bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hospitalized children with 2009 influenza a (H1N1) infection in Shenzhen, China, november–december 2009
Authors: Zheng Yuejie , He Yanxia , Deng Jikui , Lu Zhiwei , Wei Jurong , Yang Weiguo , Tang Zhengzhen , Li Boning , Zhang Jaosheng , Wang Li , Zhao Hui , Li Xiaonan , Yu Zhenzhu , Song Ping , Ma Yijiao , Li Yingfei , Li Chengrong
Published: October 2010

Objectives

During the winter outbreak of 2009 influenza A (H1N1) infection in China, the number of confirmed cases and the fatal cases has grown rapidly. We describe the clinical characteristics of hospitalized children with 2009 influenza A (H1N1) infection in Shenzhen, China, November–December 2009.

Methods

Using a standardized form, we collected data on 148 hospitalized children. 2009 influenza A (H1N1) infection was confirmed in nasopharyngeal swab specimens with the use of a real‐time reverse transcriptase‐polymerase chain reaction assay.

Results

Of the 148 hospitalized children with 2009 influenza A (H1N1) infection, 81 (55%) were 5 years of age or older and 85% of the patients were previously healthy. The common presenting symptoms were fever (94%), cough (89%), runny nose (36.5%), vomiting (24%), sore throat (19.6%), wheezing (18%), abdominal pain (16%), mental status changes (9%), seizures (6%), diarrhea (6%), myalgia (6%), and chest pain (4%). Twenty‐nine (20%) patients were admitted to an ICU, 10 (7%) patients required mechanical ventilation. The overall complication rate was 65.5%, they were pneumonia in 94 (64%), neurologic complications in 18 (12%), parapneumonic effusion in 12 (8%) and myocarditis in 7 (5%). One hundred seven (72%) patients received oseltamivir treatment, 34 (23%) received within 48 hr after the onset of symptoms. All patients received antibiotics before admission or on admission. One hundred forty‐four (97%) patients were discharged; four (3%) previously healthy patients died, three died from severe encephalopathy, one died from secondary fungal meningitis.

Conclusion

Hospitalized children with 2009 influenza A (H1N1) infection can have a wide range of presentation and clinical complications including neurologic complications. The severe cases and deaths concentrate in previously healthy older children. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2011; 46:246–252. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Gap‐state related photoluminescence in boron carbide
Authors: Werheit Helmut , Rotter Heinz W. , Shalamberidze Sulkhan , Leithe‐Jasper Andreas , Tanaka Takaho
Published: October 2010

The luminescence spectra of B4.3C, B6.5C and B10C boron carbide with different isotope enrichments (10B, 11B, 12C, 13C) yield electron transition energies from gap states into the valence band and between localized levels in the gap with 0.25 meV resolution. The results well agree with the actual band scheme derived from optical absorption, electrical properties and interband luminescence. Within the whole homogeneity range, the transition energies are independent of chemical composition and isotopes.
When is a molecule three dimensional? A task‐specific role for imagistic reasoning in advanced chemistry
Authors: Stieff Mike
Published: October 2010

Imagistic reasoning appears to be a critical strategy for learning and problem solving in the sciences, particularly chemistry; however, little is known about how students use imagistic reasoning on genuine assessment tasks in chemistry. The present study employed a think‐aloud protocol to explore when and how students use imagistic reasoning for problem solving in organic chemistry. The analysis suggests that students employ imagistic reasoning preferentially for translating between various molecular representations. On more complex tasks typical of classroom assessments, the students' problem solving appears mostly dependent on the accuracy of self‐generated inscriptions rather than the use of imagistic reasoning. The results indicate a variable interplay between imagistic reasoning and diagrammatic reasoning that suggests several pedagogical implications for teaching college chemistry. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Sci Ed 95:310–336, 2011
A Bayesian approach for estimating bioterror attacks from patient data
Authors: Ray J. , Marzouk Y. M. , Najm H. N.
Published: October 2010

Terrorist attacks using an aerosolized pathogen have gained credibility as a national security concern after the anthrax attacks of 2001. Inferring some important details of the attack quickly, for example, the number of people infected, the time of infection, and a representative dose received can be crucial to planning a medical response. We use a Bayesian approach, based on a short time series of diagnosed patients, to estimate a joint probability density for these parameters. We first test the formulation with idealized cases and then apply it to realistic scenarios, including the Sverdlovsk anthrax outbreak of 1979. We also use simulated outbreaks to explore the impact of model error, as when the model used for generating simulated epidemic curves does not match the model subsequently used to characterize the attack. We find that in all cases except for the smallest attacks (fewer than 100 infected people), 3–5 days of data are sufficient to characterize the outbreak to a specificity that is useful for directing an emergency response. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Test–retest variability of [11C]raclopride‐binding potential in nontreatment‐seeking alcoholics
Authors: Yoder Karmen K. , Albrecht Daniel S. , Kareken David A. , Federici Lauren M. , Perry Kevin M. , Patton Elizabeth A. , Zheng Qi‐Huang , Mock Bruce H. , O'Connor Sean , Herring Christine M.
Published: October 2010

