Observations and Analysis of Ground Motion and Pore Pressure at the Nees Instrumented Geotechnical Field Sites

The Garner Valley and Wildlife sites are producing a large data set that includes very interesting observations from earthquakes in the magnitude 4 to 7 range, with peak accelerations of ~10%g, at the threshold where nonlinear effects start to become important. In addition, hundreds of smaller earthquakes are recorded each month that provide the control data representing the linear behavior of the site. With the larger motions, we begin to see pore pressure build up on the liquefaction array at both the NEES Garner Valley Array site and at the NEES Wildlife Liquefaction Array site. We present the results of simulated pore pressure generation using the observed ground motions and a nonlinear anelastic hysteretic finite difference model of the soil response. We are able to reproduce this onset of pore pressure generation that occurs under the moderate strain levels associated with these ground motions. Additional work to be completed for this conference includes the development of an empirical model to predict pore pressure generation based on observed ground motions within a saturated soil column using data from the GVDA and WLA field sites. Correlations between pore pressure data and various ground motion parameters derived from accelerometers within the vertical arrays will be shown. Continuing studies on these unique data sets are improving our understanding of the physical process that drives liquefaction

Analysis of Site Effects at the Garner Valley Downhole Array Near the San Jacinto Fault

The Garner Valley downhole array is located in the geologically complicated and seismologically active San Jacinto fault zone. The choice of the site and the potential for a large earthquake there are discussed. The equipment is described in detail. The data recorded through the end of 1 April 1990 are summarized. Two large events at different locations are discussed in some detail and analyzed for amplification of the signal at the surface

A systematic review and meta-synthesis of the impact of low back pain on people's lives

Copyright @ 2014 Froud et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly credited.Background - Low back pain (LBP) is a common and costly problem that many interpret within a biopsychosocial model. There is renewed concern that core-sets of outcome measures do not capture what is important. To inform debate about the coverage of back pain outcome measure core-sets, and to suggest areas worthy of exploration within healthcare consultations, we have synthesised the qualitative literature on the impact of low back pain on people’s lives. Methods - Two reviewers searched CINAHL, Embase, PsycINFO, PEDro, and Medline, identifying qualitative studies of people’s experiences of non-specific LBP. Abstracted data were thematic coded and synthesised using a meta-ethnographic, and a meta-narrative approach. Results - We included 49 papers describing 42 studies. Patients are concerned with engagement in meaningful activities; but they also want to be believed and have their experiences and identity, as someone ‘doing battle’ with pain, validated. Patients seek diagnosis, treatment, and cure, but also reassurance of the absence of pathology. Some struggle to meet social expectations and obligations. When these are achieved, the credibility of their pain/disability claims can be jeopardised. Others withdraw, fearful of disapproval, or unable or unwilling to accommodate social demands. Patients generally seek to regain their pre-pain levels of health, and physical and emotional stability. After time, this can be perceived to become unrealistic and some adjust their expectations accordingly. Conclusions - The social component of the biopsychosocial model is not well represented in current core-sets of outcome measures. Clinicians should appreciate that the broader impact of low back pain includes social factors; this may be crucial to improving patients’ experiences of health care. Researchers should consider social factors to help develop a portfolio of more relevant outcome measures.Arthritis Research U

TRIM32 Regulates Skeletal Muscle Stem Cell Differentiation and Is Necessary for Normal Adult Muscle Regeneration

Limb girdle muscular dystrophy type 2H (LGMD2H) is an inherited autosomal recessive disease of skeletal muscle caused by a mutation in the TRIM32 gene. Currently its pathogenesis is entirely unclear. Typically the regeneration process of adult skeletal muscle during growth or following injury is controlled by a tissue specific stem cell population termed satellite cells. Given that TRIM32 regulates the fate of mammalian neural progenitor cells through controlling their differentiation, we asked whether TRIM32 could also be essential for the regulation of myogenic stem cells. Here we demonstrate for the first time that TRIM32 is expressed in the skeletal muscle stem cell lineage of adult mice, and that in the absence of TRIM32, myogenic differentiation is disrupted. Moreover, we show that the ubiquitin ligase TRIM32 controls this process through the regulation of c-Myc, a similar mechanism to that previously observed in neural progenitors. Importantly we show that loss of TRIM32 function induces a LGMD2H-like phenotype and strongly affects muscle regeneration in vivo. Our studies implicate that the loss of TRIM32 results in dysfunctional muscle stem cells which could contribute to the development of LGMD2H

