bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cellular prion protein in blood platelets associates with both lipid rafts and the cytoskeleton
Authors: Brouckova Adela , Holada Karel
Published: October 2009

The recently shown transmissibility of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) by blood transfusion emphasises the need for better understanding of the cellular prion protein (PrPc) in blood. A substantial amount of cell-associated PrPc in blood resides in platelets. Platelet activation leads to up-regulation of PrPc on the platelet surface and its release on exosomes and microparticles. The sub-cellular localisation and function of platelet PrPc, however, is poorly understood. In the present study, we investigated the association of PrPc with platelet lipid rafts and the platelet cytoskeleton. Immuno-fluorescence microscopy showed that the signals of PrPc and P-selectin, both of which occupy intracellular alpha granules, were separated on the membrane, suggesting organisation in different membrane domains. A flotation assay of platelet lysates demonstrated that a relatively small portion of platelet PrPc floats with lipid rafts, regardless of platelet activation status. This was reversed by depolymerisation of the platelet cytoskeleton, which led to flotation of most platelet PrPc, suggesting that interactions with the cytoskeleton prevent flotation of PrPc rafts. This association of PrPc with the platelet cytoskeleton was confirmed by its presence in both the isolated membrane skeleton and actin cytoskeleton. Platelet activation significantly increased the amount of PrPc associated with the cytoskeleton. Our results indicate that the localisation of PrPc in platelets is complex, with the majority of PrPc present within platelet lipid rafts linked to the platelet cytoskeleton. This localisation places PrPc in a position where it can interact with proteins involved in platelet signalling and eventually with vCJD prions.
Short-term ethinylestradiol treatment suppresses inferior caval vein thrombosis in obese mice
Authors: Cleuren Audrey , van Hoef Berthe , Hoylaerts Marc , van Vlijmen Bart , Lijnen H.
Published: October 2009

Obesity and oral estrogens are independent risk factors for venous thrombosis, and their combined effect is stronger than the sum of the isolated factors. It was the objective of this study to investigate the interaction between obesity and estrogens at the level of venous thrombotic tendency, coagulation and inflammation in a mouse model.Female C57Bl/6J mice were fed a standard fat diet (SFD) or a high fat diet (HFD) to induce nutritional obesity.After 14 weeks, while maintaining their diet, mice were orally treated eight days with 1 µg ethinylestradiol or vehicle (n=25 per group), and subsequently subjected to an inferior caval vein (ICV) thrombosis model.The ICV thrombosis model resulted in an increased thrombus weight in vehicle-treated HFD mice (3.0 ± 0.7 mg) compared to vehicle-treated SFD mice (1.4 ± 0.4 mg; p=0.064). Surprisingly, estrogens reduced thrombus weight, which was significant for the HFD group (0.8 ± 0.5 mg; p=0.013).As compared to SFD feeding, HFD feeding significantly increased plasma levels of coagulation factor VIII, combined factor II/VII/X (p<0.001), and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (p=0.009), causing a prothrombotic shift of the coagulation profile. Estrogens had no significant effects on this profile with either diet,whereas serum amyloidA and hepatic inflammatory cytokines were minimally affected.The synergistic effect of obesity and estrogens on the venous thrombotic risk in women could not be translated into the mouse context. Short-term ethinylestradiol administration in a mouse ICV thrombosis model counteracts the prothrombotic phenotype associated with nutritionally induced obesity, despite a comparable activated plasma coagulation profile in estrogen-treated and untreated obese mice.
Plasma leakage in dengue haemorrhagic fever
Authors: Srikiatkhachorn Anon
Published: October 2009

Dengue viruses (DENV), a group of four serologically distinct but related flaviviruses, are the cause of one of the most important emerging viral diseases. DENV infections result in a wide spectrum of clinical disease including dengue haemorrhagic fever (DHF), a viral haemorrhagic disease characterised by bleeding and plasma leakage.The characteristic feature of DHF is the transient period of plasma leakage and a haemorrhagic tendency. DHF occurs mostly during a secondary DENV infection. Serotype cross-reactive antibodies and mediators from serotype cross-reactive Dengue-specific T cells have been impli-cated in the pathogenesis. A complex interaction between virus, host immune response and endothelial cells likely impacts the barrier integrity and functions of endothelial cells leading to plasma leakage. Recently the role of angiogenic factors and the role of dengue virus on endothelial cell transcription and functions have been studied. Insights into the mechanisms that confer protection or cause disease are critical in the development of prophylactic and therapeutic modalities for this important disease.
Endothelial cells in human cytomegalovirus infection: One host cell out of many or a crucial target for virus spread?
Authors: Sinzger Christian , Adler Barbara
Published: October 2009

