bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The role of cardiac sympathetic innervation and skin thermoreceptors on cardiac responses during heat stress
Authors: Shibasaki Manabu , Umemoto Yasunori , Kinoshita Tokio , Kouda Ken , Ito Tomoyuki , Nakamura Takeshi , Crandall Craig G. , Tajima Fumihiro
Published: March 2015

The mechanism(s) for the changes in cardiac function during heat stress remain unknown. This study tested two unique hypotheses. First, sympathetic innervation to the heart is required for increases in cardiac systolic function during heat stress. This was accomplished by comparing responses during heat stress between paraplegics versus tetraplegics, with tetraplegics having reduced/absent cardiac sympathetic innervation. Second, stimulation of skin thermoreceptors contributes to cardiovascular adjustments that occur during heat stress in humans. This was accomplished by comparing responses during leg only heating between paraplegic versus able-bodied individuals. Nine healthy able-bodied, nine paraplegics, and eight tetraplegics participated in this study. Lower body (i.e., nonsensed area for para/tetraplegics) was heated until esophageal temperature had increased by ∼1.0°C. Echocardiographic indexes of diastolic and systolic function were performed before and at the end of heat stress. The heat stress increased cardiac output in all groups, but the magnitude of this increase was attenuated in the tetraplegics relative to the able-bodied (1.3 ± 0.4 vs. 2.3 ± 1.0 l/min; P < 0.05). Diastolic function was maintained in all groups. Indexes of left atrial and ventricular systolic function were enhanced in the able-bodied, but did not change in tetraplegics, while these changes in paraplegics were attenuated relative to the able-bodied. These data suggest that the cardiac sympathetic innervation is required to achieve normal increases in cardiac systolic function during heat stress but not required to maintain diastolic function during this exposure. Second, elevated systolic function during heat stress primarily occurs as a result of increases in internal temperature, although stimulation of skin thermoreceptors may contribute.
c-Abl mediated tyrosine phosphorylation of paxillin regulates LPS-induced endothelial dysfunction and lung injury
Authors: Fu Panfeng , Usatyuk Peter V. , Lele Abhishek , Harijith Anantha , Gregorio Carol C. , Garcia Joe G. N. , Salgia Ravi , Natarajan Viswanathan
Published: March 2015

Paxillin is phosphorylated at multiple residues; however, the role of tyrosine phosphorylation of paxillin in endothelial barrier dysfunction and acute lung injury (ALI) remains unclear. We used siRNA and site-specific nonphosphorylable mutants of paxillin to abrogate the function of paxillin to determine its role in lung endothelial permeability and ALI. In vitro, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge of human lung microvascular endothelial cells (HLMVECs) resulted in enhanced tyrosine phosphorylation of paxillin at Y31 and Y118 with no significant change in Y181 and significant barrier dysfunction. Knockdown of paxillin with siRNA attenuated LPS-induced endothelial barrier dysfunction and destabilization of VE-cadherin. LPS-induced paxillin phosphorylation at Y31 and Y118 was mediated by c-Abl tyrosine kinase, but not by Src and focal adhesion kinase. c-Abl siRNA significantly reduced LPS-induced endothelial barrier dysfunction. Transfection of HLMVECs with paxillin Y31F, Y118F, and Y31/118F double mutants mitigated LPS-induced barrier dysfunction and VE-cadherin destabilization. In vivo, the c-Abl inhibitor AG957 attenuated LPS-induced pulmonary permeability in mice. Together, these results suggest that c-Abl mediated tyrosine phosphorylation of paxillin at Y31 and Y118 regulates LPS-mediated pulmonary vascular permeability and injury.
Increased expression of neutrophil-related genes in patients with early sepsis-induced ARDS
Authors: Kangelaris Kirsten Neudoerffer , Prakash Arun , Liu Kathleen D. , Aouizerat Bradley , Woodruff Prescott G. , Erle David J. , Rogers Angela , Seeley Eric J. , Chu Jeffrey , Liu Tom , Osterberg-Deiss Thomas , Zhuo Hanjing , Matthay Michael A. , Calfee Carolyn S.
Published: March 2015

The early sequence of events leading to the development of the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in patients with sepsis remains inadequately understood. The purpose of this study was to identify changes in gene expression early in the course of illness, when mechanisms of injury may provide the most relevant treatment and prognostic targets. We collected whole blood RNA in critically ill patients admitted from the Emergency Department to the intensive care unit within 24 h of admission at a tertiary care center. Whole genome expression was compared in patients with sepsis and ARDS to patients with sepsis alone. We selected genes with >1 log2fold change and false discovery rate <0.25, determined their significance in the literature, and performed pathway analysis. Several genes were upregulated in 29 patients with sepsis with ARDS compared with 28 patients with sepsis alone. The most differentially expressed genes included key mediators of the initial neutrophil response to infection: olfactomedin 4, lipocalin 2, CD24, and bactericidal/permeability-increasing protein. These gene expression differences withstood adjustment for age, sex, study batch, white blood cell count, and presence of pneumonia or aspiration. Pathway analysis demonstrated overrepresentation of genes involved in known respiratory and infection pathways. These data indicate that several neutrophil-related pathways may be involved in the early pathogenesis of sepsis-related ARDS. In addition, identifiable gene expression differences occurring early in the course of sepsis-related ARDS may further elucidate understanding of the neutrophil-related mechanisms in progression to ARDS.
Roflumilast combined with adenosine increases mucosal hydration in human airway epithelial cultures after cigarette smoke exposure
Authors: Tyrrell Jean , Qian Xiaozhong , Freire Jose , Tarran Robert
Published: March 2015

