bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Study on the Electrochemical Deoxidation Using ZrO2 Based Solid Electrolyte and a Periodic DC Voltage
Authors: Kim Wook , Min Dong Joon
Published: December 2010

An electrochemical deoxidation using a ZrO2 based solid electrolyte was investigated to control the interfacial oxygen concentration between the molten steel and ZrO2. The electrochemical deoxidation cell consisted of an MgO stabilized ZrO2 and an external power supply. In a previous study with constant external DC voltage, the oxygen concentration at the interface between the solid electrolyte and the molten steel was decreased to 2.2 ppm, which was the limit caused by the cathodic over‐potential when a constant external DC voltage was applied.

In the present study, a novel process of using a periodic or cyclic voltage for the electrochemical deoxidation cell was developed, to surpass this limitation caused by the over‐optential of the electrochemical cell and thus decreasing the oxygen concentration to sub‐ppm levels at the interface between the molten Fe and the solid electrolyte.
A Chemical Approach of the Molecular Entity Vacancy Model to the CaO‐Al2O3‐SiO2 Ternary Silicate Melt
Authors: Tao Dong‐Ping
Published: December 2010

A chemical approach of the molecular entity vacancy model (MEVM) to the CaO‐Al2O3‐SiO2 ternary silicate melts has been suggested. The activities of all components in the melts were simultaneously predicted by using only the binary parameters of its sub‐binary melts which were determined by fitting the activities of their two components. The results indicated that the predicted values of activity of SiO2 were in good agreement with the experimental data at both temperatures 1823 K and 1873 K, and those of CaO and Al2O3 were in reasonable agreement with the experimental data at 1823 K and were smaller than the graphical integration data of the Gibbs‐Duhem equation at 1873 K. The approach may be extended to some solution systems with the chemical interaction.
Alternative solution for kinematic interaction problem of soil–structure systems with embedded foundation
Authors: Jahankhah Hossein , Ghannad M. Ali , Rahmani Mohammad T.
Published: December 2010

An effective procedure to incorporate kinematic interaction (KI) aspects in seismic analysis of soil–structures systems was presented. In this regard, first, the effect of KI on the structural response was investigated with special focus on the role of rocking component of foundation input motion (FIM). This was performed parametrically for a wide range of selected nondimensional parameters, which well define the introduced simplified soil–structure model. It was observed that ignoring the effect of rocking input motion may introduce errors, which can be on the unsafe side especially for slender structures with large embedment ratios. On the other hand, it was known that introducing the rocking input motion makes the problem too complicated to be addressed by simplified guidelines suitable for seismic codes or practicing engineers. As an alternative solution, a modified translational input motion was introduced, which can replace both translational and rotational components of FIM. This modified input motion, which was referred to as the net horizontal (NH) FIM in this article, was generated such that the roof displacement of the soil–structure system to this motion is identical to that of the same model subject to the multicomponent FIM resulted by KI. The applicability of the proposed procedure was then examined for a wide range of soil–structure systems subjected to a couple of real ground motions. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Modern Transurethral Resection in the Management of Superficial Bladder Tumours
Authors: Phull J.S. , Jefferies E.R. , Bates T.S. , Issa R. , McFarlane J.P. , Howell G.P. , Gallegos C.R. , Persad R.A.
Published: December 2010

Bladder cancer is the 5th commonest cancer in the UK and up to 85% will present with superficial disease. Considering the principals of oncological surgery, best practice is to excise a tumour whole with clear circumferential margins. The inherent flaw of transurethral resection (TUR) is tumour fragmentation. However, high quality resection and immediate single-dose chemotherapy decreases recurrence rates and disease progression for superficial disease. TUR is the current gold standard for diagnosis and treatment of superficial bladder cancer. The associated morbidity is usually low.

Good quality TUR can be difficult with tumours in diverticula, over ureteric orifices, on the dome/anterior/posterior wall or if obturator nerve stimulation occurs. As such technical tips are provided.

Modern TUR relies on white light. The use of fluorescence cystoscopy will almost certainly increase, challenging white light TUR as the current gold standard. Furthermore, the development of bladder cancer urinary markers may provide a cost effective and non-invasive means of determining the frequency of surveillance cystoscopy.
Electroacupuncture analgesia, stress responses, and variations in sensitivity in rats anesthetized with different sub‐MAC anesthetics
Authors: Kungl Hsiang‐Hsun , Hsul Sheng‐Feng , Hungl Yu‐Chun , Chenl Kuen‐Bao , Chenl Jui‐Yuan , Wenl Yeong‐Ray , Sunl Wei‐Zen
Published: December 2010

