bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Relationships of Adrenoceptor Polymorphisms with Obesity
Authors: Masuo Kazuko , Lambert Gavin W.
Published: April 2011

Obesity, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes are rapidly growing public health problems. Heightened sympathetic nerve activity is a well-established observation in obesity, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes. Human obesity, hypertension, and diabetes have strong genetic as well as environmental determinants. Reduced energy expenditure and resting metabolic rate are predictive of weight gain, and the sympathetic nervous system participates in regulating energy balance through thermogenesis. The thermogenic effects of catecholamines in obesity are mainly mediated via the β2, and β3-adrenergic receptors in humans. Further, β2-adrenoceptors importantly influence vascular reactivity and may regulate blood pressure. β-adrenoceptor polymorphisms have also been associated with adrenoceptor desensitization, increased adiposity, insulin resistance, and enhanced sympathetic nervous activity. Many epidemiological studies have shown strong relationships between adrenoceptor polymorphisms and obesity, but the observations have been discordant. This paper will discuss the current topics involving the influence of the sympathetic nervous system and β2- and β3-adrenoceptor polymorphisms in obesity.
A Suzuki Type Fixed‐Point Theorem
Authors: Altun Ishak , Erduran Ali
Published: April 2011

We present a fixed‐point theorem for a single‐valued map in a complete metric space using implicit relation, which is a generalization of several previously stated results including that of Suziki (2008).
Protective Effects of Liposomal N-Acetylcysteine against Paraquat-Induced Cytotoxicity and Gene Expression
Authors: Mitsopoulos Panagiotis , Suntres Zacharias E.
Published: April 2011

Paraquat (PQ) is a herbicide that preferentially accumulates in the lung and exerts its cytotoxicity via the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). There is no specific treatment for paraquat poisoning. Attempts have been made to increase the antioxidant status in the lung using antioxidants (e.g., superoxide dismutase, vitamin E, N-acetylcysteine) but the outcome from such treatments is limited. Encapsulation of antioxidants in liposomes improves their therapeutic potential against oxidant-induced lung damage because liposomes facilitate intracellular delivery and prolong the retention of entrapped agents inside the cell. In the present study, we compared the effectiveness of conventional N-acetylcysteine (NAC) and liposomal-NAC (L-NAC) against PQ-induced cytotoxicity and examined the mechanism(s) by which these antioxidant formulations conferred cytoprotection. The effects of NAC or L-NAC against PQ-induced cytotoxicity in A549 cells were assessed by measuring cellular PQ uptake, intracellular glutathione content, ROS levels, mitochondrial membrane potential, cellular gene expression, inflammatory cytokine release and cell viability. Pretreatment of cells with L-NAC was significantly more effective than pretreatment with the conventional drug in reducing PQ-induced cytotoxicity, as indicated by the biomarkers used in this study. Our results suggested that the delivery of NAC as a liposomal formulation improves its effectiveness in counteracting PQ-induced cytotoxicity.
Effect of Water Flooding on the Oviposition Capacity of Engorged Adult Females and Hatchability of Eggs of Dog Ticks:Rhipicephalus sanguineusandHaemaphysalis leachi leachi
Authors: Adejinmi Johnson O.
Published: April 2011

Effects of water flooding on the oviposition capacity of engorged adult females and hatchability of eggs ofRhipicephalus sanguineusandHaemaphysalis leachi leachiunder laboratory conditions were investigated. The durations of time of water flooding were 1, 2, 4, 6, 12, 24, 48, 72, 96, and 120 hours. Engorged females ofR. sanguineusandH. leachi leachidid not oviposit after being flooded for more than 48 and 6 hours, respectively. The preoviposition periods of both species were longer than those of their controls. The number of eggs laid were significantly lower () and higher () than their controls, respectively, forR. sanguineusandH. leachi leachiflooded for 1–4 hours. The hatchability of eggs of both species decreased as flooding time increased. The percentage of hatchability was negatively correlated with flooding time and was highly significant (; ). It is concluded thatR. sanguineustolerated simulated water flooding more thanH. leachi leachi.
Combined Venlafaxine and Olanzapine Prescription in Women with Psychotic Major Depression: A Case Series
Authors: Ghio Lucio , Natta Werner , Rossi Paola , Peruzzo Laura , Zanelli Elisa , Gotelli Simona , Gabrielli Filippo
Published: April 2011

Patients with psychotic major depression suffer prolonged duration and greater severity of illness, including an increased likelihood of recurrent episodes and resistance to conventional pharmacotherapies. They do not respond to placebo and respond poorly to antidepressant or antipsychotic monotherapy. On the other hand, as has been demonstrated, they do respond well to antidepressant and antipsychotic combination therapies. Different combinations of drugs were studied, but little is known up to now with regard to the combination of venlafaxine and olanzapine. The following paper presents three separate case studies of female patients suffering from psychotic unipolar major depression, all of whom were admitted to a psychiatric ward and successfully treated with a combination of venlafaxine and olanzapine.
Designing Research-Based Professional Development for Elementary School Science and Mathematics
Authors: Gerber Brian L. , Marek Edmund A. , Martin Ellice P.
Published: April 2011

