cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Healthcare Decision-Making Among Dual-Eligible Immigrants: Implications from a Study of an Integrated Medicare-Medicaid Demonstration Program in California.

To improve the coordination of long-term services and supports for dual-eligibles (those with both Medicare and Medicaid), California created Cal MediConnect (CMC), an Affordable Care Act-authorized managed care demonstration program. Beneficiaries were “passively enrolled” into CMC, meaning they were automatically enrolled unless they actively opted out. The aim of this study was to examine differences in factors influencing the enrollment decisions of U.S. born and immigrant dual-eligible beneficiaries. To explore differences in decision-making processes, we conducted in-depth interviews with dual-eligible consumers (39 native and 14 immigrant) in Los Angeles County. Interviews were analyzed using a constructivist grounded theory approach. Our findings illustrate a heightened sense of vulnerability and disempowerment experienced by immigrant participants. Immigrant participants also faced greater challenges in accessing healthcare and eliciting healthcare information compared to U.S.-born participants. Understanding the diverse perspectives of dual-eligible immigrant healthcare decision-making has implications for health care reform strategies aimed at ameliorating disparities for vulnerable immigrant populations.
Office-Based Lower Airway Endoscopy: Feasibility and Safety.

Objectives The primary aim of this study was to identify the ease and safety of office-based lower airway endoscopy (OLAE) in patients with and without comorbidities. In addition, we identified the most common indications for OLAE and the associated diagnosis. Methods A retrospective review on 567 patients and 706 in-office flexible fiberoptic procedures was performed. Using a previously established grading system, the ease of visualization of the subglottis, trachea, and carina was assessed, in addition to the overall ease of the exam. Results Four hundred and eighty-eight videos were available for review. Of those, 105 videos included an OLAE, accounting for 21.5% of all procedures. Laryngomalacia was the most common diagnosis in 35 of 105 (36%) OLAE. For all laryngomalacia cases, the overall ease was found to be on average 2.15 (standard error 0.12). Fisher exact testing showed a statistical significance in the ability to visualize the trachea between the types of Laryngomalacia (LM) (P = .035). Fisher exact testing was performed comparing LM types I, II, or III, and combined types of LM; no statistical difference was found between groups. In 4.76% of OLAE procedures, a subglottic pathology was diagnosed. Comorbidities were found in OLAE 26 of 105 patients. There were no complications identified. Conclusion We found OLAE more challenging than previously reported. OLAE of combined types of laryngomalacia was subjectively more difficult, but this difference did not reach statistical significance. OLAE continues to be a safe alternative to operative laryngoscopy in pediatric patients and appears safe in those with comorbidities when precautions are taken. Level of evidence 4. Laryngoscope, 2020.
Policy making through thick and thin: Thick description as a methodology for communications and democracy

This paper proposes the use of anthropologist Clifford Geertz's‘thick description’ as a methodology for communications policymaking. Ethnographies employing thick description give voice to the concernsof ordinary citizens. They also help make policy more accessible, enhancingprospects for meaningful public participation in policy making and, thus,democracy. This is of particular concern in policy making involvingcommunications technology because of the relationship between communicationsand democracy. A literature review found no instances of authors explicitlyemploying thick description in communications policy making research, althoughjournalists, authors and others have employed the methods of thick descriptionwhile investigating such areas as the environment, automobile safety, andbusiness. Concerns regarding thick description in policy making, as with mostqualitative research, relate to its time-consuming nature and questionsregarding its validity.
Lotus Effect and Friction: Does Nonsticky Mean Slippery?

Lotus-effect-based superhydrophobicity is one of the most celebrated applications of biomimetics in materials science. Due to a combination of controlled surface roughness (surface patterns) and low-surface energy coatings, superhydrophobic surfaces repel water and, to some extent, other liquids. However, many applications require surfaces which are water-repellent but provide high friction. An example would be highway or runway pavements, which should support high wheel–pavement traction. Despite a common perception that making a surface non-wet also makes it slippery, the correlation between non-wetting and low friction is not always direct. This is because friction and wetting involve many mechanisms and because adhesion cannot be characterized by a single factor. We review relevant adhesion mechanisms and parameters (the interfacial energy, contact angle, contact angle hysteresis, and specific fracture energy) and discuss the complex interrelation between friction and wetting, which is crucial for the design of biomimetic functional surfaces.
Polymer Morphology and Device Performance in Polymer Electronics

