cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Strainoptronics: 2D material optoelectronic with a bend

Strainoptronics is an emerging concept that allows to manipulate and hence engineer a plurality of materials properties such as the bandgap, mobility, and Schottky barrier height for example. 2D materials are especially utilizable for strainoptronics given their low dimensionality leaning to a strong (2-4%) ‘strainability’. Here I share our latest device demonstrations including (a) a efficient TMDC photodetector at 1550nm wavelength on Silicon PICs (Nature Photonics), (b) engineering the Schottky barrier height and reducing the bandgap by 200meV (arXiv: 2012.07715), and (c) showing scaling laws of scaling-length-theory based slot detectors with a potential for high gain-bandwidth-product PIC-integrated photodectetors (Opt. Mat. Exp. 2020).
Perspectives of primary care physicians on acceptance and barriers to COVID-19 vaccination.

Objectives The purpose of this study was to examine the perspectives of primary care physicians in Texas around vaccine acceptance and potential patient barriers to vaccination. National surveys have shown fluctuating levels of acceptance for COVID-19 vaccination, and primary care physicians could play a crucial role in increasing vaccine uptake. Design This study employed a cross-sectional anonymous survey design to collect data using an online questionnaire. Participants were asked about vaccination practices and policies at their practice site, perceptions of patient and community acceptance and confidence in responding to patient vaccine concerns. Setting From November 2020 to January 2021, family medicine physicians and paediatricians completed an online questionnaire on COVID-19 vaccination that was distributed by professional associations. Participants The survey was completed by 573 practising physicians, the majority of whom identified as family medicine physicians (71.0%) or paediatricians (25.7%), who are currently active in professional associations in Texas. Results About three-fourths (74.0%) of participants reported that they would get the vaccine as soon as it became available. They estimated that slightly more than half (59.2%) of their patients would accept the vaccine, and 67.0% expected that the COVID-19 vaccine would be accepted in their local community. The majority of participants (87.8%) reported always, almost always or usually endorsing vaccines, including high levels of intention to recommend COVID-19 vaccination (81.5%). Participants felt most confident responding to patient concerns related to education about vaccine types, safety and necessity and reported least confidence in responding to personal or religious objections to COVID-19 vaccination. Conclusions The majority of the physicians surveyed stated that they would receive the COVID-19 vaccination when it was available to them and were confident in their ability to respond to patient concerns. With additional education, support and shifting COVID-19 vaccinations into primary care settings, primary care physicians can use the trust they have built with their patients to address vaccine hesitancy and potentially increase acceptance and uptake.
Age effects on category learning, categorical perception, and generalization.

Age deficits in memory for individual episodes are well established. Less is known about how age affects another key memory function: the ability to form new conceptual knowledge. Here we studied a...
HIGH-FREQUENCY SURFACE THERMAL FATIGUE CYCLING OF INCONEL AT 1405 F

The effects on Inconel of the application of relatively high-frequency thermal oscillations are studied, under conditions such as to generate significant transient stress in the surface fibers. Thermal instabilities of this nature may be generated in the operation of certain types of nuclear reactors. Fatigue-type cracking is observed in 214 hr at 1.0 cps for a surface temperature amplitude of plus or minus 64 deg F (17,800 psi maximum elastic surface stress); incipient cracking occurs in 23 hr at 0.4 cps for an amplitude of plus or minus 104 deg F (31,300 psi). Application of plus or minus 46 deg F surface temperature oscillations (12,800 psi) at 1.0 cps for 612 hr produces accelerated intergranular corrosion in a fused salt environment. These results are correlated in terms of the maximum calculated elastic surface stress. (auth)
Critical role of β-hairpin formation in protein G folding

Comparison of the folding mechanisms of proteins with similar structures but very different sequences can provide fundamental insights into the determinants of protein folding mechanisms. Despite very little sequence similarity, the approximately 60 residue IgG binding domains of protein G and protein L both consist of a single helix packed against a four-stranded sheet formed by two symmetrically disposed beta-hairpins. We demonstrate that, as in the case of protein L, one of the two beta-turns of protein G is formed and the other disrupted in the folding transition state. Unlike protein L, however, in protein G it is the second beta-turn that is formed in the folding transition state ensemble. Substitution of an Asp residue by Ala in protein G that eliminates an i,i+2 side chain-main chain hydrogen bond in the second beta-turn slows the folding rate approximately 20-fold but has virtually no effect on the unfolding rate. Taken together with previous results, these findings suggest that the presence of an intact beta-turn in the folding transition state is a consequence of the overall topology of protein L and protein G, but the particular hairpin that is formed is determined by the detailed interatomic interactions that determine the free energies of formation of the isolated beta-hairpins.
Gluconeogenesis in the isolated perfused rat kidney.

