bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The effect of type of suckling on the pre- and post-weaning lactation performance of Damascus goats and the growth rate of the kids
Authors: Hadjipanayiotou M.
Published: March 2009

Forty-nine and 58 Damascus goats were used in each of two trials, respectively. Goats were randomly allocated 2 days post-partum to twin-suckling (TS), singlesuckling (SS) and no-suckling (NS) kids treatments. In trial 1, artificially reared kids were divided into two groups fed either on ewe-milk (25·8% fat, 24·2% protein) or on calf-milk (15% fat, 22·5% protein) replacer. In trial 2, all artificially reared kids were fed on ewe-milk replacer. The ewe- and calf-milk replacers were reconstituted in the ratio of 1 part powder to 5 or 4 parts (by weight) of water, respectively.

Separation of kids from their dams reduced total milk yield (means of two trials) until weaning (TS 194, SS 176, NS 121 kg/goat) and from weaning to 90 days of lactation (TS 95, SS 89, NS 70 kg/goat). On the other hand, separation of kids increased marketable milk yield until weaning (TS 68, SS 99, NS 121 kg/goat). Marketable milk during the period 3–90 days post-partum was similar for NS and SS goats (TS 163, SS 188, NS 191 kg/goat). Goats suckling two kids suffered greater weight losses (TS 78, SS 44, NS 6 g/day). Goats suckling two males produced more milk until weaning than all other twin sets. Differences in concentrate intake between group means of TS and SS were smaller compared with the NS group (TS 2·26, SS 2·08, NS 1·86 kg/goat per day).

There were no differences in weaning weight and weight gain from birth to weaning between kids reared on milk replacers. However, four kids on the calf-milk replacer died and two more were excluded from the data because of severe scouring. Single suckling kids gained more weight until weaning than TS and those reared artificially (AR) on ewe-milk replacer (SS 11·1, TS 9·1, AR 9·3 kg/kid). Furthermore, males consumed more milk than females (males 74, females 64 kg/kid) and SS more than TS kids (SS 75, TS 63 kg/kid).

It is concluded that SS and NS treatments increase commercial milk yields compared with the TS goats, but NS should not be recommended because of an adverse effect on pre- and post-weaning lactation performance.
Relationship between bone dimensions and conformation in beef carcasses
Authors: Colomer-Rocher F. , Duganzich D. M. , Bass J. J.
Published: March 2009

From a mixed group of cross-bred steers slaughtered at the same age, up to 12 carcasses of similar weight from each of the five conformation classes were chosen using the European Economic Community (EEC) scale for the classification of carcasses of adult bovine animals. In the hindquarter of carcasses with better conformation the ratio of muscle to bone was higher with less internal fat and more subcutaneous fat, muscles were heavier and blockier, both the carcass and leg length were shorter. Short-thick muscles were associated with short-thick bones. The results indicate that the EEC scale is a useful method to discriminate between carcasses differing in composition. It is suggested that differences in muscle: bone ratio in cattle could reflect differences in the structure and shape of bones. The conclusions remain tentative until they are confirmed on a larger number of carcasses.
The detection and measurement of mite infestation in animal feed using near infra-red reflectance
Authors: Wilkin D. R. , Cowe I. A. , Thind B. B. , McNicol J. W. , Cuthbertson D. C.
Published: March 2009

Samples of pig feed, infested to various known amounts with Acarus siro L., were scanned using an NIR analyser. Visual inspection of the spectra of infested feed did not indicate the presence of mites, but principal components derived from these spectra were correlated with the number of mites. Examination of the spectrum of Ringer solution, and of principal components for both infested feed samples and for mites scanned in isolation, indicated that in infested samples mite haemolymph caused the absorbance maximum for water to be shifted towards the visible end of the spectrum. Simpler calibration models, of the type used by current commercial NIR analysers, were developed which were able to detect and quantify economically significant levels of mites in infested pig feed.
Effects of sowing technique on yield formation of Vicia faba as affected by population density, sowing date and plant type
Authors: Stützel H. , Aufhammer W. , Löber A.
Published: March 2009

Field experiments were carried out in which three different sowing techniques: sowing by hand, with a conventional seed drill and with a precision drill, were used to plant an indeterminate and a determinate cultivar of Vicia faba at two sowing dates and at three population densities in 1989 and 1990 in Southern Germany.

Delayed sowing reduced field emergence rates in both years. Hand sowing produced the poorest stands in some instances due to an insufficient sowing depth being achieved. Only at late sowing dates did precision drilling give greater field emergence rates than conventional drilling. During the early stages of growth, hand and precision sowing resulted in crops with the greatest light interception and dry matter production. However, these differences between sowing techniques decreased later on. Lodging was most severe in conventionally drilled crops, particularly at high population density. Thus, when lodging occurred, dry matter and grain yields decreased with increasing plant density in conventional sowings, although they tended to increase in hand-sown and precision-drilled crops. Overall, apart from this interaction, there was no significant effect of sowing technique on grain yield. Grain yields and dry matter production were generally higher in the indeterminate cultivar Herz Freya than in the determinate cultivar Ticol, but there were no differential effects of sowing technique.
Effect of herbage in Astrebla spp. pastures in northwest Queensland on lamb survival
Authors: Cobon D. H. , Carter J. O.
Published: March 2009

Extensive grazing experiments were conducted over four summer breeding seasons in north-west Queensland between 1984 and 1989. Ewes in the last third of pregnancy were grazed on Mitchell grass (Astrebla spp.) pastures of varying forb (herbaceous plant other than a grass) content. Pastures of low forb content (F-) were attained by stocking paddocks heavily with wethers prior to the experiment, or by selecting paddocks which already contained pastures of low forb content. Pastures of high forb content (F+) were kept without animals prior to the experimental period. Pastures comprised a range of forb biomass (29–828 kg DM/ha) and percentage forbs in total biomass (3–49%). Lamb marking percentage was found to be dependent on the biomass of forbs and proportion of forbs in the pasture, in two experiments. Ewes which grazed F+ pastures had lower lamb marking percentages than those grazing F- pastures.

