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Classification Scheme (classification + scheme)
Selected AbstractsRevisiting a Classification Scheme for U.S.-Mexico Alluvial Basin-Fill AquifersGROUND WATER, Issue 5 2005Barry J. Hibbs Intermontane basins in the Trans-Pecos region of westernmost Texas and northern Chihuahua, Mexico, are target areas for disposal of interstate municipal sludge and have been identified as possible disposal sites for low-level radioactive waste. Understanding ground water movement within and between these basins is needed to assess potential contaminant fate and movement. Four associated basin aquifers are evaluated and classified; the Red Light Draw Aquifer, the Northwest Eagle Flat Aquifer, the Southeast Eagle Flat Aquifer, and the El Cuervo Aquifer. Encompassed on all but one side by mountains and local divides, the Red Light Draw Aquifer has the Rio Grande as an outlet for both surface drainage and ground water discharge. The river juxtaposed against its southern edge, the basin is classified as a topographically open, through-flowing basin. The Northwest Eagle Flat Aquifer is classified as a topographically closed and drained basin because surface drainage is to the interior of the basin and ground water discharge occurs by interbasin ground water flow. Mountains and ground water divides encompass this basin aquifer on all sides; yet, depth to ground water in the interior of the basin is commonly >500 feet. Negligible ground water discharge within the basin indicates that ground water discharges from the basin by vertical flow and underflow to a surrounding basin or basins. The most likely mode of discharge is by vertical, cross-formational flow to underlying Permian rocks that are more porous and permeable and subsequent flow along regional flowpaths beneath local ground water divides. The Southeast Eagle Flat Aquifer is classified as a topographically open and drained basin because surface drainage and ground water discharge are to the adjacent Wildhorse Flat area. Opposite the Eagle Flat and Red Light Draw aquifers is the El Cuervo Aquifer of northern Chihuahua, Mexico. The El Cuervo Aquifer has interior drainage to Laguna El Cuervo, which is a phreatic playa that also serves as a focal point of ground water discharge. Our evidence suggests that El Cuervo Aquifer may lose a smaller portion of its discharge by interbasin ground water flow to Indian Hot Springs, near the Rio Grande. Thus, El Cuervo Aquifer is a topographically closed basin that is either partially drained if a component of its ground water discharge reaches Indian Hot Springs or undrained if all its natural ground water discharge is to Laguna El Cuervo. [source] New Course Design: Classification Schemes and Information ArchitectureBULLETIN OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR INFORMATION SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY (ELECTRONIC), Issue 5 2002Bella Hass Weinberg Professor First page of article [source] Classification scheme for freesiaEPPO BULLETIN, Issue 1 2002Article first published online: 10 JUL 200 [source] Classification scheme for hyacinthEPPO BULLETIN, Issue 1 2002Article first published online: 10 JUL 200 [source] North American weather-type frequency and teleconnection indicesINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CLIMATOLOGY, Issue 1 2003Scott C. Sheridan Abstract The impact of teleconnections upon the surface climate has largely been examined via a response in monthly mean temperature or total precipitation. In this paper, a different approach is undertaken, by examining the response of synoptic weather-type frequencies to different teleconnection phases. For over 330 stations in the USA and Canada, the Spatial Synoptic Classification scheme has classified each day in each station's period of record into one of seven weather-type categories, based on thermal, moisture, and other characteristics. The differences in how frequently these different weather types occur in different phases of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) and Pacific,North American (PNA) teleconnection patterns is assessed, for Canadian stations from 1953 to 1993, and for US stations from 1950 to 1999. For PNA, a significant shift in the transitional frequency is observed, suggesting changes in storm track. Concomitantly, a large shift in Dry Polar and Moist Tropical frequencies is observed across the continent. Across the West, in +PNA wintertime months far fewer Dry Polar days are observed. Across the eastern USA, these polar intrusions are more common, and Moist Tropical is diminished significantly. The frequency of the transitional situation is also correlated with NAO phase, with differences as large as a factor of two across much of Canada and the northern USA. In northeastern Canada, there is a large replacement of Moist Polar conditions with Dry Polar conditions during +NAO. Farther south, however, across the eastern USA, both polar weather types occur much less often with +NAO. Although previous research has discovered eastern North American connections to the NAO, this research has shown that the connections often extend into the interior West during much of the year. Particularly strong in the spring, Dry Tropical conditions are much more common with +NAO throughout much of the continent, as far west as the Great Basin. Copyright © 2003 Royal Meteorological Society. [source] SOURCES OF PRODUCTIVITY GROWTH IN AUSTRALIAN TEXTILE AND CLOTHING FIRMS,AUSTRALIAN ECONOMIC PAPERS, Issue 3 2007I.K.M. MOKHTARUL WADUD This paper estimates the sources of productivity growth in Australian textile and clothing firms based on the Business Longitudinal Survey (BLS) from 1995 to 1998. Productivity growth estimates have been obtained for each sub-category of textile and clothing firms. Sources of growth in multifactor productivity (MFP) are examined with growth in technical efficiency and scale effects based on estimates of