bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Value of Diagnostic and Therapeutic Laparoscopy for Abdominal Stab Wounds
Authors: Lin Heng‐Fu , Wu Jiann‐Ming , Tu Chao‐Chiang , Chen Hsin‐An , Shih Hsin‐Chin
Published: February 2010

Background

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the use of laparoscopy for the diagnosis and treatment for hemodynamically stable patients with abdominal stab wounds.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective cohort study to compare the outcomes of 86 hemodynamically stable patients with suspected intra‐abdominal injuries from abdominal stab wounds who underwent either exploratory laparotomy or diagnostic laparoscopy. Thirty‐eight patients (group A) were treated before the adoption of laparoscopy as a diagnostic and therapeutic tool for abdominal stabbing injuries at our hospital, and 48 patients (group B) were treated after. Demographic information, injury severity, operative findings, rates of nontherapeutic interventions, operation time, length of hospital stay, and morbidity of the two groups were evaluated.

Results

There was no difference in the demographics and injury severity between the two groups. Laparoscopy decreased the nontherapeutic laparotomy rate from 57.9% in group A to 0% in group B (P < 0.001). The accuracy of diagnostic laparoscopy was 100% in group B. Patients in group B had a significantly shorter hospital stay (5.0 days versus 9.9 days; P < 0.001) and shorter operation time (90.7 min vs. 118.7 min; P = 0.019) than group A. For patients in group B with significant intra‐abdominal injuries, therapeutic laparoscopy was successfully performed in 16 of 17 patients (94.1%), treating a total of 22 intra‐abdominal injuries.

Conclusions

Laparoscopy is feasible and safe for the diagnosis and treatment of hemodynamically stable patients with abdominal stab wounds. It can reduce the nontherapeutic laparotomy rate and shorten the length of hospital stay.
Detour behavior changes associated with prenatal morphine exposure in 11‐day‐old chicks
Authors: Sun Huaying , Che Yi , Liu Xiaofen , Ma Yuanye
Published: February 2010

The central nervous system exhibits remarkable plasticity in early life. Prenatal morphine exposure may induce adverse behavioral effects on the neonate and the developing offspring. In the present study, we investigated the effect of prenatal morphine exposure (daily from embryonic days 12–16, 20 mg/kg) on 11‐day‐old chicks using two forms of spatial paradigms: one trial detour behavior task in which animals must bypass an obstacle to reach the desired goal without any training and detour learning task which required several trials of training to reach the detour criterion.

The results showed that, on the condition that chicks could successfully detour in the first trial, morphine exposed chicks exhibited longer detour latency to finish the task, coupled by a preference for turning right versus turning left. In contrast, no significant difference in learning and memory was found in detour learning task between morphine exposed chicks and saline chicks. These findings suggest specific behavioral changes associated with prenatal exposure to opioids during mid to late gestation, also raise attention to the possible health hazard from pregnancy drug use in everyday life.
Effects of repeated minimal electroshock seizures on NGF, BDNF and FGF‐2 protein in the rat brain during postnatal development
Authors: Kim Jinsook , Gale Karen , Kondratyev Alexei
Published: February 2010

Repeated brief seizures, such as those induced by electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), markedly elevate neurotrophic factor levels in the adult rat brain, but it is not known whether a similar response to seizures occurs in immature animals. To address this question, we evoked brief seizures with electroconvulsive shock (ECS) in rat pups at different stages of postnatal development and examined basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF‐2), nerve growth factor (NGF), and brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) proteins in selected brain regions in which these trophic factors are known to increase in the adult rat following ECS‐induced seizures.

ECS treatments were administered daily (3 episodes/day) over 7 days to rat pups of three different ages: postnatal day (P)1–7, P7–13, or P14–20. Protein levels were measured 6 h after the last ECS using Western blotting for FGF‐2 in rhinal cortex, ELISA for BDNF and NGF in hippocampus, and NGF in frontal cortex.

7 days of repeated ECS‐induced seizures during P1–7 did not alter protein levels for BDNF, FGF‐2, or NGF. The repeated seizures during P7–13 affected only BDNF protein, causing a significant elevation of 40% in hippocampus over sham‐treated controls. In P14–20 pups, the repeated seizures resulted in a significant increase in BDNF in hippocampus (162% over controls) and FGF‐2 in rhinal cortex (34% over controls), while NGF protein did not show a significant change in either hippocampus or frontal cortex.

