bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
IMPLEMENTING INTERNATIONAL LAW: A QUALIFIED DEFENSE OF THE AL DUJAIL TRIAL
Authors: Newton Michael A.
Published: November 2008

Saddam Hussein al-Tikriti died at the hands of Iraqi officials at dawn on 30 December 2006 following a tumultuous fourteen month trial for crimes committed against the citizens of a relatively obscure Iraqi village known as al-Dujail. Prior to the sporadic small arms fire on 8 July 1982 that was perceived by Saddam as an attempted assassination, the Trial Judgment describes al-Dujail as a ‘safe town … rich in fruit gardens irrigated from the Tigris river through canals and water pumps’. The people of Dujail enjoyed a good standard of living, and the local party membership ‘was mixed between Shiites and Sunnites’. Iraqi citizens were imprisoned in the aftermath of that July day; many were tortured and dozens were murdered. An eyewitness testified at trial that three months after the incident, the fields and orchards of Dujail were razed and all of the fruit trees carted off and destroyed by regime tractors, bulldozers, international type cars and six-wheel drive vehicles For specialists in international humanitarian law, the conviction of these acts as the crime against humanity of inhumane acts may become the very embodiment of that catch-all crime. Destroying the sustenance and prosperity of and entire village is the epitome of acts ‘intentionally causing great suffering, or serious injury to the body or to the mental or physical health’. The al-Dujail trial is a metaphor for our common struggle to build the rule of law around the world.
THE CASE OF TAHA YASEEN RAMADAN BEFORE THE IRAQI HIGH TRIBUNAL: AN INSIDER'S PERSPECTIVE
Authors: Wiley William H.
Published: November 2008

Taha Yaseen Ramadan was a long-time ally of Saddam Hussein and Vice-President of Iraq at the time of the United States-led invasion in 2003; he was captured by American forces in 2004 and, in 2005-2006, tried before the Iraqi High Tribunal (IHT), alongside Saddam Hussein. The Trial Chamber hearing the case found Taha Yaseen guilty of,inter alia, the crime against humanity of wilful killing; he was handed a sentence of life imprisonment in November 2006. This sentence was appealed by the IHT Prosecutor; the IHT Appellate Chamber responded several days later with an order that the Trial Chamber award Taha Yaseen a capital sentence. The process of re-sentencing, which ultimately led to the execution of Taha Yaseen in March 2007, was, like many other key phases of the trial of Saddam Hussein and Taha Yaseen, undermined by Iraqi political interference emanating, in the main, from the office of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. The fairness of the proceedings against Taha Yaseen and his co-accused was further undermined throughout by the near total ignorance of the those involved in the case (i.e., the Iraqi Judges, Prosecutors and Defence counsel) of the substantive law that they were meant to be applying, in particular, International Criminal Law, which had been received into Iraqi law almostverbatimin 2004 from the Statute of the International Criminal Court. This combination of professional ignorance and political interference gave rise to a travesty of justice that cannot be reversed, that is, the execution of a man who was manifestly not guilty of the crime for which he was hanged.
INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURTS ROUND-UP
Authors: Rojo Enrique Carnero , Nybondas Maria
Published: November 2008

The International Criminal Courts Round-Up reports on the most interesting judgements and decisions rendered by international(ized) criminal courts and tribunals during the reporting period. In addition, important developments within the various organs of the courts are highlighted, such as the appointment of new judges and significant amendments to the procedural rules of the courts. The Round-Up presently covers issues concerning the International Criminal Court, the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and the Special Court for Sierra Leone.
DIVISION I: FUNDAMENTAL ASTRONOMY
Authors: Fukushima Toshio , Vondrák Jan , Capitaine Nicole , Krasinsky George A. , Milani Andrea , Platais Imants , Dehant Veronique , Matsakis Demetrios N.
Published: November 2008

Division I provides a focus for astronomers studying a wide range of problems related to fundamental physical phenomena such as time, the inertial reference frame, positions and proper motions of celestial objects, and precise dynamical computation of the motions of bodies in stellar or planetary systems in the Universe.
COMMISSION 4: EPHEMERIDES
Authors: Krasinsky George A. , Fukushima Toshio , Chapront Jean , Bangert John A. , Chapront Jean , Hohenkerk Catherine Y. , Kaplan George H. , Seidelmann P. Kenneth , Standish E. Myles , Urban Sean E. , Vondrák Jan
Published: November 2008

This business meeting was held from 16:00 to 17:30. Toshio Fukushima and George Kaplan were welcomed as the next president and vice-president, respectively. The following, in no particular order, are the summary reports from the various offices. The full versions will be made available on the Commission 4 website at .
COMMISSION 7: CELESTIAL MECHANICS AND DYNAMICAL ASTRONOMY
Authors: Milani Andrea , Burns Joseph A. , Hadjidemetriou John D. , Knežević Zoran , Beaugé Christian , Erdi Bálint , Fukushima Toshio , Heggie Douglas C. , Lemaitre Anne , Maciejewski Andrzej J. , Morbidelli Alessandro , Sidlichovsky Milos , Vokrouhlický David , Zhou Ji-Lin
Published: November 2008

In his address to the Commission, the outgoing president A. Milani explained what he considers have been done well in the past triennium, what has been done only in part, and what has not been done at all. Among the things in which the performance was rated good, he mentioned the successful sponsorship and/or co-sponsorship of four meetings (IAU Colloquia 196 and 197, and Symposia 229 and 236) which have been held in the previous period, as well as of the Symposium on exoplanets to be held next year in China. The only failure in this respect was the proposed meeting in India, which failed already at the proposal definition stage. Also, Milani expressed his satisfaction with the triennial report which has been compiled for the occasion, and his gratitude to the collaborating authors.
COMMISSION 8: ASTROMETRY
Authors: Platais Imants , Kumkova Irina I. , Jin Wen-Jing , Costa Edgardo , Ducourant Christine , Evans Dafydd W. , Lattanzi Mario G. , Lu Chunlin , Scholz Ralf-Dieter , Sôma Mitsuru
Published: November 2008

