bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of TV in the Bedroom on Young Hispanic Children
Authors: Feng Du , Reed Debra B. , Esperat M. Christina , Uchida Mitsue
Published: May 2011

Purpose.

The main purposes of this study were to assess TV viewing among Hispanic young children and to examine effects of having a TV in the child's bedroom (TVIB).

Design and Setting.

A quasi-experimental design was used to evaluate an intervention program that is collecting longitudinal data in West Texas. However, the current report uses only the baseline data of the ongoing study.

Subjects.

Predominantly low-income and Hispanic parents/guardians (N = 315) and their children of 5 to 9 years (N = 597).

Measures.

Children's anthropometric measures were obtained. Their overweight status was determined based on age- and gender-adjusted body mass index. A demographic questionnaire, acculturation scale (brief version of Acculturation Rating Scale for Mexican Americans II), and family survey were used among parents.

Analysis.

Descriptive statistics, t-tests, X2 tests, and logistic regressions were used.

Results.

Most children (70%) have TVIB; more than 30% were or were at risk of overweight. Demographic characteristics did not significantly predict TVIB. Children with TVIB spent .93 hours more daily watching TV/DVD (t = 3.07; df = 283; p = .003), and children (at one site) ate more fast food (X2 = 5.46; df = 1; p = .019), compared with children without TVIB whose parents better supported physical activity (t = 2.11; df = 275; p = .039).

Conclusion.

Most children in this low-income and Hispanic sample have TVIB, which is associated with unhealthy behaviors. (Am J Health Promot 2011;25[5]:310-318.)
Environmental Changes to Control Obesity: A Randomized Controlled Trial in Manufacturing Companies
Authors: Brehm Bonnie J. , Gates Donna M. , Singler Mary , Succop Paul A. , D'Alessio David A.
Published: May 2011

Purpose:

To determine the effects of an environmental intervention on obesity, disease risk factors, and dietary intake in an employee population.

Design:

Randomized controlled community trial.

Setting:

Eight manufacturing companies in Kentucky with ~ 150 to 350 employees each.

Subjects:

Randomly selected employees.

Intervention:

Multicomponent environmental intervention that included employee advisory committees, point-of-decision prompts, walking paths, cafeteria/vending changes, and educational materials.

Measures:

Height; weight; body fat; blood pressure; fasting lipids, glucose and insulin; and dietary intake were assessed prior to and 3, 6, and 12 months after initiation of the intervention.

Analysis:

Mixed-model repeat-measure analyses of covariance were used to analyze data collected over the study period. Categorical data were analyzed in contingency tables. A p value of .05 was used to judge statistical significance.

Results:

There were no intervention effects for outcome variables, with the exception of lower intake of saturated fat and dietary cholesterol in the intervention group compared to the control group. Over the course of the study, changes in anthropometry and biomeasures were similar in both groups.

Conclusions:

Findings indicate that subtle environmental changes alone may not impact employees' weight and health; however, such institutional-level approaches may be essential to support healthy lifestyle habits that are initiated by more intensive efforts. Academic researchers should continue to partner with employers and practitioners to develop, implement, and evaluate innovative health promotion strategies including environmental interventions. (Am J Health Promot 2011;25[5]:334-340.)
Awareness of Canada's Physical Activity Guide to Healthy Active Living in a Large Community Sample
Authors: Plotnikoff Ronald C. , Lippke Sonia , Johnson Steven T. , Hugo Kylie , Rodgers Wendy , Spence John C.
Published: May 2011

Purpose.

Determine the proportion of adults aware of Canada's Physical Activity Guide to Healthy Active Living (Guide) and its specific recommendations (objective 1); whether key demographic factors (objective 2a) and physical activity behavior (objective 2b) are associated with awareness and specific familiarity with the Guide; and if changes in awareness and specific recommendations with the Guide occurred over a 1-year period (objective 3a and 3b).

Design.

Random selection with computer-assisted telephone interviewing.

Setting.

Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

Subjects.

A total of 2803 adults 18 years or older completed interviews from 4831 telephone contacts (response rate, 58.0%), and after 1 year, 1423 individuals (55%) completed interviews.

Measures.

Demographic, physical activity, Guide awareness.

Analysis.

Chi-square, analysis of variance.

Results.

At baseline, 27.3% were aware of the Guide, and 15.6% were familiar with the Guide's specific recommendations. Younger individuals (p = .01), women (p < .001), and those with a higher education (p < .001) were more likely to be generally aware of the Guide, and women were also more specifically aware (p = .01). Physical activity levels were positively associated with the general (p < .001) and specific (p < .001) awareness of the Guide. Changes in general familiarity and specific recommendations over 1 year were observed.

Conclusions.

The majority of those surveyed were not familiar with the Guide. Men, individuals with a lower education, and older individuals may need to be specifically targeted. (Am J Health Promot 2011;25[5]:294-297.)
Correlates of Park-Based Physical Activity among Children in Diverse Communities: Results from an Observational Study in Two Cities
Authors: Spengler John O. , Floyd Myron F. , Maddock Jason E. , Gobster Paul H. , Suau Luis J. , Norman Gregory J.
Published: May 2011

Purpose.

