Journal articles: '\t\nThe April agreement' – Grafiati (2024)

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Abstract Several large in-situ soil moisture-monitoring networks currently exist over seasonally frozen regions that may have use for the validation of remote sensing soil freeze/thaw (F/T) products. However, further understanding of how the existing network instrumentation responds to changes in near surface soil F/T is recommended. This case study describes the results of a small plot-scale (7 × 7 m) study from November 2013 through April 2014 instrumented with 36 impedance probes. Soil temperature and real dielectric permittivity ϵr' were measured every 15 minutes during F/T transition periods at shallow soil depths (0–10 cm). Categorical soil temperature and real dielectric permittivity techniques were used to define the soil F/T state during these periods. Results demonstrate that both methods for detecting soil F/T have strong agreement (84.7–95.6%) during the fall freeze but weak agreement (53.3–60.9%) during the spring thaw. Bootstrapping results demonstrated both techniques showed a mean difference within ±1.0°C and ±1.4 ϵr' between the standard 5 cm below surface measurement depth and probes at 2, 10 and integrated 0–5.7 cm depths installed within the same study plot. Overall this study demonstrates that the Hydra Probe offers promise for near surface soil F/T detection using existing soil moisture monitoring networks particularly for the fall freeze.

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Abstract Hairy cell leukemia (HCL) is a rare chronic lymphoproliferative disorder characterized by massive infiltration of the spleen by malignant B cells displaying a distinctive “hairy” morphology. These hairy cells (HCs) often contain hypermutated Ig genes, suggesting an ontogenetic relationship with post-germinal center memory B cells. However, unlike memory B cells, HCs usually express CD11c and CD103, two molecules typically associated with mucosal innate immune cells. The goal of this study was to elucidate the ontogeny and growth mechanisms of HCs. We found that HCs interacted with splenic endothelial cells expressing B cell-activating factor of the TNF family (BAFF) and a proliferation-inducing ligand (APRIL), two innate B cell-stimulating factors involved in T cell-independent antibody responses, including Ig class switching. In agreement with prior studies indicating that BAFF and APRIL play an important role in B cell tumors, HCs expressed transmembrane activator and calcium modulator and cyclophylin ligand interactor (TACI), B cell maturation antigen (BCMA), and BAFF receptor (BAFF-R), three receptors that bind BAFF and APRIL. In addition, HCs expressed microbial carbohydrate and endocytic receptors usually expressed by innate immune cells, including DEC-205 (CD205), mannose receptor (CD206), langerin (CD207) and dendritic cell-specific ICAM-3-grabbing non-integrin (CD209). This phenotype was different from that of naïve, germinal center, memory and plasmacytoid B cells, but similar to that of a subset of splenic marginal zone and mucosal B cells. Like these innate B cells, HCs contained activation-induced cytidine deaminase, a DNA-editing enzyme required for class switching, and showed signs of ongoing IgM-to-IgD class switching, a mucosal Ig diversifying process typically triggered by BAFF and APRIL. Our findings suggest that HCL may emerge as a result of chronic stimulation of an innate B cell precursor through a T-cell independent pathway involving microbial carbohydrates, BAFF and APRIL.

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The thermal performances of photovoltaic thermal (PV/T) flat plate panel were determined under 500–1000 W/m2 solar radiation levels. In the present work, fluid flow analysis and temperature distribution on solar panel has been carried out by experimental method and computational fluid dynamic (CFD) technique. The experiments have been carried out on clear days during the month April 2014. The geometric model for CFD analysis is generated using Solidworks. Mesh generation is accomplished by ANSYS Meshing Software. Physics setup, computation and post processing are accomplished by ANSYS FLUENT. The experimentally measured temperatures are compared to the temperatures determined by the CFD model and found to be in good agreement. It is also found that the difference between the experimental and CFD simulated outlet temperature differ only by less than 3.5°C.

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Protest against Dictatorship that started on April 3, 2017 in towns and cities across Serbia was too short-lived to establish organized production and instruments of distribution of meaning. This however doesn?t imply that certain processes were not set in motion and that collective identity wasn?t ?under construction?. The main aim of this paper is to reconstruct the identification patterns at work in Protest against Dictatorship. The study is based on data collected between 13th April and 4th May 2017 among participants of the protest in three cities in Serbia - Belgrade, Nis and Subotica (n=175). Two presuppositions - that collective identity is the field of struggle, and that identity building processes in contemporary social movements are influenced by a constitution and principles of the capitalist mode of production of social life - provided a basis for our analysis. We opt for an approach that conceives the collective identity as a product (?content?) and process (?contestation?). To conceptualize and operationalize collective identity we rely on the existing studies that outline four elements of collective identity that can be measured: worldviews, shared goals, relational aspects, and behaviors and norms. The contenstation is captured considering the extent of agreement and disagreement among protesters around each of these four elements.

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ObjectiveTo determine the accuracy of QT measurement in a smartphone-operated, single-lead ECG (1L-ECG) device (AliveCor KardiaMobile 1L).DesignCross-sectional, within-patient diagnostic validation study.Setting/participantsPatients underwent a 12-lead ECG (12L-ECG) for any non-acute indication in primary care, April 2017–July 2018.InterventionSimultaneous recording of 1L-ECGs and 12L-ECGs with blinded manual QT assessment.Outcomes of interest(1) Difference in QT interval in milliseconds (ms) between the devices; (2) measurement agreement between the devices (excellent agreement <20 ms and clinically acceptable agreement <40 ms absolute difference); (3) sensitivity and specificity for detection of extreme QTc (short (≤340 ms) or long (≥480 ms)), on 1L-ECGs versus 12L-ECGs as reference standard. In case of significant discrepancy between lead I/II of 12L-ECGs and 1L-ECGs, we developed a correction tool by adding the difference between QT measurements of 12L-ECG and 1L-ECGs.Results250 ECGs of 125 patients were included. The mean QTc interval, using Bazett’s formula (QTcB), was 393±25 ms (mean±SD) in 1L-ECGs and 392±27 ms in lead I of 12L-ECGs, a mean difference of 1±21 ms, which was not statistically different (paired t-test (p=0.51) and Bland Altman method (p=0.23)). In terms of agreement between 1L-ECGs and lead I, QTcB had excellent agreement in 66.9% and clinically acceptable agreement in 93.4% of observations. The sensitivity and specificity of detecting extreme QTc were 0% and 99.2%, respectively. The comparison of 1L-ECG QTcB with lead II of 12L-ECGs showed a significant difference (p=<0.01), but when using a correction factor (+9 ms) this difference was cancelled (paired t-test (p=0.43) or Bland Altman test (p=0.57)). Moreover, it led to improved rates of excellent (71.3%) and clinically acceptable (94.3%) agreement.ConclusionSmartphone-operated 1L-ECGs can be used to accurately measure the QTc interval compared with simultaneously obtained 12L-ECGs in a primary care population. This may provide an opportunity for monitoring the effects of potential QTc-prolonging medications.

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In the history of Poland’s April Constitution of 1935, there were two attempts to democratise it, the first one in November 1939 referred to as the “Paris agreement” and the other one in September 1950 included in the formula of the “London pact”, both of which concerned the ways of implementing Article 13 defining the scope of the President’s personal powers. The “Paris agreement” introduced into political life the practice of consultation between the President and the Prime Minister; the “London pact” provided for a thorough change in the nature of the President’s relations with the Government and the planned Parliament-in-exile called the Council of National Unity, as well as strengthened the role of the political parties in political decision-making. Motivated by the notion of the modernisation of the Constitution and its adjustment to the democratic standards of Western states, the postulate to democratise it was put forward by established political actors, the Polish Socialist Party (PPS) and the National Party (SN), supported by the Independence and Democracy (NiD) party founded in exile. Appearing together as the Political Council, they took part in negotiations on the formation of a government of national unity after the death of Prime Minister T. Tomaszewski. Representatives of the Polish People’s Party did not take part in the talks; its leader, Stanisław Mikołajczyk, rejected the April Constitution “in its entirety”. The “pact” did not gain the approval of the “Castle”: the President defended the Constitution and did not accept concessions as regards Article 13. Nevertheless, the postulates of the “pact” were not nullified as they were used to build a new political construction – the National Unity – from 1954 functioning in parallel to the presidential centre. Due to the importance of the issue, the negotiations can be regarded as a breakthrough event in the political life of the émigré community. It is no exaggeration to say that the roots of the most important political events in the life of the émigré milieu go back to the “London pact”. The research goal of this article is to bring to light the political aspects of the initiative motivated by the idea of democratising the April Constitution, expressed in the formula of the “London pact”, against the background of the hypothesis that the leaders of the Political Council, behind the screen of their demand for the modernisation of the political system, aimed at weakening the position of the President as an obstacle on the way to building a new political centre – the Unity camp. They used the stage of negotiations based on the demands of the “pact” to orchestrate an anti-presidential propaganda campaign and to portray Zaleski as an opponent of the notion of unity. At the same time, they promoted the false premise that the democratisation of political life would help unblock the channels of émigré diplomacy and change the position of the Polish cause in the international arena. In this way, taking advantage of the atmosphere of distrust towards the President, they were able to launch their own political project: the National Unity, planned for as early as in 1949. For them, their participation in the Unity’s bodies opened the possibility of realising their own political ambitions reserved for politicians from President Zaleski’s closest milieu referred to as the ‘Castle entourage’.

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Background. WHO clinical staging has long been used to assess the immunological status of HIV-infected patients at initiation of antiretroviral therapy and during treatment follow-up. In setups where CD4 count determination is not readily available, WHO clinical staging is a viable option. However, correlation between CD4 count and WHO clinical staging is not known in an Ethiopian setting, and hence, the main aim of this study was to assess predictability of CD4 T-lymphocyte count using WHO clinical staging among ART-naïve HIV-infected adolescents and adults in northern Ethiopia. Methods. A retrospective cross-sectional study was done in the Tigray Region, Ethiopia, from April 2015 to January 2019 from a secondary database of 19525 HIV-infected patients on antiretroviral treatment. Analysis was done using STATA-14.0 to estimate the frequencies, mean, and median of CD4 T-cell count in each WHO stages. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, kappa test, and correlations were calculated to show the relationships between WHO stages and CD T-cell count. Results. The sensitivity of WHO clinical staging to predict CD4 T-cell counts of <200 cells/μl was 94.17% with a specificity of 3.62%. The PPV was 49.03%, and the NPV was 3.62%. The sensitivity of WHO clinical staging to predict CD4 T-cell counts of <350 cells/μl was 94.75% with a specificity of 3.00%. The PPV was 75.81%, and the NPV was 15.09%. Similarly, the sensitivity of WHO clinical staging to predict CD4 T-cell counts of <500 cells/μl was 95.03% with a specificity of 2.73% and the PPV and NPV were 88.32% and 6.62%, respectively. The kappa agreement of WHO clinical stages was also insignificant when compared with the disaggregated CD4 counts in different categories. The correlation of WHO clinical staging was inversely associated with the CD4 count, and the magnitude of the correlation was 5.22%. Conclusions. The WHO clinical staging had high sensitivity but low specificity in predicting patients with CD4 count <200 cells/μl, <350 cells/μl, and <500 cells/μl. There was poor correlation and agreement between CD4 T-lymphocyte count and WHO clinical staging. Therefore, WHO clinical staging alone may not provide accurate information on the immunological status of patients, and hence, it is better to use the CDC definition rather than the WHO clinical definition.

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The use of anticoagulants is one of the important pre-analytic factors in hematological tests. Both dipotassium (K2) andtripotassium (K3) Ethylene Diamine Tetraacetic Acid (EDTA) are widely used anticoagulants. International CouncilStandardization of Hematology (ICSH) and several researchers recommend the use of K2 EDTA due to its less hyperosmolareffect on blood cells compared to K3 EDTA. This study aimed to compare the results of Complete Blood Count (CBC) andErythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR) using anticoagulant K2 EDTA and K3 EDTA. This study was an analytic observationalstudy with a cross-sectional design conducted from April to December 2018. The subject of the study were 103 healthyadults selected by consecutive sampling. Blood samples were collected in both anticoagulant tubes with a volume of 3 mLeach. Samples were tested twice, in the first 0 hours and the next 6 hours using Sysmex XN 1000 and Alifax Roller 20 LC.Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, paired T-test and Wilcoxon rank test were used for statistical analysis. The agreement testbetween both anticoagulants was carried out using the Bland Altman plot for parameters with a significant difference. Therewas a significant difference between both anticoagulants for the parameters of hemoglobin, hematocrit MCV, MCHC, RDW,PDW, MPV, PLC-R, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate in both the first and second tests. The agreement test using the BlandAltman plot showed that the difference in these parameters was within the Limit of Agreement (LOA) range of 95%. Thisstudy showed that there were differences in some parameters of complete blood count and erythrocyte sedimentation ratebetween the two anticoagulants (K2 K3 EDTA), but these differences were within the LOA range.

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In the cool temperate dairy regions of Tasmania, there is heavy reliance on irrigation to maximise pasture performance by ensuring that plants do not suffer water stress. Consequently, irrigation water has often been applied at a greater amount than plant water requirements, resulting in low efficiencies. An irrigation experiment was undertaken in north-western Tasmania between October 2007 and April 2008, examining the effect of deficit irrigation treatments on pasture growth and water-use efficiency. A rainfall deficit (potential evapotranspiration minus rainfall) of 20 mm was implemented to schedule irrigation, at which point 20, 16, 12, 8, or 0 mm of irrigation water was applied, referred to as treatments I100%, I80%, I60%, I40%, and I0%, respectively. The trial was a randomised complete block design with 4 replications. There were 21 irrigation events between October and April. The experimental area was grazed by 60 Holstein Friesian heifers at a grazing interval coinciding with emergence of 2.5–3.0 new ryegrass leaves/tiller of the I100% treatment. Cumulative pasture consumption for the irrigated period was 9.2, 8.9, 7.6, 6.9, and 3.7 t dry matter (DM)/ha for the I100%, I80%, I60%, I40%, and I0% treatments, respectively. The resulting marginal irrigation water-use index (MIWUI; marginal production due to irrigation) was 1.29, 1.54, 1.55, and 1.87 t DM/ML, for the I100%, I80%, I60%, and I40% treatments, respectively. The results of this study were modelled using the biophysical model DairyMod, with strong agreement between observed and modelled data. DairyMod was then used to simulate the MIWUI for 5 differing dairy regions of Tasmania using 40 years of climatic data (1968–2007) under 3 differing nitrogen management strategies by the 5 irrigation treatments. The modelling indicated that a MIWUI greater than 2 t DM/ML can be achieved in all regions. The current study has shown that the opportunity exists for irrigated pastoral systems to better manage an increasingly scarce resource and substantially improve responses to irrigation.

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e14569 Background: Appropriate use of prognostic and predictive markers depends on quality of evidence for clinical utility in addition to clinical validity. In stage II CC, RR assessment is based traditionally on clinicopathologic factors (CP) with limited clinical validation and varies substantially across providers. We hypothesized that the validated Oncotype DX Colon Cancer RS and MMR tests may impact clinical decision-making by decreasing variation in RR assessment across MDs. We conducted a survey to compare the level of MD agreement on stage II CC RR assessment using CP alone vs CP+RS+MMR (CP+). Methods: A clinical trial database was randomly sampled for 100 cases of stage II CC stratified on T-stage, MMR and RS groups. Anonymous internet surveys asked each MD to assess 3-year RR for 10 cases with CP and 10 different cases with CP+. MDs were divided into panels of 5; all members of each panel reviewed the same cases. Agreement in RR among MDs was assessed using within-panel mean squared difference in RR assessments and analyzed using generalized linear models. Results: 30 community (C) and 20 university-based (U) MDs (Assoc of Northern California Oncologists or NCCN, respectively) completed evaluable surveys April-June 2012. For C vs U, median years in practice were 5 and 2; prior use of RS 13% vs 25%; and routine MMR use 21% vs 55%. The standard deviation of the differences (SDD) in RR assessments for CP alone was high overall (7%), and greater for U vs C MDs (8.2% vs 6.4%). CP+ produced higher agreement in RR assessments vs CP for both C (p<.001) and U (p=0.04) MDs, with 23% and 20% proportional reduction in SDD. ForT3 MMR-proficient (P) patients (n=70), CP+ produced higher agreement in RR for both C (p<0.001) and U (p=0.01) MDs with 37% and 29% reduction in SDD. Conclusions: Addition of RS+MMR to CP significantly increased MD agreement on RR assessment in stage II CC, including T3 MMR-P patients. Agreement was higher among C than U MDs. MD agreement on stage II CC RR assessment and Tx decision-making warrants consideration as a novel endpoint for clinical utility of RS, MMR, and other prognostic markers.

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349 Background: Appropriate use of prognostic and predictive markers depends on quality of evidence for clinical utility in addition to clinical validity. In stage 2 CC, RR assessment is based traditionally on clinicopathologic factors (CP) with limited clinical validation and varies substantially across providers. We hypothesized that the validated Oncotype DX Colon Cancer RS and MMR tests may impact clinical decision-making by decreasing variation in RR assessment across MDs. We conducted a survey to compare the level of MD agreement on stage 2 CC RR assessment using CP alone vs CP+RS+MMR (CP+). Methods: A clinical trial database was randomly sampled for 100 cases of stage 2 CC stratified on T-stage, MMR and RS groups. Anonymous internet surveys asked each MD to assess 3-year RR for 10 cases with CP and 10 different cases with CP+. MDs were divided into panels of 5; all members of each panel reviewed the same cases. Agreement in RR among MDs was assessed using within-panel mean squared difference in RR assessments and analyzed using generalized linear models. Results: 30 community (C) and 20 university-based (U) MDs (Assoc of Northern California Oncologists or NCCN, respectively) completed evaluable surveys April-June 2012. For C vs U, median years in practice were 5 and 2; prior use of RS 13% vs 25%; and routine MMR use 21% vs 55%. The standard deviation of the differences (SDD) in RR assessments for CP alone was high overall (7%), and greater for U vs C MDs (8.2% vs 6.4%). CP+ produced higher agreement in RR assessments vs CP for both C (p<.001) and U (p=0.04) MDs, with 23% and 20% proportional reduction in SDD. ForT3 MMR-proficient (P) patients (n=70), CP+ produced higher agreement in RR for both C (p<0.001) and U (p=0.01) MDs with 37% and 29% reduction in SDD. Conclusions: Addition of RS+MMR to CP significantly increased MD agreement on RR assessment in stage 2 CC, including T3 MMR-P patients. Agreement was higher among C than U MDs. MD agreement on stage 2 CC RR assessment and Tx decision-making warrants consideration as a novel endpoint for clinical utility of RS, MMR, and other prognostic markers.

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ABSTRACT Introduction Measured total carbon dioxide (TCO2) from venous sample and calculated bicarbonate from arterial blood gas (ABG) have shown good agreement in some studies, while conflicting results have been obtained in few other studies. The objective of this study is to compare and assess the degree of agreement between the measured TCO2 and calculated bicarbonate and also whether they can be used interchangeably in our laboratory. Materials and methods We prospectively analyzed 89 ABG samples requested for calculated bicarbonate and then measured TCO2 from venous blood samples drawn simultaneously from the same participants between November 2016 and April 2017. Results Measured TCO2 results ranged from 5.7 to 39.9 mmol/L (mean 23.45 mmol/L), while calculated bicarbonate ranged from 9 to 40 mmol/L (mean 24.36 mmol/L). The values of TCO2 and bicarbonate correlated well (r = 0.95, p < 0.001), with the correlation given by the equation, y = 0.884x + 3.605. The bias obtained was —0.9 mmol/L and the standard deviation (SD) was 1.62 mmol/L. The limits of agreement (LOA) were —4.1 to 2.3 mmol/L, with a span of 6.4 mmol/L. Out of the 89 values, 85 (95.05%) were within the LOA. Conclusion In majority of the cases, the calculated bicarbonate concentration from ABG showed a good correlation to the measured venous TCO2 concentration. Despite this excellent correlation, TCO2 did not show good agreement with calculated bicarbonate when Story and Poustie's criteria were applied, especially in cases of bicarbonate less than 20 mmol/L. Hence, clinicians should be aware of this discrepancy and be cautious when using measured TCO2 and calculated bicarbonate interchangeably in the assessment and management of acid—base disorders, especially in patients with metabolic acidosis. How to cite this article Mohan T, Kumar BV. Comparison of measured Serum Total Carbon Dioxide with calculated Bicarbonate calculated from Arterial Blood Gas Analysis. Indian J Med Biochem 2017;21(2):76-80.

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Abstract Seven quadrilaterals, constructed at broadly distributed points on surface breaks within the Superstition Hills fault zone, were repeatedly remeasured after the pair of 24 November 1987 earthquakes to monitor the growing surface displacement. Changes in the dimensions of the quadrilaterals are recalculated to right-lateral and extensional components at millimeter resolution, and vertical components of change are resolved at 0.2 mm precision. The displacement component data for four of the seven quadrilaterals record the complete fault movement with respect to an October 1986 base. These data fit with remarkable agreement the power law U ( t ) = U f ( B t 1 + B t ) c , where U(t) is a displacement component at time t after the second main shock and Uf, B, and c are constants. This power law permits estimation of the final displacement, Uf, from the data obtained within the period of observation. Data from one quadrilateral, located near the epicenter of the second main shock and northeast-trending conjugate faults, allow that about 5 cm of right-lateral slip may have been associated with the first main shock there. Data from the other quadrilaterals confirm that the surface faulting on most of the Superstition Hills fault zone did initiate at the time of the second main shock of the 1987 earthquakes. The three-dimensional motion vectors all describe nearly linear trajectories throughout the observation period, and they indicate smooth shearing on their respective fault surfaces. The inclination of the shear surfaces is generally nearly vertical, except near the south end of the Superstition Hills fault zone where two strands dip northeastward at about 70°. Surface displacement on these strands is right reverse. Another kind of deformation, superimposed on the fault displacements, has been recorded at all quadrilateral sites. It consists of a northwest-southeast contraction or component of contraction that ranged from 0 to 0.1 per cent of the quadrilateral lengths between November 1987 and April 1988.

