bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Management of Postintubation Tracheal Stenosis: Appropriate Indications Make Outcome Differences
Authors: Melkane Antoine E. , Matar Nayla E. , Haddad Amine C. , Nassar Michel N. , Almoutran Homère G. , Rohayem Ziad , Daher Mohammad , Chalouhy Georges , Dabar George
Published: January 2010

Background: Laryngotracheal stenosis is difficult to treat and its etiologies are multiple; nowadays, the most common ones are postintubation or posttracheostomy stenoses. Objective: To provide an algorithm for the management of postintubation laryngotracheal stenoses (PILTS) based on the experience of a tertiary care referral center. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted on all patients treated for PILTS over a 10-year period. Patients were divided into a surgically and an endoscopically treated group according to predefined criteria. The characteristics of the two groups were analyzed and the outcomes compared. Results: Thirty-three consecutive patients were included in the study: 14 in the surgically treated group and 19 in the endoscopically treated group. Our candidates for airway surgery were healthy patients presenting with complex tracheal stenoses, subglottic involvement or associated tracheomalacia. The endoscopic candidates were chronically ill patients presenting with simple, strictly tracheal stenoses not exceeding 4 cm in length. Stents were placed if the stenosis was associated with tracheomalacia or exceeded 2 cm in total length. In the surgically treated group, 2/14 patients needed more than one procedure versus 8/19 patients in the endoscopically treated group. At the end of the intervention, 50% of the patients were decannulated in the surgically treated group versus 84.2% in the endoscopically treated group (p = 0.03). However, the decannulation rates at 6 months and the symptomatology at rest and on exertion on the last follow-up visit were comparable in the two groups. Conclusion: Our experience in the management of PILTS demonstrates that both surgery and endoscopy yield excellent functional outcomes if the treatment strategy is based on clear, predefined objective criteria.
Long-Term Prognosis of Patients Diagnosed With Brugada Syndrome
Authors: Probst V. , Veltmann C. , Eckardt L. , Meregalli P.G. , Gaita F. , Tan H.L. , Babuty D. , Sacher F. , Giustetto C. , Schulze-Bahr E. , Borggrefe M. , Haissaguerre M. , Mabo P. , Le Marec H. , Wolpert C. , Wilde A.A.M.
Published: January 2010

Background—

Brugada syndrome is characterized by ST-segment elevation in the right precordial leads and an increased risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD). Fundamental questions remain on the best strategy for assessing the real disease-associated arrhythmic risk, especially in asymptomatic patients. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the prognosis and risk factors of SCD in Brugada syndrome patients in the FINGER (France, Italy, Netherlands, Germany) Brugada syndrome registry.

Methods and Results—

Patients were recruited in 11 tertiary centers in 4 European countries. Inclusion criteria consisted of a type 1 ECG present either at baseline or after drug challenge, after exclusion of diseases that mimic Brugada syndrome. The registry included 1029 consecutive individuals (745 men; 72%) with a median age of 45 (35 to 55) years. Diagnosis was based on (1) aborted SCD (6%); (2) syncope, otherwise unexplained (30%); and (3) asymptomatic patients (64%). During a median follow-up of 31.9 (14 to 54.4) months, 51 cardiac events (5%) occurred (44 patients experienced appropriate implantable cardioverter-defibrillator shocks, and 7 died suddenly). The cardiac event rate per year was 7.7% in patients with aborted SCD, 1.9% in patients with syncope, and 0.5% in asymptomatic patients. Symptoms and spontaneous type 1 ECG were predictors of arrhythmic events, whereas gender, familial history of SCD, inducibility of ventricular tachyarrhythmias during electrophysiological study, and the presence of an
SCN5A
mutation were not predictive of arrhythmic events.

Conclusions—

In the largest series of Brugada syndrome patients thus far, event rates in asymptomatic patients were low. Inducibility of ventricular tachyarrhythmia and family history of SCD were not predictors of cardiac events.
Therapeutic Activation of Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 3 by Interleukin-11 Ameliorates Cardiac Fibrosis After Myocardial Infarction
Authors: Obana Masanori , Maeda Makiko , Takeda Koji , Hayama Akiko , Mohri Tomomi , Yamashita Tomomi , Nakaoka Yoshikazu , Komuro Issei , Takeda Kiyoshi , Matsumiya Goro , Azuma Junichi , Fujio Yasushi
Published: January 2010

Background—

Glycoprotein 130 is the common receptor subunit for the interleukin (IL)-6 cytokine family. Previously, we reported that pretreatment of IL-11, an IL-6 family cytokine, activates the glycoprotein 130 signaling pathway in cardiomyocytes and prevents ischemia/reperfusion injury in vivo; however, its long-term effects on cardiac remodeling after myocardial infarction (MI) remain to be elucidated.

