Investigation of local meteorological events and their relationship with ozone and aerosols during an ESCOMPTE photochemical episode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Augustin, P.; Delbarre, H.; Lohou, F.; Campistron, B.; Puygrenier, V.; Cachier, H.; Lombardo, T.

2006-11-01

The international ESCOMPTE campaign, which took place in summer 2001 in the most highly polluted French region, was devoted to validate air pollution prediction models. Surface and remote sensing instruments (Lidar, Radar and Sodar) were deployed over the Marseille area, along the Mediterranean coast, in order to investigate the fine structure of the sea-breeze circulation and its relationship with the pollutant concentrations. The geographical situation of the Marseille region combines a complex coastline and relief which both lead to a peculiar behaviour of the sea-breeze circulation. Several local sea breezes, perpendicular to the nearest coastline, settled in during the morning. In the afternoons, when the thermal gradient between the continental and marine surface grows up, a southerly or a westerly sea breeze may dominate. Their respective importance is then a function of time, space and altitude. Furthermore, an oscillation of the westerly sea breeze with a period of about 3 h is also highlighted. We show that these dynamical characteristics have profound influences on the atmospheric boundary-layer (ABL) development and on pollutant concentrations. In fact, the direction and intensity of the sea-breeze determine the route and the transit time of the stable marine air flow over the continental surface. Thus, the ABL depth may exhibit several collapses correlated with the westerly sea-breeze pulsation. The ozone and aerosol concentrations are also related to the dynamical features. In the suburbs and parts of the city under pulsed sea breezes, a higher ABL depth and higher ozone concentrations are observed. In the city centre, this relationship between pulsed sea-breeze intensity and ozone concentration is different, emphasising the importance of the transit time and also the build-up of pollutants in the marine air mass along the route. Finally, the variations of aerosol concentration are also described according to the breeze direction.

Idealized WRF model sensitivity simulations of sea breeze types and their effects on offshore windfields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Steele, C. J.; Dorling, S. R.; von Glasow, R.; Bacon, J.

2013-01-01

The behaviour and characteristics of the marine component of sea breeze cells have received little attention relative to their onshore counterparts. Yet there is a growing interest and dependence on the offshore wind climate from, for example, a wind energy perspective. Using idealized model experiments, we investigate the sea breeze circulation at scales which approximate to those of the southern North Sea, a region of major ongoing offshore wind farm development. We also contrast the scales and characteristics of the pure and the little known corkscrew and backdoor sea breeze types, where the type is pre-defined by the orientation of the synoptic scale flow relative to the shoreline. We find, crucially, that pure sea breezes, in contrast to corkscrew and backdoor types, can lead to substantial wind speed reductions offshore and that the addition of a second eastern coastline emphasises this effect through generation of offshore "calm zones". The offshore extent of all sea breeze types is found to be sensitive to both the influence of Coriolis acceleration and to the boundary layer scheme selected. These extents range, for example for a pure sea breeze produced in a 2 m s-1 offshore gradient wind, from 0 km to 21 km between the Mellor-Yamada-Nakanishi-Niino and the Yonsei State University schemes respectively. The corkscrew type restricts the development of a backdoor sea breeze on the opposite coast and is also capable of traversing a 100 km offshore domain even under high along-shore gradient wind speed (>15 m s-1) conditions. Realistic variations in sea surface skin temperature and initializing vertical thermodynamic profile do not significantly alter the resulting circulation, though the strengths of the simulated sea breezes are modulated if the effective land-sea thermal contrast is altered. We highlight how sea breeze impacts on circulation need to be considered in order to improve the accuracy of both assessments of the offshore wind energy climate and forecasts of wind energy output.

Field Observations of Swash-Zone Dynamics on a Sea-Breeze Dominated Beach at the Yucatán Peninsula, México

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chardon-Maldonado, P.; Puleo, J. A.; Torres-Freyermuth, A.

2016-02-01

Sea breezes can modify the nearshore processes and alter beach morphology depending on the geographical location. Prior studies have shown that surf zone wave energy intensifies during strong sea-breeze conditions (wind speeds > 10 ms-1) and the impact on the coast can be similar to a small storm. However, few research efforts have investigated the coastal dynamics on sea-breeze dominated beaches (e.g., Masselink and Pattiaratchi, 1998, Mar. Geol.; Pattiaratchi et al., 1997, Cont. Shelf Res.) and, to the authors' knowledge, only one study has focused on swash-zone processes (Sonu et al., 1973, EOS). A field study was performed on a microtidal, low wave energy, sea-breeze dominated sandy beach in order to investigate the effects of local (sea breeze) and synoptic (storm) scale meteorological events on swash-zone dynamics. In-situ measurements of swash-zone hydrodynamics and sediment transport processes were collected from March 31st to April 12th, 2014 in Sisal, Yucatán located on the northern coast of the Yucatán Peninsula. Flow velocities and suspended sediment concentrations were measured concurrently, at multiple cross-shore and alongshore locations, using Vectrino-II profiling velocimeters and optical backscatter sensors, respectively. The high resolution data allowed the quantification of bed shear stress, turbulent dissipation rate, sediment loads and sediment flux during a mesoscale frontal system (cold-front passage referred to as an El Norte) and local sea-breeze cycles. Field observations showed that strong swash-zone bed shear stresses, turbulence intensity and sediment suspension occur during energetic conditions (i.e., El Norte event). On the other hand, despite milder energy conditions during the sea-breeze events, the alongshore component of bed-shear stresses and velocities can be significant owing to the high incidence wave angle associated with the sea-breeze system in the study area. The increased forcing in the swash zone induced sediment suspension, eroding the foreshore and causing accretion in the surf zone. The preliminary analysis demonstrates that strong sea-breeze events induce a significant alongshore swash-zone sediment transport that may be more important than that observed during an El Norte event.

The Influence of Soil Moisture, Coastline Curvature, and Land-Breeze Circulations on Sea-Breeze Initiated Precipitation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baker, David R.; Lynn, Barry H.; Boone, Aaron; Tao, Wei-Kuo; Simpson, Joanne

2000-01-01

Idealized numerical simulations are performed with a coupled atmosphere/land-surface model to identify the roles of initial soil moisture, coastline curvature, and land breeze circulations on sea breeze initiated precipitation. Data collected on 27 July 1991 during the Convection and Precipitation Electrification Experiment (CAPE) in central Florida are used. The 3D Goddard Cumulus Ensemble (GCE) cloud resolving model is coupled with the Goddard Parameterization for Land-Atmosphere-Cloud Exchange (PLACE) land surface model, thus providing a tool to simulate more realistically land-surface/atmosphere interaction and convective initiation. Eight simulations are conducted with either straight or curved coast-lines, initially homogeneous soil moisture or initially variable soil moisture, and initially homogeneous horizontal winds or initially variable horizontal winds (land breezes). All model simulations capture the diurnal evolution and general distribution of sea-breeze initiated precipitation over central Florida. The distribution of initial soil moisture influences the timing, intensity and location of subsequent precipitation. Soil moisture acts as a moisture source for the atmosphere, increases the connectively available potential energy, and thus preferentially focuses heavy precipitation over existing wet soil. Strong soil moisture-induced mesoscale circulations are not evident in these simulations. Coastline curvature has a major impact on the timing and location of precipitation. Earlier low-level convergence occurs inland of convex coastlines, and subsequent precipitation occurs earlier in simulations with curved coastlines. The presence of initial land breezes alone has little impact on subsequent precipitation. however, simulations with both coastline curvature and initial land breezes produce significantly larger peak rain rates due to nonlinear interactions.

A Coastal Bay Summer Breeze Study, Part 2: High-resolution Numerical Simulation of Sea-breeze Local Influences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Calmet, Isabelle; Mestayer, Patrice G.; van Eijk, Alexander M. J.; Herlédant, Olivier

2018-04-01

We complete the analysis of the data obtained during the experimental campaign around the semi circular bay of Quiberon, France, during two weeks in June 2006 (see Part 1). A reanalysis of numerical simulations performed with the Advanced Regional Prediction System model is presented. Three nested computational domains with increasing horizontal resolution down to 100 m, and a vertical resolution of 10 m at the lowest level, are used to reproduce the local-scale variations of the breeze close to the water surface of the bay. The Weather Research and Forecasting mesoscale model is used to assimilate the meteorological data. Comparisons of the simulations with the experimental data obtained at three sites reveal a good agreement of the flow over the bay and around the Quiberon peninsula during the daytime periods of sea-breeze development and weakening. In conditions of offshore synoptic flow, the simulations demonstrate that the semi-circular shape of the bay induces a corresponding circular shape in the offshore zones of stagnant flow preceding the sea-breeze onset, which move further offshore thereafter. The higher-resolution simulations are successful in reproducing the small-scale impacts of the peninsula and local coasts (breeze deviations, wakes, flow divergences), and in demonstrating the complexity of the breeze fields close to the surface over the bay. Our reanalysis also provides guidance for numerical simulation strategies for analyzing the structure and evolution of the near-surface breeze over a semi-circular bay, and for forecasting important flow details for use in upcoming sailing competitions.

78 FR 62300 - Prairie Breeze Wind Energy LLC; Supplemental Notice That Initial Market-Based Rate Filing...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-10-15

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. ER14-25-000] Prairie Breeze Wind Energy LLC; Supplemental Notice That Initial Market-Based Rate Filing Includes Request for Blanket... Breeze Wind Energy LLC's application for market-based rate authority, with an accompanying rate schedule...

A case study of sea breeze blocking regulated by sea surface temperature along the English south coast

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sweeney, J. K.; Chagnon, J. M.; Gray, S. L.

2013-09-01

The sensitivity of sea breeze structure to sea surface temperature (SST) and coastal orography is investigated in convection-permitting Met Office Unified Model simulations of a case study along the south coast of England. Changes in SST of 1 K are shown to significantly modify the structure of the sea breeze. On the day of the case study the sea breeze was partially blocked by coastal orography, particularly within Lyme Bay. The extent to which the flow is blocked depends strongly on the static stability of the marine boundary layer. In experiments with colder SST, the marine boundary layer is more stable, and the degree of blocking is more pronounced. The implications of prescribing fixed SST from climatology in numerical weather prediction model forecasts of the sea breeze are discussed.

Where the Sun Breezes Don't Stop Shining. Teachers' Journals and Students' Writings on First-Time Homebuying from the New American Homeowners Project, February-June 1997.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Catherine, Ed.

The writings of both teachers and students participating in the New Americans Homeowners Project, a project combining English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) instruction and information on first-time home-buying for immigrants in language minority groups are presented. The project provided training and technical assistance to ESL teachers, and reached…

33 CFR 334.775 - Naval Air Station Pensacola, Pensacola Bay, Pensacola and Gulf Breeze, Fla.; naval restricted area.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 3 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Naval Air Station Pensacola, Pensacola Bay, Pensacola and Gulf Breeze, Fla.; naval restricted area. 334.775 Section 334.775 Navigation... RESTRICTED AREA REGULATIONS § 334.775 Naval Air Station Pensacola, Pensacola Bay, Pensacola and Gulf Breeze...

33 CFR 334.775 - Naval Air Station Pensacola, Pensacola Bay, Pensacola and Gulf Breeze, Fla.; naval restricted area.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Naval Air Station Pensacola, Pensacola Bay, Pensacola and Gulf Breeze, Fla.; naval restricted area. 334.775 Section 334.775 Navigation... RESTRICTED AREA REGULATIONS § 334.775 Naval Air Station Pensacola, Pensacola Bay, Pensacola and Gulf Breeze...

North-western Mediterranean sea-breeze circulation in a regional climate system model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Drobinski, Philippe; Bastin, Sophie; Arsouze, Thomas; Béranger, Karine; Flaounas, Emmanouil; Stéfanon, Marc

2017-04-01

In the Mediterranean basin, moisture transport can occur over large distance from remote regions by the synoptic circulation or more locally by sea breezes, driven by land-sea thermal contrast. Sea breezes play an important role in inland transport of moisture especially between late spring and early fall. In order to explicitly represent the two-way interactions at the atmosphere-ocean interface in the Mediterranean region and quantify the role of air-sea feedbacks on regional meteorology and climate, simulations at 20 km resolution performed with WRF regional climate model (RCM) and MORCE atmosphere-ocean regional climate model (AORCM) coupling WRF and NEMO-MED12 in the frame of HyMeX/MED-CORDEX are compared. One result of this study is that these simulations reproduce remarkably well the intensity, direction and inland penetration of the sea breeze and even the existence of the shallow sea breeze despite the overestimate of temperature over land in both simulations. The coupled simulation provides a more realistic representation of the evolution of the SST field at fine scale than the atmosphere-only one. Temperature and moisture anomalies are created in direct response to the SST anomaly and are advected by the sea breeze over land. However, the SST anomalies are not of sufficient magnitude to affect the large-scale sea-breeze circulation. The temperature anomalies are quickly damped by strong surface heating over land, whereas the water vapor mixing ratio anomalies are transported further inland. The inland limit of significance is imposed by the vertical dilution in a deeper continental boundary-layer.

Diagnosis of sea breeze cases over the Metropolitan Area of São Paulo with the WRF model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Homann, C.; Freitas, E. D.

2013-05-01

The sea breeze is a great responsible for the organization of severe weather events, climate patterns and air pollution dispersion over the Metropolitan Area of São Paulo (MASP), being the knowledge about its correct predictability very important in the region. The Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) mesoscale model was used to simulate some events of sea breeze propagation over the MASP during the winter season of 2009 (18th and 20th june, 29th august, 02nd September) with the objective to analyze the skill of the model on the predictability of this events using the default parameterizations available in the model and identify some flaws and possible adjustments to be made in the model. For this purpose, the simulation results were compared with the observed velocity and wind direction collected in the "Campo de Marte" Airport - SP. The model had a good response for all simulated days, where the horizontal wind and the vapor mixing ratio indicating correctly the sea breeze arrival over the region. Another important feature observed in the wind moisture fields was the moments that the sea breeze reaches different parts of MASP in response to the Urban Heat Island effect, which can accelerate or prevent the sea breeze propagation depending on location, as observed in other studies, and the relative position of the metropolitan area with respect to the sea-shore and the topography of the region. It was observed that the sea-breeze front reaches the southwest portion of MASP approximately two hours before it reaches the northwest portion.

Bay Breeze Influence on Surface Ozone at Edgewood, MD During July 2011

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stauffer, Ryan M.; Thompson, Anne M.; Martins, Douglas K.; Clark, Richard D.; Goldberg, Daniel L.; Loughner, Christopher P.; Delgado, Ruben; Dickerson, Russell R.; Stehr, Jeffrey W.; Tzortziou, Maria A.

2012-01-01

Surface ozone (O3) was analyzed to investigate the role of the bay breeze on air quality at two locations in Edgewood, Maryland (lat: 39.4deg, lon: -76.3deg) for the month of July 2011. Measurements were taken as part of the first year of NASA's "Deriving Information on Surface Conditions from Column and Vertically Resolved Observations Relevant to Air Quality" (DISCOVER-AQ) Earth Venture campaign and as part of NASA's Geostationary for Coastal and Air Pollution Events Chesapeake Bay Oceanographic campaign with DISCOVER-AQ (Geo-CAPE CBODAQ). Geo-CAPE CBODAQ complements DISCOVER-AQ by providing ship-based observations over the Chesapeake Bay. A major goal of DISCOVER-AQ is determining the relative roles of sources, photochemistry and local meteorology during air quality events in the Mid-Atlantic region of the U.S. Surface characteristics, transport and vertical structures of O3 during bay breezes were identified using in-situ surface, balloon and aircraft data, along with remote sensing equipment. Localized late day peaks in O3 were observed during bay breeze days, maximizing an average of 3 h later compared to days without bay breezes. Of the 10 days of July 2011 that violated the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 8 h O3 standard of 75 parts per billion by volume (ppbv) at Edgewood, eight exhibited evidence of a bay breeze circulation. The results indicate that while bay breezes and the processes associated with them are not necessary to cause exceedances in this area, bay breezes exacerbate poor air quality that sustains into the late evening hours at Edgewood. The vertical and horizontal distributions of O3 from the coastal Edgewood area to the bay also show large gradients that are often determined by boundary layer stability. Thus, developing air quality models that can sufficiently resolve these dynamics and associated chemistry, along with more consistent monitoring of O3 and meteorology on and along the complex coastline of Chesapeake Bay must be a high priority.

Sea breeze: Induced mesoscale systems and severe weather

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nicholls, M. E.; Pielke, R. A.; Cotton, W. R.

1990-01-01

Sea-breeze-deep convective interactions over the Florida peninsula were investigated using a cloud/mesoscale numerical model. The objective was to gain a better understanding of sea-breeze and deep convective interactions over the Florida peninsula using a high resolution convectively explicit model and to use these results to evaluate convective parameterization schemes. A 3-D numerical investigation of Florida convection was completed. The Kuo and Fritsch-Chappell parameterization schemes are summarized and evaluated.

Investigation on the fine structure of sea-breeze during ESCOMPTE experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Puygrenier, V.; Lohou, F.; Campistron, B.; Saïd, F.; Pigeon, G.; Bénech, B.; Serça, D.

2005-03-01

Surface and remote-sensing instruments deployed during ESCOMPTE experiment over the Marseille area, along the Mediterranean coast, were used to investigate the fine structure of the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) during sea-breeze circulation in relation to pollutant transport and diffusion. Six sea-breeze events are analyzed with a particular focus on 25 June 2001. Advection of cool and humid marine air over land has a profound influence on the daytime ABL characteristics. This impact decreases rapidly with the inland distance from the sea. Nearby the coast (3 km inland), the mixing height Zi rises up to 750 m and falls down after 15:00 (UT) when the breeze flow reaches its maximum intensity. A more classical evolution of the ABL is observed at only 11-km inland where Zi culminates in the morning and stabilizes in the afternoon at about 1000 m height. Fine inspection of the data revealed an oscillation of the sea-breeze with a period about 2 h 47 min. This feature, clearly discernable for 3 days at least, is present in several atmospheric variables such as wind, temperature, not only at the ground but also aloft in the ABL as observed by sodar/RASS and UHF wind profilers. In particular, the mixing height Zi deduced from UHF profilers observations is affected also by the same periodicity. This pulsated sea-breeze is observed principally above Marseille and, at the northern and eastern shores of the Berre pond. In summary, the periodic intrusion over land of cool marine air modifies the structure of the ABL in the vicinity of the coast from the point of view of stability, turbulent motions and pollutants concentration. An explanation of the source of this pulsated sea-breeze is suggested.

Examining the eastern Amazon Basin breeze circulations, channeling and boundary layer properties using altitude controlled meteorological balloons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fitzjarrald, D. R.; Voss, P. B.; Silva, R. D.; Callahan, S.; Dewald, A.; do Vale, R. S.

2017-12-01

During the period August 24-28, 2016, in a delayed component the GO-Amazon Project, we launched nine altitude-controlled free balloons (CMET). Smaller than typical rawinsondes, CMET are equipped with altitude control, global communication via Iridium satellite, and aspirated sensors. The aims of our effort were to examine the interactions among convective boundary layer and dual river breeze circulations near the confluence of the Tapajos and Amazon Rivers in the eastern Basin. The week-long field campaign was timed to examine the reestablishment of the breeze circulations shortly after the passage of a strong instability line on August 22. Nine CMET were launched at the Curua-Una hydroelectric dam (2.8S; 54.3W), timed to encounter the Tapajos river breeze front by late afternoon. Soundings were made to establish the thickness of interface between the easterly trade and westerly Tapajos breeze circulation. Careful use of sounding strategies allowed these free balloons to track along the northerly channeled flow in the lowest 300 m above the River. Following the river encounter, balloons tracked to the west, sounding to describe the diurnal course of boundary layer in the forest west of the Tapajos River. The longest flight traveled more than 770 km over three days and twice rested overnight in the rain forest canopy. Ancillary data from surface climate and flux stations as well as the Santarem radiosonde, satellite images will be used to illustrate how the breeze circulations are seen near the surface and how they were disrupted by larger-scale events. Comparisons with HYSPLIT trajectories will illustrate how sensitive real trajectories are to the refraction that the encounter with the breeze effects.

Mesoscale Simulations of Coastal Circulations Evaluated Using Measurements from a Dense MESO Network

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-03-01

latent heat fluxes at the coast (left) and inland (right) color coded by each day (legend in MFL) in case #1 and #2 to show temporal error variances...the coast . This gradient is the main mechanism which drives sea breeze circulations. Numerous studies correlating SHF to sea breeze (Miao et al 2003...calculate. Abbs (1986) argues that water body dimensions play an important factor for sea breezes associated with semi-enclosed bays and lagoons

A study of the Merritt Island, Florida sea breeze flow regimes and their effect on surface heat and moisture fluxes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rubes, M. T.; Cooper, H. J.; Smith, E. A.

1993-01-01

Data collected during the Convective and Precipitation/Electrification Experiment were analyzed as part of an investigation of the sea breeze in the vicinity of Merritt Island, Florida. Analysis of near-surface divergence fields shows that the classical 24-hour oscillation in divergence over the island due to the direct sea breeze circulation is frequently disrupted and exhibits two distinct modes: the classical sea breeze pattern and deviations from that pattern. A comparison of clear day surface energy fluxes with fluxes on other days indicates that changes in magnitudes were dominated by the presence or absence of clouds. Non-classical sea breeze days tended to lose more available energy in the morning than classical sea breeze days due to earlier development of small cumulus over the island. A composite storm of surface winds, surface energy fluxes, rainfall, and satellite visible data was constructed. A spectral transmittance over the visible wavelengths for the cloud cover resulting from the composite storm was calculated. It is shown that pre-storm transmittances of 0.8 fall to values near 0.1 as the downdraft moves directly over the site. It is also found that under post-composite storm conditions of continuous clear sky days, 3.5 days are required to evaporate back into the atmosphere the latent heat energy lost to the surface by rainfall.

A case study of sea breeze blocking regulated by sea surface temperature along the English south coast

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sweeney, J. K.; Chagnon, J. M.; Gray, S. L.

2014-05-01

The sensitivity of sea breeze structure to sea surface temperature (SST) and coastal orography is investigated in convection-permitting Met Office Unified Model simulations of a case study along the south coast of England. Changes in SST of 1 K are shown to significantly modify the structure of the sea breeze immediately offshore. On the day of the case study, the sea breeze was partially blocked by coastal orography, particularly within Lyme Bay. The extent to which the flow is blocked depends strongly on the static stability of the marine boundary layer. In experiments with colder SST, the marine boundary layer is more stable, and the degree of blocking is more pronounced. Although a colder SST would also imply a larger land-sea temperature contrast and hence a stronger onshore wind - an effect which alone would discourage blocking - the increased static stability exerts a dominant control over whether blocking takes place. The implications of prescribing fixed SST from climatology in numerical weather prediction model forecasts of the sea breeze are discussed.

The Sea Breeze in South-Iceland: Observations with an unmanned aircraft and numerical simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Opsanger Jonassen, Marius; Ólafsson, Haraldur; Rasol, Dubravka; Reuder, Joachim

2010-05-01

Sea breeze events, 19-20 July 2009, observed during the international field campaign MOSO, at the southcoast of Iceland, have been investigated using high resolution numerical simulations. Thanks to the use of a small unmanned aircraft system (UAS), SUMO, the wind and temperature aloft could be observed at a high resolution in both space and time. Simultaneously with the UAS operations, conventional platforms were used to obtain surface measurements. The observations show a distinct sea breeze circulation with an onset at around noon and a final decay around 19:00 UTC. At the maximum, the sea breeze layer reached a height of appr. 400 m, marked by a capping wind minimum. When compared to the flow aloft, the sea breeze layer was found to exhibit relatively low temperatures and an expected turn from an off-shore to an on-shore flow. Overall, the agreement between the observations and simulations are relatively good. The simulations suggest a horizontal extent of the circulation some 20-30 km off-shore, but only around 5 km on-shore.

Local and Regional Winds: Their Names and Attributes,

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-03-30

bryza morska ("sea breeze"), but it is weaker than it, blowing across the surface of a large lake toward the shore during the daylight hours, mainly...city toward its center, with a simultaneous increase in convection movements above it. Bryza morska ("sea breeze") -- a wind blowing from off the sea...during the summer season for several days during the month; the bryza morska ("sea breeze") may be felt, depending on its intensity, up to distances of

A Model for Predicting Cognitive and Emotional Health from Structural and Functional Neurocircuitry Following Traumatic Brain Injury

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-10-01

of flowers or the smell of a fresh sea breeze or freshly baked bread. ................................ Strongly Disagree Disagree Agree Strongly...Score I. Four-Wheeled Ship BUS Bike Train 2. Dining Items SPOON Pan Bowl Can Opener 3. Clothing Jump Rope Ball SHOES Crayons 4. Fruits BANANA Bean...Love-Hate 14. TV-Newspaper 15. Smooth-Rough 16. Shoulder-Ankle 17. Sit-Run 18. Child-Adult 19. Steam-Cloud • 20 . .’, Bird~ Flower 21. 1 22 .. J

Possible impacts of the pre-monsoon dry line and sea breeze front on nocturnal rainfall over northeast Bangladesh

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stiller-Reeve, Mathew; Toniazzo, Thomas; Kolstad, Erik; Spengler, Thomas

2017-04-01

The northeast region of Bangladesh receives a large amount of rainfall before the large-scale monsoon circulation begins. For example, in April (a "pre-monsoon" month) 2010, 804 mm of rain fell in the regional capital Sylhet. It was the second wettest month of the entire year. From our conversations with the local people, we know that this pre-monsoon rainfall is extremely important to their livelihoods. We therefore need to understand it's triggering mechanisms. Several theories have been published, all of which are likely to be at play. However, in this work we look more closely at how the sea breeze front and prominent pre-monsoonal dry line in this region may play a role. If these mechanisms play a role in the convection, then it is likely that they trigger convection further afield, and then the resulting systems then propagate towards northeast Bangladesh. We believe this because rainfall associated with dry line/sea-breeze front convection often occurs during the late afternoon, but the rainfall over northeast Bangladesh shows a clear late-night/early-morning maxima. At present, the temporal and spatial resolution of the regional observations is inappropriate for examining these possible mechanisms. We therefore use a numerical model (WRF) to investigate the possible links between the convection and the sea breeze front and dry line. We use April 2010 as a case study since it was such a wet pre-monsoon month. The simulation shows that a sea breeze circulation often develops during the day in the coastal zone of Bangladesh and northeast India. After sunset the sea breeze front propagates inland pushing back the hot, dry air over India. On several days during the simulation, convection is triggered along the sea breeze front, which then propagates towards northeast Bangladesh and intensifies across the topography surrounding the Sylhet region. From our simulations, it appears that nocturnal convection over northeast Bangladesh is triggered by several mechanisms, but that the dry line and sea breeze front could also be an active contributor.

Fog water collection under sea breeze conditions in the Western Mediterranean basin (Valencia region, Spain)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Azorin-Molina, C.; Corell, D.; Estrela, M. J.; Valiente, J. A.

2010-07-01

Orographic fog occurrences associated with sea breezes determine water collection potential over the mountain ranges near the Mediterranean coast of the Iberian Peninsula. Previous works have confirmed that the effect of sea breezes on cloud genera is to increase the frequency of low (Stratus) and convective (Cumulus) clouds. The primary impact of sea breeze flows corresponds to low stratiform clouds (Stratus, St, and Stratocumulus, Sc) formed in the convective internal boundary layer due to the inflow of moist sea air at lower levels. The formation of Sc clouds is caused by the rising and cooling of turbulent moist sea air over the highest slopes of the mountains at the end of the day. In the most Sc formation, we also observed dense fog banks of Stratus nebulosus (St neb) and dew during the early next morning, covering the inland topographical depressions. The aim of this study is to statistically analyze the impact of sea breezes on fog water collection in the convective internal boundary layer. The study area is located in the eastern of the Iberian Peninsula (Valencia region, Spain) and the survey corresponds to a 7-yr study period (2003-2009). This research is based upon a small network of eight passive fog water collectors distributed over 6 coastal- and 2 inland-mountain areas. A cylindrical fog water instrument (i.e. omnidirectional collection efficiency) based on the ASRC (Atmospheric Science Research Centre, State University of New York) string collector is used to sample fog water volumes on a daily basis. These stations also sampled temperature, humidity, wind speed and direction and precipitation measurements. The current study used these meteorological measurements to apply an automated and manual selection methodologies for identifying past sea breeze episodes. The dataset created by means of these selection techniques allows for the study of fog water volumes associated with sea breeze situations. A detailed statistical characterization of the orographic clouds episodes associated with sea breezes and other interesting aspects of this fog water collection study are presented here.

Bay breeze influence on surface ozone at Edgewood, MD during July 2011.

PubMed

Stauffer, Ryan M; Thompson, Anne M; Martins, Douglas K; Clark, Richard D; Goldberg, Daniel L; Loughner, Christopher P; Delgado, Ruben; Dickerson, Russell R; Stehr, Jeffrey W; Tzortziou, Maria A

Surface ozone (O 3 ) was analyzed to investigate the role of the bay breeze on air quality at two locations in Edgewood, Maryland (lat: 39.4°, lon: -76.3°) for the month of July 2011. Measurements were taken as part of the first year of NASA's "Deriving Information on Surface Conditions from Column and Vertically Resolved Observations Relevant to Air Quality" (DISCOVER-AQ) Earth Venture campaign and as part of NASA's Geostationary for Coastal and Air Pollution Events Chesapeake Bay Oceanographic campaign with DISCOVER-AQ (Geo-CAPE CBODAQ). Geo-CAPE CBODAQ complements DISCOVER-AQ by providing ship-based observations over the Chesapeake Bay. A major goal of DISCOVER-AQ is determining the relative roles of sources, photochemistry and local meteorology during air quality events in the Mid-Atlantic region of the U.S. Surface characteristics, transport and vertical structures of O 3 during bay breezes were identified using in-situ surface, balloon and aircraft data, along with remote sensing equipment. Localized late day peaks in O 3 were observed during bay breeze days, maximizing an average of 3 h later compared to days without bay breezes. Of the 10 days of July 2011 that violated the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 8 h O 3 standard of 75 parts per billion by volume (ppbv) at Edgewood, eight exhibited evidence of a bay breeze circulation. The results indicate that while bay breezes and the processes associated with them are not necessary to cause exceedances in this area, bay breezes exacerbate poor air quality that sustains into the late evening hours at Edgewood. The vertical and horizontal distributions of O 3 from the coastal Edgewood area to the bay also show large gradients that are often determined by boundary layer stability. Thus, developing air quality models that can sufficiently resolve these dynamics and associated chemistry, along with more consistent monitoring of O 3 and meteorology on and along the complex coastline of Chesapeake Bay must be a high priority.

The impact of land and sea surface variations on the Delaware sea breeze at local scales

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hughes, Christopher P.

The summertime climate of coastal Delaware is greatly influenced by the intensity, frequency, and location of the local sea breeze circulation. Sea breeze induced changes in temperature, humidity, wind speed, and precipitation influence many aspects of Delaware's economy by affecting tourism, farming, air pollution density, energy usage, and the strength, and persistence of Delaware's wind resource. The sea breeze front can develop offshore or along the coastline and often creates a near surface thermal gradient in excess of 5°C. The purpose of this dissertation is to investigate the dynamics of the Delaware sea breeze with a focus on the immediate coastline using observed and modeled components, both at high resolutions (~200m). The Weather Research and Forecasting model (version 3.5) was employed over southern Delaware with 5 domains (4 levels of nesting), with resolutions ranging from 18km to 222m, for June 2013 to investigate the sensitivity of the sea breeze to land and sea surface variations. The land surface was modified in the model to improve the resolution, which led to the addition of land surface along the coastline and accounted for recent urban development. Nine-day composites of satellite sea surface temperatures were ingested into the model and an in-house SST forcing dataset was developed to account for spatial SST variation within the inland bays. Simulations, which include the modified land surface, introduce a distinct secondary atmospheric circulation across the coastline of Rehoboth Bay when synoptic offshore wind flow is weak. Model runs using high spatial- and temporal-resolution satellite sea surface temperatures over the ocean indicate that the sea breeze landfall time is sensitive to the SST when the circulation develops offshore. During the summer of 2013 a field campaign was conducted in the coastal locations of Rehoboth Beach, DE and Cape Henlopen, DE. At each location, a series of eleven small, autonomous thermo-sensors (i-buttons) were placed along 1-km transects oriented perpendicular to the coastline where each sensor recorded temperatures at five-minute intervals. This novel approach allows for detailed characterization of the sea breeze front development over the immediate coastline not seen in previous studies. These observations provide evidence of significant variability in frontal propagation (advancing, stalling, and retrograding) within the first kilometer of the coast. Results from this observational study indicate that the land surface has the largest effect on the frontal location when the synoptic winds have a strong offshore component, which forces the sea breeze front to move slowly through the region. When this happens, the frequency of occurrence and sea breeze frontal speed decreases consistently across the first 500 m of Rehoboth Beach, after which, the differences become insignificant. At Cape Henlopen the decrease in intensity across the transect is much less evident and the reduction in frequency does not occur until after the front is 500 m from the coast. Under these conditions at Rehoboth Beach, the near surface air behind the front warms due to the land surface which, along with the large surface friction component of the urbanized land surface, causes the front to slow as it traverses the region. Observation and modeling results suggest that the influence of variations in the land and sea surface on the sea breeze circulation is complex and highly dependent on the regional synoptic wind regime. This result inspired the development of a sea breeze prediction algorithm using a generalized linear regression model which, incorporated real-time synoptic conditions to forecast the likelihood of a sea breeze front passing through a coastal station. The forecast skill increases through the morning hours after sunrise. The inland synoptic wind direction is the most influential variable utilized by the algorithm. Such a model could be enhanced to forecast local temperature with coonfidence, which could be useful in an economic or energy usage model.

Sea breezes and advective effects in southwest James Bay

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mckendry, Ian; Roulet, Nigel

1994-01-01

Observations from a transect extending 100 km inland during the Northern Wetlands Study (NOWES) in 1990 show that the sea breeze develops on approximately 25% of days during summer and may penetrate up to 100 km inland on occasions. The sea breeze exhibits a marked diurnal clockwise rotation as a result of the Coriolis effect along the unobstructed coastline. The marine advective effect is shown to depend on gradient wind direction. With northwesterly upper level flow the sea breeze tends to be northeasterly in direction and is associated with decreased temperatures and vapor pressure deficits (VPD). With southwesterly upper level flow the sea breeze tends to have a southeasterly direction and less effect on temperatures and VPD. This is attributed to shorter residence times of air parcels over water. For two cases, Colorado State University mesoscale model simulations show good agreement with surface wind observations and suggest that under northwesterly gradient flow, Bowen ratios are increased in the onshore flow along western James Bay, while during southwesterly gradient flow these effects are negligible. These results have implications for the interpretation of local climate, ecology, and hydrology as well as land-based and airborne turbulent flux measurements made during NOWES.

The inland boundary layer at low latitudes: II Sea-breeze influences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garratt, J. R.; Physick, W. L.

1985-11-01

Two-dimensional mesoscale model results support the claim of evening sea-breeze activity at Daly Waters, 280 km inland from the coast in northern Australia, the site of the Koorin boundary-layer experiment. The sea breeze occurs in conditions of strong onshore and alongshore geostrophic winds, not normally associated with such activity. It manifests itself at Daly Waters and in the model as a cooling in a layer 500 1000 m deep, as an associated surface pressure jump, as strong backing of the wind and, when an offshore low-level wind is present, as a collapse in the inland nocturnal jet. Both observational analysis and model results illustrate the rotational aspects of the deeply penetrating sea breeze; in our analysis this is represented in terms of a surge vector — the vector difference between the post- and pre-frontal low-level winds. There is further evidence to support earlier work that the sea breeze during the afternoon and well into the night — at least for these low-latitude experiments — behaves in many ways as an atmospheric gravity current, and that inland penetrations up to 500 km occur.

PUBLICATIONS; GULF BREEZE LABORATORY

EPA Science Inventory

The bibliography, inclusive from 1967 through 1978, lists all publications authored by researchers employed by the Environmental Research Laboratory, Gulf Breeze, and its field station on St. Johns Island, SC, or by researchers conducting studies under funding or direction of the...

A numerical study of the effects of a large sandbar upon sea breeze development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kessler, R. C.; Pielke, R. A.; Mcqueen, J.; Eppel, D.

1985-01-01

Two-dimensional numerical simulations of sea breeze development over a large sandbar on the North Sea coast of Germany are reported. The numerical model used in these experiments contains a detailed treatment of soil moisture, which allows evaluation of the effects of differential surface characteristics on the airflow pattern. Results of the simulations indicate that the contrast between the moist sandbar and adjacent dry land, the tidal inundation of the sandbar, and the westward penetration of the Baltic sea breeze play important roles in the development of mesoscale airflow patterns in the sandbar region.

Land- and sea-surface impacts on local coastal breezes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Veron, D. E.; Hughes, C.; Gilchrist, J.; Lodise, J.; Goldman, W.

2014-12-01

The state of Delaware has seen significant increases in population along the coastline in the past three decades. With this increase in population have come changes to the land surface, as forest and farmland has been converted to residential and commercial purposes, causing changes in the surface roughness, temperature, and land-atmosphere fluxes. There is also a semi-permanent upwelling center in the spring and summer outside the Delaware Bay mouth that significantly changes the structure of the sea surface temperature both inside and outside the Bay. Through a series of high resolution modeling and observational studies, we have determined that in cases of strong synoptic forcing, the impact of the land-surface on the boundary layer properties can be advected offshore, creating a false coastline and modifying the location and timing of the sea breeze circulation. In cases of weak synoptic forcing, the influence of the upwelling and the tidal circulation of the Delaware Bay waters can greatly change the location, strength, and penetration of the sea breeze. Understanding the importance of local variability in the surface-atmosphere interactions on the sea breeze can lead to improved prediction of sea breeze onset, penetration, and duration which is important for monitoring air quality and developing offshore wind power production.

Modeling the feedback between aerosol and boundary layer processes: a case study in Beijing, China.

PubMed

Miao, Yucong; Liu, Shuhua; Zheng, Yijia; Wang, Shu

2016-02-01

Rapid development has led to frequent haze in Beijing. With mountains and sea surrounding Beijing, the pollution is found to be influenced by the mountain-plain breeze and sea-land breeze in complex ways. Meanwhile, the presence of aerosols may affect the surface energy balance and impact these boundary layer (BL) processes. The effects of BL processes on aerosol pollution and the feedback between aerosol and BL processes are not yet clearly understood. Thus, the Weather Research and Forecasting model coupled with Chemistry (WRF-Chem) is used to investigate the possible effects and feedbacks during a haze episode on 23 September 2011. Influenced by the onshore prevailing wind, sea-breeze, and upslope breeze, about 45% of surface particulate matter (PM)2.5 in Beijing are found to be contributed by its neighbor cities through regional transport. In the afternoon, the development of upslope breeze suppresses the growth of BL in Beijing by imposing a relatively low thermal stable layer above the BL, which exacerbates the pollution. Two kinds of feedback during the daytime are revealed as follows: (1) as the aerosols absorb and scatter the solar radiation, the surface net radiation and sensible heat flux are decreased, while BL temperature is increased, resulting in a more stable and shallower BL, which leads to a higher surface PM2.5 concentration in the morning and (2) in the afternoon, as the presence of aerosols increases the BL temperature over plains, the upslope breeze is weakened, and the boundary layer height (BLH) over Beijing is heightened, resulting in the decrease of the surface PM2.5 concentration there.

78 FR 14530 - Combined Notice of Filings #2

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-03-06

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Combined Notice of Filings 2 Take notice...-000. Applicants: Prairie Breeze Wind Energy LLC. Description: Notice of Self-Certification of Exempt Wholesale Generator Status of Prairie Breeze Wind Energy LLC. Filed Date: 2/27/13. Accession Number...

Gulf Breeze, FL Lab--Office of Research and Development

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Gulf Breeze lab is recognized as a leader in advancing scientific knowledge concerning the effects of human-made stressors on the ecosystems of the Gulf Coast, and the impacts of those effects on the health and well-being of people and communities.

Effect of sea breeze circulation on aerosol mixing state and radiative properties in a desert setting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Derimian, Yevgeny; Choël, Marie; Rudich, Yinon; Deboudt, Karine; Dubovik, Oleg; Laskin, Alexander; Legrand, Michel; Damiri, Bahaiddin; Koren, Ilan; Unga, Florin; Moreau, Myriam; Andreae, Meinrat O.; Karnieli, Arnon

2017-09-01

Chemical composition, microphysical, and optical properties of atmospheric aerosol deep inland in the Negev Desert of Israel are found to be influenced by daily occurrences of sea breeze flow from the Mediterranean Sea. Abrupt increases in aerosol volume concentration and shifts of size distributions towards larger sizes, which are associated with increase in wind speed and atmospheric water content, were systematically recorded during the summertime at a distance of at least 80 km from the coast. Chemical imaging of aerosol samples showed an increased contribution of highly hygroscopic particles during the intrusion of the sea breeze. Besides a significant fraction of marine aerosols, the amount of internally mixed marine and mineral dust particles was also increased during the sea breeze period. The number fraction of marine and internally mixed particles during the sea breeze reached up to 88 % in the PM1-2. 5 and up to 62 % in the PM2. 5-10 size range. Additionally, numerous particles with residuals of liquid coating were observed by SEM/EDX analysis. Ca-rich dust particles that had reacted with anthropogenic nitrates were evidenced by Raman microspectroscopy. The resulting hygroscopic particles can deliquesce at very low relative humidity. Our observations suggest that aerosol hygroscopic growth in the Negev Desert is induced by the daily sea breeze arrival. The varying aerosol microphysical and optical characteristics perturb the solar and thermal infrared radiations. The changes in aerosol properties induced by the sea breeze, relative to the background situation, doubled the shortwave radiative cooling at the surface (from -10 to -20.5 W m-2) and increased by almost 3 times the warming of the atmosphere (from 5 to 14 W m-2), as evaluated for a case study. Given the important value of observed liquid coating of particles, we also examined the possible influence of the particle homogeneity assumption on the retrieval of aerosol microphysical characteristics. The tests suggest that sensitivity to the coating appears if backward scattering and polarimetric measurements are available for the inversion algorithm. This may have an important implication for retrievals of aerosol microphysical properties in remote sensing applications.

A Coastal Bay Summer Breeze Study, Part 1: Results of the Quiberon 2006 Experimental Campaign

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mestayer, Patrice G.; Calmet, Isabelle; Herlédant, Olivier; Barré, Sophie; Piquet, Thibaud; Rosant, Jean-Michel

2018-04-01

The Quiberon 2006 experiment was launched to document the onset and development of land and sea breezes over a semi-circular coastal bay propitious to inshore sailing competitions. The measurements were taken during the 2 weeks of 16-28 June 2006. Micrometeorological variables were recorded at three shore sites around the bay using turbulence sensors on 10-30-m high masts, on four instrumented catamarans at selected sites within the bay, and at a fourth shore site with a Sodar. Synoptic data and local measurements are analyzed here from the point of view of both micrometeorologists and competition skippers, testing in particular the empirical rules of breeze veering and backing according to the wind direction with respect to the coastline orientation at the mesoscale (the quadrant theory). Our analysis focuses on the patterns of lower-altitude wind direction and speed around the bay and over the water basin, and the temporal variations during the periods of the breeze onset, establishment and thermal reinforcement. In offshore synoptic-flow conditions (quadrants 1 and 2), the clockwise rotation of the surface flow had a very large amplitude, reaching up to 360°. The breeze strength was negatively correlated to that of the synoptic wind speed. In conditions of onshore synoptic flow from the west (quadrant 3) at an angle to the mainland coast but perpendicular to the Quiberon peninsula, the rotation of the flow was backwards in the early morning and clockwise during the day with a moderate amplitude (40°-50°) around the synoptic wind direction. As the surface wind speed was much larger than the synoptic wind speed, such a case we have designated as a "synoptic breeze". The breeze onset was shown to fail several times under the influence of weak non-thermal events, e.g., the passage of an occluded front or clouds or an excess of convection. Finally, several local-scale influences of the complex coastal shape appeared in our measurements, e.g., wind fanning in the lee of the isthmus and airflow skirting around the peninsula forehand.

On the use of GPS tomography to investigate water vapor variability during a Mistral/sea breeze event in southeastern France

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bastin, Sophie; Champollion, Cédric; Bock, Olivier; Drobinski, Philippe; Masson, Frédéric

2005-03-01

Global Positioning System (GPS) tomography analyses of water vapor, complemented by high-resolution numerical simulations are used to investigate a Mistral/sea breeze event in the region of Marseille, France, during the ESCOMPTE experiment. This is the first time GPS tomography has been used to validate the three-dimensional water vapor concentration from numerical simulation, and to analyze a small-scale meteorological event. The high spatial and temporal resolution of GPS analyses provides a unique insight into the evolution of the vertical and horizontal distribution of water vapor during the Mistral/sea-breeze transition.

Identification of the Sea-Land Breeze Event and Influence to the Convective Activities on the Coast of Deli Serdang

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saragih, I. J. A.; Putra, A. W.; Nugraheni, I. R.; Rinaldy, N.; Yonas, B. W.

2017-12-01

Located close to the sea indicates that there are influences of the sea-land breeze circulation on the weather condition in Deli Serdang. The purpose of this study is to simulate sea-land breeze occurrence and its influence on the convective activities in Deli Serdang. The research area covers the area of Deli Serdang Regency and the surrounding ocean region in the coordinates 02°57‧-03°16‧N & 98°33‧-99°27‧E where Kualanamu Meteorological Station is the centre of the research area at coordinate 03°34‧N & 98°44‧E and the elevation about 27MAMSL. The research time is a day with the highest rainfall in the highest peak rainy month. The raw data consist of the Himawari-8 satellite image from BMKG, FNL (Final Analysis) data from http://rda.ucar.edu, and meteorological observation data from Kualanamu Meteorology Station. This study indicates that WRF-ARW can simulate the sea-land breeze occurrence on the coast of Deli Serdang well. The existence of the convective index cover in the convergence area proves the sea-land breeze occurred in the coast of Deli Serdang can form the convergence area as the interacted result with the wind from other directions that support convective activities.

Impacts of the land-lake breeze of the Volta reservoir on the diurnal cycle of cloudiness and precipitation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buchholz, Marcel; Fink, Andreas H.; Knippertz, Peter; Yorke, Charles

2017-04-01

Lake Volta in Ghana is the artificial lake on Earth with the largest surface area (8502 km2). It has been constructed in the early 1960s, with the lake being filled around 1966. Land-lake breezes and their effects on the diurnal cycle of local wind systems, cloudiness, and precipitation have been studied for several tropical lakes, among which studies on the effects of Lake Victoria in East Africa are one of the most perceived ones. To date, no studies on the strengths and effects of the land-lake breeze of the Volta reservoir are known to the authors. Using surface station data, a variety of satellite data on clouds and precipitation, and a convection-resolving regional model, the land-lake breeze and its impacts were studied for Lake Volta between 1998 and 2015. The observational data sets confirm a significant land-lake circulation. The only manned weather station operated by the Ghana Meteorological Service that is situated at the lake is Kete Krachi. Hourly observations for 2006 and 2014 show on several days a clearing of skies in the afternoon associated with a shift in the surface winds from southwest to southeast, the latter potentially indicating a lake breeze effect. Cloud occurrence frequency derived from the CLARA-A2, MODIS, and CLAAS2 cloud masks and the cloud physical properties from CLAAS2 clearly show the development of clouds at the lake breeze front in the course of the morning and around mid-day. This effect is most pronounced in March when also the difference between the surface temperatures of the lake and the desiccated land surface is strongest. During the peak of the wet season in July, the lake breeze cloudiness is masked by a high background cloudiness and likely also weaker due to the strong southwesterly monsoon flow that tends to weaken the land-lake circulation. However, the precipitation signal was found to be strongest in July, most probably due to the fact that in boreal fall, winter and spring, the lake breeze cloudiness often fails to develop into afternoon showers or thunderstorms, or if, they are short-lived with substantial below-cloud evaporation. Two cases in 2007 and 2014 were synoptically analyzed with weather charts and modeled using the COSMO model, the current regional operational weather forecasting model of the German Weather Service (DWD). The COSMO experiments with and without the lake were integrated for 48 hours at convection-resolving resolution of 2.8 km. Initial and boundary conditions were taken from ECWMF operational analysis. Model results confirm the development of the daytime lake breeze and suggest that the existence of the lake has substantially changed the local circulation, cloudiness and precipitation regime. Our results imply a significant impact of the artificial lake on the local climate and ecosystems that warrants further study.

78 FR 39062 - Requested Administrative Waiver of the Coastwise Trade Laws: Vessel SEA BREEZE 27; Invitation for...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-06-28

... DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Maritime Administration [Docket No. MARAD-2013 0079] Requested Administrative Waiver of the Coastwise Trade Laws: Vessel SEA BREEZE 27; Invitation for Public Comments AGENCY....gov . SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: As described by the applicant the intended service of the vessel SEA...

Soil Moisture, Coastline Curvature, and Sea Breeze Initiated Precipitation Over Florida

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baker, R. David; Lynn, Barry H.; Boone, Aaron; Tao, Wei-Kuo

1999-01-01

Land surface-atmosphere interaction plays a key role in the development of summertime convection and precipitation over the Florida peninsula. Land-ocean temperature contrasts induce sea-breeze circulations along both coasts. Clouds develop along sea-breeze fronts, and significant precipitation can occur during the summer months. However, other factors such as soil moisture distribution and coastline curvature may modulate the timing, location, and intensity of sea breeze initiated precipitation. Here, we investigate the role of soil moisture and coastline curvature on Florida precipitation using the 3-D Goddard Cumulus Ensemble (GCE) cloud model coupled with the Parameterization for Land-Atmosphere-Cloud Exchange (PLACE) land surface model. This study utilizes data from the Convection and Precipitation Electrification Experiment (CaPE) collected on 27 July 1991. Our numerical simulations suggest that a realistic distribution of soil moisture influences the location and intensity of precipitation but not the timing of precipitation. In contrast, coastline curvature affects the timing and location of precipitation but has little influence on peak rainfall rates. However, both factors (soil moisture and coastline curvature) are required to fully account for observed rainfall amounts.

A morning transition case between the land and the sea breeze regimes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiménez, Maria A.; Simó, Gemma; Wrenger, Burkhard; Telisman-Prtenjak, Maja; Guijarro, Jose A.; Cuxart, Joan

2015-04-01

To better understand the diurnal cycle of the Sea-Breeze (SB) in the island of Mallorca, during September 2013 the Mallorca Sea Breeze experimental field campaign (MSB13) took place in the Campos basin (located in the south side of the island). Measurements in the lower boundary layer (captive balloon and multicopter) and close to the surface were taken in a site close to the coast (500m inland). In this work an observed morning transition of the SB is further analysed through the observations and a high-resolution mesoscale simulation of this selected case. With the combined inspection of model results and observations, it is found that during the night-time the air flows out of the island: a land-breeze is found near the coast and downslope winds at the mountain slopes. After sunrise and during the previous phase (0600-0800 UTC) the temperature difference between land and sea is reduced meanwhile the wind has the land-breeze direction. During the preparatory phase (0800-1000 UTC) the land surface temperature is warmer than the sea and the wind weakens and veers towards the SB direction. Finally, during the development phase (1000-1200 UTC) the SB front propagates through the center of the Campos basin to the end of the basin, enhanced by the mountain upslope winds. Therefore, the radiative warming stops. The temperature, momentum and TKE budgets are used to understand the most relevant physical processes involved in each of the phases.

Impact of Bay-Breeze Circulations on Surface Air Quality and Boundary Layer Export

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Loughner, Christopher P.; Tzortziou, Maria; Follette-Cook, Melanie; Pickering, Kenneth E.; Goldberg, Daniel; Satam, Chinmay; Weinheimer, Andrew; Crawford, James H.; Knapp, David J.; Montzka, Denise D.;

Nearshore Coastal Dynamics on a Sea-Breeze Dominated Micro-Tidal Beach (NCSAL)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Torres-Freyermuth, A.; Puleo, J. A.; Ruiz de Alegría-Arzaburu, A.; Figlus, J.; Mendoza, T.; Pintado-Patino, J. C.; Pieterse, A.; Chardon-Maldonado, P.; DiCosmo, N. R.; Wellman, N.; Garcia-Nava, H.; Palemón-Arcos, L.; Roberts, T.; López-González, J.; Bravo, M.; Ojeda, E.; Medellín, G.; Appendini, C. M.; Figueroa, B.; González-Leija, M.; Enriquez, C.; Pedrozo-Acuña, A.; Salles, P.

2014-12-01

A comprehensive field experiment devoted to the study of coastal processes on a micro-tidal beach was conducted from March 30th to April 12th 2014 in Sisal, Yucatán México. Wave conditions in the study area are controlled by local (i.e., sea-breezes) and meso-scale (i.e., Nortes) meteorological events. Simultaneous measurements of waves, tides, winds, currents, sediment transport, runup, and beach morphology were obtained in this experiment. Very dense nearshore instrumentation arrays allow us the study of the cross-/along- shore variability of surf/swash zone dynamics during different forcing conditions. Strong sea-breeze wind events produced a diurnal cycle with a maximum wind speed of 14 m/s. The persistent sea-breeze system forces small-amplitude (Hs<1 m) short-period (Tp<4 s) NE waves approaching with a high incidence wave angle. These wave conditions drive westward alongshore currents of up to 0.6 m/s in the inner surf zone and hence produce an active sediment transport in the swash zone. On the other hand, the more energetic (Hs>1 m) Norte event, lasting 48 hours, reached the coast on April 8th generating a long-period swell (Tp>10 s) arriving from the NNW. This event induced an eastward net sediment transport across a wide surf zone. However, long-term observations of sand impoundment at a groin located near the study area suggests that the net sediment transport in the northern Yucatan peninsula is controlled by sea-breeze events and hence swash zone dynamics play an important role in the net sediment budget of this region. A comparative study of surf and swash zone dynamics during both sea-breeze and Norte events will be presented. The Institute of Engineering of UNAM, throughout an International Collaborative Project with the University of Delaware, and CONACYT (CB-167692) provided financial support. The first author acknowledges ONR Global for providing financial support throughout the Visiting Scientist Program.

Land Breeze and Thermals: A Scale Threshold to Distinguish Their Effects

Treesearch

Yongqiang Liu

2005-01-01

Land breeze is a type of mesoscale circulation developed due to thermal forcing over a heterogeneous landscape. It can contribute to atmospheric dynamic and hydrologic processes through affecting heat and water fluxes on the land-atmosphere interface and generating shallow convective precipitation. If the scale of the landscape heterogeneity is smaller than a certain...

Diurnal Course of Evaporation From the Dead Sea in Summer: A Distinct Double Peak Induced by Solar Radiation and Night Sea Breeze

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lensky, N. G.; Lensky, I. M.; Peretz, A.; Gertman, I.; Tanny, J.; Assouline, S.

2018-01-01

Partitioning between the relative effects of the radiative and aerodynamic components of the atmospheric forcing on evaporation is challenging since diurnal distributions of wind speed and solar radiation typically overlap. The Dead Sea is located about a 100 km off the Eastern Mediterranean coast, where and the Mediterranean Sea breeze front reaches it after sunset. Therefore, in the Dead Sea the peaks of solar radiation and wind speed diurnal cycles in the Dead Sea are distinctly separated in time, offering a unique opportunity to distinguish between their relative impacts on evaporation. We present mid-summer eddy covariance and meteorological measurements of evaporation rate and surface energy fluxes over the Dead Sea. The evaporation rate is characterized by a clear diurnal cycle with a daytime peak, few hours after solar radiation peak, and a nighttime peak coincident with wind speed peak. Evaporation rate is minimum during sunrise and sunset. Measurements of evaporation rate from two other water bodies that are closer to the Mediterranean coast, Eshkol Reservoir, and Lake Kinneret, present a single afternoon peak, synchronous with the sea breeze. The inland diurnal evaporation rate cycle varies with the distance from the Mediterranean coast, following the propagation of sea breeze front: near the coast, wind speed, and radiation peaks are close and consequently a single daily evaporation peak appears in the afternoon; at the Dead Sea, about a 100 km inland, the sea breeze front arrives at sunset, resulting in a diurnal evaporation cycle characterized by a distinct double peak.

Utilizing TRMM to Analyze Sea Breeze Thunderstorm Patterns During El Nino Southern Oscillations and Their Effects upon Available Fresh Water for South Florida Agricultural Planning and Management

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cooley, Clayton; Billiot, Amanda; Lee, Lucas; McKee, Jake

2010-01-01

Water is in high demand for farmers regardless of where you go. Unfortunately, farmers in southern Florida have fewer options for water supplies than public users and are often limited to using available supplies from surface and ground water sources which depend in part upon variable weather patterns. There is an interest by the agricultural community about the effect weather has on usable surface water, however, research into viable weather patterns during La Nina and El Nino has yet to be researched. Using rainfall accumulation data from NASA Tropical Rainfall Measurement Mission (TRMM) satellite, this project s purpose was to assess the influence of El Nino and La Nina Oscillations on sea breeze thunderstorm patterns, as well as general rainfall patterns during the summer season in South Florida. Through this research we were able to illustrate the spatial and temporal variations in rainfall accumulation for each oscillation in relation to major agricultural areas. The study period for this project is from 1998, when TRMM was first launched, to 2009. Since sea breezes in Florida typically occur in the months of May through October, these months were chosen to be the months of the study. During this time, there were five periods of El Nino and two periods of La Nina, with a neutral period separating each oscillation. In order to eliminate rainfall from systems other than sea breeze thunderstorms, only days that were conducive to the development of a sea breeze front were selected.

Remote sensing of PBL meteorology and air quality: the outcome of the ESCOMPTE experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Drobinski, P.

2008-05-01

In the French Mediterranean basin, the large city of Marseille and its industrialized suburbs (oil plants in the Fos-Berre area) are major pollutant sources which cause frequent and hazardous pollution episodes especially in summer when intense solar heating enhances the photochemical activity and when sea-breeze circulation redistributes pollutants further north in the countryside. This paper summarizes the findings of five years of research on the sea-breeze in southeastern France and related mesoscale transport and dilution of pollutants within the ESCOMPTE program held in June and July 2001 (field experiment to constraint models of atmospheric pollution and emissions transport), obtained thanks to a composite observing system and a combination of remote sensing and in situ systems which produced a wealth of data. Indeed, the combination of established and novel and highly sophisticated remote sensing instruments with conventional in situ measurements (dense surface network and radiosondes) allowed to capture previously unseen details of the fine structure of the sea breeze, allowed unprecedented insight into the structure of the sea breeze flow and its contribution to ozone redistribution and allowed the validation of ultrahigh-resolution numerical research and weather prediction models as well as chemistry transport models.

Solar breeze power package and saucer ship

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Veazey, S. E.

1985-11-12

A solar breeze power package having versatile sail and windmast options useful both on land and sea and especially useful in the saucer ship type design. The Vertical Axis Wind Turbine (VAWT) of the several Darrieus designs in conjunction with roll-up or permanently mounted solar cells combine in a hybrid or are used separately to provide power to a battery bank or other storage device.

Mesoscale model response to random, surface-based perturbations — A sea-breeze experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garratt, J. R.; Pielke, R. A.; Miller, W. F.; Lee, T. J.

1990-09-01

The introduction into a mesoscale model of random (in space) variations in roughness length, or random (in space and time) surface perturbations of temperature and friction velocity, produces a measurable, but barely significant, response in the simulated flow dynamics of the lower atmosphere. The perturbations are an attempt to include the effects of sub-grid variability into the ensemble-mean parameterization schemes used in many numerical models. Their magnitude is set in our experiments by appeal to real-world observations of the spatial variations in roughness length and daytime surface temperature over the land on horizontal scales of one to several tens of kilometers. With sea-breeze simulations, comparisons of a number of realizations forced by roughness-length and surface-temperature perturbations with the standard simulation reveal no significant change in ensemble mean statistics, and only small changes in the sea-breeze vertical velocity. Changes in the updraft velocity for individual runs, of up to several cms-1 (compared to a mean of 14 cms-1), are directly the result of prefrontal temperature changes of 0.1 to 0.2K, produced by the random surface forcing. The correlation and magnitude of the changes are entirely consistent with a gravity-current interpretation of the sea breeze.

The role of refinery flaring events and bay breezes on a high surface ozone episode during the Houston, Texas DISCOVER-AQ field campaign

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Loughner, C.; Follette-Cook, M. B.; Fried, A.; Pickering, K. E.

2015-12-01

The highest observed surface ozone concentrations in the Houston metropolitan area in 2013 occurred on September 25, which coincided with the Texas DISCOVER-AQ (Deriving Information on Surface Conditions from Column and Vertically Resolved Observations Relevant to Air Quality) field campaign. Surface ozone was elevated throughout the Houston metropolitan area with maximum 8-hour average ozone peaking along the western shore of Galveston Bay, reaching 124 ppbv, almost 50 ppbv above the current EPA standard of 75 ppbv. The NASA P-3B aircraft observed plumes from refinery flares west and northwest of Galveston Bay that were transported over the water. Continental air pollution from the north was transported into the Houston metropolitan area where it mixed with locally generated emissions. A bay breeze circulation formed causing pollutants that were transported out over the water in the morning to recirculate back inland where they mixed with freshly emitted pollution near the bay breeze convergence zone. The highest surface ozone concentrations were reported near the bay breeze front. This ozone episode will be presented using measurements made during the DISCOVER-AQ field campaign and a CMAQ model simulation with integrated source apportionment, which tracks the contribution of emissions source groups and regions on ozone concentrations.

The influence of the Atlantic Warm Pool on the Florida panhandle sea breeze

USGS Publications Warehouse

Misra, Vasubandhu; Moeller, Lauren; Stefanova, Lydia; Chan, Steven; O'Brien, James J.; Smith, Thomas J.; Plant, Nathaniel

2011-01-01

In this paper we examine the variations of the boreal summer season sea breeze circulation along the Florida panhandle coast from relatively high resolution (10 km) regional climate model integrations. The 23 year climatology (1979–2001) of the multidecadal dynamically downscaled simulations forced by the National Centers for Environmental Prediction–Department of Energy (NCEP-DOE) Reanalysis II at the lateral boundaries verify quite well with the observed climatology. The variations at diurnal and interannual time scales are also well simulated with respect to the observations. We show from composite analyses made from these downscaled simulations that sea breezes in northwestern Florida are associated with changes in the size of the Atlantic Warm Pool (AWP) on interannual time scales. In large AWP years when the North Atlantic Subtropical High becomes weaker and moves further eastward relative to the small AWP years, a large part of the southeast U.S. including Florida comes under the influence of relatively strong anomalous low-level northerly flow and large-scale subsidence consistent with the theory of the Sverdrup balance. This tends to suppress the diurnal convection over the Florida panhandle coast in large AWP years. This study is also an illustration of the benefit of dynamic downscaling in understanding the low-frequency variations of the sea breeze.

Analysis of Delayed Sea Breeze Onset for Fort Ord Prescribed Burning Operations

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-12-01

Gahmberg et al. (2009) provided additional detail to the synoptic flow through the Coriolis effect . All directions are as seen from the sea with...ambient flows left of the offshore direction providing the strongest opposing winds as Coriolis effects provide additional support in the offshore...support the development of the sea breeze due to Coriolis effects , the mesoscale flow at the surface is quite different. The 1600 UTC through 1900

The properties of coke breeze briquettes produced by ram briquetting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Loginov, Yu. N.; Babailov, N. A.; Polyansky, L. I.

2017-12-01

The paper reports on the results of briquetting coke breeze with a binder in a closed cylindrical press-die. Liquid glass is used as a binder. Approximating curves for the "compaction ratio vs. compaction pressure" dependences are plotted from experimental data. The mechanical properties of the briquettes are determined, namely, drop damage resistance and breaking stress. The results are presented as approximating dependences in the form of a power function.

A breeze-driven current on sloped littoral waters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tohidi, A.; Jamali, M.

2017-12-01

Various natural phenomena, e. g. uniform/non-uniform solar radiation and diurnal cycles, affect water circulation patterns through aquatic canopies, that is (usually shallow) shorelines of the rivers, lakes, and lagoons. Amongst these factors is vegetation that, plays a crucial role in conserving and dispersing the nutrients, oxygen, temperature, and generally regulating the life and interactions of organisms with each other (ecology) in aquatic canopies. So far, however, very little attention has been paid to the effects of very low, breeze-like, winds over the water surface in these vegetated regions. In this exploratory study, the evolution of a breeze-driven gravity current traveling up the slope towards the shorelines is shown, experimentally. The flow is characterized using Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) technique. In addition, a detailed dimensional analysis of the parameter space of the phenomenon is conducted. The results strongly corroborate the experimental observations.

Evaluation of the atmospheric model WRF on the Qatar peninsula for a converging sea-breeze event

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balan Sobhana, Sandeepan; Nayak, Sashikant; Panchang, Vijay

2016-04-01

Qatar, a narrow peninsula covering an area of 11437 sq km, extends northwards into the Arabian Gulf for about 160km and has a maximum width of 88km. The convex shape of the coast-line and narrowness of the peninsula results in the Qatar region experiencing complex wind patterns. The geometry is favorable for formation of the land-sea breeze from both coastal sides of the peninsula. This can lead to the development of sea breeze convergence zones in the middle of the country. Although circulations arising from diurnal thermal contrast of land and water are amongst most intensively studied meteorological phenomena, there is no reported study for the Qatar peninsula and very few studies are reported for the Arabian Gulf region as whole. It is necessary to characterize the wind field for applications such as assessing air pollution, renewable energy etc. A non-hydrostatic mesoscale model, Weather Research and Forecast (WRF) with a nested high resolution grid permits the investigation of such fine scale phenomena. Data from eighteen land based Automated Weather Stations (AWS) and two offshore buoys deployed and maintained by the Qatar Meteorological Department were analyzed. Based on the analysis a clear case of sea breeze convergence were seen on 18 September 2015. Model simulations were used to investigate the synoptic conditions associated with the formation of this event. The season is characterized by week ambient north westerly wind over the Arabian Gulf. The WRF model performance is validated using observed in-situ data. Model simulations show that vertical extent of sea breeze cell was up to 1 km and the converging sea breeze regions were characterized with high vertical velocities. The WRF simulation also revealed that with high resolution, the model is capable of reproducing the fine scale patterns accurately. The error of predictions in the inner domain (highest resolution) are found to be relatively lower than coarse resolution domain. The maximum wind speed were of the order of 9 m/s. The period of convergence lasted approximately for about 8 hours (with maximum intensity about 2 PM local time).The model winds compared favorably for all the 18 AWS stations, with better match seen for the offshore locations.

Investigation of the Mesoscale Interaction between the Sea Breeze Circulation and the Sandhills Convection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sims, Aaron P.

In the Carolinas of the United States, there are two key land-surface features over which convective precipitation often forms during the summer months. These geomorphic features are the Sandhills and coastline. Along the coastline, sea-breeze circulations regularly form and are known to initiate convection. The Sandhills is a transitional zone of sandy soil surrounded by mixture of soils that include clay and loam. It extends through the central part of the Carolinas and into Georgia and is also the origin of convective storms. The two geographical features, the coastline and the Sandhills, are in regional proximity of each other and the resultant sea-breeze front and the Sandhills convection interact during summer. During this research, the investigation of the mechanism of interaction between these two features has led to the discovery of the Sandhills front, a shallow outflow density current that develops from deep convection over the Sandhills and propagates eastward toward the coast. The convergence of the Sandhills front and the sea-breeze front initiates and enhances convection between the Sandhills and the coastline. Observations during the month of June for the period 2004 to 2015 are used to evaluate the interaction between these two phenomena. On average, these interactions occur on approximately 24% of all days in June and on 36% of all days in June when synoptic scale systems are absent. Thus, the interactions between the sea-breeze and the Sandhills circulations do contribute to the precipitation in this region. Background wind speeds and directions influence the location and the strength of convection associated with this interaction. Onshore, offshore, and southwesterly flow classifications each present different strengths and locations of the interactions. Light winds ( 3 m s-1 to 6 m s-1 ) also influence the interactions differently. Observations indicate that moderate southwesterly flow has the highest total average and total maximum precipitation amounts over the region due to the advection of warm, moist air. Light offshore flow produces the highest totals of average precipitation due to opposing background winds that helps in the development of a robust sea-breeze circulation. Onshore flow produces the least amount of precipitation. The sea breeze circulation is weak in such cases, if it exists. Vertical characteristics and the variations of different defining parameters during the interactions were evaluated using numerical simulations. To improve the representation of convection in the numerical model, modifications were made to the convective parameterization scheme and the interactions were simulated using this improved version. These modifications include the addition of subgrid scale clouds in the radiation scheme, adjustments to the convective timescale, modifications to the entrainment rates, and linking of the subcloud velocity scale to the turbulent kinetic energy from the boundary layer parameterization. Modifications improved the numerical simulations of the mesoscale convection and precipitation predictions. Numerical simulations of the wind regime classifications reveal that the strength of the interaction, intensity of convection, and the location and depth of the convection and interaction are influenced by the background winds and moisture availability. Southwesterly flow regimes have the highest levels of atmospheric instability and produce widespread regional precipitation. Light offshore winds produce the strongest interactions between the sea-breeze front and the Sandhills front. Onshore flow produces the least amount of convective precipitation. In summary, mesoscale driven interaction events occur regularly during summer months in the coastal Carolinas. The principal driving mechanisms are surface-based differential heating over the Sandhills region caused by changes in soil heat capacity and the coastal sea breeze circulation. The location and intensity of these interactions are dictated by different wind regimes that regulate the strength of the interactions and moisture availability.

Impact of Biomass Burning Aerosols on Cloud Formation in Coastal Regions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nair, U. S.; Wu, Y.; Reid, J. S.

2017-12-01

In the tropics, shallow and deep convective cloud structures organize in hierarchy of spatial scales ranging from meso-gamma (2-20 km) to planetary scales (40,000km). At the lower end of the spectrum is shallow convection over the open ocean, whose upscale growth is dependent upon mesoscale convergence triggers. In this context, cloud systems associated with land breezes that propagate long distances into open ocean areas are important. We utilized numerical model simulations to examine the impact of biomass burning on such cloud systems in the maritime continent, specifically along the coastal regions of Sarawak. Numerical model simulations conducted using the Weather Research and Forecasting Chemistry (WRF-Chem) model show spatial patterns of smoke that show good agreement to satellite observations. Analysis of model simulations show that, during daytime the horizontal convective rolls (HCRs) that form over land play an important role in organizing transport of smoke in the coastal regions. Alternating patterns of low and high smoke concentrations that are well correlated to the wavelengths of HCRs are found in both the simulations and satellite observations. During night time, smoke transport is modulated by the land breeze circulation and a band of enhanced smoke concentration is found along the land breeze front. Biomass burning aerosols are ingested by the convective clouds that form along the land breeze and leads to changes in total water path, cloud structure and precipitation formation.

The influence of the Atlantic Warm Pool on the Florida panhandle sea breeze

USGS Publications Warehouse

Misra, V.; Moeller, L.; Stefanova, L.; Chan, S.; O'Brien, J. J.; Smith, T.J.; Plant, N.

2011-01-01

In this paper we examine the variations of the boreal summer season sea breeze circulation along the Florida panhandle coast from relatively high resolution (10 km) regional climate model integrations. The 23 year climatology (1979-2001) of the multidecadal dynamically downscaled simulations forced by the National Centers for Environmental Prediction-Department of Energy (NCEP-DOE) Reanalysis II at the lateral boundaries verify quite well with the observed climatology. The variations at diurnal and interannual time scales are also well simulated with respect to the observations. We show from composite analyses made from these downscaled simulations that sea breezes in northwestern Florida are associated with changes in the size of the Atlantic Warm Pool (AWP) on interannual time scales. In large AWP years when the North Atlantic Subtropical High becomes weaker and moves further eastward relative to the small AWP years, a large part of the southeast U.S. including Florida comes under the influence of relatively strong anomalous low-level northerly flow and large-scale subsidence consistent with the theory of the Sverdrup balance. This tends to suppress the diurnal convection over the Florida panhandle coast in large AWP years. This study is also an illustration of the benefit of dynamic downscaling in understanding the low-frequency variations of the sea breeze. Copyright 2011 by the American Geophysical Union.