Abstract The perfused rat kidney was used for a study of gluconeogenesis. The kidney was completely isolated and perfused with Krebs-Henseleit bicarbonate buffer containing 5% albumin. Perfusion flow rate and pressure remained stable for 2 to 3 hours, although the glomerular filtration rate diminished with time. The fractional reabsorption of both water and sodium was 0.92 during the 1st hour of perfusion. The rate of glucose formation from pyruvate was linear and in excess of 1 µmole per min per g of tissue. Glucose production from l-lactate was less than that from pyruvate, and the uptake of lactate was also less. Fructose was converted to glucose more readily than was dihydroxyacetone, and at approximately the same rate as pyruvate. Glucose production from l-glutamate proceeded at about the same rate as that from l-lactate. l-Alanine produced no glucose, and no alanine uptake could be detected. A mixture of amino acids, pyruvate, l-lactate, and glycerol at normal plasma concentrations supported gluconeogenesis at an initial rate of about 0.6 µmole per min per g of kidney. The rate of gluconeogenesis was sensitive to small changes in the pH of the perfusate. With either lactate, pyruvate, glutamine, or a substrate mixture of predominantly amino acids, glucose production was greater at pH 7.23 than at pH 7.64. Conversely, gluconeogenesis from glycerol and fructose was inhibited by a pH of 7.23 and increased by pH 7.64. Addition of adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate to the perfusate stimulated gluconeogenesis from lactate, pyruvate, and amino acids, but not from glycerol. Neither glucagon, epinephrine, parathyroid extract, nor vasopressin altered the rate of gluconeogenesis.
Erratum to: Dynamic Traffic Assignment: Theory, Computation and Emerging Paradigms

The original version of this article unfortunately contained mistakes. Its corrected version is presented below. The title has also been amended as shown above. Dynamic traffic assignment (DTA) is now an established research specialty overlapping several fields of scholarly enquiry: civil engineering, industrial engineering, operations research, statistics, mathematics, computer science, regional science, city planning, complexity science, sustainability science, and economics. Several hundred scientists and engineers around the globe are devoting substantial energy to DTA research. Moreover, the theory and computational methods arising from DTA research continue to move closer to application and decision support in real-world environments. In 2012 we issued a call for a broad spectrum of DTA research manuscripts in order to provide a snapshot in time of the diverse points of view being pursued by scholars around the world. Presenters at the Fourth International Symposium on Dynamic Traffic Assignment at Martha’s Vineyard, USA, were invited to submit manuscripts for possible publication in Networks and Spatial Economics. From those invitations, we have assembled a collection of 21 papers, each of which has been comprehensively reviewed. Papers 1 through 12 focus on fundamental methodological advances in dynamic traffic assignment modeling and computation, including network loading, continuous time analyses, and day-to-day dynamics. Papers 13 through 21 focus on application of dynamic traffic assignment in the context of transit networks, evacuation modeling, land use modeling, tradable credits, and adaptive control. Netw Spat Econ (2015) 15:417–418 DOI 10.1007/s11067-015-9307-5
Designing a process for executing projects under an international agreement

Projects executed under an international agreement require special arrangements in order to operate within confines of regulations issued by the State Department and the Commerce Department. In order to communicate enterprise-level guidance and procedural information uniformly to projects based on interpretations that carry the weight of institutional authority, a process was developed. This paper provides a script for designing processes in general, using this particular process for context. While the context is incidental, the method described is applicable to any process in general. The paper will expound on novel features utilized for dissemination of the procedural details over the Internet following such process design.
The throwing athlete

There has been a significant increase in youth participating in throwing sports during the past three decades. Youth athletes today frequently train and compete year-round. Some young athletes are specializing in a single sport at an early age. As higher demands are placed on these young athletes at earlier ages, the chance of injury increases. With this increase in participation, there has been a commensurate rise in pediatric shoulder and elbow injuries that result from throwing sports. This chapter will review the anatomy of the shoulder and elbow and the mechanics of the throwing motion and discuss the assessment, treatment, and rehabilitation of pediatric throwing injuries of the shoulder and elbow. Early recognition and proper treatment of such injuries will hopefully prevent later sequelae or functional disability. Five common upper extremity injuries in youth athletes will be discussed in detail: little league shoulder, shoulder instability, little league elbow, osteochondritis dissecans of the capitellum, and medial epicondyle injuries.
Density and phase equilibrium for ice and structure I hydrates using the Gibbs–Helmholtz constrained equation of state

a b s t r a c t A new, rigorous framework centered around the multi-scale GHC equation of state is presented for predicting bulk density and phase equilibrium for light gas–water mixtures at conditions where hexagonal ice and structure I hydrate phases can exist. The novel aspects of this new framework include (1) the use of internal energies of departure for ice and empty hydrate respectively to determine densities, (2) contributions to the standard state fugacity of water in ice and empty hydrate from lattice structure, (3) computation of these structural contributions to standard state fugacity from compressibility factors and EOS parameters alone, and (4) the direct calculation of gas occupancy from phase equilibrium. Numerical results for densities and equilibrium for systems involving ice and/or gas hydrates predicted by this GHC-based framework are compared to predictions of other equations of state, density correlations, and experimental data where available. Results show that this new GHC-based EOS framework accurately predicts the densities of hexagonal water ice and structure I gas hydrates as well as phase equilibrium for methane–water and CO2–water mixtures. © 2014 The Institution of Chemical Engineers. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Homogenization of a dual-permeability problem in two-component media with imperfect contact