Endothelial cells (EC) are assumed to play a central role in the spread of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) throughout the body. Results from in-situ analyses of infected tissues and data from cell culture systems together strongly suggest that vascular EC can support productive replication of HCMV and thus contribute to its haematogeneous dissemination. By inducing an angiogenic response, HCMV may even promote growth of its own habitat. The particular role of EC is further supported by the fact that entry of HCMV into EC is dependent on a complex of the envelope glycoproteins gH and gL with a set of proteins (UL128–131A) which is dispensable for HCMV entry into most other cell types. These molecular requirements may also be reflected by cell type-dependent differences in entry routes, i.e. endocytosis versus fusion at the plasma membrane. An animal model with trackable murine CMV is now available to clarify the pathogenetic role of EC during haematogeneous dissemination of this virus.
Association of influenza vaccination with reduced risk of venous thromboembolism
Authors: Zhu Tienan , Carcaillon Laure , Martinez Isabelle , Cambou Jean-Pierre , Kyndt Xavier , Guillot Karine , Vergnes Marie-Christine , Scarabin Pierre-Yves , Emmerich Joseph
Published: October 2009

Influenza vaccination can reduce the risk of cardiovascular events in patients with coronary heart disease, but its impact on the risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) has not been studied. It was the aim of this study to investigate whether influenza vaccination reduces the risk of VTE. We conducted a case-control study involving 1,454 adults enrolled in 11 French centers between 2003 and 2007, comprising 727 consecutive cases with a first documented episode of VTE and 727 age- and sex-matched controls. In the case and control groups 202 (28.2%) and 233 (32.1%) subjects, respectively, had been vaccinated against influenza during the previous 12 months. After multivariate regression analysis, the odds ratios (OR) for VTE associated with vaccination were 0.74 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.57–0.97) and 0.52 (95% CI, 0.32–0.85), respectively, for the whole population and for subjects aged 52 years or less. The protective effect of vaccination was similar for deep venous thrombosis (OR 0.9; 95% CI, 0.60–1.35) and pulmonary embolism (OR 0.71; 95% CI, 0.53–0.94) and for both provoked (OR 0.71; 95% CI, 0.53–0.97) and unprovoked VTE (OR 0.85; 95% CI, 0.59–1.23).This case-control study suggests that influenza vaccination is associated with a reduced risk of VTE.
Effectiveness of a new immuno-assay for the diagnosis of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia and improved specificity when detecting IgG antibodies
Authors: Pouplard Claire , Leroux Dorothée , Regina Sandra , Rollin Jérôme , Gruel Yves
Published: October 2009

The diagnosis of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) is based on clinical criteria and biological assays. Most immunoassays detect antibodies (either IgG alone or additionally IgA and IgM) against PF4 immobilised in wells of microtiter plates with stoichiometric concentrations of polyanion (heparin or polyvinylsulfonate). We studied whether diagnostic sensitivity and/or specificity for HIT could be improved using a novel assay in which unfractionated heparin is immobilised alone to the microwells, with PF4 (and, potentially, other heparin-dependent antigen proteins) provided by adding platelet lysate during the procedure. Samples from 101 patients with suspected HIT and from 101 controls (including 50 with antiphospholipid antibodies) were tested. The global assay (Zymutest HIA IgG/A/M®, Hyphen BioMed) was positive for 39 of 40 patients with definite HIT (positive PF4-specific ELISA and positive serotonin release assay). It was positive in only two of the 101 control patients studied and also in 14 of the 61 patients with suspected HIT for whom the disease was excluded (specificity (sp): 77%). On the other hand, Zymutest HIA IgG®, an IgG-specific assay, was positive in only six patients without HIT (Sp: 90%). Heparin-dependent IgG antibodies were present at higher levels in patients with definite HIT than in those for whom the diagnosis of HIT was ruled out. A single ELISA that detects IgG antibodies is more effective for the diagnosis of HIT in clinical practice. These results also support the hypothesis that heparin-dependent antibodies of IgG class have a major role in the pathogenesis of HIT.
Anticoagulant activity of a sulfated galactan: Serpin-independent effect and specific interaction with factor Xa
Authors: Glauser Bianca , Rezende Ricardo , Melo Fabio , Pereira Mariana , Francischetti Ivo , Monteiro Robson , Rezaie Alireza , Mourão Paulo
Published: October 2009

An algal sulfated galactan has high anticoagulant and antithrombotic activities. Its serpin-dependent anticoagulant action is due to promoting thrombin and factor (F)Xa inhibition by antithrombin and heparin cofactor II. Here, we evaluated the anticoagulant effect of the algal sulfated galactan using serpin-free plasma. In contrast to heparin, the sulfated galactan is still able to prolong coagulation time and delay thrombin and FXa generation in serpin-free plasma. We further investigated this effect using purified blood coagulation proteins, discovering that sulfated galactan inhibits the intrinsic tenase and prothrombinase complexes, which are critical for FXa and thrombin generation, respectively. We also investigated the mechanism by which sulfated galactan promotes FXa inhibition by antithrombin using specific recombinant mutants of the protease. We show that sulfated galactan interacts with the heparin-binding exosite of FXa and Arg-236 and Lys-240 of this site are critical residues for this interaction, as observed for heparin. Thus, sulfated galactan and heparin have similar high-affinity and specificity for interaction with FXa, though they have differences in their chemical structures. Similar to heparin, the ability of sulfated galactan to potentiate FXa inhibition by antithrombin is calcium-dependent. However, in contrast to heparin, this effect is not entirely dependent on the conformation of the γ-carboxyglutamic acid-rich domain of the protease. In conclusion, sulfated galactan and heparin have some similar effects on blood coagulation, but also differ significantly at the molecular level. This sulfated galactan opens new perspective for the development of antithrombotic drugs.
Organ- and endotheliotropism of Nipah virus infections in vivo and in vitro
Authors: Neufeld james , Weingartl Hana , Maisner Andrea
Published: October 2009

