bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A Comparison of Weekly Monitoring Methods of the Palmer Drought Index
Authors: Rhee Jinyoung , Carbone Gregory J. 
Published: January 2008

Abstract
A method for weekly monitoring of the Palmer Drought Index (PDI) by using four parallel month-long calculation chains in rotation (“ROLLING” method) was tested for the Kansas Northwest Climate Division and the South Carolina Southern Climate Division and compared to two other methods, a modified version of the Climate Prediction Center’s weekly Palmer Drought Index monitoring method with a modified set of coefficients (“WEEKLY” method) and the National Climatic Data Center’s (NCDC’s) projected monthly Palmer Drought Index method using long-term historical daily normal temperature and precipitation (“NORMALS” method). The results for the Kansas Northwest Climate Division and the South Carolina Southern Climate Division generally agreed. The weekly method produced drought severity values that differ most from standard monthly PDI values despite using a modified set of coefficients. The method recently adopted by NCDC successfully estimated Palmer Modified Drought Index (PMDI) values late in the month, but often presented a misleading trend early in the month. The method used in this paper produced PMDI and Z Index values that approximate those found using the standard monthly PMDI code. It also preserves approximately the same length of memory found in that code, provides a tool for progressive drought monitoring allowing users to assess current drought conditions, produces a weekly historical archive of the Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI) and Palmer Hydrological Drought Index (PHDI), and enables users to identify the onset of drought early and more clearly.
Automatic Prediction of High-Resolution Daily Rainfall Fields for Multiple Extents: The Potential of Operational Radar
Authors: Schuurmans J. M. , Bierkens M. F. P. , Pebesma E. J. , Uijlenhoet R. 
Published: January 2008

AbstractThis study investigates the added value of operational radar with respect to rain gauges in obtaining high-resolution daily rainfall fields as required in distributed hydrological modeling. To this end data from the Netherlands operational national rain gauge network (330 gauges nationwide) is combined with an experimental network (30 gauges within 225 km2). Based on 74 selected rainfall events (March–October 2004) the spatial variability of daily rainfall is investigated at three spatial extents: small (225 km2), medium (10 000 km2), and large (82 875 km2). From this analysis it is shown that semivariograms show no clear dependence on season. Predictions of point rainfall are performed for all three extents using three different geostatistical methods: (i) ordinary kriging (OK; rain gauge data only), (ii) kriging with external drift (KED), and (iii) ordinary collocated cokriging (OCCK), with the latter two using both rain gauge data and range-corrected daily radar composites—a standard operational radar product from the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI). The focus here is on automatic prediction. For the small extent, rain gauge data alone perform better than radar, while for larger extents with lower gauge densities, radar performs overall better than rain gauge data alone (OK). Methods using both radar and rain gauge data (KED and OCCK) prove to be more accurate than using either rain gauge data alone (OK) or radar, in particular, for larger extents. The added value of radar is positively related to the correlation between radar and rain gauge data. Using a pooled semivariogram is almost as good as using event-based semivariograms, which is convenient if the prediction is to be automated. An interesting result is that the pooled semivariograms perform better in terms of estimating the prediction error (kriging variance) especially for the small and medium extent, where the number of data points to estimate semivariograms is small and event-based semivariograms are rather unstable.
Multitemporal Analysis of TRMM-Based Satellite Precipitation Products for Land Data Assimilation Applications
Authors: Tian Yudong , Peters-Lidard Christa D. , Choudhury Bhaskar J. , Garcia Matthew 
Published: January 2008