The use of anesthetics to stabilize animals for the purpose of electroacupuncture (EA) analgesic studies can be problematic because of the interference of differential physiological responses to EA and pain. In this study, EA‐induced physiological profiles were surveyed under a sub‐minimal alveolar concentration (sub‐MAC) of two different anesthetics in a previously proposed minimal stress model. First, to select an adequate concentration, compliance with EA and tail‐flick stimulation was evaluated under various concentrations of halothane and isoflurane. Second, using the chosen concentrations, low‐ (4‐Hz) and high‐frequency (100‐Hz) EA were conducted on the right hind limb. The EA effects of the two gases were compared by tail‐flick latency (TFL), hemodynamic variables, and individual variations in analgesic sensitivity. The optimal concentrations for halothane and isoflurane were 0.5% and 0.75%, respectively. TFLs were stable under these anesthetic levels, but rats under 0.75% isoflurane had better compliance than those under 0.5% halothane. EA inhibited TFLs with distinct analgesic patterns when comparing high‐ and low‐frequency EA, but TFL suppression did not differ between the two gases. Heart rate and blood pressure showed temporal and differential responses to low‐ vs. high‐frequency EA, but were comparable between groups under the two anesthetics. The ratios of EA non‐responders in the isoflurane and halothane groups were 32.4% and 26.7%, respectively, without statistical difference. We concluded that sub‐MAC halothane and isoflurane provide optimal conditions for the study of EA‐induced analgesia in rats. In this model, 0.75% isoflurane appears to be a better choice than 0.5% halothane in terms of EA compliance.
Prenatal IV nicotine exposure produces a sex difference in sensorimotor gating of the auditory startle reflex in adult rats
Authors: Lacy Ryan T. , Mactutus Charles F. , Harrod Steven B.
Published: December 2010

Maternal smoking during pregnancy is associated with auditory processing deficits in children; these effects have been confirmed with animal models of continuous high‐dose prenatal nicotine exposure. The present experiments utilized a novel, low‐dose, intermittent, intravenous (IV) gestational nicotine exposure model to investigate potential deficits on the preattentive process of sensorimotor gating, as indexed by prepulse inhibition (PPI), in preweanling and adult rat offspring. Pregnant dams received bolus IV injections of nicotine (0.05 mg/kg/injection) 3×/day on gestational days 8–21. Auditory and tactile stimulus modalities were probed with tone and air puff prepulse stimuli, respectively. These prepulse stimuli preceded a 100 dB(A) startle tone by six different interstimulus intervals (ISIs; 0, 8, 40, 80, 120, 4000 ms) to define a curve of response inhibition. The magnitude of PPI increased with age, from 59 to 81% inhibition. Preweanlings (PNDs 14 and 18) and adults (PND 75) gestationally exposed to nicotine exhibited altered startle responding relative to controls, but the nature of the deficit became more localized at later ages. The entire curve of response inhibition in preweanlings exposed to prenatal nicotine (PND 14) was shifted up relative to controls, and notably, did not interact with prepulse stimulus modality, suggesting a generalized increased sensorimotor responsiveness as a function of prenatal nicotine. At PND 18, a shift in the response curve across all ISIs was again noted, but varied as a function of prepulse stimulus modality; the increased sensorimotor responsiveness was specific to the auditory, but not tactile, sensory modality. In adulthood, male and female animals prenatally exposed to nicotine were differentially sensitive to modulation by the ISIs, relative to control male and female animals. Specifically, despite robust PPI, adult females exposed to gestational nicotine were relatively insensitive to changes in ISI from 8 to 120 ms; in contrast, the robust PPI of nicotine‐exposed males demonstrated a clear focal point of inhibition at 40 ms. These findings indicate that a low, daily dosing of IV prenatal nicotine produces long‐lasting alterations in auditory PPI. An important implication of this research is that “chipping” with smoked‐tobacco products during pregnancy may produce enduring changes in sensorimotor processing.
Clinical use of laparoscopic ultrasonography in detecting nodal metastasis in advanced‐stage cervical carcinoma
Authors: Cheung Tak‐Hong , Lo Keith W.K. , Yim So‐Fan , Siu Nelson S.S. , Yu May M.Y.
Published: December 2010

Objective

To assess the clinical use of a laparoscopic ultrasound scan (LUS) to identify pelvic and para‐aortic node metastasis in patients with advanced‐stage cervical cancer.

Methods

After examination under general anesthesia and cystoscopy, LUS was used to examine the pelvic nodes of patients with advanced‐stage cervical cancer. Abnormal nodes were excised before definitive treatment to confirm the nodal status. Patients without abnormal para‐aortic nodes on preoperative computer tomography/magnetic resonance imaging in the past 3 years were surgically staged via laparoscopic extraperitoneal aortic node sampling, and the findings were correlated with LUS findings. The predictive values of abnormal pelvic nodes on LUS for pelvic and aortic node metastasis were determined.

Results

A total of 119 advanced‐stage cervical cancer patients underwent LUS of pelvic nodes. Abnormal pelvic nodes were found in 62 (52.1%) patients, and metastasis was confirmed by histology in 38 (31.9%) patients. Three patients had micro‐metastasis in para‐aortic nodes, and all of these patients had abnormal pelvic lymph nodes on LUS.

Conclusion

Abnormal pelvic nodes are commonly found on LUS in patients with advanced‐stage cervical cancer, and selective excision biopsy is needed to confirm pelvic node metastasis. Surgical staging of aortic nodes might be considered for patients with abnormal pelvic nodes on LUS.
Impact of various treatment modalities on the outcome of stage IB1–IIA cervical adenocarcinoma
Authors: Chen Yu‐Li , Ho Chih‐Ming , Chen Chi‐An , Chiang Ying‐Cheng , Huang Chia‐Yen , Hsieh Chang‐Yao , Cheng Wen‐Fang
Published: December 2010

Objective

To evaluate the outcomes of patients with stage IB1–IIA cervical adenocarcinoma treated by various modalities in order to formulate a better treatment strategy.

