bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Orographic Enhancement of Precipitation inside Hurricane Dean
Authors: Smith R. B. , Schafer P. , Kirshbaum D. , Regina E.
Published: December 2008

On 17 August 2007, the center of Hurricane Dean passed within 92 km of the mountainous island of Dominica in the West Indies. Despite its distance from the island and its category 1–2 state, Dean brought significant total precipitation exceeding 500 mm and caused numerous landslides. Four rain gauges, a Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) image, and 5-min radar scans from Guadeloupe and Martinique are used to determine the storm’s structure and the mountains’ effect on precipitation. The encounter is best described in three phases: (i) an east-northeast dry flow with three isolated drifting cells; (ii) a brief passage of the narrow outer rainband; and (iii) an extended period with south-southeast airflow in a nearly stationary spiral rainband. In this final phase, from 1100 to 2400 UTC, heavy rainfall from the stationary rainband was doubled by orographic enhancement. This enhancement pushed the sloping soils past the landslide threshold. The enhancement was caused by a modified seeder–feeder accretion mechanism that created a “dipole” pattern of precipitation, including a dry zone over the ocean in the lee. In contrast to normal trade-wind conditions, no terrain triggering of convection was identified in the hurricane environment.
The Response of a Weakly Stratified Layer to Buoyancy Forcing
Authors: Pedlosky Joseph
Published: December 2008

The response of a weakly stratified layer of fluid to a surface cooling distribution is investigated with linear theory in an attempt to clarify recent numerical results concerning the sinking of cooled water in polar ocean boundary currents.

A channel of fluid is forced at the surface by a cooling distribution that varies in the down-channel as well as the cross-channel directions. The resulting geostrophic flow in the central region of the channel impinges on its boundaries, and regions of strong downwelling are observed. For the parameters of the problem investigated, the downwelling occurs in a classical Stewartson layer but the forcing of the layer leads to an unusual relation with the interior flow, which is forced to satisfy the thermal condition on the boundary while the geostrophic normal flow in the interior is brought to rest in the boundary layer.

As a consequence of the layer’s dynamics, the resulting long-channel flow exhibits a nonmonotonic approach to the interior flow, and the strongest vertical velocities are limited to the boundary layer whose scale is so small that numerical models resolve the region only with great difficulty. The analytical model presented here is able to reproduce key features of the previous nonlinear numerical calculations.
Additive Noise for Storm-Scale Ensemble Data Assimilation
Authors: Dowell David C. , Wicker Louis J.
Published: December 2008

An “additive noise” method for initializing ensemble forecasts of convective storms and maintaining ensemble spread during data assimilation is developed and tested for a simplified numerical cloud model (no radiation, terrain, or surface fluxes) and radar observations of the 8 May 2003 Oklahoma City supercell. Every 5 min during a 90-min data-assimilation window, local perturbations in the wind, temperature, and water-vapor fields are added to each ensemble member where the reflectivity observations indicate precipitation. These perturbations are random but have been smoothed so that they have correlation length scales of a few kilometers. An ensemble Kalman filter technique is used to assimilate Doppler velocity observations into the cloud model. The supercell and other nearby cells that develop in the model are qualitatively similar to those that were observed. Relative to previous storm-scale ensemble methods, the additive-noise technique reduces the number of spurious cells and their negative consequences during the data assimilation. The additive-noise method is designed to maintain ensemble spread within convective storms during long periods of data assimilation, and it adapts to changing storm configurations. It would be straightforward to use this method in a mesoscale model with explicit convection and inhomogeneous storm environments.
Bow Echo Mesovortices. Part II: Their Genesis
Authors: Atkins Nolan T. , St. Laurent Michael
Published: December 2008

This two-part study examines the damaging potential and genesis of low-level, meso-γ-scale mesovortices formed within bow echoes. This was accomplished by analyzing quasi-idealized simulations of the 10 June 2003 Saint Louis bow echo event observed during the Bow Echo and Mesoscale Convective Vortex Experiment (BAMEX). In Part II of this study, mesovortex genesis was investigated for vortices formed at different stages of convective system evolution. During the early “cellular” stage, cyclonic mesovortices were observed. The cyclonic mesovortices formed from the tilting of baroclinic horizontal vorticity acquired by downdraft parcels entering the mesovortex. As the convective system evolved into a bow echo, cyclonic–anticyclonic mesovortex pairs were also observed. The vortex couplet was produced by a local updraft maximum that tilted baroclinically generated vortex lines upward into arches. The local updraft maximum was created by a convective-scale downdraft that produced an outward bulge in the gust front position. Cyclonic-only mesovortices were predominantly observed as the convective system evolved into the mature bow echo stage. Similar to the early cellular stage, these mesovortices formed from the tilting of baroclinic horizontal vorticity acquired by downdraft parcels entering the mesovortex. The downdraft parcels descended within the rear-inflow jet. The generality of the mesovortex genesis mechanisms was assessed by examining the structure of observed mesovortices in Doppler radar data. The mesovortex genesis mechanisms were also compared to others reported in the literature and the genesis of low-level mesocyclones in supercell thunderstorms.
For Science, Love and Money
Authors: Marie Jenny
Published: December 2008

