bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Integrated geophysical profiles and H/V microtremor measurements for subsoil characterization
Authors: Benjumea Beatriz , Macau Albert , Gabàs Anna , Bellmunt Fabian , Figueras Sara , Cirés Jordi
Published: August 2011

Mapping bedrock structure beneath overburden is crucial for understanding geological and hydrogeological processes. Acquiring this information is generally done using well drilling or geophysical surveys; but these studies are expensive and require large periods of acquisition and processing time. In addition, geophysical data acquisition can be logistically challenging in urban zones with limited available areas for instrumentation deployment.

Under favourable conditions (1D structure and high acoustic impedance contrast) the H/V microtremor technique can provide estimates of bedrock depth. This technique is used to obtain the soil resonance frequency in seismic microzonation studies. It is based on the computation of the horizontal to vertical spectral ratio of microtremor recordings acquired at a single station. The soil resonance frequency is related to soil shear‐wave velocity and thickness.

Here we investigate the capability of combining microtremor and traditional exploration geophysical techniques (electrical resistivity and seismic tomography) to obtain an empirical relationship relating soil resonance frequency and overburden thickness. Subsequently we propose to extend microtremor measurements to adjacent areas that have not been covered by geophysical surveys.

This methodology has been applied at a test site located in a granitic environment where alluvial/colluvial sediments cover the granite weathering profile. This area is characterized by urban development and sectors having rugged topography. A priori, this area has suitable conditions to apply the H/V microtremor technique. Overburden thickness has been estimated to range between 20–50 m. The proposed methodology has been validated at the test site, encouraging us to apply the H/V method as an exploration tool in similar geological environments.
Statistical stacking and adaptive notch filter to remove high‐level electromagnetic noise from MRS measurements
Authors: Jiang Chuandong , Lin Jun , Duan Qingming , Sun Shuqin , Tian Baofeng
Published: August 2011

Traditionally, one of the major limitations for magnetic resonance sounding (MRS) measurement is that the weak signal generated by subsurface water molecules is prone to be disturbed by high‐level electromagnetic noise. In China, the power grid coverage is 94.6% and spiky noise and powerline harmonic noise are always present when utilizing MRS measurement in suburban areas or towns. In order to improve the performance of the MRS method, two new techniques, statistical stacking and adaptive notch filter, are introduced to remove spiky noise and power‐line harmonic noise. Firstly, four stacking procedures are analysed to suppress the natural noise and spiky noise. It could be found that statistical stacking can be utilized in the areas with serious spiky noise and can improve the signal‐to‐noise ratio by a factor of 4 to 7. Moreover, the stacking number is less than other stacking procedures and the measurement time may decrease by nearly 50% in some suburban areas or towns. Secondly, there are a variety of filtering procedures available to suppress power‐line harmonic noise, which are all based on analogue or digital notch filtering. But nearly all of them may cause distortion. An adaptive notch filter is applied here to remove power‐line harmonic noise because harmonic frequencies are away from and (or) close to the Larmor frequency, even when the frequency offset between them is zero. From simulation results, it could be noted that the signal can be recovered after adaptive notch filtering because it is not irretrievably distorted but proportionally attenuated. Thus, the amplitude attenuation can accurately be compensated. The effectiveness of the two techniques applied to MRS measurements is demonstrated by field testing with the prototype of the MRS system developed by Jilin University, China. The results show that the statistical stacking and adaptive notch filter are effective methods to remove high‐level electromagnetic noise from MRS measurements.
Autoreactive Memory CD4+ T Lymphocytes That Mediate Chronic Uveitis Reside in the Bone Marrow through STAT3-Dependent Mechanisms
Authors: Oh Hyun-Mee , Yu Cheng-Rong , Lee YongJun , Chan Chi-Chao , Maminishkis Arvydas , Egwuagu Charles E.
Published: August 2011

Organ-specific autoimmune diseases are usually characterized by repeated cycles of remission and recurrent inflammation. However, where the autoreactive memory T cells reside in between episodes of recurrent inflammation is largely unknown. In this study, we have established a mouse model of chronic uveitis characterized by progressive photoreceptor cell loss, retinal degeneration, focal retinitis, retinal vasculitis, multifocal choroiditis, and choroidal neovascularization, providing for the first time to our knowledge a useful model for studying long-term pathological consequences of chronic inflammation of the neuroretina. We show that several months after inception of acute uveitis, autoreactive memory T cells specific to retinal autoantigen, interphotoreceptor retinoid-binding protein (IRBP), relocated to bone marrow (BM). The IRBP-specific memory T cells (IL-7RαHighLy6CHighCD4+) resided in BM in resting state but upon restimulation converted to IL-17/IFN-γ–expressing effectors (IL-7RαLowLy6CLowCD4+) that mediated uveitis. We further show that T cells from STAT3-deficient (CD4-STAT3KO) mice are defective in α4β1 and osteopontin expression, defects that correlated with inability of IRBP-specific memory CD4-STAT3KO T cells to traffic into BM. We adoptively transferred uveitis to naive mice using BM cells from wild-type mice with chronic uveitis but not BM cells from CD4-STAT3KO, providing direct evidence that memory T cells that mediate uveitis reside in BM and that STAT3-dependent mechanism may be required for migration into and retention of memory T cells in BM. Identifying BM as a survival niche for T cells that cause uveitis suggests that BM stromal cells that provide survival signals to autoreactive memory T cells and STAT3-dependent mechanisms that mediate their relocation into BM are attractive therapeutic targets that can be exploited to selectively deplete memory T cells that drive chronic inflammation.
Mucosa-Associated Epithelial Chemokine/CCL28 Expression in the Uterus Attracts CCR10+ IgA Plasma Cells following Mucosal Vaccination via Estrogen Control
Authors: Cha Hye-Ran , Ko Hyun-Jeong , Kim Eun-Do , Chang Sun-Young , Seo Sang-Uk , Cuburu Nicolas , Ryu Sangryeol , Kim Sunghoon , Kweon Mi-Na
Published: August 2011

