bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of Pyrrolidine Dithiocarbamate on Antioxidant Enzymes in Cardiomyopathy Induced by Adriamycin in Rats
Authors: Mingyan E. , Hongli Li , Shufeng Li , Bo Yu
Published: March 2008

Objective: The clinical usefulness of adriamycin (ADR) is restricted by the frequent induction of dose-dependent chronic cardiomyopathy. Previous studies on ADR cardiotoxicity have reported that the formation of free reactive oxygen radicals might be involved in ADR cardiotoxicity. Pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC) is a potent antioxidant in vivo and in vitro. The present study was undertaken to examine the effects of PDTC on antioxidant enzymes in cardiomyopathy induced by ADR in rats. Methods: Thirty-two male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 4 groups: control, ADR, PDTC, and ADR+PDTC. After 30 days, myocardial histopathological and electron microscopic examinations were performed: the myocardial content of superoxide anion and lipid peroxides were examined; the myocardial total antioxygenation capability (T-AOC) and activity of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were examined; myocardial GSH-Px, Mn-SOD and Cu,Zn-SOD gene expressions were examined by RT-PCR analysis, and the myocardial expression of GSH-Px, Mn-SOD and Cu,Zn-SOD proteins was assessed by Western blot analysis. Results: At 30 days, ADR-induced cardiomyopathy was confirmed by structural examination. The changes were prevented by PDTC. Myocardial superoxide anion and lipid peroxides were increased by ADR, and these changes were also inhibited by PDTC. ADR decreased myocardial T-AOC and the activity of GSH-Px and SOD, and these changes were likewise inhibited by PDTC. mRNA and protein expression of GSH-Px and Mn-SOD were depressed by ADR treatment and prevented by PDTC. Cu,Zn-SOD mRNA and protein levels were not significantly changed by ADR or PDTC. Conclusion: PDTC prevented ADR cardiomyopathy in rats by upregulating GSH-Px and SOD activation, which is associated with changes in the expression of GSH-Px and Mn-SOD transcript and protein levels.
The Effect of Atorvastatin Treatment on Lipid Profile and Adhesion Molecule Levels in Hypercholesterolemic Patients: Relation to Low-Density Lipoprotein Receptor Gene Polymorphism
Authors: Bolewski Andrzej , Lipiecki Janusz , Plewa Robert , Burchardt Pawel , Siminiak Tomasz
Published: March 2008

Inflammation has been indicated to play a major role in the development of atherosclerosis. The beneficial effect of statins has been suggested to be related to their anti-inflammatory properties. We have studied plasma levels of soluble adhesion molecules in patients with hypercholesterolemia before and after 3 months of treatment with atorvastatin and evaluated possible relations to the mutations in low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) gene. In patients with no LDLR gene polymorphism (group A), lower baseline levels of total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol were found than in patients with LDLR gene polymorphism (group B). The soluble adhesion molecules sICAM-1, sE-selectin and sP-selectin, but not sVCAM-1 and sL-selectin, were higher in group B than in group A. sICAM-1 levels decreased in group A by 7% (p = 0.007) and in group B by 21% (p = 0.039), whereas levels of sVCAM-1 decreased in group A by 12% (p = 0.001) and in group B patients by 19% (p = 0.039). Atorvastatin did not change sE-selectin nor sP-selectin levels in group A. However, in group B, the treatment reduced E-selectin and sP-selectin levels by 39% (p = 0.007) and 24% (p = 0.007), respectively. Atorvastatin attenuates the inflammatory reaction in hypercholesterolemic patients, but in patients with LDLR gene polymorphism, this effect is more profound.
Thoracolumbar Fracture-Dislocation in Child Abuse: Case Report, Closed Reduction Technique and Review of the Literature
Authors: Sieradzki James P. , Sarwark John F.
Published: March 2008

There have been very few reports in the literature of management of thoracolumbar fracture dislocations in very young children. The following is a presentation of one of these rare cases that was treated using a closed reduction method that has been little described in the medical literature. A 14-month-old child suffered a fracture dislocation at T12–L1 from nonaccidental trauma. The patient was neurologically intact upon admission. Treatment consisted of closed manual reduction and hyperextension casting under sedation. At 22-month follow-up, the patient displayed excellent clinical and radiographic results and remained neurologically intact. The operative technique is presented in detail and relevant literature reviewed. We propose that closed reduction and extension casting may be an acceptable treatment for infantile thoracolumbar fracture dislocations in neurologically intact patients.
Spontaneous Remission of Acute Myeloid Leukemia Relapse after Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation in a High-Risk Patient with 11q23/MLL Abnormality
Authors: Hudecek Michael , Bartsch Kristina , Jäkel Nadja , Heyn Simone , Pfannes Roald , Al-Ali Haifa Kathrin , Cross Michael , Pönisch Wolfram , Gerecke Ulrich , Edelmann Jeanett , Ittel Thomas , Niederwieser Dietger
Published: March 2008