Twenty pasture species collected during the experiments were analysed for the ratio of 13C: 12C and photosynthetic pathway was determined. Five forb and all three grass species had C4-dicarboxylic acid pathways, ten forbs had Calvin-C3 pathways and two forbs had crassulacean acid metabolism pathways.

Estimates of the proportion of C3 and C4 species in the diet were determined by analysing the ratio of 13C:12C in faeces. The apparent high proportion of Calvin-C3 pathway forbs in the diet of ewes compared to the proportion in the total pasture biomass indicated that ewes preferentially select C3 forbs in the diet, although there was no dependence of lambing percentage on the estimated proportion of C3 forbs in the diet. Management strategies that may improve lambing percentage in the Mitchell grass areas of north-west Queensland are discussed.
Retention of energy and nitrogen by young sheep on different feeding patterns
Authors: Freer M. , Jones D. B. , Christian K. R.
Published: March 2009

In each of two experiments the comparative slaughter technique was used to compare the retention of energy by young Border Leicester × Merino wethers when the same total amount of food was offered according to two different feeding regimens. These were designed to simulate, in pens with a diet of pelleted lucerne, feeding patterns typical of continuous and intensive rotational grazing.

In the first experiment ten 9-month-old sheep that were offered the same amount of food daily (mean intake 367 g digestible organic matter) during each of 14 weeks made mean daily gains of 39 g live weight, 6·3 g body fat and 0·59 MJ (140 kcal) energy compared with a gain of 30 g live weight, a loss of 1·4 g body fat and a gain of 0·28 MJ (67 kcal) energy by a similar group that ate the same total quantity of food but in amounts that ranged, during each week, from 1·8 to 0·1 times the daily intake of the other group. This cyclic feeding pattern caused a small decrease in the digestibility of dietary organic matter.

In the second experiment two similar feeding patterns were compared with ten pairs of 3-month-old sheep eating twice as much food each week as in the first experiment. One member of each pair was, in each of 13 weeks, offered food ad lib. for 3 days and then amounts falling to 20% of voluntary intake on the seventh day; the other one ate the same amount of food each week but in seven almost equal feeds. The latter sheep gained, on average, 132 g live weight daily and retained 58 g body fat and 2·96 MJ (707 kcal) energy compared with 124 g live weight, 49 g body fat and 2·61 MJ (624 kcal) energy by the sheep on the cyclic feeding pattern. In neither experiment was wool growth affected by feeding pattern.

The greater effect of the cyclic feeding pattern in reducing the efficiency of energy retention in the first experiment is attributed to the higher number of days each week during which these animals were estimated to be in negative energy balance. These results suggest that adverse nutritional effects of a fluctuating feeding pattern in rotational grazing are likely to be most important where sheep are being rationed near their maintenance level and only small where food is ample.
The growth of maize. I. The effect of plant density on yield of digestible dry matter and grain
Authors: Adelana B. O. , Milbourn G. M.
Published: March 2009

Three maize hybrids (Kelvedon 75A, Kelvedon 33, and Anjou 210) were grown under irrigated conditions at a wide range of density from 5·4 to 21·6 seeds/m2 at a rectangularity of 1:1. For yield of digestible dry matter at the time of silage harvest (7 October) a seed rate of 10·8 seeds/m2 (44000/acre) appeared adequate, as doubling the density to 21·6/m2 only resulted in 7% higher yield. K 33, which is a late·maturing hybrid bred for silage in south-east England (50·5–52·5 °N) produced the highest total yield of digestible dry matter due to a high yield of digestible stem. However, the dry matter % of this material would be too low for good ensilage and for a high level of feed intake. In the early grain hybrid K 75 A, 62% of the digestible dry matter was contained in the ear at the silage stage which improved the digestibility and dry matter % of the whole crop with only a 12% lower yield than K 33.