Since the first successful fabrication of the polymer light-emitting diode (PLED) using poly(p-phenylenevinylene) (PPV) as the active material,1 there has been widespread research interest in conjugated polymers. The lightweight, flexibility, ease of processing, and the unique electrical and photonic semiconducting properties are among the most attractive characteristics of this class of materials. Because some of these materials can be obtained in solution form, spin-coating has become the most commonly used technique for obtaining uniform thin films of these materials. It is often noted that results published by different groups are inconsistent. For example, as shown in Fig. 6.1, emission spectra of poly(2-methoxy-5-(2′-ethylhexyloxy)-1,4-phenylenevinylene (MEH-PPV) thin films can be dramatically different. In addition, fluorescence decay dynamics of MEH-PPV films with a photoluminescence (PL) spectrum similar to curve a in Fig. 6.1 reported by Jakubiak Rothberg2 are significantly different from that with a PL spectrum similar to curve b in Fig. 6.1 reported by Samuel et al.3 The dispute of the charge carriers’ mobility is another example. Scott et al.,4,5 found that the electron is highly mobile in MEH-PPV films. Blom et al.6 suggested that the charge recombination zone is next to the cathode, which suggests that the holes move faster than the electrons. It was also noted that hole transport is dispersive and, therefore, an interpretation in terms of charge carrier mobility is not meaningful.7
Issues, identity salience, and individual sense of connection to organizations: an identity-based approach

Based on the identity framework (social identity theory and self-categorization theory), this study proposes an identity-based approach to organization-public relationships. A pilot study and a 3 (...
Technology-based versus in-person deposit contract treatments for promoting physical activity.

Deposit contracts involve participants depositing their own money and earning it back contingent on behavior change. Deposit contracts are empirically supported treatments for promoting health behavior, but they have a history of poor uptake. We compared the effectiveness and acceptability of technology-based versus in-person deposit contracts for promoting physical activity with 12 individuals. Participants' daily step counts were monitored using Fitbits across 6 weeks, and treatment preferences were assessed at the end of the study. The 2 types of treatments were equally effective in increasing physical activity, but the technology-based deposit contracts were preferred by most participants. Most participants also reported that their preference was related to convenience. Technology-based implementation may be one way to improve deposit contract uptake, while maintaining similar effectiveness compared to in-person procedures.
On the plains and prairies of Minnesota: The role of mathematical statistics in biological explanation

In this essay, I consider the use of mathematical statistics in the study of biological systems in the field, using as case studies the work of Ruth Geyer Shaw and her colleagues at the University of Minnesota. To address practical issues, like how to enhance prairie restoration, and how to prepare for (and perhaps prevent) the effect of rapid climate change, she and her colleagues combine mathematical modeling and intensive data collection in the field. Using ANOVA and the more versatile approach of Aster Models, they show the effects of inbreeding (which follows from the fragmentation of prairie) to lower the fitness of plant populations. They study the genetic variance of plants in stable populations, which is important when that population must deal with changing conditions. And they study the consequences of rapid climate change: even good genetic variance and initial fitness may not save a given population from extinction. This leads to a new alliance of science with local, state, federal and global politics.
Impaired Cx43 gap junction endocytosis causes cardiovascular defects in zebrafish

Gap junction proteins, termed connexins (Cx), mediate direct cell-to-cell communication by forming channels that physically couple cells, thereby linking their cytoplasm, permitting exchange of molecules, ions, and electrical impulses. The most ubiquitously expressed gap junction protein, connexin43 (Cx43) has been implicated in cardiovascular diseases including arrhythmias, cardiomyopathies, hypertension and diabetes. The Cx43 C-terminal (CT) domain serves as the regulatory hub of the protein affecting all aspects of gap junction function. Here, deletion within the Cx43 CT (amino acids 256-289), a region known to encode key residues regulating gap junction turnover is employed to examine the effects of dysregulated Cx43 gap junction endocytosis using cultured cells (Cx43{Delta}256-289) and zebrafish model (cx43lh10). We report that this CT deletion causes defective gap junction endocytosis as well as increased gap junction intercellular communication (GJIC). Increased Cx43 protein content in cx43lh10 zebrafish, specifically in the cardiac tissue, larger gap junction plaques and longer Cx43 protein half-lives coincide with severely impaired cardiovascular development. These findings suggest that normal, unimpaired Cx43 gap junction endocytosis and turnover is an essential aspect of gap junction function as demonstrated here for cardiovascular development that when impaired can give rise to arrhythmias, heart malformations and aberrant vasculature structure and function.
Dokters worden niet ziek

Ook dokters kunnen ziek worden. Net als ieder ander mens. Waarom zou daar dan in dit boek een speciaal hoofdstuk aan gewijd moeten worden? Tja, omdat artsen niet altijd de beste patienten blijken te zijn. Ze ontkennen vaker hun symptomen, zoeken minder vaak adequate hulp en gaan zelfdokteren, melden zich vaak niet of te laat ziek. Ze zijn soms even eigenwijs als ze eigengereid zijn. En het is ook niet makkelijk om als arts een zieke collega te behandelen. Er zitten aan alle kanten risico’s aan. Wat maakt het voor de zorgprofessional toch zo lastig om ziek te zijn? En waarom is het moeilijk(er) om een collega te behandelen dan iemand die niet zelf in de zorg werkt?
Liver resection after Y-90 radioembolization: a systematic review and meta-analysis of perioperative morbidity and mortality.

