bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A multifactorial intervention for hospital opioid management
Authors: Akce, MD Mehmet , Suneja, MD Anupam , Genord, RPh Cheryl , Singal, MD, PhD Bonita , Hopper, MD John A.
Published: December 2014

Objective: To determine whether an educational intervention combined with a voluntary decision support system improves inpatient pain control.Design: Retrospective serial cross-sectional study.Setting: Community teaching hospital.Patients: Patients admitted to internal medicine teaching service from October to December 2011 and 2012. The study cohorts consisted of a random sample of 75 patients each from both time periods.Interventions: Beginning in August 2012, internal medicine residents participated in an interactive training session on the use of opioids for hospitalized patients and concurrently, a user initiated voluntary computerized decision support system (CDSS), in the form of computer order entry (COE) and pocket cards were introduced. The COE options correspond to the standardized opioid dosing regimen on the pocket card. Pain scores and opioid doses and demographic information were obtained from administrative databases. Additional covariates were abstracted via programmed electronic medical record (EMR) review.Main outcome measures: Pre- and postintervention, maximum reported pain score in every 8-hour period from first analgesic dose, to 72 hours after the first analgesic dose, were compared by fitting a multivariable linear mixed model. Naloxone use was a surrogate measure for secondary outcome of opioid overdose.Results: The intervention had no effect on maximum pain score (MPS) over time, p = 0.0930. The estimated mean MPS (95% confidence interval) was 4.7 (3.9, 5.5) preintervention and 5.2 (4.4, 6.0) postintervention.Conclusions: A combination of a resident educational intervention, CDSS, and pocket cards did not improve MPSs over time for patients on an internal medicine teaching service.
Effectiveness of opioid rotation in the control of cancer pain: The ROTODOL Study
Authors: González-Barboteo, MD Jesús , Alentorn, MD, PhD Xavier Gómez-Batiste , Calvo Manuel, MD, PhD Felipe A. , Candel, MD Vicente Alberola , Eito, MD M. Amalia Palacios , Sánchez-Magro, MD, PhD Isabel , Pérez Martín, PhD F. Javier , Porta-Sales, MD, PhD Josep
Published: December 2014

Objective: To assess the effectiveness of opioid rotation (OR) to manage cancer pain. To describe the adverse events (AEs) associated with OR. Setting: Thirty-nine tertiary hospital services.Patients: Sixty-seven oncological patients with cancer-related pain treated at outpatient clinics.Intervention: Prospective multicenter study. Pain intensity was scored using a Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) of 0-10. Average pain (AP) intensity in the last 24 hours, breakthrough pain (BTP), and the number of episodes of BTP on the days before and 1 week after OR were assessed. The pre-OR and post-OR opioid were recorded. The presence and intensity of any AEs occurring after OR were also recorded.Results: In the 67 patients evaluated, 75 ORs were recorded. In all cases, the main reason for OR was poor pain control. Pain intensity decreased by ≥2 points after OR in 75.4 percent and 57.8 percent of cases for AP and BTP, respectively. If the initial NRS score was ≥4, a decrease below <4 accounted for 50.9 percent and 32.3 percent of cases for AP and BTP, respectively. The number of episodes of BTP also decreased significantly (p < 0.001). A total of 107 AEs were reported, most of which were mild in intensity, with gastrointestinal symptoms predominating.Conclusions: Opioid rotation appears to be both safe and effective in the management of basal and breakthrough cancer pain.
Demographic characteristics and clinical predictors of patients discharged from university hospital-affiliated pain clinic due to breach in narcotic use contract
Authors: Chakrabortty, MD, PhD Shushovan , Gupta, MD Deepak , Rustom, MD David , Berry Hussein , Rai Ajit
Published: December 2014

Objective: The current retrospective study was completed with the aim to identifydemographic characteristics and clinical predictors (if any) of the patients dischargedfrom our pain clinic due to breach in narcotic use contract (BNUC).Design: Retrospective patient charts' review and data audit.Setting: University hospital-affiliated pain clinic in the United States.Participants: All patient charts in our pain clinic for a 2-year period (2011-2012).Interventions: The patients with BNUC were delineated from the patients who had not been discharged from our pain clinic.Main outcome measures: Pain characteristics, pain management, and substance abuse status were compared in each patient with BNUC between the time of admission and the time of discharge.Results: The patients with BNUC discharges showed significant variability for the discharging factors among the pain physicians within a single pain clinic model with this variability being dependent on their years of experience and their proactive interventional pain management. The patients with BNUC in our pain clinic setting were primarily middle-aged, obese, unmarried males with nondocumented stable occupational history who were receiving only noninterventional pain management. Substance abuse, doctor shopping, and potential diversion were the top three documented reasons for BNUC discharges.Conclusion: In 2011-2012, our pain clinic discharged 1-in-16 patients due to breach in narcotic use contract.
Aerosol radiative effects in the ultraviolet, visible, and near-infrared spectral ranges using long-term aerosol data series over the Iberian Peninsula
Authors: Mateos D. , Antón M. , Toledano C. , Cachorro V. E. , Alados-Arboledas L. , Sorribas M. , Costa M. J. , Baldasano J. M.
Published: December 2014