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a growing cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Recent studies have shown that cigarette smoke (CS) induces cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) dysfunction, which leads to airway-surface liquid (ASL) dehydration. This in turn contributes to the mucus dehydration and impaired mucociliary clearance that are seen in the chronic bronchitis form of COPD. Roflumilast is a phosphodiesterase 4 inhibitor that may improve lung function and reduce the frequency of exacerbations in patients with COPD. Although roflumilast can affect cAMP metabolism, little is known about the downstream pharmacological effects in the airways. We hypothesized that roflumilast would increase ASL rehydration in human bronchial epithelial cultures (HBECs) after chronic CS exposure. cAMP production was measured by Förster resonance energy transfer in HEK293T cells and by ELISA in HBECs. ASL height was measured by xz-confocal microscopy after air exposure or following HBEC exposure to freshly produced CS. Roflumilast had little effect on cAMP or ASL height when applied on its own; however, roflumilast significantly potentiated adenosine-induced increases in cAMP and ASL height in CS-exposed HBECs. Roflumilast increased the rate of ASL height recovery in cultures after CS exposure compared with controls. In contrast, the β2-adrenergic receptor agonists isoproterenol and salmeterol failed to increase ASL height after CS exposure. Our data suggest that roflumilast can increase ASL hydration in CS-exposed HBECs, which is predicted to be beneficial for the treatment of mucus dehydration/mucus stasis in patients with COPD chronic bronchitis.
IDH2 and NPM1 Mutations Cooperate to Activate Hoxa9/Meis1 and Hypoxia Pathways in Acute Myeloid Leukemia
Authors: Ogawara Yoko , Katsumoto Takuo , Aikawa Yukiko , Shima Yutaka , Kagiyama Yuki , Soga Tomoyoshi , Matsunaga Hironori , Seki Takahiko , Araki Kazushi , Kitabayashi Issay
Published: March 2015

IDH1 and IDH2 mutations occur frequently in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and other cancers. The mutant isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) enzymes convert α-ketoglutarate (α-KG) to the oncometabolite 2-hydroxyglutarate (2-HG), which dysregulates a set of α-KG–dependent dioxygenases. To determine whether mutant IDH enzymes are valid targets for cancer therapy, we created a mouse model of AML in which mice were transplanted with nucleophosmin1 (NPM)+/− hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells cotransduced with four mutant genes (NPMc, IDH2/R140Q, DNMT3A/R882H, and FLT3/ITD), which often occur simultaneously in human AML patients. Conditional deletion of IDH2/R140Q blocked 2-HG production and maintenance of leukemia stem cells, resulting in survival of the AML mice. IDH2/R140Q was necessary for the engraftment or survival of NPMc+ cells in vivo. Gene expression analysis indicated that NPMc increased expression of Hoxa9. IDH2/R140Q also increased the level of Meis1 and activated the hypoxia pathway in AML cells. IDH2/R140Q decreased the 5hmC modification and expression of some differentiation-inducing genes (Ebf1 and Spib). Taken together, our results indicated that IDH2 mutation is critical for the development and maintenance of AML stem-like cells, and they provided a preclinical justification for targeting mutant IDH enzymes as a strategy for anticancer therapy. Cancer Res; 75(10); 2005–16. ©2015 AACR.
Nitrostyrene Derivatives Act as RXRα Ligands to Inhibit TNFα Activation of NF-κB
Authors: Zeng Zhiping , Sun Zhe , Huang Mingfeng , Zhang Weidong , Liu Jie , Chen Liqun , Chen Fan , Zhou Yuqi , Lin Jiacheng , Huang Fengyu , Xu Lin , Zhuang Zixing , Guo Shangjie , Alitongbieke Gulimiran , Xie Guobin , Xu Yang , Lin Bingzhen , Cao Xihua , Su Ying , Zhang Xiao-kun , Zhou Hu
Published: March 2015

