bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Physician speciality and pain reduction in patients with depressive symptoms under treatment with venlafaxine
Authors: Begré S. , Traber M. , Gerber M. , von Känel R.
Published: April 2010

Objectives

Excessive pain perception may lead to unnecessary diagnostic testing or invasive procedures resulting in iatrogenic complications and prolonged disability. Naturalistic studies on patients with chronic pain and depressive symptoms investigating the impact of medical speciality on treatment outcome in a primary care setting are lacking.

Methods

In this observational study, we examined whether the magnitude of pain reduction in 444 patients with depressive symptomatology under venlafaxine would relate differently to the medical speciality of the 122 treating physicians, namely psychiatrists (n= 110 patients), general practitioners (n= 236 patients), and internists (n= 98 patients).

Results

Independent of age, gender, patient's region of origin, comorbidity, severity and duration of pain, and depressive symptoms at study entry, patients seemed to benefit significantly less in terms of pain reduction (p< 0.001) and of reduction in severity of depressive symptomatology by psychiatrists as compared to general practitioners (p< 0.019) and internists (p< 0.002).

Conclusions

The findings suggest that patients referred to psychiatrists are more difficult to treat than those referred to general practitioners and internists, and might not have been adequately prepared for psychiatric interventions. A supporting cooperation and networking between psychiatrists and primary care physicians may contribute to an integrated treatment concept and therefore, may lead to a better outcome in this challenging patient group.
Obesity in Pregnancy
Authors: Davies Gregory A.L. , Maxwell Cynthia , McLeod Lynne , Gagnon Robert , Basso Melanie , Bos Hayley , Delisle Marie‐France , Farine Dan , Hudon Lynda , Menticoglou Savas , Mundle William , Murphy‐Kaulbeck Lynn , Ouellet Annie , Pressey Tracy , Roggensack Anne , Leduc Dean , Ballerman Charlotte , Biringer Anne , Duperron Louise , Jones Donna , Lee Lily Shek‐Yun , Shepherd Debra , Wilson Kathleen
Published: April 2010

Objective

To review the evidence and provide recommendations for the counselling and management of obese parturients.

Outcomes

Outcomes evaluated include the impact of maternal obesity on the provision of antenatal and intrapartum care, maternal morbidity and mortality, and perinatal morbidity and mortality.

Evidence

Literature was retrieved through searches of Statistics Canada, Medline, and The Cochrane Library on the impact of obesity in pregnancy on antepartum and intrapartum care, maternal morbidity and mortality, obstetrical anaesthesia, and perinatal morbidity and mortality. Results were restricted to systematic reviews, randomized controlled trials/controlled clinical trials, and observational studies. There were no date or language restrictions. Searches were updated on a regular basis and incorporated in the guideline to April 2009. Grey (unpublished) literature was identified through searching the websites of health technology assessment and health technology assessment‐related agencies, clinical practice guideline collections, clinical trial registries, and national and international medical specialty societies.

Values

The evidence obtained was reviewed and evaluated by the Maternal Fetal Medicine and Clinical Practice Obstetric Committees of the SOGC under the leadership of the principal authors, and recommendations were made according to guidelines developed by the Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care.

Benefits, Harms, and Costs

Implementation of the recommendations in this guideline should increase recognition of the issues clinicians need to be aware of when managing obese women in pregnancy, improve communication and consultation amongst the obstetrical care team, and encourage federal and provincial agencies to educate Canadians about the values of entering pregnancy with as healthy a weight as possible.
CRM in Data-Rich Multichannel Retailing Environments: A Review and Future Research Directions
Authors: Verhoef Peter C. , Venkatesan Rajkumar , McAlister Leigh , Malthouse Edward C. , Krafft Manfred , Ganesan Shankar
Published: April 2010

Many retailers have collected large amounts of customer data using, for example, loyalty programs. We provide an overview of the extant literature on customer relationship management (CRM), with a specific focus on retailing. We discuss how retailers can gather customer data and how they can analyze these data to gain useful customer insights. We provide an overview of the methods predicting customer responses and behavior over time. We also discuss the existing knowledge on the application of marketing actions in a CRM context, while providing an in-depth discussion on CRM and firm value. We outline future research directions based on the literature review and retail practice insights.
The Influence of Initial Bipedal Stance Width on the Clinical Measurement of Unipedal Balance Time
Authors: Richardson James K. , Tang Chi , Nwagwu Chijioke , Nnodim Joseph
Published: April 2010

Objective

To determine the effect of varying initial bipedal stance width (ISW) on the clinical measurement of unipedal balance time (UBT).

Design

Observational, cross‐sectional study.

Setting

Academic physiatric outpatient facility.

Subjects

Thirty‐one clinic subjects with neuromuscular and/or musculoskeletal conditions known to influence mobility and 30 similarly‐aged healthy subjects.

Methods

Demographic and clinical information were recorded. UBT was determined under 3 distinct conditions by varying bipedal intermalleolar distance: (1) ISW of 0.3 body height; (2) ISW of 0.05 body height; and (3) ISW of 0 body height. The last was accomplished by subjects assuming unipedal balance while using the hands on a horizontal surface for stabilization. Subjects lifted the contralateral foot (or hands in the case of 0 body height condition) in response to a cadenced command to minimize variation in rate of weight transfer.

Main Outcome Measure

UBT under each of the 3 ISW conditions.