Abstract. A better understanding of aerosol radiative properties is a crucial challenge for climate change studies. This study aims at providing a complete characterization of aerosol radiative effects in different spectral ranges within the shortwave (SW) solar spectrum. For this purpose, long-term data sets of aerosol properties from six AERONET stations located in the Iberian Peninsula (southwestern Europe) have been analyzed in terms of climatological characterization and inter-annual changes. Aerosol information was used as input for the libRadtran model in order to determine the aerosol radiative effect (ARE) at the surface in the ultraviolet (AREUV), visible (AREVIS), near-infrared (ARENIR), and the entire SW range (ARESW) under cloud-free conditions. Over the whole Iberian Peninsula, yearly aerosol radiative effects in the different spectral ranges were found to be −1.1 < AREUV < −0.7, −5.7 < AREVIS < −3.5, −2.6 < ARENIR < −1.6, and −8.8 < ARESW < −5.7 (in W m−2). Monthly means of ARE showed a seasonal pattern with larger values in spring and summer. The aerosol forcing efficiency (AFE), ARE per unit of aerosol optical depth, has also been evaluated in the four spectral ranges. AFE exhibited a dependence on single scattering albedo as well as a weaker one on the Ångström exponent. AFE is larger (in absolute value) for small and absorbing particles. The contributions of the UV, VIS, and NIR ranges to the SW efficiency varied with the aerosol types. The predominant aerosol size determined the fractions AFEVIS/AFESW and AFENIR/AFESW. The AFEVIS was the dominant contributor for all aerosol types, although non-absorbing large particles caused more even contribution of VIS and NIR intervals. The AFEUV / AFESW ratio showed a higher value in the case of absorbing fine particles.
Influence of CO2 observations on the optimized CO2 flux in an ensemble Kalman filter
Authors: Kim J. , Kim H. M. , Cho C.-H.
Published: December 2014

Abstract. In this study, the effect of CO2 observations on an analysis of surface CO2 flux was calculated using an influence matrix in the CarbonTracker, which is an inverse modeling system for estimating surface CO2 flux based on an ensemble Kalman filter. The influence matrix represents a sensitivity of the analysis to observations. The experimental period was from January 2000 to December 2009. The diagonal element of the influence matrix (i.e., analysis sensitivity) is globally 4.8% on average, which implies that the analysis extracts 4.8% of the information from the observations and 95.2% from the background each assimilation cycle. Because the surface CO2 flux in each week is optimized by 5 weeks of observations, the cumulative impact over 5 weeks is 19.1%, much greater than 4.8%. The analysis sensitivity is inversely proportional to the number of observations used in the assimilation, which is distinctly apparent in continuous observation categories with a sufficient number of observations. The time series of the globally averaged analysis sensitivities shows seasonal variations, with greater sensitivities in summer and lower sensitivities in winter, which is attributed to the surface CO2 flux uncertainty. The time-averaged analysis sensitivities in the Northern Hemisphere are greater than those in the tropics and the Southern Hemisphere. The trace of the influence matrix (i.e., information content) is a measure of the total information extracted from the observations. The information content indicates an imbalance between the observation coverage in North America and that in other regions. Approximately half of the total observational information is provided by continuous observations, mainly from North America, which indicates that continuous observations are the most informative and that comprehensive coverage of additional observations in other regions is necessary to estimate the surface CO2 flux in these areas as accurately as in North America.
A global process-based study of marine CCN trends and variability
Authors: Dunne E. M. , Mikkonen S. , Kokkola H. , Korhonen H.
Published: December 2014

Abstract. Low-level clouds have a strong climate-cooling effect in oceanic regions due to the much lower albedo of the underlying sea surface. Marine clouds typically have low droplet concentrations, making their radiative properties susceptible to changes in cloud condensation nucleus (CCN) concentrations. Here, we use the global aerosol model GLOMAP to investigate the processes that determine variations in marine CCN concentrations, and focus especially on the effects of previously identified wind speed trends in recent decades. Although earlier studies have found a link between linear wind speed trends and CCN concentration, we find that the effects of wind speed trends identified using a dynamic linear model in the Northern Equatorial Pacific (0.56 m s−1 per decade in the period 1990–2004) and the North Atlantic (−0.21 m s−1 per decade) are largely dampened by other processes controlling the CCN concentration, namely nucleation scavenging and transport of continental pollution. A CCN signal from wind speed change is seen only in the most pristine of the studied regions, i.e. over the Southern Ocean, where we simulate 3.4 cm−3 and 0.17 m s−1 increases over the 15-year period in the statistical mean levels of CCN and wind speed, respectively. Our results suggest that future changes in wind-speed-driven aerosol emissions from the oceans can probably have a climate feedback via clouds only in the most pristine regions. On the other hand, a feedback mechanism via changing precipitation patterns and intensities could take place over most oceanic regions, as we have shown that nucleation scavenging has by far the largest absolute effect on CCN concentrations.
Sources and fluxes of organic nitrogen in precipitation over the southern East/Japan Sea: potential impacts on marine productivity
Authors: Yan G. , Kim G.
Published: December 2014

