bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The role of dialogue in reflecting and constituting International Relations: the causes and consequences of a deficient European-Israeli dialogue
Authors: HARPAZ GUY
Published: October 2010

The rich literature on the problematic aspects of EU-Israel relations focuses on historical, structural, politico-economic, legal, institutional, geo-political and strategic causes. An attempt will be made in this article to contribute to the existing scholarship by focusing on a novel angle, namely the negative role of the lack of adequate and informed European-Israeli dialogue in constituting European-Israeli relations. Against the backdrop of the theoretical analysis of the role of dialogue in International Relations, this article examines the lack of adequate European-Israeli dialogue, analysing its causes and the negative role that it plays in constituting European-Israeli relations. The article demonstrates that such lack of dialogue is caused not only by mutual ignorance, prejudice, misinformation, mistrust and antagonism, but also causes these same factors to characterise European-Israeli relations.
‘I'm sorry for apologising’: Czech and German apologies and their perlocutionary effects
Authors: RENNER JUDITH
Published: October 2010

This article inquires into the effects of public apologies. It argues that the focus of most scholars of public diplomacy or conflict resolution on the conflict solving capacity of public apologies is limited and prevents an open and responsive analysis of empirical apology processes. Drawing on speech act theory as developed by John L. Austin and some of his critics it suggests that existing apology theory should broaden its perspective and also take the perlocutionary, that is, the unintended social effects of public apologies into account. The article illustrates its theoretical argument with the example of the Czech-German apology process. The apologies issued between these countries since 1989 suggest that the conflict solving performance of the apologies was exceeded by the unintended social consequences in both, the apologising country as well as the country receiving the apology.
Acting out and working through: trauma and (in)security
Authors: SCHICK KATE
Published: October 2010

Trauma, the silenced aftermath of violence, has been largely neglected by international security studies, which perceives trauma as having little relevance to global politics. However, this article contends that trauma profoundly influences global security. Unless traumatic events are worked through, they can heighten insecurity not only in the immediate aftermath of violence but decades and even generations later. The article is divided into three parts. The first section examines trauma in general terms, noting its individual, social and political dimensions. The second section examinesacting outin response to trauma, with a particular focus on the meaning-making narratives adopted in order to make sense of traumatic experiences: the heroic soldier, good and evil, and redemptive violence. These narratives serve to secure the state by shutting down questioning and showing strength and decisiveness in the wake of traumatic shocks. Section three examines the notion ofworking throughtrauma. Working through involves a process of mourning, in which past atrocities are acknowledged, reflected on, and more fully understood in all their historically situated complexity. It is a deeplypoliticalprocess that struggles to understand and challenge those structures and practices that facilitate traumatic loss.
Identifying economic evaluations for health technology assessment
Authors: Glanville Julie , Paisley Suzy
Published: October 2010

Objectives and Methods: Health technology assessment (HTA) often requires the identification and review of economic evaluations and models. This study surveys the available specific and general resources to search to identify economic evaluations. It also provides information on efficient searching of those resources and comments on the current evidence-base.

Results: Published checklists recommend searching for economic evaluations in specific information resources which collect economic evaluations such as NHS EED and HEED, followed by top-up searches of large biomedical bibliographic databases (such as MEDLINE and EMBASE). Other resources such as the HTA and DARE databases can yield reports of economic evaluations. Searches within NHS EED and HEED can be made more efficient by using database-specific search options. Searches within large biomedical databases such as MEDLINE and EMBASE require the use of economic search terms called search filters. Search filters are highly sensitive, retrieving most economic evaluations, but suffer from low precision returning many irrelevant records which need to be assessed.

Conclusions: It is relatively easy to identify rapidly a high proportion of economic evaluations but more research is required to improve the efficiency of this process. There are key high yield resources to search but more evidence is required on their overlap and unique contribution to searches. The value of other resources, particularly those providing access to gray literature, should be explored. Research into efficient retrieval requires clear definitions of economic evaluations to allow comparison across studies.
Diffusion of innovations in health care: Does the structural context determine its direction?
Authors: Lambooij Mattijs S. , Engelfriet Peter , Westert Gert P.
Published: October 2010

Objectives: The aim of this study was to present and illustrate an instrument to measure the level of innovation at country level.

Methods: The data used are the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) health data 2009, in particular the information on use of medical technology. Two composite scales expressing a relative level of adoption of innovations in health care are regressed, using multilevel regression analysis, on country characteristics. The country characteristics are selected as proxies on availability or scarcity of resources in a country. We expect that scarcity will promote adoption of innovations that enhance efficiency, and that availability of resources will promote advanced, expensive innovations.

Results: Two scales were constructed. One scale indicates the use of efficiency-enhancing innovations (day case treatment), and the other scale indicates availability of advanced technical innovations. The application of day case treatment is significantly associated with education level (+), the ratio of people aged 15–64 versus younger and older people (+) and the number of hospital beds (−). Availability of advanced medical devices are associated with the expenditure on health (+), demographic dependency (−), number of hospital beds (+), and the annual reduction of hospital beds (−).