Retinoid X receptor alpha (RXRα) and its N-terminally truncated version, tRXRα, are widely implicated in cancer development and represent intriguing targets for cancer prevention and treatment. Successful manipulation of RXRα and tRXRα requires the identification of their modulators that could produce therapeutic effects. Here, we report that a class of nitrostyrene derivatives bind to RXRα by a unique mechanism, of which the nitro group of nitrostyrene derivatives and Cys432 of RXRα are required for binding. The binding results in the potent activation of Gal4-DBD-RXRα-LBD transactivation. However, the binding inhibits the transactivation of RXRα homodimer, which might be due to the distinct conformation of RXRα homodimer induced by these nitrostyrene derivatives. Two RXRα point mutants with Cys432 substituted with Tyr and Trp, respectively, could mimic the bindings of two nitrostyrene derivatives and have the ability of autotransactivation. In studying the functional consequences of the binding, we show that these nitrostyrene derivatives could potently inhibit the TNFα/NFκB signaling pathway in a tRXRα-dependent manner. tRXRα promotes TNFα-induced NF-κB activation through its interaction with TRAF2 and enhances TNFα-induced ubiquitination of RIP1, which is strongly inhibited by nitrostyrene derivatives. The inhibition of TNFα-induced NF-κB activation results in the synergistic effect of the combination of nitrostyrene derivatives and TNFα on the induction of cancer cell apoptosis. Together, our results show a new class of RXRα modulators that induce apoptosis of cancer cells through their unique binding mode and new mechanism of action. Cancer Res; 75(10); 2049–60. ©2015 AACR.
TLR5 Ligand–Secreting T Cells Reshape the Tumor Microenvironment and Enhance Antitumor Activity
Authors: Geng Degui , Kaczanowska Sabina , Tsai Alexander , Younger Kenisha , Ochoa Augusto , Rapoport Aaron P. , Ostrand-Rosenberg Sue , Davila Eduardo
Published: March 2015

The tumor microenvironment counters antitumor T-cell responses, in part, by blunting their activation and infiltration. Ligands that engage Toll-like receptors (TLR) on T cells and antigen-presenting cells can act as potent immune adjuvants. In this study, we show how tumor-reactive T cells engineered to secrete bacterial flagellin, a TLR5 ligand (TLR5L), can engender a costimulatory signal that augments antitumor activity. Human T cells engineered to express TLR5L along with DMF5, a T-cell receptor that recognizes the melanoma antigen MART-127–35 (DMF5TLR5L T cells), displayed increased proliferation, cytokine production, and cytolytic activity against melanoma cells. In a xenogenetic model, adoptive transfer of DMF5TLR5L T cells reduced tumor growth kinetics and prolonged mouse survival. In a syngeneic model, similarly engineered melanoma-reactive T cells (pmelTLR5L) displayed a relative increase in antitumor activity against established tumors, compared with unmodified T cells. In this model, we documented increased T-cell infiltration associated with increased levels of CCR1 and CXCR3 levels on T cells, a reduction in PD-1+Lag3+ T cells and CD11+Gr1+ myeloid-derived suppressor cells, and changes in the chemokine/cytokine profile of tumors. Our findings show how T cell–mediated delivery of a TLR agonist to the tumor site can contribute to antitumor efficacy, in the context of adoptive T-cell immunotherapy. Cancer Res; 75(10); 1959–71. ©2015 AACR.
Oncogenic HRAS Activates Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition and Confers Stemness to p53-Deficient Urothelial Cells to Drive Muscle Invasion of Basal Subtype Carcinomas
Authors: He Feng , Melamed Jonathan , Tang Moon-shong , Huang Chuanshu , Wu Xue-Ru
Published: March 2015

Muscle-invasive urothelial carcinomas of the bladder (MIUCB) exhibit frequent receptor tyrosine kinase alterations, but the precise nature of their contributions to tumor pathophysiology is unclear. Using mutant HRAS (HRAS*) as an oncogenic prototype, we obtained evidence in transgenic mice that RTK/RAS pathway activation in urothelial cells causes hyperplasia that neither progresses to frank carcinoma nor regresses to normal urothelium through a period of one year. This persistent hyperplastic state appeared to result from an equilibrium between promitogenic factors and compensatory tumor barriers in the p19–MDM2–p53–p21 axis and a prolonged G2 arrest. Conditional inactivation of p53 in urothelial cells of transgenic mice expressing HRAS* resulted in carcinoma in situ and basal-subtype MIUCB with focal squamous differentiation resembling the human counterpart. The transcriptome of microdissected MIUCB was enriched in genes that drive epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, the upregulation of which is associated with urothelial cells expressing multiple progenitor/stem cell markers. Taken together, our results provide evidence for RTK/RAS pathway activation and p53 deficiency as a combinatorial theranostic biomarker that may inform the progression and treatment of urothelial carcinoma. Cancer Res; 75(10); 2017–28. ©2015 AACR.
Nerve–Cancer Cell Cross-talk: A Novel Promoter of Tumor Progression
Authors: Jobling Phillip , Pundavela Jay , Oliveira Sonia M.R. , Roselli Séverine , Walker Marjorie M. , Hondermarck Hubert
Published: March 2015

Recent studies have revealed the essential role played by nerves in tumor progression. Nerves have been shown to infiltrate the tumor microenvironment and actively stimulate cancer cell growth and dissemination. This mechanism involves the release of neurotransmitters, such as catecholamines and acetylcholine, directly into the vicinity of cancer and stromal cells to activate corresponding membrane receptors. Conversely, the secretion of neurotrophic growth factors by cancer cells drives the outgrowth of nerves in solid tumors. This reciprocal interaction between nerves and cancer cells provides new insights into the cellular and molecular bases of tumorigenesis and points to the potential utility of antineurogenic therapies. This review will discuss our evolving understanding of the cross-talk between nerves and cancer cells. Cancer Res; 75(9); 1777–81. ©2015 AACR.
A YAP/TAZ-Regulated Molecular Signature Is Associated with Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Hiemer Samantha E. , Zhang Liye , Kartha Vinay K. , Packer Trevor S. , Almershed Munirah , Noonan Vikki , Kukuruzinska Maria , Bais Manish V. , Monti Stefano , Varelas Xaralabos
Published: March 2015