This paper traces the joint histories of poultry and rabbit breeding by fanciers, and for commercial and scientific purposes, in early 20th-century Britain. I show that the histories of the social worlds that bred for these different purposes are intertwined, as are the histories of poultry and rabbit breeding in general. To properly understand the history of scientific breeding we must therefore understand the general context of breeding in which this occurred. In the paper I show that as fancy poultry and rabbits were taken up for scientific research at the start of the 20th century they became scientific specimens and boundary objects between the social worlds. Their existence as boundary objects motivated the social worlds to coordinate their work through translators and trading zones. By the 1930s all three coordination methods were being used simultaneously.
A Status of Her Own: Women and Family Identities in Seventeenth-Century Aveiro, Portugal
Authors: Abreu-Ferreira Darlene
Published: December 2008

Through the examination of a set of baptismal records from Aveiro, a coastal town between Lisbon and Porto in northern Portugal, this study explores the ways in which women were identified in relation to their families and community, and in relation to their economic occupations. The findings show that of the approximate 2,600 names of parents and godparents who were noted in the parish registers in the years between 1624 and 1638, the vast majority of them were not provided with a work label. Yet, the inconsistent manner in which women and men were identified suggests that what the church scribe deemed worthy of note did not necessarily reflect the views of the broader community. Although officialdom generally relegated women to their marital or family links, it was possible for a woman to acquire an occupational status of her own.
PAI-1 and functional blockade of SNAI1 in breast cancer cell migration
Authors: Fabre-Guillevin Elizabeth , Malo Michel , Cartier-Michaud Amandine , Peinado Hector , Moreno-Bueno Gema , Vallée Benoît , Lawrence Daniel A , Palacios José , Cano Amparo , Barlovatz-Meimon Georgia , Charrière-Bertrand Cécile
Published: December 2008

Introduction

Snail, a family of transcriptional repressors implicated in cell movement, has been correlated with tumour invasion. The Plasminogen Activation (PA) system, including urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA), its receptor and its inhibitor, plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1(PAI-1), also plays a key role in cancer invasion and metastasis, either through proteolytic degradation or by non-proteolytic modulation of cell adhesion and migration. Thus, Snail and the PA system are both over-expressed in cancer and influence this process. In this study we aimed to determine if the activity of SNAI1 (a member of the Snail family) is correlated with expression of the PA system components and how this correlation can influence tumoural cell migration.

Methods

We compared the invasive breast cancer cell-line MDA-MB-231 expressing SNAI1 (MDA-mock) with its derived clone expressing a dominant-negative form of SNAI1 (SNAI1-DN). Expression of PA system mRNAs was analysed by cDNA microarrays and real-time quantitative RT-PCR. Wound healing assays were used to determine cell migration. PAI-1 distribution was assessed by immunostaining.

Results

We demonstrated by both cDNA microarrays and real-time quantitative RT-PCR that the functional blockade of SNAI1 induces a significant decrease of PAI-1 and uPA transcripts. After performing an in vitro wound-healing assay, we observed that SNAI1-DN cells migrate more slowly than MDA-mock cells and in a more collective manner. The blockade of SNAI1 activity resulted in the redistribution of PAI-1 in SNAI1-DN cells decorating large lamellipodia, which are commonly found structures in these cells.

Conclusions

In the absence of functional SNAI1, the expression of PAI-1 transcripts is decreased, although the protein is redistributed at the leading edge of migrating cells in a manner comparable with that seen in normal epithelial cells.
Tight perioperative glucose control is associated with a reduction in renal impairment and renal failure in non-diabetic cardiac surgical patients
Authors: Lecomte Patrick , Van Vlem Bruno , Coddens Jose , Cammu Guy , Nollet Guy , Nobels Frank , Vanermen Hugo , Foubert Luc
Published: December 2008

Introduction

Acute renal failure after cardiac surgery increases in-hospital mortality. We evaluated the effect of intra- and postoperative tight control of blood glucose levels on renal function after cardiac surgery based on the Risk, Injury, Failure, Loss, and End-stage kidney failure (RIFLE) criteria, and on the need for acute postoperative dialysis.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed two groups of consecutive patients undergoing cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass between August 2004 and June 2006. In the first group, no tight glycemic control was implemented (Control, n = 305). Insulin therapy was initiated at blood glucose levels > 150 mg/dL. In the group with tight glycemic control (Insulin, n = 745), intra- and postoperative blood glucose levels were targeted between 80 to 110 mg/dL, using the Aalst Glycemia Insulin Protocol. Postoperative renal impairment or failure was evaluated with the RIFLE score, based on serum creatinine, glomerular filtration rate and/or urinary output. We used the Cleveland Clinic Severity Score to compare the predicted vs observed incidence of acute postoperative dialysis between groups.

