cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Optimum photon detection with a simple counting processor.

It is shown that, for an arbitrary discrete process embedded in independent additive discrete noise, the classical binary detection problem using a likelihood-ratio test reduces to a simple comparison of the number of events with a single threshold. Only a weak condition on the noise distribution is required. Our results are appropriate for the analysis of photocounting optical communications and photocounting radar systems as well as neural counting in auditory psychophysics. We specifically apply our method to a signal-detection theory model of the human visual system and draw a comparison to the analysis of Hecht, Shlaer, and Pirenne [J. Gen. Physiol. 25, 819 (1942)].
Factorization in breakup and recombination processes for atoms with a large scattering length

Break-up and recombination processes for loosely-bound molecules composed of atoms with a large scattering length $a$ necessarily involve interactions that are nonperturbative in the exact 2-body interaction. If these processes involve atoms with relative momenta much larger than $\hbar/|a|$, the leading contributions to their rates can be separated into short-distance factors that are insensitive to $a$ and long-distance factors that are insensitive to the range of the interaction. These factorization contributions can be obtained from the leading term in a perturbation expansion in the exact atom-atom scattering amplitude. The short-distance factors are atom-atom cross sections at a lower collision energy. In the special case of inclusive break-up cross sections for atom-molecule scattering, the long-distance factors simply count the number of atoms in the molecule.
Ultrafast measurement of two-photon absorption by loss modulation

We demonstrate a direct and sensitive technique for measuring two-photon absorption (TPA). An intensity-modulated femtosecond laser beam passes through a sample exhibiting TPA. A TPA signal at twice the modulation frequency is then generated and subsequently measured by a lock-in amplifier. The absolute TPA cross section of Rhodamine 6G at 800 nm is found to be 15.3±2.0×10-50 cm4 s/photon and agrees well with previously published results obtained with much higher intensity [J. Chem. Phys.112, 9201 (2000)]. Our method may be especially useful in measuring nonlinear absorptions of nonfluorescent materials.
An Intermediate-Mass Black Hole in the Globular Cluster G1: Improved Significance from New Keck and Hubble Space Telescope Observations*

We present dynamical models for the massive globular cluster G1. The goal is to measure or place a significant upper limit on the mass of any central black hole. Whether or not globular clusters contain central massive black holes has important consequences for a variety of studies. We use new kinematic data obtained with Keck and new photometry from the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). The Keck spectra allow us to obtain kinematics out to large radii that are required to pin down the mass-to-light ratio of the dynamical model and the orbital structure. The HST observations give us a factor of 2 better spatial resolution for the surface brightness profile. By fitting nonparametric, spherical, isotropic models, we find a best-fit black hole mass of 1.7(?0.3) ? 104 M?. Fully general axisymmetric orbit-based models give similar results, with a black hole mass of 1.8(?0.5) ? 104 M?. The no-black-hole model has ??2 = 5 (marginalized over mass-to-light ratio), implying less than 3% significance. We have taken into account any change in the mass-to-light ratio in the center due to stellar remnants. These results are consistent with our previous estimate and inconsistent with the analysis of Baumgardt et al., who claim that G1 does not show evidence for a black hole. These new results make G1 the best example of a cluster that contains an intermediate-mass black hole.
Signal Validation for Nuclear Power Plants

Presentation d'une methode de validation des signaux destinee a ameliorer l'information fournie a l'operateur d'une centrale nucleaire. Application de celle-ci a la chaudiere a vapeur et a l'alimentation en eau d'une centrale a reacteur a eau pressurisee type
Prediction of loaded airfoil unsteady aerodynamic gust response by a locally analytical method

A complete first-order model is formulated to analyze the effects of steady loading on the incompressible unsteady aerodynamics generated by a two-dimensional gust convected with the steady mean flow past an arbitrary airfoil at finite nonzero angle of attack. A locally analytical solution is then developed in which the discrete algebraic equations which represent the flow field equations are obtained from analytical solutions in individual grid elements. The unsteady flow field is rotational and is linearized about the full potential steady flow past the airfoil. Thus, the effects of airfoil geometry and angle of attack are completely accounted for through the mean potential flow field. The steady flow is independent of the unsteady flow. However, the strong dependence of the unsteady flow on the steady effects of airfoil geometry and finite angle of attack are manifested in the unsteady boundary conditions which are coupled to the steady flow. A body-fitted computational grid is utilized. Analytical solutions to the transformed flow equations in individual grid elements are then developed, with the complete solution obtained by assembling these locally analytical solutions. This model and locally analytical solution are then applied to a series of airfoil and flow configurations. The results demonstrate that accurate predictions for the unsteady aerodynamic gust response are obtained only by including the coupled steady flow effects on the unsteady aerodynamics. Thus for cambered, or cambered and thick airfoils at zero or finite angle of attack, or a thin flat plate airfoil at a nonzero angle of attack, the model and solution developed herein accurately predict the gust response. It was also demonstrated that the classical small perturbation combined transverse and chordwise gust models yield accurate predictions only for the special case of a thin flat plate airfoil at zero angle of attack, i.e. only when the chordwise gust is zero.
Food Restriction Stimulates Conjugation of P-Nitrophenol in Perfused Rat Liver