Abstract. We measured total dissolved reactive nitrogen in precipitation samples collected at Uljin, a Korean coastal site upwind of the southern East/Japan Sea (EJS), selected as a representative study site of atmospheric deposition over the northwestern Pacific margin. NO3− was found to be the most abundant nitrogen species, followed by NH4+ and dissolved organic nitrogen (DON). Air mass back trajectory analysis revealed that a significant fraction of the inorganic nitrogen (NO3− and NH4+) originated from mainland Asia, whereas the DON was primarily derived from Korea. Using varimax-rotated factor analysis in combination with major ions as tracers, agricultural activities in Korea were identified as the primary sources of DON in these samples. In addition, a positive correlation was found at Uljin between the size of organic fraction in total reactive nitrogen and nitrogen to carbon atomic ratio in organic matter. This correlation has also been observed at other locations worldwide, implying the utilization potential of atmospheric organic nitrogen might increase with its proportion in total nitrogen. Combining wet deposition measurements in this study with literature values for dry deposition observed at a remote island in the EJS, the total atmospheric depositional flux of reactive nitrogen was estimated to be 115 mmol N m−2 yr−1 over the southern EJS. Our study sheds new light on the potentially significant contribution to primary productivity of the northwestern Pacific Ocean by atmospheric deposition of nitrogen, especially the organic fraction.
Formaldehyde (HCHO) in air, snow and interstitial air at Concordia (East Antarctic plateau) in summer
Authors: Preunkert S. , Legrand M. , Frey M. , Kukui A. , Savarino J. , Gallée H. , King M. , Jourdain B. , Vicars W. , Helmig D.
Published: December 2014

Abstract. During the 2011/12 and 2012/13 austral summers HCHO was investigated for the first time in ambient air, snow, and interstitial air at the Concordia site located near Dome C on the East Antarctic plateau by deploying an Aerolaser AL-4021 analyser. Snow emission fluxes were estimated from vertical gradients of mixing ratios observed between 1 cm and 1 m above the snow surface as well as between interstitial air a few cm below the surface and in air just above the snow-pack. Typical flux values range between 1 to 2 × 1012 molecules m−2 s−1 at night and 3 to 5 × 1012 molecules m−2 s−1 at noon. Shading experiments suggest that the photochemical HCHO production in the snowpack at Concordia remains negligible compared to temperature-driven air–snow exchanges. At 1 m above the snow surface, the observed mean mixing ratio of 130 pptv and its diurnal cycle characterized by a slight decrease around noon are quite well reproduced by 1-D simulations that include snow emissions and gas phase methane oxidation chemistry.
Biomass burning fuel consumption rates: a field measurement database
Authors: van Leeuwen T. T. , van der Werf G. R. , Hoffmann A. A. , Detmers R. G. , Rücker G. , French N. H. F. , Archibald S. , Carvalho Jr. J. A. , Cook G. D. , de Groot W. J. , Hély C. , Kasischke E. S. , Kloster S. , McCarty J. L. , Pettinari M. L. , Savadogo P. , Alvarado E. C. , Boschetti L. , Manuri S. , Meyer C. P. , Siegert F. , Trollope L. A. , Trollope W. S. W.
Published: December 2014

Abstract. Landscape fires show large variability in the amount of biomass or fuel consumed per unit area burned. Fuel consumption (FC) depends on the biomass available to burn and the fraction of the biomass that is actually combusted, and can be combined with estimates of area burned to assess emissions. While burned area can be detected from space and estimates are becoming more reliable due to improved algorithms and sensors, FC is usually modeled or taken selectively from the literature. We compiled the peer-reviewed literature on FC for various biomes and fuel categories to understand FC and its variability better, and to provide a database that can be used to constrain biogeochemical models with fire modules. We compiled in total 77 studies covering 11 biomes including savanna (15 studies, average FC of 4.6 t DM (dry matter) ha−1 with a standard deviation of 2.2), tropical forest (n = 19, FC = 126 ± 77), temperate forest (n = 12, FC = 58 ± 72), boreal forest (n = 16, FC = 35 ± 24), pasture (n = 4, FC = 28 ± 9.3), shifting cultivation (n = 2, FC = 23, with a range of 4.0–43), crop residue (n = 4, FC = 6.5 ± 9.0), chaparral (n = 3, FC = 27 ± 19), tropical peatland (n = 4, FC = 314 ± 196), boreal peatland (n = 2, FC = 42 [42–43]), and tundra (n = 1, FC = 40). Within biomes the regional variability in the number of measurements was sometimes large, with e.g. only three measurement locations in boreal Russia and 35 sites in North America. Substantial regional differences in FC were found within the defined biomes: for example, FC of temperate pine forests in the USA was 37% lower than Australian forests dominated by eucalypt trees. Besides showing the differences between biomes, FC estimates were also grouped into different fuel classes. Our results highlight the large variability in FC, not only between biomes but also within biomes and fuel classes. This implies that substantial uncertainties are associated with using biome-averaged values to represent FC for whole biomes. Comparing the compiled FC values with co-located Global Fire Emissions Database version 3 (GFED3) FC indicates that modeling studies that aim to represent variability in FC also within biomes, still require improvements as they have difficulty in representing the dynamics governing FC.
Processes determining the marine alkalinity and calcium carbonate saturation state distributions
Authors: Carter B. R. , Toggweiler J. R. , Key R. M. , Sarmiento J. L.
Published: December 2014

