Search

A newly discovered population of Monetaria caputdraconis has been identified on Easter Island. This new population has a high occurrence of specimens expressing morphology that appear both melanistic and rostrate, and is named herein Monetaria caputdraconis form darkini. It is suggested that the geology of the island, which comprises Roiho basalt containing olivine tholeiite with relatively high concentrations of heavy metals, may contribute to this unique morphology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article provides comprehensive guidance on the maintenance and storage of shell collections. It outlines detailed procedures for cleaning shells, including methods for removing encrustations and discoloration. It further discusses the application of protective coatings and offers insights into storage options, highlighting various container types and their advantages and disadvantages.

The article reviews the West Coast Shell Show in San Diego, emphasizing its success with diverse exhibits, award-winning displays, and contributions to shell education and conservation efforts.

Some advertisements include celebrity endorsers hoping that will increase the popularity of the ad and, thereby, the celebrity status will be positively associated with the brand. This paper reports the findings of a cross-cultural study undertaken across the cities Hong Kong, Shanghai, Jakarta, Bangkok and Mumbai, using the Foote, Cone & Belding (FCB) grid to determine whether the appearance of a celebrity increases the chance for the advertisement to be liked. The results found that the use of celebrity endorsements in liked advertisements differed considerably, which provide an insight for advertisers developing campaigns using celebrities in different Asian markets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new species of Muricidae, Chicoreus (Triplex) tangaroai is described from the Samoan Infraprovince. This new taxa is compared with C. (T.) thomasi (Crosse, 1872) and C. (T.) lorenzi Houart, 2009, related species in the Marquesan Molluscan Province. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses about procedural implementation of powers by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. Topics discussed include seizures and confiscations of non-threatened or endangered species with impunity, identifying two relatively common shells as endangered species and violation of the Endangered Species Act.

The article discusses about the powers granted to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) under the Endangered Species Act, 16 U.S.C 1538. Topics discussed include illegal searches and seizures, right to privacy and the requirement for probable cause before a search and way to monitor trade in given species and identify potential species that may become endangered.

The article informs about the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and The Endangered Species Act of 1973. Topics include species listed under the Endangered Species Act as well as those listed on the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species; and individuals in the business of importing or exporting endangered species of an economic benefit and will do what is necessary to conceal their activities resulting in violation of U.S. law.

A new species of Siphocypraea is described from the Immokalee Reef Tract (Unit 2), Tamiami Formation that represents an evolutionary link between Siphocypraea (Lokossea) dimasi Petuch, 1998 and S. (L.) mulepenensis Petuch, 1991. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information to identify and distinguish different species of Cypraeidae, one of the most commonly collected families of marine gastropods. Topics include considered as large family of mollusks and often unique morphologies that identify one species from another; and reviewed information from popular publications involving Zoila jeaniana jeaniana.

