Sudden deaths in adult-worn baby carriers: 19 cases.

PubMed

Bergounioux, J; Madre, C; Crucis-Armengaud, A; Briand-Huchet, E; Michard-Lenoir, A P; Patural, H; Dauger, S; Renolleau, S; Teychéne, A M; Henry, S; Biarent, D; Robin, C; Werner, E; Rambaud, C

2015-12-01

Soft infant carriers such as slings have become extremely popular in the west and are usually considered safe. We report 19 cases of sudden unexpected death in infancy (SUDI) linked to infant carrier. Most patients were healthy full-term babies less than 3 months of age, and suffocation was the most frequent cause of death. Infant carriers represent an underestimated cause of death by suffocation in neonates. • Sudden unexpected deaths in infancy linked to infant carrier have been only sparsely reported. • We report a series of 19 cases strongly suggesting age of less than 3 months as a risk factor and suffocation as the mechanism of death.

Rigour and Rapport: a qualitative study of parents' and professionals' experiences of joint agency infant death investigation.

PubMed

Garstang, Joanna; Griffiths, Frances; Sidebotham, Peter

2017-02-07

In many countries there are now detailed Child Death Review (CDR) processes following unexpected child deaths. CDR can lead to a fuller understanding of the causes for each child's death but this potentially intrusive process may increase the distress of bereaved families. In England, a joint agency approach (JAA) is used where police, healthcare and social services investigate sudden child deaths together and a key part of this is the joint home visit (JHV) where specialist police and paediatricians visit the home with the parents to view the scene of death. This study aimed to learn of bereaved parents' experiences of JAA investigation following Sudden Unexpected Death in Infancy (SUDI). This was a qualitative study of joint agency investigation of SUDI by specialist police, healthcare and social services including case note analysis, parental questionnaires, and in-depth interviews with parents and professionals. Families were recruited at the conclusion of the JAA. Data were analysed using a Framework Approach. 21/113 eligible families and 26 professionals participated giving theoretical saturation of data. There was an inherent conflict for professionals trying to both investigate deaths thoroughly as well as support families. Bereaved parents appreciated the JAA especially for the information it provided about the cause of death but were frustrated with long delays waiting to obtain this. Many parents wanted more emotional support to be routinely provided. Most parents found the JHV helpful but a small minority of mothers found this intensely distressing. In comparison to JHVs, when police visited death scenes without paediatricians, information was missed and parents found these visits more upsetting. There were issues with uniformed non-specialist police traumatising parents by starting criminal investigations and preventing parents from accessing their home or collecting vital possessions. Overall most parents feel supported by professionals during the JAA

Parental understanding and self-blame following sudden infant death: a mixed-methods study of bereaved parents' and professionals' experiences

PubMed Central

Griffiths, Frances; Sidebotham, Peter

2016-01-01

Objectives Improvements in our understanding of the role of modifiable risk factors for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) mean that previous reassurance to parents that these deaths were unpreventable may no longer be appropriate. This study aimed to learn of bereaved parents' and healthcare professionals' experiences of understanding causes of death following detailed sudden unexpected death in infancy (SUDI) investigations. The research questions were: How do bereaved parents understand the cause of death and risk factors identified during detailed investigation following a sudden unexpected infant death? What is the association between bereaved parents' mental health and this understanding? What are healthcare professionals' experiences of sharing such information with families? Design This was a mixed-methods study using a Framework Approach. Setting Specialist paediatric services. Participants Bereaved parents were recruited following detailed multiagency SUDI investigations; 21/113 eligible families and 27 professionals participated giving theoretical saturation of data. Data collection We analysed case records from all agencies, interviewed professionals and invited parents to complete the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and questionnaires or in-depth interviews. Results Nearly all bereaved parents were able to understand the cause of death and several SIDS parents had a good understanding of the relevant modifiable risk factors even when these related directly to their actions. Paediatricians worried that discussing risk factors with parents would result in parental self-blame and some deliberately avoided these discussions. Over half the families did not mention blame or blamed no one. The cause of death of the infants of these families varied. 3/21 mothers expressed overwhelming feelings of self-blame and had clinically significant scores on HADS. Conclusions Bereaved parents want detailed information about their child's death. Our study

Breaking Barriers: A Case Sudy of UNITAF and NGO Cooperation During Operation Restore Hope, 1992-1993

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-04-04

that the United States Military forces must be prepared to effectively respond to humanitarian crises around the world.1 The JP acknowledges that the...international community. This thesis will then explore how NGOs and the military broke through cultural barriers to effectively work together. Finally it...world. In September 1992, Audrey Hepburn traveled to Somalia and returned home to tell of the horrors she witnessed. President George H.W. Bush was

L band InSAR sudy on the Ganos section of the North Anatolian Fault Zone (NAFZ)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Michele, Marcello

2016-04-01

The North Anatolian Fault (NAF), with a total length of about 1500 km, is one of the most active right-lateral strike-slip faults in the world. It defines the tectonic boundary between the Anatolian Plate and the Eurasian Plate in northern Turkey, accommodating ~14-30 mm/yr of relative plate motion between the two plates (fig. 1). The Gazikoy-Saros segment (the Ganos fault, GF) is the onshore segment of the northern strand of the NAF between the Marmara Sea and the Gulf of Saros. It was last ruptured in 1912 with a Ms=7.4 earthquake that broke the entire inland segment of the fault, a length of about 50 km, and produced a right-lateral strike-slip component of at least 3 m. Other large historical earthquakes that have been attributed to the Ganos fault occurred in A.D. 824, 1343, 1509 and 1766 (e. g. Reilinger et al., 2000; Meade et al., 2002; Motagh et al., 2007; Janssen et al., 2009; Megraoui et al., 2012 ; Ersen Aksoy et al., 2010). The GF forms a 45 km long linear fault system and represents the link between the northern strand of the NAFZ in the Sea of Marmara and the North Aegean Trough where slip partitioning results in branching of the fault zone. The present study aims at showing the results retrieved from L band Interferometric Syntethic Aperture Radar (InSAR) measurements for the monitoring of Crustal Deformation in the Anatolian Fault Zone in the frame of the MARMARA SUPERSITE PROJECT "MARSITE" on the Ganos section of the North Anatolian fault zone. We processed SAR data made available through the CAT-1 ESA (European Space Agency) archives, acquired by the L-band radar sensor ALOS PALSAR between 2007 and 2011. The aim of this exercise is to test L-band capabilities to map the spatial and temporal evolution of the present-day crustal deformation phenomena affecting the Ganos section of the NAFZ with high level of spatial details. The goal of this task is to assess whether InSAR L-Band data can be useful to evaluate the long-term behavior of active faults and eventual interactions between geologic structures, complementarily to GPS measurements and other in-situ observations on the study area. Mid-term monitoring (4 - 10 years) of the crustal deformation in the MARsite area is targeted. The ALOS Palsar archive over the Ganos Section of the NAFZ is not extraordinarily rich concerning the number of SAR scenes acquired with the same viewing and polarisation mode, which is a necessity when willing to perform a standard InSAR study. Thus, we decided to improve the number of potential SAR scenes by performing a processing on multiple polarisation data. We combine Fine Beam Mode Single Polarisation (FBS) and Fine Beam Mode Dual Polarisation (FBD) data, with a look angle of about 38.7°. We actually can process both these data together at the price of a decrease in spatial resolution but improving the data temporal sampling and dataset population. We then have 13 Single Look Complex (SLC) L-band data spanning 4 years, from 2007/07/07 to 2011/01/15. Besides, the satellite path orientation with respect to the fault orientation is optimal to obtain a suitable InSAR LOS sensitivity to strike-slip surface movement parallel to the NAFZ at the Ganos section. The shallow creep signal is expected to range from ~0 to 1.5 cm/yr. From the 66 initial differential interferograms, we select a subset of 41 high-signal-coherence interferograms as input for the stacking procedure. Our results suggest that the tectonic signal within the velocity map retrieved from ALOS Palsar InSAR presented in this study is hidden beneath a number of interferometric phase contributions. The phase contributions are mainly due Radio Frequency Interferences (RFI) that are emitted from the ground and affect L-band data. RFI bias the amplitude and phase of the L-band signal resulting in serious co-registration problems and stripes on the interferometric phase. To compensate this bias, we apply RFI filtering during the SAR focusing. Unfortunately, the RFI filter application results in image distortions and difficulties in image co-registration. We could anyway measure a number of across fault 20km-length profiles that reveal a displacement gradient of 0.6 cm/yr. Is this due to tectonic movements ? At the present stage, our conclusion is that L-Band SAR data on the Ganos section of the NAFZ are too few and too affected by RFI to allow a robust seismotectonic interpretation. Longer-term data acquisitions are needed and could be provided by the new generation L-Band sensor Alos-2.

