bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Examining Biomechanical and Anthropometrical Factors as Contributors to Iliotibial Band Friction Syndrome
Authors: Bauer Jeffrey , Duke Lara
Published: January 2012

Examining Biomechanical and Anthropometrical Factors as Contributors to Iliotibial Band Friction Syndrome

This study was conducted in an attempt to determine if the biomechanical parameters thought to predict iliotibial band injury could accurately differentiate between iliotibial band (IT band) injured and healthy runners. 20 injured and 20 healthy runners were tested. Injured subjects were randomly assigned into groups of ten (INJ-1 or INJ-2). Ten healthy runners acted as controls (CON) and ten healthy (EXP) subjects trained for 1 week with a 1.27 cm felt heal pad in the shoe of their longer leg. All subjects completed a runner's questionnaire, and 13 lower extremity anatomical measurements, four clinical lower extremity assessments, and 2D kinematics from the sagittal and frontal planes during treadmill running were recorded. Comparison of kinematic values between INJ-1 vs. CON and INJ-2 vs. EXP indicated the INJ-1 group had a greater knee flexion angle than the CON group. No other direct comparisons revealed statistically significant differences between groups, nor did a discriminant function based on nine anatomical measurements or analysis of the running questionnaire responses. It was not possible to clearly distinguish between the healthy and injured runners of this study based on the biomechanical factors most commonly thought to predispose individuals to iliotibial band injury.
The effects of racial categorization activation: an investigation in soccer academies
Authors: Laurin Raphaël , Lacassagne Marie-Françoise
Published: January 2012

The effects of racial categorization activation: an investigation in soccer academies

The aim of this research is to test the effect of racial categorization activation on the sport satisfaction of newcomers' trainees of soccer academies. One hundred and four participants from four French soccer academies were enrolled - two with an unbalanced racial group composition and two with a balanced composition. Results show that in soccer academies with a balanced racial composition, the sports satisfaction of the black trainees remains relatively stable over time and it decreases among the white students, whereas the evolution of the scores for blacks and whites does not differ significantly in the unbalanced racial composition. The impact of the effects of racial categorization on the sport satisfaction of black and white trainees of soccer academies is discussed.
Comparative Analysis of Barefoot and Shod Running
Authors: Utz-Meagher Colin , Nulty John , Holt Lisa
Published: January 2012

Comparative Analysis of Barefoot and Shod Running

This study investigated the biomechanical difference between running barefoot and shod before and after a barefoot training program (BTP). Foot angles at contact (FA), contact time (CT), stride length (SL), initial contact force (ICF), and total peak force (TPF) in shod and unshod runners was analyzed. Fourteen collegiate runners attended 12 total sessions over a two week period. Subjects performed a baseline trial, running eight (10-20 meter) repetitions, four barefoot and four shod, at three different stations; running over a force plate, running in front of a SONY DCR-HC52 video camera (30fps) and running in front of a Casio Exilim Pro EX-F1 camera (300fps). A Post-Test (PT) was conducted at the end of the BTP. A repeated measure ANOVA showed significance (p<.05) in the Test factor, BTP; lowering participants FA mean from 18.8deg+/-.9deg to 5.6deg+/-15.1deg, CT mean from .221m+/-.02m to .2m+/-.03m, and TPF mean from 1427.4N+/-312.9N to 1348.2N+/-269.4N. A repeated measure ANOVA showed significance (p<.05) in the Condition factor (shod vs. unshod); lowering participants FA mean from 23.1deg+/-12.6deg to 1.3deg+/-14.4deg, SL mean from .9m+/-.1m to .8m+/-.1m, and ICF mean from 1465.3N+/- 369.6N to 1324.7N+/-379.4N. Running barefoot and following a BTP alters running biomechanics in ways that may decrease running related injuries.
A reconstruction of annual mass balances of Austria’s glaciers from 1969 to 1998
Authors: Abermann J. , Kuhn M. , Fischer A.
Published: January 2012

Annual glacier mass balances are reconstructed for 96% of the Austrian glacier-covered area (451 of 470 km2) between 1969 and 1998. The volume change derived from two complete glacier inventories (1969 and 1998) serves as the boundary condition that is aimed to be reproduced. ERA-40 reanalysis data as well as a gridded precipitation dataset (HISTALP) are used to drive a positive degree-day (PDD) model. The results are verified with four independent long-term mass-balance series. The spatial and vertical distribution of the tuning parameters is altered in order to reproduce the measured mean annual surface mass balances of selected glaciers, and a strong correlation is found between the median elevation of a glacier and the degree-day factor (DDF) at this elevation. This result implies that the lower a glacier’s median elevation is, the less melt occurs at a given elevation and temperature. We attribute this to the fact that lower-altitude glaciers are generally those with more accumulation, which leads to later exposure of bare ice and a longer period of high-albedo snow cover. A further improvement of the model was achieved by making DDF a function of time as well as space. The results indicate that mean DDFs generally increase for a given date over a sequence of consecutive negative mass-balance years, which probably reflects the reduction in albedo related to that. Finally, the major drivers of the observed mass-balance evolution are investigated: summer PDD sums correlate significantly better with the observed mass-balance changes than annual PDD sums or precipitation do. This implies that annual mass balances in the study area are governed by summer temperatures.
Modeling surface-roughness/solar-ablation feedback: application to small-scale surface channels and crevasses of the Greenland ice sheet
Authors: Cathles L. Maclagan , Abbot Dorian S. , Bassis Jeremy N. , MacAyeal Douglas R.
Published: January 2012

