cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
C-arm Cone-beam CT: General Principles and Technical Considerations for Use in Interventional Radiology

Digital flat-panel detector cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) has recently been adapted for use with C-arm systems. This configuration provides projection radiography, fluoroscopy, digital subtraction angiography, and volumetric computed tomography (CT) capabilities in a single patient setup, within the interventional suite. Such capabilities allow the interventionalist to perform intraprocedural volumetric imaging without the need for patient transportation. Proper use of this new technology requires an understanding of both its capabilities and limitations. This article provides an overview of C-arm CBCT with particular attention to trade-offs between C-arm CBCT systems and conventional multi-detector CT.
The performance of NASDAQ-listed UK ADRs: a note

The author examines NASDAQ-listed American Depository Receipts (ADRs) from the United Kingdom to determine overall investment performance for the first 21 days of trading and the first 3 years of trading. Long-term results also show the effects of market timing. In early trading, the 22 UK ADRs outperformed the NASDAQ by 8.81% for the first 21 days. Long-term results show the entire sample of UK ADRs outperformed the NASDAQ index by nearly 20% for the first 3 years of trading. Those ADRs trading during the bull market (listed before 1998) performed roughly equal to the NASDAQ index whereas those trading through the bear market (listed after 1 January 1998) outperformed the NASDAQ by nearly 39% during the first 36 months of trading. These results suggest that market timing affects long-term portfolio returns from UK ADRs.
WATER SURFACE LOCOMOTION BY SPIDERS: DISTINCT GAITS IN DIVERSE FAMILIES

Abstract Pisaurids such as Dolomedes triton (Walckenaer 1837) are well known as inhabitants of ponds and streams and are adept at locomotion on the water surface. In a broad survey of water surface locomotion in spiders, we have found that most taxa do not use specialized gaits under these circumstances. However, some tetragnathids, araneids, and salticids (three families that are outside of the superfamily Lycosoidea to which the pisaurids belong) resemble D. triton to the extent that they do use specialized gaits when on the water surface. Of these, the tetragnathids are particularly accomplished at water surface locomotion, achieving velocities that exceed those of D. triton when it rows, but not when it gallops.
Studies on the development of background plaque-forming cells.

Abstract Background plaque-forming cells (Bkg PFC) from mice comprise a unique population of Ab-secreting cells which mature in a manner distinct from I0 immunocytes. Spleen cells which are depleted of T cells by passage through nylon wool, by treatment with anti-θ antiserum plus complement or prepared from athymic mice, continue to give rise to Bkg PFC in vitro. In preparations fractionated by adherence to glass or plastic, precursors as well as mature Bkg PFCs distribute equally between macrophage-rich and macrophage-depleted cell fractions. In the absence of macrophages and in medium free of 2-ME Bkg PFC differentiate into mature anti-SRBC antibody-secreting cells. Requirements for serum cofactors are also less stringent. Maturation of Bkg PFC precursors is not inhibited by normal mouse serum and at least 10% of the Bkg cells are capable of developing into mature secretory cells in the absence of fetal calf serum.
Trends in Settings for Peripheral Vascular Intervention and the Effect of Changes in the Outpatient Prospective Payment System

Abstract Background Peripheral vascular intervention (PVI) is an effective treatment option for patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD). In 2008, Medicare modified reimbursement rates to encourage more efficient outpatient use of PVI in the United States. Objectives The purpose of this study was to evaluate trends in the use and clinical settings of PVI and the effect of changes in reimbursement. Methods Using a 5% national sample of Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries from 2006 to 2011, we examined age- and sex-adjusted rates of PVI by year, type of procedure, clinical setting, and physician specialty. Results A total of 39,339 Medicare beneficiaries underwent revascularization for PAD between 2006 and 2011. The annual rate of PVI increased slightly from 401.4 to 419.6 per 100,000 Medicare beneficiaries (p = 0.17), but the clinical setting shifted. The rate of PVI declined in inpatient settings from 209.7 to 151.6 (p Conclusions From 2006 to 2011, overall rates of PVI increased minimally. However, after changes in reimbursement, PVI and atherectomy in outpatient facilities and office-based clinics increased dramatically, neutralizing cost savings to Medicare and highlighting the possible unintended consequences of coverage decisions.
Germline mutations in glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor ( GDNF ) and RET in a Hirschsprung disease patient