In this paper, we study the macroscopic modeling of a steady fluid flow in an ɛ-periodic medium consisting of two interacting systems: fissures and blocks, with perme-abilities of different order of magnitude and with the presence of flow barrier formulation at the interfacial contact. The homogenization procedure is performed by means of the two-scale convergence technique and it is shown that the macroscopic model is a one-pressure field model in a one-phase flow homogenized medium.
Basic mechanisms of signal enhancement in ns double-pulse laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy in a gas environment

Understanding the mechanisms of the signal enhancement in double-pulse laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy is highly desirable. It is evident, however, that it is not possible to fit a unique general model to the observations obtained in collinear or in orthogonal geometries, in pre-spark or in re-heating schemes, using ns or fs pulses, in a gas or liquid environment. We believe, instead, that by considering separately the specific experimental cases (for example: a given irradiation geometry, a given pulse timing, etc.) the comprehension of the processes occurring during double-pulse experiments might become easier. We focus on one specific experimental case, namely ns double-pulse irradiation of solid targets in a gaseous environment, and classify the experiments according to the irradiation mode (orthogonal pre-spark, collinear and orthogonal re-heating). Then, we propose a description of the processes occurring in the different cases, on the basis of data and interpretations that are available in the literature.
The Narratology of Lay Ethics

The five narratives identified by the DEEPEN-project are interpreted in terms of the ancient story of desire, evil, and the sacred, and the modern narratives of alienation and exploitation. The first three narratives of lay ethics do not take stock of what has radically changed in the modern world under the triple and joint evolution of science, religion, and philosophy. The modern narratives, in turn, are in serious need of a post-modern deconstruction. Both critiques express the limits of humanism. They do not imply, however, that these narratives should not be taken seriously. In particular, the enduring presence of three ancient narratives in laypeople’s symbolic thought is highly significant in terms of the role that the logic of the sacred keeps playing in the workings of modern societies. Lay people’s implicit understanding of how modern technology tends towards catastrophe and apocalypse provides the strongest argument for taking these narratives seriously.
Career indecision research: Conceptual and methodological problems

Abstract Three problems are identified in research on career indecision, as reflected in the work of Callanan and Greenhaus (1992) . First, there is a lack of a developmental frame. A second and related problem is the failure to utilize relevant career theory. Third, the research methods used do not fit the concepts studied. A broader theoretical frame is advocated, utilizing the concept of career exploration, one which will embrace the complexity and growth aspects of career decision making.
Effects of ammonium sulphate on leaf growth inhibition by glyphosate in Cyperus esculentus L.

Abstract The influence of ammonium sulphate (AMS) on glyphosate ( N -(phosphonomethyl) glycine) efficacy on Cyperus esculentus L. var. esculentus was measured under several conditions. Measurements of leaf growth from 1 to 5 days after treatment were highly correlated with visual estimates of efficacy and fresh weight of foliage at the end of the experiment. Reductions in leaf growth from glyphosate could be measured long before changes in coloration or other symptoms appeared. This is a quick and reliable non-destructive method for predicting foliage control from glyphosate. AMS increased the rate at which glyphosate affected leaf growth, indicating that absorption rate of the herbicide was increased. The effects from adding AMS were especially significant when the foliage was washed (simulating rainfall) shortly after treatment, or when the spray solution contained simazine (6-chloro- N,N′ -diethyl-1,3-5-triazine-2,4-diyldiamine) or calcium ions. However, when treated leaves were removed 1 day after treatment, AMS sometimes reduced glyphosate effects on the remainder of the plant, suggesting that the rate of translocation could be inhibited under some conditions. In a field experiment in North West Spain, a 2% solution of AMS did not affect C. esculentus reinfestation during the year following treatment with glyphosate at 2·16 kg/ha. In general, the addition of AMS to glyphosate may be advantageous in the field when rainfall is received soon after spraying or when glyphosate is applied in hard water or mixed with simazine. There seem to be no long-term benefits when those conditions are not present.
Laparoscopic heminephrectomy for tumor

