bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Anisotropy of Longwave Radiation Emergent from a Broken Cloud Field and its Effect on Satellite Estimates of Flux
Authors: Duvel J. P. , Kandel R. S.
Published: March 2011

Simple geometric considerations suggest that in the same way as broken cloud cover appears practically total near a ground observer's horizon, the anisotropy of the longwave radiation emitted to space from an area of broken cloud should be substantially enhanced.

Using a simple model consisting of parallel bands of “black” clouds of rectangular cross section, imbedded in an otherwise horizontally homogeneous vertically stratified atmosphere, we evaluate the longwave radiance emergent in different directions, averaged over the cloud pattern, and find this expectation to be confirmed in a wide range of cases. At large zenith angles, the emergent radiance can exhibit considerable dependence on azimuth, relative to the direction of the band structure. Although such azimuthal dependence practically disappears for many 3-dimensional broken cloud fields (e.g., hexagonal cells), the enhanced zenith angle dependence remains. This can be a source of bias in cloud extractions or Earth radiation budget determinations based on geostationary satellite data, since zenith angle is directly related to geographical location of the point under observation.

With our model cloud arrays, and considering radiative transfer in the atmosphere, we have evaluated the bias in the broad-band longwave (3–100 μm) radiant exitance values derived, assuming horizontal homogeneity, from either broad-band or narrow-band (10.5–12.5 μm) radiance data. We find that the bias for near-nadir observations can be as large as 20% (40 W m−2) in extreme cases involving bands of opaque high-level cloud over warm ground. It may remain substantial in situations which are encountered in nature. We examine the dependence of the broken cloud effects on the geometrical parameters of the field.

We discuss how such effects might be detected and how they can influence determinations of Earth radiation budget components and of cloud cover. We note that “brokenness” will be a factor in cloud-radiation feedback.
A Comparison of NMC and GWC Analysis Field Temperatures with Aircraft Measurements
Authors: Jasperson William H. , Nastrom Gregory D.
Published: March 2011

Comparison between in situ aircraft observations of temperature and National Meteorological Center and Global Weather Central analysis fields of temperature is presented for a continental and oceanic flight route. The standard deviations of the temperature differences over several hundred flights are found to be 2.5 and 3.5°C for the continental and oceanic route, respectively. A bias towards warm temperatures of about 0.85°C for the analysis fields was found for the oceanic route. Only small differences are found between the NMC and GWC analysis field temperatures.
Strategies for Assessing Skill and Significance of Screening Regression Models with Emphasis on Monte Carlo Techniques
Authors: Lanzante John R.
Published: March 2011

This paper reviews the considerations in evaluating the skill and significance of screening multiple linear regression (SMLR) models. Formulations and procedures are given along with relevant references to prior studies. Topics discussed include predictor selection, serial correlation, artificial skill, true skill, and Monte Carlo significance testing. New results with wide applicability in the assessment of SMLR model skill and significance are presented in graphical form. However, the results are restricted to situations involving predictors which are independent of one another and are serially uncorrelated. The methodology presented is suggested for use in both model evaluation and experimental design.
Reply
Authors: Cooney J.
Published: March 2011

No abstract available.
Comment on “The Florida Area Cumulus Experiment's Second Phase (FACE-2) Part II: Replicated and Confirmatory Analyses”
Authors: Smith Paul L. , Miller James R.
Published: March 2011

No abstract available.
On the Nature of the Nonexistence of Ordinal Relationships between Measures of the Accuracy and Value of Probability Forecasts : An Example
Authors: Murphy Allan H. , Thompson Jack C.
Published: March 2011

t has been shown previously that ordinal relationships between measures of the accuracy and value ofprobability forecasts do not exist, in general, in N-state (N > 2) situations. Some implications of this resultare illustrated by comparing the accuracy and value of such forecasts in a realistic decision-making situation-a three-action, three-state situation involving the protection of a fruit orchard against frosts and freezes.Geometrical interpretations of the forecasts and measures are described and then used to investigate the existence of ordinal relationships in this so-called fruit-frost situation. The results indicate, as expected, thatan increase in forecast accuracy can lead to a decrease in forecast value. Some generalizations and speculations related to the existence and nonexistence of such ordinal relationships are presented.
Real-Time Wind Measurement in Extratropical Cyclones by Means of Doppler Radar
Authors: Baynton H. W. , Serafin R. J. , Frush C. L. , Gray G. R. , Hobbs P. V. , Houze R. A. , Locatelli J. D.
Published: March 2011

Color displays of the velocities of precipitation particles detected with a C-band Doppler radar in wide-spread cyclonic storms provide a variety of real-time information on the atmospheric wind field.Vertical profiles of wind speed and direction indicated by the real-time color displays agree well withrawinsonde measurements. Veering winds (or warm advection) produce a striking S-shaped pattern onthe color display and backing winds (or cold advection) produce a backward S. A maximum in the verticalprofile of wind speed is indicated by a pair of concentric colored rings, one upwind and one downwind ofthe radar. Vertically sloping velocity maxima are indicated by asymmetries in the color displays, as areconfluent and difluent winds. Divergence and convergence computed from the real-time color displays areof reasonable magnitude.
Radar-Derived Statistics on the Structure of Precipitation Patterns
Authors: Drufuca G.
Published: March 2011