Abstract. We introduce a composite tracer for the marine system, Alk*, that has a global distribution primarily determined by CaCO3 precipitation and dissolution. Alk* is also affected by riverine alkalinity from dissolved terrestrial carbonate minerals. We estimate that the Arctic receives approximately twice the riverine alkalinity per unit area as the Atlantic, and 8 times that of the other oceans. Riverine inputs broadly elevate Alk* in the Arctic surface and particularly near river mouths. Strong net carbonate precipitation results in low Alk* in subtropical gyres, especially in the Indian and Atlantic oceans. Upwelling of dissolved CaCO3-rich deep water elevates North Pacific and Southern Ocean Alk*. We use the Alk* distribution to estimate the variability of the calcite saturation state resulting from CaCO3 cycling and other processes. We show that regional differences in surface calcite saturation state are due primarily to the effect of temperature differences on CO2 solubility and, to a lesser extent, differences in freshwater content and air–sea disequilibria. The variations in net calcium carbonate cycling revealed by Alk* play a comparatively minor role in determining the calcium carbonate saturation state.
Fossilized bioelectric wire – the trace fossil Trichichnus
Authors: Kędzierski M. , Uchman A. , Sawlowicz Z. , Briguglio A.
Published: December 2014

Abstract. The trace fossil Trichichnus is proposed as an indicator of fossil bioelectric bacterial activity at the interface oxic – anoxic zone of marine sediments. This fulfils the idea that such processes, commonly found in the modern realm, should be also present in the geological past. Trichichnus is an exceptional trace fossil due to its very thin diameter (mostly less than 1 mm) and common pyritic filling. It is ubiquitous in some fine-grained sediments, where it has been interpreted as a burrow formed deeper than any other trace fossils, below the redox boundary. Trichichnus formerly referred to as deeply burrowed invertebrates, has been found as remnant of a fossilized intrasediment bacterial mat that is pyritized. As visualized in 3-D by means of X-ray computed microtomography scanner, Trichichnus forms dense filamentous fabric, which reflects that produced by modern large, mat-forming, sulphide-oxidizing bacteria, belonging mostly to Trichichnus-related taxa, which are able to house a complex bacterial consortium. Several stages of Trichichnus formation, including filamentous, bacterial mat and its pyritization, are proposed to explain an electron exchange between oxic and suboxic/anoxic layers in the sediment. Therefore, Trichichnus can be considered a fossilized "electric wire".
DYPTOP: a cost-efficient TOPMODEL implementation to simulate sub-grid spatio-temporal dynamics of global wetlands and peatlands
Authors: Stocker B. D. , Spahni R. , Joos F.
Published: December 2014

Abstract. Simulating the spatio-temporal dynamics of inundation is key to understanding the role of wetlands under past and future climate change. Earlier modelling studies have mostly relied on fixed prescribed peatland maps and inundation time series of limited temporal coverage. Here, we describe and assess the the Dynamical Peatland Model Based on TOPMODEL (DYPTOP), which predicts the extent of inundation based on a computationally efficient TOPMODEL implementation. This approach rests on an empirical, grid-cell-specific relationship between the mean soil water balance and the flooded area. DYPTOP combines the simulated inundation extent and its temporal persistency with criteria for the ecosystem water balance and the modelled peatland-specific soil carbon balance to predict the global distribution of peatlands. We apply DYPTOP in combination with the LPX-Bern DGVM and benchmark the global-scale distribution, extent, and seasonality of inundation against satellite data. DYPTOP successfully predicts the spatial distribution and extent of wetlands and major boreal and tropical peatland complexes and reveals the governing limitations to peatland occurrence across the globe. Peatlands covering large boreal lowlands are reproduced only when accounting for a positive feedback induced by the enhanced mean soil water holding capacity in peatland-dominated regions. DYPTOP is designed to minimize input data requirements, optimizes computational efficiency and allows for a modular adoption in Earth system models.
A simplified permafrost-carbon model for long-term climate studies with the CLIMBER-2 coupled earth system model
Authors: Crichton K. A. , Roche D. M. , Krinner G. , Chappellaz J.
Published: December 2014

Abstract. We present the development and validation of a simplified permafrost-carbon mechanism for use with the land surface scheme operating in the CLIMBER-2 earth system model. The simplified model estimates the permafrost fraction of each grid cell according to the balance between modelled cold (below 0 °C) and warm (above 0 °C) days in a year. Areas diagnosed as permafrost are assigned a reduction in soil decomposition rate, thus creating a slow accumulating soil carbon pool. In warming climates, permafrost extent reduces and soil decomposition rates increase, resulting in soil carbon release to the atmosphere. Four accumulation/decomposition rate settings are retained for experiments within the CLIMBER-2(P) model, which are tuned to agree with estimates of total land carbon stocks today and at the last glacial maximum. The distribution of this permafrost-carbon pool is in broad agreement with measurement data for soil carbon content. The level of complexity of the permafrost-carbon model is comparable to other components in the CLIMBER-2 earth system model.
MeteoIO 2.4.2: a preprocessing library for meteorological data
Authors: Bavay M. , Egger T.
Published: December 2014

