bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Point-of-care versus central laboratory coagulation testing during haemorrhagic surgery
Authors: Ozier Yves , Ankri Annick , Fléron Marie-Hélène , Leroux Geneviève , Samama Charles Marc , Toulon Pierre
Published: January 2009

Delay in collecting coagulation test results from a central laboratory is one of the critical issues to efficiently control haemostasis during surgery. The aim of this multicenter study was to compare the performance of a point-of-care (POC) device (CoaguChek™ Pro DM) with the central laboratory-based coagulation testing during haemorrhagic surgery. For this purpose, 93 patients undergoing major surgical procedure were prospectively included in three centers. Blood was drawn from all patients before surgical incision and from most patients during surgical procedure after a blood loss of 25% or more was observed. When expressed in activity percentage, POC-based prothrombin time (PT) was in good agreement with central laboratory test result with coefficient of correlation in the range from 0.711 to 0.960 in the three centers. Comparison was less conclusive when PT was expressed in seconds or as the patient-to-control ratio and for activated partial thromboplastin time, with significantly shorter clotting times and lower ratios obtained on the POC device. On-site PT (in activity percentage) monitoring would have induced no significant change in fresh frozen plasma (FFP) transfusion in patients when compared to central laboratory monitoring. Test results were obtained in less than 5 minutes when performed using the POC device versus a median turnaround time of 88 minutes (range: 29–235 minutes) when blood collection tubes were sent to the central laboratory. These results suggest that, in providing a rapid answer, POC-based monitoring of PT (in percentage) using the CoaguChek device could be validly used in patients undergoing haemorrhagic surgical procedures.
Effect of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 on adipogenesis in vivo
Authors: Scroyen Ilse , Jacobs Frank , Cosemans Leen , Geest Bart De , Lijnen Roger
Published: January 2009

To study the functional role of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) in obesity, the effect of its overexpression on de novo adipogenesis was evaluated in murine models in vivo. Therefore, 3T3-F442A preadipocytes expressing murine PAI-1 (mPAI-1) or control cells were injected in the back of male NUDE mice, which were fed a high-fat diet (HFD) for four weeks. De novo fat pads that formed from the PAI-1 expressing cells were larger (21 ± 2.4 mg vs. 14 ± 1.4 mg; p = 0.017) and showed a higher adipocyte density (373 ± 28 mm-2 vs. 301 ± 12 mm-2; p = 0.03) as compared to those formed from control cells. In a second model, male NUDE mice were injected in the tail vein with an adenoviral construct expressing mPAI-1 or with the empty vector, and three days later with 3T3-F442A cells. After four weeks of HFD, total body weight and de novo fat pad weight were comparable for both groups. Mild adipocyte hypotrophy was observed in the de novo fat pads of the PAI-1 overexpressing mice (1180 ± 33 µm2 vs. 1285 ± 32 µm2; p= 0.024), whereas the blood vessel size was significantly smaller than in controls (30 ± 1.8 µm2 vs. 63 ± 3.6 µm2; p < 0.0001). Thus, the effect of local or systemic PAI-1 (over)expression on adipocyte or blood vessel size and density of de novo formed fat pads appears to be different, and concentration-dependent. Whereas local expression resulted in larger fat pads, systemic overexpression had no effect on de novo adipogenesis, although angiogenesis appeared to be impaired.
Vulnerable atherosclerotic plaque metalloproteinases and foam cell phenotypes
Authors: George Sarah , Ismail Yasmin , Johnson Jason , Sala-Newby Graciela , Thomas Anita , Newby Andrew
Published: January 2009

Plaque rupture underlies most myocardial infarctions. Plaques vulnerable to rupture have thin fibrous caps, an excess of macrophages over vascular smooth muscle cells, large lipid cores, and depletion of collagen and other matrix proteins form the cap and lipid core. Production of matrix metalloproteinases from macrophages is prominent in human plaques, and studies in genetically modified mice imply a causative role for metallopro teinases in plaque vulnerability. Recent in-vitro studies on human monocyte-derived macrophages and on foam-cell macrophages generated in vivo suggest the existence of several macrophage phenotypes with distinct patterns of metalloproteinase expression. These phenotypes could play differing roles in cap, core and aneurysm formation.
Microsatellite (GT)n repeats and SNPs in the von Willebrand factor gene promoter do not influence circulating von Willebrand factor levels under normal conditions
Authors: Daidone Viviana , Cattini Maria Grazia , Pontara Elena , Sartorello Francesca , Gallinaro Lisa , Marotti Alberto , Scaroni Carla , Pagnan Antonio , Casonato Alessandra
Published: January 2009

