bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Atmospheric mercury over sea ice during the OASIS-2009 campaign
Authors: Steffen A. , Bottenheim J. , Cole A. , Douglas T. A. , Ebinghaus R. , Friess U. , Netcheva S. , Nghiem S. , Sihler H. , Staebler R.
Published: March 2013

Abstract. Measurements of gaseous elemental mercury (GEM), reactive gaseous mercury (RGM) and particulate mercury (PHg) were collected on sea ice near open leads in the Beaufort Sea near Barrow, Alaska in March 2009 as part of the Ocean-Atmosphere-Sea Ice-Snowpack (OASIS) International Polar Year Program. These results represent the first atmospheric mercury speciation measurements collected on the sea ice. Concentrations of PHg over the sea ice averaged 393.5 pg m−3 (range 47.1–900.1 pg m−3) during the two week long study. RGM concentrations averaged 30.1 pg m−3 (range 3.5–105.4 pg m−3). The mean GEM concentration of 0.59 ng m−3 during the entire study (range 0.01–1.51 ng m−3) was depleted compared to annual Arctic ambient boundary layer concentrations. It was shown that when ozone (O3) and bromine oxide (BrO) chemistry are active there is a~linear relationship between GEM, PHg and O3 but there was no correlation between RGM and O3. There was a linear relationship between RGM and BrO and our results suggest that the origin and age of air masses play a role in determining this relationship. These results were the first direct measurements of these atmospheric components over the sea ice. For the first time, GEM was measured simultaneously over the tundra and the sea ice. The results show a significant difference in the magnitude of the emission of GEM from the two locations where significantly higher emission occurs over the tundra. Elevated chloride levels in snow over sea ice are believed to be the cause of lower GEM emissions over the sea ice because chloride has been shown to suppress photoreduction processes of Hg(II) to Hg(0) (GEM) in snow. These results are important because while GEM is emitted after depletion events on snow inland, less GEM is emitted over sea ice. Since the snow pack on sea ice retains more mercury than inland snow current models of the Arctic mercury cycle, which are based predominantly on land based measurements, may greatly underestimate atmospheric deposition fluxes. Land based measurements of atmospheric mercury deposition may also underestimate the impacts of sea ice changes on the mercury cycle in the Arctic. The findings reported in this study improve the current understanding of mercury cycling in the changing Arctic. The predicted changes in sea ice conditions and a~more saline snow pack in the Arctic could lead to even greater retention of atmospherically deposited mercury in the future. This could severely impact the amount of mercury entering the Arctic Ocean and coastal ecosystems.
Seasonal cycle and modal structure of particle number size distribution at Dome C, Antarctica
Authors: Järvinen E. , Virkkula A. , Nieminen T. , Aalto P. P. , Asmi E. , Lanconelli C. , Busetto M. , Lupi A. , Schioppo R. , Vitale V. , Mazzola M. , Petäjä T. , Kerminen V.-M. , Kulmala M.
Published: March 2013

Abstract. We studied new particle formation and modal behavior of ultrafine aerosol particles on the high Antarctic East-Plateau at the Concordia station, Dome C (75°06' S, 123°23' E). Aerosol particle number size distributions were measured in the size range 10–600 nm from 14 December 2007 to 7 November 2009. We used an automatic algorithm for fitting up to three modes to the size distribution data. The total particle number concentration was low with the median of 109 cm−3. There was a clear seasonal cycle in the total particle number and the volume concentrations. The concentrations were at their highest during the austral summer with the median values of 260 cm−3 and 0.086 μm3 cm−3, and at their lowest during the austral winter with corresponding values of 15 cm−3 and 0.009 μm3 cm−3. New particle formation events were determined from the size distribution data. During the measurement period, new particle formation was seen on 80 days and for 15 of these days the particle growth rates from 10 to 25 nm size could be determined. The median particle growth rate during all these events was 2.5 nm h−1 and the median formation rate of 10 nm particles was 0.023 cm−3 s−1. Most of the events were similar to those observed in other continental locations, yet also some variability in event types was observed. Exceptional features in Dome C were the winter events that occurred during dark periods, as well as the events for which the growth could be followed during several consecutive days. We called these latter events as slowly-growing events. This paper is the first one to analyze long-term size distribution data from Dome C, and also the first paper to show that new particle formation events occur in the central Antarctica.
Geometry of duskside equatorial current during magnetic storm main phase as deduced from magnetospheric and low-altitude observations
Authors: Dubyagin S. , Ganushkina N. , Apatenkov S. , Kubyshkina M. , Singer H. , Liemohn M.
Published: March 2013

