bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Neuroprotection without Immunomodulation Is Not Sufficient to Reduce First Relapse Severity in Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis
Authors: Hasseldam Henrik , Johansen Flemming Fryd
Published: March 2010

Objectives: Multiple sclerosis can be characterized by a strong neuroinflammatory and progressive neurodegenerative component leading to prolonged disability. The synthetic compound R(+)WIN55,212-2 is reported to be neuroprotective at moderate doses and both neuroprotective and immunomodulatory at high doses, most likely due to differences in receptor affinities. In order to investigate the effects of neuroprotection and immunomodulation in an animal model of multiple sclerosis, we examined the impact of increasing concentrations of R(+)WIN55,212-2 on the inflammatory profile in CNS during first relapse and related this to demyelination, axonal degeneration and relapse severity. Methods: Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis was induced in Dark Agouti rats and treatment with R(+)WIN55,212-2 was initiated at symptom debut. The animals were scored clinically throughout the experiment, and axonal degeneration, demyelination, T cells, microglia/macrophages, TNF-α, IL-12, IFN-γ, IL-10 and the TH17 response were estimated at the peak of the first relapse. Results: Treatment with high-dose R(+)WIN55,212-2 (10 and 20 mg/kg) significantly improved the clinical performance of the animals during relapse. Interestingly, treatment at any dosage did not affect the brain levels of TNF-α, IL-12 and IFN-γ (TH1 response), whereas high-dose cannabinoid treatment reduced the number of T cells and microglia/macrophages in addition to the TH17 response. At the same time, we observed a significant reduction in axonal degeneration in all treatment groups whereas only high-dose treatment resulted in reduced demyelination. Conclusion: High-dose R(+)WIN55,212-2 treatment reduces demyelination and axonal degeneration and has immunomodulatory effects which significantly improve clinical performance, whereas a reduction in axonal degeneration on its own, induced by 5 mg/kg R(+)WIN55,212-2, has no impact on first relapse severity.
Understandings of Basic Genetics in the United States: Results from a National Survey of Black and White Men and Women
Authors: Christensen K.D. , Jayaratne T.E. , Roberts J.S. , Kardia S.L.R. , Petty E.M.
Published: March 2010

Aim: This study examined understandings of basic genetic concepts among Americans. Method: In a national telephone survey of 1,200 Americans with equal representation among Black and White men and women, subjects responded to 8 items developed by a multidisciplinary team of experts that assessed understanding of basic concepts in multiple domains, including inheritance, genetics and race, and genetics and behavior. Results: Over 70% of subjects responded correctly on items about the genetic similarity of identical twins and siblings. Less than half of subjects responded correctly on all other items. Understanding of genetics was lowest in three areas: types/locations of genes in the body (29% correct), a genetic basis for race (25% correct), and the influence of single genes on behaviors (24% correct). Logistic regression models controlling for age and education showed some differences by race and gender on specific items but also showed that understandings are generally similar across these groups. Conclusion: Misunderstandings about genetics are common among Black and White American men and women. Responses appear to reflect personal experiences, group values and interests. These findings emphasize the need for initiatives to improve the public’s genetic literacy as well as a need for further investigation in this domain.
Genetic Screening in Europe
Authors: Javaher P. , Nyoungui E. , Kääriäinen H. , Kristoffersson U. , Nippert I. , Sequeiros J. , Schmidtke J.
Published: March 2010

Genetic screening has been defined as any kind of test performed systematically for the early detection or exclusion of a genetic disease, genetic predisposition or resistance to a disease, or to determine whether a person carries a gene variant that may produce disease in his or her offspring. In comparison to ‘genetic testing’, the term ‘genetic screening’ should be reserved for the explicit and systematic application of a diagnostic genetic test across a whole population of asymptomatic people (population screening) or a subset of a population such as pregnant women (prenatal/antenatal screening) or newborn infants (neonatal screening). This survey intends to present the current (2006–2008) status of genetic screening and the organization of genetic screening programmes in selected European countries as a background for future attempts to harmonize standards and procedures of genetic screening, an explicit aim of the European Network of Excellence, EuroGentest (www.eurogentest.org). Our report builds on the first comprehensive assessment of genetic screening programmes in Germany by the European Society of Human Genetics, starting with a workshop of experts in 1999, the production of background documentation in 2000, and a final report in 2003.
Sustained Inhibition of Oxidized Low-Density Lipoprotein Is Involved in the Long-Term Therapeutic Effects of Apheresis in Dialysis Patients
Authors: Tsurumi-Ikeya Yuko , Tamura Kouichi , Azuma Koichi , Mitsuhashi Hiroshi , Wakui Hiromichi , Nakazawa Ichiro , Sugano Teruyasu , Mochida Yasuyuki , Ebina Toshiaki , Hirawa Nobuhito , Toya Yoshiyuki , Uchino Kazuaki , Umemura Satoshi
Published: March 2010

Objective—

Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) apheresis is a potential therapy for conventional therapy–resistant peripheral artery disease. In the present study, we examined the chronic effects of LDL apheresis on clinical parameters in vivo and endothelial cell functions in vitro in hemodialysis patients who had the complication of peripheral artery disease.

