bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Midtrimester abortion using vaginal misoprostol for women with three or more prior cesarean deliveries
Authors: Fawzy Muhammad , Abdel‐Hady El‐Said
Published: April 2010

Objective

To evaluate the safety and efficacy of vaginal misoprostol for second‐trimester abortion in women with 3 or more prior cesarean deliveries.

Methods

This study was conducted with 138 women who needed pregnancy termination between 13 and 26 gestational weeks, 31 with 3 or more previous cesarean deliveries and 107 with no uterine scars (the controls). Misoprostol was inserted in the vagina every 6 hours until regular contractions or products of conception appeared, a 200‐µg tablet for the first 24 hours and 2 tablets thereafter. The outcomes assessed were successful vaginal abortion, hemorrhage requiring blood transfusion, incomplete abortion, and uterine rupture.

Results

A vaginal abortion occurred in 28 women (90.3%) in the study group and 107 (100%) in the control group (P = 0.01). There were no significant differences in the prevalence of the other assessed outcomes.

Conclusion

Vaginal misoprostol appears to be safe and acceptably effective for second‐trimester pregnancy termination in women with 3 or more previous cesarean deliveries.
Lithological and Palynological Evidence of late Quaternary Depositional Environments in the Subaqueous Yangtze Delta, China
Authors: Wang Zhanghua , Xu Hao , Zhan Qing , Saito Yoshiki , He Zhongfa , Xie Jianlei , Li Xiao , Dong Yonghong
Published: April 2010

AMS 14C ages of post-glacial core sediments from the subaqueous Yangtze delta, along with sedimentary structures and distributions of grain size, pollen spores, and dinoflagellate cysts, show an estuarine depositional system from 13 to 8.4 cal ka BP and a deltaic system from 5.9 cal ka BP to the present. The estuarine system consists of intertidal to subtidal flat, estuarine, and estuarine-front facies, characterized by sand"mud couplets and a high sedimentation rate. The deltaic system includes nearshore shelf and prodelta mud featured by lower sedimentation rate, markedly fewer coastal wetland herbaceous pollens, and more dinoflagellate cysts. We explain the extremely high sedimentation rate during 9.2–8.4 cal ka BP at the study site as a result of rapid sea-level rise, high sediment load due to the unstable monsoonal climate, and subaqueous decrease of elevation from inner to outer estuary. A depositional hiatus occurred during 8.2–5.9 cal ka BP, the transition from estuarine to deltaic system, caused possibly by a shortage of sediment supply resulting from delta initiation in paleo-incised Yangtze valley and strong tidal or storm-related reworking in offshore areas. The subsequent development of deltaic system at the study site indicates accelerated progradation of Yangtze delta post-5.9 cal ka BP.
Multiproxy evidence for terrestrial and aquatic ecosystem responses during the 8.2 ka cold event as recorded at Højby Sø, Denmark
Authors: Hede Mikkel Ulfeldt , Rasmussen Peter , Noe-Nygaard Nanna , Clarke Annemarie L. , Vinebrooke Rolf D. , Olsen Jesper
Published: April 2010

A sediment succession from Højby Sø, a lake in eastern Denmark, covering the time period 9400-7400 cal yr BP was studied using high-resolution geochemistry, magnetic susceptibility, pollen, macrofossil, diatom, and algal pigment analysis to investigate responses of the terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems to the 8.2 ka cold event. A reduced pollen production by thermophilous deciduous tree taxa in the period c. 8250–8000 cal yr BP reveal that the forest ecosystem was affected by low temperatures during the summer and winter/early-spring seasons. This finding is consistent with the timing of the 8.2 ka cold event as registered in the Greenland ice cores. At Højby Sø, the climate anomaly appears to have started 200–250 yr earlier than the 8.2 ka cold event as the lake proxy data provide strong evidence for a precipitation-induced distinct increase in catchment soil erosion beginning around 8500 cal yr BP. Alteration of the terrestrial environment then resulted in a major aquatic ecosystem change with nutrient enrichment of the lake and enhanced productivity, which lasted until c. 7900 cal yr BP.
Confronting White Labourism: Socialism, Syndicalism, and the Role of the Scottish Radical Left in South Africa before 1914
Authors: Kenefick William
Published: April 2010

Dominated by the ideas of the “communist school”, the early history of the socialist and revolutionary syndicalist movement in South Africa has (until relatively recently) been largely overlooked by labour historians. From this approach emerged the view that the dominant voice of white workers in South Africa was British, and to a lesser extent Australian, and that their blend of class and racial consciousness resulted in the widespread support for the common ideology of white labourism. Indeed, support for this system of industrial and racial segregation was prevalent across the British Empire, was widely supported by the imperial working class, and in South Africa was never seriously challenged or confronted before 1914. Over recent years, however, South African labour historians have made efforts to rethink their national labour history by examining the early labour movement and the ideology of white labourism in a global context. This article adopts a similar approach and argues that the politics of white labourism was not uniformly embraced by the imperial working class, and that in South Africa there was a vocal and active non-racialist movement which sought to confront racism and segregation, dispute the operation of the “colour bar”, and challenge the white protectionist policies of the labour and trade-union movement. In conclusion, it will be argued that the campaign to confront white labourism was disproportionately influenced by radical left Scottish migrants who adhered firmly to the colour-blind principles of international socialism and revolutionary syndicalism.
Serotonin and dopamine transporters in relation to neuropsychological functioning, personality traits and mood in young adult healthy subjects
Authors: Burke S. M. , van de Giessen E. , de Win M. , Schilt T. , van Herk M. , van den Brink W. , Booij J.
Published: April 2010

