bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Identifying Persons at Risk for Gastric Cancer?
Authors: Miehlke Stephan , Bayerdörffer Ekkehard , Meining Alexander , Stolte Manfred , Thinsp; Peter Malfertheiner 
Published: June 2007

Background.Although considerable evidence suggests thatHelicobacter pyloriinfection plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of gastric carcinoma, a striking difference exists between the number of infected individuals and the proportion of those developing gastric carcinoma. The purpose of this article is to review the available evidence supporting the existence of identifiable risk factors for the development of gastric carcinoma.Methods.We performed a critical review of the pertinent literature, which forms the basis for this study.Results.In terms of treatment strategies for prevention of gastric carcinoma, cure ofH. pyloriinfection in all infected patients seems unfeasible, mainly for economic reasons. However, the final and definite step to prove that infection withH. pyloriis a preneoplastic condition for the development of gastric cancer would be the observation that cure of the infection leads to a significant reduction in gastric cancer incidence rates in comparison with an untreated population. Therefore, in 1997 a multicenter preventive interventional study on gastric carcinoma will be started in Germany. The target group in this study includes patients with a specific pattern ofH. pylorigastritis who will be summarized by a “gastric cancer risk index.”Conclusions.It is hoped that long‐term follow‐up of these patients will reveal whether preventive treatment ofH. pyloriinfection is capable of reducing the risk for development of gastric cancer.
A Study of Fruit–Frugivore Interactions in Two Species of Durian (Durio, Bombacaceae) in Sabah, Malaysia
Authors: Nakashima Yoshihiro , Lagan Peter , Kitayama Kanehiro 
Published: June 2007

ABSTRACTWe determined the fruit predators and seed dispersers of two species of durian (Durio, Bombacaceae), D. graveolens and D. zibethinus, which have contrasting aril color and timing of dehiscence by observing fruiting trees in Deramakot forest reserve. In our observations in the wild, both species were extensively predated by orangutans before fruits matured. Durio graveolens was dispersed by black hornbills and D. zibethinus was dispersed by long‐tailed macaques.
Characterizing Hydraulic Conductivity with the Direct‐Push Permeameter
Authors: Butler James J. , Dietrich Peter , Wittig Volker , Christy Tom 
Published: June 2007

AbstractThe direct‐push permeameter (DPP) is a promising approach for obtaining high‐resolution information about vertical variations in hydraulic conductivity (K) in shallow unconsolidated settings. This small‐diameter tool, which consists of a short screened section with a pair of transducers inset in the tool near the screen, is pushed into the subsurface to a depth at which a K estimate is desired. A short hydraulic test is then performed by injecting water through the screen at a constant rate (less than 4 L/min) while pressure changes are monitored at the transducer locations. Hydraulic conductivity is calculated using the injection rate and the pressure changes in simple expressions based on Darcy’s Law. In units of moderate or higher hydraulic conductivity (more than 1 m/d), testing at a single level can be completed within 10 to 15 min. Two major advantages of the method are its speed and the insensitivity of the K estimates to the zone of compaction created by tool advancement. The potential of the approach has been assessed at two extensively studied sites in the United States and Germany over a K range commonly faced in practical field investigations (0.02 to 500 m/d). The results of this assessment demonstrate that the DPP can provide high‐resolution K estimates that are in good agreement with estimates obtained through other means.
Use of the Transtheoretical Model to Predict Stages of Smoking Cessation in Korean Adolescents
Authors: Ham Ok Kyung , Lee Young Ja 
Published: June 2007

ABSTRACTBackground:  Smoking is popular among Korean male high school adolescents, with the prevalence of 20.7% differing markedly with the type of school, being 16.3% and 27.6% in academic and vocational technical high schools, respectively. The purpose of this study was to identify significant variables that predict stages of smoking cessation among Korean high school students using the transtheoretical model (TTM), in order to provide an empirical basis for developing smoking cessation programs.Methods:  Cross‐sectional data were collected in April and May 2004 from 300 male students at 3 vocational technical high schools in Korean metropolitan areas. The survey variables comprised decisional balance, self‐efficacy, stages and processes of change, nicotine dependence, and use of smoking cessation aids.Results:  Current and former smokers comprised 26.3% and 22.7% of the cohort, respectively, of which 71.4% had experienced smoking cessation at least once and 55.1% utilized smoking cessation aids to help stop smoking. Nicotine‐free tobacco and nicotine gum were the most common smoking cessation aids. Decisional balance, use of behavioral processes, and higher self‐efficacy were significant in explaining stages of smoking cessation after controlling for nicotine dependence.Conclusions:  The study results suggest that smoking cessation programs developed based on the TTM may help adolescents to progress through stages, with it being important to include information regarding the use of smoking cessation aids.
IR Laser and Heat‐induced Changes in Annulus Fibrosus Collagen Structure
Authors: Ignatieva Natalia Yu. , Zakharkina Olga L. , Andreeva Irina V. , Sobol Emil N. , Kamensky Vladislav A. , Myakov Alexey V. , Averkiev Sergey V. , Lunin Valery V. 
Published: June 2007