Methods and Results—

MI was generated by ligating the left coronary artery in C57BL/6 mice. Real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction analyses showed that IL-11 mRNA was remarkably upregulated in the hearts exposed to MI. Intravenous injection of IL-11 activated signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), a downstream signaling molecule of glycoprotein 130, in cardiomyocytes in vivo, suggesting that cardiac myocytes are target cells of IL-11 in the hearts. Twenty-four hours after coronary ligation, IL-11 was administered intravenously, followed by consecutive administration every 24 hours for 4 days. IL-11 treatment reduced fibrosis area 14 days after MI, attenuating cardiac dysfunction. Consistent with a previous report that STAT3 exhibits antiapoptotic and angiogenic activity in the heart, IL-11 treatment prevented apoptotic cell death of the bordering myocardium adjacent to the infarct zone and increased capillary density at the border zone. Importantly, cardiac-specific ablation of STAT3 abrogated IL-11–mediated attenuation of fibrosis and was associated with left ventricular enlargement. Moreover, with the use of cardiac-specific transgenic mice expressing constitutively active STAT3, cardiac STAT3 activation was shown to be sufficient to prevent adverse cardiac remodeling.

Conclusions—

IL-11 attenuated cardiac fibrosis after MI through STAT3. Activation of the IL-11/glycoprotein 130/STAT3 axis may be a novel therapeutic strategy against cardiovascular diseases.
Association Between Kidney Function and Albuminuria With Cardiovascular Events in HIV-Infected Persons
Authors: Choi Andy I. , Li Yongmei , Deeks Steven G. , Grunfeld Carl , Volberding Paul A. , Shlipak Michael G.
Published: January 2010

Background—

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is now a leading cause of death in HIV-infected persons; however, risk markers for CVD are ill defined in this population. We examined the association between longitudinal measures of kidney function and albuminuria with risk of atherosclerotic CVD and heart failure in a contemporary cohort of HIV-infected individuals.

Methods and Results—

We followed a national sample of 17 264 HIV-infected persons receiving care in the Veterans Health Administration for (1) incident CVD, defined as coronary, cerebrovascular, or peripheral arterial disease, and (2) incident heart failure. Rates of CVD and heart failure were at least 6-fold greater in the highest-risk patients with an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) <30 mL/min per 1.73 m
2
and albuminuria ≥300 mg/dL versus those with no evidence of kidney disease (eGFR ≥60 mL/min per 1.73 m
2
and no albuminuria). After multivariable adjustment, eGFR levels 45 to 59, 30 to 44, and <30 mL/min per 1.73 m
2
were associated with hazard ratios for incident CVD of 1.46 (95% confidence interval, 1.15 to 1.86), 2.03 (1.47 to 2.82), and 1.99 (1.46 to 2.70) compared with eGFR ≥60 mL/min per 1.73 m
2
. Similarly, albuminuria levels 30, 100, and ≥300 mg/dL had hazard ratios for CVD of 1.28 (1.09 to 1.51), 1.48 (1.15 to 1.90), and 1.71 (1.30 to 2.27) compared with absent albuminuria. The associations between eGFR and albuminuria with heart failure were larger in magnitude and followed the same trends.

Conclusions—

In this national sample of HIV-infected persons, eGFR and albuminuria levels were strongly associated with risk of CVD and heart failure. Kidney function and albuminuria provide complementary prognostic information that may aid CVD risk stratification in HIV-infected persons.
Juvenile Exposure to Anthracyclines Impairs Cardiac Progenitor Cell Function and Vascularization Resulting in Greater Susceptibility to Stress-Induced Myocardial Injury in Adult Mice
Authors: Huang Chengqun , Zhang Xiaoxue , Ramil Jennifer M. , Rikka Shivaji , Kim Lucy , Lee Youngil , Gude Natalie A. , Thistlethwaite Patricia A. , Sussman Mark A. , Gottlieb Roberta A. , Gustafsson Åsa B.
Published: January 2010

Background—

The anthracycline doxorubicin is an effective chemotherapeutic agent used to treat pediatric cancers but is associated with cardiotoxicity that can manifest many years after the initial exposure. To date, very little is known about the mechanism of this late-onset cardiotoxicity.

Methods and Results—

To understand this problem, we developed a pediatric model of late-onset doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity in which juvenile mice were exposed to doxorubicin, using a cumulative dose that did not induce acute cardiotoxicity. These mice developed normally and had no obvious cardiac abnormalities as adults. However, evaluation of the vasculature revealed that juvenile doxorubicin exposure impaired vascular development, resulting in abnormal vascular architecture in the hearts with less branching and decreased capillary density. Both physiological and pathological stress induced late-onset cardiotoxicity in the adult doxorubicin-treated mice. Moreover, adult mice subjected to myocardial infarction developed rapid heart failure, which correlated with a failure to increase capillary density in the injured area. Progenitor cells participate in regeneration and blood vessel formation after a myocardial infarction, but doxorubicin-treated mice had fewer progenitor cells in the infarct border zone. Interestingly, doxorubicin treatment reduced proliferation and differentiation of the progenitor cells into cells of cardiac lineages.