Background

Serotonin and dopamine neurotransmitter systems are implicated in the regulation of mood, cognition and personality traits and their dysfunction is thought to be implicated in diverse psychopathologies. However, in healthy subjects the relationship between the serotonin and dopamine systems and neuropsychological functioning and personality traits is not clearly established. In the present study we investigated whether neuropsychological functioning, personality traits and mood states of a group of healthy subjects are associated with in vivo measures of serotonin transporters (SERTs) and dopamine transporters (DATs).

Method

A total of 188 young healthy subjects underwent neuropsychological and subjective measurements of memory function, depression and impulsivity. Participants' SERT and DAT availability in predefined regions of interest were assessed using single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) with the radiotracer [123I]β-CIT. Individual magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans served as anatomic reference.

Results

We did not find any significant association between SERT or DAT availability and neuropsychological test performance or self-reported impulsivity and mood. There were no significant sex differences in SERT or DAT availability, but men performed significantly better on some tests of visuospatial functioning than women.

Conclusions

Robust negative findings for striatal DAT availability seriously question earlier findings of positive associations between DAT availability and cognitive functions in healthy subjects. Our results also suggest that subcortical SERT availability is not associated with the neuropsychological functions and personality traits assessed. In summary, the present study suggests that neuropsychological and personality measurements in young healthy people are not associated with subcortical SERT or striatal DAT availabilities in the brain.
Miracles and violations
Authors: PRITCHARD TIMOTHY
Published: April 2010

The claim that a miracle is a violation of a law of nature has sometimes been used as part of an a priori argument against the possibility of miracle, on the grounds that a violation is conceptually impossible. I criticize these accounts but also suggest that alternative accounts, when phrased in terms of laws of nature, fail to provide adequate conceptual space for miracles. It is not clear what a ‘violation’ of a law of nature might be, but this is not relevant to the question of miracles. In practice, accounts of miracle tend to be phrased in terms of God's act not in terms of laws of nature. Finally, I suggest that the a priori argument reflects an intellectual commitment that is widely held, though wrongly built into the argument itself.
Identifying Key Barriers to Unemployment Insurance for Disadvantaged Workers in the United States
Authors: SHAEFER H. LUKE
Published: April 2010

This article seeks to identify key programmatic barriers to access to Unemployment Insurance (UI) faced by two groups of disadvantaged workers in the United States: those in the lowest wage quintile, and part-time workers who are primary wage earners. Analyses use the 2001 Panel of the Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP), a nationally representative, longitudinal survey administered by the United States Census Bureau. Estimates of UI eligibility and receipt are presented for those who enter a spell of unemployment during the panel. Results suggest that a large majority of disadvantaged workers in the United States already meet UI earnings (monetary) requirements, and that barriers to access are more often the result of disadvantaged workers (1) assuming they are ineligible, or (2) not meeting non-monetary eligibility requirements because they voluntarily quit their job or were terminated for cause. Much of the focus in policy debates in the United States remains on reforming UI earnings requirements. If results presented in this article are correct, increasing UI access among disadvantaged workers will further require increasing rates of application through expanded knowledge about the programme among disadvantaged workers, and expanding (non-monetary) eligibility for job leavers.
Concentration of personal and household crimes in England and Wales
Authors: TSELONI ANDROMACHI , NTZOUFRAS IOANNIS , NICOLAOU ANNA , PEASE KEN
Published: April 2010

Crime is disproportionally concentrated in few areas. Though long established, there remains uncertainty about the reasons for variation in the concentration of similar crime (repeats) or different crime (multiples). Wholly neglected have been composite crimes when more than one crime types coincide as parts of a single event. The research reported here disentangles area crime concentration into repeats, multiple and composite crimes. The results are based on estimated bivariate zero-inflated Poisson regression models with covariance structure which explicitly account for crime rarity and crime concentration. The implications of the results for criminological theorizing and as a possible basis for more equitable police funding are discussed.
Therapist Training and Supervision in Clinical Trials: Implications for Clinical Practice
Authors: Roth Anthony D. , Pilling Stephen , Turner Jenny
Published: April 2010

Background:Researchers in clinical trials usually pay close attention to therapist selection, training, supervision and monitoring, but the extent of this input has not been systematically documented.Aims:To describe the extent of training and supervision activity within clinical trials, and to consider any implications for transporting therapies from research to routine clinical contexts.Method:Twenty-seven randomized studies examining the efficacy of CBT interventions for people with depression or anxiety disorders were selected on the basis of their quality and impact on the field. Published and unpublished sources were used to gather information about therapist selection, training and supervision within these trials.Results:The review identified the extent of investment by researchers in assuring therapist expertise, adherence and competence. It also indicated inconsistencies in the clarity with which this input was reported.Conclusions:The ubiquity of intervention-specific training in research contexts risks being overlooked when commissioning evidence-based therapies in routine practice. This has clear implications for the likely effectiveness of interventions. Greater consistency in the reporting of training in clinical trials may help to draw attention to the role of training and supervision in maximizing clinical outcomes.
Icy Bodies in the New Solar System
Authors: Jewitt David
Published: April 2010

