Abstract Canada experienced its most severe wildfire season on record in 2023, with nearly 5% of its forested land burned—almost four times the previous record set in 1995. Our analysis indicated that fire severity, strongly correlated with the monthly Fire Weather Index (FWI), was most intense in the western provinces and territories during May and July, whereas in the eastern provinces, it peaked in June, leading to a seasonal and areal average of more than 3.5 standard deviations (STD). This unprecedented fire activity was fueled by record-breaking, persistent high-pressure systems, with both their frequency and intensities surpassing 3 STD, along with variable winds. These abnormal atmospheric patterns exacerbated dry conditions, reduced cloud cover, and increased surface solar radiation, driving record-high temperatures and FWI values, all exceeding ±3 STD. The extreme high-pressure events were primarily linked to a combination of climatological standing waves and exceptionally strong, transient quasi-stationary waves. The dominant patterns in the mid-troposphere were characterized by large-scale planetary waves at low zonal wavenumbers (1–4). Long-term warming trends also contributed, though they played a lesser role, accounting for roughly 10–20% of the overall anomalies. These findings provide critical insights into the atmospheric dynamics driving Canada’s unprecedented wildfire season.

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• Pub. Date : 2025
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• Pub. Date : 2025
• Page : pp.1-1
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AbstractThe increasing threat of heat stress poses significant risks to human health globally. To quantify heat exposure more effectively, integrated heat stress indicators (HSIs) have been developed to simplify the classification of heat stress severity and assist in public heat warnings. However, their ability to accurately predict daily heat stroke cases has not been fully assessed. In this study, we evaluated the performance of multiple HSIs in forecasting the number of heat stroke‐related emergency ambulance dispatches (HT‐EADs) across 47 prefectures in Japan and compared their accuracy to models using raw meteorological variables. Our results indicate that, while HSIs simplify the process of assessing heat stress, they generally show lower performances than models based on raw meteorological data. Among the eight HSIs tested, the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (TWBG) showed the strongest predictive power, with median R2 values of 0.77 and 0.70 for the calibration and validation periods, respectively. However, models incorporating air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, and solar radiation outperformed TWBG, achieving R2 values of 0.85 and 0.74. We also observed spatial variability in HSI performance, particularly in cooler regions like Hokkaido, where HSIs provided no improvement over temperature alone. Given these findings, we recommend that HSIs be rigorously evaluated with local health data before being used in heat warning systems for specific locations. For predictions requiring high accuracy, raw meteorological variables could be prioritized to ensure greater precision.

• Book : 9(4)
• Pub. Date : 2025
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Background: Symptomatic patients with unilateral obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) identified by coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA), involving either the right or left coronary artery, typically undergo per-protocol bilateral coronary visualization during invasive coronary angiography (ICA). However, a selective visualization approach may be sufficient. Objectives: The objectives of this study were to assess the accuracy of CCTA in excluding hemodynamically significant coronary stenosis in patients with unilateral CAD and to evaluate whether a CCTA-guided selective ICA strategy can reduce procedure time and contrast agent use. Methods: In this cross-sectional cohort study, 454 patients with clinically suspected stable CAD who underwent CCTA prior to ICA were included. The study population consisted of 190 patients with unilateral obstructive CAD, defined as ≥50% diameter stenosis on CCTA, and an absence of obstructive CAD on the contralateral side. ICA with invasive functional assessment was used as the reference standard. Results: CCTA demonstrated a high accuracy, 97.4% (95% CI: 94–99%), in excluding hemodynamically significant disease in the contralateral arteries without obstructive CAD. Compared to the conventional ICA approach, a CCTA-guided selective visualization strategy resulted in significant reductions in procedure time and contrast agent usage: procedure time and contrast agent usage were reduced by 27% (95% CI: 12.1–47.5%) and 46.8% (95% CI: 27.5–67.0%), respectively. Conclusions: In patients with unilateral obstructive CAD identified by CCTA, a CCTA-guided selective ICA visualization strategy is highly accurate in ruling out hemodynamically significant CAD on the contralateral side. Additionally, this unilateral ICA approach has the potential to reduce both contrast agent usage and procedure time compared to the conventional bilateral visualization strategy.

• Book : 15(7)
• Pub. Date : 2025
• Page : pp.890-890
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한국의 높은 핵무장 지지 여론은 어떻게 설명할 수 있을까? 핵무기와 국가 위상을 연관짓는 최근 여론 조사 결과와 대중과 엘리트 간 정보·인식 격차를 고려할 때, 기존 연구들이 집중해 온 북한 요인, 미국의 확장 억제, 경제 제재 외에 추가적인 설명 요인을 검토할 필요가 있다. 본 연구는 핵확산 문헌의 규범 모델을 바탕으로 국가 위상에 대한 고려가 핵무장 여론에 미치는 영향을 논의하고 가설을 제시하였다. 또한, 방사능 유출 위험성과 핵무장 소요 시간을 새로운 영향 요인으로 도출하고, 컨조인트 실험(conjoint experiment)을 활용하여 이 세 가지 요인과 안보 요인의 영향력을 비교하였다. 분석 결과, 국가 위상 이익인‘세계 핵클럽 가입’과 ‘군사 주권·외교 자주성 강화’는 핵무장 찬성 확률을 크게 증가시키고, 그 영향력은 핵심 안보 이익인 ‘북핵 위협 독자 억지’보다 더 큰 것으로 나타났다. 반면, ‘국제 규범 미준수로 인한 불량국가 낙인’과 ‘외교적 고립’이라는 국가 위상 비용, 그리고 ‘방사능 오염 위험성’은 안보 비용 요인으로 제시된 ‘일본의 핵무장 가능성 증가’보다 핵무장 찬성 확률을 더욱 큰 폭으로 감소시켰다. 본 연구는 대중과 전문가 간 핵무기·핵무장에 대한 인식 격차가 존재함을 보여주며, 현 국제 질서에서 핵무장의 실질적 결과에 대한 대중과의 소통 강화 및 핵 비확산 체제의 신뢰성 제고가 필요함을 시사한다.