The optimum density for grain was 10·8 seeds/m2. This is a higher response to density than is believed to occur in field crops in Britain as in these experiments the seed was planted on the square and irrigation was applied at moisture sensitive stages. The parabolic relationship between grain yield and density was closely related to grain number per unit area. At 10·8 seeds/m2 all three hybrids were of similar yield and grain number per unit area. In Anjou 210 this was achieved with one large ear per plant, whilst for the two Kelvedon hybrids mean ear production was 1·34/plant but with 27% fewer grains per ear.
A study of the herbage intake and efficiency of feed utilization of grazing cattle previously fed two winter planes of nutrition
Authors: O'Donovan P. B. , Conway A. , O'Shea J.
Published: March 2009

An experiment was conducted using 36 Hereford × Shorthorn bullocks of about 350 kg initial live weight. Winter planes of nutrition 13 December to 23 March were ‘low’ (hay only) and ‘medium’ (hay plus 1·8 kg concentrate); the former group of 18 bullocks lost on average 21·5 kg while the latter gained 26·5 kg. Each group was then stocked at 2·5 (low), 4·3 (medium) and 6·2 (high) bullocks per hectare and rotationally grazed on 10 plots, 7 of which contained H.I.-white clover mixture and the remaining 3 contained permanent pasture. Pasture digestibility and intake were determined for 16 weekly periods between early April and the end of September. Organic matter digestibility (OMD) of grazed herbage was determined in vitro on samples obtained by means of two rumen-fistulated bullocks. One gelatin capsule containing about 10 g of chromic oxide was daily administered to each bullock to estimate organic matter output. Winter feeding planes had no significant effect on OMD, and increasing the stocking rate increased herbage OMD only during the final 6 weeks. Significantly more organic matter was ingested during the grazing season by animals which had previously been fed on a low plane of nutrition. Stocking rates also significantly affected OMI. Bullocks fed on a low plane during winter were slightly more efficient subsequently in converting herbage into live-weight gain but this was a reflection of their lower average body weight; when feed efficiency was expressed on the basis of metabolic size, bullocks fed on a medium plane were more efficient in converting feed to live-weight gain. It is concluded that the higher daily gains on pasture of bullocks previously fed on a low plane is largely the result of a significantly higher feed intake by these animals.
Statistical research on the digestibility in the cow. I. Dry matter and energy
Authors: Paquay R. , De Baere R. , Lousse A.
Published: March 2009

The results obtained for dry matter and energy digestibility with 116 different rations fed to 242 non-pregnant dry cows and 96 laotating cows were studied.

With winter rations, dry-matter digestibility (Y) is linearly related to dry-matter intake (X1) and to the crude fibre content of the dry matter (X2):

Y = 89·58–0·557X1–0·863X2.

A similar equation was obtained for energy digestibility (Y):

Y = 90·68–0·195X1–0·892X2,

where X1 represents the energy intake (in 1000 kcal) and X2 the crude-fibre content.

Digestible dry matter or energy can be estimated very accurately from dry matter or energy intake and from crude-fibre content.

There is a highly significant linear relation between dry matter or energy digestibility and nitrogen concentration of the faeces, especially with grass.

Dry-matter digestibility is also influenced by the physical form of the feeds and by individual factors.
Resistance in white cabbage to necrosis caused by turnip and cauliflower mosaic viruses and pepper-spot
Authors: Walkey D. G. A. , Neely Heather A.
Published: March 2009

Cabbage accessions were screened for resistance to turnip mosaic (TuMV) and cauliflower mosaic (CaMV) viruses in glasshouse and field tests. None was immune to infection by either virus, but some were highly resistant to one or both viruses. TuMV induced severe necrotic lesions on the outer leaves of susceptible plants at harvest, and this was associated with severe internal necrosis in heads stored for 8 months at 0–1 °C. This correlation was not observed in CaMV infected plants. Pepper-spot necrosis was low in stored heads of some accessions but high in others.
The effect of Brownian motion on the stability of sedimenting suspensions of polarizable rods in an electric field
Authors: HOFFMAN BRENDAN D. , SHAQFEH ERIC S. G.
Published: March 2009

We examine the collective dynamics of polarizable, Brownian, sedimenting rods of high aspect ratio. Previous work of Koch and Shaqfeh (J. Fluids Mech., vol. 209, 1989 pp. 521–542) has shown that in the absence of Brownian motion, sedimenting suspensions of rods are unstable to concentration fluctuations and form dense streamers via interparticle hydrodynamic interactions. Recently, Saintillan, Shaqfeh & Darve (Phys. Fluids, vol. 18 (121701), 2006b p. 1) demonstrated that electric fields can act to stabilize these non-Brownian suspensions of polarizable rods through induced-charge electrokinetic rotation, which forces particle alignment. In this paper, we employ a mean-field linear stability analysis as well as Brownian dynamics simulations to study the effect of thermal motion on the onset of instability. We find that in the absence of electric fields, Brownian motion consistently suppresses instability formation through randomization of particle orientation. However, when electric fields are applied, thermal motion can act to induce instability by counteracting the stabilizing effect of induced-charge orientation.
Peripheral mixing of passive scalar at small Reynolds number
Authors: BOFFETTA G. , DE LILLO F. , MAZZINO A.
Published: March 2009

Mixing of a passive scalar in the peripheral region close to a wall is investigated by means of accurate direct numerical simulations of both a three-dimensional Couette channel flow at low Reynolds numbers and a two-dimensional synthetic flow. In both cases, the resulting phenomenology can be understood in terms of the theory recently developed by Lebedev & Turitsyn (Phys. Rev. E, vol. 69, 2004, 036301). Our results prove the robustness of the identified mechanisms responsible for the persistency of scalar concentration close to the wall with important consequences in completely different fields ranging from microfluidic applications to environmental dispersion modelling.
Cost-effectiveness of pegylated interferon and ribavirin for patients with chronic hepatitis C treated in routine clinical practice
Authors: Grishchenko Marina , Grieve Richard D. , Sweeting Michael J. , De Angelis Daniela , Thomson Brian J. , Ryder Stephen D. , Irving William L. ,   the Trent HCV Study Group
Published: March 2009

Objectives:This study assesses whether pegylated interferon and ribavirin is cost-effective compared with no antiviral treatment provided in routine clinical practice, for different patient subgroups.