stochastic frontier production functions. Separate estimates of output growth have been compared with the productivity growth estimates for each of the product categories. MFP improved in all clothing firms and declined in textile firms over 1997,1998 by four-digit level of Australia New Zealand Standard Industrial classification Scheme (ANZSIC). MFP declined in most major categories of both textile and clothing firms in 1995,1997. Changes in technical efficiency mostly dominated scale effects in the overall direction of MFPG in both textile and clothing firms. The findings of the study provide evidence for policies for improving the firms' operative performance in the ongoing liberalised regime. [source] Customization Strategies in Electronic Retailing: Implications of Customer Purchase Behavior,DECISION SCIENCES, Issue 1 2009Sriram Thirumalai ABSTRACT In this article, we assess the implications of customer purchase behavior on customization in electronic retailing. We develop a classification scheme for customization strategies in electronic retailing. The classification scheme comprises three customization strategies: (i) transaction customization, (ii) decision customization, and (iii) product customization. We develop scales to measure each of the three customization strategies using a systematic four-stage scale development process. Building on the extant literature on customer purchase behavior, we design an experiment to examine the alignment of the customization strategies with three well-established product types: (i) convenience goods, (ii) shopping goods, and (iii) specialty goods, and its implications for customer value. The findings of the experiment indicate that there are significant differences in the customer value for the three customization strategies across the three product types. The contributions of the study, the managerial implications of the study findings, limitations, and directions for future research are discussed. [source] Cicatricial alopecia: classification and histopathologyDERMATOLOGIC THERAPY, Issue 4 2008Najwa Somani ABSTRACT: Primary cicatricial alopecias are a diagnostically challenging group of disorders characterized by folliculocentric inflammation resulting in destruction of hair follicles and irreversible hair loss. They are classified according to a consensus-issued classification scheme based on the predominant cell type present: lymphocytic, neutrophilic, or mixed. Histopathology is a pivotal component of the diagnostic evaluation. Early diagnosis is critical since timely institution of treatment can halt progression of permanent hair loss. Salient histopathologic findings are presented in this review, along with adjunctive clues derived from interpretation of special stains and direct immunofluorescence studies. Despite careful evaluation, accurate diagnosis may remain elusive in some instances. The primary cicatricial alopecias often share overlapping features. The highest diagnostic yield is procured when histology is correlated with the clinical presentation. [source] Association of Bicuspid Aortic Valve Morphology and Aortic Root Dimensions: A Substudy of the Aortic Stenosis Progression Observation Measuring Effects of Rosuvastatin (ASTRONOMER) StudyECHOCARDIOGRAPHY, Issue 2 2010Davinder S. Jassal M.D., F.R.C.P.C. Background: Bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) is the leading cause of aortic stenosis in patients younger than the age of 50. A classification scheme of BAVs is based upon leaflet orientation: Type I (fusion of right and left coronary cusps) and Type II (fusion of right and noncoronary cusps). The correlation between BAV leaflet orientation and aortic root pathology however remains ill defined. Objective: The objective was to describe a potential relationship between BAV leaflet morphology and aortic root measurements in the ASTRONOMER study, a multicenter study to assess the effect of rosuvastatin on the progression of AS. Methods: BAV morphology was classified as Type I or Type II orientation based on the parasternal short-axis view. Echo measurements including left ventricular and aortic root dimensions were obtained. Results: The study population included 89 patients (56 ± 11 years; 44 males). There were 63 patients with Type I and 26 patients with Type II BAV. Baseline demographics, hemodynamics, and left heart dimensions were similar between both groups. Patients with Type I BAV had larger aortic annulus and ascending root dimensions compared to those patients with Type II BAV (P < 0.05). Conclusion: In patients with mild to moderate aortic stenosis due to a BAV, the presence of Type I valve orientation was associated with significantly greater aortic root parameters compared to Type II valve orientation. (ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY 2010;27:174-179) [source] Stepwise geographical traceability of virgin olive oils by chemical profiles using artificial neural network modelsEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF LIPID SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, Issue 10 2009Diego L. García-González Abstract The geographical traceability of virgin olive oils implies the use of analytical methods that allow the identification of the origin of the oil and the authentication of the information boasted on the labels. In this work, the geographical identification of the virgin olive oils has been addressed by complete chemical characterisation of samples (64 compounds analysed by GC and HPLC) and the design of artificial neural network (ANN) models for each one of the levels of a proposed classification scheme. A high number of samples (687) from Spain, Italy and Portugal served as training and test sets for the ANN models. The highest classification level, focused on the grouping of samples by country, was achieved through analysis of fatty acids, with 99.9% of samples classified. Other levels (region, province, Protected Designations of Origin