Abstract. We present the results of a coordinated study of the moderate magnetic storm on 22 July 2009. The THEMIS and GOES observations of magnetic field in the inner magnetosphere were complemented by energetic particle observations at low altitude by the six NOAA POES satellites. Observations in the vicinity of geosynchronous orbit revealed a relatively thin (half-thickness of less than 1 RE) and intense current sheet in the dusk MLT sector during the main phase of the storm. The total westward current (integrated along the z-direction) on the duskside at r ~ 6.6 RE was comparable to that in the midnight sector. Such a configuration cannot be adequately described by existing magnetic field models with predefined current systems (error in B > 60 nT). At the same time, low-altitude isotropic boundaries (IB) of > 80 keV protons in the dusk sector were shifted ~ 4° equatorward relative to the IBs in the midnight sector. Both the equatorward IB shift and the current strength on the duskside correlate with the Sym-H* index. These findings imply a close relation between the current intensification and equatorward IB shift in the dusk sector. The analysis of IB dispersion revealed that high-energy IBs (E > 100 keV) always exhibit normal dispersion (i.e., that for pitch angle scattering on curved field lines). Anomalous dispersion is sometimes observed in the low-energy channels (~ 30–100 keV). The maximum occurrence rate of anomalous dispersion was observed during the main phase of the storm in the dusk sector.
An analysis of the contrasting fates of locust swarms on the plains of North America and East Asia
Authors: Yu G. , Ke X. , Shen H. D. , Li Y. F.
Published: March 2013

Abstract. Prior to ~1880 AD locust swarms periodically raged across both the North American Plains (NAP) and East Asian Plains (EAP). After this date, locust outbreaks almost never recurred on the NAP but have continued to cause problems on the EAP. The large quantities of pesticides used in the major agriculture regions of the NAP in the late 1870s have been suggested as a possible reason for the disappearance of locust outbreaks in this area. Extensive applications of modern, i.e. more effective, chemical pesticides were also used in the granary regions of the EAP in the 1950s in an effort to reduce pest outbreaks. However, locust swarms returned again in many areas of China in the 1960s. Therefore, locust extinction on the NAP still remains a puzzle. Frequent locust outbreaks on the EAP over the past 130 yr may offer clues to the key factors that control the disappearance of locust outbreaks on the NAP. This study analysed the climate extremes and monthly temperature–precipitation combinations for the NAP and EAP, and found that differences in the frequencies of these climate combinations resulted in the contrasting locust fates in the two regions: restricting locust outbreaks in the NAP but inducing such events in the EAP. Validation shows that severe EAP locust outbreak years were coincidental with extreme climate-combination years. Therefore, we suggest that changes in frequency, extremes and trends in climate can explain why the fate of locust outbreaks in the EAP was different from that in the NAP. The results also suggest that, with present global warming trends, precautionary measures should be taken to make sure other similar pest infestations do not occur in either region.
Seasonal patterns in Arctic planktonic metabolism (Fram Strait – Svalbard region)
Authors: Vaquer-Sunyer R. , Duarte C. M. , Holding J. , Regaudie-de-Gioux A. , García-Corral L. S. , Reigstad M. , Wassmann P.
Published: March 2013

Abstract. The metabolism of the Arctic Ocean is marked by extremely pronounced seasonality and spatial heterogeneity associated with light conditions, ice cover, water masses and nutrient availability. Here we report the marine planktonic metabolic rates (net community production, gross primary production and community respiration) along three different seasons of the year, for a total of eight cruises along the western sector of the European Arctic (Fram Strait – Svalbard region) in the Arctic Ocean margin: one at the end of 2006 (fall/winter), two in 2007 (early spring and summer), two in 2008 (early spring and summer), one in 2009 (late spring–early summer), one in 2010 (spring) and one in 2011 (spring). The results show that the metabolism of the western sector of the European Arctic varies throughout the year, depending mostly on the stage of bloom and water temperature. Here we report metabolic rates for the different periods, including the spring bloom, summer and the dark period, increasing considerably the empirical basis of metabolic rates in the Arctic Ocean, and especially in the European Arctic corridor. Additionally, a rough annual metabolic estimate for this area of the Arctic Ocean was calculated, resulting in a net community production of 108 g C m−2 yr−1.
Variability of the ocean heat content during the last millennium – an assessment with the ECHO-g Model
Authors: Ortega P. , Montoya M. , González-Rouco F. , Beltrami H. , Swingedouw D.
Published: March 2013

Abstract. Studies addressing climate variability during the last millennium generally focus on variables with a direct influence on climate variability, like the fast thermal response to varying radiative forcing, or the large-scale changes in atmospheric dynamics (e.g. North Atlantic Oscillation). The ocean responds to these variations by slowly integrating in depth the upper heat flux changes, thus producing a delayed influence on ocean heat content (OHC) that can later impact low frequency SST (sea surface temperature) variability through reemergence processes. In this study, both the externally and internally driven variations of the OHC during the last millennium are investigated using a set of fully coupled simulations with the ECHO-G (coupled climate model ECHAMA4 and ocean model HOPE-G) atmosphere–ocean general circulation model (AOGCM). When compared to observations for the last 55 yr, the model tends to overestimate the global trends and underestimate the decadal OHC variability. Extending the analysis back to the last one thousand years, the main impact of the radiative forcing is an OHC increase at high latitudes, explained to some extent by a reduction in cloud cover and the subsequent increase of short-wave radiation at the surface. This OHC response is dominated by the effect of volcanism in the preindustrial era, and by the fast increase of GHGs during the last 150 yr. Likewise, salient impacts from internal climate variability are observed at regional scales. For instance, upper temperature in the equatorial Pacific is controlled by ENSO (El Niño Southern Oscillation) variability from interannual to multidecadal timescales. Also, both the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) and the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO) modulate intermittently the interdecadal OHC variability in the North Pacific and Mid Atlantic, respectively. The NAO, through its influence on North Atlantic surface heat fluxes and convection, also plays an important role on the OHC at multiple timescales, leading first to a cooling in the Labrador and Irminger seas, and later on to a North Atlantic warming, associated with a delayed impact on the AMO.
WRFv3.2-SPAv2: development and validation of a coupled ecosystem-atmosphere model, scaling from surface fluxes of CO2 and energy to atmospheric profiles
Authors: Smallman T. L. , Moncrieff J. B. , Williams M.
Published: March 2013