Results

Mean blood glucose levels in the Insulin group were lower compared to the Control group from rewarming on cardiopulmonary bypass onwards until ICU discharge (p < 0.0001). Median ICU stay was 2 days in both groups. In non-diabetics, strict perioperative blood glucose control was associated with a reduced incidence of renal impairment (p = 0.01) and failure (p = 0.02) scoring according to RIFLE criteria, as well as a reduced incidence of acute postoperative dialysis (from 3.9% in Control to 0.7% in Insulin; p < 0.01). The 30-day mortality was lower in the Insulin than in the Control group (1.2% vs 3.6%; p = 0.02), representing a 70% decrease in non-diabetics (p < 0.05) and 56.1% in diabetics (not significant). The observed overall incidence of acute postoperative dialysis was adequately predicted by the Cleveland Clinic Severity Score in the Control group (p = 0.6), but was lower than predicted in the Insulin group (1.2% vs 3%, p = 0.03).

Conclusions

In non-diabetic patients, tight perioperative blood glucose control is associated with a significant reduction in postoperative renal impairment and failure after cardiac surgery according to the RIFLE criteria. In non-diabetics, tight blood glucose control was associated with a decreased need for postoperative dialysis, as well as 30-day mortality, despite of a relatively short ICU stay.
Bridge helix and trigger loop perturbations generate superactive RNA polymerases
Authors: Tan Lin , Wiesler Simone , Trzaska Dominika , Carney Hannah C , Weinzierl Robert OJ
Published: December 2008

Background

Cellular RNA polymerases are highly conserved enzymes that undergo complex conformational changes to coordinate the processing of nucleic acid substrates through the active site. Two domains in particular, the bridge helix and the trigger loop, play a key role in this mechanism by adopting different conformations at various stages of the nucleotide addition cycle. The functional relevance of these structural changes has been difficult to assess from the relatively small number of static crystal structures currently available.

Results

Using a novel robotic approach we characterized the functional properties of 367 site-directed mutants of the Methanocaldococcus jannaschii RNA polymerase A' subunit, revealing a wide spectrum of in vitro phenotypes. We show that a surprisingly large number of single amino acid substitutions in the bridge helix, including a kink-inducing proline substitution, increase the specific activity of RNA polymerase. Other 'superactivating' substitutions are located in the adjacent base helices of the trigger loop.

Conclusion

The results support the hypothesis that the nucleotide addition cycle involves a kinked bridge helix conformation. The active center of RNA polymerase seems to be constrained by a network of functional interactions between the bridge helix and trigger loop that controls fundamental parameters of RNA synthesis.
The Genetics Concept Assessment: A New Concept Inventory for Gauging Student Understanding of Genetics
Authors: Smith Michelle K. , Wood William B. , Knight Jennifer K.
Published: December 2008

We have designed, developed, and validated a 25-question Genetics Concept Assessment (GCA) to test achievement of nine broad learning goals in majors and nonmajors undergraduate genetics courses. Written in everyday language with minimal jargon, the GCA is intended for use as a pre- and posttest to measure student learning gains. The assessment was reviewed by genetics experts, validated by student interviews, and taken by >600 students at three institutions. Normalized learning gains on the GCA were positively correlated with averaged exam scores, suggesting that the GCA measures understanding of topics relevant to instructors. Statistical analysis of our results shows that differences in the item difficulty and item discrimination index values between different questions on pre- and posttests can be used to distinguish between concepts that are well or poorly learned during a course.
Olanzapine for the treatment of borderline personality disorder: variable dose 12-week randomised double-blind placebo-controlled study
Authors: Schulz S. Charles , Zanarini Mary C. , Bateman Anthony , Bohus Martin , Detke Holland C. , Trzaskoma Quynh , Tanaka Yoko , Lin Daniel , Deberdt Walter , Corya Sara
Published: December 2008

Background

Despite the prevalence and clinical significance of borderline personality disorder, its treatment remains understudied.

Aims

To evaluate treatment with variably dosed olanzapine in individuals with borderline personality disorder.

Method

In this 12-week randomised, double-blind trial, individuals received olanzapine (2.5–20 mg/day;n=155) or placebo (n=159) (trial registry: NCT00091650). The primary efficacy measure was baseline to end-point change on the Zanarini Rating Scale for Borderline Personality Disorder (ZAN–BPD) using last-observation-carried-forward methodology.

Results

Both olanzapine and placebo groups showed significant improvements but did not differ in magnitude at end-point (76.56v. 76.25,P=0.661). Response rates (50% reduction in ZAN–BPD) were 64.7% with olanzapine and 53.5% with placebo (P=0.062); however, time to response was significantly shorter for olanzapine (P=0.022). Weight gain was significantly greater (2.86v. 70.35 kg, P50.001), with higher incidence of treatment-emergent abnormal high levels of prolactin for the olanzapine group.

Conclusions

Individuals treated with olanzapine and placebo showed significant but not statistically different improvements on overall symptoms of borderline personality disorder. The types of adverse events observed with olanzapine treatment appeared similar to those observed previously in adult populations.
Immigrants and borderline personality disorder at a psychiatric emergency service
Authors: Pascual J. C. , Malagón A. , Córcoles D. , Ginés J. M. , Soler J. , García-Ribera C. , Pérez V. , Bulbena A.
Published: December 2008

Background

Several studies have suggested that immigrants have higher rates of psychiatric emergency service use and a higher risk of mental disorders such as schizophrenia than indigenous populations.

