bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Phenotyping of P105-Negative B Cell Subsets in Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
Authors: Koarada Syuichi , Tada Yoshifumi , Suematsu Rie , Soejima Sachiko , Inoue Hisako , Ohta Akihide , Nagasawa Kohei
Published: September 2011

This study aimed to investigate phenotype of RP105(−) B cell subsets in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Flow cytometry was used for phenotyping RP105-negaive B cell subsets. Based on CD19, RP105, and CD138 expression, RP105(−) B cells consist of at least 5 subsets of late B cells, including CD19(+)RP105(int), CD19(+) RP105(−), CD19(low) RP105(−) CD138(−), CD19(low) RP105(−)CD138(int), and CD19(low) RP105(−) CD138(++) B cells. Especially, CD19(+)RP105(int) and CD19(low) RP105(−)CD138(int) B cells are significantly larger than other RP105(−) B cell subsets in SLE. By comparison of RP105(−) B cell subsets between patients with SLE and normal subjects, these subsets were detectable even in normal subjects, but the percentages of RP105(−) B cell subsets were significantly larger in SLE. The phenotypic analysis of RP105(−) B cell subsets suggests dysregulation of later B cell subsets in SLE and may provide new insights into understanding regulation of B cells in human SLE.
Ethnobotany in Intermedical Spaces: The Case of the Fulni-ô Indians (Northeastern Brazil)
Authors: Soldati Gustavo Taboada , Paulino de Albuquerque Ulysses
Published: September 2011

We analyzed the Fulni-ô medical system and introduced its intermedical character based on secondary data published in the literature. Then we focused on the medicinal plants known to the ethnic group, describing the most important species, their therapeutic uses and the body systems attributed to them. We based this analysis on the field experience of the authors in the project Studies for the Environmental and Cultural Sustainability of the Fulni-ô Medical System: Office of Medicinal Plant Care. This traditional botanical knowledge was used to corroborate the hybrid nature of local practices for access to health. We show that intermedicality is a result not only of the meeting of the Fulni-ô medical system with Biomedicine but also of its meeting with other traditional systems. Finally, we discuss how traditional botanical knowledge may be directly related to the ethnogenesis process led by the Fulni-ô Indians in northeastern Brazil.
Early Signs of Cardiac Failure: A Clue for Parvovirus Infection Screening in the First Trimester?
Authors: Carraca Teresa , Matias Alexandra , Brandão Otília , Montenegro Nuno
Published: September 2011

Parvovirus B19 is a small single-stranded DNA virus and a potent inhibitor of erythropoiesis due to its cytotoxicity to erythroid progenitor cells. Although adult disease is generally mild, fetal parvovirus B19 infection can cause spontaneous abortion in early pregnancy and aplastic anemia, nonimmune hydrops fetalis and in utero fetal demise. The prevalence of parvovirus B19 maternal infection during pregnancy is about 1–2%. The vertical transmission occurs in 10–35%, being highest in the first and second trimesters. The risk of adverse fetal outcome is 10%. In contrast to the second or third trimester, in pregnancies affected by increased nuchal translucency (NT) in the late first trimester, the prevalence of maternal infection was not higher than in the general population. We report a case of first-trimester parvovirus B19 infection with increased NT and reversed a-wave in the ductus venosus (DV) at 11 weeks, with fetal demise 2 weeks later.
Risk of Impending Preterm Delivery Associated with the Presence of Amniotic Fluid Sludge in Women in Preterm Labor with Intact Membranes
Authors: Ventura Walter , Nazario Conny , Ingar Jaime , Huertas Erasmo , Limay Oscar , Castillo Walter
Published: September 2011

Objective: To determine the association of amniotic fluid sludge with impending preterm delivery in women in preterm labor with intact membranes. Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study in women at 22–34 weeks’ gestation in preterm labor with intact fetal membranes between February 2008 and May 2009. 16 women with amniotic sludge were identified. Each case of amniotic sludge was matched with 3 randomly selected controls. The primary outcome was delivery within 48 h of examination. Results: Mean cervical length was shorter in women with sludge than women without sludge (20.5 ± 9.0 vs. 27.9 ± 6.9 mm, p = 0.0016). There was a significant difference in the mean ultrasound-to-delivery interval in women with and without sludge (21.7 vs. 49.4 days, p = 0.006). Logistic regression analyses demonstrated that amniotic fluid sludge is a strong independent predictor of impending preterm delivery within 48 h (OR 11.2, 95% CI 1.2–125.9), 7 days (OR 3.8, 95% CI 1.2–17.3) and 14 days (OR 7.5, 95% CI 1.8–30.4). Conclusions: Amniotic fluid sludge on ultrasound scan is associated with impending preterm delivery in women in preterm labor with intact membranes.
Prenatal Diagnosis, Management and Outcome of Fetal Dysrhythmia: A Tertiary Fetal Medicine Centre Experience over an Eight-Year Period
Authors: Rasiah S.V. , Ewer A.K. , Miller P. , Kilby M.D.
Published: September 2011

