bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
2‐Chlorohexadecanal and 2‐Chlorohexadecanoic Acid Induce COX‐2 Expression in Human Coronary Artery Endothelial Cells
Authors: Messner Maria C. , Albert Carolyn J. , Ford David A.
Published: May 2008

2‐Chlorohexadecanal (2‐ClHDA), a 16‐carbon chain chlorinated fatty aldehyde that is produced by reactive chlorinating species attack of plasmalogens, is elevated in atherosclerotic plaques, infarcted myocardium, and activated leukocytes. We tested the hypothesis that 2‐ClHDA and its metabolites, 2‐chlorohexadecanoic acid (2‐ClHA) and 2‐chlorohexadecanol (2‐ClHOH), induce COX‐2 expression in human coronary artery endothelial cells (HCAEC). COX‐2 protein expression increased in response to 2‐ClHDA treatments at 8 and 20 h. 2‐ClHA also increased COX‐2 expression following an 8 h treatment. Quantitative PCR showed that 2‐ClHDA treatment increased COX‐2 mRNA over 8 h, while 2‐ClHA treatment led to a modest increase by 1 h and those levels remained constant over 8 h. 2‐ClHDA led to a significant increase in 6‐keto‐PGF1α release (a measure of PGI2 release) by HCAEC. These data suggest that 2‐ClHDA and its metabolite 2‐ClHA, which are produced during leukocyte activation, may alter vascular endothelial cell function by upregulation of COX‐2 expression.
Low-fat dairy products and blood pressure: follow-up of 2290 older persons at high cardiovascular risk participating in the PREDIMED study
Authors: Toledo Estefanía , Delgado-Rodríguez Miguel , Estruch Ramón , Salas-Salvadó Jordi , Corella Dolores , Gomez-Gracia Enrique , Fiol Miquel , Lamuela-Raventós Rosa M. , Schröder Helmut , Arós Fernando , Ros Emilio , Ruíz-Gutiérrez Valentina , Lapetra Jose , Conde-Herrera Manuel , Sáez Guillermo , Vinyoles Ernest , Martínez-González Miguel A.
Published: May 2008

High blood pressure (BP) has been ranked as the most important risk factor worldwide regarding attributable deaths. Dietary habits are major determinants of BP. Among them, frequent intake of low-fat dairy products may protect against hypertension. Our aim was to assess the relationship between low-fat dairy product intake and BP levels and their changes after 12-month follow-up in a cohort of asymptomatic older persons at high cardiovascular risk recruited into a large-scale trial assessing the effects of Mediterranean diets on cardiovascular outcomes. Data from 2290 participants, including 1845 with hypertension, were available for analyses. Dairy products were not a specific part of the intervention; thus, data were analysed as an observational cohort. Dietary information was collected with validated semi-quantitative FFQ and trained personnel measured BP. To assess BP changes, we undertook cross-sectional analyses at baseline and at the end of follow-up and longitudinal analyses. A statistically significant inverse association between low-fat dairy product intake and systolic BP was observed for the 12-month longitudinal analysis. In the longitudinal analysis, the adjusted systolic and diastolic BP were significantly lower in the highest quintile of low-fat dairy product intake ( − 4·2 (95% CI − 6·9, − 1·4) and − 1·8 (95% CI − 3·2, − 0·4) mmHg respectively), whereas the point estimates for the difference in diastolic BP indicated a modest non-significant inverse association. Intake of low-fat dairy products was inversely associated with BP in an older population at high cardiovascular risk, suggesting a possible protective effect against hypertension.
40Ar–39Ar isotope constraints on the age of deformation in Charnwood Forest, UK
Authors: CARNEY J. N. , ALEXANDRE P. , PRINGLE M. S. , PHARAOH T. C. , MERRIMAN R. J. , KEMP S. J.
Published: May 2008

40Ar–39Ar dating by a combination of spot analysis and step-heating has been carried out on mica fabrics from slaty cleavage and a shear zone in the Neoproterozoic to Cambrian rocks of Charnwood Forest, Leicestershire. The results indicate that crust adjacent to the eastern margin of the Midlands Microcraton was affected by localized epizonal metamorphism and penetrative deformation between 425 and 416 Ma (Silurian to earliest Devonian), somewhat earlier than the Acadian Phase of the Caledonian orogeny recorded elsewhere in southern Britain. The Charnwood cleavage geometry suggests that the deformation arose within a dextral transpressional regime along the eastern margin of the Midlands Microcraton. This tectonism may have overlapped with pre-Acadian sinistral transtensional movements documented for the Welsh Basin and Lake District areas, to the west and north of the Midlands Microcraton.
Long-term follow up after Epley's manoeuvre in patients with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo
Authors: Rashad U M
Published: May 2008

Objective:

To assess the long-term efficacy of Epley's manoeuvre performed to treat benign paroxysmal positional vertigo.

Patients and methods:

Two hundred and sixty-nine patients suffering benign paroxysmal positional vertigo were offered Epley's manoeuvre. After five years, follow up was arranged. One hundred and three patients attended for follow up (58 women and 45 men; age range 19–65 years). As mentioned 269 patients were offered the EM and 103 of them were available for follow up. Prior to initial Epley's manoeuvre treatment, these patients' duration of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo had ranged from four to 96 weeks.