Hirschsprung disease (HSCR), or congenital aganglionic megacolon, is the most common cause of congenital bowel obstruction with an incidence of 1 in 5000 live births. HSCR may be inherited as a single gene disorder with reduced penetrance or as a multigenic trait. HSCR mutations have been identified in the RET receptor tyrosine kinase, endothelin-B receptor (EDNRB) and its physiological ligand, endothelin 3 (EDN3). Although RET's ligand has remained elusive, it is expected to be an extracellular neurotrophic molecule expressed in the developing gut and kidney mesenchyme, based on the phenotypes of intestinal aganglionosis and renal agenesis observed in homozygous RET knockout (Ret -/-) mice. The glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) is such a molecule. Recently, mice carrying two null alleles for Gdnf were shown to exhibit phenotypes remarkably similar to Ret-/- animals. We screened 106 unrelated HSCR patients for mutations in GDNF by direct sequencing. We identified one familial mutation in a HSCR patient with a known de novo RET mutation and malrotation of the gut. No haplotype sharing was evident in any of 36 HSCR kindreds typed for microsatellite markers surrounding GDNF on human chromosome 5p. Our data suggest that GDNF is a minor contributor to human HSCR susceptibility and that loss of its function in enteric neurogenesis may be compensated for by other neurotrophic factors or via other pathways. However, it may be that in rare instances, RET and GDNF mutations act in concert to produce an enteric phenotype.
Effects of water-soluble components of petroleum oils and aromatic hydrocarbons on Barnacle larvae

Abstract The effects of the water-soluble fractions (WSF) of petroleum oils and of solutions of aromatics on embryos and nauplii of barnacles (Chthamalus fragilis and Balanus amphitrite niveus) were investigated. The oils tested were S. Louisiana, Alaska, Kuwait, Venezuela crudes, Diesel fuel, Bunker C, No. 2 fuel and crankcase oils. Eighteen aromatic hydrocarbons occurring in petroleum oils were also tested. Observations were made on development and hatching of embryos, and the activity, phototaxis and survival of larvae. Acute experiments (1 h duration) were carried out in glass tubes illuminated above, and larvae remaining on the bottom were separated from those actively swimming. Concentrations at which half the larvae occurred in the bottom fraction were determined. Oils were toxic in the series used: crank case > No. 2 fuel oil > Bunker C > Diesel > Venezuela > Kuwait > Alaska > S. Louisiana (in terms of percentages of WSF). Relative toxicities of the aromatics (in terms of percentages of saturated solutions) are given. Embryonic development and larval activity were adversely affected by No. 2 fuel oil at a concentration of 3 ppm and larval activity by naphthalene at the same level.
Construction, Development, and Redevelopment

If a claim that appears utterly convincing to the speaker is treated as absurd by others, the speaker is likely to think those others willfully perverse. But perhaps t hose others simply fail to gras p some b ackground truth that the speaker has assumed to be obvious. Rectification of their mistake can then provide a basis for unexpected agreement and for isolating those respondents who are in fact de eply hostile to the speaker’s claim. T his Article suggests that many of our fellow citizens find the pro-life argument against lethal embryo re search t o be absurd simply because they mistakenly treat gestation as a process of construction rather than as a process of development. Only an isolated segment of those who favor such research may have abandoned our traditional shared belief in human equality and dignity. The contrast b etween construction and development is also used to illuminate our disagreements over abortion and euthanasia.
Poor asthma control in obese children may be overestimated because of enhanced perception of dyspnea.

Background Although studies in adults have shown a non-T H 2 obese asthma phenotype, whether a similar phenotype exists in children is unclear. Objective We hypothesized that asthmatic children with obesity, defined as a body mass index above the 95th percentile for age and sex, would have poorer asthma control as well as decreased quality of life, increased health care utilization, and decreased pulmonary function measures as a function of increased T H 1 versus T H 2 polarization. Methods This study involved a post hoc analysis of cross-sectional data from 269 children 6 to 17 years of age enrolled in the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Severe Asthma Research Program. Children answered questionnaires and underwent spirometry, plethysmography, exhaled nitric oxide determination, and venipuncture for T H 1/T H 2 cytokine determination. Asthma control was defined according to national asthma treatment guidelines that are based on prespecified thresholds for lung function and symptom frequency. Results Fifty-eight children (22%) were overweight and 67 (25%) were obese. Obese children did not have poorer asthma control but were more likely to report nonspecific symptoms such as dyspnea and nocturnal awakenings. Obese children did have decreased asthma-related quality of life and increased health care utilization, but this was not associated with airflow limitation. Instead, obese children had decreased functional residual capacity. A unique pattern of T H 1 or T H 2 polarization was not observed. Conclusions Poor asthma control in obese children with asthma may be overestimated because of enhanced perception of nonspecific symptoms such as dyspnea that results from altered mechanical properties of the chest wall. Careful assessment of physiologic as well as symptom-based measures is needed in the evaluation of obese children with respiratory symptoms.
Cell adhesive, protein binding, and antigenic properties of laminin.

Abstract The cell adhesive, protein-binding and immunological properties of laminin were studied. When present on a solid-phase, laminin promoted to some degree the adhesion of various types of cells including fibroblasts, but it was less active than insolubilized fibronectin, type I collagen, or type IV collagen. When laminin was present in solution, it promoted the adhesion of cells to surfaces that would otherwise be nonadhesive. No significant binding of laminin to type IV collagen could be demonstrated by affinity assays employing radioactively labeled ligands or enzyme-labeled antibodies. Binding of laminin to anti-laminin and to polyornithine could be readily demonstrated under the same conditions. The possible autoantigenicity of laminin was studied by immunizing mice with rat and mouse laminin. Rat laminin induced antibodies that reacted strongly with rat laminin and weakly with mouse laminin in enzyme immunoassay. Mouse laminin did not induce any detectable antibodies. These results confirm earlier work on cell adhesive properties of laminin but show that laminin is different from fibronectin in that laminin promotes adhesion of cells better when presented to the cells in a soluble form. They do not support the contention that laminin would bind directly to type IV collagen or that it would be autoantigenic.
Advanced reconstructive techniques for the lip and perioral area