A partnership including 11 school districts, a university, service agency, and private nonprofit education organization formed a collaborative partnership to improve teaching and learning in elementary school science and mathematics. The partnership designed research-based professional development for 150 teachers of grades 3–5. The professional development resulted in statistically significant increases for those elementary school teachers on math and science competency tests over a two-year period. The professional development was the vehicle for providing teachers with professional development so that they could (a) increase their content background in science and mathematics and (b) apply newly learned inquiry practices in their math and science instruction.
A Survey of Acute Pain Service Structure and Function in United States Hospitals
Authors: Nasir Dawood , Howard Jo E. , Joshi Girish P. , Hill Gary E.
Published: April 2011

Although the number of U.S. hospitals offering an acute pain service (APS) is increasing, the typical structure remains unknown. This survey was undertaken to describe the structure and function of the APS in U.S. hospitals only. We contacted 200 non-teaching and 101 teaching U.S. hospitals. The person in charge of postoperative pain management completed and returned the survey. Seventy-four percent of responding hospitals had an organized APS. An APS was significantly more formally organized in academic/teaching hospitals when compared to non-teaching hospitals. Pain assessments included “pain at rest” (97%), “pain on activity” (63%), and reassessment after pain therapy intervention (88.8%). Responding hospitals utilized postoperative pain protocols significantly more commonly in teaching hospitals when compared to non-teaching and VA hospitals. Intravenous patient controlled analgesia (IV-PCA) was managed most commonly by surgeons (75%), while epidural analgesia and peripheral nerve block infusions were exclusively managed by anesthesiologists. For improved analgesia, 62% allowed RNs to adjust the IV-PCA settings within set parameters, 43% allowed RN adjustment of epidural infusion rates, and 21% allowed RN adjustment of peripheral nerve catheter local anesthetic infusion rates.
Implicit LES for Supersonic Microramp Vortex Generator: New Discoveries and New Mechanisms
Authors: Li Qin , Liu Chaoqun
Published: April 2011

This paper serves as a summary of our recent work on LES for supersonic MVG. An implicitly implemented large eddy simulation (ILES) by using the fifth‐order WENO scheme is applied to study the flow around the microramp vortex generator (MVG) at Mach 2.5 and Re θ = 1440. A number of new discoveries on the flow around supersonic MVG have been made including spiral points, surface separation topology, source of the momentum deficit, inflection surface, Kelvin‐Helmholtz instability, vortex ring generation, ring‐shock interaction, 3D recompression shock structure, and influence of MVG decline angles. Most of the new discoveries, which were made in 2009, were confirmed by experiment conducted by the UTA experimental team in 2010. A new 5‐pair‐vortex‐tube model near the MVG is given based on the ILES observation. The vortex ring‐shock interaction is found as the new mechanism of the reduction of the separation zone induced by the shock‐boundary layer interaction.
Efficacy and Tolerability of Fitostimoline in Two Different Forms (Soaked Gauzes and Cream) and Citrizan Gel in the Topical Treatment of Second-Degree Superficial Cutaneous Burns
Authors: Martini Patrizia , Mazzatenta Carlo , Saponati Giorgio
Published: April 2011

A total of 227 patients (mean age 41.3 years, 52% females) with at least one second-degree superficial cutaneous burn of thermal origin of a smallest transverse diameter ≥20 mm and a largest transverse diameter ≤90 mm were randomised to receive the topical application of aqueous extract ofTriticum vulgare(Fitostimoline) in two different forms (soaked gauzes and cream) or catalase of horse origin in form of gel (Citrizan Gel), given up to healing or to a maximum of 20 days. The rate of lesion healing at end of study was significantly higher in patients treated with Fitostimoline (gauzes 97.3%, cream 91.5%) than in those receiving catalase (84.5%). The pooled Fitostimoline groups were also significantly more effective than catalase gel in reducing total symptoms score, pain at medication, pain at rest, and burning at end of study. Both formulations of Fitostimoline and catalase gel were well tolerated in terms of adverse effects in the site of application.
Physical Activity and Survival in Postmenopausal Women with Breast Cancer: Results from the Women's Health Initiative
Authors: Irwin Melinda L. , McTiernan Anne , Manson JoAnn E. , Thomson Cynthia A. , Sternfeld Barbara , Stefanick Marcia L. , Wactawski-Wende Jean , Craft Lynette , Lane Dorothy , Martin Lisa W. , Chlebowski Rowan
Published: April 2011

