bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Rationale and design of the Optimal Macro-Nutrient Intake Heart Trial to Prevent Heart Disease (OMNI-Heart)
Authors: Carey Vincent J , Bishop Louise , Charleston Jeanne , Conlin Paul , Erlinger Tate , Laranjo Nancy , McCarron Phyllis , Miller Edgar , Rosner Bernard , Swain Janis , Sacks Frank M , Appel Lawrence J
Published: December 2005

Background The DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet is a carbohydrate-rich, reduced-fat diet that lowers blood pressure (BP) and LDL-cholesterol. Whether partial replacement of some carbohydrate (C) with either protein (P) or unsaturated fat (U) can further improve these and other cardiovascular (CVD) risk factors is unknown.

Methods OmniHeart is a randomized, three-period, crossover feeding study designed to compare the effects on BP and blood lipids of a carbohydrate-rich diet (CARB, similar to the DASH diet) with a diet rich in protein (PROT, predominantly from nonmeat sources) and a diet rich in unsaturated fat (UNSAT, predominantly monounsaturated). Throughout feeding (run in and the three intervention periods), participants are provided with all of their meals that meet the nutrient profile of their assigned diet. Calorie intake is adjusted to maintain weight. The target sample size is 160 (50% African-American). Participants are adults, aged 30 or older, with prehypertension or Stage 1 hypertension (systolic BP 120–159 or diastolic BP 80–99 mmHg). The primary outcome variables are systolic BP and LDL-cholesterol. Secondary outcomes are diastolic BP, HDL-cholesterol, and triglycerides. Other outcome variables are total cholesterol, apolipoproteins VLDL-apoB, VLDL-apoCIII, apolipoprotein B, non-HDL cholesterol, and lipoprotein(a), and insulin resistance, as measured by Homeostasis Model Assessment (HOMA).

Conclusions OMNI-Heart should advance our fundamental knowledge of the effects of diet on both traditional and emerging risk factors, and, in the process, guide policy makers, health care providers and the general public on the relative benefits of carbohydrate, protein, and unsaturated fat as a means to reduce CVD risk.
Non-linearity of Parkinson’s disease progression: implications for sample size calculations in clinical trials
Authors: Guimaraes Paulo , Kieburtz Karl , Goetz Christopher G , Elm Jordan J , Palesch Yuko Y , Huang Peng , Ravina Bernard , Tanner Caroline M , Tilley Barbara C
Published: December 2005

Background Estimation of sample size for long-term studies of neuroprotection in Parkinson’s disease requires information on expected clinical decline. Values may be obtained by analyzing existing long-term data sets or by prediction models of clinical decline applied to available data from shorter-term trials. The most commonly used measure to track clinical decline is the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) but this measure is also affected by symptomatic therapy. Models can help better understand behavior of the UPDRS after initiation of symptomatic therapy when scores will improve and eventually start deteriorating again.

Purpose To understand how UPDRS scores progress after initiation of symptomatic therapy and how this progression impacts sample size calculations.

Methods We developed a non-linear model of UPDRS after introduction of symptomatic therapy. The model is specified as a non-linear mixed effects model and is applied to three different data sets from clinical trials. The model is then used to produce estimates for the change in UPDRS and its associated variance for a period of up to five years of follow-up. The estimates produced by the model serve as the basis for sample-size calculations for different lengths of follow-up (one through five years) and for different values of clinically meaningful change in UPDRS.

Results Despite differences in the short-term benefit of the dopaminergic drugs, after a period of approximately six months UPDRS scores progress linearly at an estimated rate of approximately three points a year. The sample size that is required for a clinical trial where the baseline coincides with initiation of symptomatic therapy is very large. On the other hand, if baseline is set at six months after initiation of symptomatic therapy then the sample size required decreases with length of follow-up.

Limitations Model specification and estimation is based on a set of simplifying assumptions regarding the progression of individual level UPDRS scores.

Conclusions Sample size calculations based on these estimates indicate a substantial reduction in sample size if patients are required to be on symptomatic treatment for a period of time before being randomized to a neuroprotective trial.
Group sequential methods for cluster randomization trials with binary outcomes
Authors: Zou Guang Yong , Donner Allan , Klar Neil
Published: December 2005

Background Cluster randomization trials in which intact social units are randomly assigned to different intervention groups have become very popular in recent years, particularly for the evaluation of innovations in the delivery of health care. An extensive literature dealing with the associated methodological challenges has also appeared. Although the monitoring of such trials using formal stopping rules is clearly indicated when the outcomes are irreversible and individual-level data are available sequentially, simple and reliable statistical methods that may be used for this purpose are currently not available.

Purpose To investigate the validity of standard group sequential methods when applied to cluster randomization trials having binary outcomes.

Methods The large sample distributions for each of five test statistics computed from sequentially accumulated data are derived. A simulation study is performed to evaluate the finite sample properties of these statistics when applied to the interim analysis of cluster randomization trials. Data from the World Health Organization antenatal care trial [1] are used to illustrate the methods.

Results Each of the joint distributions is shown to be characterized by a covariance structure that asymptotically satisfies an independent increments structure, a foundation that simplifies group sequential methods [2]. The simulation study reveals that four of the five test statistics evaluated provide satisfactory performance with as few as 10 clusters allocated to each of two interventions.