Previous studies demonstrated cross talk between mucosal and reproductive organs during secretory IgA Ab induction. In this study, we aimed to clarify the underlying mechanisms of this cross talk. We found significantly higher titers of Ag-specific secretory IgA Ab in the vaginal wash after mucosal vaccination by both the intranasal (i.n.) and the intravaginal routes but not by the s.c. route. Interestingly, Ag-specific IgA Ab-secreting cells (ASCs) were found mainly in the uterus but not in the cervix and vaginal canal after i.n. vaccination. The fact that most Ag-specific IgA ASCs isolated from the uteri of vaccinated mice migrated toward mucosa-associated epithelial chemokine (MEC)/CCL28 suggests dominant expression of CCR10 on the IgA ASCs. Further, IgA ASCs in the uteri of vaccinated mice were reduced drastically in mice treated with neutralizing anti-MEC/CCL28 Ab. Most intriguingly, the female sex hormone estrogen directly regulated MEC/CCL28 expression and was augmented by i.n. vaccination with cholera toxin or stimulators for innate immunity. Further, blockage of estrogen function in the uterus by oral administration of the estrogen antagonist raloxifene significantly inhibited migration of Ag-specific IgA ASCs after i.n. vaccination with OVA plus cholera toxin. Taken together, these data strongly suggest that CCR10+ IgA ASCs induced by mucosal vaccination via the i.n. route migrate into the uterus in a MEC/CCL28-dependent manner and that estrogen might have a crucial role in the protection against genital infection by regulating MEC/CCL28 expression in the uterus.
The Actin-Bundling Protein L-Plastin Is Essential for Marginal Zone B Cell Development
Authors: Todd Elizabeth M. , Deady Lauren E. , Morley Sharon Celeste
Published: August 2011

B cell development is exquisitely sensitive to location within specialized niches in the bone marrow and spleen. Location within these niches is carefully orchestrated through chemotactic and adhesive cues. In this article, we demonstrate the requirement for the actin-bundling protein L-plastin (LPL) in B cell motility toward the chemokines CXCL12 and CXCL13 and the lipid chemoattractant sphingosine-1-phosphate, which guide normal B cell development. Impaired motility of B cells in LPL−/− mice correlated with diminished splenic maturation of B cells, with a moderate (40%) loss of follicular B cells and a profound (>80%) loss of marginal zone B cells. Entry of LPL−/− B cells into the lymph nodes and bone marrow of mice was also impaired. Furthermore, LPL was required for the integrin-mediated enhancement of Transwell migration but was dispensable for integrin-mediated lymphocyte adhesion. These results suggest that LPL may participate in signaling that enables lymphocyte transmigration. In support of this hypothesis, the phosphorylation of Pyk-2, a tyrosine kinase that integrates chemotactic and adhesive cues, is diminished in LPL−/− B cells stimulated with chemokine. Finally, a well-characterized role of marginal zone B cells is the generation of a rapid humoral response to polysaccharide Ags. LPL−/− mice exhibited a defective Ab response to Streptococcus pneumoniae, indicating a functional consequence of defective marginal zone B cell development in LPL−/− mice.
A case of vocal cord dysfunction with Takotsubo cardiomyopathy: is there a link?
Authors: Ye Xuan , Aziza Sultana , Gomes Sean , Lancashire William , Thomas Paul S.
Published: August 2011

Vocal cord dysfunction (VCD) is an underrecognised cause of dyspnoea as it is seldom life threatening, and also difficult to diagnose. However, there have been rare accounts of VCD, as in the present case, which have led to haemodynamic instability. This patient with VCD episodically developed acute pulmonary oedema, bilateral pleural effusions and Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, treated effectively with tracheostomy. This presentation hints at the possible existence of a common pathophysiological mechanism, namely, forced inspiration against a closed airway or sympathetic overstimulation.
Melanocytoma of the Optic Nerve Head-A Diagnostic Dilemma
Authors: Mohmad Zalilawati , Aik Kah Tan , Chui Yong Ku , Wan Abdul Halim Wan Haslina , Kong Yong Then
Published: August 2011

The clinical features, autofluorescence, Bscan ultrasonography, optical coherence tomography and fluorescein angiography of the lesion were described. Multiple investigation modalities are needed to confirm the benign nature of the lesion. Careful evaluation and follow-up is crucial to avoid misdiagnosis and erroneous management.
Post-Traumatic Extensive Knee Ganglion Cyst
Authors: Mahvash Mehran , Hashemi Majid , Maslehaty Homajoun , Doukas Alexandros , Petridis Athanasios K. , Mehdorn Hubertus Maximilian
Published: August 2011

