Alignment Issues Research Articles

A molecular dynamics study of short-chain ordering in crystalline LiPF6·PEO6

Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations have been made of the crystalline short-chain LiPF6·PEO6 system to probe structural ordering for different chain-end arrangements for a methyl-terminated monodisperse poly(ethylene oxide) (EO23Mw=1059) host polymer. Five different start structures have been studied, two “smectic” and three “nematic”, to represent different types of relative alignment of the end-groups between adjacent PEO chains, and different chain-end coordination situations to the Li-ions. One particular situation is found to result effectively in Li-ion bridging between PEO chains along the chain axes, thereby creating continuous ion transport pathways across the chain breaks. This situation is also found to give rise to Li+–PF6− ion-pairing and Li–O coordination instabilities in the end-group regions, where coordination to Li-ions would appear to have a more radical influence on local structure than the issue of smectic vs. nematic end-group alignment. It could be that such structural situations involving bridging Li-ions (in both smectic and nematic arrangements) are a necessary condition for the promotion of Li-ion transport in the chain direction. Comparison of simulated and experimental XRD profiles is concluded to be an inappropriately crude and uncertain technique for distinguishing between possible short-chain ordering models.

Market Orientation: An Iterative Process of Customer and Market Engagement

ABSTRACT Research Purpose. The objective of this research was to examine market orientation in organisations that deliver manufacturing-based services to both client organisations and their customers. Research Approach. The case study research method employed three data collection methods: in-depth, semi-structured interviews, document analysis and physical artefact analysis. Embedded study units comprising groups of different stakeholders with distinctly different perspectives provided a basis for replication logic to enhance validity of the findings. Findings. The research revealed that a firm's transition toward a market-oriented state is progressive. At a given point in time, a firm may be adjusting to its markets intuitively or cognitively; market responsiveness may be occurring in specific pockets of the firm, or as an enterprise-wide strategy; and some of the conditions specified may be met, some may be partly met and others may remain to be addressed in the future. A specific customer focus was important to the conceptualisation of market orientation in the case organisation. Research Implications. Key implications of the research are as follows: • In conceptualising market orientation as a process as opposed to an ideal state, important issues of structural and policy alignment and senior executive vision and drive are revealed; • in addition to customer and competitor orientations and intra-organisational co-ordination, other dimensions of a market orientation revealed in the research context are a customer focus and a new knowledge orientation; and • both inter- and intra-organisational co-ordination facilitate the development of market driven and market driving customer value. Practical Implications. While the senior executives were aware of the significant performance benefits to be achieved through a national, market-oriented vision, the lack of a co-ordinated plan to achieve cultural change resulted in incremental achievements towards the vision. One key factor inhibiting the envisioned cultural change was the power base of those within the organisation who perceived that a national, market focus would eliminate local autonomy. Specific policy was required to align rewards with required behavioural change. Contribution. This research provides a unique perspective of market orientation as process of organisational development directed towards aligning the organisation with its served markets. Intervention strategies and incremental changes attempted to achieve a national market perspective, highlight the importance of aligning structure, human resource management strategy, top management commitment and leadership drive in achieving such a cultural change.

Recent Advances in Fluorescence Cross-correlation Spectroscopy

Fluorescence cross-correlation spectroscopy (FCCS) is a method that measures the temporal fluorescence fluctuations coming from two differently labeled molecules diffusing through a small sample volume. Cross-correlation analysis of the fluorescence signals from separate detection channels extracts information of the dynamics of the dual-labeled molecules. FCCS has become an essential tool for the characterization of diffusion coefficients, binding constants, kinetic rates of binding, and determining molecular interactions in solutions and cells. By cross-correlating between two focal spots, flow properties could also be measured. Recent developments in FCCS have been targeted at using different experimental schemes to improve on the sensitivity and address their limitations such as cross-talk and alignment issues. This review presents an overview of the different excitation and detection methodologies used in FCCS and their biological applications. This is followed by a description of the fluorescent probes currently available for the different methods. This will introduce biological readers to FCCS and its related techniques and provide a starting point to selecting which experimental scheme is suitable for their type of biological study.