Methods and Results—

Twenty-five patients were enrolled, and the responses of 19 patients to LDL apheresis were analyzed. Patients were classified into 2 groups according to change in ankle-brachial pressure index (ABI) after treatment: patients with improved ABI (responders, n=10) and patients with worsened ABI (nonresponders, n=9). In the responders, apheresis resulted in a long-term reduction of circulating levels of oxidized LDL, C-reactive protein, and fibrinogen. In human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), the serum from the responders increased expression of activated endothelial nitric oxide synthase protein and proliferative activity. Furthermore, there was a significant correlation between ABI and activated endothelial nitric oxide synthase protein level in HUVECs treated with responder serum (
R
=0.427,
P
<0.05).

Conclusion—

These results demonstrate that LDL apheresis decreases oxidized LDL and inflammation and improves endothelial cell function in the responders. This may be one of the mechanisms involved in the long-term therapeutic effect of LDL apheresis on peripheral circulation in hemodialysis patients.
Histamine H1 Receptor Promotes Atherosclerotic Lesion Formation by Increasing Vascular Permeability for Low-Density Lipoproteins
Authors: Rozenberg Izabela , Sluka Susanna H.M. , Rohrer Lucia , Hofmann Janin , Becher Burkhard , Akhmedov Alexander , Soliz Jorge , Mocharla Pavani , Borén Jan , Johansen Pål , Steffel Jan , Watanabe Takeshi , Lüscher Thomas F. , Tanner Felix C.
Published: March 2010

Objective—

Enhanced endothelial permeability leading to intimal accumulation of low-density lipoproteins (LDL) stimulates the formation of atherosclerotic lesions. Histamine is known to increase vascular permeability. Whether this affects the formation of atherosclerotic lesions, however, remains elusive.

Methods and Results—

Apolipoprotein E–null (
ApoE
−/−
) mice treated with a histamine H1 receptor but not an H2 receptor antagonist developed 40% fewer atherosclerotic lesions in the aorta than placebo-treated controls. Similarly, genetic deletion of the H1 but not the H2 receptor resulted in a 60% reduction of lesions compared with
ApoE
−/−
controls. The H1 receptor enhanced LDL permeability and lipid accumulation in the aorta, whereas plasma lipoprotein levels remained unaltered. In contrast, the H1 receptor did not affect proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells. Bone marrow transplantation confirmed that the formation of atherosclerotic lesions depended on the H1 receptor in vascular cells, whereas its presence in bone marrow-derived cells was irrelevant for plaque development. Mice expressing the H1 receptor exhibited higher levels of the chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 5 and higher numbers of macrophages and T-helper lymphocytes in plaques, higher numbers of circulating lymphocytes, and larger spleens.

Conclusion—

These data indicate that H1 but not H2 receptor activation drives the formation of atherosclerotic lesions through an increased vascular permeability for LDL, which is associated with an enhanced secondary aortic and systemic inflammation. These data open novel perspectives for the prevention and treatment of atherosclerotic vascular disease.
Cholate-Containing High-Fat Diet Induces the Formation of Multinucleated Giant Cells in Atherosclerotic Plaques of Apolipoprotein E−/− Mice
Authors: Samokhin Andriy O. , Wilson Susan , Nho Boram , Lizame Maria Luisa Garcia , Musenden Osvaldo E. Eliseo , Brömme Dieter
Published: March 2010

Objective—

To determine the role of multinucleated giant cells (MGCs) in cardiovascular diseases.

Methods and Results—

MGCs are a hallmark of giant cell arteritis. They are also described in atherosclerotic plaques from aortic aneurysms and carotid and coronary arteries. Herein, we demonstrate that the cholate-containing Paigen diet yields many MGCs in atherosclerotic plaques of apolipoprotein E−/− mice. These mice revealed a 4-fold increase in MGC numbers when compared with mice on a Western or Paigen diet without cholate. Most of the MGCs stained intensively for cathepsin K and were located at fibrous caps and close to damaged elastic laminae, with associated medial smooth muscle cell depletion. During in vitro experiments, MGCs demonstrated a 6-fold increase in elastolytic activity when compared with macrophages and facilitated transmigration of smooth muscle cells through a collagen-elastin matrix. An elastin-derived hexapeptide (Val-Gly-Val-Ala-Pro-Gly [VGVAPG]) significantly increased the rate of macrophage fusion, providing a possible mechanism of in vivo MGC formation. Comparable to the mouse model, human specimens from carotid arteries and aortic aneurysms contained cathepsin K–positive MGCs.

Conclusion—

Apolipoprotein E−/− mice fed a Paigen diet provide a model to analyze the tissue-destructive role of MGCs in vascular diseases.
SIRT1 Promotes Proliferation and Prevents Senescence Through Targeting LKB1 in Primary Porcine Aortic Endothelial Cells
Authors: Zu Yi , Liu Ling , Lee Mary Y.K. , Xu Cheng , Liang Yan , Man Ricky Y. , Vanhoutte Paul M. , Wang Yu
Published: March 2010

Rationale
:

Endothelial senescence causes endothelial dysfunction, promotes atherogenesis and contributes to age-related vascular disorders. SIRT1 is a conserved NAD
+
-dependent deacetylase possessing beneficial effects against aging-related diseases, despite that the detailed functional mechanisms are largely uncharacterized.