Surface roughness enhances the net ablation rate associated with direct solar radiation relative to smooth surfaces, because roughness allows solar energy reflected from one part of the surface to be absorbed by another part. In this study we examine the feedback between solar-radiation-driven ablation and growth of surface roughness on the Greenland ice sheet, using a numerical model of radiative transfer. Our experiments extend previous work by examining: (1) the effects of diurnal and seasonal variation of solar zenith angle and azimuth relative to incipient roughness features, (2) the evolution of roughness geometry in response to radiatively driven ablation and (3) the relative solar energy collection efficiencies of various roughness geometries and geographic locations and orientations. A notable result of this examination is that the time evolution of the aspect ratio of surface features under solar-driven ablation collapses onto a roughly universal curve that depends only on latitude, not the detailed shape of the feature. The total enhancement of surface melt relative to a smooth surface over a full ablation season varies with this ratio, and this dependence suggests a way to parameterize roughness effects in large-scale models that cannot treat individual roughness features. Overall, our model results suggest that surface roughness at the latitudes spanned by the Greenland ice sheet tends to dissipate as the ablation season progresses.
High-resolution study of layering within the percolation and soaked facies of the Greenland ice sheet
Authors: Brown Joel , Harper Joel , Pfeffer W. Tad , Humphrey Neil , Bradford John
Published: January 2012

Within the percolation and soaked facies of the Greenland ice sheet, the relationship between radar-derived internal reflection horizons and the layered structure of the firn column is unclear. We conducted two small-scale ground-penetrating radar (GPR) surveys in conjunction with 10 m firn cores that we collected within the percolation and soaked facies of the Greenland ice sheet. The two surveys were separated by a distance of ~50 km and ~340m of elevation leading to ~40 days of difference in the duration of average annual melt. At the higher site (~1997ma.s.l.), which receives less melt, we found that internal reflection horizons identified in GPR data were largely laterally continuous over the grid; however, stratigraphic layers identified in cores could not be traced between cores over any distance from 1.5 to 14.0 m. Thus, we found no correlation between firn core stratigraphy observed directly and radar-derived internal reflection horizons. At the lower site (~1660ma.s.l.), which receives more melt, we found massive ice layers >0.5m thick and stratigraphic boundaries that span >15m horizontally. Some ice layers and stratigraphic boundaries correlate well with internal reflection horizons that are laterally continuous over the area of the radar grid. Internal reflection horizons identified at ~1997ma.s.l. are likely annual isochrones, but the reflection horizons identified at ~1660ma.s.l. are likely multi-annual features. We find that mapping accumulation rates over long distances by tying core stratigraphy to radar horizons may lead to ambiguous results because: (1) there is no stratigraphic correlation between firn cores at the 1997 m location; and (2) the reflection horizons at the 1660m location are multi-annual features.
A paleoclimatic perspective on the 21st-century glacier loss on Kilimanjaro, Tanzania
Authors: Thompson Lonnie G. , Mosley-Thompson Ellen , Davis Mary E. , Mountain Keith
Published: January 2012

Assessing the significance of current glacier loss on Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, demands a well-constrained temporal perspective. That context is provided by direct measurements, ancillary observations of the ice fields and the analyses of the ice cores collected from them. Ice retreat mechanisms observed there today are consistent with the preservation of the oldest ice, ~11.7 ka, in the central deepest part of the Northern Ice Field (NIF). This ice-core derived paleoclimate history published by Thompson and others (2002) is further confirmed by more recent paleoclimate records from tropical East Africa. Mounting evidence suggests that the (anticipated) loss of the entire NIF will be unprecedented within the past 10 000 years. New evidence bears directly on the mechanisms driving the current ice loss. Measurements made in 2000 on the NIF document that air temperature at 0.5 and 1.5 m above the surface remained below 5°C, while a surface temperature of 0.0°C was sustained for up to 8 hours d-1 under clear conditions, consistent with observations of melting on all Kilimanjaro summit ice fields. The linear relationship between oxygen and hydrogen isotopic ratios for all six ice cores drilled in 2000 lies very close to the global meteoric waterline and does not support sublimation (evaporation) as a major driver of ice loss today or in the past on Kilimanjaro.
A REVIEW OF TOURIST AND HEALTH ISSUES, WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO TIBET
Authors: MUSA GHAZALI , HIGHAM J. E. S. , HALL C. M.
Published: January 2012

