Contact Heat Evoked Potentials in China: Normal Values and Reproducibility

Background: Contact heat evoked potentials (CHEPs) is used to diagnose small fiber neuropathy (SFN). We established the normal values of CHEPs parameters in Chinese adults, optimized the test technique, and determined its reproducibility.Methods: We recruited 151 healthy adults (80 men; mean age, 37 ± 14 years). CHEPs was performed on the right forearm to determine the optimal number of stimuli, and then conducted at different sites to establish normal values, determine the effects of demographic characteristics and baseline temperature, and assess the short- (30 min) and long-term (1 year) reproducibility. N2 latency/height varied with age and sex, while P2 latency/height and N2–P2 amplitude varied with age. The optimal number of stimuli was three.Results: N2 latency/height (t = 5.45, P < 0.001) and P2 latency/height (χ2 = −4.06, P < 0.001) decreased and N2–P2 amplitude (t = −5.01, P < 0.001) and visual analog scale score (χ2 = −5.84, P < 0.001) increased with increased baseline temperature (35 vs. 32°C). CHEPs parameters did not differ with time (baseline vs. 30 min vs. 1 year).Conclusion: We established normal CHEPs values in Chinese adults. We found that CHEPs parameters changed with baseline temperature and that the short- and long-term test reproducibility were satisfactory.

Can we clinically identify pre-symptomatic and asymptomatic COVID-19?

Objectives: COVID-19 has had a severe impact on morbidity and mortality among nursing home (NH) residents. Earlier detection of SARS-CoV-2 may position us to better mitigate risk of spread. Both asymptomatic or pre-symptomatic transmission are common in outbreaks, and threshold temperatures, such as 38C, for screening for infection could miss timely detection in the majority. Design: Retrospective cohort study using electronic health records Methods: We hypothesized that in long-term care residents, temperature trends with SARS-CoV-2 infection could identify infection in pre-symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals earlier. We collected information about age and other demographics, baseline temperature, and specific comorbidities. We created standardized definitions, and an alternative hypothetical model to test measures of temperature variation and compare outcomes to the VA reality. Settings and participants: Our subjects were 6,176 residents of the VA NHs who underwent SARS-CoV-2 trigger testing. Results: We showed that a change from baseline of >0.4C identifies 47% of the SARS-CoV-2 positive NH residents early, and achieves earlier detection by 42.2 hours. Range improves early detection to 55% when paired with a 37.2C cutoff, and achieves earlier detection by 44.4 hours. Temperature elevation >0.4C from baseline, when combined with a 0.7C range, would detect 52% early, leading to earlier detection by more than 3 days in 22% of the residents. This earlier detection comes at the expense of triggering 57,793 tests, as compared to the number of trigger tests ordered in the VA system of 40,691. Conclusion and implications: Our model suggests that current clinical screening for SARS-CoV-2 in NHs can be substantially improved upon by triggering testing using a patient-derived baseline temperature with a 0.4C degree relative elevation or temperature variability of 0.7C trigger threshold for SARS-CoV2 testing. Such triggers could be automated in facilities that track temperatures in their electronic records.

The Transient Dynamics of Permanent Fiber Temperature Analysis and Downhole Gauge Evaluation of an Acid Stimulation Job in a Brown Field, Offshore Malaysia

Well B-2 is a dual-string producers with Distributed Temperature Sensing (DTS) fiber installed along the long string (i.e. Well B-2L) across the reservoir sections. Each zone comprises of sub-layers. This system enabled the operator to continuously monitor the wellbore temperature across all the producing intervals including gas-lift monitoring, well integrity identification, zonal inflow profiling and stimulation job evaluation. This paper mainly discusses the post matrix acid stimulation job with interpreted DTS and zonal Permanent Downhole Gauge (PDG) data. Well B-2L has been selected for matrix acidizing treatment to improve the productivity due to potential formation damage, proven by the declining production over the years. Prior to the execution of the acidizing job, several conformance jobs such as injectivity test, tubing pickling were performed. This is followed by the main acid treatment and flow back. DTS & zonal PDG data were acquired throughout the operation. A transient simulator model was built incorporating all the reservoir properties including well trajectory and completion schematic to analyze the DTS profile and understand the zonal inflow profiling for each zone post treatment. A baseline temperature was acquired for the geothermal evaluation. The DTS data has been studied according to actual event schedules. Some significant findings are; i) completion accessories effect (feedthru packers) creates temperature anomalies, ii) leak points detected at top producing zone signifies cooling effect due to injected fluid. The main treatment was intended at zone 2 and 3 using nitrified acid. However, leak points at top zone caused bypassed injection into Zone 1 and 2 instead. Fiber optic DTS warmback profiles post main-treatment was analyzed to quantify the fluid intake from sub-layer in each zone. Qualitatively from the DTS-interpreted zonal profiling, the data clearly shows most of treatment fluid is being injected into Zone 1 and 2 with no intakes at Zone 3. Furthermore, warmback analysis confirmed the high intake zones from sub-layers within the main zone based on the permeability contrast. This paper will further discuss the zonal injectivity understanding for improvement from the zonal-inflow profiling evaluation by incorporating DTS, PDG and surface production data.

