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The years since 2000 have been a golden age in in situ ocean observing with the proliferation and organization of autonomous platforms such as surface drogued buoys and subsurface Argo profiling floats augmenting ship-based observations. Global time series of mean sea surface temperature and ocean heat content are routinely calculated based on data from these platforms, enhancing our understanding of the ocean’s role in Earth’s climate system. Individual measurements of meteorological, sea surface, and subsurface variables directly improve our understanding of the Earth system, weather forecasting, and climate projections. They also provide the data necessary for validating and calibrating satellite observations. Maintaining this ocean observing system has been a technological, logistical, and funding challenge. The global COVID-19 pandemic, which took hold in 2020, added strain to the maintenance of the observing system. A survey of the contributing components of the observing system illustrates the impacts of the pandemic from January 2020 through December 2021. The pandemic did not reduce the short-term geographic coverage (days to months) capabilities mainly due to the continuation of autonomous platform observations. In contrast, the pandemic caused critical loss to longer-term (years to decades) observations, greatly impairing the monitoring of such crucial variables as ocean carbon and the state of the deep ocean. So, while the observing system has held under the stress of the pandemic, work must be done to restore the interrupted replenishment of the autonomous components and plan for more resilient methods to support components of the system that rely on cruise-based measurements.

There is great interest in improving our understanding of the respective roles of the ocean and atmosphere in variability and change in weather and climate. Due to the sparsity of sustained observing sites in the open ocean, information about the air–sea exchanges of heat, freshwater, and momentum is often drawn from models. In this paper observations from three long-term surface moorings deployed in the trade wind regions of the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans are used to compare observed means and low-passed air–sea fluxes from the moorings with coincident records from three atmospheric reanalyses (ERA5, NCEP-2, and MERRA-2) and from CMIP6 coupled models. To set the stage for the comparison, the methodologies of maintaining the long-term surface moorings, known as ocean reference stations (ORS), and assessing the accuracies of their air–sea fluxes are described first. Biases in the reanalyses’ means and low-passed wind stresses and net air–sea heat fluxes are significantly larger than the observational uncertainties and in some case show variability in time. These reanalyses and most CMIP6 models fail to provide as much heat into the ocean as observed. In the discussion and conclusions section, long-term observing sites in the open ocean are seen as essential, independent benchmarks not only to document the coupling between the atmosphere and ocean but also to promote collaborative efforts to assess and improve the ability of models to simulate air–sea fluxes.

The inception of a moored buoy network in the northern Indian Ocean in 1997 paved the way for systematic collection of long-term time series observations of meteorological and oceanographic parameters. This buoy network was revamped in 2011 with Ocean Moored buoy Network for north Indian Ocean (OMNI) buoys fitted with additional sensors to better quantify the air–sea fluxes. An intercomparison of OMNI buoy measurements with the nearby Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) mooring during the year 2015 revealed an overestimation of downwelling longwave radiation (LWR↓). Analysis of the OMNI and WHOI radiation sensors at a test station at National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) during 2019 revealed that the accurate and stable amplification of the thermopile voltage records along with the customized datalogger in the WHOI system results in better estimations of LWR↓. The offset in NIOT measured LWR↓ is estimated first by segregating the LWR↓ during clear-sky conditions identified using the downwelling shortwave radiation measurements from the same test station, and second, finding the offset by taking the difference with expected theoretical clear-sky LWR↓. The corrected LWR↓ exhibited good agreement with that of collocated WHOI measurements, with a correlation of 0.93. This method is applied to the OMNI field measurements and again compared with the nearby WHOI mooring measurements, exhibiting a better correlation of 0.95. This work has led to the revamping of radiation measurements in OMNI buoys and provides a reliable method to correct past measurements and improve estimation of air–sea fluxes in the Indian Ocean. Significance Statement Downwelling longwave radiation (LWR↓) is an important climate variable for calculating air–sea heat exchange and quantifying Earth’s energy budget. An intercomparison of LWR↓ measurements between ocean observing platforms in the north Indian Ocean revealed a systematic offset in National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) Ocean Moored buoy Network for north Indian Ocean (OMNI) buoys. The observed offset limited our capability to accurately estimate air–sea fluxes in the Indian Ocean. The sensor measurements were compared with a standard reference system, which revealed problems in thermopile amplifier as the root cause of the offset. This work led to the development of a reliable method to correct the offset in LWR↓ and revamping of radiation measurements in NIOT-OMNI buoys. The correction is being applied to the past measurements from 12 OMNI buoys over 8 years to improve the estimation of air–sea fluxes in the Indian Ocean.