Abstract
In this study, the recent work of Gottschalck et al. and Ebert et al. is extended by assessing the suitability of two Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM)-based precipitation products for hydrological land data assimilation applications. The two products are NASA’s gauge-corrected TRMM 3B42 Version 6 (3B42), and the satellite-only NOAA Climate Prediction Center (CPC) morphing technique (CMORPH). The two products were evaluated against ground-based rain gauge–only and gauge-corrected Doppler radar measurements. The analyses were performed at multiple time scales, ranging from annual to diurnal, for the period March 2003 through February 2006. The analyses show that at annual or seasonal time scales, TRMM 3B42 has much lower biases and RMS errors than CMORPH. CMORPH shows season-dependent biases, with overestimation in summer and underestimation in winter. This leads to 50% higher RMS errors in CMORPH’s area-averaged daily precipitation than TRMM 3B42. At shorter time scales (5 days or less), CMORPH has slightly less uncertainty, and about 10%–20% higher probability of detection of rain events than TRMM 3B42. In addition, the satellite estimates detect more high-intensity events, causing a remarkable shift in precipitation spectrum. Summertime diurnal cycles in the United States are well captured by both products, although the 8-km CMORPH seems to capture more diurnal features than the 0.25° CMORPH or 3B42 products. CMORPH tends to overestimate the amplitude of the diurnal cycles, particularly in the central United States. Possible causes for the discrepancies between these products are discussed.
Silencing of GM3 synthase suppresses lung metastasis of murine breast cancer cells
Authors: Gu Yuchao , Zhang Junhua , Mi Wenyi , Yang Jing , Han Feng , Lu Xinzhi , Yu Wengong 
Published: January 2008

Abstract
Background
Gangliosides are sialic acid containing glycosphingolipids that are ubiquitously distributed on vertebrate plasma membranes. GM3, a precursor for most of the more complex ganglioside species, is synthesized by GM3 synthase. Although total ganglioside levels are significantly higher in breast tumor tissue than in normal mammary tissue, the roles played by gangliosides in breast cancer formation and metastasis are not clear.

Methods
To investigate the roles of gangliosides in breast tumor development, GM3 synthase was silenced in the highly metastatic 4T1 cells and over-expressed in the non-metastatic 67NR cells. The behavior of breast cancer cells was examined in vitro using migration assay, invasion assay, and soft agar assay. Tumor formation and metastasis in vivo were examined using a well established mouse mammary tumor model.

Results
GM3 synthase silencing in 4T1 cells significantly inhibited cell migration, invasion and anchorage-independent growth in vitro, and lung metastasis in vivo. In addition, over-expression of GM3 synthase in nonmetastatic 67NR cells significantly induced cell migration and anchorage-independent growth. Further studies indicated that activation of the phosphoinositide-3 kinase/Akt pathway, and consequently inhibition of nuclear factor of activated T cell (NFAT)1 expression, could be the mechanism underlying the suppression of breast cancer migration/invasion induced by GM3 synthase silencing.

Conclusion
Our findings indicate that GM3 synthase silencing suppressed lung metastasis in murine breast cancer cells. The molecular mechanism that underlies GM3 synthase mediated migration and invasion was inhibition of the phosphoinositide-3 kinase/Akt pathway. The findings suggest that GM3 synthase may be of value as a therapeutic target in breast cancer.
Chorionic gonadotropin induces dendritic cells to express a tolerogenic phenotype
Authors: Wan Hui , Versnel Marjan A , Leijten Lonneke M E , van Helden-Meeuwsen Cornelia G , Fekkes Durk , Leenen Pieter J M , Khan Nisar A , Benner Robbert , Kiekens Rebecca C M 
Published: January 2008

AbstractThe pregnancy hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) has been suggested to play an immunoregulatory role in addition to its endocrine function, thus contributing to the prevention of fetal rejection. We hypothesized that hCG is involved in the maternal-fetal immune tolerance by the regulation of dendritic cell (DC) function. Therefore, we studied the effect of hCG on DC maturation. Upon hCG treatment in combination with LPS, mouse bone marrow-derived DC (BMDC) increased the ratio of IL-10:IL-12p70, down-regulated TNF-α, and decreased antigen-specific T cell proliferation. Addition of hCG together with LPS and IFN-γ blocked MHC class II up-regulation, increased IL-10 production, and decreased the antigen-specific T cell proliferation by DC. Splenic DC showed similar results. Upon hCG treatment, IDO mRNA expression and its metabolite kynurenine were increased by LPS- and IFN-γ-stimulated DC, suggesting its involvement in the decreased T cell proliferation. To study the effect of hCG on DC differentiation from precursors, BMDC were generated in the continuous presence of hCG. Under this condition, hCG decreased cytokine production and the induction of T cell proliferation. These data are suggestive for a contribution of hCG to the maternal-fetal tolerance during pregnancy by modifying DC toward a tolerogenic phenotype.
Macrolevel Stressors, Terrorism, and Mental Health Outcomes: Broadening the Stress Paradigm
Authors: Richman Judith A. , Cloninger Lea , Rospenda Kathleen M. 
Published: January 2008

