bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Predicting Cognitive Dysfunctioning in Nondemented Patients Early after Stroke
Authors: Jaillard Assia , Grand Sylvie , Le Bas Jean François , Hommel Marc
Published: March 2010

Background: Cognitive dysfunctioning (CDF) is an important issue in stroke, interfering with recovery and social dysfunctioning. We aimed to investigate the clinical and imaging correlates of CDF in patients with a first-ever subacute ischemic stroke and no dementia. Methods: We evaluated CDF 15 days after stroke in a prospective cohort of consecutive patients with a Mini Mental State Examination score ≧23 using a comprehensive neuropsychological battery. CDF was ranked into 3 categories according to Z scores calculated for each test and adjusted for age and education. CDF was analyzed in relation to stroke features. Imaging was assessed using MRI. An ordinal regression procedure was used to determine the clinical correlates of CDF and to compute probabilities. Results: Cognitive evaluation was achieved in 177 consecutive patients (age 50.0 ± 16.0 years). In bivariate analysis, CDF was associated with age, low level of education, depression, neurological deficit at day 15, stroke subtype, arterial territory and leukoaraiosis but not with stroke volume or location. The predictors of CDF were NIHSS score at day 15 (OR = 1.35; 95% CI = 1.05–1.73), middle cerebral artery infarct (OR = 2.96; 95% CI = 1.30–6.73), depression interacting with left stroke side (OR = 1.09; 95% CI = 1.03–1.15), and female gender interacting with high level of education (OR = 0.209; 95% CI = 0.085–0.514). Conclusions: Stroke features correlate with CDF in nondemented patients. These simple criteria may help to predict CDF at bedside in the subacute phase after stroke and to recommend a neuropsychological evaluation for patients’ management. Modeling CDF soon after stroke using simple neurological criteria may be a useful tool for designing clinical trials.
Enlargement of Acute Intracerebral Hematomas in Patients on Long-Term Warfarin Treatment
Authors: Kuwashiro Takahiro , Yasaka Masahiro , Itabashi Ryo , Nakagaki Hideaki , Miyashita Fumio , Naritomi Hiroaki , Minematsu Kazuo
Published: March 2010

Background: The relationship between warfarin administration and the frequent development of enlarged hematomas in patients with acute intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is controversial. The present study was carried out to examine this issue. Methods: This study reviewed 41 patients with nontraumatic ICH within 24 h after stroke onset from 1999 to 2003 who received long-term warfarin treatment (29 men and 12 women, 70 ± 12 years old) and 323 patients who had not been on warfarin (177 men and 146 women, 66 ± 13 years old). The hematoma volume (HV) on admission, final HV, frequency of hematoma enlargement (HE) and other background characteristics were investigated. Results: Both the HV on admission (p = 0.031) and final HV (p = 0.001) were larger in patients on warfarin than in those not receiving warfarin. HE occurred more frequently (p < 0.001), and mortality at 30 days or at discharge was higher (p = 0.003) in the warfarin group than in the control group. A multivariate adjusted logistic regression analysis showed that warfarin treatment (OR = 5.75, 95% CI = 2.41–13.8, p < 0.001), liver disease (OR = 2.59, 95% CI = 1.12–5.99, p = 0.026), and the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score (OR = 1.10, 95% CI = 1.04–1.15, p < 0.001, per 1-score increase) on admission were independently related to HE. Conclusions: Acute ICH in patients on long-term warfarin treatment appears to be associated with HE.
Depth of Electrode Insertion and Postoperative Performance in Humans with Cochlear Implants: A Histopathologic Study
Authors: Lee Joonhan , Nadol, Jr. Joseph B. , Eddington Donald K.
Published: March 2010

The depth of electrode insertion of a multichannel cochlear implant has been suggested as a clinical variable that may correlate with word recognition using the implant. The current study evaluates this relationship using the human temporal bone collection at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary. Twenty-seven temporal bones of subjects with cochlear implants were studied. Temporal bones were removed at autopsy, fixed and prepared for histological study by standard techniques. Specimens were then serially sectioned, and reconstructed by two-dimensional methods. Three measures of length were made from each subject’s reconstruction: (1) depth of insertion (DI) of the cochlear implant electrode array, from the round window to the array’s apical tip; (2) inserted length (IL) from the cochleostomy to the apical tip of the array, and (3) cochlear duct length (CDL) from the round window to the helicotrema. The active electrode length (AEL) was defined as the distance between the most apical and most basal electrodes of the array. Stepwise regression was used to identify whether subsets of six metrics associated with insertion depth (DI, DI/AEL, DI/CDL, IL, IL/AEL and IL/CDL), duration of deafness, sound-processing strategy, potential for central impairment and age at implantation accounted for significant across-subject variance in the last recorded NU-6 word score measured during each subject’s life. Age at implantation and potential for central impairment account for significant percentages of the across-subject variance in NU-6 word scores for the 27 subjects studied. None of the insertion metrics accounted for significant performance variance, even when the variance associated with the other variables was controlled. These results, together with those of previous studies, are consistent with a relatively weak association between electrode insertion depth and speech reception.
A New Model for Utricular Function Testing Using a Sinusoidal Translation Profile during Unilateral Centrifugation
Authors: Buytaert K.I. , Nooij S.A.E. , Neyt X. , Migeotte P.-F. , Vanspauwen R. , Van de Heyning P.H. , Wuyts F.L.
Published: March 2010