Conclusions—

Our data suggest that anthracycline treatment impairs vascular development as well as progenitor cell function in the young heart, resulting in an adult heart that is more susceptible to stress.
Attenuation of Doxorubicin-Induced Cardiomyopathy by Endothelin-Converting Enzyme-1 Ablation Through Prevention of Mitochondrial Biogenesis Impairment
Authors: Miyagawa Kazuya , Emoto Noriaki , Widyantoro Bambang , Nakayama Kazuhiko , Yagi Keiko , Rikitake Yoshiyuki , Suzuki Takashi , Hirata Ken-ichi
Published: January 2010

Doxorubicin is an effective antineoplastic drug; however, its clinical benefit is limited by its cardiotoxicity. The inhibition of mitochondrial biogenesis is responsible for the pathogenesis of doxorubicin-induced cardiomyopathy. Endothelin-1 is a vasoconstrictive peptide produced from big endothelin-1 by endothelin-converting enzyme-1 (ECE-1) and a multifunctional peptide. Although plasma endothelin-1 levels are elevated in patients treated with doxorubicin, the effect of ECE-1 inhibition on doxorubicin-induced cardiomyopathy is not understood. Cardiomyopathy was induced by a single IP injection of doxorubicin (15 mg/kg). Five days after treatment, cardiac function, histological change, and mitochondrial biogenesis were assessed. Echocardiography revealed that cardiac systolic function was significantly deteriorated in doxorubicin-treated wild-type (ECE-1
+/+
) mice compared with ECE-1 heterozygous knockout (ECE-1
+/−
) mice. In histological analysis, cardiomyocyte size in ECE-1
+/−
mice was larger, and cardiomyocyte damage was less. In ECE-1
+/+
mice, tissue adenosine triphosphate content and mitochondrial superoxide dismutase were decreased, and reactive oxygen species generation was increased compared with ECE-1
+/−
mice. Cardiac mitochondrial deoxyribonucleic acid copy number and expressions of key regulators for mitochondrial biogenesis were decreased in ECE-1
+/+
mice. Cardiac cGMP content and serum atrial natriuretic peptide concentration were increased in ECE-1
+/−
mice. In conclusion, the inhibition of ECE-1 attenuated doxorubicin-induced cardiomyopathy by inhibiting the impairment of cardiac mitochondrial biogenesis. This was mainly induced by decreased endothelin-1 levels and an enhanced atrial natriuretic peptide-cGMP pathway. Thus, the inhibition of ECE-1 may be a new therapeutic strategy for doxorubicin-induced cardiomyopathy.
Long-Term Reprogramming of Cardiovascular Function in Infants of Active Smokers
Authors: Cohen Gary , Jeffery Heather , Lagercrantz Hugo , Katz-Salamon Miriam
Published: January 2010

Newborn infants of smokers show symptoms of cardiovascular stress hyperreactivity. Persistent hyperreactivity could increase the risk of short- and/or long-term complications, such as hypertension. Here we determined whether incipient dysfunction in a smoker’s infant persists or worsens with age, by comparing cardiovascular reflex function of control and tobacco-exposed infants longitudinally from birth to 1 year. We compared infants born at term to nonsmoking couples (controls; n=19) and mothers who smoked moderately (average consumption=15 cigarettes per day; n=17). All were tested at 1 to 3 weeks, 3 months, and 1 year during sleep. We recorded blood pressure and heart rate noninvasively during passive repositioning (60° head-up tilt). Tilting control infants raised blood pressure slightly above baseline at 1 week (+2%) and much more at 1 year (+10%). This trend was reversed in the tobacco-exposed cohort (+10% at 1 week but only +4% at 1 year). At 3 months and 1 year, the heart rate response of tobacco-exposed infants to tilt was also abnormal (highly exaggerated). Our study reveals that maternal smoking leads to long-lasting “reprogramming” of infant blood pressure control mechanisms. The underlying dysfunction in a smoker’s infant could plausibly be a precursor or early marker of long-term susceptibility to complications, such as raised blood pressure.
Socrates and Gorgias
Authors: Doyle James
Published: January 2010

In this paper I try to solve some problems concerning the interpretation of Socrates’ conversation with Gorgias about the nature of rhetoric in Plato’s Gorgias (448e6-461b2). I begin by clarifying what, ethically, is at stake in the conversation (section 2). In the main body of the paper (sections 3-6) I address the question of what we are to understand Gorgias as believing about the nature of rhetoric: I criticise accounts given by Charles Kahn and John Cooper, and suggest an alternative account of my own. In the final section I spell out some of the implications of my account for the interpretation of the Gorgias, and of Plato more generally.
Truth and Contradiction in Aristotle’s De Interpretatione 6-9
Authors: Jones Russell E.
Published: January 2010

In De Interpretatione 6-9, Aristotle considers three logical principles: the principle of bivalence, the law of excluded middle, and the rule of contradictory pairs (according to which of any contradictory pair of statements, exactly one is true and the other false). Surprisingly, Aristotle accepts none of these without qualification. I offer a coherent interpretation of these chapters as a whole, while focusing special attention on two sorts of statements that are of particular interest to Aristotle: universal statements not made universally and future particular statements. With respect to the former, I argue that Aristotle takes them to be indeterminate and so to violate the rule of contradictory pairs. With respect to the latter, the subject of the much discussed ninth chapter, I argue that the rule of contradictory pairs, and not the principle of bivalence, is the focus of Aristotle’s refutation. Nevertheless, Aristotle rejects bivalence for future particular statements.
Islamic Legal Maxims as Substantive Canons of Construction: Hudūd-Avoidance in Cases of Doubt
Authors: Rabb Intisar
Published: January 2010

