[A comparative study on the depth of cure, hardness and microleakage applied to primary teeth of different types of bulk-fill resins].

Objective: To compare the depth of cure, surface hardness and microleakage applied to primary teeth of three types of bulk-fill resins, so as to provide reference for clinical application. Methods: Composite resin FiltekTM Z350 XT (group A) and giomer Beautifil Ⅱ (group B) were used as controls, high-viscosity bulk-fill resin FiltekTM Bulk Fill (group C), sonic-activated bulk-fill resin SonicFill 2 (group D) and flowable bulk-fill resin SDR® flow+(group E) were studied. The microstructure of each group was observed by scanning electron microscope (SEM). Specimens of each group were prepared (6 pieces per group), and the Vickers microhardness of the surface layer and different depths of each group were measured, and then the depths of cure were calculated. Twenty-five primary molars dentin were filled by resins of each group (5 teeth per group), sliced, then aged, slices of each group were developed by silver ion staining. SEM was used to observed the distribution of silver ions. Microleakage of each group were analyzed by Jonckheere-Terpstra rank sum test. Results: SEM showed that the filler particles in groups A and C were spherical and evenly distributed. The shape of the fillers in groups B, D and E were polygonal and unevenly distributed. The surface hardness of groups A, B, C, D and E were (84.97±6.30), (65.04±5.95), (57.80±1.18), (60.77±2.34), (33.32±1.83) MPa respectively. Group A had the highest hardness, while group E was the lowest, and the differences between the two groups and other groups was statistically significant (P<0.05). There were no statistically significant differences among groups B, C, and D (P>0.05). The curing depths of groups A, B, C, D and E were 2.6, 3.4, 5.8, 3.8 and 7.8 mm respectively. The largest microleakage was found in group E [2% (1/50) for grade 0, 22% (11/50) for grade 1, 30% (15/50) for grade 2, 24% (12/50) for grade 3, and 22% (11/50)for grade 4], which was statistically different from other groups (P<0.05). No statistically significant differences were found among other 3 groups (P>0.05). Conclusions: Both high-viscosity and sonic-activated bulk-fill resins have the greater depth of cure, the same hardness and microleakage as giomer, which might be an option for restoration in primary teeth.

[Preliminary report on the use of total lumpectomyconical remnant gastric - esophagus side overlap anastomosis in radical resection of Siewert type II proximal gastric cancer].

Objective: There is no standard method for esophageal remnant gastric reconstruction for proximal gastrectomy. Reflux esophagitis caused by esophagogastrostomy remains a difficult surgical problem. To report the preliminary surgical results of novel esophagus-conical remnant gastric side overlap anastomosis (CGEO) , with particular emphasis on postoperative esophageal reflux. Methods: In June 2022, we developed a novel CGEO for laparoscopic proximal gastrectomy on two patients with Siewert type II esophagogastric junction adenocarcinoma. Surgical procedures for CGEO: (1) Laparoscopic proximal gastrectomy and preparation of conically shaped gastric remnant; (2) Determining anastomotic site of residual stomach and esophagus; (3) Side-to-side anastomosis of right esophageal wall to anterior of conical gastric remnant; (4) Valvuloplasty of esophageal stump. Results: Case 1 was a 71-year-old man with an operation time of 305 minutes and was successfully discharged from the hospital on the 9th day after surgery, and the postoperative pathology was T3N0M0. Case 2 was an 82-year-old man with an operation time of 325 minutes. He was discharged on the 10th day after surgery. In both cases, only mild esophageal mucosal changes were seen in gastroscopy, there were no obvious symptoms of esophageal reflux. There was also no significant weight change at half a year after operation. Conclusion: CGEO is moderately safe in radical surgery for proximal gastric cancer, and may have a preventive effect on the occurrence of postoperative esophageal reflux, but long-term results need to be confirmed by further studies with follow-up.

Juvenile hormone regulates the reproductive diapause through Methoprene-tolerant gene in Galeruca daurica.

