bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Called by God but Ordained by Men: The Work and Ministry of Reverend Florence Spetume Njangali in the Church of the Province of Uganda
Authors: Byaruhanga Christopher
Published: April 2009

The controversy over the ordination of women as priests in the Church of the Province of Uganda has been going on for a long time. Today, there are a few women priests in a good number of dioceses in the Church of the Province of Uganda. But this revolution against the conservative order of male domination has not come without a price. Women who feel called by God to the ministry in the Church of the Province of Uganda are usually discriminated against even when they eventually become ordained. One wonders whether women are called by God but ordained by men. This article looks at the work and ministry of one of those women who opened the door to the ordination of women in the Church of the Province of Uganda. In her response to the challenges of the time, Njangali not only refused the old definitions of women’s involvement in church ministry but also guided the whole church to rethink and renew its leadership policy.
A Walk on the Wild Side: Church and Identity beyond Humanism
Authors: Shakespeare Steven
Published: April 2009

Western culture romanticizes wildness even as it fears the destruction of our humanity by all that is bestial, savage and unconstrained. Identity is constructed as a supposedly pure, bounded and sovereign force, constantly fascinated and repelled by its animal others.

The consequences of the church’s investment in this modern humanism are disparate, but united by a strange colonial logic, according to which the savage and the unnatural must be domesticated and incorporated into an empire of light. In the labelling of non-heterosexuals as ‘inhuman’ or ‘bestial’, complex links between the rhetoric of empire and resistance to that rhetoric are exposed. Appeals to African authenticity and liberal universalism are contextualized in postcolonial debates about securing human identity, debates in which the human/animal boundary becomes a key site of struggle.

This paper asks what the church looks like if our obsession with a pure identity of the (Western or African) human is challenged in the context of debates about sexuality within the Anglican Communion. It is argued that the dynamic of Christian revelation works to throw such categories into confusion, to release liberating encounters with the ‘inhuman’ others within and beyond our invented boundaries. An inherently plural, multilingual and differentiated process of Christian community is proposed.
The Ugandan Diaspora in Britain and Their Quest for Cultural Expression within the Church of England
Authors: Kasibante Amos
Published: April 2009

The article examines the Anglican identity of two Ugandan immigrant communities in Britain and the congregations they have formed in order to foster their social, culture, and spiritual well-being. The two communities are the Acholi, who hail from the northern part of Uganda, and the Baganda from the central region. The former have formed the Acholi London Christian Fellowship while the latter have formed two distinct, yet similar, congregations in two separate London parishes. These are Okusinza mu Luganda (Worship in Luganda) and Ekkanisa y’Oluganda (the Luganda Church). The second is an offshoot of the first one. This article illustrates that religion and ethnicity are often inextricably intertwined, and that for the immigrants, Anglicanism does not merely displace or replace their native culture, but gives it a new sense of direction as they also shape it in the light of their aspirations. In this sense, we can speak of religious ethnicity, which refers to cases where an ethnic group is linked to a religious tradition shared by other ethnic groups.
Kunsttherapie und Menschenbildforschung
Authors: Reiter Alfons
Published: April 2009

Zusammenfassung. Wir brauchen Menschenbilder. Besonders die Wissenschaften, die sich mit dem eigentlichen Humanum beschäftigen. Was den Menschen in seiner Besonderheit ausmacht, dieses Wissen trägt er in sich. Unser Bewusstsein verfügt die Kapazität, zu diesem inneren Wissen Zugang zu bekommen. Dazu sind Transformationsschritte notwendig. Introspektive Zugänge wie Träume, Imagination und die künstlerische Intuition schöpfen aus transformierten Bewusstseinsebenen. In der Kunsttherapie wird mit den integrativen Kräften unserer Kreativität gearbeitet. Was in uns werden will, dem wird Entwicklungsraum gegeben. Erkenntnistheoretisch ist dieser Zugang für die Menschenbildforschung noch nicht genützt.
Einstellungen von Studierenden der Heilpädagogik und Sozialarbeit zu Stellenwert und Wirksamkeit von Kunst- und Verhaltenstherapie bei unterschiedlichen Formen von Verhaltensstörungen
Authors: Baumgardt Kristin , Mand Johannes , Ostermann Thomas
Published: April 2009

Zusammenfassung. An der Evangelische Fachhochschule Rheinland-Westfalen-Lippe (EFH-RWL) in Bochum wurden 288 Studenten der Fachbereiche soziale Arbeit und Heilpädagogik im Dezember 2005 zu ihrer Einstellung gegenüber der Wirksamkeit von Verhaltenstherapie und Kunsttherapie befragt. Insgesamt wurde Kunsttherapie als sinnvoller eingeschätzt, vor allem bei internalisierenden Verhaltensstörungen und bei früher Traumatisierung. Hingegen wurde Verhaltenstherapie für effektiver gehalten bei externalisierenden Verhaltensstörungen. Deutlich wurde, dass die Einstellungen geschlechtsabhängig waren: Frauen bevorzugten eher Kunsttherapie, Männer eher Verhaltenstherapie. Ebenso stellten sich als wichtige Einflussfaktoren die theoretische Beschäftigung mit Verhaltenstherapie und das Kennen einer Person im Freundes- und Bekanntenkreis die psychotherapeutische Hilfe in Form von Verhaltenstherapie oder einem humanistischen Therapieansatz in Anspruch genommen hat, als bedeutsam heraus.
Atem – Körper + Stimme
Authors: Amberg Schneeweis Susanne
Published: April 2009