or PDO) were focused on Spanish oils and required additional series of compounds (sterols, alcohols, hydrocarbons) as well as the fatty acids to obtain classification rates higher than 90%. The classification of oils into different PDOs , the last and most difficult level of classification , showed the highest root mean square errors. The classification percentages, however, were still higher than 90% in the test set, which proves the application of the traceability methodology for a chemical verification of PDO claims. [source] Probabilistic neural networks combined with wavelet coefficients for analysis of electroencephalogram signalsEXPERT SYSTEMS, Issue 2 2009Elif Derya Übeyli Abstract: In this paper, the probabilistic neural network is presented for classification of electroencephalogram (EEG) signals. Decision making is performed in two stages: feature extraction by wavelet transform and classification using the classifiers trained on the extracted features. The purpose is to determine an optimum classification scheme for this problem and also to infer clues about the extracted features. The present research demonstrates that the wavelet coefficients obtained by the wavelet transform are features which represent the EEG signals well. The conclusions indicate that the probabilistic neural network trained on the wavelet coefficients achieves high classification accuracies (the total classification accuracy is 97.63%). [source] Catchment Classification and Hydrologic SimilarityGEOGRAPHY COMPASS (ELECTRONIC), Issue 4 2007Thorsten Wagener Hydrology does not yet possess a generally agreed upon catchment classification system. Such a classification framework should provide a mapping of landscape form and hydro-climatic conditions on catchment function (including partition, storage, and release of water), while explicitly accounting for uncertainty and for variability at multiple temporal and spatial scales. This framework would provide an organizing principle, create a common language, guide modeling and measurement efforts, and provide constraints on predictions in ungauged basins, as well as on estimates of environmental change impacts. In this article, we (i) review existing approaches to define hydrologic similarity and to catchment classification; (ii) discuss outstanding components or characteristics that should be included in a classification scheme; and (iii) provide a basic framework for catchment classification as a starting point for further analysis. Possible metrics to describe form, hydro-climate, and function are suggested and discussed. We close the discussion with a list of requirements for the classification framework and open questions that require addressing in order to fully implement it. Open questions include: How can we best represent characteristics of form and hydro-climatic conditions? How does this representation change with spatial and temporal scale? What functions (partition, storage, and release) are relevant at what spatial and temporal scale? At what scale do internal structure and heterogeneity become important and need to be considered? [source] A new global biome reconstruction and data-model comparison for the Middle PlioceneGLOBAL ECOLOGY, Issue 3 2008U. Salzmann ABSTRACT Aim, To produce a robust, comprehensive global biome reconstruction for the Middle Pliocene (c. 3.6,2.6 Ma), which is based on an internally consistent palaeobotanical data set and a state-of-the-art coupled climate,vegetation model. The reconstruction gives a more rigorous picture of climate and environmental change during the Middle Pliocene and provides a new boundary condition for future general circulation model (GCM) studies. Location, Global. Methods, Compilation of Middle Pliocene vegetation data from 202 marine and terrestrial sites into the comprehensive GIS data base TEVIS (Tertiary Environmental Information System). Translation into an internally consistent classification scheme using 28 biomes. Comparison and synthesis of vegetation reconstruction from palaeodata with the outputs of the mechanistically based BIOME4 model forced by climatology derived from the HadAM3 GCM. Results, The model results compare favourably with available palaeodata and highlight the importance of employing vegetation,climate feedbacks and the anomaly method in biome models. Both the vegetation reconstruction from palaeobotanical data and the BIOME4 prediction indicate a general warmer and moister climate for the Middle Pliocene. Evergreen taiga as well as temperate forest and grassland shifted northward, resulting in much reduced tundra vegetation. Warm-temperate forests (with subtropical taxa) spread in mid and eastern Europe and tropical savannas and woodland expanded in Africa and Australia at the expense of deserts. Discrepancies which occurred between data reconstruction and model simulation can be related to: (1) poor spatial model resolution and data coverage; (2) uncertainties in delimiting biomes using climate parameters; or (3) uncertainties in model physics and/or geological boundary conditions. Main conclusions, The new global biome reconstruction combines vegetation reconstruction from palaeobotanical proxies with model simulations. It is an important contribution to the further understanding of climate and vegetation changes during the Middle Pliocene warm interval and will enhance our knowledge about how vegetation may change in the future. [source] Use of ristocetin cofactor activity in the management of von Willebrand diseaseHAEMOPHILIA, Issue 2001B.M. Ewenstein von Willebrand disease (vWD), the most common of the hereditary bleeding disorders, arises from quantitative or qualitative defects in von Willebrand factor (vWF). vWF is a multimeric plasma protein that plays a key role in primary and secondary haemostasis. In the current classification scheme, vWD is divided into six subtypes that are based on the nature of the vWF defect. Therapeutic strategies depend on the