Regional Approach to Landslide Interpretation and Repair, TR-430, 2001

The objective of this report is to provide Iowa county engineers and highway maintenance personnel with procedures that will allow them to efficiently and effectively interpret and repair or avoid landslides. The research provides an overview of basic slope stability analyses that can be used to diagnose the cause and effect associated with a slope failure. Field evidence for identifying active or potential slope stability problems is outlined. A survey of county engineers provided data for presenting a slope stability risk map for the state of Iowa. Areas of high risk are along the western border and southeastern portion of the state. These regions contain deep to moderately deep loess. The central portion of the state is a low risk area where the surficial soils are glacial till or thin loess over till. In this region, the landslides appear to occur predominately in backslopes along deeply incised major rivers, such as the Des Moines River, or in foreslopes. The south-central portion of the state is an area of medium risk where failures are associated with steep backslopes and improperly compacted foreslopes. Soil shear strength data compiled from the Iowa DOT and consulting engineers files are correlated with geologic parent materials and mean values of shear strength parameters and unit weights were computed for glacial till, friable loess, plastic loess and local alluvium. Statistical tests demonstrate that friction angles and unit weights differ significantly but in some cases effective stress cohesion intercept and undrained shear strength data do not. Moreover, effective stress cohesion intercept and undrained shear strength data show a high degree of variability. The shear strength and unit weight data are used in slope stability analyses for both drained and undrained conditions to generate curves that can be used for a preliminary evaluation of the relative stability of slopes within the four materials. Reconnaissance trips to over fifty active and repaired landslides in Iowa suggest that, in general, landslides in Iowa are relatively shallow [i.e., failure surfaces less than 6 ft (2 m) deep] and are either translational or shallow rational. Two foreslope and two backslope failure case histories provide additional insights into slope stability problems and repair in Iowa. These include the observation that embankment soils compacted to less than 95% relative density show a marked strength decrease from soils at or above that density. Foreslopes constructed of soils derived from shale exhibit loss of strength as a result of weathering. In some situations, multiple causes of instability can be discerned from back analyses with the slope stability program XSTABL. In areas where the stratigraphy consists of loess over till or till over bedrock, the geologic contracts act as surfaces of groundwater accumulation that contribute to slope instability.

Spatial pattern and process at the plant neighbourhood scale: insights from communities dominated by the clonal grass Elymus repens (L.) Gould.

Question: How do clonal traits of a locally dominant grass (Elymus repens (L.) Gould.) respond to soil heterogeneity and shape spatial patterns of its tillers? How do tiller spatial patterns constrain seedling recruitment within the community?Locations: Artificial banks of the River Rhone, France.Material and Methods: We examined 45 vegetation patches dominated by Elymus repens. During a first phase we tested relationships between soil variables and three clonal traits (spacer length, number of clumping tillers and branching rate), and between the same clonal traits and spatial patterns (i.e. density and degree of spatial aggregation) of tillers at a very fine scale. During a second phase, we performed a sowing experiment to investigate effects of density and spatial patterns of E. repens on recruitment of eight species selected from the regional species pool.Results: Clonal traits had clear effects - especially spacer length - on densification and aggregation of E. repens tillers and, at the same time, a clear response of these same clonal traits as soil granulometry changed. The density and degree of aggregation of E. repens tillers was positively correlated to total seedling cover and diversity at the finest spatial scales.Conclusions: Spatial patterning of a dominant perennial grass responds to soil heterogeneity through modifications of its clonal morphology as a trade-off between phalanx and guerrilla forms. In turn, spatial patterns have strong effects on abundance and diversity of seedlings. Spatial patterns of tillers most probably led to formation of endogenous gaps in which the recruitment of new plant individuals was enhanced. Interestingly, we also observed more idiosyncratic effects of tiller spatial patterns on seedling cover and diversity when focusing on different growth forms of the sown species.

Impaired metabolic reactivity to oxidative stress in early psychosis patients.