Legal maxims reflect settled principles of law to which jurists appeal when confronting new legal cases. One such maxim of Islamic criminal law stipulates that judges are to avoid imposing hudūd and other sanctions when beset by doubts as to the scope of the law or the sufficiency of the evidence (idra'ū'l-hudūd bi'l-shubahāt): the "hudūd maxim." Jurists of all periods reference this maxim widely. But whereas developed juristic works attribute it to Muhammad in the form of a prophetic report (hadīth), early jurists do not. Instead, they cite the maxim as an anonymous saying of nonspecific provenance in a form unknown to hadīth collectors of the first three centuries after Islam's advent. This difference in the jurists' citations of the maxim signals a significant shift in claims to legal authority and the asserted scope of judicial discretion, as jurists debated whether and how to resolve legal and factual doubt. While political authorities exercised increasingly wide discretion over criminal matters and used it to benefit the elite, most jurists promoted an egalitarian "jurisprudence of doubt" through insisting on criminal liability for high-status offenders and heightening claims of the authoritativeness and scope of the hudūd maxim as a hadīth.
Wael B. Hallaq on the Origins of Islamic Law: A Review Essay
Authors: Powers David
Published: January 2010

In his The Origins and Evolution of Islamic Law, Wael B. Hallaq seeks to create a new paradigm for the scholarly understanding of the origins of Islamic law. In this essay, I review Hallaq's Origins and four other publications of his in an effort to assess his achievement. A comparison of Hallaq's vision of legal developments during the first two centuries AH with that of Joseph Schacht suggests that the differences between the two scholars are minor and that much scholarly work remains to be done on the emergence of Islamic legal doctrine.
Historical and Canonical Aspects of a New Testament Theology
Authors: Morgan Robert
Published: January 2010

In nineteenth-century discussions of the scope and methods of New Testament theology more attention was paid to the new historical methods than to the reasons for this discipline. Its independence from dogmatics was new, but it was the role of Scripture in the life of the Church which made it important in educating clergy. Theological interpretation of any passage of Scripture might serve as a source of Christian faith and theology, but for Scripture to be a norm, a survey of the whole New Testament is needed. New Testament theologies using historical exegesis and attending to all the canonical writings can offer (or imply) proposals about the identity of Christianity, and in the conversation between such proposals a measure of consensus can be expected where there is agreement to respect textual intention. Most Christian reading of Scripture to nourish and communicate faith is done through translations and without asking about authorial intention, but theologians making proposals about the identity of Christianity which accord with the witness of Scripture are subject to more constraints for the sake of consensus. They need to survey the whole New Testament using critical historical exegesis and background knowledge of the ancient world to inform a perspective derived from their contemporary understandings of Christianity. Such theologically interested surveys are properly called New Testament theologies.
Biblical Challenges to a Theology of Love
Authors: Jeanrond Werner
Published: January 2010

A contemporary systematic theological reflection upon love requires a cross-disciplinary attention to the plurality of approaches to love within the Hebrew Scriptures and the New Testament. This article explores the retrieval and development of Jewish love traditions within three New Testament traditions, namely the Synoptic Gospels, the Johannine texts, and Paul. These approaches agree on the divine origin and gift-character of love, but differ in their assessment of both the horizon of love and the significance of love for the Christian community. John stresses the community's need to be united in love against a hostile environment; Paul recommends the praxis of love as means of dealing with difference, otherness and conflict within the community; and Luke considers the universal scope of neighbourly love. Thus, acknowledging God as the author of love and reflecting upon God's nature as love does not necessarily lead to the same theological convictions or praxis of love in church and world. Moreover, the rich and ambiguous history of biblical love includes a shifting emphasis on human desire, the erotic, and the body. A critical theology of love would need to pay close attention to both the possibilities and ambiguities of the plurality of approaches to love in the Bible.
An image processing technique for the observation of the viability of Steinernema carpocapsae in spray application research
Authors: Viaene Nicole , Messens Winy , Nuyttens David , Moens Maurice , Sutter Nancyde , Steurbaut Walter , Brusselman Eva
Published: January 2010

Damage caused to entomopathogenic nematodes by spray application is generally assessed by observing the viability of the infective juveniles under the microscope. To improve the quality and speed of this observation we developed an image processing technique and tested the efficacy of acetic acid and sodium chloride as chemical stimulants. Because of the lower standard error on the results obtained (0.7 vs 1.7), sodium chloride was eventually selected for all subsequent observations. The viability as observed with the image processing technique rose significantly with the time after the nematodes were suspended in water; however, viability as observed under the microscope was not influenced by the time. These differences can be attributed to the difference in type of stimulant (mechanical vs chemical) used. After nematodes had been in suspension for 3.5 h, the viability as measured using the image processing system was still significantly lower than the viability as measured under the microscope. This difference did not disappear after 24 h at 4, 15 or 24°C. Maintaining nematodes for 24 h at 35°C significantly decreased the viability to 5.9% (microscope) or 11.0% (image processing technique). The decrease in viability as observed with the image processing system corresponded better with the decrease in infectivity (i.e., 13.8%). Our results support further use of the image processing technique, not only to observe the viability of entomopathogenic nematodes but also to count the mobile or total number of nematodes of any species.
Nematodes of the order Dorylaimida from Romania. The genus Enchodelus, Thorne, 1939. 1. Species with conical tail
Authors: Popovici Iuliana , Peña-Santiago Reyes , Guerrero Pablo , Ciobanu Marcel
Published: January 2010

