cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Negative stiffness structures for energy efficient MEM switches

Micro-electro-mechanical (MEM) switches show promise for ultra-low-power computing since they can operate with negligible subthreshold leakage current. A principal challenge for MEM switch design is to achieve low pull-in voltage (V pi ) for low-power device operation. Usually this requires low structural stiffness (k), small as-fabricated actuation gap thickness (g), and large actuation area (A). However, assuming the difference between the actuation gap and contact gap is small, such a design has low spring restoring energy (∼0.5kg2) and hence is susceptible to stiction-induced failure. To alleviate this challenge, we propose, simulate and analytically model a new MEM actuator design that incorporates a structure with negative stiffness, that is, a buckling fixed-fixed beam. Prior work has leveraged residual stress (σ o ) in thin films to create buckled structures for memory devices, pressure sensors, and microactuators [1]-[3]. A compensated spring system that combines a negative stiffness spring with a positive stiffness spring to lower the actuation force has been proposed and demonstrated in large-scale vibration isolators [4]-[6]. However, to the authors' knowledge this method has not yet been applied to MEM switches.
High-Resolution Protein Separation and Identification Methods Applicable to Virology**

The location, molecular structure, and stage of assembly of viruses and viral components in cells, tissues, and body fluids at various times after infection are important for the understanding of viral diseases. It is equally important to examine in detail the morphological, structural, and molecular alterations occurring in native cell constituents after viral infection.
A comparative study of continuum damage models for crack propagation under gross yielding

In this paper, the problem of fracture initiation in an aluminum alloy thin plate containing a central crack is examined by employing several phenomenological continuum damage mechanics models. These models differ mainly in the selection of the kind of tensorial property the damage variable assumes, the nature of the equivalence postulate between damaged and pseudo undamaged material states, and the way damage evolution laws are formulated. Two formulations of damage effect tensor based on the engineering notation and the normative notation of stress and strain, respectively, are compared. In addition, the hypothesis of strain equivalence is compared to that of stress working equivalence. The error in the assumption of isotropic damage development in the crack tip process zone is also checked against that of anisotropic damage. In the numerical algorithm, both updated Lagrangian formulation and small displacement formulation of material non-linearity only are adopted and compared. The influence of non-proportionality in stress histories present in the crack tip region is accounted for by introducing a dynamic coordinate system of principal damage such that the principal direction of damage rotates in accordance with that of the loading. The calculated fracture initiation loads are finally compared with those determined experimentally.
P50 determinations: techniques and clinical importance.

The oxyhemoglobin dissociation curve demonstrates the relationship between the partial pressure of oxygen and the percent hemoglobin carrying oxygen. The decrease in this percentage as blood passes from the arterial to venous side of tissue is indicative of the amount of oxygen delivered to that tissue. The four controlling factors governing oxygen delivery to tissue are: oxyhemoglobin concentration, blood flow, tissue PO2 and hemoglobin affinity for oxygen.1 If the affinity of hemoglobin increases, then compensation must occur or there will be a corresponding decrease in oxygen delivery to the tissue. The forms of compensation are increased blood flow (cardiac output), increased oxyhemoglobin concentration or decreased tissue PO2.1 P50 is the PO2 at which hemoglobin is 50% saturated with oxygen. It’s value defines relative changes in oxygen-hemoglobin affinity. To test the hypothesis that decreases in P50 are potentially harmful to an acutely ill individual, we developed procedures for rapidly and easily determining P50.
Ovarian follicle growth, maturation, and ovulation in teleost fish

Knowledge of ovarian follicle growth, maturation, and ovulation in teleosts is important to many aspects of basic and biomedical research, fisheries management, aquaculture, and environmental science. Follicle growth includes previtellogenic and vitellogenic stages. Although little progress has been made in our understanding of previtellogenic development, information on the regulation and mechanisms of vitellogenic growth has increased substantially in recent years. This new information pertains to the multiplicity of vitellogenin (Vg) genes, the oocyte Vg receptor, Vg processing enzymes (cathepsins) and their specific yolk products, and synthesis of various vitelline envelope precursor proteins in liver and ovary. Oocyte acquisition of lipids from sources other than Vg dominates follicle growth in many teleosts, especially perciformes, yet our understanding of the basic processes involved remains rudimentary. Considerable advances also have been made in our understanding of the endocrine regulation and mechanisms of ovarian follicle maturation. We have learned that ovarian follicle maturation involves a number of events including luteinizing hormone (LH)-dependent acquisition of oocyte maturational competence, LH induction of maturation-inducing hormone (MIH) synthesis, and MIH-dependent meiotic resumption (nuclear maturation) and cytoplasmic maturation. While much has been learned about mechanisms of maturational competence, MIH synthesis and meiotic resumption, our knowledge of cytoplasmic maturation is limited to descriptions of MIH-dependent yolk protein hydrolysis and associated oocyte hydration in a few species. It has become apparent that ovulation requires genomic activation regulated by nuclear MIH receptors, but the transduction pathways for the ovulatory MIH signal appear to be complex and are poorly understood.
Compiling KB-sized machine learning models to tiny IoT devices

