cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Formation of phenolic oligomers during fast pyrolysis of lignin

Abstract Bio-oil obtained from fast pyrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass usually contains up to 30% of pyrolytic lignin that mainly consists of phenolic oligomers. Phenolic oligomers are difficult to upgrade into useful products since they are non-volatile and viscous, and highly reactive. The present study investigates the origin of phenolic oligomers during fast pyrolysis. Lignin was pyrolyzed in a micropyrolyzer and the vapor was directly analyzed using online GC/MS, or recovered in a cold solvent then analyzed using GPC and high-resolution mass spectrometry. A total of 569 phenolic compounds with molecular weight less than 504 Da were found, which are significantly smaller than phenolic oligomers recovered from condensed bio-oil. The most abundant phenolic compounds among these smaller molecules are monomers followed by dimers, trimers and tetramers. Pyrolysis of model compounds at identical experimental conditions showed that primary phenolic monomers with high reactivity, for example, 2-methoxyl-4-vinylphenol, syringol and guaiacol, could reoligomerize during fast pyrolysis via secondary reactions. It was also found that phenylcoumaran, stilbene and biphenol structures are relatively stable during fast pyrolysis. Therefore the dimers containing these structures could also be primary products of lignin during fast pyrolysis. The study suggests that a significant fraction of phenolic oligomers present in bio-oil arise from reoligomerization of small phenolic molecules formed during the pyrolytic depolymerization of lignin.
The characteristics of turbulent velocity components in the surface layer under convective conditions

It is proposed that the ratios of the standard deviations of the horizontal velocity components to the friction velocity in the surface layer under convective conditions depend only onz i /L wherez i is the height of the lowest inversion andL is the Monin-Obukhov length. This hypothesis is tested by using observations from several data sets over uniform surfaces and appears to fit the data well. Empirical curves are fitted to the observations which have the property that at largez i /-L, the standard deviations become proportional tow *, the convective scaling velocity. Fluctuations of vertical velocity obtained from the same experiments scale withz/L, wherez is the height above the surface, in good agreement with Monin-Obukhov theory.
The decay of Tb158(150y) to levels in Gd158 and Dy158

The long-lived Tb158 electron-capture decay to levels in Gd158 and beta-decay to levels in Dy158 have been studied by means of scintillation spectrometers, Ge and Si semi-conductor detectors, gamma-gamma and negaton coincidence measurements, directional correlation techniques and half-life measurements. The gamma-ray transitions (with total intensities in per cent of total Tb decays) observed are 79.5(83.8%), 182(12.5%), 782(9.9%), 928(0.2%), 946(46.7%), 964(22.2%) 1110(2.2%), and 1190 keV (1.8%), in Gd; 99.0(14.5%) and 218 keV (1.4%) in Dy. The K conversion coefficient measurements and directional correlation measurements are consistent with E1 assignments for the 782, 946 and 964 keV transitions. The following levels in Gd158 have been established or confirmed: 79.5(2+, T12 = 2.47 ns), 262(4+), 1026(2−), 1044(3−, K = 1), and 1190 keV (2+, K =2). The decay proceeding to the 1190 keV level is >95% L electron capture. An 857±27 KeV beta branch (log ft=12.1) proceeds to the 99.0 keV (2+, T12 = 1.64 ns) level in Dy. A weak inner beta branch (<1.5%) feeds the 317 KeV (4+) level in Dy158. Comparisons are made with the theoretical estimates for the transition branching ratios for K forbidden transitions.
Special Presentation: Bras Awarded 2007 Robert E. Horton Medal

Rafael L. Bras was awarded the 2007 Robert E. Horton Medal during a special presentation at the AGU Fall Meeting Honors Ceremony, held 17 December 2008 in San Francisco, Calif. The medal is for “outstanding contributions to hydrology.”
Assurance against drug-induced death in patients with heart failure

Several recent studies of medications for heart failure have observed increased mortality in the treatment group. Historically, adequate data on mortality have not been provided to regulatory agencies, physicians, and patients. Simple confidence interval calculations suggest that from 5000 to more than 13,000 patients, depending on the mortality rate in the control group, would have to be studied in randomized controlled trials to exclude a risk of two to three drug-induced deaths per 100 patients treated. A sample size of less than 1000 patients would be needed to be confident that the incidence of drug-induced death is less than 10 per 100 treated if an agent truly had no effect on mortality. Guidelines for studies to provide estimates of the effect of a medication on mortality should be developed based in part on the relative values given to the benefits of an agent versus an increased risk of mortality.
Criminology as social control: discriminatory research & its role in the reproduction of social inequalities and crime

The law discriminates against low status offenders, but so too might criminologists during the course of their research. In this paper, we address the following question: Does the social status of lawbreakers have an effect on their likelihood of being recruited to offender-based research? The answer to this question is important for reasons that extend beyond academic criminology. If criminologists discriminate, then they themselves are active agents in the reproduction of social disadvantage. If criminology is to reduce inequality, the field must first identify and reduce discriminatory behavior within its own research community.
Mode specificity in the HF + OH → F + H2O reaction

