Multilayered printed circuit boards inspected by X-ray laminography

Technique produces high resolution cross-sectional radiographs with close interplane spacing for inspecting multilayer boards to be used in providing circuitry routing and module structural support

Existence of long-lived isotopes of a superheavy element in natural Au

Evidence for the existence of long-lived isotopes with atomic mass numbers 261 and 265 and abundance of (1-10)x10$^{-10}$ relative to Au has been found in a study of natural Au using an inductively coupled plasma - sector field mass spectrometer. The measured masses fit the predictions made for the masses of $^{261}$Rg and $^{265}$Rg (Z=111) and for some isotopes of nearby elements. The possibility that these isotopes belong to the recently discovered class of long-lived high spin super- and hyperdeformed isomeric states is discussed.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, 2 table

From Teamchef Arminius to Hermann Junior: glocalised discourse about a national foundation myth

If for much of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, the ‘Battle of the Teutoburg Forest’, fought in 9 CE between Roman armies and Germanic tribes, was predominantly a reference point for nationalist and chauvinist discourses in Germany, the first decade of the twenty-first century has seen attempts to link public remembrance with local/regional identities on the one hand and international/intercultural contact on the other. In the run up to and during the ‘anniversary year’ of 2009, German media, sports institutions and various other official institutions articulating tourist, economic and political interests attempted to create a new ‘glocalised’ version of the public memory of the Teutoburg battle. Combining methods of Cognitive Linguistics and Critical Discourse Analysis, the paper analyses the narrative and argumentative topoi employed in this re-orientation of public memory, with a special emphasis on hybrid, post-national identity-construction. Das zweitausendjährige Gedenkjahr der „Schlacht im Teutoburger Wald“ im Jahr 2009 bot eine günstige Gelegenheit, die bis in die zweite Hälfte des 20. Jahrhunderts dominante Tradition nationalistisch–chauvinistischer Deutungen des Sieges von germanischen Stämmen über drei römische Legionen zu korrigieren und zu überwinden. Der Aufsatz analysiert mit Hilfe diskurslinguistischer Methoden die Anstrengungen regionaler Institutionen und Medien, die nationale Vereinnahmung des historischen Gedenkens kritisch zu thematisieren sowie neue, zum eine lokal situierte, zum andern international orientierte Identifikationsangebote anzubieten. Die Analyse zeigt, dass solche „de-nationalisierten“ Identifikationsangebote zwar teilweise auch früher verwendet wurden, aber heutzutage rekontextualisiert und auf innovative Weise in den Vordergrund gestellt werden

Evidence for a long-lived superheavy nucleus with atomic mass number A=292 and atomic number Z=~122 in natural Th

Evidence for the existence of a superheavy nucleus with atomic mass number A=292 and abundance (1-10)x10^(-12) relative to 232Th has been found in a study of natural Th using inductively coupled plasma-sector field mass spectrometry. The measured mass matches the predictions [1,2] for the mass of an isotope with atomic number Z=122 or a nearby element. Its estimated half-life of t1/2 >= 10^8 y suggests that a long-lived isomeric state exists in this isotope. The possibility that it might belong to a new class of long-lived high spin super- and hyperdeformed isomeric states is discussed.[3-6]Comment: 14 pages, 5 figure

Timing of major fracture care in polytrauma patients – an update on principles, parameters and strategies for 2020

