bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Observed Characteristics of the Afternoon–Evening Boundary Layer Transition Based on Sodar and Surface Data
Authors: Busse Jessica , Knupp Kevin 
Published: December 2011

AbstractThe early-evening boundary layer transition has been defined in the past using a variety of criteria, the most popular of which is the onset of a negative surface heat flux. According to this definition, the transition is an almost-instantaneous event that occurs when the positive daytime heat flux switches to the negative nighttime heat flux. This definition is simplistic, however, because the stable boundary layer does not form instantaneously over a deep layer. Other factors are involved, and many changes occur aloft during the transition period that this definition does not account for—for example, a more gradual reduction in turbulence and an increase in wind speed. The combined use of sodar data, as well as 915-MHz wind profiler, surface temperature, dewpoint, and wind data, provides a more-comprehensive definition of the early-evening boundary layer transition. Sodar backscatter is sensitive to temperature fluctuations, and therefore as the heat flux decreases, the sodar return power exhibits changes from a time-varying convective structure to a more-stratified and steady structure. A relative minimum in intensity and height of the sodar backscatter is one indication that the transition is occurring. As the boundary layer evolves from the unstable convective afternoon conditions to the more stable nocturnal conditions, the finescale temporal variations in many parameters, including temperature, the 10–2-m temperature difference, dewpoint, and wind speed, decrease. There is often a distinct steplike shape in the temperature/wind decrease or dewpoint increase within 30 min of the sodar minimum. In this paper, an analysis of sodar and surface data is presented for low-wind cases to demonstrate the efficacy of this combined sensor technique, and to illustrate the average physical characteristics of the transition period for 21 cases during the summer months (June–August) and 9 cases during the autumn months (November–December) in Huntsville, Alabama.
Zonostrophic Instability
Authors: Srinivasan Kaushik , Young W. R. 
Published: December 2011

Abstract
Zonostrophic instability leads to the spontaneous emergence of zonal jets on a β plane from a jetless basic-state flow that is damped by bottom drag and driven by a random body force. Decomposing the barotropic vorticity equation into the zonal mean and eddy equations, and neglecting the eddy–eddy interactions, defines the quasilinear (QL) system. Numerical solution of the QL system shows zonal jets with length scales comparable to jets obtained by solving the nonlinear (NL) system.
Starting with the QL system, one can construct a deterministic equation for the evolution of the two-point single-time correlation function of the vorticity, from which one can obtain the Reynolds stress that drives the zonal mean flow. This deterministic system has an exact nonlinear solution, which is an isotropic and homogenous eddy field with no jets. The authors characterize the linear stability of this jetless solution by calculating the critical stability curve in the parameter space and successfully comparing this analytic result with numerical solutions of the QL system. But the critical drag required for the onset of NL zonostrophic instability is sometimes a factor of 6 smaller than that for QL zonostrophic instability.
Near the critical stability curve, the jet scale predicted by linear stability theory agrees with that obtained via QL numerics. But on reducing the drag, the emerging QL jets agree with the linear stability prediction at only short times. Subsequently jets merge with their neighbors until the flow matures into a state with jets that are significantly broader than the linear prediction but have spacing similar to NL jets.
Mesoscale Structural Evolution of Three Tropical Weather Systems Observed during PREDICT
Authors: Davis Christopher A. , Ahijevych David A. 
Published: December 2011

