The use of video imagery to analyse groundwater and shoreline dynamics on a dissipative beach

Groundwater seepage is known to influence beach erosion and accretion processes. However, field measurements of the variation of the groundwater seepage line (GWSL) and the vertical elevation difference between the GWSL and the shoreline are limited. We developed a methodology to extract the temporal variability of the shoreline and the wet-dry boundary using video imagery, with the overarching aim to examine elevation differences between the wet-dry boundary and the shoreline position in relation to rainfall and wave characteristics, during a tidal cycle. The wet-dry boundary was detected from 10-minute time-averaged images collected at Ngaranui Beach, Raglan, New Zealand. An algorithm discriminated between the dry and wet cells using a threshold related to the maximum of the red, green and blue intensities in Hue-Saturation-Value. Field measurements showed this corresponded to the location where the watertable was within 2 cm of the beachface surface. Timestacks, time series of pixels extracted from cross-shore transects in the video imagery, were used to determine the location of the shoreline by manually digitizing the maximum run-up and minimum run-down location for each swash cycle, and averaging the result. In our test data set of 14 days covering a range of wave and rainfall conditions, we found 6 days when the elevation difference between the wet-dry boundary and the shoreline remained approximately constant during the tidal cycle. For these days, the wet-dry boundary corresponded to the upper limit of the swash zone. On the other 8 days, the wet-dry boundary and the shoreline decoupled with falling tide, leading to elevation differences of up to 2.5 m at low tide. Elevation differences between the GWSL and the shoreline at low-tide were particularly large when the cumulative rainfall in the preceding month was greater than 200 mm. This research shows that the wet-dry boundary (such as often used in video shoreline-finding algorithms) is related to groundwater seepage on low-sloped, medium to fine sand beaches such as Ngaranui Beach (mean grain size~0.27 mm, beach slope ~1:70) and may not be a good indicator of the position of the shoreline

PENGARUH DOUBLE J STENT TERHADAP KUALITAS HIDUP DAN FUNGSI SEKSUAL PADA PASIEN PRIA (Prospektif –Observasional )

Latarbelakang : Saat ini Double J stent memainkan peran yang signifikan dalam praktek urologi, dimana drainase urine dibutuhkan. Namun, Double J stent dikaitkan dengan berbagai efek samping mulai dari gejala saluran kemih bagian bawah hingga disfungsi seksual. Tujuan : Mengevaluasi pengaruh Double J stent terhadap kualitas hidup dan fungsi seksual pada pasien pria. Metode : Sebanyak 27 pria yang menjalani pemasangan Double J stent setelah ureteroskopi atas indikasi batu ureter unilateral atau stenosis ureter diikut sertakan dalam penelitian ini. Kuesioner Internasional Index of Erectile Function-5 (IIEF-5) diisi sebelum pemasangan stent. Tiga puluh hari setelah pemasangan stent, kami mengevaluasi skor IIEF-5 dan membagikan kuesioner Ureteral Stent Symptom Questionnaire (USSQ) untuk memonitor keluhan yang berhubungan dengan adanya stent. Hasil: Rata-rata usia pasien adalah 45 tahun, bervariasi mulai 30 sampai dengan 68 tahun. Rerata ± SD skor IIEF-5 sebelum dan sesudah pemasangan stent adalah 21,85 ± 3302 dan 18,44 ± 4.830 (p = 0,000). Skor USSQ menunjukan bahwa gejala berkemih dan nyeri yang mempengaruhi kemampuan bekerja adalah masalah dominan yang muncul terkait adanya stent. Gejala berkemih termasuk diantaranya adalah urgensi (17%), disuria (16,3%), rasa tidak puas setelah miksi (13,7%), frekuensi (13,2%), nokturia (12,7%), hematuria (12,2%), inkontinensia (7,9%) dan inkontinensia non urgensi (6,9%). Nyeri akibat adanya stent sebagian besar terjadi di kandung kemih (42,9%) dan genitalia eksternal (37,1%), dimana 77,8% pasien melaporkan membutuhkan anti nyeri untuk mengontrol rasa nyeri. Pada pemasangan stent selama 4 minggu, pasien menghabiskan 1,70 hari (± 1,919) di tempat tidur dan mengurangi aktivitas sebanyak 3,26 (± 6,328 ) setengah hari kerja. Korelasi antara USSQ dan IIEF-5 skor pasca stenting kemudian dianalisis. Di antara 6 subdomain dari USSQ, skor IIEF-5 pasca stenting secara signifikan dipengaruhi oleh gejala nyeri, kondisi umum, performa kerja, dan subdomain seksualitas (dengan nilai p = 0,012; p = 0,003; p = 0,006 dan p = 0,000). Kesimpulan: Double J stent mengakibatkan gangguan kualitas hidup dan fungsi seksual pada pasien lakilaki. Untuk mengurangi masalah ini, strategi pencegahan dan penanganan gejala terkait pemasangan stent diperlukan. Kata kunci: Double J stent, stent related symptom, kualitas hidup, fungsi seksual, USSQ, IIEF-