Six species of the genus Enchodelus, one new and five known, from natural areas in Romania were studied. Enchodelus transsilvanicus sp. n. is distinguished by its 1.28-1.51 mm long body, lip region moderately angular and 12.5-13.5 μm in diam., odontostyle 29-34 μm long or 2.1-2.6 times the lip region diam., odontophore lacking distinct flanges and 41-45 μm long or 1.2-1.6 times the odontostyle, neck length 272-298 μm, pharyngeal expansion 82-113 μm long and occupying 31-39% of total neck length, female genital system amphidelphic, uterus bipartite and 3.1-3.5 times body diam. at its level, pars refringens vaginae with two distinct sclerotisations, vulva a transverse slit (V = 45-48), female tail conical and regularly ventrad curved (42-47 μm, c = 28-36, c′ = 1.3-1.5), spicules 47-50 μm long, and 6-8 spaced, ventromedian supplements. Measurements, illustrations and additional data of the remaining five species are given, namely E. arcuatus, E. brevidentatus, E. geraldi, E. morgensis and E. veletensis. An emended diagnosis of E. arcuatus is provided. Three species, E. brevidentatus, E. morgensis and E. veletensis, are reported from Romania for the first time.
Rhinodorylaimus kazirangus gen. n., sp. n. (Dorylaimida: Dorylaimidae) from Kaziranga National Park, Assam, India
Authors: Ahmad Wasim , Tauheed Uzma , Baniyamuddin Md.
Published: January 2010

Rhinodorylaimus kazirangus gen. n., sp. n. is described and illustrated from Kaziranga National Park, Assam, India. The new genus is characterised by the truncate, slightly elevated, lip region offset by a slight depression, strongly sclerotised, massive odontostyle with prominently furcate base, 'double' guiding ring; odontophore simple with slight thickening at its base; amphidelphic female genital system, pore-like vulva, tail long filiform in female and short conoid in males, dorylaimoid spicules and 18-21 contiguous ventromedian supplements. The new genus closely resembles Pachydorylaimus Siddiqi, 1983 but distinctly differs from it in having sexual dimorphism in tail shape, the nature of its odontophore, the characteristic arrangement of the pharyngeal gland nuclei and the number and arrangement of the ventromedian supplements.
On the Identification of Nonstationary Factor Models and Their Application to Atmospheric Data Analysis
Authors: Horenko Illia
Published: January 2010

A numerical framework for data-based identification of nonstationary linear factor models is presented. The approach is based on the extension of the recently developed method for identification of persistent dynamical phases in multidimensional time series, permitting the identification of discontinuous temporal changes in underlying model parameters. The finite element method (FEM) discretization of the resulting variational functional is applied to reduce the dimensionality of the resulting problem and to construct the numerical iterative algorithm. The presented method results in the sparse sequential linear minimization problem with linear constrains. The performance of the framework is demonstrated for the following two application examples: (i) in the context of subgrid-scale parameterization for the Lorenz model with external forcing and (ii) in an analysis of climate impact factors acting on the blocking events in the upper troposphere. The importance of accounting for the nonstationarity issue is demonstrated in the second application example: modeling the 40-yr ECMWF Re-Analysis (ERA-40) geopotential time series via a single best stochastic model with time-independent coefficients leads to the conclusion that all of the considered external factors are found to be statistically insignificant, whereas considering the nonstationary model (which is demonstrated to be more appropriate in the sense of information theory) identified by the methodology presented in the paper results in identification of statistically significant external impact factor influences.
An Upper Limit to Seasonal Rainfall Predictability?
Authors: Westra Seth , Sharma Ashish
Published: January 2010

The asymptotic predictability of global land surface precipitation is estimated empirically at the seasonal time scale with lead times from 0 to 12 months. Predictability is defined as the unbiased estimate of predictive skill using a given model structure assuming that all relevant predictors are included, thus representing an upper bound to the predictive skill for seasonal forecasting applications. To estimate predictability, a simple linear regression model is formulated based on the assumption that land surface precipitation variability can be divided into a component forced by low-frequency variability in the global sea surface temperature anomaly (SSTA) field and that can theoretically be predicted one or more seasons into the future, and a “weather noise” component that originates from nonlinear dynamical instabilities in the atmosphere and is not predictable beyond ~10 days.

