73 research outputs found
Development of Novel Density Functionals for Thermochemical Kinetics
A new density functional theory (DFT) exchange-correlation functional for the
exploration of reaction mechanisms is proposed. This new functional, denoted
BMK (Boese-Martin for Kinetics), has an accuracy in the 2 kcal/mol range for
transition state barriers but, unlike previous attempts at such a functional,
this improved accuracy does not come at the expense of equilibrium properties.
This makes it a general-purpose functional whose domain of applicability has
been extended to transition states, rather than a specialized functional for
kinetics. The improvement in BMK rests on the inclusion of the kinetic energy
density together with a large value of the exact exchange mixing coefficient.
For this functional, the kinetic energy density appears to correct `back' the
excess exact exchange mixing for ground-state properties, possibly simulating
variable exchange.Comment: J. Chem. Phys., in press (303431JCP, scheduled for August 15, 2004
issue); supplementary data available at
http://theochem.weizmann.ac.il/web/papers/BMK.htm
From ab initio quantum chemistry to molecular dynamics: The delicate case of hydrogen bonding in ammonia
The ammonia dimer (NH3)2 has been investigated using high--level ab initio
quantum chemistry methods and density functional theory (DFT). The structure
and energetics of important isomers is obtained to unprecedented accuracy
without resorting to experiment. The global minimum of eclipsed C_s symmetry is
characterized by a significantly bent hydrogen bond which deviates from
linearity by about 20 degrees. In addition, the so-called cyclic C_{2h}
structure is extremely close in energy on an overall flat potential energy
surface. It is demonstrated that none of the currently available (GGA,
meta--GGA, and hybrid) density functionals satisfactorily describe the
structure and relative energies of this nonlinear hydrogen bond. We present a
novel density functional, HCTH/407+, designed to describe this sort of hydrogen
bond quantitatively on the level of the dimer, contrary to e.g. the widely used
BLYP functional. This improved functional is employed in Car-Parrinello ab
initio molecular dynamics simulations of liquid ammonia to judge its
performance in describing the associated liquid. Both the HCTH/407+ and BLYP
functionals describe the properties of the liquid well as judged by analysis of
radial distribution functions, hydrogen bonding structure and dynamics,
translational diffusion, and orientational relaxation processes. It is
demonstrated that the solvation shell of the ammonia molecule in the liquid
phase is dominated by steric packing effects and not so much by directional
hydrogen bonding interactions. In addition, the propensity of ammonia molecules
to form bifurcated and multifurcated hydrogen bonds in the liquid phase is
found to be negligibly small.Comment: Journal of Chemical Physics, in press (305335JCP
Anharmonic force fields of perchloric acid, HClO, and perchloric anhydride, ClO. An extreme case of inner polarization
DFT (density functional theory) anharmonic force fields with basis sets near
the Kohn-Sham limit have been obtained for perchloric acid, HClO, and
perchloric anhydride, ClO. Calculated fundamental frequencies are in
very good agreement with available experimental data. Some reassignments in the
vibrational spectra of ClO are proposed based on our calculations.
HClO and ClO are particularly severe examples of the `inner
polarization' phenomenon. The polarization consistent basis sets pc-1 and pc-2
(as well as their augmented counterparts) should be supplemented with two
(preferably three) and one (preferably two) high-exponent functions,
respectively, on second-row atoms. Complete anharmonic force fields are
available as electronic supporting information.Comment: J. Mol. Struct., in press (special issue); Electronic Supporting
Information at http://theochem.weizmann.ac.il/web/papers/Cl2O7.htm
TKA following high tibial osteotomy versus primary TKA - a matched pair analysis
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>High tibial osteotomy (HTO) is a well established technique for the treatment of medial osteoarthritis of the knee with varus malalignment. Results of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) after previous HTO are still discussed controversially. The aim of this study was to elucidate the clinical and radiological results as well as perioperative data of prior HTO on TKA.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Forty-one TKA after HTO were compared to 41 primary TKA at minimum of six years follow-up. Patients were matched according to age, gender, follow-up, etiology, and prosthetic design. Surgical data and complications were evaluated. Clinical outcome was assessed using a number of clinical scores and the visual analogue scale (VAS) for pain. X-rays were evaluated by the method of the American Knee Society. The patellar position was measured by the Insall-Salvati ratio.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>There was no significant difference in mean operation time (p = 0.47) and complication rate (p = 0.08). The Knee Score of the KSS (p = 0.0007) and the ROM (p = 0.006 for extension and p = 0.004 for flexion, respectively) were significantly better in the control group. Mid-term results of the VAS, WOMAC, Lequesne, UCLA, Feller's Patellar Score and SF-36 showed no significant difference. Femoral and tibial component alignment were similar in both groups. One tibial component showed suspect radiolucencies in the HTO group. The Insall-Salvati ratio showed three patients with patella alta and one patient with patella baja in the HTO group. At latest follow-up all implants were still in place.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Evaluating the clinical and radiological outcome, significant differences were only detected for range of motion and the Knee Score of the KSS. The present study suggests that the results of TKA with and without prior HTO are mainly identical. Although patients with a previous HTO had more complications, no statistically significant differences were noted with this group size.</p
Comment on: "Estimating the Hartree-Fock limit from finite basis set calculations" [Jensen F (2005) Theor Chem Acc 113:267]
We demonstrate that a minor modification of the extrapolation proposed by
Jensen [(2005): Theor Chem Acc 113:267] yields very reliable estimates of the
Hartree-Fock limit in conjunction with correlation consistent basis sets.
