha National Park in Namibia by incorporating their dynamic social landscape into an established resource selection model. The fitted model predicts movement patterns based simultaneously on the physical landscape (e.g., repeated visitation of waterholes) and the social landscape (e.g., avoidance of a dominant male). Combining the fitted models for multiple focal individuals produces landscape-dependent social networks that vary over space (e.g., with distance from a waterhole) and time (e.g., as the seasons change). The networks, especially around waterholes, are consistent with dominance patterns determined from previous behavioral studies. Models that combine physical landscape and social effects, based on remote tracking, can augment traditional methods for determining social structure from intensive behavioral observations. More broadly, these models will be essential to effective, in-situ conservation and management of wide-ranging social species in the face of anthropogenic disruptions to their physical surroundings and social connections.

Data mining-based machine learning methods for improving hydrological data: a case study of salinity field in the Western Arctic Ocean

The Beaufort Gyre is the largest freshwater reservoir in the Arctic Ocean. Long-term changes in freshwater reservoirs are critical for understanding the Arctic Ocean, and data from various sources, particularly observation or reanalysis data, must be used to the greatest extent possible. Over the past two decades, a large number of intensive field observations and ship surveys have been conducted in the western Arctic Ocean to obtain a large amount of CTD (Conductivity, Temperature, and Depth) data. Multi-machine learning methods were assessed and merged to reconstruct the annual salinity product in the Western Arctic Ocean over the period 2003-2022. Data mining-based machine learning methods reconstructed salinity product based on input variables determined by physical processes, such as sea level pressure, bathymetry, sea ice concentration, and sea ice drift. The root-mean-square error of sea surface salinity, in comparison to deep water, was effectively managed during machine learning, which exhibits higher sensitivity to variations in the atmosphere, sea ice, and ocean. The mean absolute errors in freshwater content and halocline depth within the Beaufort Gyre region for the salinity product from 2003 to 2022 are 0.98 m and 1.31 m, respectively, when compared to observational data. The salinity product provides reliable characterizations of freshwater content in the Beaufort Gyre and its variations at halocline depth. In polar regions where lacking observed data, we can build data mining-based machine learning methods to generate reliable data products to compensate for the inconvenience. Furthermore, the application potential of this multi-machine learning results approach for evaluating and integrating extends beyond the salinity field, encompassing hydrometeorology, sea ice thickness, polar biogeochemistry, and other related fields.

Exploring the Experiences of Times Without Care and Encounters in Persons With Dementia in the Swiss and German Nursing Home and Domiciliary Care Settings: Protocol for an Ethnographic Multimethods Study.

Persons with dementia spend a large part of the day without care and encounters, often without activity, as confirmed by numerous studies. However, no scientific analysis has examined how persons with dementia experience these periods. Such knowledge would be highly relevant for health care professionals and relatives to develop adequate strategies for dealing with times without care. We aim to reconstruct times without care and encounters in persons with dementia in the nursing home and domiciliary care settings and develop a typology. This typology will address the lifeworld understandings of time and the ways of arranging the time of persons with dementia. Our study is designed as an explorative, sequential multimethods investigation. We aim to systematically reconstruct times without care and encounters over a period of 36 months using ethnographic methods. Afterward, we will examine the resulting typology using a survey. To describe different social and caring cultures, practices, and arrangements, we will analyze time periods across all phases of dementia in (1) institutions exclusively caring for persons with dementia, (2) institutions where persons with dementia and those without live together, and (3) domiciliary care. For each type of care, our target is 10 intensive case observations. These observations will occur in both participatory and nonparticipatory ways. We video record selected situations and conduct situational conversations and interviews with persons with dementia and nurses. We are aiming for a minimum sample of 30 persons with dementia plus their caregivers (ie, relatives of people with dementia and professional caregivers). We will analyze data according to grounded theory methodology. Furthermore, we will perform a hermeneutic sequence analysis of selected text passages. To interpret the video material, we will conduct a video interaction analysis. To obtain complementary information about the newly developed typology, we will survey approximately 400 formal and 150 informal caregivers. We will summarize the ethnography and survey findings into an overall concept of times without care and encounters in persons with dementia. To fulfill the research objectives, our cross-disciplinary and cross-country team comprises researchers with expertise in nursing sciences, gerontology, sociology, psychology, and ethnography. Our approach allows formulating statements about the nature, frequency, and prevalence of times without care and encounters in people with dementia across countries and types of care. Thus, we will contribute to making visible the lifeworld of persons with dementia. Our study commenced in March 2022 and will conclude in May 2025. The results are expected to be published in the fall of 2025. Our research offers points of departure for the representative investigation of times without care and encounters in persons with dementia, for the development of diagnostic instruments, and for dealing critically with possibilities of interruption (eg, by developing targeted interventions). DERR1-10.2196/58190.