The results suggest that during the first postnatal week there is a resistance to seizure‐induced increase in neurotrophic factors, but by the third postnatal week, both BDNF and FGF‐2 are elevated substantially in response to repeated seizures. This time‐dependent profile suggests that synthesis of these proteins is initially activity‐independent, becoming subject to activity‐dependent regulation by 3 weeks of age. This maturation of seizure‐evoked changes in trophic factors may be important for understanding the impact of ECT and seizures in childhood.
Salem Story
Authors: Rosenthal Bernard
Published: February 2010

Salem Story engages the story of the Salem witch trials by contrasting an analysis of the surviving primary documentation with the way events of 1692 have been mythologised by our culture. Resisting the temptation to explain the Salem witch trials in the context of an inclusive theoretical framework, the book examines a variety of individual motives that converged to precipitate the witch-hunt. Of the many assumptions about the Salem witch trials, the most persistent is that they were instigated by a circle of hysterical girls. Through an analysis of what actually happened - by perusal of the primary materials with the 'close reading' approach of a literary critic - a different picture emerges, one where 'hysteria' inappropriately describes the logical, rational strategies of accusation and confession followed by the accusers, males and females alike.
Tragedy in Athens
Authors: Wiles David
Published: February 2010

This book examines the performance of Greek tragedy in the classical Athenian theatre. Whilst post structuralist criticism of Greek tragedy has tended to focus on the literary text, the analysis of stagecraft and the theatre has been markedly conservative in its methodology. David Wiles corrects that balance, exploring the performance of tragedy as a spatial practice specific to Athenian culture, at once religious and political. Athenian conceptions of space were quite unlike those of the modern world. After reviewing controversies and archaeological data regarding the fifth-century performance space, Wiles turns to the chorus and shows how dance mapped out the space for the purposes of any given play. The book shows how the performance as a whole was organised and, through informative diagrams and accessible analyses, Wiles brings the theatre of Greek tragedy to life.
Continuous and Discrete Modules
Authors: Mohamed Saad H. , Müller Bruno J.
Published: February 2010

Continuous and discrete modules are, essentially, generalizations of infective and projective modules respectively. Continuous modules provide an appropriate setting for decomposition theory of von Neumann algebras and have important applications to C*-algebras. Discrete modules constitute a dual concept and are related to number theory and algebraic geometry: they possess perfect decomposition properties. The advantage of both types of module is that the Krull-Schmidt theorem can be applied, in part, to them. The authors present here a complete account of the subject and at the same time give a unified picture of the theory. The treatment is essentially self-contained, with background facts being summarized in the first chapter. This book will be useful therefore either to individuals beginning research, or the more experienced worker in algebra and representation theory.
An Introduction to Mormonism
Authors: Davies Douglas J.
Published: February 2010

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is one of the fastest growing religious movements in the world. It is highly visible, with a massive missionary program, yet it remains a mystery in terms of its core beliefs and theological structure. This 2003 book provides an introduction to the basic history, doctrines and practices of The LDS - the 'Mormon' Church. Written by a non-Mormon it neither seeks to prove or disprove the truthfulness of the religious claims of that faith but rather to describe them in ways that non-Mormons can understand. Particular emphasis is given to sacred texts and prophecies as well as to the crucial Temple rituals of endowments, marriage and baptism for the dead, through which human beings may achieve their divine potential. This rich comparative study offers an understanding of Mormon theology and ideas of humanity.
Trust within Reason
Authors: Hollis Martin
Published: February 2010

Some philosophers hold that trust grows fragile when people become too rational. They advocate a retreat from reason and a return to local, traditional values. Others hold that truly rational people are both trusting and trustworthy. Everything hinges on what we mean by 'reason' and 'rational'. If these are understood in an egocentric, instrumental fashion, then they are indeed incompatible with trust. With the help of game theory, Martin Hollis argues against that narrow definition and in favour of a richer, deeper notion of reason founded on reciprocity and the pursuit of the common good. Within that framework he reconstructs the Enlightenment idea of citizens of the world, rationally encountering, and at the same time finding their identity in, their multiple commitments to communities both local and universal.
Remembering Partition
Authors: Pandey Gyanendra
Published: February 2010

Through an investigation of the violence that marked the partition of British India in 1947, this book analyses questions of history and memory, the nationalisation of populations and their pasts, and the ways in which violent events are remembered (or forgotten) in order to ensure the unity of the collective subject - community or nation. Stressing the continuous entanglement of 'event' and 'interpretation', the author emphasises both the enormity of the violence of 1947 and its shifting meanings and contours. The book provides a sustained critique of the procedures of history-writing and nationalist myth-making on the question of violence, and examines how local forms of sociality are constituted and reconstituted, by the experience and representation of violent events. It concludes with a comment on the different kinds of political community that may still be imagined even in the wake of Partition and events like it.
A Short Course on Banach Space Theory
Authors: Carothers N. L.
Published: February 2010

This is a short course on Banach space theory with special emphasis on certain aspects of the classical theory. In particular, the course focuses on three major topics: the elementary theory of Schauder bases, an introduction to Lp spaces, and an introduction to C(K) spaces. While these topics can be traced back to Banach himself, our primary interest is in the postwar renaissance of Banach space theory brought about by James, Lindenstrauss, Mazur, Namioka, Pelczynski, and others. Their elegant and insightful results are useful in many contemporary research endeavors and deserve greater publicity. By way of prerequisites, the reader will need an elementary understanding of functional analysis and at least a passing familiarity with abstract measure theory. An introductory course in topology would also be helpful; however, the text includes a brief appendix on the topology needed for the course.
Value Added Tax
Authors: Schenk Alan , Oldman Oliver
Published: February 2010

