bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Food and Welfare in India, c. 1900–1950
Authors: Amrith Sunil S.
Published: September 2008

In 2001, the People's Union for Civil Liberties submitted a writ petition to the Supreme Court of India on the “right to food.” The petitioner was a voluntary human rights organization; the initial respondents were the Government of India, the Food Corporation of India, and six state governments. The petition opens with three pointed questions posed to the court:

A.

Does the right to life mean that people who are starving and who are too poor to buy food grains ought to be given food grains free of cost by the State from the surplus stock lying with the State, particularly when it is reported that a large part of it is lying unused and rotting?

B.

Does not the right to life under Article 21 of the Constitution of India include the right to food?

C.

Does not the right to food, which has been upheld by the Honourable Court, imply that the state has a duty to provide food especially in situations of drought, to people who are drought affected and are not in a position to purchase food?
Authentication and Affect: Why the Turks Don't Like Enchanted Counterpublics, A Review Essay
Authors: Starrett Gregory
Published: September 2008

Anthropological fashion moves in a rhythm unlike the deliberate seasonal cycle of the couture houses that design the foulards the French find so troubling these days. But if gray or green is the new black this season in Paris and New York, public has been the new structure in anthropology for several long seasons now, and is only just beginning to live up to some of its considerable potential as a design element in cultural analysis, and also to show its age. The advantage of the public sphere as a concept is that—like its predecessor, structure, which can stand against chaos, anti-structure, agency, process, and so on—“public” resides within a rich semantic network in which it can signify a number of oppositions and complements: privacy, secrecy, domesticity, isolation, individualism, sectarianism, market, state. Despite its normative reputation as a concept associated with rational deliberation over the public good, in the hands of John Bowen, Lara Deeb, Charles Hirschkind, and Esra Özyürek, the public sphere turns out rather surprisingly to rely on cultivated affect and on sets of embodied dispositions that it shapes in the process of people's participation in it. Like Bourdieu's Kabyle house writ large, the public sphere is an opus operatum, a space channeling the interactions that create it, a set of relationships maintained by the interests and capacities it generates.
Extracorporeal oxygenation support for curative surgery in a patient with papillary thyroid carcinoma invading the trachea
Authors: Jeon H-K , So Y K , Yang J-H , Jeong H-S
Published: September 2008

Objective:

Local extension of thyroid carcinoma can result in massive invasion of the trachea, causing severe airway compromise. The pre- and peri-operative management of such airway compromise is difficult but critical. We report the use of extracorporeal oxygenation support as an alternative peri-operative airway management option in such a situation. This approach facilitated curative surgery in a patient with papillary thyroid carcinoma invading the trachea.

Method:

We present a case report regarding extracorporeal oxygenation support in a patient with locally advanced thyroid carcinoma.

Results:

The patient was a 68-year-old woman with aggressive thyroid papillary carcinoma invading the trachea. The airway was almost totally obstructed, and tracheal resection and end-to-end anastomosis was planned. A venovenous bypass catheter was placed for cardiopulmonary bypass, using the bilateral femoral veins. Curative surgery and reconstruction were then performed successfully, under general anaesthesia assisted by cardiopulmonary bypass oxygenation.

Conclusion:

Cardiopulmonary bypass oxygenation is a safe and effective alternative airway management option in patients with locally aggressive thyroid cancer.
Analysis of causes for late presentation of Indian patients with vestibular schwannoma
Authors: Ambett R , Rupa V , Rajshekhar V
Published: September 2008

Objective:

To determine the causes of delay in diagnosis and treatment of Indian patients with vestibular schwannomas.

Methods:

In a prospective study from 2003 to 2005, 50 patients with a confirmed diagnosis of vestibular schwannoma were interviewed to determine the causes for (1) the delay between the patient noting the initial symptom and the definitive diagnosis, and (2) the reasons for delayed diagnosis.

Results:

In 90 per cent of patients, the initial symptom was either hearing loss (62 per cent), vertigo (24 per cent) or tinnitus (4 per cent). However, most patients had been diagnosed and had presented for surgery only after neurological symptoms had became apparent. The delay between the initial medical consultation and the final diagnosis ranged from one month to 204 months (mean ± standard deviation, 32.2 ± 38.9 months). After the patient had noted symptoms, the diagnosis of vestibular schwannoma was delayed due to doctor-related causes in 80 per cent of cases, and due to patient-related causes in 20 per cent. Delay following diagnosis was minimal.

Conclusions:

Delay in the diagnosis of vestibular schwannoma in Indian patients is due to both doctor- and patient-related factors.
The magnitude and sustainability of marine mammal by-catch in fisheries in East Malaysia
Authors: Jaaman Saifullah A. , Lah-Anyi Yuhana U. , Pierce Graham J.
Published: September 2008