Methods

The impact of various treatment modalities on the prognosis of 258 patients with stage IB1–IIA cervical adenocarcinoma was investigated. The therapeutic modalities included radical surgery (n = 174); radical surgery followed by adjuvant radiation therapy (RT), such as RT alone or concurrent chemo‐radiotherapy (CCRT) (n = 46); or primary RT or CCRT (n = 38).

Results

As compared with patients in the surgery‐only group, patients with 1 postoperative major risk who underwent surgery followed by RT or CCRT had a significantly higher likelihood of disease relapse (2.3‐fold, P = 0.041) and disease‐related death (2.9‐fold, P = 0.014). The likelihood of recurrence (P = 0.32) and death (P = 0.58) did not differ between patients who underwent adjuvant RT or CCRT for 1 major risk factor and those who underwent primary RT or CCRT. By contrast, patients with more than 1 major risk factor had a higher likelihood of disease recurrence (2.9‐fold, P = 0.037) and disease‐related death (3.4‐fold, P = 0.051) than those who underwent primary RT or CCRT.

Conclusion

Radical surgery is recommended for patients with stage IB1–IIA cervical adenocarcinomas without contraindications. Those with more than 1 postoperative pathologic risk factor had the worst prognosis despite adjuvant RT or CCRT.
Administration of 400 μg of misoprostol to augment routine active management of the third stage of labor
Authors: Hofmeyr G. Justus , Fawole Bukola , Mugerwa Kidza , Godi N. Patrick , Blignaut Quentin , Mangesi Lindeka , Singata Mandisa , Brady Leanne , Blum Jennifer
Published: December 2010

Objective

To assess the effectiveness and safety of the administration of misoprostol, an orally active prostaglandin, in addition to routine uterotonic therapy as part of the active management of the third stage of labor.

Methods

The present study was a hospital‐based, decentralized, multi‐center, randomized, placebo‐controlled, double‐blind trial. We enrolled 1103 women (out of a target sample size of 1180) at 4 hospitals in South Africa, Uganda, and Nigeria. Participants received a sublingual dose of 400 μg of misoprostol or a placebo, in addition to standard active management of the third stage of labor, after vaginal birth.

Results

The baseline characteristics of the participants were comparable. The difference in the primary outcome of blood loss of 500 mL or more within 1 hour of randomization was not significant between the 2 groups (misoprostol 22/546 [4.0%] versus placebo 35/553 [6.3%]; relative risk, 0.64; 95% confidence interval, 0.38–1.07). Shivering and pyrexia occurred more frequently in the misoprostol group. No maternal deaths occurred.

Conclusion

The present study did not confirm a beneficial effect of administering 400 μg of misoprostol, in addition to routine uterotonic therapy, during the third stage of labor, but was consistent with other trials showing a cumulative modest benefit. Where routine uterotonics are available for prophylactic use, any potential benefit of misoprostol might not outweigh the likelihood of adverse effects. Trial registered on clinical trials.gov: NCT 00124540.
A double‐blind, randomized, placebo‐controlled trial of misoprostol and routine uterotonics for the prevention of postpartum hemorrhage
Authors: Fawole Adeniran O. , Sotiloye Oladapo S. , Hunyinbo Kehinde I. , Umezulike Augustine C. , Okunlola Michael A. , Adekanle Daniel A. , Osamor Jonathan , Adeyanju Olusoji , Olowookere Olufemi O. , Adekunle Adeyemi O. , Singata Mandisa , Mangesi Lindeka , Hofmeyr George J.
Published: December 2010

Objective

To assess the effects of 400‐μg sublingual misoprostol plus routine uterotonics on postpartum hemorrhage.

Methods

A double‐blind, placebo‐controlled, randomized study was performed. After delivery of the child, eligible women received routine uterotonics and were randomly allocated to receive 400‐μg misoprostol or placebo sublingually. The primary outcome measure was blood loss of at least 500 mL within 1 hour of taking the trial tablets.

Results

In total, 672 women received misoprostol and 673 received placebo. The baseline data were similar for both groups. Misoprostol plus routine uterotonics reduced postpartum blood loss, but the effect was not significant for blood loss of at least 500 mL (relative risk [RR] 0.96; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.63–1.45) or blood loss of at least 1000 mL (RR 0.50; 95% CI, 0.15–1.66). Misoprostol also reduced the need for non‐routine oxytocin, manual removal of the placenta, and hysterectomy, but these differences were not significant either. Misoprostol was associated with pyrexia and moderate/severe shivering. There was no death in either group.

Conclusion

Misoprostol plus routine uterotonics resulted in modest reductions of blood loss in the third stage of labor, but the effects did not reach statistical significance. Larger studies are recommended.
Association between intimate partner violence and induced abortion in Cameroon
Authors: Alio Amina P. , Salihu Hamisu M. , Nana Philip N. , Clayton Heather B. , Mbah Alfred K. , Marty Phillip J.
Published: December 2010

Objective

To examine the association between intimate partner violence (IPV; physical, sexual, and emotional violence) and induced abortion in Cameroon.

Methods

We used data from the 2004 Cameroon Demographic Health Survey (DHS) and hierarchic multivariate modeling to compare the rates of induced abortion by IPV type.