Although studies have shown that physically active breast cancer survivors have lower all-cause mortality, the association between change in physical activity from before to after diagnosis and mortality is not clear. We examined associations among pre- and postdiagnosis physical activity, change in pre- to postdiagnosis physical activity, and all-cause and breast cancer–specific mortality in postmenopausal women. A longitudinal study of 4,643 women diagnosed with invasive breast cancer after entry into the Women's Health Initiative study of postmenopausal women. Physical activity from recreation and walking was determined at baseline (prediagnosis) and after diagnosis (assessed at the 3 or 6 years post-baseline visit). Women participating in 9 MET-h/wk or more (∼3 h/wk of fast walking) of physical activity before diagnosis had a lower all-cause mortality (HR = 0.61; 95% CI, 0.44–0.87; P = 0.01) compared with inactive women in multivariable adjusted analyses. Women participating in ≥9 or more MET-h/wk of physical activity after diagnosis had lower breast cancer mortality (HR = 0.61; 95% CI, 0.35–0.99; P = 0.049) and lower all-cause mortality (HR = 0.54; 95% CI, 0.38–0.79; P < 0.01). Women who increased or maintained physical activity of 9 or more MET-h/wk after diagnosis had lower all-cause mortality (HR = 0.67; 95% CI, 0.46–0.96) even if they were inactive before diagnosis. High levels of physical activity may improve survival in postmenopausal women with breast cancer, even among those reporting low physical activity prior to diagnosis. Women diagnosed with breast cancer should be encouraged to initiate and maintain a program of physical activity. Cancer Prev Res; 4(4); 522–9. ©2011 AACR.
Stress Influences on Anoikis
Authors: Sood Anil K. , Lutgendorf Susan K.
Published: April 2011

It long has been suspected that psychosocial factors affect cancer development and progression. Although the connections between stress and cancer causation are not strong, epidemiologic and clinical studies have provided strong links between cancer progression and several stress-related factors including chronic stress, depression, and social isolation. Recent molecular and biological studies have identified specific signaling pathways that influence cancer growth and metastasis. In particular, stress hormones can have a significant impact on protecting cancer cells from undergoing the anoikis form of programmed cell death, thus, providing a mechanistic advantage for metastasis. This review provides an overview of the relationship between psychosocial factors and the avoidance of anoikis by cancer cells. Cancer Prev Res; 4(4); 481–5. ©2011 AACR.
Phase IIA Trial Testing Erlotinib as an Intervention against Intraductal Pancreatic Mucinous Neoplasms
Authors: Lipkin Steven , Lee John , Imagawa David , Hewitt Stephen M. , Tucker Chris , Zell Jason A. , Wong Vanessa , Garcia Angela , Gonzalez Rachel , Zanna Gary Della , Richmond Ellen , Rodriguez L.M. , Bigg M , Schnoll-Sussmans F , Meyskens Frank
Published: April 2011

Intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMN) are a distinct type of precursor lesions that cause about 5% of pancreatic adenocarcinoma (1, 2). Four-year survival rates of 40% to 75% are reported (3–7). There is currently no chemotherapy specifically approved for treating IPMNs. The number of IPMN cases has significantly increased over the last decade (8). Cancer Prev Res; 4(4); 512–3. ©2011 AACR.
The Ninth Annual American Association for Cancer Research International Conference on Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research
Authors: Xu Li , Wang Sophia S. , Healey Megan A. , Faupel-Badger Jessica M. , Wilken Jason A. , Battaglia Tracy , Szabo Eva , Mao Jenny T. , Bergan Raymond C.
Published: April 2011

The Ninth Annual AACR Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research conference was held in Philadelphia in November 7–10, 2010. Its thematic focus was “Prevention: From Basic Science to Public Health Benefit.” Telomere plasticity, the microenvironment, inflammation, transformation to the metastatic phenotype, and pathways to obesity were highlighted as important elements of carcinogenesis amenable to intervention. The integration of information from novel technologies related to physical biology, molecular and genetic profiles, and imaging along with behavioral and clinical parameters have advanced risk stratification and early detection. Cancer prevention represents a powerful testing ground for the development of individually tailored intervention and for increasing the efficiency of drug discovery. Advances in clinical trials relate to more efficient design strategies, have shown first-in-human targeting capabilities, and have developed powerful strategies to overcome accrual barriers. Tailored intervention strategies now show high efficacy on large cohorts across several cancer types. These successes are expected to increase. Cancer Prev Res; 4(4); 616–21. ©2011 AACR.
Colorectal Cancer Survivorship: Movement Matters
Authors: Denlinger Crystal S. , Engstrom Paul F.
Published: April 2011

Colorectal cancer survivorship begins at diagnosis and continues throughout life. After diagnosis, survivors face the possibility of second cancers, long-term effects of cancer treatment, and comorbid conditions. Interventions that can provide primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention in this population are important. Physical activity has been shown to decrease colon cancer incidence and recurrence risk as well as improve quality of life and noncancer health outcomes including cardiovascular fitness in colon cancer survivors. The data are less robust for rectal cancer incidence and recurrence, although improvements in quality of life and health outcomes in rectal cancer survivors are also seen. Potential mechanisms for this benefit may occur through inflammatory or insulin-like growth factor pathways. The issues of colorectal cancer survivorship and the impact of physical activity on these issues are reviewed, with discussion of possible biologic mechanisms, barriers to physical activity intervention studies, and future research directions for physical activity in this burgeoning survivor population. Cancer Prev Res; 4(4); 502–11. ©2011 AACR.
Constitutive Expression and Enzymatic Cleavage of ICAM-1 in the Spontaneously Hypertensive Rat
Authors: Tong Sheng , Neboori Hanmanth J. , Tran Edward D. , Schmid-Schönbein Geert W.
Published: April 2011