Abstract. The Weather Research & Forecasting meteorological (WRF) model has been coupled to the Soil Plant Atmosphere (SPA) terrestrial ecosystem model, to produce WRF-SPA. SPA generates realistic land-atmosphere exchanges through fully coupled hydrological, carbon and energy cycles. The addition of a land surface model (SPA) capable of modelling biospheric CO2 exchange allows WRF-SPA to be used for investigating the feedbacks between biosphere carbon balance, meteorology and land management/land use change. We have extensively validated WRF-SPA using multi-annual observations of air temperature, turbulent fluxes, net radiation and net ecosystem exchange of CO2 at three sites, representing the dominant vegetation types in Scotland (forest, managed grassland and arable agriculture). WRF-SPA generates more realistic seasonal behaviour at the site level compared to an unmodified version of WRF, and produces realistic CO2 exchanges. WRF-SPA is also able to realistically model atmospheric profiles of CO2 over Scotland, spanning a 3 yr period (2004–2006), capturing both profile structure, indicating realistic transport, and magnitude indicating appropriate source sink distribution and CO2 exchange. WRF-SPA makes use of CO2 tracer pools and can therefore identify and quantify land surface contributions to the modelled atmospheric CO2 signal at a specified location.
PEATBOG: a biogeochemical model for analyzing coupled carbon and nitrogen dynamics in northern peatlands
Authors: Wu Y. , Blodau C.
Published: March 2013

Abstract. Elevated nitrogen deposition and climate change alter the vegetation communities and carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) cycling in peatlands. To address this issue we developed a new process-oriented biogeochemical model (PEATBOG) for analyzing coupled carbon and nitrogen dynamics in northern peatlands. The model consists of four submodels, which simulate: (1) daily water table depth and depth profiles of soil moisture, temperature and oxygen levels; (2) competition among three plants functional types (PFTs), production and litter production of plants; (3) decomposition of peat; and (4) production, consumption, diffusion and export of dissolved C and N species in soil water. The model is novel in the integration of the C and N cycles, the explicit spatial resolution belowground, the consistent conceptualization of movement of water and solutes, the incorporation of stoichiometric controls on elemental fluxes and a consistent conceptualization of C and N reactivity in vegetation and soil organic matter. The model was evaluated for the Mer Bleue Bog, near Ottawa, Ontario, with regards to simulation of soil moisture and temperature and the most important processes in the C and N cycles. Model sensitivity was tested for nitrogen input, precipitation, and temperature, and the choices of the most uncertain parameters were justified. A simulation of nitrogen deposition over 40 yr demonstrates the advantages of the PEATBOG model in tracking biogeochemical effects and vegetation change in the ecosystem.
Capabilities and performance of Elmer/Ice, a new generation ice-sheet model
Authors: Gagliardini O. , Zwinger T. , Gillet-Chaulet F. , Durand G. , Favier L. , de Fleurian B. , Greve R. , Malinen M. , Martín C. , Råback P. , Ruokolainen J. , Sacchettini M. , Schäfer M. , Seddik H. , Thies J.
Published: March 2013

Abstract. The Fourth IPCC Assessment Report concluded that ice-sheet flow models are unable to forecast the current increase of polar ice sheet discharge and the associated contribution to sea-level rise. Since then, the glaciological community has undertaken a huge effort to develop and improve a new generation of ice-flow models, and as a result, a significant number of new ice-sheet models have emerged. Among them is the parallel finite-element model Elmer/Ice, based on the open-source multi-physics code Elmer. It was one of the first full-Stokes models used to make projections for the evolution of the whole Greenland ice sheet for the coming two centuries. Originally developed to solve local ice flow problems of high mechanical and physical complexity, Elmer/Ice has today reached the maturity to solve larger scale problems, earning the status of an ice-sheet model. Here, we summarise almost 10 yr of development performed by different groups. We present the components already included in Elmer/Ice, its numerical performance, selected applications, as well as developments planned for the future.
A statistical analysis of insurance damage claims related to rainfall extremes
Authors: Spekkers M. H. , Kok M. , Clemens F. H. L. R. , ten Veldhuis J. A. E.
Published: March 2013