Palladium–platinum alloys were analysed by dynamic secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) to investigate grain orientation effects that gave differences of up to 400% in the Pt/Pd count rate ratios, even within the same grain upon small rotations of a Pd sample with 1 wt% Pt. The sample had been homogenized by annealing, and the homogeneity was confirmed by X‐ray analysis in scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Grain orientations were determined by electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD). Crater depths were measured by white light interferometry (WLI). SEM images from the bottom of SIMS craters made in the same grain after small rotations around the sample surface normally showed different patterns of microfaceting for some rotation angles, probably exposing low‐index crystallographic planes. A complete understanding of the observed grain orientation effect is still lacking. However, factors such as ion mass, sputter rate, ion channelling, ion focusing, preferential sputtering, surface height, crater microfaceting and/or angle‐dependent sputtering seem to play a role. For these Pd–Pt alloys, the strong grain orientation effect adds another level of complexity when attempting to quantify concentrations and obtain depth profiles by SIMS. Without proper sampling and/or averaging, one could reach very wrong conclusions when comparing results from different samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVES Lung volume reduction surgery (LVRS) is a clinically effective palliation procedure for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. LVRS has recently been commissioned by the NHS England. In this study, a costing model was developed to analyse cost and resource implications of different LVRS procedures. METHODS Three pathways were defined by their surgical procedures: bronchoscopic endobronchial valve insertion (EBV-LVRS), video-assisted thoracic surgery LVRS and robotic-assisted thoracic surgery LVRS. The costing model considered use of hospital resources from the LVRS decision until 90 days after hospital admission. The model was calibrated with data obtained from an observational study, electronic health records and expert opinion. Unit costs were obtained from the hospital finance department and reported in 2021 Euros. RESULTS Video-assisted thoracic surgery LVRS was associated with the lowest cost at €12 896 per patient. This compares to the costs of EBV-LVRS at €15 598 per patient and €13 305 per patient for robotic-assisted thoracic surgery LVRS. A large component of EBV-LVRS costs were accrued secondary to complications, including revision EBV-LVRS. CONCLUSIONS This study presents a comprehensive model framework for the analysis of hospital-related resource use and costs for the 3 surgical modalities. In the future, service commissioning agencies, hospital management and clinicians can use this framework to determine their modifiable resource use (composition of surgical teams, use of staff and consumables, planned length of stay and revision rates for EBV-LVRS) and to assess the potential cost implications of changes in these parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses about the impact of changing global environmental conditions on formation of shells. It states that the oceans around the world are experiencing changes in temperature, pH and pollution which interfere with the chemical reaction involved with calcium carbonate deposition preventing mollusks from forming healthy shells.

The article reviews the exhibition 2019 West Coast Shell Show that held in room 101 of the San Diego Botanic Garden Foundation building west of the San Diego Natural History Museum in Balboa Park on August 24 and 25 which exhibits shells, and displays other wall art of an ocean scene.

Nitrous oxide is a powerful greenhouse gas with a global warming potential stated to be between 265 and 310. The production of nitric acid is the largest source of nitrous oxide from the chemical process industries, and it equates to circa 50% of the total greenhouse gas emissions from nitric acid production. This paper describes the successful development of a catalyst for the decomposition of nitrous oxide in the ammonia burner, from laboratory, pilot and plant-scale testing. This catalyst is capable of reducing nitrous oxide emissions by more than 90%, with no significant modifications to plant operation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, the author discusses his experience of collecting specimen shells which are available through online auctions and from dealers. It mentions San Diego Shell Club's new publication "Seashells of Southern California: Marine Shells of the Californian Province" by D. Berschauer and R. Clark. It also mentions protected resource that supports the Tijuana River Estuary marine ecology and currents affected by tidal flow and weather conditions.

Abstract The current study extends the insight into solid-state diffusion in alloys of the Platinum Group Metals (PGMs). Thereby, we pave the way for tailor making surface compositions of binary platinum (Pt) – rhodium (Rh) model catalysts, with deposited rhodium layers on the surface of Pt single crystals (SCs) as the starting point. Platinum single crystals with (100), (110) and (111) orientations were studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X – ray spectroscopy (EDS). In addition, X – ray Photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) characterization was carried out on Pt(110). The crystallographic orientation has a prominent effect on diffusion characteristics. The slowest moving Kirkendall – plane was observed for Pt(110) at x K = 250 nm from reference point x 0 , while, the fastest for Pt(100) was at x K = 450 nm , indicating that the inter-diffusion rate with respect to orientation increases in the sequence Pt(110) < Pt(111) < Pt(100). The diffusion coefficient of Rh into Pt is of the order ∼ 10 −17 –10 −18 m 2 /s , whereas it was slightly less than ∼ 10 −19 m 2 /s for Pt into Rh; albeit comparable to the vacancy diffusion rate from Pt into Rh. Our experimental findings show good agreement with calculated inter-diffusion coefficients using Darken analysis. A theoretical direction is proposed for improved fitting of data. Highlights • Tailoring of surface compositions of PGM crystals as catalysts for industrial processes. • Development of an experimental methodology using XPS depth profile, SEM-EDS cross-section. • Extraction of the diffusion coefficient of Pt into Rh in vacuum, with heat as the sole promotor. • Diffusion coefficient values dependent on the orientation of Pt single crystals. • Theoretical calculations are used for screening and comparison with experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While we are in agreement with many of the 20 statements, we strongly disagree with statement 14 on the need for lobectomy in the presence of a positive intraoperative identification of unexpected hilar lymph node metastasis. Keywords: Lung cancer; Nodal metastasis; Segmentectomy EN Lung cancer Nodal metastasis Segmentectomy 1 1 1 10/04/23 20230901 NES 230901 We read with interest the position statement issued on behalf of the European Society of Thoracic Surgeons on technical standards of segmentectomy for primary lung cancer [[1]]. There is supportive evidence from the National Cancer Database that the extent of parenchymal resection has no survival benefit in clinical stage I disease when nodal metastasis is found postoperatively [[4]]. [Extracted from the article]