Abstract Objectives To present our experience with laparoscopic heminephrectomy. We defined heminephrectomy as excision of 30% or more of the renal parenchyma. Laparoscopic partial nephrectomy has typically been performed for smaller, exophytic tumors. With growing experience, we have performed more extensive resections for larger tumors, when indicated. Methods Since August 1999, we have performed laparoscopic partial nephrectomy in more than 300 patients. Of these, 41 patients were deemed to have undergone laparoscopic heminephrectomy (group 1). A contemporary group of 41 consecutive patients who underwent laparoscopic partial nephrectomy (less than 30% resection) were retrospectively identified for comparison (group 2). Results The preoperative patient demographics were similar, except for a greater body mass index ( P = 0.02) in group 1. Group 1 had larger tumors (3.7 cm versus 2.3 cm, P P = 0.001) and more deeply infiltrating ( P P P = 0.002). The warm ischemia time was longer in group 1 (39 versus 33 minutes, P = 0.02); however, the amount of blood loss (150 versus 100 mL, P = 0.28) and total operative time (220 versus 190 minutes, P = 0.09) were comparable between the groups. The analgesic requirements, hospital stay, overall complications, and postoperative serum creatinine were comparable between the groups. Histopathologic examination showed that all 82 surgical margins were negative. Conclusions Laparoscopic heminephrectomy is an advanced procedure that can be performed efficaciously with equivalent outcomes to those of less substantial resections. To our knowledge, experience with laparoscopic heminephrectomy has not been previously described.
Gene expression of insulin-like growth factor-1 and epidermal growth factor is downregulated in the heart of rats with nitrofen-induced diaphragmatic hernia.

Newborns with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) still have high mortality. Recently, a possible role of cardiac maldevelopment has been suggested. Human and experimental studies have demonstrated that heart weight is significantly reduced in the presence of CDH. Recent studies have suggested an important role for insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) in the regulation of cardiac growth, structure, and function. Administration of IGF-I to normal rats has been shown to cause cardiac hypertrophy. Epidermal growth factor (EGF) plays an important role in cardiac differentiation and development. The aim of this study was to determine the gene-level expression of IGF-I and EGF in the hearts of rats with nitrofen-induced CDH using the reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction technique (RT-PCR). CDH was induced in pregnant rats following administration of 100 mg nitrofen on day 9.5 of gestation (term 22 days). In control animals, the same dose of olive oil was given without nitrofen. Cesarean section was performed on day 21 of gestation. The fetuses were divided into three groups: normal controls (n=8), nitrofen without CDH (n=8), and nitrofen-induced CDH (n=8). Total RNA was extracted from the hearts in each group and measured. mRNA was extracted from total RNA. RT-PCR was performed to evaluate mRNA expressions of IGF-I and EGF. Levels of mRNA were expressed as a ratio of band density divided by that of beta-actin, a housekeeping gene known to be expressed at a constant level. IGF-I mRNA expression was significantly decreased in CDH hearts (0.177 ± 0.109) compared to controls (0.393 ± 0.138) (P < 0.01) and nitrofen hearts without CDH (0.321 ± 0.088) (P < 0.05). EGF mRNA expression was significantly decreased in CDH hearts (0.218 ± 0.118) compared to controls (0.534 ± 0.196) (P < 0.01) and nitrofen hearts without CDH (0.383 ± 0.136) (P < 0.05). Decreased cardiac gene expression of IGF-I and EGF in the hypoplastic heart suggests that cardiac hypoplasia in nitrofen-induced rat CDH may be due to reduced synthesis of IGF-I and EGF by myocytes in the developing heart.
Evolution of Eustachian Tube Surgery

Eustachian tube dysfunction (ETD) is a common condition that lacks a widely accepted treatment. Attempts to address ETD surgically have spanned several centuries and have often fallen short of success. It is probable that occult anatomic position, unclear function, and misunderstood physiology have contributed to the delayed development of effective interventions for ETD. This article traces the evolution of therapeutic interventions of the Eustachian tube through the present day. Reasons for success and failure are highlighted, with implications for the future of Eustachian tube surgery.
Media and Young Children's Learning

Summary Electronic media, particularly television, have long been criticized for their potential impact on children. One area for concern is how early media exposure influences cognitive development and academic achievement. Heather Kirkorian, Ellen Wartella, and Daniel Anderson summarize the relevant research and provide suggestions for maximizing the positive effects of media and minimizing the negative effects. One focus of the authors is the seemingly unique effect of television on children under age two. Although research clearly demonstrates that well-designed, age-appropriate, educational television can be beneficial to children of preschool age, studies on infants and toddlers suggest that these young children may better understand and learn from real-life experiences than they do from video. Moreover, some research suggests that exposure to television during the first few years of life may be associated with poorer cognitive development. With respect to children over two, the authors emphasize the importance of content in mediating the effect of television on cognitive skills and academic achievement. Early exposure to ageappropriate programs designed around an educational curriculum is associated with cognitive and academic enhancement, whereas exposure to pure entertainment, and violent content in particular, is associated with poorer cognitive development and lower academic achievement. The authors point out that producers and parents can take steps to maximize the positive effects of media and minimize the negative effects. They note that research on children’s television viewing can inform guidelines for producers of children’s media to enhance learning. Parents can select well-designed, age-appropriate programs and view the programs with their children to maximize the positive effects of educational media. The authors’ aim is to inform policymakers, educators, parents, and others who work with young children about the impact of media, particularly television, on preschool children, and what society can do to maximize the benefits and minimize the costs.
Modifying La–Mg–Ni alloy thin film microstructure using combinatorial methods