Recent advances in machine learning (ML) have produced KiloByte-size models that can directly run on constrained IoT devices. This approach avoids expensive communication between IoT devices and the cloud, thereby enabling energy-efficient real-time analytics. However, ML models are expressed typically in floating-point, and IoT hardware typically does not support floating-point. Therefore, running these models on IoT devices requires simulating IEEE-754 floating-point using software, which is very inefficient. We present SeeDot, a domain-specific language to express ML inference algorithms and a compiler that compiles SeeDot programs to fixed-point code that can efficiently run on constrained IoT devices. We propose 1) a novel compilation strategy that reduces the search space for some key parameters used in the fixed-point code, and 2) new efficient implementations of expensive operations. SeeDot compiles state-of-the-art KB-sized models to various microcontrollers and low-end FPGAs. We show that SeeDot outperforms 1) software emulation of floating-point (Arduino), 2) high-bitwidth fixed-point (MATLAB), 3) post-training quantization (TensorFlow-Lite), and 4) floating- and fixed-point FPGA implementations generated using high-level synthesis tools.
Solid-state polymer electrolytes with in-built fast interfacial transport for secondary lithium batteries

Solid-state electrolytes with high room-temperature ionic conductivity and fast interfacial charge transport are a requirement for practical solid-state batteries. Here, we report that cationic aluminium species initiate ring-opening polymerization of molecular ethers inside an electrochemical cell to produce solid-state polymer electrolytes (SPEs), which retain conformal interfacial contact with all cell components. SPEs exhibit high ionic conductivity at room temperature (>1 mS cm−1), low interfacial resistances, uniform lithium deposition and high Li plating/striping efficiencies (>98% after 300 charge–discharge cycles). Applications of SPEs in Li–S, Li–LiFePO4 and Li–LiNi0.6Mn0.2Co0.2O2 batteries further demonstrate that high Coulombic efficiency (>99%) and long life (>700 cycles) can be achieved with an in situ SPE design. Our study therefore provides a promising direction for creating solid electrolytes that meet both the bulk and interfacial conductivity requirements for practical solid polymer batteries. High-performance polymer electrolytes are highly sought after in the development of solid-state batteries. Lynden Archer and co-workers report an in situ polymerization of liquid electrolytes in a lithium battery for creating promising polymer electrolytes with high ionic conductivity and low interfacial resistance.
Abstract 528: Correlation Between Expression Level of Platelet Endothelial Aggregation Receptor 1 and On-aspirin Platelet Aggregation

Background: Aspirin is a basilar support in coronary heart disease secondary prevention, patients with high platelet aggregation during aspirin therapy after percutaneous coronary intervention(PCI)...
Optimal Bayesian Transfer Learning for Count Data

There is often a limited amount of omics data to design predictive models in biomedicine. Knowing that these omics data come from underlying processes that may share common pathways and disease mechanisms, it may be beneficial for designing a more accurate and reliable predictor in a target domain of interest, where there is a lack of labeled data to leverage available data in relevant source domains. Here, we focus on developing Bayesian transfer learning methods for analyzing next-generation sequencing (NGS) data to help improve predictions in the target domain. We formulate transfer learning in a fully Bayesian framework and define the relatedness by a joint prior distribution of the model parameters of the source and target domains. Defining joint priors acts as a bridge across domains, through which the related knowledge of source data is transferred to the target domain. We focus on RNA-seq discrete count data, which are often overdispersed. To appropriately model them, we consider the Negative Binomial model and propose an Optimal Bayesian Transfer Learning (OBTL) classifier that minimizes the expected classification error in the target domain. We evaluate the performance of the OBTL classifier via both synthetic and cancer data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA).
Severe Sleep Apnea Associated With Increased Systemic Inflammation and Decreased Serum Bilirubin

