bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Influence of environmental and longline fishing operational variables on the presence of killer whales (Orcinus orca) in south-western Atlantic
Authors: Passadore Cecilia , Domingo Andrés , Szephegyi María , Secchi Eduardo R.
Published: November 2012

Killer whale (Orcinus orca) is frequently encountered in coastal and high productive pelagic waters, near the shelf break. In the south-western Atlantic Ocean, spatial and temporal occurrence patterns are poorly known. However, the monitoring of the interaction between killer whales and longline fishery suggests that the species is frequent in this region. We analysed the killer whale presence within the Uruguayan pelagic longline fishing zone. Data were collected from 1996 to 2007, during 2189 fishing events, by vessel skippers and on-board observers. We estimated the sighting rate (SR = sightings days/fishing days * 100) for different time scales and in 1 × 1 degree grids. Generalized linear models were used to evaluate the effect of spatial, temporal, environmental and operational variables on the species presence. Killer whales were sighted in 100 fishing days (SR = 4.5%), this occurrence being explained by distance from shore and sea surface temperature, varying among months and fishing boats. Although sightings occurred year round, they were more frequent in autumn and winter, at 150–400 nautical miles (nm) from shore (mean = 250 nm) and in waters with temperatures ranging from 19 to 24°C (mean = 22°C). Sets took place between 19°–40°S and 21°–54°W, while killer whales occurred mostly from 34°–37°S and 48°–53°W. In this region, the high productive Brazil—Malvinas Confluence Zone is located, and concentrates fishing effort and also killer whales.
Periodical Readership in Early Twentieth Century Bengal: Ramananda Chattopadhyay's Prabāsī
Authors: MITRA SAMARPITA
Published: November 2012

This paper investigates some key questions regarding the socio-cultural implications of a relatively understudied print media, the literary miscellany, its production and consumption in early twentieth century British Bengal. Through a study of Ramananda Chattopadhyay'sPrabāsī, a major literary journal that set the trend ofsacitra māsik patrikāor illustrated monthly magazine in Bāṅglā, its literary innovations and editorial interventions, this paper explores how periodical reading and the notions of aesthetics and culture that it cultivated became intimately tied up with questions of middle class identity and class differentiation. It shows how this pioneeringsacitra patrikācame to command a literary and visual space that, by the time of the Swadeshi years, was conceived as co-extensive with the future sovereign nation. Problematizing notions of a quotidian practice like leisure-reading that had become integral to the lifestyles of an expanding middle class, this study shows howPrabāsīnot only lent new meanings to ideas of sustained interest and participation in public life amongst its readers, but that it also represented a self-consciously, high-brow cultural sensitivity that the Bengali bhadralok were to claim and safeguard as their own.
Family eating out-of-home: a review of nutrition and health policies
Authors: McGuffin L. E. , Wallace J. M. W. , McCrorie T. A. , Price R. K. , Pourshahidi L. K. , Livingstone M. B. E.
Published: November 2012

Childhood obesity is a growing problem worldwide. In recent years, out-of-home (OH) eating has been highlighted as one of the many factors contributing to the obesogenic environment. This review seeks to identify a range of existing guidelines for the provision of healthy food options for families who eat OH frequently. Nationally available nutrition policies were identified using targeted and untargeted searches of the internet to identify established strategies for providing food for children in the family eating out sector in America (US), Australia, Canada and the WHO's European Region (EUR). These were categorised on the basis of eleven pre-defined criteria including: family eating out sector included as stakeholder; inclusion of children's food OH; cost strategies for healthier food choices; provision of nutrition information for customers; nutrition training of catering staff; and monitoring and evaluation structures. Fifty-five policies were reviewed, of which 71% addressed children's food served OH, but principally only for food available in schools. Two voluntary programmes, from Colorado and Slovenia, were identified as possible best practice models as they met a majority of the evaluation criteria. The most frequently used strategy by policies to promote healthier eating OH was the provision of nutrition information on menus, while monitoring and evaluation plans were poorly incorporated into any OH strategies, thus raising issues about their effectiveness. This review has identified a range of initiatives that could be employed to make healthier eating OH more accessible for families. However, to establish best practice guidelines for healthier OH food choices further investigations are required.
Investigation of dominant states for dielectronic recombination in short-pulse laser-produced aluminum plasma
Authors: Stancalie V.
Published: November 2012

This paper presents the results of relativistic calculation intended specifically to investigate the dominant states for dielectronic recombination of Li-like into Be-like Al ions in short-pulse laser produced plasmas. The relativistic Dirac R-matrix calculation is performed to output resonance energy levels and rates. The target energies and orbitals are calculated with the extended average level multi-configurational Dirac-Fock method in the general-purpose relativistic atomic structure package. This type of calculation gives a set of 13 bound orbitals that is optimized over all the levels included. The resulting 13 relativistic orbitals produced 74 Jπ levels, all of which are to be used in the close-coupling expansion. To the best of our knowledge, the work reported herein describes for the first time such detailed calculation for this atomic system and the results are relevant to the short-pulse laser produced plasma modeling.
Far-field properties of a vortex Airy beam
Authors: Chen Rui-Pin , Chew Khian-Hooi
Published: November 2012