Zusammenfassung. Über das Erspüren der Einheit psychischer und physischer Komponenten zur Selbstfindung. Durch Bewusstwerdung der Zentrierung zur Selbsterkenntnis. Durch individuelle Atemfindung Aus – Ein zur Selbstbeherrschung. Durch Stimmsuche, sprechend, rufend, singend zum Selbstbewusstsein. – Die EP+-Echopunktmethode vermag auf einfache, zutiefst rituelle Art diese vier Kriterien Selbstfindung, Selbsterkenntnis, Selbstbehauptung, Selbstbewusstsein zu erfüllen. Meine Echopunktmethode vermag den Menschen zu helfen, sich selbst auf natürlichem Weg zu befreien, um wieder zu sich selbst zu kommen – auf allen benötigten Ebenen.
Using Signal Detection Theory Indexes for the Experimental Manipulation of Emotional States
Authors: Marques-Teixeira João , Barbosa Fernando , Almeida Pedro R.
Published: April 2009

Classic studies regarding emotional processing, either in normal subjects or in pathological groups, rely on the basic assumption of a linear correspondence between stimuli input and perceived emotional information. This neglects the evidence that different experimental groups may perceive the same stimuli features differently. Thus, when emotional input is to act as an independent variable, it becomes fundamental to assure equivalent emotional loading in all groups under comparison, even if using different stimuli. This is not a commonly used procedure when studying emotion or its influence on other cognitive processes. In order to address this issue, a signal detection theory based methodology is presented, which permits measuring sensitivity indices for emotional stimuli, while controlling participants’ subjective criteria. This proposal may represent a useful methodological approach for the study of several emotion-related problems and albeit applicable to any group of subjects.
Performance of Monte Carlo Permutation and Approximate Tests for Multivariate Means Comparisons With Small Sample Sizes When Parametric Assumptions are Violated
Authors: Finch W. Holmes , Davenport Teresa
Published: April 2009

Permutation testing has been suggested as an alternative to the standard F approximate tests used in multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA). These approximate tests, such as Wilks’ Lambda and Pillai’s Trace, have been shown to perform poorly when assumptions of normally distributed dependent variables and homogeneity of group covariance matrices were violated. Because Monte Carlo permutation tests do not rely on distributional assumptions, they may be expected to work better than their approximate cousins when the data do not conform to the assumptions described above. The current simulation study compared the performance of four standard MANOVA test statistics with their Monte Carlo permutation-based counterparts under a variety of conditions with small samples, including conditions when the assumptions were met and when they were not. Results suggest that for sample sizes of 50 subjects, power is very low for all the statistics. In addition, Type I error rates for both the approximate F and Monte Carlo tests were inflated under the condition of nonnormal data and unequal covariance matrices. In general, the performance of the Monte Carlo permutation tests was slightly better in terms of Type I error rates and power when both assumptions of normality and homogeneous covariance matrices were not met. It should be noted that these simulations were based upon the case with three groups only, and as such results presented in this study can only be generalized to similar situations.
Multispacecraft recovery of a magnetic cloud and its origin from magnetic reconnection on the Sun
Authors: Möstl C. , Farrugia C. J. , Miklenic C. , Temmer M. , Galvin A. B. , Luhmann J. G. , Kilpua E. K. J. , Leitner M. , Nieves‐Chinchilla T. , Veronig A. , Biernat H. K.
Published: April 2009

Multipoint spacecraft observations of a magnetic cloud on 22 May 2007 have given us the opportunity to apply a multispacecraft technique to infer the structure of this large‐scale magnetic flux rope in the solar wind. Combining WIND and STEREO‐B magnetic field and plasma measurements, we construct a combined magnetic field map by integrating the Grad‐Shafranov equation, this being one of the very first applications of this technique in the interplanetary context. From this we obtain robust results on the shape of the cross section, the orientation and magnetic fluxes of the cloud. The only slightly “flattened” shape is discussed with respect to its heliospheric environment and theoretical expectations. We also relate these results to observations of the solar source region and its associated two‐ribbon flare on 19 May 2007, using Hα images from the Kanzelhöhe observatory, SOHO/MDI magnetograms and SECCHI/EUVI 171 Å images. We find a close correspondence between the magnetic flux reconnected in the flare and the poloidal flux of the magnetic cloud. The axial flux of the cloud agrees with the prediction of a recent 3‐D finite sheared arcade model to within a factor of 2, which is evidence for formation of at least half of the magnetic flux of the ejected flux rope during the eruption. We outline the relevance of this result to models of coronal mass ejection initiation, and find that to explain the solar and interplanetary observations elements from sheared arcade as well as erupting‐flux‐rope models are needed.
Magnetotail total pressure and lobe magnetic field at onsets of sawtooth events and their relation to the solar wind
Authors: Huang Chao‐Song , Cai Xia
Published: April 2009

