bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Lack of standardization in determining gestational age for prenatal screening
Authors: Koster M. P. H. , Van Leeuwen‐Spruijt M. , Wortelboer E. J. , Stoutenbeek P. , Elvers L. H. , Loeber J. G. , Visser G. H. A. , Schielen P. C. J. I.
Published: August 2008

Objectives

To determine whether estimation of gestational age (GA) in the context of first‐trimester Down syndrome screening is standardized in the Netherlands.

Methods

This was a retrospective study, carried out between January 2005 and December 2006, of women who underwent first‐trimester Down syndrome screening (n = 40 730) based on GA, maternal serum analysis and nuchal translucency (NT) measurement. Date of the last menstrual period (LMP), dating scan information including measurement of crown–rump length (CRL), NT thickness and name of the sonographer were recorded for all pregnancies. The accuracy of estimation of GA was evaluated by comparing the GA based on the LMP with that estimated from the CRL, using relevant subsets of the database. A survey of 104 sonographers was performed to further investigate the findings of the preceding analysis.

Results

In 44% of all first‐trimester combined tests the estimation of GA was based on the dating scan; the method of determination of GA was unknown in 23%. In 15% of all cases a dating scan was recorded but was not used to provide the estimation of GA at blood sampling. Detailed analysis showed that a consistent methodology for the estimation of GA from CRL was not maintained within hospitals and obstetric practices. For a single CRL, the reported GA differed by up to 10 days. Finally, it was demonstrated that individual sonographers reported different GAs for a given CRL.

Conclusions

Currently, estimation of GA in the first trimester in the Netherlands is not standardized. To improve the performance of prenatal screening for Down syndrome, estimation of GA should be based on ultrasound examination, with one nationally accepted CRL curve. Copyright © 2008 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
One- versus Two-Incision Technique for Distal Biceps Tendon Repair
Authors: Johnson Timothy S. , Johnson David C. , Shindle Michael K. , Allen Answorth A. , Weiland Andrew J. , Cavanaugh John , Noonan Dennis , Lyman Stephen
Published: August 2008

There are several techniques that have been described for distal biceps tendon repair but there is still controversy regarding the optimal technique. Our hypothesis is that the single-incision technique will have a similar complication rate and functionally equivalent restoration of function compared with the two-incision approach. A retrospective review of consecutive biceps tendon repairs was performed at one institution over a 5-year period. Thirty-six patients met the inclusion criteria and 26 were available for follow-up including subjective assessment, physical examination, and strength testing. Patients were divided into two groups based on the surgical approach utilized: 12 patients underwent single-incision repair and 14 had a two-incision repair. The average follow-up was 33 months (minimum 13; maximum 75). There were no statistically significant differences in regards to flexion strength or endurance, supination strength or endurance, or complication rates between the two techniques. In conclusion, both surgical techniques led to adequate restoration of strength with a low complication rate. Both techniques are safe to perform and should be guided by surgeon comfort with the approach.
Mass Spectrometric Identification of Proteotypic Peptides from Clinically Used Tumor Markers
Authors: Li Yan , Sokoll Lori J. , Barker Peter E. , Zhang Hui , Chan Daniel W.
Published: August 2008

Introduction

With the rapid development of mass spectrometry-based technologies such as multiple reaction monitoring and heavy-isotope-labeled-peptide standards, quantitative analysis of biomarker proteins using mass spectrometry is rapidly progressing toward detection of target proteins/peptides from clinical samples. Proteotypic peptides are a few peptides that are repeatedly and consistently identified from a protein in a mixture and are used for quantitative analysis of the protein in a complex biological sample by mass spectrometry.

Materials and Methods

Using mass spectrometry, we identified peptide sequences and provided a list of tryptic peptides and glycopeptides as proteotypic peptides from five clinically used tumor markers, including prostate-specific antigen, carcinoembryonic antigen, Her-2, human chorionic gonadotropin, and CA125.

Conclusion

These proteotypic peptides have potential for targeted detection as well as heavy-isotope-peptide standards for quantitative analysis of marker proteins in clinical specimens using a highly specific, sensitive, and high-throughout mass spectrometry-based analysis method.
Women's opinions and experiences with induction of labor and cesarean delivery on request in south eastern Nigeria
Authors: Chigbu Chibuike Ogwuegbu , Ezenyeaku Cyril Chukwuma
Published: August 2008

Objective

To assess the opinions and experiences of women regarding induction of labor and cesarean delivery on request in south eastern Nigeria.

Method

Women were interviewed using questionnaires on their awareness of their right to request labor induction and/or a cesarean delivery, and of their experience and opinion of the procedures.

Results

Of the 15.1% of the respondents who knew they could request a cesarean delivery, 2.4% had requested one; and of the 56.3% who knew they could request labor induction, 6.9% had requested one. Only 5.3% and 11.3% of the respondents who would chose the former or the latter procedure, respectively, said that they would insist on receiving it. Fear of their physicians' negative attitude regarding the procedures, and/or abandonment of care, ranked highest among their reasons for not insisting.

