The Equatorial Undercurrent and TAO sampling bias from a decade at SEA

Author Posting. © American Meteorological Society, 2014. This article is posted here by permission of American Meteorological Society for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology 21 (2014): 2015–2025, doi:10.1175/JTECH-D-13-00262.1.The NOAA Tropical Atmosphere Ocean (TAO) moored array has, for three decades, been a valuable resource for monitoring and forecasting El Niño–Southern Oscillation and understanding physical oceanographic as well as coupled processes in the tropical Pacific influencing global climate. Acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) measurements by TAO moorings provide benchmarks for evaluating numerical simulations of subsurface circulation including the Equatorial Undercurrent (EUC). Meanwhile, the Sea Education Association (SEA) has been collecting data during repeat cruises to the central equatorial Pacific Ocean (160°–126°W) throughout the past decade that provide useful cross validation and quantitative insight into the potential for stationary observing platforms such as TAO to incur sampling biases related to the strength of the EUC. This paper describes some essential sampling characteristics of the SEA dataset, compares SEA and TAO velocity measurements in the vicinity of the EUC, shares new insight into EUC characteristics and behavior only observable in repeat cross-equatorial sections, and estimates the sampling bias incurred by equatorial TAO moorings in their estimates of the velocity and transport of the EUC. The SEA high-resolution ADCP dataset compares well with concurrent TAO measurements (RMSE = 0.05 m s−1; R2 = 0.98), suggests that the EUC core meanders sinusoidally about the equator between ±0.4° latitude, and reveals a mean sampling bias of equatorial measurements (e.g., TAO) of the EUC’s zonal velocity of −0.14 ± 0.03 m s−1 as well as a ~10% underestimation of EUC volume transport. A bias-corrected monthly record and climatology of EUC strength at 140°W for 1990–2010 is presented.The authors thank the NSF Physical Oceanography program (OCE-1233282) and the WHOI Academic Programs Office for funding.2015-03-0

Can Physically Restrained Nursing‐Home Residents Be Untied Safely? Intervention and Evaluation Design

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/111092/1/j.1532-5415.1995.tb07403.x.pd

Only a faded rosebud

Gift of Dr. Mary Jane Esplen.Piano vocal [instrumentation]Listen, I'll tell you a story [first line]Only a faded rosebud [first line of chorus]B flat [key]Moderato [tempo]Popular song [form/genre]Decorative ; Dorothy Noble (photograph) [illustration]Publisher's advertisement on inside front and back cover [note

Clostridium difficile in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Retrospective Study

Aim: To investigate the epidemiology and risk factors of Clostridium difficile infections (CDI) in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Methods: This is a retrospective study of patients diagnosed with IBD. 1006 charts were screened and 654 patients met the inclusion criteria. Patients were divided into 2 cohorts based on the presence of prior diagnosis of CDI. Statistical analysis with Pearson\u27s chi-squared and two-sample t-test was performed. Results: The incidence of CDI among IBD patients was 6.7%. There was equal prevalence of CDI among Crohn\u27s disease (CD) (n = 21, 49%) and ulcerative colitis (UC) (n = 22, 51%). IBD patients acquired CDI at a mean age of 42.7 years, with 56% of infections acquired in the community and only 28% associated with healthcare. Only 30% of IBD patients with CDI had prior antibiotic use, and 16% had prior steroid use. IBD patients were significantly more likely to require biologic therapy (57% versus 37%, p \u3c 0.01) and have extraintestinal manifestations of IBD (43% versus 28%, p \u3c 0.02). Conclusions: IBD patients are more susceptible to CDI at a younger age and often lack traditional risk factors. IBD patients with at least one CDI were more likely to require biologic therapy and had greater rates of extraintestinal manifestations

Bring the pain: wounding reveals a transition from cortical excitability to epithelial excitability in Xenopus embryos

The cell cortex plays many critical roles, including interpreting and responding to internal and external signals. One behavior which supports a cell’s ability to respond to both internal and externally-derived signaling is cortical excitability, wherein coupled positive and negative feedback loops generate waves of actin polymerization and depolymerization at the cortex. Cortical excitability is a highly conserved behavior, having been demonstrated in many cell types and organisms. One system well-suited to studying cortical excitability is Xenopus laevis, in which cortical excitability is easily monitored for many hours after fertilization. Indeed, recent investigations using X. laevis have furthered our understanding of the circuitry underlying cortical excitability and how it contributes to cytokinesis. Here, we describe the impact of wounding, which represents both a chemical and a physical signal, on cortical excitability. In early embryos (zygotes to early blastulae), we find that wounding results in a transient cessation (“freezing”) of wave propagation followed by transport of frozen waves toward the wound site. We also find that wounding near cell-cell junctions results in the formation of an F-actin (actin filament)-based structure that pulls the junction toward the wound; at least part of this structure is based on frozen waves. In later embryos (late blastulae to gastrulae), we find that cortical excitability diminishes and is progressively replaced by epithelial excitability, a process in which wounded cells communicate with other cells via wave-like increases of calcium and apical F-actin. While the F-actin waves closely follow the calcium waves in space and time, under some conditions the actin wave can be uncoupled from the calcium wave, suggesting that they may be independently regulated by a common upstream signal. We conclude that as cortical excitability disappears from the level of the individual cell within the embryo, it is replaced by excitability at the level of the embryonic epithelium itself