Results:

Five years after treatment of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo with Epley's manoeuvre, 65 per cent of patients reported no further attacks. Kaplan–Meier testing showed that the time to recurrence was significantly longer in patients aged less than 40 years, those with a duration of attacks of less than three years prior to initial Epley's manoeuvre treatment, and those suffering less than six exacerbations prior to initial Epley's manoeuvre treatment. Gender had no effect on time to recurrence. Duration of illness before receiving Epley's manoeuvre was the only independent predictor of recurrence.

Conclusion:

Epley's manoeuvre remains an effective modality for treatment of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. A patient age of less than 40 years and duration of attacks of less than three years are good prognostic factors. Exacerbation number and gender do not affect the probability of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo recurrence after five years; however, these factors do affect the duration of time free from the condition.
Nasal and instrument preparation prior to rigid and flexible nasendoscopy: a systematic review
Authors: Nankivell P C , Pothier D D
Published: May 2008

Background:

Examination of the upper aerodigestive tract is an important part of ENT practice. The use of both flexible and rigid nasendoscopes is the most common way of achieving this in the out-patient setting. However, these procedures can cause pain or discomfort for the patient, and topical preparations have been used in an attempt to reduce this.

Objectives:

The variability in current practice amongst those performing nasendoscopy may suggest an uncertainty as to what constitutes best practice for this procedure. A systematic review of the literature was undertaken in an attempt to clarify this.

Methods:

A literature search of the Cochrane ENT group trials register, the Cochrane central register of controlled trials (CENTRAL), CINAHL (1982–2007), MEDLINE (1950–2007) and EMBASE (1974–2007) was performed. Reference lists of selected studies were scanned for additional research material.

Results:

Eighteen studies relevant to this review were identified. The evidence suggests that local anaesthetic is not beneficial when performing flexible nasendoscopy, neither alone nor in combination with a vasoconstrictor. Water is better than lubricant for flexible endoscope passage and gives a superior optical outcome. Further research is required on the use of endosheaths for flexible and rigid nasendoscopy.
Otological and vestibular symptoms in patients with low grade (Quebec grades one and two) whiplash injury
Authors: Rowlands R G , Campbell I K , Kenyon G S
Published: May 2008

Objective:

To establish the prevalence of new vestibular and otological symptoms in a group of patients who had sustained a low grade (Quebec grades one or two) whiplash injury.

Methods:

A retrospective review of the case records of 109 patients undergoing assessment by a single practitioner for the purposes of compiling a medicolegal report on their whiplash injury.

Results:

Four patients complained of short-lived, non-specific dizziness symptoms in the acute phase following their original injury. There were no reports of vertigo, tinnitus or hearing loss after a mean period of 149 days following the whiplash injury.

Conclusions:

No patients reported otological or persistent vestibular symptoms in the acute phase following their whiplash injury. This suggests that caution should be exercised when attributing these symptoms to such an injury. Before whiplash injuries are admitted as an aetiological factor in the development of such symptoms, other causes should be excluded.
Assessment of clinical improvement and quality of life before and after tonsillectomy
Authors: Akgun D , Seymour F K , Qayyum A , Crystal R , Frosh A
Published: May 2008

Objective:

To assess clinical improvement and quality of life measures in patients who had undergone tonsillectomy for recurrent acute and chronic tonsillitis between March 2004 and March 2005.

Method:

A retrospective survey of all adults and children who had undergone tonsillectomy for recurrent acute and chronic tonsillitis. Patients were asked to compare their symptoms for the 12-month period before and after tonsillectomy.

Results:

A review of 100 patients revealed that, following tonsillectomy: their days off work (or school) due to sore throat reduced by 95.3 per cent (from a mean of 27.6 to 1.3 days; confidence intervals 89.7 and 99.6 per cent); their visits to their general practitioner due to sore throat reduced by 95.6 per cent (from a mean of 7.9 to 0.4 visits; confidence intervals 93.8 and 95.1 per cent); and more than 90 per cent reported improved feelings of well-being, general health and energy.

Conclusion:

We conclude that tonsillectomy is of benefit for patients with recurrent acute and chronic tonsillitis. Tonsillectomy significantly reduced general practitioner attendances and resulted in an improved feeling of health and well-being.
Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumours of the infraorbital nerve: case report and literature review
Authors: Beegun I , Bottrill I D , Hollowood K
Published: May 2008

Objective:

We report a case of malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumour seen in our department.

Method:

We present case reports and a review of the world literature concerning malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumour.

Results:

A 38-year-old Caucasian woman was diagnosed with malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumour of the infraorbital nerve. She underwent a wide enbloc resection followed by a course of radiotherapy. A five-year post-operative magnetic resonance imaging scan revealed no evidence of recurrence.

Conclusion:

Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumours are rare in the head and neck. An awareness of their occurrence is important for early diagnosis. Management involves: accurate histological diagnosis; radiological imaging to define tumour extent and plan resection; wide surgical excision with histologically negative margins; reconstruction of the tissue defect; and post-operative radiotherapy.
Familial cholesteatoma in East Anglia, UK
Authors: Prinsley P
Published: May 2008

Objective:

To report a cluster of families affected by cholesteatoma in the East Anglia region of the UK.

Setting:

Otology service for the population of Norfolk and North Suffolk, East Anglia, UK.

Method:

Prospective and systematic collection of family history data for patients presenting with cholesteatoma over 10 years.