A large sample of low-elevation weather radar data has been analyzed to give information about the spatialstructure of precipitation patterns. The quantities considered are rainfall rate distributions as a functionof the area mean and maximum rates, joint rainfall rate distributions for pairs of points and the cellularstructure of the patterns.
The Design and Use of Sensitive Pressure-Jump Sensors to Detect Thunderstorm Gust Fronts. Part I : Pressure- Jump Detector Design
Authors: Bedard A. J. , Meade H. B.
Published: March 2011

We outline the known properties of atmospheric pressure jumps, including rise-time and pressure-amplitude statistics, and we indicate how these statistics guide the choice of pressure-jump detector components.We review design considerations and test procedures and discuss the practical constraints of inside and outside installations of such detectors. Our tentative conclusion is that a pressure switch with a threshold of 0.5mb, used with a high-pass filter with about a 3 min time constant, can detect sudden pressure increases reliably. The final choice of components and the evaluation of the sensor for thunderstorm gust-front detectionwill depend upon the accumulation of operating experience under well-defined meteorological conditions.
Reply
Authors: Sheih C. M.
Published: March 2011

No abstract available.
CLOUD BURSTS
Authors: BROECK H. H. TEN
Published: March 2011

No Abstract Available.
THE RED RIVER FLOOD OF NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER, 1902
Authors: CRONK J. W.
Published: March 2011

No Abstract Available.
STUDIES AMONG THE SNOW CRYSTALS DURING THE WINTER OF 1901–2, WITH ADDITIONAL DATA COLLECTED DURING PREVIOUS WINTERS
Authors: BENTLEY WILSON A.
Published: March 2011

No Abstract Available.
CLIMATOLOGY OF COSTA RICA
Authors: PITTIER H.
Published: March 2011

No Abstract Available.
ABSTRACTS OF RUSSIAN METEOROLOGICAL MEMOIRS
Authors: VOEIKOV ALEXANDER
Published: March 2011

No Abstract Available.
TIDES OF THE SOLID EARTH, OBSERVED BY DOCTOR HECKER.1
Authors: FARIS R. L.
Published: March 2011

No Abstract Available.
WEATHER BUREAU MEN AS UNIVERSITY STUDENTS
Authors: HOOPER JOHN K.
Published: March 2011

No Abstract Available.
AN ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY OF EVAPORATION1
Authors: LIVINGSTON GRACE J.
Published: March 2011

No Abstract Available.
EARLY METEOROLOGY AT HARVARD COLLEGE. 2.
Authors: VARNEY B. M.
Published: March 2011

No Abstract Available.
TORNADO NEAR DAVENPORT, IOWA, ON NOVEMBER
Authors: SHERIER J. M.
Published: March 2011

No Abstract Available.
WATER RESOURCES IN OREGON AND THEIR DEVELOPMENT
Authors: WHISTLER JOHN T.
Published: March 2011

No Abstract Available.
DISTRICT No. 7. LOWER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY
Authors: CLINE ISAAC M.
Published: March 2011

No Abstract Available.
DISTRICT No. 8, TEXAS AND RIO GRANDE VALLEY
Authors: BUNNEMEYER B.
Published: March 2011

No Abstract Available.
THE WEATHER AND CIRCULATION OF FEBRUARY 19521
Authors: WINSTON JAY S.
Published: March 2011

No Abstract Available.
THE NATURE OF GROWING SEASON FROSTS IN AND ALONG THE PLATTE VALLEY OF NEBRASKA1
Authors: ROSENBERG NORMAN J. , MYERS RICHARD E.
Published: March 2011

Historical frost events (minimum shelter temperature ≤32° F.) were studied at 10 locations within and adjacent to the Platte Valley of Nebraska and the cause of these frosts was determined with the aid of synoptic maps. Frost series based upon last spring or first fall advection or radiation are defined and found to be random and normally distributed. The “potential growing season”, defined as the interval between last spring and first fall advection frosts, is found to be from 15 to 32 days longer than the “growing season” defined by the interval from last spring to first fall occurrences of minimum shelter temperature of 32° F. or below. The numbers of annual spring and fall radiation frosts and the number of days between last two spring and first two fall radiation frosts are presented to permit estimates of the practicality of frost protection for specialized crops in the area of study.
The Weather and Circulation of September 1962
Authors: O'CONNOR JAMES F.
Published: March 2011

No Abstract Available.
Sensitivity of Hadley Circulation to Physical Parameters and Resolution through Changing Upper-Tropospheric Ice Clouds Using a Global Cloud-System Resolving Model
Authors: Iga Shin-ichi , Tomita Hirofumi , Tsushima Yoko , Satoh Masaki
Published: March 2011