News Coverage of the 2008 Presidential Primaries

President George W. Bush was completing his second (and final) term in office and Vice President Dick Cheney decided not to run for president. Thus, the 2008 American presidential primary is the first “open” campaign (with no sitting president or vice president competing) since 1952 with highly competitive primaries for both major political parties. This study uses content analysis to investigate news coverage (national newspapers, network television news, and local newspapers) of the 2008 American presidential primary campaign. Most themes in the news concerned the horse race (66%) with somewhat more emphasis on the candidates’ character (18%) than their policy proposals (15%). The most common topics of horse race comments were campaign strategy (24%), campaign events (19%), polls (17%), and predictions (12%). More news comments were positive (62%) than negative (32%) with few comments about the candidate’s defenses (7%). Most comments were unattributed (statements by journalists: 66%); candidates were quoted or paraphrased in about one in five comments; the remaining comments were from supporters (8%) or others (7%)

S-NPP ATMS Instrument Prelaunch and On-Orbit Performance Evaluation

The first of a new generation of microwave sounders was launched aboard the Suomi-National Polar-Orbiting Partnership satellite in October 2011. The Advanced Technology Microwave Sounder (ATMS) combines the capabilities and channel sets of three predecessor sounders into a single package to provide information on the atmospheric vertical temperature and moisture profiles that are the most critical observations needed for numerical weather forecast models. Enhancements include size/mass/power approximately one third of the previous total, three new sounding channels, the first space-based, Nyquist-sampled cross-track microwave temperature soundings for improved fusion with infrared soundings, plus improved temperature control and reliability. This paper describes the ATMS characteristics versus its predecessor, the advanced microwave sounding unit (AMSU), and presents the first comprehensive evaluation of key prelaunch and on-orbit performance parameters. Two-year on-orbit performance shows that the ATMS has maintained very stable radiometric sensitivity, in agreement with prelaunch data, meeting requirements for all channels (with margins of ~40% for channels 1-15), and improvements over AMSU-A when processed for equivalent spatial resolution. The radiometric accuracy, determined by analysis from ground test measurements, and using on-orbit instrument temperatures, also shows large margins relative to requirements (specified as <1.0K for channels 1, 2, and 16-22 and <0.75 K for channels 3-15). A thorough evaluation of the performance of ATMS is especially important for this first proto-flight model unit of what will eventually be a series of ATMS sensors providing operational sounding capability for the U.S. and its international partners well into the next decade

River Raisin Watershed Management Plan, Phase 1

Abstract The River Raisin Watershed drains 2,780 square kilometers of southeastern Michigan and northern Ohio, terminating in Lake Erie. Currently, agriculture dominates the watershed (73 %)but exurban development is contributing to a changing landscape. As a result, the river and associated tributaries are heavily impacted and in need of a management plan that identifies threats to the watershed’s health and proposes appropriate responses. The River Raisin Watershed Council (RRWC) and The Nature Conservancy (TNC) of Michigan, both active in advocating for watershed protection, enlisted the project team’s help in developing this plan. The results of this analysis will guide TNC and the RRWC to develop strategies to effectively manage the natural resources of the watershed. The team investigated three areas of importance in developing watershed protection strategies: 1) water quality in the upper watershed, 2) identification of conservation targets in the upper watershed using a GIS model and habitat assessment, and 3) analysis of local ordinances throughout the watershed that address stormwater management, preservation of natural areas, and reduction of impervious surfaces using a scoring system developed by the Center for Watershed Protection. The main stem of the River Raisin above the village of Manchester has the best water quality and also has the largest amount of priority area for habitat conservation. The subwatersheds of Hazen and Evans creek exhibited the poorest water quality in the upper watershed. The South Branch of the River Raisin and parts of Evans Creek are also the areas of lowest conservation value based on available habitat. The cities of Tecumseh and Adrian, the major population centers in these subwatersheds, are the local governments that need the most revision of local ordinances to improve water quality and stormwater management. Based on our analysis we recommend specific locations that could serve as focal areas for conservation planning and model ordinances to improve water quality.Master of ScienceNatural Resources and EnvironmentUniversity of Michigan, School of Natural Resources and Environmenthttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/35338/2/The River Raisin Watershed Management Plan, Phase 1.pd

What Outcomes are Important for Gout Patients? In-Depth Qualitative Research into the Gout Patient Experience to Determine Optimal Endpoints for Evaluating Therapeutic Interventions

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Characterized by sudden onset of severe joint pain, swelling, redness, and tenderness to touch, gout \u27flare ups\u27 have a substantial impact on quality of life (QoL). This research employed a patient-centered approach to explore the symptoms and impacts of gout, and assess the content validity of existing patient-reported outcomes (PROs). METHODS: Qualitative interviews were conducted with 30 US gout patients (non-tophaceous: n = 20, tophaceous: n = 10) and five expert rheumatologists. Each interview included both concept elicitation (CE) questioning to learn about the patient experience and cognitive debriefing to assess the content validity of three PRO instruments (HAQ-DI, GAQ, and TIQ-20). Nine of the patients provided further real-time qualitative data through a smart phone application. All qualitative data were subject to thematic analysis using Atlas.ti. Two patient advisors and three expert clinicians were engaged as advisors at key stages throughout the research. RESULTS: Interview and real-time data identified the same core symptoms and proximal impact concepts. Severe pain (typically in joints of extremities) was described as the cardinal symptom, often accompanied by swelling, redness, heat, sensitivity to touch, and stiffness. Domains of QoL impacted included physical functioning, sleep, daily activities, and work. The PRO instruments were generally well-understood by patients, but each included items with questionable relevance to at least some of the sample, dependent on the specific joints affected. CONCLUSIONS: Gout patients experience severe pain in affected joints, resulting in substantial limitations in physical functioning. Both the HAQ-DI and the TIQ-20 are useful for specific research purposes in the gout population, although modifications are recommended