cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Vascular Procedures in the Critically Ill Obese Patient

The increasing societal prevalence of obesity is consequential to the increasing number of critically ill obese patients. Vascular procedures are an essential aspect of care in these patients. This article reviews the general, anatomic, and physiologic considerations pertaining to vascular procedures in critically ill obese patients. In addition, the use of ultrasonography for these procedures is discussed.
Computational studies of catechol and water interactions with titanium oxide nanoparticles.

The interaction of catechol and water with titanium oxide nanoparticles was investigated using ab initio molecular orbital theory and density functional theory. Hydrogen-terminated TiO2 clusters were used to model the surface of anatase nanoparticles. The calculations indicate that catechol reacts with a TiO defect site on the surface to form a bidentate structure that is favored over dissociative or molecular adsorption on the (101) anatase surface. The dissociative adsorption of catechol at the defect site leads to a much larger red shift in the TiO2 excitation energy than molecular adsorption on the (101) anatase surface on the basis of ZINDO/S calculations. This is consistent with recent experimental results on small (<2 nm) titania nanoparticles. The calculations on water adsorption indicate that it can also add to the TiO double bond site. However, molecular adsorption of water on the (101) anatase surface is more favorable.
Neurophysiological recording in rat spinal cord trauma

Abstract A model for studying spinal cord trauma is described using the rat. The neurophysiological parameters that can be monitored in this model include blood pressure, spinal cord blood flow, somatosensory-evoked potentials, electroencephalogram, blood gases, and vital signs. In addition, histological preparations for histochemical fluorescence and neuronal tissue stains can be made from cryostat sections of the cord tissue. Biochemical determinations of the cord tissue are discussed. The rat model is useful because this species is inexpensive and well suited to study the pathophysiology of spinal cord injury. It is a valuable teaching tool in learning basic anesthesiology, physiology, and surgery. The model may also be used to test potentially useful treatments following experimental injury before a larger animal model series is attempted.
Integrating decomposition approaches for the analysis of temporal changes in economic structure: an application to Chicago's economy from 1980 to 2000

Abstract This paper presents an attempt to integrate two flow decomposition methods to analyse temporal changes in a region's economic structure. The two methods of structural analysis are push–pull decomposition analysis and structural Q-analysis. Push–pull analysis presents a quasi-optimization decomposition of a set of matrices with actual intersectoral economic flows into a weighted set of matrices, while structural Q-analysis provides a form in which the structure of these decomposed flows can be considered. The paper provides an expository application to Chicago's economic structure over the period of 1980 to 2000, to reveal a complementary perspective of hollowing-out the production process in the Chicago economy that was identified in previous studies.
High-pressure luminescence studies of Cr4+-doped laser materials

Abstract Luminescence studies of Cr 4+ : YAG and Cr 4+ :LiAlO 2 as a function of pressure have been completed. At low pressure, blue shifts of the emission lines originating from the 3 T 2 state in tetrahedral symmetry are observed in both systems. At high pressure, the studies indicate inducement of a 3 T 2 - 1 E electronic crossover and the appearance of 1 E emission in both systems.
Is the Stretta procedure safe and effective for the long-term control of symptoms in patients with refractory GERD?

Is the Stretta procedure safe and effective for the long-term control of symptoms in patients with refractory GERD?
Sustained Stabilization of the Resistive-Wall Mode by Plasma Rotation in the DIII-D Tokamak

Values of the normalized plasma pressure up to twice the free-boundary stability limit predicted by ideal magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) theory have been sustained in the DIII-D tokamak. Long-wavelength modes are stabilized by the resistive wall and rapid plasma toroidal rotation. High rotation speed is maintained by minimization of nonaxisymmetric magnetic fields, overcoming a long-standing impediment [E. J. Strait et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 74, 2483 (1995)]. The ideal-MHD pressure limit calculated with an ideal wall is observed as the operational limit to the normalized plasma pressure.
Dietary Considerations for Atherosclerosis in Common Companion Avian Species

Abstract Atherosclerosis is a disease that occurs in many avian species commonly presented to veterinarians. Many risk factors for atherosclerosis are well defined in mammals but not in avian species. Dietary nutrients can play a large role in reducing the severity and prevalence of atherosclerosis in both avian and mammalian species. Information on the effect of dietary nutrients on atherosclerosis in Falconiformes and other birds of prey is extremely limited as no studies were identified by the authors. Dietary cholesterol can be fed to induce the development of atherosclerosis in avian species that consume nonanimal protein. Diets containing high levels of omega-3 fatty acids reduce the prevalence and severity of atherosclerosis, with fish oil being more effective than α-linolenic acid. The presence of dietary cholesterol results in higher levels of dietary protein, increasing the prevalence and severity of atherosclerosis, but if dietary cholesterol is absent, there is a subsequent decrease in atherosclerosis. Pectin in the diet decreased the occurrence of atherosclerosis but also decreased the availability of nutrients owing to faster ingesta passage rates. Feed restriction has also been found to decrease the prevalence of atherosclerosis in birds. It should be noted that many studies have found nutrient interaction effects on the development of atherosclerosis, with some being "neutralizing" or negative, so caution should be observed when manipulating avian diets. The objective of this article is to review the effects of dietary nutrients on atherosclerosis.
Prevalence of self-reported physician-diagnosed systemic lupus erythematosus in the USA