Objective: To review the prenatal diagnosis, management and outcome of fetal dysrhythmia. Subjects and Methods: Prenatal diagnosis, management and outcomes of fetuses with dysrhythmia were reviewed retrospectively (01/01/1997 to 31/12/2004). Results: Over an 8-year period, 318 pregnant mothers were referred for assessment of suspected fetal dysrhythmias. Median gestation was 30 weeks (range 19–41). Fetal dysrhythmia was identified in 182 (57%) and classified as: (i) 126 atrial extrasystoles; (ii) 26 tachyarrhythmia, and (iii) 30 bradyarrhythmia. Of the fetuses with tachyarrhythmia, 23 had supraventricular tachycardia (SVT), 2 atrial flutter and 1 sinus tachycardia. One death associated with severe hydrops occurred in the tachyarrhythmia group. 19 cases of SVT were successfully treated in utero. Both cases of atrial flutter required direct current cardioversion in the neonatal period. In the bradyarrhythmia group, there were 15 isolated cases and 10 cases associated with congenital heart disease, with 73 and 20% survival, respectively. Conclusions: Benign atrial extrasystoles are the commonest cause for referral and assessment of fetal dysrhythmia. The overall prognosis for SVT is good with the majority responding to transplacental therapy. In cases with congenital atrioventricular block, the outcome was less favourable, especially when the atrioventricular block was associated with congenital heart disease.
Impact of the Maternal Age-Related Risk in First-Trimester Combined Screening for Trisomy 21
Authors: Abele H. , Lüthgens K. , Hoopmann M. , Kagan K.O.
Published: September 2011

Objective: To examine the impact of the maternal age-related risk in first-trimester combined screening for trisomy 21. Methods: Prospective assessment of risk for trisomy 21 by a combination of maternal age, fetal NT thickness and maternal serum PAPP-A and free β-hCG at 11+0 to 13+6 weeks of gestation between April 2002 and February 2007. Screening for trisomy 21 by patient-specific risks based on the maternal and gestational age-related risk multiplied by a likelihood ratio for NT and for maternal serum biochemistry were compared with a screening policy that is only based on the combined likelihood ratio for fetal NT and maternal serum biochemistry. Results: The study population consisted of 38,603 euploid pregnancies and 109 fetuses with trisomy 21. In screening for trisomy 21 by fetal NT and maternal serum biochemistry in combination with and without maternal age with a fixed false-positive rate of 3%, the detection rate was 82.6 and 79.8%, respectively. In the group of women with a maternal age of less than 30 years and between 30 and 35 years, there was no difference in the detection rate. For women with a maternal age of 35 years or older, the detection rate increased from 77.1% without maternal age to 94.3% with maternal age, respectively. Conclusion: The overall difference between first-trimester screening based on fetal NT and maternal serum biochemistry with and without maternal age is about 3%. In screening with a fixed cut-off, the maternal age-related risk keeps the false-positive rate low in younger women and increases the detection rate in older women.
Pre- and Postnatal Imaging of a Congenital Hepatoblastoma
Authors: Al-Hussein Hind Abdul , Graham Ernest M. , Tekes Aylin , Huisman Thierry A.G.M.
Published: September 2011

Prenatal ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging and matching postnatal computer tomography imaging findings are presented in a neonate with histologically proven congenital hepatoblastoma. Familiarity with the prenatal imaging findings of a hepatoblastoma are essential to make a reliable, specific diagnosis facilitating decision-making about the pre-, peri- and postnatal management.
Sleep and Wake in Rhythmic versus Arrhythmic Chronotypes of a Microphthalmic Species of African Mole Rat (Fukomys mechowii)
Authors: Bhagwandin Adhil , Gravett Nadine , Lyamin Oleg I. , Oosthuizen Maria K. , Bennett Nigel C. , Siegel Jerome M. , Manger Paul R.
Published: September 2011

The giant Zambian mole rat (Fukomys mechowii) is a subterranean Afrotropical rodent noted for its regressed visual system and unusual patterns of circadian rhythmicity – within this species some individuals exhibit distinct regular circadian patterns of locomotor activity while others have arrhythmic circadian patterns. The current study was aimed at understanding whether differences in circadian chronotypes in this species affect the patterns and proportions of the different phases of the sleep-wake cycle. Physiological parameters of sleep (electroencephalogram and electromyogram) and behaviour (video recording) were recorded continuously for 72 h from 6 mole rats (3 rhythmic and 3 arrhythmic) using a telemetric system and a low-light CCTV camera connected to a DVD recorder. The results indicate that the arrhythmic individuals spend more time in waking with a longer average duration of a waking episode, less time in non-rapid eye movement (NREM) with a shorter average duration of an NREM episode though a greater NREM sleep intensity, and similar sleep cycle lengths. The time spent in rapid eye movement (REM) and the average duration of an REM episode were similar between the chronotypes.
Intracranial Ultrasound Abnormalities and Fetal Cytomegalovirus Infection: Report of 8 Cases and Review of the Literature
Authors: Dogan Y. , Yuksel A. , Kalelioglu I.H. , Has R. , Tatli B. , Yildirim A.
Published: September 2011