Background Loss of resistance (LOR) for epidural catheter placement has been utilized for almost a century. LOR is a subjective endpoint associated with a high failure rate. Nerve stimulation (NS) has been described as an objective method for confirming placement of an epidural catheter. We hypothesized that the addition of NS to LOR would improve the success of epidural catheter placement. Methods One-hundred patients were randomized to thoracic epidural analgesia (TEA) utilizing LOR-alone or loss of resistance plus nerve stimulation (LOR + NS). The primary endpoint was rate of success, defined as loss of sensation following test dose. Secondary endpoints included performance time. An intention-to-treat analysis was planned, but a per-protocol analysis was performed to investigate the success rate when stimulation was achieved. Results In the intention-to-treat analysis there was no difference in success rates (90% vs 82% [LOR + NS vs LOR-alone]; P = 0.39). The procedural time increased in the LOR + NS group (33.9 ± 12.8 vs 24.0 ± 8.0 min; P P = 0.017) when only patients in whom stimulation was achieved were included. Conclusions Addition of NS technique did not statistically improve the success rate for epidural placement when analyzed in an intention-to-treat format and was associated with a longer procedural time. In a per-protocol analysis a statistically higher success rate for patients in whom stimulation was obtained highlights the potential benefit of adding NS to LOR. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT03087604 on 3/22/2017; Institutional Review Board Wake Forest School of Medicine IRB00039522, Food and Drug Administration Investigational Device Exemption: G160273.

A budget approach is used to disentangle drivers of the seasonal mixed layer carbon cycle at Station ALOHA (A Long-term Oligotrophic Habitat Assessment) in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre (NPSG). The budget utilizes data from the WHOTS (Woods Hole - Hawaii Ocean Time-series Site) mooring, and the ship-based Hawai‘i Ocean Time-series (HOT) in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre (NPSG), a region of significant oceanic carbon uptake. Parsing the carbon variations into process components allows an assessment of both the proportional contributions of mixed layer carbon drivers, and the seasonal interplay of drawdown and supply from different processes. Annual net community production reported here is at the lower end of previously published data, while net community calcification estimates are 4- to 7-fold higher than available sediment trap data, the only other estimate of calcium carbonate export at this location. Although the observed seasonal cycle in dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) in the NPSG has a relatively small amplitude, larger fluxes offset each other over an average year, with major supply from physical transport, especially lateral eddy transport throughout the year and entrainment in the winter, and biological carbon uptake in the spring. Gas exchange plays a smaller role, supplying carbon to the surface ocean between Dec-May, and outgassing in Jul-Oct. Evaporation-precipitation (E–P) is variable with precipitation prevailing in the first- and evaporation in the second half of the year. The observed total alkalinity signal is largely governed by E–P, with a somewhat stronger net calcification signal in the wintertime.

A method to carry out a priori simulations of pulsed-laser-induced single-event effects experiments is reported. Nonlinear optical simulations are conducted to model the 3-D distributions of charge from a laser pulse. These pulsed-laser-induced charge distributions are then incorporated into a charge transport solver to model the movement of charge as the device returns to a steady state. The output of the simulation infrastructure is a current transient from which collected charge and the temporal characteristics of the transient can be determined. This complete approach to modeling, which includes full device structure information, nonlinear optical energy deposition, and the subsequent movement of optically generated charge in a device and measurement circuit, allows for direct comparison between experimental and simulated current transients. A large-area silicon diode was used as the test vehicle, and good agreement was found between simulations and experiments in both total injected charge as well as temporal characteristics. Importantly, the a priori simulation approach does not require knowledge from prior heavy-ion testing, making it a predictive tool with broad versatility and minimal reliance on approximations.