Limitations The applicability of our results to effect estimation following a group sequential cluster randomization trial is not investigated, although a theoretical foundation which may be used for this purpose is presented.

Conclusions Standard group sequential methods can be applied to cluster randomization trials when interim analyses are warranted.
Nonignorable censoring in randomized clinical trials
Authors: Zhang Jiameng , Heitjan Daniel F
Published: December 2005

Background In a clinical trial, survival may be censored by the end of the study, especially for subjects who enter later in the enrollment period. If there is a trend toward better survival over time then longer survivors experience shorter censoring times (heavier censoring). In such a case, the censoring and survival times are correlated, and thus the censoring is nonignorable in the sense that standard survival models that assume independent censoring could yield incorrect inferences. We will demonstrate a graphical method for analyzing sensitivity of estimates of survival model parameters to small departures from nonignorable censoring.

Methods We assume a parametric model of survival together with a scaled beta model for the censoring process that incorporates the dependence of censoring time on survival time. We assess sensitivity using an index of local sensitivity to nonignorability (Troxel et al. [1]). High sensitivity indicates a large impact of nonignorable censoring on the parameter of interest and a need for additional modeling.

Results A simulation study shows that the approach is valid for practical use. We apply our method to a clinical trial evaluating the survival benefit of a surgically implanted left ventricular assist device in subjects with end-stage heart failure. Sensitivity is somewhat larger in estimates of the mean survival in the device arm, where survival is better and the fraction censored is therefore larger. The degree of nonignorability required to substantially affect estimates is larger than seems plausible, however.

Conclusions Our results illustrate how one can apply sensitivity analysis to evaluate the reliability of survival parameter estimates in a clinical trial.
Search, Rescue, and Care of the Injured following the 2003 Bam, Iran, Earthquake
Authors: Movahedi Hassan
Published: December 2005

Relief efforts started soon after the earthquake, but organized search and rescue missions were absent during the first 24 hours after the disaster. Once on their way, these missions were paralyzed by the chaos that ruled the first few days of the event, the harsh terrain, and the cold weather. Rubble removal and rescue of the trapped became secondary to transfer of the injured to hospitals. Most of the injured people were originally taken to Kerman city for stabilization before they were flown to other cities in Iran for further medical care. The hospitals in Kerman city were greatly burdened by this task. However, they performed heroically given scarce resources and staff, especially during the initial days of the disaster. By the second week of the disaster, field hospitals were operational in Bam and were able to provide care for people, relieving the pressure on Kerman city.
Evaluation of Health System Responsiveness to the 2003 Bam, Iran, Earthquake
Authors: Akbari M. E. , Asadi Lari M. , Montazeri A. , Aflatunian M. R. , Farshad A. A.
Published: December 2005

The Bam earthquake on 26 December 2003 was one of the worst natural disasters in Iran in the last century. The Iranian health system responded immediately to the devastating earthquake in various ways including diagnosis and treatment management, providing environmental health services, setting up health facilities and field hospitals with international aid, providing health professionals and medical assistants, and establishing mental and family health services. Ten months after the disaster, temporary housing for survivors was almost completed; mental health, reproductive health, environmental and oral health services were established; offering services of quality comparable or better than what was provided prior to the earthquake. A disease notification system was established within the Primary Health Care network (PHC) to prevent contagious and non-communicable diseases. This paper evaluates the responsiveness of the health sector to the disaster and reviews the strategies employed by national disasters and health managers following the earthquake.
Seismological Aspects of the 2003 Bam, Iran, Earthquake and Its Aftershock Analysis
Authors: Allamehzadeh M. , Dezvareh M. , Farahbod A. M. , Hatzfeld D. , Mokhtari M. , Moradi A. S. , Mostafazadeh M. , Paul A. , Tatar M.
Published: December 2005

The source mechanism derived from the inversion of long-period body waves revealed that the earthquake occurred on a north-south trending strike-slip fault with a thrust component. According to the source model estimated in this study, the 2003 Bam, Iran, earthquake was a multiple event formed by two subevents. The rupture following subevent one started at a depth of about 8 km. However, the depth of subevent two is about 10 km. The total seismic moment estimated from inversion processes is 8.34×1018 Nm. The pulse duration of subevent one and subevent two was determined from source time function as 1.7 s and 0.8 s, respectively. Corner frequency and source radius have been calculated by using major pulse duration. The corner frequency and source radius are 0.187 Hz and 5.47 km, respectively. The aftershock events distributed along a 30 km north-south striking fault. The focal depths of aftershocks distribution show a nearly vertical alignment of aftershocks located between 6 and 20 km depth. The focal mechanism solutions of aftershocks indicate right-lateral strike-slip faulting on a north-south trending fault, parallel to the previously known Bam fault trace in the east of Bam.
Site Effects of the 2003 Bam, Iran, Earthquake
Authors: Jafari Mohammad Kazem , Ghayamghamian Mohammad Reza , Davoodi Mohammad , Kamalian Mohsen , Sohrabi-Bidar Abdollah
Published: December 2005