The Business Meeting was opened by the president, Imants Platais. He presented the agenda which was unanimously approved. This session was attended by 40 participants. The meeting approved Dafydd Evans as secretary of minutes.
DIVISION I / COMMISSION 8 / WORKING GROUP ASTROGRAPHIC CATALOGUE AND CARTE DU CIEL PLATES
Authors: Bucciarelli Beatrice , Fresnau Alain , Abad Carlos , Argyle Robert W. , Biggs James , Brosch Noah , Coyne George V. , Davoust Emmanuael , De Cuyper Jean-Pierre M. , van Dessel Edwin L. , Ducourant Christine , Fierro Ivan H. Bustos , Geffert Michael , Glushkova Elena V. , Irwin Michael J. , Jones Dayton L. , Lumme Kari A. , Muiños J. L. , Odenkirchen Michael , Orellana Rosa B. , Pauwels Thierry , Rafferty Theodore J. , Sanchez M. , Sanner Jörg , Tsvetkov Milcho K. , Vaughan Alan E.
Published: November 2008

Various experiments have definitely demonstrated that one-micron accuracy (0.″06) on the definition of stellar images on CdC plates cannot be claimed, as it was speculated back in 1999. More realistically, a 2-3 micron accuracy is achievable, getting worse toward the survey magnitude limit, with an average magnitude error of 0.3. The level of astrometric accuracy corresponds to a 0.″2 - 0.″3 error in position at Epoch 1900, which, once used as first Epoch for proper motion determination in combination with modern epoch observations, can produce errors at the level of 2-5 mas/yr, thereby allowing to detect stellar motions larger than 0.″01/yr, which at a distance of 500 pc from the Sun correspond to ~25-60 km/s tangential velocity. Therefore, the AC/CdC heritage collection can be regarded as a highly valuable first-epoch material, e.g., for the realization of a Tycho-2 extension to fainter magnitudes (~15 photographic), especially in selected areas where radial velocity data are available, for the exploration of stellar kinematics beyond our solar neighborhood.
COMMISSION 31: TIME
Authors: Matsaskis Demetrios , Defraigne Pascale , Petit Gérard , Leschiutta Seigfrido , Petit Gérard , Hosokawa Mizuhiko , Zao-Cheng Zhai
Published: November 2008

Most of the Commission's three 90-minute time slots at the General Assembly were devoted to a series of 20 and 50 minute presentations, informally termed “Time and Astronomy”. The first part of the meeting was dedicated to time and general relativity. The second part of the session was dedicated to pulsar timing.
DIVISION III: PLANETARY SYSTEM SCIENCES
Authors: Williams Iwan P. , Bowell Edward L. G. , Marov Mikhail Ya. , Consolmagno Guy J. , A'Hearn Michael F. , Boss Alan P. , Cruikshank Dale P. , Levasseur-Regord Anny-Chantal , Morrison David , Tinney Christopher G.
Published: November 2008

Division III gathers astronomers engaged in the study of a comprehensive range of phenomena in the solar system and its bodies, from the major planets via comets to meteorites and interplanetary dust.
DIVISION III / WG: COMMITTEE SMALL BODIES NOMENCLATURE
Authors: Tichá Jana , Marsden Brian G. , Green Daniel , Schulz Rita M. , A'Hearn Michael F. , Fernandez Julio A. , Kilmartin Pamela , Lazzaro Daniela , Nakano Syuichi , Noll Keith S. , Schmadel Lutz D. , Shor Viktor A. , Williams Gareth V. , Yeomans Donald K. , Zhu Jin
Published: November 2008

After a brief discussion it was agreed that this membership is well distributed in terms of geography, gender, and fields of planetary work.
DIVISION III / WG: PLANETARY SYSTEM NOMENCLTURE
Authors: Aksnes Kaare , Blue J. Ellen , Blunck Juergen , Burba George A. , Consolmagno Guy J. , Marov Mikhail Ya. , Marsden Brian G. , Owen Tobias C. , Robinson Mark S. , Schulz Rita M. , Smith Bradford A. , Williams Iwan P.
Published: November 2008

The meeting was attended by six from the WG (K. Aksnes, J. Blunck, G. Consolmagno, B. Marsden, R. Schulz, V. Shevchenko) and two from the Task Groups (D. Morrison, J. Watanabe). Also the incoming WG members E. Bowell and R. Courtin, as well as some guests, attended.
COMMISSION 15: PHYSICAL STUDY OF COMETS AND MINOR PLANETS
Authors: Huebner Walter F. , Cellino Alberto , Tedesco Edward F. , Boice Daniel C. , Bockelée-Morvan Dominique , Ma Yuehua , Reitsema Harold J. , Schulz Rita M. , Jenniskens Petrus M. M. , Lupishko Dmitrij , Tancredi Gonzalo
Published: November 2008

This report of the business meeting at the 2006 IAU GA is based on notes provided by Edward Tedesco, past president, and on the minutes taken by Petrus Jenniskens, secretary of Commission 15 in the triennium 2003 to 2006, with additional notes from the current secretary of Commission 15, Daniel Boice. For political reasons the incoming President, Walter Huebner, was unable to attend the General Assembly.
COMMISSION 20: POSITION AND MOTION OF MINOR PLANETS, COMETS AND SATELLITES
Authors: Valsecchi Giovanni B. , Fernandez Julio , Bowell Edward L. G. , Arlot Jean-Eudes , Bowell Edward L. G. , Chernetenko Yulia A. , Chesley Steven R. , Lazzaro Daniela , Lemaitre Anne , Marsden Brian G. , Muinonen Karri , Rickman Hans , Tholen David J. , Yoshikawa Makoto
Published: November 2008