Defects of the lip and perioral area present a significant challenge for reconstructive surgeons. It is important to obtain results that are a success from the functional and aesthetic standpoint. In planning the reconstruction, the surgeon should consider the age and general state of health of the patient and dental status. The surgeon should be well acquainted with the essential principles in planning reconstructive procedures. By becoming familiar with advantages and shortcomings of different cheiloplasty procedures, the surgeon will be able to implement the functionally and cosmetically appropriate technique in each specific case.
Coherence and timing of cell cycle start examined at single-cell resolution

Cell cycle "Start" in budding yeast involves induction of a large battery of G1/S-regulated genes, coordinated with bud morphogenesis. It is unknown how intra-Start coherence of these events and inter-Start timing regularity are achieved. We developed quantitative time-lapse fluorescence microscopy on a multicell-cycle timescale, for following expression of unstable GFP under control of the G1 cyclin CLN2 promoter. Swi4, a major activator of the G1/S regulon, was required for a robustly coherent Start, as swi4 cells exhibited highly variable loss of cooccurrence of regular levels of CLN2pr-GFP expression with budding. In contrast, other known Start regulators Mbp1 and Cln3 are not needed for coherence but ensure regular timing of Start onset. The interval of nuclear retention of Whi5, a Swi4 repressor, largely accounts for wild-type mother-daughter asymmetry and for variable Start timing in cln3 mbp1 cells. Thus, multiple pathways may independently suppress qualitatively different kinds of noise at Start.
The socio-therapeutic environment of a child psychosomatic ward (or, is pediatrics bad for your mental health?).

The author evaluated the socio-therapeutic environment of a child and adolescent psychosomatic inpatient unit by means of the Ward Atmosphere Scale. The results support the notion that conjoint, intensive psychiatric and pediatric treatment of psychosomatic patients does not impede the formation of a very active psychiatric treatment milieu.
Bidirectional effect of β-carboline agonists at the benzodiazepine-GABAA receptor chloride ionophore complex on GABA-stimulated 36Cl− uptake

β-Carboline agonists produced a left shift of the GABA concentration-chloride uptake curve or a reduction in the maximal increase in GABA-stimulated 36Cl− uptake depending on their concentration. The enhancement of the GABA effect occurs only at lowerβ-carboline and GABA concentrations and is smaller for the partial agonist ZK 91296 compared to the full agonist ZK 93423. The opposite effect, inhibition of GABA-stimulated chloride conductance, is observed only at higher concentrations of β-carboline agonists and GABA. The reduction of the GABA maximal response by the partial agonist ZK 91296 is greater than by the full agonist ZK 93423. The transformation of GABA-stimulated 36Cl− uptake data to specific chloride influx (36Cl− uptake per nM of GABA) reveals that the GABA concentration-response curve consists of three parts characterized by differences in the molar effectiveness of GABA relative to the GABA concentration. The molar effectiveness of GABA is a measure of the sensitivity of the GABAA receptor chloride ionophore complex and shows adaptive changes by this complex to increasing concentrations of GABA and/or β-carboline. We conclude from our data that the change from GABA-sensitive to GABA-insensitive conformation of the GABAA receptor occurs with increasing concentrations of GABA andJor β-carboline. Both conformations maintain positive heterotropic cooperativity with β-carboline binding sites, one responsible for positive and the other responsible for negative effects of β-carboline agonists on chloride uptake.
Estimating the yields of the Amchitka tests by waveform intercorrelation

Summary. A new method of estimating the yields of events at a nuclear test site is introduced and tested against the Amchitka experience. The intercorrelation method is a relative waveform comparison technique, which involves convolution of the first few seconds of each short-period P-wave recorded at a given station for two events with estimates of the effective source function (including pP) for the other event. This procedure accounts for common path and receiver effects as well as differences in time functions and near-source surface interactions. If the source parameters for a master event are determined independently, the assumed source parameters for a second event can be adjusted to minimize the residual differences in the inter-correlated signal pairs for a large number of stations simultaneously. Yield estimates can then be made using empirical relations between the source parameters and yield. The source time function representation used is ψ(t) =ψ{1 − exp(−Kt)[1 +Kt+ (Kt)2/2 −B(Kt)3]}. Due to the narrowband character of short-period P-waves and the possibility of yield dependence of overshoot of the source spectrum (controlled by B), it is generally not possible to resolve uniquely the static source strength, ψ∞. However; for fixed values of B, an alternate parameter, ψ′∞, can be determined, which gives the correct source strength in the period range of the signals. For the Amchitka events ψ′∞ is found to have a simple power law relation with yield. With B= 1, intercorrelation of MILROW with CANNIKIN gives a ψ′∞ of 4.0 ± 0.6 × 1011 cm3 for CANNIKIN, compared with 4.5±0.5 × 1011 cm3 determined from near-field data. Intercorrelations of MILROW and CANNIKIN with LONGSHOT give consistent ψ′∞ values of 2.0 ± 0.3 × 1010cm3 for LONGSHOT. In all cases the pP lag times and amplitudes obtained in the procedure are consistent with previous determinations. The effects of underparameterization of the effective source functions are investigated and found not to bias the ψ′∞ determinations strongly. The use of complete waveform information is shown to have several advantages over standard amplitude comparisons for estimating yield.
A CONTINUOUS, TWO-WAY FREE BOUNDARY IN THE UNSTEADY TRANSONIC SMALL DISTURBANCE EQUATIONS