The site amplification characteristics of the 2003 Bam, Iran, earthquake were investigated based on geological studies as well as geophysical, microtremor and aftershock measurements conducted by IIEES in the study area. A site effect microzonation map was prepared classifying the ground conditions of the city into five distinct categories, based on their stiffness, thickness, and frequency characteristics. The highest percentage of damage was concentrated in sites with stiff shallow and medium depth soils, which possessed considerable amplification potentials in high frequency ranges.
Strong Ground-Motion Measurements during the 2003 Bam, Iran, Earthquake
Authors: Zaré Mehdi , Hamzehloo Hossein
Published: December 2005

The Bam earthquake of 26 December 2003 ( Mw 6.5) occurred at 01:56:56 (GMT, 05:26:56 local time) near the city of Bam in the southeast of Iran. Two strong phases of energy are seen on the accelerograms. The first comprises a starting subevent with right-lateral strike-slip mechanism located south of Bam. The mechanism of the second subevent was a reverse mechanism.
Streamlining Post-Earthquake Data Collection and Damage Assessment for the 2003 Bam, Iran, Earthquake using VIEWS™ (Visualizing Impacts of Earthquakes with Satellites)
Authors: Adams Beverley J. , Mansouri Babak , Huyck Charles K.
Published: December 2005

Advanced technologies, such as remote sensing, have considerable potential for increasing the effectiveness of post-disaster reconnaissance. In the aftermath of the Bam earthquake, the EERI field team deployed the VIEWS™ (Visualizing Impacts of Earthquakes With Satellites) reconnaissance system to support urban damage assessment activities. This paper introduces the VIEWS™ system and describes its inaugural implementation for earthquake response. For the Bam deployment, VIEWS™ integrated city-wide base layers of 60 cm color QuickBird satellite imagery collected “before” and “after” the event, with a real-time GPS (Global Positioning System) feed. The satellite imagery helped direct team members to the hardest hit areas, and real-time tracking supported efficient route planning, progress monitoring, and the capture of geo-referenced digital photographs. Through the VIEWS™ visualization mode, researchers are able to replay and analyze the datasets that were collected. The VIEWS™ system was developed by ImageCat, Inc. in collaboration with the Multidisciplinary Center for Earthquake Engineering Research (MCEER).
Object-Oriented Image Understanding and Post-Earthquake Damage Assessment for the 2003 Bam, Iran, Earthquake
Authors: Gusella Luca , Adams Beverley J. , Bitelli Gabriele , Huyck Charles K. , Mognol Alessandro
Published: December 2005

This paper presents a methodology for quantifying the number of buildings that collapsed following the Bam earthquake. The approach is object rather than pixel-oriented, commencing with the inventory of buildings as objects in high-resolution QuickBird satellite imagery captured before the event. The number of collapsed structures is computed based on the unique statistical characteristics of these objects/buildings within the “after” scene. A total of 18,872 structures were identified within Bam, of which the results suggest that 34% collapsed—a total of 6,473. Preliminary assessments indicate an overall accuracy for the damage classification of 70.5%.
Performance of Essential Buildings in the 2003 Bam, Iran, Earthquake
Authors: Eshghi Sassan , Naserasadi Kiarash
Published: December 2005

A devastating earthquake hit the city of Bam in the south of Iran at 5:26 a.m. local time, Friday, 26 December 2003. Based on the government of Iran's February estimate, the earthquake caused more than 43,000 deaths, 30,000 injuries, and left 70,000 homeless. It caused extensive damage to residential and commercial buildings and emergency response facilities. Essential buildings usually play a very important role in emergency response, but this was not the case in the Bam earthquake. Damage to the fire station, hospitals, and municipal and communications buildings caused serious problems in emergency response soon after the earthquake. This paper studies the performance of essential buildings during the Bam earthquake.
Performance of Industrial Facilities in the 2003 Bam, Iran, Earthquake
Authors: Eshghi Sassan , Razzaghi Mehran S.
Published: December 2005

Several industries suffered minor to heavy damage during the 26 December 2003 Bam earthquake. The damage sustained by electrical and mechanical equipment, special structures (e.g. ongrade steel tanks), industrial buildings, and nonstructural and secondary components caused several industrial complexes to be put out of commission. Damage to industrial facilities not only caused direct losses, but several indirect economic and social impacts also occurred due to the work stoppage at industries.
Behavior of Nonstructural Elements in the 2003 Bam, Iran, Earthquake
Authors: Hosseini Mahmood
Published: December 2005

Regarding the importance of nonstructural elements in the vulnerability of buildings and their seismic safety level, on one hand, and the extensive damage to some of these elements in the 26 December 2003 Bam earthquake, on the other, this paper reviews the particular features of nonstructural elements in Iranian buildings and then presents the results of a thorough survey of their behavior and the damage they sustained in the city of Bam. Finally, based on the results of this survey, some recommendations are made that will be useful for modification of the “Guidelines for the Seismic Retrofit of Existing Buildings,” which is the only official reference on this topic used currently in Iran.
Performance of Building Roofs in the 2003 Bam, Iran, Earthquake
Authors: Maheri Mahmoud R.
Published: December 2005