Full-dimensional quantum dynamics and quasi-classical trajectory calculations are reported for the title reaction on a recently constructed ab initio based global potential energy surface. Strong mode specificity was found, consistent with the prediction of the sudden vector projection model. Specifically, the HF vibration strongly promotes the reaction while the OH vibration has little effect. Rotational excitations of both reactants slightly enhance the reaction.
COMPUTATIONAL GEOMETRY COLUMN 14

The abstracts of the presentations given at the Third Canadian Conference on Computational Geometry (August 1991) are summarized.
Household airborne Penicillium associated with peak expiratory flow variability in asthmatic children

Background Exposure to airborne fungi has been associated with increased airway hyperreactivity and asthma prevalence. Objective To investigate the association between common indoor fungi and airway hyperreactivity measured by peak expiratory flow variability in asthmatic children. Methods Children 6 to 12 years of age (n = 225) with a physician diagnosis of asthma were enrolled in the study to have their peak expiratory flow recorded twice daily during a 2-week period. Genus-specific, quantitative, in-home airborne mold concentrations were measured. Logistic regression models were used to examine the relationship between a mean peak expiratory flow variability greater than 18.5% (75th percentile) and any mold in the home (total mold, Cladosporium , Penicillium , Aspergillus , and Alternaria ). Results Mold was detected in 93% of the homes. The most common molds were Cladosporium in 72% and Penicillium in 42% of the samples. Controlling for sex, ethnicity, age, and winter season of sampling, Penicillium measured in the home was associated with a mean peak expiratory flow variability greater than 18.5% (odds ratio, 2.4; 95% confidence interval, 1.2–4.8). Greater peak expiratory flow variability was not associated with total mold or other mold measured in the home. Conclusion Exposure to airborne Penicillium is associated with increased peak expiratory flow variability in asthmatic children.
Sex pheromone of the European pine shoot moth: chemical identification and field tests.

The sex pheromone of the European pine shoot moth, Rhyacionia buoliana, has been isolated and, using chemical methods, its structure shown to be (E)-9-dodecenyl acetate. Field traps containing the synthetic pheromone were consistently more attractive than traps baited with unmated females.
Characterization of micro-Doppler radar signature of commercial wind turbines

The large utility-scale wind turbines are reported to have negative impact on nearby radars due to complex scattering mechanisms, which is usually referred to as the radar Wind Turbine Clutter (WTC). Extremely complicated time-varying Doppler spectrum have been observed. Conventional ground clutter filter techniques thus have failed in mitigating the non-stationary components in the frequency domain. Rotation of the blades is a micro-motion as the wind turbine always stays at the same location. The time-evolving spectrum associated with the blade rotation is therefore a Micro-Doppler signature, which is important in characterizing radar WTC. This paper will disclose some latest findings from our recent studies in characterizing the Micro-Doppler radar signatures of wind turbine through electromagnetic modeling.
Multiple intestinal atresia with apple peel syndrome successfully treated with primary repair

We report a case of mixed type IIIb and type IV intestinal atresia. The baby underwent exploratory laparotomy where he was found to have the entire distal bowel supplied by one blood vessel that appeared to have undergone an antenatal volvulus. The volvulus was untwisted and upon further exploration the patient was noted to have twelve distal atresias. We performed a total of six primary small bowel anastomoses. The baby did not require any further procedures and did well post-operatively. We conclude that patients with this congenital abnormality can be treated with primary anastomoses, and when appropriate, without the need for enterostomy or stent.
A virtual library of constrained cyclic tetrapeptides that mimics all four side-chain orientations for over half the reverse turns in the protein data bank.

Reverse turns are often recognition sites for protein/protein interactions and, therefore, valuable potential targets for determining recognition motifs in development of potential therapeutics. A virtual combinatorial library of cyclic tetrapeptides (CTPs) was generated and the bonds in the low-energy structures were overlapped with canonical reverse-turn Cα–Cβ bonds (Tran et al., J Comput Aided Mol Des 19(8):551–566, 2005) to determine the utility of CTPs as reverse-turn peptidomimetics. All reverse turns in the Protein Data Bank (PDB) with a crystal structures resolution ≤3.0 A were classified into the same known canonical reverse-turn Cα–Cβ bond clusters (Tran et al., J Comput Aided Mol Des 19(8):551–566, 2005). CTP reverse-turn mimics were compiled that mimicked both the relative orientations of three of the four as well as all four Cα–Cβ bonds in the reverse turns of the PDB. 54% of reverse turns represented in the PDB had eight or more CTPs structures that mimicked the orientation of all four of the Cα–Cβ bonds in the reverse turn.
Eigenfunctions of the invariant Laplacian inB

Soit B la boule unite ouverte de C n , par rapport a la metrique euclidienne. On demontre un resultat sur les fonctions propres du laplacien invariant dans B
Substrate-embedded and flip-chip-bonded photodetector polymer-based optical interconnects: analysis, design, and performance