accurate identification of these subtypes. In most clinical situations, desmopressin is effective treatment for the great majority of patients with mild (type 1) disease, while replacement therapy with factor VIII/vWF concentrates that contain high levels of vWF activity is required for most type 2 and nearly all type 3 vWD patients. Several factor VIII/vWF replacement products are available, one of which (Humate P) has been approved for the treatment of vWD by the US Food and Drug Administration. Preliminary results of recent studies support the hypothesis that treatment with factor VIII/vWF concentrates based upon the content of vWF activity as reflected in the ristocetin cofactor assay is practicable, safe and efficacious. The establishment of optimal treatment regimens with respect to dose intensity and duration will require further study. [source] A postural workload evaluation system based on a macro-postural classificationHUMAN FACTORS AND ERGONOMICS IN MANUFACTURING & SERVICE INDUSTRIES, Issue 3 2002Min K. Chung Many Korean workers are exposed to repetitive or prolonged poor working postures, which are closely related with pains or symptoms of musculoskeletal disorders. Poor working postures in Korea were reviewed and an observational method to assess the postural load was developed. A computer-based postural workload evaluation system based on a macro-postural classification scheme was developed. The macro-postural classification is based on the perceived discomforts for various joint motions. On the basis of the perceived discomfort, postural stress levels for the postures at each joint were also defined in a ratio scale to the standing neutral posture. A neural network approach was used to predict the whole-body postural stresses from the body joint motions. A computer-based postural stress evaluation system was designed to automate the procedure for analyzing postures and enhance the usability and practical applicability. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] Does Exchange Rate Policy Matter for Growth?INTERNATIONAL FINANCE, Issue 3 2003Jeannine Bailliu Previous studies on whether the nature of the exchange rate regime influences a country's medium-term growth performance have been based on a tripartite classification scheme that distinguishes between pegged, intermediate and flexible exchange rate regimes. This classification scheme, however, leads to a situation where two of the categories (intermediate and flexible) characterize solely the exchange rate regime, whereas the third (pegged) characterizes both the exchange rate regime and the monetary policy framework. Our study refines this classification scheme by accounting for different monetary policy frameworks, classifying monetary arrangements based on the presence of an explicit monetary policy ,anchor', such as the exchange rate or other targeted nominal variable. We estimate the impact of exchange rate arrangements on growth in a panel-data set of 60 countries over the period 1973,1998. We find evidence that exchange rate regimes characterized by a monetary policy anchor, whether they are pegged, intermediate, or flexible, exert a positive influence on economic growth. We also find evidence that intermediate/flexible regimes without an anchor are detrimental for growth. Our results thus suggest that it is the presence of a monetary policy anchor, rather than the type of exchange rate regime per se, that is important for economic growth. Furthermore, our work emphasizes the importance of considering the monetary policy framework that accompanies the exchange rate arrangement when assessing the macroeconomic performance of alternative exchange rate regimes. [source] Development of a spatial synoptic classification scheme for western EuropeINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CLIMATOLOGY, Issue 15 2007Donna Bower Abstract This paper presents a new spatial air-mass climatology for western Europe (WE) based upon the analysis of daily data for 48 climate stations for the period 1974,2000. Referred to as the spatial synoptic classification for western Europe (SSCWE), the new air-mass climatology not only facilitates the examination of both spatial and temporal climate variations but also provides, for the first time, a physically based synoptic classification for a wide variety of applications at the western European scale. The SSCWE is based on the philosophy of the spatial synoptic classification (SSC), which was first introduced to the synoptic climatological community in the mid-1990s and later refined as the SSC2 for application across North America. As for the SSC2, establishing the physical characteristics for six generic air masses is the basis of the SSCWE. In this paper, the procedures for identifying air-mass characteristics are described and an analysis of the spatial and temporal variation of the six generic air-mass types across western Europe is presented. Copyright © 2007 Royal Meteorological Society [source] Classification of synchronous oceanic and atmospheric El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events for palaeoclimate reconstructionINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CLIMATOLOGY, Issue 12 2005Joëlle L. Gergis Abstract Since the mid-1970s, ENSO has changed in character to a predominance of El Niño conditions, the extreme phase of which appears coincidental with increases in global temperature records. Instrumental time series (<150 years) are too short to adequately address the significance of late twentieth-century ENSO variability, thus, multi-century palaeoclimate reconstructions derived from long proxy records are sought. Despite the global influence exerted by ENSO on society, limited consensus exists within the scientific community as to which index best defines the timing, duration and strength of events. Here we address issues associated with the complexity of ENSO characterisation by comparing the ,event capture' ability