Objective
:

The present study is designed to evaluate the protective effects of SIRT1 on endothelial senescence and to elucidate the underlying mechanisms.

Methods and Results
:

An in vitro senescence model was established by prolonged culture of primary endothelial cells isolated from porcine aorta. The freshly isolated “young” cells gradually underwent senescence during 1 month of repetitive passages. Both mRNA and protein expressions of SIRT1 were progressively decreased. In contrast, the protein levels of LKB1, a serine/threonine kinase and tumor suppressor, and the phosphorylation of its downstream target AMPK(Thr172) were dramatically increased in senescent cells. Overexpression of LKB1 promoted cellular senescence and retarded endothelial proliferation, which could be blocked by increasing SIRT1 levels. Knocking down of SIRT1 induced senescence and elevated the protein levels of LKB1 and phosphorylated AMPK(Thr172). Regardless of the nutritional status, hyperactivation of AMPK was able to induce endothelial senescence. SIRT1 antagonized LKB1-dependent AMPK activation through promoting the deacetylation, ubiquitination and proteasome-mediated degradation of LKB1. The survival signaling of Akt was also found to be modulated by SIRT1 and LKB1, and could cross-regulate AMPK activity.

Conclusions
:

SIRT1 and LKB1/AMPK are the 2 key sensor systems for regulating endothelial cell survival, proliferation and senescence. The protective activities of SIRT1 may be achieved at least in part by fine tuning the acetylation/deacetylation status and stabilities of LKB1 protein.
Acute Corticospinal Tract Wallerian Degeneration Is Associated With Stroke Outcome
Authors: DeVetten Giselle , Coutts Shelagh B. , Hill Michael D. , Goyal Mayank , Eesa Muneer , O'Brien Brian , Demchuk Andrew M. , Kirton Adam
Published: March 2010

Background and Purpose—

In children with stroke, poor motor outcome is associated with early Wallerian degeneration of the corticospinal tract that is seen on diffusion-weighted MRI. In this study we test the hypothesis that early diffusion changes also occur in the corticospinal tract (CST) of adults after stroke and that these lesions are associated with poor outcome.

Methods—

In this retrospective study, we assessed images from a serial MRI study of adults with acute middle cerebral/internal carotid artery stroke. MRI-negative TIA patients served as controls. Custom software measured signal along the CST on different sequences, including the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC). Visual detection of abnormal signal by blinded neuroradiologists was also evaluated. We then determined associations between CST signal changes and 3-month motor outcome (NIHSS score).

Results—

Thirty-eight patients (20 stroke/18 control) were included. ADC measures were much more accurate than other MRI sequences for detection of degeneration in the CST. The ADC decreased in a time-dependent fashion in the CST of patients with poor motor outcome but not in those with good outcome. Changes in ADC were maximal at 7 days. Neuroradiologists could visually detect these changes with accuracy comparable to the software method.

Conclusion—

CST ADC decreases after acute stroke in patients with poor motor outcome and may represent early Wallerian degeneration. Recognition of this imaging marker may improve early outcome prediction and patient selection for rehabilitation and neuroprotection trials.
Dose-Response Relation Between Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation and Upper-Extremity Function in Patients With Stroke
Authors: Hsu Shu-Shyuan , Hu Ming-Hsia , Wang Yen-Ho , Yip Ping-Keung , Chiu Jan-Wei , Hsieh Ching-Lin
Published: March 2010

Background and Purpose—

The purpose of our study was to investigate the effects of different doses of neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) on upper-extremity function in acute stroke patients with severe motor deficit.

Methods—

Sixty-six acute stroke patients were randomized to 3 groups: high NMES, low NMES, or control. The low-NMES group received 30 minutes of stimulation per day, and the high-NMES group received 60 minutes per day, for 4 weeks. The Fugl-Meyer Motor Assessment Scale, Action Research Arm Test, and Motor Activity Log were used to assess the patients at baseline, 4 weeks, and 12 weeks post baseline (follow-up).

Results—

Both NMES groups showed significant improvement on Fugl-Meyer Motor Assessment and Action Research Arm Test scales compared with the control group at week 4 and follow-up. The high-NMES group showed treatment effects similar to those of the low-NMES group.

Conclusions—

Higher and lower doses of NMES led to similar improvements in motor function. A minimum of 10 hours of NMES in combination with regular rehabilitation may improve recovery of arm function in stroke patients during the acute stage.
Diffusion-Weighted Imaging and Cognition in the Leukoariosis and Disability in the Elderly Study
Authors: Schmidt Reinhold , Ropele Stefan , Ferro José , Madureira Sofia , Verdelho Ana , Petrovic Katja , Gouw Alida , van der Flier Wiesje M. , Enzinger Christian , Pantoni Leonardo , Inzitari Domenico , Erkinjuntti Timo , Scheltens Philip , Wahlund Lars O. , Waldemar Gunhild , Rostrup Egill , Wallin Anders , Barkhof Frederik , Fazekas Franz
Published: March 2010

Background and Purpose—

The mechanisms by which leukoariosis impacts on clinical and cognitive functions are not yet fully understood. We hypothesized that ultrastructural abnormalities of the normal-appearing brain tissue (NABT) assessed by diffusion-weighted imaging played a major and independent role.

