bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Arctic Cloud Microphysics Retrievals from Surface-Based Remote Sensors at SHEBA
Authors: Shupe Matthew D. , Uttal Taneil , Matrosov Sergey Y.
Published: October 2005

An operational suite of ground-based, remote sensing retrievals for producing cloud microphysical properties is described, assessed, and applied to 1 yr of observations in the Arctic. All measurements were made in support of the Surface Heat Budget of the Arctic (SHEBA) program and First International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project Regional Experiment (FIRE) Arctic Clouds Experiment (ACE) in 1997–98. Retrieval techniques and cloud-type classifications are based on measurements from a vertically pointing 35-GHz Doppler radar, microwave and infrared radiometers, and radiosondes. The retrieval methods are assessed using aircraft in situ measurements from a limited set of case studies and by intercomparison of multiple retrievals for the same parameters. In all-liquid clouds, retrieved droplet effective radii Re have an uncertainty of up to 32% and liquid water contents (LWC) have an uncertainty of 49%–72%. In all-ice clouds, ice particle mean sizes Dmean can be retrieved with an uncertainty of 26%–46% while retrieved ice water contents (IWC) have an uncertainty of 62%–100%. In general, radar-only, regionally tuned empirical power-law retrievals were best suited among the tested retrieval algorithms for operational cloud monitoring at SHEBA because of their wide applicability, ease of use, and reasonable statistical accuracy. More complex multisensor techniques provided a moderate improvement in accuracy for specific case studies and were useful for deriving location-specific coefficients for the empirical retrievals but were not as frequently applicable as the single sensor methods because of various limitations. During the yearlong SHEBA program, all-liquid clouds were identified 19% of the time and were characterized by an annual average droplet Re of 6.5 μm, LWC of 0.10 g m−3, and liquid water path of 45 g m−2. All-ice clouds were identified 38% of the time with an annual average particle Dmean of 73 μm, IWC of 0.014 g m−3, and ice water path of 30 g m−2.
Microphysical Processes and Synergistic Interaction between Frontal and Orographic Forcing of Precipitation during the 13 December 2001 IMPROVE-2 Event over the Oregon Cascades
Authors: Woods Christopher P. , Stoelinga Mark T. , Locatelli John D. , Hobbs Peter V.
Published: October 2005

On 13–14 December 2001 a vigorous cyclonic storm passed over the Pacific Northwest, producing heavy orographic precipitation over the Cascade Mountains. This storm was one of several studied during the second field phase of the Improvement of Microphysical Parameterization through Observational Verification Experiment (IMPROVE). A wide variety of in situ and remotely sensed measurements were obtained as this storm passed over the Oregon Cascades. These measurements provided a comprehensive dataset of meteorological state parameters (temperature, pressure, humidity, winds, and vertical air velocity), polarization Doppler radar measurements, and cloud microphysical parameters (cloud liquid water, particle concentrations, size spectra, and imagery).

The 13–14 December case was characterized by the passage of a tipped-forward lower-tropospheric front that extended upward to a preceding vigorous upper cold-frontal rainband, which produced clouds up to ∼8–9 km. An important difference between this storm and those studied previously over the Washington Cascades was that the prefrontal low-level airflow over the Oregon Cascades was characterized by strong westerly (as opposed to weak easterly) cross-barrier flow. Consequently, as the upper cold-frontal band passed over the Oregon Cascades there was both strong ice particle production aloft and significant production of liquid water at lower levels in the orographic lifting zone. Airborne in situ measurements, ground-based microwave radiometer measurements, and observations of snow crystals showed the simultaneous presence of high ice crystal concentrations and relatively large values of cloud liquid water aloft, and heavily rimed particles reaching the ground. Analyses indicate that a synergistic interaction occurred between the frontal and orographic precipitation.
The 13–14 December 2001 IMPROVE-2 Event. Part II: Comparisons of MM5 Model Simulations of Clouds and Precipitation with Observations
Authors: Garvert Matthew F. , Woods Christopher P. , Colle Brian A. , Mass Clifford F. , Hobbs Peter V. , Stoelinga Mark T. , Wolfe Justin B.
Published: October 2005

This paper compares airborne in situ observations of cloud microphysical parameters with the fifth-generation Pennsylvania State University–National Center for Atmospheric Research (PSU–NCAR) Mesoscale Model (MM5) simulations, using the Reisner-2 bulk microphysical parameterization, for a heavy precipitation event over the Oregon Cascades on 13–14 December 2001.