Abstract. Using numerical models which require large meteorological data sets is sometimes difficult and problems can often be traced back to the Input/Output functionality. Complex models are usually developed by the environmental sciences community with a focus on the core modelling issues. As a consequence, the I/O routines that are costly to properly implement are often error-prone, lacking flexibility and robustness. With the increasing use of such models in operational applications, this situation ceases to be simply uncomfortable and becomes a major issue. The MeteoIO library has been designed for the specific needs of numerical models that require meteorological data. The whole task of data preprocessing has been delegated to this library, namely retrieving, filtering and resampling the data if necessary as well as providing spatial interpolations and parameterizations. The focus has been to design an Application Programming Interface (API) that (i) provides a uniform interface to meteorological data in the models, (ii) hides the complexity of the processing taking place, and (iii) guarantees a robust behaviour in the case of format errors, erroneous or missing data. Moreover, in an operational context, this error handling should avoid unnecessary interruptions in the simulation process. A strong emphasis has been put on simplicity and modularity in order to make it extremely easy to support new data formats or protocols and to allow contributors with diverse backgrounds to participate. This library is also regularly evaluated for computing performance and further optimized where necessary. Finally, it is released under an Open Source license and is available at http://models.slf.ch/p/meteoio. This paper gives an overview of the MeteoIO library from the point of view of conceptual design, architecture, features and computational performance. A scientific evaluation of the produced results is not given here since the scientific algorithms that are used have already been published elsewhere.
Assessment of surface water resources availability using catchment modelling and the results of tracer studies in the mesoscale Migina Catchment, Rwanda
Authors: Munyaneza O. , Mukubwa A. , Maskey S. , Uhlenbrook S. , Wenninger J.
Published: December 2014

Abstract. In the present study, we developed a catchment hydrological model which can be used to inform water resources planning and decision making for better management of the Migina Catchment (257.4 km2). The semi-distributed hydrological model HEC-HMS (Hydrologic Engineering Center – the Hydrologic Modelling System) (version 3.5) was used with its soil moisture accounting, unit hydrograph, liner reservoir (for baseflow) and Muskingum–Cunge (river routing) methods. We used rainfall data from 12 stations and streamflow data from 5 stations, which were collected as part of this study over a period of 2 years (May 2009 and June 2011). The catchment was divided into five sub-catchments. The model parameters were calibrated separately for each sub-catchment using the observed streamflow data. Calibration results obtained were found acceptable at four stations with a Nash–Sutcliffe model efficiency index (NS) of 0.65 on daily runoff at the catchment outlet. Due to the lack of sufficient and reliable data for longer periods, a model validation was not undertaken. However, we used results from tracer-based hydrograph separation from a previous study to compare our model results in terms of the runoff components. The model performed reasonably well in simulating the total flow volume, peak flow and timing as well as the portion of direct runoff and baseflow. We observed considerable disparities in the parameters (e.g. groundwater storage) and runoff components across the five sub-catchments, which provided insights into the different hydrological processes on a sub-catchment scale. We conclude that such disparities justify the need to consider catchment subdivisions if such parameters and components of the water cycle are to form the base for decision making in water resources planning in the catchment.
Climate change and sectors of the surface water cycle In CMIP5 projections
Authors: Dirmeyer P. A. , Fang G. , Wang Z. , Yadav P. , Milton A.
Published: December 2014

Abstract. Results from 10 global climate change models are synthesized to investigate changes in extremes, defined as wettest and driest deciles in precipitation, soil moisture and runoff based on each model's historical 20th century simulated climatology. Under a moderate warming scenario, regional increases in drought frequency are found with little increase in floods. For more severe warming, both drought and flood become much more prevalent, with nearly the entire globe significantly affected. Soil moisture changes tend toward drying, while runoff trends toward flood. To determine how different sectors of society dependent on various components of the surface water cycle may be affected, changes in monthly means and interannual variability are compared to data sets of crop distribution and river basin boundaries. For precipitation, changes in interannual variability can be important even when there is little change in the long-term mean. Over 20% of the globe is projected to experience a combination of reduced precipitation and increased variability under severe warming. There are large differences in the vulnerability of different types of crops, depending on their spatial distributions. Increases in soil moisture variability are again found to be a threat even where soil moisture is not projected to decrease. The combination of increased variability and greater annual discharge over many basins portends increased risk of river flooding, although a number of basins are projected to suffer surface water shortages.
Imperfect scaling in distributions of radar-derived rainfall fields
Authors: van den Berg M. J. , Delobbe L. , Verhoest N. E. C.
Published: December 2014

Abstract. Fine-scale rainfall observations for modelling exercises are often not available, but rather coarser data derived from a variety of sources are used. Effectively using these data sources in models often requires the probability distribution of the data at the applicable scale. Although numerous models for scaling distributions exist, these are often based on theoretical developments, rather than on data. In this study, we develop a model based on the α-stable distribution of rainfall fields, and tested on 5 min radar data from a Belgian weather radar. We use these data to estimate functions that describe parameters of the distribution over various scales. Moreover, we study how the mean of the distribution and the intermittency change with scale, and validate and design functions to describe the shape parameter of the distribution. This information was combined into an effective model of the distribution.
Identification of catchment functional units by time series of thermal remote sensing images
Authors: Müller B. , Bernhardt M. , Schulz K.
Published: December 2014

Abstract. The identification of catchment functional behavior with regards to water and energy balance is an important step during the parameterization of land surface models. An approach based on time series of thermal infrared (TIR) data from remote sensing is developed and investigated to identify land surface functioning as is represented in the temporal dynamics of land surface temperature (LST). For the mesoscale Attert catchment in midwestern Luxembourg, a time series of 28 TIR images from ASTER (Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer) was extracted and analyzed, applying a novel process chain. First, the application of mathematical–statistical pattern analysis techniques demonstrated a strong degree of pattern persistency in the data. Dominant LST patterns over a period of 12 years were then extracted by a principal component analysis. Component values of the two most dominant components could be related for each land surface pixel to land use data and geology, respectively. The application of a data condensation technique ("binary words") extracting distinct differences in the LST dynamics allowed the separation into landscape units that show similar behavior under radiation-driven conditions. It is further outlined that both information component values from principal component analysis (PCA), as well as the functional units from the binary words classification, will highly improve the conceptualization and parameterization of land surface models and the planning of observational networks within a catchment.
Technical Note: A fully automated purge and trap-GC-MS system for quantification of volatile organic compound (VOC) fluxes between the ocean and atmosphere
Authors: Andrews S. J. , Hackenberg S. C. , Carpenter L. J.
Published: December 2014