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Abstract Background Objective: To compare the accuracy of Quantiferon ®- TB Gold Plus (QFT-Plus) and T-SPOT.TB in the diagnosis of active tuberculosis (ATB). Methods From April 2020 to May 2021, patients with pathologically confirmed or clinically diagnosed ATB in Peking Union Medical College Hospital and Beijing Chest Hospital were enrolled as case group, while patients excluded from ATB in the same period were enrolled as control group, The clinical and laboratory information were collected. QFT-Plus and T-SPOT. TB were tested simultaneously to evaluate the consistency of the results and compare the sensitivity, specificity, predictive values and likelihood ratios for diagnosing ATB. Results Fifty-seven ATB patients and 159 non-ATB patients were included. 33 (57.9%) ATB patients were pathologically confirmed. The proportions of indeterminate results in QFT-Plus and T-SPOT.TB were 3.7% vs 0%, respectively. The agreement between the results of the QFT-Plus and T-SPOT.TB was substantial (kappa=0.644, p＜0.001). The area under the ROC curve of the QFT-Plus and T-SPOT.TB for diagnosing ATB was 0.759 (95%CI 0.689-0.829) vs 0.810 (95%CI 0.742-0.877), respectively, and there was no significant difference (p=0.303). the sensitivity of the QFT-Plus and T-SPOT.TB was 85.2% vs 89.5%, while the specificity was 61.7% vs 52.2%, respectively. In 33 Patients with pathologically confirmed ATB, the sensitivity of QFT-Plus and T-SPOT.TB was 87.9% vs 93.9% (p=0.669), respectively. In 78 patients (36.1%) who received glucocorticoid / immunosuppressive / biological agents, the positive rate of QFT-Plus was 35.9% (28/78), which was significantly lower than that of those who did not receive these agents (77 / 138pm,55.8%) (p=0.005), but there was no significant difference in the positive rate of T-SPOT.TB between the two groups (52.6% vs. 62.3%, p=0.162). The positive rate for both tests was independent of the peripheral blood lymphocyte count (p=0.675 for QFT-Plus vs. P=0.138 for T-SPOT.TB). Conclusion There was no significant difference between the QFT-Plus and T-SPOT.TB in the diagnosis of ATB. QFT-plus might be prone to indeterminate results and influenced by the immunosuppressive status. The results need to be verified by a prospective cohort study with large sample. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures

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The main factors that have a great influence on plant growth, as well as on increasing the yield and its quality characteristics, are biotic and abiotic. Combinations of abiotic stresses, such as drought and heat, have a much greater impact on yields and product quality. The response of plants to these stresses can vary depending on the species, as well as at different stages of development. Understanding the mechanisms and how they protect plants from stress has become vital to improving the yield and quality of parsnip products in changing climatic conditions. The research aimed to study the influence of abiotic factors (temperature and precipitation) on yield, duration of phenological phases of plant growth and development, dynamics of growth of leaves and roots of parsnip in the Right Bank Forest-Steppe of Ukraine. The research was conducted in the field experiment of the Department of Vegetable Growing and Closed Soil in NL "Fruit and Vegetable Garden" NUBIP of Ukraine in the Right Bank Forest-Steppe of Ukraine during 2015-2017. The area of the accounting plot was 11.3 m2, the repetition of the experiment was 4 times. The arrangement of the research plots was systematic. As a result of research, it is established that the shortest period of sowing-seedlings lasted 16 days in the options for sowing in the 3rd decade of May and the 1st decade of June. Significant delay for 21 days of this period was observed for sowing from the 1st to the 3rd decade of April. The duration of the period from the beginning of root formation to beam ripeness was the smallest for sowing in the 1st decade of April – 28 days, and the largest for sowing in the 1st decade of June – 51 days. The vegetation period ranged from 110 to 165 days and passed for the sum of temperatures (> 10 °С) 1102.4-1439.0 °C and the sum of precipitation 128.1-225.2 mm. During sowing in April, an intensive increase in root crops from 2.9 to 3.5 g/day was observed in the second half of August. During sowing in May, the largest increase in root crops from 2.1 to 2.7 g/day was observed in the first half of September. Thus, for sowing in the 1st decade of June, this figure was highest in the second half of September (1.9 g/day). The option for sowing in the 1st decade of April provided a high yield of root crops of 50.3 t/ha, which is 5.3 t/ha or 11.8% significantly more than the control. When sowing in the following periods, a significant decrease in yield was observed compared to the control, namely: for the 3rd decade of April – by 3.5 t/ha, or 7.7%, for the 1st decade of May – by 8.8 t/ha, or 19.6%, for the 2nd decade of May – by 17.4 t/ha, or 38.6%, for the 3rd decade of May – by 23.0 t/ha, or 51.1%, for the 1st decade of June – by 31.7 t/ha, 70.6% compared to the control. There was a direct strong relationship (r = 0.74-0.99) between the growing season and yield, root weight, marketability, and biochemical parameters, namely: dry matter, dry soluble matter, sugars, vitamin C. The inverse of the strong (r = -0.98) was observed between the duration of the growing season and nitrates. Increasing the growing season by 10 days increases the yield to 6.9 t/ha, marketability up to 2.7%, root weight up to 31 g, dry matter content up to 0.7%, dry soluble matter up to 0.3%, sugars up to 0,5%, vitamin C to 0.8 mg/100 g and reduces the nitrate content to 8.4 mg/kg. Leaf area, photosynthetic potential, net photosynthesis productivity are in strong direct connection (r = 0.92-0.98) with yield. As the leaf surface area increases to 1.0 thousand m2/ha, the yield increases to 0.7 t/ha. Increasing the photosynthetic potential to 0.05 million m2 per day/ha increases the yield to 0.2-1.2 t/ha. Also, the yield increases to 0.3-0.7 t/ha by increasing the net productivity of photosynthesis to 0.05 g/m2 per day. Promising for further study is molecular knowledge of plant responses to abiotic stress, likely to pave the way for making crops resistant to climate change and increase the economic efficiency of production.

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Background: Non-invasive determination of liver iron concentration (LIC) is a valuable tool that guides iron chelation therapy in transfusion-dependent patients. Multiple methods have been utilized to measure LIC by MRI. The purpose of this study was to compare free breathing R2* (1/T2*) to whole-liver Ferriscan R2 method for estimation of LIC in a pediatric and young adult population who predominantly have hemoglobinopathies. Methods: Clinical liver and cardiac MRI scans from April 2016 to May 2018 on a Phillips 1.5 T scanner were reviewed. Free breathing T2 and T2* weighted images were acquired on each patient. For T2, multi-slice spin echo sequences were obtained. For T2*, a single mid-liver slice fast gradient echo was performed starting at 0.6 ms with 1.2 ms increments with signal averaging. R2 measurements were performed by Ferriscan analysis. R2* measurements were performed by quantitative T2* map analysis. Results: 107 patients underwent liver scans with the following diagnoses: 76 sickle cell anemia, 20 Thalassemia, 9 malignancies and 2 Blackfan Diamond anemia. Mean age was 12.5 ± 4.5 years. Average scan time for R2 sequences was 10 min, while R2* sequence time was 20 s. R2* estimation of LIC correlated closely with R2 with a correlation coefficient of 0.94. Agreement was strongest for LIC < 15 mg Fe/g dry weight. Overall bias from Bland–Altman plot was 0.66 with a standard deviation of 2.8 and 95% limits of agreement −4.8 to 6.1. Conclusion: LIC estimation by R2* correlates well with R2-Ferriscan in the pediatric age group. Due to the very short scan time of R2*, it allows imaging without sedation or anesthesia. Cardiac involvement was uncommon in this cohort.

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Aim: Current study was aimed to assess the impacts of sleep disturbances on patient’s quality of life. Background: Schizophrenia is a syndrome, which affects sleep. Up to 80% of schizophrenic patients complain of sleep disturbances which affect the quality of life Objectives: To assess the association of sleep disturbances and quality of life and other contributing factors among schizophrenic patients on follow-up treatment at Jimma University Southwest Ethiopia. Methods: A cross-sectional study with a consecutive sampling of 411 out-patients at Jimma University medical center was employed from April 21-June 20, 2019. Sleep disturbances and the quality of life were assessed by Pittsburgh sleep quality index and WHOQOL-BREF, respectively. Epi data version 3.1 and SPSS version 23.0 software was used. Chi-square and independent samples t-test were used for association and P-value < 0.05 was considered for statistical significance. Results: Most participants had sleep disturbances and the mean score of positive scale on PANSS was higher for patients with sleep disturbances. About one-fourth of the patients had very good subjective sleep quality and > 85% of sleep efficiency was reported by 139 participants. More than half (51.1%) of the subjects had used sleep medication and the majority (64.7%) of them were reported daytime dysfunctions in the past month. The social domain (M±SD=3.92±2.51, t=8.46, p= <0.001, eta2=0.15) and overall WHOQOL (M±SD=57.60±16.87, t=9.24, p= < 0.001, eta2= 0.17) score had a large difference of means and about 15% and 17% of the variance in sleep disturbance have been explained. Conclusion: Generally, the finding of the current study was in agreement with most of the previous studies and sleep disturbances respectively moderate to significant effects on the patient’s quality of life.

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Participatory investigation and trypanosomosis prevalence studied during April 2019 and March 2020 in two selected districts of South Omo, Ethiopia. The study site is located in the gridline of 04.90 to 5.60oN and 35.80 to 36.900 E. Twelve community groups are employed. A cross-sectional study design and 288 animals bled and examined a wet film prepared from the buffy coat. Sixty NGU traps baited with acetone and cow urine were deployed for 48 hrs to estimate the apparent density. Data generated from focus group discussion and trypanosomosis prevalence analyzed using an appropriate statistical package. Proportional piling showed that cattle, goats, and sheep were proportionally dominant with a high median score of 32(14–40), 26(12–33), and 21(5–23), respectively; trypanosomosis ranked first with a proportional median score of 24(13–26) followed by contagious bovine/caprine pleuropneumonia with a proportional median score of 23(19–26) among others. Community unanimously agreed that (W = 0.9) trypanosomosis affects their socioeconomic status and was able to describe clinical signs with significant (p < 0.05) agreement. Tsetse fly (Echut and Kusubo) is the main vector with the agreement of W = 0.9(p < 0.05). Perception on human trypanosomosis varies between Benna Tsemay and Gnagatom districts. Therefore, further study supported by laboratory like molecular test is very important to conclude the presence of human trypanosomosis in the suggested area. The overall prevalence of cattle trypanosomosis was 10.1%. The prevalence of trypanosomosis was significantly higher in poor body condition (OR = 2.1, P < 0.05) and in black coat color (OR = 13.5, P < 0.05) animals. T. congolense and T. vivax were circulating in the area. A total of 455 Glossina (385 G. pallidipes, 17 G. tachinoides, and 53 G. fuscipes) were trapped. The overall apparent density of Glossina was 3.79 Flies/Trap/Day. Three species of Glossina, namely G. pallidipes, G. tachinoides, and G. fuscipes, were distributed in the study areas. Therefore, the finding suggests that the problem is significant and the human trypanosomosis is doubtful. Hence regular control measures and molecular diagnosis need to be conducted.

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Aims/Objectives/BackgroundIn the United Kingdom (UK), 20% of patients with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) receive pre-hospital emergency anaesthesia (PHEA). Current guidance recommends an end-tidal carbon dioxide (ETCO2) of 4.0–4.5kPa to achieve a low-normal arterial partial pressure of CO2 (PaCO2), and reduce secondary brain injury. This recommendation assumes a 0.5kPa ETCO2-PaCO2 gradient. However, the gradient in the acute phase of TBI is unknown. Our primary aim was to report the ETCO2-PaCO2 gradient of TBI patients at hospital arrival.Methods/DesignA retrospective cohort study of adult patients with serious TBI, who received a PHEA by a pre-hospital critical care team in the East of England between 1st April 2015 to 31st December 2017. Linear regression was performed to test for correlation and reported as R-squared (R2). A Bland-Altman plot was used to test for paired ETCO2 and PaCO2 agreement and reported with 95% confidence intervals (95%CI). ETCO2-PaCO2 gradient data were compared with a two-tailed, unpaired, t-test.Results/Conclusions107 patients were eligible for inclusion. Sixty-seven patients did not receive a PaCO2 sample within 30 minutes of hospital arrival and were therefore excluded. Forty patients had complete data and were included in the final analysis; per protocol.The mean ETCO2-PaCO2 gradient was 1.7 (±1.0) kPa, with only moderate correlation of ETCO2 and PaCO2 at hospital arrival (R2=0.23, p=0.002). The Bland-Altman bias was 1.7 (95%CI 1.4–2.0) kPa with upper and lower limits of agreement of 3.6 (95%CI 3.0–4.1) kPa and -0.2 (95%CI -0.8–0.3) kPa respectively. There was no significant gradient correlation in patients with a co-existing serious thoracic injury (R2=0.13, p=0.10), and this cohort had a larger ETCO2-PaCO2 gradient, 2.0 (±1.1) kPa, p=0.01. Patients who underwent pre-hospital arterial blood sampling had an arrival PaCO2 of 4.7 (±0.2) kPa.Lower ETCO2 targets than previously recommended may be safe and appropriate. The use of pre-hospital PaCO2 measurement is advocated.

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We apply two nonparametric methods to further test the hypothesis that log-periodicity characterizes the detrended price trajectory of large financial indices prior to financial crashes or strong corrections. The term "parametric" refers here to the use of the log-periodic power law formula to fit the data; in contrast, "nonparametric" refers to the use of general tools such as Fourier transform, and in the present case the Hilbert transform and the so-called (H, q)-analysis. The analysis using the (H, q)-derivative is applied to seven time series ending with the October 1987 crash, the October 1997 correction and the April 2000 crash of the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA), the Standard & Poor 500 and Nasdaq indices. The Hilbert transform is applied to two detrended price time series in terms of the ln (tc-t) variable, where tcis the time of the crash. Taking all results together, we find strong evidence for a universal fundamental log-frequency f=1.02±0.05 corresponding to the scaling ratio λ=2.67±0.12. These values are in very good agreement with those obtained in earlier works with different parametric techniques. This note is extracted from a long unpublished report with 58 figures available at , which extensively describes the evidence we have accumulated on these seven time series, in particular by presenting all relevant details so that the reader can judge for himself or herself the validity and robustness of the results.

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Abstract. Volcanic ash plumes, emitted by the Eyjafjallajökull volcano (Iceland) in spring 2010, were observed by the lidar systems MULIS and POLIS in Maisach (near Munich, Germany), and by a CIMEL Sun photometer and a JenOptik ceilometer in Munich. We retrieve mass concentrations of volcanic ash from the lidar measurements; spectral optical properties, i.e. extinction coefficients, backscatter coefficients, and linear depolarization ratios, are used as input for an inversion. The inversion algorithm searches for model aerosol ensembles with optical properties that agree with the measured values within their uncertainty ranges. The non-sphericity of ash particles is considered by assuming spheroids. Optical particle properties are calculated using the T-matrix method supplemented by the geometric optics approach. The lidar inversion is applied to observations of the pure volcanic ash plume in the morning of 17 April 2010. We find 1.45 g m−2 for the ratio between the mass concentration and the extinction coefficient at λ = 532 nm, assuming an ash density of 2.6 g cm−3. The uncertainty range for this ratio is from 0.9 g m−2 to 2.3 g m−2. At the peak of the ash concentration over Maisach the extinction coefficient at λ = 532 nm was 0.75 km−1 (1-h-average), which corresponds to a maximum mass concentration of 1.1 mg m−3 (0.65 to 1.7 mg m−3). We compare the lidar inversion results to results from an independent approach using sky radiance measurements of the CIMEL in the aureole of the Sun. We find good agreement.

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Offshore wind is generally stronger and more consistent than wind on land. A large part of the offshore wind resource is however located in deep water, where floating wind turbines can harvest more energy. This paper describes a systematic experiment and a simulation analysis (FAST code) about the cyclic pitch control of blades. This work was performed to investigate performance fluctuation of a floating wind turbine utilizing cyclic pitch control. The experiment was carried out in an open wind tunnel with mainstream wind velocity of 10 m/s with the front inflow wind and the oblique inflow wind conditions. A model wind turbine is two-bladed downwind wind turbine with diameter of 1.6 m. Moment and force acts on the model wind turbine are measured by a six-component balance. Fluctuation of power coefficient and thrust coefficient is investigated in the cyclic pitch control. The model wind turbine and the experimental conditions were simulated by FAST code. The comparison of the experimental data and the simulation results of FAST code show that the power coefficient and thrust coefficient are in good agreement. Keywords: Floating Offshore Wind Turbine, Aerodynamic Forces, Cyclic Pitch Control, FAST Code, Wind Tunnel ExperimentArticle History: Received February 11th 2017; Received in revised form April 29th 2017; Accepted June 2nd 2017; Available onlineHow to Cite This Article: Sang, L.Q., Maeda, T., Kamada, Y., and Li, Q. (2017) Experiment and simulation effect of cyclic pitch control on performance of horizontal axis wind turbine to International Journal of Renewable Energy Develeopment, 6(2), 119-125.https://doi.org/10.14710/ijred.6.2.119-125

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Background Microcephaly is one of the most common fetal structural abnormalities, and prenatal microcephaly is considered a group I malformation of cortical development diagnosed according to ultrasound (US) skull measurements. Purpose To evaluate the agreement between fetal head US and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) biometric measurements of suspected microcephalic fetuses. Material and Methods This institutional review board-approved retrospective study with waived informed consent included 180 pregnant women and was conducted at our medical center from March 2011 to April 2013. Biparietal diameter (BPD) and occipitofrontal diameter (OFD) results of fetal head US normograms were compared to normograms for MRI. We used Pearson and Spearman rho non-parametric correlation coefficients to assess the association between two quantitative variables, paired t-test for paired quantitative variables, and McNemar test for paired qualitative variables. Results The average BPD but not the average OFD percentiles in fetal head US differed significantly from the MRI results ( P < 0.0001). When looking at the accepted microcephaly threshold, both BPD and OFD percentiles differed significantly from MRI ( P < 0.0001 and P < 0.004, respectively). There was no correlation between US-measured skull biometry and MRI-measured brain biometry. Estimated cerebrospinal fluid volumes were significantly lower in the study group compared to 120 fetuses with normal findings in prenatal head US and MRI. Also, we have created a MRI-based normogram of fetal head circumference and gestational age. Conclusion The diagnosis of microcephaly by US alone may be insufficient and ideally should be validated by MRI before a final diagnosis is established.

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Abstract Background Rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) for bloodstream infection (BSIs) are increasingly common. Decisions regarding which RDT to implement remains a clinical challenge given the diversity of organisms and resistance mechanisms detected by different platforms. The desirability of Outcome Ranking Management of Antimicrobial Therapy (DOOR-MAT) has been proposed as a framework to compare RDT platforms but reports of clinical application are lacking. This study compared potential antibiotic decisions based on results of two different RDTs for BSI using DOOR-MAT. Methods Retrospective study at University of Maryland Medical Center from August 2018 to April 2019 comparing Verigene® BC (VBC) to GenMark Dx ePlex® BCID for clinical blood cultures. VBC was part of standard of care, ePlex was run on discarded fresh or frozen blood samples. In this theoretical analysis, RDT result and local susceptibility data were applied by two Infectious Diseases pharmacists to make decisions regarding antibiotic selection in a blinded manner. Cohen’s Kappa statistic summarized overall agreement. DOOR-MAT, a partial credit scoring system, was applied to decisions based on final organism/susceptibility results (Figure 1). Scores were averaged between reviewers and mean scores compared between RDT systems using the t-test. Additionally, a sensitivity analysis with varied point assignment among Gram-negatives (AmpC-producers) was conducted. Results 110 clinical isolates were included; 41 Gram-negative, 69 Gram-positive organisms. Overall agreement was 82% for VBC and 83% for ePlex. The average score for VBC was 86.1 (SD 31.3) compared with ePlex 92.9 (SD 22.9), P = 0.004. Among Gram-negatives, the average score for VBC was 79.9 (SD 32.1) compared with ePlex 88.1 (SD 28.8), P = 0.032. Among GPs the average score for VBC was 89.9 (SD 30.4) compared with ePlex 95.8 (SD 18.3), P = 0.048. Sensitivity analysis demonstrated an average score for of 89.9 (SD 30.4) for VBC compared with 95.8 (SD 18.3) for ePlex, P = 0.27. Conclusion The use of a partial credit scoring system such as the DOOR-MAT allows for comparisons between RDT systems beyond sensitivity and specificity allowing for enhanced clinical interpretation. In this theoretical comparison, the Genmark ePlex BCID scored higher among both GP and GN organisms. Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures.