Sawtooth events in the Earth's magnetosphere are global, large‐amplitude oscillations of energetic plasma particle fluxes at geosynchronous orbit and represent periodic magnetospheric substorms with a typical period of ∼3 hours. Sawtooth events generally occur during magnetic storms, when the magnetosphere is continuously driven by southward interplanetary magnetic field and high‐speed solar wind stream. However, it has not been well understood how the magnetotail parameters (the total pressure, the lobe magnetic field, and the tail lobe total magnetic flux) at the onset of sawtooth events are related to the solar wind driver. In this study, we conduct a statistical analysis of the magnetotail parameters measured by the Geotail satellite during sawtooth events over 1998–2006. At the onset of sawtooth events (storm‐time substorms), the magnetotail total pressure and the lobe magnetic field increase with the solar wind pressure and merging electric field, and the total magnetic flux in the tail lobe increases with the merging electric field. Empirical formulas of the relationship of the magnetotail parameters at the sawtooth onset and the solar wind are derived for the first time. We have made a superposed epoch analysis. The magnetotail total pressure and lobe magnetic field take 52 min for gradual buildup and then 26 min for rapid increase before the sawtooth onset, and they decrease for 77 min after the onset. We have also compared our results with previous studies on quiet time tail behavior and isolated substorms. The magnetotail total pressure at the sawtooth onset is about three times that of the quiet time magnetotail, and the lobe magnetic field at the sawtooth onset is 8–10 nT higher than the quiet time value. The results imply that the sawtooth onset occurs when the magnetotail reaches a critical state and that the critical state depends on the solar wind parameters. Our findings provide new insights into the storm‐time magnetospheric dynamics and important guidance for model simulations.
Can compliant fault zones be used to measure absolute stresses in the upper crust?
Authors: Hearn E. H. , Fialko Y.
Published: April 2009

Geodetic and seismic observations reveal long‐lived zones with reduced elastic moduli along active crustal faults. These fault zones localize strain from nearby earthquakes, consistent with the response of a compliant, elastic layer. Fault zone trapped wave studies documented a small reduction in P and S wave velocities along the Johnson Valley Fault caused by the 1999 Hector Mine earthquake. This reduction presumably perturbed a permanent compliant structure associated with the fault. The inferred changes in the fault zone compliance may produce a measurable deformation in response to background (tectonic) stresses. This deformation should have the same sense as the background stress, rather than the coseismic stress change. Here we investigate how the observed deformation of compliant zones in the Mojave Desert can be used to constrain the fault zone structure and stresses in the upper crust. We find that gravitational contraction of the coseismically softened zones should cause centimeters of coseismic subsidence of both the compliant zones and the surrounding region, unless the compliant fault zones are shallow and narrow, or essentially incompressible. We prefer the latter interpretation because profiles of line of sight displacements across compliant zones cannot be fit by a narrow, shallow compliant zone. Strain of the Camp Rock and Pinto Mountain fault zones during the Hector Mine and Landers earthquakes suggests that background deviatoric stresses are broadly consistent with Mohr‐Coulomb theory in the Mojave upper crust (with μ ≥ 0.7). Large uncertainties in Mojave compliant zone properties and geometry preclude more precise estimates of crustal stresses in this region. With improved imaging of the geometry and elastic properties of compliant zones, and with precise measurements of their strain in response to future earthquakes, the modeling approach we describe here may eventually provide robust estimates of absolute crustal stress.
Wave‐mud interactions over the muddy Atchafalaya subaqueous clinoform, Louisiana, United States: Wave‐supported sediment transport
Authors: Jaramillo S. , Sheremet A. , Allison M. A. , Reed A. H. , Holland K. T.
Published: April 2009

Near‐bottom fluid‐mud layers were observed during two experiments conducted on the muddy Atchafalaya inner shelf (subaqueous clinoform), Louisiana, United States. On the face of the subaqueous delta (4–7 m water depth, first experiment) fluid‐mud layers are produced by seafloor liquefaction and resuspension forced by swells associated with cold front passages, and supported by near‐bed wave‐induced turbulence. The layers are episodic (lifetime of 9–12 h), form prior to significant postfrontal settling of sediment in the overlying water column, and flow seaward (downslope) at about 5 cm/s. Farther westward on the delta front (finer grain size, with negligible sand or coarse silt content, second experiment), similar wave‐supported fluid‐mud layers are observed to last longer (>2 days), show weaker alongshore (westward) flow of about 1–3 cm/s. The results suggest a sequence of near‐bed sediment transport processes, triggered by frontal swell activity (bed liquefaction, resuspension and advection, modulated by the bathymetric characteristics of the clinoform) that contribute to the formation of clinoform stratigraphy of muddy subaqueous deltas.
Analysis of terrestrial thermospheric N2c′41Σu+(0) ∼ b′ 1Σu+(1) − X1Σg+ dayglow emission observed by the Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer
Authors: Liu Xianming , Heays Alan N. , Shemansky Donald E. , Lewis Brenton R. , Feldman Paul D.
Published: April 2009