Chemical and structural characterization of char development during lignocellulosic biomass pyrolysis

The chemical and structural changes of three lignocellulosic biomass samples during pyrolysis were investigated using both conventional and advanced characterization techniques. The use of ATR-FTIR as a characterization tool is extended by the proposal of a method to determine aromaticity, the calculation of both CH2/CH3 ratio and the degree of aromatic ring condensation ((R/C)u). With increasing temperature, the H/C and O/C ratios, XA and CH2/CH3 ratio decreased, while (R/C)u and aromaticity increased. The micropore network developed with increasing temperature, until the coalescence of pores at 1100 °C, which can be linked to increasing carbon densification, extent of aromatization and/or graphitization of the biomass chars. WAXRD-CFA measurements indicated the gradual formation of nearly parallel basic structural units with increasing carbonization temperature. The char development can be considered to occur in two steps: elimination of aliphatic compounds at low temperatures, and hydrogen abstraction and aromatic ring condensation at high temperatures

Quality of life with pharmacological treatment in patients with benign prostatic enlargement: results from the Evolution European Prospective Multicenter Multi-National Registry Study.

Item does not contain fulltext Background Lower urinary tract symptoms due to benign prostate enlargement (LUTS/BPE) can lead to significant disturbances to health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and psychological well-being. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of pharmacological treatment of LUTS/BPE on disease specific and generic QOL measures. Methods Evolution was a European prospective, multicenter multi-national, observational registry collecting real-life clinical data over 2 years on the management of LUTS/BPE in primary and secondary care. This study investigated disease-specific QOL using questionnaires such as IPSS Q8, BPH Impact Index (BII) and generic QOL using questionnaires like EuroQOL Five Dimension (EQ5D) which encompassed EQ5D VAS and EQ5D health index. Results The registry enrolled 1838 BPE patients and 1246 patients were evaluable at the end of 24 months. Nearly 70% of patients in the study were previously treated with medical therapy and 17% of these had already discontinued medical treatment previously for various reasons with lack of efficacy being the most common. The mean time since diagnosis of LUTS in the previously treated group was 4.7 years (0-26 years). Medical management produced statistically significant improvement in QOL (disease specific and generic) in previously untreated patients and an insignificant change in generic QOL in previously treated patients. Conclusions After 5-years from the onset of symptoms, LUTS/BPE patients previously treated with medication had significantly impaired QOL in patients in a manner comparable to other chronic diseases. Earlier intervention with minimally invasive surgical techniques (MIT) should be considered in LUTS/BPE patients that do not show a significant improvement in QOL with medical therapy

Theory of a quodon gas. With application to precipitation kinetics in solids under irradiation

Rate theory of the radiation-induced precipitation in solids is modified with account of non-equilibrium fluctuations driven by the gas of lattice solitons (a.k.a. quodons) produced by irradiation. According to quantitative estimations, a steady-state density of the quodon gas under sufficiently intense irradiation can be as high as the density of phonon gas. The quodon gas may be a powerful driver of the chemical reaction rates under irradiation, the strength of which exponentially increases with irradiation flux and may be comparable with strength of the phonon gas that exponentially increases with temperature. The modified rate theory is applied to modelling of copper precipitation in FeCu binary alloys under electron irradiation. In contrast to the classical rate theory, which disagrees strongly with experimental data on all precipitation parameters, the modified rate theory describes quite well both the evolution of precipitates and the matrix concentration of copper measured by different methodsComment: V. Dubinko, R. Shapovalov, Theory of a quodon gas. With application to precipitation kinetics in solids under irradiation. (Springer International Publishing, Switzerland, 2014