Von Willebrand factor (VWF) levels vary considerably in normal individuals, influenced by inherited and acquired modulators. ABO blood group is the major inherited determinant of VWF levels, but a role has also been attributed to the VWF gene promoter, haplotype 1 (-3268G/-2709C/-2661A/-2527G) being associated with higher VWF levels than haplotype 2 (-3268C/-2709T/-2661G/-2527A), and the polymorphic locus (GT)n modulating the shear stress-induced activation of the VWF promoter. We characterized the (GT)n of the VWF promoter in 394 healthy individuals and assessed whether its variable length influenced VWF levels in normal conditions. (GT)n proved highly polymorphic, with alleles from 15 to 24 repeats long. (GT)21 and (GT)19 were the most common variants (37.4% and 34.4%, respectively). Short GT repeats (15–19) segregated mainly with haplotype 1, long GT repeats (20–24) with haplotype 2 (p<0.0001). The number of GT repeats did not correlate with VWF levels, nor did such levels correlate with haplotypes 1 and 2, considered alone or in association with the (GT)n locus. We conclude that (GT)n and -3268/-2709/-2661/-2527 loci are in strong linkage disequilibrium. This polymorphic region of the VWF promoter does not affect VWF levels under normal conditions, though it might represent an environmentally activable VWF regulation site.
Hereditary and acquired complement dysregulation in membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis
Authors: Fremeaux-Bacchi Veronique , Licht Christoph
Published: January 2009

Membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (MPGN) is a chronic progressive renal disease that is diagnosed on the basis of renal histological features. Several MPGN subtypes have been defined by the localization and composition of glomerular deposits (electron dense, Ig and C3). MPGN II or dense deposit disease (DDD) which is defined by the occurrence of electron dense deposits within the lamina densa of the glomerular basement membrane (GBM) is strongly associated with dysregulation of the alternative complement pathway (AP). However, C3 Nephritic Factor (C3NeF), an autoantibody against the alternative C3 convertase C3bBb, and mutations in regulatory proteins of the AP have also been identified in other subtypes of MPGN and even in glomerulonephritis with mesangial C3 deposits. Clinically, MPGN is characterized by proteinuria (up to nephrotic range) and hypertension, frequent progression to end-stage kidney disease and disease recurrence after renal transplantation. The age of onset varies from childhood to adulthood. In the following we will review our current knowledge of pathogenesis of MPGN and will present a novel classification system of the disease based on pathogenesis rather than on morphology. A better understanding of the pathogenesis of MPGN is crucial for the development of novel, specific treatment strategies.
Bivalirudin reduces platelet and monocyte activation after elective percutaneous coronary intervention
Authors: Busch Gabriele , Steppich Birgit , Sibbing Dirk , Braun Siegmund-Lorenz , Stein Andreas , Groha Philipp , Schömig Albert , Kastrati Adnan , Beckerath Nicolas von , Ott Ilka
Published: January 2009

lating platelets and CD11b, CD14 and CD15 on circulating leukocytes were evaluated by flow cytometry. Cytokine levels of IL-12p70, tumour necrosis factor (TNF), IL-8, IL-6, IL-1β and IL-10 were determined by cytometric bead array. Platelet surface expression of PAC-1, P-Selectin and GPIbα was significantly reduced after PCI in patients receiving bivalirudin as compared to heparin. Similarly, CD11b expression on CD14+ monocytes was diminished after bivalirudin. However, no differences were observed in cytokine levels between the bivalirudin and the heparin group, before or after PCI. In conclusion, our data suggest that bivalirudin may reduce platelet and monocyte activation in patients undergoing elective PCI. Thereby, bivalirudin might reduce periinterventional thrombotic complications.
Antithrombin Cambridge II (A384S) supports a role for antithrombin deficiency in arterial thrombosis
Authors: Roldán Vanessa , Ordoñez Adriana , Marín Francisco , Zorio Esther , Soria José M. , Miñano Antonia , España Francisco , González-Conejero Rocio , Pineda Javier , Estellés Amparo , Fontcuberta Jordi , Vicente Vicente , Corral Javier
Published: January 2009

Although the control of thrombin in the microvasculature at the endothelial cell surface is crucial to prevent atherothrombosis, the role of antithrombin in arterial thrombosis is unclear. It is widely considered that antithrombin deficiency is unlikely to contribute to arterial thrombosis, but no convincing epidemiological study has been performed because of the low frequency of this deficiency. In this study we evaluated the role in myocardial infarction (MI) of a relatively common mutation affecting antithrombin gene (A384S: Antithrombin Cambridge II) that has functional features that may impair the right control of thrombogenic events caused by injury to the vascular wall. Moreover, this deficiency, which is not detected using common methods to diagnose antithrombin deficiency, also increases the risk of venous thrombosis. We included 1,224 patients with MI (691 consecutive patients and 533 survivors of a premature event), and 1,649 controls. The mutation was identified in 0.3% of controls, but 0.8% of MI patients. After adjusting for sex and other cardiovascular risk factors, the antithrombin Cambridge II significantly increased 5.66-fold the risk of MI (95% CI: 1.53–20.88; p= 0.009). Interestingly, young patients had the highest risk of MI associated with the mutation (OR: 9.98; 95%CI: 1.60–62.24; p= 0.009). This is the first epidemiological study that supports a role for anti-thrombin deficiency in arterial thrombosis. These results suggest that deficiency of antithrombin may be an independent risk factor for MI that has been underestimated, but larger studies are needed to confirm the relevance of inhibitors of thrombin in arterial thrombosis.
Stroke risk in atrial fibrillation patients on warfarin
Authors: Antonucci Emilia , Grifoni Elisa , Abbate Rosanna , Gensini Gian Franco , Prisco Domenico , Poli Daniela
Published: January 2009