The utricle plays an important role in orientation with respect to gravity. The unilateral centrifugation test allows a side-by-side investigation of both utricles. During this test, the subject is rotated about an earth-vertical axis at high rotation speeds (e.g. 400°/s) and translated along an interaural axis to consecutively align the axis of rotation with the left and the right utricle. A simple sinusoidal translation profile (0.013 Hz; amplitude = 4 cm) was chosen. The combined rotation and translation induces ocular counter rolling (OCR), which is measured using 3-D video-oculography. This OCR is the sum of the reflexes generated by both the semicircular canals and the utricles. In this paper, we present a new physiological model that decomposes this total OCR into a canal and a utricular contribution, modelled by a second-order transfer function and a combination of 2 sine functions, respectively. This model yields parameters such as canal gain, cupular and adaptation time constants and a velocity storage component for the canals. Utricular gain, bias, phase and the asymmetry between the left and the right utricle are characteristic parameters generated by the model for the utricles. The model is presented along with the results of 10 healthy subjects and 2 patients with a unilateral vestibular loss due to acoustic neuroma surgery to illustrate the effectiveness of the model.
Yin Yang Haplotypes Revisited – Long, Disparate Haplotypes Observed in European Populations in Regions of Increased Homozygosity
Authors: Curtis David , Vine Anna E.
Published: March 2010

Objectives: Yin yang haplotypes differ at every SNP. A previous study provided striking examples of these haplotypes, but claimed that their distribution across the genome could be attributed to chance. When we studied regions of homozygosity (ROHs) we found haplotypes that tended to differ at several SNPs simultaneously but did not subject this to formal testing. Here, we formally assess whether haplotypes from these regions provide evidence for the yin yang effect. Method: We identified 20 regions where ROHs are common in a sample of European subjects and studied the most frequent haplotypes of SNPs with high minor allele frequency. We calculated the average ‘disparity’ between all haplotype pairs using a ‘disparity score’ calculated as 2d, where d is the number of SNPs at which a pair of haplotypes differ. We also studied these SNPs in HapMap samples. Results: Overall, there was highly significant evidence for excess haplotype disparity. Three of the HapMap populations with European ancestry also had statistically significant haplotype disparity scores. Conclusion: Locations where ROHs are frequent harbour long common haplotypes showing surprising disparity. We believe these haplotypes must represent ancient founder effects and could be valuable for elucidating features of a population’s history.
Characteristics of Plasmid-Mediated Quinolone Resistance Genes in Extended-Spectrum Cephalosporin-Resistant Isolates of Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli in Korea
Authors: Seo Mi-Ran , Park Yoon Soo , Pai Hyunjoo
Published: March 2010

Background: Quinolone resistance is frequently associated with extended-spectrum cephalosporin resistance in Enterobacteriaceae. Methods: The characteristics of plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance (PMQR) genes [qnr genes, aac(6′)-Ib-cr and qepA] in clinical isolates of Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli resistant to extended-spectrum cephalosporin were studied. Results: 5 and 4 of 95 E. coli isolates but 46 (86/187) and 6% (12/187) of K. pneumoniae had qnr and aac(6′)-Ib-cr, respectively, and 8 K. pneumoniae contained both genes.qepA was not identified. qnrB, especially qnrB4, was the predominant qnr subtype in K. pneumoniae [94 (88 qnrB of 94 qnr) and 88% (77 qnrB4 of 88 qnrB), respectively], and presence of qnrB4 was closely related with DHA-1 β-lactamase (99%). However, K. pneumoniae isolates with qnrB4 and blaDHA-1 were clonally diverse. β-Lactamases produced by PMQR-containing isolates were variable: CMY-1, CTX-M-14, CTX-M-15, DHA-1, OXA type, SHV-2a, and SHV-12. Conclusion: PMQR genes are widely distributed among clinical isolates of K. pneumoniae, and qnrB4 associated with blaDHA-1 was the most common PMQR gene in Korea.
Defining the Optimal Prognostic Window for Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing in Patients With Heart Failure
Authors: Arena Ross , Myers Jonathan , Abella Joshua , Pinkstaff Sherry , Brubaker Peter , Kitzman Dalane , Peberdy Mary Ann , Bensimhon Daniel , Chase Paul , Forman Daniel E. , Guazzi Marco
Published: March 2010

Background—

Ventilatory efficiency (V
e
/V
co
2
slope) and peak oxygen consumption (V
o
) provide robust prognostic information in patients with heart failure undergoing cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPX). The purpose of this study is to assess the change in prognostic characteristics of CPX at different time intervals.