This book integrates legal, economic, and administrative materials about value added tax. Its principal purpose is to provide comprehensive teaching tools - laws, cases, analytical exercises, and questions drawn from the experience of countries and organizations from all areas of the world. It also serves as a resource for tax practitioners and government officials that must grapple with issues under their VAT or their prospective VAT. The comparative presentation of this volume offers an analysis of policy issues relating to tax structure and tax base as well as insights into how cases arising out of VAT disputes have been resolved. The authors have expanded the coverage to include new VAT related developments in Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia. A chapter on financial services has been added as well as an analysis of significant new cases.
Secretary or General?
Authors: Annan Kofi A.
Published: February 2010

The Secretary-General of the United Nations is a unique figure in world politics. At once civil servant, the world's diplomat, lackey of the UN Security Council, and commander-in-chief of up to a hundred thousand peacekeepers, he or she depends on states for both the legitimacy and resources that enable the United Nations to function. The tension between these roles - of being secretary or general - has challenged every incumbent. This book brings together the insights of senior UN staff, diplomats and scholars to examine the normative and political factors that shape this unique office with particular emphasis on how it has evolved in response to changing circumstances such as globalization and the onset of the 'war on terror'. The difficulties experienced by each Secretary-General reflect the profound ambivalence of states towards entrusting their security, interests or resources to an intergovernmental body.
Law, Violence, and Community in Classical Athens
Authors: Cohen David
Published: February 2010

The theme of this book is the legal regulation of violence and the role of litigation in Athenian society. Using comparative anthropological and historical perspectives, David Cohen challenges traditional evolutionary and functionalist accounts of the development of legal process. Examining Athenian theories of social conflict and the rule of law, as well as actual litigation involving the regulation of violence, he emphasises the way in which the judicial process operates in an agonistic social field. This perspective illuminates the social dimensions of litigation and the legal regulation of violence, and helps to explain otherwise puzzling features of Athenian litigation.
Soviet Economic Development from Lenin to Khrushchev
Authors: Davies R. W.
Published: February 2010

This book provides a comprehensive survey of Soviet economic development from 1917 to 1965 in the context of the pre-revolutionary economy. In these years the Soviet Union negotiated the first stages of modern industrialisation and then, after the defeat of Nazi Germany and its allies, emerged as one of the two world superpowers. This was also the first attempt to construct a planned socialist order. These developments resulted in great economic achievements at great human cost. Using the results of recent Russian and Western research, Professor Davies discusses the inherent faults and strengths of the system, and pays particular attention to the major controversies. Was the Russian Revolution doomed to failure from the outset? Could the mixed economy of the 1920s have led to a democratic socialist economy? What was the influence of Soviet economic development on the rest of the world?
Permutation Groups
Authors: Cameron Peter J.
Published: February 2010

Permutation groups are one of the oldest topics in algebra. However, their study has recently been revolutionised by new developments, particularly the classification of finite simple groups, but also relations with logic and combinatorics, and importantly, computer algebra systems have been introduced that can deal with large permutation groups. This book gives a summary of these developments, including an introduction to relevant computer algebra systems, sketch proofs of major theorems, and many examples of applying the classification of finite simple groups. It is aimed at beginning graduate students and experts in other areas, and grew from a short course at the EIDMA institute in Eindhoven.
Self-Management of Depression
Authors: Yeung Albert , Feldman Greg , Fava Maurizio
Published: February 2010

With growing access to health information, people who suffer from depression are increasingly eager to play an active role in the management of their symptoms. The goal of self-management is to support patients in monitoring and managing their symptoms and provide them with additional resources to promote recovery, enhance quality of life, and prevent relapse. For clinicians, self-management holds promise for improving practice efficiency and efficacy by helping patients maximize their improvement outside of treatment sessions. Self-Management of Depression is written for clinicians who wish to empower their patients to take more active steps to manage depression. Chapters cover care management, self-assessment, exercise, self-help books and computer programs, meditation, and peer-support groups and strategies for how to incorporate self-management into a treatment plan are described. Reproducible handouts to support patients are also available online. This book is relevant to clinical psychologists, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurses, social workers and primary care physicians.
Motives over simplicial schemes
Authors: Voevodsky Vladimir
Published: February 2010

This paper was written as a part of [8] and is intended primarily to provide the definitions and results concerning motives over simplicial schemes, which are used in the proof of the Bloch-Kato conjecture.
Ligula intestinalis(Cestoda: Pseudophyllidea): an ideal fish-metazoan parasite model?
Authors: HOOLE D. , CARTER V. , DUFOUR S.
Published: February 2010

Since its use as a model to study metazoan parasite culture andin vitrodevelopment, the plerocercoid of the tapeworm,Ligula intestinalis, has served as a useful scientific tool to study a range of biological factors, particularly within its fish intermediate host. From the extensive long-term ecological studies on the interactions between the parasite and cyprinid hosts, to the recent advances made using molecular technology on parasite diversity and speciation, studies on the parasite have, over the last 60 years, led to significant advances in knowledge on host-parasite interactions. The parasite has served as a useful model to study pollution, immunology and parasite ecology and genetics, as well has being the archetypal endocrine disruptor.
Patterns of brain atrophy on magnetic resonance imaging and the boundary between ageing and Alzheimer's disease
Authors: O'Sullivan Mike
Published: February 2010