Methods—

In addition to a comprehensive clinical, neuropsychologic, and imaging work-up, diffusion-weighted imaging was performed in 340 participants of the multicenter leukoariosis and disability study examining the impact of white matter hyperintensities (WMH) on 65- to 85-year old individuals without previous disability. WMH severity was rated according to the Fazekas score. Multivariate regression analysis served to assess correlations of histogram metrics of the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) of whole-brain tissue, NABT, and of the mean ADC of WMH with cognitive functions.

Results—

Increasing WMH scores were associated with a higher frequency of hypertension, a greater WMH volume, more brain atrophy, worse overall cognitive performance, and changes in ADC. We found strong associations between the peak height of the ADC histogram of whole-brain tissue and NABT with memory performance, executive dysfunction, and speed, which remained after adjustment for WMH lesion volume and brain atrophy and were consistent among centers. No such association was seen with the mean ADC of WMH.

Conclusions—

Ultrastructural abnormalities of NABT increase with WMH severity and have a strong and independent effect on cognitive functions, whereas diffusion-weighted imaging metrics within WMH have no direct impact. This should be considered when defining outcome measures for trials that attempt to ameliorate the consequences of WMH progression.
Wordsworth in the Himalayas: Indian Narratology and Sacred Space in William Delafield Arnold’s Oakfield: Fellowship in the East
Authors: Ostrander Diana Louise Gander
Published: March 2010

William Delafield Arnold’s single novel, Oakfield: Fellowship in the East, is a transparently autobiographical account of what happens when the earnestness of a son and pupil of Dr. Thomas Arnold encounters the ancient world of India in the decade of the Sepoy Rebellion. This essay explores what has been far less apparent to Western readers and critics: the presence of Indian philosophy at the heart of the novel. Following in the tradition of the Wordsworthian Romantic prophet, W. D. Arnold relates Oakfield’s spiritual search and enlightenment to present the novel itself as the spiritual common ground that the hero seeks. The use of Indian narratological devices produces variegation by ancient spiritual design, merging the myths of enlightened beings East and West, including Brahmins, Buddha, Wordsworth, and Oakfield, on epiphanic mountains. The novel celebrates the potential for Western enlightenment discovered in the Himalayas, but also warns Britain that the colonizing effort is responsible for the loss of England’s best and brightest.
Modernism and Mysticism in Germany: Wilhelm Worringer and Pater Desiderius Lenz
Authors: Davenport Nancy
Published: March 2010

The text seeks to integrate the late nineteenth and early twentieth-century art of the traditional Benedictine community of Beuron in southwestern Germany with early twentieth-century Modernist aesthetics, particularly as the latter are expressed in Abstraction and Empathy, a Contribution to the Psychology of Style by the German Art Historian Wilhelm Worringer. The influences on Beuron art—the German Kulturkampf that set Protestants and Catholics in northern and southern Germany in opposition and placed the few remaining monastic communities in limbo, the Beuron artist monks’ inspiration from the immobile Egyptian antiquities in the museums of Munich and Berlin, and their desire to develop a universal and otherworldly Christian art which transcended the tangible, tactile, and divisive world in which they lived, worked, and prayed—resulted in a similar rejection of the visible, the real, and the tangible and an embrace of the eternal and symbolic that the Modernists sought. The text ends with a quote from the Dutch Modernist Jan Toorop, a recently converted Roman Catholic, who asked his audience the following in 1912: “Two sculptures that dominate today in the mainstream of sculpture are The Burghers of Calais by the great Rodin and on the other hand St. Benedictine and St. Scholastica by the Benedictine Father Desiderius Lenz. Where do you want to go: to Rodin or to Lenz? To Calais or to Monte Cassino near Rome? Take a look at the work and we’ll talk again?” The question asked by Toorop is the question interrogated in this text.
Nematicidal efficacy, enhanced degradation and cross adaptation of carbosulfan, cadusafos and triazophos under tropical conditions
Authors: Meher Hari C. , Gajbhiye Vijay T. , Singh Ghanendra , Kamra Anju , Chawla Gautam
Published: March 2010