The Neuroimaging Studies in Children with Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt Complications: A 10 Years Descriptive Sudy in Tehran.

PubMed

Shahi, Mohammad Vafaee; Noorbakhsh, Samileh; Zarrabi, Vida; Nourozi, Banafsheh; Tahernia, Leila

2018-01-01

Any mismatch between the production and absorption of CSF results in hydrocephalus. In most cases, the selected choice of treatment is the ventriculoperitoneal shunt insertion. Although, the surgery could have complications such as infection, shunt malfunction, subdural hematoma, seizure and Shunt immigration; so, the early and proper detection of these complications could result in better prognosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the efficacy of CT scan, CSF analysis and X-ray radiography in detection of shunt complications and problems in shunt placement and further follow-up in hospitalized children. The medical records of children in Rasul Akram hospital in Tehran were reviewed retrospectively in the last 10 years, from 2006 to 2016. All data were recorded in the prepared form including the age, sex, shunt complication, CT scan and CSF characteristics. The total number of 95 patients were interfered in this study including 56 males (58.9%) and 39 females (41.1%). The mean age at the onset of complications were 2.8±2.2 years-old. The shunt obstruction (60%) and infection (25.3%) were the most common complications. The CT scan was able to detect 36.5% of shunt complications. The CT scan had the sensitivity and specificity of 50 and 87%, respectively in detection of shunt obstruction. The all cases of brain hematoma and hemorrhage were revealed by CT scan. On the other hand, the CT scan had 20% of sensitivity and 60% of specificity in the detection of shunt infection. The CSF evaluation in shunt infection revealed 92% hypoglycemia, 87.5% pleocytosis, and 62.5% positive CSF culture. CSF had the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of 92, 82, 63 and 97%, respectively. The patient's symptoms and signs were helpful in obtaining higher test accuracy. The CT scan was not a good sensitive and specific study in the detection of shunt obstruction and infection, but it was very accurate in detection of hemorrhage and hematoma. On the other hand, CSF evaluation was a reliable test in shunt infection disclosure.

Causes of death and infant mortality rates among full-term births in the United States between 2010 and 2012: An observational study.

PubMed

Bairoliya, Neha; Fink, Günther

2018-03-01

While the high prevalence of preterm births and its impact on infant mortality in the US have been widely acknowledged, recent data suggest that even full-term births in the US face substantially higher mortality risks compared to European countries with low infant mortality rates. In this paper, we use the most recent birth records in the US to more closely analyze the primary causes underlying mortality rates among full-term births. Linked birth and death records for the period 2010-2012 were used to identify the state- and cause-specific burden of infant mortality among full-term infants (born at 37-42 weeks of gestation). Multivariable logistic models were used to assess the extent to which state-level differences in full-term infant mortality (FTIM) were attributable to observed differences in maternal and birth characteristics. Random effects models were used to assess the relative contribution of state-level variation to FTIM. Hypothetical mortality outcomes were computed under the assumption that all states could achieve the survival rates of the best-performing states. A total of 10,175,481 infants born full-term in the US between January 1, 2010, and December 31, 2012, were analyzed. FTIM rate (FTIMR) was 2.2 per 1,000 live births overall, and ranged between 1.29 (Connecticut, 95% CI 1.08, 1.53) and 3.77 (Mississippi, 95% CI 3.39, 4.19) at the state level. Zero states reached the rates reported in the 6 low-mortality European countries analyzed (FTIMR < 1.25), and 13 states had FTIMR > 2.75. Sudden unexpected death in infancy (SUDI) accounted for 43% of FTIM; congenital malformations and perinatal conditions accounted for 31% and 11.3% of FTIM, respectively. The largest mortality differentials between states with good and states with poor FTIMR were found for SUDI, with particularly large risk differentials for deaths due to sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) (odds ratio [OR] 2.52, 95% CI 1.86, 3.42) and suffocation (OR 4.40, 95% CI 3.71, 5.21). Even

Anti-Helicobacter pylori activities of FEMY-R7 composed of fucoidan and evening primrose extract in mice and humans

PubMed Central

Kim, Tae-Su; Choi, Ehn-Kyoung; Kim, Jihyun; Shin, Kyungha; Lee, Sung-Pyo; Choi, Youngjin; Jeon, Joseph H.

2014-01-01

Helicobacter pylori-eliminating effects of FEMY-R7, composed of fucoidan and evening primrose extract, were investigated in mice and humans. Male C57BL/6 mice were infected with the bacteria by intragastric inoculation (1×109 CFU/mouse) 3 times at 2-day intervals, and simultaneously, orally treated twice a day with 10 or 100 mg/kg FEMY-R7 for 2 weeks. In Campylobcter-like organism-detection test, FEMY-R7 markedly reduced the urease-positive reactivity. In a clinical sudy, human subjects, confirmed to be infected with Helicobacter pylori, were orally administered twice a day with a capsule containing 150 mg FEMY-R7 for 8 weeks. FEMY-R7 significantly decreased both the Delta over baseline-value in urea breath test and the serum pepsinogens I and II levels. The results indicate that FEMY-R7 not only eliminates H. pylori from gastric mucosa of animals and humans, but also improves gastric function. PMID:25324874

Progressive Primary Pulmonary Tuberculosis Presenting as the Sudden Unexpected Death in Infancy: A Case Report

PubMed Central

Dempers, Johan; Sens, Mary Ann; Wadee, Shabbir Ahmed; Kinney, Hannah C.; Odendaal, Hein J.; Wright, Colleen A.

