bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparison of 4 Registration Strategies for Computer‐Aided Maxillofacial Surgery
Authors: Metzger Marc Christian , Rafii Amir , Holhweg‐Majert Bettina , Pham Annette M. , Strong Brad
Published: June 2007

PURPOSE

Surgeons have recently started to use computer‐aided surgery (CAS) to assist with maxillofacial reconstructive surgery. This study evaluates four different CAS registration strategies in the maxillofacial skeleton.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Fifteen fiducial markers were placed on each of four cadaveric heads. Four registration protocols were used: 1) group 1—invasive markers, 2) group 2—skin surface, 3) group 3—bony landmark, 4) group 4—intraoral splint. Two observers registered each head twice with each of the four protocols and measured the target registration error (TRE). The process was repeated on two different navigation systems for confirmation.

RESULTS

The mean TRE values were: invasive, 1.13 ± 0.05 mm (P < 0.05); skin, 2.03 ± 0.07 mm (P < 0.05); bone, 3.17 ± 0.10 mm (P < 0.05); and splint, 3.79 ± 0.13 mm (P < 0.05). The TRE values were consistent across CAS systems.

CONCLUSION

Of the techniques tested for CAS registration, invasive fiducial markers are the most accurate. Skin surface landmarks, bony landmarks, and an intraoral splint are incrementally less accurate.
High Prevalence of Personality Abnormalities in Patients Seeking Rhinoplasty
Authors: Zojaji Ramin , Javanbakht Maryam , Ghanadan Alireza , Hosien Hosien , Sadeghi Hasan
Published: June 2007

OBJECTIVE

To assess the effect of the patient's personality on his/her satisfaction with rhinoplasty.

STUDY DESIGN

Personalities of 66 rhinoplasty candidates and 50 persons who served as control were evaluated using questionnaires. The results were validated using the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) test. Six months after the surgery, the rate of satisfaction was evaluated using another questionnaire based on a visual scale. The results were statistically analyzed to assess the relationship between personality traits and rate of satisfaction.

RESULTS

The average age of participants was 25.3 ± 5.12 years; 79% were females. Obsessiveness was the most frequently noted personality trait; being antisocial was the least mentioned. Personality type and level of satisfaction were statistically related (P < 0.001). The satisfaction rate of rhinoplasty was 55.1%. Candidates with “good faking” trait followed by those who were‐“depressed” had the highest satisfaction.

CONCLUSION

Identification of patient's personality can be a major factor influencing satisfaction results after rhinoplasty.
Expansion Sphincter Pharyngoplasty: A New Technique for the Treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Authors: Pang Kenny P. , Woodson B. Tucker
Published: June 2007

OBJECTIVE

In this study, we assessed the efficacy of a new method (expansion sphincter pharyngoplasty [ESP]) to treat obstructive sleep apnea.

STUDY DESIGN

We conducted a prospective, randomized controlled trial.

METHODS

Forty‐five adults with small tonsils, body mass index less than 30 kg/m2, of Friedman stage II or III, of type I Fujita, and with lateral pharyngeal wall collapse were selected for the study.

RESULTS

The mean body mass index was 28.7 kg/m2. The apnea‐hypopnea index improved from 44.2 ± 10.2 to 12.0 ± 6.6 (P < 0.005) following ESP and from 38.1 ± 6.46 to 19.6 ± 7.9 in the uvulopalatopharyngoplasty group (P < 0.005). Lowest oxygen saturation improved from 78.4 ± 8.52% to 85.2 ± 5.1% in the ESP group (P = 0.003) and from 75.1 ± 5.9% to 86.6 ± 2.2% in the uvulopalatopharyngoplasty group (P < 0.005). Selecting a threshold of a 50% reduction in apnea‐hypopnea index and apnea‐hypopnea index less than 20, success was 82.6% in ESP compared with 68.1% in uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE

The ESP may offer benefits in a selected group of OSA patients.
Vocal Fold Immobility Following Burn Intensive Care
Authors: Pfannenstiel Travis J. , Gal Thomas J. , Hayes David K. , Myers Karen V.
Published: June 2007

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate factors associated with the development of vocal fold immobility in patients surviving burn intensive care.

STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING

A retrospective review of patients referred to Department of Speech Pathology by the Burn Intensive Care Unit between June 2002 and November 2004. Patients underwent videostroboscopic examination, and associations of vocal fold immobility with factors related to patient management were examined by using logistic regression.

RESULTS

Vocal fold immobility was diagnosed in 25 (48%) of the 52 patients evaluated. A significant association with a history of intubation during overseas aeromedical evacuation (odds ratio 4.5, P = 0.026) was observed. Multivariate modeling demonstrated an increased risk of 3% for each % total body surface area (TBSA) of burn.

CONCLUSION

High‐altitude transport of intubated patients was a significant risk factor in the development of laryngeal injury.