The magnitude and sustainability of incidental catches of marine mammals in fisheries was investigated in Sabah and Sarawak, East Malaysia, using a combination of interview surveys and observer trips on fishing boats. These fisheries involve around 15,000 registered fishing boats and generate annual landings of around 350,000 tonnes. Between March 1997 and December 2004, we interviewed fishermen working on 753 and 358 boats in Sabah and Sarawak, respectively, who were employing trawl nets, purse seines, gillnets and fish stakes. They were asked questions about sightings of marine mammals and interactions with fishing. We also followed 36 trawl and 10 purse seine fishing trips in Sabah between June 2003 and December 2004. Fishing was conducted in coastal waters and total annual catches by each method and region were estimated. Incidental catches of marine mammals were reported by fishermen from 310 (41%) and 99 (28%) fishing boats in Sabah and Sarawak, respectively. Gill-netters, trawlers and fish stakes were reported to catch cetaceans and dugongs, while purse seiners caught only cetaceans. The Irrawaddy dolphin, bottlenose dolphin, spinner dolphin, pantropical spotted dolphin, Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin and finless porpoise are the cetacean species known to be taken. Overall, the magnitude of incidental catches of marine mammals is greatest in gillnets. No marine mammal catches were seen during observer trips. Interview results suggest annual by-catches of 306 (95% CI = 250–369) cetaceans and 479 (95% CI = 434–528) dugongs in Sabah. Estimates for Sarawak were 221 (95% CI = 189–258) cetaceans per year and 14 (95% CI = 2–30) dugongs. These results suggest that by-catch rates, particularly in gillnets, may be unsustainably high. A dedicated monitoring and educational programme, together with the establishment of Marine Protected Areas, is urgently needed to minimize the threat.
Bathymetric range, density and reproductive biology of the deep-sea cirrate octopus Opisthoteuthis calypso in the Portuguese continental slope
Authors: Rosa Rui , Pereira João , Moreno Ana
Published: September 2008

The aim of the present study was to provide the first analysis of depth distribution and reproductive biology in the deep-sea cirrate octopus Opisthoteuthis calypso along the Portuguese continental slope. We used 77 specimens obtained in 7 research cruises between 1996 and 2003. Catch rates and biomass, weights, lengths, sex and maturity stages, and a morphometric description of the beak are detailed. Specimens have been collected from 553 to 960 m depth, south of 39°N, in approximately 1:1 sex-ratio. Females are larger (80:75 mm mantle length) and heavier (622:346 g total body weight) than males and both sexes have been caught in all stages of maturity in equal proportions.
Abundance and distribution of the harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) on the north coast of Anglesey, Wales, UK
Authors: Shucksmith Richard , Jones Nia H. , Stoyle George W. , Davies Andrew , Dicks Emily F.
Published: September 2008

A three year study was undertaken during 2002 to 2004 from May to September to estimate abundance and density of harbour porpoises on the north coast of Anglesey, Wales, UK. There were no ecological data regarding the harbour porpoises in Anglesey waters so the ability to influence conservation measures was highly constrained.

Boat based transects using distance sampling techniques were applied so a robust estimate of density and abundance could be attained. The study area consisted of a block approximately 489 km2extending from the east of Point Lynas to the west of South Stack on north coast of Anglesey. The study area was divided into 5 blocks consisting of 31 perpendicular transect lines to the shore. Each of the transect lines were surveyed 1–5 times by the end of the three year study.

Based on the assumption that g(0) = 1 the density of harbour porpoises for the 489 km2study site was estimated to be 0.630 individuals/km2(CV = 0.20) and the abundance is estimated to be 309 individuals (CV = 0.20). Heterogeneity in density and abundance was observed across the 5 blocks which showed Point Lynas and South Stack to have the highest densities. This distribution was closely associated to fine-scale oceanographic features which cause prey to be concentrated and may facilitate foraging for harbour porpoises. The study showed that Anglesey provides coastal habitats for the harbour porpoise and was the first study of this kind in North Wales, UK.
Induction of immunity in sheep toFasciola hepaticawith mimotopes of cathepsin L selected from a phage display library
Authors: VILLA-MANCERA A. , QUIROZ-ROMERO H. , CORREA D. , IBARRA F. , REYES-PÉREZ M. , REYES-VIVAS H. , LÓPEZ-VELÁZQUEZ G. , GAZARIAN K. , GAZARIAN T. , ALONSO R. A.
Published: September 2008

An M13 phage random 12-mers peptide library was used to screen cathepsin L mimotopes ofFasciola hepaticaand to evaluate their immunogenicity in sheep. Seven clones showed positive reactivity to a rabbit anti-cathepsin L1/L2 antiserum in ELISA, and their amino acid sequences deduced by DNA sequencing were tentatively mapped on the protein. Twenty sheep were randomly allocated into 4 groups of 5 animals each, for immunization with 1×1014phage particles of clones 1, 20, a mixture of 7 clones and PBS, without adjuvant at the beginning, and 4 weeks later. All groups were challenged with 300 metacercariae at week 6 and slaughtered 16 weeks later. The mean worm burdens after challenge were reduced by 47·61% and 33·91% in sheep vaccinated with clones 1 and 20, respectively; no effect was observed in animals inoculated with the clone mixture. Also, a significant reduction in worm size and burden was observed for those sheep immunized with clone 1. Animals receiving clone 20, showed a significant reduction in egg output. Immunization induced a reduction of egg viability ranging from 58·92 to 82·11%. Furthermore, vaccinated animals produced clone-specific antibodies which were boosted after challenge with metacercariae ofF. hepatica.
Altered prefrontal lobe oxygenation in bipolar disorder: a study by near-infrared spectroscopy
Authors: Kubota Y. , Toichi M. , Shimizu M. , Mason R. A. , Findling R. L. , Yamamoto K. , Hayashi T. , Calabrese J. R.
Published: September 2008

Background

Previous studies have reported prefrontal cortex (PFC) pathophysiology in bipolar disorder.

