bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Survey of major complications of intercostal chest drain insertion in the UK
Authors: Harris Ann , O’Driscoll B Ronan , Turkington Peter M 
Published: February 2010

Abstract

Background
Following reports from the National Patient Safety Agency of deaths and serious harm from intercostal chest drains (ICD) we conducted a national survey among chest physicians of their experience of harm associated with ICD.

Methods
A questionnaire was sent to 198 UK chest physicians at 148 acute hospital trusts, enquiring about current practice and any adverse incidents related to chest drains from 2003 to 2008.

Results
101 of 148 trusts (68%) replied. 67 trusts reported at least one major incident involving ICD insertion. 31 Cases of ICD misplacement were reported with seven deaths. Misplaced drains were inserted in liver (10), peritoneal space (6), heart (5), spleen (5), subclavian vessels (2), colon (1), oesophagus (1) and inferior vena cava (1). 47 cases of serious lung or chest wall injuries with eight deaths and six cases of ICD placement on the wrong side with two deaths were reported. The guidewire was lost in the pleural cavity in three cases. 22 of 101 trusts required written patient consent before ICD insertion. 11 trusts had a training policy. 16 trusts had patient information literature for this procedure. The seniority of doctors permitted to insert ICDs was as follows: 30% any doctor; 27% at least 1 year post qualification; 32% at least 2 years, 11% at least 4 years.

Conclusions
67% of responding trusts had encountered major complications of ICD. The survey raised concerns about training and consent. The National Patient Safety Agency has made recommendations to address these risks which are also addressed in the 2009 update of the British Thoracic Society Pleural Disease Guideline.
Role of implantable cardioverter defibrillators in non-ischaemic dilated cardiomyopathy
Authors: Scott Paul A , Roberts Paul R 
Published: February 2010

Abstract
Patients with non-ischaemic dilated cardiomyopathy (NICM) are at significant risk of sudden cardiac death. Multiple randomised trials have shown that implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) reduce mortality in high-risk patients with NICM. However, despite this, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence specifically excluded patients with NICM from its updated guidance concerning ICD use. This lack of guidance poses clear problems for both clinicians managing patients with NICM and those who commission healthcare services. This review aims to help guide clinicians in this difficult, high-cost and high-risk area.
Endobronchial ultrasound guided transbronchial needle aspiration
Authors: Medford A R L , Bennett J A , Free C M , Agrawal S 
Published: February 2010

Abstract
Staging for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) requires accurate assessment of the mediastinal lymph nodes which determines treatment and outcome. As radiological staging is limited by its specificity and sensitivity, it is necessary to sample the mediastinal nodes. Traditionally, mediastinoscopy has been used for evaluation of the mediastinum especially when radical treatment is contemplated, although conventional transbronchial needle aspiration (TBNA) has also been used in other situations for staging and diagnostic purposes. Endobronchial ultrasound guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) offers a minimally invasive alternative to mediastinoscopy with additional access to the hilar nodes, a better safety profile, and it removes the costs and hazards of theatre time and general anaesthesia with comparable sensitivity, although the negative predictive value of mediastinoscopy (and sample size) is greater. EBUS-TBNA also obtains larger samples than conventional TBNA, has superior performance and theoretically is safer, allowing real-time sampling under direct vision. It can also have predictive value both in sonographic appearance of the nodes and histological characteristics. EBUS-TBNA is therefore indicated for NSCLC staging, diagnosis of lung cancer when there is no endobronchial lesion, and diagnosis of both benign (especially tuberculosis and sarcoidosis) and malignant mediastinal lesions. The procedure is different than for flexible bronchoscopy, takes longer, and requires more training. EBUS-TBNA is more expensive than conventional TBNA but can save costs by reducing the number of more costly mediastinoscopies. Revenue based tariff systems have been slow to reflect the innovation of techniques such as EBUS-TBNA. In the future, endobronchial ultrasound may have applications in airways disease and pulmonary vascular disease.
Diagnostic utility of anti-Ro52 detection in systemic autoimmunity
Authors: Dugar Manish , Cox Sally , Limaye Vidya , Gordon Tom Paul , Roberts-Thomson Peter John 
Published: February 2010

Abstract

Objectives
To determine the prevalence and diagnostic utility of monospecific anti-Ro52 (defined as an immune response against Ro-52 antigen in the absence of reactivity to Ro-60 antigen) reactivity in selected autoimmune diseases.