We have grown an array of discrete La–Mg–Ni thin films using combinatorial methods to modify the film microstructure by fine-tuning the composition. This method for creation of nanocrystalline/amorphous microstructure is significantly different from the usual energetic mechanical methods. Electron probe microanalysis measurements showed that our films have a wide range of compositions. The structures and surfaces of the different alloy films were studied using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). XRD measurements revealed that the Mg-rich alloys consist of a main phase of (La, Mg)Ni3 with the hexagonal PuNi3-type structure and minor impurity phases of LaNi5. However, XRD of the La-rich alloys showed the formation of amorphous and nanocrystalline phases. AFM phase images showed different phases corresponding to different nucleation processes for the Mg-rich and La-rich alloys.
Land, labor and the logic of Zionism: a critical engagement with Gershon Shafir

From roughly the 1930s into the 1970s, labor-Zionist ideology, parties and institutions played a central role in the Zionist movement in Palestine, and then from 1948 in the State of Israel, manifesting one crucial way in which the Zionist project differed from other comparable settler colonial enterprises. Gershon Shafir’s 1989 book Land, Labor and the Origins of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, 1882–1914 argued forcefully that it was labor Zionism’s encounter with the land and labor markets in late-Ottoman Palestine, rather than abstract ideology, that led it to adopt a strategy based on the exclusion of indigenous Arab labor and economic separatism. This trajectory, he argued, also ultimately conduced to most Zionists’ acceptance of territorial compromise in 1948. Shafir thereby offered a powerful alternative to idealist and romanticised approaches to early Zionism in Palestine. However, using as a foil a comparison that a leading labor-Zionist thinker drew in the late 1920s between the Jews of Palest...
Dielectric screening in semiconductors.

Intra-atomic and interatomic Coulomb interactions are incorporated into bond-orbital theory, based upon universal tight-binding parameters, in order to treat the effects of charge redistribution in semiconductor bonds. The dielectric function \ensuremath{\epsilon}(q) is obtained for wave numbers in a [100] direction. The screening of differences in average hybrid energy across a heterojunction is calculated in detail, indicating that the decay length for the potential depends upon the relative values of Madelung and intra-atomic Coulomb terms. The parameters used here predict an imaginary decay length and thus an oscillating potential near the interface. The same theory is applied to point defects by imbedding a cluster in a matrix lattice, taking charges in that lattice to be consistent with continuum theory. Illustrating the theory with a phosphorus impurity in silicon, it is seen that the impurity and its neighboring atoms have charges on the order of only one-tenth of an electronic charge, alternating in sign from neighbor to neighbor as for planar defects. Although there are shifts in the term values on the order of a volt, the difference in these shifts for neighboring atoms is much smaller so that the effect on the bonds is quite small. This behavior is analogous to the response of a dielectric continuum to a point charge: The medium is locally neutral except at the center of the cluster and there are slowly varying potentials ${e}^{2}$/\ensuremath{\epsilon}r. Because of this slow variation, free-atom term values should ordinarily suffice for the calculation of bond properties and bond lengths at impurities. Corrections are larger for homovalent substitutions such as carbon in silicon.
Cervical cytology testing in teens.

Although cervical cytology screening programs have dramatically decreased rates of invasive cancer in developed countries most guidelines in the USA were overaggressive in their management of abnormal cytology in adolescents and young women. These management strategies resulted in costly over-treatment. The purpose of this article is to review the evidence for the new guidelines in cytology screening in youth. Natural history studies of human papillomavirus (the cause of abnormal cytology and cervical cancer) suggest there is little risk of a significant pre-cancerous lesion going undetected within the first 3–5 years after the onset of sexual activity. The American Cancer Society now recommends that screening be initiated within 3 years of the onset of vaginal intercourse but no later than 21 years of age. The American Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology allows for follow-up of low-grade squamous intra-epithelial lesions with repeat cytology or human papillomavirus DNA testing rather than immediate referral to colposcopy. The new recommendations appear to be safe and will decrease the current over-referral and over-treatment of adolescents and young women with HPV infections. (authors)
Supporting Remote Sensing Research with Small Unmanned Aerial Systems

Abstract. We describe several remote sensing research projects supported with small Unmanned Aerial Systems (sUAS) operated by the NGA Basic and Applied Research Office. These sUAS collections provide data supporting Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR), NGA University Research Initiative (NURI), and Cooperative Research And Development Agreements (CRADA) efforts in addition to inhouse research. Some preliminary results related to 3D electro-optical point clouds are presented, and some research goals discussed. Additional details related to the autonomous operational mode of both our multi-rotor and fixed wing small Unmanned Aerial System (sUAS) platforms are presented.
Photoinduced intrapolymer electron transfer in the pendant [60]fullerene-aminopolymer

Abstract A strong dependence of observed fluorescence quantum yields of fullerene chromophores in the pendant [60]fullerene-poly(ethyleneimine) on solvent polarity is reported. The solvent polarity effects of the fluorescence properties of the polymer-bound [60]fullerene cages are likely due to intrapolymer electron transfer quenching by the secondary amine units in the polymer structure.
Contractile and intracellular Ca2+ decay in potentiated contractions following multiple extrasystolic beats.

