bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Informal Payments: A Side Effect of Transition or a Mechanism for Sustaining the Illusion of ‘Free’ Health Care? The Experience of Four Regions in the Russian Federation
Authors: FOTAKI MARIANNA
Published: May 2009

Informal payments for health services are widespread in many transition economies in post-communist Europe and the former Soviet Union. Their existence complements and in some cases significantly contributes to the financing of their health systems. It has been suggested that they are the legacy of planned socialist economies and a temporary side effect of the transition from a planned to a market economy. This article discusses the findings of the study investigating the extent and nature of the informal payments and evaluates the policy options on offer. It asserts that despite the level of declared support for moderate cost-sharing by different population groups, it is unlikely that any legalised form of co-payment will affect or replace informal payments, as the government uses them to sustain the illusion of ‘free’ health care. The study argues that the utilitarian gain maximisation principle, calling for the greatest collective welfare in communitarian egalitarianism, and the satisfaction of individual preferences in libertarian economics enable the acceptance of informal payments as a viable policy option.
An Integral Analogue of Theta Functions and Gauss Sums in Ramanujan's Lost Notebook
Authors: BERNDT BRUCE C. , XU PING
Published: May 2009

One page in Ramanujan's lost notebook is devoted to claims about a certain integral with two parameters. One claim gives an inversion formula for the integral that is similar to the transformation formula for theta functions. Other claims are remindful of Gauss sums. In this paper we prove all the claims made by Ramanujan about this integral.
Harmonic morphisms from solvable Lie groups
Authors: GUDMUNDSSON SIGMUNDUR , SVENSSON MARTIN
Published: May 2009

In this paper we introduce two new methods for constructing harmonic morphisms from solvable Lie groups. The first method yields global solutions from any simply connected nilpotent Lie group and from any Riemannian symmetric space of non-compact type and rank r ≥ 3. The second method provides us with global solutions from any Damek–Ricci space and many non-compact Riemannian symmetric spaces. We then give a continuous family of 3-dimensional solvable Lie groups not admitting any complex-valued harmonic morphisms, not even locally.
Genetic relatedness and cultivar identification in a valuable garden species, Hesperantha coccinea ( Schizostylis coccinea)
Authors: Wolff Kirsten , Knees Sabina , Cubey Suzanne
Published: May 2009

DNA fingerprinting using microsatellites is a useful aid in cultivar identification, but has rarely been applied to garden plants. Eleven microsatellite markers were developed for the valuable garden plantHesperanthacoccinea(Schizostylis coccinea), and used to determine relatedness of accessions. Several accessions, described as separate cultivars, appeared to have identical genotypes. Among the 53 accessions tested, there were 34 unique multilocus genotypes. The level of polymorphism detected in the cultivars was high, with on average seven alleles per locus and an average expected heterozygosity of 0.72 across loci. It is clear from the genotypes that a large proportion of the cultivars are closely related to each other. The resulting markers can now be used to generate a complete database of all known cultivars of the species and to detect essentially derived cultivars. As an extension of this study, the markers identified here could also inform us about the genetic diversity in wild populations.
Risiken von Antipsychotika im Alter, speziell bei Demenzen 1Prof. Dr. Hans Gutzmann zum 60. Geburtstag gewidmet.
Authors: Wolter Dirk K.
Published: May 2009

Antipsychotika werden häufig zur Behandlung von herausforderndem Verhalten bei Demenz eingesetzt. Antipsychotika der zweiten Generation («atypische Neuroleptika») spielen dabei mittlerweile eine größere Rolle als die älteren Substanzen. Der nur mäßigen Wirksamkeit stehen schwerwiegende Risiken gegenüber: so ist unter allen Antipsychotika die Mortalität insgesamt erhöht, aber auch das Risiko für plötzlichen Herztod, Schlaganfallereignisse oder venöse Thrombosen. Die Unterschiede zwischen Antipsychotika der ersten und der zweiten Generation sind dabei gering: hochpotente Antipsychotika der ersten Generation führen häufiger zu extrapyramidalmotorischen Symptomen, unter Antipsychotika der zweiten Generation ist das allgemeine Mortalitätsrisiko wahrscheinlich etwas geringer, andererseits wahrscheinlich venöse Thrombosen und metabolische Nebenwirkungen häufiger. Für die übrigen Nebenwirkungen bestehen keine gesicherten Unterschiede. Angesichts der großen Heterogenität der Antipsychotika erscheint der Nutzen einer pauschalen Aufteilung in Antipsychotika der ersten und zweiten Generation fragwürdig. Für die Auswahl einer Substanz sind substanzspezifische Nebenwirkungen, Dosierung, Aufdosierungsgeschwindigkeit sowie Beachtung von Komorbidität, Kontraindikationen und Arzneimittelinteraktionen in Relation zum individuellen Patienten erheblich wichtiger als die Wahl nach bloßer pauschaler Zuordnung zu einer dieser beiden Gruppen. Am wichtigsten ist aber, dass Antipsychotika nur bei klarer Indikation zur Anwendung kommen!
Macht Altenpflege krank?
Authors: Jenull Brigitte , Brunner Eva
Published: May 2009