Juvenile hormone (JH) signalling plays an important role in regulation of reproductive diapause in insects. However, its underlying molecular mechanism has been unclear. Methoprene-tolerant (Met), as a universal JH receptor, is involved in JH action. To gain some insight into its function in the reproductive diapause of Galeruca daurica, a serious pest on the Inner Mongolia grasslands undergoing obligatory summer diapause at the adult stage, we cloned the complete open-reading frame (ORF) sequences of Met and other 7 JH signalling-related genes, including JH acid methyltransferase (JHAMT), JH esterase (JHE), JH epoxide hydrolase (JHEH), Krüppel homologue 1 (Kr-h1), vitellogenin (Vg), forkhead box O (FOXO) and fatty acid synthase 2 (FAS2), from this species. GdMet encoded a putative protein, which contained three domains typical of the bHLH-PAS family. Expression patterns of these eight genes were developmentally regulated during adult development. Topical application of JH analogue (JHA) methoprene into the 3-day-old and 5-day-old adults induced the expression of GdMet. Silencing GdMet by RNAi inhibited the expression of JHBP, JHE, Kr-h1 and Vg, whereas promoted the FAS2 expression, which enhanced lipid accumulation and fat body development, and finally induced the adults into diapause ahead. Combining with our previous results, we conclude that JH may regulate reproductive diapause through a conserved Met-dependent pathway in G. daurica.

Production of metallic ion beams by electron cyclotron resonance ion sources equipped with inductive heating ovens at the Institute of Modern Physics.

A high-temperature oven based on the inductive heating technology was developed successfully at the Institute of Modern Physics in 2019. This oven features a durable operation temperature of over 2000 °C inside the tantalum susceptor. By carefully designing the oven structure, the material compatibility issue at high temperature has been successfully solved, which enables the production and routine operation of refractory metal ions with SECRAL-II (Superconducting Electron Cyclotron Resonance ion source with Advanced design in Lanzhou No. 2). To further apply this type of oven to the room temperature ECR ion sources LECR4 and LECR5 (Lanzhou Electron Cyclotron Resonance ion source No. 4 and 5), a mini-inductive heating oven has been fabricated and tested in 2020. By directly evaporating calcium oxide, some high charge state calcium beams have been produced successfully, such as 52 euA of 40Ca16+, 30 euA of 40Ca17+, and 12 euA of 40Ca18+. The detailed design and testing results will be presented and discussed.

[Application of SF-36 scale in the survey of quality of life of occupational disease patients].

Objective: To explore the application of the Short Form of Quality of Life (SF-36) scale in the investigation of quality of life of occupational disease patients. Methods: In May 2019, SF-36 scale was used to investigate the occupational disease patients diagnosed in Hangzhou. The reliability of the scale was evaluated by Cronbach's α coefficient, and the validity of the scale was evaluated by exploratory factor analysis. Results: The Cronbach's α coefficients of PF, RP, BP, GH, VT, SF, RE and MH were 0.937, 0.977, 0.870, 0.908, 0.815, 0.701, 0.967 and 0.863 respectively, and the half reliability coefficient α=0.905. The two factor statistics representing physiological and psychological aspects were 0.870, and the approximate chi square value was 1784.337 (P<0.01) . Compared with the national norm, the scores of each dimension of quality of life of occupational disease patients were significantly lower, and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.01) ; Compared with the scores of each dimension of quality of life of pneumoconiosis patients, the scores of PF, RP and GH of occupational disease patients were significantly higher, and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05) . Conclusion: SF-36 scale has good reliability and validity in measuring the quality of life of patients with occupational diseases, which can be used to evaluate the quality of life of patients with occupational diseases.

[Study on quality of life and influeming factors of occupational disease patients in hangzhou].

Objective: To investigate and analyze the quality of life of occupational patients in Hangzhou and its influencing factors, so as to improve their qol. Methods: From January 2007 to June 2018, patients with diagnosed occupational diseases in Hangzhou City were randomly sampled in October 2019. The patients＇basic condition and quality of life were investigated by self-made questionnaire and SF-36, a total of 303 valid questionnaires were collected and the influencing factors were analyzed by correlation analysis and multiple linear regression. Results: The scores of physiological function, physiological function, physical pain, general health status, energy, social function, emotional function and mental health of the patients with occupational diseases in Hangzhou were lower than those of the general population in China, the differences were statistically significant (P<0.01) . The main factors affecting the score of quality of life of occupational patients are the types of occupational diseases, the level of disability and the duration of illness, the condition of suffering from other diseases, age, educational level, whether they are entitled to Work Injury Insurance, economic income, medical security and social support, the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05) . Conclusion: The quality of life of the patients with occupational diseases in Hangzhou City is poor, and the corresponding measures should be established to improve the qulity of life.