The MM5 correctly replicated the extent of the snow field and the growth of snow particles by vapor deposition measured along aircraft flight tracks between altitudes of 4.9 and 6 km, but overpredicted the mass concentrations of snow. The model produced a broader number distribution of snow particles than observed, overpredicting the number of moderate-to-large-sized snow particles and underpredicting the number of small particles observed along the aircraft flight track. Over the mountain crest, the model overpredicted depositional growth of snow and mass concentrations of snow, but underpredicted the amount of cloud liquid water and conversion of snow to graupel. The misclassification of graupel as snow and excessive amounts of snow resulted in the model overpredicting precipitation on the lee slopes and in localized areas along the foothills of the Cascades. The model overpredicted cloud liquid water over the lower windward slopes and foothills, where accretion of cloud liquid water by rain was the primary precipitation-producing mechanism.
The 13–14 December 2001 IMPROVE-2 Event. Part III: Simulated Microphysical Budgets and Sensitivity Studies
Authors: Colle Brian A. , Garvert Matthew F. , Wolfe Justin B. , Mass Clifford F. , Woods Christopher P.
Published: October 2005

This paper investigates the microphysical pathways and sensitivities within the Reisner-2 bulk microphysical parameterization (BMP) of the fifth-generation Pennsylvania State University–National Center for Atmospheric Research (PSU–NCAR) Mesoscale Model (MM5) for the Improvement of Microphysical Parameterization through Observational Verification Experiment (IMPROVE)-2 field experiment on 13–14 December 2001. A microphysical budget over the windward slope at 1.33-km horizontal grid spacing was calculated, in which the importance of each microphysical process was quantified relative to the water vapor loss (WVL) rate. Over the windward Cascades, the largest water vapor loss was associated with condensation (73% of WVL) and snow deposition (24%), and the windward surface precipitation resulted primarily from accretion of cloud water by rain (27% of WVL), graupel fallout and melt (19%), and snowmelt (6%). Two-thirds of the snow generated aloft spilled over into the lee in an area of model overprediction, resulting in windward precipitation efficiency of only 50%. Even with the large amount of precipitation spillover, the windward precipitation was still overpredicted in many locations.

A series of experiments were completed using different snowfall speeds, cloud water autoconversion, threshold riming values for snow to graupel autoconversion, and slope intercepts for snow. The surface precipitation was most sensitive to those parameters associated with the snow size distribution and fall speed, while decreasing the riming threshold for snow to graupel conversion had the greatest positive impact on the precipitation forecast. All simulations overpredicted cloud water over the lower windward slopes, had too little cloud water over the crest, and had too much ice at moderate-to-large sizes aloft. Riming processes were important, since without supercooled water there were bull’s-eyes of spurious snow spillover over the lee slopes.
NOTES AND CORRESPONDENCE: Polarimetric Radar Observation of Multiple Freezing Levels
Authors: Ikeda Kyoko , Brandes Edward A. , Rasmussen Roy M.
Published: October 2005

An unusual multiple freezing-level event observed with polarimetric radar during the second phase of the Improvement of Microphysical Parameterization through Observational Verification Experiments (IMPROVE-2) field program is described. The event occurred on 28 November 2001 when a warm front moved over the Oregon Cascade Mountains. As the front approached, an elevated melting layer formed above a preexisting melting layer near ground. Continued warming of the lower atmosphere eventually dissipated the lower melting layer.

The polarimetric measurements are used to estimate the height of the freezing levels, document their evolution, and deduce hydrometeor habits. The measurements indicate that when the two freezing levels were first observed melting was incomplete in the upper melting layer and characteristics of particles that passed through the two melting layers were similar. As warming progressed, the character of particles entering the lower melting layer changed, possibly becoming ice pellets or frozen drops. Eventually, the refreezing of particles ended and only rain occurred below the elevated melting layer.

The Doppler radial winds showed a well-defined wind maximum apparently associated with a “warm conveyor belt.” The jet intensified and descended through the elevated melting layer with time. However, the increase in wind speed did not appear connected with melting or result in precipitation enhancement.
Lagrangian Velocity Correlations and Absolute Dispersion in the Midlatitude Troposphere
Authors: Sukhatme Jai
Published: October 2005

Employing daily wind data from the ECMWF, passive particle advection is performed to estimate the Lagrangian velocity correlation functions (LVCF) associated with the midlatitude tropospheric flow. In particular, the velocity field is decomposed into time mean and transient (or eddy) components to better understand the nature of the LVCFs. A closely related quantity, the absolute dispersion (AD), is also examined.

Given the anisotropy of the flow, meridional and zonal characteristics are considered separately. The zonal LVCF is seen to be nonexponential. In fact, for intermediate time scales it can either be interpreted as a power law of the form τ−α with 0 < α < 1 or as the sum of exponentials with differing time scales—both interpretations being equivalent. More importantly the long time correlations in the zonal flow result in a superdiffusive zonal AD regime. On the other hand, the meridional LVCF decays rapidly to zero. Before approaching zero the meridional LVCF shows a region of negative correlation—a consequence of the presence of planetary-scale Rossby waves. As a result the meridional AD, apart from showing the classical asymptotic ballistic and diffusive regimes, displays transient subdiffusive behavior.
Mesoscale Modeling of Springtime Arctic Mixed-Phase Stratiform Clouds Using a New Two-Moment Bulk Microphysics Scheme
Authors: Morrison H. , Pinto J. O.
Published: October 2005