Die Arbeit mit alten, mehrfach beeinträchtigten Menschen stellt eine große Herausforderung an die Gesellschaft und für jede einzelne Pflegekraft dar. Die vorliegende Studie widmet sich dem individuellen Arbeitserleben, den Bewältigungsstrategien und den Gesundheitsverhaltensweisen von Pflegekräften in der stationären Altenpflege. Die über qualitative Interviews (N = 25) erhobenen Daten wurden inhaltsanalytisch ausgewertet. Die Intercoder-Übereinstimmungen sprechen für die hohe Reliabilität der entwickelten Auswertungssysteme. Der Pflegealltag ist hauptsächlich durch institutionelle Vorgaben erschwert und durch negative Erlebnisse mit den Heimbewohner/-innen gekennzeichnet. Diesen Belastungen wird durch die Suche nach sozialer Unterstützung, aber auch durch negatives Abgrenzungsverhalten begegnet. Die Studienteilnehmerinnen berichteten kritische Gesundheitsverhaltensweisen wie Rauchen, ungesunde Ernährung und ein hohes Ausmaß an Medikamentenkonsum. In Anbetracht der demografischen Herausforderung und eines steigenden Bedarfs an qualifizierten Pflegekräften sollte gezielte Gesundheitsförderung im Setting Pflegeheim implementiert werden.
Individual Differences in Visuospatial Working Memory Capacity and Distractor Inhibition
Authors: Lecerf Thierry , Roulin Jean-Luc
Published: May 2009

Studies examining individual differences in working memory capacity (WMC) show differences between individuals with low-WMC and individuals with high-WMC. This extreme-group design was used to address relationships between individual differences in visuospatial WMC and distractor inhibition. We examined the patterns of errors made on two visuospatial working-memory span tasks (selective matrix task, visual matrix task). We recorded intrusion errors as indicators of inefficient inhibitory mechanisms, and spatial errors as indicators of degraded memory traces. Results indicate that on both tasks, low-span participants make more intrusion errors and spatial errors than high-span participants. Results are discussed in terms of the ability to inhibit distractors, to control the focus of attention, and to guide search from memory.
Einführung eines Moduls «Evidenz-basierte Medizin in der Kinder- und Jugendpsychiatrie» in das Blockpraktikum Psychiatrie an der Universität Ulm
Authors: Libal Gerhard , Keller Ferdinand , Fegert Jörg M. , Weninger Laura
Published: May 2009

Fragestellung: In den letzten Jahren ist «Evidenz-basierte Medizin» (EBM) zu einem zentralen Begriff geworden, da es heute essentiell ist, zusätzliche relevante Informationen zeitnah verfügbar zu machen. Für die Lehre in der Kinder- und Jugendpsychiatrie ist die Vermittlung von Kenntnissen für die effektive Nutzung der vorhandenen Literatur aufgrund der oft unzureichenden Datenlage von besonderer Bedeutung.

Methodik: Zur besseren Integration von EBM in die Lehre wurde das «Duke-Modell» für den Einsatz von EBM in der Kinder- und Jugendpsychiatrie für eine deutsche Universität modifiziert. Die Einführung des Moduls «Evidenz-basierte Medizin in der Kinder- und Jugendpsychiatrie» in einem klinischen Praktikum wird dargestellt.

Ergebnisse: Die Integration in ein Pflichtpraktikum ermöglicht es Studierenden sich mit Fragestellungen, welche die Behandlung von Patienten direkt betreffen, und der für den jeweiligen Fall relevanten wissenschaftlichen Literatur auseinanderzusetzen. Die Ergebnisse einer ersten Evaluation zeigen, dass mit diesem Modellprojekt die Verknüpfung zwischen Wissenschaft und klinischem Alltag gelungen ist und Entscheidungsfähigkeit sowie die Haltung lebenslang zu lernen vermittelt werden kann.

Schlussfolgerungen: Die Modifikation des Moduls EBM für ein klinisches Praktikum ist ein innovativer Ansatz einer Integration von EBM im Lehrplan. Im Rahmen einer Curriculumsreform wurde in der neuen Studienordnung der Medizinischen Fakultät der Universität Ulm ein Querschnittsfach «EBM» für alle Studierende eingeführt.
Das Fach Kinder- und Jugendpsychiatrie im Heidelberger Curriculum Medicinale (HeiCuMed) – Praxisorientiertes Lernen im reformierten Studiengang
Authors: Koch Eginhard , Resch Franz
Published: May 2009

An der medizinischen Fakultät Heidelberg wurde im Jahre 2001 zur Verbesserung der Ausbildungssituation ein modulares, themenzentriertes Kursprogramm mit interdisziplinären Schwerpunkten für eine Kapazität von etwa 260 Studierenden eingeführt. Es stützt sich auf die vorhandene Fächerstruktur, enthält jedoch weitestmöglich interdisziplinäre Elemente. Im Rahmen des neuen Curriculums (Heidelberger Curriculum Medizin – HeiCuMed) wurden neue Lehrmethoden eingeführt und neben den traditionellen Wissensprüfungen neue Formen der Prüfung der klinisch-praktischen und kommunikativen Fähigkeiten (beispielsweise die Objective Structured Clinical Examination, OSCE-prüfung) entwickelt. Das Fach der Kinder- und Jugendpsychiatrie hat im neuen Curriculum an Bedeutung gewonnen und gehört nun zu den Pflichtfächern im Medizinstudium an der medizinischen Fakultät Heidelberg. Gerade die neuen Lehrmethoden bieten für die besondere Situation des Faches Kinder- und Jugendpsychiatrie und Psychotherapie neue Möglichkeiten, das Fach zu unterrichten, für die Studierenden noch attraktiver zu machen und damit dessen Position in den medizinischen Fakultäten zu stärken.
E-learning mit Docs’n Drugs – Anwendung und Akzeptanz in der Kinder- und Jugendpsychiatrie der Universität Ulm
Authors: Weninger Laura , Keller Ferdinand , Fegert Jörg M. , Libal Gerhard
Published: May 2009

Einleitung: Der Einsatz neuer Medien (E-learning) findet in der medizinischen Ausbildung immer weitere Verbreitung. An der Universität Ulm, dem Kompetenzzentrum E-Learning des Kompetenznetzes in der Lehre in Baden-Württemberg, wurde das E-learning System Docs’n Drugs als webbasiertes, multimediales Lehr- und Lernangebot für Studierende der Medizin seit 1998 erstellt und eingeführt.