Terrestrial thermospheric dayglow emission from the coupled and overlapping c′41Σu+(0) and b′ 1Σu+(1) levels of molecular nitrogen, observed by the Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer, is analyzed with the aid of a coupled channels quantum mechanical model of N2 spectroscopy and predissociation dynamics. Model emission spectra for the mixed c′41Σu+(0) ∼ b′ 1Σu+(1) − X1Σg+(vi = 2, 6–9) transitions, calculated for the case of excitation by photoelectron impact, are in excellent agreement with the observations. While the principal excitation mechanism for N2 in the thermosphere is photoelectron impact, evidence is also found in other transitions of resonant fluorescence, induced by lines in the solar atomic hydrogen Lyman series, atomic oxygen transitions, and other N2 bands. The observed emission rate of the c′41Σu+(0) ∼ b′ 1Σu+(1) − X1Σg+(0) band is ∼1% of that inferred from the emission rates to X1Σg+(vi > 2) levels. A qualitative explanation is given for the drastically reduced intensity and band shape distortion observed in the c′41Σu+(0) − X1Σg+(0) emission band. Estimates of the total electron excitation rates for the nominal b′ 1Σu+(1) and c′41Σu+(0) levels are determined from the spectrum by extrapolating the model through regions containing unmeasured and/or resonantly absorbed bands.
Assimilation of SCIAMACHY total column CO observations: Global and regional analysis of data impact
Authors: Tangborn Andrew , Stajner Ivanka , Buchwitz Michael , Khlystova Iryna , Pawson Steven , Burrows John , Hudman Rynda , Nedelec Philippe
Published: April 2009

Carbon monoxide (CO) total column observations from the Scanning Imaging Absorption Spectrometer for Atmospheric Cartography (SCIAMACHY) on board Envisat‐1 are assimilated into the Global Modeling and Assimilation Office constituent assimilation system for the period 1 April to 20 December 2004. The impact of the assimilation on CO distribution is evaluated using independent surface flask observations from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)/ESRL global cooperative air sampling network and Measurement of Ozone and Water Vapor by Airbus In‐Service Aircraft (MOZAIC) in situ CO profiles. Assimilation of SCIAMACHY data improves agreement of CO assimilation with both of these data sets on both global and regional scales compared to the free‐running model. Regional comparisons with MOZAIC profiles made in western Europe, the northeastern United States, and the Arabian Peninsula show improvements at all three locations in the free troposphere and into the boundary layer over Arabia and the northeastern United States. Comparisons with NOAA Earth System Research Laboratory data improve at about two thirds of the surface observation sites. The systematic model errors related to the uncertainty of CO surface sources and the chemistry of CO losses are investigated through experiments with increased surface CO emissions over the Arabian Peninsula and/or globally reduced hydroxyl radical (OH) concentrations. Both model changes decrease mean CO errors at all altitudes in comparison to MOZAIC data over Dubai and Abu Dhabi. In contrast, errors in the assimilated CO are reduced by the increased emissions for pressures ≥800 hPa and by the reduced OH for pressures ≤600 hPa. Our analysis suggests that CO emissions over Dubai in 2004 are more than double those in the 1998 emissions inventory.
Effects of entrainment on convective available potential energy and closure assumptions in convection parameterization
Authors: Zhang Guang J.
Published: April 2009

This study investigates the effect of entrainment dilution on convective available potential energy (CAPE) and closure assumptions in convection parameterization using the sounding data from three Intensive Observation Periods (IOPs). It is shown that entrainment of the environmental air has a strong dilution effect on CAPE, and this effect depends on the degree of subsaturation of the entrained air: the drier the entrained air, the larger the effect. For CAPE‐based closure assumptions, the dilute CAPE has a moderate correlation with convective removal of CAPE. While better than for undiluted CAPE, which is virtually uncorrelated with convective CAPE removal, this correlation is not satisfactory enough for convection closure. For quasi‐equilibrium–based closures, while the free tropospheric quasi‐equilibrium assumption is a superior closure for convection when undiluted CAPE is used, both the Arakawa‐Schubert quasi‐equilibrium closure and the free tropospheric quasi‐equilibrium closure work well for dilute CAPE in all three IOPs studied. It is further shown from the CAPE definition and the large‐scale temperature budget equation that for undiluted CAPE, the free tropospheric large‐scale CAPE change and precipitation are approximately linearly related. The most important effect of entrainment dilution on CAPE and convection parameterization closure assumptions is to enhance the role of free tropospheric humidity, thereby diminishing the overwhelming role of boundary layer control on undiluted CAPE and its variation.
The Glimmer community ice sheet model
Authors: Rutt I. C. , Hagdorn M. , Hulton N. R. J. , Payne A. J.
Published: April 2009

We present a detailed description of the Glimmer ice sheet model, comprising the physics represented in the model and the numerical techniques used. Established methods are combined with good software design to yield an adaptable and widely applicable model. A flexible framework for coupling Glimmer to global climate forcing is also described. Testing and benchmarking is of crucial importance if the outputs of numerical models are to be regarded as credible; we demonstrate that Glimmer performs very well against the well‐known EISMINT benchmarks and against other analytical solutions for ice flow. Glimmer therefore represents a well‐founded and flexible framework for the open‐source development of ice sheet modeling.
Effects of enhanced wind erosion on surface soil texture and characteristics of windblown sediments
Authors: Li Junran , Okin Gregory S. , Epstein Howard E.
Published: April 2009