The use of an ‘acclimatisation’ heatwave measure to compare temperature-related demand for emergency services in Australia, Botswana, Netherlands, Pakistan, and USA

Background: Heatwaves have been linked to increased risk of mortality and morbidity and are projected to increase in frequency and intensity due to climate change. The current study uses emergency department (ED) data from Australia, Botswana, Netherlands, Pakistan, and the United States of America to evaluate the impact of heatwaves on ED attendances, admissions and mortality.Methods: Routinely collected time series data were obtained from 18 hospitals. Two separate thresholds (≥4 and ≥7) of the acclimatisation excess heat index (EHIaccl) were used to define hot days . Analyses included descriptive statistics, independent samples T-tests to determine differences in case mix between hot days and other days, and threshold regression to determine which temperature thresholds correspond to large increases in ED attendances.Findings: In all regions, increases in temperature that did not coincide with time to acclimatise resulted in increases in ED attendances, and the EHIaccl performed in a similar manner. During hot days in California and The Netherlands, significantly more children ended up in the ED, while in Pakistan more elderly people attended. Hot days were associated with more patient admissions in the ages 5-11 in California, 65-74 in Karachi, and 75-84 in The Hague. During hot days in The Hague, patients with psychiatric symptoms were more likely to die. The current study did not identify a threshold temperature associated with particularly large increases in ED demand.Interpretation: The association between heat and ED demand differs between regions. A limitation of the current study is that it does not consider delayed effects or influences of other environmental factors. Given the association between heat and ED use, hospitals and governmental authorities should recognise the demands that heat can place on local health care systems. These demands differ substantially between regions, with Pakistan being the most heavily affected within our study sample

Seasonal mixed layer depth shapes phytoplankton physiology, viral production, and accumulation in the North Atlantic

© The Author(s), 2021. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License. The definitive version was published in Diaz, B. P., Knowles, B., Johns, C. T., Laber, C. P., Bondoc, K. G. V., Haramaty, L., Natale, F., Harvey, E. L., Kramer, S. J., Bolaños, L. M., Lowenstein, D. P., Fredricks, H. F., Graff, J., Westberry, T. K., Mojica, K. D. A., Haëntjens, N., Baetge, N., Gaube, P., Boss, E., Carlson, C. A., Behrenfeld, M. J., Van Mooy, B. A. S., Bidle, K. D. Seasonal mixed layer depth shapes phytoplankton physiology, viral production, and accumulation in the North Atlantic. Nature Communications, 12(1), (2021): 6634, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-26836-1.Seasonal shifts in phytoplankton accumulation and loss largely follow changes in mixed layer depth, but the impact of mixed layer depth on cell physiology remains unexplored. Here, we investigate the physiological state of phytoplankton populations associated with distinct bloom phases and mixing regimes in the North Atlantic. Stratification and deep mixing alter community physiology and viral production, effectively shaping accumulation rates. Communities in relatively deep, early-spring mixed layers are characterized by low levels of stress and high accumulation rates, while those in the recently shallowed mixed layers in late-spring have high levels of oxidative stress. Prolonged stratification into early autumn manifests in negative accumulation rates, along with pronounced signatures of compromised membranes, death-related protease activity, virus production, nutrient drawdown, and lipid markers indicative of nutrient stress. Positive accumulation renews during mixed layer deepening with transition into winter, concomitant with enhanced nutrient supply and lessened viral pressure.This work was made possible by NASA’s Earth Science Program in support of the North Atlantic Aerosol and Marine Ecosystem Study (15-RRNES15-0011 and 0NSSC18K1563 to K.D.B.; NNX15AF30G to M.J.B.), as well as with support from the National Science Foundation (OIA-2021032 to K.D.B., OCE-157943 to C.A.C., and OCE-1756254 to B.A.S.V.M.), the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation (Award# 3789 to K.G.V.B.), and NASA’s Future Investigators in Space Science and Technology program (FINESST; grant #826380 to K.D.B.; graduate support to BD)