Es bietet Lehrfälle aus verschiedenen Fachbereichen der Medizin. An virtuellen Patienten können konkrete diagnostische Problemlösefähigkeiten und Entscheidungsfähigkeit unabhängig von Zeit, Ort und Dozent im simulierten medizinischen Alltag trainiert werden.

Projektbeschreibung: 2004 wurde im Rahmen der von der Fakultät geförderten Baustein-Lehrprojekte das E-learning-Modul Docs’n Drugs um kinder- und jugendpsychiatrische Fälle erweitert.

Ziel der vorliegenden Arbeit war es, das somatisch orientierte System um typische Anamneseabläufe und diagnostische Entscheidungsprozesse des kinder- und jugendpsychiatrischen Bereiches zu erweitern und die Akzeptanz dieser Fälle unter Studierenden zu evaluieren.

Ergebnisse: Nach Erstellung der Fälle erfolgte die Integration von Docs’ n Drugs in ein eineinhalbstündiges E-learning-Seminar in das Blockpraktikum der Kinder- und Jugendpsychiatrie und deren Evaluation. Die Evaluation durch 69 Medizinstudierende erfolgte im Zeitraum von Sommer 2004 bis Frühjahr 2006.

80,8 % der teilnehmenden Studierenden hatte bisher nicht mit Docs’n Drugs außerhalb des Unterrichts gearbeitet. 44,9 % bzw. 41 % gaben an, dass psychiatrische Fälle gut bzw. teilweise gut mit diesem System bearbeitet werden können.

Diskussion: Der Einsatz von Docs’n Drugs im Rahmen eines E-learning-Seminars im Blockpraktikum in der Kinder- und Jugendpsychiatrie wurde von den Studierenden überwiegend positiv aufgenommen. Kinder- und jugendpsychiatrisches Wissen kann durch Docs’n Drugs vermittelt werden. Eine Einbindung in ein bestehendes Curriculum ist auf jeden Fall sinnvoll.
Betreuung Studierender im Praktischen Jahr – Eine Win-Win-Situation
Authors: Knoll Susanne , Fontenla Horro Francisco , Barth Nikolaus , Hebebrand Johannes
Published: May 2009

Eine gute Betreuung und Ausbildung von PJ-Studierenden (PJ’ler) birgt drei wesentlicheVorteile: 1) Wenn die Studierenden sich gut aufgehoben fühlen, arbeiten sie effektiv mit und tragen somit zu einer Entlastung des medizinischen Personals bei. 2) Zufriedene Studierende sind ein möglicher Werbeträger für weitere Praktikanten, Famulanten, Doktoranden und PJ’ler. 3) In Anbetracht des Ärztemangels gilt eine gute Betreuung von Studierenden als eine wertvolle langfristig ausgerichtete Strategie zur Rekrutierung von ÄrztInnen; ehemalige PJ’ler stellen im Falle einer späteren Einstellung motivierte, gut vorgebildete und eingearbeitete Mitarbeiter dar – eine klassische Win-Win-Situation.
Überbringen schlechter Nachrichten – Videogestützte Trainingseinheit für Medizinstudenten
Authors: Kopecky-Wenzel Marie , Maier Esther M. , Muntau Ania C. , Reinhardt Dietrich , Frank Reiner
Published: May 2009

Fragestellung: Die im Jahr 2002 verabschiedete Ärztliche Approbationsordnung sieht eine grundlegende Reformierung des Studentenunterrichtes mit Verstärkung von Kleingruppenunterricht und mehr Praxisbezug vor. Ein Defizit der bisherigen Ausbildung war die nahezu fehlende Schulung kommunikativer Fähigkeiten der zukünftigen Ärzte. Hierdurch fühlten diese sich ungenügend auf ein zentrales Element ärztlichen Handelns – das Arzt-Patient-Gespräch – vorbereitet.

Methodik: Im Jahr 2005 wurde an der Medizinischen Fakultät der Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität im Rahmen des Medizinischen Curriculums München – MeCuMLMUeine Pflichtlehrveranstaltung in Gesprächsführung zum Thema «Breaking Bad News» (Überbringen schlechter Nachrichten) entwickelt. Zentrales Element des Seminars sind videogestützte Rollenspiele mit systematischer Videoanalyse, in denen die Studierenden die Rolle eines Arztes, einer Ärztin oder eines Elternteils bei der Mitteilung einer schwerwiegenden Erkrankung des Kindes einnehmen. Hierbei soll die zukünftige ärztliche Rolle erlebt und analysiert werden. Als Voraussetzung für die Durchführung des Seminars in Kleingruppen wurden 15 Dozenten in Rollenspielanalyse anhand von Videoaufnahmen geschult. Ein Manual mit Lerninhalten gewährleistet ein standardisiertes Vorgehen.