of two currently used indices of ENSO. It is suggested that the use of a sole ENSO index is undesirable as a given index is only indicative of one physical aspect of the phenomenon, and as such is unlikely to be representative of the wider interactions experienced in the coupled ocean-atmospheric system. In an attempt to describe more of the nature and evolution of ENSO events, the Coupled ENSO Index (CEI) classification scheme was devised to identify synchronous oceanic (Niño 3.4 SST) and atmospheric (Southern Oscillation Index) anomalies associated with ENSO for the instrumental period (1871,2003). The CEI is of practical relevance to the ENSO community as it provides an amplitude preserving instrumental baseline for the calibration of proxy records to reconstruct both components of the ENSO system. Analysis of the nature of instrumental ENSO events from the CEI suggests that the frequency and intensity of post-1970 ENSO events (when 50% of all extreme events identified occur) appears the most anomalous in the context of at least the past century. It is hoped that the CEI will facilitate palaeo-ENSO research to systematically resolve the long-term context of past ENSO behaviour to assess whether the apparently anomalous nature of late twentieth-century variability is unprecedented within existing palaeoclimate archives. Copyright © 2005 Royal Meteorological Society. [source] Relationship between atmospheric circulation types over Greece and western,central Europe during the period 1958,97INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CLIMATOLOGY, Issue 14 2004Christina Anagnostopoulou Abstract An attempt is made to examine the relationship of the surface circulation prevailing over Europe with the corresponding surface and 500 hPa over Greece by correlating Lamb weather types for western Europe and Hess and Brezowsky (HB) types for central Europe with those derived from a new classification scheme for the Greek area. It was found that it was difficult to formulate rules controlling the frequency distributions of the circulation types over the Greek area in relation to the circulation over western and central Europe. However, statistically significant correlation was found between certain types with high frequency, which is greater between Lamb and HB types with the surface circulation types over the Greek area, compared with 500 hPa circulation types. For the most correlated pairs, seasonal composites of mean sea-level pressure and 500 hPa geopotential height anomalies demonstrated that the formation of the circulation types over the Greek area depends on the extent, intensity of the anticyclonic or cyclonic centres, air mass characteristics, and stability profile in the lower troposphere over the regions examined, but especially over the central and eastern Mediterranean. Copyright © 2004 Royal Meteorological Society [source] Links between circulation and changes in the characteristics of Iberian rainfallINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CLIMATOLOGY, Issue 13 2002C. M. Goodess Abstract Investigation of the links between atmospheric circulation patterns and rainfall is important for the understanding of climatic variability and for the development of empirical circulation-based downscaling methods. Here, spatial and temporal variations in circulation-rainfall relationships over the Iberian Peninsula during the period 1958,97 are explored using an automated circulation classification scheme and daily rainfall totals for 18 stations. Links between the circulation classification scheme and the North Atlantic oscillation (NAO) are also considered, as are the direct links between rainfall and the NAO. Trends in rainfall and circulation-type frequency are explored. A general tendency towards decreasing mean seasonal rainfall over the peninsula, with the exception of the southeastern Mediterranean coast, hides larger changes in wet day amount and rainfall probability. There is a tendency towards more, less-intensive rain days across much of Iberia, with a tendency towards more, more-intensive rain days along the southeastern Mediterranean coast, both of which are reflected in changes in rainfall amount quantiles. A preliminary analysis indicates that these changes may have occurred systematically across all circulation types. Comparison of the trends in rainfall and in circulation-type frequency suggests possible links. These links are supported by linear regression analyses using circulation-type frequencies as predictor variables and rainfall totals for winter months as the predictands. The selected predictor variables reflect the main circulation features influencing winter rainfall across the peninsula, i.e. the strong influence of Atlantic westerly and southwesterly airmasses over much of the peninsula, of northerly and northwesterly surface flow over northern/northwestern Spain and northern Portugal and the stronger effect of Mediterranean rather than Atlantic influences in southeastern Spain. The observed rainfall changes cannot, however, be explained by changes in circulation alone. Copyright © 2002 Royal Meteorological Society. [source] Climatology of near-surface wind patterns over SwitzerlandINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CLIMATOLOGY, Issue 7 2001Rudolf O. Weber Abstract Over complex, mountainous terrain the near-surface winds can form intricate patterns as large-scale winds and locally forced wind systems interplay. Switzerland, with its mountainous topography and dense meteorological network of 115 automated surface stations, ideally serves as a study area for such wind system interactions. Applying an automated classification scheme to the wind data of one single year (1995), 16 distinct near-surface flow patterns were found. These patterns also show characteristic distributions in magnitude and areal extent of temperature, global radiation and precipitation. An 18-year climatology of flow patterns was created with an