A rare case of a posttraumatic extensive ganglion cyst of the anterolateral thigh with connection to the knee joint is presented. A 54- year-old man presented a palpable mass in the anterolateral region of his right thigh with a 15 months existing sense of fullness and tightness. He had an accident with his bicycle 21 months ago. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed showing a cyst inside the quadriceps femoris muscle between vastus lateralis and intermedius with connection to recessus suprapatellaris and knee joint. In addition MRI detected a traumatic lesion in the quadriceps femoris tendon in the near of the knee joint. The ganglion cyst was 18 cm long and was excised completely. Intraope - ratively, the knee joint connection was confirmed and excised as well. The ganglion cyst was filled with a gelatinous and viscous fluid.
Interventricular Septal Rupture after Myocardial Infarction Despite Early Percutaneous Coronary Intervention
Authors: Cicek Davran , Gokay Seher , Saba Tonguc , Sapmaz Ismail , Muderrisoglu Haldun
Published: August 2011

Ventricular septal rupture (VSR) complicating acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is a serious clinical problem with high mortality rate due to cardiogenic shock or prolonged hemodynamic compromise. Despite multiple improvements in medical, interventional and surgical techniques, early and long-term prognosis after AMI related VSR still remain unpromising. We report a patient in whom an acute VSR was diagnosed 7 days after an anterior myocardial infarction treated with early primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI).
Alien species in South Africa’s national parks
Authors: Spear Dian , McGeoch Melodie A. , Foxcroft Llewellyn C. , Bezuidenhout Hugo
Published: August 2011

Alien species in South Africa’s national parks
Antibiotic utilization pattern in a general medical ward of a tertiary medical center in Saudi Arabia
Authors: Shimemeri A Al , Ghadeer H Al , Memish Z
Published: August 2011

To assess the pattern of antibiotic utilization and outcome of patients with bacteremia in a General Medical Ward, all positive blood cultures (BC) over a 12-month period from January 1994 to December 1995 were retrospectively reviewed. Fifty-two positive BC were recorded in 43 patients (63% males, 37% females; mean age 65.9 ± 16.6). 72% of the patients received antibiotics before or soon after obtaining the BC, and ceftriaxone was the most frequently-prescribed antibiotic (41.93%), either alone or in combination with other antibiotics. The bacteremia was due to gram-positive cocci in 60.46% of cases, gram-negative rods in 30.23%, and gram-positive rods in 9.30%. Positive BC due to contamination were not included. The most common gram-positive cocci were Staphylococcus epidermidis, followed by S. aureus, while the most common gram-negative bacilli were Brucella species, Proteus mirabilis, and Klebsiella sp. The suspected sources of the bacteremia were respiratory (21.2%), urinary (19.2%), or skin (19.2%). A subsequent change in the antibiotics regimen was done in 69.76% cases after BC results became available with no apparent effect on the outcome. Adding vancomycin and clindamycin was the most frequent change done (19.4% for each equally). Complications developed in 69.76% of patients, with 88.66% of them suffering from sepsis/shock. 69.23% of the patients improved and 30.77% expired; death was related to infection in 87.5% of cases. In conclusion, most bacteremia in the medical ward of the hospital were due to gram-positive cocci, which should be considered in antibiotic selection prior to BC. Risk factors for acquiring Brucellosis should always be obtained.
A phase II pilot trial investigating the efficacy and activity of single agent granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor as maintenance approach in castration - resistant prostate cancer patients responding to chemotherapy
Authors: Nabhan Chadi , Meyer Andrew , Tolzien Kathy , Bitran Jacob D , Lestingi Timothy M
Published: August 2011

Purpose: To investigate the toxicity and efficacy of GM-CSF in castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) patients who maximized their response to systemic chemotherapy. Materials and Methods: CRPC patients who maximized their response to either docetaxel or mitoxantrone chemotherapy were eligible if they demonstrated adequate performance status, liver, kidney, and bone marrow function. Maximum response to chemotherapy was defined as either receiving at least 8 cycles of chemotherapy without radiographic or biochemical progression, receiving less than 8 cycles as long as the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) changes by less than 10%, or being off chemotherapy for less than 12 weeks without disease progression. Patients received GM-CSF at 250 mcg/m 2 subcutaneously for 14 days followed by 14 days of rest. GM-CSF was continued until disease progression. Results: Fifteen patients were enrolled of which all were evaluable for toxicity and 13 were evaluable for efficacy. Median age was 78 (range 66-96) and 93% of patients had a Gleason score ≥ 7. Biochemically, 2 patients (15.3%) attained partial response (PR) and 4 (30.7%) had stable disease (SD). Median time to PSA progression was 6 months (range 4-12). Radiographically, 9 patients (69.2%) had SD that lasted a median of 6 months (range 2-10). With a median follow-up of 24 months from starting GM-CSF (range 2-38), 2 patients (13.3%) remain alive and well. Median OS from start of any chemotherapy was 21 months (range 10-44). GM-CSF was well-tolerated with minimal expected manageable toxicities.Conclusions: GM-CSF is active post-chemotherapy in CRPC patients. Further studies with GM-CSF in this setting are warranted.
Basics of cytology
Authors: Al-Abbadi Mousa A
Published: August 2011

