bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Phorbol ester‐induced podosomes in normal human bronchial epithelial cells
Authors: Xiao Helan , Eves Rob , Yeh Christina , Kan Wayne , Xu Feng , Mak Alan S. , Liu Mingyao
Published: October 2008

Spreading and migration of the basal cells neighboring a wound is essential for airway epithelial repair. To gain insight into the molecular mechanisms that govern these cellular processes, we asked whether normal human airway epithelial cells can form podosomes, a cellular structure discovered from cancer and mesenchymal cells that controls migration and invasion. Herein, we report that phorbol‐12, 13‐dibutyrate (PDBu), a protein kinase C activator, induced reorganization of cytoskeletal structure in primary normal human bronchial epithelial cells, and in normal human airway epithelial BEAS2B cells. Z‐stack scanning confocal microscopy showed that PDBu‐induced podosome‐like structures contain actin‐rich columns that arise from the ventral surface of the cell, and also revealed the presence of circular ruffles/waves at the dorsal cell surface. The molecular components of these cytoskeletal structures were determined with immunofluorescent staining. Using in situ zymography, we demonstrated that PDBu‐induced podosomes were capable of degrading fibronectin‐gelatin‐sucrose matrix. PDBu also increased epithelial cell invasion across Transwell chamber. Podosomes and circular dorsal ruffles may be important for epithelial cell migration and invasion, thus contributing to respiratory epithelial repair and regeneration. J. Cell. Physiol. 218: 366–375, 2009. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Persistence of wet and dry spells at uccle (Belgium)
Authors: Berger A. , Goossens Chr.
Published: October 2008

The rainfall persistence at Uccle (Belgium) is examined statistically using 75 years of daily observations. Different kinds of distributions expressing this persistence have been fitted to the sequences of dry and wet days: the geometric series, the logarithmic series, the Eggenberger‐Polya distribution, the simple Markov Chain and the Markov Chain of order higher than one.

Wet and dry spells are best described by a Markov Chain model of order four. Nevertheless for wet days, the Eggenberger‐Polya distribution provides a good fit to the observed data. For Uccle, the rainfall persistence seems to remain constant after four consecutive days of precipitation.
Effect of rhBMP‐2 on tibial plateau fractures in a canine model
Authors: Schaefer Susan L. , Lu Yan , Seeherman Howard , Li X. Jian , Lopez Mandi J. , Markel Mark D.
Published: October 2008

This study was to determine the efficacy of recombinant human bone morphogenetic protien‐2 (rhBMP‐2)/calcium phosphate matrix (CPX) paste to accelerate healing in a canine articular fracture model with associated subchondral defect. rhBMP‐2/CPX (BMP), CPX alone (CPX) or autogenous bone graft (ABG) was administered to a canine articular tibial plateau osteotomy with a subchondral defect in each of 21 female dogs. The unoperated contralateral limbs served as controls. Ground reaction forces, synovial fluid, radiographic changes, mechanical testing, bone density, and histology of bone and synovium were analyzed at 6 weeks after surgery. Radiographic analysis demonstrated that the BMP and CPX groups showed improved bony healing compared to the ABG group at week 6. Histomorphometric analysis demonstrated that the BMP group had significantly increased trabecular bone volume compared to the CPX and ABG groups. Mechanical testing revealed that the BMP group had significantly greater maximum failure loads than the ABG group. Histological analysis demonstrated that the BMP group had significantly less sub‐synovial inflammation than CPX group. This study demonstrated that rhBMP‐2/CPX accelerated healing of articular fractures with subchondral defect compared to ABG in most of the parameters evaluated, and had less subsynovial inflammation than the CPX alone in a canine model. © 2008 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 27: 466–471, 2009
Adipogenic and myogenic gene expression in rotator cuff muscle of the sheep after tendon tear
Authors: Frey Eric , Regenfelder Felix , Sussmann Patrick , Zumstein Matthias , Gerber Christian , Born Walter , Fuchs Bruno
Published: October 2008

Chronic rotator cuff tendon tears lead to fatty infiltration and muscle atrophy with impaired physiological functions of the affected muscles. However, the cellular and molecular mechanisms of corresponding pathophysiological processes remain unknown. The purpose of this study was to characterize the expression pattern of adipogenic (PPARγ, C/EBPβ) and myogenic (myostatin, myogenin, Myf‐5) transcription factors in infraspinatus muscle of sheep after tenotomy, implantation of a tension device, refixation of the tendon, and rehabilitation, reflecting a model of chronic rotator cuff tears. In contrast to human patients, the presented sheep model allows a temporal evaluation of the expression of a given marker in the same individual over time. Semiquantitative RT/PCR analysis of PPARγã, myostatin, myogenin, Myf‐5, and C/EBPβ transcript levels was carried out with sheep muscle biopsy‐derived total RNA. We found a significantly increased expression of Myf‐5 and PPARγ after tenotomy and a significant change for Myf‐5 and C/EBPβ after continuous traction and refixation. This experimental sheep model allows the molecular analysis of pathomechanisms of muscular changes after rotator cuff tear. The results point to a crucial role of the transcription factors PPARγ, C/EBPβ, and Myf‐5 in impairment and regeneration of rotator cuff muscles after tendon tears in sheep. © 2008 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 27: 504–509, 2009
Characteristic wavenumber shifts of the stimulated Raman scattering from interfacial water molecules induced by laser‐induced plasma generation at air–water and water–silver interfaces
Authors: Yui Hiroharu , Kato Hisaya , Someya Yuu
Published: October 2008

Stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) from water molecules in the air–water and water–silver interfacial regions is measured when laser‐induced plasma are generated at these interfaces. In both cases, characteristic lower wavenumber shifts of the OH stretching vibrational modes of the interfacial water molecules are observed. The mechanisms of the characteristic lower wavenumber shifts are considered from two viewpoints. One is the electrostatic interactions between the interfacial water molecules and the excess electrons induced by the plasma generation at the interfacial area. The other is the coupling of the SRS with Brillouin scattering induced by a shock wave generation by abrupt volume expansion due to the phase transition from liquid to plasma. Differences between the obtained SRS spectra and vibrational spectra previously measured by a sum‐frequency generation technique are also discussed. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Review of fertiliser and herbicide use in UK tree crop systems
Authors: Moffat Andrew J , Williamson David R
Published: October 2008

At a time when agricultural surpluses and reduced farm subsidies are encouraging a reappraisal of the intensity of agricultural production, the role of free crops in reducing the load of fertilisers and herbicides on the soil is reviewed. Compared with agricultural systems, the use of chemical inputs in existing UK high‐forest systems is small. Trees are very efficient in their use of nutrients, and benefit from atmospheric additions. Losses through denitrification, ammonia volatilisation and leaching are small. Herbicide use is restricted to the first two or three years after tree planting, and usually to specific areas around each tree rather than over the site as a whole.

The existing pattern of fertiliser use in forestry suggests that new tree crop systems on agricultural land will need small, if any, fertiliser inputs; herbicide use will be similar to current practice. The short‐rotation coppice system is the most demanding for both fertiliser and herbicide inputs, though its use is limited at present in the UK.
Clinical significance of low expression of Prostasin mRNA in human gastric cancer
Authors: Sakashita Katsuya , Mimori Koshi , Tanaka Fumiaki , Tahara Kouichirou , Inoue Hiroshi , Sawada Tetsuji , Ohira Masaichi , Hirakawa Kosei , Mori Masaki
Published: October 2008

Background

Prostasin is considered to have suppressive activities against tumor progression. The aim of this study was to clarify its clinical significance in gastric cancer.

Methods

Tumor and the corresponding normal samples were prepared from a total of 108 gastric cancer patients. Prostasin expression was assayed by real time reverse transcription (RT)‐polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and by immunohistochemistry. Epigenetic silencing of the expression was examined by demethylation treatment. Survival was examined in Kaplan–Meier plots, and the relationship between its expression and clinicopathologic factors was statistically analyzed.

Results

Prostasin mRNA expression was significantly down‐regulated in tumor tissues. Immunohistochemistry confirmed loss of Prostasin expression in gastric cancer. Gastric cancer cell lines that did not express Prostasin mRNA retrieved its expression following demethylation treatment. In those patients whose tumor expressed Prostasin mRNA at reduced levels, we observed shorter survival (P = 0.0110), due to a higher incidence of lymph node metastasis (P = 0.0087), lymphatic permeation (P = 0.0542) and venous permeation (P = 0.0492).

Conclusions

Prostasin mRNA expression was frequently down‐regulated in gastric cancer. Loss of expression might be regulated by epigenetic factors, contributing to the shorter survival. Reduced Prostasin mRNA expression might be a novel indicator for biological aggressiveness in gastric cancer. J. Surg. Oncol. 2008;98:559–564. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The indirect effects of advertisements designed to change product attribute beliefs
Authors: Yi Youjae
Published: October 2008

This study investigated the dynamics of attitude change by examining indirect effects of an ad designed to change a belief. Results showed that an ad had indirect effects on unmentioned beliefs, which were a function of (1) the manner in which beliefs are organized internally in ad recipients' cognitive structure and (2) retrieval cues provided externally in the ad. Also, the ad had indirect effects on evaluations (ai) of the intended attribute; these effects were observed especially when the belief was directly attacked by the ad and the ad recipients' beliefs were held with high confidence.
Growing Nanoballoons and Nanotubes of Pure Polymer from a Microcapsule
Authors: Fei Bin , Yang Zongyue , Xin John H.
Published: October 2008

Abundant nanoballoons and nanotubes (less than 100 nm) of pure polymer have been grown from a hybrid microcapsule by programed heating. The hybrid microcapsule, comprising an organosilica shell and styrene core, was synthesized by a sol–gel reaction. Electronic microscopy confirmed that most of the growing nanostructures were nanoballoons of less than 100 nm with a thickness of 15 nm, while a few nanostructures were nanotubes with outer diameters around 20 nm. Infrared spectroscopy and thermogravimetric measurements were employed to analyze the composition of the hybrid spheres both qualitatively and quantitively. Based on the pore distribution on the microcapsule surface, the formation mechanism of these nanostructures was proposed in a schematic way. These interesting results encouraged us to develop a microdevice ‘nano‐extruder’ from existing porous templates.