Background/Aims: Leukocyte adhesion to the endothelium is abnormal in hypertension. We have recently shown that spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) have circulating leukocytes with enhanced CD18 receptor cleavage. In the current study, we investigate expression levels of its counter receptor, intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM-1), and its possible proteolytic cleavage in the SHR and control Wistar rat. Methods: ICAM-1 was labeled on tissue sections with two antibodies targeting its extracellular and intracellular domains and evaluated by light absorption measurements. The in situ cleavage of ICAM-1 was assessed by treating vessel sections with matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-7, MMP-9 and elastase. Results: SHRs showed a significant increase in ICAM-1 expression in liver and kidney compared with Wistar rats. The liver and kidney glomeruli exhibit a discrepancy in label density between intra- and extracellular antibodies, which suggests that enzymatic cleavage may be a factor determining ICAM-1 distribution. MMP-7 and MMP-9, which are elevated in SHR plasma, and elastase, which has elevated activity in SHR neutrophils, cleave the extracellular domain of ICAM-1 when applied to the tissue. Conclusion: ICAM-1 expression in SHRs is upregulated in a tissue-specific manner. Proteolytic cleavage of the extracellular domain of ICAM-1 and accumulation in kidney glomeruli may play a role in the renal involvement of inflammation.
Reduced rCBV Ratio in Perfusion-Weighted MR Images Predicts Poor Outcome after Thrombolysis in Acute Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Park Hyang-I , Cha Jae-Kwan , Kang Myung-Jin , Kim Dae-Hyun , Yoo Nam-Tae , Choi Jae-Hyung , Huh Jae-Taeck
Published: April 2011

Recent research has suggested that a perfusion-weighted image (PWI) relative cerebral blood volume (rCBV) map after acute ischemic stroke (AIS) provides information about the collateral circulation in the ischemic region. In this study, we demonstrate the usefulness of the rCBV ratio in PWI in predicting poor outcome after using IV t-PA in AIS. We recruited 58 stroke patients who were treated with IV t-PA after diagnostic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Poor outcome was defined as a Modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score >2 measured 90 days after ischemic insult. In total, 21 patients (36.2%) demonstrated poor outcome (i.e. mRS score 3–6). Poor outcome after t-PA correlated with age (p = 0.03), serum glucose level (p = 0.01), NIHSS (p = 0.05), and the presence of T-occlusion (p = 0.05). Poor outcome also correlated with diffusion-weighted MR images of the lesion volume (p < 0.01), lower rCBV ratio on PWI (p < 0.01), and non-recanalization (p < 0.01). Among these, non-recanalization (p < 0.01), reduced rCBV ratio on PWI (p < 0.01), age (p = 0.04), and serum glucose level (p = 0.01) had an independent significance for predicting it. This suggests that the rCBV ratio on PWI may be used to determine prognosis after thrombolysis in AIS.
Companions at a Distance: Technoscience, Blood, and the Horseshoe Crab
Authors: Gisler Priska , Michael Mike
Published: April 2011

In this paper we present a particular history of Limulus polyphemus, the horseshoe crab, as a means of expanding on Haraway’s notion of companion species. Drawing on accounts of the horseshoe crab’s role, on the one hand, in work of the Serological Museum at Rutgers University that spanned the 1940s to the 1970s, and, on the other, in the development of the limulus amebocyte lysate test, we trace some of the complexities of human-limulus relations. These relations encompassed not only the horseshoe crab’s objectification (as a source of serum), but also the natural historical, the mythical, and the symbolic (in relation to its blue blood or its supposed status as a “living fossil”). We suggest that the horseshoe crab, and similarly alien or abjected species, can be valued as companion species if this concept is expanded beyond parameters such as intimacy, surprise, and “becoming-with” to include distanciation, wonder, and “becoming-because-of.”
Three Faces of Advocacy: The Cove, Mine, and Food, INC.
Authors: Woodson Mary Beth
Published: April 2011

The Cove, Mine, and Food, INC. each use the documentary genre to advocate for change, whether in regards to mass wild animal kills, companion animals in natural disasters, or the modern food industry. The films, however, present views of human-nonhuman animal relations that vary greatly. Where The Cove regards dolphins as beings who deserve freedom, Mine explores the view of companion animals as property. Food, INC., finally, treats farm animals solely as a food source.
The Methodological Dilemma of Evaluating the Variation Unit in Romans 11:31
Authors: Kaden David A.
Published: April 2011

Romans 9-11 has attracted much scholarly attention, and the amount of secondary literature is nearly overwhelming. Yet, no serious scholarly-length article has emerged that wrestles with the textual issues of 11:31. Why? How might a full treatment of this variation unit impact the interpretation of the surrounding chapters? This article seeks to answer these questions by examining the social situation of Jewish-Christian relations and hostilities from the late first to the late second centuries CE. It reflects a trend in early Christian textual criticism away from questing after an “original” text to instead examining the social context of variation units.
Recruiting Africans to the British Regiments in Ceylon: Spillover Effects of Abolition in the Atlantic
Authors: de Silva Jayasuriya Shihan
Published: April 2011

This paper focuses on the displacement of Africans, spurred by the tradition of recruiting soldiers to serve in both Asian and European armies. It considers the pressure to recruit Africans to the British regiments in Ceylon (called Sri Lanka since 1971) as documented in historical records in the National Archives and how this process was affected by Abolition in the Atlantic. It highlights the spillover effects, of abolishing the transatlantic slave trade, into other oceans.
The Colonial Response to African Slaves in British India ‐ Two Contrasting Cases
Authors: Llewellyn-Jones Rosie
Published: April 2011

