cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The importance of understanding and measuring health system structural, functional, and clinical integration.

Objective We explore if there are ways to characterize health systems-not already revealed by secondary data-that could provide new insights into differences in health system performance. We sought to collect rich qualitative data to reveal whether and to what extent health systems vary in important ways across dimensions of structural, functional, and clinical integration. Data sources Interviews with 162 c-suite executives of 24 health systems in four states conducted through "virtual" site visits between 2017 and 2019. Study design Exploratory study using thematic comparative analysis to describe factors that may lead to high performance. Data collection We used maximum variation sampling to achieve diversity in size and performance. We conducted, transcribed, coded, and analyzed in-depth, semi-structured interviews with system executives, covering such topics as market context, health system origin, organizational structure, governance features, and relationship of health system to affiliated hospitals and POs. Principal findings Health systems vary widely in size and ownership type, complexity of organization and governance arrangements, and ability to take on risk. Structural, functional, and clinical integration vary across systems, with considerable activity around centralizing business functions, aligning financial incentives with physicians, establishing enterprise-wide EHR, and moving toward single signatory contracting. Executives describe clinical integration as more difficult to achieve, but essential. Studies that treat "health system" as a binary variable may be inappropriately aggregating for analysis health systems of very different types, at different degrees of maturity, and at different stages of structural, functional, and clinical integration. As a result, a "signal" indicating performance may be distorted by the "noise." Conclusions Developing ways to account for the complex structures of today's health systems can enhance future efforts to study systems as complex organizations, to assess their performance, and to better understand the effects of payment innovation, care redesign, and other reforms.
Revisiting PNS Plasticity: How Uninjured Sensory Afferents Promote Neuropathic Pain

Despite the widespread study of how injured nerves contribute to chronic pain, there are still major gaps in our understanding of pain mechanisms. This is particularly true of pain resulting from nerve injury, or neuropathic pain, wherein tactile or thermal stimuli cause painful responses that are particularly difficult to treat with existing therapies. Curiously, this stimulus-driven pain relies upon intact, uninjured sensory neurons that transmit the signals that are ultimately sensed as painful. Studies that interrogate uninjured neurons in search of cell-specific mechanisms have shown that nerve injury alters intact, uninjured neurons resulting in an activity that drives stimulus-evoked pain. This review of neuropathic pain mechanisms summarizes cell-type-specific pathology of uninjured sensory neurons and the sensory ganglia that house their cell bodies. Uninjured neurons have demonstrated a wide range of molecular and neurophysiologic changes, many of which are distinct from those detected in injured neurons. These intriguing findings include expression of pain-associated molecules, neurophysiological changes that underlie increased excitability, and evidence that intercellular signaling within sensory ganglia alters uninjured neurons. In addition to well-supported findings, this review also discusses potential mechanisms that remain poorly understood in the context of nerve injury. This review highlights key questions that will advance our understanding of the plasticity of sensory neuron subpopulations and clarify the role of uninjured neurons in developing anti-pain therapies.
Transcriptomic Responses of Deep-Sea Corals Experimentally Exposed to Crude Oil and Dispersant

Resource extraction from the ocean comes with ecosystem-wide risks, including threats to its biota such as the habitat forming corals that support elevated biomass and biodiversity. Despite catastrophic incidents like the Deepwater Horizon oil spill (DWHOS) disaster that occurred in 2010, offshore oil and gas drilling continues to occur around the world. Previous work investigating the toxicity of oil and the chemical dispersant used in an attempt to mitigate the effects of the DWHOS revealed that the dispersant elicits a stronger, negative physiological response than oil alone. However, little is known regarding the specific ways in which these anthropogenic pollutants impact organisms at the cellular level. To investigate the impacts of each pollutant and their synergistic effects on corals, we analyzed the transcriptional responses of the deep-sea octocorals Callogorgia delta and Paramuricea type B3 following 12 hours of exposure to oil, dispersant, and mixtures of oil and dispersant. Analyses revealed that the highest levels of significant differential gene expression were found among the treatments containing dispersant, which corresponds to the significant effects observed in physiological experiments. Functional analyses of annotated transcripts further suggest both species- and colony-specific responses to the exposures, likely due to underlying cellular and physiological differences. However, some commonalities were observed among the responses to chemical stress across treatments and species, including immune and cellular stress responses, altered energy metabolism, and oxidative stress, elucidating how corals respond to chemical pollutants. As resource extraction is an ongoing threat, this study demonstrates the importance of considering the varied and diverse responses of biota to anthropogenic disturbances and the implications of introducing chemicals into vulnerable ecosystems like those associated with deep-sea corals.
Neuronal genetic rescue normalizes brain network dynamics in a lysosomal storage disorder despite persistent storage accumulation