ABSTRACTThe purpose of this study was to characterize essential changes in the structure of annulus fibrosus (AF) after hydrothermal and infrared (IR) laser treatment and to correlate these results with alterations in tissue state. Polarization‐sensitive optical coherence tomography imaging was used to measure collagen birefringence in AF. Differential scanning calorimetry was used as a complementary technique, providing detailed information on thermodynamic processes in the tissue. Birefringence, peak of the denaturation endotherm, and the enthalpy of denaturation (ΔHm) were determined before and after hydrothermal heat treatment (85°C for 15 min) and non‐ablative Er:glass fiber laser exposures on AF in the whole disk (vertebrae‐disk–vertebrae complex). Our data have demonstrated quantitative differences between results of laser and hydrothermal heating. Birefringence did not disappear and ΔHm did not change after treatment in the water bath, but loss of birefringence and a decrease in the enthalpy did occur after laser exposure. These results could be explained by the photomechanical effect of laser irradiation. We suggest that thermo‐mechanical stress played a dominant role in the disruption of the collagen network of AF under non‐homogeneous laser heating.
MORE ON THE ISOMORPHISM SU(2) ⊗ SU(2) ≅ SO(4)
Authors: FUJII KAZUYUKI , OIKE HIROSHI , SUZUKI TATSUO 
Published: June 2007

In this paper, we revisit the isomorphism SU(2) ⊗ SU(2) ≅ SO(4) to apply to some subjects in Quantum Computation and Mathematical Physics. The unitary matrix Q by Makhlin giving the isomorphism as an adjoint action is studied and generalized from a different point of view. Some problems are also presented. In particular, the homogeneous manifold SU(2n)/SO(2n) which characterizes entanglements in the case of n = 2 is studied, and a clear-cut calculation of the universal Yang–Mills action in (hep-th/0602204) is given for the abelian case.
Quantifying the Strength of Soil Moisture–Precipitation Coupling and Its Sensitivity to Changes in Surface Water Budget
Authors: Wang Guiling , Kim Yeonjoo , Wang Dagang 
Published: June 2007

Abstract
This paper presents a new index to quantify the strength of soil moisture–precipitation coupling in AGCMs and explores how the soil moisture–precipitation coupling in Community Atmosphere Model version 3 (CAM3)–Community Land Model version 3 (CAM3–CLM3) responds to parameterization-induced surface water budget changes. Specifically, this study (a) compares the regions of strong coupling identified by the newly proposed index and the index currently used in the Global Land–Atmosphere Coupling Experiment (GLACE); (b) examines how the surface water budget changes influence the strength of soil moisture–precipitation coupling as measured by the two indexes, respectively; and (c) examines how these changes influence the memory of the coupled land–atmosphere system as measured by the correlation between soil moisture and subsequent precipitation. The new index and the GLACE index are consistent in identifying central North America and West Africa as major regions of strong coupling during June–August (JJA). However, in some areas of western Europe and of subtropical South America where the GLACE index is low, the new index suggests a modest significant coupling during JJA. In response to the surface water budget changes that presumably favor a stronger soil moisture–precipitation coupling, the new index increases, but the GLACE index decreases in a majority of the regions of modest-to-strong coupling, although both show some mixed response. Changes in the land–atmosphere system memory suggest an increase of coupling strength, consistent with results from the new index. The strong dependence of the GLACE index on the relative importance of atmospheric internal variability is identified as a potential cause for the differences between the two indexes. The two indexes emphasize different aspects of soil moisture–precipitation coupling, and one might be more suitable than the other depending on the purpose of individual studies.
A Hydrometeorological Modeling Study of a Flash-Flood Event over Catalonia, Spain
Authors: Amengual A. , Romero R. , Gómez M. , Martín A. , Alonso S. 
Published: June 2007

