bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Portable XRF and wet materials: application to dredged contaminated sediments from waterways
Authors: Lemiere Bruno , Laperche Valerie , Haouche Laurence , Auger Pascal 
Published: February 2014

The sustainable management of dredged waterway sediments requires on-site determination of the main pollutants to facilitate their safe reuse or treatment. Portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) is commonly used for similar applications with contaminated soil, but the high water content of dredged sediments precludes any application of standard methods. Measurements for Pb, Zn, Cu and As were performed on-site on raw wet sediments with 50 to 70 % water contents during dredging or mapping operations. These results, although two or three times lower than laboratory analyses on the same samples, were found to be related to absolute concentrations closely enough to rank samples. In order to investigate further the feasibility of field analyses on wet sediments, partial dehydration methods were tested. The most efficient technique is based on a hand press. It is simple and quick enough to be used on dredging boats during operations and produces sample pellets with 30 to 50 % water contents. The relationship between pXRF measurements on these pellets and laboratory analyses was found to be sufficiently linear to calculate estimated concentrations. Potential differences were found to be less than 20 % for Pb and Zn. Higher differences for Cu were due to very low concentrations, within twice the limit of detection (LOD). Some limitations were observed. The water content in pellets is variable depending on the sediment type or matrix. The correction factors vary between the measured elements and they may also vary with matrix chemistry. However, Pb-Zn-Cu-As concentrations were ranked and evaluated accurately and the geochemical signatures of the samples were preserved.
We demonstrated that, with a simple partial dehydration procedure, pXRF measurements can be reliably related closely enough to absolute concentrations to make field decisions for sediment management. Since the approximately linear relationships between measurements on semi-wet samples and laboratory analyses are matrix- and site-dependent, they must be recognised before using pXRF on wet samples for decision-making.
The predictive value of markers of fibrinolysis and endothelial dysfunction in the post thrombotic syndrome
Authors: Rabinovich Anat , Cohen Jacqueline M. , Kahn Susan R. 
Published: February 2014

SummaryThe post thrombotic syndrome (PTS) develops in 20–40% of deep venous thrombosis (DVT) patients. Risk factors for PTS have not been well elucidated. Identification of risk factors would facilitate individualised risk assessment for PTS. We conducted a systematic review to determine whether biomarkers of fibrinolysis or endothelial dysfunction can predict the risk for PTS among DVT patients. Studies were identified by searching the electronic databases PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus and Web of science. We included studies published between 1990 and 2013, measured biomarker levels in adult DVT patients, and reported rates of PTS development. Fourteen studies were included: 11 investigated the association between D-dimer and PTS; three examined fibrinogen; two measured von Willebrand factor; one measured plasminogen activator inhibitor-1; one assessed ADAMTS-13 (A Disintegrin and Metalloprotease with Thrombospondin type 1 repeats) and one measured factor XIII activity. Studies varied with regards to inclusion criteria, definition of PTS, time point and method of biomarker measurement. We were unable to meta-analyse results due to marked clinical heterogeneity. Descriptively, a significant association with PTS was found for D-dimer in four studies and factor XIII in one study. Further prospective research is needed to elucidate whether these markers might be useful to predict PTS development.
Patterns of Statin Initiation, Intensification, and Maximization Among Patients Hospitalized With an Acute Myocardial Infarction
Authors: Arnold Suzanne V. , Kosiborod Mikhail , Tang Fengming , Zhao Zhenxiang , Maddox Thomas M. , McCollam Patrick L. , Birt Julie , Spertus John A. 
Published: February 2014

Background—
Intensive statins are superior to moderate statins in reducing morbidity and mortality after an acute myocardial infarction. Although studies have documented rates of statin prescription as a quality performance measure, variations in hospitals’ rates of initiating, intensifying, and maximizing statin therapy after acute myocardial infarction are unknown.