Method

We examined the hemodynamics of the PFC during resting and cognitive tasks in 29 patients with bipolar disorder and 27 healthy controls, matched for age, verbal abilities and education. The cognitive test battery consisted of letter and category fluency (LF and CF), Sets A and B of the Raven's Colored Progressive Matrices (RCPM-A and RCPM-B) and the letter cancellation test (LCT). The tissue oxygenation index (TOI), the ratio of oxygenated hemoglobin (HbO2) concentration to total hemoglobin concentration, was measured in the bilateral PFC by spatially resolved near-infrared spectroscopy. Changes in HbO2 concentration were also measured.

Results

The bipolar group showed slight but significant impairment in performance for the non-verbal tasks (RCPM-A, RCPM-B and LCT), with no significant between-group differences for the two verbal tasks (LF and CF). A group×task×hemisphere analysis of variance (ANOVA) on the TOI revealed an abnormal pattern of prefrontal oxygenation across different types of cognitive processing in the bipolar group. Post hoc analyses following a group×task×hemisphere ANOVA on HbO2 concentration revealed that the bipolar group showed a greater increase in HbO2 concentration in the LCT and in RCPM-B, relative to controls.

Conclusions

Both indices of cortical activation (TOI and HbO2 concentration) indicated a discrepancy in the PFC function between verbal versus non-verbal processing, indicating task-specific abnormalities in the hemodynamic control of the PFC in bipolar disorder.
Brainstem volumetric alterations in children with autism
Authors: Jou R. J. , Minshew N. J. , Melhem N. M. , Keshavan M. S. , Hardan A. Y.
Published: September 2008

Background

Although several studies have examined brainstem volume in autism, results have been mixed and no investigation has specifically measured gray- and white-matter structures. The aim of this investigation was to assess gray- and white-matter volumes in children with autism.

Method

Subjects included 22 right-handed, non-mentally retarded boys with autism and 22 gender- and age-matched controls. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans were obtained using a 1.5-T scanner and volumetric measurements were performed using the BRAINS2 software package. Gray- and white-matter volumes were measured using a semi-automated segmentation process.

Results

There were no significant differences in age and total brain volume (TBV) between the two groups but full-scale IQ was higher in controls. A decrease in brainstem gray-matter volume was observed in the autism group before and after controlling for TBV. No significant differences were observed in white-matter volume. A significant relationship was observed between brainstem gray-matter volume and oral sensory sensitivity as measured by the Sensory Profile Questionnaire (SPQ).

Conclusions

Findings from this study are suggestive of brainstem abnormalities in autism involving gray-matter structures with evidence supporting the existence of a relationship between these alterations and sensory deficits. These results are consistent with previous investigations and support the existence of disturbances in brainstem circuitry thought to be implicated in the sensory dysfunction observed in autism.
Tularemia in Germany: the tip of the iceberg?
Authors: SPLETTSTOESSER W. D. , PIECHOTOWSKI I. , BUCKENDAHL A. , FRANGOULIDIS D. , KAYSSER P. , KRATZER W. , KIMMIG P. , SEIBOLD E. , BROCKMANN S. O.
Published: September 2008

Tularemia is a rare, notifiable zoonosis in Germany. Since November 2004, several lines of evidence including outbreaks in humans or animals and confirmed infections in indigenous hare and rodent populations have indicated a re-emergence of tularemia in different German federal states. Unfortunately, reliable basic information on the seroprevalence in different geographical regions, permitting the identification of risk factors, does not exist. Combining a sensitive screening assay with a highly specific confirmative immunoblot test, we performed a serological investigation on 2416 sera from a population-based, cross-sectional health survey of the city population of Leutkirch, Baden-Wuerttemberg. A total of 56 sera gave positive results indicating a seroprevalence of 2·32%. Thus, the seroprevalence is tenfold higher than that previously reported in a nationwide study in 2004. Francisella tularensis can cause a wide variety of clinical syndromes including severe, sometimes fatal disease. Missing epidemiological data on its spatial and temporal distribution in an endemic country complicate an appropriate risk assessment necessary for public health authorities to be prepared for an adequate outbreak management. This is of special concern regarding the extraordinary potential of F. tularensis as an agent of bioterrorism. Our investigation performed in a presumed low-risk area demonstrated that tularemia might be seriously underestimated in Germany and probably in other central European countries as well.
Inter- and intra-specific exposure to parasites and pathogens via the faecal–oral route: a consequence of behaviour in a patchy environment
Authors: SMITH L. A. , MARION G. , SWAIN D. L. , WHITE P. C. L. , HUTCHINGS M. R.
Published: September 2008