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate fetal intracranial and other ultrasonographic findings in cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection. Methods: Data on amniotic fluid CMV-DNA-PCR-positive pregnancies detected in our institution between January 2006 and June 2009 were reviewed retrospectively. Fetal biometric measurements, fetal anatomy, amniotic fluid volume, placental thickness and texture were analyzed for abnormalities. Results: Eight fetuses were diagnosed with congenital CMV infection during the study interval. Their mean gestational age at diagnosis was 25.8 weeks (range: 23–29). All fetuses had intracranial abnormalities; increased periventricular echogenicity (n = 7), ventriculomegaly (n = 5), intracranial calcifications (n = 4), intraventricular adhesions (n = 4), thalamic hyperechogenicity (n = 3), mega cisterna magna (n = 3), lissencephaly (n = 2), vermian defect (n = 2) and cerebellar cyst (n = 1). All of them had accompanying extracranial findings, including hyperechogenic bowel (n = 6), cardiomegaly (n = 3), pericardial effusion (n = 2) and hepatosplenomegaly (n = 1). Intrauterine growth retardation was detected in 3 cases. Five pregnancies were terminated, and 1 intrauterine death occurred. The remaining 2 delivered vaginally at term. One of the live-born babies suffers from tetraparesis, mental retardation and autism, and the other has mild hemiplegia. Conclusions: The spectrum of sonographic findings may vary widely in patients with congenital CMV infection in the prenatal period. CMV should be kept in mind in differential diagnosis, particularly in fetuses with intracranial sonographic findings such as ventriculomegaly, calcifications, intraventricular adhesions and increased periventricular echogenicity.
Absence of Face-specific Cortical Activity in the Complete Absence of Awareness: Converging Evidence from Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Event-related Potentials
Authors: Rodríguez Valia , Thompson Russell , Stokes Mark , Brett Matthew , Alvarez Indira , Valdes-Sosa Mitchell , Duncan John
Published: September 2011

In this study, we explored the neural correlates of perceptual awareness during a masked face detection task. To assess awareness more precisely than in previous studies, participants employed a 4-point scale to rate subjective visibility. An event-related fMRI and a high-density ERP study were carried out. Imaging data showed that conscious face detection was linked to activation of fusiform and occipital face areas. Frontal and parietal regions, including the pre-SMA, inferior frontal sulcus, anterior insula/frontal operculum, and intraparietal sulcus, also responded strongly when faces were consciously perceived. In contrast, no brain area showed face-selective activity when participants reported no impression of a face. ERP results showed that conscious face detection was associated with enhanced N170 and also with the presence of a second negativity around 300 msec and a slow positivity around 415 msec. Again, face-related activity was absent when faces were not consciously perceived. We suggest that, under conditions of backward masking, ventral stream and fronto-parietal regions show similar, strong links of face-related activity to conscious perception and stress the importance of a detailed assessment of awareness to examine activity related to unseen stimulus events.
Growth Parameters and Population Structure of Aristeus Antennatus (Decapoda, Penaeidae) in the South Tyrrhenian Sea (Southern Coast of Italy)
Authors: Arculeo M. , Vitale S. , Cannizaro L. , Brutto S. Lo
Published: September 2011

The blue and red shrimp Aristeus antennatus (Risso, 1816) is one of the most important fishery resources in the Mediterranean Sea. Monthly samplings of blue and red shrimp from June 2006 to May 2007 were landed by the trawl fleet in two northwest Sicilian fishing harbours (San Vito Lo Capo and Terrasini). The carapace length (CL) frequency distribution of females ranged between 15.00 and 59.00 mm, whereas male CLs ranged between 17.00 and 34.00 mm. The estimated parameters of the Von Bertalanffy growth function (VBGF) for San Vito lo Capo females and males were: CL∞ = 65 mm, K = 0.58 y–1 and CL∞ = 41 mm, K = 0.71 y–1, respectively; while for Terrasini females and males these were: CL∞ = 69 mm, K = 0.65 y–1 and CL∞ = 37 mm, K = 0.8 y–1, respectively. In this study, we update the information on stock structure and growth parameters of the blue and red shrimp in two northwest Sicilian fishing grounds and compare these results with other data recorded in the Mediterranean Basin.
Probopyrus Buitendijki (Isopoda, Bopyridae), a Parasitic Isopod on Macrobrachium Rosenbergii in Timun River, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia
Authors: Choong F. C. , Shaharom F. , Bristow G. A. , Rashid Z. Abdul , Kua B. C.
Published: September 2011

A bopyrid isopod was found attached in the gill chamber of a wild giant freshwater prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii (De Man, 1879) from the Timun River, Negeri Sembilan (Malaysia) (2°28′N 102°02′E), with a prevalence of 0.27% (2/743). The specimens measured 18.25±0.35 mm in length and 15.25±0.35 mm in width. The body of the isopod was subcordate and slightly distorted. It has five oostegites, with black pigment. The first oostegites are large, the 2nd and 3rd are suboval and smaller, while the 4th and 5th are long and ending in sharp points. Both specimens were identified as adult female Probopyrus buitendijki (Horst, 1910). The isopod was found only in January of 2009 and 2010, which months recorded a relatively low rainfall. A histopathological study of the infected gill showed impairment of the gill filaments, necrosis, and hyperplasia. Such effects may reduce the respiration efficiency of the gills.
“It’s the Economy, Stupid”: Al-abarī’s Analysis of the Free Rider Problem in the Abbāsid Caliphate
Authors: Mårtensson Ulrika
Published: September 2011