A Land Evaluation Framework for Agricultural Diversification

Shortlisting ecologically adaptable plant species can be a starting point for agricultural diversification projects. We propose a rapid assessment framework based on an ecological model that can accelerate the evaluation of options for sustainable crop diversification. To test the new model, expert-defined and widely available crop requirement data were combined with more than 100,000 occurrence data for 40 crops of different types (cereals, legumes, vegetables, fruits, and tubers/roots). Soil pH, texture, and depth to bedrock data were obtained and harmonised based on the optimal rooting depths of each crop. Global baseline temperature and rainfall data were used to extract averages at each location. To evaluate the ability of the method to capture intraspecies variation, a test was performed using more than 1000 accession records of bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc.) as an exemplar underutilised crop. Results showed that a suitability index based on soil pH and an index that combines the thermal suitability moderated by the soil pH, texture, and depth suitability have the potential to predict crop adaptability. We show that the proposed method can be combined with traditional land use and crop models to evaluate diversification options for sustainable land and agrobiodiversity resources management.

Millennial solar irradiance forcing (Hallstatt’s cycle) in the terrestrial temperature variations

<p>In this paper we explore the millennial oscillations (or Hallstatt cycle) of the baseline solar magnetic field, total solar irradiance and baseline terrestrial temperature detected from Principal Component Analysis of the observed solar background magnetic field. We confirm the existence of these oscillations with a period of 2100-2200 years with the similar oscillations detected in carbon 14C isotope abundances and with wavelet analysis of solar irradiance in the past 12 millennia indicating the presence of this  millennial period among a few others. We also test again the idea expressed in our paper Zharkova et al, 2019 that solar inertial motion (SIM) can cause these millennial variations because of a change of the distance between the Sun and Earth. In this paper we use the S-E distance derived from the current JPL ephemeris, finding that currently starting from the Maunder minimum the Sun-Earth  distance is reducing by 0.00025 au per 100 years, or by 0.0025 au per 1000 years.. We present the estimation of variations of solar irradiance caused by this variation of the S-E distance caused by solar inertial motion (SIM) demonstrating these variations to be closely comparable with the observed variations of the solar irradiance measured by the SATIRE payload. We also estimate the baseline temperature variations since Maunder Minimum caused by the increase of solar irradiance caused by the recovery from grand solar minimum and by reduction of the S-E distance caused by  SIM. These estimations show that the Sun will still continue moving towards the Earth in the next 700 years that will result in the increase of the baseline terrestrial temperature by up to 2.5◦C in 2700. These variations of solar irradiance will be over-imposed by the variations of solar activity of 11 cycles and the two grand solar minima occurring in 2020-2053 and 2370-2415 caused by the double dynamo actions inside the Sun.</p>

Dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine for the routine treatment of uncomplicated malaria in Northern Ghana

<p class="abstract"><strong>Background:</strong> Dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine is a first line treatment for uncomplicated malaria in Ghana. A facility-based study was undertaken to examine the effectiveness of the treatment in the routine health care system.</p><p class="abstract"><strong>Methods:</strong> The study was undertaken at the Navrongo demographic surveillance area. Patients presenting with acute febrile illness were enrolled after informed consented and confirmation by microscopy. Patients were randomized into supervised group who received treatment under direct observation and unsupervised group which had only the first treatment given under supervision. Treatment was according to bodyweight and 42 days follow-up was undertaken.</p><p class="abstract"><strong>Results:</strong> A total of 194 patients were enrolled; 54.1% were females and 51% had supervised treatment. The median age and weight were 6.7 years and 20.0 kg respectively. Mean baseline temperature, haemoglobin concentration and parasite density were, 37.6 ^oC, 11.1 g/dl and 11,098 parasites per microliter of blood respectively. Study completion rate was 93.3%, day 42 polymerase chain reaction-unadjusted adequate clinical and parasitological responses rate (ACPR) was 93.4% by evaluable and 87.1 % by intention-to-treat (ITT). The day 42 ACPR by evaluable was 92.3% in the supervised arm compared to 94.4% in the unsupervised arm. The day 42 ACPR by ITT was 85.7% in the supervised and 88.5% in the unsupervised arms. The fever resolution and haemoglobin concentration changes for the two arms were similar.</p><p class="abstract"><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The results show that dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine is effective and good first-line antimalarial in the routine health delivery system.</p>