This overview is intended to give a general outline about the basics of Cytopathology. This is a field that is gaining tremendous momentum all over the world due to its speed, accuracy and cost effectiveness. This review will include a brief description about the history of cytology from its inception followed by recent developments. Discussion about the different types of specimens, whether exfoliative or aspiration will be presented with explanation of its rule as a screening and diagnostic test. A brief description of the indications, utilization, sensitivity, specificity, cost effectiveness, speed and accuracy will be carried out. The role that cytopathology plays in early detection of cancer will be emphasized. The ability to provide all types of ancillary studies necessary to make specific diagnosis that will dictate treatment protocols will be demonstrated. A brief description of the general rules of cytomorphology differentiating benign from malignant will be presented. Emphasis on communication between clinicians and pathologist will be underscored. The limitations and potential problems in the form of false positive and false negative will be briefly discussed. Few representative examples will be shown. A brief description of the different techniques in performing fine needle aspirations will be presented. General recommendation for the safest methods and hints to enhance the sensitivity of different sample procurement will be given. It is hoped that this review will benefit all practicing clinicians that may face certain diagnostic challenges requiring the use of cytological material.
Percepção e uso dos insetos pelos moradores da comunidade do Ribeirão da Ilha, Santa Catarina, Brasil
Authors: Ulysséa Mônica Antunes , Hanazaki Natalia , Lopes Benedito Cortês
Published: August 2011

Este trabalho apresenta a percepção que os moradores do Ribeirão da Ilha, Florianópolis, Ilha de Santa Catarina, têm sobre os insetos e os distintos usos dados a estes animais. O estudo foi realizado entre agosto e outubro de 2007, por meio da aplicação de entrevistas semi-estruturadas com 50 moradores da comunidade. A etnocategoria inseto é formada por 16 animais, como abelha, barata, besouro, aranha e cobra, dentre outros. Além disso, é majoritariamente constituída por animais percebidos negativamente pela população, isto é, que causam sensações como medo e nojo. O conhecimento sobre os usos dos insetos é amplo e está ligado ao uso lúdico, decorativo, alimentício, medicinal, à previsão do tempo e à obtenção de dinheiro. Atualmente, apenas três usos são praticados pela comunidade: consumo de mel na alimentação, picada de abelha para curar reumatismos e borboleta para decoração.
Comparing and Selecting Performance Measures Using Rank Correlations
Authors: Caporin Massimiliano , Lisi Francesco
Published: August 2011

The financial economics literature proposes dozens of performance measures to be used, for instance, to compare, analyse, rank and select assets. There is thus a problem: which measures should be considered? We extend the current literature by comparing a large set of performance measures over more than one thousand of equities included in the Standard & Poor’s 1500 index. We evaluate performance measures by mean of rank correlations, exploiting the possible dynamic evolution of the rank correlations, and proposing a method for the identification of the subset of measures which are not equivalent. Our empirical study highlights that recent and more flexible measures provide different asset ranks compared to classical approaches, and that the set of equivalent performance measures is not stable over time.
Insurance Product Design and its Effects: Trade-offs along the Managed Care Continuum
Authors: Kemper Peter , Tu Ha T. , Reschovsky James D. , Schaefer Elizabeth
Published: August 2011

This paper uses 1996–97 Community Tracking Study data to analyze the effects of different insurance product designs on service use, access, and consumer assessments of care for nonelderly people with employer-sponsored insurance. Product types are defined by features including use of networks, gatekeeping, capitation, and group/staff model delivery systems. We found no evidence of differences across product types in unmet need or delayed care or use of hospitals, surgery, or emergency rooms. At the same time, different product designs present purchasers with a clear trade-off between paying more out of pocket and encountering more administrative barriers to care. In addition, an increasing proportion of consumers report dissatisfaction with choice of physicians and low trust in physicians as one moves along the managed care continuum from unmanaged to heavily managed products. Our findings have implications for efforts to regulate managed care. The existence of a trade-off between out-of-pocket costs and administrative barriers to care means that some forms of regulation run the risk of reducing choices available to consumers. This is particularly true of regulations that would change the nature of managed care products by prohibiting the use of specific care management tools. To the extent that the backlash against managed care targets restrictions on choice and administrative hassles among consumers who nonetheless choose more heavily managed products because of their lower cost, eliminating heavily managed products would leave those consumers worse off.
Hospitals' Care of Uninsured Patients during the 1990s: The Relation of Teaching Status and Managed Care to Changes in Market Share and Market Concentration
Authors: Weissman Joel S. , Gaskin Darrell J. , Reuter James
Published: August 2011

Competitive forces in health care make it difficult for hospitals to shift the costs of caring for poor and uninsured patients onto paying patients. The care of uninsured patients in teaching hospitals may have been especially affected by increased levels of managed care during the 1990s. We found that the market share of uninsured patients during the 1990s grew at academic health center hospitals relative to other hospitals in their service areas, and these increases occurred primarily in areas with high levels of managed care. More generally, in urban areas, the care of uninsured patients was twice as concentrated as that of all patients, and the ratio of concentration (uninsured patients vs. all patients) was greater in areas with high managed care levels than in areas with low managed care levels (p < .01). These results have implications for the design of payment policies for indigent care.
The Impact of Medicaid Primary Care Case Management on Office-Based Physician Supply in Alabama and Georgia
Authors: Adams E. Kathleen , Bronstein Janet M. , Florence Curtis S.
Published: August 2011