OBJECTIVES Robotic-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (RATS) facilitates complex pulmonary segmentectomy which offers one-stage diagnostic and therapeutic management of small pulmonary nodules. We aimed to explore the potential advantages of a faster, simplified pathway and earlier diagnosis against the disadvantages of unnecessary morbidity in benign cases. METHODS In an observational study, patients with small, solitary pulmonary nodules deemed suspicious of malignancy by a multidisciplinary team were offered surgery without a pre or intraoperative biopsy. We report our initial experience with RATS complex segmentectomy (using >1 parenchymal staple line) to preserve as much functioning lung tissue as possible. RESULTS Over a 4-year period, 245 RATS complex segmentectomies were performed; 140 right: 105 left. A median of 2 (1–4) segments was removed. There was no in-hospital mortality and no requirement for postoperative ventilation. Complications were reported in 63 (25.7%) cases, of which 36 (57.1%) were hospital-acquired pneumonia. A malignant diagnosis was found in 198 (81%) patients and a benign diagnosis in 47 (19%). The malignant diagnoses included: adenocarcinoma in 136, squamous carcinoma in 31 and carcinoid tumour in 15. The most frequent benign diagnosis was granulomatous inflammation in 18 cases. CONCLUSIONS RATS complex segmentectomy offers a precise, safe and effective one-stop therapeutic biopsy in incidental and screen-detected pulmonary nodules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information on the 2018 Conchologists of America (COA) Convention, hosted by San Diego Shell Club's Board of Directors, that was held in San Diego, California is presented. The event included a field trip to Balboa Park, Scripps Aquarium, presentations, and silent auctions. Many dealers at the event have offered various shells, including Austrotrophon catalinensis, Phyllonotus eversoni, and Marcromargarya aliena, for sale.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to observe the nature of documentation and the description used in object biographies by an auction house catalogue and an online museum collection database in relation opera costumes. This research aims to discuss the issues of cultural and economic value in relation to objects in the art world, and examine examples of object biographies for opera costumes that are sold at an auction and exhibited in a museum.Design/methodology/approach The object biographies are compared from an auction house catalogue and the online museum collection database, based on two factors: costumes worn by a famous singer and costumes designed by a famous designer.Findings This study identified the valuation methods of auction houses and museums, including accounting for the market value and fair value, as well as social and cultural values. The nature of the documentation also clearly shows the different purpose of the object biographies. For auction houses the biography needs to be short and specific as it provides sufficient information and is read out at the auction, while art catalogues can also be used by experts as part of the conversation to understanding heritage value, and will also be viewed and used by researchers, investors, other auction house specialists and art world professionals.Research limitations/implications By comparing two institutions, auction houses and museums, this study has shown that the information that is documented and how it is presented in object biographies is determined by the goals of the institutions. These goals may vary or overlap in providing information, demonstrating cultural importance, to be spoken allowed to an audience and make sales, or to educate, conserve and preserve.Practical implications This study shows that to some extent museum online databases display their collection removed from cultural context, with an isolated image of the item, and in an organised, digitally accessible manner. A potential implication is that museums should not only digitally catalogue an item, but also provide discussion and the cultural background and significance of the item.Social implications Auction catalogues are written for a specific event (the auction), while the online museum collection database is meant to be a permanent record, which aims to digitally preserve objects and provide access to images and information to a general audience, and further could be edited with amendments or new information when future research or events lead to potential updates.Originality/value This study adds to the discourse on approaches to the understanding of costumes as an art object of significance and their potential cultural, economic and heritage value, particularly as represented in the documentation of object biographies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A general and efficient catalytic approach to synthesis of the furo[2,3-c]pyridazine ring system is reported. Building on the easily accessible 2-bromo-3-aminopyridizinone skeleton, a tandem Sonogashira coupling-cycloisomerization provides ready access to functionalized furopyridazines. A wide functional group tolerance was observed in the tandem reaction, which proceeds in high yield in 1-3 h. The structure of the heterocyclic ring system was confirmed through single-crystal X-ray crystallography. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the newly elected Board of Directors for the Club and the goals for the upcoming year; other topics include the successful reorganization of the Club's storage area, high financial reserves, and plans for in-person general meetings.