Abstract. In this paper, a database of water-related insurance damage claims related to private properties and content was analysed. The aim was to investigate whether the probability of occurrence of rainfall-related damage was associated with the intensity of rainfall. Rainfall data were used for the period of 2003–2009 in the Netherlands based on a network of 33 automatic rain gauges operated by the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute. Insurance damage data were aggregated to areas within 10-km range of the rain gauges. Through a logistic regression model, high claim numbers were linked to maximum rainfall intensities, with rainfall intensity based on 10-min to 4-h time windows. Rainfall intensity proved to be a significant damage predictor; however, the explained variance, approximated by a pseudo-R2 statistic, was at most 34% for property damage and at most 30% for content damage. When directly comparing predicted and observed values, the model was able to predict 5–17% more cases correctly compared to a random prediction. No important differences were found between relations with property and content damage data. A considerable fraction of the variance is left unexplained, which emphasizes the need to study damage generating mechanisms and additional explanatory variables.
Magnetic properties of CHAMP and their effects on in-orbit calibration
Authors: Lühr H. , Yin F. , Bock R.
Published: March 2013

Abstract. CHAMP has so far been the most successful magnetic field mission. For achieving that, special effort had to be invested in building a magnetically clean spacecraft. The magnetic moment of the spacecraft is about 1 Am2. In this article we introduce a new method that allows the determination of the magnetic moment during the mission from the average current strength of the magneto-torquers. In order to achieve precise field vector data, the readings of the fluxgate magnetometer are routinely calibrated against the absolute Overhauser measurements. A reanalysis of all the magnetic field data is performed which takes also into account small disturbances from the power system. Uncertainties of the final magnetic field data are estimated to be of the order of 0.1 nT.
Hydro-morphologic setting of the Samborombón Bay (Argentina) at the end of the 21st century
Authors: Tosi L. , Kruse E. E. , Braga F. , Carol E. S. , Carretero S. C. , Pousa J. L. , Rizzetto F. , Teatini P.
Published: March 2013

Abstract. We report on the hydrologic and morphologic setting of the Samborombón Bay, Argentina, which is expected at the end of the 21st century as a consequence of possible scenarios of relative sea level rise (RSLR). The geomorphological analysis of the Samborombón coastland points out only minor changes occurred over the last 40 yr. The modifications are mainly related to the construction of canals to enhance the floodplain drainage. A digital elevation model (DEM) obtained by the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) data archive, ad hoc calibrated/validated for the study area, highlights that about 3000 km2 of coastal plain present a morphological setting at high risk of sea flooding. The analysis of sea level and storm surge events recorded from 1905 to 2010 in Buenos Aires provides the RSLR rate and the return period of extreme floods. In addition, vertical land movements (VLM) measured by the permanent GPS stations of Buenos Aires and La Plata allow for the quantification of the eustatic component of the RSLR and estimating a plausible RSLR rate in the Samborombón Bay. Taking into account possible RSLR scenarios at the end of 2100 as resulting from the statistical analysis of (i) tide gauge and GPS time series and (ii) Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) predictions, the potential effect of the increased sea level on the Samborombón coastland is simulated. The results show that the combined rise of sea levels, surficial waters and groundwater will lead to a new morpho-hydrologic setting of the coastal area, especially in the low-lying southern sector. Here, a coastline retreat up to 40 km is expected, with temporary submersion up to 4000 km2 during storm surges.
Investigating rainfall estimation from radar measurements using neural networks
Authors: Alqudah A. , Chandrasekar V. , Le M.
Published: March 2013

Abstract. Rainfall observed on the ground is dependent on the four dimensional structure of precipitation aloft. Scanning radars can observe the four dimensional structure of precipitation. Neural network is a nonparametric method to represent the nonlinear relationship between radar measurements and rainfall rate. The relationship is derived directly from a dataset consisting of radar measurements and rain gauge measurements. The performance of neural network based rainfall estimation is subject to many factors, such as the representativeness and sufficiency of the training dataset, the generalization capability of the network to new data, seasonal changes, and regional changes. Improving the performance of the neural network for real time applications is of great interest. The goal of this paper is to investigate the performance of rainfall estimation based on Radial Basis Function (RBF) neural networks using radar reflectivity as input and rain gauge as the target. Data from Melbourne, Florida NEXRAD (Next Generation Weather Radar) ground radar (KMLB) over different years along with rain gauge measurements are used to conduct various investigations related to this problem. A direct gauge comparison study is done to demonstrate the improvement brought in by the neural networks and to show the feasibility of this system. The principal components analysis (PCA) technique is also used to reduce the dimensionality of the training dataset. Reducing the dimensionality of the input training data will reduce the training time as well as reduce the network complexity which will also avoid over fitting.
Bayesian hierarchical modelling of North Atlantic windiness
Authors: Vanem E. , Breivik O. N.
Published: March 2013

Abstract. Extreme weather conditions represent serious natural hazards to ship operations and may be the direct cause or contributing factor to maritime accidents. Such severe environmental conditions can be taken into account in ship design and operational windows can be defined that limits hazardous operations to less extreme conditions. Nevertheless, possible changes in the statistics of extreme weather conditions, possibly due to anthropogenic climate change, represent an additional hazard to ship operations that is less straightforward to account for in a consistent way. Obviously, there are large uncertainties as to how future climate change will affect the extreme weather conditions at sea and there is a need for stochastic models that can describe the variability in both space and time at various scales of the environmental conditions. Previously, Bayesian hierarchical space-time models have been developed to describe the variability and complex dependence structures of significant wave height in space and time. These models were found to perform reasonably well and provided some interesting results, in particular, pertaining to long-term trends in the wave climate. In this paper, a similar framework is applied to oceanic windiness and the spatial and temporal variability of the 10-m wind speed over an area in the North Atlantic ocean is investigated. When the results from the model for North Atlantic windiness is compared to the results for significant wave height over the same area, it is interesting to observe that whereas an increasing trend in significant wave height was identified, no statistically significant long-term trend was estimated in windiness. This may indicate that the increase in significant wave height is not due to an increase in locally generated wind waves, but rather to increased swell. This observation is also consistent with studies that have suggested a poleward shift of the main storm tracks.
Application of a hybrid model of neural networks and genetic algorithms to evaluate landslide susceptibility
Authors: Wang H. B. , Li J. W. , Zhou B. , Yuan Z. Q. , Chen Y. P.
Published: March 2013