Study design
Stored diagnostic non-consecutive serum samples obtained from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), primary Sjögren’s syndrome (pSS), systemic sclerosis, idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIM), rheumatoid arthritis, primary biliary cirrhosis and mixed essential cryoglobulinaemia were analysed by line immunoassay to detect the presence of anti-Ro52 and other autoantibodies.

Results
Monospecific anti-Ro52 reactivity was found in 51 (12.7%) of the 402 samples tested. Anti-Ro52 was the most common serological marker in patients with IIM (35/147, 23.8%) and co-occurred with anti-Jo1 (10/18, 55.6%; p=0.02). The prevalence of anti-Ro52 reactivity was significantly more than anti-Ro60 reactivity in patients with IIM, systemic sclerosis, primary biliary cirrhosis, mixed essential cryoglobulinemia and pSS. The mean signal intensity of anti-Ro52 reactivity was significantly higher in pSS than SLE and associated with rheumatoid factor positivity. The mean signal intensity of anti-Ro52 correlated with anti-Ro60 and anti-La in pSS and SLE.

Conclusions
Monospecific anti-Ro52 reactivity is not disease specific but may be of importance in patients with IIM. Furthermore, as anti-Ro52 reactivity is more prevalent than anti-Ro60 reactivity in certain autoimmune conditions, specific testing for their distinction in clinical practice is recommended.
Lagrangian Coherent Structures near a Subtropical Jet Stream
Authors: Tang Wenbo , Mathur Manikandan , Haller George , Hahn Douglas C. , Ruggiero Frank H. 
Published: February 2010

Abstract
Direct Lyapunov exponents and stability results are used to extract and distinguish Lagrangian coherent structures (LCS) from a three-dimensional atmospheric dataset generated from the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model. The numerical model is centered at 19.78°N, 155.55°W, initialized from the Global Forecast System for the case of a subtropical jet stream near Hawaii on 12 December 2002. The LCS are identified that appear to create optical and mechanical turbulence, as evidenced by balloon data collected during a measurement campaign near Hawaii.
Genesis of Tropical Storm Eugene (2005) from Merging Vortices Associated with ITCZ Breakdowns. Part III: Sensitivity to Various Genesis Parameters
Authors: Kieu Chanh Q. , Zhang Da-Lin 
Published: February 2010

Abstract
In this study, a series of sensitivity simulations is performed to examine the processes leading to the genesis of Tropical Storm Eugene (2005) from merging vortices associated with the breakdowns of the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) over the eastern Pacific. This is achieved by removing or modifying one of the two vortices in the model initial conditions or one physical process during the model integration using the results presented in Parts I and II as a control run. Results reveal that while the ITCZ breakdowns and subsequent poleward rollup (through a continuous potential vorticity supply) provide favorable conditions for the genesis of Eugene, the vortex merger is the most effective process in transforming weak tropical disturbances into a tropical storm. The sensitivity experiments confirm the authors’ previous conclusions that Eugene would not reach its observed tropical storm intensity in the absence of the merger and would become much shorter lived without the potential vorticity supply from the ITCZ.
It is found that the merging process is sensitive not only to larger-scale steering flows but also to the intensity of their associated cyclonic circulations and frictional convergence. When one of the vortices is initialized at a weaker intensity, the two vortices bifurcate in track and fail to merge. The frictional convergence in the boundary layer appears to play an important role in accelerating the mutual attraction of the two vortices leading to their final merger. It is also found from simulations with different storm realizations that the storm-scale cyclonic vorticity grows at the fastest rate in the lowest layers, regardless of the merger, because of the important contribution of the convergence associated with the boundary layer friction and latent heating.
The Mutual Interaction between External Rossby Waves and Thermal Forcing: The Subpolar Regions
Authors: Orlanski Isidoro , Solman Silvina 
Published: February 2010