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Background:Systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (sJIA) is one of the most perplexing diseases of childhood, with a wide range of presentation features and severity. Advances in treatment have improved the outcome, such as the use of modulators of proinflammatory cytokines and their receptors, but in a considerable number of children, especially in polyarticular or sJIA, refractoriness tends to be progressive. As of late, extreme cases have required Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation (ASCT) as a last resort.Objectives:To describe an extremely refractory clinical evolution in a sAIJ patient, the first one to be submitted to an ASCT for an autoinflammatory condition in Brasília, Brazil’s capital.Methods:Case ReportThe patient was classified according to the Pediatric International League of Associations for Rheumatology for sJIA.I.T.S.M, female, 15-years-old, was diagnosed with sJIA at 6 with the onset of polyarthritis, daily fever for 6 weeks, rash and enlargement of liver and spleen. In the initial investigation infectious and neoplastic causes were ruled out.The use of prednisone and methotrexate lead to a preliminary effective clinical control, however after an year, there was clinical deterioration and etanercept was associated, leading to a short term improvement. At that time, in addition to anti-tumour necrosis factor medications, no other biological drugs were available in Brazil.Despite some brief periods of clinical improvement, after different regimes, the patient manifested recurrent flares. Since the diagnosis she has already been treated with:[1]Methotrexate (2011 to 2014*, 2016 to 2020). *In 2015, it was replaced by Leflunomide (up to May 2016, discontinued due to intolerance);[2]Etanercept (2012);[3]Cyclosporine (August to December 2012);[4]Adalimumab (2013);[5]Tocilizumab (May 2014 to January 2015);[6]Canaquinumab (March 2015 to April 2016);[7]Mycophenolate Mofetil (February 2016, discontinued in May 2017 due to start of Cyclophosphamide);[8]Rituximab (May 2016 to April 2017);[9]Cyclophosphamide at a dose of 2 grams /m2 as well as Filgrastim for mobilization and collection of stem cells (May 2017, in a attempt of ASCT), but the parents were unable to reach a mutual agreement to consent to the continuation of this therapy;[10]Cyclophosphamide (500mg /m2) in a mensal scheme application for nine consecutive months since June 2017, once was observed a clinical improvement after the intensive immunosuppression previous to ASCT attempt;[11]Several courses of methylprednisolone and human immunoglobulin since the initial diagnosis;[12]Abatacept (November 2019 to October 2020);[13]ASCT was suggested again in 2020, this time with the consent of all family members.Results:An intensive immunosuppression [Cyclophosphamide and anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG)] followed by ASCT (October 2020) resulted in apparent sustained remission. The patient’s evolution since the transplant has been optimistic. She is currently on a low dose prednisone prescription. To ensure a less profound depletion of T cells, a better control of systemic disease and antimicrobial and antiviral prophylaxis after transplantation, slow tapering of corticosteroids were performed.Conclusion:The goal of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in patients with autoimmune disease is to reprogram the immune system with the eradication of autoreactive cells, renew the population of regulatory T cells and restore the diversity of T cell receptor function.ASCT has been used in some refractory children with sJIA as well as hematologic malignancy and some progressive autoimmune diseases. However it is associated with significant morbidity and mortality, due to prolonged and severe depression of T cell immunity.References:[1]D.M.C. Brinkman et al. Arthritis Care & Research (2007)[2]Voltarelli Júlio C. et al. Rev. Bras. Hematol. Hemoter. (2010)[3]Angelo De Cata et al. Clin Exp Med. (2016)[4]Joost F. Swart et al. Nature Reviews Rheumatology (2017)Acknowledgements:We kindly thank the Hematology service of Hospital da Criança de Brasília, where the patient was subjected to the autologous stem-cell transplantation.Disclosure of Interests:None declared

Abstract:

ObjectivesIn the UK, 20% of patients with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) receive prehospital emergency anaesthesia (PHEA). Current guidance recommends an end-tidal carbon dioxide (ETCO2) of 4.0–4.5 kPa (30.0–33.8 mm Hg) to achieve a low-normal arterial partial pressure of CO2 (PaCO2), and reduce secondary brain injury. This recommendation assumes a 0.5 kPa (3.8 mm Hg) ETCO2–PaCO2 gradient. However, the gradient in the acute phase of TBI is unknown. The primary aim was to report the ETCO2–PaCO2 gradient of TBI patients at hospital arrival.MethodsA retrospective cohort study of adult patients with serious TBI, who received a PHEA by a prehospital critical care team in the East of England between 1 April 2015 and 31 December 2017. Linear regression was performed to test for correlation and reported as R-squared (R2). A Bland-Altman plot was used to test for paired ETCO2 and PaCO2 agreement and reported with 95% CI. ETCO2–PaCO2 gradient data were compared with a two-tailed, unpaired, t-test.Results107 patients were eligible for inclusion. Sixty-seven patients did not receive a PaCO2 sample within 30 min of hospital arrival and were therefore excluded. Forty patients had complete data and were included in the final analysis; per protocol. The mean ETCO2–PaCO2 gradient was 1.7 (±1.0) kPa (12.8 mm Hg), with moderate correlation (R2=0.23, p=0.002). The Bland-Altman bias was 1.7 (95% CI 1.4 to 2.0) kPa with upper and lower limits of agreement of 3.6 (95% CI 3.0 to 4.1) kPa and −0.2 (95% CI −0.8 to 0.3) kPa, respectively. There was no evidence of a larger gradient in more severe TBI (p=0.29). There was no significant gradient correlation in patients with a coexisting serious thoracic injury (R2=0.13, p=0.10), and this cohort had a larger ETCO2–PaCO2 gradient, 2.0 (±1.1) kPa (15.1 mm Hg), p=0.01. Patients who underwent prehospital arterial blood sampling had an arrival PaCO2 of 4.7 (±0.2) kPa (35.1 mm Hg).ConclusionThere is only moderate correlation of ETCO2 and PaCO2 at hospital arrival in patients with serious TBI. The mean ETCO2–PaCO2 gradient was 1.7 (±1.0) kPa (12.8 mm Hg). Lower ETCO2 targets than previously recommended may be safe and appropriate, and there may be a role for prehospital PaCO2 measurement.

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Flows through a vertical axis wind turbine (VAWT) are very complex due to their inherent unsteadiness caused by large variations of the angle of attacks as the turbine is rotating and changing its azimuth angles simultaneously. In addition, a turbine must go through a wide range of operating conditions especially the change in blade speed ratio (BSR). Accurate prediction of flows over VAWT using Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) model needs a well-tested turbulence model as well as a careful grid control around the airfoil. This paper aimed to compare various turbulence models and seek the most accurate one. Furthermore, grid convergence was studied using the Roache method to determine the sufficient number of grid elements around the blade section. The three-dimensional grid was generated by extrution from the two-dimensional grid along with the appropriate y+ controlling. Comparisons were made among the three turbulence models that are widely used namely: the RNG model, the shear stress transport k-ω model (SST) and the Menter’s shear stress transport k-ω model (transition SST). Results obtained clearly showed that turbulence models significantly affected computational accuracy. The SST turbulence model showed best agreement with reported experimental data at BSR lower than 2.35, while the transition SST model showed better results when BSR is higher than 2.35. In addition, grid extruding technique with y+ control could reduce total grid requirement while maintaining acceptable prediction accuracy.Article History: Received April 15th 2018; Received in revised form June 16th 2018; Accepted September 17th 2018; Available onlineHow to Cite This Article: Chaiyanupong,J and Chitsomboon, T. (2018) Effects of Turbulence Models and Grid Densities on Computational Accuracy of Flows Over a Vertical Axis Wind Turbine. Int. Journal of Renewable Energy Development, 7(3), 213-222.http://dx.doi.org/10.14710/ijred.7.3.213-222

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Background:Hand osteoarthritis (OA) and its more severe subset erosive hand OA are common causes of pain and morbidity. Some metabolic factors were suggested to be implicated in erosive disease. Few studies investigated differences in systemic bone loss between erosive and non-erosive hand OA.Objectives:To compare the change of bone mineral density (BMD) between patients with erosive and non-erosive hand OA in a two-year longitudinal study.Methods:Consecutive patients with symptomatic HOA fulfilling the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria were included in this study. Erosive hand OA was defined by at least one erosive interphalangeal joint. All patients underwent clinical assessments of joint swelling and radiographs of both hands. DEXA examination of lumbar spine, total femur and femur neck was performed at the baseline and after two years.Results:Altogether, 141patients (15 male) with symptomatic nodal HOA were included in this study and followed between April 2012 and January 2019. Out of these patients, 80 had erosive disease after two years. The disease duration (p<0.01) was significantly higher in patients with erosive compared with non-erosive disease at baseline.Osteoporosis (T-score <-2.5 SD) was diagnosed in 12.5% (9/72) of patients with erosive hand OA and in 8.06% (5/57) of patients with non-erosive hand OA at baseline. BMD was significantly lowered in patients with erosive compared with non-erosive disease at baseline (lumbar spine: 1.05g/cm2 vs. 1.13 g/cm2, p<0.05, total femur: 0.90 g/cm2 vs. 0.97 g/cm2, p<0.01 and femur neck: 0.86 g/cm2 vs. 0.91, p<0.05). T-scores of lumbar spine (-0.96 vs. -0.41 SD, p<0.05), total femur (-0.69 vs. -0.33 SD, p<0.05) and femur neck (-1.14 vs. -0.88 SD, p<0.05) were also significantly lowered in patients with erosive compared with non-erosive disease.Two years, the BMD remained also significantly lowered in patients with erosive compared with non-erosive disease (lumbar spine: 1.05g/cm2 vs. 1.14 g/cm2, p<0.05, total femur: 0.92 g/cm2 vs. 0.97 g/cm2, p<0.05 and femur neck: 0.86 g/cm2 vs. 0.91, p<0.05), which was in agreement with the finding for T-scores of lumbar spine (-1.05 vs. -0.39 SD, p<0.05), total femur (-0.74 vs. -0.34 SD, p<0.01) and femur neck (-1.07 vs. -0.72 SD, p<0.01).Conclusion:These results suggest that patients with erosive hand OA are at higher risk for the development of general bone loss. Over two years patients with erosive disease had significant lower bone mineral density at all measured sites.References:[1]This work was supported by the project AZV no. 18-00542 and MHCR No. 023728.Acknowledgments:Project AZV no. 18-00542 and MHCR No. 023728Disclosure of Interests:Karel Pavelka Consultant of: Abbvie, MSD, BMS, Egis, Roche, UCB, Medac, Pfizer, Biogen, Speakers bureau: Abbvie, MSD, BMS, Egis, Roche, UCB, Medac, Pfizer, Biogen, Ladislav Šenolt: None declared, Olga Sleglova: None declared, Jiří Baloun: None declared, Olga Růžičková: None declared

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Spring peanut is a valuable alternative crop to mitigate water scarcity caused by excessive water use in conventional cropping systems in the North China Plain (NCP). In the present study, we evaluated the capability of the Agricultural Policy Environmental eXtender (APEX) model to predict spring peanut response to sowing dates and seeding rates in order to optimize sowing dates, seeding rates, and irrigation regimes. Data used for calibration and validation of the model included leaf area index (LAI), aboveground biomass (ABIOM), and pod yield data collected from a field experiment of nine sowing dates and seeding rate combinations conducted from 2017 to 2018. The calibrated model was then used to simulate peanut yield responses to extended sowing dates (5 April to 4 June with a 5-day interval) and seeding rates (15 plants m−2 to 50 plants m−2 with a 5 plants m−2 interval) using 38 years of weather data as well as yield, evapotranspiration (ET), and water stress days under different irrigation regimes (rainfed, one irrigation before planting (60 mm) or at flowering (60 mm), and two irrigation with one time before planting and one time at flowering (60 mm each time) or at pod set (60 mm each time)). Results show that the model satisfactorily simulates pod yield of peanut based on R2 = 0.70, index of agreement (d value) being 0.80 and percent bias (PBIAS) values ≤4%. Moreover, the model performed reasonably well in predicting the emergence, LAI and ABIOM, with a R2 = 0.86, d = 0.95 and PBIAS = 8% for LAI and R2 = 0.90, d = 0.97 and PBIAS = 1% for ABIOM, respectively. Simulation results indicate that the best combination of sowing dates and seeding rates is a density of 35–40 plants m−2 and dates during early-May to mid-May due to the influence of local climate and canopy structure to the growth and yield of peanut. Under the optimal sowing date and plant density, an irrigation depth of 60 mm during flowering gave a pod yield (5.6 t ha−1) and ET (464 mm), which resulted in the highest water use efficiency (12.1 kg ha−1 mm−1). The APEX model is capable of assessing the effects of management practices on the growth and yield of peanut. Sowing 35–40 plants m−2 during early-May to mid-May with 60 mm irrigation depth is the recommended agronomic practice for peanut production in the water-constrained NCP.

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Abstract. The rotational Raman lidar of the University of Hohenheim (UHOH) measures atmospheric temperature profiles during daytime with high resolution (10 s, 109 m). The data contain low noise errors even in daytime due to the use of strong UV laser light (355 nm, 10 W, 50 Hz) and a very efficient interference-filter-based polychromator. In this paper, we present the first profiling of the second- to forth-order moments of turbulent temperature fluctuations as well as of skewness and kurtosis in the convective boundary layer (CBL) including the interfacial layer (IL). The results demonstrate that the UHOH RRL resolves the vertical structure of these moments. The data set which is used for this case study was collected in western Germany (50°53'50.56′′ N, 6°27'50.39′′ E, 110 m a.s.l.) within one hour around local noon on 24 April 2013 during the Intensive Observations Period (IOP) 6 of the HD(CP)2 Observational Prototype Experiment (HOPE), which is embedded in the German project HD(CP)2 (High-Definition Clouds and Precipitation for advancing Climate Prediction). First, we investigated profiles of the noise variance and compared it with estimates of the statistical temperature measurement uncertainty Δ T based on Poisson statistics. The agreement confirms that photon count numbers obtained from extrapolated analog signal intensities provide a lower estimate of the statistical errors. The total statistical uncertainty of a 20 min temperature measurement is lower than 0.1 K up to 1050 m a.g.l. at noontime; even for single 10 s temperature profiles, it is smaller than 1 K up to 1000 m a.g.l.. Then we confirmed by autocovariance and spectral analyses of the atmospheric temperature fluctuations that a temporal resolution of 10 s was sufficient to resolve the turbulence down to the inertial subrange. This is also indicated by the profile of the integral scale of the temperature fluctuations, which was in the range of 40 to 120 s in the CBL. Analyzing then profiles of the second-, third-, and forth-order moments, we found the largest values of all moments in the IL around the mean top of the CBL which was located at 1230 m a.g.l. The maximum of the variance profile in the IL was 0.40 K2 with 0.06 and 0.08 K2 for the sampling error and noise error, respectively. The third-order moment was not significantly different from zero inside the CBL but showed a negative peak in the IL with a minimum of −0.72 K3 and values of 0.06 and 0.14 K3 for the sampling and noise errors, respectively. The forth-order moment and kurtosis values throughout the CBL were quasi-normal.

Abstract:

Abstract Viscous fingering in porous media is an instability which occurs when a low-viscosity injected fluid displaces a much more viscous resident fluid, under miscible or immiscible conditions. Immiscible viscous fingering is more complex and has been found to be difficult to simulate numerically and is the main focus of this paper. Many researchers have identified the source of the problem of simulating realistic immiscible fingering as being in the numerics of the process, and a large number of studies have appeared applying high-order numerical schemes to the problem with some limited success. We believe that this view is incorrect and that the solution to the problem of modelling immiscible viscous fingering lies in the physics and related mathematical formulation of the problem. At the heart of our approach is what we describe as the resolution of the “M-paradox”, where M is the mobility ratio, as explained below. In this paper, we present a new 4-stage approach to the modelling of realistic two-phase immiscible viscous fingering by (1) formulating the problem based on the experimentally observed fractional flows in the fingers, which we denote as $$ f_{\rm w}^{*} $$ f w ∗ , and which is the chosen simulation input; (2) from the infinite choice of relative permeability (RP) functions, $$ k_{\rm rw}^{*} $$ k rw ∗ and $$ k_{\rm ro}^{*} $$ k ro ∗ , which yield the same $$ f_{\rm w}^{*} $$ f w ∗ , we choose the set which maximises the total mobility function, $$ \lambda_{\text{T}}^{{}} $$ λ T (where $$ \lambda_{\text{T}}^{{}} = \lambda_{\text{o}}^{{}} + \lambda_{\text{w}}^{{}} $$ λ T = λ o + λ w ), i.e. minimises the pressure drop across the fingering system; (3) the permeability structure of the heterogeneous domain (the porous medium) is then chosen based on a random correlated field (RCF) in this case; and finally, (4) using a sufficiently fine numerical grid, but with simple transport numerics. Using our approach, realistic immiscible fingering can be simulated using elementary numerical methods (e.g. single-point upstreaming) for the solution of the two-phase fluid transport equations. The method is illustrated by simulating the type of immiscible viscous fingering observed in many experiments in 2D slabs of rock where water displaces very viscous oil where the oil/water viscosity ratio is $$ (\mu_{\text{o}} /\mu_{\text{w}} ) = 1600 $$ ( μ o / μ w ) = 1600 . Simulations are presented for two example cases, for different levels of water saturation in the main viscous finger (i.e. for 2 different underlying $$ f_{\rm w}^{*} $$ f w ∗ functions) produce very realistic fingering patterns which are qualitatively similar to observations in several respects, as discussed. Additional simulations of tertiary polymer flooding are also presented for which good experimental data are available for displacements in 2D rock slabs (Skauge et al., in: Presented at SPE Improved Oil Recovery Symposium, 14–18 April, Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA, SPE-154292-MS, 2012. 10.2118/154292-MS, EAGE 17th European Symposium on Improved Oil Recovery, St. Petersburg, Russia, 2013; Vik et al., in: Presented at SPE Europec featured at 80th EAGE Conference and Exhibition, Copenhagen, Denmark, SPE-190866-MS, 2018. 10.2118/190866-MS). The finger patterns for the polymer displacements and the magnitude and timing of the oil displacement response show excellent qualitative agreement with experiment, and indeed, they fully explain the observations in terms of an enhanced viscous crossflow mechanism (Sorbie and Skauge, in: Proceedings of the EAGE 20th Symposium on IOR, Pau, France, 2019). As a sensitivity, we also present some example results where the adjusted fractional flow ($$ f_{\rm w}^{*} $$ f w ∗ ) can give a chosen frontal shock saturation, $$ S_{\rm wf}^{*} $$ S wf ∗ , but at different frontal mobility ratios, $$ M(S_{\rm wf}^{*} ) $$ M ( S wf ∗ ) . Finally, two tests on the robustness of the method are presented on the effect of both rescaling the permeability field and on grid coarsening. It is demonstrated that our approach is very robust to both permeability field rescaling, i.e. where the (kmax/kmin) ratio in the RCF goes from 100 to 3, and also under numerical grid coarsening.

Abstract:

Abstract. In this study, we present atmospheric ice-nucleating particle (INP) concentrations from the Gruvebadet (GVB) observatory in Ny-Ålesund (Svalbard). All aerosol particle sampling activities were conducted in April–August 2018. Ambient INP concentrations (nINP) were measured for aerosol particles collected on filter samples by means of two offline instruments: the Dynamic Filter Processing Chamber (DFPC) and the West Texas Cryogenic Refrigerator Applied to Freezing Test system (WT-CRAFT) to assess condensation and immersion freezing, respectively. DFPC measured nINPs for a set of filters collected through two size-segregated inlets: one for transmitting particulate matter of less than 1 µm (PM1), the other for particles with an aerodynamic diameter of less than 10 µm aerodynamic diameter (PM10). Overall, nINPPM10 measured by DFPC at a water saturation ratio of 1.02 ranged from 3 to 185 m−3 at temperatures (Ts) of −15 to −22 ∘C. On average, the super-micrometer INP (nINPPM10-nINPPM1) accounted for approximately 20 %–30 % of nINPPM10 in spring, increasing in summer to 45 % at −22 ∘C and 65 % at −15 ∘C. This increase in super-micrometer INP fraction towards summer suggests that super-micrometer aerosol particles play an important role as the source of INPs in the Arctic. For the same T range, WT-CRAFT measured 1 to 199 m−3. Although the two nINP datasets were in general agreement, a notable nINP offset was observed, particularly at −15 ∘C. Interestingly, the results of both DFPC and WT-CRAFT measurements did not show a sharp increase in nINP from spring to summer. While an increase was observed in a subset of our data (WT-CRAFT, between −18 and −21 ∘C), the spring-to-summer nINP enhancement ratios never exceeded a factor of 3. More evident seasonal variability was found, however, in our activated fraction (AF) data, calculated by scaling the measured nINP to the total aerosol particle concentration. In 2018, AF increased from spring to summer. This seasonal AF trend corresponds to the overall decrease in aerosol concentration towards summer and a concomitant increase in the contribution of super-micrometer particles. Indeed, the AF of coarse particles resulted markedly higher than that of sub-micrometer ones (2 orders of magnitude). Analysis of low-traveling back-trajectories and meteorological conditions at GVB matched to our INP data suggests that the summertime INP population is influenced by both terrestrial (snow-free land) and marine sources. Our spatiotemporal analyses of satellite-retrieved chlorophyll a, as well as spatial source attribution, indicate that the maritime INPs at GVB may come from the seawaters surrounding the Svalbard archipelago and/or in proximity to Greenland and Iceland during the observation period. Nevertheless, further analyses, performed on larger datasets, would be necessary to reach firmer and more general conclusions.

Abstract:

Abstract. In this study, we present atmospheric ice-nucleating particle (INP) concentrations from the Gruvebadet (GVB) observatory in Ny-Ålesund (Svalbard). All aerosol particle sampling activities were conducted in April–August 2018. Ambient INP concentrations (nINP) were measured for aerosol particles collected on filter samples by means of two offline instruments: the Dynamic Filter Processing Chamber (DFPC) and the West Texas Cryogenic Refrigerator Applied to Freezing Test system (WT-CRAFT) to assess condensation and immersion freezing, respectively. DFPC measured nINPs for a set of filters collected through two size-segregated inlets: one for transmitting particulate matter of less than 1 µm (PM1), the other for particles with an aerodynamic diameter of less than 10 µm aerodynamic diameter (PM10). Overall, nINPPM10 measured by DFPC at a water saturation ratio of 1.02 ranged from 3 to 185 m−3 at temperatures (Ts) of −15 to −22 ∘C. On average, the super-micrometer INP (nINPPM10-nINPPM1) accounted for approximately 20 %–30 % of nINPPM10 in spring, increasing in summer to 45 % at −22 ∘C and 65 % at −15 ∘C. This increase in super-micrometer INP fraction towards summer suggests that super-micrometer aerosol particles play an important role as the source of INPs in the Arctic. For the same T range, WT-CRAFT measured 1 to 199 m−3. Although the two nINP datasets were in general agreement, a notable nINP offset was observed, particularly at −15 ∘C. Interestingly, the results of both DFPC and WT-CRAFT measurements did not show a sharp increase in nINP from spring to summer. While an increase was observed in a subset of our data (WT-CRAFT, between −18 and −21 ∘C), the spring-to-summer nINP enhancement ratios never exceeded a factor of 3. More evident seasonal variability was found, however, in our activated fraction (AF) data, calculated by scaling the measured nINP to the total aerosol particle concentration. In 2018, AF increased from spring to summer. This seasonal AF trend corresponds to the overall decrease in aerosol concentration towards summer and a concomitant increase in the contribution of super-micrometer particles. Indeed, the AF of coarse particles resulted markedly higher than that of sub-micrometer ones (2 orders of magnitude). Analysis of low-traveling back-trajectories and meteorological conditions at GVB matched to our INP data suggests that the summertime INP population is influenced by both terrestrial (snow-free land) and marine sources. Our spatiotemporal analyses of satellite-retrieved chlorophyll a, as well as spatial source attribution, indicate that the maritime INPs at GVB may come from the seawaters surrounding the Svalbard archipelago and/or in proximity to Greenland and Iceland during the observation period. Nevertheless, further analyses, performed on larger datasets, would be necessary to reach firmer and more general conclusions.