Methods and Results—
We assessed statin use at admission and discharge among 4340 acute myocardial infarction patients from 24 US hospitals (2005–2008). Hierarchical models estimated site variation in statin initiation in naïve patients, intensification in those undergoing submaximal therapy, and discharge on maximal therapy (defined as a statin with expected low-density lipoprotein cholesterol lowering ≥50%) after adjustment for patient factors, including low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level. Site variation was explored with a median rate ratio, which estimates the relative difference in risk ratios of 2 hypothetically identical patients at 2 different hospitals. Among statin-naïve patients, 87% without a contraindication were prescribed a statin, with no variability across sites (median rate ratio, 1.02). Among patients who arrived on submaximal statins, 26% had their statin therapy intensified, with modest site variability (median rate ratio, 1.47). Among all patients without a contraindication, 23% were discharged on maximal statin therapy, with substantial hospital variability (median rate ratio, 2.79).

Conclusions—
In a large, multicenter acute myocardial infarction cohort, statin therapy was begun in nearly 90% of patients during hospitalization, with no variability across sites; however, rates of statin intensification and maximization were low and varied substantially across hospitals. Given that more intense statin therapy is associated with better outcomes, changing the existing performance measures to include the intensity of statin therapy may improve care.
Structural Damage and Functional Reorganization in Ipsilesional M1 in Well-Recovered Patients With Subcortical Stroke
Authors: Zhang Jing , Meng Liangliang , Qin Wen , Liu Ningning , Shi Fu-Dong , Yu Chunshui 
Published: February 2014

Background and Purpose—
Both structural atrophy and functional reorganization of the primary motor cortex (M1) have been reported in patients with subcortical infarctions affecting the motor pathway. However, the relationship between structural impairment and functional reorganization in M1 remains unclear.

Methods—
Twenty-six patients exhibiting significant recovery after subcortical infarctions were investigated using multimodal MRI techniques. Structural impairment was assessed via cortical thickness, and functional reorganization was analyzed using task-evoked activation, amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation, and resting-state functional connectivity.

Results—
Compared with healthy controls, patients with stroke exhibited reduced cortical thickness in the ipsilesional M1; however, this region exhibited increased task-evoked activation, amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation, and resting-state functional connectivity in these patients. Patients with stroke demonstrated increased task-evoked activation in another ipsilesional M1 region, in which increased amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation and resting-state functional connectivity were observed. The structural and functional changes in M1 were located selectively in the ipsilesional hemisphere.

Conclusions—
We provide convincing evidence that indicates extensive functional reorganization in the ipsilesional M1 of patients with chronic subcortical infarctions, including the structurally impaired M1 region.
Ground-Based Remote Sensing of the ABL Structure in Moscow and Its Use to Estimate Pollutant Surface Emission Rates
Authors: Kramar Valery F. , Baykova Evgeniya , Kallistratova Margarita , Kouznetsov Rostislav , Kulichkov Sergei 
Published: February 2014

AbstractCurrently used methods to estimate surface pollutant emissions require a set of specific air-sampling surveys. Data from a network of ground-based sodars and a network of air-quality stations in Moscow, Russia, are used to estimate the emission rates of carbon monoxide (CO) and nitric oxide (NO). The sodar network, consisting of three “LATAN-3” Doppler sodars and three “MTP-5” microwave temperature profilers, is used to measure the vertical profiles of vertical and horizontal wind velocity, wind direction, and temperature, which are used to determine the average mixing-layer height. The network of ground-based air-quality stations, consisting of 17 automated stations distributed uniformly across Moscow, continuously measured the CO and NO concentrations. This study focuses on an anticyclonic episode of high surface pressure over Moscow during 30 July–1 August 2012. After sunrise, the solar-induced convection effectively moderated the pollutant levels in the lowest 100–200 m. After sunset, convective mixing stopped and the wind weakened, which allowed CO and NO to reach hazardous levels. With an assumption of an average mixing-layer height of 150 m, the resulting estimate of surface emission of CO is ~6 μg m−2 s−1, whereas that for NO is ~0.6 μg m−2 s−1.
An Eigenfrequency Analysis of Mixed Rossby–Gravity Waves on Barotropic Vortices
Authors: Zhong Wei , Zhang Da-Lin 
Published: February 2014

