bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An Analysis of GATE Aircraft Radiation Instrumentation
Authors: Albrecht Bruce A. , Cox Stephen K. , Prokofyev Michael
Published: April 2018

Significant differences in U.S. and U.S.S.R. aircraft measurements of hemispherical infrared irradiance were noted during GATE in-flight intercomparisons. In specific instances the downward irradiance measured by the U.S.S.R. instrument (a Kozyrev pyrgeometer) was as much as 1.5 times greater than the irradiance measured with the U.S. instrument (an Eppley pyrgeometer). A post-GATE intercomparison at Colorado State University verified these differences; the pyrgeometer measurements were compared with independent measurements obtained with an infrared bolometer and with a radiative transfer calculation. The differences noted during GATE and post-GATE intercomparisons may be attributed to differences in calibration techniques and the accurate determination of the temperature of the instrument's thermopile reference junctions. When corrections based upon this analysis were applied to the U.S.S.R. data, the maximum intercomparison differences between the U.S. and the U.S.S.R. data were <5%.
Use of Interactive Graphics in Editing and Validating Scientific Data
Authors: Anderson Calvin E. , Crayton Raymond B.
Published: April 2018

A computerized technique for editing time-series plots of meteorological surface data by use of interactive graphics equipment is described and is compared with traditional semiautomated techniques that require considerable manual work. Editing features and selected data editing cases are discussed that illustrate the great advantages of the interactive graphics system.
Robert E. Horton Memorial Lecture
Authors: Bruce J. P.
Published: April 2018

The field of hydrometeorology has always been a difficult one to define. For the present purposes, the term will be used to include those fields in which meteorologists and water specialists must interact closely to solve problems. Traditionally, these interactions have been on topics such as flood forecasting and determination of storm, flood, and drought frequency for water project design. Some of the most important needs of water managers for meteorological information and advice are emphasized here. Internationally, a growing recognition of the importance of hydrometeorology is attested to by the work programs of the World Meteorological Organization and of the U.N. Water Conference of March 1977.

Although flood and drought topics remain important in hydrometeorology, there are two subjects whose significance has gained recognition in recent years. One is the need for much greater collaboration on long-term climatic change between meteorologists and climatologists, on the one hand, and water scientists working in hydrology, glaciology, and lake sediments, on the other. Water planners are increasingly anxious to incorporate better estimates and predictions of longer-term climatic probabilities in project design. The second subject of increasing concern is the transport of contaminants and nutrients to water systems through the atmosphere. In some basins, such as the Upper Great Lakes, atmospheric sources of some contaminants and nutrients dominate the chemical budgets of the water system. Meteorological knowledge of cycling and transport of such substances will be an essential key to future water quality management programs.
Percent of Possible Sunshine—A Verification Tool, A New Forecast Parameter
Authors: Yacowar Nathan , Garand Louis , Houde Michel
Published: April 2018

Sunshine data are received daily on a real time basis at the Quebec Forecast Office and are converted into terms of percent of possible sunshine. On the basis of a survey held in the Quebec Forecast Office, the percent of possible sunshine was associated with the plain language expressions used to describe sky cover. Using this relationship, it was possible to use these observed sunshine reports to objectively verify the worded forecasts of sky cover. Techniques are being developed to forecast the percent of possible sunshine to be used as guidance in our public forecasts.
Hydrometeorology
Authors: Peck Eugene L.
Published: April 2018

The paper presents a review of the activities of the Hydrology Committee of the AMS. In addition, recent progress and areas needing additional research and development in the field of hydrometeorology are discussed.
Instrumentation and Data Acquisition System for an Air-Sea Interaction Buoy
Authors: SethuRaman S. , Tuthill W. A. , McNeil J.
Published: April 2018

Instrumentation and data acquisition system for a typical air-sea interaction experiment are described. The experiments were conducted with the help of a stable air-sea interaction buoy anchored 5 km offshore in the Atlantic Ocean near Long Island. Errors due to the tilting motions of the buoy are discussed. The instruments were designed to survive the hostile marine environment and maintain their calibration and relatively high frequency response. A line-of-sight RF telemetry system was used to obtain data at a fast rate. Unique power supply features such as a wind charger and a solar panel were used to extend the life of the batteries. Future plans regarding data transmission through geostationary satellites are presented.
Laser Atmospheric Studies: An Overview of Recent Work and Potential Contributions to the Atmospheric Sciences1
Authors: Grams Gerald W.
Published: April 2018

Since the early 1960s, the development of atmospheric probing instrumentation that incorporates lasers has led to a variety of techniques for observing the atmosphere. The number of laser atmospheric studies has steadily increased since the time in 1963 when Fiocco and Smullin at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology reported the first laser measurements of atmospheric properties—laser echoes from dust layers in the upper atmosphere. Since that time, tropospheric, stratospheric, and mesospheric dust concentrations, gaseous pollutant concentrations, cloud heights and thicknesses, and wind velocities are among the many characteristics of the atmosphere that have been observed quantitatively with laser probes.

