bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Attitude and Perceptions of Work–life Balance: A Comparison Among Women Surgeons in Japan, USA, and Hong Kong China
Authors: Kawase Kazumi , Kwong Ava , Yorozuya Kyoko , Tomizawa Yasuko , Numann Patricia J. , Sanfey Hilary
Published: September 2012

Background

The objective of the present study was to explore how women surgeons manage their work–life balance in three environmental and cultural settings.

Method

Members of the Japan Association of Women Surgeons (JAWS), the United States of America (US) based Association of Women Surgeons (AWS), and the Women’s Chapter of the College of Surgeons of Hong Kong (WCHK) were surveyed.

Results

Among 822 women surgeons contacted, 252 responded (response rate 31.8 %; 55.5 % JAWS, 28.2 % AWS, and 25.3 % WCHK). Japanese women surgeons think that work is the number one priority, whereas US and Hong Kong China (HK) respondents think the number one priority is home life. Work satisfaction level was generally high among women surgeons in all countries; however, 19 % of US surgeons are somewhat dissatisfied with their work and 76.1 % think that men are treated more favorably than women at work. Whereas 51.6 % of Japanese women surgeons think that men are treated more favorably than women at home, at the same time they placed more importance on the role of women in the family. More than half of Japanese women surgeons are “uncertain” about their career path in the future, whereas 55.2/87.1 % of US/HK respondents are optimistic. All surgeons recommended expanding support for child rearing or nursing care during work hours, promoting a flexible work schedule and changing some of the older conventional ideas about gender role.

Conclusions

It is essential to address women surgeons’ concerns to enable them to have a clearer vision and a challenging career, and to be more certain about their personal and professional goals.
A Survey Experiment of Women’s Attitudes About Intimate Partner Violence Against Women in Rural Bangladesh
Authors: Yount Kathryn M. , Halim Nafisa , Schuler Sidney Ruth , Head Sara
Published: September 2012

According to the Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) in poorer countries, 50 % of women of reproductive age report that wife hitting or beating is justified. Such high rates may result from structural pressures to adopt such views or to report the perceived socially desirable response. In a survey experiment of 496 ever-married women aged 18–49 years in rural Bangladesh, we compared responses to attitudinal questions that (1) replicated the 2007 Bangladesh DHS wording and portrayed the wife as transgressive for unstated reasons with elaborations depicting her as (2) unintentionally and (3) willfully transgressive. The probabilities of justifying wife hitting or beating were consistently low for unintended transgressions (.01–.08). Willful transgressions yielded higher probabilities (.40–.70), which resembled those based on the DHS wording (.38–.57). Cognitive interviews illustrated that village women held diverse views, which were attributed to social change. Also, ambiguity in the DHS questions may have led some women to interpret them according to perceived gender norms and to give the socially desirable response of justified. Results inform modifications to these DHS questions and identify women for ideational-change interventions.
Parents with bipolar disorder: Are disease characteristics good predictors of psychopathology in offspring?
Authors: Garcia-Amador M. , de la Serna E. , Vila M. , Romero S. , Valenti M. , Sánchez-Gistau V. , Benabarre A. , Vieta E. , Castro-Fornieles J.
Published: September 2012

Purpose

To investigate rates of psychopathology in the offspring of subjects with bipolar disorder (BP-offspring) compared to the offspring of healthy subjects (HC-offspring) in a Spanish sample and to study possible predictors of psychopathology in BP-offspring.

Subjects

Fifty BP-offspring from 36 families and 25 HC-offspring from 25 families.

Methods

Psychopathology was compared in BP-offspring and HC-offspring. Factors associated with DSM-IV axis I disorders in BP-offspring were analyzed using logistic regression.

Results

Half of BP-offspring fulfilled the diagnostic criteria for at least one axis I disorder with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (30%), anxiety disorders (14%) and affective disorders (10%) as the most frequent. After controlling for having more than one sibling in the study, the odds ratio for BP-offspring presenting an axis I disorder was 15.02 when a biological parent had bipolar disorder with a lifetime history of psychotic symptoms and 3.34 when one parent had bipolar II disorder. Moreover, a higher Global Assessment of Functioning score in the biological co-parent was associated with a significantly lower frequency of axis I disorders in BP-offspring.

Discussion and conclusions

Psychopathology in BP-offspring should be routinely assessed, with special emphasis on children from parents with specific disease characteristics (psychosis, BP II disorder) in order to establish an early diagnosis and appropriate interventions.
Asperuloside stimulates metabolic function in rats across several organs under high-fat diet conditions, acting like the major ingredient ofEucommialeaves with anti-obesity activity
Authors: Fujikawa Takahiko , Hirata Tetsuya , Hosoo Shingo , Nakajima Kenji , Wada Atsunori , Yurugi Yutaka , Soya Hideaki , Matsui Takashi , Yamaguchi Akihiko , Ogata Masato , Nishibe Sansei
Published: September 2012