Nipah virus (NiV) is a highly pathogenic paramyxovirus that was first isolated in 1999 during an outbreak in Malaysia. In contrast to other paramyxoviruses NiV infects many mammalian species. Because of its zoonotic potential, the high pathogenicity and the lack of therapeutic treatment, NiV was classified as a biosafety level 4 pathogen. In humans NiV causes a severe acute encephalitis whereas in some animal hosts respiratory symptoms are predominantly observed. Despite the differences in the clinical outcome, microvascular endothelial cell damage predominantly underlies the pathological changes in NiV infections in all sus-ceptible host species. NiV generally induces a pronounced vasculitis which is primarily characterised by endothelial cell necrosis and inflammatory cell infiltration. For future developments of specific antiviral therapies or vaccines, a detailed understanding of the molecular basis of NiV pathogenesis is required.This article reviews the current knowledge about natural and experimental infections in different mammals, focusing on the main organ and cell tropism in vivo, and summarises some recent studies in cell culture on the role of ephrin-B2 and -B3 receptors in NiV infection of endothelial cells.
Characterisation of an antibody specific for coagulation factor VIII that enhances factor VIII activity
Authors: Takeyama Masahiro , Nogami Keiji , Matsumoto Tomoko , Soeda Tetsuhiro , Suzuki Tsukasa , Hattori Kunihiro , Shima Midori
Published: October 2009

Many reports have identified factor (F)VIII inhibitory antibodies with epitopes located in all subunits of the FVIII molecule. Antibodies that promote FVIII activity do not appear to have been reported. We characterised, for the first time, a unique anti-FVIII monoclonal antibody, mAb216, that enhanced FVIII coagulant activity. The mAb216 shortened the activated partial thromboplastin time and specifically increased FVIII activity by ~1.5-fold dose-dependently. FXa generation and thrombin generation were similarly increased by ~1.4- and ~2.5-fold, respectively. An A2 epitope, not overlapping the common A2 epitope, was identified and the antibody was shown to enhance thrombin (and FXa)-catalysed activation of FVIII by modestly accelerating cleavage at Arg372. The presence of mAb216 mediated an ~1.5-fold decrease in Km for the FVIII-thrombin interaction. Enhanced FVIII activity was evident to an equal degree, even the presence of anti-FVIII neutralising antibodies with epitopes in each subunit. In addition, mAb216 depressed the rates of heat-denatured loss of FVIII activity and FVIIIa decay by 2 to ~2.5-fold. We have developed an anti-A2, FVIII mAb216 that augmented procoagulant activity. This enhancing effect could be attributed to an increase in thrombin-induced activation of FVIII, mediated by cleavage at Arg372 and a tighter interaction of thrombin with the A2 domain. The findings may cast new light on new principles for improving the treatment of haemophilia A patients.
Expression of tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI) in human breast and colon cancer tissue
Authors: Sierko Ewa , Wojtukiewicz Marek , Zimnoch Lech , Kisiel Walter
Published: October 2009

Activation of blood coagulation, a phenomenon frequently observed in breast and colon cancer patients, contributes to tumour progression. The principal initiator of blood coagulation activation in cancer patients is tissue factor (TF), while tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI) is the main inhibitor of the TF-dependent pathway of blood coagulation. Previous immunohistochemical studies revealed no expression of TFPI in human cancer cells. The aim of the study was to evaluate the expression of TFPI protein and mRNA in breast and colon cancer tissues. A total of 108 cancer tissues (from primary tumours and metastatic lymph nodes) were obtained from 87 patients during surgical treatment. Immunohistochemical studies using a polyclonal anti-TFPI antibody were performed including a semiquantitative analysis. The in situ hybridisation method employed single-stranded DNA oligonucleotide (probe sequence: 5’Biotin-CCACCATACTTGAAACGTTCACACT-Biotin3’) directed against TFPI mRNA. Strong or medium expression of TFPI protein was observed in cancer cell bodies in all breast cancers and in most (39/66 cases) colon cancers examined. Weaker expression of TFPI was detected in cancer cells localised in lymph node metastatic foci of breast cancer. Endothelial cells were also TFPI-positive. TFPI mRNA was demonstrated in all cases of breast and in approximately 80% cases of colon cancer cells. TFPI mRNA and protein are present in association with colon and breast cancer cells, suggesting that the protein may play a role in cancer biology. The presence of TFPI in association with breast cancer cells localised in regional lymph nodes may indicate its role in lymphatic spread.
Analysis of Dystrophin Deletion Mutations Predicts Age of Cardiomyopathy Onset in Becker Muscular Dystrophy
Authors: Kaspar Rita Wen , Allen Hugh D. , Ray Will C. , Alvarez Carlos E. , Kissel John T. , Pestronk Alan , Weiss Robert B. , Flanigan Kevin M. , Mendell Jerry R. , Montanaro Federica
Published: October 2009

Background—

Becker muscular dystrophy (BMD) and X-linked dilated cardiomyopathy often result from deletion mutations in the dystrophin gene that may lead to expression of an altered dystrophin protein in cardiac muscle. Cardiac involvement is present in ≈70% of BMD and all X-linked dilated cardiomyopathy cases. To date, the timing of cardiomyopathy development remains unpredictable. We analyzed 78 BMD and X-linked dilated cardiomyopathy patients with common deletion mutations predicted to alter the dystrophin protein and correlated their mutations to cardiomyopathy age of onset. This approach was chosen to connect dystrophin structure with function in the heart.