Analytical far-field expressions for the transverse electric mode and transverse electric magnetic mode terms, and the energy flux distributions of vortex Airy beams are derived based on the vector angular spectrum of the beam and the stationary phase method. The physical pictures of vortex Airy beams from the vectorial structure are illustrated and the energy flux distributions are demonstrated in far-field. The influences of the beam parameters, especially the exponential factor, on the energy flux distributions of vortex Airy beams and its transverse electric mode and transverse electric magnetic mode terms are discussed. This work provides a new understanding of the propagation behaviors and applications of a vortex Airy beam.
Titanium surface modification using femtosecond laser with 1013–1015 W/cm2 intensity in vacuum
Authors: Trtica M. , Batani D. , Redaelli R. , Limpouch J. , Kmetik V. , Ciganovic J. , Stasic J. , Gakovic B. , Momcilovic M.
Published: November 2012

The response of titanium surface irradiated with high intensity (1013 – 1015 W/cm2) Ti:sapphire laser was studied in vacuum. Most of the reported investigations were conducted with nano- to femtosecond lasers in gas atmospheres while the studies of titanium surface interacting with femtosecond laser in vacuum are scarce. The laser employed in our experiment was operating at 800 nm wavelength and pulse duration of 60 fs in single pulse regime. The observed surface changes and phenomena are (1) creation of craters, (2) formation of periodic surface structures at the reduced intensity, and (3) occurrence of plasma in front the target. Since microstructuring of titanium is very interesting in many areas (industry, medicine), it can be concluded from this study that the reported laser intensities can effectively be applied for micromachining of the titanium surface (increasing the roughness, formation of parallel periodic surface structures etc.).
Resonance absorption enhancement in laser-generated plasma ablating Cu treated surfaces
Authors: Torrisi L. , Cutroneo M. , Caridi F. , Gentile C.
Published: November 2012

Resonant absorption effects for 1.064 µm infrared laser pulse radiations are investigated by using different techniques producing micrometric surface structures with dimensions comparable to the wavelength value. The laser absorption is controlled through measurement of the Cu ion acceleration using time-of-flight approach. Surface treatments include low energy laser etching in air, deposition of microspheres obtained ablating Cu targets in water, pulse laser deposition of microstructures precursor of thin homogeneous film, chemical etching with HNO3 acid, Ar+ ion sputtering and rolling burnishing surface of thin Cu foils. Results indicate that the best resonance effect is obtained with the rolling burnishing, ion sputtering and microsphere deposition processes which enhance the Cu ion energy and the yield emission.
Features of 200 kV, 300 ns reflex triode vircator operation for different explosive emission cathodes
Authors: Roy Amitava , Menon R. , Sharma Vishnu , Patel Ankur , Sharma Archana , Chakravarthy D.P.
Published: November 2012

To study the effect of explosive field emission cathodes on high power microwave generation, experiments were conducted on a reflex triode virtual cathode oscillator. Experimental results with cathodes made of graphite, stainless steel nails, and carbon fiber (needle type) are presented. The experiments have been performed at the 1 kJ Marx generator (200 kV, 300 ns, and 9 kA). The experimentally obtained electron beam diode perveance has been compared with the one-dimensional Child-Langmuir law. The cathode plasma expansion velocity has been calculated from the perveance data. It was found that the carbon fiber cathode has the lowest cathode plasma expansion velocity of 1.7 cm/μs. The radiated high power microwave has maximum field strength and pulse duration for the graphite cathode. It was found that the reflex triode virtual cathode oscillator radiates a single microwave frequency with the multiple needle cathodes for a shorter (<200 ns full width at half maximum) voltage pulse duration.
Concept of generation of extremely compressed high-energy electron bunches in several interfering intense laser pulses with tilted amplitude fronts
Authors: Korobkin V.V. , Romanovskiy M.Yu. , Trofimov V.A. , Shiryaev O.B.
Published: November 2012

A new concept of generating tight bunches of electrons accelerated to high energies is proposed. The electrons are born via ionization of a low-density neutral gas by laser radiation, and the concept is based on the electrons acceleration in traps arising within the pattern of interference of several relativistically intense laser pulses with amplitude fronts tilted relative to their phase fronts. The traps move with the speed of light and (1) collect electrons; (2) compress them to extremely high density in all dimensions, forming electron bunches; and (3) accelerate the resulting bunches to energies of at least several GeV per electron. The simulations of bunch formation employ the Newton equation with the corresponding Lorentz force.
Norms, organizations, and semantics
Authors: Boissier Olivier , Colombetti Marco , Luck Michael , Meyer John-Jules , Polleres Axel
Published: November 2012

This paper integrates the responses to a set of questions from a distinguished set of panelists involved in a discussion at the Agreement Technologies workshop in Cyprus in December 2009. The panel was concerned with the relationship between the research areas of semantics, norms, and organizations, and the ways in which each may contribute to the development of the others in support of next generation agreement technologies.
On the almost-everywhere convergence of the continuous wavelet transforms
Authors: Ashurov Ravshan
Published: November 2012