Conclusions: Diffusion of innovations is influenced by characteristics of the country and of the healthcare system; fewer resources encourage diffusion of innovations that enhance efficiency and more resources encourage diffusion of complex, expensive devices. This indicates that decisions by healthcare professionals on which innovation to adopt is embedded in a context that is influenced and shaped by the availability of resources on macro level.
Supporting tough decisions in Norway: A healthcare system approach
Authors: Mørland Berit , Ringard Ånen , Røttingen John-Arne
Published: October 2010

Objectives: We describe, in general, the principles used in priority setting and, in particular, policy processes and decision making in Norway.

Methods: A newly established council for setting priorities in health care is presented to illustrate how health technology assessments (HTAs) can support national advisors in complex priority-setting processes.

Results and Conclusions: Setting priorities in health care is a complex task. Careful thinking is, therefore, required in determining the components of a system for priority-setting. Based on recent Norwegian experiences, we believe that the following generic parts may provide some of the solution: a common set of values; an organizational structure made up of key stakeholders; supporting mechanisms in the form of HTA organizations and documented best evidence; and loyalty to decisions by stakeholders responsible for implementing national policies.
Reporting and presenting information retrieval processes: the need for optimizing common practice in health technology assessment
Authors: Niederstadt Christina , Droste Sigrid
Published: October 2010

Background: Information retrieval (IR) in health technology assessment (HTA) calls for transparency and reproducibility, but common practice in the documentation and presentation of this process is inadequate in fulfilling this demand.

Objectives: Our objective is to promote good IR practice by presenting the conceptualization of retrieval and transcription readable to non-information specialists, and reporting of effectively processed search strategies.

Methods: We performed a comprehensive database search (04/2010) to synthesize the current state-of-the-art. We then developed graphical and tabular presentation methods and tested their feasibility on existing research questions and defined recommendations.

Results: No generally accepted standard of reporting of IR in HTA exists. We, therefore, developed templates for presenting the retrieval conceptualization, database selection, and additional hand-searching as well as for presenting search histories of complex and lengthy search strategies. No single template fits all conceptualizations, but some can be applied to most processes. Database interface providers report queries as entered, not as they are actually processed. In PubMed®, the huge difference between entered and processed query is shown in “Details.” Quality control and evaluation of search strategies using a validated tool such as the PRESS checklist is suboptimal when only entry-query based search histories are applied.

Conclusions: Moving toward an internationally accepted IR reporting standard calls for advances in common reporting practices. Comprehensive, process-based reporting and presentation would make IR more understandable to others than information specialists and facilitate quality control.
HTA principles need rigorous review
Authors: Gibson J. Mark , Little Alison
Published: October 2010

In the article “Are key principles for improved health technology assessment supported and used by health technology assessment organizations?” by Neumann et al. (3), the authors set out to evaluate the quality of processes used by health technology assessment (HTA) programs based on a set of principles they published in this journal previously (2). We believe that portions of the current article, as they relate to our own organization, are misleading or inaccurate, and welcome this opportunity to correct the inaccuracies.
Paroxysmal complete atrioventricular block in a patient with pulmonary atresia and intact ventricular septum
Authors: Patel Akash R. , Goldberg David , Shah Maully
Published: October 2010

Sudden death in pulmonary atresia and intact ventricular septum with right ventricular dependent coronary circulation is a well-established complication, and is thought to be caused by myocardial ischaemia. We report a case of paroxysmal complete atrioventricular block that raises the possibility of an additional mechanism of sudden death.
Social dimensions related to anaemia among women of childbearing age from rural India
Authors: Rao Shobha , Joshi Smita , Bhide Pradnya , Puranik Bhairavi , Kanade Asawari
Published: October 2010

Objective

To examine various sociodemographic aspects related to consumption of micronutrient-rich foods like green leafy vegetables (GLV), which will be helpful in modifying dietary habits, a strategy that merits consideration for prevention of anaemia.

Design

Cross-sectional study for collecting data on socio-economic and anthropometric (weight, height) variables, Hb, dietary pattern (FFQ) and peripheral smear examination for classifying nutritional and iron-deficiency anaemia (IDA).

Setting

Three villages near Pune city, Maharashtra, India.

Subjects

Rural women (n 418) of childbearing age (15–35 years).

Results

Mean Hb was 11·07 g/dl. Seventy-seven per cent of the women were anaemic (Hb < 12 g/dl) and 28 % had IDA, indicating that a large proportion of the women had nutritional anaemia. Higher prevalence of IDA was associated with several sociodemographic and maternal parameters, but multiple logistic regression analysis showed significant (P < 0·05) risk of IDA with lower body weight (<40 kg), short maternal height (<145 cm), younger age at marriage (<19 years) and higher parity (≥2). Various socio-cultural reasons associated with low consumption of GLV included non-cultivation of GLV, priority for selling them rather than home consumption, dislike of GLV by husband and children, and lack of awareness about different recipes for GLV.