Knowledge of the reproducibility of striatal [11C]raclopride (RAC) binding is important for studies that use RAC PET paradigms to estimate changes in striatal dopamine (DA) during pharmacological and cognitive challenges. To our knowledge, no baseline test–retest data exist for nontreatment‐seeking alcoholics (NTS). We determined the test–retest reproducibility of baseline RAC binding potential (BPND) in 12 male NTS subjects. Subjects were scanned twice with single‐bolus RAC PET on separate days. Striatal RAC BP (BPND) for left and right dorsal caudate, dorsal putamen, and ventral striatum was estimated using the Multilinear Reference Tissue Method (MRTM) and Logan Graphical Analysis (LGA) with a reference region. Test–retest variability (TRV), % change in BPNDbetween scan days, and the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) were used as metrics of reproducibility. For MRTM, TRV for striatal RAC binding in NTS subjects was ±6.5% and ±7.1% for LGA. Average striatal ICCs were 0.94 for both methods (P< 0.0001). Striatal BPNDvalues were similar to those reported previously for detoxified alcoholics. The results demonstrate that baseline striatal RAC binding is highly reproducible in NTS subjects, with a low variance similar to that reported for healthy control subjects. Synapse, 2011. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Pes cavus and hereditary neuropathies: when a relationship should be suspected
Authors: Piazza S. , Ricci G. , Caldarazzo Ienco E. , Carlesi C. , Volpi L. , Siciliano G. , Mancuso M.
Published: October 2010

The hereditary peripheral neuropathies are a clinically and genetically heterogeneous group of diseases of the peripheral nervous system. Foot deformities, including the commonpes cavus, but also hammer toes and twisting of the ankle, are frequently present in patients with hereditary peripheral neuropathy, and often represent one of the first signs of the disease.Pes cavusin hereditary peripheral neuropathies is caused by imbalance between the intrinsic muscles of the foot and the muscles of the leg. Accurate clinical evaluation in patients withpes cavusis necessary to exclude or confirm the presence of peripheral neuropathy. Hereditary peripheral neuropathies should be suspected in those cases with bilateral foot deformities, in the presence of family history forpes cavusand/or gait impairment, and in the presence of neurological symptoms or signs, such as distal muscle hypotrophy of limbs. Herein, we review the hereditary peripheral neuropathies in whichpes cavusplays a key role as a “spy sign,” discussing the clinical and molecular features of these disorders to highlight the importance ofpes cavusas a helpful clinical sign in these rare diseases.
The Role for Public Funding of Faith‐Based Organizations Delivering Behavioral Health Services: Guideposts for Monitoring and Evaluation
Authors: Kramer Fredrica D.
Published: October 2010

The paper reviews policies promoting faith‐based organizations' (FBO) participation in publicly‐funded programs since the Charitable Choice statute was enacted during the Clinton administration and then additional faith‐based initiatives were implemented by the Bush administration. The paper focuses on research findings on FBO participation in publicly‐funded human service programs under these policies. It then proposes a framework for evaluation to assess the appropriateness of public funding for behavioral health services delivered by FBOs, in order to address: (1) the programmatic and systemic effects resulting from the infusion of new players from the faith community, and the consequences to the profile of services and who gets served; and (2) the content and effectiveness of faith‐infused services as a basis for identifying interventions appropriate for public funding. The analysis considers classification issues, theoretical bases of measured effects of faith‐infused services, and the transferability of faith‐based interventions across religious and secular applications in order to satisfy constitutional issues and client choice.
Flight of the Chinese white pine beetle (Coleoptera: Scolytidae) in relation to sex, body weight and energy reserve
Authors: Chen H. , Li Z. , Bu S.H. , Tian Z.Q.
Published: October 2010

The flight distance, flight time and individual flight activities of males and females of Dendroctonus armandi were recorded during 96-h flight trials using a flight mill system. The body weight, glucose, glycogen and lipid content of four treatments (naturally emerged, starved, phloem-fed and water-fed) were compared among pre-flight, post-flight and unflown controls. There was no significant difference between males and females in total flight distance and flight time in a given 24-h period. The flight distance and flight time of females showed a significant linear decline as the tethered flying continued, but the sustained flight ability of females was better than that of males. The females had higher glycogen and lipid content than the males; however, there was no significant difference between both sexes in glucose content. Water-feeding and phloem-feeding had significant effects on longevity, survival days and flight potential of D. armandi, which resulted in longer feeding days, poorer flight potential and lower energy substrate content. Our results demonstrate that flight distances in general do not differ between water-fed and starved individuals, whereas phloem-fed females and males fly better than water-fed and starved individuals.
Polyphasic approach applying artificial neural networks, molecular analysis and postabdomen morphology to West PalaearcticTachinaspp. (Diptera, Tachinidae)
Authors: Muráriková N. , Vaňhara J. , Tóthová A. , Havel J.
Published: October 2010