Almost-everywhere convergence of wavelet transforms of Lp-functions under minimal conditions on wavelets was proved by Rao et al. in 1994. However, results on convergence almost everywhere do not provide any information regarding the exceptional set (of Lebesgue measure zero), where convergence does not hold. We prove that if a wavelet ψ satisfies a single additional condition xψ(x) ∈ L1 (R), then, instead of almost-everywhere convergence, we have a more sophisticated result, i.e. convergence of wavelet transforms everywhere on the entire Lebesgue set of Lp-functions. For example, wavelets with compact support, used frequently in applications, obviously satisfy this extra condition. Moreover, we prove that our conditions on wavelets ensure the Riemann localization principle in L1 for the wavelet transforms.
Real hypersurfaces in complex two-plane Grassmannians with parallel Ricci tensor
Authors: Suh Young Jin
Published: November 2012

We introduce the full expression of the curvature tensor of a real hypersurface M in complex two-plane Grassmannians G2(ℂm+2) from the Gauss equation. We then derive a new formula for the Ricci tensor of M in G2(ℂm+2). Finally, we prove that there does not exist any Hopf real hypersurface in complex two-plane Grassmannians G2(ℂm+2) with parallel Ricci tensor.
The zero-level centralizer in endomorphism algebras
Authors: Szigeti Jenö , van Wyk Leon
Published: November 2012

For an endomorphism φ ∈ EndR(M) of a left R-module RM, we investigate the structure and the polynomial identities of the zero-level centralizer Cen0(φ) and the factor Cen(φ)/Cen0(φ). A double zero-centralizer theorem for Cen0(Cen0(φ)) is also formulated.
Weak KAM from a PDE point of view: viscosity solutions of the Hamilton–Jacobi equation and Aubry set
Authors: Fathi Albert
Published: November 2012

We introduce the notion of a viscosity solution for the first-order Hamilton–Jacobi equation, in the more general setting of manifolds, to obtain a weak KAM theory using only tools from partial differential equations. This work should be accessible to people with no prior knowledge of the subject.
Is There a Right to Respect?
Authors: FIOCCO M. ORESTE
Published: November 2012

Many moral philosophers assume that a person is entitled to respect; this suggests that there is aright to respect. I argue, however, that there is no such right. There can be no right to respect because of what respect is, in conjunction with what a right demands and certain limitations of human agency. In this article, I first examine the nature and ontological basis of rights. I next consider the notion of respect in general; I adduce several varieties of respect, then present a primary distinction needed to discern the notion of respect relevant to the putative right. Then I propound the argument that there can be no right to respect and consider some means of challenging its conclusion. In closing, I trace some of the consequences of this argument and suggest how it might motivate a different approach to understanding our most basic obligations to one another.
Against Equality and Priority
Authors: HUEMER MICHAEL
Published: November 2012

I start from three premises, roughly as follows: (1) that if possible worldxis better than worldyfor every individual who exists in either world, thenxis better thany; (2) that ifxhas a higher average utility, a higher total utility, and no more inequality thany, thenxis better thany; (3) thatbetter thanis transitive. From these premises, it follows that equality lacks intrinsic value, and that benefits given to the worse-off contribute no more to the world's value than equal-sized benefits given to the better-off.
Global existence of solutions for a chemotaxis-type system arising in crime modelling
Authors: MANÁSEVICH RAÚL , PHAN QUOC HUNG , SOUPLET PHILIPPE
Published: November 2012

We consider a nonlinear, strongly coupled, parabolic system arising in the modelling of burglary in residential areas. This model appeared in Pitcher (Eur. J. Appl. Math., 2010, Vol. 21, pp. 401–419), as a more realistic version of the Short et al. (Math. Models Methods Appl. Sci., 2008, Vol. 18, pp. 1249–1267) model. The system under consideration is of chemotaxis-type and involves a logarithmic sensitivity function and specific interaction and relaxation terms. Under suitable assumptions on the data of the problem, we give a rigorous proof of the existence of a global and bounded, classical solution, thereby solving a problem left open in previous work on this model. Our proofs are based on the construction of approximate entropies and on the use of various functional inequalities. We also provide explicit numerical conditions for global existence when the domain is a square, including concrete cases involving values of the parameters which are expected to be physically relevant.
Atrioventricular septal defects among infants in Europe: a population-based study of prevalence, associated anomalies, and survival
Authors: Christensen Nikolas , Andersen Helle , Garne Ester , Wellesley Diana , Addor Marie-Claude , Haeusler Martin , Khoshnood Babak , Mullaney Carmel , Rankin Judith , Tucker David
Published: November 2012

Objective

To describe the epidemiology of chromosomal and non-chromosomal cases of atrioventricular septal defects in Europe.

Methods

Data were obtained from EUROCAT, a European network of population-based registries collecting data on congenital anomalies. Data from 13 registries for the period 2000–2008 were included.