SIGNIFICANCE

This study magnifies the role that endotracheal tube cuff pressure may play in recurrent laryngeal nerve injury.
Particle filtering on the Euclidean group: framework and applications
Authors: Kwon Junghyun , Choi Minseok , Park F. C. , Chun Changmook
Published: June 2007

We address general filtering problems on the Euclidean groupSE(3). We first generalize, to stochastic nonlinear systems evolving onSE(3), the particle filter of Liu and West for simultaneous estimation of the state and covariance. The filter is constructed in a coordinate-invariant way, and explicitly takes into account the geometry ofSE(3) andP(n), the space of symmetric positive definite matrices. Some basic results for bilinear systems onSE(3) with linear and quadratic measurements are also derived. Three examples—GPS attitude estimation, needle tip location, and vision-based robot end-effector pose estimation—are presented to illustrate the framework.
Visual behavior of adult goldfish with regenerating retina
Authors: LINDSEY AMY E. , POWERS MAUREEN K.
Published: June 2007

To determine whether regenerating neural pathways can support visual behavior, adult goldfish (Carassius auratus) were injected intraocularly with ouabain and tested for the presence of reflexive visual behaviors (dorsal light reflex and optokinetic nystagmus) and the ability to respond to visual stimuli in a classical conditioning paradigm. All visual behaviors were absent or greatly diminished until 8 to 10 weeks, when retinal layering had returned. At 10 weeks post-ouabain, reflexive behaviors to supra-threshold stimuli were near normal; however the ability to detect supra-threshold stimuli in the conditioning paradigm did not recover until 13 weeks. Absolute dark-adapted threshold and light-adapted spectral sensitivity measured at 13 to 17 weeks were abnormal: Dark-adapted threshold was elevated by 1.5 log units and light-adapted spectral sensitivity was markedly narrower than normal. No responses to 50% contrast sinusoidal gratings could be obtained through ouabain-treated eyes using the classical conditioning technique, even though responses through the untreated eye remained. Results demonstrate that: (a) visually mediated behaviors return in goldfish with ouabain-treated retinas; (b) the time course of recovery of reflexive responses in luminance and spatial domains parallels return of ERG function and of tectal activity; and (c) visual function that is mediated by regenerating retina appears not to be as sensitive as visionvianormally developed retinal pathways.
General editorial
Authors: DOUGLAS RON
Published: June 2007

In the past two years the field of fish vision research has lost three
central figures, Bill McFarland, Bill Muntz, and Joe Bilotta. This volume
of Visual Neuroscience is dedicated to them. Since the inception of this
volume, Henk Spekreijse and Adam Locket, who made significant
contributions to fish vision, have also passed away; they are also
remembered.
Active or Passive Initiator: Cai Yuanpei's Admission of Women to Beijing University (1919–20)
Authors: Lee Yuen Ting
Published: June 2007

Among all the inequalities of traditional Chinese society, education was one of the most obvious. In most cases, girls and women were not expected to receive education at the highest level and in late Qing China, most Chinese women did not have access to a university education. Cai Yuanpei (1868–1940), an educator of the late Qing era and of Republican China, was renowned for his progressivism towards women. His broad-mindedness can be perceived in the way he advocated and implemented for girls and women educational opportunities on a par with those available to boys and men. Although many of his well-known contemporaries shared similarly progressive ideas on women, none of them are regarded as the initiator of the admittance of women to China's national universities. Actually during the May Fourth Period Cai was Chancellor of an important academic institution in China and thus strategically placed at a decisive moment in modern Chinese history.
DOMESTIC SERVICE IN INDUSTRIALIZING JAPAN: THE JOB CHOICES OF UNMARRIED YOUNG WOMEN IN THE SENNAN DISTRICT, OSAKA PREFECTURE, 1893–1927
Authors: Ogiyama Masahiro
Published: June 2007

This study examines the manner in which the significance of housework affected the job choices of young Japanese women over three decades spanning the beginning of the twentieth century, by focusing on domestic servants hired by the Hiroumi family, a merchant family living in the Sennan District, Osaka Prefecture. The family recruited unmarried young women from within Sennan as domestic servants. These women benefited from domestic service because it enabled them to become skilled in housework. Around the late 1890s, however, they preferred to work in the textile industry, the mainstay of Sennan's economy at the time, not recognizing the value of domestic work. Consequently, the Hiroumi family experienced a labour shortage. After this period, though, young women attached increasing importance to housework, and by the 1920s, they were as willing to be employed in domestic service as in the textile industry. This made it less difficult for the Hiroumi family to recruit domestic servants.
Radiocarbon and stable isotope geochemistry of organic matter in the Amazon headwaters, Peruvian Andes
Authors: Townsend‐Small Amy , Noguera Jorge L. , McClain Michael E. , Brandes Jay A.
Published: June 2007

We used δ13C, δ15N, and Δ14C to determine the sources of riverine organic matter in the Pozuzo River, a tributary of the Pachitea River located in the mountainous headwaters of the Amazon. Particulate organic matter (POM) Δ14C decreased downstream, suggesting that young organic matter (OM) introduced in small headwaters is respired preferentially in rivers or is diluted downstream with older material. The δ13C and δ15N of POM in headwater rivers were heterogeneous and also isotopically distinct from the main stem, suggesting that differences in landscape processes in small catchments impact the concentration and composition of POM in streams. The δ13C of dissolved organic matter (DOM) closely mirrored that of POM in the headwaters, with an apparent decoupling of dissolved and particulate OM in the river main stem. The δ13C of POM sampled in 2004 had a much different relationship with altitude than observed during previous years: In 2004, a very dry year, we observed enrichment from the headwaters to the main stem, and the opposite pattern in 2002, when rain fell heavily throughout the sampling campaign. This suggests that during dry conditions, in‐stream processes (such as resuspension or photosynthesis) may control riverine POM composition as opposed to terrestrial processes, which dominate during high runoff. Thus a decrease in runoff in Andean headwaters could result in less terrestrial POM transfer to rivers in the Andes foothills and lowland Amazon with a corresponding decrease in aquatic CO2 evasion.
Imaging of crustal heterogeneous structures using a slowness‐weighted back‐projection with effects of scattering modes: 2. Application to the Nagamachi‐Rifu fault, Japan, area
Authors: Taira T. , Yomogida K. , Kuwahara Y. , Imanishi K. , Ito H.
Published: June 2007