Despite the common beliefs that travel provides positive benefits to health, a considerable number of tourists experience ailments abroad. Tourism and health remain a neglected area in tourism research, and in high-altitude destinations it is nonexistent. This study explores the holistic concept of the travel health experience among foreign tourists in Tibet. A sample of 340 tourists who had visited Tibet responded to a survey that was administered employing convenience sampling in the Kathmandu Valley. The results showed, despite comprehensive pretravel anticipation among visitors to Tibet, the majority (9 out of 10) experienced some form of health ailments. The most common ailments were mountain sickness symptoms, diarrhea, and respiratory symptoms. The study also found several significant connections between the incidence of health ailments and travel motivation, level of knowledge and education, fitness level, and pretravel preparation. The study suggests that visitor education should be more holistic in its approach by considering all the possible factors that contribute to sickness in high altitude. The Tibet tourism authorities should provide a better health infrastructure and facilities as well as put special emphasis on educating the high-risk group of tourists. While tourism development in Tibet remains a low priority this is unlikely to take place, in which case travel agents or governments in tourist-generating countries may need to assume a greater role in providing critical health information for visitors to high-altitude destinations such as Tibet.
Aspects of the Legal Environment of Coastal and Marine Tourism in South Africa
Authors: Vrancken Patrick H. G.
Published: January 2012

Until the end of apartheid, tourism and marine affairs in South Africa were deliberately confined to the white minority and left largely unregulated. This article is the first integrated description of the new legal landscape resulting from the wide-ranging entrenchment of human rights,
the development of a complex system of tourism legislation, the updating of maritime legislation, as well as new legislation to better regulate the management of the national environment. It concludes by alluding to the substantial resources that must be mobilized as a matter of urgency to
implement and enforce that legislation in such a way as to give effect to the spirit of ubuntu.
Optimization of Mariculture Sites in the Tourism Area of Seribu Islands, Java Sea, Indonesia
Authors: Windupranata Wiwin , Hayatiningsih Intan
Published: January 2012

The Seribu Islands are located in the Java Sea about 50 km northwest of Jakarta, Indonesia. The islands and surrounding waters support tourism, fishing and mariculture, transportation, waste disposal, mining, energy production, and environmental protection. Mariculture has become an
important fisheries component since its products are highly valued and command good prices on the export market. However, mariculture sites, mostly located close to the 14 inhabited Seribu Islands, may potentially conflict with tourism and have become an issue in the development of the area.
A Decision Support System (DSS), based on optimization of physical, chemical, and socioeconomic parameters to determine suitable locations for mariculture, is presented in this article.
Tourism in Regions of Natural Resource Decline: A Newfoundland Case Study
Authors: Springuel Natalie
Published: January 2012

Tourism is increasingly touted as a development opportunity for coastal areas affected by natural resource decline, but can the investment in tourism ever replace the full human ecological value of a natural resource-based industry, including its impacts on a region's culture, economy,
and environment? This ethnographic study examines the impact of the 1992 cod moratorium on Newfoundland's coastal communities, and particularly the emerging role of heritage tourism in community revitalization. Interviews with stakeholders and first-hand observations at tourism destinations
show that marine heritage tourism, in particular, can play an important role in the future of coastal areas and people, though it will never replace an exhausted natural resource.
A Model for Coastal Tourism: The Coast is All in One's Mind
Authors: Smeenge Martijn , Offringa Ben
Published: January 2012

Globally, coastal areas can be seen as the most popular tourist-recreational destinations. Consequently, these destinations generate major visitor flows. Furthermore, they are interpreted differently by every visitor, for example depending on lifestyles and age. These two problems,
or maybe chances, are the central focus in this article. More specifically, this conceptual paper examines what the typical coastal experience consists of and in which ways the producers of the tourist-recreational coastal product can anticipate this. After explaining the principles of visitor
management, as defined by Ennen, a theoretical framework is presented that tries to capture the total coastal experience. Then, two existing coastal areas are projected onto this framework. Finally, some conclusions are drawn.
La trajectoire éducative du Viêt-nam depuis 1945 : logiques politiques et logiques sociales
Authors: Martin Jean-Yves
Published: January 2012

Résumé Le caractère exceptionnel du développement de la scolarisation au Viêt-nam justifie que l’on l’interroge autant sur les ressorts politiques et sociaux qui ont joué historiquement en sa faveur que sur la réalité qu’il recouvre, en particulier dans la période contemporaine. L’article aborde l’héritage scolaire de la colonisation, héritage déterminant quant à la naissance de fortes aspirations éducatives dans la société vietnamienne. Puis il rend compte de la mise en place, dans le Viêt-nam du Nord et jusqu’à la fin de la guerre américaine, de la maîtrise nationale d’une transmission généralisée des savoirs, puis, une fois la paix revenue, des défis qu’a dû affronter la politique éducative : l’unification des systèmes scolaires, la crise économique et surtout les transformations sociales issues de la politique de libéralisation.
Partenariat bailleur/État et communauté pour l'enseignement primaire dans le sud de Madagascar : les écoles à « contrat-programme »
Authors: Deleigne Marie-Christine
Published: January 2012

Résumé Depuis le milieu des années quatre-vingt, l’école primaire publique à Madagascar est en crise, tant du point de vue de la qualité de l’enseignement que de la fréquentation scolaire. Le projet « Education primaire », issu du partenariat entre le ministère de l’Éducation nationale et l’Unicef, tente depuis 1995 de remédier à cette crise en impliquant davantage les communautés. Ce projet a pour originalité d’établir des contrats (dina) avec la population, lesquels s’inspirent du système législatif coutumier local. Au terme de cinq innées d’existence, les résultats du projet sont limités. Une enquête socioanthropologique sur « l’enfance, l’éducation et la scolarisation » menée en 1999-2000 auprès de familles rurales de l’extrémité sud de l’île, a permis d’appréhender les stratégies et perceptions des communautés face au projet. Si l’implication de la communauté et l’intégration du contexte local participent au succès du projet en termes d’adhésion et d’appropriation par les populations, les dysfonctionnements observés résultent de l’absence même d’éléments intrinsèques au système législatif et juridique dont il s’inspire : la responsabilité de chacun des acteurs dans les dysfonctionnements observés semble découler de ce vide » juridique.
De gaashaanqaad à mooryaan : quelle place pour les jeunes en Somalie ?
Authors: Mohamed-Abdi Mohamed
Published: January 2012