Results

There was a total of 993 cases of atrioventricular septal defects, with a total prevalence of 5.3 per 10,000 births (95% confidence interval 4.1 to 6.5). Of the total cases, 250 were isolated cardiac lesions, 583 were chromosomal cases, 79 had multiple anomalies, 58 had heterotaxia sequence, and 23 had a monogenic syndrome. The total prevalence of chromosomal cases was 3.1 per 10,000 (95% confidence interval 1.9 to 4.3), with a large variation between registers. Of the 993 cases, 639 cases were live births, 45 were stillbirths, and 309 were terminations of pregnancy owing to foetal anomaly. Among the groups, additional associated cardiac anomalies were most frequent in heterotaxia cases (38%) and least frequent in chromosomal cases (8%). Coarctation of the aorta was the most common associated cardiac defect. The 1-week survival rate for live births was 94%.

Conclusion

Of all cases, three-quarters were associated with other anomalies, both chromosomal and non-chromosomal. For infants with atrioventricular septal defects and no chromosomal anomalies, cardiac defects were often more complex compared with infants with atrioventricular septal defects and a chromosomal anomaly. Clinical outcomes for atrioventricular septal defects varied between regions. The proportion of termination of pregnancy for foetal anomaly was higher for cases with multiple anomalies, chromosomal anomalies, and heterotaxia sequence.
Sentiment analysis in Twitter
Authors: MARTÍNEZ-CÁMARA EUGENIO , MARTÍN-VALDIVIA M. TERESA , UREÑA-LÓPEZ L. ALFONSO , MONTEJO-RÁEZ A RTURO
Published: November 2012

In recent years, the interest among the research community in sentiment analysis (SA) has grown exponentially. It is only necessary to see the number of scientific publications and forums or related conferences to understand that this is a field with great prospects for the future. On the other hand, the Twitter boom has boosted investigation in this area due fundamentally to its potential applications in areas such as business or government intelligence, recommender systems, graphical interfaces and virtual assistance. However, to fully understand this issue, a profound revision of the state of the art is first necessary. It is for this reason that this paper aims to represent a starting point for those investigations concerned with the latest references to Twitter in SA.
Environmental context and termination uncertainty in games with a dynamic public bad
Authors: Pevnitskaya Svetlana , Ryvkin Dmitry
Published: November 2012

We employ a laboratory experiment to investigate the effects of environmental context and termination uncertainty on decisions in a dynamic game with a public bad. Every period the subjects decide on their own production level that generates private revenue and ‘emissions’. Emissions accumulate over time and act as a public bad. We characterize and use as benchmarks the Markov perfect equilibrium and social optimum and find that observed decisions are between the two predictions. We find no significant effect of termination uncertainty on decisions in any except the last few rounds where, in a fixed-end setting, subjects allocate their entire endowment to production. We find a strong effect of environmental context which partially substitutes for experience. The effect of experience is most pronounced in the fixed-end treatment where production allocations and the level of the public bad become lower after the restart.
Inflection and derivation in native and non-native language processing: Masked priming experiments on Turkish
Authors: KIRKICI BILAL , CLAHSEN HARALD
Published: November 2012

Much previous experimental research on morphological processing has focused on surface and meaning-level properties of morphologically complex words, without paying much attention to the morphological differences between inflectional and derivational processes. Realization-based theories of morphology, for example, assume specific morpholexical representations for derived words that distinguish them from the products of inflectional or paradigmatic processes. The present study reports results from a series of masked priming experiments investigating the processing of inflectional and derivational phenomena in native (L1) and non-native (L2) speakers in a non-Indo-European language, Turkish. We specifically compared regular (Aorist) verb inflection with deadjectival nominalization, both of which are highly frequent, productive and transparent in Turkish. The experiments demonstrated different priming patterns for inflection and derivation, specifically within the L2 group. Implications of these findings are discussed both for accounts of L2 morphological processing and for the controversial linguistic distinction between inflection and derivation.
Consumer involvement in dietary guideline development: opinions from European stakeholders
Authors: Brown Kerry A , Hermoso Maria , Timotijevic Lada , Barnett Julie , Lillegaard Inger Therese L , Řehůřková Irena , Larrañaga Ainhoa , Lončarević-Srmić Azra , Andersen Lene Frost , Ruprich Jiří , Fernández-Celemín Laura , Raats Monique M
Published: November 2012

Objective

The involvement of consumers in the development of dietary guidelines has been promoted by national and international bodies. Yet, few best practice guidelines have been established to assist with such involvement.

Design

Qualitative semi-structured interviews explored stakeholders’ beliefs about consumer involvement in dietary guideline development.

Setting

Interviews were conducted in six European countries: the Czech Republic, Germany, Norway, Serbia, Spain and the UK.

Subjects

Seventy-seven stakeholders were interviewed. Stakeholders were grouped as government, scientific advisory body, professional and academic, industry or non-government organisations. Response rate ranged from 45 % to 95 %.

Results

Thematic analysis was conducted with the assistance of NVivo qualitative software. Analysis identified two main themes: (i) type of consumer involvement and (ii) pros and cons of consumer involvement. Direct consumer involvement (e.g. consumer organisations) in the decision-making process was discussed as a facilitator to guideline communication towards the end of the process. Indirect consumer involvement (e.g. consumer research data) was considered at both the beginning and the end of the process. Cons to consumer involvement included the effect of vested interests on objectivity; consumer disinterest; and complications in terms of time, finance and technical understanding. Pros related to increased credibility and trust in the process.