We formulate a problem for the unsteady transonic small disturbance equations which describes a situation analogous to the reflection of a weak shock off a wedge, with the incident shock replaced by an incident rarefaction. We linearize this problem and solve it exactly, and we compute a numerical solution of the full nonlinear problem. The solution of this problem has several features in common with the solution of the weak shock reflection problem, known as Guderley Mach reflection. In both cases, a rarefaction wave reflects off a sonic line and forms a transonic shock. There is transonic coupling between the supersonic and subsonic regions across the sonic line and shock. In both situations, this sonic line/shock can be considered a free boundary in the formulation of a new type of free boundary problem which has not previously been formulated or analyzed. The free boundary problem that arises in the context of the problem considered here is, however, simpler than the free boundary problem that arises in the weak shock reflection problem.
Two New Neotropical Bee Species of the Genus Neocorynura from Panamá (Hymenoptera: Halictidae)

Two new species of the augochlorine bee genus Neocorynura are described and figured from the Republic of Panama: Neocorynura panamensis sp. n., the closest known relative of N. rufa Michener, and N. sulfurea sp. n.
Corrigendum to “TNF-receptor 1 deficiency fails to alter the clinical and pathological course in mice with globoid cell leukodystrophy (twitcher mice) but affords protection following LPS challenge” [J. Neuroimmunol. 110 (2000) 186–194]

Abstract Twitcher mice have an autosomal recessive mutation in the gene for the lysosomal enzyme galactosylceramidase, which is the same gene that is affected in human globoid cell leukodystrophy (Krabbe's disease). The failure to digest galactosylceramide and psychosine leads to initial pathological changes in oligodendrocytes. Secondary pathological changes that include infiltrating macrophages and other inflammatory responses have been postulated to promote the disease course. TNFα levels are elevated in twitcher mice compared to control animals, and studies on another demyelinating disease, experimental allergic encephalomyelitis, indicate that TNF promotes pathogenesis via TNF-receptor 1 (TNF-R1). In the present study, twitcher/TNF-R1 deficient mice were generated, and the clinical and pathological course was compared between these mice and regular twitcher mice. There was no statistical evidence for any differences between these two groups of mice for all clinical (life span, weight loss, onset day of twitching) and pathological (demyelination, astrocyte gliosis, macrophage infiltration) measures that were examined. If mice were administered an intraperitoneal injection of LPS, then twitcher/TNF-R1 deficient mice had a longer life span and a decreased disruption to the blood–brain barrier compared to regular twitcher mice. These results showed that TNF-R1 is not sufficiently activated to affect the pathological and/or clinical signs during the natural course of this disease. However, when there is a secondary insult, TNF-R1 activation does lead to a significant acceleration of the development of clinical and pathological signs.
Government as the Firm’s Third Financial Stakeholder: Impact on Capital Investment Decisions, Capital Structure, Discount Rates, and Valuation

We extend Myers’ (1974) adjusted present value method and modify Modigliani and Miller's (1958, 1963) capital structure propositions by adding government as the firms’ third major financial stakeholder. Government is a major stakeholder because it collects income taxes, is instrumental in establishing the business environment, and provides business infrastructure to corporations. We assume that government's stake is an implicit form of capital and, consequently, any return or benefit derived by the firm from this implicit capital will affect firm value. As a result, tax structure significantly impacts relative stakeholder values, capital investment decisions, and capital formation. Only in the special case when the firm receives explicit benefits and when the return on government's implicit capital is equal to the firm's cost of equity capital will corporate taxes not impact firm value and capital investment decisions. Although tax irrelevance and the conservation of value principle may hold true within a...
Monitoring continuous state violation in datacenters: Exploring the time dimension

