cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Surface-plasmonic-polaritonic sensor using a dielectric columnar thin film

ABSTRACT The propagation of a surface plasmon-polariton (SPP) wave can be guided by the interface of a metal anda columnar thin lm (CTF). Theory predicts that the angle of incidence on the prism/metal interface in theTurbadar Kretschmann Raether prism-coupled conguration required to excite the SPP wave shifts upon inl-tration of the CTF by a uid. Otherwise identical CTFs of dierent thicknesses were partnered with dense thinlms of aluminum in optical experiments. Regardless of the angle between the morphologically signicant planeof the CTF and the cross-sectional plane of the prism, the angle of incidence for exciting the SPP wave wasfound to shift to a higher value when the CTF was inltrated by a uid of refractive index in excess of unity.Experimental data indicated that the angle between the morphologically signicant plane of the CTF and thecross-sectional pla ne of the prism should not exceed about 45 for high sensitivity.Keywords: aluminum, columnar thin lm, lanthanum uoride, morphologically signicant plane, optical sens-ing, prism-coupled conguration, surface-plasmon-polariton wave, thermal evaporation
A very inexpensive MRI-compatible method for dichoptic visual stimulation

Here I describe a very simple, very effective, and very inexpensive method of dichoptic stimulus presentation, designed for use in a head-only MRI scanner with a standard back-projection system. The method can also be used outside of the scanner. Images are presented separately and simultaneously to the two eyes, without the use of colored lenses, with no constraints on stimulus properties (other than size: stimuli must be less than half of the width of the viewing screen), no degradation in luminance reaching the eye, and zero crosstalk between the two eyes. Simultaneous infrared eye tracking and/or pupilometry can also be performed. Components include a two-part cardboard divider (one part in the bore of the magnet, and one in the head coil) and prism lenses (readily obtainable from the local eyeglass shop) cut to fit scanner-compatible eyeglass frames. The total cost (in 2007) was approximately US$ 300.
Compliance and ethics programs: competitive advantage through the law

This paper aims to address whether deploying compliance and ethics programs will assist US organizations in implementing the internal mechanisms necessary to achieve a competitive advantage from the law. My focus will be on the US legal system, as the corporate compliance and ethics programs examined are based on mitigation provisions contained in the US Federal Sentencing Guidelines. In particular, I propose that organizations can attain a sustainable competitive advantage from the law by considering the following questions: Do compliance and ethics programs assist organizations in achieving a better understanding of the law? Are compliance and ethics programs a cost-effective approach for coping with an organization’s legal issues? Can compliance and ethics programs aid organizations by preventing these legal issues from occurring in the future? Will compliance and ethics programs support organizations in reframing legal issues as business opportunities?
The potential for grass-fed livestock: resource constraints.

Using pasture and grazed forest-range for a system of producing live-stock by feeding grass alone reduces the inputs of energy about 60 percent and land resources about 8 percent, but also reduces by about half the production of animal protein in the United States. Under a system in which only grass was fed, livestock would be restricted to beef, milk, and lamb production. The amount of grain fed to U.S. livestock is about 135 million tons (metric) or about ten times the amount consumed by the U.S. population.
On non-linear tariff schedules

Abstract A non-linear tariff is one in which the total tariff paid by an individual is not proportional to the amount he imports. In this paper, we analyze optimal non-linear tariffs set by a welfare-maximizing government subject to a revenue constraint. The optimal schedule consists of a two-part tariff over an initial range of imports, and a continuous schedule for further imports that satisfies a modified Ramsey rule.
Electrical conductivity in strontium titanate with nonideal cationic ratio

Abstract The electrical conductivity of polycrystalline strontium titanate with ( Sr Ti = 0.996, 0.99, and 0.98 was determined for the oxygen partial pressure range of 100 to 10−22 atm and the temperature range of 850–1050°C. These data were found to be similar to that obtained for the sample with ideal cationic ratio. The observed data were proportional to the − 1 6 power of oxygen partial pressure for PO2 P −1 4 O 2 for the pressure range 10−8–10−15 atm, and proportional to P +1 4 O 2 for PO2 > 10−4atm. The deviation from the ideal Sr-to-Ti ratio was found to be accommodated by neutral vacancy pairs, (V″Sr V″0. The results indicate that the single-phase field of strontium titanate extends beyond 50.505 mole% TiO2 at elevated temperatures.
An Integrated Geophysical Study of the Wet Mountains, Southern Colorado.

Summary Our integrated geological and geophysical study of the Wet Mountains region is focused primarily on expanding our knowledge of the tectonic evolution of this area and the Southern Oklahoma aulacogen in general. Gravity and magnetic surveys were conducted that covered an extensive area over the Gem Park and McClure Mountain mafic and ultramafic complexes in the Wet Mountains of Southern Colorado. These results, when merged with regional gravity and magnetic data, indicate that a large (>500 km 2 ) portion of the Wet Mountains is underlain by Cambrian mafic igneous rocks. Furthermore, NW-SE trending regional lineaments align with known trends of the Southern Oklahoma Aulacogen (SOA). In addition, regional seismic refraction/wide angle reflection data from the Continental Dynamics of the Rocky Mountains Project (CDROM) were used to support the above interpretation by correlating the northern Wet Mountains with high velocity (~6.20 km/s) material that extends from near the surface to a depth of about 10 km.
Has designating and protecting critical habitat had an impact on endangered North Atlantic right whale ship strike mortality