Efficient all-optical router and beam splitter for light with orbital angular momentum.

We propose an efficient scheme for realizing all-optical router or beam splitter (BS) by employing a double tripod-type atomic system, where the ground levels are coupled by two additional intensity-dependent weak microwave fields. We show that the high-dimensional probe field encoded in a degree of freedom of orbital angular momentum can be stored, retrieved, and manipulated. Due to the constructive or destructive interference between the introduced microwave fields and the atomic spin coherence, the generated stationary light pulses and the retrieved probe fields can be increased or decreased with high efficiency and fidelity in a controllable manner. On the basis of the results and a general extension, a tunable all-optical router or BS, which can split a high-dimensional probe field into two or more ones, can be achieved by actively operating the controlling fields and the microwave fields. The current scheme, integrating multiple functions and showing excellent performance, could greatly enhance the tunability and capacity for the all-optical information processing.

MiRNA-203a-3p inhibits inflammatory response in preeclampsia through regulating IL24.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to investigate the protective role of miRNA-203a-3p in preeclampsia (PE) patients via inhibiting the inflammatory key protein IL24. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Serum samples of 36 PE pregnant women and 30 normal pregnant volunteers hospitalized between 2015 and 2019 were collected to extract placental mononuclear cells and exosomes. Relative levels of microRNA-203a-3p and IL24 were examined by quantitative Real Time-Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR). In addition, the interaction between microRNA-203a-3p and IL24 was analyzed through bioinformatics analysis and Luciferase reporting assay. Finally, the underlying molecular mechanisms were further explored via immunofluorescence and Western blotting. RESULTS: Compared with normal pregnant volunteers, microRNA-203a-3p expression in serum exosomes and placental mononuclear cells of PE patients were dramatically reduced, while IL24 was conversely up-regulated, indicating a negative correlation between microRNA-203a-3p and IL24 levels. In addition, IL24, which was down-regulated in mononuclear macrophages overexpressing microRNA-203a-3p, was indicated as a target of microRNA-203a-3p. At the same time, microRNA-203a-3p was able to suppress the proliferation capacity of LPS-stimulated mononuclear macrophages, and it exerted anti-inflammatory effects via down-regulating IL24 in THP-1 cells. CONCLUSIONS: MicroRNA-203a-3p plays an anti-inflammatory role in PE pregnant women by down-regulating IL24 level.

LncRNA MIF-AS1 aggravates the progression of ovarian cancer by sponging miRNA-31-5p.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to uncover the role of lncRNA MIF-AS1 in influencing the biological phenotypes of ovarian cancer (OC) and the underlying mechanism. PATIENTS AND METHODS: OC tissues and adjacent normal tissues were collected from 50 OC patients. The expression level of lncRNA MIF-AS1 in OC tissues and cells was determined by quantitative Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR). The prognostic potential of MIF-AS1 in OC patients was assessed by the Kaplan-Meier method. Subsequently, the regulatory effects of MIF-AS1 on proliferative, migratory, and invasive abilities of ES-2 and HO-8910 cells were evaluated by a series of functional experiments. Dual-Luciferase reporter gene assay, qRT-PCR, and Western blot were further conducted to verify the interaction in the regulatory loop MIF-AS1/miRNA-31-5p/PLCB1. RESULTS: MIF-AS1 was significantly upregulated in OC tissues and cell lines (p<0.05). Higher level of MIF-AS1 predicted significantly worse prognosis of OC patients (p<0.05). The knockdown of MIF-AS1 markedly attenuated the proliferative, migratory, and invasive abilities of ES-2 and HO-8910 cells (p<0.05). Dual-Luciferase reporter gene assay verified that MIF-AS1 competed with PLCB1 to bind miRNA-31-5p. In addition, MIF-AS1 negatively regulated miRNA-31-5p expression cells, and miRNA-31-5p negatively regulated PLCB1 expression in OC. CONCLUSIONS: MIF-AS1 was significantly upregulated in OC, which accelerated the proliferative, migratory, and invasive abilities of OC cells. Furthermore, the regulatory loop MIF-AS1/miRNA-31-5p/PLCB1 could be utilized as a therapeutic target for OC.