Monitoring global states of an application deployed over distributed nodes becomes prevalent in today's datacenters. State monitoring requires not only correct monitoring results but also minimum communication cost for efficiency and scalability. Most existing work adopts an instantaneous state monitoring approach, which triggers state alerts whenever a constraint is violated. Such an approach, however, may cause frequent and unnecessary state alerts due to unpredictable monitored value bursts and momentary outliers that are common in large-scale Internet applications. These false alerts may further lead to expensive and problematic counter-measures. To address this issue, we introduce window-based state monitoring in this paper. Window-based state monitoring evaluates whether state violation is continuous within a time window, and thus, gains immunity to short-term value bursts and outliers. Furthermore, we find that exploring the monitoring time window at distributed nodes achieves significant communication savings over instantaneous monitoring. Based on this finding, we develop WISE, a system that efficiently performs WIndow-based StatE monitoring at datacenter-scale. WISE is highlighted with three sets of techniques. First, WISE uses distributed filtering time windows and intelligently avoids global information collecting to achieve communication efficiency, while guaranteeing monitoring correctness at the same time. Second, WISE provides a suite of performance tuning techniques to minimize communication cost based on a sophisticated cost model. Third, WISE also employs a set of novel performance optimization techniques. Extensive experiments over both real world and synthetic traces show that WISE achieves a 50%–90% reduction in communication cost compared with existing instantaneous monitoring approaches and simple alternative schemes.
Trading volume and firm-specific announcements: Implications for the market model

Abstract The market model is commonly used in finance to study events and to evaluate security performance. With daily data, it is not uncommon to find low R -squares, in the range 0–10%. Prior studies have attempted to improve the fit of the model by excluding observations associated with high trading volume. In this study, we compare the results of the high-volume-exclusion approach with the more direct firm-specific announcement exclusion approach. The announcement approach excludes observations associated with Wall Street Journal Index news items regarding the firm. By excluding the [−1,0] fays relative to such news in a sample of 68 firms, we find that R -squares increase significantly by about 5%. By excluding the days relative to earnings announcements only, R -squares increase by about 4%. These results are then compared to the high-volume-exclusion approach. It is found that this approach is more efficient as an 8% increase in R -squares is produced. The results of this study provide valuable evidence to empiricists by comparing the two approaches to improving the fit of the market model. The high-volume -exclusion approach provides higher R -squares. However, the relative efficiency of the two approaches should be balanced against the arguments for the methodologically correct approach. The advantage of using the firm-specific announcement exclusion approach is that there is more confidence of excluding only firm-specific movements from the estimation of the market model. It also allows a researcher to quickly and unambiguously identify the announcements and delete the corresponding observations. Furthermore, we find that about 50% of the improved fit, relative to the volume approach, can be accomplished by excluding earnings announcements. The methodological disadvantage of using the high-volume-exclusion approach is that it is affected not only by firm-specific announcements but also by other factors, such as the heterogeneity of investor expectations. These factors may influence the choice of using firm-specific announcements rather than the high-volume approach despite the lower increment in R -squares.
Mechanical properties of Nb25Mo25Ta25W25 and V20Nb20Mo20Ta20W20 refractory high entropy alloys

Abstract Two refractory high entropy alloys with compositions near Nb25Mo25Ta25W25 and V20Nb20Mo20Ta20W20, were produced by vacuum arc-melting. Despite containing many constituents, both alloys had a single-phase body-centered cubic (BCC) structure that remained not only stable after exposure to 1400 °C, but also disordered, as confirmed by the absence of superlattice reflections in neutron diffraction data. Compressive flow properties and microstructure development of these alloys were determined from room temperature up to 1600 °C. Limited compressive plasticity and quasi-cleavage fracture at room temperature suggest that the ductile-to-brittle transition for these alloys occurs above room temperature. At 600 °C and above, both alloys showed extensive compressive plastic strain. The yield stress of both alloys dropped by 30–40% between room temperature and 600 °C, but was relatively insensitive to temperature above 600 °C, comparing favorably with conventional superalloys.
Circuits to measure the delay variability of MOSFETs

Two test circuits have been implemented and measured in order to characterize delay variability in individual MOSFETs. Measurement results show that both circuits have high sensitivities to gate resistance, which differentiate them from other circuits which characterize variations in traditional DC parameters such as threshold voltage and channel length.
Paleoprimatology at the pyramid of the sun

annualmeeting of the Society of Vertebrate Pa-leontology in Mexico City last October,more than 500 paleontologists con-vened to discuss the latest discoveries inpaleontology, touching on such diversetaxa as dinosaurs, horses, rodents, croc-odilians, and, of course, primates.Herein we discuss new fossils relevantto the study of primate evolution, aswell as new advances in the phyloge-netic analysis of fossil data.
Nonparametric image parsing using adaptive neighbor sets

This paper proposes a non-parametric approach to scene parsing inspired by the work of Tighe and Lazebnik [22]. In their approach, a simple kNN scheme with multiple descriptor types is used to classify super-pixels. We add two novel mechanisms: (i) a principled and efficient method for learning per-descriptor weights that minimizes classification error, and (ii) a context-driven adaptation of the training set used for each query, which conditions on common classes (which are relatively easy to classify) to improve performance on rare ones. The first technique helps to remove extraneous descriptors that result from the imperfect distance metrics/representations of each super-pixel. The second contribution re-balances the class frequencies, away from the highly-skewed distribution found in real-world scenes. Both methods give a significant performance boost over [22] and the overall system achieves state-of-the-art performance on the SIFT-Flow dataset.
Structural trends and variations in dinitramide salts—a balance between resonance stabilization and steric repulsion

