Foreshock and aftershock sequences of the Cremasta earthquake and their relation to the waterloading of the Cremasta artificial lake

Investigation of the time and magnitude distributionof the fore- and aftershocks of the Cremasta lake earthquake which occurredon February 5, 1966 is made. The deformation characteristics andspatial distribution of these shocks is also studied. Strong evidence is presentedthat the foreshocks and the main shock have been triggered by thewaterloading of the Cremasta artificial lake

Toward a real time multi-tissue Adaptive Physics-Based Non-Rigid Registration framework for brain tumor resection

This paper presents an adaptive non-rigid registration method for aligning pre-operative MRI with intra-operative MRI (iMRI) to compensate for brain deformation during brain tumor resection. This method extends a successful existing Physics-Based Non-Rigid Registration (PBNRR) technique implemented in ITKv4.5. The new method relies on a parallel adaptive heterogeneous biomechanical Finite Element (FE) model for tissue/tumor removal depicted in the iMRI. In contrast the existing PBNRR in ITK relies on homogeneous static FE model designed for brain shift only (i.e., it is not designed to handle brain tumor resection). As a result, the new method (1) accurately captures the intra-operative deformations associated with the tissue removal due to tumor resection and (2) reduces the end-to-end execution time to within the time constraints imposed by the neurosurgical procedure. The evaluation of the new method is based on 14 clinical cases with: (i) brain shift only (seven cases), (ii) partial tumor resection (two cases), and (iii) complete tumor resection (five cases). The new adaptive method can reduce the alignment error up to seven and five times compared to a rigid and ITK\u27s PBNRR registration methods, respectively. On average, the alignment error of the new method is reduced by 9.23 and 5.63 mm compared to the alignment error from the rigid and PBNRR method implemented in ITK. Moreover, the total execution time for all the case studies is about 1 min or less in a Linux Dell workstation with 12 Intel Xeon 3.47 GHz CPU cores and 96 GB of RAM

Variability of physical factors relevant to fisheries production in the Mediterranean Sea, North Sea and Baltic Sea

Recent publications have shown that river runoff and wind mixing are two major environmental factors affecting productivity of fish populations in subtropical and tropical areas, as opposed to water temperature in colder waters. In the present paper, we compare the variability of seawater temperature, river runoff and wind mixing in three different seas: a subtropical sea (the Mediterranean) and two cold seas (the North Sea and the Baltic). Temperature variability decreased from colder to warmer areas. The highest temporal variability in the river runoff corresponded to rivers flowing into the Mediterranean, and the lowest corresponded to rivers flowing into the North Sea and the Baltic Sea. The variability in the wind mixing index (cube of the wind speed) depended on the area under consideration, and attained maximum values in the Cap Béar station (northwestern Mediterranean). The effect of these regional variability differences in environmental factors on fisheries production is briefly discussed.Investigaciones recientes demuestran que las descargas fluviales y los vientos son factores ambientales clave para la productividad de las poblaciones explotadas en zonas subtropicales y tropicales, mientras que en mares fríos la temperatura del agua constituye el factor ambiental más importante para la productividad pesquera. Este estudio compara las diferencias geográficas en la variabilidad temporal de tres factores físicos (temperatura del agua, aportes fluviales y velocidad del viento) en un mar subtropical (Mediterráneo) y dos mares fríos (Mar del Norte y Báltico). La variabilidad temporal de la temperatura del agua es mayor en los dos mares fríos que en el subtropical. Así mismo, los ríos que desembocan en el Mediterráneo presentan mayor variabilidad temporal en cuanto a los aportes fluviales que los ríos que desembocan en el Mar del Norte y el mar Báltico. La variabilidad temporal en el índice de mezcla del viento (velocidad del viento al cubo) es distinta según la zona que se considere, y es máxima en la estación de Cap Béar (Mediterráneo noroccidental). Finalmente, se discuten los efectos de esta variabilidad ambiental geográfica sobre las poblaciones explotadas.Instituto Español de Oceanografí

The Mediterranean Moored Multi-sensor Array (M3A): system development and initial results

International audienceOperational forecasting of ocean circulation and marine ecosystem fluctuations requires multi-parametric real-time measurements of physical and biochemical properties. The architecture of a system that is able to provide such measurements from the upper-thermocline layers of the Mediterranean Sea is described here. The system was developed for the needs of the Mediterranean Forecasting System and incorporates state-of-the-art sensors for optical and chemical measurements in the upper 100 m and physical measurements down to 500 m. Independent moorings that communicate via hydro-acoustic modems are hosting the sensors. The satellite data transfer and the large autonomy allow for the operation of the system in any open-ocean site. The system has been in pre-operational use in the Cretan Sea since January 2000. The results of this pilot phase indicate that multi-parametric real-time observations with the M3A system are feasible, if a consistent maintenance and re-calibration program is followed. The main limitations of the present configuration of M3A are related: (a) to bio-fouling that primarily affects the turbidity and secondarily affects the other optical sensors, and (b) to the limited throughput of the currently used satellite communication system. Key words. Atmospheric composition and structure (instruments and techniques.) Oceanography: general (ocean prediction) Oceanography: physical (upper ocean process

Should We Continue to Measure Endometrial Thickness in Modern-Day Medicine? The Effect on Live Birth Rates and Birth Weight