A total of 16 among the new IAU members have asked to join Commission 20; they are: Jerome Berthier, Nicholas J. Cooper, Marco Delbò, Romina P. Di Sisto, Michael W. Evans, Tetsuharu Fuse, Ludmila Hudkova, Yurij N. Krugly, Elena N. Polyakhova, Zhanna Pozhalova, Alessandro Rossi, Qi Rui, Jonathan D. Shanklin, Slawomira E. Szutowicz, Gino Tuccari and Hong-Suh Yim. Moreover, two requests to join the Commission have been received by astronomers that are already IAU members: Peter De Cat and Ricardo A. Gil-Hutton.
COMMISSION 45: STELLAR CLASSIFICATION
Authors: Corbally Christopher J. , Giridhar Sunetra , Evans Thomas H. Lloyd , Bailer-Jones Coryn A. L. , Humphreys Roberta M. , Kirkpatrick Joseph D. , Luri Xavier , Minniti Dante , Pasinetti Laura E. , Straižys Vytautas P. , Weiss Werner W.
Published: November 2008

The Business Meeting of Commission 45 was held on 16 August 2006. It was attended by the president and vice-president of the Commission as well as by twenty other members of the Commission. Attendance was limited, as usual, by the unavoidable occurrence of parallel sessions.
DIVISION IV / COMMISSION 45 / WORKING GROUP: STANDARD STARS
Authors: Corbally Christopher J. , Gray Richard O.
Published: November 2008

The meeting of the Working Group on standard stars (WG-SS) opened under the chairmanship of Corbally. Gray, as editor, gave a report on the Standard Stars Newsletter (SSN). Through a round of thanks given to Gray, it was recognized by the two dozen present that this publication is the major vehicle between WG-SS meetings for achieving its tasks, namely promoting and communicating work on standard stars. Copies of the newsletter can be downloaded from .
COMMISSION 42: CLOSE BINARIES
Authors: Giménez Alvaro , Rucinski Slavek M. , Szkody Paula , Gies Douglas R. , Kang Young-Woon , Linsky Jeffrey L. , Livio Mario , Morrell Nidia , Hilditch Ronald W. , Nordström Birgitta , Ribas Ignasi , Ribas Edward , Vrielmann Sonja , Scarfe Colin D.
Published: November 2008

The president of the Commission welcomed the participants in the business meeting and provided an overview of the activities carried out during the past triennium 2002-2005. A good number of meetings have been held during this period on close binaries, about two per year, including both classical and interacting systems. One specific Symposium at the General Assembly in Prague, devoted to binary stars as astrophysical tools, showed the vitality of the field and the trend of cooperation between scientists studying close binaries and those specialized in visual double stars. The study of very low-mass binaries, including those containing planet-sized components also received much attention as well as the analysis of massive objects in nearby galaxies.
DIVISION VI: INTERSTELLAR MATTER
Authors: Dyson John , Millar Thomas J. , Reipurth Bo , Chu You-Hua , Ferland Gary J. , Franco José , Hua Chon Trung , Lizano Susana , Nata Antonella , Reipurth Bo , Sofue Yoshiaki , Stasińska Grazyna , Vilchez José M.
Published: November 2008

Division VI gathers astronomers studying the diffuse matter in space between stars, ranging from primordial intergalactic clouds, via dust and neutral and ionized gas in galaxies, to the densest molecular clouds and the processes by which stars are formed.
COMMISSION 33: STRUCTURE AND DYNAMICS OF THE GALACTIC SYSTEM
Authors: Whitelock Patricia A. , Gerhard Ortwin , Spergel David , Efremov Yurij N. , Evans Wyn , Flynn Chris , Grindlay Jonathan E. , Nordström Birgitta , Perryman Michael A. C. , Wyse Rosemary F. , Yuan Chi
Published: November 2008

Commission 33 held a brief business session on 21 August within the science session organized jointly with its parent Division VII.
COMMISSION 37: STAR CLUSTERS AND ASSOCIATIONS
Authors: Sarajedini Ata , Spurzem Rainer , Meylan Georges , Cannon Russell D. , Castellani Vittorio , Da Costa Gary S. , Cudworth Kyle McC. , Deng Licai , Giersz Miroslav , Hatzidimitriou Despina , Lada Charles J.
Published: November 2008

The Commission business meeting was held on 17 August 2006. Approximately 20 people attended, including the Commission vice-president, Rainer Spurzem. The sole member of the Commission Organizing Committee that was present was Gary Da Costa, who, along with Patricia Whitelock, the outgoing president of Division VII and Commission 33, served as chairs of the meeting.
DIVISION VIII: GALAXIES AND THE UNIVERSE
Authors: Bertola Francesco , Okamura Sadanori , Trimble Virginia L. , Birkinshaw Mark , Combes Françoise , Lilly Simon J. , Peacock John A. , Sadler Elaine M. , Webster Rachel L.
Published: November 2008

Division VIII gathers astronomers engaged in the study of the visible and invisible matter in the Universe at large, from Local Group galaxies via distant galaxies and galaxy clusters to the large-scale structure of the Universe and the cosmic background radiation.
DIVISION VIII / WG: SUPERNOVAE
Authors: Hillebrandt Wolfgang , Schmidt Brian P.
Published: November 2008

