Effects of wave-induced processes in a coupled wave-ocean model on particle transport simulations

This study investigates the effects of wind–wave processes in a coupled wave–ocean circulation model on Lagrangian transport simulations. Drifters deployed in the southern North Sea from May to June 2015 are used. The Eulerian currents are obtained by simulation from the coupled circulation model (NEMO) and the wave model (WAM), as well as a stand-alone NEMO circulation model. The wave–current interaction processes are the momentum and energy sea state dependent fluxes, wave-induced mixing and Stokes–Coriolis forcing. The Lagrangian transport model sensitivity to these wave-induced processes in NEMO is quantified using a particle drift model. Wind waves act as a reservoir for energy and momentum. In the coupled wave–ocean circulation model, the momentum that is transferred into the ocean model is considered as a fraction of the total flux that goes directly to the currents plus the momentum lost from wave dissipation. Additional sensitivity studies are performed to assess the potential contribution of windage on the Lagrangian model performance. Wave-induced drift is found to significantly affect the particle transport in the upper ocean. The skill of particle transport simulations depends on wave–ocean circulation interaction processes. The model simulations were assessed using drifter and high-frequency (HF) radar observations. The analysis of the model reveals that Eulerian currents produced by introducing wave-induced parameterization into the ocean model are essential for improving particle transport simulations. The results show that coupled wave–circulation models may improve transport simulations of marine litter, oil spills, larval drift or transport of biological materials.publishedVersio

Outcomes of the novel Odon Device in indicated operative vaginal birth

BACKGROUND: No new method of assisting vaginal birth has been introduced into clinical practice since the development of the vacuum extractor in the 1950s. The Odon Device is a new device that employs a circumferential air cuff over the fetal head to assist birth. In this study, the Odon Device has been used to assist vaginal birth for standard clinical indications. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the clinical impact, safety, and acceptability of the Odon Device to women, their babies, and clinicians and to assess the feasibility of recruiting women to an interventional intrapartum research study. STUDY DESIGN: This is a nonrandomized, single-arm interventional feasibility study of the Odon Device for operative vaginal birth undertaken in a single maternity unit: Southmead Hospital, Bristol, United Kingdom. The Odon Device was used to assist birth in 40 women who required the birth to be assisted for suspected fetal compromise and/or prolonged second stage of labor. The primary clinical outcome was the proportion of births successfully assisted with the Odon Device, and the primary feasibility outcome was the proportion of eligible women who were approached and who agreed to participate. Neonatal outcome data were reviewed at day 28, and maternal outcomes were investigated up to day 90. RESULTS: Between October 2018 and January 2019, 298 of 384 approached, eligible women (77.6%) consented to participate. Of these women, 40 received the intervention—the use of the Odon Device. Birth was assisted in all cephalic (occiput anterior, occiput transverse, and occiput posterior) fetal positions, at all stations at or below the ischial spine and with or without regional analgesia. The Odon Device was effective in 19 of 40 cases (48%). Of the 40 births, 21 (52.5%) required additional assistance: 18 of 40 births (45%) were completed using nonrotational forceps, 1 of 40 births (3%) required rotational forceps, and 2 of 40 births (5%) required an emergency cesarean delivery. There was no serious maternal or neonatal adverse event related to the use of the device, and there was no serious adverse device effect. There were 4 devices (10%) that were ineffective because of a manufacturing fault. Furthermore, 39 of 40 women (98%) reported a high birth perception score. All practitioners were able to use the device as intended, although some steps in using the device were reported to be easier to perform (setup and deflation of air chamber) than others (application of the device and withdrawal of the applicator). CONCLUSION: Recruitment to an interventional study of a new device for operative vaginal birth was feasible; 78% of eligible women were willing to participate, often expressing an aspiration for an alternative to forceps and vacuum. The success rate of the Odon Device was lower than reported success rates of vacuum and forceps; however, in this study, the device had been used to assist birth for standard clinical indications. There was no significant maternal or neonatal safety concern associated with the use of the device, although the number of births studied was small. Further feasibility study to establish iterative changes to the device, technique, and clinical indications is necessary

Comparatively Barcoded Chromosomes of Brachypodium Perennials Tell the Story of Their Karyotype Structure and Evolution

The Brachypodium genus is an informative model system for studying grass karyotype organization. Previous studies of a limited number of species and reference chromosomes have not provided a comprehensive picture of the enigmatic phylogenetic relationships in the genus. Comparative chromosome barcoding, which enables the reconstruction of the evolutionary history of individual chromosomes and their segments, allowed us to infer the relationships between putative ancestral karyotypes of extinct species and extant karyotypes of current species. We used over 80 chromosome-specific BAC (bacterial artificial chromosome) clones derived from five reference chromosomes of B. distachyon as probes against the karyotypes of twelve accessions representing five diploid and polyploid Brachypodium perennials. The results showed that descending dysploidy is common in Brachypodium and occurs primarily via nested chromosome fusions. Brachypodium distachyon was rejected as a putative ancestor for allotetraploid perennials and B. stacei for B. mexicanum. We propose two alternative models of perennial polyploid evolution involving either the incorporation of a putative x = 5 ancestral karyotype with di erent descending dysploidy patterns compared to B. distachyon chromosomes or hybridization of two x = 9 ancestors followed by genome doubling and descending dysploidy. Details of the karyotype structure and evolution in several Brachypodium perennials are revealed for the first time