Land Surface Data Assimilation and the Northern Gulf Coast Land/Sea Breeze

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lapenta, William M.; Blackwell, Keith; Suggs, Ron; McNider, Richard T.; Jedlovec, Gary; Kimball, Sytske; Arnold, James E. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

A technique has been developed for assimilating GOES-derived skin temperature tendencies and insolation into the surface energy budget equation of a mesoscale model so that the simulated rate of temperature change closely agrees with the satellite observations. A critical assumption of the technique is that the availability of moisture (either from the soil or vegetation) is the least known term in the model's surface energy budget. Therefore, the simulated latent heat flux, which is a function of surface moisture availability, is adjusted based upon differences between the modeled and satellite observed skin temperature tendencies. An advantage of this technique is that satellite temperature tendencies are assimilated in an energetically consistent manner that avoids energy imbalances and surface stability problems that arise from direct assimilation of surface shelter temperatures. The fact that the rate of change of the satellite skin temperature is used rather than the absolute temperature means that sensor calibration is not as critical. The sea/land breeze is a well-documented mesoscale circulation that affects many coastal areas of the world including the northern Gulf Coast of the United States. The focus of this paper is to examine how the satellite assimilation technique impacts the simulation of a sea breeze circulation observed along the Mississippi/Alabama coast in the spring of 2001. The technique is implemented within the PSU/NCAR MM5 V3-4 and applied on a 4-km domain for this particular application. It is recognized that a 4-km grid spacing is too coarse to explicitly resolve the detailed, mesoscale structure of sea breezes. Nevertheless, the model can forecast certain characteristics of the observed sea breeze including a thermally direct circulation that results from differential low-level heating across the land-sea interface. Our intent is to determine the sensitivity of the circulation to the differential land surface forcing produced via the assimilation of GOES skin temperature tendencies. Results will be quantified through statistical verification techniques.

Application of Land Surface Data Assimilation to Simulations of Sea Breeze Circulations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mackaro, Scott; Lapenta, William M.; Blackwell, Keith; Suggs, Ron; McNider, Richard T.; Jedlovec, Gary; Kimball, Sytske

2003-01-01

A technique has been developed for assimilating GOES-derived skin temperature tendencies and insolation into the surface energy budget equation of a mesoscale model so that the simulated rate of temperature change closely agrees with the satellite observations. A critical assumption of the technique is that the availability of moisture (either from the soil or vegetation) is the least known term in the model's surface energy budget. Therefore, the simulated latent heat flux, which is a function of surface moisture availability, is adjusted based upon differences between the modeled and satellite- observed skin temperature tendencies. An advantage of this technique is that satellite temperature tendencies are assimilated in an energetically consistent manner that avoids energy imbalances and surface stability problems that arise from direct assimilation of surface shelter temperatures. The fact that the rate of change of the satellite skin temperature is used rather than the absolute temperature means that sensor calibration is not as critical. The sea/land breeze is a well-documented mesoscale circulation that affects many coastal areas of the world including the northern Gulf Coast of the United States. The focus of this paper is to examine how the satellite assimilation technique impacts the simulation of a sea breeze circulation observed along the Mississippi/Alabama coast in the spring of 2001. The technique is implemented within the PSUNCAR MM5 V3-5 and applied at spatial resolutions of 12- and 4-km. It is recognized that even 4-km grid spacing is too coarse to explicitly resolve the detailed, mesoscale structure of sea breezes. Nevertheless, the model can forecast certain characteristics of the observed sea breeze including a thermally direct circulation that results from differential low-level heating across the land-sea interface. Our intent is to determine the sensitivity of the circulation to the differential land surface forcing produced via the assimilation of GOES skin temperature tendencies. Results will be quantified through statistical verification techniques.

Nearshore circulation on a sea breeze dominated beach during intense wind events

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Torres-Freyermuth, Alec; Puleo, Jack A.; DiCosmo, Nick; Allende-Arandía, Ma. Eugenia; Chardón-Maldonado, Patricia; López, José; Figueroa-Espinoza, Bernardo; de Alegria-Arzaburu, Amaia Ruiz; Figlus, Jens; Roberts Briggs, Tiffany M.; de la Roza, Jacobo; Candela, Julio

2017-12-01

A field experiment was conducted on the northern Yucatan coast from April 1 to April 12, 2014 to investigate the role of intense wind events on coastal circulation from the inner shelf to the swash zone. The study area is characterized by a micro-tidal environment, low-energy wave conditions, and a wide and shallow continental shelf. Furthermore, easterly trade winds, local breezes, and synoptic-scale events, associated with the passage of cold-fronts known as Nortes, are ubiquitous in this region. Currents were measured concurrently at different cross-shore locations during both local and synoptic-scale intense wind events to investigate the influence of different forcing mechanisms (i.e., large-scale currents, winds, tides, and waves) on the nearshore circulation. Field observations revealed that nearshore circulation across the shelf is predominantly alongshore-directed (westward) during intense winds. However, the mechanisms responsible for driving instantaneous spatial and temporal current variability depend on the weather conditions and the across-shelf location. During local strong sea breeze events (W > 10 m s-1 from the NE) occurring during spring tide, westward circulation is controlled by the tides, wind, and waves at the inner-shelf, shallow waters, and inside the surf/swash zone, respectively. The nearshore circulation is relaxed during intense land breeze events (W ≈ 9 m s-1 from the SE) associated with the low atmospheric pressure system that preceded a Norte event. During the Norte event (Wmax≈ 15 m s-1 from the NNW), westward circulation dominated outside the surf zone and was correlated to the Yucatan Current, whereas wave breaking forces eastward currents inside the surf/swash zone. The latter finding implies the existence of large alongshore velocity shear at the offshore edge of the surf zone during the Norte event, which enhances mixing between the surf zone and the inner shelf. These findings suggest that both sea breezes and Nortes play an important role in sediment and pollutant transport along/across the nearshore of the Yucatan shelf.

Florida Agriculture - Utilizing TRMM to Analyze Sea Breeze Thunderstorm Patterns During El Nino Southern Oscillations and Their Effects Upon Available Fresh Water for South Florida Agricultural Planning and Management

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Billiot, Amanda; Lee, Lucas; McKee, Jake; Cooley, Zachary Clayton; Mitchell, Brandie

2010-01-01

This project utilizes Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) and Landsat satellite data to assess the impact of sea breeze precipitation upon areas of agricultural land use in southern Florida. Water is a critical resource to agriculture, and the availability of water for agricultural use in Florida continues to remain a key issue. Recent projections of statewide water use by 2020 estimate that 9.3 billion gallons of water per day will be demanded, and agriculture represents 47% of this demand (Bronson 2003). Farmers have fewer options for water supplies than public users and are often limited to using available supplies from surface and ground water sources which depend in part upon variable weather patterns. Sea breeze thunderstorms are responsible for much of the rainfall delivered to Florida during the wet season (May-October) and have been recognized as an important overall contributor of rainfall in southern Florida (Almeida 2003). TRMM satellite data was used to analyze how sea breeze-induced thunderstorms during El Nino and La Nina affected interannual patterns of precipitation in southern Florida from 1998-2009. TRMM's Precipitation Radar and Microwave Imager provide data to quantify water vapor in the atmosphere, precipitation rates and intensity, and the distribution of precipitation. Rainfall accumulation data derived from TRMM and other microwave sensors were used to analyze the temporal and spatial variations of rainfall during each phase of the El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO). Through the use of TRMM and Landsat, slight variations were observed, but it was determined that neither sea breeze nor total rainfall patterns in South Florida were strongly affected by ENSO during the study period. However, more research is needed to characterize the influence of ENSO on summer weather patterns in South Florida. This research will provide the basis for continued observations and study with the Global Precipitation Measurement Mission.

Evaluation of weather research and forecasting model parameterizations under sea-breeze conditions in a North Sea coastal environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salvador, Nadir; Reis, Neyval Costa; Santos, Jane Meri; Albuquerque, Taciana Toledo de Almeida; Loriato, Ayres Geraldo; Delbarre, Hervé; Augustin, Patrick; Sokolov, Anton; Moreira, Davidson Martins

2016-12-01

Three atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) schemes and two land surface models that are used in the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model, version 3.4.1, were evaluated with numerical simulations by using data from the north coast of France (Dunkerque). The ABL schemes YSU (Yonsei University), ACM2 (Asymmetric Convective Model version 2), and MYJ (Mellor-Yamada-Janjic) were combined with two land surface models, Noah and RUC (Rapid Update Cycle), in order to determine the performances under sea-breeze conditions. Particular attention is given in the determination of the thermal internal boundary layer (TIBL), which is very important in air pollution scenarios. The other physics parameterizations used in the model were consistent for all simulations. The predictions of the sea-breeze dynamics output from the WRF model were compared with observations taken from sonic detection and ranging, light detection and ranging systems and a meteorological surface station to verify that the model had reasonable accuracy in predicting the behavior of local circulations. The temporal comparisons of the vertical and horizontal wind speeds and wind directions predicted by the WRF model showed that all runs detected the passage of the sea-breeze front. However, except for the combination of MYJ and Noah, all runs had a time delay compared with the frontal passage measured by the instruments. The proposed study shows that the synoptic wind attenuated the intensity and penetration of the sea breeze. This provided changes in the vertical mixing in a short period of time and on soil temperature that could not be detected by the WRF model simulations with the computational grid used. Additionally, among the tested schemes, the combination of the localclosure MYJ scheme with the land surface Noah scheme was able to produce the most accurate ABL height compared with observations, and it was also able to capture the TIBL.

Regional transport and dilution during high-pollution episodes in southern France: Summary of findings from the Field Experiment to Constraint Models of Atmospheric Pollution and Emissions Transport (ESCOMPTE)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Drobinski, P.; SaïD, F.; Ancellet, G.; Arteta, J.; Augustin, P.; Bastin, S.; Brut, A.; Caccia, J. L.; Campistron, B.; Cautenet, S.; Colette, A.; Coll, I.; Corsmeier, U.; Cros, B.; Dabas, A.; Delbarre, H.; Dufour, A.; Durand, P.; GuéNard, V.; Hasel, M.; Kalthoff, N.; Kottmeier, C.; Lasry, F.; Lemonsu, A.; Lohou, F.; Masson, V.; Menut, L.; Moppert, C.; Peuch, V. H.; Puygrenier, V.; Reitebuch, O.; Vautard, R.

2007-07-01

In the French Mediterranean basin the large city of Marseille and its industrialized suburbs (oil plants in the Fos-Berre area) are major pollutant sources that cause frequent and hazardous pollution episodes, especially in summer when intense solar heating enhances the photochemical activity and when the sea breeze circulation redistributes pollutants farther north in the countryside. This paper summarizes the findings of 5 years of research on the sea breeze in southern France and related mesoscale transport and dilution of pollutants within the Field Experiment to Constraint Models of Atmospheric Pollution and Emissions Transport (ESCOMPTE) program held in June and July 2001. This paper provides an overview of the experimental and numerical challenges identified before the ESCOMPTE field experiment and summarizes the key findings made in observation, simulation, and theory. We specifically address the role of large-scale atmospheric circulation to local ozone vertical distribution and the mesoscale processes driving horizontal advection of pollutants and vertical transport and mixing via entrainment at the top of the sea breeze or at the front and venting along the sloped terrain. The crucial importance of the interactions between processes of various spatial and temporal scales is thus highlighted. The advances in numerical modeling and forecasting of sea breeze events and ozone pollution episodes in southern France are also underlined. Finally, we conclude and point out some open research questions needing further investigation.

Investigation of mesoscale precipitation processes in the Carolinas using a radar-based climatology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boyles, Ryan Patrick

The complex topography, shoreline, soils, and land use patterns makes the Carolinas a unique location to study mesoscale processes. Using gage-calibrated radar estimates and a series of numerical model simulations, warm season mesoscale precipitation patterns are analyzed over the Carolinas. Gage-calibrated radar precipitation estimates are compared with surface gage observations. Stage IV estimates generally compared better than Stage II estimates, but some Stage II and Stage IV estimates have gross errors during autumn, winter, and spring seasons. Analysis of days when sea breeze is observed suggests that sea breeze induced precipitation occurs on nearly 40% of days in June, July, and August, but only 18% in May and 6% of days in April. Precipitation on days with sea breeze convection can contribute to over 50% of seasonal precipitation. Rainfall associated with sea breeze is generally maximized along east-facing shores 10-20 km inland, and minimized along south-facing shores in North Carolina. The shape of the shoreline along Cape Fear is associated with a local precipitation maximum that may be caused by the convergence of two sea breeze fronts from the south and east shores. Differential heating associated with contrasting soils along the Carolina Sandhills is suggested as a mechanism for enhancement in local precipitation. A high-resolution summer precipitation climatology suggests that precipitation is enhanced along the Sandhills region in both wet and dry years. Analysis of four numerical simulations suggests that contrasts in soils over the Carolinas Sandhills dominates over vegetation contrasts to produce heat flux gradients and a convergence zone along the sand-to-clay transition. Orographically induced precipitation is consistently observed in the summer, and appears to be isolated along windward slopes at 20km--40km from the ridge line. Amounts over external ridges are generally 50-100% higher than amounts observed over the foothills. Precipitation amounts over interior ridges and valleys are lower than observed on exterior ridges and are similar to values observed over the foothills. When compared with Stage IV estimates, the PRISM (Precipitation-elevation Regressions on Independent Slopes Model) method for estimating precipitation in complex terrain appears to largely over-estimate precipitation amounts over the interior ridges.

The Impact of Endurance Training on Human Skeletal Muscle Memory, Global Isoform Expression and Novel Transcripts

PubMed Central

Lindholm, Maléne E; Giacomello, Stefania; Werne Solnestam, Beata; Kjellqvist, Sanela

2016-01-01

Regularly performed endurance training has many beneficial effects on health and skeletal muscle function, and can be used to prevent and treat common diseases e.g. cardiovascular disease, type II diabetes and obesity. The molecular adaptation mechanisms regulating these effects are incompletely understood. To date, global transcriptome changes in skeletal muscles have been studied at the gene level only. Therefore, global isoform expression changes following exercise training in humans are unknown. Also, the effects of repeated interventions on transcriptional memory or training response have not been studied before. In this study, 23 individuals trained one leg for three months. Nine months later, 12 of the same subjects trained both legs in a second training period. Skeletal muscle biopsies were obtained from both legs before and after both training periods. RNA sequencing analysis of all 119 skeletal muscle biopsies showed that training altered the expression of 3,404 gene isoforms, mainly associated with oxidative ATP production. Fifty-four genes had isoforms that changed in opposite directions. Training altered expression of 34 novel transcripts, all with protein-coding potential. After nine months of detraining, no training-induced transcriptome differences were detected between the previously trained and untrained legs. Although there were several differences in the physiological and transcriptional responses to repeated training, no coherent evidence of an endurance training induced transcriptional skeletal muscle memory was found. This human lifestyle intervention induced differential expression of thousands of isoforms and several transcripts from unannotated regions of the genome. It is likely that the observed isoform expression changes reflect adaptational mechanisms and processes that provide the functional and health benefits of regular physical activity. PMID:27657503

A study of atmospheric dispersion of radionuclides at a coastal site using a modified Gaussian model and a mesoscale sea breeze model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Venkatesan, R.; Mathiyarasu, R.; Somayaji, K. M.

Ground level concentration and sky-shine dose due to radioactive emissions from a nuclear power plant at a coastal site have been estimated using the standard Gaussian Plume Model (GPM) and the modified GPM suggested by Misra (Atmospheric Environment 14 (1980) 397), which incorporates fumigation effect under sea breeze condition. The difference in results between these two models is analysed in order to understand their significance and errors that would occur if proper choice were not made. Radioactive sky-shine dose from 41Ar, emitted from a 100 m stack of the nuclear plant is continuously recorded by environmental gamma dose monitors and the data is used to validate the modified GPM. It is observed that the dose values increase by a factor of about 2 times than those of the standard GPM estimates, up to a downwind distance of 6 km during sea breeze hours. In order to examine the dispersion of radioactive effluents in the mesoscale range, a sea breeze model coupled with a particle dispersion model is used. The deposited activity, thyroid dose and sky-shine radioactive dose are simulated for a range of 30 km. In this range, the plume is found to deviate from its straight-line trajectory, as otherwise assumed in GPM. A secondary maximum in the concentration and the sky-shine dose is also observed in the model results. These results are quite significant in realistically estimating the area affected under any unlikely event of an accidental release of radioactivity.

The role of mesoscale meteorology in modulating the (222)Rn concentrations in Huelva (Spain)--impact of phosphogypsum piles.

PubMed

Hernández-Ceballos, M A; Vargas, A; Arnold, D; Bolívar, J P

2015-07-01

The combined analysis of (222)Rn activity concentrations and mesoscale meteorological conditions at Huelva city (Spain) was addressed in this study to understand the potential impact of phosphogypsum piles on the (222)Rn activity concentrations registered at this area. Hourly mean data from April 2012 to February 2013 registered at two sampling sites (Huelva city and in the background station of El Arenosillo, located 27 km to the south-east) have been used in the study. The results of the present study showed a large difference in mean radon concentrations between the two stations during the sampling period, 6.3 ± 0.4 Bq m(-3) at Huelva and 3.0 ± 0.2 Bq m(-3) at El Arenosillo. The analysis has demonstrated that hourly (222)Rn concentrations at Huelva city above 22 Bq m(-3), with nocturnal peaks up to 50 Bq/m(3), mainly coincided with the occurrence of a pure sea-land breeze cycle. Mesoscale circulations in this region are mainly characterized by two patterns of sea-land breeze, pure and non-pure, with the phosphosypsum piles directly upstream (south) of the city during the afternoon on pure sea-breeze days. The difference between mean (222)Rn activity concentrations at Huelva city were 9.9 ± 1.5 Bq m(-3) for the pure pattern and 3.3 ± 0.5 Bq m(-3) for the non-pure pattern, while in the background station concentrations were 3.9 ± 0.4 Bq m(-3) and 2.8 ± 0.4 Bq m(-3) respectively. Considering these large differences, a detailed analysis of composites and case studies of representative sea-land breeze cycles of both types and their impact on (222)Rn activity concentration was performed. The results suggested that the presence of the phosphogypsum piles was necessary in order to justify the high (222)Rn activity concentrations observed at Huelva compared with the background station in the afternoons on pure sea breeze days (1.5-2.0 Bq m(-3)). On the other hand, large night time differences between the two sites on these days were likely to be associated with a combination of shallow density currents travelling down the Guadalquivir valley and, again, the presence of phosphogypsum piles. The results have demonstrated a significant impact of the phosphogypsum piles on (222)Rn activity concentrations in Huelva city during the occurrence of pure sea breeze days. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

PM2.5 and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in ambient air: a focus on the effect of meteorology.

PubMed

Giakoumi, A; Maggos, Th; Michopoulos, J; Helmis, C; Vasilakos, Ch

2009-05-01

PM(2.5) and VOCs (benzene, toluene, m-p-o-xylenes) concentrations were measured in an urban and a suburban site in Athens, Greece, during the period between April and November 2004. This period, which is considered to be the warmer period in Greece, is characterized by the development of sea-breeze over the Attica Basin. Additionally strong Northern, North-eastern winds called "The Etesians", predominate during the summer months (July-August), acting positively to the dispersion of pollutants. In this campaign, 24 days with sea-breeze development were observed, 15 days with northern winds, 6 days with southern winds while the rest of the days presented no specific wind profile. Maximum concentrations of PM(2.5), VOCs and nitrogen oxides, were detected during the days with sea-breeze, while minimum concentrations during the days with northern winds. Ozone was the only pollutant that appeared to have higher concentrations in the background site and not in the city centre, where benzene presented strong negative correlation with ozone, indicating the photochemical reaction of hydrocarbons that lead to the ozone formation. The BTX ratios were similar for both sites and wind profiles, indicating common sources for those pollutants. T/B ratio ranged in low levels, between 3-5 for site A and 2-5 for site B, suggesting vehicles emissions as the main sources of volatile compounds. Finally, the strong correlations of PM(2.5) and benzene concentrations, between the two sampling sites, indicate that both the city centre and the background site, are affected by the same sources, under common meteorological conditions (sea-breeze, northern winds).

Mesoscale Simulations of a Florida Sea Breeze Using the PLACE Land Surface Model Coupled to a 1.5-Order Turbulence Parameterization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lynn, Barry H.; Stauffer, David R.; Wetzel, Peter J.; Tao, Wei-Kuo; Perlin, Natal; Baker, R. David; Munoz, Ricardo; Boone, Aaron; Jia, Yiqin

1999-01-01

A sophisticated land-surface model, PLACE, the Parameterization for Land Atmospheric Convective Exchange, has been coupled to a 1.5-order turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) turbulence sub-model. Both have been incorporated into the Penn State/National Center for Atmospheric Research (PSU/NCAR) mesoscale model MM5. Such model improvements should have their greatest effect in conditions where surface contrasts dominate over dynamic processes, such as the simulation of warm-season, convective events. A validation study used the newly coupled model, MM5 TKE-PLACE, to simulate the evolution of Florida sea-breeze moist convection during the Convection and Precipitation Electrification Experiment (CaPE). Overall, eight simulations tested the sensitivity of the MM5 model to combinations of the new and default model physics, and initialization of soil moisture and temperature. The TKE-PLACE model produced more realistic surface sensible heat flux, lower biases for surface variables, more realistic rainfall, and cloud cover than the default model. Of the 8 simulations with different factors (i.e., model physics or initialization), TKE-PLACE compared very well when each simulation was ranked in terms of biases of the surface variables and rainfall, and percent and root mean square of cloud cover. A factor separation analysis showed that a successful simulation required the inclusion of a multi-layered, land surface soil vegetation model, realistic initial soil moisture, and higher order closure of the planetary boundary layer (PBL). These were needed to realistically model the effect of individual, joint, and synergistic contributions from the land surface and PBL on the CAPE sea-breeze, Lake Okeechobee lake breeze, and moist convection.

Tailoring Multicomponent Writing Interventions: Effects of Coupling Self-Regulation and Transcription Training.

PubMed

Limpo, Teresa; Alves, Rui A

Writing proficiency is heavily based on acquisition and development of self-regulation and transcription skills. The present study examined the effects of combining transcription training with a self-regulation intervention (self-regulated strategy development [SRSD]) in Grade 2 (ages 7-8). Forty-three students receiving self-regulation plus transcription (SRSD+TR) intervention were compared with 37 students receiving a self-regulation only (SRSD only) intervention and 39 students receiving the standard language arts curriculum. Compared with control instruction, SRSD instruction-with or without transcription training-resulted in more complex plans; longer, better, and more complete stories; and the effects transferred to story written recall. Transcription training produced an incremental effect on students' composing skills. In particular, the SRSD+TR intervention increased handwriting fluency, spelling accuracy for inconsistent words, planning and story completeness, writing fluency, clause length, and burst length. Compared with the SRSD-only intervention, the SRSD+TR intervention was particularly effective in raising the writing quality of poorer writers. This pattern of findings suggests that students benefit from writing instruction coupling self-regulation and transcription training from very early on. This seems to be a promising instructional approach not only to ameliorate all students' writing ability and prevent future writing problems but also to minimize struggling writers' difficulties and support them in mastering writing.

Creating collaborative learning environments for transforming primary care practices now.

PubMed

Miller, William L; Cohen-Katz, Joanne

2010-12-01

The renewal of primary care waits just ahead. The patient-centered medical home (PCMH) movement and a refreshing breeze of collaboration signal its arrival with demonstration projects and pilots appearing across the country. An early message from this work suggests that the development of collaborative, cross-disciplinary teams may be essential for the success of the PCMH. Our focus in this article is on training existing health care professionals toward being thriving members of this transformed clinical care team in a relationship-centered PCMH. Our description of the optimal conditions for collaborative training begins with delineating three types of teams and how they relate to levels of collaboration. We then describe how to create a supportive, safe learning environment for this type of training, using a different model of professional socialization, and tools for building culture. Critical skills related to practice development and the cross-disciplinary collaborative processes are also included. Despite significant obstacles in readying current clinicians to be members of thriving collaborative teams, a few next steps toward implementing collaborative training programs for existing professionals are possible using competency-based and adult learning approaches. Grasping the long awaited arrival of collaborative primary health care will also require delivery system and payment reform. Until that happens, there is an abundance of work to be done envisioning new collaborative training programs and initiating a nation-wide effort to motivate and reeducate our colleagues. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved.

Scaling and Numerical Model Evaluation of Snow-Cover Effects on the Generation and Modification of Daytime Mesoscale Circulations.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Segal, M.; Garratt, J. R.; Pielke, R. A.; Ye, Z.

1991-04-01

Consideration of the sensible heat flux characteristics over a snow surface suggests a significant diminution in the magnitude of the flux, compared to that over a snow-free surface under the same environmental conditions. Consequently, the existence of snow-covered mesoscale areas adjacent to snow-free areas produces horizontal thermal gradients in the lower atmosphere during the daytime, possibly resulting in a `snow breeze.' In addition, suppression of the daytime thermally induced upslope flow over snow-covered slopes is likely to occur. The present paper provides scaling and modeling evaluations of these situations, with quantification of the generated and modified circulations. These evaluations suggest that under ideal situations involved with uniform snow cover over large areas, particularly in late winter and early spring, a noticeable `snow breeze' is likely to develop. Additionally: suppression of the daytime thermally induced upslope flow is significant and may even result in a daytime drainage flow. The effects of bare ground patchiness in the snow cover on these circulations are also explored, both for flat terrain and slope-flow situations. A patchiness fraction greater than 0.5 is found to result in a noticeably reduced snow-breeze circulation, while a patchiness fraction of only 0.1 caused the simulated daytime drainage flow over slopes to he reversed.

Contour Error Map Algorithm

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Merceret, Francis; Lane, John; Immer, Christopher; Case, Jonathan; Manobianco, John

2005-01-01

The contour error map (CEM) algorithm and the software that implements the algorithm are means of quantifying correlations between sets of time-varying data that are binarized and registered on spatial grids. The present version of the software is intended for use in evaluating numerical weather forecasts against observational sea-breeze data. In cases in which observational data come from off-grid stations, it is necessary to preprocess the observational data to transform them into gridded data. First, the wind direction is gridded and binarized so that D(i,j;n) is the input to CEM based on forecast data and d(i,j;n) is the input to CEM based on gridded observational data. Here, i and j are spatial indices representing 1.25-km intervals along the west-to-east and south-to-north directions, respectively; and n is a time index representing 5-minute intervals. A binary value of D or d = 0 corresponds to an offshore wind, whereas a value of D or d = 1 corresponds to an onshore wind. CEM includes two notable subalgorithms: One identifies and verifies sea-breeze boundaries; the other, which can be invoked optionally, performs an image-erosion function for the purpose of attempting to eliminate river-breeze contributions in the wind fields.

Phonetic Transcription Training Improves Adults' Explicit Phonemic Awareness: Evidence from Undergraduate Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Werfel, Krystal L.

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of phonetic transcription training on the explicit phonemic awareness of adults. Fifty undergraduate students enrolled in a phonetic transcription course and 107 control undergraduate students completed a paper-and-pencil measure of explicit phonemic awareness on the first and last days of…

Vertical Structure of the Urban Boundary Layer over Marseille Under Sea-Breeze Conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lemonsu, Aude; Bastin, Sophie; Masson, Valéry; Drobinski, Philippe

2006-03-01

During the UBL-ESCOMPTE program (June July 2001), intensive observations were performed in Marseille (France). In particular, a Doppler lidar, located in the north of the city, provided radial velocity measurements on a 6-km radius area in the lowest 3 km of the troposphere. Thus, it is well adapted to document the vertical structure of the atmosphere above complex terrain, notably in Marseille, which is bordered by the Mediterranean sea and framed by numerous massifs. The present study focuses on the last day of the intensive observation period 2 (26 June 2001), which is characterized by a weak synoptic pressure gradient favouring the development of thermal circulations. Under such conditions, a complex stratification of the atmosphere is observed. Three-dimensional numerical simulations, with the Méso-NH atmospheric model including the town energy balance (TEB) urban parameterization, are conducted over south-eastern France. A complete evaluation of the model outputs was already performed at both regional and city scales. Here, the 250-m resolution outputs describing the vertical structure of the atmosphere above the Marseille area are compared to the Doppler lidar data, for which the spatial resolution is comparable. This joint analysis underscores the consistency between the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) observed by the Doppler lidar and that modelled by Méso-NH. The observations and simulations reveal the presence of a shallow sea breeze (SSB) superimposed on a deep sea breeze (DSB) above Marseille during daytime. Because of the step-like shape of the Marseille coastline, the SSB is organized in two branches of different directions, which converge above the city centre. The analysis of the 250-m wind fields shows evidence of the role of the local topography on the local dynamics. Indeed, the topography tends to reinforce the SSB while it weakens the DSB. The ABL is directly affected by the different sea-breeze circulations, while the urban effects appear to be negligible.

Effects of Explicit Urban-Canopy Representation on Local Circulations Above a Tropical Mega-City

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Flores Rojas, José L.; Pereira Filho, Augusto J.; Karam, Hugo A.; Vemado, Felipe; Masson, Valéry

2018-01-01

The Advanced Regional Prediction System (ARPS) is coupled with the tropical town energy budget (tTEB) scheme to analyze the effects of the urban canopy circulation over the metropolitan area of São Paulo and its interactions with the sea breeze and mountain-valley circulation in the eastern state of São Paulo, Brazil. Two experiments are carried out for the typical sea-breeze event occurring on 22 August 2014 under weak synoptic forcing and clear-sky conditions: (a) a control run with the default semi-desert surface parametrization and; (b) a tTEB run for the urban canopy of São Paulo. A realistic land-use database over the south-eastern domain of Brazil is used in the downscaling simulation to a horizontal grid resolution of 3 km. Our results indicate that ARPS effectively simulates features of the nighttime and early morning land-breeze circulation, which is affected by the surrounding hills and the nocturnal heat island of São Paulo. By early afternoon, the south-eastern sea-breeze circulation moves inland perpendicular to the upslope of the Serra do Mar scarp, which generates a line of moisture convergence and updrafts further inland. Later, the convergence line reaches São Paulo and interacts with the circulation arising from the urban heat island (UHI), which increases the moisture convergence and strength of updrafts. The surface energy balance indicates that the UHI is caused by large sensible heat storage within the urban canopy during the day, which is later released in the afternoon and at night. The simulations are verified with available radiosonde and surface weather station data, land-surface-temperature estimates from the moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer, as well as the National Center for Atmospheric Research reanalysis databases. The three-dimensional geometry of the urban canyons within the tTEB scheme consistently improves the thermodynamically-induced circulation over São Paulo.

Some Observational and Modeling Studies of the Atmospheric Boundary Layer at Mississippi Gulf Coast for Air Pollution Dispersion Assessment

PubMed Central

Yerramilli, Anjaneyulu; Challa, Venkata Srinivas; Indracanti, Jayakumar; Dasari, Hariprasad; Baham, Julius; Patrick, Chuck; Young, John; Hughes, Robert; White, Lorren D.; Hardy, Mark G.; Swanier, Shelton

2008-01-01

Coastal atmospheric conditions widely vary from those over inland due to the land-sea interface, temperature contrast and the consequent development of local circulations. In this study a field meteorological experiment was conducted to measure vertical structure of boundary layer during the period 25–29 June, 2007 at three locations Seabee base, Harrison and Wiggins sites in the Mississippi coast. A GPS Sonde along with slow ascent helium balloon and automated weather stations equipped with slow and fast response sensors were used in the experiment. GPS sonde were launched at three specific times (0700 LT, 1300 LT and 1800 LT) during the experiment days. The observations indicate shallow boundary layer near the coast which gradually develops inland. The weather research and forecasting (WRF) meso-scale atmospheric model and a Lagrangian particle dispersion model (HYSPLIT) are used to simulate the lower atmospheric flow and dispersion in a range of 100 km from the coast for 28–30 June, 2007. The simulated meteorological parameters were compared with the experimental observations. The meso-scale model results show significant temporal and spatial variations in the meteorological fields as a result of development of sea breeze flow, its coupling with the large scale flow field and the ensuing alteration in the mixing depth across the coast. Simulated ground-level concentrations of SO2 from four elevated point sources located along the coast indicate diurnal variation and impact of the local sea-land breeze on the direction of the plume. Model concentration levels were highest during the stable morning condition and during the sea-breeze time in the afternoon. The highest concentrations were found up to 40 km inland during sea breeze time. The study illustrates the application of field meteorological observations for the validation of WRF which is coupled to HYSPLIT for dispersion assessment in the coastal region. PMID:19151446

Comparison of the safety-related physical and combustion properties of liquid hydrogen and liquid natural gas in the context of the SF-BREEZE high-speed fuel-cell ferry

DOE PAGES

Klebanoff, L. E.; Pratt, J. W.; LaFleur, C. B.

2016-11-25

Here, we review liquid hydrogen (LH 2) as a maritime vessel fuel, from descriptions of its fundamental properties to its practical application and safety aspects, in the context of the San Francisco Bay Renewable Energy Electric Vessel with Zero Emissions (SF-BREEZE) high-speed fuel-cell ferry. Since marine regulations have been formulated to cover liquid natural gas (LNG) as a primary propulsion fuel, we frame our examination of LH 2 as a comparison to LNG, for both maritime use in general, and the SF-BREEZE in particular. Due to weaker attractions between molecules, LH 2 is colder than LNG, and evaporates more easily.more » We describe the consequences of these physical differences for the size and duration of spills of the two cryogenic fuels. The classical flammability ranges are reviewed, with a focus on how fuel buoyancy modifies these combustion limits. We examine the conditions for direct fuel explosion (detonation) and contrast them with initiation of normal (laminar) combustion. Direct fuel detonation is not a credible accident scenario for the SF-BREEZE. For both fuels, we review experiments and theory elucidating the deflagration to detonation transition (DDT). LH 2 fires have a shorter duration than energy-equivalent LNG fires, and produce significantly less thermal radiation. The thermal (infrared) radiation from hydrogen fires is also strongly absorbed by humidity in the air. Hydrogen permeability is not a leak issue for practical hydrogen plumbing. We describe the chemistry of hydrogen and methane at iron surfaces, clarifying their impact on steel-based hydrogen storage and transport materials. These physical, chemical and combustion properties are pulled together in a comparison of how a LH 2 or LNG pool fire on the Top Deck of the SF-BREEZE might influence the structural integrity of the aluminum deck. Neither pool fire scenario leads to net heating of the aluminum decking. Overall, LH 2 and LNG are very similar in their physical and combustion properties, thereby posing similar safety risks. For ships utilizing LH 2 or LNG, precautions are needed to avoid fuel leaks, minimize ignition sources, minimize confined spaces, provide ample ventilation for required confined spaces, and to monitor the enclosed spaces to ensure any fuel accumulation is detected far below the fuel/air mix threshold for any type of combustion.« less

Comparison of the safety-related physical and combustion properties of liquid hydrogen and liquid natural gas in the context of the SF-BREEZE high-speed fuel-cell ferry

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Klebanoff, L. E.; Pratt, J. W.; LaFleur, C. B.

Here, we review liquid hydrogen (LH 2) as a maritime vessel fuel, from descriptions of its fundamental properties to its practical application and safety aspects, in the context of the San Francisco Bay Renewable Energy Electric Vessel with Zero Emissions (SF-BREEZE) high-speed fuel-cell ferry. Since marine regulations have been formulated to cover liquid natural gas (LNG) as a primary propulsion fuel, we frame our examination of LH 2 as a comparison to LNG, for both maritime use in general, and the SF-BREEZE in particular. Due to weaker attractions between molecules, LH 2 is colder than LNG, and evaporates more easily.more » We describe the consequences of these physical differences for the size and duration of spills of the two cryogenic fuels. The classical flammability ranges are reviewed, with a focus on how fuel buoyancy modifies these combustion limits. We examine the conditions for direct fuel explosion (detonation) and contrast them with initiation of normal (laminar) combustion. Direct fuel detonation is not a credible accident scenario for the SF-BREEZE. For both fuels, we review experiments and theory elucidating the deflagration to detonation transition (DDT). LH 2 fires have a shorter duration than energy-equivalent LNG fires, and produce significantly less thermal radiation. The thermal (infrared) radiation from hydrogen fires is also strongly absorbed by humidity in the air. Hydrogen permeability is not a leak issue for practical hydrogen plumbing. We describe the chemistry of hydrogen and methane at iron surfaces, clarifying their impact on steel-based hydrogen storage and transport materials. These physical, chemical and combustion properties are pulled together in a comparison of how a LH 2 or LNG pool fire on the Top Deck of the SF-BREEZE might influence the structural integrity of the aluminum deck. Neither pool fire scenario leads to net heating of the aluminum decking. Overall, LH 2 and LNG are very similar in their physical and combustion properties, thereby posing similar safety risks. For ships utilizing LH 2 or LNG, precautions are needed to avoid fuel leaks, minimize ignition sources, minimize confined spaces, provide ample ventilation for required confined spaces, and to monitor the enclosed spaces to ensure any fuel accumulation is detected far below the fuel/air mix threshold for any type of combustion.« less

New learning while consolidating memory during sleep is actively blocked by a protein synthesis dependent process

PubMed Central

Levy, Roi; Levitan, David; Susswein, Abraham J

2016-01-01

Brief experiences while a memory is consolidated may capture the consolidation, perhaps producing a maladaptive memory, or may interrupt the consolidation. Since consolidation occurs during sleep, even fleeting experiences when animals are awakened may produce maladaptive long-term memory, or may interrupt consolidation. In a learning paradigm affecting Aplysia feeding, when animals were trained after being awakened from sleep, interactions between new experiences and consolidation were prevented by blocking long-term memory arising from the new experiences. Inhibiting protein synthesis eliminated the block and allowed even a brief, generally ineffective training to produce long-term memory. Memory formation depended on consolidative proteins already expressed before training. After effective training, long term memory required subsequent transcription and translation. Memory formation during the sleep phase was correlated with increased CREB1 transcription, but not CREB2 transcription. Increased C/EBP transcription was a correlate of both effective and ineffective training and of treatments not producing memory. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.17769.001 PMID:27919318

New learning while consolidating memory during sleep is actively blocked by a protein synthesis dependent process.

PubMed

Levy, Roi; Levitan, David; Susswein, Abraham J

2016-12-06

Brief experiences while a memory is consolidated may capture the consolidation, perhaps producing a maladaptive memory, or may interrupt the consolidation. Since consolidation occurs during sleep, even fleeting experiences when animals are awakened may produce maladaptive long-term memory, or may interrupt consolidation. In a learning paradigm affecting Aplysia feeding, when animals were trained after being awakened from sleep, interactions between new experiences and consolidation were prevented by blocking long-term memory arising from the new experiences. Inhibiting protein synthesis eliminated the block and allowed even a brief, generally ineffective training to produce long-term memory. Memory formation depended on consolidative proteins already expressed before training. After effective training, long term memory required subsequent transcription and translation. Memory formation during the sleep phase was correlated with increased CREB1 transcription, but not CREB2 transcription. Increased C/EBP transcription was a correlate of both effective and ineffective training and of treatments not producing memory.

A scale model wind tunnel study of dispersion in the Cleveland area. Laboratory simulation of lake breeze effects on diffusion from ground level emissions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hoydysh, W. G.

1974-01-01

A wind tunnel simulation of the diffusion patterns in a sea breeze was attempted. The results indicate that the low level onshore flow was well simulated for neutral, stable, unstable, and elevated inversion conditions. Velocity, turbulence, shear stress, and temperature data were taken, and the spread of emissions from ground level sources was investigated. Comparison is made with theoretical predictions by E. Inoue and with the open, homogeneous plane field results of Pasquill. Agreement with the predictions by Inoue is good, and the comparison with Pasquill's results shows that the wind tunnel flows are shifted two categories towards more stable. The discrepancy may be explained as a matter of averaging time.

Evaluation of the Emergency Response Dose Assessment System(ERDAS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Evans, Randolph J.; Lambert, Winifred C.; Manobianco, John T.; Taylor, Gregory E.; Wheeler, Mark M.; Yersavich, Ann M.

1996-01-01

The emergency response dose assessment system (ERDAS) is a protype software and hardware system configured to produce routine mesoscale meteorological forecasts and enhanced dispersion estimates on an operational basis for the Kennedy Space Center (KSC)/Cape Canaveral Air Station (CCAS) region. ERDAS provides emergency response guidance to operations at KSC/CCAS in the case of an accidental hazardous material release or an aborted vehicle launch. This report describes the evaluation of ERDAS including: evaluation of sea breeze predictions, comparison of launch plume location and concentration predictions, case study of a toxic release, evaluation of model sensitivity to varying input parameters, evaluation of the user interface, assessment of ERDA's operational capabilities, and a comparison of ERDAS models to the ocean breeze dry gultch diffusion model.

The effect of water temperature and synoptic winds on the development of surface flows over narrow, elongated water bodies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Segal, M.; Pielke, R. A.

1985-01-01

Simulations of the thermally induced breeze involved with a relatively narrow, elongated water body is presented in conjunction with evaluations of sensible heat fluxes in a stable marine atmospheric surface layer. The effect of the water surface temperature and of the large-scale synoptic winds on the development of surface flows over the water is examined. As implied by the sensible heat flux patterns, the simulation results reveal the following trends: (1) when the synoptic flow is absent or light, the induced surface breeze is not affected noticeably by a reduction of the water surface temperature; and (2) for stronger synoptic flow, the resultant surface flow may be significantly affected by the water surface temperature.

A numerical model simulation of the regional air pollution meteorology of the greater Chesapeake Bay area - Summer day case study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Segal, M.; Pielke, R. A.; Mcnider, R. T.; Mcdougal, D. S.

1982-01-01

The mesoscale numerical model of the University of Virginia (UVMM), has been applied to the greater Chesapeake Bay area in order to provide a detailed description of the air pollution meteorology during a typical summer day. This model provides state of the art simulations for land-sea thermally induced circulations. The model-predicted results agree favorably with available observed data. The effects of synoptic flow and sea breeze coupling on air pollution meteorological characteristics in this region, are demonstrated by a spatial and temporal presentation of various model predicted fields. A transport analysis based on predicted wind velocities indicated possible recirculation of pollutants back onto the Atlantic coast due to the sea breeze circulation.

Interaction between turbulent flow and sea breeze front over urban-like coast in large-eddy simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, Ping; Wen, Zhiping; Sha, Weiming; Chen, Guixing

2017-05-01

Turbulent flow and its interaction with a sea breeze front (SBF) over an urban-like coast with a regular block array were investigated using a building-resolving computational fluid dynamics model. It was found that during daytime with an offshore ambient flow, streaky turbulent structures tended to grow within the convective boundary layer (CBL) over a warm urban surface ahead of the SBF. The structures were organized as streamwise streaks at an interval of a few hundred meters, which initiated at the rooftop level with strong wind shear and strengthens in the CBL with moderate buoyancy. The streaks then interacted with the onshore-propagating SBF as it made landfall. The SBF, which was initially characterized as a shallow and quasi-linear feature over the sea, developed three-dimensional structures with intensified updrafts at an elevated frontal head after landfall. Frontal updrafts were locally enhanced at intersections where the streaks merged with the SBF, which greatly increased turbulent fluxes at the front. The frontal line was irregular because of merging, tilting, and transformation effects of vorticity associated with streaky structures. Inland penetration of the SBF was slowed by the frictional effect of urban-like surfaces and turbulent flow on land. The overall SBF intensity weakened after the interaction with turbulent flow. These findings aid understanding of local weather over coastal cities during typical sea breeze conditions.

Numerical simulation of local atmospheric circulations in the pre-Alpine area between Lake Garda and Verona

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laiti, L.; Serafin, S.; Zardi, D.

2010-09-01

The pre-Alpine area between Lake Garda and Verona displays a very complex and heterogeneous territory, allowing the development of several interacting systems of thermally driven local winds, the major being the lake/land breeze system on the coasts of Lake Garda and the up/down-valley wind system between the plain and the river Adige Valley. In order to investigate the local wind patterns, a series of nested numerical simulations with a horizontal resolution of 500 m were carried out using the ARPS 5.2.9 model (Xue et al. 2000, 2001), considering a fair weather day suitable for a clear development of the expected circulations (15th July 2003). The simulated wind speed and direction, pressure, temperature and water vapour mixing ratio were compared to synoptic scale meteorological charts, to vertical profiles from radiosoundings taken at the major sounding stations of the alpine region and to local scale measurements performed at the surface station of Dolcè (at the inlet of the Adige Valley). Numerical results at all scales were found to be in very good agreement with the available sets of meteorological observations. The analysis of the diurnal evolution of the 3D fields of temperature, moisture content, wind and turbulent kinetic energy allowed the identification of a very shallow and clearly defined breeze front of cold and humid air moving from off-shore towards the Lake Garda coast, from the late morning (10:00 LST) until the evening (20:00 LST). The diurnal up-valley breeze was also well reproduced: the valley atmosphere displays a thick mixed layer dominated by shallow turbulent convection between 11:00 LST and 21:00 LST. Lateral slope winds were also recognized, as they created cross-valley convective cells. While no clear evidence of a nocturnal land breeze was found in the simulations, the nocturnal down-valley wind in the Adige Valley was clearly reproduced. Finally, a scalar transport equation was added to the ARPS model in order to simulate transport and diffusion processes for a passive tracer (ideally, a non-reactive pollutant). The cold and stable lake and down-valley breeze corps were found to act like pollutant concentrators at ground level, while the diurnal up-valley wind favours an almost homogenous dispersion of the tracer through the entire Convective Boundary Layer (CBL) thickness. The upper entrainment layer is found to effectively confine the ground-emitted pollutant inside the CBL, except for some occasional plumes that are first conveyed up-slope and then to the centre of the valley above the CBL by cross-valley circulation cells.

Wheezing or Breezing through Exercise-Induced Asthma.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCarthy, Paul

1989-01-01

Several physicians discuss the tests they use to diagnose exercise-induced asthma (EIA), the medications they typically prescribe and why, and the importance of properly educating athletes about EIA. (JD)

Influence of sea-land breezes on the tempospatial distribution of atmospheric aerosols over coastal region.

PubMed

Tsai, Hsieh-Hung; Yuan, Chung-Shin; Hung, Chung-Hsuang; Lin, Chitsan; Lin, Yuan-Chung

2011-04-01

The influence of sea-land breezes (SLBs) on the spatial distribution and temporal variation of particulate matter (PM) in the atmosphere was investigated over coastal Taiwan. PM was simultaneously sampled at inland and offshore locations during three intensive sampling periods. The intensive PM sampling protocol was continuously conducted over a 48-hr period. During this time, PM2.5 and PM(2.5-10) (PM with aerodynamic diameters < 2.5 microm and between 2.5 and 10 microm, respectively) were simultaneously measured with dichotomous samplers at four sites (two inland and two offshore sites) and PM10 (PM with aerodynamic diameters < or =10 microm) was measured with beta-ray monitors at these same 4 sites and at 10 sites of the Taiwan Air Quality Monitoring Network. PM sampling on a mobile air quality monitoring boat was further conducted along the coastline to collect offshore PM using a beta-ray monitor and a dichotomous sampler. Data obtained from the inland sites (n=12) and offshore sites (n=2) were applied to plot the PM10 concentration contour using Surfer software. This study also used a three-dimensional meteorological model (Pennsylvania State University/National Center for Atmospheric Research Meteorological Model 5) and the Comprehensive Air Quality Model with Extensions to simulate surface wind fields and spatial distribution of PM10 over the coastal region during the intensive sampling periods. Spatial distribution of PM10 concentration was further used in investigating the influence of SLBs on the transport of PM10 over the coastal region. Field measurement and model simulation results showed that PM10 was transported back and forth across the coastline. In particular, a high PM10 concentration was observed at the inland sites during the day because of sea breezes, whereas a high PM10 concentration was detected offshore at night because of land breezes. This study revealed that the accumulation of PM in the near-ocean region because of SLBs influenced the tempospatial distribution of PM10 over the coastal region.

GENETIC INDICATORS IN ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

EPA Science Inventory

University of California, Davis, Bodega Bay Marine Laboratory; US EPA National Exposure Research Laboratory, Molecular Ecology Research Division, Cincinnati, OH; US EPA National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory (NHEERL), Gulf Ecology Division, Gulf Breeze, FL;...

NASA Applied Sciences' DEVELOP National Program: Summer 2010 Florida Agriculture

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cooley, Zachary C.; Billiot, Amanda; Lee, Lucas; McKee, Jake

2010-01-01

The main agricultural areas in South Florida are located within the fertile land surrounding Lake Okeechobee. The Atlantic Watershed monthly rainfall anomalies showed a weak but statistically significant correlation to the Oceanic Nino Index (ONI). No other watershed s anomalies showed significant correlations with ONI or the Southern Oscillation Index (SOI). During La Nina months, less sea breeze days and more disturbed days were found to occur compared to El Nino and neutral months. The increase in disturbed days can likely by attributed to the synoptic pattern during La Nina, which is known to be favorable for tropical systems to follow paths that affect South Florida. Overall, neither sea breeze rainfall patterns nor total rainfall patterns in South Florida s main agricultural areas were found to be strongly influenced by the El Nino Southern Oscillation during our study time.

Seasonal budgets of ozone and oxidant precursors in an industrial coastal area of northern Italy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Georgiadis, T.; Alberti, L.; Bonasoni, P.; Fortezza, F.; Giovanelli, G.; Strocchi, V.

1994-01-01

The seasonal budgets and evolution of photochemical oxidants reported for greater Ravenna's urban-industrial area in the present study were calculated using the combined data from on-site systematic surveys (1978-1989) and from the monitoring network of the local environmental authorities. The notable differences in the concentrations of ozone and nitrogen oxides depended on season, and meteorological variables showed a marked correlation to the seasonal budget of trace constituents. The weak local circulation, the land-sea breeze system, and high solar radiation in summer, which may persist at length because of the anticyclonic conditions, can produce episodes of intense photochemical reactions. In winter, by contrast, low solar radiation and the absence of the breeze system results in very different evolutions of both pollutant concentrations and their seasonal budget.

Mapping air quality zones for coastal urban centers.

PubMed

Freeman, Brian; Gharabaghi, Bahram; Thé, Jesse; Munshed, Mohammad; Faisal, Shah; Abdullah, Meshal; Al Aseed, Athari

2017-05-01

This study presents a new method that incorporates modern air dispersion models allowing local terrain and land-sea breeze effects to be considered along with political and natural boundaries for more accurate mapping of air quality zones (AQZs) for coastal urban centers. This method uses local coastal wind patterns and key urban air pollution sources in each zone to more accurately calculate air pollutant concentration statistics. The new approach distributes virtual air pollution sources within each small grid cell of an area of interest and analyzes a puff dispersion model for a full year's worth of 1-hr prognostic weather data. The difference of wind patterns in coastal and inland areas creates significantly different skewness (S) and kurtosis (K) statistics for the annually averaged pollutant concentrations at ground level receptor points for each grid cell. Plotting the S-K data highlights grouping of sources predominantly impacted by coastal winds versus inland winds. The application of the new method is demonstrated through a case study for the nation of Kuwait by developing new AQZs to support local air management programs. The zone boundaries established by the S-K method were validated by comparing MM5 and WRF prognostic meteorological weather data used in the air dispersion modeling, a support vector machine classifier was trained to compare results with the graphical classification method, and final zones were compared with data collected from Earth observation satellites to confirm locations of high-exposure-risk areas. The resulting AQZs are more accurate and support efficient management strategies for air quality compliance targets effected by local coastal microclimates. A novel method to determine air quality zones in coastal urban areas is introduced using skewness (S) and kurtosis (K) statistics calculated from grid concentrations results of air dispersion models. The method identifies land-sea breeze effects that can be used to manage local air quality in areas of similar microclimates.

NASA Newest SeaWinds Instrument Breezes Into Operation

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-02-24

One of NASA newest Earth-observing instruments, the SeaWinds scatterometer aboard Japan Advanced Earth Observing Satellite Adeos 2--now renamed Midori 2--has successfully transmitted its first radar data to our home planet.

Morris Water Maze Training in Mice Elevates Hippocampal Levels of Transcription Factors Nuclear Factor (Erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 and Nuclear Factor Kappa B p65

PubMed Central

Snow, Wanda M.; Pahlavan, Payam S.; Djordjevic, Jelena; McAllister, Danielle; Platt, Eric E.; Alashmali, Shoug; Bernstein, Michael J.; Suh, Miyoung; Albensi, Benedict C.

2015-01-01

Research has identified several transcription factors that regulate activity-dependent plasticity and memory, with cAMP-response element binding protein (CREB) being the most well-studied. In neurons, CREB activation is influenced by the transcription factor nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), considered central to immunity but more recently implicated in memory. The transcription factor early growth response-2 (Egr-2), an NF-κB gene target, is also associated with learning and memory. Nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (Nrf2), an antioxidant transcription factor linked to NF-κB in pathological conditions, has not been studied in normal memory. Given that numerous transcription factors implicated in activity-dependent plasticity demonstrate connections to NF-κB, this study simultaneously evaluated protein levels of NF-κB, CREB, Egr-2, Nrf2, and actin in hippocampi from young (1 month-old) weanling CD1 mice after training in the Morris water maze, a hippocampal-dependent spatial memory task. After a 6-day acquisition period, time to locate the hidden platform decreased in the Morris water maze. Mice spent more time in the target vs. non-target quadrants of the maze, suggestive of recall of the platform location. Western blot data revealed a decrease in NF-κB p50 protein after training relative to controls, whereas NF-κB p65, Nrf2 and actin increased. Nrf2 levels were correlated with platform crosses in nearly all tested animals. These data demonstrate that training in a spatial memory task results in alterations in and associations with particular transcription factors in the hippocampus, including upregulation of NF-κB p65 and Nrf2. Training-induced increases in actin protein levels caution against its use as a loading control in immunoblot studies examining activity-dependent plasticity, learning, and memory. PMID:26635523

Range-Specific High-Resolution Mesoscale Model Setup: Data Assimilation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Watson, Leela R.

2014-01-01

Mesoscale weather conditions can have an adverse effect on space launch, landing, and ground processing at the Eastern Range (ER) in Florida and Wallops Flight Facility (WFF) in Virginia. During summer, land-sea interactions across Kennedy Space Center (KSC) and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) lead to sea breeze front formation, which can spawn deep convection that can hinder operations and endanger personnel and resources. Many other weak locally driven low-level boundaries and their interactions with the sea breeze front and each other can also initiate deep convection in the KSC/CCAFS area. Some of these other boundaries include the Indian River breeze front, Banana River breeze front, outflows from previous convection, horizontal convective rolls, convergence lines from other inland bodies of water such as Lake Okeechobee, the trailing convergence line from convergence of sea breeze fronts due to the shape of Cape Canaveral, frictional convergence lines from the islands in the Bahamas, convergence lines from soil moisture differences, convergence lines from cloud shading, and others. All these subtle weak boundary interactions often make forecasting of operationally important weather very difficult at KSC/CCAFS during the convective season (May-Oct). These convective processes often build quickly, last a short time (60 minutes or less), and occur over small distances, all of which also poses a significant challenge to the local forecasters who are responsible for issuing weather advisories, watches, and warnings. Surface winds during the transition seasons of spring and fall pose the most difficulties for the forecasters at WFF. They also encounter problems forecasting convective activity and temperature during those seasons. Therefore, accurate mesoscale model forecasts are needed to aid in their decision making. Both the ER and WFF would benefit greatly from high-resolution mesoscale model output to better forecast a variety of unique weather phenomena. Global and national scale models cannot properly resolve important local-scale weather features at each location due to their horizontal resolutions being much too coarse. Therefore, a properly tuned model at a high resolution is needed to provide improved capability. This task is a multi-year effort in which the Applied Meteorology Unit (AMU) will tune the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model individually for each range. The goal of the first year, the results of which are in this report, was to tune the WRF model based on the best model resolution and run time while using reasonable computing capabilities. To accomplish this, the ER and WFF supported the tasking of the AMU to perform a number of sensitivity tests in order to determine the best model configuration for operational use at each of the ranges to best predict winds, precipitation, and temperature (Watson 2013). This task is a continuation of that work and will provide a recommended local data assimilation (DA) and numerical forecast model design optimized for the ER and WFF to support space launch activities. The model will be optimized for local weather challenges at both ranges.

The monsoon system: Land-sea breeze or the ITCZ?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gadgil, Sulochana

2018-02-01

For well over 300 years, the monsoon has been considered to be a gigantic land-sea breeze driven by the land-ocean contrast in surface temperature. In this paper, this hypothesis and its implications for the variability of the monsoon are discussed and it is shown that the observations of monsoon variability do not support this popular theory of the monsoon. An alternative hypothesis (whose origins can be traced to Blanford's (1886) remarkably perceptive analysis) in which the basic system responsible for the Indian summer monsoon is considered to be the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) or the equatorial trough, is then examined and shown to be consistent with the observations. The implications of considering the monsoon as a manifestation of the seasonal migration of the ITCZ for the variability of the Indian summer monsoon and for identification of the monsoonal regions of the world are briefly discussed.

The MOSO field experiment - Overview of findings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ólafsson, Haraldur; Jonassen, Marius O.; Ágústsson, Hálfdán; Rögnvaldsson, Ólafur; Hjarðar, Bjarni G. Þ.; Rasol, Dubravka; Reuder, Joachim; Jónsson, Sigurður; Líf Kristinsdóttir, Birta

2013-04-01

In 2009 and 2011, the MOSO I and MOSO II meteorological field experiments took place in SW-Iceland. The main objectives were to describe the low level atmospheric coastal flows in the vicinity of mountains. The observations for the MOSO dataset were made using a large number of automatic weather stations, microbarographs, radiosoundings and a remotely piloted aircraft. The highlights of the findings include a four-dimensional description of the sea-breeze in Iceland, weak downslope acceleration, summer- and winter-time mountain wake flow, transition between wake flow and sea-breeze. The orographic drag force is explored and shown to be not so high most of the time in the predicted high-drag state. The observations from the remotely piloted aircraft have been used successfully to nudge simulations of the flow and are shown to be promising for operational use in numerical prediction of mesoscale coastal and orographic flows.

The inland boundary layer at low latitudes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garratt, J. R.

1985-08-01

Observations from the Koorin boundary-layer experiment in Australia (latitude 16 °S) were analysed in a study of the nocturnal jet development. For geostrophic winds in the range 10 20 m s-1, ageostrophic wind magnitudes of 5 10m s-1 were common above the surface layer near sunset, with cross-isobar flow angles of about 40 °. The jet that then developed by midnight was probably the result of these large ageostrophic winds, strong surface cooling and favourable baroclinity and sloping terrain. The analysis is supported by numerical model calculations with special emphasis on the role of long-wave radiative cooling on turbulent decay. Decay is rapid in the presence of radiation, although there is little influence on stress divergence levels. Evidence of sea-breeze influences on the jet evolution, and on features of deeply penetrating sea breezes in general, will be presented and discussed in part 2 of this study (submitted to Boundary-Layer Meteorol.).

Evaluation of the radiopacity of luting cements by digital radiography.

PubMed

Altintas, Subutay Han; Yildirim, Tahsin; Kayipmaz, Saadettin; Usumez, Aslihan

2013-06-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the radiopacity of eight contemporary luting cements using direct digital radiography. Ten specimens, (5 mm diameter, 1 mm high) were prepared for each material tested (RelyX ARC, RelyX U100, RelyX Unicem, Nexus 2, Nexus 3, Metacem, Breeze, Adhesor zinc phosphate). The specimens were stored in a moist chamber at 37°C until completely set, then radiographed using a Kodak digital sensor and an aluminum step wedge with variable thicknesses (1 to 13 mm in 1-mm increments) used for reference. A Kodak 2100 intraoral X-ray unit was operated at 60 kV, 7 mA, and 0.20 seconds. According to international standards, the radiopacity of the specimens was compared with that of the aluminum step wedge using the equal-density area tool of the Kodak Dental Imaging software (ver. 6.7). Data were analyzed by ANOVA and Tukey's test. Adhesor zinc phosphate cement showed the highest radiopacity of all materials and dentin. Breeze showed the lowest radiopacity (p < 0.05). No significant difference in radiopacity was observed between dentin and RelyX ARC, Nexus 2, or Metacem (p > 0.05). The radiopacities of Nexus 3 and RelyX Unicem were significantly higher than those of other resin cements and dentin (p < 0.05). All materials showed radiopacity above the minimum recommended by the International Organization for Standardization and the American National Standards/American Dental Association. Breeze had less radiopacity than dentin. © 2012 by the American College of Prosthodontists.

The influence of terrain forcing on the initiation of deep convection over Mediterranean islands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barthlott, Christian; Kirshbaum, Daniel

2013-04-01

The influence of mountainous islands on the initiation of deep convection is investigated using the Consortium for Small-scale Modeling (COSMO) model. The study day is 26 August 2009 on which moist convection occurred over both the Corsica and Sardinia island in the Mediterranean Sea. Sensitivity runs with systematically modified topography are explored to evaluate the relative importance of the land-sea contrast and the terrain height for convection initiation. Whereas no island precipitation is simulated when the islands are completely removed, all simulations that represent these land surfaces develop convective precipitation. Although convection initiates progressively earlier in the day over taller islands, the precipitation rates and accumulations do not show a fixed relationship with terrain height. This is due to the competing effects of different physical processes. First, whereas the forcing for low-level ascent increases over taller islands, the boundary-layer moisture supply decreases, which diminishes the conditional instability and precipitable water. Second, whereas taller islands enhance the inland propagation speeds of sea-breeze fronts, they also mechanically block these fronts and prevent them from reaching the island interior. As a result, the island precipitation is rather insensitive to island terrain height except for one particular case in which the island precipitation increases considerably due to an optimal superposition of the sea breeze and upslope flow. These results demonstrate the complexity of interactions between sea breezes and orography and reinforce that an adequate representation of detailed topographic features is necessary to account for thermally induced wind systems that initiate deep convection.

An Israeli haboob: Sea breeze activating local anthropogenic dust sources in the Negev loess

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crouvi, Onn; Dayan, Uri; Amit, Rivka; Enzel, Yehouda

2017-02-01

Meso-scale weather systems, such as convective haboobs, are considered to be an important dust generation mechanism. In Israel, however, rather than of meso-scale weather systems, most dust storms are generated by synoptic-scale systems, originating from Sahara and Arabia. Consequently, only distal sources of suspended and deposited dust in Israel are currently reported. Here we report the first detailed study on the merging of synoptic- and meso-scale weather systems leading to a prominent dust outbreak over the Negev, Israel. During the afternoon of May 2nd, 2007, a massive dust storm covered the northern Negev, forming a one kilometer high wall of dust. The haboob was associated with PM10 concentrations of 1000-1500 μg m-3 that advanced at a speed of 10-15 m s-1 and caused temporary closure of local airports. In contrast to most reported haboobs, this one was generated by a sea breeze front acting as a weak cold front enhanced by a cold core cyclone positioned over Libya and Egypt. The sea breeze that brought cold and moist marine air acted as a gravity current with strong surface winds. The sources for the haboob were the loessial soils of the northwestern Negev, especially agricultural fields that were highly disturbed in late spring to early summer. Such surface disturbance is caused by agricultural and/or intensive grazing practices. Our study emphasizes the importance of local dust sources in the Negev and stresses loess recycling as an important process in contemporary dust storms over Israel.

The Implementation and Evaluation of the Emergency Response Dose Assessment System (ERDAS) at Cape Canaveral Air Station/Kennedy Space Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Evans, Randolph J.; Tremback, Craig J.; Lyons, Walter A.

1996-01-01

The Emergency Response Dose Assessment System (ERDAS) is a system which combines the mesoscale meteorological prediction model RAMS with the diffusion models REEDM and HYPACT. Operators use a graphical user interface to run the models for emergency response and toxic hazard planning at CCAS/KCS. The Applied Meteorology Unit has been evaluating the ERDAS meteorological and diffusion models and obtained the following results: (1) RAMS adequately predicts the occurrence of the daily sea breeze during non-cloudy conditions for several cases. (2) RAMS shows a tendency to predict the sea breeze to occur slightly earlier and to move it further inland than observed. The sea breeze predictions could most likely be improved by better parameterizing the soil moisture and/or sea surface temperatures. (3) The HYPACT/REEDM/RAMS models accurately predict launch plume locations when RAMS winds are accurate and when the correct plume layer is modeled. (4) HYPACT does not adequately handle plume buoyancy for heated plumes since all plumes are presently treated as passive tracers. Enhancements should be incorporated into the ERDAS as it moves toward being a fully operational system and as computer workstations continue to increase in power and decrease in cost. These enhancements include the following: activate RAMS moisture physics; use finer RAMS grid resolution; add RAMS input parameters (e.g. soil moisture, radar, and/or satellite data); automate data quality control; implement four-dimensional data assimilation; modify HYPACT plume rise and deposition physics; and add cumulative dosage calculations in HYPACT.

10. INTERIOR NORTHERN VIEW OF STOCKHOUSE No. 1 WITH COKE ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

10. INTERIOR NORTHERN VIEW OF STOCKHOUSE No. 1 WITH COKE BIN IN CENTER AND COKE BREEZE REMOVAL CONVEYOR ON RIGHT. (Jet Lowe) - U.S. Steel Duquesne Works, Blast Furnace Plant, Along Monongahela River, Duquesne, Allegheny County, PA

Exercise Training and PI3Kα-Induced Electrical Remodeling Is Independent of Cellular Hypertrophy and Akt Signaling

PubMed Central

Yang, Kai-Chien; Tseng, Yi-Tang; Nerbonne, Jeanne M.

2012-01-01

In contrast with pathological hypertrophy, exercise-induced physiological hypertrophy is not associated with electrical abnormalities or increased arrhythmia risk. Recent studies have shown that increased cardiac-specific expression of phosphoinositide-3-kinase-α (PI3Kα), the key mediator of physiological hypertrophy, results in transcriptional upregulation of ion channel subunits in parallel with the increase in myocyte size (cellular hypertrophy) and the maintenance of myocardial excitability. The experiments here were undertaken to test the hypothesis that Akt1, which underlies PI3Kα-induced cellular hypertrophy, mediates the effects of augmented PI3Kα signaling on the transcriptional regulation of cardiac ion channels. In contrast to wild-type animals, chronic exercise (swim) training of mice (Akt1−/−) lacking Akt1 did not result in ventricular myocyte hypertrophy. Ventricular K+ current amplitudes and the expression of K+ channel subunits, however, were increased markedly in Akt1−/− animals with exercise training. Expression of the transcripts encoding inward (Na+ and Ca2+) channel subunits were also increased in Akt1−/− ventricles following swim training. Additional experiments in a transgenic mouse model of inducible cardiac-specific expression of constitutively active PI3Kα (icaPI3Kα) revealed that short-term activation of PI3Kα signaling in the myocardium also led to the transcriptional upregulation of ion channel subunits. Inhibition of cardiac Akt activation with triciribine in this (inducible caPI3Kα expression) model did not prevent the upregulation of myocardial ion channel subunits. These combined observations demonstrate that chronic exercise training and enhanced PI3Kα expression/activity result in transcriptional upregulation of myocardial ion channel subunits independent of cellular hypertrophy and Akt signaling. PMID:22824041

76 FR 16029 - CALIFORNIA Disaster #CA-00165

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-22

... SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION [Disaster Declaration 12490 and 12491] CALIFORNIA Disaster CA-00165 AGENCY: U.S. Small Business Administration. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: This is a notice of an Administrative declaration of a disaster for the State of CALIFORNIA dated 03/16/2011. Incident: Garden Breeze...

Temperature And Wind Velocity Oscillations Along a Gentle Slope During Sea-Breeze Events

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bastin, Sophie; Drobinski, Philippe

2005-03-01

The flow structure on a gentle slope at Vallon d’Ol in the northern suburbs of Marseille in southern France has been documented by means of surface wind and temperature measurements collected from 7 June to 14 July 2001 during the ESCOMPTE experiment. The analysis of the time series reveals temperature and wind speed oscillations during several nights (about 60--90 min oscillation period) and several days (about 120-180 min oscillation period) during the whole observing period. Oscillating katabatic winds have been reported in the literature from theoretical, experimental and numerical studies. In the present study, the dynamics of the observed oscillating katabatic winds are in good agreement with the theory.In contrast to katabatic winds, no daytime observations of oscillating anabatic upslope flows have ever been published to our knowledge, probably because of temperature inversion break-up that inhibits upslope winds. The present paper shows that cold air advection by a sea breeze generates a mesoscale horizontal temperature gradient, and hence baroclinicity in the atmosphere, which then allows low-frequency oscillations, similar to a katabatic flow. An expression for the oscillation period is derived that accounts for the contribution of the sea-breeze induced mesoscale horizontal temperature gradient. The theoretical prediction of the oscillation period is compared to the measurements, and good agreement is found. The statistical analysis of the wind flow at Vallon d’Ol shows a dominant north-easterly to easterly flow pattern for nighttime oscillations and a dominant south-westerly flow pattern for daytime oscillations. These results are consistent with published numerical simulation results that show that the air drains off the mountain along the maximum slope direction, which in the studied case is oriented south-west to north-east.

Investigation of the atmospheric boundary layer dynamics during the ESCOMPTE campaign

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saïd, F.; Brut, A.; Campistron, B.; Cousin, F.

2007-03-01

This paper presents some results about the behavior of the atmospheric boundary layer observed during the ESCOMPTE experiment. This campaign, which took place in south-eastern France during summer 2001, was aimed at improving our understanding of pollution episodes in relation to the dynamics of the lower troposphere. Using a large data set, as well as a simulation from the mesoscale non-hydrostatic model Meso-NH, we describe and analyze the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) development during two specific meteorological conditions of the second Intensive Observation Period (IOP). The first situation (IOP2a, from 22 June to 23 June) corresponds to moderate, dry and cold northerly winds (end of Mistral event), coupled with a sea-breeze in the lower layer, whereas sea-breeze events with weak southerly winds occurred during the second part of the period (IOP2b, from 24 June to 26 June). In this study, we first focus on the validation of the model outputs with a thorough comparison of the Meso-NH simulations with fields measurements on three days of the IOP: 22 June, 23 June and 25 June. We also investigate the structure of the boundary layer on IOP2a when the Mistral is superimposed on a sea breeze. Then, we describe the spatial and diurnal variability of the ABL depths over the ESCOMPTE domain during the whole IOP. This step is essential if one wants to know the depth of the layer where the pollutants can be diluted or accumulated. Eventually, this study intends to describe the ABL variability in relation to local or mesoscale dynamics and/or induced topographic effects, in order to explain pollution transport processes in the low troposphere.

Thermal Influence of a Large Green Space on a Hot Urban Environment.

PubMed

Sugawara, Hirofumi; Shimizu, Shogo; Takahashi, Hideo; Hagiwara, Shinsuke; Narita, Ken-Ichi; Mikami, Takehiko; Hirano, Tatsuki

2016-01-01

City-scale warming is becoming a serious problem in terms of human health. Urban green spaces are expected to act as a countermeasure for urban warming, and therefore better understanding of the micro-climate benefits of urban green is needed. This study quantified the thermal influence of a large green park in Tokyo, Japan on the surrounding urban area by collecting long-term measurements. Apparent variations in the temperature difference between the park and surrounding town were found at both the diurnal and seasonal scales. Advection by regional-scale wind and turbulent mixing transfers colder air from the park to urban areas in its vicinity. The extent of the park's thermal influence on the town was greater on the downwind side of the park (450 m) than on the upwind side (65 m). The extent was also greater in an area where the terrain slopes down toward the town. Even on calm nights, the extent of the thermal influence extended by the park breeze to an average of 200 m from the park boundary. The park breeze was characterized by its divergent flow in a horizontal plane, which was found to develop well in calm conditions late at night (regional scale wind <1.5 m s and after 02:00 LST). The average magnitude of the cooling effect of the park breeze was estimated at 39 Wm. This green space tempered the hot summer nights on a city block scale. These findings can help urban planners in designing a heat-adapted city. Copyright © by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, Inc.

Diurnal Cycle of Surface Flows During NAME and Comparison to Model Reanalysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ciesielski, P. E.; Johnson, R. H.

2007-05-01

During the North American Monsoon Experiment (NAME) an unprecedented surface data set of winds and thermodynamic variables was collected over the core monsoon region. The surface network included 63 automated sites with 1-30 min resolution data, 27 SMN operational sites (1-3 hourly data), and 56 US operational sites (1-3 hourly data) along the northern fringe of the monsoon region. These data, along with twice daily QuikSCAT oceanic surface winds, were quality controlled and objectively analyzed on to a uniform grid with quarter-degree, 1-h resolution for the period from 1 July - 15 August. An important application of the gridded winds is their use in diagnosing surface vertical motion due to slope flows over the Sierra Madre Occidental (SMO) terrain. With this dataset we examine the diurnal characteristics of surface fields as the monsoon evolves and compare these analyses to similar surface products from the special North American Regional Reanalysis (NARR) for NAME. Observed surface fields indicate that a robust land-sea breeze circulation is present over most of Gulf of California (GOC) region in response to the strong diurnal heating of land masses on both sides of the gulf. For reasons unclear at this time, many features of this land-sea breeze circulation are missing in the NARR. Evolution of the diurnal cycle of temperature and the land- sea breeze circulation as the monsoon progresses through the season shows a strong sensitivity to rainfall over the SMO and the coastal plains. Such a relationship likely reflects changes in land surface characteristics, such as evapotranspiration and albedo, as the forests of the SMO respond to monsoonal rains.