Results

Mean UBT increased with decreasing ISW, and the differences were significant when comparing each ISW with the next smaller. Healthy subjects demonstrated greater UBT than clinic subjects at each ISW, but the magnitude of these group differences were similar across ISW condition. A UBT >10 seconds in the 0.3 body height ISW was the best discriminator between clinic and healthy subjects.

Conclusion

Because UBT varies with ISW, standardization of ISW is necessary for accurate within‐subject, and between‐subject, comparisons in UBT. Healthy subjects were best differentiated from clinic subjects by UBT >10 seconds in the 0.3 body height ISW condition.
Efficacy of Intra‐Articular Botulinum Toxin Type A in Painful Knee Osteoarthritis: A Pilot Study
Authors: Boon Andrea J. , Smith Jay , Dahm Diane L. , Sorenson Eric J. , Larson Dirk R. , Fitz‐Gibbon Patrick D. , Dykstra Dennis D. , Singh Jasvinder A.
Published: April 2010

Objective

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of botulinum toxin type A (BoNT‐A) injected intra‐articularly in 60 subjects with moderate pain and functional impairment secondary to knee osteoarthritis. The study investigators hypothesized that intra‐articular BoNT‐A would result in statistically significant improvements in pain and function at 8 weeks.

Design

Double‐blind, randomized, single tertiary care academic medical center trial with 6‐month follow‐up.

Patients

Sixty patients aged 40 years or older with painful osteoarthritis of the knee who had failed physical therapy, medications, and/or injection therapy presenting to the musculoskeletal or orthopedic outpatient clinics at a large tertiary care medical institution. All 60 patients completed 8‐week follow‐up, but only 32 patients completed the 26‐week follow‐up.

Methods

Subjects were randomized to receive a single injection of corticosteroid, low‐dose BoNT‐A (100 units), or high‐dose BoNT‐A (200 units). Outcome measures were compared at baseline, 4, 8, 12, and 26 weeks after injection.

Main Outcome Measurements

The primary outcome measure was pain visual analog scale (VAS) at 8 weeks. Secondary outcome measures included Western Ontario McMaster Arthritis Index, Short Form‐36 scores, patient global assessment, 40‐meter timed walk, and adverse effects.

Results

The primary end point was pain VAS score at 8 weeks, which decreased within each group but only reached statistical significance in the low‐dose BoNT‐A group. In the intra‐articular corticosteroid group, VAS decreased from 6.4 ± 1.8 to 5.4 ± 2.3 (P = .15); for low‐dose BoNT‐A, from 6.6. ± 1.9 to 4.5 ± 2.2 (P = .01); and for high‐dose BoNT‐A, from 6.6 ± 1.4 to 5.9 ± 2.4 (P = .15). All groups showed statistically significant improvements in Western Ontario McMaster Arthritis Index scores (pain, stiffness, function) at 8 weeks. No serious adverse events were noted in any group.

Conclusions

This pilot study supports a possible role for BoNT‐A as a treatment option for symptomatic knee osteoarthritis; however, larger double‐blind randomized studies are needed to determine whether BoNT‐A is more effective than placebo in this patient population.
Ultrasound‐guided versus Nonguided Tibiotalar Joint and Sinus Tarsi Injections: A Cadaveric Study
Authors: Wisniewski Steve J. , Smith Jay , Patterson Denis G. , Carmichael Stephen W. , Pawlina Wojciech
Published: April 2010

Objective

To compare the relative accuracy rates of ultrasound (US)‐guided versus nonguided ankle (tibiotalar) joint and sinus tarsi injections in a cadaveric model.

Design

Prospective human cadaveric study with injection technique randomized and accuracy assessed by skilled observers blinded to injection technique.

Setting

Procedural skills laboratory in a tertiary care academic medical center.

Methods

Twelve embalmed and 8 unembalmed cadavers (40 ankles) were used for this investigation. Using a predetermined randomization process, 1 ankle of each cadaver was injected with US guidance and the other without. Tibiotalar joint injections were performed via an anterior approach and sinus tarsi injections performed via an anterolateral approach. All injections were performed by the senior author using a 22‐gauge, 1.5‐inch needle to place 3 mL of 50% diluted blue latex solution into the target area. Two anatomists blinded to the injection technique dissected each ankle and determined injection accuracy based on previously agreed upon criteria.

Main Outcome Measurements

Injection accuracy, where an accurate injection delivered injectate within the tibiotalar joint or into the mid‐portion of the sinus tarsi.

Results

The accuracy rate for US‐guided tibiotalar joint injections was 100% (20/20) versus 85% (17/20) for nonguided injections. The accuracy rate for US‐guided sinus tarsi injections was 90% (18/20) versus 35% (7/20) for nonguided injections.

Conclusions

In this cadaveric study, US guidance produced superior accuracy compared with nonguided injections with respect to both the tibiotalar joint and sinus tarsi. Although further research is warranted, clinicians should consider US guidance to optimize injectate placement into these areas when optimal accuracy is necessary for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes.
Market Feedback and Equity Issuance: Evidence from Repeat Equity Issues
Authors: Hovakimian Armen , Hutton Irena
Published: April 2010

Higher first-year post-issue returns are associated with a significantly higher probability of follow-on equity issuance over the next 5 years. This result holds when we control for pre-issue returns and other factors known to affect the probability of equity issuance. The result is most consistent with the market feedback hypothesis that a high post-issue return encourages managers to increase the firm’s investment because it implies that, in the market’s view, the marginal return to the project is high.
Chronic, otogenic, epidural pneumatocoele with delayed mass effect: case report
Authors: Barbieri F , Fiorino F
Published: April 2010

Introduction: Mastoid hyperpneumatisation predisposes to intracranial pneumatocoele development, due to the risk of rupture of the thin, bony walls. Intracranial pneumatocoele may be precipitated by even minor head trauma or an abrupt change in middle-ear pressure, with the potential risk of infectious or compressive intracranial complications.