This article draws on Judith Butler’s distinction between censorship and foreclosure, and on Saidiya Hartman’s work about how to narrate the silences of the slave trade, to explore two photographs....

Introduction The transaxillary approach to resection of the first rib is one of several operative techniques for treating thoracic outlet syndrome. Unfortunately, moderate to severe postoperative pain is anticipated for patients undergoing this particular operation. While opioids can be used for analgesia, they have well described side effects, which has led investigators to search for clinically relevant alternative analgesic modalities. We hypothesized that a regional analgesic procedure, commonly called a pectoral nerve (PECS II) block, which anesthetizes the second through sixth intercostal nerves as well as the long thoracic nerve and the medial and lateral pectoral nerves, would improve postoperative analgesia for patients undergoing a transaxillary first rib resection. Methods We performed a retrospective study by reviewing the charts of all patients that had undergone a transaxillary first rib resection for thoracic outlet syndrome during the defined study period. Patients that received a PECS II block were compared to those that did not. The primary outcome was a comparison of numeric rating scale pain scores during the first 24-hours following the operation. Secondary outcomes included cumulative opioid consumption during the same time period. Results Pain scores during the first 24-hours following the operation were not statistically different between groups (Block Group: 3.9 [2.1-5.3] [median (IQR 25-75%)] vs. Non-block Group: 3.6 [2.4-4.1]; P = 0.40. In addition, opioid use through the first 24-hours after the operation was not significantly different (43.5 [22.0-81.0] [median morphine equivalents in mg's] vs. 42.0 [12.5-75.0]; P = 0.53). Conclusion An ultrasound-guided PECS II nerve block did not reduce postoperative pain scores or opioid consumption for patients undergoing a transaxillary first rib resection. However, a prospective, randomized, study with improved power would be beneficial to further explore the potential utility of a PECS II block for patients presenting for this surgical procedure.

Recovery from surgery is quicker in the postpartum period, and this may reflect oxytocin action in the spinal cord. We hypothesized that intrathecal injection of oxytocin would speed recovery from pain and disability after major surgery. Ninety-eight individuals undergoing elective total hip arthroplasty were randomized to receive either intrathecal oxytocin (100 μg) or saline. Participants completed diaries assessing pain and opioid use daily and disability weekly, and they wore an accelerometer beginning 2 weeks before surgery until 8 weeks after. Groups were compared using modelled, adjusted trajectories of these measures. The study was stopped early due to the lack of funding. Ninety patients received intrathecal oxytocin (n = 44) or saline (n = 46) and were included in the analysis. There were no study drug-related adverse effects. Modelled pain trajectory, the primary analysis, did not differ between the groups, either in pain on day of hospital discharge (intercept: -0.1 [95% CI: -0.8 to 0.6], P = 0.746) or in reductions over time (slope: 0.1 pain units per log of time [95% CI: 0-0.2], P = 0.057). In planned secondary analyses, postoperative opioid use ended earlier in the oxytocin group and oxytocin-treated patients walked nearly 1000 more steps daily at 8 weeks (P0.001) and exhibited a clinically meaningful reduction in disability for the first 21 postoperative days (P = 0.007) compared with saline placebo. Intrathecal oxytocin before hip replacement surgery does not speed recovery from worst daily pain. Secondary analyses suggest that further study of intrathecal oxytocin to speed functional recovery without worsening pain after surgery is warranted.