Advertising directed toward children is a controversial issue with growing concerns from parents around the world, including emerging markets such as Indonesia. The reasons for its negative effects include that such advertising could lead to materialism, parent–child conflict, and feelings of unhappiness. In particular, advertising by food companies is a target for criticism due to concerns about unhealthy food and childhood obesity. This article reports on the findings of a number of focus groups of Indonesian mothers to obtain an indication of the mothers’ ethical judgment toward such advertising. The results identify reasons why the mothers found particular advertisements to be unethical and ways advertisements can improve their message. From the responses, some important issues are raised that would be of interest to international advertisers. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

OBJECTIVES The aim of radical surgery for malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is to achieve greater survival than from chemotherapy alone. Although adverse overall prognostic factors have already been determined, our aim was to identify the most important factors affecting long-term survival arbitrarily defined as >24 months. METHODS We retrospectively reviewed the records of 252 patients (35 females; 193 epithelioid and 59 biphasic; 112 extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP); 140 extended pleurectomy decortication (EPD)) who survived for at least 90 postoperative days. We tested for factors affecting overall cancer-related mortality and specific clinical factors predicting the 24-month survival. RESULTS The overall median survival was 18.2 (SE 1.3, 95% CI 15.8–20.7 months). There was no difference in survival between EPP and EPD (P = 0.92). One hundred and twenty-eight patients received induction, adjuvant or palliative chemotherapy. Seventy-seven (30.6%) patients survived for >24 months. On univariate analysis, age at operation over 60 years (P = 0.044), pT4 stage (P = 0.041), any lymph node metastases (P = 0.002), biphasic cell type (P = 0.00) and no administration of chemotherapy (P = 0.00) were associated with decreased survival. On multivariate analysis, age <60 (P = 0.018, OR = 0.7), epithelioid disease (P = 0.001, OR = 0.56) and negative nodes (P = 0.009, OR = 0.67) were associated with increased survival and no administration of chemotherapy (P = 0.00, OR = 1.9) with decreased survival. Factors predicting survival over 24 months included: age at operation under 60 (P = 0.014), epithelioid histology (P ≤ 0.00), negative nodes (P = 0.002) and chemotherapy (P = 0.022). CONCLUSIONS These results support a policy of accurate preoperative tissue diagnosis, nodal staging and induction chemotherapy prior to radical surgery for MPM, which can result in long-term survival. Trials investigating the role of surgery should be focused on confirming and refining these selection criteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the discussion on promoting the advancement of particular field of study including micrograph of a cross sectional view of the flange showing the external and internal layers of the shell.