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a prevalent form of cancer that develops from the epithelium of the oral cavity. OSCC is on the rise worldwide, and death rates associated with the disease are particularly high. Despite progress in understanding the mutational and expression landscape associated with OSCC, advances in deciphering these alterations for the development of therapeutic strategies have been limited. Further insight into the molecular cues that contribute to OSCC is therefore required. Here, we show that the transcriptional regulators YAP (YAP1) and TAZ (WWTR1), which are key effectors of the Hippo pathway, drive protumorigenic signals in OSCC. Regions of premalignant oral tissues exhibit aberrant nuclear YAP accumulation, suggesting that dysregulated YAP activity contributes to the onset of OSCC. Supporting this premise, we determined that nuclear YAP and TAZ activity drives OSCC cell proliferation, survival, and migration in vitro, and is required for OSCC tumor growth and metastasis in vivo. Global gene expression profiles associated with YAP and TAZ knockdown revealed changes in the control of gene expression implicated in protumorigenic signaling, including those required for cell cycle progression and survival. Notably, the transcriptional signature regulated by YAP and TAZ significantly correlates with gene expression changes occurring in human OSCCs identified by The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), emphasizing a central role for YAP and TAZ in OSCC biology.

Implications: This study defines a YAP/TAZ-regulated transcriptional program in OSCC and reveals novel roles for nuclear YAP/TAZ activity in the onset and progression of this cancer. Mol Cancer Res; 13(6); 957–68. ©2015 AACR.
Relations Between Aortic Stiffness and Left Ventricular Structure and Function in Older Participants in the Age, Gene/Environment Susceptibility-Reykjavik Study
Authors: Bell Vanessa , Sigurdsson Sigurdur , Westenberg Jos J.M. , Gotal John D. , Torjesen Alyssa A. , Aspelund Thor , Launer Lenore J. , Harris Tamara B. , Gudnason Vilmundur , de Roos Albert , Mitchell Gary F.
Published: March 2015

Background—

Left ventricular (LV) contraction displaces the aortic annulus and produces a force that stretches the ascending aorta. We hypothesized that aortic stiffening increases this previously ignored component of LV load and may contribute to hypertrophy. Conversely, aortic stretch-related work represents stored energy that may facilitate early diastolic filling.

Methods and Results—

We performed MRI of the aorta and LV in 347 participants (72–91 years old, 189 women) in the Age, Gene/Environment Susceptibility-Reykjavik Study to examine relations of aortic stretch with LV structure and function. Aortic stiffness was evaluated as the product of Young’s modulus and aortic wall thickness. Force was computed from Young’s modulus and longitudinal aortic strain; work was the integrated product of force and annulus displacement during systole. LV mass and dynamic volume were measured using the area–length method. Filling was assessed from time-resolved LV volume curves. In multivariable models that adjusted for age, sex, height, weight, end-diastolic LV volume, augmentation index, end-systolic pressure, and cardiovascular disease risk factors, higher aortic stiffness was associated with increased LV mass (β=3.0±0.8% per SD,
P
<0.001; sex interaction,
P
=0.8). Greater stretch-related aortic work was associated with enhanced early filling in men (β=4.0±0.8 mL/SD;
P
<0.001), but not in women (β=−0.4±0.7 mL/SD;
P
=0.6).

Conclusions—

Higher aortic stiffness was associated with higher LV mass, independently of pressure. Higher stretch-related work was associated with greater early diastolic filling in men only. Impaired diastolic recovery of energy stored by systolic proximal aortic stretch may contribute to increased susceptibility to diastolic dysfunction in women.
Vascular Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription-3 Promotes Angiogenesis and Neuroplasticity Long-Term After Stroke
Authors: Hoffmann Christian J. , Harms Ulrike , Rex Andre , Szulzewsky Frank , Wolf Susanne A. , Grittner Ulrike , Lättig-Tünnemann Gisela , Sendtner Michael , Kettenmann Helmut , Dirnagl Ulrich , Endres Matthias , Harms Christoph
Published: March 2015

Background—

Poststroke angiogenesis contributes to long-term recovery after stroke. Signal transducer and activator of transcription-3 (Stat3) is a key regulator for various inflammatory signals and angiogenesis. It was the aim of this study to determine its function in poststroke outcome.

Methods and Results—

We generated a tamoxifen-inducible and endothelial-specific Stat3 knockout mouse model by crossbreeding Stat3
floxed/KO
and Tie2-Cre
ERT2
mice. Cerebral ischemia was induced by 30 minutes of middle cerebral artery occlusion. We demonstrated that endothelial Stat3 ablation did not alter lesion size 2 days after ischemia but did worsen functional outcome at 14 days and increase lesion size at 28 days. At this late time point vascular Stat3 expression and phosphorylation were still increased in wild-type mice. Gene array analysis of a CD31-enriched cell population of the neurovascular niche showed that endothelial Stat3 ablation led to a shift toward an antiangiogenic and axon growth-inhibiting micromilieu after stroke, with an increased expression of Adamts9. Remodeling and glycosylation of the extracellular matrix and microglia proliferation were increased, whereas angiogenesis was reduced.