Ergebnisse und Schlussfolgerungen: Die hohe Akzeptanz durch Studierende und Dozenten – belegt durch eine Evaluation unter Verwendung standardisierter Fragebögen – zeigt, dass diese Unterrichtsform für die Vermittlung ärztlicher kommunikativer Fähigkeiten geeignet ist. Der hohe personelle und technische Aufwand ist als lohnende Investition in eine bessere Vorbereitung junger Ärzte auf ihre berufliche Situation zu betrachten.
Zur Bedeutung auditiver Wahrnehmungsstörungen für kinder- und jugendpsychiatrische Störungsbilder
Authors: von Suchodoletz Waldemar
Published: May 2009

Die Auffassungen zur klinischen Relevanz auditiver Verarbeitungs- und Wahrnehmungsstörungen (AVWS) sind kontrovers. In der vorliegenden Arbeit werden unterschiedliche Konzepte zur AVWS erläutert und ein Überblick über empirische Studien zum Zusammenhang zwischen kinder- und jugendpsychiatrischen Störungsbildern und Defiziten in der auditiven Wahrnehmung gegeben. Die Übersicht zeigt, dass in vielen Studien bei Kindern mit Sprachentwicklungs-, Lese-Rechtschreib- oder Aufmerksamkeitsstörungen in auditiven Tests etwas schlechtere Ergebnisse als bei unauffällig entwickelten Kindern beobachtet wurden. Allerdings konnten bislang kaum Korrelationen zwischen der Schwere der klinischen Symptomatik und auditiven Fähigkeiten nachgewiesen werden. Kausale Beziehungen zwischen auditiven Defiziten und Lern- bzw. Verhaltensstörungen sind eher unwahrscheinlich. Hinsichtlich des Vorgehens in der Diagnostik wird aus der Übersicht deutlich, dass die verfügbaren Untersuchungsverfahren wenig verlässlich sind, es keine Einigkeit über die diagnostischen Kriterien gibt und somit die Diagnose AVWS als wenig valide einzustufen ist. Ein Training auditiver Fähigkeiten zur Behandlung einer AVWS bewirkt nach bisherigen Erfahrungen lediglich eine Verbesserung der unmittelbar trainierten auditiven Funktionen (z. B. Tondifferenzierungsfähigkeit). Eine Besserung der klinisch bedeutsamen Symptomatik, z. B. der Sprachstörung, ist durch eine solche Therapie nicht zu erreichen. Insgesamt wird die Relevanz auditiver Wahrnehmungsstörungen für die Kinder- und Jugendpsychiatrie als eher gering eingestuft.
Kinder und Jugendliche mit Zwangsstörungen
Authors: Zellmann Henrike , Jans Thomas , Irblich Birgit , Hemminger Uwe , Reinecker Hans , Sauer Cathrin , Lange Klaus W. , Tucha Oliver , Wewetzer Christoph , Warnke Andreas , Walitza Susanne
Published: May 2009

Ziel dieser Verlaufsstudie zu Zwangsstörungen im Kindes- und Jugendalter ist es, die Persistenz der Erkrankung sowie das Vorliegen komorbider Störungen zu untersuchen. Methodik: 30 Patienten, die mit Zwangsstörung in der Klinik für Kinder- und Jugendpsychiatrie, Psychotherapie und Psychosomatik der Universität Würzburg behandelt wurden, wurden bei Erstaufnahme und nach durchschnittlich sechs Jahren ausführlich persönlich mit standardisierten Messinstrumenten untersucht. Das durchschnittliche Alter bei Erstbehandlung in der Klinik betrug 13.1 Jahre (SD: 2.6), bei Nachuntersuchung 19.8 Jahre (SD: 3.4). An der Studie nahmen 18 männliche und 12 weibliche Personen teil. Die Teilnehmerquote lag bei 71.4 %. Ergebnisse: Zum Katamnesezeitpunkt litten 46.7 % der Nachuntersuchten am Vollbild einer Zwangsstörung nach DSM-IV. Bei 23.3 % bestanden Zwänge in subklinischer Ausprägung. Insgesamt litten 70 % der Teilnehmer an Achse I-Störungen, 42 % an Achse II-Persönlichkeitsstörungen. Im Verlauf nahmen Angst- und affektive Erkrankungen sowie zwanghafte und ängstlich-vermeidende Persönlichkeitsstörungen zu. Sechs Personen wurden als gesund klassifiziert. Diskussion: Die gefundene Persistenz von 46.7 % für das Vollbild einer Zwangsstörung ist sehr hoch und liegt nahe den Ergebnissen bisher durchgeführter Studien, obwohl aufgrund verbesserter Behandlungsmöglichkeiten eine niedrigere Persistenz hätte erwartet werden können. Die Erweiterung der Stichprobe ist geplant. Es soll eine qualitative Analyse von möglichen, die Störung aufrechterhaltenden Faktoren erfolgen.
Entwicklung eines Fragebogens zur gewichtsassoziierten Angst bei der Anorexia nervosa
Authors: Schulze Ulrike M.E. , Keller Ferdinand
Published: May 2009

Angst spielt eine übergreifende Rolle für die Psychopathologie und den Langzeitverlauf anorektischer Patientinnen. Ungeachtet der Wichtigkeit des Kernsymptoms der Gewichtsphobie sind die therapeutisch und prognostisch bedeutsamen gewichtsassoziierten Ängste bisher nicht systematisch erfasst worden. Unter der Maßgabe eines präventiven Ansatzes zur frühen Erkennung anorexiespezifischer Ängste entwickeln wir mit Hilfe einer schultypübergreifenden Befragung von 372 Schülerinnen sowie einer bisher kleinen Patientengruppe (n = 26) einen Fragebogen (Anorexie-Angst-Skala, AAS), welcher mit Hilfe einer Faktorenanalyse von ursprünglich 32 auf 8 Items gekürzt werden konnte und im Anschluss an eine weitere Validierung zukünftig als Screening-Instrument einsetzbar sein sollte.
A comprehensive high‐throughput analysis of substorms observed by IMAGE magnetometer network: Years 1993–2003 examined
Authors: Tanskanen E. I.
Published: May 2009