2010-01-01

The classification of an unexpected infant death as the sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) depends upon a complete autopsy and death scene investigation to exclude known causes of death. Here we report the death of a four-month-old infant in a tuberculosis endemic area that presented as a sudden unexpected death in infancy (SUDI) with no apparent explanation based on the death scene characteristics. The autopsy, however, revealed progressive primary pulmonary tuberculosis with intrathoracic adenopathy, compression of the tracheobronchial tree and miliary lesions in the liver. This case underscores the clinical difficulties in the diagnosis of infantile tuberculosis, as well as the possibility of sudden death as part of its protean manifestations. The pathology and clinical progression of tuberculosis in infants differs from older children and adults due to the immature immune response in infants. This case dramatically highlights the need for complete autopsies in all sudden and unexpected infant deaths, as well as the public health issues in a sentinel infant tuberculosis diagnosis. PMID:20705406

Drug Discovery and Development of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: Modern-Integrative Medicinal Approach.

PubMed

Ghosh, Debosree; Parida, Pratap

2016-01-01

Type 2 diabetes is a disorder of ages, which has become deadlier because of life style modification and adaptation in the modern world. Extensive sudy of the pathophysiology of diabetes has opened up various mysteries about the disease and has helped us to know and understand diabetes in a better manner. Presently, we know many minute details about the pathophysiology of diabetes mellitus and are thus well weaponed to fight against it. Treatment regime has been evolving daily. Besides the conventional anti-diabetic drugs, integrated medicinal approach for treating diabetes type 2 with a compact therapeutic approach consisting of various targeted treatments for individual symptoms associated with the disease are being tried currently. Diabetes associated complications like high blood pressure, hyperglycemia, microalbumuria, dyslipidemia, pro -coagulation, etc. are being targeted and dealt with individually in the integrative medicinal approach. The results are promising and thus ignite hope for a better and more successful handling of diabetes and diabetes related pathophysiological complications in near future.

[The problem of molecular-genetic identification of sweat and grease deposits in the human fingerprints].

PubMed

Faleeva, T G; Ivanov, I N; Mishin, E S; Vnukova, N V; Kornienko, I V

2016-01-01

The objective of the present experimental molecular-genetic study of DNA contained in of human fingerprints was to establish the relationship between the reference genetic profiles and the genotypes of the individuals leaving their fingerprints on a smooth metal object. The biological material for the purpose of the investigation was sampled at different time intervals. The were taken using a scotch tape and used to obtain the complete genetic profile immediately after the fingerprints had been left as well as within the next 24 hours and one week. It proved impossible to identify the complete genetic profile one month after the fingerprints had been left. The alleles not typical for reference samples were identified within one week after swabbing the material from the metal surface. The results of the sudy can be explained by the decrease of the concentration of the initial DNA-matrix in the samples due to its degradation in the course of time. It is concluded that the parallel genetic analysis is needed if reliable evidence of identity of the profiles of interest or its absence is to be obtained.

Tissue Doppler imaging for detection of radial and longitudinal myocardial dysfunction in a family of cats affected by dystrophin-deficient hypertrophic muscular dystrophy.

PubMed

Chetboul, Valérie; Blot, Stephane; Sampedrano, Carolina Carlos; Thibaud, Jean-Laurent; Granger, Nicolas; Tissier, Renaud; Bruneval, Patrick; Gaschen, Frederic; Gouni, Vassiliki; Nicolle, Audrey P; Pouchelon, Jean-Louis

2006-01-01

Diagnosis of feline hypertrophic cardiomyopathy currently is based on the presence of myocardial hypertrophy detected using conventional echocardiography. The accuracy of tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) for earlier detection of the disease has never been described. The objective of this sudy was to quantify left ventricular free wall (LVFW) velocities in cats with hypertrophic muscular dystrophy (HFMD) during preclinical cardiomyopathy using TDI. The study animals included 22 healthy controls and 7 cats belonging to a family of cats with HFMD (2 affected adult males, 2 heterozygous adult females, one 2.5-month-old affected male kitten, and 2 phenotypically normal female kittens from the same litter). All cats were examined via conventional echocardiography and 2-dimensional color TDI. No LVFW hypertrophy was detected in the 2 carriers or in the affected kitten when using conventional echocardiography and histologic examination, respectively. The LVFW also was normal for 1 affected male and at the upper limit of normal for the 2nd male. Conversely, LVFW dysfunction was detected in all affected and carrier cats with HFMD when using TDI. TDI consistently detects LVFW dysfunction in cats with HFMD despite the absence of myocardial hypertrophy. Therefore, TDI appears more sensitive than conventional echocardiography in detecting regional myocardial abnormalities.

The recent fall in postperinatal mortality in New Zealand and the Safe Sleep programme.

PubMed

Mitchell, Edwin A; Cowan, Stephanie; Tipene-Leach, David

2016-11-01

Postneonatal mortality rates changed very little from 2000 until recently. There has been a decrease in mortality in New Zealand from 2009 to 2015. This study describes an infant Safe Sleep programme and postulates it is the cause for the recent decrease in deaths. The Safe Sleep programme involved as follows: a focus on preventing accidental suffocation, a 'blitz' approach to SUDI education, the targeted provision of portable infant Safe Sleep devices (ISSD) and the development of Safe Sleep policy across all district health boards (DHBs). Participation in the education 'blitz' by health professionals exceeded one in 23 live births, distribution of Safe Sleep leaflets exceeded two for every live birth, and over 16 500 ISSDs have been distributed to vulnerable infants. Postperinatal mortality fell 29% from 2009 to 2015 (2.8 to 2.0/1000 live births). The fall has been greatest for Māori and in regions with the most intensive programmes. The recent fall in postperinatal mortality has not happened by chance. It is likely that the components of end-stage prevention strategy, a focus on preventing accidental suffocation, the education 'blitz', the targeted supply of ISSDs and strengthened health policy, have all contributed to varying degrees. ©2016 Foundation Acta Paediatrica. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Genes, blame and loss of control: is there a place in criminal law for a 'genetic defense'?

PubMed

Gavaghan, Colin; Bastani, Amir

2014-01-01

In 2002, Caspi and colleagues proposed that a specific gene by environment (GxE) interaction is related to antisocial tendencies. Since then, a substantial body of literature has examined the potential implications of such a correlation for the criminal justice system, and in particular, for the attribution of responsibility and blame that lies at the core of that system. It is probably accurate to say that the majority position among criminal theorists is that evidence of such a nature does not undermine or seriously challenge existing notions of responsibility, and could not constitute a full defense to a criminal charge - although it may have a role to play in sentencing. Less consideration, however, has been given to the role such evidence may play in so-called 'partial defenses' - those like diminished responsibility (DR), which serve not to exculpate the defendant entirely, but rather, to mitigate his responsibility for the criminal act. This paper aims to assess the most important feature of the Caspi Sudy - the low variant gene for the production of Monoamine Oxidase Acid A gene (MAOA-L) - and its possible role in a defense of DR. We argue that, following the approach of common law jurisdictions to analogous situations, there is no principled reason to exclude evidence of MAOA-L as a basis of DR.