Methods and Results—

Detailed cardiac information was collected for BMD and X-linked dilated cardiomyopathy patients with defined dystrophin gene deletion mutations. Patients were grouped based on the dystrophin protein domain affected by the deletion. Deletions affecting the amino-terminal domain are associated with early-onset dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM; mid-20s), whereas deletions removing part of the rod domain and hinge 3 have a later-onset DCM (mid-40s). Further, we modeled the effects of the most common mutations occurring in the rod domain on the overall structure of the dystrophin protein. By combining genetic and protein information, this analysis revealed a strong correlation between specific protein structural modifications and DCM age of onset.

Conclusions—

We identified specific regions of the dystrophin gene that when mutated predispose BMD patients to early-onset DCM. In addition, we propose that some mutations lead to early-onset DCM by specific alterations in protein folding. These findings have potential implications for early intervention in the cardiac care of BMD patients and for therapeutic approaches that target the heart in dystrophinopathies.
Revisiting the Parable of the Prodigal Son for Decolonization: Luke's Reconfiguration of Oikos in 15:11-32
Authors: Park Rohun
Published: October 2009

The early Christian Gospels' most radical construction of the household (oikos) helps to create extensive opportunities and freedoms over and against the constraints of the Roman Empire. In particular, the Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32) provides a transformative awareness of living and interacting under the Empire and writes its empowering effects into the present context of grassroots people. The paterfamilias of the parable is crossing the boundary of colonial oikos which has been least traversed. While going back and forth interacting with his sons, the paterfamilias erases the borderline and releases oikos from the economic, social, and cultural constructions of colonial power. Jesus' oikos emerges not from a moral regarding good economic discipline and earnings, but rather from real needs and real community under the mercy and grace of a God who levels all boundaries: "every valley" and "every mountain." This essay is a postcolonial reading of the Parable of the Prodigal Son from an East Asian perspective.
Herman Melville: Between Charlemagne and the Antemosaic Cosmic Man: Race, Class, and the Crisis of Bourgeois Ideology in the American Renaissance Writer
Authors: Tally Jr. Robert
Published: October 2009

Tally reviews Loren Goldner's Herman Melville: Between Charlemagne and the Antemosaic Cosmic King, which posits that Melville was the American Marx, exposing the crisis of bourgeois ideology in the revolutionary period around 1848. In this, Goldner follows a tradition of Marxian scholarship of Melville, notably including C.L.R. James, Michael Paul Rogin, and Cesare Casarino. Tally concludes that Goldner's argument, while interesting, is limited by its focus on American exceptionalism and by ignoring the postnational force of Melville's novels.
The Korean Developmental State: From Dirigisme to Neoliberalism
Authors: Jeong Seongjin
Published: October 2009

Pirie's new book attempts a long-awaited Marxist analysis of the contemporary Korean state. It seeks to go beyond the binary opposition between neoliberal market-fundamentalism and Keynesian statism by persuasively demonstrating the indispensability of the state's role in the establishment of neoliberalism in Korea. It also provides an original and insightful analysis of the neoliberal regulation of finance in Korea. However, Pirie's central argument that the stable neoliberal régime of accumulation was established in Korea after the 1997 crisis can be questioned in view of the trend in profitability, the same empirical evidence on which his argument rests. Pirie also needs to provide a more consistent Marxist class-analysis of capitalism in Korea.
Terrible Silence, Eternal Silence: A Feminist Re-Reading of Dinah's Voicelessness in Genesis 34
Authors: Blyth Caroline
Published: October 2009

This article explores the theme of Dinah's narrative silence in the text and interpretive traditions of Genesis 34. Although Dinah's rape is of central importance to the narrative development of this text, she remains throughout the story a marginal character. Her experience is contextualized by the author within a strictly patriarchal ideological framework, thereby denying her a voice with which to articulate and focalize her thoughts, feelings, and pain. Furthermore, there is a propensity within biblical interpretation simply to re-endorse the narrator's ideologies and value systems pertaining to sexual violence by accepting Dinah's voicelessness and absence as simply an invitation likewise to ignore her. I explore the ethical implications of Dinah's suppression within both this biblical text and its interpretive traditions, comparing her plight to that of contemporary rape survivors, and propose a means of utilising the testimonies of these survivors as a hermeneutical key in order to conceptualise Dinah's narrative elision as an intrinsic part of her rape experience. Using this feminist hermeneutical strategy, I hope to open the door to further readings of Genesis 34, which may endeavour to grant Dinah more sympathetic interpretive consideration, protest against her marginalization, and give her a voice with which to tell her story.
Presence Deferred: The Name of Jesus and Self-Referential Eschatological Prophecy in Acts 3
Authors: Busch Austin
Published: October 2009