A 35-year-old female patient was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia with multiple genetic aberrations [48 XX, del(3)(q21), +6, t(11;15)(q23;q15), +21] including an 11q23/MLL abnormality. The patient achieved a complete remission after one induction chemotherapy cycle. After three courses of consolidation, a matched unrelated hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) was performed. Following an upper respiratory tract infection 7 years after transplant, her blood counts declined to leukocytes of 1 × 109/l, platelets of 51 × 109/l and hemoglobin of 7.5 g/dl. A bone marrow aspirate revealed 55% leukemic blasts carrying the unfavorable genetic aberrations seen at initial diagnosis (11q23/MLL). In the absence of any disease-specific treatment, the leukemic blasts cleared from the bone marrow within 6 days after diagnosis of relapse and peripheral blood counts returned to normal. Molecular analysis of the 11q23/MLL rearrangement was used to evaluate minimal residual disease, which became undetectable in repetitive FISH analyses. This is the first report of spontaneous remission in a patient with initially a multiaberrant leukemic cell clone and a proven 11q23/MLL abnormality at relapse after HCT.
Regression of a Large Malignant Gastrinoma on Treatment with Sandostatin LAR®: A Case Report
Authors: Granberg Dan , Jacobsson Hans , Öberg Kjell , Gustavsson Jörgen , Lehtihet Mikael
Published: March 2008

Gastrinomas may occur in the pancreas, duodenum or peripancreatic lymph nodes. The gastrin overproduction leads to the Zollinger-Ellison syndrome with multiple gastric and duoudenal ulcers and diarrhea. About two thirds of gastrinomas are malignant. Diagnosis is made by clinical history, gastroscopy, and measurement of serum gastrin, gastric juice pH, CT scan, endoscopic ultrasonography and somatostatin receptor scintigraphy. Surgery should always be considered if the liver is not involved. Proton pump inhibitors offer symptomatic relief. Medical therapy for tumor control includes biotherapy with alpha-interferon and somatostatin analogs yielding a response rate of about 10–15%, chemotherapy or targeted radiotherapy. We describe a patient with almost complete response on treatment with Sandostatin LAR®, a long-acting somatostatin analog. In patients with metastatic gastrinomas not suitable for chemotherapy, interferon or targeted radiotherapy, single therapy with somatostatin analogs may be an alternative.
Applications of Nitroimidazole In Vivo Hypoxia Imaging in Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Takasawa Masashi , Moustafa Ramez Reda , Baron Jean-Claude
Published: March 2008

Background and Purpose—

Nitroimidazole imaging is a promising contender for noninvasive in vivo mapping of brain hypoxia after stroke. However, there is a dearth of knowledge about the behavior of these compounds in the various pathophysiologic situations encountered in ischemic stroke. In this article we report the findings from a systematic review of the literature on the use of the nitroimidazoles to map hypoxia after stroke.

Summary of Review—

We describe the characteristics of nitroimidazoles as imaging tracers, their pharmacology, and results of both animal and clinical studies during and after focal cerebral ischemia. Findings in brain tumors are also presented to the extent that they enlighten results in stroke. Early results from application of kinetic modeling for quantitative measurement of tracer binding are briefly discussed.

Conclusions—

Based on this literature review, nitroimidazole hypoxia imaging agents are of considerable interest in stroke because they appear, both in animal models and in humans, to specifically detect the severely hypoxic viable tissue, but not the reperfused nor the necrotic tissue. To fully realize this potential in stroke, however, formal validation by concurrent measurement of tissue oxygen tension, together with development of novel ligands with faster distribution kinetics, faster clearance from normal tissue, and well-defined trapping mechanisms, are important goals for future investigations.
Antiplatelet Therapy for Secondary Prevention of Noncardioembolic Ischemic Stroke
Authors: O’Donnell Martin J. , Hankey Graeme J. , Eikelboom John W.
Published: March 2008

For patients with ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack caused by atherothromboembolism, immediate and long-term aspirin reduces the relative risk of recurrent stroke, MI, and death attributable to vascular causes. Oral anticoagulation is not more effective than aspirin. Long-term clopidogrel reduces the relative risk of stroke, MI, or vascular death by about 9% (0.3% to 16.5%) compared with aspirin. Any long-term benefits of clopidogrel combined with aspirin, compared with aspirin or clopidogrel alone, appear to be offset by increased major bleeding. The combination of aspirin and extended-release dipyridamole reduces the relative odds of stroke, MI, or vascular death by about 18% (odds ratio 0.82, 0.74 to 0.91) compared with aspirin alone without causing more bleeding. Cilostazole reduces the risk of stroke, MI, or vascular death by 39% compared to placebo. A large clinical trial comparing clopidogrel with the combination of aspirin and dipyridamole, in >20 000 patients with recent (<120 days) atherothrombotic ischemic stroke, is expected to report in 2008. Emerging antiplatelet therapies presently being evaluated for secondary prevention of atherothromboembolism include other P
2
Y
12
ADP receptor antagonists (prasugrel, cangrelor, AZD 6140), thromboxane receptor antagonists (eg, S18886 - terutroban), and thrombin receptor (PAR-1) antagonists (eg, SCH530348).
Contribution of Each Lower Limb to Upright Standing in Stroke Patients
Authors: Genthon Nicolas , Rougier Patrice , Gissot Anne-Sophie , Froger Jérôme , Pélissier Jacques , Pérennou Dominic
Published: March 2008

Background and Purpose—

To analyze the postural behavior of standing stroke patients: (1) To differentiate between postural impairment attributable to the neurological condition (deficits attributable to the cerebral lesion) and postural impairment attributable to new mechanical constraints caused by body weight asymmetry; (2) To assess the involvement of each limb in the postural impairment; (3) To better understand which clinical deficits underlie the postural impairment.