Abstract Ship strike is the major anthropogenic source of mortality for severely endangered North Atlantic right whales. Two primary tools are given to US wildlife managers by the Endangered Species Act post-listing to ensure species survival by reducing negative anthropogenic impacts: (1) creating a recovery plan and (2) defining and protecting critical habitat. This study reviews and analyzes the impact these strategies have had in reducing North Atlantic right whale ship strike mortality in US waters from 1973 to 2011. Defining and protecting critical habitat poses distinct spatial and human-use overlap challenges when applied to highly migratory species. Managers should consider two different levels in designating critical habitat for highly migratory species such as the North Atlantic right whale: permanently protected critical habitat in areas where species take up seasonal residence, and temporarily protected migratory habitat to maintain functional migration corridors between seasonal residence critical habitat areas. Managers and stakeholders should also be aware that, given current definitions for North Atlantic right whale critical habitat, human-use overlap in critical habitat areas is inevitable. Instead of eliminating human-use in critical habitat, wildlife managers should apply a combination of adaptive human-behaviors, functional habitat definitions, and on-going habitat-use studies to reduce ship strike mortality, particularly for pregnant and nursing females. Ascertaining methods to effectively manage North Atlantic right whale critical habitat is particularly relevant as current regulatory actions aimed at reducing North Atlantic right whale ship strike mortality will be reviewed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in December 2013, offering wildlife managers an opportunity to adjust current ship strike mortality reduction strategies in order to improve the population growth rate.
Polanyi's Finalism

Although Michael Polanyi's model of science and his construal of the nature of the real are usually thought to be congenial to religion and although Polanyi himself says that “the stage on which we thus resume our full intellectual powers is borrowed from the Christian scheme of Fall and Redemption” (Polanyi 1958, 324), theologians have given little attention to the model of God he presents. The metaphysical and theological vision unfolded in part 4 of Personal Knowledge is a thoughtful alternative to materialist versions of neo-Darwinism and provides a platform for revisiting four long-standing controversies at the interface of science and religion: whether life and mind can be completely specified in terms of physical analysis, whether nature can be adequately understood without appeal to final causes, whether natural selection adequately explains life's diverse forms, and whether knowledge can be fully objectified. Through an exploration of Polanyi's contribution to these discussions, we undertake to show not only that his treatment of God as a cosmic field is strikingly original but also that in reinstating activity as a metaphysical category, he reconstructs our understanding of our creaturely hope and calling.
Effect of lipoid nephrosis cytokine on glomerular sulfated compounds and albuminuria

Supernatants from peripheral blood mononuclear cells cultures of 30 idiopathic, minimal lesion, nephrotic syndrome (IMLNS) patients in relapse and the same patients in remission were fractionated by gel filtration chromatography. Fractions eluting with carbonic anhydrase (29 kilodaltons) were infused for 5 days at the rate of 10 microliters/h into the left renal artery of Wistar rats using an Alzet osmotic pump. On the last day of infusion, rats were injected with 35sulfate (1.0 mCi/200 g) intraperitoneally and killed after 8 h. Glomeruli were isolated and glomerular basement membrane (GBM) obtained. There was a significant increase in 35sulfate uptake by GBM of the infused kidney (302 +/- 92 cpm/mg dry glomerular weight, mean +/- SEM) compared with the uptake seen in the contralateral kidney (157 +/- 36, P < 0.01) when the fraction from IMLNS patients in relapse was infused. No significant differences in 35sulfate incorporation were seen between infused kidney (166 +/- 41) and contralateral kidney (172 +/- 64) when the same fraction from patients in remission was administered. A significant increase in albuminuria was seen on the last day of infusion (14.2 +/- 1.0 mg/24 h, mean +/- SEM) when supernatant factor from IMLNS patients in relapse was used. No significant differences in urinary albumin excretion prior to and after infusion were seen when the same fraction from IMLNS patients in remission was administered. The in vivo infusion of supernatant factor from IMLNS patients in relapse increased the 35sulfate uptake by GBM and augmented albuminuria, suggesting that the factor may have pathogenic significance in the proteinuria of IMLNS.
Role of particular maximal subgroups in continuous phase transitions

Abstract It is shown how to determine (without differential calculus) the possible symmetries in a ferroelectric transition, the number and the types of domains, and the preferential directions.
INVITED REVIEW ON THE USE OF CHEMICALLY STRUCTURED MODELS FOR BIOREACTORS

An individual cell is an immensely complicated self-regulated chemical reactor that can alter its biosynthetic machinery to meet the demands of a changing environment. The biochemical engineer must...
Lack of interaction between polyoma virus capsid and mouse cell DNA in vitro.