This review will describe some of the laser-atmospheric interactions that have been exploited to measure specific atmospheric properties, the extent to which those concepts have been applied, and some views regarding future applications of laser probes for observing the atmosphere.
Polarized Response of East Asian Winter Temperature Extremes in the Era of Arctic Warming
Authors: Ma Shuangmei , Zhu Congwen , Liu Boqi , Zhou Tianjun , Ding Yihui , Orsolini Yvan J.
Published: April 2018

It has been argued that fewer cold extremes will be expected to occur over most midlatitude areas, because of anthropogenic-induced global warming. However, East Asia repeatedly suffered from unexpected cold spells during the winter of 2015/16, and the low surface air temperature (SAT) during 21–25 January 2016 broke the previous calendar record from 1961. We hypothesize that cold extremes such as these occur because of Arctic amplification (AA) of global warming. To test this hypothesis, we analyzed the changes of SAT variability in the winter season over East Asia. Our results show that the SAT variability (measured by the standard deviation of the winter season daily mean SAT) over East Asia has significantly increased in the era of AA during 1988/89–2015/16 and exhibits a polarization between warm and cold extremes, popularly dubbed as “weather whiplash.” This phenomenon is driven by both the thermodynamic effects of global warming and the dynamic effects of AA. Global warming favors a rising SAT and more frequent warm extremes. The AA phenomenon strengthens the wavy components of midlatitude circulation, leading to more frequent blockings over the Ural region and a stronger Siberian high in north Asia. This dynamic effect of AA enhances the intrusion of cold air from Siberia into East Asia and causes cold extremes. Because there is a comparable increase of frequency of both warm and cold extremes, the SAT variability significantly increases in unison with AA, but little change is observed in the seasonal mean SAT of East Asia. This implies increased risks of both cold and warm extremes over East Asia exist even during global warming.
Quantification for Staging Sinusitis
Authors: Lund Valerie J. , Kennedy David W.
Published: April 2018

A method of quantifying the symptoms, radiologic data, and endoscopic findings in extensive sinus disease is proposed. It is intended to enable clinicians to classify patients with extensive sinus disease according to severity of disease and prognostic category. The rubric of extensive sinus disease, for scoring and staging, comprises recurrent acute sinusitis and chronic sinusitis, but not an isolated episode of acute sinusitis. The method assigns simple numeric scores to specific computed tomography findings, elements of surgical history, presence of defining symptoms of sinusitis, and endoscopic appearance. This quantitative system may be rationalized into a staging system.
Identifying the Exclusionary Effect of Across-Platform Parity Agreements
Authors: Mansour Amine
Published: April 2018

Although across-platform parity agreements (APPAs) are increasingly scrutinized, their exclusionary effects remain ambiguous. This article posits that the practice can either prevent entry or lead to the exit of rival platforms. Assessing this foreclosure effect presupposes, however, using one of the available tests, namely, the no economic sense test, the as efficient competitor test, and the consumer welfare test. Whether APPAs lead to the foreclosure of rivals depends ultimately on the applied test and, sometimes, on the way the test is applied. This reflects the paradox of APPAs. In an effort to identify the most appropriate test to deal with APPAs’ foreclosure effect, this article also suggests that the consumer welfare test is far superior to the others.
La città di Napoli nella narrativa di Luigi Incoronato
Authors: Gallo Cinzia
Published: April 2018

La Napoli che emerge dall’analisi dei testi narrativi di Luigi Incoronato ( Scala a San Potito, L’imprevisto e altri racconti) è contrassegnata da una forte sperequazione economico-sociale. L’attenzione del nostro autore, che si serve di un narratore ora extra-eterodiegetico ora extra-omodiegetico, si concentra sui ceti più bassi, che affollano i vicoli della città: individui che lottano quotidianamente per la sopravvivenza, per i quali sembra impossibile cambiare condizione. Emblematica è la situazione descritta nel romanzo Scala a San Potito: al gruppo di diseredati che occupano le Scale di San Potito si aggiunge lo stesso io narrante, dopo aver perso il suo impiego, a sottolineare la precarietà del ruolo dell’intellettuale e la sua incapacità a risolvere i problemi dei ceti più bassi. La fabula denuncia così le piaghe sociali che caratterizzano Napoli nel secondo dopoguerra, quando “Ormai gli americani se n’erano andati”; la disperazione causata dalla disoccupazione, dalla miseria fa emergere il lato peggiore degli esseri umani o conduce alla follia, alla morte, alla delinquenza. L’attività di Incoronato si pone dunque in continuità con quella di Bernari e rappresenta una posizione originale nell’ambito della corrente neorealistica (Napoli si pone pure come simbolo di una realtà più ampia), anche grazie ad una lingua essenziale, priva di orpelli retorici, e che, a volte, ricalca il parlato.
Early years of East India Company rule in Chittagong: Violence, waste and settlement c. 1760–1790
Authors: Sen Anandaroop
Published: April 2018

This article probes the production of the uplands of Chittagong in the early years of British East India Company (EIC)rule in Bengal and its eastern frontiers. The South Asian debates around the nature of agrarian property relations have largely skipped places like Chittagong uplands, consequently, the uplands appear in academic and popular discussions as an already constituted outside to this agrarian historiography. The history of the uplands then become easily separated and consumed as part of frontier studies. The article seeks to address the constitution of this outside.