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Application of QSPR to Binary Polymer/Solvent Mixtures: Prediction of Flory‐Huggins Parameters
Authors: Xu Jie , Liu Hongtao , Li Wenbin , Zou Hantao , Xu Weilin
Published: October 2008

A QSPR study was performed for the prediction of the Flory‐Huggins parameters of binary polymer/solvent mixtures. 1 664 descriptors for each polymer and solvent were checked and a cubic multivariable model, with R2 = 0.9638 and s = 0.146, was produced by using genetic algorithms on a training set of 52 mixtures. The reliability of the proposed model was further validated by satisfactory statistical parameters being obtained using an external test set ($R_{{\rm ext}}^2$ = 0.9565). All descriptors involved in the model can be derived solely from the chemical structures of the polymers and the solvents, which makes it very useful in predicting the Flory‐Huggins parameters of unknown or unavailable polymer/solvent mixtures.

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Macromol. Theory Simul. 7–8/2008
Authors: Tang Wei , Matyjaszewski Krzysztof
Published: October 2008

Cover: The cover picture shows the general scheme of atom‐transfer radical polymerization as well as the evolution of concentrations of involved species and rates of the involved reactions obtained by a detailed kinetic simulation. The concentrations of propagating radicals and Cu(II) species calculated using the classic Fischer approach for the persistent radical effect and our new equations are also included. Further details can be found in the article by W. Tang and K. Matyjaszewski* on page 359.
The Application of Color Photography to Transmission Electron Microscope Studies of Thin Metal Foils
Authors: Murr L. E. , Inman M. C.
Published: October 2008

A study has been made of the application of color photography to observations of dislocation motion and other time dependent phenomena in thin metal foils by transmission electron microscopy. The color technique employed was first developed by Mueller [1] to clarify vacancy‐interstitial densities in the atomic surface planes of metal whiskers by field emission microscopy. In the present application, pairs of sequential electron transmission micrographs are first superposed optically to obtain color addition. The superposed image is then photographed using standard color emulsions. It has been found that photographic density changes in black and white which result from the movement of dislocations, bend contours, dispersed particles and like phenomens, are sensitively reproduced as a corresponding color change which is immediately apparent to the eye.
Über die Symmetriegruppen von Spinverteilungen Von
Authors: Kitz A.
Published: October 2008

Durch eine Erweiterung der Symmetrietransformationen für die Spindichte in Kristallen wird erreicht, daß neue Symmetriegruppen entstehen. Diese Gruppen stellen eine Verallgemeinerung der Shubnikov‐Gruppen oder magnetischen Raumgruppen dar und ermöglichen auch eine Beschreibung der Symmetrie von ebenen und räumlichen Spinstrukturen. Am Beispiel der Raumgruppe O wird erläutert, wie man zu einer gegebenen Raumgruppe die mit ihr verträglichen Symmetriegruppen für die Spindichte bestimmen kann.
Stair‐rod Dislocations and Extended Barriers in the Body‐centered Cubic Lattice
Authors: Teutonico L. J.
Published: October 2008

The interaction of glissile extended dislocations on intersecting {112} planes in the bodycentered cubic lattice is considered. It is found that, for each axis of intersection of two {112} planes except 〈111〉, stair‐rod dislocations of Burgers vectors 1/3 〈001〉, 1/3 〈002〉, and 1/6 〈113〉 can be formed. Formulas for the widths of the extended dislocation barriers in isotropic b.c.c. materials are derived, and numerical results are presented for tungsten. It is concluded that, for a stacking fault energy of the order of 100 erg/cm2, extended dislocation barriers will occur in tungsten.
On the X‐Ray Coloration of Thermally Bleached γ‐Irradiated Sodium Chloride and Evidence for Perturbed F‐Band
Authors: Sastry P. V. , McCarthy K. A.
Published: October 2008

γ‐irradiated sodium chloride crystals (irradiated into the second stage), on partial thermal bleaching at moderate temperatures (160°–200 °C) show the evolution of an absorption band, which has the characteristic properties of a colloid band. Further thermal bleaching leaves the crystals colorless. When such partially or completely thermally bleached crystals are X‐irradiated at room temperature, they show enhanced colorability and give evidence for the presence of perturbed F‐centers. A significant difference between the effects of soft and hard X‐radiation is observed. The results are discussed in the light of the mechanism of color center production by radiation.
Elektronenmikroskopische Untersuchungen der Bildung von Leerstellenagglomeraten in abgeschrecktem Gold Von
Authors: Chik K.‐P.
Published: October 2008

Die Keimbildung von Stapelfehlertetraedern in abgeschreckten Goldfolien wurde elektronenmikroskopisch untersucht. Es ergaben sich quantitative Ergebnisse bezüglich der Abhängigkeit der Tetraederdichte von der Leerstellenkonzentration und der Anlaßtemperatur sowie bezüglich der Kinetik der Keimbildung. Bei jeder Anlaßtemperatur wurde eine kleinste Konzentration C für Einfachleerstellen gefunden, bei der die Keimbildung gerade noch möglich ist. Dabei gilt C = A exp (− Q/kT) mit A = 0,4 und Q = (0,26 ± 0,06) eV. Neben den Tetraedern wurden auch Versetzungspolygone mit Stapelfehlern und andere Formen von Leerstellenagglomeraten beobachtet. Für C wird eine Deutung gegeben.
Vergleichende Untersuchungen zur Züchtung von plättchenförmigen Kadmiumsulfid‐Einkristallen Von
Authors: Flögeł P. , Koepp R.
Published: October 2008