Atrial fibrillation (AF) patients are widely heterogeneous in terms of ischaemic stroke risk, and several risk stratification schemes have been developed. We performed a prospective study on 662 AF patients on long-term oral anticoagulant therapy (OAT), evaluating the agreement among the different schemes and their correlation with adverse events recorded during follow-up. Patients at low risk were similarly distributed among the different models. Instead, patients classed at moderate risk were 49.2% by CHADS2 score, 27.6% by NICE and 2.3% by ACCP. As a consequence patients classed at high risk were 46.1% by CHADS2, 69.8% by NICE and 95.3% by ACCP. CHADS2 and NICE scores were associated to the best predictive accuracy. A separate analysis was performed for patients on treatment for secondary prevention, and we observed that they were included in high risk groups by all models, except for 14 patients (6.3%) classed at moderate risk by CHADS2 even though these patients are at very high risk and the use of aspirin could be unsafe for them. During follow-up 32 major bleeding (1.35 per 100 patient/years) and 39 thrombotic events (1.64 per 100 patient/ years) were observed. Among patients on OAT for secondary prevention, both bleeding and thrombotic events mostly occurred in high-risk patients. Even if the absolute rate of adverse events is low, this finding seems to confirm the high stroke risk of this group of patients. For patients on secondary prevention there is no need for further stratification and warfarin should be the treatment of choice.
The impact of acute and chronic exercise on thrombosis in cardiovascular disease
Authors: Pelletier Roxanne , Lavoie Kim L. , Bacon Simon L.
Published: January 2009

There is now a large and impressive literature showing that people who engage in chronic aerobic exercise or who have better cardiovascular fitness levels, tend to live longer and have lower levels of cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, there is a paradox, as acute aerobic exercise has been associated with an increased risk of CVD events. There are now a number of review articles suggesting that the differential benefits of chronic, relative to acute, exercise might be due to thrombotic changes, though the majority of this data is derived from healthy individuals. However, acute exercise is of greater concern and chronic exercise of greater benefit to patient populations. In addition, these higher risk groups tend to present with more complex profiles, e.g. they may be taking medications that influence thrombotic pathways. As such, the current review has focused on newer information relating to exercise, physical activity and thrombosis in patient populations, and highlights some of the growing area’s in the field. For example, the impact of warm-up exercise, the interaction of medications, and issues surrounding the optimal volume and intensity of exercise.
Desmoteplase in acute massive pulmonary thromboembolism
Authors: Bramlage Peter , Graf Andreas , Lechleitner Peter , Bode Christoph , Riess Friedrich-Christian , Clemens Norbert , Al-Rawi Yasir , Konstantinides Stavros , Goldhaber Samuel Z. , Tebbe Ulrich
Published: January 2009

Alteplase is standard therapy for patients with acute, massive pulmonary embolism. The novel plasminogen activator desmoteplase displays high fibrin specificity and selectivity for fibrin-bound plasminogen. In a preclinical model desmoteplase was twice as potent with a shorter lysis time and lower reocclusion rate. We conducted a phase II study comparing 125, 180, and 250 μg/kg bodyweight desmoteplase with 100 mg alteplase. Efficacy criteria were total pulmonary resistance (TPR), mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP), and Miller Index. Intention to treat analysis of 34 patients. The reduction of TPR after 24 hours was comparable between desmoteplase 180 μg/kg and alteplase (-48.0 ± 22.4 vs. –50.4 ± 16.3%; p = n.s. vs. alteplase; p = 0.0002 and p<0.0001 vs. baseline). The greatest effect was achieved with desmoteplase 250 μg/kg (-56.0 ± 29.4%; p = n.s. vs. alteplase, p = 0.0055 vs. baseline). Two hours after treatment PAP was reduced by 27.9 (p = 0.0004 vs. baseline) and 30.4% (p = 0.015 vs. baseline) with the higher doses of desmoteplase and 29.6% with alteplase (p = 0.0006 vs. baseline). Further PAP reduction after 6 hours was most pronounced in the desmoteplase 250 μg/kg group (-40.1 ± 18.0%; p = 0.0028 vs. baseline). The reduction of the Miller Index was greatest using desmoteplase 250 μg/kg (-35.0 ± 21.7%; p = 0.011 vs. baseline), and alteplase (-41.6 ± 27.2%; p = 0.0003 vs. baseline). Safety did not differ among the 4 groups. The study results suggest that desmoteplase at doses of 180 and 250 μg/kg had similar or greater efficacy compared to alteplase 100 mg. Onset of action was faster, safety was comparable.
Alterations of Phospholamban Function Can Exhibit Cardiotoxic Effects Independent of Excessive Sarcoplasmic Reticulum Ca
2+
-ATPase Inhibition
Authors: Schmitt Joachim P. , Ahmad Ferhaan , Lorenz Kristina , Hein Lutz , Schulz Stefan , Asahi Michio , MacLennan David H. , Seidman Christine E. , Seidman J.G. , Lohse Martin J.
Published: January 2009

Background—

Low activity of the sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum Ca
2+
-ATPase (SERCA2a) resulting from strong inhibition by phospholamban (PLN) can depress cardiac contractility and lead to dilated cardiomyopathy and heart failure. Here, we investigated whether PLN exhibits cardiotoxic effects via mechanisms other than chronic inhibition of SERCA2a by studying a PLN mutant, PLN
R9C
, that triggers cardiac failure in humans and mice.