This brief paper summarizes a “key general review” with the same title given at the IAU meeting in Rio de Janeiro. The intent of the review talk was to give a broad and well-illustrated overview of recent work on the icy middle and outer Solar system, in a style interesting for those astronomers whose gaze is otherwise drawn to more distant realms. The intent of this written review is the same.
Heavy ion irradiation of astrophysical ice analogs
Authors: Duarte Eduardo Seperuelo , Domaracka Alicja , Boduch Philippe , Rothard Hermann , Balanzat Emmanuel , Dartois Emmanuel , Pilling Sergio , Farenzena Lucio , da Silveira Enio Frota
Published: April 2010

Icy grain mantles consist of small molecules containing hydrogen, carbon, oxygen and nitrogen atoms (e.g. H2O, CO, CO2, NH3). Such ices, present in different astrophysical environments (giant planets satellites, comets, dense clouds, and protoplanetary disks), are subjected to irradiation of different energetic particles: UV radiation, ion bombardment (solar and stellar wind as well as galactic cosmic rays), and secondary electrons due to cosmic ray ionization of H2. The interaction of these particles with astrophysical ice analogs has been the object of research over the last decades. However, there is a lack of information on the effects induced by the heavy ion component of cosmic rays in the electronic energy loss regime. The aim of the present work is to simulate of the astrophysical environment where ice mantles are exposed to the heavy ion cosmic ray irradiation.

Sample ice films at 13K were irradiated by nickel ions with energies in the 1-10 MeV/u range and analyzed by means of FTIR spectrometry. Nickel ions were used because their energy deposition is similar to that deposited by iron ions, which are particularly abundant cosmic rays amongst the heaviest ones.

In this work the effects caused by nickel ions on condensed gases are studied (destruction and production of molecules as well as associated cross sections, sputtering yields) and compared with respective values for light ions and UV photons.
Collision probabilities of migrating small bodies and dust particles with planets
Authors: Ipatov Sergei I.
Published: April 2010

Probabilities of collisions of migrating small bodies and dust particles produced by these bodies with planets were studied. Various Jupiter-family comets, Halley-type comets, long-period comets, trans-Neptunian objects, and asteroids were considered. The total probability of collisions of any considered body or particle with all planets did not exceed 0.2. The amount of water delivered from outside of Jupiter's orbit to the Earth during the formation of the giant planets could exceed the amount of water in Earth's oceans. The ratio of the mass of water delivered to a planet by Jupiter-family comets or Halley-type comets to the mass of the planet can be greater for Mars, Venus, and Mercury, than that for Earth.
Simulations for Terrestrial Planets Formation
Authors: Ji Jianghui , Zhang Niu
Published: April 2010

We investigate the formation of terrestrial planets in the late stage of planetary formation using two-planet model. At that time, the protostar has formed for about 3 Myr and the gas disk has dissipated. In the model, the perturbations from Jupiter and Saturn are considered. We also consider variations of the mass of outer planet, and the initial eccentricities and inclinations of embryos and planetesimals. Our results show that, terrestrial planets are formed in 50 Myr, and the accretion rate is about 60% - 80%. In each simulation, 3 - 4 terrestrial planets are formed inside “Jupiter” with masses of 0.15 – 3.6 M⊕. In the 0.5 - 4AU, when the eccentricities of planetesimals are excited, planetesimals are able to accrete material from wide radial direction. The plenty of water material of the terrestrial planet in the Habitable Zone may be transferred from the farther places by this mechanism. Accretion may also happen a few times between two giant planets only if the outer planet has a moderate mass and the small terrestrial planet could survive at some resonances over time scale of 108 yr.
Galactic environment and cometary flux from the Oort cloud
Authors: Fouchard Marc
Published: April 2010

The Oort cloud, which corresponds to the furthest boundary of our Solar System, is considered as the main reservoir of long period comets. This cloud is likely a residual of the Solar System formation due to the gravitational effects of the young planets on the remaining planetesimals. Given that the cloud extends to large distances from the Sun (several times 10 000 AU), the bodies in this region have their trajectories affected by the Galactic environment of the Solar System. This environment is responsible for the re-injection of the Oort cloud comets into the planetary region of the Solar System. Such comets, also called “new comets”, are the best candidates to become Halley type or “old” long period comets under the influence of the planetary gravitational attractions. Consequently, the flux of new comets represents the first stage of the long trip from the Oort cloud to the observable populations of comets. This is why so many studies are still devoted to this flux.