Abstract
In this study, the linearized, f-plane, shallow-water equations are discretized into a matrix eigenvalue problem to examine the full spectrum of free waves on barotropic (monopolar and hollow) vortices. A typical wave spectrum for weak vortices shows a continuous range between zero and an advective frequency associated with vortex Rossby waves (VRWs) and two discrete ranges at both sides associated with inertio-gravity waves (IGWs). However, when the vortex intensity reaches a critical value, higher-frequency waves will be “red shifted” into the continuous spectrum, while low-frequency waves will be “violet shifted” into the discrete spectrum, leading to the emergence of mixed vortex Rossby–inertio-gravity waves (VRIGWs).
Results show significant (little) radial wavelike structures of perturbation variables for IGWs (VRWs) with greater (much smaller) divergence than vorticity and the hybrid IGW–VRW radial structures with equal amplitudes of vorticity and divergence for mixed VRIGWs. In addition, VRWs only occur within a critical radius at which the perturbation azimuthal velocity is discontinuous. As the azimuthal wavenumber increases, lower-frequency waves tend to exhibit more mixed-wave characteristics, whereas higher-frequency waves will be more of the IGW type. Two-dimensional wave solutions show rapid outward energy dispersion of IGWs and slower dispersion of VRWs and mixed VRIGWs in the core region. These solutions are shown to resemble the previous analytical solutions, except for certain structural differences caused by the critical radius. It is concluded that mixed VRIGWs should be common in the eyewall and spiral rainbands of intense tropical cyclones. Some different wave behaviors associated with the monopolar and hollow vortices are also discussed.
Subseasonal Atmospheric Variability and El Niño Waveguide Warming: Observed Effects of the Madden–Julian Oscillation and Westerly Wind Events*
Authors: Chiodi Andrew M. , Harrison D. E. , Vecchi Gabriel A. 
Published: February 2014

AbstractWesterly wind events (WWEs) have previously been shown to initiate equatorial Pacific waveguide warming. The relationship between WWEs and Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO) activity, as well as the role of MJO events in initiating waveguide warming, is reconsidered here over the 1986–2010 period. WWEs are identified in observations of near-surface zonal winds using an objective scheme. MJO events are defined using a widely used index, and 64 are identified that occur when the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is in its neutral state. Of these MJO events, 43 have one or more embedded WWEs and 21 do not. The evolution of sea surface temperature anomaly over the equatorial Pacific waveguide following the westerly surface wind phase of the MJO over the western equatorial Pacific is examined. Waveguide warming is found for the MJO with WWE events in similar magnitudes as following the WWEs not embedded in an MJO. There is very little statistically significant waveguide warming following MJO events that do not contain an embedded WWE. The observed SST anomaly changes are well reproduced in an ocean general circulation model forced with the respective composite wind stress anomalies. Further, it is found that the occurrence of an MJO event does not significantly affect the likelihood that a WWE will occur. These results extend and confirm the earlier results of Vecchi with a near doubling of the period of study. It is suggested that understanding the sources and predictability of tropical Pacific westerly wind events remains essential to improving predictions of the onset of El Niño events.
Airborne Rain-Rate Measurement with a Wide-Swath Radar Altimeter
Authors: Walsh Edward J. , PopStefanija Ivan , Matrosov Sergey Y. , Zhang Jian , Uhlhorn Eric , Klotz Brad 
Published: February 2014

Abstract
The NOAA Wide-Swath Radar Altimeter (WSRA) uses 80 narrow beams spread over ±30° in the cross-track direction to generate raster lines of sea surface topography at a 10-Hz rate from which sea surface directional wave spectra are produced. A ±14° subset of the backscattered power data associated with the topography measurements is used to produce independent measurements of rain rate and sea surface mean square slope at 10-s intervals. Theoretical calculations of rain attenuation at the WSRA 16.15-GHz operating frequency using measured drop size distributions for both mostly convective and mostly stratiform rainfall demonstrate that the WSRA absorption technique for rain determination is relatively insensitive to both ambient temperature and the characteristics of the drop size distribution, in contrast to reflectivity techniques. The variation of the sea surface radar reflectivity in the vicinity of a hurricane is reviewed. Fluctuations in the sea surface scattering characteristics caused by changes in wind speed or the rain impinging on the surface cannot contaminate the rain measurement because they are calibrated out using the WSRA measurement of mean square slope. WSRA rain measurements from a NOAA WP-3D hurricane research aircraft off the North Carolina coast in Hurricane Irene on 26 August 2011 are compared with those from the stepped frequency microwave radiometer (SFMR) on the aircraft and the Next Generation Weather Radar (NEXRAD) National Mosaic and Multi-Sensor Quantitative Precipitation Estimation (QPE) system.
Evaluation of Medium-Range Forecasts for Hurricane Sandy
Authors: Magnusson Linus , Bidlot Jean-Raymond , Lang Simon T. K. , Thorpe Alan , Wedi Nils , Yamaguchi Munehiko 
Published: February 2014