Aims

To compare the likelihood that immigrants (immigrant group) v. indigenous population (indigenous group) will be diagnosed with borderline personality disorder in a psychiatric emergency service and to determine differences according to area of origin.

Method

A total of 11 578 consecutive admissions over a 4-year period at a tertiary psychiatric emergency service were reviewed. The collected data included socio-demographic and clinical variables and the Severity of Psychiatric Illness rating score. Psychiatric diagnosis was limited to information available in the emergency room given that a structured interview is not usually feasible in this setting. The diagnosis of borderline personality disorder was based on DSM–IV criteria. Immigrants were divided into five groups according to region of origin: North Africa, sub-Saharan Africa, South America, Asia and Western countries.

Results

Multivariate statistical logistic regression analysis showed that all subgroups of immigrants had a lower likelihood of being diagnosed with borderline personality disorder than the indigenous population independently of age and gender. Furthermore, the rates of borderline personality disorder diagnosis were considerably lower in Asian and sub-Saharan subgroups than in South American, North African, Western or native subgroups.

Conclusions

Our results showed that in the psychiatric emergency service borderline personality disorder was diagnosed less frequently in the immigrant group v. the indigenous group. Our results do not support the concept of migration as a risk factor for borderline personality disorder.
Adults with untreated phenylketonuria: out of sight, out of mind
Authors: Murphy Glynis H. , Johnson Sally M. , Amos Allayne , Weetch Eleanor , Hoskin Rosemary , Fitzgerald Brian , Lilburn Maggie , Robertson Lesley , Lee Philip
Published: December 2008

Some people with phenylketonuria who were born before screening began were never treated and are still alive. Here we report that far fewer people with untreated phenylketonuria were detected than are thought to exist (about 2000). The majority of those traced had high support needs, challenging behaviour and other symptoms of phenylketonuria. No significant differences were found between those who had or had not tried the phenylalanine-restricted diet. A randomised controlled trial is required to examine the effect of trying the low-phenylalanine diet for people with untreated phenylketonuria.
A survey of memory clinic practice in Scotland
Authors: Foy Jane
Published: December 2008

Aims and Method

A questionnaire survey of all memory clinics in Scotland to obtain information about clinic characteristics, assessment techniques and prescribing practice.

Results

Memory clinics are a common component of old age psychiatry services within Scotland. There is variability in clinic characteristics, assessment techniques and treatment approaches. Most clinicians appear to rely on their own clinical judgement rather than national guidelines when making decisions about investigations and the prescription of anti-dementia medications.

Clinical Implications

There is considerable variation in memory clinic practice across the country. Would standardisation of practice ensure equity in service provision/patient care? However, would such standardisation be at the cost of clinical autonomy?
Can trainees contribute to recruitment into specialty training?
Authors: Jauhar Sameer , Bartos Martin , Hacker Thomas , Srireddy Pavan
Published: December 2008

Aims and Methods

Following the 2007 Modernising Medical Careers process, an online survey of applicants for psychiatry training posts in Scotland was undertaken. Views on short-listing, interview, communication and future recruitment were sought, qualitative and quantitative analyses being employed.

Results

Of 200 doctors, 115 responded, representing all regions and grades. Over 75% (n=84) expressed lack of confidence in short-listing. There was no significant difference between responses of successful and unsuccessful candidates (χ2=3.66, d.f.=2, P > 0.05). A total of 45% perceived interviews as invalid (n=55). About two-thirds (66%, n=69) felt communication was poor. Constructive suggestions for 2008 were made.

Clinical Implications

Although highlighting inadequacies in the 2007 process, trainees offered valid suggestions for future recruitment into specialty training, information being obtained quickly and efficiently.
Psychiatric intensive care and low secure units: where are we now?
Authors: Beer M. Dominic
Published: December 2008

The last decade has seen clinicians and policy makers develop psychiatric intensive care units and low secure units from the so-called ‘special care wards’ of the 1980s and 1990s. Psychiatric intensive care units are for short-term care, while low secure units are for care for up to about 2 years. Department of Health standards have been set for these units. A national survey has shown that there are two main patient groups in the low secure units: patients on forensic sections coming down from medium secure units and those on civil sections who are transferred from general psychiatric facilities. Recent clinical opinion has emphasised the important role both psychiatric intensive care units and low secure units play in providing a bridge between forensic and general mental health services.
Out-patient appointments: a necessary evil? a literature review and survey of patient attendance records
Authors: Magnes Reuven Manfred
Published: December 2008

Aims and Method

To describe the effect of a postal reminder system on UK adult psychiatry clinic attendance. A literature review was completed and a serial cross-sectional survey of patient attendance records in an inner-city psychiatric hospital during 2006 and 2007 was undertaken.

Results

A simple postal prompt reduces non-attendance by up to 50% and data from the serial cross-sectional survey of attendance records (n=36) powered at 77% supported this finding. Postal prompts in the survey accounted for 30% improvement in the variance (r2).