The annual and yearly variation of the substorm activity during a complete solar cycle, from year 1993 to year 2003, has been examined. Almost 6000 substorms were identified by an automated search engine. The identification method was found to be robust and applicable to all activity levels. To examine the long‐term (annual, yearly, and solar cycle) variability in the substorm occurrence rate, we formed a measure called the substorm number. The substorm number and peak amplitude were found to only weakly follow the Sun's activity measured by a sunspot number. During the years of sunspot maxima in the solar cycle 23, the Northern Hemisphere auroral region was only moderately active. The largest substorm numbers and peak amplitudes were found during the declining solar cycle phases when the interplanetary high‐speed streams hit the Earth. We found out that the substorms last longer during the least active season (i.e., summer months) and during the least active years (e.g., 1997 and 2001). Furthermore, the substorm number and peak amplitude show much larger values for winter than for summer, which may be partly due to the fact that the maximum southward component of the interplanetary magnetic field (Bsouth) occurs in February and the minimum occurs in June.
Spatial relationship of nighttime medium‐scale traveling ionospheric disturbances and F region field‐aligned irregularities observed with two spaced all‐sky airglow imagers and the middle and upper atmosphere radar
Authors: Otsuka Y. , Shiokawa K. , Ogawa T. , Yokoyama T. , Yamamoto M.
Published: May 2009

We report simultaneous observations of medium‐scale traveling ionospheric disturbances (MSTIDs) and field‐aligned irregularities (FAIs) in the F region using two all‐sky airglow imagers and the middle and upper atmosphere (MU) radar. MSTIDs propagating southwestward were observed simultaneously in 630‐nm airglow images over Sakata (39.0°N, 139.9°E) and Shigaraki (34.9°N, 136.1°E), Japan, on the night of 16 June 2004. By using all‐sky images over both sites, we estimated the altitude of the airglow layer to be 260 km by the triangulation method. During the MSTID event, FAIs in the F region were observed by making multibeam measurements with the MU radar at Shigaraki. In order to investigate the spatial relationship between the MSTIDs and FAIs, the FAIs were mapped onto the 630‐nm airglow layer (altitude, 260 km) along the geomagnetic field lines. We found that FAIs with an intense (weak) signal‐to‐noise ratio coincided with the airglow depletion (enhancement) caused by the MSTIDs. FAI velocity obtained from a combination of the Doppler velocities on the three radar beams oscillated in the northwest‐southeast direction, with an amplitude of approximately 82 m/s. The FAI velocity was northwestward (southeastward) at the airglow depletion (enhancement). The directions of the FAI velocity were consistent with those of the E × B drifts caused by the polarized electric fields associated with the MSTIDs. The northeastward polarized electric field at the airglow depletion region strengthened the background eastward effective electric field and drove the gradient drift instability generating FAIs. This might be the reason why the FAIs preferred to occur at the airglow depletion region.
Magnetic structure of a slow spreading ridge segment: Insights from near‐bottom magnetic measurements on board a submersible
Authors: Honsho Chie , Dyment Jérôme , Tamaki Kensaku , Ravilly Morgane , Horen Hélène , Gente Pascal
Published: May 2009

Near‐bottom magnetic measurements on board submersible Nautile were carried out on the Mid‐Atlantic Ridge 21°40′N segment, and deep‐sea geomagnetic vector anomalies along 19 dive tracks were obtained by applying the processing method for shipboard three‐component magnetometer data. A forward modeling technique using short‐wavelength components of the anomalies arising from local topography and vertical motion of the submersible was designed to estimate the absolute magnetization intensity of the seafloor. In the vicinity of the spreading axis a considerable number of magnetization estimations are reliably confirmed by the high correlation between observed and modeled anomalies, whereas less reliable estimations are obtained off‐axis, probably because the sediment buries the basement topography. The natural remanent magnetization (NRM) measured on basalt samples collected during these dives is compared with the magnetization from anomalies. Though both results give a similar range of magnetization intensity, no correlation is confirmed between them, possibly because the magnetization from anomalies represents laterally averaged seafloor magnetization, whereas the NRM has variations at the scale of individual pillow or lava pile. Equivalent magnetization inverted from the sea‐surface magnetic anomalies shows axial magnetization increases significantly from the segment center to the segment ends. However, the results of eight dives conducted near the spreading axis at different locations along the segment show much less variation in magnetization intensity along the axis. We ascribe the high equivalent magnetization at segment ends to preferential serpentinization of peridotite near the segment ends and the associated formation of magnetite. The results of three across‐axis transects composed of 15 dives running in the spreading direction can be consistently interpreted as recording geomagnetic paleointensity variations during the Brunhes epoch. Although magnetization lows are generally correspondent to periods of low paleointensity, they show deeper drop than predicted from the paleointensity variation.
2005 drought event in the Amazon River basin as measured by GRACE and estimated by climate models
Authors: Chen J. L. , Wilson C. R. , Tapley B. D. , Yang Z. L. , Niu G. Y.
Published: May 2009

Satellite gravity measurements from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) provide new quantitative measures of the 2005 extreme drought event in the Amazon river basin, regarded as the worst in over a century. GRACE measures a significant decrease in terrestrial water storage (TWS) in the central Amazon basin in the summer of 2005, relative to the average of the 5 other summer periods in the GRACE era. In contrast, data‐assimilating climate and land surface models significantly underestimate the drought intensity. GRACE measurements are consistent with accumulated precipitation data from satellite remote sensing and are also supported by in situ water‐level data from river gauge stations. This study demonstrates the unique potential of satellite gravity measurements in monitoring large‐scale severe drought and flooding events and in evaluating advanced climate and land surface models.
Exchange of Laptev Sea and Arctic Ocean halocline waters in response to atmospheric forcing
Authors: Bauch D. , Dmitrenko I. A. , Wegner C. , Hölemann J. , Kirillov S. A. , Timokhov L. A. , Kassens H.
Published: May 2009

