A comparison of FPS-16 and GMD-1 MEASUREMENTS and methods for processing wind data. Phase II - Analysis of time variability of atmospheric parameters Final report

Comparison of FPS-16 and GMD-1 radar tracking and radiosonde measurements and methods for processing wind data - time variability of atmospheric parameter

Algorithms for geodesics

Algorithms for the computation of geodesics on an ellipsoid of revolution are given. These provide accurate, robust, and fast solutions to the direct and inverse geodesic problems and they allow differential and integral properties of geodesics to be computed.Comment: LaTex, 12 pages, 8 figures. Version 2 corrects some errors and adds numerical examples. Supplementary material is available at http://geographiclib.sourceforge.net/geod.htm

Data analysis and archival

The purpose of this task is the acquisition, distribution, archival, and analysis of data collected during and in support of the Upper Atmospheric Research Program (UARP) field experiments. Meteorological and U2 data from the 1984 Stratosphere-Troposphere Exchange Project (STEP) was analyzed to determine characteristics of internal atmospheric waves. CDROM's containing data from the 1987 STEP, 1987 Airborne Antarctic Ozone Expedition (AAOE), and the 1989 Airborne Arctic Stratospheric Expedition (AASE) were produced for archival and distribution of those data sets. The AASE CDROM contains preliminary data and a final release is planned for February 1990. Comparisons of data from the NASA ER-2 Meteorological Measurement System (MMS) with radar tracking and radiosonde data show good agreement. Planning for a Meteorological Support Facility continues. We are investigating existing and proposed hardware and software to receive, manipulate, and display satellite imagery and standard meteorological analyses, forecasts, and radiosonde data

Compassion and Integrity in Health Professions Education

Issues related to professionalism have come to the fore in health professions education. Strategies designed to evaluate and increase components of professionalism are now of interest to educators. Skills in improving levels of professionalism can be accurately assessed and taught. Professionalism encompasses attributes of compassion and integrity. Tools to measure indices of compassion have been developed. There are three critical stages in which attributes of compassion and integrity can be assessed: prior to admission, during education, and graduation standards. One effective means of transferring skills related to professionalism is modeling. Health professions educators need to be more aware of the issues related to the assessment of elements of professionalism

Notes on the birds of the tidal lowlands and floodplains of South Sumatra province, Indonesia

During an environmental baseline survey of the tidal lowlands and floodplains of South Sumatra Province in 1988-89, a total of 270 bird species was recorded. This paper focuses on wetland species, including those inhabiting swamp forests. No upland forest habitats are found within the region described. The area supports a diverse avifauna, including some globally threatened species that have a core population here, notably Milky Stork Mycteria cinerea, Storm's Stork Ciconia stormi, Lesser Adjutant Leptoptilos javanicus, Black-headed Ibis Threskiomis melanocephatus and Asian Dowitcher Limnodromus semipalmatus. The coast has vital passage and wintering grounds that rank second in importance only to coastal wetlands in Bangladesh for East Palaearctic waders in terms of numbers of birds. Three species were recorded for the first time in Sumatra: Spotted Eagle Aquila clanga, Steppe/Imperial Eagle Aquila nipalensis/heliaca and Spotted Redshank Tringa erythropa, and first Sumatran breeding records were obtained for Javan Pond-heron Ardeola speciosa and White-headed Stilt Himantopus leucocephalus. A few species were observed outside their previously recorded usual habitats. The paper discusses the principal habitats of the area, and the very rapid rate of development that has occurred during the past two decades. Only one wetland area in the province has protection status, Padang-Sugihan. This Wildlife Reserve does not provide habitat for eight out of the eleven globally threatened species recorded in the study area. Consequently the establishment of two additional swamp reserves and bird sanctuary is strongly recommended