Livestock herbivores are at risk of inter- and intra-specific exposure to parasites/pathogens via the faecal–oral route during grazing. Each contact between livestock and faeces in the environment is a potential parasite/pathogen transmission event. Cattle grazing contact with faeces varies in relation to the species depositing the faeces and the distribution of the faeces. We used a foraging model to simulate the grazing behaviour of beef cattle in two grazing systems to compare the relative inter-specific and intra-specific exposure risks to parasites/pathogens. Overall, there is a greater level of intra-vs. inter-specific risk via the faecal–oral route. However, under certain conditions, particularly for microparasite infections, e.g. paratuberculosis in rabbits and bovine tuberculosis in badgers, wildlife may pose a significant exposure risk to parasites/pathogens. These risks can be enhanced when cattle are first turned out onto pasture and in situations where intra-specific variations in wildlife behaviour result in more dispersed defecation patterns.
Das allgemeine Neugeborenenhörscreening – eine stille Revolution
Authors: Schmuziger N. , Veraguth D. , Probst R.
Published: September 2008

Eine beidseitige, relevante Hörstörung zählt zu den häufigsten angeborenen Erkrankungen mit einer Prävalenz von 1:1000. In den ersten Lebensjahren verdoppelt sich diese Anzahl von schwerhörigen Kindern in etwa. Säuglinge mit einer isolierten Schwerhörigkeit verhalten sich in der Regel unauffällig. Deshalb wird eine Schwerhörigkeit ohne Früherfassung oft Jahre später wegen mangelnder Sprach- und Persönlichkeitsentwicklung entdeckt. Damit geht wertvolle Zeit für die Behandlung verloren. Das allgemeine Neugeborenenhörscreening ist die effektivste Methode zur Früherfassung solch einer Hörstörung. Es basiert auf neuen, objektiven Testverfahren, die den Anforderungen des Screenings bei Kindern angepasst werden mussten. Brauchbare Tests sind die Messungen der otoakustischen Emissionen und der auditorisch evozierten Hirnstammpotenziale. Dieser Artikel gibt einen Überblick über diese neuen Screeningtests im Allgemeinen und über die spezielle Situation in der Schweiz.
Pneumonie à Varicelle
Authors: Gianinazzi F. , Monti M. , Meylan P. , Vollenweider P.
Published: September 2008

Serologische Untersuchungen zeigen, dass rund 97% der Jugendlichen in der Schweiz Varizellen-Antikörper aufweisen. Nur 4% der Varizelleninfektionen treten im Erwachsenenalter auf, verlaufen aber in diesem Alter wesentlich schwerer. Die Häufigkeit der Todesfälle ist bei Erwachsenen um den Faktor 40 erhöht im Vergleich zu Kindern. Die häufigste Komplikation ist bei Erwachsenen die Varizellenpneumonie, deren Symptomatik besonders bei Immunsupprimierten oder Schwangeren bis zur schweren respiratorischen Insuffizienz reichen kann. Radiologisch zeigen sich typischerweise interstitielle fleckige Infiltrate. Therapie der Wahl der Varizellenpneumonie ist die sofortige intravenöse Gabe von Acyclovir. Aktive und passive Impfung als post-expositionelle Prophylaxe sind möglich.
Lithospheric topography, tilted plumes, and the track of the Snake River–Yellowstone hot spot
Authors: Shervais John W. , Hanan Barry B.
Published: September 2008

The trace of the Snake River–Yellowstone hot spot is the world's best example of a mantle plume that has been overridden by continental lithosphere. The “standard model” calls for the plume head to rise under northern Nevada and be forced northward to form basalts of the Columbia Plateau; subsequent movement of North America to the southwest over the plume tail created a hot spot trace on the surface. We present a new conceptual model for the origin of this feature that resolves inconsistencies in the current standard model and explains the recent documentation of a thermal anomaly in the mantle below Yellowstone today that plunges ∼65° WNW. Our model implies that the plume tail was forced beneath thinned cratonic lithosphere to the SE along with part of the plume head and has remained in this orientation for the last 12 Ma. We infer that almost all of the volcanism in SE Oregon and SW Idaho prior to 12 Ma results from overriding the southern extension of the plume head, not the plume tail, and that a distinct plume tail hot spot track was not established until formation of the Bruneau‐Jarbidge eruptive center around 12 Ma. The plume tail track may also be controlled by a preexisting structural boundary in lithosphere that is thinner than adjacent lithosphere. This model demonstrates the potential importance of lithospheric topography on controlling the surface manifestation of plume volcanism and the complexity that may arise when lithospheric thickness is nonuniform.
Structural analysis of high‐pressure metamorphic rocks of Svalbard: Reconstructing the early stages of the Caledonian orogeny
Authors: Labrousse L. , Elvevold S. , Lepvrier C. , Agard P.
Published: September 2008

The basement of Svalbard comprises several terranes that were assembled along NS‐trending faults during the Caledonian orogeny. The NW and NE parts of Svalbard are considered to be derived from east Greenland, while SW Svalbard has affinities with Pearya, Ellesmere Island. High‐pressure (HP) metamorphic rocks, such as eclogites and blueschists occur in west Svalbard and provide constraints on the history of the Caledonian convergence. The Motalafjella HP rocks display a geometry which is compatible with an initial dome structure sealed by Ordovician deposits. Retrogressed eclogites in Biscayarhalvøya appear in the uppermost unit of a nappe stack that formed in a constrictional deformation regime. The syncollisional exhumation of the eclogites was achieved before the deposition of Late Silurian conglomerates. The two field occurrences of HP rocks are interpreted with a detailed age review for the Svalbard terranes and a restoration of Svalbard paleogeography in the Devonian. We propose that the different tectonic events are part of a continuous Ordovician‐Silurian orogenic sequence, predating the Scandian collision between Laurentia and Baltica. The closure of an ocean between Laurentia and a microplate was responsible for the formation and exhumation of the HP rocks of Motalafjella in the Ordovician, and later followed by the collision of the microplate with Laurentia in the Silurian. This orogenic phase can be considered as an equivalent of the Taconic orogeny in the Appalachians. The relative position of the Svalbard terranes and Greenland during this orogenic episode is constrained by strain directions measured in the field.
Modeling the effect of rainfall intermittency on the variability of solute persistence at the soil surface
Authors: McGrath Gavan S. , Hinz Christoph , Sivapalan Murugesu
Published: September 2008