Abstract Rates of conjugation of p -nitrophenol were studied in livers from normal and food-restricted rats perfused with either p -nitroanisole or p -nitrophenol. Female Sprague-Dawley rats had ad libitum access to a Purina 5001 nonpurified diet (control) or were given 65% of the intake of controls for 3 weeks. Livers were perfused with oxygenated Krebs-Henseleit buffer using a nonrecirculating system. Maximal rates of conjugation of p -nitrophenol, generated either from the O-demethylation of p -nitroanisole (200 μM) or from the infusion of p -nitrophenol (70 μM), were elevated significantly nearly twofold by food restriction. Thus, food restriction stimulates conjugation in the intact liver cell. Specifically, rates of conjugation were increased from 2.1 ± 0.2 to 3.7 ± 0.4 and from 3.3 ± 0.6 to 5.8 ± 0.5 μmol/g/h when 200 μM p -nitroanisole or 70 μM p -nitrophenol were infused, respectively. On the other hand, rates of conjugation were not affected by food restriction when low concentrations of p -nitroanisole (50 μM) or p -nitrophenol (20 μM) were infused. Further, food restriction did not alter rates of conjugation in isolated microsomes supplemented with excess UDPGA. Interestingly, both UDP-glucose and UDP-glucuronic acid were increased significantly in liver extracts from food-restricted rats when livers were perfused with high but not low concentrations of p -nitrophenol. Under these conditions, the increase in UDP-glucuronic acid was threefold. Moreover, food restriction increased carbohydrate release from the liver about twofold. Glycogen content was also increased significantly in liver extracts from 8.4 ± 1.9 to 60.4 ± 13.8 mmol/kg wet weight by food restriction. Taken together, these data support the hypothesis that food restriction stimulates conjugation of p -nitrophenol concentrations by increasing the supply of the pivotal cofactor UDP-glucuronic acid from carbohydrate reserves (e.g., glycogen).
Growth of Morris hepatoma No. 7794A with and without vitamin B6. Effect of inoculation time.

Abstract The effect of time of inoculation of tumor cells on the growth of the highly differentiated transplantable Morris hepatoma 7794 A under vitamin B 6 deficient and control conditions was studied. Groups of weaning Buffalo strain rats were fed ad libitum a diet lacking pyridoxine or were pair-fed the same diet supplemented with the vitamin. They were then inoculated intramuscularly in both hind legs with 7794 A hepatoma cells at the beginning (to) and after 7, 15 , and 31 days on their respective diets. Animals were sacrificed 39–49 days after inoculation, tumors were excised and after removal of connective tissue they were weighed. The average weight of hepatomas grown in animals fed the vitamin deficient diet for the same length of time was always similar and in all cases was less than the average weight of those hepatomas grown in pair-fed (control) animals. The difference between average tumor weights was not statistically significant (P 0·5 ) except when inoculation was performed after 31 days. The average weight of tumors from pair-fed controls, in this case, was 3 times higher over that of tumors grown in animals fed the vitamin deficient diet. The significance level was P 0·05 . The data are interpreted to show that caloric restriction (pair-feeding) allows hepatoma 7794 A to grow as during ad libitum conditions provided inoculation takes place after 31 days of feeding period.
Micromechanics of shear deformations in cracked bonded joints

Experiments and analytical analysis were carried out to elucidate the process of crack propagation in adhesively bonded joints loaded in mode II. The adhesive used was a toughened epoxy resin, with the bond thickness varying from a few micrometers to 0.6mm. The development of a plastic deformation zone at the crack tip was monitored in real-time using a high-magnification video camera. Within the plastic zone the adhesive shear strain, determined from scratch marks applied to the specimen edge, was uniform across the bond except for several bond thicknesses long region just ahead of the crack tip where, depending on bond thickness, noticeable strain gradients may develop. The experimental results suggest that the critical shear strain at the crack tip is a viable fracture criterion. A simplified analysis for the cracked bond which is based on the technical theory of beams/plates and which considers nonlinear adhesive behavior was developed. The model prediction for the increase in the plastic deformation zone with load and the distribution of shear strain within the zone agreed well with the experimental results. An expression for the energy dissipated by the advancing crack was derived which accounted for the nonlinearity in the load vs. deflection curve observed in the fracture experiments and allowed Gnc to be calculated from easily measurable test parameters. Considerable work has been done to determine the evolution of damage at the crack tip in engineering materials, and the parameters controlling crack propagation. The majority of these works employed monolithic specimens loaded in mode I. Unfortunately, such test configuration gives rise to a number of complex phenomena, including surface or free-edge effects (i.e. the observed surface deformations may greatly depart from the deformations in the specimen's interior), a three-dimensional stress field within the damage zone, and large strain gradients at the crack tip which may well exceed the resolution capability of the detecting apparatus. To date, no universally accepted criterion seems to have emerged for predicting the material resistance to crack propagation. In this work, a fracture approach based on testing the material under severe spatial constraint and a pure shear stress state was developed in order to remove some of the aforementioned difficulties. The End-Notch Flexure (ENF) adhesive bond specimen shown in Fig. 1 was used here to monitor the deformation process at the crack tip. This test, originally developed for studying
FACTORS INFLUENCING THE NEW YORK STOCK EXCHANGE SPECIALISTS' PRICE-SETTING BEHAVIOR: AN EXPERIMENT