CdS‐Einkristalle, die in strömender Atmosphäre in Quarzglasrohren nach verschiedenen Verfahrensvarianten gezüchtet worden sind, werden spektralanalytisch in bezug auf Reinheit und durch Ätzen in bezug auf die Konzentration ihrer Baufehler verglichen. Durch Synthese (Cd + H2S, Cd + S2 + H2) hergestellte Kristalle sind im Durchschnitt reiner und an Strukturfehlern mit Dimension >I ärmer als die durch Umsublimation in verschiedenen Trägergasgemischen (N2, N2, + H2, N2 + H2 + H2S, N2 + S2) hergestellten Kristalle. Von den durch Umsublimation gewonnenen Kristallen zeichnen sich die in reinem Stickstoff gezüchteten Kristalle in bezug auf Reinheit und Baufehlerfreiheit aus und ergeben gleiche Werte wie die synthetisierten Kristalle. Die Ergebnisse werden besonders im Hinblick auf den Transport fremder Elemente diskutiert.
Magnetic Properties of a TmCo2 Single Crystal
Authors: Deportes J. , Gignoux D. , Givord P.
Published: October 2008

The magnetization of a spherical single crystal of the ferrimagnetic TmCo2 compound has been studied in fields up to 140 kOe. Below the ordering temperature (4 K ≦ Tc ≦ 7 K depending on the melting method) the easy magnetization axis is [111]. Using the fact that the difference in the anisotropy energy between the [111] and [110] axis is very small, the relative importance of fourth and sixth order terms of the crystalline potential has been estimated. The existence of a singlet ground state explains the low spontaneous magnetization observed at 1.5 K.
Raman Spectrum of Cubic Zinc Sulphide – An Interpretation
Authors: Talwar D. N. , Agrawal Bal K.
Published: October 2008

Using the polarisation selection rules, a theoretical interpretation of the second‐order Raman spectrum of cubic zinc sulphide [ZnS(C)], in terms of phonons at Γ, X, L, and W critical points is presented. The set of phonon values that satisfactorily explains the observed Raman peaks are consistent with both the neutron data and a theoretical lattice dynamical model. The given interpretations suggest that the amount of scattering from points in the Brillouin zone other than critical points is very small. Thus the Raman experiments, if carefully performed and interpreted on the basis of a reliable theoretical lattice dynamical model would provide a basis for determining the zone‐boundary phonon frequencies for those zinc‐blende type semiconductor compounds for which insufficient optical data are available.
Spin Fluctuation Depressed Superconductivity in Nb‐V Alloys
Authors: Rapp Ö , Crafoord C.
Published: October 2008

The electrical resistivity of Nb‐V alloys has been measured around 250°C. Together with published values of the susceptibility and the electronic part of the specific heat the contribution of spin fluctuations t o the depression of the superconducting transition temperature, Tc has been estimated. A calculation of Tc based on experimental resistivity, susceptibility, and specific heat and with one adjustable parameter shows qualitative agreement with the observed Tc over the whole alloy system and reasonable quantitative agreement in the dilute B V region. Further evidence for the existence of spin fluctuations in Nb‐V and an enhanced electron‐phonon coupling constant γ in V is derived from the observed rate of depression of Tc with V concentration, published band structure calculations for V, and published Knight shift relaxation times.
A Study of hole Scattering in Ge by Cyclotron Resonance
Authors: Gershenson E. M. , Gusinskii E. N. , Rabinovich R. I. , Soina N. V.
Published: October 2008

Scattering of hot holes on acoustical phonons has been investigated experimentally in pure Ge (ND + NA ≈ 1012cm13) at low temperature (1.7 to 4.2 °K) in detail. It is shown that the degeneracy of the valence band influences the scattering of hot heavy and light holes in a different manner. The essential role of interband transitions is demonstrated. The results of the investigation of the influence of the recombination mechanism on the width and shape of the CR line of hot carriers are presented. It is demonstrated that the space distribution of the carriers must be taken into account for a correct interpretation of the experimental results.
On the influence of map analysis formulation in the estimation of wind field derivatives
Authors: Pedder M. A.
Published: October 2008

Many wind field analysis formulations which have been described in the meteorological literature do not take into account the cross‐coherence of the sampled component variables. As a result, such formulations can produce spurious amplification or damping of derived vorticity and divergence. This effect is examined with particular reference to a linear weighting scheme in which an optimal vector component weighting is derived from a homogeneous and isotropic correlation model for streamfunction and velocity potential variables. It is demonstrated theoretically and in sample analyses that unless the contributions to total vector variance from divergent and solenoidal effects are equal, then estimated fields of both vorticity and divergence derived as linear functions of component data are adversely affected by the exclusion of cross‐component weighting. The same effect is shown to occur when empirical distance‐weighting or surface‐fitting formulations are used, and is particularly serious when such methods are used to estimate divergence from scattered observations sampling a predominantly solenoidal field. It is concluded that univariate methods for analysis of atmospheric winds cannot in general produce unbiased estimates of wind field derivatives unless the scale of spatial sampling is much less than the characteristic spatial scale of velocity variation.
Evaluating the effect of the inter‐relationships among the different spectral bands on iasi performance
Authors: Amato U. , Cuomo V. , Rizzi R. , Serio C.
Published: October 2008