Abstract Background Data on morbidity and mortality following liver resection after radioembolization (Y90) are limited and controversial. Therefore, the perioperative morbidity and mortality of liver resections after Y90 treatment were investigated with systematic review and meta-analysis. Methods A PubMed search was conducted to identify studies of liver resection after previous Y90 treatment. Systematic review and meta-analysis for perioperative morbidity and mortality were perfomed using the 2009 PRISMA guidelines and STATA 16.1 software. Results A total of 16 studies reporting on 276 patients who underwent liver resection after Y90 met the inclusion criteria and were included in the meta-analysis. Meta-analysis of 30-day mortality rates yielded pooled mortality of 0.5% (95% CI 0.0–3.2%). Six studies (155 patients) reported a pooled 90-day mortality of 3.0% (95% CI 0.3–7.4%). The median time to resection after Y90 ranged from 2 to 12.5 months in various studies. In all studies where the median resection was undertaken eight or more months after Y90, zero 30-day mortality was reported. A meta-analysis of overall grade 3 or higher morbidity noted a rate of 26% (95% CI 16–37%). Conclusions Liver resection after Y90 may be safe in very well selected patients. Delaying resection after Y90 may further decrease mortality.
Sociology of Disasters

This chapter focuses on the contributions of sociologists who study the root causes and social consequences of everyday emergencies, disasters, and large-scale catastrophes. It defines key terms and concepts, offers a brief history and overview of the field, and explains why sociologists study disasters. It also describes what research has revealed regarding human and organizational behavior during times of collective upheaval through offering a review of available research regarding three enduring areas of study in disaster—convergence behavior, panic and prosocial behavior, and crime and conflict. This chapter demonstrates how disaster risk is patterned in ways that reflect pre-existing social and economic inequalities. The concluding section focuses on the future of this field of study and offers forward-looking recommendations. Ultimately, this chapter illustrates the power of sociology in revealing social processes and group-based patterns, while also shedding light on the complicated, sometimes contradictory, and ever-expanding body of knowledge that characterizes the sociological study of disaster.
Cataloging Correctly for Kids: An Introduction to the Tools and Practices: Edited by Michele Zwierski, Joanna F. Fountain, and Marilyn McCroskey. 6th ed. Chicago: ALA Editions, 2021. viii, 184 p. ISBN 978-0-8389-1871-5. $59.99

During the intervening years between the last update to this handbook catalogers experienced substantial changes to cataloging standards and practice. In response, editors of the sixth edition asse...
The metabolism of sphingomyelin. I. Purification and properties of a sphingomyelin-cleaving enzyme from rat liver tissue.

A sphingomyelin-cleaving enzyme has been found in rat liver tissue. The enzyme, originally present in subcellular particulate fractions, could be released in a soluble form by treatment with appropriate detergents and was partially purified by conventional procedures. The most highly purified enzyme preparations catalyzed the hydrolysis of sphingomyelin, whereas lecithin and phosphatidylethanolamine were unaffected. The products of the reaction were identified as phosphorylcholine and ceramide. Lecithin was a competitive inhibitor of the reaction.
X-Ray Observations of Stellar Coronae and Winds

Since the discovery in 1974 by Heise et al. (1975) with the ANS satellite of X-ray flares from YZ CMi and UV Cet, only a few attempts to observe X-rays from flare stars have succeeded. On the other hand, the discovery of X-ray emission from Capella by Catura, Acton and Johnson (1975) in a rocket flight has been followed by so many detections of RS CVn binaries by the low energy detectors (0.15 - 3 keV) of the HEAO A2 experiment that, while Catura et al. estimated that many variable soft X-ray sources probably exist, Walter, Charles and Bowyer (1978) could identify the RS CVn systems as a class of quiescent sources. They have higher temperatures than at first predicted, so they are ideal for detection in the energy range ¼ keV to a few keV, and the high space density provides many close candidates. Further information on these sources is now available from the GSFC Solid State Spectrometer Experiment on the Einstein Observatory, which with energy resolution of 140 eV can resolve the major complexes of line emission from Si, S, Fe and less abundant elements that are an important part of the emission of 10 million degree plasmas. The imaging experiments on the Einstein Observatory have detected X-ray emission from subsets of all types of stars, and results on the luminosities, variability and temperatures are just beginning to come out.
Chapter 12 Heavy Minerals in Shales

