Site effects of the Roio basin, L’Aquila

During the microzonation studies of the April 6th, 2009 L’Aquila earthquake, we observed local seismic amplifications in the Roio area—a plane separated from L’Aquila city center by mount Luco. Six portable, digital instruments were deployed across the plain from 15 April to mid-May 2009. This array recorded 152 aftershocks. We analyzed the ground motion from these events to determine relative site amplification within the plain and on surrounding ridges. Horizontal over vertical spectral ratio on noise data (HVSRN),aftershock recordings (HVEQ) and standard spectral ratio (SSR) showed amplifications at 1.3 and 4.0Hz on quaternary deposits. Seismic amplifications in the frequency range of 4 and 6Hz were also observed on a carbonate ridge of Colle di Roio, on the northwestern border of the plateau. A small amplification was noticed near the top of mount Luco, another rocky site. Large discrepancies in the amplification levels between methods have been observed for these sites, but the HVSRN, HVEQ and SSR gave similar results at the stations located in the Roio plain. On the rocky sites, the SSR was more reliable than the HVSRN at estimating the transfer function of the site, even if the resonance frequency seemed to be well detected by the latter method.Published809–8234.1. Metodologie sismologiche per l'ingegneria sismicaJCR Journalreserve

Site effect variability of the Roio basin in the near-source area of the L'Aquila mainshock

In the frame of the microzonation studies of the April 6th, 2009 L'Aquila earthquake near-source area, we observed local seismic amplifications in the Roio area, a plain separated from L'Aquila city center by mount Luco. Six portable, digital instruments were deployed across the plain from the 15th of April until mid-May 2009. This array recorded up to 152 aftershocks. We analysed the ground motion from these events to determine relative site amplification within the plain and on the surrounding ridges. Horizontal over Vertical spectral ratio on noise data (HVSRN) and on aftershock recordings (HVEQ)as well as standard spectral ratio (SSR) show amplifications at 1.3 Hz and 4.0 Hz on the quaternary deposits. Seismic amplifications in the frequency range between 4 and 6 Hz were also observed on a carbonate ridge of Colle di Roio located on the northwest border of the plateau. A small amplification has also been noticed close to the top of mount Luco, another rocky site. This paper details the results we have obtained and addresses their interpretation.Submitted4.1. Metodologie sismologiche per l'ingegneria sismicaJCR Journalope

Seismic site response estimation in the near source region of the 2009 L'Aquila, Italy, Earthquake

To better estimate the seismic ground motion during the April 6th, 2009 earthquake in L'Aquila, we deployed temporary arrays in the near-source region. Several arrays have been successively set up in the Aterno valley's epicentral area and have recorded the aftershocks that followed the main shock, between April and September. The data has been processed in order to study the spectral ratios of the horizontal component of ground motion at the soil site and at a reference site, as well as the spectral ratio of the horizontal and the vertical movement at a single recording site. The results obtained confirm the presence of large amplification effects in both L'Aquila's historic centre and in the suburban areas. The resonance frequency has been found to be close to 0.6 Hz in downtown L'Aquila whereas the suburban areas show amplification at frequencies ranging from 2 Hz to 5 Hz.PublishedSkopje, Macedonia4.1. Metodologie sismologiche per l'ingegneria sismicaope

Seismic site response estimation in the near source region of the 2009 L'Aquila, Italy, Earthquake

To better estimate the seismic ground motion during the April 6th, 2009 earthquake in L'Aquila, we deployed temporary arrays in the near-source region. Several arrays have been successively set up in the Aterno valley's epicentral area and have recorded the aftershocks that followed the main shock, between April and September. The data has been processed in order to study the spectral ratios of the horizontal component of ground motion at the soil site and at a reference site, as well as the spectral ratio of the horizontal and the vertical movement at a single recording site. The results obtained confirm the presence of large amplification effects in both L'Aquila's historic centre and in the suburban areas. The resonance frequency has been found to be close to 0.6 Hz in downtown L'Aquila whereas the suburban areas show amplification at frequencies ranging from 2 Hz to 5 Hz

Evaluation of the local site effects in the upper and middle Aterno valley

In the months following the April 6th, 2009, L’Aquila earthquake, several Italian and foreign research institutions installed dozens of seismic stations to monitor more than 100 localities with the aim of studying the local site effects in the epicentral area (upper and middle Aterno valley). The stations (accelerometers and velocimeters) have been deployed inside or very close to the inhabited areas. Among the investigated sites there are Onna, where almost the totality of the buildings collapsed, and the historic centre of L’Aquila, both towns suffering many casualties. The preliminary results for the examined sites show an extreme variability of ground motion and significant amplification for the most damaged localities.In press4.1. Metodologie sismologiche per l'ingegneria sismicaN/A or not JCRope