Roofs covering buildings in the city of Bam, Iran prior to the earthquake of 26 December 2003 can be categorized into three main groups: traditional masonry dome or vault, steel I-beam jack-arch system, and concrete beam-hollow block system. The collapse of nonengineered masonry roofs and floor slabs during the earthquake was the single largest contributor to the large number of fatalities. This paper discusses the seismic performance of each type of roofing and their strengths and weaknesses. The poor seismic performance of traditional domes and vault roofs and unanchored jack-arch slabs are noted and the seismic merits of the anchored jack-arch slabs and concrete beam-hollow block slabs are discussed.
Performance of Adobe Residential Buildings in the 2003 Bam, Iran, Earthquake
Authors: Maheri Mahmoud R. , Naeim Farzad , Mehrain Michael
Published: December 2005

Adobe, in the form of sun-dried bricks and clay or lime/clay mortar, has traditionally been the primary construction material in Iran. Presently, this type of construction still constitutes a notable portion of the buildings in the urban areas and a majority of the buildings in the rural areas. Performance of traditional adobe construction during numerous Iranian earthquakes has generally been poor. Low material strength, poor workmanship, lack of proper connections between building elements, and the excessive weight of the building because of thick walls and massive roofs, are but a few of the shortcomings that contributed to the general weakness of these buildings under earthquake loads. This paper examines the performance of adobe residential buildings during the Bam, Iran earthquake. The current rehabilitation trends for this type of construction in Iran are also discussed.
Ground-Based Damage Statistics of Buildings that Survived the 2003 Bam, Iran, Earthquake
Authors: Moghadam A. S.
Published: December 2005

Damage statistics of more than 650 masonry, steel, and reinforced concrete buildings that survived the Bam earthquake are provided. Distribution and statistics of the buildings characteristics are also presented. The damage distributions are divided based on whether the survived buildings found to be safe, need retrofitting or demolition. The information helps providing some clarification about the reasons that some building survived the Bam earthquake but others did not.
Performance of Transportation Systems in the 2003 Bam, Iran, Earthquake
Authors: Eshghi Sassan , Ahari Masoud N.
Published: December 2005

An earthquake with a moment magnitude of 6.5 hit the city of Bam in southern Iran at 5:26 am local time, Friday, 26 December 2003. According to the Iranian government's estimate, the earthquake caused more than 43,000 deaths, 30,000 injuries, and left 70,000 people homeless. It caused extensive damage to residential and commercial buildings and emergency response facilities. In contrast to the human loss and suffering and extended building damage, lifeline systems, although damaged, performed much better. Transportation systems and facilities (roads, bridges, railways, and the airport), although slightly to moderately damaged, became generally operational shortly after the earthquake to support emergency response and recovery efforts. The main reason for the good seismic performance of the transportation facilities was that most of them were located outside the zone that was heavily damaged. Another reason was that they were newer facilities and in general, seismic engineering aspects considered in their design and construction were more exact than those in residential buildings in Iran.
Intermediate Shelters in Bam and Permanent Shelter Reconstruction in Villages following the 2003 Bam, Iran, Earthquake
Authors: Khazai Bijan , Hausler Elizabeth
Published: December 2005

The earthquake of 26 December 2003 destroyed about 85% of the housing stock and left up to 75,600 people in the city of Bam homeless. With the convergence of migrants from nearby villages, it is estimated that 155,000 people were in need of shelter in Bam and surrounding villages. A municipal governmental Master Plan for the reconstruction of Bam was completed in September 2004. Permanent housing construction in the city of Bam began in October 2004, and is scheduled to take three to five years. In the interim, intermediate shelter construction in Bam and reconstruction of permanent shelter in the surrounding villages is ongoing and work is being done to integrate relief operations into long-term recovery, rehabilitation, and reconstruction programs. At the time of the reconnaissance trip in late May 2004, 16,200 intermediate shelters were assembled in Bam, either on the sites of original dwellings or on campgrounds on the outskirts of the city, and over 2,500 permanent shelters were constructed in the surrounding villages.
Social and Public Policy Issues following the 2003 Bam, Iran, Earthquake
Authors: Tierney Kathleen , Khazai Bijan , Tobin L. Thomas , Krimgold Frederick
Published: December 2005

The Bam, Iran, earthquake on 26 December 2003 took the lives of 26,271 people and left more than 20,000 injured. About 85% of the houses, commercial units, health and educational facilities, and administrative buildings were either damaged or completely destroyed, affecting 92,000 people in the city and 48,000 people in the surrounding villages, and leaving 75,000 homeless. A reconnaissance trip to Iran and the earthquake-stricken area was carried out from 8–16 May 2004, and focused on societal impacts five months after the Bam event, early recovery activities, long-term recovery planning, and public policy aspects of earthquake loss reduction in Iran. At the time of the reconnaissance team's trip, the major challenges facing the reconstruction process were public participation, public education and hazard communication, and inter-agency and inter-jurisdictional transition and coordination issues.
Optimized Estimated Ground Truth for Object-Based Urban Damage Estimation Using Satellite Images from the 2003 Bam, Iran, Earthquake
Authors: Hutchinson Tara C. , Chen Zhi Qiang
Published: December 2005