Conclusion

In south eastern Nigeria few women are aware of their right to a cesarean delivery on request and the rate of refusal to perform such deliveries is high among physicians; more women are aware of their right to receive induction of labor on request and the acceptance rate is higher among physicians; and most women are unwilling to insist that their physician respect their choice.
Reduced growth and integrin expression of prostate cells cultured with lycopene, vitamin E and fish oilin vitro
Authors: Bureyko T. , Hurdle H. , Metcalfe J. B. , Clandinin M. T. , Mazurak Vera C.
Published: August 2008

Integrins are transmembrane proteins that facilitate the interaction of cells with the extracellular environment. They have also been implicated in cancer progression. The effects of nutrients thought to be involved in the prevention of prostate cancer on integrin expression have not been determined. Prostate cancer cell lines representing a range of malignancy from normal (RWPE-1) to highly invasive phenotypes (22Rv1 < LNCaP < PC-3) were cultured with or without lycopene (10 nm), vitamin E (5 μm) or fish oil (100 μm) for 48 h. Growth and integrin (α2β1, αvβ3and αvβ5) expression were assessed using Trypan Blue exclusion and monoclonal antibodies combined with flow cytometry. Vitamin E enhanced (P < 0·001) whereas fish oil reduced the growth of all the cell lines tested (P < 0·001). Lycopene had no effect on growth. All the malignant cell lines exhibited lower expression of α2β1with the addition of lycopene to culture media. Supplemental fish oil reduced α2β1in most invasive cell lines (LNCaP and PC-3). Each nutrient at physiological levels reduced integrins αvβ3and αvβ5in most invasive cell lines (PC-3). The results suggest that integrins may represent an additional target of bioactive nutrients and that the effects of nutrients may be dependent on the type of cell line used.
Cryptic species within Anopheles longipalpis from southern Africa and phylogenetic comparison with members of the An. funestus group
Authors: Koekemoer L.L. , Misiani E.A. , Hunt R.H. , Kent R.J. , Norris D.E. , Coetzee M.
Published: August 2008

House-resting Anopheles mosquitoes are targeted for vector control interventions; however, without proper species identification, the importance of these Anopheles to malaria transmission is unknown. Anopheles longipalpis, a non-vector species, has been found in significant numbers resting indoors in houses in southern Zambia, potentially impacting on the utilization of scarce resources for vector control. The identification of An. longipalpis is currently based on classical morphology using minor characteristics in the adult stage and major ones in the larval stage. The close similarity to the major malaria vector An. funestus led to investigations into the development of a molecular assay for identification of An. longipalpis. Molecular analysis of An. longipalpis from South Africa and Zambia revealed marked differences in size and nucleotide sequence in the second internal transcribed spacer (ITS2) region of ribosomal DNA between these two populations, leading to the conclusion that more than one species was being analysed. Phylogenetic analysis showed the Zambian samples aligned with An. funestus, An. vaneedeni and An. parensis, whereas the South African sample aligned with An. leesoni, a species that is considered to be more closely related to the Asian An. minimus subgroup than to the African An. funestus subgroup. Species-specific primers were designed to be used in a multiplex PCR assay to distinguish between these two cryptic species and members of the An. funestus subgroup for which there is already a multiplex PCR assay.
Life and Death in the Demiansk Pocket: The 123rd Infantry Division in Combat and Occupation
Authors: Rutherford Jeff
Published: August 2008

During the past two decades, focus on the German-Soviet war has shifted from a nearly exclusive fascination with field marshals and their battles—“chaps and maps”—to one more concerned with the social aspects of the war. Issues of resistance and collaboration, German occupation policies and everyday life under Nazi rule, and the Soviet Union's recovery from the catastrophe of 1941 and its subsequent unprecedented mobilization during the latter stages of the war now constitute the main emphases of research. Many of these new lines of investigation revolve around the implementation and results of the GermanVernichtungskrieg, the war of annihilation carried out by the Wehrmacht, SS, and myriad other German agencies against the Soviet state and population. As the army was the largest and most powerful German institution operating in the Soviet Union, it has recently attracted the most attention and generated the most controversy. Historians have reached a rough consensus concerning the German High Command's complicity in implementing the Vernichtungskrieg; here, the set of orders commonly referred to in the literature as the “criminal orders” illustrate the army's means of achieving Hitler's goals. More recently, scholars have begun to investigate the army's responsibility for starving millions of Soviet civilians. While some dissenting voices have been heard, it is clear that the German High Command willingly and even enthusiastically participated in the war of annihilation.
Suicide by Proxy: The Unintended Consequences of Public Executions in Eighteenth-Century Germany
Authors: Stuart Kathy
Published: August 2008

On May 24, 1704, at about ten in the morning, Agnes Catherina Schickin, a thirty-year-old serving woman from the town of Schorndorf in Württemberg arrived at the village of Krumhard. After asking for and receiving a glass of milk from a local peasant woman, Agnes was on her way out of the village when she saw four, in her words, “beautiful little boys” playing together by the roadside. She approached the children and asked for directions to Schorndorf. When one of the boys, Hans Michael Furch, the seven-year-old son of the local cowherder, said he knew the way, she offered him a gift and asked him to walk with her. The three other boys wanted to come along, too, but she dissuaded them. Agnes and the seven-year-old walked off into the forest alone.
Red Power: Liselotte Welskopf-Henrich and Indian Activist Networks in East and West Germany
Authors: Penny H. Glenn
Published: August 2008