Methods:The cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA) uses a Markov decision model to estimate the lifetime cost per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) of antiviral treatment compared with no treatment. The model is populated with data on sustained virological responses, costs, and transition probabilities all taken from a large representative sample of UK cases and centers (Trent HCV database).

Results:The CEA found that pegylated interferon and ribavirin was cost-effective for most patient subgroups. The CEA found that for patients with genotype non-1, the intervention led to cost reductions and gains of at least 0.5 QALYs. For genotype 1 cases with mild or moderate disease, and younger cirrhotic patients (aged 40 or less), costs per QALY remained below £20,000 ($40,000 or €29,000). For genotype 1 cases with cirrhosis aged 50, the mean cost per QALY rose to over £60,000 ($120,000 or €87,000).

Conclusions:The study concludes that, based on cost and effectiveness data collected from routine clinical practice, treatment with pegylated interferon and ribavirin is generally cost-effective. The study shows that there are variations according to patient subgroup and for older (aged 50 or over) genotype 1 patients with cirrhosis, antiviral treatment appears less cost-effective.
Chinese Thinking on the Future of International Relations: Realism as theTi, Rationalism as theYong?
Authors: Lynch Daniel
Published: March 2009

China's evidently unstoppable “rise” energizes PRC political and intellectual elites to think seriously about the future of international relations. How will (and should) China's international roles change in the forthcoming decades? How should its leaders put the country's rapidly-increasing power to use? Foreign China specialists have tended to use an overly-streamlined “resisting” the West versus “co-operating” with it (or even simpler “optimistic” versus “pessimistic”) scale to address such questions, partly reflecting the divide between Realism and Neoliberalism in American international relations theory. By 2002, a near-consensus had developed (though never shared universally) that China had become an increasingly co-operative power since the mid-1990s and would continue to pursue the policy prescriptions of Neoliberal international relations theory. But using more nuanced “English school” analytical techniques – and examining the writings of Chinese elites themselves, aimed solely at Chinese audiences – this article discovers an unmistakably cynical Realism to be still at the core of Chinese thinking on the international future. Even elites who appear sincere in their promotion of co-operation firmly reject “solidarism” among the world's leading states and insist upon upholding the difference between China and all others. Many demand – and foresee – China using its future power to pursue world objectives that would depart in significant respects from those of the other leading states and non-state actors.
The illustrated press under siege: technological imagination in the Paris siege, 1870–1871
Authors: MARTIN MICHÈLE , BODNAR CHRISTOPHER
Published: March 2009

During the Franco-Prussian War, Paris was besieged by the Prussians from the middle of September 1870 until the end of January 1871. During most of the period, the main means of transportation – railways, roads, telegraph, bridges, etc. – were cut off by the Prussians. This article shows that, given the elimination of the main means of diffusion of news, some novel strategies were used to preserve a democratic distribution of information. An analysis of the content of four illustrated periodicals –The Illustrated London NewsandThe Graphicin London andL'IllustrationandLe Monde Illustréin Paris – shows that innovative methods involving such things as the balloon and the carrier pigeon were used to circulate news inside and outside the fortifications of Paris and beyond the surrounding Prussian army. The article also demonstrates that while this distribution had a different form from that occurring in normal situations, it did not prevent the papers from reaching a balance among the various issues related to the war and covered by their content.
Associations Between Personality and Coping Styles Among Norwegian Adolescents
Authors: Murberg Terje A.
Published: March 2009

The aim of this research was to determine prospectively to what extent the outcomes of coping styles are determined by personality traits in a sample of adolescents (aged 14 through 16 years). The sample consisted of 259 (132 females, 127 males) students in two Norwegian secondary schools. The results showed that adolescents’ coping styles were only moderately correlated with the personality traits of Neuroticism and Extraversion. Coping styles and personality showed consistent patterns over the 1-year period. In addition, although personality explains a substantial part of the variance in the criterion variables, coping styles also contribute to a significant portion of this variance, which may support the hypothesis that coping styles are partially determined by the personality traits of Extraversion and Neuroticism. In view of these findings, it could be surmised that coping styles among these adolescents might not just be epiphenomena of enduring personality traits.
Microscale anatomy of the 1999 Chi‐Chi earthquake fault zone
Authors: Boullier Anne‐Marie , Yeh En‐Chao , Boutareaud Sébastien , Song Sheng‐Rong , Tsai Chin‐Ho
Published: March 2009