Narrating a story where the protagonists range from influential Bengali middlemen in EIC retinue, Company officers responsible for Chittagong administration to mobile Arakanese men called ‘Magh zamindars’, brought together in a swirl of forged documents and contending claims to ‘wastelands’, the article glimpses into the complex interlocking between upland and lowland networks of Chittagong. It frames this narrative by unpacking the revenue categories of sair and kapas mahal; the two categories used for Chittagong uplands during this period. Disaggregating them allows one to see how the uplands were created in the image of the commodity cotton: the people who produced it, the way it was exchanged and the violence that marked the process.
Sri Lanka and North India during the Gupta Period: Facts and fancy
Authors: Ferrier Cédric
Published: April 2018

The Gupta Empire is often thought of as the symbol of the Golden Age in Ancient India. From the fourth to the beginning of the sixth centuries ce, Gupta emperors ruled over the greater part of North India. It is noteworthy that the true founder of the Gupta Empire, Samudragupta (c. 350–75), claimed sovereignty over Sri Lanka. Besides, North India played a major role in the Singhalese chronicles written by Buddhist monks from the island. This situation leads us to study the special relationship between North India and Sri Lanka during the Gupta period. The first part of the article deals with the expansion of the Gupta Empire to control, even if indirectly, the coastal regions. The second part focuses on Buddhism, which is the ferment of cultural unity among several regions within South Asia. The third part addresses the building of the imaginary representation of Sri Lanka through the study of some extracts mainly from the Rāmāyaṇa and, to a lesser extent, from the Raghuvaṃśa, both texts known or thought to be known during the Gupta period.
Theorising small city as ordinary city: Rethinking development and urbanism from China’s south-west frontier
Authors: Qian Junxi , Tang Xueqiong
Published: April 2018

A recurrent critical argument in urban studies holds that theories about relationships between cities and globalisation need to account for a broader diversity of urban experiences and contexts. Scholarship needs to move beyond the narrow focus on a limited number of prototypical cities exerting high degrees of command and control in the global system through networks of specific corporations and sectors, and account for the diverse, inventive ways of being urban. This article contributes to the agendas of ordinary city and comparative urbanism by applying this epistemology to analyses of the recent urban development and urban strategies in Ruili, Yunnan, a small border city at China’s south-west frontier. It argues that, although not qualified as a global or world city, Ruili is a hub of busy connections and flows, drawing opportunities from a vast territorial frame and navigating multiple layers of social, economic, cultural and institutional embeddedness. Engaging with scale thinking to operationalise theoretical ideas in the ordinary city treatise, this study pays specific attention to two scenarios in the recent urbanisation of Ruili: (1) cross-border trade and the blueprint of local industrial upgrading; and (2) the rapid expansion of the jadeite and red timber economy.
Dancing and Drugs: A Cross-National Perspective
Authors: Hunt Geoffrey , Evans Kristin
Published: April 2018

The youth dance club scene has emerged center stage as a global phenomenon. Despite this increasing globalization, our knowledge of the phenomenon is relatively restricted to single cultures and locales. Unfortunately, researchers may miss the extent to which similar processes are developing in a number of different locales. Instead of examining drug consumption and drug-using practices within only one culture, we need to compare two or more contrasting social and cultural contexts. This paper discusses both some of the global developments in the use of Ecstasy and club drugs and the social settings in which they occur, and the issues and obstacles that arise when cross-national research is contemplated. Using examples from our own current research in two contrasting cultures—San Francisco and Hong Kong—we provide the groundwork for understanding the dialectical process between global and local dimensions of the problem and the associated risks of use.
Participation in Community Life by AA and NA Members
Authors: Kurtz Linda Farris , Fisher Michael
Published: April 2018

Critics point to 12-step fellowships as being a negative influence on active involvement of members in mainstream society. This article summarizes that criticism and contrasts experiences of community-involved members from Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) with those of members of Narcotics Anonymous (NA). We asked these participants to reflect on how their non-fellowship community service had been influenced by their recovery in a 12-step fellowship. Few from either fellowship experienced discouragement of community activity outside the fellowship. The NA sample differed from the AA sample in some ways. NA members had less time in their fellowship and perceived their activity as relating to skills and encouragement they found in it. AA members were very long-term participants who saw their community work as one way of giving back what they had been given by their 12-step recovery. These findings suggest that long-term participation in a 12-step fellowship can lead members to wider participation in the community.
Drug Treatment Participation and Retention Rates among Former Recipients of Supplemental Security Income for Drug Addiction and Alcoholism
Authors: Swartz James A. , Campbell Kevin , Baumohl Jim , Tonkin Peggy
Published: April 2018

This study examined drug treatment participation and retention rates for a multisite sample of 1,586 former recipients of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) for drug addiction and alcoholism (DA&A). Fewer than half of the sample were complying with the DA&A program treatment mandate at the time the program was terminated by federal legislation in January 1997. For all forms of treatment, both participation and retention rates declined steadily thereafter until fewer than 10% of the total sample reported being in a formal treatment two years after termination of the mandate. Survival analyses comparing treatment retention rates for DA&A beneficiaries with non-DA&A SSI beneficiaries revealed that most of the decline in treatment retention could be attributed to ending the mandate. The findings suggest that although the mandate was often not well enforced, it did bring into drug treatment many individuals who would not otherwise have participated.
Now Invited to Testify: Former Beneficiaries Appraise the Ssi drug Addiction and Alcoholism Program
Authors: Hunt Sharon R. , Baumohl Jim
Published: April 2018