The performance of the Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer, IASI, under development at the laboratories of CNES, the French National Space Agency, has been evaluated. an error analysis has been carried out on the basis of the expected radiometric noise. to this end, a linear form of the radiative‐transfer equation has been formulated for the direct and simultaneous estimation of temperature, water vapour and ozone profiles. the results show that the performance of the new spectrometer largely meets the World Meteorological Organization temperature and water vapour retrieval specifications. In addition, the instrument should enable the distinction to be made between tropospheric and stratospheric ozone, which is of both climatological and meteorological importance.
Thermodynamical impact and internal structure of a tropical convective cloud system
Authors: Guichard F. , Lafore J.‐P. , Redelsperger J.‐L.
Published: October 2008

A three‐dimensional cloud‐resolving model is used to simulate a cloud system, observed during the Tropical Ocean/Global Atmosphere Coupled Ocean‐Atmosphere Response Experiment, corresponding to the development of shear parallel convective lines and characterized by the absence of large‐scale ascent. the system life cycle includes different types of clouds interacting in both space and time.

The thermodynamical impact as well as statistical properties of the system are analysed using a partition of the total domain into several (6 to 12) internal areas. In‐cloud temperature excess is weak as observed, whereas water vapour excess is significant and correlated with vertical velocity. However, buoyancy deviations are extremely small, indicating an equilibrium of density, involving thermodynamics and microphysics. Decomposition of budgets highlights the mechanisms of compensation occuring between the precipitating system and its environment.

Moisture convective transports are extremely intense and complex to analyse. A decomposition into vertical and horizontal parts shows that horizontal exchanges are important, in particular to explain moistening at upper levels. the effective part of vertical fluxes (after removing the compensating parts) occurs in active shallow and deep clouds, at very fine scales. These results question some basic hypotheses assumed in existing convective parametrizations.
A turbulence scheme allowing for mesoscale and large‐eddy simulations
Authors: Cuxart J. , Bougeault P. , Redelsperger J.‐L.
Published: October 2008

The paper describes the turbulence scheme implemented in the Meso‐NH community research model, and reports on some validation studies. Since the model is intended to perform both large‐eddy and mesoscale simulations, we have developed a full three‐dimensional scheme, based on the original method of Redelsperger and Sommeria. A prognostic equation for the turbulent kinetic energy is used, together with conservative variables for moist non‐precipitating processes. A particularity of the scheme is the use of variable turbulent Prandtl and Schmidt numbers, consistently derived from the complete set of second‐order turbulent‐moment equations. The results of three idealized boundary‐layer simulations allowing detailed comparisons with other large‐eddy simulation (LES) models are discussed, and lead to the conclusion that the model is performing satisfactorily.

The vertical flux and gradient computation can be run in isolation from the rest of the scheme, providing an efficient single‐column parametrization for the mesoscale configuration of the model, if an appropriate parametrization of the eddy length‐scale is used. The mixing‐length specification is then the only aspect of the scheme which differs from the LES to the mesoscale configuration, and the numerical constants used for the closure terms are the same in both configurations. The scheme is run in single‐column mode for the same three cases as above, and a comparison of single‐column and LES results again leads to satisfactory results. It is believed that this result is original, and is due to the proper formulation of the parametrized mixing length and of the turbulent Prandtl and Schmidt numbers. In fact, a comparison of the parametrized mixing length with the length‐scale of the energy‐containing eddies deduced by spectral analysis of the LES shows interesting similarity.
Dew variability within a small arid drainage basin in the Negev Highlands, Israel
Authors: Kidron Giora J. , Yair Aaron , Danin Avinoam
Published: October 2008

Dew variability during the autumn dewy season within a small arid drainage basin in the Negev Highlands, Israel, is studied. Dew measurements were carried out at 18 stations on four exposures, using the Cloth‐Plate Method (CPM) and Duvdevani dew gauges. The study also included periodical wind and substrate temperature measurements.

Dew variability within the drainage basin was high. Average daily dew values obtained by the CPM were between 0.07 and 0.31 mm, whereas dew duration ranged between 1.6 and 4.1 hours per dewy morning. Dew amounts monitored by the Duvdevani gauges were lower, between 0.09 and 0.20 mm. Both methods show, however, consistent variability and correspond to a similar pattern. Whereas near‐ground dew measurements were the highest at the hilltops and at the bottom of the sun‐shaded northern and western exposures, wadi bed stations and, especially, the south facing midslope station obtained the lowest dew quantities.

The near‐surface dew patterns are not in agreement with the classical model of both Geiger and Oke, which predicts high dew quantities at the wadi beds (due to nocturnal down‐slope wind) and at the lee side of the prevailing wind, i.e. the south‐facing midslope station. The low quantities at the south‐facing midslope station is explained by the paramount role of surface temperatures, whereas variability in radiational cooling is seen as responsible for the high near‐ground dew quantities at the hilltops and the low quantities at the wadis.