Brief Home-Based Data Collection of Low Frequency Behaviors

Data-based decision making, an important component of positive behavior support, can be difficult in brief in-home therapy due to the limited amount of time a therapist has to directly observe the child. This difficulty is exacerbated when problem behavior occurs infrequently. When a therapist cannot reliably observe problem behavior, it is often necessary to rely on parental report. The current study evaluated three approaches for parental report of low frequency problem behavior: antecedent-behavior-consequence records, incident data, and interview. Each method was analyzed with clients in home-based therapy with 2-hour weekly appointments. All clients exhibited low-frequency (i.e., less than daily) and high-intensity (i.e., causes physical harm to self/others, damage to the environment, or severe decrement to family’s quality of life) problem behavior. The treatment goal for all clients was to reduce problem behavior (most commonly aggression, disruption, or self-injury). The number of instances of problem behavior captured by each method of data-collection, quality of the data (i.e., ability to detect treatment effects using the data), and therapist and parent acceptability of each measure were analyzed. Results are discussed in terms of the relative advantages and disadvantages of each measure, clinical application of the methods, and avenues for future research

Sector y antigüedad como factores pertinentes en la perspectiva del empresario colombiano con relación a la capacidad de absorción

El entorno competitivo actual con el que se enfrentan las empresas cada vez es más complejo por lo que el constante cambio en las organizaciones se convierte en una necesidad. La capacidad dinámica de absorción del conocimiento juega un papel determinante para la competitividad en las empresas y para la generación de valor de las mismas, dicha capacidad consta de las fases de adquisición, asimilación, transformación y explotación del conocimiento con la finalidad de generar nuevo conocimiento y así incentivar el ecosistema de innovación organizacional. Por medio del método de análisis de varianza ANOVA de un factor se determinó con un nivel de confianza del 95% que el sector y la antigüedad de la empresa presentan variaciones estadísticamente significativas en la perspectiva de los empresarios con relación a las dimensiones de la capacidad dinámica de absorción del conocimiento

Virtual Calibration Chamber CPT on Ticino sand

The following paper surnmarizes results of CPT's performed in virtual calibration chamber (VCC) built with a 3D model based on the distinct element method (DEM). A discrete material tailored to mimic Ticino sand is tested at different densities, stress and stress history. The limit cone tip resistance from the numerical experiments shows quantitative agreement with different empirical curves summarizing previous tests on Ticino sand in physical calibration chambers (ENEL and ISMES).Postprint (published version

Serum levels of il-8, il-10, il-13, ifnγ and tnfα in pediatric patients with acute infection with different dengue virus serotypes

Dengue is an acute febrile disease caused by four dengue virus (DENV) serotypes whose prevalence in the Americas has quintupled between 2003 and 2013. The immune response against the infection with dengue virus involves cellular and humoral factors. We performed an observational and cross-sectional study to evaluate the levels of interleukins of the innate immune response (IL-8, TNFα), TH1 response (IFNγ), TH2 (IL-13) and regulatory (IL-10) in serum of patients during the acute phase of infection with the DENV1, DENV3 and DENV4 serotypes

Niveles séricos de il-8, il-10, il-13, ifnγ y tnfα en pacientes pediátricos con infección aguda por diferentes serotipos de virus dengue

Dengue is an acute febrile disease caused by four dengue virus (DENV) serotypes whose prevalence in the Americas has quintupled between 2003 and 2013. The immune response against the infection with dengue virus involves cellular and humoral factors. We performed an observational and cross-sectional study to evaluate the levels of interleukins of the innate immune response (IL-8, TNFα), TH1 response (IFNγ), TH2 (IL-13) and regulatory (IL-10) in serum of patients during the acute phase of infection with the DENV1, DENV3 and DENV4 serotypes.El dengue es una enfermedad aguda febril causada por cuatro serotipos del virus dengue (DENV) cuya prevalencia en las Américas se ha quintuplicado entre 2003 y 2013. La respuesta inmune contra la infección del virus del dengue involucra la participación de factores celulares y humorales. Se realizó una investigación de corte transversal observacional para evaluar los niveles de interleucinas de la respuesta inmune innata (IL-8, TNFα), de respuesta TH1 (IFNγ), TH2 (IL-13) y regulatoria (IL-10) en suero de pacientes durante la fase aguda de infección por los serotipos DENV1, DENV3 y DENV4