As far as coordination and planning of observational activities are concerned, the main need for WG-SN activities seem to lie in the field of suitable follow-ups to the many on-going and planned search programs (in particular for SNe Ia's; LOTOSS, NGSS, SNfactory, SNLS, ESSENCE, GOODS, PanStarrs, . . .). With the new robotic 2m-class telescopes (e.g., the Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope Network and other robotic telescopes) photometric follow-ups do not seem a major problem, but for most of the searches spectroscopic follow-up requires 4m-class telescopes at least which will become rare in the future. Possible ways out were discussed.
COMMISSION 28: GALAXIES
Authors: Sadler Elaine M. , Combes Françoise , Okamura Sadanori , Binney James J. , Fairall Anthony P. , Heckman Timothy M. , Lilly Simon J. , Karachentseva Valentina , Kraan-Korteweg Renée C. , Knapp Gillian R. , Leibundgut Bruno , Narlikar Jayant V.
Published: November 2008

The members of Commission 28 on Galaxies were very busy during this General Assembly, with the Commission involved in two Symposia (IAU Symposium No. 235 Galaxy Evolution across the Hubble Time, IAU Symposium No. 238 Black Holes: from Stars to Galaxies), and two Joint Discussions (JD07 The Universe at z > 6, JD15 New Cosmology Results from the Spitzer Space Telescope). Therefore, the Business Meeting was combined with the Division VIII Business Meeting, which included a short information session on the new Commission 28 Organizing Committee. The triennial report of the Commission for 2003-2005 was also distributed, and is available on the Commission 28 web site.
INTER-DIVISION IX-X / WORKING GROUP ENCOURAGING THE INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF ANTARCTIC ASTRONOMY
Authors: Burton Michael G. , Busso Maurizio , Fossat Eric G. , Lloyd James P. , McCaughrean Mark J. , Spiering Christian , Tori Shoji
Published: November 2008

The business session of the Working Group followed the completion of Special Session 7, Astronomy in Antarctica. The proceedings of this meeting are published in Highlights in Astronomy, Volume 14 (Ed. K. A. van der Hucht, 2007, CUP). The session involved 18 papers spread over 5 sessions, together with a further 18 poster papers. A dinner was also held in Prague following the first day of the Special Session.
DIVISION IX / COMMISSION 9 / WORKING GROUP DETECTORS
Authors: Abbott Timothy M. C. , Crabtree Dennis , Mackay Craig D. , Tinney Christopher G.
Published: November 2008

The same general claims hold true as in the last report and the field is as busy as ever. Community focus is on the deployment of large mosaics (up to 108 pixels) to telescopes, the pursuit of programs to build next generation mosaics (of order 109 pixels), and the investigation of novel variations in CCD design.
COMMISSION 25: STELLAR PHOTOMETRY AND POLARIMETRY
Authors: Landolt Arlo U. , Martinez Peter , Bastien Pierre , Fabrika Sergei N. , Gilliland Ronald L. , Grundahl Frank , Jordi Carme , Munari Ulisse
Published: November 2008

Commission 25 is one of three Commissions under the umbrella of Division IX on Optical and Infrared Techniques. It is a technique oriented Commission.
COMMISSION 30: RADIAL VELOCITIES
Authors: Nordström Birgitta , Udry Stéphane , Tokovinin Andrei A. , Dravins Dainis , Fekel Francis C. , Glushkova Elena V. , Levato Hugo , Pourbaix Dimitri , Smith Myron A. , Szabados Laszlo , Torres Guillermo
Published: November 2008

The president welcomed all the participants of the Business Meeting and remarked that several of the major ongoing and planned Radial Velocity projects were well represented.
DIVISION IX / COMMISSION 30/ WORKING GROUP 9TH CATALOGUE OF SPECTROSCOPIC BINARY SYSTEMS
Authors: Pourbaix Dimitri , Batten Alan H. , Fekel Frank C. , Hartkopf William H. , Levato Hugo , Morrell Nidia I. , Tokovinin Andrei A. , Torres Guillermo , Udry Stéphane
Published: November 2008

The current content of the database was presented, emphasising the substantial progress accomplished since the IAU XXIV General Assembly in Manchester, 2000. More than 1 200 stellar systems have been added to the 8th Catalogue over the past six years, for a total of 540 papers compiled. A first paper was published to make the community aware of this facility (Pourbaix et al. 2004).
DIVISION XI: SPACE & HIGH-ENERGY ASTROPHYSICS
Authors: Okuda Haruyuki , Hasinger Guenther , Srinivasan Ganesan , Arnaud Monique D. , Bludman Sidney A. , Braga João , Brosch Noah , Gurvitz Leonid I. , Hasan Hashima , Helou George , Howarth Ian D. , Inoue Hajime , Piro Luigi , Srinivasan Ganesan
Published: November 2008

Division XI connects astronomers using space techniques or particle detectors for an extremely large range of investigations, from in-situ studies of bodies in the solar system to orbiting observatories studying the Universe in wavelenghts ranging from radio waves to γ-rays, to underground detectors for cosmic neutrino radiation.
DIVISION XI / WG: PARTICLE ASTROPHYSICS
Authors: Schlickeiser Reinhard , Blandford Roger D. , Brillet Alain , Fujimoto Masa-Katsu , Madau Piero , Olinto Angela V. , Salvati Marco , Schutz Bernard F. , Smith Peter F. , Spiro Michel , Stepanyan Arnold A. , Totsuka Yoji , Turck-Chieze Sylvaine , Voelk Heinrich J.
Published: November 2008