Serotonin, genetic variability, behaviour, and psychiatric disorders - a review

Brain monoamines, and serotonin in particular, have repeatedly been shown to be linked to different psychiatric conditions such as depression, anxiety, antisocial behaviour, and dependence. Many studies have implicated genetic variability in the genes encoding monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) and the serotonin transporter (5HTT) in modulating susceptibility to these conditions. Paradoxically, the risk variants of these genes have been shown, in vitro, to increase levels of serotonin, although many of the conditions are associated with decreased levels of serotonin. Furthermore, in adult humans, and monkeys with orthologous genetic polymorphisms, there is no observable correlation between these functional genetic variants and the amount or activity of the corresponding proteins in the brain. These seemingly contradictory data might be explained if the association between serotonin and these behavioural and psychiatric conditions were mainly a consequence of events taking place during foetal and neonatal brain development. In this review we explore, based on recent research, the hypothesis that the dual role of serotonin as a neurotransmitter and a neurotrophic factor has a significant impact on behaviour and risk for neuropsychiatric disorders through altered development of limbic neurocircuitry involved in emotional processing, and development of the serotonergic neurons, during early brain development

Epistasis among Presynaptic Serotonergic System Components

Epistatic interactions among regulatory components of the serotonin (5-HT) neurotransmitter system may be an important aspect of 5-HT function. Because 5-HT dysregulation is associated with several common psychiatric disorders, the potential for epistasis among genetic variants in the 5-HT transporter (SERT), 5-HT 1B terminal autoreceptor and the 5-HT 1A somatodendritic autoreceptor should be examined. In this study, output from a dynamic minimal model of 5-HT function was compared to empirical results in the literature. Parameters representing extracellular 5-HT clearance rates (SERT), 5-HT release levels (5-HT 1B ) and inhibitory thresholds (the amount of extracellular 5-HT above which cell firing is inhibited, an indication of 5-HT 1A autoreceptor sensitivity) were varied to simulate genetic deletion (i.e. knockout) of each component singly, and in combination. Simulated knockout effects on extracellular 5-HT level and presynaptic neural firing rates were in the same direction and of similar relative magnitude as studies in the literature. Epistasis among presynaptic components appears to be important in the 5-HT system’s regulation of extracellular 5-HT levels, but not of firing rates.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/44113/1/10519_2004_Article_1019.pd

Validation of Teleseismic Inversion of the 2004 Mw 6.3 Les Saintes, Lesser Antilles, Earthquake by 3D Finite-Difference Forward Modeling

International audienceWe study the 21 November 2004 Mw 6.3 Les Saintes earthquake that occurred south of the island of Guadeloupe at a shallow depth, damaging some buildings on the island. The objective of this work is to assess the potential of a teleseismic source study to reproduce local ground motion. The velocity model of this area is not currently well known, and the near-field seismograms are affected by paths and site effects. We first analyze this earthquake as a point source and then as an extended fault using teleseismic broadband waveform inversion approach from the P and SH waveforms at stations well distributed in azimuth. We obtain two stable and reliable solutions of the spatiotemporal history of the earthquake rupture on each nodal plane. The models show a rupture duration of 6 sec and a maximum slip of about 1 m but have different locations of the main asperity. We then carry out the forward modeling of the seismic wave propagation at the regional scale, coupled with the obtained kinematic source models taking into account the topography, the bathymetry, and the sea layer. We investigate if one of the fault models could produce synthetics that match the local observed ground motions. The simulation results provide a better understanding of the uncertainty of source, path, and site effects even if our knowledge of the underground geological structure is limited to the 1D stratified model. It is inferred that the 1D model does not seem to be appropriate in the northern direction (middle of Guadeloupe Island) due to the unknown basin structure, while it is relatively sufficient in the eastern and the northwestern directions from the source. By careful comparison of the synthetic and observed displacement seismograms in terms of main phase forms and arrival times at low frequency, especially at the closest station GBGA, the fault model with northeast faulting is estimated to be the more relevant to the measured local ground motions

ÉTUDE DE LA SURALIMENTATION FORCÉE : EFFETS SUR LE MÉTABOLISME HÉPATIQUE ET LES FORMES DE TRANSPORT HÉPATIQUES CHEZ LE CANARD

International audienc

Slip history of the 16 October 1999 Mw 7.1 Hector Mine Earthquake (California) from the Inversion of InSAR, GPS, and teleseismic data

Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, v. 94, n. 6, p. 2015-2027, 2004. http://dx.doi.org/10.1785/0120030038International audienc