Methods and Results—

Because PLN
R9C
inhibits SERCA2a mainly by preventing deactivation of wild-type PLN, SERCA2a activity could be increased stepwise by generating mice that carry a PLN
R9C
transgene and 2, 1, or 0 endogenous PLN alleles (PLN
+/+
+TgPLN
R9C
, PLN
+/−
+TgPLN
R9C
, and PLN
−/−
+TgPLN
R9C
, respectively). PLN
−/−
+TgPLN
R9C
hearts demonstrated accelerated sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca
2+
uptake rates and improved hemodynamics compared with PLN
+/+
+TgPLN
R9C
mice but still responded poorly to β-adrenergic stimulation because PLN
R9C
impairs protein kinase A–mediated phosphorylation of both wild-type and mutant PLN. PLN
+/+
+TgPLN
R9C
mice died of heart failure at 21±6 weeks, whereas heterozygous PLN
+/−
+TgPLN
R9C
mice survived to 48±11 weeks, PLN
−/−
+TgPLN
R9C
mice to 66±19 weeks, and wild-type mice to 94±27 weeks (
P
<0.001). Although Ca
2+
reuptake kinetics in young PLN
−/−
+TgPLN
R9C
mice exceeded those measured in wild-type control animals, this parameter alone was not sufficient to prevent the eventual development of dilated cardiomyopathy.

Conclusions—

The data demonstrate an association between the dose-dependent inhibition of SERCA2a activity by PLN
wt
and the time of onset of heart failure and show that a weak inhibitor of SERCA2a, PLN
R9C
, which is diminished in its ability to modify the level of SERCA2a activity, leads to heart failure despite fast sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca
2+
reuptake.
The Choreography of Journeys of Magnificence: Arranging the Post-Nuptial Progress of Frederick, the Elector Palatine, and Princess Elizabeth of England from London to Heidelberg in 1613
Authors: Brayshay Mark
Published: January 2009

In examining the detailed planning and operation of an example of long-distance royal travel in the early modern period, this paper draws on contemporary documentary evidence to reconstruct the arrangements that were made for the Princess Elizabeth of England, and her new husband, Prince Frederick, the Elector Palatine, in their journey from London to Heidelberg between April and June in 1613. The progress of the royal couple is well known for its lavishness, splendour, symbolism and political significance but, in this analysis, attention is paid to the composition and character of the escort party, and the elaborate and intricate choreography that underpinned early seventeenth century European travel en fête.
Comments on “Is the Faroe Bank Channel Overflow Hydraulically Controlled?”
Authors: Enmar Linda , Borenäs Karin , Lake Iréne , Lundberg Peter
Published: January 2009

In a recent paper Girton et al., due to what appears to be a misunderstanding, stated that a critical-flow analysis of the deep-water transport through the Faroe Bank Channel had been undertaken by Lake et al. on the basis of rotating hydraulic theory for a channel of parabolic cross section. In fact, this quoted investigation dealt with a rectangular passage. In the present comment it is demonstrated how the use of parabolic bathymetry leads to significant improvements of the Froude number results.
Classification of Convective Areas Using Decision Trees
Authors: Gagne David John , McGovern Amy , Brotzge Jerry
Published: January 2009

This paper presents an automated approach for classifying storm type from weather radar reflectivity using decision trees. Recent research indicates a strong relationship between storm type (morphology) and severe weather, and such information can aid in the warning process. Furthermore, new adaptive sensing tools, such as the Center for Collaborative Adaptive Sensing of the Atmosphere’s (CASA’s) weather radar, can make use of storm-type information in real time. Given the volume of weather radar data from those tools, manual classification of storms is not possible when dealing with real-time data streams. An automated system can more quickly and efficiently sort through real-time data streams and return value-added output in a form that can be more easily manipulated and understood. The method of storm classification in this paper combines two machine learning techniques: K-means clustering and decision trees. K-means segments the reflectivity data into clusters, and decision trees classify each cluster. The K means was used to separate isolated cells from linear systems. Each cell received labels such as “isolated pulse,” “isolated strong,” or “multicellular.” Linear systems were labeled as “trailing stratiform,” “leading stratiform,” and “parallel stratiform.” The classification scheme was tested using both simulated and observed storms. The simulated training and test datasets came from the Advanced Regional Prediction System (ARPS) simulated reflectivity data, and observed data were collected from composite reflectivity mosaics from the CASA Integrative Project One (IP1) network. The observations from the CASA network showed that the classification scheme is now ready for operational use.
Variability of Surface Air Temperature over Gently Sloped Terrain
Authors: Bodine David , Klein Petra M. , Arms Sean C. , Shapiro Alan
Published: January 2009