Eucommialeaves (Eucommia ulmoidesOliver) contain chlorogenic acid (a caffeic acid derivative) and geniposidic acid and asperuloside (ASP), iridoid glucosides used in beverages. We used a metabolic syndrome rat model, produced by feeding a 35 % high-fat diet (HFD), to examine potential anti-obesity and anti-metabolic syndrome effects and mechanisms of chronic administration of ASP. These effects were compared withEucommialeaf extract (ELE), the positive control, which exhibits anti-obesity effects. A total of six rats were studied for 3 months in five groups. ASP suppressed body weight, visceral fat weight, food intake and circulating levels of glucose, insulin and lipids, and increased the plasma adiponectin level in rats on a HFD. These effects are similar to those of ELE, except for the influence on the plasma glucose level. RT–PCR studies showed that ASP (like ELE with known anti-obesity effects) diminished isocitrate dehydrogenase 3α, NADH dehydrogenase flavoprotein 1 (Comp I) mRNA and fatty acid synthase levels (white adipose tissue), increased carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1α and acyl-CoA dehydrogenase, very-long-chain mRNA levels (liver), and increased Glut4, citrate synthase, isocitrate dehydrogenase 3α, succinyl CoA synthase, peroxisomal 3-ketoacyl-CoA thiolase, dihydrolipoamide succinyl transferase and succinate dehydrogenase mRNA levels (skeletal muscle) under HFD conditions. Interestingly, ASP administration resulted in significantly increased mRNA levels of uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) in the brown adipose tissue of HFD-fed rats; ELE did not affect the expression of UCP1. The increased expression of UCP1 may be negated by many ingredients other than ASP in the ELE. These findings suggest that chronic administration of ASP stimulates anti-obesity and anti-metabolic syndrome activity in HFD-fed rats across several organs, similar to ELE administration; thus, ASP may be an important ingredient of ELE.
Intimate Relationships in China: Predictors Across Genders for Dating, Engaged, and Married Individuals
Authors: Taormina Robert J. , Ho Ivy K.M.
Published: September 2012

Intimate relationship satisfaction was evaluated by 258 (male and female) dating, engaged, and married Chinese individuals on four dimensions (emotional, intellectual, spiritual, and physical), which were examined in relation to several personal and social characteristics (emotional intelligence, extraversion, neuroticism, agreeableness, self-esteem, partner's physical attractiveness, traditional Chinese values, gender attributes, interpersonal trust, locus of control, and family emotional support) as hypothesised predictors of relationship intimacy. In turn, the four relationship dimensions were tested as predictors for satisfaction of the belongingness need. Correlations confirmed the hypothesised relationships that the personal and social variables had with the four intimate relationship dimensions, while regressions revealed different patterns of predictors across gender for each of the relationship dimensions. Also, plots of the different mean scores on the four relationship dimensions for dating, engaged, and married individuals revealed very similar patterns, with engaged persons consistently showing the highest scores on all four dimensions. In addition, overall satisfaction with one's intimate relationship proved to be a predictor of satisfaction of the belongingness need for both genders. The discussion centres on the variables that predicted the intimate relationship dimensions and on gender differences in those variables and in variables that predicted satisfaction of the belongingness need.
Workshop Report: concepts and methods in the economics of nutrition – gateways to better economic evaluation of nutrition interventions
Authors: Lenoir-Wijnkoop I. , Nuijten M. J. C. , Gutiérrez-Ibarluzea I. , Hutton J. , Poley M. J. , Segal L. , Bresson J. L. , van Ganse E. , Jones P. , Moreno L. , Salminen S. , Dubois D.
Published: September 2012

Improving health through better nutrition of the population may contribute to enhanced efficiency and sustainability of healthcare systems. A recent expert meeting investigated in detail a number of methodological aspects related to the discipline of nutrition economics. The role of nutrition in health maintenance and in the prevention of non-communicable diseases is now generally recognised. However, the main scope of those seeking to contain healthcare expenditures tends to focus on the management of existing chronic diseases. Identifying additional relevant dimensions to measure and the context of use will become increasingly important in selecting and developing outcome measurements for nutrition interventions. The translation of nutrition-related research data into public health guidance raises the challenging issue of carrying out more pragmatic trials in many areas where these would generate the most useful evidence for health policy decision-making. Nutrition exemplifies all the types of interventions and policy which need evaluating across the health field. There is a need to start actively engaging key stakeholders in order to collect data and to widen health technology assessment approaches for achieving a policy shift from evidence-based medicine to evidence-based decision-making in the field of nutrition.
Effects of fish oil supplementation on the fatty acid profile in erythrocyte membrane and plasma phospholipids of pregnant women and their offspring: a randomised controlled trial
Authors: Escolano-Margarit M. Victoria , Campoy Cristina , Ramírez-Tortosa M. Carmen , Demmelmair Hans , Miranda M. Teresa , Gil Angel , Decsi Tamás , Koletzko Berthold V.
Published: September 2012