Abstract Although shales dominate the sedimentary rock record, when compared to sandstones their heavy mineral fraction has received little attention. A principal reason for this disparity is the difficulty of density separations in rocks with high clay contents using organic liquids. These liquids work well for clean sandstones, but their effectiveness in clay-rich samples is limited by the adsorption of organic molecules onto clay minerals. Additionally, the small size of heavy mineral grains within shales demands advanced observational conditions, and considerable expertise that analysts must develop before undertaking these investigations. In this study heavy minerals were separated from the clay and light-mineral matrices of over 100 shale samples using lithium metatungstate (LMT), a non-organic heavy liquid. The sample sets include sites from Ordovician through Mississippian shales from the Ouachita Mountains of Oklahoma and Arkansas, USA, and Miocene through Pleistocene shales from the subsurface Gulf of Mexico (GOM). Heavy minerals include variable amounts of zircon, tourmaline, rutile, apatite, baryte, monazite, and xenotime. Opaque minerals are Fe, Ti, Fe-Mn, Ba-Mn, and Cr-Fe oxides, as well as Fe-rich micas. Comparisons with heavy-mineral contents of interbedded sandstones with the surrounding deep-water shales show that heavy minerals are equally plentiful and diverse in the finer-grained clastics. Tectonic and provenance interpretations based on trace-element geochemistry rely upon the assumption that signature elements are quantitatively transferred from the same source as the bulk of the sediments. Trace-element analyses of whole-rock and light-mineral separates indicate that heavy minerals are sometimes the dominant sites for some of the trace elements in shales. The potential control of signature trace elements by an accessory mineral phase, perhaps from a secondary, low-volume source terrain, needs to be addressed. We stress the importance of using the heavy-mineral fraction to complement the geochemical study of shales. Heavy minerals in shales can be as effective in determining sediment provenance as they have proven to be in sandstones. A source of some of the heavy minerals within shales could be from resistate mineral inclusions within both light and heavy host minerals. This is particularly important for zircon, rutile, and monazite, based upon their observed size in shales. This should be considered when using heavy minerals in shales for provenance studies.
(Un)binding the states of location, be(long)ing, representation: Getting lost in the East Asian library

Down the Rabbit Hole Walking through the damp, narrow aisle in the basement of the East Asian Library, I suddenly sense an uncommon tenderness floating around. Books are filed like a giant castle and I do get lost in myself pretty quick. There’s a weird peacefulness in it. Part escape and part exile. It’s a nice place to doodle away, although I usually pick one book and read it in the darkness. I slowly open the book I choose. There’s a different spirit inside this one. Less anxiety maybe. I’m not exactly sure what that means, but I can feel the harboring memories of the book, belonging to a place where I was born and raised. The book is trance inducing, like an enchanting folklore from the village I barely remember. When I start to read it, the unsung, unseen language prompts me to dance with the book all along. There’s some nice alchemy at work between us, and I dance in the past, in the moment that no longer belongs to time. Do I ever feel the book has a schizophrenic sense for me, with memories tied to different lines inside me? Well, maybe I’m not exactly a graceful dancer, I think. I close the book. A fresh, earthy smell of the pine tree from the time where the language was born tenderly takes me to the place where I am from. I place the book where it belongs and hurry upstairs. The time is out of joint.
Buffer size effect analysis for M/g/1/(∞, K) queue

In this paper we are going to give the relationship between the staionary queue-length probabilities of the M/G/1/(∞, K) multiclasses queue and the unbuffered M/G/1 single-class queues.
Homology Between the Deoxyribonucleic Acids of Haemophilus influenzae and Haemophilus parainfluenzae

To determine the degree of homology between deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) from Haemophilus influenzae and that from Haemophilus parainfluenzae, the two DNAs were hybridized by the membrane-filter technique. It was found that 44% of the DNA from each species was sufficiently homologous to allow hybrid formation.
The concept of superautomaton

A recent review of my book The Logic of Mind in this journal refers to the key idea of the book, that of a superautomaton, as a "Moore machine". However, none of the central arguments of the book go through for Moore Machines. This note presents a sketch of the correct construction.
Demonstration of cytotoxic antibodies in rabbits bearing tumors induced by Shope fibroma virus.

The 51Cr-release test was used to detect cytotoxic antibodies in adult rabbits bearing tumors induced by Shope fibroma virus. The following are the recommended experimental conditions: the infection of RK-13 cells with a multiplicity of 1 to 2 infectious units per cell for 48 hr, 51Cr labeling of infected cells during the last 12 hr of incubation, sensitization of suspended labeled infected cells for 1 hr with immune serum, and quantitation of cell damage by the amount of 51Cr released after 6 hr of incubation in the presence of complement. The immune sera reacted only with fibroma virus-infected cells but not with cells infected with vaccinia virus or herpesvirus type 1. Similarly, sera prepared against vaccinia virus and herpesvirus type 1 were not cytotoxic to fibroma virus-infected cells, although they were cytotoxic to cells infected with homologous viruses. The total antibody activity in sera of rabbits infected with Shope fibroma virus was detected first on day 7, gradually rose to its peak by day 23, and persisted at that level for at least 50 days. The 19S antibody was detected on day 7, reached peak titers by day 13, and disappeared by day 17. The 7S antibody was barely detectable on day 7, reached maximum titers on day 13, and remained high for at least 50 days. The tumors appeared on the 3rd day after virus inoculation, reached maximum size on day 13, and regressed completely by day 23.
Diversity of United States medical students by region compared to US census data