The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of self-reported physician-diagnosed systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in the USA. During the conduct of an epidemiologic study of systemic sclerosis (scleroderma), 16 607 randomly selected telephone numbers in the continental USA were called to recruit controls. All potentially eligible women were asked 'Have you ever been told by a doctor that you have lupus or SLE'? Of 4034 women aged 18 and above who completed telephone screening, 15 stated they had a physician diagnosis of SLE, corresponding to a prevalence of 372 cases per 100 000 (95% confidence intervals: 208, 614). After review of available medical records in six cases, however, the prevalence of 'validated' SLE was revised to 124 cases per 100 000 (95% confidence intervals: 40, 289). In conclusion, these data suggest that the prevalence of SLE in the USA may be up to three to 10-fold greater than previously estimated. Based on 1990 census data, we would project that over 275 000 women aged 18 and above have SLE in the USA.
Top-down approach in protein RDC data analysis: de novo estimation of the alignment tensor

In solution NMR spectroscopy the residual dipolar coupling (RDC) is invaluable in improving both the precision and accuracy of NMR structures during their structural refinement. The RDC also provides a potential to determine protein structure de novo. These procedures are only effective when an accurate estimate of the alignment tensor has already been made. Here we present a top–down approach, starting from the secondary structure elements and finishing at the residue level, for RDC data analysis in order to obtain a better estimate of the alignment tensor. Using only the RDCs from N–H bonds of residues in α-helices and CA–CO bonds in β-strands, we are able to determine the offset and the approximate amplitude of the RDC modulation-curve for each secondary structure element, which are subsequently used as targets for global minimization. The alignment order parameters and the orientation of the major principal axis of individual helix or strand, with respect to the alignment frame, can be determined in each of the eight quadrants of a sphere. The following minimization against RDC of all residues within the helix or strand segment can be carried out with fixed alignment order parameters to improve the accuracy of the orientation. For a helical protein Bax, the three components A xx , A yy and A zz , of the alignment order can be determined with this method in average to within 2.3% deviation from the values calculated with the available atomic coordinates. Similarly for β-sheet protein Ubiquitin they agree in average to within 8.5%. The larger discrepancy in β-strand parameters comes from both the diversity of the β-sheet structure and the lower precision of CA–CO RDCs. This top-down approach is a robust method for alignment tensor estimation and also holds a promise for providing a protein topological fold using limited sets of RDCs.
Binary data encryption using the Sudoku block cipher

This paper presents a novel block cipher based on the Sudoku matrix. The offered block cipher combines many advantages of chaos-based encryption and traditional transform-based encryption techniques. Computer simulations show that a) the encrypted data have very random-like properties under many statistical metrics, b) unlike most chaos-based encryption methods generating unpredictable output, our new method is robust and effective for generating uniform-like encrypted data; c) it has high sensitivity to the KEY. The offered scheme can be applied to many different data types, such as audio, image and video.
Comet a 1882

OWING to recent bad weather, the only opportunity we have had here of observing the spectrum of the comet was on June 4.
The Maxwell wave function of the photon (Invited Paper)

James Clerk Maxwell unknowingly discovered a correct relativistic, quantum theory for the light quantum, forty-three years before Einstein postulated the photon's existence. In this theory, the usual Maxwell field is the quantum wave function for a single photon. When the non-operator Maxwell field of a single photon is second quantized, the standard Dirac theory of quantum optics is obtained. Recently, quantum-state tomography has been applied to experimentally determine photon wave functions.
Partnerships between home care providers and client families.

Abstract We should assume nothing about who “belongs” in a patient's family and how that family defines its functions. Implicit and explicit outsider descriptions of who contitutes a family can bias perceptions and prevent meaningful communication between the family and the home health care providers. Once the key players have been identified, we need to understand, accept, and encourage the client's insider description of family membership in an effort to form beneficial partnerships with them. By identifying family members and functions, we can build on their strengths to create care plans that will use resources effectively and support our clients' mental and physical health.
Triflimide-catalysed sigmatropic rearrangement of N-allylhydrazones as an example of a traceless bond construction