Relationship Between the Skin Surface Temperature Changes During Sprint Interval Testing Protocol and the Aerobic Capacity in Well-Trained Cyclists

The study investigated whether changes in body surface temperature in a sprint interval testing protocol (SITP) correlated with aerobic capacity in cyclists. The study involved 21 well-trained cyclists. Maximal aerobic power and maximal oxygen uptake relative to lean body mass (LBM-P(max) and LBM-VO(2max), respectively) were determined by incremental exercise testing on a cycle ergometer. SITP was administered 48 hours later and involved four 30-s maximal sprints interspersed with 90-s active recovery. Body surface temperature was recorded at the temple and arm and the delta difference between baseline temperature and temperature measured immediately after the first sprint (ΔTt(1) and ΔTa(1), respectively) and 80 seconds after the fourth sprint (ΔTt(4) and ΔTa(4), respectively) was calculated. Significant correlations were found between ΔTt(4) and LBM-P(max) and LBM-VO(2max) (r=0.63 and r=0.75, respectively) with no significant change in ΔTa(1) or ΔTa(4). Body surface temperature, measured at the temple region, can be used to indirectly assess aerobic capacity during maximal sprint exercise.

Evaluation of Threaded External Skeletal Fixation Pin Insertion with and without Predrilling in Avian Bone

Objective The aim of this study was to document the effects of positive-profile threaded external skeletal fixation (ESF) pin insertion without predrilling on heat generation, structural damage and pullout strength in avian bone than that with predrilling. Study design This study was an ex vivo study. Materials and Methods Twenty paired tibiotarsi and 40 paired humeri from 20 Mallard duck cadavers were used. Specimens were randomized to have positive-profile threaded ESF pins placed with or without predrilling insertion sites. Heat generation (maximum—baseline temperature) was measured during drilling and pin insertion with infrared thermography. Structural damage (gross trans-cortical damage and thread quality) was evaluated and scored using a visual analog scale (VAS). Mechanical testing was performed to evaluate pullout strength of inserted pins. Results VAS scores for trans-cortical surfaces were significantly higher than for cis-cortical surfaces; however, no difference was noted between predrilled and non-predrilled specimens. No significant difference in heat generation or pullout strength was noted between pins placed with and without predrilling. Conclusion Pin insertion without predrilling in avian humeri and tibiotarsi does not cause significantly more structural damage or heat generation, or reduced pullout strength, compared with predrilling. Overall, our results indicate that predrilling prior to ESF pin placement provides no obvious advantage in avian bone.

Controlling In Vivo, Human Pulp Temperature Rise Caused by LED Curing Light Exposure

SUMMARY Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the in vivo effectiveness of air spray to reduce pulp temperature rise during exposure of intact premolars to light emitted by a high-power LED light-curing unit (LCU). Methods and Materials: After local Ethics Committee approval (#255945), intact, upper first premolars requiring extraction for orthodontic reasons from five volunteers received infiltrative and intraligamental anesthesia. The teeth (n=9) were isolated using rubber dam, and a minute pulp exposure was attained. The sterile probe from a wireless, NIST-traceable, temperature acquisition system was inserted directly into the coronal pulp chamber. Real-time pulp temperature (PT) (°C) was continuously monitored, while the buccal surface was exposed to a polywave LED LCU (Bluephase 20i, Ivoclar Vivadent) for 30 seconds with simultaneous application of a lingually directed air spray (30s-H/AIR) or without (30s-H), with a seven-minute span between each exposure. Peak PT values were subjected to one-way, repeated-measures analysis of variance, and PT change from baseline (ΔT) during exposure was subjected to paired Student's t-test (α=0.05). Results: Peak PT values of the 30s-H group were significantly higher than those of 30s-H/AIR group and those from baseline temperature (p&lt;0.001), whereas peak PT values in the 30s-H/AIR group were significantly lower than the baseline temperature (p=0.003). The 30s-H/AIR group showed significantly lower ΔT values than did the 30s-H group (p&lt;0.001). Conclusion: Applying air flow simultaneously with LED exposure prevents in vivo pulp temperature rise.