Temperature and wind data from a rural micronet and nearby site of the Oklahoma Mesonet are analyzed to study the frequency, strength, and formation processes of cold-pool events in a region with gentle terrain. Spatial analyses were performed for a 2-yr-long temperature record from 26 temperature/humidity surface stations, deployed across a 120 m × 320 m micronet located in a region of gently sloped terrain with maximum elevation changes of ∼25 m. Cold pools frequently formed at the base of a gentle slope in a small depression of only ∼6-m depth that is also sheltered by trees. The strength of each cold-pool event was classified according to a cold-pool index based on average nocturnal temperature perturbations within the cold-pool region. Wind data collected with sonic anemometers on a 15-m-tall tower at the micronet for a period of three months (spring 2005) suggest that flow sheltering by vegetation plays an important role in the cold-pool formation. The wind data also show signatures of katabatic flow for about 50% of the strong cold-pool events. However, a heat budget analysis for these nights suggested that the katabatic flows were associated with warm-air advection along the slope and that if katabatic jets had penetrated the cold pool, they would have produced substantial warming in the region of the cold pool. Since such warming was not observed, it is concluded that the katabatic jets did not actually penetrate the cold pool but likely flowed over it. An analysis of Richardson numbers demonstrates that cold-pool formation frequently occurs under strongly stable conditions that tend to suppress vertical turbulent mixing in the surface layer. Observations that significant temperature changes can occur even with elevation changes on the order of 6 m have important implications in agriculture as well as in data assimilation.
Wave Driving in the Tropical Lower Stratosphere as Simulated by WACCM. Part I: Annual Cycle
Authors: Taguchi Masakazu
Published: January 2009

This study explores the climatological annual cycle of temperature, circulation, and wave driving distributions in the tropical lower stratosphere as produced in a 50-yr simulation of the Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model (WACCM). The simulation is forced with a climatological sea surface temperature and sea ice condition. The present diagnoses verify the primary balances of the annual cycle in this region, consistent with lower temperatures, stronger residual circulation (upwelling and local meridional outflow), and nearby stronger wave driving for Northern Hemisphere (NH) winter. An in-detail analysis on the wave driving further reveals that the stronger driving, occurring mostly in the northern tropics and subtropics, is contributed by northward and upward propagation (associated with meridional and vertical fluxes of zonal momentum, respectively) of equatorial Rossby waves forced by convective heating, and also by equatorward propagation of NH extratropical planetary and synoptic waves. The results are used to discuss implications about possible factors that may affect the different observations of the wave driving. The present framework and results will be extended to investigate ENSO-induced changes in this region during NH winter in a forthcoming paper.
The Response to Stratospheric Forcing and Its Dependence on the State of the Troposphere
Authors: Chan Cegeon J. , Plumb R. Alan
Published: January 2009

In simple GCMs, the time scale associated with the persistence of one particular phase of the model’s leading mode of variability can often be unrealistically large. In a particularly extreme example, the time scale in the Polvani–Kushner model is about an order of magnitude larger than the observed atmosphere. From the fluctuation–dissipation theorem, one implication of these simple models is that responses are exaggerated, since such setups are overly sensitive to any external forcing. Although the model’s equilibrium temperature is set up to represent perpetual Southern Hemisphere winter solstice, it is found that the tropospheric eddy-driven jet has a preference for two distinct regions: the subtropics and midlatitudes. Because of this bimodality, the jet persists in one region for thousands of days before “switching” to another. As a result, the time scale associated with the intrinsic variability is unrealistic. In this paper, the authors systematically vary the model’s tropospheric equilibrium temperature profile, one configuration being identical to that of Polvani and Kushner. Modest changes to the tropospheric state to either side of the parameter space removed the bimodality in the zonal-mean zonal jet’s spatial distribution and significantly reduced the time scale associated with the model’s internal mode. Consequently, the tropospheric response to the same stratospheric forcing is significantly weaker than in the Polvani and Kushner case.
Evaluating the Utility of Multispectral Information in Delineating the Areal Extent of Precipitation
Authors: Behrangi Ali , Hsu Kuo-lin , Imam Bisher , Sorooshian Soroosh , Kuligowski Robert J.
Published: January 2009

Data from geosynchronous Earth-orbiting (GEO) satellites equipped with visible (VIS) and infrared (IR) scanners are commonly used in rain retrieval algorithms. These algorithms benefit from the high spatial and temporal resolution of GEO observations, either in stand-alone mode or in combination with higher-quality but less frequent microwave observations from low Earth-orbiting (LEO) satellites. In this paper, a neural network–based framework is presented to evaluate the utility of multispectral information in improving rain/no-rain (R/NR) detection. The algorithm uses the powerful classification features of the self-organizing feature map (SOFM), along with probability matching techniques to map single- or multispectral input space into R/NR maps. The framework was tested and validated using the 31 possible combinations of the five Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite 12 (GOES-12) channels. An algorithm training and validation study was conducted over the conterminous United States during June–August 2006. The results indicate that during daytime, the visible channel (0.65 μm) can yield significant improvements in R/NR detection capabilities, especially when combined with any of the other four GOES-12 channels. Similarly, for nighttime detection the combination of two IR channels—particularly channels 3 (6.5 μm) and 4 (10.7 μm)—resulted in significant performance gain over any single IR channel. In both cases, however, using more than two channels resulted only in marginal improvements over two-channel combinations. Detailed examination of event-based images indicate that the proposed algorithm is capable of extracting information useful to screen no-rain pixels associated with cold, thin clouds and identifying rain areas under warm but rainy clouds. Both cases have been problematic areas for IR-only algorithms.
Subinertial Slope-Trapped Waves in the Northeastern Gulf of Mexico
Authors: Hallock Z. R. , Teague W. J. , Jarosz E.
Published: January 2009