The different perturbers related to the Galactic environment of the Solar System, which have to be taken into account to explain the flux are reviewed. Special attention will be paid to the gravitational effects of stars passing close to the Sun and to the Galactic tides resulting from the difference of the gravitational attraction of the Galaxy on the Sun and on a comet. The synergy which takes place between these two perturbers is also described.
Influence of trans-neptunian objects on motion of major planets and limitation on the total TNO mass from planet and spacecraft ranging
Authors: Pitjeva E. V.
Published: April 2010

Perturbations from asteroids and Trans-Neptunian Objects affect significantly on the orbits of planets and should be taken into account when high-accuracy planetary ephemerides are constructed. On the other hand, from an analysis of motion of the major planets by processing of precise measurements of spacecraft a limitation on the total TNO mass may be obtained. To estimate influence of TNO on motion of planets the largest 21 TNO have been included into the process of simultaneous numerical integration, and positions of planets obtained with taking for TNO have been compared with positions of planets of numerical EPM ephemeris of IAA RAS constructed without these objects. The perturbations of other TNO have been modeled by the perturbation from a circular ring having a radius 43 AU and different masses. It has been shown that all the test masses of the TNO ring except the minimum mass (5.26⋅10−8M⊙) are too large and make the data residuals worse. Thus, the upper limit of the total mass of all TNO including Pluto, the 21 largest TNO and the TNO ring (with the 43 AU radius) should not exceed 8.04⋅10−8M⊙.
Effect of the tensile strength on the stability against rotational breakup of icy bodies
Authors: Toth Imre , Lisse Carey M.
Published: April 2010

Focusing on primitive icy minor bodies in the solar system like cometary nuclei, centaurs, transneptunian objects (TNOs), and main-belt comets (MBCs) we investigate the stability of these objects against rotational breakup by comparing their location in (radius – rotational period) space with respect to separation lines of the stable and breakup zones in this plane. We estimate the bulk tensile strength according to new structural and elasto-mechanical models of grain-aggregates, using these tensile strengths to compute separation lines. We note that the process of grain coagulation and growth is highly uncertain in the field of solar system formation and we simply don't know how to grow interstellar grains to aggregates larger than about 1 mm but we apply in our calculations the recently available elasto-mechanical models of grain-aggregates. Accorging to this study most of the observed comets, centaurs, TNOs, and MBCs are stable against rotational breakup, with a few notable exceptions. E.g., we suggest that the rotational fission is a likely scenario for the Haumea-family in the Kuiper belt.
Ground-based observations of Phoebe (S9) and its rotational dynamics
Authors: Aleshkina Ekaterina Yu. , Devyatkin Alexandr V. , Gorshanov Denis L.
Published: April 2010

Analysis of CCD observations of Phoebe, the 9th satellite of Saturn (visual magnitude of about 16.5), with a mirror astrograph ZA-320M at Pulkovo Observatory in Saint-Petersburg are presented. Photometric observations are performed both in the integral band of the telescope and in bands BVR of the Johnson system. Reference catalogues USNO-A2.0 (for R - filter and integral observations) and Ticho-2 (for V and B - filters) were used. Rotational light-curve data for Phoebe taken over a short time span (2 - 8 hours) for several nights are presented. Numerical investigation of the evolution of Phoebe's rotational dynamics is carried out. The probability of Phoebe's capture in resonant states that are distinct from 1:1 is estimated.
A cometary perspective of Enceladus
Authors: Boice Daniel C. , Goldstein Raymond
Published: April 2010

Icy plumes venting from Enceladus draw obvious comparisons to such features seen in comets. This paper outlines a consistent evolution from cometary activity to larger icy bodies in the outer solar system. The major differences are due to the systematic effects of increased gravity, including more spherical solid bodies (self-gravity), less porosity, the possible existence of liquid water due to internal sources of heat (Enceladus) versus possible cometary cyrovolcanism, internal inhomogeneities leading to jet-like features, and the possibility of a quasi-bound dusty gas atmosphere, as opposed to the extensive exospheres of comets. Similarities exist also, including gas and dust emission and the filamentary nature of jet-like features (caused by surface topography in comets), surface evolution by dust accumulation, heat and gas transport through the surface layers, among others. Initial results regarding the plume chemistry and comparisons to CAPS ion data show similarities too. Others have considered additional effects such as, charging of particles, micrometeorite impacts and complex interactions with the E-ring neutrals and plasma in great detail so these topics remain outside the scope of this paper.
How do the small planetary satellites rotate?
Authors: Melnikov Alexander V. , Shevchenko Ivan I.
Published: April 2010

We investigate the problem of the typical rotation states of the small planetary satellites from the viewpoint of the dynamical stability of their rotation. We show that the majority of the discovered satellites with unknown rotation periods cannot rotate synchronously, because no stable synchronous 1:1 spin-orbit state exists for them. They rotate either much faster than synchronously (those tidally unevolved) or, what is much less probable, chaotically (tidally evolved objects or captured slow rotators).
Surface properties of icy transneptunian objects from the second ESO large program
Authors: DeMeo Francesca E. , Barucci Maria Antonietta , Alvarez-Candal Alvaro , de Bergh Catherine , Fornasier Sonia , Merlin Frédéric , Perna Davide , Belskaya Irina
Published: April 2010

An analysis is well underway for the data from the second Large Program (PI M. A. Barucci) dedicated to investigating the surface properties of Centaurs and Transneptunian objects through spectroscopic, photometric color, lightcurve, and polarimetric observations using the European Southern Observatory (ESO) Very Large Telescope (VLT) and New Technology Telescope (NTT). 45 objects were observed between 2006 and 2008, allowing a broad characterization of at least the largest and brightest objects among this population. In this report, we summarize all our findings, but focus on the analysis of the presence of ices such as methane, ethane, nitrogen, ammonia hydrate, methanol, and particularly H2O which is so abundant throughout the outer solar system.
The Dark Red Spot on KBO Haumea
Authors: Lacerda Pedro
Published: April 2010