The success of the “primary care case management (PCCM)” form of managed care implemented in many state Medicaid programs over the past several years depends in part on the expanded availability of primary care physician sites to substitute for hospital-based outpatient care and to provide a medical home for enrollees. However, the PCCM requirement for physicians to accept assignment of a caseload of patients and to provide all of their primary care likely conflicts with the approach of limited Medicaid participation favored by many Medicaid physician participants. This study examines the early impact of PCCM implementation, in the absence of physician reimbursement level increases, on the patterns of Medicaid participation by physicians in communities in Georgia and Alabama. We find that the implementation of PCCM under these conditions often was associated with reductions in the proportion of physicians participating in Medicaid, reductions in the number of very small Medicaid practices, and declines in Medicaid visit volumes across all participating physicians. We also find evidence of an overall reduction in the number of primary care visits per Medicaid enrollee, but an increase in the proportion of these visits that were for preventive care services associated with initial PCCM implementation.
Government as Reinsurer: Potential Impacts on Public and Private Spending
Authors: Blumberg Linda J. , Holahan John
Published: August 2011

This paper analyzes the potential effects of alternative government reinsurance mechanisms on public and private expenditures in group and nongroup health insurance markets. High reinsurance thresholds, with the government taking responsibility for costs over $50,000 per year, would absorb a small share of private costs. Lower thresholds would have greater effects, but would increase government costs significantly. We also find that reinsurance would reduce the variance in expenditures considerably and should reduce risk premiums charged by private insurers. We conclude that focusing on small employers and the nongroup market could target government spending where costs are highest and insurance markets most unstable.
Inverse cascade in the structure of substorm aurora and non-linear dynamics of field-aligned current filaments
Authors: Kozelov B. V. , Golovchanskaya I. V. , Mingalev O. V.
Published: August 2011

Abstract. We investigate time evolution of scaling index αA that characterizes auroral luminosity fluctuations at the beginning of substorm expansion. With the use of UVI images from the Polar satellite, it is shown that αA typically varies from values less than unity to ~1.5, increasing with breakup progress. Similar scaling features were previously reported for fluctuations at smaller scales from all-sky TV observations. If this signature is interpreted in terms of non-linear interactions between scales, it means that the power of small-scale fluctuations is transferred with time to larger scales, a kind of the inverse cascade. Scaling behavior in the aurora during substorm activity is compared with that in the field-aligned currents simulated numerically in the model of non-linear interactions of Alfvénic coherent structures, according to the Chang et al. (2004) scenario. This scenario also suggests an inverse cascade, manifesting in clustering of small-scale field-aligned current filaments of the same polarity and formation of "coarse-grained" structures of field-aligned currents.
Simulation of nitrogen deposition in the North China Plain by the FRAME model
Authors: Zhang Y. , Dore A. J. , Liu X. , Zhang F.
Published: August 2011

Abstract. Simulation of atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition in the North China Plain (NCP) at high resolution, 5 × 5 km2, was conducted for the first time by the Fine Resolution Atmospheric Multi-pollutant Exchange (FRAME) model. The total N deposition budget was 1481 Gg in this region, with 77 % from reduced N and 23 % from oxidized N, and the annual deposition rate (47 kg ha−1) was much higher than previously reported values for other parts of the world such as the UK (13 kg ha−1), Poland (7.3 kg ha−1) and EU27 (8.6 kg ha−1). The exported N budget (1981 Gg) was much higher than the imported N budget (584 Gg), suggesting that the NCP is an important net emission source of N pollutants. Seven provinces in the region contributed N deposition budgets that were proportional to their area ratios. The calculated spatial distributions of N deposition displayed high rates of reduced N deposition in the south and of oxidized N deposition in the eastern part. The N deposition exceeded an upper limit of 30 kg N ha−1 for natural ecosystems over more than 90 % of the region, resulting in terrestrial ecosystem deterioration, impaired air quality and coastal eutrophication not only in the NCP itself but also in surrounding areas including the Bohai Sea and the Yellow Sea.
Controls on benthic biomass size spectra in shelf and deep-sea sediments – a modelling study
Authors: Kelly-Gerreyn B. A. , Anderson T. R. , Bett B. J. , Martin A. P. , Kaariainen J. I.
Published: August 2011