Because increasing evidence point to the convergence of environmental and genetic risk factors to drive redox dysregulation in schizophrenia, we aim to clarify whether the metabolic anomalies associated with early psychosis reflect an adaptation to oxidative stress. Metabolomic profiling was performed to characterize the response to oxidative stress in fibroblasts from control individuals (n = 20) and early psychosis patients (n = 30), and in all, 282 metabolites were identified. In addition to the expected redox/antioxidant response, oxidative stress induced a decrease of lysolipid levels in fibroblasts from healthy controls that were largely muted in fibroblasts from patients. Most notably, fibroblasts from patients showed disrupted extracellular matrix- and arginine-related metabolism after oxidative stress, indicating impairments beyond the redox system. Plasma membrane and extracellular matrix, 2 regulators of neuronal activity and plasticity, appeared as particularly susceptible to oxidative stress and thus provide novel mechanistic insights for pathophysiological understanding of early stages of psychosis. Statistically, antipsychotic medication at the time of biopsy was not accounting for these anomalies in the metabolism of patients' fibroblasts, indicating that they might be intrinsic to the disease. Although these results are preliminary and should be confirmed in a larger group of patients, they nevertheless indicate that the metabolic signature of reactivity to oxidative stress may provide reliable early markers of psychosis. Developing protective measures aimed at normalizing the disrupted pathways should prevent the pathological consequences of environmental stressors.

Two Cases of Interferon-Alpha-Induced Sarcoidosis Koebnerized along Venous Drainage Lines: New Pathogenic Insights and Review of the Literature of Interferon-Induced Sarcoidosis.

Sarcoidosis is a systemic granulomatous disorder of unknown origin commonly affecting the lung, the lymphoid system and the skin. We report here two cases of cutaneous sarcoidosis in two former intravenous drug users following interferon (IFN)-α and ribavirin therapy for chronic hepatitis C. Both patients developed skin sarcoidosis along venous drainage lines of both forearms, coinciding with the areas of prior drug injections. The unique distribution of the skin lesions suggests that tissue damage induced by repeated percutaneous drug injections represents a trigger for the local skin manifestation of sarcoidosis. Interestingly, skin damage was recently found to induce the local expression IFN-α, a well-known trigger of sarcoidosis in predisposed individuals. Here we review the literature on sarcoidosis elicited in the context of IFN-α therapy and propose a new link between the endogenous expression of IFN-α and the induction of disease manifestations in injured skin. © 2013 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Critical Mobilities

The field of mobility studies examines social phenomena through the lens of movement. In this perspective, societies are regarded as being constantly reconfigured as they are shaped by a series of mobile entities (capital, people, information). This book engages critically with many of the claims and challenges of mobility studies by providing empirically rich reports of mobilities and their limitations. Instead of assuming a seamless world of flows, the volume foregrounds questions of power, inequality, and moorings as integral to the movement of capital, goods, images, practices, or people. It brings together the work of several internationally renowned scholars, who engage with these movements at critical sites. This is the first book to provide a critical and interdisciplinary view of mobilities covering a broad range of issues rather than a single domain. The chapters deal with current and important issues, such as organ transplants, illegal migrations, urban globalization, international policies of higher education institutions, and scientific diasporas. As a whole, the book provides new insights into how power relations shape mobilities and societies.

Identification of a pheromone regulating caste differentiation in termites.

The hallmark of social insects is their caste system: reproduction is primarily monopolized by queens, whereas workers specialize in the other tasks required for colony growth and survival. Pheromones produced by reining queens have long been believed to be the prime factor inhibiting the differentiation of new reproductive individuals. However, there has been very little progress in the chemical identification of such inhibitory pheromones. Here we report the identification of a volatile inhibitory pheromone produced by female neotenics (secondary queens) that acts directly on target individuals to suppress the differentiation of new female neotenics and identify n-butyl-n-butyrate and 2-methyl-1-butanol as the active components of the inhibitory pheromone. An artificial pheromone blend consisting of these two compounds had a strong inhibitory effect similar to live neotenics. Surprisingly, the same two volatiles are also emitted by eggs, playing a role both as an attractant to workers and an inhibitor of reproductive differentiation. This dual production of an inhibitory pheromone by female reproductives and eggs probably reflects the recruitment of an attractant pheromone as an inhibitory pheromone and may provide a mechanism ensuring honest signaling of reproductive status with a tight coupling between fertility and inhibitory power. Identification of a volatile pheromone regulating caste differentiation in a termite provides insights into the functioning of social insect colonies and opens important avenues for elucidating the developmental pathways leading to reproductive and nonreproductive castes.