Result:

Several families were identified with affected individuals over several generations.

Conclusion:

There is likely to be a genetic propensity for cholesteatoma in some individuals.
Using the processus cochleariformis as a multipurpose landmark in middle cranial fossa surgery
Authors: Ulug T
Published: May 2008

Objective:

To demonstrate that the anatomical structure known as the processus cochleariformis, with its intimate and constant relationships to inner-ear structures, can be used as a reliable landmark during middle cranial fossa surgery, alone or in conjunction with other landmarks.

Study design:

An anatomical study using cadaveric temporal bones to define six reproducible measurements that relate the processus cochleariformis to inner-ear structures, and to define 14 other measurements that relate inner-ear structures to adjacent structures within the intact bone.

Method:

Using 10 cadaver specimens, 20 reproducible measurements were defined. The first six of these defined the relation of the processus cochleariformis to inner-ear structures in the middle cranial fossa approach. The other measurements defined the exact location of the inner-ear structures and adjacent structures within the intact bone.

Results:

The vertical crest lies at a 20° angle from the processus cochleariformis to the coronal plane, and at a distance of 5 to 6 mm from the processus cochleariformis. The point at which the medial margin of the basal turn of the cochlea crosses the labyrinthine segment of the facial nerve lies at a 0° angle from the processus cochleariformis to the coronal plane, and at a distance of 6.5 to 7.5 mm from the processus cochleariformis. The superior semicircular canal lies at a 45° angle from the processus cochleariformis to the coronal plane. The other measurements obtained give important clues about the position of the cochlea, vestibulum, greater superficial petrosal nerve and labyrinthine segment of the facial nerve.

Conclusions:

If the classical landmarks are indiscernible during middle cranial fossa surgery, then the processus cochleariformis, with its intimate and constant relationships to inner-ear structures, is a safe and constant landmark.
On the effect of baryon loading in magnetized counterstreaming plasmas. II. Particle-in-cell simulations
Authors: TAUTZ R. C. , SAKAI J.-I.
Published: May 2008

Assuming a non-relativistic three species electron–positron–ion plasma, the counterstreaming instability is investigated for waves propagating parallel and perpendicular to a homogeneous background magnetic field. To support previous analytical investigations (Tautz and Sakai 2007), the instability is investigated by means of self-consistent particle-in-cell simulations. It is shown that the presence of a third particle species is responsible for a variety of new features that cannot be seen either from an electron–ion plasma or for an electron–positron plasma.
Finite entropy for multidimensional cellular automata
Authors: MEYEROVITCH TOM
Published: May 2008

Let $X=S^{\mathbb {G}}$ where $\mathbb {G}$ is a countable group and S is a finite set. A cellular automaton (CA) is an endomorphism T:X→X (continuous, commuting with the action of $\mathbb {G}$). Shereshevsky [Expansiveness, entropy and polynomial growth for groups acting on subshifts by automorphisms. Indag. Math. (N.S.)4(2) (1993), 203–210] proved that for $\mathbb {G}=\mathbb {Z}^d$ with d>1 no CA can be forward expansive, raising the following conjecture: for $G=\mathbb {Z}^d$, d>1, the topological entropy of any CA is either zero or infinite. Morris and Ward [Entropy bounds for endomorphisms commuting with K actions. Israel J. Math. 106 (1998), 1–11] proved this for linear CAs, leaving the original conjecture open. We show that this conjecture is false, proving that for any d there exists a d-dimensional CA with finite, non-zero topological entropy. We also discuss a measure-theoretic counterpart of this question for measure-preserving CAs.
Formal classification of unfoldings of parabolic diffeomorphisms
Authors: RIBÓN JAVIER
Published: May 2008

We provide a complete system of invariants for the formal classification of unfoldings φ(x,x1,…,xn)=(f(x,x1,…,xn),x1,…,xn) of complex analytic germs of diffeomorphisms at $({\mathbb C},0)$ that are tangent to the identity. We reduce the formal classification problem to solving a linear differential equation. Then we describe the formal invariants; their nature depends on the position of the fixed points set Fix φ with respect to the regular vector field ∂/∂x. We get invariants specifically attached to higher dimension (n≥3), although generically they are analogous to the one-dimensional ones.
The existence of measures of a given cocycle, II: probability measures
Authors: MILLER BENJAMIN
Published: May 2008

Given a Polish space X, a countable Borel equivalence relation E on X, and a Borel cocycle $\rho : E \rightarrow (0, \infty )$, we characterize the circumstances under which there is a probability measure μ on X such that ρ(ϕ−1(x),x)=[d(ϕ*μ)/dμ](x) μ-almost everywhere, for every Borel injection ϕ whose graph is contained in E.
Theatrum Mundi: Odin Teatret's Ur-Hamlet
Authors: Christoffersen Erik Exe
Published: May 2008