The African presence in India, especially in the Deccan and Gujarat, has been well documented. Scattered references to discrete groups of Africans in other parts of India are less well known. The author recently identified a group of African slave descendants living in Lucknow, the capital of a former kingdom in northern India, following the discovery of pertinent East India Company records in the National Archives, New Delhi. Why the Africans were brought to this particular kingdom will be examined, together with their treatment by the British Government in India after the Mutiny of 1857/58. At the same time, the Government was setting up an ‘African Asylum’ in Bombay, to house and educate African children liberated from an Arab slave ship at Karachi. The question of inconsistent government policy towards African slaves in British India will be examined and it will be argued that it was tempered by differing regional and political considerations.
Personal Renewal between Heidelberg and Westminster
Authors: van Vlastuin Willem
Published: April 2011

This article deals with the theology of personal renewal in the Heidelberg Catechism and the Westminster Confession. In the first part the theological structures of the Heidelberg Catechism are examined. Characteristic for the Heidelberg Catechism is the Christ-centered structure, the function of the law, and the pessimistic tone about personal renewal in relation to a remaining humiliation. In the second part the differences with the Westminster Confession are made clear. The Westminster is less pessimistic about personal renewal and the covenant structure of this confession gives the framework for a substantializing of the human person. The third and last part of this article pleads for an integration of the Heidelberg Catechism and the Westminster Confession. The Christ-centered structure of the Heidelberg is a strong element in the reformed tradition, while the covenant framework gives an opportunity to do justice to the human person.
Different but One? A Regional Application of an Ecumenical/Global Debate
Authors: Akper Godwin I.
Published: April 2011

The essay in the first instance, presents a sample of discussions and views dominant in the ecumenical circles on affirming and living with differences in churches. In the second part, it offers two case studies from West African experience with ethnic identities in churches. The third part applies the dominant views in the ecumenical circles that call for affirmation of differences to the West African church circles. The essay argues and concludes that affirmation of differences in churches is not helpful in the African context.
Banning the Burka? An Ethical Appraisal
Authors: Vorster Jakobus (Koos) M.
Published: April 2011

This ethical research paper was prompted by the French government’s recent action to ban the wearing of the burka by women of Islamic religious persuasion with legislature because the government regards the burka as a symbol of the inferiority of women in Muslim communities. According to president Sarkozy this symbol infringes on the fundamental human rights of women, and such a view of women should be renounced in the French Republic. Firstly, the article investigates the history and the meaning of wearing the burka and the veil. This investigation reveals that these symbols were cultural symbols that have no real bearing on gender inequality yet have become powerful religious symbols due to rising fundamentalism in the Islamic tradition Next, the article discusses the content and implications of two models of religious freedom: the active neutral model and the active plural model. Finally—with the active plural model as an angle of approach, and in view of the constitutional values of equality, freedom and the fundamental human rights of freedom of expression and freedom of religion—the investigation concludes that legislation against the wearing of these religious symbols violates the rights of Muslim women to wear the burka.
John Owen on Spirit Christology
Authors: Crisp Oliver D.
Published: April 2011

In the recent literature, the Spirit Christology of the puritan theologian John Owen has been offered as a constructive contribution to Christian theology. In this article, Owen’s Spirit Christology is set out and criticized. Although there is much to commend in Owen’s approach, it is deficient in several important respects. In its place, an “Owenite” pneumatologically sensitive Christology is considered, drawing on the notion of divine hiddenness in the Incarnation, or divine krypsis. This succeeds in precisely the areas where Owen’s account is wanting.
Pushing the Boundaries of Lawful Assisted Dying in the Netherlands? Existential Suffering and Lay Assistance
Authors: Mullock Alexandra , Ost Suzanne
Published: April 2011

Two matters that have a significant presence in the contemporary Dutch assisted dying debate, are the nature of the suffering required for an assisted death to be lawful, and the issue of who can lawfully assist. This article explores whether the lawful medical assisted dying model is too restrictive in failing to recognise existential suffering, considering selected case studies involving such suffering and lay assisted death. It addresses the question whether the Netherlands would take a trip down a slippery slope if the lawful model of assisted death were extended to cases where individuals are ‘tired of life’.
Concurrence between Complaints Procedures in the Dutch Healthcare System
Authors: Frederiks B.J.M. , Alhafaji F.Y. , Legemaate J.
Published: April 2011

There are various ways in which complaints about healthcare providers’ performance can be handled in the Netherlands. In practice, situations occur relatively frequently in which one and the same treatment by a provider results in various different complaints procedures being instigated or, in other words, in concurrence between complaints procedures. Dutch periodicals published information on a total of 42 cases of concurrence between 1997 and 2007. Concurrence between complaints procedures prompts a series of questions about how it arises, its legal implications, the possible consequences for those involved and whether it has any added value. This article examines these various issues.
The Way Assisted Suicide Is Legalised: Balancing a Medical Framework against a Demedicalised Model
Authors: Delbeke Evelien
Published: April 2011