As part of the larger SSI Study, we conducted detailed semistructured interviews with 156 respondents in four sites. They spoke at length about matters of legislative concern during the reform and subsequent abolition of the drug addiction and alcoholism (DA&A) program. Respondents were quite aware of the problems considered by Congress. Some acknowledged using SSI payments to buy alcohol and other drugs, and a few claimed to have squandered large retroactive payments. Most insisted that they spent their checks wisely, however, and discussed how they did so. With a remarkable degree of consensus, respondents favored the DA&A program's paternalistic features of representative payment and mandatory treatment, and while less in agreement about time limits, they approved in theory of benchmarks to measure progress. A substantial majority believed the DA&A program had been an unalloyed good, and only 12 judged it to have been wholly harmful.
Alcohol Consumption and Homicides in Canada, 1950–1999
Authors: Rossow Ingeborg
Published: April 2018

This article addresses whether an association between alcohol consumption and homicide can be established in analyses of Canadian time series data and, if so, whether the strength of the association varies across Canadian provinces and with respect to male and female victim rates. Time series analyses on differenced series of annual aggregate-level data on alcohol sales and homicide rates for the period 1950–1999 were performed for Canadian provinces and the country as a whole. Total alcohol sales were positively and statistically significantly associated with total homicide rates in two provinces and with male homicide rates in three provinces. The effect of alcohol sales was somewhat stronger for male homicide rates than for female homicide rates in two provinces. Pooling of estimates yielded a statistically significant association between alcohol sales and homicide rates for Canada. The findings support the hypothesis that alcohol sales tend to have an impact on homicide rates, and more so in certain provinces and for male homicide rates.
Alcohol and Homicide in Early 20th-century Russia
Authors: Stickley Andrew , Carlson Per
Published: April 2018

This article extends the existing research on the relationship between alcohol and homicide in the Soviet and post-Soviet periods by examining this relationship in the latter years of the tsarist regime. A cross-sectional study of the 50 provinces of “European” Russia in the years 1909–1911 was undertaken using regional data on homicide, alcohol consumption, population, and structural factors gathered from official state statistical publications. There was a positive and significant association between alcohol consumption and homicide, indicating higher homicide rates in regions with higher alcohol consumption. When this association was examined while controlling for other structural variables, it was still positive and significant. The findings from this study, when taken together with evidence from other studies, suggest that alcohol consumption was an important factor in regional variation in homicide rates in Russia across the course of the 20th century. This was despite the huge social, political and economic changes the country underwent, as well as the changing trends and regional variations in alcohol consumption that were observed at the aggregate level across the period. When trying to explain this association, it is necessary to focus on what did not change across the course of the 20th century and may therefore have been important in this context: the Russian drinking “culture.”
Pre-Arrest/Booking Drug Control Strategies: Diversion to Treatment, Harm Reduction and Police Involvement
Authors: Goetz Barry , Mitchell Roger E.
Published: April 2018

Elements of a “pluralized” drug policy have been emerging in the United States that attempt to augment punishment with an emphasis on enhanced public health and therapeutic measures. While much of this reform involves compulsory treatment diversion, a “middle ground” to reform has involved the use of pre-arrest/booking strategies in support of harm reduction policies and noncompulsory treatment diversion. In this examination of the cities of Baltimore and San Francisco, we argue that such strategies have proven problematic because of the contradictions inherent in pluralized drug control models that attempt to reconcile abstinence and prohibitions against drug use with tolerance and outreach. We identify two primary factors contributing to these contradictions. The first is an emphasis on compulsory treatment diversion mechanisms in the United States, and in the obverse, disagreements over the wisdom of harm reduction in drug policy reform. The second are limitations on the policing role in social outreach, or what we call here “reintegrative” community policing, involving both organizational factors on the part of law enforcement and resistance from community activists and public health agencies.
Alcohol and Islam: An Overview
Authors: Michalak Laurence , Trocki Karen
Published: April 2018

Alcohol and Islam is a relatively understudied topic, although alcohol abuse is a significant social problem both in Muslim majority countries and among Muslim minorities. Questions of religious identity as they relate to food and drink prescriptions and proscriptions also make alcohol and Islam a worthwhile topic. This article offers a general overview of alcohol and Islam. It briefly introduces alcohol and Islam in history; examines the main Islamic religious sources (the Quran, the sayings and practices of the Prophet Muhammad, and Islamic law); analyzes World Health Organization statistics on contemporary patterns of abstention and alcohol consumption in Muslim majority countries; reviews the social science literature on alcohol studies in Muslim settings; presents Saudi Arabia and Turkey as opposite extremes of prohibition and permissiveness in Muslim majority countries; offers France as a case study of the effects of migration on abstention and drinking patterns of Muslims in minority settings (about a quarter of all Muslims live as religious minorities); and looks at the rationales that some Muslims give for drinking. In conclusion, the article places the problem of alcohol prohibition in a larger context of how to approach food and drink prescriptions and proscriptions; it also cautions against overestimating the influence of Islam, and suggests an agenda for future studies of alcohol-related beliefs and behaviors among Muslims.
Speaking Addictions: Substitution, Metaphor and Authenticity in Newspaper Representations of Methadone Treatment
Authors: Fraser Suzanne
Published: April 2018