Abstract
The authors hypothesize a simple feedback mechanism between external Rossby waves and diabatic heating from convection. This mechanism could explain the large amplitude that external Rossby waves attain as they propagate to mid- and high latitudes. A series of experiments has been carried out with a core dynamic global spectral model. These simulations with the idealized atmospheric GCM and a simple parameterization of thermal forcing proportional to the low-level wave meridional velocity suggest that external Rossby waves can be enhanced by convection, which they themselves induce. It is shown that in the tropospheric upper levels the amplitude of the external waves can be twice as large with feedback as for a control simulation that does not allow feedback.
In Situ Chemical Characterization of Aged Biomass-Burning Aerosols Impacting Cold Wave Clouds
Authors: Pratt Kerri A. , Heymsfield Andrew J. , Twohy Cynthia H. , Murphy Shane M. , DeMott Paul J. , Hudson James G. , Subramanian R. , Wang Zhien , Seinfeld John H. , Prather Kimberly A. 
Published: February 2010

Abstract
During the Ice in Clouds Experiment–Layer Clouds (ICE-L), aged biomass-burning particles were identified within two orographic wave cloud regions over Wyoming using single-particle mass spectrometry and electron microscopy. Using a suite of instrumentation, particle chemistry was characterized in tandem with cloud microphysics. The aged biomass-burning particles comprised ∼30%–40% by number of the 0.1–1.0-μm clear-air particles and were composed of potassium, organic carbon, elemental carbon, and sulfate. Aerosol mass spectrometry measurements suggested these cloud-processed particles were predominantly sulfate by mass. The first cloud region sampled was characterized by primarily homogeneously nucleated ice particles formed at temperatures near −40°C. The second cloud period was characterized by high cloud droplet concentrations (∼150–300 cm−3) and lower heterogeneously nucleated ice concentrations (7–18 L−1) at cloud temperatures of −24° to −25°C. As expected for the observed particle chemistry and dynamics of the observed wave clouds, few significant differences were observed between the clear-air particles and cloud residues. However, suggestive of a possible heterogeneous nucleation mechanism within the first cloud region, ice residues showed enrichments in the number fractions of soot and mass fractions of black carbon, measured by a single-particle mass spectrometer and a single-particle soot photometer, respectively. In addition, enrichment of biomass-burning particles internally mixed with oxalic acid in both the homogeneously nucleated ice and cloud droplets compared to clear air suggests either preferential activation as cloud condensation nuclei or aqueous phase cloud processing.
Observed Climate–Snowpack Relationships in California and their Implications for the Future
Authors: Kapnick Sarah , Hall Alex 
Published: February 2010

Abstract
A study of the California Sierra Nevada snowpack has been conducted using snow station observations and reanalysis surface temperature data. Monthly snow water equivalent (SWE) measurements were combined from two datasets to provide sufficient data from 1930 to 2008. The monthly snapshots are used to calculate peak snow mass timing for each snow season. Since 1930, there has been an overall trend toward earlier snow mass peak timing by 0.6 days per decade. The trend toward earlier timing also occurs at nearly all individual stations. Even stations showing an increase in 1 April SWE exhibit the trend toward earlier timing, indicating that enhanced melting is occurring at nearly all stations. Analysis of individual years and stations reveals that warm daily maximum temperatures averaged over March and April are associated with earlier snow mass peak timing for all spatial and temporal scales included in the dataset. The influence is particularly pronounced for low accumulation years indicating the potential importance of albedo feedback for the melting of shallow snow. The robustness of the early spring temperature influence on peak timing suggests the trend toward earlier peak timing is attributable to the simultaneous warming trend (0.1°C decade−1 since 1930, with an acceleration in warming in later time periods). Given future scenarios of warming in California, one can expect acceleration in the trend toward earlier peak timing; this will reduce the warm season storage capacity of the California snowpack.
Regional Interdecadal Variability in Bias-Corrected Ocean Temperature Data*
Authors: Carson Mark , Harrison D. E. 
Published: February 2010