We aimed to investigate the effects of fish oil (FO) supplementation to pregnant women on the maternal and fetal fatty acid profile in plasma and erythrocyte phospholipids (PL) and to identify the best compartment for the assessment of fatty acid status. A multi-centre, double-blind, controlled trial was conducted. Healthy pregnant women from three European centres were randomly assigned to receive from week 20 of gestation until delivery a daily dietary supplement with either FO (500 mg DHA+150 mg EPA), 400 μg 5-methyltetrahydrofolate, both or placebo. Fatty acids in plasma and erythrocyte PL were determined in maternal blood (week 20, week 30 of pregnancy and delivery) and in cord blood (delivery). FO supplementation increased DHA levels in maternal and cord plasma and erythrocyte PL. Higher percentage changes were observed in erythrocyte PL than in plasma PL. There were significant correlations between plasma and erythrocyte fatty acid levels in maternal and cord blood. Significant correlations between maternal and cord fatty acid levels at delivery in plasma and erythrocytes were also observed; however, correlation coefficients were higher for erythrocyte phophatidylethanolamine. FO supplementation increases maternal and fetal DHA status. Both plasma and erythrocytes appear to be suitable to evaluate the fatty acid status of mothers but erythrocytes seem to be a more reliable marker in neonates.
Host body microcosm and ectoparasite infracommunities: arthropod ectoparasites are not spatially segregated
Authors: PILOSOF SHAI , LARESCHI MARCELA , KRASNOV BORIS R.
Published: September 2012

We studied the distribution of ectoparasite species (an ixodid tick, a chigger mite, 7 mesostigmate mites, 5 fleas and 3 lice) on bodies of 5 species of rodent hosts from the marshlands in Argentina to establish whether arthropod ectoparasites are segregated across body parts of the same host individual. We asked (a) whether an individual ectoparasite species prefers certain parts of the body of its host and, if yes, whether these preferences overlap among ectoparasite species; (b) whether ectoparasite species composition differs among different parts of a host's body; and (c) whether co-occurrences of ectoparasite species within pre-defined body parts of a host are non-random and, if yes, whether ectoparasites co-occur in the same body part of a host either less or more often than expected by chance. It was found that, in general, ectoparasite species were not segregated across body parts of a host. Although some ectoparasites preferred certain body parts, these preferences were similar among ectoparasites belonging to different species and/or higher taxa resulting in similarity among host body parts in ectoparasite species composition. In addition, ectoparasite species demonstrated a tendency to co-occur on the same body parts of a host and not to be segregated among them. It was concluded that the distribution of ectoparasites on the body of a small mammalian host is driven mainly by their interaction with the host rather than by distinct preferences or interactions among ectoparasite species.
Rigidity and absence of line fields for meromorphic and Ahlfors islands maps
Authors: MAYER VOLKER , REMPE LASSE
Published: September 2012

In this paper, we give an elementary proof of the absence of invariant line fields on the conical Julia set of an analytic function of one variable. This proof applies not only to rational and transcendental meromorphic functions (where it was previously known), but even to the extremely general setting of Ahlfors islands maps as defined by Epstein. In fact, we prove a more general result on the absence of invariant differentials, measurable with respect to a conformal measure that is supported on the (unbranched) conical Julia set. This includes the study of cohomological equations for log ∣f′∣, which are relevant to a number of well-known rigidity questions. In particular, we prove the absence of continuous line fields on the Julia set of any transcendental entire function.
Seed germination and longevity of autumn-flowering and autumn-seed producing Mediterranean geophytes
Authors: Marques I. , Draper D.
Published: September 2012

The seasonality of the Mediterranean climate has important implications for plant physiology and some specific conditions must be met before germination can occur. Most plants sprout during the spring season although a few germinate during the autumnal rainy period. To understand the patterns of germination under autumn conditions we selected five Mediterranean autumn-flowering geophytes that usually co-exist in fire-prone habitats:Leucojum autumnale,Narcissus cavanillesii, Narcissus serotinus, Scilla autumnalisandUrginea maritima. Experiments were performed under conditions simulating those prevailing in the habitat during the autumnal Mediterranean season when seeds of these species usually germinate. In all species, germination occurred quickly ( < 7 d), was usually higher at the lowest temperatures tested (15°C, 20°C; >89%) and no signs of delayed germination were detected. Nevertheless, species usually had different patterns of seed germination, a strategy that might avoid interspecific competition when co-occurring in the same habitats. Germination was lower and slower in light than in darkness, suggesting that under natural conditions germination of seeds directly exposed to sunlight can be severely restricted. Several fire-dependent treatments (heat and ash) revealed a lack of fire-stimulated germination, and treatments even had a negative effect. In addition, only a small fraction of seeds remained viable after 1 year of dry lab storage and their germinability was very low, suggesting the absence of a permanent soil seed bank in the life cycle of these geophyes.
Relational theories with null values and non-herbrand stable models
Authors: LIFSCHITZ VLADIMIR , PICHOTTA KARL , YANG FANGKAI
Published: September 2012

Generalized relational theories with null values in the sense of Reiter are first-order theories that provide a semantics for relational databases with incomplete information. In this paper we show that any such theory can be turned into an equivalent logic program, so that models of the theory can be generated using computational methods of answer set programming. As a step towards this goal, we develop a general method for calculating stable models under the domain closure assumption but without the unique name assumption.
Knowledge Unlatched: An Argument for Academic Scholarship in Law to be Open and How it Might be Achieved
Authors: Pinter Frances , Bown Nicholas
Published: September 2012