PURPOSE Increasing the diversity of the United States (US) physician workforce to better represent the general population has received considerable attention. The purpose of this study was to compare medical student race data to that of the US general population. We hypothesized that race demographics of medical school matriculants would reflect that of the general population. PATIENTS AND METHODS Published race data from the United States Census Bureau (USCB) 2010 census and the 2011 Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) allopathic medical school application and enrollment by race and ethnicity survey were analyzed and compared. Race data of enrolled medical students was compared to race data of the general population within geographic regions and subregions. Additionally, race data of medical school applicants and matriculants were compared to race data of the overall general population. RESULTS Race distribution within US medical schools was significantly different than race distribution for the overall, regional, and subregional populations of the US (P<0.001). Additionally, the overall race distribution of medical school applicants differed significantly to the race distribution of the general population (P<0.001). CONCLUSION This study demonstrated that race demographics of US medical school applicants and matriculants are significantly different from that of the general population, and may be resultant of societal quandaries present early in formal education. Initiatives targeting underrepresented minorities at an early stage to enhance health care career interest and provide academic support and mentorship will be required to address the racial disparity that exists in US medical schools and ultimately the physician workforce.
Expanding American Lotus and Dissolved Oxygen Concentrations of a Shallow Lake

Lakes and reservoirs often experience sudden increases in macrophyte biomass. These changes have the potential to alter the abiotic environment in ways that affect other species. The American lotus (Nelumbo lutea) is expanding its distribution across portions of North America. N. lutea forms a dense canopy over the shallow margins of lakes and may influence the abiotic properties of the littoral zone, but this hypothesis has not been tested. Here we investigate the effects of a growing bed of N. lutea on water quality in Pymatuning Reservoir. In summer 2007 we deployed remote logging sensors to measure dissolved oxygen and temperature inside of a N. lutea bed and in adjacent open water. Dissolved oxygen concentrations were consistently lower in the lotus bed than in open water and oxygen concentrations within the N. lutea bed declined over the course of the summer. In Jul. and Aug. the N. lutea beds experienced hypoxia while oxygen concentrations remained high in open water. Low dissolved oxygen levels in N. lutea beds may affect the distribution of fish and invertebrates and alter biochemical processes in the epibenthos.
Review of John C. Landon’s Book: World History and the Eonic Effect: Civilization, Darwinism, and Theories of Evolution

John C. Landon's "Word History and the Eonic Effect" is a worthy read for anyone interested in cultural evolution and theories of evolution. Historicism, the belief that history unfolds from universal laws (leading to a blind induction without remainder), is exposed as fraud. The best example of fraud is Darwinism, the belief that macro-evolution is explained by random variation and natural selection. In fact, evolution necessarily implies something ineffable; otherwise we fall back into historicism. Fixity of purpose, stuck on historicism, stuck on Darwinian explanations of biological function, leads to the blind leading the blind. You can find this book at Amazon: World History and the Eonic Effect: Civilization, Darwinism, and Theories of Evolution .
Overload, and Cutbacks, and Freezes, Oh My! The Relative Effects of the Recession‐Related Stressors on Employee Strain and Job Satisfaction

Across the globe, economic fluctuations have taken their toll on both organizations and employees, particularly during sustained recessions. Surprisingly, little research, however, has directly investigated the effects of recessions on employees. As such, the goal of the current study was to investigate the effects of specific recession-related stressors on employee outcomes (strain and satisfaction). We investigated an archival data set of 7666 individuals collected as part of the Workplace Employment Relations Study for relations among recession-related stressors with strain and job satisfaction variables. We found that recession-related stressors were significantly related to both strain and satisfaction. More specifically, certain recession-related stressors (e.g. increased workload and reorganization of work) were more strongly related to strain and satisfaction than others. These results imply the need for greater attention to stress management strategies aimed at helping both employees and their organizations cope with the human costs of economic recessions. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Liquid Jet Pumped by Rising Gas Bubbles

From observations of a stream of gas bubbles rising through a liquid, a two-phase mathematical model is proposed for calculating the induced turbulent vertical liquid flow. The bubbles provide a large buoyancy force and the associated drag on the liquid moves the liquid upward. The liquid pumped upward consists of the bubble wakes and the liquid brought into the jet region by turbulent entrainment. The expansion of the gas bubbles as they arise through the liquid is taken into account. The continuity and momentum equations are solved numerically for an axisymmetric air jet submerged in water. Water pumping rates are obtained as a function of air flow rate and depth of submergence. Comparisons are made with limited experimental information in the literature.
Fusion-Fission Hybrid Reactors

The fusion-fission hybrid, generally defined as a subcritical fission lattice driven by an external neutron source provided by a fusion reactor, possesses a large potential advantage. The most appropriate method of exploiting this advantage is a matter of some controversey. Various possible approaches are listed, and a suggestion is made for possibly the most economically advantageous idea
Mechanical correlates of contraction-excitation feedback during acute ventricular dilatation