Clinicians are increasingly faced with the problem of interpreting subtle, early cognitive symptoms. Enhanced awareness of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and available treatments has led to a growing demand for early assessment. Although it is known that a proportion of individuals with mild cognitive impairment will progress to dementia in following years, our ability to identify these individuals and predict individual cognitive trajectories is limited. The emergence of disease-modifying treatments would make these problems more acute. In this review, the potential role of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in aiding the clinician in early diagnosis of AD will be considered. The changes in grey matter structure that accompany ‘normal’ ageing will be described briefly, before moving on to studies that have attempted to distinguish the onset of disease from this background of structural change. Volumetric methods range from measurements of single key structures, such as the hippocampus, to methods based on computational neuroanatomy, which evaluate subtle structural alterations across the whole brain simultaneously. Computational methods are rapidly evolving and already perform as well as radiologists in distinguishing AD from normal ageing at an individual level. This article aims to provide a practical knowledge of how and why these methods work, point out the main advantages and disadvantages and sketch out outstanding issues and possible future directions.
Diseases of the prostate
Authors: Bright Elizabeth , Abrams Paul
Published: February 2010

Benign and malignant prostate disease is common in older men and becomes more prevalent with age. Many seek medical help due to bother associated with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). Some fear their LUTS are secondary to prostate cancer or seek advice regarding prostate cancer screening. Furthermore, prostate cancer is now the most common male cancer in the UK. However, not all prostate disease causes LUTS. Equally, not all LUTS are due to a disease of the prostate. Thorough clinical assessment is therefore required to identify urological from non-urological, and benign from malignant causes of LUTS. This review presents a description of the current terminology for diseases of the prostate, the essential clinical assessment and investigations, and a description of the many treatment options currently available for both benign and malignant prostate disease.
Anticholinergics for urge incontinence
Authors: Mappilakkandy R , Mistri AK
Published: February 2010

Urinary incontinence is a common symptom in women, more so in older people, with a significant impact on physical health and wellbeing. About 1 in 5 people have impaired continence. Symptom categorization at initial assessment is the key to guiding further therapy. Non-pharmacological options (bladder training for 6 weeks with guidance from a trained physiotherapist) are preferred and can be supported with biofeedback. If unsuccessful, anticholinergics are added and, rarely, surgical options need consideration.

Anticholinergics are the mainstay of pharmacological management of urge incontinence. The National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) recommends immediate release oxybutynin as the first-line agent, with recourse to others if there are adverse effects. The pharmacology, efficacy and adverse effect profile of the various anticholinergic drugs is reviewed, allowing the reader to make an informed choice of appropriate anticholinergics for urge incontinence.
A longitudinal method of teaching pediatric palliative care to interns: Preliminary findings regarding changes in interns' comfort level
Authors: Yazdani Shahram , Evan Elana , Roubinov Danielle , Chung Paul J. , Zeltzer Lonnie
Published: February 2010

Objective:

A longitudinal pediatric palliative care curriculum was introduced into the pediatric residency program at the University of California, Los Angeles. The present study explores the possible effects of this curriculum on the interns' self-assessed comfort levels regarding caring for children with life-threatening conditions.

Methods:

A newly created assessment tool was administered to interns in order to rate their comfort regarding pediatric palliative care at the beginning and conclusion of their intern year.

Results:

Twenty-two of the 29 interns completed this survey. Baseline data indicated 55% of the interns had some experience with taking care of a dying pediatric patient during their medical school training, and 79% indicated that they had taken care of a dying adult. Only 7% of the interns felt adequately prepared to deal with death and dying, but all interns indicated interest in further learning about pediatric palliative care. Comparison of the overall comfort levels of the 22 responding residents before and after the first year of training in 20 different related tasks demonstrated a significant self-assessed improvement of comfort in seven areas. There was no increase in self-reported comfort in communication related to palliative care.

Significance of results:

Residents indicated increased comfort in some areas of pediatric palliative care after the first year of their training. The underlying cause of this increased comfort is unclear at this time. The overall effect of longitudinal palliative care curriculums on residents' level of comfort in caring for this population deserves further assessment.
The Parameterization and the Analysis of Small Groups by Means of the Response Dependence of Subjects Model
Authors: Robusto Egidio , Cristante Francesca
Published: February 2010

Cristante and Robusto (1999) introduced a model devised for the parameterization of small groups in the social sciences (RDSM – response dependence of subjects model). The model belongs to the family of Rasch models ( Andrich, 1982 , 1985 ). In this contribution a validation study is conducted in order to verify the empirical applicability of the model. The RDSM is applied to a set of data in market research; the participants are 200 mobile telephone consumers. The main results are as follows: (a) Twenty four small subgroups of participants are obtained, where each one is well defined by means of a unit parameter and a location parameter on a latent trait. In this way the RDSM allows an appropriate grouping of the sample considered. (b) Low familiarity of consumers with mobile telephone technology correlates with a stereotyped representation of the attributes of telephone devices. (c) From a quantitative point of view, the results confirm the applicability of the RDSM within the data considered.
Petrogenesis of Davidson Seamount lavas and its implications for fossil spreading center and intraplate magmatism in the eastern Pacific
Authors: Castillo P. R. , Clague D. A. , Davis A. S. , Lonsdale P. F.
Published: February 2010