Abstract. The oceans are a key source of a number of atmospherically important volatile gases. The accurate and robust determination of trace gases in seawater is a significant analytical challenge, requiring reproducible and ideally automated sample handling, a high efficiency of seawater–air transfer, removal of water vapour from the sample stream, and high sensitivity and selectivity of the analysis. Here we describe a system that was developed for the fully automated analysis of dissolved very short-lived halogenated species (VSLS) sampled from an under-way seawater supply. The system can also be used for semi-automated batch sampling from Niskin bottles filled during CTD (Conductivity, Temperature, Depth) profiles. The essential components comprise of a bespoke, automated purge and trap (AutoP & T) unit coupled to a commercial thermal desorption and gas chromatograph–mass spectrometer (TD-GC-MS). The AutoP & T system has completed five research cruises, from the tropics to the poles, and collected over 2500 oceanic samples to date. It is able to quantify >25 species over a boiling point range of 34–180 °C with Henry's Law coefficients of 0.018 and greater (CH2I2, kHcc dimensionless gas/aqueous) and has been used to measure organic sulfurs, hydrocarbons, halocarbons and terpenes. In the east tropical Pacific, the high sensitivity and sampling frequency provided new information regarding the distribution of VSLS, including novel measurements of a photolytically driven diurnal cycle of CH2I2 within the surface ocean water.
Evaluation of soil fertility in the succession of karst rocky desertification using principal component analysis
Authors: Xie L. W. , Zhong J. , Cao F. X. , Li J. J. , Wu L. C.
Published: December 2014

Abstract. Expanding of karst rocky desertification (RD) area in southwestern China has led to destructed ecosystem and local economic development lagging behind. It is important to understand the soil fertility at RD regions for the sustainable management of karst lands. The effects of the succession of RD on soil fertility were studied by investigating the stands and analyzing the soil samples with different RD grades in the central Hunan province, China, using the principal component analysis method. The results showed that the succession of RD had different impacts on soil fertility indicators. The changing trend of total organic carbon (TOC), total nitrogen (TN), available phosphorous (AP), microbial biomass carbon (MBC), and microbial biomass nitrogen (MBN) out of 19 selected indicators in different RD regions was: potential RD (PRD) > light RD (LRD) > moderate RD (MRD) > intensive RD (IRD), whereas the changing trend of other indicators was not entirely consistent with the succession of RD. The degradation trend of soil fertility was basically parallel to the aggravation of RD, and the strength of integrated soil fertility was in the order of PRD > MRD > LRD > IRD. The TOC, total phosphorus (TP), cation exchange capacity (CEC), MBC, MBN, microbial mass phosphorous (MBP), and bulk density (BD) could be regarded as the key indicators to evaluate the soil fertility due to their close correlations to the integrated fertility.
Co, Cr and Ni contents in soils and plants from a serpentinite quarry
Authors: Lago-Vila M. , Arenas-Lago D. , Rodríguez-Seijo A. , Andrade Couce M. L. , Vega F. A.
Published: December 2014

Abstract. Several soils developed on the former serpentinite quarry of Penas Albas (Moeche, Galicia, NW Spain) were studied, together with the vegetation growing spontaneously over them. The aim of this work was to identify the bioavailability of heavy metals and to evaluate the potential of spontaneous vegetation for the phytoremediation and/or phytostabilisation of these areas. The pH of the soils ranges from neutral to basic, with very low organic matter and nitrogen contents. There are imbalances between exchangeable cations that can strongly limit plant production. Moreover, in all of the soils there are high levels of Co, Cr and Ni (> 70, > 1500, and > 1325 mg kg-1, respectively). They exceed the intervention limits indicated in different guides. Different soil extractions were performed in order to evaluate bioavailability. CaCl2 0.01 M is the most effective extraction reagent, although the reagent that best predicts plant availability is the mixture of low molecular weight organic acids. Festuca rubra, L. is the spontaneous plant growing in the soils that accumulates the highest amount of the metals, both in shoot and roots. Festuca also has the highest translocation factor values, although they are only > 1 for Cr. The bioconcentration factor is > 1 in all of the cases, except in the shoot of Juncus sp. for Co and Ni. The results indicate that Festuca is a phytostabilizer of Co and Ni and an accumulator of Cr, while Juncus sp. is suitable for phytostabilization. Both of the studied species contribute towards the phytostabilisation of the soils and their recovery, improving their characteristics and making it possible to start planting other species.
The Impact of Credit Policy on the Performance of Nigerian Commercial Banks
Authors: D. Ayodele Thomas , Alabi Raphael O.
Published: December 2014

