Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and fetal growth restriction (FGR) are pregnancy complications associated with morbidity in later life. Despite a growing body of evidence from current research on developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD), little information is currently provided to parents on long-term metabolic, cardiovascular and neurologic consequences. As parents strongly rely on internet-based health-related information, we examined the quality of information on IUGR/FGR sequelae and DOHaD in webpages used by laypersons. Simulating non-clinicians experience, we entered the terms ‘IUGR consequences’ and ‘FGR consequences’ into Google and Yahoo search engines. The quality of the top search-hits was analyzed with regard to the certification through the Health On the Net Foundation (HON), currentness of cited references, while reliability of information and DOHaD-related consequences were assessed via the DISCERN Plus score (DPS). Overall the citation status was not up-to-date and only a few websites were HON-certified. The results of our analysis showed a dichotomy between the growing body of evidence regarding IUGR/FGR-related sequelae and lack of current guidelines, leaving parents without clear directions. Furthermore, detailed information on the concept of DOHaD is not provided. These findings emphasize the responsibility of the individual physician for providing advice on IUGR/FGR-related sequelae, monitoring and follow-up.

Idiopathic intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) is a result of impaired placental nutrient supply. Newborns with IUGR exhibiting postnatal catch-up growth are of higher risk for cardiovascular and metabolic co-morbidities in adult life. Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) was recently shown to function as a placental nutrient sensor. Thus, we determined possible correlations of members of the placental mTOR signaling cascade with auxologic parameters of postnatal growth. The protein expression and activity of mTOR-pathway signaling components, Akt, AMP-activated protein kinase α, mTOR, p70S6kinase1 and insulin receptor substrate-1 were analysed via western blotting in IUGR v. matched appropriate-for-gestational age (AGA) placentas. Moreover, mTOR was immunohistochemically stained in placental sections. Data from western blot analyses were correlated with retrospective auxological follow-up data at 1 year of age. We found significant catch-up growth in the 1st year of life in the IUGR group. MTOR and its activated form are immunohistochemically detected in multiple placental compartments. We identified correlations of placental mTOR-pathway signaling components to auxological data at birth and at 1 year of life in IUGR. Analysis of the protein expression and phosphorylation level of mTOR-pathway components in IUGR and AGA placentas postpartum, however, did not reveal pathognomonic changes. Our findings suggest that the level of activated mTOR correlates with early catch-up growth following IUGR. However, the complexity of signals converging at the mTOR nexus and its cellular distribution pattern seem to limit its potential as biomarker in this setting.

Collaboration is used by the US National Security Council as a means to integrate inter-federal government agencies during planning and execution of common goals towards unified, national security. The concept of collaboration has benefits in the healthcare system by building trust, sharing resources, and reducing costs. The current terrorist threats have made collaborative medical training between military and civilian agencies crucial.

This review summarizes the long and rich history of collaboration between civilians and the military in various countries and provides support for the continuation and improvement of collaborative efforts. Through collaboration, advances in the treatment of injuries have been realized, deaths have been reduced, and significant strides in the betterment of the Emergency Medical System have been achieved. This review promotes collaborative medical training between military and civilian medical professionals and provides recommendations for the future based on medical collaboration.

The report of Commission 15 was prepared primarily by the chairpersons of its two working groups: the Minor Planet Working Group and the Comet Working Group. In particular, the Minor Planet section was created by A. Cellino with a little help from E. Tedesco and the Comet section by T. Yamamoto with the assistance of D. Bockelée-Morvan, W. Huebner, A. Bhardwaj, D. Biesecker, L. Jorda, H. Kawakita, H. U. Keller, H. Kimura, A. Kouchi, and D. Prialnik. E. Tedesco was responsible for the Introduction, final editing, and merging of the two reports.

The Joint Discussion (JD14) is intended to focus attention on several apparent inconsistencies found in comet observations when compared with observations of collapsing interstellar clouds, star-forming regions, and models of the solar nebula. The JD is not intended to resolve these problems, for that a one-day discussion is too short. It rather is intended to draw attention to the inconsistencies to be discussed and resolved in future workshops.

Sintering of pure SnO2 to high densities is difficult due to its high vapor pressure, and hence, additives are typically used to enhance densification. In this study, the effects of two lithium compounds, LiF and LiNO3, on the densification behavior of SnO2 were evaluated. While LiF resulted in only a modest improvement in densification, LiNO3 additions resulted in densities of ≥ 95% theoretical at 1500 °C in air. Thermal, x-ray, and SEM/TEM microstructural analyses indicated no liquid phase formation. From these studies we attribute the enhanced sintering behavior to the ionic-compensation of Li+ as an acceptor dopant, i.e., 3[Li‴sn] = 2[Voö], which in turn increased the diffusivity of oxygen.