This study uses an experimental approach to analyze variables hypothesized to influence specialists' behavior in establishing opening prices on the New York Stock Exchange. Participants in this study are actual NYSE specialists. A factorial design is employed, and data are analyzed using the analysis of variance model. Current demand and supply data are shown to have the most significant impact on specialists' decisions, with limit order book information and inventory position also proving to be significant and consistent for specialists participating in the study.
The response of DNA length and twist to changes in ionic strength

We examine twist-stretch coupling of unconstrained DNA using polyelectrolyte theory as applied to a line-charge model along with published data on the ionic-strength dependence of the twist angle. We conclude that twist-stretch coupling is negative: environmental changes that stretch free DNA, unconstrained by externally applied pulling or twisting forces, are accompanied by unwinding of the double helix. We also analyze a helical model and conclude that the observed unwinding of the DNA helix when ionic strength is decreased is driven by radial swelling of the helix.
Pecans Lower Low Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol in People with Normal Lipid Levels

Abstract Objective To compare serum lipid profiles and dietary intakes of people with normal lipid levels who consumed pecans and those who did not consume nuts. Design Eightweek, randomized, controlled study of pecan treatment group vs control group. Subject Nineteen people with normal lipid levels completed the study; 10 had been randomly assigned to the pecan treatment group (7 women, 3 men, mean age=45±10 years) and 9 to the control group (8 women, 1 man, mean age=37 ±12 years). Intervention The pecan treatment group consumed 68g pecans per day for 8 weeks plus selfselected diets. The pecans contributed 459kcal and 44g fat daily. The control group avoided nuts and consumed selfselected diets. Main outcome measures Total serum cholesterol, lowdensity lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), highdensity lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and total triglyceride levels were measured at the time of entrance to the study (baseline), week 4, and week 8. Computer analyses were done on five 3-day food records. Statistical analysis Comparisons were made using analysis of variance or paired t test. Results LDL-C was lowered in the pecan treatment group from 2.61+0.49mmol/L at baseline to 2.35+0.49 at week 4 ( P P P Applications Pecans can be included in a healthful diet when energy intake and potential weight gain are addressed. J Am Diet Assoc. 2000;100:312 318.
Ecological response and physical stability of habitat enhancements along an urban armored shoreline

Abstract Shoreline armoring is prevalent worldwide and has resulted in substantial habitat alteration in heavily urbanized areas. The biological and physical processes associated with these shorelines have in many cases been compromised, which has led to a recent focus on how to design and implement projects to restore some of the lost or impaired functions, termed enhancement. We describe a multi-year effort testing whether an enhanced site has improved conditions in Seattle, WA, USA, along urban marine shorelines of Puget Sound. The Olympic Sculpture Park opened in January 2007 and included construction of two shallow-water features: a low-terrace habitat bench placed in front of an existing seawall, and a constructed pocket beach that replaced existing riprap. Riparian vegetation was also planted in the uplands replacing impervious surfaces and manicured lawn. We measured the functions of these sites by sampling both before and after enhancements (2005, 2007, and 2009), and comparing to adjacent armored shorelines. Although we are limited in our ability to make generalizations beyond this specific site due to only having one replicate of each shoreline type, the unique aspects of this urban enhancement make it useful as a case study that can apply to other urban systems. Fishes that are dependent on shallow water habitat were a main focus of sampling, specifically outmigrating juvenile salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.) and larvae of other species. Terrestrial and aquatic invertebrates were also assessed, both as a metric for habitat quality and as a determinant of available prey resources for juvenile salmon. Physical features of the created habitats were monitored in post-enhancement years to measure their stability. Results showed that shoreline enhancements increased densities of larval fishes and juvenile salmon and measurements of juvenile salmon feeding behavior dependent on the year, and provided habitat for invertebrate assemblages that were different from armored shorelines and had high taxa richness. Physical resilience depended on both natural processes and human activities, demonstrating the need to incorporate anthropogenic use into the management of urban shorelines.
Implementation of integrity constraints and views by query modification