Results

In 2004, 2570 women were administered the domestic violence module of the DHS. Of those women, 126 (4.9%) reported having had at least 1 induced abortion. Cameroonian women reported high rates of IPV: physical violence (995 [38.7%]); emotional violence (789 [30.7%]); and sexual violence (381 [14.8%]). After adjusting for covariates, physical and sexual IPV increased the risk for induced abortion, whereas the association between emotional violence and induced abortion was not significant in multivariate models.

Conclusion

Given the increased risk for maternal morbidity and mortality following unsafe induced abortions in Cameroon, the association between induced abortion and IPV is of interest in terms of public health. Programs targeted at preventing IPV might reduce the rate of maternal morbidity and mortality.
Conspicuous consumption in a recession: Toning it down or turning it up?
Authors: Nunes Joseph C. , Drèze Xavier , Han Young Jee
Published: December 2010

The 2008 recession reportedly led to the demise of conspicuous consumption with wealthy consumers abandoning luxury goods that prominently display their brands for more subdued designs. Utilizing data collected before and in the midst of the recession from designer handbag manufacturers, Louis Vuitton and Gucci, we find products introduced during the recession actually display the brand far more prominently than those products withdrawn. Data from Hermès and luxury ads in Vogue magazine also indicate manufacturers did not tone things down. Our results suggest conspicuous consumption endures in recessions; consumers who do not exit the luxury goods market are still interested in logo‐laden products.
Incidence of persistent viraemia and latent feline leukaemia virus infection in cats with lymphoma
Authors: Stützer Bianca , Simon Karin , Lutz Hans , Majzoub Monir , Hermanns Walter , Hirschberger Johannes , Sauter-Louis Carola , Hartmann Katrin
Published: December 2010

In the past, feline leukaemia virus (FeLV) infection, and also latent FeLV infection, were commonly associated with lymphoma and leukaemia. In this study, the prevalence of FeLV provirus in tumour tissue and bone marrow in FeLV antigen-negative cats with these tumours was assessed. Seventy-seven diseased cats were surveyed (61 antigen-negative, 16 antigen-positive). Blood, bone marrow, and tumour samples were investigated by two polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays detecting deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) sequences of the long terminal repeats ( LTR) and the envelope ( env) region of the FeLV genome. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was performed in bone marrow and tumour tissue. None of the antigen-negative cats with lymphoma was detectably infected with latent FeLV. The prevalence of FeLV viraemia in cats with lymphoma was 20.8%. This suggests that causes other than FeLV play a role in tumourgenesis, and that latent FeLV infection is unlikely to be responsible for most feline lymphomas and leukaemias.
Creating value through returns management: Exploring the marketing–operations interface
Authors: Mollenkopf Diane A. , Frankel Robert , Russo Ivan
Published: December 2010

Managing the return flow of product is increasingly recognized as a strategically important activity that involves decisions and actions within and across firms. We focus specifically on returns management at the marketing–operations interface, by utilizing the conceptualization of customer value and its related drivers. In order to explore the phenomenon of returns management across a multi‐disciplinary, managerial spectrum, a qualitative research methodology relying on individual managers’ perceptions was chosen to generate depth of understanding given the limited current understanding of the research topic under consideration. Our results suggest that functional integration at the marketing–operations interface can lead to better alignment of corporate resources and thus create higher levels of customer value. We also found the external business environment to impact how and why a firm creates customer value through the returns management process. Overall, our results suggest that when returns management is recognized as a matter of a firm's competitiveness, the joint role of operations and marketing is imperative to success.
Stretching Treatment for Infants With Congenital Muscular Torticollis: Physiotherapist or Parents? A Randomized Pilot Study
Authors: Öhman Anna , Nilsson Staffan , Beckung Eva
Published: December 2010

Objective

To investigate the time needed to achieve a good result in the range of motion (ROM) in the neck for infants with congenital muscular torticollis (CMT).

Design

Comparison of stretching treatments performed by physical therapists and parents.

Participants

Twenty infants (10 female and 10 male) with CMT.

Method

The infants were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 groups. Stretching treatment was continued until a good ROM was obtained in both rotation (≥90°) and lateral flexion (no side difference). The main outcome measurement was treatment time. The infants were evaluated for ROM in rotation and lateral flexion, muscle function in the lateral flexor muscles of the neck, plagiocephaly, and head tilt.

Results

The time needed to achieve a good result according to the ROM in the neck was significantly shorter (P < .001) in the physical therapist group than in the parent group. Symmetrical head posture was achieved sooner (P = .03) in the physical therapist group.

Conclusion

Infants with CMT gained good ROM and symmetric head posture approximately 2 months sooner when treated by an experienced physical therapist; however, interpretation of the results of this small study should be guarded. Further studies are needed to confirm these results.
Physiological Profile of World-Record-Holder Sherpas
Authors: McIntosh Scott E. , Testa Massimo , Walker James , Wing-Gaia Stacie , McIntosh Staci N. , Litwin Sheldon E. , Needham Carrie , Tabin Geoffrey C.
Published: December 2010

Objective

Tibetans and Sherpas have long been revered for their physical aptitude at high altitude, and are thought to have lived at high altitude longer than any other culture. We performed physiologic testing on 2 Sherpas who currently hold world records for: (1) most number of ascents of Mt Everest and (2) speed ascent of Mt Everest from base camp to the summit. In doing so, we describe certain physiological aspects of these individuals that may contribute to their abilities at altitude.