This study examined correlates of park-based physical activity (PA) among children in neighborhood parks.

Design.

Direct observation was used to assess PA among children.

Setting.

Public parks in Tampa, Florida (n = 10), and Chicago, Illinois (n = 18), from low income and high income and racially/ethnically diverse communities.

Subjects.

Children (n = 3410), coded as anyone who appeared to be 10 years or younger, observed at parks in Tampa and Chicago.

Measures.

Physical activity was measured by a modified version of the System for Observing Play and Leisure Among Youth (SOPLAY).

Analysis.

Descriptive statistics and multilevel regression models were used in data analysis.

Results.

At the activity observation level, children's PA was positively related to temperature and unstructured activities in Tampa and Chicago parks. Among park activity area predictors, type of activity area was significantly related to PA. In Tampa, more PA was observed on courts, and less PA was observed in shelter areas compared with open space areas. In Chicago, less PA was observed on courts and fields compared with open space areas. Neighborhood income was associated with lower PA in Tampa parks. Neighborhood race/ethnicity was not a significant predictor of children's PA in either city.

Conclusions.

Children's PA was linked to modifiable social and environmental features within parks. Strategies to increase PA among children in parks should promote courts, playgrounds, informal activities, and free play. (Am J Health Promot 2011;25[5]:e1-e9.)
Computer Use, Internet Access, and Online Health Searching among Harlem Adults
Authors: Cohall Alwyn T. , Nye Andrea , Moon-Howard Joyce , Kukafka Rita , Dye Bonnie , Vaughan Roger D. , Northridge Mary E.
Published: May 2011

Purpose.

Computer use, Internet access, and online searching for health information were assessed toward enhancing Internet use for health promotion.

Design.

Cross-sectional random digit dial landline phone survey.

Setting.

Eight zip codes that comprised Central Harlem/Hamilton Heights and East Harlem in New York City.

Subjects.

Adults 18 years and older (N = 646).

Measures.

Demographic characteristics, computer use, Internet access, and online searching for health information.

Analysis.

Frequencies for categorical variables and means and standard deviations for continuous variables were calculated and compared with analogous findings reported in national surveys from similar time periods.

Results.

Among Harlem adults, ever computer use and current Internet use were 77% and 52%, respectively. High-speed home Internet connections were somewhat lower for Harlem adults than for U.S. adults overall (43% vs. 68%). Current Internet users in Harlem were more likely to be younger, white vs. black or Hispanic, better educated, and in better self-reported health than non-current users (p < .01). Of those who reported searching online for health information, 74% sought information on medical problems and thought that information found on the Internet affected the way they eat (47%) or exercise (44%).

Conclusions.

Many Harlem adults currently use the Internet to search for health information. High-speed connections and culturally relevant materials may facilitate health information searching for underserved groups. (Am J Health Promot 2011;25[5]:325-333.)
Associations between Youth Assets and Sexual Intercourse by Household Income
Authors: Bensyl Diana M. , Vesely Sara K. , Tolma Eleni L. , Oman Roy F. , Aspy Cheryl
Published: May 2011

Purpose.

Evaluate youth assets or potential strengths and sexual intercourse associations by household income.

Design.

Data consisted of youth and parent responses from randomly selected households from a cross-sectional study and wave one of a longitudinal extension of that study. Youth assets and sexual intercourse were compared for four income categories.

Setting.

Midwestern racially diverse, inner-city neighborhoods.

Subjects.

One adolescent (12–19 years) and one parent (2335 pairs).

Measures.

Adjusted odds ratios (ORs) were calculated using logistic regression. Variables assessed included parent and youth demographics, youth sexual intercourse, and youth assets (adult and peer role models, family communication, use of time [religion or sports], community involvement, future aspirations, responsible choices, and health practices).

Results.

Youths' mean age was 14.9 (6 1.8) years, and 52% were female; 44% of respondents were white. Use of time (religion) was significantly associated with never having sex for all but the lowest income youth (OR range = 1.79-2.64). The variable peer role models was significant for the lowest income (OR = 2.01) and two upper income groups (ORs = 2.52 and 4.27, respectively). The variable future aspirations was significant for the lowest income youth (OR = 1.77).

Conclusion.

The youth asset variable future aspirations was critical for the lowest income households. Other asset variables, such as peer role models and use of time (religion) were critical regardless of income. (Am J Health Promot 2011;25[5]:301-309.)
The Effects of Target Behavior Choice and Self-Management Skills Training on Compliance with Behavioral Self-Monitoring
Authors: Olson Ryan , Schmidt Sara , Winkler Carrie , Wipfli Brad
Published: May 2011

Purpose.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate two potential methods for increasing participant compliance with behavioral self-monitoring (BSM).

Design.

A randomized 2 × 2 factorial design was used to evaluate the effects of target behavior choice (choice vs. assigned) and self-management skills training (training vs. no-training) on BSM compliance. In the choice manipulation, participants either chose or were assigned one of seven types of healthful or safe behaviors to self-monitor. In the training manipulation, participants either completed computer-based self-management skills training or received no training. Participants were then asked to complete daily BSM for 2 weeks.