Abstract The flexibility of the dinitramide ion is found to be the result of the mutually opposed effects of resonance stabilization and steric repulsion. Evidence for this is found in the structural trends found in the analysis of X-ray data in the literature and B3LYP/6-311+G* energy calculations. The X-ray data also show structural distortions brought about by different crystal environments. The calculations give the energy required to distort a single molecular anion from the minimum energy structure to that found in the crystal. From these results, it is found that the crystal environment causes geometric variations of the ion that are site-specific. On the other hand, energetically opposed effects of resonance and steric repulsion account for the typically non-planar geometry of the ion and a complete separation between the NNO angles involving ‘inner’ and ‘outer’ oxygens. Despite the evidence for steric repulsion, atomic interaction lines between the inner oxygens have been found both theoretically and experimentally. This results because a steric repulsion refers to a perturbation energy, while Bader's theories are based upon a Lagrangian that gives the Schrodinger equation, which, in turn, gives the total electronic energy of a molecule.
Theory of impurity-shifted intersubband transitions in n-type inversion layers

Abstract A theoretical investigation has been made of subband mixing in the impurity states of an electron bound to a charged impurity located at or near the interface between silicon dioxide and an n-type inversion layer on a (100) surface of silicon. Variational wave functions are employed to calculate the binding energies of several bound states. The results are used to obtain the impurity-shifted intersubband transition energies and oscillator strengths as functions of electric field and distance of the impurity from the interface. The effect of a magnetic field on the binding energy is also investigated.
Comparative Evaluation of Thermochemical Liquefaction and Pyrolysis for Bio-Oil Production from Microalgae

Bio-oil is the liquid product of thermochemical liquefaction or pyrolysis of biomass. Thermochemical liquefaction (TCL) is a low temperature (250–350 °C) and high pressure (5–20 MPa) process particularly suited for high moisture feedstocks, whereas pyrolysis is accomplished at moderate to high temperatures (400–600 °C) and atmospheric pressure and requires drying of the feedstock. In this paper, we present experimental results that provide a critical comparison of TCL and slow pyrolysis processes for producing bio-oil from algae. TCL experiments were performed in a 1.8-L Parr reactor using algae slurry (80% moisture) and pyrolysis runs were carried out in an 8-L mild steel cubical reactor, using dried algal powder as received (∼4% moisture). Yields and composition of bio-oil, char, gases, and aqueous phase were evaluated and compared for TCL and pyrolysis. TCL resulted in higher bio-oil yields (∼41%), lower char yields (∼6.3%), and lower energy consumption ratio compared to pyrolysis, which resulted in 23...
The pathobiology of the vessel wall: implications for imaging.

Recent advances in molecular and cell biology have enhanced our understanding of the vascular pathophysiology, leading to the development of many novel therapeutic approaches. However, this progress has been much less represented in our diagnostic approaches to vascular disease, which remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality, not only in developed, but also in developing, countries. A number of factors, some inherent to the vessel wall, impede progress in this direction. The vessel wall is relatively small, less than 1-mm thick (limit of resolution for nuclear imaging) in many cases. The endothelium, the most natural and easily accessible target for imaging given its presence at the interface of the bloodstream and vessel wall, is only 10- to 12-μm thick. Technical challenges raised by the target size are augmented by cardiac motion. As such, any single-modality imaging may lack many technical requirements, and successful vascular imaging may depend on hybrid and/or intravascular imaging. Enhanced uptake, detected by molecular imaging as a hot spot, will need to have an anatomic coregistration system, such as computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging angiography. Species-specific differences in pathology, prevalent in the case of vascular disease, render translation from animal studies to human beings more difficult and unpredictable. Thus, the challenges facing vascular imagers are enormous, both biological and technical. What is (are) the best imaging target(s) for different phases of the disease? Which animal model best represent the human pathology? Can we start with a stationary target (eg, carotid artery) and then move to coronaries? Can we image coronary arteries noninvasively? Do we need to localize the diseased coronary segment or is the detection of a hot spot sufficient? What is the role of intravascular detection and/or imaging? In the presence of, and perhaps despite, these challenges, improved understanding of the vessel wall biology continues to support the identification and validation of novel molecular imaging targets (or combination of targets) (Table 2), and ultimately will lead to the development of novel diagnostic approaches for the most common vasculopathies.
Romantic Geography: In Search of the Sublime Landscape