Survey of dissolved air flotation system efficiency for reduce of pollution of vegetable oil industry wastewater.

PubMed

Keramati, H; Alidadi, H; Parvaresh, A R; Movahedian, H; Mahvi, A H

2008-10-01

The aim of this research was to sudy the reduction of pollution of vegetable oil manufacturing wastewater with DAF system. At first phase of this examination, the optimum dosage of the coagulants was determined. The coagulants that used in this study were Alum and Ferric Chloride. The second phase was flotation in this series of examinations, oil, COD, total solid, volatile solid, fixed solid and suspended solid measured in raw wastewater and the effluent of the DAF pilot. Optimum value of pH for alum and ferric chloride obtained 7.5 and 5.5, respectively. Optimum dosage for these obtained 30 and 32 mg L(-1) in this research. Mean removal for the parameters ofoil, COD, total solid, volatile solid, fixed solid and suspended solid obtained 75.85, 78.27, 77.32, 82.47, 73.52 and 85.53%, respectively. With pressure rising from 3 to 4 and 5 atm removing rate of COD, total solid, volatile solid, fixed solid parameters reduced, but oil and suspended solid have increase. In addition, following increase of flotation time up to 120 sec all of the measured parameters have increase in removing rate. Optimum A/S for removal of COD, total solid, volatile solid, fixed solid parameters obtained 0.001 and for oil and suspended solid obtained 0.0015.

Toward a standardized investigation protocol in sudden unexpected deaths in infancy in South Africa: a multicenter study of medico-legal investigation procedures and outcomes.

PubMed

du Toit-Prinsloo, Lorraine; Dempers, Johan; Verster, Janette; Hattingh, Christa; Nel, Hestelle; Brandt, V D; Jordaan, Joyce; Saayman, Gert

2013-09-01

South Africa manifests a socio-economic dichotomy that shows features of both a developed and developing country. As a result of this, areas exist where a lack of resources and expertise prevents the implementation of a highly standardized protocol for the investigation of sudden and unexpected deaths in infants (SUDI). Although the medico-legal mortuaries attached to academic centers have the capacity to implement standardized protocols, a previous study conducted at two large medico-legal mortuaries indicated otherwise. This study also revealed that the exact number and incidence of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) cases was unknown. These findings prompted a multicenter study of the medico-legal investigation procedures and outcomes in five academic centers in South Africa. A retrospective case audit was conducted for a 5-year period (2005-2009) at medico-legal laboratories attached to universities in Bloemfontein, Cape Town-Tygerberg, Durban, Johannesburg, and Pretoria. The total case load as well as the total number of infants younger than 1 year of age admitted to these mortuaries was documented. The case files on all infants younger than 1 year of age who were admitted as sudden and unexpected or unexplained deaths were included in the study population. Data collected on the target population included demographic details, the nature and scope of the post-mortem examinations, as well as the final outcome (cause of death). A total case load of 80,399 cases were admitted to the mortuaries over the 5 year period with a total of 3,295 (6.5 %) infants. In the infant group, 591 (0.7 %) died from non-natural causes and 2,704 (3.3 %) cases of sudden, unexpected and/or unexplained deaths in infants were admitted and included in the detailed case analysis study. One hundred and ninety-nine babies were between 0 and 7 days of age and 210 babies between 8 and 30 days. The remaining 2,295 infants were between 1 month and 12 months of age. Death scene investigation was

[The effects of methylmercury on health in children and adults; national and international studies].

PubMed

González-Estecha, Montserrat; Bodas-Pinedo, Andrés; Rubio-Herrera, Miguel Ángel; Martell-Claros, Nieves; Trasobares-Iglesias, Elena M; Ordóñez-Iriarte, José M; Guillén-Pérez, José Jesús; Herráiz-Martínez, Miguel Ángel; García-Donaire, José Antonio; Farré-Rovira, Rosaura; Calvo-Manuel, Elpidio; Martínez-Álvarez, Jesús Román; Llorente-Ballesteros, M Teresa; Sáinz-Martín, María; Martínez-Astorquiza, Txantón; Martínez-García, M José; Bretón Lesmes, Irene; Cuadrado-Cenzual, M Ángeles; Prieto-Menchero, Santiago; Gallardo-Pino, Carmen; Moreno-Rojas, Rafael; Bermejo-Barrera, Pilar; Torres-Moreno, Miriam; Arroyo-Fernández, Manuel; Calle-Pascual, Alfonso

2014-11-01

The benefit of fish consumption in children and adults is well-known. However, it has been pointed out that excessive methylmercury intake due to consumption of contaminated fish leads to neurological toxicity in children, affecting cognitive function, memory, visual-motor function and language. After the intoxications in Minamata and Iraq, wide-ranging epidemiological studies were carried out in New Zealand, the Faroe Islands and the Seychelles and international recommendations were established for fish consumption in pregnant women and small children. In Spain, the Childhood and Environmental project (INMA, its Spanish acronym) has studied the effects of diet and the environment on fetal and childhood development in different geographic areas of Spain. National and international sudies have demonstrated that mercury concentrations are mainly dependent on fish consumption, although there are variations among countries which can be explained not only by the levels of fish consumption, but also by the type or species of fish that is consumed, as well as other factors. Although the best documented adverse effects of methylmercury are the effects on nervous sytem development in fetuses and newborns, an increasing number of studies indicate that cognitive function, reproduction and, especially, cardiovascular risk in the adult population can also be affected. However, more studies are necessary in order to confirm this and establish the existance of a causal relationship. Copyright AULA MEDICA EDICIONES 2014. Published by AULA MEDICA. All rights reserved.

Smoking, drinking, and incident cognitive impairment: a cohort community based study included in the Gospel Oak project

PubMed Central

Cervilla, J; Prince, M.; Mann, A.