Synthesis of Lumped Transmission-Line Analogs

Transmission lines and their lumped approximating networks have long been incorporated into radio-frequency power amplifiers to improve efficiency and shape circuit waveforms and are beginning to perform a similar roles in high-frequency switched-mode power electronics. Though lumped line-simulating networks are often preferred to their distributed exemplars for reasons of design flexibility and manufacturability, the impedance peaks and nulls of such lumped networks must be aligned in a precise, harmonic manner to minimize loss and symmetrize converter waveforms. This paper addresses the issue of harmonic frequency alignment in line-simulating networks, presenting new analytic results for predicting the impedance-minimum and impedance-maximum frequencies of networks in a ladder form. Two means of correcting for the observed harmonic misalignment in practical structures will be presented, corroborated by measurements of laminar structures built into the thickness of printed-circuit boards. These structures comprise inductances and capacitances whose dimensions are largely decoupled, such that the simulated line can be accurately analyzed and designed on a lumped basis. The presented techniques will be placed within a power-electronics setting by a representative application incorporating a lumped, line-simulating network.

How the Sino-Russian boundary conflict was finally settled

ABSTRACT A territorial dispute deriving from nineteenth-century treaties imposed on China by an ascendant Russia became an integral element of the falling-out between the two great communist powers, the USSR and the People's Republic of China, in the second half of the twentieth century. That dispute, which came to be concentrated on the issue of the exact boundary alignment within the Amur and Ussuri Rivers, was made more intractable by the ideological estrangement between Moscow and Beijing. The dispute, in turn, fed back to embitter that estrangement. Contradictory interpretations of the nineteenth-century treaties taken by the two sides were compounded by their different approaches to the problem of boundary settlement: Beijing sought settlement on the basis of compromise, but insisted that could be achieved only through full renegotiation. Moscow read into Beijing's approach covert irredentism, refused to negotiate, and exerted military force to impose its own interpretation of the treaties. China resisted, meeting force with force, and in the 1969 clashes on the Ussuri River prevailed, bringing the conflict to the brink of all-out war. In 1986 Moscow broke a protracted deadlock by reversing its approach and agreeing to negotiate. By 2005 the full extent of the Sino-Russian boundary had been agreed and legitimized in new treaties.

WE‐C‐L100J‐04: The Solid State X‐Ray Image Intensifier (SSXII): A Next‐Generation High‐Resolution Fluoroscopic Detector System

Purpose: Present the design for the new SSXII high‐resolution fluoroscope capable of overcoming lag, noise, and resolution limitations of current flat‐panel devices (FPDs). Method and Materials: The SSXII consists of an array of modules each featuring an electron multiplying (EM) CCD which views a structured phosphor through a fiber‐optic taper (FOT). The EMCCD operates like a standard frame‐transfer CCD; however, an additional row of multiplication elements enables on‐chip signal gains up to 2000X to overcome subsequent instrumentation‐noise degradation. The SSXII therefore has quantum‐limited performance at both fluoroscopic exposures with moderate gain, and radiographic exposures with low gain. The SSXII array design, through pixel binning and module selection, will enable rapid sequence and fluoroscopic imaging for either the full field‐of‐view (FOV) or high‐resolution regions‐of‐interest (ROIs). Results: A SSXII module was assembled with direct fiber‐optic coupling of the 350 micron thick CsI(Tl) phosphor and the EMCCD (Texas Instruments TC285SPD chip with 1004×1002 pixels). Operation at fluoroscopic and angiographic exposure levels was verified experimentally for gains of ∼80X and 1X, respectively, demonstrating sequences of a moving stent with no lag and bar‐pattern resolution up to 20 1p/mm with a 1:1 FOT. An array of four modules each with 6:1 FOTs will have an effective pixel size of 48 microns covering a FOV of 10×10 cm, sufficient for region‐of‐interest and neurovascular imaging. Larger arrays may be constructed to satisfy both cardiac imaging and general fluoroscopic applications. Module alignment, digital stitching, and distortion correction issues are being addressed. Conclusion: When assembled in an array of sufficient size, the new SSXII can be used in the same applications as current FPD's with advantages of high frame rates with no lag, high resolution due to the smaller pixels possible, and low‐effective‐noise, quantum‐limited fluoroscopic performance due to the on‐chip gain.(Support: UB Foundation, NIH grants R01‐EB002873, R01‐NS43924).