The article argues that al-abarī’s History of the Prophets and the Kings provides a free rider-analysis of the decline of Abbasid state power. Al-abarī’s historical analysis considers state policy on land tax, and religion as a legal norm related to the social contract between the head of state and the landlords. It is concluded that al-abarī saw the misāa tax system and ‘rule of law’ as the principal conditions for imperial rule, and that al-abarī’s History already provides an answer to modern historians’ questions as to why the Abbasid state crumbled, and what role religion played in the political economy.
The Use of Animals in New Zealand: Regulation and Practice
Authors: Morris Michael C.
Published: September 2011

On the statute books, New Zealand has a strong regulatory system that protects nonhuman animals on farms. Animals are guaranteed the “Five Freedoms,” including freedom to express normal patterns of behavior. This theoretically strong protection is weakened considerably, however, through institutional structures and practices. A loophole in the law allowing practices that violate the Five Freedoms in “exceptional circumstances” is used frequently. The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) is the government agency that administers animal welfare regulation. This agency is also responsible for increasing primary production, and the farming industry has undue influence with MAF. The National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee (NAWAC) is appointed by MAF, and this group is also dominated by industry interests, with a view of animal welfare that excludes behavioral concerns. These factors result in a weakening of welfare requirements. Various solutions to increase protection are proposed, including a requirement that all science and public concerns be taken into account when making decisions on animal welfare and that animal welfare be regulated by an independent government body.
How the Politics of Inclusion/Exclusion and the Neuroscience of Dehumanization/Rehumanization Can Contribute to Animal Activists’ Strategies: Bestia Sacer II
Authors: Mackenzie Robin
Published: September 2011

Juxtaposing the continental philosophy of inclusion/exclusion and the cognitive and affective neuroscience of dehumanization, infrahumanization, and rehumanization may inform animal activists’ strategies. Both fields focus upon how we decide who counts and who doesn’t. Decisions over who’s human (or like us) and who isn’t (i.e., who’s an animal, or not like us) are not simply about species membership but involve biopolitical value judgments over who we wish to include or exclude. Posthumanists seek to disrupt the biopolitics of inclusion/exclusion, partly to heal ethical and political relations between human and nonhuman animals. Calarco calls this jamming Agamben’s anthropological machine. Bestia Sacer are those designated as included or excluded, moving among zones of humans, nonhuman animals, and things. Cognitive and affective neuroscience describes how mechanisms of inclusion/exclusion function in dehumanization, infrahumanization, and rehumanization. Humans assign varying degrees of humanity to others according to in-group/out-group status in judgments open to manipulation. Investigating how these mechanisms operate in human perceptions of nonhuman animals may inform activist strategies, transforming ethical and political relations between humans and nonhuman animals and end the exclusion of Bestia Sacer.
Culture and Negotiation
Authors: Kumar Rajesh , Bülow Anne Marie
Published: September 2011

The literature on cross-cultural negotiation has expanded considerably over the past few decades, but the findings are often ambiguous and sometimes even contradictory. This introduction highlights the critical areas where objections are commonly raised about the relevance of national culture, the applicability of typologies that treat cultures as static, and the problem of ambiguous terminology. It may not be surprising that studies contradict each other given the ambiguity of the national cultural construct and variations in the context of the negotiating situations that are studied. The articles in this issue contribute to deepening our understanding about cross-cultural negotiation processes.
Descriptive Norms as Carriers of Culture in Negotiation1
Authors: Lun Janetta , Lyons Sarah , Gelfand Michele J. , Shteynberg Garriy
Published: September 2011

Research on culture and negotiation is critical for expanding theories of negotiation beyond Western cultures and for helping people to manage their interdependence in a world of increasing global threats and opportunities. Despite progress of understanding cultural influences on negotiation, research is limited in that it portrays a static and decontextualized view of culture and ignores cultural dynamics. The almost exclusive focus on main effects of culture in negotiation has its roots in a subjectivist approach to culture which has prioritized the study of values, or trans-situational goals. In this article, we discuss the descriptive norms approach to culture and its promise for the study of culture and negotiation. A descriptive norms approach highlights the dynamics of culture in negotiation (i.e., the conditions under which culture effects become amplified, reduced, or even reversed), it identifies new empirical mediating mechanisms for cultural effects, and it sheds new light into understanding cultural competence in intercultural negotiations.
Cultural Differences in the Function and Meaning of Apologies
Authors: Maddux William W. , Kim Peter H. , Okumura Tetsushi , Brett Jeanne M.
Published: September 2011