Artificial neural networks (ANN) methodology, molecular analyses and comparative morphology of the male postabdomen were used successfully in parallel for species identification and resolution of some taxonomic problems concerning West Palaearctic species of the genusTachinaMeigen, 1803. Supervised feed-forward ANN with back-propagation of errors was applied on morphometric and qualitative characters to solve known taxonomic discrepancies. Background molecular analyses based on mitochondrial markers CO I, Cyt b, 12S and 16S rDNA and study of male postabdominal structures were published separately. All three approaches resolved taxonomic doubts with identical results in the following five cases: case 1, the four presently recognized subgenera of the genusTachinawere confirmed and the description of a new subgenus was recommended; case 2, the validity of a new boreo-alpine species (sp.n.) was confirmed; case 3, the previously supposed presence ofT. casta(Rondani, 1859) in central Europe was not supported; case 4, West PalaearcticT. nupta(Rondani, 1859) was contrasted with East Palaearctic specimens from Japan, which seem to represent a valid species not conspecific with central European specimens;T. nuptaneeds detailed further study; case 5,T. nigrohirta(Stein, 1924) resurrected recently from synonymy withT. ursinaMeigen, 1824 was confirmed as a valid species. This parallel application of three alternative methods has enabled the principle of ‘polyphasic taxonomy’ to be tested and verified using these separate results. For the first time, the value of using the ANN approach in taxonomy was justified by two non-mathematical methods (molecular and morphological).
Field survey for strongyloidiasis in eastern Uganda with observations on efficacy of preventive chemotherapy and co-occurrence of soil-transmitted helminthiasis/intestinal schistosomiasis
Authors: Sousa-Figueiredo J.C. , Day M. , Betson M. , Rowell C. , Wamboko A. , Arinaitwe M. , Kazibwe F. , Kabatereine N.B. , Stothard J.R.
Published: October 2010

Following our previous field surveys for strongyloidiasis in western Uganda, 120 mothers and 232 children from four villages in eastern Uganda were examined, with two subsequent investigative follow-ups. As before, a variety of diagnostic methods were used: Baermann concentration, Koga agar plate and strongyloidid enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), as well as Kato–Katz faecal smears for detection of eggs of other helminths. At baseline, the general prevalence ofStrongyloides stercoraliswas moderate: 5.4% as estimated by Baermann and Koga agar methods combined. A much higher estimate was found by ELISA (42.3%) which, in this eastern setting, appeared to be confounded by putative cross-reaction(s) with other nematode infections. Preventive chemotherapy using praziquantel and albendazole was offered to all participants at baseline. After 21 days the first follow-up was conducted and ‘cure rates’ were calculated for all parasites encountered. Eleven months later, the second follow-up assessed longer-term trends. Initial treatments had little, if any, effect onS. stercoralis,and did not alter local prevalence, unlike hookworm infections and intestinal schistosomiasis. We propose that geographical patterns of strongyloidiasis are likely not perturbed by ongoing praziquantel/albendazole campaigns. Antibody titres increased after the first follow-up then regressed towards baseline levels upon second inspection. To better define endemic areas forS. stercoralis, careful interpretation of the ELISA is warranted, especially where diagnosis is likely being confounded by polyparasitism and/or other treatment regimens; new molecular screening tools are clearly needed.
Chemotherapy against human African trypanosomiasis: Is there a road to success?
Authors: BURRI CHRISTIAN
Published: October 2010

For over fifty years, human African trypanosomiasis (HAT, sleeping sickness) has been treated with suramin, pentamidine and the very toxic organo-arsenical melarsoprol that was the only drug available for effective treatment of the second stage of the disease. Recently there have been significant efforts using molecular and biochemical approaches to drug design, including high-throughput screening, but the number of lead compounds with promising activity againstT. bruceispp. and an acceptable toxicity index has remained astonishingly small. Clinical research continues to be difficult due to the economic constraints and the complexity of trials on a low prevalence disease in remote and impoverished African regions. Despite those limitations the situation for the patients is improving thanks to the combination of a number of critical factors. By the late 1990s the disease had reached epidemic levels that triggered political support. WHO would sign a donation agreement with the manufacturers for all drugs to treat HAT. A result of this agreement was that eflornithine which is much safer than melarsoprol became available and widely used by non-governmental organizations. TheImpamelI and II programmes demonstrated that against all odds the conduct of clinical trials on HAT was feasible. This allowed the initiation of trials on combination therapies which eventually resulted in the nifurtimox-eflornithine combination treatment (NECT). This combination is currently being introduced as first line treatment, and there is even the prospect of having a new compound, fexinidazole, in the development pipeline. This review summarizes the key information about the existing drugs and gives a comprehensive summary about the recent and currently ongoing efforts towards new drugs.
Patients with schizophrenia show increased aversion to angry faces in an associative learning task
Authors: Evans S. , Shergill S. S. , Chouhan V. , Bristow E. , Collier T. , Averbeck B. B.
Published: October 2010

Background

We were interested in examining the relationship between socially relevant stimuli and decision processes in patients with schizophrenia.

Method

We tested patients with schizophrenia and healthy controls on a stochastically rewarded associative learning task. Participants had to determine, through trial and error, which of two faces was associated with a higher chance of reward: one face was angry, the other happy.

Results

Both patients and healthy controls were able to perform the task at above-chance accuracy, and there was no significant difference in overall accuracy between the groups. Both groups also reliably preferred the happy face, such that they selected it more often than the angry face on the basis of the same amount of positiveversusnegative feedback. However, patients were significantly more averse to the angry face, such that they chose it less often than control participants when the reward feedback strongly supported the angry face as the best choice.