Two TCDP boreholes A and B were drilled in the northern part of the Chelungpu thrust fault where the Chi‐Chi earthquake (21 September 1999, Mw 7.6) showed large displacement, low ground acceleration, and high slip velocity. In this paper, we describe the microstructures of the Chi‐Chi Principal Slip Zone (PSZ) within black gouges localized at 1111 m depth in Hole A and at 1136 m depth in Hole B. In the FZA1111 the PSZ is a 2 cm‐thick isotropic clay‐rich gouge which contains aggregates formed by central clasts coated by clay cortex (clay‐clast aggregates (CCAs)) and fragments of older gouges segregated in the top third of the PSZ. In FZB1136 the PSZ is 3 mm thick and is characterized by a foliated gouge displaying an alternation of clay‐rich and clast‐rich layers. The presence of CCAs, plucked underlying gouge fragments, gouge injections, and the occurrence of reverse grain size segregation of large clasts in the FZA1111 isotropic gouge suggest that the gouge was fluidized as a result of frictional heating and thermal pressurization. The foliated gouge in FZB1136 may be one locus of strain localization and related heat production. Small calcite veins present above the isotropic FZA1111 PSZ gouge and, characterized by an increasing strain with increasing distance away from the PSZ, are attributed to coseismic fluid escape from the pressurized gouge. The observed microstructures are interpreted in view of their seismic implications for the Chi‐Chi earthquake in terms of slip weakening mechanisms by thermal pressurization, gouge fluidization, coseismic fluid distribution, and postseismic slip. Above the PSZ, several layers of compacted gouges containing deformed CCAs and gouge fragments correspond to several PSZ of past earthquakes similar to the Chi‐Chi earthquake and display a fault‐parallel cleavage resulting from a low strain rate pressure solution deformation mechanism that may be correlated to the interseismic periods.
Surface displacements in the September 2005 Afar rifting event from satellite image matching: Asymmetric uplift and faulting
Authors: Barisin Ivana , Leprince Sebastien , Parsons Barry , Wright Tim
Published: March 2009

Combining sub‐pixel analysis of SPOT4 images with InSAR measurements, we generate 3D surface displacements for the September 2005 rifting event on the Dabbahu Segment in the Afar valley. The axis of rifting in the event is shifted to the east of the geomorphic rift. The horizontal displacements reveal 6 m of extension, and vertical displacements show asymmetric uplift of the flanks of the dike. Simple forward modelling indicates this asymmetry is due to the dike dipping 80° to the west towards the geomorphic rift. The boundary between eastward and westward displacements aligns with the transition between uplift and subsidence on the east in the north part of the segment, but on the west in the south. Normal faulting is not required on both sides of the instantaneous rift. East‐dipping normal faulting on the west side of the instantaneous rift aligns with a west‐dipping normal fault in the topography.
On the common solar signal in different cosmogenic isotope data sets
Authors: Usoskin Ilya G. , Horiuchi Kazuho , Solanki Sami , Kovaltsov Gennady A. , Bard Edouard
Published: March 2009

In this article, we aim to determine frequency ranges and intervals of time in which the solar signal dominates in different cosmogenic isotope data. From a 14C‐based reconstruction of cosmic ray intensity over the last millennia, we computed expected 10Be variations in two Antarctic sites (Dom Fuji and South Pole) and two Greenland sites (Dye‐3 and GISP‐2) and compared them with the actually measured 10Be abundance at the sites. By applying different methods of analysis, such as bivariate correlation, conventional FFT coherence, and wavelet coherence, we found the following: (1) The modeled series, on the basis of 14C data, are in good agreement with the measured 10Be data sets, on different timescales and at different locations, confirming the existence of a common solar signal in both isotope data. (2) The 10Be data are driven by the solar signal on timescales from about 100 years up to 1000 years or even to multimillennial scales (at the longer scales, paleomagnetism plays an increasingly important role). (3) The local climate dominates the 10Be data mostly on short (<100 years) timescales, but the solar signal becomes important even at short scales during periods of Grand minima of solar activity. (4) There is an indication of a possible systematic uncertainty in the early Holocene, likely due to a not‐perfectly‐stable thermohaline circulation, which requires additional studies. We have shown that both 14C‐ and 10Be‐based records are consistent with each other over a wide range of timescales and time intervals. They form a robust basis for quantitative reconstructions of solar activity variations in the past.
Medium‐scale traveling ionospheric disturbances observed with the SuperDARN Hokkaido radar, all‐sky imager, and GPS network and their relation to concurrent sporadic E irregularities
Authors: Ogawa T. , Nishitani N. , Otsuka Y. , Shiokawa K. , Tsugawa T. , Hosokawa K.
Published: March 2009

We present midlatitude medium‐scale traveling ionospheric disturbances (MSTIDs) observed with a Super Dual Auroral Radar Network (SuperDARN) HF radar at around 10 MHz in Hokkaido, Japan, in combination with a 630‐nm all‐sky imager and a GPS network (GEONET) that provides total electron content (TEC) data. MSTIDs propagating southward from high latitudes are detected at first with the HF radar and then with the imager and GEONET. We analyze two MSTID events, one in winter (event 1) and the other in summer (event 2), to find that MSTIDs appear simultaneously, at least, at 55°–25°N. It is shown that nighttime MSTIDs propagate toward the southwest over a horizontal distance of about 4000 km, and daytime MSTIDs do so toward the southeast. Daytime radar echoes are due to ground/sea surface (GS) scatter, while nighttime echoes in event 1 return from 15‐m‐scale F region field‐aligned irregularities (FAIs) and those in event 2 are due to GS scatter. Doppler velocities of the nighttime F region FAI echoes in event 1 are negative (motion away from the radar) within strong echo regions and are positive (motion toward the radar) within weak echo regions. This fact suggests that the strong (weak) echoes return from suppressed (enhanced) airglow/TEC areas, in line with previous observations over central Japan. The nighttime MSTIDs in events 1 and 2 are often accompanied by concurrent coherent echoes from FAIs in sporadic E (Es) layers. The Es echo areas in event 2 rather coincide with suppressed airglow/TEC areas in the F region that are connected with the echo areas along the geomagnetic field, indicating the existence of E and F region coupling at night.
Xe isotopic abundances in enstatite meteorites and relations to other planetary reservoirs
Authors: Lee Jee‐Yon , Marti Kurt , Wacker John F.
Published: March 2009