Methods—

The posturographic characteristics of each limb in 41 stroke patients (first hemispheric stroke: 16 left, 25 right cerebral lesions) required to stand in their preferred posture were compared to those in 40 matched healthy individuals required to stand asymmetrically.

Results—

Compared to normal individuals in a similar asymmetrical posture, stroke patients were more unstable. The weight bearing asymmetry and the lateral postural instability were mainly related to spatial neglect. The paretic limb was unable to bring into play a normal longitudinal pattern of the center of pressure, which reflects an impaired stabilization control. Overall postural instability occurred when the strong limb was unable to compensate for the postural impairment of the paretic limb.

Conclusions—

The weight bearing asymmetry of standing stroke patients is not the primary cause of their postural imbalance, which is rather the consequence of impaired control of postural stabilization involving both limbs. Weight bearing asymmetry may not be the principle target of rehabilitation programs aiming at restoring standing balance after stroke. Instead it is suggested that more account should be taken of the compensatory role of the strong limb.
Effect of Pretreatment With Statins on Ischemic Stroke Outcomes
Authors: Reeves Mathew J. , Gargano Julia Warner , Luo Zhehui , Mullard Andrew J. , Jacobs Bradley S. , Majid Arshad
Published: March 2008

Background and Purpose—

Statins reduce the risk of stroke in at-risk populations and may improve outcomes in patients taking statins before an ischemic stroke (IS). Our objectives were to examine the effects of pretreatment with statins on poor outcome in IS patients.

Methods—

Over a 6-month period all acute IS admissions were prospectively identified in 15 hospitals participating in a statewide acute stroke registry. Poor stroke outcome was defined as modified Rankin score ≥4 at discharge (ie, moderate-severe disability or death). Multivariable logistic regression models and matched propensity score analyses were used to quantify the effect of statin pretreatment on poor outcome.

Results—

Of 1360 IS patients, 23% were using statins before their stroke event and 42% had a poor stroke outcome. After multivariable adjustment, pretreatment with statins was associated with lower odds of poor outcome (OR=0.74, 95% CI 0.52, 1.02). A significant interaction (
P
<0.01) was found between statin use and race. In whites, statins were associated with statistically significantly lower odds of poor outcome (OR=0.61, 95% CI 0.42, 0.86), but in blacks statins were associated with a nonstatistically significant increase in poor outcome (OR=1.82, 95% CI 0.98, 3.39). Matched propensity score analyses were consistent with the multivariable model results.

Conclusions—

Pretreatment with statins was associated with better stroke outcomes in whites, but we found no evidence of a beneficial effect of statins in blacks. These findings indicate the need for further studies, including randomized trials, to examine differential effects of statins on ischemic stroke outcomes among whites and blacks.
Diabetes Increases Atrophy and Vascular Lesions on Brain MRI in Patients With Symptomatic Arterial Disease
Authors: Tiehuis Audrey M. , van der Graaf Yolanda , Visseren Frank L. , Vincken Koen L. , Biessels Geert Jan , Appelman Auke P.A. , Kappelle L. Jaap , Mali Willem P.T.M.
Published: March 2008

Background and Purpose—

Diabetes type 2 (DM2) is associated with accelerated cognitive decline and structural brain abnormalities. Macrovascular disease has been described as a determinant for brain MRI changes in DM2, but little is known about the involvement of other DM2-related factors.

Methods—

Brain MRI was performed in 1043 participants (151 DM2) with symptomatic arterial disease. Brain volumes were obtained through automated segmentation.

Results—

Patients with arterial disease and DM2 had more global and subcortical brain atrophy (−1.20% brain/intracranial volume [95%CI −1.58 to −0.82],
P
<0.0005 and 0.20% ventricular/intracranial volume [0.05 to 0.34],
P
<0.01), larger WMH volumes (0.22 logtransformed volume [0.07 to 0.38],
P
<0.005), and more lacunar infarcts (OR 1.75 [1.13 to 2.69],
P
<0.01) than identical patients without DM2. In patients with DM2, high glucose levels (B−0.12% per mmol/L [−0.23 to −0.01],
P
<0.05) and diabetes duration (B−0.05% per year [−0.10 to −0.001],
P
<0.05) were associated with global brain atrophy.

Conclusion—

In patients with symptomatic arterial disease, DM2 has an added detrimental effect on the brain. In patients with DM2, hyperglycemia and diabetes duration contribute to brain atrophy.
Random Neural Networks with Synchronized Interactions
Authors: Gelenbe Erol , Timotheou Stelios
Published: April 2008