Conclusions

Stakeholders acknowledged benefits to consumer involvement during the development of dietary guidelines, but remained unclear on the advantage of direct contributions to the scientific content of guidelines. In the absence of established best practice, clarity on the type and reasons for consumer involvement would benefit all actors.
Swansong biospheres: refuges for life and novel microbial biospheres on terrestrial planets near the end of their habitable lifetimes
Authors: O'Malley-James Jack T. , Greaves Jane S. , Raven John A. , Cockell Charles S.
Published: November 2012

The future biosphere on Earth (as with its past) will be made up predominantly of unicellular micro-organisms. Unicellular life was probably present for at least 2.5 Gyr before multicellular life appeared and will likely be the only form of life capable of surviving on the planet in the far future, when the ageing Sun causes environmental conditions to become more hostile to more complex forms of life. Therefore, it is statistically more likely that habitable Earth-like exoplanets we discover will be at a stage in their habitable lifetime more conducive to supporting unicellular, rather than multicellular life. The end stage of habitability on Earth is the focus of this work. A simple, latitude-based climate model incorporating eccentricity and obliquity variations is used as a guide to the temperature evolution of the Earth over the next 3 Gyr. This allows inferences to be made about potential refuges for life, particularly in mountains and cold-trap (ice) caves and what forms of life could live in these environments. Results suggest that in high latitude regions, unicellular life could persist for up to 2.8 Gyr from present. This begins to answer the question of how the habitability of Earth will evolve at local scales alongside the Sun's main sequence evolution and, by extension, how the habitability of Earth-like planets would evolve over time with their own host stars.
Genetic diversity of native cultivated cacao accessions (Theobroma cacao L.) in Nicaragua
Authors: Aragon Erwin , Rivera Claudia , Korpelainen Helena , Rojas Aldo , Elomaa Paula , Valkonen Jari P. T.
Published: November 2012

A total of 60 farmers' cacao accessions (Theobroma cacao L.) from Nicaragua were investigated using microsatellite markers to reveal their genetic composition and to identify potentially resistant genotypes against the black pod disease caused by Phytophthora palmivora. These accessions were compared with 21 breeders' accessions maintained locally, two Criollo accessions from Costa Rica and two accessions from Ecuador. The analyses showed a low level of differentiation among groups of farmers' accessions (FST = 0.06) and that six Nicaraguan accessions were genetically closely related to the two Criollo accessions used as a reference. In addition, seven distinct genotypes were found to have allelic composition that may indicate linkage to resistance alleles, thus being potential parental lines in future breeding programmes.
The Qingdao Twin Registry: A Status Update
Authors: Duan Haiping , Ning Feng , Zhang Dongfeng , Wang Shaojie , Zhang Dong , Tan Qihua , Tian Xiaocao , Pang Zengchang
Published: November 2012

In 1998, the Qingdao Twin Registry was initiated as the main part of the Chinese National Twin Registry. By 2005, a total of 10,655 twin pairs had been recruited. Since then new twin cohorts have been sampled, with one longitudinal cohort of adolescent twins selected to explore determinants of metabolic disorders and health behaviors during puberty and young adulthood. Adult twins have been sampled for studying heritability of multiple phenotypes associated with metabolic disorders. In addition, an elderly twin cohort has been recruited with a focus on genetic studies of aging-related phenotypes using twin modeling and genome-wide association analysis. Cross-cultural collaborative studies have been carried out between China, Denmark, Finland, and US cohorts. Ongoing data collection and analysis for the Qingdao Twin Registry will be discussed in this article.
A Bayesian mixture‐modeling approach for flow‐conditioned multiple‐point statistical facies simulation from uncertain training images
Authors: Khodabakhshi Morteza , Jafarpour Behnam
Published: November 2012

Key Points

Preserving prior higher‐order statistics of facies using flow data integration

Incorporating the uncertainty in the training image during facies simulation

Efficiently sampling from multiple training images based on flow response
Enhanced crystal fabric analysis of a lava flow sample by neutron texture diffraction: A case study from the Castello d'Ischia dome
Authors: Walter Jens M. , Iezzi Gianluca , Albertini Gianni , Gunter Mickey E. , Piochi Monica , Ventura Guido , Jansen Ekkehard , Fiori Fabrizio
Published: November 2012

The crystal fabric of a lava has been analyzed for the first time by neutron texture diffraction. In this study we quantitatively investigate the crystallographic preferred orientation of feldspars in the Castello d'Ischia (Ischia Island, Italy) trachytic exogenous dome. The crystallographic preferred orientation was measured with the monochromatic neutron texture diffractometer SV7 at the Forschungszentrum Jülich in Germany and a Rietveld refinement was applied to the sum diffraction pattern. The complementary thin section analysis showed that the three‐dimensional crystal shape and the corresponding shape preferred orientation are in agreement with the quantitative orientation distributions of the neutron texture data. The (0k0) crystallographic planes of the feldspars are roughly parallel to the local flow bands, whereas the other corresponding pole figures show that a pivotal rotation of the anorthoclase and sanidine crystals was active during the emplacement of this lava dome. In combination with scanning electron microscopy investigations, electron probe microanalysis, XRF, and X‐ray diffraction, the Rietveld refinement of the neutron diffraction data indicates a slow cooling dynamic on the order of several months during their crystallization under subaerial conditions. Results attained here demonstrate that neutron texture diffraction is a powerful tool that can be applied to lava flows.
Methane release from warming‐induced hydrate dissociation in the West Svalbard continental margin: Timing, rates, and geological controls
Authors: Thatcher K. E. , Westbrook G. K. , Sarkar S. , Minshull T. A.
Published: November 2012