The relationship between upper-tropospheric ice cloud properties and the Hadley circulation intensity is examined through parameter sensitivity studies of global cloud-system-resolving simulations with explicit cloud convection. Experiments under a perpetual July condition were performed by changing parameters in the boundary layer and cloud microphysics schemes, with a mesh size of approximately 14 km. One additional experiment with a mesh size of approximately 7 km was also conducted. These experiments produced a variety of upper-cloud coverage and outgoing longwave radiation (OLR) distributions. The authors found that, as the upper-cloud coverage increased, the total precipitation decreased and the intensity of the Hadley circulation weakened because of energy balance constraints that radiative cooling are balanced by adiabatic warming. Interestingly, the ice water path was not correlated with the upper ice-loud coverage or OLR, indicating that the spatial coverage of upper ice clouds, rather than the ice water content, was the key factor in the radiation budget.
Forcing of the Indian Ocean Dipole on the Interannual Variations of the Tropical Pacific Ocean: Roles of the Indonesian Throughflow
Authors: Yuan Dongliang , Wang Jing , Xu Tengfei , Xu Peng , Hui Zhou , Zhao Xia , Luan Yihua , Zheng Weipeng , Yu Yongqiang
Published: March 2011

Controlled numerical experiments using ocean-only and ocean–atmosphere coupled general circulation models show that interannual sea level depression in the eastern Indian Ocean during the Indian Ocean dipole (IOD) events forces enhanced Indonesian Throughflow (ITF) to transport warm water from the upper-equatorial Pacific Ocean to the Indian Ocean. The enhanced transport produces elevation of the thermocline and cold subsurface temperature anomalies in the western equatorial Pacific Ocean, which propagate to the eastern equatorial Pacific to induce significant coupled evolution of the tropical Pacific oceanic and atmospheric circulation. Analyses suggest that the IOD-forced ITF transport anomalies are about the same amplitudes as those induced by the Pacific ENSO. Results of the coupled model experiments suggest that the anomalies induced by the IOD persist in the equatorial Pacific until the year following the IOD event, suggesting the importance of the oceanic channel in modulating the interannual climate variations of the tropical Pacific Ocean at the time lag beyond one year.
A New Method for the Comparison of Trend Data with an Application to Water Vapor
Authors: Mieruch Sebastian , Noël Stefan , Reuter Maximilian , Bovensmann Heinrich , Burrows John P. , Schröder Marc , Schulz Jörg
Published: March 2011

Global total column water vapor trends have been derived from both the Global Ozone Monitoring Experiment (GOME) and the Scanning Imaging Absorption Spectrometer for Atmospheric Chartography (SCIAMACHY) satellite data and from globally distributed radiosonde measurements, archived and quality controlled by the Deutscher Wetterdienst (DWD).

The control of atmospheric water vapor amount by the hydrological cycle plays an important role in determining surface temperature and its response to the increase in man-made greenhouse effect. As a result of its strong infrared absorption, water vapor is the most important naturally occurring greenhouse gas. Without water vapor, the earth surface temperature would be about 20 K lower, making the evolution of life, as we know it, impossible. The monitoring of water vapor and its evolution in time is therefore of utmost importance for our understanding of global climate change. Comparisons of trends derived from independent water vapor measurements from satellite and radiosondes facilitate the assessment of the significance of the observed changes in water vapor.

In this manuscript, the authors have compared observed water vapor change and trends, derived from independent instruments, and assessed the statistical significance of their differences. This study deals with an example of the Behrens–Fisher problem, namely, the comparison of samples with different means and different standard deviations, applied to trends from time series.

Initially the Behrens–Fisher problem for the derivation of the consolidated change and trends is solved using standard (frequentist) hypothesis testing by performing the Welch test. Second, a Bayesian model selection is applied to solve the Behrens–Fisher problem by integrating the posterior probabilities numerically by using the algorithm Differential Evolution Markov Chain (DEMC). Additionally, an analytical approximative solution of the Bayesian posterior probabilities is derived by means of a quadratic Taylor series expansion applied in a computationally efficient manner to large datasets. The two statistical methods used in the study yield similar results for the comparison of the water vapor changes and trends from the different measurements, yielding a consolidated and consistent behavior.
An Assessment of Precipitation Changes over Antarctica and the Southern Ocean since 1989 in Contemporary Global Reanalyses*
Authors: Bromwich David H. , Nicolas Julien P. , Monaghan Andrew J.
Published: March 2011

This study evaluates the temporal variability of the Antarctic surface mass balance, approximated as precipitation minus evaporation (P − E), and Southern Ocean precipitation in five global reanalyses during 1989–2009. The datasets consist of the NCEP/U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Atmospheric Model Intercomparison Project 2 reanalysis (NCEP-2), the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) 25-year Reanalysis (JRA-25), ECMWF Interim Re-Analysis (ERA-Interim), NASA Modern Era Retrospective-Analysis for Research and Application (MERRA), and the Climate Forecast System Reanalysis (CFSR). Reanalyses are known to be prone to spurious trends and inhomogeneities caused by changes in the observing system, especially in the data-sparse high southern latitudes. The period of study has seen a dramatic increase in the amount of satellite observations used for data assimilation.

The large positive and statistically significant trends in mean Antarctic P − E and mean Southern Ocean precipitation in NCEP-2, JRA-25, and MERRA are found to be largely spurious. The origin of these artifacts varies between reanalyses. Notably, a precipitation jump in MERRA in the late 1990s coincides with the start of the assimilation of radiances from the Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit (AMSU). ERA-Interim and CFSR do not exhibit any significant trends. However, the potential impact of the assimilation of rain-affected radiances in ERA-Interim and inhomogeneities in CFSR pressure fields over Antarctica cast some doubt on the reliability of these two datasets.