It is well documented that wind redistributes and transports soil resources in semiarid ecosystems. However, fewer studies have quantitatively linked wind erosion to detailed grain‐size fractions and associated nutrient content in surface soil and windblown sediment. In this study, we examined (1) the effects of enhanced wind erosion on surface soil particle‐size distribution and (2) carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) characteristics of windblown sediments in a typical desert grassland of southern New Mexico. Our results show that surface soil has become noticeably coarser over a 2‐year period. In particular, content of soil particles in the category of 250–500 μm increased significantly, but soil particles in the fractions of 50–125 μm and <50 μm were significantly depleted. In addition to the enrichment of C and N in the windblown sediments, our results reveal that fine particles (e.g., D < 50 μm) were enriched to a much higher degree at height than C and N. Significantly, our results reveal that nearly 12% of total organic carbon (TOC) and 9% of total nitrogen (TN) were found in the particles with diameter <50 μm, which account for only 1–2% of the mass of windblown sediments. In this wind susceptible environment, our findings suggest that (1) significant soil texture change (e.g., the loss of soil fines) driven by wind erosion could happen rapidly and soil fine particles (e.g., silt and clay) may be depleted within a few years and (2) the loss of even a small fraction of fine particles may indicate a substantial depletion of soil C and N.
Convectively coupled equatorial waves
Authors: Kiladis George N. , Wheeler Matthew C. , Haertel Patrick T. , Straub Katherine H. , Roundy Paul E.
Published: April 2009

Convectively coupled equatorial waves (CCEWs) control a substantial fraction of tropical rainfall variability. Their horizontal structures and dispersion characteristics correspond to Matsuno's (1966) solutions of the shallow water equations on an equatorial beta plane, namely, Kelvin, equatorial Rossby, mixed Rossby‐gravity, and inertio‐gravity waves. Because of moist processes, the tilted vertical structures of CCEWs are complex, and their scales do not correspond to that expected from the linear theory of dry waves. The dynamical structures and cloud morphology of CCEWs display a large degree of self‐similarity over a surprisingly wide range of scales, with shallow convection at their leading edge, followed by deep convection and then stratiform precipitation, mirroring that of individual mesoscale convective complexes. CCEWs have broad impacts within the tropics, and their simulation in general circulation models is still problematic, although progress has been made using simpler models. A complete understanding of CCEWs remains a challenge in tropical meteorology.
Nutrient Enrichment Drives Gulf of Mexico Hypoxia
Authors: Boesch Donald F. , Boynton Walter R. , Crowder Larry B. , Diaz Robert J. , Howarth Robert W. , Mee Laurence D. , Nixon Scott W. , Rabalais Nancy N. , Rosenberg Rutger , Sanders James G. , Scavia Donald , Turner R. Eugene
Published: April 2009

During most summers over the past 30 years, bottom dissolved oxygen across a large area of the Louisiana and upper Texas continental shelf declined to concentrations too low (hypoxia) for most fish and large invertebrate animals to survive. This area is one of the best known “dead zones” proliferating around the world [Diaz and Rosenberg, 2008]. During July 2008, hypoxic bottom waters extended across 20,720 square kilometers (Figure 1), but they were probably even more extensive because winds from Hurricane Dolly mixed the waters off Texas before the survey could be completed.
The Hills Are Alive: Earth Science in a Controlled Environment
Authors: Huxman Travis , Troch Peter , Chorover Jon , Breshears David D. , Saleska Scott , Pelletier Jon , Zeng Xubin
Published: April 2009

The structure of Earth's critical zone, which is the interface between the solid Earth and its fluid envelopes and involves the coevolution of biota, soils, and landforms, is governed by processes important to hydrology, geology, biology, and atmospheric science [National Research Council, 2001] (Figure 1). Earth surface scientists have long recognized that temperature, chemical, and gravitational gradients drive energy and water fluxes, thus controlling systems evolution, but understanding the critical zone has been tackled primarily from disciplinary perspectives [Brantley et al., 2006]. Interdisciplinary research is needed, and many such efforts, such as the U.S. National Science Foundation's recent watershed‐scale Critical Zone Observatories and the National Ecological Observatory Network, are in formative stages. By and large, these facilities focus on utilizing land surface complexity to elucidate process knowledge. Unfortunately, incorporating such complexity occurs at the expense of the control that characterizes true experimentation.
Water quality in U.S. wells
Authors: Showstack Randy
Published: April 2009

More than 20% of private domestic wells sampled nationwide contain at least one contaminant at levels of potential health concern, according to a study released on 27 March by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). About 43 million people—or 15% of the U.S. population—use drinking water from private wells, which are not regulated by the federal Safe Drinking Water Act. In sampling about 2100 private wells in 48 states, USGS scientists found that the contaminants most frequently measured at concentrations of potential health concern were inorganic contaminants, including radon and arsenic, which are mostly derived from the natural geologic materials that make up the aquifers from which well water is drawn.
Geoengineering draft statement
Authors: Showstack Randy
Published: April 2009

The American Meteorological Society (AMS) has prepared a draft policy statement on geoengineering the climate system, which the AMS Council is considering for approval. The statement notes, “Geoengineering will not substitute for either aggressive mitigation or proactive adaptation. It could contribute to a comprehensive risk management strategy to slow climate change and alleviate its negative impacts, but the potential for adverse and unintended consequences implies a need for adequate research, appropriate regulation, and transparent consideration.”
U.S. and Chinese Scientists Discuss the Ocean's Response to Climate Change: Climate Change and Coastal Oceans Workshop; Qingdao, China, 26–28 October 2008
Authors: DiMarco Steven F. , Wu Dexing
Published: April 2009