The performance of three optoelectronic structures incorporating substrate-embedded InP-based inverted metal-semiconductor-metal photodetectors and/or volume holographic gratings are analyzed and compared at the primary optical communication wavelengths. These structures, in conjunction with optical-quality polymer layers, can be easily integrated into silicon microelectronic substrates for the purpose of implementing potentially low-cost high-data-rate chip-level or substrate-level optical interconnects. The structures are as follows: a) an evanescent-coupling architecture with a substrate-embedded photodetector, b) a volume-holographic-grating coupler architecture with a substrate-embedded photodetector, and c) a volume-holographic-grating coupler architecture with a flip-chip-bonded photodetector. It is found that the primary characteristic of the evanescent coupling architectures is the efficient performance for both TE and TM polarizations with the disadvantage of exponentially decreasing efficiency with increasing separation between the waveguide film layer and the photodetector layer. On the other hand, the primary characteristic of the volume holographic grating architectures is the possibility of wavelength and polarization selectivity and their independence on the separation between the photodetector layer and the waveguide. Comparison of the analysis with experimental results is also included in the case of the evanescent coupling into a substrate-embedded photodetector.
Redox Reaction of DNA-Encased HiPco Carbon Nanotubes with Hydrogen Peroxide: A Near Infrared Optical Sensitivity and Kinetics Study

The near-infrared optical properties of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) have attracted particular attention for nanobiosensors based on their redox chemistry. In this work, we studied the redox reaction of single-stranded DNA (ssDNA)-encased HiPco nanotubes with hydrogen peroxide. The absorption intensity of the near-infrared interband transitions of semiconducting nanotubes decays exponentially with reaction time. The rate constant increases linearly with the H2O2 concentration, consistent with pseudo first-order kinetics. The spectral changes are reversible by tuning the pH, and the sensitivity is enhanced at lower pH in the pH range of 6−8. The reaction rate depends on the buffer, which follows the order MES > Tris > phosphate > TE. The detection limit for H2O2 is determined by three different methods based on the concentration-dependent rate constant, spectral intensity change, and signal-to-noise ratio. Our current work provides new insights into the solution chemistry of the ssDNA−SWNT hybrid...
The place of process-oriented psychotherapies in an outcome-oriented psychology and society

Abstract The place of modern process-oriented psychotherapies within an academic psychology and larger society that emphasize an outcome orientation is considered. The defining characteristics of process therapies are reviewed within the context of the uneasy fit between subjective and clinically derived theories and methods and an empirically focused, objective-oriented scientific discipline. The social and cultural pressures that impact on psychotherapy also are considered. Responses to the objections and demands of society and academic psychology by practitioners and scholars with a process orientation are reviewed as evidence of a growing rapprochement between the two positions and of the value of an integration of the best of both.
Constitutional trisomy 8 mosaicism and gestational trophoblastic disease.

Abstract Concurrence of congenital trisomy 8 mosaicism and gestational trophoblastic disease in a 42-year-old gravida IV, para IV female is described in the present report. In contrast to other cases described in the literature, our patient had no known additional confounding chromosomal abnormalities other than trisomy 8. The finding of trisomy 8 mosaicism in yet another type of cancer provides further support for the hypothesis of an increased predisposition to cancer in tissues with constitutional genomic imbalance, which can manifest itself as numerical chromosomal abnormalities (e.g., trisomies) or structural chromosomal abnormalities (e.g., translocations). To the best of our knowledge, this is the only report in the English literature of constitutional trisomy 8 mosaicism associated with gestational trophoblastic disease, a rare gynecologic disease entity in itself.
Modeling tubulin at interfaces. Immobilization of microtubules on self-assembled monolayers.

A theoretical study of protein docking to self-assembled monolayers using a new approach is presented. Docking experiments based on space complementarity implemented in FTDock software were performed for three different proteins: tubulin dimer, cytochrome c, and lysozyme. The proteins were adsorbed on alkanethiol surfaces with different terminating groups and 50 000 best orientations of each protein were analyzed. For all systems three filters based on different chemical and biological approaches were applied. Correctly docked proteins for the cytochrome c and lysozyme systems were found in a list of the first 12 results after applying the geometrical and grouping filter and in a list of the first 3 results after applying the biological filter. We have found that alkanethiol monolayers with odd and even numbers of −CH2− groups have similar properties in terms of interactions with the two proteins. Docking of the tubulin dimer revealed that the orientation favored from the applicational point of view can ...
Quantitative biochemical and microspectrophotometric Feulgen DNA analyses on Tetrahymena cells treated with iron.

It has been found that Feulgen staining of the macronuclei of Tetrahymena pyriformis cells, treated with iron after fixation or grown in the presence of high iron concentrations, was depressed from 32 to 46 per cent of that of control cells. Biochemical DNA analyses on aliquots of the same cell populations showed no significant differences in the amount of DNA per cell.
CORTISOL METABOLISM IN OBESITY.