Abstract
During the early morning of 10 June 2000, the Catalonia region was affected by a hazardous convective rainfall episode that produced a large increase on flow regimes in many internal catchments of the region. The present modeling study is focused upon the Llobregat basin, the biggest internal catchment with a drainage area of 5040 km2. The first objective of the study is the characterization of the watershed hydrological response to this flash-flood event based on rain gauge data and the Hydrologic Engineering Center’s Hydrological Modeling System (HEC-HMS) runoff model. The HEC-HMS model has been calibrated using five episodes of similar torrential characteristics, and the effects of the spatial segmentation of the basin and of the temporal scale of the input rainfall field have been examined. These kinds of episodes present short recurrence intervals in Mediterranean Spain, and the use of mesoscale forecast driven runoff simulation systems for increasing the lead times of the emergency management procedures is a valuable issue to explore. The second objective uses NCEP and ECMWF analyses to initialize the nonhydrostatic fifth-generation Pennsylvania State University–NCAR Mesoscale Model (MM5) in order to simulate the 10 June 2000 flash-flood episode with appropriate space and time scales to force the runoff model. The final objective analyzes the sensitivity of the catchment’s response to the spatial and temporal uncertainty of the rainfall pattern based on an ensemble of perturbed MM5 simulations. MM5 perturbations are introduced through small shifts and changes in intensity of the precursor upper-level synoptic-scale trough. Main results indicate that 1) an optimum configuration of the runoff model can be clearly defined that best adjusts the simulated basin’s hydrological response to observed peak discharges, their timing, and total volume; 2) the MM5-control driven runoff simulation shows a reasonable reproduction of the observed discharge at the basin’s outlet and appears to be a suitable tool for the hydrometeorological forecasting of flash floods in the Llobregat basin as a whole; and 3) the ensemble of perturbed runoff simulations does not exhibit any relevant degradation of the forecast skill, and some of the members even outperform the control experiment at different stream gauge locations. That is, the catchment is relatively insensitive to rainfall forecast errors of a few tenths of kilometers and no more than 1–2 h.
The Outstanding 2004/05 Drought in the Iberian Peninsula: Associated Atmospheric Circulation
Authors: García-Herrera Ricardo , Hernández Emiliano , Barriopedro David , Paredes Daniel , Trigo Ricardo M. , Trigo Isabel Franco , Mendes Manuel A. 
Published: June 2007

Abstract
The 2004/05 hydrological year (October 2004 to September 2005) was characterized by intense dry conditions affecting most of western Europe (35°–55°N and 10°W–10°E). In Iberia the drought affected every month of this period, with the southern half of Iberia receiving roughly 40% of the usual precipitation by June 2005. Moreover, this episode stands as the driest event in the last 140 yr, producing major socioeconomic impacts particularly due to the large decrease in hydroelectricity and agricultural production in both Iberian countries (Portugal and Spain).
To assess the atmospheric submonthly circulation associated with this drought an Eulerian [weather types (WTs)] and a Lagrangean (objective storm tracks) analysis were combined. There was a dramatic drop in “wet” WT frequency during winter, with less than 50% of the normal value, and a corresponding increase of “dry” WTs. The storm-track analysis reveals an impressive northward displacement of cyclone trajectories in the North Atlantic sector in winter months, resulting in an almost complete absence of cyclones crossing Iberia and western Europe.
At the monthly scale, the intense drought in Iberia was due to a combination of different physical mechanisms. First, the scarce precipitation observed between November 2004 and January 2005 was associated with positive North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) indexes for these months. In February, the East Atlantic (EA) pattern seems to be the main driver. In March neither the negative NAO (−1.8) nor the positive EA (1.1) are capable of explaining the large negative precipitation anomalies. However, it is shown that during March 2005, an intense and anomalous blocking was displaced southward of its usual location, inhibiting the occurrence of precipitation over Iberia and leading to a negative NAO index anomalously associated with low precipitation records.
Interannual Variability and Ensemble Forecast of Upper Blue Nile Basin Kiremt Season Precipitation
Authors: Block Paul , Rajagopalan Balaji 
Published: June 2007

AbstractEthiopian agriculture and Nile River flows are heavily dependent upon the Kiremt season (June–September) precipitation in the upper Blue Nile basin, as a means of rain-fed irrigation and streamflow contribution, respectively. Climate diagnostics suggest that the El Niño–Southern Oscillation phenomenon is a main driver of interannual variability of seasonal precipitation in the basin. One-season (March–May) lead predictors of the seasonal precipitation are identified from the large-scale ocean–atmosphere–land system, including sea level pressures, sea surface temperatures, geopotential height, air temperature, and the Palmer Drought Severity Index. A nonparametric approach based on local polynomial regression is proposed for generating ensemble forecasts. The method is data driven, easy to implement, and provides a flexible framework able to capture any arbitrary features (linear or nonlinear) present in the data, as compared to traditional linear regression. The best subset of predictors, as determined by the generalized cross-validation (GCV) criteria, is selected from the suite of potential large-scale predictors. A simple technique for disaggregating the seasonal precipitation forecasts into monthly forecasts is also provided. Cross-validated forecasts indicate significant skill in comparison to climatological forecasts, as currently utilized by the Ethiopian National Meteorological Services Agency. This ensemble forecasting framework can serve as a useful tool for water resources planning and management within the basin.
What Controls Evapotranspiration in the Amazon Basin?
Authors: Hasler Natalia , Avissar Roni 
Published: June 2007