This is the second paper in a two‐part series on a newly developed imaging approach for small‐scale heterogeneities (<1 km) in the crust with effects of scattering modes. In the present paper, we estimated a detail three‐dimensional spatial distribution of small‐scale heterogeneities around the Nagamachi‐Rifu fault, northeastern Japan, in a frequency range of 2–16 Hz, using the imaging approach presented in the first paper. We used seismograms recorded by dense three‐component seismic arrays that were deployed in this region for 15 explosion sources. As one of our important results, there are concentrations for only P‐S but not P‐P scatterers near the surface trace of the fault. P‐S scatterers in a frequency range of 8–16 Hz are localized near the surface trace of the fault, implying the possibility of strong heterogeneities with a size of 0.08 km there. In the Shirasawa caldera region, the characteristics of seismic scatterers seem to convert from large P‐S to large P‐P relative scattering coefficients with its transition depth range of 5–8 km. This feature implies that the materials composed of seismic scatterers may show a systematic variation with depth. Finally, the strength of scattering coefficients is rather weak in the coseismic area of the 15 September 1998 earthquake with a magnitude of 5.2, the largest recent event in this area. This result suggests that this coseismic area is rather homogeneous and can hold local stress larger than in the surrounding portions of the fault system.
Model simulation of Greenland Sea upper‐ocean variability
Authors: Häkkinen S. , Dupont F. , Karcher M. , Kauker F. , Worthen D. , Zhang J.
Published: June 2007

Observations indicate that the occurrence of dense upper‐ocean water masses coincides with periods of intense deep‐water formation in the Greenland Sea. This paper focuses on the upper‐ocean hydrography of the area and its simulation in models. We analyze properties that reside below the summer mixed layer at 200 m and carry the winter mixing signal. The analysis employs numerical simulations from four different models, all of which are forced as specified by the Arctic Ocean Model Intercomparison Project (AOMIP). The models exhibit varying degrees of success in simulating upper‐ocean properties observed in the Greenland Sea, including very dense, saline water masses in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s. Two of the models predict the importance of salinity in determining the maximum density in the upper waters of the central gyre. The circulation pattern of Atlantic Water was captured well by two high‐resolution models as measured by temperature‐salinity‐density relationships. The simulated temporal variability of Atlantic Water properties was less satisfactory, particularly in the case of salinity.
Oxidation, efflux, and isotopic fractionation of methane during autumnal turnover in a polyhumic, boreal lake
Authors: Kankaala Paula , Taipale Sami , Nykänen Hannu , Jones Roger I.
Published: June 2007

We studied the oxidation and efflux of methane (CH4) in a small, polyhumic lake, Mekkojärvi (southern Finland), during 6 weeks in autumn when the stability of the water mass first weakened, temporarily restabilized, and finally mixed completely. During the summer stratification period, CH4 had accumulated in the anoxic hypolimnion to high concentrations (>150 mmol m−3). Gradual mixing of the water column during the autumn allowed access to both oxygen and CH4 by aerobic methane‐oxidizing bacteria (MOB) deeper in the water column. Thus the bulk (∼83–88%) of the CH4 accumulated in the hypolimnion was subsequently consumed by MOB while only 12–17% was lost from the lake to the atmosphere at a rate varying between 0.05 and 8.8 mmol m−2 d−1. Phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) analyses revealed that type I methanotrophs (MOB I) were responsible for this CH4 oxidation. The stable carbon isotope ratio of CH4 in the water column (δ13C‐CH4) ranged from −81.2‰ close to the bottom to −45.1‰ at the surface. At CH4 concentrations >1 mmol m−3 the δ13C‐CH4 isotopic value was linearly related to the specific oxidation rate. The carbon isotopic fractionation factor α for aerobic CH4 oxidation calculated from the results (1.037) is within the range of maximum values reported in literature. Our results show that in stratified boreal lakes the greatest MOB activity and effluxes of CH4 both occur during autumnal mixing. Owing to their great abundance and areal cover, small water bodies should not be neglected in global analyses of the CH4 cycle.
Tropical river flow and rainfall reconstructions from coral luminescence: Great Barrier Reef, Australia
Authors: Lough Janice M.
Published: June 2007