Current velocity from moored arrays of acoustic Doppler current profilers (ADCPs) deployed on the outer shelf and slope, south of Mobile Bay in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico, shows evidence of alongslope, generally westward-propagating subinertial baroclinic Kelvin waves with periods of about 16 and 21 days, amplitudes of 5–10 cm s−1, and wavelengths of about 500 km. The observed waves were highly coherent over the slope between about 200 and 500 m and accounted for a significant amount of the current variability below 200 m. The source of the waves could be attributed to effects of the Loop Current on the west Florida slope but is more likely due to direct forcing by Loop Current–generated eddies impacting the experimental area.
Measurements of Ocean Surface Turbulence and Wave–Turbulence Interactions
Authors: Veron Fabrice , Melville W. Kendall , Lenain Luc
Published: January 2009

The uppermost layers of the ocean, along with the lower atmospheric boundary layer, play a crucial role in the air–sea fluxes of momentum, heat, and mass, thereby providing important boundary conditions for both the atmosphere and the ocean that control the evolution of weather and climate. In particular, the fluxes of heat and gas rely on exchange processes through the molecular layers, which are usually located within the viscous layer, which is in turn modulated by the waves and the turbulence at the free surface. The understanding of the multiple interactions between molecular layers, viscous layers, waves, and turbulence is, therefore, paramount for an adequate parameterization of these fluxes. In this paper, the authors present evidence of a clear coupling between the surface waves and the surface turbulence. When averaged over time scales longer than the wave period, this coupling yields a spatial relationship between surface temperature, divergence, and vorticity fields that is consistent with spatial patterns of Langmuir turbulence. The resulting surface velocity field is hyperbolic, suggesting that significant stretching takes place in the surface layers. On time scales for which the surface wave field is resolved, the authors show that the surface turbulence is modulated by the waves in a manner that is qualitatively consistent with the rapid distortion theory.
The Influences of TOVS Radiance Assimilation on Temperature and Moisture Tendencies in JRA-25 and ERA-40
Authors: Sakamoto Masami , Christy John R.
Published: January 2009

A Japanese long-term reanalysis (JRA-25) was completed in 2006 utilizing the comprehensive set of observations from the 40-yr ECMWF Re-Analysis (ERA-40). JRA-25 and ERA-40 adopted the same type of assimilation systems: 3DVAR with direct use of satellite sounding radiances. Long-term upper-air thermal tendencies in both reanalyses are examined and compared with the observational deep-layer temperatures of the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) and Remote Sensing Systems (RSS). The upper-air temperature tendencies in the reanalyses are significantly different from those of UAH and RSS, and they appear to be influenced by the way the observations of the Television and Infrared Observation Satellite (TIROS) Operational Vertical Sounder (TOVS) are used.

This study focuses on documenting problems in TOVS assimilation, especially problems in bias corrections used in the reanalyses. Referring to quantitative results in an examination of biases between the reanalyses and raw TOVS observations, this study identifies (i) spurious thermal tendencies derived from transitions in TOVS and in the reanalysis calculation streams, (ii) an excessive enhancement of the tropical water cycle in ERA-40, and (iii) an excessive cooling trend and unstable behavior in the stratospheric temperature in JRA-25.

The results of this study suggest that any inconsistencies in TOVS usage can lead to serious inconsistencies in the reanalyses. Therefore, time-consuming efforts to obtain reliable observational information from TOVS are necessary for further progress in reanalyses.
The Influence of the Madden–Julian Oscillation on Canadian Wintertime Surface Air Temperature
Authors: Lin Hai , Brunet Gilbert
Published: January 2009

Using the homogenized Canadian historical daily surface air temperature (SAT) for 210 relatively evenly distributed stations across Canada, the lagged composites and probability of the above- and below-normal SAT in Canada for different phases of the Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO) in the winter season are analyzed. Significant positive SAT anomalies and high probability of above-normal events in the central and eastern Canada are found 5–15 days following MJO phase 3, which corresponds to an enhanced precipitation over the Indian Ocean and Maritime Continent and a reduced convective activity near the tropical central Pacific. On the other hand, a positive SAT anomaly appears over a large part of northern and northeastern Canada about 5–15 days after the MJO is detected in phase 7. An analysis of the evolution of the 500-hPa geopotential height and sea level pressure anomalies indicates that the Canadian SAT anomaly is a result of a Rossby wave train associated with the tropical convection anomaly of the MJO. Hence, the MJO phase provides useful information for the extended-range forecast of Canadian winter surface air temperature. This result also provides an important reference for numerical model verifications.
Statistical Extension of the National Hurricane Center 5-Day Forecasts
Authors: Wilks Daniel S. , Neumann Charles J. , Lawrence Miles B.
Published: January 2009

U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) forecasts for tropical cyclone tracks and wind speeds are extended in time to produce spatially disaggregated probability forecasts for landfall location and intensity, using a weighted bootstrap procedure. Historical analogs, with respect to the forecast characteristics (location, heading, and wind speed) of a current storm, are selected. These are resampled by translating their locations to random positions consistent with the current forecast, and recent NHC forecast accuracy statistics. The result is a large number of plausible Monte Carlo realizations that jointly approximate a probability distribution for the future track and intensity of the storm. Performance of the resulting forecasts is assessed for U.S. tropical cyclone landfall probabilities during 1998–2006, and the forecasts are shown to be skillful and exhibit excellent reliability, even beyond the 120-h forecast horizon of the NHC advisory forecasts upon which they are based.
A Comparison of Precipitation Forecast Skill between Small Convection-Allowing and Large Convection-Parameterizing Ensembles
Authors: Clark Adam J. , Gallus William A. , Xue Ming , Kong Fanyou
Published: January 2009