Abstract:

Introduction. Cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS) are common adverse effects of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy. Elevated biomarkers, such as ferritin and LDH, have been shown to correlate with more severe toxicity. The endothelial activation and stress index (EASIX) is a surrogate of endothelial activation, and correlates to other biomarkers of endothelial dysfunction. In allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT), it is predictive of toxicity such as fluid overload, which is correlative with endothelial dysfunction, as well as sinusoidal obstruction syndrome, non relapse mortality and overall survival (Luft et al, BMT 2019, Varma et al, BBMT, 2020, Jiang et al, Haematologica, 2020). In this study we describe the correlation of EASIX to CAR T cell related CRS and ICANS. Methods. Retrospective data from consecutive patients treated with standard of care axi-cel for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma at MD Anderson Cancer Center between January 2018 and April 2020 were included in the study. CRS and ICANS were graded according to CARTOX criteria (Neelapu et al, Nat Rev Clin Oncol, 2018), and after 5/2019, according to the ASTCT criteria (Lee et al, BBMT, 2019). EASIX parameters were recorded prior to lymphodepletion (the latest value on days -12 to -6) and were available for all 171 patients. The score was defined as lactate dehydrogenase (U/L) × creatinine (mg/dL)/ thrombocytes (10^9 cells per L), with LDH adjusted to the upper limit of normal. Predictors of toxicity were evaluated using Fine and Grey regression analysis considering death before grade 2-4 toxicity as a competing risk. Results. 171 consecutive patients treated with commercial axi-cel for diffuse large B cell lymphoma (n=133), transformed follicular lymphoma (n=28) and primary mediastinal lymphoma (n=10) were included in the study. Median age was 59 years (range, 18-85), and 120 (70%) were male. 151 patients had an ECOG performance status ≤1, 45 patients (26%) had a previous autologous HCT, and 3 (1.8%) had a previous allogeneic HCT. Prior to lymphodepletion, 96 (56%) patients had a high IPI score (≥3) and 134 (78%) were refractory to the previous line of treatment. With a median follow-up of 259 days (range: 25-800) since infusion, ICANS of any grade was noted in 109 (64%) patients, with 84 (49%) having grades 2-4. CRS of any grade was observed in 160 (93%) patients, with 81 (47%) having grades 2-4 CRS. A total of 56 (33%) patients were diagnosed with grade 2-4 ICANS and CRS. The median EASIX score for the entire cohort was 2.1 (range: 0.3-283; inter-quartiles: 1.1 and 4.6). On univariate analysis, EASIX levels above the median were associated with higher cumulative incidence (CI) of grade 2-4 ICANS (% CI: 61 vs 31%; HR=2.4, p&lt;0.001); and levels above the upper quartile were associated with grade 2-4 CRS (% CI: 71 vs 38%; HR=2.2, p=0.02), (Figure 1,2). Additional predictors of grade 2-4 toxicity included IPI score ≥3 (HR=1.6, p=0.03) and female gender (HR=1.7, p=0.05) for ICANS; and IPI score ≥ 3 (HR=1.6, p=0.04) and lack of prior autologous transplant (HR=2, p=0.02) for CRS. Multivariate analysis showed EASIX score to be an independent predictor of grade 2-4 ICANS (HR=2.3, p=0.001) or CRS (HR=2.3, p=0.001); female gender of ICANS (HR=1.7, p=0.03) and lack of prior autologous transplant of CRS (HR=1.9, p=0.02). The impact of IPI did not reach statistical significance for either ICANS (HR=1.3, p=0.3) or CRS (HR=1.2, p=0.4). Further multivariate analysis for other biomarkers and their incorporation into a revised biomarker score will be presented at the meeting. Conclusions. Our results suggest that the EASIX score prior to lymphodepletion predicts higher grade CRS and ICANS in patients receiving axi-cel. These results of routinely available clinical variables require further prospective studies for validation, however our study shows that this score may better stratify patient risk of toxicity, and possibly inform clinical decisions and prevention strategies for patients at higher risk. Disclosures Nieto: Secura Bio: Other: Grant Support; Novartis: Other: Grant Support; Astra Zeneca: Other: Grant Support; Affimed: Consultancy, Other: Grant Support. Hosing:NKARTA Inc.: Consultancy. Westin:47: Research Funding; Amgen: Consultancy; Morphosys: Consultancy, Research Funding; Janssen: Consultancy, Research Funding; BMS: Consultancy, Research Funding; Kite: Consultancy, Research Funding; Curis: Consultancy, Research Funding; Novartis: Consultancy, Research Funding; Astra Zeneca: Consultancy, Research Funding; Genentech: Consultancy, Research Funding. Lee:Celgene: Research Funding; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Consultancy, Research Funding; Guidepoint Blogal: Consultancy; Aptitude Health: Speakers Bureau; Oncternal Therapeutics: Research Funding; Seattle Genetics: Research Funding; Takeda: Research Funding. Nastoupil:Celgene: Honoraria, Research Funding; Karus Therapeutics: Research Funding; Bayer: Honoraria; Genentech, Inc.: Honoraria, Research Funding; Gamida Cell: Honoraria; Gilead/KITE: Honoraria; Novartis: Honoraria, Research Funding; Merck: Research Funding; TG Therapeutics: Honoraria, Research Funding; LAM Therapeutics: Research Funding; Janssen: Honoraria, Research Funding; Pfizer: Honoraria, Research Funding. Parmar:Cellenkos Inc.: Current equity holder in private company, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Patents & Royalties, Research Funding. Wang:Guidepoint Global: Consultancy; Dava Oncology: Honoraria; Verastem: Research Funding; Molecular Templates: Research Funding; Celgene: Consultancy, Other: Travel, accommodation, expenses, Research Funding; OMI: Honoraria, Other: Travel, accommodation, expenses; Nobel Insights: Consultancy; Lu Daopei Medical Group: Honoraria; Beijing Medical Award Foundation: Honoraria; Pharmacyclics: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Travel, accommodation, expenses, Research Funding; MoreHealth: Consultancy; AstraZeneca: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Travel, accommodation, expenses, Research Funding; Janssen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Travel, accommodation, expenses, Research Funding; Oncternal: Consultancy, Research Funding; OncLive: Honoraria; InnoCare: Consultancy; Targeted Oncology: Honoraria; Loxo Oncology: Consultancy, Research Funding; Pulse Biosciences: Consultancy; Kite Pharma: Consultancy, Other: Travel, accommodation, expenses, Research Funding; Juno: Consultancy, Research Funding; BioInvent: Research Funding; VelosBio: Research Funding; Acerta Pharma: Research Funding. Flowers:AbbVie: Consultancy, Research Funding; Kite: Research Funding; Leukemia and Lymphoma Society: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; V Foundation: Research Funding; Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas: Research Funding; Bayer: Consultancy; National Cancer Institute: Research Funding; Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group: Research Funding; Burroughs Wellcome Fund: Research Funding; TG Therapeutics: Research Funding; Millennium/Takeda: Consultancy, Research Funding; Acerta: Research Funding; Spectrum: Consultancy; Pharmacyclics/Janssen: Consultancy; Karyopharm: Consultancy; OptumRx: Consultancy; Gilead: Consultancy, Research Funding; Genentech, Inc./F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd: Consultancy, Research Funding; Denovo Biopharma: Consultancy; Celgene: Consultancy, Research Funding; BeiGene: Consultancy. Hawkins:Kite: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Rezvani:GemoAb: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Affimed: Other: Educational grant; Adicet Bio: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Pharmacyclics: Other: Educational grant; Virogen: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Takeda: Other: Licensing agreement; Formula Pharma: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Champlin:Takeda: Patents & Royalties; DKMS America: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Genzyme: Speakers Bureau; Actinium: Consultancy; Johnson and Johnson: Consultancy; Omeros: Consultancy; Cytonus: Consultancy. Shpall:Magenta: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Takeda: Other: Licensing Agreement; Novartis: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Celgene: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Zelluna: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Adaptimmune: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Neelapu:Novartis: Other: personal fees; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Other: personal fees, Research Funding; Merck: Other: personal fees, Research Funding; Kite, a Gilead Company: Other: personal fees, Research Funding; Celgene: Other: personal fees, Research Funding; Pfizer: Other: personal fees; Allogene Therapeutics: Other: personal fees, Research Funding; Cell Medica/Kuur: Other: personal fees; Incyte: Other: personal fees; Precision Biosciences: Other: personal fees, Research Funding; Legend Biotech: Other; Adicet Bio: Other; Calibr: Other; Unum Therapeutics: Other, Research Funding; Poseida: Research Funding; Cellectis: Research Funding; Karus Therapeutics: Research Funding; Acerta: Research Funding; Takeda Pharmaceuticals: Patents & Royalties; N/A: Other. Kebriaei:Jazz: Consultancy; Novartis: Other: Served on advisory board; Kite: Other: Served on advisory board; Ziopharm: Other: Research Support; Pfizer: Other: Served on advisory board; Amgen: Other: Research Support.

Abstract:

John T. Lauridsen: Werner Best’s prison records 1945-51 The article provides a brief account of the content of Field Marshal for Denmark Werner Best’s prison notes with a list of those which are non-literary. Then the notes concerning Danish conditions are presented in greater detail, since they are characterized as primary defence statements with the intention of explaining and defending the politics that he wishes to present as those he conducted during his time as Field Marshal for Denmark 1942-45. There is a development in the content of the notes concerning Denmark from the first ones in 1945 to the later ones in 1948 in line with the fact that he obtained insight into the contemporary records written by himself, which the public prosecutor had managed to collect from him. The development was in the form of an adaptation of previous statements concerning the material presented or explaining the contents of it away, in the sense that a context was presented, which negated the meaning of what he had written, unless he did not openly state instead that what he had written was a lie already at the time of writing. The latter was supposedly in agreement with the Auswärtiges Amt with the common goal of preventing Hitler from intervening in Danish affairs. On the whole, Hitler is introduced in various contexts as an active party, who had exerted fundamental influence on incriminating documents drawn up by Best, while there is no contemporary documentation that Hitler exerted any influence or even had his attention focused on Denmark. This results in Best’s use of “the telephone trick”, which the author has chosen to call it, namely that Best invokes telephone calls from the headquarters of the fuhrer, from Ribbentrop’s ministerial office located there or from the Auswärtiges Amt, which make him act in another manner that justifies his actions for posterity, or ascribes an impact on posterity to himself, which he had not been able to obtain in some other way. The most obvious examples are the initiative for the action against the Jews in 1943, the April Crisis in 1944, the repercussions from the general strike in Copenhagen in the summer of 1944, and the outcome of the discussions concerning whether or not to conduct the final battle in Mürwik on 3 May 1945. An account is given of Best’s attempt to impose a general reading guide for his contemporary documents upon the reader, followed by a representation of and detailed commentary upon selected statements by Best, which illustrate Best’s form of history manipulation in detail, where he also provides guidance on how he wants specific individual documents to be read and understood. It is inspiring reading. Two records are not about his own trial, but about his relationship to DNSAP (the Danish Nazi Party) and the Schalburg Corps (the Nazi anti-sabotage corps in Denmark) and the group of people surrounding them. Here he continues to manipulate his own role, but also shows his ruthlessness towards partners who did not obey orders. This also gave him cause to dismiss the entire German Reich leadership in Denmark as being more or less amateurish.

Abstract:

O presente estudo avaliou a destreza de dois modelos climáticos globais (CFSv2 e AGCM-CPTEC) em prever a circulação atmosférica sazonal sobre a América do Sul (AS). As previsões entre os anos de 2013 e início de 2014 foram comparadas com os dados da reanálise ERA-Interim. No nível de 250 hPa, o CFSv2 previu o jato subtropical mais fraco do que o observado na reanálise, enquanto o AGCM-CPTEC o previu mais intenso durante o inverno e primavera. Nos meses de Setembro, Outubro e Novembro (SON) de 2013, a Alta da Bolívia (AB) esteve bem configurada no AGCM-CPTEC, concordando com a reanálise. No entanto, com o modelo CFSv2 a AB não se configurou. Já entre os meses de Janeiro, Fevereiro e Março (JFM) de 2014, os modelos deslocaram a AB para sudoeste de sua posição climatológica. No nível de 850 hPa, os jatos de baixos níveis a leste dos Andes foram subestimados nos meses de Março, Abril e Maio (MAM) com o AGCM-CPTEC e em SON/JFM por ambos os modelos. Em MAM, o CFSv2 previu os ventos alísios de sudeste mais similar à reanálise do que o AGCM-CPTEC. O Anticiclone Subtropical do Atlântico Sul (ASAS) foi previsto em ambos os modelos, entretanto, o AGCM-CPTEC previu a intensidade e a posição desse sistema com mais acurácia. Embora os modelos CFSv2 e AGCM-CPTEC apresentem vieses na intensidade do vento e, às vezes, na direção, pode-se afirmar que esses representaram as principais características da circulação atmosférica na AS. A B S T R A C TThe present study evaluated the ability of two global climate models (CFSv2 and AGCM-CPTEC) in predicting the seasonal atmospheric circulation over South America (SA). Predictions between the years 2013 and early 2014 were compared with ERA-Interim reanalysis. At 250 hPa level, CFSv2 predicted the subtropical jet weaker than observed in the reanalysis, while AGCM-CPTEC predicted it more intense during winter and spring. In the months of September, October and November (SON) of 2013, the Bolivian High (BH) was well configured in the AGCM-CPTEC, and this was in agreement with the reanalysis. However, with the CFSv2 the BH was not predicted. Between the months of January, February and March (JFM) of 2014, the models displaced the BH to the southwest of its climatologic position. At the 850 hPa level, the low level jet eastern of the Andes was underestimated in the months of March, April and May (MAM) by AGCM-CPTEC and in SON/JFM by both models. In MAM, CFSv2 predicted better the southeast trade winds than AGCM-CPTEC. The South Atlantic Subtropical Anticyclone (SASA) was predicted by both models, however, the AGCM-CPTEC predicted the intensity and position of this system more accurately. Although the models show biases in the wind intensity and, sometimes, in the direction, it can be affirmed that in general the CFSv2 and AGCM-CPTEC models represented the main characteristics of the atmospheric circulation in the AS.Keywords: AGCM-CPTEC. CFSv2. General circulation of the atmosphere. Seasonal forecast. South America.

Abstract:

Strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa duch*esne) is an economically important fruit crop in North Carolina for domestic consumption and export. In April 2012, outbreaks of a destructive root disease were observed in strawberry cv. Chandler in Buncombe, New Hanover, and Roman counties, North Carolina. Samples from Rowan (ID 13175) and Buncombe (ID 13193) counties submitted to the Plant Disease and Insect Clinic of the Department of Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University, exhibited yellowing and wilting of leaves and extensive root necrosis, and disease severity based on field symptoms ranged from 20 to 30%. To identify the pathogen, five small pieces of necrotic crown and root tissues were taken from each sample, surface disinfested for 1 min in a 1.5% sodium hypochlorite solution, and plated onto potato dextrose agar (PDA) with 0.5 g liter–1 of streptomycin sulfate. Colonies developing from the tissue samples were transferred to PDA. Colonies from both samples were identical, grew relatively slowly, and gradually turned yellowish to partially brownish. After about 7 days, abundant conidia were formed. These were hyaline, mostly straight with both ends rounded, predominantly three septate, and 40 to 50 × 5 to 10 μm. Based on morphological characteristics, these isolates were identified as a species of Cylindrocarpon (1) To confirm the original identification of the fungus as a species of Cylindrocarpon, genomic DNA of both isolates was extracted from mycelia using DNeasy Plant Mini Kit (Qiagen Inc., Valencia, CA) and analyzed using PCR (2). The internal transcribed spacers (ITS)1 and (ITS)2 flanking the 5.8S rRNA regions were amplified and sequenced using universal primers ITS1 (forward) and ITS4 (reverse). The sequences of the 421 bp (GenBank KC847090 and KC847091) of both isolates were identical. Furthermore, a BLASTn search of these sequences showed hom*ology of 99% with the sequences of Cylidrocarpon species (AB369421.1, AM419069.1, AM419074.1, AY295332.1, JN031017.1, JN253505.1, and JQ886422.1), To fulfill Koch's postulates, inoculum of each isolate was prepared and adjusted to 1.5 × 107 conidia/ml using a hemacytometer. ‘Chandler’ strawberry plants were grown in 25-cm diameter plastic pots (one seedling per pot) in the greenhouse and five 6-week-old plants were injected with conidia of each isolate into the base of crown using a 5-ml syringe. The plants were covered with clear plastic for 24 h and left on the greenhouse bench with a 16-h photoperiod and 25/20°C day/night temperatures and assessed for disease development 14 days after inoculation. The inoculated plants exhibited wilting and root necrosis, consistent with the symptoms observed on strawberry plants in the field. Control plants treated with distilled water remained healthy. Isolations were made from the inoculated plants and the fungus used for inoculation was recovered from all plants. The morphology of these isolates was in agreement with published descriptions of Cylindrocarpon (1). To our knowledge, this is the first report of a Cylindrocarpon sp. causing crown and root rot on strawberry in North Carolina and effective disease management strategies need to be explored. References: (1) C. D. Booth. Mycol. Pap. (CMI) 104:1, 1996. (2) T. J. White et al. Page 315 in: PCR Protocols: A Guide to Methods and Applications. Academic Press, San Diego, CA, 1990.

Abstract:

Background:Over the past few decades, technological advances in both ultrasound (US) and the application of telemedicine have been made [1]. Medical education has shifted to online classes during the COVID-19 pandemic, creating challenges in adequate training of US.Objectives:In the context of the current COVID-19 pandemic and the discontinuation of traditional classroom teaching, a tele-didactic US course for undergraduate medical students was developed. This study is examining the educational outcome of a new digital US course of the abdomen, thorax and the thyroid gland with the implementation of a modern portable US system.Methods:A tele-guided US course was established between April 1st and June 20th, 2020, at the University Hospital in Bonn, Germany. Students completed pre-and post-course surveys and underwent six US organ modules. Each module took place in a flipped-classroom concept including a digital learning platform. An objective structured assessment of US skills (OSAUS) [2] was implemented as final exam. Further, US images of the course and exam were rated by the Brightness Mode Quality Ultrasound Imaging Examination Technique (B-QUIET) [3]. Achieved points in image rating were compared to the OSAUS exam and survey results.Results:A total of 15 medical students were enrolled. There was a significant increase in self-assessed theoretical and practical ability (p < 0.001). Students achieved an average score of 154.5 (SD ± 11.72) out of 175 points (88.29%) in OSAUS, which corresponded to the image rating using B-QUIET and self-assessment data obtained in surveys. Interrater analysis of US images showed a favorable agreement with an ICC (2,1) of 0.895 (95% confidence interval 0.858 < ICC < 0.924).Conclusion:US training via teleguidance should be considered in medical education. Our pilot study demonstrates the feasibility of this concept that can be used in the future to improve US training of medical students even during a pandemic. The digital implementation with an affordable, portable point-of-care-US device could be an incredible opportunity to expedite US training worldwide.References:[1]Law J, Macbeth PB. Ultrasound: from Earth to space. Mcgill J Med 2011; 13(2): 59 [PMID: 22399873][2]Tolsgaard MG, Todsen T, Sorensen JL, et al. International multispecialty consensus on how to evaluate ultrasound competence: a Delphi consensus survey. PLoS One 2013; 8(2): e57687[https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0057687][PMID: 23469051][3]Bahner DP, Adkins EJ, Nagel R, Way D, Werman HA, Royall NA. Brightness mode quality ultrasound imaging examination technique (B-QUIET): quantifying quality in ultrasound imaging. J Ultrasound Med 2011; 30(12): 1649–55[4][https://doi.org/10.7863/jum.2011.30.12.1649][PMID: 22124000]Figure 1.Implementation of the digital ultrasound course conceptClassroom setting is displayed, demonstrating simultaneous screen transmission of ultrasound (US) and camera images. A: The peer tutor’s camera image is shared with the students while demonstrating the US examination, B: At the same time the tutor’s mobile phone screen is shared with the students in order to visualize the US image acquisition, C: Students performing the US examination on their own, D: Example of a worksheet, which had to be completed within the app and was stored along with the US images in the cloudDisclosure of Interests:None declared

Abstract:

Powdery mildew of mango is an important disease in Mexico's northern Sinaloa state. Identification of the causal fungal agent has been hindered by the absence of information regarding its teleomorph, as well as a detailed morphometric analysis of the anamorph and molecular characterization. The first symptoms of the disease appear in mango inflorescences of early February, and it subsequently affects young fruits. The disease progresses during March and early April, causing significant fruit abortion and a scabby appearance in a high percentage of fruits that remain attached to the trees. We observed the disease on inflorescences but not in leaves during our sampling period. Powdery mildew specimens were collected during 2011 and 2012 and included Kent and Keith varieties from commercial orchards, and creole materials from backyards of private residences in the Ahome and Fuerte Counties of northern Sinaloa, Mexico. Symptomatic inflorescences were analyzed morphologically. Conidiophores and conidia were prepared by touching the whitish lesions with clear adhesive tape, which was then placed over microscope slides with a drop of distilled water and observed under a compound microscope. The anamorph structures of the pathogen were measured. The mycelium was septate and ramified on the surface of the host, forming a dense coat of branching hyphae. The mycelium had a diameter of 2.5 to 8.7 μm; conidiophores (Pseudoidium type) emerged from the superficial mycelium, were unbranched, and consisted of 1 to 3 cells with conidia forming singly from the apex. The length of the conidiophores varied from 30.0 to 77.5 μm; the foot cell of the conidiophores was straight, 10.0 to 47.5 μm long and with a diameter of 5.0 to 15.5 μm across its midpoint. Conidia without fibrosin bodies were borne singly, and were ellipsoid/ovoid, 22.5 to 46.2 μm long and 15.0 to 27.5 μm wide. Eighty percent of the germ tubes were forked (lobed); the rest were simple, emerged from the end, and were occasionally on the side of the conidia. Germ tubes ranged from 2.0 to 7.2 μm at the midpoint. The surface of the conidia appeared smooth under the scanning electron microscope, and elliptical conidia appeared constricted at their ends; this, however, was not observed in the ovoid conidia. In both cases, the terminal end of the conidia was smooth. The teleomorph was not found. Molecular and phylogenetic analysis of the ITS rDNA (2) region showed that samples are closely related to specimens of Pseudoidium anacardii (1) (teleomorph: Erysiphe quercicola [4]) collected from mango trees in diverse countries. Measurements of somatic and asexual structures are in agreement with descriptions of P. anachardii (formerly known as Oidium mangiferae) from India (3). The nucleotide sequences derived from this research were deposited in GenBank (Accession Nos. JX893951 to JX893957). To our knowledge, this is the first report of P. anacardii associated to mango inflorescences in Sinaloa, Mexico. Due to the economic importance of powdery mildew of mango trees in Sinaloa, future research directions should focus on finding the teleomorph of the fungus to support its identity. References: (1) U. Braun and R. T. A. Cook CBS Biodiversity Series No. 11, 2012. (2) S. Limkaisang et al. Mycoscience 47:327, 2006. (3) O. Prakash and K. C. Srivastava. Mango diseases and their management. A World Review Today and Tomorrow Publishers. New Delhi, India, 1987. (4) S. Takamatsu et al. Mycol. Res. 111:809, 2007.