The authors conclude that ERA-Interim likely offers the most realistic depiction of precipitation changes in high southern latitudes during 1989–2009. The range of the trends in Antarctic P − E among the reanalyses is equivalent to 1 mm of sea level over 21 years, which highlights the improvements still needed in reanalysis simulations to better assess the contribution of Antarctica to sea level rise. Finally, this work argues for continuing cautious use of reanalysis datasets for climate change assessment.
Calculating Estuarine Exchange Flow Using Isohaline Coordinates*
Authors: MacCready Parker
Published: March 2011

A method for calculating subtidal estuarine exchange flow using an isohaline framework is described, and the results are compared with those of the more commonly used Eulerian method of salt flux decomposition. Concepts are explored using a realistic numerical simulation of the Columbia River estuary. The isohaline method is found to be advantageous because it intrinsically highlights the salinity classes in which subtidal volume flux occurs. The resulting expressions give rise to an exact formulation of the time-dependent Knudsen relation and may be used in calculation of the saltwater residence time. The volume flux of the landward transport, which can be calculated precisely using the isohaline framework, is of particular importance for problems in which the saltwater residence time is critical.
Life Is Not a Dream: the Importance of Being Real
Authors: Oliner Marion M.
Published: March 2011

This paper explores the value attached to “being real,” how it is used in various contexts, and how this value persists outside the purview of reality testing or other objective criteria. It addresses how we view the form of a dream and other illusions of reality, including fetishes, whose sole value resides in their material reality. With Proust’s description of the experience of tasting a madeleine (compared with the indistinctness of highly charged emotional memories) and a clinical incident as examples, it is possible to assess the important role the search for perceptual identity plays in making the past come to life. Because this search stems from a period of development earlier than the striving for thought identity, it has wrongly attained the status of a poor relative. To counter this, an effort is made to demonstrate its implicit value as a motive underlying repetition. Because in analysis insistence on the reality of an experience is frequently used defensively, analysts run the danger of joining patients in treating external and psychic reality as dichotomous, thereby underestimating the beneficial potential of being real for limiting unconscious omnipotence and thereby restoring from oblivion the past and the wider context of an experience.
Positioning Graphical Objects on Computer Screens
Authors: Pastel Robert
Published: March 2011

Objective: This experiment identifies and models phases during the positioning of graphical objects (called cursors in this article) on computer displays.

Background: The human computer-interaction community has traditionally used Fitts’ law to model selection in graphical user interfaces, whereas human factors experiments have found the single-component Fitts’ law inadequate to model positioning of real objects.

Method: Participants ( N = 145) repeatedly positioned variably sized square cursors within variably sized rectangular targets using computer mice. The times for the cursor to just touch the target, for the cursor to enter the target, and for participants to indicate positioning completion were observed. The positioning tolerances were varied from very precise and difficult to imprecise and easy.

Results: The time for the cursor to touch the target was proportional to the initial cursor-target distance. The time for the cursor to completely enter the target after touching was proportional to the logarithms of cursor size divided by target tolerances. The time for participants to indicate positioning after entering was inversely proportional to the tolerance.

Conclusions: A three-phase model defined by regions—distant, proximate, and inside the target—was proposed and could model the positioning tasks.

Applications: The three-phase model provides a framework for ergonomists to evaluate new positioning techniques and can explain their deficiencies. The model provides a means to analyze tasks and enhance interaction during positioning.
Deity and Destiny
Authors: Young Maia J , Morris Michael W. , Burrus Jeremy , Krishnan Lilavati , Regmi Murari Prasad
Published: March 2011

The current studies investigate whether different forms of fatalistic thinking follow from the Christian and Hindu cosmologies. The authors found that fatalistic interpretations of one’s own life events center on deity influence for Christians, especially for those high in religiosity; however, Hindu interpretations of one’s own life emphasized destiny as much as deity (Study 1). Also, the focus on fate over chance when explaining others’ misfortunes depends on the presence of known misdeeds for Christians, but not for Hindus (Study 2). Finally, Christians prefer petitionary prayer over divination as a strategy for managing uncontrollable future risks (Studies 3a and 3c), and preference for these strategies can be primed in bicultural Hindu Americans by a Hindi-accented telephone interviewer (Study 3b).
Characterization of Dental Nociceptive Neurons
Authors: Kim H.Y. , Chung G. , Jo H.J. , Kim Y.S. , Bae Y.C. , Jung S.J. , Kim J.-S. , Oh S.B.
Published: March 2011