A 3‐day workshop was held in China to discuss coastal ocean processes, the biogeochemistry of large river‐dominated ocean margins (RiOMars), and climate change and variability studies; to formulate a strategy for a joint venture to assess how climate change has affected coastal oceans; and to predict the ocean's response to future change scenarios. The workshop, which brought together experts from Texas A&M University (TAMU) and five Chinese universities and institutes—Ocean University of China (OUC), Institute of Oceanology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (IOCAS), Xiamen University (XU), Tianjin University of Science and Technology (TUST), and East China Normal University (ECNU), highlighted the similarities in topics important to North America and Asia.
Connecting Scientific Drilling and Human Evolution: Scientific Drilling for Human Origins: Exploring the Application of Drill Core Records to Understanding Hominin Evolution; Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 17–21 November 2008
Authors: Cohen Andrew , Umer Mohammed
Published: April 2009

How did environmental history, particularly climate, affect the evolution of our hominin ancestors and closely related species? The formulation of testable hypotheses about the climate‐evolution connection is impeded by limited numbers of hominin specimens and the geographic and temporal gaps that characterize their fossil record. Additionally, knowledge of Earth's environmental history close to these fossil finds remains limited. Scientists interested in the problem currently make use of temporally and geographically discontinuous outcrop exposures at the fossil sites, and/or deep‐sea or lake paleoclimate records geographically distant from the hominin fossils, to address the Earth history side of this equation.
Precise determination of Phanerozoic zircon Pb/Pb age by multicollector SIMS without external standardization
Authors: Li Xian‐Hua , Liu Yu , Li Qiu‐Li , Guo Chun‐Hua , Chamberlain Kevin R.
Published: April 2009

Zircon has long been recognized as the best geochronometer and the most important timekeeper in geosciences. Modern microbeam techniques such as SIMS and LA‐ICPMS have been successfully applied to in situ U‐Pb zircon age determinations, at spatial resolutions of 20–30 μm or less. Matrix‐matched calibration by external standardization of well‐characterized natural zircon references is a principal requirement for precise microbeam U‐Pb zircon age determination due to fractionation effects between Pb and U, which usually result in an external age error exceeding 1%. Alternatively, zircons with a closed U‐Pb system can be directly dated by measurement of 207Pb/206Pb isotopic ratio without external standardization, which has been a common practice for zircons older than 1.0 Ga, but not for relatively young (<1.0 Ga and particularly Phanerozoic) ones because of limitations of analytical precision. We describe in this paper a method of 207Pb/206Pb measurement on Phanerozoic zircons using a new generation of large radius magnetic sector multicollector Cameca IMS‐1280 SIMS. In combination with multicollector mode, a Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) magnet controller and oxygen flooding techniques, we achieve precisions of 207Pb/206Pb ratio of <0.1% and 0.1 ∼ 0.2%, propagating to Pb/Pb age errors <0.4% and 1–3% (excluding U decay constant uncertainties), for zircons of latest Neoproterozoic and late Paleozoic to Mesozoic age, respectively. Therefore, the multicollector SIMS is capable of direct determination of zircon Pb/Pb ages as young as Mesozoic age with uncertainties of geological significance. This technique is useful for direct dating of zircons in thin sections. Moreover, it has significance for dating of some other U‐rich minerals (i.e., baddeleyite and zirconolite) that are not suitable for SIMS U‐Pb dating by external standardization.
Satellite observations of flood‐driven Mississippi River plume in the spring of 2008
Authors: Shi Wei , Wang Menghua
Published: April 2009

Satellite measurements from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on Aqua were used to quantify the Mississippi River plume following the intense rainfall and massive flood along the Mississippi River and its tributaries during the spring of 2008. The shortwave infrared (SWIR) atmospheric correction algorithm has been used to derive the total suspended matter (TSM) concentration and the spectral optical features of the Mississippi River plume. Following a significantly increased river discharge, the observed Mississippi River plume was considerably large relative to climatological monthly Mississippi River plume data, which were derived from the six‐year MODIS‐Aqua time series from 2002–2008. The areal coverage of the Mississippi River plume was double compared to the six‐year mean value, with plume areal coverage of 5859, 4984, 4366, and 3050 km2 for the months of April, May, June, and July in 2008, respectively. Within the plume, significantly elevated TSM concentration was observed with the pronounced normalized water‐leaving reflectance at the green, red, and near‐infrared wavelengths in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Near the coast, the satellite‐observed TSM concentration in April had increased approximately from the 20 mg/l six‐year mean value to over 30 mg/l in the April of 2008.
Temporal variation of Synechococcus clades at a coastal Pacific Ocean monitoring site
Authors: Tai Vera , Palenik Brian
Published: April 2009

Marine cyanobacteria from the genus Synechococcus are found throughout the world's oceans and are important contributors to global primary productivity and carbon cycling. Cultured isolates and environmental DNA clone libraries of Synechococcus have demonstrated the diversity of these microbes. However, the natural distribution of this diversity through space and time and the ecological significance of their distribution are still poorly understood. To understand the seasonal dynamics of Synechococcus diversity, we have developed a quantitative PCR strategy using the gene encoding as a subunit of DNA-dependent RNA polymerase (rpoC1) and applied it to a 3-year time series of surface samples from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography pier (La Jolla, CA, USA), a coastal site in the northeastern Pacific Ocean. Synechococcus from clades I and IV were dominant throughout the time series and correlated with total Synechococcus abundance. The relative abundance of these two dominant clades showed evidence of a seasonal cycle. Synechococcus from clade IV were typically more abundant, but those from clade I dominated during periods just before the annual spring bloom of Synechococcus. Synechococcus from clades II and III were absent during spring and early summer, but appeared at low abundances in late summer and winter possibly due to changes in circulation in the Southern California Bight. As the first long-term time series describing Synechococcus population diversity, these temporal dynamics were used to interpret the genetic/genomic diversity observed in the environment and the potential factors regulating their distribution.
Establishing the Stages and Processes of Change for Weight Loss by Consensus of Experts
Authors: Andrés Ana , Saldaña Carmina , Gómez‐Benito Juana
Published: April 2009