Abstract:

Abstract F-18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography integrated with computed tomography (FDG-PET/CT) enables to detect with relatively high sensitivity and specificity myeloma bone disease and extramedullary sites of metabolically active clonal plasma cells. FDG-PET/CT has also been used to assess and monitor the metabolic response to therapy and to predict the prognosis. One of the major limitation of PET/CT is the lack of standardized image criteria and of inter-observer reproducibility in interpreting the results. Aim of the present sub-study was to prospectively evaluate FDG-PET/CT at diagnosis, after 4 cycles of induction therapy and prior to maintenance therapy in a sub-group of patients enrolled into EMN02/HO95 MM international phase III trial. In particular, the two primary end-points were firstly to assess the prognostic significance of PET/CT at diagnosis and after therapy and secondly to standardize PET/CT evaluation by centralized imaging and revision and definition of criteria for interpretation. Seven hundred and 18 patients with newly diagnosed transplant-eligible symptomatic MM have been prospectively randomized in Italy from February 2011 through April 2014 to receive 4 cycles of bortezomib-melphalan-prednisone (VMP) vs high-dose melphalan and single or double autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) as intensification following induction with bortezomib-cyclophosphamide-dexamethasone (VCD). Consolidation therapy with bortezomib-lenalidomide-dexamethasone vs no consolidation was planned after VMP or ASCT(s), followed by lenalidomide maintenance until progression or toxicity. One hundred and three patients were included in the PET/CT imaging sub-study, and followed for a median of 24 months. By study design, PET/CT was performed and analysed in each of the 8 participating centres at baseline, after induction therapy and prior to the start of maintenance (EOT). Each PET scan was a posteriori re-interpreted in a blinded independent central review process, managed by WIDEN®, by a panel of 5 expert nuclear medicine physicians. They described the following characteristics: bone marrow metabolic state (BM), number (Fx) and score (Fs) of focal PET positive lesions, osteolysis (Lx), presence and site of extramedullary disease (EM), and fractures(Fr), according to the IMPeTUs criteria (Nanni et al, EJNM 2015). Moreover, a global score (GS), from 1 to 5, was given to each patient, considering the highest score among BM, Fx, Fs and EM. Concordance among reviewers on different metrics was calculated using Krippendorf's alpha (AK) coefficient Baseline characteristics of the patients were the following: median age 58 years, ISS and R-ISS stage III 15% and 10%, high-risk cytogenetics (t(4;14) ± del(17p) ±del (1p)±1q gain detected by FISH) 42%. At baseline, 78% of the patients had FLs, with a median SUVmax of 6.0. The percentages of PET positive patients for the different characteristics are summarized in table 1. The agreement among reviewer was good for BM (AK=0.49), Fx (AK=0.65), Fs (AK=0.62), Lx (AK=0.62) and EM (AK=0.40). Of all parameters, only Fx ≥ 4 was associated with worse PFS and OS (P = 0.06) Following 4 cycles of VCD, PET/CT remained positive in 59% of the patients, with a median SUVmax of 3.7. Of all parameters, only Fs ≥ 4 was predictive of worse OS (P= 0.05). Prior to maintenance therapy, PET/CT remained positive in 34% of the patients, with a median SUVmax of 3.4. Normal PET/CT findings before maintenance (66%) were associated with a significant improvement in PFS, in particular the following: presence of FLs (P=0.03), Fx ≥ 4 (P=0.001), Fs ≥2 (P=0.03), 3 (P=0.03) and 4 (P=0.006) and SUVmax ≥ 3.4 (p=0.002). GS was also predictive for PFS if ≥ 3 (P=0.033), 4 (P=0.0001) and 5 (P=0.004). The same parameters were also predictive for OS. The prognostic relevance of pre-maintenance PET/CT was retained across the randomization arm (VMP or ASCT), in terms of PFS and OS. In conclusion, PET/CT was confirmed to be a reliable predictor of outcome in newly diagnosed transplant eligible MM patients, whatever the treatment. Normalization of PET/CT before maintenance was associated with a significant improvement for PFS and OS. FDG-PET/CT is by now the preferred imaging technique for evaluating and monitoring response to therapy. Acknowledgments: this study was partially supported by a grant to Elena Zamagni from Fondazione del Monte di Bologna e Ravenna Table 1 Table 1. Disclosures Gay: Amgen: Honoraria; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Honoraria; Celgene: Honoraria; Takeda: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Janssen: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Mundipharma: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Larocca:Bristol-Myers Squibb: Honoraria; Janssen-Cilag: Honoraria; Celgene: Honoraria; Amgen: Honoraria. Sonneveld:Celgene: Other: Advisory board, Research Funding; Onyx: Other: Advisory board, Research Funding; Millennium: Other: Advisory board, Research Funding; Janssen-Cilag: Other: Advisory board, Research Funding. Cavo:Amgen: Honoraria; Celgene: Honoraria, Research Funding; Janssen: Honoraria, Research Funding; Takeda: Honoraria; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Honoraria.

Abstract:

Introduction: Mullerian Duct Anomalies (MDAs) are developmental abnormalities of paramesonephric ducts. MDAs usually present with reproductive issues. Aim: To determine the agreement between the Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) findings of MDAs with clinical diagnosis. Materials and Methods: Retrospective observational study was done where the MRI abdomen and pelvis imaged using 3 Tesla (T) MRI during the period of two years (May 2018 till April 2020) were reviewed. The American Society for Reproductive Medicine classification was used for classifying MDAs. Clinical details (clinical symptoms, findings from pelvic examination, imaging modalities other than MRI, surgeries/procedures like laparoscopy, laparotomy, hysteroscopy, etc) were obtained by reviewing the case records and agreement between radiological and clinical diagnosis was observed using Kappa statistics. Results: Out of 1,054 female MRIs of abdomen and pelvis screened during the study period about 36 patients were found to have MDAs. Thirty six MRIs were included for the final analysis and three were excluded because of no consensus in diagnosis. Prevalence of MDA was 3.13% and mean age of the study participants was 24.76 (±5.52) years. The minimum and maximum ages were 15 years and 36 years respectively. Most common symptom of MDAs was repeated miscarriage (36.36%) followed by dysmenorrhea (30.30%). For evaluation of the uterus, there was agreement in 27 out of 33 patients and disagreement in 6 out of 33. Reporting was done by two radiologists. The radiological diagnosis was made first and the cases with MDAs were checked for clinical diagnosis. Excellent agreement was observed between the radiological and clinical diagnosis with kappa value of 0.80. Retrospective image analysis was done to specify the disagreements and the causes were found to be lack of specific criterion for conditions like arcuate uterus, presence of associated complex and less known pathological conditions and not acquiring thinner volume sections in certain cases having thin septa. Conclusion: Among female patients who were diagnosed with MDAs, excellent agreement was observed between the radiological and clinical diagnosis. Few pitfalls were noted which needs to be addressed while making a diagnosis of MDAs in MRI.

Abstract:

Objective: To compare kidney volume (KV) measurements between, single-shot T2-weighted (sshT2W), IDEAL, and post contrast T1-weighted (T1W) images of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) patients. Materials and Methods: KVs of ADPKD patients presenting at the nephrologic clinic between January 2014 and April 2015 were segmented from coronal sshT2W images, opposed phase IDEAL images, and post-gadolinium T1W images. Measurements were performed independently by three readers using a method involving manual segmentation with image thresholding. The mean KV differences between the evaluated magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) pulse sequences were compared using paired t-tests. Associations between KV and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) were determined by Pearson correlation coefficient (r). Inter-reader agreement in kidney volumetry was evaluated by intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) for each comparison. Results: For the cohort of 28 ADPKD patients, the total kidney volume (TKV) and total cyst volume (TCV) measured on sshT2W images were significantly higher than those on post-contrast T1W and opposed phase IDEAL images. The mean differences were the smallest between sshT2W and post-contrast T1W images. The processing times for the sshT2W sequence were significantly less than for the other sequences. KVs showed significant negative correlation with renal function on all evaluated MR sequences. High levels of agreement between all pairings of the three readers were found for all measurements. Conclusion: Non-gadolinium MRI sequences, especially sshT2W sequences, are of sufficient quality for KV measurement in ADPKD, revealing the same negative correlation with eGFR as the other sequences, the smallest mean difference with postcontrast T1W images, and requiring less processing time. Keywords: ADPKD, MRI, Volume measurement, DIXON, T2W, Post contrast T1W

Abstract:

Abstract Objectives To determine the diagnostic accuracy of dual-energy CT (DECT) virtual noncalcium (VNCa) reconstructions for assessing thoracic disk herniation compared to standard grayscale CT. Methods In this retrospective study, 87 patients (1131 intervertebral disks; mean age, 66 years; 47 women) who underwent third-generation dual-source DECT and 3.0-T MRI within 3 weeks between November 2016 and April 2020 were included. Five blinded radiologists analyzed standard DECT and color-coded VNCa images after a time interval of 8 weeks for the presence and degree of thoracic disk herniation and spinal nerve root impingement. Consensus reading of independently evaluated MRI series served as the reference standard, assessed by two separate experienced readers. Additionally, image ratings were carried out by using 5-point Likert scales. Results MRI revealed a total of 133 herniated thoracic disks. Color-coded VNCa images yielded higher overall sensitivity (624/665 [94%; 95% CI, 0.89–0.96] vs 485/665 [73%; 95% CI, 0.67–0.80]), specificity (4775/4990 [96%; 95% CI, 0.90–0.98] vs 4066/4990 [82%; 95% CI, 0.79–0.84]), and accuracy (5399/5655 [96%; 95% CI, 0.93–0.98] vs 4551/5655 [81%; 95% CI, 0.74–0.86]) for the assessment of thoracic disk herniation compared to standard CT (all p < .001). Interrater agreement was excellent for VNCa and fair for standard CT (ϰ = 0.82 vs 0.37; p < .001). In addition, VNCa imaging achieved higher scores regarding diagnostic confidence, image quality, and noise compared to standard CT (all p < .001). Conclusions Color-coded VNCa imaging yielded substantially higher diagnostic accuracy and confidence for assessing thoracic disk herniation compared to standard CT. Key Points • Color-coded VNCa reconstructions derived from third-generation dual-source dual-energy CT yielded significantly higher diagnostic accuracy for the assessment of thoracic disk herniation and spinal nerve root impingement compared to standard grayscale CT. • VNCa imaging provided higher diagnostic confidence and image quality at lower noise levels compared to standard grayscale CT. • Color-coded VNCa images may potentially serve as a viable imaging alternative to MRI under circ*mstances where MRI is unavailable or contraindicated.

Abstract:

Abstract Background Retrospective studies show improved outcomes in colorectal cancer patients if taking statins, including overall survival, pathological response of rectal cancer to preoperative chemoradiotherapy (pCRT), and reduced acute and late toxicities of pelvic radiation. Major tumour regression following pCRT has strong prognostic significance and can be assessed in vivo using MRI-based tumour regression grading (mrTRG) or after surgery using pathological TRG (pathTRG). Methods A double-blind phase 2 trial will randomise 222 patients planned to receive long-course fluoropyrimidine-based pCRT for rectal adenocarcinoma at 18+ sites in New Zealand and Australia. Patients will receive simvastatin 40 mg or placebo daily for 90 days starting 1 week prior to standard pCRT. Pelvic MRI 6 weeks after pCRT will assess mrTRG grading prior to surgery. The primary objective is rates of favourable (grades 1–2) mrTRG following pCRT with simvastatin compared to placebo, considering mrTRG in 4 ordered categories (1, 2, 3, 4–5). Secondary objectives include comparison of: rates of favourable pathTRG in resected tumours; incidence of toxicity; compliance with intended pCRT and trial medication; proportion of patients undergoing surgical resection; cancer outcomes and pathological scores for radiation colitis. Tertiary objectives include: association between mrTRG and pathTRG grouping; inter-observer agreement on mrTRG scoring and pathTRG scoring; studies of T-cell infiltrates in diagnostic biopsies and irradiated resected normal and malignant tissue; and the effect of simvastatin on markers of systemic inflammation (modified Glasgow prognostic score and the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio). Trial recruitment commenced April 2018. Discussion When completed this study will be able to observe meaningful differences in measurable tumour outcome parameters and/or toxicity from simvastatin. A positive result will require a larger RCT to confirm and validate the merit of statins in the preoperative management of rectal cancer. Such a finding could also lead to studies of statins in conjunction with chemoradiation in a range of other malignancies, as well as further exploration of possible mechanisms of action and interaction of statins with both radiation and chemotherapy. The translational substudies undertaken with this trial will provisionally explore some of these possible mechanisms, and the tissue and data can be made available for further investigations. Trial registration ANZ Clinical Trials Register ACTRN12617001087347. (www.anzctr.org.au, registered 26/7/2017) Protocol Version: 1.1 (June 2017).

Abstract:

Background: Strategies aiming at reducing dietary sodium are being implemented in many countries based on evidence-based knowledge supporting their cost-effectiveness for reduction of cardiovascular and other chronic diseases. From 2009 to 2011 a Preventive Program of the Italian Ministry of Health has been implemented in Italy including the agreement with bread makers’ associations for the gradual reduction of the salt content in bread, public information campaigns, and the evaluation of population current dietary sodium intakes. This analyses aim to monitor dietary intake of sodium and potassium in representative samples of the Italian adult population before and after the Preventive Program. Methods: Data from random samples of persons aged 35-79 years and resident in Italian central regions were collected from October 2009 to September 2010 (299 men and 280 women) and from April to July 2012 (205 men and 210 women). Determinations of sodium and potassium were assessed in a centralized laboratory. Information on the consumption of high salt content food were collected through a questionnaire. Comparisons between mean levels and prevalences were performed using t-test and chi-squared test respectively. Results: In men, mean level of sodium chloride per day resulted 185 mmol (95% confidence interval: 177-193 mmol) in 2009-2010 samples and 161 mmol (152-169 mmol) in 2012 samples (p<0.0001). In women, mean level of sodium chloride per day resulted 144 mmol (138-151 mmol) and 125 mmol (117-132 mmol) respectively (p=0.0001). Among men, sodium chloride excretion was higher than 85 mmol (the WHO recommended upper level for sodium intake) in 97% in 2009-2010 samples and 91% in 2012 samples (p=0.0026); among women in 86% and 73% respectively (p=0.0002). Among men, 23% have declared in 2009- 2010 to eat bread without salt often, while 40% in 2012 (p<0.0001); in women 22% and 39% respectively (p=0.0001). No statistically significant differences were found between mean levels of potassium between samples collected in 2009- 2010 and samples of 2012. Conclusions: Presented data show that average daily sodium intake in central Italy is still largely higher than that recommended but a significant improvement of mean level of sodium intake and consumption of bread without salt resulted. This results fully justify and encourage the preventive initiatives for reduction of sodium intake and its monitoring in the general population.

Abstract:

In April 2014, Phytophthora ramorum (Werres, De co*ck & Man in't Veld) was recovered from symptomatic foliage of cherry laurel (Prunus laurocerasus) at an ornamental plant nursery in Washington State. Cherry laurel, also known as English laurel, is widely propagated in WA because it is commonly used in landscaping. It is invasive in forests near the urban/wildland interface in the western US and in Europe (Rusterholz et al. 2018). Given its popularity as an ornamental species, the potential of this host to spread P. ramorum is of regulatory concern due to possible long distance spread to other states via nursery stock. Foliar symptoms consisted of dark brown lesions near wounds or around leaf margins where water collected. Shot-hole symptoms characterized by abscission zones and dropping of infected tissues were also observed. Lesions expanded beyond the margin of the shot-hole in some cases (Figure S1A). Phytophthora was isolated from symptomatic foliage by surface-sterilizing leaf pieces in 0.6% sodium hypochlorite and 2 rinses in sterile water. They were plated on PARP medium (Ferguson and Jeffers 1999). After 2-3 days, a slow-growing dense colony with coralloid hyphae was isolated onto V8 agar. P. ramorum was identified by observing morphological features (Figure S1B). Colony and spore morphology matched that of P. ramorum (Werres et al. 2001). The isolate was confirmed as P. ramorum by PCR and sequencing of ITS and COX1 regions using primers ITS1/ITS4 (White et al. 1990) and COX1F1/COX1R1 (Van Poucke et al. 2012). Sequences were submitted to GenBank (accession nos. ITS MT031969, COX1 MT031968). BLAST results showed at least 99% similarity with sequences of P. ramorum (ITS, KJ755124 [100%]; COX1, EU124926 [99%]). Multilocus genotyping with microsatellite markers placed the isolate in the EU1 clonal lineage. Pathogenicity of P. ramorum on cherry laurel was confirmed by completing Koch's Postulates using the isolate taken from this host. Two trials were done in a biocontainment chamber (USDA-APHIS permit # 65857) since P. ramorum is a quarantine pathogen and greenhouse trials could not be conducted, using detached stems from mature, visibly healthy cherry laurel plants growing in a landscape. Phytophthora ramorum inoculum was grown on V8A plates at 20®C for 2 weeks until sporangia were abundant. A zoospore suspension was produced by flooding plates with 7 ml sterile water, incubating for 2 hours at 5®C, then 1 hour at 24®C. Zoospores were observed with light microscopy, quantified with a hemocytometer and diluted to 1 x 104 zoospores/ml. A 10 µl droplet was placed at 3 wounded and 3 unwounded sites on 4 leaves per branch. In addition, a set of samples was inoculated by dipping foliage into the zoospore suspension for 30 seconds. A set of controls was mock inoculated using sterile water. Four branches per inoculation treatment were used and the trial was repeated once. Inoculated plant materials were incubated in moist chambers for 3-5 days at 20®C. Free moisture was present on foliage upon removal. Symptom development was assessed after incubation in the biocontainment chamber at 20®C for 7 days (Figure S1C). Phytophthora ramorum was reisolated from symptomatic tissue and the recovered culture was verified morphologically and by PCR and sequencing. It was isolated more often from foliage dipped in zoospore suspension than droplet inoculated, and more from wounded than unwounded sites. None of the water-inoculated controls were positive for P. ramorum. The presence of P. ramorum was also confirmed with DNA extraction from surface-sterilized symptomatic foliage followed by PCR and sequencing of the COX1 gene (EU124926, 100%) (Figure S2). To our knowledge, this is the first report of P. ramorum naturally infecting cherry laurel in the United States. Acknowledgements This work was supported by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, McIntire-Stennis project 1019284 and USDA APHIS Cooperative Agreement AP17PPQS&T00C070 Literature cited Ferguson and Jeffers, 1999. Plant Disease 83:1129-1136 Van Poucke, K. et al. 2012. Fungal Biology 116: 1178-1191. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.funbio.2012.09.003 Werres, S. et al. 2001. Mycol. Res. 105:1155-1165. White, T. J., et al. 1990. Page 315 in: PCR Protocols: A Guide to Methods and Applications. Academic Press, San Diego, CA.

