IMPACT OF TYPHOONS ON THE OCEAN IN THE PACIFIC D’Asaro, E.A.; Black, P. G.; Centurioni, L. R. ...
Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society,
09/2014, Volume:
95, Issue:
9
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
Open access
Tropical cyclones (TCs) change the ocean by mixing deeper water into the surface layers, by the direct air–sea exchange of moisture and heat from the sea surface, and by inducing currents, surface ...waves, and waves internal to the ocean. In turn, the changed ocean influences the intensity of the TC, primarily through the action of surface waves and of cooler surface temperatures that modify the air–sea fluxes. The Impact of Typhoons on the Ocean in the Pacific (ITOP) program made detailed measurements of three different TCs (i.e., typhoons) and their interaction with the ocean in the western Pacific. ITOP coordinated meteorological and oceanic observations from aircraft and satellites with deployments of autonomous oceanographic instruments from the aircraft and from ships. These platforms and instruments measured typhoon intensity and structure, the underlying ocean structure, and the long-term recovery of the ocean from the storms' effects with a particular emphasis on the cooling of the ocean beneath the storm and the resulting cold wake. Initial results show how different TCs create very different wakes, whose strength and properties depend most heavily on the nondimensional storm speed. The degree to which air–sea fluxes in the TC core were reduced by ocean cooling varied greatly. A warm layer formed over and capped the cold wakes within a few days, but a residual cold subsurface layer persisted for 10–30 days.
This cutting-edge study delves into regional magmatism in northern Taiwan through advanced 3-D P- and S-wave frequency-dependent attenuation tomography. Positioned at the dynamic convergence boundary ...between the Philippine Sea Plate and the Eurasian Plate, Taiwan experiences moderate earthquakes and intriguing volcanic activity, with a focus on the Tatun volcano group. Employing the Formosa seismic array for high-resolution results, our research identifies high-attenuation anomalies (low Q) beneath the northern Taiwan volcanic zone (NTVZ) and offshore submarine volcanoes, indicative of potential hydrothermal activities and magma reservoirs at varying depths. Additionally, we explore low-attenuation anomalies (high Q) in the forearc region of the Ryukyu subduction zone, suggestive of partial saturation linked to serpentinization processes resulting from seawater infiltration or forearc mantle hydration. These findings shed light on the complex geological features and provide essential insights into the crustal properties of northern Taiwan, contributing to a deeper understanding of its magmatic evolution and tectonic processes.
Background
Childhood asthma comprises different phenotypes with complex pathophysiology. Different asthma phenotypes evoke various clinical symptoms and vary in their responses to treatments.
Methods
...We applied k‐means clustering algorithm of twelve objective laboratory tests among 351 asthmatic children enrolled in the Taiwanese Consortium of Childhood Asthma Study (TCCAS). We constructed gene expression profiles of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from children with different asthma phenotypes.
Results
Five distinct phenotypes of childhood asthma were identified and can be characterized by either eosinophil‐predominant or neutrophil‐predominant inflammatory characteristics. In the gene expression profile analysis, significant differences were noted for neutrophil‐predominant asthma, compared with samples from all the other asthma phenotypes. The vast majority of the differentially expressed genes in neutrophil‐predominant asthma was associated with corticosteroid response. From an independent inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) response cohort, we also found neutrophils could be activated in this severe asthma phenotype and neutrophil‐predominant asthma may be associated with corticosteroid nonresponsiveness.
Conclusion
Phenotype clustering of childhood asthma can be helpful to identify clinically relevant patients and reveal different inflammatory characteristics in asthmatic children. Neutrophil‐predominant asthma is the most severe asthma phenotype with poor corticosteroid response. Gene expression profile of different asthma phenotypes not only improve our knowledge of childhood asthma, but also can guide asthma precision medicine.
Neutrophil‐predominant asthma is the most severe asthma phenotype with poor corticosteroid response. Five distinct phenotypes of childhood asthma identified in this study with differences in lung function, symptom frequency, healthcare utilization, percentages of eosinophils and neutrophils in peripheral blood, and serum IgE. Gene expression signature in PBMC constitutes an easier way to objectively identify corticosteroid‐resistant asthma in clinical settings.