Abstract
On 30 October 2012 Hurricane Sandy made landfall on the U.S. East Coast with a devastating impact. Here the performance of the ECMWF forecasts (both high resolution and ensemble) are evaluated together with ensemble forecasts from other numerical weather prediction centers, available from The Observing System Research and Predictability Experiment (THORPEX) Interactive Grand Global Ensemble (TIGGE) archive. The sensitivity to sea surface temperature (SST) and model resolution for the ECMWF forecasts are explored. The results show that the ECMWF forecasts provided a clear indication of the landfall from 7 days in advance. Comparing ensemble forecasts from different centers, the authors find the ensemble forecasts from ECMWF to be the most consistent in the forecast of the landfall of Sandy on the New Jersey coastline. The impact of the warm SST anomaly off the U.S. East Coast is investigated by running sensitivity experiments with climatological SST instead of persisting the SST anomaly from the analysis. The results show that the SST anomaly had a small effect on Sandy’s track in the forecast, but the forecasts initialized with the warm SST anomaly feature a more intense system in terms of the depth of the cyclone, wind speeds, and precipitation. Furthermore, the role of spatial resolution is investigated by comparing four global simulations, spanning from TL159 (150 km) to TL3999 (5 km) horizontal resolution. Forecasts from 3 and 5 days before the landfall are evaluated. While all resolutions predict Sandy’s landfall, at very high resolution the tropical cyclone intensity and the oceanic wave forecasts are greatly improved.
Lactulose-Mannitol Intestinal Permeability Test: A Useful Screening Test for Adult Coeliac Disease
Authors: Johnston Simon D , Smye Michael , Watson R G Peter , McMillan Stanley A , Trimble Elisabeth R , Love A H Gary 
Published: February 2014

The aim of this study was to determine the value of the lactulose-mannitol intestinal permeability test in screening the general adult population for unrecognized enteropathy and latent coeliac disease. Subjects with positive serology (identified by screening carried out by the Belfast MONICA Project) along with controls were followed-up after 3 years and classified as having transient serology, persistent serology or coeliac disease. A 5-h urine collection was performed following the ingestion of 5 g lactulose, 2 g mannitol and glucose as an osmotic filler. Urinary concentrations of lactulose and mannitol were measured by enzymatic analysis. Percentage lactulose excretion (%LE) (0·94 versus 0·31, P < 0·001) and lactulose-mannitol excretion ratio (LMER) (0·12 versus 0·02, P < 0·001) were significantly higher in screening-detected coeliac disease subjects compared with MONICA controls. The sensitivity of the permeability test was 87% in the screening situation compared with 81% in the clinical situation. In subjects with persistent and transient serology the LMER did not differ significantly from that of controls. The lactulose-mannitol test is a useful test for screening the general adult population for coeliac disease. Subjects with persistent and transient serology did not differ from MONICA controls and are unlikely to have latent coeliac disease.
Serum Apolipoprotein H and its Relationship to Blood Pressure, Serum Lipids, Fasting Plasma Glucose and Insulin in Normal Individuals
Authors: Crook M , Ch'ng S I , Lumb P , Reid F 
Published: February 2014