Combined δ18O/salinity data reveal a distinctive water mass generated during winter sea ice formation which is found predominantly in the coastal polynya region of the southern Laptev Sea. Export of the brine‐enriched bottom water shows interannual variability in correlation with atmospheric conditions. Summer anticyclonic circulation is favoring an offshore transport of river water at the surface as well as a pronounced signal of brine‐enriched waters at about 50 m water depth at the shelf break. Summer cyclonic atmospheric circulation favors onshore or an eastward, alongshore water transport, and at the shelf break the river water fraction is reduced and the pronounced brine signal is missing, while on the middle Laptev Sea shelf, brine‐enriched waters are found in high proportions. Residence times of bottom and subsurface waters on the shelf may thereby vary considerably: an export of shelf waters to the Arctic Ocean halocline might be shut down or strongly reduced during “onshore” cyclonic atmospheric circulation, while with “offshore” anticyclonic atmospheric circulation, brine waters are exported and residence times may be as short as 1 year only.
Multidecadal variability of Eastern Australian dust and Northern New Zealand sunshine: Associations with Pacific climate system
Authors: Lamb Peter J. , Leslie Lance M. , Timmer Reed P. , Speer Milton S.
Published: May 2009

Central eastern Australia is a major global source region for atmospheric dust. Time series of surface dust observations show that a striking multidecadal oscillation of dust frequency has occurred in this large region since the late 1950s. From 1959 to 1973, there was a pronounced and consistent dust maximum, after which a sharp decline was followed by a much more dust‐free 1977–2006. Time series of surface and 925 hPa (∼725 m) winds reveal that the dust oscillation was associated locally with strengthening and then weakening of the southerly component of the low level wind over the dust‐prone region. Composite maps for 1959–1973 (dusty) and 1977–2006 (more dust‐free) indicate that these local wind changes reflected the relative speed of the southerly‐southeasterly airflow into southeastern Australia. Correlation analyses show that this multidecadal regional wind oscillation was associated with similar timescale changes in the behavior of the Pacific climate system, including the latitudinal displacement of the South Pacific Convergence Zone, and more remotely with the sea surface temperature changes of the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (tropical North Pacific and extratropical North‐Northeast Pacific) and North Pacific Oscillation (central subtropical North Pacific). Further correlation analyses suggest these Pacific climate system oscillations modulated other key environmental conditions (cloud regime, sunshine duration, rainfall rate) across the Southwest Pacific, including northern New Zealand sunshine.
Global observations of aerosol impacts on precipitation occurrence in warm maritime clouds
Authors: L'Ecuyer Tristan S. , Berg Wesley , Haynes John , Lebsock Matthew , Takemura Toshihiko
Published: May 2009

The impact of aerosols on precipitation occurrence in warm clouds is assessed using a combination of multisensor satellite cloud and precipitation data sets and aerosol information from both satellite and a global transport model. Aerosols are found to suppress the formation of precipitation in polluted regions, evidenced by a trend toward higher liquid water path prior to the onset of light rainfall. Polluted clouds are also found to be more vertically developed than those in more pristine environments. Coupled with an apparent reduction in the size of the raindrops that subsequently form in these clouds, these findings indicate that pollution inhibits precipitation processes by redistributing water among a greater number of smaller cloud droplets. Evidence is also provided that sea‐salt aerosols have the opposite effect on precipitation development. Maritime clouds that form in regions of enhanced sea‐salt concentrations tend to precipitate more frequently, form larger raindrops, and be less vertically developed. This suggests that the nucleation of sea‐salt particles may provide a source of embryonic raindrops in maritime clouds accelerating precipitation processes and ultimately reducing cloud lifetime. The net effect of aerosols on the onset of precipitation in any given region is, therefore, defined by the relative magnitudes of the competing effects of sulfate aerosols and sea‐salt particles, the strengths of which depend strongly on both cloud liquid water path and the thermodynamic properties of the local environment.
Natural gas hydrates with locally different cage occupancies and hydration numbers in Lake Baikal
Authors: Kida Masato , Hachikubo Akihiro , Sakagami Hirotoshi , Minami Hirotsugu , Krylov Alexey , Yamashita Satoshi , Takahashi Nobuo , Shoji Hitoshi , Khlystov Oleg , Poort Jeffrey , Narita Hideo
Published: May 2009

Knowledge of cage occupancies and hydration numbers (n) of naturally occurring gas hydrate in a local environment is important for the improvement in global estimates of hydrate‐bound natural gas. We report on local differences in cage occupancies and hydration number of gas hydrates from Lake Baikal. Natural gas hydrates of both structures I and II (sI and sII) and ranging in composition from pure CH4 to mixed gas hydrate containing up to 15% C2H6 are compared. The average hydration numbers are n = 6.1 for the sI CH4 hydrates recovered from the Malenky and Bolshoy mud volcanoes, n = 6.2 for the sI hydrates, containing 3–4% C2H6 recovered from the K‐2 mud volcano, and n = 6.9 for the sII hydrate containing about 15% C2H6 recovered from the K‐2 mud volcano. The differences in hydration number are due to the differences in the small cage occupancy of CH4 among the samples studied.
Early Eocene Arctic climate sensitivity to pCO2 and basin geography
Authors: Shellito Cindy J. , Lamarque Jean‐François , Sloan Lisa C.
Published: May 2009