A new two-moment bulk microphysics scheme is implemented into the polar version of the fifth-generation Pennsylvania State University–NCAR Mesoscale Model (MM5) to simulate arctic mixed-phase boundary layer stratiform clouds observed during Surface Heat Budget of the Arctic (SHEBA) First International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP) Regional Experiment (FIRE) Arctic Cloud Experiment (ACE). The microphysics scheme predicts the number concentrations and mixing ratios of four hydrometeor species (cloud droplets, small ice, rain, snow) and includes detailed treatments of droplet activation and ice nucleation from a prescribed distribution of aerosol obtained from observations. The model is able to reproduce many features of the observed mixed-phase cloud, including a near-adiabatic liquid water content profile located near the top of a well-mixed boundary layer, droplet number concentrations of about 200–250 cm−3 that were distributed fairly uniformly through the depth of the cloud, and continuous light snow falling from the cloud base to the surface. The impacts of droplet and ice nucleation, radiative transfer, turbulence, large-scale dynamics, and vertical resolution on the simulated mixed-phase stratiform cloud are examined. The cloud layer is largely self-maintained through strong cloud-top radiative cooling that exceeds 40 K day−1. It persists through extended periods of downward large-scale motion that tend to thin the layer and reduce water contents. Droplet activation rates are highest near cloud base, associated with subgrid vertical motion that is diagnosed from the predicted turbulence kinetic energy. A sensitivity test neglecting subgrid vertical velocity produces only weak activation and small droplet number concentrations (<90 cm−3). These results highlight the importance of parameterizing the impact of subgrid vertical velocity to generate local supersaturation for aerosol-droplet closure. The primary ice nucleation mode in the simulated mixed-phase cloud is contact freezing of droplets. Sensitivity tests indicate that the assumed number and size of contact nuclei can have a large impact on the evolution and characteristics of mixed-phase cloud, especially the partitioning of condensate between droplets and ice.
Atmospheric Factors Governing Banded Orographic Convection
Authors: Kirshbaum Daniel J. , Durran Dale R.
Published: October 2005

The three-dimensional structure of shallow orographic convection is investigated through simulations performed with a cloud-resolving numerical model. In moist flows that overcome a given topographic barrier to form statically unstable cap clouds, the organization of the convection depends on both the atmospheric structure and the mechanism by which the convection is initiated. Convection initiated by background thermal fluctuations embedded in the flow over a smooth mountain (without any small-scale topographic features) tends to be cellular and disorganized except that shear-parallel bands may form in flows with strong unidirectional vertical shear. The development of well-organized bands is favored when there is weak static instability inside the cloud and when the dry air surrounding the cloud is strongly stable. These bands move with the flow and distribute their cumulative precipitation evenly over the mountain upslope.

Similar shear-parallel bands also develop in flows where convection is initiated by small-scale topographic noise superimposed onto the main mountain profile, but in this case stronger circulations are also triggered that create stationary rainbands parallel to the low-level flow. This second dominant mode, which is less sensitive to the atmospheric structure and the strength of forcing, is triggered by lee waves that form over small-scale topographic bumps near the upstream edge of the main orographic cloud. Due to their stationarity, these flow-parallel bands can produce locally heavy precipitation amounts.
Downward Control from the Lower Stratosphere?
Authors: Egger Joseph , Hoinka Klaus-Peter
Published: October 2005

The concept of downward control proposes a mechanism for the impact of the stratospheric circulation on the troposphere. Momentum forcing at upper-stratospheric levels induces a meridional circulation that eventually reaches the surface. So far, a lack of sufficiently accurate data hindered an observational test of this downward propagation. The concept is extended in this paper by looking at the effect of angular momentum forcing in prescribed regions in the lower stratosphere on the tropospheric circulation. In that case, the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts Reanalysis Project (ERA) data can be used to investigate the atmospheric response to forcing in a prescribed domain. It is found that these forcing events are quite short lived and that angular momentum flux convergence in the prescribed domain is highly correlated with convergence outside this forcing area. Typically, these fields of convergence and also divergence extend to the surface in a quasibarotropic manner outside the Tropics. This structure of the forcing is not compatible with the assumptions of the downward control concept. The observed related meridional circulation therefore differs widely from that predicted. In particular, there is no obvious descent of the circulation to the ground. Even so, such forcing events are accompanied by an intensive exchange of angular momentum between stratosphere and troposphere. The confinement of the forcing to the selected forcing domain is reasonably strict in the Tropics. A relatively narrow tongue of angular momentum is growing at the equator underneath the forcing area. Frictional torques play a role in this development. Altogether, the forcing events as selected involve a strong angular momentum exchange between stratosphere and troposphere but are not suited for a test of the downward control concept. Alternatives are discussed.
The Structure and Evolution of Hurricane Elena (1985). Part I: Symmetric Intensification
Authors: Corbosiero Kristen L. , Molinari John , Black Michael L.
Published: October 2005

One of the most complete aircraft reconnaissance and ground-based radar datasets of a single tropical cyclone was recorded in Hurricane Elena (1985) as it made a slow, 3-day anticyclonic loop in the Gulf of Mexico. Eighty-eight radial legs and 47 vertical incidence scans were collected aboard NOAA WP-3D aircraft, and 1142 ground-based radar scans were made of Elena’s eyewall and inner rainbands as the storm intensified from a disorganized category 2 to an intense category 3 hurricane. This large amount of continuously collected data made it possible to examine changes that occurred in Elena’s inner-core symmetric structure as the storm intensified.