Reported Xe isotopic abundances in enstatite chondrites (EC's) show some variability, and this makes comparisons to other solar system reservoirs rather difficult. In contrast, we find uniform Xe isotopic abundances in the EC chondrite Abee for a variety of clasts, except for 128Xe and 129Xe, the isotopes affected by neutron capture in I and by extinct 129I. We report averages for the studied clasts which are consistent within error limits with OC‐Xe and with the Q‐Xe signature. On the other hand, the elemental abundance ratios Ar/Xe are variable between clasts. A strongly reducing environment which is indicated for enstatite meteorites was generally assumed to be consistent with conditions existing in the early inner solar system. Xe isotopic abundances in SNC meteorites from Mars and also those in some terrestrial wells show that distinct isotopic reservoirs coexisted on the same planets. In particular, the Xe isotopic signatures in terrestrial well gases show the presence of a minor distinct component in two of the reported four well gases. These authors suggested that the extra component represents solar Xe, but we show that also a meteoritic xenon reservoir of the Abee‐Xe structure is an option. The reported Xe data in Ar‐rich (subsolar) EC's show isotopic abundances slightly lighter than those in Abee‐Xe, but the relative abundances of Ar, Kr, and Xe indicate only a minor component of elementally unfractionated solar Xe. The elemental ratios suggest rather a different origin for these gases: the loading of solar particles into grain surfaces during exposure at elevated temperatures during accretion of matter in the inner solar system. A model of this type was suggested for the accretion of gases now observed in the atmosphere on Venus. We note that disks of crystalline silicates (including enstatite and olivine) have been observed in T Tauri stars during their early evolution.
Origins of the extremely warm European fall of 2006
Authors: Cattiaux J. , Vautard R. , Yiou P.
Published: March 2009

The fall of 2006 was the warmest on record in Europe. So far the origins of this seasonal extreme anomaly have not been elucidated, but understanding them is crucial since climate change may increase the frequency and amplitude of such extreme seasons. From a statistical analysis and regional modeling experiments we estimate the contributions of regional atmospheric circulation and sea‐surface temperatures (SST) on the continental surface temperatures of this event. Both the regression and the dynamical model attribute about 50% of the land temperature anomaly to the atmospheric flow conditions, 30% to the SST warm anomaly, while the missing 20% remain unexplained. Assuming such decomposition, the contribution of trend components would explain about 20 to 40% of the anomaly, a proportion that should increase in the future.
Polar cap potential saturation, dayside reconnection, and changes to the magnetosphere
Authors: Borovsky Joseph E. , Lavraud Benoit , Kuznetsova Maria M.
Published: March 2009

Global MHD simulations of the Earth's magnetosphere using the Block‐Adaptive‐Tree Solarwind Roe Upwind Scheme code at the Community Coordinated Modeling Center are run with a high‐resolution dayside magnetopause and variable‐resolution near‐Earth regions to study the phenomena of polar cap saturation. In the simulations a resistive spot is maintained on the moving magnetopause to ensure that the correct dayside reconnection rate is obtained. The solar wind parameters are held fixed, and the ionospheric Pedersen conductivity is varied. Strong reduction of the cross–polar cap potential is observed, with modest increases in the cross–polar cap current, and no changes in the local and global reconnection rates. Changes in the magnetosphere associated with the saturation of the polar cap are explored: these include a weakening of the dayside magnetic field strength, an equatorward shift of the cusps, a flattening in Z of the closed field line region of the dayside magnetosphere, and a taillike stretching of the dipole field lines at the terminator. Measurements of the currents and voltages of the polar cap indicate that the solar wind acts like a current‐limited voltage generator. A simple circuit model is analyzed using measurements from the MHD simulations, and physically reasonable values for the circuit elements are obtained. Nine models for polar cap saturation are assessed against the findings of the present study.
Measurements of evoked electroencephalograph by transcranial magnetic stimulation applied to motor cortex and posterior parietal cortex
Authors: Iwahashi Masakuni , Koyama Yohei , Hyodo Akira , Hayami Takehito , Ueno Shoogo , Iramina Keiji
Published: March 2009

To investigate the functional connectivity, the evoked potentials by stimulating at the motor cortex, the posterior parietal cortex, and the cerebellum by transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) were measured. It is difficult to measure the evoked electroencephalograph (EEG) by the magnetic stimulation because of the large artifact induced by the magnetic pulse. We used an EEG measurement system with sample-and-hold circuit and an independent component analysis to eliminate the electromagnetic interaction emitted from TMS. It was possible to measure EEG signals from all electrodes over the head within 10 ms after applying the TMS. When the motor area was stimulated by TMS, the spread of evoked electrical activity to the contralateral hemisphere was observed at 20 ms after stimulation. However, when the posterior parietal cortex was stimulated, the evoked electrical activity to the contralateral hemisphere was not observed. When the cerebellum was stimulated, the cortical activity propagated from the stimulated point to the frontal area and the contralateral hemisphere at around 20 ms after stimulation. These results suggest that the motor area has a strong interhemispheric connection and the posterior parietal cortex has no interhemispheric connection.
Magnetocaloric properties and nanoscale structure of Fe-doped Gd5Ge2Si2 alloys
Authors: Podmiljšak Benjamin , McGuiness Paul , Miklavič Blaž , Rožman Kristina Žužek , Kobe Spomenka
Published: March 2009