Methods and Results—

Seven hundred ninety-one subjects (74%male, mean age: 60.7±12.9 years, ejection fraction: 34.6±15.0%, ischemic etiology: 51%) underwent CPX and were tracked for major cardiac events over a 4-year period. All event-free subjects were tracked for at least 3 years. Mean V
e
/V
co
2
slope and peak V
o
2
were 35.0±10.0 and 16.0±6.4 mL O
2
· kg
−1
· min
−1
, respectively. There were a total of 263 major cardiac events (199 deaths, 45 transplants, and 19 left ventricular assist device implantations). Both continuous and dichotomous expressions of the V
e
/V
co
2
slope and peak V
o
2
were prognostically significant up to 18 months post-CPX. Continuous and dichotomous expressions of the V
e
/V
co
2
slope remained prognostically significant up to 36 months post-CPX, whereas peak V
o
2
was not predictive during the third and fourth year of follow-up. In a multivariate analysis, the V
e
/V
co
2
slope was consistently the superior prognostic marker, whereas peak V
o
2
added predictive value and was retained in the regression up to 18 months post-CPX.

Conclusions—

These results indicate that commonly assessed CPX variables retain prognostic value for at least 2 years. The V
e
/V
co
2
slope is the superior predictor of adverse events throughout follow-up, although peak V
o
2
provides additive prognostic information during the first 2 years of follow-up.
A Coupled SYSTEM of Intracellular Ca
2+
Clocks and Surface Membrane Voltage Clocks Controls the Timekeeping Mechanism of the Heart’s Pacemaker
Authors: Lakatta Edward G. , Maltsev Victor A. , Vinogradova Tatiana M.
Published: March 2010

Abstract:

Ion channels on the surface membrane of sinoatrial nodal pacemaker cells (SANCs) are the proximal cause of an action potential. Each individual channel type has been thoroughly characterized under voltage clamp, and the ensemble of the ion channel currents reconstructed in silico generates rhythmic action potentials. Thus, this ensemble can be envisioned as a surface “membrane clock” (M clock). Localized subsarcolemmal Ca
2+
releases are generated by the sarcoplasmic reticulum via ryanodine receptors during late diastolic depolarization and are referred to as an intracellular “Ca
2+
clock,” because their spontaneous occurrence is periodic during voltage clamp or in detergent-permeabilized SANCs, and in silico as well. In spontaneously firing SANCs, the M and Ca
2+
clocks do not operate in isolation but work together via numerous interactions modulated by membrane voltage, subsarcolemmal Ca
2+
, and protein kinase A and CaMKII-dependent protein phosphorylation. Through these interactions, the 2 subsystem clocks become mutually entrained to form a robust, stable, coupled-clock system that drives normal cardiac pacemaker cell automaticity. G protein–coupled receptors signaling creates pacemaker flexibility, ie, effects changes in the rhythmic action potential firing rate, by impacting on these very same factors that regulate robust basal coupled-clock system function. This review examines evidence that forms the basis of this coupled-clock system concept in cardiac SANCs.
Functional Neuroimaging Can Support Causal Claims about Brain Function
Authors: Weber Matthew J. , Thompson-Schill Sharon L.
Published: March 2010

Cognitive neuroscientists habitually deny that functional neuroimaging can furnish causal information about the relationship between brain events and behavior. However, imaging studies do provide causal information about those relationships—although not causal certainty. Although popular portrayals of functional neuroimaging tend to attribute too much inferential power to the technique, we should restrain ourselves from ascribing it too little.
Honoring the Form: Zen Moves in Charles Johnson’s Oxherding Tale
Authors: Collins Richard
Published: March 2010

In Being and Race Charles Johnson compares a writer working with traditional forms to a martial artist who “honors the form” of his predecessors. In his 1982 novel Oxherding Tale Johnson honors the form of a number of traditional fictional genres, including the slave narrative, the picaresque novel, the philosophical novel of ideas, and Zen texts such as koans, sutras, and the twelfth-century graphic narrative, the “Oxherding Pictures.” Calling his novel a “slave narrative that serves as the vehicle for exploring Eastern philosophy,” Johnson alludes to Hindu, Taoist and Buddhist texts, as well as to Western literary and philosophical works, to dissolve the dualistic thinking at the heart of what he calls “the samsara of racial politics.” To be free of the illusory nature of “ontological dualism,” however, one must journey through stages of increasing awareness, admirably depicted in the ten illustrations of the “Oxherding Pictures.” From seeking a self (ox) that one thinks one has lost, to glimpsing the self that is first elusive and finally illusory, the seeker comes to realize that all identities are constructed and therefore temporary, including such notions as “race” and “self.” Like some biracial Everyman, Johnson’s narrator may not complete the journey by the end of the novel but he discovers much about the insubstantiality and inter-connectedness of himself in the world along the way.
Morphological, morphometrical and molecular characterisation of Filenchus fungivorus n. sp., a fungivorous nematode from Japan in a most likely polyphyletic genus (Nematoda: Tylenchina)
Authors: Bert Wim , Okada Hiroaki , Tavernier Ines , Borgonie Gaetan , Houthoofd Wouter
Published: March 2010