Setting.

The study was conducted at a university and teaching hospital.

Subjects.

Participants (N = 60) were predominantly university and hospital employees.

Measures.

The primary dependent measure was percent compliance with BSM.

Analysis.

A factorial analysis of variance of compliance scores was performed.

Results.

Mean compliance with prescribed BSM was 52.6% (SD = 31.8). The main effect for choice was significant, with choice participants showing 18% higher BSM compliance than those in no-choice conditions (d = .59; p < .05). The effects of self-management skills training and the interaction term were both nonsignificant.

Conclusion.

Although self-management skills training did not appear to affect BSM compliance, offering individuals a choice in target behavior substantially increased both BSM compliance and self-reported behavior change. (Am J Health Promot 2011;25[5]:319-324.)
Using “Point of Decision” Messages to Intervene on College Students' Eating Behaviors
Authors: Reed Julian A. , Powers Alicia , Greenwood Melissa , Smith Whitney , Underwood Robert
Published: May 2011

Purpose.

Examine the impact of “point of decision” messages on fruit selection in a single dining hall setting.

Setting.

Competitive undergraduate liberal arts college in the southeastern United States.

Intervention.

“Point of decision” messages were compiled into a 35-slide multimedia PowerPoint presentation. Messages were displayed on a computer screen at a “point of decision” between the cookie and fruit stations during lunch for a total of 9 days.

Measures.

Baseline cookie and fruit consumption was measured 9 days prebaseline and 9 days postbaseline. A random sample of students completed surveys 1 week after the intervention.

Analysis.

t-tests were used to examine differences between prelevels of fruit consumption and levels measured simultaneously during “point of decision” messages. Descriptive statistics were used to examine perceptions of survey items 1 week postintervention.

Results.

A significant mean difference in daily fruit consumption was found following the slide presentation (df-8, t = − 2.800; p = .023). Average daily fruit consumption at baseline was 408 (SD = 73.43). Postbaseline average daily fruit consumption significantly increased (533; SD = 102). No significant prebaseline and postbaseline cookie differences were found (p = .226). Approximately 71% of women and 68% of men noticed the “point of decision” messages. Nineteen percent of women and 10% of males reported modifying their food selection as a result of viewing the messages.

Conclusion.

The “point of decision” messaging significantly influenced fruit selection in a single dining hall setting. (Am J Health Promot 2011;25[5]:298-300.)
Perceived Environmental Correlates of Physical Activity and Walking in African Young Adults
Authors: Oyeyemi Adewale L. , Adegoke Babatunde O. A. , Oyeyemi Adetoyeje Y. , Sallis James F.
Published: May 2011

Purpose.

Evidence on environmental correlates of physical activity (PA) conducted in Western developed countries may not be generalizable to Africa. This study examined the associations between perception of the neighborhood environment and PA and walking in African young adults.

Design.

Cross-sectional analysis of self-reported survey.

Setting.

University of Ibadan, in the capital city of Oyo State, Nigeria.

Subjects.

A representative sample of undergraduates of a Nigerian university, age 16 to 39 years and 50.7% female.

Measures.

Total walking activity and PA were measured with the short version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Sixteen perceived neighborhood environmental variables were measured using the Physical Activity Neighborhood Environment Scale (PANES), which was used to assess environmental correlates of PA that are internationally relevant. Outcomes were meeting health-related guidelines for sufficient PA and walking activity.

Results.

After adjustments for demographics and dormitory site, the proximity of bus/transit stop (odds ratio [OR] = 1.41), traffic as not a problem (OR = .45; unexpected direction), and not many four-way intersections (OR = .72; unexpected direction) were significantly associated with sufficient PA. Low crime rate at night (OR = 1.53), many interesting things to look at (OR = 1.90), and seeing many people active (OR = .59; unexpected direction) were significantly associated with sufficient walking. Inconsistent patterns were also observed in gender-specific analyses.

Conclusion.

Few neighborhood environment correlates of PA or walking reported in the international literature were replicated with African young adults. Environmental measures need to be developed that are tailored to low- and middle-income countries, such as those in Africa, so that research in understudied regions can advance. (Am J Health Promot 2011;25[5]:e10-e19.)
Large-eddy simulation of mesoscale dynamics and entrainment around a pocket of open cells observed in VOCALS RF06
Authors: Berner A. H. , Bretherton C. S. , Wood R.
Published: May 2011