Because the user interface in a relatonal data base management system may be decoupled from the storage representation of data, novel, powerful and efficient integrity control schemes are possible. This paper indicates the mechanism being implemented in one relational system to prevent integrity violations which can result from improper updates by a process. Basically each interaction with the data is immediately modified at the query language level to one guaranteed to have no integrity violations. Also, a similar modification technique is indicated to support the use of "views," i.e. relations which are not physically present in the data base but are defined in terms of ones that are.
Leisure Research and Leisure Practice: Three Perspectives on Constructing the Research?Practice Relation

The leisure research?leisure practice relation remains uncertain. Assuming leisure provides a preexisting link is not supported by research. Leisure research and leisure practice are independent professional paradigms between which a relation must be constructed. Three perspectives on constructing the research?practice relation are examined in this article: the traditional, the personal, and the critical. The benefits approach to leisure is a test case in each perspective. The traditional and personal perspectives subordinate one professional paradigm to the other or intensify their separation. The benefits approach fails to resolve these difficulties. The critical perspective emphasizes developmental activity and emancipation, facilitates research?practice interaction, and maintains the professional paradigms' integrity, and it reveals shortcomings in the benefits approach. The critical perspective enables the most dynamic research?practice relation.
Compile-time priority assignment and re-routing for communication minimization in parallel systems

The performance gains of massively parallel systems can be significantly diminished by the inherent communication overhead. This overhead is caused by the required message passing resulting from the task allocation scheme. To minimize this overhead, a hybrid static-dynamic scheduling technique is presented. The static phase makes use of a priori information at compile-time to assign priorities to each message transmission. The priorities are determined using the recently developed Collision Graph model and are utilized at run-time to arbitrate the message transmissions. Determining an optimal priority scheme is an NP-Complete problem. Therefore the developed techniques employ heuristics and a flexible routing scheme to deal with a general case model of message traffic. Experiments performed show a significant improvement over baseline approaches.
Multiresolution Subspace Beam Formation Using a Partially Coherent Model

Traditional beam formation and waveform techniques rely on fixed apertures with single frequency assumptions that restrict the geometry of the aperture. This approach results constraints on the functionality of radar systems such as having simultaneous imaging and tracking ability, eliminating complex interference, and working with platforms that have limited bandwidth and processing resources. We propose an adaptive multiresolution orthogonalized sub-space beam formation method (AMOS) that allows optimization of apertures that may have non-uniform spacing with limited bandwidth. We combine this model with a partially coherent electromagnetic wavefront propagation model. We will show how this method compares to similar methods from a theoretical lower bound standpoint.
Self-healing epoxy composites: preparation, characterization and healing performance

a b s t r a c t Low velocity impact damage is common in fiber reinforced composites, which leads to micro-crack and interfacial debonding, where damage is microscopic and invisible. The concept of self-healing composites can be a way of overcoming this limitation and extending the life expectancy while expanding their usage in structural applications. In the current study, extrinsic self-healing concept was adopted using urea-formaldehyde microcapsules containing room temperature curing epoxy resin system (SC-15) as the healing agent prepared by in situ polymerization. Microcapsules were characterized using Fourier transform
Filling in of Fraunhofer lines in the ocean by Raman scattering

We have developed a Monte Carlo program that can account for Raman scattering in the ocean when polarization effects are not considered. The program is capable of coupling an inhomogeneous atmosphere to an inhomogeneous ocean through a dielectric interface. We have studied the filling in of both the 486-nm Hβ and the 518-nm Mg Fraunhofer lines caused by Raman scattering in the ocean. The amount of fill varies with solar zenith angle, angle of view, depth in the ocean, and magnitude of the cross sections. By monitoring the shapes of Fraunhofer lines we can learn a great deal about the relative importance of this inelastic process in oceanic optics.
Regolith transport quantified by braking block, McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica

Abstract The McMurdo Dry Valleys of Antarctica are today a hyper-arid, polar desert. Prior work has identified several in situ volcanic ashes (6–11 Myr old) resting on the surface regolith that suggests the persistent stability of the regolith surfaces and climate. However, our field observations of characteristic regolith bulges above and cavities below boulders that are lodged in the hillslope (braking blocks) contradict the apparent preservation of the regolith surfaces. To quantify the regolith mobility we modeled the downslope regolith transport around large boulders in the Dry Valleys using a finite difference regolith-transport model. To guide our modeling effort, we surveyed the detailed topography around one large boulder in the field. Model results fit the observed topography well and allow for the calculation of the minimum volume of regolith per unit width of slope that was mobilized (> 4 m3/1 m width). To assess the general applicability of the braking block analysis on random boulders on hillslope we surveyed the topographic characteristics adjacent to 997 boulders on 10 separate hillslopes. The bulge-cavity development appears to be sensitive to: 1) the adjacent obstructions that restrict the free movement of the regolith around the given boulder, and 2) the inherent surface roughness. Even though, theoretically boulders of all sizes should have a cavity-bulge pair surrounding them, the signal to noise ratio prevented us from extracting such measurements reliably on boulders whose diameter was smaller than about 1 m, on boulders that sat on bedrock covered by a thin veneer of regolith, and on boulders that were part of an actively aggrading talus. The limiting minimum topographic diffusivity was found to be 10− 6 m2/yr. Over time periods of millions of years this is enough to rework the surfaces and highlights the intriguing contradiction between the preserved ashes and the observed regolith transport.
Transient attenuation of the amplitude of the QRS complexes in the diagnosis of Takotsubo syndrome.