Purpose Obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) among older men has been associated with increased systemic inflammation, as evidenced by an increased neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and provocation of coronary artery atherosclerosis, potentially resulting in myocardial infarction (MI). The total serum bilirubin levels (TSBLs; formed primarily from senescent red blood cells via the catabolic pathway in the reticuloendothelial system) at the higher end of the normal reference range are anti-inflammatory. However, at the lower end of the physiologic range, they have been associated with increased adverse vascular events. We compared the relationship between NLR and TSBL among subjects with “severe” OSAHS. Materials and Methods We used a retrospective, cross-sectional study design. The electronic medical records of older male subjects (age range, 55 to 74 years) with “severe” OSAHS treated by the dental service (January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2017) were examined. The predictor variable was the NLR, and the outcome variable was the TSBL; both were analyzed using continuous scales. Spearman's rank order correlation analysis explicated the relationship between the NLR and TBSL. Traditional proatherogenic risk factors (ie, age, body mass index, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes) were evaluated for independence using descriptive and logistic regression analysis. Significance was set at P = .05 for all tests. Results A total sample size of 47 subjects (mean age, 63.74 ± 4.12 years) was enrolled in the present study. The Spearman rank order correlation analysis determined that the NLR is significantly (P = .038) and inversely related to the TSBL (rs = −0.304). Conclusions Older men with “severe” OSAHS demonstrated an inverse relationship between NLR and TSBL. This combination of a heightened severity marker of systemic inflammation (ie, elevated NLR) and an indicator of amplified atherosclerotic activity (ie, diminished TSBL) will identify patients potentially at increased risk of future MI and the need for cardiovascular evaluation.
The LONI QC System: A Semi-Automated, Web-Based and Freely-Available Environment for the Comprehensive Quality Control of Neuroimaging Data

Quantifying, controlling, and monitoring image quality is an essential prerequisite for ensuring the validity and reproducibility of many types of neuroimaging data analyses. Implementation of quality control (QC) procedures is the key to ensuring that neuroimaging data are of high-quality and their validity in the subsequent analyses. We introduce the QC system of the Laboratory of Neuro Imaging (LONI): a web-based system featuring a workflow for the assessment of various modality and contrast brain imaging data. The design allows users to anonymously upload imaging data to the LONI-QC system. It then computes an exhaustive set of QC metrics which aids users to perform a standardized QC by generating a range of scalar and vector statistics. These procedures are performed in parallel using a large compute cluster. Finally, the system offers an automated QC procedure for structural MRI, which can flag each QC metric as being 'good' or 'bad.' Validation using various sets of data acquired from a single scanner and from multiple sites demonstrated the reproducibility of our QC metrics, and the sensitivity and specificity of the proposed Auto QC to 'bad' quality images in comparison to visual inspection. To the best of our knowledge, LONI-QC is the first online QC system that uniquely supports the variety of functionality where we compute numerous QC metrics and perform visual/automated image QC of multi-contrast and multi-modal brain imaging data. The LONI-QC system has been used to assess the quality of large neuroimaging datasets acquired as part of various multi-site studies such as the Transforming Research and Clinical Knowledge in Traumatic Brain Injury (TRACK-TBI) Study and the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI). LONI-QC's functionality is freely available to users worldwide and its adoption by imaging researchers is likely to contribute substantially to upholding high standards of brain image data quality and to implementing these standards across the neuroimaging community.
A tablet-based task for assessing environmental preferences in children and adults.

Abstract To assess environmental preferences in a wide age range of children, a tablet-based task was developed which can be used with children as young as 4-years-old. The current method uses images which have been rated on aesthetic preference in a separate adult sample to ensure that the nature and urban images shown are matched on aesthetics, allowing for a true evaluation of environmental preferences (without any confound of general aesthetics). However, the app is customizable and can evaluate preference for any set of 10 images researchers may be interested in (i.e. is not limited to environmental preferences or these specific images). • This task runs as an Android tablet app • The app allows for up to 10 pictures at a time and uses a ranking of 4 images on each trial (from frowny to happy face) where each image is compared with every other image at least once • The app was successfully employed with a sample of 4-to-11-year-old children and their parents/guardians
Penning trap mass measurement of Si26

The mass excess of the superallowed beta emitter {sup 26}Si has been determined with the LEBIT Penning trap mass spectrometer to be -7140.4(2.9) keV, in agreement with recent measurements.
Optimal Turn-Constrained Intercept Strategies from the Target’s Turn Circle

We examine a two-agent intercept problem in which a Target maintains a fixed orbit about the origin while a mobile Attacker attempts to intercept the Target in minimum time. The Target moves with constant speed and turn rate, and the Attacker moves with constant speed and bounded turn rate which results in a restricted turning radius. The problem terminates when the Attacker is collocated with the Target. We restrict the set of admissible initial conditions to consider the case where the Attacker starts on the Target’s turn circle. The optimal Attacker intercept strategy is developed in terms of multiple characteristic strategies that delay the Attacker’s arrival to a point on the Target’s turn circle in order to satisfy the intercept constraint.
Implementing a Standardized Language Evaluation in the Acute Phases of Aphasia: Linking Evidence-Based Practice and Practice-Based Evidence