Case report: A 19-year-old man with mastoid hyperpneumatisation developed a chronic intracranial–epidural pneumatocoele of traumatic origin in the right parieto-occipital area, in contiguity with the posterior mastoid cells. Eighteen months later, after a common cold, the patient developed signs of intracranial hypertension, due to the pneumatocoele spreading to the right epidural anterior fossa. A large right mastoidectomy extended to the retrosigmoid cells was performed, and a watertight seal applied over a large retrosigmoid cell using bovine pericardium and a mixture of bone powder and fibrin glue.

Results: The patient was discharged on post-operative day three with no symptoms. Ten days after surgery, computed tomography monitoring showed complete reabsorption of the pneumatocoele.

Conclusion: In cases of chronic, otogenic, epidural pneumatocoele, the possibility of the sudden onset of serious complications suggests the need for early repair of the communication between the temporal bone and the intracranial compartments. Closure of the fistula using autogenic and/or allogenic materials is usually adequate to resolve the pneumatocoele.
Locating Wittgenstein
Authors: Cook John W.
Published: April 2010

Wittgenstein wrote ‘While thinking philosophically we see problems in places where there are none. It is for philosophy to show that there are no problems’. He meant that the ‘problems’ philosophers grapple with are of their own making. In a related remark he said: ‘This is the essence of a philosophical problem. The question itself is the result of a muddle. And when the question is removed, this is not by answering it’. Even more explicitly he said: ‘All that philosophy can do is to destroy idols’. As he understood his job, it was not to produce or construct something; his job was entirely destructive. (He compared it to destroying houses of cards.) This is how Wittgenstein thought of philosophy when he thought about it in the abstract, and I share this view of philosophy. I believe that when we see how to dispose of all philosophical categories, our job is finished. For example, in epistemology our job is not to argue that it is possible to know such-and-such because so-and-so; rather, we undermine all those ideas that make it seem as though we could not know such-and-such. Undermining philosophical ideas takes the form: When we philosophise, we are tempted to think so-and-so, but if we consider that idea, and do so while remaining free of all philosophical jargon, we find that we cannot make sense of it.
War
Authors: Kekes John
Published: April 2010

This article is an explanation of the causes of war. It shows the inadequacy of existing explanations in terms of competition for scarce resources, aggressiveness as a trait inherent in human nature, and struggle for power. It constructs a new explanation that combines the defensible elements of the inadequate explanations and adds to them conflicts between systems of value on which the identity of the warring parties depends as the most important of the causes of war. It concludes that since values are plural and conflicting, conflicts between systems of value are ineliminable. This has the consequence that war is a permanent adversity that is an unavoidable obstacle to the improvement of the human condition.
Bernard Williams on the History of Ethical Views and Practices
Authors: Heysse Tim
Published: April 2010

How should we look back on the history and the origins of our ethical outlook and our way of life? We know that in the past, strange and appalling ethical views and practices have enjoyed widespread and sincere support. Yet we do not regard our contemporary outlook – to the extent that we do, at the present, have a common outlook – as one option among many. However bemused we may feel in ethical matters, at least on some issues we claim to have reasons that are good (enough). If we do not object to the use of the predicate ‘true’ in ethics, we may say that we are confronted with the (ethical) truth of an outlook. Or, to echo a provocative expression of David Wiggins, we claim that ‘there is nothing else to think’.
A Rest from Reason: Wittgenstein, Drury, and the Difference Between Madness and Religion
Authors: Evans K. L. , Steslow K.
Published: April 2010

Faced with troubling professional decisions in his long and successful career as a psychiatrist, M. O'C. Drury turned for direction to the philosophical work of his teacher and friend, Ludwig Wittgenstein. Of particular concern to Drury were the situations in which psychiatrists were expected to differentiate between instances of madness that were religious in form and instances of genuine religious experience that, for their oddity, landed believers in psychiatric consulting rooms. In this essay we consider the special orientation Wittgenstein's philosophy gave Drury, for example the way in which Drury came to understand how even his search for a principle of differentiation between madness and religion was misleading and contrary to his own practice—how it involved ‘sitting back in a cool hour and attempting to solve this problem as a pure piece of theory. To be the detached, wise, external critic’ and not see himself and his own manner of life ‘as intimately involved in the settlement of this question.’
Deliberating from One's Virtues
Authors: Lynch Tony
Published: April 2010

Bernard Williams says that ‘the characteristic and basic expression of a moral disposition in deliberation is not a premise which refers to that disposition’. If this means that we can never properly self-ascribe virtues and deliberate from this, then Williams is wrong. To deny this possibility is to be committed to either of two positions, neither of which is all that attractive (and certainly not attractive to Williams). The first position demands that virtue cannot know itself; while the second rests on the pessimistic view that morality itself can demand of us our moral identity.
Adolescent females exposed to child maltreatment exhibit atypical EEG coherence and psychiatric impairment: Linking early adversity, the brain, and psychopathology
Authors: Miskovic Vladimir , Schmidt Louis A. , Georgiades Katholiki , Boyle Michael , Macmillan Harriet L.
Published: April 2010