Cortisol metabolism in obesity was studied in 11 grossly obese patients (96–150 kg) and in 8 control patients. Plasma time course disappearance studies of cortisol-1, 2-3H were done in the basal and ACTHstimulated states. A highly specific plasma cortisol determination was used. The results were also compared to the findings in a patient with adrenal hyperplasia. Adrenal hyperactivity in the obese patients and in the patient with adrenal hyperplasia was indicated by increased urinary 17-OHCS excretion, increased cortisol production rates and excessive increase in these values with ACTH. Some obese patients had normal cortisol pools and low plasma cortisol concentrations, others had large pools and high cortisol concentrations, but in nearly all the “relative distribution space” was increased. In most of the obese subjects either the disappearance half-times were rapid or the amount of cortisol disappearing per hour was increased. ACTH stimulation in these patients resulted in an increase in urinary 17-OHC...
Computing reliability distributions of windowed max-log-map (MLM) detectors : ISI channels

In this paper, we consider sliding-window max-log-map (MLM) receivers, where for any integer m, the MLM detector is truncated to a length-m signaling neighborhood. For any number n of chosen time instants, we provide exact expressions for both i) the joint distribution of the MLM symbol reliabilities, and ii) the joint probability of the erroneous MLM symbol detections. The obtained expressions can be efficiently evaluated using Monte-Carlo techniques. Comparisons performed with empirical distributions reveal good match. Dynamic programming techniques are applied to simplify the procedures.
The maximal tubular transfer of glucose and para-amino hippurate in premature infants.

Summary The maximal tubular excretion of para-amino-hippurate (TmpAH) and the maximal tubular reabsorption of glucose (Tmc) have been determined in 7 premature infants aged 19–135 days. An infusion technique was used by which it was possible to change the water administration during the experiment. With urine flows above 3 ml/min. per 1.73 sq.m. the values of TmpAH and Tmo seemed to be independent of the urine flow. With lower urine flows the results were unreliable. Tmo increased with increasing age, in spite of the oldest infants being those with the lowest birth weights. The ratio inulin clearance/TmG was higher than in adults, indicating that in the newborn premature infant the tubuli are more immature than the glomeruli. Similar changes with regard to TmpAH were less evident.
NEW METHOD TO LIMIT ABUNDANCE OF COSMIC RAY QUARKS.

No direct experimental evidence is known for the existence of free quarks. Searches1–4 in cosmic rays for particles of charge e/3 and 2e/3 have set an upper limit to their cosmic ray flux of This limiting flux bombarding the Earth for the Earth's life-time of 5 × 109 yr, stopping in a depth of 300 kg/cm2 of the Earth's surface, provides in this layer.
P2 Addition to Terminal Phosphide M≡P Triple Bonds: A Rational Synthesis of cyclo-P3 Complexes

The diphosphaazide complex (Mes*NPP)Nb(N[Np]Ar)3 (Mes* = 2,4,6-tri-tert-butylphenyl, Np = neopentyl, Ar = 3,5-Me2C6H3), 1, has previously been reported to lose the P2 unit upon gentle heating, to form (Mes*N)Nb(N[Np]Ar)3, 2. The first-order activation parameters for this process have been estimated here using an Eyring analysis to have the values ΔH⧧ = 19.6(2) kcal/mol and ΔS⧧ = −14.2(5) eu. The eliminated P2 unit can be transferred to the terminal phosphide complexes P≡M(N[iPr]Ar)3, 3-M (M = Mo, W), and [P≡Nb(N[Np]Ar)3]−, 3-Nb, to give the cyclo-P3 complexes (P3)M(N[iPr]Ar)3 and [(P3)Nb(N[Np]Ar)3]−. These reactions represent the formal addition of a P≡P triple bond across a M≡P triple bond and are the first efficient transfers of the P2 unit to substrates present in stoichiometric quantities. The related complex (OC)5W(Mes*NPP)Nb(N[Np]Ar)3, 1-W(CO)5, was used to transfer the (P2)W(CO)5 unit in an analogous manner to the substrates 3-M (M = Mo, W, Nb) as well as to [(OC)5WP≡Nb(N[Np]Ar)3]−. The rate consta...
Optical plume velocimetry: a new flow measurement technique for use in seafloor hydrothermal systems

Evidence suggests that fluid flow rates in mid-ocean ridge hydrothermal systems may be strongly influenced by mechanical forces such as ocean tidal loading. However, long time-series measurements of flow have not been collected in these environments. We develop a non-invasive method, called optical plume velocimetry (OPV), suitable for obtaining fluid flow rates through black smoker vents based on image analysis of effluent video. We use video from laboratory flows to evaluate three different methods for estimating the image-velocity field that are based on region-based matching, spectral-analysis of Hovmoller diagrams, and temporal cross-correlation of adjacent pixel values. We find that OPV is most sensitive and least biased when the cross-correlation method is used and conclude that OPV should not be applied to flows that are transitioning between jet-like and plume-like behavior.
Combining Antigen-Based Therapy with GABA Treatment Synergistically Prolongs Survival of Transplanted ß-Cells in Diabetic NOD Mice