Background and objectives:Currently, there are no specific diagnostic electrocardiogram (ECG) signs for Takotsubo syndrome (TTS) to differentiate it from acute coronary syndromes (ACS). Myocardial oedema has been detected by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging in patients with TTS. Recently it has been postulated that myocardial oedema may be the cause of low QRS voltage (LQRSV) in the admission ECG and attenuation of the amplitude of the QRS complexes (AAQRS) in serial ECGs, noted in a few published cases of patients with TTS. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether the admission ECG of patients with documented TTS reveals LQRSV and whether AAQRS is found when serial ECGs are compared in such patients.Methods:This study evaluated the prevalence of LQRSV in the admission ECG and AAQRS in serial ECGs in patients with TTS. ECGs of 368 patients with TTS from published reports in the international literature were evaluated for LQRSV (≤5 mm in limb leads and/or ≤10 mm in precordial leads) and AAQRS ...
A recovery algorithm for reliable multicasting in reliable networks

Any reliable multicast protocol requires some recovery mechanism. A generic description of a recovery mechanism consists of a prioritized list of recovery servers/receivers (clients), hierarchically and/or geographically and/or randomly organized. Recovery requests are sent to the recovery clients on the list one-by-one until the recovery effort is successful. There are many recovery strategies available in literature fitting the generic description. We propose a polynomial time algorithm for choosing the recovery strategy with law recovery latency without sacrificing much bandwidth. We compared our method with two existing recovery methods, SRM (scalable reliable multicast) and RMA (reliable multicast architecture), by simulation and found that our method performs better. Although our theoretical analyses are based on a reliable network, our simulation results show that our strategy performs as well with the per link loss probability in a network up to 20% or more
Fatigue Delamination Behavior of PEEK Thermoplastic Composite Laminates

The delamination resistance of graphite-reinforced PEEK composites was quantified by conducting static and cyclic edge delamination tests on (35n/-35n/0n/90n)s AS4/PEEK laminates, where n = 1, 2. The experimentally determined mechanical delamination onset strains were used to calculate the critical strain-energy release rate for delamination onset as a function of fatigue cycle. The delamination onset strains decreased dramatically with fatigue cycles and then began to level off to an endurance limit at 1 million cycles. Although the static interlaminar fracture toughness of the AS4/PEEK composite is much greater than the toughness of graphite epoxy composites, the delamination fatigue threshold, calculated from the cyclic strain endurance limit at 1 million cycles, was only slightly greater than the threshold for graphite epoxy composites. The contribution of residual thermal stresses to delamination in the AS4/PEEK is substantial due to the large temperature range between the manufacture and the room temperatures.
The Politics of Presence: Voice, Deity Possession, and Dilemmas of Development Among Tibetans in the People's Republic of China

Taking inspiration from linguistic anthropological approaches to the work of the Russian philosopher and literary critic Mikhail Bakhtin (1895–1975), this article uses a Bakhtinian perspective on voice as contested presence to analyze the post-Mao revival of mountain deity possession practices among Tibetans in China's northwestern province of Qinghai. I respond to recent work that suggests that state-led development processes have intensified grassroots contests over the moral sources of authority and legitimacy in China, by contrasting the ambivalent voices of an urbanizing village's Tibetan Party secretary with those of the village's deity medium, during a mid-2000s village conflict. The conflict underscored a crisis of authority or moral “presence” among Tibetans under intensifying central state-led development pressures that for many carried forward the disenfranchisement of Tibetans that started in the 1950s.
Radioisotope technique for the determination of flow characteristics in liquid-liquid extraction columns

A radioisotope technique has been utilized to study the point holdup of the dispersed phase and some operational flow characteristics in a packed countercurrent liquid-liquid extraction tower. The system used was toluene-water and the packing was Raschig rings. The toluene dispersed phase was tagged with gamma-radiating iodine-131. The study revealed that holdup experiences a hysteresis cycle with variations of the continuous-phase flow rate. Correlating equations are presented for “total” and permanent holdup, below loading, to account for this hysteresis. Entrance effects and flow maldistribution effects are readily determined by the method utilized. Displacement studies demonstrated that no simple “operational” dispersed-phase flow holdup exists, but rather a complex dispersed-phase movement, which involves all the “nonhysteresis” permanent holdup.
A multifaceted comparison of ArcGIS and MapMarker for automated geocoding.