Although the relation between child maltreatment and psychiatric impairment is well documented and preliminary evidence has linked child maltreatment with aberrant cortical connectivity of the left hemisphere, no investigations have attempted to examine these relations in the same study. Here, we examined the links among early adversity, brain connectivity, and functional outcomes. We collected resting regional EEG intra- and interhemispheric α-band (7.5–12.5 Hz) coherence and measures of general psychiatric impairment from a cohort of 38 adolescent females exposed to child maltreatment (Mage = 14.47) and 24 adolescent females not exposed to child maltreatment (Mage = 14.00). Maltreated youths exhibited more left hemisphere EEG coherence than the control youths, suggesting a suboptimal organization of cortical networks. Maltreated participants also showed reduced frontal (anterior) interhemispheric coherence. These differences in brain circuitry remained statistically significant even after controlling for group differences in pubertal status and socioeconomic status. Measures of functional brain connectivity were associated with several subtypes of abuse and neglect. It was important that atypical left hemisphere EEG coherencemediatedthe effects of child maltreatment on levels of psychiatric impairment. The findings are discussed in the context of models linking early adversity to brain function and psychopathology.
Body-Packer & Body-Stuffer – eine medizinische Herausforderung
Authors: Gsell  , Perrig  , Eichelberger  , Chatterjee  , Stoll  , Stanga
Published: April 2010

Seit den siebziger Jahren ist die westliche Welt in steigendem Masse von intrakorporalem Drogentransport betroffen. Das Ziel dieser Arbeit ist es, einen Algorithmus für ein sicheres Management von intrakorporalem Drogentransport anhand der gemachten Erfahrungen und der aktuellen Evidenz zu präsentieren. Es handelt sich um eine retrospektive Untersuchung, mittels der die Erfahrungen von vier Jahren im Spitalgefängnis analysiert und diskutiert werden. Erfasst wurden 34 Patienten in 37 Hospitalisationen im Zeitraum von 48 Monaten. Bei 28 Patienten konnten Drogenpakete nachgewiesen werden. Zwei Patienten erlitten schwerwiegende Komplikationen. Das Befolgen des hier empfohlenen Management-Algorithmus unterstützt das Handeln sowohl nach klinischer Erfahrung als auch nach evidenz-basierten Prinzipien der Medizin zum Risikomanagement, zur Qualitätssicherung und zur Förderung der Patientensicherheit.
Die Abklärung des akuten Thoraxschmerzes mit der Computertomographie
Authors: Schertler  , Feuchtner  , Frauenfelder  , Alkadhi  , Leschka
Published: April 2010

Der akute Thoraxschmerz ist häufig und eine frühzeitige und adäquate Triage ist meist schwierig, da Patientenanamnese, körperliche Untersuchung, laborchemische Bluttests und EKG oft unspezifisch sind. Die Computertomographie (CT) hat in den letzten Jahren enorme Fortschritte in der Bildgebung kardiovaskulärer Erkrankungen gezeigt. So stellt die CT mittlerweile den Goldstandard in der Lungenembolie (LE)- und der Aortendissektions (AD)-Diagnostik dar. Neuere Studien haben zudem den Nutzen der CT in der Diagnostik des akuten Koronarsyndroms (AKS) in Notfallsituationen zeigen können. Modernste CT-Geräte erlauben eine nicht-invasive umfängliche Diagnostik bei Patienten mit akutem Thoraxschmerz. Mit einem einzigen CT-Protokoll können zuverlässig und nicht-invasiv nicht-lebensbedrohliche aber auch lebensbedrohliche Ursachen eines akuten Thoraxschmerzes wie die LE, die AD und das AKS diagnostiziert oder ausgeschlossen werden.
Malaguana‐Gadao Ridge: Identification and implications of a magma chamber reflector in the southern Mariana Trough
Authors: Becker Nathan C. , Fryer Patricia , Moore Gregory F.
Published: April 2010

Six‐channel seismic reflection data reveal a magma chamber reflector beneath the Malaguana‐Gadao Ridge, the southernmost segment of the spreading center in the Mariana Trough. For most of its length the spreading center in this active back‐arc basin is morphologically similar to slow spreading mid‐ocean ridges, having a deep central graben flanked by a zone of abyssal hill fabric. This southernmost segment, however, has a broad, smooth cross section, lacks a deep central graben, and is thus similar in morphology to fast spreading ridges (e.g., the East Pacific Rise). We identify a magma chamber at 1.5 s two‐way travel time below the crest of the ridge. Observations from remotely operated vehicles along the ridge reveal not only fresh pillows, lobate, and sheet lava flows but also an abundance of volcaniclastic debris and intense hydrothermal activity. These observations, together with the “fast spreading” morphology of the ridge, suggest that this segment has a considerably higher magma supply than is typical in the Mariana Trough. We suggest that the volcanic arc or enhanced melting of a hydrated mantle is supplying volatile‐rich magma as evidenced by a highly negative coefficient of reflection, −0.42, for this MCR and the presence of evolved, highly vesicular lava and volcaniclastic materials. The southeastern Mariana back‐arc basin spreading ridge does not compare readily with mechanical models for global mid‐ocean ridge data sets because of marked asymmetry in both volcanism and deformation that may be the consequence of slab‐related geometry in this part of the convergent margin system.
Langmuir waves upstream of interplanetary shocks: Dependence on shock and plasma parameters
Authors: Pulupa M. P. , Bale S. D. , Kasper J. C.
Published: April 2010