Abstract. In the last few decades, the development of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) technology has provided a method for the evaluation of landslide susceptibility and hazard. Slope units were found to be appropriate for the fundamental morphological elements in landslide susceptibility evaluation. Following the DEM construction in a loess area susceptible to landslides, the direct-reverse DEM technology was employed to generate 216 slope units in the studied area. After a detailed investigation, the landslide inventory was mapped in which 39 landslides, including paleo-landslides, old landslides and recent landslides, were present. Of the 216 slope units, 123 involved landslides. To analyze the mechanism of these landslides, six environmental factors were selected to evaluate landslide occurrence: slope angle, aspect, the height and shape of the slope, distance to river and human activities. These factors were extracted in terms of the slope unit within the ArcGIS software. The spatial analysis demonstrates that most of the landslides are located on convex slopes at an elevation of 100–150 m with slope angles from 135°–225° and 40°–60°. Landslide occurrence was then checked according to these environmental factors using an artificial neural network with back propagation, optimized by genetic algorithms. A dataset of 120 slope units was chosen for training the neural network model, i.e., 80 units with landslide presence and 40 units without landslide presence. The parameters of genetic algorithms and neural networks were then set: population size of 100, crossover probability of 0.65, mutation probability of 0.01, momentum factor of 0.60, learning rate of 0.7, max learning number of 10 000, and target error of 0.000001. After training on the datasets, the susceptibility of landslides was mapped for the land-use plan and hazard mitigation. Comparing the susceptibility map with landslide inventory, it was noted that the prediction accuracy of landslide occurrence is 93.02%, whereas units without landslide occurrence are predicted with an accuracy of 81.13%. To sum up, the verification shows satisfactory agreement with an accuracy of 86.46% between the susceptibility map and the landslide locations. In the landslide susceptibility assessment, ten new slopes were predicted to show potential for failure, which can be confirmed by the engineering geological conditions of these slopes. It was also observed that some disadvantages could be overcome in the application of the neural networks with back propagation, for example, the low convergence rate and local minimum, after the network was optimized using genetic algorithms. To conclude, neural networks with back propagation that are optimized by genetic algorithms are an effective method to predict landslide susceptibility with high accuracy.
Nonlinear hydrodynamics in a Mediterranean lagoon
Authors: Alekseenko E. , Roux B. , Sukhinov A. , Kotarba R. , Fougere D.
Published: March 2013

Abstract. The paper addresses the application of the nonlinear hydrodynamics model (RANS (Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes) equations) in a wide semi-enclosed Mediterranean lagoon (Berre lagoon), considering three natural forcing functions, i.e., sea tide propagating through a long narrow channel, wind and runoff. Main attention is focused to characteristic velocities (at free surface and bottom) and to free surface elevation associated to each of these three mechanisms, with special attention to the nearshore areas (i.e., in shallow water). The most interesting result concerns wind effects which, due to Berre lagoon bathymetry, give rise to downwind coastal jets, alongshore, in shallow water areas. Such coastal jets were never mentioned before in Berre lagoon literature.
Blood Pressure, Ocular Perfusion Pressure, and Body Mass Index in Glaucoma Patients
Authors: Ngo Sandra , Harris Alon , Siesky Brent A. , Schroeder Anne , Eckert George , Holland Stephen
Published: March 2013

Purpose

To investigate relationships between blood pressure (BP), ocular perfusion pressure (OPP), and intraocular pressure (IOP) in patients with open-angle glaucoma (OAG) of different body mass index (BMI) classes.

Methods

Data from participants of a prospective, longitudinal, single site, observational study were analyzed. Patients with a prior diagnosis of OAG completed 2 baseline visits (1 week apart) with follow-up visits every 6 months for 2 years. At each visit, BP, weight, height, and IOP were recorded for normal-weight (BMI 18.5–24.9; n = 38), overweight (BMI 25.0–29.9; n = 43), and obese (BMI ≥ 30; n = 34) patients: The BP was measured using automated ambulatory measurements after 5 minutes rest and IOP was measured using Goldmann applanation tonometry.

Results

The IOP decreased from baseline to 2-year measurement in normal-weight (-1.5, 95% confidence interval [CI] −2.7 to −0.4), overweight (-1.9, 95% CI −3.4 to −0.4), and obese (-2.5, 95% CI −3.9 to −1.2) patients with OAG. Systolic BP (SBP) and OPP decreased from baseline to 2-year measurement in all 3 BMI categories, although not reaching statistical significance. In normal-weight patients, there was a significant, positive correlation between changes in IOP and SBP (r = 0.36, p = 0.0431). A significant, negative correlation was observed between changes in IOP and OPP in overweight (r = −0.56, p = 0.0002) and obese (r = −0.38, p = 0.0499) patients.