2000-01-01

OBJECTIVES—Recent longitudinal studies have reported that smoking increases risk for cognitive impairment and that moderate alcohol intake could be preventive.The association between both cigarette smoking and alcohol drinking and incident cognitive impairment was studied in a representative population.
METHODS—This is a 1 year prospective population based cohort sudy of all residents aged 65 or over in the electoral ward of Gospel Oak in London, UK (n=889). Cognitive impairment was assessed at baseline and 1 year later using the organic brain syndrome (OBS) cognitive impairment scale from the short CARE structured assessment. Subjects who were cognitively impaired at baseline were excluded from this analysis.
RESULTS—The prevalence of OBS cognitive impairment was 10.4% at index assessment and the 1 year cumulative incidence of cognitive impairment was 5.7%. Cognitive impairment was not associated with use of alcohol, although there was a non-significant association in the direction of a protective effect against onset of cognitive impairment for moderate drinkers compared with non-drinkers and heavy drinkers. Current smoking status predicted cognitive impairment (risk ratio (RR) 3.7; (95% confidence interval (95% CI)=1.1-12.3) independently from sex, age, alcohol, occupational class, education, handicap, depression, and baseline cognitive function.
CONCLUSIONS—Smoking seems to be a prospective risk factor for incident cognitive impairment; thus encouragement of older people to stop smoking could be considered as part of a strategy to reduce the incidence of cognitive impairment.

 PMID:10766894

Chemical composition and antibacterial activity of Pinus halepensis Miller growing in West Northern of Algeria

PubMed Central

Fekih, Nadia; Allali, Hocine; Merghache, Salima; Chaïb, Faïza; Merghache, Djamila; El Amine, Mohamed; Djabou, Nassim; Muselli, Alain; Tabti, Boufeldja; Costa, Jean

2014-01-01

Objective To find new bioactive natural products, the chemical composition and to sudy the antibacterial activity of essential oil components extracted from the aerial parts of the Algerian aromatic plant Pinus halepensis Miller (P. halepensis) (needles, twigs and buds). Methods The essential oil used in this study was isolated by hydrodistillation using a Clevenger-type apparatus according to the European Pharmacopoeia. The chemical composition was investigated using GC-retention indices (RI) and GC-MS. Results Forty-nine compounds, representing 97.9% of the total collective oil, were identified. Essential oil was dominated by hydrocarbon compounds (80.6%) especially monoterpenes (65.5%). The major compounds from ten oils stations were: myrcene (15.2%-32.0%), α-pinene (12.2%-24.5%), E-β-caryophyllene (7.0%-17.1%), terpinolene (1.8%-13.3%), 2-phenyl ethyl isovalerate (4.8%-10.9%), terpinene-4-ol (1.0%-8.2 %) and sabinene (1.5%-6.3%). The intra-species variations of the chemical compositions of P. halepensis aerial parts essential oils from ten Algerian sample locations were investigated using statistical analysis. Essential oil samples were clustered in 2 groups by hierarchical cluster analysis, according to their chemical composition. The essential oil revealed an interesting antimicrobial effect against Lysteria monocytogenes, Enterococcus faecalis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumanii, Citrobacter freundii and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Conclusions These results suggest that the essential oil from P. halepensis may be a new potential source as natural antimicrobial applied in pharmaceutical and food industries.

Fructose liquid and solid formulations differently affect gut integrity, microbiota composition and related liver toxicity: a comparative in vivo study.

PubMed

Mastrocola, Raffaella; Ferrocino, Ilario; Liberto, Erica; Chiazza, Fausto; Cento, Alessia Sofia; Collotta, Debora; Querio, Giulia; Nigro, Debora; Bitonto, Valeria; Cutrin, Juan Carlos; Rantsiou, Kalliopi; Durante, Mariaconcetta; Masini, Emanuela; Aragno, Manuela; Cordero, Chiara; Cocolin, Luca; Collino, Massimo

2018-05-01

Despite clinical findings suggesting that the form (liquid versus solid) of the sugars may significantly affect the development of metabolic diseases, no experimental data are available on the impact of their formulations on gut microbiota, integrity and hepatic outcomes. In the present sudy, C57Bl/6j mice were fed a standard diet plus water (SD), a standard diet plus 60% fructose syrup (L-Fr) or a 60% fructose solid diet plus water (S-Fr) for 12 weeks. Gut microbiota was characterized through 16S rRNA phylogenetic profiling and shotgun sequencing of microbial genes in ileum content and related volatilome profiling. Fructose feeding led to alterations of the gut microbiota depending on the fructose formulation, with increased colonization by Clostridium, Oscillospira and Clostridiales phyla in the S-Fr group and Bacteroides, Lactobacillus, Lachnospiraceae and Dorea in the L-Fr. S-Fr evoked the highest accumulation of advanced glycation end products and barrier injury in the ileum intestinal mucosa. These effects were associated to a stronger activation of the lipopolysaccharide-dependent proinflammatory TLR4/NLRP3 inflammasome pathway in the liver of S-Fr mice than of L-Fr mice. In contrast, L-Fr intake induced higher levels of hepatosteatosis and markers of fibrosis than S-Fr. Fructose-induced ex novo lipogenesis with production of SCFA and MCFA was confirmed by metagenomic analysis. These results suggest that consumption of fructose under different forms, liquid or solid, may differently affect gut microbiota, thus leading to impairment in intestinal mucosa integrity and liver homeostasis. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Comparative analysis of anti-Helicobacter pylori activities of FEMY-R7 composed of Laminaria japonica and Oenothera biennis extracts in mice and humans.

PubMed

Kim, Tae-Su; Shin, Kyungha; Jeon, Joseph H; Choi, Ehn-Kyoung; Choi, Youngjin; Lee, Sung-Pyo; Lee, Yoon-Bok; Kim, Yun-Bae

2015-03-01

Helicobacter pylori-eliminating effects of FEMY-R7, composed of Laminaria japonica and Oenothera biennis extracts, were investigated in mice and humans. Male C57BL/6 mice were infected with the bacteria by intragastric inoculation (1×10(9) CFU/mouse) 3 times at 2-day intervals, and simultaneously, orally treated twice a day with total 20, 64 or 200 mg/kg/day FEMY-R7 for 2 weeks. In Campylobcter-like organism (CLO)-detection tests on gastric mucosa and feces, FEMY-R7 reduced the urease-positive reactivity in a dose-dependent manner; i.e., the positivity ratios were decreased to 70, 20, and 10% for gastric mocosa and to 80, 50, and 20% for feces. In a clinical sudy, human subjects, confirmed to be infected with Helicobacter pylori, were orally administered twice a day with capsules containing total 100, 320 or 1,000 mg/man/day FEMY-R7 (matching doses for 20, 64 or 200 mg/kg/day, respectively, in mice from a body surface area-based dose translation) for 8 weeks. FEMY-R7 decreased the positivity ratios in feces to 70, 40, and 30%, respectively. In bacterial culture, H. pylori was identified from the CLO-positive stools of mice and humans. The bacterial identification ratios exhibited a good correlation between the matching doses in mice and humans. It is suggested that FEMY-R7 could be a promising functional food without tolerance as an adjunct to reduce the dosage of antibiotics for the treatment of recurrent H. pylori infection.

A review on therapeutic drug monitoring of immunosuppressant drugs.