Collaborative and Cooperative Learning in Malaysian Mathematics Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hossain, Md. Anowar; Tarmizi, Rohani Ahmad; Ayud, Ahmad Fauzi Mohd

2012-01-01

Collaborative and cooperative learning studies are well recognized in Malaysian mathematics education research. Cooperative learning is used to serve various ability students taking into consideration of their level of understanding, learning styles, sociological backgrounds that develop students' academic achievement and skills, and breeze the…

Observations of the trade wind wakes of Kauai and Oahu

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Yang; Ma, Jian; Xie, Shang-Ping

2008-02-01

The Hawaiian islands of Kauai and Oahu stand in the path of the east-northeasterly trade winds, creating wakes in the lee. For the first time, the structure of the wakes and their diurnal cycle were observed on a cruise during 18-20 December 2006. The dynamic wakes, characterized by reduced trades, extend about 1 km in height with strong wind shear at the top. Thermal forcing of these small islands also affects the wake circulations. Sea breezes develop in the afternoon turning the winds into westerly near the shore in the wakes. At night, land breezes advect cool air from the islands, creating a shallow cool layer between the sea surface and a capping inversion. The warming in the wake in the afternoon extends much deeper (1.4 km) than the cool layer (0.5 km) at night. The effect of diurnal changes on cloud formation in the wakes is discussed, and the sharp variations in wind velocity lee of the islands may affect ocean currents, waves and mixing.

Divergence of turbulent fluxes in the surface layer: case of a coastal city

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pigeon, G.; Lemonsu, A.; Grimmond, C. S. B.; Durand, P.; Thouron, O.; Masson, V.

2007-08-01

This study quantifies the processes that take place in the layer between the mean building height and the measurement level of an energy balance micrometeorological tower located in the dense old core of a coastal European city. The contributions of storage, vertical advection, horizontal advection and radiative divergence for heat are evaluated with the available measurements and with a three-dimensional, high-resolution meteorological simulation that had been evaluated against observations. The study focused on a summer period characterized by sea-breeze flows that affect the city. In this specific configuration, it appears that the horizontal advection is the dominant term. During the afternoon when the sea breeze is well established, correction of the sensible heat flux with horizontal heat advection increases the measured sensible heat flux up to 100 W m-2. For latent heat flux, the horizontal moisture advection converted to equivalent latent heat flux suggests a decrease of 50 W m-2. The simulation reproduces well the temporal evolution and magnitude of these terms.

Using a Network of Boundary Layer Profilers to Characterize the Atmosphere at a Major Spaceport

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Case, Jonathan L.; Lambert, Winifred; Merceret, Francis; Ward, Jennifer

2006-01-01

Space launch, landing, and ground operations at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) in east-central Florida are highly sensitive to mesoscale weather conditions throughout the year. Due to the complex land-water interfaces and the important role of mesoscale circulations, a high-resolution network of five 915-MHz Doppler Radar Wind Profilers (DRWP) and 44 wind towers was installed over the KSC/CCAFS area. By using quality-controlled 915-MHz DRAT data along with the near-surface tower observations, the Applied Meteorology Unit and KSC Weather Office have studied the development and evolution of various mesoscale phenomena across KSC/CCAFS such as sea and land breezes, low-level jets, and frontal passages. This paper will present some examples of mesoscale phenomena that can impact space operations at KSC/CCAFS, focusing on the utility of the 915-MHz DRWP network in identifying important characteristics of sea/land breezes and low-level jets.

A Study Of The Atmospheric Boundary Layer Using Radon And Air Pollutants As Tracers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kataoka, Toshio; Yunoki, Eiji; Shimizu, Mitsuo; Mori, Tadashige; Tsukamoto, Osamu; Ohashi, Yukitaka, Sahashi, Ken; Maitani, Toshihiko; Miyashita, Koh'ichi; Iwata, Toru; Fujikawa, Yoko; Kudo, Akira; Shaw, Roger H.

Concentrations of radon 222Rn andair pollutants, meteorological parametersnear the surface and vertical profiles of meteorological elements were measured atUchio (Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture, Japan) 12 km north from the coast ofthe Inland Sea of Japan. In the nighttime, the 222Rn concentration increased in the case of weak winds, but did not increase as much in the case of moderate or strong winds, as had been expected. In the daytime, the 222Rn concentrationheld at a slightly higher than average level for the period from sunrise to about 1100 JST. It is considered that this phenomenon is due to a period of morning calm, that is, a transition period from land breeze to sea breeze.NO, which is sensitive to traffic volume,brought information concerning advection.Oxidant concentrations,which reflect the availability of sunlight,acted in the reverse manner to 222Rnconcentrations. Thus, a set of 222Rn and air pollutants could provide useful information regarding the local conditions of the atmospheric boundary layer.

CRTC1 Nuclear Translocation Following Learning Modulates Memory Strength via Exchange of Chromatin Remodeling Complexes on the Fgf1 Gene.

PubMed

Uchida, Shusaku; Teubner, Brett J W; Hevi, Charles; Hara, Kumiko; Kobayashi, Ayumi; Dave, Rutu M; Shintaku, Tatsushi; Jaikhan, Pattaporn; Yamagata, Hirotaka; Suzuki, Takayoshi; Watanabe, Yoshifumi; Zakharenko, Stanislav S; Shumyatsky, Gleb P

2017-01-10

Memory is formed by synapse-to-nucleus communication that leads to regulation of gene transcription, but the identity and organizational logic of signaling pathways involved in this communication remain unclear. Here we find that the transcription cofactor CRTC1 is a critical determinant of sustained gene transcription and memory strength in the hippocampus. Following associative learning, synaptically localized CRTC1 is translocated to the nucleus and regulates Fgf1b transcription in an activity-dependent manner. After both weak and strong training, the HDAC3-N-CoR corepressor complex leaves the Fgf1b promoter and a complex involving the translocated CRTC1, phosphorylated CREB, and histone acetyltransferase CBP induces transient transcription. Strong training later substitutes KAT5 for CBP, a process that is dependent on CRTC1, but not on CREB phosphorylation. This in turn leads to long-lasting Fgf1b transcription and memory enhancement. Thus, memory strength relies on activity-dependent changes in chromatin and temporal regulation of gene transcription on specific CREB/CRTC1 gene targets. Copyright © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

HABSOS INTEGRATED CASE STUDY FOR THE GULF OF MEXICO

EPA Science Inventory

This project is part of a Harmful Algal Bloom Observing System Pilot Project for which the Gulf of Mexico Program is the coordinator. The Program office along with the EPA Gulf Breeze Laboratory will be working with the NOAA National Coastal Data Development Center, the National...

Career Directions--Renewable Energy Systems Integrator

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fleeman, Stephen R.

2012-01-01

Renewable energy systems are beginning to appear everywhere. Solar modules are creating "blue roofs" that convert the energy from the sun into household electricity. Solar thermal systems on roofs can generate hot water. Wind turbines catch breezes to provide even more electricity. Recommendations for saving energy, specifying systems for…

78 FR 70547 - Combined Notice of Filings #2

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-11-26

..., LLC. Description: Filing of CIAC Agreement with Wolverine Power Supply Cooperative, Inc. to be... the Federal Power Act and Request for Waivers and Expedited Action of Prairie Breeze Wind Energy LLC...: ER14-418-000. Applicants: Southwest Power Pool, Inc. Description: City of Coffeyville Revised Stated...

14. Photocopy of engineering drawing, Buildings 28 and 28A: Steam ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

14. Photocopy of engineering drawing, Buildings 28 and 28A: Steam Heating System, 1918 (original on file with the Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth, Virginia) - Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Building No. 28A, Adjoining Buildings No. 28 & 29 on Shubrick & Breeze Streets, Portsmouth, Portsmouth, VA

A Simple Technique for Creating Regional Composites of Sea Surface Temperature from MODIS for Use in Operational Mesoscale NWP

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Knievel, Jason C.; Rife, Daran L.; Grim, Joseph A.; Hahmann, Andrea N.; Hacker, Joshua P.; Ge, Ming; Fisher, Henry H.

2010-01-01

This paper describes a simple technique for creating regional, high-resolution, daytime and nighttime composites of sea surface temperature (SST) for use in operational numerical weather prediction (NWP). The composites are based on observations from NASA s Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aboard Aqua and Terra. The data used typically are available nearly in real time, are applicable anywhere on the globe, and are capable of roughly representing the diurnal cycle in SST. The composites resolution is much higher than that of many other standard SST products used for operational NWP, including the low- and high-resolution Real-Time Global (RTG) analyses. The difference in resolution is key because several studies have shown that highly resolved SSTs are important for driving the air sea interactions that shape patterns of static stability, vertical and horizontal wind shear, and divergence in the planetary boundary layer. The MODIS-based composites are compared to in situ observations from buoys and other platforms operated by the National Data Buoy Center (NDBC) off the coasts of New England, the mid-Atlantic, and Florida. Mean differences, mean absolute differences, and root-mean-square differences between the composites and the NDBC observations are all within tenths of a degree of those calculated between RTG analyses and the NDBC observations. This is true whether or not one accounts for the mean offset between the skin temperatures of the MODIS dataset and the bulk temperatures of the NDBC observations and RTG analyses. Near the coast, the MODIS-based composites tend to agree more with NDBC observations than do the RTG analyses. The opposite is true away from the coast. All of these differences in point-wise comparisons among the SST datasets are small compared to the 61.08C accuracy of the NDBC SST sensors. Because skin-temperature variations from land to water so strongly affect the development and life cycle of the sea breeze, this phenomenon was chosen for demonstrating the use of the MODIS-based composite in an NWP model. A simulated sea breeze in the vicinity of New York City and Long Island shows a small, net, but far from universal improvement when MODIS-based composites are used in place of RTG analyses. The timing of the sea breeze s arrival is more accurate at some stations, and the near-surface temperature, wind, and humidity within the breeze are more realistic.

Impact of Lake Okeechobee Sea Surface Temperatures on Numerical Predictions of Summertime Convective Systems over South Florida

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Case, Jonathan L.; Splitt, Michael E.; Fuell, Kevin K.; Santos, Pablo; Lazarus, Steven M.; Jedlovec, Gary J.

2009-01-01

The NASA Short-term Prediction Research and Transition (SPoRT) Center, the Florida Institute of Technology, and the NOAA/NWS Weather Forecast Office at Miami, FL (MFL) are collaborating on a project to investigate the impact of using high-resolution, 2-km Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) sea surface temperature (SST) composites within the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) prediction system. The NWS MFL is currently running WRF in real-time to support daily forecast operations, using the National Centers for Environmental Prediction Nonhydrostatic Mesoscale Model dynamical core within the NWS Science and Training Resource Center's Environmental Modeling System (EMS) software. Twenty-seven hour forecasts are run daily initialized at 0300, 0900, 1500, and 2100 UTC on a domain with 4-km grid spacing covering the southern half of Florida and adjacent waters of the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean. The SSTs are initialized with the NCEP Real-Time Global (RTG) analyses at 1/12deg resolution. The project objective is to determine whether more accurate specification of the lower-boundary forcing over water using the MODIS SST composites within the 4-km WRF runs will result in improved sea fluxes and hence, more accurate e\\olutiono f coastal mesoscale circulations and the associated sensible weather elements. SPoRT conducted parallel WRF EMS runs from February to August 2007 identical to the operational runs at NWS MFL except for the use of MODIS SST composites in place of the RTG product as the initial and boundary conditions over water. During the course of this evaluation, an intriguing case was examined from 6 May 2007, in which lake breezes and convection around Lake Okeechobee evolved quite differently when using the high-resolution SPoRT MODIS SST composites versus the lower-resolution RTG SSTs. This paper will analyze the differences in the 6 May simulations, as well as examine other cases from the summer 2007 in which the WRF-simulated Lake Okeechobee breezes evolved differently due to the SST initialization. The effects on wind fields and precipitation systems will be emphasized, including validation against surface mesonet observations and Stage IV precipitation grids.

Epigenetic programming during monocyte to macrophage differentiation and trained innate immunity

PubMed Central

Saeed, Sadia; Quintin, Jessica; Kerstens, Hindrik H.D.; Rao, Nagesha A; Aghajanirefah, Ali; Matarese, Filomena; Cheng, Shih-Chin; Ratter, Jacqueline; Berentsen, Kim; van der Ent, Martijn A.; Sharifi, Nilofar; Janssen-Megens, Eva M.; Huurne, Menno Ter; Mandoli, Amit; van Schaik, Tom; Ng, Aylwin; Burden, Frances; Downes, Kate; Frontini, Mattia; Kumar, Vinod; Giamarellos-Bourboulis, Evangelos J; Ouwehand, Willem H; van der Meer, Jos W.M.; Joosten, Leo A.B.; Wijmenga, Cisca; Martens, Joost H.A.; Xavier, Ramnik J.; Logie, Colin; Netea, Mihai G.; Stunnenberg, Hendrik G.

2014-01-01

Structured Abstract Introduction Monocytes circulate in the bloodstream for up to 3–5 days. Concomitantly, immunological imprinting of either tolerance (immunosuppression) or trained immunity (innate immune memory) determines the functional fate of monocytes and monocyte-derived macrophages, as observed after infection or vaccination. Methods Purified circulating monocytes from healthy volunteers were differentiated under the homeostatic M-CSF concentrations present in human serum. During the first 24 hours, trained immunity was induced by β-glucan (BG) priming, while post-sepsis immunoparalysis was mimicked by exposure to LPS, generating endotoxin-induced tolerance. Epigenomic profiling of the histone marks H3K4me1, H3K4me3 and H3K27ac, DNase I accessibility and RNA sequencing were performed at both the start of the experiment (ex vivo monocytes) and at the end of the six days of in vitro culture (macrophages). Results Compared to monocytes (Mo), naïve macrophages (Mf) display a remodeled metabolic enzyme repertoire and attenuated innate inflammatory pathways; most likely necessary to generate functional tissue macrophages. Epigenetic profiling uncovered ~8000 dynamic regions associated with ~11000 DNase I hypersensitive sites. Changes in histone acetylation identified most dynamic events. Furthermore, these regions of differential histone marks displayed some degree of DNase I accessibility that was already present in monocytes. H3K4me1 mark increased in parallel with de novo H3K27ac deposition at distal regulatory regions; H3K4me1 mark remained even after the loss of H3K27ac, marking decommissioned regulatory elements. β-glucan priming specifically induced ~3000 distal regulatory elements, whereas LPS-tolerization uniquely induced H3K27ac at ~500 distal regulatory regions. At the transcriptional level, we identified co-regulated gene modules during monocyte to macrophage differentiation, as well as discordant modules between trained and tolerized cells. These indicate that training likely involves an increased expression of modules expressed in naïve macrophages, including genes that code for metabolic enzymes. On the other hand, endotoxin tolerance involves gene modules that are more active in monocytes than in naïve macrophages. About 12% of known human transcription factors display variation in expression during macrophage differentiation, training and tolerance. We also observed transcription factor motifs in DNase I hypersensitive sites at condition-specific dynamic epigenomic regions, implying that specific transcription factors are required for trained and tolerized macrophage epigenetic and transcriptional programs. Finally, our analyses and functional validation indicate that the inhibition of cAMP generation blocked trained immunity in vitro and during an in vivo model of lethal C. albicans infection, abolishing the protective effects of trained immunity. Discussion We documented the importance of epigenetic regulation of the immunological pathways underlying monocyte-to-macrophage differentiation and trained immunity. These dynamic epigenetic elements may inform on potential pharmacological targets that modulate innate immunity. Altogether, we uncovered the epigenetic and transcriptional programs of monocyte differentiation to macrophages that distinguish tolerant and trained macrophage phenotypes, providing a resource to further understand and manipulate immune-mediated responses. PMID:25258085

Creating a Garden for the Senses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Potter, Cindy

2010-01-01

Almost everyone enjoys a walk through a garden, bending to sniff a flower, enjoying a fresh air breeze, listening to water bubbling from a fountain, and watching sunlight dapple through trees and plants. At Allegheny Valley School (AVS), the emphasis on multisensory environments (MSE) for individuals with intellectual and developmental…

When Board Relations Are Smooth, Success Is a Breeze.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Griffith, Robert

1990-01-01

The key to succeeding in superintendent-board relationships is fitting the school board into a three-part framework of policies, meetings, and goals. Advice is also provided concerning budgeting, becoming acquainted with board members, and handling disagreements. A sidebar classifies board members as builders, shopkeepers, mechanics, cheerleaders,…

76 FR 45845 - Notice of Issuance of Final Determination Concerning a Certain Patient Transport Chair

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-08-01

... determination. FACTS: Electro Kinetic, headquartered in Germantown, Wisconsin, designs and manufactures... finished patient transport chair. You state that the production of the BREEZ patient transport chair in the U.S. begins with the production of 17 cable subassemblies which include: positive and negative...

40 CFR 420.11 - Specialized definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... Specialized definitions. (a) For the cokemaking subcategory, the term product means the production of coke plus coke breeze. (b) The term by-product cokemaking means operations in which coal is heated in the absence of air to produce metallurgical coke (furnace coke and foundry coke), and the recovery of by...

Sensitivities of Summertime Mesoscale Circulations in the Coastal Carolinas to Modifications of the Kain–Fritsch Cumulus Parameterization

EPA Science Inventory

Two mesoscale circulations, the Sandhills circulation and the sea breeze, influence the initiation of deep convection over the Sandhills and the coast in the Carolinas during the summer months. The interaction of these two circulations causes additional convection in this coastal...

40 CFR 420.11 - Specialized definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... breeze. (b) The term by-product cokemaking means operations in which coal is heated in the absence of air to produce metallurgical coke (furnace coke and foundry coke), and the recovery of by-products... foundry coke) without recovery of by-products. Does not include co-generation facilities located at non...

Machine learning algorithms for meteorological event classification in the coastal area using in-situ data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sokolov, Anton; Gengembre, Cyril; Dmitriev, Egor; Delbarre, Hervé

2017-04-01

The problem is considered of classification of local atmospheric meteorological events in the coastal area such as sea breezes, fogs and storms. The in-situ meteorological data as wind speed and direction, temperature, humidity and turbulence are used as predictors. Local atmospheric events of 2013-2014 were analysed manually to train classification algorithms in the coastal area of English Channel in Dunkirk (France). Then, ultrasonic anemometer data and LIDAR wind profiler data were used as predictors. A few algorithms were applied to determine meteorological events by local data such as a decision tree, the nearest neighbour classifier, a support vector machine. The comparison of classification algorithms was carried out, the most important predictors for each event type were determined. It was shown that in more than 80 percent of the cases machine learning algorithms detect the meteorological class correctly. We expect that this methodology could be applied also to classify events by climatological in-situ data or by modelling data. It allows estimating frequencies of each event in perspective of climate change.

ExtraTrain: a database of Extragenic regions and Transcriptional information in prokaryotic organisms

PubMed Central

Pareja, Eduardo; Pareja-Tobes, Pablo; Manrique, Marina; Pareja-Tobes, Eduardo; Bonal, Javier; Tobes, Raquel

2006-01-01

Background Transcriptional regulation processes are the principal mechanisms of adaptation in prokaryotes. In these processes, the regulatory proteins and the regulatory DNA signals located in extragenic regions are the key elements involved. As all extragenic spaces are putative regulatory regions, ExtraTrain covers all extragenic regions of available genomes and regulatory proteins from bacteria and archaea included in the UniProt database. Description ExtraTrain provides integrated and easily manageable information for 679816 extragenic regions and for the genes delimiting each of them. In addition ExtraTrain supplies a tool to explore extragenic regions, named Palinsight, oriented to detect and search palindromic patterns. This interactive visual tool is totally integrated in the database, allowing the search for regulatory signals in user defined sets of extragenic regions. The 26046 regulatory proteins included in ExtraTrain belong to the families AraC/XylS, ArsR, AsnC, Cold shock domain, CRP-FNR, DeoR, GntR, IclR, LacI, LuxR, LysR, MarR, MerR, NtrC/Fis, OmpR and TetR. The database follows the InterPro criteria to define these families. The information about regulators includes manually curated sets of references specifically associated to regulator entries. In order to achieve a sustainable and maintainable knowledge database ExtraTrain is a platform open to the contribution of knowledge by the scientific community providing a system for the incorporation of textual knowledge. Conclusion ExtraTrain is a new database for exploring Extragenic regions and Transcriptional information in bacteria and archaea. ExtraTrain database is available at . PMID:16539733

Genome-wide differences in hepatitis C- vs alcoholism-associated hepatocellular carcinoma

PubMed Central

Derambure, Céline; Coulouarn, Cédric; Caillot, Frédérique; Daveau, Romain; Hiron, Martine; Scotte, Michel; François, Arnaud; Duclos, Celia; Goria, Odile; Gueudin, Marie; Cavard, Catherine; Terris, Benoit; Daveau, Maryvonne; Salier, Jean-Philippe

2008-01-01

AIM: To look at a comprehensive picture of etiology-dependent gene abnormalities in hepatocellular carcinoma in Western Europe. METHODS: With a liver-oriented microarray, transcript levels were compared in nodules and cirrhosis from a training set of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (alcoholism, 12; hepatitis C, 10) and 5 controls. Loose or tight selection of informative transcripts with an abnormal abundance was statistically valid and the tightly selected transcripts were next quantified by qRTPCR in the nodules from our training set (12 + 10) and a test set (6 + 7). RESULTS: A selection of 475 transcripts pointed to significant gene over-representation on chromosome 8 (alcoholism) or -2 (hepatitis C) and ontology indicated a predominant inflammatory response (alcoholism) or changes in cell cycle regulation, transcription factors and interferon responsiveness (hepatitis C). A stringent selection of 23 transcripts whose differences between etiologies were significant in nodules but not in cirrhotic tissue indicated that the above dysregulations take place in tumor but not in the surrounding cirrhosis. These 23 transcripts separated our test set according to etiologies. The inflammation-associated transcripts pointed to limited alterations of free iron metabolism in alcoholic vs hepatitis C tumors. CONCLUSION: Etiology-specific abnormalities (chromosome preference; differences in transcriptomes and related functions) have been identified in hepatocellular carcinoma driven by alcoholism or hepatitis C. This may open novel avenues for differential therapies in this disease. PMID:18350606

Automated Training in Auditory Perception and Phonetic Transcription for Beginning Students in Speech Pathology and Audiology. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leutenegger, Ralph R.

The phonetic transcription ability of 78 college students whose transcription instruction was administered by means of pre-programed Language Master cards was compared with that of 81 students whose instruction was non-automated. Ability was measured by seven weekly tests. There was no significant relationship on any of 29 variables with type of…

POLYCLONAL ANTISERA AGAINST ESTUARINE CRUSTACEAN VITELLIN AND VITELLOGENIN: DEVELOPMENT OF AN OOGENESIS DISFUNCTION ASSAY AS AN INDICATOR OF ENDOCRINE DISRUPTION FROM JUVENILE HORMONE AGONIST INSECTICIDES

EPA Science Inventory

Adult female Lepidophthalmus louisianensis, Palaemonetes pugio, Rhithropanopeus harrisii, Mysidopsis bahia, and Uca panacea were collected from estuarine localities in Santa Rosa Sound, Gulf Breeze, FL during late spring and summer of 1999. Mature ovaries were dissected and homog...

Detecting Corrosion Under Paint and Insulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bastin, Gary L.

2011-01-01

Corrosion is a major concern at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida due to the proximity of the center to the Atlantic Ocean and to salt water lagoons. High humidity, salt fogs, and ocean breezes, provide an ideal environment in which painted steel structures become corroded. Maintenance of painted steel structures is a never-ending process.

Numerical Studies of the Georgia Coast Sea Breeze

DTIC Science & Technology

1996-12-09

the 1991 Pan American Games. Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc., 74, 5-16. ____, S. Rinard, C. Garza, and G. Hoogenboom , 1996: Wind forecasting for the sailing...events of the Summer Olympic Games. Conf on Coastal Oceanic and Atmos. Pred., Atlanta, GA, pp 336-343. Rinard, S., M. Powell, C. Garza and G. Hoogenboom

Speleothems and Sand Castles

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hance, Trevor; Befus, Kevin

2015-01-01

The idea of building sand castles evokes images of lazy summer days at the beach, listening to waves crash, enjoying salty breezes, and just unplugging for a while to let our inner child explore the wonderful natural toys beneath our feet. The idea of exploring caves might evoke feelings and images of claustrophobia or pioneers and Native…

Hanging an Airplane: A Case Study in Static Equilibrium

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Katz, Debora M.

2009-01-01

Our classrooms are filled with engineering majors who take a semester-long course in static equilibrium. Many students find this class too challenging and drop their engineering major. In our introductory physics class, we often breeze through static equilibrium; to physicists equilibrium is just a special case of Newton's second law. While it is…

Improvement of experimental testing and network training conditions with genome-wide microarrays for more accurate predictions of drug gene targets

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Genome-wide microarrays have been useful for predicting chemical-genetic interactions at the gene level. However, interpreting genome-wide microarray results can be overwhelming due to the vast output of gene expression data combined with off-target transcriptional responses many times induced by a drug treatment. This study demonstrates how experimental and computational methods can interact with each other, to arrive at more accurate predictions of drug-induced perturbations. We present a two-stage strategy that links microarray experimental testing and network training conditions to predict gene perturbations for a drug with a known mechanism of action in a well-studied organism. Results S. cerevisiae cells were treated with the antifungal, fluconazole, and expression profiling was conducted under different biological conditions using Affymetrix genome-wide microarrays. Transcripts were filtered with a formal network-based method, sparse simultaneous equation models and Lasso regression (SSEM-Lasso), under different network training conditions. Gene expression results were evaluated using both gene set and single gene target analyses, and the drug’s transcriptional effects were narrowed first by pathway and then by individual genes. Variables included: (i) Testing conditions – exposure time and concentration and (ii) Network training conditions – training compendium modifications. Two analyses of SSEM-Lasso output – gene set and single gene – were conducted to gain a better understanding of how SSEM-Lasso predicts perturbation targets. Conclusions This study demonstrates that genome-wide microarrays can be optimized using a two-stage strategy for a more in-depth understanding of how a cell manifests biological reactions to a drug treatment at the transcription level. Additionally, a more detailed understanding of how the statistical model, SSEM-Lasso, propagates perturbations through a network of gene regulatory interactions is achieved. PMID:24444313

Numerical Modeling of the Propagation Environment in the Atmospheric Boundary Layer over the Persian Gulf.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Atkinson, B. W.; Li, J.-G.; Plant, R. S.

2001-03-01

Strong vertical gradients at the top of the atmospheric boundary layer affect the propagation of electromagnetic waves and can produce radar ducts. A three-dimensional, time-dependent, nonhydrostatic numerical model was used to simulate the propagation environment in the atmosphere over the Persian Gulf when aircraft observations of ducting had been made. A division of the observations into high- and low-wind cases was used as a framework for the simulations. Three sets of simulations were conducted with initial conditions of varying degrees of idealization and were compared with the observations taken in the Ship Antisubmarine Warfare Readiness/Effectiveness Measuring (SHAREM-115) program. The best results occurred with the initialization based on a sounding taken over the coast modified by the inclusion of data on low-level atmospheric conditions over the Gulf waters. The development of moist, cool, stable marine internal boundary layers (MIBL) in air flowing from land over the waters of the Gulf was simulated. The MIBLs were capped by temperature inversions and associated lapses of humidity and refractivity. The low-wind MIBL was shallower and the gradients at its top were sharper than in the high-wind case, in agreement with the observations. Because it is also forced by land-sea contrasts, a sea-breeze circulation frequently occurs in association with the MIBL. The size, location, and internal structure of the sea-breeze circulation were realistically simulated. The gradients of temperature and humidity that bound the MIBL cause perturbations in the refractivity distribution that, in turn, lead to trapping layers and ducts. The existence, location, and surface character of the ducts were well captured. Horizontal variations in duct characteristics due to the sea-breeze circulation were also evident. The simulations successfully distinguished between high- and low-wind occasions, a notable feature of the SHAREM-115 observations. The modeled magnitudes of duct depth and strength, although leaving scope for improvement, were most encouraging.

Observed and simulated sea breeze characteristics over Rayong coastal area, Thailand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Phan, Tung Thanh; Manomaiphiboon, Kasemsan

2012-05-01

This work presents the detailed characterization of sea breeze (SB) over the Rayong coastal area, one of the most rapidly developed and highly industrialized areas during the last decade in Thailand, using observation data analysis and fine-resolution (2 km) mesoscale meteorological modeling with incorporation of new land cover and satellite-derived vegetation fraction data sets. The key characteristics considered include frequency of SB occurrence, sea-breeze day (SBD) identification, degree of inland penetration, and boundary layer development. It was found that SBs occur frequently in the winter due mainly to relatively large land-sea temperature contrasts and minimally in the wet season. Monthly mean SB onset and cessation times are at around 12-15 local time (LT) and 18-21 LT, respectively, and its strength peaks during the early- to mid-afternoon. Monthly SB hodographs generally exhibit clockwise rotations, and SB inland penetration (at PCD-T tower) ranges widely with the monthly means of 25-55 km from the coast. Mesoscale MM5 modeling was performed on two selected SBDs (13 January and 16 March 2006), on which the SBs are under weak and onshore strong influences from background winds, respectively. Simulated near-surface winds and temperature were found to be in fair-to-acceptable agreement with the observations. The SB circulation along the Rayong coast is clearly defined with a return flow aloft and a front on 13 January, while it is enhanced by the onshore background winds on 16 March. Another SB along the Chonburi coast also develops separately, but their fronts merge into one in the mid-afternoon, resulting in large area coverage by the SB. Simulated planetary boundary layer height over the land area is significantly affected by a thermal internal boundary layer (TIBL) induced by an SB, which is found to be low near the coast and increases toward the front (up to 800-1,000 m along the Rayong coast).

Two years observations on the diurnal evolution of coastal atmospheric boundary layer features over Thiruvananthapuram (8.5∘ N, 76.9∘ E), India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anurose, T. J.; Subrahamanyam, D. Bala; Sunilkumar, S. V.

2018-01-01

The atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) over a given coastal station is influenced by the presence of mesoscale sea breeze circulation, together with the local and synoptic weather, which directly or indirectly modulate the vertical thickness of ABL ( z ABL). Despite its importance in the characterization of lower tropospheric processes and atmospheric modeling studies, a reliable climatology on the temporal evolution of z ABL is not available over the tropics. Here, we investigate the challenges involved in determination of the ABL heights, and discuss an objective method to define the vertical structure of coastal ABL. The study presents a two year morphology on the diurnal evolution of the vertical thickness of sea breeze flow ( z SBF) and z ABL in association with the altitudes of lifting condensation level ( z LCL) over Thiruvananthapuram (8.5∘ N, 76.9∘ E), a representative coastal station on the western coastline of the Indian sub-continent. We make use of about 516 balloon-borne GPS sonde measurements in the present study, which were carried out as part of the tropical tropopause dynamics field experiment under the climate and weather of the sun-earth system (CAWSES)-India program. Results obtained from the present study reveal major differences in the temporal evolution of the ABL features in relation to the strength of sea breeze circulation and monsoonal wind flow during the winter and summer monsoon respectively. The diurnal evolution in z ABL is very prominent in the winter monsoon as against the summer monsoon, which is attributed to the impact of large-scale monsoonal flow over the surface layer meteorology. For a majority of the database, the z LCL altitudes are found to be higher than that of the z ABL, indicating a possible decoupling of the ABL with the low-level clouds.

Meteorological impact assessment of possible large scale irrigation in Southwest Saudi Arabia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ter Maat, H. W.; Hutjes, R. W. A.; Ohba, R.; Ueda, H.; Bisselink, B.; Bauer, T.

2006-11-01

On continental to regional scales feedbacks between landuse and landcover change and climate have been widely documented over the past 10-15 years. In the present study we explore the possibility that also vegetation changes over much smaller areas may affect local precipitation regimes. Large scale (˜ 10 5 ha) irrigated plantations in semi-arid environments under particular conditions may affect local circulations and induce additional rainfall. Capturing this rainfall 'surplus' could then reduce the need for external irrigation sources and eventually lead to self-sustained water cycling. This concept is studied in the coastal plains in South West Saudi Arabia where the mountains of the Asir region exhibit the highest rainfall of the peninsula due to orographic lifting and condensation of moisture imported with the Indian Ocean monsoon and with disturbances from the Mediterranean Sea. We use a regional atmospheric modeling system (RAMS) forced by ECMWF analysis data to resolve the effect of complex surface conditions in high resolution (Δ x = 4 km). After validation, these simulations are analysed with a focus on the role of local processes (sea breezes, orographic lifting and the formation of fog in the coastal mountains) in generating rainfall, and on how these will be affected by large scale irrigated plantations in the coastal desert. The validation showed that the model simulates the regional and local weather reasonably well. The simulations exhibit a slightly larger diurnal temperature range than those captured by the observations, but seem to capture daily sea-breeze phenomena well. Monthly rainfall is well reproduced at coarse resolutions, but appears more localized at high resolutions. The hypothetical irrigated plantation (3.25 10 5 ha) has significant effects on atmospheric moisture, but due to weakened sea breezes this leads to limited increases of rainfall. In terms of recycling of irrigation gifts the rainfall enhancement in this particular setting is rather insignificant.

Handbook for Evaluating Ecological Effects of Pollution at DARCOM Installations. Volume 6. Unexpected Declines in Animal Populations,

DTIC Science & Technology

1979-12-01

Ecological Research Laboratory U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Sabine Island Gulf Breeze, FL 32561 Phone: 904 932-5311 This laboratory will assist in...diseases of domestic animals and wildlife in the area? c. Do domestic animal owners vaccinate for any disease? d. What is the prevalent habitat? e

NEIGHBORHOOD SCALE AIR QUALITY MODELING IN HOUSTON USING URBAN CANOPY PARAMETERS IN MM5 AND CMAQ WITH IMPROVED CHARACTERIZATION OF MESOSCALE LAKE-LAND BREEZE CIRCULATION

EPA Science Inventory

Advanced capability of air quality simulation models towards accurate performance at finer scales will be needed for such models to serve as tools for performing exposure and risk assessments in urban areas. It is recognized that the impact of urban features such as street and t...

DEVELOPMENT OF DATA QUALITY OBJECTIVES AND USE OF TWO VARIATIONS OF GENETICALLY-MODIFIED STREPTOCOCCUS GORDONIL AS LYSIS CONTROLS IN A QPCR ASSAY FOR ASSESSING SANITARY QUALITY OF WATER

EPA Science Inventory

Joseph B. James and Fred J. Genthner

United States Environmental Protection Agency, Gulf Breeze, FL

Background: Methods using rapid cycle, real-time, quantitative (QPCR) are being developed for detecting and quantifying Enterococcus spp. as well as other aquatic b...

Meteorological determinants of air quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Turoldo, F.; Del Frate, S.; Gallai, I.; Giaiotti, D. B.; Montanari, F.; Stel, F.; Goi, D.

2010-09-01

Air quality is the result of complex phenomena, among which the major role is played by human emissions of pollutants. Atmospheric processes act as determinants, e.g., modulating, dumping or amplifying the effects of emissions as an orchestra's director does with musical instruments. In this work, a series of small-scale and meso-scale meteorological determinants of air-quality are presented as they are observed in an area characterized by complex orography (Friuli Venezia Giulia, in the north-eastern side of Italy). In particular, attention is devoted to: i) meso-scale flows favouring the persistence of high concentrations of particulate matter; ii) meso-scale periodic flows (breezes) favouring high values of particulate matter; iii) local-scale thermodynamic behaviour favouring high atmospheric values of nitrogen oxides. The effects of these different classes of determinants are shown through comparisons between anthropic emissions (mainly traffic) and ground-based measurements. The relevance of complex orography (relatively steep relieves near to the sea) is shown for the meso-scale flows and, in particular, for local-scale periodic flows, which favour the increase of high pollutants concentrations mainly in summer, when the breezes regime is particularly relevant. Part of these results have been achieved through the ETS - Alpine Space EU project iMONITRAF!

Wind power: The new energy policy 1

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1991-10-01

Increasing use of renewable energy sources is an important aspect of the new energy policy of the State government of Schleswig-Holstein. Technical and industrial innovation are involved. By expanding and developing these regionally available inexhaustible energy sources to generate electricity and heat, we are contributing to environmental protection and helping to reduce adverse affects on the climate. We are also taking our limited resources into account and expanding energy generation in a logical manner. Wind energy is the most attractive renewable energy source for Schleswig-Holstein because our State is well known for its strong winds and constant fresh breeze. For this reason the State government has made expansion of wind energy one of its primary areas of emphasis. The goals of our promotion measures includes ongoing technical and engineering development of wind energy facilities, increasing the level of use of the wind, and increasing the percentage of wind energy used for power generation. This brochure is intended to demonstrate the significance and possibilities of wind energy for our State, to outline the legal requirements for erecting wind energy facilities, and to explain the many promotion measures. It represents a favorable breeze for wind.

A multi-resolution ensemble study of a tropical urban environment and its interactions with the background regional atmosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Xian-Xiang; Koh, Tieh-Yong; Entekhabi, Dara; Roth, Matthias; Panda, Jagabandhu; Norford, Leslie K.

2013-09-01

This study employed the Weather Research and Forecasting model with a single-layer urban canopy model to investigate the urban environment of a tropical city, Singapore. The coupled model was evaluated against available observational data from a sensor network and flux tower. The effects of land use type and anthropogenic heat (AH) on the thermal and wind environment were investigated with a series of sensitivity tests using an ensemble approach for low advection, high convective available potential energy, intermonsoon season cases. The diurnal cycle and spatial pattern of urban heat island (UHI) intensity and planetary boundary layer height were investigated. The mean UHI intensity peaked in the early morning at 2.2°C, reaching 2.4°C in industrial areas. Sea and land breezes developed during daytime and nighttime, respectively, with the former much stronger than the latter. The model predicted that sea breezes from different coastlines of the Malay Peninsula meet and converge, inducing strong updrafts. AH was found to play roles in all the processes studied, while the effect of different land use types was most pronounced during nighttime, and least visible near noon.

The Essential Role of Tethered Balloons in Characterizing Boundary Layer Structure and Evolution during Discover-AQ

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clark, R. D.

2014-12-01

The NASA DISCOVER-AQ (Deriving Information on Surface conditions from Column and Vertically Resolved Observations Relevant to Air Quality) provided the opportunity to observe the influence of local and regional circulations on the structure and evolution of the boundary layer (BL) and in turn study the associated effects on air quality and aerosol trends within four different airsheds. An extended network of ground-based instruments, balloon-borne profilers, and remote sensing instruments supported the in-situ airborne measurements made by the NASA aircraft in capturing the structure and evolution of the daytime BL. The Millersville University Atmospheric Research and Aerostat Facility (MARAF) is one of many assets deployed for DISCOVER-AQ. Central to MARAF is a heavy-lift-capacity tethered balloon (aerostat) used to obtain high resolution profiles of meteorological variables, trace gases, and particulates in the BL. The benefit of including a tethered balloon is that it can fill a data void between the surface and the lowest altitudes flown by the aircraft and provide critical time-height series for ground-based remote sensing instruments in the layer below their first range gate. MARAF also includes an acoustic sodar with RASS, MPL4 micropulse Lidar, 4-meter flux tower, rawinsonde system, and a suite of trace gas analyzers (O3, NOx/NO2/NO, CO, and SO2), 3-wavelength nephelometer, and particle sizers/counters spanning the range from 10 nm to 10 microns. MARAF is capable of providing a detailed and nearly continuous Eulerian characterization of the surface layer and lower BL, and with proper FAA airspace authorization, can be deployed both day and night. Three case studies will be presented that incorporate the MARAF into the combined assets of DISCOVER-AQ to better characterize: 1) bay breeze convergence, recirculation, and ramp-up events in Edgewood, MD in July 2011; 2) aerosol transport over Central Valley, CA in January 2013; and 3) multiple sea-bay breeze interactions with a 200-plus ppbv O3 plume downwind of Houston, TX. These observations show a complex BL response to transformational air mass interactions not often captured by other instrument platforms or resolved by operational numerical models. In addition, this paper will report on the benefits of using MARAF for research training.

Cocaine Administration and Its Withdrawal Enhance the Expression of Genes Encoding Histone-Modifying Enzymes and Histone Acetylation in the Rat Prefrontal Cortex.

PubMed

Sadakierska-Chudy, Anna; Frankowska, Małgorzata; Jastrzębska, Joanna; Wydra, Karolina; Miszkiel, Joanna; Sanak, Marek; Filip, Małgorzata

2017-07-01

Chronic exposure to cocaine, craving, and relapse are attributed to long-lasting changes in gene expression arising through epigenetic and transcriptional mechanisms. Although several brain regions are involved in these processes, the prefrontal cortex seems to play a crucial role not only in motivation and decision-making but also in extinction and seeking behavior. In this study, we applied cocaine self-administration and extinction training procedures in rats with a yoked triad to determine differentially expressed genes in prefrontal cortex. Microarray analysis showed significant upregulation of several genes encoding histone modification enzymes during early extinction training. Subsequent real-time PCR testing of these genes following cocaine self-administration or early (third day) and late (tenth day) extinction revealed elevated levels of their transcripts. Interestingly, we found the enrichment of Brd1 messenger RNA in rats self-administering cocaine that lasted until extinction training during cocaine withdrawal with concomitant increased acetylation of H3K9 and H4K8. However, despite elevated levels of methyl- and demethyltransferase-encoded transcripts, no changes in global di- and tri-methylation of histone H3 at lysine 4, 9, 27, and 79 were observed. Surprisingly, at the end of extinction training (10 days of cocaine withdrawal), most of the analyzed genes in the rats actively and passively administering cocaine returned to the control level. Together, the alterations identified in the rat prefrontal cortex may suggest enhanced chromatin remodeling and transcriptional activity induced by early cocaine abstinence; however, to know whether they are beneficial or not for the extinction of drug-seeking behavior, further in vivo evaluation is required.

Report on State's Role in Native American Higher Education. House Memorial 28 Public Hearing.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

New Mexico State Board of Educational Finance, Santa Fe.

These hearing transcripts and recommendations were in response to requests from the New Mexico Legislature for investigation of the state's role in Native American higher education. Section I contains abbreviated transcripts of testimony on 10 study committees covering needs and recommendations in curriculum/academic issues, off-campus training,…

Options in Education Transcript: Program No. 135: "Learning To Be an American."

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

George Washington Univ., Washington, DC. Inst. for Educational Leadership.

The transcript from a National Public Radio program discusses the school as a training ground for citizenship. Comments by professional and academic persons are interspersed with opinions of White House tourists. A short introductory definition of citizenship provides the framework for the ensuing discussion. After an assessment of citizenship…

A case for safety leadership team training of hospital managers.

PubMed

Singer, Sara J; Hayes, Jennifer; Cooper, Jeffrey B; Vogt, Jay W; Sales, Michael; Aristidou, Angela; Gray, Garry C; Kiang, Mathew V; Meyer, Gregg S

2011-01-01

Delivering safe patient care remains an elusive goal. Resolving problems in complex organizations like hospitals requires managers to work together. Safety leadership training that encourages managers to exercise learning-oriented, team-based leadership behaviors could promote systemic problem solving and enhance patient safety. Despite the need for such training, few programs teach multidisciplinary groups of managers about specific behaviors that can enhance their role as leadership teams in the realm of patient safety. The aims of this study were to describe a learning-oriented, team-based, safety leadership training program composed of reinforcing exercises and to provide evidence confirming the need for such training and demonstrating behavior change among management groups after training. Twelve groups of managers from an academic medical center based in the Northeast United States were randomly selected to participate in the program and exposed to its customized, experience-based, integrated, multimodal curriculum. We extracted data from transcripts of four training sessions over 15 months with groups of managers about the need for the training in these groups and change in participants' awareness, professional behaviors, and group activity. Training transcripts confirmed the need for safety leadership team training and provided evidence of the potential for training to increase targeted behaviors. The training increased awareness and use of leadership behaviors among many managers and led to new routines and coordinated effort among most management groups. Enhanced learning-oriented leadership often helped promote a learning orientation in managers' work areas. Team-based training that promotes specific learning-oriented leader behaviors can promote behavioral change among multidisciplinary groups of hospital managers.

Carbohydrate availability and exercise training adaptation: too much of a good thing?

PubMed

Bartlett, Jonathan D; Hawley, John A; Morton, James P

2015-01-01

Traditional nutritional approaches to endurance training have typically promoted high carbohydrate (CHO) availability before, during and after training sessions to ensure adequate muscle substrate to meet the demands of high daily training intensities and volumes. However, during the past decade, data from our laboratories and others have demonstrated that deliberately training in conditions of reduced CHO availability can promote training-induced adaptations of human skeletal muscle (i.e. increased maximal mitochondrial enzyme activities and/or mitochondrial content, increased rates of lipid oxidation and, in some instances, improved exercise capacity). Such data have led to the concept of 'training low, but competing high' whereby selected training sessions are completed in conditions of reduced CHO availability (so as to promote training adaptation), but CHO reserves are restored immediately prior to an important competition. The augmented training response observed with training-low strategies is likely regulated by enhanced activation of key cell signalling kinases (e.g. AMPK, p38MAPK), transcription factors (e.g. p53, PPARδ) and transcriptional co-activators (e.g. PGC-1α), such that a co-ordinated up-regulation of both the nuclear and mitochondrial genomes occurs. Although the optimal practical strategies to train low are not currently known, consuming additional caffeine, protein, and practising CHO mouth-rinsing before and/or during training may help to rescue the reduced training intensities that typically occur when 'training low', in addition to preventing protein breakdown and maintaining optimal immune function. Finally, athletes should practise 'train-low' workouts in conjunction with sessions undertaken with normal or high CHO availability so that their capacity to oxidise CHO is not blunted on race day.

Weather Research and Forecasting Model Sensitivity Comparisons for Warm Season Convective Initiation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Watson, Leela R.; Hoeth, Brian; Blottman, Peter F.

2007-01-01

Mesoscale weather conditions can significantly affect the space launch and landing operations at Kennedy Space Center (KSC) and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS). During the summer months, land-sea interactions that occur across KSC and CCAFS lead to the formation of a sea breeze, which can then spawn deep convection. These convective processes often last 60 minutes or less and pose a significant challenge to the forecasters at the National Weather Service (NWS) Spaceflight Meteorology Group (SMG). The main challenge is that a "GO" forecast for thunderstorms and precipitation at the Shuttle Landing Facility is required at the 90 minute deorbit decision for End Of Mission (EOM) and at the 30 minute Return To Launch Site (RTLS) decision. Convective initiation, timing, and mode also present a forecast challenge for the NWS in Melbourne, FL (MLB). The NWS MLB issues such tactical forecast information as Terminal Aerodrome Forecasts (TAF5), Spot Forecasts for fire weather and hazardous materials incident support, and severe/hazardous weather Watches, Warnings, and Advisories. Lastly, these forecasting challenges can also affect the 45th Weather Squadron (45 WS), which provides comprehensive weather forecasts for shuttle launch, as well as ground operations, at KSC and CCAFS. The need for accurate mesoscale model forecasts to aid in their decision making is crucial. This study specifically addresses the skill of different model configurations in forecasting warm season convective initiation. Numerous factors influence the development of convection over the Florida peninsula. These factors include sea breezes, river and lake breezes, the prevailing low-level flow, and convergent flow due to convex coastlines that enhance the sea breeze. The interaction of these processes produces the warm season convective patterns seen over the Florida peninsula. However, warm season convection remains one of the most poorly forecast meteorological parameters. To determine which configuration options are best to address this specific forecast concern, the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model, which has two dynamical cores - the Advanced Research WRF (ARW) and the Non-hydrostatic Mesoscale Model (NMM) was employed. In addition to the two dynamical cores, there are also two options for a "hot-start" initialization of the WRF model - the Local Analysis and Prediction System (LAPS; McGinley 1995) and the Advanced Regional Prediction System (ARPS) Data Analysis System (ADAS; Brewster 1996). Both LAPS and ADAS are 3- dimensional weather analysis systems that integrate multiple meteorological data sources into one consistent analysis over the user's domain of interest. This allows mesoscale models to benefit from the addition of highresolution data sources. Having a series of initialization options and WRF cores, as well as many options within each core, provides SMG and MLB with considerable flexibility as well as challenges. It is the goal of this study to assess the different configurations available and to determine which configuration will best predict warm season convective initiation.

Born with an ear for dialects? Structural plasticity in the expert phonetician brain.

PubMed

Golestani, Narly; Price, Cathy J; Scott, Sophie K

2011-03-16

Are experts born with particular predispositions, or are they made through experience? We examined brain structure in expert phoneticians, individuals who are highly trained to analyze and transcribe speech. We found a positive correlation between the size of left pars opercularis and years of phonetic transcription training experience, illustrating how learning may affect brain structure. Phoneticians were also more likely to have multiple or split left transverse gyri in the auditory cortex than nonexpert controls, and the amount of phonetic transcription training did not predict auditory cortex morphology. The transverse gyri are thought to be established in utero; our results thus suggest that this gross morphological difference may have existed before the onset of phonetic training, and that its presence confers an advantage of sufficient magnitude to affect career choices. These results suggest complementary influences of domain-specific predispositions and experience-dependent brain malleability, influences that likely interact in determining not only how experience shapes the human brain but also why some individuals become engaged by certain fields of expertise.

The Effect of Communication Strategy Training on the Development of EFL Learners' Strategic Competence and Oral Communicative Ability.

PubMed

Rabab'ah, Ghaleb

2016-06-01

This study examines the effect of communication strategy instruction on EFL students' oral communicative ability and their strategic competence. In a 14-week English as a Foreign Language (EFL) course (English Use II) based on Communicative Language Teaching approach, 80 learners were divided into two groups. The strategy training group ([Formula: see text]) received CS training based on a training program designed for the purpose of the present research, whereas the control group ([Formula: see text]) received only the normal communicative course using Click On 3, with no explicit focus on CSs. The communication strategies targeted in the training program included circumlocution (paraphrase), appeal for help, asking for repetition, clarification request, confirmation request, self-repair, and guessing. Pre- and post-test procedures were used to find out the effect of strategy training on language proficiency and CS use. The effect of the training was assessed by three types of data collection: the participants' pre- and post-IELTS speaking test scores, transcription data from the speaking IELTS test, and 'Click On' Exit Test scores. The findings revealed that participants in the strategy training group significantly outperformed the control group in their IELTS speaking test scores. The results of the post-test transcription data also confirmed that the participants in the strategy training group used more CSs, which could be attributed to the CS training program. The findings of the present research have implications for language teachers, and syllabus designers.

Induced Air Movement for Wide-Span Schools in Humid Asia. Educational Building Digest 9.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, Bangkok (Thailand). Regional Office for Education in Asia and Oceania.

Schools in the hot and humid zones of the Asian region are narrow to ensure good ventilation. The purpose of this report is to show that it is possible, through appropriate design, to obtain sufficient breeze for thermal comfort in buildings as wide as 15 meters. Some of the conclusions of a study of the subject are summarized. The summary is…

Wind Forecasting for Yacht Racing at the 1991 Pan American Games.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Powell, Mark D.

1993-01-01

The U.S. Sailing Team competed successfully at the 1991 Pan American Games despite having no previous experience with the sailing conditions off Havana, Cuba. One of the key factors in the team's success was meteorological support in the form of wind climate analysis; application of sea breeze forecasting typical of the south Florida area, modified by tropical weather systems; and effective preregatta briefing.

Coastal Storm Model.

DTIC Science & Technology

1976-04-30

hindcasting, whereas a con- stant azimuth and storm velocity are used in forecasting. Tte results of hindcast analysis at several sites are included in... undersea breeze conditions and wave- current interactions in the surf zone; Tech. Report TC-149-4, ONR Contract N00014-69-C-0107, Tetra Tech, Inc., Pasadena...MARYLAND 21043 DEPARTMENT UF GEOSCIENrES PURI)IUL UNIVERSITY -DR. RURERT L. MILLER ___ LAFAYE- TTE , INDIANA 47901 DEPARTMENT OF GEOPHYSICAL SCIENCES

CodingQuarry: highly accurate hidden Markov model gene prediction in fungal genomes using RNA-seq transcripts.

PubMed

Testa, Alison C; Hane, James K; Ellwood, Simon R; Oliver, Richard P

2015-03-11

The impact of gene annotation quality on functional and comparative genomics makes gene prediction an important process, particularly in non-model species, including many fungi. Sets of homologous protein sequences are rarely complete with respect to the fungal species of interest and are often small or unreliable, especially when closely related species have not been sequenced or annotated in detail. In these cases, protein homology-based evidence fails to correctly annotate many genes, or significantly improve ab initio predictions. Generalised hidden Markov models (GHMM) have proven to be invaluable tools in gene annotation and, recently, RNA-seq has emerged as a cost-effective means to significantly improve the quality of automated gene annotation. As these methods do not require sets of homologous proteins, improving gene prediction from these resources is of benefit to fungal researchers. While many pipelines now incorporate RNA-seq data in training GHMMs, there has been relatively little investigation into additionally combining RNA-seq data at the point of prediction, and room for improvement in this area motivates this study. CodingQuarry is a highly accurate, self-training GHMM fungal gene predictor designed to work with assembled, aligned RNA-seq transcripts. RNA-seq data informs annotations both during gene-model training and in prediction. Our approach capitalises on the high quality of fungal transcript assemblies by incorporating predictions made directly from transcript sequences. Correct predictions are made despite transcript assembly problems, including those caused by overlap between the transcripts of adjacent gene loci. Stringent benchmarking against high-confidence annotation subsets showed CodingQuarry predicted 91.3% of Schizosaccharomyces pombe genes and 90.4% of Saccharomyces cerevisiae genes perfectly. These results are 4-5% better than those of AUGUSTUS, the next best performing RNA-seq driven gene predictor tested. Comparisons against whole genome Sc. pombe and S. cerevisiae annotations further substantiate a 4-5% improvement in the number of correctly predicted genes. We demonstrate the success of a novel method of incorporating RNA-seq data into GHMM fungal gene prediction. This shows that a high quality annotation can be achieved without relying on protein homology or a training set of genes. CodingQuarry is freely available ( https://sourceforge.net/projects/codingquarry/ ), and suitable for incorporation into genome annotation pipelines.

Surf Zone Sediment Size Variation, Morphodynamics, and Hydrodynamics During Sea/Land Breeze and El-Norte Storm in Sisal, Yucatan, Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alrushaid, T.; Figlus, J.; Torres-Freyermuth, A.; Puleo, J. A.; Dellapenna, T. M.

2016-02-01

Coastlines around the world are under ever-increasing pressure due to population trends, commerce, and geophysical processes like tropical storms and erosion. This multi-institutional field campaign was conducted to improve our understanding of complex nearshore processes under varying forcing conditions on a microtidal, sandy beach located in Sisal, Yucatan from 3/27 to 4/12/2014. Hydrodynamics, morphodynamics, and textural variability were investigated during: (1) a cold front event (referred to as El-Norte); (2) land breeze (LB); and (3) sea breeze (SB). The instrumentation layout included three surf/swash zone cross-shore transects where water elevation, suspended sediment concentration, bed load, and current velocities were measured, as well as several offshore ADCP for hydrodynamic measurements. TKE, τb, ɛ and were estimated using the data obtained from surf zone ADV. In addition, Hs and Tsin the surf zone were computed using measurements from ADV pressure sensors, while a separate pressure transducer was used to obtain water free-surface elevation within the swash zone. During SB cycles the study area experienced wind velocities reaching up to 12ms-1, and 15ms-1 during El-Norte. Elevated wind stress during El-Norte resulted in Hs of 1.5m and 0.6m in water depths of 10m and 0.4m, respectively. Surface sediment grab samples during SB/LB cycles showed that the swash zone had a moderately well sorted distribution with a mean grain size of 0.5mm, while poor sorting and a mean grain size of 0.7mm were found during El-Norte. Additionally, measured bathymetry data showed evidence for offshore sandbar migration during strong offshore currents (0.4ms-1) during El-Norte, while onshore sandbar migration was evident during SB/LB periods (0.3ms-1 and 0.1ms-1, respectively). This study highlights how different weather forcing conditions affect hydrodynamics, morphodynamics, and textural variability on a sandy beach. Aside from furthering our knowledge on these complex processes, the findings may lead to improved coastal management strategies for sandy coastlines.

Observational Evidence For The Comet-Like Heliosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bzowski, M.; Czechowski, A.; Funsten, H. O.; Grygorczuk, J.; Heerikhuisen, J.; Kubiak, M. A.; Moebius, E.; McComas, D. J.; Schwadron, N.; Sokol, J. M.; Swaczyna, P.; Zirnstein, E.

2017-12-01

The shape of the heliosphere is a subject of ongoing debate. The traditional comet-like image has recently been challenged by ideas of croissant- or bubble-like forms. Here we seek to resolve this debate by confronting available observational evidence with global modeling. Several MHD models of a comet-like heliosphere were used to simulate the radius and center of the IBEX Ribbon to fit the direction and intensity of the interstellar magnetic field (ISMF). These models assumed the secondary ENA emission mechanism, which was recently strengthened due to direct measurement of the distance to the Ribbon source most likely just beyond the heliopause. The same mechanism explains the dependence of the Ribbon center position on energy due to the latitudinal structure of solar wind. The obtained ISMF vector agrees among these models and is consistent with the draped IMF measured by Voyager. Independently, we have shown by modeling that the Warm Breeze discovered by IBEX is naturally created in the outer heliosheath due to charge-exchange between interstellar He+ ions and He atoms. Now we simulate the Warm Breeze for various directions and intensities of the local IMF and we find that the simulation results are in best agreement with IBEX observations for the IMF vector obtained from the above-mentioned Ribbon analyses and Voyager measurements. These arguments, along with the co-planarity of the inflow directions of interstellar neutral H, He, O, and the Warm Breeze, directions of the Ribbon center and ISMF, as well as measurements of the plasma flow directions in the IHS by Voyager 2 indicate the existence of a common plane of approximate mirror symmetry of the heliosphere, defined by the directions of ISMF and the Sun's motion through the local interstellar medium. This suggests that the global structure of the outer heliosphere mostly results from the conditions in the local interstellar medium and the Sun's velocity. This evidence, obtained from very different spacecraft and measurement techniques, supports a homogeneous and consistent picture of the heliosphere with a comet-like shape and organized by the plane of approximate mirror symmetry.

In situ airborne measurements of aerosol optical properties during photochemical pollution events

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mallet, M.; van Dingenen, R.; Roger, J. C.; Despiau, S.; Cachier, H.

2005-02-01

Dry aerosol optical properties (scattering, absorbing coefficients, and single scattering albedo) were derived from in situ airborne measurements during two photochemical pollution events (25 and 26 June) observed during the Experience sur Site pour Contraindre les Modeles de Pollution atmospherique et de Transport d'Emissions (ESCOMPTE) experiment. Two flights were carried out during daytime (one during the morning and one at noon) over a domain, allowing the investigation of how an air pollution event affects the particle optical properties. Both horizontal distribution and vertical profiles are presented. Results from the horizontal mapping show that plumes of enhanced scattering and absorption are formed in the planetary boundary layer (PBL) during the day in the sea breeze-driven outflow of the coastal urban-industrial area of Marseille-Fos de Berre. The domain-averaged scattering coefficient (at 550 nm) over land σs changes from 35 (28) Mm-1 during land breeze to 63 (43) Mm-1 during sea breeze on 25 June (26 June), with local maxima reaching > 100 Mm-1. The increase in the scattering coefficient is associated with new particle formation, indicative of secondary aerosol formation. Simultaneously, the domain-averaged absorption coefficient increases from 5.6 (3.4) Mm-1 to 9.3 (8.0) Mm-1. The pollution plume leads to strong gradients in the single scattering albedo ωo over the domain studied, with local values as low as 0.73 observed inside the pollution plume. The role of photochemistry and secondary aerosol formation during the 25 June case is shown to increase ωo and to make the aerosol more `reflecting' while the plume moves away from the sources. The lower photochemical activity, observed in the 26 June case, induces a relatively higher contribution of black carbon, making the aerosol more absorbing. Results from vertical profiles at a single near-urban location in the domain indicate that the changes in optical properties happen almost entirely within the PBL. No significant variation of σs, σa, and ωo is observed in the upper layer (1-3 km), where the aerosol optical properties are considered to be well mixed.

The use of fractionated fly ash of thermal power plants as binder for production of briquettes of coke breeze and dust

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Temnikova, E. Yu; Bogomolov, A. R.; Lapin, A. A.

2017-11-01

In this paper, we propose to use the slag and ash material of thermal power plants (TPP) operating on pulverized coal fuel. The elemental and chemical composition of fly ash of five Kuzbass thermal power plants differs insignificantly from the composition of the mineral part of coking coal because coke production uses a charge, whose composition defines the main task: obtaining coke with the required parameters for production of iron and steel. These indicators are as follows: CRI reactivity and strength of the coke residue after reaction with CO2 - CSR. The chemical composition of fly ash of thermal power plants and microsilica with bulk density of 0.3-0.6 t/m3 generated at production of ferroalloys was compared. Fly ash and microsilica are the valuable raw material for production of mineral binder in manufacturing coke breeze briquettes (fraction of 2-10 mm) and dust (0-200 μm), generated in large quantities during coking (up to 40wt%). It is shown that this binder is necessary for production of smokeless briquettes with low reactivity, high strength and cost, demanded for production of cupola iron and melting the silicate materials, basaltic rocks in low-shaft furnaces. It is determined that microsilica contains up to 90% of silicon oxide, and fly ash contains up to 60% of silicon oxide and aluminum oxide of up to 20%. On average, the rest of fly ash composition consists of basic oxides. According to calculation by the VUKHIN formula, the basicity index of briquette changes significantly, when fly ash is introduced into briquette raw material component as a binder. The technology of coke briquette production on the basis of the non-magnetic fraction of TPP fly ash in the ratio from 3.5:1 to 4.5:1 (coke breeze : coke dust) with the addition of the binder component to 10% is proposed. The produced briquettes meet the requirements by CRI and require further study on CSR requirements.

3D Structures of the Sea-Breeze Front in Dual-Doppler Lidar Analysis and a State-of-the-Art Modeling System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, G.; Iwai, H.; Seko, H.; Saito, K. K.; Sha, W.; Iwasaki, T.

2017-12-01

Sea breeze occurs at coastal regions around the world, with great impacts on the weather and air quality. Observations and forecasts of the fine-scale structures and local impacts of sea-breeze front (SBF) are a challenge. Three-dimensional structures of a quasi-stationary SBF were observed by dual-Doppler lidar over Sendai Airport in June 2007. Using a state-of-the-art local prediction system in which a computational fluid dynamics model is nested to a mesoscale model with data assimilation, we perform a realistic simulation of the observed SBF structures at 10-m resolution. Numerical simulations reproduce the detailed features of the SBF, such as frontal lobes/clefts, intense updrafts, rear downdrafts, and Kelvin-Helmholtz billows, consistent with lidar observations. Several localized maxima of updrafts occur at the active SBF lobes with ascending marine air mass and adjacent windward sides, where the ambient warm flows encounter a steep front face and penetrate SBF aloft. Strong downdrafts of marine cool air dominate at the SBF rear where they trap a high concentration of air pollutants. These features are regularly activated by the arc-shaped gravity currents at a horizontal scale of several kilometers and a period of 30 minutes. They are also influenced by the coastal buildings and strongly regulate the spatio-temporal variations of local winds near surface. The findings suggest that a novel full-scale nested prediction system has potential for forecasting coastal weather and environment at high precision, which are valuable for aviation safety, marine activities, and air quality monitoring. AcknowledgmentsThis study was supported by the Strategic Programs for Innovative Research (SPIRE) funded by the Japan Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT). The numerical calculations were performed using the K computer at RIKEN Advanced Institute for Computational Science (Proposal numbers hp130012 and hp140220). The observational data were collected in a field experiment funded by the MEXT (PI: Prof. T. Iwasaki, 19204046) through the collaboration of NICT, ENRI, JAXA, and Tohoku University.

Warm Breeze due to Charge Exchange Collisions Between Neutral He Atoms and He+ Ions in the Outer Heliosheath.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kubiak, M. A.; Bzowski, M.; Czechowski, A.; Grygorczuk, J.

2017-12-01

We simulated the signal due to neutral He atoms, observed by Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX), assuming that charge exchange collisions between neutral He atoms and He+ ions operate everywhere between the heliopause and a distant source region in the local interstellar cloud (LIC). We chose the limiting distance of calculations at 5000 AU, where the neutral and charged components are in thermal equilibrium. From that distance we integrated the signal for test particles that we know they reach the IBEX detector, calculating for each particle the balance of losses and gains in the LIC, the ionization losses inside the HP, and the distribution function at 5000 AU. The resulting statistical weights were integrated over speed, inflow direction, collimator transmission, observation times, and IBEX spin angle bins to simulate the count rate actually observed by IBEX. We simulated several test cases of the plasma flow within the outer heliosheath and investigated the signal generation for plasma flows both in the presence and in the absence of the interstellar magnetic field. We found that a signal in the portion of IBEX data identified as due to the Warm Breeze does not arise when a homogeneous plasma flow in front of the heliopause is assumed. However, it appears immediately when any reasonable disturbance in the plasma flow due to the presence of the heliosphere is assumed. We obtained a good qualitative agreement between the data and the simulations for a model flow with the velocity vector of the unperturbed gas and the direction and intensity of magnetic field adopted from recent determinations. We conclude that direct-sampling observations of neutral He atoms at 1 AU from the Sun are a sensitive tool for investigating the flow of interstellar matter in the outer heliosheath; the Warm Breeze is indeed the secondary population of interstellar helium, as it was hypothesized earlier; the WB signal is consistent with that predicted by comet-like models of the heliosphere with a distortion from axial symmetry by the interstellar magnetic field of 3 microgauss, directed close to the Ribbon direction.

Context-Dependent Piano Music Transcription With Convolutional Sparse Coding

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cogliati, Andrea; Duan, Zhiyao; Wohlberg, Brendt

This study presents a novel approach to automatic transcription of piano music in a context-dependent setting. This approach employs convolutional sparse coding to approximate the music waveform as the summation of piano note waveforms (dictionary elements) convolved with their temporal activations (onset transcription). The piano note waveforms are pre-recorded for the specific piano to be transcribed in the specific environment. During transcription, the note waveforms are fixed and their temporal activations are estimated and post-processed to obtain the pitch and onset transcription. This approach works in the time domain, models temporal evolution of piano notes, and estimates pitches and onsetsmore » simultaneously in the same framework. Finally, experiments show that it significantly outperforms a state-of-the-art music transcription method trained in the same context-dependent setting, in both transcription accuracy and time precision, in various scenarios including synthetic, anechoic, noisy, and reverberant environments.« less

Context-Dependent Piano Music Transcription With Convolutional Sparse Coding

DOE PAGES

Cogliati, Andrea; Duan, Zhiyao; Wohlberg, Brendt

2016-08-04

This study presents a novel approach to automatic transcription of piano music in a context-dependent setting. This approach employs convolutional sparse coding to approximate the music waveform as the summation of piano note waveforms (dictionary elements) convolved with their temporal activations (onset transcription). The piano note waveforms are pre-recorded for the specific piano to be transcribed in the specific environment. During transcription, the note waveforms are fixed and their temporal activations are estimated and post-processed to obtain the pitch and onset transcription. This approach works in the time domain, models temporal evolution of piano notes, and estimates pitches and onsetsmore » simultaneously in the same framework. Finally, experiments show that it significantly outperforms a state-of-the-art music transcription method trained in the same context-dependent setting, in both transcription accuracy and time precision, in various scenarios including synthetic, anechoic, noisy, and reverberant environments.« less

77 FR 62602 - Privacy Act of 1974, as Amended; System of Records Notice

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-10-15

... Record; (12) Statistical Reports--retrievable by names: (a) Personnel Transcript Report, (b) Class... training processes, such as the collection of statistical information on training programs, development of... systems, creating and reviewing statistics to improve the quality of services provided, or conducting debt...

A Grounded Theory Study of Supervision of Preservice Consultation Training

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Newman, Daniel S.

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore a university-based supervision process for consultants-in-training (CITs) engaged in a preservice level consultation course with applied practicum experience. The study was approached from a constructivist worldview using a grounded theory methodology. Data consisted of supervision session transcripts,…

Maritime Education and Training Miscellaneous. Hearings Before the Ad Hoc Select Subcommittee on Maritime Education and Training of the Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries. House of Representatives, Ninety-Sixth Congress (December 6, 11, 1979, February 25, April 28, 1980).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Congress of the U.S., Washington, DC. House Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries.

The three days of House subcommittee hearings reported in this transcript deal with the proposed Maritime Education and Training Act, H.R. 5451 and the Maritime Education and Training Elements of Maritime Appropriations Authorization Act--H.R. 6554. The primary goal of the legislation is to provide for the supply of merchant marine officers from…

Behind the scenes of a research and training collaboration: power, privilege, and the hidden transcript of race.

PubMed

Carpenter-Song, Elizabeth; Whitley, Rob

2013-06-01

This paper examines a federally funded research and training collaboration between an Ivy League psychiatric research center and a historically Black university and medical center. This collaboration focuses on issues of psychiatric recovery and rehabilitation among African Americans. In addition, this multidisciplinary collaboration aims to build the research capacity at both institutions and to contribute to the tradition of research in culture and mental health within the medical social sciences and cultural psychiatry. This article provides a window into the complex, often messy, dynamics of a collaboration that cross cuts institutional, disciplinary, and demographic boundaries. Taking an auto-ethnographic approach, we intend to illustrate how collaborative relationships unfold and are constructed through ongoing reciprocal flows of knowledge and experience. Central to this aim is a consideration of how issues of power, privilege, and the hidden transcript of race shape the nature of our research and training efforts.

Training with Inedible Food in "Aplysia" Causes Expression of C/EBP in the Buccal but Not Cerebral Ganglion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Levitan, David; Lyons, Lisa C.; Perelman, Alexander; Green, Charity L.; Motro, Benny; Eskin, Arnold; Susswein, Abraham J.

2008-01-01

Training with inedible food in "Aplysia" increased expression of the transcription factor C/EBP in the buccal ganglia, which primarily have a motor function, but not in the cerebral or pleural ganglia. C/EBP mRNA increased immediately after training, as well as 1-2 h later. The increased expression of C/EBP protein lagged the increase in mRNA.…

Productivity of transcriptionists using a treadmill desk.

PubMed

Thompson, Warren G; Levine, James A

2011-01-01

Time spent sitting increases all-cause mortality. Sedentary occupations are a major contributor to the obesity epidemic. A treadmill desk offers the potential to increase activity while working; however, it is important to make sure that productivity does not decline. The purpose of this study is to evaluate productivity while using a treadmill desk. Eleven experienced medical transcriptionists participated in the study. Transcriptionists were given 4 hours training in the use of a treadmill desk. They were asked to transcribe tapes for 8 hours both while sitting and while using the treadmill desk. Speed and accuracy of transcription were compared as were the average expended calories per hour. The accuracy of transcription did not differ between sitting and walking transcriptions. The speed of transcription was 16% slower while walking than while sitting (p < 0.001). The transcriptionists expended 100 calories per hour more when they transcribed while walking than when they transcribed while sitting (p < 0.001). The treadmill desk offers a way to reduce sedentariness in the workplace and has potential to reduce employee obesity and health care costs. However, more than 4 hours of training will be necessary to prevent a significant drop in employee productivity.

Putting informed and shared decision making into practice.

PubMed

Towle, Angela; Godolphin, William; Grams, Garry; Lamarre, Amanda

2006-12-01

To investigate the practice, experiences and views of motivated and trained family physicians as they attempt to implement informed and shared decision making (ISDM) in routine practice and to identify and understand the barriers they encounter. Patient involvement in decision making about their health care has been the focus of much academic activity. Although significant conceptual and experimental work has been done, ISDM rarely occurs. Physician attitudes and lack of training are identified barriers. Qualitative analysis of transcripts of consultations and key informant group interviews. Six family physicians received training in the ISDM competencies. Audiotapes of office consultations were made before and after training. Transcripts of consultations were examined to identify behavioural markers associated with each competency and the range of expression of the competencies. The physicians attended group interviews at the end of the study to explore experiences of ISDM. The physicians liked the ISDM model and thought that they should put it into practice. Evidence from transcripts indicated they were able to elicit concerns, ideas and expectations (although not about management) and agree an action plan. They did not elicit preferences for role or information. They sometimes offered choices. They had difficulty achieving full expression of any of the competencies and integrating ISDM into their script for the medical interview. The study also identified a variety of competency-specific barriers. A major barrier to the practice of ISDM by motivated physicians appears to be the need to change well-established patterns of communication with patients.