Abstract The effect of polyoma virus (PV) capsid proteins on mouse cell macromolecular biosynthesis was studied indirectly in vitro. The empty form of PV, separated on a cesium chloride density gradient, was mixed with purified mouse cell DNA prelabeled with 3H-thymidine. Two criteria were used to determine whether PV forms a complex with mouse cell DNA: (1) a reduction in the hemagglutinating activity of PV; and (2) the association of 3H-label with the precipitate of PV-anti-PV-serum, after the mixing of PV and mouse cell DNA. Our results indicate that PV does not form a complex with mouse cell DNA in vitro.
High resolution laser spectroscopy of relaxation and the excitation lineshape of excitons in GaAs quantum well structures

Abstract A new class of measurements on GaAs quantum well structures based on frequency domain nonlinear laser spectroscopy is described. Room temperature measurements of the excitation relaxation show an interference effect in the lineshape which is interpreted as a shift in exciton frequency. Low temperature measurements on the localized exciton provide an excitation lineshape which eliminates the effects of inhomogeneous broadening and shows the presence of spectral diffusion.
Concurrent validity of the Creative Personality Scale of the Adjective Check List.

The concurrent validity of the Creative Personality Scale of the Adjective Check List was studied by testing 10 highly creative women, first identified as high school students in 1965 and then tetested in 1990. Analysis indicates that 7 of these 10 women scored above the mean of 48.24 set for the profile sheet; scores ranged from 43 to 75 with a mean of 60. These high scores on the Creative Personality Scale are consistent with the concurrent validity of this measure.
Sole abnormalities of chromosome 7 in myeloid malignancies: Spectrum, histopathologic correlates, and prognostic implications

Among 6,565 consecutive abnormal cytogenetic reports at our institution, 3,192 (49%) constituted sole abnormalities, of which 230 (7%) involved chromosome 7: monosomy 7 (n = 98), 7q- (n = 51), der(1;7)(q10;p10) (n = 44), balanced translocations (n = 15), ring 7 (n = 13), and 7p- (n = 9). The most frequent histopathologic correlates were myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS; 28%), acute myeloid leukemia (AML; 17%), secondary or therapy-related MDS/AML (13%), primary myelofibrosis (PMF; 7%), and chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (6%). Monosomy 7 was the most frequent in each one of these disease categories except PMF where 7q- was more frequent. In primary MDS, patients with der(1;7)(q10;p10) (n = 13), compared to those with monosomy 7 (n = 30) or 7q- (n = 15), were less likely (P = 0.04) to display excess blasts or multilineage dysplasia but overall and leukemia-free survival adjusted for these variables revealed no significant difference between the three groups (P = 0.57 and 0.81, respectively). The current study does not prognostically distinguish monosomy 7 from 7q- or der(1;7), in MDS.
Application of vibro-acoustography in prostate tissue imaging

Purpose: To evaluate the potential of the imaging modality vibro-acoustography (VA) for imaging of the prostate. Methods:Excised cadaver prostate specimens were embedded in tissue mimicking gel to simulate the properties of surrounding soft tissues. The samples were imaged at various depths using a laboratory prototyped VA imaging system. The recorded signals were used for offline processing and image reconstruction. In a selected subgroup of tissue samples, conventional ultrasound (B-mode) and x-ray imaging were performed for further analysis, evaluation, and validation of the VA images. Results: The imaging results of prostate tissue samples indicate the capability of VA imaging to detect prostatic nodules and lesions. In the prostate sample with an adenocarcinoma, the lesion appears with a clear contrast with respect to its surrounding tissue. The VA images could also identify the presence of calcifications deep inside the prostate tissue. Further, quantifications of the imaging results demonstrate that VA imaging has higher sensitivity to detect the calcifications compared to conventional ultrasound imaging. VA is also capable of visualizing prostatic tissue structures and in some cases can identify the anatomical zones. More specifically, the observed higher texture level in peripheral zones demonstrates the ability of VA to differentiate between prostatic anatomical zones. Conclusions: Imaging results of ex vivo prostate tissues, reveals the potency of VA as a promising tool to detect abnormalities, delineate tissue structures and anatomical zones, and locate calcifications. The results of this pilot study suggest that in vivo VA imaging of the prostate may be of clinical utility. © 2013 American Association of Physicists in Medicine .[ http://dx.doi.org/10.1118/1.4773890]
Spectroscopic imaging of the thermosphere from the Space Shuttle

The design features, performance characteristics, and intended missions for the Imaging Spectrometric Observatory scheduled to fly on the first Spacelab Shuttle mission in 1983 are described. The instrument comprises an array of five imaging spectrometers covering the spectral range 300-1200 A. The spectrometers operate simultaneously, using CCDs as collector elements. Resolution on the first flight will be limited to 3 A, with coverage to containing the dynamic range from nocturnal signals to the bright earth. A minicomputer in the Spacelab will permit crewmember interaction with the measurements, while data will be telemetered in real-time to a ground station. Initial mission objectives include observations of dayglow, nightglow, and twilightglow over the full wavelength range capability.
Left Ventricular Chamber Volume, Mass, and Function in Severe Coronary Artery Disease

Twenty-three patients, 15 of whom had clinical and electrocardiographic evidence of previous myocardial infarction, were studied by coronary arteriography and biplane angiocardiography. End-diastolic volume ranged from 55 to 317 ml/m2, left ventricular mass from 83 to 294 g/m2 and ejection fraction from 0.13 to 0.75. An increased enddiastolic volume was associated with an increased left ventricular mass (r = 0.77, P < 0.01). In 15 of the 23 patients mitral regurgitant volume ranged from 0.7 to 4.7 L/min/m2 and an end-diastolic volume greater than 154 ml/m2 was associated with mitral regurgitation. The ejection fraction was significantly reduced in the absence as well as the presence of mitral regurgitation. These observations on coronary artery disease in 23 patients with refractory angina pectoris or persistent congestive heart failure, or both, reveal that in this group of patients (1) a dilated left ventricle was hypertrophied and the extent of hypertrophy was proportional to the dilatation; (2) an enl...
Effect of Restricted Water Consumption on Broiler Chickens