Seafloor spreading causes abundant magmatism along active ocean spreading centers, but the cause of magmatism along fossil spreading centers is enigmatic. Samples collected from Davidson Seamount, a typical volcanic ridge along an abandoned spreading center in the eastern Pacific, consist of an alkalic basalt to trachyte lava series; transitional basalts were sampled from another part of the abandoned axis, 20 km from the seamount. All samples experienced complex fractional crystallization prior to eruption, but they all share a common, compositionally heterogeneous mantle source. The parental magmas of the transitional basalts were produced from this source at higher degree of melting than those of the alkalic lava series. The composition of Davidson lavas overlaps with those of ridges along other fossil spreading centers and isolated near‐ and off‐ridge seamounts in the eastern Pacific. Together they define a compositional continuum ranging from tholeiitic, normal mid‐ocean ridge basalt (MORB)‐like to alkalic, ocean island basalt (OIB)‐like, similar to lavas that form linear island chains and ridges. We propose that this entire compositional spectrum of intraplate lavas that do not form linear volcanic chains in the eastern Pacific results from variations in the degree of partial melting of a common, compositionally heterogeneous mantle source. This source consists of more easily melted, geochemically enriched components of varying sizes and amounts embedded in a depleted lherzolitic matrix. Large degree of partial melting produces normal MORB–like melts represented by some near‐ridge seamount lavas, whereas small degree of melting produces OIB‐like fossil spreading center lavas. The small degree of partial melting beneath recently abandoned spreading centers results from either buoyancy‐driven decompression melting of the hot lithospheric and asthenospheric mantle material beneath active spreading centers or rapid motion, with respect to the underlying asthenosphere, of abandoned spreading axes that are thickening over a fertile mantle. Mid‐Tertiary volcanic rocks in coastal California, which are compositionally akin to intraplate lavas, are interpreted to be small degree partial melts of the same compositionally heterogeneous sub‐Pacific mantle that has upwelled through windows in a subducted slab.
Paleoclimate of Mars as captured by the stratigraphic record in Gale Crater
Authors: Milliken R. E. , Grotzinger J. P. , Thomson B. J.
Published: February 2010

A kilometers‐thick sedimentary sequence in Gale Crater exhibits stratigraphic changes in lithology that are consistent with transitions in aqueous and climatic conditions purported to be global in scale. The sequence is divided into two formations, where the Lower formation exhibits a net transition in mineralogy from clay/sulfate to sulfate/oxide assemblages and is separated from the overlying Upper formation by an erosional unconformity. Superposition and crater counts suggest strata in the Lower formation lie along the Noachian‐Hesperian time‐stratigraphic boundary, whereas beds in the Upper formation, which lack signatures indicative of clay minerals or sulfates, are thinner, more regularly spaced, and clearly younger. The observed stratigraphic trends are consistent with the rocks at Gale Crater recording a global transition from a climate favorable to clay mineral formation to one more favorable to forming sulfates and other salts.
Magma hybridisation and diffusive exchange recorded in heterogeneous glasses from Soufrière Hills Volcano, Montserrat
Authors: Humphreys M. C. S. , Edmonds M. , Christopher T. , Hards V.
Published: February 2010

Arc volcanoes commonly show evidence of mixing between mafic and silicic magma. Melt inclusions and matrix glasses in andesite erupted from Soufrière Hills Volcano, Montserrat, include an anomalously K2O‐rich population which shows close compositional overlap with residual glass from mafic inclusions. We suggest that these glasses represent the effects of physical mixing with mafic magma, both during ascent and by diffusive exchange during the formation of mafic inclusions. Many glasses are enriched only in K2O, suggesting diffusive contamination by high‐K mafic inclusion glass; others are also enriched in TiO2, suggesting physical mixing of remnant glass. Some mafic inclusion glasses have lost K2O. The preservation of this K‐rich melt component in the andesite suggests short timescales between mixing and ascent. Diffusive timescales are consistent with independent petrological estimates of magma ascent time.
Mars Rover Enters New Phase of Mission
Authors: Showstack Randy
Published: February 2010

The wandering days for NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit appear to be over. Spirit, which has been exploring the planet on a science mission since January 2004, is embedded in sandy soil and will remain at its current location at 14.6°S, 175.5°E, at the “Home Plate” plateau within Gusev crater, through the coming Martian winter and for the rest of its days.