16. Coke 'fines' bin at Furnace D. After delivery to ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

16. Coke 'fines' bin at Furnace D. After delivery to the trestle bins, the coke was screened and the coke 'fines' or breeze, were transported by conveyor to the coke fines bins where it was collected and leaded into dump trucks. The coke fines were then sold for fuel to a sinter plant in Lorain, Ohio. - Central Furnaces, 2650 Broadway, east bank of Cuyahoga River, Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, OH

Science 101: What Causes Major Wind Patterns, Such as Trade Winds?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robertson, Bill

2014-01-01

A convenient place to begin discussing overall wind patterns on Earth is to explain coastal winds. If you live near the coast (that would be near an ocean) or even near a large lake, you probably know the general pattern of winds there. During the day, breezes tend to blow from the water in toward the land, and at night, this tends to reverse,…

Severe Weather Guide - Mediterranean Ports. 4. Augusta Bay

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-03-01

the year. The track o-f strong extratropical storms has moved northward and poses little tiireat to Augusta Bay. Sea breezes are daily occurrences...as temperatures, begin to moderate. Extratropi cal systems begin to transit Europe as the storm track moves southward in advance of the winter...SUB-GROUP 18. SUBJECT TERMS {Continue on reverse if necessary and identify by block number) Storm haven Mediterranean meteorology Augusta Bay

Mobile Launch Platform (MLP) Environmental Assessment

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-06-28

Sometimes these winds are interrupted by cool seasonal storms with southerly winds; dry offshore storms with southeasterly winds, called Santa Ana...winds; coastal eddies during the warm season with southeasterly winds over the inner waters; and alternating land and sea breezes that occur closer to...mean temperature of 14 oC (58 oF). Total annual precipitation averages 21.3 centimeters (8.4 inches). The dry season ranges from May to September and

Thunderstorm clouds over Western Africa

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1989-01-01

The overshooting tops of a series of strong thunderstorms are seen in this late afternoon scene over the African Ivory Coast, exact location unknown. The low sun angle of the setting sun casts long shadows, accentuating the shapes and heights of the clouds. This seasonal thunderstorm is an African Intertropical Front located along the land/sea breeze interface over the West African coastline and is a normal occurance for this time of year.

Effects of Two Training Programs on Transcriptional Levels of Neurotrophins and Glial Cells Population in Hippocampus of Experimental Multiple Sclerosis.

PubMed

Naghibzadeh, Maryam; Ranjbar, Rouhollah; Tabandeh, Mohammad Reza; Habibi, Abdolhamid

2018-05-18

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) versus low-intensity continuous training (LICT) on transcriptional levels of neurotrophic factors and oligodendrocyte/microglia cell loss in a cuprizone (CP) induced animal model of demyelination. Male C57BL/6 mice were assigned to six groups: control (C), cuprizone-induced demyelination (CP), interval training (IT), continuous training (CT), IT plus CP (ITCP), and CT plus CP (CTCP). Training programs on the treadmill were performed for four weeks, and then demyelination was induced by feeding mice a diet containing 0.2% cuprizone for five weeks. Animals that received cuprizone showed poorer motor function, lower expression of BDNF, GDNF, NGF, and fewer oligodendrocytes in the hippocampus compared to the control animals. The numbers of oligodendrocyte and microglia cells increased in the ITCP group compared to the CTCP group (P<0.05). Both training programs increased the mRNA levels of BDNF, GDNF and NGF, and the HIIT program was more effective than the LICT program (P<0.05). Both exercise programs prevented the abnormal neurological movements induced by cuprizone. Our results indicated that HIIT versus LICT had a greater neuroprotective effect against multiple sclerosis by improving gene expression for abnormal neurotrophins and cellular loss in the hippocampus. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Study of the thermal internal boundary layer during sea-breeze events in the complex coastal area of Marseille

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Calmet, Isabelle; Mestayer, Patrice

2016-02-01

A revisit of two sea-breeze episodes is presented, based on higher spatial resolution large eddy simulations (LES) of the lower atmosphere over the coastal area of Marseille and measurements obtained during the June 2001 experimental campaign UBL-ESCOMPTE. The focus is on the development of thermal internal boundary layers (TIBL) over a complex topography: the dynamic and thermal mechanisms that contribute to the TIBL growth and its further degeneration into a convective mixed layer, the respective influences of the coast shape, the large-scale flow above and the local low-level slope flows. The high-resolution LES permits exploring the potential temperature and turbulent kinetic energy fields in relation with the evolution of TIBL depth and heat fluxes along representative streamlines. Several theoretical TIBL depth models are further compared to the LES-deduced inversion height and other parameters, leading to a discussion of the relationships between the values of these parameters, the respective influences of the governing physical phenomena, and the TIBL behaviour. A threshold value of 0.35 is proposed for the friction velocity to convective velocity scale ratio u */ w * between the two regimes where the TIBL is either dominated by dynamical kinetic energy production or controlled by buoyancy.

Season-dependent size distribution of aerosols over the tropical coastal environment of south-west India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aryasree, S.; Nair, Prabha R.

2018-01-01

This paper presents the results of a detailed study on the size characteristics of aerosols at the tropical coastal site Thiruvananthapuram based on the in-situ measurements of size resolved aerosol number density using an aerosol spectrometer, covering a period of 28 months from September 2011 to December 2013. The diurnal pattern of aerosol number density is characterized by day time low and a two-fold increase during nighttime and these changes are closely associated with the strong mesoscale features namely the sea breeze and land breeze prevailing at the site. Aerosol Number Size Distribution (NSD) depicts a multi-modal nature with two prominent modes, one ≤0.1 μm and other ∼1 μm. Two other less pronounced modes are also observed in the NSD, one ∼0.3-0.5 μm and other ∼5-8 μm. The NSDs also exhibited strong seasonal changes linked with the synoptic meteorological feature of this region namely the South Asian monsoon. The seasonal NSDs were parameterized and analyzed. In addition to this, the effects of meteorological parameters temperature, relative humidity, and wind speed and airflow patterns on aerosol number density as revealed by partial correlation analysis were found to be aerosol size dependent.

A Case Study On the Relative Influence of Free Tropospheric Subsidence, Long Range Transport and Local Production in Modulating Ozone Concentrations over Qatar

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ayoub, Mohammed; Ackermann, Luis; Fountoukis, Christos; Gladich, Ivan

2016-04-01

The Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute (QEERI) operates a network of air quality monitoring stations (AQMS) around the Doha metropolitan area and an ozonesonde station with regular weekly launches and occasional higher frequency launch experiments (HFLE). Six ozonesondes were launched at 0700 LT/0400 UTC and 1300 LT/1000 UTC over a three day period between 10-12 September, 2013. We present the analysis of the ozonesonde data coupled with regional chemical transport modeling over the same time period using WRF-Chem validated against both the ozonesonde and surface AQMS measurements. The HFLE and modeling show evidence of both subsidence and transboundary transport of ozone during the study period, coupled with a strong sea breeze circulation on the 11th of September resulting in elevated ozone concentrations throughout the boundary layer. The development of the sea breeze during the course of the day and influence of the early morning residual layer versus daytime production is quantified. The almost complete titration of ozone in the morning hours of 11 September, 2013 is attributed to local vehicular emissions of NOx and stable atmospheric conditions prevailing over the Doha area. The relative contribution of long range transport of ozone along the Arabian Gulf coast and local urban emissions are discussed.

Response of the Atmospheric Boundary Layer and Soil Layer to a High Altitude, Dense Aerosol Cover.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garratt, J. R.; Pittock, A. B.; Walsh, K.

1990-01-01

The response of the atmospheric boundary layer to the appearance of a high-altitude smoke layer has been investigated in a mesoscale numerical model of the atmosphere. Emphasis is placed on the changes in mean boundary-layer structure and near-surface temperatures when smoke of absorption optical depth (AOD) in the, range 0 to 1 is introduced. Calculations have been made at 30°S, for different soil thermal properties and degrees of surface wetness, over a time period of several days during which major smoke-induced cooling occurs. The presence of smoke reduces the daytime mixed-layer depth and, for large enough values of AOD, results in a daytime surface inversion with large cooling confined to heights of less than a few hundred meters. Smoke-induced reductions in daytime soil and air temperatures of several degrees are typical, dependent critically upon soil wetness and smoke AOD. Locations near the coast experience reduced cooling whenever there is a significant onshore flow related to a sea breeze (this would also be the case with a large-scale onshore flow). The sea breeze itself disappears for large enough smoke AOD and, over sloping coastal terrain, a smoke-induced, offshore drainage flow may exist throughout the diurnal cycle.

Clean recycle and utilization of hazardous iron-bearing waste in iron ore sintering process.

PubMed

Gan, Min; Ji, Zhiyun; Fan, Xiaohui; Chen, Xuling; Zhou, Yang; Wang, Guojing; Tian, Ye; Jiang, Tao

2018-04-18

Applying recycled iron-bearing waste materials (RIM) into iron ore sintering process is the general disposal approach worldwide, while its use is still a thorny problem. Results showed that adding RIM increased contents of hazardous elements (K, Na, Pb, Zn, and Cl) in sinter product, and also enhanced emission concentration of PM 2.5 in flue gas; increasing reaction temperature, and contents of CaO & coke breeze in raw mixtures improved hazardous elements removal. Based on these features, a novel method through granulating natural iron ores and RIM separately and distributing granulated RIM in bottom sintering layers was proposed for clean RIM cycle. When recycling 5% RIM, granulating RIM separately with higher contents of CaO and coke breeze removed hazardous elements effectively, the contents of which in sinter were reduced to comparable level of the case without RIM. Moreover, distributing RIM in bottom sintering layer reached intensive release of hazardous elements and PM 2.5 during sintering, which reduced the flue gas volume needing purification by about 2/3. Through activated carbon purification, about 60% of PM 2.5 comprised high contents of hazardous elements was removed. Novel technique eliminated the negative impact of RIM and has the prospect to reach clean recycle in sinter-making plants. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Evaluation of the 29-km Eta Model for Weather Support to the United States Space Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Manobianco, John; Nutter, Paul

1997-01-01

The Applied Meteorology Unit (AMU) conducted a year-long evaluation of NCEP's 29-km mesoscale Eta (meso-eta) weather prediction model in order to identify added value to forecast operations in support of the United States space program. The evaluation was stratified over warm and cool seasons and considered both objective and subjective verification methodologies. Objective verification results generally indicate that meso-eta model point forecasts at selected stations exhibit minimal error growth in terms of RMS errors and are reasonably unbiased. Conversely, results from the subjective verification demonstrate that model forecasts of developing weather events such as thunderstorms, sea breezes, and cold fronts, are not always as accurate as implied by the seasonal error statistics. Sea-breeze case studies reveal that the model generates a dynamically-consistent thermally direct circulation over the Florida peninsula, although at a larger scale than observed. Thunderstorm verification reveals that the meso-eta model is capable of predicting areas of organized convection, particularly during the late afternoon hours but is not capable of forecasting individual thunderstorms. Verification of cold fronts during the cool season reveals that the model is capable of forecasting a majority of cold frontal passages through east central Florida to within +1-h of observed frontal passage.

GM-CSF and IL-3 Modulate Human Monocyte TNF-α Production and Renewal in In Vitro Models of Trained Immunity.

PubMed

Borriello, Francesco; Iannone, Raffaella; Di Somma, Sarah; Loffredo, Stefania; Scamardella, Eloise; Galdiero, Maria Rosaria; Varricchi, Gilda; Granata, Francescopaolo; Portella, Giuseppe; Marone, Gianni

2016-01-01

GM-CSF and IL-3 are hematopoietic cytokines that also modulate the effector functions of several immune cell subsets. In particular, GM-CSF and IL-3 exert a significant control on monocyte and macrophage effector functions, as assessed in experimental models of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases and also in human studies. Here, we sought to investigate the mechanisms and the extent to which GM-CSF and IL-3 modulate the pro-inflammatory, LPS-mediated, activation of human CD14 + monocytes taking into account the new concept of trained immunity (i.e., the priming stimulus modulates the response to subsequent stimuli mainly by inducing chromatin remodeling and increased transcription at relevant genetic loci). We demonstrate that GM-CSF and IL-3 priming enhances TNF-α production upon subsequent LPS stimulation (short-term model of trained immunity) in a p38- and SIRT2-dependent manner without increasing TNF primary transcript levels (a more direct measure of transcription), thus supporting a posttranscriptional regulation of TNF-α in primed monocytes. GM-CSF and IL-3 priming followed by 6 days of resting also results in increased TNF-α production upon LPS stimulation (long-term model of trained immunity). In this case, however, GM-CSF and IL-3 priming induces a c-Myc-dependent monocyte renewal and increase in cell number that is in turn responsible for heightened TNF-α production. Overall, our results provide insights to understand the biology of monocytes in health and disease conditions in which the hematopoietic cytokines GM-CSF and IL-3 play a role and also extend our knowledge of the cellular and molecular mechanisms of trained immunity.

Impact of Handwriting Training on Fluency, Spelling and Text Quality among Third Graders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hurschler Lichtsteiner, Sibylle; Wicki, Werner; Falmann, Péter

2018-01-01

As recent studies and theoretical assumptions suggest that the quality of texts composed by children and adolescents is affected by their transcription skills, this experimental field trial aims at investigating the impact of combined handwriting/spelling training on fluency, spelling and text quality among normally developing 3rd graders…

Serotonin- and Training-Induced Dynamic Regulation of CREB2 in "Aplysia"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Rong-Yu; Shah, Shreyansh; Cleary, Leonard J.; Byrne, John H.

2011-01-01

Long-term memory and plasticity, including long-term synaptic facilitation (LTF) of the "Aplysia" sensorimotor synapse, depend on the activation of transcription factors that regulate genes necessary for synaptic plasticity. In the present study we found that treatment with 5-HT and behavioral training produce biphasic changes in the expression of…

Training Directors' Conceptualizations of the Intersections of Diversity and Trainee Competence Problems: A Preliminary Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, David S. Shen; Forrest, Linda; Elman, Nancy S.

2009-01-01

Counseling psychology has demonstrated leadership on multicultural issues through serious and committed attention to diversity in scholarship, conferences, and training and recruitment. Yet a survey of the literature on trainees with competence problems resulted in limited references to race/ethnicity and/or gender (REG). Using transcripts of…

Speech processing using conditional observable maximum likelihood continuity mapping

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hogden, John; Nix, David

A computer implemented method enables the recognition of speech and speech characteristics. Parameters are initialized of first probability density functions that map between the symbols in the vocabulary of one or more sequences of speech codes that represent speech sounds and a continuity map. Parameters are also initialized of second probability density functions that map between the elements in the vocabulary of one or more desired sequences of speech transcription symbols and the continuity map. The parameters of the probability density functions are then trained to maximize the probabilities of the desired sequences of speech-transcription symbols. A new sequence ofmore » speech codes is then input to the continuity map having the trained first and second probability function parameters. A smooth path is identified on the continuity map that has the maximum probability for the new sequence of speech codes. The probability of each speech transcription symbol for each input speech code can then be output.« less

An Annotation Agnostic Algorithm for Detecting Nascent RNA Transcripts in GRO-Seq.

PubMed

Azofeifa, Joseph G; Allen, Mary A; Lladser, Manuel E; Dowell, Robin D

2017-01-01

We present a fast and simple algorithm to detect nascent RNA transcription in global nuclear run-on sequencing (GRO-seq). GRO-seq is a relatively new protocol that captures nascent transcripts from actively engaged polymerase, providing a direct read-out on bona fide transcription. Most traditional assays, such as RNA-seq, measure steady state RNA levels which are affected by transcription, post-transcriptional processing, and RNA stability. GRO-seq data, however, presents unique analysis challenges that are only beginning to be addressed. Here, we describe a new algorithm, Fast Read Stitcher (FStitch), that takes advantage of two popular machine-learning techniques, hidden Markov models and logistic regression, to classify which regions of the genome are transcribed. Given a small user-defined training set, our algorithm is accurate, robust to varying read depth, annotation agnostic, and fast. Analysis of GRO-seq data without a priori need for annotation uncovers surprising new insights into several aspects of the transcription process.

The Role of Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptors and Their Transcriptional Coactivators Gene Variations in Human Trainability: A Systematic Review

PubMed Central

Petr, Miroslav; Zajac, Adam; Maciejewska-Skrendo, Agnieszka

2018-01-01

Background: The peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARA, PPARG, PPARD) and their transcriptional coactivators’ (PPARGC1A, PPARGC1B) gene polymorphisms have been associated with muscle morphology, oxygen uptake, power output and endurance performance. The purpose of this review is to determine whether the PPARs and/or their coactivators’ polymorphisms can predict the training response to specific training stimuli. Methods: In accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta Analyses, a literature review has been run for a combination of PPARs and physical activity key words. Results: All ten of the included studies were performed using aerobic training in general, sedentary or elderly populations from 21 to 75 years of age. The non-responders for aerobic training (VO2peak increase, slow muscle fiber increase and low-density lipoprotein decrease) are the carriers of PPARGC1A rs8192678 Ser/Ser. The negative responders for aerobic training (decrease in VO2peak) are carriers of the PPARD rs2267668 G allele. The negative responders for aerobic training (decreased glucose tolerance and insulin response) are subjects with the PPARG rs1801282 Pro/Pro genotype. The best responders to aerobic training are PPARGC1A rs8192678 Gly/Gly, PPARD rs1053049 TT, PPARD rs2267668 AA and PPARG rs1801282 Ala carriers. Conclusions: The human response for aerobic training is significantly influenced by PPARs’ gene polymorphism and their coactivators, where aerobic training can negatively influence glucose metabolism and VO2peak in some genetically-predisposed individuals. PMID:29762540

Options in Education, Transcript for November 3, 1975: College Enrollment, Standardized Testing, Hyperactive Children, Teacher Strikes, and Training to Be a Professional Golfer.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

George Washington Univ., Washington, DC. Inst. for Educational Leadership.

"Options in Education" is a radio news program which focuses on issues and developments in education. This transcript of the first show contains discussions of college enrollment, the controversy over standardized testing, hyperactivity in school children, the rash of teacher strikes, and how to become a professional golfer. Participants…

Electrically conductive polymer concrete coatings

DOEpatents

Fontana, J.J.; Elling, D.; Reams, W.

1990-03-13

A sprayable electrically conductive polymer concrete coating for vertical d overhead applications is described. The coating is permeable yet has low electrical resistivity (<10 ohm-cm), good bond strength to concrete substrates, and good weatherability. A preferred formulation contains about 60 wt % calcined coke breeze, 40 wt % vinyl ester with 3.5 wt % modified bentonite clay. Such formulations apply evenly and provide enough rigidity for vertical or overhead structures so there is no drip or sag.

Electrically conductive polymer concrete coatings

DOEpatents

Fontana, Jack J.; Elling, David; Reams, Walter

1990-01-01

A sprayable electrically conductive polymer concrete coating for vertical d overhead applications is described. The coating is permeable yet has low electrical resistivity (<10 ohm-cm), good bond strength to concrete substrates, and good weatherability. A preferred formulation contains about 60 wt % calcined coke breeze, 40 wt % vinyl ester with 3.5 wt % modified bentonite clay. Such formulations apply evenly and provide enough rigidity for vertical or overhead structures so there is no drip or sag.

Environmental Assessment Addressing the Emerald Breeze Resort, Santa Rosa Island, Fort Walton Beach, Florida

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-09-11

conditions in their upper part. Anaerobic soil conditions are conducive to the establishment of vegetation that is adapted for growth under oxygen...sufficient to support, and that under normal circumstances do support, a prevalence of vegetation typically adapted to life in saturated soil...species adapted to dense commercial development and heavy vehicular traffic would be expected to move back into the area after development of the

The Nature of The Propagation of Sea Breeze Fronts in Central California

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-09-01

propagation vector % ith stations in the southern portion of Monterey Bay shows that the front is curved on the mesoscale. 20 Distribution Availabilit of...solar radiation warms the land more than the adjacent water . The resulting temperature contrast produces a slight variation in pressure. The isobaric...surfaces bend upward over the land, producing an upper-level high. The upper-level air flows seaward increasing the surface pressure over the water . The

Aeronautical Knowledge (Selected Articles),

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-04-11

distribution unlimited. THIS TRANSLATION IS A RENDITION OF THE ORIGI. NAL FOREIGN TEXT WITH4OUT ANY ANALYTICAL ORt EDITORIAL COMMENT. STATEMENTS ORt THEORIES...An operator busily touched a row of milky white switches on a computer . Groups of vermilion number codes incessantly flickered on a light blue display...On a Surface Observation Ship in the Launch Sea Area Blue sky and azure sea with light breeze and small waves were scenes of the launch sea area. In

Extinction of aversive memories associated with morphine withdrawal requires ERK-mediated epigenetic regulation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor transcription in the rat ventromedial prefrontal cortex.

PubMed

Wang, Wei-Sheng; Kang, Shuo; Liu, Wen-Tao; Li, Mu; Liu, Yao; Yu, Chuan; Chen, Jie; Chi, Zhi-Qiang; He, Ling; Liu, Jing-Gen

2012-10-03

Recent evidence suggests that histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors facilitate extinction of rewarding memory of drug taking. However, little is known about the role of chromatin modification in the extinction of aversive memory of drug withdrawal. In this study, we used conditioned place aversion (CPA), a highly sensitive model for measuring aversive memory of drug withdrawal, to investigate the role of epigenetic regulation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) gene expression in extinction of aversive memory. We found that CPA extinction training induced an increase in recruiting cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) to and acetylation of histone H3 at the promoters of BDNF exon I transcript and increased BDNF mRNA and protein expression in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) of acute morphine-dependent rats and that such epigenetic regulation of BDNF gene transcription could be facilitated or diminished by intra-vmPFC infusion of HDAC inhibitor trichostatin A or extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) inhibitor U0126 (1,4-diamino-2,3-dicyano-1,4-bis(methylthio)butadiene) before extinction training. Correspondingly, disruption of the epigenetic regulation of BDNF gene transcription with U0126 or suppression of BDNF signaling with Trk receptor antagonist K252a or BDNF scavenger tyrosine kinase receptor B (TrkB)-Fc blocked extinction of CPA behavior. We also found that extinction training-induced activation of ERK and CREB and extinction of CPA behavior could be potentiated or suppressed by intra-vmPFC infusion of d-cycloserine, a NMDA receptor partial agonist or aminophosphonopentanoic acid, a NMDA receptor antagonist. We conclude that extinction of aversive memory of morphine withdrawal requires epigenetic regulation of BDNF gene transcription in the vmPFC through activation of the ERK-CREB signaling pathway perhaps in a NMDA receptor-dependent manner.

The Reasons behind a Career Change through Vocational Education and Training

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Masdonati, Jonas; Fournier, Geneviève; Lahrizi, Imane Z.

2017-01-01

We report the results of qualitative research on adults who enrolled in a vocational and education training (VET) program with the intention of changing their careers. The participants were 30 adults aged between 25 and 45 years. A modified version of the consensual qualitative research method was applied to transcriptions of semi-structured…

"Her Energy Kind of Went into a Different Place": A Qualitative Study Examining Supervisors' Experience of Promoting Reflexive Learning in Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCandless, Robert; Eatough, Virginia

2012-01-01

For family therapists in training, a key learning outcome is the development of reflexive abilities. This study explores the experience of three experienced training supervisors as they address this learning outcome with students. Transcripts of semi-structured interviews were analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. The…

Transcription and Annotation of a Japanese Accented Spoken Corpus of L2 Spanish for the Development of CAPT Applications

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carranza, Mario

2016-01-01

This paper addresses the process of transcribing and annotating spontaneous non-native speech with the aim of compiling a training corpus for the development of Computer Assisted Pronunciation Training (CAPT) applications, enhanced with Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) technology. To better adapt ASR technology to CAPT tools, the recognition…

Putting informed and shared decision making into practice

PubMed Central

Towle, Angela; Godolphin, William; Grams, Garry; LaMarre, Amanda

2006-01-01

Abstract Objective  To investigate the practice, experiences and views of motivated and trained family physicians as they attempt to implement informed and shared decision making (ISDM) in routine practice and to identify and understand the barriers they encounter. Background  Patient involvement in decision making about their health care has been the focus of much academic activity. Although significant conceptual and experimental work has been done, ISDM rarely occurs. Physician attitudes and lack of training are identified barriers. Design  Qualitative analysis of transcripts of consultations and key informant group interviews. Settings and participants  Six family physicians received training in the ISDM competencies. Audiotapes of office consultations were made before and after training. Transcripts of consultations were examined to identify behavioural markers associated with each competency and the range of expression of the competencies. The physicians attended group interviews at the end of the study to explore experiences of ISDM. Results  The physicians liked the ISDM model and thought that they should put it into practice. Evidence from transcripts indicated they were able to elicit concerns, ideas and expectations (although not about management) and agree an action plan. They did not elicit preferences for role or information. They sometimes offered choices. They had difficulty achieving full expression of any of the competencies and integrating ISDM into their script for the medical interview. The study also identified a variety of competency‐specific barriers. Conclusion  A major barrier to the practice of ISDM by motivated physicians appears to be the need to change well‐established patterns of communication with patients. PMID:17083559

Exercise training alters DNA methylation patterns in genes related to muscle growth and differentiation in mice.

PubMed

Kanzleiter, Timo; Jähnert, Markus; Schulze, Gunnar; Selbig, Joachim; Hallahan, Nicole; Schwenk, Robert Wolfgang; Schürmann, Annette

2015-05-15

The adaptive response of skeletal muscle to exercise training is tightly controlled and therefore requires transcriptional regulation. DNA methylation is an epigenetic mechanism known to modulate gene expression, but its contribution to exercise-induced adaptations in skeletal muscle is not well studied. Here, we describe a genome-wide analysis of DNA methylation in muscle of trained mice (n = 3). Compared with sedentary controls, 2,762 genes exhibited differentially methylated CpGs (P < 0.05, meth diff >5%, coverage >10) in their putative promoter regions. Alignment with gene expression data (n = 6) revealed 200 genes with a negative correlation between methylation and expression changes in response to exercise training. The majority of these genes were related to muscle growth and differentiation, and a minor fraction involved in metabolic regulation. Among the candidates were genes that regulate the expression of myogenic regulatory factors (Plexin A2) as well as genes that participate in muscle hypertrophy (Igfbp4) and motor neuron innervation (Dok7). Interestingly, a transcription factor binding site enrichment study discovered significantly enriched occurrence of CpG methylation in the binding sites of the myogenic regulatory factors MyoD and myogenin. These findings suggest that DNA methylation is involved in the regulation of muscle adaptation to regular exercise training. Copyright © 2015 the American Physiological Society.

U.S. Army Research Laboratory (ARL) Corporate Dari Document Transcription and Translation Guidelines

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-10-01

text file format. 15. SUBJECT TERMS Transcription, Translation, guidelines, ground truth, Optical character recognition , OCR, Machine Translation, MT...foreign language into a target language in order to train, test, and evaluate optical character recognition (OCR) and machine translation (MT) embedded...graphic element and should not be transcribed. Elements that are not part of the primary text such as handwritten annotations or stamps should not be

Shallow to Deep Convection Transition over a Heterogeneous Land Surface Using the Land Model Coupled Large-Eddy Simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, J.; Zhang, Y.; Klein, S. A.

2017-12-01

The triggering of the land breeze, and hence the development of deep convection over heterogeneous land should be understood as a consequence of the complex processes involving various factors from land surface and atmosphere simultaneously. That is a sub-grid scale process that many large-scale models have difficulty incorporating it into the parameterization scheme partly due to lack of our understanding. Thus, it is imperative that we approach the problem using a high-resolution modeling framework. In this study, we use SAM-SLM (Lee and Khairoutdinov, 2015), a large-eddy simulation model coupled to a land model, to explore the cloud effect such as cold pool, the cloud shading and the soil moisture memory on the land breeze structure and the further development of cloud and precipitation over a heterogeneous land surface. The atmospheric large scale forcing and the initial sounding are taken from the new composite case study of the fair-weather, non-precipitating shallow cumuli at ARM SGP (Zhang et al., 2017). We model the land surface as a chess board pattern with alternating leaf area index (LAI). The patch contrast of the LAI is adjusted to encompass the weak to strong heterogeneity amplitude. The surface sensible- and latent heat fluxes are computed according to the given LAI representing the differential surface heating over a heterogeneous land surface. Separate from the surface forcing imposed from the originally modeled surface, the cases that transition into the moist convection can induce another layer of the surface heterogeneity from the 1) radiation shading by clouds, 2) adjusted soil moisture pattern by the rain, 3) spreading cold pool. First, we assess and quantifies the individual cloud effect on the land breeze and the moist convection under the weak wind to simplify the feedback processes. And then, the same set of experiments is repeated under sheared background wind with low level jet, a typical summer time wind pattern at ARM SGP site, to account for more realistic situations. Our goal is to assist answering the question: "Do the sub-grid scale land surface heterogeneity matter for the weather and climate modeling?" This work performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under Contract DE-AC52-07NA27344. LLNL-ABS- 736011.

Observed and simulated features of the phases of the sea-breeze in the island of Mallorca

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jimenez, Maria A.; Cuxart, Joan; Simó, Gemma; Wrenger, Burkhard; Martinez-Villagrasa, Daniel; Guijarro, Jose A.; Telisman-Prtenjak, Maja; Lopez, Alvaro; Picos, Rodrigo

2016-04-01

In order to better understand the diurnal cycle of the Sea-Breeze (SB) in the island of Mallorca, during September 2013 and June 2014 two experimental field campaigns have been conducted in the Campos basin (at the south side). A total of 6 IOPs (clear skies and weak pressure gradient conditions) are analysed using observations taken close to the coastline (about 900 m inland) that consist on a surface portable station (equipped with a temperature and humidity probe, and one 2-D and 3-D sonic anemometers), a captive balloon (temperature and humidity) and a multicopter (temperature and humidity). Besides, observations from automatic weather stations of the AEMET network are taken as well as satellite-derived surface temperatures that together with the model outputs from high-resolution mesoscale simulations are used to better understand the organization of the flow at lower levels. With the combined inspection of observations and model results it is found that during the previous phase (after sunrise) land-breeze conditions were present and the sensible heat flux turned to positive meanwhile the turbulence started. In the preparatory phase (about 3 hours after sunrise) the wind close to the coast started to veer progressively towards the SB direction. As soon as the SB was initiated (about 5 hours after sunrise), the SB front progressed to the inland direction reaching a mature phase starting at noon. Afterwards, the SB decaying starts and close to sunset the wind speed was close to zero and veered towards the land to sea direction. During the campaign all phases were measured with special emphasis to the morning transition (from LB to SB) and the evening transition (from SB to LB) because of the strong wind shear (turbulence) reported during the mature phase. It is found that for all the different phases the model is able to capture the organization of the flow at lower levels although it experiences some difficulties in reproducing the thermal profile during the preparatory phase, when the model energy budget usually differs a lot from the observed one. Nevertheless, at the end of this phase the model agrees with the observations, showing that the general energetics of the morning transition are well captured.

Rainfall Morphology in Semi-Tropical Convergence Zones

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shepherd, J. Marshall; Ferrier, Brad S.; Ray, Peter S.

2000-01-01

Central Florida is the ideal test laboratory for studying convergence zone-induced convection. The region regularly experiences sea breeze fronts and rainfall-induced outflow boundaries. The focus of this study is the common yet poorly-studied convergence zone established by the interaction of the sea breeze front and an outflow boundary. Previous studies have investigated mechanisms primarily affecting storm initiation by such convergence zones. Few have focused on rainfall morphology yet these storms contribute a significant amount precipitation to the annual rainfall budget. Low-level convergence and mid-tropospheric moisture have both been shown to correlate with rainfall amounts in Florida. Using 2D and 3D numerical simulations, the roles of low-level convergence and mid-tropospheric moisture in rainfall evolution are examined. The results indicate that time-averaged, vertical moisture flux (VMF) at the sea breeze front/outflow convergence zone is directly and linearly proportional to initial condensation rates. This proportionality establishes a similar relationship between VMF and initial rainfall. Vertical moisture flux, which encompasses depth and magnitude of convergence, is better correlated to initial rainfall production than surface moisture convergence. This extends early observational studies which linked rainfall in Florida to surface moisture convergence. The amount and distribution of mid-tropospheric moisture determines how rainfall associated with secondary cells develop. Rainfall amount and efficiency varied significantly over an observable range of relative humidities in the 850- 500 mb layer even though rainfall evolution was similar during the initial or "first-cell" period. Rainfall variability was attributed to drier mid-tropospheric environments inhibiting secondary cell development through entrainment effects. Observationally, 850-500 mb moisture structure exhibits wider variability than lower level moisture, which is virtually always present in Florida. A likely consequence of the variability in 850-500 moisture is a stronger statistical correlation to rainfall, which observational studies have noted. The study indicates that vertical moisture flux forcing at convergence zones is critical in determining rainfall in the initial stage of development but plays a decreasing role in rainfall evolution as the system matures. The mid-tropospheric moisture (e.g. environment) plays an increasing role in rainfall evolution as the system matures. This suggests the need to improve measurements of magnitude/depth of convergence and mid-tropospheric moisture distribution. It also highlights the need for better parameterization of entrainment and vertical moisture distribution in larger-scale models.

Aerosol-cloud interactions in mixed-phase convective clouds - Part 1: Aerosol perturbations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miltenberger, Annette K.; Field, Paul R.; Hill, Adrian A.; Rosenberg, Phil; Shipway, Ben J.; Wilkinson, Jonathan M.; Scovell, Robert; Blyth, Alan M.

2018-03-01

Changes induced by perturbed aerosol conditions in moderately deep mixed-phase convective clouds (cloud top height ˜ 5 km) developing along sea-breeze convergence lines are investigated with high-resolution numerical model simulations. The simulations utilise the newly developed Cloud-AeroSol Interacting Microphysics (CASIM) module for the Unified Model (UM), which allows for the representation of the two-way interaction between cloud and aerosol fields. Simulations are evaluated against observations collected during the COnvective Precipitation Experiment (COPE) field campaign over the southwestern peninsula of the UK in 2013. The simulations compare favourably with observed thermodynamic profiles, cloud base cloud droplet number concentrations (CDNC), cloud depth, and radar reflectivity statistics. Including the modification of aerosol fields by cloud microphysical processes improves the correspondence with observed CDNC values and spatial variability, but reduces the agreement with observations for average cloud size and cloud top height. Accumulated precipitation is suppressed for higher-aerosol conditions before clouds become organised along the sea-breeze convergence lines. Changes in precipitation are smaller in simulations with aerosol processing. The precipitation suppression is due to less efficient precipitation production by warm-phase microphysics, consistent with parcel model predictions. In contrast, after convective cells organise along the sea-breeze convergence zone, accumulated precipitation increases with aerosol concentrations. Condensate production increases with the aerosol concentrations due to higher vertical velocities in the convective cores and higher cloud top heights. However, for the highest-aerosol scenarios, no further increase in the condensate production occurs, as clouds grow into an upper-level stable layer. In these cases, the reduced precipitation efficiency (PE) dominates the precipitation response and no further precipitation enhancement occurs. Previous studies of deep convective clouds have related larger vertical velocities under high-aerosol conditions to enhanced latent heating from freezing. In the presented simulations changes in latent heating above the 0°C are negligible, but latent heating from condensation increases with aerosol concentrations. It is hypothesised that this increase is related to changes in the cloud field structure reducing the mixing of environmental air into the convective core. The precipitation response of the deeper mixed-phase clouds along well-established convergence lines can be the opposite of predictions from parcel models. This occurs when clouds interact with a pre-existing thermodynamic environment and cloud field structural changes occur that are not captured by simple parcel model approaches.

Integrating and mining the chromatin landscape of cell-type specificity using self-organizing maps.

PubMed

Mortazavi, Ali; Pepke, Shirley; Jansen, Camden; Marinov, Georgi K; Ernst, Jason; Kellis, Manolis; Hardison, Ross C; Myers, Richard M; Wold, Barbara J

2013-12-01

We tested whether self-organizing maps (SOMs) could be used to effectively integrate, visualize, and mine diverse genomics data types, including complex chromatin signatures. A fine-grained SOM was trained on 72 ChIP-seq histone modifications and DNase-seq data sets from six biologically diverse cell lines studied by The ENCODE Project Consortium. We mined the resulting SOM to identify chromatin signatures related to sequence-specific transcription factor occupancy, sequence motif enrichment, and biological functions. To highlight clusters enriched for specific functions such as transcriptional promoters or enhancers, we overlaid onto the map additional data sets not used during training, such as ChIP-seq, RNA-seq, CAGE, and information on cis-acting regulatory modules from the literature. We used the SOM to parse known transcriptional enhancers according to the cell-type-specific chromatin signature, and we further corroborated this pattern on the map by EP300 (also known as p300) occupancy. New candidate cell-type-specific enhancers were identified for multiple ENCODE cell types in this way, along with new candidates for ubiquitous enhancer activity. An interactive web interface was developed to allow users to visualize and custom-mine the ENCODE SOM. We conclude that large SOMs trained on chromatin data from multiple cell types provide a powerful way to identify complex relationships in genomic data at user-selected levels of granularity.

Integrating and mining the chromatin landscape of cell-type specificity using self-organizing maps

PubMed Central

Mortazavi, Ali; Pepke, Shirley; Jansen, Camden; Marinov, Georgi K.; Ernst, Jason; Kellis, Manolis; Hardison, Ross C.; Myers, Richard M.; Wold, Barbara J.

2013-01-01

We tested whether self-organizing maps (SOMs) could be used to effectively integrate, visualize, and mine diverse genomics data types, including complex chromatin signatures. A fine-grained SOM was trained on 72 ChIP-seq histone modifications and DNase-seq data sets from six biologically diverse cell lines studied by The ENCODE Project Consortium. We mined the resulting SOM to identify chromatin signatures related to sequence-specific transcription factor occupancy, sequence motif enrichment, and biological functions. To highlight clusters enriched for specific functions such as transcriptional promoters or enhancers, we overlaid onto the map additional data sets not used during training, such as ChIP-seq, RNA-seq, CAGE, and information on cis-acting regulatory modules from the literature. We used the SOM to parse known transcriptional enhancers according to the cell-type-specific chromatin signature, and we further corroborated this pattern on the map by EP300 (also known as p300) occupancy. New candidate cell-type-specific enhancers were identified for multiple ENCODE cell types in this way, along with new candidates for ubiquitous enhancer activity. An interactive web interface was developed to allow users to visualize and custom-mine the ENCODE SOM. We conclude that large SOMs trained on chromatin data from multiple cell types provide a powerful way to identify complex relationships in genomic data at user-selected levels of granularity. PMID:24170599

Combination Therapies for the Mitigation of Musculoskeletal Pathologic Damage in a Novel Model of Severe Injury and Disuse

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-10-01

tasks associated with this milestone. RESULTS SUMMARY (WOLF): 5 FOR SPECIFIC AIM 1:  The reversal effect of exercise training on muscle genomic... with exercise training ; gene expressions of Fgl2 in blood clotting cascade and Col1a1 in inflammatory response pathway decreased in response to...exercise training as well. In summary, miRNAs and transcript gene profiles were affected in burn and hindlimb unloading, those changes are associated with

Electrically conductive polymer concrete coatings

DOEpatents

Fontana, J.J.; Elling, D.; Reams, W.

1988-05-26

A sprayable electrically conductive polymer concrete coating for vertical and overhead applications is described. The coating is permeable yet has low electrical resistivity (<10 ohm-cm), good bond strength to concrete substrates, and good weatherability. A preferred formulation contains about 60 wt% calcined coke breeze, 40 wt% vinyl ester resin with 3.5 wt% modified bentonite clay. Such formulations apply evenly and provide enough rigidity for vertical or overhead structures so there is no drip or sag. 4 tabs.

Florida, Bahamas, Cuba and Gulf Stream, USA

NASA Image and Video Library

1992-08-08

This unique photo offers a view of the Florida peninsula, western Bahamas, north central Cuba and the deep blue waters of the Gulf Stream, that hugs the east coast of Florida (27.0N, 82.0W). In addition to being an excellent photograph for showing the geographical relationships between the variety of landforms in this scene, the typical effect of the land-sea breeze is very much in evidence as few clouds over water, cumulus build up over landmass.

Internet-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Effects on Depressive Cognitions and Brain Function

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-03-01

differentiates deficit and nondeficit schizophrenia. Arch Gen Psychiatry 1999;56:1117-1123. 58. Dougherty DD, Bonab AA, Spencer TJ, Rauch SL, Madras...Koneru VK, Garroway J, Stein N, Rauch SL, Herbert MR, Dietrich ME, Melrose R, Grant PE, Sohma M, Klaviness S, Cohen BM, Seidman LJ, Caviness V, Biederman...2005;57(9):1011-9. 116. Frazier JA, Breeze JL, Makris N, Giuliano AS, Herbert MR, Seidman L, Biederman J, Hodge SM, Dieterich ME, Gerstein E

Diurnal Sea Breeze Effects on Nearshore Temperature Variability in Southern Monterey Bay

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-12-01

from multi-year, single-location measurements of the velocity profiles (Fewings et al. 2008; Lentz et al. 2008; Hendrickson and MacMahan 2009) to...shorter O(0-2 months) experiments with multi-location moorings (Hally- Rosendahl et al. 2015; Reniers et al. 2009). Direct approaches for accounting for...zone (~5m). Two cross-shore arrays were deployed to account for the spatial heterogeneity of cross- shore flows associated with rip currents on the

The Relationship Between Sea Breeze Forcing and HF Radar-Derived Surface Currents in Monterey Bay

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-06-01

the ocean wave backscattering the radar signal is one half the radar’s wavelength (Neal 1992). This process is called Bragg scattering (Barrick 1977...transmit frequency of radar is important because it helps us to figure out the length of the ocean waves and backscattered radar wavelength (Harlan et al...Representation of some remote sensing methods exploiting signals backscattered from the sea surface (from Shearman 1981). 7 HF radars have many advantages

Optical and Radio Frequency Refractivity Fluctuations from High Resolution Point Sensors: Sea Breezes and Other Observations

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-03-01

velocity and direction along with vertical velocities are derived from the measured time of flight for the ultrasonic signals (manufacture’s...data set. To prevent aliasing a wave must be sample at least twice per period so the Nyquist frequency is sn ff 2 = . 3. Sampling Requirements...an order of magnitude or more. To refine models or conduct climatologically studies for Cn2 requires direct measurements to identify the underlying

Model study of meteorology and photochemical air pollution over un urban area in south-eastern France (ESCOMPTE campaign).

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taghavi, M.; Cautenet, S.

2003-04-01

The ESCOMPTE Campaign has been conducted over Southern France (Provence region including the Marseille, Aix and Toulon cities and the Fos-Berre industrial center) in June and July of 2001. In order to study the redistribution of the pollutants emitted by anthropic and biogenic emissions and their impact on the atmospheric chemistry, we used meso-scale modeling (RAMS model, paralleled version 4.3, coupled on line with chemical modules : MOCA2.2 (Poulet et al, 2002) including 29 gaseous species). The hourly high resolution emissions were obtained from ESCOMPTE database (Ponche et al, 2002). The model was coupled with the dry deposition scheme (Walmsley and Weseley,1996). In this particular case of complex circulation (sea breeze associated with topography), the processes involving peaks of pollution were strongly non linear, and the meso scale modeling coupled on line with chemistry module was an essential step for a realistic redistribution of chemical species. Two nested grids satisfactorily describe the synoptic dynamics and the sea breeze circulations. The ECMWF meteorological fields provide the initial and boundary conditions. Different events characterized by various meteorological situations were simulated. Meteorological fields retrieved by modeling, also Modeled ozone, NOx, CO and SO2 concentrations, were compared with balloons, lidars, aircrafts and surface stations measurements. The chemistry regimes were explained according to the distribution of plumes. The stratified layers were examined.

Spatial and temporal variability of PM levels and composition in a complex summer atmospheric scenario in Barcelona (NE Spain)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Viana, M.; Pérez, C.; Querol, X.; Alastuey, A.; Nickovic, S.; Baldasano, J. M.

Summer atmospheric coastal dynamics exert a significant influence on the levels and composition of atmospheric particulate matter (PM) in the North-Eastern Iberian Peninsula. Summer atmospheric scenarios in this region present a high degree of complexity as they are characterised by the absence of synoptic-scale air mass advections, the development of breeze circulations, enhanced photochemistry, local mineral dust re-suspension and the occurrence of African dust outbreaks. Three sampling sites were selected in Barcelona (NE Spain), an urban coastal site surrounded by complex topography. Regional dust modelling (DREAM) and high resolution meteorological modelling (MM5) were used to interpret PM levels and composition at the three sites. The results outline the effect of breeze dynamics and thermal internal boundary layer formation as the main meteorological drivers of the hourly evolution of PM levels. Levels of crustal components, secondary inorganic and carbon species are higher during the night, and only the marine aerosol content is higher during the day. Nitrate levels are higher during the night due to the thermal stability on NH 4NO 3. Sulphate levels are higher during the night as a consequence of the drainage flows. Lidar measurements and model results signalled the occurrence of two African dust episodes during the study period which mainly affected the free troposphere over Barcelona.

Relation between aerosol sources and meteorological parameters for inhalable atmospheric particles in Sao Paulo City, Brazil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andrade, Fatima; Orsini, Celso; Maenhaut, Willy

Stacked filter units were used to collect atmospheric particles in separate coarse and fine fractions at the Sao Paulo University Campus during the winter of 1989. The samples were analysed by particle-induced X-ray emission (PIXE) and the data were subjected to an absolute principal component analysis (APCA). Five sources were identified for the fine particles: industrial emissions, which accounted for 13% of the fine mass; emissions from residual oil and diesel, explaining 41%; resuspended soil dust, with 28%; and emissions of Cu and of Mg, together with 18%. For the coarse particles, four sources were identified: soil dust, accounting for 59% of the coarse mass; industrial emissions, with 19%; oil burning, with 8%; and sea salt aerosol, with 14% of the coarse mass. A data set with various meteorological parameters was also subjected to APCA, and a correlation analysis was performed between the meteorological "absolute principal component scores" (APCS) and the APCS from the fine and coarse particle data sets. The soil dust sources for the fine and coarse aerosol were highly correlated with each other and were anticorrelated with the sea breeze component. The industrial components in the fine and coarse size fractions were also highly positively correlated. Furthermore, the industrial component was related with the northeasterly wind direction and, to a lesser extent, with the sea breeze component.

Modelling study of sea breezes in a complex coastal environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cai, X.-M.; Steyn, D. G.

This study investigates a mesoscale modelling of sea breezes blowing from a narrow strait into the lower Fraser valley (LFV), British Columbia, Canada, during the period of 17-20 July, 1985. Without a nudging scheme in the inner grid, the CSU-RAMS model produces satisfactory wind and temperature fields during the daytime. In comparison with observation, the agreement indices for surface wind and temperature during daytime reach about 0.6 and 0.95, respectively, while the agreement indices drop to 0.4 at night. In the vertical, profiles of modelled wind and temperature generally agree with tethersonde data collected on 17 and 19 July. The study demonstrates that in late afternoon, the model does not capture the advection of an elevated warm layer which originated from land surfaces outside of the inner grid. Mixed layer depth (MLD) is calculated from model output of turbulent kinetic energy field. Comparison of MLD results with observation shows that the method generates a reliable MLD during the daytime, and that accurate estimates of MLD near the coast require the correct simulation of wind conditions over the sea. The study has shown that for a complex coast environment like the LFV, a reliable modelling study depends not only on local surface fluxes but also on elevated layers transported from remote land surfaces. This dependence is especially important when local forcings are weak, for example, during late afternoon and at night.

Rockot-an available launch system for affordable access to space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Vries, U.; Kinnersley, M.; Freeborn, P.

2000-01-01

The Rockot launcher will perform its fifth launch, the first commercial launch, in Spring 2000 from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in Northern Russia carrying two American satellites into a LEO orbit. In preparation for that a launch pad verification flight will be carried out in November this year to prove the functionality of the adapted facilities at the Plesetsk launch site and by placing a Russian satellite into a highly inclined orbit. The results of the launches will be described in detail in the paper as well as the installations at the launch site. Eurockot, the German-Russian joint-venture company marketing and managing the Rockot launch vehicle is meanwhile an integral part of the space launch community. Eurockot was formed by DaimlerChrysler Aerospace and Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center. A brief overview of its activities, the commercial program and the performance/services offered by Eurockot is presented. Rockot can launch satellites weighing up to 1850 kg into polar or other low earth orbits (LEO). The Rockot launch vehicle is based on the former Russian SS-19 strategic missile. The first and second stages are inherited from the SS-19, the third stage Breeze which has already been developed has multiple ignition capability. The Breeze upper stage is under production at Khrunichev in Moscow. The Rockot launch system is flight proven and is operated from the Plesetsk as well as from the Baikonur launch site. .

An Examination of Information Security Training and Education for IT Professionals in a Community College: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stark, Adam

2017-01-01

This case study research explored the cybersecurity systems and training and education of IT professionals at a member college of the Florida College System. Thematic analysis was utilized to analyze interview transcripts of 6 respondents. A more descriptive analysis was completed using the survey responses from 15 respondents. From this analysis…

Resveratrol enhances exercise training responses in rats selectively bred for high running performance.

PubMed

Hart, Nikolett; Sarga, Linda; Csende, Zsolt; Koltai, Erika; Koch, Lauren G; Britton, Steven L; Davies, Kelvin J A; Kouretas, Dimitris; Wessner, Barbara; Radak, Zsolt

2013-11-01

High Capacity Runner (HCR) rats have been developed by divergent artificial selection for treadmill endurance running capacity to explore an aerobic biology-disease connection. The beneficial effects of resveratrol supplementation have been demonstrated in endurance running and the antioxidant capacity of resveratrol is also demonstrated. In this study we examine whether 12 weeks of treadmill exercise training and/or resveratrol can enhance performance in HCR. Indeed, resveratrol increased aerobic performance and strength of upper limbs of these rats. Moreover, we have found that resveratrol activated the AMP-activated protein kinase, SIRT1, and mitochondrial transcription factor A (p<0.05). The changes in mitochondrial fission/fusion and Lon protease/HSP78 levels suggest that exercise training does not significantly induce damage of proteins. Moreover, neither exercise training nor resveratrol supplementation altered the content of protein carbonyls. Changes in the levels of forkhead transcription factor 1 and SIRT4 could suggest increased fat utilization and improved insulin sensitivity. These data indicate, that resveratrol supplementation enhances aerobic performance due to the activation of the AMPK-SIRT1-PGC-1α pathway. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Improving Acoustic Models by Watching Television

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Witbrock, Michael J.; Hauptmann, Alexander G.

1998-01-01

Obtaining sufficient labelled training data is a persistent difficulty for speech recognition research. Although well transcribed data is expensive to produce, there is a constant stream of challenging speech data and poor transcription broadcast as closed-captioned television. We describe a reliable unsupervised method for identifying accurately transcribed sections of these broadcasts, and show how these segments can be used to train a recognition system. Starting from acoustic models trained on the Wall Street Journal database, a single iteration of our training method reduced the word error rate on an independent broadcast television news test set from 62.2% to 59.5%.

How to Select a Good Training-data Subset for Transcription: Submodular Active Selection for Sequences

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-01-01

selection and uncertainty sampling signif- icantly. Index Terms: Transcription, labeling, submodularity, submod- ular selection, active learning , sequence...name of batch active learning , where a subset of data that is most informative and represen- tative of the whole is selected for labeling. Often...representative subset. Note that our Fisher ker- nel is over an unsupervised generative model, which enables us to bootstrap our active learning approach

Combined Training Enhances Skeletal Muscle Mitochondrial Oxidative Capacity Independent of Age

PubMed Central

Lanza, Ian R.; Henderson, Gregory C.; Rao, Rajesh R.; Spiegelman, Bruce M.

2015-01-01

Context: Skeletal muscle from sedentary older adults exhibits reduced mitochondrial abundance and oxidative capacity. Objective: The primary objective was to determine whether 8 weeks of combined training (CT) has a more robust effect than endurance training (ET) or resistance training (RT) on mitochondrial physiology in healthy young (18–30 years) and older (≥65 years) adults. Intervention: Thirty-four young and 31 older adults were randomly assigned to 8 weeks of ET, RT, and control/CT. Control subjects completed 8 weeks of no exercise (control) followed by 8 weeks of CT. Body composition, skeletal muscle strength, and peak oxygen uptake were measured before and after the intervention. Vastus lateralis muscle biopsy samples were obtained before and 48 hours after the intervention. Mitochondrial physiology was evaluated by high-resolution respirometry and expression of mitochondrial proteins and transcription factors by quantitative PCR and immunoblotting. Results: ET and CT significantly increased oxidative capacity and expression of mitochondrial proteins and transcription factors. All training modalities improved body composition, cardiorespiratory fitness, and skeletal muscle strength. CT induced the most robust improvements in mitochondria-related outcomes and physical characteristics despite lower training volumes for the ET and RT components. Importantly, most of the adaptations to training occurred independent of age. Conclusion: Collectively, these results demonstrate that both ET and CT increase muscle mitochondrial abundance and capacity although CT induced the most robust improvements in the outcomes measured. In conclusion, CT provides a robust exercise regimen to improve muscle mitochondrial outcomes and physical characteristics independent of age. PMID:25599385

Resistance training performed at distinct angular velocities elicits velocity-specific alterations in muscle strength and mobility status in older adults.

PubMed

Englund, Davis A; Sharp, Rick L; Selsby, Joshua T; Ganesan, Shanthi S; Franke, Warren D

2017-05-01

The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of high and low velocity knee extension training on changes in muscle strength and mobility status in high-functioning older adults. Twenty-six (16 female, 10 male) older adults (mean age of 65) were randomized to either 6weeks of low velocity resistance training (LVRT) performed at 75°/s or high velocity resistance training (HVRT) performed at 240°/s. Both groups performed 3 sets of knee extension exercises at maximal effort, 3 times a week. Muscle strength was assessed through a range of testing velocities on an isokinetic dynamometer. Mobility status was assessed with the short physical performance battery (SPPB) and myosin heavy chain (MyHC) transcript levels were quantified via qRT-PCR. From baseline to post-training, there were several significant (P<0.05) differences in muscle strength and functional characteristics in LVRT (n=13) and HVRT (n=13) groups. From baseline to post-training, MyHC-α mRNA and MyHC-IIa mRNA showed a significant (P<0.05) increase within HVRT but MyHC-IIx mRNA did not change significantly. Our results demonstrate HVRT provides a greater number of muscular enhancements when compared to LVRT, particularly under conditions of high velocity muscle contraction. HVRT is emerging as the optimal training stimulus for the older adult. The present study demonstrates, in addition to increased strength and functional outcomes, HVRT elicits a potentially therapeutic (i.e., slow to fast) transcriptional response in MyHC. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Egr-1: A Candidate Transcription Factor Involved in Molecular Processes Underlying Time-Memory.

PubMed

Shah, Aridni; Jain, Rikesh; Brockmann, Axel

2018-01-01

In honey bees, continuous foraging is accompanied by a sustained up-regulation of the immediate early gene Egr-1 (early growth response protein-1) and candidate downstream genes involved in learning and memory. Here, we present a series of feeder training experiments indicating that Egr-1 expression is highly correlated with the time and duration of training even in the absence of the food reward. Foragers that were trained to visit a feeder over the whole day and then collected on a day without food presentation showed Egr-1 up-regulation over the whole day with a peak expression around 14:00. When exposed to a time-restricted feeder presentation, either 2 h in the morning or 2 h in the evening, Egr-1 expression in the brain was up-regulated only during the hours of training. Foragers that visited a feeder in the morning as well as in the evening showed two peaks of Egr-1 expression. Finally, when we prevented time-trained foragers from leaving the colony using artificial rain, Egr-1 expression in the brains was still slightly but significantly up-regulated around the time of feeder training. In situ hybridization studies showed that active foraging and time-training induced Egr-1 up-regulation occurred in the same brain areas, preferentially the small Kenyon cells of the mushroom bodies and the antennal and optic lobes. Based on these findings we propose that foraging induced Egr-1 expression can get regulated by the circadian clock after time-training over several days and Egr-1 is a candidate transcription factor involved in molecular processes underlying time-memory.

Principles of Exercise Prescription, and How They Influence Exercise-Induced Changes of Transcription Factors and Other Regulators of Mitochondrial Biogenesis.

PubMed

Granata, Cesare; Jamnick, Nicholas A; Bishop, David J

2018-04-19

Physical inactivity represents the fourth leading risk factor for mortality, and it has been linked with a series of chronic disorders, the treatment of which absorbs ~ 85% of healthcare costs in developed countries. Conversely, physical activity promotes many health benefits; endurance exercise in particular represents a powerful stimulus to induce mitochondrial biogenesis, and it is routinely used to prevent and treat chronic metabolic disorders linked with sub-optimal mitochondrial characteristics. Given the importance of maintaining a healthy mitochondrial pool, it is vital to better characterize how manipulating the endurance exercise dose affects cellular mechanisms of exercise-induced mitochondrial biogenesis. Herein, we propose a definition of mitochondrial biogenesis and the techniques available to assess it, and we emphasize the importance of standardizing biopsy timing and the determination of relative exercise intensity when comparing different studies. We report an intensity-dependent regulation of exercise-induced increases in nuclear peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator-1α (PGC-1α) protein content, nuclear phosphorylation of p53 (serine 15), and PGC-1α messenger RNA (mRNA), as well as training-induced increases in PGC-1α and p53 protein content. Despite evidence that PGC-1α protein content plateaus within a few exercise sessions, we demonstrate that greater training volumes induce further increases in PGC-1α (and p53) protein content, and that short-term reductions in training volume decrease the content of both proteins, suggesting training volume is still a factor affecting training-induced mitochondrial biogenesis. Finally, training-induced changes in mitochondrial transcription factor A (TFAM) protein content are regulated in a training volume-dependent manner and have been linked with training-induced changes in mitochondrial content.

A Comparison of Modeled and Observed Ocean Mixed Layer Behavior in a Sea Breeze Influenced Coastal Region

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-12-21

Latent(Lower Solid), Net Infrared (Dashed), and Net viii Heat Loss (Upper Solid - the Other 3 Surmmed) are Plotted, with Positive Values :ndicating...gained from solar insolation, Qs, and the heat lost from the surface due to latent, Qe, sensible, Qh, and net infrared radiation, Qb is positive...five empirically derived dimensionless constants in the model. With the introduction of two new unknowns, <E> and < ww2 >, the prediction of the upper

A Regional Real-time Forecast of Marine Boundary Layers During VOCALS-REx

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-01-01

Condensation Nuclei) concentration pro- motes more precipitation, leading to the destruction and structural change of the clouds (e.g., Stevens et al...and Muñoz, 2004), investigations of cloud and dynamic pro- cesses in case studies (Mocko and Cotton , 1995; Mechem and Kogan, 2003; Thompson et al...land breeze, Geophys. Res. Lett., 32, L05605, doi:10.1029/2004GL022139, 2005. Golaz, J.-C., Larson, V. E., and Cotton ,W. R: A PDF-based model for

Bridging the Gap.

PubMed

Webb, Michele

2016-01-01

The view from the top of Hoover Dam looking south over the Colorado River was breathtaking! My friend and I stood there in silence, taking it all in. I had visited Hoover Dam on many occasions, but this visit was the first time I had seen the arch bridge that carries US Route 93 over the river and joins Nevada and Arizona states. It was a beautiful day, the temperature was perfect, and there was a slight breeze coming from Lake Mead behind us as we took in the view.

Determination of Spin Axis Orientation of Geosynchronous Objects Using Space-Based Sensors: An Initial Feasibility Investigation

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-09-01

increased rate of satellite launches over time , and on-orbit incidents such as the Breeze-M explosion in 2007 and the Iridium 33-Cosmos 2251...respect to the observer. The reason that the synodic and sidereal periods differ is that during the time it takes for the satellite to complete one...take ~2 hours to traverse the region, allowing time to collect an uninterrupted sequence of photometry on the objects despite the need for NEOSSat to

New developments in technology-assisted supervision and training: a practical overview.

PubMed

Rousmaniere, Tony; Abbass, Allan; Frederickson, Jon

2014-11-01

Clinical supervision and training are now widely available online. In this article, three of the most accessible and widely adopted new developments in clinical supervision and training technology are described: Videoconference supervision, cloud-based file sharing software, and clinical outcome tracking software. Partial transcripts from two online supervision sessions are provided as examples of videoconference-based supervision. The benefits and limitations of technology in supervision and training are discussed, with an emphasis on supervision process, ethics, privacy, and security. Recommendations for supervision practice are made, including methods to enhance experiential learning, the supervisory working alliance, and online security. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Barriers to Early Detection of Breast Cancer Among African American Females Over Age of 55

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-02-01

used for data analysis. NUDIST , software for qualitative data analysis will be used for systematic coding. All transcripts, as well as interviewer notes...will be coded in NUDIST . Dr. Smith and Mr. Worts will jointly develop the NUDIST coding system. Each of them will separately code each transcript and...already provided training in NUDIST to Dr. Smith and Mr. Worts. All interviews will be conducted by the Principal Investigator for this study who is

Machine Learning Techniques for Persuasion Detection in Conversation

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-06-01

files maintained the original post and tile ordering within each transcript. These files were each internally shuffled prior to creating test and...of the number of post or tiles. The other 90% was used for training data. Each post and each tile appeared in only one of the 10 test sets. Each post ...concatenating 5 test sets and pairing it with the 6th test set. This process was conducted for both posts and tiles. The shortest transcript (19 posts , 0 tiles

Short-term intense exercise training reduces stress markers and alters the transcriptional response to exercise in skeletal muscle.

PubMed

Hinkley, J Matthew; Konopka, Adam R; Suer, Miranda K; Harber, Matthew P

2017-03-01

The purpose of this investigation was to examine the influence of short-term intense endurance training on cycling performance, along with the acute and chronic signaling responses of skeletal muscle stress and stability markers. Ten recreationally active subjects (25 ± 2 yr, 79 ± 3 kg, 47 ± 2 ml·kg -1 ·min -1 ) were studied before and after a 12-day cycling protocol to examine the effects of short-term intense (70-100% V̇o 2max ) exercise training on resting and exercise-induced regulation of molecular factors related to skeletal muscle cellular stress and protein stability. Skeletal muscle biopsies were taken at rest and 3 h following a 20-km cycle time trial on days 1 and 12 to measure mRNA expression and protein content. Training improved ( P < 0.05) cycling performance by 5 ± 1%. Protein oxidation was unaltered on day 12 , while resting SAPK/JNK phosphorylation was reduced ( P < 0.05), suggesting a reduction in cellular stress. The maintenance in the myocellular environment may be due to synthesis of cytoprotective markers, along with enhanced degradation of damage proteins, as training tended ( P < 0.10) to increase resting protein content of manganese superoxide dismutase and heat shock protein 70 (HSP70), while mRNA expression of MuRF-1 was elevated ( P < 0.05). Following training ( day 12 ), the acute exercise-induced transcriptional response of TNF-α, NF-κB, MuRF-1, and PGC1α was attenuated ( P < 0.05) compared with day 1 Collectively, these data suggest that short-term intense training enhances protein stability, creating a cellular environment capable of resistance to exercise-induced stress, which may be favorable for adaptation. Copyright © 2017 the American Physiological Society.

Short-term intense exercise training reduces stress markers and alters the transcriptional response to exercise in skeletal muscle

PubMed Central

Konopka, Adam R.; Suer, Miranda K.

2017-01-01

The purpose of this investigation was to examine the influence of short-term intense endurance training on cycling performance, along with the acute and chronic signaling responses of skeletal muscle stress and stability markers. Ten recreationally active subjects (25 ± 2 yr, 79 ± 3 kg, 47 ± 2 ml·kg−1·min−1) were studied before and after a 12-day cycling protocol to examine the effects of short-term intense (70–100% V̇o2max) exercise training on resting and exercise-induced regulation of molecular factors related to skeletal muscle cellular stress and protein stability. Skeletal muscle biopsies were taken at rest and 3 h following a 20-km cycle time trial on days 1 and 12 to measure mRNA expression and protein content. Training improved (P < 0.05) cycling performance by 5 ± 1%. Protein oxidation was unaltered on day 12, while resting SAPK/JNK phosphorylation was reduced (P < 0.05), suggesting a reduction in cellular stress. The maintenance in the myocellular environment may be due to synthesis of cytoprotective markers, along with enhanced degradation of damage proteins, as training tended (P < 0.10) to increase resting protein content of manganese superoxide dismutase and heat shock protein 70 (HSP70), while mRNA expression of MuRF-1 was elevated (P < 0.05). Following training (day 12), the acute exercise-induced transcriptional response of TNF-α, NF-κB, MuRF-1, and PGC1α was attenuated (P < 0.05) compared with day 1. Collectively, these data suggest that short-term intense training enhances protein stability, creating a cellular environment capable of resistance to exercise-induced stress, which may be favorable for adaptation. PMID:28039193

Sea-town interactions over Marseille: 3D urban boundary layer and thermodynamic fields near the surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lemonsu, A.; Pigeon, G.; Masson, V.; Moppert, C.

2006-02-01

3D numerical simulations with the Meso-NH atmospheric model including the Town Energy Balance urban parameterization, are conducted over the south-east of France and the one million inhabitants city of Marseille in the frameworks of the ESCOMPTE-UBL program. The geographic situation of the area is relatively complex, because of the proximity of the Mediterranean Sea and the presence of numerous massifs, inducing complex meteorological flows. The present work is focused on six days of the campaign, characterized by the development of strong summer sea-breeze circulations. A complete evaluation of the model is initially realized at both regional- and city-scales, by using the large available database. The regional evaluation shows a good behavior of the model, during the six days of simulation, either for the parameters near the surface or for the vertical profiles describing the structure of the atmosphere. The urban-scale evaluation indicates that the fine structure of the horizontal fields of air temperature above the city is correctly simulated by the model. A specific attention is then pointed to the 250-m horizontal resolution outputs, focused on the Marseille area, for two days of the campaign. From the study of the vertical structure of the Urban Boundary Layer and the thermodynamic fields near the surface, one underscores the important differences due to the regional and local flows, and the complex interactions that occur between the urban effects and the effects of sea breezes.

Helicity in the atmospheric boundary layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kurgansky, Michael; Koprov, Boris; Koprov, Victor; Chkhetiani, Otto

2017-04-01

An overview is presented of recent direct field measurements at the Tsimlyansk Scientific Station of A.M. Obukhov Institute of Atmospheric Physics in Moscow of turbulent helicity (and potential vorticity) using four acoustic anemometers positioned, within the atmospheric surface-adjacent boundary layer, in the vertices of a rectangular tetrahedron, with an approximate 5 m distance between the anemometers and a 5.5 m elevation of the tetrahedron base above the ground surface (Koprov, Koprov, Kurgansky and Chkhetiani. Izvestiya, Atmospheric and Oceanic Physics, 2015, Vol.51, 565-575). The same ideology was applied in a later field experiment in Tsimlyansk with the tetrahedron's size of 0.7 m and variable elevation over the ground from 3.5 to 25 m. It is illustrated with examples of the statistical distribution of instantaneous (both positive and negative) turbulent helicity values. A theory is proposed that explains the measured mean turbulent helicity sign, including the sign of contribution to helicity from the horizontal and vertical velocity & vorticity components, respectively, and the sign of helicity buoyant production term. By considering a superposition of the classic Ekman spiral solution and a jet-like wind profile that mimics a shallow breeze circulation over a non-uniformly heated Earth surface, a possible explanation is provided, why the measured mean turbulent helicity sign is negative. The pronounced breeze circulation over the Tsimlyansk polygon which is located nearby the Tsimlyansk Reservoir was, indeed, observed during the measurements period. Whereas, essentially positive helicity is injected into the boundary layer from the free atmosphere in the Northern Hemisphere.

The effect of local circulations on the variation of atmospheric pollutants in the northwestern Taiwan

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pay-Liam Lin; Hsin-Chih Lai

1996-12-31

A field experiment was held in the northwestern Taiwan as a part of a long-term research program for studying Taiwan`s local circulation. The program has been named as Taiwan Regional-circulation Experiment (TREX). The particular goal of this research is to investigate characteristics of boundary layer and local Circulation and their impact on the distribution and Variation of pollutants in the northwestern Taiwan during Mei-Yu season. It has been known for quite sometime that land-sea breeze is very pronounced under hot and humid conditions. Extensive network includes 11 pilot ballon stations, 3 acoustic sounding sites, and 14 surface stations in aboutmore » 20 km by 20 km area centered at National Central University, Chung-Li. In addition, there are ground temperature measurements at 3 sites, Integrated Sounding System (ISS) at NCU, air plane observation, tracer experiment with 10 collecting stations, 3 background upper-air sounding stations, 2 towers etc. NOAA and GMS satellite data, sea surface temperature radar, and precipitation data are collected. The local circulations such as land/sea breezes and mountain/valley winds, induced by thermal and topographical effects often play an important role in transporting, redistributing and transforming atmospheric pollutants. This study documents the effects of the development of local circulations and the accompanying evolution of boundary layer on the distribution and the variation of the atmospheric pollutants in the north western Taiwan during Mei-Yu season.« less

High-resolution modeling of local air-sea interaction within the Marine Continent using COAMPS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jensen, T. G.; Chen, S.; Flatau, M. K.; Smith, T.; Rydbeck, A.

2016-12-01

The Maritime Continent (MC) is a region of intense deep atmospheric convection that serves as an important source of forcing for the Hadley and Walker circulations. The convective activity in the MC region spans multiple scales from local mesoscales to regional scales, and impacts equatorial wave propagation, coupled air-sea interaction and intra seasonal oscillations. The complex distribution of islands, shallow seas with fairly small heat storage and deep seas with large heat capacity is challenging to model. Diurnal convection over land-sea is part of a land-sea breeze system on a small scale, and is highly influenced by large variations in orography over land and marginal seas. Daytime solar insolation, run-off from the Archipelago and nighttime rainfall tends to stabilize the water column, while mixing by tidal currents and locally forced winds promote vertical mixing. The runoff from land and rivers and high net precipitation result in fresh water lenses that enhance vertical stability in the water column and help maintain high SST. We use the fully coupled atmosphere-ocean-wave version of the Coupled Ocean-Atmosphere Mesoscale Prediction System (COAMPS) developed at NRL with resolution of a few kilometers to investigate the air-sea interaction associated with the land-sea breeze system in the MC under active and inactive phases of the Madden-Julian Oscillation. The high resolution enables simulation of strong SST gradients associated with local upwelling in deeper waters and strong salinity gradients near rivers and from heavy precipitation.