The research to practice gap is a significant problem across all disciplines of healthcare. A major challenge associated with the adoption of evidence into routine clinical care is the disconnect between findings that are identified in a controlled research setting, and the needs and challenges of a real-world clinical practice setting. Implementation Science, which is the study of methods to promote research into clinical practice, provides frameworks to promote the translation of findings into practice. To begin to bridge the research-practice gap in assessing recovery in individuals with aphasia in the acute phases of recovery following stroke, clinicians in an acute care hospital and an inpatient rehabilitation hospital followed an implementation science framework to select and implement a standardized language assessment to evaluate early changes in language performance across multiple timepoints. Using a secure online database to track patient data and language metrics, clinically-accessible information was examined to identify predictors of recovery in the acute phases of stroke. We report on the feasibility of implementing such standardized assessments into routine clinical care via measures of adherence. We also report on initial analyses of the data within the database that provide insights into the opportunities to track change. This initiative highlights the feasibility of collecting clinical data using a standardized assessment measure across acute and inpatient rehabilitation care settings. Practice-based evidence may inform future research by contributing pilot data and systematic observations that may lead to the development of empirical studies, which can then feed back into clinical practice.
High-field electromagnetic radiation converts carbon nanotubes to nanoribbons embedded with carbon nanocrystals

One-dimensional carbon nanomaterials such as carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) are promising for future applications in nanoelectronics and nanophotonics due to their unique characteristics such as topological edge states, chirality, and quantum confinement. Despite the chemical unzipping method of producing GNRs from CNTs, using energetic photons to control light–matter interaction and shape materials at the nanoscale has great promise, especially for chemical-free and on-demand manufacturing. Here, we exploit the high electromagnetic field from a Ti:Sapphire femtosecond laser to interact with CNTs, causing ultrafast energy transfer between the photons and the nanotubes and converting them to GNRs and carbon nanocrystals. Probed with scattering-type scanning near-field optical microscopy, the nanoribbons are identified as semiconducting and/or insulating, a strikingly different electronic phase compared with the original metallic CNTs. Our method of employing high-field and nonequilibrium processes with an ultrafast laser to alter the shape and transform the electronic properties is scalable, does not necessitate high-temperature processes, and is highly spatially controllable—conditions that pave the way for manufacturing nanoscale hybrid materials and devices.
Why Do Rule 48(a) Dismissals Require 'Leave of Court'?

The conventional view of Rule 48(a) dismissals distinguishes between two types of motions to dismiss: (1) those where dismissal would benefit the defendant, and (2) those where dismissal might give the Government a tactical advantage against the defendant, perhaps because prosecutors seek to dismiss the case and then file new charges. In United States v. Flynn, the Department of Justice argues that Rule 48(a)’s “leave of court” requirement applies exclusively to the latter category of motions to dismiss; where the dismissal accrues to the benefit of the defendant, judicial meddling is unwarranted and improper. In support, the Government relies on forty-year-old dicta in the sole U.S. Supreme Court case interpreting Rule 48(a), Rinaldi v. United States. There, the Court stated that the “leave of court” language was added to Rule 48(a) “without explanation,” but “apparently” this verbiage had as its “principal object . . . to protect a defendant against prosecutorial harassment.” But the Government’s position—and the U.S. Supreme Court language upon which it is based—is simply wrong. In fact, the “principal object” of Rule 48(a)’s “leave of court” requirement was not to protect the interests of individual defendants, but rather to guard against dubious dismissals of criminal cases that would benefit powerful and well-connected defendants. In other words, it was drafted and enacted precisely to deal with the situation that has arisen in United States v. Flynn: its purpose was to empower the Judiciary to limit dismissal in cases where the district court suspects that some impropriety prompted the Executive’s decision to abandon a case. To be clear, there may be good reason for the district court to grant the Government’s motion to dismiss in United States v. Flynn. But the fiction that Rule 48(a) exists solely, or even chiefly, to protect defendants against prosecutorial mischief should be abandoned. This brief Essay recounts Rule 48’s forgotten history.
The looks of a million-year-old polymer glass

Polymeric glasses with significant thermodynamic and kinetic stability have been fabricated using physical vapour deposition, providing a mean to gather insight into the properties of glasses aged for millions of years.
Interprofessional Simulation for Understanding Poverty

Abstract Poverty is a complex social problem, which is considered a major factor in poor health outcomes in the United States. Current scholarship suggests that the complexity of poverty on health and healthcare requires an interprofessional response, and that professionals and students have limited understanding of the causes and implications of poverty. Effective and relevant education is needed to train health care professionals to relate to individuals living in poverty. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of a team-based simulation on student perceptions and critical thinking about poverty. Data were collected from 17 simulations, which took place at a university over a two-year period. Evaluations were completed by more than 800 students, and results showed promising improvements in students' ability to think critically about poverty and increases in their ability to understand others’ perspectives regarding living in poverty.
Hospital at Home services: An inventory of fee-for-service payments to inform Medicare reimbursement.