Clinical Implications

A simple postal prompt that takes less than 30 s to read, sent up to 2 weeks prior to the appointment improves attendance by up to 50% and is useful for maintaining standards of excellence.
Voices of Protest: Arab Nationalism and the Palestinian Revolution at the American University of Beirut
Authors: Anderson Betty S.
Published: December 2008

This article examines the student protests of the early 1950s and the late 1960s to early 1970s at the American University of Beirut (AUB) to investigate how the students used the political ideologies dominant in each era to redefine the parameters of the campus arena. In the 1950s, under the rubric of Arab nationalism, students saw Arab solidarity as the key to overturning repression in all its forms, including those perpetrated by the AUB administration. Starting in 1968, students believed the Palestinian fedayeen represented a spirit that would catalyze a wholesale revolution against the continuing failures of the Arab governments and the AUB administration. A study of students at AUB in the twentieth century not only highlights shifting student-university relations but also opens a window onto changing political ideas in the Arab world in this same period.
Bread, Freedom, Independence: Opposition to Nazi Germany in Lebanon and Syria and the Struggle for a Just Order
Authors: Nordbruch Götz
Published: December 2008

The rise of the Nazi regime in Germany left clear marks on the Lebanese and Syrian publics. While some were fascinated by the strength of the Nazi movement and its political visions, others vehemently questioned its ideological premises and repressive policies. This article reconstructs the political and ideological reasoning of this spectrum opposed to Nazism in the period from early 1933 until the end of World War II. Represented by various groupings actively engaged in local political and cultural debates, these circles represented a relevant part of contemporary Syrian and Lebanese society. However, hardly any research exists about these ideological currents. The aim of this article is to uncover the political activities of these circles and to highlight their role in local political culture.
“Out of Place”: Home and Empire in the Works of Mahmud Ahmad Al-Sayyid and Dhu Nun Ayyub
Authors: Bashkin Orit
Published: December 2008

This essay highlights silenced aspects of Arab-Iraqi nationalism. While scholars of Iraqi nationalism paid great heed to intellectuals affiliated with the state, I explore sources that were written outside of official circles, namely, novels, to rescue a more nuanced understanding of Iraqi nationalism and, concurrently, to reconstruct the richness of the Iraqi cultural field. I focus on two intellectuals, Mahmud Ahmad al-Sayyid (1904-37) and Dhu Nun Ayyub (1908-84), two socialists whose novels critique the state and its elites. I argue that, despite the prominence of Pan-Arabism in Iraqi national historiography, their works reveal the existence of Eastern forms of Iraqi national identity that emphasize the connections among Iraqi, Indian, and Turkish nationalism(s). Such works also complicate our periodization of Iraqi history. Whereas scholars agree that after the end of World War II the Iraqi public sphere was invigorated by radical voices from the Left, these novels demonstrate the early existence of critical and democratic voices in the interwar period.
Metal Ion Sensing by Luminescence from an Ion-exchange Adduct of Clay and Cationic Cyclometalated Iridium(III) Complex
Authors: Sato Hisako , Tamura Kenji , Taniguchi Masahiro , Yamagishi Akihiko
Published: December 2008

A cationic iridium(III) complex, [Ir(ppy)2dmbpy]+ (ppy = 2-phenylpyridine and dmbpy = 4,4′-dimethylbipyridine), was adsorbed by colloidally dispersed montmorillonite clay. The emission quantum yield (Φ) decreased from 0.06 to 0.01 on adsorption, while Φ recovered to ca. 0.12 by adding alkali or alkaline earth metal ions to the concentration of ca. 2×10−2 or 2×10−5 M, respectively.
Surface Modification of Organic–Inorganic Hybrid Insulator for Printable Organic Field-effect Transistors
Authors: Watanabe Mitsuru , Muro Koji , Hamada Takashi , Tamai Toshiyuki , Masuyama Araki , Naito Hiroyoshi , Matsukawa Kimihiro
Published: December 2008

To improve the performance of organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) composed of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) semiconductor and polymethylsilsesquioxane (PMSQ)-based insulator, surface modification of PMSQ insulator has been carried out. The modified PMSQ were synthesized by a sol–gel co-condensation of methyltrimethoxysilane and hydrophobic alkoxysilane. The thin films from these PMSQ had smooth and hydrophobic surface. Resulting OFET fabricated on the modified PMSQ insulator showed enhanced mobility. A clear relation could be seen between the mobility and the surface free energy of insulator.
Cost implications of introducing a telecardiology service to support fetal ultrasound screening
Authors: Dowie Robin , Mistry Hema , Young Tracey A , Franklin Rodney CG , Gardiner Helena M
Published: December 2008