In 2006 Odin Teatret performed its multicultural version of Ur-Hamlet, derived from its early thirteenth-century origins in the Gesta Danorum of Saxo Grammaticus, in the castle courtyard of Kronborg – the Elsinore setting for Shakespeare's version four centuries later. But the performance here followed years of preparation, and involved a multiplicity of theatre styles and performing traditions. The production had its beginnings at sessions of the International School of Theatre Anthropology (ISTA) in Seville in 2004 and Wroclaw in 2005, and preparations continued in Holstebro, Copenhagen, and Bali from 2004 to 2006. Erik Exe Christoffersen followed the final rehearsals in Ravenna, and here gives an account of the Kronborg performance. Erik Exe Christoffersen is Associate Professor at the Institut for Æstetiske Fag, Department for Dramaturgy, Aarhus University, Denmark. His most recent publications include The Actor's Way (Routledge, 1993) and Teaterhandlinger (Theatre Actions, 2007). He is Editor of the Danish theatre journal Peripeti:Tidskrift for Dramaturgiske Studier.
Dreaming our own Dreams: Singapore Monodrama and the Individual Talent
Authors: Diamond Catherine
Published: May 2008

For its size, Singapore hosts an exceptional amount of theatrical activity, emanating both from within the city state and from its role as sponsor of regional international workshops and productions. Its English-speaking dramatists are in the forefront of staging original plays about the foibles of Singaporean society and serving as mediators among South-east Asian theatre practitioners. While troupes depend on government funding and must obtain government permits to perform, most have opted to take an alternative position to the government's narrative of the Singapore success story. This has created an uneasy relationship that undermines the strength of the theatre's social-political critique and encourages self-censorship. In the following essay, Catherine Diamond examines the psychologically cramped conditions within which current Singaporean dramatists operate through a comparison of monodramas. Catherine Diamond is a professor of theatre at Soochow University in Taiwan, and a frequent contributor to NTQ. She is currently directing a flamenco dance-drama adaptation of The House of Bernarda Alba.
Practical Aesthetics and the Formation of the Atlantic Theater Company
Authors: Watson Ian
Published: May 2008

The Atlantic Theater Company has been one of Off-Broadway's most successful theatre companies over the past twenty years, having won twelve Tony Awards, eight Lucille Lortel Awards, thirteen Obie Awards, and three Outer Critics Circle Awards. The company, originally founded in 1983 by the playwright David Mamet and the actor William H. Macy, has mounted over one hundred plays, many by new writers. Included among its successes are Martin McDonagh's The Lieutenant of Inishmore and The Beauty Queen of Leenane, Woody Allen's A Second Hand Memory and Writer's Block, the revival of David Mamet's American Buffalo, Celebration and The Room by Harold Pinter, Mojo and Night Heron by Jez Butterworth, and the new musical adaptation of Frank Wedekind's play Spring Awakening, which won the 2007 Tony for best new musical. But producing plays is only part of Atlantic's mission: it also runs the Atlantic Acting School, which operates both as a private conservatoire and an undergraduate training studio in conjunction with New York University. Its curriculum focuses on Practical Aesthetics, the acting technique developed by Mamet and Macy. Mary McCann, in conversation here with NTQ Contributing Editor Ian Watson, is a founding member of the Atlantic Theater Company and Director of the Atlantic Acting School, where she also teaches. She continues to act, having appeared in many of the company's productions, on Broadway, on television, and in several independent films. The conversation took place over two meetings at the Atlantic Acting School in New York City, on 25 April and 5 June 2007.
On the set of the logarithm of the LMO invariant for integral homology 3-spheres
Authors: TAKATA TOSHIE
Published: May 2008

The LMO invariant is a very strong invariant such that it is expected to classify integral homology 3-spheres. In this paper we identify the set of the degree ≤ 6 parts of the logarithm of the LMO invariant for integral homology 3-spheres. As an application, we obtain a complete set of relations which characterize the set of Ohtsuki's invariants {λi(M)} fori≤ 6. For any simple Lie algebra$\frak{g}$, we also obtain a complete set of relations which characterize the set of perturbativeP$\frak{g}$invariants {$\lambda^{\frakg}_i$(M)} fori≤ 3.
Census of the Southern Giant Petrel population of the Falkland Islands 2004/2005
Authors: Reid Tim A. , Huin Nic
Published: May 2008

A complete census was taken of all colonies of Southern Giant Petrels Macronectes giganteus within the Falkland Islands in 2004/05. The breeding population of the islands was estimated to be approximately 19,529 pairs (range 18,420–20,377). Southern Giant Petrels were found to breed in 38 locations around the islands, with colony size varying from one to 10,936. The majority of colonies were concentrated around the south of Falkland Sound, and to the west of West Falkland. Whilst there has been no previous census of the total population of the islands, there is a strong indication that the population has increased since the 1950s. The reasons for such an increase in population remain unclear in light of current knowledge. Development of our understanding of the breeding biology and demography of this species in the Falkland Islands is necessary, as is the need to conduct such a census every five years, with a few key colonies to be monitored every season. From the results obtained here, the conservation status of the Southern Giant Petrel, currently listed as ‘Vulnerable’, could be downgraded to ‘Near Threatened’.
Population abundance and biomass of large-bodied birds in Amazonian flooded and unflooded forests
Authors: Haugaasen Torbjørn , Peres Carlos A.
Published: May 2008

Little is known about the contribution of different forest types to the beta-diversity, abundance and biomass of the avifauna in lowland Amazonia. This paper presents data on the large-bodied bird assemblages of adjacent upland (terra firme) and seasonally flooded (várzea and igapó) forests in the lower Rio Purús region of central-western Brazilian Amazonia. We focus our analysis on 23 large-bodied canopy and terrestrial bird species from 10 families, on the basis of 2,044 bird sightings obtained during line-transect censuses conducted over a two-year period. Large toucans comprised the most numerically abundant large birds in terra firme and igapó forests, whereas macaws were the most abundant in nutrient-rich várzea forests that were seasonally inundated by white-water. The aggregate population density of all bird species in terra firme forest was slightly higher than that in várzea forest. Igapó forest, which was seasonally inundated by black-water, sustained the lowest population densities. Terra firme and várzea forests differed considerably in species composition and abundance whereas igapó forest shared many species with both terra firme and várzea. Our results suggest that Amazonian floodplain forests play a major role in the persistence and community dynamics of the large-bodied forest birds.