Conclusions—

Endothelial Stat3 regulates angiogenesis, axon growth, and extracellular matrix remodeling and is essential for long-term recovery after stroke. It might serve as a potent target for stroke treatment after the acute phase by fostering angiogenesis and neuroregeneration.
The Dependence of QPF on the Choice of Boundary- and Surface-Layer Parameterization for a Lake-Effect Snowstorm
Authors: Conrick Robert , Reeves Heather Dawn , Zhong Shiyuan
Published: March 2015

Six forecasts of a lake-effect-snow event off Lake Erie were conducted using the Weather Research and Forecasting Model to determine how the quantitative precipitation forecast (QPF) was affected when the boundary- and surface-layer parameterization schemes were changed. These forecasts showed strong variability, with differences in liquid-equivalent precipitation maxima in excess of 20 mm over a 6-h period. The quasi-normal scale elimination (QNSE) schemes produced the highest accumulations, and the Mellor–Yamada–Nakanishi–Niino (MYNN) schemes produced the lowest. Differences in precipitation were primarily due to different sensible heat flux FH and moisture flux FQ off the lake, with lower FH and FQ in MYNN leading to comparatively weak low-level instability and, consequently, reduced ascent and production of hydrometeors. The different FH and FQ were found to have two causes. In QNSE, the higher FH and FQ were due to the decision to use a Prandtl number PR of 0.72 (all other schemes use a PR of 1). In MYNN, the lower FH and FQ were due to the manner in which the similarity stability function for heat ψh is functionally dependent on the temperature gradient between the surface and the lowest model layer. It is not known what assumptions are more accurate for environments that are typical for lake-effect snow, but comparisons with available observations and Rapid-Update-Cycle analyses indicated that MYNN had the most accurate results.
Vertical Wavenumber Spectra of Gravity Waves in the Venus Atmosphere Obtained from Venus Express Radio Occultation Data: Evidence for Saturation
Authors: Ando Hiroki , Imamura Takeshi , Tsuda Toshitaka , Tellmann Silvia , Pätzold Martin , Häusler Bernd
Published: March 2015

By using the vertical temperature profiles obtained by the radio occultation measurements on the European Space Agency (ESA)’s Venus Express, the vertical wavenumber spectra of small-scale temperature fluctuations that are thought to be manifestations of gravity waves are studied. Wavenumber spectra covering wavelengths of 1.4–7.5 km were obtained for two altitude regions (65–80 and 75–90 km) and seven latitude bands. The spectra show a power-law dependence on the high-wavenumber side with the logarithmic spectral slope ranging from −3 to −4, which is similar to the features seen in Earth’s and Martian atmospheres. The power-law portion of the spectrum tends to follow the semiempirical spectrum of saturated gravity waves, suggesting that the gravity waves are dissipated by saturation as well as radiative damping. The spectral power is larger at 75–90 km than at 65–80 km at low wavenumbers, suggesting amplitude growth with height of unsaturated waves. It was also found that the wave amplitude is larger at higher latitudes and that the amplitude is maximized in the northern high latitudes. On the assumption that gravity waves are saturated in the Venusian atmosphere, the turbulent diffusion coefficient was estimated. The diffusion coefficient in the Venusian atmosphere is larger than those in Earth’s atmosphere because of the longer characteristic vertical wavelength of the saturated waves.
Summer-to-Winter Sea-Ice Linkage between the Arctic Ocean and the Okhotsk Sea through Atmospheric Circulation
Authors: Ogi Masayo , Taguchi Bunmei , Honda Meiji , Barber David G. , Rysgaard Søren
Published: March 2015

Contemporary climate science seeks to understand the rate and magnitude of a warming global climate and how it impacts regional variability and teleconnections. One of the key drivers of regional climate is the observed reduction in end of summer sea-ice extent over the Arctic. Here the authors show that interannual variations between the September Arctic sea-ice concentration, especially in the East Siberian Sea, and the maximum Okhotsk sea-ice extent in the following winter are positively correlated, which is not explained by the recent warming trend only. An increase of sea ice both in the East Siberian Sea and the Okhotsk Sea and corresponding atmospheric patterns, showing a seesaw between positive anomalies of sea level pressures over the Arctic Ocean and negative anomalies over the midlatitudes, are related to cold anomalies over the high-latitude Eurasian continent. The patterns of atmospheric circulation and air temperatures are similar to those of the annually integrated Arctic Oscillation (AO). The negative annual AO forms colder anomalies in autumn sea surface temperatures both over the East Siberian Sea and the Okhotsk Sea, which causes heavy sea-ice conditions in both seas through season-to-season persistence.
The Impact of the African Great Lakes on the Regional Climate
Authors: Thiery Wim , Davin Edouard L. , Panitz Hans-Jürgen , Demuzere Matthias , Lhermitte Stef , van Lipzig Nicole
Published: March 2015