Rainfall and river flow in northeast Queensland, Australia, are highly seasonal and show high interannual and decadal variability that is modulated by El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events and the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO). Reconstructions of October–September freshwater input to the Great Barrier Reef lagoon and October–September Queensland rainfall are developed from visual assessment of the occurrence and intensity of luminescent lines in massive Porites from up to 25 coral cores from 15 nearshore reefs regularly influenced by river flood plumes. Separate reconstructions are developed for four rivers (Herbert, Burdekin, Pioneer, and Fitzroy), and these are used to reconstruct total annual freshwater flow into the Great Barrier Reef (69–74% variance calibrated) and an index of Queensland rainfall (53–57% variance calibrated). The reconstructions extend back to 1631 but are most reliable from 1661 and capture significant decadal variability. The reconstructions provide insights into long‐term tropical rainfall and river flow variability and the behavior of ENSO and the PDO over several centuries. Significant, though weak, relationships are found between these reconstructions and an independent reconstruction of ENSO. The reconstructions highlight that observations from the instrumental records of high interannual and decadal rainfall and river flow variability in northeast Australia also characterize the past few centuries. Although there appears to be no overall trend toward wetter or drier conditions, the reconstructions suggest that the variability of rainfall and river flow has increased during the twentieth century with more very wet and very dry extremes than in earlier centuries, as projected for the region as a consequence of global warming.
Macrostructural and microstructural architecture of the Karakoram fault: Relationship between magmatism and strike‐slip faulting
Authors: Phillips Richard J. , Searle Michael P.
Published: June 2007

A key factor in interpreting the significance of large‐scale strike‐slip faults in models of continental deformation is an understanding of the temporal relationship between faulting and magmatism. Knowledge of when a strike‐slip fault initiated is essential in order to determine its long‐term slip rate and its significance in accommodating strain. We review key structural criteria that identify whether magmatism is prekinematic or synkinematic with faulting and apply these criteria to a major Tibet‐bounding strike‐slip fault. Along the Karakoram fault, in western Tibet, opinion is divided between (1) those advocating that magmatism and shearing were coeval, in which case the youngest U‐Pb crystallization age provides a minimum age of shear, and (2) those advocating that magmatism preceded strike‐slip shearing, in which case the youngest U‐Pb crystallization age provides a maximum age of shear. Fault zone rocks within the central segment of the fault are variably deformed, displaying high‐ to low‐temperature solid‐state fabrics. Mylonites indicate subsolidus noncoaxial deformation at temperatures that have not exceeded greenschist–lower amphibolite facies. There is no evidence for submagmatic deformation, and there are no textural or structural indicators that suggest synkinematic magmatism. Consequently, magmatism preceded shearing suggesting that the U‐Pb age of proximal leucogranites sets a maximum age for shear. Coupled with a limited offset (<150 km), these data confirm a low long‐term slip rate for the Karakoram fault (3–10 mm/yr). Consequently, the fault is unlikely to have played a significant role in accommodating strain during the Indo‐Asian collision, and thus its role in suggested extrusion models of deformation is limited.
First sampling of gas hydrate from the Vøring Plateau
Authors: Ivanov Michael , Blinova Valentina , Kozlova Elena , Westbrook, Graham K. , Mazzini Adriano , Minshull Tim , Nouzé Hervé
Published: June 2007

Methane hydrate is a clathrate, an ice‐like solid formed from methane and water, that is stable under conditions of pressure and temperature found in most of the world's oceans at depths greater than a few hundred meters. Hydrate occurs beneath the seabed where there is sufficient methane to exceed its solubility in water within the hydrate stability field. It has been speculated that methane released from hydrate by climate‐induced changes in pressure and temperature escapes into the ocean and into the atmosphere, where its acts as a greenhouse gas. Further, methane from beneath the seabed is the primary energy source for communities of chemosynthetic biota at the seabed.
IPCC assesses options for reducing CO2 emissions
Authors: Zielinski Sarah
Published: June 2007

Though governments and individuals have taken some steps to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide, current practices and policies are inadequate, and emissions will continue to grow over the next several decades, according to the summary from Working Group III (mitigation) of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change that was released on 4 May. However, there are many options available that could change this outcome.

Emissions of greenhouse gases have been increasing since pre‐industrial times. Between 1970 and 2004, overall greenhouse gas emissions increased by 70% and carbon dioxide alone increased by 80%, with the largest increases coming from the energy supply and transport sectors. If practices do not change, IPCC scenarios estimate that by 2030 greenhouse gas emissions will increase by another 25–90%, compared with 2000 levels.
IPCC: How it happens
Authors: Zielinski Sarah
Published: June 2007

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change was established in 1988 by the World Meteorological Organization and the United Nations Environment Programme to provide independent scientific advice about climate change. About every 5–6 years, the IPCC compiles assessments on all aspects of climate change, including science, impacts, adaptation, and mitigation, based on peer‐reviewed literature. The Fourth Assessment Report (AR4) is being released throughout 2007 (see http://www.ipcc.ch).
Natural radioactivity, earthquakes, and the ionosphere
Authors: Pulinets S. A.
Published: June 2007

Air ionization produced by natural ground radioactivity, mainly by radon emanating from the Earth's crust, is a primary source of ions in the planetary boundary layer (PBL) of the atmosphere over land [Hoppel et al., 1986]. These ions provide the air conductivity responsible for fair weather vertical electric current in the global electric circuit (GEC), a system of stationary electric currents between the ground and ionosphere driven by global thunderstorm activity. This activity is considered an electric generator of the potential difference between the ground and ionosphere (200–600 kilovolts), and the return downward current closes the circuit in the areas of fair weather [Roble and Tzur, 1986]. The upper closing limit of this circuit is of the altitude of 60 kilometers. At altitudes higher than 60 kilometers, cosmic rays and solar radiation also contribute to air ionization.
On the way to Pluto, spacecraft images Jupiter system
Authors: Zielinski Sarah
Published: June 2007

Earlier this year, NASA's Pluto‐bound New Horizons spacecraft stopped off at Jupiter to use the planet's gravity to give it a boost on its journey. While there, New Horizons tested its instruments and software by imaging the Jupiter system, and these images have now reached Earth.