Abstract. Large-eddy simulations of a pocket of open cells (POC) based on VOCALS Regional Experiment (REx) Research Flight 06 are analyzed and compared with aircraft observations. A doubly-periodic domain 192 km × 24 km with 125 m horizontal resolution and 5 m vertical resolution near the capping inversion is used. The POC is realized in the model as a fixed 96 km wide region of reduced cloud droplet number concentration (Nc) based on observed values; initialization and forcing are otherwise uniform across the domain. The model reproduces aircraft-observed differences in boundary-layer structure and precipitation organization between a well-mixed overcast region and a decoupled POC with open-cell precipitating cumuli, although the simulated cloud cover is too large in the POC. A sensitivity study in which Nc is allowed to advect following the turbulent flow gives nearly identical results over the 16 h length of the simulation (which starts at night and goes into the next afternoon). The simulated entrainment rate is nearly a factor of two smaller in the less turbulent POC than in the more turbulent overcast region. However, the inversion rises at a nearly uniform rate across the domain because powerful buoyancy restoring forces counteract horizontal inversion height gradients. A secondary circulation sets up that diverts subsiding free-tropospheric air away from the POC into the surrounding overcast region, counterbalancing the weaker entrainment in the POC with locally weaker subsidence.
Thermal infrared remote sensing of mineral dust over land and ocean: a spectral SVD based retrieval approach for IASI
Authors: Klüser L. , Martynenko D. , Holzer-Popp T.
Published: May 2011

Abstract. From the high spectral resolution thermal infrared observations of the Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer (IASI) mineral dust AOD (transferred from thermal infrared to 0.5 μm) is retrieved using a Singular Vector Decomposition of brightness temperature spectra. As infrared retrieval based on 8–12 μm observations, dust observation with IASI is independent from solar illumination. Through the linear combinations of suitable independent singular vectors weighted by their contribution to the observed signal, and a projection of different a-priori dust spectra on the resulting signal the dust can be well distinguished from the influence of surface emissivity and gas absorption. In contrast to lookup-table based single-channel retrievals this method takes advantage of the spectral shape of dust extinction and surface and atmosphere influence over the total 8–12 μm window band. Using different a-priori spectra for dust extinction allows also for an estimation of dust particle size in terms of effective radius based on the respective dust model size distributions. These dust models are also used for the transfer of infrared AOD to 0.5 μm. Four months of IASI observations covering Northern Africa and Arabia are used for evaluation. Two large scale dust events, one covering the Arabian Peninsula and adjacent parts of the Indian Ocean, the other over the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of West-Africa, are analysed and compared with other satellite images. They also show the good suitability of IASI data for dust observation at day and night. Monthly means derived from IASI observations represent well the known seasonal cycles of dust activity over Northern Africa and Arabia. IASI Dust AOD0.5 μm and AERONET coarse mode AOD0.5 μm are reasonably well (linearly) correlated with ρ=0.623. Moreover, comparison of time series of AERONET and IASI observations shows that the evolution of dust events is very well covered by the IASI observations. Rank correlation between dust effective radius and AERONET Ångström exponent is −0.557 indicating the general capability of (qualitative) dust particle size information being provided by this method.
A comparison of OEM CO retrievals from the IASI and MOPITT instruments
Authors: Illingworth S. M. , Remedios J. J. , Boesch H. , Ho S.-P. , Edwards D. P. , Palmer P. I. , Gonzi S.
Published: May 2011

Abstract. Observations of atmospheric carbon monoxide (CO) can only be made on continental and global scales by remote sensing instruments situated in space. One such instrument is the Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer (IASI), producing spectrally resolved, top-of-atmosphere radiance measurements from which CO vertical layers and total columns can be retrieved. This paper presents a technique for intercomparisons of satellite data with low vertical resolution. The example in the paper also generates the first intercomparison between an IASI CO data set, in this case that produced by the University of Leicester IASI Retrieval Scheme (ULIRS), and the V3 and V4 operationally retrieved CO products from the Measurements Of Pollution In The Troposphere (MOPITT) instrument. The comparison is performed for a localised region of Africa, primarily for an ocean day-time configuration, in order to develop the technique for instrument intercomparison in a region with well defined a priori. By comparing both the standard data and a special version of MOPITT data retrieved using the ULIRS a priori for CO, it is shown that standard intercomparisons of CO are strongly affected by the differing a priori data of the retrievals, and by the differing sensitivities of the two instruments. In particular, the differing a priori profiles for MOPITT V3 and V4 data result in systematic retrieved profile changes as expected. An application of averaging kernels is used to derive a difference quantity which is much less affected by smoothing error, and hence more sensitive to systematic error. These conclusions are confirmed by simulations with model profiles for the same region. This technique is used to show that for the data that has been processed the systematic bias between MOPITT V4 and ULIRS IASI data, at MOPITT vertical resolution, is less than 7 % for the comparison data set, and on average appears to be less than 4 %. The results of this study indicate that intercomparisons of satellite data sets with low vertical resolution should ideally be performed with: retrievals using a common a priori appropriate to the geographic region studied; the application of averaging kernels to compute difference quantities with reduced a priori influence; and a comparison with simulated differences using model profiles for the target gas in the region.
Tropospheric ozone column retrieval from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument by means of a neural network algorithm
Authors: Sellitto P. , Bojkov B. R. , Liu X. , Chance K. , Del Frate F.
Published: May 2011