Hundreds of plumes of methane bubbles, first observed in 2008, emanate from an area of the seabed off West Svalbard that has become 1°C warmer over the past 30 years. The distribution of the plumes, lying close to and upslope from the present upper limit of the methane hydrate stability zone, indicates that methane in the plumes could come from warming‐induced hydrate dissociation, a process commonly invoked as contributing to rapid climate change. We used numerical modeling to investigate the response of hydrate beneath the seabed to changes in bottom‐water temperature over periods of up to 1000 years B.P. The delay between the onset of warming and emission of gas, resulting from the time taken for thermal diffusion, hydrate dissociation, and gas migration, can be less than 30 years in water depths shallower than the present upper limit of the methane hydrate stability zone, where hydrate was initially several meters beneath the seabed and fractures increase the effective permeability of intrinsically low‐permeability glacigenic sediment. At the rates of warming of the seabed that have occurred over the past two centuries, the enthalpy of hydrate dissociation limits the rate of gas release to moderate values. Cycles of warming and cooling can create and sustain hydrate close to the seabed where there is locally a supply of methane of tens of mol·m–2 yr–1. This rate of gas flow can be achieved where stratigraphic and structural heterogeneity focus gas migration, although the regional rate of methane supply could be much less.
Impact of tides in a baroclinic circulation model of the Adriatic Sea
Authors: Guarnieri A. , Pinardi N. , Oddo P. , Bortoluzzi G. , Ravaioli M.
Published: November 2012

The impact of tides in the circulation of the Adriatic Sea is investigated by means of a nested baroclinic numerical ocean model. Tides are introduced using a modified Flather boundary condition at the open edge of the domain. The results show that tidal amplitudes and phases are reproduced correctly by the baroclinic model and tidal harmonic constants errors are comparable with those resulting from the most consolidated barotropic models. Numerical experiments were conducted to estimate and assess the impact of (i) the modified Flather lateral boundary condition; (ii) tides on temperature, salinity, and stratification structures in the basin; and (iii) tides on mixing and circulation in general. Tides induce a different momentum advective component in the basin, which in turn produces a different distribution of water masses in the basin. Tides impact on mixing and stratification in the River Po region (northwestern Adriatic) and induce semidiurnal fluctuations of salinity and temperature, in all four seasons for the former and summer alone for the latter. A clear presence of internal tides was evidenced in the northern Adriatic Sea basin, corroborating previous findings.
Soil moisture retrieval from multi‐instrument observations: Information content analysis and retrieval methodology
Authors: Kolassa J. , Aires F. , Polcher J. , Prigent C. , Jimenez C. , Pereira J. M.
Published: November 2012

An algorithm has been developed that employs neural network technology to retrieve soil moisture from multi‐wavelength satellite observations (active/passive microwave, infrared, and visible). This represents the first step in the development of a methodology aiming to combine beneficial aspects of existing retrieval schemes. Several quality metrics have been developed to assess the performance of a retrieval product on different spatial and temporal scales. Additionally, an innovative approach to estimate the retrieval uncertainty has been proposed. An information content analysis of different satellite observations showed that active microwave observations are best suited to capture the soil moisture temporal variability, while the amplitude of the surface temperature diurnal cycle is best suited to capture the spatial variability. In a synergy analysis, it has been found that through the combination of all observations the retrieval uncertainty could be reduced by 13%. Furthermore, it was found that synergy benefits are significantly larger using a data fusion approach compared to an a posteriori combination of retrieval products, supporting the combination of different retrieval methodology aspects in a single algorithm. In a comparison with model data, it was found that the proposed methodology also shows potential to be used for the evaluation of modeled soil moisture. A comparison with in situ observations showed that the algorithm is well able to capture soil moisture spatial variabilities. It was concluded that the temporal performance can be improved through incorporation of other existing retrieval approaches.
Mercury's hollows: Constraints on formation and composition from analysis of geological setting and spectral reflectance
Authors: Blewett David T. , Vaughan William M. , Xiao Zhiyong , Chabot Nancy L. , Denevi Brett W. , Ernst Carolyn M. , Helbert Jörn , D'Amore Mario , Maturilli Alessandro , Head James W. , Solomon Sean C.
Published: November 2012