Developed pressure and intracellular Ca2+ ([Ca2+]1) decay in postextrasystolic beats following multiple extrasystolic contractions (ESCs) was evaluated with surface fluorometry in atrioventricular-blocked perfused rat hearts loaded with Indo-11. After priming pacing at 400 ms intervals, 1–25 ESCs were interposed with a 160 ms interval, followed by 30 postextrasystolic beats with a 400 ms interval. Both left ventricular developed pressure and the amplitude of the Indo-1 fluorescence ratio (F400/F510; an index of [Ca2+]i) increased in a monoexponential manner with an increase in the number of ESCs. Both potentiated left ventricular developed pressure and the amplitude of F400/F510 transients returned to control in a monoexponential fashion. Consistent with this exponential decay, the relationship between developed pressure or the amplitude of F400/F510 transients in a postextrasystolic beat and that in the preceding beat was linear and the slope of a fitted line (recirculation fraction; RF) was evaluated as an index of rapidity of decay. The number of ESCs did not affect RF of developed pressure and the amplitude of F400/F510 transients. Reducing extracellular Ca2+ concentration (1.25 → 0.55 mM), and perfusion with an acidic solution (pH = 6.8) significantly decreased RF of both developed pressure (0.85 ± 0.06 → 0.78 ± 0.05, n = 8, P < 0.05 and 0.85 ± 0.07 → 0.78 ± 0.06, n = 8, P < 0.05, respectively) and the amplitude of F400/F510 (0.87 ± 0.06 → 0.78 ± 0.05, P < 0.05, and 0.89 ± 0.08 → 0.78 ± 0.07, P < 0.05, respectively). This study confirmed that, in all conditions evaluated, contractile decay was determined by [Ca2+]i decay and RF of contractile decay was an accurate estimate of [Ca2+]i decay in physiologically paced isolated perfused rat hearts.
The Radiation-Induced Copolymerization of Methyl Methacrylate with Di- and Trimethacrylates

Abstract The rates and gel formation of the radiation-induced co-polymerization of a number of dimethacrylates and trimethylol propane trimethacrylate with methyl methacrylate has been studied in detail. The rates were found to be linked to the nature and amount of gel formed rather than to differences in the reactivities of the monomers.
A survey of the cosmic ray diurnal variation during 1973-1979. II: Application of diffusion-convection model to diurnal anisotropy data

Abstract We have developed a matrix approach to the application of the Diffusion-Convection Model (DCM) of cosmic ray transport to high rigidity ( R ) particles detected at the Earth. The equations are treated parametrically in terms of the product of “coupled variables” in order to deduce the behavior of the heliospheric transport parameters during 1973–1979. The variables can be uncoupled only by using additional information about the heliosphere. Assuming an R 2 rigidity-dependence for K ‖ as suggested by Jokipii (1971, Rev. Geophys. Space Phys. 9 , 27), we show that the resultant radial gradients ( G r ) come out to be extremely small. We conclude that the rigidity dependence for K ‖ must be considerably flatter. It appears that the diurnal variation observed at Embudo during 1976 may require a contribution from the charged particle drifts. Our results are discussed.
An application of multi-objective modeling: The case of the Indian sugar industry

Abstract A multi-objective linear programming model is developed for the Indian sugar industry to plan for additional output by production technique, geographical region and forecasted year. Various policy scenarios generated by assigning different values to the policy variables in the model are studied. Thus a useful planning tool which demonstrates the exact impact of the policy parameters on various objectives is provided to the central decision maker. A satisficing multi-objective decision making method is developed based on an existing method of solution and used in policy analysis. The solution method is ideally suited to any general planning problem.
On resonant rotation of a weakly damped pendulum

The minimum, sinusoidal drive for resonant rotation of a weakly damped pendulum and the contiguous loci of stable states in a frequency-energy plane are determined by perturbing the solution for undamped, unforced oscillations and invoking the method of harmonic balance. Instability occurs through turning-point and period-doubling bifurcations, and the resonant states are stable only in rather small frequency intervals between these bifurcations.
Expanding conceptualizations of culturally competent care.