SPIDERS (The SPectroscopic IDentification of eROSITA Sources) is a programme dedicated to the homogeneous and complete spectroscopic follow-up of X-ray active galactic nuclei and galaxy clusters over ...a large area (~7500 deg super( 2)) of the extragalactic sky. SPIDERS is part of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS)-IV project, together with the Extended Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey and the Time-Domain Spectroscopic Survey. This paper describes the largest project within SPIDERS before the launch of eROSITA: an optical spectroscopic survey of X-ray-selected, massive (~10 super( 14)-10 super( 15) M...) galaxy clusters discovered in ROSAT and XMM-Newton imaging. The immediate aim is to determine precise (... ~ 0.001) redshifts for 4000-5000 of these systems out to z ~ 0.6. The scientific goal of the program is precision cosmology, using clusters as probes of large-scale structure in the expanding Universe. We present the cluster samples, target selection algorithms and observation strategies. We demonstrate the efficiency of selecting targets using a combination of SDSS imaging data, a robust red-sequence finder and a dedicated prioritization scheme. We describe a set of algorithms and work-flow developed to collate spectra and assign cluster membership, and to deliver catalogues of spectroscopically confirmed clusters. We discuss the relevance of line-of-sight velocity dispersion estimators for the richer systems. We illustrate our techniques by constructing a catalogue of 230 spectroscopically validated clusters (0.031 < z < 0.658), found in pilot observations. We discuss two potential science applications of the SPIDERS sample: the study of the X-ray luminosity-velocity dispersion (L sub( X)-...) relation and the building of stacked phase-space diagrams. (ProQuest: ... denotes formulae/symbols omitted.)
Background
Recent evidence suggests melasma to be a photoaging disorder. Triple combination creams (TCC: fluocinolone acetonide 0.01%, hydroquinone 4% and tretinoin 0.05%) remain the gold standard ...treatment. Picosecond alexandrite laser treatment using a diffractive lens array (DLA) has been identified to be effective for improving photoaging conditions.
Objective
We aimed to compare the efficacy and tolerance of the picosecond alexandrite laser with those of DLA and TCC in female Asian patients with melasma.
Methods
Twenty‐nine patients were randomly assigned to group A1 (3 laser sessions at 4‐week intervals), A2 (5 laser sessions at 4‐week intervals) or B (TCC daily for at least 8 weeks and then tapered until the final evaluation). The Melasma Area, Severity Index (MASI) score and VISIA were assessed at baseline, week 12 and week 20. By week 20, the follow‐up periods for groups A1 and A2 were 3 months and 1 month, respectively.
Results
Nine, 11 and 6 participants in groups A1, A2 and B completed the study, respectively. MASI scores were significantly improved in all 3 groups at weeks 12 and 20. In groups A1, A2 and B, the improvement rates at week 20 were 53%, 38% and 50%, respectively. VISIA® analysis additionally revealed a significant improvement in spots, porphyria, pores and brown spots after 3 laser sessions (P < 0.05). Group A2 showed greater improvements than group A1 in terms of spots, wrinkles and pores; however, only red areas were significantly different (P < 0.001). All side‐effects in the 3 groups were transient and gradually subsided after 1–3 months.
Conclusion
Picosecond alexandrite laser treatment using DLA showed comparable efficacy with TCC for the treatment of melasma. Improvements in texture, spots, wrinkles and pores were observed in the laser groups. Patients with melasma lesions that exhibit telangiectasia may benefit from additional laser treatment sessions.
Rituximab has been associated with hepatitis B virus reactivation (HBV-R). However, the characteristics and scope of this association remain largely undefined.
We completed a comprehensive literature ...search of all published rituximab-associated HBV-R cases and from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Adverse Event Reporting System (AERS) MedWatch database. Literature and FDA cases were compared for completeness, and a meta-analysis was completed.
One hundred and eighty-three unique cases of rituximab-associated HBV-R were identified from the literature (n = 27 case reports, n = 156 case series). The time from last rituximab to reactivation was 3 months (range 0–12), although 29% occurred >6 months after last rituximab. Within FDA data (n = 118 cases), there was a strong signal for rituximab-associated HBV-R proportional reporting ratio = 28.5, 95% confidence interval (CI) 23.9–34.1; Empiric Bayes Geometric Mean = 26.4, 95% CI 21.4–31.1. However, the completeness of data in FDA reports was significantly inferior compared with literature cases (P < 0.0001). Among HBV core antibody (HBcAb(+)) series, the pooled effect of rituximab-based therapy showed a significantly increased risk of HBV-R compared with nonrituximab-treated patients (odds ratio 5.73, 95% CI 2.01–16.33; Z = 3.33, P = 0.0009) without heterogeneity (χ2 = 2.12, P = 0.5473).
The FDA AERS provided strong HBV-R safety signals; however, literature-based cases provided a significantly more complete description. Furthermore, meta-analysis of HBcAb(+) series identified a more than fivefold increased rate of rituximab-associated HBV-R.