An experiment has been designed to evaluate and compare precipitation forecasts from a 5-member, 4-km grid-spacing (ENS4) and a 15-member, 20-km grid-spacing (ENS20) Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model ensemble, which cover a similar domain over the central United States. The ensemble forecasts are initialized at 2100 UTC on 23 different dates and cover forecast lead times up to 33 h. Previous work has demonstrated that simulations using convection-allowing resolution (CAR; dx ∼ 4 km) have a better representation of the spatial and temporal statistical properties of convective precipitation than coarser models using convective parameterizations. In addition, higher resolution should lead to greater ensemble spread as smaller scales of motion are resolved. Thus, CAR ensembles should provide more accurate and reliable probabilistic forecasts than parameterized-convection resolution (PCR) ensembles.

Computation of various precipitation skill metrics for probabilistic and deterministic forecasts reveals that ENS4 generally provides more accurate precipitation forecasts than ENS20, with the differences tending to be statistically significant for precipitation thresholds above 0.25 in. at forecast lead times of 9–21 h (0600–1800 UTC) for all accumulation intervals analyzed (1, 3, and 6 h). In addition, an analysis of rank histograms and statistical consistency reveals that faster error growth in ENS4 eventually leads to more reliable precipitation forecasts in ENS4 than in ENS20. For the cases examined, these results imply that the skill gained by increasing to CAR outweighs the skill lost by decreasing the ensemble size. Thus, when computational capabilities become available, it will be highly desirable to increase the ensemble resolution from PCR to CAR, even if the size of the ensemble has to be reduced.
Steamship Empire
Authors: Hyslop Jonathan
Published: January 2009

The introduction of the steamships on a large scale in the late 19th century saw African and Asian sailors becoming a central component of the workforce of the British merchant marine. This development was met with considerable resistance from British seamen who saw these workers as a cheap labour force that would undermine their established position. This article interprets the steam empire as a set of overlapping webs, comprising the shipping companies, British diasporic labour and Indian Ocean seafarers. It traces how a racialized politics was generated within these webs, and the major conflicts to which this gave rise.
Reimagining Socialist Futures in South Africa and Kerala, India
Authors: Williams Michelle
Published: January 2009

This article compares the ideological renewal of the Communist Parties in Kerala, India and South Africa during the 1990s. Based on archival research of Party documents, the article follows the Parties' ideological journeys that led them to theorize remarkably similar visions of `socialist democracy' around four common themes: participatory democracy; a new developmental state; the coexistence of capitalism and socialism; and the extension of civil society and the State in the economy.
Democratic Deepening in India and South Africa
Authors: Heller Patrick
Published: January 2009

This article examines the trajectories of democratization in India and South Africa. Both democracies are exemplary cases of democratic consolidation but face critical challenges in deepening democracy. Focusing on the notion of `effective democracy', the article argues that subordinate groups have limited opportunities for meaningful engagement with the State. This problem is explored through an examination of social movements and local government. The article shows that the current crisis of citizenship that both countries face results from the subordination of civil society to political society.
Cricket Ethics and Indo-Xhosa Ethnics
Authors: Worby Eric
Published: January 2009

India and South Africa have long been mutually implicated in a common ethical field. The principal motivation for both scholars and inhabitants of these two large social formations to take an interest in one another — to make comparisons as much as to actively recall or forge connections — derives from a shared preoccupation with civic virtue and private ethics. In this article, I examine postcolonial cricket and a beauty contest as exemplary arenas in which common concerns about race, justice, identity and democracy may be discerned and debated.
Reflexive Exceptionalism
Authors: Chen Hon-Fai
Published: January 2009

In this paper I argue that a reflexive type of exceptionalism was articulated by the reformist elites in late imperial China as a cultural strategy to confront and appropriate the hegemonic representation of modern democratic power and Occidental civilization that was articulated on the basis of Tocqueville's exceptionalist image of America and imposed by Western imperialism. By delineating the temporal and normative structure of this reflexive exceptionalism and reconstructing the quasi-religious meanings of its myths and rituals, I propose that the motif of `Confucian religion' in the reformist study society movement should be understood in terms of its intent to produce and discipline a social power that could be mobilized for China's ideological and political competition with the West. While the movement ended in failure with the rise of a fundamentalist reaction, the fate of Chinese exceptionalism under the changing power structure of contemporary world society can be properly understood with reference to its historical origin and transformation.
An Exceptional Civilizing Process?
Authors: Mennell Stephen
Published: January 2009

The claim to a nation's `exceptionalism' can only be assessed in relation to a specific theory. This article discusses the history of the USA in the light of Norbert Elias's theory of civilizing (and decivilizing) processes. Although, unlike many Western European countries, the USA never had a single monopoly `model-setting elite' and had no nobility, it did have several competing aristocracies. The Northern Bildungsbürgertum dominates perception of the USA at the expense of the Southern Junkers, whose political and cultural legacy nevertheless continues to be of great significance, notably in the comparatively high level of violence that afflicts present-day America. The peculiarities of state formation processes — the formation of a (relatively) effective monopoly of the legitimate use of violence — in the USA and their continuation in empire formation are examined. Ironically, the USA has become a model-setting elite for the whole world at a time when its popular egalitarianism represents a kind of false consciousness in a factually increasingly unequal society; when the USA may be undergoing a process of de-democratization; and when American misperceptions of the wider world, together with diminishing foresight by American governments, are becoming a serious problem in world politics.
Max Weber's Analysis of the Unique American Civic Sphere
Authors: Kalberg Stephen
Published: January 2009