PubMed

Mohammadpour, Niloufar; Elyasi, Sepideh; Vahdati, Naser; Mohammadpour, Amir Hooshang; Shamsara, Jamal

2011-11-01

: Immunosuppressants require therapeutic drug monitoring because of their narrow therapeutic index and significant inter-individual variability in blood concentrations. This variability can be because of factors like drug-nutrient interactions, drug-disease interactions, renal-insufficiency, inflammation and infection, gender, age, polymorphism and liver mass. Drug monitoring is widely practiced especially for cyclosporine, tacrolimus, sirolimus and mycophenolic acid. CYCLOSPORINE: Therapeutic monitoring of immunosuppressive therapy with cyclosporine is a critical requirement because of intra- and inter-patient variability of drug absorption, narrow therapeutic window and drug induced nephrotoxicity. MYCOPHENOLIC ACID MPA: Some reasons for therapeutic drug monitoring of MPA during post-transplant period include: relationship between MPA pharmacokinetic parameters and clinical outcomes, Inter-patient pharmacokinetic variability for MPA despite fixed MMF doses, alternations of MPA pharmacokinetics during the first months after transplantation, drug- drug interaction and influence of kidney function on MPA pharmacokinetic. SIROLIMUS: A recent review of the pharmacokinetics of sirolimus suggested a therapeutic range of 5 to 10 μg l(-1) in whole blood. However, the only consensus guidelines published on the therapeutic monitoring of sirolimus concluded that there was not enough information available about the clinical use of the drug to make recommendations. TACROLIMUS: Sudies have shown, in kidney and liver transplant patients, significant associations of low tacrolimus concentrations with rejection and of high concentrations with nephrotoxicity. Although the feasibility of a limited sampling scheme to predict AUC has been demonstrated, as yet, trough, or pre-dose, whole blood concentration monitoring is still the method of choice.

What Affective Neuroscience Means for Science Of Consciousness

PubMed Central

Almada, Leonardo Ferreira; Pereira, Alfredo; Carrara-Augustenborg, Claudia

2013-01-01

The field of affective neuroscience has emerged from the efforts of Jaak Panksepp in the 1990s and reinforced by the work of, among others, Joseph LeDoux in the 2000s. It is based on the ideas that affective processes are supported by brain structures that appeared earlier in the phylogenetic scale (as the periaqueductal gray area), they run in parallel with cognitive processes, and can influence behaviour independently of cognitive judgements. This kind of approach contrasts with the hegemonic concept of conscious processing in cognitive neurosciences, which is based on the identification of brain circuits responsible for the processing of (cognitive) representations. Within cognitive neurosciences, the frontal lobes are assigned the role of coordinators in maintaining affective states and their emotional expressions under cognitive control. An intermediary view is the Damasio-Bechara Somatic Marker model, which puts cognition under partial somatic-affective control. We present here our efforts to make a synthesis of these views, by proposing the existence of two interacting brain circuits; the first one in charge of cognitive processes and the second mediating feelings about cognitive contents. The coupling of the two circuits promotes an endogenous feedback that supports conscious processes. Within this framework, we present the defence that detailed study of both affective and cognitive processes, their interactions, as well of their respective brain networks, is necessary for a science of consciousness. PMID:23678246

The medico-legal investigation of sudden, unexpected and/or unexplained infant deaths in South Africa: where are we--and where are we going?

PubMed

du Toit-Prinsloo, L; Dempers, J J; Wadee, S A; Saayman, G

2011-03-01

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) has been reported to be the leading cause of death in infants under 1 year of age in many countries. Unfortunately, a paucity of published research data exists in South Africa, with regard to the incidence of and investigation into the circumstances surrounding Sudden Unexplained Deaths in Infants (SUDI) and/or SIDS. Currently, even though most academic centers conform to a protocol consistent with internationally accepted standards, there exists no nationally accepted infant death investigation protocol in South Africa. It is the aim of this study to review the current practice of infant death investigation in two representative but geographically and demographically distinct centers. Retrospective case audit over a five-year period (2000-2004) was conducted at two large medico-legal mortuaries in Pretoria (Gauteng) and Tygerberg (Cape Town). Case files on all infants younger than 1 year of age were reviewed. The outcome measures included number of deaths, demographic details and the nature and final outcome of the post mortem examinations. A total of 512 cases were identified as possible SIDS cases and of these, 171 was classified as SIDS. The study showed marked inter-case and inter-divisional variation in terms of the investigation of infant deaths at the two institutions. It is envisaged that this study will focus attention on the current lack of usable data regarding sudden/unexplained/unexpected infant deaths in South Africa, and aid in the formulation and implementation of a practical (yet internationally accountable) infant death investigation protocol, which could facilitate comparisons with other countries and initiate further structured research in this field.

Critical notes on the neuro-evolutionary archaeology of affective systems.

PubMed

Barratt, Barnaby B

2015-04-01

If progress is to be made in resolving the debate over the relevance of neuroscientific findings to psychoanalysis, a clearer distinction must be established between a narrow definition of psychoanalysis as "praxis" (the science of lived experience and its conflicts or contradictions) and a definition that focuses on metapsychology as objectivistic theory-building. The investigations of Jaak Panksepp on the "neuro-archaeology" of affective systems are reviewed as an example of how findings in neuroscience cannot be legitimately extrapolated to offer conclusions about the domain of lived experience. In this context, Freud's shifting standpoint is reviewed and, following the writings of Jean Laplanche, the significance of Freud's distinction between "drives" or libidinality, as acquired through experience, and "instincts," which are purely biological, is emphasized. It is argued that there is an unavoidable component of myth-making in any consideration of the connection between neural circuitry and the domain of psychic representations. Freud's need for a notion of drive or energy, which is required to understand the findings of free-associative method, is admittedly mythematic, but it implies a major challenge to extant philosophical doctrines of the "mind/body" question (emergentism, double-aspect monism, and neutral monism). Thus, whereas psychoanalysis as praxis is, in Freud's words, "free to follow its own requirements," the claims of metapsychology are not so unrestrained. Further debate is required on the irrelevance of a revised objectivistic theory of the "mental apparatus" to the venture of healing the fracturing of our lived experience.

Associations between dietary factors and markers of NAFLD in a general Dutch adult population.

PubMed

Rietman, A; Sluik, D; Feskens, E J M; Kok, F J; Mensink, M

2018-01-01

The objective of this sudy was to assess the relationship between dietary intake and fatty liver as scored by the validated Fatty Liver Index (FLI) in a large cross-sectional study among a general Dutch adult population. Diet is known to affect liver fat accumulation in humans. 1128 men and women aged 20-70 years were included. Dietary intake was assessed using a validated semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire. FLI was derived from body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, triglycerides and gamma-glutamyltransferase. Associations were adjusted for energy intake, alcohol intake, age, sex, education, smoking and prevalence of hypertension and diabetes. In this population (mean age 53.0±11.4 years; BMI 25.9±4.0 kg/m 2 ; FLI 35.0±27.7), the prevalence of fatty liver as indicated by an FLI>60 was 21.5%. Subjects in the highest FLI category were more likely to be male, older and less physically active. Total protein intake and animal protein intake were positively associated with the highest FLI score versus the lowest (odds ratio (OR) 1.25 per 1 en%, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.15-1.37 and OR 1.27, 95% CI 1.17-1.38, respectively); for vegetable protein, an inverse association was observed (OR 0.81, 95% CI 0.69-0.94). A similar positive association with FLI was observed when carbohydrates and fat were iso-calorically exchanged for total and animal proteins. Subjects in the high FLI group consumed more protein, especially from animal origin, less carbohydrates and less dietary fibre. The presence of fatty liver was associated with a higher intake of animal protein and total fat, soft drinks and snacks.