To date, in three European countries and three American states — i.e., the Netherlands, Luxemburg, Switzerland, and the states of Oregon, Washington and Montana — it is permitted by law for one person to assist in the suicide of another person. When comparing the legislations of these countries/states, it becomes apparent that the Netherlands, Luxemburg, Oregon, Washington and Montana have chosen a medical approach (the so-called medical model), whereas the Swiss legal framework for assisted suicide is clearly a non-medical one (the demedicalised model). The differences between these two models mainly concern two aspects: the requirement as to the capacity of the person providing assistance in suicide and the condition regarding the state of health of the person committing suicide. A closer view on the practice of assisted suicide in the depenalising countries shows that the differences are smaller than initially thought. Nevertheless, important distinctions still remain. When analysing which model is most preferable, it is concluded that an involvement of a physician is inevitable and necessary and that the requirement of a certain medical condition is needed to set a clear and objective limit.
For Further Research on the Relationship between Cultural Diversity and International Criminal Law
Authors: Raimondo Fabián
Published: April 2011

UNESCO's Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity sees cultural diversity as a source of creativity and progress. International criminal law can protect cultural diversity. However, the relationship between cultural diversity and international criminal law seems based on a paradox: everyone must respect cultural diversity, but no one may invoke it to violate international criminal law. On occasions, this paradox has been exposed to daylight in the practice of international criminal courts. For example, the Special Court for Sierra Leone held with regard to the practice of enlistment of child soldiers that it could not accept any cultural considerations as excuses for criminal conduct. Here we should note (i) that the prohibition of crimes under international law (genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, aggression) is generally accepted as belonging to the realm of jus cogens norms, i.e. norms from which no derogation is permitted, and (ii) UNESCO's Declaration aims at universality and not at uniformity.As international criminal law is intended to apply universally, it is vital that it takes cultural considerations on board. In this article the author reviews the literature available in the field, identifies some of the areas of international criminal law and procedure where problems with cultural diversity have been most conspicuous, and concludes that further research on the relationship between cultural diversity and international criminal law is needed.
Judicial Discretion in ECCC Decisions on Pre-trial Detention against the Backdrop of the Case-law of the International Criminal Tribunals
Authors: Starygin Stan
Published: April 2011

This article examines the issue of the exercise of judicial discretion in deciding motions for pre-trial release at the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) through a comparative prism of other existing and past International Criminal Tribunals (ICTs). The issue of pre-trial detention has been one of the most contentious in international criminal justice, with many questioning the ICTs' insistence on abiding by the self-imposed principle of "detention is the rule, pretrial release is the exception". This article offers an answer to the question of the extent to which the relevant statutory pronouncements have led to the creation of the foregoing principle, and the extent to which such has been achieved by the statutorily prescribed or the extra-statutory exercise of judicial discretion. Further, this article examines the extent to which the relatively newly established ECCC have followed the patterns of judicial discretion in deciding motions for pre-trial release created by its predecessors.
Relative Controls of Asian–Pacific Summer Climate by Asian Land and Tropical–North Pacific Sea Surface Temperature
Authors: Zhao Ping , Yang Song , Jian Maoqiu , Chen Junming
Published: April 2011

The dominant pattern of summertime tropical and North Pacific sea surface temperature (SST) is characterized by an out-of-phase relationship between the tropics and the extratropics. This pattern, defined as the tropical–North Pacific mode (TNPM) in this study, is closely correlated with the variability of climate over Asia and the Pacific Ocean. A high TNPM index, with positive (negative) SST anomalies over the extratropics (tropics) of the Pacific, is linked to deep negative anomalies of tropospheric temperature over the extratropical Pacific, with shallow positive anomalies in the lower troposphere, and is also linked to deep positive temperature over Asia. It is also found that these anomalies of tropospheric temperature and SST are significantly related to the Asian–Pacific Oscillation (APO), an extratropical zonal–vertical atmospheric pattern connecting Asia and the Pacific. Indeed, when the variability of APO is removed, the above-described climate anomalies weaken significantly. Although the above relationships observed between atmospheric circulation and SST can be captured by general circulation models, sensitivity experiments show that the variations of summertime Asian–Pacific atmospheric circulation may not be mainly forced by the Pacific SST. Instead, the Asian land elevated heating seems to play a more important role in generating the climate anomalies, as shown by model-sensitivity experiments in which changes in topographic height are included. Moreover, the relative importance of Asian land and Pacific SST for the variations of Asian–Pacific climate in summer and winter is compared in this study. In winter the most dominant mode of Pacific SST exerts a stronger impact on the Asian–Pacific climate.
The GFDL CM3 Coupled Climate Model: Characteristics of the Ocean and Sea Ice Simulations
Authors: Griffies Stephen M. , Winton Michael , Donner Leo J. , Horowitz Larry W. , Downes Stephanie M. , Farneti Riccardo , Gnanadesikan Anand , Hurlin William J. , Lee Hyun-Chul , Liang Zhi , Palter Jaime B. , Samuels Bonita L. , Wittenberg Andrew T. , Wyman Bruce L. , Yin Jianjun , Zadeh Niki
Published: April 2011