Acuriousphotograph appeared in 1976 in the East-German newspaperJunge Welt(Fig. 1). Two well-known members of the American Indian Movement (AIM), Dennis Banks and Vernon Bellecourt, were shown together with an elderly German woman, Liselotte Welskopf-Henrich, at her home in East Berlin. This photo, like so many of the photos of Indians in unexpected places, always seems to amuse people, leading them to ask with a snigger why the Indians were there. The Indians' presence in such places, however, is seldom a laughing matter, and in this case, scholars of the post-war era might find the answer to the simple question of the Indians' presence somewhat disconcerting.
The Pre-History of the Holocaust? TheSonderwegandHistorikerstreitDebates and the Abject Colonial Past
Authors: Fitzpatrick Matthew P.
Published: August 2008

In chapter eleven ofMein Kampf, Adolf Hitler, having constructed aneal type “culture-bearing” Aryan race,1came to elucidate his views on the history of Jews within Germany. Until the time of Frederick the Great, he argued, “it still entered no one's head to regard the Jews as anything else but a ‘foreign’ people.”2Thereafter, he asserted, came a period of transition wherein Jews had “the effrontery to turn Germanic.”3The rest of the chapter, for Hitler, was an attempt to reverse this putative historical mistake, and presents the reader with a vitriolic casting out of Jews, described as “parasites” and a “noxious bacillus,” from the German body politic.4The aim of this textual expulsion, Hitler explained, was to ensure that the Germans would not be destroyed from within, as had “all great cultures of the past.”5To Hitler, Jews were what Julia Kristeva has called “the abject”6—that which is simultaneously part of the self but radically rejected by the self. In seeking to expel the “Germanic Jews” from theVolkskörper, Hitler sought to expel that part of the German self that, in his view, was a source of weakness and taint.7
Soybean seed composition in cultivars differing in resistance to charcoal rot (Macrophomina phaseolina)
Authors: BELLALOUI N. , MENGISTU A. , PARIS R. L.
Published: August 2008

Seed composition in soybean [Glycine max (L) Merr.] has not been well investigated under charcoal rot infestation under irrigated and non-irrigated conditions. The objective of the present experiment was to assess seed composition and nitrogen fixation under these conditions. No significant differences in protein levels in the moderately resistant germplasm line DT97-4290 were observed under these conditions. Under irrigation, protein concentration was significantly (P⩽0·05) higher for the susceptible cultivars Egyptian and Pharaoh under non-infested than infested conditions. The opposite response for protein was observed under non-irrigated conditions for Pharaoh. Oleic acid concentration was significantly (P⩽0·001) higher in susceptible cultivars under infested conditions. The concentration of linolenic acid in susceptible cultivars was significantly lower under infested conditions. The enrichment of Delta 15N in susceptible cultivars under infested conditions indicated that nitrogen fixation was substantially inhibited, but soil nitrogen was used for compensating for atmospheric nitrogen inhibition. These results indicate that charcoal rot infection may alter seed composition and nitrogen fixation in soybean. The alteration in seed composition depended on cultivar susceptibility to charcoal rot and irrigation management.
Reflection of an electromagnetic pulse from a relativistically moving plasma
Authors: ŠKORIĆ MILOŠ M. , STANIĆ BOŽIDAR B. , HADŽIEVSKI LJUPČO , NIKOLIĆ LJUBOMIR
Published: August 2008

The reflection of an obliquely incident electromagnetic pulse from a moving plasma half-space is studied. Using the Lorentz transformations, covariance of Maxwell's equations and the principle of phase invariance to transform between the rest frame and the moving frame, calculations can be conveniently performed in the moving frame. An analytical formula for the linear reflected waveform as a function of the incident angle shows temporal compression and pulse amplification at relativistic velocities of relevance for the generation of ultra-short laser optical pulses.
An Antarctic tragedy: a polar poem
Authors: Rosove Michael H.
Published: August 2008

A newly discovered Antarctic poem, probably by Raymond Priestley, is presented.
Using PDA for undergraduate student incidental vocabulary testing
Authors: Song Yanjie , Fox Robert
Published: August 2008

Recent studies have explored English vocabulary learning in environments where students used mobile technologies for prescribed vocabulary learning tasks, or tested designed personalized learning systems to enhance student vocabulary learning for short periods of time in language related courses. Dictionary use via mobile devices has mostly been used for referential purposes. Referential use refers to applications that provide student access to content such as dictionaries, e-books, etc. at places where learning activities occur, taking advantage of the portability and mobility of mobile devices. Research on free student use of mobile devices to foster incidental vocabulary learning in non-English courses remains scant, and no in-depth studies have been carried out to investigate the value of dictionary use on mobile devices for incidental vocabulary learning in higher education. This one-year multiple-case study investigated undergraduate students' dictionary and other uses of Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) to enhance their incidental vocabulary learning in an English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI) university. The research findings show: (a) the students made various uses of the PDA to improve their vocabulary learning, namely, referential, situated, constructive, reflective, explorative and conversing uses, (b) the students adopted integrated uses of the tools on the PDA and the computer for their incidental vocabulary learning, and (c) the integrated use of the PDA and the computer shaped the vocabulary learning activities and vice versa. These research results indicate that PDAs can be used in more flexible, novel and extended ways for English as a Foreign Language (EFL) vocabulary teaching and learning in higher education, taking student needs and contexts into consideration.
L'italiano al telefonino: Using SMS to support beginners' language learning
Authors: Kennedy Claire , Levy Mike
Published: August 2008