[A bibliometric analysis on cohort study of liver cancer in China].

Objective: To retrospectively analyze the application trend of cohort study in the field of liver cancer in past 27 years and to look forward to the future development trend. Methods: Chinese and English papers reporting the cohort studies of liver cancer conducted in the mainland of China since 1991 were included. The literature management software was used to analyze the publication time, institution, type and objective of the studies and the follow-up performance. Statistical analysis was carried out by using SPSS 21.0. Results: The number and quality of the papers reporting liver cancer-related cohort studies increased significantly in past 27 years and a core English journal group of this field has formed. The average annual growth rates of Chinese and English papers published were 20.4% and 35.2% respectively. About 52.3% of the Chinese papers and 73.5% of the English papers were published in past five years and the quality of these papers was high. The Chinese papers published on Chinese core journals accounted for 49.2%, and the English papers published on SCI periodicals (IF>3) accounted for 47.3%. For the study objective, those published on the domestic journals mainly focused on the pathogenesis of hepatoma (41.5%), studies with large sample size was the common form. The SCI studies mainly focused on the prognosis of liver cancer (40.7%). High-quality SCI papers are more interested in the studies of prognosis, and survival analysis was the common form. Conclusions: The application of cohort study in the field of liver cancer gradually increased in China. Large-scale study and prognosis analysis were conducted commonly. However, it is necessary to further improve the researchers' understanding of cohort study, improve the follow-up quality, and increase the application of scientific evaluation methods, such as survival analysis, for the better solving of clinical problems.

Coherent generation and manipulation of entangled stationary photons based on a multiple degrees of freedom quantum memory.

We propose a quantum memory, each subsystem of which is comprised of two double M-type systems of cold atoms, for the first generation of entangled stationary photons (ESPs). Through the active operation of two pairs of counter-propagating controlling fields in time, the reversible transfer of entanglement between photons and atomic ensembles is realized, and the ESPs can be created due to the tight coupling and balanced competition between the corresponding retrieved signal photons. The reduced density matrix in the photon-polarization basis, which provides the lower bound for any purported entanglement, is constructed for discussing the dynamics evolution of the entanglement in terms of the concurrence. We show that the present scheme can be employed for the entangled photons encoded in degrees of freedom (DOFs) of polarization and orbital angular momentum. Such a multiple DOFs dependent scheme, with many benefits over that in a single one, could pave the way toward quantum nonlinear optics without a cavity and could greatly enhance the tunability and capacity for the quantum information processing.

[Investigation and analysis of quality of life of some pneumoconiosis patients in Hangzhou].

Objective: To understand the quality of life and influencing factors of patients with pneumoconiosis, and to provide a basis for formulating targeted improvement strategies to improve the quality of life. Methods: From April to December 2018, Questionnaire survey was conducted on patients with pneumoconiosis that diagnosed in Hangzhou Hospital for the Prevention and Treatment of Occupational Disease, using self-made questionnaire and SF-36.237 valid questionnaires were used to investigate the basic conditions, health services, social assistance and quality of life of patients, and analyze the influencing factors of quality of life. Results: Hangzhou city's some pneumoconiosis patients were mostly with monthly income <3000 yuan (72.6%, 172/237) ; more patients with medical expenses of 8000 to 25000 yuan per year (60.3%, 143/237) ; The proportion of patients receiving medical assistance and work-related injury insurance was low, at 2.1% (5/237) and 23.8% (54/227) respectively. The scores of Pneumoconiosis patients in PhysicalFunction (PF) , Role-Physical (RP) , Bodily Pain (BP) , General Health (GH) , Vitality (VT) , Social Function (SF) , Role-Emotional (RE) and Mental Health (MH) were lower than the national norm (P<0.05) . The scores from high to low were BP, SF, MH, PF, VT, RE, RP and GH. There were significant differences in the quality of life scores of pneumoconiosis patients with different ages, work types, education levels and monthly income (P<0.05) . Conclusion: The quality of life of some patients with pneumoconiosis in Hangzhou is lower than that of the general population. Age, work types, and monthly income are factors influencing quality of life.