Conclusions

Patients show an increased aversion to angry faces, in a task in which they must learn to associate rewards with expressions.
Relationship between adiposity, emotional status and eating behaviour in obese women: role of inflammation
Authors: Capuron L. , Poitou C. , Machaux-Tholliez D. , Frochot V. , Bouillot J.-L. , Basdevant A. , Layé S. , Clément K.
Published: October 2010

Background

Obesity is characterized by chronic low-grade inflammation that may lead to emotional distress and behavioural symptoms. This study assessed the relationship between adiposity, low-grade inflammation, eating behaviour and emotional status in obese women awaiting gastric surgery and investigated the effects of surgery-induced weight loss on this relationship.

Method

A total of 101 women with severe or morbid obesity awaiting gastric surgery were recruited. Assessments were performed before and at 1 year post-surgery and included the measurement of neuroticism and extraversion using the revised Neuroticism–Extraversion–Openness personality inventory (NEO-PI-R) and eating behaviour using the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire (TFEQ). Blood samples were collected for the measurement of serum inflammatory markers [interleukin-6 (IL-6), high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP)] and adipokines (leptin, adiponectin).

Results

At baseline, body mass index (BMI) was positively correlated with inflammatory markers and adipokines. Regression analyses adjusting for age and diabetes revealed that baseline concentrations of IL-6 and hsCRP were associated with the depression and anxiety facets of neuroticism, with higher inflammation predicting higher anxiety and depression. This association remained significant after adjusting for BMI. Gastric surgery induced significant weight loss, which correlated with reduced inflammation. After controlling for BMI variations, decreases in inflammatory markers, notably hsCRP, were associated with reduced anxiety and TFEQ-cognitive restraint scores.

Conclusions

These findings indicate strong associations between adiposity, inflammation and affectivity in obese subjects and show that surgery-induced weight loss is associated concomitantly with reduced inflammation and adipokines and with significant improvement in emotional status and eating behaviour. Inflammatory status appears to represent an important mediator of emotional distress and psychological characteristics of obese individuals.
Two Trinities: reply to Hasker
Authors: LEFTOW BRIAN
Published: October 2010

William Hasker replies to my arguments against Social Trinitarianism, offers some criticism of my own view, and begins a sketch of another account of the Trinity. I reply with some defence of my own theory and some questions about his.
Facial emotion recognition impairments in individuals with HIV
Authors: CLARK URAINA S. , COHEN RONALD A. , WESTBROOK MICHELLE L. , DEVLIN KATHRYN N. , TASHIMA KAREN T.
Published: October 2010

Characterized by frontostriatal dysfunction, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is associated with cognitive and psychiatric abnormalities. Several studies have noted impaired facial emotion recognition abilities in patient populations that demonstrate frontostriatal dysfunction; however, facial emotion recognition abilities have not been systematically examined in HIV patients. The current study investigated facial emotion recognition in 50 nondemented HIV-seropositive adults and 50 control participants relative to their performance on a nonemotional landscape categorization control task. We examined the relation of HIV-disease factors (nadir and current CD4 levels) to emotion recognition abilities and assessed the psychosocial impact of emotion recognition abnormalities. Compared to control participants, HIV patients performed normally on the control task but demonstrated significant impairments in facial emotion recognition, specifically for fear. HIV patients reported greater psychosocial impairments, which correlated with increased emotion recognition difficulties. Lower current CD4 counts were associated with poorer anger recognition. In summary, our results indicate that chronic HIV infection may contribute to emotion processing problems among HIV patients. We suggest that disruptions of frontostriatal structures and their connections with cortico-limbic networks may contribute to emotion recognition abnormalities in HIV. Our findings also highlight the significant psychosocial impact that emotion recognition abnormalities have on individuals with HIV. (JINS, 2010, 16, 1127–1137.)
Unraveling the Role of the rssC Gene of Serratia marcescens by Atomic Force Microscopy
Authors: Sheu Bor-Ching , Lin Chih-Chen , Fu Ying-Hsien , Lee Shih-Yuan , Lai Hsin-Chih , Wu Rung-Shin , Liu Chih-Hao , Tsai Jui-Chang , Lin Shiming
Published: October 2010

The product and direct role of the rssC gene of Serratia marcescens is unknown. For unraveling the role of the rssC gene, atomic force microscopy has been used to identify the surfaces of intact S. marcescens wild-type CH-1 cells and rssC mutant CH-1ΔC cells. The detailed surface topographies were directly visualized, and quantitative measurements of the physical properties of the membrane structures were provided. CH-1 and CH-1ΔC cells were observed before and after treatment with lysozyme, and their topography-related parameters, e.g., a valley-to-peak distance, mean height, surface roughness, and surface root-mean-square values, were defined and compared. The data obtained suggest that the cellular surface topography of mutant CH-1ΔC becomes rougher and more precipitous than that of wild-type CH-1 cells. Moreover, it was found that, compared with native wild-type CH-1, the cellular surface topography of lysozyme-treated CH-1 was not changed profoundly. The product of the rssC gene is thus predicted to be mainly responsible for fatty-acid biosynthesis of the S. marcescens outer membrane. This study represents the first direct observation of the structural changes in membranes of bacterial mutant cells and offers a new prospect for predicting gene expression in bacterial cells.
Allergenspezifische Immuntherapie: Auf neuen Wegen in die Zukunft
Authors: Tay  , Kündig  , Senti
Published: October 2010

