Role of snow and glacier melt in controlling river hydrology in Liddar watershed (western Himalaya) under current and future climate

This is the publisher's version, also available electronically from http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2011WR011590/abstract.[1] Snowmelt and icemelt are believed to be important regulators of seasonal discharge of Himalayan rivers. To analyze the long term contribution of snowmelt and glacier/icemelt to river hydrology we apply a water budget model to simulate hydrology of the Liddar watershed in the western Himalaya, India for the 20th century (1901–2010) and future IPCC A1B climate change scenario. Long term (1901–2010) temperature and precipitation data in this region show a warming trend (0.08°C yr−1) and an increase in precipitation (0.28 mm yr−1), with a significant variability in seasonal trends. In particular, winter months have undergone the most warming, along with a decrease in precipitation rates; precipitation has increased throughout the spring. These trends have accelerated the melting and rapid disappearance of snow, causing a seasonal redistribution in the availability of water. Our model results show that about 60% of the annual runoff of the Liddar watershed is contributed from the snowmelt, while only 2% is contributed from glacier ice. The climate trend observed from the 1901 to 2010 time period and its impact on the availability of water will become significantly worse under the IPCC climate change scenarios. Our results suggest that there is a significant shift in the timing and quantity of water runoff in this region of the Himalayas due to snow distribution and melt. With greatly increased spring runoff and its reductions in summer potentially leading to reduced water availability for irrigation agriculture in summer

Экспериментальные исследования интенсификации процессов теплообмена в энергетических котлах

Запропонована конструктивна схема удосконалення газорозподільних решітки, створено лабораторний стенд і проведені експериментальні дослідження в результаті яких отримані умови, які сприяють збільшенню відносної швидкості руху часток і середовища, створенню додаткової турбулентності потоку середовища, збільшенню кратності оновлення і формування міжфазної поверхні, що може привести до значного прискорення тепло- і масо переносу.The propose a design scheme to improve the gas distribution grid, established a laboratory bench and experimental studies have been obtained as a result of conditions that contribute to an increase in the relative velocity of the particles and the environment, creating more turbulence of flow, increasing the multiplicity of updating and the formation of the interphase surface, which can lead to a significant acceleration heat and mass transfer

Subtraction computed tomography imaging to detect endoleaks after endovascular aneurysm sealing with sac anchoring

Background Early detection of small type I endoleaks after endovascular aneurysm sealing is mandatory because they can rapidly progress and lead to severe complications. Recognition of endoleaks can be challenging due to the appearances on computed tomography unique to endovascular aneurysm sealing. We aimed to validate the accuracy and added value of subtraction computed tomography imaging using a post-processing software algorithm to improve detection of endovascular aneurysm sealing-associated endoleaks on postoperative surveillance imaging. Methods The computed tomography scans of 17 patients (16 males; median age: 78, range: 72–84) who underwent a post-endovascular aneurysm sealing computed tomography including both non-contrast and arterial phase series were used to validate the post processing software algorithm. Subtraction images are produced after segmentation and alignment. Initial alignment of the stent segmentations is automatically performed by registering the geometric centers of the 3D coordinates of both computed tomography series. Accurate alignment is then performed by translation with an iterative closest point algorithm. Accuracy of alignment was determined by calculating the root mean square error between matched 3D coordinates of stent segmentations. Results The median root mean square error after initial center of gravity alignment was 0.62 mm (IQR: 0.55–0.80 mm), which improved to 0.53 mm (IQR: 0.47–0.69 mm) after the ICP alignment. Visual inspection showed good alignment and no manual adjustment was necessary. Conclusions The possible merit of subtraction computed tomography imaging for the detection of small endoleaks during surveillance after endovascular aneurysm sealing was illustrated. Alignment of different computed tomography phases using a software algorithm was very accurate. Further studies are needed to establish the exact role of this technique during surveillance after endovascular aneurysm sealing compared to less invasive techniques like contrast-enhanced ultrasound

Antifungal rhizosphere bacteria can increase as response to the presence of saprotrophic fungi

Acknowledgments: Funding was provided by the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) in the form of a personal Veni grant to A.v.d.W. This is publication number 5923 of the NIOO-KNAW Netherlands Institute of Ecology. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Stratification of COPD patients towards personalized medicine:reproduction and formation of clusters

BACKGROUND: The global initiative for chronic obstructive lung disease (GOLD) 2020 emphasizes that there is only a weak correlation between FEV(1), symptoms and impairment of the health status of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Various studies aimed to identify COPD phenotypes by cluster analyses, but behavioral aspects besides smoking were rarely included. METHODS: The aims of the study were to investigate whether (i) clustering analyses are in line with the classification into GOLD ABCD groups; (ii) clustering according to Burgel et al. (Eur Respir J. 36(3):531–9, 2010) can be reproduced in a real-world COPD cohort; and (iii) addition of new behavioral variables alters the clustering outcome. Principal component and hierarchical cluster analyses were applied to real-world clinical data of COPD patients newly referred to secondary care (n = 155). We investigated if the obtained clusters paralleled GOLD ABCD subgroups and determined the impact of adding several variables, including quality of life (QOL), fatigue, satisfaction relationship, air trapping, steps per day and activities of daily living, on clustering. RESULTS: Using the appropriate corresponding variables, we identified clusters that largely reflected the GOLD ABCD groups, but we could not reproduce Burgel’s clinical phenotypes. Adding six new variables resulted in the formation of four new clusters that mainly differed from each other in the following parameters: number of steps per day, activities of daily living and QOL. CONCLUSIONS: We could not reproduce previously identified clinical COPD phenotypes in an independent population of COPD patients. Our findings therefore indicate that COPD phenotypes based on cluster analysis may not be a suitable basis for treatment strategies for individual patients. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12931-022-02256-7

Implementing integrated care guidelines in asthma and COPD:It ain’t easy!