A number of processes contribute to the decrease in solute concentration in the near surface; these include leaching and degradation. The combined effect of all loss processes is termed dissipation; its converse is termed persistence. In this paper we derive analytical expressions for the statistics of the time for a chemical, which undergoes linear equilibrium sorption and first‐order degradation under the influence of a random series of rainfall events, to dissipate to a specified concentration. Rainfall is characterized by a random time between events and a random storm depth, both of which are assumed to be exponentially distributed. Analytical expressions for the mean and variance of the time for dissipation to 50% (DT50) and 10% (DT90) of the applied concentration are derived. The model is in qualitative agreement with empirical observations of pesticide dissipation. The model results indicate that on average these solutes tend to dissipate exponentially with time. Rapid dissipation initially, followed by slower dissipation later, is more likely to occur. This may contribute to observations of apparent multirate dissipation which can be explained without recourse to sorption or biological kinetics. A larger average storm magnitude and/or more frequent storms reduce the mean and increase the coefficient of variation of dissipation times. A normal distribution, parameterized using the derived statistics, approximated the probability distribution of dissipation times reasonably well. On the basis of this we obtain a measure of the potential amount of chemical available for rapid off‐site leaching at a given time since application.
A synthesis of nitrogen transformations and transfers from land to the sea in the Yaqui Valley agricultural region of northwest Mexico
Authors: Ahrens T. D. , Beman J. M. , Harrison J. A. , Jewett P. K. , Matson P. A.
Published: September 2008

Intensification of agricultural systems represents one of the most significant land use changes of the last century. High fertilizer inputs have been a key component of intensification and have contributed to increases in crop yield in most areas, but they can also cause profound alterations in the biogeochemical functioning of the soil, water, and air resources of these systems, particularly with regard to the nutrient nitrogen (N). Comprehensive studies linking field‐scale fertilization with regional N fates and consequences for water resources are surprisingly sparse, particularly in the rapidly developing tropics and subtropics. Here we synthesize 15 years of research in wheat fields, drainage canals, estuaries, and coastal waters of the Yaqui Valley region of Sonora, Mexico. Although a relatively low proportion (<4%) of total N inputs are exported via surface water to the coast, the episodic nature of these losses can have significant ecological consequences. For instance, gaseous and dissolved N fluxes from agricultural fields are among the highest observed, and N‐rich runoff from the Yaqui Valley fuels phytoplankton blooms in coastal waters. Reductions in N losses with improved timing of fertilizer application relative to crop demand are possible without negatively affecting crop yield or quality and may help to move this and similar regions closer to sustainability.
Discovering Earth's Radiation Belts: Remembering Explorer 1 and 3
Authors: McDonald Frank , Naugle John E.
Published: September 2008

On 31 January 1958, at 10:48 P.M. eastern standard time, the United States launched its first satellite, Explorer 1, on a modified Jupiter‐C rocket.

Later, at about 1:30 A.M., after confirming that it was indeed in orbit, three men triumphantly held aloft a full‐scale model of Explorer 1 at a crowded press conference in the Great Hall of the National Academy of Sciences (Figure 1). In the center stood James A. Van Allen, head of the physics department at the University of Iowa and the scientist responsible for the scientific experiment. Flanking him were Wernher von Braun, director of development operations for the Army Ballistic Missile Agency (ABMA), which was responsible for constructing the Jupiter‐C, and William H. Pickering, director of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), which provided the Explorer spacecraft, the solid‐fueled upper stages, and the guidance and control system. The United States had just successfully entered the race to explore, understand, and utilize space.
The Prediction of Two Large Earthquakes in Greece
Authors: Uyeda Seiya , Kamogawa Masashi
Published: September 2008

The VAN experimental method of shortterm earthquake prediction (named after the initials of three Greek physicists, Panayiotis Varotsos, Kessar Alexopoulos, and Konstantine Nomicos) has been used to monitor preseismic electric signals since the 1980s [see Varotsos, 2005]. From observed telluric current signals, called seismic electric signals (SES), the epicentral area, magnitude, and occurrence time of an impending earthquake are estimated. SES are interpreted as having been emitted when the focal region in which the earthquake in question could occur has entered the critical regime (i.e., a stage close to the rupture).