Abstract CHICKENS cannot survive very long when deprived of water. A ten percent loss of body water through dehydration and excretion results in serious physical disorders (Romanoff and Romanoff, 1949). Dehydration is particularly noticeable in the shanks, and some mortality may result as reported by Marble and Jeffrey (1955). Hoffman and Johnson (1946) reported chicks that have been without water can be readily identified because in their eagerness to drink they wet their plumage and have a bedraggled appearance for some time afterward. Kare and Biely (1948) placed New Hampshire chicks on diets containing .9 to 4.0 percent salt, and deprived them of water four to six hours per day. The water-restricted chicks compensated by drinking more when water was before them which resulted in approximately the same water:feed ratios as the controls with water ad libitum. In a study conducted by Ross (1960) one-week-old New Hampshire chicks were given…
Double-scattered proton-based stereotactic body radiotherapy for stage I lung cancer: A dosimetric comparison with photon-based stereotactic body radiotherapy

Abstract Purpose Stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) has gained popularity in the treatment of early-stage non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) because of its ability to deliver conformal radiation doses to small targets. However, photon-based SBRT (xSBRT) is associated with significant grade 3+ toxicities. In this study, we compare xSBRT treatment plans with proton-based SBRT (pSBRT) to determine whether dose to normal structures could be reduced if SBRT was delivered with protons. Materials and methods Eight patients with medically inoperable, peripherally located stage I NSCLC were treated with xSBRT to 48Gy in 4 12-Gy fractions. These patients were retrospectively re-planned using the same treatment volumes with 3-dimensional conformal double-scatter proton therapy. A Wilcoxon paired test compared dosimetric parameters between the plans for each patient. Results Compared with xSBRT there was a dosimetric improvement with pSBRT for these volumes: lung V5 (median difference [MD]=10.4%, p =0.01); V10 (MD=6.4%, p =0.01); V20 (MD=2.1%, p =0.01); V40 (MD=1.5%, p =0.05); and mean lung dose (MD=2.17Gy, p =0.01). There were also benefits ( p = Conclusions In a dosimetric comparison between photon and proton-based SBRT, protons resulted in lower doses to critical organs at risk and a smaller volume of non-targeted normal lung exposed to radiation (V5, V10, V20, and V40). The clinical significance and relevance of these dosimetric improvements remain unknown.
Evidence of impaired myocardial perfusion and abnormal left ventricular function during exercise in patients with isolated systolic narrowing of the left anterior descending coronary artery

Seven men ranging in age from 35 to 63 years with a chest pain syndrome and cineangiographically documented systolic narrowing of the left anterior descending coronary artery underwent thallium-201 myocardial scintigraphy and gated cardiac blood pool imaging. Grade II (50 to 75 percent) systolic coronary arterial constriction was present in three patients and grade III constriction (greater than 75 percent) in four. Three of the four patients with grade III constriction had an exercise-induced perfusion abnormality in the thallium-201 scintigram and impaired left ventricular ejection fraction response during exercise. (In two patients the left ventricular ejection fraction did not change and in one patient it decreased.) Each of the three patients with grade II constriction had normal thallium-201 perfusion and a normal increase in ejection fraction during exercise. These data provide evidence of abnormal myocardial perfusion and impaired left ventricular function during exercise in patients with high grade systolic coronary arterial narrowing.
Adjacent-channel interference effects in shaped biphase-shift keyed satellite communications

The author presents computer simulation results for the effects of adjacent channel interference in shaped biphase-shift-keyed (SBPSK) communications systems. The channel separations and channel filter characteristics used are typical of VHF/UHF military satcom links. Two types of detection methods are used-integrate-and-dump, which is typical of current SBPSK receivers, and maximum likelihood sequence detection, which makes use of the inherent memory of the SBPSK signal to improve performance in the interference environment. The results indicate that, with the possibility of oscillator instability offsetting the desired spectrum within the passband of the channel filter, it is better to go with a wide channel filter and accept more adjacent channel interference than to use a narrow filter and suffer additional degradation due to frequency offsets. >
Linking farmers to community stores to increase consumption of local produce: A case study of the Navajo Nation

Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Center for American Indian Health, Bloomberg School ofPublic Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USASubmitted 25 June 2010: Accepted 27 January 2011: First published online 31 March 2011AbstractObjective: To understand thebarrierstofarmer participationin Farm-to-Table(F2T)programmes and to identify possible solutions to these obstacles.Design: Cross-sectional analysis of farmer perspectives on F2T programmes.Setting: Three service units on the Navajo Nation (Chinle, Tuba City and FortDeﬁance).Subjects: Forty-four Navajo farmers.Results: Most participants reported that farming on the Navajo Nation is getting harder(61%) but that it is very important to ma intain Navajo farming traditions(98%). A modest number of farmers (43%) expressed interest in participating in anF2T programme. All farmers reported that childhood obesity was a very serious orserious problem in the Navajo Nation. The farmers expressed support for an F2Tprogramme if key barriers to farming, including water access and pest control, couldbe addressed. Key barriers to participation identiﬁed included lack of fruits andvegetables to sell, sale price of crops and lack of certiﬁcation of produce by the USFood and Drug Administration.Conclusions: Navajo farmers are aware of the burden of childhood obesity on theNavajo Nation and feel that an F2T programme could be beneﬁcial. To successfullyimplement a Farm-to-Table programme, the barriers to participation identiﬁed willneed to be addressed.KeywordsNavajo NationFarmingFruit and vegetable intakesObesityAmerican-Indian (AI) children experience a higher pre-valence of obesity and poverty
Mast cell cathelicidin antimicrobial peptide prevents invasive group A Streptococcus infection of the skin.

Mast cells (MC) express cathelicidin antimicrobial peptides that act as broad-spectrum antibiotics and influence the immune defense of multiple epithelial surfaces. We hypothesized that MC help protect against skin infection through the expression of cathelicidin. The susceptibility of MC-deficient mice (Kit Wsh−/−) to invasive group A streptococcus (GAS) was compared with control mice. Following s.c. injection of GAS, MC-deficient mice had 30% larger skin lesions, 80% more lesional bacteria, and 30% more spleens positive for bacteria. In contrast to results obtained when GAS was injected into skin, no significant differences were noted between MC-deficient mice and control mice after GAS was applied topically, indicating that MC activity is most important after barrier penetration. To determine whether these differences were due to MC expression of cathelicidin, MC-deficient mice were reconstituted with MC derived from either wild-type or cathelicidin-deficient (Camp−/−) mice and challenged with GAS. Forty-eight hours after bacterial injection, mice that did not receive MC had an average lesion size of 200 mm2, mice reconstituted with wild-type MC showed lesions comparable to control mice (25 mm2), while mice reconstituted with Camp−/− MC showed an average lesion size of 120 mm2. Surface-enhanced laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (SELDI-TOF-MS) analysis of cathelicidin peptide purified from mast cells defined this as a unique 28-aa peptide. Combined, these results show that MC confer defense against Gram-positive bacterial infection in the skin, a function mediated in part by the expression of a unique cathelicidin peptide.
Women in Psychology: Biography and Autobiography.

Biographical information on psychologists occurs in several forms and in a variety of sources. Some journals such as the American journal of Psychology, Science, and, more recently the American Psychologist, regularly publish obituaries of eminent psychologists. Other biographical materials can be found in association with award presentations such as those published in the American Psychologist and the fournal of Social Issues. Autobiographical material for psychologists has appeared chiefly in two outlets: A History of Psychology in Autobiography (6 volumes to 1979) and The Psychologists (3 volumes to 1979). In addition to these forms, there are memorial articles, historical papers, and biographical sketches accompanying the announcement of officers of professional societies. Further, more than 250 book-length biographies and autobiographies have been published about psychologists.
Shifting patterns of life in the Pacific Arctic and Sub-Arctic seas

Recent changes in the timing of sea ice formation and retreat, along with increasing seawater temperatures, are driving shifts in marine species composition that may signal marine ecosystem reorganization in the Pacific Arctic sector. Interannual variability in seasonal sea ice retreat in the northern Bering Sea has been observed over the past decade; north of the Bering Strait, the Chukchi Sea ecosystem has had consistent earlier spring sea ice retreat and later fall sea ice formation. The latitudinal gradient in sea ice persistence, water column chlorophyll, and carbon export to the sediments has a direct impact on ecosystem structure in this Arctic/sub-Arctic complex. Large-scale decadal patterns in the benthic biological system are driven by sea ice extent, hydrographic forcing, and export production that influences benthic processes. Shifts in species composition and northward faunal range expansions indicate a changing system. The shifting patterns of life and change in key biological processes have...
Hematology for Surgeons

Damaged and exposed endothelium allows: Platelet adherence to collagen, aggregation, and activation (via surface glycoprotein and vWF) with release of thomboxane A2, V, and vWF. Formation of “prothrombinase complex” (via VII and exposed tF) to produce initial thrombin. Amplification and activation of XI, IX, and VIII to activate V and produce more thrombin (“thrombin burst”). Thrombin polymerizes fibrinogen to form insoluble fibrin.
MTF characterization in 2D and 3D for a high resolution, large field of view flat panel imager for cone beam CT

The 2D and 3D modulation transfer functions (MTFs) of a custom made, large 40x30cm2 area, 600- micron CsI-TFT based flat panel imager having 127-micron pixellation, along with the micro-fiber scintillator structure, were characterized in detail using various techniques. The larger area detector yields a reconstructed FOV of 25cm diameter with an 80cm SID in CT mode. The MTFs were determined with 1x1 (intrinsic) binning. The 2D MTFs were determined using a 50.8 micron tungsten wire and a solid lead edge, and the 3D MTF was measured using a custom made phantom consisting of three nearly orthogonal 50.8 micron tungsten wires suspended in an acrylic cubic frame. The 2D projection data was reconstructed using an iterative OSC algorithm using 16 subsets and 5 iterations. As additional verification of the resolution, along with scatter, the Catphan® phantom was also imaged and reconstructed with identical parameters. The measured 2D MTF was ~4% using the wire technique and ~1% using the edge technique at the 3.94 lp/mm Nyquist cut-off frequency. The average 3D MTF measured along the wires was ~8% at the Nyquist. At 50% MTF, the resolutions were 1.2 and 2.1 lp/mm in 2D and 3D, respectively. In the Catphan® phantom, the 1.7 lp/mm bars were easily observed. Lastly, the 3D MTF measured on the three wires has an observed 5.9% RMSD, indicating that the resolution of the imaging system is uniform and spatially independent. This high performance detector is integrated into a dedicated breast SPECT-CT imaging system.
Acute Abdomen Due to Mittelschmerz The Role of Ultrasonography