The present study aimed to establish, by a consensus of experts, the stages and processes of change for weight management in overweight and obese people. The first step involved developing two questionnaires aimed at assessing stages and processes of change for weight loss in overweight and obese people. The processes‐of‐change questionnaire consisted of 12 subscales, and contained 107 items. A three‐round Delphi study was carried out through a website, where participants were asked to give their opinion about the representativeness and clarity of the scale items. The stages‐of‐change questionnaire consisted of five items and was presented in the final round of the study. A team of 66 experts in the obesity field from 29 countries participated in the study. They were selected either because they belonged to the organizing committee of international associations related to obesity, or because of their research career. The required changes in the questionnaire were made according to the opinions of the participants. Some of these were the result of the group statistical response, whereas others were due to the suggestions made by the participants. A final version of the questionnaire consisting of 63 items was eventually obtained. The present study produced two questionnaires to assess stages and processes of change for weight management. The strength of the study lies in the consensus reached by the panel of experts in order to establish the required content of the questionnaires. The two measures provide useful tools for practitioners who wish to tailor weight‐management interventions according to transtheoretical model constructs.
Comparison of the Classification of Obesity by BMI vs. Dual‐energy X‐ray Absorptiometry in the Newfoundland Population
Authors: Kennedy Aaron P. , Shea Jennifer L. , Sun Guang
Published: April 2009

Although BMI is the most widely used measure of obesity, debate still exists on how accurately BMI defines obesity. In this study, adiposity status defined by BMI and dual‐energy X‐ray absorptiometry (DXA) was compared in a large population to evaluate the accuracy of BMI. A total of 1,691 adult volunteers from Newfoundland and Labrador participated in the study. BMI and body fat percentage (%BF) were measured for all subjects following a 12‐h fasting period. Subjects were categorized as underweight (UW), normal weight (NW), overweight (OW), or obese (OB) based on BMI and %BF criteria. Differences between the two methods were compared within gender and by age‐groups. According to BMI criteria, 1.2% of women were classified as UW, 44.2% as NW, 34.2% as OW, and 20.3% as OB. When women were classified according to %BF criteria, 2.2% were UW, 29.6% were NW, 30.9% were OW, and 37.1% were OB. The overall discrepancy between the two methods for women was substantial at 34.7% (14.6% for NW and 16.8% for OB, P < 0.001). In men, the overall discrepancy was 35.2% between BMI and DXA (17.6% for OW and 13.5% for OB, P < 0.001). Misclassification by BMI was dependent on age, gender, and adiposity status. In conclusion, BMI misclassified adiposity status in approximately one‐third of women and men compared with DXA. Caution should be taken when BMI is used in clinical and scientific research as well as clinical practice.
Serum Bile Acids Are Higher in Humans With Prior Gastric Bypass: Potential Contribution to Improved Glucose and Lipid Metabolism
Authors: Patti Mary‐Elizabeth , Houten Sander M. , Bianco Antonio C. , Bernier Raquel , Larsen P. Reed , Holst Jens J. , Badman Michael K. , Maratos‐Flier Eleftheria , Mun Edward C. , Pihlajamaki Jussi , Auwerx Johan , Goldfine Allison B.
Published: April 2009

The multifactorial mechanisms promoting weight loss and improved metabolism following Roux‐en‐Y gastric bypass (GB) surgery remain incompletely understood. Recent rodent studies suggest that bile acids can mediate energy homeostasis by activating the G‐protein coupled receptor TGR5 and the type 2 thyroid hormone deiodinase. Altered gastrointestinal anatomy following GB could affect enterohepatic recirculation of bile acids. We assessed whether circulating bile acid concentrations differ in patients who previously underwent GB, which might then contribute to improved metabolic homeostasis. We performed cross‐sectional analysis of fasting serum bile acid composition and both fasting and post‐meal metabolic variables, in three subject groups: (i) post‐GB surgery (n = 9), (ii) without GB matched to preoperative BMI of the index cohort (n = 5), and (iii) without GB matched to current BMI of the index cohort (n = 10). Total serum bile acid concentrations were higher in GB (8.90 ± 4.84 µmol/l) than in both overweight (3.59 ± 1.95, P = 0.005, Ov) and severely obese (3.86 ± 1.51, P = 0.045, MOb). Bile acid subfractions taurochenodeoxycholic, taurodeoxycholic, glycocholic, glycochenodeoxycholic, and glycodeoxycholic acids were all significantly higher in GB compared to Ov (P < 0.05). Total bile acids were inversely correlated with 2‐h post‐meal glucose (r = −0.59, P < 0.003) and fasting triglycerides (r = −0.40, P = 0.05), and positively correlated with adiponectin (r = −0.48, P < 0.02) and peak glucagon‐like peptide‐1 (GLP‐1) (r = 0.58, P < 0.003). Total bile acids strongly correlated inversely with thyrotropic hormone (TSH) (r = −0.57, P = 0.004). Together, our data suggest that altered bile acid levels and composition may contribute to improved glucose and lipid metabolism in patients who have had GB.
Obesity Is Accompanied by Disturbances in Peripheral Glucocorticoid Metabolism and Changes in FA Recycling
Authors: Simonyte Kotryna , Rask Eva , Näslund Ingmar , Angelhed Jan‐Erik , Lönn Lars , Olsson Tommy , Mattsson Cecilia
Published: April 2009