The major financial intermediary in any economy is the bank. As financial intermediaries, banks provide means by which funds can be transferred from the surplus unit of the economy to the deficit unit. This role is performed primarily through the acceptance of deposits of different categories and characteristics for onward lending to the numerous customers by way of loans and credits. The study tries to access the impact of credit policy on the performance of Nigerian Commercial Banks using Zenith Bank Plc as case study. Primary data were collected through questionnaires served on sixty (60) respondents (staff: 32 and customer: 28) of the bank. The questionnaires were analysed with the use of chi-square (X2). The findings from the study show that having a good credit policy in place goes a long way in minimizing the incidence of bad debts. It was also discovered that prudent credit assessment and disbursement, dynamic credit monitoring and decisive actions when there are warning signals, have all helped the bank to maintain a high quality of assets and a high level of profitability.
Total Laparoscopic Hysterectomy: Overtreatment for Misdiagnosed Organic cause or Undertreatment for Idiopathic Chronic Pelvic Pain?
Authors: Gizzo Salvatore , Leggieri Concetta , Conte Lorena , Luisi Stefano , Zupi Errico , Saccardi Carlo , Litta Pietro
Published: December 2014

Background

Chronic pelvic pain (CPP) is considered a symptom but also a syndrome with misunderstood pathophysiology and treatment options ranging from conservative management to opioid analgesia and surgical intervention. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of gynecological surgery in modifying presurgical pain status and reducing the postoperative analgesic use of patients suffering CPP. The second aim of the study was to analyze intraoperative and histological differences in patients who benefited from surgery versus those without benefit.

Methods

An observational study was conducted in 16 fertile women affected by CPP, treated by total laparoscopic hysterectomy (TLH) to solve their pelvic pain. In 7 cases, undetected pelvic endometriosis was found.

Results

A complete resolution of pre-operative pain symptoms (score 0) occurred in 9 patients (56.2%), an occasional pelvic discomfort (score 1) in 2 cases (12.5%), 2 patients reported minimal benefit of pelvic pain (score 2), while in 3 cases, severe pain persisted (score 3). The correlation between intraoperative/histological features and reported symptoms after surgery showed that 7 of 9 patients (77.7%) who benefited from surgery were affected by an organic cause; while 5 women with minimal or no benefits from the surgery did not have any organic disease (idiopathic CPP).

Conclusions

If conservative treatment fails to treat CPP, investigative laparoscopy represents a necessary step to discriminate patients with misdiagnosed organic from idiopathic CPP, selecting those who will potentially benefit from hysterectomy. The role of concomitant appendectomy needs to be defined in surgical treatment of idiopathic CPP.
Valuing Natural and Non-Natural Attributes for a National Forest Park Using a Choice Experiment Method
Authors: Wang Erda , Wei Jianhua , Lu Huiyuan
Published: December 2014

With demand increasing for nature-based tourism, forest park authorities and site managers need to understand the trade-off between the level of natural wilderness protection and the visitor experience. The authors use a choice experiment to examine which kind of development profiles are worth considering and which paths not to follow. They focus on the mixed attributes of natural resources and historical relics, and the management services provided by Lushunkou National Forest Park in China, which is a popular recreation site attracting a large number of visitors annually. The results indicate that the expected number of visitors to the park is the most important characteristic for visitors. However, a large increase or decrease in the number of visitors causes visitors' welfare losses. Additionally, increasing the protection of the cultural and historical relics on the site is the second most highly valued feature for its visitors. Thus, the results show that the protection of forest wilderness and the recreational use of national parks can cause conflicting welfare effects if managed in inappropriate ways.
USO DO GRUPO OPERATIVO NA ATENÇÃO EM SAÚDE: REVISÃO INTEGRATIVA
Authors: Lucchese Roselma , Vera Ivania , Benício Patrícia Rosa , Silva Aline De Fátima da , Munari Denize Boutellet , Fortuna Cinira Magali
Published: December 2014

O objetivo deste estudo foi identificar como o Grupo Operativo tem sido utilizado na área de saúdee quais as evidências de seu uso na literatura científica. Foi realizada revisão integrativa, nas bases : LiteraturaLatino-Americana e do Caribe em Ciências da Saúde (LILACS), Medical Literature Analysis and Retrietal SystenOn-Line (MEDLINE) e National Library of Medicine na base PUBMED. Selecionaram-se artigos publicados de2002 a julho de 2014 que abordassem o Grupo Operativo proposto por Pichon-Rivière. Foram encontrados23 artigos discutidos nas categorias : Grupo Operativo na Atenção à Saúde das Pessoas; Grupo Operativo noProcesso Ensino-Aprendizagem do Profissional; Uso do Grupo Operativo na Gestão de Serviços em Saúde;Grupo Operativo na Pesquisa em Saúde. O Grupo Operativo é adotado na atenção à saúde em doençascrônicas, pesquisa, gestão e formação de trabalhadores de saúde. Conclui-se que essa ferramenta é relevantepara o cuidado e que são necessárias pesquisas com outros delineamentos metodológicos.
HÁBITOS ALIMENTARES, DE ATIVIDADE FÍSICA E ESTADO NUTRICIONAL DE CUIDADORES DE CRIANÇAS E ADOLESCENTES COM EXCESSO DE PESO
Authors: Mariz Larissa Soares , Muniz Medeiros Carla Campos , Enders Bertha Cruz , Lira Ana Luisa Brandão de Carvalho , Vitor Allyne Fortes , Kluczynik Vieira Caroline Evelin Nascimento
Published: December 2014