Functional connectivity in the resting brain as biological correlate of the Affective Neuroscience Personality Scales.

PubMed

Deris, Nadja; Montag, Christian; Reuter, Martin; Weber, Bernd; Markett, Sebastian

2017-02-15

According to Jaak Panksepp's Affective Neuroscience Theory and the derived self-report measure, the Affective Neuroscience Personality Scales (ANPS), differences in the responsiveness of primary emotional systems form the basis of human personality. In order to investigate neuronal correlates of personality, the underlying neuronal circuits of the primary emotional systems were analyzed in the present fMRI-study by associating the ANPS to functional connectivity in the resting brain. N=120 healthy participants were invited for the present study. The results were reinvestigated in an independent, smaller sample of N=52 participants. A seed-based whole brain approach was conducted with seed-regions bilaterally in the basolateral and superficial amygdalae. The selection of seed-regions was based on meta-analytic data on affective processing and the Juelich histological atlas. Multiple regression analyses on the functional connectivity maps revealed associations with the SADNESS-scale in both samples. Functional resting-state connectivity between the left basolateral amygdala and a cluster in the postcentral gyrus, and between the right basolateral amygdala and clusters in the superior parietal lobe and subgyral in the parietal lobe was associated with SADNESS. No other ANPS-scale revealed replicable results. The present findings give first insights into the neuronal basis of the SADNESS-scale of the ANPS and support the idea of underlying neuronal circuits. In combination with previous research on genetic associations of the ANPS functional resting-state connectivity is discussed as a possible endophenotype of personality. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cumulative Effect of Obesogenic Behaviours on Adiposity in Spanish Children and Adolescents

PubMed Central

Schröder, Helmut; Bawaked, Rowaedh Ahmed; Ribas-Barba, Lourdes; Izquierdo-Pulido, Maria; Roman-Viñas, Blanca; Fíto, Montserrat; Serra-Majem, Lluis

2018-01-01

Objective Little is known about the cumulative effect of obesogenic behaviours on childhood obesity risk. We determined the cumulative effect on BMI z-score, waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), overweight and abdominal obesity of four lifestyle behaviours that have been linked to obesity. Methods In this cross-sectional analysis, data were obtained from the EnKid sudy, a representative sample of Spanish youth. The study included 1,614 boys and girls aged 5-18 years. Weight, height and waist circumference were measured. Physical activity (PA), screen time, breakfast consumption and meal frequency were self-reported on structured questionnaires. Obesogenic behaviours were defined as <1 h PA/day, ≥2 h/day screen time, skipping breakfast and <3 meals/day. BMI z-score was computed using age- and sex-specific reference values from the World Health Organization (WHO). Overweight including obesity was defined as a BMI > 1 SD from the mean of the WHO reference population. Abdominal obesity was defined as a WHtR ≥ 0.5. Results High screen time was the most prominent obesogenic behaviour (49.7%), followed by low physical activity (22.4%), low meal frequency (14.4%), and skipping breakfast (12.5%). Although 33% of participants were free of all 4 obesogenic behaviours, 1, 2, and 3 or 4 behaviours were reported by 44.5%, 19.3%, and 5.0%, respectively. BMI z-score and WHtR were positively associated (p < 0.001) with increasing numbers of concurrent obesogenic behaviours. The odds of presenting with obesogenic behaviours were significantly higher in children who were overweight (OR 2.68; 95% CI 1.50; 4.80) or had abdominal obesity (OR 2.12; 95% CI 1.28; 3.52); they reported more than 2 obesogenic behaviours. High maternal and parental education was inversely associated (p = 0.004 and p < 0.001, respectively) with increasing presence of obesogenic behaviours. Surrogate markers of adiposity increased with numbers of concurrent presence of obesogenic behaviours. The opposite was true

The sustainable management of ameliorated peatlands on changed land use conditions; scenarios of constrains and possibilities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shanskiy, , Merrit; Vollmer, Elis; Penu, Priit

2015-04-01

The utilization of organic soils for forestry or agriculture requires the land amelioration that could result on the peat losses from 15 to 20 t ha-1 in a year on following five years. After five years, the peat losses will be 5 - 15 t ha-1 in a year. The agricultural land resource on different types of organic soils (including ameliorated bogs) in Estonia is 360 000 ha that comprises 41% of total agricultural land area. The landscape iself is a valuable resource that considered to be a set of characteristics that satisfy needs of people using the landscape: economical or non-economical value; ecological, social, recreational, aesthetical, educational, scientific or even protective value. More diverse landscapes have higher biodiversity and yield more services to public, they are also seen as more sustainable and resilient to short-term changes. In order to maintain landscape diversity, sustainable maintenance is important. The purpose of current study was to estimate the land use potential on three different ameliorated peat areas and to develop the methodology for the futher sustainable utilization in order to secure the best ecological functioning of soil while taking into account maintaining and increasing landscape value. Therefore, site specific soil sampling (n=77) was carried out on predetermined eight study sites. Soil samples were analyzed for main agrochemical parameters (n=17; pHKCl, P, K, C%, N%, S%, ash, main anions and cations). This enables determing site-specific best suitable crops and land use scenarios. For the land resource description (soils type, topology) the digital soil map (1: 10,000) and field sudy based database were used for describing the model areas. For more specific identification of the field layers the Agricultural Registers and Information Board (ARIB) and databases of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) payments were used for subsidy schemes chekout. Estonian Nature Information System map tool was used to specify the

Direct Drive Hall Thruster System Development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hoskins, W. Andrew; Homiak, Daniel; Cassady, R. Joseph; Kerslake, Tom; Peterson, Todd; Ferguson, Dale; Snyder, Dave; Mikellides, Ioannis; Jongeward, Gary; Schneider, Todd

2003-01-01

The sta:us of development of a Direct Drive Ha!! Thruster System is presented. 13 the first part. a s:udy of the impacts to spacecraft systems and mass benefits of a direct-drive architecture is reviewed. The study initially examines four cases of SPT-100 and BPT-4000 Hall thrusters used for north-south station keeping on an EXPRESS-like geosynchronous spacecraft and for primary propulsion for a Deep Space- 1 based science spacecraft. The study is also extended the impact of direct drive on orbit raising for higher power geosynchronous spacecraft and on other deep space missions as a function of power and delta velocity. The major system considerations for accommodating a direct drive Hall thruster are discussed, including array regulation, system grounding, distribution of power to the spacecraft bus, and interactions between current-voltage characteristics for the arrays and thrusters. The mass benefit analysis shows that, for the initial cases, up to 42 kg of dry mass savings is attributable directly to changes in the propulsion hardware. When projected mass impacts of operating the arrays and the electric power system at 300V are included, up to 63 kg is saved for the four initial cases. Adoption of high voltage lithium ion battery technology is projected to further improve these savings. Orbit raising of higher powered geosynchronous spacecraft, is the mission for which direct drive provides the most benefit, allowing higher efficiency electric orbit raising to be accomplished in a limited period of time, as well as nearly eliminating significant power processing heat rejection mass. The total increase in useful payload to orbit ranges up to 278 kg for a 25 kW spacecraft, launched from an Atlas IIA. For deep space missions, direct drive is found to be most applicable to higher power missions with delta velocities up to several km/s , typical of several Discovery-class missions. In the second part, the status of development of direct drive propulsion power

Late Cenozoic flexural deformation of the middle U.S. Atlantic passive margin

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pazzaglia, Frank J.; Gardner, Thomas, W.