Modern high-resolution satellite systems now provide users with optical or synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data with sub-meter accuracy, making it feasible to perform real-time damage estimation of individual infrastructure in a region devastated by an earthquake or other natural hazard. This paper presents a hierarchical framework for object-based segmentation using satellite images. Satellite images, pre-earthquake event, were obtained, and using a fine-level segmentation, an estimated ground truth (EGT) depicting the number and geometric boundaries of individual houses in an urban region was determined. To address the issue of optimal parameter settings in obtaining the EGT, a statistical approach based on receiver characteristic curve (ROC) analysis was implemented. Examples are illustrated for satellite images from the Bam, Iran, region. Damage maps based on different damage indices were generated with individual houses rendered with colors representing the severity of damage.
Damage Detection for 2003 Bam, Iran, Earthquake Using Terra-ASTER Satellite Imagery
Authors: Kohiyama Masayuki , Yamazaki Fumio
Published: December 2005

The damaged areas of the 2003 Bam, Iran, earthquake were detected using 15-meter-resolution satellite imagery acquired by Terra-ASTER. First, fluctuation of digital numbers was modeled as a normal random variable based on 17 pre-event images on a pixel-by-pixel basis. Then, the deviation value of each digital number in the post-event image was evaluated and converted into the confidence level, which indicates the possibility of an abnormal ground surface change. The detected damaged areas were verified with a high-resolution satellite image and it was observed that the areas with earthquake influence were mostly identified. However, the pixels with significant change were induced not only from heavily damaged buildings but also dusty roads, possibly due to demolition work. It was suggested that prior knowledge like a high-resolution pre-event image would assist the interpretation of the detected result.
Earthquake-Induced Change Detection in the 2003 Bam, Iran, Earthquake by Complex Analysis Using Envisat ASAR Data
Authors: Mansouri Babak , Shinozuka Masanobu , Huyck Charles , Houshmand Bijan
Published: December 2005

The recently deployed Envisat satellite collected before- and after-event imagery on the Bam, Iran, earthquake that occurred on 26 December 2003. The majority of buildings in Bam were traditional one-story unreinforced adobe structures constructed of the indigenous land material of the region. As a result, the corresponding SAR imagery for Bam reflects less material dependence on object detection. For this study, two sets of before and after SAR data are used from the ASAR sensor onboard of the Envisat platform. The backscattering, complex coherence, self-power and cross-power values are computed for each respective co-registered data pairs. The change detection scheme evaluates these results using orbital information to assess the levels of change in different city zones. Such damage maps can potentially serve in disaster response/management and also in estimating economic losses (Eguchi et. al. 2000). Damage maps from field observations are used to validate these findings.
Building Damage Mapping of the 2003 Bam, Iran, Earthquake Using Envisat/ASAR Intensity Imagery
Authors: Matsuoka Masashi , Yamazaki Fumio
Published: December 2005

A strong earthquake occurred beneath the city of Bam, Iran, on 26 December 2003. High-resolution optical satellite images, such as Ikonos and QuickBird, obtained after the earthquake indicate that severely damaged areas were widely distributed in the city. A European radar satellite, Envisat, also captured the hard-hit areas on 07 January 2004. This paper introduces an automated damage detection technique that was developed based on the data set of the 1995 Kobe, Japan, earthquake and applied to Envisat/ASAR images of Bam. A detailed investigation of the characteristics of the areas damaged due to the Bam earthquake in terms of the differences in the backscattering coefficient and the correlation coefficient of the pre- and post-event Envisat/ASAR images was conducted in order to raise the precision of damage detection. Finally, the damage-mapping scheme was revised to present the distribution of damaged areas in Bam.
Damage Patterns from Satellite Images of the 2003 Bam, Iran, Earthquake
Authors: Rathje Ellen M. , Crawford Melba , Woo Kyuseok , Neuenschwander Amy
Published: December 2005

High-resolution (0.6m) commercial satellite images contain a wealth of information for mapping earthquake damage. Satellite images of the city of Bam, acquired on 30 September 2003 (pre-earthquake) and 03 January 2004 (post-earthquake), were obtained and used to distinguish damage patterns across the city. Comparisons between pre- and post-earthquake images clearly show structural damage and collapse. Using spectral (color) and textural information from the post-earthquake image, regions of damage were identified using a semi-automated computer-based algorithm. This analysis indicates that the damage within the city of Bam was concentrated in the eastern sections of the city. The extent of damage in some sections of the city reached 100%. The results from this study not only provide information regarding damage patterns for the city of Bam, but they also illustrate the potential for using satellite images to understand and document earthquake effects during future earthquakes.
Visual Damage Assessment using High-Resolution Satellite Images following the 2003 Bam, Iran, Earthquake
Authors: Saito Keiko , Spence Robin , de C Foley Terence A.
Published: December 2005

Visual interpretation of the building damage distribution in Bam, Iran, caused by the earthquake on 26 December 2003 has been carried out using pre- and post-earthquake QuickBird panchromatic high-resolution satellite images to produce a damage map. Two experienced interpreters carried out the assessments, and their results were compared to analyze the reasons for discrepancies likely to occur from interpretations by different interpreters. The first damage interpretation was carried out on the post-earthquake image, whereas the second interpretation compared the pre- and post-earthquake images. The analysis revealed that when using only the post-earthquake image, interpreters tend to underestimate the levels of damage, since both interpreters assigned higher damage levels when the pre- and post-earthquake image were compared than when only using the post-earthquake image. The absolute difference in the damage levels the two interpreters assigned in the post-only assessment and pre-and post-event comparison assessment remained the same.
Detection and Animation of Damage using very High-Resolution Satellite Data following the 2003 Bam, Iran, Earthquake
Authors: Vu Tuong Thuy , Matsuoka Masashi , Yamazaki Fumio
Published: December 2005