Résumé Après avoir spécifié le sens des termes somali pour les désigner ( kuray, gaashaanqaad, sindheer, mooryaan, dayday ...) et la place des jeunes dans la société somali(enne) à différentes époques, l’article cherche à décrire le processus d’évolution qui, partant d’une prise en charge structurelle des jeunes par la société, a abouti à leur révolte sanglante. La dernière partie traite de la situation actuelle des jeunes, dans le cadre d’un essoufflement du conflit civil et de l’aboutissement de la conférence d’Arta (Djibouti).
La décentralisation sud-africaine et les métropoles : les défis de Durban
Authors: Lootvoet Benoît , Khan Sultan
Published: January 2012

Résumé En installant les premières municipalités conformes à la Constitution de 1996, l’Afrique du Sud expérimente un modèle de décentralisation dans lequel le gouvernement local est une sphère de gouvernement au même titre que le gouvernement national et provincial. En charge des services publics et du développement local, les gouvernements locaux se voient ainsi confier une bonne part de la responsabilité de résorber la pauvreté et les inégalités sociales héritées de l’apartheid. La nature de ce défi est ici illustrée à partir de l’étude de Durban. Cette métropole donne à voir un pouvoir local qui a la capacité financière de définir une politique de développement propre et qui ambitionne de s’imposer, sinon comme régulateur, du moins comme interlocuteur incontournable sur la scène de l’économie locale. Cet exemple introduit la question du risque, dans le contexte de la décentralisation sud-africaine, « d’autonomisation » des métropoles qui concentrent l’essentiel de la richesse nationale.
Gestion de l'environnement urbain et municipalisation en Afrique de l'Ouest : le cas de Mopti (Mali)
Authors: Dorier-Apprill Élisabeth
Published: January 2012

Résumé L’analyse de la situation environnementale à Mopti révèle le décalage entre l’abstraction des discours globaux sur la décentralisation et le développement durable, la rationalité des priorités de gestion énoncés par le 3 e projet urbain, les bonnes intentions de la coopération décentralisée, et des réalités de terrain où la complexité des pratiques et des représentations culturelles se mêlent aux contradictions d’intérêts entre acteurs locaux. La ville est marquée par l’absence de toute gestion collective des eaux usées et notamment des effluents fécaux. La pratique courante est l’épandage sur des berges en cours de remblaiement (dépôts d’ordures ménagères) occupées par les huttes temporaires des migrants saisonniers. Cette pratique génère à la fois des conflits d’usages et de graves risques épidémiologiques (récurrence d’épidémies de choléra, la dernière en 1995). Malgré le risque vital, le peu d’enthousiasme des pouvoirs publics aux solutions proposées jusqu’à présent par des bailleurs internationaux laisse entrevoir qu’il s’agit d’un problème conflictuel, miné par des enjeux fonciers qui sont accrus par le nouveau contexte de municipalisation. Dans les conditions où elle s’incarne actuellement sur le terrain au Mali, il n’est pas sûr que la décentralisation (significativement traduite en bamana par « retour du pouvoir au terroir ») se conjugue avec citoyenneté, et facilite des arbitrages en faveur d’un développement urbain durable.
La communauté judéo-marocaine : diaspora et fuite des élites
Authors: Mello Annick
Published: January 2012

Résumé Depuis la création de l’État d’Israël, l’indépendance du Maroc et les différents épisodes du conflit israélo-palestinien, les juifs marocains ont émigré massivement. Actuellement, ils ne sont plus que quelques milliers à vivre encore dans leur pays d’origine. Cette communauté a de nombreux contacts avec sa diaspora, ces liens sont même vitaux quant à la préservation du judaïsme marocain au Maroc. Toutefois, paradoxalement, la diaspora favorise également l’extinction de la communauté juive sur son territoire d’origine. Les institutions scolaires juives contribuent à ce processus. Par l’enseignement qu’elles proposent aux élèves, mais aussi grâce à ou à cause de l’organisation du réseau diasporique, la poursuite des études à l’étranger est facilitée et le retour au pays demeure peu fréquent. À partir de l’exemple particulier de la migration des élèves juifs et de quelques élèves musulmans fréquentant les mêmes écoles, on peut appréhender le lien existant entre diaspora et fuite des élites.
La déforestation dans la Sierra Madre Oriental du Mexique analysée avec un système d'information géographique
Authors: Winckell Alain , Le Page Michel , Matamoros Nestor , Arriaga Libia , López Javier
Published: January 2012