Abstract
Three well-observed Atlantic tropical weather systems that occurred during the 2010 hurricane season are analyzed. One case was former Tropical Storm Gaston that failed to redevelop into a tropical cyclone; the other two cases were developing storms Karl and Matthew. Geostationary satellite, multisensor-derived precipitation, and dropsondes from the National Science Foundation (NSF)–NCAR Gulfstream V (GV), NASA DC-8, and the NOAA Gulfstream IV (G-IV) and WP-3D Orion (P-3) aircraft are analyzed in a system-following frame to quantify the mesoscale dynamics of these systems.
Gaston featured extensive dry air surrounding an initially moist core. Vertical shear forced a misalignment of midtropospheric and lower-tropospheric circulation centers. This misalignment allowed dry air to intrude above the lower-tropospheric center and severely limited the area influenced by deep moist convection, thus providing little chance of maintaining or rebuilding the vortex in sheared flow. By contrast, Karl and Matthew developed in a moister environment overall, with moisture increasing with time in the middle and upper troposphere. Deep moist convection was quasi-diurnal prior to genesis. For Karl, deep convection was initially organized away from the lower-tropospheric circulation center, creating a misalignment of the vortex. The vortex gradually realigned over several days and genesis followed this realignment within roughly one day. Matthew experienced weaker shear, was vertically aligned through most of its early evolution, and developed more rapidly than Karl. The evolutions of the three cases are interpreted in the context of recent theories of tropical cyclone formation.
Water-Use Efficiency of the Terrestrial Biosphere: A Model Analysis Focusing on Interactions between the Global Carbon and Water Cycles
Authors: Ito Akihiko , Inatomi Motoko 
Published: December 2011

AbstractCarbon and water cycles are intimately coupled in terrestrial ecosystems, and water-use efficiency (WUE; carbon gain at the expense of unit water loss) is one of the key parameters of ecohydrology and ecosystem management. In this study, the carbon cycle and water budget of terrestrial ecosystems were simulated using a process-based ecosystem model called Vegetation Integrative Simulator for Trace Gases (VISIT), and WUE was evaluated: WUEC, defined as gross primary production (GPP) divided by transpiration; and WUES, defined as net primary production (NPP) divided by actual evapotranspiration. Total annual WUEC and WUES of the terrestrial biosphere were estimated as 8.0 and 0.92 g C kg−1 H2O, respectively, for the period 1995–2004. Spatially, WUEC and WUES were only weakly correlated. WUES ranged from &lt;0.2 g C kg−1 H2O in arid ecosystems to &gt;1.5 g C kg−1 H2O in boreal and alpine ecosystems. The historical simulation implied that biospheric WUE increased from 1901 to 2005 (WUEC, +7%; WUES, +12%) mainly as a result of the augmentation of productivity in parallel with the atmospheric carbon dioxide increase. Country-based analyses indicated that total NPP is largely determined by water availability, and human appropriation of NPP is also related to water resources to a considerable extent. These results have implications for 1) responses of the carbon cycle to the anticipated global hydrological changes, 2) responses of the water budget to changes in the terrestrial carbon cycle, and 3) ecosystem management based on optimized resource use.
Challenges to Satellite Sensors of Ocean Winds: Addressing Precipitation Effects
Authors: Weissman D. E. , Stiles B. W. , Hristova-Veleva S. M. , Long D. G. , Smith D. K. , Hilburn K. A. , Jones W. L. 
Published: December 2011

AbstractMeasurements of global ocean surface winds made by orbiting satellite radars have provided valuable information to the oceanographic and meteorological communities since the launch of the Seasat in 1978, by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). When Quick Scatterometer (QuikSCAT) was launched in 1999, it ushered in a new era of dual-polarized, pencil-beam, higher-resolution scatterometers for measuring the global ocean surface winds from space. A constant limitation on the full utilization of scatterometer-derived winds is the presence of isolated rain events, which affect about 7% of the observations. The vector wind sensors, the Ku-band scatterometers [NASA’s SeaWinds on the QuikSCAT and Midori-II platforms and Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO’s) Ocean Satellite (Oceansat)-2], and the current C-band scatterometer [Advanced Wind Scatterometer (ASCAT), on the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT)’s Meteorological Operation (MetOp) platform] all experience rain interference, but with different characteristics. Over this past decade, broad-based research studies have sought to better understand the physics of the rain interference problem, to search for methods to bypass the problem (using rain detection, flagging, and avoidance of affected areas), and to develop techniques to improve the quality of the derived wind vectors that are adversely affected by rain. This paper reviews the state of the art in rain flagging and rain correction and describes many of these approaches, methodologies, and summarizes the results.
Application of a Mini Unmanned Aircraft System for In Situ Monitoring of Fire Plume Thermodynamic Properties
Authors: Kiefer Caroline M. , Clements Craig B. , Potter Brian E. 
Published: December 2011

