Drought is a natural hazard with critical societal and economic consequences to millions of people around the world. In this paper, we present the climatology of severe drought events that occurred ...during the 20th century in the region of Sao Paulo, Brazil. To account for the effects of rainfall deficit and changes in temperature at a climatic timescale, we chose the Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI) to identify severe droughts over the city of Sao Paulo, and the eastern and central-western regions of the state. Events were identified using weather station data and European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecast (ECMWF) reanalysis data, in order to assess the representation of drought periods in both datasets. Results show that the reanalysis seems suitable to represent the number of events and their mean duration, severity and intensity, but the timing and characteristics of individual events are not well reproduced. The correlation between observation and reanalysis SPEI time series is low to moderate in all cases. A linear trend analysis between 1901 and 2010 shows a tendency of increasing (decreasing) severe drought events in the central and western (eastern) Sao Paulo state, according to observational data. This is in agreement with previous findings, and the reanalysis presents this same signal. The weakened trend values in the reanalysis may be associated with issues in representing precipitation in this dataset.
Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) is a popular polymer widely used in smart hydrogel synthesis due to its thermo-responsive behavior in aqueous medium. Aqueous PNIPAM hydrogels can reversibly ...swell and collapse below and above their lower critical solution temperature (LCST), respectively. The present work used molecular dynamics simulations to explore the behavior of water molecules surrounding the side chains of a NIPAM pentamer in response to temperature changes (273–353 K range) near its experimental LCST (305 K). Results suggest a strong inverse correlation of temperature with water density and hydrophobic hydration character of the first coordination shell around the isopropyl groups. Integrity of the first and second coordination shells is further characterized by polygon ring analysis. Predominant occurrence of pentagons suggests clathrate-like behavior of both shells at lower temperatures. This predominance is eventually overtaken by 4-membered rings as temperature is increased beyond 303 and 293 K for the first and second coordination shells, respectively, losing their clathrate-like property. It is surmised that this temperature-dependent stability of the coordination shells is one of the important factors that controls the reversible swell-collapse mechanism of PNIPAM hydrogels.
The association of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) with gastrointestinal autoimmune diseases is rare, but has been described in the literature, mostly as case reports. However, some of these ...diseases may be very severe, thus a correct and early diagnosis with appropriate management are fundamental. We have analysed our data from the SLE patient cohort at University College Hospital London, established in 1978, identifying those patients with an associated autoimmune gastrointestinal disease. We have also undertaken a review of the literature describing the major autoimmune gastrointestinal pathologies which may be coincident with SLE, focusing on the incidence, clinical and laboratory (particularly antibody) findings, common aetiopathogenesis and complications.
In this study, we present a new estimation of the gravitational potential energy (GPE) in Iberia and use numerical modeling to evaluate its relative contribution to the present‐day stress field and ...deformation. We also present an improved (larger time span and denser coverage) compilation of Global Navigation Satellite System velocities, which we use to compute the strain rate field of Iberia. We take advantage of recent neotectonic modeling developed for Iberia and northwest Africa to study the isolated dynamic contribution of GPE‐related stresses. We present two models—one including only the stress generated by GPE and another reproducing the net stress field—and compare their predictions with the most up‐to‐date compilations of stress indicators, hypocenter clusters, and geodetic strain rates. The main effect of GPE is to induce second‐order spatial variations in the stress field. GPE appears to play an important role in high‐topography regions, where it explains deviatoric stress patterns mainly associated with extensional regimes. In north Iberia, especially in the Pyrenees and Cantabria, GPE causes an extensional regime over the highest peaks. In the Iberian Chain and eastern Betics, GPE is in agreement with the observed extensional deformation. Normal focal mechanisms of shallow earthquake clusters appear to be related with GPE maxima and GPE‐induced extensional regimes. Wavelength analysis suggests that both GPE and the long‐wavelength topography of intraplate Iberia record the plate boundary forces that acted in Iberia during the Alpine orogeny at Eocene to lower Miocene times.
Key Points
We present a new estimation of GPE in Iberia, which is compared to stress indicators and to a new/updated Iberian strain rate field
GPE leads to local deviations in the main tectonic stress field in Iberia, causing extensional stress regimes over high‐topography regions
Both GPE and the long‐wavelength topography of Iberia result from the propagation of plate boundary stresses into the intraplate domain
The quality of foods taken during breakfast could contribute in shaping diet quality. The International Breakfast Research Initiative (IBRI) conducted a standardized analysis of national nutrition ...surveys from Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines to derive nutritional recommendations for a balanced breakfast.
Bio‐based flame retardant (FR) resins typically exhibit diminished mechanical properties compared with their petroleum‐based counterparts. Recent experiments identified a promising FR ...phosphorus‐bearing vanillin‐based epoxy resin, EP2, that exhibited superior thermomechanical properties compared to that of petroleum‐based diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A. However, the structure/property relationships of such phosphorus‐containing bio‐based resins are relatively under‐explored and cannot be resolved via experiments alone. Here, molecular simulations are used to explore these relationships for a resin comprising EP2 cured with 4,4‐diaminodiphenylmethane. The predicted thermomechanical properties are consistent with experimental observations, and critically, the structural analysis reveals the importance of the pendant phosphite group in the monomer as central to maintaining extensive hydrogen‐bonding networks, giving rise to the excellent Young's modulus. This work provides the foundation for knowledge‐based strategies to systematically improve the structure/property relationships in FR bio‐based epoxy resins.