identification method for fewer stations. This allowed the determination of annual and diurnal variations in the frequencies of occurrence of the different flow patterns, revealing pronounced daytime and night-time classes characterized by thermally forced winds. Transition probabilities between the flow patterns were computed as well. The relationship between the near-surface wind patterns and the synoptic flow situation was investigated with a comparison with synoptic weather types defined for the Alpine region. The results show clear but not unequivocal interdependencies between the synoptic weather type and the near-surface flow pattern. Copyright © 2001 Royal Meteorological Society [source] Fishing-gear sinkers recovered from an underwater wreckage site, off the Carmel coast, IsraelINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF NAUTICAL ARCHAEOLOGY, Issue 2 2002Ehud Galili A classification scheme for the large number of fishing-gear sinkers recovered along the Israeli coast is devised. Sinkers, or weights, of lead and stone are classified by material, shape and method of manufacture. [source] Cotylea (Polycladida): a cladistic analysis of morphologyINVERTEBRATE BIOLOGY, Issue 2 2008Kate A. Rawlinson Abstract. Polyclad flatworms are acoelomate bilaterians found in benthic communities worldwide, predominantly in marine environments. Current polyclad systematics is unstable, with two non-concordant classification schemes resulting in a poor understanding of within-group relationships. Here we present the first phylogenetic framework for the suborder Cotylea using a morphological matrix. Representatives of 34 genera distributed among all cotylean families (except four, excluded due to their dubious taxonomic status) were investigated. The number of families included ranges from a conservative eight to a revisionary 11. Outgroup analysis indicated that the suborder is monophyletic and defined by the presence of a ventral adhesive structure, a short posteriorly positioned vagina, and cement glands. Of the eight to 11 families included, we confirmed that three were monophyletic: Boniniidae, Prosthiostomidae, and Pseudocerotidae. Boniniidae was consistently recovered as the sister group to other Cotylea, based on the retention of the plesiomorphic Lang's vesicle. The clade consisting of Anonymus, Marcusia, and Pericelis is sister to the Boniniidae and the rest of the Cotylea. Above this clade there is little resolution at the base of the sister group. The Euryleptidae are found to be paraphyletic and give rise to the Pseudocerotidae. Neither classification scheme received unequivocal support. The intrafamilial relationships of the diverse Pseudocerotidae and Euryleptidae were examined. Color pattern characters (used for species identification) were highly homoplasious but increased cladogram resolution within genera. The monophyly of seven genera within the Pseudocerotidae and Euryleptidae was not supported and many genera showed no autapomorphies, highlighting the need for taxonomic revision of these families. [source] Stereological comparison of 3D spatial relationships involving villi and intervillous pores in human placentas from control and diabetic pregnanciesJOURNAL OF ANATOMY, Issue 2 2000TERRY M. MAYHEW In human placenta, 3D spatial relationships between villi and the maternal vascular bed determine intervillous porosity and this, in turn, influences haemodynamics and transport. Recently-developed stereological methods were applied in order to examine and quantify these relationships. Placentas were collected after 37 wk from control pregnancies and those associated with maternal diabetes mellitus classified according to duration and severity (White classification scheme). Two principal questions were addressed: (1) are normal spatial arrangements maintained in well-controlled diabetes mellitus? and (2) do arrangements vary between diabetic groups? To answer these questions, tissue sections cut at random positions and orientations were generated by systematic sampling procedures. Volume densities of villi (terminal+intermediate), intervillous spaces and perivillous fibrin-type fibrinoid deposits were estimated by test point counting and converted to global volumes after multiplying by placental volumes. Design-based estimates of the sizes (volume- and surface-weighted volumes) of intervillous ,pores' were obtained by measuring the lengths of point- and intersection-sampled intercepts. From these, theoretical numbers of pores were calculated. Model-based estimates (cylinder model) of the hydraulic diameters and lengths of pores were also made. Second-order stereology was used to examine spatial relationships within and between villi and pores and to test whether pair correlation functions deviated from the value expected for ,random' arrangements. Estimated quantities did not differ significantly between diabetic groups but did display some departures from control values in non-insulin-dependent (type 2) diabetic placentas. These findings support earlier studies which indicate that essentially normal microscopical morphology is preserved in placentas from diabetic subjects with good glycaemic control. Therefore, it is likely that fetal hypoxia associated with maternal diabetes mellitus is due to metabolic disturbances rather than abnormalities in the quantities or arrangements of maternal vascular spaces. [source] The spectrum of cutaneous lesions in rheumatoid arthritis: a clinical and pathological study of 43 patientsJOURNAL OF CUTANEOUS PATHOLOGY, Issue 1 2003C. M. Magro Introduction:, Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an idiopathic arthropathy syndrome that has a propensity to affect the small joints of the hands and feet with extra-articular manifestations comprising skin lesions, neuropathy, pericarditis, pleuritis, interstitial pulmonary fibrosis and a systemic polyarteritis nodosa (PAN)-like vasculitic syndrome. The most widely recognized skin