Objectives. We examined the extent to which the stress paradigm linking psychosocial stressors to mental health status has focused disproportionate attention on microlevel social stressors to the detriment of macrolevel stressors. Also, we assessed the effects of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, on subsequent mental health among participants in a Midwestern cohort study. Methods. Respondents in a 6-wave longitudinal mail survey completed questionnaires before September 11, 2001, and again in 2003 and 2005. Regression analyses focused on measures of negative terrorism-related beliefs and fears, as well as psychological distress and deleterious alcohol use outcomes measured both before and after September 11. Results. Negative terrorism-related beliefs and fears assessed in 2003 predicted distress and drinking outcomes in 2005 after control for sociodemographic characteristics and pre–September 11 distress and drinking. Conclusions. The events of September 11 continue to negatively affect the mental health of the American population. Our results support the utility of according greater attention to the effects of such macrolevel social stressors in population studies embracing the stress paradigm.
The Prevalence of Human Papilloma virus Infection in Sinonasal Inverted Papilloma Specimens Classified by Histological Grade
Authors: Kim Jee-Yeon , Yoon Jong-Keun , Citardi Martin J. , Batra Pete S. , Roh Hwan-Jung 
Published: January 2008

Background Histological analysis suggests that inverted papilloma (IP) tumorigenesis may occur through a stepwise series of discrete events. The association between human papilloma virus (HPV) and IP has been described at varying incidences. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of the HPV subtypes in a large series of IP specimens classified by histological grade. Methods Fifty-seven paraffin-embedded specimens of Korean population were available for study. Each specimen was graded according to a four-stage histological grading system (stages I and II, benign IP; stage III, dysplastic IP; stage IV, carcinoma arising from IP). A representative section of IP specimen was isolated through laser capture microdissection (7.5- to 10-μm laser spot size). Subsequently, DNA extraction and HPV genotyping with the HPV DNA chip test (Biomed Lab Co., Seoul, Korea) was performed. The HPV DNA chip contained 22 type-specific probes that consisted of 15 high-risk subtypes and 7 low-risk subtypes. Results Histological grading was as follows: 5, grade I; 23, grade II; 22, grade III; and 7, grade IV. Seven of 57 specimens (12.3%) showed HPV DNA. All of the HPV+ cases showed HPV DNA in early grade (grades I and II) IP lesions. No higher grade (grades III and IV) IP tumors showed HPV DNA. Among the seven HPV+ cases, five were high-risk subtypes and two were unspecified subtypes. Conclusion HPV infection, mainly high-risk subtypes, occurs in benign IP as an early event during the multistep tumorigenesis of IP. Cumulative other genetic insults may be required to progress from benign IP (grades I and II) to dysplastic IP (grade III) and carcinoma arising from IP (grade IV).
Bilateral Congenital Choanal Atresia in a 51-Year-Old Woman
Authors: Yasar Husamettin , Ozkul M. Haluk 
Published: January 2008

Background A 51-year-old woman with bilateral congenital choanal atresia (CCA) is presented. She had episodes of respiratory distress that were relieved by crying and worsened by breastfeeding during her newborn period. No other abnormality had been documented during her early childhood period and she had not undergone any surgical intervention or trauma to the nose. No other congenital anomaly was noted. Methods The diagnosis was established by endoscopic examination and computed tomography (CT) scan of the paranasal sinuses. Results She was treated successfully by a transnasal endoscopic surgical technique with short-term stenting. Follow-up examination 18 months after the surgery still showed patent neochoana. Conclusion According to the English literature, this case represents the oldest patient with bilateral CCA presenting for the first time in adult life.
Histological Evaluation of Maxillary Sinus Mucosa after Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery
Authors: Anselmo-Lima Wilma T. , Seabra Ferreira Maria Dolores , Pereira Valera Fabiana Cardoso , Rossato Maria , de Mello Valder Rodrigues , Demarco Ricardo Cassiano 
Published: January 2008