Comparative assessement of intimal hyperplasia development after 14 days in two different experimental settings : tissue culture versus ex vivo continuous perfusion of human saphenous vein

Résumé de l'article : L'hyperplasie intimale est un processus de remodelage vasculaire ubiquitaire après une lésion, pouvant menacer la perméabilité de tout type de reconstruction vasculaire. Les mécanismes physiopathologiques impliqués dans le développement de l'hyperplasie intimale ne sont que partiellement élucidés. Il est par conséquent nécessaire d'effectuer des recherches complémentaires afin d'en améliorer la compréhension et ainsi permettre l'élaboration de nouvelles stratégies thérapeutiques médicamenteuses. La culture de veines en milieu statique permet le développement de l'hyperplasie intimale. Ce modèle maintient la viabilité tissulaire, comme décrit précédemment dans d'autres études, mais empêche l'analyse des paramètres hémodynamiques. La mise au point d'un modèle de perfusion in vitro permettant la perfusion de segments vasculaires représente une approche expérimentale intégrant les différents facteurs hémodynamiques. Le système de perfusion (Ex Vivo Vein Support System) que nous avons élaboré conserve l'intégrité pariétale ainsi que les propriétés vasomotrices des veines pour une durée de 14 jours. Cette étude démontre que les deux modèles permettent le développement de l'hyperplasie intimale. Toutefois, les propriétés vasomotrices ainsi que l'influence des paramètres hémodynamiques ne peuvent être analysées que par l'utilisation du système de perfusion. Ce dernier a permis de perfuser des vaisseaux humains sans contamination bactérienne tout en maintenant l'intégrité cellulaire. Ce modèle de perfusion se rapproche plus des conditions hémodynamiques rencontrées in vivo que le modèle statique. Abstract : Background. Intimal hyperplasia (IH) is a vascular remodeling process which often leads to failure of arterial bypass or hemodialysis access. Experimental and clinical work have provided insight in IH development; however, further studies under precise con-trolled conditions are required to improve therapeutic strategies to inhibit IH development. Ex vivo perfusion of human vessel segments under standardized hemodynamic conditions may provide an adequate experimental approach for this purpose. Therefore, chronically perfused venous segments were studied and compared to traditional static culture procedures with regard to functional and histomorphologic characteristics as well as gene expression. Materials and methods. Static vein culture allowing high tissue viability was performed as previously described. Ex vivo vein support system (EVVSS) was performed using a vein support system consisting of an incubator with a perfusion chamber and a pump. EVVSS allows vessel perfusion under continuous flow while maintaining controlled hemodynamic conditions. Each human saphenous vein was divided in two parts, one cultured in a Pyrex dish and the other part perfused in EVVSS for 14 days. Testing of vasomotion, histomorphometry, expression of CD 31, Factor VIII, MIB 1, α-actin, and PAI-1 were determined before and after 14 days of either experimental conditions. Results, Human venous segments cultured under traditional or perfused conditions exhibited similar IH after 14 days as shown by histomorphometry. Smooth-muscle cell ( SMC) was preserved after chronic perfusion. Although integrity of both endothelial and smooth-muscle cells appears to be maintained in both culture conditions as confirmed by CD31, factor VIII and α-actin expression, a few smooth-muscle cells in the media stained positive for factor VIII. Cell-proliferation marker MIB-1 was also detected in the two settings and PAI-1 mRNA expression and activity increased significantly after 14 days of culture and perfusion. Conclusion. This study demonstrates the feasibility to chronically perfuse human vessels under sterile conditions with preservation of cellular integrity and vascular contractility. To gain insights into the mechanisms leading to IH, it will now be possible to study vascular remodeling not only under static conditions but also in hemodynamic environment mimicking as closely as possible the flow conditions encountered in reconstructive vascular surgery.