On the first day of study, Elena was under the influence of vertical wind shear from an upper-tropospheric trough to the west. The storm was disorganized, with no discernable eyewall and nearly steady values of tangential wind and relative vorticity. Early on the second day of study, a near superposition and constructive interference occurred between the trough and Elena, coincident with upward vertical velocities and the radial gradient of reflectivity becoming concentrated around the 30-km radius. Once an inner wind maximum and eyewall developed, the radius of maximum winds contracted and a sharp localized vorticity maximum emerged, with much lower values on either side. This potentially unstable vorticity profile was accompanied by a maximum in equivalent potential temperature in the eyewall, deeper and stronger inflow out to 24 km from the eyewall, and mean outflow toward the eyewall from the eye.

Within 6–12 h, intensification came to an end and Elena began to slowly weaken. Vorticity and equivalent potential temperature at 850 hPa showed indications of prior mixing between the eye and eyewall. During the weakening stage, an outflow jet developed at the eyewall radius. A strong 850-hPa updraft accompanied the outflow jet, yet convection was less active aloft than before. This feature appeared to represent a shallow, outward-sloping updraft channel associated with the spindown of the storm.
The Sensitivity of Simulated Storm Structure, Intensity, and Precipitation Efficiency to Environmental Temperature
Authors: McCaul Eugene W. , Cohen Charles , Kirkpatrick Cody
Published: October 2005

Prior parameter space studies of simulated deep convection are extended to embrace shifts in the environmental temperature. Within the context of the parameter space study design, shifts in this environmental temperature are roughly equivalent to changes in the ambient precipitable water (PW). Two series of simulations are conducted: one in a warm environmental regime that is associated with approximately 60 mm of precipitable water, and another with temperatures 8°C cooler, so that PW is reduced to roughly 30 mm. The sets of simulations include tests of the impact of changes in the buoyancy and shear profile shapes and of changes in mixed- and moist layer depths, all of which have been shown to be important in prior work. Simulations discussed here also feature values of surface-based pseudoadiabatic convective available potential energy (CAPE) of 800, 2000, or 3200 J kg−1, and a single semicircular hodograph having a radius of 12 m s−1, but with variable vertical shear.

The simulations reveal a consistent trend toward stronger peak updraft speeds for the cooler temperature (reduced PW) cases, when the other environmental parameters are held constant. Roughly comparable increases in updraft speeds are noted for all combinations of mixed- and moist layer depths. These increases in updraft strength evidently result from both the reduction of condensate loading aloft and the lower altitudes at which the latent heat release by freezing and deposition commences in the cooler, low-PW environments. As expected, maximum storm precipitation rates tend to diminish as PW is decreased, but only slightly, and by amounts not proportionate to the decrease in PW. The low-PW cases thus actually feature larger environment-relative precipitation efficiency than do the high-PW cases. In addition, more hail reaches the surface in the low-PW cases because of reduced melting in the cooler environments. Although these experiments were designed to feature specified amounts of pseudoadiabatic CAPE, it appears that reversible CAPE provides a more accurate prediction of updraft strength, at least for the storms discussed here.
On Ensemble Prediction Using Singular Vectors Started from Forecasts
Authors: Leutbecher Martin
Published: October 2005

The impact on the ECMWF Ensemble Prediction System of using singular vectors computed from 12-h forecasts instead of analyses has been studied. Results are based on 34 cases in November–December 1999 and 28 cases in September 2003. The similarity between singular vectors started from a 12-h forecast and singular vectors started from an analysis is very high for the extratropical singular vectors in each of the 62 cases and for both hemispheres. Consistently, ensemble scores and spread measures show close to neutral impact on geopotential height in the extratropics. The sensitivity of the singular vectors to the choice of trajectory is larger in the Tropics than in the extratropics. However, the spread in tropical cyclone tracks is not significantly decreased if singular vectors computed from 12-h forecasts are used.

The computation of singular vectors from forecasts could be used to disseminate the ensemble forecasts earlier or to allocate more resources to the nonlinear forecasts. Furthermore, it greatly facilitates the implementation of computationally more demanding configurations for the singular-vector-based initial perturbations.
Evaluation of Surface Sensible Weather Forecasts by the WRF and the Eta Models over the Western United States
Authors: Cheng William Y. Y. , Steenburgh W. James
Published: October 2005