Abstract. Monitoring tropospheric ozone from space is of critical importance in order to gain more thorough knowledge on phenomena affecting air quality and the greenhouse effect. Deriving information on tropospheric ozone from UV/VIS nadir satellite spectrometers is difficult owing to the weak sensitivity of the measured radiance spectra to variations of ozone in the troposphere. Here we propose an alternative method of analysis to retrieve tropospheric ozone columns from Ozone Monitoring Instrument radiances by means of a Neural Network algorithms. An extended set of ozone sonde measurements at northern mid-latitudes has been considered as the training and test data set. The design of the algorithm is extensively discussed. Our retrievals are compared to both tropospheric ozone residuals and optimal estimation retrievals over a similar independent test data set. Results show that our algorithm has comparable accuracy with respect to both correlative methods and its performance is slightly better over a subset containing only European ozone sonde stations. Possible sources of errors are analyzed. Finally, the capabilities of our algorithm to derive information on boundary layer ozone are studied and the results critically discussed.
Does terrestrial drought explain global CO2 flux anomalies induced by El Niño?
Authors: Schwalm C. R. , Williams C. A. , Schaefer K. , Baker I. , Collatz G. J. , Rödenbeck C.
Published: May 2011

Abstract. The El Niño Southern Oscillation is the dominant year-to-year mode of global climate variability. El Niño effects on terrestrial carbon cycling are mediated by associated climate anomalies, primarily drought, influencing fire emissions and biotic net ecosystem exchange (NEE). Here we evaluate whether El Niño produces a consistent response from the global carbon cycle. We apply a novel bottom-up approach to estimating global NEE anomalies based on FLUXNET data using land cover maps and weather reanalysis. We analyze 13 yr (1997–2009) of globally gridded observational NEE anomalies derived from eddy covariance flux data, remotely-sensed fire emissions at the monthly time step, and NEE estimated from an atmospheric transport inversion. We evaluate the overall consistency of biospheric response to El Niño and, more generally, the link between global CO2 flux anomalies and El Niño-induced drought. Our findings, which are robust relative to uncertainty in both methods and time-lags in response, indicate that each event has a different spatial signature with only limited spatial coherence in Amazônia, Australia and southern Africa. For most regions, the sign of response changed across El Niño events. Biotic NEE anomalies, across 5 El Niño events, ranged from −1.34 to +0.98 Pg C yr−1, whereas fire emissions anomalies were generally smaller in magnitude (ranging from −0.49 to +0.53 Pg C yr−1). Overall drought does not appear to impose consistent terrestrial CO2 flux anomalies during El Niños, finding large variation in globally integrated responses from −1.15 to +0.49 Pg C yr−1. Contrary to previous accounts we find El Niño events have, when globally integrated, both enhanced and weakened terrestrial sink strength, with no consistent response across events.
Climate impacts on the structures of the North Pacific air-sea CO2 flux variability
Authors: Valsala V. , Maksyutov S. , Telszewski M. , Nakaoka S.-I. , Nojiri Y. , Ikeda M. , Murtugudde R.
Published: May 2011

Abstract. Some dominant spatial and temporal structures of the North Pacific air-sea CO2 fluxes in response to the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) are identified in four data products from four independent sources: an assimilated CO2 flux product, two forward model solutions, and a gridded pCO2 dataset constructed with a neural network approach. The interannual variability of CO2 flux is found to be an order of magnitude weaker compared to the seasonal cycle of CO2 flux in the North Pacific. A statistical approach is employed to quantify the signal-to-noise ratio in the reconstructed dataset to delineate the representativity errors. The dominant variability with a signal-to-noise ratio above one is identified and its correlations with PDO are examined. A tentative four-box structure in the North Pacific air-sea CO2 flux variability linked to PDO emerges in which two positively correlated boxes are oriented in the northwest and southeast directions and contrarily, the negatively correlated boxes are oriented in the northeast and southwest directions. This pattern is verified with the CO2 and pCO2 from four products and its relations to the interannual El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and lower-frequency PDO are separately identified. A combined EOF analysis between air-sea CO2 flux and key variables representing ocean-atmosphere interactions is carried out to elicit robust oscillations in the North Pacific CO2 flux in response to the PDO. The proposed spatial and temporal structures of the North Pacific CO2 fluxes are insightful since they separate the secular trends of the surface ocean carbon from the interannual variability. The regional characterization of the North Pacific in terms of PDO and CO2 flux variability is also instructive for determining the homogeneous oceanic domains for the Regional Carbon Cycle and Assessment Processes (RECCAP).
Precessional and half-precessional climate forcing of Mid-Devonian monsoon-like dynamics
Authors: De Vleeschouwer D. , da Silva A. C. , Boulvain F. , Crucifix M. , Claeys Ph.
Published: May 2011

Abstract. A Devonian magnetic susceptibility (MS) record obtained on limestones ranging from the Uppermost-Eifelian to the Lower-Givetian and located on the southern border of the Dinant Synclinorium in Belgium, was selected for time-series analysis. In these carbonate ramp and platform deposits, spectral analyses highlight persistent high-frequency cycles in both the MS-signal and the microfacies curve, reflecting environmental and climate changes. These meter-scale variations in the MS-signal are interpreted as changes in the flux of magnetic minerals towards the marine system, most likely controlled by monsoon rainfall-intensity. By combining chrono- and biostratigraphic information with theoretical knowledge of sedimentation rates in different depositional environments, these cycles are interpreted as astronomically driven (precession-dominated). It is hypothesized that during precession maxima the trans-equatorial pressure gradient reaches a maximum and intensifies monsoonal circulation. The consequent increased moisture transport towards the continent leads to enhanced precipitation and runoff, which in turn leads to an increased flux of detrital material (including magnetic minerals responsible for the MS-signal) towards the marine system. Moreover, this unique high-resolution climate signal reveals half-precessional cycles. These cycles suggest the important response of intense monsoonal systems to periodic changes in the strength of low-latitude (equatorial) insolation.
Determination of spatially varying Van der Burgh's coefficient from estuarine parameter to describe salt transport in an estuary
Authors: Shaha D. C. , Cho Y.-K.
Published: May 2011