Methods

Anthropometric measurements, blood testing, and electro- and echocardiographic examination as well as pulmonary function tests were performed. Exercise testing consisted of treadmill climbing at increasing incline and speed while wearing a 22 kg backpack in Salt Lake City (1325 m) and Park City (2063 m).

Results

Anthropometry, electrocardiography, pulmonary function, strength, and echocardiography were consistent with predicted parameters for the general population. The Sherpas demonstrated appropriate cardiopulmonary response to dynamic exercise similar to moderately fit individuals while performing treadmill testing, both at moderate and high altitude. As expected, the energetic cost increased at higher altitude, likely due to increased respiratory work.

Conclusion

The 2 world-record Sherpa climbers were within normal ranges for the specific measurements that were tested. They displayed appropriate cardiopulmonary and physiological responses and exercise performance profiles at moderate and high altitude.
Direct terrestrial–marine correlation demonstrates surprisingly late onset of the last interglacial in central Europe
Authors: Sier Mark J. , Roebroeks Wil , Bakels Corrie C. , Dekkers Mark J. , Brühl Enrico , De Loecker Dimitri , Gaudzinski-Windheuser Sabine , Hesse Norbert , Jagich Adam , Kindler Lutz , Kuijper Wim J. , Laurat Thomas , Mücher Herman J. , Penkman Kirsty E.H. , Richter Daniel , van Hinsbergen Douwe J.J.
Published: December 2010

An interdisciplinary study of a small sedimentary basin at Neumark Nord 2 (NN2), Germany, has yielded a high-resolution record of the palaeomagnetic Blake Event, which we are able to place at the early part of the last interglacial pollen sequence documented from the same section. We use this data to calculate the duration of this stratigraphically important event at 3400 ± 350 yr. More importantly, the Neumark Nord 2 data enables precise terrestrial–marine correlation for the Eemian stage in central Europe. This shows a remarkably large time lag of ca. 5000 yr between the MIS 5e ‘peak’ in the marine record and the start of the last interglacial in this region.
I. The Lisle–Seymour Land Disputes: a Study of Power and Influence in The 1530s
Authors: Bush M. L.
Published: December 2010

In February and March 1539 Edward Seymour, earl of Hertford, visited Calais on a commission for examining the town's fortifications. Returning to England, he promised Arthur Plantagenet, Viscount Lisle, the lord deputy of Calais, who had entertained him during his stay, his goodlordship and a horse with saddle and harness. In exchange, Lisle's wife dispatched from Calais a present of a stole and a linnet, and she also asked the Seymours if her daughter by a previous marriage might be placed in their care. The exchange of gifts derived partly from the amicability struck up during Seymour's visit; but it was also part of an act of reconciliation. In the previous five years or so, the Lisles and Seymour had clashed, bitterly but not violently, in two land disputes. In the first dispute, the ageing, grossly inefficient, heavily indebted, blue-blooded and heirless Lisle was the victim; in the second dispute, it was Lady Lisle's son by her first marriage. In each dispute, Edward Seymour was the aggressor, unmercifully exploiting legal loopholes. In each case, in the first instance, when the matter came before the law, Seymour was thwarted: by an award in Chancery in the first dispute, and by the king's intervention in the Court of Common Pleas in the second; and then, by more devious means, he managed to have his way. The disputes shed light on the personality of Edward Seymour, the future protector Somerset, and also upon the power and influence open to certain subjects within the Tudor system of government.
V. The Two Societies: a Study of Town Life in Nineteenth-Century Ceylon
Authors: Gooneratne Yasmine
Published: December 2010

The English-speaking society of nineteenth-century Colombo, as in other areas in Ceylon gradually acquiring an urban character, was composed of two main units—the European, and the native. Within both were intricate subdivisions, which 'Sampson Brown’ described in a comic sketch of 1842:

Glibb and I have had some rather long chats about the natives and their moral character. They certainly are a most repelling race: there's no making anything of them as yet, and I doubt if we ever shall…A native of one particular caste will not marry into or associate with another and so the whole race of them is split into small factions. This is bad enough say you, but…the white man's casterages [sic] as widely and deeply as that of the Buddhist…In Ceylon you find the Burgher caste, the Civil caste, the Military caste, and the Mercantile caste, all little worlds distinct from each other, travelling in different orbits. They would not dine with each other, I suppose, if their existence depended on it.
Uncontested Seats in British General Elections, 1852–1910
Authors: Lloyd Trevor
Published: December 2010

From the mid-nineteenth century until the First World War the number of seats contested at general elections in the United Kingdom rose sharply though not altogether steadily. This note contains tables of uncontested seats and constituencies for the fifteen elections from 1852 to December 1910; earlier elections have already been tabulated, in a slightly less detailed form, by Professor Gash in Appendix E of his Politics in the Age of Peel, and after 1918 uncontested seats no longer made up a significant part of the total. (It is true that over a hundred seats went uncontested in the Coupon Election of 1918, because the parties in opposition were not prepared for the struggle. But this has little to do with the lack of contests in earlier elections.)
II. The Social Origins of French and English Bishops in the Eighteenth Century
Authors: Ravitch Norman
Published: December 2010