The recognition of structural elements (that is, retrons) that signal the application of specific chemical transformations is a key cognitive event in the design of synthetic routes to complex molecules. Reactions that produce compounds without an easily identifiable retron, by way of either substantial structural rearrangement or loss of the atoms required for the reaction to proceed, are significantly more difficult to apply during retrosynthetic planning, yet allow for non-traditional pathways that may facilitate efficient acquisition of the target molecule. We have developed a triflimide (Tf(2)NH)-catalysed rearrangement of N-allylhydrazones that allows for the generation of a sigma bond between two unfunctionalized sp(3) carbons in such a way that no clear retron for the reaction remains. This new 'traceless' bond construction displays a broad substrate profile and should open avenues for synthesizing complex molecules using non-traditional disconnections.
Spin–orbit coupling, mass anisotropy, time-reversal symmetry, and spontaneous symmetry breaking in the spectroscopy of shallow centers in elemental semiconductors

The electronic states of shallow donors and acceptors, explored under high resolution with Fourier Transform infrared and Raman spectroscopy, underscore the intimate connection between the localized states of these impurities and the electronic band structure of the host as contemplated in the effective mass theory. Spin-orbit interaction, mass anisotropy of the conduction band minimum (donors) and of the valence band maximum (acceptors), the site symmetry of the impurity and the possible spontaneous departure from it when the electronic ground state is degenerate are the features highlighted in our discussion of the excitation spectra of donors in silicon and boron acceptors in diamond. As in atomic spectroscopy, the removal of degeneracy under external perturbation and the polarization and field dependence of the spectral components provide a wealth of insightful characterizations. We demonstrate them with the Zeeman effect of the Raman transition between the spin-orbit split counterparts of the 1s ground state of boron acceptors in diamond; g-factors and the extreme mass anisotropy of the hole emerge from these studies. They also provide beautiful examples of time-reversal symmetry, conservation laws and selection rules connecting the Stokes to the anti-Stokes Raman scattering.
Riverbank change— sixmile island, Ohio river, USA

Abstract Soil exploration, collection of hydrologic and meteorologic data, and sequential comparative photography were used to investigate erosion/deposition on alluvial banks of an island in the Ohio River from April 1980 through April 1982. Major erosion episodes coincided with flood events and were caused primarily by exit of bank recharge waters from pervious bank soil layers after flood recession. Waves created by wind and/or vessel passage were of little significance in causing bank failure. Floodwater tractive forces, runout of precipitation-derived waters, and wave action were effective only in removing soft sediments or loose debris from upper bank failures. Sediments deposited by spring floods, if allowed to dry for two to three months, strongly resisted subsequent wave attack.
Miniature, automated photon counting system for liquid chromatography

Abstract The design and evaluation of a miniature, automated photon counting system is reported. The measurement system consists of a miniature photomultiplier tube, charge-sensitive preamplifier/discriminator combination and a computer-interfaced ratemeter. The result is a totally digital, photometric data acquisition and signal processing system. The utility of the system for dynamic analytical signal measurements, such as laser-induced fluorescence detection for microcolumn liquid chromatography, is evaluated.
Regional cerebral blood flow changes associated with amyl nitrite inhalation.

Summary Regional cerebral blood flow (CBF), mood states and somatic symptoms were measured before and after inhalation of amyl nitrite in 10 physically healthy volunteers with a prior history of using volatile nitrites for recreational purposes. CBF was measured with the same technique, under identical laboratory conditions, in an equal number of normal volunteers. During CBF measurements, blood pressure, pulse rate, respiratory rate and end-tidal levels of carbon dioxide were monitored. The amyl nitrite group and the control group were compared on CBF, rating scale scores and physiological indices via analysis of variance. Amyl nitrite inhalation was associated with significant global increases in CBF, while the control group did not show any change. Pulse rate increase was the only physiological change associated with administration of the drug. Subjects who received the drug reported significant decrease in anger, fatigue and depression and increased palpitation, breathing difficulty, dizziness and headache. Changes in the rating scale scores, physiological indices, and somatic symptoms after amyl nitrite did not correlate with regional CBF change.
Using short-term MODIS time-series to quantify tree cover in a highly heterogeneous African savanna