The business meeting of the Division XI Working Group on Particle Astrophysics took place in the morning of 25 August 2006, and was attended by 14 participants.
DIVISION XII / COMMISSON 5 / WORKING GROUP: FITS
Authors: Pence William D. , Ochsenbein François , Wells Donald C. , Allen Steven L. , Calabretta Mark R. , Chiappetti Lucio , Durand Daniel , Forveille Thierry , Gabriel Carlos , Greisen Eric , Grosbol Preben J. , Hanisch Robert J. , Jaffe Walter J. , Kanamitsu Osamu , Malkov Oleg Yu. , Page Clive G. , Rots Arnold H. , Shaw Richard A. , Stobie Elizabeth , Thompson William T. , Tody Douglas C. , Wicenec Andreas
Published: November 2008

The business meeting began with a brief review of the current rules and procedures of the WG, which are documented on the WG web page. Four regional FITS committees have been established by the WG, covering North American, Europe, Japan, and Australian/New Zealand, to provide advice to the WG on pending proposals. While it is recognized that this committee structure might need to be revised to provide representation to other regions, the current system is working well, and there were no motions to make any changes at this time.
DIVISION XII / COMMISSON 5 / TASK FORCE PRESERVATION AND DIGITIZATION OF PHOTOGRAPHIC PLATES
Authors: Griffin R. Elizabeth
Published: November 2008

During the GA the Task Force for the Preservation and Digitization of Photographic Plates (PDPP) held an open two-session meeting, during which a formal merger between the WG-AC/CdC (Commission 8) and the TF-PDPP was confirmed. A dominant fraction of the members already belonged to both groups, and the nature of the merger is such that the activities of the WG-AC/CdC are now performed by the TF-PDPP.
COMMISSION 41: HISTORY OF ASTRONOMY
Authors: Gurshtein Alexander A. , Nha Il-Seong , Ruggles Clive L. N. , DeVorkin David H. , Dick Wolfgang R. , Kochhar Rajesh , Nakamura Tsuko , Pigatto Luisa , Stephenson F. Richard , Warner Brian
Published: November 2008

On Tuesday 22 August 2006 approximately 40 people attended the Commission 41 History of Astronomy Business Meeting at the IAU XXVI General Assembly in Prague. Commission president Alex Gurshtein opened the meeting, welcoming the commission members and calling for a moment of silence for those members who passed away in the last triennium. David DeVorkin was appointed recording secretary for the meeting, with Steven Dick as the scruitineer of the ballot. A moment of silence was then observed in the memory of members departed over the last triennium, including: Jerzy Dobrzycki (Poland), Robert Duncan (Australia), Mohammad Edalati (Iran), Philip Morrison (USA), John Perdix (Australia), Neil Porter (Ireland), Gibson Reaves (USA), Brian Robinson (Australia), and Raymond E. White (USA).
Volcanomagnetic evidence of the magmatic intrusion on 13th May 2008 Etna eruption
Authors: Napoli Rosalba , Currenti Gilda , Del Negro Ciro , Greco Filippo , Scandura Danila
Published: November 2008

During the onset of 2008 volcanic crisis at Mt Etna, the near‐real time magnetic data provided a continuous updating of the volcano activity state on the northern flank. On the morning of 13th May 2008, significant local magnetic field changes marked the resumption of the eruptive activity characterized by the opening of a fracture field on the northern flank, and an eruptive fissure in the Valle del Bove. In agreement with the northward propagation of seismic events, magnetic signals at 5 stations in the summit area revealed a nearly NNW‐SSE oriented magmatic intrusion, which started at about 9:00 GMT, propagated northward for about 2 km, and stopped at 14:00 GMT before reaching the North‐East Rift. Magnetic variations, with amplitude ranging between 1.8 nT and −6.5 nT, are consistent with those calculated from piezomagnetic models, where stress‐induced changes in rock magnetization are produced by the magmatic intrusion.
Observed impact of subtropical‐midlatitude South Atlantic SST anomalies on the atmospheric circulation
Authors: Wu Qigang
Published: November 2008

A maximum covariance analysis (MCA) of monthly anomaly data from the NCEP–NCAR reanalysis during 1981–2007 suggests that the atmosphere over subtropical‐midlatitude South Atlantic during the austral late winter and spring is significantly correlated to the underlying sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies (SSTA) up to at least 4 months earlier. Such SST impact on the atmosphere is independent from the tropical Pacific and tropical South Atlantic influence, and is confirmed by the regression analysis based on the SSTA centers of action. The MCA pattern of SST resembles the dominant mode of SST variability and the monopole atmospheric signal is barotropic through the troposphere and hemispheric in extent. This implies predictability of the late winter and spring atmospheric circulation in the subtropical‐midlatitude South Atlantic with a lead time of up to 4 months.
Large‐scale eddies in the upper troposphere and stratosphere diagnosed with quasi‐conservative coordinates
Authors: Solomon Abraham , Nakamura Noboru
Published: November 2008

A new diagnostic for the amplitudes of large‐scale eddies in the upper troposphere and stratosphere is introduced. It is based on the instantaneous azonality (area displacement) of the contours of a potential vorticity‐like tracer on the isentropic surface, easily calculable from the surface integral of the Coriolis parameter within the contour, or the planetary circulation. Unlike the traditional Eulerian definition, the diagnostic does not involve zonal averaging and provides an absolute measure of eddy amplitude. Seasonal climatology as well as interannual variability of this amplitude diagnostic are examined with the United Kingdom Meteorological Office Stratospheric Analysis data for 1992–2005. In the potential temperature‐equivalent latitude plane, the eddy amplitudes are generally large (small) at the flanks (axes) of the jets. This paints a very different picture from the traditional Eulerian zonal‐mean diagnostics in which eddy amplitudes are often maximal along the jets.
Heating Titan's upper atmosphere
Authors: De La Haye V. , Waite J. H. , Cravens T. E. , Bougher S. W. , Robertson I. P. , Bell J. M.
Published: November 2008