Background This study was performed to evaluate the histological changes of the maxillary sinus mucosa of patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) after functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS). Methods In a cohort study, biopsy specimens were collected from the maxillary sinus of patients submitted for FESS. One year after surgery, patients were clinically reassessed. Patients showing recurrence of disease (group 1) required a revision surgery, through which a second biopsy specimen was collected. Patients showing a favorable clinical response (group 2) were submitted to an outpatient maxillary biopsy through the previous opened middle meatus antrostomy. Biopsy material from four cadavers was used as control. The histological and electron microscope findings were analyzed. Results At the initial surgery, patients presented many histopathological alterations, such as an inflammatory process infiltrating the submucosa, atypical respiratory epithelium with an important increase in goblet cells, metaplasia, or mixed epithelium. Group 1 patients persisted with the same alterations 1 year later, but ciliary dysmorphy was more accentuated. Group 2 patients presented a predominantly pseudostratified epithelium, but some areas contained an increased number of goblet cells and a reduction in the number of ciliated cells. Conclusion Recovery of the maxillary sinus mucosa of patients with CRS, observed by electron and light microscopy, was incomplete 1 year after endoscopic surgery, even in nonsymptomatic patients; nevertheless, these alterations were more important in symptomatic patients than in asymptomatic patients.
Efficacy of Cerebrospinal Fluid Fistula Repair: Sensitive Quality Control using the Beta-Trace Protein Test
Authors: Meco Cem , Arrer Erich , Oberascher Gerhard 
Published: January 2008

Background After cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) fistula repair, the goal of watertight sealing may not always be achieved, causing postoperative CSF leakage. The aim of this study was to assess the novel application of the beta-trace protein (betaTP) test for postoperative screening and confirmation of dura repair success. Methods Prospectively, we investigated 32 consecutive patients who underwent dura repair. Postoperative nasal secretion and serum were analyzed for CSF marker betaTP, to detect or rule out postoperative CSF leakage. Results In 29 patients no CSF was detected, indicating 91% dura repair success after the first step. Three patients required additional surgery, verifying CSF leak. Additional betaTP testing was negative, revealing successful dura repair. Conclusion Dura repairs should be controlled for the presence or absence of postoperative CSF leakage. In our hands, the sensitive, fast, and inexpensive betaTP test has shown its value as an effective postoperative screening tool for dura repair success confirmation. Therefore, we consider it as novel “standard of care” and reserve invasive, more expensive or time-consuming methods as second choice.
Multifunctional Magnetic Gold Nanocomposites: Human Epithelial Cancer Detection via Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Localized Synchronous Therapy
Authors: Lee J. , Yang J. , Ko H. , Oh S. , Kang J. , Son J. , Lee K. , Lee S.‐W. , Yoon H.‐G. , Suh J.‐S. , Huh Y.‐M. , Haam S. 
Published: January 2008

AbstractNovel multifunctional magnetic gold nanocomposites (MGNCs) were synthesized for synchronous cancer therapy and diagnosis via magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The MGNCs consist of magnetic kernels (aggregates of ultra‐sensitive MnFe2O4 magnetic nanocrystals wrapped in polymer) as effective MR contrast agents and silica–gold nanocomposites as hyperthermal therapeutic agents. A therapeutic antibody, Erbitux (ERB), was conjugated for specific tumor cell targeting both to localize the near‐IR laser beam and to image their events through MRI. ERB‐conjugated MGNCs selectively recognize the target cancer cell lines. Fluorescence images and MRI analysis show that the MGNCs are effectively taken up by the cells. ERB‐conjugated MGNCs have an excellent synchronous therapeutic efficacy as a result of the therapeutic antibody and near‐IR laser‐induced surface plasmon resonance. Consequently, MGNCs clearly demonstrate selective imaging and treatment of human epithelial cancer simultaneously.
Self‐Organization of Ink‐jet‐Printed Triisopropylsilylethynyl Pentacene via Evaporation‐Induced Flows in a Drying Droplet
Authors: Lim J. A. , Lee W. H. , Lee H. S. , Lee J. H. , Park Y. D. , Cho K. 
Published: January 2008