As the spacecraft approached Jupiter, it focused its seven cameras and sensors on the planet and its four largest moons, taking nearly 700 observations in total. NASA had received about 70% of the 34 gigabits of data as of 1 May.
Réunion Island applies for World Heritage status
Authors: Zielinski Sarah
Published: June 2007

Réunion Island, where earlier this year the tropical cyclone Gamede struck and the volcano Piton de la Fournaise most recently erupted, is applying to be included on the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization's World Heritage List. Organizers are looking for supporters of their effort to help explain how the island is an example of ongoing geological processes in the development of landforms and significant geomorphic or physiographic features, and to highlight the intense constructive and destructive forces—volcanism and erosion—at work. Interested individuals should contact Guillaume Levieux, Universite de La Reunion, at guillaume.levieux@univ‐reunion.fr
The science of diversity
Authors: Laird Jennifer D. , Bell Robin E. , Downey Geraldine , Pfirman Stephanie
Published: June 2007

While the number of women in science is increasing in the United States, women continue to be significantly underrepresented in the upper ranks [National Science Foundation, 2004]. U.S. universities as well as the federal government are responding to this bottleneck by increasing their investments in diversity initiatives. Following the 1999 Massachusetts Institute of Technology report about bias against female faculty, the U.S. National Science Foundation launched the ADVANCE program to increase the participation of women in science. The goal of the program is to use behavioral and social science research to understand and change individual and organizational behavior.
Internet software programs aid in search for Amazonian geoglyphs
Authors: Ranzi Alceu , Feres Robert , Brown Foster
Published: June 2007

The Web‐based Google Earth software program recently has incorporated high‐resolution satellite imagery that facilitates the search for landscape expressions of past civilizations that we call geoglyphs. Since 2000, about 40 such geoglyphs have been observed in overflights above recently deforested pastures of southwestern Amazonia in eastern Acre State, Brazil [Ranzi and Aguiar, 2001; Ranzi, 2003; Ranzi and Aguiar, 2004]. These geoglyphs typically are circular or rectangular, on the scale of 100 meters or more, with bordering trenches 1–3 meters deep (Figure l). Carbon‐14 dating of charcoal associated with these geoglyphs indicates ages between 2500 and 1000 years B.P [Latini, 1998; Pärssinen et al., 2003].
Analyzing micromagnetic properties with FORCIT Software
Authors: Anonymous
Published: June 2007

A primary method of characterizing the magnetic properties of a sample is to measure its magnetization while gradually varying an applied ambient magnetic field between large positive values and large negative values. The change in magnetization with field can be used to map the magnetic hysteresis loop of the sample, which defines some of its bulk magnetic properties (Figure 1).

Each sample, however, is actually composed of a population of magnetic grains and domains, which may vary in their magnetic properties and which may interact with their neighbors. The micromagnetic properties of these populations, such as the distribution of micro‐coercivities and the magnetic interactions or biases, can be mapped by probing the interior of a hysteresis loop with a series of partial hysteresis curves referred to as first‐order reversal curves (FORCs) [Mayergoyz, 1986; Pike et al., 1999] (Figures 1 and 2). These properties can then be used in various ways ranging from characterization of the magnetic composition, grain size, and concentration of samples to understanding the mechanisms of magnetic acquisition [e.g., Pike et al., 1999,2001; Roberts et al., 2006; Carvallo et al., 2006; Muxworthy et al., 2005].
Waves tracked across Indian Ocean
Authors: zielinski Sarah
Published: June 2007

Waves that were 11 meters high when they struck Réunion Island on 12 May have been detected with the European Space Agency satellite Envisat. The waves originated from very intense storm winds south of Cape Town, South Africa, on 8 May and traveled northeast for nearly 4000 kilometers before hitting the island's southern port of Saint Pierre, leaving two fishermen missing and flooding homes and businesses. Bertrand Chapron of the French Research Institute for Exploitation of the Sea, one of the scientists who used the Envisat Synthetic Aperture Radar data to track the waves, said that in the future the same technology might be used to better predict the arrival time and intensity of these types of waves.
Refugee numbers could increase due to climate change
Authors: Sarah Zielinski
Published: June 2007

Climate change could push the number of refugees globally to more than one billion by 2050, according to a new report from the British charity Christian Aid. Currently, there are about 155 million ‘internally displaced persons’ worldwide, driven from their homes due to conflict, ethnic persecution, or natural disasters. The addition of climate change and growing population numbers could exacerbate these ongoing problems. In the report, Mali is presented as a case study where ongoing climate change is forcing farmers to find other ways to feed their families; one result is an increased number of people attempting to migrate to Europe.
Nominations sought for National Geospatial Advisory Committee
Authors: Zielinski Sarah
Published: June 2007