Large-scale distributed systems, such as natural neuronal and artificial systems, have many local interconnections, but they often also have the ability to propagate information very fast over relatively large distances. Mechanisms that enable such behavior include very long physical signaling paths and possibly saccades of synchronous behavior that may propagate across a network. This letter studies the modeling of such behaviors in neuronal networks and develops a related learning algorithm. This is done in the context of the random neural network (RNN), a probabilistic model with a well-developed mathematical theory, which was inspired by the apparently stochastic spiking behavior of certain natural neuronal systems. Thus, we develop an extension of the RNN to the case when synchronous interactions can occur, leading to synchronous firing by large ensembles of cells. We also present an O(N3) gradient descent learning algorithm for an N-cell recurrent network having both conventional excitatory-inhibitory interactions and synchronous interactions. Finally, the model and its learning algorithm are applied to a resource allocation problem that is NP-hard and requires fast approximate decisions.
Stochastic Synchrony of Chaos in a Pulse-Coupled Neural Network with Both Chemical and Electrical Synapses Among Inhibitory Neurons
Authors: Kanamaru Takashi , Aihara Kazuyuki
Published: April 2008

The synchronous firing of neurons in a pulse-coupled neural network composed of excitatory and inhibitory neurons is analyzed. The neurons are connected by both chemical synapses and electrical synapses among the inhibitory neurons. When electrical synapses are introduced, periodically synchronized firing as well as chaotically synchronized firing is widely observed. Moreover, we find stochastic synchrony where the ensemble-averaged dynamics shows synchronization in the network but each neuron has a low firing rate and the firing of the neurons seems to be stochastic. Stochastic synchrony of chaos corresponding to a chaotic attractor is also found.
Adaptive Classification of Temporal Signals in Fixed-Weight Recurrent Neural Networks: An Existence Proof
Authors: Tyukin Ivan Y. , Prokhorov Danil , van Leeuwen Cees
Published: April 2008

Recurrent neural networks with fixed weights have been shown in practice to successfully classify adaptively signals that vary as a function of time in the presence of additive noise and parametric perturbations. We address the question: Can this ability be explained theoretically? We provide a mathematical proof that these networks have this ability even when parametric perturbations enter the signals nonlinearly. The restrictions that we impose on the signals to be classified are that they satisfy an assumption of nondegeneracy and that noise amplitude is sufficiently small. Further, we demonstrate that the recurrent neural networks may not only classify uncertain signals adaptively but also can recover the values of uncertain parameters of the signals, up to their equivalence classes.
Optimizing One-Shot Learning with Binary Synapses
Authors: Romani Sandro , Amit Daniel J. , Amit Yali
Published: April 2008

A network of excitatory synapses trained with a conservative version of Hebbian learning is used as a model for recognizing the familiarity of thousands of once-seen stimuli from those never seen before. Such networks were initially proposed for modeling memory retrieval (selective delay activity). We show that the same framework allows the incorporation of both familiarity recognition and memory retrieval, and estimate the network's capacity. In the case of binary neurons, we extend the analysis of Amit and Fusi (1994) to obtain capacity limits based on computations of signal-to-noise ratio of the field difference between selective and non-selective neurons of learned signals. We show that with fast learning (potentiation probability approximately 1), the most recently learned patterns can be retrieved in working memory (selective delay activity). A much higher number of once-seen learned patterns elicit a realistic familiarity signal in the presence of an external field. With potentiation probability much less than 1 (slow learning), memory retrieval disappears, whereas familiarity recognition capacity is maintained at a similarly high level. This analysis is corroborated in simulations. For analog neurons, where such analysis is more difficult, we simplify the capacity analysis by studying the excess number of potentiated synapses above the steady-state distribution. In this framework, we derive the optimal constraint between potentiation and depression probabilities that maximizes the capacity.
Constructing Retrospective Gridded Daily Precipitation and Temperature Datasets for the Conterminous United States
Authors: Di Luzio Mauro , Johnson Gregory L. , Daly Christopher , Eischeid Jon K. , Arnold Jeffrey G.
Published: April 2008

This paper presents and evaluates a method for the construction of long-range and wide-area temporal spatial datasets of daily precipitation and temperature (maximum and minimum). This method combines the interpolation of daily ratios/fractions derived from ground-based meteorological station records and respective fields of monthly estimates. Data sources for the described implementation over the conterminous United States (CONUS) are two independent and quality-controlled inputs: 1) an enhanced compilation of daily observations derived from the National Climatic Data Center digital archives and 2) the Parameter–Elevation Regressions on Independent Slopes Model (PRISM) maps. The results of this study show that this nonconventional interpolation preserves the spatial and temporal distribution of both the PRISM maps (monthly, topography-sensitive patterns) and the original daily observations. Statistics of a preliminary point comparison with the observed values at high-quality and independent reference sites show a reasonable agreement and a noticeable improvement over the nearest station method in orographically sensitive areas. The implemented datasets provide daily precipitation and temperature values at 2.5-min (around 4 km) resolution for 1960–2001. Combining seamless spatial and temporal coverage and topographic sensitivity characteristics, the datasets offer the potential for supporting current and future regional and historical hydrologic assessments over the CONUS.
Composite Atmospheric Environments of Jet Contrail Outbreaks for the United States
Authors: Carleton Andrew M. , Travis David J. , Master Kara , Vezhapparambu Sajith
Published: April 2008