Die spezifische Immuntherapie (SIT) ist die einzig kausale Therapie IgE-vermittelter allergischer Erkrankungen. Sie wird nächstens 100 Jahre alt. Die subkutane Immuntherapie gilt nach wie vor als Goldstandard der SIT. Um die Wirksamkeit, Sicherheit und die Attraktivität für die Patienten zu steigern, werden am Universitätsspital Zürich in klinischen Studien neue Ansätze und Strategien wie die epikutane Behandlungsform, d.h. die Verabreichung der Allergene mittels Hautpflastern, untersucht.
Dew is a major factor affecting vegetation water use efficiency rather than a source of water in the eastern Mediterranean area
Authors: Ben‐Asher Jiftah , Alpert Pinhas , Ben‐Zvi Arie
Published: October 2010

The purpose here is to reexamine the ecological importance of dew in arid and semiarid regions with a focus on the eastern Mediterranean area. This reevaluation is of particular importance under the controversial perspective that dew is insufficient as a source of water for plants but is sufficient to promote the spread of plant diseases. Adana, Turkey, was selected as an appropriate semiarid test ground with well‐documented meteorological data and a newly developed photosynthesis and transpiration rate monitor (PTM), which was used to detect the response of transpiration and photosynthesis to the presence of dew on the leaves. A convolution theoretical model was used to simulate no‐dew days; simultaneously, PTM measurements were used to obtain actual situations with dew. Contrary to expectations, we detected separate, early peaks of photosynthesis and late peaks of transpiration, leading to an average ratio of about 2:1 units of water use efficiency (WUE) for dew‐affected versus no‐dew conditions. The impressive performance of the dew‐affected WUE was explained by a synergy between (1) low transpiration during dew‐affected morning hours and (2) high CO2 gradient toward the canopy. The first resulted from dew formation that created a humid environment in the near vicinity of the leaf followed by a low leaf to air vapor pressure deficit, which minimized transpiration. The second resulted from night respiration that induced a high CO2 gradient from the air toward the canopy. This synergy resulted in intensive carbon intake at a low water cost and explained the ecological importance of dew.
An empirical relationship between coronal mass ejection initial speed and solar wind dynamic pressure
Authors: Cho K.‐S. , Bong S.‐C. , Moon Y.‐J. , Dryer M. , Lee S.‐E. , Kim K.‐H.
Published: October 2010

Interplanetary shocks that precede coronal mass ejections (CMEs) are mainly responsible for sudden impulses, which are characterized by a simple step‐like increase in the horizontal H component. Such a magnetic field change has been explained as a compression of the magnetosphere by the passage of a sudden increase in the solar wind dynamic pressure. Strong compression of the dayside magnetopause could cause geosynchronous satellites to be exposed to solar wind environments where large fluctuations of the interplanetary magnetic field and highly energetic particles are present. In this study, we chose 26 event pairs consisting of a type II burst/CME occurring in conjunction with a sudden commencement/sudden impulse (SC/SI) whose solar wind, and Earth magnetic field data are available. We then investigated relationships among three physical properties (kinetic energy, directional parameter, and speed) of near‐Sun CMEs, solar wind dynamic pressure, and SC/SI amplitude. As a result, we found that (1) the CME speed is more highly correlated with SC/SI amplitude than its kinetic energy and direction parameter; (2) by adopting the empirical relationship between solar wind dynamic pressure and amplitude of symmetric H (a steplike increase in the horizontal H component at low latitude), we could derive an empirical formula for the relationship between solar wind dynamic pressure near the Earth and the CME speed; (3) the CME speed has a linear relationship with the difference of magnetopause locations derived by using the model of Shue et al. (1998) at the subsolar point before and after the shock arrivals; (4) a fast CME greater than 1600 km s−1 could be a driver of the magnetopause crossing of a spacecraft at geosynchronous orbit. Our results show that the CME speed is an important parameter for early prediction of geosynchronous magnetopause crossing.
Properties and phenomena relevant to CH4‐CO2 replacement in hydrate‐bearing sediments
Authors: Jung J. W. , Espinoza D. Nicolas , Santamarina J. Carlos
Published: October 2010

The injection of carbon dioxide, CO2, into methane hydrate‐bearing sediments causes the release of methane, CH4, and the formation of carbon dioxide hydrate, even if global pressure‐temperature conditions remain within the CH4 hydrate stability field. This phenomenon, known as CH4‐CO2 exchange or CH4‐CO2 replacement, creates a unique opportunity to recover an energy resource, methane, while entrapping a greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide. Multiple coexisting processes are involved during CH4‐CO2 replacement, including heat liberation, mass transport, volume change, and gas production among others. Therefore, the comprehensive analysis of CH4‐CO2 related phenomena involves physico‐chemical parameters such as diffusivities, mutual solubilities, thermal properties, and pressure‐ and temperature‐dependent phase conditions. We combine new experimental results with published studies to generate a data set we use to evaluate reaction rates, to analyze underlying phenomena, to explore the pressure‐temperature region for optimal exchange, and to anticipate potential geomechanical implications for CH4‐CO2 replacement in hydrate‐bearing sediments.
Carbon dioxide variability and air‐sea fluxes in the northern Adriatic Sea
Authors: Turk D. , Malačič V. , DeGrandpre M. D. , McGillis W. R.
Published: October 2010