Pouco se sabe sobre a contribuição de diferentes tipos de florestas aos padrões de beta-diversidade, abundância e biomassa da avifauna na região amazônica. Este artigo apresenta dados à respeito das aves de médio a grande porte em florestas de terra firme e florestas adjacentes sujeitas a inundação sazonal (várzea e igapó) na região do baixo Rio Purús da Amazonia centro-ocidental. Nossa análise, baseada num total de 2,044 observações obtidas durante censos ao longo de transectos, foi direcionada a 23 espécies de aves de médio a grande porte pertencentes a 10 famílias. As aves mais abundantes em florestas de terra firme e igapó foram os tucanos, e as araras as mais abundantes em florestas de várzea. A densidade de população agregada de todas as espécies na terra firme foi ligeiramente mais elevada do que na várzea. A floresta de igapó sustentaram as mais baixas densidades populacionais. Terra firme e várzea diferem consideravelmente na composição e abundância de espécies, visto que a avifauna do igapó é intermediária entre a da terra firme e a da várzea. Os resultados sugerem que as florestas inundáveis tem uma papel muito importante na manutenção das comunidades de aves de grande porte na Amazônia, e pricipalmente aquelas espécies que usam grandes mosaicos de floresta.
Human Burial Evidence from Hattab II Cave and the Question of Continuity in Late Pleistocene–Holocene Mortuary Practices in Northwest Africa
Authors: Barton Nick , Bouzouggar Abdeljalil , Humphrey Louise , Berridge Peter , Collcutt Simon , Gale Rowena , Parfitt Simon , Parker Adrian , Rhodes Edward , Schwenninger Jean-Luc
Published: May 2008

Archaeological excavations in 2002–3 at Hattab II Cave in northwestern Morocco revealed an undisturbed Late Palaeolithic Iberomaurusian human burial. This is the first Iberomaurusian inhumation discovered in the region. The skeleton is probably that of a male aged between 25 and 30 years. The individual shows a characteristic absence of the central upper incisors reported in other Iberomaurusian burials. Accompanying the burial are a stone core and a number of grave goods including bone points, a marine gastropod and a gazelle horn core. Thermoluminescence dating of a burnt stone artefact in association with the burial has provided an age of 8900?1100 bp. This is one of the youngest ages reported for the Iberomaurusian and raises questions about persistence of hunter-gatherer societies in the Maghreb and the potential for continuity in burial practices with the earliest Neolithic.
On the Maximum Degree of a Random Planar Graph
Authors: McDIARMID COLIN , REED BRUCE
Published: May 2008

Let the random graphRnbe drawn uniformly at random from the set of all simple planar graphs onnlabelled vertices. We see that with high probability the maximum degree ofRnis Θ(lnn). We consider also the maximum size of a face and the maximum increase in the number of components on deleting a vertex. These results extend to graphs embeddable on any fixed surface.
Cost, performance and portfolio composition of small pension funds in Australia
Authors: SY WILSON
Published: May 2008

Compared with large institutional pension funds, there is relatively little published research on small funds, which are defined in the Australian superannuation legislation as pension funds with less than five members. Small funds account for more than 20% of total pension assets and they are one of the fastest growing sectors and therefore play a significant part in the savings strategy for national retirement income. This paper contributes to the needed research by analysing the more granular audited accounting data collected for the subset of small funds regulated by the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) over the last few years. The analysis provides new insights into the operating costs involved in running the funds, the investment performances and portfolio compositions of Small APRA Funds (SAF).
The Difference
Authors: MC  , WTE
Published: May 2008

The difference

On 13 December 2007, after a remarkable acceleration of the process under the German and Portuguese presidencies, representatives of the member states put pen to paper and signed the Treaty of Lisbon. Much of the ensuing debate, both in legal circles and among the general public, has centred on its abandonment of the ‘constitutional concept’.
The President of Romania
Authors: Tănăsescu Elena Simina
Published: May 2008

Directly elected, but in constitutional terms not the central authority of the Romanian political system – A ‘trailblazer’ role in parliamentary elections – Political neutrality constitutionally required, but hard to realise in practice – Comparison with the French Presidency – Limited powers making the President in theory ‘a colossus with clay feet’ – Ambivalent relationships with Parliament and Government – Gap between the constitutional and the real powers on account of ‘active’ Presidents – A hard-to-qualify political system
European Arrest Warrant: Advocaten voor de Wereld VZW v. Leden van de Ministerraad
Authors: Geyer Florian
Published: May 2008