Peripheral nerve catheters are used to provide analgesia after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and have been shown to decrease pain and opioid use, to facilitate participation with physical therapy (PT), and to hasten discharge. More recently, pericapsular infiltration using liposomal bupivacaine (LB) has been employed as an alternative analgesic approach.This retrospective study compared outcomes for three analgesic approaches: femoral nerve catheter (FNC), adductor canal catheter (ACC), and intraoperative LB infiltration. The primary outcome was numeric rating scale (NRS) pain scores at 24 hours. Secondary outcomes included pain scores at 12-, 36-, and 48-hours, time-to-first opioid, cumulative opioid use, distance walked, and time-to-discharge.Pain scores at 24 hours were significantly lower in both the ACC and FNC cohorts when compared to the LB cohort (3.1 vs 4.6 [p=0.017] and 2.4 vs 4.6 [p0.0001]). The ACC and FNC groups did not differ significantly at that timepoint (p=0.27). Similar comparisons were found at 12- and 36-hours, while at 48 hours the FNC group was superior. Time to first opioid and opioid consumption favored the ACC and FNC groups. Walking distance favored the ACC group. Both the ACC and LB groups had a faster time-to-discharge than the FNC group.Both ACC's and FNC's provided superior analgesia at 24 hours compared to LB, while being equivalent to each other. Pain scores at 12 hours and 36 hours as well as opioid consumption through 48 hours mirrored this finding. Although various differences were found between groups in terms of time-to-first analgesic, walking distance and time-to-discharge, the ACC approach appeared to optimally balance analgesia, ambulation, and time-to-discharge.

The energy distributions of electrons in gate-all-around (GAA) Si MOSFETs are analyzed using full-band 3-D Monte Carlo (MC) simulations. Excellent agreement is obtained with experimental current–voltage characteristics. For these 24-nm gate length devices, the electron distribution features a smeared energy peak with an extended tail. This extension of the tail results primarily from the Coulomb scattering within the channel. A fraction of electrons that enter the drain retains their energy, resulting in an out-of-equilibrium distribution in the drain region. The simulated density and average energy of the hot electrons correlate well with experimentally observed device degradation. We propose that the interaction of high-energy electrons with hydrogen-passivated phosphorus dopant complexes within the drain may provide an additional pathway for interface-trap formation in these devices.

Heavy-ion, focused X-ray, and pulsed laser single-event transient (SET) experiments are performed on a silicon epitaxial diode. Collected charge, transient rise times, and transient fall times are calculated and compared between different sources. The transient shape characteristics depend on the source (ion, X-ray, or laser), even when similar amounts of charge are generated. The observed differences are examined and explained in terms of basic charge collection mechanisms.

Pulsed-laser-induced single-event current measurements on two geometries of waveguide-integrated germanium photodiodes were conducted over a range of operating voltages to examine the impact of photodiode geometry on the transient response. Vertical p-i-n photodiodes exhibit transients with a duration that is relatively independent of the operating voltage, while the transient duration in lateral p-i-n photodiodes depends on the operating voltage. Furthermore, the experimental measurements facilitate identification of device dimensions that impact the transient response. These results can be used to identify potential radiation mitigation strategies for photodiodes operating in a radiation environment. Understanding the implications of design choices is critical for designing integrated photonic systems that balance system performance with tolerance for radiation degradation.