Selective blockade of nociceptive neurons can be achieved by the delivery of permanently charged sodium channel blockers through the pores of nociceptive ion channels. To assess the feasibility of this application in the dental area, we investigated the electrophysiological and neurochemical characteristics of nociceptive dental primary afferent (DPA) neurons. DPA neurons were identified within trigeminal ganglia labeling with a retrograde fluorescent dye applied to the upper molars of adult rats. Electrophysiological studies revealed that the majority of dental primary afferent neurons showed characteristics of nociceptive neurons, such as sensitivity to capsaicin and the presence of a hump in action potential. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed a large proportion of DPA neurons to be IB4-positive and to express TRPV1 and P2X3. Single-cell RT-PCR revealed mRNA expression of various nociceptive channels, including the temperature-sensitive TRPV1, TRPA1, TRPM8 channels, the extracellular ATP receptor channels P2X2 and P2X3, as well as the nociceptor-specific sodium channel, NaV1.8. In conclusion, DPA neurons have the electrophysiological characteristics of nociceptors and express several nociceptor-specific ion channels. Analysis of these data may assist in the search for a new route of entry for the delivery of membrane-impermeant local anesthetics. Abbreviations: AP, action potential; DiI, 1,1′-dioctadecyl-3,3,3′,3′-tetramethylindocarbocyanine perchlorate; DPA, dental primary afferent; FITC, fluorescein 5(6)-isothiocyanate; IB4, isolectin-B4; RT-PCR, reverse-transcription polymerase chain-reaction; TRP, transient receptor potential.
A study of the structural changes during the dyeing process of IngeoTM fibers of poly(lactic acid)
Authors: Bilal Mohammad B. , Viallier-Raynard Pierre , Haidar Bassel , Colombe Guillaume , Lallam Abdelaziz
Published: March 2011

This study has been carried out to investigate the structural changes of poly(lactic acid) fibers, which may occur during the dyeing process. Four disperse dyes with long alkyl chains were used to demonstrate the effects of dyeing temperature on fiber structure. Polymer structure was studied using DSC and SAXS-WAXS techniques. It was found that dye uptake increased at temperatures above 70°C. The tested dyes did not show a distinct behavioral pattern. Poly(lactic acid) crystallinity increased from 53% to 60% after dyeing at 130°C. Double melting behavior was observed, suggesting the presence of two crystalline forms. This was refuted by SAXS-WAXS results. Melting behavior was investigated and the nature of the crystals was found to be independent of the dyebath temperature.
Surface modification of cotton fabrics using plasma technology
Authors: Bhat NV , Netravali AN , Gore AV , Sathianarayanan MP , Arolkar GA , Deshmukh RR
Published: March 2011

The present paper reports the effect of plasma treatments on the surface properties of textile fibers. In the present investigations mainly air plasma and dichlorodifluoromethane (DCFM) plasmas were used. Measurement of the contact angle, wicking properties, and dyeability of cotton fabrics subjected to various conditions of plasma treatments have been carried out. It was observed that while air plasma produced enhanced water wicking, DCFM plasma resulted in producing a highly water-repellent, hydrophobic surface. The contact angle increased dramatically for the DCFM plasma-treated fabrics up to 140°. It was also observed that plasma treatment has improved the dyeing behavior of cotton fabrics when reactive and natural dyes were used. On the other hand, the dyeability was found to have slightly decreased when direct dye was used.
Binge Eating and Weight Control: The Role of Experiential Avoidance
Authors: Lillis Jason , Hayes Steven C. , Levin Michael E.
Published: March 2011

Two thirds of the adults in the United States are overweight or obese. Binge eating is a barrier to treatment adherence and sustained weight loss, and can be seen as a form of experiential avoidance. The current study analyzed the impact of binge eating on weight reduction in a previously published study of a 1-day acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) workshop ( N = 83) and the psychological processes accounting for the binge-eating results. ACT participants reported less binge eating, which in turn significantly mediated changes in weight. Mediation analyses also showed that reductions in binge eating were mediated by changes in experiential avoidance. The study suggests that ACT and its targeted processes of change may be particularly relevant to binge eating, and that targeting binging is a possible pathway for improving weight management.
The Effect of a College Pen Incentive on Survey Response Rate Among Recent College Graduates
Authors: Stange Jonathan P. , Zyzanski Stephen J.
Published: March 2011

Incentives have shown a variable effect in improving survey response rates, but the effect of a pen from an organization to which the respondent has loyalty has not been studied. Recent college graduates were randomized to receive or not receive a college logo pen accompanying an initial survey mailing. Among 119 total respondents, there were no differences in response rate to the initial mailing, to a second mailing to nonrespondents who did not receive a pen in the initial mailing, or in total response rate. Investigators may save money by not including a pen incentive or may consider stronger incentives.
Efficacy of Single‐Staged Modified Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty with Nasal Surgery in Adults with Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome
Authors: Choi Ji Ho , Kim Eun Joong , Cho Woo Sung , Kim Yang Soo , Choi June , Kwon Soon Young , Kim Tae Hoon , Lee Heung Man , Lee Sang Hag , Lee Seung Hoon
Published: March 2011

Objective

The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical efficacy of single‐staged modified uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) with nasal surgery and the relationship between its surgical outcomes and an anatomy‐based staging system in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) with nasal obstruction.

Study Design and Setting

Before–after analysis at a university hospital.

Subjects and Methods

A total of 41 consecutive OSAS patients (mean age 40.1 ± 7.3 years) who underwent single‐staged modified (uvula‐preserving) UPPP with nasal surgery were included. The investigators compared subjective symptoms and polysomnographic data before and after surgery and investigated objective surgical outcomes according to the anatomy‐based (Friedman) staging system and postoperative complications. Surgical success was defined as a reduction of at least 50% in preoperative apnea–hypopnea index (AHI) and a postoperative AHI of less than 20 per hour.