Press coverage of addiction tends to be prolific if not always accurate or considered. This article examines the ways in which methadone treatment is reported in three respected daily newspapers, the New York Times, the Times (London) and the Sydney Morning Herald. To conduct this analysis I focus on the role of metaphor, asking what impact the use of metaphor–-both to figure methadone and to mobilize it as a figure for other phenomena–-has in this context. In the process I consider the status of metaphor itself within Western liberal discourse, and trace the ways in which methadone treatment can be seen not only as a resource for, and object of, metaphorical description and production, but itself as a kind of metaphor–-a metaphor for heroin. In concluding, I argue that methadone is aligned in the print media with inauthenticity, disorder and the feminine, and I link this with methadone's implicit ontological status as always already metaphor.
An efficient sliding mode observer-based model predictive control: experimental implementation on a DC/DC power converter
Authors: Bahtiyar Bedri , Çetin Meriç , Beyhan Selami , İplikçi Serdar
Published: April 2018

In this paper, a discretization-based sliding mode observer (DBSMO) is proposed for the state and parameter estimation of nonlinear systems. In the DBSMO structure, an accurate discretized dynamics are derived for the state and parameter update of the sliding mode observer (SMO) instead of integration-based state update. In this way, faster converging observer dynamics are obtained. The stability properties of the conventional SMO remain the same for DBSMO. In the application presented here, first a real-time DC/DC power converter is designed with a computer interface. Then, to show the enhancement of convergence properties, conventional SMO and DBSMO-based model predictive controllers are designed and applied to control of the DC/DC power converter. Through simulation and experimental results, it is shown that the estimation performance of SMO is greatly improved so that the tracking performance is also increased, which are the main contributions of the paper.
A neurobiologically-inspired intelligent trajectory tracking control for unmanned aircraft systems with uncertain system dynamics and disturbance
Authors: Jafari Mohammad , Xu Hao , Garcia Carrillo Luis Rodolfo
Published: April 2018

In this paper, a novel neurobiologically-inspired intelligent tracking controller is developed and implemented for unmanned aircraft systems in the presence of uncertain system dynamics and disturbance. The methodology adopted, known as Brain Emotional Learning Based Intelligent Controller (BELBIC), is based on a novel computational model of emotional learning within brain limbic systems in mammals. Compared to conventional model-based control methods, BELBICs are more suitable for practical unmanned aircraft systems since they can maintain the real-time unmanned aircraft system performance without known system dynamics and disturbance. Furthermore, the learning capability and low computational complexity of BELBIC mean that it is very promising for implementation in complex real-time applications. Moreover, we proved that our proposed methodology guarantees convergence. To evaluate the practical performance of our proposed design, BELBIC has been implemented into a benchmark unmanned aircraft system. Numerical and experimental results demonstrated the applicability and satisfactory performance of the proposed BELBIC-inspired design.
Comparison of One-Dimensional and Two-Dimensional Least-Squares Strain Estimators for Phased Array Displacement Data
Authors: Lopata Richard G.P. , Hansen Hendrik H.G. , Nillesen Maartje M. , Thijssen Johan M. , De Korte Chris L.
Published: April 2018

In this study, the performances of one-dimensional and two-dimensional least-squares strain estimators (LSQSE) are compared. Furthermore, the effects of kernel size are examined using simulated raw frequency data of a widely-adapted hard lesion/soft tissue model. The performances of both methods are assessed in terms of root-mean-squared errors (RMSE), elastographic signal-to-noise ratio (SNRc) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNRc). RMSE analysis revealed that the 2D LSQSE yields better results for phased array data, especially for larger insonification angles. Using a 2D LSQSE enabled the processing of unfiltered displacement data, in particular for the lateral/horizontal strain components. The SNRc and CNRc analysis showed an improvement in precision and almost no loss in contrast using 2D LSQSE. However, the RMSE images for different kernel sizes revealed that the optimal 2D kernel size depends on the region-of-interest and showed that the LSQ kernel size should be limited to avoid loss in resolution.
Are Patients with Spontaneous CSF Otorrhea and Superior Canal Dehiscence Congenitally Predisposed to Their Disorders?
Authors: Stevens Shawn M. , Hock Kiefer , Samy Ravi N. , Pensak Myles L.
Published: April 2018

Objectives

(1) Compare lateral skull base (LSB) height/thickness in patients with spontaneous cerebrospinal fluid otorrhea (CSF), superior canal dehiscence (SCD), acoustic neuromas (AN), and otosclerosis (OTO). (2) Perform correlations between age, body mass index (BMI), sex, and LSB height/thickness.

Study Design

Case series with chart review.

Setting

Tertiary referral center.