The focus of this study was to thoroughly exploit the capability of very high-resolution (VHR) satellite imagery such as Ikonos and QuickBird for disaster mitigation. An efficient automated methodology that detects damage was implemented to derive the rich information available from VHR satellite imagery. Consequently, the detected results and the VHR satellite imagery are attractively presented through a fly-over animation and visualization. The aim is to assist the field-based damage estimation and to strengthen public awareness. The available Ikonos and QuickBird data captured after the Bam, Iran, earthquake in December 2003 was employed to demonstrate the competence of the automated detection algorithm and fly-over animation/visualization. These results are consistent with the field-based damage results.
Visual Damage Interpretation of Buildings in Bam City using QuickBird Images following the 2003 Bam, Iran, Earthquake
Authors: Yamazaki Fumio , Yano Yoshihisa , Matsuoka Masashi
Published: December 2005

A strong earthquake struck the city of Bam in southeast Iran on 26 December 2003. The earthquake brought massive destruction to the city and its surrounding rural areas. QuickBird, a high-resolution satellite, captured a clear image of Bam on 03 January 2004, eight days after the event. The city was also observed by QuickBird on 30 September 2003, about three months before the event. In this paper, using the pre-event image, the location of individual buildings was registered on GIS and the city blocks surrounded by major roads were assigned. Then, the visual damage interpretation based on the European Macroseismic Scale (EMS-98) was carried out building by building, comparing the pre-event and post-event images. The result of the damage inspection was compared with field survey data, and the accuracy and usefulness of the high-resolution satellite images in damage detection was demonstrated.
History, Geography, and Economy of Bam
Authors: Ghafory-Ashtiany Mohsen , Mousavi Radineh
Published: December 2005

This paper provides a brief overview of the history and geography of Bam. It also contains an overview of the economy of the Bam region before and after the 26 December 2003 earthquake. Facts regarding the population distribution and health status of this population before and after the earthquake are also presented.
Impact of the 2003 Bam, Iran, Earthquake on the Personnel and Functioning of Local Government Organizations
Authors: Parsizadeh Farokh , Izadkhah Yasamin O.
Published: December 2005

This paper provides a general overview of the impact of the 26 December 2003 Bam, Iran, earthquake on the functioning of the local government and its services. Almost all Bam's municipal offices, hospitals, and schools were seriously damaged or destroyed during the earthquake, and the impact on the personnel and the functioning of local government agencies in the city of Bam and the surrounding area was very serious.
The 2003 Bam, Iran, Earthquake: An Interpretation of the Strong Motion Records
Authors: Shoja-Taheri Jafar , Naserieh Saeid , Ghafoorian-Nasab Amir H.
Published: December 2005

On 26 December 2003, a destructive earthquake occurred in southeastern Iran, demolishing the city of Bam and vicinity. The highest intensity of shaking (VIII–IX) was observed in the city of Bam. The source of this shock was reported to have had a right-lateral strike-slip mechanism initiated in a blind fault in the north-south direction. A regional network consisting of 23 strong motion stations (SSA-2 Accelerograph), located within 1–290 km from the epicenter, registered the earthquake. The compact and pulse-shape arrivals of strong signals recorded at the Bam station strongly suggest that the rupture was initiated south of the city and propagated toward Bam. Based on the relative arrival times of the rupture front and the arrivals of P and S waves at this station, the velocity of rupture was estimated as 2.5±0.2 km/sec. Comparisons made between the attenuation curves constructed for this earthquake and those of the regional curves show that the effects of directivity caused significant deviations at near distances from the fault. This strong motion data yields estimates of source parameter values of 8.3×025 (dyne-cm), 7.5 km, and 90 bars, respectively, for seismic moment, source radius, and stress drop.
Towards Rapid Citywide Damage Mapping Using Neighborhood Edge Dissimilarities in Very High-Resolution Optical Satellite Imagery—Application to the 2003 Bam, Iran, Earthquake
Authors: Huyck Charles K. , Adams Beverley J. , Cho Sungbin , Chung Hung-Chi , Eguchi Ronald T.
Published: December 2005

Remote sensing technology is increasingly recognized as a valuable post-earthquake damage assessment tool. Recent studies performed by research teams in the United States, Japan, and Europe have demonstrated that building damage sustained in urban environments can be identified through analysis of optical imagery and synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data. Damage detection using automated change detection algorithms will soon facilitate the scaling and prioritization of relief efforts, as well as the monitoring of the recovery operations. This paper introduces the use of an edge dissimilarity algorithm to quantify the extent of building damage.
Arg-e-Bam (Bam Citadel) and Its History
Authors: Ziyaeifar Mansour , Meshki Hossein , Morovat Mohammed Ali
Published: December 2005