Geocoding is increasingly being used for public health surveillance and spatial epidemiology studies. Public health departments in the United States of America (USA) often use this approach to investigate disease outbreaks and clusters or assign health records to appropriate geographic units. We evaluated two commonly used geocoding software packages, ArcGIS and MapMarker, for automated geocoding of a large number of residential addresses from health administrative data in New York State, USA to better understand their features, performance and limitations. The comparison was based on three metrics of evaluation: completeness (or match rate), geocode similarity and positional accuracy. Of the 551,798 input addresses, 318,302 (57.7%) were geocoded by MapMarker and 420,813 (76.3%) by the ArcGIS composite address locator. High similarity between the geocodes assigned by the two methods was found, especially in suburban and urban areas. Among addresses with a distance of greater than 100 m between the geocodes assigned by the two packages, the point assigned by ArcGIS was closer to the associated parcel centroid (“true” location) compared with that assigned by MapMarker. In addition, the composite address locator in ArcGIS allows users to fully utilise available reference data, which consequently results in better geocoding results. However, the positional differences found were minimal, and a large majority of addresses were placed on the same locations by both geocoding packages. Using both methods and combining the results can maximise match rates and save the time needed for manual geocoding.
Temperature Gradient Chamber for Relative Growth Rate Analysis of Yeast

Relative growth is often used as a phenotypic measure to distinguish mutant and wild-type yeast or bacterial strains. Differential growth as a function of temperature is a convenient and accurate means of analyzing differences between strains. Slight differences in the genotypes of two strains frequently result in differential growth of the two strains as a function of temperature. We have developed a chamber for the simultaneous growth of multiple strains in microtiter plates along a temperature gradient. Image analysis was used to determine colony area and number at various times as a function of temperature. This chamber reduces the time required and increases the accuracy in measuring growth as a function of temperature. This occurs by allowing relative growth to be measured along a temperature gradient where all other conditions are constant. Two strains of yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) with a known difference in temperature dependence of growth were used to demonstrate the performance of this chamber.
Abstract and concrete data in the perseverance of social theories: When weak data lead to unshakeable beliefs☆

Abstract The perseverance effect—the finding that people cling to their initial beliefs more strongly than appears warranted—has been demonstrated in a wide variety of settings. The existing explanation of the effect implies that beliefs based on concrete data should be more resistant to challenges than beliefs based on abstract data. The present studies compared the amount of belief perseverance when the beliefs were initially based on either abstract or concrete data. Subjects examined either two case histories (concrete data) or a statistical summary (abstract data) suggestive of either a positive or a negative relationship between fire fighter trainees' level of preference for high risk and their subsequent success as firefighters. These data sets were equated for the initial strength of beliefs they induced. Subjects were the thoroughly debriefed about the fictitious nature of their initial data. Subsequent assessments of subjects' personal beliefs about the true relationship revealed (a) significant levels of theory perseverance both immediately and 1 week later; (b) significantly more perseverance in the concrete data conditions, both immediately and 1 week later. Experiment 2 revealed that subjects frequently engage in causal processing spontaneously, especially when examining concrete data. Overall, the data suggested that memory for initial data did not contribute to the abstract/concrete effects, but that the generation of general, causal explanations did contribute to the stronger perseverance of theories in the concrete conditions.
Chlorophyll a fluorescence transient as an indicator of active and inactive photosystem II in thylakoid membranes

Upon illumination, a dark-adapted photosynthetic sample shows time-dependent changes in chlorophyll (Chl) a fluorescence yield, known as the Kautsky phenomenon or the OIDPS transient. Based on the differential effects of electron acceptors such as 2,5-dimethyl-p-benzoquinone (DMQ) and 2,6-dichloro-p-benzoquinone (DCBQ) on Chl a fluorescence transients of spinach thylakoids, we suggest that the OID phase reflects the reduction of the electron acceptor QA to QA- in the inactive PS II (see Graan, T. and Ort, D. (1986) Diochim. Biophys. Acta 852, 320-330). In spinach thylakoids, heat-induced increase of the Chl a fluorescence yield is also differentially sensitive to the addition of DMQ and DCBQ suggesting that this increase is mainly on the 'I' level, and thus heating is suggested to convert active PS II to inactive PS II centers. The kinetics of decay of QA-, calculated from variable Chl a fluorescence, was analyzed into three exponential components (365-395 microseconds; 6-7 ms; and 1.4-1.7 s). In heated samples, the decay rate of variable Chl a fluorescence is slower than the normal back-reaction rate; there is a preponderance of the slow component that may be due, partly, to the active centers undergoing slow back reaction between QA- and the S2 state of the oxygen-evolving complex.
Quantification of nitric oxide synthase activity in microdissected segments of the rat kidney.