This article discusses an experiment in sending regular Short Message Service (SMS) messages to support language learning, and vocabulary learning in particular, at beginners' level in Italian at an Australian university. The approach we took built on the initiatives of Thornton and Houser (2005) and Dias (2002b), and was informed by the results of an earlier trial we had conducted with students at high-intermediate level (Levy & Kennedy, 2005). In testing the possibilities for using mobile phones for language learning purposes, we were especially interested in investigating the acceptability of a ‘push’ mode of operation, in which the scheduling of messages is determined by the teachers. While the students appreciated the experience overall, and found the message content often useful or enjoyable, there was a wide range of views on the frequency of messages acceptable. We are therefore planning the further integration of messaging into the course around a flexible arrangement involving options for high or low frequency of pushed messages, as well as messages available on request – in ‘pull’ mode.
The potential of using a mobile phone to access the Internet for learning EFL listening skills within a Korean context
Authors: Nah Ki Chune , White Peter , Sussex Roland
Published: August 2008

Interest in the use of a mobile phone to access the Internet for learning English in general, and listening skills in particular, has been increasing in Korea over the last few years. However, there has been only a small number of studies on this topic in Korea. The present paper investigates the potential of using a mobile phone to browse wireless application protocol (WAP) sites for the purpose of learning listening skills. The study focuses specifically on the attitudes of language learners toward using a mobile phone for this purpose. The study is based on input, interaction, output and sociocultural theories, as well as on collaborative, learner-centred, constructivist and task-based learning approaches. An experiment was carried out with a group of undergraduate students who had enrolled in a required intermediate English as a Foreign Language (EFL) listening course at a Korean university. A WAP site was designed and used as the instrument for the experiment. This study found that the language learners expressed positive attitudes towards the use of the WAP site. It also found that the WAP site can be effective for learning listening skills and for student-centred and collaborative learning. Based on the findings, it is clear that WAP sites can be effective for learning listening skills, since they can enhance opportunities to learn language skills, and encourage language learners to participate actively in the learning process.
Challenges faced by modern foreign language teacher trainees in using handheld pocket PCs (Personal Digital Assistants) to support their teaching and learning
Authors: Wishart Jocelyn
Published: August 2008

This study addresses the challenges faced by Modern Foreign Language teacher trainees when asked to investigate the potential of a Personal Digital Assistant to support them both in their learning and in their teaching during their training year. Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) such as the Windows Pocket PCs used in this study have previously been found supportive by trainees in other professions with a large information content. Modern Foreign Languages (MFL) was chosen as the subject for this investigation as a particularly wide range of potential opportunities specific to MFL was foreseen. These opportunities ranged from supporting student teachers' learning by enabling access to email and other internet resources wherever they were based to enabling ‘on the spot’ audio or video recordingto support their teaching. For this investigation, seven student teachers from an MFL initial teacher training programme were loaned PDAs for the duration of their course. This paper reports on interviews conducted at the end of the training year with six of the student teachers in order to elicit their views on the PDAs they were loaned. They were all experienced information technology users and willing to explore the devices but there had always seemed to be a preferred alternative technology available either at home or in the classroom. Their reports shed much light on the current climate in schools and subject culture pressures as interpreted by student teachers in MFL departments but told us only a little about the functionality of a PDA and how it can support mobile assisted language learning. The socio-cultural context within the MFL departments where the trainees were placed meant that they did not feel comfortable about exploring the PDA functionality. They were not yet confident in their pedagogical identities and mostly felt they could not disrupt the established practice with the novel technology. However, when the devices were used, applications that appeared most effective in supporting learning to teach MFL with PDAs were those that enabled the capture of on-the-spot events and reflections. This could be either through the inbuilt recording functions, especially video, or by making notes using either the on-screen keyboard or by handwriting recognition.
Identity, sense of community and connectedness in a community of mobile language learners
Authors: Petersen Sobah Abbas , Divitini Monica , Chabert George
Published: August 2008

Mobility can affect a learner's participation in different communities that support language learning. In this paper we report on our experience with supporting a course in which language students are encouraged to travel to a country where the target language is spoken. On the one hand, students who travel abroad get in contact with local communities,which can promote their learning of the language and the culture. On the other hand, they risk losing contact with their classmates and the support that they provide. In this context we introduced a mobile community blog with the aim of extending the learning arena and promoting the sharing of knowledge among the students, independently of their location. This paper discusses the design considerations for the blog and describes its use to support students' sense of community. An evaluation and analysis of the usage of the blog is presented. These results suggest that the learners lack an identity within the community of language learners and there was no sense of community among the members. Reflecting on these results, we suggest that while a blog might be an appropriate tool for promoting knowledge sharing, it lacks functionalities to promote connectedness among learners and foster their identity as a community.
Some considerations for adoption of Nikolaeva's formula system into seed dormancy classification
Authors: Baskin Jerry M. , Baskin Carol C.
Published: August 2008