AbstractWe have demonstrated the influence of evaporation‐induced flow in a single droplet on the crystalline microstructure and film morphology of an ink‐jet‐printed organic semiconductor, 6,13‐bis((triisopropylsilylethynyl) pentacene (TIPS_PEN), by varying the composition of the solvent mixture. The ringlike deposits induced by outward convective flow in the droplets have a randomly oriented crystalline structure. The addition of dichlorobenzene as an evaporation control agent results in a homogeneous film morphology due to slow evaporation, but the molecular orientation of the film is undesirable in that it is similar to that of the ring‐deposited films. However, self‐aligned TIPS_PEN crystals with highly ordered crystalline structures were successfully produced when dodecane was added. Dodecane has a high boiling point and a low surface tension, and its addition to the solvent results in a recirculation flow in the droplets that is induced by a Marangoni flow (surface‐tension‐driven flow), which arises during the drying processes in the direction opposite to the convective flow. The field‐effect transistors fabricated with these self‐aligned crystals via ink‐jet printing exhibit significantly improved performance with an average effective field‐effect mobility of 0.12 cm2 V–1 s–1. These results demonstrate that with the choice of appropriate solvent ink‐jet printing is an excellent method for the production of organic semiconductor films with uniform morphology and desired molecular orientation for the direct‐write fabrication of high‐performance organic electronics.
Influence of Electric Field on Microstructures of Pentacene Thin‐Films in Field‐Effect Transistors
Authors: Cheng H. L. , Chou W. Y. , Kuo C. W. , Wang Y. W. , Mai Y. S. , Tang F. C. , Chu S. W. 
Published: January 2008

AbstractWe report on electric‐field‐induced irreversible structural modifications in pentacene thin films after long‐term operation of organic field‐effect transistor (OFET) devices. Micro‐Raman spectroscopy allows for the analysis of the microstructural modifications of pentacene in the small active channel of OFET during device operation. The results suggest that the herringbone packing of pentacene molecules in a solid film is affected by an external electric field, particularly the source‐to‐drain field that parallels the a–b lattice plane. The analysis of vibrational frequency and Davydov splitting in the Raman spectra reveals a singular behavior suggesting a reduced separation distance between pentacene molecules after long‐term operations and, thus, large intermolecular interactions. These results provide evidence for improved OFET performance after long‐term operation, related to the microstructures of organic semiconductors. It is known that the application of large electric fields alters the semiconductor properties of the material owing to the generation of defects and the trapping of charges. However, we first suggest that large electric fields may alter the molecular geometry and further induce structural phase transitions in the pentacene films. These results provide a basis for understanding the improved electronic properties in test devices after long‐term operations, including enhanced field‐effect mobility, improved on/off current ratio, sharp sub‐threshold swing, and a slower decay rate in the output drain current. In addition, the effects of source‐to‐drain electric field, gate electric field, current and charge carriers, and thermal annealing on the pentacene films during OFET operations are discussed.
Unprecedented Dual Alignment Mode and Freedericksz Transition in Planar Nematic Liquid Crystal Cells Doped with Gold Nanoclusters
Authors: Qi H. , Kinkead B. , Hegmann T. 
Published: January 2008

AbstractWe demonstrate that alkylthiol‐capped gold nanoclusters doped into nematic liquid crystals (N‐LCs) with positive dielectric anisotropy give rise to an unprecedented dual alignment mode and electro‐optical response, which has a potential impact on current liquid crystal (LC) display technologies and N‐LC optical‐biosensor design. By fine‐tuning experimental conditions (temperature, electric field, and alignment), N‐LCs doped with gold nanoclusters can be aligned and electrically reoriented either like N‐LCs with a positive dielectric anisotropy in a planar cell or, alternatively, as N‐LCs with a negative dielectric anisotropy in a homeotropic cell, both at lower threshold voltages than the pure N‐LC.