We present results from new early Eocene (∼55–45 Ma) climate modeling experiments with the NCAR Community Climate System Model. These experiments test the sensitivity of climate to a large increase in atmospheric greenhouse gases, such as may have occurred at the Paleocene‐Eocene (P‐E) boundary (∼55.5 Ma), and also allow us to explore the role of Arctic basin configuration on climate. Experiments were run with pCO2 at 560 and 2240 ppm, and a third experiment, at 2240 ppm, incorporates a passage to a neighboring ocean to explore the potential effect of the ocean on Arctic warming, were the Arctic not isolated. Quadrupling pCO2 warms the Arctic by ∼8°C in the annual average, doubles atmospheric moisture content in this region and eliminates Arctic sea ice, consistent with proxy estimates of warming at the P‐E boundary. Opening the Arctic Ocean warms mean annual sea surface temperature by an additional ∼4°C.
Evidence of the aerosol core‐shell mixing state over Europe during the heat wave of summer 2003 by using CHIMERE simulations and AERONET inversions
Authors: Péré J. C. , Mallet M. , Bessagnet B. , Pont V.
Published: May 2009

The aim of this work consists to infer the most probable mixing state of aerosols over the European continent during the heat wave of summer 2003, where large concentrations of biomass burning and anthropogenic aerosols have been observed. The methodology presented here is based on the Single Scattering Albedo (SSA) sensitivity to the mixing state of particles. Three different mixing cases; external mixing, internal mixing, and core‐shell type mixing have been considered. Composite SSA has been computed for this intense pollution event over Europe and are compared with the AErosol RObotic NETwork (AERONET) retrieved SSA values. The most probable mixing state seems to be core‐shell mixing, with secondary aerosols coating over primary soot and mineral dust. This work underlines clearly that this specific representation should be used in modeling exercises for simulating anthropogenic and/or biomass burning direct and semi‐direct aerosol effects and climate impact over the European region.
Interaction of deep and shallow convection is key to Madden‐Julian Oscillation simulation
Authors: Zhang Guang J. , Song Xiaoliang
Published: May 2009

This study investigates the role of the interaction between deep and shallow convection in MJO simulation using the NCAR CAM3. Two simulations were performed, one using a revised Zhang‐McFarlane convection scheme for deep convection and the Hack scheme for shallow convection, and the other disallowing shallow convection below 700 mb in the tropical belt. The two simulations produce dramatically different MJO characteristics. While the control simulation produces realistic MJOs, the simulation without shallow convection has very weak MJO signals in the Indian Ocean and western Pacific. Composite analysis finds that shallow convection serves to precondition the lower troposphere by moistening it ahead of deep convection. It also produces enhanced low‐level mass convergence below 850 mb ahead of deep convection. This work, together with previous studies, suggests that a correct simulation of the interaction between deep and shallow convection is key to MJO simulation in global climate models.
Initial stages of the riming process on ice crystals
Authors: Ávila E. E. , Castellano N. E. , Saunders C. P. R. , Bürgesser R. E. , Aguirre Varela G. G.
Published: May 2009

The characteristics of the capture and freezing of supercooled water droplets by falling ice crystals were quantitatively investigated in a vertical supercooled cloud chamber of 10 m length at temperatures from −5 to −25°C. We present evidence that ice crystals can start the riming process at smaller sizes than previously reported. The results obtained show that the minimum dimension of ice crystals involved in riming is around 60 μm in diameter for hexagonal plates and 30 μm width and 60 μm length for columnar ice crystals. No substantial difference has been observed between the size distribution of the droplets accreted on the crystals and the cloud droplet size distribution, indicating that this process should not produce significant changes in the cloud droplet spectrum. The time elapsed between the ice crystal nucleation and the collection of crystals with droplet accretion was typically around 60 seconds.
Modulation of the equatorial F‐region by the quasi‐16‐day planetary wave
Authors: Pedatella N. M. , Forbes J. M.
Published: May 2009

In situ electron density measurements from the CHAMP satellite and global positioning system total electron content (TEC) observations are used to illustrate how quasi‐16‐day planetary wave activity influences the structure of the low‐latitude ionosphere. SABER temperature measurements reveal that quasi‐16‐day oscillations in the dynamo region (110 km) during the time interval of 1 December 2005 to 1 March 2006 are most dominant in the zonal mean. Enhancements in equatorial zonal mean temperatures in the E‐region are connected with enhancements at ±10–20° magnetic latitude in zonal mean CHAMP electron densities and TEC. At a near‐constant altitude of 350 km, the oscillations in daytime electron densities are greater than 40 percent of background levels. A local time effect is also observed in the planetary wave influence on the F‐region electron densities. These results demonstrate that vertically propagating planetary waves induce significant variability in the low‐latitude F‐region ionosphere and that these effects are seen at all longitudes.
Temperature-responsive sensing regulates biocontrol factor expression in Pseudomonas fluorescens CHA0
Authors: Humair Bérénice , González Nicolas , Mossialos Dimitris , Reimmann Cornelia , Haas Dieter
Published: May 2009

In the plant-beneficial, root-colonizing strain Pseudomonas fluorescens CHA0, the Gac/Rsm signal transduction pathway positively regulates the synthesis of biocontrol factors (mostly antifungal secondary metabolites) and contributes to oxidative stress response via the stress sigma factor RpoS. The backbone of this pathway consists of the GacS/GacA two-component system, which activates the expression of three small regulatory RNAs (RsmX, RsmY, RsmZ) and thereby counters translational repression exerted by the RsmA and RsmE proteins on target mRNAs encoding biocontrol factors. We found that the expression of typical biocontrol factors, that is, antibiotic compounds and hydrogen cyanide (involving the phlA and hcnA genes), was significantly lower at 35 °C than at 30 °C. The expression of the rpoS gene was affected in parallel. This temperature control depended on RetS, a sensor kinase acting as an antagonist of the GacS/GacA system. An additional sensor kinase, LadS, which activated the GacS/GacA system, apparently did not contribute to thermosensitivity. Mutations in gacS or gacA were epistatic to (that is, they overruled) mutations in retS or ladS for expression of the small RNAs RsmXYZ. These data are consistent with a model according to which RetS–GacS and LadS–GacS interactions shape the output of the Gac/Rsm pathway and the environmental temperature influences the RetS–GacS interaction in P. fluorescens CHA0.
Plankton composition and environmental factors contribute to Vibrio seasonality
Authors: Turner Jeffrey W , Good Brooks , Cole Dana , Lipp Erin K
Published: May 2009