Landforms unique to Mercury, hollows are shallow, flat‐floored irregular depressions notable for their relatively high reflectance and characteristic color. Here we document the range of geological settings in which hollows occur. Most are associated with impact structures (simple bowl‐shaped craters to multiring basins, and ranging from Kuiperian to Calorian in age). Hollows are found in the low‐reflectance material global color unit and in low‐reflectance blue plains, but they appear to be absent from high‐reflectance red plains. Hollows may occur preferentially on equator‐ or hot‐pole‐facing slopes, implying that their formation is linked to solar heating. Evidence suggests that hollows form because of loss of volatile material. We describe hypotheses for the origin of the volatiles and for how such loss proceeds. Intense space weathering and solar heating are likely contributors to the loss of volatiles; contact heating by melts could promote the formation of hollows in some locations. Lunar Ina‐type depressions differ from hollows on Mercury in a number of characteristics, so it is unclear if they represent a good analog. We also use MESSENGER multispectral images to characterize a variety of surfaces on Mercury, including hollows, within a framework defined by laboratory spectra for analog minerals and lunar samples. Data from MESSENGER's X‐Ray Spectrometer indicate that the planet's surface contains up to 4% sulfur. We conclude that nanophase or microphase sulfide minerals could contribute to the low reflectance of the low‐reflectance material relative to average surface material. Hollows may owe their relatively high reflectance to destruction of the darkening agent (sulfides), the presence of alteration minerals, and/or physical differences in particle size, texture, or scattering behavior.
Fuel moisture influences on fire‐altered carbon in masticated fuels: An experimental study
Authors: Brewer Nolan W. , Smith Alistair M. S. , Hatten Jeffery A. , Higuera Philip E. , Hudak Andrew T. , Ottmar Roger D. , Tinkham Wade T.
Published: November 2012

Biomass burning is a significant contributor to atmospheric carbon emissions but may also provide an avenue in which fire‐affected ecosystems can accumulate carbon over time, through the generation of highly resistant fire‐altered carbon. Identifying how fuel moisture, and subsequent changes in the fire behavior, relates to the production of fire‐altered carbon is important in determining how persistent charred residues are following a fire within specific fuel types. Additionally, understanding how mastication (mechanical forest thinning) and fire convert biomass to black carbon is essential for understanding how this management technique, employed in many fire‐prone forest types, may influence stand‐level black carbon in soils. In this experimental study, 15 masticated fuel beds, conditioned to three fuel moisture ranges, were burned, and production rates of pyrogenic carbon and soot‐based black carbon were evaluated. Pyrogenic carbon was determined through elemental analysis of the post‐fire residues, and soot‐based black carbon was quantified with thermochemical methods. Pyrogenic carbon production rates ranged from 7.23% to 8.67% relative to pre‐fire organic carbon content. Black carbon production rates averaged 0.02% in the 4–8% fuel moisture group and 0.05% in the 13–18% moisture group. A comparison of the ratio of black carbon to pyrogenic carbon indicates that burning with fuels ranging from 13% to 15% moisture content resulted in a higher proportion of black carbon produced, suggesting that the precursors to black carbon were indiscriminately consumed at lower fuel moistures. This research highlights the importance of fuel moisture and its role in dictating both the quantity and quality of the carbon produced in masticated fuel beds.
A new hypothesis for the amount and distribution of dextral displacement along the Fish Lake Valley–northern Death Valley–Furnace Creek fault zone, California‐Nevada
Authors: Renik Byrdie , Christie‐Blick Nicholas
Published: November 2012

The Fish Lake Valley–northern Death Valley–Furnace Creek fault zone, a ~250 km long, predominantly right‐lateral structure in California and Nevada, is a key element in tectonic reconstructions of the Death Valley area, Eastern California Shear Zone and Walker Lane, and central Basin and Range Province. Total displacement on the fault zone is contested, however, with estimates ranging from ~30 to ~63 km or more. Here we present a new synthesis of available constraints. Preextensional thrust faults, folds, and igneous rocks indicate that offset reaches a maximum of ~50 km. Neogene rocks constrain its partitioning over time. Most offset is interpreted as ≤ ~13–10 Ma, accruing at ~3–5 mm/yr in the middle of the fault zone and more slowly toward the tips. The offset markers imply ~68 ± 14 km of translation between the Cottonwood Mountains and Resting Spring–Nopah Range (~60 ± 14 km since ~15 Ma) through a combination of strike slip and crustal extension. This suggests that a previous interpretation of ~104 ± 7 km, based on the middle Miocene Eagle Mountain Formation, is an overestimate by ~50%. Our results also help to mitigate a discrepancy in the ~12–0 Ma strain budget for the Eastern California Shear Zone. Displacement has previously been estimated at ~100 ± 10 km and ~67 ± 6 km for the Basin and Range and Mojave portions of the shear zone, respectively. Our new estimate of ~74 ± 17 km for the Basin and Range is within the uncertainty of the Mojave estimate.
Particle tracking and the diffusion‐reaction equation
Authors: Paster A. , Bolster D. , Benson D. A.
Published: November 2012

Key Points

The particle tracking approach of BM is converging to the diffusion‐reaction eq

The error introduced by the method is at the order of the time step size
A Salmonella Typhi homologue of bacteriophage muramidases controls typhoid toxin secretion
Authors: Hodak Hélène , Galán Jorge E
Published: November 2012