Observational study of atmospheric surface layer and coastal weather in northern Qatar

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Samanta, Dhrubajyoti; Sadr, Reza

2016-04-01

Atmospheric surface layer is the interaction medium between atmosphere and Earth's surface. Better understanding of its turbulence nature is essential in characterizing the local weather, climate variability and modeling of turbulent exchange processes. The importance of Middle East region, with its unique geographical, economical and weather condition is well recognized. However, high quality micrometeorological observational studies are rare in this region. Here we show experimental results from micrometeorological observations from an experimental site in the coastal region of Qatar during August-December 2015. Measurements of winds are obtained from three sonic anemometers installed on a 9 m tower placed at Al Ghariyah beach in northern Qatar (26.08 °N, 51.36 °E). Different surface layer characteristics is analyzed and compared with earlier studies in equivalent weather conditions. Monthly statistics of wind speed, wind direction, temperature, humidity and heat index are made from concurrent observations from sonic anemometer and weather station to explore variations with surface layer characteristics. The results also highlights potential impact of sea breeze circulation on local weather and atmospheric turbulence. The observed daily maximum temperature and heat index during morning period may be related to sea breeze circulations. Along with the operational micrometeorological observation system, a camera system and ultrasonic wave measurement system are installed recently in the site to study coastline development and nearshore wave dynamics. Overall, the complete observational set up is going to provide new insights about nearshore wind dynamics and wind-wave interaction in Qatar.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yang, Yan; Fan, Jiwen; Leung, L. Ruby

Significant reduction in precipitation in the past decades has been documented over many mountain ranges such as those in central and eastern China. Consistent with the increase of air pollution in these regions, it has been argued that the precipitation trend is linked to aerosol microphysical effect on suppressing warm rain. Rigorous quantitative investigations on the reasons responsible for the precipitation reduction are lacking. Here in this study, we employed an improved Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model with online coupled chemistry (WRF-Chem) and conducted simulations at the convection-permitting scale to explore the major mechanisms governing changes in precipitation frommore » orographic clouds in the Mountain (Mt.) Hua area in Central China. We find that anthropogenic pollution contributes to a ~ 40% reduction of precipitation over Mt. Hua during the one-month summer time period. The reduction is mainly associated with precipitation events associated with valleymountain circulation and a mesoscale cold front event. In this Part I paper, we scrutinize the mechanism leading to significant reduction for the cases associated with valley-mountain circulation. We find that the valley breeze is weakened by aerosols due to absorbing aerosol induced warming aloft and cooling near the surface as a result of aerosol-radiation interaction (ARI). The weakened valley breeze along with reduced water vapor in the valley due to reduced evapotranspiration as a result of surface cooling significantly reduce the transport of water vapor from the valley to mountain and the relative humidity over the mountain, thus suppressing convection and precipitation in the mountain.« less

A TRMM-Calibrated Infrared Technique for Convective and Stratiform Rainfall: Analysis and Validation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Negri, Andrew; Starr, David OC. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

A satellite infrared technique with passive microwave calibration has been developed for estimating convective and stratiform rainfall. The Convective-Stratiform Technique, calibrated by coincident, physically retrieved rain rates from the TRMM Microwave Imager (TMI), has been applied to 30 min interval GOES infrared data and aggregated over seasonal and yearly periods over northern South America. The diurnal cycle of rainfall, as well as the division between convective and stratiform rainfall is presented. For the period Jan-April 1999, analysis revealed significant effects of local circulations (river breeze, land/sea breeze, mountain/valley) on both the total rainfall and it's diurnal cycle. Results compared well (a one-hour lag) with the diurnal cycle derived from TOGA radar-estimated rainfall in Rondonia. The satellite estimates revealed that the convective rain constituted 24% of the rain area while accounting for 67% of the rain volume. Estimates of the diurnal cycle (both total rainfall and convective/stratiform) for an area encompassing the Amazon Basin (3 x 10(exp 6) sq km) were in phase with those from the TRMM Precipitation Radar, despite the latter's limited sampling. Results will be presented comparing the yearly (2000) diurnal cycle for large regions (including the Amazon Basin), and an intercomparison of January-March estimates for three years, (1999-2001). We hope to demonstrate the utility of using the TRMM PR observations as verification for infrared estimates of the diurnal cycle, and as verification of the apportionment of rainfall into convective and stratiform components.

A TRMM-Calibrated Infrared Technique for Convective and Stratiform Rainfall: Analysis and Validation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Negri, Andrew; Starr, David OC. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

A satellite infrared technique with passive microwave calibration has been developed for estimating convective and stratiform. rainfall. The Convective-Stratiform Technique, calibrated by coincident, physically retrieved rain rates from the TRMM Microwave Imager (TMI), has been applied to 30 min interval GOES infrared data and aggregated over seasonal and yearly periods over northern South America. The diurnal cycle of rainfall, as well as the division between convective and stratiform rainfall is presented. For the period Jan-April 1999, analysis revealed significant effects of local circulations (river breeze, land/sea breeze, mountain/valley) on both the total rainfall and it's diurnal cycle. Results compared well (a one-hour lag) with the diurnal cycle derived from TOGA radar-estimated rainfall in Rondonia. The satellite estimates revealed that the convective rain constituted 24% of the rain area while accounting for 67% of the rain volume. Estimates of the diurnal cycle (both total rainfall and convective/stratiform) for an area encompassing the Amazon Basin (3 x 10(exp 6) square km) were in phase with those from the TRMM Precipitation Radar, despite the latter's limited sampling. Results will be presented comparing the yearly (2000) diurnal cycle for large regions (including the Amazon Basin), and an intercomparison of January-March estimates for three years, 1999-2001. We hope to demonstrate the utility of using the TRMM PR observations as verification for infrared estimates of the diurnal cycle, and as verification of the apportionment of rainfall into convective and stratiform components.

Convection anomalies associated with warm eddy at the coastal area

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shi, R.; Wang, D.

2017-12-01

A possible correlation between a warm eddy and thunderstorms and convective precipitations are investigated at the coastal area in the northwestern South China Sea. Compared to the climatological mean in August from 2006 to 2013, an extreme enhancement of thunderstorm activities and precipitation rate are identified at the southern offshore area of Hainan island in August 2010 when a strong and long-live warm eddy was observed near the coastline at the same time. The 3 hourly satellite data (TRMM) indicate that the nocturnal convections is strong offshore and that could be responsible for the extreme positive anomalies of thunderstorms and rainfall in August 2010. The TRMM data also show a small reduction of thunderstorm activities and rainfall on the island in the afternoon. Meanwhile, the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model was applied to simulate the change of rainfall in August 2010. The WRF simulation of rainfall rate is comparable with the observation results while there is some difference in the spatial distribution. The WRF simulation successfully captured the strong offshore rainfall and the diurnal variation of rainfall in August 2010. The WRF simulation indicated that the different convergence induced by sea/land breeze could be one essential reason for the adjustment of thunderstorms and rainfall in 2010. The substantial connection between sea/land breeze and upper layer heat content modified by the warm eddy is still on ongoing and will be reported in the future work.

Influence of technique and manipulation on self-adhesive resin cements used to cement intraradicular posts.

PubMed

Shiratori, Fábio Kenji; Valle, Accácio Lins do; Pegoraro, Thiago Amadei; Carvalho, Ricardo Marins; Pereira, Jefferson Ricardo

2013-07-01

Resin cements are widely used to cement intraradicular posts, but bond strength is significantly influenced by the technique and material used for cementation. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the bond strength of 3 self-adhesive cements used to cement intraradicular glass fiber posts. The cements all required different application and handling techniques. Forty-five human maxillary canines were selected and randomly divided into 3 groups n= 15 by drawing lots: Group BIS - Biscem, Group BRE - Breeze, and Group MAX - Maxcem. Each group was divided into 3 subgroups according to application and handling techniques: Sub-group A - Automix/Point tip applicator, Sub-group L - Handmix/Lentulo, and Sub-group C - Handmix/Centrix. Cementation of the posts was performed according to the manufacturers' instructions. The push-out test was performed with a crosshead speed of 0.5 mm/min, and bond strength was expressed in megapascals. The results were evaluated by 2-way ANOVA and the all pairwise multiple comparison procedures (Tukey test) (α=.05). Breeze cement showed the highest average for the subgroups A, L, and C when compared to the Biscem cement and Maxcem Elite (P<.05). Statistically significant differences among the subgroups were only observed for Biscem. This study shows that application and handling techniques may influence the bond strength of different self-adhesive cements when used for intraradicular post cementation. Copyright © 2013 The Editorial Council of the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Near-inertial motions in the Brazil Current at 24°S-36°S: Observations by satellite tracked drifters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Assireu, Arcilan T.; Dauhut, Thibaut; dos Santos, Francisco A.; Lorenzzetti, João A.

2017-08-01

Increased spatial and temporal resolution of recent observations and modeling have pointed out the importance of small scale structures (in the range of 1-50 km) for the mixing processes in the ocean. Based on high-frequency drifter measurements, we show here that the near-inertial currents (NICs) can contribute significantly to the surface kinetic energy in the Brazil Current (BC) region and, therefore, should be properly taken into account in the studies of transport and mixing processes. To characterize these submesoscale features, we examine the current response to the wind forcing in the Brazilian ocean margin between 24°S and 36°S using 3-hourly sampled trajectories of satellite-tracked drifters. Our results indicate a preference for anti-cyclonic circular motions, with a rotating period close to the local inertial period, consistent with near-inertial motions in the Southern Hemisphere (SH). Wind stress time series, from three months of wind measurements, along with synoptic weather charts, are used to relate the observed NICs to the atmospheric forcing. During SH spring, NICs occur in 4.7-15 day bursts and account for 15-45% of the total surface current variance. This intermittency is related to atmospheric cold frontal passages, low pressure systems, and sea breeze/land breeze circulations. The predominance of NICs south of 28°S appears to be related to the increased Effective Inertial Frequency (EIF), which is the inertial frequency changed by the sub-inertial background flow.

Text-image alignment for historical handwritten documents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zinger, S.; Nerbonne, J.; Schomaker, L.

2009-01-01

We describe our work on text-image alignment in context of building a historical document retrieval system. We aim at aligning images of words in handwritten lines with their text transcriptions. The images of handwritten lines are automatically segmented from the scanned pages of historical documents and then manually transcribed. To train automatic routines to detect words in an image of handwritten text, we need a training set - images of words with their transcriptions. We present our results on aligning words from the images of handwritten lines and their corresponding text transcriptions. Alignment based on the longest spaces between portions of handwriting is a baseline. We then show that relative lengths, i.e. proportions of words in their lines, can be used to improve the alignment results considerably. To take into account the relative word length, we define the expressions for the cost function that has to be minimized for aligning text words with their images. We apply right to left alignment as well as alignment based on exhaustive search. The quality assessment of these alignments shows correct results for 69% of words from 100 lines, or 90% of partially correct and correct alignments combined.

Observations of Urban Heat Island Mitigation in California Coastal Cities due to a Sea Breeze Induced Coastal-Cooling ``REVERSE-REACTION'' to Global Warming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bornstein, R. D.; Lebassi, B.; Gonzalez, J.

2010-12-01

The study evaluated long-term (1948-2005) air temperatures at over 300 urban and rural sites in California (CA) during summer (June-August, JJA). The aggregate CA results showed asymmetric warming, as daily min temperatures increased faster than daily max temperatures. The spatial distributions of daily max temperatures in the heavily urbanized South Coast and San Francisco Bay Area air basins, however, exhibited a complex pattern, with cooling at low-elevation (mainly urban) coastal-areas and warming at (mainly rural) inland areas. Previous studies have suggested that cooling summer max temperatures in CA were due to increased irrigation, coastal upwelling, or cloud cover. The current hypothesis, however, is that this temperature pattern arises from a “reverse-reaction” to greenhouse gas (GHG) induced global-warming. In this hypothesis, the global warming of inland areas resulted in an increased (cooling) sea breeze activity in coastal areas. That daytime summer coastal cooling was seen in coastal urban areas implies that urban heat island (UHI) warming was weaker than the reverse-reaction sea breeze cooling; if there was no UHI effect, then the cooling would have been even stronger. Analysis of daytime summer max temperatures at four adjacent pairs of urban and rural sites near the inland cooling-warming boundary, however, showed that the rural sites experienced cooling, while the urban sites showed warming due to UHI development. The rate of heat island growth was estimated as the sum of each urban warming rate and the absolute magnitude of the concurrent adjacent rural cooling rate. Values ranged from 0.12 to 0.55 K decade-1, and were proportional to changes in urban population and urban extent. As Sacramento, Modesto, Stockton, and San José have grown in aerial extent (21 to 59%) and population (40 to 118%), part of the observed increased JJA max values could be due to increased daytime UHI-intensity. Without UHI effects, the currently observed JJA SFBA coastal-cooling area might have expanded to include these sites, as the first three are adjacent to rural airport sites that showed cooling max-values due to increased marine influences. In addition, all urbanized sites with decreasing max-values would probably show even larger cooling rates if UHI effects could be removed. Significant societal impacts may result from this observed reverse-reaction to GHG-warming. Possible beneficial effects (especially during periods of UHI growth) include decreased maximum: O3 levels, per-capita energy requirements for cooling, and human thermal-stress levels.

Security training symposium: Meeting the challenge: Firearms and explosives recognition and detection

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1990-09-01

These conference proceedings have been prepared in support of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission's Security Training Symposium on Meeting the Challenge -- Firearms and Explosives Recognition and Detection,'' November 28 through 30, 1989, in Bethesda, Maryland. This document contains the edited transcripts of the guest speakers. It also contains some of the speakers' formal papers that were distributed and some of the slides that were shown at the symposium (Appendix A).

Quantum annealing versus classical machine learning applied to a simplified computational biology problem

PubMed Central

Li, Richard Y.; Di Felice, Rosa; Rohs, Remo; Lidar, Daniel A.

2018-01-01

Transcription factors regulate gene expression, but how these proteins recognize and specifically bind to their DNA targets is still debated. Machine learning models are effective means to reveal interaction mechanisms. Here we studied the ability of a quantum machine learning approach to predict binding specificity. Using simplified datasets of a small number of DNA sequences derived from actual binding affinity experiments, we trained a commercially available quantum annealer to classify and rank transcription factor binding. The results were compared to state-of-the-art classical approaches for the same simplified datasets, including simulated annealing, simulated quantum annealing, multiple linear regression, LASSO, and extreme gradient boosting. Despite technological limitations, we find a slight advantage in classification performance and nearly equal ranking performance using the quantum annealer for these fairly small training data sets. Thus, we propose that quantum annealing might be an effective method to implement machine learning for certain computational biology problems. PMID:29652405

Effects of measurement method and transcript availability on inexperienced raters' stuttering frequency scores.

PubMed

Chakraborty, Nalanda; Logan, Kenneth J

To examine the effects of measurement method and transcript availability on the accuracy, reliability, and efficiency of inexperienced raters' stuttering frequency measurements. 44 adults, all inexperienced at evaluating stuttered speech, underwent 20 min of preliminary training in stuttering measurement and then analyzed a series of sentences, with and without access to transcripts of sentence stimuli, using either a syllable-based analysis (SBA) or an utterance-based analysis (UBA). Participants' analyses were compared between groups and to a composite analysis from two experienced evaluators. Stuttering frequency scores from the SBA and UBA groups differed significantly from the experienced evaluators' scores; however, UBA scores were significantly closer to the experienced evaluators' scores and were completed significantly faster than the SBA scores. Transcript availability facilitated scoring accuracy and efficiency in both groups. The internal reliability of stuttering frequency scores was acceptable for the SBA and UBA groups; however, the SBA group demonstrated only modest point-by-point agreement with ratings from the experienced evaluators. Given its accuracy and efficiency advantages over syllable-based analysis, utterance-based fluency analysis appears to be an appropriate context for introducing stuttering frequency measurement to raters who have limited experience in stuttering measurement. To address accuracy gaps between experienced and inexperienced raters, however, use of either analysis must be supplemented with training activities that expose inexperienced raters to the decision-making processes used by experienced raters when identifying stuttered syllables. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Challenges at the Intersection of Energy, Economy, Environment, & Security and the Role of the Defense Sector in Addressing Them

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-11-29

economies need in ways that are imperiling  the  climate  its environment needs. 2 The climate - change dimension • Global climate is changing rapidly compared...cloudy & clear • humid & dry • drizzles & downpours • snowfall, snowpack, & snowmelt • breezes, blizzards, tornadoes, & typhoons Climate change means...droughts • heat waves • pest outbreaks • coastal erosion • coral bleaching events • power of typhoons & hurricanes • geographic range of tropical pathogens

Air Quality Procedures for Civilian Airports and Air Force Bases

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-12-01

s) - phase j (s) 6. aact approach INO a. P Propotion of Vehicles thate ftop. 6. i, rwlash of veh..iclaes -ha -w -per 7 Ni ~Averiq. ow-o o.vecls funn...light winlolowing from land to a large body of water at night due to temperature differences between land and water. I--. Lead This is a heavy metal...8217 . . ... ’•’. , ’ ’. -. . . . .i. .i .i -’’ Sea Breeze A light wind blowing from a large body of water to surrounding land areas during the day due to temperature differences

Lessons Learned from the Use of the Machine Gun during the Russo-Japanese War and the Application of Those Lessons by the Protagonists of World War I

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-06-17

defense, where they threw themselves panting into pits that their own artillery had torn .”20 Another said of these same guns, “Nothing can stand...Nineteenth Century, trans. Gordon E. Smith (Gulf Breeze, FL: Academic International Press, 1996 ), 185. 10Ibid., 109. 11Menning, Bayonets Before...the man most directly responsible for creating these expert shooters , Major N. R. McMahon, chief instructor at the Hythe School of Musketry, did not

33 CFR 334.775 - Naval Air Station Pensacola, Pensacola Bay, Pensacola and Gulf Breeze, Fla.; naval restricted area.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... from the position latitude 30°20′44″ N., longitude 87°17′18″ W. (near the Naval Air Station, due south of the Officer′s Club) to position latitude 30°20′09″ N., longitude 87°17′18″ W. thence 94° T to position latitude 30°20′07″ N., longitude 87°16′41″ W., thence 49° T to position latitude 30°20′37″ N...

33 CFR 334.775 - Naval Air Station Pensacola, Pensacola Bay, Pensacola and Gulf Breeze, Fla.; naval restricted area.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... from the position latitude 30°20′44″ N., longitude 87°17′18″ W. (near the Naval Air Station, due south of the Officer′s Club) to position latitude 30°20′09″ N., longitude 87°17′18″ W. thence 94° T to position latitude 30°20′07″ N., longitude 87°16′41″ W., thence 49° T to position latitude 30°20′37″ N...

33 CFR 334.775 - Naval Air Station Pensacola, Pensacola Bay, Pensacola and Gulf Breeze, Fla.; naval restricted area.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... from the position latitude 30°20′44″ N., longitude 87°17′18″ W. (near the Naval Air Station, due south of the Officer′s Club) to position latitude 30°20′09″ N., longitude 87°17′18″ W. thence 94° T to position latitude 30°20′07″ N., longitude 87°16′41″ W., thence 49° T to position latitude 30°20′37″ N...

Crawler Transporter 2 Trek

NASA Image and Video Library

2016-03-23

An American flag flutters in the breeze as NASA’s upgraded crawler-transporter 2 (CT-2) travels along the crawlerway during its trek to Launch Pad 39B at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, to test recently completed upgrades and modifications for NASA’s journey to Mars. The Ground Systems Development and Operations Program at Kennedy oversaw upgrades to the crawler in the Vehicle Assembly Building. The crawler will carry the mobile launcher with Orion atop the Space Launch System rocket to Pad 39B for Exploration Mission-1, scheduled for 2018.

On the sensitivity of mesoscale models to surface-layer parameterization constants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garratt, J. R.; Pielke, R. A.

1989-09-01

The Colorado State University standard mesoscale model is used to evaluate the sensitivity of one-dimensional (1D) and two-dimensional (2D) fields to differences in surface-layer parameterization “constants”. Such differences reflect the range in the published values of the von Karman constant, Monin-Obukhov stability functions and the temperature roughness length at the surface. The sensitivity of 1D boundary-layer structure, and 2D sea-breeze intensity, is generally less than that found in published comparisons related to turbulence closure schemes generally.

[Neuromuscular system and aging: involutions and implications].

PubMed

Paillard, Thierry

2013-12-01

In aged human, the number of muscle fibers and motor units decreases. The remaining motor units lose their functionality (decrease of the discharge frequency, greater fluctuation of the discharge) particularly those which contain type II fibers. The renewal of intracellular proteins declines which creates a negative balance between the daily protein losses and the capacities to renew them. The activity of the protein kinase (Akt) that stimulates the synthesis of regulation proteins (mTOR, p70S6, IGFBP-5) declines whereas the factors of degradation of proteins (NF-kappa B) are activated. Besides, the process of activation and proliferation of satellite cells is affected and the production of anabolic hormones and local factors is decreased. After a strength training program, muscle hypertrophy is linked to the protein synthesis at the level of myosin heavy chain (MHC) isoforms in older subjects. However, the transcription of the genes that code the MHC-I (slow form) increases and the transcription of the genes that code the MHC-II (fast form) decreases. Thus, the transition of the phenotype towards a slower form cannot be inverted by strength training during the advanced in age. Moreover, strength training enables to decrease the proportion of fibers containing MHC of hybrid form in the process of evolution. Hence, strength training can engender a stabilization of the muscular phenotype i.e. different isoforms of MHC. In addition, strength training counteracts the noxious effects mentioned above by generating muscular hypertrophy thanks to a reactive increase in the production of anabolic hormones. A program of aerobic training can induce an increase in the synthesis of ARN messengers coding isoforms related to the oxidative metabolism (MHC-I and to a lesser extent MHC-IIa) while the transcribed for the type MHC-IIx decrease.

NF-kappaB transcription factor is required for inhibitory avoidance long-term memory in mice.

PubMed

Freudenthal, Ramiro; Boccia, Mariano M; Acosta, Gabriela B; Blake, Mariano G; Merlo, Emiliano; Baratti, Carlos M; Romano, Arturo

2005-05-01

Although it is generally accepted that memory consolidation requires regulation of gene expression, only a few transcription factors (TFs) have been clearly demonstrated to be specifically involved in this process. Increasing research data point to the participation of the Rel/nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) family of TFs in memory and neural plasticity. Here we found that two independent inhibitors of NF-kappaB induced memory impairment in the one-trial step-through inhibitory avoidance paradigm in mice: post-training administration of the drug sulfasalazine and 2 h pretraining administration of a double-stranded DNA oligonucleotide containing the NF-kappaB consensus sequence (kappaB decoy). Conversely, one base mutation of the kappaB decoy (mut-kappaB decoy) injection did not affect long-term memory. Accordingly, the kappaB decoy inhibited NF-kappaB in hippocampus 2 h after injection but no inhibition was found with mut-kappaB decoy administration. A temporal course of hippocampal NF-kappaB activity after training was determined. Unexpectedly, an inhibition of NF-kappaB was found 15 min after training in shocked and unshocked groups when compared with the naïve group. Hippocampal NF-kappaB was activated 45 min after training in both shocked and unshocked groups, decreasing 1 h after training and returning to basal levels 2 and 4 h after training. On the basis of the latter results, we propose that activation of NF-kappaB in hippocampus is part of the molecular mechanism involved in the storage of contextual features that constitute the conditioned stimulus representation. The results presented here provide the first evidence to support NF-kappaB activity being regulated in hippocampus during consolidation, stressing the role of this TF as a conserved molecular mechanism for memory storage.

Transcriptional Network Analysis in Muscle Reveals AP-1 as a Partner of PGC-1α in the Regulation of the Hypoxic Gene Program

PubMed Central

Baresic, Mario; Salatino, Silvia; Kupr, Barbara

2014-01-01

Skeletal muscle tissue shows an extraordinary cellular plasticity, but the underlying molecular mechanisms are still poorly understood. Here, we use a combination of experimental and computational approaches to unravel the complex transcriptional network of muscle cell plasticity centered on the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator 1α (PGC-1α), a regulatory nexus in endurance training adaptation. By integrating data on genome-wide binding of PGC-1α and gene expression upon PGC-1α overexpression with comprehensive computational prediction of transcription factor binding sites (TFBSs), we uncover a hitherto-underestimated number of transcription factor partners involved in mediating PGC-1α action. In particular, principal component analysis of TFBSs at PGC-1α binding regions predicts that, besides the well-known role of the estrogen-related receptor α (ERRα), the activator protein 1 complex (AP-1) plays a major role in regulating the PGC-1α-controlled gene program of the hypoxia response. Our findings thus reveal the complex transcriptional network of muscle cell plasticity controlled by PGC-1α. PMID:24912679

LncRNApred: Classification of Long Non-Coding RNAs and Protein-Coding Transcripts by the Ensemble Algorithm with a New Hybrid Feature.

PubMed

Pian, Cong; Zhang, Guangle; Chen, Zhi; Chen, Yuanyuan; Zhang, Jin; Yang, Tao; Zhang, Liangyun

2016-01-01

As a novel class of noncoding RNAs, long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been verified to be associated with various diseases. As large scale transcripts are generated every year, it is significant to accurately and quickly identify lncRNAs from thousands of assembled transcripts. To accurately discover new lncRNAs, we develop a classification tool of random forest (RF) named LncRNApred based on a new hybrid feature. This hybrid feature set includes three new proposed features, which are MaxORF, RMaxORF and SNR. LncRNApred is effective for classifying lncRNAs and protein coding transcripts accurately and quickly. Moreover,our RF model only requests the training using data on human coding and non-coding transcripts. Other species can also be predicted by using LncRNApred. The result shows that our method is more effective compared with the Coding Potential Calculate (CPC). The web server of LncRNApred is available for free at http://mm20132014.wicp.net:57203/LncRNApred/home.jsp.

Piano Transcription with Convolutional Sparse Lateral Inhibition

DOE PAGES

Cogliati, Andrea; Duan, Zhiyao; Wohlberg, Brendt Egon

2017-02-08

This paper extends our prior work on contextdependent piano transcription to estimate the length of the notes in addition to their pitch and onset. This approach employs convolutional sparse coding along with lateral inhibition constraints to approximate a musical signal as the sum of piano note waveforms (dictionary elements) convolved with their temporal activations. The waveforms are pre-recorded for the specific piano to be transcribed in the specific environment. A dictionary containing multiple waveforms per pitch is generated by truncating a long waveform for each pitch to different lengths. During transcription, the dictionary elements are fixed and their temporal activationsmore » are estimated and post-processed to obtain the pitch, onset and note length estimation. A sparsity penalty promotes globally sparse activations of the dictionary elements, and a lateral inhibition term penalizes concurrent activations of different waveforms corresponding to the same pitch within a temporal neighborhood, to achieve note length estimation. Experiments on the MAPS dataset show that the proposed approach significantly outperforms a state-of-the-art music transcription method trained in the same context-dependent setting in transcription accuracy.« less

Piano Transcription with Convolutional Sparse Lateral Inhibition

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cogliati, Andrea; Duan, Zhiyao; Wohlberg, Brendt Egon

This paper extends our prior work on contextdependent piano transcription to estimate the length of the notes in addition to their pitch and onset. This approach employs convolutional sparse coding along with lateral inhibition constraints to approximate a musical signal as the sum of piano note waveforms (dictionary elements) convolved with their temporal activations. The waveforms are pre-recorded for the specific piano to be transcribed in the specific environment. A dictionary containing multiple waveforms per pitch is generated by truncating a long waveform for each pitch to different lengths. During transcription, the dictionary elements are fixed and their temporal activationsmore » are estimated and post-processed to obtain the pitch, onset and note length estimation. A sparsity penalty promotes globally sparse activations of the dictionary elements, and a lateral inhibition term penalizes concurrent activations of different waveforms corresponding to the same pitch within a temporal neighborhood, to achieve note length estimation. Experiments on the MAPS dataset show that the proposed approach significantly outperforms a state-of-the-art music transcription method trained in the same context-dependent setting in transcription accuracy.« less

Modulation of Gene Expression in Contextual Fear Conditioning in the Rat

PubMed Central

Macchi, Monica; Ciampini, Cristina; Bernardi, Rodolfo; Baldi, Elisabetta; Bucherelli, Corrado; Brunelli, Marcello; Scuri, Rossana

2013-01-01

In contextual fear conditioning (CFC) a single training leads to long-term memory of context-aversive electrical foot-shocks association. Mid-temporal regions of the brain of trained and naive rats were obtained 2 days after conditioning and screened by two-directional suppression subtractive hybridization. A pool of differentially expressed genes was identified and some of them were randomly selected and confirmed with qRT-PCR assay. These transcripts showed high homology for rat gene sequences coding for proteins involved in different cellular processes. The expression of the selected transcripts was also tested in rats which had freely explored the experimental apparatus (exploration) and in rats to which the same number of aversive shocks had been administered in the same apparatus, but temporally compressed so as to make the association between painful stimuli and the apparatus difficult (shock-only). Some genes resulted differentially expressed only in the rats subjected to CFC, others only in exploration or shock-only rats, whereas the gene coding for translocase of outer mitochondrial membrane 20 protein and nardilysin were differentially expressed in both CFC and exploration rats. For example, the expression of stathmin 1 whose transcripts resulted up regulated was also tested to evaluate the transduction and protein localization after conditioning. PMID:24278235

A support vector machine model provides an accurate transcript-level-based diagnostic for major depressive disorder

PubMed Central

Yu, J S; Xue, A Y; Redei, E E; Bagheri, N

2016-01-01

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a critical cause of morbidity and disability with an economic cost of hundreds of billions of dollars each year, necessitating more effective treatment strategies and novel approaches to translational research. A notable barrier in addressing this public health threat involves reliable identification of the disorder, as many affected individuals remain undiagnosed or misdiagnosed. An objective blood-based diagnostic test using transcript levels of a panel of markers would provide an invaluable tool for MDD as the infrastructure—including equipment, trained personnel, billing, and governmental approval—for similar tests is well established in clinics worldwide. Here we present a supervised classification model utilizing support vector machines (SVMs) for the analysis of transcriptomic data readily obtained from a peripheral blood specimen. The model was trained on data from subjects with MDD (n=32) and age- and gender-matched controls (n=32). This SVM model provides a cross-validated sensitivity and specificity of 90.6% for the diagnosis of MDD using a panel of 10 transcripts. We applied a logistic equation on the SVM model and quantified a likelihood of depression score. This score gives the probability of a MDD diagnosis and allows the tuning of specificity and sensitivity for individual patients to bring personalized medicine closer in psychiatry. PMID:27779627

Roles of Urban Tree Canopy and Buildings in Urban Heat Island Effects: Parameterization and Preliminary Results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Loughner, Christopher P.; Allen, Dale J.; Zhang, Da-Lin; Pickering, Kenneth E.; Dickerson, Russell R.; Landry, Laura

2012-01-01

Urban heat island (UHI) effects can strengthen heat waves and air pollution episodes. In this study, the dampening impact of urban trees on the UHI during an extreme heat wave in the Washington, D.C., and Baltimore, Maryland, metropolitan area is examined by incorporating trees, soil, and grass into the coupled Weather Research and Forecasting model and an urban canopy model (WRF-UCM). By parameterizing the effects of these natural surfaces alongside roadways and buildings, the modified WRF-UCM is used to investigate how urban trees, soil, and grass dampen the UHI. The modified model was run with 50% tree cover over urban roads and a 10% decrease in the width of urban streets to make space for soil and grass alongside the roads and buildings. Results show that, averaged over all urban areas, the added vegetation decreases surface air temperature in urban street canyons by 4.1 K and road-surface and building-wall temperatures by 15.4 and 8.9 K, respectively, as a result of tree shading and evapotranspiration. These temperature changes propagate downwind and alter the temperature gradient associated with the Chesapeake Bay breeze and, therefore, alter the strength of the bay breeze. The impact of building height on the UHI shows that decreasing commercial building heights by 8 m and residential building heights by 2.5 m results in up to 0.4-K higher daytime surface and near-surface air temperatures because of less building shading and up to 1.2-K lower nighttime temperatures because of less longwave radiative trapping in urban street canyons.

The Helium Warm Breeze in IBEX Observations As a Result of Charge-exchange Collisions in the Outer Heliosheath

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bzowski, Maciej; Kubiak, Marzena A.; Czechowski, Andrzej

2017-08-10

We simulated the signal due to neutral He atoms, observed by the Interstellar Boundary Explorer ( IBEX ), assuming that charge-exchange collisions between neutral He atoms and He{sup +} ions operate everywhere between the heliopause and a distant source region in the local interstellar cloud, where the neutral and charged components are in thermal equilibrium. We simulated several test cases of the plasma flow within the outer heliosheath (OHS) and investigated the signal generation for plasma flows both in the absence and in the presence of the interstellar magnetic field (ISMF). We found that a signal in the portion ofmore » IBEX data identified as being due to the Warm Breeze (WB) does not arise when a homogeneous plasma flow in front of the heliopause is assumed, but it appears immediately when any reasonable disturbance in its flow due to the presence of the heliosphere is assumed. We obtained a good qualitative agreement between the data selected for comparison and the simulations for a model flow with the velocity vector of the unperturbed gas and the direction and intensity of magnetic field adopted from recent determinations. We conclude that direct-sampling observations of neutral He atoms at 1 au from the Sun are a sensitive tool for investigating the flow of interstellar matter in the OHS, that the WB is indeed the secondary population of interstellar helium, which was hypothesized earlier, and that the WB signal is consistent with the heliosphere distorted from axial symmetry by the ISMF.« less

Numerical study of the effects of local atmospheric circulations on a pollution event over Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, China.

PubMed

Miao, Yucong; Liu, Shuhua; Zheng, Yijia; Wang, Shu; Chen, Bicheng; Zheng, Hui; Zhao, Jingchuan

2015-04-01

Currently, the Chinese central government is considering plans to build a trilateral economic sphere in the Bohai Bay area, including Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei (BTH), where haze pollution frequently occurs. To achieve sustainable development, it is necessary to understand the physical mechanism of the haze pollution there. Therefore, the pollutant transport mechanisms of a haze event over the BTH region from 23 to 24 September 2011 were studied using the Weather Research and Forecasting model and the FLEXible-PARTicle dispersion model to understand the effects of the local atmospheric circulations and atmospheric boundary layer structure. Results suggested that the penetration by sea-breeze could strengthen the vertical dispersion by lifting up the planetary boundary layer height (PBLH) and carry the local pollutants to the downstream areas; in the early night, two elevated pollution layers (EPLs) may be generated over the mountain areas: the pollutants in the upper EPL at the altitude of 2-2.5 km were favored to disperse by long-range transport, while the lower EPL at the altitude of 1 km may serve as a reservoir, and the pollutants there could be transported downward and contribute to the surface air pollution. The intensity of the sea-land and mountain-valley breeze circulations played an important role in the vertical transport and distribution of pollutants. It was also found that the diurnal evolution of the PBLH is important for the vertical dispersion of the pollutants, which is strongly affected by the local atmospheric circulations and the distribution of urban areas. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

The influence of urban design on outdoor thermal comfort in the hot, humid city of Colombo, Sri Lanka

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johansson, Erik; Emmanuel, Rohinton

2006-11-01

The outdoor environment is deteriorating in many tropical cities due to rapid urbanization. This leads to a number of problems related to health and well-being of humans and also negatively affects social and commercial outdoor activities. The creation of thermally comfortable microclimates in urban environments is therefore very important. This paper discusses the influence of street-canyon geometry on outdoor thermal comfort in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Five sites with different urban geometry, ground cover, and distance from the sea were studied during the warmest season. The environmental parameters affecting thermal comfort, viz. air temperature, humidity, wind speed, and solar radiation, were measured, and the thermal comfort was estimated by calculating the physiologically equivalent temperature (PET). The thermal comfort is far above the assumed comfort zone due to the combination of intense solar radiation, high temperatures, and low wind speeds, especially on clear days. The worst conditions were found in wide streets with low-rise buildings and no shade trees. The most comfortable conditions were found in narrow streets with tall buildings, especially if shade trees were present, as well as in areas near the coast where the sea breeze had a positive effect. In order to improve the outdoor comfort in Colombo, it is suggested to allow a more compact urban form with deeper street canyons and to provide additional shade through the use of trees, covered walkways, pedestrian arcades, etc. The opening up of the city’s coastal strip would allow the sea breeze to penetrate further into the city.

Turbulent Helicity in the Atmospheric Boundary Layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chkhetiani, Otto G.; Kurgansky, Michael V.; Vazaeva, Natalia V.

2018-05-01

We consider the assumption postulated by Deusebio and Lindborg (J Fluid Mech 755:654-671, 2014) that the helicity injected into the Ekman boundary layer undergoes a cascade, with preservation of its sign (right- or alternatively left-handedness), which is a signature of the system rotation, from large to small scales, down to the Kolmogorov microscale of turbulence. At the same time, recent direct field measurements of turbulent helicity in the steppe region of southern Russia near Tsimlyansk Reservoir show the opposite sign of helicity from that expected. A possible explanation for this phenomenon may be the joint action of different scales of atmospheric flows within the boundary layer, including the sea-breeze circulation over the test site. In this regard, we consider a superposition of the classic Ekman spiral solution and Prandtl's jet-like slope-wind profile to describe the planetary boundary-layer wind structure. The latter solution mimics a hydrostatic shallow breeze circulation over a non-uniformly heated surface. A 180°-wide sector on the hodograph plane exists, within which the relative orientation of the Ekman and Prandtl velocity profiles favours the left rotation with height of the resulting wind velocity vector in the lowermost part of the boundary layer. This explains the negative (left-handed) helicity cascade toward small-scale turbulent motions, which agrees with the direct field measurements of turbulent helicity in Tsimlyansk. A simple turbulent relaxation model is proposed that explains the measured positive values of the relatively minor contribution to turbulent helicity from the vertical components of velocity and vorticity.

Differences of atmospheric boundary layer characteristics between pre-monsoon and monsoon period over the Erhai Lake

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Lujun; Liu, Huizhi; Du, Qun; Wang, Lei; Yang, Liu; Sun, Jihua

2018-01-01

The differences in planetary boundary layer characteristics, in particular atmospheric boundary layer height (ABLH), humidity, and local circulations in pre-monsoon and monsoon period over the Erhai Lake, were simulated by the lake-atmosphere coupled model WRF v3.7.1. No lake simulations were also conducted to investigate lake effects over complex topography. During pre-monsoon period, local circulation was fully developed under weak synoptic system. The ABLH ran up to 2300 m or so. During monsoon period, temperature difference between land and lake became smaller, resulting in weaker local circulations. The height of circulation reduced by 500 m, and ABLH ran up to 1100 m during the day. Enhanced soil moisture and low surface temperature due to monsoon rainfalls in July could be the main reason for the slightly lower ABLH over the Erhai Lake area. Specific humidity of the boundary layer increased 8.8 g kg-1 or so during monsoon period. The Erhai Lake enlarged thermal contrast between valley and mountain slope in the Dali Basin. The lake reduced air temperature by 2 3 °C during daytime and increased air temperature by nearly 2 °C in the evening. Due to its small roughness length and large thermal capacity, the Erhai Lake enlarged lake-land temperature difference and local wind speed. A cyclonic circulation was maintained by the combination of mountain breeze and land breeze in the south of the lake. The lake decreased air temperature, increased specific humidity, and reduced ABLH during daytime, whereas the opposite effect is presented at night.

Dental Resin Cements-The Influence of Water Sorption on Contraction Stress Changes and Hydroscopic Expansion.

PubMed

Sokolowski, Grzegorz; Szczesio, Agata; Bociong, Kinga; Kaluzinska, Karolina; Lapinska, Barbara; Sokolowski, Jerzy; Domarecka, Monika; Lukomska-Szymanska, Monika

2018-06-08

Resin matrix dental materials undergo contraction and expansion changes due to polymerization and water absorption. Both phenomena deform resin-dentin bonding and influence the stress state in restored tooth structure in two opposite directions. The study tested three composite resin cements (Cement-It, NX3, Variolink Esthetic DC), three adhesive resin cements (Estecem, Multilink Automix, Panavia 2.0), and seven self-adhesive resin cements (Breeze, Calibra Universal, MaxCem Elite Chroma, Panavia SA Cement Plus, RelyX U200, SmartCem 2, and SpeedCEM Plus). The stress generated at the restoration-tooth interface during water immersion was evaluated. The shrinkage stress was measured immediately after curing and after 0.5 h, 24 h, 72 h, 96 h, 168 h, 240 h, 336 h, 504 h, 672 h, and 1344 h by means of photoelastic study. Water sorption and solubility were also studied. All tested materials during polymerization generated shrinkage stress ranging from 4.8 MPa up to 15.1 MPa. The decrease in shrinkage strain (not less than 57%) was observed after water storage (56 days). Self-adhesive cements, i.e., MaxCem Elite Chroma, SpeedCem Plus, Panavia SA Plus, and Breeze exhibited high values of water expansion stress (from 0 up to almost 7 MPa). Among other tested materials only composite resin cement Cement It and adhesive resin cement Panavia 2.0 showed water expansion stress (1.6 and 4.8, respectively). The changes in stress value (decrease in contraction stress or built up of hydroscopic expansion) in time were material-dependent.

Where is the ideal location for a US East Coast offshore grid?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dvorak, Michael J.; Stoutenburg, Eric D.; Archer, Cristina L.; Kempton, Willett; Jacobson, Mark Z.

2012-03-01

This paper identifies the location of an “ideal” offshore wind energy (OWE) grid on the U.S. East Coast that would (1) provide the highest overall and peak-time summer capacity factor, (2) use bottom-mounted turbine foundations (depth ≤50 m), (3) connect regional transmissions grids from New England to the Mid-Atlantic, and (4) have a smoothed power output, reduced hourly ramp rates and hours of zero power. Hourly, high-resolution mesoscale weather model data from 2006-2010 were used to approximate wind farm output. The offshore grid was located in the waters from Long Island, New York to the Georges Bank, ≈450 km east. Twelve candidate 500 MW wind farms were located randomly throughout that region. Four wind farms (2000 MW total capacity) were selected for their synergistic meteorological characteristics that reduced offshore grid variability. Sites likely to have sea breezes helped increase the grid capacity factor during peak time in the spring and summer months. Sites far offshore, dominated by powerful synoptic-scale storms, were included for their generally higher but more variable power output. By interconnecting all 4 farms via an offshore grid versus 4 individual interconnections, power was smoothed, the no-power events were reduced from 9% to 4%, and the combined capacity factor was 48% (gross). By interconnecting offshore wind energy farms ≈450 km apart, in regions with offshore wind energy resources driven by both synoptic-scale storms and mesoscale sea breezes, substantial reductions in low/no-power hours and hourly ramp rates can be made.

Impact of four-dimensional data assimilation (FDDA) on urban climate analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pan, Linlin; Liu, Yubao; Liu, Yuewei; Li, Lei; Jiang, Yin; Cheng, Will; Roux, Gregory

2015-12-01

This study investigates the impact of four-dimensional data assimilation (FDDA) on urban climate analysis, which employs the NCAR (National Center for Atmospheric Research) WRF (the weather research and forecasting model) based on climate FDDA (CFDDA) technology to develop an urban-scale microclimatology database for the Shenzhen area, a rapidly developing metropolitan located along the southern coast of China, where uniquely high-density observations, including ultrahigh-resolution surface AWS (automatic weather station) network, radio sounding, wind profilers, radiometers, and other weather observation platforms, have been installed. CFDDA is an innovative dynamical downscaling regional climate analysis system that assimilates diverse regional observations; and has been employed to produce a 5 year multiscale high-resolution microclimate analysis by assimilating high-density observations at Shenzhen area. The CFDDA system was configured with four nested-grid domains at grid sizes of 27, 9, 3, and 1 km, respectively. This research evaluates the impact of assimilating high-resolution observation data on reproducing the refining features of urban-scale circulations. Two experiments were conducted with a 5 year run using CFSR (climate forecast system reanalysis) as boundary and initial conditions: one with CFDDA and the other without. The comparisons of these two experiments with observations indicate that CFDDA greatly reduces the model analysis error and is able to realistically analyze the microscale features such as urban-rural-coastal circulation, land/sea breezes, and local-hilly terrain thermal circulations. It is demonstrated that the urbanization can produce 2.5 k differences in 2 m temperatures, delays/speeds up the land/sea breeze development, and interacts with local mountain-valley circulations.

The influence of urban design on outdoor thermal comfort in the hot, humid city of Colombo, Sri Lanka.

PubMed

Johansson, Erik; Emmanuel, Rohinton

2006-11-01

The outdoor environment is deteriorating in many tropical cities due to rapid urbanization. This leads to a number of problems related to health and well-being of humans and also negatively affects social and commercial outdoor activities. The creation of thermally comfortable microclimates in urban environments is therefore very important. This paper discusses the influence of street-canyon geometry on outdoor thermal comfort in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Five sites with different urban geometry, ground cover, and distance from the sea were studied during the warmest season. The environmental parameters affecting thermal comfort, viz. air temperature, humidity, wind speed, and solar radiation, were measured, and the thermal comfort was estimated by calculating the physiologically equivalent temperature (PET). The thermal comfort is far above the assumed comfort zone due to the combination of intense solar radiation, high temperatures, and low wind speeds, especially on clear days. The worst conditions were found in wide streets with low-rise buildings and no shade trees. The most comfortable conditions were found in narrow streets with tall buildings, especially if shade trees were present, as well as in areas near the coast where the sea breeze had a positive effect. In order to improve the outdoor comfort in Colombo, it is suggested to allow a more compact urban form with deeper street canyons and to provide additional shade through the use of trees, covered walkways, pedestrian arcades, etc. The opening up of the city's coastal strip would allow the sea breeze to penetrate further into the city.

Oversight Hearing on the Job Training Partnership Act (Part 1). Hearing before the Subcommittee on Employment Opportunities of the Committee on Education and Labor, House of Representatives, Ninety-Ninth Congress, First Session (Washington, DC, May 2, 1985).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Congress of the U.S., Washington, DC. House Committee on Education and Labor.

This document is a transcript of an oversight hearing on the Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA). It is the first in a series designed by the House Subcommittee on Employment Opportunities, Committee on Education and Labor, to evaluate the program. In his introduction, the subcommittee chairman voiced his concern about proposed budget cuts in…

Air Traffic Controllers Testing and Training Program. Hearing before the Subcommittee on Aviation of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, United States Senate, Ninety-Seventh Congress. First Session (December 16, 1981). Serial No. 97-84.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Congress of the U.S., Washington, DC. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

This document is a transcript of a United States Senate subcommittee hearing which was conducted to review the effort the Department of Transportation and the Federal Aviation Administration have undertaken to hire and train new air traffic controllers to take the places of those controllers who went on strike in August, 1981, and were…

Handicapped Individuals Services and Training Act. Hearing before the Subcommittee on Select Education of the Committee on Education and Labor, House of Representatives, Ninety-Seventh Congress, Second Session on H.R. 6820 (St. Paul, Minnesota and Loretto, Minnesota).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Congress of the U.S., Washington, DC. House Committee on Education and Labor.

This document is a transcript of hearings concerning the Handicapped Individuals Services and Training Act that would provide funds for operation of the Helen Keller National Center for Deaf-Blind Youths and Adults, the Vinland National Center for Health-Sports and Physical Fitness for Handicapped Individuals, and other projects and services for…

Heterozygous Che-1 KO mice show deficiencies in object recognition memory persistence.

PubMed

Zalcman, Gisela; Corbi, Nicoletta; Di Certo, Maria Grazia; Mattei, Elisabetta; Federman, Noel; Romano, Arturo

2016-10-06

Transcriptional regulation is a key process in the formation of long-term memories. Che-1 is a protein involved in the regulation of gene transcription that has recently been proved to bind the transcription factor NF-κB, which is known to be involved in many memory-related molecular events. This evidence prompted us to investigate the putative role of Che-1 in memory processes. For this study we newly generated a line of Che-1(+/-) heterozygous mice. Che-1 homozygous KO mouse is lethal during development, but Che-1(+/-) heterozygous mouse is normal in its general anatomical and physiological characteristics. We analyzed the behavioral characteristic and memory performance of Che-1(+/-) mice in two NF-κB dependent types of memory. We found that Che-1(+/-) mice show similar locomotor activity and thigmotactic behavior than wild type (WT) mice in an open field. In a similar way, no differences were found in anxiety-like behavior between Che-1(+/-) and WT mice in an elevated plus maze as well as in fear response in a contextual fear conditioning (CFC) and object exploration in a novel object recognition (NOR) task. No differences were found between WT and Che-1(+/-) mice performance in CFC training and when tested at 24h or 7days after training. Similar performance was found between groups in NOR task, both in training and 24h testing performance. However, we found that object recognition memory persistence at 7days was impaired in Che-1(+/-) heterozygous mice. This is the first evidence showing that Che-1 is involved in memory processes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

PDPR Gene Expression Correlates with Exercise-Training Insulin Sensitivity Changes

PubMed Central

Barberio, Matthew D.; Huffman, Kim M.; Giri, Mamta; Hoffman, Eric P.; Kraus, William E.; Hubal, Monica J.

2016-01-01

Purpose Whole body insulin sensitivity (Si) typically improves following aerobic exercise training; however, individual responses can be highly variable. The purpose of this study was to use global gene expression to identify skeletal muscle genes that correlate with exercise-induced Si changes. Methods Longitudinal cohorts from the Studies of Targeted Risk Reduction Intervention through Defined Exercise (STRRIDE) were utilized as Discovery (Affymetrix) and Confirmation (Illumina) of vastus lateralis gene expression profiles. Discovery (n=39; 21 men) and Confirmation (n=42; 19 men) cohorts were matched for age (52 ± 8 vs. 51 ± 10 yr), BMI (30.4 ± 2.8 vs. 29.7 ± 2.8 kg*m-2), and VO2max (30.4 ± 2.8 vs. 29.7 ± 2.8 mL/kg/min). Si was determined via intravenous glucose tolerance test pre- and post-training. Pearson product-moment correlation coefficients determined relationships between a) baseline and b) training-induced changes in gene expression and %ΔSi after training. Results Expression of 2454 (Discovery) and 1778 genes (Confirmation) at baseline were significantly (P<0.05) correlated to %ΔSi; 112 genes overlapped. Pathway analyses identified Ca2+-signaling-related transcripts in this 112-gene list. Expression changes of 1384 (Discovery) and 1288 genes (Confirmation) following training were significantly (P<0.05) correlated to % ΔSi; 33 genes overlapped, representing contractile apparatus of skeletal and smooth muscle genes. Pyruvate dehydrogenase phosphatase regulatory subunit (PDPR) expression at baseline (p=0.01, r=0.41) and post-training (p=0.01, r=0.43) were both correlated with %ΔSi. Conclusion Exercise-induced adaptations in skeletal muscle Si are related to baseline levels of Ca+2-regulating transcripts, which may prime the muscle for adaptation. Relationships between %ΔSi and PDPR, a regulatory subunit of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex, indicate that the Si response is strongly related to key steps in metabolic regulation. PMID:27846149

Assessment of parental understanding by pediatric residents during counseling after newborn genetic screening.

PubMed

Farrell, Michael H; Kuruvilla, Pramita

2008-03-01

To investigate pediatric residents' efforts to assess understanding in discussions about positive newborn screening test results. Newborn screening saves lives, but confusion about false-positive and carrier results often leads to psychosocial problems. Explicit-criteria abstraction of transcripts of encounters with standardized parents of a fictitious infant found to carry cystic fibrosis or sickle cell hemoglobinopathy. Simulated doctor-patient encounter. Pediatric residents participating in an educational workshop on how to inform parents about positive newborn screening test results. Abstraction used an explicit-criteria data dictionary with definitions for 5 different ways to assess understanding. A "partial" designation was used for leading syntax or no pause for response. Interabstractor reliability over 59 transcripts (2 per resident) was kappa = 0.93. Only 26 of 59 transcripts (44.1%) met definite criteria for at least 1 assessment of understanding. Most assessments were the less effective close-ended (37.3% of transcripts) and "OK?" question types (32.2% of transcripts). Only 3 transcripts met definite criteria for an open-ended assessment and no transcripts included a request for a teach-back, the type thought to be most effective. Four transcripts (6.8%) included an advance request for questions. With partial-criteria assessments included, an additional 31 transcripts (52%) were identified. The small number of assessments of understanding and the high fraction of less effective assessments do not bode well for parental understanding, especially for parents with limited health literacy. Training programs should address assessments of understanding, but quality improvement activities using these types of assessment methods may also be needed.

Genome-wide Functional Analysis of CREB/Long-Term Memory-Dependent Transcription Reveals Distinct Basal and Memory Gene Expression Programs

PubMed Central

Lakhina, Vanisha; Arey, Rachel N.; Kaletsky, Rachel; Kauffman, Amanda; Stein, Geneva; Keyes, William; Xu, Daniel; Murphy, Coleen T.

2014-01-01

SUMMARY Induced CREB activity is a hallmark of long-term memory, but the full repertoire of CREB transcriptional targets required specifically for memory is not known in any system. To obtain a more complete picture of the mechanisms involved in memory, we combined memory training with genome-wide transcriptional analysis of C. elegans CREB mutants. This approach identified 757 significant CREB/memory-induced targets and confirmed the involvement of known memory genes from other organisms, but also suggested new mechanisms and novel components that may be conserved through mammals. CREB mediates distinct basal and memory transcriptional programs at least partially through spatial restriction of CREB activity: basal targets are regulated primarily in nonneuronal tissues, while memory targets are enriched for neuronal expression, emanating from CREB activity in AIM neurons. This suite of novel memory-associated genes will provide a platform for the discovery of orthologous mammalian long-term memory components. PMID:25611510

20 CFR 638.809 - Audit.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Audit. 638.809 Section 638.809 Employees... THE JOB TRAINING PARTNERSHIP ACT Administrative Provisions § 638.809 Audit. (a) The Secretary of Labor... purpose of making surveys, audits, examinations, excerpts, and transcripts. (b) The Secretary shall, with...

Calvin A. Henard | NREL

Science.gov Websites

years of postdoctoral training at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, Texas, evaluating transcriptional regulation Redox signaling Education Ph.D., Microbiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Postdoctoral Scholar, University of Texas Medical Branch, 2012-2014 Graduate Student Fellow, University of

32 CFR 903.3 - Selection criteria.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... must furnish a certified transcript from each high school or civilian preparatory school attended... Defense Department of Defense (Continued) DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE MILITARY TRAINING AND SCHOOLS AIR FORCE ACADEMY PREPARATORY SCHOOL § 903.3 Selection criteria. (a) Cadet candidates for the HQ USAFA/PL...

32 CFR 903.3 - Selection criteria.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... must furnish a certified transcript from each high school or civilian preparatory school attended... Defense Department of Defense (Continued) DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE MILITARY TRAINING AND SCHOOLS AIR FORCE ACADEMY PREPARATORY SCHOOL § 903.3 Selection criteria. (a) Cadet candidates for the HQ USAFA/PL...

32 CFR 903.3 - Selection criteria.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... must furnish a certified transcript from each high school or civilian preparatory school attended... Defense Department of Defense (Continued) DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE MILITARY TRAINING AND SCHOOLS AIR FORCE ACADEMY PREPARATORY SCHOOL § 903.3 Selection criteria. (a) Cadet candidates for the HQ USAFA/PL...

48 CFR 801.690-3 - Responsibilities under the COCP.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... appointment of contracting officers at the Micro-purchase Level and Level I warrant level within their... of appointment of purchase card holders at the Micro-purchase Level and Level I warrant contracting... acquisition training, continuing education, college transcripts, work experience, and other supporting...

Quantum annealing versus classical machine learning applied to a simplified computational biology problem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Richard Y.; Di Felice, Rosa; Rohs, Remo; Lidar, Daniel A.

2018-03-01

Transcription factors regulate gene expression, but how these proteins recognize and specifically bind to their DNA targets is still debated. Machine learning models are effective means to reveal interaction mechanisms. Here we studied the ability of a quantum machine learning approach to classify and rank binding affinities. Using simplified data sets of a small number of DNA sequences derived from actual binding affinity experiments, we trained a commercially available quantum annealer to classify and rank transcription factor binding. The results were compared to state-of-the-art classical approaches for the same simplified data sets, including simulated annealing, simulated quantum annealing, multiple linear regression, LASSO, and extreme gradient boosting. Despite technological limitations, we find a slight advantage in classification performance and nearly equal ranking performance using the quantum annealer for these fairly small training data sets. Thus, we propose that quantum annealing might be an effective method to implement machine learning for certain computational biology problems.

Tracking near-surface atmospheric conditions using an infrasound network.

PubMed

Marcillo, O; Johnson, J B

2010-07-01

Continuous volcanic infrasound signal was recorded on a three-microphone network at Kilauea in July 2008 and inverted for near-surface horizontal winds. Inter-station phase delays, determined by signal cross-correlation, vary by up to 4% and are attributable to variable atmospheric conditions. The results suggest two predominant weather regimes during the study period: (1) 6-9 m/s easterly trade winds and (2) lower-intensity 2-5 m/s mountain breezes from Mauna Loa. The results demonstrate the potential of using infrasound for tracking local averaged meteorological conditions, which has implications for modeling plume dispersal and quantifying gas flux.

Downwind hazard calculations for space shuttle launches at Kennedy Space Center and Vandenberg Air Force Base

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Susko, M.; Hill, C. K.; Kaufman, J. W.

1974-01-01

The quantitative estimates are presented of pollutant concentrations associated with the emission of the major combustion products (HCl, CO, and Al2O3) to the lower atmosphere during normal launches of the space shuttle. The NASA/MSFC Multilayer Diffusion Model was used to obtain these calculations. Results are presented for nine sets of typical meteorological conditions at Kennedy Space Center, including fall, spring, and a sea-breeze condition, and six sets at Vandenberg AFB. In none of the selected typical meteorological regimes studied was a 10-min limit of 4 ppm exceeded.

Development and Structure of Winter Monsoon Cloud Clusters On 10 December 1978.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Churchill, Dean D.; Houze, Robert A., Jr.

1984-03-01

Data from the Winter Monsoon Experiment (WMONEX) are used to study cloud clusters that occurred over the South China Sea on 10 December 1978. These clusters underwent life cycles in which they began as groups of intense convective cells and then developed into mesoscale systems consisting partly of convective cells and partly of stratiform precipitation. In the cellular regions of clusters, ice particle concentrations (at the 8 km, or 17°C, level) were found to be of the order of hundreds per liter, local convective updrafts of 4-17 m s1 were observed, and the dominant ice-particle growth mechanism appeared to be riming. In the stratiform regions of clusters, the ice particles appeared to grow by vapor deposition and aggregation and weaker but more widespread mesoscale updraft motion was indicated at mid to upper levels by the observed ice-crystal structures, while unsaturated mesoscale downdraft motion was indicated at mid to lower levels by sounding data. The ice-particle concentrations at 8 km in stratiform regions were one to two orders of magnitude lower than in the convective regions; in areas of weaker stratiform precipitation the concentrations were 1-10 per liter, while in areas of stronger stratiform precipitation they were 20-70 per liter. Substructure within the stratiform regions was indicated by variations in observed ice-crystal habits over horizontal distances of 10-100 km.The dominant cluster observed on this day was initiated when a group of convective cells formed just off the Borneo coast, apparently in response to land-breeze convergence. During the mature stage of this cluster, the stratiform rain area became nearly surrounded by a broken line of convective cells of various intensity. The greatest concentration of intense cores was maintained in a generally stationary region on the southeast side of the cluster where the land-breeze convergence was located, while convection on the northwest side of the cluster propagated out to sea. The stratiform precipitation area of this cluster appeared to be formed and maintained by a combination of three processes: dying convective cells being transformed into stratiform structures, hydrometeors being advected from the tops of active cells into the stratiform precipitation region and condensation in the mesoscale updraft contributing to the growth of hydrometeors falling as stratiform rain. About 46% of the total precipitation from this cluster fell as stratiform rain.Other cloud clusters that occurred on this day generally formed around the periphery of the large land-breeze generated cluster and were of a smaller size. Convective downdraft outflows found in the regions between the old and new clusters may have been involved in triggering the new clusters.

Prediction of plant lncRNA by ensemble machine learning classifiers.

PubMed

Simopoulos, Caitlin M A; Weretilnyk, Elizabeth A; Golding, G Brian

2018-05-02

In plants, long non-protein coding RNAs are believed to have essential roles in development and stress responses. However, relative to advances on discerning biological roles for long non-protein coding RNAs in animal systems, this RNA class in plants is largely understudied. With comparatively few validated plant long non-coding RNAs, research on this potentially critical class of RNA is hindered by a lack of appropriate prediction tools and databases. Supervised learning models trained on data sets of mostly non-validated, non-coding transcripts have been previously used to identify this enigmatic RNA class with applications largely focused on animal systems. Our approach uses a training set comprised only of empirically validated long non-protein coding RNAs from plant, animal, and viral sources to predict and rank candidate long non-protein coding gene products for future functional validation. Individual stochastic gradient boosting and random forest classifiers trained on only empirically validated long non-protein coding RNAs were constructed. In order to use the strengths of multiple classifiers, we combined multiple models into a single stacking meta-learner. This ensemble approach benefits from the diversity of several learners to effectively identify putative plant long non-coding RNAs from transcript sequence features. When the predicted genes identified by the ensemble classifier were compared to those listed in GreeNC, an established plant long non-coding RNA database, overlap for predicted genes from Arabidopsis thaliana, Oryza sativa and Eutrema salsugineum ranged from 51 to 83% with the highest agreement in Eutrema salsugineum. Most of the highest ranking predictions from Arabidopsis thaliana were annotated as potential natural antisense genes, pseudogenes, transposable elements, or simply computationally predicted hypothetical protein. Due to the nature of this tool, the model can be updated as new long non-protein coding transcripts are identified and functionally verified. This ensemble classifier is an accurate tool that can be used to rank long non-protein coding RNA predictions for use in conjunction with gene expression studies. Selection of plant transcripts with a high potential for regulatory roles as long non-protein coding RNAs will advance research in the elucidation of long non-protein coding RNA function.

Hozhooji Hane' = Blessingway. First Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hathale, Roger; Hadley, Linda

The Rough Rock Medicinemen Training Program prepared this book to preserve Medicine practice of Navajo practitioners. Materials include Navajo transcriptions and English translations of lectures by Roger Hathale, a well known Medicineman. Written primarily for use by Navajo students at secondary and junior college levels, the book contains a full…

Landamatics Ten Years Later: An Interview with Lev N. Landa.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Educational Technology, 1993

1993-01-01

Provides the transcript of an interview with Dr. Lev Landa that addressed issues related to his algorithmico-heuristic theories of learning and instruction, called Landamatics. Highlights include teaching thinking versus knowledge; algorithms; instructional design; improving training and performance in industry, business, and government;…

Naturalistic Decision Making for Power System Operators

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Greitzer, Frank L.; Podmore, Robin; Robinson, Marck

2010-02-01

Motivation – Investigations of large-scale outages in the North American interconnected electric system often attribute the causes to three T’s: Trees, Training and Tools. To document and understand the mental processes used by expert operators when making critical decisions, a naturalistic decision making (NDM) model was developed. Transcripts of conversations were analyzed to reveal and assess NDM-based performance criteria. Findings/Design – An item analysis indicated that the operators’ Situation Awareness Levels, mental models, and mental simulations can be mapped at different points in the training scenario. This may identify improved training methods or analytical/ visualization tools. Originality/Value – This studymore » applies for the first time, the concepts of Recognition Primed Decision Making, Situation Awareness Levels and Cognitive Task Analysis to training of electric power system operators. Take away message – The NDM approach provides a viable framework for systematic training management to accelerate learning in simulator-based training scenarios for power system operators and teams.« less

An Observational Study of the Mesoscale Mistral Dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guenard, Vincent; Drobinski, Philippe; Caccia, Jean-Luc; Campistron, Bernard; Bench, Bruno

2005-05-01

We investigate the mesoscale dynamics of the mistral through the wind profiler observations of the MAP (autumn 1999) and ESCOMPTE (summer 2001) field campaigns. We show that the mistral wind field can dramatically change on a time scale less than 3 hours. Transitions from a deep to a shallow mistral are often observed at any season when the lower layers are stable. The variability, mainly attributed in summer to the mistral/land-sea breeze interactions on a 10-km scale, is highlighted by observations from the wind profiler network set up during ESCOMPTE. The interpretations of the dynamical mistral structure are performed through comparisons with existing basic theories. The linear theory of R. B. Smith [ Advances in Geophysics, Vol. 31, 1989, Academic Press, 1-41] and the shallow water theory [Schär, C. and Smith, R. B.: 1993a, J. Atmos. Sci. 50, 1373-1400] give some complementary explanations for the deep-to-shallow transition especially for the MAP mistral event. The wave breaking process induces a low-level jet (LLJ) downstream of the Alps that degenerates into a mountain wake, which in turn provokes the cessation of the mistral downstream of the Alps. Both theories indicate that the flow splits around the Alps and results in a persistent LLJ at the exit of the Rhône valley. The LLJ is strengthened by the channelling effect of the Rhône valley that is more efficient for north-easterly than northerly upstream winds despite the north-south valley axis. Summer moderate and weak mistral episodes are influenced by land-sea breezes and convection over land that induce a very complex interaction that cannot be accurately described by the previous theories.

Mesoscale circulation systems and ozone concentrations during ESCOMPTE: a case study from IOP 2b

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kalthoff, N.; Kottmeier, C.; Thürauf, J.; Corsmeier, U.; Saїd, F.; Fréjafon, E.; Perros, P. E.

2005-03-01

The main objective of 'Expérience sur Site pour COntraindre les Modèles de Pollution atmosphérique et de Transport d'Emissions' (ESCOMPTE) is to generate a relevant data set for testing and evaluating mesoscale chemistry-transport models (CTMs). During ESCOMPTE, measurements have been performed at numerous surface stations, by radars and lidars, and several aircraft in the planetary boundary layer. The data from these different sources have been merged to obtain a consistent description of the spatial distribution of wind, temperature, humidity, and ozone for the photosmog episode on June 25, 2001 (IOP 2b). On this day, moderate synoptic winds favour the evolution of different mesoscale circulation systems. During daytime, the sea breeze penetrates towards the north in the Rhône valley. As the winds above the sea breeze layer come from the east, polluted air from the metropolitan area of Marseille leads to an increase of ozone at elevated layers above the convective boundary layer (CBL). At the mountainous station of Luberon about 55 km north of Marseille around noon, when the CBL top surpasses the height of the mountain summit, polluted air with ozone concentrations of about 120 ppbv arrived from southerly directions, thus indicating the passage of the city plume of Marseille. At Cadarache and Vinon in the Durance valley, about 60 km inland, the ozone maximum at the surface and at flight level 920 m MSL appears between 14 and 15 UTC. At this time, southwesterly valley winds prevail in the valley, while southerly winds occur above. This finding highlights the height-dependent advection of ozone due to interacting mesoscale circulation systems. These dynamical processes need to be represented adequately in CTMs to deliver a realistic description of the ozone concentration fields.

Diurnal and seasonal variations in surface methane at a tropical coastal station: Role of mesoscale meteorology.

PubMed

Kavitha, M; Nair, Prabha R; Girach, I A; Aneesh, S; Sijikumar, S; Renju, R

2018-08-01

In view of the large uncertainties in the methane (CH 4 ) emission estimates and the large spatial gaps in its measurements, studies on near-surface CH 4 on regional basis become highly relevant. This paper presents the first time observational results of a study on the impacts of mesoscale meteorology on the temporal variations of near-surface CH 4 at a tropical coastal station, in India. It is based on the in-situ measurements conducted during January 2014 to August 2016, using an on-line CH 4 analyzer working on the principle of gas chromatography. The diurnal variation shows a daytime low (1898-1925ppbv) and nighttime high (1936-2022ppbv) extending till early morning hours. These changes are closely associated with the mesoscale circulations, namely Sea Breeze (SB) and Land Breeze (LB), as obtained through the meteorological observations, WRF simulations of the circulations and the diurnal variation of boundary layer height as observed by the Microwave Radiometer Profiler. The diurnal enhancement always coincides with the onset of LB. Several cases of different onset timings of LB were examined and results presented. The CH 4 mixing ratio also exhibits significant seasonal patterns being maximum in winter and minimum in pre-monsoon/monsoon with significant inter-annual variations, which is also reflected in diurnal patterns, and are associated with changing synoptic meteorology. This paper also presents an analysis of in-situ measured near-surface CH 4 , column averaged and upper tropospheric CH 4 retrieved by Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) onboard Earth Observing System (EOS)/Aqua which gives insight into the vertical distribution of the CH 4 over the location. An attempt is also made to estimate the instantaneous radiative forcing for the measured CH 4 mixing ratio. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A proxy for high-resolution regional reanalysis for the Southeast United States: assessment of precipitation variability in dynamically downscaled reanalyses

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stefanova, Lydia; Misra, Vasubandhu; Chan, Steven; Griffin, Melissa; O'Brien, James J.; Smith, Thomas J.

2012-01-01

We present an analysis of the seasonal, subseasonal, and diurnal variability of rainfall from COAPS Land- Atmosphere Regional Reanalysis for the Southeast at 10-km resolution (CLARReS10). Most of our assessment focuses on the representation of summertime subseasonal and diurnal variability.Summer precipitation in the Southeast United States is a particularly challenging modeling problem because of the variety of regional-scale phenomena, such as sea breeze, thunderstorms and squall lines, which are not adequately resolved in coarse atmospheric reanalyses but contribute significantly to the hydrological budget over the region. We find that the dynamically downscaled reanalyses are in good agreement with station and gridded observations in terms of both the relative seasonal distribution and the diurnal structure of precipitation, although total precipitation amounts tend to be systematically overestimated. The diurnal cycle of summer precipitation in the downscaled reanalyses is in very good agreement with station observations and a clear improvement both over their "parent" reanalyses and over newer-generation reanalyses. The seasonal cycle of precipitation is particularly well simulated in the Florida; this we attribute to the ability of the regional model to provide a more accurate representation of the spatial and temporal structure of finer-scale phenomena such as fronts and sea breezes. Over the northern portion of the domain summer precipitation in the downscaled reanalyses remains, as in the "parent" reanalyses, overestimated. Given the degree of success that dynamical downscaling of reanalyses demonstrates in the simulation of the characteristics of regional precipitation, its favorable comparison to conventional newer-generation reanalyses and its cost-effectiveness, we conclude that for the Southeast United states such downscaling is a viable proxy for high-resolution conventional reanalysis.

Seasonal and diurnal patterns in the dispersion of SO2 from Mt. Nyiragongo

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dingwell, Adam; Rutgersson, Anna; Claremar, Björn; Arellano, Santiago; Yalire, Mathieu M.; Galle, Bo

2016-05-01

Mt. Nyiragongo is an active volcano located in the Democratic Republic of Congo, close to the border of Rwanda and about 15 km north of the city of Goma (∼ 1,000,000 inhabitants). Gases emitted from Nyiragongo might pose a persistent hazard to local inhabitants and the environment. While both ground- and satellite-based observations of the emissions exist, prior to this study, no detailed analysis of the dispersion of the emissions have been made. We have conducted a dispersion study, using a modelling system to determine the geographical distribution of SO2. A combination of a meteorological model (WRF), a Lagrangian particle dispersion model (FLEXPART-WRF) and flux data based on DOAS measurements from the NOVAC-network is used. Since observations can only be made during the day, we use random sampling of fluxes and ensemble modelling to estimate night-time emissions. Seasonal variations in the dispersion follows the migration of the Inter Tropical Convergence Zone. In June-August, the area with the highest surface concentrations is located to the northwest, and in December-February, to the southwest of the source. Diurnal variations in surface concentrations were determined by the development of the planetary boundary layer and the lake-/land breeze cycle around lake Kivu. Both processes contribute to low surface concentrations during the day and high concentrations during the night. However, the strong northerly trade winds in November-March weakened the lake breeze, contributing to higher daytime surface concentrations along the northern shore of Lake Kivu, including the city of Goma. For further analysis and measurements, it is important to include both seasonal and diurnal cycles in order to safely cover periods of high and potentially hazardous concentrations.

Ozone pollution around a coastal region of South China Sea: interaction between marine and continental air

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Hao; Lyu, Xiaopu; Guo, Hai; Wang, Yu; Zou, Shichun; Ling, Zhenhao; Wang, Xinming; Jiang, Fei; Zeren, Yangzong; Pan, Wenzhuo; Huang, Xiaobo; Shen, Jin

2018-03-01

Marine atmosphere is usually considered to be a clean environment, but this study indicates that the near-coast waters of the South China Sea (SCS) suffer from even worse air quality than coastal cities. The analyses were based on concurrent field measurements of target air pollutants and meteorological parameters conducted at a suburban site (Tung Chung, TC) and a nearby marine site (Wan Shan, WS) from August to November 2013. The observations showed that the levels of primary air pollutants were significantly lower at WS than those at TC, while the ozone (O3) value was greater at WS. Higher O3 levels at WS were attributed to the weaker NO titration and higher O3 production rate because of stronger oxidative capacity of the atmosphere. However, O3 episodes were concurrently observed at both sites under certain meteorological conditions, such as tropical cyclones, continental anticyclones and sea-land breezes (SLBs). Driven by these synoptic systems and mesoscale recirculations, the interaction between continental and marine air masses profoundly changed the atmospheric composition and subsequently influenced the formation and redistribution of O3 in the coastal areas. When continental air intruded into marine atmosphere, the O3 pollution was magnified over the SCS, and the elevated O3 ( > 100 ppbv) could overspread the sea boundary layer ˜ 8 times the area of Hong Kong. In some cases, the exaggerated O3 pollution over the SCS was recirculated to the coastal inshore by sea breeze, leading to aggravated O3 pollution in coastal cities. The findings are applicable to similar mesoscale environments around the world where the maritime atmosphere is potentially influenced by severe continental air pollution.