Listening carefully, one might have heard the sigh of relief breathed in Brussels and other EU capitals on 3 May 2007, when the Court of Justice of the European Communities (ECJ or Court) eventually delivered its first judgment on the European arrest warrant (EAW), giving the green light to this flagship instrument of EU judicial co-operation in criminal matters. However, what came as a relief for executive-branch officials, quite likely disappointed some of Europe's judges and legislators, as well as many academics and independent observers. For them, it must have seemed as if a long, tension-filled story had come to a bitter end.
The Political Representation of Europe's Citizens: Developments
Authors: Shaw Jo
Published: May 2008

What is a ‘European’ Parliament and who should vote for it? Should it be the ‘citizens’ of the European Union alone? If so, should it be all EU citizens, or only those who are resident in the member states? Or should the electorate include potentially all residents in the member states which comprise the EU and who are thus affected by decisions taken in the Parliament? Does anyone have a ‘right’ to vote for the European Parliament? And who should decide who votes for the European Parliament – the member states, or the EU itself? In other words, is there a single European concept of the European Parliamentary demos, or twenty-seven separate, but overlapping, national concepts?
Multispacecraft and ground‐based observations of substorm timing and activations: Two case studies
Authors: Cao X. , Pu Z. Y. , Zhang H. , Mishin V. M. , Ma Z. W. , Dunlop M. W. , Fu S. Y. , Xie L. , Xiao C. J. , Wang X. G. , Zong Q. G. , Liu Z. X. , Kubyshkina M. V. , Pulkkinen T. I. , Frey H. U. , Korth A. , Fraenz M. , Lucek E. , Carr C. M. , Reme H. , Dandouras I. , Fazakerley A. N. , Reeves G. D. , Friedel R. , Glassmeier K. H. , Escoubet C. P.
Published: May 2008

Two case studies are performed to investigate substorm timing and activations based on Double Star TC1, Cluster, Polar, IMAGE, LANL geostationary satellites and ground‐based geomagnetic field measurements. In both events, an earthward flow associated with plasma sheet thinning is measured by Cluster 8–10 min ahead of the auroral breakup. A couple of minutes after the breakup, either TC1 at ∼X‐10 RE first detects plasma sheet expansion and then the LANL satellites near the midnight measure energetic electron injections at geostationary orbit or the LANL satellites first measure the electron injections and then TC1 detects the plasma sheet expansion. More than about 20 min later, Cluster at X∼16 RE and Polar (at higher latitude) successively observe plasma sheet expansion. The open magnetic flux of the polar cap, Ψ, is found to continually increase during the early substorm phase and then to rapidly fall when the IMF turns northward. When Ψ reaches its minimum value, bright and broad auroral activities start to decrease. Tailward progression of the magnetic dipolarization and a poleward expansion of auroral bulges are shown to closely map to one another. These results suggest that substorm activations start in the midtail before ground onset and then move earthward, which leads to an expansion onset in the near‐Earth tail around X∼ ‐(8–9) RE. After onset, the activations progress both earthward and tailward. Substorm onset is possibly related to plasma sheet reconnection of close field lines, while tail lobe reconnection of open field lines release more energy to support the full expansion of the substorm. In a fully developed expansion phase, an initial dipolarization in the near‐Earth may eventually evolve to enable disruption of the cross‐tail current over a wide region of the magnetotail.
Three‐dimensional attenuation structure of central and southern South Island, New Zealand, from local earthquakes
Authors: Eberhart‐Phillips Donna , Chadwick Mark , Bannister Stephen
Published: May 2008

The three‐dimensional attenuation properties of the South Island, New Zealand, are obtained from local earthquake t* (spectral decay) data. We extend the spectral fitting method used to obtain t* by enabling limited frequency dependence for Q. Observed Qp heterogeneity relates to both active geological processes and to constituent tectonic blocks, with high Qp for the Haast schist. The most pronounced low Qp features in the upper crust correspond to zones of recent seismicity, rather than the most significant faults. The central Alpine fault, a dipping, oblique‐slip fault, forms the western boundary to a low Qp volume in the ductile crust. Particularly low Qp is imaged at the base of the Alpine fault at 30‐km depth and may be related to metamorphic fluid release in the crustal root, a region of predicted high strain. Conversely, the southern Alpine fault, which is a vertical strike‐slip fault, forms the western boundary to the high Qp schist region. In the southern South Island, the plate boundary becomes a subduction zone, exhibiting unusual Qp character. Moderately high Qp is associated with the subducted Australian plate. There is also a high Qp, high Vp feature in the Pacific mantle to 160‐km depth that appears to cause the subducting slab to bend to near vertical. This feature may represent mantle shortening since the Miocene. Regional attenuation rates for Fiordland earthquakes, calculated from the 3‐D Qp model, show large variations over the South Island; the low Qp in the crustal root has a significant effect on passing raypaths.
Freshwater distribution in the Arctic Ocean: Simulation with a high‐resolution model and model‐data comparison
Authors: Newton Robert , Schlosser Peter , Martinson Douglas G. , Maslowski Wieslaw
Published: May 2008