BACKGROUND Hospital at Home (HaH) is a growing model of care with proven patient benefits. However, for the types of services required to provide an episode of HaH, full Medicare reimbursement is traditionally paid only if care is provided in inpatient facilities. DESIGN This project identifies HaH services that could be reimbursable under Medicare to inform episodic care within fee-for-service (FFS) Medicare. SETTING All data are derived from acute services provided from the Mount Sinai HaH program between 2014 and 2017 as part of a Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) demonstration program. PARTICIPANTS The sample was limited to patients with one of the following five admitting diagnoses: urinary tract infection (n = 70), pneumonia (n = 60), cellulitis (n = 45), heart failure (n = 37), and chronic lung disease (n = 24) for a total of 236 acute episodes. MEASUREMENTS HaH services were inventoried from three sources: electronic medical records, Medicare billing and itemized vendor billing. For each admitting diagnosis, four reimbursement scenarios were evaluated: (1) FFS Medicare without a home health episode, (2) FFS Medicare with a home health episode, (3) two-sided risk ACO with a home health episode, and (4) two-sided risk ACO without a home health episode. RESULTS Across diagnoses, there were 1.5-1.9 MD visits and 1.5-2.7 nursing visits per episode. The Medicare FFS model without home health care had the lowest reimbursement potential ($964-$1604) per episode. The Medicare fee-for-service within ACO models with home health care had the greatest potential for reimbursement $4519-$4718. There was limited variation in costs by diagnosis. CONCLUSION AND RELEVANCE Though existing payment models might be used to pay for many HaH acute services, significant gaps in reimbursement remain. Extending the benefits of HaH to the Medicare beneficiaries that are likely to derive the greatest benefit will require new payment models for FFS Medicare.
Terminations in Primary Care: a Retrospective Observational Study of 16 Primary Care Clinics.

The relationship between clinician and patient is the cornerstone of primary care. Breakdown and termination of this relationship are understudied yet important, undesirable outcomes. To better understand the nature and extent of provider and clinic termination of the primary care relationship. Retrospective observational case-control study. Adult patients in Eastern Massachusetts who received primary care at hospital- and community-based clinics and health centers participating in a practice-based research network between January 2013 and June 2017. Formal termination by primary care physician (PCP), reasons for termination, independent predictors of termination based on mixed-effects logistic regression, and documentation of a new PCP after termination. We identified 158,192 patients who received primary care from 182 PCPs across 16 clinics. We found 536 cases of formal termination. Clinics ranged from 4 to 119 terminations per 10,000 patients (intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC]=0.21; 95% CI: 0.18–0.24). Patient age, race/ethnicity, educational attainment, relationship status, employment status, and insurance type were independent predictors of termination (e.g., compared to patients employed full-time, patients unemployed due to disability were more likely to be terminated [adjusted OR:9.26; 95% CI: 6.74–12.74]). The most common cause for termination (38%) was appointment “no-shows” with some PCPs/clinics found to enforce a policy of dismissal following three no-shows. At the time of chart review, 201 patients (38%) had no documentation of a new PCP. Among patients who re-established care within the network, 134 (25%) had a primary care visit within 6 months of termination. Detailed chart review found that, unlike previous survey-based studies, dismissal was often for missed appointments based on enforcement of no-show policies. Many sociodemographic factors were associated with termination. Variability among clinics highlights the need for further research to better understand circumstances surrounding terminations, with the principal goals of improving patient-provider relationships and providing equitable care.
Viral replication in human macrophages enhances an inflammatory cascade and interferon driven chronic COVID-19 in humanized mice.

Chronic COVID-19 is characterized by persistent viral RNA and sustained interferon (IFN) response which is recapitulated and required for pathology in SARS-CoV-2 infected MISTRG6-hACE2 humanized mice. As in the human disease, monocytes, and macrophages in SARS-CoV-2 infected MISTRG6-hACE2 are central to disease pathology. Here, we describe SARS-CoV-2 uptake in tissue resident human macrophages that is enhanced by virus specific antibodies. SARS-CoV-2 replicates in these human macrophages as evidenced by detection of double-stranded RNA, subgenomic viral RNA and expression of a virally encoded fluorescent reporter gene; and it is inhibited by Remdesivir, an inhibitor of viral replication. Although early IFN deficiency leads to enhanced disease, blocking either viral replication with Remdesivir or the downstream IFN stimulated cascade by injecting anti-IFNAR2 in vivo in the chronic stages of disease attenuates many aspects of the overactive immune-inflammatory response, especially the inflammatory macrophage response, and most consequentially, the chronic disease itself.
Internet banking and customers' acceptance in jordan: the unified model's perspective