Nematicides need to be applied in each cropping season but repetitive
applications can reduce their persistence and efficacy due to the
unpredictable phenomena of enhanced biotransformation and cross adaptation.
Experiments were conducted to ascertain the number of times the nematicides
carbosulfan, cadusafos and triazophos can be applied effectively in the
field. Incubation studies checked their degradation rates and cross
adaptation and bioassays assessed their efficacy against Meloidogyne
incognita infecting Solanum lycopersicum. Monitoring nematode populations at
the middle of seven consecutive tomato crops following nematicidal
treatments at a recommendable rate of 1.0 kg a.s. ha–1 revealed a linear
decrease in efficacy with successive seasons. The chemicals remained
effective up to the fourth application when 53-62% reduction of M. incognita
in soil was still achievable, which decreased significantly to 14-33% by the
seventh application. The nematicides were more effective against
endoparasitic (M. incognita and Rotylenchulus reniformis) than ectoparasitic
(Helicotylenchus dihystera, Hoplolaimus indicus and Tylenchorhynchus
vulgaris) nematodes. Bioassays revealed 13-18% more invasions of
second-stage juveniles of M. incognita into roots of tomato grown in soil
pre-treated seven times with nematicide than in similar soil with no history
of nematicide use; invasion and soil population were positively correlated.
Root galling of field-grown tomato increased from the first to the seventh
application. In bioassays, tomato root galling was greater in unsterilised
field soil (1.4-2.1) than in similar soil/sterilised soil (1.0) compared
with 2.4-2.9 in untreated control soil. The decrease in efficacy was
attributable to accelerated microbial degradation of nematicides due to
repeated use in each cropping season. Carbosulfan, cadusafos and triazophos
exhibited a half-life (t1/2) of 14, 20 and 27 days in soil with no history
of nematicide use, whereas the t1/2 was 6, 13 and 9 days in soil pre-treated
seven times with nematicides and 28, 28 and 32 days in unsterilised soil,
respectively. In cross adaptation studies, carbosulfan exhibited a t1/2 of
7-9 days in soil pre-treated seven times with cadusafos and triazophos. The
t1/2 of cadusafos (22 days) was not affected in carbosulfan-treated soil but
was affected (13 days) in triazophos-treated soil. Triazophos had a t1/2 of
20 days in carbosulfan-treated soil and a t1/2 of 8 days in
cadusafos-treated soil. These results indicate that carbosulfan, cadusafos
and triazophos can be applied effectively to the same field at least four
times without decrease in efficacy due to accelerated biotransformation.
Rotation of nematicide from different groups can be used in long-term
nematode management strategies to avoid accelerated degradation and/or cross
adaptation.
Western Boundary Currents and Frontal Air–Sea Interaction: Gulf Stream and Kuroshio Extension
Authors: Kelly Kathryn A. , Small R. Justin , Samelson R. M. , Qiu Bo , Joyce Terrence M. , Kwon Young-Oh , Cronin Meghan F.
Published: March 2010

In the Northern Hemisphere midlatitude western boundary current (WBC) systems there is a complex interaction between dynamics and thermodynamics and between atmosphere and ocean. Their potential contribution to the climate system motivated major parallel field programs in both the North Pacific [Kuroshio Extension System Study (KESS)] and the North Atlantic [Climate Variability and Predictability (CLIVAR) Mode Water Dynamics Experiment (CLIMODE)], and preliminary observations and analyses from these programs highlight that complexity. The Gulf Stream (GS) in the North Atlantic and the Kuroshio Extension (KE) in the North Pacific have broad similarities, as subtropical gyre WBCs, but they also have significant differences, which affect the regional air–sea exchange processes and their larger-scale interactions. The 15-yr satellite altimeter data record, which provides a rich source of information, is combined here with the longer historical record from in situ data to describe and compare the current systems. While many important similarities have been noted on the dynamic and thermodynamic aspects of the time-varying GS and KE, some not-so-subtle differences exist in current variability, mode water properties, and recirculation gyre structure. This paper provides a comprehensive comparison of these two current systems from both dynamical and thermodynamical perspectives with the goal of developing and evaluating hypotheses about the physics underlying the observed differences, and exploring the WBC’s potential to influence midlatitude sea–air interaction. Differences between the GS and KE systems offer opportunities to compare the dominant processes and thereby to advance understanding of their role in the climate system.
Stratospheric Bimodality: Can the Equatorial QBO Explain the Regime Behavior of the NH Winter Vortex?
Authors: Christiansen Bo
Published: March 2010

The Northern Hemisphere extended winter mean stratospheric vortex alternates between a strong and a weak state, which is manifested in a statistically significant bimodal distribution. In the end of the 1970s a regime change took place, increasing the frequency of the strong phase relative to the weak phase. This paper investigates the connection between the regime behavior of the vortex and the equatorial quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO) in three different datasets. Although there are some differences between the datasets, they agree regarding the general picture. It is found that stratospheric equatorial wind between 70 and 8 hPa shows a bimodal structure in the Northern Hemisphere winter. Such bimodality is nontrivial as it requires only weak variability in the amplitude. Unimodality is found above 8 hPa, where the semiannual oscillation dominates. A strong coincidence is found between strong (weak) vortex winters and winter in the westerly (easterly) QBO regime. Furthermore, the change of the vortex in the late 1970s can be related to a change in the QBO from a period with strong bimodality to a period with weak bimodality. Careful consideration of the statistical significance shows that this change in the QBO can be a random process simply related to the annual sampling of the QBO. Finally, previous findings of phase locking between the QBO and the annual cycle are considered; it is shown that the phase locking is related to the seasonal variations in the bimodality of the QBO.
Quality Assurance of Surface Wind Observations from Automated Weather Stations
Authors: Jiménez Pedro A. , González-Rouco J. Fidel , Navarro Jorge , Montávez Juan P. , García-Bustamante Elena
Published: March 2010