Conclusions

This study demonstrated that in normal-weight individuals with OAG, changes in SBP were positively correlated to changes in IOP. However, this relationship did not exist for overweight or obese patients. Instead, overweight and obese patients displayed a negative correlation between OPP and IOP.
Factors that Influence Femoral Neck Length. Analysis of 1543 Patients with Advanced Osteoarthritis of the Hip
Authors: Prins Wybren , Kollen Boudewijn J. , Ettema Harmen B. , Verheyen Cees C.P.M.
Published: March 2013

Background and purpose

There is little known about the relationship between patient characteristic and the variance in geometrical properties of the femoral neck. The length of the femoral neck is relevant when considering a femoral neck preserving hip replacement. Based on surgical experience we hypothesised that femoral neck length (FNL) decreased with age. We investigated whether certain patient characteristics were related to FNL and the femoral head diameter/FNL ratio.

Patients and Methods

The femoral neck length of 1543 patients with osteoarthritis grade 3 and 4 was measured on calibrated pelvic radiographs.

Results

Increasing age and height were associated positively, while increasing CCD angle and femoral head diameter were associated negatively with femoral neck length. Female gender and height were associated negatively and CCD angle positively with the femoral head diameter/FNL ratio. The FNL in 10 year older individuals was on average 0.2 mm (1%) longer. Moreover, every 10 extra degrees in CCD coincided with a neck length decrease of 1.5 mm (8%) in our population.

Interpretation

It seems justified to conclude that age is not a clinical relevant factor in the indication for femoral neck preserving hip arthroplasty. In this respect, CCD angle seems the most clinical relevant factor. Severe valgus angled hips are not a very suitable indication for femoral neck preserving prosthesis.
Yahweh’s Breast: Interpreting Haggai’s Temple through Melanie Klein’s Projective Identification Theory
Authors: Cataldo Jeremiah W.
Published: March 2013

Haggai’s emphasis on the temple is driven more by a concern for a defensive preservation of social-political identity than it is for the institutional restoration of the cult. As a heuristic device, Melanie Klein's theory on projective identification helps identify constructivist elements in Haggai that highlight postures of defensive preservation as legitimations of the Jerusalem temple as a shared object. Haggai’s vision of a “restored” society is based on his belief that the symbolic value of the temple is a necessary, constructive element in the creation or manifestation of that society and its corresponding identity.
Effects of Sowing Date on Sunflower (Helianthus annuus) Damage by Pachnoda interrupta (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) and an Economic Threshold Levels for Its Management at Maiduguri, Sudan Savannah Ecological Zone of Nigeria
Authors: G Abdullahi , Sastawa B. M. , A Shehu
Published: March 2013

Pachnoda interrupta is one of the head-infesting insect pests of sunflower in Maiduguri. Two separate field experiment(one each for sowing date effect and threshold level) were conducted to investigate the influence of sowing date on damage and yield loss by P. interrupta on sunflower and the economic threshold level for its control in Maiduguri. The result for influence of sowing date experiment shows that percentage incidence of infestation was highly significant on sunflower sown on the 5th July than other planting date except that of 26th July. Significantly lower damage was recorded on sunflower sown on 19th July than those on the 5th and grain yield loss was also significantly higher on 26th July sowings than all other dates. The results for economic threshold level experiment indicated that 2.38 and 2.36 beetles/head were the economic threshold level for flowing and milky grain stage respectively and there was a 1:4.9 cost: benefit ratio/ ha. This means that there is a 20% return for every unit of inputs. The result implies that 19th of July is the best planting date to reduce infestations, damage and yield loss from P. interrupta in Maiduguri and artificial control measures should be initiated when there are 1.9 to 2.0 beetles/plant.
Geometric parameters optimization of planar interdigitated electrodes for bioimpedance spectroscopy
Authors: Ibrahim M. , Claudel J. , Kourtiche D. , Nadi M.
Published: March 2013

This paper is concerned with a physical model of an interdigitated sensor working in a frequency range from 100 Hz to 10 MHz. A theoretical approach is proposed to optimize the use of the sensor for bioimpedance spectroscopy. The correlation between design parameters and frequency behavior in coplanar impedance sensors are described. CoventorWare® software was used to model the biological medium loaded interdigital sensor in three dimensions to measure its electrical impedance. Complete system simulation by a finite element method (FEM) was used for sensor sensitivity optimization. The influence of geometrical parameters (number of fingers, width of the electrodes) on the impedance spectroscopy of the biological medium was studied. The simulation results are in agreement with the theoretical equations of optimization. Thus, it is possible to design a priori such sensor by taking into account the biological medium of interest that will load the sensor.
Impedance of tissue-mimicking phantom material under compression
Authors: Belmont Barry , Dodde Robert E. , Shih Albert J.
Published: March 2013