Internet banking in Jordan has developed rapidly since the year 2001 as most of the Jordanian banks have adopted some form of Internet usage and launched websites to serve their customers. Such efforts will not be successful without customers accepting Internet banking. The study added to the body of knowledge in the technology acceptance domain by testing and validating the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology. This study extends the model by adding personality dimensions and validates two relationships that were suggested in previous literature (the influence of performance expectancy in mediating the relationship between effort expectancy and social influence and behavioral intention). This study explores the individuals' Internet banking acceptance using multiple regression. The population of the study was "counter bank customers" sampled in three Jordanian banks and in three major cities in the country. The model proposed is a comprehensive model with ten independent variables and one dependent variable. The study involved translating the instrument to Arabic and using it to explore the hypothesized relationships. The results of the study indicated a support of the UTAUT with respect to the predictors' effect on behavioral intentions, and a partial support in the moderation effect. Also, the hypothesized mediation effect was supported for both relationships (effort expectancy and social influence and their relationship to behavioral intention). The proposed model of this study supported the influence of performance expectancy, social influence, self-efficacy, perceived trust and locus of control on Jordanian's intentions to use Internet banking. Part of these relationships was moderated by gender, age, education and experience. Effort expectancy (part of the UTAUT), perceived facilitating conditions, anxiety, personal innovativeness and perceived risk were not significant in predicting behavioral intention. Finally, this study developed an Arabic instrument that can be used in future research in the area of technology acceptance and with acceptable level of reliability. Implications for research and practice, limitations, future research, and conclusions are discussed at the end of the study.
Tribute to Larry Ribstein

A law school job talk for an entry-level candidate is an opportunity for the presenter to put his or her ideas before a faculty in the best possible light. A bit of give-and-take is part of the drill, but the candidate can usually expect the talk to stay more or less on course. My own first job talk, though, given at George Mason University more years ago than I'd like to admit, was attended by the thoroughly exceptional Larry Ribstein and so did not unfold in the usual way.A few minutes after I began to speak, the questions began. Most were of the kind I expected, asked to determine whether I had thought carefully about my topic, whether I had properly considered alternative arguments, whether, in general, I knew what I was talking about and could express myself competently. But then Larry, whom I had not before met, spoke. Unlike the others, Larry didn't ask about the paper, which was on insolvency risk, or my defense of its themes. Instead he honed in on a comment that I had made in passing, one only indirectly related to my thesis. If I remember correctly, the remark that caught Larry's attention was about corporate capital structure. Larry asked me one question about the comment and then, after contemplating my response, followed up with a series of others. He was, it seemed, trying to work out something in his own mind rather than connect his thoughts to my paper. I wasn't sure what was happening but I remember the feeling of relief when the questioning moved on to others.As is typical, the job talk was followed by office interviews in smaller groups, during which faculty members are free to ask about anything they wish. The candidate is usually happy to field whatever questions come his or her way. But when I entered Larry's office for my interview with him and his colleague Henry Butler, I returned immediately to the topic of my paper. If I hadn't interested Larry in the paper's central idea during the talk, I was determined to hook him during the interview. I didn't get very far. Larry had little use for the paper I wrote. (The paper was, in fact, a bust; it was never published.) He wanted to discuss my tangentially related comment on corporate capital structure. On that subject, Larry flatly told me two things: first, that based on my comment, my thinking on the issue was all wrong; second, that I needed to co-author a paper with him so we, together, could get it right. Larry was ready to set up a schedule for us to work on the paper he envisioned until Henry reminded him that this was a job interview and that maybe they should get to the task at hand.These events came rushing back to me when Henry Butler called last December and said that our close friend Larry had collapsed and was gravely ailing. And when Larry passed away the next day, I thought more about those first conversations, which offer some insights into Larry's character. …
Chapter II Genetic Analysis in Micro-organisms

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the genetic analysis in micro-organisms. A wide variety of “higher” organisms had been studied, and very widespread similarities between the various organisms had emerged in regard to most aspects of their genetics, apart from the obvious differences concerning the structure of the organs of reproduction, the behavior of the gametes, and the position of meiosis in the life cycle. With the rise of microbial genetics, particularly of bacteria and viruses, a diversity of “genetic” phenomena came to light which appeared to contrast sharply with the comparative uniformity previously encountered in macro-organisms. In contrast, the sexual biology of a macro-organism is, to some extent at least, open to study by morphological and physiological means, and only experiments clearly to do with inheritance are set aside as genetics.
Current concepts in the classification of connective tissue diseases: Overlap syndromes and mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD)

New principles are discussed for the classification of the diffuse collagen diseases, particularly the mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD), with clinical and historical explanation. Emphasis in classification has shifted from a concern with tissue pathology to serologic anomalies, which may involve eleven different antigens, many from human cell nuclei. New serologic tests, such as the ribonucleoprotein (RNP) antibody test, may be superior to the well-known fluorescent antinuclear antibody (ANA) studies for diagnosis and follow-up of diffuse collagen diseases. Functional clinical studies, such as esophageal motility, gas exchange in the lung, and major joint mobility, which may appear early in MCTD, are more important to diagnosis than anatomic studies of late-developing lesions.
Business ethics–to teach or not to teach?