Asymptotic predictability of global precipitation was found to be 14.7% of total precipitation variance using 1900–2007 data, with only minor increases in predictability using shorter and presumably less error-prone records. This estimate was derived based on concurrent SSTA–precipitation relationships and therefore constitutes the maximum skill achievable assuming perfect forecasts of the evolution of the SSTA field. Imparting lags on the SSTA–precipitation relationship, the 3-, 6-, 9-, and 12-month predictability of global precipitation was estimated to be 7.3%, 5.4%, 4.2%, and 3.7%, respectively, demonstrating the comparative gains that can be achieved by developing improved SSTA forecasts compared to developing improved SSTA–precipitation relationships. Finally, the actual average cross-validated predictive skill was found to be 2.1% of the total precipitation variance using the full 1900–2007 dataset and was dominated by the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phenomenon. This indicates that there is still significant potential for increases in predictive skill through improved parameter estimates, the use of longer and/or more reliable datasets, and the use of larger spatial fields to substitute for limited temporal records.
The Surface Expression of Semidiurnal Internal Tides near a Strong Source at Hawaii. Part II: Interactions with Mesoscale Currents*
Authors: Chavanne C. , Flament P. , Luther D. , Gurgel K-W.
Published: January 2010

Observations of semidiurnal surface currents in the Kauai Channel, Hawaii, are interpreted in the light of the interaction of internal tides with energetic surface-intensified mesoscale currents. The impacts on internal tide propagation of a cyclone of 55-km diameter and ∼100-m vertical decay scale, as well as of vorticity waves of ∼100-km wavelength and 100–200-m vertical decay scales, are investigated using 3D ray tracing. The Doppler-shifted intrinsic frequency is assumed to satisfy the classic hydrostatic internal wave dispersion relation, using the local buoyancy frequency associated with the background currents through thermal-wind or gradient-wind balance. The M2 internal tide rays with initial horizontal wavelength of 50 km and vertical wavelength of O(1000 m) are propagated from possible generation locations at critical topographic slopes through idealized mesoscale currents approximating the observed currents. Despite the lack of scale separation between the internal waves and background state, which is required by the ray-tracing approximation, the results are qualitatively consistent with observations: the cyclone causes the energy of internal tide rays propagating through its core to increase near the surface (up to a factor of 15), with surfacing time delayed by up to 5 h (∼150° phase lag), and the vorticity waves enhance or reduce the energy near the surface, depending on their phase. These examples illustrate the fact that, even close to their generation location, semidiurnal internal tides can become incoherent with astronomical forcing because of the presence of mesoscale variability. Internal tide energy is mainly affected by refraction through the inhomogeneous buoyancy frequency field, with Doppler shifting playing a secondary but not negligible role, inducing energy transfers between the internal tides and background currents. Furthermore, the vertical wavelength can be reduced by a factor of 6 near the surface in the presence of the cyclone, which, combined with the energy amplification, leads to increased vertical shear within the internal tide rays, with implications for internal wave-induced mixing in the ocean.
Dynamics of the Coastal Oyashio and Its Seasonal Variation in a High-Resolution Western North Pacific Ocean Model
Authors: Sakamoto Kei , Tsujino Hiroyuki , Nishikawa Shiro , Nakano Hideyuki , Motoi Tatsuo
Published: January 2010

The Coastal Oyashio (CO) carries the cold, fresh, and relatively light water mass called the Coastal Oyashio Water (COW) westward along the southeastern coast of Hokkaido in winter and spring. To investigate dynamics of the CO and its seasonal variation, model experiments are executed using a western North Pacific general circulation model with horizontal resolutions of approximately 2 and 6 km. The 2-km resolution model reproduces the properties of COW with temperature of 0°–2°C and salinity of 32.2–32.6 and reproduces its distribution. COW is less dense than offshore water by 0.2 kg m−3, and it forms a surface-to-bottom density front with a width of 10 km near the shelf break. The CO appears as a baroclinic jet current along the front with a maximum velocity of approximately 40 cm s−1. The velocity and density structures and the front location relative to bathymetry indicate that the CO can be understood in terms of a simplified dynamical model developed for the shelfbreak front in the Middle Atlantic Bight. In contrast to the 2-km resolution model, the 6-km model cannot realistically reproduce the COW distribution. This is because only the 2-km model can represent the sharp density structure of the shelfbreak front and the accompanying CO. The CO exists during the limited period from January to April. This is directly connected with seasonal variation of the COW inflow from the Okhotsk Sea to the North Pacific Ocean through the Nemuro and Kunashiri Straits, indicating that the seasonal variation of the CO is ultimately controlled by the variation of the circulation in the Okhotsk Sea induced by the monsoon.
Speed and Evolution of Nonlinear Internal Waves Transiting the South China Sea
Authors: Alford Matthew H. , Lien Ren-Chieh , Simmons Harper , Klymak Jody , Ramp Steve , Yang Yiing Jang , Tang David , Chang Ming-Huei
Published: January 2010