This conclusion is supported by dew measurements al 40 cm above ground. Dew measurements at 40 cm above ground at the south‐facing midslope station and at both wadi beds were significantly higher (p < 0.05) than at 0.7 cm above ground. Facilitating an efficient radiational cooling, and beyond the impact of the surface temperatures, dew measurements at this height correspond to the classical model, highlighting the important impact of surface temperatures and ventilation upon near‐ground dew condensation in an arid drainage basin.
Some statistical considerations associated with the data assimilation of precipitation observations
Authors: Errico Ronald M. , Fillion Luc , Nychka Douglas , Lu Zhan‐Qian
Published: October 2008

Bayes's theorem is applied to the problem of analysing temperature and moisture in a volume of air given a single observation of precipitation amount, utilizing a model of non‐convective precipitation and prior estimates of the fields. Results using different statistics and shapes of probability distributions are examined. These include normal, truncated normal, and log normal distributions with special treatment of the value zero. The uncertainly of the model's formulation is considered in addition to uncertainty of observations. The posterior distribution is multi‐modal due to the model's formulation using a conditional expression. The dominant mode may be predicted as a non‐precipitating slate by the model, although the observation indicates precipitation is present. Means and modes of posterior distributions depend sensitively both on the assumed statistics and the shapes of the underlying distributions. The results suggest that the usual minimization of a cost‐function should not be used cavalierly to assimilate precipitation observations.
Tonic activity of Gα‐gustducin regulates taste cell responsivity
Authors: Clapp Tod R. , Trubey Kristina R. , Vandenbeuch Aurelie , Stone Leslie M. , Margolskee Robert F. , Chaudhari Nirupa , Kinnamon Sue C.
Published: October 2008

The taste‐selective G protein, α‐gustducin (α‐gus) is homologous to α‐transducin and activates phosphodiesterase (PDE) in vitro. α‐Gus‐knockout mice are compromized to bitter, sweet and umami taste stimuli, suggesting a central role in taste transduction. Here, we suggest a different role for Gα‐gus. In taste buds of α‐gus‐knockout mice, basal (unstimulated) cAMP levels are high compared to those of wild‐type mice. Further, H‐89, a cAMP‐dependent protein kinase inhibitor, dramatically unmasks responses to the bitter tastant denatonium in gus‐lineage cells of knockout mice. We propose that an important role of α‐gus is to maintain cAMP levels tonically low to ensure adequate Ca2+ signaling.
Singlish
Authors: Forbes Duncan
Published: October 2008

A report on the background and nature of the general English usage of the island nation of Singapore
‘An’ to ‘A’ in American speech: language change in progress
Authors: Stewart Penny , Fawcett Richard F.
Published: October 2008

A review of the loss of an in ‘the unguarded speech of Americans’, in such phrases as ‘a apparition’
The Malaysian English mosaic
Authors: Baskaran Loga
Published: October 2008

An outline of the three social dialects and hybrid style of a vigorous ‘New English’
A Case of the Split Infinitives
Authors: Crystal David
Published: October 2008

ET is a forum for the discussion of ‘good’, ‘bad’, ‘correct’, ‘incorrect’, ‘standard’, ‘non-standard’, ‘substandard’ and other kinds of usage. In this issue, DAVID CRYSTAL considers a bone of contention that has been with us for a long time.
Is Scots a Language?
Authors: Aitken A. J.
Published: October 2008

Some consider that Scots is simply a northerly dialect of English. Others assert that it is a language in its own right, as distinct from English as Dutch is distinct from German, with its own oral and literary heritage. What is the truth of the matter?
An ABC of World English
Authors: McArthur Tom
Published: October 2008

The fourth of a four-part gazetteer of the basic geopolitical vocabulary of the English language, dealing with the facts, fancies, fallacies, ambiguities and subtle implications of such words. For convenience of presentation, the material is not always in strict alphabetical order.
In defence of clichés
Authors: Bagnall Nicholas
Published: October 2008

The cliché is not loved, and usage books do not have much to say in its favour. Is it possible, however, that the 20th century is being unfair to a venerable cultural device?
English to Order
Authors: McArthur Tom
Published: October 2008

All published works in English are planned, but some are more planned than others – right down to the last word. TOM McARTHUR takes a look at the tradition of shaping words to fit an educational need.
Mother Tongue and Other Tongue
Authors: Harding Edith
Published: October 2008

Is bilingualism an asset or a liability, and how should families in linguistically complex situations handle it?
Literacy 2000
Authors: Crystal David
Published: October 2008

What do we understand by the terms ‘literate’ and ‘illiterate’? Could the time ever come when there were no ‘illiterates’ left on earth?
Acts of Identity
Authors: Le Page Robert
Published: October 2008

When new nations are created national languages and identities are often created with them. The British Caribbean in recent decades has provided opportunities to see such processes evolve and to consider their wider implications.
Clammering knaves can strange you out
Authors: McArthur Tom
Published: October 2008

A wide range of newsletters, clippings and cuttings, catalogues and correspondence arrives (and is welcomed) on ET's editorial desk. From the mass that goes into our files TOM McARTHUR has sorted out a mélange of malapropisms, foreignisms, neologisms, fake languages and odd usages that – somehow or other – come within ET's brief.
The fallible computer and DARE
Authors: Cassidy Frederic G
Published: October 2008

The Dictionary of American Regional English is not only a great national scholarly project but also a pioneering venture in lexicography. How did dialectology and the computer work out together in the preparation of Volume I?
The blight of officialese
Authors: Elliott Roger
Published: October 2008