Results of percutaneous coronary interventions in Iceland during 1987-1998

Neðst á síðunni er hægt að nálgast greinina í heild sinni með því að smella á hlekkinn View/OpenPurpose: To evaluate potential changes in clinical indications and the composition of the patient population undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in Iceland from 1987 to 1998. Furthermore, to assess changes in success rate and major complications for the procedure during the study interval in a small nation with one PCI centre. Material and methods: The first PCI was performed in Iceland in May 1987. A registry has been kept from the start that includes clinical and procedural data, and records of complications and mortality. During the study interval a total of 2440 PCIs were performed. The annual procedure rate was low at first, with a steep rise during the last years. Based on procedural changes over the years the study interval was divided into three periods: I. 1987-1992 (471 procedures); the learning years, II. 1993-1995 (796 procedures); increasing number of PCIs and the method established, III. 1996-1998 (1173 procedures); increasing use of stents and new antiplatelet regime used. Results: From period I to III, the rate of elective PCI declined from 82% to 52% (p<0.001), subacute procedures increased from 14% to 44% (p<0.001), acute PCI from 0.8% to 3% (p<0.05), and ad hoc procedures from 0.4% to 28% (p<0.001). This reflects an increase in PCI on patients with acute coronary syndromes, as the ratio of patiens with unstable angina increased from 15% to 36% (p<0.001). Also, 1-vessel PCI decreased proportionally from 93% to 83%, while 2 and 3 vessel procedures increased from 7% to 17% (p<0.001). The proportion of patients 70 years or older increased from 7% to 27% (p<0.001). Still, the success rate for PCI increased from 83% to 93% (p<0.001) and the use of stents rose sharply from 0% to 56%. The ratio of PCI due to restenosis declined somewhat between period II and III, from 15% to 12% (p=0.06). Simultaneously, the rate of acute coronary bypass surgery after PCI decreased from 4.2% to 0.2% (p<0.001) and significantly fewer patients had elevated creatinine kinase levels (4.0% vs 2.7%, respectively, p<0.05). However, clinical acute myocardial infarction after PCI remained similar at 1.3% and 0.9%, and the in hospital mortality was 0.6% and 0.4%. Conclusions: On a national basis the rate of PCI in Iceland is amongst the highest in Europe. Thus, in 1998, when the population in Iceland was 275,000, 453 PCIs were done (1647 procedures per million inhabitants). An increased number of subacute and acute PCIs is carried out, more complicated procedures are performed in patients with widespread disease, and the patient population is growing older. Still, the success rate is high and the frequency of complications and mortality relatively low.Markmið: Tilgangur rannsóknarinnar var að meta árangur kransæðavíkkana á Íslandi á tímabilinu 1987-1998. Ennfremur að kanna hugsanlegar breytingar á ábendingum fyrir kransæðavíkkunum og á sjúkdómsbakgrunni þeirra sjúklinga sem komu til aðgerðar og hvort breytingar hefðu orðið á árangri, tíðni fylgikvilla og aðgerðartengdum dauðsföllum. Efniviður og aðferðir: Frá því fyrsta kransæðavíkkunin var gerð hér á landi í maí 1987 hefur nákvæm skrá verið haldin yfir alla sjúklinga. Skráð voru aðalatriði úr sjúkrasögu, klínískt ástand sjúklings og aðalábending fyrir aðgerð, áættuþættir fyrir kransæðasjúkdómi, niðurstöður kransæðamyndatöku, tæknileg framkvæmd aðgerðarinnar, árangur, fylgikvillar og aðgerðartengd dauðsföll. Á árunum 1987-1998 voru alls gerðar 2440 kransæðavíkkanir. Rannsóknartímabilinu var skipt í þrjú tímaskeið: I. 1987-1992 (471 aðgerð); fyrstu lærdómsárin, II. 1993-1995 (796 aðgerðir); aukinn fjöldi aðgerða og aðferðin fest í sessi, III. 1996-1998 (1173 aðgerðir); vaxandi notkun stoðneta og ný blóðflöguhamlandi lyf notuð. Niðurstöður: Frá tímabili I til III minnkaði hlutfall valinna víkkunaraðgerða úr 82% í 52% (p<0,001), hálfbráðum víkkunum fjölgaði úr 14% í 44% (p<0,001), bráðum víkkunum úr 0,8% í 3% (p<0,05), og víkkunum í beinu framhaldi af kransæðamyndatöku fjölgaði úr 0,4% í 28% (p<0,001). Þessar breytingar endurspegla aukningu á víkkunaraðgerðum hjá sjúklingum með bráða kransæðasjúkdóma og hlutfall sjúklinga með hvikula hjartaöng jókst einnig úr 15% í 36% (p<0,001). Ennfremur lækkaði hlutfall víkkunaraðgerða á einni kransæð úr 93% í 83%, en jókst á tveimur og þremur æðum úr 7% í 17% (p<0,001). Sjúklingum 70 ára og eldri fjölgaði úr 7% í 27% (p<0,001). Samtímis jókst tíðni velheppnaðra víkkunaraðgerða úr 83% í 93% (p<0,001) og notkun stoðneta frá því að vera engin í 56%. Hlutfall sjúklinga sem komu til víkkunar vegna endurþrengsla lækkaði úr 15% í 12% (p=0,06). Jafnframt lækkaði tíðni bráðra hjáveituaðgerða vegna fylgikvilla við víkkun úr 4,2% í 0,2% (p<0,001), hækkun á hjartaensímum eftir víkkanir minnkaði úr 4,0% í 2,7% (p<0,05), en tíðni klínískt staðfests hjartadreps eftir víkkunaraðgerð hélst svipuð, 1,3% og 0,9%, svo og dánartíðni á sjúkrahúsi, sem var 0,6% og 0,4%. Ályktanir: Miðað við fólksfjölda er tíðni kransæðavíkkunaraðgerða á Íslandi með því hæsta í Evrópu. Árið 1998, þegar fólksfjöldi var 275.000, voru gerðar 453 aðgerðir, sem samsvarar staðlað 1647 aðgerðum á milljón íbúa. Á undanförnum árum hefur fjöldi hálfbráðra og bráðra víkkunaraðgerða aukist, fleiri æðar eru oftar víkkaðar í einu og hlutfall eldri sjúklinga fer vaxandi. Þrátt fyrir þetta er hlutfall velheppnaðra víkkunaraðgerða hátt og tíðni fylgikvilla og dauðsfalla eftir aðgerð lág