Expanding conceptualizations of culturally competent care Aim. The aim of the study was to gain an understanding of cultural competence from the perspectives of non-mainstream nurse educators, specifically those of Latin heritage. Background/Rationale. Although the theoretical concepts of ‘cultural diversity’ and ‘culturally competent care’ have been supported and promoted by the largest professional nursing organizations, the practical application of these concepts has often created difficulties for nurse researchers, educators, and clinicians. The lack of progress in teaching and evaluating cultural competence suggested the need to ‘center the margins’ and explore cultural competence from the margins of one particular non-mainstream nursing group, Latina nurse educators. Design/Methods. A grounded theory research design was employed. A group of 10 doctoral, prepared, self-identified, Latina nurse educators participated in face- to-face audiotaped interviews. Data collection, analysis, and theoretical sampling decisions occurred concurrently, strengthening theory generation. Institutional review board approval was received for all steps of the study. The major limitation of the study was the omission of student voices. Results/Findings. The analysis suggests that the Latina participants shared the common purpose of teaching students how to think about difference. The teaching practices of this group of Latina educators was based on a belief that ‘difference’ is not solely about specific cultural groups. For example, content about ‘Hmongs’ or ‘Latinos’. Rather, Latina faculty focused on teaching students how to directly connect with anyone perceived as different from oneself. Conclusions: Latina faculty did not distinguish between competent care and culturally competent care; for them, competence necessarily includes cultural competence. They conceptualize the provision of competent care to all persons who are perceived as different, rather than focusing only on those who are perceived as ‘culturally’ different. These conceptualizations have the potential to shed new light on how nurses and nurse educators think about, develop, and integrate cultural competence into nursing education, practice, and research.
Perceptions of pharmacists' integration into patient-centered medical home teams

Abstract Background Patient-centered medical homes (PCMHs) are a newer paradigm of health care service delivery. Team-based care that includes pharmacists has been implemented in several countries. Subsequently studies have successfully identified challenges and barriers with team-based care. Research on pharmacists' integration into PCMH is warranted to help bridge knowledge from earlier studies exploring team-based care. In 2010, the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) began a national PCMH implementation, operationalized as “Patient-Aligned Care Teams” (PACTs). The VA's national PACT implementation presents an opportunity to describe other persistent barriers to effective coordination between primary care and pharmacy providers. Objective To identify perceived barriers and facilitators to pharmacist integration into VA PACTs from the perspective of non-pharmacist team members. Methods Semi-structured interviews were conducted as part of a formative evaluation of PCMH implementation. Participants were from VA medical centers and community-based outpatient clinics in the Midwestern United States and included physicians, nurses, associated health care professionals, and health system administrators. Results In working toward pharmacy service integration, role clarity and work activities were influenced by team member attitudes toward and previous experiences with pharmacists. Interviewees reported that coordination with pharmacists was hindered if communication placed extra burdens on other team members. Interviewees reported collaboration was easier when pharmacists were onsite, but that technology helped facilitate off-site access to pharmacy services. Finally, some team members characterized pharmacist integration as essential while others failed to integrate pharmacists at all. Conclusion Non-pharmacist members of PACT teams reported some reluctance in pharmacists' integration. They attributed this reluctance to knowledge deficits, limited participation in PACT training by pharmacists, an imbalance in effort expended for pharmacists' integration, and coordination or communication challenges. While there may be unique opportunities for pharmacists to improve patient care through participation in PCMHs, work remains to improve other health professionals' knowledge of and attitudes toward pharmacists' roles on health care teams.
Cyclic guanosine monophosphate. Elevation in degenerating photoreceptor cells of the c3h mouse retina.

As a result of an early deficiency in cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase activity, guanosine 39,59-monophosphate accumulates in retinal photoreceptor cells before they begin to degenerate. It is suggested that degeneration of the photoreceptor cells is related to an imbalance in their metabolism or function which is caused by the elevated levels of cyclic guanosine monophosphate.
Two concepts of communication as criteria for collective responsibility

In part one I review the literature, exposing some of the ambiguities, contradictions, and antinomies involved in the notion of communication. The literature presents us with two rather contradictory notions of communication: one rhetorical, the other responsible. Disparity between the two may be seen to jeopardize a “new moral mandate” to corporate business. In part two I develop more explicitly the models of rhetorical and responsible communication, locating the issue at the center of a solution to the problem of collective responsibility. A proper exercise of corporate moral responsibility, I argue, is compatible only with a model of responsible communication. I conclude by challenging top management to strive toward a goal of responsible communication at all levels in their respective corporate institutions.
Surface Integrity Difference between Hard Turned and Ground Surfaces and Its Impact on Fatigue Life

Surface integrity is the key for process selection of hard turning or grinding in industry. This study identifies the fundamental differences in the integrity of hard turned and ground surfaces and the subsequent impact on rolling contact fatigue life. The significant findings are: (a) mechanical deformation plays a larger role during hard turning than grinding, while the size effect in grinding induces higher surface hardness; and (b) a hard turned surface may have a more than 100% longer fatigue life than a ground one with an equivalent surface finish (Ra 0.07 μm) due to the very different characteristics of surface integrity.
A NOTE ON CEREBRAL DOMINANCE IN HEARING.