This study was designed to quantify nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity in microdissected glomeruli (Glm), pars convoluta, pars recta, cortical collecting duct, cortical thick ascending limb, oute...
Coagulation Changes in Healthy and Sick Pacific Salmon

Mammalian blood clotting has long been the subject of intensive investigation and the existence of at least 13 clotting factors has been established, with hereditary and acquired defects of almost all clearly delineated (Table I). In contrast, there have been few studies using modern techniques of blood clotting in pre-mammalian species and relatively little is known about their coaguation mechanisms, although this knowledge might provide a key for understanding the complexity of mammalian blood clotting. In the mammalian system there are two pathways for the conversion of pro-thrombin to thrombin, the enzyme which transforms soluble fibrinogen into the insoluble fibrin clot. One of these pathways is referred to as the intrinsic system (Fig. 1) and is initiated by the activation of Hageman factor (factor XII) by a mechanism which is still obscure. In the second or extrinsic mechanism, tissue juices are involved (Fig. 1) and of these, brain and lung tissue have been found to be the most active. There is a final common pathway following the activation of factor X in which factor V, prothrombin and fibrinogen are involved.
The Opinion Rule and Wittgenstein's Tractatus

[foreword: Ludwig Wittgenstein (1889-1951), whose highly original approach to philosophy is called language analysis , concluded in his Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus that most philosophical problems were linguistically inspired and could be solved , not by studying the external world, but by minutely examining the discourse in which the philosopher had phrased, and frequently obscured, his ideas. Philosophical problems, arising through the misuse of language, could be unravelled by an examination of the relation between the philosophical proposition and what Wittgenstein called ee facts," namely, the physical objects of external affairs to which the language referred. In some sense, these two systems the language and the facts must correspond. When they do, the statement is true; when they do not, it is false. "The object of philosophy," Wittgenstein wrote in the Tractatus, ffis the logical clarification of thought." After the publication of the Tractatus in 1922, applications of Wittgenstein's theories were sought in a number of fields. The logical positivists devoted themselves to the language of science, especially physics; other scholars, following Bertrand Russell, investigated mathematical symbol systems. In time, however, Wittgenstein came to believe that his early theories were incorrect, and in a later work, the Philosophical Investigations, he repudiated them. Serious difficulties involving perception and human communication were uncovered in the Tractatus, and he felt these made a simple correspondence
Contrasting 63Cu and 139La NQR behavior in Eu- and Zn-doped La2−xSrxCuO4

Abstract We carried out 63 Cu and 139 La NQR in Eu and Zn co-doped high Tc superconductor La2−xSrxCuO4 to compare the properties of the stripes induced by Eu and the spin-glass-like disordered magnetism induced by Zn. We demonstrate that magnetic slowing down of stripes below charge ordering temperature Tcharge in La1.8−xEu0.2SrxCuO4 takes place more suddenly than progressive spin-glass-like freezing in La2−xSrxCu0.96Zn0.04O4.
Serial versus parallel processing in mid-level vision: filling-in the details of spatial interpolation

The relationship between boundary completion and surface filling-in, two core mechanisms of mid-level vision, remains unclear. Here, we integrate recent empirical findings to shine new light onto the neural mechanisms of boundary completion and surface filling-in as well as their relation to each other. Specifically, we discuss several psychophysical and neurophysiological studies that, when taken together, support a model where object boundaries and visual surfaces are interpolated in parallel, with one process impacting the other. We suggest that visual boundary completion and surface filling-in are two interacting processes that are supported by neural processes that are distributed throughout several areas of the early visual system.
Forced to Fight: Coercion, Blocking Detachments, and Tradeos in Military Eectiveness

Our theories of soldier motivation have largely overlooked the role that coercion plays in manufacturing and maintaining unit cohesion. Yet nearly 20% of all belligerents in wars since 1800 have deployed specialized units designed to monitor and sanction their own soldiers violently. Despite the widespread nature of these "blocking detachments," however, we have neither a systematic treatment of their tactical and operational effects nor of the tradeoffs associated with their battlefield use. This paper draws on new crossnational data and a case study of Soviet practices at Stalingrad and Kursk to explore four tradeoffs stemming from the use of blocking detachments. In brief, these detachments can bolster a military's staying power, but at the cost of sharply increasing casualties and worsening loss-exchange ratios. In keeping with the volume's intent, the paper concludes with a broader discussion of these tradeoffs at the war-fighting and political levels before proposing additional avenues of research on coercion and soldier motivation.
Management of Differentiated Thyroid Cancer in Children: Focus on the American Thyroid Association Pediatric Guidelines

First introduced in 1946, radioactive iodine (I-131) produces short-range beta radiation with a half-life of 8 days. The physical properties of I-131 combined with the high degree of uptake in the differentiated thyroid cancers (DTCs) led to the use of I-131 as a therapeutic agent for DTC in adults. There are two indications for the potential use of I-131 therapy in pediatric thyroid disorders: nonsurgical treatment of hyperthyroidism owing to Graves' disease and the treatment of children with intermediate- and high-risk DTC. However, children are not just miniature adults. Not only are children and the pediatric thyroid gland more sensitive to radiation than adults but also the biologic behavior of DTC differs between children and adults as well. As opposed to adults, children with DTC typically present with advanced disease at diagnosis; yet, they respond rapidly to therapy and have an excellent prognosis that is significantly better than that in adult counterparts with advanced disease. Unfortunately, there are also higher rates of local and distant disease recurrence in children with DTC compared with adults, mandating lifelong surveillance. Further, children have a longer life expectancy during which the adverse effects of I-131 therapy may become manifest. Recognizing the differences between adults and children with DTC, the American Thyroid Association commissioned a task force of experts who developed and recently published a guideline to address the unique issues related to the management of thyroid nodules and DTC in children. This article reviews the epidemiology, diagnosis, staging, treatment, therapy-related effects, and suggestions for surveillance in children with DTC, focusing not only on the differences between adults and children with this disease but also on the latest recommendations from the inaugural pediatric management guidelines of the American Thyroid Association.
E-022 The Cost of Endovascular Treatment of Acute Ischaemic Stroke