Kuiper belt object 136108 Haumea is one of the most fascinating bodies in our solar system. Approximately 2000 × 1600 × 1000 km in size, it is one of the largest Kuiper belt objects (KBOs) and an unusually elongated one for its size. The shape of Haumea is the result of rotational deformation due to its extremely short 3.9-hour rotation period. Unlike other 1000 km-scale KBOs which are coated in methane ice the surface of Haumea is covered in almost pure H2O-ice. The bulk density of Haumea, estimated around 2.6 g cm−3, suggests a more rocky interior composition, different from the H2O-ice surface. Recently, Haumea has become the second KBO after Pluto to show observable signs of surface features. A region darker and redder than the average surface of Haumea has been identified, the composition and origin of which remain unknown. I discuss this recent finding and what it may tell us about Haumea.
Ground based observation of TNO targets for the Herschel Space Observatory
Authors: Duffard R. , Ortiz J. L. , Thirouin A. , Santos-Sanz P. , Morales N.
Published: April 2010

We have observed a subset of TNOs that are going to be studied by means of Herschel Space Telescope (HSO). More than 50 objects have been studied astrometrically and 30 with time series photometry. The main conclusion regarding the astrometry is that all the observed HSO targets have ephemerides uncertainties smaller than 5 arcsec, needed for the correct pointing of the space telescope. Concerning the time series analysis of the targets, most of the objects present low amplitude variability. This is an on-going program and more results are expected.
Dynamics, Origin, and Activation of Main Belt Comets
Authors: Haghighipour Nader
Published: April 2010

The discovery of Main Belt Comets (MBCs) has raised many questions regarding the origin and activation mechanism of these objects. Results of a study of the dynamics of these bodies suggest that MBCs were formed in-situ as the remnants of the break-up of large icy asteroids. Simulations show that similar to the asteroids in the main belt, MBCs with orbital eccentricities smaller than 0.2 and inclinations lower than 25° have stable orbits implying that many MBCs with initially larger eccentricities and inclinations might have been scattered to other regions of the asteroid belt. Among scattered MBCs, approximately 20% reach the region of terrestrial planets where they might have contributed to the accumulation of water on Earth. Simulations also show that collisions among MBCs and small objects could have played an important role in triggering the cometary activity of these bodies. Such collisions might have exposed sub-surface water ice which sublimated and created thin atmospheres and tails around MBCs. This paper discusses the results of numerical studies of the dynamics of MBCs and their implications for the origin of these objects. The results of a large numerical modeling of the collisions of m-sized bodies with km-sized asteroids in the outer part of the asteroid belt are also presented and the viability of the collision-triggering activation scenario is discussed.
Are the main belt comets, comets?
Authors: Licandro Javier , Campins Humberto
Published: April 2010

We present the visible spectrum of asteroid-comet transition object 133P/Elst-Pizarro (7968), the first member of the new population of objects called Main Belt Comets (Hsieh & Jewitt 2006). The spectrum was obtained with the 4.2m William Herschel Telescope at the “Roque de los Muchachos” observatory. The orbital elements of 133P place it within the Themis collisional family, but the observed cometary activity during it last 3 perihelion passages also suggest a possible origin in the trans-Neptunian belt or the Oort Cloud, the known sources of comets. We found a clear similarity between our spectrum of 133P and those of other members of the Themis family such as 62 Erato, and a strong contrast with those of cometary nuclei, such as 162P/Siding-Spring. This spectral comparison leads us to conclude that 133P is unlikely to have a cometary origin. This conclusion is strengthened by spectral similarities with activated near-Earth asteroid 3200 Phaethon, and suggest that there are activated asteroids in the near-Earth asteroid and main belt populations with similar surface properties.
Material properties of transition objects 3200 Phaethon and 2003 EH1
Authors: Borovička J. , Koten P. , Spurný P. , Čapek D. , Shrbený L. , Štork R.
Published: April 2010

Asteroids 3200 Phaethon and 196256 (2003 EH1) are connected with two major meteoroid streams, Geminids and Quadrantids, respectively. We have modeled the observed light curves and decelerations of Geminid and Quadrantid meteors and studied their spectra. In both cases, we have found typical bulk densities of about 2600 kg m−3, much larger than in cometary meteoroids. Sodium was partially lost from Geminids and Quadrantids due to solar heating. The Quadrantid material was therefore not hidden deep inside the parent body 1500 years ago, when the perihelion was low enough for sodium loss to occur.
Study of meteoroid stream identification methods
Authors: Rudawska Regina , Jopek Tadeusz J.
Published: April 2010

We have tested the reliability of various meteoroid streams identification methods. We used a numerically generated set of meteoroid orbits (a stream component and a sporadic background) that were searched for streams using several methods.
Secular light curves of comets
Authors: Ferrín Ignacio
Published: April 2010

We present a resume of the fundamental ideas developed in the Atlas of Secular Light Curves of Comets (Ferrín, 2009).
Cometary nature of the 1908 Tunguska cosmic body
Authors: Ibodov F. S. , Grigorian S. S. , Ibadov S.
Published: April 2010