A detailed analysis of the mechanisms heating Titan's neutral atmosphere is provided. Two primary sources of incoming energy, the solar photons and the energetic electrons from Saturn's magnetosphere, are taken into account. The processes studied include the excitation of atmospheric molecules by electron impact, suprathermal electron heating, and the energy release through ion and neutral exothermic chemistry. The redistribution of heat by suprathermal particles throughout the atmosphere is also considered and calculated using a two‐stream model. Local time‐dependent heating rate profiles are presented. Exothermic chemistry is found to be the dominant source of heat, with electron‐impact excitation and suprathermal electron heating becoming significant at high altitudes. Large variations in local peak amplitudes were found, varying between ≃3 × 10−10 erg cm−3s−1 at 990 km and zenith angle 62° and ≃7 × 10−12 erg cm−3s−1 at 940 km and zenith angle 165°. Neutral heating efficiency profiles averaged with respect to local time at the fixed latitudes of 38.8° N and 73.7° N are presented, with mean values of ≃25 ± 15% and 23 ± 19%, respectively.
Overweight and Obesity in Young and Middle Age and Early Retirement: The ARIC Study
Authors: Houston Denise K. , Cai Jianwen , Stevens June
Published: November 2008

The objective of this study was to examine associations between weight status in young and middle age and early retirement in African‐American and white men and women. Data were from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study. Analyses were restricted to participants aged 45–55 years at baseline (n = 6,483). Associations between weight status at age 25 and ages 45–55 and age at early retirement (prior to age 65) over 9 years of follow‐up were examined using proportional hazard regression analyses in models stratified by race and gender. Models were adjusted for education, household income, health insurance status, occupation, occupational physical activity, marital status, smoking, and field center. Between 18.7 and 21.6% of African‐American and white men and women reported retiring prior to age 65. Although not always statistically significant, overweight and obesity were associated with early retirement in all but white women. Overweight (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2) at age 25 was significantly associated with early retirement in African‐American women (hazard ratio (95% confidence interval): 1.62 (1.17–2.23)) and white men (1.32 (1.12–1.57)). There was also a trend between overweight at age 25 and early retirement in African‐American men (1.43 (0.99–2.07)). Obesity (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2) in middle age was significantly associated with early retirement in white men only (1.32 (1.03–1.69)). Furthermore, overweight at age 25 and obesity at ages 45–55 were associated with early retirement for health reasons among African‐American and white men and women. In conclusion, analyses of the economic impact of obesity may need to consider its effects on early retirement.
The Role of Thermogenesis in Antipsychotic Drug‐induced Weight Gain
Authors: Stefanidis Aneta , Verty Aaron N.A. , Allen Andrew M. , Owens Neil C. , Cowley Michael A. , Oldfield Brian J.
Published: November 2008

The administration of antipsychotic drugs to human patients or experimental animals leads to significant weight gain, which is widely presumed to be driven by hyperphagia; however, the contribution from energy expenditure remains unclear. These studies aim to examine the contribution of shifts in energy expenditure, particularly those involving centrally mediated changes in thermogenesis, to the body weight gain associated with the administration of olanzapine to female Sprague Dawley rats. Olanzapine (6 mg/kg/day orally) caused a transient increase in food intake but a maintained increase in body weight. When pair‐fed rats were treated with olanzapine, body weight continued to rise compared to vehicle‐treated rats, consistent with a reduction in energy expenditure. Brown adipose tissue (BAT) temperature, measured using biotelemetry devices, decreased immediately after the onset of olanzapine treatment and remained depressed, as did physical activity. UCP1 expression in interscapular BAT was reduced following chronic olanzapine treatment. An acute injection of olanzapine was preceded by an injection of a retrograde tracer into the spinal cord to evaluate the nature of the olanzapine‐activated neural pathway. Levels of Fos protein in a number of spinally projecting neurons within discrete hypothalamic and brainstem sites were elevated in olanzapine‐treated rats. Some of these neurons in the perifornical region of the lateral hypothalamus (LHA) were also Orexin A positive. These data collectively show a significant impact of thermogenesis (and physical activity) on the weight gain associated with olanzapine treatment. The anatomical studies provide an insight into the central neuroanatomical substrate that may subserve the altered thermogenic responses brought about by olanzapine.
Adiponectin Oligomers and Ectopic Fat in Liver and Skeletal Muscle in Humans
Authors: Kantartzis Konstantinos , Staiger Harald , Machann Jürgen , Schick Fritz , Claussen Claus D. , Machicao Fausto , Fritsche Andreas , Häring Hans‐Ulrich , Stefan Norbert
Published: November 2008

We aimed at determining which circulating forms of the adipokine adiponectin that increases lipid oxidation in liver and skeletal muscle are related to ectopic fat in these depots in humans. Plasma total‐, high‐molecular weight (HMW)‐, middle‐molecular weight (MMW)‐, and low‐molecular weight (LMW) adiponectin were quantified by an enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. Their relationships with liver‐ and intramyocellular fat, measured using 1H magnetic resonance spectroscopy, were investigated in 54 whites without type 2 diabetes. Liver fat, adjusted for gender, age, and total body fat, was associated only with HMW adiponectin (r = −0.35, P = 0.012), but not with total‐, MMW‐, or LMW adiponectin. In addition, subjects with fatty liver (liver fat ≥5.56%, n = 15) had significantly lower HMW‐ (P = 0.04), but not total‐, MMW‐, or LMW adiponectin levels, compared to controls (n = 39). Similarly, intramyocellular fat correlated only with HMW (r = −0.32, P = 0.039), but not with the other circulating forms of adiponectin. These data indicate that, among circulating forms of adiponectin, HMW is strongly related to ectopic fat, thus possibly representing the form of adiponectin regulating lipid oxidation in liver and skeletal muscle.
Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum cv. Bright Yellow 2) cells as an effective bioreactor for the production of puroindolines
Authors: Sorrentino Angela , Iannaccone Marco , Palumbo Daniela , Capparelli Rosanna , Porta Raffaele , Mariniello Loredana
Published: November 2008