Objectives
This study aims to assess the effectiveness of a multidomain intervention program on the change in functional status of hospitalized older adults.
Design
This single-arm, prospective, ...non-randomized interventional study investigates the efficacy of a multidomain interventional program including cognitive stimulation activity, simple exercises, frailty education, and nutrition counseling.
Setting and Participants
At a tertiary hospital in southern Taiwan, 352 eligible patients were sequentially enrolled. Included patients were aged ≥65 years (mean age, 79.6 ± 9.0 years; 62% male), scored 3–7 on the Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS), and were hospitalized in the geriatric acute ward.
Intervention
Those receiving standard care (physical rehabilitation and nutrition counseling) during January–July 2019 composed the historical control group. Those receiving the multidomain intervention during August–December 2019 composed the intervention group.
Measurements
The primary outcome was the change in activities of daily life (ADL) and frailty status, as assessed by Katz Index and Clinical Frailty Scale, with using the generalized estimating equation model. The length of hospital stay, medical costs, and re-admission rates were secondary outcomes.
Results
Participants undergoing intervention (n = 101; 27.9%) showed greater improvements in the ADL and CFS during hospitalization (ADL adjusted estimate, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.11–1.11; p = 0.02; CFS adjusted estimate, −1.11; 95% CI, −1.42–−0.80; p < 0.01), shorter length of hospital stay (adjusted estimate, -5.00; 95% CI, −7.99–−2.47; p < 0.01), lower medical costs (adjusted estimate, 0.58; 95% CI, 0.49–0.69; p < 0.01), and lower 30- and 90-day readmission rates (30-day adjusted OR aOR, 0.12; 95% CI, 0.27–0.50; p < 0.01; 60-day aOR, 0.04; 95% CI, 0.01–0.33; p < 0.01) than did controls.
Conclusions
Participation in the multidomain intervention program during hospitalization improved the functional status and decreased the hospital stay length, medical costs, and readmission rates of frail older people.
Summary
Background
Drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS) is a severe cutaneous adverse drug reaction. However, its histopathological features have not been well defined.
...Objectives
To identify the clinicohistopathological findings of DRESS, and analyse the cutaneous histopathological changes observed in DRESS compared with those observed in maculopapular exanthema (MPE).
Methods
In a retrospective study, conducted at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital (Taiwan) between 2001 and 2011, we compared the clinicohistopathological features of 32 patients with probable/definite DRESS (defined by the RegiSCAR scoring system) with those of 17 patients with MPE.
Results
The major pathological changes observed in patients with DRESS included dyskeratosis (97%), epidermal spongiosis (78%), interface vacuolization (91%), perivascular lymphocytic infiltration (97%) and eosinophilic infiltration (72%). Many pathological features were common to both MPE and DRESS. However, severe dyskeratosis, epidermal spongiosis and severe interface vacuolization were significantly more prominent in cases of DRESS (P < 0·05). The presence of severe dyskeratosis was significantly associated with the clinical severity of renal impairment (P = 0·01).
Conclusions
The severe dyskeratosis detected in patients with DRESS may correlate with a greater extent of systemic involvement compared with that noted in MPE. However, the histopathological changes associated with DRESS are not entirely specific.
What's already known about this topic?
Drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS) is characterized by severe skin rash, fever, haematological abnormalities and internal organ involvement.
What does this study add?
On histopathological examination, epidermal spongiosis, severe dyskeratosis and interface vacuolization were more commonly noted in DRESS than in maculopapular exanthema (MPE).
Severe dyskeratosis, observed in DRESS, may correlate with a greater extent of systemic involvement compared with that noted in MPE.
This study aims at investigating the effects of MSW incinerator fly ash (FA) and bottom ash (BA) on the anaerobic co-digestion of OFMSW with FA or BA. It also simulates the biogas production from ...various dosed and control bioreactors. Results showed that suitable ashes addition (FA/MSW 10 and 20
g
L
−1 and BA/MSW 100
g
L
−1) could improve the MSW anaerobic digestion and enhance the biogas production rates. FA/MSW 20
g
L
−1 bioreactor had the higher biogas production and rate implying the potential option for MSW anaerobic co-digestion. Modeling studies showed that exponential plot simulated better for FA/MSW 10
g
L
−1 and control bioreactors while Gaussian plot was applicable for FA/MSW 20
g
L
−1 one. Linear and exponential plot of descending limb both simulated better for BA/MSW 100
g
L
−1 bioreactor. Modified Gompertz plot showed higher correlation of biogas accumulation than exponential rise to maximum plot for all bioreactors.
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