ROMANTIC GEOGRAPHY: In Search of the Sublime Landscape. By Yi-Fu Tuan, ix and 205 pp.; ills., bibliog., index. Madison: The University of Wisconsin Press, 2013. $24.95 (cloth), ISBN 9780299296803; $16.95, (electronic) ISBN 9780299296834. Since his arrival in North America in 1951 as a diffident graduate student, Yi-Fu Tuan has perfected a form of humanistic writing that blends congenial university don, analectual sage, and kitchen-table philosopher. Faithful readers of his string of previous books admire Professor Tuan, now past eighty, for his wide erudition, discernment of the connectivities in everything, and optimistic wisdom about the human condition in all of its contradictions. His crafted style, never preachy or condescending, has charmed thousands of readers. If Nietzsche called his readers to the bigger and the higher, Tuan, like Confucius, has suffused his thoughts with a practicality of the everyday. The title of Tuan's latest book suggests a tighter focus than most of his other works. In fact, however, his legendary eclecticism is apparent in this one too. Only 13 of 161 references are to geographers and seven of those are to himself. Four discrete chapters comprise the heart of this slender volume in duodecimo format. One is a reflection on the binaries of light vs. darkness, low vs. high culture, and brain vs. brawn. A second chapter is a meditation on mountains, oceans, forests, deserts, and polar ice. Peppered with literary allusions, poems, and quotes, the reader gets little sense of the author's personal engagement with these kinds of places. Tuan's third piece is a later version of an essay on the city published in The Geographical Review in 1978. The fourth chapter discusses the human categories of aesthete, hero, and saint, using, among others, the examples of Queen Nefertiti (as the epitome of elegance), David Livingstone (intrepid in the face of adversity), and Dorothy Day (as a person of noble Christian impulses, though still not canonized). The landscape sublimity of the subtitle was relevant only to the second of those four chapters. For that matter, the romantic geography of the title is also largely besides the point of the actual content of the book. When Tuan does specifically allude to romantic geography, he is not believable. Two red flags go up when he opines that, since geography is about survival, it cannot be a "romantic realm." But geography is not just about survival; it is also a knowledge area that focuses on places and landscapes for their own sake. More broadly, Tuan seems unaware that the struggle for existence has also been a romantic concern. Romantic geography is a good deal more than Tuan describes. Unmentioned, for example, is that geography has had many romantic practitioners, starting with Carl Sauer at Berkeley where Tuan did his graduate work. …
Seismological Aspects of the 2002 Denali Fault, Alaska, Earthquake

Abstract The M7.9 Denali fault earthquake occurred on 3 November 2002 with an epicenter located 135 km south of Fairbanks and 283 km north of Anchorage. This epicenter is 22–25 km east of the M6.7 Nenana Mountain earthquake that occurred eleven days earlier, October 23, awakening some inhabitants of central Alaska at about 3:30 that morning. Like most earthquakes of its size, the M7.9 earthquake was a complex event. The rupture began with vertical slip along a 40-km segment of the previously unrecognized Susitna Glacier thrust fault, which is connected to the Denali fault. The rupture continued with right-lateral horizontal slip along the main trace of the Denali fault. It eventually split off the Denali fault onto the more southeast-trending Totschunda fault. The total rupture length was 330–340 kilometers, with at least three areas of high slip, or high energy release.
The euro versus the dollar: will there be a struggle for dominance?☆

I am delighted to substitute for Robert Mundell on this panel since he and I are among the very few economists from this side of the Atlantic who have argued, from the outset of the debate over European monetary union, that the creation of the euro was a good idea, would happen on time, and would produce a strong currency that would challenge the dollar for global supremacy. Mundell in fact began making that case as early as 1969, when he called the currency the “europa.” On the eve of the launch of the virtual euro in 1998, he wrote: The introduction of the euro will represent the most dramatic change in the international monetary system since President Nixon took the dollar off gold in 1971 [and when] the era of flexible exchange rates began...the euro is likely to challenge the position of the dollar [and hence] this may be the most important event in the history of the international monetary system since the dollar took over from the pound the role of dominant currency in World War I (Mundell 1998).
Extending Cost Growth Estimation to Predict Schedule Risk

Abstract Past research shows that schedule growth within the acquisition community is difficult to predict and often adversely affects the cost and performance characteristics within the program. Determining the correct schedule duration is difficult principally in the beginning stages of the program where many uncertainties lie. This uncertainty along with the large investment in human capital, facilities, and materials within the Engineering and Manufacturing Development phase of acquisition magnifies the effect of schedule growth on the program. This study extends a two-step modeling procedure used previously to assess cost growth for major defense acquisition programs using historical data. Through the operations of both logistic and multiple regression, this research develops statistical models to predict if a program will experience schedule growth and, if applicable, to determine the expected percentage of schedule slip. Programmatic data from the Selected Acquisition Reports (SAR) between the time...
Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging in small rodents using clinical 1.5 T and 3.0 T scanners

Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging can provide noninvasive, high resolution images of heart anatomy, viability, perfusion, and function. However, the adoption of clinical CMR imaging protocols for small rodents has been limited due to the small heart size and rapid heart rates. Therefore, most CMR studies in small rodents have been performed on non-clinical, high-field MR magnets. Because such high-field systems are not readily available at most institutions, the technical aspects that are needed to perform CMR on clinical 1.5 T and 3.0 T MR scanners are presented in this paper. Equipment requirements are presented, and a comprehensive description of the methods needed to complete a CMR exam including the animal preparation, imaging, and image analysis are discussed. In addition, the advanced applications of myocardial tagging and delayed-contrast-enhanced imaging are reviewed for the assessment of regional contractile function and myocardial viability, respectively.
High Throughput Methods for Biophysical Characterization of Monoclonal Antibodies