P‐112: Low Driving Voltage with Clean Aligned Ferroelectric Liquid Crystal Devices

AbstractLow driving voltage FLC material, R3206 with Vsat. at 3.5V (AZ Electronic Materials), and its mixtures were under evaluation for potential TFT display application. Poor alignment issue was overcome by the diluted pitch mixtures and asymmetric hybrid alignment cells. In the series of diluted pitch mixtures, the contrast and alignment are better than pure compound in pre‐made cells (1.8±0.1μm, from EHC). In particular, the 70% R3206 mixture showed the best result with low driving voltage below 5V and fast response time (T on +T off) under 1.1 ms. The hybrid alignment cell was successfully suppressed horizontal chevron defects and achieved the best contrast ratio of 750. These results provide promising FLC materials with low driving voltage, well aligned, and fast switching for TFT‐LCD application.

Culture and commitment: the key to the creation of an action learning organization

This article examines the introduction and practice of action learning into a highly volatile, commercial environment. During nine years of action learning projects, the impact on individuals, the action learning sets into which they were formed, the organization and its structure and the organizational culture were evaluated. The article demonstrates the potential benefits of action learning over other process improvement initiatives provided the issues of cultural alignment (of a program with an organization) and management commitment are addressed.

Acquisition and voxelwise analysis of multi-subject diffusion data with Tract-Based Spatial Statistics

There is much interest in using magnetic resonance diffusion imaging to provide information on anatomical connectivity in the brain by measuring the diffusion of water in white matter tracts. Among the measures, the most commonly derived from diffusion data is fractional anisotropy (FA), which quantifies local tract directionality and integrity. Many multi-subject imaging studies are using FA images to localize brain changes related to development, degeneration and disease. In a recent paper, we presented a new approach, tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS), which aims to solve crucial issues of cross-subject data alignment, allowing localized cross-subject statistical analysis. This works by transforming the data from the centers of the tracts that are consistent across a study's subjects into a common space. In this protocol, we describe the MRI data acquisition and analysis protocols required for TBSS studies of localized change in brain connectivity across multiple subjects.

Doughnut Like Beam Generation by a W-Axicon Resonator with Variable Geometry

The generation of an arbitrary order of Laguerre-Gaussian (LG) beams by means of a w-axicon optical resonator is demonstrated. By sliding the inner cone of the variable w-axicon, any one of the LG0±l modes can be selected on a real-time basis, which results in the generation of doughnut like beams with an arbitrary central-dark-spot diameter. Alignment issues of the developed resonator are discussed.

A comparison of algorithms for the identification of specimens using DNA barcodes: examples from gymnosperms.

In order to use DNA sequences for specimen identification (e.g., barcoding, fingerprinting) an algorithm to compare query sequences with a reference database is needed. Precision and accuracy of query sequence identification was estimated for hierarchical clustering (parsimony and neighbor joining), similarity methods (BLAST, BLAT and megaBLAST), combined clustering/similarity methods (BLAST/parsimony and BLAST/neighbor joining), diagnostic methods (DNA-BAR and DOME ID), and a new method (ATIM). We offer two novel alignment-free algorithmic solutions (DOME ID and ATIM) to identify query sequences for the purposes of DNA barcoding. Publicly available gymnosperm nrITS 2 and plastid matK sequences were used as test data sets. On the test data sets, almost all of the methods were able to accurately identify sequences to genus; however, no method was able to accurately identify query sequences to species at a frequency that would be considered useful for routine specimen identification (42-71% unambiguously correct). Clustering methods performed the worst (perhaps due to alignment issues). Similarity methods, ATIM, DNA-BAR, and DOME ID all performed at approximately the same level. Given the relative precision of the algorithms (median = 67% unambiguous), the low accuracy of species-level identification observed could be ascribed to the lack of correspondence between patterns of allelic similarity and species delimitations. Application of DNA barcoding to sequences of CITES listed cycads (Cycadopsida) provides an example of the potential application of DNA barcoding to enforcement of conservation laws.