Objective: The purpose was to examine the mechanical correlates of the electrophysiological changes that occur during acute left ventricular dilatation. Methods: Ten isolated, retrogradely perfused, ejecting rabbit hearts were studied. Left ventricular volume was adjusted by varying left atrial perfusion pressure. Left ventricular pressure was measured directly. Changes in left ventricular chamber dimensions at the level of an epicardial electrode were evaluated with two dimensional echocardiography and wall stress was calculated from these measures. Regional left ventricular electrophysiological properties were measured at two left atrial perfusing pressures. Results: Increases in left atrial perfusion pressure resulted in significant increases in left ventricular end diastolic and end systolic pressures, epicardial and endocardial circumference, and wall stress. Only changes in diastolic wall stress correlated with changes in ventricular refractoriness (r=0.69, p=0.027). Conclusions: Left ventricular dilatation results in shortening of ventricular refractoriness in the isolated, ejecting rabbit heart. Regional changes in refractoriness are best correlated with changes in wall stress. Cardiovascular Research 1993; 27 :1084-1087
Disturbances of rapid eye movements during sleep in patients with lesions of the nervous system

Abstract Rapid eye movements during paradoxical sleep have been studied in nine patients with lesions of the nervous system. When nystagmus is present while the patient is awake, this nystagmus can also be seen to accompany REMs. Palsies of voluntary gaze abolish REMs toward the paralyzed side. Some patients who have recovered from gaze palsies may have REMs only toward the previously unaffected side. In patients with severe chronic Wernicke-Korsakoff's disease, REMs may be absent presumably due to affection of the vestibular nuclei. These findings support those in animals where lesions of vestibular nuclei have been shown to abolish REMs. In animals the visual cortex was found to be facilitatory whereas the frontal cortex inhibitory on REMs and this is probably also true for man because of the marked depression of REMs in patients with visual cortex lesions which presumably allowed excessive frontal inhibitions of REMs.
Solution Synthesis of Ultrastable Luminescent Siloxane-Coated Silicon Nanoparticles

Silicon nanoparticles (NPs) of ∼4.5(1.10) nm from a room-temperature solution route are terminated by a silanization method for the first time. Energy-selected emission is observed, consistent with the distribution of sizes obtained by this route. The NPs are photochemically stable in nonpolar organic solvents and when exposed to air/water under ambient conditions for up to 1 year. The nanoparticles were characterized by TEM, HRTEM, EDX, SAED, FTIR, 1H/13C NMR, UV−vis, and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy.
Glutamic acid binding in goldfish brain and denervated optic tectum

Summary The binding of l -glutamic acid to goldfish brain membranes and changes in tectal binding following optic nerve denervation and regeneration were investigated. Saturable, reversible, and specific binding occurred to sodium-free washed membranes from goldfish brain at a single population of sites having an apparent K d of 3.4 μM and a capacity of 10 pM/mg original tissue. Binding was enriched in crude synaptosomal (P 2 ) subcellular fractions. There was a 10-fold regional variation in the concentration of binding sites. In pharmacological studies protection constants ( K p ) (the concentration which resulted in a 50% inhibition of binding) ranged from 4 μM for glutamate to greater than 10 mM for GABA. Following eye removal, the total number of tectal glutamic acid binding sites was stable for 4 days, followed by a rapid loss in binding, reaching 40% of control at 24 days. After optic nerve crush and optic nerve regeneration, the number and concentration of binding sites was not different from control. The relationship between glutamate, nicotinic, and muscarinic receptor sites in the retinotectal pathway is discussed.
Observations of large-amplitude cross-shore internal bores near the shelf break, Santa Monica Bay, CA.

Abstract Two sets of moorings were deployed along a cross-shelf transect in central Santa Monica bay for four months in the winter of 1998–1999. Both sites had an array of instruments attached to tripods set on the seafloor to monitor currents over the entire water column, surface waves, near-bed temperature, water clarity and suspended sediment. A companion mooring had temperature sensors spaced approximately 10 m apart to measure temperature profiles between the surface and the seafloor. One array was deployed in 70 m of water at a site adjacent to the shelf break, just northwest of a major ocean outfall. The other was deployed on the mid shelf in 35 m of water approximately 6 km from the shelf break site. The subtidal currents in the region flowed parallel to the isobaths with fluctuating time scales around 10 days, a typical coastal-ocean pattern. However, during the falling phase of the barotropic spring tide, sets of large-amplitude, sheared cross-shore current pulses with a duration of 2–5 h were observed at the shelf break site. Currents in these pulses flowed exclusively offshore in a thin layer near the bed with amplitudes reaching 30–40 cm/s. Simultaneously, currents with amplitudes around 15–20 cm/s flowed exclusively onshore in the thicker layer between the offshore flow layer and the sea surface. The net offshore transport was about half the onshore transport. Near-surface isotherms were depressed 30–40 m. These pulses were likely internal bores generated by tidal currents. Bed stresses associated with these events exceeded 3 dynes/cm2. These amplitudes are large enough to resuspend and transport not only fine-grained material, but also medium to coarse sands from the shelf toward the slope. Consequently, the seafloor over the shelf break was swept clear of fine sediments. The data suggest that the internal bores dissipate and are reduced in amplitude as they propagate across this relatively narrow shelf. There is evidence that they reach the 35 m site, but other coastal ocean processes obscure their distinctive characteristics.
The performance implications of thread management alternatives for shared-memory multiprocessors