Von Ionen zu Kristallen: Neue Einblicke die nicht‐klassische Keimbildung von Calciumsulfat

AbstractDie frühen Stadien der Mineralisierung stehen aufgrund ihrer inhärenten Bedeutung für Prozesse in natürlicher Umgebung sowie in technischen Anwendungen weiterhin im Fokus intensiver Forschung. Obwohl bereits viele wertvolle Beobachtungen für einzelne Schritte in den verschiedenen Phasen eines Kristallisationsvorgangs berichtet wurden, blieben wesentliche Fragen zumeist unbeantwortet aufgrund der Komplexität der zugrundeliegenden Mechanismen und des transienten Charakters der beteiligten Vor‐ und Zwischenstufen. In der vorliegenden Arbeit geben wir einen detaillierten Überblick zur Keimbildung von Calciumsulfat (einem Mineral mit großer Bedeutung für die Bauindustrie) in wässrigen Systemen bei Umgebungsbedingungen. Als experimentelle Grundlage wurde ein Titrationsverfahren mit gleichzeitiger potentiometrischer, turbidimetrischer und konduktometrischer Detektion entwickelt, um die Assoziation von Ionen in Lösung und die Bildung von Vorläuferstrukturen bei kontinuierlich ansteigender nomineller Übersättigung quantitativ verfolgen zu können. Die Eigenschaften dieser Präkursoren und ihre zeitliche Entwicklung vor und während der Nukleation wurden in situ mittels Kleinwinkel‐Röntgenstreuung (SAXS) und analytischer Ultrazentrifugation (AUC) aufgeklärt. Zusätzlich wurde Transmissionselektronenmikroskopie unter kryogenen Bedingungen (Kryo‐TEM) als bildgebendes Verfahren genutzt. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, wie sich Ionen zu nanometrischen Primärspezies verbinden, die anschließend aggregieren und durch intrinsische strukturelle Reorganisation eine anisotrope Ordnung entwickeln. Unsere Beobachtungen stellen das gängige Bild von grundlegenden Begriffen wie der Keimbildungsbarriere oder der Bedeutung der Übersättigung in Frage. Daraus ergeben sich weitreichende Auswirkungen auf unser Verständnis von Kristallisationsphänomenen im Allgemeinen und der Bildung von Calciumsulfat in geochemischen und angewandten Systemen im Besonderen.

Experimental and theoretical investigation of cationic-based fluorescent-tagged polyacrylate copolymers for improving oil recovery