The market in academic monographs is problematic, and sales have been in decline for decades. Concurrently, Open Access models of publishing are being developed and open content licenses designating a ‘some rights reserved’ status for content have been employed to provide a legal framework to reflect the changing ways content is used online. In the context of these innovations, Frances Pinter and Nicholas Bown describe Knowledge Unlatched, a not-for-profit library consortium project which seeks to combine a financially viable Open Access model with the use of open content licences to create a more efficient market in scholarly books to the benefit of all stakeholders in the academic publishing ecosystem.
SLS/BIALL Academic Law Library Survey 2010/2011
Authors: Gee David
Published: September 2012

This is the latest report analysing the results of the Academic Law Library Survey conducted on behalf of the Society of Legal Scholars (SLS) and the British and Irish Association of Law Librarians (BIALL). It has been written by David Gee, Deputy Librarian at the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, School of Advanced Study, University of London.
Environments of massive stars and the upper mass limit
Authors: Crowther Paul A.
Published: September 2012

The locations of massive stars (≥ 8M⊙) within their host galaxies is reviewed. These range from distributed OB associations to dense star clusters within giant Hii regions. A comparison between massive stars and the environments of core-collapse supernovae and long duration Gamma Ray Bursts is made, both at low and high redshift. We also address the question of the upper stellar mass limit, since very massive stars (VMS, Minit ≫ 100M⊙) may produce exceptionally bright core-collapse supernovae or pair instability supernovae.
Superluminous Supernovae
Authors: Quimby Robert M.
Published: September 2012

Not long ago the sample of well studied supernovae, which were gathered mostly through targeted surveys, was populated exclusively by events with absolute peak magnitudes fainter than about −20. Modern searches that select supernovae not just from massive hosts but from dwarfs as well have produced a new census with a surprising difference: a significant percentage of supernovae found in these flux limited surveys peak at −21 magnitude or brighter. The energy emitted by these superluminous supernovae in optical light alone rivals the total explosion energy available to typical core collapse supernovae (> 1051 erg). This makes superluminous supernovae difficult to explain through standard models. Adding further complexity to this picture are the distinct observational properties of various superluminous supernovae. Some may be powered in part by interactions with a hydrogen-rich, circumstellar material but others appear to lack hydrogen altogether. Some appear to be powered by large stores of radioactive material, while others fade quickly and have stringent limits on 56-Ni production. In this talk I will discuss the current observational constrains on superluminous supernova and the prospects for revealing their origins.
The Flavours of SN II Light Curves
Authors: Arcavi Iair
Published: September 2012

We presentR-Band light curves of Type II supernovae (SNe) from the Caltech Core Collapse Program (CCCP). With the exception of interacting (Type IIn) SNe and rare events with long rise times, we find that most light curve shapes belong to one of three distinct classes: plateau, slowly declining and rapidly declining events. The latter class is composed solely of Type IIb SNe which present similar light curve shapes to those of SNe Ib, suggesting, perhaps, similar progenitor channels. We do not find any intermediate light curves, implying that these subclasses are unlikely to reflect variance of continuous parameters, but rather might result from physically distinct progenitor systems, strengthening the suggestion of a binary origin for at least some stripped SNe. We find a large plateau luminosity range for SNe IIP, while the plateau lengths seem rather uniform at approximately 100 days. We present also host galaxy trends from the Palomar Transien Factory (PTF) core collapse SN sample, which augment some of the photometric results.
Core Collapse in Rotating Massive Stars and LGRBs
Authors: Batta Aldo
Published: September 2012

The collapse of massive rotating stellar cores and the associated accretion is thought to power long GRBs. The physical scale and dynamics of the accretion disk are initially set by the angular momentum distribution in the progenitor, and the physical conditions make neutrino emission the main cooling agent in the flow. We have carried out an initial set of calculations of the collapse of rotating polytropic cores in three dimensions, making use of a pseudo-relativistic potential and a simplified cooling prescription. We focus on the effects of self gravity and cooling on the overall morphology and evolution of the flow for a given rotation rate in the context of the collapsar model. For the typical cooling times expected in such a scenario we observe the appearance of strong instabilities on a time scale, tcool, following disk formation. Such instabilities and their gravitational interaction with the black hole (BH) produce significant variability in the energy loss and accretion rates, which would translate into neutrino cooling variations when a more realistic neutrino cooling scheme is implemented in future work.
The locations of SNe Ib/c and their comparison to those of WR stars and GRBs
Authors: Leloudas Giorgos
Published: September 2012

The locations of long GRBs and stripped supernovae are compared to those of their favored progenitors, WR stars, and their sub-classes. Compared to Leloudas et al. (2010), we have doubled the number of galaxies with suitable WR data. In the combined sample, WC stars are found, on average, in brighter locations than WN stars. The WN distribution is fully consistent with the one of SNe Ib, while it is inconsistent with those of SNe II, Ic and GRBs. The WC distribution is both consistent with SNe Ib and Ic. It is inconsistent with SNe II, and marginally consistent with GRBs. Furthermore, we present a spectroscopic study of the locations of SNe Ib/c. The average metallicity in the environments of SNe Ic is found to be a little higher than for SNe Ib, but the difference is small and not significant within our sample. Under the assumption that the SN regions were formed in an instantaneous burst of star formation, we find that a fraction of them appear older than what is allowed in order to host SNe Ib/c from single massive stars. Within this framework, these SNe must come from lower mass binaries.
On the intrinsic nature of the updated luminosity time correlation in the X-ray afterglows of GRBs
Authors: Dainotti Maria G. , Petrosian Vahe' , Singal Jack
Published: September 2012

Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) observed up to redshifts z > 9.3 are fascinating objects to study due to their still unexplained relativistic outburst mechanisms and a possible use to test cosmological models. Our analysis of all GRB afterglows with known redshifts and definite plateau (100 GRBs) reveals not only that the luminosity L*X(Ta) - break time T*a correlation, called hereafter LT, (Dainotti et al. 2010a) is confirmed with higher value of the Spearman correlation coefficient for the new updated sample, but also reveals its intrinsic nature throughout the analysis of the Efron & Petrosian (1992) test. The above mentioned test is performed to check if there is redshift evolution in both the luminosity and time. This test shows that the correlation still holds probing that its nature is intrinsic and it is not due to selection biases. The novelty of this approach is that the Efron & Petrosian method has been applied for the first time for a two parameter correlation that involves not only luminosities, but also time. Notwithstanding the intrinsic nature of the correlation, the correction of the observables for the effect of redshift evolution does not lead to a significantly tighter correlation and thus to a better redshift estimator. Therefore, the usage of the L*a correlation is limited, at least with the present data analysis, to constrain physical models of plateau emission. With an enlarged data sample in the future the aim will be to make the luminosity time correlation a useful redshift estimator.
Photospheric thermal radiation from GRB collapsar jets
Authors: Mizuta Akira , Nagataki Shigehiro
Published: September 2012

Photospheric thermal radiation components from gamma-ray burst (GRB) jets are estimated based on relativistic hydrodynamic simulations of jet propagation. The light curves and spectra are derived, considering viewing angle effects. The light curves exhibit several seconds time variability and the luminosity is as large as that of GRB prompt emission. For observers at a viewing angle of several degrees the spectra below the peak energy are much softer than that of Planck distribution and close to typical GRB spectrum. Whereas the spectra for observers at small viewing angle are hard and close to Planck distribution. Numerical Amati and Yonetoku relations are reproduced.
Magnetorotational supernovae with different equations of state
Authors: Moiseenko Sergey G. , Bisnovatyi-Kogan Gennady S.
Published: September 2012

We present results of the simulation of a magneto-rotational supernova explosion. We show that, due to the differential rotation of the collapsing iron core, the magnetic field increases with time. The magnetic field transfers angular momentum and a MHD shock wave forms. This shock wave produces the supernova explosion. The explosion energy computed in our simulations is 0.5-2.5 ċ 1051erg. We used two different equations of state for the simulations. The results are rather similar.
Revisiting Metallicity of Long Gamma-Ray Burst Host Galaxies: The Role of Chemical Inhomogeneities in Galaxies
Authors: Niino Yuu
Published: September 2012

Some theoretical studies on the origin of long gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) using stellar evolution models suggest that a low metallicity environment may be a necessary condition for a GRB to occur. However, recent discoveries of high-metallicity host galaxies of some GRBs cast doubt on the requirement of low-metallicity in GRB occurrence. In this study, we predict the metallicity distribution of GRB host galaxies, assuming empirical formulations of galaxy properties. We take internal dispersion of metallicity within each galaxy into account. Assuming GRBs trace low-metallicity star formation 12+log(O/H) < 8.2, we find that ≳ 10% of GRB host galaxies may have Z > Z⊙, depending on the internal dispersion of metallicity within galaxies.
Black-Hole Formation in Potential γ-Ray Burst Progenitors
Authors: O'Connor Evan , Dessart Luc , Ott Christian D.
Published: September 2012

We present the results of a study by Dessart et al. (2012), where we performed stellar collapse simulations of proposed long-duration γ-ray burst (LGRB) progenitor models and assessed the prospects for black hole formation. We find that many of the proposed LGRB candidates in Woosley & Heger (2006) have core structures similar to garden-variety core-collapse supernova progenitors and thus are not expected to form black holes, which is a key ingredient of the collapsar model of LGRBs. The small fraction of proposed progenitors that are compact enough to form black holes have fast rotating iron cores, making them prone to a magneto-rotational explosion and the formation of a proto-magnetar rather than a black hole. This leads us to our take-home message, that one must consider the iron-core structure (eg. ρ(r), Ω(r)) of evolved massive stars before making assumptions on the central engine of LGRBs.
Wave-Driven Mass Loss: A mechanism for late-stage stellar eruptions
Authors: Shiode Josh , Quataert Eliot
Published: September 2012

During the late stages of stellar evolution in massive stars (carbon fusion and later), the fusion and neutrino luminosities in the core of the star exceed the Eddington luminosity. This can drive vigorous convective motions which in turn excite a super-Eddington flux in internal gravity waves. We show that an interesting fraction of the energy in excited gravity waves can, in some cases, convert into sound waves as the gravity waves propagate (tunnel) towards the stellar surface. The subsequent dissipation of the sound waves can unbind up to several M⊙ of the stellar envelope. This wave-driven mass loss can explain the existence of extremely large stellar mass loss rates just prior to core-collapse, which are inferred via circumstellar interaction in some core-collapse supernovae (e.g., SNe 2006gy and PTF 09uj).
The Type II supernovae 2006V and 2006au: two SN 1987A-like events
Authors: Taddia Francesco
Published: September 2012