Abstract. The estuarine parameter v is widely accepted as describing the relative contribution of the tide-driven and density-driven mixing mechanism of salt transport in estuaries. Van der Burgh's coefficient K is another parameter that also determines the relative strength of two mechanisms. However, a single value of K, which has been considered in previous studies, can not represent the spatial variation of these mechanisms in an estuary. In this study, the spatially varying K has been determined from the v value calculated using intensively observed longitudinal salinity transects of the Sumjin River Estuary with exponential shape. The spatially varying K describes the spatial variation of these mechanisms reasonably well and is independent of the river discharge downstream of the estuary where the strong tides cause well mixed conditions. However, K values increase upstream and are found to depend on the freshwater discharge, with suppressing vertical mixing. The K value has been scaled on the basis of the v value and ranges between 0 and 1. If K < 0.3, the up-estuary salt transport is entirely dominated by tide-driven mixing near the mouth. If 0.3 < K < 0.8, both tide-driven and density-driven mixing contribute to transporting salt in the central regimes. If K > 0.8, the salt transport is almost entirely by density-driven circulation in the upper most regimes. In addition, another K-based dispersion equation has been solved by using this spatially varying K. The spatially varying K demonstrates density-driven circulation more prominently at the location of strong salinity gradient compared with a single K value.
Land classification based on hydrological landscape units
Authors: Gharari S. , Fenicia F. , Hrachowitz M. , Savenije H. H. G.
Published: May 2011

Abstract. This paper presents a new type of hydrological landscape classification based on dominant runoff mechanisms. Three landscape classes are distinguished: wetland, hillslope and plateau, corresponding to three dominant hydrological regimes: saturation excess overland flow, storage excess sub-surface flow, and deep percolation. Topography, geology and land use hold the key to identifying these landscapes. The height above the nearest drain (HAND) and the surface slope, which can be readily obtained from a digital elevation model, appear to be the dominant topographical parameters for hydrological classification. In this paper several indicators for classification are tested as well as their sensitivity to scale and sample size. It appears that the best results are obtained by the simple use of HAND and slope. The results obtained compare well with field observations and the topographical wetness index. The new approach appears to be an efficient method to "read the landscape" on the basis of which conceptual models can be developed.
Tsunami hazard for the city of Catania, eastern Sicily, Italy, assessed by means of Worst-case Credible Tsunami Scenario Analysis (WCTSA)
Authors: Tonini R. , Armigliato A. , Pagnoni G. , Zaniboni F. , Tinti S.
Published: May 2011

Abstract. Eastern Sicily is one of the coastal areas most exposed to earthquakes and tsunamis in Italy. The city of Catania that developed between the eastern base of Etna volcano and the Ionian Sea is, together with the neighbour coastal belt, under the strong menace of tsunamis. This paper addresses the estimation of the tsunami hazard for the city of Catania by using the technique of the Worst-case Credible Tsunami Scenario Analysis (WCTSA) and is focused on a target area including the Catania harbour and the beach called La Plaia where many human activities develop and many important structures are present. The aim of the work is to provide a detailed tsunami hazard analysis, firstly by building scenarios that are proposed on the basis of tectonic considerations and of the largest historical events that hit the city in the past, and then by combining all the information deriving from single scenarios into a unique aggregated scenario that can be viewed as the worst virtual scenario. Scenarios have been calculated by means of numerical simulations on computational grids of different resolutions, passing from 3 km on a regional scale to 40 m in the target area. La Plaia beach results to be the area most exposed to tsunami inundation, with inland penetration up to hundreds of meters. The harbour turns out to be more exposed to tsunami waves with low frequencies: in particular, it is found that the major contribution to the hazard in the harbour is due to a tsunami from a remote source, which propagates with much longer periods than tsunamis from local sources. This work has been performed in the framework of the EU-funded project SCHEMA.
Sensitivity study of the generation of mesoscale eddies in a numerical model of Hawaii islands
Authors: Kersalé M. , Doglioli A. M. , Petrenko A. A.
Published: May 2011