In Acts 3, Peter calls God "the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers" (3:13), a surprisingly rare OT appellation occurring thrice in Exodus 3. Acts 3's story of the healed cripple rewrites LXX Exodus 3, reversing various markers of God's presence prominent therein, the most significant of which is God's resistance to being named. Initially calling himself òων (3:14), God ultimately acquiesces to a periphrastic self-designation: the unnamed god of named others (3:15-16). In "Edmond Jabès and the Question of the Book," Jacques Derrida explains why God's presence resists naming: to call something something else involves a conceptualization of being that effaces Being itself. Following this logic, Acts 3's repeated references to "the name of Jesus" (3:6, 16) signify the ascended Christ's absence (1:6-11), whose implications Peter's sermon explores. Although Peter speaks of the eschatological consummation that the "holy prophets" announced (3:20-21), when recalling such a prophecy he quotes from Deuteronomy 18, "the Lord will raise up a prophet like me" (3:22-23), going on to assert that "all prophets" speak of the time when God will do this (3:24). Prophets' prophesy about a time when God will raise up a prophet who, according to 3:24, will prophesy about a time when God will raise up a prophet. This circular prophecy of an eschatological prophet gestures at the infinite deferral of Christ's eschatological presence, or παρoυσíα. In dialogue with Hans Conzelmann, I consider the implications of this and a related episode (Luke 17:22-37) for Lukan eschatology.
Beyond Theological Rationalism: The Contemporary Relevance of Herder's Psychology of Religion
Authors: Crowe Benjamin
Published: October 2009

J.G. Herder (1744-1804) is acknowledged as a pioneer in philosophy, theology, history, anthropology, and allied disciplines. This paper explores Herder's development of a psychogenetic account of religion through a critical confrontation with the dominant theological rationalism of the age. Herder's view undercuts various false dilemmas posed by the rationalists by situating religion within a reconfigured account of the “lower faculties” of the soul, thereby effecting an important, if somewhat overlooked, revolution in the modern science of religion.
The Mennaisian “Catholic Science of Religion”: Epistemology and History in Early Nineteenth-Century French Study
Authors: McCalla Arthur
Published: October 2009

This article examines the “science of religion” constructed by the Catholic Traditionalist Félicité de Lamennais (1782-1854) and his followers associated with the journal Mémorial Catholique (1824-1830) as an aspect of the career of the concept of religion in France in the early nineteenth century. It rests on the dual convictions that “religion” is an epistemological object that possesses a history and that the early nineteenth century occupies a transitional place in the shift from biblically-based to critical-historical approaches to thinking about religion. It will also yield some concluding reflections on the post-colonialist turn in recent historiography of religion.
Connections, Confusions, Colonialism and the Construction of Religion: Making Sense of Fitzgerald's Discourse on Civility and Barbarity
Authors: Kellison Rosemary
Published: October 2009

Timothy Fitzgerald's recent Discourse on Civility and Barbarity, represents an important development in his work. In this book he attempts to introduce a new argument into his overall project, illustrating a connection between the invention of “religion” that he has described elsewhere and a particular (English) colonial discourse. This essay argues that while Fitzgerald's argument shows promise, he has not yet fully succeeded in making this connection explicit. Confusion over his accounts of Locke's colonial interests, as well as the supposed universality of the discourse of civility and barbarity, indicate that Fitzgerald has more work to do.
Sensitivity Studies of the Models of Radar-Rainfall Uncertainties
Authors: Villarini Gabriele , Krajewski Witold F.
Published: October 2009

It is well acknowledged that there are large uncertainties associated with the operational quantitative precipitation estimates produced by the U.S. national network of the Weather Surveillance Radar-1988 Doppler (WSR-88D). These errors result from the measurement principles, parameter estimation, and the not fully understood physical processes. Even though comprehensive quantitative evaluation of the total radar-rainfall uncertainties has been the object of earlier studies, an open question remains concerning how the error model results are affected by parameter values and correction setups in the radar-rainfall algorithms. This study focuses on the effects of different exponents in the reflectivity–rainfall (Z–R) relation [Marshall–Palmer, default Next Generation Weather Radar (NEXRAD), and tropical] and the impact of an anomalous propagation removal algorithm. To address this issue, the authors apply an empirically based model in which the relation between true rainfall and radar rainfall could be described as the product of a systematic distortion function and a random component. Additionally, they extend the error model to describe the radar-rainfall uncertainties in an additive form. This approach is fully empirically based, and rain gauge measurements are considered as an approximation of the true rainfall. The proposed results are based on a large sample (6 yr) of data from the Oklahoma City radar (KTLX) and processed through the Hydro-NEXRAD software system. The radar data are complemented with the corresponding rain gauge observations from the Oklahoma Mesonet and the Agricultural Research Service Micronet.
A Rain-Rate Retrieval Algorithm for Attenuated Radar Measurements
Authors: Koner Prabhat K. , Battaglia Alessandro , Simmer Clemens
Published: October 2009