We studied optical and near-infrared (NIR) light curves, and optical spectra of Supernovae (SNe) 2006V and 2006au, two objects monitored by the Carnegie Supernova Project (CSP) and displaying remarkable similarity to SN 1987A, although they were brighter, bluer and with higher expansion velocities. SN 2006au also shows an initial dip in the light curve, which we have interpreted as the cooling tail of the shock break-out. By fitting semi-analytic models to the UVOIR light curve of each object, we derive the physical properties of the progenitors and we conclude that SNe 2006V and 2006au were most likely Blue Supergiant (BSG) stars that exploded with larger energies as compared to that of SN 1987A. We are currently investigating the host galaxies of a few BSG SNe, in order to understand the role played by the metallicity in the production of these rare exploding BSG stars.
Progenitor for Type Ic Supernova 2007bi
Authors: Yoshida Takashi , Umeda Hideyuki
Published: September 2012

We investigate the evolution of very massive stars with Z = 0.2 Z⊙ to constrain the progenitor of the extremely luminous Type Ic SN 2007bi. In order to reproduce the 56Ni amount produced in SN 2007bi, the range of the stellar mass at the zero-age main-sequence is expected to be 515 - 575M⊙ for pair-instability supernova and 110 - 280M⊙ for core-collapse supernova. Uncertainty in the mass loss rate affects the mass range appropriate for the explosion of SN 2007bi. A core-collapse supernova of a WO star evolved from a 110 M⊙ star produces sufficient radioactive 56Ni to reproduce the light curve of SN 2007bi.
Dependence modelling in multivariate claims run-off triangles
Authors: Merz Michael , Wüthrich Mario V. , Hashorva Enkelejd
Published: September 2012

A central issue in claims reserving is the modelling of appropriate dependence structures. Most classical models cannot cope with this task. We define a multivariate log-normal model that allows to model both, dependence between different sub-portfolios and dependence within sub-portfolios such as claims inflation. In this model we derive closed form solutions for claims reserves and the corresponding prediction uncertainty.
AN “i” FOR ANi: SINGULAR TERMS, UNIQUENESS, AND REFERENCE
Authors: SHAPIRO STEWART
Published: September 2012

There is an interesting logical/semantic issue with some mathematical languages and theories. In the language of (pure) complex analysis, the two square roots of −1 are indiscernible: anything true of one of them is true of the other. So how does the singular term ‘i’ manage to pick out a unique object? This is perhaps the most prominent example of the phenomenon, but there are some others. The issue is related to matters concerning the use of definite descriptions and singular pronouns, such as donkey anaphora and the problem of indistinguishable participants. Taking a cue from some work in linguistics and the philosophy of language, I suggest thatifunctions like a parameter in natural deduction systems. This may require some rethinking of the role of singular terms, at least in mathematical languages.
The effects of lunar surface plasma absorption and solar wind temperature anisotropies on the solar wind proton velocity space distributions in the low‐altitude lunar plasma wake
Authors: Fatemi S. , Holmström M. , Futaana Y.
Published: September 2012

We study the solar wind proton velocity space distribution functions on the lunar nightside at low altitudes (∼100 km) above the lunar surface using a three‐dimensional hybrid plasma solver, when the Moon is in the unperturbed solar wind. When the solar wind encounters a passive obstacle, such as the Moon, without any strong magnetic field and no atmosphere, solar wind protons that impact the obstacle's surface are absorbed and removed from the velocity space distribution functions. We show first that a hybrid model of plasma is applicable to study the low‐altitude lunar plasma wake by comparing the simulation results with observations. Then we examine the effects of a solar wind bi‐Maxwellian velocity space distribution function and the lunar surface plasma absorption on the solar wind protons' velocity space distribution functions and their entry in the direction parallel to the interplanetary magnetic field lines into the low‐altitude lunar wake. We present a backward Liouville method for particle‐in‐cell solvers that improves velocity space resolution. The results show that the lunar surface plasma absorption and anisotropic solar wind velocity space distributions result in substantial changes in the solar wind proton distribution functions in the low‐altitude lunar plasma wake, modifying proton number density, velocity, and temperature there. Additionally, a large temperature anisotropy is found at close distances to the Moon on the lunar nightside as a consequence of the lunar surface plasma absorption effect.
Reactive facies: An approach for parameterizing field‐scale reactive transport models using geophysical methods
Authors: Sassen Douglas S. , Hubbard Susan S. , Bea Sergio A. , Chen Jinsong , Spycher Nicolas , Denham Miles E.
Published: September 2012