Abstract
Direct measurements of wildland fire plume properties are rare because of difficult access to regions near the fire front and plume. Moisture released from combustion, in addition to added heat, can enhance buoyancy and convection, influencing fire behavior. In this study, a mini unmanned aircraft system (miniUAS) was used to obtain in situ measurements of temperature and relative humidity during a prescribed fire. The miniUAS was successfully maneuvered through the plume and its associated turbulence and provided observations of temperature and humidity profiles from near the centerline of the plume. Within the plume, the water vapor mixing ratio increased by 0.5–3.5 g kg−1 above ambient and was caused by the combustion of fuels. Potential temperature perturbations were on the order of 2–5 K. These results indicate that significant moisture and temperature enhancement can occur and may potentially modify convection dynamics of fire plumes.
Gridded Operational Consensus Forecasts of 2-m Temperature over Australia
Authors: Engel Chermelle , Ebert Elizabeth E. 
Published: December 2011

Abstract
This paper describes an extension of an operational consensus forecasting (OCF) scheme from site forecasts to gridded forecasts. OCF is a multimodel consensus scheme including bias correction and weighting. Bias correction and weighting are done on a scale common to almost all multimodel inputs (1.25°), which are then downscaled using a statistical approach to an approximately 5-km-resolution grid. Local and international numerical weather prediction model inputs are found to have coarse scale biases that respond to simple bias correction, with the weighted average consensus at 1.25° outperforming all models at that scale. Statistical downscaling is found to remove the systematic representativeness error when downscaling from 1.25° to 5 km, though it cannot resolve scale differences associated with transient small-scale weather.
Predicting Hurricane Intensity and Structure Changes Associated with Eyewall Replacement Cycles
Authors: Kossin James P. , Sitkowski Matthew 
Published: December 2011

Abstract
Eyewall replacement cycles are commonly observed in tropical cyclones and are well known to cause fluctuations in intensity and wind structure. These fluctuations are often large and rapid and pose a significant additional challenge to intensity forecasting, yet there is presently no objective operational guidance available to forecasters that targets, quantifies, and predicts these fluctuations. Here the authors introduce new statistical models that are based on a recently documented climatology of intensity and structure changes associated with eyewall replacement cycles in Atlantic Ocean hurricanes. The model input comprises environmental features and satellite-derived features that contain information on storm cloud structure. The models predict the amplitude and timing of the intensity fluctuations, as well as the fluctuations of the wind structure, and can provide real-time operational objective guidance to forecasters.
Solid particle erosion behaviour of glass mat-based polyester laminate composite materials
Authors: Bagci M , Imrek H , Aktas A 
Published: December 2011

In this study, solid particle erosion behaviour of glass fibre mat-based polyester laminate composite materials was investigated by varying the impact velocity and the impingement angle and sizes of the abrasive particles. Impact velocities used in the tests were 23, 34 and 53 m/s, while the impingement angles were 15°, 30°, 45°, 60°, 75° and 90°. Silicon dioxide particles with average diameters of 250, 500 and 1000 μm were used as abrasive particles. Experimental data were taken as reference and values of erosion rates were obtained as functions of impact velocity, impingement angle and the size of the abrasive particles. The results obtained exhibited typical ductile behaviour of glass fibre-reinforced composites, where the maximum erosion rate was recorded at an impingement angle of 30°, and the erosion rates decreased as the impingement angle increased. Moreover, the erosion rates increased with the increase in impact velocity and particle size. Finally, the worn out surfaces of the test specimens were investigated on two different devices, optical microscope and scanning electron microscope.
Arsenic, vinyl chloride, viral hepatitis, and hepatic angiosarcoma: A hospital-based study and review of literature in Taiwan
Authors: Huang Neng-Chyan , Wann Shue-Ren , Chang Hong-Tai , Lin Shoa-Lin , Wang Jyh-Seng , Guo How-Ran 
Published: December 2011