Despite NASA's best efforts to extricate the six‐wheeled Spirit from the sulfate salt—rich soil for the past 8 months, mission scientists indicated on 26 January that they now believe the rover is stuck for good, aside from minor movements on its four remaining operational wheels and other small adjustments. For the next several weeks, NASA will continue efforts to slightly reposition the robot so that it can better catch the Sun, endure the coming Martian winter in a state of hibernation, and remain at least in infrequent communication with the science team.
Obama Budget Proposal Would Increase Science Agency Funding
Authors: Showstack Randy
Published: February 2010

Although the Obama administration's $3.8 trillion U.S. federal budget proposal for fiscal year (FY) 2011, announced on 1 February, would push the federal deficit to $1.6 trillion and include a 3‐year budget freeze for a number of nondefense programs, science and technology “are doing very well,” according to John Holdren, assistant to the president for science and technology.

While President Barack Obama announced in his State of the Union speech his intention to hold down costs, it “did not mean he was imposing a mindless across‐the‐board freeze,” Holdren said at a 2 February briefing. “In making the tough decisions embodied in the 2011 budget, he managed to preserve and expand what most needed to be preserved and expanded in the government's investments in research and development, and in science, technology, engineering, and math education.”
Microbial secondary succession in a chronosequence of chalk grasslands
Authors: Kuramae Eiko E , Gamper Hannes A , Yergeau Etienne , Piceno Yvette M , Brodie Eoin L , DeSantis Todd Z , Andersen Gary L , van Veen Johannes A , Kowalchuk George A
Published: February 2010

Although secondary succession has been studied extensively, we have little knowledge of the succession of soil-borne microbial communities. In this study, we therefore examined the structures of the microbial communities across two separate chronosequences of chalk grasslands in Limburg, the Netherlands, which are at different stages of secondary succession after being abandoned for between 17 and >66 years. Arable fields were also included in the investigation as non-abandoned references. Changes in the soil-borne microbial communities, as determined by phylogenetic microarray and quantitative PCR methodologies, were correlated with the prevailing environmental conditions related to vegetation and soil biochemistry. We observed clear patterns of microbial secondary succession related to soil age, pH and phosphate status, as exemplified by the overrepresentation of Verrucomicrobia, Acidobacteria, Gemmatimonadetes, and α-, δ- and ɛ-Proteobacteria at late successional stages. Moreover, effects of secondary succession versus changes in soil pH could be resolved, with pH significantly altering the trajectory of microbial succession.
Profiling of Energy Metabolism in Olanzapine‐Induced Weight Gain in Rats and Its Prevention by the CB1‐Antagonist AVE1625
Authors: Liebig Michaela , Gossel Matthias , Pratt Jeremy , Black Mark , Haschke Guido , Elvert Ralf , Juretschke Hans‐Paul , Neumann‐Haefelin Claudia , Kramer Werner , Herling Andreas W.
Published: February 2010

This is the first study to examine the effect of subchronic olanzapine (OLZ) on energy homeostasis in rats, covering all aspects of energy balance, including energy intake as metabolizable energy, storage, and expenditure. We further analyzed whether, and by which mechanism, the CB1‐antagonist AVE1625 might attenuate OLZ‐induced body weight gain. For this purpose, we selected juvenile female Hanover Wistar rats that robustly and reproducibly demonstrated weight gain on OLZ treatment, accepting limitations to model the aberrations on lipid and carbohydrate metabolism. Rats received 2 mg/kg OLZ orally twice daily for 12 days. Body weight and body composition were analyzed. Moreover daily food intake, energy expenditure, and substrate oxidation were determined in parallel to motility and body core temperature. OLZ treatment resulted in substantial body weight gain, in which lean and fat mass increased significantly. OLZ‐treated rats showed hyperphagia that manifested in increased carbohydrate oxidation and lowered fat oxidation (FO). Energy expenditure was increased, motility decreased, but there was no indication for hypothermia in OLZ‐treated rats. Coadministration of OLZ and AVE1625 (10 mg/kg orally once daily) attenuated body weight gain, diminishing the enhanced food intake while maintaining increased energy expenditure and decreased motility. Our data reveal that energy expenditure was enhanced in OLZ‐treated rats, an effect not critically influenced by motility. Energy uptake, however, exceeded energy expenditure and led to a positive energy balance, confirming hyperphagia as the major driving factor for OLZ‐induced weight gain. Combination of OLZ treatment with the CB1‐antagonist AVE1625 attenuated body weight gain in rats.
Downregulation of ADIPOQ and PPARγ2 Gene Expression in Subcutaneous Adipose Tissue of Obese Adolescents With Hepatic Steatosis
Authors: Kursawe Romy , Narayan Deepak , Cali Anna M.G. , Shaw Melissa , Pierpont Bridget , Shulman Gerald I. , Caprio Sonia
Published: February 2010