Characteristics of Deep Tropical and Subtropical Convection from Nadir-Viewing High-Altitude Airborne Doppler Radar

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heymsfield, Gerald M.; Tian, Lin; Heymsfield, Andrew J.; Li, Lihua; Guimond, Stephen

2010-01-01

This paper presents observations of deep convection characteristics in the tropics and subtropics that have been classified into four categories: tropical cyclone, oceanic, land, and sea breeze. Vertical velocities in the convection were derived from Doppler radar measurements collected during several NASA field experiments from the nadir-viewing high-altitude ER-2 Doppler radar (EDOP). Emphasis is placed on the vertical structure of the convection from the surface to cloud top (sometimes reaching 18-km altitude). This unique look at convection is not possible from other approaches such as ground-based or lower-altitude airborne scanning radars. The vertical motions from the radar measurements are derived using new relationships between radar reflectivity and hydrometeor fall speed. Various convective properties, such as the peak updraft and downdraft velocities and their corresponding altitude, heights of reflectivity levels, and widths of reflectivity cores, are estimated. The most significant findings are the following: 1) strong updrafts that mostly exceed 15 m/s, with a few exceeding 30 m/s, are found in all the deep convection cases, whether over land or ocean; 2) peak updrafts were almost always above the 10-km level and, in the case of tropical cyclones, were closer to the 12-km level; and 3) land-based and sea-breeze convection had higher reflectivities and wider convective cores than oceanic and tropical cyclone convection. In addition, the high-resolution EDOP data were used to examine the connection between reflectivity and vertical velocity, for which only weak linear relationships were found. The results are discussed in terms of dynamical and microphysical implications for numerical models and future remote sensors.

Surface current dynamics under sea breeze conditions observed by simultaneous HF radar, ADCP and drifter measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sentchev, Alexei; Forget, Philippe; Fraunié, Philippe

2017-04-01

Ocean surface boundary layer dynamics off the southern coast of France in the NW Mediterranean is investigated by using velocity observations by high-frequency (HF) radars, surface drifting buoys and a downward-looking drifting acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP). The analysis confirms that velocities measured by HF radars correspond to those observed by an ADCP at the effective depth z f = k -1, where k is wavenumber of the radio wave emitted by the radar. The radials provided by the radars were in a very good agreement with in situ measurements, with the relative errors of 1 and 9 % and root mean square (RMS) differences of 0.02 and 0.04 m/s for monostatic and bistatic radar, respectively. The total radar-based velocities appeared to be slightly underestimated in magnitude and somewhat biased in direction. At the end of the survey period, the difference in the surface current direction, based on HF radar and ADCP data, attained 10°. It was demonstrated that the surface boundary layer dynamics cannot be reconstructed successfully without taking into the account velocity variation with depth. A significant misalignment of ˜30° caused by the sea breeze was documented between the HF radar (HFR-derived) surface current and the background current. It was also found that the ocean response to a moderate wind forcing was confined to the 4-m-thick upper layer. The respective Ekman current attained the maximum value of 0.15 m/s, and the current rotation was found to be lagging the wind by approximately 40 min, with the current vector direction being 15-20° to the left of the wind. The range of velocity variability due to wind forcing was found comparable with the magnitude of the background current variability.

Spatial Variability of the Background Diurnal Cycle of Deep Convection around the GoAmazon2014/5 Field Campaign Sites

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Burleyson, Casey D.; Feng, Zhe; Hagos, Samson M.

The Amazon rainforest is one of a few regions of the world where continental tropical deep convection occurs. The Amazon’s isolation makes it challenging to observe, but also creates a unique natural laboratory to study anthropogenic impacts on clouds and precipitation in an otherwise pristine environment. Extensive measurements were made upwind and downwind of the large city of Manaus, Brazil during the Observations and Modeling of the Green Ocean Amazon 2014-2015 (GoAmazon2014/5) field campaign. In this study, 15 years of high-resolution satellite data are analyzed to examine the spatial and diurnal variability of convection occurring around the GoAmazon2014/5 sites. Interpretationmore » of anthropogenic differences between the upwind (T0) and downwind (T1-T3) sites is complicated by naturally-occurring spatial variability between the sites. During the rainy season, the inland propagation of the previous day’s sea-breeze front happens to be in phase with the background diurnal cycle near Manaus, but is out of phase elsewhere. Enhanced convergence between the river-breezes and the easterly trade winds generates up to 10% more frequent deep convection at the GoAmazon2014/5 sites east of the river (T0a, T0t/k, and T1) compared to the T3 site which was located near the western bank. In general, the annual and diurnal cycles during 2014 were representative of the 2000-2013 distributions. The only exceptions were in March when the monthly mean rainrate was above the 95th percentile and September when both rain frequency and intensity were suppressed. The natural spatial variability must be accounted for before interpreting anthropogenically-induced differences among the GoAmazon2014/5 sites.« less

Time-resolved distributions of bulk parameters, diacids, ketoacids and α-dicarbonyls and stable carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios of TC and TN in tropical Indian aerosols: Influence of land/sea breeze and secondary processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pavuluri, Chandra Mouli; Kawamura, Kimitaka; Swaminathan, T.

2015-02-01

To better understand the photochemical production and diurnal distributions of organic and inorganic aerosols in the tropical coastal Indian atmosphere, the aerosol (TSP) samples were collected every 3 h during 30-31 January, 14-15 February and 28-29 May 2007 from Chennai and studied for total carbon (TC) and nitrogen (TN) and their stable isotope ratios (δ13CTC and δ15NTN), carbonaceous components, inorganic ions, diacids, ketoacids and α-dicarbonyls. Time-resolved distributions of bulk parameters, inorganic ions, and diacids and related compounds, except for few species, did not show any clear diurnal trend but showed peaks at 6-9 h during all the study periods, except for the peak at 15-18 h on 28 May. SO42-, C2 - C6 diacids, ketoacids and α-dicarbonyls in February and on 29 May showed a diurnal trend. δ13CTC and δ15NTN stayed relatively constant during the study periods but showed 13C depletion (in January) and 15 N enrichment when TC and TN peaked. Based on these results together with air mass trajectories, we found that the diurnal distributions of Chennai aerosols are mainly influenced by land/sea breeze and the aged (photochemically processed) air masses, although in situ photochemical production and nighttime chemistry of secondary aerosol species, particularly C2-C4 diacids and SO42-, are significant. The characteristics of seasonal variations of carbonaceous components, and diacids and related compounds and comparisons of δ13CTC and δ15NTN of Chennai aerosols with the isotopic signatures of the point sources inferred that biofuel/biomass burning in South and Southeast Asia are the major sources of aerosols (TSP).

Shortage of Engineers and Scientists. Hearing before the Subcommittee on Science, Technology, and Space of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. United States Senate One Hundred First Congress, Second Session on Training Scientists and Engineers for the Year 2000--The National Science Foundation's Role.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Congress of the U.S., Washington, DC. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

This document is the transcript of a Congressional hearing focusing on the status of the training of scientists and engineers in the United States and the role of the federal government in the improvement of this situation. Included are opening statements from Senators Albert Gore, Jr. (Tennessee), Robert W. Kasten, Jr. (Wisconsin), and Larry…

Interviews as Historical Evidence: A Discussion of New Standards of Documentation and Access.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ritchie, Donald A.; And Others

1991-01-01

Presents a discussion of the documentation of and access to interviews for historical research purposes. Examines problems of documentation, transcription, permission, and storage. Presents questions of property, professional ethics, and witnesses. Argues for interview guidelines, training of researchers for interviewing, and taping of interviews.…

Results of an Online Refresher Course to Build Braille Transcription Skills in Professionals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Herzberg, Tina S.; Rosenblum, L. Penny; Robbins, Mary E.

2016-01-01

Certified transcribers, non-certified transcribers, volunteers, paraeducators, and teachers of students with visual impairments transcribe braille materials for K-12 students (those in kindergarten through 12th grade), and their training and level of preparedness varies greatly (Corn & Wall, 2002; Herzberg & Stough, 2007; Rosenblum &…

Making muscles "stronger": exercise, nutrition, drugs.

PubMed

Aagaard, P

2004-06-01

As described in this review, maximal muscle strength is strongly influenced by resistive-types of exercise, which induce adaptive changes in both neuromuscular function and muscle morphology. Further, timed intake of protein in conjunction with resistance training elicit greater strength and muscle size gains than resistance training alone. Creatine supplementation amplifies the hypertrophic response to resistance training, although some individuals may not respond positively. Locally produced muscle growth factors are upregulated during creatine supplementation, which contributes to increase the responsiveness of muscle cells to intensive training stimuli. Usage of anabolic steroids boosts muscle hypertrophy beyond inherent genetical limits, not only by increasing the DNA transcription rate for myofibrillar proteins but also by increasing the nucleus-to-cytoplasm ratio due to accelerated activation of myogenic satellite cells. However, severe tissue damaging effects exist with anabolic steroids, some of which are irreversible.

Level of Interleukins IL-6 and IL-15 in Blood Plasma of Mice after Forced Swimming Test.

PubMed

Kapilevich, L V; Kironenko, T A; Zakharova, A N; Kabachkova, A V; Orlov, S N

2017-05-01

We measured the concentrations of IL-6 and IL-15 in blood plasma of mice at different terms after forced swimming, taking into account exercise intensity and preliminary training. It was shown that training was an important factor affecting blood plasma level of IL both at rest and after single forced swimming: in trained animals, the concentration of both myokines increased immediately after swimming, while in untrained animals, this increase was observed only after 5 h. Changes in cytokine production against the background of training can be associated with various factors, including neuroendocrine mechanisms, stress, modification of intracellular signaling, as well as reorganization of transcriptional mechanisms in muscle fibers. The most important factor is shift in the ratio of monovalent cations (sodium and potassium) in the cytoplasm.

DARPA TIMIT acoustic-phonetic continous speech corpus CD-ROM. NIST speech disc 1-1.1

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garofolo, J. S.; Lamel, L. F.; Fisher, W. M.; Fiscus, J. G.; Pallett, D. S.

1993-02-01

The Texas Instruments/Massachusetts Institute of Technology (TIMIT) corpus of read speech has been designed to provide speech data for the acquisition of acoustic-phonetic knowledge and for the development and evaluation of automatic speech recognition systems. TIMIT contains speech from 630 speakers representing 8 major dialect divisions of American English, each speaking 10 phonetically-rich sentences. The TIMIT corpus includes time-aligned orthographic, phonetic, and word transcriptions, as well as speech waveform data for each spoken sentence. The release of TIMIT contains several improvements over the Prototype CD-ROM released in December, 1988: (1) full 630-speaker corpus, (2) checked and corrected transcriptions, (3) word-alignment transcriptions, (4) NIST SPHERE-headered waveform files and header manipulation software, (5) phonemic dictionary, (6) new test and training subsets balanced for dialectal and phonetic coverage, and (7) more extensive documentation.

Measurement and modeling of intrinsic transcription terminators

PubMed Central

Cambray, Guillaume; Guimaraes, Joao C.; Mutalik, Vivek K.; Lam, Colin; Mai, Quynh-Anh; Thimmaiah, Tim; Carothers, James M.; Arkin, Adam P.; Endy, Drew

2013-01-01

The reliable forward engineering of genetic systems remains limited by the ad hoc reuse of many types of basic genetic elements. Although a few intrinsic prokaryotic transcription terminators are used routinely, termination efficiencies have not been studied systematically. Here, we developed and validated a genetic architecture that enables reliable measurement of termination efficiencies. We then assembled a collection of 61 natural and synthetic terminators that collectively encode termination efficiencies across an ∼800-fold dynamic range within Escherichia coli. We simulated co-transcriptional RNA folding dynamics to identify competing secondary structures that might interfere with terminator folding kinetics or impact termination activity. We found that structures extending beyond the core terminator stem are likely to increase terminator activity. By excluding terminators encoding such context-confounding elements, we were able to develop a linear sequence-function model that can be used to estimate termination efficiencies (r = 0.9, n = 31) better than models trained on all terminators (r = 0.67, n = 54). The resulting systematically measured collection of terminators should improve the engineering of synthetic genetic systems and also advance quantitative modeling of transcription termination. PMID:23511967

Model-based redesign of global transcription regulation

PubMed Central

Carrera, Javier; Rodrigo, Guillermo; Jaramillo, Alfonso

2009-01-01

Synthetic biology aims to the design or redesign of biological systems. In particular, one possible goal could be the rewiring of the transcription regulation network by exchanging the endogenous promoters. To achieve this objective, we have adapted current methods to the inference of a model based on ordinary differential equations that is able to predict the network response after a major change in its topology. Our procedure utilizes microarray data for training. We have experimentally validated our inferred global regulatory model in Escherichia coli by predicting transcriptomic profiles under new perturbations. We have also tested our methodology in silico by providing accurate predictions of the underlying networks from expression data generated with artificial genomes. In addition, we have shown the predictive power of our methodology by obtaining the gene profile in experimental redesigns of the E. coli genome, where rewiring the transcriptional network by means of knockouts of master regulators or by upregulating transcription factors controlled by different promoters. Our approach is compatible with most network inference methods, allowing to explore computationally future genome-wide redesign experiments in synthetic biology. PMID:19188257

Boundary Layer Depth In Coastal Regions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Porson, A.; Schayes, G.

The results of earlier studies performed about sea breezes simulations have shown that this is a relevant feature of the Planetary Boundary Layer that still requires effort to be diagnosed properly by atmospheric models. Based on the observations made during the ESCOMPTE campaign, over the Mediterranean Sea, different CBL and SBL height estimation processes have been tested with a meso-scale model, TVM. The aim was to compare the critical points of the BL height determination computed using turbulent kinetic energy profile with some other standard evaluations. Moreover, these results have been analysed with different mixing length formulation. The sensitivity of formulation is also analysed with a simple coastal configuration.

Earth observations taken during STS-81 mission

NASA Image and Video Library

1997-01-21

STS081-711-009 (12-22 Jan. 1997) --- As photographed with a 70mm handheld camera from the Earth-orbiting Space Shuttle Atlantis, this image provides a northeastward panorama of the Florida peninsula, the northern Bahamas and Cuba as well as a synoptic view of the northern Caribbean region. Lake Okeechobee and the urban region around Miami are the two key visual points in Florida. The turquoise shallow water platforms around the Florida Keys, the Bahamas, and south of Cuba contrast with the deep blue color of the deeper channels which separate Florida from Cuba and the Bahamas. Offshore breezes keep the coastal areas clear of clouds.

OPERATION GREENHOUSE. Scientific Director’s Report of Atomic Weapon Tests at Eniwetok, 1951. Annex 6.7. Contamination-Decontamination Studies

DTIC Science & Technology

1951-08-01

and Seques- trene AA at a pH of 5 (with sodium hydroxide). Breeze, one of the agents used, is a commer- cial synthetic detergent com^Pte with addi...9,299] D E I ll s w 1 Ü Mert 12 50 134 47 229 657 68 322 1,110 34 138 335 87 415 1,720 92 442 1,700 69 278 1,180 399...Continued BRA88 (1025) STAINLESS STEEL (38) STAINLESS STEEL (45) .1 IS 5 II .1 OH II IS a 8 S Si Si r it IS a m 8 2 .1 a o

General practice on-the-job training in Chinese urban community: a qualitative study on needs and challenges.

PubMed

Zhao, Yali; Chen, Rui; Wang, Bo; Wu, Tao; Huang, Yafang; Guo, Aimin

2014-01-01

On-the-job training is an important strategy for general practitioners to deliver appropriately community health services in China. The development of basic professional competence for general practitioners is the main goal of on-the-job training program. The aim of this study was to explore the needs of and the challenges to on-the-job training for general practitioners, and to provide advices for policy-makers to carry out this program more effectively. We conducted 3 nominal group techniques, 17 in-depth interviews and 3 focus groups to identify the status of, needs of and challenges to on-the-job training for general practitioners in Liaoning, Ningxia, and Fujian provinces from September 2011 until December 2011. Audiotapes and transcripts were analyzed to identify major themes. Content analysis of the data was completed from January 2012 to March 2012. Basic theoretical knowledge and clinical skills were the main needs for general practitioners during on-the-job training. The challenges during training included the time contradiction between work and training, deficiencies of qualified preceptors, and lack of training funds. Participants gave recommendations how to resolve the above problems. In order to improve the outcomes of general practice on-the-job training, it is necessary for government officials to resolve the contradiction between work and training, train preceptors continuously, and increase financial support in the training program.

Targeting miR-423-5p Reverses Exercise Training-Induced HCN4 Channel Remodeling and Sinus Bradycardia.

PubMed

D'Souza, Alicia; Pearman, Charles M; Wang, Yanwen; Nakao, Shu; Logantha, Sunil Jit R J; Cox, Charlotte; Bennett, Hayley; Zhang, Yu; Johnsen, Anne Berit; Linscheid, Nora; Poulsen, Pi Camilla; Elliott, Jonathan; Coulson, Jessica; McPhee, Jamie; Robertson, Abigail; da Costa Martins, Paula A; Kitmitto, Ashraf; Wisløff, Ulrik; Cartwright, Elizabeth J; Monfredi, Oliver; Lundby, Alicia; Dobrzynski, Halina; Oceandy, Delvac; Morris, Gwilym M; Boyett, Mark R

2017-10-13

Downregulation of the pacemaking ion channel, HCN4 (hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide gated channel 4), and the corresponding ionic current, I f , underlies exercise training-induced sinus bradycardia in rodents. If this occurs in humans, it could explain the increased incidence of bradyarrhythmias in veteran athletes, and it will be important to understand the underlying processes. To test the role of HCN4 in the training-induced bradycardia in human athletes and investigate the role of microRNAs (miRs) in the repression of HCN4. As in rodents, the intrinsic heart rate was significantly lower in human athletes than in nonathletes, and in all subjects, the rate-lowering effect of the HCN selective blocker, ivabradine, was significantly correlated with the intrinsic heart rate, consistent with HCN repression in athletes. Next-generation sequencing and quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction showed remodeling of miRs in the sinus node of swim-trained mice. Computational predictions highlighted a prominent role for miR-423-5p. Interaction between miR-423-5p and HCN4 was confirmed by a dose-dependent reduction in HCN4 3'-untranslated region luciferase reporter activity on cotransfection with precursor miR-423-5p (abolished by mutation of predicted recognition elements). Knockdown of miR-423-5p with anti-miR-423-5p reversed training-induced bradycardia via rescue of HCN4 and I f . Further experiments showed that in the sinus node of swim-trained mice, upregulation of miR-423-5p (intronic miR) and its host gene, NSRP1, is driven by an upregulation of the transcription factor Nkx2.5. HCN remodeling likely occurs in human athletes, as well as in rodent models. miR-423-5p contributes to training-induced bradycardia by targeting HCN4. This work presents the first evidence of miR control of HCN4 and heart rate. miR-423-5p could be a therapeutic target for pathological sinus node dysfunction in veteran athletes. © 2017 The Authors.

Elementary School Counselors' Perceptions of Reality Play Counseling in Students' Relationship Building and Problem-Solving Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis, Eric S.; Clark, Mary Ann

2012-01-01

In this qualitative study, eight school counselors participated in a series of reality play counseling trainings introducing techniques appropriate for counseling upper-grade elementary school students to enhance positive relationship building and problem solving skills. Participants were interviewed and their transcripts were analyzed using…

76 FR 18954 - Privacy Act of 1974: Implementation of Exemptions; Department of Homeland Security Federal...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-04-06

... docket number DHS- 2011-0016, by one of the following methods: Federal e-Rulemaking Portal: http://www... institutions for transcript purposes will only take place upon the request of the student. In accordance with... Management Agency/National Emergency Training Center-017 Student Application and Registration Records system...

REPORT ON THE INTENSIVE LANGUAGE COURSES FOR THE BLIND, 1960-1966.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

MACDONALD, R. ROSS

A DETAILED DESCRIPTION IS GIVEN OF AN EXPERIMENT CONDUCTED AT GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY FROM 1960 TO 1966 IN WHICH SELECTED BLIND STUDENTS, THROUGH INTENSIVE AUDIOLINGUAL LANGUAGE INSTRUCTION, WERE TRAINED TO BROADEN THEIR EMPLOYMENT POTENTIAL. ALTHOUGH ONLY RUSSIAN AND THE TRANSCRIPTION OF ORAL FOREIGN LANGUAGE MATERIALS WERE TAUGHT IN THE PILOT…

An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of How Professional Dance Teachers Implement Psychological Skills Training in Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Klockare, Ellinor; Gustafsson, Henrik; Nordin-Bates, Sanna M.

2011-01-01

The aim of this study was to examine how dance teachers work with psychological skills with their students in class. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with six female professional teachers in jazz, ballet and contemporary dance. The interview transcripts were analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis (Smith 1996). Results…

Deep Learning Applications for Predicting Pharmacological Properties of Drugs and Drug Repurposing Using Transcriptomic Data.

PubMed

Aliper, Alexander; Plis, Sergey; Artemov, Artem; Ulloa, Alvaro; Mamoshina, Polina; Zhavoronkov, Alex

2016-07-05

Deep learning is rapidly advancing many areas of science and technology with multiple success stories in image, text, voice and video recognition, robotics, and autonomous driving. In this paper we demonstrate how deep neural networks (DNN) trained on large transcriptional response data sets can classify various drugs to therapeutic categories solely based on their transcriptional profiles. We used the perturbation samples of 678 drugs across A549, MCF-7, and PC-3 cell lines from the LINCS Project and linked those to 12 therapeutic use categories derived from MeSH. To train the DNN, we utilized both gene level transcriptomic data and transcriptomic data processed using a pathway activation scoring algorithm, for a pooled data set of samples perturbed with different concentrations of the drug for 6 and 24 hours. In both pathway and gene level classification, DNN achieved high classification accuracy and convincingly outperformed the support vector machine (SVM) model on every multiclass classification problem, however, models based on pathway level data performed significantly better. For the first time we demonstrate a deep learning neural net trained on transcriptomic data to recognize pharmacological properties of multiple drugs across different biological systems and conditions. We also propose using deep neural net confusion matrices for drug repositioning. This work is a proof of principle for applying deep learning to drug discovery and development.

Deep learning applications for predicting pharmacological properties of drugs and drug repurposing using transcriptomic data

PubMed Central

Aliper, Alexander; Plis, Sergey; Artemov, Artem; Ulloa, Alvaro; Mamoshina, Polina; Zhavoronkov, Alex

2016-01-01

Deep learning is rapidly advancing many areas of science and technology with multiple success stories in image, text, voice and video recognition, robotics and autonomous driving. In this paper we demonstrate how deep neural networks (DNN) trained on large transcriptional response data sets can classify various drugs to therapeutic categories solely based on their transcriptional profiles. We used the perturbation samples of 678 drugs across A549, MCF‐7 and PC‐3 cell lines from the LINCS project and linked those to 12 therapeutic use categories derived from MeSH. To train the DNN, we utilized both gene level transcriptomic data and transcriptomic data processed using a pathway activation scoring algorithm, for a pooled dataset of samples perturbed with different concentrations of the drug for 6 and 24 hours. In both gene and pathway level classification, DNN convincingly outperformed support vector machine (SVM) model on every multiclass classification problem, however, models based on a pathway level classification perform better. For the first time we demonstrate a deep learning neural net trained on transcriptomic data to recognize pharmacological properties of multiple drugs across different biological systems and conditions. We also propose using deep neural net confusion matrices for drug repositioning. This work is a proof of principle for applying deep learning to drug discovery and development. PMID:27200455

Translating knowledge into practice: An exploratory study of dementia-specific training for community-based service providers.

PubMed

O'Sullivan, Grace; Hocking, Clare; McPherson, Kathryn

2017-08-01

Objective To develop, deliver, and evaluate dementia-specific training designed to inform service delivery by enhancing the knowledge of community-based service providers. Methods This exploratory qualitative study used an interdisciplinary, interuniversity team approach to develop and deliver dementia-specific training. Participants included management, care staff, and clients from three organizations funded to provide services in the community. Data on the acceptability, applicability, and perceived outcomes of the training were gathered through focus group discussions and individual interviews. Transcripts were analyzed to generate open codes which were clustered into themes and sub-themes addressing the content, delivery, and value of the training. Findings Staff valued up-to-date knowledge and "real stories" grounded in practice. Clients welcomed the strengths-based approach. Contractual obligations impact on the application of knowledge in practice. Implications The capacity to implement new knowledge may be limited by the legislative policies which frame service provision, to the detriment of service users.

Training of Residential Social Care Staff to Meet the Needs of Older People with Intellectual Disabilities who Develop Age-Related Health Problems: An Exploratory Study.

PubMed

Northway, Ruth; Jenkins, Robert; Holland-Hart, Daniella

2017-09-01

Despite awareness of the age related health needs of people with intellectual disabilities little is known regarding how residential social care staff are prepared to meet such needs. Data were gathered via semi-structured interviews from 14 managers of supported living settings. Transcripts were thematically analysed. Staff may work in supported living settings with no prior experience of care work, and previous knowledge/experience of supporting people in relation to their health is not required. Whilst health related training is provided there is a lack of specific training regarding healthy ageing, and training seems to be reactive to changing needs of tenants meaning that proactive monitoring for changes in health status may not occur. Whilst some training is provided for residential social care staff in relation to health and ageing a more proactive approach is required which should include a focus on healthy ageing. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Abortion training at multiple sites: an unexpected curriculum for teaching systems-based practice.

PubMed

Herbitter, Cara; Kumar, Vanita; Karasz, Alison; Gold, Marji

2010-04-01

In 1999, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education endorsed systems-based practice as one of six general competencies. The objective is to explore the paradigm of teaching residents systems-based practice during a women's health rotation that included abortion training in multiple settings. During a routine women's health rotation, residents from two urban family medicine residency programs received early abortion training at a high-volume abortion clinic and their continuity clinic. Thirty-min semistructured interviews were conducted with all 26 residents who rotated between July 2005 and August 2006. Transcripts were analyzed using thematic codes. Through exposure to different healthcare delivery systems, residents learned about systems-based practice, including understanding the failure of the larger system to meet patients' reproductive healthcare needs, differences between two systems, and potential systems barriers they might face as providers. Abortion training in multiple settings may serve as a paradigm for teaching systems-based practice during other rotations that include training in multiple sites.

Expression of the Mir-133 and Bcl-2 could be affected by swimming training in the heart of ovariectomized rats.

PubMed

Habibi, Parisa; Alihemmati, Alireza; NourAzar, Alireza; Yousefi, Hadi; Mortazavi, Safieh; Ahmadiasl, Nasser

2016-04-01

The beneficial and more potent role of exercise to prevent heart apoptosis in ovariectomized rats has been known. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of swimming training on cardiac expression of Bcl-2, and Mir-133 levels and glycogen changes in the myocyte. Forty animals were separated into four groups as control, sham, ovariectomy (OVX) and ovariectomized group with 8 weeks swimming training (OVX.E). Training effects were evaluated by measuring lipid profiles, Bcl-2 and Mir-133 expression levels in the cardiac tissue. Grafts were analyzed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction for Bcl-2 mRNA and Mir-133 and by Western blot for Bcl-2 protein. Ovariectomy down-regulated Bcl-2 and Mir-133 expression levels in the cardiac tissue, and swimming training up-regulated their expression significantly (P<0.05). Our results showed that regular exercise as a physical replacement therapy could prevent and improve the effects of estrogen deficiency in the cardia.

"Rate My Therapist": Automated Detection of Empathy in Drug and Alcohol Counseling via Speech and Language Processing.

PubMed

Xiao, Bo; Imel, Zac E; Georgiou, Panayiotis G; Atkins, David C; Narayanan, Shrikanth S

2015-01-01

The technology for evaluating patient-provider interactions in psychotherapy-observational coding-has not changed in 70 years. It is labor-intensive, error prone, and expensive, limiting its use in evaluating psychotherapy in the real world. Engineering solutions from speech and language processing provide new methods for the automatic evaluation of provider ratings from session recordings. The primary data are 200 Motivational Interviewing (MI) sessions from a study on MI training methods with observer ratings of counselor empathy. Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) was used to transcribe sessions, and the resulting words were used in a text-based predictive model of empathy. Two supporting datasets trained the speech processing tasks including ASR (1200 transcripts from heterogeneous psychotherapy sessions and 153 transcripts and session recordings from 5 MI clinical trials). The accuracy of computationally-derived empathy ratings were evaluated against human ratings for each provider. Computationally-derived empathy scores and classifications (high vs. low) were highly accurate against human-based codes and classifications, with a correlation of 0.65 and F-score (a weighted average of sensitivity and specificity) of 0.86, respectively. Empathy prediction using human transcription as input (as opposed to ASR) resulted in a slight increase in prediction accuracies, suggesting that the fully automatic system with ASR is relatively robust. Using speech and language processing methods, it is possible to generate accurate predictions of provider performance in psychotherapy from audio recordings alone. This technology can support large-scale evaluation of psychotherapy for dissemination and process studies.

TRANSFAC: an integrated system for gene expression regulation.

PubMed

Wingender, E; Chen, X; Hehl, R; Karas, H; Liebich, I; Matys, V; Meinhardt, T; Prüss, M; Reuter, I; Schacherer, F

2000-01-01

TRANSFAC is a database on transcription factors, their genomic binding sites and DNA-binding profiles (http://transfac.gbf.de/TRANSFAC/). Its content has been enhanced, in particular by information about training sequences used for the construction of nucleotide matrices as well as by data on plant sites and factors. Moreover, TRANSFAC has been extended by two new modules: PathoDB provides data on pathologically relevant mutations in regulatory regions and transcription factor genes, whereas S/MARt DB compiles features of scaffold/matrix attached regions (S/MARs) and the proteins binding to them. Additionally, the databases TRANSPATH, about signal transduction, and CYTOMER, about organs and cell types, have been extended and are increasingly integrated with the TRANSFAC data sources.

Social and Psychological Factors in Innovation and Educational Planning. The Funadmentals of Educational Planning: Lecture-Discussion Series No. 50.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Razik, T. A.

In a controlled experiment, the IIEP attempted to develop efficient teaching materials in the field of educational planning. Informal instructional materials were compiled from the tape recordings, transcriptions, and summary notes of seminars, lectures, and discussions conducted by the IIEP in its training and research programs. This…

Automated Session-Quality Assessment for Human Tutoring Based on Expert Ratings of Tutoring Success

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nye, Benjamin D.; Morrison, Donald M.; Samei, Borhan

2015-01-01

Archived transcripts from tens of millions of online human tutoring sessions potentially contain important knowledge about how online tutors help, or fail to help, students learn. However, without ways of automatically analyzing these large corpora, any knowledge in this data will remain buried. One way to approach this issue is to train an…

Critical Issues in Special Education: Implications for Personnel Preparation. Monograph.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bullock, Lyndal M., Ed.; Simpson, Richard L., Ed.

This document is the product of a forum that attempted to identify trends in education that are affecting and will continue to affect children with disabilities from birth to age 21, and the ensuing implications for the training of personnel. The edited transcripts of two introductory presentations begin with volume--"Charting the Course for…

Hippocampal Overexpression of Mutant CREB Blocks Long-Term, but Not Short-Term Memory for a Socially Transmitted Food Preference

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brightwell, Jennifer J.; Countryman, Renee A.; Neve, Rachael L.; Colombo, Paul J.; Smith, Clayton A.

2005-01-01

Phosphorylation of the transcription factor CREB on Ser133 is implicated in the establishment of long-term memory for hippocampus-dependent tasks, including spatial learning and contextual fear conditioning. We reported previously that training on a hippocampus-dependent social transmission of food preference (STFP) task increases CREB…

Managing a Statewide Virtual Reference Service: How Q and A NJ Works.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bromberg, Peter

2003-01-01

Describes the live virtual reference service, Q and A NJ (Question and Answer New Jersey), strategies used to meet the challenges of day-to-day management, scaled growth and quality control. Describes how it began; how long it took; how to manage a large project (constant communication; training and practice; transcript analysis and privacy;…

Young Children's Imaginative Play: Is It Valued in Montessori Classrooms?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Soundy, Cathleen S.

2009-01-01

The main purpose of this article is to describe the nature of imaginary play in Montessori classrooms. A transcript from a train ride shows how young children imagine and recreate ideas from their real world experiences and weave them into original new accounts. The author discusses how the play-like action of dramatizing "The Caboose Who Got…

Intra-Amygdala Injections of CREB Antisense Impair Inhibitory Avoidance Memory: Role of Norepinephrine and Acetylcholine

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Canal, Clinton E.; Chang, Qing; Gold, Paul E.

2008-01-01

Infusions of CREB antisense into the amygdala prior to training impair memory for aversive tasks, suggesting that the antisense may interfere with CRE-mediated gene transcription and protein synthesis important for the formation of new memories within the amygdala. However, the amygdala also appears to modulate memory formation in distributed…

Assessing Generative Braille Responding Following Training in a Matching-to-Sample Format

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Putnam, Brittany C.; Tiger, Jeffrey H.

2016-01-01

We evaluated the effects of teaching sighted college students to select printed text letters given a braille sample stimulus in a matching-to-sample (MTS) format on the emergence of untrained (a) construction of print characters given braille samples, (b) construction of braille characters given print samples, (c) transcription of print characters…

General Practice On-the-Job Training in Chinese Urban Community: A Qualitative Study on Needs and Challenges

PubMed Central

Wang, Bo; Wu, Tao; Huang, Yafang; Guo, Aimin

2014-01-01

Background On-the-job training is an important strategy for general practitioners to deliver appropriately community health services in China. The development of basic professional competence for general practitioners is the main goal of on-the-job training program. The aim of this study was to explore the needs of and the challenges to on-the-job training for general practitioners, and to provide advices for policy-makers to carry out this program more effectively. Methods We conducted 3 nominal group techniques, 17 in-depth interviews and 3 focus groups to identify the status of, needs of and challenges to on-the-job training for general practitioners in Liaoning, Ningxia, and Fujian provinces from September 2011 until December 2011. Audiotapes and transcripts were analyzed to identify major themes. Content analysis of the data was completed from January 2012 to March 2012. Results Basic theoretical knowledge and clinical skills were the main needs for general practitioners during on-the-job training. The challenges during training included the time contradiction between work and training, deficiencies of qualified preceptors, and lack of training funds. Participants gave recommendations how to resolve the above problems. Conclusions In order to improve the outcomes of general practice on-the-job training, it is necessary for government officials to resolve the contradiction between work and training, train preceptors continuously, and increase financial support in the training program. PMID:24728399

Transcriptome-wide RNA sequencing analysis of rat skeletal muscle feed arteries. II. Impact of exercise training in obesity

PubMed Central

Jenkins, Nathan T.; Thorne, Pamela K.; Martin, Jeffrey S.; Rector, R. Scott; Davis, J. Wade; Laughlin, M. Harold

2014-01-01

We employed next-generation RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) technology to determine the extent to which exercise training alters global gene expression in skeletal muscle feed arteries and aortic endothelial cells of obese Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima Fatty (OLETF) rats. Transcriptional profiles of the soleus and gastrocnemius muscle feed arteries (SFA and GFA, respectively) and aortic endothelial cell-enriched samples from rats that underwent an endurance exercise training program (EndEx; n = 12) or a interval sprint training program (IST; n = 12) or remained sedentary (Sed; n = 12) were examined. In response to EndEx, there were 39 upregulated (e.g., MANF) and 20 downregulated (e.g., ALOX15) genes in SFA and 1 upregulated (i.e., Wisp2) and 1 downregulated (i.e., Crem) gene in GFA [false discovery rate (FDR) < 10%]. In response to IST, there were 305 upregulated (e.g., MANF, HSPA12B) and 324 downregulated genes in SFA and 101 upregulated and 66 downregulated genes in GFA, with an overlap of 32 genes between arteries. Furthermore, in aortic endothelial cells, there were 183 upregulated (e.g., eNOS, SOD-3) and 141 downregulated (e.g., ATF3, Clec1b, npy, leptin) genes with EndEx and 71 upregulated and 69 downregulated genes with IST, with an overlap of 35 between exercise programs. Expression of only two genes (Tubb2b and Slc9a3r2) was altered (i.e., increased) by exercise in all three arteries. The finding that both EndEx and IST produced greater transcriptional changes in the SFA compared with the GFA is intriguing when considering the fact that treadmill bouts of exercise are associated with greater relative increases in blood flow to the gastrocnemius muscle compared with the soleus muscle. PMID:24408995

Factors predicting training transfer in health professionals participating in quality improvement educational interventions.

PubMed

Eid, Ahmed; Quinn, Doris

2017-01-31

Predictors of quality improvement (QI) training transfer are needed. This study aimed to identify these predictors among health professionals who participated in a QI training program held at a large hospital in the United States between 2005 and 2014. It also aimed to determine how these predictive factors facilitated or impeded QI training transfer. Following the Success Case Method, we used a screening survey to identify trainees with high and low levels of training transfer. We then conducted semistructured interviews with a sample of the survey respondents to document how training transfer was achieved and how lack of training transfer could be explained. The survey's response rate was 43%, with a Cronbach alpha of 0.89. We then conducted a thematic analysis of the interview transcripts of 16 physicians. The analysis revealed 3 categories of factors influencing the transfer of QI training: trainee characteristics, training course, and work environment. Relevant trainee characteristics included attitude toward change, motivation, mental processing skills, interpersonal skills, and the personality characteristics curiosity, humility, conscientiousness, resilience, wisdom, and positivity. The training project, team-based learning, and lectures were identified as relevant aspects of the training course. Work culture, work relationships, and resources were subthemes of the work environment category. We identified several QI training transfer predictors in our cohort of physicians. We hypothesize that some of these predictors may be more relevant to QI training transfer. Our results will help organizational leaders select trainees who are most likely to transfer QI training and to ensure that their work environments are conducive to QI training transfer.

Modelling of surface fluxes and Urban Boundary Layer over an old mediterannean city core

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lemonsu, A.; Masson, V.; Grimmond, Cs. B.

2003-04-01

In the frameworks of the UBL(Urban Boundary Layer)-ESCOMPTE campaign, the Town Energy Balance (TEB) model was run in off-line mode for Marseille. TEB's performance is evaluated with observations of surface temperatures and surface energy balance fluxes collected during the campaign. Parameterization improvements allow to better represent the energy exchanges between the air inside the canyon and the atmosphere above the roof level. Then, high resolution Méso-NH simulations are done to study the 3-D structure and the evolution of the Urban Boundary Layer (UBL) over Marseille. Will will give a special attention to the impact of the seabord effects (sea-breeze circulation) on the UBL.

ERTS-1 views the Great Lakes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lyons, W. A.; Pease, S. R.

1973-01-01

The meteorological content of ERTS images, particularly mesoscale effects of the Great Lakes and air pollution dispersion is summarized. Summertime lake breeze frontal clouds and various winter lake-effect convection patterns and snow squalls are revealed in great detail. A clear-cut spiral vortex over southern Lake Michigan is related to a record early snow storm in the Chicago area. Marked cloud changes induced by orographic and frictional effects on Lake Michigan's lee shore snow squalls are seen. The most important finding, however, is a clear-cut example of alterations in cumulus convection by anthropogenic condensation and/or ice nuclei from northern Indiana steel mills during a snow squall situation. Jet aircraft condensation trails are also found with surprising frequency.

Characteristics of Abductive Inquiry in Earth and Space Science: An Undergraduate Teacher Prospective Case Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramalis, T. R.; Liliasari; Herdiwidjaya, D.

2016-08-01

The purpose this case study was to describe characteristic features learning activities in the domain of earth and space science. Context of this study is earth and space learning activities on three groups of student teachers prospective, respectively on the subject of the shape and size of Earth, land and sea breeze, and moon's orbit. The analysis is conducted qualitatively from activity data and analyze students doing project work, student worksheets, group project report documents, note and audio recordings of discussion. Research findings identified the type of abduction: theoretical models abduction, factual abduction, and law abduction during the learning process. Implications for science inquiry learning as well as relevant research were suggested.

Design and initial testing of a piezoelectric sensor to quantify aeolian sand transport

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raygosa-Barahona, Ruben; Ruiz-Martinez, Gabriel; Mariño-Tapia, Ismael; Heyser-Ojeda, Emilio

2016-09-01

This paper describes a sensor for measuring the mass flux of aeolian sand transport based on a low-cost piezo-electric transducer. The device is able to measure time series of aeolian sand transport. Maximum fluxes of 27 mg per second can be achieved. The design includes a sand trap, an electronic amplifier circuit and an embedded system for data collection. A field test was performed, where the basis for signal interpretation and the corresponding measurements of aeolian sand transport are presented. The sensor successfully measures fluxes driven by sea breezes of 10 ms-1, showing the importance of this process for dune-building in the region.

First Scientific Working Group Meeting of Airborne Doppler Lidar Wind Velocity Measurement Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kaufman, J. W. (Editor)

1980-01-01

The purpose of the first scientific working group meeting was fourfold: (1) to identify flight test options for engineering verification of the MSFC Doppler Lidar; (2) to identify flight test options for gathering data for scientific/technology applications; (3) to identify additional support equipment needed on the CV 990 aircraft for the flight tests; and (4) to identify postflight data processing and data sets requirements. The working group identified approximately ten flight options for gathering data on atmospheric dynamics processes, including turbulence, valley breezes, and thunderstorm cloud anvil and cold air outflow dynamics. These test options will be used as a basis for planning the fiscal year 1981 tests of the Doppler Lidar system.

Photochemical oxidant transport - Mesoscale lake breeze and synoptic-scale aspects

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lyons, W. A.; Cole, H. S.

1976-01-01

Data from routine ozone monitoring in southeastern Wisconsin and limited monitoring of the Milwaukee area by the Environmental Protection Agency are examined. Hourly averages as high as 30 pphm have been recorded in southeastern Wisconsin, and high readings have been reported in rural regions throughout the state. The observations indicate that photochemical oxidants and their nitrogen oxide and reactive hydrocarbon precursers advect from Chicago and northern Indiana into southeastern Wisconsin. There is evidence that synoptic-scale transport of photochemical oxidants occurs, allowing the pollution of entire anticyclones. These results cast doubt on the validity of the Air Quality Control Regions established by amendment to the Clean Air Act of 1970.

Cognitive specialization for learning faces is associated with shifts in the brain transcriptome of a social wasp.

PubMed

Berens, Ali J; Tibbetts, Elizabeth A; Toth, Amy L

2017-06-15

The specialized ability to learn and recall individuals based on distinct facial features is known in only a few, large-brained social taxa. Social paper wasps in the genus Polistes are the only insects known to possess this form of cognitive specialization. We analyzed genome-wide brain gene expression during facial and pattern training for two species of paper wasps ( P. fuscatus , which has face recognition, and P. metricus , which does not) using RNA sequencing. We identified 237 transcripts associated with face specialization in P. fuscatus , including some transcripts involved in neuronal signaling (serotonin receptor and tachykinin). Polistes metricus that learned faces (without specialized learning) and P. fuscatus in social interactions with familiar partners (from a previous study) showed distinct sets of brain differentially expressed transcripts. These data suggest face specialization in P. fuscatus is related to shifts in the brain transcriptome associated with genes distinct from those related to general visual learning and social interactions. © 2017. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

"Rate My Therapist": Automated Detection of Empathy in Drug and Alcohol Counseling via Speech and Language Processing

PubMed Central

Xiao, Bo; Imel, Zac E.; Georgiou, Panayiotis G.; Atkins, David C.; Narayanan, Shrikanth S.

2015-01-01

The technology for evaluating patient-provider interactions in psychotherapy–observational coding–has not changed in 70 years. It is labor-intensive, error prone, and expensive, limiting its use in evaluating psychotherapy in the real world. Engineering solutions from speech and language processing provide new methods for the automatic evaluation of provider ratings from session recordings. The primary data are 200 Motivational Interviewing (MI) sessions from a study on MI training methods with observer ratings of counselor empathy. Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) was used to transcribe sessions, and the resulting words were used in a text-based predictive model of empathy. Two supporting datasets trained the speech processing tasks including ASR (1200 transcripts from heterogeneous psychotherapy sessions and 153 transcripts and session recordings from 5 MI clinical trials). The accuracy of computationally-derived empathy ratings were evaluated against human ratings for each provider. Computationally-derived empathy scores and classifications (high vs. low) were highly accurate against human-based codes and classifications, with a correlation of 0.65 and F-score (a weighted average of sensitivity and specificity) of 0.86, respectively. Empathy prediction using human transcription as input (as opposed to ASR) resulted in a slight increase in prediction accuracies, suggesting that the fully automatic system with ASR is relatively robust. Using speech and language processing methods, it is possible to generate accurate predictions of provider performance in psychotherapy from audio recordings alone. This technology can support large-scale evaluation of psychotherapy for dissemination and process studies. PMID:26630392

Making the Road by Walking: Using Role-Play and Instructor Feedback to Teach Basic Counseling Skills to Singaporean Trainee Educational Psychologists

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kit, Phey Ling; Garces-Bacsal, Rhoda Myra; Burgetova, Kristina

2015-01-01

This study focused on the experiential learning experiences of eight trainee educational psychologists (school psychologists in the United States) from Singapore who participated in three role-play sessions during a two-day Basic Counseling Skills Training Program. Data collected from transcriptions of video-recorded sessions, a focus group…

How Do Colleges and Universities Assess the Education and Training of Military Service Personnel?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Palmer, James C.; Ludwig, Meredith J.

1991-01-01

In a study of the ways colleges and universities regard prior learning of military service members who apply for admission to undergraduate degree programs, 66 colleges evaluated prototype transcripts and assessed problems in awarding degree credit. A number of problems are seen as needing to be addressed by both schools and the military.…

Inhibition of transcription and translation in the striatum after memory reactivation: Lack of evidence of reconsolidation.

PubMed

Prado-Alcalá, Roberto A; Medina, Andrea Cristina; Bello-Medina, Paola C; Quirarte, Gina L

2017-07-01

It has been found that interference with neural activity after a consolidated memory is retrieved produces an amnestic state; this has been taken has indicative of destabilization of the memory trace that would have been produced by a process of reconsolidation (allowing for maintenance of the original trace). However, a growing body of evidence shows that this is not a reliable effect, and that it is dependent upon some experimental conditions, such as the age of the memory, memory reactivation procedures, the predictability of the reactivation stimulus, and strength of training. In some instances, where post-retrieval treatments induce a retention deficit (which would be suggestive of interference with reconsolidation), memory is rescued by simple passing of time or by repeated retention tests. We now report that post-training and post-retrieval inhibition of transcription and translation in dorsal striatum, a structure where both of these manipulations have not been studied, produce interference with consolidation and a transitory retention deficit, respectively. These results do not give support to the reconsolidation hypothesis and lead to the conclusion that the post-activation deficiencies are due to interference with retrieval of information. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Overview Article: Identifying transcriptional cis-regulatory modules in animal genomes

PubMed Central

Suryamohan, Kushal; Halfon, Marc S.

2014-01-01

Gene expression is regulated through the activity of transcription factors and chromatin modifying proteins acting on specific DNA sequences, referred to as cis-regulatory elements. These include promoters, located at the transcription initiation sites of genes, and a variety of distal cis-regulatory modules (CRMs), the most common of which are transcriptional enhancers. Because regulated gene expression is fundamental to cell differentiation and acquisition of new cell fates, identifying, characterizing, and understanding the mechanisms of action of CRMs is critical for understanding development. CRM discovery has historically been challenging, as CRMs can be located far from the genes they regulate, have few readily-identifiable sequence characteristics, and for many years were not amenable to high-throughput discovery methods. However, the recent availability of complete genome sequences and the development of next-generation sequencing methods has led to an explosion of both computational and empirical methods for CRM discovery in model and non-model organisms alike. Experimentally, CRMs can be identified through chromatin immunoprecipitation directed against transcription factors or histone post-translational modifications, identification of nucleosome-depleted “open” chromatin regions, or sequencing-based high-throughput functional screening. Computational methods include comparative genomics, clustering of known or predicted transcription factor binding sites, and supervised machine-learning approaches trained on known CRMs. All of these methods have proven effective for CRM discovery, but each has its own considerations and limitations, and each is subject to a greater or lesser number of false-positive identifications. Experimental confirmation of predictions is essential, although shortcomings in current methods suggest that additional means of validation need to be developed. PMID:25704908

Counseling activity in single-session online counseling with adolescents: an adherence study.

PubMed

Chardon, Lydia; Bagraith, Karl S; King, Robert John

2011-09-01

While online counseling is increasingly utilized, little is known about what counseling work takes place in the online environment. The aim of this study was to quantify online counseling activity by determining counselors' adherence to the widely used model in which they had been trained. Transcripts (n=85) of online counseling with adolescents were evaluated, using a standardized and psychometrically sound instrument. We found that, while counseling in 53% of transcripts progressed through each of the key stages of counseling, the focus of most sessions was information gathering; and goal exploration and action planning were typically superficial and often absent. Possible reasons for low counseling depth are discussed and recommendations made for the further development of online counseling.

Exercise improves mitochondrial and redox-regulated stress responses in the elderly: better late than never!

PubMed

Cobley, James N; Moult, Peter R; Burniston, Jatin G; Morton, James P; Close, Graeme L

2015-04-01

Ageing is associated with several physiological declines to both the cardiovascular (e.g. reduced aerobic capacity) and musculoskeletal system (muscle function and mass). Ageing may also impair the adaptive response of skeletal muscle mitochondria and redox-regulated stress responses to an acute exercise bout, at least in mice and rodents. This is a functionally important phenomenon, since (1) aberrant mitochondrial and redox homeostasis are implicated in the pathophysiology of musculoskeletal ageing and (2) the response to repeated exercise bouts promotes exercise adaptations and some of these adaptations (e.g. improved aerobic capacity and exercise-induced mitochondrial remodelling) offset age-related physiological decline. Exercise-induced mitochondrial remodelling is mediated by upstream signalling events that converge on downstream transcriptional co-factors and factors that orchestrate a co-ordinated nuclear and mitochondrial transcriptional response associated with mitochondrial remodelling. Recent translational human investigations have demonstrated similar exercise-induced mitochondrial signalling responses in older compared with younger skeletal muscle, regardless of training status. This is consistent with data indicating normative mitochondrial remodelling responses to long-term exercise training in the elderly. Thus, human ageing is not accompanied by diminished mitochondrial plasticity to acute and chronic exercise stimuli, at least for the signalling pathways measured to date. Exercise-induced increases in reactive oxygen and nitrogen species promote an acute redox-regulated stress response that manifests as increased heat shock protein and antioxidant enzyme content. In accordance with previous reports in rodents and mice, it appears that sedentary ageing is associated with a severely attenuated exercise-induced redox stress response that might be related to an absent redox signal. In this regard, regular exercise training affords some protection but does not completely override age-related defects. Despite some failed redox-regulated stress responses, it seems mitochondrial responses to exercise training are intact in skeletal muscle with age and this might underpin the protective effect of exercise training on age-related musculoskeletal decline. Whilst further investigation is required, recent data suggest that it is never too late to begin exercise training and that lifelong training provides protection against several age-related declines at both the molecular (e.g. reduced mitochondrial function) and whole-body level (e.g. aerobic capacity).

The impact of the observation nudging and nesting on the simulated meteorology and ozone concentrations from WRF-SMOKE-CMAQ during DISCOVER-AQ 2013 Texas campaign

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choi, Y.; Li, X.; Czader, B.

2014-12-01

Three WRF simulations for the DISCOVER-AQ 2013 Texas campaign period (30 days in September) are performed to characterize uncertainties in the simulated meteorological and chemical conditions. These simulations differ in domain setup, and in performing observation nudging in WRF runs. There are around 7% index of agreement (IOA) gain in temperature and 9-12% boost in U-WIND and V-WIND when the observational nudging is employed in the simulation. Further performance gain from nested domains over single domain is marginal. The CMAQ simulations based on above WRF setups showed that the ozone performance slightly improved in the simulation for which objective analysis (OA) is carried out. Further IOA gain, though quite limited, is achieved with nested domains. This study shows that the high ozone episodes during the analyzed time periods were associated with the uncertainties of the simulated cold front passage, chemical boundary condition and small-scale temporal wind fields. All runs missed the observed high ozone values which reached above 150 ppb in La Porte on September 25, the only day with hourly ozone over 120 ppb. The failure is likely due to model's inability to catch small-scale wind shifts in the industrial zone, despite better wind directions in the simulations with nudging and nested domains. This study also shows that overestimated background ozone from the southerly chemical boundary is a critical source for the model's general overpredictions of the ozone concentrations from CMAQ during September of 2013. These results of this study shed a light on the necessity of (1) capturing the small-scale winds such as the onsets of bay-breeze or sea-breeze and (2) implementing more accurate chemical boundary conditions to reduce the simulated high-biased ozone concentrations. One promising remedy for (1) is implementing hourly observation nudging instead of the standard one which is done every three hours.

Prognostic Prediction of Tracer Dispersion for the Diablo Canyon Experiments on August 31, September 2, and September 4, 1986

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Molenkamp, C.R.

1999-11-29

COAMPS/LODI simulations of the tracer experiments at Diablo Canyon on August 31, September 2, and September 4, 1986 had mixed results. Simulated tracer concentrations on August 31 differed significantly from the measured concentrations. The model transported SF{sub 6} too far south and did not predict transport of SF{sub 6} north along highway 101 or into See Canyon. Early in the day the model rapidly transported SF{sub 6} away from the release point while observations suggested the tracer stayed close to Diablo Canyon for 1-2 hours. For September 2, simulations agreed very well with the measurements. The model accurately predicted themore » change of wind direction from north northwest to east northeast at the release point. It also predicted the advection of tracer over Mot-r-0 Bay and through the Los Osos Valley toward San Luis Obispo in excellent agreement with the observations. On September 4, the calculated transport of SF{sub 6} from Diablo Canyon had defects similar to those on August 31, a trajectory too far south and limited intrusion of tracer north along highway 101. Conversely, simulations of the Freon release from Los Osos Cemetery on September 4 corresponded well with observations. Since the simulations used only global meteorological data and no local winds for input, even the limited success of COAMPS/LODI is a favorable result. COAMPS's inability to generate southerly winds through the highway 101 corridor on August 31 and September 4 is a symptom of its underestimate of the sea breeze. The weak sea breeze correlates with a small diurnal range of air temperature possibly associated with underestimates of surface solar heating and/or overestimates of surface wetness. Improvement of COAMPS/LODI simulations requires development of new data assimilation techniques to use the local surface and low altitude wind and temperature measurements. Also, quantitative methods are needed to assess the accuracy of the models.« less

IBEX-Lo Observations of Secondary Interstellar Helium and Oxygen Distributions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, J.; Kucharek, H.; Moebius, E.; Kubiak, M. A.; Bzowski, M.; Galli, A.; McComas, D. J.

2015-12-01

Observations of the Interstellar Boundary EXplorer (IBEX) show, among other features, the pristine interstellar neutral gas flow and additional populations associated with neutral helium and oxygen. Kubiak et al. (2014, ApJS, 213, 29) discovered the "Warm Breeze", or additional He component, which is slower and warmer than the primary interstellar He population and its flow direction differs by about 19° from the interstellar neutral (ISN) flow. Park et al. (2015, ApJS, In Press) studied the combined count rate maps of heavy neutral atoms with three statistical analysis methods and found an extended tail of the ISN O flow, centered around 190° in ecliptic longitude and +15° in ecliptic latitude, or approximately 38° from the ISN O and Ne flow peak. The most likely sources for the Warm Breeze and the extended O tail may be secondary populations of interstellar He and O, created by charge exchange between ISN atoms and interstellar ions in the outer heliosheath. The charge exchange between interstellar He atoms and He+ ions is the most important reaction to generate the secondary neutral He in the outer heliosheath, with a reaction rate of 1.7×10-10 s-1 and a mean free path of ~950 AU. For O+, the charge exchange with interstellar H atoms with a rate ~1.0×10-9 s-1 and a mean free path of ~100 AU is most important. Because the differences in the reaction rates and atomic masses for He and O result in different velocity distributions in the outer heliosheath, the directional distributions of these populations at Earth orbit are not identical. In this study, we use the IBEX flux maps of the observed helium and oxygen atoms to compare their directional distributions. These observed distributions may provide constraints and information to improve our current understanding of the interactions in the outer heliosheath.

Influence of spring snowpack melting on thunderstorm activity in the Catalan Pyrenees

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pascual, R.; Callado, A.; Terradelles, E.; Téllez, B.

2009-09-01

Catalan Pyrenees, the eastern half of the Pyrenees range, is a very popular area for tourism, hiking and climbing. This sector of the range is 200 km long and, on average, 80 km wide. Its highest peaks reach 3000 m ASL and there are many summits above 2500 m ASL. Two of the main climatic characteristics of the region are the very frequent summer convective storms and the late autumn, winter and spring snow-cover. Both characteristics have normally been studied from different points of view, and weather forecasts in late spring have not normally considered the plausible relationship between them. The snowpack melting from April to June, especially rapid in May, leads to important changes on the surface energy balance since the evolution from snow-covered ground to bare soil or canopy, significantly alters the surface albedo and the turbulent, latent and sensible, heat fluxes. These modifications have a noticeable influence in developing or inhibiting thermally-induced mesoscale circulations such as upslope winds, valley breezes or plane-mountain breezes, and could condition the triggering of convection, showers and storm activity. In order to gain insight into the relationship between the spring snowpack melting and the location of thunderstorm activity, a comparison between seasonal snow-cover and thunderstorm frequency evolution (using lightning network data) for a period of 5 years has been carried out, showing a progressive transition from a non-convective to a convective precipitation regime in areas where the snowpack has melted recently Furthermore, a meso-beta scale non-hydrostatic numerical weather prediction model at a 2.5-km horizontal resolution is used to study the sensitivity of snowpack extension on the thunderstorms development over the complex orography of the Catalan Pyrenees. A spring case with thunderstorm activity restricted to snow-free areas has been selected and accurately simulated. A number of sensitivity runs with different initial snow fields has been performed, so allowing evaluation of the influence of snow-cover on the triggering of convection.

Analysis of Cumulonimbus (Cb), Thunderstorm and Fog for Izmir Adnan Menderes Airport

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Avsar, Ercument

2016-07-01

Demand for airline transport has been increasing day by day with the development of the aviation industry in Turkey. Meteorological conditions are among the most important factors that influence aviation facilities. Meteorological events cause delays and cancellation of flights which create economic and time losses, and they even lead to accidents and breakups. The most important meteorological events that affect the takeoff and landing of airplanes can be listed as wind, runway visual range, cloud, rain, icing, turbulence, and low level windshear. Meteorological events that affect the aviation facilities most often in Adnan Menderes Airport (LTBJ), the fourth largest airport in Turkey in terms of air traffic, are fog, Cumulonimbus (Cb) clouds and thunderstorms (TS-Thunderstorm). Therefore, it is important to identify the occurrence time of these events based on the analysis of data over many years and do the flight plans based on this meteorological information in order to make the aviation facilities safer and without delays. In this study, statistical analysis on the formation of Cb clouds, thunderstorm and foggy days is conducted using observations produced for aviation (METAR) and special observers (SPECI). It is found that there are two types of fog that are observed most often at LTBJ, namely radiation and advection fogs, accordingly to the results of statistical analysis based on data from 2004 to 2014. Fog events are found to occur most often in the months of December and January, during 04:00 - 07:00 UTC time interval, between pressure values over 1015-1020 hPa, in 130-190 degree light breeze (1-5KT) and in temperature levels between 5°C and 8°C. Thunderstorm events recorded at LTBJ between the years 2004 and 2014 are most often observed in the months of January and February, in 120-210 degree gentle breeze winds (6-10KT), and in temperature levels between 8 and 18 °C. Key Words: Adnan Menderes International Airport, LTBJ, Fog, Thunderstorm (TS), Cb Clouds

Interstellar Flow and Temperature Determination with IBEX: Robustness and Sensitivity to Systematic Effects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Möbius, E.; Bzowski, M.; Frisch, P. C.; Fuselier, S. A.; Heirtzler, D.; Kubiak, M. A.; Kucharek, H.; Lee, M. A.; Leonard, T.; McComas, D. J.; Schwadron, N. A.; Sokół, J. M.; Swaczyna, P.; Wurz, P.

2015-10-01

The Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX) samples the interstellar neutral (ISN) gas flow of several species every year from December through late March when the Earth moves into the incoming flow. The first quantitative analyses of these data resulted in a narrow tube in four-dimensional interstellar parameter space, which couples speed, flow latitude, flow longitude, and temperature, and center values with approximately 3° larger longitude and 3 km s-1 lower speed, but with temperatures similar to those obtained from observations by the Ulysses spacecraft. IBEX has now recorded six years of ISN flow observations, providing a large database over increasing solar activity and using varying viewing strategies. In this paper, we evaluate systematic effects that are important for the ISN flow vector and temperature determination. We find that all models in use return ISN parameters well within the observational uncertainties and that the derived ISN flow direction is resilient against uncertainties in the ionization rate. We establish observationally an effective IBEX-Lo pointing uncertainty of ±0.°18 in spin angle and confirm an uncertainty of ±0.°1 in longitude. We also show that the IBEX viewing strategy with different spin-axis orientations minimizes the impact of several systematic uncertainties, and thus improves the robustness of the measurement. The Helium Warm Breeze has likely contributed substantially to the somewhat different center values of the ISN flow vector. By separating the flow vector and temperature determination, we can mitigate these effects on the analysis, which returns an ISN flow vector very close to the Ulysses results, but with a substantially higher temperature. Due to coupling with the ISN flow speed along the ISN parameter tube, we provide the temperature {T}{VISN∞ }=8710+440/-680 K for {V}{ISN∞ }=26 {km} {{{s}}}-1 for comparison, where most of the uncertainty is systematic and likely due to the presence of the Warm Breeze.

Role of meteorological processes in two New England ozone episodes during summer 2001

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mao, Huiting; Talbot, Robert

2004-10-01

We examined the impact of dynamical processes on spatial variability in ozone (O3) mixing ratios at closely spaced air monitoring sites in southern New Hampshire (NH) during two O3 episodes, July 21-25 and August 2, 2001. The Meso-scale Meteorological Model (MM5) and the Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) photochemical model were applied together with ground-based atmospheric chemistry observations conducted by the Atmospheric Investigation, Regional Modeling, Analysis and Prediction (AIRMAP) program at the University of New Hampshire. Observations and model simulations suggested that during the July episode long-range transport via the nocturnal low-level jet (LLJ) played an important role in producing elevated daytime mixing ratios of O3. The marine site Isle of Shoals experienced the highest level of O3, possibly a result of having more diverse upwind sources and less ventilation compared to continental sites. Our model results suggest that during daytime the shallow sea breeze circulation contributes to high levels of O3 at coastal and marine sites while the channeling effect of the Appalachian Mountains influences inland locations. In contrast to the July event, the event on August 2 was characterized by weak and transient synoptic flows, indicating insufficient time for transport of O3 and its precursors from distant sources to inland sites in NH. Backward trajectories for both events showed that O3-rich air masses from the Boston metropolitan area can contribute to the high levels of O3 (>120 ppbv) at coastal and marine sites in southern NH. Our results suggest that the International Consortium of Atmospheric Research on Transport and Transformation (ICARTT), an international field campaign based in the northeastern United States in summer 2004, should coordinate mobile platforms to investigate the vertical structure and chemical composition of the LLJ, the sea breeze, and the terrain-forced flows, and estimate the influx of O3 and its precursors to central New England.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kitada, Toshihiro; Okamura, Kiyoshi; Tanaka, Setsu

Japanese large cities, mostly located in coastal region, have rapidly expanded in the last three decades. People in the region now experience warmer and unpleasant thermal environment in summer season, supposedly because of the extensive urbanization. Especially, under fine weather with light synoptic-scale gradient wind, the highest temperature often appears in rather inland area. An explanation to this phenomenon is horizontal transport of heat by the sea breeze which is strongly heated during its passage over the coastal urban area. This study investigated how and how much urbanization in Nohbi Plain of central Japan influences local wind and temperature distributionmore » over the plain and its surrounding region, Nohbi Plain which faces to the Pacific Ocean and is surrounded by the Japanese Alps, and thus is in a typical topographic situation in Japan. For the study we performed numerical simulations using our meso-scale meteorological model which includes k-c model for turbulence. One of the major results obtained is to have clarified a hierarchy in natural and artificial topography of various scales on their contributions to formation of characteristic diurnal pattern of wind and temperature distributions in the plain area. The Japanese Alps, the largest topographic feature in central Japan and often called the roof of Japan, gave the most important influence on the wind, although the mountains are located quite far, around 200 km, from Nohbi Plain. The way for the influence of the high mountains was to warm air mass in upper layer but below 2 km in altitude, over the Nohbi Plain through heat transport due to a large scale circulation consisting of the {open_quotes}flows from plain to plateau in lower layer and plateau to plain in upper layer{close_quotes}. Urbanization in the coastal Nohbi Plain showed little effect on the flow pattern, but caused large temperature rises at surface level in the inland area because of horizontal heat transfer by the sea breeze.« less

Improving communication in cancer pain management nursing: a randomized controlled study assessing the efficacy of a communication skills training program.

PubMed

Canivet, Delphine; Delvaux, Nicole; Gibon, Anne-Sophie; Brancart, Cyrielle; Slachmuylder, Jean-Louis; Razavi, Darius

2014-12-01

Effective communication is needed for optimal cancer pain management. This study assessed the efficacy of a general communication skills training program for oncology nurses on communication about pain management. A total of 115 nurses were randomly assigned to a training group (TG) or control group (CG). The assessment included the recording of interviews with a simulated cancer patient at baseline for both groups and after training (TG) or 3 months after baseline (CG). Two psychologists rated the content of interview transcripts to assess cancer pain management communication. Group-by-time effects were measured using a generalized estimating equation. Trained nurses asked the simulated patient more questions about emotions associated with pain (relative rate [RR] = 4.28, p = 0.049) and cognitions associated with pain treatment (RR = 3.23, p < 0.001) and used less paternalistic statements about cancer pain management (RR = 0.40, p = 0.006) compared with untrained nurses. The general communication skills training program improved only a few of the communication strategies needed for optimal cancer pain management in nursing. General communication skills training programs should be consolidated using specific modules focusing on communication skills related to cancer pain management.

Preliminary Results of a U.S. Deep South Modeling Experiment Using NASA SPoRT Initialization Datasets for Operational National Weather Service Local Model Runs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wood, Lance; Medlin, Jeffrey M.; Case, Jon

2012-01-01

A joint collaborative modeling effort among the NWS offices in Mobile, AL, and Houston, TX, and NASA Short-term Prediction Research and Transition (SPoRT) Center began during the 2011-2012 cold season, and continued into the 2012 warm season. The focus was on two frequent U.S. Deep South forecast challenges: the initiation of deep convection during the warm season; and heavy precipitation during the cold season. We wanted to examine the impact of certain NASA produced products on the Weather Research and Forecasting Environmental Modeling System in improving the model representation of mesoscale boundaries such as the local sea-, bay- and land-breezes (which often leads to warm season convective initiation); and improving the model representation of slow moving, or quasi-stationary frontal boundaries (which focus cold season storm cell training and heavy precipitation). The NASA products were: the 4-km Land Information System, a 1-km sea surface temperature analysis, and a 4-km greenness vegetation fraction analysis. Similar domains were established over the southeast Texas and Alabama coastlines, each with an outer grid with a 9 km spacing and an inner nest with a 3 km grid spacing. The model was run at each NWS office once per day out to 24 hours from 0600 UTC, using the NCEP Global Forecast System for initial and boundary conditions. Control runs without the NASA products were made at the NASA SPoRT Center. The NCAR Model Evaluation Tools verification package was used to evaluate both the positive and negative impacts of the NASA products on the model forecasts. Select case studies will be presented to highlight the influence of the products.

Abundance in proteins expressed after functional electrical stimulation cycling or arm cycling ergometry training in persons with chronic spinal cord injury.

PubMed

Gorgey, Ashraf S; Graham, Zachary A; Bauman, William A; Cardozo, Christopher; Gater, David R

2017-07-01

Longitudinal design. The study determined the effects of two forms of exercise training on the abundance of two proteins, (glucose transporter-4 [GLUT-4], adenosine monophosphate kinase [AMPK]) involved in glucose utilization and the transcriptional coactivator that regulates the genes involved in energy metabolism and mitochondrial biogenesis (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) coactivator 1 alpha [PGC-1α]), in muscles in men with chronic motor-complete spinal cord injury (SCI). Clinical trial at a Medical Center. Nine men with chronic motor-complete SCI participated in functional electrical stimulation lower extremity cycling (FES-LEC; n = 4) or arm cycling ergometer (arm-cycling ergometer [ACE]; n = 5) 5 days/week for 16 weeks. Whole body composition was measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. An intravenous glucose tolerance test was performed to measure glucose effectiveness (Sg) and insulin sensitivity (Si). Muscle biopsies of the right vastus lateralis (VL) and triceps muscles were collected one week prior to and post the exercise training intervention. Neither training intervention altered body composition or carbohydrate metabolism. GLUT-4 increased by 3.8 fold in the VL after FES training and increased 0.6 fold in the triceps after ACE training. PGC-1α increased by 2.3 fold in the VL after FES training and 3.8 fold in the triceps after ACE training. AMPK increased by 3.4 fold in the VL after FES training and in the triceps after ACE training. FES-LEC and ACE training were associated with greater protein expressions in the trained muscles by effectively influencing the abundance of GLUT-4, AMPK and PGC-1α. Thus, FES-LEC training of paralyzed muscle can modulate protein expression similar to that of trained and innervated muscle.

Training of Residential Social Care Staff to Meet the Needs of Older People with Intellectual Disabilities Who Develop Age-Related Health Problems: An Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Northway, Ruth; Jenkins, Robert; Holland-Hart, Daniella

2017-01-01

Background: Despite awareness of the age related health needs of people with intellectual disabilities little is known regarding how residential social care staff are prepared to meet such needs. Methods: Data were gathered via semi-structured interviews from 14 managers of supported living settings. Transcripts were thematically analysed.…

Reconstructing the Prostate Cancer Transcriptional Regulatory Network

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-07-01

the Medical Scientist Training Program. The funders had no role in study design , data collection and analysis , decision to publish, or preparation of...reverse analysis , building a cell line subtype classifier to classify 86 breast tumors (from the original Stanford/Norway study defining the five tumor...Army position, policy or decision unless so designated by other documentation. REPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE Form Approved OMB No. 0704-0188 Public

An Assessment of Reliability of Dialogue Annotation Instructions

DTIC Science & Technology

1977-01-01

This report is part of an ongoing research effort on man-machine communication, which is engaged in transforming knowledge of how human communication works...certain kinds of recurring features in transcripts of human communication . These methods involve having a trained person, called an Observer, annotate...right kind of data for developing human communication theory. It is a confirmation of the appropriateness and potential effectiveness of using this

The Indian Child Welfare Act: Unto the Seventh Generation. Conference Proceedings (Los Angeles, California, January 15-17, 1992). National Conference Proceedings Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Troy R., Ed.

This proceedings contains edited transcripts of speeches and workshops given at a conference on the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA), held at UCLA in January 1992. Workshop titles were: fetal alcohol syndrome; responding to the family in Indian child welfare; joint in-service training for management of Indian Child Welfare Act cases; domestic…

Transcriptome characterization of immune suppression from battlefield-like stress

PubMed Central

Muhie, S; Hammamieh, R; Cummings, C; Yang, D; Jett, M

2013-01-01

Transcriptome alterations of leukocytes from soldiers who underwent 8 weeks of Army Ranger training (RASP, Ranger Assessment and Selection Program) were analyzed to evaluate impacts of battlefield-like stress on the immune response. About 1400 transcripts were differentially expressed between pre- and post-RASP leukocytes. Upon functional analysis, immune response was the most enriched biological process, and most of the transcripts associated with the immune response were downregulated. Microbial pattern recognition, chemotaxis, antigen presentation and T-cell activation were among the most downregulated immune processes. Transcription factors predicted to be stress-inhibited (IRF7, RELA, NFκB1, CREB1, IRF1 and HMGB) regulated genes involved in inflammation, maturation of dendritic cells and glucocorticoid receptor signaling. Many altered transcripts were predicted to be targets of stress-regulated microRNAs. Post-RASP leukocytes exposed ex vivo to Staphylococcal enterotoxin B showed a markedly impaired immune response to this superantigen compared with pre-RASP leukocytes, consistent with the suppression of the immune response revealed by transcriptome analyses. Our results suggest that suppression of antigen presentation and lymphocyte activation pathways, in the setting of normal blood cell counts, most likely contribute to the poor vaccine response, impaired wound healing and infection susceptibility associated with chronic intense stress. PMID:23096155

A method to quantify and compare clinicians' assessments of patient understanding during counseling of standardized patients.