lesion is the rheumatoid nodule. Other skin manifestations are poorly defined. Materials and methods:, Using a natural language search of the authors' outpatient dermatopathology databases, skin biopsies from 43 patients with RA were selected for retrospective analysis in an attempt to define the dermatopathological spectrum of RA and its clinical correlates. Results:, The biopsies were categorized by the dominant histologic pattern, recognizing that in most cases there were additional minor reaction patterns. Palisading and/or diffuse interstitial granulomatous inflammation was the dominant pattern seen in 21 patients; the lesions included nodules, plaques and papules with a predilection to involve skin over joints. Besides interstitial histiocytic infiltrates and variable collagen necrobiosis, these cases also showed interstitial neutrophilia, vasculitis and pauci-inflammatory vascular thrombosis. The dominant morphology in 11 other patients was vasculopathic in nature: pauci-inflammatory vascular thrombosis, glomeruloid neovascularization, a neutrophilic vasculitis of pustular, folliculocentric, leukocytoclastic or benign cutaneous PAN types, granulomatous vasculitis, and lymphocytic vasculitis and finally occlusive intravascular histiocytic foci for which the designation of ,RA-associated intravascular histiocytopathy' is proposed. Rheumatoid factor (RF) positivity and active arthritis were common in this group, with anti-Ro and anticardiolipin antibodies being co-factors contributing to vascular injury in some cases. Immunofluorescent testing in three patients revealed dominant vascular IgA deposition. In nine patients, the main pattern was one of neutrophilic dermal and/or subcuticular infiltrates manifested clinically as urticarial plaques, pyoderma gangrenosum and panniculitis. Conclusions:, The cutaneous manifestations of RA are varied and encompass a number of entities, some of which define the dominant clinical features, such as the rheumatoid papule or subcutaneous cords, while others allude to the histopathology, i.e. rheumatoid neutrophilic dermatosis. We propose a more simplified classification scheme using the adjectival modifiers of ,rheumatoid-associated' and then further categorizing the lesion according to the dominant reaction pattern. Three principal reaction patterns are recognized, namely extravascular palisading granulomatous inflammation, interstitial and/or subcuticular neutrophilia and active vasculopathy encompassing lymphocyte-dominant, neutrophil-rich and granulomatous vasculitis. In most cases, an overlap of the three reaction patterns is seen. Co-factors for the vascular injury that we believe are integral to the skin lesions of RA include RF, anti-endothelial antibodies of IgA class, anti-Ro and anticardiolipin antibodies. [source] Global phase behavior of imidazolium ionic liquids and compressed 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane (R-134a)AICHE JOURNAL, Issue 2 2009Wei Ren Abstract Novel processes involving ionic liquids with refrigerant gases have recently been developed. Here, the complete global phase behavior has been measured for the refrigerant gas, 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane (R-134a) and 1- n -alkyl-3-methyl-imidazolium ionic liquids with the anions hexafluorophosphate [PF6], tetrafluoroborate [BF4] and bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide [Tf2N] from ,0°C to 105°C and to 33 MPa. All of the systems studied were Type V from the classification scheme of Scott-van Konynenburg with regions of vapor-liquid equilibrium, miscible/critical regions, vapor-liquid-liquid equilibrium, and upper and lower critical endpoints (UCEP and LCEP). The effect of the alkyl chain length has been investigated, for ethyl-([EMIm]), n -butyl-([BMIm]), and n -hexyl-([HMIm]). With increasing chain length, the temperature of the lower critical end points increases and pressure at the mixture critical points decrease. With a common cation, the temperature of the LCEP increased and the mixture critical point pressures decreased in the order of [BF4], [PF6], and [Tf2N]. © 2008 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2009 [source] A New Diagnosis Grouping System for Child Emergency Department VisitsACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE, Issue 2 2010Evaline A. Alessandrini MD Abstract Objectives:, A clinically sensible system of grouping diseases is needed for describing pediatric emergency diagnoses for research and reporting. This project aimed to create an International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-based diagnosis grouping system (DGS) for child emergency department (ED) visits that is 1) clinically sensible with regard to how diagnoses are grouped and 2) comprehensive in accounting for nearly all diagnoses (>95%). The second objective was to assess the construct validity of the DGS by examining variation in the frequency of targeted groups of diagnoses within the concepts of season, age, sex, and hospital type. Methods:, A panel of general and pediatric emergency physicians used the nominal group technique and Delphi surveys to create the DGS. The primary data source used to develop the DGS was the Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network (PECARN) Core Data Project (PCDP). Results:, A total of 3,041 ICD-9 codes, accounting for 98.9% of all diagnoses in the PCDP, served as the basis for creation of the DGS. The expert panel developed a DGS framework representing a clinical approach to the diagnosis and treatment of pediatric emergency patients. The resulting DGS has 21 major groups and 77 subgroups and accounts for 96.5% to 99% of diagnoses when applied to three external data sets. Variations in the frequency of targeted groups of diagnoses related to seasonality, age, sex, and site of care confirm construct validity. Conclusions:, The DGS offers a clinically sensible method for describing pediatric ED visits by grouping ICD-9 codes in a consensus-derived classification scheme. This system may be used for research, reporting, needs assessment, and resource planning. ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE 2010; 17:204,213 © 2010 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine [source] A classification of mental models of undergraduates seeking information for a course essay in history and psychology: Preliminary investigations into aligning their mental models with online thesauriJOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR INFORMATION SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, Issue 13 2007Charles Cole The article reports a field study which examined the mental models of 80 undergraduates seeking information for either a history or psychology course essay when they were in an early, exploration stage of researching their essay. This group is presently at a disadvantage when using thesaurus-type schemes in indexes and online search engines because there is a disconnect between how domain novice users of IR systems represent a topic space and how this space is represented in the standard IR system thesaurus. The study attempted to (a) ascertain the coding language used by the 80 undergraduates in the study to mentally represent their topic and then (b) align the mental models with the hierarchical structure found in many thesauri. The intervention focused the undergraduates' thinking about their topic from a topic statement to a thesis statement. The undergraduates were asked to produce three mental model diagrams for their real-life course essay at the beginning, middle, and end of the interview, for a total of 240 mental model diagrams, from which we created a 12-category mental model classification scheme. Findings indicate that at the end of the intervention, (a) the percentage of vertical mental models increased from 24 to 35% of all mental models; but that (b) 3rd-year students had fewer vertical mental models than did 1st-year undergraduates in the study, which is counterintuitive. The results indicate that there is justification for pursuing our research based on the hypothesis that rotating a domain novice's mental model into a vertical position would make it easier for him or her to cognitively connect with the thesaurus's hierarchical representation of the topic area. [source] Topical 3.0% diclofenac in 2.5% hyaluronic acid gel induces regression of cancerous transformation in actinic keratosesJOURNAL OF THE EUROPEAN ACADEMY OF DERMATOLOGY & VENEREOLOGY, Issue 3 2010T Dirschka Abstract Background, Actinic keratoses (AKs) are frequently diagnosed in dermatological patients. As they represent in situ carcinomas, effective treatment is required. Objectives, We investigated the effect of topical 3.0% diclofenac in 2.5% hyaluronic acid gel on AK. Methods, Sixty-five patients with AKs were clinically evaluated before and after 3 months' treatment with topical 3.0% diclofenac in 2.5% hyaluronic gel. Biopsy specimens were taken and stained with haematoxylin-eosin and immunohistological markers. Specimens were evaluated for histological type of AKs using the AK classification scheme suggested by Röwert-Huber et al. [(early) in situ squamous cell carcinoma type AK Grade I,III], number of mitoses per high-power field and expression of immunohistological markers. Results, Complete clinical resolution was observed in 11 patients (16.9%). A significant (P < 0.001) downgrading of AK grade was observed. Complete histological resolution was achieved in 15 patients (23.1%). The number of mitoses per high-power field was reduced significantly (P < 0.001). The expression of anti-p53-antibody decreased significantly (P = 0.009), as did the expression of anti-MiB-1 antibody (P = 0.021). Conclusions, 3.0% diclofenac in 2.5% hyaluronic acid gel causes regression of signs of cancerous transformation after 3 months' therapy. [source] Computed Tomography of Temporal Bone Fractures and Temporal Region Anatomy in HorsesJOURNAL OF VETERINARY INTERNAL MEDICINE, Issue 2 2010S. Pownder Background: In people, specific classifications of temporal bone fractures are associated with clinical signs and prognosis. In horses, similar classifications have not been evaluated and might be useful establishing prognosis or understanding pathogenesis of certain types of trauma. Hypothesis/Objectives: We hypothesized associations between temporal bone fracture location and orientation in horses detected during computed tomography (CT) and frequency of facial nerve (CN7) deficit, vestibulocochlear nerve (CN8) deficit, or temporohyoid osteoarthropathy (THO). Complex temporal region anatomy may confound fracture identification, and consequently a description of normal anatomy was included. Animals: All horses undergoing temporal region CT at our hospital between July 1998 and May 2008. Methods: Data were collected retrospectively, examiners were blinded, and relationships were investigated among temporal bone fractures, ipsilateral THO, ipsilateral CN7, or ipsilateral CN8 deficits by Chi-square or Fischer's exact tests. Seventy-nine horses had CT examinations of the temporal region (158 temporal bones). Results: Sixteen temporal bone fractures were detected in 14 horses. Cranial nerve deficits were seen with fractures in all parts of the temporal bone (petrosal, squamous, and temporal) and, temporal bone fractures were associated with CN7 and CN8 deficits and THO. No investigated fracture classification scheme, however, was associated with specific cranial nerve deficits. Conclusions and Clinical Importance: Without knowledge of the regional anatomy, normal structures may be mistaken for a temporal bone fracture or vice versa. Although no fracture classification scheme was associated with the assessed clinical signs, simple descriptive terminology (location and orientation) is recommended for reporting and facilitating future comparisons. [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||