A recent paper by Calearo & Antonelli (1963) reporting no effect of cerebral dominance on the perception of speech sounds at the two ears prompts me to describe briefly some data of my own on the subject. The method employed was a variation of the Broadbent (1954) technique. Two different spoken numbers were presented simultaneously, one to one ear, one to the other ear. After three of such paired presentations the subject simply reported all the numbers he had heard in any order he liked. Normal subjects and patients with speech represented in the left hemisphere were more efficient on the right ear. Patients with speech represented in the right hemisphere, on the other hand, were more efficient on the left ear. These data were independent of handedness, i.e., the ear-efficiency of left-handed patients depended on whether they had speech in the right or the left hemisphere (Kimura, 1961a).
Molecular species of PC and PE formed during castor oil biosynthesis

As part of a program to elucidate castor oil biosynthesis, we have identified 36 molecular species of PC and 35 molecular species of PE isolated from castor microsomes after incubations with [14C]-labeled FA. The six [14C]FA studied were ricinoleate, stearate, oleate, linoleate, linolenate, and palmitate, which were the only FA identified in castor microsomal incubations. The incorporation of each of the six FA into PC was better than that into PE. The [14C]FA were incorporated almost exclusively into the sn-2 position of both PC and PE. The incorporation of [14C]stearate and [14C]palmitate into 2-acyl-PC was slower compared to the other four [14C]FA. The incorporation does not show any selectivity for the various lysoPC molecular species. The level of incorporation of [14C]FA in PC was in the order of: oleate>linolenate>palmitate>linoleate >stearate>ricinoleate, and in PE: linoleate>linolenate> oleate>palmitate>stearate>ricinoleate. In general, at the sn-1 position of both PC and PE, linoleate was the most abundant FA, palmitate was the next, and oleate, linolenate, stearate, and ricinoleate were minor FA. The activities of oleoyl-12-hydroxylase, oleoyl-12-desaturase seem unaffected by the FA at the sn-1 position of 2-oleoyl-PC. The FA in the sn-1 position of PC does not significantly affect the activity of phospholipase A2, whereas ricinoleate is preferentially removed from the sn-2 position of PC. The results show that (i) [14C]oleate is most actively incorporated to form 2-oleoyl-PC, the immediate substrate of oleoyl-12-hydroxylase; (ii) 2-ricinoleoyl-PC is formed mostly by the hydroxylation of 2-oleoyl-PC, not from the incorporation of ricinoleate into 2-ricinoleoyl-PC; and (iii) 2-oleoyl-PF is less actively formed than 2-oleoyl-PC.
Degree and duration of skin test suppression and side effects with antihistamines: A double blind controlled study with five antihistamines*

The ability of antihistamines to suppress the wheal response of an intradermal skin test is well recognized, but the degree and duration of this suppression have not previously been adequately studied. This double blind study employed five commonly used antihistamines in recommended therapeutic doses. Wheal suppression was recorded immediately after completing a 3 day course of the respective drug and was followed for up to 7 days or until the wheal regained control levels. Mean suppression ranged from 30.7 per cent to 62.7 per cent and required from 1.89 to 4.31 days to re-establish control levels. Incidence and degree of side effects from each antihistamine are also discussed.
Perfluorooctanoate Exposure and Major Birth Defects

Perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) is detectable in umbilical cord blood and amniotic fluid. Some toxicological findings suggest that perfluoroalkyl substances may be teratogenic. Using data from the C8 Health Project, a 2005-2006 survey in a Mid-Ohio Valley community exposed to PFOA through contaminated drinking water, we examined the association between estimated prenatal PFOA concentration and maternally reported birth defects (n=325) among 10,262 live singleton or multiple births from 1990 to 2006. Logistic regression models accounted for siblings using generalized estimating equations. There was generally no association between estimated PFOA concentration and birth defects, with the possible exception of brain defects, where the odds ratio adjusted for year of conception was 2.6 (95% confidence interval 1.3-5.1) for an increase in estimated PFOA exposure from the 25th to 75th percentile. This estimate, however, was based on 13 cases and may represent a chance finding. Further investigation of this potential association may be warranted.
Cell mass concentration variance resulting from fluctuations in the incoming nutrient concentration to a chemostat

The cellular response in terms of steady-state variance of cell mass concentration to fluctuations in incoming nutrient concentration to a chemostat has been examined. A white noise process is assumed to describe incoming nutrient concentration fluctuations and the variance of cell mass concentration has been found to depend on cell yield (a lumped measure of nutrient concentration fluctuation magnitude and lifetime) and two system time constants.
Organic Nonlinear Materials For Laser-Electron Beam Generation

Nonlinear organic compounds may have important applications in novel laser-controlled electron beam devices and systems. Films of a few hundred angstrom thickness are vacuum deposited on metal substrates. When illuminated with intense laser light in a vacuum, these coatings can produce high emission current densities. A survey of organic materials evaluated at three laser wavelengths shows that some compounds produce more photocurrent than metals.