BackgroundOpen inguinal herniorrhaphy (OIH) is a commonly performed surgical procedure with expected postoperative pain. Historically, an option for regional analgesia has been an ilioinguinal and iliohypogastric nerve block (IINB). More recently, the transmuscular quadratus lumborum block (QLB) has been used as an analgesic technique for a variety of abdominal and truncal surgical procedures. Given our own institutional experiences with the performance of QLB combined with the body of literature supporting the proximal blockade of the ilioinguinal and iliohypogastric nerves via this approach, we compared the analgesia provided by an IINB to a QLB. We hypothesized that the two blocks would provide equivalent analgesia, as defined by a difference of less than±2 points on the pain scale (0–10 numeric rating scale (NRS)), for patients undergoing OIH.MethodsSixty patients scheduled for elective outpatient OIH under general anesthesia were randomized to preoperatively receive either an IINB or a transmuscular QLB with 0.25% bupivacaine/epinephrine/clonidine for postoperative analgesia. The primary endpoint was movement NRS pain scores at 8 hours. Secondary outcomes included resting NRS pain scores at 8 and 24 hours, movement NRS pain scores at 24 hours, incidence of opioid related side effects (nausea, vomiting, pruritus), time-to-first oral opioid analgesic, and total opioid consumption at 24 hours.ResultsFifty-nine patients were analyzed per an intention-to-treat approach (one patient was excluded because the surgical procedure was canceled). Movement pain scores at 8 hours were equivalent (IINB 5.10±3.02 vs QLB 5.03±3.01 (mean NRS±SD); two one-sided test mean difference (90% CI), 0.07 (−1.24 to 1.38), p ≤0.01). There were no differences between groups for any of the secondary endpoints.ConclusionAn IINB and a transmuscular QLB are equivalent with regards to their ability to provide postoperative analgesia after OIH.

The NOAA Science Advisory Board appointed a task force to prepare a white paper on the use of observing system simulation experiments (OSSEs). Considering the importance and timeliness of this topic and based on this white paper, here we briefly review the use of OSSEs in the United States, discuss their values and limitations, and develop five recommendations for moving forward: national coordination of relevant research efforts, acceleration of OSSE development for Earth system models, consideration of the potential impact on OSSEs of deficiencies in the current data assimilation and prediction system, innovative and new applications of OSSEs, and extension of OSSEs to societal impacts. OSSEs can be complemented by calculations of forecast sensitivity to observations, which simultaneously evaluate the impact of different observation types in a forecast model system.

State of the climate in 2019

Based on the in-situ subsurface thermal and salinity measurements from the Ocean Moored Buoy Network for Northern Indian Ocean (OMNI) during the passage of very severe tropical cyclones (TCs) in the Bay of Bengal, we have identified that the depth of ocean‐atmosphere interaction is limited by the depth of the pycnocline. During the TC Vardha and Phailin with cyclone-period-averaged wind speeds of 8 and 21 m/s, respectively, the maximum possible rates of water-vapor generation during the cyclone period, computed based on the salinity changes and considering precipitation, are 1.0 and 9.3 kg/m2/h, respectively. For the same wind speeds, based on the ocean heat content (OHC) changes, it is quantified that ~78% and 89% of the OHC changes are in the form of latent heat. The real-time availability of the in-situ subsurface parameters can be used in the ocean-atmosphere coupled models and intensification studies.

Four D flip-flop (DFF) layouts were created from the same schematic in Sandia National Laboratories’ CMOS7 silicon-on-insulator (SOI) process. Single-event upset (SEU) modeling and testing showed an improved response with the use of shallow (not fully bottomed) N-type metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (NMOSFETs), extending the size of the drain implant and increasing the critical charge of the transmission gates in the circuit design and layout. This research also shows the importance of correctly modeling nodal capacitance, which is a major factor determining SEU critical charge. Accurate SEU models enable the understanding of the SEU vulnerabilities and how to make the design more robust.

The comparison of equivalent neutral winds obtained from (i) four WHOI buoys in the subtropics and (ii) scatterometer estimates at those locations reveals a root-mean-square (RMS) difference of 0.56–0.76 m s−1. To investigate this RMS difference, different buoy wind error sources were examined. These buoys are particularly well suited to examine two important sources of buoy wind errors because 1) redundant anemometers and a comparison with numerical flow simulations allow us to quantitatively assess flow distortion errors, and 2) 1-min sampling at the buoys allows us to examine the sensitivity of buoy temporal sampling/averaging in the buoy–scatterometer comparisons. The interanemometer difference varies as a function of wind direction relative to the buoy wind vane and is consistent with the effects of flow distortion expected based on numerical flow simulations. Comparison between the anemometers and scatterometer winds supports the interpretation that the interanemometer disagreement, which can be up to 5% of the wind speed, is due to flow distortion. These insights motivate an empirical correction to the individual anemometer records and subsequent comparison with scatterometer estimates show good agreement.