Abstract
Global climate models (GCMs) and regional climate models (RCMs) generally show a decrease in the dry season evapotranspiration (ET) rate over the entire Amazon basin. Based on anecdotal observations, it has been suggested that they probably overestimate tropical rain forest water stress. In this study, eddy covariance flux measurements from eight different towers of the Large-Scale Biosphere–Atmosphere Experiment in Amazonia (LBA) were used to provide a first look at the spatial variability and temporal cycle of ET throughout the basin. Results show strong seasonality in ET for stations near the equator (2°–3°S), with ET increasing during the dry season (June–September) and decreasing during the wet season (December–March), both correlated (0.75 to 0.94) and in phase with the net radiation annual cycle. In stations located farther south (9°–11°S) no clear seasonality could be identified in either net radiation or ET. For these more southerly stations, net radiation and ET are still correlated (0.76–0.92) in the wet season, but correlations decrease in the dry season (0–0.71), which is likely associated with water stress. For both pasture sites, located in southern Amazonia, ET decreases during the second half of the dry season, indicating progressively increased water stress. GCMs and RCMs indeed tend to overestimate dry season water stress in the Amazon basin and, therefore, should be revised to better simulate this region, which has a key role in the global hydrometeorology.
Stochastic Multisite Generation of Daily Precipitation Data Using Spatial Autocorrelation
Authors: Khalili Malika , Leconte Robert , Brissette François 
Published: June 2007

Abstract
There are a number of stochastic models that simulate weather data required for various water resources applications in hydrology, agriculture, ecosystem, and climate change studies. However, many of them ignore the dependence between station locations exhibited by the observed meteorological time series.
This paper proposes a multisite generation approach of daily precipitation data based on the concept of spatial autocorrelation. This theory refers to spatial dependence between observations with respect to their geographical adjacency. In hydrometeorology, spatial autocorrelation can be computed to describe daily dependence between the weather stations through the use of a spatial weight matrix, which defines the degree of significance of the weather stations surrounding each observation.
The methodology is based on the use of the spatial moving average process to generate spatially autocorrelated random numbers that will be used in a stochastic weather generator. The resulting precipitation processes satisfy the daily spatial autocorrelations computed using the observed data. Monthly relationships between the spatial moving average coefficients and daily spatial autocorrelations of the precipitation processes have been developed to find the spatial moving average coefficients that reproduce the observed daily spatial autocorrelations in the synthetic precipitation processes.
To assess the effectiveness of the proposed methodology, seven stations in the Peribonca River basin in the Canadian province of Quebec were used. The daily spatial autocorrelations of both precipitation occurrences and amounts were adequately reproduced, as well as the total monthly precipitations, the number of rainy days per month, and the daily precipitation variance. Using appropriate weight matrices, the proposed multisite approach permits one not only to reproduce the spatial autocorrelation of precipitation between the set of stations, but also the interstation correlation of precipitation between each pair of stations.
Impact of Initial Soil Moisture Anomalies on Subsequent Precipitation over North America in the Coupled Land–Atmosphere Model CAM3–CLM3
Authors: Kim Yeonjoo , Wang Guiling 
Published: June 2007

Abstract
To investigate the impact of anomalous soil moisture conditions on subsequent precipitation over North America, a series of numerical experiments is performed using a modified version of the Community Atmosphere Model version 3 and the Community Land Model version 3 (CAM3–CLM3). First, the mechanisms underlying the impact of spring and summer soil moisture on subsequent precipitation are examined based on simulations starting on 1 April and 1 June, respectively. How the response of precipitation to initial soil moisture anomalies depends on the characteristics of such anomalies, including the timing, magnitude, spatial coverage, and vertical depth, is then investigated. There are five main findings. First, the impact of spring soil moisture anomalies is not evident until early summer although their impact on the large-scale circulation results in slight changes in precipitation during spring. Second, precipitation increases with initial soil moisture almost linearly within a certain range of soil moisture. Beyond this range, precipitation is less responsive. Third, during the first month following the onset of summer soil moisture anomalies, the precipitation response to wet anomalies is larger in magnitude than that to dry anomalies. However, the resulting wet anomalies in precipitation quickly dissipate within a month or so, while the resulting dry anomalies in precipitation remain at a considerable magnitude for a longer period. Consistently, wet spring anomalies are likely to be ameliorated before summer, and thus have a smaller impact (in magnitude) on summer precipitation than dry spring anomalies. Fourth, soil moisture anomalies of smaller spatial coverage lead to precipitation anomalies that are smaller and less persistent, compared to anomalies at the continental scale. Finally, anomalies in shallow soil can persist long enough to influence the subsequent precipitation at the seasonal time scale. Dry anomalies in deep soils last much longer than those in shallow soils.