Accurate global potential energy surface by extrapolation to the complete basis set limit and dynamics studies for ground state of H2S.

The atomic ions with hydrogen reactions play important role in biological chemistry, atmospheric and combustion chemistry. In this work, a full three-dimensional global many-body expansion potential energy surface (PES) for the ground state of H2S-(2A') is reported for the first time, since there is almost no investigations can accurately and completely describe the PES. It is obtained using many-body expansion theory and an extensive set of accurate ab initio energies extrapolated to the complete basis set limit, for improving the accuracy of the potential energy surface. The topographical features of the new three-dimensional global potential energy surface are examined in detail, and found to be in good agreement with theoretical and experimental results. To better test the reaction, such a surface was applied to quasi classical trajectory calculations for S-(2P)+H2(1Σg+)→SH-(1Σ)+H(2S) reaction. The integral cross sections, differential cross sections and the rate coefficients have been computed. Results indicate that such a work can be recommended for corresponding atmospheric dynamics studies and as building blocks for constructing the many body expansion potential energy surface of larger S-/H containing systems.

Mechanism of decorin protein inhibiting invasion and metastasis of non-small cell lung cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To detect the protein level of Decorin in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients, and to study the mechanism of Decorin inhibiting invasion and metastasis of non-small cell lung cancer from the perspective of in vitro cells, and provide some theoretical support for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Immunohistochemical staining was used to detect the expression of Decorin protein in 332 cases of stage I-IIIA clinical NSCLC and 70 cases of adjacent tissues. Then, in vitro cell experiments (cell scratch assay and transwell assay) were used to further study the effects of Decorin on migration and invasion of human lung cancer cell line A549; the effect of transforming growth factor-ß on the expression of Decorin and Ets-1 protein was verified by Western blotting. The binding sites of Ets-1 and Decorin promoter were analyzed by bioinformatics. RESULTS: Exogenous Decorin inhibited invasion and metastasis of lung adenocarcinoma cells in vitro. Immunohistochemical staining showed that Decorin was lowly expressed in non-small cell lung cancer and Decorin had a certain effect on lung fibroblast activation. Western blotting results showed that TGF-ß affects the expression of Decorin and Ets-1. Bioinformatics results showed that Ets-1 and Decorin gene DNA promoter regions have 18 binding sites. CONCLUSIONS: Decorin inhibits invasion and metastasis of non-small cell lung cancer through the TGF-ß signaling pathway.

Efficient images storage via modulating the atomic spin coherence in a N-type system.

A four-level N-type cold atomic system is proposed for optimizing images storage based on the electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT). Both analytical analysis and numerical simulation clearly show that the application, during the storage time, of an additional intensity-modulated signal field and an additional microwave field can impose an intensity and a phase-dependent factors on the atomic spin coherence in a controlled manner, then the amplitude of the retrieved images can be increased or decreased with an enhancement in the visibility. Our results are very promising for the realization of all-optical information processing of images coherently stored in EIT media in the future.

[An investigation of lanthanum and other metals levels in blood, urine and hair among residents in the rare earth mining area of a city in China].

Objective: To investigate the levels of lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, and neodymium in the blood, urine, and hair samples from residents in the rare earth mining area of a city in China, and to provide a scientific basis for the control of rare earth pollution and the protection of population health. Methods: A total of 147 residents who had lived in the rare earth mining area of a city for a long time were selected as the exposure group, and 108 residents in Guyang County of this city who lived 91 km away from the rare earth mining area were selected as the control group. Blood, urine, and hair samples were collected from the residents in both groups. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry was used to determine the content of lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, and neodymium in blood, urine, and hair samples. Results: In the exposure group, the median levels of lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, and neodymium were 0.854, 1.724, 0.132, and 0.839 µg/L, respectively, in blood samples, 0.420, 0.920, 0.055, and 0.337 µg/L, respectively, in urine samples, and 0.052, 0.106, 0.012, and 0.045 µg/g, respectively, in hair samples. The exposure group had significantly higher levels of the four rare earth elements in blood, urine, and hair samples than the control group (P<0.01) . Conclusion: The residents in the rare earth mining area of this city have higher content of lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, and neodymium in blood, urine, and hair than those in the non-mining area; the content of cerium is highest, followed by lanthanum, neodymium, and praseodymium.