The glucocorticoid activating enzyme 11β‐hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11βHSD1) is of major interest in obesity‐related morbidity. Alterations in tissue‐specific cortisol levels may influence lipogenetic and gluco/glyceroneogenetic pathways in fat and liver. We analyzed the expression and activity of 11βHSD1 as well as the expression of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK), sterol regulatory element binding protein (SREBP), and fatty acid synthase (FAS) in adipose and liver and investigated putative associations between 11βHSD1 and energy metabolism genes. A total of 33 obese women (mean BMI 44.6) undergoing gastric bypass surgery were enrolled. Subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT), omental fat (omental adipose tissue (OmAT)), and liver biopsies were collected during the surgery. 11βHSD1 gene expression was higher in SAT vs. OmAT (P = 0.013), whereas the activity was higher in OmAT (P = 0.009). The SAT 11βHSD1 correlated with waist circumference (P = 0.045) and was an independent predictor for the OmAT area in a linear regression model. Energy metabolism genes had AT depot–specific expression; higher leptin and SREBP in SAT than OmAT, but higher PEPCK in OmAT than SAT. The expression of 11βHSD1 correlated with PEPCK in both AT depots (P = 0.05 for SAT and P = 0.0001 for OmAT). Hepatic 11βHSD1 activity correlated negatively with abdominal adipose area (P = 0.002) and expression positively with PEPCK (P = 0.003). In human obesity, glucocorticoid regeneration in the SAT is associated with central fat accumulation indicating that the importance of this specific fat depot is underestimated. Central fat accumulation is negatively associated with hepatic 11βHSD1 activity. A disturbance in peripheral glucocorticoid metabolism is associated with changes in genes involved in fatty acid (FA) recycling in adipose tissue (AT).
The extracellular domain of the TGFβ type II receptor regulates membrane raft partitioning
Authors: Luga Valbona , Mclean Sarah , Le Roy Christine , O'Connor-Mccourt Maureen , Wrana Jeffrey L. , Di Guglielmo Gianni M.
Published: April 2009

Cell-surface TGFβ (transforming growth factor β) receptors partition into membrane rafts and the caveolin-positive endocytic compartment by an unknown mechanism. In the present study, we investigated the determinant in the TGFβ type II receptor (TβRII) that is necessary for membrane raft/caveolar targeting. Using subcellular fractionation and immunofluorescence microscopy techniques, we demonstrated that the extracellular domain of TβRII mediates receptor partitioning into raft and caveolin-positive membrane domains. Pharmacological perturbation of glycosylation using tunicamycin or the mutation of Mgat5 [mannosyl(α-1,6)-glycoprotein β-1,6-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase V] activity interfered with the raft partitioning of TβRII. However, this was not due to the glycosylation state of TβRII, as a non-glycosylated TβRII mutant remained enriched in membrane rafts. This suggested that other cell-surface glycoproteins associate with the extracellular domain of TβRII and direct their partitioning in membrane raft domains. To test this we analysed a GMCSF (granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor)–TβRII chimaeric receptor, which contains a glycosylated GMCSF extracellular domain fused to the transmembrane and intracellular domains of TβRII. This chimaeric receptor was found to be largely excluded from membrane rafts and caveolin-positive structures. Our results indicate that the extracellular domain of TβRII mediates receptor partitioning into membrane rafts and efficient entrance into caveolin-positive endosomes.
Mitochondrial peroxiredoxin 3 is more resilient to hyperoxidation than cytoplasmic peroxiredoxins
Authors: Cox Andrew G. , Pearson Andree G. , Pullar Juliet M. , Jönsson Thomas J. , Lowther W. Todd , Winterbourn Christine C. , Hampton Mark B.
Published: April 2009

The Prxs (peroxiredoxins) are a family of cysteine-dependent peroxidases that decompose hydrogen peroxide. Prxs become hyperoxidized when a sulfenic acid formed during the catalytic cycle reacts with hydrogen peroxide. In the present study, Western blot methodology was developed to quantify hyperoxidation of individual 2-Cys Prxs in cells. It revealed that Prx 1 and 2 were hyperoxidized at lower doses of hydrogen peroxide than would be predicted from in vitro data, suggesting intracellular factors that promote hyperoxidation. In contrast, mitochondrial Prx 3 was considerably more resistant to hyperoxidation. The concentration of Prx 3 was estimated at 125 μM in the mitochondrial matrix of Jurkat T-lymphoma cells. Although the local cellular environment could influence susceptibility, purified Prx 3 was also more resistant to hyperoxidation, suggesting that despite having C-terminal motifs similar to sensitive eukaryote Prxs, other structural features must contribute to the innate resilience of Prx 3 to hyperoxidation.