Results

After simultaneous nasal–oropharyngeal surgery, the AHI significantly decreased (from 45.9 ± 23.4 to 20.9 ± 22.1 events per hour; P <. 001) and the overall success rate was 56.1% (23/41). Surgical success rates in stages I, II, and III were 70.6% (12/17), 60.0% (9/15), and 22.2% (2/9), respectively. There were no major complications during or after surgery, and most minor complications were transient and resolved without morbidity.

Conclusions

Single‐staged modified UPPP with nasal surgery is an available and relatively safe surgical approach in OSAS patients with nasal obstruction. To achieve the best possible surgical outcomes, it is important to select appropriate patients using the anatomy‐based staging system.
Effects of Sensory or Motor Nerve Deafferentation on Oromotor Function in Mice
Authors: Shires Courtney B. , Saputra Jennifer M. , Stocks Rose Mary S. , Sebelik Merry E. , Boughter John D.
Published: March 2011

Objective

To investigate the effect of sensory or motor nerve damage to the tongue using a mouse model.

Study Design

Animal study.

Setting

Research laboratory.

Subjects and Methods

Adult male and female mice from inbred strains B6 (n = 19) and D2 (n = 25). Following lick training, bilateral lingual–chorda tympani nerve cuts (LX) (n = 6 B6, n = 7 D2), unilateral hypoglossal nerve cuts (HX) (n = 7 B6, n = 9 D2), or sham surgery (n = 6 B6, n = 9 D2) was performed. Mice were lick tested postsurgically with both water and sucrose (4 days total). Following testing, post mortem dissections and microscopic analysis of tongue papillae were performed.

Results

In both strains, HX and LX mice demonstrated a significant reduction in volume per lick (VPL) in the surgical groups relative to shams. Neither motor nor sensory nerve transection affected local lick rate. In most LX mice in both strains, taste papillae were reduced compared with HX or sham mice.

Conclusion

Mice of either strain with either a sensory or a motor nerve injury have a significant loss of VPL during ingestion of either a neutral (water) or preferred (sucrose) stimulus. This reduction in VPL reflects a deficit in licking. Lick rate was not affected by deafferentation. A reduction in fungiform papillae following LX but not HX mice was noted.
Epidemiology of Vertigo
Authors: Lai Ying‐Ta , Wang Ting‐Chuan , Chuang Li‐Ju , Chen Ming‐Hsu , Wang Pa‐Chun
Published: March 2011

Objective

To investigate the epidemiology of vertigo among the general adult population in Taiwan using the National Health Insurance claims database.

Study Design

Cross‐sectional study.

Setting

Data were retrieved from the 2006 National Health Insurance claims database.

Subjects and Methods

Claims data were retrieved for patients 18 years or older with a diagnosis of vertigo (International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification codes 078.81, 386.XX, or 780.4) from January to December 2006. The authors describe the prevalence and recurrence of vertigo and the medical resource utilization associated with its treatment. Logistic regression models are used to assess the independent effects of age, sex, seasonal variation, institutional level of care, and specialty of care on the risk of vertigo recurrence.

Results

A total of 527,807 adult patients (mean ± SD age, 55.1 ± 17.3 years; 1:1.96 ratio of men to women) experienced vertigo in 2006. The prevalence of vertigo was 3.13 cases per 100 adults. Within 1 year of their index vertigo attack, 199,210 patients (37.7%) experienced recurrence. The prevalence and recurrence of vertigo increased significantly with age (P <. 001 for both, χ2 test). Age, sex, seasonal variation, institutional level of care, and specialty of care had various effects on the risk of vertigo recurrence.

Conclusion

Vertigo is a major health burden among the general adult population and tends to recur, particularly among older women.
Oncologic Outcomes after Supracricoid Partial Laryngectomy
Authors: Sánchez‐Cuadrado Isabel , Castro Alejandro , Bernáldez Ricardo , Del Palacio Antonio , Gavilán Javier
Published: March 2011

Objective

To review the oncologic outcomes of a series of supracricoid partial laryngectomy.

Design

Case series with chart review.

Setting

La Paz University Hospital, Madrid, Spain.

Patients

Forty‐one patients with glottic or supraglottic squamous cell carcinoma who underwent supracricoid partial laryngectomy between 1998 and 2008 at the authors’ institution.

Main Outcome Measure

Local control rate, specific‐disease survival rate, and overall survival rate.

Results

All patients were male, with a mean age of 56 years (range, 38‐71 years). Forty‐one percent of tumors were classified as locally advanced carcinomas (T3‐T4). Thirty‐three patients (80%) underwent supracricoid laryngectomy with cricohyoidoepiglottopexy. Epiglottis was resected in the remaining 8 patients. One patient died in the immediate postoperative period because of cardiac tamponade, 6 developed pneumonia, 2 had a postoperative bleeding that required reintervention, and 2 developed pharyngocutaneous fistula. The median follow‐up period was 43 months. More than 85% of the patients completed more than 2 years of follow‐up. Five‐year actuarial local control rate was 80%, being 92% for T1‐T2 tumors and 67% for locally advanced tumors. Thirty‐five patients (85%) preserved their larynx. The 6 patients who underwent total laryngectomy had a local recurrence or a regional recurrence that infiltrated the larynx. No laryngectomy was performed for functional reasons.