The VAN method recently reached the stage of possibly enabling the narrowing of the time window of earthquake prediction to the order of a few days. This narrowing is made possible by the use of a new method called “natural time analysis.” This analysis has been developed to identify the time when a dynamic system (i.e., a system evolving with time) exhibits behavior similar to a phase change [Varotsos et al., 2008, and references therein]. On the hypothesis that the main shock earthquake is a critical phenomenon, when SES activity is observed, natural time analysis is conducted on the seismicities of small earthquakes in the suspected future epicentral area solely by considering their order of occurrence and the energy emitted by each of them. The term natural time analysis stems from the disregard of the conventional time of the earthquakes' occurrence. It has been found that such an analysis enables the identification of the time of the main shock usually within a few days before it occurs (see P. Varotsos et al., Seismic electric signals and 1/f “noise” in natural time, at http://arxiv.org/abs/ 0711.3766).
Sustained Arctic Observations: A Legacy of the Polar Year
Authors: Alverson Keith
Published: September 2008

Is the Arctic a vast, beautiful, wild, and unsullied natural refuge, or is it small, fragile, and vulnerable, suffering the brunt of global warming? In the late nineteenth century, as U.S. admiral Robert E. Peary and his competitors engaged in their mad scramble to be the first humans to set foot on the North Pole, “fragile” was unlikely to be an adjective that sprang to mind when they described their surroundings. Quite the opposite, exploring the Arctic exposed the fragility of man. But the Arctic Ocean and mankind's relationships to it are changing fast.
Advancing the Theory and Practice of Hydrologic Science: Resilience and Vulnerability of Natural and Managed Hydrologic Systems: Inaugural Biennial Colloquium on Hydrologic Science and Engineering; Boulder, Colorado, 14–16 July 2008
Authors: Hooper Richard , Foufoula‐Georgiou Efi
Published: September 2008

The Consortium of Universities for the Advancement of Hydrologic Science, Inc. (CUAHSI), with support from the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), organized a colloquium to survey the frontiers of hydrologic science. The overarching subjects of resilience and vulnerability of natural and managed hydrological systems to climate and land‐use change were explored in three main themes: advancing theory for hydrology and the critical zone (the near‐surface zone, where the hydrosphere, lithosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere interact), coupling hydrologic and biogeochemical cycles, and tools for advancing hydrologic science and environmental engineering. Fourteen sessions, with topics ranging from advanced instrumentation, nutrient dynamics, and catchment classification to predictability of hydrologic systems, were held under these themes with invited oral presentations followed by discussion periods and poster sessions. The colloquium was attended by more than 170 scientists from more than 100 different universities, research institutes, and government agencies.
Deep‐Sea Mining: Integrating Geology, Oceanography, and Engineering: Shaping the Future: Deep‐Sea Minerals and Mining Congress; Aachen, Germany, 9–13 March 2008
Authors: Meyer F. Michael , Halbach Peter E. , Martens Peer N. , Hein James R. , Scott Steve
Published: September 2008

A strong increase in the global demand for metallic raw materials, coupled with rising market prices, has heightened interest in marine seabed mineral deposits and the feasibility of their extraction for many marine scientists, engineers, and mining companies. This interest focuses not only on base and precious metals but also on strategically important elements needed for high‐technology applications, such as cobalt, nickel, molybdenum, titanium, gallium, selenium, telurium, indium, and the rare earth elements.

A symposium and workshop on deep‐sea minerals and mining was convened at the Rheinisch‐Westfälische Technische Hochschule (RWTH) Aachen, in Germany. More than 100 scientists from 16 countries assembled to discuss the opportunities and challenges of interdisciplinary research concerning deep‐ocean mineral resources. Two days of plenary talks presented by invited experts representing diverse disciplines were followed by a 1‐day workshop to discuss the current knowledge; to develop research strategies that address emerging exploration and recovery techniques; and to assess economic, legal, and ecological issues inherent in deep‐sea mining.
Scattering From Model Nonspherical Particles: Theory and Applications to Environmental Physics, Second Edition
Authors: Khlebtsov Nikolai
Published: September 2008

Anyone who has ever seen blue sky, white clouds, or a rainbow, or who has ever held a glass of milk in one's hand, is familiar with light‐scattering phenomena. In all these cases, the characteristic color, or even a palette of colors (for the rainbow), is caused by the same physical phenomenon: the scattering of electromagnetic radiation, with wavelengths of about 400–700 nanometers, from molecular‐density fluctuations in the atmosphere, from water droplets in clouds, or from casein and fat particles in milk. In a broad sense, the scattering processes constitute the physical basis even for those phenomena that at first glance seem unrelated to scattering, which is usually associated with random deviations from the initial wave propagation. Nevertheless, such known optical phenomena as the reflection and refraction of a light beam on a dielectric interface and the appearance of two new beams with changed propagation directions and velocities can be treated as a result of interference of the incident wave and the multiply scattered waves from all excited molecules.
Hydrodynamics and Water Quality: Modeling Rivers, Lakes, and Estuaries
Authors: Opdyke Daniel
Published: September 2008

The modeling of lakes, rivers, and estuaries is a fascinating subject that combines interesting facets of mathematics, statistics, physics, chemistry, and biology. Because of the complexity of natural systems, such modeling is always an approximation of the real world—and sometimes not a very good one. It is for this reason that modeling is not just science but also art. It is also for this reason that there are few good texts offering practical advice on modeling.
Exploring Geology
Authors: Geissman John W.
Published: September 2008