PubMed

Farrell, Michael H; Kuruvilla, Pramita; Eskra, Kerry L; Christopher, Stephanie A; Brienza, Rebecca S

2009-10-01

To introduce a method for quantifying clinicians' use of assessment of understanding (AU) questions, and to examine medicine residents' AU usage during counseling of standardized patients about prostate or breast cancer screening. Explicit-criteria abstraction was done on 86 transcripts, using a data dictionary for 4 AU types. We also developed a procedure for estimating the "load" of informational content for which the clinician has not yet assessed understanding. Duplicate abstraction revealed reliability kappa=0.96. Definite criteria for at least one AU were found in 68/86 transcripts (79%). Of these, 2 transcripts contained a request for a teach-back ("what is your understanding of this?"), 2 contained an open-ended AU, 46 (54%) contained only a close-ended AU, and 18 (21%) only contained an "OK?" question. The load calculation identified long stretches of conversation without an AU. Many residents' transcripts lacked AUs, and included AUs were often ineffectively phrased or inefficiently timed. Many patients may not understand clinicians, and many clinicians may be unaware of patients' confusion. Effective AU usage is important enough to be encouraged by training programs and targeted by population-scale quality improvement programs. This quantitative method should be useful in population-scale measurement of AU usage. 2009 Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

JASPAR 2016: a major expansion and update of the open-access database of transcription factor binding profiles

PubMed Central

Mathelier, Anthony; Fornes, Oriol; Arenillas, David J.; Chen, Chih-yu; Denay, Grégoire; Lee, Jessica; Shi, Wenqiang; Shyr, Casper; Tan, Ge; Worsley-Hunt, Rebecca; Zhang, Allen W.; Parcy, François; Lenhard, Boris; Sandelin, Albin; Wasserman, Wyeth W.

2016-01-01

JASPAR (http://jaspar.genereg.net) is an open-access database storing curated, non-redundant transcription factor (TF) binding profiles representing transcription factor binding preferences as position frequency matrices for multiple species in six taxonomic groups. For this 2016 release, we expanded the JASPAR CORE collection with 494 new TF binding profiles (315 in vertebrates, 11 in nematodes, 3 in insects, 1 in fungi and 164 in plants) and updated 59 profiles (58 in vertebrates and 1 in fungi). The introduced profiles represent an 83% expansion and 10% update when compared to the previous release. We updated the structural annotation of the TF DNA binding domains (DBDs) following a published hierarchical structural classification. In addition, we introduced 130 transcription factor flexible models trained on ChIP-seq data for vertebrates, which capture dinucleotide dependencies within TF binding sites. This new JASPAR release is accompanied by a new web tool to infer JASPAR TF binding profiles recognized by a given TF protein sequence. Moreover, we provide the users with a Ruby module complementing the JASPAR API to ease programmatic access and use of the JASPAR collection of profiles. Finally, we provide the JASPAR2016 R/Bioconductor data package with the data of this release. PMID:26531826

Speech Recognition as a Transcription Aid: A Randomized Comparison With Standard Transcription

PubMed Central

Mohr, David N.; Turner, David W.; Pond, Gregory R.; Kamath, Joseph S.; De Vos, Cathy B.; Carpenter, Paul C.

2003-01-01

Objective. Speech recognition promises to reduce information entry costs for clinical information systems. It is most likely to be accepted across an organization if physicians can dictate without concerning themselves with real-time recognition and editing; assistants can then edit and process the computer-generated document. Our objective was to evaluate the use of speech-recognition technology in a randomized controlled trial using our institutional infrastructure. Design. Clinical note dictations from physicians in two specialty divisions were randomized to either a standard transcription process or a speech-recognition process. Secretaries and transcriptionists also were assigned randomly to each of these processes. Measurements. The duration of each dictation was measured. The amount of time spent processing a dictation to yield a finished document also was measured. Secretarial and transcriptionist productivity, defined as hours of secretary work per minute of dictation processed, was determined for speech recognition and standard transcription. Results. Secretaries in the endocrinology division were 87.3% (confidence interval, 83.3%, 92.3%) as productive with the speech-recognition technology as implemented in this study as they were using standard transcription. Psychiatry transcriptionists and secretaries were similarly less productive. Author, secretary, and type of clinical note were significant (p < 0.05) predictors of productivity. Conclusion. When implemented in an organization with an existing document-processing infrastructure (which included training and interfaces of the speech-recognition editor with the existing document entry application), speech recognition did not improve the productivity of secretaries or transcriptionists. PMID:12509359

Offshoring of healthcare services: the case of US-India trade in medical transcription services.

PubMed

Kshetri, Nir; Dholakia, Nikhilesh

2011-01-01

- The issue of offshore outsourcing of healthcare services is a critical but little-examined problem in healthcare research. The purpose of this study is to contribute to filling this void. A library-based study was carried out of the development of the Indian medical transcription offshoring industry. Findings- Cost-saving potential and the degree of outsourceability are higher for medical transcription compared with most services. Offshoring experience, typically in a low-value BPO, helps to enhance productivity and international linkages required for the success of medical transcription. Research limitations/implications - An important area of future research concerns comparing India's factor endowments in medical transcription outsourcing with other services. Further research is also needed to examine how India differs from its regional competitors in terms of factors endowments associated with these services. Another extension would be to investigate the drivers of offshoring of higher value services such as radiological readings. Practical implications - ICT infrastructures needed for outsourcing require much less investment compared with leading capital-intensive industries. The development patterns of the Indian medical and offshoring industries indicate that India may attract higher skilled medical functions in the future. The Indian offshoring industry is shifting its focus from BPO to knowledge process outsourcing (KPO). Developing countries need to shift to greater automation and greater levels of skill training to retain and reinforce their comparative advantages. This paper's greatest value stems from the fact that it examines the drivers of a new but rapidly growing healthcare industry.

Global transcriptional regulatory network for Escherichia coli robustly connects gene expression to transcription factor activities

PubMed Central

Fang, Xin; Sastry, Anand; Mih, Nathan; Kim, Donghyuk; Tan, Justin; Lloyd, Colton J.; Gao, Ye; Yang, Laurence; Palsson, Bernhard O.

2017-01-01

Transcriptional regulatory networks (TRNs) have been studied intensely for >25 y. Yet, even for the Escherichia coli TRN—probably the best characterized TRN—several questions remain. Here, we address three questions: (i) How complete is our knowledge of the E. coli TRN; (ii) how well can we predict gene expression using this TRN; and (iii) how robust is our understanding of the TRN? First, we reconstructed a high-confidence TRN (hiTRN) consisting of 147 transcription factors (TFs) regulating 1,538 transcription units (TUs) encoding 1,764 genes. The 3,797 high-confidence regulatory interactions were collected from published, validated chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) data and RegulonDB. For 21 different TF knockouts, up to 63% of the differentially expressed genes in the hiTRN were traced to the knocked-out TF through regulatory cascades. Second, we trained supervised machine learning algorithms to predict the expression of 1,364 TUs given TF activities using 441 samples. The algorithms accurately predicted condition-specific expression for 86% (1,174 of 1,364) of the TUs, while 193 TUs (14%) were predicted better than random TRNs. Third, we identified 10 regulatory modules whose definitions were robust against changes to the TRN or expression compendium. Using surrogate variable analysis, we also identified three unmodeled factors that systematically influenced gene expression. Our computational workflow comprehensively characterizes the predictive capabilities and systems-level functions of an organism’s TRN from disparate data types. PMID:28874552

A multi-stage oil-water-separating process design for the sea oil spill recovery robot

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Min-ge; Wu, Jian-guo; Lin, Xinhua; Wang, Xiao-ming

2018-03-01

Oil spill have the most common pollution to the marine ecological environment. In the late stage of physical method recovery, because of the thin oil and the strong sea breeze, the recovery vessels has low efficiency and high energy consumption. This paper develops a multi-stage oil-water-separating process carried by the sea oil spill recovery robot in severe conditions. This design consists of three separation process, among which both the first and third process adopt corrugated sheets horizontal oil-water separator, while the second is hydraulic rotary breaker. This design also equiptment with rectifier and cyclone separator and other important components. This process has high flexibility and high recovery efficiency. The implement effect is significant.

Phoenix Telltale Movie with Clouds, Sol 103

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2008-01-01

NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander's telltale catches a breeze as clouds move over the landing site on Sol 103 (Sept. 7, 2008), the 103rd Martian day since landing.

Phoenix's Surface Stereo Imager took this series of images during daily telltale monitoring around 3 p.m. local solar time and captured the clouds moving over the landing site.

Phoenix can measure wind speed and direction by imaging the telltale, which is about about 10 centimeters (4 inches) tall. The telltale was built by the University of Aarhus, Denmark.

The Phoenix Mission is led by the University of Arizona, Tucson, on behalf of NASA. Project management of the mission is by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. Spacecraft development is by Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver.

Surgical education and training in an outer metropolitan hospital: a qualitative study of surgical trainers and trainees.

PubMed

Nestel, Debra; Harlim, Jennifer; Bryant, Melanie; Rampersad, Rajay; Hunter-Smith, David; Spychal, Bob

2017-08-01

The landscape of surgical training is changing. The anticipated increase in the numbers of surgical trainees and the shift to competency-based surgical training places pressures on an already stretched health service. With these pressures in mind, we explored trainers' and trainees' experiences of surgical training in a less traditional rotation, an outer metropolitan hospital. We considered practice-based learning theories to make meaning of surgical training in this setting, in particular Actor-network theory. We adopted a qualitative approach and purposively sampled surgical trainers and trainees to participate in individual interviews and focus groups respectively. Transcripts were made and thematically analysed. Institutional human research ethics approval was obtained. Four surgical trainers and fourteen trainees participated. Almost without exception, participants' report training needs to be well met. Emergent inter-related themes were: learning as social activity; learning and programmatic factors; learning and physical infrastructure; and, learning and organizational structure. This outer metropolitan hospital is suited to the provision of surgical training with the current rotational system for trainees. The setting offers experiences that enable consolidation of learning providing a rich and varied overall surgical training program. Although relational elements of learning were paramount they occurred within a complex environment. Actor-network theory was used to give meaning to emergent themes acknowledging that actors (both people and objects) and their interactions combine to influence training quality, shifting the focus of responsibility for learning away from individuals to the complex interactions in which they work and learn.

Armored RNA as Virus Surrogate in a Real-Time Reverse Transcriptase PCR Assay Proficiency Panel

PubMed Central

Hietala, S. K.; Crossley, B. M.

2006-01-01

In recent years testing responsibilities for high-consequence pathogens have been expanded from national reference laboratories into networks of local and regional laboratories in order to support enhanced disease surveillance and to test for surge capacity. This movement of testing of select agents and high-consequence pathogens beyond reference laboratories introduces a critical need for standardized, noninfectious surrogates of disease agents for use as training and proficiency test samples. In this study, reverse transcription-PCR assay RNA targets were developed and packaged as armored RNA for use as a noninfectious, quantifiable synthetic substitute for four high-consequence animal pathogens: classical swine fever virus; foot-and-mouth disease virus; vesicular stomatitis virus, New Jersey serogroup; and vesicular stomatitis virus, Indiana serogroup. Armored RNA spiked into oral swab fluid specimens mimicked virus-positive clinical material through all stages of the reverse transcription-PCR testing process, including RNA recovery by four different commercial extraction procedures, reverse transcription, PCR amplification, and real-time detection at target concentrations consistent with the dynamic ranges of the existing real-time PCR assays. The armored RNA concentrations spiked into the oral swab fluid specimens were stable under storage conditions selected to approximate the extremes of time and temperature expected for shipping and handling of proficiency panel samples, including 24 h at 37°C and 2 weeks at temperatures ranging from ambient room temperature to −70°C. The analytic test performance, including the reproducibility over the dynamic range of the assays, indicates that armored RNA can provide a noninfectious, quantifiable, and stable virus surrogate for specific assay training and proficiency test purposes. PMID:16390950

Radiological reporting that combine continuous speech recognition with error correction by transcriptionists.

PubMed

Ichikawa, Tamaki; Kitanosono, Takashi; Koizumi, Jun; Ogushi, Yoichi; Tanaka, Osamu; Endo, Jun; Hashimoto, Takeshi; Kawada, Shuichi; Saito, Midori; Kobayashi, Makiko; Imai, Yutaka

2007-12-20

We evaluated the usefulness of radiological reporting that combines continuous speech recognition (CSR) and error correction by transcriptionists. Four transcriptionists (two with more than 10 years' and two with less than 3 months' transcription experience) listened to the same 100 dictation files and created radiological reports using conventional transcription and a method that combined CSR with manual error correction by the transcriptionists. We compared the 2 groups using the 2 methods for accuracy and report creation time and evaluated the transcriptionists' inter-personal dependence on accuracy rate and report creation time. We used a CSR system that did not require the training of the system to recognize the user's voice. We observed no significant difference in accuracy between the 2 groups and 2 methods that we tested, though transcriptionists with greater experience transcribed faster than those with less experience using conventional transcription. Using the combined method, error correction speed was not significantly different between two groups of transcriptionists with different levels of experience. Combining CSR and manual error correction by transcriptionists enabled convenient and accurate radiological reporting.

Reconsolidation or extinction: transcription factor switch in the determination of memory course after retrieval.

PubMed

de la Fuente, Verónica; Freudenthal, Ramiro; Romano, Arturo

2011-04-13

In fear conditioning, aversive stimuli are readily associated with contextual features. A brief reexposure to the training context causes fear memory reconsolidation, whereas a prolonged reexposure induces memory extinction. The regulation of hippocampal gene expression plays a key role in contextual memory consolidation and reconsolidation. However, the mechanisms that determine whether memory will reconsolidate or extinguish are not known. Here, we demonstrate opposing roles for two evolutionarily related transcription factors in the mouse hippocampus. We found that nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) is required for fear memory reconsolidation. Conversely, calcineurin phosphatase inhibited NF-κB and induced nuclear factor of activated T-cells (NFAT) nuclear translocation in the transition between reconsolidation and extinction. Accordingly, the hippocampal inhibition of both calcineurin and NFAT independently impaired memory extinction, whereas inhibition of NF-κB enhanced memory extinction. These findings represent the first insight into the molecular mechanisms that determine memory reprocessing after retrieval, supporting a transcriptional switch that directs memory toward reconsolidation or extinction. The precise molecular characterization of postretrieval processes has potential importance to the development of therapeutic strategies for fear memory disorders.

Targeting miR-423-5p Reverses Exercise Training–Induced HCN4 Channel Remodeling and Sinus Bradycardia

PubMed Central

D’Souza, Alicia; Pearman, Charles M.; Wang, Yanwen; Nakao, Shu; Logantha, Sunil Jit R.J.; Cox, Charlotte; Bennett, Hayley; Zhang, Yu; Johnsen, Anne Berit; Linscheid, Nora; Poulsen, Pi Camilla; Elliott, Jonathan; Coulson, Jessica; McPhee, Jamie; Robertson, Abigail; da Costa Martins, Paula A.; Kitmitto, Ashraf; Wisløff, Ulrik; Cartwright, Elizabeth J.; Monfredi, Oliver; Lundby, Alicia; Dobrzynski, Halina; Oceandy, Delvac; Morris, Gwilym M.

2017-01-01

Rationale: Downregulation of the pacemaking ion channel, HCN4 (hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide gated channel 4), and the corresponding ionic current, If, underlies exercise training–induced sinus bradycardia in rodents. If this occurs in humans, it could explain the increased incidence of bradyarrhythmias in veteran athletes, and it will be important to understand the underlying processes. Objective: To test the role of HCN4 in the training-induced bradycardia in human athletes and investigate the role of microRNAs (miRs) in the repression of HCN4. Methods and Results: As in rodents, the intrinsic heart rate was significantly lower in human athletes than in nonathletes, and in all subjects, the rate-lowering effect of the HCN selective blocker, ivabradine, was significantly correlated with the intrinsic heart rate, consistent with HCN repression in athletes. Next-generation sequencing and quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction showed remodeling of miRs in the sinus node of swim-trained mice. Computational predictions highlighted a prominent role for miR-423-5p. Interaction between miR-423-5p and HCN4 was confirmed by a dose-dependent reduction in HCN4 3′-untranslated region luciferase reporter activity on cotransfection with precursor miR-423-5p (abolished by mutation of predicted recognition elements). Knockdown of miR-423-5p with anti-miR-423-5p reversed training-induced bradycardia via rescue of HCN4 and If. Further experiments showed that in the sinus node of swim-trained mice, upregulation of miR-423-5p (intronic miR) and its host gene, NSRP1, is driven by an upregulation of the transcription factor Nkx2.5. Conclusions: HCN remodeling likely occurs in human athletes, as well as in rodent models. miR-423-5p contributes to training-induced bradycardia by targeting HCN4. This work presents the first evidence of miR control of HCN4 and heart rate. miR-423-5p could be a therapeutic target for pathological sinus node dysfunction in veteran athletes. PMID:28821541

Mixture models reveal multiple positional bias types in RNA-Seq data and lead to accurate transcript concentration estimates.

PubMed

Tuerk, Andreas; Wiktorin, Gregor; Güler, Serhat

2017-05-01

Accuracy of transcript quantification with RNA-Seq is negatively affected by positional fragment bias. This article introduces Mix2 (rd. "mixquare"), a transcript quantification method which uses a mixture of probability distributions to model and thereby neutralize the effects of positional fragment bias. The parameters of Mix2 are trained by Expectation Maximization resulting in simultaneous transcript abundance and bias estimates. We compare Mix2 to Cufflinks, RSEM, eXpress and PennSeq; state-of-the-art quantification methods implementing some form of bias correction. On four synthetic biases we show that the accuracy of Mix2 overall exceeds the accuracy of the other methods and that its bias estimates converge to the correct solution. We further evaluate Mix2 on real RNA-Seq data from the Microarray and Sequencing Quality Control (MAQC, SEQC) Consortia. On MAQC data, Mix2 achieves improved correlation to qPCR measurements with a relative increase in R2 between 4% and 50%. Mix2 also yields repeatable concentration estimates across technical replicates with a relative increase in R2 between 8% and 47% and reduced standard deviation across the full concentration range. We further observe more accurate detection of differential expression with a relative increase in true positives between 74% and 378% for 5% false positives. In addition, Mix2 reveals 5 dominant biases in MAQC data deviating from the common assumption of a uniform fragment distribution. On SEQC data, Mix2 yields higher consistency between measured and predicted concentration ratios. A relative error of 20% or less is obtained for 51% of transcripts by Mix2, 40% of transcripts by Cufflinks and RSEM and 30% by eXpress. Titration order consistency is correct for 47% of transcripts for Mix2, 41% for Cufflinks and RSEM and 34% for eXpress. We, further, observe improved repeatability across laboratory sites with a relative increase in R2 between 8% and 44% and reduced standard deviation.

Vascular reactivity and ACE activity response to exercise training are modulated by the +9/-9 bradykinin B₂ receptor gene functional polymorphism.

PubMed

Alves, Cléber Rene; Alves, Guilherme Barreto; Pereira, Alexandre Costa; Trombetta, Ivani Credidio; Dias, Rodrigo Gonçalves; Mota, Glória F A; Fernandes, Tiago; Krieger, José Eduardo; Negrão, Carlos Eduardo; Oliveira, Edilamar Menezes

2013-06-17

The bradykinin receptor B₂ (BDKRB₂) gene +9/-9 polymorphism has been associated with higher gene transcriptional activity, and characteristics of cardiovascular phenotypes and physical performance. We hypothesized that vasodilation and ACE activity response to exercise training is modulated by BDKRB₂ gene. We genotyped 71 healthy volunteers were genotyped for the BDKRB₂ gene polymorphism. Heart rate (HR), mean blood pressure (MBP), and forearm blood flow (FBF) were evaluated. Angiotensin-I converting enzyme (ACE) activity was measured by fluorescence. Aerobic training was performed for 16 wk. All variables were reassessed after completion of the training period. In pretraining period, HR, MBP, FBF, and forearm vascular conductance (FVC) were similar among all genotypes. After physical training, the FBF and the FVC response during handgrip exercise such as area under the curve were higher in -9/-9 carriers than the other two groups. However, there were no changes in HR and MBP for all three groups. In addition, in posttraining period the decrease in ACE activity was higher in the -9/-9 group than the other two groups. These results suggest that reflex muscle vasodilation and ACE activity in response to exercise training are modulated by BDKRB₂ gene +9/-9 polymorphism in healthy individuals.

[Impact of simulation to reduce neonatal and maternal morbidity of shoulder dystocia].

PubMed

Legendre, G; Bouet, P-E; Sentilhes, L

2015-12-01

To assess the role of simulation in reducing morbidity and mortality of shoulder dystocia. A systematic literature review was conducted in the Medline database. Regarding the prevention of complications of shoulder dystocia, practical training using mannequin is associated with improvements in management shoulder dystocia than training using video tutorial (EL2). Practical training using simulation for shoulder dystocia allows an improvement for manoeuvres mainly for trainees, but simulation seems to benefit to all caregivers for the communication (EL3). The effect of training sessions using simulation for learning writing the medical observation allows only a modest improvement in the medical record transcription (EL3). The interest of a specific grid for reporting shoulder dystocia seems interesting to increase the amount of information transcribed by the caregiver (EL3). The establishment of a practical training using simulation and concerning all caregivers of the delivery room is associated with a significant reduction in neonatal injury (EL3). The establishment of a training program using simulation does not seem to decrease maternal morbidity in case of shoulder dystocia (EL3). A teaching using simulation for the management of shoulder dystocia is encouraged for the initial and continuing formation of different actors in the delivery room (professional agreement). Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Preclinical students’ experiences in early clerkships after skills training partly offered in primary health care centers: a qualitative study from Indonesia

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Students may encounter difficulties when they have to apply clinical skills trained in their pre-clinical studies in clerkships. Early clinical exposure in the pre-clinical phase has been recommended to reduce these transition problems. The aim of this study is to explore differences in students' experiences during the first clerkships between students exclusively trained in a skills laboratory and peers for whom part of their skills training was substituted by early clinical experiences (ECE). Methods Thirty pre-clinical students trained clinical skills exclusively in a skills laboratory; 30 peers received part of their skills training in PHC centers. Within half a year after commencing their clerkships all 60 students shared their experiences in focus group discussions (FGDs). Verbatim transcripts of FGDs were analyzed using Atlas-Ti software. Results Clerkship students who had participated in ECE in PHC centers felt better prepared to perform their clinical skills during the first clerkships than peers who had only practiced in a skills laboratory. ECE in PHC centers impacted positively in particular on students’ confidence, clinical reasoning, and interpersonal communication. Conclusion In the Indonesian setting ECE in PHC centers reduce difficulties commonly encountered by medical students in the first clerkships. PMID:22640419

Fear extinction requires Arc/Arg3.1 expression in the basolateral amygdala.

PubMed

Onoue, Kousuke; Nakayama, Daisuke; Ikegaya, Yuji; Matsuki, Norio; Nomura, Hiroshi

2014-04-23

Prolonged re-exposure to a fear-eliciting cue in the absence of an aversive event extinguishes the fear response to the cue, and has been clinically used as an exposure therapy. Arc (also known as Arg3.1) is implicated in synaptic and experience-dependent plasticity. Arc is regulated by the transcription factor cAMP response element binding protein, which is upregulated with and necessary for fear extinction. Because Arc expression is also activated with fear extinction, we hypothesized that Arc expression is required for fear extinction. Extinction training increased the proportion of Arc-labeled cells in the basolateral amygdala (BLA). Arc was transcribed during latter part of extinction training, which is possibly associated with fear extinction, as well as former part of extinction training. Intra-BLA infusions of Arc antisense oligodeoxynucleotide (ODN) before extinction training impaired long-term but not short-term extinction memory. Intra-BLA infusions of Arc antisense ODN 3 h after extinction training had no effect on fear extinction. Our findings demonstrate that Arc is required for long-term extinction of conditioned fear and contribute to the understanding of extinction as a therapeutic manner.

Olfactory discrimination training up-regulates and reorganizes expression of microRNAs in adult mouse hippocampus.

PubMed

Smalheiser, Neil R; Lugli, Giovanni; Lenon, Angela L; Davis, John M; Torvik, Vetle I; Larson, John

2010-02-26

Adult male mice (strain C57Bl/6J) were trained to execute nose-poke responses for water reinforcement; then they were randomly assigned to either of two groups: olfactory discrimination training (exposed to two odours with reward contingent upon correctly responding to one odour) or pseudo-training (exposed to two odours with reward not contingent upon response). These were run in yoked fashion and killed when the discrimination-trained mouse reached a learning criterion of 70% correct responses in 20 trials, occurring after three sessions (a total of approximately 40 min of training). The hippocampus was dissected bilaterally from each mouse (N = 7 in each group) and profiling of 585 miRNAs (microRNAs) was carried out using multiplex RT-PCR (reverse transcription-PCR) plates. A significant global up-regulation of miRNA expression was observed in the discrimination training versus pseudo-training comparison; when tested individually, 29 miRNAs achieved significance at P = 0.05. miR-10a showed a 2.7-fold increase with training, and is predicted to target several learning-related mRNAs including BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor), CAMK2b (calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase IIβ), CREB1 (cAMP-response-element-binding protein 1) and ELAVL2 [ELAV (embryonic lethal, abnormal vision, Drosophila)-like; Hu B]. Analysis of miRNA pairwise correlations revealed the existence of several miRNA co-expression modules that were specific to the training group. These in vivo results indicate that significant, dynamic and co-ordinated changes in miRNA expression accompany early stages of learning.

An evaluation of the ATM man/machine interface. Phase 3: Analysis of SL-3 and SL-4 data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bathurst, J. R., Jr.; Pain, R. F.; Ludewig, D. B.

1974-01-01

The functional adequacy of human factored crew operated systems under operational zero-gravity conditions is considered. Skylab ATM experiment operations generated sufficient telemetry and voice transcript data to support such an assessment effort. Discussions are presented pertaining to the methodology and procedures used to evaluate the hardware, training and directive aspects of Skylab 3 and Skylab 4 manned ATM experiment operations.

Successful Strategies for Activity and Wellness after Spinal Cord Injury

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-10-01

Concurrent qualitative and quantitative methods (mixed methods approach) will be used to address Specific Aims 3 and 4. The types of assessment and...Beatrice Kiratli PhD RECIPIENT: Palo Alto Veterens Institute for Research Palo Alto, CA 94304 REPORT DATE: October 2016 TYPE OF REPORT...37/40) with 25% of transcript analysis accomplished. Staff training in qualitative research and use of mind mapping software has been completed with

Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms for Trapping and Activating Emotional Memories

PubMed Central

Cai, Denise J.; Sano, Yoshitake; Lee, Yong-Seok; Zhou, Yu; Bekal, Pallavi; Deisseroth, Karl; Silva, Alcino J.

2016-01-01

Recent findings suggest that memory allocation to specific neurons (i.e., neuronal allocation) in the amygdala is not random, but rather the transcription factor cAMP-response element binding protein (CREB) modulates this process, perhaps by regulating the transcription of channels that control neuronal excitability. Here, optogenetic studies in the mouse lateral amygdala (LA) were used to demonstrate that CREB and neuronal excitability regulate which neurons encode an emotional memory. To test the role of CREB in memory allocation, we overexpressed CREB in the lateral amygdala to recruit the encoding of an auditory-fear conditioning (AFC) memory to a subset of neurons. Then, post-training activation of these neurons with Channelrhodopsin-2 was sufficient to trigger recall of the memory for AFC, suggesting that CREB regulates memory allocation. To test the role of neuronal excitability in memory allocation, we used a step function opsin (SFO) to transiently increase neuronal excitability in a subset of LA neurons during AFC. Post-training activation of these neurons with Volvox Channelrhodopsin-1 was able to trigger recall of that memory. Importantly, our studies show that activation of the SFO did not affect AFC by either increasing anxiety or by strengthening the unconditioned stimulus. Our findings strongly support the hypothesis that CREB regulates memory allocation by modulating neuronal excitability. PMID:27579481

A Novel Method for Accurate Operon Predictions in All SequencedProkaryotes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Price, Morgan N.; Huang, Katherine H.; Alm, Eric J.

2004-12-01

We combine comparative genomic measures and the distance separating adjacent genes to predict operons in 124 completely sequenced prokaryotic genomes. Our method automatically tailors itself to each genome using sequence information alone, and thus can be applied to any prokaryote. For Escherichia coli K12 and Bacillus subtilis, our method is 85 and 83% accurate, respectively, which is similar to the accuracy of methods that use the same features but are trained on experimentally characterized transcripts. In Halobacterium NRC-1 and in Helicobacterpylori, our method correctly infers that genes in operons are separated by shorter distances than they are in E.coli, andmore » its predictions using distance alone are more accurate than distance-only predictions trained on a database of E.coli transcripts. We use microarray data from sixphylogenetically diverse prokaryotes to show that combining intergenic distance with comparative genomic measures further improves accuracy and that our method is broadly effective. Finally, we survey operon structure across 124 genomes, and find several surprises: H.pylori has many operons, contrary to previous reports; Bacillus anthracis has an unusual number of pseudogenes within conserved operons; and Synechocystis PCC6803 has many operons even though it has unusually wide spacings between conserved adjacent genes.« less

Tailoring a family-based alcohol intervention for Aboriginal Australians, and the experiences and perceptions of health care providers trained in its delivery

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Aboriginal Australians experience a disproportionately high burden of alcohol-related harm compared to the general Australian population. Alcohol treatment approaches that simultaneously target individuals and families offer considerable potential to reduce these harms if they can be successfully tailored for routine delivery to Aboriginal Australians. The Community Reinforcement Approach (CRA) and Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT) are two related interventions that are consistent with Aboriginal Australians’ notions of health and wellbeing. This paper aims to describe the process of tailoring CRA and CRAFT for delivery to Aboriginal Australians, explore the perceptions of health care providers participating in the tailoring process, and their experiences of participating in CRA and CRAFT counsellor certification. Methods Data sources included notes recorded from eight working group meetings with 22 health care providers of a drug and alcohol treatment agency and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service (November 2009-February 2013), and transcripts of semi-structured interviews with seven health care providers participating in CRA and CRAFT counsellor certification (May 2012). Qualitative content analysis was used to categorise working group meeting notes and interview transcripts were into key themes. Results Modifying technical language, reducing the number of treatment sessions, and including an option for treatment of clients in groups, were key recommendations by health care providers for improving the feasibility and applicability of delivering CRA and CRAFT to Aboriginal Australians. Health care providers perceived counsellor certification to be beneficial for developing their skills and confidence in delivering CRA and CRAFT, but identified time constraints and competing tasks as key challenges. Conclusions The tailoring process resulted in Aboriginal Australian-specific CRA and CRAFT resources. The process also resulted in the training and certification of health care providers in CRA and CRAFT and the establishment of a local training and certification program. PMID:24708838

Tailoring a family-based alcohol intervention for Aboriginal Australians, and the experiences and perceptions of health care providers trained in its delivery.

PubMed

Calabria, Bianca; Clifford, Anton; Rose, Miranda; Shakeshaft, Anthony P

2014-04-07

Aboriginal Australians experience a disproportionately high burden of alcohol-related harm compared to the general Australian population. Alcohol treatment approaches that simultaneously target individuals and families offer considerable potential to reduce these harms if they can be successfully tailored for routine delivery to Aboriginal Australians. The Community Reinforcement Approach (CRA) and Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT) are two related interventions that are consistent with Aboriginal Australians' notions of health and wellbeing. This paper aims to describe the process of tailoring CRA and CRAFT for delivery to Aboriginal Australians, explore the perceptions of health care providers participating in the tailoring process, and their experiences of participating in CRA and CRAFT counsellor certification. Data sources included notes recorded from eight working group meetings with 22 health care providers of a drug and alcohol treatment agency and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service (November 2009-February 2013), and transcripts of semi-structured interviews with seven health care providers participating in CRA and CRAFT counsellor certification (May 2012). Qualitative content analysis was used to categorise working group meeting notes and interview transcripts were into key themes. Modifying technical language, reducing the number of treatment sessions, and including an option for treatment of clients in groups, were key recommendations by health care providers for improving the feasibility and applicability of delivering CRA and CRAFT to Aboriginal Australians. Health care providers perceived counsellor certification to be beneficial for developing their skills and confidence in delivering CRA and CRAFT, but identified time constraints and competing tasks as key challenges. The tailoring process resulted in Aboriginal Australian-specific CRA and CRAFT resources. The process also resulted in the training and certification of health care providers in CRA and CRAFT and the establishment of a local training and certification program.

High-intensity high-volume swimming induces more robust signaling through PGC-1α and AMPK activation than sprint interval swimming in m. triceps brachii

PubMed Central

Plaza-Díaz, Julio; Ruiz-Ojeda, Francisco J.; Aragón-Vela, Jerónimo; Robles-Sanchez, Cándido; Nordsborg, Nikolai B.; Hebberecht, Marina; Salmeron, Luis M.; Huertas, Jesus R.

2017-01-01

We aimed to test whether high-intensity high-volume training (HIHVT) swimming would induce more robust signaling than sprint interval training (SIT) swimming within the m. triceps brachii due to lower metabolic and oxidation. Nine well-trained swimmers performed the two training procedures on separate randomized days. Muscle biopsies from m. triceps brachii and blood samples were collected at three different time points: a) before the intervention (pre), b) immediately after the swimming procedures (post) and c) after 3 h of rest (3 h). Hydroperoxides, creatine kinase (CK), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were quantified from blood samples, and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator 1α (PGC-1α) and the AMPKpTHR172/AMPK ratio were quantified by Western blot analysis. PGC-1α, sirtuin 3 (SIRT3), superoxide-dismutase 2 (SOD2), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) mRNA levels were also quantified. SIT induced a higher release of LDH (p < 0.01 at all time points) and CK (p < 0.01 at post) than HIHVT, but neither SIT nor HIHVT altered systemic hydroperoxides. Additionally, neither SIRT3 nor SOD2 mRNA levels increased, while PGC-1α transcription increased at 3 h after SIT (p < 0.01) and after HIHVT (p < 0.001). However, PGC-1α protein was higher after HIHVT than after SIT (p < 0.05). Moreover, the AMPKpTHR172/AMPK ratio increased at post after SIT (p < 0.05), whereas this effect was delayed after HIHVT as it increased after 3 h (p < 0.05). In addition, VEGF transcription was higher in response to HIHVT (p < 0.05). In conclusion, SIT induces higher muscular stress than HIHVT without increasing systemic oxidation. In addition, HIHVT may induce more robust oxidative adaptations through PGC-1α and AMPK. PMID:28973039

High-intensity high-volume swimming induces more robust signaling through PGC-1α and AMPK activation than sprint interval swimming in m. triceps brachii.

PubMed

Casuso, Rafael A; Plaza-Díaz, Julio; Ruiz-Ojeda, Francisco J; Aragón-Vela, Jerónimo; Robles-Sanchez, Cándido; Nordsborg, Nikolai B; Hebberecht, Marina; Salmeron, Luis M; Huertas, Jesus R

2017-01-01

We aimed to test whether high-intensity high-volume training (HIHVT) swimming would induce more robust signaling than sprint interval training (SIT) swimming within the m. triceps brachii due to lower metabolic and oxidation. Nine well-trained swimmers performed the two training procedures on separate randomized days. Muscle biopsies from m. triceps brachii and blood samples were collected at three different time points: a) before the intervention (pre), b) immediately after the swimming procedures (post) and c) after 3 h of rest (3 h). Hydroperoxides, creatine kinase (CK), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were quantified from blood samples, and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator 1α (PGC-1α) and the AMPKpTHR172/AMPK ratio were quantified by Western blot analysis. PGC-1α, sirtuin 3 (SIRT3), superoxide-dismutase 2 (SOD2), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) mRNA levels were also quantified. SIT induced a higher release of LDH (p < 0.01 at all time points) and CK (p < 0.01 at post) than HIHVT, but neither SIT nor HIHVT altered systemic hydroperoxides. Additionally, neither SIRT3 nor SOD2 mRNA levels increased, while PGC-1α transcription increased at 3 h after SIT (p < 0.01) and after HIHVT (p < 0.001). However, PGC-1α protein was higher after HIHVT than after SIT (p < 0.05). Moreover, the AMPKpTHR172/AMPK ratio increased at post after SIT (p < 0.05), whereas this effect was delayed after HIHVT as it increased after 3 h (p < 0.05). In addition, VEGF transcription was higher in response to HIHVT (p < 0.05). In conclusion, SIT induces higher muscular stress than HIHVT without increasing systemic oxidation. In addition, HIHVT may induce more robust oxidative adaptations through PGC-1α and AMPK.

Motor Skills Training Improves Sensorimotor Dysfunction and Increases Microtubule-Associated Protein 2 mRNA Expression in Rats with Intracerebral Hemorrhage.

PubMed

Tamakoshi, Keigo; Kawanaka, Kentaro; Onishi, Hideaki; Takamatsu, Yasuyuki; Ishida, Kazuto

2016-08-01

In this study, we examined the effects of motor skills training on the sensorimotor function and the expression of genes associated with synaptic plasticity after intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) in rats. Male Wistar rats were subjected to ICH or sham operation. ICH was caused by the injection of collagenase into the left striatum. Rats were randomly assigned to no training, acrobatic training, and sham groups. The acrobatic group performed 5 types of acrobatic tasks from 4 to 28 days after surgery. The forelimb sensorimotor function was evaluated over time using forepaw grasping, forelimb placing, and postural instability tests. At 14 and 29 days after the lesion, we analyzed the mRNA expression levels of microtubule-associated protein 2 (MAP2), brain-derived neurotrophic factor, and growth-associated protein 43 in the bilateral sensorimotor cortex (forelimb area) by real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Motor skills training in ICH rats improved the sensorimotor dysfunction significantly from the early phase. The mRNA expression level of MAP2 was upregulated in the ipsilesional sensorimotor cortex by motor skills training at 29 days after the lesion. Our results suggest that sensorimotor functional recovery following motor skills training after ICH is promoted by dendritic growth in the ipsilesional sensorimotor cortex. Copyright © 2016 National Stroke Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Detection of Tuberculosis in HIV-Infected and -Uninfected African Adults Using Whole Blood RNA Expression Signatures: A Case-Control Study

PubMed Central

Anderson, Suzanne T.; Bangani, Nonzwakazi; Banwell, Claire M.; Brent, Andrew J.; Crampin, Amelia C.; Dockrell, Hazel M.; Eley, Brian; Heyderman, Robert S.; Hibberd, Martin L.; Kern, Florian; Langford, Paul R.; Ling, Ling; Mendelson, Marc; Ottenhoff, Tom H.; Zgambo, Femia; Wilkinson, Robert J.; Coin, Lachlan J.; Levin, Michael

2013-01-01

Background A major impediment to tuberculosis control in Africa is the difficulty in diagnosing active tuberculosis (TB), particularly in the context of HIV infection. We hypothesized that a unique host blood RNA transcriptional signature would distinguish TB from other diseases (OD) in HIV-infected and -uninfected patients, and that this could be the basis of a simple diagnostic test. Methods and Findings Adult case-control cohorts were established in South Africa and Malawi of HIV-infected or -uninfected individuals consisting of 584 patients with either TB (confirmed by culture of Mycobacterium tuberculosis [M.TB] from sputum or tissue sample in a patient under investigation for TB), OD (i.e., TB was considered in the differential diagnosis but then excluded), or healthy individuals with latent TB infection (LTBI). Individuals were randomized into training (80%) and test (20%) cohorts. Blood transcriptional profiles were assessed and minimal sets of significantly differentially expressed transcripts distinguishing TB from LTBI and OD were identified in the training cohort. A 27 transcript signature distinguished TB from LTBI and a 44 transcript signature distinguished TB from OD. To evaluate our signatures, we used a novel computational method to calculate a disease risk score (DRS) for each patient. The classification based on this score was first evaluated in the test cohort, and then validated in an independent publically available dataset (GSE19491). In our test cohort, the DRS classified TB from LTBI (sensitivity 95%, 95% CI [87–100]; specificity 90%, 95% CI [80–97]) and TB from OD (sensitivity 93%, 95% CI [83–100]; specificity 88%, 95% CI [74–97]). In the independent validation cohort, TB patients were distinguished both from LTBI individuals (sensitivity 95%, 95% CI [85–100]; specificity 94%, 95% CI [84–100]) and OD patients (sensitivity 100%, 95% CI [100–100]; specificity 96%, 95% CI [93–100]). Limitations of our study include the use of only culture confirmed TB patients, and the potential that TB may have been misdiagnosed in a small proportion of OD patients despite the extensive clinical investigation used to assign each patient to their diagnostic group. Conclusions In our study, blood transcriptional signatures distinguished TB from other conditions prevalent in HIV-infected and -uninfected African adults. Our DRS, based on these signatures, could be developed as a test for TB suitable for use in HIV endemic countries. Further evaluation of the performance of the signatures and DRS in prospective populations of patients with symptoms consistent with TB will be needed to define their clinical value under operational conditions. Please see later in the article for the Editors' Summary PMID:24167453

Rapid Consolidation to a radish and Protein Synthesis-Dependent Long-Term Memory after Single-Session Appetitive Olfactory Conditioning in Drosophila

PubMed Central

Krashes, Michael J.; Waddell, Scott

2008-01-01

In Drosophila, formation of aversive olfactory long-term memory (LTM) requires multiple training sessions pairing odor and electric shock punishment with rest intervals. In contrast, here we show that a single 2 min training session pairing odor with a more ethologically relevant sugar reinforcement forms long-term appetitive memory that lasts for days. Appetitive LTM has some mechanistic similarity to aversive LTM in that it can be disrupted by cycloheximide, the dCreb2-b transcriptional repressor, and the crammer and tequila LTM-specific mutations. However, appetitive LTM is completely disrupted by the radish mutation that apparently represents a distinct mechanistic phase of consolidated aversive memory. Furthermore, appetitive LTM requires activity in the dorsal paired medial neuron and mushroom body α′ β′ neuron circuit during the first hour after training and mushroom body αβ neuron output during retrieval, suggesting that appetitive middle-term memory and LTM are mechanistically linked. Last, experiments feeding and/or starving flies after training reveals a critical motivational drive that enables appetitive LTM retrieval. PMID:18354013

Development and implementation of the Structured Training Trainer Assessment Report (STTAR) in the English National Training Programme for laparoscopic colorectal surgery.

PubMed

Wyles, Susannah M; Miskovic, Danilo; Ni, Zhifang; Darzi, Ara W; Valori, Roland M; Coleman, Mark G; Hanna, George B

2016-03-01

There is a lack of educational tools available for surgical teaching critique, particularly for advanced laparoscopic surgery. The aim was to develop and implement a tool that assesses training quality and structures feedback for trainers in the English National Training Programme for laparoscopic colorectal surgery. Semi-structured interviews were performed and analysed, and items were extracted. Through the Delphi process, essential items pertaining to desirable trainer characteristics, training structure and feedback were determined. An assessment tool (Structured Training Trainer Assessment Report-STTAR) was developed and tested for feasibility, acceptability and educational impact. Interview transcripts (29 surgical trainers, 10 trainees, four educationalists) were analysed, and item lists created and distributed for consensus opinion (11 trainers and seven trainees). The STTAR consisted of 64 factors, and its web-based version, the mini-STTAR, included 21 factors that were categorised into four groups (training structure, training behaviour, trainer attributes and role modelling) and structured around a training session timeline (beginning, middle and end). The STTAR (six trainers, 48 different assessments) demonstrated good internal consistency (α = 0.88) and inter-rater reliability (ICC = 0.75). The mini-STTAR demonstrated good inter-item reliability (α = 0.79) and intra-observer reliability on comparison of 85 different trainer/trainee combinations (r = 0.701, p = <0.001). Both were found to be feasible and acceptable. The educational report for trainers was found to be useful (4.4 out of 5). An assessment tool that evaluates training quality was developed and shown to be reliable, acceptable and of educational value. It has been successfully implemented into the English National Training Programme for laparoscopic colorectal surgery.

Cycle training modulates satellite cell and transcriptional responses to a bout of resistance exercise.

PubMed

Murach, Kevin A; Walton, R Grace; Fry, Christopher S; Michaelis, Sami L; Groshong, Jason S; Finlin, Brian S; Kern, Philip A; Peterson, Charlotte A

2016-09-01

This investigation evaluated whether moderate-intensity cycle ergometer training affects satellite cell and molecular responses to acute maximal concentric/eccentric resistance exercise in middle-aged women. Baseline and 72 h postresistance exercise vastus lateralis biopsies were obtained from seven healthy middle-aged women (56 ± 5 years, BMI 26 ± 1, VO2max 27 ± 4) before and after 12 weeks of cycle training. Myosin heavy chain (MyHC) I- and II-associated satellite cell density and cross-sectional area was determined via immunohistochemistry. Expression of 93 genes representative of the muscle-remodeling environment was also measured via NanoString. Overall fiber size increased ~20% with cycle training (P = 0.052). MyHC I satellite cell density increased 29% in response to acute resistance exercise before endurance training and 50% with endurance training (P < 0.05). Following endurance training, MyHC I satellite cell density decreased by 13% in response to acute resistance exercise (acute resistance × training interaction, P < 0.05). Genes with an interaction effect tracked with satellite cell behavior, increasing in the untrained state and decreasing in the endurance trained state in response to resistance exercise. Similar satellite cell and gene expression response patterns indicate coordinated regulation of the muscle environment to promote adaptation. Moderate-intensity endurance cycle training modulates the response to acute resistance exercise, potentially conditioning the muscle for more intense concentric/eccentric activity. These results suggest that cycle training is an effective endurance exercise modality for promoting growth in middle-aged women, who are susceptible to muscle mass loss with progressing age. © 2016 The Authors. Physiological Reports published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of the American Physiological Society and The Physiological Society.

The participant's perspective: learning from an aggression management training course for nurses. Insights from a qualitative interview study.

PubMed

Heckemann, Birgit; Breimaier, Helga Elisabeth; Halfens, Ruud J G; Schols, Jos M G A; Hahn, Sabine

2016-09-01

Aggression management training for nurses is an important part of a comprehensive strategy to reduce patient and visitor aggression in healthcare. Although training is commonplace, few scientific studies examine its benefits. To explore and describe, from a nurse's perspective, the learning gained from attending aggression management training. This was a descriptive qualitative interview study. We conducted semi-structured individual interviews with seven nurses before (September/October 2012) and after they attended aggression management training (January/February 2013). Interview transcripts were content-analysed qualitatively. The study plan was reviewed by the responsible ethics committees. Participants gave written informed consent. Aggression management training did not change nurses' attitude. Coping emotionally with the management of patient and visitor aggression remained a challenge. Nurses' theoretical knowledge increased, but they did not necessarily acquire new strategies for managing patient/visitor aggression. Instead, the course refreshed or activated existing knowledge of prevention, intervention and de-escalation strategies. The training increased nurses' environmental and situational awareness for early signs of patient and visitor. They also acquired some strategies for emotional self-management. Nurses became more confident in dealing with (potentially) aggressive situations. While the training influenced nurses' individual clinical practice, learning was rarely shared within teams. Aggression management training increases skills, knowledge and confidence in dealing with patient or visitor aggression, but the emotional management remains a challenge. Future research should investigate how aggression management training courses can strengthen nurses' ability to emotionally cope with patient and visitor aggression. More knowledge is needed on how the theoretical and practical knowledge gained from the training may be disseminated more effectively within teams and thus contributed to the creation of low-conflict ward cultures. © 2016 Nordic College of Caring Science.

JASPAR 2016: a major expansion and update of the open-access database of transcription factor binding profiles.

PubMed

Mathelier, Anthony; Fornes, Oriol; Arenillas, David J; Chen, Chih-Yu; Denay, Grégoire; Lee, Jessica; Shi, Wenqiang; Shyr, Casper; Tan, Ge; Worsley-Hunt, Rebecca; Zhang, Allen W; Parcy, François; Lenhard, Boris; Sandelin, Albin; Wasserman, Wyeth W

2016-01-04

JASPAR (http://jaspar.genereg.net) is an open-access database storing curated, non-redundant transcription factor (TF) binding profiles representing transcription factor binding preferences as position frequency matrices for multiple species in six taxonomic groups. For this 2016 release, we expanded the JASPAR CORE collection with 494 new TF binding profiles (315 in vertebrates, 11 in nematodes, 3 in insects, 1 in fungi and 164 in plants) and updated 59 profiles (58 in vertebrates and 1 in fungi). The introduced profiles represent an 83% expansion and 10% update when compared to the previous release. We updated the structural annotation of the TF DNA binding domains (DBDs) following a published hierarchical structural classification. In addition, we introduced 130 transcription factor flexible models trained on ChIP-seq data for vertebrates, which capture dinucleotide dependencies within TF binding sites. This new JASPAR release is accompanied by a new web tool to infer JASPAR TF binding profiles recognized by a given TF protein sequence. Moreover, we provide the users with a Ruby module complementing the JASPAR API to ease programmatic access and use of the JASPAR collection of profiles. Finally, we provide the JASPAR2016 R/Bioconductor data package with the data of this release. © The Author(s) 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.

Mixed messages: residents' experiences learning cross-cultural care.

PubMed

Park, Elyse R; Betancourt, Joseph R; Kim, Minah K; Maina, Angela W; Blumenthal, David; Weissman, Joel S

2005-09-01

An Institute of Medicine report issued in 2002 cited cross-cultural training as a mechanism to address racial and ethnic disparities in health care, but little is known about residents' training and capabilities to provide quality care to diverse populations. This article explores a select group of residents' perceptions of their preparedness to deliver quality care to diverse populations. Seven focus groups and ten individual interviews were conducted with 68 residents in locations nationwide. Qualitative analysis of focus-group and individual interview transcripts was performed to assess residents' perceptions of (1) preparedness to deliver care to diverse patients; (2) educational climate; and (3) training experiences. Most residents in this study noted the importance of cross-cultural care yet reported little formal training in this area. Residents wanted more formal training yet expressed concern that culture-specific training could lead to stereotyping. Most residents had developed ad hoc, informal skills to care for diverse patients. Although residents perceived institutional endorsement, they sensed it was a low priority due to lack of time and resources. Residents in this study reported receiving mixed messages about cross-cultural care. They were told it is important, yet they received little formal training and did not have time to treat diverse patients in a culturally sensitive manner. As a result, many developed coping behaviors rather than skills based on formally taught best practices. Training environments need to increase training to enhance residents' preparedness to deliver high-quality cross-cultural care if the medical profession is to achieve the goals set by the Institute of Medicine.

Simulation of summer ozone episodes in Southeast Louisiana during 2006-2015

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, H.; Zhang, H.

2017-12-01

Southeast Louisiana experiences high ozone (O3) events due to immense emissions from industrial and urban sources and unique meteorology conditions of high temperatures, intensive solar radiation and land-sea breeze circulation. The Community Multi-scale Air Quality (CMAQ) model with modified photochemical mechanism is used to investigate the contributions of regional transport to ozone (O3) and its precursors to Southeast Louisiana in summer months from 2006 to 2015. The meteorological and CMAQ model performance are validated. Spatial and temporal variations of O3 are investigated during summer episodes in 10 years. Contributions of different source types and regions to 1 hour O3 are also quantified. Changes in the contributions of different source types and regions are also obtained to help design intelligent control measures.

Adaptive correlation filter-based video stabilization without accumulative global motion estimation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koh, Eunjin; Lee, Chanyong; Jeong, Dong Gil

2014-12-01

We present a digital video stabilization approach that provides both robustness and efficiency for practical applications. In this approach, we adopt a stabilization model that maintains spatio-temporal information of past input frames efficiently and can track original stabilization position. Because of the stabilization model, the proposed method does not need accumulative global motion estimation and can recover the original position even if there is a failure in interframe motion estimation. It can also intelligently overcome the situation of damaged or interrupted video sequences. Moreover, because it is simple and suitable to parallel scheme, we implement it on a commercial field programmable gate array and a graphics processing unit board with compute unified device architecture in a breeze. Experimental results show that the proposed approach is both fast and robust.

Dual-Doppler lidar observation of horizontal convective rolls and near-surface streaks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iwai, Hironori; Ishii, Shoken; Tsunematsu, Nobumitsu; Mizutani, Kohei; Murayama, Yasuhiro; Itabe, Toshikazu; Yamada, Izumi; Matayoshi, Naoki; Matsushima, Dai; Weiming, Sha; Yamazaki, Takeshi; Iwasaki, Toshiki

2008-07-01

Dual-Doppler lidar and heliborne sensors were used to investigate the three-dimensional (3D) structure of the wind field over Sendai Airport in June 2007. The 3D structures of several-hundred-meter-scale horizontal convective rolls (HCRs) in the sea-breeze layer were observed by the dual-Doppler lidar. The scale of the HCRs determined by the heliborne sensors roughly agreed with that determined by the dual-Doppler lidar. Analysis of the dual-Doppler lidar data showed that the region of upward flow in the HCRs originated in near-surface low-speed streaks. This structure is consistent with the results of large-eddy simulations of the atmospheric boundary layer. The aspect ratios of the HCRs were close to those predicted by linear theories.

Undulating tongue in Wilson's disease

PubMed Central

Nagappa, M; Sinha, S; Saini, JS; Bindu, PS; Taly, AB

2014-01-01

We report an unusual occurrence of involuntary movement involving the tongue in a patient with confirmed Wilson's disease (WD). She manifested with slow, hypophonic speech and dysphagia of 4 months duration, associated with pseudobulbar affect, apathy, drooling and dystonia of upper extremities of 1 month duration. Our patient had an uncommon tongue movement which was arrhythmic. There was no feature to suggest tremor, chorea or dystonia. It might be described as athetoid as there was a writhing quality, but of lesser amplitude. Thus, the phenomenology was uncommon in clinical practice and the surface of the tongue was seen to “ripple” like a liquid surface agitated by an object or breeze. Isolated lingual dyskinesias are rare in WD. It is important to evaluate them for WD, a potentially treatable disorder. PMID:25024581

A modelling case study to evaluate control strategies for ozone reduction in Southwestern Spain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Castell, N.; Mantilla, E.; Salvador, R.; Stein, A. F.; Millán, M.

2009-09-01

Ozone is a strong oxidant and when certain concentrations are reached it has adverse effects on health, vegetation and materials. With the aim of protecting human health and ecosystems, European Directive 2008/50/EC establishes target values for ozone concentrations, to be achieved from 2010 onwards. In our study area, located in southwestern Spain, ozone levels regularly exceed the human health protection threshold defined in the European Directive. Indeed, this threshold was exceeded on 92 days in 2007, despite the fact that the Directive stipulates that it should not be exceeded on more than 25 days per calendar year averaged over three years. It is urgent, therefore, to reduce the current ozone levels, but because ozone is a secondary pollutant, this reduction must necessarily involve limiting the emission of its precursors, primarily nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOC). During the central months of the year, southwestern Spain is under strong insolation and weak synoptic forcing, promoting the development of sea breezes and mountain-induced winds and creating re-circulations of pollutants. The complex topography of the area induces the formation of vertical layers, into which the pollutants are injected and subjected to long distance transport and compensatory subsidence. The characteristics of these highly complex flows have important effects on the pollutant dispersion. In this study two ozone pollution episodes have been selected to assess the ozone response to reductions in NOx and VOC emissions from industry and traffic. The first corresponds to a typical summer episode, with the development of breezes in an anticyclonic situation with low gradient pressure and high temperatures, while the second episode presents a configuration characteristic of spring or early summer, with a smooth westerly flow and more moderate temperatures. Air pollution studies in complex terrain require the use of high-resolution models to resolve the complex structures of the local flows and their impact on emissions; nevertheless, these mesoscale systems are developed within the scope of a synoptic circulation, which also affects both the breeze development and the pollutant transport. In order to take the relationship between the different atmospheric scales into account, we used the CAMx photochemical model coupled with the MM5 meteorological model, both configured with a system of nested grids. The study domain covers an area of 28224 km2, with 2 km horizontal resolution and 18 vertical layers up to a height of 5 km with high resolution in the levels close to the ground. This paper assesses the impact over the hourly and 8-hourly maximum daily ozone concentrations of four reduction strategies in an area with complex terrain: (i) 25% reduction in VOC and NOx from industry and traffic, (ii) 50% reduction in NOx and VOC from the industry, (iii) 50% reduction in NOx and VOC from traffic, and (iv) 100% reduction in NOx and VOC from the petrochemical plant and the refinery. The study area has large industrial sources, such as a petroleum refinery, a petrochemical plant, several chemical complexes and co-generation power plants, among others. The study area includes the cities of Huelva (148,000 inhabitants), Seville (699,760 inhabitants) and Cadiz (127,200 inhabitants). The analyses presented in this work provide an assessment of the effectiveness of several strategies to reduce ozone pollution in different meteorological scenarios.

Early Detection of Prostate Cancer with New Nanoparticle Based UltrasoundContrast Agents Targeted to PSMA

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-08-01

biodistribution studies with FMT, ultrasound imaging and ex vivo tissue analysis (months 10-14) 2d. Measure bubble dynamic parameters (months 10-14) 1...doctoral training studying post -transcriptional gene regulation National Institutes of Health-NICHD, Bethesda, MD Postdoctoral Fellow 02/1996 IRTA...and manage these studies . My research career has been hybrid consisting of experience in the biotech industry in addition to my academic position

The role of calsenilin/DREAM/KChIP3 in contextual fear conditioning.

PubMed

Alexander, Jon C; McDermott, Carmel M; Tunur, Tumay; Rands, Vicky; Stelly, Claire; Karhson, Debra; Bowlby, Mark R; An, W Frank; Sweatt, J David; Schrader, Laura A

2009-03-01

Potassium channel interacting proteins (KChIPs) are members of a family of calcium binding proteins that interact with Kv4 potassium (K(+)) channel primary subunits and also act as transcription factors. The Kv4 subunit is a primary K(+) channel pore-forming subunit, which contributes to the somatic and dendritic A-type currents throughout the nervous system. These A-type currents play a key role in the regulation of neuronal excitability and dendritic processing of incoming synaptic information. KChIP3 is also known as calsenilin and as the transcription factor, downstream regulatory element antagonist modulator (DREAM), which regulates a number of genes including prodynorphin. KChIP3 and Kv4 primary channel subunits are highly expressed in hippocampus, an area of the brain important for learning and memory. Through its various functions, KChIP3 may play a role in the regulation of synaptic plasticity and learning and memory. We evaluated the role of KChIP3 in a hippocampus-dependent memory task, contextual fear conditioning. Male KChIP3 knockout (KO) mice showed significantly enhanced memory 24 hours after training as measured by percent freezing. In addition, we found that membrane association and interaction with Kv4.2 of KChIP3 protein was significantly decreased and nuclear KChIP3 expression was increased six hours after the fear conditioning training paradigm with no significant change in KChIP3 mRNA. In addition, prodynorphin mRNA expression was significantly decreased six hours after fear conditioning training in wild-type (WT) but not in KO animals. These data suggest a role for regulation of gene expression by KChIP3/DREAM/calsenilin in consolidation of contextual fear conditioning memories.

Effect of resistance exercise contraction mode and protein supplementation on members of the STARS signalling pathway.

PubMed

Vissing, Kristian; Rahbek, Stine K; Lamon, Severine; Farup, Jean; Stefanetti, Renae J; Wallace, Marita A; Vendelbo, Mikkel H; Russell, Aaron

2013-08-01

The striated muscle activator of Rho signalling (STARS) pathway is suggested to provide a link between external stress responses and transcriptional regulation in muscle. However, the sensitivity of STARS signalling to different mechanical stresses has not been investigated. In a comparative study, we examined the regulation of the STARS signalling pathway in response to unilateral resistance exercise performed as either eccentric (ECC) or concentric (CONC) contractions as well as prolonged training; with and without whey protein supplementation. Skeletal muscle STARS, myocardian-related transcription factor-A (MRTF-A) and serum response factor (SRF) mRNA and protein, as well as muscle cross-sectional area and maximal voluntary contraction, were measured. A single-bout of exercise produced increases in STARS and SRF mRNA and decreases in MRTF-A mRNA with both ECC and CONC exercise, but with an enhanced response occurring following ECC exercise. A 31% increase in STARS protein was observed exclusively after CONC exercise (P < 0.001), while pSRF protein levels increased similarly by 48% with both CONC and ECC exercise (P < 0.001). Prolonged ECC and CONC training equally stimulated muscle hypertrophy and produced increases in MRTF-A protein of 125% and 99%, respectively (P < 0.001). No changes occurred for total SRF protein. There was no effect of whey protein supplementation. These results show that resistance exercise provides an acute stimulation of the STARS pathway that is contraction mode dependent. The responses to acute exercise were more pronounced than responses to accumulated training, suggesting that STARS signalling is primarily involved in the initial phase of exercise-induced muscle adaptations.

Effects of enhanced external counterpulsation on skeletal muscle gene expression in patients with severe heart failure.

PubMed

Melin, Michael; Montelius, Andreas; Rydén, Lars; Gonon, Adrian; Hagerman, Inger; Rullman, Eric

2018-01-01

Enhanced external counterpulsation (EECP) is a non-invasive treatment in which leg cuff compressions increase diastolic aortic pressure and coronary perfusion. EECP is offered to patients with refractory angina pectoris and increases physical capacity. Benefits in heart failure patients have been noted, but EECP is still considered to be experimental and its effects must be confirmed. The mechanism of action is still unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of EECP on skeletal muscle gene expression and physical performance in patients with severe heart failure. Patients (n = 9) in NYHA III-IV despite pharmacological therapy were subjected to 35 h of EECP during 7 weeks. Before and after, lateral vastus muscle biopsies were obtained, and functional capacity was evaluated with a 6-min walk test. Skeletal muscle gene expression was evaluated using Affymetrix Hugene 1.0 arrays. Maximum walking distance increased by 15%, which is in parity to that achieved after aerobic exercise training in similar patients. Skeletal muscle gene expression analysis using Ingenuity Pathway Analysis showed an increased expression of two networks of genes with FGF-2 and IGF-1 as central regulators. The increase in gene expression was quantitatively small and no overlap with gene expression profiles after exercise training could be detected despite adequate statistical power. EECP treatment leads to a robust improvement in walking distance in patients with severe heart failure and does induce a skeletal muscle transcriptional response, but this response is small and with no significant overlap with the transcriptional signature seen after exercise training. © 2016 Scandinavian Society of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Fear conditioning leads to alteration in specific genes expression in cortical and thalamic neurons that project to the lateral amygdala.

PubMed

Katz, Ira K; Lamprecht, Raphael

2015-02-01

RNA transcription is needed for memory formation. However, the ability to identify genes whose expression is altered by learning is greatly impaired because of methodological difficulties in profiling gene expression in specific neurons involved in memory formation. Here, we report a novel approach to monitor the expression of genes after learning in neurons in specific brain pathways needed for memory formation. In this study, we aimed to monitor gene expression after fear learning. We retrogradely labeled discrete thalamic neurons that project to the lateral amygdala (LA) of rats. The labeled neurons were dissected, using laser microdissection microscopy, after fear conditioning learning or unpaired training. The RNAs from the dissected neurons were subjected to microarray analysis. The levels of selected RNAs detected by the microarray analysis to be altered by fear conditioning were also assessed by nanostring analysis. We observed that the expression of genes involved in the regulation of translation, maturation and degradation of proteins was increased 6 h after fear conditioning compared to unpaired or naïve trained rats. These genes were not expressed 24 h after training or in cortical neurons that project to the LA. The expression of genes involved in transcription regulation and neuronal development was altered after fear conditioning learning in the cortical-LA pathway. The present study provides key information on the identity of genes expressed in discrete thalamic and cortical neurons that project to the LA after fear conditioning. Such an approach could also serve to identify gene products as targets for the development of a new generation of therapeutic agents that could be aimed to functionally identified brain circuits to treat memory-related disorders. © 2014 International Society for Neurochemistry.

SciSpark: Highly Interactive and Scalable Model Evaluation and Climate Metrics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilson, B. D.; Palamuttam, R. S.; Mogrovejo, R. M.; Whitehall, K. D.; Mattmann, C. A.; Verma, R.; Waliser, D. E.; Lee, H.

2015-12-01

Remote sensing data and climate model output are multi-dimensional arrays of massive sizes locked away in heterogeneous file formats (HDF5/4, NetCDF 3/4) and metadata models (HDF-EOS, CF) making it difficult to perform multi-stage, iterative science processing since each stage requires writing and reading data to and from disk. We are developing a lightning fast Big Data technology called SciSpark based on ApacheTM Spark under a NASA AIST grant (PI Mattmann). Spark implements the map-reduce paradigm for parallel computing on a cluster, but emphasizes in-memory computation, "spilling" to disk only as needed, and so outperforms the disk-based ApacheTM Hadoop by 100x in memory and by 10x on disk. SciSpark will enable scalable model evaluation by executing large-scale comparisons of A-Train satellite observations to model grids on a cluster of 10 to 1000 compute nodes. This 2nd generation capability for NASA's Regional Climate Model Evaluation System (RCMES) will compute simple climate metrics at interactive speeds, and extend to quite sophisticated iterative algorithms such as machine-learning based clustering of temperature PDFs, and even graph-based algorithms for searching for Mesocale Convective Complexes. We have implemented a parallel data ingest capability in which the user specifies desired variables (arrays) as several time-sorted lists of URL's (i.e. using OPeNDAP model.nc?varname, or local files). The specified variables are partitioned by time/space and then each Spark node pulls its bundle of arrays into memory to begin a computation pipeline. We also investigated the performance of several N-dim. array libraries (scala breeze, java jblas & netlib-java, and ND4J). We are currently developing science codes using ND4J and studying memory behavior on the JVM. On the pyspark side, many of our science codes already use the numpy and SciPy ecosystems. The talk will cover: the architecture of SciSpark, the design of the scientific RDD (sRDD) data structure, our efforts to integrate climate science algorithms in Python and Scala, parallel ingest and partitioning of A-Train satellite observations from HDF files and model grids from netCDF files, first parallel runs to compute comparison statistics and PDF's, and first metrics quantifying parallel speedups and memory & disk usage.

Residents' perceived needs in communication skills training across in- and outpatient clinical settings.

PubMed

Junod Perron, Noelle; Sommer, Johanna; Hudelson, Patricia; Demaurex, Florence; Luthy, Christophe; Louis-Simonet, Martine; Nendaz, Mathieu; De Grave, Willem; Dolmans, Diana; Van der Vleuten, Cees

2009-05-01

Residents' perceived needs in communication skills training are important to identify before designing context-specific training programmes, since learrners' perceived needs can influence the effectiveness of training. To explore residents' perceptions of their training needs and training experiences around communication skills, and whether these differ between residents training in inpatient and outpatient clinical settings. Four focus groups (FG) and a self-administered questionnaire were conducted with residents working in in- and outpatient medical service settings at a Swiss University Hospital. Focus groups explored residents' perceptions of their communication needs, their past training experiences and suggestions for future training programmes in communication skills. Transcripts were analysed in a thematic way using qualitative analytic approaches. All residents from both settings were asked to complete a questionnaire that queried their sociodemographics and amount of prior training in communication skills. In focus groups, outpatient residents felt that communication skills were especially useful in addressing chronic diseases and social issues. In contrast, inpatient residents emphasized the importance of good communication skills for dealing with family conflicts and end-of-life issues. Felt needs reflected residents' differing service priorities: outpatient residents saw the need for skills to structure the consultation and explore patients' perspectives in order to build therapeutic alliances, whereas inpatient residents wanted techniques to help them break bad news, provide information and increase their own well-being. The survey's overall response rate was 56%. Its data showed that outpatient residents received more training in communication skills and more of them than inpatient residents considered communication skills training to be useful (100% vs 74%). Outpatient residents' perceived needs in communication skills were more patient-centered than the needs perceived by inpatient residents. Residents' perceived needs for communication skills may differ not only because of their differing service priorities but also because of differences in their previous experiences with communication skills training. These factors should be taken into account when designing a training programme in communication skills.

Is it possible to improve radiotherapy team members' communication skills? A randomized study assessing the efficacy of a 38-h communication skills training program.

PubMed

Gibon, Anne-Sophie; Merckaert, Isabelle; Liénard, Aurore; Libert, Yves; Delvaux, Nicole; Marchal, Serge; Etienne, Anne-Marie; Reynaert, Christine; Slachmuylder, Jean-Louis; Scalliet, Pierre; Van Houtte, Paul; Coucke, Philippe; Salamon, Emile; Razavi, Darius

2013-10-01

Optimizing communication between radiotherapy team members and patients and between colleagues requires training. This study applies a randomized controlled design to assess the efficacy of a 38-h communication skills training program. Four radiotherapy teams were randomly assigned either to a training program or to a waiting list. Team members' communication skills and their self-efficacy to communicate in the context of an encounter with a simulated patient were the primary endpoints. These encounters were scheduled at the baseline and after training for the training group, and at the baseline and four months later for the waiting list group. Encounters were audiotaped and transcribed. Transcripts were analyzed with content analysis software (LaComm) and by an independent rater. Eighty team members were included in the study. Compared to untrained team members, trained team members used more turns of speech with content oriented toward available resources in the team (relative rate [RR]=1.38; p=0.023), more assessment utterances (RR=1.69; p<0.001), more empathy (RR=4.05; p=0.037), more negotiation (RR=2.34; p=0.021) and more emotional words (RR=1.32; p=0.030), and their self-efficacy to communicate increased (p=0.024 and p=0.008, respectively). The training program was effective in improving team members' communication skills and their self-efficacy to communicate in the context of an encounter with a simulated patient. Future study should assess the effect of this training program on communication with actual patients and their satisfaction. Moreover a cost-benefit analysis is needed, before implementing such an intensive training program on a broader scale. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Exercise training does not increase muscle FNDC5 protein or mRNA expression in pigs

PubMed Central

Fain, John N.; Company, Joseph M.; Booth, Frank W.; Laughlin, M. Harold; Padilla, Jaume; Jenkins, Nathan T.; Bahouth, Suleiman W.; Sacks, Harold S.

2013-01-01

Background Exercise training elevates circulating irisin and induces the expression of the FNDC5 gene in skeletal muscles of mice. Our objective was to determine whether exercise training also increases FNDC5 protein or mRNA expression in the skeletal muscles of pigs as well as plasma irisin. Methods Castrated male pigs of the Rapacz familial hypercholesterolemic (FHM) strain and normal (Yucatan miniature) pigs were sacrificed after 16–20 weeks of exercise training. Samples of cardiac muscle, deltoid and triceps brachii muscle, subcutaneous and epicardial fat were obtained and FNDC5 mRNA, along with that of 6 other genes, was measured in all tissues of FHM pigs by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. FNDC protein in deltoid and triceps brachii was determined by Western blotting in both FHM and normal pigs. Citrate synthase activity was measured in the muscle samples of all pigs as an index of exercise training. Irisin was measured by an ELISA assay. Results There was no statistically significant effect of exercise training on FNDC5 gene expression in epicardial or subcutaneous fat, deltoid muscle, triceps brachii muscle or heart muscle. Exercise-training elevated circulating levels of irisin in the FHM pigs and citrate synthase activity in deltoid and triceps brachii muscle. A similar increase in citrate synthase activity was seen in muscle extracts of exercise-trained normal pigs but there was no alteration in circulating irisin. Conclusion Exercise training in pigs does not increase FNDC5 mRNA or protein in the deltoid or triceps brachii of FHM or normal pigs while increasing circulating irisin only in the FHM pigs. These data indicate that the response to exercise training in normal pigs is not comparable to that seen in mice. PMID:23831442

Development of the LaComm 1.0, A French medical communication analysis software: A study assessing its sensitivity to change.

PubMed

Gibon, Anne-Sophie; Durieux, Jean-François; Merckaert, Isabelle; Delvaux, Nicole; Farvacques, Christine; Libert, Yves; Marchal, Serge; Moucheux, Angélique; Slachmuylder, Jean-Louis; Razavi, Darius

2017-02-01

To test and compare the sensitivity to change of a communication analysis software, the LaComm 1.0, to the CRCWEM's using data from a randomized study assessing the efficacy of a communication skills training program designed for nurses. The program assessment included the recording of two-person simulated interviews at baseline and after training or 3 months later. Interview transcripts were analyzed using the CRCWEM and the LaComm 1.0 tools. One hundred and nine oncology nurses (mainly graduated or certified) were included in the study. The CRCWEM detected 5 changes out of 13 expected changes (38%) (e.g., more open directive questions after training) and the LaComm 1.0, 4 changes out of 7 expected changes (57%) (e.g., more empathic statements after training). For open directive question, the effect sizes of the group-by-time changes were slightly different between tools (CRCWEM: Cohen's d=0.97; LaComm 1.0: Cohen's d=0.67). This study shows that the LaComm 1.0 is sensitive to change. The LaComm 1.0 is a valid method to assess training effectiveness in French. The use of the Lacomm 1.0 in future French communication skills training programs will allow comparisons of studies. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

A little more conversation please? Qualitative study of researchers' and patients' interview accounts of training for patient and public involvement in clinical trials.