An evaluation of the surface sensible weather forecasts using high-density observations provided by the MesoWest cooperative networks illustrates the performance characteristics of the Cooperative Institute for Regional Prediction (CIRP) Weather Research and Forecast (WRF) and the Eta Models over the western United States during the 2003 warm season (June–August). In general, CIRP WRF produced larger 2-m temperature and dewpoint mean absolute and bias errors (MAEs and BEs, respectively) than the Eta. CIRP WRF overpredicted the 10-m wind speed, whereas the Eta exhibited an underprediction with a comparable error magnitude to CIRP WRF. Tests using the Oregon State University (OSU) Land Surface Model (LSM) in CIRP WRF, instead of a simpler slab-soil model, suggest that using a more sophisticated LSM offers no overall advantage in reducing WRF BEs and MAEs for the aforementioned surface variables. Improvements in the initialization of soil temperature in the slab-soil model, however, did reduce the temperature bias in CIRP WRF. These results suggest that improvements in LSM initialization may be as or more important than improvements in LSM physics. A concerted effort must be undertaken to improve both the LSM initialization and parameterization of coupled land surface–boundary layer processes to produce more accurate surface sensible weather forecasts.
‘Showbusiness of a serious kind’: a cultural politics of the arts prize
Authors: Street John
Published: October 2005

Recent decades have seen a marked growth in the number of arts prizes awarded annually. Not only have these prizes attracted considerable media coverage and controversy, they have also had a significant impact on cultural consumption and production, as well as on the aesthetic discourses operating within different cultural forms. This article argues that the arts prize deserves closer scrutiny than it has received so far. Taking a small number of UK prizes as case studies, the article explores the interests that shape them, the organization of the media response to them, and their impact. It argues that understanding the cultural politics of contemporary arts prizes is important to an appreciation of wider cultural processes.
What does the photoblog want?
Authors: Cohen Kris R.
Published: October 2005

Theoretical accounts of photography have persistently emphasized, departed from and returned to the issue of the Real, thereby positioning the Real behind or at the heart of what photography purportedly is and does. But these familiar and familiarizing consistencies in the writing about photography do not make photographs less of a paradox at the level of being (what they are), or less equivocal at the level of their expressive content (what they mean or know). Digital photography problematizes the issues yet further even while writing about photography reasserts the familiar pieties. This article presents the results of an ethnographic study of photoblogs as a way of addresssing impasses in the literature on photography and digital photography. Blogs have become popular in the last three years as an internet-based technology for writing the self. Photoblogs are a type of blog that adds photographs to text and hyperlinks in the telling of stories. In this article, I argue that photoblogs are (1) entities that identify the repetitions which paralyse writing about photography and (2) entities that want to position photographs as something more than an outcome, photobloggers as something more than selves (or authors) and the photoblog as something more than technology.
A Comparison of the Male Customers of Female Street Prostitutes With National Samples of Men
Authors: Monto Martin A. , McRee Nick
Published: October 2005

Previous research on customers of prostitutes has relied on small samples and qualitative interviews. Conceptions of customers have tended toward either the “every man” perspective, which implies customers are no different than other men, or the “peculiar man” perspective, which implies customers are characterized by stark differences or psychological inadequacies. This study compares a large sample of men(N = 1672)arrested for trying to hire street prostitutes with nationally representative samples of men. Customers were less likely to be married, less likely to be happily married if married, and more likely to report being unhappy in general than men in the national samples. Customers also expressed greater sexual liberalism and reported thinking about sex, masturbating, and participating in other aspects of the sex industry more frequently than men in general. Most differences were small, indicating customers as a category differ from other men in degree rather than quality.
Expressed Needs and Behavioral Risk Factors of HIV-Positive Inmates
Authors: Lanier Mark M. , Paoline Eugene A.
Published: October 2005

Considerable research has found inmates to be at high risk for HIV/AIDS. Furthermore, research has shown additional HIV/AIDS threats faced by females in the general population and especially by those incarcerated. Behavioral interventions and educational programs have been developed based on these studies. However, few empirical studies have examined the self-expressed needs of HIV-positive inmates or the degree to which inmates’ needs are gender specific. This pilot study compares the needs of HIV-positive male and female jail detainees. Results illustrate surprisingly few differences between men and women and their HIV-related needs. The primary need identified for both males and females was postrelease housing. Somewhat unexpectedly, HIV treatment and care ranked low on the list of needs. The implications of these finds are discussed.
A Rorschach Investigation of Incarcerated Female Offenders With Antisocial Personality Disorder
Authors: Cunliffe Ted , Gacono Carl B.
Published: October 2005

Although male psychopathy has been linked to histrionic, narcissistic, and antisocial personality disorders (ASPD), less is known about female psychopathy. The Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R) and the Rorschach were used to explore the personality functioning of 45 incarcerated female offenders with ASPD delineated by their psychopathy level. Psychopaths (PCL-R ≥ 30) and nonpsychopaths (PCL-R < 24) were compared on Rorschach measures of self-perception, interpersonal relatedness, and reality testing. Compared to female offenders with ASPD who were nonpsychopathic, female offenders with ASPD who were psychopathic exhibited marked disturbances in self-perception, interpersonal relatedness, and reality testing. Our findings highlight the heterogeneity of the ASPD diagnosis in women, support the utility of the psychopathy construct with female offenders, and implicate important differences between men and women with ASPD. These gender differences have relevance to the evaluation (PCL-R scoring) and treatment of female offenders. Our findings are discussed within the context of the female psychopath’s hypothesized hysterical character style.
Isolation and Normlessness: Attitudinal Comparisons of Adolescent Sex Offenders, Juvenile Offenders, and Nondelinquents
Authors: Miner Michael H. , Munns Rosemary
Published: October 2005

