Localized transverse bursts in inclined layer convection

We investigate a novel bursting state in inclined layer thermal convection in which convection rolls exhibit intermittent, localized, transverse bursts. With increasing temperature difference, the bursts increase in duration and number while exhibiting a characteristic wavenumber, magnitude, and size. We propose a mechanism which describes the duration of the observed bursting intervals and compare our results to bursting processes in other systems.Comment: 4 pages, 8 figure

Marital satisfaction and depressive symptoms in China

Although there is substantial evidence that low marital satisfaction is a significant risk factor for depression, little research has examined this relationship in cultures outside of the U.S. and Europe. The validity of the marital discord model of depression in Chinese culture was tested by studying 391 couples living in Beijing and Hangzhou, China. Results of structural equation modeling using an actor-partner interdependence model strategy indicated that husbands\u27 and wives\u27 marital satisfaction was significantly predictive of their own depressive symptoms. In addition, wives\u27 marital satisfaction significantly predicted husbands\u27 depressive symptoms. These results provide evidence that the marital discord model of depression is useful in understanding the role of marital dissatisfaction as a risk factor for depressive symptoms in collectivistic societies, such as China. © 2013 American Psychological Association

The use of hourly model-generated soundings to forecast mesoscale phenomena. Part I: Initial assessment in forecasting warm-season phenomena

ABSTRACT Since late 1995, NCEP has made available to forecasters hourly model guidance at selected sites in the form of vertical profiles of various forecast fields. These profiles provide forecasters with increased temporal resolution and greater vertical resolution than had been previously available. The hourly forecast profiles are provided for all of NCEP's short-range models: the Nested Grid Model, Eta Model, and Mesoscale Eta Model. The highresolution forecasts aid in the timing of frontal passages, low-level jets, and convective initiation. In addition, through time-height cross sections of Richardson numbers, forecasters can alert pilots to the potential for clear air turbulence several hours to a day in advance. Further, the profiles are useful in prediction of cloudiness and the dissipation of low-level stratus and fog. Time-height cross sections of wind velocity have proven extraordinarily useful in visualizing and forecasting inversion heights, frontal passage timing, boundary layer depth, and available environmental and storm-relative helicity during convective events. The hourly model forecasts were found to be exceptionally helpful when combined with hourly surface observations to produce enhanced real-time analyses of convective parameters for use in very short term forecasting. High-resolution analyses of lifted index, CAPE, convective inhibition, moisture flux convergence, and 2-h changes in these fields aid the forecaster in anticipating convective trends. The introduction of model forecast error into these real-time analyses was minimized by using the latest available Eta or Mesoscale Eta Model runs. Therefore, the model data used to enhance the analyses are typically no more than 6-12 h old

National Eldercare System Project: A National Study Comparing Successful Community-based Systems of Care for Older People

The purpose of this project was to compare three different models of building and strengthening community-based systems of care for older adults. Models were distinguished by the type of organization that took the lead in developing the system of services: Area Agency on Aging, acute care hospital, and residential facility. Specific questions addressed in this project were: (1) What conditions in a local community give rise to a community-based system of care (CBSC) for older adults? (2) What are the necessary steps in planning and designing CBSCs? (3) How are successful CBSCs established and maintained? (4) How does the type of lead organization influence a CBSCs accessibility, responsiveness, and effectiveness? (5) To what extent and under what conditions can successful CBSCs be replicated? Answers to these questions were meant to assist leaders in new communities wishing to develop CBSCs for older adults in their own locales

Soluble α2-macroglobulin receptor is increased in endotracheal aspirates from infants and children after cardiopulmonary bypass

ObjectiveCytokine dysregulation contributes to the systemic inflammatory response after cardiopulmonary bypass. Clearance of cytokine binding proteins may be important in the resolution of inflammation. Our aim was to determine whether the cytokine binding protein α2-macroglobulin and its soluble receptor were upregulated in endotracheal aspirates from infants and children undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass.MethodsSeventy tracheal aspirates were collected before and after cardiopulmonary bypass from 35 infants and children undergoing surgical correction of congenital heart defects. α2-Macroglobulin and the soluble α2-macroglobulin receptor were identified by Western blot. With the use of multi-analyte cytokine profiling, pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines were quantified, normalized to total protein, and expressed as ratios. Paired t tests and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were performed between prebypass and postbypass samples. Correlations were examined among α2-macroglobulin, soluble α2-macroglobulin receptor, cytokine ratios, and the clinical variables of cardiopulmonary bypass, aortic crossclamp, and circulatory arrest times.Resultsα2-Macroglobulin increased by 50% (mean densitometry increase 82,683 ± 184,594, P = .012), and soluble α2-macroglobulin receptor increased by 17% (mean densitometry increase 506,148 ± 687,037, P = .0001) after cardiopulmonary bypass. The ratio of interleukin-8/interleukin-4 increased by 136% (P = .0001), and interleukin-8/interleukin-10 increased by 102% (P = .001). The increase in soluble α2-macroglobulin receptor was positively correlated with the ratios of interleukin-8/interleukin-4 and interleukin-8/interleukin-10. There were no statistically significant positive correlations between the increase in α2-macroglobulin or soluble α2-macroglobulin receptor and measured clinical variables.ConclusionsWe report for the first time the upregulation of α2-macroglobulin and soluble α2-macroglobulin receptor in tracheal aspirates after cardiopulmonary bypass in infants and children. Soluble α2-macroglobulin receptor correlates with increased α2-macroglobulin and a disproportionate increase in pro-inflammatory to anti-inflammatory cytokine ratios