Background Endovascular therapy is associated with significant cost. The current DRG system was revised in 2007 allowing for specific higher payment codes to potentially offset this higher cost. An higher use of mechanical devices may increase the cost. An analysis of the financial aspect of endovascular therapy is thus important in determining its place in stroke care. Methodology Financial variables were available on 137. These included patient charges, the direct and indirect hospital costs and payments. Additionally, the clinical outcomes were also analysed. The net cost was determined by the difference between the payments and the total cost. Results The charges, cost, payments and the difference between payments and the direct and total costs is given in table 1. There were 44 (32%) patients who received only intra-arterial rt-PA, 39 (28.5%) patients who received mechanical embolectomy only and 54 (39.4%) patients who received both. A Merci device was used in 30% of patients, Penumbra device in 29%, Solitaire in 6% and rt-PA in 64% of patients. The charges, costs and payments were significantly higher when mechanical embolectomy was used with or without intra-arterial rt-PA (table 2). The difference between reimbursements and costs favoured the use of a mechanical device however this was not significant. The use of multiple devices resulted in a net deficit (-$7916) as opposed to a single device use, which showed a positive balance ($3534) for the hospital (p=0.2). There were 54.6% of patients with a favourable outcome (mRS 0–2) when treated only with intra-arterial rt-PA as opposed to 37% of patients in whom a device was used. Conclusion Endovascular therapy was favourable to the hospital without any net deficit. While this financial benefit was higher when a mechanical device was used, a higher number of patients achieved a favourable outcome when only local intra-arterial rt-PA was utilised. Disclosures A. Rai: 2; C; Stryker Neurovascular, Codman Neurovascular.
Evaluation of panoramic digital images using Panoptiq for frozen section diagnosis.

Introduction: Whole slide imaging (WSI) permits intraoperative consultations (frozen sections) to be performed remotely. However, WSI files are large and can be problematic if there are tissue artifacts (e.g., tissue folds) or when slides are scanned without multiplanes (Z-stacks) to permit focusing. The Panoptiq dynamic imaging system allows users to create their own digital files that combine low power panoramic digital images with regions of interest that can be imaged using high power Z-stacks. The aim of this study was to determine the utility of the Panoptiq dynamic imaging system for frozen section telepathology. Materials and Methods: Twenty archival randomly selected genitourinary surgical pathology frozen sectional cases were evaluated using conventional light microscopy (glass slides), panoramic images, and whole slide images. To create panoramic images glass slides were digitized using a Prosilica GT camera (model GT1920C, Allied Vision Technologies) attached to an Olympus B × 45 microscope and Dell Precision Tower 810 computer (Dell). Panoptiq 3 version 3.1.2 software was used for image acquisition and Panoptiq View version 3.1.2 to view images (ViewsIQ, Richmond, BC, Canada). Image acquisition using Panoptiq software involved a pathology resident, who manually created digital maps (×4 objective) and then selected representative regions of interest to generate Z-stacks at higher magnification (×40 objective). Whole slide images were generated using an Aperio XT Scanscope (Leica) and viewed using ImageScope Software (Aperio ePathology, Leica). Three pathologists were asked to render diagnoses and rate image quality (1-10) and their diagnostic confidence (1-10) for each modality. Results: The diagnostic concordance with glass slides was 98.3% for panoramic images and 100% for WSI. Panoptiq images were comparable to the glass slide viewing experience in terms of image quality and diagnostic confidence. Complaints regarding WSI included poor focus near tissue folds and air bubbles. Panoptiq permitted fine focusing of tissue folds and air bubbles. Issues with panoramic images included difficulty interpreting low-resolution ×4 image maps and the presence of tiling artifacts. In some cases, Z-stacked areas of Panoptiq images were limited or not representative of diagnostic regions. The image file size of Panoptiq was more than 14 times smaller than that of WSI files. Conclusions: The Panoptiq imaging system is a novel tool that can be used for frozen section telepathology. Panoramic digital images were easy to generate and navigate, of relatively small file size, and offered a mechanism to overcome focusing problems commonly encountered with WSI of frozen sections. However, the acquisition of representative Panoptiq images was operator dependent with the individual creating files that may impact the final diagnosis.