Chez une jeune fille de 16 ans, douleur abdominale aigue liee a l'ovulation au milieu du cycle menstruel (mittelschmerz)
Modification of native grasses for biofuel production may increase virus susceptibility

Bioenergy production is driving modifications to native plant species for use as novel biofuel crops. Key aims are to increase crop growth rates and to enhance conversion efficiency by reducing biomass recalcitrance to digestion. However, selection for these biofuel-valuable traits has potential to compromise plant defenses and alter interactions with pests and pathogens. Insect-vectored plant viruses are of particular concern because perennial crops have potential to serve as virus reservoirs that influence regional disease dynamics. In this study, we examined relationships between growth rates and biomass recalcitrance in five switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) populations, ranging from near-wildtype to highly selected cultivars, in a common garden trial. We measured biomass accumulation rates and assayed foliage for acid detergent lignin, neutral detergent fiber, in vitro neutral detergent fiber digestibility and in vitro true dry matter digestibility. We then evaluated relationships between these traits and susceptibility to a widely distributed group of aphid-transmitted Poaceae viruses (Luteoviridae: Barley and cereal yellow dwarf viruses, B/CYDVs). Virus infection rates and prevalence were assayed with RT-PCR in the common garden, in greenhouse inoculation trials, and in previously established switchgrass stands across a 300-km transect in Michigan, USA. Aphid host preferences were quantified in a series of arena host choice tests with field-grown foliage. Contrary to expectations, biomass accumulation rates and foliar digestibility were not strongly linked in switchgrass populations we examined, and largely represented two different trait axes. Natural B/CYDV prevalence in established switchgrass stands ranged from 0% to 28%. In experiments, susceptibility varied notably among switchgrass populations and was more strongly predicted by potential biomass accumulation rates than by foliar digestibility; highly selected, productive cultivars were most virus-susceptible and most preferred by aphids. Evaluation and mitigation of virus susceptibility of new biofuel crops is recommended to avert possible unintended consequences of biofuel production on regional pathogen dynamics.
Non-musicians’ and musicians’ perception of bitonality:

Bitonal music is characterized by a certain, dissonant effect that had been believed to be clearly audible by everyone. However, Wolpert found that non-musicians were unable to identify bitonal versions of originally monotonal musical passages as such in a free response task. The present study replicated Wolpert’s findings, but also had participants rate song clips for likeableness, correctness and pleasantness. Bitonal music was rated lower on all dimensions independent of the individual’s level of musical training, with no difference in ratings by non-musicians and musicians. In addition, following a brief training session, non-musicians (less than one year of musical training) identified whether clips were monotonal or bitonal at equivalently high rates as the intermediate (mean 2.4 years) and expert (mean 9.2 years) musician groups.
A new paradigm of quality of care in rheumatoid arthritis: how our new therapeutics have changed the game

Demonstrating the effectiveness of expensive new rheumatoid arthritis (RA) therapeutics is imperative to determine whether the quality of care has improved with the introduction of these agents. Our current RA quality measures are primarily process based, but they must become outcomes based to better demonstrate quality. New RA quality measures must be multidimensional, accounting for all of the important outcomes in RA: radiographic, functional status, and disease activity. To fully understand the potential benefits of new therapeutics in RA, outcome measures must be integrated with routine practice.
Comparative Morphology of the Concave Mirror Eyes of Scallops (Pectinoidea)

Abstract The unique, double-retina, concave mirror eyes of scallops are abundant along the valve mantle margins. Scallops have the most acute vision among the bivalve molluscs, but little is known about how eyes vary between scallop species. We examined eye morphology by immunofluorescent labeling and confocal microscopy and calculated optical resolution and sensitivity for the swimming scallops Amusium balloti (Bernardi, 1861), Placopecten magellenicus (Gmelin, 1791), Argopecten irradians (Lamarck, 1819), Chlamys hastata (Sowerby, 1842), and Chlamys rubida (Hinds, 1845) and the sessile scallops Crassadoma gigantea (Gray, 1825) and Spondylus americanus (Hermann, 1781). We found that eye morphology varied considerably between scallop species. The eyes of A balloti and P. magellenicus had relatively large lenses and small gaps between the retinas and mirror, making them appear similar to those described previously for Pecten maximus (Linnaeus, 1758). In contrast, the other five species we examined had eyes ...
Les effets de la note de planification, des pressions temporelles et des caractéristiques individuelles du vérificateur sur l'estimation du temps de révision par le chef de groupe en vérification*