Conclusions

Our findings highlight that low consumption of GLV, which are treasures of micronutrients including Fe, is associated with genuine social reasons. This indicates a need for developing action programmes to improve nutritional knowledge and awareness leading to enhanced consumption of Fe-rich foods for preventing anaemia in rural India.
ON THE BINARY DIGITS OF ALGEBRAIC NUMBERS
Authors: KANEKO HAJIME
Published: October 2010

Borel conjectured that all algebraic irrational numbers are normal in base 2. However, very little is known about this problem. We improve the lower bounds for the number of digit changes in the binary expansions of algebraic irrational numbers.
Synaptic plasticity and Ca2+ signalling in astrocytes
Authors: Henneberger Christian , Rusakov Dmitri A.
Published: October 2010

There is a growing body of evidence suggesting a functional relationship between Ca2+ signals generated in astroglia and the functioning of nearby excitatory synapses. Interference with endogenous Ca2+ homeostasis inside individual astrocytes has been shown to affect synaptic transmission and its use-dependent changes. However, establishing the causal link between source-specific, physiologically relevant intracellular Ca2+ signals, the astrocytic release machinery and the consequent effects on synaptic transmission has proved difficult. Improved methods of Ca2+ monitoring in situ will be essential for resolving the ambiguity in understanding the underlying Ca2+ signalling cascades.
Recent acceleration of the sea surface fCO2 growth rate in the North Atlantic subpolar gyre (1993–2008) revealed by winter observations
Authors: Metzl Nicolas , Corbière Antoine , Reverdin Gilles , Lenton Andrew , Takahashi Taro , Olsen Are , Johannessen Truls , Pierrot Denis , Wanninkhof Rik , Ólafsdóttir Solveig R. , Olafsson Jon , Ramonet Michel
Published: October 2010

Recent studies based on ocean and atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) observations, suggesting that the ocean carbon uptake has been reduced, may help explain the increase in the fraction of anthropogenic CO2 emissions that remain in the atmosphere. Is it a response to climate change or a signal of ocean natural variability or both? Regional process analyses are needed to follow the ocean carbon uptake and to enable better attributions of the observed changes. Here, we describe the evolution of the surface ocean CO2 fugacity (fCO2oc) over the period 1993–2008 in the North Atlantic subpolar gyre (NASPG). This analysis is based primarily on observations of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) and total alkalinity (TA) conducted at different seasons in the NASPG between Iceland and Canada. The fCO2oc trends based on DIC and TA data are also compared with direct fCO2 measurements obtained between 2003 and 2007 in the same region. During winters 1993–2003, the fCO2oc growth rate was 3.7 (±0.6) μatm yr−1, higher than in the atmosphere, 1.8 (±0.1) μatm yr−1. This translates to a reduction of the ocean carbon uptake primarily explained by sea surface warming, up to 0.24 (±0.04) °C yr−1. This warming is a consequence of advection of warm water northward from the North Atlantic into the Irminger basin, which occurred as the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) index moved into a negative phase in winter 1995/1996. In winter 2001–2008, the fCO2oc rise was particularly fast, between 5.8 (±1.1) and 7.2 (±1.3) μatm yr−1 depending on the region, more than twice the atmospheric growth rate of 2.1 (±0.2) μatm yr−1, and in the winter of 2007–2008 the area was supersaturated with CO2. As opposed to the 1990s, this appears to be almost entirely due to changes in seawater carbonate chemistry, the combination of increasing DIC and decreasing of TA. The rapid fCO2oc increase was not only driven by regional uptake of anthropogenic CO2 but was also likely controlled by a recent increase in convective processes‐vertical mixing in the NASPG and cannot be directly associated with NAO variability. The fCO2oc increase observed in 2001–2008 leads to a significant drop in pH of −0.069 (±0.007) decade−1.
Time of flight analysis of pulsating aurora electrons, considering wave‐particle interactions with propagating whistler mode waves
Authors: Miyoshi Yoshizumi , Katoh Yuto , Nishiyama Takanori , Sakanoi Takeshi , Asamura Kazushi , Hirahara Masafumi
Published: October 2010

We propose a model for the energy dispersion of electron precipitation associated with pulsating auroras, considering the wave‐particle interactions with propagating whistler mode waves from the equator. Since the resonant energy depends on the magnetic latitude, the pitch angle scattering of different energy electrons can occur continuously along the field line. Considering the energy‐dependent path length and the precipitation start time of the precipitating electrons, the transit time of whistler mode waves, and the frequency drift, we calculated the precipitation of electrons observed at the topside ionosphere. Note that higher energy electrons precipitate into the ionosphere of the opposite hemisphere earlier than lower energy electrons. As a result, an energy dispersion of precipitating electrons is observed at the topside ionosphere, even though the modulation of low energy electrons occurs prior to that of high energy electrons. Using the model, we conducted a time‐of‐flight (TOF) analysis of precipitating electrons observed by the REIMEI satellite, assuming an interaction with the whistler mode chorus rising tone. Our TOF analysis suggests that the modulation region of the pitch angle scattering is near the magnetic equator, whereas previous models expected that the modulation region is far from the magnetic equator. The estimated parameters, such as wave‐frequency and latitudinal distribution of the modulation region, are consistent with previous statistical studies of whistler waves at the magnetosphere.
Observations and simulations of a highly structured plasma sheet during northward IMF
Authors: Ashour‐Abdalla Maha , Bosqued Jean Michel , El‐Alaoui Mostafa , Peroomian Vahe , Walker Raymond
Published: October 2010