The five versions of the M.G. Nikolaeva seed dormancy terminology and formulae system are correlated to each other and to the dormancy terminology proposed by Baskin and Baskin [Seed Science Research14, 1–16 (2004)]. The proposal is made that the dormancy formula scheme of Nikolaeva [Botanicheskii Zhurnal86, 1–14 (2001)] be adopted as part of an international seed dormancy classification system, and her logic for derivation of the new formulae for physiological and morphophysiological dormancy is discussed via examples. We conclude that there are several advantages of adopting formulae into a seed dormancy classification system. However, Nikolaeva's scheme, especially the part for morphophysiological dormancy, probably needs a small amount of further refinement.
Protein and gene expression patterns of endo-β-mannanase following germination of rice
Authors: Ren Yanfang , Bewley J. Derek , Wang Xiaofeng
Published: August 2008

The rice (Oryza sativa L.) cv. Taichung 65, a japonica subspecies, was used to characterize the isoform, protein and gene expression patterns of endo-β-mannanase during and after seed germination. Activity assays and isoform analyses of whole grains or seed parts (scutellum, aleurone layer and starchy endosperm) revealed that seeds began to express endo-β-mannanase activity at 48 h from the start of imbibition at 25°C, after the completion of germination of most seeds. Three isoforms of endo-β-mannanase (pI 8.86, pI 8.92 and pI 8.98) were detected in the aleurone layer and starchy endosperm, but only two (pI 8.86 and pI 8.92) were present in the scutellum. The endo-β-mannanase in the starchy endosperm was mainly from the aleurone layer. Western blot analysis, using a tomato anti-endo-β-mannanase antibody, indicated that an endo-β-mannanase protein was present in an inactive form in dry grains. The amount of this protein decreased in the scutellum, but increased in the aleurone layer during and after germination. Thus, the increase in endo-β-mannanase activity in rice grains may be due to the activation of extant proteins and/or the de novo synthesis of the enzyme. Northern blot analysis showed that four putative rice endo-β-mannanase genes (OsMAN1, OsMAN2, OsMAN6 and OsMANP) were expressed in germinating and germinated rice grains. However, OsMANP was not expressed in the scutellum. The amount of OsMAN6 mRNA decreased after the completion of germination and paralleled the decline in endo-β-mannanase protein. In the aleurone layer, the increase of OsMAN2, OsMAN6 and OsMANP mRNA was prior to the increase of endo-β-mannanase protein.
Analysis of the magnetic field discontinuity at the potential field source surface and Schatten Current Sheet interface in the Wang–Sheeley–Arge model
Authors: McGregor S. L. , Hughes W. J. , Arge C. N. , Owens M. J.
Published: August 2008

The Wang–Sheeley–Arge solar wind model makes use of coupled potential field source surface (PFSS) and Schatten Current Sheet (SCS) models to reconstruct the coronal magnetic field on the basis of the observed line‐of‐sight photospheric magnetic field and a 1D kinematic code to propagate the solar wind to 1 AU. The source surface serves as the outer boundary of the PFSS model and the inner boundary of the SCS model. Known discontinuities arise in the tangential components of the magnetic field across this surface owing to differences in the imposed boundary conditions (Wang et al., 1998). Here we introduce a more flexible coupling between the two models, which considerably reduces the discontinuous behavior of the magnetic field across the model interface surface, to investigate the effects and importance of these kinks on the accuracy of the model's solar wind speed predictions at 1 AU. A detailed analysis of select Carrington rotations shows that removing the kinks can lead to changes in connectivity, creating different source regions for the solar wind. These changes lead to significantly improved predictions of solar wind structures at 1 AU some of the time, but most of the time, the kinks do not affect the predicted solar wind speed. This improvement is born out statistically by increases in the prediction skill scores of both solar wind velocity (1.7%) and interplanetary magnetic field polarity (1.4%) at 1 AU.
Flux tube texture of the solar wind: Strands of the magnetic carpet at 1 AU?
Authors: Borovsky Joseph E.
Published: August 2008