Resume. Cette etude se penche sur l'effort en terme de temps de revision des chefs de groupe en verification (tel que reflete par leurs estimations du temps requis pour la revision du dossier de verification) et la mesure dans laquelle cet effort est oriente par une autre activite importante du chef de groupe: la planification initiale de la mission de verification. La planification initiale de la verification est conditionnee par l'identification de certaines zones critiques dans la note de planification. Les pressions temporelles et les caracteristiques individuelles du verificateur sont egalement etudiees, car les recherches anterieures en verification semblent indiquer qu'elles sont susceptibles d'influencer la revision du chef de groupe. Cette analyse est fondee sur les reponses, provenant de soixante-treize chefs de groupe de dix grands cabinets d'experts-comptables, a un cas de verification. Les resultats indiquent que: 1) les chefs de groupe font preuve d'un consensus raisonnable en budgetisant plus de la moitie du temps de verification pour la revision, 2) le plan initial de verification oriente leur revision ulterieure, 3) les pressions au niveau du temps n'influencent pas de facon significative leurs estimations relatives au temps de revision, et 4) l'appartenance a un cabinet, le niveau d'experience de verificateur, et l'effort de planification initiale sont relies aux differences des pratiques et des perceptions de la revision par le chef de groupe. La fin de cet article comporte une discussion des consequences de ces resultats en regard de la pratique et des recherches ulterieures.
DIVORCE, GENDER, AND SOCIAL INTEGRATION

Based on interviews with 104 women and men, this article argues that marriage constrains while divorce liberates men and women to develop relationships, but they do so in different ways with different consequences for each. The separated and divorced women were better than the men or themselves while married at building and maintaining old, and intimate, relationships. In this sense, separation and divorce proved generous; marriage, greedy. However, because of the structure of their lives and the opportunities available to them, separated and divorced women were not so good at developing new and casual ties. It was the structure of the men's lives that provided access to “instant networks.” Developed to alleviate loneliness, these groups provided a place in the wider community that men did not seek while married.
INTERNATIONAL AND DOMESTIC INSTITUTIONS IN THE EMU PROCESS

European progress toward monetary union takes place within the highly institutionalized setting of the European Community (EC). This paper examines the ways in which formal institutions and decisionmaking procedures have constrained the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) process. The EC's structure has both created demands for and facilitated cross-issue linkages, and these linkages characterize the successful bargaining on EMU. However, success also requires ratification. Domestic ratification procedures and changes in the EC's context of linkage have created challenges for the ratification of the Maastricht treaty. Ratification is also tied to concerns about democratic accountability, which arise from current legislative procedures and are the subject of ongoing institutional reform.
Lightning Ground Flash Density and Thunderstorm Duration in the Continental United States: 1989–96

Abstract The mean annual flash density, thunderstorm duration, and flash rates were calculated using 121.7 million cloud-to-ground lightning flashes in the continental United States for the period 1989–96. Florida had flash densities over 11 flashes km−2 yr−1, while the Midwest, Oklahoma, Texas, and the Gulf Coast had densities greater than 7 flashes km−2 yr−1. There was a relative minimum in flash density (three flashes km−2 yr−1) in the Appalachian Mountains and Missouri. Thunderstorm duration values exceeded 120 h yr−1 in Florida and 105 h yr−1 in New Mexico, Arizona, and the Gulf Coast. The maximum annual flash rates exceeded 45 flashes h−1 in the Midwest, along the Florida coasts, and along the mid-Atlantic coast with the minimum flash rates, 15 flashes h−1, over the Appalachian and Rocky Mountains. The relationship between thunderstorm duration and flash density is Flash_Density = 0.024(Flash_Hours)1.29 producing expected flash densities that are within 30% of the measured densities for over 70% of ...
Fast motion estimation within the H.264 codec

Three of the main reasons why the new H.264 (MPEG-4AVC) video coding standard has a significant performance benefit versus older standards are the adoption of variable block sizes, multiple reference frames, and the consideration of rate distortion optimization as a non-normative tool within the codec. Unfortunately these features incur a considerable increase in encoder complexity, mainly with regards to motion estimation and mode decision. In this paper, we extend and adapt the concept of the well-known enhanced predictive zonal search (EPZS) motion estimation algorithms, which is effectively used within other video coding standards into H.264. Simulation results demonstrate the efficiency of these algorithms of considerable reducing encoding complexity while incurring little, if any, loss in quality.
Realizing the Potential of Plasma Genotyping in an Age of Genotype-Directed Therapies

The identification of oncogenic driver mutations in cancer has led to the rapid rise of genotype-directed treatments such as EGFR and BRAF kinase inhibitors. Standard tumor biopsy remains a cumbersome and morbid procedure for patients, leading to a growing interest in noninvasive plasma genotyping approaches. Circulating tumor cells are of interest; however, the processing of specimens is complicated and time consuming. By comparison, cell-free DNA (cfDNA) genotyping has the potential to be convenient and relatively simple to process in a short time period. Several technologies are under development for cfDNA analysis, such as allele-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR), coamplification at Lower Denaturation temperatures (COLD) PCR, emulsion PCR, and massively parallel sequencing. Broad clinical validity will need to be established for different assays, and clinical utility will need to be evaluated within prospective trials to determine which assays will best predict the efficacy of therapy and patient outcomes. In addition, assay standardization will be critical prior to widespread use in routine clinical practice. The Cell Free DNA Working Group, under the sponsorship of Transgenomic, was convened to evaluate the molecular assays in development and provide recommendations for application and interpretation of these tests in the context of future clinical research. The consensus commentary of the Cell Free DNA Working Group for the use of cfDNA plasma genotyping assays is presented here, including future steps in the development of these technologies.
Lorentz Chern-Simons terms in Bianchi cosmologies and the cosmic no-hair conjecture.