Filenchus fungivorus n. sp., isolated from autumn bellflower (Gentiana
scrabra Bunge) in Japan and maintained on a fungus culture, is described
based on LM, SEM and molecular data. The new species is characterised by
combination of the following features: two lateral lines, short body
(284-331 μm), short stylet (7.0-8.7 μm), amphid aperture associated with
characteristic depression, short ovary, undifferentiated spermatheca,
post-vulval sac shorter than corresponding body diam. and short (59-80 μm)
non-filiform, almost straight tail and absence of males. According to a
principal component analysis, a small tail/vulva-anus (1.3-1.8) and V′ ratio
have the highest morphometrical power to separate F. fungivorus n. sp. from
the remaining analysed Filenchus spp. (with the exception of F. misellus).
Molecular analyses based on SSU rDNA placed F. fungivorus n. sp. within a
clade that contained Filenchus sp. (heathland, Belgium), F. (Ottolenchus)
discrepans, Malenchus andrassyi and F. misellus. However, the position of
this clade could not be resolved within the Tylenchomorpha. Although the
phylogenetic analyses, confirmed by Shimodaira-Hasegawa tests, significantly
rejected the monophyly of Filenchus (P < 0.001), F. fungivorus n. sp. is
placed within Filenchus in anticipation of a review of the Tylenchidae.
Morphological and molecular characterisation of Hemicycliophora lutosa Loof & Heyns, 1969 and H. typica de Man, 1921 from South Africa (Nematoda: Hemicycliophoridae)
Authors: den Berg Esther van , Subbotin Sergei A. , Tiedt Louwrens R.
Published: March 2010

Two Hemicycliophora species, H. lutosa and H. typica, found in samples from fallow soil and sugarcane soil in South Africa, were studied morphologically and, for the first time, molecularly. Diagnostic PCR-IT-rRNA-RFLP profiles generated by five restriction enzymes are provided. Study of phylogenetic relationships using D2-D3 expansion segment of 28S rRNA gene sequences revealed that H. lutosa was related to H. poranga. Hemicycliophora lutosa and H. poranga are compared morphologically. SEM photographs are given for H. typica and for H. lutosa for the first time. The male of H. typica represents a first report for South Africa.
Life cycle and population development of the entomopathogenic nematodes Steinernema carpocapsae and S. feltiae (Nematoda, Rhabditida) in monoxenic liquid culture
Authors: Hirao Ayako , Ehlers Ralf-Udo , Strauch Olaf
Published: March 2010

The life cycle and population dynamics of the entomopathogenic nematodes
Steinernema carpocapsae and S. feltiae were studied in monoxenic liquid
culture with their symbiotic bacteria Xenorhabdus nematophila and X.
bovienii. To distinguish between the different juvenile and adult stages,
their size was recorded. No differences were observed between the species in
the size of the juvenile stages but significant differences were recorded in
the length of the F1 adults, pre-dauer (J2d) and dauer juvenile stages (DJ).
On average, 90% of inoculated DJ of S. feltiae recovered and 77% of S.
carpocapsae. In general, S. feltiae developed from the inoculum DJ to the
adult approximately 1 day faster than S. carpocapsae. The sex ratio was
female-biased (59.2 ± 2.2% in S. carpocapsae, 66.7 ± 2.6% in S. feltiae) in
the parental population but not in the F1 generations. Steinernematid
adults, like heterorhaditids, respond to depleting food resources with the
cessation of egg laying. Juveniles hatch inside the uterus and develop at
cost of the maternal body content causing the death of the adult (endotokia
matricida). In contrast to Heterorhabditis spp. and in vivo observations of
steinernematids by other authors, who reported that readily developed DJ
leave the carcass of the dead adult, in this study J2d emerged 12 h after
cessation of egg laying. The density of both bacterial cultures decreased
due to the feeding of the parental juveniles. However, X. nematophila
continued at very low density, whereas the density of X. bovienii increased
again until 15 days post-inoculation. The vast majority of F1 S. carpocapsae
offspring developed to DJ, whereas in S. feltiae a significant second and
third generation of adults was observed, probably due to the increasing
bacterial population. However, second and third generation adults in S.
feltiae cultures did not contribute significantly to the DJ yield. Mean
yields of 158 × 103 DJ ml–1 were recorded for S. carpocapsae and 106 × 103
DJ ml–1 for S. feltiae. The results provide valuable information for future
process improvement.
Rainfall-Rate Assignment Using MSG SEVIRI Data—A Promising Approach to Spaceborne Rainfall-Rate Retrieval for Midlatitudes
Authors: Kühnlein Meike , Thies Boris , Nauß Thomas , Bendix Jörg
Published: March 2010

The potential of rainfall-rate assignment using Meteosat Second Generation (MSG) Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infrared Instrument (SEVIRI) data is investigated. For this purpose, a new conceptual model for precipitation processes in connection with midlatitude cyclones is developed, based on the assumption that high rainfall rates are linked to a high optical thickness and a large effective particle radius, whereas low rainfall rates are linked to a low optical thickness and a small effective particle radius. Reflection values in the 0.56–0.71-μm (VIS0.6) and 1.5–1.78-μm (NIR1.6) channels, which provide information about the optical thickness and the effective radius, are considered in lieu of the optical and microphysical cloud properties. An analysis of the relationship between VIS0.6 and NIR1.6 reflection and the ground-based rainfall rate revealed a high correlation between the sensor signal and the rainfall rate. Based on these findings, a method for rainfall-rate assignment as a function of VIS0.6 and NIR1.6 reflection is proposed. The validation of the proposed technique showed encouraging results, especially for temporal resolutions of 6 and 12 h. This is a significant improvement compared to existing IR retrievals, which obtain comparable results for monthly resolution. The existing relationship between the VIS0.6 and NIR1.6 reflection values and the ground-based rainfall rate is corroborated with the new conceptual model. The good validation results indicate the high potential for rainfall retrieval in the midlatitudes with the high spatial and temporal resolution provided by MSG SEVIRI.
High-Repetition Millimeter-Wave Passive Remote Sensing of Humidity and Hydrometeor Profiles from Elliptical Orbit Constellations
Authors: Marzano Frank S. , Cimini Domenico , Rossi Tommaso , Mortari Daniele , Di Michele Sabatino , Bauer Peter
Published: March 2010