We have investigated samples of Gd5Ge2SiX−2FeX, where X=0, 0.125, 0.25, and 0.5, and Gd5Si2GeY−2FeY, where Y=0, 0.06, 0.25, and 0.5, using magnetic measurements and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. We found that the Y=0.25 sample, with Fe substituting for Ge, reduced the hysteresis losses practically to zero; however, we also observed this effect to be slightly, but significantly, less pronounced when we substituted Si with Fe. The TC of the matrix phase was found to increase when we added Fe for Ge but to decrease—and more rapidly—when we added Fe for Si. Our transmission electron microscopy results suggest that additions of Fe produce complex changes in the structure of the Gd5Ge2Si2 material, such as amorphous regions, dislocations, and planar faults, as well as crystallographically related grains.
Analysis of L21-ordering in full-Heusler Co2FeSi alloy thin films formed by rapid thermal annealing
Authors: Takamura Yota , Nakane Ryosho , Sugahara Satoshi
Published: March 2009

The authors developed a new analysis approach for evaluation of atomic ordering in full-Heusler alloys, which is extension of the commonly used Webster model. Our model can give accurate physical formalism for the degree of atomic ordering in the L21 structure, including correction with respect to the fully disordered A2 structure, i.e., the model can directly evaluate the degree of L21 ordering under a lower ordering structure than the complete B2-ordering structure. The proposed model was applied to full-Heusler Co2FeSi alloy thin films formed by rapid thermal annealing. The film formed at TA=800 °C showed a high degree of L21 ordering of 83% under a high degree of B2 ordering of 97%.
A symplectic integration method for elastic filaments
Authors: Ladd Anthony J. C. , Misra Gaurav
Published: March 2009

A new method is proposed for integrating the equations of motion of an elastic filament. In the standard finite-difference and finite-element formulations the continuum equations of motion are discretized in space and time, but it is then difficult to ensure that the Hamiltonian structure of the exact equations is preserved. Here we discretize the Hamiltonian itself, expressed as a line integral over the contour of the filament. This discrete representation of the continuum filament can then be integrated by one of the explicit symplectic integrators frequently used in molecular dynamics. The model systematically approximates the continuum partial differential equations, but has the same level of computational complexity as molecular dynamics and is constraint-free. Numerical tests show that the algorithm is much more stable than a finite-difference formulation and can be used for high aspect ratio filaments, such as actin.
Heat convection in a vertical channel: Plumes versus turbulent diffusion
Authors: Gibert M. , Pabiou H. , Tisserand J.-C. , Gertjerenken B. , Castaing B. , Chillà F.
Published: March 2009

Following a previous study [Gibert et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 96, 084501 (2006)], convective heat transfer in a vertical channel of moderate dimensions follows purely inertial laws. It would be therefore a good model for convective flows of stars and ocean. Here we report new measurements on this system. We use an intrinsic length in the definition of the characteristic Rayleigh and Reynolds numbers. We explicit the relation between this intrinsic length and the thermal correlation length. Using particle imaging velocimetry, we show that the flow undergoes irregular reversals. We measure the average velocity profiles and the Reynolds stress tensor components. The momentum flux toward the vertical walls seems negligible compared to the shear turbulent stress. A mixing length theory seems adequate to describe the horizontal turbulent heat and momentum fluxes, but fails for the vertical ones. We propose a naive model for vertical heat transport inspired by the Knudsen regime in gases.
Pressure-induced structural phase transitions in CdSe: A metadynamics study
Authors: Bealing Clive , Martoňák Roman , Molteni Carla
Published: March 2009

We present a computational study of pressure-induced structural phase transitions in bulk CdSe. Thanks to the use of the metadynamics technique we were able to observe the phase transitions at room temperature close to the experimental transition pressure. We discuss the transition mechanisms from four-coordinated wurtzite and zinc blende to six-coordinated rock salt, as well as the reverse transitions, where we found a mixed wurtzite/zinc blende stacking.
Microphase separation and liquid-crystalline ordering of rod-coil copolymers
Authors: AlSunaidi A. , den Otter W. K. , Clarke J. H. R.
Published: March 2009