Antigen-based therapies (ABTs) very effectively prevent the development of type 1 diabetes (T1D) when given to young nonobese diabetic (NOD) mice, however, they have little or no ability to reverse hyperglycemia in newly diabetic NOD mice. More importantly, ABTs have not yet demonstrated an ability to effectively preserve residual s-cells in individuals newly diagnosed with type 1 diabetes (T1D). Accordingly, there is great interest in identifying new treatments that can be combined with ABTs to safely protect s-cells in diabetic animals. The activation of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptors (GABA-Rs) on immune cells has been shown to prevent T1D, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) and rheumatoid arthritis in mouse models. Based on GABA's ability to inhibit different autoimmune diseases and its safety profile, we tested whether the combination of ABT with GABA treatment could prolong the survival of transplanted s-cells in newly diabetic NOD mice. Newly diabetic NOD mice were untreated, or given GAD/alum (20 or 100 µg) and placed on plain drinking water, or water containing GABA (2 or 6 mg/ml). Twenty-eight days later, they received syngenic pancreas grafts and were monitored for the recurrence of hyperglycemia. Hyperglycemia reoccurred in the recipients given plain water, GAD monotherapy, GABA monotherapy, GAD (20 µg)+GABA (2 mg/ml), GAD (20 µg)+GABA (6 mg/ml) and GAD (100 µg)+GABA (6 mg/ml) about 1, 2-3, 3, 2-3, 3-8 and 10-11 weeks post-transplantation, respectively. Thus, combined GABA and ABT treatment had a synergistic effect in a dose-dependent fashion. These findings suggest that co-treatment with GABA (or other GABA-R agonists) may provide a new strategy to safely enhance the efficacy of other therapeutics designed to prevent or reverse T1D, as well as other T cell-mediated autoimmune diseases.
Effective protection and exchange-rate determination

Abstract Considerable research interest has entered on the implications for exchange-rate determination of fluctuations in intermediate goods prices ang changes in tariff protection. This paper draws together the strands of this literature by examining the role of effective protection in exchange rate determination. A disaggregated portfolio balance model of the open economy is used to analyze the determination of real and nominal exchange rates in the presence of rational expectations. Additionally, it is used to explore the implications for resource allocation of changes in the effective rate of protection in a country capable of influencing its terms of trade.
Grain‐Boundary Migration in LiF: I, Mobility Measurements

Grain-boundary migration rates in LiF were determined by monitoring discontinuous recrystallization rates in deformed single crystals at temperatures between 0.7 Tm and 0.98 Tm, the melting temperature. Significant reductions in migration rates, relative to those expected for pure material, result from solute additions of Mg, Al, or Na, as well as from background impurities. The magnitude of the solute drag effect differs greatly; solute drag coefficients for the dopants studied ranked as αAi/(7 × 104) ≧αMg≧5αNa. Most work was done with Mg-doped crystals; the behavior under some conditions was consistent with that expected for stable solute-drag-limited boundary migration. In contrast, under some conditions of driving force, temperature, and composition, significant variability in mobilities was found both from several measurements for the same experimental conditions and from variability in the amount of displacement along individual growth fronts. This variability is attributed to transitions between different stable mobility extremes.
Inhibition of B Virus (Macacine herpesvirus 1) by Conventional and Experimental Antiviral Compounds

B virus infection of humans results in high morbidity and mortality in as many as 80% of identified cases. The main objective of this study was to conduct a comparative analysis of conventional and experimental antiviral drug susceptibilities of B virus isolates from multiple macaque species and zoonotically infected humans. We used a plaque reduction assay to establish the effective inhibitory doses of acyclovir, ganciclovir, and vidarabine, as well as those of a group of experimental nucleoside analogs with known anti-herpes simplex virus activity. Four of the experimental drugs tested were 10- to 100-fold more potent inhibitors of B virus replication than conventional antiviral agents. Drug efficacies were similar for multiple B virus isolates tested, with variations within 2-fold of the median effective concentration (EC50) for each drug, and each EC50 was considerably lower than those for B virus thymidine kinase (TK) mutants. We observed no differences in the viral TK amino acid sequence between B virus isolates from rhesus monkeys and those from human zoonoses. Differences in the TK protein sequence between cynomolgus and pigtail macaque B virus isolates did not affect drug sensitivity except in the case of one compound. Taken together, these data suggest that future B virus zoonoses will respond consistently to conventional antiviral treatment. Further, the considerably higher potency of FEAU (2′-fluoro-5-ethyl-Ara-U) than of conventional antiviral drugs argues for its compassionate use in advanced human B virus infections.
Central problems in the management of innovation

Innovation is defined as the development and implementation of new ideas by people who over time engage in transactions with others within an institutional order. This definition focuses on four basic factors new ideas, people, transactions, and institutional context. An understanding of how these factors are related leads to four basic problems confronting most general managers: 1 a human problem of managing attention, 2 a process problem in managing new ideas into good currency, 3 a structural problem of managing part-whole relationships, and 4 a strategic problem of institutional leadership. This paper discusses these four basic problems and concludes by suggesting how they fit together into an overall framework to guide longitudinal study of the management of innovation.
Problems testing diffractive intraocular lenses with Shack-Hartmann sensors

Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensors have found widespread application for testing ocular aberrations. These sensors provide an accurate map of the wavefront emerging from an eye in most cases. However, there is a growing class of patients with diffractive intraocular lenses that will potentially be measured incorrectly with Shack-Hartmann devices. We explore the pitfalls of measuring diffractive lenses with this technology.
An airborne radar and wave propagation laboratory