Subjects and Methods

Patients with CSF, SCD, AN, and OTO diagnosed from 2006 to 2016 were included if they had high‐definition temporal bone computed tomography (CT) and absence of trauma, radiation, chronic ear disease, and/or congenital anomaly. CT‐based measurements included LSB height/thickness and pneumatization rates overlaying the external auditory canal (EAC), tegmen tympani (TgT), perigeniculate region (PG), and internal auditory canal (IAC). LSB height/thickness, age, sex, and BMI were statistically correlated. In total, 256 patients and 493 ears (109 CSF, 115 SCD, 269 AN/OTO) were measured.

Results

Patients with CSF had significantly higher BMIs than the other groups (P <. 001). Patients with CSF and SCD had similar radiographic LSB phenotypes at most measured locations. Both groups exhibited a significantly lower LSB height compared to the AN and OTO groups (mean, 3.9‐4.2 mm vs 4.9‐5.6 mm; P <. 001). Patients with CSF and SCD also demonstrated significantly lower pneumatization rates, as low as 17% to 23% overlaying the PG and IAC (P <. 001). There were no statistically significant correlations found between age, sex, BMI, and LSB height/thickness at any measurement location in any group.

Conclusions

Patients with CSF and SCD exhibit similar radiographic LSB phenotypes. Age, sex, and BMI do not significantly correlate with LSB height/thickness. These data support the theory that CSF and SCD arise via similar congenital pathoetiologic mechanisms.
Natural History of Sporadic Vestibular Schwannoma: A Volumetric Study of Tumor Growth
Authors: Lees Katherine A. , Tombers Nicole M. , Link Michael J. , Driscoll Colin L. , Neff Brian A. , Van Gompel Jamie J. , Lane John I. , Lohse Christine M. , Carlson Matthew L.
Published: April 2018

Objective

(1) Assess 3‐dimensional volumetric growth of untreated sporadic vestibular schwannomas (VSs) in a large cohort of patients treated with conservative observation. (2) Compare volumetric and conventional linear diameter measurements for detecting tumor growth.

Study Design

Case series with chart review.

Setting

Tertiary skull base referral center.

Subjects and Methods

Patients with sporadic VS who elected initial conservative treatment with at least 2 serial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans were included. Tumor volume was determined with 3‐dimensional segmentation of MRI sequences. The volumetric threshold for tumor growth was an increase ≥20% from baseline tumor volume. Tumor size based on linear diameter was assessed with the 1995 American Academy of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery Foundation guidelines for VS outcome reporting, with growth defined as an increase ≥2 mm.

Results

A total of 361 patients were included with a median radiologic follow‐up of 4.1 years (interquartile range [IQR], 2.5‐6.8). At diagnosis, 232 VSs (64%) were purely intracanalicular, and 129 (36%) extended into the cerebellopontine angle. The median baseline tumor volume was 0.161 cm3 (IQR, 0.054‐0.418). Overall, 69% of tumors demonstrated volumetric growth at a median of 1.1 years (IQR, 0.6‐2.1) after initial MRI. In contrast, based on linear measurement assessment, 48% of tumors demonstrated growth at a median of 1.8 years (IQR, 0.8‐3.1) from first MRI scan. Disequilibrium, facial hypoesthesia, aural fullness, initial tumor size, and nonincidental diagnosis were associated with tumor growth.

Conclusion

Three‐dimensional volumetric assessment of VS provides a more sensitive measure of tumor growth when compared with linear diameter assessment. Through volumetric analysis, the current study revealed that a significant proportion of VSs demonstrate growth during observation.
Risk of Postoperative Complications in Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea following Skull Base Surgery
Authors: Huyett Phillip , Soose Ryan J. , Schell Amy E. , Fernandez‐Miranda Juan C. , Gardner Paul A. , Snyderman Carl H. , Wang Eric W.
Published: April 2018

Objectives

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) presents several challenges in skull base surgery, including increased intracranial pressure, worsened OSA with nasal packing, and avoidance of positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy postoperatively. The objective of this study was to examine the risk of postoperative complications in a skull base population with OSA in which PAP therapy is withheld.

Study Design

Retrospective cohort study.

Setting

Tertiary care hospital.

Subjects and Methods

Medical records of 414 adult patients undergoing anterior skull base procedures between January 1, 2014, and January 7, 2017, were retrospectively reviewed. Revision surgeries, skull base infections, sinus surgery, and orbital cases were excluded.

Results

Fifty‐four (13.0%) patients with a diagnosis of OSA were identified. While the known patients with OSA were more likely to require postoperative supplemental oxygen (odds ratio [OR], 4.29; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.38‐7.75; P <. 001), there was no increased risk of serious respiratory events or cerebrospinal fluid leak (CSF). To address the likely underdiagnosis of OSA in this cohort, subgroup analyses were performed of patients at high risk for OSA (body mass index >30 kg/m2 and hypertension) and demonstrated an increased risk of serious respiratory events (OR, 4.41; 95% CI, 1.24‐15.7; P =. 034) and CSF leak (13.6% vs 4.7%; P =. 018).