A high‐resolution numerical simulation of the Arctic Ocean is analyzed in order to study the fate of river runoff and freshwater fluxes in the Arctic Ocean. The model is driven by realistic winds and thermodynamic forcing from the European Centre for Medium‐range Weather Forecasting (ECMWF) Reanalysis data set. Dye tracers have been added to visualize the pathways followed by low‐salinity water from the major Arctic rivers and Bering Strait Inflow. The model is spun up using repeated forcing with the 1979 annual cycle for 20 years; then the 1979 through 1998 atmospheric forcing is applied. Under the influence of the 1979 through early 1980s winds, a large plume of river runoff exits the broad Eurasian shelf seas along the Lomonosov Ridge. Starting in about 1985, the locus of shelf‐to‐basin transport shifts eastward to the Alpha‐Mendeleyev ridge complex. This shift in the model output is related to changes in the sea‐surface height (SSH) fields, which we attribute primarily to shifts in surface wind stresses. Model resolution, runoff inputs, and relaxation terms in the Lena River delta region are analyzed in detail to expose issues with model performance at boundaries with freshwater inflow. Suggestions are made for improving future simulations of river runoff in basin‐scale models.
Formaldehyde over North America and the North Atlantic during the summer 2004 INTEX campaign: Methods, observed distributions, and measurement‐model comparisons
Authors: Fried Alan , Walega James G. , Olson Jennifer R. , Crawford Jim H. , Chen Gao , Weibring Petter , Richter Dirk , Roller Chad , Tittel Frank K. , Heikes Brian G. , Snow Julie A. , Shen Haiwei , O'Sullivan Daniel W. , Porter Michael , Fuelberg Henry , Halland Jeremy , Millet Dylan B.
Published: May 2008

A tunable diode laser absorption spectrometer (TDLAS) was operated on the NASA DC‐8 aircraft during the summer INTEX‐NA study to acquire ambient formaldehyde (CH2O) measurements over North America and the North Atlantic Ocean from ∼0.2 km to ∼12.5 km altitude spanning 17 science flights. Measurements of CH2O in the boundary layer and upper troposphere over the southeastern United States were anomalously low compared to studies in other years, and this was attributed to the record low temperatures over this region during the summer of 2004. Formaldehyde is primarily formed over the southeast from isoprene, and isoprene emissions are strongly temperature‐dependent. Despite this effect, the median upper tropospheric (UT) CH2O mixing ratio of 159 pptv from the TDLAS over continental North America is about a factor of 4 times higher than the median UT value of 40 pptv observed over remote regions during TRACE‐P. These observations together with the higher variability observed in this study all point to the fact that continental CH2O levels in the upper troposphere were significantly perturbed during the summer of 2004 relative to more typical background levels in the upper troposphere over more remote regions. The TDLAS measurements discussed in this paper are employed together with box model results in the companion paper by Fried et al. to further examine enhanced CH2O distributions in the upper troposphere due to convection. Measurements of CH2O on the DC‐8 were also acquired by a coil enzyme fluorometric system and compared with measurements from the TDLAS system.
Organic aerosol mass spectral signatures from wood‐burning emissions: Influence of burning conditions and wood type
Authors: Weimer S. , Alfarra M. R. , Schreiber D. , Mohr M. , Prévôt A. S. H. , Baltensperger U.
Published: May 2008

Wood‐burning for domestic heating purposes is becoming more important owing to the increasing use of wood as a renewable fuel. Particle emissions from residential wood combustion contribute substantially to particulate matter during winter. An Aerodyne quadrupole aerosol mass spectrometer was used to study the variability of the mass spectra of organic aerosol particles emitted from the burning of different wood types as a function of burning conditions and burning technologies. Previously found wood‐burning mass fragment markers in ambient air and for levoglucosan such as m/z 60, 73, and 29 were confirmed as a feature of wood‐burning aerosol. They were enhanced during the flaming phase and reduced in the smoldering phase when burning was conducted in a small wood stove. The mass spectra during the smoldering phase were dominated by oxygenated species and exhibited a strong resemblance to the mass spectrum of fulvic acid which is used as a model compound for highly oxidized aerosol. A strong resemblance between the mass spectra of fulvic acid and organic particles emitted during wood‐burning in an automatic furnace was found. In general, we found larger differences in the mass spectra between flaming and smoldering phases of one wood type than between different wood types within the same phase. Furthermore it was observed that during one experiment where white fir bark was burned the contribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons to the total organic matter was very high (∼30%) compared to other wood‐burning experiments (0.4–2.2%).
Preface to special section on Fifty Years of Research and Data Collection: U.S. Department of Agriculture Walnut Gulch Experimental Watershed
Authors: Moran M. Susan , Emmerich William E. , Goodrich David C. , Heilman Philip , Holifield Collins Chandra D. , Keefer Timothy O. , Nearing Mark A. , Nichols Mary H. , Renard Kenneth G. , Scott Russell L. , Smith John R. , Stone Jeffry J. , Unkrich Carl L. , Wong Jason
Published: May 2008

This special section of Water Resources Research and the associated Web site (http://www.tucson.ars.ag.gov/dap/) describe 50 years of data collection and the most recent research results at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Walnut Gulch Experimental Watershed (WGEW) in southeast Arizona. The goal of this compilation is to encourage cooperative, interdisciplinary studies of semiarid ecohydrology at WGEW based on continuing long‐term measurements of soils, vegetation, hydrology, and climate.
Spatial moment analysis of transport of nonlinearly adsorbing pesticides using analytical approximations
Authors: Beltman Wim H. J. , Boesten Jos J. T. I. , van der Zee Sjoerd E. A. T. M.
Published: May 2008