We investigated a highly structured plasma sheet populated by counterstreaming beams observed by the Cluster and Double Star spacecraft on October 10, 2005, during an extended interval of northward interplanetary magnetic field (IMF). We used Wind spacecraft observations as input into our global magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulation of the event, and launched ions from the low‐latitude boundary layer, determined to be the source of the observed ions, in our large‐scale kinetic (LSK) particle tracing calculation that used the time‐dependent global fields from the MHD simulation. We found that a highly structured plasma sheet was formed in which the dawn and dusk halves were temporarily decoupled because of the presence of flux ropes in the center of the tail, possibly the result of localized near‐Earth reconnection. Our LSK simulation results showed good agreement with observed spectrograms and velocity distribution functions. On the dawn side, the ions launched in our simulation first formed a plasma sheet boundary layer (PSBL). Subsequent interactions of these ions with the current sheet scattered them and formed the central plasma sheet (CPS). On the dusk side, however, the topology of the magnetotail, including the formation of highly stretched field lines in the dusk flank and of a flux rope on open field lines in the center of the tail resulted in a structured plasma sheet, with counterstreaming beams present throughout the plasma sheet, including its center portion. This is very different from the classical picture of the PSBL in which layered counterstreaming beams exist only at the outer edges of the plasma sheet and do not penetrate the CPS.
Modeling ice shelf water overflow and bottom water formation in the southern Weddell Sea
Authors: Matsumura Yoshimasa , Hasumi Hiroyasu
Published: October 2010

Descent of Ice Shelf Water (ISW) overflowed from the Filchner Depression in the southern Weddell Sea and consequent Weddell Sea Bottom Water (WSBW) production is investigated through high resolution numerical experiments. The model reproduces the part of ISW which interacts with the submarine ridge near 36°W. The baroclinic instability wave developed near the exit of the Filchner Depression leads to intermittent outflow of ISW, and the intermittent passage of ISW‐origin dense water induces 6‐day period oscillation of velocity at the east side of the ridge which coincides well with mooring data. The existence of the ridge induces two different mechanisms for cross‐isobath transport of the ISW‐origin dense water: a strong downslope current at the east side of the ridge and offshore transport by eddies, which are generated when a gravity current makes a detour around the tip of the ridge, over a wide region to the west of the ridge. In a sensitivity experiment where thermobaricity is removed from the equation of state, there is almost no transport of the ISW‐origin water below 3000 m depth. WSBW production rate as a result of descent of the ISW‐origin dense water in the model domain is about ∼0.15 Sv.
Contribution of coherent vortices such as Langmuir cells to wind‐driven surface layer mixing
Authors: Flór J. B. , Hopfinger E. J. , Guyez E.
Published: October 2010

The wind blowing over the water surface causes, even for low wind speeds, Langmuir circulation in addition to shear‐generated turbulence. Both of these mechanisms mix the upper layer of oceans and lakes, but since the mixing efficiency of Langmuir cells is unknown, their relevance to mixed layer deepening is still an open question. In order to estimate the contribution to mixing by Langmuir vortex cells relative to shear‐induced mixing, we employ results on entrainment rate obtained from laboratory experiments with turbulent Taylor vortex cells. These are coherent horizontal vortices analogous to Langmuir cells. To relate the two, we define a surface friction velocity u* that would be necessary to drive cells of strength equivalent to the Taylor vortices. It is then shown that up to a friction Richardson number of Ri* ≈ 50, layer deepening is predominantly caused by shear‐generated turbulence, whereas for Ri* > 50, the contribution by turbulent coherent vortices (Langmuir cells) dominates the mixing process. For Richardson numbers Ri* > 120, the entrainment rate decreases, but there is no criterion for the arrest of mixing by turbulent Langmuir cells as was previously suggested. The present results confirm observations that shear‐generated turbulence dominates during initial layer deepening under relatively weak buoyancy effects and that subsequently Langmuir cell mixing dominates the mixed layer deepening. The entrainment rates obtained from laboratory experiments are discussed and predict values for the mixed layer deepening that are in good agreement with in situ observations.
Sea ice motion from low‐resolution satellite sensors: An alternative method and its validation in the Arctic
Authors: Lavergne T. , Eastwood S. , Teffah Z. , Schyberg H. , Breivik L.‐A.
Published: October 2010