PINs (puroindolines) are two small proteins so‐called because of the presence of a hydrophobic tryptophan‐rich domain. Associated with wheat (Triticum aestivum) starch granules, PINs have been shown to be responsible for the softness of the wheat endosperm. Moreover, they have been proved to possess bactericidal and antifungal properties, together with the capacity to form very stable foams. All these features make PINs very attractive for medical, pharmaceutical and food‐industrial applications. The aim of the present study was to explore a plant molecular‐farming approach for producing a recombinant PIN. Three specific recombinant constructs, aimed at expression in the apoplast and chloroplast compartments, were prepared and used for transformation of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum cv. Bright Yellow 2) cells. Recombinant PINB (puroindoline B) targeted to the chloroplast was obtained as 0.35% of BY‐2‐cell total soluble proteins. Antimicrobial‐activity experiments demonstrated that, at the minimum inhibitory concentration, recombinant PINB is responsible for about 91% growth inhibition of Escherichia coli.
Purification and characterization of human phosphatidylserine synthases 1 and 2
Authors: Tomohiro Shiho , Kawaguti Ayako , Kawabe Yukiyo , Kitada Sakae , Kuge Osamu
Published: November 2008

PS (phosphatidylserine) in mammalian cells is synthesized by two distinct base-exchange enzymes, PSS1 (PS synthase 1) and PSS2, which are responsible for the conversion of PC (phosphatidylcholine) and PE (phosphatidylethanolamine) respectively into PS in intact cells. The PS synthesis in cultured mammalian cells is inhibited by exogenous PS, and this feedback control occurs through inhibition of PSSs by PS. In the present study, we purified epitope-tagged forms of human PSS1 and PSS2. The purified PSS2 was shown to catalyse the conversion of PE, but not PC, into PS, this being consistent with the substrate specificity observed in intact cells. On the other hand, the purified PSS1 was shown to catalyse the conversion of both PC and PE into PS, although PSS1 in intact cells had been shown not to contribute to the conversion of PE into PS to a significant extent. Furthermore, we found that the purified PSS2, but not the purified PSS1, was inhibited on the addition of PS to the enzyme assay mixture, raising the possibility that there was some difference between the mechanisms of the inhibitory actions of PS towards PSS1 and PSS2.
Temperature stability of proteins essential for the intracellular survival of Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Authors: Lack Nathan A. , Kawamura Akane , Fullam Elizabeth , Laurieri Nicola , Beard Stacey , Russell Angela J. , Evangelopoulos Dimitrios , Westwood Isaac , Sim Edith
Published: November 2008

In Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the genes hsaD (2-hydroxy-6-oxo-6-phenylhexa-2,4-dienoic acid hydrolase) and nat (arylamine N-acetyltransferase) are essential for survival inside of host macrophages. These genes act as an operon and have been suggested to be involved in cholesterol metabolism. However, the role of NAT in this catabolic pathway has not been determined. In an effort to better understand the function of these proteins, we have expressed, purified and characterized TBNAT (NAT from M. tuberculosis) and HsaD (2-hydroxy-6-oxo-6-phenylhexa-2,4-dienoic acid hydrolase) from M. tuberculosis. Both proteins demonstrated remarkable heat stability with TBNAT and HsaD retaining >95% of their activity after incubation at 60 °C for 30 min. The first and second domains of TBNAT were demonstrated to be very important to the heat stability of the protein, as the transfer of these domains caused a dramatic reduction in the heat stability. The specific activity of TBNAT was tested against a broad range of acyl-CoA cofactors using hydralazine as a substrate. TBNAT was found to be able to utilize not just acetyl-CoA, but also n-propionyl-CoA and acetoacetyl-CoA, although at a lower rate. As propionyl-CoA is a product of cholesterol catabolism, we propose that NAT could have a role in the utilization of this important cofactor.
Dissipation in molecular junctions
Authors: Jorn Ryan , Seideman Tamar
Published: November 2008

A recently developed theory that formulates the phenomena of inelastic transport and current-driven dynamics in molecular-scale electronics within a time-dependent scattering approach is extended to account for dissipation of the current-induced excitation through coupling to electrode phonons and electron-hole pairs. Our approach treats the electronic transport, the nuclear dynamics, and the energy and phase exchange between the electronic and the vibrational subspaces in the course of the inelastic scattering event within the Schrödinger picture, whereas the dissipation of the energy deposited in the nuclear modes is accounted for within a density matrix approach. Subsequent to formulation of the theory in terms of population relaxation and phase decoherence rates, we develop approaches for computing these rates, treating on equal footing the dissipation due to excitation of electron-hole pairs and that due to the interaction with phonons. Finally, we test the derived rates by application to the model problem of CO adsorbed on metal surfaces, an example that has been extensively studied previously and for which several experimental results are available for comparison.
Advanced luminescence based effective series resistance imaging of silicon solar cells
Authors: Kampwerth H. , Trupke T. , Weber J. W. , Augarten Y.
Published: November 2008

A technique for fast and spatially resolved measurement of the effective series resistance of silicon solar cells from luminescence images is introduced. Without compromising the speed of existing luminescence based series resistance imaging methods, this method offers significant advantages in that it is more robust against variations in local diode characteristics. Lateral variations in the series resistance of an industrial screen printed multicrystalline silicon solar cell obtained from this method show excellent correlation with a Corescan measurement and are also shown to be unaffected by lateral variations in the diode properties.
Cavity ring-down spectroscopy sensor for ion beam etch monitoring and end-point detection of multilayer structures
Authors: Tao L. , Yalin A. P. , Yamamoto N.
Published: November 2008