The language of bureaucracy often intimidates, and is particularly intimidating for such people as immigrants in Britain and ordinary people in countries where English is the first language of officialdom.
Editing ‘BBC English’ Magazine
Authors: Stack Maureen
Published: October 2008

Et talks to Maureen Stack, editor of a sister periodical with a worldwide clientele.
The horseman's words
Authors: Lawrence Margot
Published: October 2008

Horses have been important in the British Isles since at least Roman times, and users of English have taken their interest in horses with them to many parts of the world. As a result, the language abounds in expressions from the now largely vanished world of horses, coaches and hunting.
Hong Kong’s English newspapers
Authors: Taylor Andrew
Published: October 2008

An analysis of the style and content of the South China Morning Post and the Hongkong Standard.
The pattern in an unannounceable string
Authors: Abbott Gerry
Published: October 2008

Some things appear to be harder to announce than others.
The State of English in Ghana
Authors: Gyasi Ibrahim K
Published: October 2008

IBRAHIM K GYASI considers that ‘English in Ghana is very ill’.
New Zealand English lexis: the Maori dimension
Authors: Deverson Tony
Published: October 2008

An interim report on the influence of the Maori language on English
A bilingual Denmark
Authors: Christophersen Paul
Published: October 2008

What happens in a small country when every citizen speaks English as well as the national language?
What the summer schools did next
Authors: Butler Melanie
Published: October 2008

A report on recent trends around the world during the annual peak season for EFL courses
Aureate or inkpot?
Authors: White Keith
Published: October 2008

KEITH WHITE discusses the tradition of ornate technical terms in English and their emergence in contemporary literary theory
Aberrant ellipsis: advertisers do, but why?
Authors: Garnham Alan , Oakhill Jane
Published: October 2008

An account of recent theorizing about grammatical ellipsis, with examples of how advertisers have been bending the rules
Zodiac Mindwarp meets the Horseflies
Authors: Wales Katie
Published: October 2008

KATIE WALES reviews names and naming conventions in the world of pop music
The Centre for the Book
Authors: Crump Michael J.
Published: October 2008

A description of the British Library's new Centre for the Book, its present condition and its prospects
The corpus revolution
Authors: Rundell Michael , Stock Penny
Published: October 2008

The first in a series of three reports on the development and use of electronic language corpora and their impact on dictionaries
New and original combinations
Authors: Bradbury Jane
Published: October 2008

JANE BRADBURY, Editor of the ‘Collins COBUILD Guide to Word Formation’, describes how a computer database and concordancing software can help prepare materials for foreign learners of English relating to the ever-creative system of word-formation.
English on dis-play: a fractured language
Authors: Hughes Glyn
Published: October 2008

Some observations on ways in which English is arranged and deranged around the world
The trouble with TESOL
Authors: Benson Morton
Published: October 2008

A frank and concerned assessment of the aims, nature and achievements of the American organization Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages, Inc.
The Queen's English: Metaphor in Gay Speech
Authors: Zeve Barry
Published: October 2008

A report on the dominant images and expressions in contemporary American homosexual usage
Styles of Standard English
Authors: Ahulu Samuel
Published: October 2008

An examination of the many similarities in the English of West Africa and South Asia
Creating an English Anagrammicon
Authors: Towner George
Published: October 2008

GEORGE TOWNER of Apple Computer Inc., Cupertino, California, describes how he has created a hacker's guide to all the anagrams a crossword-puzzler could ever want.
The nature of Scots
Authors: Shearer Tom
Published: October 2008

A reprint of the Introduction to the new ‘Collins Gem Scots Dictionary’, edited by Marian Makins (1995), which describes Scots as ‘the language of Germanic origin spoken by most Scots’. Tom Shearer is the lexicographer who wrote the piece.
Three strikes and you're out
Authors: Liu Dilin , Farha Bryan
Published: October 2008

A study of the use of football and baseball jargon in present-day American English
Troubled Times
Authors: Room Adrian
Published: October 2008

ADRIAN ROOM looks at occasional boobs and blunders in Britain's traditional newspaper of record
Guy-dance with pro-nun-see-ay-shon
Authors: Fraser Helen
Published: October 2008

A consideration of how the everyday spelling system can be used more effectively than phonetic symbols in English pronunciation guides
A world without censorship?
Authors: D'Souza Frances
Published: October 2008

FRANCES D'SOUZA reports on the mission and achievements of Article 19, an organization founded to fight censorship throughout the world.
A wild gene chase
Authors: Bulley Michael
Published: October 2008

MICHAEL BULLEY takes a wry look at the work of those linguists who consider that the essence of language can be found in our DNA.
Recentering English: New English and Global
Authors: Toolan Michael
Published: October 2008

The times and the language are a-changin'. But how much and in how many ways?
Beyond their GRASP?
Authors: Davidson Keith
Published: October 2008

Notions of grammar, spelling and punctuation in the National Curriculum for schools in England – an introduction to the NATE Position Paper
South Africa's language ghosts
Authors: Titlestad Peter J. H.
Published: October 2008

In nineteenth-century England, Dickens wrote about the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future, imagery that can be applied to South Africa today
In defence of spelling reform
Authors: Upward Christopher
Published: October 2008

The Editor-in-Chief of the Simplified Spelling Society responds to David Crystal
Forty years of official bilingualism in cameroon
Authors: Kouega Jean-Paul
Published: October 2008