Conclusions

Skull base patients with known OSA can be successfully managed with diligent care in the perioperative period when PAP therapy is withheld. However, OSA is likely underdiagnosed in the skull base population, and patients at high risk for undiagnosed OSA may be at the greatest risk for respiratory complications and CSF leak. Increased presurgical awareness and implementation of a perioperative management algorithm is needed.
Follow‐up and Time to Treatment in an Urban Cohort of Children with Sleep‐Disordered Breathing
Authors: Harris Vandra C. , Links Anne R. , Kim Julia M. , Walsh Jonathan , Tunkel David E. , Boss Emily F.
Published: April 2018

Objective

To evaluate follow‐up and timing of sleep‐disordered breathing diagnosis and treatment in urban children referred from primary care.

Study Design

Retrospective longitudinal cohort analysis.

Setting

Tertiary health system.

Subjects and Methods

Pediatric outpatients with sleep‐disordered breathing, referred from primary care for subspecialty appointment or polysomnography in 2014, followed for 2 years. Timing of polysomnography or subspecialty appointments, loss to follow‐up, and sleep‐disordered breathing severity were main outcomes. Chi‐square and t‐test identified differences in children referred for polysomnography, surgery, and loss to follow‐up. Logistic regression identified predictors of loss to follow‐up. Days to polysomnography or surgery were evaluated using the Kaplan‐Meier estimator, with Cox regression comparing estimates by polysomnography receipt and disease severity.

Results

Of 216 children, 188 (87%) had public insurance. Half (109 [50%]) were lost to follow‐up after primary care referral. More children were lost to follow‐up when referred for polysomnography (50 [76%]) compared with subspecialty evaluation (35 [32%]; P <. 001). Children referred to both polysomnography and subspecialty were more likely to be lost to follow‐up (odds ratio = 2.73, 95% confidence interval = 1.29‐5.78; P =. 009). For children who obtained polysomnography, an asymmetric distribution of obstructive sleep apnea severity was not observed (P =. 152). Median time to polysomnography and surgery was 75 and 226 days, respectively. Obstructive sleep apnea severity did not influence time to surgery (P =. 410).

Conclusion

In this urban population, half of the children referred for sleep‐disordered breathing evaluation are lost to follow‐up from primary care. Obstructive sleep apnea severity did not predict follow‐up or timeliness of treatment. These findings suggest social determinants may pose barriers to care in addition to the clinical burden of sleep‐disordered breathing.
Lymph Nodes of the Perimandibular Area and the Hazard of the Hayes Martin Maneuver in Neck Dissection
Authors: Tirelli Giancarlo , Marcuzzo Alberto Vito
Published: April 2018

Objective

To provide an anatomic description of submandibular nodes at risk of being left undissected during neck dissection (ND) and to assess whether the Hayes Martin maneuver is a safe procedure in oncologic surgery of level IB nodes.

Study Design

Prospective study.

Setting

Academic medical center.

Subjects and Methods

We recruited 62 patients who were candidates for level IB ND. Perifacial nodes (PFNs) were identified and their characteristics noted. The Hayes Martin maneuver was simulated, and its oncologic safety was tested.

Results

The study included 63 NDs. PFNs were identified in 84% of cases: their number ranged from 0 to 5, and their mean greatest diameter was 12.45 mm. Anterior PFNs were found to be in direct contact with the marginal mandibular nerve. In 59% of NDs, the Hayes Martin maneuver would have failed to remove all PFNs.

Conclusions

The PFNs were identified in 84% of cases and ranged in number from 0 to 5. In some cases, the distinction between retro‐ and preglandular nodes and PFNs is not useful. The Hayes Martin maneuver may not be oncologically sound for complete treatment of level IB nodes.
Signature pedagogies for musical practice: A case study of creativity development in an orchestral composers’ workshop
Authors: Love Karlin G , Barrett Margaret S
Published: April 2018

The training of aspiring professional composers is a largely under-investigated area. Learning pathways into the profession tend to involve a university composition degree and participation in workshops with professional ensembles. These workshops constitute a form of industry experience undertaken in the transition from university to professional practice. Lee Shulman proposed the concept of signature pedagogies using a framework of cognitive, practical and moral apprenticeships to demonstrate distinctive qualities of professional preparation in the fields of medicine, law and the clergy. In order to understand what might be characteristic features of a signature pedagogy in the preparation of professional composers, this case study examines teaching and learning practices and structures evidenced through a one-week composers’ workshop hosted by a professional symphony orchestra and led by eminent composer-teachers. Observation of rehearsals, masterclasses and in-depth interviews with student-composers, composer-teachers and conductor generated data that were analysed initially to identify emergent themes and subsequently through lenses of creativity development and signature pedagogies. Findings demonstrate that this workshop provides risk-laden, authentic experience, and guided apprenticeships in cognitive, practical and moral aspects of professional practice. It provides a space in which composers, typically freelancers, acquire understandings of orchestral culture and practical skills.
Modeling the Impacts of Climatic Extremes on Interregional Freight-Transportation System
Authors: Beheshtian Arash , Geddes R. Richard , Donaghy Kieran P.
Published: April 2018