A dynamic regularization scheme for rain-rate retrievals from attenuated radar measurements is presented. Most regularization techniques, including the optimal estimation method, use the state-space parameters to regularize the problem, which will always lead to a bias in the solution. To avoid this problem the authors introduce an evolutionary regularization technique, which is based on the spatial derivative of the measured reflectivity profile and allows for a bias-free global solution. The regularization strength is determined by the quadratic eigenvalue solution using the regularized total least squares method. With the new method, the authors perform a retrieval of rain-rate profiles from simulated measurements of a nadir-pointing W-band (94 GHz) radar, in a configuration similar to the cloud radar employed on CloudSat. The simulations assume that multiple scattering is negligible and only liquid hydrometeors are taken into account. The authors compare the results of this method with the outcome of an optimal estimation method and demonstrate that their method is superior in terms of reliability, correlation coefficient, and dispersion to the optimal estimation method for layers experiencing high values of attenuation; therefore, the a priori bias typical for optimal estimation solutions is avoided.
An Analysis of the Effect of Topography on the Martian Hadley Cells
Authors: Zalucha Angela M. , Plumb R. Alan , Wilson R. John
Published: October 2009

Previous work with Mars general circulation models (MGCMs) has shown that the north–south slope in Martian topography causes asymmetries in the Hadley cells at equinox and in the annual average. To quantitatively solve for the latitude of the dividing streamline and poleward boundaries of the cells, the Hadley cell model of Lindzen and Hou was modified to include topography. The model was thermally forced by Newtonian relaxation to an equilibrium temperature profile calculated with daily averaged solar forcing at constant season. Two sets of equilibrium temperatures were considered that either contained the effects of convection or did not. When convective effects were allowed, the presence of the slope component shifted the dividing streamline upslope, qualitatively similar to a change in season in Lindzen and Hou’s original (flat) model. The modified model also confirmed that the geometrical effects of the slope are much smaller than the thermal effects of the slope on the radiative–convective equilibrium temperature aloft. The results are compared to a simple MGCM forced by Newtonian relaxation to the same equilibrium temperature profiles, and the two models agree except at the winter pole near solstice. The simple MGCM results for radiative–convective forcing also show an asymmetry between the strengths of the Hadley cells at the northern summer and northern winter solstices. The Hadley cell weakens with increasing slope steepness at northern summer solstice but has little effect on the strength at northern winter solstice.
Comparison between the Pathfinder Versions 5.0 and 4.1 Sea Surface Temperature Datasets: A Case Study for High Resolution
Authors: Vázquez-Cuervo Jorge , Armstrong Edward M. , Casey Kenneth S. , Evans Robert , Kilpatrick Katherine
Published: October 2009

Two Pathfinder sea surface temperature (SST) datasets—version 5.0 (V50) and version 4.1 (V41)—were compared in two test areas: 1) the Gulf Stream (GS) between 35° and 43°N, 75° and 60°W and 2) the California coast (CC) between 30° and 45°N, 130° and 120°W. Using a nearest-neighbor approach, V50 data were regridded to the lower resolution V41 9-km data. The V50 and V41 versions were also independently compared with data from the World Ocean Database (WOD). Climatological monthly rms differences between V50 and V41 were calculated as well as seasonal differences between V50, V41, and the WOD.

Maximum rms differences of 0.8°C between the V50 and V41 were seen in June for the GS. In the CC maximum differences of 0.4°C were seen in July. Significant seasonal trends were evident in rms differences between V41 and the WOD, with a maximum of 1.5°C occurring in the GS in June and in the CC in July. No seasonal peaks occurred in the rms differences between V50 and the WOD. SST gradients were calculated using both V50 and V41 datasets. Maximum climatological SST gradients were seen in the June time frame for the GS and July for the CC, consistent with the largest rms differences compared to the WOD. Results indicate the importance of projects such as the Group for High-Resolution Sea Surface Temperature (GHRSST) and the creation of high-resolution SST datasets for resolving air–sea interactions, specifically in areas of strong SST gradients.
The Vertical Structure of Eddy Heat Transport Simulated by an Eddy-Resolving OGCM
Authors: Yim Bo Young , Noh Yign , Qiu Bo , You Sung Hyup , Yoon Jong Hwan
Published: October 2009

The vertical structure of meridional eddy heat transport (EHT) of the North Pacific was investigated by analyzing the results from an eddy-resolving ocean general circulation model (OGCM) with a horizontal resolution of , while comparing with previous simulation results and observation data. In particular, the spatial and temporal variation of the effective depth of EHT He was investigated, which is defined by the depth integrated EHT (D-EHT) divided by EHT at the surface. It was found that the annual mean value of He is proportional to the eddy kinetic energy (EKE) level at the surface in general. However, its seasonal variation is controlled by the mixed layer depth (MLD) in the extratropical ocean (>20°N). Examination of the simulated eddy structures reveals that the temperature associated with mesoscale eddies is radically modified by the surface forcing in the mixed layer, while the velocity field is not, and the consequent enhanced misalignment of temperature and velocity anomalies leads to the radical change of EHT across the seasonal thermocline.
Revisiting the 3–4 April 1974 Super Outbreak of Tornadoes
Authors: Corfidi Stephen F. , Weiss Steven J. , Kain John S. , Corfidi Sarah J. , Rabin Robert M. , Levit Jason J.
Published: October 2009