Reliable mapping of tree cover and tree-cover change at regional, continental, and global scales is critical for understanding key aspects of ecosystem structure and function. In savannas, which are characterized by a variable mixture of trees and grasses, mapping tree cover can be especially challenging due to the highly heterogeneous nature of these ecosystems. Our objective in this article was to develop improved tools for large-scale classification of savanna tree cover in grass-dominated savanna ecosystems that vary substantially in woody cover over fine spatial scales. We used multispectral, low-resolution Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer MODIS satellite imagery to identify the bands and metrics that are best suited to quantify woody cover in an area of the Serengeti National Park, Tanzania. We first used 1-m resolution panchromatic IKONOS data to quantify tree cover for February 2010 in an area of highly variable tree cover. We then upscaled the classification to MODIS 250 m resolution. We used a 2 year time series IKONOS date ± 1 year of MODIS 16 day composites to identify suitable metrics for quantifying tree cover at low resolution, and calculated and compared the explanatory power of three different variable classes for four MODIS bands using Lasso regression: longitudinal summary statistics for individual spectral bands e.g. mean and standard deviation, Fourier harmonics, and normalized difference vegetation index NDVI green-up metrics. Longitudinal summary statistics showed better explanatory power R 2 = 73% for calibration data; R 2 = 61% for validation data than Fourier or green-up metrics. The mid-infrared, near-infrared, and NDVI bands were all important predictors of tree cover. Mean values for the time series were more important than other metrics, suggesting that multispectral data may be more valuable than within-band seasonal variation obtained from time series data for mapping tree cover. Our best model improved substantially over the MODIS Vegetation Continuous Fields product, often used for quantifying tree cover in savanna systems. Quantifying tree cover at coarse spatial resolution using remote-sensing approaches is challenging due to the low amount and high heterogeneity of tree cover in many savanna systems, and our results suggest that products that work well at global scales may be inadequate for low-tree-cover systems such as the Serengeti. We show here that, even in situations where tree cover is low <10% and varies considerably across space, satisfactory predictive power is possible when broad spectral data can be obtained even at coarse spatial resolution.
Theory of surface phonons in amorphous silica

A new theoretical approach to studying surface vibrations in amorphous solids is applied to silicon dioxide. The method entails modeling the surface as a Bethe lattice with a dangling bond, and treating the two-dimensional nature of the surface and the surface topography as small perturbations. The theory successfully describes the nature and origin of the surface states, as well as their relative intensities as observed in recent infrared-reflectivity and Raman-scattering experiments. Both intrinsic surface effects and those caused by the presence of adsorbates are discussed.
Origin of Non-Reciprocal Response in Fiber Optic Parametric Amplifiers

The non-reciprocal response of high-performance fiber optic parametric amplifiers was investigated. This response is attributed to the combination of fibers’ inhomogeneous nature and their operation at deep saturation, but it is not clear whether this effect is promoted by polarization or dispersion. We show that non-reciprocal behavior is dominated by the fiber's local dispersion. Additionally, a simulation strategy capable of capturing fiber optic parametric amplifiers’ non-reciprocal response is demonstrated.
Exploiting reality with multicast groups

This article describes our investigation into developing large distributed simulations. The architecture we describe logically partitions virtual environments by associating spatial, temporal, and functional classes with network multicast groups. We exploit the actual characteristics of the real-world large scale environments being simulated by focusing or restricting an entity's processing and network resources to its area of interest via a local area-of-interest manager. For example, a simulated infantryman in a virtual environment doesn't need to know the condition of a simulated truck 20 virtual kilometres away. >
Fabrication of two-dimensional photonic crystals with embedded defects using blue-laser-writer and holography

We have demonstrated an approach of relatively rapid fabrication of two-dimensional photonic crystals with embedded defects by combining a custom-built blue-laser-writer and the technique of optical holography. The blue-laser-writer is used to define various defect patterns first, and then the optical holography is used to create two-dimensional photonic crystals on the samples with the pre-defined defects. A beam splitter was fabricated based on this new method and characterized.
Iterative color-multiplexed, electro-optical processor

A noncoherent optical vector-matrix multiplier using a linear LED source array and a linear P-I-N photodiode detector array has been combined with a 1-D adder in a feedback loop. The resultant iterative optical processor and its use in solving simultaneous linear equations are described. Operation on complex data is provided by a novel color-multiplexing system.
Development of Species-Specific SCAR Markers in Bentgrass

Bentgrass species (Agrostis spp.) are cool season turfgrasses that are tolerant of continuous, close mowing heights because of their prostrate growth habit. Some bentgrass species are difficult to distinguish because of similar morphological characteristics and genetic compatibility. Specific DNA technology, such as the use of SCAR (sequence characterized amplified region) markers, can be used to differentiate between some species of bentgrass. SCAR markers were created by sequencing a single RAPD (random amplified polymorphic DNA) band and designing primers to amplify the band of specific size. Two SCAR primer pairs were designed to identify colonial (Agrostis capillaris L.) and creeping (Agrostis palustris Huds.) bentgrass species. The colonial SCAR primers amplify a band of 400 base pairs (bp) and are designated Col400F and Col400R. The creeping SCAR primers amplify a band of 700 bp and are designated Creep700F and Creep700R. Testing with 17 cultivars (140 plants) representing four bentgrass species, single unique bands were correctly amplified for creeping and colonial bentgrass species by their respective SCAR primer pair. Differentiating these species by SCAR markers is useful for screening large numbers of clones collected from superior patches of naturalized populations on old golf courses and lawns. These SCAR markers also have useful potential for identifying progenies derived from artificial interspecific hybridizations among bentgrass species, especially between colonial and creeping bentgrass.
Revising the Bering Strait freshwater flux into the Arctic Ocean