IL-6 and PRG4 are novel predictive and mechanistic tissue biomarkers in conjunctival fibrosis

IMPORTANCE: Postsurgical fibrosis is a critical determinant of the long-term success of glaucoma surgery, but no reliable biomarkers are currently available to stratify the risk of scarring. OBJECTIVE: To compare the clinical phenotype of patients with conjunctival fibrosis after glaucoma surgery with candidate gene expression tissue biomarkers of fibrosis. DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: In this cross-sectional study, 42 patients were recruited at the time of glaucoma surgery at the Moorfields Eye Hospital from September 1, 2014, to September 1, 2016. The participants were divided into those with fibrosis and those without fibrosis. MAIN OUTCOME AND MEASURES: Genotype-phenotype correlations of the IL6 or PRG4 gene and detailed clinical phenotype. The IL6 and PRG4 protein expression in conjunctival tissues was also assessed using in situ immunohistochemical analysis. Central bleb area, maximal bleb area, and bleb height were graded on a scale of 1 to 5 (1 indicating 0%; 2, 25%; 3, 50%; 4, 75%; and 5, 100%). Bleb vascularity was graded on a scale of 1 to 5 (1 indicating avascularity; 2, normal; 3, mild; 4, moderate; and 5, severe hyperemia). RESULTS: A total of 42 patients were recruited during the study period; 28 participants (67%) had previously undergone glaucoma surgery (fibrotic group) (mean [SD] age, 43.8 [3.6 years]; 16 [57%] female; 22 [79%] white), and 14 participants (33%) had not previously undergone glaucoma surgery (nonfibrotic group) (mean [SD] age, 47.7 [6.9] years; 4 [29%] female; 9 [64%] white). The fibrotic group had marked bleb scarring and vascularization and worse logMAR visual acuity. The mean (SD) grades were 1.4 (0.1) for central bleb area, 1.4 (0.1) for bleb height, and 3.4 (0.2) for bleb vascularity. The IL6 gene was upregulated in fibrotic cell lines (mean, 0.040) compared with nonfibrotic cell lines (mean, 0.011) (difference, 0.029; 95% CI, 0.015-0.043; P = .003). The PRG4 gene was also downregulated in fibrotic cell lines (0.002) compared with nonfibrotic cell lines (mean, 0.109; difference, 0.107; 95% CI, 0.104-0.110; P = .03). The study found a strong correlation between the IL6 gene and the number of glaucoma operations (r = 0.94, P < .001) and logMAR visual acuity (r = 0.64, P = .03). A moderate correlation was found between the PRG4 gene and the number of glaucoma operations (r = −0.72, P = .005) and logMAR visual acuity (r = −0.62, P = .03). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: IL6 and PRG4 represent potential novel tissue biomarkers of disease severity and prognosis in conjunctival fibrosis after glaucoma surgery. Future longitudinal studies with multiple postoperative measures are needed to validate the effect of these potential biomarkers of fibrosis

The sexual attitudes and lifestyles of London's Eastern Europeans (SALLEE Project): design and methods.

BACKGROUND: Since May 2004, ten Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries have joined the European Union, leading to a large influx of CEE migrants to the United Kingdom (UK). The SALLEE project (sexual attitudes and lifestyles of London's Eastern Europeans) set out to establish an understanding of the sexual lifestyles and reproductive health risks of CEE migrants. CEE nationals make up a small minority of the population resident in the UK with no sampling frame from which to select a probability sample. There is also difficulty estimating the socio-demographic and geographical distribution of the population. In addition, measuring self-reported sexual behaviour which is generally found to be problematic, may be compounded among people from a range of different cultural and linguistic backgrounds. This paper will describe the methods adopted by the SALLEE project to address these challenges. METHODS: The research was undertaken using quantitative and qualitative methods: a cross-sectional survey of CEE migrants based on three convenience samples (recruited from community venues, sexual health clinics and from the Internet) and semi-structured in-depth interviews with a purposively selected sample of CEE migrants. A detailed social mapping exercise of the CEE community was conducted prior to commencement of the survey to identify places where CEE migrants could be recruited. A total of 3,005 respondents took part in the cross-sectional survey, including 2,276 respondents in the community sample, 357 in the clinic sample and 372 in the Internet sample. 40 in-depth qualitative interviews were undertaken with a range of individuals, as determined by the interview quota matrix. DISCUSSION: The SALLEE project has benefited from using quantitative research to provide generalisable data on a range of variables and qualitative research to add in-depth understanding and interpretation. The social mapping exercise successfully located a large number of CEE migrants for the community sample and is recommended for other migrant populations, especially when little or no official data are available for this purpose. The project has collected timely data that will help us to understand the sexual lifestyles, reproductive health risks and health service needs of CEE communities in the UK