Abstract:

Recent research has mainly used two approaches to identify publishers or sources of disinformation: First, alternative media are identified as potential publishers of disinformation. Second, potential publishers of disinformation are identified via fact-checking websites. Samples created using those approaches can partly overlap. However, the two approaches differ in terms of validity and comprehensiveness of the identified population. Sampling of alternative media outlets is theory-driven and allows for cross-national comparison. However, researchers face the challenge to identify misinforming content published by alternative media outlets. In contrast, fact-checked content facilitates the identification of a given disinformation population; however, fact-checker often have a publication bias focusing on a small range of (elite) actors or sources (e.g. individual blogs, hyper partisan news outlets, or politicians). In both approaches it is important to describe, compare and, if possible, assign the outlets to already existing categories in order to enable a temporal and spatial comparison. Approaches to identify sources/publishers: Besides the operationalization of specific variables analyzed in the field of disinformation, the sampling procedure presents a crucial element to operationalize disinformation itself. Following the approach of detecting disinformation through its potential sources or publishers (Li, 2020), research analyzes alternative media (Bachl, 2018; Boberg, Quandt, Schatto-Eckrodt, & Frischlich, 2020; Heft et al., 2020) or identifies a various range of actors or domains via fact-checking sites (Allcott & Gentzkow, 2017; Grinberg et al., (2019); Guess, Nyhan & Reifler, 2018). Those two approaches are explained in the following. Alternative media as sources/publishers The following procedure summarizes the approaches used in current research for the identification of relevant alternative media outlets (following Bachl, 2018; Boberg et al., 2020; Heft et al., 2020). Snowball sampling to define the universe of alternative media outlets may consists of the following steps: Sample of outlets identified in previous research Consultation of search engines and news articles Departing from a potential prototype, websites provide information about digital metrics (Alexa.com or Similarweb.com). For example, Similarweb.com shows three relevant lists per outlet: “Top Referring Sites” (which websites are sending traffic to this site), “Also visited websites” (overlap with users of other websites), and “Competitors & Similar Sites” (similarity defined by the company) Definition of alternative media outlets Journalistic outlets (for example, excluding blogs and forums) with current, non-fictional and regular content Self-description of the outlets in a so-called “about us” section or in a mission statement, which underlines the relational perspective of being an alternative to the mainstream media. This description may for example include keywords such as alternative, independent, unbiased, critical or is in line with statements like “presenting the real/true views/facts” or “covering what the mainstream media hides/leaves out”. Use of predefined dimensions and categories of alternative media (Frischlich, Klapproth, & Brinkschulte, 2020; Holt, Ustad Figenschou, & Frischlich, 2019) Sources/publishers via fact-checking sites Following previous research in the U.S., Guess et al. (2018) identified “Fake news domains” (focusing on pro-Trump and pro-Clinton content) which published two or more articles that were coded as “fake news” by fact-checkers (derived from Allcott & Gentzkow, 2017). Grinberg et al. (2019) identified three classes of “fake news sources” differentiated by severity and frequency of false content (see Table 1). These three sources are part of a total of six website labels. The researchers additionally coded the sites into reasonable journalism, low quality journalism, satire and sites that were not applicable. The coders reached a percentual agreement of 60% for the labeling of the six categories, and 80% for the distinction of fake and non-fake categories. Table 1. Three classes of “fake news sources” by Grinberg et al. (2019) Label Specification Identification Definition Black domains Based on previous studies: These domains published at least two articles which were declared as “fake news” by fact-checking sites. Based on preexisting lists constructed by fact-checkers, journalists and academics (Allcott & Gentzkow, 2017; Guess et al., 2018) Almost exclusively fabricated stories Red domains Major or frequent falsehoods that are in line with the site's political agenda. Prejudiced: Site presents falsehoods that focus upon one group with regards to race / religion / ethnicity / sexual orientation. Major or frequent falsehoods with little regard for the truth, but not necessarily to advance a certain political agenda. By the fact-checker snopes.com as sources of questionable claims; then manually differentiated between red and orange domains Falsehoods that clearly reflected a flawed editorial process Orange domains Moderate or occasional falsehoods to advance political agenda. Sensationalism: exaggerations to the extent that the article becomes misleading and inaccurate. Occasionally prejudiced articles: Site at times presents individual articles that contain falsehoods regarding race / religion / ethnicity / sexual orientation Openly states that the site may not be inaccurate, fake news, or cannot be trusted to provide factual news. Moderate or frequent falsehoods with little regard for the truth, but not necessarily to advance a certain political agenda. Conspiratorial: explanations of events that involves unwarranted suspicion of government cover ups or supernatural agents. By the fact-checker snopes.com as sources of questionable claims; then manually differentiated between red and orange domains Negligent and deceptive information but are less systemically flawed Supplementary materials: https://science.sciencemag.org/content/sci/suppl/2019/01/23/363.6425.374.DC1/aau2706_Grinberg_SM.pdf (S5 and S6) Coding scheme and source labels: https://zenodo.org/record/2651401#.XxGtJJgzaUl (LazerLab-twitter-fake-news-replication-2c941b8\domains\domain_coding\data) References Allcott, H., & Gentzkow, M. (2017). Social media and fake news in the 2016 election. Journal of Economic Perspectives, 31(2), 211–236. Bachl, M. (2018). (Alternative) media sources in AfD-centered Facebook discussions. Studies in Communication | Media, 7(2), 256–270. Bakir, V., & McStay, A. (2018). Fake news and the economy of emotions. Digital Journalism, 6(2), 154–175. Boberg, S., Quandt, T., Schatto-Eckrodt, T., & Frischlich, L. (2020, April 6). Pandemic populism: Facebook pages of alternative news media and the corona crisis -- A computational content analysis. Retrieved from http://arxiv.org/pdf/2004.02566v3 Farkas, J., Schou, J., & Neumayer, C. (2018). Cloaked Facebook pages: Exploring fake Islamist propaganda in social media. New Media & Society, 20(5), 1850–1867. Frischlich, L., Klapproth, J., & Brinkschulte, F. (2020). Between mainstream and alternative – Co-orientation in right-wing populist alternative news media. In C. Grimme, M. Preuss, F. W. Takes, & A. Waldherr (Eds.), Lecture Notes in Computer Science. Disinformation in open online media (Vol. 12021, pp. 150–167). Cham: Springer International Publishing. Grinberg, N., Joseph, K., Friedland, L., Swire-Thompson, B., & Lazer, D. (2019). Fake news on Twitter during the 2016 U.S. Presidential election. Science (New York, N.Y.), 363(6425), 374–378. Guess, A., Nagler, J., & Tucker, J. (2019). Less than you think: Prevalence and predictors of fake news dissemination on Facebook. Science Advances, 5(1). https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aau4586 Guess, A., Nyhan, B., & Reifler, J. (2018). Selective exposure to misinformation: Evidence from the consumption of fake news during the 2016 US presidential campaign. European Research Council, 9(3), 1–14. Heft, A., Mayerhöffer, E., Reinhardt, S., & Knüpfer, C. (2020). Beyond Breitbart: Comparing right?wing digital news infrastructures in six Western democracies. Policy & Internet, 12(1), 20–45. Holt, K., Ustad Figenschou, T., & Frischlich, L. (2019). Key dimensions of alternative news media. Digital Journalism, 7(7), 860–869. Nelson, J. L., & Taneja, H. (2018). The small, disloyal fake news audience: The role of audience availability in fake news consumption. New Media & Society, 20(10), 3720–3737.

Abstract:

1991 An afternoon in late 1991 found me on a Sydney bus reading Brett Easton Ellis’ American Psycho (1991). A disembarking passenger paused at my side and, as I glanced up, hissed, ‘I don’t know how you can read that filth’. As she continued to make her way to the front of the vehicle, I was as stunned as if she had struck me physically. There was real vehemence in both her words and how they were delivered, and I can still see her eyes squeezing into slits as she hesitated while curling her mouth around that final angry word: ‘filth’. Now, almost fifteen years later, the memory is remarkably vivid. As the event is also still remarkable; this comment remaining the only remark ever made to me by a stranger about anything I have been reading during three decades of travelling on public transport. That inflamed commuter summed up much of the furore that greeted the publication of American Psycho. More than this, and unusually, condemnation of the work both actually preceded, and affected, its publication. Although Ellis had been paid a substantial U.S. $300,000 advance by Simon & Schuster, pre-publication stories based on circulating galley proofs were so negative—offering assessments of the book as: ‘moronic … pointless … themeless … worthless (Rosenblatt 3), ‘superficial’, ‘a tapeworm narrative’ (Sheppard 100) and ‘vile … p*rnography, not literature … immoral, but also artless’ (Miner 43)—that the publisher cancelled the contract (forfeiting the advance) only months before the scheduled release date. CEO of Simon & Schuster, Richard E. Snyder, explained: ‘it was an error of judgement to put our name on a book of such questionable taste’ (quoted in McDowell, “Vintage” 13). American Psycho was, instead, published by Random House/Knopf in March 1991 under its prestige paperback imprint, Vintage Contemporary (Zaller; Freccero 48) – Sonny Mehta having signed the book to Random House some two days after Simon & Schuster withdrew from its agreement with Ellis. While many commented on the fact that Ellis was paid two substantial advances, it was rarely noted that Random House was a more prestigious publisher than Simon & Schuster (Iannone 52). After its release, American Psycho was almost universally vilified and denigrated by the American critical establishment. The work was criticised on both moral and aesthetic/literary/artistic grounds; that is, in terms of both what Ellis wrote and how he wrote it. Critics found it ‘meaningless’ (Lehmann-Haupt C18), ‘abysmally written … schlock’ (Kennedy 427), ‘repulsive, a bloodbath serving no purpose save that of morbidity, titillation and sensation … pure trash, as scummy and mean as anything it depicts, a dirty book by a dirty writer’ (Yardley B1) and ‘garbage’ (Gurley Brown 21). Mark Archer found that ‘the attempt to confuse style with content is callow’ (31), while Naomi Wolf wrote that: ‘overall, reading American Psycho holds the same fascination as watching a maladjusted 11-year-old draw on his desk’ (34). John Leo’s assessment sums up the passionate intensity of those critical of the work: ‘totally hateful … violent junk … no discernible plot, no believable characterization, no sensibility at work that comes anywhere close to making art out of all the blood and torture … Ellis displays little feel for narration, words, grammar or the rhythm of language’ (23). These reviews, as those printed pre-publication, were titled in similarly unequivocal language: ‘A Revolting Development’ (Sheppard 100), ‘Marketing Cynicism and Vulgarity’ (Leo 23), ‘Designer p*rn’ (Manguel 46) and ‘Essence of Trash’ (Yardley B1). Perhaps the most unambiguous in its message was Roger Rosenblatt’s ‘Snuff this Book!’ (3). Of all works published in the U.S.A. at that time, including those clearly carrying X ratings, the Los Angeles chapter of the National Organization for Women (NOW) selected American Psycho for special notice, stating that the book ‘legitimizes inhuman and savage violence masquerading as sexuality’ (NOW 114). Judging the book ‘the most misogynistic communication’ the organisation had ever encountered (NOW L.A. chapter president, Tammy Bruce, quoted in Kennedy 427) and, on the grounds that ‘violence against women in any form is no longer socially acceptable’ (McDowell, “NOW” C17), NOW called for a boycott of the entire Random House catalogue for the remainder of 1991. Naomi Wolf agreed, calling the novel ‘a violation not of obscenity standards, but of women’s civil rights, insofar as it results in conditioning male sexual response to female suffering or degradation’ (34). Later, the boycott was narrowed to Knopf and Vintage titles (Love 46), but also extended to all of the many products, companies, corporations, firms and brand names that are a feature of Ellis’s novel (Kauffman, “American” 41). There were other unexpected responses such as the Walt Disney Corporation barring Ellis from the opening of Euro Disney (Tyrnauer 101), although Ellis had already been driven from public view after receiving a number of death threats and did not undertake a book tour (Kennedy 427). Despite this, the book received significant publicity courtesy of the controversy and, although several national bookstore chains and numerous booksellers around the world refused to sell the book, more than 100,000 copies were sold in the U.S.A. in the fortnight after publication (Dwyer 55). Even this success had an unprecedented effect: when American Psycho became a bestseller, The New York Times announced that it would be removing the title from its bestseller lists because of the book’s content. In the days following publication in the U.S.A., Canadian customs announced that it was considering whether to allow the local arm of Random House to, first, import American Psycho for sale in Canada and, then, publish it in Canada (Kirchhoff, “Psycho” C1). Two weeks later, when the book was passed for sale (Kirchhoff, “Customs” C1), demonstrators protested the entrance of a shipment of the book. In May, the Canadian Defence Force made headlines when it withdrew copies of the book from the library shelves of a navy base in Halifax (Canadian Press C1). Also in May 1991, the Australian Office of Film and Literature Classification (OFLC), the federal agency that administers the classification scheme for all films, computer games and ‘submittable’ publications (including books) that are sold, hired or exhibited in Australia, announced that it had classified American Psycho as ‘Category 1 Restricted’ (W. Fraser, “Book” 5), to be sold sealed, to only those over 18 years of age. This was the first such classification of a mainstream literary work since the rating scheme was introduced (Graham), and the first time a work of literature had been restricted for sale since Philip Roth’s Portnoy’s Complaint in 1969. The chief censor, John Dickie, said the OFLC could not justify refusing the book classification (and essentially banning the work), and while ‘as a satire on yuppies it has a lot going for it’, personally he found the book ‘distasteful’ (quoted in W. Fraser, “Sensitive” 5). Moreover, while this ‘R’ classification was, and remains, a national classification, Australian States and Territories have their own sale and distribution regulation systems. Under this regime, American Psycho remains banned from sale in Queensland, as are all other books in this classification category (Vnuk). These various reactions led to a flood of articles published in the U.S.A., Canada, Australia and the U.K., voicing passionate opinions on a range of issues including free speech and censorship, the corporate control of artistic thought and practice, and cynicism on the part of authors and their publishers about what works might attract publicity and (therefore) sell in large numbers (see, for instance, Hitchens 7; Irving 1). The relationship between violence in society and its representation in the media was a common theme, with only a few commentators (including Norman Mailer in a high profile Vanity Fair article) suggesting that, instead of inciting violence, the media largely reflected, and commented upon, societal violence. Elayne Rapping, an academic in the field of Communications, proposed that the media did actively glorify violence, but only because there was a market for such representations: ‘We, as a society love violence, thrive on violence as the very basis of our social stability, our ideological belief system … The problem, after all, is not media violence but real violence’ (36, 38). Many more commentators, however, agreed with NOW, Wolf and others and charged Ellis’s work with encouraging, and even instigating, violent acts, and especially those against women, calling American Psycho ‘a kind of advertising for violence against women’ (anthropologist Elliot Leyton quoted in Dwyer 55) and, even, a ‘how-to manual on the torture and dismemberment of women’ (Leo 23). Support for the book was difficult to find in the flood of vitriol directed against it, but a small number wrote in Ellis’s defence. Sonny Mehta, himself the target of death threats for acquiring the book for Random House, stood by this assessment, and was widely quoted in his belief that American Psycho was ‘a serious book by a serious writer’ and that Ellis was ‘remarkably talented’ (Knight-Ridder L10). Publishing director of Pan Macmillan Australia, James Fraser, defended his decision to release American Psycho on the grounds that the book told important truths about society, arguing: ‘A publisher’s office is a clearing house for ideas … the real issue for community debate [is] – to what extent does it want to hear the truth about itself, about individuals within the community and about the governments the community elects. If we care about the preservation of standards, there is none higher than this. Gore Vidal was among the very few who stated outright that he liked the book, finding it ‘really rather inspired … a wonderfully comic novel’ (quoted in Tyrnauer 73). Fay Weldon agreed, judging the book as ‘brilliant’, and focusing on the importance of Ellis’s message: ‘Bret Easton Ellis is a very good writer. He gets us to a ‘T’. And we can’t stand it. It’s our problem, not his. American Psycho is a beautifully controlled, careful, important novel that revolves around its own nasty bits’ (C1). Since 1991 As unlikely as this now seems, I first read American Psycho without any awareness of the controversy raging around its publication. I had read Ellis’s earlier works, Less than Zero (1985) and The Rules of Attraction (1987) and, with my energies fully engaged elsewhere, cannot now even remember how I acquired the book. Since that angry remark on the bus, however, I have followed American Psycho’s infamy and how it has remained in the public eye over the last decade and a half. Australian OFLC decisions can be reviewed and reversed – as when Pasolini’s final film Salo (1975), which was banned in Australia from the time of its release in 1975 until it was un-banned in 1993, was then banned again in 1998 – however, American Psycho’s initial classification has remained unchanged. In July 2006, I purchased a new paperback copy in rural New South Wales. It was shrink-wrapped in plastic and labelled: ‘R. Category One. Not available to persons under 18 years. Restricted’. While exact sales figures are difficult to ascertain, by working with U.S.A., U.K. and Australian figures, this copy was, I estimate, one of some 1.5 to 1.6 million sold since publication. In the U.S.A., backlist sales remain very strong, with some 22,000 copies sold annually (Holt and Abbott), while lifetime sales in the U.K. are just under 720,000 over five paperback editions. Sales in Australia are currently estimated by Pan MacMillan to total some 100,000, with a new printing of 5,000 copies recently ordered in Australia on the strength of the book being featured on the inaugural Australian Broadcasting Commission’s First Tuesday Book Club national television program (2006). Predictably, the controversy around the publication of American Psycho is regularly revisited by those reviewing Ellis’s subsequent works. A major article in Vanity Fair on Ellis’s next book, The Informers (1994), opened with a graphic description of the death threats Ellis received upon the publication of American Psycho (Tyrnauer 70) and then outlined the controversy in detail (70-71). Those writing about Ellis’s two most recent novels, Glamorama (1999) and Lunar Park (2005), have shared this narrative strategy, which also forms at least part of the frame of every interview article. American Psycho also, again predictably, became a major topic of discussion in relation to the contracting, making and then release of the eponymous film in 2000 as, for example, in Linda S. Kauffman’s extensive and considered review of the film, which spent the first third discussing the history of the book’s publication (“American” 41-45). Playing with this interest, Ellis continues his practice of reusing characters in subsequent works. Thus, American Psycho’s Patrick Bateman, who first appeared in The Rules of Attraction as the elder brother of the main character, Sean – who, in turn, makes a brief appearance in American Psycho – also turns up in Glamorama with ‘strange stains’ on his Armani suit lapels, and again in Lunar Park. The book also continues to be regularly cited in discussions of censorship (see, for example, Dubin; Freccero) and has been included in a number of university-level courses about banned books. In these varied contexts, literary, cultural and other critics have also continued to disagree about the book’s impact upon readers, with some persisting in reading the novel as a p*rnographic incitement to violence. When Wade Frankum killed seven people in Sydney, many suggested a link between these murders and his consumption of X-rated videos, p*rnographic magazines and American Psycho (see, for example, Manne 11), although others argued against this (Wark 11). Prosecutors in the trial of Canadian murderer Paul Bernardo argued that American Psycho provided a ‘blueprint’ for Bernardo’s crimes (Canadian Press A5). Others have read Ellis’s work more positively, as for instance when Sonia Baelo Allué compares American Psycho favourably with Thomas Harris’s The Silence of the Lambs (1988) – arguing that Harris not only depicts more degrading treatment of women, but also makes Hannibal Lecter, his antihero monster, sexily attractive (7-24). Linda S. Kauffman posits that American Psycho is part of an ‘anti-aesthetic’ movement in art, whereby works that are revoltingly ugly and/or grotesque function to confront the repressed fears and desires of the audience and explore issues of identity and subjectivity (Bad Girls), while Patrick W. Shaw includes American Psycho in his work, The Modern American Novel of Violence because, in his opinion, the violence Ellis depicts is not gratuitous. Lost, however, in much of this often-impassioned debate and dialogue is the book itself – and what Ellis actually wrote. 21-years-old when Less than Zero was published, Ellis was still only 26 when American Psycho was released and his youth presented an obvious target. In 1991, Terry Teachout found ‘no moment in American Psycho where Bret Easton Ellis, who claims to be a serious artist, exhibits the workings of an adult moral imagination’ (45, 46), Brad Miner that it was ‘puerile – the very antithesis of good writing’ (43) and Carol Iannone that ‘the inclusion of the now famous offensive scenes reveals a staggering aesthetic and moral immaturity’ (54). Pagan Kennedy also ‘blamed’ the entire work on this immaturity, suggesting that instead of possessing a developed artistic sensibility, Ellis was reacting to (and, ironically, writing for the approval of) critics who had lauded the documentary realism of his violent and nihilistic teenage characters in Less than Zero, but then panned his less sensational story of campus life in The Rules of Attraction (427-428). Yet, in my opinion, there is not only a clear and coherent aesthetic vision driving Ellis’s oeuvre but, moreover, a profoundly moral imagination at work as well. This was my view upon first reading American Psycho, and part of the reason I was so shocked by that charge of filth on the bus. Once familiar with the controversy, I found this view shared by only a minority of commentators. Writing in the New Statesman & Society, Elizabeth J. Young asked: ‘Where have these people been? … Books of p*rnographic violence are nothing new … American Psycho outrages no contemporary taboos. Psychotic killers are everywhere’ (24). I was similarly aware that such murderers not only existed in reality, but also in many widely accessed works of literature and film – to the point where a few years later Joyce Carol Oates could suggest that the serial killer was an icon of popular culture (233). While a popular topic for writers of crime fiction and true crime narratives in both print and on film, a number of ‘serious’ literary writers – including Truman Capote, Norman Mailer, Kate Millet, Margaret Atwood and Oates herself – have also written about serial killers, and even crossed over into the widely acknowledged as ‘low-brow’ true crime genre. Many of these works (both popular or more literary) are vivid and powerful and have, as American Psycho, taken a strong moral position towards their subject matter. Moreover, many books and films have far more disturbing content than American Psycho, yet have caused no such uproar (Young and Caveney 120). By now, the plot of American Psycho is well known, although the structure of the book, noted by Weldon above (C1), is rarely analysed or even commented upon. First person narrator, Patrick Bateman, a young, handsome stockbroker and stereotypical 1980s yuppie, is also a serial killer. The book is largely, and innovatively, structured around this seeming incompatibility – challenging readers’ expectations that such a depraved criminal can be a wealthy white professional – while vividly contrasting the banal, and meticulously detailed, emptiness of Bateman’s life as a New York über-consumer with the scenes where he humiliates, rapes, tortures, murders, mutilates, dismembers and cannibalises his victims. Although only comprising some 16 out of 399 pages in my Picador edition, these violent scenes are extreme and certainly make the work as a whole disgustingly confronting. But that is the entire point of Ellis’s work. Bateman’s violence is rendered so explicitly because its principal role in the novel is to be inescapably horrific. As noted by Baelo Allué, there is no shift in tone between the most banally described detail and the description of violence (17): ‘I’ve situated the body in front of the new Toshiba television set and in the VCR is an old tape and appearing on the screen is the last girl I filmed. I’m wearing a Joseph Abboud suit, a tie by Paul Stuart, shoes by J. Crew, a vest by someone Italian and I’m kneeling on the floor beside a corpse, eating the girl’s brain, gobbling it down, spreading Grey Poupon over hunks of the pink, fleshy meat’ (Ellis 328). In complete opposition to how p*rnography functions, Ellis leaves no room for the possible enjoyment of such a scene. Instead of revelling in the ‘spine chilling’ pleasures of classic horror narratives, there is only the real horror of imagining such an act. The effect, as Kauffman has observed is, rather than arousing, often so disgusting as to be emetic (Bad Girls 249). Ellis was surprised that his detractors did not understand that he was trying to be shocking, not offensive (Love 49), or that his overall aim was to symbolise ‘how desensitised our culture has become towards violence’ (quoted in Dwyer 55). Ellis was also understandably frustrated with readings that conflated not only the contents of the book and their meaning, but also the narrator and author: ‘The acts described in the book are truly, indisputably vile. The book itself is not. Patrick Bateman is a monster. I am not’ (quoted in Love 49). Like Fay Weldon, Norman Mailer understood that American Psycho posited ‘that the eighties were spiritually disgusting and the author’s presentation is the crystallization of such horror’ (129). Unlike Weldon, however, Mailer shied away from defending the novel by judging Ellis not accomplished enough a writer to achieve his ‘monstrous’ aims (182), failing because he did not situate Bateman within a moral universe, that is, ‘by having a murderer with enough inner life for us to comprehend him’ (182). Yet, the morality of Ellis’s project is evident. By viewing the world through the lens of a psychotic killer who, in many ways, personifies the American Dream – wealthy, powerful, intelligent, handsome, energetic and successful – and, yet, who gains no pleasure, satisfaction, coherent identity or sense of life’s meaning from his endless, selfish consumption, Ellis exposes the emptiness of both that world and that dream. As Bateman himself explains: ‘Surface, surface, surface was all that anyone found meaning in. This was civilisation as I saw it, colossal and jagged’ (Ellis 375). Ellis thus situates the responsibility for Bateman’s violence not in his individual moral vacuity, but in the barren values of the society that has shaped him – a selfish society that, in Ellis’s opinion, refused to address the most important issues of the day: corporate greed, mindless consumerism, poverty, homelessness and the prevalence of violent crime. Instead of p*rnographic, therefore, American Psycho is a profoundly political text: Ellis was never attempting to glorify or incite violence against anyone, but rather to expose the effects of apathy to these broad social problems, including the very kinds of violence the most vocal critics feared the book would engender. Fifteen years after the publication of American Psycho, although our societies are apparently growing in overall prosperity, the gap between rich and poor also continues to grow, more are permanently homeless, violence – whether domestic, random or institutionally-sanctioned – escalates, and yet general apathy has intensified to the point where even the ‘ethics’ of torture as government policy can be posited as a subject for rational debate. The real filth of the saga of American Psycho is, thus, how Ellis’s message was wilfully ignored. While critics and public intellectuals discussed the work at length in almost every prominent publication available, few attempted to think in any depth about what Ellis actually wrote about, or to use their powerful positions to raise any serious debate about the concerns he voiced. Some recent critical reappraisals have begun to appreciate how American Psycho is an ‘ethical denunciation, where the reader cannot but face the real horror behind the serial killer phenomenon’ (Baelo Allué 8), but Ellis, I believe, goes further, exposing the truly filthy causes that underlie the existence of such seemingly ‘senseless’ murder. But, Wait, There’s More It is ironic that American Psycho has, itself, generated a mini-industry of products. A decade after publication, a Canadian team – filmmaker Mary Harron, director of I Shot Andy Warhol (1996), working with scriptwriter, Guinevere Turner, and Vancouver-based Lions Gate Entertainment – adapted the book for a major film (Johnson). Starring Christian Bale, Chloë Sevigny, Willem Dafoe and Reese Witherspoon and, with an estimated budget of U.S.$8 million, the film made U.S.$15 million at the American box office. The soundtrack was released for the film’s opening, with video and DVDs to follow and the ‘Killer Collector’s Edition’ DVD – closed-captioned, in widescreen with surround sound – released in June 2005. Amazon.com lists four movie posters (including a Japanese language version) and, most unexpected of all, a series of film tie-in action dolls. The two most popular of these, judging by E-Bay, are the ‘Cult Classics Series 1: Patrick Bateman’ figure which, attired in a smart suit, comes with essential accoutrements of walkman with headphones, briefcase, Wall Street Journal, video tape and recorder, knife, cleaver, axe, nail gun, severed hand and a display base; and the 18” tall ‘motion activated sound’ edition – a larger version of the same doll with fewer accessories, but which plays sound bites from the movie. Thanks to Stephen Harris and Suzie Gibson (UNE) for stimulating conversations about this book, Stephen Harris for information about the recent Australian reprint of American Psycho and Mark Seebeck (Pan Macmillan) for sales information. References Archer, Mark. “The Funeral Baked Meats.” The Spectator 27 April 1991: 31. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. First Tuesday Book Club. First broadcast 1 August 2006. Baelo Allué, Sonia. “The Aesthetics of Serial Killing: Working against Ethics in The Silence of the Lambs (1988) and American Psycho (1991).” Atlantis 24.2 (Dec. 2002): 7-24. Canadian Press. “Navy Yanks American Psycho.” The Globe and Mail 17 May 1991: C1. Canadian Press. “Gruesome Novel Was Bedside Reading.” Kitchener-Waterloo Record 1 Sep. 1995: A5. Dubin, Steven C. “Art’s Enemies: Censors to the Right of Me, Censors to the Left of Me.” Journal of Aesthetic Education 28.4 (Winter 1994): 44-54. Dwyer, Victor. “Literary Firestorm: Canada Customs Scrutinizes a Brutal Novel.” Maclean’s April 1991: 55. Ellis, Bret Easton. American Psycho. London: Macmillan-Picador, 1991. ———. Glamorama. New York: Knopf, 1999. ———. The Informers. New York: Knopf, 1994. ———. Less than Zero. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1985. ———. Lunar Park. New York: Knopf, 2005. ———. The Rules of Attraction. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1987. Fraser, James. :The Case for Publishing.” The Bulletin 18 June 1991. Fraser, William. “Book May Go under Wraps.” The Sydney Morning Herald 23 May 1991: 5. ———. “The Sensitive Censor and the Psycho.” The Sydney Morning Herald 24 May 1991: 5. Freccero, Carla. “Historical Violence, Censorship, and the Serial Killer: The Case of American Psycho.” Diacritics: A Review of Contemporary Criticism 27.2 (Summer 1997): 44-58. Graham, I. “Australian Censorship History.” Libertus.net 9 Dec. 2001. 17 May 2006 http://libertus.net/censor/hist20on.html>. Gurley Brown, Helen. Commentary in “Editorial Judgement or Censorship?: The Case of American Psycho.” The Writer May 1991: 20-23. Harris, Thomas. The Silence of the Lambs. New York: St Martins Press, 1988. Harron, Mary (dir.). American Psycho [film]. Edward R. Pressman Film Corporation, Lions Gate Films, Muse Productions, P.P.S. Films, Quadra Entertainment, Universal Pictures, 2004. Hitchens, Christopher. “Minority Report.” The Nation 7-14 January 1991: 7. Holt, Karen, and Charlotte Abbott. “Lunar Park: The Novel.” Publishers Weekly 11 July 2005. 13 Aug. 2006 http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA624404.html? pubdate=7%2F11%2F2005&display=archive>. Iannone, Carol. “PC & the Ellis Affair.” Commentary Magazine July 1991: 52-4. Irving, John. “p*rnography and the New Puritans.” The New York Times Book Review 29 March 1992: Section 7, 1. 13 Aug. 2006 http://www.nytimes.com/books/97/06/15/lifetimes/25665.html>. Johnson, Brian D. “Canadian Cool Meets American Psycho.” Maclean’s 10 April 2000. 13 Aug. 2006 http://www.macleans.ca/culture/films/article.jsp?content=33146>. Kauffman, Linda S. “American Psycho [film review].” Film Quarterly 54.2 (Winter 2000-2001): 41-45. ———. Bad Girls and Sick Boys: Fantasies in Contemporary Art and Culture. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1998. Kennedy, Pagan. “Generation Gaffe: American Psycho.” The Nation 1 April 1991: 426-8. Kirchhoff, H. J. “Customs Clears Psycho: Booksellers’ Reaction Mixed.” The Globe and Mail 26 March 1991: C1. ———. “Psycho Sits in Limbo: Publisher Awaits Customs Ruling.” The Globe and Mail 14 March 1991: C1. Knight-Ridder News Service. “Vintage Picks up Ellis’ American Psycho.” Los Angeles Daily News 17 November 1990: L10. Lehmann-Haupt, Christopher. “Psycho: Wither Death without Life?” The New York Times 11 March 1991: C18. Leo, John. “Marketing Cynicism and Vulgarity.” U.S. News & World Report 3 Dec. 1990: 23. Love, Robert. “Psycho Analysis: Interview with Bret Easton Ellis.” Rolling Stone 4 April 1991: 45-46, 49-51. Mailer, Norman. “Children of the Pied Piper: Mailer on American Psycho.” Vanity Fair March 1991: 124-9, 182-3. Manguel, Alberto. “Designer p*rn.” Saturday Night 106.6 (July 1991): 46-8. Manne, Robert. “Liberals Deny the Video Link.” The Australian 6 Jan. 1997: 11. McDowell, Edwin. “NOW Chapter Seeks Boycott of ‘Psycho’ Novel.” The New York Times 6 Dec. 1990: C17. ———. “Vintage Buys Violent Book Dropped by Simon & Schuster.” The New York Times 17 Nov. 1990: 13. Miner, Brad. “Random Notes.” National Review 31 Dec. 1990: 43. National Organization for Women. Library Journal 2.91 (1991): 114. Oates, Joyce Carol. “Three American Gothics.” Where I’ve Been, and Where I’m Going: Essays, Reviews and Prose. New York: Plume, 1999. 232-43. Rapping, Elayne. “The Uses of Violence.” Progressive 55 (1991): 36-8. Rosenblatt, Roger. “Snuff this Book!: Will Brett Easton Ellis Get Away with Murder?” New York Times Book Review 16 Dec. 1990: 3, 16. Roth, Philip. Portnoy’s Complaint. New York: Random House, 1969. Shaw, Patrick W. The Modern American Novel of Violence. Troy, NY: Whitson, 2000. Sheppard, R. Z. “A Revolting Development.” Time 29 Oct. 1990: 100. Teachout, Terry. “Applied Deconstruction.” National Review 24 June 1991: 45-6. Tyrnauer, Matthew. “Who’s Afraid of Bret Easton Ellis?” Vanity Fair 57.8 (Aug. 1994): 70-3, 100-1. Vnuk, Helen. “X-rated? Outdated.” The Age 21 Sep. 2003. 17 May 2006 http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/09/19/1063625202157.html>. Wark, McKenzie. “Video Link Is a Distorted View.” The Australian 8 Jan. 1997: 11. Weldon, Fay. “Now You’re Squeamish?: In a World as Sick as Ours, It’s Silly to Target American Psycho.” The Washington Post 28 April 1991: C1. Wolf, Naomi. “The Animals Speak.” New Statesman & Society 12 April 1991: 33-4. Yardley, Jonathan. “American Psycho: Essence of Trash.” The Washington Post 27 Feb. 1991: B1. Young, Elizabeth J. “Psycho Killers. Last Lines: How to Shock the English.” New Statesman & Society 5 April 1991: 24. Young, Elizabeth J., and Graham Caveney. Shopping in Space: Essays on American ‘Blank Generation’ Fiction. London: Serpent’s Tail, 1992. Zaller, Robert “American Psycho, American Censorship and the Dahmer Case.” Revue Francaise d’Etudes Americaines 16.56 (1993): 317-25. Citation reference for this article MLA Style Brien, Donna Lee. "The Real Filth in : A Critical Reassessment." M/C Journal 9.5 (2006). echo date('d M. Y'); ?> <http://journal.media-culture.org.au/0610/01-brien.php>. APA Style Brien, D. (Nov. 2006) "The Real Filth in American Psycho: A Critical Reassessment," M/C Journal, 9(5). Retrieved echo date('d M. Y'); ?> from <http://journal.media-culture.org.au/0610/01-brien.php>.