Emergency department crowding in The Netherlands: managers’ experiences

__Abstract__ __Background__ In The Netherlands, the state of emergency department (ED) crowding is unknown. Anecdotal evidence suggests that current ED patients experience a longer length of stay (LOS) compared to some years ago, which is indicative of ED crowding. However, no multicenter studies have been performed to quantify LOS and assess crowding at Dutch EDs. We performed this study to describe the current state of emergency departments in The Netherlands regarding patients’ length of stay and ED nurse managers’ experiences of crowding. __Methods__ A survey was sent to all 94 ED nurse managers in The Netherlands with questions regarding the type of facility, annual ED census, and patients’ LOS. Additional questions included whether crowding was ever a problem at the particular ED, how often it occurred, which time periods had the worst episodes of crowding, and what measures the particular ED had undertaken to improve patient flow. __Results__ Surveys were collected from 63 EDs (67%). Mean annual ED visits were 24,936 (SD ± 9,840); mean LOS for discharged patients was 119 (SD ± 40) min and mean LOS for admitted patients 146 (SD ± 49) min. Consultation delays, laboratory and radiology delays, and hospital bed shortages for patients needing admission were the most cited reasons for crowding. Admitted patients had a longer LOS because of delays in obtaining inpatient beds. Thirty-nine of 57 respondents (68%) reported that crowding occurred several times a week or even daily, mostly between 12:00 and 20:00. Measures taken by hospitals to manage crowding included placing patients in hallways and using a fasttrack with treatment of patients by trained nurse practitioners. __Conclusions__ Despite a relatively short LOS, frequent crowding appears to be a nationwide problem according to Dutch ED nurse managers, with 68% of them reporting that crowding occurred several times a week or even daily. Consultations delays, laboratory and radiology delays, and hospital bed shortage for patients needing admission were believed to be the most important factors contributing to ED crowding

Unscheduled return visits to a Dutch inner-city emergency department

Background Unscheduled return visits to the emergency department (ED) may reflect shortcomings in care. This study characterized ED return visits with respect to incidence, risk factors, reasons and post-ED disposition. We hypothesized that risk factors for unscheduled return and reasons for returning would differ from previous studies, due to differences in health care systems. Methods All unscheduled return visits occurring within 1 week and related to the initial ED visit were selected. Multivariable logistic regression was conducted to determine independent factors associated with unscheduled return, using patient information available at the initial visit. Reasons for returning unscheduled were categorized into illness-, patient- or physician-related. Post-ED disposition was compared between patients with unscheduled return visits and the patients who did not return. Results Five percent (n = 2,492) of total ED visits (n = 49,341) were unscheduled return visits. Patients with an urgent triage level, patients presenting during the night shift, with a wound or local infection, abdominal pain or urinary problems were more likely to return unscheduled. Reasons to revisit unscheduled were mostly illness-related (49%) or patient-related (41%). Admission rates for returning patients (16%) were the same as for the patients who did not return (17%). Conclusions Apart from abdominal complaints, risk factors for unscheduled return differ from previous studies. Short-term follow-up at the outpatient clinic or general practitioner for patients with urgent triage levels and suffering from wounds or local infections, abdominal pain or urinary problem might prevent unscheduled return

ADRA1A-Gα_q signalling potentiates adipocyte thermogenesis through CKB and TNAP

Noradrenaline (NA) regulates cold-stimulated adipocyte thermogenesis(1). Aside from cAMP signalling downstream of β-adrenergic receptor activation, how NA promotes thermogenic output is still not fully understood. Here, we show that coordinated α(1)-adrenergic receptor (AR) and β(3)-AR signalling induces the expression of thermogenic genes of the futile creatine cycle(2,3), and that early B cell factors, oestrogen-related receptors and PGC1α are required for this response in vivo. NA triggers physical and functional coupling between the α(1)-AR subtype (ADRA1A) and Gα(q) to promote adipocyte thermogenesis in a manner that is dependent on the effector proteins of the futile creatine cycle, creatine kinase B and tissue-non-specific alkaline phosphatase. Combined Gα(q) and Gα(s) signalling selectively in adipocytes promotes a continual rise in whole-body energy expenditure, and creatine kinase B is required for this effect. Thus, the ADRA1A–Gα(q)–futile creatine cycle axis is a key regulator of facultative and adaptive thermogenesis