Abstract. Factors controlling biomass distributions in marine benthic organisms (meio- to macro-fauna, 1 μg–32 mg wet weight) were investigated through observations and allometric modelling. Biomass (and abundance) size spectra were measured at three locations: the Faroe-Shetland Channel in the north-east Atlantic (FSC, water depth 1600 m, September 2000); the Fladen Ground in the North Sea (FG, 150 m, September 2000); and the hypoxic Oman Margin (OM, 500 m, September 2002) in the Arabian Sea. Biomass increased with body size through a power law at FG (allometric exponent, b = 0.16) and at FSC (b = 0.32), but less convincingly at OM (b was not significantly different from −1/4 or 0). Our results question the assumption that metazoan biomass spectra are bimodal in marine sediments. The model incorporated 16 metazoan size classes, as derived from the observed spectra, all reliant on a common detrital food pool. All physiological (ingestion, mortality, assimilation and respiration) parameters scaled to body size following optimisation to the data at each site, the resulting values being consistent within expectations from the literature. For all sites, body size related changes in mortality played the greatest role in determining the trend of the biomass size spectra. The body size trend in the respiration rate was most sensitive to allometry in both mortality and ingestion, and the trend in body size spectra of the production: biomass ratio was explained by the allometry in ingestion. Our results suggest that size-scaling mortality and ingestion are important factors determining the distribution of biomass across the meiofauna to macrofauna size range in marine sedimentary communities, in agreement with the general observation that biomass tends to accumulates in larger rather than smaller size classes in these environments.
Large-scale runoff generation – parsimonious parameterisation using high-resolution topography
Authors: Gong L. , Halldin S. , Xu C.-Y.
Published: August 2011

Abstract. World water resources have primarily been analysed by global-scale hydrological models in the last decades. Runoff generation in many of these models are based on process formulations developed at catchments scales. The division between slow runoff (baseflow) and fast runoff is primarily governed by slope and spatial distribution of effective water storage capacity, both acting at very small scales. Many hydrological models, e.g. VIC, account for the spatial storage variability in terms of statistical distributions; such models are generally proven to perform well. The statistical approaches, however, use the same runoff-generation parameters everywhere in a basin. The TOPMODEL concept, on the other hand, links the effective maximum storage capacity with real-world topography. Recent availability of global high-quality, high-resolution topographic data makes TOPMODEL attractive as a basis for a physically-based runoff-generation algorithm at large scales, even if its assumptions are not valid in flat terrain or for deep groundwater systems. We present a new runoff-generation algorithm for large-scale hydrology based on TOPMODEL concepts intended to overcome these problems. The TRG (topography-derived runoff generation) algorithm relaxes the TOPMODEL equilibrium assumption so baseflow generation is not tied to topography. TRG only uses the topographic index to distribute average storage to each topographic index class. The maximum storage capacity is proportional to the range of topographic index and is scaled by one parameter. The distribution of storage capacity within large-scale grid cells is obtained numerically through topographic analysis. The new topography-derived distribution function is then inserted into a runoff-generation framework similar VIC's. Different basin parts are parameterised by different storage capacities, and different shapes of the storage-distribution curves depend on their topographic characteristics. The TRG algorithm is driven by the HydroSHEDS dataset with a resolution of 3" (around 90 m at the equator). The TRG algorithm was validated against the VIC algorithm in a common model framework in 3 river basins in different climates. The TRG algorithm performed equally well or marginally better than the VIC algorithm with one less parameter to be calibrated. The TRG algorithm also lacked equifinality problems and offered a realistic spatial pattern for runoff generation and evaporation.
Generating reference evapotranspiration surfaces from the Hargreaves equation at watershed scale
Authors: Aguilar C. , Polo M. J.
Published: August 2011

Abstract. In this study, Hargreaves' formulation is considered to be appropriate for the water and energy balance at a daily scale due to its simplicity of application once the distributed values of temperature are available at cell scale. However, the coefficient of the Hargreaves equation must be previously calibrated. The interplay of different factors at different temporal scales became evident in the calibration process at the local scale of weather stations. The best fits against daily estimates by ASCE-PM were achieved when differentiating between the wet and the dry season. For the spatial distribution of Hargreaves coefficient at watershed scale, a regionalization in the area around each weather station was proposed in terms of areas of influence. The best results at watershed scale were obtained after a spatial correction for alpine areas, when the average of the difference cell by cell between ASCE-PM and Hargreaves's distributed daily estimates were 0.02 and 0.15 mm day−1 for the wet and the dry seasons, respectively. In all the cases, the best interpolation results were obtained using C-I (calculate and interpolate) procedures.
An integrated uncertainty and ensemble-based data assimilation approach for improved operational streamflow predictions
Authors: He M. , Hogue T. S. , Margulis S. A. , Franz K. J.
Published: August 2011

Abstract. The current study proposes an integrated uncertainty and ensemble-based data assimilation framework (ICEA) and evaluates its viability in providing operational streamflow predictions via assimilating snow water equivalent (SWE) data. This step-wise framework applies a parameter uncertainty analysis algorithm (ISURF) to identify the uncertainty structure of sensitive model parameters, which is subsequently formulated into an Ensemble Kalman Filter (EnKF) to generate updated snow states for streamflow prediction. The framework is coupled to the US National Weather Service (NWS) snow and rainfall-runoff models. Its applicability is demonstrated for an operational basin of a western River Forecast Center (RFC) of the NWS. Performance of the framework is evaluated against existing operational baseline (RFC predictions), the stand-alone ISURF, and the stand-alone EnKF. Results indicate that the ensemble-mean prediction of ICEA considerably outperforms predictions from the other three scenarios investigated, particularly in the context of predicting high flows (top 5th percentile). The ICEA streamflow ensemble predictions capture the variability of the observed streamflow well, however the ensemble is not wide enough to consistently contain the range of streamflow observations in the study basin. Our findings indicate that the ICEA has the potential to supplement the current operational (deterministic) forecasting method in terms of providing improved single-valued (e.g., ensemble mean) streamflow predictions as well as meaningful ensemble predictions.
Linkage of cave-ice changes to weather patterns inside and outside the cave Eisriesenwelt (Tennengebirge, Austria)
Authors: Schöner W. , Weyss G. , Mursch-Radlgruber E.
Published: August 2011