The increasing emphasis of historians of the eighteenth century on the role of aristocracy under the old régime justifies looking once again, more carefully, at the upper clergy of the established religious cults. The leaders of the established churches were ex officio, if not also by birth, always members of the aristocracy. No comprehension of the membership, organization, or objectives of the eighteenth-century aristocracy is possible without consideration of its ecclesiastical wing—in the case of episcopal churches, of its bishops.
III. Anglo-American Diplomacy and the Belgian Indemnities Controversy 1836–42
Authors: Laurent Pierre-Henri
Published: December 2010

The ripening of the Anglo-American friendship in the first half of the nineteenth century was truly an evolutionary process, but most observers agree that in the diplomatic sphere the significant aspects of that earlyrapprochementtook place about the time of the Webster–Ashburton agreement. One previously unknown factor involved in this development centred on British and American cooperation in the Belgian indemnification dispute in the late thirties and forties. This struggle by several major powers aimed at receiving indemnities from the newly created state for property damages incurred during the Belgian revolution of 1830 in Antwerp.
V. Macdonald's Expedition and the Uganda Mutiny, 1897–98
Authors: Beachey R. W.
Published: December 2010

Although it failed to achieve its original goal, Macdonald's expedition is still of interest in that it marks the end of an epoch. It is the last flicker of the Scramble, and it was carried out in the tradition of the great expeditions which in the previous decade traversed vast stretches of Africa and staked the claims of the various European powers.
Functional Neuroimaging Approaches to the Changing Borders of Consciousness
Authors: Noirhomme Quentin , Soddu Andrea , Vanhaudenhuyse Audrey , Lehembre Rémy , Bruno Marie-Aurélie , Gosseries Olivia , Demertzi Athena , Maudoux Audrey , Schnakers Caroline , Boveroux Pierre , Boly Mélanie , Laureys Steven
Published: December 2010

The bedside diagnosis of vegetative and minimally conscious patients is extremely challenging, and prediction of individual long-term outcome remains difficult. State-of the art neuroimaging methods could help disentangle complex cases and offer new prognostic criteria. These methods can be divided into to three categories: First, new anatomical MRI neuroimaging methods, like diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) or spectroscopy, and passive functional imaging methods (looking at the brain’s activation induced by external stimuli), could provide new diagnostic and prognostic markers. Second, neuroimaging methods based on active collaboration from the patient could help to detect clinically unnoticed signs of consciousness. Third, developments in brain-computer interfaces based on EEG, functional MRI, or EMG offer communication possibilities in brain-damaged patients who can neither verbally nor nonverbally express their thoughts or wishes. These new approaches raise important issues not only from a clinical and ethical perspective (i.e., patients’ diagnosis, prognosis and management) but also from a neuroscientific standpoint, as they enrich our current understanding of the emergence and function of the conscious human mind.
Quantum Transition Probabilities and the Level of Consciousness
Authors: Pop-Jordanov Jordan , Pop-Jordanova Nada
Published: December 2010

This paper proposes a theoretical approach to explain the characteristic empirical interdependence between the states of arousal (representing the level of consciousness) and EEG activity. Applying a quantum transition probability model to the brain’s electric field-dipole interaction, an analytical formula is derived that corresponds to the empirical arousal-frequency correlation, both in form (sigmoid) and the frequency interval (from 0 to 100 Hz). In addition, we consider the possible theoretical and practical implications. Thus, a general formula for consciousness level is deduced, with equilibrium frequency as the characteristic parameter. We also briefly discuss the quantum-classical coupling and nested relationship between the consciousness level and content as well as the clinical relevance.
Active tectonics of the east Alborz mountains, NE Iran: Rupture of the left‐lateral Astaneh fault system during the great 856 A.D. Qumis earthquake
Authors: Hollingsworth James , Nazari Hamid , Ritz Jean‐François , Salamati Reza , Talebian Morteza , Bahroudi Abbas , Walker Richard T. , Rizza Magali , Jackson James
Published: December 2010

The 856 A.D. Qumis earthquake (M7.9) is the most destructive earthquake to have occurred in Iran, killing more than 200,000 people and destroying the cities of Damghan and the old Parthian capital of Shahr‐i Qumis (Hecatompylos). This study combines evidence of historical seismicity with observations of the geomorphology and paleoseismology to provide the first detailed description of active faulting in the Damghan region of the east Alborz mountains, Iran. Regional left‐lateral shear is accommodated on the Astaneh, Damghan, and North Damghan faults. Quaternary alluvial fans have been displaced along the Astaneh fault, with 15–20 m stream offsets recording the cumulative displacement over the last two to five earthquakes. A paleoseismology study from a single trench along a 5–10 km segment of the Astaneh fault reveals a rupture prior to 1300 A.D. and significantly later than 600 B.C. Despite the limitations of a single trench in documenting the spatial and temporal evolution of the fault over the late Quaternary, we are nevertheless able to bracket the last event to a time period consistent with the 856 A.D. earthquake. Two older earthquakes were also identified during the Holocene occurring between 600 B.C. and 4600 B.C. and between 4600 B.C. and 9600 B.C. The location of our trench within a bend on the Astaneh fault, which could act as a barrier to rupture propagation, means the three earthquakes recovered from our trench over the Holocene may represent a minimum. Further trenching will reveal how the Astaneh fault ruptures over repeated earthquakes and, consequently, the magnitude and extent of slip during the 856 A.D. earthquake.
Turbulent mixing in a strongly forced salt wedge estuary
Authors: Ralston David K. , Geyer W. Rockwell , Lerczak James A. , Scully Malcolm
Published: December 2010