Abstract

Background
Hepatic angiosarcoma (HAS) is a rare type of liver cancer that is often fatal, and arsenic and vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) are two major causal agents. Whereas Taiwan is an endemic area of liver cancer, epidemiologic data on HAS are limited. We reviewed the cases observed at a teaching hospital to evaluate the roles of VCM, arsenic, and viral hepatitis in the occurrence of HAS.

Methods
We reviewed the medical records of patients with pathological proof of HAS from January 2000 to August 2010 at a teaching hospital which is adjacent to the major VCM processing area in Taiwan and nearby an endemic area of arsenic exposure from drinking water. We also conducted a literature review and included all patients of HAS reported in Taiwan.

Results
Six male and three female cases aged from 56 to 83 years (64.6 ± 8.2 years) were identified at the hospital. The differences in clinical features between men and women were not statistically significant. None of them had exposure to VCM or arsenic in drinking water. Two had evidence of hepatitis C infection, but none had evidence of hepatitis B infection. Five male and four female cases aged 30 to 82 years (58.6 ± 15.5 years) were identified in the literature, including two with arsenic exposure and one with chronic hepatitis B infection.

Conclusions
HAS is rare in Taiwan, and we found no evidence supporting a major role of VCM, arsenic in drinking water, or viral hepatitis in its occurrence.
Interleukin-1 beta and neurotrophin-3 synergistically promote neurite growth in vitro
Authors: Boato Francesco , Hechler Daniel , Rosenberger Karen , Lüdecke Doreen , Peters Eva M , Nitsch Robert , Hendrix Sven 
Published: December 2011

AbstractPro-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) are considered to exert detrimental effects during brain trauma and in neurodegenerative disorders. Consistently, it has been demonstrated that IL-1β suppresses neurotrophin-mediated neuronal cell survival rendering neurons vulnerable to degeneration. Since neurotrophins are also well known to strongly influence axonal plasticity, we investigated here whether IL-1β has a similar negative impact on neurite growth. We analyzed neurite density and length of organotypic brain and spinal cord slice cultures under the influence of the neurotrophins NGF, BDNF, NT-3 and NT-4. In brain slices, only NT-3 significantly promoted neurite density and length. Surprisingly, a similar increase of neurite growth was induced by IL-1β. Additionally, both factors increased the number of brain slices displaying maximal neurite growth. Furthermore, the co-administration of IL-1β and NT-3 significantly increased the number of brain slices displaying maximal neurite growth compared to single treatments. These data indicate that these two factors synergistically stimulate two distinct aspects of neurite outgrowth, namely neurite density and neurite length from acute organotypic brain slices.
Parental Smoking Cessation to Protect Young Children:A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Authors: Rosen Laura J. , Noach Michal Ben , Winickoff Jonathan P. , Hovell Mel F. 
Published: December 2011