The Naval Research Laboratory has instrumented an R5D aircraft as an airborne radar and wave propagation laboratory. The installation includes four radar systems (with frequencies ranging roughly from 1 to 10 kMc), associated radar recording and calibration apparatus, and an extensive meteorological instrumentation for measurement of related atmospheric conditions. All radars operate synchronously from a centralized control. The antennas, along with the transmitter-receiver systems, allow the transmission of vertical, horizontal, or circular polarization, with simultaneous reception of the transmitted polarization and its orthogonal component. This aircraft is intended for investigations in two general fields, back-scattering (radar) and wave propagation. In the radar field, it may be used for the determination of the back-scattering properties of individual targets or of area-extensive targets such as ground, sea, or precipitation. In the propagation field, it may be used as one terminal of a one-way transmission link, such as in investigations of radio ducts and atmospheric scattering.
Blind GPS receiver with a modified despreader for interference suppression

The global positioning system (GPS) was designed to provide location estimates for various civilian and military applications using at least four satellites. Since GPS signals have a low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), they also have a low signal-to-jammer ratio so that the accuracy of location estimates is influenced by cochannel interference and intentional jammers. We propose a low-complexity blind adaptive receiver that is based on a novel modified despreader and the constant modulus (CM) array. This system is capable of nulling directional interference and capturing the GPS signal of interest without requiring explicit angle-of-arrival (AOA) information. We also consider the multiple satellite problem and extend the proposed receiver to capture several GPS signals of interest. Representative computer simulation examples are presented to illustrate the performance of the multicomponent system for the suppression of different jammer types.
Crystalline inclusions in granulocytic sarcoma.

Abstract Two cases of granulocytic sarcoma were found to contain numerous crystalline inclusions identified on hematoxylin-eosin–stained sections as clusters of pointed needlelike crystals present in foci of necrosis or within macrophages. The crystals were negative for chloroacetate esterase and myeloperoxidase. Electron microscopy demonstrated homogeneously dense, bipyramidal structures, indistinguishable from Charcot-Leyden crystals. Granulocytic sarcomas may contain crystalline inclusions similar to Charcot-Leyden crystals; these structures should be distinguished from crystalline immunoglobulin inclusions occurring in cases of plasma cell myeloma and lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma, which may have a similar appearance.
Crystal Solving Procedures Applied to Peptides, Foldamers and Channel Forming Adamantyl/Peptide Hybrid Macrocycles

Solving crystal structures by direct phase determination has become quite routine for many types of substances, providing that a sufficient number of X-ray reflections of reasonable magnitude can be measured. Resolution of 0.9 to 1.0 A is usually desirable. Resolution of less than 1.15 to 1.2 A causes severe problems for crystals composed of only C., H, N and O atoms. The presence of heavier atoms, S for example, makes phase determination and structure determination considerably easier. For equal atom structures, problems arise for large molecules, molecules with flexible groups, crystals with several independent molecules per asymmetric unit, and structures with large channels or cavities containing water or disordered solvents. The above conditions contribute to an attenuation of the magnitude of the scattered reflections to the point that the number of reflections that can be used in phase determination is lessened and that the probability of the correctness of individual phases becomes small. At times, it is not the resolution that is the problem, but the fact that the intensities in general may be weak and also that any particular atom has a rather small contribution to a structure factor. Several examples of structure analyses of crystals that contain one or more of the above problems will be discussed.
Synthesis and solid-state structures of a macrocyclic receptor based on the 2,6-bis(2-anilinoethynyl)pyridine scaffold

A fluorescent macrocyclic anion receptor based on the 2,6-bis(2-anilinoethynyl)pyridine scaffold has been synthesized to investigate the mechanism of fluorescence quenching in this class of compounds. X-ray crystallography reveals that the binding pocket of the receptor is a natural host to both H2O and HCl, accommodating either molecule in nearly identical environments. Our studies show that protonation, not collisional quenching, is responsible for the observed fluorescence quenching response.
Prognostic stratification of diabetic patients by exercise echocardiography

Abstract OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to assess the incremental value of exercise echocardiography for the risk stratification of diabetic patients. BACKGROUND There are currently insufficient outcome data in diabetic patients to define the role of stress echocardiography as a prognostic tool. METHODS We studied the prognostic value of exercise echocardiography in 563 patients with diabetes mellitus (mean age 64 ± 11 years, 336 men) and known or suspected ischemic heart disease (IHD). RESULTS Cardiac events occurred in 50 patients (cardiac death in 23 and nonfatal myocardial infarction [MI] in 27) during a median follow-up period of three years. Event rate was lower in patients with normal as compared to those with abnormal exercise echocardiography at one year (0% vs. 1.9%), three years (1.8% vs. 11.9%), and five years (7.6% vs. 23.3%), respectively (p = 0.0001). Patients with multivessel distribution of echocardiographic abnormalities had the highest event rate (2.9% at one year, 15.2% at three years, and 32.8% at five years). In an incremental multivariate analysis model, exercise echocardiography increased the chi-square of the clinical and exercise ECG model from 29 to 44.8 (p = 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS Exercise echocardiography provides incremental data for risk stratification of diabetic patients with known or suspected IHD. Patients with a normal exercise echocardiogram have a low event rate. Patients with multivessel distribution of exercise echocardiographic abnormalities are at the highest risk of cardiac events, as one-third of these patients experience cardiac death or nonfatal MI during the five years following exercise echocardiography.
Relationship between cognitive and morphological asymmetry in dementia of the Alzheimer type: a CT scan study.