I am willing to bet a nice bottle of chardonnay that much of the Eos readership has lugged around, fondled, and fumbled through an introductory physical geology textbook of some form or another, once upon a time. Mine, in 1970, was Physical Geology, by Longwell, Flint, and Sanders, which I still have, by the way. Most of us know how “classical” physical geology textbooks have been organized: first, a broad overview of Earth processes, then several sections devoted to groups of more specific subjects (e.g., mineralogy, sedimentary rocks, and environments, with one chapter per subject), then several sections devoted to a synthesis of geologic processes in the context of plate tectonics, and finally, typically, a discussion of Earth resources and environment‐related issues. Some relatively new textbooks have ventured into new pedagogical formats, for example, emphasizing how we know what we know (e.g., How Does Earth Work: Physical Geology and the Process of Science by Smith and Pun).
Ocean cooling: Constraints from changes in Earth's dynamic oblateness (J2) and altimetry
Authors: Dickey J. O. , Marcus S. L. , Willis J. K.
Published: September 2008

Dynamic oblateness (J2) observations reflect changes in the latitudinal distribution of mass within the Earth system, and hence can give insights into processes involving water transport and sea level rise. We seek to use records of J2 variations deduced from satellite laser ranging, together with altimetry results, to provide an independent geodetic constraint on changes in ocean heat content (OHC). We show that the size and signature of the J2 signal presented here do not support a recently published report of rapid oceanic heat loss beginning in 2003, which was subsequently attributed to Argo and other instrumental bias effects. Our results are consistent with recent findings of a flattening of the OHC trend at this time inferred from the bias‐corrected Argo data, and demonstrate that J2 observations, in combination with other observational and model data types, can provide useful constraints for monitoring and validating ongoing changes in the Earth system.
Shock propagation in the magnetosphere: Observations and MHD simulations compared
Authors: Andréeová K. , Pulkkinen T. I. , Laitinen T. V. , Přech L.
Published: September 2008

We examine the propagation of disturbances in the Earth's magnetosphere caused by fast forward shock interaction with the magnetopause. Our statistical study and event analyses show that the propagation speeds are larger in the magnetosphere than in the solar wind and are larger in the nightside magnetosphere than in the dayside magnetosphere. A case study of a double shock during 9 November 2002 is examined both observationally and using the GUMICS‐4 global MHD simulation. Tracing the disturbance propagation allows us to confirm that the MHD simulation results are in good agreement with the in situ observations. The simulation results show that the propagation of the disturbance occurs in the antisunward direction at all clock angles simultaneously. However, changes in the magnetosheath are largest at high latitudes, while in the magnetotail the largest variations are seen in the plasma sheet.
Estuarine forcing of a river plume by river flow and tides
Authors: Halverson Mark J. , Pawlowicz Rich
Published: September 2008

Estuarine forcing of a river plume by river discharge and tides is examined with a novel data set capable of characterizing semidiurnal to annual time scales. An instrumented ferry made high‐resolution salinity measurements as it crossed the Fraser River plume, British Columbia, Canada, eight times per day over the years 2003–2006. The relative contribution of different forcing factors in controlling the river plume salinity and surface area is examined over the full range of time scales. A Lomb‐Scargle periodogram of the plume salinity shows energy concentrated in the semidiurnal and diurnal tidal bands. Diurnal lines contain more energy relative to semidiurnal lines than the respective tidal constituents would suggest. At fortnightly frequencies, local maxima in plume salinity coincide with periods of maxima in daily tidal height, with no phase shift. Thus the estuary adjusts quickly to changes in forcing. The effectiveness of tides in setting the plume salinity is a function of river discharge and is greatest when the river discharge is high and minimal when the river discharge is low. Tidal effects are superimposed onto the long‐period river discharge cycle. At time scales of 25 days or longer, the mean river plume salinity decreases quasi‐linearly with increasing river discharge, but the change in salinity with river discharge is instantaneous to within the sampling resolution. Plume surface area increases with river discharge, from 200–500 km2 at low river flow to 1000–1500 km2 at high river flow. The magnitude of the surface area is predicted well by scaling the mouth deformation radius.
Mesoscale spectrum of atmospheric motions investigated in a very fine resolution global general circulation model
Authors: Hamilton Kevin , Takahashi Yoshiyuki O. , Ohfuchi Wataru
Published: September 2008