Résumé La partie centrale de la Sierra Madre Oriental du Mexique a été choisie pour illustrer une recherche méthodologique afin de comprendre le fonctionnement du processus de déforestation, à l’aide d’un système d’information géographique élaboré sur l’État de Veracruz. Les opérations de déboisement des principales associations forestières sont localisées, caractérisées et quantifiées par une étude diachronique de diverses cartographies et d’imagerie satellitale entre 1970 et 1995. Ces transformations sont mises en relation avec les pentes du terrain, les bioclimats, afin de connaître la destination des terres déboisées. Le décryptage des mécanismes fait appel à la confrontation de cette information spatialisée avec des données de recensements ou statistiques de production. Sont successivement présentés les effets de l’accroissement démographique, des utilisations du bois à usage domestique ou industriel ainsi qu’un indice évaluant la menace anthropique sur le stock forestier. Un schéma régional du mécanisme de déforestation est proposé, hiérarchisant les municipes selon leur fonction.
Seabed Instability near the Epicentre of the 1929 Grand Banks Earthquake
Authors: Piper D J W , Sparkes R , Mosher D C , Shor A N , Farre J
A
Published: January 2012

The continental slope around the epicentre of the 1929 Grand Banks earthquake on the continental slope south of-Newfoundland has been investi­gated using high-resolution seismic profiles, piston cores, and Sea MARC I: a deeply towed mid-range sidescan sonar and
4.5 kHz subbottom profiler package. The head of the Eastern Valley of the Laurentian Fan is marked by arcuate slide scars cutting undisturbed upper-slope sediment. Downslope from the scars is a lineated erosional seabed, which at a water depth of about 1600 m passes into extensive fields of
large-scale gravel waves situated on the broad, irregular valley floor. On St. Pierre Slope to the east, surface gassy muds have been removed over large areas and shallow slumps passing downslope into debris flows are common. Sediment in­stability features are not seen above the 500 m isobath. Their
development may be controlled by the downslope change from till -to pro-glacial silty muds on the upper slope. All the morphological features appear fresh on the sidescan sonograms, suggesting that they date from the 1929 earthquake event, and the distribution of slides corresponds to the area of
instanta­neous cable breaks in 1929. The main 1929 turbidity current probably re­sulted from the sliding of a till tongue that rested on proglacial mud. Similar geologic conditions are common on continental slopes off eastern Canada, so that another large magnitude earthquake elsewhere on the
con­tinental slope might have similarly catastrophic consequences.
SeaMARC-I midrange sidescan sonar survey of Flemish Pass, east of the Grand Banks of Newfoundland
Authors: Pereira C P G , Piper D J W , Shor A
N
Published: January 2012

A 775 km2 area of the west-central Flemish Pass, east of the Grand Banks of Newfoundland , was surveyed using the midrange sidescan sonar system Sea MARC I. The mid-slope seabed within the survey area is generally smooth with very little relief the upper slope is
dominated by extensive iceberg scouring and the lower slope and f loor of the pass have slump scars and mass-flow deposits, partly masked by younger sediment deposition. The upper continental slope between 300 and 700 m has been scoured extensively by grounded icebergs and two distinct scour
populations, which appear to be depth related, are observed. Interpretations of the sidescan and sub-bottom prof iles indicate that scours are generally between 200 and 1000 min length, 25 to 100 m wide, and have an average relief of about 2 m. The geophysical evidence suggests that sediment failure
(i.e. mass wasting, slumping) has probably not occurred as a result of seabed scouring by icebergs. In the northern section of the survey, a 200 km2 area of slumped or mass-flow deposit is observed. The slumped terrain is generally hummocky and apparently lineated parallel to the slope contours.
Towards the southern end of this disturbed area, the distinctive lineations become fragmentary, and have a mottled appearance on the sidescan sonographs. Immediately east of the slump at the bottom of the continental slope (1050 m) and farther up the slope (850 m) two pronounced scarps occur which
run NE/SW with relief of approximately 30 and 50 m, respectively. Huntec High resolution seismic profiles show that both scarps and the mass flow deposits are mantled by acoustically well stratified sediments. A tentative stratigraphy based on a core that penetrates this stratified unit suggests
that the mass flow deposits are at least mid-Wisconsinan in age. In the southern survey area, a low hill rises about 190 m
above the f loor of Flemish Pass. Minor mass wasting channels and a moat are associated with this structure, which is cut by a prominent scarp running ENE to wsw. Mound-like features, possibly elongate, appear to eut stratified sediments on the f loor of the pass and sidescan sonographs show
radiating lineations running down the sides of these features. This open file report presents a photographie mosaic of the sidescan images, selected sidescan sonographs and sub-bottom profiles, and a geologic interpretation.
Flaring of Ala Nasi: A Reliable Diagnostic Sign for Abductor Spasmodic Dysphonia
Authors: Menon Jayakumar R
Published: January 2012

A prospective double blinded controlled study was done to assess the relation between flaring of ala nasi and abductor spasms in abductor spasmodic dysphonia. All the 24 cases of clinically and stroboscopically proven cases of abductor spasmodic dysphonia were found to have visible and easily detectable flaring of ala nasi during the abductor spasm. Among the control group of 24 dysphonia patients, only two cases showed this sign. Both were cases of vocal nodules. Rest of the vocal nodule cases in the study did not show this sign. Even the two cases which demonstrated this particular finding had the ala nasi flaring almost persistently during the phonation, as opposed to the constantly recurring pattern found in abductor spasmodic dysphonia. The study found definite association between the clinical sign of flaring of ala nasi and abductor spasmodic dysphonia.