High‐frequency measurements of surface water partial pressure of CO2 (pCO2) in the Gulf of Trieste in the north Adriatic Sea, the most northern part of the Mediterranean, are presented. Sea surface pCO2 was measured at the coastal oceanographic buoy Vida (45° 32′ 55.68′′ N, 13° 33′ 1.89′′ E), using the Submersible Autonomous Moored Instrument for CO2 during four deployments from 2007 to 2008. The pCO2 measurements were combined with physical observations at Vida, Sea‐viewing Wide Field‐of‐view Sensor chlorophyll‐a, and daily river discharge to elucidate the biological and physical processes that control pCO2 on seasonal to interannual time scales. Sea surface pCO2 ranged from 260 to 340 μatm in spring 2007, 220 to 380 μatm in late summer/fall 2007, 200 to 500 μatm in spring/summer 2008, and 240 to 370 μatm in fall 2008. Mean CO2 fluxes (±standard deviation) from the atmosphere into the ocean during these seasons were −5.0 (±6.2), −12.1 (±14.2), −0.9 (±9.7), and −6.4 (±7.0) mmol m−2 d−1 resulting in a net sink of atmospheric CO2 of −2–3 mol m−2 yr−1. The seasonal and interannual variability in this semienclosed sea is dominated by heating and cooling based on strong correlations with sea surface temperature. These correlations break down during convective mixing in the fall, bora wind events, and brief periods of freshwater input.
Momentum budget of the migrating diurnal tide in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere
Authors: Lieberman R. S. , Ortland D. A. , Riggin D. M. , Wu Q. , Jacobi C.
Published: October 2010

The leading terms of the momentum budget of the migrating diurnal tide are diagnosed from temperatures and geopotential height provided by Thermosphere‐Ionosphere‐Mesosphere Energetics and Dynamics (TIMED)/Sounding of the Atmosphere using Broadband Emission Radiometry (SABER) and the horizontal wind vector provided by TIMED Doppler Interferometer (TIDI). The “wave drag” upon the tide is inferred as a residual of the classical and linear advective terms in the zonal and meridional momentum equations. Between 85 and 100 km, the migrating diurnal tide is generally far from the classical description of Chapman and Lindzen (1970). The leading nonclassical terms are the meridional advection of zonally averaged momentum and wave drag effects encapsulated in the momentum residuals. The magnitudes of the momentum residuals range between 50 and 150 m s−1 d−1 for the zonal component and 100–250 m s−1 d−1 for the meridional component. The zonal momentum residual is generally in quadrature with the zonal wind tide, while the meridional momentum residual is in antiphase with the meridional wind above 95 km. Winds and temperatures exhibit maximum amplitudes during the vernal equinox season, but only a minor reduction in wave damping is observed. Our results suggest that Rayleigh damping is inadequate to describe the relationship between the tide and the forces acting upon it.
In situ detection of aerosol layers in the middle stratosphere
Authors: Renard Jean‐Baptiste , Berthet Gwenaël , Salazar Verónica , Catoire Valery , Tagger Michel , Gaubicher Bertrand , Robert Claude
Published: October 2010

We present here 14 new flights of the aerosol counter STAC, performed in the 2008–2010 period under 3 different geophysical conditions: equator, summer Arctic, and spring Arctic. Measurements were conducted during the balloon ascent, at float altitude, and during the balloon descent. The float altitude was between 14 and 2 hPa (29–42 km), depending on the flights. Aerosol enhancements were detected for altitude levels above 40 hPa, with a stronger variability above 20 hPa. Two of them could be attributed to the fortuitous detection of meteoric debris. Thin layers of strong local enhancements of submicronic aerosols were detected during the other flights. Using simultaneous in situ measurements of the N2O tracers by the infra‐red SPIRALE balloon‐borne spectrometer, it can be concluded that the occurrence of these enhancements is not directly linked to the variability of air mass origins. A process involving atmospheric electric field is proposed to tentatively explain the aerosol containment.
Uncertainties in future climate attributable to uncertainties in future Northern Annular Mode trend
Authors: Karpechko Alexey Yu.
Published: October 2010

Atmospheric circulation variability associated with the Northern Annular Mode (NAM) modulates the climate over large areas in the Northern Hemisphere. Therefore, it is expected that future NAM changes in response to greenhouse gas concentration increases and other forcing will influence the climate change in these regions. Climate models simulate a wide range of future NAM changes, which introduces an uncertainty into regional climate predictions. To quantify this uncertainty we use the intermodel spread of the climate projections by the models participated in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Fourth Assessment Report. We show that the intermodel spread of the future NAM projections account for up to 40% of the variance of the surface temperature and precipitation projections over some regions in Eurasia and North America across the simulations. This result implies that the uncertainty in the future NAM makes a considerable contribution into the overall uncertainty in regional climate predictions.
Sensitivity of 21st century sea level to ocean‐induced thinning of Pine Island Glacier, Antarctica
Authors: Joughin Ian , Smith Benjamin E. , Holland David M.
Published: October 2010