Electric dipole polarizability in 208Pb: insights from the droplet model

We study the electric dipole polarizability α D in 208 Pb based on the predictions of a large and representative set of relativistic and nonrelativistic nuclear mean-field models. We adopt the droplet model as a guide to better understand the correlations between α D and other isovector observables. Insights from the droplet model suggest that the product of α D and the nuclear symmetry energy at saturation density J is much better correlated with the neutron skin thickness r np of 208 Pb than the polarizability alone. Correlations of α D J with r np and with the symmetry energy slope parameter L suggest that α D J is a strong isovector indicator. Hence, we explore the possibility of constraining the isovector sector of the nuclear energy density functional by comparing our theoretical predictions against measurements of both α D and the parity-violating asymmetry in 208 Pb. We find that the recent experimental determination of α D in 208 Pb in combination with the range for the symmetry energy at saturation density J = [31 ± (2) est] MeV suggests r np (208 Pb) = 0 . 165 ± (0 . 009) expt ± (0 . 013) theor ± (0.021) est fm and L = 43 ± (6) expt ± (8) theor ± (12) est MeV

Migration Determinants at a Local Level

This paper is about determinants of migration at a local level. We use data from Catalan municipalities in order to understand what explains migration patterns trying to identify whether they are main explained by amenities or economic characteristics. We distinguish three typologies of migration in terms of distance travelled: short-distance, short-medium-distance and medium-distance and we hypothesize whether migration determinants vary across these groups. Our results show that, effectively, there are some noticeable differences, suggest that spatial issues must be taken into account and provide some insights for future research. Keywords: population dynamics, spatial econometrics. JEL codes: C21, R0, R23

GDP and life expectancy in Italy and Spain over the long-run (1861-2008): insights from a timeseries approach

The article presents and discusses long-run series of per capita GDP and life expectancy for Italy and Spain (1861-2008). After refining the available estimates in order to make them comparable and with the avail of the most up-to-date researches, the main changes in the international economy and in technological and sociobiological regimes are used as analytical frameworks to re-assess the performances of the two countries; then structural breaks are searched for and Granger causality between the two variables is investigated. The long-run convergence notwithstanding, significant cyclical differences between the two countries can be detected: Spain began to modernize later in GDP, with higher volatility in life expectancy until recent decades; by contrast, Italy showed a more stable pattern of life expectancy, following early breaks in per capita GDP, but also a negative GDP break in the last decades. Our series confirm that, whereas at the early stages of development differences in GDP tend to mirror those in life expectancy, this is no longer true at later stages of development, when, if any, there seems to be a negative correlation between GDP and life expectancy: this finding is in line with the thesis of a non-monotonic relation between life expectancy and GDP and is supported by tests of Granger causality.

Financial reforms and capital flows: Insights from general equilibrium

As a result of debt enforcement problems, many high-productivity firms in emergingeconomies are unable to pledge enough future profits to their creditors and this constrains thefinancing they can raise. Many have argued that, by relaxing these credit constraints, reformsthat strengthen enforcement institutions would increase capital flows to emerging economies. Thisargument is based on a partial equilibrium intuition though, which does not take into account theorigin of any additional resources that flow to high-productivity firms after the reforms. We showthat some of these resources do not come from abroad, but instead from domestic low-productivityfirms that are driven out of business as a result of the reforms. Indeed, the resources released bythese low-productivity firms could exceed those absorbed by high-productivity ones so that capitalflows to emerging economies might actually decrease following successful reforms. This resultprovides a new perspective on some recent patterns of capital flows in industrial and emergingeconomies.

Crohn's disease-associated polymorphism within the PTPN2 gene affects muramyl-dipeptide-induced cytokine secretion and autophagy.

BACKGROUND: The single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs2542151 within the gene locus region encoding protein tyrosine phosphatase non-receptor type 2 (PTPN2) has been associated with Crohn's disease (CD), ulcerative colitis (UC), type-I diabetes, and rheumatoid arthritis. We have previously shown that PTPN2 regulates mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling and cytokine secretion in human THP-1 monocytes and intestinal epithelial cells (IEC). Here, we studied whether intronic PTPN2 SNP rs1893217 regulates immune responses to the nucleotide-oligomerization domain 2 (NOD2) ligand, muramyl-dipeptide (MDP). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Genomic DNA samples from 343 CD and 663 non-IBD control patients (male and female) from a combined German, Swiss, and Polish cohort were genotyped for the presence of the PTPN2 SNPs, rs2542151, and rs1893217. PTPN2-variant rs1893217 was introduced into T(84) IEC or THP-1 cells using a lentiviral vector. RESULTS: We identified a novel association between the genetic variant, rs1893217, located in intron 7 of the PTPN2 gene and CD. Human THP-1 monocytes carrying this variant revealed increased MAPK activation as well as elevated mRNA expression of T-bet transcription factor and secretion of interferon-γ in response to the bacterial wall component, MDP. In contrast, secretion of interleukin-8 and tumor necrosis factor were reduced. In both, T(84) IEC and THP-1 monocytes, autophagosome formation was impaired. CONCLUSIONS: We identified a novel CD-associated PTPN2 variant that modulates innate immune responses to bacterial antigens. These findings not only provide key insights into the effects of a functional mutation on a clinically relevant gene, but also reveal how such a mutation could contribute to the onset of disease.