Hepatic steatosis is associated with hypoadiponectinemia. The mechanism(s) resulting in lower serum adiponectin levels in obese adolescents with fatty liver is unknown. In two groups of equally obese adolescents, but discordant for hepatic fat content, we measured adiponectin, leptin, peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor γ 2 (PPARγ2) and tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNFα) gene expression in the abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT). Twenty six adolescents with similar degrees of obesity underwent a subcutaneous periumbilical adipose tissue biopsy, in addition to metabolic (oral glucose tolerance test, and hyperinsulinemic—euglycemic clamp), and imaging studies (magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), DEXA). Using quantitative real‐time‐PCR; adiponectin, PPARγ2, TNFα, and leptin mRNA were measured. Based on a hepatic fat content (hepatic fat fraction, HFF) >5.5%, measured by fast MRI, the subjects were divided into low and high HFF group. In addition to the hypoadiponectinemia in the high HFF group, we found that the expression of adiponectin as well as PPARγ2 in the SAT was significantly decreased in this group. No differences were noted for TNFα and leptin plasma or mRNA levels between the groups. An inverse relationship was observed between adiponectin or PPARγ2 expression and hepatic fat content, whereas, adiponectin expression was positively related to PPARγ2 expression. Independent of overall obesity, a reduced expression of adiponectin and PPARγ2 in the abdominal SAT is associated with high liver fat content, as well as with insulin resistance in obese adolescents.
Genomic organization and regulation of the human orexin (hypocretin) receptor 2 gene: identification of alternative promoters
Authors: Chen Jing , Randeva Harpal S.
Published: February 2010

Orexins (hypocretins), acting via their receptors, are involved in the control of feeding behaviour, sleep, arousal and energy homoeostasis. However, regulation of the human orexin receptor 2 (hOX2R) gene remains unknown. We have identified four transcripts arising from alternative splicing from three exons. These exon 1 variants were designated exons 1A, 1B and 1C on the basis of their 5′–3′ order. RT (reverse transcription)–PCR demonstrates the differential expression in various human tissues. The alternative 5′-UTRs (untranslated regions) possessed by these isoforms have different translational efficiencies, which regulate the level of protein expression. In the present study, we have demonstrated that the hOX2R gene is regulated by two promoters and the novel transcripts are regulated by the distal promoter located upstream of exon 1A. We have demonstrated that the AP-1 (activator protein 1) motif is critical for sustaining the basal activity of distal promoter. Analysis of the proximal promoter revealed the region regulating promoter activity contained putative binding elements including those for CREB (cAMP-response-element-binding protein), GATA-2 and Oct-1. Using the chromatin immunoprecipitation assay, we demonstrated that CREB, GATA-2 and Oct-1 transcription factors bind to these critical regulatory promoter elements. Mutational studies suggested that these motifs functioned independently, but have a compound effect regulating hOX2R gene transcription. Furthermore, proximal promoter activity is enhanced by both PKA (protein kinase A) and PKC (protein kinase C) pathway activation, via binding of CREB and GATA-2 transcription factors. In conclusion, we have demonstrated that expression of hOX2R is regulated by a complex involving a proximal PKA/PKC-regulated promoter and a distal promoter regulating tissue-specific expression of alternative transcripts which in turn post-transcriptionally regulate receptor levels.
Characterization of 1 MW, 40 keV, 1 s neutral beam for plasma heating
Authors: Sorokin A. , Belov V. , Davydenko V. , Deichuli P. , Ivanov A. , Podyminogin A. , Shikhovtsev I. , Shulzhenko G. , Stupishin N. , Tiunov M.
Published: February 2010

Neutral beam with geometrical focusing for plasma heating in moderate-size plasma devices has been developed in Budker Institute of Nuclear Physics, Novosibirsk. When operated with hydrogen, the neutral beam power is 1 MW, pulse duration is 1 s, beam energy is 40 keV, and angular divergence is 1.2°. Initial ion beam is extracted and accelerated by triode multiapertures ion-optical system. To produce 1 MW neutral beam, about 40 A proton current is extracted with nominal current density of 320 mA/cm2. Ion-optical system has 200 mm diameter grids with 44% transparency. The grids have inertia cooling and heat is removed between the pulses by water flowing in channels placed on periphery of the grids. A plasma emitter for ion extraction is produced by rf-plasma box. Ion species mix of rf plasma source amounts to 70%, 20%, and 10% of H+, H2+, and H3+ ions, respectively, by current. Heavy impurities contribute less than 0.3%.
Integrated modeling of electron cyclotron resonance ion sources and charge breeders with GEM, MCBC, and IonEx
Authors: Kim J. S. , Zhao L. , Cluggish B. P. , Galkin S. A. , Grubert J. E. , Pardo R. C. , Vondrasek R. C.
Published: February 2010

A numerical toolset to help in understanding physical processes in the electron cyclotron resonance charge breeder (ECRCB) and further to help optimization and design of current and future machines is presented. The toolset consists of three modules (Monte Carlo charge breeding code, generalized electron cyclotron resonance ion source modeling, and ion extraction), each modeling different processes occurring in the ECRCB from beam injection to extraction. The toolset provides qualitative study, such as parameter studies, and scaling of the operation, and physical understanding in the ECRCB. The methodology and a sample integrated modeling are presented.
SEISM: A 60 GHz cusp electron cyclotron resonance ion source
Authors: Latrasse L. , Marie-Jeanne M. , Lamy T. , Thuillier T. , Giraud J. , Fourel C. , Trophime C. , Debray F. , Sala P. , Dumas J.
Published: February 2010