Objective

To study the reliability of flaring of ala nasi as a diagnostic sign in abductor spasmodic dysphonia.
Reliability of Frozen Section Analysis in Transoral Laser Microsurgery of Upper Aerodigestive Tract Advanced Malignant Tumors
Authors: Matar Nayla , Lawson Georges , Remacle Marc , Nollevaux Marie-Cécile , Delos Monique , Jamart Jacques
Published: January 2012

Objective

Transoral laser microsurgery (TLM) for endoscopic excision of head and neck cancers of the upper aerodigestive tract has become an accepted treatment modality. As in any excision of head and neck tumors, the persistance of tumor at the surgical margins influences the outcome. One of the frequent criticisms of endoscopic resection is that the laser use makes interpretation of the surgical margins difficult due to the thermal effect. The goal of this study is to assess the reliability of frozen section after laser excision in locally advanced tumors.

Methods

The charts of patients with T2 and T3 tumors, who underwent TLM between January 2000 and 2008, using the CO2 laser AcuBlade system were reviewed. Frozen section margin results obtained during TLM were compared with margins after formalin fixation.

Results

Sixty-seven patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria. 20 had supraglottic tumors, 22 had oral cavity tumors, 13 had oropharyngeal tumors and 12 had hypopharyngeal tumors. Fifty-nine had no prior treatment, seven had prior radiation therapy and one had prior open surgery. The mean number of frozen margins per surgery was 4. Histological examination on the formalin-fixed tissue confirmed frozen section in 97% of the cases. In 3% of the frozen sections, the diagnosis of invasive carcinoma was missed. None of these patients had significant locoregional disease progression.

Conclusion

Frozen section analysis of margins is reliable during TLM when performed by an experienced team. It enables a one-stage approach reducing the need of a planned second procedure.
Stroboscopic and Multiparametric Acoustic Analysis of Voice after Vocal Loading Task
Authors: Samuel John , Mahalingam Shenbagavalli , Balasubramaniyam Subramaniyam , Boominathan Prakash , Arunachalam Ravikumar
Published: January 2012

Introduction

Voice overuse may result in roughness, fatigue and pain while speaking. Vocal loading tasks have been used to assess changes in voice quality under different controlled settings. This study was done to document changes in voice characteristics before, immediately and 24 hours post-vocal loading task (VLT) using stroboscopic and acoustic analysis.

Materials and methods

Ten healthy adult males (age range: 20 to 40 years) with no apparent comorbid illness participated in the study. They were instructed to read the standard Rainbow passage at intensity above 75 dB SPL until they perceived any symptoms of fatigue/ strain. Stroboscopy and comprehensive voice assessment were done on all subjects before, immediate post VLT and 24 hours post VLT.

Results

Symptoms of vocal fatigue were noted on an average of 45 minutes of loud reading. Vocal fold edema, ventricular band hyperadduction and arytenoid congestion were noticed in immediate post task. The vocal fold movements were asymmetric and aperiodic with reduced mucosal wave and amplitude. Maximum phonation time (MPT) revealed statistically significant decrease (approximately 7 sec). Multiparametric acoustic analysis revealed a statistically significant increase in fundamental frequency, perturbation measures and lowest intensity with significant decrease in dysphonia severity index (DSI). All parameters (stroboscopic findings, perceptual, aerodynamic and acoustic analysis) showed values within normal limits after 24 hours post-task indicating recovery at 24 hours after vocal loading. Stroboscopy served as an evidence for structural and functional changes in the vocal fold. Changes in voice characteristics and recovery following vocal loading task can be documented using comprehensive voice assessment.
An Analytical Study of Age and Gender Effects on Voice Range Profile in Bengali Adult Speakers using Phonetogram
Authors: Kumar Suman , Roychoudhury Amitabha , Chatterjee Indranil , Halder Hindol , Bari Sayani
Published: January 2012

The study was aimed to analyze the changes in acoustic parameters based upon age and gender effects and to obtain normal voice range profile (VRP) of adult male and female of three different age range. Total no. of 90 subjects were grouped into three groups as per their age (20-30, 40-50 and 60-70 years) consisting 15 males and 15 females in each group. All participants were native Bengla speakers, not reported to have any speech, language, hearing, respiratory, or any other motor/ sensory deficits. Dr. Speech Software Phonetogram (version 4) and SPSS software (version 11.0) were used as tools. VRP parameters such as maximum and minimum fundamental frequency (F0), fundamental frequency range, sound pressure level (SPL), semitone and area were measured. Subjects were asked to phonate /a/ vowel in seven consistent registering in normal loudness. The mentioned parameters were measured by the tools. Responses were statistically analyzed by SPSS software (version 11.0). There was significant difference in fundamental frequency of males and females. But, there were no such significant difference in other parameters. For females endochronological changes results in more massive vocal folds and consequently, reduced F0 in old age group. Elderly males had a significantly higher F0 than young and middle aged due to vocal cord atrophy and tissue stiffening. In daily practice, the clinician prefers to make use of visual tools to treat the patient with voice problem.
Granular Cell Tumor of Larynx in a Young Boy
Authors: Murthy PSN , Devarakonda Vennela , LNU Bhanuprasad , Anupama M , Sitalatha C
Published: January 2012