1994-01-01

resulting rom sediment loading are accomodated primately by a convex-up flexural hinge, physiographically represented by the Fall Zone. Our results elucidate an inherent danger in using topography alone to constrain late-stage passive margin deformation mechanisms. Only through careful synthesis of field stratigraphic and geomorphic elements such as fluvial terraces, Coastal Plain deposits, and offshore stratigraphy can age control be extended from the offshore depositional setting to the erosionally dominated continent. This sudy demonstrates that despite a relatively subdued topography, the middle U.S. Atlantic margin experiences progressive flexural isostatic deformation similar to that proposed for high-relief margins characterized by great escarpments. Thus margin topographic diversity remains a function of other factors, such as lithospheric composition and/or structure, supracrustal stratigraphy and structure, degree of drainage integration, drainage divide migration and climate.

Into the subduction plate interface: insights from exhumed terranes (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Agard, P.; Angiboust, S.; Plunder, A.

2013-12-01

In order to place constraints on the still elusive lithological and physical nature of the subduction plate interface, we herein present critical petrological (and modelling) data from intermediate depths along the subduction interface. Their implications, ranging from long-term underplating and exhumation to short-lived seismic events, are confronted with the recent wealth of geophysical/chemical data from the literature. Emphasis is placed on findings from two major localities showing deeply subducted ophiolitic remnants (Zermatt-Saas, Monviso), which crop out in the classic, well-preserved fossil subduction setting of the Western Alps. Both ophiolite remnants in fact represent large, relatively continuous fragments of oceanic lithosphere (i.e., several km-thick tectonic slices across tens of km) exhumed from ~80 km depths and thereby provide important constraints on interplate coupling mechanisms. We show that pervasive hydrothermal processes and seafloor alteration promoting fluid incorporation in both mafic and associated ultramafic rocks was essential, together with the presence of km-thick serpentinite soles, to decrease the density of the tectonic slices and prevent them from an irreversible sinking into the mantle. The Monviso case sudy (particularly the Lago Superiore Unit) provides further insights on both seismicity and fluid flow along the subduction plate interface at ~80 km depths: (1) Eclogite breccias, reported here for the first time, mark the locus of an ancient fault zone associated with intraslab, intermediate-depth earthquakes at ~80 km depth. They correspond to m-sized blocks made of 1-10 cm large fragments of eclogite mylonite later embedded in serpentinite in a ~100m thick eclogite facies shear zone. We suggest that seismic brecciation (possibly at magnitudes Mw ~4) occurred in the middle part of the oceanic crust, accompanied by the input of externally-derived fluids. (2) Prominent fluid-rock interactions, as attested by ubiquitous

Global ocean monitoring for the World Climate Research Programme.

PubMed

Revelle, R; Bretherton, F

1986-07-01

-"Tropical Oceans and Global Atmosphere (TOGA)"-will be undertaken to sudy the sequence of events of air-sea interactions in the tropical oceans and their impact on climatic variations on land-for example, variations in the strength and location of the Indian Ocean monsoon, droughts in low latitudes, and climatic fluctuations in temperate latitudes.Experimental and continuing time series will be taken at fixed locations to obtain a better picture of the magnitude and causes of ocean climate variability. National and multinational systematic repeated measurements along selected ocean transects or in specific ocean areas will be taken to determine oceanic variability and teleconnections between oceanic and atmospheric processes. Examples are the long Japanese section along the meridian of 137° E and the 'Sections' program of the USSR and several other countries in Energy-Active zones.The results from this wide range of observations and experiments will be used to guide and define mathematical models of the ocean circulation and its interactions with the atmosphere.It can be shown that biogeochemical processes in the ocean play an important role in determining the carbon dioxide content of the atmosphere and thus in causing long-term climatic changes. Variations in the biological productivity of sub-surface waters cause variations in the effectveness of the biological pump which carries organic carbon down into deeper waters where it is oxidized. Studies of ice cores from 20 000 to 30 000 yr before the present indicate that atmospheric carbon dioxide varied by a factor of 2 within times of the order of 100 yr, and these variations were accompanied by large excursions in atmospheric temperature. Thus, ocean climatic monitoring must take into account measurements of both biological and physical variations in the ocean.

Petrological insights into intermediate-depths of a subduction plate interface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Angiboust, Samuel; Agard, Philippe

2013-04-01

Understanding processes acting along the subduction interface is crucial to assess lithospheric scale coupling between tectonic plates, exhumation of deep-seated rocks and mechanisms causing intermediate-depth seismicity. Yet, despite a wealth of geophysical studies aimed at better characterizing the subduction interface, we still lack critical petrological data constraining such processes as intermediate-seismicity within oceanic subduction zones. This contribution reviews recent findings from two major localities showing deeply subducted ophiolitic remnants (Zermatt-Saas, Monviso), which crop out in the classic, well-preserved fossil subduction setting of the Western Alps. We herein show that both ophiolite remnants represent large, relatively continuous fragments of oceanic lithosphere (i.e., several km-thick tectonic slices across tens of km) exhumed from ~80 km depths and thereby provide important constraints on interplate coupling mechanisms. In both fragments (but even more so in the Zermatt-Saas one) pervasive hydrothermal processes and seafloor alteration, promoting fluid incorporation in both mafic and associated ultramafic rocks, was essential, together with the presence of km-thick serpentinite soles, to decrease the density of the tectonic slices and prevent them from an irreversible sinking into the mantle. The Monviso case sudy provides further insights into the subduction plate interface at ~80 km depths. The Lago Superiore Unit, in particular, is made of a 50-500 m thick eclogitized mafic crust (associated with minor calcschist lenses) overlying a 100-400 m thick metagabbroic body and a km-thick serpentinite sole, and is cut by two 10 to 100m thick eclogite-facies shear zones, respectively located at the boundary between basalts and gabbros, and between gabbros and serpentinites (the Lower Shear Zone: LSZ). The LSZ gives precious information on both seismicity and fluid flow: (1) Eclogite breccias, reported here for the first time, mark the locus