A district hospital in south-east England used a telecardiology service for fetal cardiac diagnosis alongside an existing arrangement for referring pregnant women directly to perinatal cardiologists in London for detailed fetal echocardiography. Women were identified for referral according to local protocols when having a second trimester anomaly scan. For the telemedicine referrals, the sonographers video-recorded images from the anomaly scans for transmission during monthly videoconferences. The cost of the women's antenatal care was calculated from the specialist assessment until delivery, while family costs were collected in a postal survey. Over 15 months, telemedicine was used in 52 cases, while 24 women were seen in London. The London women were more likely to have had an ultrasound abnormality (29% v 10%, P = 0.047). A telemedicine assessment of 5 min duration was more costly than an examination in London (mean cost per referral of £206 v £74, P < 0.001). However, the telecardiology service was cost neutral after 14 days and for the extended period until delivery. Travel costs for London women averaged £37 compared with £5.50 for the telemedicine referrals. Telemedicine may be useful to support perinatal cardiologists in the UK whose workloads are expanding in response to improved standards in antenatal ultrasound screening.
Mobile phone text messaging for pharmaceutical care in a hospital in China
Authors: Mao Yudan , Zhang Yantao , Zhai Suodi
Published: December 2008

We have developed a mobile pharmacy service system (MPSS) to deliver individualized pharmaceutical care via text messages sent to the mobile phones of patients. The text messages were: (1) reminders about medication – from the day following discharge, reminder messages were automatically sent to patients approximately 10 minutes before their medication was due to be taken. The system stopped sending messages when the prescription ran out and suggested that patients should come to hospital to renew any prescribed medicines; (2) practical information about medicines, such as information about methods of administration; (3) information about adverse drug reactions. In a 3-month trial in a general hospital, 100 patients were provided with pharmaceutical care using the MPSS for an average of 3.5 medicines per patient (range 1–9). They received pharmaceutical care for an average of 12 days per patient (range 3–19). A survey was then conducted which indicated that most patients were satisfied with the pharmaceutical care provided by MPSS through text messages, and that they had positive attitudes despite some limitations. The use of the MPSS should improve pharmaceutical care, widen the knowledge of pharmacists, reduce the burden on pharmacy staff, improve pharmacist–patient interaction, and improve the effect and safety of medication.
Assessing interprofessional teamwork in a videoconference-based telerehabilitation setting
Authors: Careau Emmanuelle , Vincent Claude , Noreau Luc
Published: December 2008

We studied the workings of a rehabilitation team in a videoconference setting to note the pros and cons of videoconferencing in the development of interprofessional care plans (ICPs). We recorded every videoconference held by the teams of the specialized centre and the regional centre for clients with traumatic brain injuries over an 18-month period. Thirteen recorded videoconferences, lasting for 30–98 min, were analysed through an observation grid. On the whole, efficient teamwork was observed: the mean productivity level was 96%, while the percentage of time dedicated to the resolution of technical issues was 2%. During the videoconferences, the clinical coordinator and the client addressed the group most often. One of the most commonly mentioned advantages was the good visual contact provided by videoconferencing. The most often quoted disadvantage was the poor sound quality. The findings from the study support the adoption of videoconferencing and suggest a few guidelines for the development of ICPs.
Effect of copper xyligen treatment on bending properties of wood
Authors: Barnes H. Michael , Lindsey G. Brian , Hill Joseph M.
Published: December 2008

No abstract available
Opening the pathway: Plot management and the pivotal seventh character in Daphne du Maurier's “Don't Look Now”
Authors: Murphy Terence Patrick
Published: December 2008

How do writers of narrative fiction integrate local instances of situational discrepancy with the more global concerns that arise from the attempt to create engaging and ultimately satisfying plots? If tendentious situation monitoring is used as a local strategy to enable the correct reading of potentially ambiguous conversational exchange, third-person narrators use plot management to steer the reader through situational discrepancies that are crucial to the outcome of the plot. The link between these two narrative tasks is provided by the concept of the skeleton Propp structure, which serves to constrain the number of possible arrangements and re-arrangements of the character functions within the narrative fiction. By linking the function of situational discrepancy in narrative fiction to the overall management of the plot, this essay will examine how Daphne du Maurier's short story of shock and surprise, “Don't Look Now” works.
‘Activity types’ and ‘discourse types’: Mediating ‘advice’ in interactions between foreign language assistants and their supervisors in schools in France and England
Authors: Culpeper Jonathan , Crawshaw Robert , Harrison Julia
Published: December 2008

This paper aims to enhance our understanding of interactions between French/English Foreign Language Assistants (FLAs) and their school mentors (MEs), and, more specifically, of how ‘advice’ is sought, given and received. More generally, it will articulate a pragmatic approach (employing the notion of ‘activity type’) that can help achieve this aim. The paper draws on a sub-set of the data produced for the Pragmatics and Intercultural Communication (PIC) project, a project which deployed multiple and different methodologies, including, for example, not only transcriptions of live interactions, but also retrospective reflections on those interactions. We focus on the first non-casual meetings between FLAs and their MEs, a crucial part of which concerns ‘advice’. We argue that advice can be viewed as a ‘discourse type’, and show how it is deployed in the context of the activity types constituted by those meetings. We conduct a detailed qualitative analysis of one audio-recording of a meeting based in England, and then compare it with one based in France, our interpretations being informed by the participants' reflections, especially those of the FLA. We also deploy quantitative analysis and explore whether the patterns identified in our case studies can be generalised. Finally, we reflect on the implications of activity types and discourse types for pragmatics research, particularly politeness theory and cross-cultural pragmatics.
Passing greetings and interactional style: A cross-cultural study of American English and Peninsular Spanish
Authors: Pinto Derrin
Published: December 2008