One of the most effective means for re-establishing trust in negotiations and disputes is by making an apology. However, the function and meaning of an apology (and thus its effectiveness for negotiators) may differ across cultures. We hypothesized that people from an individual-agency culture (such as the United States) understand apologies as analytic mechanisms for assigning blame and re-establishing personal credibility. In contrast, apologies in collective-agency cultures (such as Japan) are understood to be general expressions of remorse rather than a means to assign culpability. A survey of Japanese and Americans found that, compared to Americans, Japanese apologized more often and were more likely to apologize for actions in which they were not involved; on the other hand, Americans were more likely than Japanese to equate apologizing with personal blame. A subsequent experimental study showed that these cultural differences in the function and meaning of apologies have implications for trust repair in disputes: apologies for integrity violations led to greater trust repair for Japanese than for Americans, but apologies for competence violations were somewhat more effective for Americans than Japanese. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.
IDPs and refugees in the OSCE area
Authors: Türk Volker
Published: September 2011

This year marks the 60th anniversary of the UN Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and the 50th anniversary of the Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness. And yet there are almost 5 million refugees and internally displaced persons in the OSCE area. The crisis in North Africa and the Middle East is creating a vast new displacement challenge, including for OSCE participating States. What are the legal and policy gaps in terms of protection? And what steps are the OSCE and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) taking to tackle the problem of IDPs, refugees and statelessness in the OSCE?
Preventive counter-terrorism and non-discrimination assessment in the European Union
Authors: Eijkman Quirine
Published: September 2011

As a result of the 9/11 terrorist attacks and the bombings in Madrid and London, a prevention-focused counter-terrorism approach has developed across the European Union. Preventive counter-terrorism is appealing because it implies interventions that remove the ability or, better still, the motivation of potential terrorists to carry out their lethal designs. Member states such as the United Kingdom and the Netherlands that primarily have experience in addressing 'home-grown' terrorism, have developed preventive counter-terrorism measures in response. Even though the majority of these laws, regulations and policies recognize the importance of the rule of law and human rights, it remains relevant to examine whether in theory and in practice particular measures have had disproportionate effects on ethnic and religious minorities and thereby violate non-discrimination standards.
Security in a multiethnic Russia: Is the 'melting pot' boiling over?
Authors: Croft Jennifer
Published: September 2011

Nationalist rallies and interethnic clashes in December 2010 on Moscow's Manezh Square and in other Russian cities led to an increased level of public discussion about the need to improve interethnic relations in the country and to combat xenophobia. Despite an expansion of official rhetoric and the introduction of various new initiatives, however, contradictory policies and ambiguous political messages run the risk of leaving ethnic tensions to simmer without addressing their root causes, and may even aggravate them. Improving security for all of Russia's ethnic groups will require more consistent, concrete actions and will depend on Russia's ability to address sources of broader social discontent.
Introduction World War II in Soviet and Post-Soviet Memory
Authors: Kirschenbaum Lisa
Published: September 2011

This essay introduces the five articles that comprise the special issue of Soviet and Post-Soviet Review on “World War II in Soviet and Post-Soviet Memory.” It highlights the variety of means employed by the contributors to explain and assess the construction, reconfi guration, and uncanny persistence of the Great Patriotic War in individual, local, and national narratives. The essay also suggests pathways for future research.
Who Makes Local Memories?: The Case of Sevastopol after World War II
Authors: Qualls Karl D.
Published: September 2011

Sevastopol, since becoming a part of independent Ukraine in 1991 (and part of the Ukrainian SSR for decades before) has consistently and overwhelmingly voted for pro-Russian candidates in each national election. While many political commentators have noted the demographics of predominately Russian speakers and the presence of the Russian fleet in the ports to explain recent voting patterns, we must also take note of postwar myth creation. Although since 1917 Sevastopol has been juridically Soviet or Ukrainian, residents and outsiders alike usually view Sevastopol as a Russian city. The development of local identification after World War II by the military, local officials, and guidebook authors helps to explain how Sevastopol so easily shed its identification with the Soviet Union while also avoiding identification with Ukraine.
Memory for Sale: Victory Day 2010 and Russian Remembrance
Authors: Norris Stephen M.
Published: September 2011

This article examines the celebrations surrounding Victory Day in Russia. It situates the events of 9 May 2010 within the long-term processes of remembering the Great Patriotic War in Soviet and Russian society. The article analyzes various discussions that took place in Russia around the holiday, including the controversy over whether or not to display images of Stalin, the ongoing role veterans have played in the holiday, and its increasingly commercial aspects. While many commentators lamented the apparent turn from a sacred holiday to a commercial one, the author argues that Victory Day 2010 represents an important moment in how Russian remembrance has become less state-driven.
Performing Memory: Vladimir Putin and the Celebration of World War II in Russia
Authors: Wood Elizabeth A.
Published: September 2011

By making World War II a personal event and also a sacred one, Vladimir Putin has created a myth and a ritual that elevates him personally, uniting Russia (at least theoretically) and showing him as the natural hero-leader, the warrior who is personally associated with defending the Motherland. Several settings illustrate this personal performance of memory: Putin's meetings with veterans, his narration of his own family's sufferings in the Leningrad blockade, his visits to churches associated with the war, his participation in parades and the creation of new uniforms, and his creation of a girls' school that continues the military tradition. In each of these settings Putin demonstrates a connection to the war and to Russia's greatness as dutiful son meeting with his elders, as legitimate son of Leningrad, and as father to a new generation of girls associated with the military. Each setting helps to reinforce a masculine image of Putin as a ruler who is both autocrat and a man of the people.
Doppler Lidar–Based Wind-Profile Measurement System for Offshore Wind-Energy and Other Marine Boundary Layer Applications
Authors: Pichugina Yelena L. , Banta Robert M. , Brewer W. Alan , Sandberg Scott P. , Hardesty R. Michael
Published: September 2011