Abstract. The oceanic circulation around the Hawaiian archipelago is characterized by a complex circulation and the presence of mesoscale eddies west of the islands. These eddies typically develop and persist for weeks to several months in the area during persistent trade winds conditions. A series of numerical simulations on the Hawaiian region has been done in order to examine the relative importance of wind, inflow current and topographic forcing on the general circulation and the generation of eddies. Moreover, numerical cyclonic eddies are compared with the one observed during the cruise E-FLUX (Dickey et al., 2008). Our study demonstrates the need for all three forcings (wind, inflow current and topography) to reproduce the known oceanic circulation. In particular, the cumulative effect plays a key role on the generation of mesoscale eddies. The wind-stress-curl, via the Ekman pumping mechanism, has also been identified as an important mechanism upon the strength of the upwelling in the lee of the Big Island of Hawaii. In order to find the best setup of a regional ocean model, we compare more precisely numerical results obtained using two different wind databases: COADS and QuikSCAT. The main features of the ocean circulation in the area are well reproduced by our model forced by both COADS and QuickSCAT climatologies. Nevertheless, significant differences appear in the levels of kinetic energy and vorticity. The wind-forcing spatial resolution clearly affects the way in which the wind momentum feeds the mesoscale phenomena. The higher the resolution, the more realistic the ocean circulation. In particular, the simulation forced by QuikSCAT wind data reproduces well the observed energetic mesoscale structures and their hydrological characteristics and behaviors.
Combination of Maintenance Hemodialysis with Hemoperfusion: A Safe and Effective Model of Artificial Kidney
Authors: Chen Shun-Jie , Jiang Geng-Ru , Shan Jian-Ping , Lu Wei , Huang Hai-Dong , Ji Gang , Wu Ping , Wu Gu-Feng , Wang Wei , Zhu Chun , Bian Fan
Published: May 2011

Objective

To investigate whether the combination of maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) with hemoperfusion (HP) could improve the clearance rate of middle and large molecule uremic toxins so as to improve the quality of life of MHD patients and reduce their mortality rate.

Methods

This study was a prospective, randomized, controlled clinical trial. 100 MHD patients were selected and then randomly divided into two groups after four weeks of run-in period. Group 1 received HD alone 2 times a week and the combined treatment of HD with HP (HD+HP) once a week, whereas Group 2 was given HD alone 3 times a week. This study was followed up for a mean of 2 years. The primary outcome was the death of patients. Secondary end points included normal clinical data, leptin, high sensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), β2 microglobulin (β2-MG), immunoreactive parathyroid hormone (iPTH), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and the index of dimensions of Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36 Chinese Edition).

Results

At the end of the two-year observation, the serum concentration of leptin, hsCRP, iPTH, IL-6, β2-MG and TNF-α, systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), heart rate (HR), cardiothoracic ratio, left ventricular mass index (LVMI), the EPO doses and the types of antihypertensive drugs used were lower with Group 1 than with Group 2 (p<0.05); Group 1 had higher hemoglobin (Hb), ejection fraction (EF), and body mass index (BMI) (p<0.05). No statistical difference between the two groups was observed in terms of serum albumin, serum iron (SI), total iron binding capacity (TIBC), cardiac output (CO), Kt/V, early/atrial mitral inflow velocities (E/A) (p>0.05). Besides, the SF-36 indicated that the total score of overall dimentions of Group 1 was higher than Group 2 (p<0.05) and the quality of life of Group 1 was evidently better than Group 2. The Kaplan-Meier Survival Curves for the 2-year observation period showed that patients in Group 1 had obvious survival advantage while Log-rank test results showed p<0.05. No serious adverse incidents occurred during the HD+HP treatment.

Conclusions

HD+HP was superior to HD in regularly eliminating middle and large molecule uremic toxins accumulated in the body. These findings suggest a potential role for HD+HP in the treatment to improve the quality of life and survival rate of MHD patients.
Clinical Evaluation of the Air Removal Characteristics of an Oxygenator with Integrated Arterial Filter in a Minimized Extracorporeal Circuit
Authors: Stehouwer Marco C. , Boers Chris , de Vroege Roel , Kelder Johannes C. , Yilmaz Alaaddin , Bruins Peter
Published: May 2011

The use of minimized extracorporeal circuits (MECC) in cardiac surgery is an important measure to increase the biocompatibility of cardiopulmonary bypass during coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). These circuits eliminate volume storage reservoirs and bubble traps to minimize the circuit. However, the reduction in volume may increase the risk of gaseous microemboli (GME). The MECC system as used by our group consists of a venous bubble trap, centrifugal pump, and an oxygenator. To further reduce the risk of introducing GME, an oxygenator with an integrated arterial filter was developed based on the concept of minimal volume and foreign surface. We studied the air removal characteristics of this oxygenator with and without integrated arterial filter. The quantity and volume of GME were measured with precision at both the inlet and outlet of the devices.

Our results showed that integration of an arterial filter into this oxygenator increased GME reducing capacity from 69.2% to 92%. Moreover, we were able to obtain data on the impact of an arterial filter on the exact size-distribution of GME entering the arterial line.