The evaluation of endometrial thickness (EMT) is still part of standard cycle monitoring during IVF, despite the lack of robust evidence of any value of this measurement to predict little revalidation in contemporary medical practice; other tools, however, such as endocrine profile monitoring, have become increasingly popular. The aim of this study was to reassess whether EMT affects the outcome of a fresh embryo transfer in modern-day medicine, using a retrospective, single-centre cohort of 3350 IVF cycles (2827 women) carried out between 2010 and 2014. In the multivariate regression analysis, EMT was non-linearly associated with live birth, with live birth rates being the lowest with an EMT less than 7.0 mm (21.6%; P < 0.001) and then between 7.0 mm and 9.0 mm (30.2%; P = 0.008). An EMT less than 7.0 mm was also associated with a decrease in neonatal birthweight z-scores (-0.40; 95% CI -0.69 to -0.12). In conclusion, these results reaffirm the use of EMT as a potential prognostic tool for live birth rates and neonatal birthweight in contemporary IVF, namely when considered together with other ovarian stimulation monitoring methods, such as the late-follicular endocrine profile.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Serum Anti-Müllerian Hormone Is Significantly Altered by Downregulation With Daily Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Agonist: A Prospective Cohort Study

Research Question: What is the effect of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH)-agonist treatment on serum anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH)?Design: This prospective cohort study conducted in a tertiary university hospital comprised patients (n = 52) who self-administered daily triptorelin (0.1 mg/0.1 mL) subcutaneously for 14 days from menstrual cycle day 21 ± 3, between July 2015 and March 2016. Enrolled women were 18–43 years old, considered normal ovarian responders, with a planned GnRH agonist controlled ovarian stimulation protocol. The primary endpoint was to evaluate the effect of GnRH agonist on serum AMH levels after 7 and 14 days of treatment.Results: Under GnRH agonist treatment, serum AMH was significantly decreased vs. baseline on day 7 (mean change from baseline: −0.265 ng/mL; 95% confidence interval [CI], −0.395 to −0.135 ng/mL; p &lt; 0.001). On day 14, serum AMH was significantly increased (mean change from baseline: 0.289 ng/mL; 95% CI, 0.140–0.439 ng/mL; p &lt; 0.001). Although the median change in AMH from baseline was only −14.9% on day 7 and +17.4% on day 14, from day 7 to 14 AMH significantly increased by 0.55 ng/mL (43.8%; p &lt; 0.001), which is of paramount clinical importance. A linear, mixed-effect model demonstrated that GnRH agonist treatment for 7 and 14 days had a highly significant effect on serum AMH concentration after adjustment for confounding factors (age, body mass index, baseline antral follicle count, and visit). AMH assay precision was excellent (four aliquots/sample); coefficient of variation was 1.2–1.4%.Conclusions: GnRH agonist treatment had a clinically significant effect on serum AMH, dependent on treatment duration. The clear V-shaped response of AMH level to daily GnRH agonist treatment has important clinical implications for assessing ovarian reserve and predicting ovarian response, thus AMH measurements under GnRH agonist downregulation should be interpreted with great caution

Treatment algorithms for high responders: What we can learn from randomized controlled trials, real-world data and models

A high ovarian response to conventional ovarian stimulation (OS) is characterized by an increased number of follicles and/or oocytes compared with a normal response (10-15 oocytes retrieved). Ac-cording to current definitions, a high response can be diagnosed before oocyte pick-up when &gt;18-20 follicles &gt;= 11-12 mm are observed on the day of ovulation triggering; high response can be diagnosed after oocyte pick-up when &gt;18-20 oocytes have been retrieved. Women with a high response are also at high risk of early ovarian hyper-stimulation syndrome (OHSS)/or late OHSS after fresh embryo transfers. Women at risk of high response can be diagnosed before stimulation based on several indices, including ovarian reserve markers (anti-Mullerian hormone [AMH] and antral follicle count [AFC], with cutoff values indicative of a high response in patients with PCOS of &gt;3.4 ng/mL for AMH and &gt;24 for AFC). Owing to the high proportion of high responders who are at the risk of developing OHSS (up to 30%), this educational article provides a framework for the identification and management of patients who fall into this category. The risk of high response can be greatly reduced through appropriate management, such as individualized choice of the gonadotropin starting dose, dose adjustment based on hormonal and ultrasound monitoring during OS, the choice of down-regulation protocol and ovulation trigger, and the choice between fresh or elective frozen embryo transfer. Appropriate management strategies still need to be defined for women who are predicted to have a high response and those who have an unex-pected high response after starting treatment.(c) 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons. org/licenses/by/4.0/)

X-ray phase-contrast imaging with engineered porous materials over 50 keV

X-ray phase-contrast imaging can substantially enhance image contrast for weakly absorbing samples. The fabrication of dedicated optics remains a major barrier, especially in high-energy regions (i.e. over 50 keV). Here, the authors perform X-ray phase-contrast imaging by using engineered porous materials as random absorption masks, which provides an alternative solution to extend X-ray phase-contrast imaging into previously challenging higher energy regions. The authors have measured various samples to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed engineering materials. This technique could potentially be useful for studying samples across a wide range of applications and disciplines

Comparison Wage in Trade Union Decision Making

The starting point of this paper is the idea that trade unions and individual workers pay attention to wage settlements in similar sectors of the economy. The foundations of this concept can be found in other social sciences and also in the literature of psychological economics. However, it has not received much attention in connection to union decision making. This comparison or reference wage enters the decision making of the union (i.e. the union utility function). In this paper, we employ a union utility function which incorporates this concept. The analysis is conducted in a bargaining framework and the results show the effects on the optimal wage of important variables like comparison wage, unemployment benefit, union power and of the weight that the union places on the comparison wag