While some studies have explored the effects of taking business ethics classes on business students, several shortcomings in them invite greater scrutiny of this critical issue (cf. Robertson, 1993). In contrast to previous research, this study more directly assesses the impact of taking business ethics class on ethical decisions made by future business executives. To determine if teaching business ethics modifies behaviors or behavioral intentions, the current study examines decisions made in ethical situations rather than inferring the same by measuring attitudes, values, etc. Furthermore, these were measured in three different business contexts: whistle blowing, recruitment, and industrial espionage, to enhance the generalizability of the findings. Finally, unlike most previous studies, a within-subject's design was chosen to eliminate confounds that may be caused by not controlling for individual differences (Glenn, 1992). The current results indicate that business ethics classes have minimal effect on ethical decision making in any of the three contexts investigated, empirically providing support for Wolfe's (1993) and Wynd and Mager's (1989) position that teaching business ethics may have limited benefits.
Opinion-Producing Agents: Career Concerns and Exaggeration

This paper models the incentives created by career concerns for opinion-producing agents. We find that career concerns can create an incentive for exaggeration or anti-herding, since high-ability agents will have opinions that are more different from the consensus on average and potential clients will learn more quickly about how different an agent's opinions are from the consensus on average that about whether or not they are exaggerating. The model predicts that agents should exaggerate more when they are under-rated by their clients, when the realizations of the variables they are forecasting are expected to be especially noisy, and when they expect to make fewer future forecasts. We find that these predictions are consistent with the empirical data on equity analyst's earnings forecasts.
Atomic & Molecular Data for Space Astronomy: Needs & Availability

Most of our information about the Universe comes to us in the form of photons. In order to understand the messages they carry with them, we must study the origins of the photons and work out their histories as they journeyed through space. By analysis of the events in which the photons participated, we can construct pictures of the diverse physical and chemical environments and processess occurring in the Universe and we can learn about the nature of the astrophysical entities in which the photons were created.
Impurity scattering enhancement of the acoustic phonon-limited intersubband transition rate

Summary form only given. Recently, infrared lasers based on intersubband transitions in multiple asymmetric quantum wells have been proposed and a 4.2-/spl mu/m semiconductor injection laser has been demonstrated. They rely on electronic transitions between conduction band states arising from the quantization in semiconductor heterostructures. Here, we propose the depopulation of the lower laser level to the ground state by means by acoustic phonon and impurity scattering, in intersubband three level lasers emitting below the optical phonon wavelength. Because the lasing transition is limited by the acoustic phonon rate, we aim to achieve population inversion by enhancing the acoustic phonon-limited depopulation of the lower laser level to the ground state through impurity scattering.
The Global Climate for June–August 1989: A Season of Near Normal Conditions in the Tropical Pacific

Une synthese des conditions climatiques et de la climatologie, globales pour l'ete 1989 (Juin-Aout) est presentee, cette saison etant surtout marquee par un retour aux conditions normales dans l'Ocean Pacifique tropical
In Vitro Testing of Antibiotics

To enhance knowledge in the area of in vitro testing of antibiotics and to understand the limitations of available methods for susceptibility testing, we conducted a MEDLINE literature search in the English language to accumulate relevant articles. Headings searched included microbial sensitivity tests; Kirby-Bauer; laboratory tests; antiinfective agents; antibiotics, combined; microbiological techniques; blood bactericidal assay; and pharmacology, clinical. The management of patients with serious life-threatening infections can be complicated by recent changes in organism nomenclature, newly marketed antibiotics, and new isolation and sensitivity testing methods. With the addition of formulary constraints, many problems and controversies arise regarding interpretation of antibiotic sensitivity results. Comprehensive care for infected patients requires assessment of current antibiotic therapy and options for alternative therapy. By applying pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic knowledge to known limits of in vitro testing results, the clinician is able to select the most efficient antibiotic or antibiotic combination.
Peptides and Nociception

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the algesic peptides, opioid peptides, naloxone-sensitive nonopioid peptides, naloxone-insensitive peptides, and peptides with mixed effects. The chapter presents certain criteria that need to be fulfilled to demonstrate the involvement of an endogenous peptide in nociception. Use of both radioimmunoassays (RIA) and immunohistochemical techniques demonstrate that several opioid peptides are localized within the regions of the central nervous system (CNS) that have been implicated in nociception. Measurement of peptide concentrations in tissue or biological fluids may provide valuable information concerning the role of a peptide in nociceptive processes. If various environmental stimuli induce an antinociceptive response, alterations in the concentration of one or another opioid peptide can yield useful information. While several other peptides, including neurotensin, vasopressin, and calcitonin, produce antinociception, there are others that are believed to produce antinociception or enhance nociception, such as bradykinin, substance P, and adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH). Many peptides alter pain perception in laboratory animals and a few—for example, β -endorphin—induce analgesia in humans. This information will undoubtedly lead to a better understanding of chronic pain states and to the development of new analgesics.
Resistance of protein and glucose metabolism to insulin in denervated rat muscle