Objective: To evaluate the implementation of a guideline-based, integrated, standardised, personal approach in patients with Chronic ObstructivePulmonary Disease (COPD) or Asthma in a real-life situation.Methods: Patients at the outpatient clinic of the department of pulmonary disease were included in a controlled cohort study, comparing the use ofdiagnostic items and ‘Personalised care plans’ (PCPs) in patients with obstructive lung disease before (2013) and after (2015) implementation of apersonalised diagnostic pathway. Results were compared with reference data (2016) from two control hospitals that used the same guidelines butdid not implement this pathway.Results: 100 patients were selected for all three cohorts. After implementing the diagnostic pathway in 2015, 35 % of patients visited attended allpre-planned appointments, whereas 65 % of patients did not: they were diagnosed using usual care. Factors contributing to patients not attendingthe diagnostic care pathway were: the logistical complexity and intensity of the 2-day pathway, patients willingness to participate in a personalisedpathway, and low social economic status or low literacy. After the implementation of the pathway, a significant improvement was seen in thenumber of PCPs (P < 0.001) and the number of diagnostic items registered recorded in the patients’ electronic medical records (P < 0.001).Conclusion: Implementing a standardised diagnostic pathway in a real-life population significantly improved the number of personalised care plans,demonstrating that the implementation of holistic care planning is feasible in this population. Nevertheless, the pathway needs further improvements to maximize the number of patients benefitting from it, including logistical streamlining, removing unnecessary diagnostic tools, andincreasing the focus on low literacy. Additionally, we found that implementing existing guidelines in a real life context is complex. Therefore, it isrequired to prioritize the translation of current guidelines into every-day practice, before expanding existing guidelines and protocol

Development of an integral assessment approach of health status in patients with obstructive airway diseases: the CORONA study

Traditional assessment of patients with obstructive lung diseases (asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; COPD) relies on physiological tests. The COPD and Asthma Rotterdam Integrated Care Approach (CORONA) study aims to develop a diagnostic pathway with a more comprehensive approach to the assessment of patients with asthma and COPD in secondary care. Methods: An eight-step method was used to develop and implement the pathway for patients with asthma or COPD referred to an outpatient hospital setting. Results: The diagnostic pathway consists of an evidence-based set of measurements prioritized by a Delphi procedure. The pathway incorporates three innovative diagnostics: the metronome-paced hyperventilation test to measure dynamic hyperinflation, an activity monitor to objectively evaluate physical activity in daily life, and the Nijmegen Clinical Screening Instrument as a comprehensive assessment tool to acquire detailed insight into symptoms, functional limitations, and quality of life. Conclusion: An innovative diagnostic pathway was developed and implemented for patients with obstructive lung diseases referred to secondary care. As this pathway aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of health status, it focuses on biomedical aspects and also reviews behavioral aspects that further elucidate the patient’s health status. The added value of the diagnostic pathway needs to be determined from both an organizational perspective and from the individual patient’s viewpoint

ACE inhibition attenuates radiation-induced cardiopulmonary damage

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: In thoracic irradiation, the maximum radiation dose is restricted by the risk of radiation-induced cardiopulmonary damage and dysfunction limiting tumor control. We showed that radiation-induced sub-clinical cardiac damage and lung damage in rats mutually interact and that combined irradiation intensifies cardiopulmonary toxicity. Unfortunately, current clinical practice does not include preventative measures to attenuate radiation-induced lung or cardiac toxicity. Here, we investigate the effects of the ACE inhibitor captopril on radiation-induced cardiopulmonary damage.MATERIAL AND METHODS: After local irradiation of rat heart and/or lungs captopril was administered orally. Cardiopulmonary performance was assessed using biweekly breathing rate measurements. At 8weeks post-irradiation, cardiac hemodynamics were measured, CT scans and histopathology were analyzed.RESULTS: Captopril significantly improved breathing rate and cardiopulmonary density/structure, but only when the heart was included in the radiation field. Consistently, captopril reduced radiation-induced pleural and pericardial effusion and cardiac fibrosis, resulting in an improved left ventricular end-diastolic pressure only in the heart-irradiated groups.CONCLUSION: Captopril improves cardiopulmonary morphology and function by reducing acute cardiac damage, a risk factor in the development of radiation-induced cardiopulmonary toxicity. ACE inhibition should be evaluated as a strategy to reduce cardiopulmonary complications induced by radiotherapy to the thoracic area.</p

Effect of Burkholderia tropica and Herbaspirillum frisingense strains on sorghum growth is plant genotype dependent

Sorghum is a multipurpose crop that is cultivated worldwide. Plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) have important roles in enhancing sorghum biomass and nutrient uptake and suppressing plant pathogens. The aim of this research was to test the effects of the endophytic bacterial species Kosakonia radicincitans strain IAC/BECa 99, Enterobacter asburiae strain IAC/BECa 128, Pseudomonas fluorescens strain IAC/BECa 141, Burkholderia tropica strain IAC/BECa 135 and Herbaspirillum frisingense strain IAC/BECa 152 on the growth and root architecture of four sorghum cultivars (SRN-39, Shanqui-Red, BRS330, BRS509), with different uses and strigolactone profiles. We hypothesized that the different bacterial species would trigger different growth plant responses in different sorghum cultivars. Burkholderia tropica and H. frisingense significantly increased the plant biomass of cultivars SRN-39 and BRS330. Moreover, cultivar BRS330 inoculated with either strain displayed isolates significant decrease in average root diameter. This study shows that Burkholderia tropica strain IAC/BECa 135 and H. frisingense strain IAC/BECa 152 are promising PGPB strains for use as inocula for sustainable sorghum cultivation