Granular cell tumors are rare head and neck tumors and not a common presentation in larynx. We present a young boy of 12 years attending with hoarseness of voice. Clinical examination showed a well-defined lesion on the vocal process of the left vocal cord which was excised completely under operating microscope. The biopsy report came as histological surprise as granular cell tumor. The case is presented for its rarity of the lesion in the unusual site of the larynx.
Laboratory measurements and model sensitivity studies of dust deposition ice nucleation
Authors: Kulkarni G. , Fan J. , Comstock J. M. , Liu X. , Ovchinnikov M.
Published: January 2012

Abstract. We investigated the ice nucleating properties of mineral dust particles to understand the sensitivity of modeled cloud properties to different representations of contact angle in the Classical Nucleation Theory (CNT): onset single angle and probability density function (PDF) distribution approaches. These contact angle representations are based on two sets of laboratory deposition ice nucleation measurements: Arizona Test Dust (ATD) particles of 100, 300, and 500 nm sizes were tested at three different temperatures (−25, −30 and −35 °C), and 400 nm ATD and Kaolinite dust species were tested at two different temperatures (−30 and −35 °C). These measurements were used to derive the onset relative humidity with respect to ice (RHice) required to activate 1% of dust particles as ice nuclei, from which the onset single contact angles were then calculated based on the CNT. For the PDF representation, parameters of the log-normal contact angle distribution (mean and standard deviation) were determined by fitting the CNT-predicted activated fraction to the measurements at different RHice. Results show that onset single contact angles are not much different between experiments, while the PDF parameters are sensitive to those environmental conditions (i.e., temperature and dust size). The cloud resolving model simulations show that cloud properties (i.e. ice number concentration, ice water content, and cloud initiation times) are sensitive to onset single contact angles and PDF distribution parameters, particularly to the mean value. The comparison of our experimental results with other studies shows that under similar measurement conditions the onset single contact angles are consistent within ±2.0°, while our derived PDF parameters have discrepancies.
Modelling atmospheric structure, cloud and their response to CCN in the Central Arctic: ASCOS case studies
Authors: Birch C. E. , Brooks I. M. , Tjernström M. , Shupe M. D. , Mauritsen T. , Sedlar J. , Lock A. P. , Earnshaw P. , Persson P. O. G. , Milton S. F. , Leck C.
Published: January 2012

Abstract. Observations made during late summer in the Central Arctic Ocean, as part of the Arctic Summer Cloud Ocean Study (ASCOS), are used to evaluate cloud and vertical temperature structure in the Met Office Unified Model (MetUM). The observation period can be split into 5 regimes; the first two regimes had a large number of frontal systems, which were associated with deep cloud. During the remainder of the campaign a layer of low-level cloud occurred, typical of Central Arctic summer conditions, along with two periods of greatly reduced cloud cover. The short-range operational NWP forecasts could not accurately reproduce the observed variations in near-surface temperature. A major source of this error was found to be the temperature-dependant surface albedo parameterisation scheme. The model reproduced the low-level cloud layer, though it was too thin, too shallow, and in a boundary-layer that was too frequently well-mixed. The model was also unable to reproduce the observed periods of reduced cloud cover, which were associated with very low cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) concentrations (<1 cm−3). As with most global NWP models, the MetUM does not have a prognostic aerosol/cloud scheme but uses a constant CCN concentration of 100 cm−3 over all marine environments. It is therefore unable to represent the low CCN number concentrations and the rapid variations in concentration frequently observed in the Central Arctic during late summer. Experiments with a single-column model configuration of the MetUM show that reducing model CCN number concentrations to observed values reduces the amount of cloud, increases the near-surface stability, and improves the representation of both the surface radiation fluxes and the surface temperature. The model is shown to be sensitive to CCN only when number concentrations are less than 10–20 cm−3.
Climate impacts on the structures of the North Pacific air-sea CO2 flux variability
Authors: Valsala V. , Maksyutov S. , Telszewski M. , Nakaoka S. , Nojiri Y. , Ikeda M. , Murtugudde R.
Published: January 2012

Abstract. Some dominant spatial and temporal structures of the North Pacific air-sea CO2 fluxes in response to the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) are identified in three data products from three independent sources: an assimilated CO2 flux product and two forward model solutions. The interannual variability of CO2 flux is found to be an order of magnitude weaker compared to the seasonal cycle of CO2 flux in the North Pacific. A statistical approach is employed to quantify the signal-to-noise ratio in the reconstructed dataset to delineate the representativity errors. The dominant variability with a signal-to-noise ratio above one is identified and its correlations with PDO are examined. A tentative four-pole pattern in the North Pacific air-sea CO2 flux variability linked to PDO emerges in which two positively correlated poles are oriented in the northwest and southeast directions and contrarily, the negatively correlated poles are oriented in the northeast and southwest directions. This pattern is identified in three products, providing CO2 and pCO2. Its relations to the interannual El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and lower-frequency PDO are separately identified. A combined EOF analysis between air-sea CO2 flux and key variables representing ocean-atmosphere interactions is carried out to elicit robust oscillations in the North Pacific CO2 flux in response to the PDO. The proposed spatial and temporal structures of the North Pacific CO2 fluxes are insightful since they separate the secular trends of the surface ocean carbon from the interannual variability. The regional characterization of the North Pacific in terms of PDO and CO2 flux variability is also instructive for determining the homogeneous oceanic domains for the Regional Carbon Cycle and Assessment Processes (RECCAP).
Nonstationarities in the occurrence rates of flood events in Portuguese watersheds
Authors: Silva A. T. , Portela M. M. , Naghettini M.
Published: January 2012