The Super Outbreak of tornadoes over the central and eastern United States on 3–4 April 1974 remains the most outstanding severe convective weather episode on record in the continental United States. The outbreak far surpassed previous and succeeding events in severity, longevity, and extent. In this paper, surface, upper-air, radar, and satellite data are used to provide an updated synoptic and subsynoptic overview of the event. Emphasis is placed on identifying the major factors that contributed to the development of the three main convective bands associated with the outbreak, and on identifying the conditions that may have contributed to the outstanding number of intense and long-lasting tornadoes. Selected output from a 29-km, 50-layer version of the Eta forecast model, a version similar to that available operationally in the mid-1990s, also is presented to help depict the evolution of thermodynamic stability during the event.
Snow-to-Liquid Ratio Variability and Prediction at a High-Elevation Site in Utah’s Wasatch Mountains
Authors: Alcott Trevor I. , Steenburgh W. James
Published: October 2009

Contemporary snowfall forecasting is a three-step process involving a quantitative precipitation forecast (QPF), determination of precipitation type, and application of a snow-to-liquid ratio (SLR). The final step is often performed using climatology or algorithms based primarily on temperature. Based on a record of consistent and professional daily snowfall measurements, this study 1) presents general characteristics of SLR at Alta, Utah, a high-elevation site in interior North America with frequent winter storms; 2) diagnoses relationships between SLR and atmospheric conditions using reanalysis data; and 3) develops a statistical method for predicting SLR at the study location.

The mean SLR at Alta is similar to that observed at lower elevations in the surrounding region, with substantial variability throughout the winter season. Using data from the North American Regional Reanalysis, temperature, wind speed, and midlevel relative humidity are shown to be related to SLR, with the strongest correlation occurring between SLR and near-crest-level (650 hPa) temperature. A stepwise multiple linear regression (SMLR) equation is constructed that explains 68% of the SLR variance for all events, and 88% for a high snow-water equivalent (>25 mm) subset. To test predictive ability, the straightforward SMLR approach is applied to archived 12–36-h forecasts from the National Centers for Environmental Prediction Eta/North American Mesoscale (Eta/NAM) model, yielding an improvement over existing operational SLR prediction techniques. Errors in QPF over complex terrain, however, ultimately limit skill in forecasting snowfall amount.
Locals’ Attitudes toward Mass and Alternative Tourism: The Case of Sunshine Coast, Australia
Authors: Gursoy Dogan , Chi Christina G. , Dyer Pam
Published: October 2009

This study examines local residents’ attitudes toward two different types of tourism development, mass tourism and alternative tourism, using data collected from residents of Sunshine Coast, Australia. The study findings reveal that host community support is affected directly and/or indirectly by the level of community concern, community attachment, ecocentric values, use of the tourism resource base, state of the local economy, and the perceived impacts of tourism development. Findings suggested that even though some of the factors influence attitudes toward both mass and alternative tourism, attitudes toward each form of development is likely to be formed based on the perceptions of different factors.
Effects of Duloxetine on the Pharmacodynamics and Pharmacokinetics of Warfarin at Steady State in Healthy Subjects
Authors: Chappell Jill , He Jingsong , Knadler Mary Pat , Mitchell Malcolm , Lee Douglas , Lobo Evelyn
Published: October 2009

This study evaluated the pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of once‐daily dosing of warfarin at steady state when taken concomitantly with once‐daily doses of duloxetine. Healthy subjects with a stable international normalized ratio (INR) of 1.5 to 2.0 on an individualized fixed dose of warfarin (2–9 mg) in period 1 received daily warfarin and duloxetine (60 mg for 14 days [n = 15] or 60 mg for 4 days, then 120 mg for 10 days [n = 15]) in period 2. Across the 14‐day period when warfarin was coadministered with duloxetine, the least squares mean INR changes from baseline (warfarin alone) ranged from −0.05 to +0.07, and the 90% confidence intervals ranged from −0.12 to +0.14. Following coadministration of warfarin with 60 mg duloxetine, but not with 120 mg duloxetine, there was a statistically significant prolongation in bleeding time compared to warfarin alone. For both R‐ and S‐warfarin, the 90% confidence interval for the geometric mean ratios of area under the curve (AUCτ,ss) and maximum plasma concentrations (Cmax, ss) between warfarin administered alone and with 60 or 120 mg duloxetine were contained within the bioequivalence limits of 0.8 to 1.25. In conclusion, duloxetine had no clinically or statistically significant effect on the pharmacodynamics or pharmacokinetics of warfarin at steady state.
Thermal behaviour model identification for an office space using BMS data
Authors: Mustafaraj G. , Chen J. , Lowry G.
Published: October 2009

In this study, linear Box—Jenkins, output-error and non-linear neural network autoregressive NARX models are investigated to predict the thermal behaviour of an office positioned in a modern commercial building. External and internal climate data recorded over a summer season were used to build and validate models. The paper exploits the potential of using linear and non-linear models to predict room temperature at different time scale ahead (5 min or 4 h ahead). The prediction performance is evaluated using the criteria of goodness of fit, errors and mean-squared error between predicted model output and real measurements. The results demonstrate that all models provide reasonably good predictions but non-linear models outperform linear models.