Meteorological data of good quality are important for understanding both global and regional climates. In this respect, great efforts have been made to evaluate temperature- and precipitation-related records. This study summarizes the evaluations made to date of the quality of wind speed and direction records acquired at 41 automated weather stations in the northeast of the Iberian Peninsula. Observations were acquired from 1992 to 2005 at a temporal resolution of 10 and 30 min. A quality assurance system was imposed to screen the records for 1) manipulation errors associated with storage and management of the data, 2) consistency limits to ensure that observations are within their natural limits of variation, and 3) temporal consistency to assess abnormally low/high variations in the individual time series. In addition, the most important biases of the dataset are analyzed and corrected wherever possible. A total of 1.8% wind speed and 3.7% wind direction records was assumed invalid, pointing to specific problems in wind measurement. The study not only tries to contribute to the science with the creation of a wind dataset of improved quality, but it also reports on potential errors that could be present in other wind datasets.
The Role of Diurnal Solenoidal Circulation on Propagating Rainfall Episodes near the Eastern Tibetan Plateau
Authors: Huang Hsiao-Ling , Wang Chung-Chieh , Chen George Tai-Jen , Carbone Richard E.
Published: March 2010

In this case study, numerical simulations using the Weather Research and Forecasting model (WRF) are performed for 3–4 May 2002, in which two propagating rain episodes occurred in successive days with close ties to the terrain of the Tibetan Plateau (TP) in East Asia. Through sensitivity tests, it is found that the eastern TP not only facilitated convective development in the afternoon but that the solenoidal circulation between this region and its leeside lowlands (near the Sichuan basin) also contributed to the longevity and farther downstream propagation of the episodes under prevailing westerly winds. Reversed every 12 h, the thermally driven circulation induced ascending motion near the eastern edge of the TP during daytime but over the leeside at night. The episode propagation in this case, as often observed, was in phase with the ascent, from eastern TP in the afternoon to the lee at night, indicating both enhancing and modulating effects of the solenoidal circulation.
A Frequent-Updating Analysis System Based on Radar, Surface, and Mesoscale Model Data for the Beijing 2008 Forecast Demonstration Project
Authors: Sun Juanzhen , Chen Mingxuan , Wang Yingchun
Published: March 2010

The Variational Doppler Radar Analysis System (VDRAS) was implemented in Beijing, China, and contributed to the Beijing 2008 Forecast Demonstration Project (B08FDP) in support of the Beijing Summer Olympics. VDRAS is a four-dimensional variational data assimilation system that produces frequently updated analyses using Doppler radar radial velocities and reflectivities, surface observations, and mesoscale model data. The system was tested in real time during the B08FDP pretrials in the summers of 2006 and 2007 and run during the Olympics to assist the 0–6-h convective weather nowcasting. This paper provides a description of the upgraded system and its Beijing implementation, an evaluation of the system performance using data collected during the pretrials, and its utility on convective weather nowcasting through two case studies. Verification of VDRAS wind against a wind profiler shows that the analyzed wind is reasonably accurate with a smaller RMS difference for 2006 than for 2007 due to better radar data coverage in 2006. The analyzed cold pools in three convective episodes are compared with surface observations at selected stations. The result shows good agreement between the analysis and the observations. The two case studies demonstrate the role that VDRAS could play in nowcasting convective initiation.
Choosing Carbon Mitigation Strategies Using Ethical Deliberation
Authors: Bendick Rebecca , Dahlin Kyla M. , Smoliak Brian V. , Kumler Lori , Jones Sierra J. , Aktipis Athena , Fugate Ezekiel , Hertog Rachel , Moberg Claus , Scott Dane
Published: March 2010

Anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions change earth’s climate by altering the planet’s radiative balance. An important first step in mitigation of climate change is to reduce annual increases in these emissions. However, the many suggested means of limiting emissions rates have led to few actual changes in policy or behavior. This disconnection can be attributed in part to the difficulty of convening groups of stakeholders with diverse values, the polarizing nature of current political systems, poor communication across disciplines, and a lack of clear, usable information about emission mitigation strategies. Here, electronically facilitated ethical deliberation, a method of determining courses of action on common goals by collaborative discussion, is used to evaluate Pacala and Socolow’s climate change stabilization strategies based on economic, technological, social, and ecological impacts across a wide range of spatial and temporal scales. Few previous analyses of climate mitigation strategies include all of these factors; rather, short-term technological feasibility studies and economic cost–benefit analyses predominate. After accounting for tradeoffs among disparate criteria, strategies involving end-user efficiency (e.g., efficient buildings and vehicles), wind, and solar power rank highest, while carbon capture and storage, hydrogen fuel cells, and biofuels options rank lowest. This electronically facilitated deliberation method offers an alternative to oppositional debate or cost–benefit analysis for assessing strategies where both quantitative and qualitative factors are important, information from disparate disciplines is relevant, and stakeholders are geographically dispersed.
Measuring Situational Interest in Academic Domains
Authors: Linnenbrink-Garcia Lisa , Durik Amanda M. , Conley AnneMarie M. , Barron Kenneth E. , Tauer John M. , Karabenick Stuart A. , Harackiewicz Judith M.
Published: March 2010