Objectives Sustained changes in resuscitation and transfusion management have been observed since the turn of the millennium, along with an ongoing discussion of surgical management strategies. The aims of this study are threefold: a) to evaluate the objective changes in resuscitation and mass transfusion protocols undertaken in major level I trauma centers; b) to summarize the improvements in diagnostic options for early risk profiling in multiply injured patients and c) to assess the improvements in surgical treatment for acute major fractures in the multiply injured patient. Methods I. A systematic review of the literature (comprehensive search of the MEDLINE, Embase, PubMed, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases) and a concomitant data base (from a single Level I center) analysis were performed. Two authors independently extracted data using a pre-designed form. A pooled analysis was performed to determine the changes in the management of polytraumatized patients after the change of the millennium. II. A data base from a level I trauma center was utilized to test any effects of treatment changes on outcome. Inclusion criteria: adult patients, ISS > 16, admission < less than 24 h post trauma. Exclusion: Oncological diseases, genetic disorders that affect the musculoskeletal system. Parameters evaluated were mortality, ICU stay, ICU complications (Sepsis, Pneumonia, Multiple organ failure). Results I. From the electronic databases, 5141 articles were deemed to be relevant. 169 articles met the inclusion criteria and a manual review of reference lists of key articles identified an additional 22 articles. II. Out of 3668 patients, 2694 (73.4%) were male, the mean ISS was 28.2 (SD 15.1), mean NISS was 37.2 points (SD 17.4 points) and the average length of stay was 17.0 days (SD 18.7 days) with a mean length of ICU stay of 8.2 days (SD 10.5 days), and a mean ventilation time of 5.1 days (SD 8.1 days). Both surgical management and nonsurgical strategies have changed over time. Damage control resuscitation, dynamic analyses of coagulopathy and lactate clearance proved to sharpen the view of the worsening trauma patient and facilitated the prevention of further complications. The subsequent surgical care has become safer and more balanced, avoiding overzealous initial surgeries, while performing early fixation, when patients are physiologically stable or rapidly improving. Severe chest trauma and soft tissue injuries require further evaluation. Conclusions Multiple changes in management (resuscitation, transfusion protocols and balanced surgical care) have taken place. Moreover, improvement in mortality rates and complications associated with several factors were also observed. These findings support the view that the management of polytrauma patients has been substantially improved over the past 3 decades

Stimulus - response curves of a neuronal model for noisy subthreshold oscillations and related spike generation

We investigate the stimulus-dependent tuning properties of a noisy ionic conductance model for intrinsic subthreshold oscillations in membrane potential and associated spike generation. On depolarization by an applied current, the model exhibits subthreshold oscillatory activity with occasional spike generation when oscillations reach the spike threshold. We consider how the amount of applied current, the noise intensity, variation of maximum conductance values and scaling to different temperature ranges alter the responses of the model with respect to voltage traces, interspike intervals and their statistics and the mean spike frequency curves. We demonstrate that subthreshold oscillatory neurons in the presence of noise can sensitively and also selectively be tuned by stimulus-dependent variation of model parameters.Comment: 19 pages, 7 figure

Shell Model Study of the Neutron-Rich Nuclei around N=28

We describe the properties of the neutron rich nuclei around N=28 in the shell mode framework. The valence space comprises the $sd$ shell for protons an the $pf$ shell for neutrons without any restriction. Good agreement is found with the available experimental data. The N=28 shell closure, even if eroded due to the large neutron excess, persists. The calculations predict that $^{40}$S and $^{42}$S are deformed with $\beta=0.29$ and $\beta=0.32$ respectively.Comment: 17 pages and 19 figures, LateX, RevTe

Selective loss of noradrenaline exacerbates early cognitive dysfunction and synaptic deficits in APP/PS1 mice.

Background: Degeneration of the locus coeruleus (LC), the major noradrenergic nucleus in the brain, occurs early and is ubiquitous in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Experimental lesions to the LC exacerbate AD-like neuropathology and cognitive deficits in several transgenic mouse models of AD. Because the LC contains multiple neuromodulators known to affect amyloid toxicity and cognitive function, the specific role of noradrenaline (NA) in AD is not well understood. Methods: To determine the consequences of selective NA deficiency in an AD mouse model, we crossed dopamine -hydroxylase (DBH) knockout mice with amyloid precursor protein (APP)/presenilin-1 (PS1) mice overexpressing mutant APP and PS1. Dopamine -hydroxylase (/) mice are unable to synthesize NA but otherwise have normal LC neurons and co-transmitters. Spatial memory, hippocampal long-term potentiation, and synaptic protein levels were assessed. Results: The modest impairments in spatial memory and hippocampal long-term potentiation displayed by young APP/PS1 or DBH (/) single mutant mice were augmented in DBH (/)/APP/PS1 double mutant mice. Deficits were associated with reduced levels of total calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II and N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor 2A and increased N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor 2B levels and were independent of amyloid accumulation. Spatial memory performance was partly improved by treatment with the NA precursor drug L-threo-dihydroxyphenylserine. Conclusions: These results indicate that early LC degeneration and subsequentNAdeficiency inADmay contribute to cognitive deficits via altered levels of calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II and N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors and suggest that NA supplementation could be beneficial in early AD