Conclusion

Supracricoid partial laryngectomy is an oncologically safe procedure to preserve laryngeal functions in selected patients with glottic and supraglottic carcinomas.
Curcumin Inhibits Skin Squamous Cell Carcinoma Tumor Growth In Vivo
Authors: Phillips Jeffrey M. , Clark Cheryl , Herman‐Ferdinandez Lilantha , Moore‐Medlin Tara , Rong Xiaohua , Gill Jennifer Roberts , Clifford John L. , Abreo Fleurette , Nathan Cherie‐Ann O.
Published: March 2011

Objective

Squamous cell carcinoma (SCCa) has increased from 4% to 10% over 4 decades, stimulating interest in developing novel agents that slow sun‐damaged skin progression. This is the first study evaluating the naturally occurring bioactive food compound curcumin on skin cancer xenografts. Low bioavailability of curcumin has slowed its transition to clinical trials. It is hypothesized that curcumin has growth‐inhibitory effects through the MTOR pathway and chemopreventive potential in skin SCCa where local application could bypass bioavailability problems.

Study Design

A randomized experimental animal and laboratory study.

Setting

Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, Shreveport, Louisiana.

Subjects and Methods

SCID mice were pretreated with 0, 5, or 15 mg of curcumin (n = 8 per group), 3 days prior to injecting 106 SRB12‐p9 skin SCCa cells in each flank, and were gavaged daily thereafter. Tumor volumes were measured and tumors were harvested on day 24 when mice were sacrificed. Immunohistochemical analysis of pS6 expression (n = 3 per group) and tumor volumes in the 3 groups were compared using 1‐way analysis of variance and pairwise comparisons were determined with the Tukey t test if overall comparisons were significant.

Results

Tumor volume increased 2.3 times faster in control mice compared with the group receiving 15 mg of curcumin (P =. 0003). A significant difference in average tumor volumes was seen (P =. 0012), especially with treatment of 15 mg of curcumin compared with control P =. 0003). Curcumin inhibited S6 phosphorylation (P =. 0027), suggesting inhibition of the MTOR pathway.

Conclusion

Curcumin appears to inhibit skin SCCa growth and blocks tumor progression by inhibiting pS6 even when gavage is used to deliver curcumin, indicating even more significant effects in future experiments with local application.
Sight-reading expertise: Cross-modality integration investigated using eye tracking
Authors: Drai-Zerbib Véronique , Baccino Thierry , Bigand Emmanuel
Published: March 2011

It is often said that experienced musicians are capable of hearing what they read (and vice versa). This suggests that they are able to process and to integrate multimodal information. The present study investigates this issue with an eye-tracking technique. Two groups of musicians chosen on the basis of their level of expertise (experts, non-experts) had to read excerpts of poorly-known classical piano music and play them on a keyboard. The experiment was run in two consecutive phases during which each excerpt was (1) read without playing and (2) sight-read (read and played). In half the conditions, the participants heard the music before the reading phases. The excerpts contained suggested fingering of variable difficulty (difficult, easy, or no fingering). Analyses of first-pass fixation duration, second-pass fixation duration, probability of re-fixation, and playing mistakes validated the hypothesized modal independence of information among expert musicians as compared to non-experts. The results are discussed in terms of the processing cues and retrieval structures postulated by Ericsson and Kintsch (1995) in their model of expert memory.
Chromatographic and Traditional Albumin Isotherms on Cellulose: A Model for Wound Protein Adsorption on Modified Cotton
Authors: Edwards J. Vincent , Castro Nathan J. , Condon Brian , Costable Carmen , Goheen Steven C.
Published: March 2011

Albumin is the most abundant protein found in healing wounds. Traditional and chromatographic protein isotherms of albumin binding on modified cotton fibers are useful in understanding albumin binding to cellulose wound dressings. An important consideration in the design of cellulosic wound dressings is adsorption and accumulation of proteins like albumin at the solid–liquid interface of the biological fluid and wound dressing fiber. To better understand the effect of fiber charge and molecular modifications in cellulose-containing fibers on the binding of serum albumin as observed in protease sequestrant dressings, albumin binding to modified cotton fibers was compared with traditional and chromatographic isotherms. Modified cotton including carboxymethylated, citrate-crosslinked, dialdehyde and phosphorylated cotton, which sequester elastase and collagenase, were compared for their albumin binding isotherms. Albumin isotherms on citrate-cellulose, cross-linked cotton demonstrated a two-fold increased binding affinity over untreated cotton. A comparison of albumin binding between traditional, solution isotherms and chromatographic isotherms on modified cellulose yielded similar equilibrium constants. Application of the binding affinity of albumin obtained in the in vitro protein isotherm to the in vivo wound dressing uptake of the protein is discussed. The chromatographic approach to assessment of albumin isotherms on modified cellulose offers a more rapid approach to evaluating protein binding on modified cellulose over traditional solution approaches.
Graft Materials and Bone Marrow Stromal Cells in Bone Tissue Engineering
Authors: Foschi Federico , Conserva Enrico , Pera Paolo , Canciani Barbara , Cancedda Ranieri , Mastrogiacomo Maddalena
Published: March 2011