It is argued here that the inner heliosphere is filled with a network of entangled magnetic flux tubes and that the flux tubes are fossil structures that originate at the solar surface. 65,860 flux tubes are collected from seven years of measurements with the ACE spacecraft at 1 AU by spotting the flux tube walls with large changes in the magnetic field direction and the vector flow velocity. The tube walls are associated with large changes in the ion entropy density and the alpha‐to‐proton ratio. The median size of the flux tubes at 1 AU is 4.4 × 105km. The tubes are larger in slow wind than in fast wind. The tubes are on‐average aligned with the Parker spiral, with a large spread in orientations. This large spread may be caused by slight misalignments of tubes in the corona. The flux tubes map to granule and supergranule sizes on the Sun. The amounts of magnetic flux in the tubes at 1 AU correspond to the amounts of magnetic flux in field concentrations in the magnetic carpet. It is argued that the flux tubes do not reconnect during the ∼100‐h advection to 1 AU owing to the expansion of the solar wind. The flux tube texture impacts the flow properties of the solar wind, turbulence in the solar wind, energetic‐particle propagation in the inner heliosphere, and the driving of the Earth's magnetosphere. A method for using measurements of the flux tube walls for the remote sensing of magnetic field dynamics in the magnetic carpet is suggested.
Large‐scale spring deposits on Mars?
Authors: Rossi Angelo Pio , Neukum Gerhard , Pondrelli Monica , van Gasselt Stephan , Zegers Tanja , Hauber Ernst , Chicarro Agustin , Foing Bernard
Published: August 2008

We present a large‐scale spring hypothesis for the formation of various enigmatic light‐toned deposits (LTDs) on Mars. Layered to massive LTDs occur extensively in Valles Marineris, chaotic terrains, and several large craters, in particular, those located in Arabia Terra. Most of these deposits are not easily explained with either a single process or multiple ones, either in combination or occurring sequentially. Spring deposits can have a very wide range of internal facies and exhibit complex architectural variations. We propose the concept of large‐scale spring deposits for explaining LTDs on Mars. Stable volcano‐tectonic settings, such as the ones typical on Mars, are compatible with a large‐scale, long‐term, multistage formation of spring deposits. The large‐scale spring deposit model can explain the formation of LTDs with a common process, although active in different times and locations, compatible with coeval local or regional processes and deposits, such as volcaniclastic ones. LTDs, if formed as spring deposits derived from subsurface fluids, could potentially offer favorable conditions both to life and to the fossilization of past life forms.
Water resource requirements of corn‐based ethanol
Authors: Mubako Stanley , Lant Christopher
Published: August 2008

Ethanol derived from fermentation of corn is a very water‐intensive product with water to ethanol mass ratios of 927 to 1178 and volumetric ratios of 1174 to 1492 for the major rainfed corn‐growing U.S. states of Illinois and Iowa and the leading irrigated corn‐growing state of Nebraska, respectively. Over 99% of water requirements are for growing corn feed stocks, with 99% of that amount in Illinois and Iowa, occurring as evapotranspiration of rainfall in corn fields, and 60% as evapotranspiration of applied irrigation water in Nebraska. As a rough measure of water quality impacts, 65.5 g N, 23.8 g P, and 1.03 g of pesticides are applied, and 4.8 kg of soil is eroded per liter of ethanol produced. These results add to knowledge on corn‐based ethanol's low net energy balance and high carbon footprint by demonstrating the high water resource intensity of corn‐based ethanol production.
Status and Progress of the International Polar Year
Authors: Allison Ian , Béland Michel , Carlson David
Published: August 2008

The International Polar Year 2007–2008 (IPY), which was launched on 1 March 2007 with an observing and fieldwork period between then and 1 March 2009, is now more than halfway through its official period. In this brief report we review the progress and achievements of IPY to date, and we provide a view to the eventual outcome of the program. In doing this, we assess IPY progress against criteria similar to those that were used to endorse IPY projects [Rapley et al., 2004]. We particularly try to establish the extent to which IPY has catalyzed a level of research and advance that would not have otherwise occurred.
Microcosm studies of the role of land plants in elevating soil carbon dioxide and chemical weathering
Authors: Baars C. , Hefin Jones T. , Edwards Dianne
Published: August 2008

A decrease in atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration during the mid‐Palaeozoic is postulated to have been partially the consequence of the evolution of rooted land plants. Root development increased the amount of carbonic acid generated by root respiration within soils. This led to increased chemical weathering of silicates and subsequent formation of carbonates, resulting in lower atmospheric CO2 concentrations. To test this assumption, analog (morphologically equivalent) plant species, ranging from those possessing no roots to those with complex rhizomatous rooting systems, were grown in trays within microcosms at ambient (360 ppm/0.37 mbar) and highly elevated (3500 ppm/3.55 mbar) atmospheric CO2 concentrations in a controlled environment facility. Substrate CO2 concentrations increased significantly under elevated atmospheric CO2, and Equisetum hyemale (L.). The latter is postulated to result from the effects of deeply rooted plants, elevated atmospheric CO2 concentrations, or both. Plants with simple or no rooting systems or the addition of dead organic matter as a substrate for microorganisms did not enhance substrate CO2 concentrations.
What a difference a century makes: Understanding the changing hydrologic regime and storage requirements in the Upper Colorado River basin
Authors: Jain Shaleen , Eischeid Jon K.
Published: August 2008