A sintering, microstructural development and dielectric property study of BaTiO3–LiF ceramics was performed to assess the potential application of low-fired multilayer capacitors. Not only does LiF allow for sintering below 1000 °C, it also allows for the manipulation of dielectric properties and interfaces within BaTiO3–LiF ceramics. Using mixing laws, a model of the dielectric properties of the core-shell microstructures is presented that agrees well with the observed experimental data.

Much has been learned about the physics and chemistry of comets from the successful spacecraft encounters and intensive remote observing programs of Comets Halley and Giacobini-Zinner. Instead of being the panacea for our comet curiosity, these tantalizing “snapshots” have raised new questions, and many fundamental problems remain unsolved. To reap fuller benefits, extensive modeling is necessary to characterize the physical structure and chemical properties of the coma and to infer the composition and structure of the nucleus.

A process has been developed for the synthesis of YBa2Cu3O7−x superconducting fibers from an organic acid precursor solution. Through rheology measurements on a series of precursor solutions, the molecular structure was determined and subsequently controlled to allow for fiber drawing. For solutions with a viscosity ⋛10 poise, fibers of 1 to 2 m length and 50 ∼ 100 μm diameter can be hand drawn at ≍80 °C. Processing methods were developed to circumvent deformation of the thermoplastic fibers during heating and to minimize BaCO3 formation during decomposition. Fibers sintered at 850 °C for 1 h in 10−2 atm O2, followed by annealing at 500 °C for 4 h in O2, were fully dense, consisted of submicron grains, and were superconducting.

On 1 October 1949 the People's Republic of China was formally established in Beijing. On 7 December Chiang Kai-shek (Jiang Jieshi), who had earlier moved to Taiwan to secure a final base of resistance in the civil war, ordered the Kuomintang (KMT) regime to withdraw to the island from Chengdu, Sichuan, its last seat on the mainland. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) declared its commitment to the goal of unifying the nation under the People's Republic, and thus called for the “liberation” of Taiwan. Although Taiwan represented the final phase of the still unfinished civil war, it was the strategic significance of the island that became of paramount concern to the CCP, the KMT and the United States.

Sublimation (vaporization) of the icy component of a cometary nucleus determines the initial composition of the coma gas as it streams outward and escapes. Photolytic reactions in the inner coma, escape of fast, light species such as atomic and molecular hydrogen, and solar wind interaction in the outer coma alter the chemical composition and the physical nature of the coma gas. Models that describe these interactions must include (1) chemical kinetics, (2) coma energy balance, (3) multifluid flow for the rapidly escaping light components, the heavier bulk fluid, and the plasma with separate temperatures for electrons and the remainder of the gas, (4) transition from a collision dominated inner region to free molecular flow of neutrals in the outer region, (5) pickup of cometary ions by the solar wind, (6) counter and cross streaming of neutrals with respect to the plasma which outside of the contact surface also contains solar wind ions, and (7) magnetic fields carried by the solar wind. Progress on such models is described and results including velocity, temperature, and number density profiles for important chemical species are presented and compared with observations.

The composition of the inner coma is modeled assuming that about 30 chemical species composed of H, C, and O undergo reactions. Ionization and dissociation by solar radiation and over 100 forward and reverse reactions between atoms, molecules, and ions are considered in the kinetics. Vaporization from a simple H20 - C02 nucleus provides the initial composition of the gas near the surface.

Almost all information about the physics of the nucleus is based on deductions from observations of the coma and tails. It is well to keep in mind the hierarchy of events on which these deductions are based:

1. The material properties of the constituents of the nucleus and the detailed physical and chemical structure of the nucleus form the basis for the behavior of coma and tails.

2. Interaction of solar radiation with the surface of the nucleus determines the overall temporal development of the coma.

3. The subsequent interaction of solar radiation and solar wind with the coma determine the gross features of the tails.

4. Short term fluctuations primarily in the solar wind (and associated magnetic, field) cause disturbances of comparable duration observable mostly in the tail but also in the coma.

We have recently reported detection of hydrogen cyanide and the first quantitative observations of the velocities of neutral gas jets in the inner part of the coma while the comet was at small heliocentric distances (Huebner, et al., 1974). Now we report the detection of two line transitions from unidentified cometary molecules, provide further evidence of the variability of neutral gas jets, and give a summary of our search program for microwave transitions in molecules of cometary origin.

The observations presented here were made with a 3-mm line receiver mounted on the 11-m NRAO radio dish at Kitt Peak. Observations were carried out before perihelion (15 to 20 December 1973) and after perihelion (3 to 7 January 1974). During these periods the comet was between 0.3 and 0.5 AU heliocentric distance.

The report centers on general procedures applicable to the calculation of constitutive properties (equation of state and opacity) of media that serve as models for the solar nebula during planet formation and for the atmospheres of some planets. Specifically considered are the equilibrium compositions of a mixture of atoms, molecules, and their ionic species in the gaseous phase, condensation into grains with refractory cores and mantles of volatile compounds, and the ‘optical’ properties of the grain-gas medium. A summary of available and still needed basic (input) data and some currently available results are presented.