Meta-analysis identifies multiple loci associated with kidney function-related traits in east Asian populations.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD), impairment of kidney function, is a serious public health problem, and the assessment of genetic factors influencing kidney function has substantial clinical relevance. Here, we report a meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies for kidney function-related traits, including 71,149 east Asian individuals from 18 studies in 11 population-, hospital- or family-based cohorts, conducted as part of the Asian Genetic Epidemiology Network (AGEN). Our meta-analysis identified 17 loci newly associated with kidney function-related traits, including the concentrations of blood urea nitrogen, uric acid and serum creatinine and estimated glomerular filtration rate based on serum creatinine levels (eGFRcrea) (P < 5.0 × 10(-8)). We further examined these loci with in silico replication in individuals of European ancestry from the KidneyGen, CKDGen and GUGC consortia, including a combined total of ∼110,347 individuals. We identify pleiotropic associations among these loci with kidney function-related traits and risk of CKD. These findings provide new insights into the genetics of kidney function.

The human T cell response to melanoma antigens.

The cornerstone of the concept of immunosurveillance in cancer should be the experimental demonstration of immune responses able to alter the course of in vivo spontaneous tumor progression. Elegant genetic manipulation of the mouse immune system has proved this tenet. In parallel, progress in understanding human T cell mediated immunity has allowed to document the existence in cancer patients of naturally acquired T cell responses to molecularly defined tumor antigens. Various attributes of cutaneous melanoma tumors, notably their adaptability to in vitro tissue culture conditions, have contributed to convert this tumor in the prototype for studies of human antitumor immune responses. As a consequence, the first human cytolytic T lymphocyte (CTL)-defined tumor antigen and numerous others have been identified using lymphocyte material from patients bearing this tumor, detailed analyses of specific T cell responses have been reported and a relatively large number of clinical trials of vaccination have been performed in the last 15 years. Thus, the "melanoma model" continues to provide valuable insights to guide the development of clinically effective cancer therapies based on the recruitment of the immune system. This chapter reviews recent knowledge on human CD8 and CD4 T cell responses to melanoma antigens.

Coping with continuous human disturbance in the wild: insights from penguin heart rate response to various stressors.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: A central question for ecologists is the extent to which anthropogenic disturbances (e.g. tourism) might impact wildlife and affect the systems under study. From a research perspective, identifying the effects of human disturbance caused by research-related activities is crucial in order to understand and account for potential biases and derive appropriate conclusions from the data. RESULTS: Here, we document a case of biological adjustment to chronic human disturbance in a colonial seabird, the king penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus), breeding on remote and protected islands of the Southern ocean. Using heart rate (HR) as a measure of the stress response, we show that, in a colony with areas exposed to the continuous presence of humans (including scientists) for over 50 years, penguins have adjusted to human disturbance and habituated to certain, but not all, types of stressors. When compared to birds breeding in relatively undisturbed areas, birds in areas of high chronic human disturbance were found to exhibit attenuated HR responses to acute anthropogenic stressors of low-intensity (i.e. sounds or human approaches) to which they had been subjected intensely over the years. However, such attenuation was not apparent for high-intensity stressors (i.e. captures for scientific research) which only a few individuals experience each year. CONCLUSIONS: Habituation to anthropogenic sounds/approaches could be an adaptation to deal with chronic innocuous stressors, and beneficial from a research perspective. Alternately, whether penguins have actually habituated to anthropogenic disturbances over time or whether human presence has driven the directional selection of human-tolerant phenotypes, remains an open question with profound ecological and conservation implications, and emphasizes the need for more knowledge on the effects of human disturbance on long-term studied populations.