The bioimpedance of tissues under compression is a field in need of study. While biological tissues can become compressed in a myriad of ways, very few experiments have been conducted to describe the relationship between the passive electrical properties of a material (impedance/admittance) and its underlying mechanical properties (stress and strain) during deformation. Of the investigations that have been conducted, the exodus of fluid from samples under compression has been thought to be the cause of changes in impedance, though until now was not measured directly. Using a soft tissue-mimicking phantom material (tofu) whose passive electrical properties are a function of the conducting fluid held within its porous structure, we have shown that the mechanical behavior of a sample under compression can be measured through bioimpedance techniques.
L’interprétation juridique et la Cour suprême fédérale du Brésil : considérations sur le récent dépassement du positivisme juridique et sur la révision de la théorie du « législateur négatif »
Authors: Bustamante Thomas , Lorenzato Cristina , Issalys Pierre
Published: March 2013

Dans le bref essai qui suit, l’auteur analyse le changement de perception de la Cour suprême fédérale du Brésil relativement à son propre rôle de « législateur négatif », au sens de la théorie kelsénienne de contrôle de la constitutionnalité des lois. Comme l’indique l’auteur, la Cour suprême fédérale a longtemps interprété le concept de « législateur négatif » comme un frein à toute forme d’activisme judiciaire. Conséquemment, elle ne se serait autorisée ni à créer des normes constitutionnelles de portée générale, ni à fonder une décision sur l’application directe de principes constitutionnels. Aujourd’hui, toutefois, le concept de « législateur négatif » paraît céder le pas à un modèle de contrôle de la constitutionnalité qui s’apparente au « droit-intégrité » de Dworkin, suivant lequel le juge participe à la construction du système juridique en s’appuyant sur les principes politiques et moraux qui sous-tendent la Constitution.
Communiquer le droit : le média et le message
Authors: Lopes Mônica Sette
Published: March 2013

Dans le présent texte, l’auteure développe quelques réflexions autour de l’utilisation, dans la vie juridique, des nouveaux médias et particulièrement d’Internet. Elle le fait en considérant deux formes de communication utilisées par le Pouvoir judiciaire et introduites au Brésil au cours des dernières années : d’une part, la transmission en direct des séances de jugement par la télévision, la radio ou Internet ; d’autre part, la diffusion institutionnelle d’informations, qui transforme les tribunaux en fournisseurs des divers médias. La compréhension des effets de ces innovations est imparfaite, car la science juridique n’est pas habituée à recourir au potentiel analytique interdisciplinaire des sciences de la communication pour comprendre la nature des processus au moyen desquels se transmet le message du droit. La principale conséquence de cette lacune méthodologique est l’insuffisance de la réflexion sur la dynamique de la diffusion du droit à travers les diverses techniques qui y concourent. Bien que des travaux récents et importants aient été consacrés à ce phénomène, sa compréhension peut tirer profit des analyses de Marshall McLuhan, auxquelles l’auteure a principalement recours dans son analyse.
Le fichage fédéral de la délinquance sexuelle et l’érosion des principes de justice criminelle et punitive
Authors: Beausoleil-Allard Geneviève
Published: March 2013

Dans l’article qui suit, l’auteure examine certains des problèmes juridiques que soulève le fichage de la délinquance sexuelle prévu par le Code criminel et la Loi sur l’enregistrement de renseignements sur les délinquants sexuels. Les tribunaux supérieurs qui se sont penchés sur la constitutionnalité de ce fichage l’ont déqualifié comme peine de nature criminelle, entraînant ainsi une érosion des règles constitutionnelles propres à la peine et des principes de la justice criminelle et punitive. L’auteure soutient que ce fichage présente pourtant toutes les caractéristiques d’une peine de nature criminelle et qu’il devrait, par conséquent, respecter les principes de la justice naturelle, les principes constitutionnels propres à la peine et les principes de la pénologie canadienne.
Le juge qui crée le droit est-il un juge qui gouverne ?
Authors: Toko Patrick Wafeu
Published: March 2013

Le gouvernement des juges est devenu un spectre par l’entremise de l’exemple de la Cour suprême américaine. L’élargissement de la saisine à l’opposition parlementaire en révèle les enjeux politiques, alors que l’entrepreneuriat contentieux du citoyen dévoile la suprématie matérielle des droits fondamentaux. Le double filtre relatif à la question prioritaire de la constitutionnalité n’est-il pas le symptôme de la défiance du corps politique français à l’égard du juge ? Désormais, le juge constitutionnel rétablit la vérité des urnes et régule les pouvoirs institués. Par ses avis et ses décisions relativement à la cohabitation, à l’alternance et à la vacance du pouvoir, il gère les crises politiques. En matière administrative, le juge peut créer le droit sans nécessairement gouverner, tandis qu’en matière constitutionnelle et pénale il peut gouverner sans créer le droit. Il gouverne en étant l’interprète de la loi dont il détermine la signification officielle. N’ayant ni l’épée ni la bourse, il a un pouvoir d’injonction, garantie de l’exécution de ses décisions. Le dialogue des juges est un moyen de contestation des ordres juridiques nationaux et de diffusion d’une manière de dire le droit.
Priority interventions to reduce HIV transmission in sex work settings in sub‐Saharan Africa and delivery of these services
Authors: Chersich Matthew F , Luchters Stanley , Ntaganira Innocent , Gerbase Antonio , Lo Ying‐Ru , Scorgie Fiona , Steen Richard
Published: March 2013

Introduction

Virtually no African country provides HIV prevention services in sex work settings with an adequate scale and intensity. Uncertainty remains about the optimal set of interventions and mode of delivery.