The present study demonstrates that an MECC system and oxygenator with integrated arterial filter significantly reduces the volume and size of GME. The use of an integrated arterial filter in an MECC system may protect the patient from the deleterious effects of CPB and may further improve patient safety.
Discrete and Dual Tree Wavelet Features for Real-Time Speech/Music Discrimination
Authors: Düzenli Timur , Özkurt Nalan
Published: May 2011

The performance of wavelet transform-based features for the speech/music discrimination task has been investigated. In order to extract wavelet domain features, discrete and complex orthogonal wavelet transforms have been used. The performance of the proposed feature set has been compared with a feature set constructed from the most common time, frequency and cepstral domain features such as number of zero crossings, spectral centroid, spectral flux, and Mel cepstral coefficients. The artificial neural networks have been used as classification tool. The principal component analysis has been applied to eliminate the correlated features before the classification stage. For discrete wavelet transform, considering the number of vanishing moments and orthogonality, the best performance is obtained with Daubechies8 wavelet among the other members of the Daubechies family. The dual tree wavelet transform has also demonstrated a successful performance both in terms of accuracy and time consumption. Finally, a real-time discrimination system has been implemented using the Daubhecies8 wavelet which has the best accuracy.
Recurrent Chest Pain, as a Presenting Sign of Ovarian Endometrioma
Authors: Yildirim Mehmet , Oztekin Ozgur , Oztekin Deniz
Published: May 2011

Chest pain is a rare sign of thoracal endometriosis associated with endometrioma of the tubo-ovarian endometrioma. We report the case periodic episodes of chest pain concurrent with menstruation in a 35-year-old female, in which ovarian endometrioma was diagnosed and left-sided oophorectomy was performed. After surgery, patient underwent medical treatment which included a Gn-RH agonist and a combined oral contraceptive. In the follow-up period, there was no evidence of chest pain.
Whole‐Body Imaging of Infection Using Fluorescence
Authors: Kong Ying , Akin Ali R. , Francis Kevin P. , Zhang Ning , Troy Tamara L. , Xie Hexin , Rao Jianghong , Cirillo Suat L. G. , Cirillo Jeffrey D.
Published: May 2011

Optical imaging is emerging as a powerful tool to study physiological, neurological, oncological, cell biological, molecular, developmental, immunological, and infectious processes. This unit describes the use of fluorescent reporters for biological organisms, components, or events. We describe the application of fluorescence imaging to examination of infectious processes, in particular subcutaneous and pulmonary bacterial infections, but the same approaches are applicable to nearly any infectious route. The strategies described use mycobacterial infections as an example, but nearly identical systems can be used for Pseudomonas, Legionella, Salmonella, Escherichia, Borrelia, and Staphylococus, suggesting that the approaches are generally applicable to nearly any infectious agent. Two strategies for fluorescence imaging are described: the first method uses reporter enzyme fluorescence (REF), and the second uses fluorescent proteins for fluorescence imaging. Methods are described in detail to facilitate successful application of these emerging technologies to nearly any experimental system. Curr. Protoc. Microbiol. 21:2C.3.1‐2C.3.21. © 2011 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Learning Painting Styles: Spacing is Advantageous when it Promotes Discriminative Contrast
Authors: Kang Sean H. K. , Pashler Harold
Published: May 2011

Repetitions that are distributed over time benefit long‐term retention more than when massed. Recent research has suggested that the advantage of spacing may extend to induction learning‐‐learners were better able to identify the artists of previously unseen paintings when, during training, artists' paintings were spaced (paintings by different artists were interleaved) rather than massed (a given artist's paintings were blocked and presented consecutively). Increasing temporal spacing between paintings while maintaining a presentation sequence that was blocked by artist produced test performance no better than massed presentation (both worse than interleaved presentation) (Experiment 1). Displaying paintings by different artists simultaneously produced test performance as good as interleaved presentation and better than massed presentation (Experiment 2). Our findings argue that spacing benefits perceptual induction learning not because of increased temporal spacing per se but rather because interleaving paintings by different artists enhances discriminative contrast between the artists' styles. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Texture‐Induced Anisotropy in Asymmetrically Rolled Aluminium Alloys
Authors: Sidor Jurij J. , Petrov Roumen H. , Kestens Leo A. I.
Published: May 2011

The formability of Al alloys is strongly correlated to the crystallographic texture and thus can be controlled by thermomechanical processing parameters. Texture‐induced anisotropy is studied in asymmetrically hot and cold rolled Al alloys from the 6xxx series. It is found that the strain mode of both hot and cold rolling processes significantly affects the anisotropy of recrystallized material. The recrystallization textures produced in the ASR process improve the normal anisotropy, whereas the in‐plane anisotropy does not benefit significantly from the ASR process. Results of crystal plasticity calculations show that an improved normal anisotropy in asymmetrically rolled sheets (${\bar {r}}$ = 0.77) ensures an increased limiting drawing ratio of ≈ 2.11, which is beneficial for formability.
Contactless Monitoring of Shrinkage and Temperature Distribution during Hybrid Microwave Sintering
Authors: Żymełka Daniel , Saunier Sébastien , Molimard Jérôme , Goeuriot Dominique
Published: May 2011

A novel method to investigate the microwave hybrid sintering process is presented. The method described measures simultaneously over time the changes in shrinkage and temperature field on the sample's surface. The measurements are carried out continuously by using a CCD camera and an IR pyrometer during microwave heating. Moreover, the equipment used is both contactless and less expensive than conventional approaches.