Microphase separation and liquid-crystalline ordering in diblock and triblock rod-coil copolymers (with rod-to-coil fraction f=0.5) were investigated using the dissipative particle dynamics method. When the isotropic disordered phases of these systems were cooled down below their order-disorder transition temperatures TODT, lamellar structures were observed. For rod-coil diblock copolymers, the lamellar layers were obtained below T=2.0. This temperature was found to be higher than the TODT for normal coil-coil diblock copolymers. Significant ordering of the rods was observed only below T=0.9 which is the isotropic-nematic transition temperature for rodlike fluids. For the triblock rod-coil copolymers, both microphase separation and rod ordering occurred at T=0.9. Normal coil-coil triblock copolymers were found to undergo microphase separation at T=0.8, which is about half the TODT of the normal diblock copolymers. Investigations of the mean square displacement and the parallel and the perpendicular components of the spatial distribution function revealed that at low temperatures, the rod-coil diblock copolymers exhibit smectic-A and crystalline phases, while the triblock copolymers show smectic-C and crystalline phases. No nematic phases were observed at the density and interaction parameters used in this study.
Vibration analysis of nano-single-layered graphene sheets embedded in elastic medium based on nonlocal elasticity theory
Authors: Murmu T. , Pradhan S. C.
Published: March 2009

In the present work, nonlocal elasticity theory has been implemented to study the vibration response of single-layered graphene (SLGS) sheets. The nonlocal elasticity theory accounts for the small size effects when dealing with nanostructures. Influence of the surrounding elastic medium on the fundamental frequencies of the SLGS is investigated. Both Winkler-type and Pasternak-type models are employed to simulate the interaction of the graphene sheets with a surrounding elastic medium. On the basis of Hamilton’s principle governing differential equations for the aforementioned problems are derived. The nonlocal small scale coefficients get introduced into the nonlocal theory through the constitutive relations. Differential quadrature method is being employed and numerical solutions for the frequencies are obtained. Numerical results show that the fundamental frequencies of SLGS are strongly dependent on the small scale coefficients. Further, a nonlinear frequency response is observed for the SLGS with larger nonlocal effects and “Winkler-type modeled” surrounding medium.
Carbon attachment on the aluminum nitride gate dielectric in the pentacene-based organic thin-film transistors
Authors: Zan Hsiao-Wen , Chou Cheng-Wei , Wang Chung-Hwa , Song Ho-Tsung , Hwang Jenn-Chang , Lee Po-Tsung
Published: March 2009

This study presents carbon attachment on an aluminum nitride (AlN) gate dielectric to improve the device performance of pentacene-based organic thin-film transistors (OTFTs). This approach produces high OTFT performance on an aged AlN surface. A high mobility of 0.67 cm2/V s was achieved on an AlN surface aged for 14 days, compared to a mobility of 0.05 cm2/V s on an as-deposited AlN surface. This improvement in device performance is correlated with carbon attachment on the AlN surface, which lowers surface energy. The lowered surface energy made the surface less polar, as measured by a contact angle instrument. The chemical composition of the aged AlN surface was analyzed using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy before pentacene deposition. Enhanced C=C bonding at 284.5 eV was observed on the aged AlN surface. These enhanced C=C bonds favored the growth of large pentacene islands in the initial growth stage, which may improve OTFT device performance.
Scanning hard x-ray differential phase contrast imaging with a double wedge absorber
Authors: Mukaide Taihei , Takada Kazuhiro , Watanabe Masatoshi , Noma Takashi , Iida Atsuo
Published: March 2009

Two-directional differential phase contrast images were measured using an x-ray microbeam and a double wedge absorber. The wedge absorber converts the displacement of an x-ray beam that is refracted by an object into change of x-ray intensity. The double wedge absorber made it possible to detect values of two-directional refraction angle with μrad sensitivity simultaneously. By Fourier integration of two-directional phase gradients calculated from the refraction angle instead of line integration of one-directional phase gradients, we obtained a quantitative phase map without artifacts even when only a part of the boundaries of the object were in the field of view. One of the characteristics of this technique is flexibility in a sensitivity of the phase gradient. By changing of shape or material of the wedge absorber, it is comparatively easy to control the detection limit of the refraction angle.
The response of a two-scale kinematic dynamo to periodic flow forcing
Authors: Müller Ulrich , Stieglitz Robert
Published: March 2009

Experimental results are reported on the magnetohydrodynamic interaction between oscillating flows in adjoining channels of the Karlsruhe dynamo test facility. In the experiment, designed to simulate the Roberts–Busse kinematic dynamo model, a time periodic perturbation has been imposed on the axial channel flows, while the flow rates in the other two helical channel systems were supplied at constant power level. It has been observed that the onset of dynamo action is shifted slightly to lower mean flow rates. A temporal analysis shows distinct correlations between the evolving magnetic field and the different kinds of forced flows in the channels. From the beginning the environmental magnetic field adjusts to fluctuations of the axial channel flow. The fluctuations of the magnetic field increase owing to dynamo action in a transition range and induce quasiperiodic fluctuations on the flow in the helical channels by acting Lorentz forces. In the high supercritical range the fluctuations are dampened.
Effect of composition on the dielectric relaxation of zeolite-conducting polyaniline blends
Authors: Sakellis I. , Papathanassiou A. N. , Grammatikakis J.
Published: March 2009

The complex permittivity of conducting polyaniline and zeolite-polyaniline blends was measured in the frequency range of 10−2–2×106 Hz from room temperature to liquid nitrogen temperature. A loss peak is detected for 25, 35, and 50 wt % zeolite blends. Its position in the frequency domain, activation energy, and intensity is a function of composition. The experimental results are interpreted through the competing multiple role of zeolite: as being less conducting than polyaniline, it impedes the electric charge flow by dividing large conducting polyaniline regions into smaller pieces, subsequently provides short-range pathways, and, moreover, enriches the blend in interfaces separating zeolite from polyaniline.