Bone augmentation procedures rely on osteogenic/osteoconductive properties of bone graft material (BGM). A further improvement is represented by use of autologous bone marrow stromal cells (BMSC), expanded in vitro and seeded on BGM before implantation in the bone defect. The effect of different BGMs on BMSC osteogenic differentiation was evaluated. BMSC were cultured in vitro in the presence of different BGM (natural, synthetic, and mixed origins). Cellular morphology was analyzed with scanning electron microscopy. The capability of BMSC to differentiate was determined in vitro by alkaline phosphatase gene expression and enzyme activity at different time points (7, 14, and 28 days) and in vivo by ectopic bone formation of implanted tissue constructs in an immunodeficient murine model. BGM supports the cell adhesion and osteogenic differentiation of BMSC developing a useful tool in the bone tissue engineering.
In vivo biocompatibility and degradation behavior of Mg alloy coated by calcium phosphate in a rabbit model
Authors: Yang JX , Cui FZ , Lee I-S , Zhang Y , Yin QS , Xia H , Yang SX
Published: March 2011

This study is conducted to investigate the biocompatibility and biodegradation behavior of calcium phosphate-coated Mg alloy in vivo. Calcium phosphate (Ca–P) was coated on the Mg alloy (AZ31) by a chemical process. Samples of Ca–P coated rods, the naked alloy rods, and degradable polymer as controls were implanted into the thighbone of rabbits to investigate the bone response at the early stage. The reduction in implant volume was determined by micro-computed tomography and three-dimensional reconstruction of the remaining Mg alloy segmented from the bone matrix. It was observed that the biodegradation rate of naked Mg implant is faster than that of the coated ones. The bone–implant interface was characterized in sections by scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive spectroscopy. Biodegradation or reaction layer was formed on the surface of Mg alloy implants and direct contact with the surrounding bone. The layer was mainly composed of Ca, P, O, and Mg. After 8 weeks of post-operation, paraffin sections were generated for histomorphologic analysis; 100% implants were fixed and no inflammation was observed. Histological analysis showed that new bone tissue is formed around the Mg implants, and no fibrous capsule was found. Blood examination showed that the biodegradation of the Mg implant caused little change to blood composition. Ca–P coating on Mg alloy substrate might be an effective method to reduce the biodegradation rate of Mg alloy in vivo and improve the surface bioactivity of Mg alloy implants.
The Human Condition as social ontology: Hannah Arendt on society, action and knowledge
Authors: Walsh Philip
Published: March 2011

Hannah Arendt is widely regarded as a political theorist who sought to rescue politics from ‘society’, and political theory from the social sciences. This conventional view has had the effect of distracting attention from many of Arendt’s most important insights concerning the constitution of ‘society’ and the significance of the social sciences. In this article, I argue that Hannah Arendt’s distinctions between labor, work and action, as these are discussed in The Human Condition and elsewhere, are best understood as a set of claims about the fundamental structures of human societies. Understanding Arendt in this way introduces interesting parallels between Arendt’s work and both classical and contemporary sociology. From this I draw a number of conclusions concerning Arendt’s conception of ‘society’, and extend these insights into two contemporary debates within contemporary theoretical sociology: the need for a differentiated ontology of the social world, and the changing role that novel forms of knowledge play in contemporary society as major sources of social change and order.
Unusual vascular focal high-grade arterial stenoses in a young woman with systemic lupus erythematosus and secondary antiphospholipid syndrome
Authors: Hügli RW , Gremmelmaier D , Jeanneret C , Koella C , Jehle AW , Tyndall A , Biedermann BC
Published: March 2011

We report the case of a 28-year old woman with an unusual presentation of peripheral arterial occlusive disease clinically characterized by intermittent claudication and bilateral, focal stenoses of the iliac arteries without signs of atherosclerosis in other vascular beds. The successful percutaneous intervention is described in detail and pathogenetic aspects of the disease are discussed.
Illness perceptions in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and proliferative lupus nephritis
Authors: Daleboudt GMN , Broadbent E , Berger SP , Kaptein AA
Published: March 2011

This study investigated the illness perceptions of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and whether perceptions are influenced by type of treatment for proliferative lupus nephritis. In addition, the illness perceptions of SLE patients were compared with those of patients with other chronic illnesses. Thirty-two patients who had experienced at least one episode of proliferative lupus nephritis were included. Patients were treated with either a high or low-dose cyclophosphamide (CYC) regimen (National Institutes of Health [NIH] vs. Euro-Lupus protocol). Illness perceptions were measured with the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (B-IPQ) and a drawing assignment. The low-dose CYC group perceived their treatment as more helpful than the high-dose CYC group. In comparison with patients with asthma, SLE patients showed more negative illness perceptions on five of the eight illness perception domains. Drawings of the kidney provided additional information about perceptions of treatment effectiveness, kidney function and patients’ understanding of their illness. Drawing characteristics showed associations with perceptions of consequences, identity, concern and personal control. These findings suggest that the type of treatment SLE patients with proliferative lupus nephritis receive may influence perceptions of treatment effectiveness. In addition, patients’ drawings reveal perceptions of damage caused by lupus nephritis to the kidneys and the extent of relief provided by treatment. The finding that SLE is experienced as a more severe illness than other chronic illnesses supports the need to more frequently assess and aim to improve psychological functioning in SLE patients.