Manufacturing method for the fabrication of sub-50 nm current-perpendicular-to-plane spin valve sensors

A manufacturing method is developed for the fabrication of sub-50nm current-perpendicular-to-plane (CPP) spin valve sensors. A feature size reduction process is used to reduce the feature size from above 100nm, which is determined by lithography process, to sub-50nm. The approach is to use the isotropic wet etch of a hard mask to reduce its transverse dimension and transfer the reduced dimension to CPP sensors by a subsequent etch process. In this approach, the sensor size is controlled by the wet etch, which can, in principle, be reduced to several nanometers. For CPP sensor fabrication, resist flattening and etch back processes are developed to avoid the alignment issues for the opening of sensor contacts. Using this approach, CPP sensors with sub-50nm track width have been fabricated. Magnetoresistance measurement shows that the sensor has a reasonable performance.

Data acquisition, monitoring and control for the RICH detectors of LHCb

The Ring Imaging Cherenkov detectors of the LHCb experiment will offer a powerful tool for particle identification in the momentum range from 1 to ∼ 100 GeV / c . In order to achieve this, a thorough commissioning phase has now started spanning photon detector integration to offline alignment procedures. This paper will focus on alignment, detector monitoring and control issues, as well as data quality tests. The operation of the photon detectors, readout chain and data acquisition in the experimental environment will be covered.

High‐resolution fMRI investigation of the medial temporal lobe

The medial temporal lobe (MTL) is critical for declarative memory formation. Several theories of MTL function propose functional distinctions between the different structures of the MTL, namely the hippocampus and the surrounding cortical areas. Furthermore, computational models and electrophysiological studies in animals suggest distinctions between the subregions of the hippocampus itself. Standard fMRI resolution is not sufficiently fine to resolve activity on the scale of hippocampal subregions. Several approaches to scanning the MTL at high resolutions have been made, however there are limitations to these approaches, namely difficulty in conducting group-level analyses. We demonstrate here techniques for scanning the MTL at high resolution and analyzing the high-resolution fMRI data at the group level. To address the issue of cross-participant alignment, we employ the ROI-LDDMM alignment technique, which is demonstrated to result in smaller alignment errors when compared with several other common normalization techniques. Finally, we demonstrate that the pattern of activation obtained in the high-resolution functional data is similar to that obtained at lower resolution, although the spatial extent is smaller and the percent signal change is greater. This difference in the pattern of activation may be due to less partial volume sampling in the high-resolution data, resulting in more accentuated regions of activation.

Impacts of misalignment in the ATLAS Muon Spectrometer on the measured Z-Boson resonance

The study of the Z Boson and its decay into two muons at ATLAS provides several interesting aspects. Since the mass and the width of the Z-Boson is known to a very high precision from LEP experiments, Z decays can be used for precision tests of the detector, in particular for alignment issues. Various effects of misalignments in the ATLAS Muon Spectrometer on the reconstructed Z-Boson resonance are discussed. Moreover, the impacts on the precision of muon momentum reconstruction were studied.

PEPPeR, a Platform for Experimental Proteomic Pattern Recognition

Quantitative proteomics holds considerable promise for elucidation of basic biology and for clinical biomarker discovery. However, it has been difficult to fulfill this promise due to over-reliance on identification-based quantitative methods and problems associated with chromatographic separation reproducibility. Here we describe new algorithms termed "Landmark Matching" and "Peak Matching" that greatly reduce these problems. Landmark Matching performs time base-independent propagation of peptide identities onto accurate mass LC-MS features in a way that leverages historical data derived from disparate data acquisition strategies. Peak Matching builds upon Landmark Matching by recognizing identical molecular species across multiple LC-MS experiments in an identity-independent fashion by clustering. We have bundled these algorithms together with other algorithms, data acquisition strategies, and experimental designs to create a Platform for Experimental Proteomic Pattern Recognition (PEPPeR). These developments enable use of established statistical tools previously limited to microarray analysis for treatment of proteomics data. We demonstrate that the proposed platform can be calibrated across 2.5 orders of magnitude and can perform robust quantification of ratios in both simple and complex mixtures with good precision and error characteristics across multiple sample preparations. We also demonstrate de novo marker discovery based on statistical significance of unidentified accurate mass components that changed between two mixtures. These markers were subsequently identified by accurate mass-driven MS/MS acquisition and demonstrated to be contaminant proteins associated with known proteins whose concentrations were designed to change between the two mixtures. These results have provided a real world validation of the platform for marker discovery.