The potential of an elliptical-orbit Flower Constellation of Millimeter-Wave Radiometers (FLORAD) for humidity profile and precipitating cloud observations is analyzed and discussed. The FLORAD mission scientific requirements are aimed at the retrieval of hydrological properties of the troposphere, specifically water vapor, cloud liquid content, rainfall, and snowfall profiles. This analysis is built on the results already obtained in previous works and is specifically devoted to evaluate the possibility of (i) deploying an incremental configuration of a Flower constellation of six minisatellites, optimized to provide the maximum revisit time over the Mediterranean area or, more generally, midlatitudes (between ±35° and ±65°); and (ii) evaluating in a quantitative way the accuracy of a one-dimensional variational data assimilation (1D-Var) Bayesian retrieval scheme to derive hydrometeor profiles at quasi-global scale using an optimized set of millimeter-wave frequencies. The obtained results show that a revisit time over the Mediterranean area (latitude 25° 45′, longitude −10° 35′°) of less than about 1 and 0.5 h can be obtained with four satellites and six satellites in Flower elliptical orbits, respectively. The accuracy of the retrieved hydrometeor profiles over land and sea for a winter and summer season at several latitudes shows the beneficial performance from using a combination of channels at 89, 118, 183, and 229 GHz. A lack of lower frequencies, such as those below 50 GHz, reduces the sounding capability for cloud lower layers, but the temperature and humidity retrievals provide a useful hydrometeor profile constraint. The FLORAD mission is fully consistent with the Global Precipitation Mission (GPM) scope and may significantly increase its space–time coverage. The concept of an incremental Flower constellation can ensure the flexibility to deploy a spaceborne system that achieves increasing coverage through separate launches of member spacecrafts. The choice of millimeter-wave frequencies provides the advantage of designing compact radiometers that comply well with the current technology of minisatellites (overall weight less than 500 kg). The overall budget of the FLORAD small mission might become appealing as an optimal compromise between retrieval performances and system complexity.
Future Climates from Bias-Bootstrapped Weather Analogs: An Application to the Yangtze River Basin
Authors: Orlowsky Boris , Bothe Oliver , Fraedrich Klaus , Gerstengarbe Friedrich-Wilhelm , Zhu Xiuhua
Published: March 2010

The authors describe a statistical analog resampling scheme, similar to the “intentionally biased bootstrap,” for future climate projections whose only constraint is a prescribed linear temperature trend. It provides a large ensemble of day-to-day time series of single-station weather variables and other climatological observations at low computational cost. Time series are generated by mapping time sequences from the observed past into the future. The Yangtze River basin, comprising all climatological subregions of central China, is used as a test bed. Based on daily station data (1961–2000), the bootstrap scheme is assessed in a cross-validation experiment that confirms its applicability. Results obtained for the projected future climates (2001–40) include climatological profiles along the Yangtze, annual cycles, and other weather-related phenomena (e.g., floods, droughts, monsoons, typhoons): (i) the annual mean temperature and, associated with that, precipitation increase; (ii) the annual cycle shows an extension of the Asian summer monsoon season with increasing rainfall, linked to a small summer temperature reduction in the Yangtze lower reaches; (iii) coupling between monsoon circulation and monsoon rainfall strengthens; (iv) while drought occurrence is reduced, Yangtze floods do not change considerably; and (v) the number of typhoon days in the East China Sea shows a reduction of about 25%; the proportion of intense typhoons with landfall increases. GCM scenario simulations produce similar results.
Comparisons of Daily Sea Surface Temperature Analyses for 2007–08
Authors: Reynolds Richard W. , Chelton Dudley B.
Published: March 2010

Six different SST analyses are compared with each other and with buoy data for the period 2007–08. All analyses used different combinations of satellite data [for example, infrared Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) and microwave Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer (AMSR) instruments] with different algorithms, spatial resolution, etc. The analyses considered are the National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) AVHRR-only and AMSR+AVHRR, the Navy Coupled Ocean Data Assimilation (NCODA), the Remote Sensing Systems (RSS), the Real-Time Global High-Resolution (RTG-HR), and the Operational SST and Sea Ice Analysis (OSTIA); the spatial grid sizes were , respectively. In addition, all analyses except RSS used in situ data. Most analysis procedures and weighting functions differed. Thus, differences among analyses could be large in high-gradient and data-sparse regions. An example off the coast of South Carolina showed winter SST differences that exceeded 5°C.

To help quantify SST analysis differences, wavenumber spectra were computed at several locations. These results suggested that the RSS is much noisier and that the RTG-HR analysis is much smoother than the other analyses. Further comparisons made using collocated buoys showed that RSS was especially noisy in the tropics and that RTG-HR had winter biases near the Aleutians region during January and February 2007. The correlation results show that NCODA and, to a somewhat lesser extent, OSTIA are strongly tuned locally to buoy data. The results also show that grid spacing does not always correlate with analysis resolution.