The growing need for energy and the depletion of oil wells necessitate advanced Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) techniques, particularly water and polymer flooding, which play a crucial role in augmenting hydrocarbon recovery rates. However, water flooding in high-permeability layers often leads to water breakthroughs, reduced sweep efficiency, and the formation of preferential channels, posing significant challenges to oil recovery and reservoir management. Conformance control treatments, including the use of polymer microspheres, offer a promising solution by sealing high-permeability zones and enhancing sweep efficiency. This study focuses on the application of fluorescent polymer microspheres based on polyacrylamide, which is extensively employed in the oil sector as an oil displacement agent. Fluorescent polymers called Poly 400, Poly 200, and Poly 600, incorporating cationic methacrylamide monomers, were synthesized through copolymerization to create amphiphilic polymers with enhanced stability and functionality. These fluorescent polymers were evaluated through flooding tests using a quarter-five-spot model of transparent quartz glass under UV light, allowing for instantaneous measurement and observation of fluorescence intensity. At reservoir conditions, the oil displacement experiments confirm that the incremental oil after water flooding by Poly 400, Poly 200, and Poly 600, is 13.1%, 9.1%, and 6.1% of OOIP respectively. The findings showed that fluorescent polymer microspheres could efficiently target high-permeability layers, adapt to varying pore throat sizes, and improve the plugging rate of high-permeability channels, thereby optimizing oil recovery. A subsequent simulation study using the CMG simulator provided further insights into the efficacy of these fluorescent polymers as EOR agents, revealing their potential to enhance sweep efficiency and enhance oil recovery. Simulation results showed that oil saturation decreased from 68% (initial) to 13.5%, 16.1%, and 18.3% after Poly 400, Poly 200, and Poly 600 flooding respectively. This work highlights the potential of fluorescent polymer microspheres as a valuable tool for EOR applications, offering significant advancements in reservoir management and oil recovery optimization.

Swift Observations of Mrk 421 in Selected Epochs. IV. Physical Implications of X-Ray Flaring Activity and Features of Relativistic Magnetic Reconnection in 2018 April–2023 December

We present the spectral and timing results obtained during the intense observations of Mrk 421 by the Swift-based ultraviolet to X-ray instruments during 2018 April–2023 December. The source showed various strengths of X-ray flaring activity, exceeding a level of 3.5 × 10−9 erg cm−2 s−1 during the strongest 0.3–10 keV flares. Our study identifies a number of intraday brightness variability, including 61 instances that occurred within 1 ks exposures that are consistent with the shock-in-jet scenario and accompanied by significant, fast spectral changes. The source exhibited extreme spectral properties with dominance of the log-parabolic distributions of photons with energy and the frequent occurrence of hard photon indices in the 0.3–10 keV and 0.3–300 GeV bands, with the peak of synchrotron spectral energy distribution E p detected at the energies beyond 29 keV for the first time. The source showed very fast transitions of log-parabolic-to-power-law spectra, most plausibly caused by turbulence-driven relativistic magnetic reconnection. Our spectral results also demonstrate the importance of the first-order Fermi mechanism within the magnetic field of different confinement efficiencies, stochastic acceleration, transitions in the turbulence spectrum, and hadronic cascades. The X-ray, UV, and γ-ray fluxes showed a lognormal variability, which hints at the imprint of accretion disk instabilities on the blazar jet, as well as the possible presence of hadronic cascades. The UV and γ-ray variabilities demonstrated weak correlations with the X-ray flaring activity, which is not consistent with simple synchrotron self-Compton models and requires more complex particle acceleration and emission scenarios.

An evaluation of intra-university campus temperature variability under variable synoptic weather conditions using mobile transects.

Intensive observations were collected in a wide range of synoptic weather conditions to evaluate variability in the intra-urban heat island on the campus of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte between February 2023 and June 2023. An easily reproducible bicycle-based mobile transit route around the university was traversed during 20 afternoon and 20 evening periods. The magnitude of observed temperature range from an individual data collection period is defined as the campus urban heat island intensity, with areas having more anthropogenic modification also having higher temperatures. While other papers have examined the relationship between the city-scale urban heat island intensity and the present weather conditions, this paper aims to disentangle the relationship between present weather conditions and the magnitude of thermal variability across a small intra-urban campus with diverse land use and land cover characteristics. This will contribute to a better understanding of intra-urban heat islands, particularly identifying days where conditions will be highly dangerous in more developed areas, and not in more natural environments. When comparing the standardized mobile-transit observations to the regionally present weather conditions it is evident that clear and calm conditions often enhance both city-scale and campus-scale heat islands, increasing temperature disparities. While the spatial distribution of warm and cool areas across campus remains relatively constant, the campus-scale heat island is significantly modulated by the present weather conditions.