The horizontal spectrum of wind variance, conventionally referred to as the kinetic energy spectrum, is examined in experiments conducted with the Atmospheric GCM for the Earth Simulator (AFES) global spectral general circulation model. We find that the control version of AFES run at T639 horizontal spectral resolution simulates a kinetic energy spectrum that compares well at large scales with global observational reanalyses and, at smaller scales, with available aircraft observations at near‐tropopause levels. Specifically there is a roughly −3 power‐law dependence on horizontal wave number for wavelengths between about 5000 and 500 km, transitioning to a shallower mesoscale regime at smaller wavelengths. This is seen for both one‐dimensional spectra and for the two‐dimensional total wave number spectrum based on a spherical harmonic analysis. The simulated spectrum at midtropospheric levels is similar in that there is a transition to a shallower mesoscale regime, but the spectrum in the mesoscale is clearly steeper at midtroposphere than near the tropopause. There seem to be no extensive observations of horizontal spectra available in the midtroposphere, so it is not known whether the contrast seen in the model between upper and mid tropospheric levels is realistic. The dependence of the model simulated variability on the subgrid‐scale moist convection parameterization is examined. The space‐time variability of rainfall is shown to depend strongly on the convection scheme employed. The tropospheric kinetic energy spectrum in the mesoscale seems to be correlated with the precipitation behavior, so that in a version with a more variable precipitation field the kinetic energy in the mesoscale is enhanced. This suggests that the mesoscale motions in the model may be directly forced to a significant extent by the variability in the latent heating field. Experiments were also performed with a dry dynamical core version of the model run at both T639 and T1279 resolutions. This version also simulated a shallow mesoscale range, supporting the view that the mesoscale regime in the atmosphere is energized, at least in part, by a predominantly forward (i.e., downscale) nonlinear spectral cascade. Experiments with various formulations of the hyperdiffusion horizontal mixing parameterization show that the kinetic energy spectrum over about the last half of the resolved wave number range is under strong control by the parameterized mixing. However, the T1279 model simulates almost a decade of the shallow mesoscale regime (i.e., for horizontal wavelengths from about 80 to 500 km) that appears to be fairly independent of the diffusion employed. Finally, experiments are conducted in the dry version to see the effects on the kinetic energy spectrum of changing the thermal Rossby number for the simulations.
Impacts of regional climate change on biogenic emissions and air quality
Authors: Zhang Yang , Hu Xiao‐Ming , Leung L. Ruby , Gustafson William I.
Published: September 2008

Regional air quality simulations are conducted at a horizontal grid resolution of 36 km for four summers (2001, 2002, 2051, and 2052) to examine the sensitivity of air quality to potential regional climate change in the United States. In response to the predicted warmer climate in 2051/2052, the emissions of isoprene and terpene increase by 20–92% and 20–56%, respectively, over most of the domain. Surface O3 increases by up to 19–20%. Such increases are largely driven by changes in temperature, solar radiation, and cloud fraction over most of the domain. PM2.5, its compositions, and visibility exhibit an overall negative sensitivity (decrease by up to 40%), resulting from the competition of the negative temperature effect and positive emission/temperature effects. While the response of dry deposition is governed by the negative sensitivity of surface resistances, that of wet deposition is either positive or negative, depending on the relative dominancy of changes in PM2.5 and precipitation. Overall the net climatic effect due to changes in climatic variables alone dominates changes in O3, PM2.5, and wet and total deposition, and the net biogenic emission effect due to changes in biogenic emissions alone as a result of climate change is important for isoprene, organic matter, visibility, and dry deposition over several regions. Models that do not include secondary organic aerosol formation from isoprene may underestimate by at least 20% of the responses of organic aerosols to future climate changes over many areas of the modeling domain. Both regional climate and air quality exhibit interannual variability, particularly in temperature, isoprene emissions, and PM2.5 concentrations, indicating a need for long‐term simulations to predict future air quality. Compared with results from global models, stronger regional climate change signals may cause projected local impacts of climate change that are stronger or even different in sign.
The first synthesis of N-acetylneuraminic acid 1,7-lactone
Authors: Colombo Raffaele , Anastasia Mario , Rota Paola , Allevi Pietro
Published: September 2008

N-Acetylneuraminic acid is transformed into its until now unavailable and rather unwieldy 1,7-lactone, via the manageable 2-benzyloxycarbonyl N-acetylneuraminic acid 1,7-lactone which generates the free lactone in quantitative yield by hydrogenolysis.
Modelling metabolic networks using power-laws and S-systems
Authors: Voit Eberhard O.
Published: September 2008

Mathematical modelling has great potential in biochemical network analysis because, in contrast with the unaided human mind, mathematics has no problems keeping track of hundreds of interacting variables that affect each other in intricate ways. The scalability of mathematical models, together with their ability to capture all imaginable non-linear responses, allows us to explore the dynamics of complicated pathway systems, to study what happens if a metabolite, gene or enzyme is altered, and to optimize biochemical systems, for instance toward the goal of increased yield of some desired organic compound. Before we can utilize models for such purposes, we must define their mathematical structure and identify suitable parameter values. Because nature has not provided us with guidelines for selecting the best model design, the choice of the most useful model is not trivial. In the present chapter I show that power-law modelling within BST (Biochemical Systems Theory) offers guidance for model selection, construction and analysis that is otherwise difficult to find.
Modelling reaction kinetics inside cells
Authors: Grima Ramon , Schnell Santiago
Published: September 2008

In the past decade, advances in molecular biology such as the development of non-invasive single molecule imaging techniques have given us a window into the intricate biochemical activities that occur inside cells. In this chapter we review four distinct theoretical and simulation frameworks: (i) non-spatial and deterministic, (ii) spatial and deterministic, (iii) non-spatial and stochastic and (iv) spatial and stochastic. Each framework can be suited to modelling and interpreting intracellular reaction kinetics. By estimating the fundamental length scales, one can roughly determine which models are best suited for the particular reaction pathway under study. We discuss differences in prediction between the four modelling methodologies. In particular we show that taking into account noise and space does not simply add quantitative predictive accuracy but may also lead to qualitatively different physiological predictions, unaccounted for by classical deterministic models.