Methods

We systematically reviewed studies reporting interventions for reducing HIV transmission among female sex workers in sub‐Saharan Africa between January 2000 and July 2011. Medline (PubMed) and non‐indexed journals were searched for studies with quantitative study outcomes.

Results

We located 26 studies, including seven randomized trials. Evidence supports implementation of the following interventions to reduce unprotected sex among female sex workers: peer‐mediated condom promotion, risk‐reduction counselling and skills‐building for safer sex. One study found that interventions to counter hazardous alcohol‐use lowered unprotected sex. Data also show effectiveness of screening for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and syndromic STI treatment, but experience with periodic presumptive treatment is limited. HIV testing and counselling is essential for facilitating sex workers’ access to care and antiretroviral treatment (ART), but testing models for sex workers and indeed for ART access are little studied, as are structural interventions, which create conditions conducive for risk reduction. With the exception of Senegal, persistent criminalization of sex work across Africa reduces sex workers’ control over working conditions and impedes their access to health services. It also obstructs health‐service provision and legal protection.

Conclusions

There is sufficient evidence of effectiveness of targeted interventions with female sex workers in Africa to inform delivery of services for this population. With improved planning and political will, services – including peer interventions, condom promotion and STI screening – would act at multiple levels to reduce HIV exposure and transmission efficiency among sex workers. Initiatives are required to enhance access to HIV testing and ART for sex workers, using current CD4 thresholds, or possibly earlier for prevention. Services implemented at sufficient scale and intensity also serve as a platform for subsequent community mobilization and sex worker empowerment, and alleviate a major source of incident infection sustaining even generalized HIV epidemics. Ultimately, structural and legal changes that align public health and human rights are needed to ensure that sex workers on the continent are adequately protected from HIV.
Nanoindentation Characterization of the Hardness of Zirconia Dental Ceramics
Authors: Shao Longquan , Jiang Danyu , Gong Jianghong
Published: March 2013

Hardness characterization is a key issue for the evaluation of the resistance to contact damage of dental materials. In this study, nanoindentation tests were conducted on four commercial zirconia dental ceramics. For each material, the measured nanohardness exhibits significant indentation size effect, i.e., the measured hardness decreases with increasing peak load. The so‐called load‐independent nanohardness was determined based on a second‐order polynomial analysis of the variation of the contact depth with the peak load. Finally, a brief discussion was conducted on the reliability and the applicability of the determined load‐independent nanohardness.
Who Pays for Work‐Related Traumatic Injuries? Payer Distribution in Washington State by Ethnicity, Injury Severity, and Year (1998–2008)
Authors: Sears Jeanne M. , Bowman Stephen M. , Adams Darrin , Silverstein Barbara A.
Published: March 2013

Background

Acute work‐related trauma is a leading cause of death and disability for U.S. workers but it is difficult to obtain information about injured workers not covered by workers' compensation (WC). This study aimed to: (1) describe trends in expected payer and linkage to WC claims, (2) compare characteristics of injured workers who did and did not have a linked WC claim, and (3) describe variation in expected payer and linkage to WC claims by ethnicity and injury severity.

Methods

Data for injuries occurring from 1998 through 2008 were obtained from the Washington State Trauma Registry and linked to WC claims.

Results

We found that 27% of work‐related traumatic injuries did not have WC listed as a payer, while 37% did not link to a WC claim. Among those with WC listed as a payer, the odds of having a linked WC claim were 57% lower for workers with other non‐WC insurance compared with the otherwise uninsured. Latinos were more likely to have a linked WC claim compared with non‐Latinos, but there was no significant difference after partially controlling for WC‐covered employment and other insurance.

Conclusions

This study demonstrated the importance of considering differential access to other insurance coverage and adaptation by health care settings to financial pressures when assessing trends in occupational injury incidence and reporting, especially when using WC as a proxy for work‐relatedness. The addition of occupation, industry, and work status to trauma registries and hospital discharge databases would improve surveillance, research, policy and prevention efforts. Am. J. Ind. Med. 56:742–754, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Independence of data points in the measurement of hand preferences in primates: Statistical problem or urban myth?
Authors: Hopkins William D.
Published: March 2013

Lack of independence of data points or the pooling fallacy has been suggested as a potential problem in the study of handedness in nonhuman primates, particularly as it relates to whether hand use responses should be recorded as individual events or bouts of activity. Here, I argue that there is no evidence that the concept of statistical independence of data points or the pooling fallacy is a problem in the evaluation of population‐level handedness in previous studies in nonhuman primates. I further argue these statistical concepts have been misapplied to the characterization of individual hand preferences. Finally, I argue that recording hand use responses as bouts rather than events has no significant effect on reports of hand use in nonhuman primates and, in fact, may unintentionally bias hand use toward the null hypothesis. Several suggestions for improvement in the measurement and statistical determination of individual handedness are offered in the article. Am J Phys Anthropol 151:151–157, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.