BACKGROUND:Young children can be protected from much of the harm from tobacco smoke exposure if their parents quit smoking. Some researchers encourage parents to quit for their children's benefit, but the evidence for effectiveness of such approaches is mixed.OBJECTIVE:To perform a systematic review and meta-analysis to quantify the effects of interventions that encourage parental cessation.METHODS:We searched PubMed, the Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and PsycINFO. Controlled trials published before April 2011 that targeted smoking parents of infants or young children, encouraged parents to quit smoking for their children's benefit, and measured parental quit rates were included. Study quality was assessed. Relative risks and risk differences were calculated by using the DerSimonian and Laird random-effects model.RESULTS:Eighteen trials were included. Interventions took place in hospitals, pediatric clinical settings, well-baby clinics, and family homes. Quit rates averaged 23.1% in the intervention group and 18.4% in the control group. The interventions successfully increased the parental quit rate. Subgroups with significant intervention benefits were children aged 4 to 17 years, interventions whose primary goal was cessation, interventions that offered medications, and interventions with high follow-up rates (&gt;80%).CONCLUSIONS:Interventions to achieve cessation among parents, for the sake of the children, provide a worthwhile addition to the arsenal of cessation approaches, and can help protect vulnerable children from harm due to tobacco smoke exposure. However, most parents do not quit, and additional strategies to protect children are needed.
Quality of Early Maternal–Child Relationship and Risk of Adolescent Obesity
Authors: Anderson Sarah E. , Gooze Rachel A. , Lemeshow Stanley , Whitaker Robert C. 
Published: December 2011

Objectives:
The goal of this study was to determine whether obesity in adolescence is related to the quality of the early maternal–child relationship.

Methods:
We analyzed data from 977 of 1364 participants in the Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development. Child attachment security and maternal sensitivity were assessed by observing mother–child interaction at 15, 24, and 36 months of age. A maternal–child relationship quality score was constructed as the number of times across the 3 ages that the child was either insecurely attached or experienced low maternal sensitivity. Adolescent obesity was defined as a measured BMI ≥95th percentile at age 15 years.

Results:
Poor-quality maternal–child relationships (score: ≥3) were experienced by 24.7% of children compared with 22.0% who, at all 3 ages, were neither insecurely attached nor exposed to low maternal sensitivity (score: 0). The prevalence of adolescent obesity was 26.1%, 15.5%, 12.1%, and 13.0% for those with risk scores of ≥3, 2, 1, and 0, respectively. After adjustment for gender and birth weight, the odds (95% confidence interval) of adolescent obesity was 2.45 (1.49–4.04) times higher in those with the poorest quality early maternal–child relationships (score: ≥3) compared with those with the highest quality (score: 0). Low maternal sensitivity was more strongly associated with obesity than insecure attachment.

Conclusions:
Poor quality of the early maternal–child relationship was associated with a higher prevalence of adolescent obesity. Interventions aimed at improving the quality of maternal–child interactions should consider assessing effects on children’s weight and examining potential mechanisms involving stress response and emotion regulation.
Factors Affecting Health Care Utilization for Children in Japan
Authors: Ishida Yasushi , Ohde Sachiko , Takahashi Osamu , Deshpande Gautam A. , Shimbo Takuro , Hinohara Shigeaki , Fukui Tsuguya 
Published: December 2011

Background And Objective:
Studies on the ecology of medical care for children have been reported only from the United States. Our objective was to describe proportions of children receiving care in 6 types of health care utilization seeking behaviors in Japan on a monthly basis and to identify care characteristics.

Methods:
A population-weighted random sample from a nationally representative panel of households was used to estimate the number of health-related symptoms, over-the-counter medicine doses, and health care utilizations per 1000 Japanese children per month. Variations in terms of age, gender, socioeconomic status, and residence location were also examined.

Results:
Based on 1286 households (3477 persons including 1024 children) surveyed, on average per 1000 children, 872 had at least 1 symptom, 335 visited a physician's office, 82 a hospital-based outpatient clinic, 21 a hospital emergency department, and 2 a university-based outpatient clinic. Two were hospitalized, and 4 received professional health care in their home. Children had 2 times more physician visits and 3 times more emergency visits than adults in Japan, and Japanese children had 2.5 times more physician visits and 11 times more hospital-based outpatient clinic visits than US children. Pediatric health care utilization is influenced significantly by age but not affected by income or residence location in Japan.

Conclusions
Compared with the data from the United States, more children in Japan visit community physicians and hospital-based outpatient clinics. Results of this study would be useful for further delineation of health care utilization of children in the context of a health care system unique to Japan.