International Disaster Medical Sciences Fellowship: Model Curriculum and Key Considerations for Establishment of an Innovative International Educational Program

As recent events highlight, a global requirement exists for evidence-based training in the emerging field of Disaster Medicine. The following is an example of an International Disaster Medical Sciences Fellowship created to fill this need. We provide here a program description, including educational goals and objectives and a model core curriculum based on current evidence-based literature. In addition, we describe the administrative process to establish the fellowship. Information about this innovative educational program is valuable to international Disaster Medicine scholars, as well as U.S. institutions seeking to establish formal training in Disaster Medical Sciences

Sources and budgets for CO and O-3 in the northeastern Pacific during the spring of 2001: Results from the PHOBEA-II Experiment

Abstract. Ground and airborne measurements of CO, ozone, and aerosols were obtained in th

Gammaretrovirus-mediated correction of SCID-X1 is associated with skewed vector integration site distribution in vivo

We treated 10 children with X-linked SCID (SCID-X1) using gammaretrovirus-mediated gene transfer. Those with sufficient follow-up were found to have recovered substantial immunity in the absence of any serious adverse events up to 5 years after treatment. To determine the influence of vector integration on lymphoid reconstitution, we compared retroviral integration sites (RISs) from peripheral blood CD3(+) T lymphocytes of 5 patients taken between 9 and 30 months after transplantation with transduced CD34(+) progenitor cells derived from 1 further patient and I healthy donor. Integration occurred preferentially in gene regions on either side of transcription start sites, was clustered, and correlated with the expression level in CD34(+) progenitors during transduction. In contrast to those in CD34(+) cells, RISs recovered from engrafted CD3(+)T cells were significantly overrepresented within or near genes encoding proteins with kinase or transferase activity or involved in phosphorus metabolism. Although gross patterns of gene expression were unchanged in transduced cells, the divergence of RIS target frequency between transduced progenitor cells and post-thymic T lymphocytes indicates that vector integration influences cell survival, engraftment, or proliferation

The current state of hospital-based emergency medicine in Germany

Germany has a long tradition of having physicians, often anesthesiologists with additional training in emergency medicine, deliver prehospital emergency care. Hospital-based emergency medicine in Germany also differs significantly from the Anglo-American model, and until recently having separate emergency rooms for different departments was the norm. In the past decade, many hospitals have created “centralized emergency departments” [Zentrale Notaufnahme (ZNAs)]. There is ongoing debate about the training and certification of physicians working in the ZNAs and whether Germany will adopt a specialty board certification for emergency medicine

Seasonal variation of carbon monoxide in northern Japan: Fourier transform IR measurements and source-labeled model calculations

Tropospheric carbon monoxide (CO) was measured throughout 2001 using groundbased Fourier transform IR (FTIR) spectrometers at Moshiri 44.4N and Rikubetsu 43.5N) observatories in northern Japan, which are separated by 150 km. Seasonal and day-to-day variations of CO are studied using these data, and contributions from various CO sources are evaluated using three-dimensional global chemistry transport model (GEOS-CHEM) calculations. Seasonal maximum and minimum FTIR-derived tropospheric CO amounts occurred in April and September, respectively. The ratio of partial column amounts between the 0–4 and 0–12 km altitude ranges is found to be slightly greater in early spring. The GEOS-CHEM model calculations generally reproduce these observed features. Source-labeled CO model calculations suggest that the observed seasonal variation is caused by seasonal contributions from various sources, in addition to a seasonal change in chemical CO loss by OH. Changes in meteorological fields largely control the relative importance of various source contributions. The contributions from fossil fuel (FF) combustion in Asia and photochemical CO production have the greatest yearly averaged contribution at 1 km among the CO sources (31% each). The Asian FF contribution increases from winter to summer, because weak southwesterly wind in summer brings more Asian pollutants to the observation sites. The seasonal variation from photochemical CO production is small (±17% at 1 km), likely because of concurrent increases (decreases) of photochemical production and loss rates in summer (winter), with the largest contribution between August and December. The contribution from intercontinental transport of European FF combustion CO is found to be comparable to that of Asian FF sources in winter. Northwesterly wind around the Siberian high in this season brings pollutants from Europe directly to Japan, in addition to southward transport of accumulated pollution from higher latitudes. The influences are generally greater at lower altitudes, resulting in a vertical gradient in the CO profile during winter. The model underestimates total CO by 12–14% between March and June. Satellite-derived fire-count data and the relationship between FTIR-derived HCN and CO amounts are generally consistent with biomass burning influences, which could have been underestimated by the model calculations