The cirrus-level “condensation trails” (contrails) produced by jet aircraft are considered to influence surface climate and its recent changes. To reveal the synoptic atmospheric environments typically associated with multiple co-occurrences of contrails occurring in otherwise clear or partly cloudy skies (outbreaks) for the United States, and ultimately to assist in forecasting these events, a composite (i.e., multicase average) “synoptic climatology” at regional scales is developed for the midseason months (January, April, July, October) of 2000–02. The NCEP–NCAR reanalysis data that emphasize upper-troposphere (UT) variables are allied with manually identified outbreaks appearing on satellite Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer digital data, using a geographic information system. The highest frequencies of outbreaks by far occur in the Midwest (32.6% of all-U.S. total), followed by the Northeast (17.6%) and Southeast (17.2%). In these regions, all of which have a high density of jet air traffic, an additional 2% cirrus cloud coverage from outbreak-related contrails is inferred. Large interannual and interseasonal variations in contrail outbreak frequencies support the role of meteorological variations. For most regions, the outbreak-associated synoptic circulation composite conditions involve UT ridging and a higher and colder tropopause than the climatological average; meridionally enhanced gradients of the UT vertical motion, located between sinking air to the east (in the ridge) and rising air to the west, in advance of a trough; similarly strong gradients of mid–upper-troposphere humidity, comprising dry air located to the east and moist air to the west; and horizontal speed shear ahead of an advancing jet stream. Notwithstanding, there is a geography (i.e., areal differentiation) to contrail outbreak environments: composites for the Northeast suggest an influence of land–sea contrasts on synoptic systems and, therefore, on contrail outbreaks. For the Northwest, there is evident a greater impact of horizontal wind shear contrasted with other regions. The synoptic climatology results are supported by the all-U.S. averages of contrail outbreak UT conditions [climate diagnostics (CDNs)] previously determined for early–mid-September periods of 1995–2001. Moreover, a comparison of these CDNs with those derived for nearby thick natural clouds, including cirrus, helps to clarify their different synoptic associations: the UT conditions typical of thick clouds represent an intensification of those associated with contrail outbreaks and include the greater upward vertical motion, moister air, and stronger westerly winds characteristic of a trough. Given the location of most contrail outbreaks downstream of multilayered cloud systems, contrails may help to extend the “natural” cirrus and cirrostratus spatial coverage.
Vertical Velocities and Available Potential Energy Generated by Landscape Variability—Theory
Authors: Baldi M. , Dalu G. A. , Pielke R. A.
Published: April 2008

It is shown that landscape variability decreases the temperature in the surface layer when, through mesoscale flow, cool air intrudes over warm patches, lifting warm air and weakening the static stability of the upper part of the planetary boundary layer. This mechanism generates regions of upward vertical motion and a sizable amount of available potential energy and can make the environment of the lower troposphere more favorable to cloud formation. This process is enhanced by light ambient wind through the generation of trapped propagating waves, which penetrate into the midtropospheric levels, transporting upward the thermal perturbations and weakening the static stability around the top of the boundary layer. At moderate ambient wind speeds, the presence of surface roughness changes strengthens the wave activity, further favoring the vertical transport of the thermal perturbations. When the intensity of the ambient wind is larger than 5 m s−1, the vertical velocities induced by the surface roughness changes prevail over those induced by the diabatic flux changes. The analysis is performed using a linear theory in which the mesoscale dynamics are forced by the diurnal diabatic sensible heat flux and by the surface stress. Results are shown as a function of ambient flow intensity and of the wavelength of a sinusoidal landscape variability.
Climatic Controls and Hydrologic Impacts of a Recent Extreme Seasonal Precipitation Reversal in Arizona
Authors: Goodrich Gregory B. , Ellis Andrew W.
Published: April 2008

The winter (December–February) of 2005/06 ranked as the driest in the instrumental record (since 1895) for nearly all regions of Arizona. The city of Phoenix, Arizona, recorded no precipitation during this time period, which was part of a record dry streak of 143 days without measurable precipitation. More important, the Salt and Verde watersheds, which supply the greater Phoenix area with approximately 50% of its water supply, received less than 3% of normal precipitation. Remarkably, this historically dry winter was preceded by the second wettest winter on record in 2004/05, a winter that filled reservoirs statewide and ameliorated a drought that has persisted since 1996 in some parts of the state. This study begins with a brief overview of the historical context of such reversals of extreme seasonal precipitation in Arizona followed by an analysis of the teleconnective impacts. The authors find that while an extreme reversal such as this has only happened once before in Arizona (1904/05 and 1905/06), there is a trend for increasing variability in winter precipitation from one year to the next in Arizona, especially since the 1960s. Large reversals of winter precipitation are followed by large reversals of the opposite sign in the summer monsoon more than 75% of the time. In general, large dry-to-wet reversals are associated with neutral ENSO–to–neutral ENSO conditions or a neutral ENSO–to–El Niño transition, whereas wet-to-dry reversals are associated with an El Niño–to–La Niña transition or, more commonly, with an El Niño–to–neutral ENSO transition. In addition, changes in the sign of the Atlantic multidecadal oscillation, eastern Pacific oscillation, and Pacific–North American (PNA) pattern are all significantly associated with precipitation reversals. During the seven winters when neutral ENSO and strongly positive PNA coexist, large wet-to-dry reversals occur in every case and nearly all rank among the largest such reversals. It is suggested that small reservoirs are more at risk for increasing climatic volatility than are large reservoirs.
Regional Impacts of Future Land-Cover Changes on the Amazon Basin Wet-Season Climate
Authors: Ramos da Silva Renato , Werth David , Avissar Roni
Published: March 2008