• Book : 17(1)
• Pub. Date : 2025
• Page : pp.143-195
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BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to use plasma metabolites to identify clusters of breast cancer survivors and to compare their dietary characteristics and health-related factors across the clusters using unsupervised machine learning.SUBJECTS/METHODS: A total of 419 breast cancer survivors were included in this cross- sectional study. We considered 30 plasma metabolites, quantified by high-throughput nuclear magnetic resonance metabolomics. Clusters were obtained based on metabolites using 4 different unsupervised clustering methods: k-means (KM), partitioning around medoids (PAM), self-organizing maps (SOM), and hierarchical agglomerative clustering (HAC). The t-test, χ test, and Fisher’s exact test were used to compare sociodemographic, lifestyle, clinical, and dietary characteristics across the clusters. P-values were adjusted through a false discovery rate (FDR).RESULTS: Two clusters were identified using the 4 methods. Participants in cluster 2 had lower concentrations of apolipoprotein A1 and large high-density lipoprotein (HDL) particles and smaller HDL particle sizes, but higher concentrations of chylomicrons and extremely large very-low-density-lipoprotein (VLDL) particles and glycoprotein acetyls, a higher ratio of monounsaturated fatty acids to total fatty acids, and larger VLDL particle sizes compared with cluster 1. Body mass index was significantly higher in cluster 2 compared with cluster 1 (FDR adjusted-PKM < 0.001; PPAM = 0.001; PSOM < 0.001; and PHAC = 0.043).CONCLUSION: The breast cancer survivors clustered on the basis of plasma metabolites had distinct characteristics. Further prospective studies are needed to investigate the associations between metabolites, obesity, dietary factors, and breast cancer prognosis.

• Book : 19(2)
• Pub. Date : 2025
• Page : pp.273-291
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Background: There is a need to develop concrete data in India about the number of people who need to switch to second-line HIV drugs and widespread emergence of drug resistance threatens the sustainability of the national programme. This study was conducted to study on Socio-Demographic and Clinical Profile of Patients on Second Line Anti-Retroviral Therapy Registered at ART Centre in Surat City. Methodology: The present study was a Cross-sectional study conducted at the ART centre of Gujarat, which are providing free second line ART. The study was conducted by pretested semi-structured questionnaire. The information regarding socio-demography and clinical variables, treatment and sexual activity were taken by oral interview of patients. While information regarding laboratory profile, adherence and treatment history were taken from patient treatment cards. Results: Most common reason for switch to second line ART was virological failure (84.2%). Mean duration of first line ART treatment was 30.15 (S.D. 25.350) months. All patients were given ritonavir boosted PI. Majority (66.7%) were given Atazinavir-ritonavir boosted PI and around 30% had history of substitution within second line ART. Conclusion: On the basis of our findings, we conclude that early detection of first-line treatment failure and improve availability/affordability of second-line regimens should become priorities in National Programme. First line ART patients with history of tuberculosis following ART initiation, treatment interruptions, treatment from private facility, belonging to nuclear family and lower social-economic class should be watched for ART failure.

• Book : 15(02)
• Pub. Date : 2025
• Page : pp.164-169
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Purpose: comprehensive search for filtration sites on protective hydraulic structures using sensing techniques. Materials and methods. The results of a long-term study of the hydraulic structure section – a dam, which is a protective obstacle to water leakage from the ash disposal area of Chita TPP-1 are presented. Radiometers with frequencies of 34 and 13 GHz were installed on a ground carrier. As a result, when crossing the reservoir, route records of the radio brightness temperature of the ice cover, characterizing the power of thermal radiation, which recorded the areas of the outlet of water passing through the embankment, were obtained. To confirm the water leakage sites, a geoelectric section along the profile along the dam section, using the Skala-48 electrical prospecting station, was made. Results. Water filtration through this structure was detected using remote sensing techniques of the object. Satellite images in the visible range were analyzed at the initial moment of the reservoir ice cover formation, which is located near the dam, where the warm water leakage in the form of dark areas of ice was recorded. The rest of the water area of the reservoir ice cover is presented as a whitish area of ice in the images. This is due to the freshly fallen snow frozen into the ice cover, which was captured in it at the time of its formation. In addition, studies of the ice cover's own thermal radiation in the microwave range were carried out. Conclusions. The study confirmed the supposed location of water leakage through the dam. Three years after the study with the help of satellite images, it was shown that water leakage in this place ceased. In addition, the area of the water surface of the man-made reservoir near the dam was reduced by 4.1 times over ten years (2013–2024), while the amount of precipitation in the region increased.

• Book : 15(1)
• Pub. Date : 2025
• Page : pp.155-172
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• Pub. Date : 2025
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• Pub. Date : 2025
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