In the South China Sea (SCS), 14 nonlinear internal waves are detected as they transit a synchronous array of 10 moorings spanning the waves’ generation site at Luzon Strait, through the deep basin, and onto the upper continental slope 560 km to the west. Their arrival time, speed, width, energy, amplitude, and number of trailing waves are monitored. Waves occur twice daily in a particular pattern where larger, narrower “A” waves alternate with wider, smaller “B” waves. Waves begin as broad internal tides close to Luzon Strait’s two ridges, steepening to O(3–10 km) wide in the deep basin and O(200–300 m) on the upper slope. Nearly all waves eventually develop wave trains, with larger–steeper waves developing them earlier and in greater numbers. The B waves in the deep basin begin at a mean speed of ≈5% greater than the linear mode-1 phase speed for semidiurnal internal waves (computed using climatological and in situ stratification). The A waves travel ≈5%–10% faster than B waves until they reach the continental slope, presumably because of their greater amplitude. On the upper continental slope, all waves speed up relative to linear values, but B waves now travel 8%–12% faster than A waves, in spite of being smaller. Solutions of the Taylor–Goldstein equation with observed currents demonstrate that the B waves’ faster speed is a result of modulation of the background currents by an energetic diurnal internal tide on the upper slope. Attempts to ascertain the phase of the barotropic tide at which the waves were generated yielded inconsistent results, possibly partly because of contamination at the easternmost mooring by eastward signals generated at Luzon Strait’s western ridge. These results present a coherent picture of the transbasin evolution of the waves but underscore the need to better understand their generation, the nature of their nonlinearity, and propagation through a time-variable background flow, which includes the internal tides.
Impacts of Ocean–Atmosphere Coupling on Tropical Cyclone Intensity Change and Ocean Prediction in the Australian Region
Authors: Sandery P. A. , Brassington G. B. , Craig A. , Pugh T.
Published: January 2010

This study investigates the impact of atmosphere–ocean coupling on predicted tropical cyclone (TC) intensity change and the ocean response in the Australian region. The coupled model comprises the Australian Bureau of Meteorology’s Tropical Cyclone Limited-Area Prediction System (TC-LAPS) and a regional version of the BLUElink ocean forecasting system. A series of case study forecasts are presented and the differences between coupled and uncoupled forecasts, operational forecasts, and posterior objective analyses are compared. A coupled model ensemble is also developed that uses different first-order approximations of the effects of surface waves on surface stress in an inertial coupling method. In each of the cases, the use of reanalyzed sea surface temperatures significantly improves the prediction of TC intensity change in the intensification phase. The results show that dynamic air–sea coupling has a modest impact on intensity in cases where SST cooling is significant and is likely to be important for predicting the rate of TC intensification, peak intensity, and deintensification. Results also show that there is a definite coupled signal and suggest inherent biases in the atmospheric model that could potentially be removed. With different parameterizations of surface wave effects, results show modest sensitivity in TC intensity of up to 10 hPa in minimum surface pressure; however, in some cases there was significant sensitivity in the predicted ocean response. The results also highlight the relative increased complexity of tropical cyclone prediction in the Australian region compared to other regions. In cases where the forecast TC track was reasonably skillful, there were improvements in the predicted ocean response with respect to observations compared to an ocean reanalysis.
Evolution of Mesoscale Precipitation Band Environments within the Comma Head of Northeast U.S. Cyclones
Authors: Novak David R. , Colle Brian A. , Aiyyer Anantha R.
Published: January 2010

This paper explores the mesoscale forcing and stability evolution of intense precipitation bands in the comma head sector of extratropical cyclones using the 32-km North American Regional Reanalysis, hourly 20-km Rapid Update Cycle analyses, and 2-km composite radar reflectivity data. A statistical and composite analysis of 36 banded events occurring during the 2002–08 cool seasons reveals a common cyclone evolution and associated band life cycle. A majority (61%) of banded events develop along the northern portion of a hook-shaped upper-level potential vorticity (PV) anomaly. During the 6 h leading up to band formation, lower-tropospheric frontogenesis nearly doubles and the conditional stability above the frontal zone is reduced. The frontogenesis increase is primarily due to changes in the kinematic flow associated with the development of a mesoscale geopotential height trough. This trough extends poleward of the 700-hPa low, and is the vertical extension of the surface warm front (and surface warm occlusion when present). The conditional stability near 500 hPa is reduced by differential horizontal potential temperature advection. During band formation, layers of conditional instability above the frontal zone are present nearly 3 times as often as layers of conditional symmetric instability. The frontogenetical forcing peaks during band maturity and is offset by an increase in conditional stability. Band dissipation occurs as the conditional stability continues to increase, and the frontogenesis weakens in response to changes in the kinematic flow.

A set of 22 null events, in which band formation was absent in the comma head, were also examined. Although exhibiting similar synoptic patterns as the banded events, the null events were characterized by weaker frontogenesis. However, statistically significant differences between the midlevel frontogenesis maximum of the banded and null events only appear ~2 h prior to band formation, illustrating the challenge of predicting band formation.
Combining TRMM and Surface Observations of Precipitation: Technique and Validation over South America
Authors: Rozante José Roberto , Moreira Demerval Soares , de Goncalves Luis Gustavo G. , Vila Daniel A.
Published: January 2010

The measure of atmospheric model performance is highly dependent on the quality of the observations used in the evaluation process. In the particular case of operational forecast centers, large-scale datasets must be made available in a timely manner for continuous assessment of model results. Numerical models and surface observations usually work at distinct spatial scales (i.e., areal average in a regular grid versus point measurements), making direct comparison difficult. Alternatively, interpolation methods are employed for mapping observational data to regular grids and vice versa. A new technique (hereafter called MERGE) to combine Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite precipitation estimates with surface observations over the South American continent is proposed and its performance is evaluated for the 2007 summer and winter seasons. Two different approaches for the evaluation of the performance of this product against observations were tested: a cross-validation subsampling of the entire continent and another subsampling of only areas with sparse observations. Results show that over areas with a high density of observations, the MERGE technique’s performance is equivalent to that of simply averaging the stations within the grid boxes. However, over areas with sparse observations, MERGE shows superior results.
Ecumenical Internationalism: Willoughby Dickinson, the League of Nations and the World Alliance for Promoting International Friendship through the Churches
Authors: Gorman Daniel
Published: January 2010