A Cohesive Deep Drilling Field Strategy for LSST Cosmology

The Vera C. Rubin Observatory Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) will image billions of astronomical objects in the wide–fast–deep primary survey and in a set of minisurveys including intensive observations of a group of deep drilling fields (DDFs). The DDFs are a critical piece of three key aspects of the LSST Dark Energy Science Collaboration (DESC) cosmological measurements: they provide a required calibration for photometric redshifts (photo-z) and weak gravitational lensing (WL) measurements and they directly contribute to cosmological constraints from the most distant Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia). We present a set of cohesive DDF strategies fulfilling science requirements relevant to DESC and following the guidelines of the Survey Cadence Optimization Committee. We propose a method to estimate the observing strategy parameters and we perform simulations of the corresponding surveys. We define a set of metrics for each science case to assess the performance of the proposed observing strategies. We show that the most promising results are achieved with deep rolling surveys characterized by two sets of fields: ultradeep fields (z ≲ 1.1) observed at a high cadence with a large number of visits over a limited number of seasons, and deep fields (z ≲ 0.7), observed with a cadence of ∼3 nights for 10 yr. These encouraging results should be confirmed with realistic simulations using the LSST scheduler. A DDF budget of ∼8.5% is required to design observing strategies satisfying all the cosmological requirements. A lower DDF budget leads to surveys that either do not fulfill the photo-z/WL requirements or are not optimal for SN Ia cosmology.

Automated detection of exploding granules with SDO/HMI data

Context. Exploding granules on the solar surface play a major role in the dynamics of the outer part of the convection zone, especially in the diffusion of the magnetic field. Aims. We aim to develop an automated procedure able to investigate the location and evolution of exploding granules over the solar surface and to get rid of visual detection. Methods. We used sequences of observations of intensity and Doppler velocity, as well as magnetograms, provided by the Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager aboard the Solar Dynamics Observatory. The automated detection of the exploding granules was performed by applying criteria on either three or two parameters: the granule area, the amplitude of the velocity field divergence, and, at the disc centre, the radial Doppler velocity. Our analyses show that granule area and divergence amplitudes are sufficient to detect the largest exploding granules; thus, we can automatically detect them, not only at the disc centre, but across the whole solar surface. Results. Using a 24-hour-long observation sequence, we have demonstrated the important contribution of the most dynamic exploding granules in the diffusion of the magnetic field in the quiet Sun. Indeed, we have shown that the most intense exploding granules are sufficient to build a large part of the photospheric network. We have also applied our procedure on Hinode observations to locate the exploding granules relative to trees of fragmenting granules (TFGs). We conclude that, during a first phase of about 300 minutes after the birth of a TFG, exploding granules are preferentially located on its edge. Finally, we also show that the distribution of exploding granules is homogeneous (at the level of our measurement errors) over the solar surface without a significant dependency on latitude.

Precision Seismicity of the San Andreas Fault System in Central California: Insights into Active Tectonics and Earthquake Physics

Since the late 1960s, seismicity of the San Andreas Fault system in central California has been under intense observation by U. S. Geological Survey’s Northern California Seismic Network (NCSN). Designed to provide accurate focal depth control and a low magnitude of catalog completeness, the network maps fault, both large and small across the full breadth of this 400-kilometer-long portion of the plate boundary, including many that are known only from their seismicity. Beginning in 1984, with the advent of routine digital recording, new opportunities were created to significantly enhance the spatial resolution of seismicity. This led to the co-evolution of method that take full advantage of digital waveforms and new insights into the nature of seismicity and faults. Collectively referred to as precision seismicity, discoveries included repeating earthquakes and highly organized and stable distributions of seismicity on major faults. Long term observation of seismicity before and after the six largest earthquakes over the last half-century underscore the outstanding challenges for earthquake predictability and theories of earthquake nucleation.