Abstract. The behaviour of perennial ice masses in karst caves in relation to the outside climate is still not well understood, though a significant potential of the cave-ice for paleo-climate reconstructions could be expected. This study investigates the relationship between weather patterns inside and outside the cave Eisriesenwelt (Austrian Alps) and ice-surface changes of the ice-covered part of the cave from meteorological observations at three sites (outside the cave, entrance-near inside and in the middle section of the cave) including atmospheric and ice surface measurements as well as an ablation stake network. Whereas ice loss in summer was a general feature from stake measurements for almost all measurement sites in the cave in 2007, 2008 and 2009 (values up to −15 cm yr−1), a clear seasonal signal of ice accumulation (e.g. in spring as expected from theory) was not observed. It is shown that under recent climate the cave ice mass balance is more sensitive to winter climate for the inner measurement site and sensitive to winter and summer climate for the entrance-near site. Observed ice surface changes can be well explained by cave atmosphere measurements, indicating a clear annual cycle with weak mass loss in winter due to sublimation, stable ice conditions in spring until summer (autumn for the inner measurement site) and significant melt in late summer to autumn (for the entrance-near site). Interestingly, surface ice melt did not contribute to ablation at the inner site. It is obvious from the spatial sample of ice surface height observations that the ice body is currently in rather balanced state, though the influence of show-cave management on ice mass-balance could not be clearly quantified (but a significant input on accumulation for some parts of the cave is rather plausible).
Virtual Quantification of Protein Stability Using Applied Kinetic and Thermodynamic Parameters
Authors: Kumar S. Prasanth , Meenatchi Muthusamy
Published: August 2011

Protein stability, the most important aspect of molecular dynamics and simulations, requires sophisticated instrumentations of molecular biology to analyze its kinetic and thermodynamic background. Sequence- and structure-based programs on protein stability exist which relies only on single point mutations and sequence optimality. The energy distribution conferred by each hydrophobic amino acid in the protein essentially paves way for understanding its stability. To the best of our knowledge, Protein Stability is a first program of its kind, developed to explore the energy requirement of each amino acid in the protein sequence derived from various applied kinetic and thermodynamic quantities. The algorithm is strongly dependent both on kinetic quantities such as atomic solvation energies and solvent accessible surface area and thermodynamic quantities viz. enthalpy, entropy, heat capacity, etc. The hydrophobicity pattern of protein was considered as the important component of protein stabilization.
In Vivo Study of Nutritive Value of Oil Seeds from New Varieties of Sunflower, Safflower and Groundnut
Authors: Ingale Satish , Shrivastava S. K.
Published: August 2011

The nutritive value of new varieties of oil seeds has been assessed in a series of feeding trial with 34 days old 18 white rats supported moderate rat growth (male albino). The nutritive values of five new varieties of oil seeds, viz sunflower ( Helianths annuus L.) variety LSF -11 and LSF-8 , safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) variety PBNS-12 and PBNS-40, and  groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.)  variety JL-24 were determined and compared in terms of the total feed intake, faeces voided, feed utilization, percent of feed utilization, nitrogen intake, nitrogen voided, nitrogen utilization, percent of nitrogen utilization, protein efficiency ratio and feed efficiency ratio per rat per day were reported in ranged between 6.56 to 8.03, 1.20 to 1.48, 5.26 to 6.55, 80.15 to 82.70, 0.25 to 0.32, 0.02 to 0.028, 0.23 to 0.30, 90.75 to 92.89, (+)1.37 to  (+)1.51 and (+)0.35 to (+)0.37  percent respectively. These new varieties of oil seeds were found non-toxic for rats and supported moderate rat growth.
Cancers of the Appendix: Review of the Literatures
Authors: Ruoff Carl , Hanna Louay , Zhi Wanqing , Shahzad Ghulamullah , Gotlieb Vladimir , Saif Muhammad Wasif
Published: August 2011

Cancers of the appendix are rare. Most of them are found accidentally on appendectomies performed for appendicitis. When reviewed, majority of the tumors were carcinoid, adenoma, and lymphoma. Adenocarcinomas of appendix are only 0.08% of all cancers and the treatment remains controversial. Here we are reporting a 46-year-old male presented with symptoms of appendicitis, diagnosed with adenocarcinoma of the appendix. The patient was treated with appendectomy and refused further surgical intervention to complete hemicolectomy. Up to date, he remains asymptomatic. We performed literature review of the tumors of the appendix. Most of the benign conditions are treated with surgery alone. Lymphomas require CHOP-like chemotherapy and carcinoid syndrome treatment with somatostatin analogues. It is generally recommended that right hemicolectomy is the preferred treatment for adenocarcinoma of appendix. The role of chemotherapy is unclear due to lacking randomized trials but seems to be accepted if there is lymph node involvement or peritoneal seeding.
Multimodal Behavior Program for ADHD Incorporating Yoga and Implemented by High School Volunteers: A Pilot Study
Authors: Mehta Sanjiv , Mehta Vijay , Mehta Sagar , Shah Devesh , Motiwala Ashok , Vardhan Jay , Mehta Naina , Mehta Devendra
Published: August 2011