Max Weber's analysis of the American civic sphere has been seldom investigated. Indebted to the ascetic Protestantism of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, his major concepts and analytic framework are summarized here. An unusual symbiotic dualism between the civic arena and a world-mastery individualism, as well as an antagonism between this value-grounded individualism and practical-rational individualism, remain pivotal throughout his analysis. Nonetheless, although powerful, the Weberian model is seen to be foreshortened. Three complementary constructs, grounded in his rich set of concepts, extend Weber's analysis. Taken in combination, all four models provide a Weberian analysis of the American civic sphere's unique origins, expansion, and past and present oscillations across a demarcated spectrum. Weber's emphasis upon the deep cultural contexts of social action, the influence of the past upon the present, and arrays of operationalizable hypotheses diverges distinctly from Tocqueville's approach, as well as present-day modernization, neo-functionalist, and neo-Marxist analyses of the civic sphere.
The Problem of `American Exceptionalism' Revisited
Authors: Torpey John
Published: January 2009

In this paper, I address the problem of the usefulness of the notion of American exceptionalism by examining the views of a number of classical theorists concerning the peculiarities of American history, emphasizing particularly its religious background. Ultimately, I follow Aristide Zolberg in arguing that there are as many `exceptionalisms' as there are cases under examination, and that the proper mode of studying these questions is unavoidably comparative and historical. Comparative historical analysis is the only means of determining what is typical and what is distinctive (not `deviant,' the invocation of which concept would inappropriately imply some sort of `norm'). Here, however, I will in the main compare only implicitly, highlighting particular features of American historical development while suggesting how these differ from other relevant cases, in an effort to make sense of how the United States can be at once a leading defender of human rights and a leading violator of such rights, as well as a vision of a prosperous future for many that at the same time is marked by striking and increasingly large inequalities of wealth and income.
Holistic and sustainable health improvement: the contribution of the settings-based approach to health promotion
Authors: Dooris Mark
Published: January 2009

Highlighting the need for holistic and sustainable health improvement, this paper starts by reviewing the origins, history and conceptualization of the settings approach to health promotion. It then takes stock of current practice both internationally and nationally, noting its continuing importance worldwide and its inconsistent profile and utilization across the four UK countries. It goes on to explore the applicability and future development of settings-based health promotion in relation to three key issues: inequalities and inclusion; place-shaping and systems-based responses to complex problems. Concluding that the settings approach remains highly relevant to 21st century public health, the paper calls on the new â€œRoyalâ€� to provide much-needed leadership, thereby placing settings-based health promotion firmly on the national agenda across the whole of the UK.
Optimal and continuous anaemia control in a cohort of dialysis patients in Switzerland
Authors: Mathieu Claudine M , Teta Daniel , Lötscher Nathalie , Golshayan Dela , Gabutti Luca , Kiss Denes , Martin Pierre-Yves , Burnier Michel
Published: January 2009

Background

Guidelines for the management of anaemia in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) recommend a minimal haemoglobin (Hb) target of 11 g/dL. Recent surveys indicate that this requirement is not met in many patients in Europe. In most studies, Hb is only assessed over a short-term period. The aim of this study was to examine the control of anaemia over a continuous long-term period in Switzerland.

Methods

A prospective multi-centre observational study was conducted in dialysed patients treated with recombinant human epoetin (EPO) beta, over a one-year follow-up period, with monthly assessments of anaemia parameters.

Results

Three hundred and fifty patients from 27 centres, representing 14% of the dialysis population in Switzerland, were included. Mean Hb was 11.9 ± 1.0 g/dL, and remained stable over time. Eighty-five % of the patients achieved mean Hb ≥ 11 g/dL. Mean EPO dose was 155 ± 118 IU/kg/week, being delivered mostly by subcutaneous route (64–71%). Mean serum ferritin and transferrin saturation were 435 ± 253 μg/L and 30 ± 11%, respectively. At month 12, adequate iron stores were found in 72.5% of patients, whereas absolute and functional iron deficiencies were observed in only 5.1% and 17.8%, respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that diabetes unexpectedly influenced Hb towards higher levels (12.1 ± 0.9 g/dL; p = 0.02). One year survival was significantly higher in patients with Hb ≥ 11 g/dL than in those with Hb <11 g/dL (19.7% vs 7.3%, p = 0.006).

Conclusion

In comparison to European studies of reference, this survey shows a remarkable and continuous control of anaemia in Swiss dialysis centres. These results were reached through moderately high EPO doses, mostly given subcutaneously, and careful iron therapy management.
Asymptomatic wide complex tachycardia: a case report
Authors: Mukerji Siddharth , Aloka Feras , Khasnis Atul
Published: January 2009

Wide complex tachycardias are a commonly encountered entity in coronary care units, intensive care units and emergency departments. Though, these arrhythmias are potentially fatal, they need to recognized first and treated appropriately. Associated physical signs are helpful in this. We present a case of a 54-year-old-female who recently underwent placement of an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator for cardiomyopathy and developed tachycardia.