The U.S. Department of the Interior is seeking nominations for a new National Geospatial Advisory Committee that will provide advice on the management of national geospatial programs and the development of the National Spatial Data Infrastructure. The NSDI is intended to promote the sharing of geospatial data throughout the government and the private, academic, and non‐profit sectors. The new advisory committee will consist of 20–25 members who will be selected to achieve a balanced representation of partners involved in national geospatial activities. Nominations are due 28 June. Additional information is available at http://www.usgs.gov/newsroom/article.asp?ID=1666
Travertine
Authors: Newell Dennis L.
Published: June 2007

The term ‘travertine’ encompasses a wide variety of continental carbonate rocks deposited from groundwaters and surface waters. These include, but are not limited to, mineral spring deposits, stream and lake deposits, and cave formations and are recognized by interesting morphologies such as spring mounds, fissure ridges, cascades, step pools, and speleothems. These beautiful deposits are often popular tourist destinations, such as Havasu Falls, Ariz., and Yellowstone National Park hot springs. Larger economic deposits are mined for building stone such as that from Bagni di Tivoli, Italy, which was used for the construction of many famous buildings in ancient Rome. Humankind has used travertine systems literally for millennia for art, building stone, and water sources.
New European space policy
Authors: Zielinski Sarah
Published: June 2007

A new European Space Policy (http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/space/off_docs_en.html) that is intended to coordinate space activities undertaken by the European Space Agency, European Union, and member nations has been adopted by representatives of these entities. Earth observation is one of the key applications identified in the policy, particularly the Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) initiative, which is intended to coordinate and prepare satellite and ground‐based data for end‐users. Other key applications include development of the GALILEO satellite navigation system, satellite communications, and security and defense.
Reply to Comment on “Preseismic lithosphere‐atmosphere‐ionosphere coupling”
Authors: Kamogawa Masashi
Published: June 2007

A number of electromagnetic candidates of earthquake precursors have been reported, but Rodger and Clilverd (Comment on “Preseismic Lithosphere‐Atmosphere‐Ionosphere Coupling,” Eos, this issue) comment that their statistical significance has not been verified. Since most of the proposed mechanisms of reported earthquake precursors are controversial, it is true that the first requisite for verification should mainly rely on statistical analysis, as these authors rightly point out. The statistical analysis, in fact, is exactly what concerned researchers are continuously challenging. It is a difficult goal largely because of the limited number of large earthquakes.

In an Eos article [Kamogawa, 2006], some recent promising results that had been statistically studied were reviewed. Pioneering works by Gokhberg et al. [1989] and Molchanov and Hayakawa [1998] were also mentioned even if they were lacking in elaborate statistical analysis. In their comment, Rodger and Clilverd stress that the existence of preseismic subionospheric anomalies is controversial, citing some papers such as those by Michael [1996] and Clilverd et al. [1999]. Although I did not refer to these papers due to the space limitation of the Eos article, I agree with their point.
Afghanistan earthquake hazards mapped
Authors: Zielinski Sarah
Published: June 2007

As part of efforts to build capacity within Afghanistan for studying, preparing for, and responding to earthquakes, the U.S. Geological Survey has released a map of potential earthquake hazards within the country.

Afghanistan is located in a technically active area near where the Indian and Eurasian plates collide, and earthquakes powerful enough to cause significant damage or fatalities occur every few years. However, decades of violence and strife have left the country with few scientists and limited resources to address geohazards. The U.S. Agency for International Development commissioned the USGS to assist in the nation's reconstruction efforts by assessing seismic hazards there.
Innovative testing facility to mitigate hurricane‐induced losses
Authors: Chowdhury Arindam Gan , Leatherman Stephen P.
Published: June 2007

The growth of hurricane‐induced losses from US$1.3 billion per year before 1990 to US$36 billion per year after 2000 [National Science Board, 2007] is a direct result of over 50 years of accumulated socioeconomic decisions to invest in physical infrastructure and community development along coastlines. Fifty percent of the U.S. population now lives within 80 kilometers of a coast [National Academy of Sciences, 1999]. With hurricane losses surpassing the US$100 billion mark in 2005 (http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/hazstats.shtml) and over 1400 fatalities in 2004–2005 [Government Accountability Office, 2006], it is hard to identify any other societal need or engineering problem that is as challenging, recurring, and multi disciplinary or with as far‐reaching impacts as hurricanes.

The devastation brought by recent hurricanes that have struck U.S. coastal states demonstrates the need for mitigation tools that can significantly reduce losses. A current research initiative by the International Hurricane Research Center (IHRC) at Florida International University (FIU) will allow for the first time full‐scale testing of the impact of hurricane‐force winds, wind‐driven rain, and flying debris on houses and low rise commercial buildings. The Wall of Wind testing facility, an innovative research capability developed by an IHRC research team, is the first major initiative to operate a full scale facility dedicated to hurricane damage mitigation [Leatherman et al., 2007].
Yearly impact of submonthly rain fluctuations on the Indian Ocean salinity
Authors: Illig Serena , Perigaud Claire
Published: June 2007