[1] The freshwater flux through the Bering Strait into the Arctic Ocean is important regionally and globally, e.g. for Chukchi Sea hydrography, Arctic Ocean stratification, the global freshwater cycle, and the stability of the Atlantic overturning circulation. Aagaard and Carmack [1989] estimated the Bering Strait freshwater flux as 1670 km3/yr (relative to 34.8 psu), assuming an annual mean transport (0.8 Sv) and salinity (32.5 psu). This is ∼1/3rd of the total freshwater input to the Arctic. Using long-term moored measurements and ship-based observations, we show that this is a substantial underestimate of the freshwater flux. Specifically, the warm, fresh Alaskan Coastal Current in the eastern Bering Strait may add ∼400 km3/yr. Seasonal stratification and ice transport may add another ∼400 km3/yr. Combined, these corrections are larger than the interannual variability observed by near-bottom measurements and near-surface measurements will be necessary to quantify this flux and its interannual variability.
Preliminary scanning electron microscope investigations of accessory foramina in the furcation areas of human molar teeth.

Abstract Preliminary observations of the furcation areas of human maxillary and mandibular molars have been carried out with the scanning electron microscope in order to ascertain the size, distribution, and characteristics of the accessory canals.
Interactive sound rendering

Extending the frontier of visual computing, sound rendering utilizes auditory display to communicate information to a user and offers an alternative means of visualization. By harnessing the sense of hearing, sound rendering can further enhance a user's experience in a multimodal virtual world. In addition to immersive environments, auditory displays can provide a natural and intuitive human-computer interface for many desktop applications. In this paper, we give a brief overview of recent work at UNC Chapel Hill on fast algorithms for sound synthesis and sound propagation. These include physically-based sound synthesis for rigid bodies and liquid sound generation, as well as numeric and geometric algorithms for sound propagation. We highlight their performance on different benchmarks and briefly discuss some problems for future research.
The corset platysma repair: a technique revisited.

background. Platysma banding along with excess submental adipose tissue and sagging skin can lead to an aged appearance. Several methods for improving neck and submental contours exist, including neck liposuction, bilateral platysma plication, midline platysma plication with transection of distal fibers, necklift with skin excision, and botulinum toxin injection for platysma relaxation. With the current interest in minimally invasive procedures, surgeons and patients are searching for techniques that produce maximal improvement with minimal intervention. objective. To present a modified technique for maximizing neck contouring, discuss possible complications of the procedure, and describe appropriate candidates for the corset platysmaplasty. methods. We performed a retrospective analysis of 10 consecutive patients who underwent neck liposuction with concomitant corset platysmaplasty at our institution. results. All 10 patients achieved good to excellent submental and jawline contouring, determined by both physician and patient assessment, with no visible platysma banding at 6 months follow-up. No major complications were noted. conclusion. Use of corset platysmaplasty is a safe and effective method for neck rejuvenation. This variation of platysmaplasty can be used in conjunction with neck liposuction to maximize jawline and neck contour enhancement.
Designing Body-Part Templates for Regeneration

Tissue losses and organ failures result in more than 8 million surgical procedures each year in the United States. Current therapies for these disorders are seriously limited. Our laboratory takes a biomimetic approach to design polymers into body-part templates (scaffolds) to engineer tissues/organs. The scaffolds are designed to take the form of the missing/damaged body parts, to mimic certain advantageous aspects of natural extracellular matrix, and to contain certain designed structural features to enhance tissue regeneration. To mimic bone matrix, biodegradable polymer/nano-hydroxyapatite composite scaffolds have been developed. To mimic the nano-fibrous architecture of collagen, synthetic nano-fibrous scaffolds have been developed. To optimize scaffolding function, a variety of macropore networks have been designed in the nano-fibrous materials. These novel nano-structured scaffolds enhance cell adhesion and function. Surface engineering and biological delivery in the nano-fibrous scaffolds are shown to improve cellular interactions and tissue formation. These experimental results demonstrate that the biomimetic template design is a powerful approach for tissue regeneration.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
An XPS—AES study of gaseous xanthates and related sulfur-containing compounds

Abstract Core XPS spectra for carbon, oxygen, and sulfur and KLL Auger spectra for sulfur in CH3OCS2CH3, (CH3OCS2)2, CS2, and OCS have been measured and relaxation shifts determined for the sulfur atoms by combining the S 1s measurement with the S KLL (1D2) measurement. Relaxation shifts of the sulfur atoms were also estimated from CNDO results for the neutral and core-ionized molecules using the equivalent cores approximation. The results are in qualitative agreement with the measurements, but exaggerate the relaxation by about 100%. The results show that the bonding of the (CH3O-) group in the two xanthate compounds is very similar. The ionization energies of the S and -S- atoms within the xanthate molecules differ from each other by 1.5 eV; this difference arises almost entirely from the initial-state charge distribution rather than from final-state relaxation. However, the ionization energies of similarly bonded sulfur atoms are nearly the same. The effect of the oxygen atom on the bonding of the carbon and -S- atoms in the (-CS2-) group in the xanthate compounds is to increase the (C 1s-S 2p 3 2 ) ionization energy difference from the value reported for aliphatic disulfides.
Some Processes in the Cultivation Effect