We have examined 178 interplanetary shocks observed by the Wind spacecraft to establish which shock and plasma parameters are favorable for the production of upstream Langmuir waves and therefore to determine which shocks are likely to generate interplanetary Type II radio bursts. Of the 178 shocks included in this study, 43 produced upstream Langmuir waves, as evinced by enhancements in wave power near the plasma frequency. The large number of observed shocks permits the use of statistical tests to determine which parameters control the upstream activity. The best predictor of activity is the de Hoffmann‐Teller speed, a result consistent with the fast Fermi model of electron acceleration. Several other parameters, including the magnetic field strength and the level of solar activity (but not the Mach number), are also correlated with upstream activity. These additional parameters may be associated with an increased level of shock front curvature or upstream structure, leading to the formation of upstream foreshock regions, or with the generation of an upstream electron population favorable for shock reflection.
Cusp energetic ions as tracers for particle transport into the magnetosphere
Authors: Trattner K. J. , Petrinec S. M. , Fuselier S. A. , Peterson W. K. , Friedel R.
Published: April 2010

The magnetospheric cusps are focal points in studies of both magnetic reconnection at the magnetopause and plasma entry into the magnetosphere. Contrary to a well‐understood precipitating thermal magnetosheath ion population, the origins of energetic ions in the cusp regions are still a matter of controversy. It has been suggested that these cusp energetic particles (CEP) with significant fluxes from magnetosheath energies up to several hundred keV/e are accelerated locally in the cusp. A recent paper has suggested local plasma conditions conducive to CEP acceleration in the cusp diamagnetic cavity (CDC). An alternative source region for CEP events is the quasi‐parallel bow shock, which is a well‐known particle accelerator. Energetic ions accelerated at the bow shock can be transported downstream and enter the cusp along newly reconnected field lines. Composition and energy spectra of these CEP events resemble those of bow shock energetic diffuse ions. We use recently developed techniques to determine the location of the reconnection site at the magnetopause, draping interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) lines over the magnetopause and mapping those field lines back into the solar wind to show the magnetic connection between the cusp regions, the Earth bow shock, and the upstream region. Several cusp crossings by the Polar satellite during variable IMF conditions are analyzed for patterns between the cusp, their connection to the upstream region, and the appearance of energetic ions in the cusp. Local plasma conditions in the cusp are also documented. This analysis reveals that the occurrence of CEP events is not uniquely determined by local plasma conditions. The flux of CEP ions depends on the location of the quasi‐parallel bow shock and the magnetic topology in the magnetosheath. Our analysis allows us to use CEP ions as tracers for plasma transport into the cusp and to better understand the magnetic topology between the solar wind and the ionosphere.
Structural interpretation of the coseismic faults of the Wenchuan earthquake: Three‐dimensional modeling of the Longmen Shan fold‐and‐thrust belt
Authors: Li Yiquan , Jia Dong , Shaw John H. , Hubbard Judith , Lin Aiming , Wang Maomao , Luo Liang , Li Haibing , Wu Long
Published: April 2010

The 2008 Mw 7.9 Wenchuan earthquake is a result of ongoing India‐Tibet collision and reflects the growth of the Longmen Shan fold‐and‐thrust belt. In this paper, we construct a 3‐D structural model of the geometry of the coseismic faults and related structures of the Wenchuan earthquake by integrating geological investigations, relocated aftershocks, and seismic reflection profiles. In the 3‐D structural model, the differences between the southern and northern segments of the rupture are highlighted. The structural transition zone between the two segments contains a major geometric segment boundary, reflecting differences in the structural configuration of the thrust ramp and the tectonic evolution of the fault system, which appears to have localized significant damage from Anxian to Beichuan. Within the northern segment, we identify a transverse structure across which the Beichuan fault plunges under the Tangwangzhai syncline. This boundary corresponds to a marked change in the nature of the surface rupture and is illuminated by a microearthquake sequence perpendicular to the Longmen Shan thrust belt. In the southern segment, our investigations confirm that uplift due to active faulting and folding is largely responsible for the areas of steepest topography. On the basis of this association, the southwestern segment of the Longmen Shan, south of the Wenchuan earthquake, is likely active and presents a significant earthquake hazard, despite the lack of historical earthquakes in this region. This study illustrates the importance of building 3‐D models to study active faulting and folding, as well as to assess earthquake hazard.
Using CALIPSO to explore the sensitivity to cirrus height in the infrared observations from NPOESS/VIIRS and GOES‐R/ABI
Authors: Heidinger A. K. , Pavolonis M. J. , Holz R. E. , Baum Bryan A. , Berthier S.
Published: April 2010