Accurate measurement of wind speed profiles aloft in the marine boundary layer is a difficult challenge. The development of offshore wind energy requires accurate information on wind speeds above the surface at least at the levels occupied by turbine blades. Few measured data are available at these heights, and the temporal and spatial behavior of near-surface winds is often unrepresentative of that at the required heights. As a consequence, numerical model data, another potential source of information, are essentially unverified at these levels of the atmosphere. In this paper, a motion-compensated, high-resolution Doppler lidar–based wind measurement system that is capable of providing needed information on offshore winds at several heights is described. The system has been evaluated and verified in several ways. A sampling of data from the 2004 New England Air Quality Study shows the kind of analyses and information available. Examples include time–height cross sections, time series, profiles, and distributions of quantities such as winds and shear. These analyses show that there is strong spatial and temporal variability associated with the wind field in the marine boundary layer. Winds near the coast show diurnal variations, and frequent occurrences of low-level jets are evident, especially during nocturnal periods. Persistent patterns of spatial variability in the flow field that are due to coastal irregularities should be of particular concern for wind-energy planning, because they affect the representativeness of fixed-location measurements and imply that some areas would be favored for wind-energy production whereas others would not.
Mesoscale Analysis of Heavy Rainfall Episodes from SoWMEX/TiMREX
Authors: Davis Christopher A. , Lee Wen-Chau
Published: September 2011

The authors analyze the mesoscale structure accompanying two multiday periods of heavy rainfall during the Southwest Monsoon Experiment and the Terrain-Induced Mesoscale Rainfall Experiment conducted over and near Taiwan during May and June 2008. Each period is about 5–6 days long with episodic heavy rainfall events within. These events are shown to correspond primarily to periods when well-defined frontal boundaries are established near the coast. The boundaries are typically 1 km deep or less and feature contrasts of virtual temperature of only 2°–3°C. Yet, owing to the extremely moist condition of the upstream conditionally unstable air, these boundaries appear to exert a profound influence on convection initiation or intensification near the coast. Furthermore, the boundaries, once established, are long lived, possibly reinforced through cool downdrafts and prolonged by the absence of diurnal heating over land in generally cloudy conditions. These boundaries are linked phenomenologically with coastal fronts that occur at higher latitudes.
Simulation of Present-Day and Future Permafrost and Seasonally Frozen Ground Conditions in CCSM4
Authors: Lawrence David M. , Slater Andrew G. , Swenson Sean C.
Published: September 2011

The representation of permafrost and seasonally frozen ground and their projected twenty-first century trends is assessed in the Community Climate System Model, version 4 (CCSM4) and the Community Land Model version 4 (CLM4). The combined impact of advances in CLM and a better Arctic climate simulation, especially for air temperature, improve the permafrost simulation in CCSM4 compared to CCSM3. Present-day continuous plus discontinuous permafrost extent is comparable to that observed [12.5 × 106 versus (11.8–14.6) × 106 km2], but active-layer thickness (ALT) is generally too thick and deep ground (>15 m) temperatures are too warm in CCSM4. Present-day seasonally frozen ground area is well simulated (47.5 × 106 versus 48.1 × 106 km2). ALT and deep ground temperatures are much better simulated in offline CLM4 (i.e., forced with observed climate), which indicates that the remaining climate biases, particularly excessive high-latitude snowfall biases, degrade the CCSM4 permafrost simulation.

Near-surface permafrost (NSP) and seasonally frozen ground (SFG) area are projected to decline substantially during the twenty-first century [representative concentration projections (RCPs); RCP8.5: NSP by 9.0 × 106 km2, 72%, SFG by 7.1 × 106, 15%; RCP2.6: NSP by 4.1 × 106, 33%, SFG by 2.1 × 106, 4%]. The permafrost degradation rate is slower (2000–50) than in CCSM3 by ~35% because of the improved soil physics. Under the low RCP2.6 emissions pathway, permafrost state stabilizes by 2100, suggesting that permafrost related feedbacks could be minimized if greenhouse emissions could be reduced. The trajectory of permafrost degradation is affected by CCSM4 climate biases. In simulations with this climate bias ameliorated, permafrost degradation in RCP8.5 is lower by ~29%. Further reductions of Arctic climate biases will increase the reliability of permafrost projections and feedback studies in earth system models.
An Improved Quality Control for AIRS Total Column Ozone Observations within and around Hurricanes
Authors: Wang H. , Zou X. , Li G.
Published: September 2011

Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) provides twice-daily global observations from which total column ozone data can be retrieved. However, 20% ~ 30% of AIRS ozone data are flagged to be of bad quality. Most of the flagged data were identified to have total precipitable water (PW) errors, defined by the ratio between PW errors and PW retrieval exceeding 35%. It was found that most data within hurricanes were flagged because of extremely low total PW, which is also retrieved from AIRS observations. In this study, a new PW ratio, defined by the AIRS PW error divided by the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) zonal average PW, is used to replace the one in AIRS quality control (QC) scheme. Data are removed if the new PW error ratio exceeds 33%. Only 5% ~ 10% of AIRS ozone data are flagged to be of bad quality. Following this step of QC, a linear regression model, which links the total column ozone to the model’s vertical mean potential vorticity (MPV), is established for future data assimilation of AIRS total ozone. Outliers identified by a biweight algorithm are further removed. Numerical results implementing the proposed QC method are compared with those provided by AIRS for Typhoon Sinlaku (2008) in the Pacific Ocean and Hurricane Earl (2010) in the Atlantic Ocean. It is shown that the new scheme works by retaining more of the good data while still removing the bad data.
A Climatology and Comparison of Parameters for Significant Tornado Events in the United States
Authors: Grams Jeremy S. , Thompson Richard L. , Snively Darren V. , Prentice Jayson A. , Hodges Gina M. , Reames Larissa J.
Published: September 2011

A sample of 448 significant tornado events was collected, representing a population of 1072 individual tornadoes across the contiguous United States from 2000 to 2008. Classification of convective mode was assessed from radar mosaics for each event with the majority classified as discrete cells compared to quasi-linear convective systems and clusters. These events were further stratified by season and region and compared with a null-tornado database of 911 significant hail and wind events that occurred without nearby tornadoes. These comparisons involved 1) environmental variables that have been used through the past 25–50 yr as part of the approach to tornado forecasting, 2) recent sounding-based parameter evaluations, and 3) convective mode. The results show that composite and kinematic parameters (whether at standard pressure levels or sounding derived), along with convective mode, provide greater discrimination than thermodynamic parameters between significant tornado versus either significant hail or wind events that occurred in the absence of nearby tornadoes.
Bias Correction for Global Ensemble Forecast
Authors: Cui Bo , Toth Zoltan , Zhu Yuejian , Hou Dingchen
Published: September 2011

The main task of this study is to introduce a statistical postprocessing algorithm to reduce the bias in the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) and Meteorological Service of Canada (MSC) ensemble forecasts before they are merged to form a joint ensemble within the North American Ensemble Forecast System (NAEFS). This statistical postprocessing method applies a Kalman filter type algorithm to accumulate the decaying averaging bias and produces bias-corrected ensembles for 35 variables. NCEP implemented this bias-correction technique in 2006. NAEFS is a joint operational multimodel ensemble forecast system that combines NCEP and MSC ensemble forecasts after bias correction. According to operational statistical verification, both the NCEP and MSC bias-corrected ensemble forecast products are enhanced significantly. In addition to the operational calibration technique, three other experiments were designed to assess and mitigate ensemble biases on the model grid: a decaying averaging bias calibration method with short samples, a climate mean bias calibration method, and a bias calibration method using dependent data. Preliminary results show that the decaying averaging method works well for the first few days. After removing the decaying averaging bias, the calibrated NCEP operational ensemble has improved probabilistic performance for all measures until day 5. The reforecast ensembles from the Earth System Research Laboratory’s Physical Sciences Division with and without the climate mean bias correction were also examined. A comparison between the operational and the bias-corrected reforecast ensembles shows that the climate mean bias correction can add value, especially for week-2 probability forecasts.
Bonhoeffer's eschatology in a world “come of age”
Authors: Lindsay Mark R.
Published: September 2011

In this article, the author explores the eschatological development in Dietrich Bonhoeffer's theology, from his earliest lectures in 1932, to his final fragmentary writings in the Tegel prison cell. It will be shown that Bonhoeffer's eschatological interpretation of the Book of Genesis ( Schöpfung und Fall) returns in his later work as an interpretive key to understanding his concept of “religionless Christianity.” Finally, the article attempts to show how a similarly eschatological commitment may assist the contemporary church to witness to Christ in a “world come of age,” and what such a witness may look like.
God and the art of happiness
Authors: Charry Ellen T.
Published: September 2011

Christians are skittish talking about happiness because it sounds selfish and shallow. But Christian theology has long engaged the topic on its own terms. While theology has been oriented toward eschatological happiness, the Bible offers a temporal teaching of happiness for individuals and communities in obedience to non-voluntarist divine commands that foster individual and communal flourishing. The Hebrew “ashrey” is the first word of the Psalter. It expresses the fulfilling and satisfying life lived in covenant faithfulness to divine commands that is self-enhancing and enables creation to flourish. Asherism is a way of life that enables God to enjoy creation and us to enjoy God. It is an offering in Christian ethics that mediates between the self-sacrificial teaching of agapism and the atheological offering of eudaemonism.
Implementation, Process, and Outcomes of Nutrition Best Practices for Infants <1500 g
Authors: Hanson Corrine , Sundermeier Julie , Dugick Laura , Lyden Elizabeth , Anderson‐Berry Ann L.
Published: September 2011