Impact of neuraminidase inhibitors on influenza A(H1N1)pdm09‐related pneumonia: an individual participant data meta‐analysis

BACKGROUND: The impact of neuraminidase inhibitors (NAIs) on influenza‐related pneumonia (IRP) is not established. Our objective was to investigate the association between NAI treatment and IRP incidence and outcomes in patients hospitalised with A(H1N1)pdm09 virus infection. METHODS: A worldwide meta‐analysis of individual participant data from 20 634 hospitalised patients with laboratory‐confirmed A(H1N1)pdm09 (n = 20 021) or clinically diagnosed (n = 613) ‘pandemic influenza’. The primary outcome was radiologically confirmed IRP. Odds ratios (OR) were estimated using generalised linear mixed modelling, adjusting for NAI treatment propensity, antibiotics and corticosteroids. RESULTS: Of 20 634 included participants, 5978 (29·0%) had IRP; conversely, 3349 (16·2%) had confirmed the absence of radiographic pneumonia (the comparator). Early NAI treatment (within 2 days of symptom onset) versus no NAI was not significantly associated with IRP [adj. OR 0·83 (95% CI 0·64–1·06; P = 0·136)]. Among the 5978 patients with IRP, early NAI treatment versus none did not impact on mortality [adj. OR = 0·72 (0·44–1·17; P = 0·180)] or likelihood of requiring ventilatory support [adj. OR = 1·17 (0·71–1·92; P = 0·537)], but early treatment versus later significantly reduced mortality [adj. OR = 0·70 (0·55–0·88; P = 0·003)] and likelihood of requiring ventilatory support [adj. OR = 0·68 (0·54–0·85; P = 0·001)]. CONCLUSIONS: Early NAI treatment of patients hospitalised with A(H1N1)pdm09 virus infection versus no treatment did not reduce the likelihood of IRP. However, in patients who developed IRP, early NAI treatment versus later reduced the likelihood of mortality and needing ventilatory support

Mucociliary clearance in patients with chronic asthma: Effects of beta(2) agonists

Chronic asthma is characterized by airway inflammation, mucus hypersecretion and impaired mucociliary clearance (MCC). We investigated baseline MCC and the acute effect of terbutaline in chronic asthmatics with sputum production while on long-term treatment with salmeterol in combination with inhaled corticosteroids (ICS). MCC was measured at baseline and in response to 1 mg terbutaline (or placebo) on three visits over 80 min in 16 asthmatics (52 +/- 13 years of age). Subjects who had greater than 10% absolute increase in MCC above baseline and placebo, after terbutaline, were categorized in group A and subjects who had less than 10% in group B. In group A subjects (n = 6), MCC increased from 23.7 +/- 4.0% at baseline to 43.7 +/- 4.9% with terbutaline (P 0.05). Group B subjects withdrew from all beta(2) agonists for a week and MCC was remeasured. After withdrawal, baseline MCC (7.0 +/- 1.8%) was similar to the initial baseline value (P > 0.1) and MCC with terbutaline (15.8 +/- 4.9%) was greater than baseline (P < 0.005) but remained abnormal in most subjects. Baseline percentage predicted FEV1 and FEF25-75% were 77.3 +/- 7.2 and 41.7 +/- 5.6 in group A and 59.9 +/- 8.1 and 29.5 +/- 8.4 in group B subjects, respectively. MCC was impaired in most of these asthmatics with persistent airway obstruction and sputum production, despite regular treatment with ICS and salmeterol. In addition, there was little or no stimulation of MCC acutely after terbutaline in most of these asthmatics