New high throughput methods of biophysical characterization of monoclonal antibodies were developed to accelerate the process of pharmaceutical drug development. The methods, thermostability screening, detection of aggregates and viscosity measurements, can be performed in multi-well plate format, and require low amounts of protein sample. A wide range of protein concentrations including concentrations typically used in pharmaceutical formulations can be studied. Case studies are presented and the results compared between new and older techniques. We have shown that the new methods are fully comparable with previously used techniques such as differential scanning calorimetry, size exclusion chromatography and viscosity measurement by the cone and plate method. The new methods have advantages of efficiency and high throughput capability and could be widely applied in the biopharmaceutical industry for formulation and process development and characterization.
Circadian rhythm in membrane conductance expressed in isolated neurons

Although isolated neurons can generate rhythmic activity, they have not yet been shown to generate rhythms with a period in the circadian range (near 24 hours). The eye of the mollusk Bulla gouldiana expresses a circadian rhythm in optic nerve impulses that is generated by electrically coupled cells known as basal retinal neurons (BRNs). Daily fluctuations in the membrane potential of the BRNs appear to be driven by a rhythm in membrane conductance. Isolated BRNs exhibited spontaneous conductance changes similar to those observed in the intact retina. Membrane conductance was high in the late subjective night and decreased approximately twofold near projected dawn during at least two circadian cycles in culture. The persistence of daily conductance changes in isolated BRNs indicates that individual neurons can function as circadian pacemakers.
EUV imaging with a 13nm tabletop laser reaches sub-38nm spatial resolution

We have acquired images with sub-38 nm spatial resolution using a tabletop extreme ultraviolet (EUV) imaging system operating at a wavelength of 13.2 nm, which is within the bandwidth of Mo/Si lithography mirrors This zone plate-based, full-field microscope has the power to render images in only several seconds with up to a 10,000 μm 2 field of view. The ability to acquire such high-resolution images using a compact EUV plasma laser source opens many possibilities for nanotechnology, including in-house actinic inspection of EUV lithography mask blanks.
Change in Throwing Pattern: Critical Values for Control Parameter of Velocity

Abstract The purpose of this study was to determine the critical values at which throwing patterns change when scaling up on the control parameter of velocity. Thirty-six participants (ages: 6–12 years) were categorized into four throwing levels according to patterns represented by temporal joint lag. Each participant was required to complete 5 overhand throws at each of 10 relative velocities for a total of 50 trials per participant. The lowest velocity was 10% of maximum, with increases in increments of 10% up to a maximum effort. Quantitative and qualitative analyses indicated that critical values varied according to throwing category and joint. Generally, lower skilled throwers (Levels 1 and 2) had less stable joint lag and changed patterns at lower velocities than higher skilled (levels 3 and 4) throwers.
Excitation of Two-Phonon States by Inelastic α-Particle Scattering

Recent experiments on inelastic scattering of 40-MeV $\ensuremath{\alpha}$ particles have shown that the angular distributions from the excitation of some known ${4}^{+}$ states in medium weight nuclei are not in accord with the Blair phase rule. Calculations are reported which indicate that the anomaly arises as an interference effect between two possible mechanisms for exciting the first ${4}^{+}$ state, i.e., a direct transition and a multiple transition. This conclusion is contrary to previous interpretations based on plane-wave perturbation calculations. It is suggested that experiments of this type, and the analysis given here, promise to be a useful tool for the study of higher excited states.
A pilot study using "ROPtool" to quantify plus disease in retinopathy of prematurity.

Purpose The accurate diagnosis of plus disease is critical to optimize the timing of laser treatment. Unfortunately, it is highly subjective and error-prone. “ROPtool” is a computer program that automatically traces retinal blood vessels and measures their tortuosity and dilation. Our aims were to pilot ROPtool, determine its reliability and validity, and establish appropriate numerical thresholds for plus and pre-plus disease. Methods Twenty high-quality images of the posterior poles of premature infants were collected. Two of the authors (DKW and SFF) independently judged tortuosity and dilation separately as plus, pre-plus, or normal for each quadrant of each image. Disagreements were adjudicated, and the results were considered to be the standard for comparison to ROPtool. These two authors then separately used ROPtool to analyze the same 20 images. Results For determination of tortuosity sufficient for plus disease, ROPtool interuser agreement was 95% (19/20), compared with 90% (18/20) agreement by investigator judgment. Eye-level (2 MDs × 20 eyes) sensitivity of ROPtool in detecting tortuosity sufficient for plus disease averaged 95% (21/22) and specificity averaged 78% (14/18). Quadrant-level (2 MDs × 20 eyes × 4 quadrants) sensitivity averaged 85% (66/78) and specificity averaged 77% (63/82). A numeric threshold for pre-plus disease equal to 70% of the average tortuosity of the standard photograph of plus disease resulted in mean sensitivity of 89% (103/116) and mean specificity of 82% (36/44) in distinguishing quadrant-level tortuosity sufficient for pre-plus disease or worse from normal. Conclusions ROPtool can reduce subjectivity and thereby enhance the evaluation of plus and pre-plus disease.