In this study we investigated the association between morphological asymmetry and patterns of cognitive ability in dementia of Alzheimer's type (DAT). Digitized CT scans were used to estimate volumetric parameters of the brain. The volume of the cranium, brain parenchyma, the subarachnoid space, and lateral ventricles was computed. The volume of the subarachnoid space was used as an index of cortical atrophy, while the ventricular volume served as an estimate of subcortical atrophy. Asymmetry indices were computed for all structures as the difference between left and right volume divided by their average and multiplied by 100. Cognitive asymmetry index was computed by dividing the difference between VIQ and PIQ of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS) by their average and multiplying by 100. After statistically controlling for cranial asymmetry, hemispheric asymmetry was found to correlate positively with cognitive asymmetry. The correlation was somewhat greater for male than for female patients. A...
An extremum principle of evaporation

[1] It is proposed, on the basis of an argument of thermodynamic equilibrium, that land-atmosphere interactive processes lead to thermal and hydrologic states of the land surface that maximize evaporation in a given meteorological environment. The extremum principle leads to general equations linking surface energy fluxes to surface temperature and soil moisture. The hypothesis of maximum evaporation has been tested with data from three field experiments. We found strong evidence suggesting that evaporation is maximized and furthermore that it is determined by the state variables (temperature, soil moisture, and sensible heat flux into the atmosphere) and relatively insensitive to water vapor pressure deficit. The theory allows an independent estimate of the coefficient in the Priestley-Taylor formula for potential evaporation, which is consistent with the widely accepted value of 1.26.
Real-Time lethality Evaluation During the Flame Sterilization of Canned Foods

A pilot-scale flame sterilizer was interfaced to a microcomputer for real-time thermal process evaluation of individual cans. The computerized system used a photodetector system to synchronize data acquisition at predetermined monitoring sites. Infrared sensors were used to measure can temperatures. Also, a method to measure can surface temperature was developed for infrared sensor calibrations. Foil thermocouples were found to be the most accurate and reliable for surface temperature measurements. However, a thin gauge wire thermocouple attached to the inside of the can end surface was a more practical and economical method for sensor calibration.
Field test of a single-injection gonadotrophin-releasing hormone immunocontraceptive vaccine in female white-tailed deer

Thedevelopmentanduseofsafe,effectiveandpracticalwildlifecontraceptiveagentscouldreducereproduction inlocally overabundant deer populationsinsituations where traditionalmanagement toolssuch as regulated huntingcannot be employed. GonaCon Immunocontraceptive Vaccine (the commercial name for a particular gonadotrophin-releasing hormone(GnRH)-basedemulsion)wastestedinadultfemalewhite-taileddeerinafencedherdnearSilverSpring,Maryland, USA. Observations of udder condition were used to identify does that had become pregnant. Necropsy observations, histopathology and serum concentrations of anti-GnRH antibodies, luteinising hormone and progesterone were used to comparehealthandreproductivestatusoftreated(n=28)andcontrol(n=15)deer.AfterreceivingoneinjectionofGonaCon, 88% of treated deer did not become pregnant during the first year and 47% did not become pregnant during the second year aftervaccination.NoadversehealtheffectsrelatedtovaccinationwithGonaConweredetected,exceptforlocalisedinjection- site reactions in five (29%) of 17 examined, vaccinated deer. Treatment with GonaCon can be a safe and effective means of inducingtemporaryinfertilityinwildwhite-taileddeer.Ultimately,themanagementvalueofGonaConwillbedeterminedby natural-resource professionals who use it as one of many tools to manage deer populations.
An extensible constructor tool for the rapid, interactive design of query synthesizers

We describe an extensible constructor tool that helps information experts (e.g., librarians) create specialized query synthesizers for heterogeneous digital-library environments. A query synthesizer provides a graphical user interface in which a digital-library patron can specify a high-level, fielded, multi-source query. Furthermore, a query synthesizer interacts with a query translator and an attribute translator to transform high-level queries into sets of source-specific queries. We discuss how the constructor can facilitate discovery of available attributes (e.g., title), collation of schemas from different sources, selection of input widgets for a synthesizer (e.g., a text box or a drop-down list widget to support input of controlled vocabulary),, and other design aspects. We also describe a prototype constructor we implemented, based on the Stanford InfoBus and metadata architecture.
Development Process With the Aid of Automated Dissolution in Analytical Research and Development.