Background: Extrauterine growth restriction (EUGR; weight ≤10th percentile) affects many infants ≤1500 g birth weight (BW). EUGR is associated with poor neurodevelopmental outcomes. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of optimizing nutrition administration in infants ≤1500 g. Methods: A retrospective chart review compared infants ≤1500 g before (n = 32) and after (n = 49) implementation of nutrition practice changes designed to decrease EUGR. Changes included early aggressive parenteral nutrition (PN), early enteral feedings, trophic feedings, continuous feeding administration, protein fortification of 24‐cal/oz mother's own breast milk, and development of a “feeding intolerance” algorithm. The authors evaluated demographics, growth parameters, secondary feeding, and discharge outcomes. Differences in subgroups of infants ≤1000 g and 1000–1500 g BW were assessed. Results: Implementation of the nutrition practice changes decreased EUGR as defined by weight ≤10th percentile at discharge from 57% in the preimplementation group to 28% in the postimplementation group (P = .01). Weight percentile ranking at 36 weeks’ gestational age increased significantly in infants 1001–1500 g, from the 13th to the 27th percentile (P = .004 and P = .01, respectively). Chronic lung disease decreased significantly (P = .02). There was no increase in necrotizing enterocolitis (6% pre vs 3% post) or in blood urea nitrogen. Days of PN and central line use were decreased (P = .02 and P = .07, respectively). Conclusions: Clearly defined changes in nutrition for infants ≤1500 g significantly improved growth outcomes without increasing undesired outcomes.
The Effect of Low Body Mass Index on Outcome in Critically Ill Surgical Patients
Authors: Gupta Rajeev , Knobel Denis , Gunabushanam Vikraman , Agaba Emanuel , Ritter Gary , Marini Corrado , Barrera Rafael
Published: September 2011

Background: Body mass index (BMI) has been correlated with complications and outcome in surgical patients at the two extremes of the nutrition spectrum. Objective: To study the relationship between BMI, outcome, hospital length of stay, and complications in patients admitted to the surgical intensive care unit (SICU). Design: Review of prospectively acquired data in SICU patients. Data acquired included weight, height, age, gender, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II–III scores, Simplified Acute Physiology II (SAPS II) scores, and morbidity and mortality. Patients who stayed in the unit <24 hours were excluded. Results: Of 793 patients, 706 had a normal BMI (NBMI; mean 22.12 kg/m2) and 87 were underweight (UBMI; mean 16.81 kg/m2). There was no statistically significant difference in APACHE II–III and SAPS scores. The NBMI group had more infections, and the UBMI group had more pulmonary complications (χ2, P < .0087). There was no significant difference in acute respiratory distress syndrome, atrial fibrillation, myocardial infarction, septicemia, or ventilator‐ associated pneumonia (Fisher exact test, P = 0.38; χ2, P = .41). The ICU length of stay between the 2 groups was not significantly different (6.7 vs 5.8 days; P = .64). Overall, there was 11.1% (88/793) SICU mortality; 74 of 706 (10.5%) patients expired in the NBMI group, and 14 of 87 (16.1%) patients expired in the UBMI group. Conclusions: Low BMI is associated with increased mortality in SICU patients. A BMI <18.5 kg/m2 is an independent factor affecting outcome in surgical critical care patients.
Endoscopic Approaches for the Treatment of Obesity
Authors: DeLegge Mark H.
Published: September 2011

Obesity is a common medical problem that is growing in both numbers of patients and cost to the healthcare system. In addition, the disabilities associated with obesity can have significant impact on a patient's quality of life. The interventions to date for treating obesity are generally divided into 2 categories: conservative (diet, exercise, behavioral management, and pharmacology) and surgical. The success rate of conservative management has been modest, at best. Surgical therapy, which can create enduring and significant weight loss in some situations, has its associated morbidity, mortality, and cost. Surgical therapy is not appropriate for someone seeking to lose a modest amount of weight. Internationally, endoscopic devices for obesity are available. Published reports have demonstrated some success in obtaining weight loss with these endoscopic devices. The most common is the intragastric balloon. Other endoscopic obesity devices are in development. These devices may play a role in weight loss therapy and serve as part of the therapeutic continuum between conservative management and surgery that clinicians and patients can choose from for the treatment of obesity.
Education Given to Parents of Children Newly Diagnosed With Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia
Authors: Aburn Gemma , Gott Merryn
Published: September 2011

Over the past 30 years, diagnosis and treatment of childhood cancers has developed significantly due to medical research and advancements in technology. As a result, prognosis has improved, and approximately 80% of children diagnosed with cancer survive into adulthood. Care has also shifted from a sole inpatient setting to include outpatient treatment where possible, and both these trends have resulted in a shift in the focus of research to the psychosocial and psychological effects of treatment on children and their families. Increasingly, parents are taking on the role of providing “nursing” care for their children, for example, managing medications and emergency situations as well as everyday treatment needs. This article critically reviews the current literature surrounding the approaches and methods used by nursing staff to educate families to perform this care within the context of a planned first discharge from hospital. Twenty-two relevant articles were identified covering different aspects of education and discharge planning, including the following: facilitation of education and discharge planning, collaboration between professional disciplines and family, responsibilities and contractual agreements, timing and approach, care planning, and the information needs of families. Only 4 articles discussed what the family felt they needed to know and be prepared for prior to discharge. This review indicates that further research is required to establish the needs of parents and caregivers with regard to education prior to their child’s first discharge from hospital in the pediatric hematology and oncology setting.