Spectral Transformation Detection in Be Stars Using Multi-Parameters Analysis of Delta Scorpii, Eta Centauri, and Kappa Lupi

Abstract Over the past five years, the Bosscha Observatory in Bandung, Indonesia, has dedicated significant attention to studying B-emission (Be) stars exhibiting distinctive emission characteristics. In this work, we meticulously analyzed the spectra originating from three prominent Be stars: Delta Scorpii, Eta Centauri, and Kappa Lupi. We also took additional spectrum data from the BeSS repository for each of the three stars to maximize our analysis results. Our analysis revolved around quantifying crucial spectral attributes, including the emission peak centers, the equivalent width (EW), and the full width at half maximum (FWHM). These parameters proved pivotal for deriving the violet-to-red peak intensity ratio (V/R), emission-to-continuum ratio (E/C), and the star’s radial velocity. Based on our analysis, there are several things to be pointed out. For all stars, there was no such significant variation in E/C values. Our single-peak analysis of δ Sco showed a strong emission primarily caused by the presence of a circumstellar disk of gas. FWHM of Hα in κ Lup demonstrated minor variability with time, meanwhile FWHM of Hα in η Cen decreased with time and orbital phase. Much more intense observations and analysis should provide better data to conclude the variability pattern of those parameters.

Calibration and Release of Magnetograms/Dopplergrams Obtained at the Mt. Wilson 150-Foot Tower Telescope (MWO)

The Mt. Wilson Observatory archive of observations of solar disk magnetic fields, Doppler velocities, and spectral line intensities is a resource for studying the Sun’s state from 1967 to 2013. Instrument changes/upgrades during this time must be considered when interpreting this record. Portions of this record have been previously released. This publication documents the data record in order to allow its independent interpretation. The archive is available through two directory trees which can be accessed at http://sha.stanford.edu/mwo/msm.html. The calibration of the observations is impacted by the solar surface convective flows, which produce offsets for both differential rotation and meridional circulation functions. The effects of these offsets have been reduced in this and other publications by temporal averaging.

Golden Jackal (Canis aureus) death by road accident in rural Bengal-insight the fact: a perception based eco-spatial clarification.

Golden jackal is one of the higher trophic level wild animals in rural Bengal. Their ecological significance is undeniable in regional ecosystems and biodiversity. But gradually they become threatened due to habitat contraction, road killing, poisoning and human persecution. The documentation of jackal death by road accident within the 12-km district highway which is a single lane bituminous road in Patshpur-I Community Development Block under Purba Medinipur district, India, reveals an unpredictable ecological circumstance (n-154). Jackals are killed by road accidents from 2022 to 2023. On behalf of this blameless situation, the present study conducted intensive observations, case studies and spatial-ecological analysis. The study also included stakeholder's perceptions to reach and relates the background of this fact. After observation and analysis, it has been found that the jackal deaths have a spatio-temporal signature and are connected with food and forage ground loss from their habitat-influenced area. Another outcome is that roadside habitat becomes an alternative food source and forage ground for them due to trench construction both alongside of the district highway and illegal dumping of meat wastes and domestic wastes. The seasonal biological activities of the jackals, local weather phenomena and car driver negligence are responsible for the accidental death of jackals along the district highway. Considering all the observed factors, the present study shared some reliable measures to control, protect and conserve this animal for balancing regional ecosystem as well as biodiversity in rural Bengal.

Investigating the mechanisms of an intense coastal rainfall event during TAHOPE/PRECIP-IOP3 using a multiscale radar ensemble data assimilation system

Abstract The joint Taiwan-Area Heavy Rain Observation and Prediction Experiment (TAHOPE)/Prediction of Rainfall Extremes Campaign In the Pacific (PRECIP) field campaign between Taiwan and the United States took place from late May to mid-August in 2022. The field campaign aimed to understand the dynamics, thermodynamics, and predictability of heavy rainfall events in the Taiwan area. This study investigated the mechanisms of a heavy rainfall event that occurred on 6–7 June during the intensive observation period-3 (IOP3) of the field campaign. Heavy rainfall occurs on Taiwan’s western coast when a Meiyu front hovers in northern Taiwan. A multiscale radar ensemble data assimilation system based on the successive covariance localization (SCL) method is used to derive a high-resolution analysis for forecasts. Two numerical experiments are conducted with the use of convective-scale (RDA) or multiscale (MRDA) corrections in the assimilation of the radial velocity from operational radars at Chigu and Wufen, and the additional S-Pol radar deployed at Hsinchu during the field campaign. Compared with RDA, MRDA results in large-area wind corrections, which help reshape and relocate a low-level mesoscale vortex, a key element of this heavy rainfall event, offshore of western central Taiwan and enhances the front intensity offshore of northwestern Taiwan. Consequently, MRDA improves the 6-h heavy rainfall prediction over the coast of western Taiwan and better represents the elongated rainband in northern Taiwan during the 3- to 6-h forecast. Sensitivity experiments demonstrate the importance of assimilating winds from Chigu and S-Pol radar in establishing low-level mesoscale vortex and convergence zones.