The AVHRR-only analysis is useful for climate studies because it is the only daily SST analysis that extends back to September 1981. Furthermore, comparisons of the AVHRR-only analysis and the AMSR+AVHRR analysis show that AMSR data can degrade the combined AMSR and AVHRR resolution in cloud-free regions while AMSR otherwise improves the resolution. These results indicate that changes in satellite instruments over time can impact SST analysis resolution.
Ensemble-Based Forecast Uncertainty Analysis of Diverse Heavy Rainfall Events
Authors: Schumacher Russ S. , Davis Christopher A.
Published: March 2010

This study examines widespread heavy rainfall over 5-day periods in the central and eastern United States. First, a climatology is presented that identifies events in which more than 100 mm of precipitation fell over more than 800 000 km2 in 5 days. This climatology shows that such events are most common in the cool season near the Gulf of Mexico coast and are rare in the warm season. Then, the focus turns to the years 2007 and 2008, when nine such events occurred in the United States, all of them leading to flooding. Three of these were associated with warm-season convection, three took place in the cool season, and three were caused by landfalling tropical cyclones. Global ensemble forecasts from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts Ensemble Prediction System are used to assess forecast skill and uncertainty for these nine events, and to identify the types of weather systems associated with their relative levels of skill and uncertainty. Objective verification metrics and subjective examination are used to determine how far in advance the ensemble identified the threat of widespread heavy rains. Specific conclusions depend on the rainfall threshold and the metric chosen, but, in general, predictive skill was highest for rainfall associated with tropical cyclones and lowest for the warm-season cases. In almost all cases, the ensemble provides very skillful 5-day forecasts when initialized at the beginning of the event. In some of the events—particularly the tropical cyclones and strong baroclinic cyclones—the ensemble still shows considerable skill in 96–216-h precipitation forecasts. In other cases, however, the skill drops off much more rapidly as lead time increases. In particular, forecast skill at long lead times was the lowest and spread was the largest in the two cases associated with meso-α-scale to synoptic-scale vortices that were cut off from the primary upper-level jet. In these cases, it appears that when the vortex is present in the initial conditions, the resulting precipitation forecasts are quite accurate and certain, but at longer lead times when the model is required to both develop and correctly evolve the vortex, forecast quality is low and uncertainty is large. These results motivate further investigation of the events that were poorly predicted.
Putting Standards Into Practice: Evaluating the Utility of the NAGC Pre-K—Grade 12 Gifted Program Standards
Authors: Matthews Michael S. , Shaunessy Elizabeth
Published: March 2010

Despite their importance, there has been surprisingly little scholarly examination of the NAGC Pre-K --Grade 12 Gifted Program Standards (NAGC, 2008/2000; Landrum, Callahan, & Shaklee, 2001) since their publication a decade ago. As part of a larger study investigating the effectiveness of local policies developed within the framework of state law, we used a qualitative approach to examine the ‘minimum’ and ‘exemplary’ criteria from the Student Identification portion of these NAGC Standards. Through this process we developed a 27-item checklist, which we then used to evaluate 43 locally developed plans for identifying diverse gifted learners from one large state in the southeastern United States. Based on this experience, we identify the strengths and weaknesses that we encountered in using the Standards for this purpose. We provide the checklist items we developed, and we offer specific suggestions for how the Gifted Program Standards in their currently ongoing revision process might be made more user-friendly for practitioners to apply toward effective evaluation of gifted program documents.

Putting the Research to Use

Our experience in using the Student Identification portion of the NAGC Pre-K --Grade 12 Gifted Program Standards highlights some difficulties in using a national standards document directly to evaluate district-level program descriptions and policies. Specifically, we found three aspects that hindered the application of the Student Identification framework to the evaluation of local policies: 1) A standard identified as Exemplary could be met in some cases without first satisfying the Minimum requirement of the same numbered standard; 2) Some standards included more than one criterion within a single numbered standard, and district documents satisfied one but not all of these criteria; and 3) The lack of consensus on terminology led to the use of some words such as “screening” to mean different things in the NAGC Standards than in the district documents, while other terms were too broad (such as “culturally fair”) or too narrow to prove useful in evaluating plan quality.

The responsibility for developing and implementing policies and procedures often rests at the local level. Consequently, we believe that practitioners will find a checklist such as the one we have developed and presented here to be a useful bridge between the language and aims of standards documents and the tangible goals of those who develop and implement policies within the framework of state rules. We suggest that the currently ongoing revisions to these NAGC Standards should consider our findings in the three areas described above, and we recommend continued support for the development of ancillary materials as has been provided for these and other national standards documents.
N-acetyl Cysteine Alleviates Cytotoxicity of Bone Substitute
Authors: Yamada M. , Ueno T. , Minamikawa H. , Sato N. , Iwasa F. , Hori N. , Ogawa T.
Published: March 2010