Although the African Great Lakes are important regulators for the East African climate, their influence on atmospheric dynamics and the regional hydrological cycle remains poorly understood. This study aims to assess this impact by comparing a regional climate model simulation that resolves individual lakes and explicitly computes lake temperatures to a simulation without lakes. The Consortium for Small-Scale Modelling model in climate mode (COSMO-CLM) coupled to the Freshwater Lake model (FLake) and Community Land Model (CLM) is used to dynamically downscale a simulation from the African Coordinated Regional Downscaling Experiment (CORDEX-Africa) to 7-km grid spacing for the period of 1999–2008. Evaluation of the model reveals good performance compared to both in situ and satellite observations, especially for spatiotemporal variability of lake surface temperatures (0.68-K bias), and precipitation (−116 mm yr−1 or 8% bias). Model integrations indicate that the four major African Great Lakes almost double the annual precipitation amounts over their surface but hardly exert any influence on precipitation beyond their shores. Except for Lake Kivu, the largest lakes also cool the annual near-surface air by −0.6 to −0.9 K on average, this time with pronounced downwind influence. The lake-induced cooling happens during daytime, when the lakes absorb incoming solar radiation and inhibit upward turbulent heat transport. At night, when this heat is released, the lakes warm the near-surface air. Furthermore, Lake Victoria has a profound influence on atmospheric dynamics and stability, as it induces circular airflow with over-lake convective inhibition during daytime and the reversed pattern at night. Overall, this study shows the added value of resolving individual lakes and realistically representing lake surface temperatures for climate studies in this region.
Interactive Vegetation Phenology, Soil Moisture, and Monthly Temperature Forecasts
Authors: Koster R. D. , Walker G. K.
Published: March 2015

The time scales that characterize the variations of vegetation phenology are generally much longer than those that characterize atmospheric processes. The explicit modeling of phenological processes in an atmospheric forecast system thus has the potential to provide skill to subseasonal or seasonal forecasts. We examine this possibility here using a forecast system fitted with a dynamic vegetation phenology model. We perform three experiments, each consisting of 128 independent warm-season monthly forecasts: 1) an experiment in which both soil moisture states and carbon states (e.g., those determining leaf area index) are initialized realistically, 2) an experiment in which the carbon states are prescribed to climatology throughout the forecasts, and 3) an experiment in which both the carbon and soil moisture states are prescribed to climatology throughout the forecasts. Evaluating the monthly forecasts of air temperature in each ensemble against observations—as well as quantifying the inherent predictability of temperature within each ensemble—shows that dynamic phenology can indeed contribute positively to subseasonal forecasts, though only to a small extent, with an impact dwarfed by that of soil moisture.
Biofouling Effects on the Response of a Wave Measurement Buoy in Deep Water
Authors: Thomson Jim , Talbert Joe , de Klerk Alex , Brown Adam , Schwendeman Mike , Goldsmith Jarett , Thomas Julie , Olfe Corey , Cameron Grant , Meinig Christian
Published: March 2015

The effects of biofouling on a wave measurement buoy are examined using concurrent data collected with two Datawell Waveriders at Ocean Station P: one heavily biofouled at the end of a 26-month deployment, the other newly deployed and clean. The effects are limited to the high-frequency response of the buoy and are correctly diagnosed with the spectral “check factors” that compare horizontal and vertical displacements. A simple prediction for the progressive change in frequency response during biofouling reproduces the check factors over time. The bulk statistical parameters of significant wave height, peak period, average period, and peak direction are only slightly affected by the biofouling because the contaminated frequencies have very low energy throughout the comparison dataset.
Mesovortices within the 8 May 2009 Bow Echo over the Central United States: Analyses of the Characteristics and Evolution Based on Doppler Radar Observations and a High-Resolution Model Simulation
Authors: Xu Xin , Xue Ming , Wang Yuan
Published: March 2015

A derecho-producing bow-echo event over the central United States on 8 May 2009 is analyzed based on radar observations and a successful real-data WRF simulation at 0.8-km grid spacing. Emphasis is placed on documenting the existence, evolution, and characteristics of low-level mesovortices (MVs) that form along the leading edge of the bowing system. The genesis of near-surface high winds within the system is also investigated.

Significant MVs are detected from the radar radial velocity using a linear least squares derivatives (LLSD) method, and from the model simulation based on calculated vorticity. Both the observed and simulated bow-echo MVs predominantly form north of the bow apex. MVs that develop on the southern bow tend to be weaker and shorter-lived than their northern counterparts. Vortex mergers occur between MVs during their forward movement, which causes redevelopment of some MVs in the decaying stage of the bow echo. MVs located at (or near) the bow apex are found to persist for a notably longer lifetime than the other MVs. Moreover, the model results show that these bow-apex MVs are accompanied with damaging straight-line winds near the surface. These high winds are mainly caused by the descent of the rear-inflow jet at the bow apex, but the MV-induced vortical flow also has a considerable contribution. The locally enhanced descent of the rear-inflow jet near the mesovortex is forced primarily by the dynamically induced downward vertical pressure gradient force while the buoyancy force only plays a minor role there.
On the Mechanisms of Rain Formation in an Idealized Supercell Storm
Authors: Kumjian Matthew R. , Lebo Zachary J. , Morrison Hughbert C.
Published: March 2015

Deep convective storms produce raindrops through three mechanisms: condensation and coalescence growth of cloud liquid droplets (i.e., warm processes), melting of ice hydrometeors, and shedding from wet hailstones. To investigate the relative importance of these mechanisms and their contributions to exotic drop size distributions (DSDs) observed near the surface in supercell storms, an idealized simulation of a supercell is performed using a modified version of the Morrison two-moment microphysics scheme. The modified scheme includes separate categories for warm, shed, and melted rain.