Comparison of the Validity of the PRE-DELIRIC model and the E-PRE-DELIRIC model for Predicting Delirium in patients after Cardiac Surgery

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to analyze the validity of the PRE-DELIRIC model and E-PRE-DELIRIC model.Methods: Patients who underwent cardiac surgery at a tertiary hospital between January 2019 and December 2022 were included. The presence or absence of delirium was determined based on risk groups, and the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive power, and negative predictive power were verified using the Youden index. Receiver operating characteristic curves were derived for the PRE-DELIRIC model and E-PRE-DELIRIC model, the area under the curve was calculated, and the 95% confidence interval (CI) was presented.Results: The incidence of delirium was 28.8%. The average scores of the PRE-DELIRIC model and E-PRE-DELIRIC model were 49.72±29.91 and 18.14±0.41, respectively. In the PRE-DELIRIC model, for which a cut-off point of 14.05 was established using the Youden index, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive power, and negative predictive power were 64.8%, 83.2%, 61.0%, and 85.4%, respectively. In the E-PRE-DELIRIC model, with a cut-off point of 64.01, the corresponding indicators were 73.1%, 51.5%, 37.8%, and 82.6%, respectively. The areas under the curve for the PRE-DELIRIC model and the E-PRE-DELIRIC model were 0.77 (95% CI, 0.74~0.82) and 0.65 (95% CI, 0.61~0.69), respectively.Conclusion: It may be helpful to use both the E-PRE-DELIRIC and PRE-DELIRIC models. The two prediction models are expected to help improve the quality of nursing for the early detection and prevention of delirium, enabling intensive observations and interventions for patients at high risk of delirium.

Clues for diagnosing misplaced central venous catheter in the right ascending lumbar vein during right femoral venous access

The right ascending lumbar vein is difficult to detect on anteroposterior abdominal radiographs because it overlaps with the inferior vena cava on anteroposterior radiographs. Intensive observation by medical providers may be a cue for diagnosis. However, knowledge of catheter misplacement of the right ascending lumbar vein is also necessary, because misplacement cannot be suspected without that awareness.

Station Area Planning and Resilient Urban Transformation: Insights from Siliguri Through Stakeholders’ Perspectives

The present research seeks to outline a common ground between the notions of urban aesthetics and inclusive planning by taking Siliguri Town station and its adjacent market as the cases. This article attempts to redirect the study of urban geography of Siliguri city away from macro-level analysis of space, which sometimes generates crude generalized discussions about the spatial development of urban landscapes, on the side of a more vigorous contemplation and critical consideration on the scope of micro-level planning alternatives for the city. Toward this objective, the research methodology is grounded on the analysis of historical databases, intensive field observation, and qualitative interviews. Through ten in-depth semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders including local body representatives, railway officials, planners, investors, as well as civil society organizations in Siliguri City, this study seeks to emphasize the factors that stakeholders in the city consider to be essential for the micro-scale development of Siliguri Town station neighborhood and its long-term effects on a number of actors. Findings from the interviews indicate that Siliguri Town station and its neighboring markets, such as Mahabirsthan and Hawkers’ Corner, are continuously growing as the places of urban contestation and struggle. To critically address these contestations, the research argues for the resurgence of Siliguri Town station neighborhood as the key urban territorial form for collaboration among central, state, and local government authorities as well as private players. The principal outcomes of this research, therefore, are expected to provide some micro-level planning alternatives, which can pave the path for an inclusive and planned production of urban space around Siliguri Town railway station, representing the heart of Siliguri city.