Practical application: Prediction of room temperature by black-box linear and non-linear models obtained can be utilised in the building temperature control strategy. When there is any change in the building thermal behaviour (e.g. more equipments added or office equipment re-arranged), the performance of traditional non-adaptive building temperature proportional—integral (PI) or proportional—integral—derivative (PID) controls will deteriorate. The models based on immediate past records and actual behaviour can be adapted to any changed. The PI and PID controller with such models integrated are adaptable to any changes and hence maintain performance. The modelling techniques studied in here are not restricted to office building temperature prediction and control problems; they can be extended to other types of buildings such as hospitals, supermarkets, airports and schools.
An urban drought-prevention model using raft foundation and urban reservoir
Authors: Cheng CL , Liu YC , Ting CW
Published: October 2009

The main purpose of this research is to develop a practical operation model for water conservation, in responding to the challenges of climate change, to propose a solution for urban drought period. This paper presents an urban drought-prevention model with allocation to prevent-drought using abundant idle raft foundation of existing buildings and the information of urban reservoir implemented by linear programming. The proposed model is developed to provide substantial demand for residential water utilisation during a period of urban drought. This operation model is of adaptable system underpinned by sustainable water management principles. The simulation and validation assumed that the water used is the rainwater and just to flush the toilets. According to the results of this research, the proposed model has been proven to be practicable and feasible for urban drought-prevention solution.

Practical implications: This research illustrates the important contribution of abundant idle capacity in existing building raft foundations. This paper also shows the sustainable water management technologies and the solution for the designer, which has the opportunity to implement and adapt to the best benefit for water conservation and sustainability.
Treatment of massive pulmonary embolism utilizing a multidisciplinary approach: a case study
Authors: Griffith Kevin E. , Jenkins Eric , Haft Jonathan
Published: October 2009

Massive pulmonary embolism (PE) is associated, historically, with a high mortality rate.Treatment options include systemic anticoagulation, catheter-directed thrombolytic therapy, surgical embolectomy, fragmentation techniques, and catheter embolectomy. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) repeatedly has demonstrated effectiveness in providing cardiopulmonary support for the patient with a massive PE too unstable to undergo thrombolysis or embolectomy. The present case study describes a morbidly obese patient, status post gastric bypass surgery, who presented with PE, and acute respiratory and cardiac failure. A description of the patient’s management plan, which includes a simple, rapidly deployed ECMO system (Levitronix® CentriMag® and Jostra Quadrox D), systemic- and catheter-directed thrombolytic therapy and rheolytic thrombectomy (AngioJet® Series 3000, Possis Medical, Minneapolis, MN).
Sociopolitical Foundations of Food Safety Regulation and the Governance of Global Agrifood Systems
Authors: Charlebois Sylvain , Labrecque JoAnne
Published: October 2009

The discovery of the first domestically originating North American bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) case dominated discussions concerning the marketing development prospects of an entire industry. By considering the industry as a political economy, the concept of the task environment paradigm, as recognized in marketing literature, is integrated with the political economy framework. Marketing activities in the cattle industry pervade the framework presented in this article. Dimensions of environmental uncertainty are also presented. Personal testimony from beef producers is considered to add a human element to the theoretical discussion. Furthermore, this article provides an empirical perspective on the means by which sudden effects from the macroenvironment of a marketing channel create uncertainty, which is intensified in today’s increasingly complex and turbulent agrifood markets.
The Future is Now
Authors: Kirby David
Published: October 2009

Scholarship in the history and sociology of technology has convincingly demonstrated that technological development is not inevitable, pre-destined or linear. In this paper I show how the creators of popular films including science consultants construct cinematic representations of technological possibilities as a means by which to overcome these obstacles and stimulate a desire in audiences to see potential technologies become realities. This paper focuses specifically on the production process in order to show how entertainment producers construct cinematic scenarios with an eye towards generating real-world funding opportunities and the ability to construct real-life prototypes. I introduce the term ‘diegetic prototypes’ to account for the ways in which cinematic depictions of future technologies demonstrate to large public audiences a technology’s need, viability and benevolence. Entertainment producers create diegetic prototypes by influencing dialogue, plot rationalizations, character interactions and narrative structure. These technologies only exist in the fictional world — what film scholars call the diegesis — but they exist as fully functioning objects in that world. The essay builds upon previous work on the notion of prototypes as ‘performative artefacts’. The performative aspects of prototypes are especially evident in diegetic prototypes because a film’s narrative structure contextualizes technologies within the social sphere. Technological objects in cinema are at once both completely artificial — all aspects of their depiction are controlled in production — and normalized within the text as practical objects that function properly and which people actually use as everyday objects.
Prison Inmates’ Suicidal Ideation in China: A Study of Gender Differences and Their Impact
Authors: Jie Zhang  , Bin Liang  , Yong Zhou  , Brame Wendy
Published: October 2009

Suicide is one of the leading causes of inmate death, and many studies have explored suicidal risks among inmates in Western countries. Such studies, however, have been extremely rare in China. Because of China’s unique cultural and social conditions, suicide displays many distinctive features and one of them is the greater percentage of women (than men) who commit suicide. With data collected from three adult prisons in China, this study tests gender differences on prison inmates’ suicidal risk factors and explores the correlation of gender’s impact with other factors. Findings show that male and female inmates present distinctive patterns of suicidal ideation, although gender fails to exert a significant direct impact on the outcome. The results call for different approaches and treatments toward both gender groups for suicide prevention in Chinese correctional facilities.