The authors explored attitudinal differences among adolescent male sex offenders, juvenile delinquents, and nondelinquent youth based on three variables drawn from integrated delinquency theory: conventional attitudes, normlessness, and social isolation. Consistent with previous juvenile delinquency studies, the results indicate no differences among the three groups on conventional attitudes. With respect to normlessness, both the sex offenders and juvenile delinquent groups demonstrated more school normlessness than did nondelinquent youths, and adolescent sex offenders showed greater peer normlessness than did either nondelinquent youths or juvenile delinquents. Examination of perceived social isolation among the three groups indicates that sex offenders consistently perceived themselves as more isolated than other youths with their families, in their school, and among their peers. These results suggest that interpersonal factors, in addition to a lack of social controls and normlessness, are associated with sexually inappropriate behavior.
Life on the Atoll: Singapore Ecology as a Neglected Dimension of Social Order
Authors: Austin Timothy
Published: October 2005

Based on field interviews in Singapore in 1985, 1997, and 2003, this article addresses the issue of how island ecology helps explain the remarkable low rates of crime that are often attributed mainly to cultural and government policies. Understanding crime and control on this most densely populated Southeast Asian atoll must begin with how people are dispersed over the limited spatial area. Ecology also influences how styles of some crimes are defined and controlled. Several of Donald Black’s propositions are given further consideration.
Incarcerated Clients’ Perceptions of Therapeutic Change in Substance Abuse Treatment: A 4-Year Case Study
Authors: Smiley-McDonald Hope M. , Leukefeld Carl G.
Published: October 2005

Therapeutic communities (TCs) are a primary approach for treating substance abusers in the criminal justice system. The transformation from residential treatment to a TC marked a significant change in the service delivery and organizational culture for one in-prison substance abuse treatment program. This longitudinal case study examines how clients perceived their treatment as a result of treatment and organizational changes. This is important because the scientific literature shows that client perceptions of their treatment impacts treatment retention and the benefit they gain from treatment. Data that were collected over 5 years are presented. Implications, including how the program’s interim therapeutic milieu eased the transition to a therapeutic community, are discussed.
Galectin-3 interacts with naïve and primed neutrophils, inducing innate immune responses
Authors: Nieminen Julie , St-Pierre Christian , Sato Sachiko
Published: October 2005

The neutrophil is the first line of defense against infection. As a part of the innate immune response, neutrophils start to emigrate from blood to an affected site and their state is altered from passively circulating naïve to primed, and then to fully activated. The extent of neutrophil activation and their subsequent response varies depending on the stimuli and environment that neutrophils encounter. Because neutrophils can also induce deleterious effects on host tissues, tight regulation of recruitment and functions of neutrophils is required for efficient recovery. Galectin-3, a soluble β-galactoside binding protein, of which expression is up-regulated during inflammation/infection, is suggested to be involved in various inflammatory responses. However, the precise roles of this lectin in innate immunity remain unknown, while it has been demonstrated that galectin-3 binds to naïve and primed neutrophils. Here we report that galectin-3 can induce L-selectin shedding and interleukin-8 production in naïve and primed neutrophils. These activities were shown to be dependent on the presence of the C-terminal lectin domain and the N-terminal nonlectin domain of galectin-3, which is involved in oligomerization of this lectin. We also found that, after galectin-3 binds to neutrophils, primed but not naïve neutrophils can cleave galectin-3, mainly through elastase, which results in the formation of truncated galectin-3 lacking the N-terminal domain. Together, these results suggest that galectin-3 activates naïve and primed neutrophils, and galectin-3-activated primed neutrophils have an ability to inactivate galectin-3.
Assertive community treatment in UK practice
Authors: Kent Andrew , Burns Tom
Published: October 2005

Since 2000 assertive outreach has been a requirement of community mental health provision in the UK. This has led to rapid proliferation of assertive community treatment teams offering a pure form of clinical case management to people with severe mental illness. The teams provide intensive support in obtaining material essentials such as food and shelter and place a greater emphasis on social functioning and quality of life than on symptoms. People with psychotic illness with fluctuating mental state and social functioning and poor medication adherence are most likely to benefit. Teams are ideally placed to monitor clozapine treatment in the community. Teams require a broad skills mix, and team members need some competence across a wide range of areas. Teams should include a psychiatrist or have regular access to one. Ideal individual case-loads are 10–12 patients. Around-the-clock availability is no longer considered essential, particularly in view of the rise of crisis resolution/home treatment teams.
A growing evidence base for management guidelines
Authors: Macpherson Rob , Dix Roland , Morgan Sally
Published: October 2005