Lack of cytocompatibility in bone substitutes impairs healing in surrounding bone. Adverse biological events around biomaterials may be associated with oxidative stress. We hypothesized that a clinically used inorganic bone substitute is cytotoxic to osteoblasts due to oxidative stress and that N-acetyl cysteine (NAC), an antioxidant amino acid derivative, would detoxify such material. Only 20% of rat calvaria osteoblasts were viable when cultured on commercial deproteinized bovine bone particles for 24 hr, whereas this percentage doubled on bone substitute containing NAC. Intracellular ROS levels markedly increased on and under bone substitutes, which were reduced by prior addition of NAC to materials. NAC restored suppressed alkaline phosphatase activity in the bone substitute. Proinflammatory cytokine levels from human osteoblasts on the bone substitute decreased by one-third or more with addition of NAC. NAC alleviated cytotoxicity of the bone substitute to osteoblastic viability and function, implying enhanced bone regeneration around NAC-treated inorganic biomaterials.
Graded Structures for All-ceramic Restorations
Authors: Zhang Y. , Chai H. , Lawn B.R.
Published: March 2010

One failure mode of all-ceramic restorations is radial cracking at the cementation surface, from occlusally induced flexure of the stiffer ceramic layer(s) on the softer dentin underlayer. We hypothesize that such failure may be substantially mitigated by an appropriate grading of elastic modulus through the ceramic thickness. In this study, we fabricated graded structures by infiltrating glass into zirconia plates, with resulting diminished modulus in the outer surfaces. The plates were then bonded to a polymeric base and subjected to flexure by contact loading until fracture. Comparison of infiltrated specimens with non-infiltrated controls showed a significant increase in the fracture loads, by a factor of nearly 2. Finite element analysis revealed the cause of increase in the load-bearing capacity to be diminished tensile stresses within the lower-modulus graded zone, corresponding to an increase in material strength. The results confirmed that suitably graded structures can be highly beneficial in the design of next-generation all-ceramic restorations.
Gels Containing MMP Inhibitors Prevent Dental Erosion in situ
Authors: Kato M.T. , Leite A.L. , Hannas A.R. , Buzalaf M.A.R.
Published: March 2010

Matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) inhibition has been shown to reduce dentin caries progression, but its role in dental erosion has not yet been assessed. This study tested the hypothesis that gels containing MMP inhibitors (epigallocatechin gallate-EGCG and chlorhexidine) can prevent dental erosion. Volunteers (n = 10) wore palatal devices containing bovine dentin blocks (n = 10/group) treated for 1 min with EGCG at 10 (EGCG10) or 400 µM (EGCG400), chlorhexidine at 0.012%, F at 1.23% (NaF), and no vehicle (placebo). Erosion was performed with Coca-Cola® (5 min) 4X/day during 5 days. The wear, assessed by profilometry (mean ± SD, µm), was significantly reduced by the gels containing MMP inhibitors (0.05 ± 0.02a, 0.04 ± 0.02a, and 0.05 ± 0.02a for EGCG10, EGCG400, and chlorhexidine, respectively) when compared with NaF (0.79 ± 0.35b) and placebo gels (1.77 ± 0.35b) (Friedman and Dunn’s tests, p < 0.01). The use of gels delivering MMP inhibitors was shown to prevent erosion and opens a new perspective for protection against dental erosion.
Wnt/β-catenin Signaling in Oral Tissue Development and Disease
Authors: Liu F. , Millar S.E.
Published: March 2010

The Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway is one of several key conserved intercellular signaling pathways in animals, and plays fundamental roles in the proliferation, regeneration, differentiation, and function of many cell and tissue types. This pathway is activated in a dynamic manner during the morphogenesis of oral organs, including teeth, taste papillae, and taste buds, and is essential for these processes to occur normally. Conversely, forced activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling promotes the formation of ectopic teeth and taste papillae. In this review, we discuss our current understanding of the roles of Wnt/β-catenin signaling in oral tissue development and in related human diseases, and the potential of manipulating this pathway for therapeutic purposes.
The establishment and operation of information and consultation of employees’ arrangements in a capability-based framework
Authors: Koukiadaki Aristea
Published: March 2010

Drawing on an evaluative framework inspired by the capability approach, the article assesses the nature and implications of company responses to the British legislation transposing Directive 2002/14/EC on information and consultation rights of employees. Evidence from five case studies in the business services and the financial sectors suggests that the introduction of the Information and Consultation of Employees Regulations 2004 drove the spread of voluntary arrangements. However, the legislation has not promoted so far an effective framework for the development of deliberative procedures between management and labour with the aim of advancing a ‘capability for voice’. This is attributed to its institutional design and the limited degree to which extra-legal ‘conversion factors’ are available in the British industrial relations system.
Job insecurity, recovery and well-being at work: Recovery experiences as moderators
Authors: Kinnunen Ulla , Mauno Saija , Siltaloppi Marjo
Published: March 2010

In the present study, the moderating role of recovery experiences in the job insecurity— occupational well-being relationship was examined. Recovery experiences refer to psychological mechanisms (psychological detachment from work, relaxation, mastery and control during off-job time) facilitating recovery. Altogether 527 employees from a variety of different jobs participated in the questionnaire study. The moderated regression analyses revealed that in an insecure job situation, relaxation buffered against increased need for recovery from work, and psychological detachment impaired vigour at work. The results suggest that recovery experiences can to some extent be a buffer against strain related to job insecurity.
The moderating role of employability in the association between job insecurity and exit, voice, loyalty and neglect
Authors: Berntson Erik , Näswall Katharina , Sverke Magnus
Published: March 2010