Developing a predictive understanding of subsurface contaminant plume evolution and natural attenuation capacity is hindered by the inability to tractably characterize controlling reactive transport properties over field‐relevant scales. Here we explore a concept of reactive facies, which is based on the hypothesis that subsurface units exist that have unique distributions of properties that influence reactive transport. We further hypothesize that geophysical methods can be used to identify and spatially distribute reactive facies and their associated parameters. We test the reactive facies concept at a U.S. Department of Energy uranium‐contaminated groundwater site, where we have analyzed the relationships between laboratory and field (including radar and seismic tomographic) data sets. Our analysis suggests that there are two reactive facies that have unique distributions of mineralogy, texture, hydraulic conductivity, and geophysical attributes. We use these correlations within a Bayesian framework to integrate the dense geophysical data sets with the sparse core‐based measurements. This yields high‐resolution (0.25 m × 0.25 m) estimates of reactive facies and their associated properties and uncertainties along the 2‐D tomographic transects. Comparison with colocated samples shows that the estimated properties fall within 95% uncertainty bounds. To illustrate the value of reactive facies characterization approach, we used the geophysically estimated properties to parameterize reactive transport models, which were then used to simulate migration of an acidic‐U plume through the domain. Modeling results suggest that each identified reactive facies exerts a unique control on plume evolution, highlighting the usefulness of the reactive facies concept for spatially distributing properties that control reactive transport over field‐relevant scales.
President's message: Dues increase will help build the foundation for AGU's future success
Authors: McPhaden Michael J.
Published: September 2012

The world is a very different place than it was 43 years ago. In 1969, Jimi Hendrix rocked the legendary Woodstock music festival, Neil Armstrong took the first steps on the Moon, and U.S. drivers paid an average of 35 cents a gallon for gas. Today, digital music files have replaced vinyl records, NASA's Curiosity rover is transmitting data and imagery from the surface of Mars, and a growing number of cars run on alternative fuels. In the same way, 43 years ago AGU was a very different organization. Membership hovered around 10,000, and the Fall Meeting was still in its infancy. Today, AGU's membership has increased to more than 61,000, Fall Meeting attendance has topped 20,000, and an entire generation of geoscientists who weren't even born in 1969 now comprises 28% of our current membership.
High sulfide weathering in Taiwanese river basins
Authors: Bhattacharya Atreyee
Published: September 2012

The emergence of the global sulfur cycle approximately 2.8 billion years ago is often associated with the beginning of life on Earth. Oxidation of sulfide‐rich minerals, such as pyrites, to form sulfate (SO42−) is an important part of the cycle; organisms assimilate sulfate, which they convert to organic sulfur, an essential component of proteins. In addition to chemical processes on continental shelves and slopes, rivers deliver a substantial amount of sulfate into the oceans. The Kaoping River, at 170 kilometers long, is one of the largest rivers of Taiwan. Compared to its size, the river delivers a disproportionately large amount of water, sediment, and chemicals into the global oceans. In a new study, Das et al. use sulfur isotopic ratios (δ34S) to trace the sources of sulfate in the Kaoping River basin. The researchers found that chemical weathering of pyrites, particularly during the rainy season, contributes more than 85% of the sulfate in this basin.
Warmer daily temperatures since 1951
Authors: Bhattacharya Atreyee
Published: September 2012

Days and nights have indeed become warmer over the past 60 years, a new study finds. Although several observation‐based studies have shown that daily average temperatures as well as daily maximum and minimum temperatures have increased over the past few decades, controversy has remained as to how the observed trends in extreme and average temperatures are related to each other: Are the warming trends in extreme temperatures a result of a shifting mean climate, or have temperatures become more variable? Using a global observational data set of daily temperatures, Donat and Alexander compared the probability distributions of daily maximum and minimum temperatures over two 30‐year periods, 1951–1980 and 1981–2010. The authors show that the maximum and minimum daily temperatures all over the globe have significantly shifted toward higher values during the latter period. They further show that the distributions have become skewed toward the hotter part of the distribution; changes are greater for daily minimum (nighttime) temperatures than for the daily maximum (daytime) temperatures. The authors conclude that the distribution of global daily temperatures has indeed become “more extreme” compared to the middle of the twentieth century. (Geophysical Research Letters, doi:10.1029/2012GL052459, 2012)
Real‐time forecasting of the April 11, 2012 Sumatra tsunami
Authors: Wang Dailin , Becker Nathan C. , Walsh David , Fryer Gerard J. , Weinstein Stuart A. , McCreery Charles S. , Sardiña Victor , Hsu Vindell , Hirshorn Barry F. , Hayes Gavin P. , Duputel Zacharie , Rivera Luis , Kanamori Hiroo , Koyanagi Kanoa K. , Shiro Brian
Published: September 2012

The April 11, 2012, magnitude 8.6 earthquake off the northern coast of Sumatra generated a tsunami that was recorded at sea‐level stations as far as 4800 km from the epicenter and at four ocean bottom pressure sensors (DARTs) in the Indian Ocean. The governments of India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Maldives issued tsunami warnings for their coastlines. The United States' Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) issued an Indian Ocean‐wide Tsunami Watch Bulletin in its role as an Interim Service Provider for the region. Using an experimental real‐time tsunami forecast model (RIFT), PTWC produced a series of tsunami forecasts during the event that were based on rapidly derived earthquake parameters, including initial location and Mwp magnitude estimates and the W‐phase centroid moment tensor solutions (W‐phase CMTs) obtained at PTWC and at the U. S. Geological Survey (USGS). We discuss the real‐time forecast methodology and how successive, real‐time tsunami forecasts using the latest W‐phase CMT solutions improved the accuracy of the forecast.
Seasonal variations in the correlation of mesospheric OH temperature and radiance at midlatitudes
Authors: Smith Steven M.
Published: September 2012