An appraisal of the promotion of a policy of official French/English bilingualism in operation since 1961
The myth of Canadian English
Authors: Lilles Jaan
Published: October 2008

Despite the recent publication of a Canadian style guide and The Oxford Canadian Dictionary, a claim that there is no such thing as a distinctively Canadian variety of English
An on-line OED
Authors: Simpson John , Weiner Edmund
Published: October 2008

An up-date on the latest incarnation of one of the world's most remarkable dictionaries
English lexicography in Fiji
Authors: Tent Jan
Published: October 2008

An account of how the lexis of Fiji English is being recorded1
‘People have a Part to Play‘ The English-Speaking Union
Authors: Williams Alan Lee
Published: October 2008

For its first interview, English Today talks to Alan Lee Williams, Director-General, the English-Speaking Union of the Commonwealth, about his association's aims, history, organization, membership, projects and approach to the English language.
Maternal control strategies, maternal language usage and children's language usage at two years
Authors: TAYLOR NICOLE , DONOVAN WILBERTA , MILES SALLY , LEAVITT LEWIS
Published: October 2008

The present study determined whether parenting style, defined by control strategies varying in power-assertion mediated the established relation between maternal language usage (grammar and semantics) and child language (grammar, semantics and pragmatics) during toddlerhood (n=60). Based upon their use of control strategies mothers were categorized into continuum-of-control groups (i.e. high guidance (HG), high control (HC) or high negative control (HNC)). Mothers in the high negative control group, who characteristically used high levels of prohibitions and commands, had children who performed relatively poorly overall on the language measures (i.e. MLU, number of bound morphemes, number of different words and use of language functions). In contrast, children of mothers in the HG and HC groups exhibited more advanced language usage overall. The relation between maternal and child language usage was mediated by parenting style for child pragmatics and partially for child grammar.
Short Note: Micropropagation of Antarctic Colobanthus quitensis
Authors: Zúñiga Gustavo E. , Zamora Pablo , Ortega Marcelo , Obrecht Alberto
Published: October 2008

The Antarctic Pearlwort, Colobanthus quitensis (Kunth.) Bartl. (Caryophyllaceae) is one of the two native vascular plant species that have successfully colonized the maritime Antarctic during the Holocene (Smith 1984). Within the Antarctic biome, it is only found on the Antarctic Peninsula and on islands in the maritime Antarctic (Smith 1984). Its distribution also includes South Georgia (sub-Antarctic), the Falkland Islands, and sites along the Andes, reaching c. 10°N in Mexico (Moore 1970). Moore (1970) observed that C. quitensis is self-compatible and appears to be largely, if not entirely, self-pollinated. Convey (1996), found that maritime Antarctic C. quitensis showed lower allocation to seed production than plants from sub-Antarctic sites.
High‐resolution emissions of CO2 from power generation in the USA
Authors: Pétron Garielle , Tans Pieter , Frost Gregory , Chao Danlei , Trainer Michael
Published: October 2008

Electricity generation accounts for close to 40% of the U.S. CO2 emissions from fossil fuel burning, making it the economic sector with the largest source of CO2. Since the late 1990s, the Environmental Protection Agency Clean Air Markets Division (EPA CAMD) has kept a repository of hourly CO2 emission data for most power plants in the conterminous United States. In this study, the CAMD CO2 data are used to derive a high spatiotemporal resolution CO2 emissions inventory for the electricity generation sector (inventory available on request). Data from 1998 to 2006 have been processed. This unique inventory can be used to improve the understanding of the carbon cycle at fine temporal and spatial scales. The CAMD data set provides the first quantitative estimates of the diurnal and seasonal cycles of the emissions as well as the year to year variability. Emissions peak in the summertime owing to the widespread use of air conditioning. Summertime emissions are in fact highly correlated with the daily average temperature. In conjunction with the EPA Emissions and Generation Resource Integrated Database (eGRID), we have derived high‐resolution maps of CO2 emissions by fossil fuel burned (coal, gas, oil) for the year 2004. The CAMD data set also reflects regional anomalies in power generation such as the August 2003 blackout in the northeastern United States and the 2000–2001 increase in production in California. We recommend that all sectors of the economy report similar high‐resolution CO2 emissions because of their great usefulness both for carbon cycle science and for greenhouse gases emissions mitigation and regulation.
Stratospheric influence on circulation changes in the Southern Hemisphere troposphere in coupled climate models
Authors: Karpechko A. Yu. , Gillett N. P. , Marshall G. J. , Scaife A. A.
Published: October 2008

The recent intensification of the circumpolar circulation in the SH troposphere in summer and autumn has been attributed to external forcing such as stratospheric ozone depletion and greenhouse gas (GHG) increases. Several studies have shown that climate models are able to simulate observed changes when forced by observed ozone trends or combined ozone and GHG trends. However, as some of these studies suffered from erroneously specified forcing, the reason for the circulation intensification remains debatable. Here, we re‐approach this issue using data from 21 CMIP3 models. We demonstrate that only models that include ozone depletion simulate downward propagation of the circulation changes from the stratosphere to the troposphere similar to that observed, with GHG increases causing significant Antarctic geopotential height trends only in the lower troposphere. These changes are simulated by the majority of the ozone‐forced models except those with the lowest vertical resolution between 300 hPa and 10 hPa.