Turbulent mixing of salt is examined in a shallow salt wedge estuary with strong fluvial and tidal forcing. A numerical model of the Merrimack River estuary is used to quantify turbulent stress, shear production, and buoyancy flux. Little mixing occurs during flood tides despite strong velocities because bottom boundary layer turbulence is dislocated from stratification elevated in the water column. During ebbs, bottom salinity fronts form at a series of bathymetric transitions. At the fronts, near‐bottom velocity and shear stress are low, but shear, stress, and buoyancy flux are elevated at the pycnocline. Internal shear layers provide the dominant source of mixing during the early ebb. Later in the ebb, the pycnocline broadens and moves down such that boundary layer turbulence dominates mixing. Mixing occurs primarily during ebbs, with internal shear mixing accounting for about 50% of the total buoyancy flux. Both the relative contribution of internal shear mixing and the mixing efficiency increase with discharge, with bulk mixing efficiencies between 0.02 and 0.07. Buoyancy fluxes in the estuary increase with discharge up to about 400 m3 s−1 above which a majority of the mixing occurs offshore. Observed buoyancy fluxes were more consistent with the k‐ɛ turbulence closure than the Mellor‐Yamada closure, and more total mixing occurred in the estuary with k‐ɛ. Calculated buoyancy fluxes were sensitive to horizontal grid resolution, as a lower resolution grid yielded less integrated buoyancy flux in the estuary and exported lower salinity water but likely had greater numerical mixing.
Soil Organic Carbon Change Monitored Over Large Areas
Authors: Brown David J. , Hunt E. Raymond , Izaurralde R. César , Paustian Keith H. , Rice Charles W. , Schumaker Bonny L. , West Tristram O.
Published: December 2010

Soils account for the largest fraction of terrestrial carbon (C) and thus are critically important in determining global C cycle dynamics. In North America, conversion of native prairies to agriculture over the past 150 years released 30–50% of soil organic carbon (SOC) stores [Mann, 1986]. Improved agricultural practices could recover much of this SOC, storing it in biomass and soil and thereby sequestering billions of tons of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2). These practices involve increasing C inputs to soil (e.g., through crop rotation, higher biomass crops, and perennial crops) and decreasing losses (e.g., through reduced tillage intensity) [Janzen et al., 1998; Lal et al., 2003; Smith et al., 2007].

Managing agricultural soils to increase SOC storage is an immediately available, cost‐competitive option for mitigating CO2 emissions [Smith et al., 2007; Thomson et al., 2008], with a technical potential to offset as much as 800 teragrams of CO2 per year in the United States (∼13% of U.S. CO2 emissions) [Lal et al., 2003] and 5000 teragrams per year globally (∼17% of global CO2 emissions) [Smith et al., 2007]. Managing soils to sequester organic C also brings attendant benefits such as increased and sustainable crop productivity; improved quality of soil, water, and air; reduced energy inputs; and reduced vulnerability to climate change [Lal, 2004].
Carbon Cycling in Northern Peatlands
Authors: Schultz Colin
Published: December 2010

Northern peatlands span only 3 million square kilometers, about 3% of the terrestrial area of the globe, yet they represent a significant terrestrial sink for carbon dioxide. They are also important emitters of methane, an even more potent greenhouse gas. Despite their substantial role in the global carbon cycle, peatlands are not typically incorporated into global climate models. The AGU Monograph Carbon Cycling in Northern Peatlands, edited by Andrew J. Baird, Lisa R. Belyea, Xavier Comas, A. S. Reeve, and Lee D. Slater, looks at the disproportionate role peatlands play in the global carbon budget. In this interview, Eos talks with Andy Baird, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom.
Previously Unknown Fault Shakes New Zealand's South Island
Authors: Quigley M. , Villamor P. , Furlong K. , Beavan J. , Van Dissen R. , Litchfield N. , Stahl T. , Duffy B. , Bilderback E. , Noble D. , Barrell D. , Jongens R. , Cox S.
Published: December 2010

At 4:35 A.M. local time on 4 September (1635 UTC, 3 September), a previously unrecognized fault system ruptured in the Canterbury region of New Zealand's South Island, producing a moment magnitude (Mw) 7.1 earthquake that caused widespread damage throughout the area. In stark contrast to the 2010 Mw 7.0 Haiti earthquake, no deaths occurred and only two injuries were reported despite the epicenter's location about 40 kilometers west of Christchurch (population ˜386,000). The Canterbury region now faces a rebuilding estimated to cost more than NZ$4 billion (US$2.95 billion).

On the positive side, this earthquake has provided an opportunity to document the dynamics and effects of a major strike‐slip fault rupture in the absence of death or serious injury. The low‐relief and well‐maintained agricultural landscape of the Canterbury Plains helped scientists characterize very subtle earthquake‐related ground deformation at high resolution, helping to classify the earthquake's basic geological features [Quigley et al., 2010]. The prompt mobilization of collaborating scientific teams allowed for rapid data capture immediately after the earthquake, and new scientific programs directed at developing a greater understanding of this event are under way.
Is the Silver Screen the Key to Successful Public Outreach in Solar and Space Physics?
Authors: Baker Dan
Published: December 2010

In this time of continuing fiscal stress and economic meltdown, it is especially difficult to obtain support for the disciplines of Earth and space science. For example, my field of solar and space physics desperately needs a way to attract new attention to its important work.