This paper documents time mean simulation characteristics from the ocean and sea ice components in a new coupled climate model developed at the NOAA Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory (GFDL). The GFDL Climate Model version 3 (CM3) is formulated with effectively the same ocean and sea ice components as the earlier CM2.1 yet with extensive developments made to the atmosphere and land model components. Both CM2.1 and CM3 show stable mean climate indices, such as large-scale circulation and sea surface temperatures (SSTs). There are notable improvements in the CM3 climate simulation relative to CM2.1, including a modified SST bias pattern and reduced biases in the Arctic sea ice cover. The authors anticipate SST differences between CM2.1 and CM3 in lower latitudes through analysis of the atmospheric fluxes at the ocean surface in corresponding Atmospheric Model Intercomparison Project (AMIP) simulations. In contrast, SST changes in the high latitudes are dominated by ocean and sea ice effects absent in AMIP simulations. The ocean interior simulation in CM3 is generally warmer than in CM2.1, which adversely impacts the interior biases.
Arctic Inversion Strength in Climate Models
Authors: Medeiros Brian , Deser Clara , Tomas Robert A. , Kay Jennifer E.
Published: April 2011

Recent work indicates that climate models have a positive bias in the strength of the wintertime low-level temperature inversion over the high-latitude Northern Hemisphere. It has been argued this bias leads to underestimates of the Arctic’s surface temperature response to anthropogenic forcing. Here the bias in inversion strength is revisited. The spatial distribution of low-level stability is found to be bimodal in climate models and observational reanalysis products, with low-level inversions represented by a stable primary mode over the interior Arctic Ocean and adjacent continents, and a secondary unstable mode over the Atlantic Ocean. Averaging over these differing conditions is detrimental to understanding the origins of the inversion strength bias. While nearly all of the 21 models examined overestimate the area-average inversion strength, conditionally sampling the two modes shows about half the models are biased because of the relative partitioning of the modes and half because of biases within the stable mode.
Decadal Variability of Asian–Australian Monsoon–ENSO–TBO Relationships
Authors: Meehl Gerald A. , Arblaster Julie M.
Published: April 2011

A set of dynamically coupled ocean–atmosphere mechanisms has previously been proposed for the Asia–Pacific tropics to produce a dominant biennial component of interannual variability [the tropospheric biennial oscillation (TBO)]. Namely, a strong Asian–Australian monsoon is often associated with negative SST anomalies in the equatorial eastern Pacific and a negative Indian Ocean dipole in northern fall between the strong Indian monsoon and strong Australian monsoon, and tends to be followed by a weak monsoon and positive SST anomalies in the Pacific the following year and so on. These connections are communicated through the large-scale east–west (Walker) circulation that involves the full depth of the troposphere. However, the Asia–Pacific climate system is characterized by intermittent decadal fluctuations whereby the TBO during some time periods is more pronounced than others. Observations and models are analyzed to identify processes that make the system less biennial at certain times due to one or some combination of the following:increased latitudinal extent of Pacific trade winds and wider cold tongue;warmer tropical Pacific compared to tropical Indian Ocean that weakens trade winds and reduces coupling strength;eastward shift of the Walker circulation;reduced interannual variability of Pacific and/or Indian Ocean SSTs.

Decadal time-scale SST variability associated with the interdecadal Pacific oscillation (IPO) has been shown to alter the TBO over the Indo-Pacific region by contributing changes in either some or all of the four factors listed above. Analysis of a multicentury control run of the Community Climate System Model, version 4 (CCSM4), shows that this decadal modulation of interannual variability is transferred via the Walker circulation to the Asian–Australian monsoon region, thus affecting the TBO and monsoon–Pacific connections. Understanding these processes is important to be able to evaluate decadal predictions and longer-term climate change in the Asia–Pacific region.
Climatology and Interannual Variability of Convectively Coupled Equatorial Waves Activity
Authors: Huang Ping , Huang Ronghui
Published: April 2011

Climatology and interannual variability of convectively coupled equatorial wave (CCEW) activity, including the mixed Rossby–gravity (MRG), tropical-depression-type (TD-type), equatorial Rossby (ER), and Kelvin waves, are investigated using the satellite-observed brightness temperature data from the Cloud Archive User Service. The monthly activity of CCEWs is represented by the root mean square of the daily filtered convections in each month based on the Wheeler–Kiladis filtering method. More precise seasonal cycles of CCEW activity are obtained from the meridional and zonal mean climatology.

Interannual variance of CCEW activity is further investigated. Kelvin wave activity has maximum interannual variance over the eastern Pacific, while the other three waves are most variable in the intertropical convergence zone. The four active CCEWs all have significant correlation with the background convection and local sea surface temperature (SST) over the central and eastern Pacific, but they are not significantly correlated over other regions. The El Niño events may induce more trapped and active CCEWs over the central and eastern Pacific but weaker MRG and TD-type waves over the warm pool. In contrast, the El Niño Modoki has much weaker correlation with CCEW activity. CCEW activity over the southeastern Indian Ocean is negatively correlated with the Indian Ocean dipole, while that over the western and northern Indian Ocean may be determined by atmospheric internal disturbances. The tropical southern Atlantic mode is the strongest Atlantic SST anomaly mode correlated with the Atlantic CCEW activity.
A Climatology of Wintertime Barrier Winds off Southeast Greenland
Authors: Harden B. E. , Renfrew I. A. , Petersen G. N.
Published: April 2011