State-of-the-art socioeconomic scenarios of land-cover change in the Amazon basin for the years 2030 and 2050 are used together with the Regional Atmospheric Modeling System (RAMS) to simulate the hydrometeorological changes caused by deforestation in that region under diverse climatological conditions that include both El Niño and La Niña events. The basin-averaged rainfall progressively decreases with the increase of deforestation from 2000 to 2030, 2050, and so on, to total deforestation by the end of the twenty-first century. Furthermore, the spatial distribution of rainfall is significantly affected by both the land-cover type and topography. While the massively deforested region experiences an important decrease of precipitation, the areas at the edge of that region and at elevated regions receive more rainfall. Propagating squall lines over the massively deforested region dissipate before reaching the western part of the basin, causing a significant decrease of rainfall that could result in a catastrophic collapse of the ecosystem in that region. The basin experiences much stronger precipitation changes during El Niño events as deforestation increases. During these periods, deforestation in the western part of the basin induces a very significant decrease of precipitation. During wet years, however, deforestation has a minor overall impact on the basin climatology.
Improving Multiseason Forecasts of North Atlantic Hurricane Activity
Authors: Elsner James B. , Jagger Thomas H. , Dickinson Michael , Rowe Dail
Published: March 2008

Hurricanes cause drastic social problems as well as generate huge economic losses. A reliable forecast of the level of hurricane activity covering the next several seasons has the potential to mitigate against such losses through improvements in preparedness and insurance mechanisms. Here a statistical algorithm is developed to predict North Atlantic hurricane activity out to 5 yr. The algorithm has two components: a time series model to forecast average hurricane-season Atlantic sea surface temperature (SST), and a regression model to forecast the hurricane rate given the predicted SST value. The algorithm uses Monte Carlo sampling to generate distributions for the predicted SST and model coefficients. For a given forecast year, a predicted hurricane count is conditional on a sampled predicted value of Atlantic SST. Thus forecasts are samples of hurricane counts for each future year. Model skill is evaluated over the period 1997–2005 and compared against climatology, persistence, and other multiseasonal forecasts issued during this time period. Results indicate that the algorithm will likely improve on earlier efforts and perhaps carry enough skill to be useful in the long-term management of hurricane risk.
Positive and Negative Phases of the Wintertime North Atlantic Oscillation and Drought Occurrence over Europe: A Multitemporal-Scale Approach
Authors: López-Moreno J. Ignacio , Vicente-Serrano Sergio M.
Published: March 2008

In this study, droughts are analyzed using the standardized precipitation index (SPI) at different time scales for all of Europe over the period 1901–2000. The SPI is calculated at different time scales (1–12 months), as are the average values that correspond to negative and positive phases of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO). The responses of droughts to the phases of the NAO vary spatially, but the response also depends on the month of the year and the time scale of the analysis. During the positive/negative phases, negative/positive SPI values are generally recorded in southern Europe, with the opposite pattern recorded in northern Europe. In certain regions, significant differences in the SPI are also recorded during spring, summer, and even autumn. In several regions, the magnitude of the average SPI anomalies is noticeably different for the positive and negative phases of the NAO, indicating the asymmetric response of droughts to the NAO. The unstable response of drought occurrence is also demonstrated, at different time scales, to positive and negative phases of the NAO throughout the twentieth century. During the second half of the twentieth century, there is a strengthening of the influence of the positive phases of the NAO on droughts. In contrast, the negative phases show a weaker influence on the SPI during the second half of the twentieth century. This pattern is related to changes in the wintertime sea level pressure fields associated with positive and negative phases of the NAO.
Characteristics of North American Summertime Rainfall with Emphasis on the Monsoon
Authors: Liebmann Brant , Bladé Ileana , Bond Nicholas A. , Gochis David , Allured Dave , Bates Gary T.
Published: March 2008

The core region of the North American summer monsoon is examined using spatially averaged daily rainfall observations obtained from gauges, with the objective of improving understanding of its climatology and variability. At most grid points, composite and interannual variations of the onset and end of the wet season are well defined, although, among individual stations that make up a grid average, variability is large. The trigger for monsoon onset in southern and eastern Mexico appears to be related to a change in vertical velocity, while for northwestern Mexico, Arizona, and New Mexico it is related to a reduction in stability, as indicated by a decrease in the lifted index. The wet-season rain rate is a combination of the wet-day rain rate, which decreases with distance from the coast, and the wet-day frequency, which is largest over the Sierra Madre Occidental. Thus the maximum total rate lies slightly to the west of the highest orography. As has been previously noted, onset is not always well correlated with total seasonal precipitation, so in these areas, variations of wet-day frequency and wet-day rain rate must be important. Correlations are small between the wet-day frequency and the wet-day rate, and the former is better correlated than the latter with the seasonal rain rate. Summer rainfall in central to southern Mexico exhibits moderate negative correlations with the leading pattern of sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies in the equatorial Pacific, which projects strongly onto El Niño. The influence of equatorial SSTs on southern Mexico rainfall seems to operate mainly through variability of the wet-day frequency, rather than through variations of the wet-day rain rate.
Observations of Large-Scale Ocean–Atmosphere Interaction in the Southern Hemisphere
Authors: Ciasto Laura M. , Thompson David W. J.
Published: March 2008