This article addresses several elaborations and specifications of Gerbner and Gross' (1976) cultivation hypothesis: that heavy television viewers incorporate biases present in television content into their own construc tions of reality. Subjects were 1280 children from grades 2, 5, 8, and 11 in Perth, Western Australia who answered questions designed to tap their perceptions of violence and "meanness" in society. The cultivation relation ship between viewing and beliefs was replicated with these Australian schoolchildren, but only for adolescents, suggesting that the integration of discrete television events into social reality beliefs requires cognitive skills not available to or unused by younger children. Division of children's viewing into different content types indicated that beliefs about violence stemmed most clearly from crime-adventure programs and cartoons, but perceiving a mean world is related more globally to all television viewing.
Scanning tunneling microscopy of adsorbates on insulating films. From the imaging of individual molecular orbitals to the manipulation of the charge state

Ultrathin insulating films on metal substrates are unique systems for using a scanning tunneling microscope to study the electronic properties of single atoms and molecules that are electronically decoupled from the metallic substrate. Individual gold atoms on an ultrathin insulating sodium chloride film supported by a copper surface exhibit two different charge states, which are stabilized by the large ionic polarizability of the film. The charge state and associated physical and chemical properties such as diffusion can be controlled by adding or removing a single electron to or from the adatom with a scanning tunneling microscope tip. The simple physical mechanism behind the charge bistability in this case suggests that this is a common phenomenon for adsorbates on polar insulating films. In the case of molecules on ultrathin NaCl films, the electronic decoupling allows the direct imaging of the unperturbed molecular orbitals, as will be shown in the case of individual pentacene molecules.
Effects of voluntary attention on structured afterimages.

The effect of voluntary attention on afterimage fragmentation was explored in two experiments. The afterimage, in the form of a 30°-tilted star of David, was generated after prolonged steady fixation in the first experiment, and with a brief and intense flash in the second experiment. Subjects were instructed to select various target shapes in the afterimage for attention and, at the same time, observe what was visible or invisible. Verbal reports and manual responses to afterimage changes were analyzed. Attended shapes were found to disappear from awareness faster than unattended ones (experiment 1), and complementary shapes were found to predominate visual awareness when one of the pair was selected for attention (experiment 2). Voluntary attention was also found to affect closure (filling-in of enclosed regions) and smoothing of line figures in afterimages.
Grief and Horses: Putting the Pieces Together

The effectiveness of grief counseling may be enhanced through the utilization of equine-assisted psychotherapy (EAP). An experiential, solution-focused, and natural approach, EAP provides clients with the opportunity to discover solutions to challenges that exist within themselves. Counselors and equine specialists team with horses to provide a unique approach based on metaphor and interaction. Horses' natural abilities allow them to be extremely beneficial components of a counseling team. When incorporated into grief counseling, horses provide many unique therapeutic options. This article discusses the integrative potential of grief counseling through EAP while incorporating humanistic and cognitive theoretical counseling concepts, as well as providing case examples to illustrate these concepts. Client names and identifying information have been changed to protect confidentiality.
Optical loss characterization of polymer waveguides on halogen and halogen-free FR-4 substrates

In order to characterize and optimize the overall link budget for an optical communication channel, the absorption loss of the waveguides must be well known, stable, and minimized. Research and characterization has been performed to ascertain the impact of the use of halogen vs. halogen free FR-4 circuit boards. Halogen is utilized within glass resin epoxy circuit boards as a flame retardant. An analysis of rectangular multi-mode polymer waveguide structures, with a fixed core dimension of 50 μm × 50 μm, was done to characterize the effects of the halogen FR-4 on the absorption loss. Thermal cycling times were varied in order to determine the relationship between heating of the polymer material, halogen diffusion into the optical cladding and core layer, and optical losses.
Reciprocity principle applicable to reflected radiance measurements and the searchlight problem

In a recent paper by Di Girolamo et al. [J. Geophys. Res. D103, 8795 (1998)] a heuristic argument was used to derive a reciprocity principle applicable to reflected solar radiation measurements. Here a formal derivation of this reciprocity principle is presented. It is also demonstrated that a purely spatial reciprocal relationship exists between one-dimensional radiative transfer theory and the three-dimensional searchlight problem for horizontally homogeneous media.
Parameter estimation in nonlinear environmental problems