LPSC has been involved for several years in a challenging research and development program on the production of pulsed ions beams with high ionization efficiency primarily dedicated to radioactive ion beams. The generation of the high magnetic field requires the use of helix techniques developed at Laboratoire National des Champs Magnétiques Intenses. As a first approach, a cusp structure has been chosen. 3D simulations were used to define the geometry of the helices. The computer aided design of the mechanical parts of the magnetic structure has been performed at LPSC and was optimized to decrease the total volume of the source. The first 60 GHz magnetic structure (helices coils in their tanks, electrical, and water cooling environment) should be available before the end of 2009.
Erosion of accel grids of ion engine due to sputtering
Authors: Kenmotsu T. , Wada M. , Hyakutake T. , Muramoto T. , Nishida M.
Published: February 2010

The erosion rates of extraction electrodes of ion sources due to ion beam irradiation are largely affected by amount of projectiles retained in the electrodes. A Monte Carlo simulation code ACAT has been used to calculate sputtering yields and reflection coefficients by simulating the accumulation effect of projectiles in a target material. The results for Xe projectiles-C target combination have indicated that both sputtering yields and reflection coefficients are largely enhanced by Xe retention, particularly at larger incident angle for the surface normal with low incident energy.
Dynamic yielding in lithium fluoride and aluminum
Authors: Sano Yukio , Sano Tomokazu
Published: February 2010

At a time immediately after shock loading, a kink (a weak discontinuity or a discontinuity in slope) occurs at a position in an unsteady portion in a smooth plane wave front in a lithium fluoride single crystal (material IIIb) or in 1060-0 aluminum due to the instability of the wave front. After the occurrence of the kink, a zone is produced and broadened with time between a near steady precursor ahead of the kink and a plastic wave behind it in a weak-discontinuity plane wave by the difference in the propagation velocity between them. Stress relaxes in the zone, which is called a follower, and the precursor decay takes place due to the stress relaxation. During the decay process, the large increase in plastic flow occurs in the vicinity of the leading edge of the follower, causes yielding at the leading edge, and stabilizes the weak-discontinuity wave. The stress-strain (σ-ε) history caused by the follower rotates clockwise with time around the yield point. The rotation yields different σ-ε histories behind the point and therefore different types of the dynamic σ-ε relation. Dynamic yield phenomena are illustrated by showing the schematic diagrams of three different types of the dynamic σ-ε relation, which are caused by weak-discontinuity plane waves composed of a precursor C, a follower (i) C, (ii) I or II, or (iii) R′ or Rb, and a plastic wave C behind the follower. Here C is the contraction (compression) wave, I and II are the degenerate contraction waves I and II, R′ is the subrarefaction wave, and Rb is the rarefaction wave.
Complete band offset characterization of the HfO2/SiO2/Si stack using charge corrected x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy
Authors: Bersch E. , Di M. , Consiglio S. , Clark R. D. , Leusink G. J. , Diebold A. C.
Published: February 2010

The HfO2–Si valence and conduction band offsets (VBO and CBO, respectively) of technologically relevant HfO2/SiO2/Si film stacks have been measured by several methods, with several groups reporting values within a range of ∼1 eV for both quantities. In this study we have used a combination of x-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS) and spectroscopic ellipsometry to measure the HfO2–Si VBO and CBO of both as-deposited and annealed stacks. Unlike previous XPS based measurements of the HfO2–Si VBO, we have corrected for the effect of charging in the XPS measurement. We find that after correction for charging, the HfO2–Si VBOs are decreased from their typical XPS-measured values, and agree better with values measured by UV photoemission spectroscopy and internal photoemission. We also report values for the rarely reported HfO2–SiO2 and SiO2–Si VBOs and CBOs in HfO2/SiO2/Si stacks. In addition to the band offsets, XPS was used to measure the band bending in the Si substrate of HfO2/SiO2/Si film stacks. Unannealed HfO2 stacks showed downward Si band bending of 0.4–0.5 eV, while annealed HfO2 stacks showed negligible band bending. Finally, we investigated the composition of the SiO2 layer in SiO2/Si and HfO2/SiO2/Si. By decomposing the Si 2p spectra into the spin orbit partner lines of its five oxidation states we observed that the growth of the HfO2 films resulted in the growth of the SiO2 underlayer and an increase by a factor of ∼2.3 in the density of suboxide species of SiO2. Based on the relatively high binding energy of the Si 2p4+ level with respect to the Si 2p0 level and a survey of results from literature, we conclude that the SiO2 layer in the HfO2/SiO2/Si samples we measured does not undergo significant intermixing with HfO2.
Enhanced spin injection efficiency in a four-terminal quantum dots system
Authors: Qin Ling , Lü Hai-Feng , Guo Yong
Published: February 2010

Within the scheme of quantum rate equations, we investigate the spin-resolved transport through a double quantum dot system with four ferromagnetic terminals. We find that the injection efficiency of spin-polarized electrons can be significantly improved. When the magnetization in one of four ferromagnetic terminals is antiparallel with the other three, the current polarization rate through one dot can be greatly enhanced, accompanied by the drastic decrease through the other one. The mechanism is the exchange interaction between electrons in the two dots, which can be a promising candidate for the improvement of the spin injection efficiency.