The retrieval of sea ice motion with the Maximum Cross‐Correlation (MCC) method from low‐resolution (10–15 km) spaceborne imaging sensors is challenged by a dominating quantization noise as the time span of displacement vectors is shortened. To allow investigating shorter displacements from these instruments, we introduce an alternative sea ice motion tracking algorithm that builds on the MCC method but relies on a continuous optimization step for computing the motion vector. The prime effect of this method is to effectively dampen the quantization noise, an artifact of the MCC. It allows for retrieving spatially smooth 48 h sea ice motion vector fields in the Arctic. Strategies to detect and correct erroneous vectors as well as to optimally merge several polarization channels of a given instrument are also described. A test processing chain is implemented and run with several active and passive microwave imagers (Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer‐EOS (AMSR‐E), Special Sensor Microwave Imager, and Advanced Scatterometer) during three Arctic autumn, winter, and spring seasons. Ice motion vectors are collocated to and compared with GPS positions of in situ drifters. Error statistics are shown to be ranging from 2.5 to 4.5 km (standard deviation for components of the vectors) depending on the sensor, without significant bias. We discuss the relative contribution of measurement and representativeness errors by analyzing monthly validation statistics. The 37 GHz channels of the AMSR‐E instrument allow for the best validation statistics. The operational low‐resolution sea ice drift product of the EUMETSAT OSI SAF (European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites Ocean and Sea Ice Satellite Application Facility) is based on the algorithms presented in this paper.
Does climate change create distinctive patterns of landscape incision?
Authors: Wobus Cameron W. , Tucker Gregory E. , Anderson Robert S.
Published: October 2010

Incised fluvial systems are typically interpreted as recording geologically recent changes in either climate or tectonics. However, few diagnostic tools exist to evaluate whether particular incised landscapes primarily reflect climatic or tectonic perturbation. Here we summarize the results of a simple fluvial sediment transport model that allows us to contrast patterns of fluvial incision driven by changes in hydrology and sediment flux (“climate”) with those driven by changes in rock uplift patterns relative to sea level (“tectonics”). Our modeling suggests that there may be diagnostic differences between the spatial and temporal patterns of incision caused by these different processes. In particular, incision driven by climate change is most commonly accompanied by downstream migrating waves of incision and decreases in channel gradient, while under most circumstances incision driven by tectonics will be accompanied by upstream migrating incision and increases in channel gradient. We apply our modeling to a case study of the North American High Plains, where regionally elevated surfaces east of the Rockies have been incised up to 500 m by the fluvial systems draining the core of the range. Although this incision has been interpreted as reflecting a tectonic rejuvenation of the High Plains, our analysis suggests that climate change is at least as plausible an explanation to explain the incision of this landscape. Diagnostic differences between the climate and tectonic end‐member scenarios might be obtained via detailed study of the spatial and temporal patterns of terrace abandonment, providing a potentially fruitful target for field investigation.
Microscopy study of biologically mediated alteration of natural mid‐oceanic ridge basalts and magnetic implications
Authors: Carlut Julie , Benzerara Karim , Horen Hélène , Menguy Nicolas , Janots Dominique , Findling Nathaniel , Addad Amhed , Machouk Imène
Published: October 2010

Microbial communities have been shown over the last few years to be a significant component of the subseafloor crustal environment. However, their role in the low‐temperature alteration of seafloor basalts remains an open question. Among the diversity of microorganisms that can contribute to oceanic rock weathering, sulfate‐reducing bacteria have been suggested, based on sulfur isotope studies, to be major actors. Previous laboratory experiments conducted on basalt samples from the Juan de Fuca Ridge incubated with model sulfate‐reducing bacteria for several months showed that bacterial activity can play a role in the decrease of seafloor magnetic signal. In this paper, we characterized alteration features at the nanoscale in one of these basalt samples in order to better understand the mechanisms of the magnetic signal decrease. For that purpose, we used a combination of focused ion beam milling, transmission electron microscopy and scanning transmission X‐ray microscopy. Fossilized microbial cells and phyllosilicates were evidenced at the surface of the sample. Within the sample, alteration rims mostly composed of Fe and S and measuring 100–300 nm in thickness were observed around titanomagnetites crystals that bear most of the magnetic signal. In contrast, these features were not observed on noninoculated control samples. This study offers a detailed view of the specific mineral assemblages formed in the presence of model sulfate‐reducing bacteria that can be looked for in the oceanic crust. These observations contribute to understand the potential role of microbes in the alteration of the oceanic crust.
Experimental estimation of the GPR groundwave sampling depth
Authors: Grote Katherine , Crist Taylor , Nickel Crystal
Published: October 2010

Monitoring near‐surface soil water content is essential for efficient water management and for understanding hydrologic processes in soils. Ground‐penetrating radar (GPR) groundwaves are an approach that can be used to monitor the near‐surface soil water content, but the efficacy of this technique is currently limited by the uncertainty surrounding the groundwave sampling depth. This research experimentally determines the sampling depth of GPR groundwaves under dry and saturated conditions in a sandy soil. Data were acquired using 250, 500, and 1000 MHz antennas within an experimental tank containing soil layers of contrasting electromagnetic velocities. Results show that the groundwave sampling depth is a function of frequency in both dry and saturated soils, and sampling depth is inversely related to frequency. A comparison of data acquired under dry and saturated conditions indicates that the groundwave sampling depth is slightly less in saturated soil than in dry soil, but the dependence of sampling depth on soil water content may be less than has been predicted using numerical modeling. The minimum sampling depth observed in this experiment was 12 cm for the 1000 MHz antennas in saturated sand, and the maximum sampling depth was 30 cm for the 250 MHz antennas in dry sand.
Changing spring air‐temperature gradients along large northern rivers: Implications for severity of river‐ice floods
Authors: Prowse Terry , Shrestha Rajesh , Bonsal Barrie , Dibike Yonas
Published: October 2010