We investigate the impact of submonthly rain fluctuations on the daily‐to‐interannual variations of the salinity in the tropical Indian Ocean. A three‐year record of daily observed precipitation and wind are used to force an Indian Ocean model in two experiments that differ only by their rain forcing, which is either daily‐ (Exp_day) or monthly‐ (Exp_month) averaged. Results show that submonthly precipitations significantly impact the Surface Layer Salinity (SLS) in the northern and eastern Bay of Bengal during the wet season from May to November. In September when the Bay reaches its SLS minimum, the Andaman Sea is saltier by as much as 1.3 psu for Exp_day. The frequency shift between the submonthly rain forcing and the yearly salinity response is due to accumulation in time of nonlinear mechanisms: sudden rain deficits increase the SLS by entraining salty waters from below, whereas rain excesses are inefficient to decrease the salinity of the thick surface layer.
High penetration of ultraviolet radiation in the south east Pacific waters
Authors: Tedetti Marc , Sempéré Richard , Vasilkov Alexander , Charrière Bruno , Nérini David , Miller William L. , Kawamura Kimitaka , Raimbault Patrick
Published: June 2007

We investigated the penetration of solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR) in the surface waters of the south east Pacific (08–35°S, 142–73°W) from October to December 2004 during the BIOSOPE cruise. In the hyper‐oligotrophic waters of the South Pacific Gyre (near Easter Island), diffuse attenuation coefficients for downward irradiance, Kd(λ), at 305 nm (UV‐B), 325, 340 and 380 nm (UV‐A) were 0.083, 0.055, 0.039 and 0.021 m−1, respectively. The corresponding 10% irradiance depths, Z10%(λ), were 28, 42, 59 and 110 m, respectively. These UVR penetrations are the highest ever reported for oceanic waters and are equal to those measured in the clearest fresh waters. UV‐extended inherent optical property (IOP) and radiative transfer (RT) models allowed reliable estimations of Kd(λ) with the Case 1 water assumption when two values of chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) absorption spectral slope coefficient (S) were used, i.e. 0.017 nm−1 at 325, 340 and 380 nm, and 0.023 nm−1 at 305 nm.
Isochronous synchronization in mutually coupled chaotic circuits
Authors: Wagemakers Alexandre , Buldú Javier M. , Sanjuán Miguel A. F.
Published: June 2007

This paper examines the robustness of isochronous synchronization in simple arrays of bidirectionally coupled systems. First, the achronal synchronization of two mutually chaotic circuits, which are coupled with delay, is analyzed. Next, a third chaotic circuit acting as a relay between the previous two circuits is introduced. We observe that, despite the delay in the coupling path, the outer dynamical systems show isochronous synchronization of their outputs, i.e., display the same dynamics at exactly the same moment. Finally, we give here the first experimental evidence that the central relaying system is not required to be of the same kind of its outer counterparts.
Empirical analysis of the ship-transport network of China
Authors: Xu Xinping , Hu Junhui , Liu Feng
Published: June 2007

Structural properties of the ship-transport network of China (STNC) are studied in the light of recent investigations of complex networks. STNC is composed of a set of routes and ports located along the sea or river. Network properties including the degree distribution, degree correlations, clustering, shortest path length, centrality, and betweenness are studied in different definitions of network topology. It is found that geographical constraint plays an important role in the network topology of STNC. We also study the traffic flow of STNC based on the weighted network representation, and demonstrate the weight distribution can be described by power-law or exponential function depending on the assumed definition of network topology. Other features related to STNC are also investigated.
Understanding stochastic simulations of the smallest genetic networks
Authors: Schultz Daniel , Onuchic José N. , Wolynes Peter G.
Published: June 2007

Because genetic networks function with few molecules, such systems are better described by stochastic models than by macroscopic kinetics. Stochastic simulations of a self-regulating gene are compared with analytical solutions of the master equations, showing how the dynamics depends on the average number of proteins in the system, the repression strength, and the relative speed of the binding/unbinding and synthesis/degradation events. Steady-state and transient probability distributions for the toggle switch along with typical trajectories show that strongly repressed systems are better candidates for “good switches.”
Weak surface anchoring energy of 4-cyano-4′-pentyl-1,1′-biphenyl on perfluoropolyether Langmuir-Blodgett films
Authors: Russell-Tanner Joette M. , Takayama Sadao , Sugimura Akihiko , DeSimone Joseph M. , Samulski Edward T.
Published: June 2007

Functional director alignment layers are needed for high performance liquid crystal displays (LCDs). Reported herein is a novel polymer material for LC alignment, namely, perfluoropolyether (PFPE), which exhibits a weak surface anchoring energy for bend deformation and is amenable to simple fabrication of grooved surfaces by soft lithography, a surface topography desired for multistable LCDs. Liquid crystal optical cells fabricated using Langmuir-Blodgett films of PFPE (of variable thickness) exhibited weak surface anchoring energies on the order of 10−5J∕m2 for the nematic liquid crystal 4-cyano-4′-pentyl-1,1′-biphenyl with no dependence on film thickness.
Solvent-exposed backbone loosens the hydration shell of soluble folded proteins
Authors: Fernández Ariel , Chen Jianping , Crespo Alejandro
Published: June 2007

The hydration shell of a soluble folded protein is not uniform: its tightness, marked by the mobility of interfacial water, is site dependent and modulates the propensity for protein associations. We found that the most pronounced interfacial dehydration propensity for representative folds is promoted by solvent-exposed intramolecular hydrogen bonds that are incompletely shielded from water attack. These bonds are poorly wrapped by surrounding nonpolar groups from the side chains and their dehydration is energetically favored.
Digital transmission for improved synchronization of analog chaos generators in communications systems
Authors: Robilliard C. , Huntington E. H. , Frater M. R.
Published: June 2007