Pine Island Glacier (PIG), Antarctica, is rapidly losing mass, supporting arguments that it may play a major role in 21st century sea‐level rise. Yet this glacier's quantitative contribution to sea level based on theoretical and computational models is poorly known. We have developed a basin‐scale glaciological model to examine the sensitivity of PIG to a range of environmental forcings. While oceanic melt likely played the leading role in recent thinning and retreat, we find that the particular grounding‐line geometry with an extended ice plain in the 1990s made it susceptible to such forcing. Our model further indicates that while the rate of grounding‐line retreat should diminish soon, the glacier's mass loss may continue at rates similar to, or moderately elevated from, the present. While substantial, our model‐derived maximum rate of 2.7 cm/century is considerably smaller than previous heuristically‐derived bounds on the sea‐level contribution.
Characterization of subsurface polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons at the Deepwater Horizon site
Authors: Diercks Arne‐R. , Highsmith Raymond C. , Asper Vernon L. , Joung DongJoo , Zhou Zhengzhen , Guo Laodong , Shiller Alan M. , Joye Samantha B. , Teske Andreas P. , Guinasso Norman , Wade Terry L. , Lohrenz Steven E.
Published: October 2010

Here, we report the initial observations of distributions of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in subsurface waters near the Deepwater Horizon oil well site (also referred to as the Macondo, Mississippi Canyon Block 252 or MC252 well). Profiles of in situ fluorescence and beam attenuation conducted during 9‐16 May 2010 were characterized by distinct peaks at depths greater than 1000 m, with highest intensities close to the wellhead and decreasing intensities with increasing distance from the wellhead. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analyses of water samples coinciding with the deep fluorescence and beam attenuation anomalies confirmed the presence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) at concentrations reaching 189 μg L−1 (ppb). Subsurface exposure to PAH at levels considered to be toxic to marine organisms would have occurred in discrete depth layers between 1000 and 1400 m in the region southwest of the wellhead site and extending at least as far as 13 km.
Evidence for OI 630.0 nm dayglow variations over low latitudes during onset of a substorm
Authors: Chakrabarty D. , Sekar R. , Sastri J. H. , Pathan B. M. , Reeves G. D. , Yumoto K. , Kikuchi T.
Published: October 2010

Observations of OI 630.0 nm dayglow intensity from Mt. Abu (magnetic latitude (MLAT): 16.2°N; magnetic longitude (MLONG): 148°E) at two different directions corresponding to two different magnetic latitudes (MLATZenith: 16.2°N and MLAT20°Elevation: 22.2°N) revealed nearly simultaneous intensity enhancements on 2 February 2002 (Ap = 19) during 0554–0635 universal time (UT) (1124–1205 Indian Standard Time (IST); IST = UT + 5.5 h). This feature is found to be absent on a typical control day (3 February 2002; Ap = 4). The dayglow enhancements were concomitant with enhancements in the E‐region zonal electric field inferred from deviations of the northward component of magnetic field (ΔH) obtained from a meridional chain of magnetometers encompassing the dip equatorial and low‐latitude regions. Simultaneous positive bay signatures in ΔH were also recorded at all stations along the 210° magnetic meridian (MM) in the afternoon sector (∼1454–1535 magnetic local time). The changes in the solar wind parameters including the dawn‐to‐dusk component of IEF and ram pressure are found negligible during 0554–0635 UT. However, the variations in the auroral electrojet and ring current indices indicate the presence of a substorm during 0554–0635 UT. Sudden enhancements in the energetic particle fluxes measured by the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) 1991–080 satellite at geosynchronous altitude provide evidence for the onset of the expansion phase of a magnetospheric substorm. Therefore, the present investigation adduces the response of 630.0 nm dayglow intensities over low latitudes corresponding to the onset of the expansion phase of an auroral/magnetospheric substorm.
Mineralogy and chemistry of cobbles at Meridiani Planum, Mars, investigated by the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity
Authors: Fleischer I. , Brückner J. , Schröder C. , Farrand W. , Tréguier E. , Morris R.V. , Klingelhöfer G. , Herkenhoff K. , Mittlefehldt D. , Ashley J. , Golombek M. , Johnson J. R. , Jolliff B. , Squyres S. W. , Weitz C. , Gellert R. , de Souza P. A. , Cohen B. A.
Published: October 2010

Numerous loose rocks with dimensions of a few centimeters to tens of centimeters and with no obvious physical relationship to outcrop rocks have been observed along the traverse of the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity. To date, about a dozen of these rocks have been analyzed with Opportunity's contact instruments, providing information about elemental chemistry (Alpha Particle X‐ray Spectrometer), iron mineralogy and oxidation states (Mössbauer Spectrometer) and texture (Microscopic Imager). These “cobbles” appear to be impact related, and three distinct groups can be identified on the basis of chemistry and mineralogy. The first group comprises bright fragments of the sulfate‐rich bedrock that are compositionally and texturally indistinguishable from outcrop rocks. All other cobbles are dark and are divided into two groups, referred to as the “Barberton group” and the “Arkansas group,” after the first specimen of each that was encountered by Opportunity. Barberton group cobbles are interpreted as meteorites with an overall chemistry and mineralogy consistent with a mesosiderite silicate clast composition. Arkansas group cobbles appear to be related to Meridiani outcrop and contain an additional basaltic component. They have brecciated textures, pointing to an impact‐related origin during which local bedrock and basaltic material were mixed.
Smoking and the development of allergic sensitization to aeroallergens in adults: a prospective population‐based study.  The Copenhagen Allergy Study
Authors: Linneberg A. , Nielsen N. Henrik , Madsen F. , Frølund L. , Dirksen A. , Jørgensen T.
Published: October 2010

Background:  Several cross‐sectional population‐based studies have reported a negative association between smoking and allergic sensitization to aeroallergens. In a prospective study, we investigated the association between smoking and the development (incidence) of allergic sensitization as reflected by skin prick test (SPT) positivity and specific IgE positivity.