Mou, Zhao, and McNamara (2007) proposed the "intrinsic model of human spatial memory," which posits that a viewer's memory of an array of objects will exhibit a preferred direction that is aligned with an intrinsic axis of the array. They defined intrinsic axes as salient axes created in part by the physical (geometric) properties of the array. To date, these geometric characteristics have received little research attention. We begin such an endeavor by evaluating the role of symmetry and orthogonality (i.e., number of right angles in an array of objects) in spatial memory. Participants viewed a layout of objects from a single (Experiment 1) viewpoint or 2 (Experiment 2) viewpoints and then judged relative directions within the layout from memory. Orthogonality and symmetry were associated with decreased reliance on egocentric reference systems but were qualified by a generally greater reliance on egocentric reference frames than is common in the literature. Indeed, for only 1 array--a highly orthogonal and symmetric one--did participants consistently respond nonegocentrically. We suggest that overuse of this array in the literature has led to an overestimation of the importance of allocentricity in spatial memory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We review contemporary scientific research on the relationship between visual perception and visual mental imagery in the context of Cheves Perky's (1910) landmark article on imagery and imagination. This body of research has firmly established a strong connection between the psychology of imagery and perception and has contributed a strong voice to the imagery debate. We then use the concept of embodiment to discuss additional avenues of inquiry at which Perky's work hinted. These include a more thorough examination of the relationship between imagery and emotion, the creative, active aspects of imagery and imagination, and the methods we can bring to bear on understanding imagery and imagination as a human experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVES Selection criteria for radical surgery in malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) and related clinical trials remain controversial. The relative importance of nodal metastases and the need for pre-operative nodal staging are undetermined. METHODS From a prospective database, we identified 212 patients with non-sarcomatoid MPM (160 epithelioid and 52 biphasic). A total of 127 patients underwent extrapleural pneumonectoctomy (EPP) and 85 lung-sparing total pleurectomy (LSTP) with lymphadenectomy. We investigated the effect of nodal burden and distribution in survival by testing for differences between N0, N1 and N2 disease and constructing a theoretical model dividing the patients into four groups according to diseased nodes identified in the surgical specimen: Group 0, no nodal disease; Group CM, nodes accessible by cervical mediastinoscopy (CM): Stations 2, 3a, 4 and 7; Group EBUS/EUS, nodes accessible by endobronchial (EBUS) or endoscopic (EUS) ultrasound: Stations 2, 3a, 4 and 7–11. Group EM, extramediastinal nodes not accessible by CM or EBUS/EUS: Stations 5, 6, internal mammary, pericardial and diaphragmatic lymph nodes. RESULTS There was no difference in overall median survival between EPP and LSTP [15.6, SE 1.8, 95% confidence interval (CI) 12–19 months versus 13.4, SE 2.3, 95% CI 9–18 months, P = 0.41]. Patients with N0 disease (n = 94) had the best prognosis: median survival was 19.6 months (SE 3, 95% CI 13.2–26) versus 12 months for the 19 patients with N1 (SE 1.5, 95% CI 9–15) and 13.6 months for 99 patients with N2 (SE 1.7, 95% CI 10–17), P = 0.015. Subgroup analysis of patients with nodal metastases revealed no significant survival difference between group CM and group EBUS/EUS: achieving maximum theoretical diagnostic yield CM could detect 63 (54%) of patients with nodal disease and the median survival of this group was 13.6 months (SE 2, 95% CI 9.6–17.6). EBUS/EUS could detect an additional 30 cases (26%) with survival of 11.3 months (SE 1, 95% CI 9–13.6). The survival in group EM (25 cases, 21%, median survival 18.7 months, SE 6, 95% CI 7–30) was significantly better than groups CM or EBUS/EUS, P = 0.002. CONCLUSIONS There is a strong case for routine CM as a method of prognostic staging in all patients undergoing radical surgery for MPM. The addition of EUS staging and the detection of nodal metastases inaccessible to mediastinoscopy had no prognostic benefit. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Abstract: We examined whether view combination mechanisms shown to underlie object and scene recognition can integrate visual information across views that have little or no three-dimensional information at either the object or scene level. In three experiments, people learned four “views” of a two dimensional visual array derived from a three-dimensional scene. In Experiments 1 and 2, the stimuli were arrays of colored rectangles that preserved the relative sizes, distances, and angles among objects in the original scene, as well as the original occlusion relations. Participants recognized a novel central view more efficiently than any of the Trained views, which in turn were recognized more efficiently than equidistant novel views. Experiment 2 eliminated presentation frequency as an explanation for this effect. Experiment 3 used colored dots that preserved only identity and relative location information, which resulted in a weaker effect, though still one that was inconsistent with both part-based and normalization accounts of recognition. We argue that, for recognition processes to function so effectively with such minimalist stimuli, view combination must be a very general and fundamental mechanism, potentially enabling both visual recognition and categorization. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Studies of spatial representations have typically limited their analysis to memory for object location. Three experiments examined whether another spatial feature, object orientation, could be monitored and represented in a similar fashion. In Experiment 1, an adaptation of the change detection paradigm of Simons and Wang (1998), we found that, whereas unitary location or identity changes were readily noticed, generalized orientation changes were not. Experiment 2 showed that orientation monitoring is strongly affected by layout complexity, viewpoint changes, and the extent of array modifications. Finally, Experiment 3 suggested that an object's behavioral relevance may selectively enhance its orientation processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A substantial amount of research has demonstrated the importance of reference frames in organizing memory of object locations in both small and large environments. However, to date, little research has examined how the object locations represented in one reference frame are specified relative to object locations represented in another. In a series of 4 experiments, we demonstrate that multiple microreference frames can be established in memory for sets of objects that are spatially and semantically distinct, and that the spatial relations between these microreference frames are specified in memory by means of a more global, macroreference frame. Additionally, these experiments demonstrate that an established macroreference frame can influence which of several microreference frames will be coded in memory, but that a previously established microreference frame had no appreciable influence on the subsequent formation of a macroreference frame. These results are interpreted as indicating that the same cognitive mechanisms underlie interobject coding across multiple environmental scales. The implications for reference frame theories and theories positing hierarchical memory organization are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We designed and synthesized a series of conjugated polymers containing alternating 4H-cyclopenta[2,1-b:3,4-b']dithiophene units and comonomers consisting of 2,2'-bithiophene, 3'', 4'' -dihexyl-α -pentathiophene, 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene and 5,5' -bis(2-thienyl)-4,4' -dihexyl-2,2' -bithiazole. These polymers possess optical bandgaps in the range of 1.75 to 2.0 eV. The desirable absorption attributes of these materials make then excellent candidates for use in photovoltaic cells. Electrochemical studies indicate desirable HOMO-LUMO levels for use with fullerene derivatives as electron transporters. Field effect transistors made of these materials show hole mobilities in the range of 7.5 × 10-4 cm2/Vs to 2.0 × 10-3 cm2/Vs. Due to the combination of these characteristics, power conversion efficiencies up to 3.1% were achieved on devices made of bulk heterojunction composites of these materials with soluble fullerene derivatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the newly elected president of the San Diego Shell Club and their plans for the upcoming year. Topics include the effects of the pandemic on the club's events, goals for organizing the club's storage area, increasing financial resources, and improving the club's journal.