Plankton represent a nutrient-rich reservoir capable of enriching Vibrio species, which can include human pathogens, at higher densities than the surrounding water column. To better understand the relationship between vibrios and plankton, the partitioning of culturable vibrios, on TCBS, between free living and plankton associated (63–200- and >200-μm-size fractions) was monitored over a 1-year period in coastal waters of Georgia, USA. Seasonal changes in the total Vibrio concentration were then compared with changes in environmental parameters as well as changes in the relative composition of the plankton community. Using univariate analyses, Vibrio concentrations were strongly associated with temperature, especially when those vibrios were plankton associated (R2=0.69 and 0.88 for the water and both plankton fractions; respectively) (P<0.01). Multivariate general linear models revealed that Vibrio concentrations in the plankton fractions were also correlated to shifts in the relative abundance of specific plankton taxa. In the 63–200-μm fraction, Vibrio concentrations were inversely associated with copepods, cyanobacteria and diatoms. In the >200-μm fraction, Vibrio concentrations were positively associated with copepods and negatively associated with decapod larvae. Our results confirm the role of temperature in Vibrio seasonality and highlight an important and independent role for plankton composition in explaining seasonal changes in Vibrio concentration.
MitoWheel, visualizing the human mitochondrial genome
Authors: Zsurka Gábor , Csordás Attila
Published: May 2009

So far researchers, web users were restricted to non-intuitive and visually poor text based databases every time they wanted to take a look on the mitochondrial DNA and find a region of interest. But with MitoWheel the situation is about to change. MitoWheel is a graphical representation of the circular human mitochondrial genome available on the web at "http://mitowheel.org":http://mitowheel.org.The human mitochondrial DNA is a 16569 basepair long, circular molecule and this very circularity is the basic idea behind MitoWheel. The mitochondrial genome can be represented with a wheel and by spinning this wheel users can quickly scan through, browse and identify the particular regions. The spinning is via click-and-drag or by using the left and right arrows in the sequence bar.The sequence used is the standard Revised Cambridge Reference Sequence. The main components of the application are a search box, a sequence bar and the wheel itself.The most important feature of the MitoWheel is its versatile search function. As an output of a query the wheel and the sequence bar stops at the searched nucleotide position or sequence and additional information (whether the nucleotide or the sequence is part of a gene or other specific region) can be seen on a pop-up window. People can search for a nucleotide position or sequence in the search box with numbers (15450, 8366-8572), with nucleotides (ATGCTAAAA), search for an encoded gene or specific region by abbreviations (atp8), genes (complex III, cytochrome b) and sequence features, even mutations (12276A) with the possible functional effects of the mutation. Selected sequences or their reverse complementary sequences can be send to the clipboard and saved.MitoWheel incorporates data on fully sequenced human mitochondrial genomes that have been deposited in the GenBank nucleotide database by different research groups. The sequence bar contains information not only about the function of specific nucleotides, but also about allele frequencies at polymorphic positions.MitoWheel was developed by human mitochondrial geneticist Gábor Zsurka, the wheel was made with Flash Professional 8.0 and the code harnessed the power of Actionscript, a scripting language designed specially for Flash. Attila Csordás is the other member of the developer group. The web application can be useful for anybody interested in human mitochondrial genetics and its biological, medical consequences.
IUPHAR-DB: An Expert-Curated, Peer-Reviewed Database of Receptors and Ion Channels
Authors: Sharman Joanna , Hale Valerie , Hills Rebecca , Rosser Edward , Jones Martin , Greenhill Stuart , Harmar Anthony , IUPHAR NC -
Published: May 2009

The International Union of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology database (IUPHAR-DB) integrates peer-reviewed pharmacological, chemical, genetic, functional and anatomical information on the 354 non-sensory G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), 71 ligand-gated ion channel subunits and 141 voltage-gated ion channel subunits encoded by the human, rat and mouse genomes. These genes represent the targets of about a third of currently approved drugs and are a major focus of drug discovery and development programs in the pharmaceutical industry. Individual gene pages provide a comprehensive description of the genes and their functions, with information on protein structure, ligands, expression patterns, signaling mechanisms, functional assays and biologically important receptor variants (e.g. single nucleotide polymorphisms and splice variants). The phenotypes resulting from altered gene expression (e.g. in genetically altered animals) and genetic mutations are described. Links are provided to bioinformatics resources such as NCBI RefSeq, OMIM, PubChem, human, rat and mouse genome databases. Recent developments include the addition of ligand-centered pages summarising information about unique ligand molecules in IUPHAR-DB. IUPHAR-DB represents a novel approach to biocuration because most data are provided through manual curation of published literature by a network of over 60 expert subcommittees coordinated by NC-IUPHAR. Data are referenced to the primary literature and linked to PubMed. The data are checked to ensure accuracy and consistency by the curators, added to the production server using custom-built submission tools and peer-reviewed by NC-IUPHAR, before being transferred to the public database. Data are reviewed and updated regularly (at least biennially). Other website features include comprehensive database search tools, online and downloadable gene lists and links to recent publications of interest to the field, such as reports on receptor-ligand pairings. The database is freely available at "http://www.iuphar-db.org":http://www.iuphar-db.org. Curators can be reached at curators [at] iuphar-db.org. We thank British Pharmacological Society, UNESCO (through the ICSU Grants Programme), Incyte, GlaxoSmithKline, Novartis, Servier and Wyeth for their support.