Denervated (1-10 days) rat epitrochlearis muscles were isolated, and basal and insulin-stimulated protein and glucose metabolism were studied. Although basal rates of glycolysis and glucose transport were increased in 1-10-day-denervated muscles, basal glycogen-synthesis rates were unaltered and glycogen concentrations were decreased. Basal rates of protein degradation and synthesis were increased in 1-10-day-denervated muscles. The increase in degradation was greater than that in synthesis, resulting in muscle atrophy. Increased rates of proteolysis and glycolysis were accompanied by elevated release rates of leucine, alanine, glutamate, pyruvate and lactate from 3-10-day-denervated muscles. ATP and phosphocreatine were decreased in 3-10-day-denervated muscles. Insulin resistance of glycogen synthesis occurred in 1-10-day denervated muscles. Insulin-stimulated glycolysis and glucose transport were inhibited by day 3 of denervation, and recovered by day 10. Inhibition of insulin-stimulated protein synthesis was observed only in 3-day-denervated muscles, whereas regulation by insulin of net proteolysis was unaffected in 1-10-day-denervated muscles. Thus the results demonstrate enhanced glycolysis, proteolysis and protein synthesis, and decreased energy stores, in denervated muscle. They further suggest a defect in insulin's action on protein synthesis in denervated muscles as well as on glucose metabolism. However, the lack of concurrent changes in all insulin-sensitive pathways and the absence of insulin-resistance for proteolysis suggest multiple and specific cellular defects in insulin's action in denervated muscle.
The ZaP Flow Z-Pinch: Plasma Flow Shear and Stability

The ZaP Flow Z-pinch plasma device at the University of Washington produces a small diameter (20-30 mm) dense Z-pinch plasma with typical electron density 10 2 2 -10 2 3 m - 3 and ion plus electron temperature 100-200 eV. The plasma is stable, with relatively low magnetic mode activity, for tens of microseconds. This is orders of magnitude longer than predicted by a simple ideal magnetohydrodynamic calculation. The probable stabilizing mechanism is radial shear in the axial plasma flow. The axially flowing Z-pinch is generated with a coaxial accelerator coupled to a pinch assembly chamber. After the pinch assembles a quiescent period occurs, during which the mode activity is significantly reduced. Multichord Doppler shift measurements of impurity lines show a large, sheared flow during the quiescent period and low, uniform flow profiles during periods of high mode activity. The plasma has a sheared axial flow that exceeds the theoretical threshold for stability during the quiescent period and is lower than the threshold during periods of high mode activity. The Z-pinch plasmas are globally stable for 700-2000 times the theoretically predicted kink growth time of a static Z-pinch. The end of the quiescent period corresponds to a decrease in acceleration of plasma and possibly suggests a means to extend the experiment to quasi-steady-state operation.
Creative Approaches to Financial Issues

In an institutional setting, it may be easy to let go of some billing details, as one is protected by the larger, revenue-generating capacities of many departments. Practitioners in all settings do not adequately reflect in their billing the actual time they spend on patient care activities. This is worth reviewing from time to time, to see if there are legitimate methods for billing for all the work done. Some neuropsychologists charge a flat fee for a neuropsychological evaluation, but author prefers to set an hourly fee. Some cases are more complex, some are more straightforward, some bring extensive records and prior neuropsychological evaluation reports, and some start afresh. Certain insurance carriers pay a fair rate for neuropsychological work and others do not. One may check with colleagues in private practice if one does not know how to bill and collect. These conversations can save endless hours of frustration and lost income. It is important to have a thorough basic information sheet that lists the patient's name, address, phone numbers, date of birth, social security number, driver's license number, name of spouse or significant other, and the name, address, and telephone number of one's referral source. It is also critical to have space for all pertinent insurance information, including the phone number to be called for preauthorization of services.
Electrical measurements of moisture penetration through passivation

The low-frequency (10 KHz) dissipation factor of metal comb/serpentine structures sandwiched between a phosphosilicate glass (PSG) substrate and passivation is a useful electrical indication of moisture penetration through the passivation. Wafer-level dissipation factor readouts after periods of highly accelerated temperature/humidity stress technique (HAST) testing at 159 degrees C and 85% relative humidity were used to monitor the rate of moisture ingression through passivations of various compositions and thicknesses. For plasma-deposited oxynitride films the dominant mechanism is uniform penetration (intrinsic) with a median-time-to-failure of 370 hours (at 159/85). For oxynitride films capped by nitride films, the dominant mechanism is penetration through defects in the nitride film. The defect density of nitride cap films increases with decreasing nitride film thickness. >