This contribution reports on the development of in situ sputter monitoring and end-point detection for ion beam etch systems using continuous-wave cavity ring-down spectroscopy (cw-CRDS). The demonstrated system is based on the detection of sputtered manganese atoms using a tunable external cavity diode laser in the vicinity of 403.07 nm. The cw-CRDS system is described and measurements from a manganese-iron target are presented. End-point detection is demonstrated by monitoring the time dependence of manganese concentration for a multilayer target comprised of alternating layers of manganese/iron and titanium. Detection limits are shown to be adequate for today’s commercial ion beam sputter systems.
In situ phase transformation and deformation of iron at high pressure and temperature
Authors: Miyagi Lowell , Kunz Martin , Knight Jason , Nasiatka James , Voltolini Marco , Wenk Hans-Rudolf
Published: November 2008

With a membrane based mechanism to allow for pressure change in a sample in a radial diffraction diamond anvil cell and simultaneous infrared laser heating, it is now possible to investigate texture changes during deformation and phase transformations over a wide range of temperature-pressure conditions. The device is used to study bcc (α), fcc (γ), and hcp (ε) iron. In bcc iron, room temperature compression generates a texture characterized by (100) and (111) poles parallel to the compression direction. During the deformation induced phase transformation to hcp iron, a subset of orientations is favored to transform to the hcp structure first and generate a texture of (011¯0) at high angles to the compression direction. Upon further deformation, the remaining grains transform, resulting in a texture that obeys the Burgers relationship of (110)bcc//(0001)hcp. Contrary to these results for low temperature, at high temperature texture is developed through dominant pyramidal ⟨a+c⟩ {21¯1¯2} ⟨21¯1¯3⟩ and basal (0001)⟨21¯1¯0⟩ slip based on polycrystal plasticity modeling. We also observe that the high temperature fcc phase develops a 110 texture typical for fcc metals deformed in compression.
Axisymmetric bubble collapse in a quiescent liquid pool. II. Experimental study
Authors: Bolaños-Jiménez R. , Sevilla A. , Martínez-Bazán C. , Gordillo J. M.
Published: November 2008

We present an experimental study of the detachment of a gas bubble growing quasistatically at constant flow rate conditions from a vertical nozzle placed at the bottom of a quiescent pool of water. In particular, we focus on the dynamics of the necking process and on its dependence on both the Bond and Weber numbers, respectively, defined as Bo=ρga2/σ, and WeQ=ρQ2/(π2a3σ). Here, a, ρ, σ, g, and Q are the inner radius of the nozzle, the liquid density, the gas-liquid surface tension, the gravitational acceleration, and the gas flow rate. Our experimental data indicate that the collapse process is not only driven by capillarity but also by the liquid hydrostatic pressure. Good agreement is achieved between the measurements of the collapse time and that given by the scaling proposed as tc=tσ/1+121/3Bo2/3 where tσ=(ρa3/σ)1/2 is the capillary time, valid in the limit WeQ→0. In addition, the details of the final instants previous to pinch-off have been analyzed by recording the time evolution of both the bubble neck radius, R0, and the axial curvature at the minimum radius, 2r1, using a high speed digital video camera and an appropriate set of microscopic lenses. We find that the dimensionless, asymptotic law, recently obtained for the inviscid pinch-off of a bubble, given by τ∝R02 exp[−ln(R02)], is never achieved down to about 20 μm. However, the experimental results are accurately reproduced by a pair of two-dimensional Rayleigh-type equations that include liquid inertia as well as surface tension effects.
A new physical model for resonance shear measurement of confined liquids between solid surfaces
Authors: Mizukami Masashi , Kurihara Kazue
Published: November 2008

This paper describes a new physical model for resonance shear measurement. The resonance shear method developed by us provides a tool for investigating the rheological and tribological properties of liquids confined between two surfaces as a function of the surface distance from micrometer to zero (contact) with nanometer level resolution with high sensitivity and stability. The properties of the confined liquid can be quantitatively studied by analyzing the resonance curve using a physical model. However, the quantitative analysis using the previously developed model was applicable only for the condition of the relatively low liquid viscosity (below ∼100 Pa s). A new physical model described in this paper enabled us to continuously analyze the properties of confined liquids at all distances, which was not possible by the previous model. It became possible to calculate the movement of a lower surface and the shear rate applied on the confined sample using the parameters obtained from the resonance curves.
A noniterative perturbative triples correction for the spin-flipping and spin-conserving equation-of-motion coupled-cluster methods with single and double substitutions
Authors: Manohar Prashant U. , Krylov Anna I.
Published: November 2008

A noniterative N7 triples correction for the equation-of-motion coupled-cluster method with single and double substitutions (CCSD) is presented. The correction is derived by second-order perturbation treatment of the similarity-transformed CCSD Hamiltonian. The spin-conserving variant of the correction is identical to the triples correction of Piecuch and co-workers [Mol. Phys. 104, 2149 (2006)] derived within method-of-moments framework and is not size intensive. The spin-flip variant of the correction is size intensive. The performance of the correction is demonstrated by calculations of electronic excitation energies in methylene, nitrenium ion, cyclobutadiene, ortho-, meta-, and para-benzynes, 1,2,3-tridehydrobenzene, as well as C–C bond breaking in ethane. In all cases except cyclobutadiene, the absolute values of the correction for energy differences were 0.1 eV or less. In cyclobutadiene, the absolute values of the correction were as large as 0.4 eV. In most cases, the correction reduced the errors against the benchmark values by about a factor of 2–3, the absolute errors being less than 0.04 eV.