Concern exists about future changes to air‐temperature gradients along large “northward”‐flowing Arctic rivers having the potential to affect the timing and severity of spring river‐ice breakup, and associated flooding events. To evaluate the significance of this concern, an analysis was conducted of temporal and spatial changes to the spring 0°C air‐temperature isotherm (I0°C), which is also known to be a good index for the timing of spring melt/breakup conditions. Changes in I0°C were analyzed for the downstream 2000‐km main‐stem reaches of four large Arctic rivers: the Lena, Mackenzie, Ob and Yenisey. Current climatic conditions (1979–2008) were compared to those of two future climatic periods (2041–2070 and 2071–2100) projected by an ensemble of four Global Climate Models. Future projections show I0°C chronology patterns along the rivers that closely parallel current conditions, but with earlier dates varying from an ensemble mean of 7.5 (13.6) to 16.5 (25.5) days for the 2050s (2080s). Results also reveal a progressive downstream increase in warming under future climates. At the time when headwater temperatures reach 0°C, river mouth to headwater temperature differences for the four rivers decrease by an average of 0.8°C (2.4°C) to 2.1°C (3.7°C) for the 2050s (2080s). The implications of such decreases on the severity of spring ice‐jam floods are discussed.
A superposed epoch analysis of auroral evolution during substorms: Local time of onset region
Authors: Milan S. E. , Grocott A. , Hubert B.
Published: October 2010

Previous workers have shown that the magnetic local time (MLT) of substorm onset depends on the prevailing east‐west component of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF). To investigate the influence of the onset MLT on the subsequent auroral response we perform a superposed epoch analysis of the auroral evolution during approximately 2000 substorms using observations from the FUV instrument on the Imager for Magnetopause‐to‐Aurora Global Exploration (IMAGE) spacecraft. We subdivide the substorms by onset latitude and onset local time before determining average auroral images before and after substorm onset, for both electron and proton aurorae. We find that during the growth phase there is preexisting auroral emission in the MLT sector of the subsequent onset. After onset the auroral bulge expands eastward and westward, but remains centered on the onset sector. Approximately 30 min after onset, during the substorm recovery phase, the peaks in electron and proton auroral emission move into the postnoon and prenoon sectors, respectively, reflecting the “average” auroral precipitation patterns determined by previous studies. Superposed epoch analysis of the interplanetary magnetic field for the substorms under study suggests that the BY component of the IMF must be biased toward positive or negative values for up to a day prior to onset for the onset MLT to be influenced.
Seasonal ice and hydrologic controls on dissolved organic carbon and nitrogen concentrations in a boreal‐rich fen
Authors: Kane Evan S. , Turetsky Merritt R. , Harden Jennifer W. , McGuire A. David , Waddington James M.
Published: October 2010

Boreal wetland carbon cycling is vulnerable to climate change in part because hydrology and the extent of frozen ground have strong influences on plant and microbial functions. We examined the response of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and total dissolved nitrogen (TDN) across an experimental manipulation of water table position (both raised and lowered water table treatments) in a boreal‐rich fen in interior Alaska. DOC and TDN responses to water table manipulation exhibited an interaction with seasonal ice dynamics. We observed consistently higher DOC and TDN concentrations in the lowered water table treatment (71.7 ± 6.5 and 3.0 ± 0.3 mg−L) than in both the control (55.6 ± 5.1 and 2.3 ± 0.2 mg−L) and raised (49.1 ± 4.3 and 1.9 ± 0.1 mg L−1, respectively) water table treatments. Across all plots, pore water DOC concentrations at 20 cm increased as the depth to water table increased (R2 = 0.43, p < 0.001). DOC concentrations also increased as the seasonal thaw depth increased, with solutes increasing most rapidly in the drained plot (R2 = 0.62, p < 0.001). About half of the TDN pool was composed of dissolved organic N (DON). Inorganic N and DON were both highly correlated with changes in DOC, and their respective constraints to mineralization are discussed. These results demonstrate that a declining water table position and dryer conditions affect thaw depth and peat temperatures, and interactions among these ecosystem properties will likely increase DOC and TDN loading and potential for export in these systems.
Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha and Fas Receptor Contribute to Cognitive Deficits Independent of Cell Death after Concussive Traumatic Brain Injury in Mice
Authors: Khuman Jugta , Meehan William P , Zhu Xiaoxia , Qiu Jianhua , Hoffmann Ulrike , Zhang Jimmy , Giovannone Eric , Lo Eng H , Whalen Michael J
Published: October 2010

Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) and Fas receptor contribute to cell death and cognitive dysfunction after focal traumatic brain injury (TBI). We examined the role of TNFα/Fas in postinjury functional outcome independent of cell death in a novel closed head injury (CHI) model produced with weight drop and free rotational head movement in the anterior–posterior plane. The CHI produced no cerebral edema or blood–brain barrier damage at 24 to 48 hours, no detectable cell death, occasional axonal injury (24 hours), and no brain atrophy or hippocampal cell loss (day 60). Microglia and astrocytes were activated (48 to 72 hours). Tumor necrosis factor-α mRNA, Fas mRNA, and TNFα protein were increased in the brain at 3 to 6 hours after injury ( P < 0.001 versus sham injured). In wild-type (WT) mice, CHI produced hidden platform ( P = 0.009) and probe deficits ( P = 0.001) in the Morris water maze versus sham. Surprisingly, injured TNFα/Fas knockout (KO) mice performed worse in hidden platform trials ( P = 0.036) but better in probe trials than did WT mice ( P = 0.0001). Administration of recombinant TNFα to injured TNFα/Fas KO mice reduced probe trial performance to that of WT. Thus, TNFα/Fas influence cognitive deficits independent of cell death after CHI. Therapies targeting TNFα/Fas together may be inappropriate for patients with concussive TBI.
Striatal and Cortical BOLD, Blood Flow, Blood Volume, Oxygen Consumption, and Glucose Consumption Changes in Noxious Forepaw Electrical Stimulation
Authors: Shih Yen-Yu I , Wey Hsiao-Ying , De La Garza Bryan H , Duong Timothy Q
Published: October 2010

Recent reports showed noxious forepaw stimulation in rats evoked an unexpected sustained decrease in cerebral blood volume (CBV) in the bilateral striatum, whereas increases in spike activity and Fos-immunoreactive cells were observed. This study aimed to further evaluate the hemodynamic and metabolic needs in this model and the sources of negative functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) signals by measuring blood oxygenation-level-dependent (BOLD), cerebral-blood-flow (CBF), CBV, and oxygen-consumption (i.e., cerebral metabolic rate of oxygen (CMRO2)) changes using an 11.7-T MRI scanner, and glucose-consumption (i.e., cerebral metabolic rate of glucose (CMRglc)) changes using micro-positron emission tomography. In the contralateral somatosensory cortex, BOLD, CBF, CBV, CMRO2 ( n=7, P<0.05), and CMRglc ( n=5, P<0.05) increased. In contrast, in the bilateral striatum, BOLD, CBF, and CBV decreased ( P<0.05), CMRO2 decreased slightly, although not significantly from baseline, and CMRglc was not statistically significant from baseline ( P>0.05). These multimodal functional imaging findings corroborate the unexpected negative hemodynamic changes in the striatum during noxious forepaw stimulation, and support the hypothesis that striatal hemodynamic response is dominated by neurotransmitter-mediated vasoconstriction, overriding the stimulus-evoked fMRI signal increases commonly accompany elevated neuronal activity. Multimodal functional imaging approach offers a means to probe the unique attributes of the striatum, providing novel insights into the neurovascular coupling in the striatum. These findings may have strong implications in fMRI studies of pain.
Volunteers: use or abuse?*
Authors: DATE CAROLYN
Published: October 2010

Two‐thirds of library authorities in the UK use volunteers in some way in the provision of housebound reader services. The use of volunteers raises a number of questions for professional staff. Drawing on the views and experiences of volunteers in the Dorset County Library service this paper discusses the kinds of problems which can arise and the ways in which the interests of staff, volunteers and users can be protected. Issues considered include what support is necessary for all involved, and how staff and volunteers should be trained to ensure that service standards can be maintained or improved.
The therapeutic partnership: legal and ethical aspects of consumer health information
Authors: GANN ROBERT
Published: October 2010

Patients' rights to information in the UK are based on a mixture of statute (including legislation on access to medical records) and case law (principally revolving around the issue of informed consent). These rights are set out in the Patient's Charter, which is itself a mixture of rights based on legislation and those enforced by management practice. Failure to provide adequate information to a patient could expose a medical practitioner to action for negligence or battery. Negligent information‐giving could also expose consumer health information services to damages, for which the best defence is a high standard of professional competence and adequate professional indemnity insurance. Sharing information about the risks and benefits of treatment to enable truly informed decision making and consent by the patient is a key element of an ethical relationship between care giver and consumer—the therapeutic partnership.
Evidence Of Spinal Cord Atrophy In Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy
Authors: Eaton Sem , Harris Nd , Greenwood P , Wilkinson I , Rajbhandari Sm , Ward Jd , Griffiths Pd , Tesfaye S.
Published: October 2010