Popular parameter estimation methods, including least squares, maximum likelihood, and maximum a posteriori (MAP), solve an optimization problem to obtain a central value (or best estimate) followed by an approximate evaluation of the spread (or covariance matrix). A different approach is the Monte Carlo (MC) method, and particularly Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) methods, which allow sampling from the posterior distribution of the parameters. Though available for years, MC methods have only recently drawn wide attention as practical ways for solving challenging high-dimensional parameter estimation problems. They have a broader scope of applications than conventional methods and can be used to derive the full posterior pdf but can be computationally very intensive. This paper compares a number of different methods and presents improvements using as case study a nonlinear DNAPL source dissolution and solute transport model. This depth-integrated semi-analytical model approximates dissolution from the DNAPL source zone using nonlinear empirical equations with partially known parameters. It then calculates the DNAPL plume concentration in the aquifer by solving the advection-dispersion equation with a flux boundary. The comparison is among the classical MAP and some versions of computer-intensive Monte Carlo methods, including the Metropolis–Hastings (MH) method and the adaptive direction sampling (ADS) method.
Gathering Places for America's Dead: How Many, Where, and Why?

Recent availability of a place-specific roster of 99,625 named cemeteries appearing on USGS quadrangles renders possible for the first time the study of such places at more than the state or localized scale. County-level plotting of named sites for the eastern United States yields two unexpected results: a band of exceptionally high densities of named cemeteries traversing much of the Upper South and a parallel tract of low densities dominating the South Atlantic States. Region-specific cultural processes could apply since population density, physical geography, longevity of settlement, social diversity, and land costs, factors operating moderately well elsewhere, work poorly here to explain the pattern, as does diffusion.
Is the Ewald summation still necessary? Pairwise alternatives to the accepted standard for long-range electrostatics

We investigate pairwise electrostatic interaction methods and show that there are viable computationally efficient (O(N)) alternatives to the Ewald summation for typical modern molecular simulations. These methods are extended from the damped and cutoff-neutralized Coulombic sum originally proposed by Wolf et al. [J. Chem. Phys. 110, 8255 (1999)]. One of these, the damped shifted force method, shows a remarkable ability to reproduce the energetic and dynamic characteristics exhibited by simulations employing lattice summation techniques. Comparisons were performed with this and other pairwise methods against the smooth particle-mesh Ewald summation to see how well they reproduce the energetics and dynamics of a variety of molecular simulations.
Fecal Bacteria, Nutrients, Chlorophyll, and Dissolved Oxygen in a Constructed Habitat Wetland Receiving Treated Municipal Effluent and River Water

ABSTRACT The Eagle Bluffs Conservation Area (Eagle Bluffs) in central Missouri includes about 400 ha of floodable pools and channels managed as seasonal or permanent habitat wetlands using treated municipal effluent from the Columbia Wastewater Treatment Wetland. Effluent, which is used year around, provides about half the annual water input and is supplemented during waterfowl migrations by pumping from the adjacent Missouri River. Infiltration rates are high (≈900 cm yr−1) because of high soil permeability. Water quality of inflows and selected pools and channels on Eagle Bluffs has been monitored since wetland flooding began in 1994 because of concerns about possible negative effects of wastewater and interest in the dynamics of nutrients and algal biomass in the system. Compared to river water, effluent typically had high concentrations of fecal bacteria, chloride, dissolved phosphorus, and dissolved nitrogen, especially ammonia-N. In the water Distribution Channel (DC) and terminal wetland pools of E...
Molecular dynamics study of a carbon nanotube binding reversible cyclic peptide.

Many potential biological applications of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) require their dispersion in aqueous conditions. Recently, Dieckmann et al. designed a series of reversible cyclic peptides (RCPs) which exist in linear or cyclized states through controlled formation of an intramolecular disulfide bond between terminal Cys residues. These RCP-Cys peptides have been shown to disperse SWNTs in aqueous solution and form peptide/SWNT complexes which are stable against dilution. However, the detailed molecular interactions between the peptide and the SWNT in an aqueous environment remain unexplored. Here, fully atomistic molecular dynamics simulations were used to study the effect of RCP-Cys at the water/SWNT interface. We show that the peptide−SWNT association is thermodynamically favorable through free energy calculations. Furthermore, we analyze the structure and energetics of the possible β-sheet-like ring stacking that can form on the SWNT through peptide backbone hydrogen bonding. Our result...
Functional deficits after sustained stimulation of the perforant path