Severe hereditary spherocytosis and distal renal tubular acidosis associated with the total absence of band 3

Absence of band 3, associated with the mutation Coimbra (V488M) in the homozygous state, caused severe hereditary spherocytosis in a young child. Although prenatal testing was made available to the parents, it was declined. Because the fetus stopped moving near term, an emergency cesarean section was performed and a severely anemic, hydropic female baby was delivered. She was resuscitated and initially kept alive with respiratory assistance and hypertransfusion therapy. Cord blood smears revealed erythroblastosis, poikilocytosis, and red cells with stalk-like elongations. Band 3 and protein 4.2 were absent; spectrin, ankyrin, and glycophorin A were significantly reduced. Renal tubular acidosis was detected by the age of 3 months. Nephrocalcinosis appeared soon thereafter. After 3 years of follow-up the child is doing reasonably well on a regimen that includes regular blood transfusions and daily bicarbonate supplements. The long-term prognosis remains uncertain given the potential for hematologic and renal complications

Beta-decay branching ratios of 62Ga

Beta-decay branching ratios of 62Ga have been measured at the IGISOL facility of the Accelerator Laboratory of the University of Jyvaskyla. 62Ga is one of the heavier Tz = 0, 0+ -> 0+ beta-emitting nuclides used to determine the vector coupling constant of the weak interaction and the Vud quark-mixing matrix element. For part of the experimental studies presented here, the JYFLTRAP facility has been employed to prepare isotopically pure beams of 62Ga. The branching ratio obtained, BR= 99.893(24)%, for the super-allowed branch is in agreement with previous measurements and allows to determine the ft value and the universal Ft value for the super-allowed beta decay of 62Ga

Q-value of the superallowed beta decay of Ga-62

Masses of the radioactive isotopes 62Ga, 62Zn and 62Cu have been measured at the JYFLTRAP facility with a relative precision of better than 18 ppb. A Q_EC value of (9181.07 +- 0.54) keV for the superallowed decay of 62Ga is obtained from the measured cyclotron frequency ratios of 62Ga-62Zn, 62Ga-62Ni and 62Zn-62Ni ions. The resulting Ft-value supports the validity of the conserved vector current hypothesis (CVC). The mass excess values measured were (-51986.5 +-1.0) keV for 62Ga, (-61167.9 +- 0.9) keV for 62Zn and (-62787.2 +- 0.9) keV for 62Cu.Comment: 12 pages, 3 figures, 2 tables, submitted to Phys. Lett. B. v2: added acknowledgement

Validation of Aura Microwave Limb Sounder O-3 and CO observations in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere

International audienceGlobal satellite observations of ozone and carbon monoxide from the Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) on the EOS Aura spacecraft are discussed with emphasis on those observations in the 215–100 hPa region (the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere). The precision, resolution and accuracy of the data produced by the MLS “version 2.2” processing algorithms are discussed and quantified. O3 accuracy is estimated at ~40 ppbv +5% (~20 ppbv +20% at 215 hPa) while the CO accuracy is estimated at ~30 ppbv +30% for pressures of 147 hPa and less. Comparisons with expectations and other observations show good agreements for the O3 product, generally consistent with the systematic errors quoted above. In the case of CO, a persistent factor of ~2 high bias is seen at 215 hPa. However, the morphology is shown to be realistic, consistent with raw MLS radiance data, and useful for scientific study. The MLS CO data at higher altitudes are shown to be consistent with other observations