Abstract
Regional interdecadal variability, on subbasin to basin scales, is shown to be a robust feature of the post–World War II (WWII) historical temperature record, even after a recently proposed bias correction to XBT fall rates is applied. This study shows that the previously reported strong regional variability is generally unaffected by this correction, even though the interdecadal variability in the most recently published estimates of global ocean heat content is much reduced after a correction is applied. Following methods used in previous trend analysis work, estimates of interdecadal trends are calculated for individual regions of the global ocean where there are sufficient data. Spatial maps of temperature trends for the surface and three subsurface depths (50, 100, and 300 m) are presented, with both bias-corrected and uncorrected data trends at 100 and 300 m shown for comparison. In the upper two depths and at the surface, interdecadal variability is shown to be present and strong in most of the analysis regions. At 100 m, the differences between trends based on bias-corrected versus uncorrected data are small, and barely distinguishable for much of the ocean analyzed. There are more differences at 300 m between the two data treatments, but large-scale patterns are still present in the bias-corrected trends, especially where the trends are stronger.
Given the sampling issues discussed in previous works, the presence of strong interdecadal variability on smaller scales raises concerns that global interdecadal variability in the historical record still may not be properly resolved.
Loss of Significance and Multidecadal Variability of the Madden–Julian Oscillation
Authors: Suhas E. , Goswami B. N. 
Published: February 2010

Abstract
Change in significance and multidecadal variability of the Northern Hemispheric winter MJO during 1948–2006 is examined using NCEP–NCAR reanalysis data. Variation of the MJO power relative to a red background is estimated by isolating the MJO signal through frequency–wavenumber spectral analysis using a 10-yr sliding window. It is shown that during the period of study, the rate of increase of background power has been larger than the rate of increase of the MJO power, leading to a decreasing trend of significant MJO power. It is also found that a multidecadal variation rides on the decreasing trend of significant power of the MJO. Another finding is that the zonal mean component of the zonal wind at 200 hPa on a MJO time scale has a significant increasing trend. Both of the above trends are statistically significant at the 95% confidence level.
Energetics calculations in the wavenumber domain were carried out to understand why the significant MJO power is not increasing as fast as the red background. It is shown that long waves (wavenumbers 1–3, i.e., the MJO scale) lose energy to the zonal mean flow and the rate of kinetic energy gain by the zonal mean flow from the long waves has a linear increasing trend. Thus, while the MJO is also being energized by a warming ocean, it is losing increasingly more energy to the zonal mean flow, making the zonal mean more energetic while losing its own significance at the same time. It is found that the observed multidecadal variability of the significant MJO power has no relationship with other well-known multidecadal variability. However, the authors find that the multidecadal variability of the MJO and the rate of kinetic energy exchange between the zonal mean flow and long waves are closely linked, indicating that the observed multidecadal variability of the MJO is internally driven.
The Influence of Large-Scale Climate Variability on Winter Maximum Daily Precipitation over North America
Authors: Zhang Xuebin , Wang Jiafeng , Zwiers Francis W. , Groisman Pavel Ya 
Published: February 2010

AbstractThe generalized extreme value (GEV) distribution is fitted to winter season daily maximum precipitation over North America, with indices representing El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO), the Pacific decadal oscillation (PDO), and the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) as predictors. It was found that ENSO and PDO have spatially consistent and statistically significant influences on extreme precipitation, while the influence of NAO is regional and is not field significant. The spatial pattern of extreme precipitation response to large-scale climate variability is similar to that of total precipitation but somewhat weaker in terms of statistical significance. An El Niño condition or high phase of PDO corresponds to a substantially increased likelihood of extreme precipitation over a vast region of southern North America but a decreased likelihood of extreme precipitation in the north, especially in the Great Plains and Canadian prairies and the Great Lakes/Ohio River valley.
Quantification of the Feedback between Phytoplankton and ENSO in the Community Climate System Model
Authors: Jochum Markus , Yeager Steve , Lindsay Keith , Moore Keith , Murtugudde Ragu 
Published: February 2010