In two experiments, participants were trained to recognize a playground scene from four vantage points and were subsequently asked to recognize the playground from a novel perspective between the four learned viewing perspectives, as well as from the trained perspectives. In both experiments, people recognized the novel view more efficiently than those that they had recently used in order to learn the scene. Additionally, in Experiment 2, participants who viewed a novel stimulus on their very first test trial correctly recognized it more quickly (and also tended to recognize it more accurately) than did participants whose first test trial was a familiar view of the scene. These findings call into question the idea that scenes are recognized by comparing them with single previous experiences, and support a growing body of literature on the existence of psychological mechanisms that combine spatial information from multiple views of a scene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To study the feasibility and efficacy of video-assisted thoracoscopic (VAT) placement of the left ventricular pacing lead for cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) where the conventional transvenous coronary sinus approach has failed. Methods: Seventeen patients underwent the VAT procedure. Indications for CRT were ischemic cardiomyopathy in six patients and nonischemic cardiomyopathy in 11. The procedure was performed under general anesthesia with single-lung ventilation. Three 2-cm incisions were used on the left chest wall to place the screw-in lead near the obtuse marginal arteries high on the lateral wall of the left ventricle (LV). Results: The VATS approach was successful in 13/17 (76%) patients. Median procedure time was 75 minutes (range 55–135). A learning curve was observed that appeared to plateau at 75 minutes procedure time after four cases. Median length of hospital stay was 2 days (range 2–8) with one patient requiring intensive care. Satisfactory thresholds and impedances of 2.3 ± 0.9 V/0.5 ms and 560 ohms, respectively, were achieved at mean follow-up of 226 days. All patients reported symptomatic benefit with reduction in New York Heart Association score from III preoperatively to II postoperatively. Conclusions: VAT placement of the epicardial pacing lead is feasible, safe, and efficacious. It should be considered in cases where the transvenous route has failed or as an alternative in prolonged or hazardous transvenous procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interdisciplinary survey inherits from more traditional survey courses the weaknesses embodied in the survey textbook. The standard textbook presentation gives students the impression that each figure's music, art, or literature is the product of the "spirit of the age." Well-chosen biographies temper that presentation by drawing attention to actual acquaintances and collaborations. In addition, biographies help overcome aliteracy, encourage critical thinking, and, perhaps surprisingly, show the traditional textbook in its best light: as a resource to be consulted rather than literature to be pored over. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Becoming familiar with an environment requires the ability to integrate spatial information from different views. We provide evidence that view combination, a mechanism believed to underlie the ability to recognize novel views of familiar objects, is also used to recognize coherent, real-world scenes. In two experiments, we trained participants to recognize a real-world scene from two perspectives. When the angular difference between the learned views was relatively small, the participants subsequently recognized novel views from locations between the learned views about as well as they recognized the learned views and better than novel views situated outside of the shortest distance between the learned views. In contrast, with large angles between training views, all the novel views were recognized less well than the trained views. These results extend the view combination approach to scenes and are difficult to reconcile with models proposing that scenes are recognized by transforming them to match only the nearest stored view. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Several lines of research have suggested the importance of egocentric reference systems for determining how the spatial properties of one’s environment are mentally organized. Yet relatively little is known about the bases for egocentric reference systems in human spatial memory. In three experiments, we examine the relative importance of observer-based reference directions in human memory by controlling the orientation of head and body during acquisition. Experiment 1 suggests that spatial memory is organized by a head-aligned reference direction; however, Experiment 2 shows that a body-aligned reference direction can be more influential than a head-aligned direction when the axis defined by the relative positions of the observer and the learned environment (the “self-to-array” axis) is properly controlled. A third experiment shows that the self-to-array axis is distinct from – and can dominate – retina, head, and body-based egocentric reference systems. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The performance of an organic solar cell critically depends on the materials used in the active layer. Desirable characteristics of active layer materials include an intense optical absorption covering broad range of the solar spectrum to maximize photon capture, the ability to effectively separate charges upon photo-excitation, high charge mobility to allow efficient charge transport to the electrodes, and suitable HOMO and LUMO levels to ensure a high device voltage. In order to optimize these properties simultaneously, we have designed and synthesized conjugated polymers containing alternating electron-donating and electron-accepting units. Based on one of the low band gap polymers we designed and synthesized previously, poly[2,6-(4,4-bis-(2-ethylhexyl)-4H-cyclopenta[2,1-b:3,4-b']dithiophene)-alt-4,7-(2,1,3-benzothiadiazole)], we carried out both side chain and main chain modifications in order to improve performance even further. By incorporating fluorene repeating units into the main chain, it is possible to adjust the absorption characteristics of the polymers while maintaining a desirable HOMO level and good charge carrier mobility. The solubility profile of the polymer can be adjusted by modifying the side chains, and soluble polymer with mobility as high as 7×10-2 cm2/Vs is realized when a combination of 2-ethylhexy and hexyl groups are used as side chains. These polymers should be promising candidates for high performance solar cells according to a recently published model (3). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research in human spatial cognition has benefited from the advent of virtual environment (VE) technology; however, few VE systems currently enable users to move realistically over large physical spaces. Here, we describe a huge immersive virtual environment (HIVE) that offers untethered tracking of users in a 570 m² physical space. This large tracking area allows users to move through virtual worlds in the same manner in which they move in the real world and enables behavioral research in spatial cognition examining mental processes that require extensive movement through an environment. We provide a detailed description of this system, and report an experiment examining distance estimation in virtual environments that illustrates the utility of the HIVE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Addition of in situ generated di- or trisubstituted alkenylalanes to N-acyliminium ions provides rapid access to functionalized isoindolinones. Subsequent ring closing metathesis leads to tricyclic products. These transformations proceed under mild conditions and allow for the convergent synthesis of biologically significant scaffolds from readily available starting materials. Display Omitted [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objective: Two experiments examined whether prior interaction within an immersive virtual environment (VE) enabled people to improve the accuracy of their distance judgments and whether an improved ability to estimate distance generalized to other means of estimating distances.Background: Prior literature has consistently found that users of immersive VEs underestimate distances by approximately 50%.Method: In each of the two experiments, 16 participants viewed objects in an immersive VE and estimated their distance to them by means of blindfolded walking tasks before and after interacting with the VE.Results: The interaction task significantly corrected users' underestimation bias to nearly veridical. Differences between pre- and post-interaction mean distance estimation accuracy were large (d = 4.63), and significant (p < .001), and they generalized across response task.Conclusion: This finding limits the generality of the underestimation effect in VEs and suggests that distance underestimation in VEs may not be a road block to the development of VE applications.Application: Potential or actual applications of this research include the improvement of VE systems requiring accurate spatial awareness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although many previous studies have shown that body-based sensory modalities such as vestibular, kinesthetic, and efferent information are useful for acquiring spatial information about one’s immediate environment, relatively little work has examined how these modalities affect the acquisition of long-term spatial memory. Three groups of participants learned locations along a 146 m indoor route, and subsequently pointed to these locations, estimated distances between them, and constructed maps of the environment. One group had access to visual, proprioceptive, and inertial information, another had access to matched visual and matched inertial information, and another had access only to matched visual information. In contrast to previous findings examining transient, online spatial representations, our results showed very few differences among groups in the accuracy of the spatial memories acquired. The only difference was the improved pointing accuracy of participants who had access to proprioceptive information relative to that of participants in the other conditions. Results are discussed in terms of differential sensory contributions to transient and enduring spatial representations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current theories of environmental cognition typically differentiate between an online, transient, and dynamic system of spatial representation and an offline and enduring system of memory representation. Here the authors present additional evidence for such 2-system theories in the context of the disorientation paradigm introduced by R. F. Wang and E. S. Spelke (2000). Several experiments replicate the finding that disorientation results in a decrease in the precision of people's estimates of relative directions. In contrast to the typical interpretation of this effect as indicating the primacy of a transient spatial system, the present results are generally more consistent with an interpretation of it as indicating a switch from a relatively precise online representation to a relatively coarse enduring one. Further experiments examine the relative precision of transient and enduring representations and show that switching between them does not require disorientation, but can also be produced by self-rotations as small as 135°. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Four experiments required participants to keep track of the locations of (i.e., update) 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, or 15 target objects after rotating. Across all conditions, updating was unaffected by set size. Although some traditional set size effects (i.e., a linear increase of latency with memory load) were observed under some conditions, these effects were independent of the updating process. Patterns of data and participant strategies were inconsistent with the common view of spatial updating as an online process. Instead, the authors concluded that participants formed enduring, long-term memory representations of the layouts at learning that were used to reconstruct spatial information about the layouts as needed (i.e., offline updating). These results support M. Amorim, S. Glasauer, K. Corpinot, and A. Berthoz's (1997) 2-system model of spatial updating that includes both online and offline updating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]