Diabetic neuropathy (DN) has hitherto been considered to be a disease of the peripheral nerve, involvement of the spinal cord having been largely overlooked. We have assessed the spinal cord in DN using magnetic resonance imaging. T2‐weighted axial images were taken at three anatomical levels (C4/5, T3/4 and T9/10) in 19 subjects with DN (9 with chronic pain and 10 without), 10 subjects with diabetes and no neuropathy and 10 normal healthy controls. Cord cross‐sectional area was significantly lower in DN compared to controls at both C4/5 (86.9 vs 99.9 mm2, p < 0.01) and T3/4 (51.9 vs 57.3 mm2, p < 0.05). No significant differences were seen at T9/10 or between the painful and painless neuropathy subgroups. Spinal cord atrophy (defined as area less than 2SD below the mean of controls) was found in 9/19 (47%) of neuropathic subjects indicating significant, and potentially irreversible, disease in these subjects. This is the first time spinal cord atrophy has been demonstrated in diabetic peripheral neuropathy. These results may have implications to both the pathogenesis and treatment of this condition.
Delayed Immediate Early Gene Responses Precede Delayed Initiation Of Regeneration In Diabetic Nerve
Authors: Sima Aaf , Jiang H , Xu G.
Published: October 2010

Nerve fiber regeneration is impaired in diabetic nerve and contributes to the relentless nerve fiber loss characterizing this disorder. Immediate early gene responses constitute the initial response to nerve injury and include upregulation of NGF and IGF‐1 primarily by Schwann cells. These responses are believed to initiate macrophage recruitment necessary for initiation of axonal regeneration. We examined NGF, IGF‐1 and CNTF mRNA in sciatic nerve at 10 timepoints (0.5hr to 24d) following sciatic nerve crush in diabetic BB/W‐rats. The peak of the immediate upregulation of IGF‐1 and NGF occurred at 0.5 and 6 hrs respectively in control nerves and was delayed to 24 hrs and 2d for IGF‐1 and NGF respectively in diabetic nerve. Also the expression of NGF p75 receptor was significantly attenuated in diabetic nerve. CNTF mRNA showed an immediate downregulation following nerve crush with no significant differences between control and diabetic rats. These findings suggest that attenuations of the immediate gene responses of para‐ and autocrine IGF‐1 and NGF in diabetic nerve may be responsible for the earlier reported defect in macrophage recruitment and delayed initiation of nerve fiber regeneration.
Relationship Between Aldose Reductase And Oxidative Stress In Diabetic Peripheral Nerve
Authors: Obrosova Ig , Stevens Mj , Fathallah L
Published: October 2010

The relationship between aldose reductase (AR) activity and oxidative stress in tissue sites for diabetic complications remains controversial. We evaluated the ARI sorbinil and three antioxidants, i.e. DL‐α‐lipoic acid (LA), taurine (T) and vitamin E (VE), on indices of oxidative stress and sorbitol pathway intermediates in diabetic peripheral nerve. The groups included control (C) and streptozotocin‐diabetic (D) rats treated with/without: 1.ARI (65 mg/kg, for 2 wks after 4 wks of untreated diabetes); 2.T (1% of the diet); 3.VE (1% of the diet); or 4.LA(100 mg/kg i.p.). T, VE and LA were administered for 6 wks from induction of diabetes. Malondialdehyde plus 4‐hydroxyalkenal levels were increased in D vs C (p < 0.01) and this increase was corrected in D+ARI (p < 0.01 vs D). GSH and ascorbate levels as well as superoxide dismutase activity were decreased in D vs C, and this decrease was completely (GSH) or partially corrected by ARI. Three antioxidants counteracted oxidative stress, but not accumulation of the sorbitol pathway intermediates in the diabetic nerve. In conclusion, increased AR activity contributes to rather than protects from oxidative stress in the diabetic nerve. Oxidative stress is not a cause of sorbitol pathway intermediate accumulation in experimental diabetic neuropathy.
A Sonic Hedgehog (SH) Fusion Protein Corrects Multifocal Defects In Experimental Diabetic Neuropathy
Authors: Tomlinson Dr , J‐D Delcroix , Taylor F , Strauch K , Engber T , Galdes A.
Published: October 2010

Diabetic neuropathy develops from defective interactions between nerve axons and other cells in the endoneurium; such interactions are influenced in development by hedgehog proteins. This study explored the possibility that this might be maintained in the adult and form a basis for therapy in diabetic neuropathies. Streptozotocin‐diabetic rats were treated (final 5 weeks of 10 weeks diabetes) with a SH‐IgG fusion protein (either 0.3mg/kg or 3.0mg/kg s.c. 3 times per week); control diabetic and non‐diabetic rats received vehicle. Conduction velocity (MNCV, SNCV) data and sciatic nerve levels of nerve growth factor (NGF) and neuropeptide Y (NPY) are presented below.

Diabetes caused significant (p < 0.05 by ANOVA with SNK tests) reductions in all variables and treatment with SH‐IgG either attenuated or prevented (p < 0.05) these reductions. Since it is well‐established that the conduction deficits are unrelated to neurotrophic deficits (NGF depletion) and that NPY depletion derives from a neurotrophic defect distinct from NGF, this treatment clearly acts at multiple components of the aetiology of diabetic neuropathy.