Umbilical Cord pH Levels and Neonatal Morbidity and Mortality

Umbilical cord pH (UC-pH) level is an important objective indicator of intrapartum fetal hypoxia and is used to predict neonatal morbidity and mortality. A UC-pH value of less than 7.00 is often defined as a threshold for severe acidosis, but existing evidence is divergent and largely based on UC-pH measurements from selected populations; consequently, the results are challenging to interpret. To investigate the association between UC-pH levels and the risk of adverse neonatal outcomes in a national setting with universal UC-pH measurement. This national, population-based cohort study included all liveborn, singleton, full-term infants without malformations born in Denmark from January 1, 2012, to December 31, 2018. Data were analyzed from January 1, 2023, to March 1, 2024. Umbilical cord pH level categorized as less than 7.00, 7.00 to 7.09, 7.10 to 7.19 and 7.20 to 7.50 (reference group). The primary outcome was a composite of severe adverse neonatal outcomes: neonatal death, therapeutic hypothermia, mechanical ventilation, treatment with inhaled nitric oxide, or seizures. Secondary outcomes were individual components of the primary outcome, Apgar score, respiratory outcomes, and hypoglycemia. Data are presented as adjusted risk ratios (ARRs) with 95% CIs. Among the 340 431 infants included, mean (SD) gestational age was 39.9 (1.6) weeks; mean (SD) birth weight was 3561 (480) g; and 51.3% were male. Umbilical cord pH of less than 7.20 was observed more often among infants with a gestational age of 40 or 41 weeks (31.6%-33.6% compared with 18.2%-20.2% at a gestational age of 39 weeks) and among male infants (53.9%-55.4% vs 44.6%-46.1% among female infants). Compared with the pH reference group (576 of 253 540 [0.2%]), the risk for the primary outcome was increased for the groups with UC-pH levels of less than 7.00 (171 of 1743 [9.8%]), 7.00 to 7.09 (101 of 11 904 [0.8%]), and 7.10 to 7.19 (259 of 73 244 [0.4%]). Comparable patterns were observed for the individual outcomes, except for neonatal death, which was only increased in the group with UC-pH levels of less than 7.10. The risk of treatment with continuous positive airway pressure was increased when UC-pH levels were less than 7.20, and the risk of hypoglycemia was 21.5% if UC-pH levels were less than 7.10. In this cohort study of 340 431 newborn infants, results support and extend previous studies indicating a higher risk of adverse outcomes even at UC-pH levels above 7.00. The threshold for more intensive observation and treatment may be reconsidered.

Multi-point vibration positioning method for long-distance forward transmission distributed vibration sensing.

Observation of intensity, phase, or polarization properties of light propagating through telecom submarine cables can enable widespread monitoring of geological and undersea events, such as earthquakes, tsunamis, and shipping lane traffic. We conducted a comparative analysis of external physical perturbations acting on submarine optical cables and unprotected optical fibers; introduced both intensity and phase demodulation-based sensing systems for long-distance vibration sensing; presented an extension to the phase-spectrum time delay method for forward-transmission distributed sensing (same as optical communications) to distinguish and quantify multiple simultaneous vibration events; and overcame the previous spatial resolution fundamental lower limit set by the time-domain sampling rate. We experimentally demonstrated multi-vibration positioning over 202.3 km single-span sensing distance, with a positioning accuracy as small as 17.9 m for sinewave vibrations, and a spatial resolution of 1.25 m. Other key sensor parameters include phase sensitivity of 40.6 mrad/µε @ 80 Hz, a corresponding limit of detection (LoD) of 101.7 pε/Hz1/2, intensity sensitivity of 7.1%/µε @ 80 Hz, and a corresponding LoD of 20.1 pε/Hz1/2. The tested frequency range was 0.01-100 Hz. No signal averaging was performed during signal processing to allow faster real-time processing, which would otherwise further improve the results. This forward transmission approach has the potential to upgrade the existing submerged global internet fiber-optic network into a vast ocean-spanning observation network while allowing telecom operations to operate normally without sacrificing bandwidth.