Analytical approximations were derived for solute transport of pesticides subject to Freundlich sorption, and first‐order degradation restricted to the liquid phase. Solute transport was based on the convection‐dispersion equation (CDE) assuming steady flow. The center of mass (first spatial moment) was approximated both for a non‐degraded solute pulse and for a pulse degraded in the liquid phase. The remaining mass (zeroth spatial moment) of a linearly sorbing solute degraded in the liquid phase was found to be a function of only the center of mass (first spatial moment) and the Damköhler number (i.e., the product of degradation rate coefficient and dispersivity divided by flow velocity). This relationship between the zeroth and first spatial moments was shown to apply to nonlinearly sorbing pulses as well. The mass fraction leached of a pesticide subject to Freundlich sorption and first‐order degradation in the solution phase only was found to be a function of the Damköhler number and of the dispersivity, so independent of sorption. Hence perceptions of the effects of sorption on pesticide leaching should be reconsidered. These conclusions equally hold for other micropollutants that degrade in the solution phase only.
Quantifying hurricane destructive power, wind speed, and air‐sea material exchange with natural undersea sound
Authors: Wilson Joshua D. , Makris Nicholas C.
Published: May 2008

Passive ocean acoustic measurements may provide a safe and inexpensive means of accurately quantifying the destructive power of a hurricane. This is demonstrated by correlating the underwater sound intensity of Hurricane Gert with meteorological data acquired by aircraft transects and satellite surveillance. The intensity of low frequency underwater sound measured directly below the hurricane is found to be approximately proportional to the cube of the local wind speed, or the wind power. It is shown that passive underwater acoustic intensity measurements may be used to estimate wind speed and quantify the destructive power of a hurricane with an accuracy similar to that of aircraft measurements. The empirical relationship between wind speed and noise intensity may also be used to quantify sea‐salt and gas exchange rates between the ocean and atmosphere, and the impact of underwater ambient noise on marine life and sonar system performance.
New approach to determine aerosol optical depth from combined CALIPSO and CloudSat ocean surface echoes
Authors: Josset D. , Pelon J. , Protat A. , Flamant C.
Published: May 2008

Backscatter lidar observations such as those provided by the CALIPSO mission are expected to give complementary information to long‐used radiometric observations for aerosol properties characterization important to climate and environment issues. However, retrieving aerosol optical depth (AOD) and profiling the aerosol extinction cannot be done accurately applying a standard inversion procedure to the backscatter lidar measurements, without a precise knowledge of aerosol properties on the vertical. The objective of this first study is to propose a new approach to quantify the AOD over the ocean combining the surface return signals from the lidar and radar onboard the CALIPSO and CloudSat platforms, respectively. Taking advantage of the satellite formation within the AQUA‐train, first comparisons of AODs retrieved with our method and MODIS ones at tropical latitudes show an overall bias smaller than 1%, and a standard deviation of about 0.07. These first results are presented and error sources are discussed.
Changes of temperature and bio‐optical properties in the South China Sea in response to Typhoon Lingling, 2001
Authors: Shang Shaoling , Li Li , Sun Fengqin , Wu Jingyu , Hu Chuanmin , Chen Dewen , Ning Xiuren , Qiu Yun , Zhang Caiyun , Shang Shaoping
Published: May 2008

A large patch of enhanced chlorophyll a concentration (Chla), lower sea surface temperature (SST), and lower sea surface height (SSH) was revealed in the central South China Sea (SCS) in November 2001 after the passage of typhoon Lingling. Maximum SST reduction of 11°C occurred one day after Lingling's passage on 11/11. Subsequently, against a background level of 0.08 mg/m3, average Chla within the area of 12.60–16.49°N, 112.17–117.05°E increased to 0.14 mg/m3 on 11/12 and then to 0.37 mg/m3 on 11/14. Dissolved organic matter and detritus were differentiated from Chla using a recent bio‐optical algorithm. They contributed 64% to the increase of total absorption immediately after Lingling, while most of the changes later (74%) were due to phytoplankton. The area under Lingling's impact covered ca. 3° latitude and 4° longitude, which is much greater than the two summer cases previously observed in the northern SCS. This event lasted for ca.15 days, and resulted in carbon fixation in the order of 0.4 Mt. Such a drastic response was attributed to the coupling of typhoon‐induced nutrient pumping with the pre‐established cyclonic gyre in the central SCS driven by the prevailing northeast monsoon.
Increasing frequencies of warm and humid air masses over the conterminous United States from 1948 to 2005
Authors: Knight David B. , Davis Robert E. , Sheridan Scott C. , Hondula David M. , Sitka Luke J. , Deaton Michael , Lee Temple R. , Gawtry Stephen D. , Stenger Philip J. , Mazzei Francesco , Kenny Barrett P.
Published: May 2008

Time series of individual climate variables, such as air temperature and precipitation, have been thoroughly examined to evaluate climate change, but few studies have evaluated how air masses have varied over time. We use the Spatial Synoptic Classification air mass approach to classify multivariate meteorological surface variables into discrete groups and examine trends in air mass frequencies over the period 1948–2005 for the continental United States. We observe increases in warm, moist air masses at the expense of cold, dry air masses, consistent with expectations in an atmosphere with increasing greenhouse gas concentrations. Temporal variations in the North Atlantic Oscillation, Pacific/North American teleconnection pattern, Arctic Oscillation, and El Niño–Southern Oscillation partially explain some of these observed trends in winter.