Threads (“lightweight” processes) have become a common element of new languages and operating systems. This paper examines the performance implications of several data structure and algorithm alternatives for thread management in shared-memory multiprocessors. Both experimental measurements and analytical model projections are presented.For applications with fine-grained parallelism, small differences in thread management are shown to have significant performance impact, often posing a tradeoff between throughput and latency. Per-processor data structures can be used to improve throughput, and in some circumstances to avoid locking, improving latency as well.The method used by processors to queue for locks is also shown to affect performance significantly. Normal methods of critical resource waiting can substantially degrade performance with moderate numbers of waiting processors. We present an Ethernet-style backoff algorithm that largely eliminates this effect.
Influence of Recombinant Bovine Somatotropin (Sometribove) on Mononuclear Cells During the Nonlactating Period

Recombinant bST was evaluated as a potential immunoenhancer of bovine peripheral blood and mammary gland mononuclear cells during the nonlactating period. Cows (n = 4 per group) were assigned to one of four treatments: 1) untreated, 2) treated with recombinant bST during lactation only, 3) treated with recombinant bST during the nonlactating period only, and 4) treated with recombinant bST during lactation and the nonlactating period. Recombinant bST treatment during the nonlactating period had no effect on proliferation of bovine blood or mammary gland mononuclear cells in response to stimulation by mitogens or allogeneic cells. Recombinant bST treatment during the nonlactating period enhanced interleukin-2 secretion by mononuclear cells isolated from cows treated also with recombinant bST during lactation. However, recombinant bST treatment during the nonlactating period had little effect on interleukin-2 secretion by mononuclear cells from cows not treated with recombinant bST during lactation. Results of this study suggest that recombinant bST alters effector functions rather than proliferation of bovine mononuclear cells.
Accelerating learning in a neural network for sonar signal classification

Ensemble encoding employs multiple, overlapping receptive fields to yield a distributed representation of analog signals. The effect of ensemble encoding on learning in multi-layer perceptron (MLP) networks is examined by applying it to a neural learning benchmark, sonar signal classification. Results suggest that, when used to encoded input patterns, ensemble encoding can accelerate learning and improve classification accuracy in MLP networks.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Nociceptin induces hypophagia in the perifornical and lateral hypothalamic area.

Nociceptin/orphanin FQ (N/OFQ) is known to induce food intake when administered into the lateral ventricle or certain brain areas. This is somewhat contradictory to its reward-suppressing role, as food is a strong rewarding stimulus. This discrepancy may be due to the functional diversity of N/OFQ’s target brain areas. N/OFQ has been shown to inhibit orexin and melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) neurons, both of which are appetite-inducing cells. As the expression of these neurons is largely confined to the lateral hypothalamus/perifornical area (LH/PFA), we hypothesized that N/OFQ inhibits food intake by acting in this area. To test this hypothesis, we examined the effect of local N/OFQ infusion within the LH/PFA on food intake in the rat and found that N/OFQ decreased sugar pellet as well as chow intake. This effect was not seen when the injection site was outside of the LH/PFA, suggesting a site-specific effect. Next, to determine a possible cellular mechanism of N/OFQ action on food intake, whole cell patch clamp recordings were performed on rat orexin neurons. As previously reported in mice, N/OFQ induced a strong and long lasting hyperpolarization. Pharmacological study indicated that N/OFQ directly inhibited orexin neurons by activating ATP-sensitive potassium (KATP) channels. This effect was partially but significantly attenuated by the inhibitors of PI3K, PKC and PKA, suggesting that the N/OFQ signaling is mediated by these protein kinases. In summary, our results demonstrate a KATP channel-dependent N/OFQ signaling and that N/OFQ is a site-specific anorexic peptide.
Optimal Selection of CPU Speed, Device Capacities, and File Assignments

This paper presents a computer system configuration design problem in which the objective is to select the CPU speed, the capacities of secondary storage devices, and the allocation of a set of files across the secondary storage devices so as to maximize the system throughput subject to a cost constraint. It is shown that any relative maximum of this complex nonlinear programming problem is also a global maximum. A technique to significantly reduce the dimensionality of the optimization problem is presented along.with an example to illustrate the model's usefulness. The well-known file assignment problem is shown to be a subproblem of this model, and an example is given which demonstrates this fact. Finally, the errors introduced by the conversion of an essentially discrete problem into a continuous one are estimated and bounded.
Eli Lilly lecture. The subunits of pituitary thyrotropin--their relationship to other glycoprotein hormones.

THIS LECTURE concerns the structure of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) and the relationships that have been found between TSH, luteinizing hormone (LH, ICSH) and human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG). Determination of the structures of TSH and LH has required years of purification and chemical studies in many laboratories including our own, but in just the past two years these efforts have resulted in a major increase in our knowledge of the glycoprotein hormones, that is, those polypeptide hormones which contain covalently bound carbohydrate as integral parts of their structures. Particularly important contributions have been made by Condliffe and Bates in the purification of TSH (1) and by Li, Papkoff and their colleagues (2,3) and by Ward and his colleagues (4,5,6) in their structural studies on LH. The major glycoprotein hormones of the pituitary and placenta are listed in Table 1 together with some of their chemical properties as these were known just 2 or 3 years ago. It is obvious that uncertainties...
Timing of sexual behavior in the female rat.