A climatology of barrier winds along the southeastern coast of Greenland is presented based on 20 yr of winter months (1989–2008) from the ECMWF Interim Reanalysis (ERA-Interim). Barrier wind events occur predominantly at two locations: Denmark Strait North (DSN; 67.7°N, 25.3°W) and Denmark Strait South (DSS; 64.9°N, 35.9°W). Events stronger than 20 m s−1 occur on average once per week during winter with considerable interannual variability—from 7 to 20 events per winter. The monthly frequency of barrier wind events correlates with the monthly North Atlantic oscillation (NAO) index with a correlation coefficient of 0.57 (0.31) at DSN (DSS). The associated total turbulent heat fluxes for barrier wind events (area averaged) were typically about 200 W m−2 with peak values of 400 W m−2 common in smaller regions. Area-averaged surface stresses were typically between 0.5 and 1 N m−2. Total precipitation rates were larger at DSS than DSN, both typically less than 1 mm h−1. The total turbulent heat fluxes were shown to have a large range as a result of a large range in 2-m air temperature. Two classes of barrier winds—warm and cold—were investigated and found to develop in different synoptic-scale situations. Warm barrier winds developed when there was a blocking high pressure over the Nordic seas, while cold barrier winds owed their presence to a train of cyclones channeling through the region.
Representation of MJO Variability in the NCEP Climate Forecast System
Authors: Weaver Scott J. , Wang Wanqiu , Chen Mingyue , Kumar Arun
Published: April 2011

The Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO) is arguably the most important intraseasonal mode of climate variability, given its significant modulation of global climate variations and attendant societal impacts. Advancing the current understanding and simulation of the MJO using state-of-the-art climate data and modeling systems is thus a necessary goal for improving MJO prediction capability. MJO variability is assessed in NOAA/NCEP reanalyses and two versions of the Climate Forecast System (CFS), CFS version 1 (CFSv1) and its update version 2 (CFSv2). The analysis leans on a variety of diagnostic procedures and includes MJO sensitivity to varying El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phases. It is found that significant improvements have been realized in the representation of MJO variations in the new NCEP Climate Forecast System reanalysis (CFSR) as evidenced by outgoing longwave radiation (OLR) power spectral analysis and more coherent propagation characteristics of precipitation and 850-hPa zonal winds over the Eastern Hemisphere in CFSR-only depictions. Conversely, while modest improvements are realized in the CFSv2 as compared to CFSv1, in general the simulation of the MJO continues to be a challenge. Both versions produce strong eastward propagating variance of convection and wind fields in the intraseasonal frequency band. However, the simulated MJO propagates slower than the observed with difficulties traversing the Maritime Continent into the western Pacific, as noted in many previous modeling studies. The CFS shows robust intraseasonal simulations over the west Pacific during El Niño years with diminished simulation capability over the Indian Ocean during La Niña years. This is likely a manifestation of the preference for La Niña MJO activity to occur over the Indian Ocean and the simulation challenges over that domain.
Universal Frequency Spectra of Surface Meteorological Fluctuations
Authors: Tsuchiya Chikara , Sato Kaoru , Nasuno Tomoe , Noda Akira T. , Satoh Masaki
Published: April 2011

Statistical characteristics of surface meteorology are examined in terms of frequency spectra. According to a recent work using hourly data over 50 yr in the Antarctic, the frequency spectra have a characteristic shape proportional to two different powers of the frequency in the frequency ranges lower and higher than a transition frequency of (several days)−1. To confirm the universality of the characteristic spectra, hourly data—including surface temperature, sea level pressure, and zonal and meridional winds—collected over 45 yr at 138 stations in Japan were analyzed. Similar spectral shapes are obtained for any physical quantities at all stations. The spectral slopes clearly depend on the latitude, particularly for sea level pressure, which in the high-frequency range are steeper at higher latitudes. Next, the analysis was extended using realistic simulation data over one month with a nonhydrostatic model to examine the global characteristics of the spectra in the high-frequency range. The model spectra accord well with the observations in Japan. The spectral slopes are largely dependent on the latitude—that is, shallow in the low latitudes, and steep in the middle and high latitudes for all the physical quantities. The latitudinal change of the spectral slope is severe around 30°, which may be due to the dynamical transition from nongeostrophy to geostrophy. The longitudinal variations are also observed according to the geography. The variance is large in the storm-track region for surface pressure, on the continents for temperature and over the ocean for winds.
On the Estimation of the Kurtosis in Directional Sea States for Freak Wave Forecasting
Authors: Mori Nobuhito , Onorato Miguel , Janssen Peter A. E. M.
Published: April 2011

Based on Monte Carlo simulations of the nonlinear Schrödinger equation in two horizontal dimensions, the dependence of the kurtosis on the directional energy distribution of the initial conditions is examined. The parametric survey is carried out to obtain the behavior of the kurtosis as function of the Benjamin–Feir index and directional spread in directional sea states. As directional dispersion effect becomes significant, the kurtosis monotonically decreases in comparison with the unidirectional waves. A parameterization of the kurtosis estimated from directional spectra is proposed here; the error of the parameterization is at most 10%. The parameterization is verified against laboratory data, and good agreement is obtained.