Rain originating from melting ice dominates the rain mass at low levels, especially along the right forward-flank precipitation shield, whereas shed-rain drops dominate a region within the left forward flank. Warm rain is only dominant in the upshear portion of the rear flank of the storm at low levels, though it dominates the total rain mass within the main updraft aloft. The warm-rain mass at low levels is associated with strong low-level downdrafts, consistent with previously published hypotheses based on polarimetric radar observations. Raindrops produced via warm processes are smaller on average than those produced by shedding and melting; drops in the latter class tend to be the largest.

Overall, the simulations fail to reproduce the diverse nature of observed supercell DSDs, although the modified microphysics scheme does increase the variability of surface DSDs compared to the Control run. This implies that more sophisticated treatment of rain microphysics is needed to capture the natural variability of supercell DSDs, including the ability to evolve the DSD spectral shape through sedimentation and collisional processes.
A Multiscale Overview of the El Reno, Oklahoma, Tornadic Supercell of 31 May 2013
Authors: Bluestein Howard B. , Snyder Jeffrey C. , Houser Jana B.
Published: March 2015

On 31 May 2013 a broad, intense, cyclonic tornado and a narrower, weaker companion anticyclonic tornado formed in a supercell in central Oklahoma. This paper discusses the synoptic- and mesoscale environment in which the parent storm formed, based on data from the operational network of surface stations, rawinsondes, and WSR-88D radars, and from the Oklahoma Mesonet, a Doppler radar wind profiler, Rapid Refresh (RAP) analyses, and photographs. It also documents the overall behavior of the tornadoes and their relationships to features in their parent supercell based on data from a nearby, rapid-scan, polarimetric, mobile Doppler radar. The supercell formed near the intersection of a cold front and a dryline in an environment of moderately strong vertical shear and high CAPE, at the southern end of a line of multicell convective storms. The tornado damage path was as wide as 4.2 km according to the NWS damage assessment and ground-relative Doppler velocities of at least 135 m s−1 were found at the theoretical beam height of <20 m AGL. The tornado debris signature in the copolar cross-correlation coefficient ρhv was as wide as ~4–5 km. After the strong tornado formed, at least one additional cyclonic tornado formed and rotated cyclonically around the main tornado; it was then absorbed by it and the main tornado broadened. Smaller subvortices, which rotated cyclonically around a common axis of rotation, were subsequently observed. The tornado then weakened but remained broad, while the anticyclonic tornado formed to the southeast along the rear-flank gust front.
Leading for Urban School Reform and Community Development
Authors: Green Terrance L.
Published: March 2015

Purpose: Improving urban schools of color and the communities where they are located requires leadership that spans school and community boundaries. The purpose of this study is to understand how principal and community leader actions support urban school reform along with community development at two community schools in the urban Midwest and Southeast. Research Method: Using a cross-case study design, this research draws on interviews, school–community observations, and document analysis. Concepts from community development leadership and cross-boundary leadership are joined to theoretically frame this study and guide the analysis. Data analysis was conducted using the constant comparative method. Findings: Leader actions varied across the two research sites based on the specific school–community tasks that were undertaken. However, cross-case findings suggest that leaders developed a broad vision for school and community, positioned the school as a spatial community asset, championed community causes at the school, and changed school culture. Implications: This approach to educational leadership highlights principals who purposefully work with community leaders toward mutually beneficial school and community outcomes. The study concludes with implications for leadership practice and future research.
Smartphone Text Input Method Performance, Usability, and Preference With Younger and Older Adults
Authors: Smith Amanda L. , Chaparro Barbara S.
Published: March 2015

Objective:

User performance, perceived usability, and preference for five smartphone text input methods were compared with younger and older novice adults.

Background:

Smartphones are used for a variety of functions other than phone calls, including text messaging, e-mail, and web browsing. Research comparing performance with methods of text input on smartphones reveals a high degree of variability in reported measures, procedures, and results. This study reports on a direct comparison of five of the most common input methods among a population of younger and older adults, who had no experience with any of the methods.

Method:

Fifty adults (25 younger, 18–35 years; 25 older, 60–84 years) completed a text entry task using five text input methods (physical Qwerty, onscreen Qwerty, tracing, handwriting, and voice). Entry and error rates, perceived usability, and preference were recorded.

Results:

Both age groups input text equally fast using voice input, but older adults were slower than younger adults using all other methods. Both age groups had low error rates when using physical Qwerty and voice, but older adults committed more errors with the other three methods. Both younger and older adults preferred voice and physical Qwerty input to the remaining methods. Handwriting consistently performed the worst and was rated lowest by both groups.

Conclusion:

Voice and physical Qwerty input methods proved to be the most effective for both younger and older adults, and handwriting input was the least effective overall.

Application:

These findings have implications to the design of future smartphone text input methods and devices, particularly for older adults.
Comparison of Two Watch Schedules for Personnel at the White House Military Office President’s Emergency Operations Center
Authors: Shattuck Nita Lewis , Matsangas Panagiotis , Eriksen Elke , Kulubis Spiros
Published: March 2015

Objective

The aim of this study was to assess effectiveness of an alternative, 24-hr-on/72-hr-off watchstanding schedule on sleep and morale of personnel assigned to the President’s Emergency Operations Center (PEOC).