AbstractThe current coarse-resolution version of the Community Climate System Model is used to assess the impact of phytoplankton on El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO). The experimental setup allows for the separation of the effects of climatological annual cycle of chlorophyll distribution from its interannually varying part. The main finding is that the chlorophyll production by phytoplankton is important beyond modifying the mean and seasonal cycle of shortwave absorption; interannual modifications to the absorption have an impact as well, and they dampen ENSO variability by 9%. The magnitude of damping is the same in the experiment with smaller-than-observed, and in the experiment with larger-than-observed, chlorophyll distribution. This result suggests that to accurately represent ENSO in GCMs, it is not sufficient to use a prescribed chlorophyll climatology. Instead, some form of an ecosystem model will be necessary to capture the effects of phytoplankton coupling and feedback.
Further evidence supporting the influence of brain-derived neurotrophic factor on the outcome of bipolar depression: independent effect of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and harm avoidance
Authors: Mandelli Laura , Mazza Marianna , Martinotti Giovanni , Tavian Daniela , Colombo Elisa , Missaglia Sara , Di Nicola Marco , De Ronchi Diana , Negri Gloria , Colombo Roberto , Janiri Luigi , Serretti Alessandro 
Published: February 2010

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor is a candidate gene for response to antidepressant treatment. However, response to pharmacological treatments is moderated by both genetic and other factors within individuals. For example, there is evidence of an influence of the temperamental trait of harm avoidance on the outcome of depressive disorders. In the present study we aimed to investigate the effect of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor gene on medium-term outcome in a naturalistic sample of 86 depressed bipolar spectrum patients, taking into account harm avoidance. Both single marker and haplotypes were significantly associated with severity of depression at month 6 after treatment initiation. The haplotype comprising the A-C alleles was associated with a poorer outcome. Harm avoidance maintained a significant effect on depressive outcome in bipolar disorder, independently from brain-derived neurotrophic factor genotypes. However, harm avoidance s influence appeared to be more consistent in patients carrying the protective G-T combination of alleles. Our results indicate brain-derived neurotrophic factor as involved in the outcome of depression in bipolar disorder. Harm avoidance did not interact with brain-derived neurotrophic factor genotypes, though its effect was still significant. Given that many factors may influence response to pharmacological treatments, studies that consider personality and other individual characteristics are warranted also in pharmacogenetic investigations.
Biochemical characterization of three putative ATPases from a new type IV secretion system of Aeromonas veronii plasmid pAC3249A
Authors: Rangrez Ashraf Y , Abajy Mohammad Y , Keller Walter , Shouche Yogesh , Grohmann Elisabeth 
Published: February 2010

Abstract

Background
Type four secretion systems (TFSS) are bacterial macromolecular transport systems responsible for transfer of various substrates such as proteins, DNA or protein-DNA complexes. TFSSs encode two or three ATPases generating energy for the secretion process. These enzymes exhibit highest sequence conservation among type four secretion components.

Results
Here, we report the biochemical characterization of three ATPases namely TraE, TraJ and TraK (VirB4, VirB11 and VirD4 homologs of the Agrobacterium tumefaciens transfer system, respectively) from the transfer system of Aeromonas veronii plasmid pAC3249A. ATPases were expressed as His-tag fusion proteins in E. coli and purified by affinity chromatography. ATP binding and ATP hydrolysis experiments were performed with the purified ATPases. TraE and TraK showed strong binding to TNP-ATP and TNP-CTP (fluorescent analogs of ATP and CTP respectively) whereas TraJ showed weak binding. The optimum temperature range for the three ATPases was between 42°C and 50°C. Highest ATP hydrolysis activity for all the ATPases was observed in the presence of Mg2+ and Mn2+. However, TraJ and TraK also showed activity in the presence of Co2+. TraJ exhibited the highest specific activity of all the three ATPases with vmax 118 ± 5.68 nmol/min/mg protein and KM 0.58 ± 0.10 mM.

Conclusions
This is the first biochemical characterization of conjugative transport ATPases encoded by a conjugative plasmid from Aeromonas. Our study demonstrated that the three ATPases of a newly reported TFSS of A. veronii plasmid pAc3249A are functional in both ATP hydrolysis and ATP binding.