Exit, voice, loyalty, or neglect as employee responses to organizations in decline have been investigated in several studies. The aim of the present study is to investigate whether employability moderates the effects of job insecurity on exit, voice, loyalty and neglect. The results, based on questionnaire data from white-collar workers in Sweden ( N = 725), indicate that individuals who are high in employability may have greater opportunities for gaining control over their working life. Job insecurity was found to be associated with increased exit as well as with decreased voice and loyalty, although these effects were stronger among individuals who perceived themselves to be employable. Thus, instead of making employees more likely to use voice in times of uncertainty, employability appears to primarily induce vocational mobility.
Are You Willing and Able? Roles of Motivation, Power, and Politics in Career Growth
Authors: Liu Yongmei , Liu Jun , Wu Longzeng
Published: March 2010

A comprehensive model of political behavior and its influence on career growth was presented and tested via a Chinese sample of 283 employee—supervisor dyads. Need for achievement and need for power were found to be positively related to political behavior, and perceptions of organizational politics strengthened the relationship between these personal needs and political behavior. Furthermore, for individuals high in political skill, increases in political behavior were associated with greater career growth potential rated by supervisors, whereas for individuals low in political skill, increases in political behavior were associated with lower ratings of career growth potential. Personal power mediated the moderated relationships among political behavior, political skill, and career growth potential ratings. Theoretical and practical implications of the results are discussed.
Population Group Differences in Cognitive Functioning in a National Sample of Israelis 50 Years and Older
Authors: Ayalon Liat , Heinik Jeremia , Litwin Howard
Published: March 2010

This study evaluates population group differences in the cognitive functioning of Israelis 50 years and older. Groups were defined based on year of arrival and preferred language (e.g., veteran Israeli Jews, who arrived in Israel more than two decades ago; new immigrants from the former Soviet Union; and Israeli Arabs). Conducting a cross-sectional analysis of the first wave of SHARE-Israel (the Survey of Health, Aging and Retirement in Europe), the authors found that relative to veteran Israeli Jews, new immigrants from the former Soviet Union were significantly more likely to rate their reading ability as impaired. In addition, there was a significant interaction between population group and education on the arithmetic task. Whereas both veteran Israeli Jews and Israeli Arabs were less likely to demonstrate impaired performance on this task as their level of education increased, new immigrants from the former Soviet Union were less impaired than the other two groups, unrelated to educational level. New immigrants were more impaired on the verbal learning task. However, relative to veteran Israeli Jews, Israeli Arabs were significantly less likely to have an impaired performance on the verbal recall task. Findings are somewhat in contrast with the international literature that has consistently shown that the majority culture outperforms relative to ethnic minorities.
A multi-method analysis of evaluation criteria used to assess the speaking proficiency of graduate student instructors
Authors: Plough India C. , Briggs Sarah L. , Van Bonn Sarah
Published: March 2010

The study reported here examined the evaluation criteria used to assess the proficiency and effectiveness of the language produced in an oral performance test of English conducted in an American university context. Empirical methods were used to analyze qualitatively and quantitatively transcriptions of the Oral English Tests (OET) of 44 prospective Graduate Student Instructors (GSI). The language required to complete the tasks on the test was conceptualized from the functional perspective of transactional and interactional language use as defined by Brown and Yule (1989). Listening comprehension and pronunciation were also analyzed and scored. Stepwise logistic regression was used to determine the extent to which these linguistic features contributed to final ratings. These quantitative findings were then compared to ‘real-time’ written comments made by evaluators during the tests. Intuitive methods were then used to further explore those features of candidate performance attended to by evaluators: interviews were conducted with experienced evaluators to determine the features they judged necessary for communicating effectively in instructional settings. Results indicate that the three data sources converge on two main features — pronunciation and listening comprehension — that are important in describing and evaluating the proficiency of prospective GSIs.
Investigating the decision-making process of standard setting participants
Authors: Papageorgiou Spiros
Published: March 2010

Despite the growing interest of the language testing community in standard setting, primarily due to the use of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR-Council of Europe, 2001), the participants’ decision-making process in the CEFR standard setting context remains unexplored. This study attempts to fill in this gap by analyzing these participants’ group discussions during a CEFR standard setting research project. Using an inductively and deductively-built analytical framework, it was found that decision-making was affected by factors that were irrelevant to the judgment task and that setting CEFR cut scores was not without problems for the participants. Given that examination results are nowadays reported with specific reference to the language ability levels presented in the CEFR, these results have implications for examination providers and score users.
Argentine Mothers and Fathers and the New Psychological Paradigm of Child-Rearing (1958-1973)
Authors: Cosse Isabella
Published: March 2010

This article examines how mothers and fathers in Argentina dealt with the shift in child-rearing paradigm that occurred in the 1960s, drawing on the views of the parents themselves. The analysis is based on 1,100 questions posed by audiences in a series of conferences delivered by two renowned experts in the field, who championed the new parenting paradigm that advocated the psychologization of childcare. It also makes use of other sources, including books, articles, reports, and letters. On the one hand, the study reveals the complexity of the cultural change that affected ideas on child-rearing and family relations during that period. On the other, it shows that parents were key actors in this process and that they acted based on their own interpretations and experiences.