David Martin’s work has always bridged many worlds: the sacred and the secular, the world of power politics and of religious visions, of individual and society, and of poetry and rational analysis. His trenchant and uncompromising analyses of human social formations and their ideational concomitants have nevertheless provided many with a vision of that hope which must sustain scholarly analysis if it is not to become tedious and moribund. His sensitivity to tradition, to ritual, to received knowledge and the debt we owe to the past – even while appreciating the frisson of the radically new (as in his studies of Pentacostalism) – have made him one of only a small handful of scholars who could address the broad range of human religious expression and its implications for life in the world. This paper explores some of these themes in terms of what we understand as the overwhelming sense of hope that is a permanent feature of David’s scholarly contributions.

A sensitive volume is developed using pulsed laser-induced collected charge for two bias conditions in an epitaxial silicon diode. These sensitive volumes show good agreement with the experimental two-photon absorption laser-induced collected charge at a variety of focal positions and pulse energies. When compared to ion-induced collected charge, the laser-based sensitive volume overpredicts the experimental collected charge at low bias and agrees at high bias. A sensitive volume based on ion-induced collected charge adequately describes the ion experimental results at both biases. Differences in the amount of potential modulation explain the differences between the ion- and laser-based sensitive volumes at the lower bias. Truncation of potential modulation by the highly doped substrate, at the higher bias, results in similar sensitive volumes.

Pulsed, laser-induced, single-event current measurements on silicon-on-insulator (SOI) FinFETs at subbandgap wavelength (1260 nm) are affected by the polarization of the laser light used in the experimental testing setup. Such polarization dependence is not observed during pulsed laser, single-event effects testing on large-area silicon diodes, suggesting that polarization dependence arises due to the presence of the nanoscale fin. Plasmonic enhancement is proposed as a likely mechanism for the polarization effects due to the metal/dielectric interfaces in the fin region. The observed polarization dependence has ramifications for collection and interpretation of data acquired by pulsed laser testing. Device orientation of FinFETs and other nanoscale devices during pulsed laser testing should be considered in order to ensure consistent testing conditions and reproducible measurement results across multiple measurement campaigns.

Thoracic epidurals remain the optimal method for providing postoperative analgesia after complex open abdominal and thoracic surgeries. However, they can be challenging to both place and maintain, as evidenced by a failure rate that exceeds 30%.1 Proper identification of the epidural space and accurate placement of the catheter are critical in order to deliver effective postoperative analgesia and avoid failure.2,3 This case series investigated the difficulty in correctly identifying the proper vertebral level for thoracic epidural catheter procedures when performed in the lateral decubitus position.

High-resolution observations from moorings and transect data can provide new insights into ocean structures, their variability, and the downstream effects on acoustic operations. Previously, we established a framework to maintain optimal communication and navigation for small-scale, under-ice operations that focused on spatio-temporal variability in the upper water column and around an autonomous underwater vehicle. However, mid- and deep-water sound speed fidelity are crucial for larger operations that exploit convergence zone ranging. The Irminger Sea is a useful case study for understanding how sound speed uncertainty, whether from partial data or models, obscures the informational content from acoustics. Generally, the density gradient dominates the sound speed at depth. In the Irminger Sea, hydrographic variability comes from the advection of different water masses through the region at all depths and also from water mass modification by local air-sea interaction. Instead of a uniform gradient as a result of hydrostatic loading, a shifted gradient in the mid-water column and a negative gradient near the bottom are often observed in mooring and transect data. This talk presents initial results for understanding the impacts of the environment through the lens of impact on acoustic propagation. [Work supported by the Office of Naval Research]