The cometary nature of the 1908 Tunguska cosmic body is compatible with the predictions of an analytical theory of the 1908 Tunguska explosion developed in 1976–1979. The theory takes into account the three simultaneously occurring processes, namely aerodynamic destruction of the cosmic body in the Earth's atmosphere, transversal expansion of the crushed mass under the action of pressure gradient on the frontal surface of the body, and an aerodynamic deceleration of crushed expanding mass. The use, for the mechanical parameters of the Tunguska cosmic body, of the characteristics of a cometary nuclei such as that of comet Halley 1986 III and comet Shoemaker – Levy 9 1994, gives parameters of the Tunguska explosion derived from observations of Tunguska event in the Siberian taiga in 1908.
Observations of comets and minor planets at Kiev comets station (585)
Authors: Baransky Alexander R. , Churuymov Klim I. , Ponomarenko Vasyl A.
Published: April 2010

We present the results of astrometric and photometric observations of comets and minor planets obtained at the Kiev comet station (Code MPC 585) of the Astronomical Observatory of Kyiv Shevchenko National University in 2006-2009. The 2318 position observations of 176 comets, 302 observations of 57 numbered minor planets, and 220 observations of 30 unnumbered minor planets were obtained. The accuracy of the astrometric observations of the comets is analyzed.
Mass Cultivation of Chroococcus turgidus and Oscillatoria sp. and Effective Harvesting of Biomass by Low-cost methods
Authors: N Mohan , P Hanumantha Rao , R Ranjith Kumar , V Sivasubramanian
Published: April 2010

The potential of microalgal biomasses for the production of biochemicals such as pigments, vitamins, antibiotics, polysaccharides, proteins, essential fatty acids, bio-flocculants, enzymes, etc. is well known. The purpose of this study was to cultivate two cyanobacterial species namely Chroococcus turgidus and Oscillatoria sp., isolated from industrial effluents, using a suitable growth medium in a large-scale High Rate Algal (HRA) pond. The biomolecules such as total protein, total carbohydrate and total lipid, and the pigments chlorophyll, phycobilins, β-carotene, were analysed at regular intervals during cultivation. In addition, the total bacterial cell numbers were enumerated during the study and their influence on algal growth was studied. The algal biomass was harvested by low-cost methods such as auto-flocculation and auto-floatation.
Ultrahigh-vacuum cleaving system for sub-100-μm crystals
Authors: Muro Takayuki , Kato Yukako , Kinoshita Toyohiko , Watanabe Yoshio
Published: April 2010

An ultrahigh-vacuum cleaver has been developed for cleaving small crystals with sizes of less than 100 μm. The cleaver is fully driven by stepping motors in order to control its position on the micrometer scale. A pair of blades with sharp edges is used to nip and cleave crystals. To position the edges of the blades relative to a small crystal, they are observed using an optical microscope with a long working distance. A silicon crystal with a size of ∼80 μm has been cleaved by using the developed system, and the cleanliness of the obtained surface has been verified by photoemission spectroscopy.
Role of pre- and postsynaptic activity in thalamocortical axon branching
Authors: Yamada Akito , Uesaka Naofumi , Hayano Yasufumi , Tabata Toshihide , Kano Masanobu , Yamamoto Nobuhiko
Published: April 2010

Axonal branching is thought to be regulated not only by genetically defined programs but also by neural activity in the developing nervous system. Here we investigated the role of pre- and postsynaptic activity in axon branching in the thalamocortical (TC) projection using organotypic coculture preparations of the thalamus and cortex. Individual TC axons were labeled with enhanced yellow fluorescent protein by transfection into thalamic neurons. To manipulate firing activity, a vector encoding an inward rectifying potassium channel (Kir2.1) was introduced into either thalamic or cortical cells. Firing activity was monitored with multielectrode dishes during culturing. We found that axon branching was markedly suppressed in Kir2.1-overexpressing thalamic cells, in which neural activity was silenced. Similar suppression of TC axon branching was also found when cortical cell activity was reduced by expressing Kir2.1. These results indicate that both pre- and postsynaptic activity is required for TC axon branching during development.
Microtubule-mediated transport of the tumor-suppressor protein Merlin and its mutants
Authors: Benseñor Lorena B. , Barlan Kari , Rice Sarah E. , Fehon Richard G. , Gelfand Vladimir I.
Published: April 2010

The neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2) tumor-suppressor protein Merlin is a member of the ERM family of proteins that links the cytoskeleton to the plasma membrane. In humans, mutations in the
NF2
gene cause neurofibromatosis type-2 (NF2), a cancer syndrome characterized by the development of tumors of the nervous system. Previous reports have suggested that the subcellular distribution of Merlin is critical to its function, and that several
NF2
mutants that lack tumor-suppressor activity present improper localization. Here we used a
Drosophila
cell culture model to study the distribution and mechanism of intracellular transport of Merlin and its mutants. We found that
Drosophila
Merlin formed cytoplasmic particles that move bidirectionally along microtubules. A single
NF2
-causing amino acid substitution in the FERM domain dramatically inhibited Merlin particle movement. Surprisingly, the presence of this immotile Merlin mutant also inhibited trafficking of the WT protein. Analysis of the movement of WT protein using RNAi and pull-downs showed that Merlin particles are associated with and moved by microtubule motors (kinesin-1 and cytoplasmic dynein), and that binding of motors and movement is regulated by Merlin phosphorylation. Inhibition of Merlin transport by expression of the dominant-negative mutant or depletion of kinesin-1 results in increased nuclear accumulation of the transcriptional coactivator Yorkie. These results demonstrate the requirement of microtubule-dependent transport for Merlin function.
IKKγ protein is a target of BAG3 regulatory activity in human tumor growth
Authors: Ammirante Massimo , Rosati Alessandra , Arra Claudio , Basile Anna , Falco Antonia , Festa Michela , Pascale Maria , d'Avenia Morena , Marzullo Liberato , Belisario Maria Antonietta , De Marco Margot , Barbieri Antonio , Giudice Aldo , Chiappetta Gennaro , Vuttariello Emilia , Monaco Mario , Bonelli Patrizia , Salvatore Gaetano , Di Benedetto Maria , Deshmane Satish L. , Khalili Kamel , Turco Maria Caterina , Leone Arturo
Published: April 2010

BAG3, a member of the BAG family of heat shock protein (HSP) 70 cochaperones, is expressed in response to stressful stimuli in a number of normal cell types and constitutively in a variety of tumors, including pancreas carcinomas, lymphocytic and myeloblastic leukemias, and thyroid carcinomas. Down-regulation of BAG3 results in cell death, but the underlying molecular mechanisms are still elusive. Here, we investigated the molecular mechanism of BAG3-dependent survival in human osteosarcoma (SAOS-2) and melanoma (M14) cells. We show thatbag3overexpression in tumors promotes survival through the NF-κB pathway. Indeed, we demonstrate that BAG3 alters the interaction between HSP70 and IKKγ, increasing availability of IKKγ and protecting it from proteasome-dependent degradation; this, in turn, results in increased NF-κB activity and survival. These results identifybag3as a potential target for anticancer therapies in those tumors in which this gene is constitutively expressed. As a proof of principle, we show that treatment of a mouse xenograft tumor model withbag3siRNA-adenovirus that down-regulatesbag3results in reduced tumor growth and increased animal survival.
Three-dimensional distribution of transient interactions in the nuclear pore complex obtained from single-molecule snapshots
Authors: Ma Jiong , Yang Weidong
Published: April 2010

The translocation of large macromolecules through the nuclear pore complex (NPC) of eukaryotic cells is hindered by the phenylalanine-glycine (FG) nucleoporin (Nup) barrier unless molecules are chaperoned by transport receptors. The precise mechanism of facilitated translocation remains unclear due to the challenges of measuring the series of transient interactions between a transport receptor and the FG-Nups. This study developed single-point edge-excitation subdiffraction microscopy to obtain a three-dimensional density map of the transient interactions with a spatiotemporal resolution of 9 nm and 400 μs. Three unique features were observed under real-time trafficking conditions that have escaped detection by conventional electron microscopy: (
i
) the spatial density of interaction sites between Importin β1 (Imp β1, a major transport receptor) and the FG-Nups gradually increases from both sides of the NPC and is highest in the central pore region; (
ii
) cargo-free or cargo-bound Imp β1 rarely occupies an axial channel with a diameter of approximately 10–20 nm at its narrowest point through the NPC; and (
iii
) the pathway of facilitated translocation through the NPC depends more on the interaction sites of the FG-Nups than on the NPC architecture.
Electric power from offshore wind via synoptic-scale interconnection
Authors: Kempton Willett , Pimenta Felipe M. , Veron Dana E. , Colle Brian A.
Published: April 2010

World wind power resources are abundant, but their utilization could be limited because wind fluctuates rather than providing steady power. We hypothesize that wind power output could be stabilized if wind generators were located in a meteorologically designed configuration and electrically connected. Based on 5 yr of wind data from 11 meteorological stations, distributed over a 2,500 km extent along the U.S. East Coast, power output for each hour at each site is calculated. Each individual wind power generation site exhibits the expected power ups and downs. But when we simulate a power line connecting them, called here the Atlantic Transmission Grid, the output from the entire set of generators rarely reaches either low or full power, and power changes slowly. Notably, during the 5-yr study period, the amount of power shifted up and down but never stopped. This finding is explained by examining in detail the high and low output periods, using reanalysis data to show the weather phenomena responsible for steady production and for the occasional periods of low power. We conclude with suggested institutions appropriate to create and manage the power system analyzed here.
Metallofullerene nanoparticles circumvent tumor resistance to cisplatin by reactivating endocytosis
Authors: Liang Xing-Jie , Meng Huan , Wang Yingze , He Haiyong , Meng Jie , Lu Juan , Wang Paul C. , Zhao Yuliang , Gao Xueyun , Sun Baoyun , Chen Chunying , Xing Genmei , Shen Dingwu , Gottesman Michael M. , Wu Yan , Yin Jun-jie , Jia Lee
Published: April 2010