In this paper we apply the KInematic Waveform Inversion (KIWI) tools to the study of small-to-moderate earthquakes in southwest (SW) Iberia. The earthquakes have magnitudes in the range M
L 3.5-4.9, ...with the exception of one earthquake with magnitude M
L 6.0. Most events are located offshore, are recorded with a large azimuthal gap and generate waves that travel through a strongly heterogeneous crustal structure. We obtain new estimates of centroid, depth, seismic moment, strike, dip and rake for 12 of the 29 studied events. The earthquakes whose waveforms we cannot successfully model are (1) located too far from the stations, (2) have small magnitude, hence low signal-to-noise ratio or (3) are located within the Cadiz basin, which is a major sedimentary basin that affects wave propagation notably. Our results indicate that onshore earthquakes occur at shallow depths (<15 km), whereas offshore earthquakes occur deeper, down to 46 km. Focal mechanisms indicate transpressive faulting.
SUMMARY
We present PRISM3D, a 3-D reference seismic model of P- and S-wave velocities for Iberia and adjacent areas. PRISM3D results from the combination of the most up-to-date earth models available ...for the region. It extends horizontally from 15°W to 5°E in longitude, 34°N to 46°N in latitude and vertically from 3.5 km above to 200 km below sea level, and is modelled on a regular grid with 10 and 0.5 km of grid node spacing in the horizontal and vertical directions, respectively. It was designed using models inferred from local and teleseismic body-wave tomography, earthquake and ambient noise surface wave tomography, receiver function analysis and active source experiments. It includes two interfaces, namely the topography/bathymetry and the Mohorovičić (Moho) discontinuity. The Moho was modelled from previously published receiver function analysis and deep seismic sounding results. To that end we used a probabilistic surface reconstruction algorithm that allowed to extract the mean of the Moho depth surface along with its associated standard deviation, which provides a depth uncertainty estimate. The Moho depth model is in good agreement with previously published models, although it presents slightly sharper gardients in orogenic areas such as the Pyrenees or the Betic-Rif system. Crustal and mantle P- and S-wave wave speed grids were built separately on each side of the Moho depth surface by weighted average of existing models, thus allowing to realistically render the speed gradients across that interface. The associated weighted standard deviation was also calculated, which provides an uncertainty estimation on the average wave speed values at any point of the grid. At shallow depths (<10 km), low P and S wave speeds and high VP/VS are observed in offshore basins, while the Iberian Massif, which covers a large part of western Iberia, appears characterized by a rather flat Moho, higher than average VP and VS and low VP/VS. Conversely, the Betic-Rif system seems to be associated with low VP and VS, combined with high VP/VS in comparison to the rest of the study area. The most prominent feature of the mantle is the well known high wave speed anomaly related to the Alboran slab imaged in various mantle tomography studies. The consistency of PRISM3D with previous work is verified by comparing it with two recent studies, with which it shows a good general agreement.The impact of the new 3-D model is illustrated through a simple synthetic experiment, which shows that the lateral variations of the wave speed can produce traveltime differences ranging from –1.5 and 1.5 s for P waves and from –2.5 and 2.5 s for S waves at local to regional distances. Such values are far larger than phase picking uncertainties and would likely affect earthquake hypocentral parameter estimations. The new 3-D model thus provides a basis for regional studies including earthquake source studies, Earth structure investigations and geodynamic modelling of Iberia and its surroundings.
Aims and objectives
To evaluate the effectiveness of topical interventions in the prevention or treatment of intravenous therapy‐related phlebitis.
Background
Phlebitis is a severe inflammatory ...reaction that can be caused by intravenous therapy with hyperosmolar drugs. Although a variety of interventions are performed in several different countries, the most efficient method is yet to be established.
Design
A systematic review of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) was conducted.
Methods
Following the PRISMA checklist, we conducted a literature search using seven different databases using an individual strategy adapted for each. Studies in which any topical intervention was applied to prevent or treat intravenous therapy‐related phlebitis which were published between 1998 and 2019 were analysed.
Results
Data were collected of 13 RCTs, which in total collected data from 2,015 patients during hospital treatments with different types of intravenous therapies, such as fluid replacement, antibiotics, chemotherapy and antiarrhythmic drugs. The effectiveness of different topical interventions such as the application of nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs, Sesame indicum oil, heparin sodium formulations, Chamomilla recutita tea and ointment, and Rosmarinus officinalis ointment were identified.
Relevance to Clinical Practice
Although the studies suggest a potential to use phytotherapy agents as topical interventions, pharmaceutical preparations, main substrate, and pharmaceutical or phytotherapeutic origins are very different between studies. There are insufficient data to build a solid conclusion that lead us to recommend a specific topical intervention in the prevention or treatment of intravenous therapy‐related phlebitis.
PDF