Although it may seem contradictory, when Spaniards ‘greet’ each other in passing they often employ formulas associated with farewells such as adiós (‘bye’) or hasta luego (‘see you later’). This common practice contrasts with other languages like American English in which speakers use greeting formulas, including ‘hi, hello’ or ‘how are you?’. This study explores this source of cross-cultural variation and explains how the conventional speech behavior in both language communities is consistent with their respective interactional styles. The passing greeting in English is in line with speakers who invest their verbal energy in showing good intentions, maintaining an image of social harmony, and using strategies of negative politeness to avoid imposing on the hearer. The passing farewell in Spain, on the other hand, is consistent with a culture that values positive politeness, establishing solidarity and being direct.
Be Articulate: A pragmatic theory of presupposition projection
Authors: Schlenker Philippe
Published: December 2008

In the 1980's, the analysis of presupposition projection contributed to a ‘dynamic turn’ in semantics: the classical notion of meanings as truth conditions was replaced with a dynamic notion of meanings as Context Change Potentials (Heim 1983). We explore an alternative in which presupposition projection follows from the combination of a fully classical semantics with two pragmatic principles of manner, Be Articulate and Be Brief. Be Articulate is a violable constraint which requires that a meaning
pp′, conceptualized as involving a pre-condition
p
(its ‘presupposition’), should be articulated as … (p and pp′) … (e.g. … it is raining and John knows it …) rather than as …
pp′ …. Be Brief, which is more highly ranked than Be Articulate, disallows a full conjunction whose first element is semantically idle. In particular, … (p and pp′) … is ruled out by Be Brief – and hence …
pp′ … is acceptable despite Be Articulate – if one can determine as soon as p and is uttered that no matter how the sentence ends these words could be eliminated without affecting its contextual meaning. Two equivalence theorems guarantee that these principles derive Heim's results in almost all cases. Unlike dynamic semantics, our analysis does not encode in the meaning of connectives the left-right asymmetry which is often found in presupposition projection; instead, we give a flexible analysis of this incremental bias, which allows us to account for some ‘symmetric readings’ in which the bias is overridden (e.g. If the bathroom is not hidden, this house has no bathroom).
Chapter 4: Nomenclature and Current Standards for Identification of Engineering Materials
Authors: Moniz B
Published: December 2008

The identification or description of a material is one of the most important features of a materials property database. It is the primary method by which users enter and search any database and by which materials property developers recognize or code their materials.
Chapter 8: Data Transfer
Authors: Sargent P
Published: December 2008

The major difficulty in transferring materials property information among database systems is the conceptual mismatch of the sending and receiving systems, between the ways in which (1) materials are designated and (2) properties are defined. The second major difficulty is that the two systems usually represent relationships between data and metadata [1] using different conventions. Third are the relatively minor technical problems of agreeing text or binary file formats, which relate names of terms to their values, and which represent numbers, symbols, units, and text. There are organizational problems of agreeing which and what kind of information should be transferred, what pricing scheme to use, determining who should pay for the development of translator software, and determining how it should be sold or distributed. These are even more problematic in practice than the technical issues. Transfer of all technical data has certain things in common with respect to scope, software, and organization.
Chapter 3-Health Effects of Radon
Authors: Samet JM
Published: December 2008

ALTHOUGH RADON IN INDOOR AIR has been widely recognized as a significant public health problem only since the 1970s, radon has been linked to excess lung cancer in underground miners since the early decades of this century. As long ago as the 1500s, Agricola described unusually high mortality from respiratory diseases among underground metal miners in the Erz Mountains of eastern Europe, a region presently encompassed by Germany and Czechoslovakia . The disease, termed “bergkrankheit,” probably represented lung cancer, silicosis, and tuberculosis, common diseases of underground miners. In 1879, Harting and Hesse reported autopsy findings in miners of Schneeberg in Germany that documented an occupational hazard of lung cancer, although they did not identify the disease as primary cancer of the lung. Early in this century, further pathological studies showed that the miners developed primary carcinoma of the lung .
Chapter 7-Concentration Patterns
Authors: Koontz MD
Published: December 2008

DURING THE 1970S AND EARLY 1980S, radon measurements collected in U.S. residences resulted mainly from isolated research efforts involving a variety of measurement techniques and relatively small numbers of homes. As described by Nero et al. , most of these data sets were collected either (1) as a basis for estimating the potential effects of reduced air infiltration due to energy conservation measures or (2) to better characterize certain geographic areas thought to have a high likelihood of elevated indoor radon concentrations. After carefully assimilating and analyzing these collective data sets, the authors projected that approximately 7% of U.S. residences had average indoor radon concentrations at or above 148 Bq/m3 (4 pCi/L), the level at which the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has recommended that citizens take action to reduce their exposures . More recently, a nationwide survey of annual average radon concentrations by the EPA has indicated that about 6% of U.S. residences would be expected to have average indoor concentrations at or above 148 Bq/m3.
Chapter 10-Current and Future Perspectives
Authors: Rose SL
Published: December 2008