The changing hydrologic regime of the Upper Colorado River Basin presents a daunting challenge for water resources management. A major source of concern is that of ascertaining the nature of runoff variability and re‐calibrating the systemic management and planning based on a more reliable envelope of water supply variations to meet societal needs. In this letter, we examine the long‐term variability and change in the Upper Colorado annual runoff volume—quantified as shifts in the mean, interannual variability, and persistence—in a recent tree‐ring based reconstruction extending back to 762AD. A simple model for reservoir storage requirement shows sensitivity to the changing hydrologic regime, with episodes of abrupt shifts toward significantly higher storage requirements, often not readily evident in runoff statistics. The results also suggest that benchmarking of climate models for regional water resources assessment should focus on the runoff statistics that are most relevant for storage requirement computations.
Improved fine‐scale transport model performance using AUV and HSI feedback in a tidally dominated system
Authors: Hibler L. F. , Maxwell A. R. , Miller L. M. , Kohn N. P. , Woodruff D. L. , Montes M. J. , Bowles J. H. , Moline M. A.
Published: August 2008

One of the challenges for model prediction and validation is providing them with data of appropriate spatial and temporal resolution. The maturation and increased application of autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) in aquatic environments allows systematic data collection on these model‐relevant scales. The goal of this study was to apply a fine‐scale circulation and transport model (Delft3D) to improve AUV mission planning and use data collected by the AUV to evaluate and improve model performance. A dye release was conducted in a tidally dominated embayment, and a planning phase model based on the best available data was used as a baseline for evaluation and for AUV mission planning (forecast). The planning phase model correctly predicted the general shape and direction of the dye plume and allowed for successful mission planning. Subsequently, bathymetry data collected by the AUV was incorporated into the model (hindcast), with temperature and salinity collected before the experiment. Comparisons with fluorometer measurements from the AUV indicate that the model effectively predicted the edges of the plume and centerline location. The location was also confirmed by remote sensing from an aircraft. Thermal stratification was found to be an important fate mechanism in the final model, and the results demonstrate the integration of observational data sets for small, short‐duration surface‐contaminant releases. This study highlights the strength of a phased, iterative approach with observation platforms and may serve as a guide toward improving the performance and evaluation of future coastal hydrodynamic and transport modeling efforts.
Lysogenic virus–host interactions predominate at deep-sea diffuse-flow hydrothermal vents
Authors: Williamson Shannon J , Cary S Craig , Williamson Kurt E , Helton Rebekah R , Bench Shellie R , Winget Danielle , Wommack K Eric
Published: August 2008

The consequences of viral infection within microbial communities are dependent on the nature of the viral life cycle. Among the possible outcomes is the substantial influence of temperate viruses on the phenotypes of lysogenic prokaryotes through various forms of genetic exchange. To date, no marine microbial ecosystem has consistently shown a predisposition for containing significant numbers of inducible temperate viruses. Here, we show that deep-sea diffuse-flow hydrothermal vent waters display a consistently high incidence of lysogenic hosts and harbor substantial populations of temperate viruses. Genetic fingerprinting and initial metagenomic analyses indicate that temperate viruses in vent waters appear to be a less diverse subset of the larger virioplankton community and that these viral populations contain an extraordinarily high frequency of novel genes. Thus, it appears likely that temperate viruses are key players in the ecology of prokaryotes within the extreme geothermal ecosystems of the deep sea.
Association of Codon 16 and Codon 27 β2‐Adrenergic Receptor Gene Polymorphisms with Obesity: A Meta‐analysis
Authors: Jalba Mihai S. , Rhoads George G. , Demissie Kitaw
Published: August 2008

Objective: To search for an association between the Glu27Gln (rs1042714; B27) and the Arg16Gly (rs1042713; B16) polymorphisms of the β2‐adrenergic receptor (ADRB2) gene and obesity.

Methods: Meta‐analysis of published studies, included if subjects were genotyped at either codon 27 (“B27”) or codon 16 (“B16”) of the ADRB2 gene and both obese and nonobese subjects were selected, based on a reported cutoff BMI limit. Initial selection included 14,444 subjects genotyped at B27 (rs1042714) and 6,825 genotyped at B16 (rs1042713). After testing each control group for Hardy‐Weinberg equilibrium, the final selection included 10,404 subjects and 4,328 subjects, respectively. Studies were published before 18 August 2006.

Results: The frequency of Glu27 allele carriers, either homozygous or heterozygous, ranged from 6.71% in Aymara American Indians to 78.29% in a Dutch population. The frequency of Arg16 allele carriers varied from 51.4 to 64.6% in Europeans and from 71.1 to 85.6% in East Asians. The summary odds ratio (OR) from overall analyses showed no association between either rs1042714 or rs1042713 and obesity. In race groups with low Glu27 allele frequency (Asians, Pacific Islanders, and American Indians), ORs revealed a significant obesity risk associated with rs1042714. These results were not found in East Asians for rs1042713.