Cisplatin is a chemotherapeutic drug commonly used in clinics. However, acquired resistance confines its application in chemotherapeutics. To overcome the acquired resistance to cisplatin, it is reasoned, based on our previous findings of mediation of cellular responses by [Gd@C82(OH)22]nnanoparticles, that [Gd@C82(OH)22]nmay reverse tumor resistance to cisplatin by reactivating the impaired endocytosis of cisplatin-resistant human prostate cancer (CP-r) cells. Here we report that exposure of the CP-r PC-3-luc cells to cisplatin in the presence of nontoxic [Gd@C82(OH)22]nnot only decreased the number of surviving CP-r cells but also inhibited growth of the CP-r tumors in athymic nude mice as measured by both optical and MRI. Labeling the CP-r PC-3 cells with transferrin, an endocytotic marker, demonstrated that pretreatment of the CP-r PC-3-luc cells with [Gd@C82(OH)22]nenhanced intracellular accumulation of cisplatin and formation of cisplatin-DNA adducts by restoring the defective endocytosis of the CP-r cancer cells. The results suggest that [Gd@C82(OH)22]nnanoparticles overcome tumor resistance to cisplatin by increasing its intracellular accumulation through the mechanism of restoring defective endocytosis. The technology can be extended to other challenges related to multidrug resistance often found in cancer treatments.
Floral symmetry genes and the origin and maintenance of zygomorphy in a plant-pollinator mutualism
Authors: Zhang Wenheng , Kramer Elena M. , Davis Charles C.
Published: April 2010

The evolution of floral zygomorphy is an important innovation in flowering plants and is thought to arise principally from specialization on various insect pollinators. Floral morphology of neotropical Malpighiaceae is distinctive and highly conserved, especially with regard to symmetry, and is thought to be caused by selection by its oil-bee pollinators. We sought to characterize the genetic basis of floral zygomorphy in Malpighiaceae by investigating
CYCLOIDEA2
-like (
CYC2
-like) genes, which are required for establishing symmetry in diverse core eudicots. We identified two copies of
CYC2
-like genes in Malpighiaceae, which resulted from a gene duplication in the common ancestor of the family. A likely role for these loci in the development of floral zygomorphy in Malpighiaceae is demonstrated by the conserved pattern of dorsal gene expression in two distantly related neotropical species,
Byrsonima crassifolia
and
Janusia guaranitica
. Further evidence for this function is observed in a Malpighiaceae species that has moved to the paleotropics and experienced coincident shifts in pollinators, floral symmetry, and
CYC2
-like gene expression. The dorsal expression pat-tern observed in Malpighiaceae contrasts dramatically with their actinomorphic-flowered relatives, Centroplacaceae (
Bhesa paniculata)
and Elatinaceae (
Bergia texana
). In particular,
B. texana
exhibits a previously undescribed pattern of uniform
CYC2
expression, suggesting that
CYC2
expression among the actinomorphic ancestors of zygomorphic lineages may be much more complex than previously thought. We consider three evolutionary models that may have given rise to this patterning, including the hypothesis that floral zygomorphy in Malpighiaceae arose earlier than standard morphology-based character reconstructions suggest.
Contrasting genetic paths to morphological and physiological evolution
Authors: Liao Ben-Yang , Weng Meng-Pin , Zhang Jianzhi
Published: April 2010

The relative importance of protein function change and gene expression change in phenotypic evolution is a contentious, yet central topic in evolutionary biology. Analyzing 5,199 mouse genes with recorded mutant phenotypes, we find that genes exclusively affecting morphological traits when mutated (dubbed “morphogenes”) are grossly enriched with transcriptional regulators, whereas those exclusively affecting physiological traits (dubbed “physiogenes”) are enriched with channels, transporters, receptors, and enzymes. Compared to physiogenes, morphogenes are more likely to be essential and pleiotropic and less likely to be tissue specific. Morphogenes evolve faster in expression profile, but slower in protein sequence and gene gain/loss than physiogenes. Thus, morphological and physiological changes have a differential molecular basis; separating them helps discern the genetic mechanisms of phenotypic evolution.
T and B cell hyperactivity and autoimmunity associated with niche-specific defects in apoptotic body clearance in TIM-4-deficient mice
Authors: Rodriguez-Manzanet Roselynn , Sanjuan Miguel A. , Wu Henry Y. , Quintana Francisco J. , Xiao Sheng , Anderson Ana C. , Weiner Howard L. , Green Douglas R. , Kuchroo Vijay K.
Published: April 2010

TIM-4, a member of the TIM family expressed on antigen-presenting cells, binds to phosphatidylserine exposed on the surface of apoptotic bodies. However, the significance of this interaction in vivo remains unknown because other receptors have been implicated in the clearance of apoptotic bodies and could compensate for the TIM-4 deficiency in vivo. In this study, we describe the generation of TIM-4-deficient mice and address whether TIM-4 serves a unique function in vivo. We show that TIM-4
−/−
peritoneal macrophages and B-1 cells do not efficiently engulf apoptotic bodies in vitro, or clear apoptotic bodies in vivo. TIM-4-deficient mice have hyperactive T and B cells, elevated levels of serum Ig, and develop antibodies to double-stranded DNA. Taken together, we show that TIM-4 is critical for the clearance of apoptotic bodies in vivo, and that lack of TIM-4 results in aberrant persistence of apoptotic bodies leading to dysregulated lymphocyte activation and signs of systemic autoimmunity.