Unlike other Salmonella, which can infect a broad range of hosts causing self‐limiting infection, Salmonella Typhi is an exclusively human pathogen that causes typhoid fever, a life‐threatening systemic disease. Typhoid toxin is a unique virulence factor of Salmonella Typhi, which is expressed when the bacteria are within mammalian cells. Here, we report that an N‐acetyl‐β‐D‐muramidase similar to phage endolysins encoded within the same pathogenicity islet as the toxin is required for typhoid toxin secretion. Genetic and functional analysis of TtsA revealed unique amino acids at its predicted peptidoglycan‐binding domain that are essential for protein secretion and that distinguishes this protein from other homologues. We propose that TtsA defines a new protein secretion mechanism recently evolved from the machine that mediates phage release.
Inhibition of Ras–effector interactions by cyclic peptides
Authors: Wu Xianghong , Upadhyaya Punit , Villalona-Calero Miguel A. , Briesewitz Roger , Pei Dehua
Published: November 2012

Screening of a combinatorial library identified a cyclic peptide that inhibits K-Ras–effector interactions at submicromolar concentration.
Phenotyping the heterogeneity of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Authors: Barker Bethan L. , Brightling Christopher E.
Published: November 2012

COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) is a heterogeneous disease associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Current diagnostic criteria based on the presence of fixed airflow obstruction and symptoms do not integrate the complex pathological changes occurring within lung, do not define different airway inflammatory patterns, nor do they define different physiological changes or differences in structure as can be defined by imaging. Over recent years, there has been interest in describing this heterogeneity and using this information to subgroup patients into COPD phenotypes. Most approaches to phenotyping have considered disease at a single scale and have not integrated information from different scales (e.g. organ–whole person, tissue–organ, cell–tissue and gene–cell) of disease to provide multi-dimensional phenotypes. Integration of disease biology with clinical expression is critical to improve understanding of this disease. When combined with biostatistical modelling, this information may lead to identification of new drug targets, new end points for clinical trials and targeted treatment for subgroups of COPD patients. It is hoped this will ultimately improve COPD outcomes and represent a move towards personalised medicine. In the present review, we will consider these aspects of multi-dimensional phenotyping in more detail.
Insulin signalling to the kidney in health and disease
Authors: Hale Lorna J. , Coward Richard J. M.
Published: November 2012

Ninety-one years ago insulin was discovered, which was one of the most important medical discoveries in the past century, transforming the lives of millions of diabetic patients. Initially insulin was considered only important for rapid control of blood glucose by its action on a restricted number of tissues; however, it has now become clear that this hormone controls an array of cellular processes in many different tissues. The present review will focus on the role of insulin in the kidney in health and disease.
Strategy in the Surgical Treatment of Primary Spinal Tumors
Authors: Williams Richard , Foote Matthew , Deverall Hamish
Published: November 2012

Primary spine tumors are rare, accounting for only 4% of all tumors of the spine. A minority of the more common primary benign lesions will require surgical treatment, and most amenable malignant lesions will proceed to attempted resection. The rarity of malignant primary lesions has resulted in a paucity of historical data regarding optimal surgical and adjuvant treatment and, although we now derive benefit from standardized guidelines of overall care, management of each neoplasm often proceeds on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the individual characteristics of patient operability, tumor resectability, and biological potential. This article aims to provide an overview of diagnostic techniques, staging algorithms and the authors’ experience of surgical treatment alternatives that have been employed in the care of selected benign and malignant lesions. Although broadly a review of contemporary management, it is hoped that the case illustrations given will serve as additional “arrows in the quiver” of the treating surgeon.
Arytenoid Dislocation as a Cause of Prolonged Hoarseness after Cervical Discectomy and Fusion
Authors: Goz Vadim , Qureshi Sheeraz , Hecht Andrew C.
Published: November 2012

Study Design

Case series of two arytenoid dislocations after anterior cervical discectomy.

Objective

To recognize arytenoid dislocation as a possible cause of prolonged hoarseness in patients after anterior cervical discectomies.

Summary of Background Data

Prolonged hoarseness is a common postoperative complication after anterior cervical spine surgery. The etiology of prolonged postoperative hoarseness is usually related to a paresis of the recurrent laryngeal nerve. However, other causes of postoperative hoarseness may be overlooked in this clinical scenario. Other possible etiologies include pharyngeal and laryngeal trauma, hematoma and edema, injury of the superior laryngeal nerve, as well as arytenoid cartilage dislocation. Arytenoid dislocation is often misdiagnosed as vocal fold paresis due to recurrent or laryngeal nerve injury.

Methods

We report two cases of arytenoid dislocation and review the literature on this pathology.

Results

Two patients treated with anterior cervical discectomy and fusion experienced prolonged postoperative hoarseness. Arytenoid dislocation was confirmed by flexible fiber-optic laryngoscopy in both cases. The dislocations experienced spontaneous reduction at 6 weeks and 3 months postsurgery.

Conclusions

Arytenoid dislocation must be considered in the differential diagnosis of prolonged postoperative hoarseness and evaluated for using direct laryngoscopy, computed tomography, or a laryngeal electromyography. Upon diagnosis, treatment must be considered immediately. Slight dislocations can reduce spontaneously without surgical intervention; however, operative intervention may be required at times.