History shows that even in the direst economic times, people still flock to motion pictures. Thus, new hope lies in us remaking classic films with a space physics twist. Here I present an illustrative set of such classic film remakes. Each film would be remade from a Space Physics and Aeronomy (SPA) point of view with leaders of SPA in starring roles.
Understanding Solar Wind and Magnetospheric Intermittent Turbulence: Turbulence and Multifractals in Geophysics and Space; Brussels, Belgium, 9–11 June 2010
Authors: Echim Marius , Chang Tom , Lamy Hervé
Published: December 2010

Space plasmas exhibit intermittent turbulent fluctuations, i.e., randomly alternating quietness and bursts. Fractals (discussed by Benoît Mandelbrot in 1967) describe self‐similar, irregular geometrical objects with fractional dimension. Self‐similarity manifests as the recurrence of the same topology at all scales. Multifractals are a generalization of fractals and describe with geometric analogs dynamical processes whose self‐similarity depends on scale. Intermittency is one possible key to understanding the energy transfer from large (magnetohydrodynamic (MHD)) scales to much smaller, kinetic scales.
Biomass estimation in a tropical wet forest using Fourier transforms of profiles from lidar or interferometric SAR
Authors: Treuhaft R. N. , Gonçalves F. G. , Drake J. B. , Chapman B. D. , dos Santos J. R. , Dutra L. V. , Graça P. M. L. A. , Purcell G. H.
Published: December 2010

Tropical forest biomass estimation based on the structure of the canopy is a burgeoning and crucial remote sensing capability for balancing terrestrial carbon budgets. This paper introduces a new approach to structural biomass estimation based on the Fourier transform of vertical profiles from lidar or interferometric SAR (InSAR). Airborne and field data were used from 28 tropical wet forest stands at La Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica, with average biomass of 229 Mg‐ha−1. RMS scatters of remote sensing biomass estimates about field measurements were 58.3 Mg‐ha−1, 21%, and 76.1 Mg‐ha−1, 26%, for lidar and InSAR, respectively. Using mean forest height, the RMS scatter was 97 Mg‐ha−1, ≈34% for both lidar and InSAR. The confidence that Fourier transforms are a significant improvement over height was >99% for lidar and ≈90% for InSAR. Lidar Fourier transforms determined the useful range of vertical wavelengths to be 14 m to 100 m.
A rainy northern Atacama Desert during the last interglacial
Authors: Contreras Sergio , Lange Carina B. , Pantoja Silvio , Lavik Gaute , Rincón‐Martínez Daniel , Kuypers Marcel M. M.
Published: December 2010

The response of the northern extension of the Atacama Desert and the Peruvian upwelling system to climate conditions during the Last Interglacial ([LIG]; ∼125kyr ago) was tracked using molecular fossils of marine and terrestrial organisms preserved in Peruvian shelf sediments. High resolution records of ODP Site 1229 (past 145 kyr) indicated that warmer and wetter conditions (rainfall and river runoff) along the coast occurred during the LIG, when global temperatures were comparable or even higher than today. A ∼3°C warming of surface waters, enhanced water column stratification, rainfall and river runoff were associated with low primary productivity and a ∼1.5°C decrease in the temperature gradient across the Equatorial Pacific (i.e., weak Walker circulation), suggesting a prolonged El Niño‐like response of the tropical Pacific during the LIG. In contrast, the late Holocene ([LH] last 3 kyr) was characterized by colder surface waters, higher export and primary productivity, and a drier climate.
Overlapping ionospheric and surface echoes observed by the Mars Express radar sounder near the Martian terminator
Authors: Duru F. , Morgan D. D. , Gurnett D. A.
Published: December 2010

Radar soundings from the Mars Express spacecraft occasionally show ionospheric and surface echoes that overlap in frequency. For specular reflection from a horizontally stratified ionosphere such a frequency overlap is not possible, since ionospheric and surface reflections can only occur at frequencies below and above the maximum ionospheric plasma frequency, respectively. In this paper we show that such overlapping echoes are only observed near the terminator where strong horizontal gradients are present in the ionosphere. Using a simple ionospheric propagation model we show that the observed frequency overlaps are consistent with current estimates of the horizontal gradients near the terminator.
Multispacecraft observations of interplanetary shock shapes on the scales of the Earth's magnetosphere
Authors: Koval A. , Szabo A.
Published: December 2010

We are presenting a study of interplanetary shock shapes as observed by multiple spacecraft in the solar wind. The analysis of the 1 May 1998 shock observed by six spacecraft is presented in detail as an example to demonstrate possible complex shock shapes with small‐ and large‐scale curvatures of the shock surface. To systematically estimate the shock front deviation from planarity on different scales, we are presenting an analysis of 62 shocks observed by Wind and at least one other spacecraft. Our results show the presence of local (on scales up to ∼30 RE) shock curvatures with radii of less than ∼50 to ∼200 RE for the majority of analyzed shocks. On larger scales, the shock curvature decreases and reaches the limit of the strongest possible curvature with radius of ∼400 RE on scales greater than ∼100 RE for all analyzed shocks.