[The study on behaviour of protective equipment utilization of workers exposed to benzene and factors based on Planned Behavior Theory].

Objective: To investigate and predict the behavioral intention and mode of the protective equipment utilization selection of the workers who used Benzene, the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) was applied to establish the behavioral model to enhance the theoretical foundation for long-term intervention. Methods: Questionnaires were used to survey the 707 workers, and all the behaviors of using protective equipment were investigated. Evaluate the relationships between each variable and obtain the influence affects by structural equation model. Results: The investigation showed that 38.47% of the total workers (272 cases) used whole body protection, 13.58% used partially, and 16.69% didn't use any body protection. There were significant difference between the varying degrees in the four dimensions (behavioral attitude, perceived behavior control, subjective norm, and behavioral intention) (P<0.01) . The results of structural equation model revealed that perceived behavior control was the most important influencing factor, subjective norm, positive attitude, negative attitude were the other three respects in sequence. The path co-efficient were 0.600、0.215、0.141 and 0.046 respectively. Conclusion: The study show that the theory of planned behavior can effectively explain the behavioral intention and behavior of protective equipment utilization. Therefore, combining the subjective initiative of individuals with the supervision of enterprises, In order to effectively enhance the protective equipment utilization of benzene workers.

Analysis of serum microRNA expression in male workers with occupational noise-induced hearing loss.

Occupational noise-induced hearing loss (ONIHL) is a prevalent occupational disorder that impairs auditory function in workers exposed to prolonged noise. However, serum microRNA expression in ONIHL subjects has not yet been studied. We aimed to compare the serum microRNA expression profiles in male workers of ONIHL subjects and controls. MicroRNA microarray analysis revealed that four serum microRNAs were differentially expressed between controls (n=3) and ONIHL subjects (n=3). Among these microRNAs, three were upregulated (hsa-miR-3162-5p, hsa-miR-4484, hsa-miR-1229-5p) and one was downregulated (hsa-miR-4652-3p) in the ONIHL group (fold change >1.5 and Pbon value <0.05). Real time quantitative PCR was conducted for validation of the microRNA expression. Significantly increased serum levels of miR-1229-5p were found in ONIHL subjects compared to controls (n=10 for each group; P<0.05). A total of 659 (27.0%) genes were predicted as the target genes of miR-1229-5p. These genes were involved in various pathways, such as mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway. Overexpression of miR-1229-5p dramatically inhibited the luciferase activity of 3' UTR segment of MAPK1 (P<0.01). Compared to the negative control, HEK293T cells expressing miR-1229-5p mimics showed a significant decline in mRNA levels of MAPK1 (P<0.05). This preliminary study indicated that serum miR-1229-5p was significantly elevated in ONIHL subjects. Increased miR-1229-5p may participate in the pathogenesis of ONIHL through repressing MAPK1 signaling.

Introduction to CAUSES: Description of Weather and Climate Models and Their Near-Surface Temperature Errors in 5 day Hindcasts Near the Southern Great Plains.

We introduce the Clouds Above the United States and Errors at the Surface (CAUSES) project with its aim of better understanding the physical processes leading to warm screen temperature biases over the American Midwest in many numerical models. In this first of four companion papers, 11 different models, from nine institutes, perform a series of 5 day hindcasts, each initialized from reanalyses. After describing the common experimental protocol and detailing each model configuration, a gridded temperature data set is derived from observations and used to show that all the models have a warm bias over parts of the Midwest. Additionally, a strong diurnal cycle in the screen temperature bias is found in most models. In some models the bias is largest around midday, while in others it is largest during the night. At the Department of Energy Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Southern Great Plains (SGP) site, the model biases are shown to extend several kilometers into the atmosphere. Finally, to provide context for the companion papers, in which observations from the SGP site are used to evaluate the different processes contributing to errors there, it is shown that there are numerous locations across the Midwest where the diurnal cycle of the error is highly correlated with the diurnal cycle of the error at SGP. This suggests that conclusions drawn from detailed evaluation of models using instruments located at SGP will be representative of errors that are prevalent over a larger spatial scale.