Arg-e-Bam (Bam Citadel) was a large urban complex of ancient earthen architecture in an arid environment. This complex was renowned for its majestic size and its peculiar impression on the visitors at first sight. The Arg-e-Bam was built on approximately 20 hectares of land over a period of 1,800 years; it was abandoned 180 years ago. The Arg was a gallery of different ancient architectural elements in its original urban concept of a city in the pre-medieval era. The whole area was constructed entirely of earthen material and was heavily damaged by the 2003 Bam earthquake. The level of destruction is about 70% on major parts of this huge monument.
Surface Deformation and the Fault Responsible for the 2003 Bam, Iran, Earthquake
Authors: Hessami Khaled , Tabassi Hadi , Okumura Koji , Abbassi Mohammad R. , Azuma Takashi
Published: December 2005

The Bam fault zone is a major active fault zone in southeastern Iran. Geomorphic evidence indicates that it has been responsible for repeated faulting events since the late Pleistocene. The 26 December 2003 Bam earthquake was associated with a 14 km fresh surface rupture trending north-south along the preexisting Bam fault zone. However, an en echelon rupture pattern trending N 15° E developed in the surface of alluvial deposits 5 km west of the Bam fault, in an area where no fault trace is visible in the geomorphology. The slip along the surface ruptures ranged between 0.5 and 20 cm. Rather than being a direct manifestation of the earthquake fault that does not surface, the fresh surface ruptures associated with the Bam earthquake are secondary structures such as synthetic (Reidel) shears and mole tracks, which indicate right-lateral motion along the Bam fault zone. This is compatible with both the focal mechanism solutions of the earthquake and fault displacements during the late Pleistocene. Fresh surface structures indicate areas of dispersed strain not recognized on SAR interferometry.
Use of Remote Sensing Technologies for Building Damage Assessment after the 2003 Bam, Iran, Earthquake—Preface to Remote Sensing Papers
Authors: Eguchi Ronald T. , Mansouri Babak
Published: December 2005

This preface introduces a series of papers that describe the use of remote sensing technologies in quantifying the extent of building damage after the 2003 Bam, Iran, earthquake. These papers represent a significant milestone in post-earthquake loss estimation. For the first time, independent evaluations of regional damage are documented, which will ultimately allow an assessment of the efficacy of these technologies as tools for post-earthquake damage detection and quantification. Not only were different sensors used, but radically different approaches were implemented in quantifying damage. The conclusions and recommendations of the different papers are generally consistent and strongly suggest that regional damage assessment using remotely sensed data is highly feasible. The papers, however, acknowledge that more research is needed before these technologies can be used to make critical emergency response decisions. Finally, the role of the Earthquake Engineering Research Institute through its Learning From Earthquakes Program is acknowledged, largely for helping to promote the use of remote sensing technologies in earthquake studies and for recognizing the value of collaboration through its newly formed Subcommittee on Remote Sensing.
Performance of the Earthen Arg-e-Bam (Bam Citadel) during the 2003 Bam, Iran, Earthquake
Authors: Langenbach Randolph
Published: December 2005

The Arg-e-Bam (Bam Citadel; in Farsi, arg means citadel) is a remarkable example of the earthen architecture and construction that was heavily damaged in the 2003 Bam, Iran, earthquake, which occurred on 26 December 2003. This paper presents the hypothesis that the collapse of the walls was caused largely by a combination of the effects of (1) the additive changes made to the walls, particularly in recent restorations, which resulted in variations in the density and response to vibrations of different layers of unfired earth construction in the walls, and (2) extensive damage from termites and loss of the cohesion of the clay from degradation and excessive drying out, all of which interacted with the earthquake vibrations of unusually high-frequency in such a way that many walls effectively burst from the loss of cohesion and subsidence of their clay internal cores. Concern is raised about the possibility of similar risks to other earthen monumental structures in future earthquakes.
Damage Assessment of the 2003 Bam, Iran, Earthquake Using Ikonos Imagery
Authors: Chiroiu Lucian
Published: December 2005

Photo-interpretation analysis could be a reliable technique for earthquake damage assessment, depending on the objectives and the image resolution. The very high-resolution data, such as 1 m imagery supplied by the Ikonos satellite, enable interpretation of the damage and could offer a first estimation of the event consequences. In this research, damaged zones in Bam, Iran, were detected and mapped using visual analysis of multispectral 1 m Ikonos imagery. In a second step, a simple procedure to obtain a preliminary estimation of casualties based on GIS mapping and casualty ratio, was applied to the image. The loss estimation was next compared with the official statistics.
Preface to the Special Issue on the 2003 Bam, Iran, Earthquake
Authors: Naeim Farzad
Published: December 2005

This special issue of Earthquake Spectra on the 2003 Bam, Iran, earthquake required the collaboration, under adverse conditions, of engineers and scientists from many countries. The authors had to deal with three distinct and contradictory interpretations of U.S. law governing the collaboration of scientists from Iran and United States. As many facts, numbers, and theories regarding this earthquake are still being debated, the technical editors decided to let the authors express their own versions. This special issue, besides covering traditional subjects such as geology, seismology, strong motion measurements, performance of buildings and lifelines, and societal impacts, contains a section devoted to the utilization of remote sensing.
Geotechnical Performance of Qanats during the 2003 Bam, Iran, Earthquake
Authors: Pellet Frederic , Hosseini Kambod Amini , Jafari Mohammad Kazem , Zerfa Fatma Zohra , Mahdavifar Mohammad Reza , Bakhshayesh Mohammad Keshavarz
Published: December 2005