THE PREVIOUS CHAPTERS HAVE FOCUSED on our current understanding of the prevalence of radon in indoor environments, the potential health risks associated with indoor exposure, the available techniques to measure and mitigate indoor radon levels, federal radon legislation, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Radon Action Program. This final chapter builds upon this understanding and the existing uncertainties in the knowledge base to identify future policy perspectives and the research needed to adequately support these policies.
European Approaches in Standard Spectrum Development
Authors: ten Have AA
Published: December 2008

Typical characteristics of various types of service loading are presented as they were discussed during the establishment of standardized test load sequences. Counting methods are reviewed and a simple and powerful algorithm is given to perform rainflow counting and to store the counting results afterwards. Synthesis procedures are discussed that generate rainflow consistent load sequences from matrix-based counting results.
Predicting Interlaminar Fatigue Crack Growth Rates in Compressively Loaded Laminates
Authors: Russell AJ , Street KN
Published: December 2008

The fatigue crack growth rates of delaminations under mixed mode (I and II) loading conditions were investigated. Double cracked-lap-shear specimens were used to obtain da/dN versus ΔG data for AS4/3501-6 graphite/epoxy. This, together with previously reported results for pure mode I and mode II made it possible to establish a mixed mode fatigue criterion. The validity of these findings was then tested by using them to predict the growth rates of through-the-width delaminations in laminates subject to constant amplitude compressive loadings. Symmetric honeycomb sandwich specimens with delaminations located at a depth of four, six, eight, or ten plies beneath the surface were loaded in compression at 2.5 Hz, and the fatigue crack growth rates were determined. The experimental results were generally in good agreement with the predicted behavior although fiber bridging and load-induced crack closure resulted in predicted rates being too high in some cases.
Mode I and Mode II Delamination of Thermosetting and Thermoplastic Composites
Authors: Prel YJ , Davies P , Benzeggagh ML , de Charentenay FX
Published: December 2008

A study of the delamination behavior of three classes of composite material is described: glass/epoxy, graphite/epoxy, and graphite/PEEK (polyetheretherketone). Mode I loading was applied to double cantilever beam (DCB) specimens of two thicknesses, while three different types of mode II specimen were tested: end-notched flexure (ENF), end-notched cantilever beam (ENCB), and cantilever beam enclosed notch (CBEN). The latter was developed specifically for this study and is described in detail. A mixed mode specimen is also described. Results from both static and fatigue tests are discussed in terms of fracture mechanics values.
The Use of Anodic Polarization to Determine the Effectiveness of Calcium Nitrite as an Anodic Inhibitor
Authors: Berke NS
Published: December 2008

Chloride-induced corrosion of steel reinforcement in concrete is a major problem in the construction industry. The addition of a corrosion inhibitor to the concrete mix offers a practical solution to this problem. This study uses cyclic anodic polarization to show that calcium nitrite is an effective anodic inhibitor in a concrete-type environment. Furthermore, it is shown how anodic polarization can be used to determine the potential regions where steel is susceptible to rapid corrosion in the absence of chloride ions.
Mineral Carriers for Pesticides—Their Characteristics and Uses
Authors: Moll WF , Goss GR
Published: December 2008

Mineral carriers provide a safe, effective, and economical means for distributing pesticides, in both conventional and low-till farming practices. The absorbent minerals useful as carriers have an unusual combination of characteristics. These include high absorptivity and porosity, low density of the granules, resistance to attrition, and special surface chemical properties. The minerals most frequently encountered include montmorillonite, attapulgite, and diatomite. Minerals with less absorptivity do compete in some applications; these include kaolin and even quartz sand. The crystal structures of the absorptive minerals contribute to their performance, as does the microstructure of the granules. The surface chemistry of the minerals, exemplified by the Hammett acidity function pKa, can affect the stability of some absorbed pesticides. Treatment with glycols, urea, and other materials can minimize these stability problems. Mineral carriers come in various bulk densities and particle size distributions, each useful for particular purposes. Specific examples illustrate these principles.
Skiing Behavior of Alpine Recreational Skiers
Authors: Ekeland A , Holtmoen Å , Lystad H
Published: December 2008

Alpine skiers on Norwegian slopes were studied during the winter of 1985/1986. A total of 789 skiers were selected randomly from lift lines in 7 ski resorts and surveyed for injury-related behavior.

The median age of the skiers was 20 years (range 3–61 years). Thirty-eight percent were females; sixty-two percent were males. Sixteen percent had suffered previous skiing injuries. Forty-five percent of the population was classified as experts and advanced skiers, and males had a higher ability level and were more experienced skiers than females. Only 38% of the skiers had received any skiing instruction. This percentage was three times as high for experts as for beginners.

Most of the bindings (63%) were adjusted in a ski shop, but 29% had never been tested for release. The frequency of binding tests increased with increasing skiing ability and was higher for males than for females. One quarter of the skiers enjoyed powder skiing, and they were more skilled skiers than the others.

In conclusion, more than half of the skiers had never attended skiing classes, but the percentage of attendance and the execution of binding tests increased with increasing skiing skill.