The wellbeing of a nation is conditioned on an optimal distribution of commodity-flow. The freight transportation system, however, is exposed, and highly vulnerable, to climatic hazards. This becomes more problematic in the long term when climate change is projected to continue or worsen. Studying the long-term climate vulnerability of interregional commodity shipment is a challenging task given complexities inherent in ( a) the dynamic formulation of factors such as location, production, the interaction of regional economies, and commodity distribution patterns, and ( b) the stochastic arrival and intensity of natural hazards. This article studies the impact of projected climatic extremes in the State of New York on long-term interregional commodity-flow. It investigates the nature of and extent to which vulnerabilities in transportation infrastructure may cause sudden and profound changes in the routing assignment and cost of commodity-flows. We approximate commodity-flow assignment through a dynamic, long-term estimation of an interregional commodity-flow model reflecting the choices of households, market places, and firm locations and strategies. In the research here reported, we also utilized explicit treatment of trade in intermediate goods, the so-called new economic geography providing the behavioral foundation for production and interindustry and interregional trade, and an endogenous determination of capital investment and employment. The results show how and to what extent the (partial-)connectedness of New York State’s freight-transportation network in time of disaster ( a) causes an unmet demand for commodities across the nation’s regional economies and ( b) increases the shipment cost and effective-delivered price of commodity-flows.
Effects of Regular and Nano Sized Hydrated Lime Fillers on Fatigue and Bond Strength Behavior of Asphalt Mastic
Authors: Das Aditya Kumar , Singh Dharamveer
Published: April 2018

The present study evaluates effects of regular sized hydrated lime (RHL) and nano sized hydrated lime (NHL) on fatigue and bond strength of asphalt mastic. The asphalt mastics were produced in the laboratory using AC-30 binder with different combinations of basalt–RHL, and basalt–NHL fillers. The dosages of RHL and NHL were selected as 0%, 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20% by weight of asphalt binder, and the percentage of basalt filler was adjusted accordingly. Filler to binder (F/B) ratio was selected as 0.8 (by mass ratio) for all mastic sample preparation. The fatigue damage behavior (number of cycles to fatigue damage/failure) of asphalt mastic was evaluated using a linear amplitude sweep (LAS) test. Further, the interfacial bond strengths of asphalt mastic and aggregate samples were evaluated using the bitumen bond strength (BBS) test. Overall test results indicate that mineralogy, surface area, and interaction properties of RHL and NHL fillers have a significant effect on fatigue, bond strength, and moisture damage performance of asphalt mastic. The results from the LAS test showed that NHL filler predominantly enhanced the fatigue life of asphalt mastic as compared with RHL filler. BBS test results imply that the contribution of NHL filler is significant over RHL filler in improving the bond strength and moisture damage resistance of asphalt mastic. Overall asphalt mastic with 20% NHL filler had better fatigue life, bond strength, and moisture damage performance over mastic with other percentages of RHL or NHL fillers.
Effects of Tetrachloroethylene on Hepatic and Splenic Lymphocytotoxic Activities in Rodents
Authors: Schlichting Lore M. , Wright Paul F. A. , Stacey Neill H.
Published: April 2018

The industrial solvent tetrachloroethylene (TCE) is a liver carcinogen in experimental animals but is without significant genotoxicity. Presumably some nongenotoxic mechanism accounts for its cancer-causing effects. We have therefore investigated the effects of TCE on splenic and hepatic lymphocytotoxic activities in Sprague-Dawley rats and B6C3F1 mice, following in vivo and in vitro exposure to TCE. Natural killer (NK), natural cytotoxic, and “natural P815 killer” activities were measured in liver- and spleen-derived immune cells. Humoral and T-cell mitogenesis were assayed in lipopolysaccharide and Con-A-stimulated splenic cells, respectively. TCE administration in vivo did not significantly alter the various immunological parameters assessed, while in vitro exposure to TCE inhibited natural cytotoxic activity from liver and spleen in mice and rats. NK and “natural P815 killer” activity in rat cells exposed in vitro to TCE were also inhibited. Thus, TCE is capable of directly inhibiting natural lymphocytotoxic activity, which is indicated by these in vitro effects. While an inhibitory effect was not observed when immune cells were isolated from in vivo treated animals, the in vitro data do support the possibility that a direct inhibition of natural immune function may play some role in the carcinogenic effects of TCE in experimental mice.
Does Nitrogen Dioxide Exposure Increase Airways Responsiveness?
Authors: Folinsbee Lawrence J.
Published: April 2018

A number of reports have suggested that exposure to nitrogen dioxide (NO2) may cause increased airways responsiveness (AR). Twenty studies of asthmatics and five studies of healthy subjects exposed to NO2 were used to test this hypothesis using a simple method of meta-analysis. Individual data were obtained for the above studies and the direction of change in AR was determined for each subject. Only studies with available individual data were used. Subjects from these studies whose directional change in AR could not be determined were excluded. The fraction of positive responses (i.e. increased AR) was determined for all subjects within a group and tested for significance using a sign test. Data were also grouped according to NO2 concentration and by whether the exposure included exercise. There was an overall trend among asthmatics for AR to increase (60%) but this was primarily due to increased AR seen in resting exposures (70%). Among healthy subjects AR also increased with NO2 exposure but only at concentrations above 1.0 ppm. This analysis suggests that NO2 exposure causes increased airway responsiveness in healthy and asthmatic subjects but that exercise during exposure may modify this response in asthmatics.