Methods:  Participants in a population‐based study of 15–69‐year‐olds in 1990 were invited to a follow‐up in 1998. Thus, SPT positivity and specific IgE positivity to common aeroallergens were assessed in 734 subjects (participation rate: 69.0%) on two occasions 8 years apart. The effect of smoking on the development of allergic sensitization was adjusted for potential confounders such as age, sex, family history of hay fever, educational level, and total IgE.

Results:  During the follow‐up period, 58 and 33 subjects developed SPT positivity and specific IgE positivity, respectively. The risk of developing SPT positivity (adjusted odds ratio: 0.45, 95% CI 0.21–0.98) and specific IgE positivity (adjusted odds ratio: 0.62, 95% CI 0.26–1.49) was lower among sustained smokers than never‐smokers.

Conclusions:  In this adult population, sustained smoking was negatively associated with the development of allergic sensitization to aeroallergens during an 8‐year follow‐up. This negative association, if real, might be due to an immunosuppressive effect of smoking.
External Globus Pallidus Stimulation Modulates Brain Connectivity in Huntington's Disease
Authors: Ligot Noémie , Krystkowiak Pierre , Simonin Clémence , Goldman Serge , Peigneux Philippe , Van Naemen John , Monclus Michel , Lacroix Simon Frédéric , Devos David , Dujardin Kathy , Delmaire Christine , Bardinet Eric , Delval Arnaud , Delliaux Marie , Defebvre Luc , Yelnik Jerome , Blond Serge , Destée Alain , De Tiège Xavier
Published: October 2010

Positron emission tomography with O-15-labeled water was used to study at rest the neurophysiological effects of bilateral external globus pallidus (GPe) deep brain stimulation in patients with Huntington's disease (HD). Five patients were compared with a control group in the on and off states of the stimulator. External globus pallidus stimulation decreased neuronal activity and modulated cerebral connectivity within the basal ganglia-thalamocortical circuitry, the sensorimotor, and the default-mode networks. These data indicate that GPe stimulation modulates functional integration in HD patients in accordance with the basal ganglia-thalamocortical circuit model.
Theoretical studies on the all-anti zigzag geometries of perfluoro-n-alkyl chains
Authors: Rayne Sierra , Forest Kaya
Published: October 2010

Theoretical investigations were conducted on the gas phase all-anti zigzag geometries of C~3~ through C~7~ perfluoro-n-alkanes and the perfluoro-n-octanoate anion using various semiempirical, density functional theory, and composite method approaches. The major theoretical methods are in agreement that the gas phase zigzag geometry of >=C~3~ perfluoro-n-alkyl chains is a transition state between the left and right handed helical/twisted global minima. For the C~3~ perfluoropropyl group, a slightly twisted (about 1 to 2 degree central F-C-C-F dihedral angle) near zigzag conformation exists as a global minimum, whereas helical global minima are obtained for C~4~ and longer perfluoroalkyl chains. The left to right handed helix inversion activation energy for C~4~ and C~5~ perfluoroalkyl groups is estimated at between 1 and 2 kcal/mol.
A highly stable Yarrowia lipolytica lipase formulation for the treatment of pancreatic exocrine insufficiency
Authors: Turki Saoussen , Mrabet Ghada , Jabloun Zeineb , Destain Jacqueline , Thonart Philippe , Kallel Héla
Published: October 2010

Yarrowia lipolytica lipase has been assumed to be a good candidate for the treatment of fat malabsorption in patients with pancreatic insufficiency. Nevertheless, no systematic studies on its stability under physiological conditions pertaining to the human GI (gastrointestinal) tract have been published. Stability of various Y. lipolytica lipase powder formulations at various physiological pH values as well as the effect of digestive proteases and bile salts on enzyme activity were investigated. Results were compared with those obtained from another competing fungal lipase sourced from Candida rugosa. Among the studied formulations, Y. lipolytica lipase stabilized with gum arabic and skimmed milk powder was the most promising powder formulation. Under acidic conditions (pH 3–5), this formulation showed higher stability than those observed with the other Y. lipolytica lipase formulations and C. rugosa lipase. In addition, in the presence of gum arabic and skimmed milk powder as additives, Y. lipolytica lipase exhibited markedly higher resistance to pepsin, trypsin and chymotrypsin actions. Resistance to proteolytic degradation by digestive proteases was also by far higher than that observed with C. rugosa lipase. Similar behaviour was, however, observed when these two fungal lipases were incubated with increased concentrations of bile salts. Residual lipase activity of both fungal lipases showed a slight decrease in NaTDC (sodium taurodeoxycholate) concentration above 4 mM. Consequently, Y. lipolytica lipase formulated with gum arabic and milk powder seemed to have great potential for use as a therapeutic tool for patients with pancreatic insufficiency.