Background

As part of the White House Military Office, PEOC personnel historically worked a 12-hr “Panama” watch schedule. Personnel reported experiencing chronic insufficient and disrupted sleep patterns and sought advice for improving their watchstanding schedule.

Method

Participants ( N = 14 active-duty military members, ages 29 to 42 years) completed the Profile of Mood State (POMS) three times: before, during, and after switching to the alternative schedule with 5-hr sleep periods built into their workday. Participants completed a poststudy questionnaire to assess individual schedule preferences. Sleep was measured actigraphically, supplemented by activity logs.

Results

As indicated by POMS scores, mood improved significantly on the new schedule. Although average total sleep amount did not change substantively, the timing of sleep was more consistent on the new schedule, resulting in better sleep hygiene. PEOC personnel overwhelmingly preferred the new schedule, reporting not only that they felt more rested but that the new schedule was more conducive to the demands of family life.

Conclusions

Demands of family life and time spent commuting were found to be critical factors for acceptance of the alternative schedule. This new schedule will be most effective if personnel adhere to the scheduled rest periods assigned during their 24-hr duty.

Application

A successful schedule should avoid conflicts between social life and operational demands. Results may lead to changes in the work schedules of other departments with similar 24/7 responsibilities.
Indentation and overall compression behavior of multilayered thin-film composites: Effect of undulating layer geometry
Authors: Jamison Ryan D , Shen Yu-Lin
Published: March 2015

Two finite element models are used to investigate the behavior of aluminum/silicon carbide thin-film layered composites with imperfect internal geometry when subjected to various loadings. In both models, undulating layers are represented by regular waveforms with various amplitudes, wavelengths, and phase offsets. First, uniaxial compressive loading of the composite is considered. The modulus and stress/strain response of the composite is sensitive to both loading direction and frequency of the undulation. Second, the nanoindentation response of the composite is investigated. The derived hardness and modulus are shown to be sensitive to the presence of undulating layers and the relative size of the indenter to the undulation. Undulating layers create bands of tensile and compressive stress in the indentation direction that are significantly different from the flat layers. The amount of equivalent plastic strain in the Al layers is increased by the presence of undulating layers. The correlations between the two forms of loading, and the implications to composite property measurement are carefully examined in this study.
The Gospel of Enthusiasm: Salesmanship, Religion and Colonialism in Australian Department Stores in the 1920s and 1930s
Authors: Loy-Wilson Sophie
Published: March 2015

This article considers the nexus between Christian religious practices and the emerging commercial institution of the department store in interwar Australia. It argues that interwar sales managers used religious ritual and language as transitional behavioural forms and as bastions of ‘authentic feeling’ in the face of mechanization, bureaucratization and rationalization. Drawing on the newly opened Coles Myer archive, it traces the attempts of managers and industrial welfare experts to mould salespeople to make them as effective as possible and to deal with the unintended consequences that arose from a perceived lack of authenticity and sincerity in the interactions between salespeople and their customers. It also examines how colonial ideology was woven into salesmanship training in interwar Australian department stores through the performance of store pageants and the writing of store histories.
Highland Rebels: The North Caucasus During the Stalinist Collectivization Campaign
Authors: Perović Jeronim
Published: March 2015

This article investigates one of the most tragic episodes of Soviet history: the collectivization campaign of 1929–30, when the Soviet state’s brutal assault on the peasantry plunged the whole country into chaos and provoked large scale rebellions. Resistance was especially fierce in the Muslim dominated parts of the North Caucasus, a notoriously troubled region where Soviet structures were still very weak, and the social cohesion of mountain communities strong. Ultimately, the Red Army and the armed forces of the secret police crushed these rebellions ruthlessly. Yet in Chechnya, Ingushetia, Karachai and parts of Dagestan, they were at least sufficiently violent for the Soviet leadership to decide to suspend their collectivization attempt altogether until the mid-1930s. This is the first study to analyse collectivization in the non-Russian areas of the North Caucasus based on material from Russian archives as well as published document collections containing Soviet secret police reports.
A Shared Environment: German–German Relations along the Border, 1945–72
Authors: Grady Tim
Published: March 2015

The division of Germany into two militarized blocs during the Cold War fundamentally shaped the lives of people living in both East and West. Yet, as recent scholarship has increasingly highlighted, there were also numerous areas of contact and interaction, whether in the cultural, political or social sphere. One largely overlooked aspect of these Cold War relations, which this article explores, is the environment. Focusing on the history of the shared German environment from the end of the Second World War through to the early 1970s, the article argues that on a local level, environmental problems helped to ensure the survival of cross-border relations. Despite their repeated efforts, the two states failed to divide the German landscape in half. Rivers, lakes and forests continually crossed the fortified border, while animals and plant life traversed from one side to the other too. In attempting to maintain this shared border landscape, East and West Germans were repeatedly forced into dialogue. Although relations gradually faded as the border regime was strengthened, it proved impossible for either side to escape fully the entangled German environment.