Despite the eventual collapse of the international system, the interwar years also gave rise to lasting developments in international co-operation. Such co-operation was largely taken up not by nation-states, but by representatives of international civil society. Two of their foremost causes were the League of Nations and the nascent Christian ecumenical movement. One of the most active proponents of internationalism in the 1920s was the British liberal Willoughby Dickinson, the leading parliamentary proponent for female suffrage. After the war, Dickinson turned to international politics, advocating a form of ecumenical internationalism that combined his religious and liberal beliefs. This article outlines Dickinson’s background in British progressive politics. It then examines how he came to develop his ideas of ‘international friendship’ and ‘ecumenical internationalism’ through his leadership roles in the World Alliance for Promoting International Friendship through the Churches and the International Federation of League of Nations Societies. It concludes by examining his support for the newly emergent question of minority rights in the interwar years.
The Political Mobilization of Catholic Women in Spain’s Second Republic: The CEDA, 1931—6
Authors: Pierce Samuel
Published: January 2010

During Spain’s Second Republic (1931—6) women gained the right to vote and joined the front lines of political debate. Catholics in particular sought to mobilize women, and the main Catholic political entity, the CEDA, was the most successful in doing so. While the CEDA’s female members never gained an equal voice with men, they had more political influence than any previous Spanish women. This article studies the role that women played in the CEDA and argues that women were integral to the electoral success of the CEDA through their participation in electoral organization, propaganda efforts, and the CEDA’s social aid program.
Anticommunism in the Streets: Refugee Politics in Cold War Germany
Authors: Holian Anna
Published: January 2010

This article examines anticommunism among Eastern European ‘displaced persons’ in early postwar Germany. It addresses a number of questions about anticommunism, displaced communities, and the development of the Cold War. It illuminates the central role that anticommunism played in the self-definition of displaced Eastern Europeans, providing a communal alibi for the predicament of displacement as well as a program for overcoming this predicament. It also contributes to the task of reconstructing the genealogy of anticommunism itself. In particular, it highlights the role that rightist political movements displaced from Eastern Europe played in shaping postwar politics.
A Proof‐of‐Concept and Drug‐Drug Interaction Study of Pamapimod, a Novel p38 MAP Kinase Inhibitor, With Methotrexate in Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis
Authors: Zhang Xiaoping , Huang Yue , Navarro Mercidita T. , Hisoire Grace , Caulfield John P.
Published: January 2010

This study evaluated the potential pharmacokinetic interaction of pamapimod, a p38 mitogen‐activated protein kinase inhibitor, and methotrexate (MTX) when administered concomitantly in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA); the study also evaluated the pharmacodynamic effects of pamapimod. Twenty‐two RA patients on a stable regimen of MTX (10–25 mg/wk; administered on days 1 and 8) were randomized to receive 300 mg of pamapimod (n = 17) or placebo (n = 5) once daily (qd) for 10 days (days 5–14). Blood and urine samples were collected pre‐ and postdose on days 1 (MTX alone), 7 (pamapimod alone), and 8 (MTX and pamapimod coadministered). No clinically significant changes were observed in plasma exposures and renal clearance of pamapimod, MTX, or their metabolites, whether administered separately or concomitantly. The combination of pamapimod (300 mg qd) for 10 days and weekly MTX was generally well tolerated. Parameters of RA disease—namely, tender joint count, swollen joint count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and C‐reactive protein—generally decreased between days 5 and 14. The results of this study suggest that dose adjustments for either drug are not necessary when concomitantly administered and that pamapimod can decrease pharmacodynamic markers of disease activity.
Clinical outcomes of exercise in the management of subacromial impingement syndrome: a systematic review
Authors: Kelly Susan M , Wrightson Patricia A , Meads Catherine A
Published: January 2010

Objective: To assess the clinical outcomes of types of exercise in the management of subacromial impingement syndrome.

Design: Systematic review of randomized controlled trials.

Methods: Studies were identified from databases searched to May 2009: MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, Sports Discus, PEDro, AMED, Cochrane Library, National Research Register, Index Chiropractic Literature. Two reviewers selected studies meeting inclusion criteria. The methodological quality of the included studies was independently assessed by two reviewers using the PEDro quality assessment tool.

Results: Eight studies with sample sizes ranging from 14 to 125 were included in the systematic review and appraised for content. Four papers achieved a score of 6 or above indicating good quality, with the remaining four achieving 4 or lower, indicating poor quality. Synthesis showed only limited evidence to support the use of exercise in the treatment of subacromial impingement syndrome.

Conclusion: There is a need for further well-defined clinical trials on specific exercise interventions for the treatment of shoulder dysfunction including subacromial impingement syndrome.