Virgin female rats were tested to determine the beginning of sustained sexual behavior with reference to vaginal cycling. Records of vaginal smear sequences established that the subjects cycled every 4 days. Coitus was first observed in 29% of the females in the early afternoon of proestrus. Eighty-eight per cent were fully receptive by 1930 on the day of proestrus. It is suggested that receptivity may occur before systemic progesterone reaches peak concentrations. The data demonstrate that coitus occurs in close proximity to the critical period for ovulatory release of LH on the day of proestrus. (Endocrinology 86: 1181, 1970)
Non-Aerosol Foam for Acne

: A system delivering a patented non-aerosol foam exhibits comedolytic action and significantly reduces oiliness, while causing little or no erythema or peeling.
Microstructural changes of dental amalgam by copper additions.

Summary The γ2 (Sn7–8Hg) phase of the amalgam structure has been established as the most corrosion prone of conventional dental amalgam. Cu rich amalgams are currently of interest because some formulations appear to reduce or eliminate the γ2 phase. This investigation compares the microstructures of conventional amalgam to Cu rich amalgams prepared by various methods, i.e. a commercial alloy (Dispersalloy), an admixture of Cu amalgam with conventional amalgam, and admixtures of 30% Cu-Ag-Sn ternary alloy with conventional amalgam. These variations in amalgam formulation resulted in marked reduction or elimination of the γ2 phase in the Cu rich amalgam microstructures. The matrix or γ1 (Ag2Hg3) phase was common to all formulations. Other phases and their proportions changed dramatically with different methods of introducing the Cu. The saline corrosion resistance, determined by potentiostatic anodic polarization in Ringer's solution, was enhanced for the Cu rich amalgams as a result of the elimination of the γ2 phase. This study suggests there are a variety of methods to introduce copper into amalgams and that these methods generally serve to eliminate γ2 phase and increase saline corrosion resistance.
Automatic generation of iterated function systems

Abstract A set of affine mappings with randomly chosen coefficients is repeatedly iterated numerically using the random iteration algorithm to produce an attractor with fractal characteristics. The attractor is tested for boundedness, sensitivity to initial conditions, and correlation dimension. In this way, a computer can generate a large collection of fractal patterns that are all different and most of which have considerable aesthetic appeal. A simple computer program and examples of its output are provided. Many of the attractors have been systematically evaluated for visual appeal, and a correlation is found with the Lyapunov exponent and correlation dimension.
Optimizing the Photocurrent Efficiency of Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells through the Controlled Aggregation of Chalcogenoxanthylium Dyes on Nanocrystalline Titania Films

Chalcogenoxanthylium dyes were characterized as sensitizers of nanocrystalline titania in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). Four series of dyes were characterized: 2,7-bis(dimethylamino)-9-(2-thienyl-5-carboxy)chalcogenoxanthylium dyes (1-E, where E = O, S, Se); 2,7-bis(dimethylamino)-9-(3-thienyl-2-carboxy)chalcogenoxanthylium dyes (2-E, where E = S, Se); a 2,7-bis(dimethylamino)-9-(2-thienyl)selenoxanthylium dye (3-Se); 4-Se, a constrained analog of 1-Se. The orientation and aggregation state of the dyes were controlled by varying the position of the surface-attachment group relative to the xanthylium core. Series 1 dyes and 4-Se underwent H-aggregation on titania surfaces, whereas series 2 dyes adsorbed in amorphous monolayers. (3-Se did not adsorb appreciably to titania films, due to the lack of a tethering group.) The H-aggregated dyes exhibited broader absorption bands, increased light-harvesting efficiencies, and improved photoelectrochemical performance compared to the dyes which adsorbed in amo...
Molecular characterization of the virD operon from Agrobacterium tumefaciens

Abstract The Agrobacterium tumefaciens Ti plasmid virulence (vir) region contains at least six transcriptional units required for the efficient transfer of T-DNA to the plant genome (virA, B, C, D, E, and G). We have reported that two proteins encoded by the 5'portion of the virD operon are required for a site-specific endonuclease activity that nicks the direct repeats which flank the T-DNA. We have presented the nucleotide sequence for this portion of the operon. The nucleotide sequence of the remainder of the virD operon essential for virulence has now been determined. Two additional open reading frames encode proteins of 21.3 and 75.8 kilodaltons (kd). Translational fusions between virD2, virD3, and virD4 proteins and trpE produced fusion proteins of the size predicted from the nucleotide sequence data. We have used antisera directed against the trpE-virD2 fusion protein to detect both native virD2 protein and a virD2-lacZ fusion protein in crude extracts from Agrobacterium.