We present a method for synchronization of chaos generators based on transmission of an analog chaotic waveform in a digital form. Experimental comparisons between digital and analog transmission of chaos from a delayed differential feedback system are performed. Synchronization is demonstrated to be between 18 and 39dB (or equivalently 63 to 7943 times) better for digital transmission than analog. Coherent chaotic modulation and demodulation is demonstrated in a situation where there is no effective synchronization using analog transmission.
Ultrahigh vacuum, variable temperature, dual scanning tunneling microscope system operating under high magnetic field
Authors: Cai Weiwei , Pang Fei , Wang Jian , Liu Hui , Liang X. J. , Xue Q. K. , Chen D. M.
Published: June 2007

We present a dual scanning tunneling microscope (DSTM) system operating between 2.2K and room temperature, in a split-coil superconducting magnetic field up to 12T and in ultrahigh vacuum. The DSTM consists of two compact STMs, each having x, y, and z coarse positioning piezoelectric steppers with embedded capacitive positioning sensor for navigation. Each STM can be operated independently and can achieve atomic resolution. The DSTM and the sample is configured in a way that allows the magnetic field orientation to be varied continuously from normal to parallel to the sample surface. Together with the sample, the DSTM can form a nanometer scale three terminal setup for transport measurement.
Supersonic cluster beam deposition of nanostructured thin films with uniform thickness via continuously graded exposure control
Authors: Chiappini C. , Piseri P. , Vinati S. , Milani P.
Published: June 2007

Supersonic cluster beam deposition is a powerful technique for the production of nanostructured thin films and the microfabrication with stencil masks of patterns with very good lateral resolution. The high focusing of cluster beam typical of supersonic expansions causes the deposition of films with strong thickness variation over a small area. To overcome this problem we have designed and tested a rotating screen allowing a continuously graded exposure of the substrate during cluster beam deposition. This allows the production of nanostructured films with uniform thickness over a large area while keeping all the features typical of supersonic beams.
Temperature dependence and magnetocrystalline anisotropy studies of self-assembled L10-Fe55Pt45 ferromagnetic nanocrystals
Authors: Varanda L. C. , Jafelicci M. , Imaizumi M.
Published: June 2007

Temperature dependence and uniaxial magnetocrystalline anisotropy properties of the chemically synthesized 4 nm L10-Fe55Pt45 nanoparticle assembly by a modified polyol route are reported. As-prepared nanoparticles are superparamagnetic presenting fcc structure, and annealing at 550 °C converts the assembly into ferromagnetic nanocrystals with large coercivity (HC>1 T) in an L10 phase. Magnetic measurements showed an increasing in the ferromagnetically ordered fraction of the nanoparticles with the annealing temperature increases, and the remanence ratio, S=MR/MS≅0.76, suggests an (111) textured film. A monotonic increase of the blocking temperature TB, the uniaxial magnetocrystalline anisotropy constant KU, and the coercivity HC with increasing annealing temperature was observed. Magnetic parameters indicate an enhancement in the magnetic properties due to the improved Fe55Pt45 phase stabilizing, and the room-temperature stability parameter of 67, which indicates that the magnetization should be stable for more than ten years, makes this material suitable for ultrahigh-density magnetic recording application.
Thermal stability of sputtered Cu∕304 stainless steel multilayer films
Authors: Zhang X. , Schulze R. K. , Wang H. , Misra A.
Published: June 2007

We report on the thermal stability of sputter-deposited Cu∕304 stainless steel nanoscale multilayer films. For individual layer thickness of approximately 70nm, the layered morphology was stable up to 600°C with no significant change in the hardness. The stainless steel layer had a duplex bcc+fcc structure that was also preserved in annealed films. After annealing at temperatures of 650°C or higher, the hardness of these multilayer films decreased from 4.75to3.4GPa due to morphological evolution from layers to equiaxed grains and coarsening of the nanolayers.
Direct photo-etching of poly(methyl methacrylate) using focused extreme ultraviolet radiation from a table-top laser-induced plasma source
Authors: Barkusky Frank , Peth Christian , Bayer Armin , Mann Klaus
Published: June 2007

In order to perform material interaction studies with intense extreme ultraviolet (EUV) radiation, a Schwarzschild mirror objective coated with Mo/Si multilayers was adapted to a compact laser-based EUV plasma source (pulse energy 3 mJ at λ=13.5 nm, plasma diameter ∼300 μm). By 10× demagnified imaging of the plasma a pulse energy density of ∼75 mJ∕cm2 at a pulse length of 6 ns can be achieved in the image plane of the objective. As demonstrated for poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), photoetching of polymer surfaces is possible at this EUV fluence level. This paper presents first results, including a systematic determination of PMMA etching rates under EUV irradiation. Furthermore, the contribution of out-of-band radiation to the surface etching of PMMA was investigated by conducting a diffraction experiment for spectral discrimination from higher wavelength radiation. Imaging of a pinhole positioned behind the plasma accomplished the generation of an EUV spot of 1 μm diameter, which was employed for direct writing of surface structures in PMMA.