We review key recent research and guidance for staff working with acutely disturbed psychiatric patients. Assessment of aggressive patients and their situation should enable full risk assessment, which may ideally involve the use of advance directives. We discuss appropriate use of the Mental Health Act 1983 and consider benefits and adverse effects of rapid tranquillisation. We present a simple protocol for oral or intramuscular rapid tranquillisation. Staff using physical restraint should be properly trained and consider sensitively issues of the patient's diginity, gender and the most appropriate location for restraint to occur. Simple precautions can improve safety when working with potentially disturbed patients. Staff need support during and after the management of an aggressive incident.
Hypersexuality in dementia
Authors: Series Hugh , Dégano Pilar
Published: October 2005

Sexually disinhibited behaviours are quite common (prevalence 2–17%) in people with dementia, occurring with about equal frequency in men and women. Assessment of the behaviours, the contexts in which they arise and their risks is essential. It is important to manage the environment and to educate and discuss the issues with carers and families. Behavioural measures are helpful, although no specific behavioural intervention has been shown to be effective in this area. Several classes of drug may help to control the behaviours, but all are potentially harmful and none is licensed for hypersexuality in this population.
Potentially hazardous drug interactions with psychotropics
Authors: Chadwick Ben , Waller Derek G. , Edwards J. Guy
Published: October 2005

Of the many interactions with psychotropic drugs, a minority are potentially hazardous. Most interactions are pharmacodynamic, resulting from augmented or antagonistic actions at a receptor or from different mechanisms in the same tissue. Most important pharmacokinetic interactions are due to effects on metabolism or renal excretion. The major enzymes involved in metabolism belong to the cytochrome P450 (CYP) system. Genetic variation in the CYP system produces people who are ‘poor’, ‘extensive’ or ‘ultra-rapid’ drug metabolisers. Hazardous interactions more often result from enzyme inhibition, but the probability of interaction depends on the initial level of enzyme activity and the availability of alternative metabolic routes for elimination of the drug. There is currently interest in interactions involving uridine diphosphate glucuronosyltransferases and the P-glycoprotein cell transport system, but their importance for psychotropics has yet to be defined. The most serious interactions with psychotropics result in profound sedation, central nervous system toxicity, large changes in blood pressure, ventricular arrhythmias, an increased risk of dangerous side-effects or a decreased therapeutic effect of one of the interacting drugs.
Pathological gambling: an overview of assessment and treatment
Authors: George Sanju , Murali Vijaya
Published: October 2005

Pathological gambling has so far received scant attention in the psychiatric literature. It has a prevalence rate of about 1% in most countries, and with the deregulation of gambling in the UK the prevalence is set to rise here. Pathological gambling can adversely affect the individual, family and society, and also carries high rates of psychiatric comorbidity. Early identification and appropriate treatment can limit the long-term adverse consequences and improve outcome. This article reviews assessment techniques and tools, and treatment strategies for pathological gambling.
Social fragmentation, deprivation and urbanicity: relation to first-admission rates for psychoses
Authors: Allardyce Judith , Gilmour Harper , Atkinson Jacqueline , Rapson Tracey , Bishop Jennifer , McCreadie R. G.
Published: October 2005

Background

Social disorganisation, fragmentation and isolation have long been posited as influencing the rate of psychoses at area level. Measuring such societal constructs is difficult. A census-based index measuring social fragmentation has been proposed.

Aims

To investigate the association between first-admission rates for psychosis and area-based measures of social fragmentation, deprivation and urban/rural index.

Method

We used indirect standardisation methods and logistic regression models to examine associations of social fragmentation, deprivation and urban/rural categories with first admissions for psychoses in Scotland for the 5-year period 1989–1993

Results

Areas characterised by high social fragmentation had higher first-ever admission rates for psychosis independent of deprivation and urban/rural status. There was a dose–response relationship between social fragmentation category and first-ever admission rates for psychosis. There was no statistically significant interaction between social fragmentation, deprivation and urban/ rural index.

Conclusions

First-admission rates are strongly associated with measures of social fragmentation, independent of material deprivation and urban/rural category.
Heroin dependence in an English town: 33-year follow-up
Authors: Rathod Nehkant H. , Addenbrooke W. Mary , Rosenbach Alan F.
Published: October 2005

Background

There has been no long-term study of people addicted to injected heroin who have been treated without the prescribing of substitute opioids.

Aims

To investigate the outcome for patients treated for injected heroin addiction 33 years after they were first seen, and 26 years after they were first followed up, in terms of sustained abstinence, continuing maintenance on methadone and deaths.

Method

Eighty-six people with heroin addiction first seen in 1966–1967 in a small town in the south-east of England were located and their clinical state assessed using multiple sources, including personal interviews with a proportion of the cohort.

Results

Forty-two per cent of the cohort had been abstinent for at least 10 years; 10% were taking methadone and were classified as addicted; and 22% had died. Eight per cent of the cohort could not be located.