The Bam, Iran, earthquake caused ground failure in several locations in and around Bam and Baravat, including collapse of existing qanats (traditional underground irrigation tunnels), local soil block falls, and landslides. However, no evidence of liquefaction was observed in the area. Ground failures were located and characterized during the site investigations carried out a few days after the earthquake. In addition, aerial photos taken two days after the event were evaluated and digitized in GIS. Based on these studies, land subsidence due to collapse of qanats, local toppling, and sliding of soil blocks were mapped. Instabilities of qanats were evaluated using 2-D and 3-D models, and the results were compared with existing conditions. Good agreement was observed between the results of the numerical modeling and condition of the qanats.
The 2003 Bam Urban Earthquake: A Predictable Seismotectonic Pattern along the Western Margin of the Rigid Lut Block, Southeast Iran
Authors: Berberian Manuel
Published: December 2005

“…King Ardeshir Babakan Sassanid [r. AD 224-241], by conquering Kerman and Bam, killed the ‘Kerm-e-Haftvad’ [the Haftvad Silk Worm] at the Bam Citadel. The gigantic worm burst with a big bang noise, which rocked the area, completely destroyed the Bam Citadel, and killed most of the inhabitants of the Citadel. King Ardeshir put an end to the rule of governor Haftvad, built the new village of Kolalan/Kojaran [Kurzan; the old Deh Shotor quarter in west Bam], and brought the ‘seven sacred fires of Bahram’ to the new village…”

[Book of Deeds of Ardashir Pabagan 1878 (English Tr., original version ca. AD 272); Tabari 915; Ferdowsi Tusi 1010; & Mostaufi Qazvini 1340. The entire episode rests on the rationalization of historical events of unknown nature, and perhaps the legendary element could be a possible, mixed metaphoric reference to a ‘destructive earthquake’ or even a ‘conquering battle’ against the ancient city of Bam and its Parthian governor, Haftvad!]

The impact of the Bam urban earthquake of 26 December 2003 ( Mw 6.6) was far more devastating than that which would be expected from a moderate-magnitude earthquake. The event followed a predictable geological/seismological pattern of a specially clustered sequence of medium- to large- magnitude earthquakes on tectonically related active faults in a region with historic slip deficits along the western margin of the rigid Lut block. The earthquake was accompanied by the coseismic rupture of sub-parallel strike-slip faults in a zone revealing a pattern of temporal clustering of seismicity, loading of adjacent faults, and a southwards progressing trend of earthquakes from the Kuh Banan to the Gowk and the Bam fault systems. As with the Agadir, Morocco, earthquake of 1960, and the great Tangshan, China, earthquake of 1976, the Bam urban earthquake painfully demonstrated the growing vulnerability of a city built on or adjacent to a seismic fault, unprepared to be tested by the severe ground motion triggered by a medium magnitude earthquake. The absence of historical seismic records regarding the occurrence of earthquakes in the region or the lengthy time spans between such disasters has been erroneously interpreted as a lack of any potential threat for the last 2,500 years in the city of Bam.
Morphogenics as a Tool for Target Discovery and Drug Development
Authors: NICOLAIDES NICHOLAS C. , EBEL WOLFGANG , KLINE BRAD , CHAO QIMIN , ROUTHIER ERIC , SASS PHILIP M. , GRASSO LUIGI
Published: December 2005

Abstract: Mutations in DNA mismatch repair (MMR) genes lead to genetically hypermutable cells. Germline mutations in MMR genes in man have been linked to the genetic predisposition to hereditary nonpolyposis colon cancer and a number of other inherited and sporadic malignancies. The ability to modulate the MMR process (referred to as morphogenics) in model systems offers a powerful tool for generating functional diversity in cells and multicellular organisms via the perpetual genomewide accumulation of randomized point and slippage mutation(s). Morphogenics is a platform process that employs a dominant negative MMR gene to create genetic diversity within defined cellular systems and results in a wide range of phenotypes, thus enabling the development and improvement of pharmaceutical products and the discovery of new pharmaceutical targets. Libraries of morphogenics‐derived siblings are generated through random mutagenesis from naturally occurring DNA polymerase‐induced mutations that occur during DNA replication. Morphogenic cells are screened in high‐throughput assays to identify subclones with desired phenotypes for pathway discovery and/or product development. Morphogenics has been successfully applied to a wide range of hosts, including mammalian cells, transgenic mice, plants, yeast, and bacteria. Manipulation of these systems via morphogenics has led to the discovery of novel disease‐associated phenotypes in targeted model systems. Moreover, morphogenics has been successfully applied to antibody‐producing cell lines to yield subclones producing antibodies with enhanced binding affinities for therapeutic use, as well as to derive subclones with enhanced titers that are suitable for scaleable manufacturing. The selective manipulation of the MMR process via morphogenics is a platform technology that offers many advantages for the discovery of druggable targets, as well as for the development of novel pharmaceutical products.