Specifically, a two-point extrapolation of the form
yields HF limits
with an RMS error of 0.1 millihartree using aug-cc-pVQZ and
aug-cc-pV5Z basis sets, and of 0.01 millihartree using aug-cc-pV5Z and
aug-cc-pV6Z basis sets.Comment: Theoretical Chemistry Accounts, in pres
Heats of formation of perchloric acid, HClO, and perchloric anhydride, ClO. Probing the limits of W1 and W2 theory
The heats of formation of HClO and ClO have been determined to
chemical accuracy for the first time by means of W1 and W2 theory. These
molecules exhibit particularly severe degrees of inner polarization, and as
such obtaining a basis-set limit SCF component to the total atomization energy
becomes a challenge. (Adding high-exponent functions to a standard
basis set has an effect on the order of 100 kcal/mol for ClO.) Wilson's
aug-cc-pV(n+d)Z basis sets represent a dramatic improvement over the standard
aug-cc-pVnZ basis sets, while the aug-cc-pVnZ+2d1f sequence converges still
more rapidly. Jensen's polarization consistent basis sets still require
additional high-exponent functions: for smooth convergence we suggest the
\{aug-pc1+3d,aug-pc2+2d,aug-pc3+d,aug-pc4\} sequence. The role of the tight
functions is shown to be an improved description of the Cl (3d) Rydberg
orbital, enhancing its ability to receive back-bonding from the oxygen lone
pairs. In problematic cases like this (or indeed in general), a single
SCF/aug-cc-pV6Z+2d1f calculation may be preferable over empirically motivated
extrapolations. Our best estimate heats of formation are HClO(g)1 kcal/mol and ClO(g)2 kcal/mol, the largest source of
uncertainty being our inability to account for post-CCSD(T) correlation
effects. While G2 and G3 theory have fairly large errors, G3X theory reproduces
both values to within 2 kcal/mol.Comment: J. Mol. Struct. (THEOCHEM), in press (WATOC'05 special issue
Guideline adherence in the use of coronary angiography in patients presenting at the emergency department without myocardial infarction – results from the German ENLIGHT-KHK project
Background
For patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI), direct coronary angiography (CA) is recommended, while for non-AMI patients, the diagnostic work-up depends on clinical criteria. This analysis provides initial prospective German data for the degree of guideline-adherence (GL) in the use of CA on non-AMI patients presenting at the emergency department (ED) with suspected acute coronary syndrome (ACS) according to the 2015 ESC-ACS-GL. Furthermore the implications of the application of the 2020 ESC-ACS-GL recommendations were evaluated.
Methods
Patient symptoms were identified using a standardized questionnaire; medical history and diagnostic work-up were acquired from health records. In accordance with the 2015 ESC-ACS-GL, CA was considered GL-adherent if intermediate risk criteria (IRC) were present or non-invasive, image-guided testing (NIGT) was pathological.
Results
Between January 2019 and August 2021, 229 patients were recruited across seven centers. Patients presented with chest pain, dyspnea, and other symptoms in 66.7%, 16.2% and 17.1%, respectively, were in mean 66.3 ± 10.5 years old, and 36.3% were female. In accordance with the 2015 ESC-ACS-GL, the use of CA was GL-adherent for 64.0% of the patients. GL-adherent compared to non-adherent use of CA resulted in revascularization more often (44.5% vs. 17.1%, p < 0.001). Applying the 2020 ESC-ACS-GL, 20.4% of CA would remain GL-adherent.
Conclusions
In the majority of cases, the use of CA was adherent to the 2015 ESC-ACS-GL. With regard to the 2020 and 2023 ESC-ACS-GL, efforts to expand the utilization of NIGT are crucial, especially as GL-adherent use of CA is more likely to result in revascularization
Model-Based Fusion of Multi-Modal Volumetric Images: Application to Transcatheter Valve Procedures
Abstract. Minimal invasive procedures such as transcatheter valve interventions are substituting conventional surgical techniques. Thus, novel operating rooms have been designed to augment traditional surgical equipment with advanced imaging systems to guide the procedures. We propose a novel method to fuse pre-operative and intra-operative information by jointly estimating anatomical models from multiple image modalities. Thereby high-quality patient-specific models are integrated into the imaging environment of operating rooms to guide cardiac interventions. Robust and fast machine learning techniques are utilized to guide the estimation process. Our method integrates both the redundant and complementary multimodal information to achieve a comprehensive modeling and simultaneously reduce the estimation uncertainty. Experiments performed on 28 patients with pairs of multimodal volumetric data are used to demonstrate high quality intra-operative patient-specific modeling of the aortic valve with a precision of 1.09mm in TEE and 1.73mm in 3D C-arm CT. Within a processing time of 10 seconds we additionally obtain model sensitive mapping between the pre-and intraoperative images
A new challenge for meteorological measurements: The meteoMet project-Metrology for meteorology
Climate change and its consequences require immediate actions in order to safeguard the environment and economy in Europe and in the rest of world. Aiming to enhance data reliability and reduce uncertainties in climate observations, a joint research project called MeteoMet-Metrology for Meteorology started in October 2011 coordinated by the Italian Istituto Nazionale di Ricerca Metrologica (INRiM). The project is focused on the traceability of measurements involved in climate change: surface and upper air measurements of temperature, pressure, humidity, wind speed and direction, solar irradiance and reciprocal influences between measurands. This project will provide the first definition at the European level of validated climate parameters with associated uncertainty budgets and novel criteria for interpretation of historical data series. The big challenge is the propagation of a metrological measurement perspective to meteorological observations. When such an approach will be adopted the requirement of reliable data and robust datasets over wide scales and long terms could be better met. © 2013 AIP Publishing LLC
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