PubMed

Dudley, Louise; Gamble, Carrol; Allam, Alison; Bell, Philip; Buck, Deborah; Goodare, Heather; Hanley, Bec; Preston, Jennifer; Walker, Alison; Williamson, Paula; Young, Bridget

2015-04-27

Training in patient and public involvement (PPI) is recommended, yet little is known about what training is needed. We explored researchers' and PPI contributors' accounts of PPI activity and training to inform the design of PPI training for both parties. We used semi-structured qualitative interviews with researchers (chief investigators and trial managers) and PPI contributors, accessed through a cohort of clinical trials, which had been funded between 2006 and 2010. An analysis of transcripts of audio-recorded interviews drew on the constant comparative method. We interviewed 31 researchers and 17 PPI contributors from 28 trials. Most researchers could see some value in PPI training for researchers, although just under half had received such training themselves, and some had concerns about the purpose and evidence base for PPI training. PPI contributors were evenly split in their perceptions of whether researchers needed training in PPI. Few PPI contributors had themselves received training for their roles. Many informants across all groups felt that training PPI contributors was unnecessary because they already possessed the skills needed. Informants were also concerned that training would professionalise PPI contributors, limiting their ability to provide an authentic patient perspective. However, informants welcomed informal induction 'conversations' to help contributors understand their roles and support them in voicing their opinions. Informants believed that PPI contributors should be confident, motivated, intelligent, focussed on helping others and have relevant experience. Researchers looked for these qualities when selecting contributors, and spoke of how finding 'the right' contributor was more important than accessing 'the right' training. While informants were broadly receptive to PPI training for researchers, they expressed considerable reluctance to training PPI contributors. Providers of training will need to address these reservations. Our findings point to the importance of reconsidering how training is conceptualised, designed and promoted and of providing flexible, learning opportunities in ways that flow from researchers' and contributors' needs and preferences. We also identify some areas of training content and the need for further consideration to be given to the selection of PPI contributors and models for implementing PPI to ensure clinical trials benefit from a diversity of patient perspectives.

Nevada Test Site craters used for astronaut training

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moore, H. J.

1977-01-01

Craters produced by chemical and nuclear explosives at the Nevada Test Site were used to train astronauts before their lunar missions. The craters have characteristics suitable for reconnaissance-type field investigations. The Schooner test produced a crater about 300 m across and excavated more than 72 m of stratigraphic section deposited in a fairly regular fashion so that systematic observations yield systematic results. Other features common on the moon, such as secondary craters and glass-coated rocks, are present at Schooner crater. Smaller explosive tests on Buckboard Mesa excavated rocks from three horizontal alteration zones within basalt flows so that the original sequence of the zones could be determined. One crater illustrated the characteristics of craters formed across vertical boundaries between rock units. Although the exercises at the Nevada Test Site were only a small part of the training of the astronauts, voice transcripts of Apollo missions 14, 16, and 17 show that the exercises contributed to astronaut performance on the moon.

"Her energy kind of went into a different place": a qualitative study examining supervisors' experience of promoting reflexive learning in students.

PubMed

McCandless, Robert; Eatough, Virginia

2012-10-01

For family therapists in training, a key learning outcome is the development of reflexive abilities. This study explores the experience of three experienced training supervisors as they address this learning outcome with students. Transcripts of semi-structured interviews were analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. The Supervisory Relationship emerged as a single overarching theme that contained and contextualized three further themes: Promoting Learning, Dimensions of Power, and The Self of the Supervisor. One theme is reported here, Promoting Learning, with an illustrative example of experiential learning in a student that demonstrates the overriding significance of The Supervisory Relationship. The findings are discussed in the context of current literature and research regarding supervision and training. This study adds richness and detail to material published on supervisory experience, and documents supervisory "micro-skills" relevant to the development of reflexive abilities in students. © 2012 American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy.

Qualitative Evaluation of a New Tobacco Cessation Training Curriculum for Patient Navigators

PubMed Central

Shuk, Elyse; Krebs, Paul; Lu, Wei-Hsin; Burkhalter, Jack; Cortez-Weir, Jeralyn; Rodriguez, Rian; Burnside, Vanessa N.; Lubetkin, Erica I.

2011-01-01

Treatments for tobacco dependence exist but are underutilized, particularly among low-income and minority smokers. Patient navigation has been shown to help patients overcome barriers to quality care. In preparation for testing the feasibility of integrating tobacco cessation patient navigation into primary care, this paper describes the development and qualitative evaluation of a new curriculum for training patient navigators to address cessation treatment barriers faced by low-income, minority smokers who are advised to quit by their physicians. Thematic text analysis of transcripts obtained from focus groups with experienced patient navigators (n = 19) was conducted. Participants endorsed patient navigation as a relevant strategy for addressing tobacco cessation treatment barriers and made several recommendations regarding the knowledge, core competencies, and skills needed to conduct tobacco cessation patient navigation. This curriculum could be used by existing patient navigation training centers or made available as a self-guided continuing education program for experienced navigators who wish to expand their navigation interventions to include a tobacco cessation focus. PMID:21553331

New insights into the biogenesis of nuclear RNA polymerases?

PubMed

Cloutier, Philippe; Coulombe, Benoit

2010-04-01

More than 30 years of research on nuclear RNA polymerases (RNAP I, II, and III) has uncovered numerous factors that regulate the activity of these enzymes during the transcription reaction. However, very little is known about the machinery that regulates the fate of RNAPs before or after transcription. In particular, the mechanisms of biogenesis of the 3 nuclear RNAPs, which comprise both common and specific subunits, remains mostly uncharacterized and the proteins involved are yet to be discovered. Using protein affinity purification coupled to mass spectrometry (AP-MS), we recently unraveled a high-density interaction network formed by nuclear RNAP subunits from the soluble fraction of human cell extracts. Validation of the dataset using a machine learning approach trained to minimize the rate of false positives and false negatives yielded a high-confidence dataset and uncovered novel interactors that regulate the RNAP II transcription machinery, including a set of proteins we named the RNAP II-associated proteins (RPAPs). One of the RPAPs, RPAP3, is part of an 11-subunit complex we termed the RPAP3/R2TP/prefoldin-like complex. Here, we review the literature on the subunits of this complex, which points to a role in nuclear RNAP biogenesis.

New insights into the biogenesis of nuclear RNA polymerases?1

PubMed Central

Cloutier, Philippe; Coulombe, Benoit

2015-01-01

More than 30 years of research on nuclear RNA polymerases (RNAP I, II, and III) has uncovered numerous factors that regulate the activity of these enzymes during the transcription reaction. However, very little is known about the machinery that regulates the fate of RNAPs before or after transcription. In particular, the mechanisms of biogenesis of the 3 nuclear RNAPs, which comprise both common and specific subunits, remains mostly uncharacterized and the proteins involved are yet to be discovered. Using protein affinity purification coupled to mass spectrometry (AP–MS), we recently unraveled a high-density interaction network formed by nuclear RNAP subunits from the soluble fraction of human cell extracts. Validation of the dataset using a machine learning approach trained to minimize the rate of false positives and false negatives yielded a high-confidence dataset and uncovered novel interactors that regulate the RNAP II transcription machinery, including a set of proteins we named the RNAP II-associated proteins (RPAPs). One of the RPAPs, RPAP3, is part of an 11-subunit complex we termed the RPAP3/R2TP/prefoldin-like complex. Here, we review the literature on the subunits of this complex, which points to a role in nuclear RNAP biogenesis. PMID:20453924

Tricks of the Trade: Motivating Sales Agents to Con Older Adults.

PubMed

DeLiema, Marguerite; Yon, Yongjie; Wilber, Kathleen H

2016-04-01

Financial fraud is estimated to cost consumers approximately $50 billion annually. To examine how new hires are trained to engage in fraud, this study analyzed a sales training transcript from Alliance for Mature Americans (Alliance). In 1996, Alliance was charged with using deception and misrepresentation to sell more than $200 million worth of living trusts and annuities to 10,000 older adults in California. Transcribed recordings from a 2-day Alliance sales training seminar were analyzed using NVivo10, coded inductively, and examined to identify emergent themes. Predominant themes were as follows: (a) indoctrination using incentives and neutralization techniques and (b) training on persuasion tactics targeted at older adults. Findings suggest that sales training focuses on establishing the company's legitimacy, normalizing unethical sales practices, and refining trainees' knowledge about how to influence older consumers. Predatory and fraudulent businesses peddling ill-suited products threaten the economic security of older Americans. Improved insights into sales manipulation strategies can guide the development of protective policies including educational approaches to help older adults detect scams and resist purchasing fraudulent products. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Improving the United States airline industry's capacity to provide safe and dignified services to travelers with disabilities: focus group findings.

PubMed

McCarthy, Michael J

2011-01-01

As a component of a training development project for intercity air travel providers, we investigated the capacity of the airline industry to meet the needs of travelers with disabilities by exploring: (1) the level of sensitivity among personnel to travelers' needs, (2) training currently provided, (3) areas in which additional training might be beneficial, and (4) organisational/systems-level commitment to dignified assistance to all travelers. Forty-four airline/vendor employees participated in nine focus groups in four US cities. Groups were audio recorded and transcribed. A grounded-theory approach was used to develop a coding system which was then applied to transcripts to identify themes. Factors influencing capacity grouped broadly into four areas: characteristics of the job/system, characteristics of current training, characteristics of providers themselves, and characteristics of travelers. At an interpersonal level, providers were empathetic and desired to provide dignified services. They lacked training and adequate equipment in some cases, however, and organisational commitment varied between companies. Traveler characteristics were also shown to impact service delivery. Results are promising but additional regulatory and organisational policies are needed to ensure quality services. Providers and consumers of intercity air travel services may benefit from the findings and recommendations of this study.

Global Health Opportunities in Obstetrics and Gynecology Training: Examining Engagement through an Ethical Lens

PubMed Central

Zaidi, Mohammad Y.; Haddad, Lisa; Lathrop, Eva

2015-01-01

This study aims to describe global health training (GHT) programs through the ethical lens suggested by the Working Group on Ethics Guidelines for Global Health Training (WEIGHT). A total of 35 GHT programs were identified, and general information was obtained online. Semi-structured telephone interviews of key members of 19 programs were then conducted and transcribed. The interview guide was constructed using WEIGHT recommendations. Transcript data were grouped according to domains: reciprocity, trainee selection and preparedness, needs assessments, and ethical questions. Many programs expressed difficulty in building reciprocal relationships due to imbalanced power structures. Eleven programs reported no formal application process for selecting trainees. Twelve (63%) programs reported only a single day of preparation. Nine (47%) programs did not conduct a formalized needs assessment of partner sites. Ethical considerations varied from concerns for safety to inadequate training for residents. This study reveals the limited preparedness curricula and lack of formalized needs assessments among several programs. Although many programs make an effort to build reciprocal exchanges with host partners, experiences for foreign trainees within the United States are limited, and U.S. residents are often tasked with duties above their training level abroad. This study demonstrates the need to restructure how GHT programs are formed and operated. PMID:26324736

Constant volume balloons measurements in the urban Marseille and Fos-Berre industrial ozone plumes during ESCOMPTE experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bénech, Bruno; Ezcurra, Agustin; Lothon, Marie; Saïd, Frédérique; Campistron, Bernard; Lohou, Fabienne; Durand, Pierre

ESCOMPTE programme aims at studying the emissions of primary pollutants in industrial and urban areas, their transport, diffusion and transformation in the atmosphere. This experiment, carried out in southeast France, can be used to validate and to improve meteorological and chemical mesoscale models. One major goal of this experiment was to follow the pollutant plumes, and to investigate its thermodynamic and physico-chemical time evolution. This was realized by means of constant volume balloons, located by global position satellite (GPS) and equipped with thermodynamic and ozone sensors, flying at constant density levels. During the two ESCOMPTE campaigns that took place in June and July 2000 and 2001, 40 balloons were launched, 17 of them equipped with ozone sensors during the day from 0800 to 1800 UTC. Balloons' altitudes flight levels ranged between 400 and 1200 m altitude with Mistral (northerly synoptic flow) and Sea Breeze (southerly breeze) conditions. The atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) topography of the experimental domain is complex and varies strongly from day to day. Its depth presents a large gradient from the sea coast to the north part of the ESCOMPTE domain, and also more complex variability within the domain. The balloons' trajectories describe the evolution of the pollutant plume emitted from the industrial area of Fos-Berre or from the Marseille urban area. Constant volume balloons give a good description of the trajectories of these two plumes. The balloons, which fly at an isopicnic level, cross different atmospheric layers chiefly depending on the ABL height in relation with the constant volume balloons flight level. Thus, each balloon flight is decomposed into different segments that correspond to the same atmospheric layer. In each segment, the ozone content variation is analyzed in relation to other thermodynamical parameters measured by the balloon and mainly to the vapor mixing ratio content. During ESCOMPTE campaign, the mean linear rate of chemical net ozone production at the top of the atmospheric boundary layer was found to be around 6 ppb h -1.

Impact of meteorological data resolution on the forecasted ozone concentrations during the ESCOMPTE IOP2a and IOP2b

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Menut, Laurent; Coll, Isabelle; Cautenet, Sylvie

2005-03-01

During the summer 2001, several photo-oxidant pollution episodes were documented around Marseilles-Fos-Berre in the South of France within the framework of the ESCOMPTE campaign. The site is composed of large cities (Marseilles, Aix, and Toulon), significant factories (Fos-Berre), a dense road network, and extensive rural area. Both biogenic and anthropogenic emissions are thus significative. Located close to the Mediterranean Sea and framed by the Pyrenees and the Alps Mountains, pollutant concentrations are under the influence of strong emissions as well as a complex meteorology. During the whole summer 2001, the chemistry-transport model CHIMERE was used to forecast pollutant concentrations. The ECMWF forecast meteorological fields were used as forcing, with a raw spatial and temporal resolution of 0.5° and 3 h, respectively. It was observed that even if the synoptic dynamic processes were correctly described, the resolution was not always able to detail small-scale dynamics (sea breezes and orographical winds). To estimate the impact of meteorological forcing on the modeled concentration accuracy, an intercomparison exercise has thus been carried out on the same episode but with two sets of meteorological data: ECMWF data (with horizontal and temporal resolution of 0.5° and 3 h) and data from the mesoscale model RAMS (3 km and 1 h). The two sets of meteorological data are compared and discussed in terms of raw differences as a function of time and location, and in terms of induced discrepancies between the modeled and observed ozone concentration fields. It was shown that even if the RAMS model provides a better description of land-sea breezes and nocturnal boundary layer processes, the simulated ozone time series are satisfactory with the two meteorological forcings. In the context of ozone forecast, the scores are better with ECMWF. This is attributed to the diffusive aspect of these data that will more easily catch localized peaks, while a small error in wind speed or direction in RAMS will misplace the ozone plume.

Relationship between meteorological phenomena and air pollution in an urbanized and industrialized coastal area in northern France

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gengembre, Cyril; Zhang, Shouwen; Dieudonné, Elsa; Sokolov, Anton; Augustin, Patrick; Riffault, Véronique; Dusanter, Sébastien; Fourmentin, Marc; Delbarre, Hervé

2016-04-01

Impacts of global climate evolution are quite uncertain at regional and local scales, especially on air pollution. Air quality is associated with local atmospheric dynamics at a time scale shorter than a few weeks, while the climate change time scale is on the order of fifty years. To infer consequences of climate evolution on air pollution, it is necessary to fill the gap between these different scales. Another challenge is to understand the effect of global warming on the frequency of meteorological phenomena that influence air pollution. In this work, we classified meteorological events related to air pollution during a one-year long field campaign in Dunkirk (northern France). Owing to its coastal location under urban and industrial exposures, the Dunkirk agglomeration is an interesting area for studying gaseous and aerosols pollutants and their relationship with weather events such as sea breezes, fogs, storms and fronts. The air quality in the northern region of France is also greatly influenced by highly populated and industrialized cities along the coast of the North Sea, and by London and Paris agglomerations. During a field campaign, we used simultaneously a three-dimensional sonic anemometer and a weather station network, along with a scanning Doppler Lidar system to analyse the vertical structure of the atmosphere. An Aerosol Chemical Speciation Monitor enabled investigating the PM1 behaviour during the studied events. Air contaminants such as NOx (NO and NO2) were also measured by the regional pollution monitoring network ATMO Nord Pas-de-Calais. The events were identified by finding specific criteria from meteorological and turbulent parameters. Over a hundred cases of sea breezes, fog periods, stormy days and atmospheric front passages were investigated. Variations of turbulent parameters (vertical sensible heat flux and momentum flux) give estimations on the transport and the dispersal of pollutants. As the fluxes are weak during fogs, an increase of PM1 concentrations was observed, which causes a deposition of the particles. Due to turbulence and horizontal dilution, PM1 concentrations were weak during storms.

A long-term study of new particle formation in a coastal environment: meteorology, gas phase and solar radiation implications.

PubMed

Sorribas, M; Adame, J A; Olmo, F J; Vilaplana, J M; Gil-Ojeda, M; Alados-Arboledas, L

2015-04-01

New particle formation (NPF) was investigated at a coastal background site in Southwest Spain over a four-year period using a Scanning Particle Mobility Sizer (SMPS). The goals of the study were to characterise the NPF and to investigate their relationship to meteorology, gas phase (O3, SO2, CO and NO2) and solar radiation (UVA, UVB and global). A methodology for identifying and classifying the NPF was implemented using the wind direction and modal concentrations as inputs. NPF events showed a frequency of 24% of the total days analysed. The mean duration was 9.2±4.2 h. Contrary to previous studies conducted in other locations, the NPF frequency reached its maximum during cold seasons for approximately 30% of the days. The lowest frequency took place in July with 10%, and the seasonal wind pattern was found to be the most important parameter influencing the NPF frequency. The mean formation rate was 2.2±1.7 cm(-3) s(-1), with a maximum in the spring and early autumn and a minimum during the summer and winter. The mean growth rate was 3.8±2.4 nm h(-1) with higher values occurring from spring to autumn. The mean and seasonal formation and growth rates are in agreement with previous observations from continental sites in the Northern Hemisphere. NPF classification of different classes was conducted to explore the effect of synoptic and regional-scale patterns on NPF and growth. The results show that under a breeze regime, the temperature indirectly affects NPF events. Higher temperatures increase the strength of the breeze recirculation, favouring gas accumulation and subsequent NPF appearance. Additionally, the role of high relative humidity in inhibiting the NPF was evinced during synoptic scenarios. The remaining meteorological variables (RH), trace gases (CO and NO), solar radiation, PM10 and condensation sink, showed a moderate or high connection with both formation and growth rates. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Diurnal variations in water vapor over Central and South America

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meza, Amalia; Mendoza, Luciano; Clara, Bianchi

2017-04-01

Diurnal variations in atmospheric integrated water vapor (IWV) are studied employing IWV estimates, with a 30 minutes sampling rate, derived from Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) observations during the period 2007-2013. The analysis was performed in 70 GNSS tracking sites (GPS + GLONASS) belonging to Central and South America, which have more than 5 years of data. The selected area involves different climate types, from polar to tropical, and diverse relieves, therefore the patterns of IWV diurnal variations are very different for each station. There are many processes that could induce diurnal variations in atmospheric water vapor (Dai et al, 1999 a,b), the most relevant causes are: surface evapotranspiration, atmospheric large-scale vertical motion, atmospheric low-level moisture convergence and precipitation and vertical mixing (which affects the vertical distribution of water vapor but does not affect the IWV). Firstly, our work study the main characteristics of the IWV diurnal cycle (and for surface temperature, T) obtained for all stations together, using Principal Component Analysis (PCA). First and second PCA modes highlight the global main behaviors of IWV variability for all stations. The first mode on IWV represent the 70% of the variability and could be related to the surface evapotranspiration, while the second mode (27 % of the variability) is practically in counter phase to T variability (its first mode represent the 97% of the variability), therefore this mode could be related to breeze regime. Then, every station is separately analyzed and seasonal and local variations (relative to the relives) are detected, these results spotlight, among other characteristics, the sea and mountain breeze regime. This presentation shows the first analysis of IWV diurnal cycle performed over Central and South America and another original characteristic is PCA technique employed to infer the results. Reference: Dai, A., K. E. Trenberth, and T. R. Karl, 1999 a: Effects of clouds, soil moisture, precipitation and water vapor on diurnal temperature range. J. Climate, 12, 2451-2473. Dai, A., F. Giorgi, and K. E. Trenberth, 1999 b: Observed and model simulated precipitation diurnal cycle over the contiguous United States.J. Geophys. Res., 104, 6377-6402.

Simulation of ground-water flow in the Potomac-Raritan-Magothy aquifer system near the Defense Supply Center Philadelphia, and the Point Breeze Refinery, southern Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schreffler, Curtis L.

2001-01-01

Ground-water flow in the Potomac-Raritan- Magothy aquifer system (PRM) in south Philadelphia and adjacent southwestern New Jersey was simulated by use of a three-dimensional, seven-layer finite-difference numerical flow model. The simulation was run from 1900, which was prior to groundwater development, through 1995 with 21 stress periods. The focus of the modeling was on a smaller area of concern in south Philadelphia in the vicinity of the Defense Supply Center Philadelphia (DSCP) and the Point Breeze Refinery (PBR). In order to adequately simulate the ground-water flow system in the area of concern, a much larger area was modeled that included parts of New Jersey where significant ground-water withdrawals, which affect water levels in southern Philadelphia, had occurred in the past. At issue in the area of concern is a hydrocarbon plume of unknown origin and time of release.The ground-water-flow system was simulated to estimate past water-level altitudes in and near the area of concern and to determine the effect of the Packer Avenue sewer, which lies south of the DSCP, on the ground-water-flow system. Simulated water-level altitudes for the lower sand unit of the PRM on the DSCP prior to 1945 ranged from pre-development, unstressed altitudes to 3 feet below sea level. Simulated water-level altitudes for the lower sand unit ranged from 3 to 7 feet below sea level from 1946 to 1954, from 6 to 10 feet below sea level from 1955 to 1968, and from 9 to 11 feet below sea level from 1969 to 1978. The lowest simulated water-level altitude on the DSCP was 10.69 feet below sea level near the end of 1974. Model simulations indicate ground water was infiltrating the Packer Avenue sewer prior to approximately 1947 or 1948. Subsequent to that time, simulated ground-water-level altitudes were lower than the bottom of the sewer.

Effects of anthropogenic heat due to air-conditioning systems on an extreme high temperature event in Hong Kong

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Y.; Li, Y.; Di Sabatino, S.; Martilli, A.; Chan, P. W.

2018-03-01

Anthropogenic heat flux is the heat generated by human activities in the urban canopy layer, which is considered the main contributor to the urban heat island (UHI). The UHI can in turn increase the use and energy consumption of air-conditioning systems. In this study, two effective methods for water-cooling air-conditioning systems in non-domestic areas, including the direct cooling system and central piped cooling towers (CPCTs), are physically based, parameterized, and implemented in a weather research and forecasting model at the city scale of Hong Kong. An extreme high temperature event (June 23-28, 2016) in the urban areas was examined, and we assessed the effects on the surface thermal environment, the interaction of sea-land breeze circulation and urban heat island circulation, boundary layer dynamics, and a possible reduction of energy consumption. The results showed that both water-cooled air-conditioning systems could reduce the 2 m air temperature by around 0.5 °C-0.8 °C during the daytime, and around 1.5 °C around 7:00-8:00 pm when the planetary boundary layer (PBL) height was confined to a few hundred meters. The CPCT contributed around 80%-90% latent heat flux and significantly increased the water vapor mixing ratio in the atmosphere by around 0.29 g kg-1 on average. The implementation of the two alternative air-conditioning systems could modify the heat and momentum of turbulence, which inhibited the evolution of the PBL height (a reduction of 100-150 m), reduced the vertical mixing, presented lower horizontal wind speed and buoyant production of turbulent kinetic energy, and reduced the strength of sea breeze and UHI circulation, which in turn affected the removal of air pollutants. Moreover, the two alternative air-conditioning systems could significantly reduce the energy consumption by around 30% during extreme high temperature events. The results of this study suggest potential UHI mitigation strategies and can be extended to other megacities to enable them to be more resilient to UHI effects.

Modelling the chemistry and transport of bromoform within a sea breeze driven convective system during the SHIVA Campaign

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hamer, P. D.; Marécal, V.; Hossaini, R.; Pirre, M.; Warwick, N.; Chipperfield, M.; Samah, A. A.; Harris, N.; Robinson, A.; Quack, B.; Engel, A.; Krüger, K.; Atlas, E.; Subramaniam, K.; Oram, D.; Leedham, E.; Mills, G.; Pfeilsticker, K.; Sala, S.; Keber, T.; Bönisch, H.; Peng, L. K.; Nadzir, M. S. M.; Lim, P. T.; Mujahid, A.; Anton, A.; Schlager, H.; Catoire, V.; Krysztofiak, G.; Fühlbrügge, S.; Dorf, M.; Sturges, W. T.

2013-08-01

We carry out a case study of the transport and chemistry of bromoform and its product gases (PGs) in a sea breeze driven convective episode on 19 November 2011 along the North West coast of Borneo during the "Stratospheric ozone: Halogen Impacts in a Varying Atmosphere" (SHIVA) campaign. We use ground based, ship, aircraft and balloon sonde observations made during the campaign, and a 3-D regional online transport and chemistry model capable of resolving clouds and convection explicitly that includes detailed bromine chemistry. The model simulates the temperature, wind speed, wind direction fairly well for the most part, and adequately captures the convection location, timing, and intensity. The simulated transport of bromoform from the boundary layer up to 12 km compares well to aircraft observations to support our conclusions. The model makes several predictions regarding bromine transport from the boundary layer to the level of convective detrainment (11 to 12 km). First, the majority of bromine undergoes this transport as bromoform. Second, insoluble organic bromine carbonyl species are transported to between 11 and 12 km, but only form a small proportion of the transported bromine. Third, soluble bromine species, which include bromine organic peroxides, hydrobromic acid (HBr), and hypobromous acid (HOBr), are washed out efficiently within the core of the convective column. Fourth, insoluble inorganic bromine species (principally Br2) are not washed out of the convective column, but are also not transported to the altitude of detrainment in large quantities. We expect that Br2 will make a larger relative contribution to the total vertical transport of bromine atoms in scenarios with higher CHBr3 mixing ratios in the boundary layer, which have been observed in other regions. Finally, given the highly detailed description of the chemistry, transport and washout of bromine compounds within our simulations, we make a series of recommendations about the physical and chemical processes that should be represented in 3-D chemical transport models (CTMs) and chemistry climate models (CCMs), which are the primary theoretical means of estimating the contribution made by CHBr3 and other very short-lived substances (VSLS) to the stratospheric bromine budget.

Aerosol and CCN in southwest Saudi Arabia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Collins, Don; Li, Runjun; Axisa, Duncan; Kucera, Paul; Burger, Roelof

2010-05-01

As part of an ongoing study of the microphysical and dynamical controls on precipitation in southwest Saudi Arabia, a number of surface and aircraft-based instruments were used in summer / fall 2009 to measure the size distribution, hygroscopic properties, and cloud droplet nucleation efficiency of the local aerosol. Submicron size distributions were measured using differential mobility analyzers both on the ground and on board the aircraft, while an aerodynamic particle sizer and a forward scattering spectrometer probe were used to measure the supermicron size distributions on the ground and from on board the aircraft, respectively. Identical continuous flow cloud condensation nuclei counters were used to measure CCN spectra at the surface and aloft and a humidified tandem differential mobility analyzer was operated on the ground to measure size-resolved hygroscopicity. The aerosol in this arid environment is characterized by a persistent accumulation mode having hygroscopic and CCN efficiency properties consistent with a sulfate-rich aged aerosol. The particles in that background aerosol are generally sufficiently large and hygroscopic to activate at those supersaturations expected in the convective clouds responsible for most of the regional precipitation, which consequently acts as a lower bound on the resulting cloud droplet concentrations. Though the concentration, size distribution, and properties of the submicron aerosol generally changed very slowly over periods of several hours, abrupt ~doubling in concentration almost always accompanied the arrival of the sea breeze front that began along the Red Sea. Interestingly, the hygroscopicity and the shape of the size distribution differed little in the pre- and post-sea breeze air masses. The dust-dominated coarse mode typically contributed significantly more to the aerosol mass concentration than did the submicron mode and likely controlled the ice nuclei concentration, though no direct measurements were made to confirm this. Results of routine flight patterns designed to examine the spatial, vertical, and day-to-day variability of the aerosol will be presented and the link between the aerosol at the surface and aloft will be quantified. This presentation will emphasize the regional character of the aerosol and will assess its influence on cloud microphysics.

The Impact of Meteorology on Ozone Levels in the Lake Tahoe Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Theiss, Sandra

The Lake Tahoe Basin is located on the California-Nevada border and occasionally experiences elevated levels of ozone exceeding the 70 ppb California Air Resources Board (CARB) ambient air quality standard (8-hour average). Previous studies indicate that both the local generation of ozone in the Basin and long-range transport from out-of-Basin sources are important in contributing to ozone exceedances, but little is known about the impact of meteorology on the distribution of ozone source regions. In order to develop a better understanding of the factors affecting ozone levels and sources in the Lake Tahoe Basin, this study combines observational data from a 2010 and 2012 summer field campaigns, HYSPLIT back trajectories, and WRF model output to examine the meteorological influences of ozone transport in the topographically complex Lake Tahoe Basin. Findings from the field work portions of this study include enhanced background ozone levels at higher elevations, the local circulation pattern of lake breezes occurring at Lake level sites, and an indication that ozone precursors are coming off the Lake. Our analysis also showed that if transport of ozone does occur, it is more likely to come from the San Joaquin Valley to the south rather than originate in the large cities to the west, such as Sacramento and San Francisco. Analysis of modeled PBL schemes as compared with observational data showed that the ACM2 PBL scheme best represented the geographical domain. The ACM2 PBL scheme was then used to show wind circulation patterns in the Lake Tahoe Basin and concluded that there is decent vertical mixing over the Basin and no indication of ozone transport from the west however some indication of transport from the east. Overall this study concludes that transport from the west is less significant than transport from the south and east, and that transport only influences ozone values at higher elevations. Within the Basin itself (at lower elevations), local factors including mixing depth, rising or sinking air, and lake/land breeze circulations are more significant in influencing ozone values.

Water-soluble organic carbon, dicarboxylic acids, ketoacids, and α-dicarbonyls in the tropical Indian aerosols

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pavuluri, Chandra Mouli; Kawamura, Kimitaka; Swaminathan, T.

2010-06-01

Tropical aerosol (PM10) samples (n = 49) collected from southeast coast of India were studied for water-soluble dicarboxylic acids (C2-C12), ketocarboxylic acids (C2-C9), and α-dicarbonyls (glyoxal and methylglyoxal), together with analyses of total carbon (TC) and water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC). Their distributions were characterized by a predominance of oxalic acid followed by terephthalic (t-Ph), malonic, and succinic acids. Total concentrations of diacids (227-1030 ng m-3), ketoacids (16-105 ng m-3), and dicarbonyls (4-23 ng m-3) are comparative to those from other Asian megacities such as Tokyo and Hong Kong. t-Ph acid was found as the second most abundant diacid in the Chennai aerosols. This feature has not been reported previously in atmospheric aerosols. t-Ph acid is most likely derived from the field burning of plastics. Water-soluble diacids were found to contribute 0.4%-3% of TC and 4%-11% of WSOC. Based on molecular distributions and backward air mass trajectories, we found that diacids and related compounds in coastal South Indian aerosols are influenced by South Asian and Indian Ocean monsoons. Organic aerosols are also suggested to be significantly transported long distances from North India and the Middle East in early winter and from Southeast Asia in late winter, but some originate from photochemical reactions over the Bay of Bengal. In contrast, the Arabian Sea, Indian Ocean, and South Indian continent are suggested as major source regions in summer. We also found daytime maxima of most diacids, except for C9 and t-Ph acids, which showed nighttime maxima in summer. Emissions from marine and terrestrial plants, combined with land/sea breezes and in situ photochemical oxidation, are suggested especially in summer as an important factor that controls the composition of water-soluble organic aerosols over the southeast coast of India. Regional emissions from anthropogenic sources are also important in megacity Chennai, but their influence is weakened due to the dispersion caused by dynamic land/sea breeze on the coast.

INTERSTELLAR NEUTRAL HELIUM IN THE HELIOSPHERE FROM IBEX OBSERVATIONS. IV. FLOW VECTOR, MACH NUMBER, AND ABUNDANCE OF THE WARM BREEZE

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kubiak, Marzena A.; Swaczyna, P.; Bzowski, M.

2016-04-15

Following the high-precision determination of the velocity vector and temperature of the pristine interstellar neutral (ISN) He via a coordinated analysis summarized by McComas et al., we analyzed the Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX) observations of neutral He left out from this analysis. These observations were collected during the ISN observation seasons 2010–2014 and cover the region in the Earth's orbit where the Warm Breeze (WB) persists. We used the same simulation model and a parameter fitting method very similar to that used for the analysis of ISN He. We approximated the parent population of the WB in front of themore » heliosphere with a homogeneous Maxwell–Boltzmann distribution function and found a temperature of ∼9500 K, an inflow speed of 11.3 km s{sup −1}, and an inflow longitude and latitude in the J2000 ecliptic coordinates 251.°6, 12.°0. The abundance of the WB relative to ISN He is 5.7% and the Mach number is 1.97. The newly determined inflow direction of the WB, the inflow directions of ISN H and ISN He, and the direction to the center of the IBEX Ribbon are almost perfectly co-planar, and this plane coincides within relatively narrow statistical uncertainties with the plane fitted only to the inflow directions of ISN He, ISN H, and the WB. This co-planarity lends support to the hypothesis that the WB is the secondary population of ISN He and that the center of the Ribbon coincides with the direction of the local interstellar magnetic field (ISMF). The common plane for the direction of the inflow of ISN gas, ISN H, the WB, and the local ISMF is given by the normal direction: ecliptic longitude 349.°7 ± 0.°6 and latitude 35.°7 ± 0.6 in the J2000 coordinates, with a correlation coefficient of 0.85.« less

Extreme heat event projections for a coastal megacity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ortiz, L. E.; Gonzalez, J.

2017-12-01

As summers become warmer, extreme heat events are expected to increase in intensity, frequency, and duration. Large urban centers may affect these projections by introducing feedbacks between the atmosphere and the built environment through processes involving anthropogenic heat, wind modification, radiation blocking, and others. General circulation models are often run with spatial resolutions in the order of 100 km, limiting their skill at resolving local scale processes and highly spatially varying features such as cities' heterogeneous landscape and mountain topography. This study employs climate simulations using the Weather Research and Forecast (WRF) model coupled with a modified multi-layer urban canopy and building energy model to downscale CESM1 at 1 km horizontal resolution across three time slices (2006-2010, 2075-2079, and 2095-2099) and two projections (RCP 4.5 and 8.5). New York City Metropolitan area, with a population of over 20 million and a complex urban canopy, is used as a case study. The urban canopy model of WRF was modified to include a drag coefficient as a function of the building plant area fraction and the introduction of evaporative cooling systems at building roofs to reject the anthropogenic heat from the buildings, with urban canopy parameters computed from the New York City Property Land-Use Tax-lot Output (PLUTO). Model performance is evaluated against the input model and historical records from airport stations, showing improvement in the statistical characteristics in the downscaled model output. Projection results are presented as spatially distributed anomalies in heat wave frequency, duration, and maximum intensity from the 2006-2010 benchmark period. Results show that local sea-breeze circulations mitigate heat wave impacts, following a positive gradient with increasing distance from the coastline. However, end of century RCP 8.5 projections show the possibility of reversal of this pattern, sea surface temperatures increase and reduce the sea-land temperature gradient, thus reducing the sea-breeze magnitude. Impacts to human health and buildings energy demand are explored for future climate scenarios as key examples of anticipated societal consequences.

Study of the origin and structure of a nocturnal atmospheric density current from observations and numerical simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ander Arrillaga, Jon; Yagüe, Carlos; Román-Cascón, Carlos; Sastre, Mariano

2016-04-01

Density currents are flows generated when a dense fluid passes through a less dense surrounding, under the influence of gravity. They usually appear as a consequence of sea-breeze circulations, thunderstorm outflows or katabatic flows. Density currents acquire a particular relevance during nocturnal stable situations, as their onset causes a significant turbulence increase (both from buoyancy and shear) and they occasionally produce turbulence intermittency through the formation of gravity waves. In this work, the arrival of a density current on 23 September 2015 is analysed in the CIBA site (Spain), which is located in the Spanish Northern Plateau, approximately 200 km away from the sea and 100 km away from the closest mountain ranges. Previous studies at this location associated similar nocturnal events with daytime sea breeze in the eastern Cantabrian coast [1]. Micrometeorological measurements from sonic anemometers and different sensors at multiple levels up to 100 m agl provide a solid database. In this specific case, the outbreak of the density current occurs 2 hours after sunset, causing an abrupt increase of the wind speed and a significant weakening of the surface-based thermal inversion. Besides, turbulent parameters and fluxes such as the friction velocity, the sensible heat flux and the Turbulent Kinetic Energy (TKE) are sharply altered with its arrival. The latter, indeed, increases by two orders of magnitude and the Multi Resolution Flux Decomposition (MRFD) of this and other turbulent variables gives the approximate size of the contributing eddies. Furthermore, simulations with the WRF model, which is tested for different Planetary Boundary Layer (PBL) schemes and the topo_wind option for complex topography [2], give meaningful information about the vertical structure and origin of this density current. [1] Udina, M., Soler, M.R., Viana, S. & Yagüe, C. (2013). Model simulation of gravity waves triggered by a density current. Q J R Meteorol Soc, 139, 701-714. [2] Jiménez, P.A., Dudhia, J., González-Rouco, J.F., Navarro, J., Montávez, J.P., García-Bustamante, E. (2012). A revised scheme for the wrf surface layer formulation. Mon Weather Rev, 140, 898-918.

Transcriptional Profiling of Synovial Macrophages Using Minimally Invasive Ultrasound-Guided Synovial Biopsies in Rheumatoid Arthritis.

PubMed

Mandelin, Arthur M; Homan, Philip J; Shaffer, Alexander M; Cuda, Carla M; Dominguez, Salina T; Bacalao, Emily; Carns, Mary; Hinchcliff, Monique; Lee, Jungwha; Aren, Kathleen; Thakrar, Anjali; Montgomery, Anna B; Bridges, S Louis; Bathon, Joan M; Atkinson, John P; Fox, David A; Matteson, Eric L; Buckley, Christopher D; Pitzalis, Costantino; Parks, Deborah; Hughes, Laura B; Geraldino-Pardilla, Laura; Ike, Robert; Phillips, Kristine; Wright, Kerry; Filer, Andrew; Kelly, Stephen; Ruderman, Eric M; Morgan, Vince; Abdala-Valencia, Hiam; Misharin, Alexander V; Budinger, G Scott; Bartom, Elizabeth T; Pope, Richard M; Perlman, Harris; Winter, Deborah R

2018-06-01

Currently, there are no reliable biomarkers for predicting therapeutic response in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The synovium may unlock critical information for determining efficacy, since a reduction in the numbers of sublining synovial macrophages remains the most reproducible biomarker. Thus, a clinically actionable method for the collection of synovial tissue, which can be analyzed using high-throughput strategies, must become a reality. This study was undertaken to assess the feasibility of utilizing synovial biopsies as a precision medicine-based approach for patients with RA. Rheumatologists at 6 US academic sites were trained in minimally invasive ultrasound-guided synovial tissue biopsy. Biopsy specimens obtained from patients with RA and synovial tissue from patients with osteoarthritis (OA) were subjected to histologic analysis, fluorescence-activated cell sorting, and RNA sequencing (RNA-seq). An optimized protocol for digesting synovial tissue was developed to generate high-quality RNA-seq libraries from isolated macrophage populations. Associations were determined between macrophage transcriptional profiles and clinical parameters in RA patients. Patients with RA reported minimal adverse effects in response to synovial biopsy. Comparable RNA quality was observed from synovial tissue and isolated macrophages between patients with RA and patients with OA. Whole tissue samples from patients with RA demonstrated a high degree of transcriptional heterogeneity. In contrast, the transcriptional profile of isolated RA synovial macrophages highlighted different subpopulations of patients and identified 6 novel transcriptional modules that were associated with disease activity and therapy. Performance of synovial tissue biopsies by rheumatologists in the US is feasible and generates high-quality samples for research. Through the use of cutting-edge technologies to analyze synovial biopsy specimens in conjunction with corresponding clinical information, a precision medicine-based approach for patients with RA is attainable. © 2018, American College of Rheumatology.

Transfer of communication skills to the workplace during clinical rounds: impact of a program for residents.

PubMed

Liénard, Aurore; Merckaert, Isabelle; Libert, Yves; Bragard, Isabelle; Delvaux, Nicole; Etienne, Anne-Marie; Marchal, Serge; Meunier, Julie; Reynaert, Christine; Slachmuylder, Jean-Louis; Razavi, Darius

2010-08-26

Communication with patients is a core clinical skill in medicine that can be acquired through communication skills training. Meanwhile, the importance of transfer of communication skills to the workplace has not been sufficiently studied. This study aims to assess the efficacy of a 40-hour training program designed to improve patients' satisfaction and residents' communication skills during their daily clinical rounds. Residents were randomly assigned to the training program or to a waiting list. Patients' satisfaction was assessed with a visual analog scale after each visit. Transfer of residents' communication skills was assessed in audiotaped actual inpatient visits during a half-day clinical round. Transcripted audiotapes were analyzed using content analysis software (LaComm). Training effects were tested with Mann-Whitney tests and generalized linear Poisson regression models. Eighty-eight residents were included. First, patients interacting with trained residents reported a higher satisfaction with residents' communication (Median=92) compared to patients interacting with untrained residents (Median=88) (p=.046). Second, trained residents used more assessment utterances (Relative Risk (RR)=1.17; 95% Confidence intervals (95%CI)=1.02-1.34; p=.023). Third, transfer was also observed when residents' training attendance was considered: residents' use of assessment utterances (RR=1.01; 95%CI=1.01-1.02; p=.018) and supportive utterances (RR=0.99; 95%CI=0.98-1.00; p=.042) (respectively 1.15 (RR), 1.08-1.23 (95%CI), p<.001 for empathy and 0.95 (RR), 0.92-0.99 (95%CI), p=.012 for reassurance) was proportional to the number of hours of training attendance. The training program improved patients' satisfaction and allowed the transfer of residents' communication skills learning to the workplace. Transfer was directly related to training attendance but remained limited. Future studies should therefore focus on the improvement of the efficacy of communication skills training in order to ensure a more important training effect size on transfer.

Improving the Medical Curriculum in Predoctoral Dental Education: Recommendations From the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons Committee on Predoctoral Education and Training.

PubMed

Dennis, Matthew J; Bennett, Jeffrey D; DeLuke, Dean M; Evans, Erik W; Hudson, John W; Nattestad, Anders; Ness, Gregory M; Yeung, Allison

2017-02-01

Dental procedures are often performed on patients who present with some level of medical fragility. In many dental schools, the exercise of taking a medical history is all too often a transcription of information to the dental chart, with little emphasis on the presurgical risk assessment and the development of a treatment plan appropriate to the medical status of the dental patient. Changes in dentistry, driven by an increasingly medically complex population of dental patients, combined with treatment advances rooted in the biomedical sciences necessitate the adaptation of our dental education to include a stronger background in systemic health. Many predoctoral educators in the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (AAOMS) have expressed concern about the medical preparedness of our dental students; therefore, the AAOMS and its Committee on Predoctoral Education and Training have provided recommendations for improving the medical curriculum in predoctoral dental education, including a strengthening of training in clinical medicine and biomedical sciences, with specific recommendations for improved training of our dental students and dental faculty. Copyright © 2016 American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Appetitive Pavlovian conditioned stimuli increase CREB phosphorylation in the nucleus accumbens.

PubMed

Shiflett, Michael W; Mauna, Jocelyn C; Chipman, Amanda M; Peet, Eloise; Thiels, Edda

2009-10-01

The transcription factor cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) has been shown to regulate an animal's behavioral responsiveness to emotionally salient stimuli, and an increase in CREB phosphorylation in the NAc has been observed during exposure to rewarding stimuli, such as drugs of abuse. Here we show that CREB phosphorylation increases in the NAc also during exposure to cues that an animal has associated with delivery of natural rewards. Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats (rattus norvegicus) were trained to associate an auditory stimulus with delivery of food pellets, and CREB phosphorylation was examined in the striatum following training. We found that repeated tone-food pairings resulted in an increase in CREB phosphorylation in the NAc but not in the adjacent dorsal striatum or in the NAc 3h after the final training session. We further found that the cue itself, as opposed to the food pellets, the training context, or tone-food pairings, was sufficient to increase CREB phosphorylation in the NAc. These results suggest that the processing of primary rewarding stimuli and of environmental cues that predict them triggers similar accumbal signaling mechanisms.

Head Start Staff Reactions to a Novel Tobacco Intervention: A Qualitative Analysis.

PubMed

Keske, Robyn R; Barker, Kathryn M; Geller, Alan C; Hamasaka, Laura; Sparks, Michael; Moody-Thomas, Sarah; Jolicoeur, Denise; Rees, Vaughan W

2016-11-01

As tobacco use becomes increasingly concentrated in communities of low socio-economic position (SEP), scalable cessation interventions are needed. Head Start programs offer one setting in which a family-focused intervention can be implemented in low SEP communities. We assessed the experiences of Head Start (HS) staff who received training in a pilot motivational interviewing (MI) tobacco intervention, to improve future feasibility. Focus group interviews were conducted with HS staff to assess their reactions to MI training and their use of MI in their work with families. Transcripts were analyzed using thematic analysis and a 4-step approach informed by grounded theory. HS staff reported advantages of MI beyond its use as a tobacco intervention, despite systematic barriers to broad implementation. Facilitators of MI use included enhanced engagement with families, and opportunities for professional development. Barriers to MI use included limited institutional support and low priority for a tobacco intervention among families with pressing social and financial concerns. HS Staff voiced support for broader training in MI interventions in HS programs. System-wide standards to ensure adequate training and support for an MI tobacco intervention were identified as priorities.

Energy metabolic reprogramming in the hypertrophied and early stage failing heart: a multisystems approach.

PubMed

Lai, Ling; Leone, Teresa C; Keller, Mark P; Martin, Ola J; Broman, Aimee T; Nigro, Jessica; Kapoor, Kapil; Koves, Timothy R; Stevens, Robert; Ilkayeva, Olga R; Vega, Rick B; Attie, Alan D; Muoio, Deborah M; Kelly, Daniel P

2014-11-01

An unbiased systems approach was used to define energy metabolic events that occur during the pathological cardiac remodeling en route to heart failure (HF). Combined myocardial transcriptomic and metabolomic profiling were conducted in a well-defined mouse model of HF that allows comparative assessment of compensated and decompensated (HF) forms of cardiac hypertrophy because of pressure overload. The pressure overload data sets were also compared with the myocardial transcriptome and metabolome for an adaptive (physiological) form of cardiac hypertrophy because of endurance exercise training. Comparative analysis of the data sets led to the following conclusions: (1) expression of most genes involved in mitochondrial energy transduction were not significantly changed in the hypertrophied or failing heart, with the notable exception of a progressive downregulation of transcripts encoding proteins and enzymes involved in myocyte fatty acid transport and oxidation during the development of HF; (2) tissue metabolite profiles were more broadly regulated than corresponding metabolic gene regulatory changes, suggesting significant regulation at the post-transcriptional level; (3) metabolomic signatures distinguished pathological and physiological forms of cardiac hypertrophy and served as robust markers for the onset of HF; and (4) the pattern of metabolite derangements in the failing heart suggests bottlenecks of carbon substrate flux into the Krebs cycle. Mitochondrial energy metabolic derangements that occur during the early development of pressure overload-induced HF involve both transcriptional and post-transcriptional events. A subset of the myocardial metabolomic profile robustly distinguished pathological and physiological cardiac remodeling. © 2014 American Heart Association, Inc.

Behavior-specific changes in transcriptional modules lead to distinct and predictable neurogenomic states

PubMed Central

Chandrasekaran, Sriram; Ament, Seth A.; Eddy, James A.; Rodriguez-Zas, Sandra L.; Schatz, Bruce R.; Price, Nathan D.; Robinson, Gene E.

2011-01-01

Using brain transcriptomic profiles from 853 individual honey bees exhibiting 48 distinct behavioral phenotypes in naturalistic contexts, we report that behavior-specific neurogenomic states can be inferred from the coordinated action of transcription factors (TFs) and their predicted target genes. Unsupervised hierarchical clustering of these transcriptomic profiles showed three clusters that correspond to three ecologically important behavioral categories: aggression, maturation, and foraging. To explore the genetic influences potentially regulating these behavior-specific neurogenomic states, we reconstructed a brain transcriptional regulatory network (TRN) model. This brain TRN quantitatively predicts with high accuracy gene expression changes of more than 2,000 genes involved in behavior, even for behavioral phenotypes on which it was not trained, suggesting that there is a core set of TFs that regulates behavior-specific gene expression in the bee brain, and other TFs more specific to particular categories. TFs playing key roles in the TRN include well-known regulators of neural and behavioral plasticity, e.g., Creb, as well as TFs better known in other biological contexts, e.g., NF-κB (immunity). Our results reveal three insights concerning the relationship between genes and behavior. First, distinct behaviors are subserved by distinct neurogenomic states in the brain. Second, the neurogenomic states underlying different behaviors rely upon both shared and distinct transcriptional modules. Third, despite the complexity of the brain, simple linear relationships between TFs and their putative target genes are a surprisingly prominent feature of the networks underlying behavior. PMID:21960440

KSC-2011-3586

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-05-16

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- The American flag sways in the breeze as space shuttle Endeavour launches on the STS-134 mission to the International Space Station. The shuttle and its six-member crew lifted off from Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on time at 8:56 a.m. EDT on May 16. STS-134 will deliver the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer-2 (AMS), Express Logistics Carrier-3, a high-pressure gas tank and additional spare parts for the Dextre robotic helper to the International Space Station. Endeavour's first launch attempt on April 29 was scrubbed because of an issue associated with a faulty power distribution box called the aft load control assembly-2 (ALCA-2). STS-134 will be the final spaceflight for Endeavour. For more information visit, www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts134/index.html. Photo credit: NASA/Troy Cryder

Barriers and facilitators to implementing addiction medicine fellowships: a qualitative study with fellows, medical students, residents and preceptors.

PubMed

Klimas, J; Small, W; Ahamad, K; Cullen, W; Mead, A; Rieb, L; Wood, E; McNeil, R

2017-09-20

Although progress in science has driven advances in addiction medicine, this subject has not been adequately taught to medical trainees and physicians. As a result, there has been poor integration of evidence-based practices in addiction medicine into physician training which has impeded addiction treatment and care. Recently, a number of training initiatives have emerged internationally, including the addiction medicine fellowships in Vancouver, Canada. This study was undertaken to examine barriers and facilitators of implementing addiction medicine fellowships. We interviewed trainees and faculty from clinical and research training programmes in addiction medicine at St Paul's Hospital in Vancouver, Canada (N = 26) about barriers and facilitators to implementation of physician training in addiction medicine. We included medical students, residents, fellows and supervising physicians from a variety of specialities. We analysed interview transcripts thematically by using NVivo software. We identified six domains relating to training implementation: (1) organisational, (2) structural, (3) teacher, (4) learner, (5) patient and (6) community related variables either hindered or fostered addiction medicine education, depending on context. Human resources, variety of rotations, peer support and mentoring fostered implementation of addiction training. Money, time and space limitations hindered implementation. Participant accounts underscored how faculty and staff facilitated the implementation of both the clinical and the research training. Implementation of addiction medicine fellowships appears feasible, although a number of barriers exist. Research into factors within the local/practice environment that shape delivery of education to ensure consistent and quality education scale-up is a priority.

Requirement of NF-kappa B Activation in Different Mice Brain Areas during Long-Term Memory Consolidation in Two Contextual One-Trial Tasks with Opposing Valences

PubMed Central

Salles, Angeles; Krawczyk, Maria del C.; Blake, Mariano; Romano, Arturo; Boccia, Mariano M.; Freudenthal, Ramiro

2017-01-01

NF-kappa B is a transcription factor whose activation has been shown to be necessary for long-term memory consolidation in several species. NF-kappa B is activated and translocates to the nucleus of cells in a specific temporal window during consolidation. Our work focuses on a one trial learning tasks associated to the inhibitory avoidance (IA) setting. Mice were trained either receiving or not a footshock when entering a dark compartment (aversive vs. appetitive learning). Regardless of training condition (appetitive or aversive), latencies to step-through during testing were significantly different to those measured during training. Additionally, these testing latencies were also different from those of a control group that only received a shock unrelated to context. Moreover, nuclear NF-kappa B DNA-binding activity was augmented in the aversive and the appetitive tasks when compared with control and naïve animals. NF-kappa B inhibition by Sulfasalazine injected either in the Hippocampus, Amygdala or Nucleus accumbens immediately after training was able to impair retention in both training versions. Our results suggest that NF-kappa B is a critical molecular step, in different brain areas on memory consolidation. This was the case for both the IA task and also the modified version of the same task where the footshock was omitted during training. This work aims to further investigate how appetitive and aversive memories are consolidated. PMID:28439227

Dynamic and Static Exercises Differentially Affect Plasma Cytokine Content in Elite Endurance- and Strength-Trained Athletes and Untrained Volunteers

PubMed Central

Kapilevich, Leonid V.; Zakharova, Anna N.; Kabachkova, Anastasia V.; Kironenko, Tatyana A.; Orlov, Sergei N.

2017-01-01

Extensive exercise increases the plasma content of IL-6, IL-8, IL-15, leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF), and several other cytokines via their augmented transcription in skeletal muscle cells. However, the relative impact of aerobic and resistant training interventions on cytokine production remains poorly defined. In this study, we compared effects of dynamic and static load on cytokine plasma content in elite strength- and endurance-trained athletes vs. healthy untrained volunteers. The plasma cytokine content was measured before, immediately after, and 30 min post-exercise using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Pedaling on a bicycle ergometer increased IL-6 and IL-8 content in the plasma of trained athletes by about 4- and 2-fold, respectively. In contrast to dynamic load, weightlifting had negligible impact on these parameters in strength exercise-trained athletes. Unlike IL-6 and IL-8, dynamic exercise had no impact on IL-15 and LIF, whereas static load increases the content of these cytokines by ~50%. Two-fold increment of IL-8 content seen in athletes subjected to dynamic exercise was absent in untrained individuals, whereas the ~50% increase in IL-15 triggered by static load in the plasma of weightlifting athletes was not registered in the control group. Thus, our results show the distinct impact of static and dynamic exercises on cytokine content in the plasma of trained athletes. They also demonstrate that both types of exercises differentially affect cytokine content in plasma of athletes and untrained persons. PMID:28194116

NURSES’ PERCEPTIONS OF COMMUNICATION TRAINING IN THE ICU

PubMed Central

Radtke, Jill V.; Tate, Judith A.; Happ, Mary Beth

2011-01-01

Summary Objective To describe the experience and perceptions of nurse study participants regarding a communication intervention (training and communication tools) for use with nonspeaking, critically-ill patients. Research Methodology/Design Small focus groups and an individual interview were conducted with six critical care nurses. Transcripts were analysed using qualitative content analysis and constant comparison. Setting Two ICUs within a large, metropolitan medical centre in western Pennsylvania, United States of America. Main Outcome Measures Critical care nurses’ evaluations of (1) a basic communication skills training program (BCST) and (2) augmentative and alternative communication strategies (AAC) introduced during their study participation. Results Six main categories were identified in the data: 1) communication value/perceived competence; 2) communication intention; 3) benefits of training; 4) barriers to implementation; 5) preferences/utilization of strategies; and 6) leading-following. Perceived value of and individual competence in communication with nonspeaking patients varied. Nurses prioritized communication about physical needs, but recognized complexity of other intended patient messages. Nurses evaluated the BCST as helpful in reinforcing basic communication strategies and found several new strategies effective. Advanced strategies received mixed reviews. Primary barriers to practice integration included patients’ mental status, time constraints, and the small proportion of nurses trained or knowledgeable about best patient communication practices in the ICU. Conclusions The results suggest that the communication skills training program could be valuable in reinforcing basic/intuitive communication strategies, assisting in the acquisition of new skills, and ensuring communication supply availability. Practice integration will likely require unit-wide interdisciplinary dissemination, expert modelling and reinforcement. PMID:22172745

Effect of short-term training on GLUT-4 mRNA and protein expression in human skeletal muscle.

PubMed

Kraniou, Giorgos N; Cameron-Smith, David; Hargreaves, Mark

2004-09-01

Six untrained, male subjects (23 +/- 1 years old, 84 +/- 5 kg, (O(2)peak)= 3.7 +/- 0.8 l min(-1)) exercised for 60 min at 75 +/- 1%(O(2)peak) on 7 consecutive days. Muscle samples were obtained before the start of cycle exercise training and 24 h after the first and seventh exercise sessions and analysed for citrate synthase activity, glycogen and glucose transporter 4 (GLUT-4) mRNA and protein expression. Exercise training increased (P < 0.05) citrate synthase by approximately 20% and muscle glycogen concentration by approximately 40%. GLUT-4 mRNA levels 24 h after the first and seventh exercise sessions were similar to those measured before the start of exercise training. In contrast, GLUT-4 protein expression was increased after 7 days of exercise training (12.4 +/- 1.5 versus 3.4 +/- 1.0 arbitray units (a.u.), P < 0.05) and although it tended to be higher 24 h after the first exercise session (6.0 +/- 3.0 versus 3.4 +/- 1.0 a.u.), this was not significantly different (P= 0.09). These results support the suggestion that the adaptive increase in skeletal muscle GLUT-4 protein expression with short-term exercise training arises from the repeated, transient increases in GLUT-gene transcription following each exercise bout leading to a gradual accumulation of GLUT-4 protein, despite GLUT-4 mRNA returning to basal levels between exercise stimuli.

Irisin and FNDC5: effects of 12-week strength training, and relations to muscle phenotype and body mass composition in untrained women.

PubMed

Ellefsen, S; Vikmoen, O; Slettaløkken, G; Whist, J E; Nygaard, H; Hollan, I; Rauk, I; Vegge, G; Strand, T A; Raastad, T; Rønnestad, B R

2014-09-01

To investigate the effects of strength training on abundances of irisin-related biomarkers in skeletal muscle and blood of untrained young women, and their associations with body mass composition, muscle phenotype and levels of thyroid hormones. Eighteen untrained women performed 12 weeks of progressive whole-body heavy strength training, with measurement of strength, body composition, expression of irisin-related genes (FNDC5 and PGC1α) in two different skeletal muscles, and levels of serum-irisin and -thyroid hormones, before and after the training intervention. The strength training intervention did not result in changes in serum-irisin or muscle FNDC5 expression, despite considerable effects on strength, lean body mass (LBM) and skeletal muscle phenotype. Our data indicate that training affects irisin biology in a LBM-dependent manner. However, no association was found between steady-state serum-irisin or training-associated changes in serum-irisin and alterations in body composition. FNDC5 expression was higher in m.Biceps brachii than in m.Vastus lateralis, with individual expression levels being closely correlated, suggesting a systemic mode of transcriptional regulation. In pre-biopsies, FNDC5 expression was correlated with proportions of aerobic muscle fibers, a relationship that disappeared in post-biopsies. No association was found between serum-thyroid hormones and FNDC5 expression or serum-irisin. No evidence was found for an effect of strength training on irisin biology in untrained women, though indications were found for a complex interrelationship between irisin, body mass composition and muscle phenotype. FNDC5 expression was closely associated with muscle fiber composition in untrained muscle.

Perceived impact of human subjects protection training on community partners in community-based participatory research.

PubMed

Hawley, Nancy C; Wieland, Mark L; Weis, Jennifer A; Sia, Irene G

2014-01-01

Human subjects protection training (HSPT) is a requirement of institutional review boards (IRBs) for individuals who engage in research. The lack of HSPT among community partners may contribute to power imbalance between community and academic members of community-based participatory research (CBPR) partnerships. The Rochester Healthy Community Partnership (RHCP) is an established CBPR partnership in Minnesota that works primarily with immigrant and refugee populations. We sought to describe the implementation and evaluation of HSPT among community members of a CBPR partnership. Seven community partners participated in HSPT through adaptation of an existing institutional program. Evaluation of program acceptability was measured through a 5-item survey (5-point Likert scales). A focus group with all seven participants was conducted to evaluate the impact of training on perceptions of research, characteristics of a successful program, and potential value of training to CBPR partnerships. Coding and inductive analysis were done on the transcript with NVIVO-9 software. The HSPT program was highly acceptable (mean score, 4.5 ± 0.2). Focus groups revealed that training implementation should be done as a cohesive group with the opportunity to discuss concepts as they pertain to partnership projects. Training fostered an encouraging and safe environment, accommodated diverse learning styles, and promoted interaction. Participants reported improved trust in research as a result of the training. Perceived impact of the training on the CBPR partnership included improved transparency and enhanced camaraderie while establishing essential knowledge required for community leaders. HSPT is feasible among community members of a CBPR partnership, and may improve perceptions of research while strengthening capacity of partnerships to impact community health.

Key Elements of Clinical Physician Leadership at an Academic Medical Center

PubMed Central

Dine, C. Jessica; Kahn, Jeremy M; Abella, Benjamin S; Asch, David A; Shea, Judy A

2011-01-01

Background A considerable body of literature in the management sciences has defined leadership and how leadership skills can be attained. There is considerably less literature about leadership within medical settings. Physicians-in-training are frequently placed in leadership positions ranging from running a clinical team or overseeing a resuscitation effort. However, physicians-in-training rarely receive such training. The objective of this study was to discover characteristics associated with effective physician leadership at an academic medical center for future development of such training. Methods We conducted focus groups with medical professionals (attending physicians, residents, and nurses) at an academic medical center. The focus group discussion script was designed to elicit participants' perceptions of qualities necessary for physician leadership. The lead question asked participants to imagine a scenario in which they either acted as or observed a physician leader. Two independent reviewers reviewed transcripts to identify key domains of physician leadership. Results Although the context was not specified, the focus group participants discussed leadership in the context of a clinical team. They identified 4 important themes: management of the team, establishing a vision, communication, and personal attributes. Conclusions Physician leadership exists in clinical settings. This study highlights the elements essential to that leadership. Understanding the physician attributes and behaviors that result in effective leadership and teamwork can lay the groundwork for more formal leadership education for physicians-in-training. PMID:22379520

Usefulness of a virtual community of practice and web 2.0 tools for general practice training: experiences and expectations of general practitioner registrars and supervisors.

PubMed

Barnett, Stephen; Jones, Sandra C; Bennett, Sue; Iverson, Don; Bonney, Andrew

2013-01-01

General practice training is a community of practice in which novices and experts share knowledge. However, there are barriers to knowledge sharing for general practioner (GP) registrars, including geographic and workplace isolation. Virtual communities of practice (VCoP) can be effective in overcoming these barriers using social media tools. The present study examined the perceived usefulness, features and barriers to implementing a VCoP for GP training. Following a survey study of GP registrars and supervisors on VCoP feasibility, a qualitative telephone interview study was undertaken within a regional training provider. Participants with the highest Internet usage in the survey study were selected. Two researchers worked independently conducting thematic analysis using manual coding of transcriptions, later discussing themes until agreement was reached. Seven GP registrars and three GP supervisors participated in the study (average age 38.2 years). Themes emerged regarding professional isolation, potential of social media tools to provide peer support and improve knowledge sharing, and barriers to usage, including time, access and skills. Frequent Internet-using GP registrars and supervisors perceive a VCoP for GP training as a useful tool to overcome professional isolation through improved knowledge sharing. Given that professional isolation can lead to decreased rural work and reduced hours, a successful VCoP may have a positive outcome on the rural medical workforce.

Simulated job interview skill training for people with psychiatric disability: feasibility and tolerability of virtual reality training.

PubMed

Bell, Morris D; Weinstein, Andrea

2011-09-01

The job interview is an important step toward successful employment and often a significant challenge for people with psychiatric disability. Vocational rehabilitation specialists can benefit from a systematic approach to training job interview skills. The investigators teamed up with a company that specializes in creating simulated job interview training to create software that provides a virtual reality experience with which learners can systematically improve their job interview skills, reduce their fears, and increase their confidence about going on job interviews. The development of this software is described and results are presented from a feasibility and tolerability trial with 10 participants with psychiatric disability referred from their vocational service programs. Results indicate that this representative sample had a strongly positive response to the prototype job interview simulation. They found it easy to use, enjoyed the experience, and thought it realistic and helpful. Almost all described the interview as anxiety provoking but that the anxiety lessened as they became more skilled. They saw the benefit of its special features such as ongoing feedback from a "coach in the corner" and from being able to review a transcript of the interview. They believed that they could learn the skills being taught through these methods. Participants were enthusiastic about wanting to use the final product when it becomes available. The advantages of virtual reality technology for training important skills for rehabilitation are discussed.

Death certification and doctors' dilemmas: a qualitative study of GPs' perspectives

PubMed Central

McAllum, Carol; St George, Ian; White, Gillian

2005-01-01

Background Death certificate inaccuracies have implications for funding and planning public health services, health research and family settlements. Improved training has been identified as a way of reducing inaccuracies. Understanding the influences on certifying doctors should inform that training. Aim To explore what factors influence GPs as they complete death certificates. Design Focus groups held by teleconference with 16 GPs. Setting New Zealand general practice. Method Four teleconferenced focus groups were taped and transcribed. Transcripts were examined for emerging themes. Credibility, transferability and confirmability were underwritten by a clear audit trail. Results Participants identified two factors that influenced death certification: clinical uncertainty and the family. Other themes provided an understanding of the personal and professional concerns for GPs. Conclusion Improving death certification accuracy is a complex issue and needs to take into consideration factors that influence certifiers. PMID:16176734

Decision-Making Using Real-Time Observations for Environmental Sustainability; an integrated 802.11 sensor network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dominguez, A.; Kleissl, J.; Farhadi, M.; Kim, D.; Liu, W.; Mao, Y.; Nguyen, H. T.; Roshandell, M.; Sankur, M.; Shiga, Y.; Linden, P.; Hodgkiss, W.

2007-12-01

Meteorological conditions have important implications on human activities. They affect human comfort, productivity, and health, and contribute to material wear and tear. The University of California, San Diego (UCSD)'s proximity to the Pacific Ocean places it in a temperate microclimate which has unique advantages and disadvantages for campus water and energy use and air quality. In particular, the daily sea-breezes provide cool, moist, and salt-laden air to campus. For the Decision-Making Using Real-Time Observations for Environmental Sustainability (DEMROES) project a heterogeneous wireless network of monitoring stations is being set up across the UCSD campus and beyond. Conditions to be monitored include temperature, humidity, wind speed and direction, surface temperatures, solar radiation, particulate matter, CO, NO2, rainfall, and soil moisture. Stations are strategically placed on rooftops and lampposts across campus, as well as select off-campus locations and will transmit data over the UCSD 802.11 wireless network. In addition to rooftop and lamppost stations, mobile stations will be deployed via remotely controlled ground and air units, and stations affixed to campus shuttle busses. These mobile stations will allow for greater spatial resolution of the environmental conditions across campus and inter-sensor calibration. The hardware consists of meteorological, hydrological, and air quality sensors connected to (a) commercial Campbell datalogging systems with serial2IP modules and wireless bridges, and (b) sensor and 802.11 boards based on the dpac technology developed in-house. The measurements will serve campus facilities management with information to feed the energy management system (EMS) for building operation and energy conservation, and irrigation management. The technology developed for this project can be applied elsewhere thereby contributing to hydrologic and ecologic observatories. Through extensive student involvement a new generation of environmental scientists and engineers will be trained to work on the planning and execution of national observatories.

SciSpark's SRDD : A Scientific Resilient Distributed Dataset for Multidimensional Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Palamuttam, R. S.; Wilson, B. D.; Mogrovejo, R. M.; Whitehall, K. D.; Mattmann, C. A.; McGibbney, L. J.; Ramirez, P.

2015-12-01

Remote sensing data and climate model output are multi-dimensional arrays of massive sizes locked away in heterogeneous file formats (HDF5/4, NetCDF 3/4) and metadata models (HDF-EOS, CF) making it difficult to perform multi-stage, iterative science processing since each stage requires writing and reading data to and from disk. We have developed SciSpark, a robust Big Data framework, that extends ApacheTM Spark for scaling scientific computations. Apache Spark improves the map-reduce implementation in ApacheTM Hadoop for parallel computing on a cluster, by emphasizing in-memory computation, "spilling" to disk only as needed, and relying on lazy evaluation. Central to Spark is the Resilient Distributed Dataset (RDD), an in-memory distributed data structure that extends the functional paradigm provided by the Scala programming language. However, RDDs are ideal for tabular or unstructured data, and not for highly dimensional data. The SciSpark project introduces the Scientific Resilient Distributed Dataset (sRDD), a distributed-computing array structure which supports iterative scientific algorithms for multidimensional data. SciSpark processes data stored in NetCDF and HDF files by partitioning them across time or space and distributing the partitions among a cluster of compute nodes. We show usability and extensibility of SciSpark by implementing distributed algorithms for geospatial operations on large collections of multi-dimensional grids. In particular we address the problem of scaling an automated method for finding Mesoscale Convective Complexes. SciSpark provides a tensor interface to support the pluggability of different matrix libraries. We evaluate performance of the various matrix libraries in distributed pipelines, such as Nd4jTM and BreezeTM. We detail the architecture and design of SciSpark, our efforts to integrate climate science algorithms, parallel ingest and partitioning (sharding) of A-Train satellite observations from model grids. These solutions are encompassed in SciSpark, an open-source software framework for distributed computing on scientific data.

FEELnc: a tool for long non-coding RNA annotation and its application to the dog transcriptome.

PubMed

Wucher, Valentin; Legeai, Fabrice; Hédan, Benoît; Rizk, Guillaume; Lagoutte, Lætitia; Leeb, Tosso; Jagannathan, Vidhya; Cadieu, Edouard; David, Audrey; Lohi, Hannes; Cirera, Susanna; Fredholm, Merete; Botherel, Nadine; Leegwater, Peter A J; Le Béguec, Céline; Fieten, Hille; Johnson, Jeremy; Alföldi, Jessica; André, Catherine; Lindblad-Toh, Kerstin; Hitte, Christophe; Derrien, Thomas

2017-05-05

Whole transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq) has become a standard for cataloguing and monitoring RNA populations. One of the main bottlenecks, however, is to correctly identify the different classes of RNAs among the plethora of reconstructed transcripts, particularly those that will be translated (mRNAs) from the class of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs). Here, we present FEELnc (FlExible Extraction of LncRNAs), an alignment-free program that accurately annotates lncRNAs based on a Random Forest model trained with general features such as multi k-mer frequencies and relaxed open reading frames. Benchmarking versus five state-of-the-art tools shows that FEELnc achieves similar or better classification performance on GENCODE and NONCODE data sets. The program also provides specific modules that enable the user to fine-tune classification accuracy, to formalize the annotation of lncRNA classes and to identify lncRNAs even in the absence of a training set of non-coding RNAs. We used FEELnc on a real data set comprising 20 canine RNA-seq samples produced by the European LUPA consortium to substantially expand the canine genome annotation to include 10 374 novel lncRNAs and 58 640 mRNA transcripts. FEELnc moves beyond conventional coding potential classifiers by providing a standardized and complete solution for annotating lncRNAs and is freely available at https://github.com/tderrien/FEELnc. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.

Making adjustments to event annotations for improved biological event extraction.

PubMed

Baek, Seung-Cheol; Park, Jong C

2016-09-16

Current state-of-the-art approaches to biological event extraction train statistical models in a supervised manner on corpora annotated with event triggers and event-argument relations. Inspecting such corpora, we observe that there is ambiguity in the span of event triggers (e.g., "transcriptional activity" vs. 'transcriptional'), leading to inconsistencies across event trigger annotations. Such inconsistencies make it quite likely that similar phrases are annotated with different spans of event triggers, suggesting the possibility that a statistical learning algorithm misses an opportunity for generalizing from such event triggers. We anticipate that adjustments to the span of event triggers to reduce these inconsistencies would meaningfully improve the present performance of event extraction systems. In this study, we look into this possibility with the corpora provided by the 2009 BioNLP shared task as a proof of concept. We propose an Informed Expectation-Maximization (EM) algorithm, which trains models using the EM algorithm with a posterior regularization technique, which consults the gold-standard event trigger annotations in a form of constraints. We further propose four constraints on the possible event trigger annotations to be explored by the EM algorithm. The algorithm is shown to outperform the state-of-the-art algorithm on the development corpus in a statistically significant manner and on the test corpus by a narrow margin. The analysis of the annotations generated by the algorithm shows that there are various types of ambiguity in event annotations, even though they could be small in number.