Several reports have implicated the overactivity of hippocampal glutaminergic systems in neurodegenerative conditions including Senile dementia of the Alzheimer's type (SDAT). The neurobiological effects of hippocampal glutaminergic hyperactivity were studied by perforant pathway stimulation. Forty-five minutes of sustained perforant pathway stimulation produced a 50% or greater increase in motor activity 1, 2, and 3 weeks after stimulation. Robust retention deficits in a 48-h step-through passive avoidance task were evident 2 weeks post-stimulation. Furthermore, animals receiving stimulation were impaired in the acquisition of a spatial task in the Morris water maze. Stimulated animals exhibited little reduction in their escape latencies over the testing period. The learning and memory deficits were associated with a loss of CA1 and CA3 pyramidal cells and pretreatment with the N-methyl-D-aspartate antagonist MK-801 reduced this cell loss, particularly in the CA1 region of the hippocampus. These results suggest that sustained stimulation of the perforant pathway may be useful in studying neurological deficits associated with glutaminergic hyperfunction.
Diabetes and prognosis in older persons with colorectal cancer

Epidemiological studies have reported that diabetes significantly increases overall mortality in patients with colorectal cancer. However, it is unclear whether diabetes increases colorectal cancer-specific mortality. We used the US Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database linked with Medicare claims data to assess the influence of pre-existing diabetes on prognosis of patients with colorectal cancer. Data from 61 213 patients aged 67 or older with colorectal cancer diagnosed between 2003 and 2009 were extracted and prospectively followed through the date of death or the end of 2012 if the patient was still alive. Diabetes cases with and without complications were identified based on an algorithm developed for the Chronic Condition Data Warehouse (CCW). Cox models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) for total mortality. The proportional subdistribution hazards model proposed by Fine and Gray was used to estimate HRs for colorectal cancer-specific mortality. Compared with patients without diabetes, colorectal cancer patients with pre-existing diabetes had significantly higher risk of overall mortality (HR=1.20, 95 % confidence interval (95% CI): 1.17–1.23). The HR for overall mortality was more pronounced for patients who had diabetes with complications (HR=1.50, 95% CI: 1.42–1.58). However, diabetes was not associated with increased colorectal cancer-specific mortality after accounting for non-colorectal cancer outcomes as competing risk. Pre-existing diabetes increased risk of total mortality among patients with colorectal cancer, especially among cancer patients who had diabetes with complications. The increased risk of total mortality associated with diabetes was primarily explained by increased cardiovascular-specific mortality, not by increased colorectal cancer-specific mortality.
The his and hers of prosocial behavior: An examination of the social psychology of gender.

Prosocial behavior consists of behaviors regarded as beneficial to others, including helping, sharing, comforting, guiding, rescuing, and defending others. Although women and men are similar in engaging in extensive prosocial behavior, they are different in their emphasis on particular classes of these behaviors. The specialty of women is prosocial behaviors that are more communal and relational, and that of men is behaviors that are more agentic and collectively oriented as well as strength intensive. These sex differences, which appear in research in various settings, match widely shared gender role beliefs. The origins of these beliefs lie in the division of labor, which reflects a biosocial interaction between male and female physical attributes and the social structure. The effects of gender roles on behavior are mediated by hormonal processes, social expectations, and individual dispositions.
Supercritical fluid extraction of butyltin compounds from sediment

Abstract An investigation of the extraction recovery of butyltin species in sediment by supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) is presented. Satisfactory recoveries for TBT (93.5 ± 3.7%) and DBT (91.5 ± 3%) are achieved. The recovery for MBT from spiked sediment (62 ± 5.1%) is the highest value so far achieved by the SFE technique. A comparison of the supercritical fluid extraction with the improved tropolone solvent extraction technique for the butyltin species is presented. The results of the analysis of a reference sediment (PACS-1) are also given.
Real-time power system analysis and security monitoring by WAMPAC systems

The outline of this paper is to implement real-time analysis and security monitoring in the smart power system. Security is the ability of the power system to withstand contingencies. The principal role of Wide Area Monitoring, Protection and Control (WAMPAC) system is to maintain a secure system state, i.e. the system that can withstand each specified contingency. The advanced WAM system uses real-time measurements to monitor system status and hence determines whether or not it is secure. The WAMPAC system is used to deploy proper control actions on load, transmission and generation in a wide time frame from fast protection systems to slower control of generators. This paper also explores the challenges and opportunities to implement online system analysis capability in order to monitor system security and stability indices. Therefore, the implemented hardware/software setup for monitoring and analyzing system in real-time format will be presented by the online results available with real-time software. Online load flow and contingency results aim to proper security monitoring of power system in wide area which is useful for most application such as system remedial actions.
Strain and strain rate deformation parameters: from tissue Doppler to 2D speckle tracking

Strain and strain rate deformation parameters based on Color Doppler Myocardial Imaging, and more recently on two-dimensional (2D) gray scale images, have evolved as important methods for the quantification of myocardial function. Although these parameters are already applicable in the research field, their acquisition and analysis involve a number of technical challenges and complexities. Accurate knowledge of the basic principles of those techniques, as presented in this article, will further enhance their applicability to clinical practice.