Child Outcome Measures in the Study of Child Care Quality

This article assesses whether there are methodological problems with child outcome measures that may contribute to the small associations between child care quality and child outcomes found in the literature. Outcome measures used in 65 studies of child care quality published between 1979 and December 2005 were examined, taking the previous review by Vandell and Wolfe (2000) as the starting point. Serious methodological problems were not pervasive for child outcome measures. However, methodological concerns were most prevalent among measures of socioemotional development. Furthermore, psychometric information on outcome measures was often missing from published reports, and health outcomes and approaches to learning were infrequently studied. Future research should address alignment issues between aspects of quality and the specific child outcomes chosen for study.

Studies of silicon photodetectors for scintillator-based Hadron Calorimetry at the International Linear Collider

We present results on the operation and performance characteristics of the Metal/Resistor/Semiconductor (MRS) photodiode. These include measurements of threshold characteristics, noise frequency, dependence of signal amplitude on the applied voltage and temperature, and stability as a function of time and radiation dose. The single photoelectron separation for this photosensor is demonstrated with a light-emitting diode. The response of the photodetector to light produced in scintillator is studied with cosmic ray muons and a 106Ru source. In addition, fiber-sensor alignment issues were evaluated. The results are promising and illustrate the potential use of MRS as photosensors in high energy physics detectors.

Quantitative pharmacophore models with inductive logic programming

Three-dimensional models, or pharmacophores, describing Euclidean constraints on the location on small molecules of functional groups (like hydrophobic groups, hydrogen acceptors and donors, etc.), are often used in drug design to describe the medicinal activity of potential drugs (or ‘ligands’). This medicinal activity is produced by interaction of the functional groups on the ligand with a binding site on a target protein. In identifying structure-activity relations of this kind there are three principal issues: (1) It is often difficult to “align” the ligands in order to identify common structural properties that may be responsible for activity; (2) Ligands in solution can adopt different shapes (or `conformations’) arising from torsional rotations about bonds. The 3-D molecular substructure is typically sought on one or more low-energy conformers; and (3) Pharmacophore models must, ideally, predict medicinal activity on some quantitative scale. It has been shown that the logical representation adopted by Inductive Logic Programming (ILP) naturally resolves many of the difficulties associated with the alignment and multi-conformation issues. However, the predictions of models constructed by ILP have hitherto only been nominal, predicting medicinal activity to be present or absent. In this paper, we investigate the construction of two kinds of quantitative pharmacophoric models with ILP: (a) Models that predict the probability that a ligand is “active”; and (b) Models that predict the actual medicinal activity of a ligand. Quantitative predictions are obtained by the utilising the following statistical procedures as background knowledge: logistic regression and naive Bayes, for probability prediction; linear and kernel regression, for activity prediction. The multi-conformation issue and, more generally, the relational representation used by ILP results in some special difficulties in the use of any statistical procedure. We present the principal issues and some solutions. Specifically, using data on the inhibition of the protease Thermolysin, we demonstrate that it is possible for an ILP program to construct good quantitative structure-activity models. We also comment on the relationship of this work to other recent developments in statistical relational learning.

Purple America

America, we are told, is a nation divided. The cartographers who draw up the maps of U.S. election results have branded a new division in American politics: Republican red versus Democratic blue. What is the source of this division? Most observers point not to the bread-and-butter economic issues of the New Deal alignment but to a “culture war.” In this paper, we draw on data from three decades of survey research to see how the electorate divides along economic and moral issues. While showing that moral values are not irrelevant, the survey data roundly reject the basic claims of the culture war thesis: that voters are polarized over moral issues, and this division maps onto important demographic categories like religious affiliation; that moral issues have more salience or weight in the minds of voters than economic issues; and that this division accounts for red and blue cartography (because red-state voters are moral conservatives who vote on moral issues without regard for their economic interests or preferences.) We put issue cleavages and electoral maps into historical perspective and demonstrate that over the course of the twentieth century there has been a noteworthy political convergence between the states. Compared to the past, the political geography of the United States today is purple.