This paper demonstrates how the availability of specific infrared channels impacts the ability of two future meteorological satellite imagers to estimate cloud‐top pressure. Both of the imagers are planned for launch by the United States, one for a geostationary platform and the other for a polar‐orbiting platform. The geostationary imager, the Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI), will be flown first on the GOES‐R platform. In addition to the split window channels at 11 and 12 μm, it has one spectral channel located at 13.3 μm where there is relatively strong absorption of H2O and CO2. The polar‐orbiting imager, called the Visible/Infrared Imager Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) and flown on the National Polar‐Orbiting Environmental satellite Suite (NPOESS), has spectral channels in window regions only. The lack of an absorbing channel on VIIRS is shown to have negative consequences for the inference of cloud‐top pressure. This paper investigates the impact on the ability of a satellite imager such as VIIRS to confidently estimate cloud‐top pressure due to the absence of infrared absorption channels. The solution space is defined as the depth of the atmospheric layer in which a cloud can be placed where the calculated top‐of‐atmosphere radiances match the measurements used in the cloud‐top pressure retrieval. For optically thin cirrus, the channels used by the operational VIIRS algorithm provide a solution space of over 200 hPa. However, the inclusion of the single CO2 channel at 13.3 μm on the ABI narrows the solution space to under 30 hPa. Our imager‐based analysis is performed using Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data, which provides the relevant channel information with sufficient spatial resolution and radiometric accuracy. Additional results are provided using data from the current GOES and POES imagers. Active lidar data from Cloud‐Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation/Cloud‐Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization (CALIPSO/CALIOP) observations are used to provide cloud boundaries for verification.
Testing mixing models of old and young groundwater in a tropical lowland rain forest with environmental tracers
Authors: Solomon D. Kip , Genereux David P. , Plummer L. Niel , Busenberg Eurybiades
Published: April 2010

We tested three models of mixing between old interbasin groundwater flow (IGF) and young, locally derived groundwater in a lowland rain forest in Costa Rica using a large suite of environmental tracers. We focus on the young fraction of water using the transient tracers CFC‐11, CFC‐12, CFC‐113, SF6, 3H, and bomb 14C. We measured 3He, but 3H/3He dating is generally problematic due to the presence of mantle 3He. Because of their unique concentration histories in the atmosphere, combinations of transient tracers are sensitive not only to subsurface travel times but also to mixing between waters having different travel times. Samples fall into three distinct categories: (1) young waters that plot along a piston flow line, (2) old samples that have near‐zero concentrations of the transient tracers, and (3) mixtures of 1 and 2. We have modeled the concentrations of the transient tracers using (1) a binary mixing model (BMM) of old and young water with the young fraction transported via piston flow, (2) an exponential mixing model (EMM) with a distribution of groundwater travel times characterized by a mean value, and (3) an exponential mixing model for the young fraction followed by binary mixing with an old fraction (EMM/BMM). In spite of the mathematical differences in the mixing models, they all lead to a similar conceptual model of young (0 to 10 year) groundwater that is locally derived mixing with old (>1000 years) groundwater that is recharged beyond the surface water boundary of the system.
Climate‐Induced Tree Mortality: Earth System Consequences
Authors: Adams Henry D. , Macalady Alison K. , Breshears David D. , Allen Craig D. , Stephenson Nathan L. , Saleska Scott R. , Huxman Travis E. , McDowell Nathan g.
Published: April 2010

One of the greatest uncertainties in global environmental change is predicting changes in feedbacks between the biosphere and the Earth system. Terrestrial ecosystems and, in particular, forests exert strong controls on the global carbon cycle and influence regional hydrology and climatology directly through water and surface energy budgets [Bonan, 2008; Chapin et al., 2008].

According to new research, tree mortality associated with elevated temperatures and drought has the potential to rapidly alter forest ecosystems, potentially affecting feedbacks to the Earth system [Allen et al., 2010]. Several lines of recent research demonstrate how tree mortality rates in forests may be sensitive to climate change—particularly warming and drying. This emerging consequence of global change has important effects on Earth system processes (Figure 1).
Fundamentals of Physical Volcanology
Authors: Marsh Bruce
Published: April 2010

Fundamentals haunt me. Certain words ignite unavoidable trains of thought, trains that begin in a cascade, unexpectedly leaping chasm after chasm, rushing from single words to whole paragraphs to full books to men's lives. So it is with me with seeing the word “fundamental” in print. I cannot evade the euphoric excitement of thinking that someone has found something terribly original and simple, understandable by every journeyman, explaining everything.
Three evolution patterns of Central‐Pacific El Niño
Authors: Yu Jin‐Yi , Kim Seon Tae
Published: April 2010

Three evolution patterns are identified for the Central‐Pacific (CP) type of El Niño based on events that occurred during 1958–2007: (1) a symmetric‐decaying pattern whose sea surface temperature anomalies grow and decay symmetrically with respect to a peak phase; (2) a prolonged‐decaying pattern that decays slowly and is followed by a warm event in the eastern Pacific (EP); and (3) an abrupt‐decaying pattern that terminates rapidly after the peak and is followed by a cold event in the EP. The depth of the equatorial thermocline is found to determine which evolution pattern occurs. If the CP El Niño occurs in a recharged thermocline state (i.e., deeper‐than‐normal depth), an EP warming may appear in the decaying phase of the CP event to slow down the decay, giving rise to the prolonged‐decaying pattern. If the thermocline is in a discharged state (i.e., shallower‐than‐normal depth), an EP cooling may occur to abruptly terminate the CP El Niño. If the thermocline is in a neutral state (i.e., normal depth), the CP event may have a symmetric pattern of growth and decay. Although a few exceptions exist, these results indicate that the equatorial thermocline state at the peak phase of a CP El Niño event can be a potential predictor of the way the event may decay.
Spatial profile of magnetic field in the near‐Earth plasma sheet prior to dipolarization by THEMIS: Feature of minimum B
Authors: Saito M. H. , Hau L.‐N. , Hung C.‐C. , Lai Y.‐T. , Chou Y.‐C.
Published: April 2010