O objetivo deste estudo foi analisar o estado nutricional e hábitos alimentares e de atividade físicade cuidadores de crianças e adolescentes com excesso de peso em acompanhamento multidisciplinar. Estudoexploratório, descritivo, transversal e abordagem quantitativa com amostra de 109 cuidadores de crianças eadolescentes em atendimento no Centro de Obesidade Infantil, Campina Grande, Paraíba, Brasil. Aplicou-sequestionário estruturado entre fevereiro e abril de 2011. Os resultados evidenciaram 74,3% dos responsáveis comexcesso de peso. A prática de atividade física foi considerada, em sua maioria, de forma imprópria e a alimentaçãoclassificada como regular. O hábito de comer frituras, biscoito e massas foi considerado ruim. Percebeu-se queos hábitos alimentares e de atividade física foram identificados como inadequados. O estado nutricional e aspráticas alimentares e de atividade física podem refletir no estado nutricional das crianças e adolescentes emtratamento, por isso sugere-se que o atendimento de enfermagem envolva cuidadores e familiares.
SISTEMA DE INFORMAÇÃO EM SAÚDE: GESTÃO E ASSISTÊNCIA NO SISTEMA ÚNICO DE SAÚDE
Authors: Ribeiro Sérgio , Araújo Jocelly , Mendes Egillane Madza , Almeida Elanne Meire , Costa Juliana
Published: December 2014

O presente estudo objetiva investigar pesquisas realizadas sobre o sistema de informação emsaúde utilizado pelo Sistema Único de Saúde e apontar as dificuldades de sua aplicabilidade. Trata-se de umarevisão integrativa efetuada por meio de uma busca bibliográfica online das produções científicas, no períodode 2009 a 2013. Os artigos que compuseram o corpus de análise evidenciam a necessidade de desenvolversistemas disponíveis para acesso e uso ao público, com ferramentas que possam oferecer dados consistentesque contribuam para otimizar a gestão assistencial prestada pelo Sistema Único de Saúde.
PERFIL SOCIOECONÔMICO E DEMOGRÁFICO DE IDOSOS LONGEVOS USUÁRIOS DE UMA UNIDADE BÁSICA DE SAÚDE
Authors: Freitas Letice Pereira de , Lenardt Maria Helena , Michel Tatiane , Carneiro Nathalia Hammerschmidt Kolb
Published: December 2014

Trata-se de estudo quantitativo de corte transversal, cujo objetivo foi descrever o perfil socioeconômicoe demográfico dos idosos longevos, usuários de uma Unidade Básica de Saúde, na cidade de Curitiba, Estadodo Paraná, Brasil. Participaram do estudo 100 idosos de 80 anos ou mais, selecionados mediante critérios deinclusão e exclusão, no período amostral de fevereiro a abril de 2011. Os dados foram coletados por meio dequestionário semiestruturado e analisados por estatística descritiva Os resultados apontaram maior número demulheres brancas, viúvas, com idade entre 80 e 84 anos, renda familiar de um salário mínimo, sem ocupaçãoprofissional, que coabitam com filhos ou sozinhas. As características evidenciadas no perfil socioeconômicoe demográfico do longevo podem comprometer a saúde e o bem viver deles. Urge que haja intensificação deprogramas e ações de cuidado gerontológico que visem à velhice socialmente inserida.
ORIENTAÇÃO DE ENFERMAGEM PARA A ALTA HOSPITALAR DO PACIENTE NEOPLÁSICO
Authors: Cruz Ieda Maria Leal da , Mantovani Maria de Fátima
Published: December 2014

Estudo do tipo metodológico que objetivou elaborar orientações sistematizadas de enfermagempara alta hospitalar do paciente neoplásico. O modelo proposto para as orientações fundamentou-se naTeoria das Necessidades Humanas Básicas de Horta. Participaram 20 pacientes adultos com diagnósticode câncer, em pronto atendimento de hospital de ensino em Curitiba, Paraná, no período de março a maiode 2013. Os dados foram coletados mediante entrevista semiestruturada e, a partir de análise de conteúdo,emergiram as categorias psicobiológicas, psicossociais e psicoespirituais, as quais subsidiaram a construçãode 10 orientações sistematizadas. Conclui-se que materiais educativos possibilitam ao enfermeiro, dentreoutros benefícios, identificar as reais necessidades dos pacientes, avaliar a compreensão de orientações decuidados e, consequentemente, contribuir para a continuidade do tratamento em domicílio.
DIABETES MELITO GESTACIONAL E AS IMPLICAÇÕES PARA O CUIDADO DE ENFERMAGEM NO PRÉ-NATAL
Authors: Schmalfuss Joice Moreira , Prates Lisie Alende , De Azevedo Melissa , Schneider Vânia
Published: December 2014

Trata-se de uma revisão integrativa da literatura que objetivou identificar os cuidados de enfermagemprestados às mulheres com diabetes melito gestacional durante a atenção pré-natal, evidenciados na literaturacientífica, entre os anos de 2004 e 2013. A coleta de dados foi realizada nas bases de dados LILACS e BDENF,utilizando os descritores “diabetes gestacional”, “cuidado pré-natal” e “enfermagem”. Foram selecionadas setepublicações. Evidenciou-se a existência de lacunas na atenção prestada às mulheres com diabetes gestacionale a importância do papel desempenhando pelo enfermeiro no contexto de cuidado da gestante, favorecendo aprática do autocuidado. O número restrito de publicações sobre a temática indica a necessidade de investimentoem produções voltadas para esse segmento populacional.