Abstract. An exploratory analysis on the variability of flood occurrence rates in 10 Portuguese watersheds is made, to ascertain if that variability is concurrent with the principle of stationarity. A peaks-over-threshold (POT) sampling technique is applied to 10 long series of mean daily streamflows and to 4 long series of daily rainfall in order to sample the times of occurrence (POT time data) of the peak values of those series. The kernel occurrence rate estimator, coupled with a bootstrap approach, was applied to the POT time data to obtain the time dependent estimated occurrence rate curves, λˆ(t), of floods and extreme rainfall events. The results of the analysis show that the occurrence of those events constitutes an inhomogeneous Poisson process, hence the occurrence rates are nonstationary. An attempt was made to assess whether the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) casted any influence on the occurrence rate of floods in the study area. Although further research is warranted, it was found that years with a less-than-average occurrence of floods tend to occur when the winter NAO is in the positive phase, and years with a higher occurrence of floods (more than twice the average) tend to occur when the winter NAO is in the negative phase. Although the number of analyzed watersheds and their uneven spatial distribution hinders the generalization of the findings to the country scale, the authors conclude that the mathematical formulation of the flood frequency models relying on stationarity commonly employed in Portugal should be revised in order to account for possible nonstationarities in the occurrence rates of such events.
A spatial neural fuzzy network for estimating pan evaporation at ungauged sites
Authors: Chung C.-H. , Chiang Y.-M. , Chang F.-J.
Published: January 2012

Abstract. Evaporation is an essential reference to the management of water resources. In this study, a hybrid model that integrates a spatial neural fuzzy network with the kringing method is developed to estimate pan evaporation at ungauged sites. The adaptive network-based fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) can extract the nonlinear relationship of observations, while kriging is an excellent geostatistical interpolator. Three-year daily data collected from nineteen meteorological stations covering the whole of Taiwan are used to train and test the constructed model. The pan evaporation (Epan) at ungauged sites can be obtained through summing up the outputs of the spatially weighted ANFIS and the residuals adjusted by kriging. Results indicate that the proposed AK model (hybriding ANFIS and kriging) can effectively improve the accuracy of Epan estimation as compared with that of empirical formula. This hybrid model demonstrates its reliability in estimating the spatial distribution of Epan and consequently provides precise Epan estimation by taking geographical features into consideration.
Socidemographic and health characteristics and their relationship with the perception of family support of elderly residents in peripheral areas
Authors: Reis Luciana Araújo dos , Torres Gilson De Vasconcelos , Xavier Thaiza Teixeira
Published: January 2012

ABSTRACTObjective: to determine the influence of sociodemographic and health variables on the perception of family support of elderly residents in peripheral areas. Method: this is an analytical study with a cross-sectional design, using a sample of 150 seniors, mean age of 74.47 (± 9.42) years, enrolled in four Health Units in the municipality of Jequié, Brazil. The instruments used were: sociodemographic data, health conditions, Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and the Perception of Family Support Inventory (PFSI). The research protocols were reviewed and approved by the Ethics in Human Research of the State University of Southwest Bahia (Opinion No. 189/2008). Results: with the application of Student t test between the mean areas of the Inventory of Perceived Family support and sociodemographic variables and health, there was statistical difference between the domain Autonomy and occupation of free time (p = 0.047) and between the domain adaptation and Family health problems (
Dream Interpretation and the Organic Metaphor of the State in John of Salisbury's Policraticus
Authors: Dean Swinford
Published: January 2012

In the history of political thought, John of Salisbury's Policraticus has been claimed as an important source for the idea of the organic metaphor of the state. In explaining the significance of this idea, commentators and translators tend to focus on its inclusion in the latter half of the Policraticus to the exclusion of material, including a discourse on dream interpretation, in the first several books of the work that have been deemed overly medieval and, hence, extraneous. This essay argues that John's representation in book 2 of dream interpretation as a mystical practice best trusted to spiritual advisers demonstrates structural connections in the work and should be read, like his representation of the organic metaphor, as an iteration of John's validation of clerical authority.
Perceived Realism and Role Attractiveness in Movie Portrayals of Alcohol Drinking
Authors: Bahk C. Mo
Published: January 2012

Objective: To explore the role of perceived realism and role attractiveness in dramatized alcohol portrayals. Methods: A total of 158 college students watched 1 of 2 movie versions that portray alcohol drinking either positively or negatively. Results: Role attractiveness
of the drinking character increased favorableness in alcohol-related attitudes and dispositions in Positive Condition, whereas perceived realism acted as a significant mediator in Negative Condition. Conclusion: Health educators and policymakers are alerted to the fact that the entertainment
media too often portray glamorous characters as enjoying alcoholic beverages without facing negative consequences, which may particularly affect the viewers who feel attracted to the role characters.