The authors provide a detailed examination of observed ocean–atmosphere interaction in the Southern Hemisphere (SH). Focus is placed on the observed relationships between variability in SH extratropical sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies, the Southern Annular Mode (SAM), and the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO). Results are examined separately for the warm (November–April) and cold (May–October) seasons and for monthly and weekly time scales. It is shown that the signatures of the SAM and ENSO in the SH SST field vary as a function of season, both in terms of their amplitudes and structures. The role of surface turbulent and Ekman heat fluxes in driving seasonal variations in the SAM- and ENSO-related SST anomalies is investigated. Analyses of weekly data reveal that variability in the SAM tends to precede anomalies in the SST field by ∼1 week, and that the e-folding time scale of the SAM-related SST field anomalies is at least 4 months. The persistence of the SAM-related SST anomalies is consistent with the passive thermal response of the Southern Ocean to variations in the SAM, and seasonal variations in the persistence of the SAM-related SST anomalies are consistent with the seasonal cycle in the depth of the ocean mixed layer.
Dominant Interannual and Decadal Variability of Winter Surface Air Temperature over Asia and the Surrounding Oceans
Authors: Miyazaki Chihiro , Yasunari Tetsuzo
Published: March 2008

To clarify the interannual variability of winter surface air temperature (SAT) over Asia and the surrounding oceans, the authors applied principal component analysis to normalized monthly SATs. The first mode represents the Asian north–south dipole pattern with a node over the Tibetan Plateau. This component has close relationships to the Arctic Oscillation and cold surge variability around Southeast Asia, showing decadal oscillation with signal changes in 1988 and 1997. The second mode is the inner-Asian mode with a center to the north of the Tibetan Plateau. This component connects to fluctuations of not only the western Siberian high but also the Icelandic low, which is associated with the pattern of the polar vortex over Eurasia. A recent warming trend and possible relationship to solar activity are also shown. The modes of Asian SAT variability associated with ENSO are extracted as the north–south dipole mode over the tropical western Pacific and Japan (the third mode) and Silk Road mode (the fourth mode). The two independent modes appear to be caused by different sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies over the western Pacific and Indian Ocean and their associated atmospheric Rossby wave responses: the atmospheric wave trains over both the north and south of the Tibetan Plateau in the third mode, and the atmospheric wave train that propagates toward the Silk Road via Greenland in the fourth mode.
Winter and Summer Structure of the Caribbean Low-Level Jet
Authors: Muñoz Ernesto , Busalacchi Antonio J. , Nigam Sumant , Ruiz-Barradas Alfredo
Published: March 2008

The Caribbean region shows maxima in easterly winds greater than 12 m s−1 at 925 hPa in July and February, herein referred to as the summer and winter Caribbean low-level jet (LLJ), respectively. It is important to understand the controls and influences of the Caribbean LLJ because other LLJs have been observed to be related to precipitation variability. The purpose of this study is to identify the mechanisms of the Caribbean LLJ formation and variability and their association to the regional hydroclimate. Climatological fields are calculated from the North American Regional Reanalysis and the 40-yr ECMWF Re-Analysis from 1979 to 2001. It is observed that the low-level (925 hPa) zonal wind over the Caribbean basin has a semiannual cycle and an interannual variability, with greater standard deviation during boreal summer. The semiannual cycle has peaks in February and July, which are regional amplifications of the large-scale circulation. High mountains to the south of the Caribbean Sea influence the air temperature meridional gradient, providing a baroclinic structure that favors a stronger easterly wind. The boreal summer strengthening of the Caribbean LLJ is associated with subsidence over the subtropical North Atlantic from the May-to-July shift of the ITCZ and the evolution of the Central American monsoon. Additionally, the midsummer minimum of Caribbean precipitation is related to the Caribbean LLJ through greater moisture flux divergence. From May to September the moisture carried by the Caribbean LLJ into the Gulf of Mexico is strongest. The summer interannual variability of the Caribbean LLJ is due to the variability of the meridional pressure gradient across the Caribbean basin, influenced by tropical Pacific variability during summer.
Precipitation from African Easterly Waves in a Coupled Model of the Tropical Atlantic
Authors: Seo Hyodae , Jochum Markus , Murtugudde Raghu , Miller Arthur J. , Roads John O.
Published: March 2008

A regional coupled climate model is configured for the tropical Atlantic to explore the role of synoptic-scale African easterly waves (AEWs) on the simulation of mean precipitation in the marine intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ). Sensitivity tests with varying atmospheric resolution in the coupled model show that these easterly waves are well represented with comparable amplitudes on both fine and coarse grids of the atmospheric model. Significant differences in the model simulations are found in the precipitation fields, however, where heavy rainfall events occur in the region of strong cyclonic shear of the easterly waves only on the higher-resolution grid. This is because the low-level convergence due to the waves is much larger and more realistic in the fine-resolution simulation, which enables heavier precipitation events that skew the rainfall distributions toward longer tails. The variability in rainfall on these time scales accounts for more than 60%–70% of the total variability. As a result, the simulation of mean rainfall in the ITCZ and its seasonal migration improves in the higher-resolution case. This suggests that capturing these transient waves and the resultant strong low-level convergence is one of the key ingredients for improving the simulation of precipitation in global coupled climate models.
An Extended Pacific–North American Index from Upper-Air Historical Data Back to 1922
Authors: Ewen Tracy , Brönnimann Stefan , Annis Jeffrey
Published: March 2008