Three studies were conducted to develop and validate scores on a new measure appropriate for assessing adolescents’ situational interest (SI) across various academic settings. In Study 1 ( n = 858), a self-report questionnaire was administered to undergraduates in introductory psychology. Confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) supported a three-factor model that differentiated between interest generated by (a) the presentation of course material that grabbed students’ attention (triggered-SI), (b) the extent to which the material itself was enjoyable and engaging (maintained-SI-feeling), and (c) whether the material was viewed as important and valuable (maintained-SI-value). CFA analyses in Study 2 ( n = 284) and Study 3 ( n = 246) also supported the three-factor situational interest model for middle and high school students in mathematics. Moreover, situational interest was shown to be distinct from individual interest and was a statistically significant predictor of change in individual interest across the school year.
Marcion: His Life, Works, Beliefs, and Impact
Authors: Foster Paul
Published: March 2010

Marcion is perhaps one of the most important figures who shaped the beliefs, structures and collection of scriptural writings of the church in the second century and beyond. Yet the details of his life remain shadowy. No manuscripts of his own works remain, and he was subjected to thoroughgoing attempts to write him out of the history of the church. The impact he had on church beliefs and structures was dramatic. Inadvertently, he helped crystallize many embryonic developments as those opposed to his ideas reacted against him. However, in the modern period, while his importance has been recognised, it has also often been misrepresented. Thus, he has been characterized both as a champion of plurality and also as a reformer seeking a more universal and purer type of faith.
Marcion’s Gospel: Relevance, Contested Issues, and Reconstruction
Authors: Roth Dieter T.
Published: March 2010

In recent years a renewed interest in Marcion’s Gospel has highlighted not only the importance of this text, but also the issues that remain debated in scholarly discussion. This article discusses the relevance of Marcion’s Gospel for understanding the state, use, and collection of the canonical Gospels in the second century; contested issues in the study of this text; and both the necessity of providing a new reconstruction of Marcion’s Gospel and methodological considerations when attempting to do so.
Dealing With Dependence (Part I): Understanding the Effects of Clustered Data
Authors: McCoach D. Betsy , Adelson Jill L.
Published: March 2010

This article provides a conceptual introduction to the issues surrounding the analysis of clustered (nested) data. We define the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and the design effect, and we explain their effect on the standard error. When the ICC is greater than 0, then the design effect is greater than 1. In such a scenario, the standard error produced under the assumption of independence is underestimated. This increases the Type I error rate. We provide a short illustration of the effect of non-independence on the standard error. We show that after accounting for the design effect, our decision about the statistical significance of the test statistic changes. When we fail to account for the clustered nature of the data, we conclude that the difference between the two groups is statistically significant. However, once we adjust the standard error for the design effect, the difference is no longer statistically significant.
Non-Participation in the Second Wave of the Part Study on Mental Disorder and Its Effects on Risk Estimates
Authors: Bergman Peter , Ahlberg Gunnel , Forsell Yvonne , Lundberg Ingvar
Published: March 2010

Background: In epidemiological studies, analyses are needed to investigate the consequences of non-response.

Aims: To analyse the consequences of attrition in the second wave of the population-based PART study, which was performed three years after the first wave.

Methods: Potential determinants for non-participation obtained from population registers and the first wave were analyzed. The relationships between potential determinants and reduced well-being or depressive mood in the first wave questionnaire were investigated separately for participants and non-participants in the second wave. Samples of respondents to the second wave questionnaire with reduced or not reduced well-being were summoned for interview regarding determinants of distress and disorder. The occurrence of potential determinants was compared between participants and non-participants in both groups

Results: Low income, low education, non-Nordic origin, not being married and previous psychiatric diagnosis were associated with lower participation rates. These variables were similarly related to depressive mood and low psychological well-being in the first wave among participants and non-participants in the second wave. Potential determinants were not or only weakly related to participation in the interview groups.

Conclusion: Although the true prevalence of distress and disorder is underestimated, the true associations between potential determinants and the outcomes seem reasonably well reproduced.
The Transformation of Mental Health Services To a Recovery-Orientated System of Care: Canadian Decision Maker Perspectives
Authors: Piat Myra , Sabetti Judith , Bloom David
Published: March 2010

Background: Recovery is emerging as a worldwide paradigm in mental health. There is increasing recognition that the transformation of mental health systems to a recovery perspective requires collaboration among all stakeholders. Research to date has focused on the perspectives of service users and providers. The role and influence of organizational decision makers in the transformation process has been less studied.

Materials: This study reports findings from semi-structured interviews with decision makers on the implementation of recovery in Canada.

Discussion: Decision makers view community-based services as most open to recovery-based approaches, and front-line providers as pivotal in implementing system change. Decision makers described their own role as limited to providing overall orientation and funding.

Conclusions: The shift to recovery must include active leadership from decision makers as a catalyst to change.
Behavioural and Emotional Problems in Iranian Children Four Years After Parental Death in an Earthquake
Authors: Kalantari M. , Vostanis P.
Published: March 2010

Background: Although previous research has established a direct impact of natural disasters on child mental health, there is limited knowledge on the underpinning mechanisms, particularly when there has been the loss of a parent.