The theory describing gravity and the Kalb-Ramond axion field with topological Lorentz Chern-Simons coupling is considered. The topological coupling induces an additional term in the energy-momentum tensor, which in general can lead to violations of the cosmic no-hair conjecture. These violations are shown explicitly by analyzing the solutions in a diagonal Bianchi type-II geometry.
Detection of hydrogen sulfide in biological samples: current and future

Evaluation of: Levitt MD, Abdel-Rehim MS, Furne J. Free and acid-labile hydrogen sulfide concentrations in mouse tissues: anomalously high free hydrogen sulfide in aortic tissue. Antioxid. Redox Signal. DOI: 10.1089/ars.2010.3525 (2010) (Epub ahead of print).Hydrogen sulfide (H2S), known as a pungent toxic gas, has recently emerged as a novel critical mediator in the cardiovascular system, the nervous system and various biological signaling functions, as well as a therapeutic agent. However, much less certainty exists regarding biological levels of H2S in these systems and during disease. Many papers have reported various methods of measuring the levels of sulfide through different techniques both in vitro and in vivo. Complicating this matter is the fact that sulfide exists in multiple forms – free sulfides such as S2-, HS-, H2S, acid-labile and bound sulfides. These different forms of sulfide make quantitative measurement of bioavailable H2S difficult and have led to variable reported levels in the lite...
Engineering Parvalbumin for the Heart: Optimizing the Mg2+ Binding Properties of Rat β-Parvalbumin

Parvalbumin (PV), an EF-hand protein family member, is a delayed calcium buffer that exchanges magnesium for calcium to facilitate fast skeletal muscle relaxation. Genetic approaches that express parvalbumin in the heart also enhance relaxation and show promise of being therapeutic against various cardiac diseases where relaxation is compromised. Unfortunately, skeletal muscle PVs have very slow rates of Ca2+ dissociation and are prone to becoming saturated with Ca2+, eventually losing their buffering capability within the constantly beating heart. In order for PV to have a more therapeutic potential in the heart, a PV with faster rates of calcium dissociation and high Mg2+ affinity is needed. We demonstrate that at 35oC, rat β-PV has an ~ 30-fold faster rate of Ca2+ dissociation compared to rat skeletal muscle α-PV, and still possesses a physiologically relevant Ca2+ affinity (~ 100 nM). However, rat β-PV will not be a delayed Ca2+ buffer since its Mg2+ affinity is too low (~ 1 mM). We have engineered two mutations into rat β-PV, S55D and E62D, when observed alone increase Mg2+ affinity up to 5-fold, but when combined increase Mg2+ affinity ~13-fold, well within a physiologically relevant affinity. Furthermore, the Mg2+ dissociation rate (172/s) from the engineered S55D, E62D PV is slow enough for delayed Ca2+ buffering. Additionally, the engineered PV retains a high Ca2+ affinity (132 nM) and fast rate of Ca2+ dissociation (64/s). These PV design strategies hold promise for the development of new therapies to remediate relaxation abnormalities in different heart diseases and heart failure.
Efflux-Related Resistance to Norfloxacin, Dyes, and Biocides in Bloodstream Isolates of Staphylococcus aureus

Efflux is an important resistance mechanism in Staphylococcus aureus, but its frequency in patients with bacteremia is unknown. Nonreplicate bloodstream isolates were collected over an 8-month period, and MICs of four common efflux pump substrates, with and without the broad-spectrum efflux pump inhibitor reserpine, were determined (n = 232). A reserpine-associated fourfold decrease in MIC was considered indicative of efflux. Strains exhibiting efflux of at least two of the four substrates were identified ("effluxing strains" [n = 114]). For these strains, MICs with or without reserpine for an array of typical substrates and the expression of mepA, mdeA, norA, norB, norC, and qacA/B were determined using quantitative real-time reverse transcription-PCR (qRT-PCR). A fourfold or greater increase in gene expression was considered significant. The most commonly effluxed substrates were ethidium bromide and chlorhexidine (100 and 96% of effluxing strains, respectively). qRT-PCR identified strains overexpressing mepA (5 [4.4%]), mdeA (13 [11.4%]), norA (26 [22.8%]), norB (29 [25.4%]), and norC (19 [16.7%]); 23 strains overexpressed two or more genes. Mutations probably associated with increased gene expression included a MepR-inactivating substitution and norA promoter region insertions or deletions. Mutations possibly associated with increased expression of the other analyzed genes were also observed. Effluxing strains comprised 49% of all strains studied (114/232 strains), with nearly half of these overexpressing genes encoding MepA, MdeA, and/or NorABC (54/114 strains). Reduced susceptibility to biocides may contribute to persistence on environmental surfaces, and efflux of drugs such as fluoroquinolones may predispose strains to high-level target-based resistance.