A low-cost resource approach to ADHD therapy would be a practical approach to treating children in developing countries. Research has shown that ADHD is prevalent in all areas of the world, and yet treatment for children in more impoverished countries is still lacking. The approach taken was to combine yoga and meditation combined with multimodal behavioral therapy program for children ageing 6 to 11. The program was kept low cost by using trained high school volunteers and integrating the program within the public school. After 6 weeks of the program, 90.5% of children showed improvement as measured by their performance impairment score, a measurement of academic performance. Parent and Teacher evaluations of behavior also found improvement as 25 of the 64 children (39.1%) improved into the normal range as measured by the Vanderbilt questionnaire. Moreover, children could successfully learn both yoga and meditation from high school students irrespective of their age, ADHD type, or initial performance impairment. The results demonstrate efficacy of a multimodal behavioral program incorporating yoga and meditation. The use of high school volunteers from schools in the area demonstrates an effective low-cost and universally applicable approach.
The Cost Structure of Regional Transmission Organizations
Authors: Greenfield Daniel , Kwoka John
Published: August 2011

RTOs now cover well over one-half of customers and sales of electricity in the U.S. As they have expanded in geographic coverage and functional scope, controversies have arisen about their rapidly growing costs and overall effectiveness. We model their costs, exploiting the fact that the seven existing RTOs initiated their various functions at different points in time over their roughly ten-year history. Specifically, we investigate the costs of each of the market functions administered by RTOs, the relative costliness of different RTOs in performing the same functions, the possibility of learning economies from either their individual or industry-wide experience, and economies of scale over the sampled range of RTO “output.” Our results confirm the importance of some of these factors but raise doubts about others, in all cases based on systematic modeling and data analysis. doi: 10.5547/ISSN0195-6574-EJ-Vol32-No4-7
Relation of intimate partner violence to salivary cortisol among couples expecting a first child
Authors: Feinberg Mark E. , Jones Damon E. , Granger Douglas A. , Bontempo Daniel
Published: August 2011

Despite advances in understanding the role that several physiological systems play in the occurrence of general violence, little progress has been made toward understanding biological correlates of intimate partner violence (IPV). We explored involvement of one physiological system, the hypothalamic‐pituitary‐adrenal (HPA) axis. Among 137 heterosexual couples expecting a first child, baseline level of HPA activity—assessed via salivary cortisol collected before a couple conflict discussion—was linked to both men's and women's violence perpetration. HPA reactivity to the conflict bout did not show an independent association with IPV. However, persisting elevation in men's, and down‐regulation in women's, HPA activity during a further recovery period was linked to men's violence perpetration. Aggr. Behav. 37:492–502, 2011. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Progress in Bionanocomposite and Bioinspired Foams
Authors: Darder Margarita , Aranda Pilar , Ferrer M. Luisa , Gutiérrez María C. , del Monte Francisco , Ruiz‐Hitzky Eduardo
Published: August 2011

Significant progress is described in the development of cellular solids, specifically functional and multifunctional foams, prepared by bioinspired approaches and consisting of green components. This article covers recent examples mainly developed at the Materials Science Institute of Madrid, ICMM‐CSIC, on bionanocomposites and bioinspired materials conformed as foams. These novel hierarchical porous systems bring out a broad range of advanced applications from biomedical purposes to energy generation and storage.
Identification of genomic aberrations associated with disease transformation by means of high‐resolution SNP array analysis in patients with myeloproliferative neoplasm
Authors: Rumi Elisa , Harutyunyan Ashot , Elena Chiara , Pietra Daniela , Klampfl Thorsten , Bagienski Klaudia , Berg Tiina , Casetti Ilaria , Pascutto Cristiana , Passamonti Francesco , Kralovics Robert , Cazzola Mario
Published: August 2011

Myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN) include polycythemia vera (PV), essential thrombocythemia (ET), and primary myelofibrosis (PMF). These disorders may undergo phenotypic shifts, and may specifically evolve into secondary myelofibrosis (MF) or acute myeloid leukemia (AML). We studied genomic changes associated with these transformations in 29 patients who had serial samples collected in different phases of disease. Genomic DNA from granulocytes, i.e., the myeloproliferative genome, was processed and hybridized to genome‐wide human SNP 6.0 arrays. Most patients in chronic phase had chromosomal regions with uniparental disomy (UPD) and/or copy number changes. Disease progression to secondary MF or AML was associated with the acquisition of additional chromosomal aberrations in granulocytes (P = 0.002). A close relationship was observed between aberrations of chromosome 9p (UPD and/or gain) and progression from PV to post‐PV MF (P = 0.002). The acquisition of one or more aberrations involving chromosome 5, 7, or 17p was specifically associated with progression to AML (OR 5.9, 95% CI 1.2–27.7, P = 0.006), and significantly affected overall survival (HR 18, 95% CI 1.9–164, P = 0.01). These observations indicate that disease progression from chronic‐phase MPN to secondary MF or AML is associated with specific chromosomal aberrations that can be detected by means of high‐resolution SNP array analysis of granulocyte DNA. Am. J. Hematol. 2011. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.