The development of drugs in the generic pharmaceutical industry is a highly competitive arena of companies vying for the few drug products that are coming off patent. Companies that have been successful in this arena are those that have met or surpassed the critical timeline associated with trial formulation development, analytical method development and submission batch manufacturing and testing. Barr Laboratories has been successful in the Generic Pharmaceutical Industry for several reasons, one of which includes automation. The analytical research and development at Barr has employed the use of automated dissolution early in the lifecycle of a potential product. This approach has dramatically reduced the “Time To Market” on average for a number of products. The key to this approach is the network infrastructure of the formulation and analytical research and development departments. At Barr Laboratories Inc., our cooperative ability to work and communicate together has driven the departments to streamline and matrix their work efforts and optimize resources and time. The discussion will reference how Barr Laboratories Inc., has been successful with automation and give a case study of products that have moved with rapid pace through the development cycle.
Role of halogen(I) cation-transfer mechanisms in water chlorination in the presence of bromide ion

Bromide ion is rapidly converted to HOBr via BrCl by reaction with HOCl. The subsequent slow reactions of (HOCl, OCl-)/(HOBr, OBr-) mixtures are monitored directly by multiwavelength UV-vis absorbance methods and simultaneously by ion chromatographic measurement of ClO2-, ClO3-, and BrO3- (p[H+] 5.6-7.6). A first-order loss of HOCl is observed which is catalyzed by trace concentrations of Br- and BrCl. Chlorite ion forms first and is subsequently oxidized to ClO3-. The loss of HOBr is slower and is second-order in HOBr, so that BrO3- formation takes longer than ClO3- formation. Under the conditions of this work, the relative yield of BrO3- increases with increase in pH. The decomposition of HOCI by bromide proceeds primarily by a series of halogen(I) cation-transfer reactions with subsequent halide release. The presence of HOCI increases the BrO3- yield three-fold from HOBr decay alone.
The Fish Paradox: Are Maternal Omega-3 (n-3) DHA and Selenium (Se) Intake Protective Against Negative Effects of Methylmercury Exposure on Infant Cognitive Development?

Similarly, negative effects of higher levels of methylmercury exposure, have been demonstrated in the China only after controlling for n-3 DHA [14], although positive benefits of n-3 DHA were diminished at high maternal levels of mercury in cohorts from the Seychelles and U.S [6,15]. Results from the large British ALSPAC Study showed that mothers who consumed the greatest amount of n-3 DHA from fish throughout pregnancy and breastfeeding gave birth to babies who performed better on a wide variety of neurocognitive tests compared to the least amount of DHA. Effects of fish intake on cognitive development from the longitudinal Seychelles Child Development Nutrition Study have largely been attributable to the maternal n-3 DHA status which parallels dietary seafood intake [9,15,16]. The potential of nutrients to modify mercury toxicity remains an area of great interest. Current evidence suggests that selenium may mitigate the negative effect of methyl mercury and that the benefits of n-3 DHA outweigh the risks of consumption of most seafood during pregnancy and lactation. The greatest cognitive benefits are derived from maternal consumption of seafood which is highest in n-3 DHA and low in methylmercury. The modulating effect of selenium, although clear in animal models, has not been well documented in humans. Further research is needed to address this question.
The 'Prudent Retiree Rule': What to Do When Retirement Security is Impossible?

Policy debates about the appropriate risk levels for individual retirement plans and social retirement plans (like social security) often pay insufficient attention to the inescapable trade-off between payment risk (the risk of insufficient funding for anticipated benefits) and short fall risk (the risk of insufficient benefits for a satisfactory retirement). Thus a prudent retiree rule would permit a prudent level of contingent funding of retirement payouts. Contingent funding - basing benefit expectations on funding sources that may not materialize - increases payment risk, yet pension systems without some contingent funding will produce inferior benefits in most states of the world, increasing shortfall risk. Contingent funding can take different forms: underfunding (in an actuarial sense) of defined benefit promises, which means reliance on the firm's continued profitability; a tilt toward equity investments in a defined contribution plan, including an appropriate level of employer own stock, and reliance on pay-as-you-go (PAYGO) funding of social security benefits in which each generation funds its predecessor's benefits. The case for the prudent retiree rule is strengthened through a better appreciation of the underlying risks to retirement security: demographic risk (too many retirees relative to workers); economic risk (insufficient economic growth) and distributional risk (non-effort-based individual economic outcomes). Policies that address these risks can significantly reduce the risks associated with contingent funding.
Test of Introduced Sugarbeet Variety SD13829

The monogerm diploid sugarbeet SD13829 introduced from Germany was tested in Yi'an of the Heilongjiang from 2010 to 2011.The experimental results showed that the SD13829 was characterized as germination power,fast emerging and high emerging rate.The root yield increased by 14.9% in 2010 and 23.5% in 2011,sugar yield increased by 18.7% in 2010 and 23.9% in 2011,respectively.The disease rates of root decreased by 0.3% in 2010 and 15.1% in 2011 in comparison with four control varieties.
2011 U.S. National School on Neutron and X-ray Scattering

The 13th annual U.S. National School on Neutron and X-ray Scattering was held June 11-25, 2011, at both Oak Ridge and Argonne National Laboratories. This school brought together 65 early career graduate students from 56 different universities in the United States and provided them with a broad introduction to the properties and techniques available at the major large-scale neutron and synchrotron X-ray facilities. This school is focused primarily on techniques relevant to the physical sciences, but also touches on cross-disciplinary bio-related scattering measurements. During the school, the students received lectures by more than 30 researchers from academia, industry, and national laboratories and participated in a number of short demonstration experiments at Argonne's Advanced Photon Source (APS) and Oak Ridge's Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) and High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) facilities to get hands-on experience in using neutron and synchrotron sources.