A correlative study of rotational temperatures and radiance of mesospheric hydroxyl (OH) was made using spectrographic measurements from the midlatitude site at Millstone Hill, Massachusetts (42.6°N, 71.5°W). The OH radiance and temperatures were strongly correlated, and the correlation showed a marked seasonal dependence. The dependence was also evident on smaller timescales ranging from days to months. Dynamical effects appeared to dominate the temperature‐radiance relationship compared to the photochemistry responsible for the hydroxyl emission rate. The effect was illustrated clearly when the measurements were temporally averaged, hence removing the dynamical influence. A strong summer maximum in OH radiance was observed contrary to a minimum in summer Mass Spectrometer Incoherent Scatter (MSIS) [O] volume mixing ratio values. An increase in mesospheric gravity wave activity during the summer, a feature not observed by the MSIS model, was the likely cause of the summer OH maximum.
Identification of large‐scale billow‐like structure in the neutral sodium layer over Arecibo
Authors: Sarkhel S. , Raizada Shikha , Mathews John D. , Smith Steve , Tepley Craig A. , Rivera Francisco J. , Gonzalez Sixto A.
Published: September 2012

We present a rare event that was recorded over Arecibo using sodium (Na) lidar. Billow‐like structures with periods of ∼60 min were seen in the Na layer above 102 km on the night of 7–8 July 2010. The absence of any high‐altitude structure was noted on the following night. Spectral analysis using the Lomb‐Scargle technique reveals periods with larger power on the first night as compared to the adjacent one. The keograms derived from a sequence of 557.7 nm airglow images show the passage of a large frontal wave on 7–8 July 2010. Further investigation on the occurrence of neutral instabilities was carried out using mesospheric temperature and horizontal wind obtained from the Sounding of Atmosphere using Broadband Emission Radiometry (SABER) and TIMED Doppler Interferometer (TIDI) instruments onboard the TIMED satellite. A good agreement is observed between the temperatures derived from SABER and ground‐based airglow instruments. The mesospheric temperature and horizontal wind profiles allowed the determination of square of the Brunt‐Väisälä frequency and Richardson number to quantitatively evaluate the possible role of different instabilities in generating this structure. The profile of the former entity reveals that the region is convectively stable during the time when the event was observed. However, the presence of strong shears in the region, where billow‐like structures are observed on 7–8 July 2010, is noted along with a Richardson number of 0.22, indicating the likely occurrence of dynamical instability. Thus, the present work suggests that dynamical instability make conditions conducive for billow‐like structures in the Na layer above 102 km. The possible role of plasma processes in generating these structures is also discussed.
Two‐phase storm profile of global electron content in the ionosphere and plasmasphere of the Earth
Authors: Gulyaeva T. L. , Veselovsky I. S.
Published: September 2012

The global electron content (GEC) derivation is initiated by summing up the total electron content of each cell of Global Positioning System GPS‐TEC global map multiplied by the cell area. Algorithm of GEC calculation is improved in the present paper using the electron density varying with height through the total volume of a spherical layer in near‐Earth space up to 20,200 km (GPS orbit) reconstructed from TEC with the International Reference Ionosphere model extended to the Plasmasphere (IRI‐Plas). An analytical model is first derived for two‐phase typical GEC storm profile by a common epoch analysis of 10 storms during 2001–2011 with the starting time put at the origin of the negative phase of GEC departure from the quiet reference (5 day median). It is found that GEC depletion occurs synchronously with decrease of the solar wind velocity and the outset of recovery of the magnetospheric ring current (the equatorial Dst index) and the auroral electrojet (AE index). Thus, the GEC is an indicator of the plasma injection in the ionosphere and plasmasphere with the solar wind energy inducing the positive phase of GEC storm during 24 h with electron number increased by 10–20% followed by a negative phase with GEC decrease by 10–20% during 40 h of a plasma release (ejection) into the magnetosphere tail beyond the three Earth radii (GPS orbit).
First observational evidence for opposite zonal electric fields in equatorial E and F region altitudes during a geomagnetic storm period
Authors: Tulasi Ram S. , Balan N. , Veenadhari B. , Gurubaran S. , Ravindran S. , Tsugawa T. , Liu H. , Niranjan K. , Nagatsuma T.
Published: September 2012

The strong westward electrojet and simultaneous upward drift of the equatorial ionospheric peak observed over South‐East Asia and Indian equatorial regions during the prolonged Dst minimum phase of an intense geomagnetic storm during 14–15 December 2006 are investigated for the altitudinal variation of zonal electric field polarity using ground based and space‐borne observations. The results show first observational evidence for simultaneous existence of daytime westward and eastward zonal electric fields at equatorial E and F region altitudes, respectively, in a wide longitude sector. While the westward electric fields at E region altitudes cause westward electrojet, at the same time, the eastward zonal electric fields atFregion altitudes cause the upward drift of the equatorial ionospheric peak and reinforcement of the equatorial ionization anomaly (EIA) even in the topside ionosphere (∼660 km). The reversal of the electric fields is found to occur at ∼280 km height. A clear bifurcation of F region plasma at ∼280 km is evident in the iso‐electron density contours due to these oppositely polarized zonal electric fields, which manifests as an unusually deep cusp between F1 and F2 layers on equatorial ionograms.