We present THEMIS observations of the near‐Earth plasma sheet that permit us to assess the geometrical structure of the magnetotail prior to dipolarization. Latitudinal profiles of the magnetic field were obtained by five spacecraft simultaneously around the magnetic equator at a distance of XGSM ∼ −10 RE in the premidnight for two events. It is found that the strength of normal magnetic field Bz was increased with a distance from the magnetic equator, which differs considerably from the standard magnetic field model. Instead, the observation can be explained by a magnetic field model that has a minimum in the equatorial field strength (minimum B), as required from the force‐balanced magnetotail model with steady earthward convection. Moreover, the analyses showed that the feature of minimum B sustained continuously for ∼20 min before dipolarization onsets.
Biology is the new physics
Authors: Hunter Philip
Published: April 2010

The application of mathematics and computer science to biology is changing the nature of research. Philip Hunter explores the cross‐fertilization of ideas between the disciplines and how it creates new job opportunities for biologists and mathematicians
Complexes between photoactivated rhodopsin and transducin: progress and questions
Authors: Jastrzebska Beata , Tsybovsky Yaroslav , Palczewski Krzysztof
Published: April 2010

Activation of GPCRs (G-protein-coupled receptors) leads to conformational changes that ultimately initiate signal transduction. Activated GPCRs transiently combine with and activate heterotrimeric G-proteins resulting in GTP replacement of GDP on the G-protein α subunit. Both the detailed structural changes essential for productive GDP/GTP exchange on the G-protein α subunit and the structure of the GPCR–G-protein complex itself have yet to be elucidated. Nevertheless, transient GPCR–G-protein complexes can be trapped by nucleotide depletion, yielding an empty-nucleotide G-protein–GPCR complex that can be isolated. Whereas early biochemical studies indicated formation of a complex between G-protein and activated receptor only, more recent results suggest that G-protein can bind to pre-activated states of receptor or even couple transiently to non-activated receptor to facilitate rapid responses to stimuli. Efficient and reproducible formation of physiologically relevant, conformationally homogenous GPCR–G-protein complexes is a prerequisite for structural studies designed to address these possibilities.
Osteogenic and neurogenic differentiation of EGFP gene transfected neural stem cells derived from the brain of porcine fetuses at intermediate and late gestational age
Authors: Zheng Yue‐Mao , An Zhi‐Xing , Zhao Xiao‐E
Published: April 2010

The aims of this study were (i) to determine whether NSCs (neural stem cells) could be isolated from the brain of porcine fetuses at intermediate and late gestational age and (ii) to determine if these stem cells could be differentiated in vitro into osteogenic and neurogenic lineages following transfection with a reporter gene, EGFP (enhanced green fluorescence protein). The NSCs were isolated from the brains of porcine fetuses at intermediate and late gestational age and transfected with EGFP gene using lipofection. The transfected NSCs cells were induced to differentiate into cells of osteogenic and neurogenic lineages. Markers associated with NSCs and their osteogenic and neurogenic derivatives were tested by PCR. The results demonstrated that NSCs could be isolated from the brain of porcine fetus at intermediate and late gestational age and that transfected NSCs expressed EGFP and could be induced to differentiate in vitro. NSCs expressed CD‐90, Hes1, Oct4, Sox2 and Nestin, while following differentiation cells expressed markers for osteogenic (osteocalcin and osteonectin) and neurogenic cells such as astrocyte [GFAP (glial fibrillary acidic protein)], oligodendrocyte [GALC (galactosylceramide)] and neuron [NF (neurofilament), ENO2 (enolase 2) and MAP (microtubule‐associated protein)].
Vascular calcification in chronic kidney disease
Authors: Covic Adrian , Kanbay Mehmet , Voroneanu Luminita , Turgut Faruk , Serban Dragomir N. , Serban Ionela Lacramioara , Goldsmith David J.
Published: April 2010

VC (vascular calcification) is highly prevalent in patients with CKD (chronic kidney disease), but its mechanism is multifactorial and incompletely understood. In addition to increased traditional risk factors, CKD patients also have a number of non-traditional cardiovascular risk factors, which may play a prominent role in the pathogenesis of arterial calcification, such as duration of dialysis and disorders of mineral metabolism. The transformation of vascular smooth muscle cells into chondrocytes or osteoblast-like cells seems to be a key element in VC pathogenesis, in the context of passive calcium and phosphate deposition due to abnormal bone metabolism and impaired renal excretion. The process may be favoured by the low levels of circulating and locally produced VC inhibitors. VC determines increased arterial stiffness, left ventricular hypertrophy, a decrease in coronary artery perfusion, myocardial ischaemia and increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Although current therapeutic strategies focus on the correction of phosphate, calcium, parathyroid hormone or vitamin D, a better understanding of the mechanisms of abnormal tissue calcification may lead to development of new therapeutic agents, which could reduce VC and improve cardiovascular outcome in CKD patients. The present review summarizes the following aspects: (i) the pathophysiological mechanism responsible for VC and its promoters and inhibitors, (ii) the methods for detection of VC in patients with CKD, including evaluation of arterial stiffness, and (iii) the management of VC in CKD patients.
Ultrasonic wave characteristics of nanorods via nonlocal strain gradient models
Authors: Narendar S. , Gopalakrishnan S.
Published: April 2010