Aims: To establish: (a) the rates of behavioural and emotional problems of school-aged children who had lost their parents in the 2003 earthquake in Iran, compared with children from intact families who attended the same schools; (b) the relationship between the psychopathology of the surviving parents’ and children’s behavioural and emotional problems; and (c) whether this relationship was compounded by socioeconomic factors.

Methods: Eighty six children of 7—13 years who had lost a parent in the earthquake four years earlier were compared with 80 matched children from intact families. The teacher and parent versions of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) were used as measures of behavioural and emotional problems. Parents’ psychopathology was established by the Self Report Questionnaire (SRQ).

Results: Behavioural and emotional problems were significantly higher in children who had suffered parental loss than in the control group. There was a significant association between parent-rated SDQ and SRQ scores. Parental death was found to interact with socioeconomic variables in predicting children’s behavioural and emotional problems and surviving parents’ mental health problems.

Conclusions: After natural disasters, bereaved children and their surviving parents are at risk of developing mental health problems, and social adversities increase this risk.
Smoking Attitudes, Behaviour and Nicotine Dependence Among Mental Health Acute Inpatients: an Exploratory Study
Authors: Ratschen Elena , Britton John , Doody Gillian , Mcneill Ann
Published: March 2010

Background: In 2008, mental health units in England went smoke-free by law. This study explores inpatients’ experience with a smoke-free policy, their smoking behaviour, dependence, withdrawal and related issues.

Material: Semi-structured interviews in a criterion sample of 15 inpatient smokers.

Discussion: Patients generally approved of the smoke-free policy, provided they could smoke outside. Most participants had changed their smoking behaviour following admission. Most had little knowledge of nicotine dependence, reported a lack of structured support for smoking cessation, and a general interest in this being made available. Nicotine dependence was reportedly lower in the ward than in the home setting.

Conclusions: More structured support is needed to ensure that opportunities for health promotion in a vulnerable population are not being missed.
Managing ethical considerations around dual relationships in small rural and remote Canadian communities
Authors: Halverson Glenn , Brownlee Keith
Published: March 2010

Ethical guidelines for social work generally recommend avoiding dual relationships whenever possible.This study explored perspectives from Canadian social workers in remote communities, where this may not be feasible. Dual relationships in these communities were identified as ubiquitous and inevitable. Formal decision models were often overlooked in favour of an ongoing evaluation of the therapeutic relationship, and self-care related to frequent exposure to dual and multiple relationships was identified as a concern. The role of formal education and training and professional guidelines are discussed.
Transnational collaboration: Evaluation of a social work training workshop in Jordan
Authors: Sullivan Mary Pat , Forrester Donald , Al-Makhamreh Sahar
Published: March 2010

This article presents an evaluation of a training workshop on developing social work in Jordan. Literature on transnational collaboration provided a context for the initiative.The evaluation outcomes highlight the transition from informal support to the need for a more structured professional response to social problems.
Women’s autonomy in rural India: Need for culture and context
Authors: Singh Shweta
Published: March 2010

This article reports on the importance of context and culture in designing assessment tools. It does so by examining the concept of women’s autonomy in rural India. And, in exploring this issue, the article opens a dialogue on the need for newer and more grounded concepts in working with women in rural India rather than simply applying those developed in other countries or available through the international literature.
Would They Officially Report an In-Prison Sexual Assault? An Examination of Inmate Perceptions
Authors: Fowler Shannon K. , Blackburn Ashley G. , Marquart James W. , Mullings Janet L.
Published: March 2010

This exploratory study examined inmates’ intentions to report their own sexual victimization and recommend others to officially report their assaults. More than 900 male and female inmates in a Southern prison system responded to the self-report questionnaire. Victims of prison sexual assault and homosexual/bisexual inmates, at risk for victimization, had decreased chances of reporting their own victimization. As inmates’ time served increased their chances of intending to report their victimization decreased. Women were more likely to recommend others to report as were those who knew a recently victimized inmate. Recommendations focus on training and education alongside prison cultural change.
The Relationship of Coping, Self-Worth, and Subjective Well-Being: A Structural Equation Model
Authors: Miller Smedema Susan , Catalano Denise , Ebener Deborah J.
Published: March 2010

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between various coping-related variables and the evaluation of self-worth and subjective well-being among persons with spinal cord injury. Positive coping variables included hope, proactive coping style, and sense of humor, whereas negative coping variables included perceptions of stress, dysfunctional attitudes, and catastrophizing. Evaluations of self-worth were determined by measures of self-esteem and acceptance of disability. Quality of life and life satisfaction were indicators of subjective well-being. The results of the study indicate that negative coping has a negative association with both positive self-worth and subjective well-being. Feelings of positive self-worth were found to be positively associated with subjective well-being. In addition, positive coping appears to influence subjective well-being positively by first increasing feelings of positive self-worth. The findings indicate that coping strategies play an important role in the psychosocial adjustment of individuals with disabilities, and subsequently, in their quality of life. The implications for counseling individuals with disabilities are discussed.