Apolipoprotein H (apo H), also known as β2-glycoprotein I, has recently become of interest in the field of haemostasis. As apo H is elevated in diabetes mellitus and dyslipidaemia, we wished to test the hypothesis that serum apo H concentration was related to fasting plasma glucose and insulin as well as blood pressure, body mass index, hip/waist ratio and serum lipids in normal individuals. Eighty-one healthy young individuals (46 females and 35 males) were studied. Their age was 20·7 ± 0·75 years. Serum apo H significantly correlated with fasting plasma glucose ( r=0·24, P=0·03) and serum LDL cholesterol ( r=0·30, P=0·006). In the females serum apo H significantly correlated with serum cholesterol concentration ( r=0·30, P=0·04) and in males with serum HDL cholesterol concentration ( r=0·35, P=0·04). In multifactorial regression analysis for serum apo H and the other variables for the 81 subjects, only gender and fasting plasma glucose remained statistically significant in the model. Serum apo H concentrations would be expected to increase by 21.7mg/L for each single mmol/L increase in fasting plasma glucose (95% CI 2·3–41·2), P=0·029, and to increase by 17·0mg/L if the gender is male (95% CI 0·7–33·2), P=0·041.
Phaeochromocytoma with Normal Urinary Catecholamines: The Potential Value of Urinary Free Metadrenalines
Authors: Davidson D Fraser 
Published: February 2014

Background Normal urine catecholamine values in patients with phaeochromocytoma is an occasional finding and may lead to a missed diagnosis. Additional urinary free metadrenaline analysis may be of value in this situation. Methods In addition to vanillylmandelic acid, homovanillic acid and the catecholamines, urinary free normetadrenaline (fNMA) and free metadrenaline (fMA) were measured. This report describes six confirmed cases of phaeochromocytoma showing normal urinary catecholamine output and compares fMA results and tumour size with other confirmed cases where the urine catecholamines were increased. Results Urine catecholamines in these patients with, on average, smaller tumours, were all normal. Urinary fNMA and fMA were available on five patients, and were increased in three. The data suggest that, unlike the catecholamines, urinary fNMA and fMA could be a useful predictor of tumour size. Conclusion The inclusion of fNMA and fMA in the test profile is likely to be of additional benefit in tumour detection, particulariy when catecholamines or other metabolites are normal.
Influence of Glucuronosyl Bilirubin and (EZ)-Cyclobilirubin on Determination of Serum Unbound Bilirubin by UB-Analyser
Authors: Itoh Susumu , Kawada Kou , Kusaka Takashi , Yasuda Saneyuki , Okada Hitoshi , Imai Tadashi , Isobe Kenichi 
Published: February 2014

Background In the enzyme reaction for the determination of the unbound (free) bilirubin concentration by glucose oxidase and peroxidase, materials with low affinity for serum protein are reactive. The influence of these materials on the determination of serum unbound bilirubin was investigated. Methods Serum samples from patients with neonatal hyperbilirubinaemia were analysed by high-performance liquid chromatography for total glucuronosyl bilirubin concentration (TGC) and (E2)-cyclobilirubin concentration [(EZ)-C]. Based on these measurements, the samples were classified into three groups: group I [13 samples, TGC < 2 μmol/L and (EZ)-C < 2·5 μmol/L]; group II [four samples, TGC < 2 μmol/L and (EZ)-C ≥ 2·5 μmol/L]; and group III (five samples, TGC ≥ 2 μmol/L). The concentrations of total bilirubin and unbound bilirubin were measured in these same samples with a UB-analyser. When the absorbance at 460 nm was monitored, the decrease in absorbance was non-linear (concave curve). The degree of concavity was estimated (D15 value) as the deviation from linearity at 15 s. Results The D15 value was significantly higher in groups II and III than in group I. D15 value correlated significantly with TGC, (EZ)-C and unbound bilirubin concentration, and the unbound bilirubin concentration correlated significantly with TGC and (EZ)-C. Conclusion These results indicated that determination of serum unbound bilirubin concentration using the UB-analyser could be positively skewed by high concentrations of TGC and (EZ)-C.
An Improved Quantitative Assay of Glycogen in Erythrocytes
Authors: Miwa Ichitomo , Suzuki Sakiko 
Published: February 2014

Background Current methods for the quantitative determination of glycogen in erythrocytes are unsatisfactory. Methods Erythrocytes were deproteinized with perchloric acid either after haemolysing by freezing and thawing twice or without freezing and thawing, and the glycogen content was determined by an enzymatic method. Results Freezing and thawing resulted in a significantly higher glycogen content, and the recovery of added glycogen using this method was nearly 100%. The mean erythrocyte glycogen content in healthy volunteers ( n=17) was 69·5 μg/g haemoglobin, a value much higher than the previously reported values in healthy subjects. Conclusion Freezing and thawing improves the assay of erythrocyte glycogen.