Conclusions

Results proved favourable in the above three parameters compared with other long-term studies.
Adherence to guidelines for treatment of depression in in-patients
Authors: Schneider Frank , Härter Martin , Brand Silke , Sitta Petra , Menke Ralph , Hammer-Filipiak Ursula , Kudling Ralf , Heindl Andrea , Herold Kurt , Frommberger Ulrich , Elmer Olivier , Hetzel Günter , Witt Gabriele , Wolfersdorf Manfred , Berger Mathias , Gaebel Wolfgang
Published: October 2005

Background

Adherence to treatment guidelines enhances treatment outcome. However, in clinical practice many patients with depression do not receive appropriate treatment.

Aims

To evaluate the treatment of depression in in-patients of German psychiatric hospitals with respect to treatment outcome and adherence to guidelines.

Method

We recruited 1202 in-patients with depression from ten different hospitals. Quality data concerning treatment were collected at admission, during the treatment course and at discharge.

Results

The level of depression was significantly decreased and most patients were satisfied with treatment. Many aspects of the treatment routine adhered to guideline recommendations. Adherence to guidelines could be improved with respect to adjustment of antidepressant dosage, reduction of benzodiazepine prescription, enhanced use of electroconvulsive therapy and wider use of interpersonal therapy.

Conclusions

The study reveals a high standard of psychiatric treatment of in-patients with depression. Nevertheless there is still room for improvement. Differences between hospitals in adherence to guidelines indicates the need for individual application of quality management tools.
Naturalistic audit of NICE criteria for the use of cholinesterase inhibitors
Authors: Simpson Steve , Beavis Diane , Leddy Adrian , Ball Sue , Johnson Ian
Published: October 2005

Aims and Method

In 2001 the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) produced guidance for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. NICE encourages the withdrawal of medication when the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score reaches 12 and advises against the treatment of patients with cholinesterase inhibitors if the MMSE score is below 12. Most health authorities have rigorously enforced these guidelines, which has put old age psychiatrists in a difficult position. Our prospective 12 week audit of consecutive patients examines the response to treatment of patients treated both in accordance with and outside of NICE criteria. We also investigated the effect of stopping the medication according to NICE's recommendation.

Results

Our results suggest that patients outside the NICE criteria respond better than those within the criteria. More disturbingly, when the medication was stopped owing to the MMSE score falling below 12, we found a very high mortality rate (5 out of 25, 20%) or acute deterioration (12 out of 25, 48%). This suggests that the medication is beneficial in the later stages and should not be stopped purely because of the stage of dementia.

Clinical Implications

If we are to prevent unnecessary suffering, greater freedom is needed by old age psychiatrists in the use of these antidementia drugs. Patients with severe dementia may benefit from acute treatment. The withdrawal of medication in line with NICE guidance is poor clinical practice and likely to have adverse outcomes in a large proportion of cases.
Characterization of Non-Native Heme Coordination Structures Emerging upon Guanidine Hydrochloric Acid-Induced Unfolding of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Ferricytochrome c551
Authors: Tai Hulin , Nagatomo Shigenori , Mita Hajime , Sambongi Yoshihiro , Yamamoto Yasuhiko
Published: October 2005

The non-native heme coordination structures emerging upon guanidine hydrochloric acid (GdnHCl)-induced unfolding of Pseudomonas aeruginosa ferricytochrome c551 were characterized by absorption, circular dichroism, paramagnetic NMR, and resonance Raman spectroscopy. Hexacoordinated high-spin ferriheme bearing axial His and H2O ligands, and pentacoordinated high-spin ferriheme with an axial His ligand were identified in the presence of GdnHCl concentrations ≥ 1.5 M (M = mol dm−3). These non-native species were rapidly interconverted to each other through cleavage/formation of the Fe–H2O coordination bond, and were also in dynamic equilibrium, at a rate of < 2 × 104 s−1, with the native species. Thus, the present study demonstrated the presence of dynamic equilibrium through cleavage/formation of a Fe–H2O coordination bond in an unfolding intermediate. These results provide a deeper insight into structure transitions of the heme active site upon folding and unfolding of cytochrome c.
Synthesis of Co3O4 Nanoparticles Using the Cage-Shaped Protein, Apoferritin
Authors: Tsukamoto Rikako , Iwahori Kenji , Muraoka Masahiro , Yamashita Ichiro
Published: October 2005

The one-pot synthesis of cobalt (Co) oxide nanoparticles in the apoferritin cavities was studied. A detailed survey revealed that the optimum conditions are mixing 3 mM Co(II) ion with 0.5 mg/mL apoferritin in 100 mM HEPES pH 8.3 buffer solution followed by the oxidation of Co(II) ion by the addition of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) at 50 °C. Under these optimum conditions, Co oxide cores were formed in almost all the apoferritin cavities in a spatially selected manner. The selection of the buffer reagent was critical to synthesizing the Co oxide cores and the elevated temperature was effective for the fast synthesis. X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS) and electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS) proved that the cores contain cobalt atoms. X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) structure study revealed the core structure as Co3O4, which was consistent with the lattice images of the cores observed by high resolution TEM. The biological process presented in this paper provides a simple and mass-producible method for producing homogenous Co3O4 nanoparticles.