Abstract:

According to Oscar Wilde, the problem with socialism was that it took up too many evenings. Wilde’s aphorism alludes to a major issue that bedevils all attempts to influence the public sphere: the fact that public activities encroach unduly on citizens’ valuable time. In the 21st century, the dilemma of how to deal with “too many evenings” is one that many citizen journalists face as they give their own time to public pursuits. This paper will look at the development of the public citizen and what it means to be a citizen journalist with reference to some of the writer’s own experiences in the field. The paper will conclude with an examination of future possibilities. While large media companies change their change their focus from traditional news values, citizen journalism can play a stronger role in public life as long as it grasps some of the opportunities that are available. There are substantial compensations available to citizen journalists for the problems presented by Wilde’s evenings. The quote from Wilde is borrowed from Albert Hirschman’s Shifting Involvements, which among other things, is an examination of the disappointments of public action. Hirschman noted how it was a common experience for beginners who engage in public action to find that takes up more time than expected (96). As public activity encroaches not only on time devoted to private consumption but also on to the time devoted to the production of income, it can become a costly pursuit which may cause a sharp reaction against the “practice of citizenship” (Hirschman 97). Yet the more stimuli about politics people receive, the greater the likelihood is they will participate in politics and the greater the depth of their participation (Milbrath & Goel 35). People with a positive attraction to politics are more likely to receive stimuli about politics and participate more (Milbrath & Goel 36). Active citizenship, it seems, has its own feedback loops. An active citizenry is not a new idea. The concepts of citizen and citizenship emerged from the sophisticated polity established in the Greek city states about 2,500 years ago. The status of a citizen signified that the individual had the right to full membership of, and participation in, an independent political society (Batrouney & Goldlust 24). In later eras that society could be defined as a kingdom, an empire, or a nation state. The conditions for a bourgeois public sphere were created in the 13th century as capitalists in European city states created a traffic in commodities and news (Habermas 15). A true public sphere emerged in the 17th century with the rise of the English coffee houses and French salons where people had the freedom to express opinions regardless of their social status (Habermas 36). In 1848, France held the first election under universal direct suffrage (for males) and the contemporary slogan was that “universal suffrage closes the era of revolutions” (Hirschman 113). Out of this heady optimism, the late 19th century ushered in the era of the “informed citizen” as voting changed from a social and public duty to a private right – a civic obligation enforceable only by private conscience (Schudson). These concepts live on in the modern idea that the model voter is considered to be a citizen vested with the ability to understand the consequences of his or her choice (Menand 1). The internet is a new knowledge space which offers an alternative reading of the citizen. In Pierre Lévy’s vision of cyberculture, identity is no longer a function of belonging, it is “distributed and nomadic” (Ross & Nightingale 149). The Internet has diffused widely and is increasingly central to everyday life as a place where people go to get information (Dutton 10). Journalism initially prospered on an information scarcity factor however the technology of the Internet has created an information rich society (Tapsall & Varley 18). But research suggests that online discussions do not promote consensus, are short-lived with little impact and end up turning into “dialogues of the deaf” (Nguyen 148). The easy online publishing environment is a fertile ground for rumours, hoaxes and cheating games to circulate which risk turning the public sphere into a chaotic and anarchic space (Nguyen 148). The stereotypical blogger is pejoratively dismissed as “pajama-clad” (Papandrea 516) connoting a sense of disrespect for the proper transmission of ideas. Nevertheless the Internet offers powerful tools for collaboration that is opening up many everyday institutions to greater social accountability (Dutton 3). Recent research by the 2007 Digital Futures project shows 65 percent of respondents consider the Internet “to be a very important or extremely important source of information” (Cowden 76). By 2006, Roy Morgan was reporting that three million Australians were visiting online news site each month (Cowden.76). Crikey.com.au, Australia’s first online-only news outlet, has become a significant independent player in the Australia mediascape claiming over 5,000 subscribers by 2005 with three times as many non-paying “squatters” reading its daily email (Devine 50). Online Opinion has a similar number of subscribers and was receiving 750,000 page views a month by 2005 (National Forum). Both Crikey.com.au and Online Opinion have made moves towards public journalism in an attempt to provide ordinary people access to the public sphere. As professional journalists lose their connection with the public, bloggers are able to fill the public journalism niche (Simons, Content Makers 208). At their best, blogs can offer a “more broad-based, democratic involvement of citizens in the issues that matter to them” (Bruns 7). The research of University of North Carolina journalism professor Philip Meyer showed that cities and towns with public journalism-oriented newspapers led to a better educated local public (Simons, Content Makers 211). Meyer’s idea of good public journalism has six defining elements: a) the need to define a community’s sense of itself b) devotion of time to issues that demand community attention c) devotion of depth to the issues d) more attention to the middle ground e) a preference for substance over tactics and f) encouraging reciprocal understanding (Meyer 1). The objective of public journalism is to foster a greater sense of connection between the community and the media. It can mean journalists using ordinary people as sources and also ordinary people acting as journalists. Jay Rosen proposed a new model based on journalism as conversation (Simons, Content Makers 209). He believes the technology has now overtaken the public journalism movement (Simons, Content Makers 213). His own experiments at pro-am Internet open at assignment.net have had mixed results. His conclusion was that it wasn’t easy for people working voluntarily on the Internet to report on big stories together nor had they “unlocked” the secret of successful pro-am methods (Rosen). Nevertheless, the people formerly known as the audience, as Rosen called them, have seized the agenda. The barriers to entry into journalism have disappeared. Blogging has made Web publishing easy and the social networks are even more user friendly. The problem today is not getting published but finding an audience. And as the audience fragments, the issue will become finding a niche. One such niche is local political activism. The 2007 Australian federal election saw many online sites actively promoting citizen journalism. Most prominent was Youdecide2007 at Queensland University of Technology, funded by the Australian Research Council (ARC) in partnership with SBS, Online Opinion and the Brisbane Institute. Site co-editor Graham Young said the site’s aim was to use citizen journalists to report on their own electorates to fill the gap left by fewer journalists on the ground, especially in less populated areas (Young). While the site’s stated aim was to provide a forum for a seat-by-seat coverage and provide “a new perspective on national politics” (Youdecide2007), the end result was significantly skewed by the fact that the professional editorial team was based in Brisbane. Youdecide2007 published 96 articles in its news archive of which 59 could be identified as having a state-based focus. Figure 1 shows 62.7% of these state-based stories were about Queensland. Figure 1: Youdecide2007 news stories identifiable by state (note: national stories are omitted from this table): State Total no. of stories %age Qld 37 62.7 NSW 8 13.6 Vic 6 10.2 WA 3 5.1 Tas 2 3.4 ACT 2 3.4 SA 1 1.6 Modern election campaigns are characterised by a complex and increasingly fragmented news environment and the new media are rapidly adding another layer of complexity to the mix (Norris et al. 11-12). The slick management of national campaigns are is counter-productive to useful citizen journalism. According to Matthew Clayfield from the citizen journalism site electionTracker.net, “there are very few open events which ordinary people could cover in a way that could be described as citizen journalism” (qtd. in Hills 2007). Similar to other systems, the Australian campaign communication empowers the political leaders and media owners at the expense of ordinary party members and citizens (Warhurst 135). However the slick modern national “on message” campaign has not totally replaced old-style local activity. Although the national campaign has superimposed upon the local one and displaced it from the focus of attention, local candidates must still communicate their party policies in the electorate (Warhurst 113). Citizen journalists are ideally placed to harness this local communication. A grassroots approach is encapsulated in the words of Dan Gillmor who said “every reporter should realise that, collectively, the readers know more than they do about what they write about” (qtd. in Quinn & Quinn-Allan 66). With this in mind, I set out my own stall in citizen journalism for the 2007 Australian federal election with two personal goals: to interview all my local federal Lower House candidates and to attend as many public election meetings as possible. As a result, I wrote 19 election articles in the two months prior to the election. This consisted of 9 news items, 6 candidate interviews and 4 reports of public meetings. All the local candidates except one agreed to be interviewed. The local Liberal candidate refused to be interviewed despite repeated requests. There was no reason offered, just a continual ignoring of requests. Liberal candidates were also noticeably absent from most candidate forums I attended. This pattern of non-communicative behaviour was observed elsewhere (Bartlett, Wilson). I tried to turn this to my advantage by turning their refusal to talk into a story itself. For those that were prepared to talk, I set the expectation that the entire interview would be on the record and would be edited and published on my blog site. As a result, all candidates asked for a list of questions in advance which I supplied. Because politicians devote considerable energy and financial resources to ensure the information they impart to citizens has an appropriate ‘spin’ on it, (Negrine 10) I reserved the right to ask follow-up questions on any of their answers that required clarification. For the interviews themselves, I followed the advice of Spradley’s principle by starting with a conscious attitude of near-total ignorance, not writing the story in advance, and attempting to be descriptive, incisive, investigative and critical (Alia 100). After I posted the results of the interview, I sent a link to each of the respondents offering them a chance to clarify or correct any inaccuracies in the interview statements. Defamation skirts the boundary between free speech and reputation (Pearson 159) and a good working knowledge of the way defamation law affects journalists (citizen or otherwise) is crucial, particularly in dealing with public figures. This was an important consideration for some of the lesser known candidates as Google searches on their names brought my articles up within the top 20 results for each of the Democrat, Green and Liberal Democratic Party candidates I interviewed. None of the public meetings I attended were covered in the mainstream media. These meetings are the type of news Jan Schaffer of University of Maryland’s J-Lab saw as an ecological niche for citizen journalists to “create opportunities for citizens to get informed and inform others about micro-news that falls under the radar of news organisations who don’t have the resources” (Schaffer in Glaser). As Mark Bahnisch points out, Brisbane had three daily newspapers and a daily state based 7.30 Report twenty years ago which contrasts with the situation now where there’s no effective state parliamentary press gallery and little coverage of local politics at all (“State of Political Blogging”). Brisbane’s situation is not unique and the gaps are there to be exploited by new players. While the high cost of market entry renders the “central square” of the public sphere inaccessible to new players (Curran 128) the ease of Web access has given the citizen journalists the chance to roam its back alleys. However even if they fill the voids left by departing news organisations, there will still be a large hole in the mediascape. No one will be doing the hardhitting investigative journalism. This gritty work requires great resources and often years of time. The final product of investigative journalism is often complicated to read, unentertaining and inconclusive (Bower in Negrine 13). Margaret Simons says that journalism is a skill that involves the ability to find things out. She says the challenge of the future will be to marry the strengths of the newsroom and the dirty work of investigative journalism with the power of the conversation of blogs (“Politics and the Internet”). One possibility is raised by the Danish project Scoop. They offer financial support to individual journalists who have good ideas for investigative journalism. Founded by the Danish Association for Investigative Journalism and funded by the Danish Foreign Ministry, Scoop supports media projects across the world with the only proviso being that a journalist has to have an agreement with an editor to publish the resulting story (ABC Media Report). But even without financial support, citizens have the ability to perform rudimentary investigative journalism. The primary tool of investigative journalism is the interview (McIlwane & Bowman 260). While an interview can be arranged by anyone with access to a telephone or e-mail, it should not be underestimated how difficult a skill interviewing is. According to American journalist John Brady, the science of journalistic interviewing aims to gain two things, trust and information (Brady in White 75). In the interviews I did with politicians during the federal election, I found that getting past the “spin” of the party line to get genuine information was the toughest part of the task. There is also a considerable amount of information in the public domain which is rarely explored by reporters (Negrine 23). Knowing how to make use of this information will become a critical success factor for citizen journalists. Corporate journalists use databases such as Lexis/Nexis and Factiva to gain background information, a facility unavailable to most citizen journalists unless they are either have access through a learning institution or are prepared to pay a premium for the information. While large corporate vendors supply highly specialised information, amateurs can play a greater role in the creation and transmission of local news. According to G. Stuart Adam, journalism contains four basic elements: reporting, judging, a public voice and the here and now (13). Citizen journalism is capable of meeting all four criteria. The likelihood is that the future of communications will belong to the centralised corporations on one hand and the unsupervised amateur on the other (Bird 36). Whether the motive to continue is payment or empowerment, the challenge for citizen journalists is to advance beyond the initial success of tactical actions towards the establishment as a serious political and media alternative (Bruns 19). Nguyen et al.’s uses and gratification research project suggests there is a still a long way to go in Australia. While they found widespread diffusion of online news, the vast majority of users (78%) were still getting their news from newspaper Websites (Nguyen et al. 13). The research corroborates Mark Bahnisch’s view that “most Australians have not heard of blogs and only a tiny minority reads them (quoted in Simons, Content Makers 219). The Australian blogosphere still waits for its defining Swiftboat incident or Rathergate to announce its arrival. But Bahnisch doesn’t necessarily believe this is a good evolutionary strategy anyway. Here it is becoming more a conversation than a platform “with its own niche and its own value” (Bahnisch, “This Is Not America”). As far as my own experiments go, the citizen journalism reports I wrote gave me no financial reward but plenty of other compensations that made the experience richly rewarding. It was important to bring otherwise neglected ideas, stories and personalities into the public domain and the reports helped me make valuable connections with public-minded members of my local community. They were also useful practice to hone interview techniques and political writing skills. Finally the exercise raised my own public profile as several of my entries were picked up or hyperlinked by other citizen journalism sites and blogs. Some day, and probably soon, a model will be worked out which will make citizen journalism a worthwhile economic endeavour. In the meantime, we rely on active citizens of the blogosphere to give their evenings freely for the betterment of the public sphere. References ABC Media Report. “Scoop.” 2008. 17 Feb. 2008 http://www.abc.net.au/rn/mediareport/stories/2008/2151204.htm#transcript>. Adam, G. Notes towards a Definition of Journalism: Understanding an Old Craft as an Art Form. St Petersburg, Fl.: Poynter Institute, 1993. Alia, V. “The Rashom*on Principle: The Journalist as Ethnographer.” In V. Alia, B. Brennan, and B. Hoffmaster (eds.), Deadlines and Diversity: Journalism Ethics in a Changing World. Halifax: Fernwood Publishing, 1996. Bahnisch, M. “This Is Not America.” newmatilda.com 2007. 17 Feb. 2008 http://www.newmatilda.com/2007/10/04/not-america>. Bahnisch, M. “The State of Political Blogging.” Larvatus Prodeo 2007. 17 Feb. 2008 http://larvatusprodeo.net/2007/09/30/the-state-of-political-blogging/>. Bartlett, A. “Leaders Debate.” The Bartlett Diaries 2007. 19 Feb. 2008 http://andrewbartlett.com/blog/?p=1767>. Batrouney, T., and J. Goldlust. Unravelling Identity: Immigrants, Identity and Citizenship in Australia. Melbourne: Common Ground, 2005. Bird, R. “News in the Global Village.” The End of the News. Toronto: Irwin Publishing, 2005. Bruns, A. “News Blogs and Citizen Journalism: New Directions for e-Journalism.” In K. Prasad (ed.), E-Journalism: New Directions in Electronic News Media. New Delhi: BR Publishing, 2008. 2 Feb. 2008 http://snurb.info/files/News%20Blogs%20and%20Citizen%20Journalism.pdf>. Cowden, G. “Online News: Patterns, Participation and Personalisation.” Australian Journalism Review 29.1 (July 2007). Curran, J. “Rethinking Media and Democracy.” In J. Curran and M. Gurevitch (eds.), Mass Media and Society. 3rd ed. London: Arnold, 2000. Devine, F. “Curse of the Blog.” Quadrant 49.3 (Mar. 2005). Dutton, W. Through the Network (of Networks) – The Fifth Estate. Oxford Internet Institute, 2007. 6 April 2007 http://people.oii.ox.ac.uk/dutton/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/ 5th-estate-lecture-text.pdf>. Glaser, M. “The New Voices: Hyperlocal Citizen’s Media Sites Want You (to Write!).” Online Journalism Review 2004. 16 Feb. 2008 http://ojr.org/ojr/glaser/1098833871.php>. Habermas, J. The Structural Transformation of the Public Sphere: An Inquiry into a Category of Bourgeois Society. Cambridge: Polity Press, 1989 [1962]. Hills, R. “Citizen Journos Turning Inwards.” The Age 18 Nov. 2007. 17 Feb. 2008 http://www.theage.com.au/news/federal-election-2007-news/citizen-journos- turning-inwards/2007/11/17/1194767024688.html>. Hirschman, A, Shifting Involvements: Private Interest and Public Action. Princeton, NJ: Princeton UP, 1982. Hunter, C. “The Internet and the Public Sphere: Revitalization or Decay?” Virginia Journal of Communication 12 (2000): 93-127. Killenberg, G., and R. Dardenne. “Instruction in News Reporting as Community Focused Journalism.” Journalism & Mass Communication Educator 52.1 (Spring 1997). McIlwane, S., and L. Bowman. “Interviewing Techniques.” In S. Tanner (ed.), Journalism: Investigation and Research. Sydney: Longman, 2002. Menand, L. “The Unpolitical Animal: How Political Science Understands Voters.” The New Yorker 30 Aug. 2004. 17 Feb. 2008 http://www.newyorker.com/archive/2004/08/30/040830crat_atlarge>. Meyer, P. Public Journalism and the Problem of Objectivity. 1995. 16 Feb. 2008 http://www.unc.edu/%7Epmeyer/ire95pj.htm>. Milbrath, L., and M. Goel. Political Participation: How and Why Do People Get Involved in Politics? Chicago: Rand McNally M, 1975. National Forum. “Annual Report 2005.” 6 April 2008 http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/documents/reports/ annual_report_to_agm_2005.pdf>. Negrine, R. The Communication of Politics. London: Sage, 1996. Nguyen, A. “Journalism in the Wake of Participatory Publishing.” Australian Journalism Review 28.1 (July 2006). Nguyen, A., E. Ferrier, M. Western, and S. McKay. “Online News in Australia: Patterns of Use and Gratification.” Australian Studies in Journalism 15 (2005). Norris, P., J. Curtice, D. Sanders, M. Scammell, and H. Setemko. On Message: Communicating the Campaign. London: Sage, 1999. Papandrea, M. “Citizen Journalism and the Reporter’s Privilege.” Minnesota Law Review 91 (2007). Pearson, M. The Journalist’s Guide to Media Law. 2nd ed. Sydney: Allen & Unwin, 2004. Quinn, S., and D. Quinn-Allan. “User-Generated Content and the Changing News Cycle.” Australian Journalism Review 28.1 (July 2006). Rosen, J. “Assignment Zero: Can Crowds Create Fiction, Architecture and Photography?” Wired 2007. 6 April 2008 http://www.wired.com/techbiz/media/news/2007/07/assignment_zero_all>. Ross, K., and V. Nightingale. Media Audiences: New Perspectives. Maidenhead, Berkshire: Open UP, 2003. Schaffer, J. “Citizens Media: Has It Reached a Tipping Point.” Nieman Reports 59.4 (Winter 2005). Schudson, M. Good Citizens and Bad History: Today’s Political Ideals in Historical Perspective. 1999. 17 Feb. 2008 http://www.mtsu.edu/~seig/paper_m_schudson.html>. Simons, M. The Content Makers. Melbourne: Penguin, 2007. Simons, M. “Politics and the Internet.” Keynote speech at the Brisbane Writers’ Festival, 14 Sep. 2007. Tapsall, S., and C. Varley (eds.). Journalism: Theory in Practice. South Melbourne: Oxford UP, 2001. Warhurst, J. “Campaign Communications in Australia.” In F. Fletcher (ed.), Media, Elections and Democracy, Toronto: Dundurn Press, 1991. White, S. Reporting in Australia. 2nd ed. Melbourne: MacMillan, 2005. Wilson, J. “Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Electorate.” Youdecide2007 2007. 19 Feb. 2008 http://www.youdecide2007.org/content/view/283/101/>. Young, G. “Citizen Journalism.” Presentation at the Australian Blogging Conference, 28 Sep. 2007. Citation reference for this article MLA Style Barry, Derek. "Wilde’s Evenings: The Rewards of Citizen Journalism." M/C Journal 10.6/11.1 (2008). echo date('d M. Y'); ?> <http://journal.media-culture.org.au/0804/09-barry.php>. APA Style Barry, D. (Apr. 2008) "Wilde’s Evenings: The Rewards of Citizen Journalism," M/C Journal, 10(6)/11(1). Retrieved echo date('d M. Y'); ?> from <http://journal.media-culture.org.au/0804/09-barry.php>.