Discussion: The presence of the Glu27 allele in the ADRB2 gene appears to be a significant risk factor for obesity in Asians, Pacific Islanders, and American Indians, but not in Europeans. Obesity does not appear to be associated with the Arg16 allele.
Trypanosoma cruzi Infection of Cultured Adipocytes Results in an Inflammatory Phenotype
Authors: Nagajyothi Fnu , Desruisseaux Mahalia S. , Thiruvur Niranjan , Weiss Louis M. , Braunstein Vicki L. , Albanese Chris , Teixeira Mauro M. , De Almeida Cecilia J. , Lisanti Michael P. , Scherer Philipp E. , Tanowitz Herbert B.
Published: August 2008

Infection with Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiologic agent of Chagas disease is accompanied by an intense inflammatory reaction. Our laboratory group has identified adipose tissue as one of the major sites of inflammation during disease progression. Because adipose tissue is composed of many cell types, we were interested in investigating whether the adipocyte per se was a source of inflammatory mediators in this infection. Cultured adipocytes were infected with the Tulahuen strain of T. cruzi for 48–96 h. Immunoblot and quantitative PCR (qPCR) analyses demonstrated an increase in the expression of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines, including interleukin (IL)‐1β, interferon‐γ, tumor necrosis factor‐α, CCL2, CCL5, and CXCL10 as well as an increase in the expression of Toll‐like receptors‐2 and 9 and activation of the notch pathway. Interestingly, caveolin‐1 expression was reduced while cyclin D1 and extracellular signal‐regulated kinase (ERK) expression was increased. The expression of PI3kinase and the activation of AKT (phosphorylated AKT) were increased suggesting that infection may induce components of the insulin/IGF‐1 receptor cascade. There was an infection‐associated decrease in adiponectin and peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor‐γ (PPAR‐γ). These data provide a mechanism for the increase in the inflammatory phenotype that occurs in T. cruzi‐infected adipocytes. Overall, these data implicate the adipocyte as an important target of T. cruzi, and one which contributes significantly to the inflammatory response observed in Chagas disease.
Review and Meta‐analysis of Pharmacotherapy for Binge‐eating Disorder
Authors: Reas Deborah L. , Grilo Carlos M.
Published: August 2008

This study evaluated available controlled treatment studies to determine utility of pharmacotherapy for binge‐eating disorder (BED). The authors identified randomized placebo‐controlled trials testing pharmacotherapy‐only treatments and controlled trials testing pharmacotherapy with psychotherapy treatments. Meta‐analysis was performed on placebo‐controlled trials with data for attrition, remission, and weight loss. Qualitative review was performed on remaining controlled treatment literature. A total of 33 studies were considered of which 14 studies with a total of 1,279 patients were included in the meta‐analysis of pharmacotherapy‐only treatment and 8 studies with a total of 683 patients were included in the qualitative review of pharmacotherapy combined with psychotherapy interventions. No evidence suggested significant differences between medication and placebo for attrition. Evidence suggested that pharmacological treatments have a clinically significant advantage over placebo for achieving short‐term remission from binge eating (48.7% vs. 28.5%) and for weight loss, although weight losses are not substantial. No data exist to allow evaluation of longer‐term effects of pharmacotherapy‐only treatment for BED. Combining medications with psychotherapy interventions failed to significantly enhance binge outcomes, although specific medications (orlistat, topiramate) enhanced weight losses achieved with cognitive behavioral therapy and behavioral weight loss. In summary, BED patients can be advised that certain pharmacotherapies may enhance likelihood of stopping binge eating short term, but that longer‐term effects are unknown. Although some weight loss may occur, it is unlikely to be substantial with available medications. Combining medications with cognitive or behavioral treatments is unlikely to enhance binge outcomes, but specific medications (orlistat, topiramate) may enhance weight losses, albeit modestly.
Postprandial Cytokine Concentrations and Meal Composition in Obese and Lean Women
Authors: Manning Patrick J. , Sutherland Wayne H.F. , McGrath Michelle M. , De Jong Sylvia A. , Walker Robert J. , Williams Michael J.A.
Published: August 2008

The aim of this study was to compare the acute effect of (i) meals rich in saturated fat, oleic acid, and α‐linolenic acid and (ii) meals rich in starch and fiber on markers of inflammation and oxidative stress in obese and lean women. In a crossover study, 15 abdominally obese women (age, 54 ± 9 years; BMI, 37.3 ± 5.5 kg/m2) and 14 lean women (age, 53 ± 10 years; BMI, 22.9 ± 1.9 kg/m2) consumed meals rich in cream (CR), olive oil (OL), canola oil (CAN), potato (POT), and All‐Bran (BRAN) in random order. Blood samples were collected before and up to 6 h after the meals and plasma interleukin‐6 (IL‐6), IL‐8, tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α), lipid peroxides (LPOs), free‐fatty acids (FFAs), insulin, glucose, and cortisol were measured. Plasma IL‐6 decreased significantly 1 h after the meals then increased significantly above baseline at 4 h and 6 h in obese women and at 6 h in lean women. The incremental area under the curve (iAUC) for IL‐6 was significantly (P = 0.02) higher in obese compared with lean women and was significantly lower following the high fiber BRAN meal compared with a POT meal (P = 0.003). Waist circumference (R = 0.491, P = 0.007) and cortisol AUC (R = −0.415, P = 0.03) were significant determinants of the magnitude of 6 h changes in plasma IL‐6 after the meals. These findings suggest that the postprandial response of plasma IL‐6 concentrations may be influenced by the type of carbohydrate in the meal, central adiposity, and circulating cortisol concentrations in women.