This paper studies an ultrasonic wave dispersion characteristics of a nanorod. Nonlocal strain gradient models (both second and fourth order) are introduced to analyze the ultrasonic wave behavior in nanorod. Explicit expressions are derived for wave numbers and the wave speeds of the nanorod. The analysis shows that the fourth order strain gradient model gives approximate results over the second order strain gradient model for dynamic analysis. The second order strain gradient model gives a critical wave number at certain wave frequency, where the wave speeds are zero. A relation among the number of waves along the nanorod, the nonlocal scaling parameter (e0a), and the length of the nanorod is obtained from the nonlocal second order strain gradient model. The ultrasonic wave characteristics of the nanorod obtained from the nonlocal strain gradient models are compared with the classical continuum model. The dynamic response behavior of nanorods is explained from both the strain gradient models. The effect of e0a on the ultrasonic wave behavior of the nanorods is also observed.
Short-range and medium-range order in Ca7Mg3 metallic glass
Authors: Hou Zhao-Yang , Liu Li-Xia , Liu Rang-Su , Tian Ze-An , Wang Jin-Guo
Published: April 2010

A molecular dynamics simulation has been performed on the rapid quenching processes of Ca7Mg3 alloy including 100 000 atoms. The structures of short-range order (SRO) and medium-range order (MRO) in Ca7Mg3 metallic glass are investigated by means of several structural analysis methods. It is found that the SRO in Ca7Mg3 metallic glass can be modeled by neither a uniquely prescribed stereo-chemical structure nor five Bernal polyhedra but rather various types of basic clusters in which the icosahedron is dominant. The local energy together with the geometrical constraint plays very important roles in the favorable local structure in metal glasses. The MRO in Ca7Mg3 metallic glass is characterized by certain types of extended icosahedral clusters combined by intercross-sharing atoms in the form of chains or dendrites, which is different from the fcc or icosahedral building schemes for the MRO in metallic glasses with significant chemical SRO. The size distributions of these MRO clusters present a magic number sequence of 19, 23, 25, 27, 29, 31, 33, 35, 37, 41, 43,…, and the magic clusters can be classed into three types according to their compactness.
Study of insulator traps in InSb InSb/SiOx/Metal devices
Authors: Ruzin A. , Soifer Y. , Marunko S. , Gusakov Y. , Fishman T. , Calahorra Z.
Published: April 2010

In this study we investigated traps in InSb/SiOx/Metal structure. In particular, emphasis was given to various methods of charging and discharging the interfaces and SiOx layers by thermal-bias-stress. It is shown that the widely used capacitance-voltage profiling is insensitive to trap energies. Thus additional, complementary methods, such as thermally stimulated discharge were adopted and used to deepen the understanding. It is proposed that the traps in the passivation layer are charged by dc leakage current, and that the distribution of trap energies is not uniform. Furthermore, we report here methods that were developed to charge and discharge specific trap levels selectively.
Stark shifts in mid-infrared type II quantum well transitions
Authors: Little J. W. , Olver K. A.
Published: April 2010

We have studied electric field induced (Stark) shifts in mid-infrared (IR) transitions that occur in type II AlSb/InAs/GaSb quantum wells. Because of the spatial separation of the electron and hole wave functions in the type II system, the potential drop between the layers dominates the shift in the real-space-indirect transition energies when an external electric field is applied. This can result in either a redshift or a blueshift, depending on the ordering of the quantum well layers within the intrinsic region of a p-i-n diode. The case in which a reverse bias on the diode yields a blueshift in the transition energy is of particular interest for IR electro-optic device applications. The modulator section of an integrated source/waveguide modulator would strongly absorb at zero bias and could be biased into transparency, and bistable optical switches could be made more efficient than with redshifting devices. We have used low temperature current-voltage, capacitance-voltage, and photocurrent measurements to characterize a type II quantum well structure that exhibits a blueshift in the lowest energy transitions that is roughly linear with applied bias and is comparable to the potential drop across the structure.
An accurate first principles study of the geometric and electronic structure of B2, B2−, B3, B3−, and B3H: Ground and excited states
Authors: Miliordos Evangelos , Mavridis Aristides
Published: April 2010

The electronic structure and bonding of the species B2, B2−, B3, B3−, and B3H have been studied by multireference configuration interaction and coupled-cluster methods. Through the construction of potential energy profiles, we have determined the structure of 21 and 17 minima for B3 and B3−, respectively. The ground states of both species are of D3h configuration with symmetry X̃ A21′ (B3) and X̃ A11′ (B3−). The adiabatic binding energies of the ground states of B2–B and B2−–B are D0=130 and 163 kcal/mol, with corresponding atomization energies of 194 and 254 kcal/mol, respectively. Concerning the B3H molecule the A11 energy surface was explored by constructing potential energy cuts through the A11 surface; we located three minima and three transition states. The B3–H coupled-cluster binding energy was calculated to be D0=92 kcal/mol. Our findings are in agreement with the limited experimental results available.