Abstract:

According to Oscar Wilde, the problem with socialism was that it took up too many evenings. Wilde’s aphorism alludes to a major issue that bedevils all attempts to influence the public sphere: the fact that public activities encroach unduly on citizens’ valuable time. In the 21st century, the dilemma of how to deal with “too many evenings” is one that many citizen journalists face as they give their own time to public pursuits. This paper will look at the development of the public citizen and what it means to be a citizen journalist with reference to some of the writer’s own experiences in the field. The paper will conclude with an examination of future possibilities. While large media companies change their change their focus from traditional news values, citizen journalism can play a stronger role in public life as long as it grasps some of the opportunities that are available. There are substantial compensations available to citizen journalists for the problems presented by Wilde’s evenings. The quote from Wilde is borrowed from Albert Hirschman’s Shifting Involvements, which among other things, is an examination of the disappointments of public action. Hirschman noted how it was a common experience for beginners who engage in public action to find that takes up more time than expected (96). As public activity encroaches not only on time devoted to private consumption but also on to the time devoted to the production of income, it can become a costly pursuit which may cause a sharp reaction against the “practice of citizenship” (Hirschman 97). Yet the more stimuli about politics people receive, the greater the likelihood is they will participate in politics and the greater the depth of their participation (Milbrath & Goel 35). People with a positive attraction to politics are more likely to receive stimuli about politics and participate more (Milbrath & Goel 36). Active citizenship, it seems, has its own feedback loops. An active citizenry is not a new idea. The concepts of citizen and citizenship emerged from the sophisticated polity established in the Greek city states about 2,500 years ago. The status of a citizen signified that the individual had the right to full membership of, and participation in, an independent political society (Batrouney & Goldlust 24). In later eras that society could be defined as a kingdom, an empire, or a nation state. The conditions for a bourgeois public sphere were created in the 13th century as capitalists in European city states created a traffic in commodities and news (Habermas 15). A true public sphere emerged in the 17th century with the rise of the English coffee houses and French salons where people had the freedom to express opinions regardless of their social status (Habermas 36). In 1848, France held the first election under universal direct suffrage (for males) and the contemporary slogan was that “universal suffrage closes the era of revolutions” (Hirschman 113). Out of this heady optimism, the late 19th century ushered in the era of the “informed citizen” as voting changed from a social and public duty to a private right – a civic obligation enforceable only by private conscience (Schudson). These concepts live on in the modern idea that the model voter is considered to be a citizen vested with the ability to understand the consequences of his or her choice (Menand 1). The internet is a new knowledge space which offers an alternative reading of the citizen. In Pierre Lévy’s vision of cyberculture, identity is no longer a function of belonging, it is “distributed and nomadic” (Ross & Nightingale 149). The Internet has diffused widely and is increasingly central to everyday life as a place where people go to get information (Dutton 10). Journalism initially prospered on an information scarcity factor however the technology of the Internet has created an information rich society (Tapsall & Varley 18). But research suggests that online discussions do not promote consensus, are short-lived with little impact and end up turning into “dialogues of the deaf” (Nguyen 148). The easy online publishing environment is a fertile ground for rumours, hoaxes and cheating games to circulate which risk turning the public sphere into a chaotic and anarchic space (Nguyen 148). The stereotypical blogger is pejoratively dismissed as “pajama-clad” (Papandrea 516) connoting a sense of disrespect for the proper transmission of ideas. Nevertheless the Internet offers powerful tools for collaboration that is opening up many everyday institutions to greater social accountability (Dutton 3). Recent research by the 2007 Digital Futures project shows 65 percent of respondents consider the Internet “to be a very important or extremely important source of information” (Cowden 76). By 2006, Roy Morgan was reporting that three million Australians were visiting online news site each month (Cowden.76). Crikey.com.au, Australia’s first online-only news outlet, has become a significant independent player in the Australia mediascape claiming over 5,000 subscribers by 2005 with three times as many non-paying “squatters” reading its daily email (Devine 50). Online Opinion has a similar number of subscribers and was receiving 750,000 page views a month by 2005 (National Forum). Both Crikey.com.au and Online Opinion have made moves towards public journalism in an attempt to provide ordinary people access to the public sphere. As professional journalists lose their connection with the public, bloggers are able to fill the public journalism niche (Simons, Content Makers 208). At their best, blogs can offer a “more broad-based, democratic involvement of citizens in the issues that matter to them” (Bruns 7). The research of University of North Carolina journalism professor Philip Meyer showed that cities and towns with public journalism-oriented newspapers led to a better educated local public (Simons, Content Makers 211). Meyer’s idea of good public journalism has six defining elements: a) the need to define a community’s sense of itself b) devotion of time to issues that demand community attention c) devotion of depth to the issues d) more attention to the middle ground e) a preference for substance over tactics and f) encouraging reciprocal understanding (Meyer 1). The objective of public journalism is to foster a greater sense of connection between the community and the media. It can mean journalists using ordinary people as sources and also ordinary people acting as journalists. Jay Rosen proposed a new model based on journalism as conversation (Simons, Content Makers 209). He believes the technology has now overtaken the public journalism movement (Simons, Content Makers 213). His own experiments at pro-am Internet open at assignment.net have had mixed results. His conclusion was that it wasn’t easy for people working voluntarily on the Internet to report on big stories together nor had they “unlocked” the secret of successful pro-am methods (Rosen). Nevertheless, the people formerly known as the audience, as Rosen called them, have seized the agenda. The barriers to entry into journalism have disappeared. Blogging has made Web publishing easy and the social networks are even more user friendly. The problem today is not getting published but finding an audience. And as the audience fragments, the issue will become finding a niche. One such niche is local political activism. The 2007 Australian federal election saw many online sites actively promoting citizen journalism. Most prominent was Youdecide2007 at Queensland University of Technology, funded by the Australian Research Council (ARC) in partnership with SBS, Online Opinion and the Brisbane Institute. Site co-editor Graham Young said the site’s aim was to use citizen journalists to report on their own electorates to fill the gap left by fewer journalists on the ground, especially in less populated areas (Young). While the site’s stated aim was to provide a forum for a seat-by-seat coverage and provide “a new perspective on national politics” (Youdecide2007), the end result was significantly skewed by the fact that the professional editorial team was based in Brisbane. Youdecide2007 published 96 articles in its news archive of which 59 could be identified as having a state-based focus. Figure 1 shows 62.7% of these state-based stories were about Queensland. Figure 1: Youdecide2007 news stories identifiable by state (note: national stories are omitted from this table): State Total no. of stories %age Qld 37 62.7 NSW 8 13.6 Vic 6 10.2 WA 3 5.1 Tas 2 3.4 ACT 2 3.4 SA 1 1.6 Modern election campaigns are characterised by a complex and increasingly fragmented news environment and the new media are rapidly adding another layer of complexity to the mix (Norris et al. 11-12). The slick management of national campaigns are is counter-productive to useful citizen journalism. According to Matthew Clayfield from the citizen journalism site electionTracker.net, “there are very few open events which ordinary people could cover in a way that could be described as citizen journalism” (qtd. in Hills 2007). Similar to other systems, the Australian campaign communication empowers the political leaders and media owners at the expense of ordinary party members and citizens (Warhurst 135). However the slick modern national “on message” campaign has not totally replaced old-style local activity. Although the national campaign has superimposed upon the local one and displaced it from the focus of attention, local candidates must still communicate their party policies in the electorate (Warhurst 113). Citizen journalists are ideally placed to harness this local communication. A grassroots approach is encapsulated in the words of Dan Gillmor who said “every reporter should realise that, collectively, the readers know more than they do about what they write about” (qtd. in Quinn & Quinn-Allan 66). With this in mind, I set out my own stall in citizen journalism for the 2007 Australian federal election with two personal goals: to interview all my local federal Lower House candidates and to attend as many public election meetings as possible. As a result, I wrote 19 election articles in the two months prior to the election. This consisted of 9 news items, 6 candidate interviews and 4 reports of public meetings. All the local candidates except one agreed to be interviewed. The local Liberal candidate refused to be interviewed despite repeated requests. There was no reason offered, just a continual ignoring of requests. Liberal candidates were also noticeably absent from most candidate forums I attended. This pattern of non-communicative behaviour was observed elsewhere (Bartlett, Wilson). I tried to turn this to my advantage by turning their refusal to talk into a story itself. For those that were prepared to talk, I set the expectation that the entire interview would be on the record and would be edited and published on my blog site. As a result, all candidates asked for a list of questions in advance which I supplied. Because politicians devote considerable energy and financial resources to ensure the information they impart to citizens has an appropriate ‘spin’ on it, (Negrine 10) I reserved the right to ask follow-up questions on any of their answers that required clarification. For the interviews themselves, I followed the advice of Spradley’s principle by starting with a conscious attitude of near-total ignorance, not writing the story in advance, and attempting to be descriptive, incisive, investigative and critical (Alia 100). After I posted the results of the interview, I sent a link to each of the respondents offering them a chance to clarify or correct any inaccuracies in the interview statements. Defamation skirts the boundary between free speech and reputation (Pearson 159) and a good working knowledge of the way defamation law affects journalists (citizen or otherwise) is crucial, particularly in dealing with public figures. This was an important consideration for some of the lesser known candidates as Google searches on their names brought my articles up within the top 20 results for each of the Democrat, Green and Liberal Democratic Party candidates I interviewed. None of the public meetings I attended were covered in the mainstream media. These meetings are the type of news Jan Schaffer of University of Maryland’s J-Lab saw as an ecological niche for citizen journalists to “create opportunities for citizens to get informed and inform others about micro-news that falls under the radar of news organisations who don’t have the resources” (Schaffer in Glaser). As Mark Bahnisch points out, Brisbane had three daily newspapers and a daily state based 7.30 Report twenty years ago which contrasts with the situation now where there’s no effective state parliamentary press gallery and little coverage of local politics at all (“State of Political Blogging”). Brisbane’s situation is not unique and the gaps are there to be exploited by new players. While the high cost of market entry renders the “central square” of the public sphere inaccessible to new players (Curran 128) the ease of Web access has given the citizen journalists the chance to roam its back alleys. However even if they fill the voids left by departing news organisations, there will still be a large hole in the mediascape. No one will be doing the hardhitting investigative journalism. This gritty work requires great resources and often years of time. The final product of investigative journalism is often complicated to read, unentertaining and inconclusive (Bower in Negrine 13). Margaret Simons says that journalism is a skill that involves the ability to find things out. She says the challenge of the future will be to marry the strengths of the newsroom and the dirty work of investigative journalism with the power of the conversation of blogs (“Politics and the Internet”). One possibility is raised by the Danish project Scoop. They offer financial support to individual journalists who have good ideas for investigative journalism. Founded by the Danish Association for Investigative Journalism and funded by the Danish Foreign Ministry, Scoop supports media projects across the world with the only proviso being that a journalist has to have an agreement with an editor to publish the resulting story (ABC Media Report). But even without financial support, citizens have the ability to perform rudimentary investigative journalism. The primary tool of investigative journalism is the interview (McIlwane & Bowman 260). While an interview can be arranged by anyone with access to a telephone or e-mail, it should not be underestimated how difficult a skill interviewing is. According to American journalist John Brady, the science of journalistic interviewing aims to gain two things, trust and information (Brady in White 75). In the interviews I did with politicians during the federal election, I found that getting past the “spin” of the party line to get genuine information was the toughest part of the task. There is also a considerable amount of information in the public domain which is rarely explored by reporters (Negrine 23). Knowing how to make use of this information will become a critical success factor for citizen journalists. Corporate journalists use databases such as Lexis/Nexis and Factiva to gain background information, a facility unavailable to most citizen journalists unless they are either have access through a learning institution or are prepared to pay a premium for the information. While large corporate vendors supply highly specialised information, amateurs can play a greater role in the creation and transmission of local news. According to G. Stuart Adam, journalism contains four basic elements: reporting, judging, a public voice and the here and now (13). Citizen journalism is capable of meeting all four criteria. The likelihood is that the future of communications will belong to the centralised corporations on one hand and the unsupervised amateur on the other (Bird 36). Whether the motive to continue is payment or empowerment, the challenge for citizen journalists is to advance beyond the initial success of tactical actions towards the establishment as a serious political and media alternative (Bruns 19). Nguyen et al.’s uses and gratification research project suggests there is a still a long way to go in Australia. While they found widespread diffusion of online news, the vast majority of users (78%) were still getting their news from newspaper Websites (Nguyen et al. 13). The research corroborates Mark Bahnisch’s view that “most Australians have not heard of blogs and only a tiny minority reads them (quoted in Simons, Content Makers 219). The Australian blogosphere still waits for its defining Swiftboat incident or Rathergate to announce its arrival. But Bahnisch doesn’t necessarily believe this is a good evolutionary strategy anyway. Here it is becoming more a conversation than a platform “with its own niche and its own value” (Bahnisch, “This Is Not America”). As far as my own experiments go, the citizen journalism reports I wrote gave me no financial reward but plenty of other compensations that made the experience richly rewarding. It was important to bring otherwise neglected ideas, stories and personalities into the public domain and the reports helped me make valuable connections with public-minded members of my local community. They were also useful practice to hone interview techniques and political writing skills. Finally the exercise raised my own public profile as several of my entries were picked up or hyperlinked by other citizen journalism sites and blogs. 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