This paper presents a reconstruction of a Pacific–North America (PNA) index from historical upper-level data for the period 1922–47. The data have been compiled from a number of sources and cover the Pacific–North American sector relatively well over this time period. Temperature and geopotential height profiles from aircraft, kite, and radiosonde ascents back to 1922 have been digitized and validated. Wind speed and direction from pilot balloon data back to the early 1920s, provided by NCAR, have also been used. A statistical regression approach is used for the reconstruction and calibrated in the post-1948 period using NCEP–NCAR reanalysis data. Split-sample validation experiments were performed within the NCEP–NCAR period, and sensitivity experiments with different subsets of predictors were performed. Similar reconstructions and validation experiments were carried out using a 540-yr control run from the Community Climate System Model, version 3 (CCSM3). The reconstructed index series together with validation statistics for both the historical and model data are presented. Excellent reconstruction skill is found for the winter months, while the reconstructions are somewhat worse in summer. Compared with a reconstruction based only on surface data, the addition of the newly digitized upper-air stations improves the reconstruction skill in all seasons. The historical reconstruction is presented with respect to its imprint on hemispheric fields of surface air temperature, sea level pressure, and precipitation with a special focus on extreme cases. In addition, the extended PNA index is compared with indices of the North Atlantic Oscillation, the Pacific decadal oscillation, and the El Niño–Southern Oscillation. The relationship to these indices is found to be stationary over the analysis period.
Statistical Analysis of Sodium Doppler Wind–Temperature Lidar Measurements of Vertical Heat Flux
Authors: Su Liguo , Collins Richard L. , Krueger David A. , She Chiao-Yao
Published: April 2008

A statistical study is presented of the errors in sodium Doppler lidar measurements of wind and temperature in the mesosphere that arise from the statistics of the photon-counting process that is inherent in the technique. The authors use data from the Colorado State University (CSU) sodium Doppler wind-temperature lidar, acquired at a midlatitude site, to define the statistics of the lidar measurements in different seasons under both daytime and nighttime conditions. The CSU lidar measurements are scaled, based on a 35-cm-diameter receiver telescope, to the use of large-aperture telescopes (i.e., 1-, 1.8-, and 3.5-m diameters). The expected biases in vertical heat flux measurements at a resolution of 480 m and 150 s are determined and compared to Gardner and Yang’s reported geophysical values of 2.3 K m s−1. A cross-correlation coefficient of 2%–7% between the lidar wind and temperature estimates is found. It is also found that the biases vary from −4 × 10−3 K m s−1 for wintertime measurements at night with a 3.5-m telescope to −61 K m s−1 for summertime measurements at midday with a 1-m telescope. During winter, at night, the three telescope systems yield biases in their heat flux measurements that are less than 10% of the reported value of the heat flux; and during summer, at night, the 1.8- and 3.5-m systems yield biases in their heat flux measurements that are less than 10% of the geophysical value. While during winter at midday the 3.5-m system yields biases in their heat flux measurements that are less than 10% of the geophysical value, during summer at midday all of the systems yield flux biases that are greater than the geophysical value of the heat flux. The results are discussed in terms of current lidar measurements and proposed measurements at high-latitude sites.
Improved Turbulence Profiling with Field-Adapted Acoustic Doppler Velocimeters Using a Bifrequency Doppler Noise Suppression Method
Authors: Hurther D. , Lemmin U.
Published: April 2008

A novel noise reduction method and corresponding technique are presented for improving turbulence measurements with acoustic Doppler velocimeters (ADVs) commonly used in field studies of coastal and nearshore regions, rivers, lakes, and estuaries. This bifrequency method is based on the decorrelation of the random and statistically independent Doppler noise terms contained in the Doppler signals at two frequencies. It is shown through experiments in an oscillating grid turbulence (OGT) tank producing diffusive isotropic turbulence that a shift in carrier frequency of less than 10% is sufficient to increase the resolved frequency range by a decade in the turbulent velocity spectra. Over this spectral range, the slope of the velocity spectra agrees well with the universal inertial range value of −5/3. The limit due to spatial averaging effects over the sample volume can be determined from the abrupt deviation of the spectral slope from the −5/3 value. As a result, the relative error of the turbulent intensity estimate and the turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) dissipation rate, measured by two different methods, does not exceed 10% in the case of isotropic turbulence. Furthermore, the bifrequency method allows accurate estimates of the turbulent microscales as shown by the good agreement of the ratio between the Taylor and Kolmogorov microscales and an Re1/4t power law. Compared to previous Doppler noise reduction methods (Garbini et al.), an increase in time resolution by a factor of 4 is achieved. The proposed method also avoids the loss of TKE energy contained in isotropic flow structures of size equal to and smaller than the sample volume. Different from Doppler noise methods proposed by Hurther and Lemmin and Blanckaert and Lemmin, this method does not require additional hardware components, electronic circuitry, or sensors because the redundant instantaneous velocity field information is captured with the same transducer. The required shift in carrier frequency is small enough for the bifrequency method to be easily implemented in commercial ADVs.