Although neurologic symptoms occur in two-thirds of lysosomal storage disorders (LSDs), for most we do not understand the mechanisms underlying brain dysfunction. A major unanswered question is if the pathogenic hallmark of LSDs, storage accumulation, induces functional defects directly or is a disease bystander. Also, for most LSDs we do not know the impact of loss-of-function in individual cell types. Understanding these critical questions are essential to therapy development. Here, we determined the impact of genetic rescue in distinct cell types on neural circuit dysfunction in CLN3 disease, the most common pediatric dementia and a representative LSD. We restored Cln3 expression via AAV-mediated gene delivery and conditional genetic rescue in a CLN3 mouse model. Surprisingly, we found that low-level rescue of Cln3 expression in neurons alone normalized clinically-relevant electrophysiologic markers of network dysfunction, despite the presence of substantial residual histopathology, in contrast to restoring expression in astrocytes. Thus loss of Cln3 function in neurons, not storage accumulation, underlies neurologic dysfunction in CLN3 disease, implying that storage clearance may be an inappropriate target for therapy development and an ineffectual biomarker.
Early life predictors of positive change during the coronavirus disease pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic is a crisis unprecedented in its size and scope. Yet studies of resilience suggest most individuals will successfully negotiate this challenge and some may even experience growth and positive change. Some evidence suggests that the capacity to enact positive change in the face of adversity may be shaped by early life experiences. In a subset of 374 participants (57% female, mean age = 29 years) in the Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development (SECCYD), a longitudinal, birth cohort, prospective models were tested to determine whether early life adversities in family and neighborhood contexts predict positive change events in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Childhood family and neighborhood contexts were assessed using a combination of self-report questionnaires and US Census data. Adulthood positive change events (e.g., becoming more appreciative of things usually taken for granted) were assessed using the Epidemic-Pandemic Impacts Inventory (EPII). In regression analyses, neighborhood disadvantage in childhood, measured both by objective and subjective assessments, predicted a higher number of positive change events in response to the COVID-19 pandemic (β = .18, p = .004 and β = .15, p = .006, respectively). Examination of the positive change event subscales showed neighborhood disadvantage in childhood predicted increases in events related to ‘perspective taking and charitable giving’ (β = .20, p = .022 and β = .17, p = .002, respectively) and improved ‘social relationships’ (β = .18, p = .004 and β = .13, p = .020, respectively), but not to positive ‘health behaviors’ (ps > .05). All associations were independent of sociodemographic factors and childhood family dysfunction. Findings suggest that neighborhood disadvantage in childhood may shape prosocial responses to stress in adulthood, potentially through early life adaptions to stress that are protective when facing adversity. There are several notable implications of the study findings. Although adversity in early life has clear negative impacts, it is possible that adversity experiences may also provide opportunities to develop adaptive strategies that foster resilience and growth when facing stress. Intervention efforts should consider leveraging such stress-adapted strengths to reduce the many negative impacts of early life adversity.
Effect of Phosphorus Additions on the Microstructure and Creep Properties of a Wrought Ni-Base Superalloy

A wrought Ni-base superalloy, Waspaloy, with four nominal levels of P additions (0, 0.01, 0.02, and 0.04 wt pct) was studied in order to better understand how P influences the grain boundary microstructures as well as creep resistance. Results from this investigation revealed that P additions promoted the precipitation of M23C6 carbides at grain boundaries. The effect of P additions on the creep properties was assessed by both creep rupture and interrupted creep tests at 816 °C/180 MPa and 650 °C/760 MPa. Changes in the fraction and morphology of the M23C6 carbides at grain boundaries due to P additions were found to result in a notable reduction of the creep ductility when tested at 650 °C/760 MPa where the creep strain was localized along the grain boundaries. However, the additions of P and associated changes in the M23C6 carbides did not affect the creep behavior of samples tested at 816 °C/180 MPa where the creep strain was largely transgranular. This study reveals that P affects the creep resistance of the polycrystalline Ni-base superalloys by accelerating the nucleation and growth kinetics of M23C6 along the grain boundaries.
Digest: Selection for staggered pollen release as a driver of heteranthery.

Why do some flowers have stamens of different shapes and sizes? Focusing on a group of Neotropical flowering plants, Dellinger et al. tackled this question and found that the evolution of heteranthery, contrary to the predominant view, is not strictly related to pollen-reward pollination and selection for division of labor between stamens. Moreover, they found support for the idea that selection for staggered pollen release might lead to heteranthery.
Toward practical causal epidemiology

Abstract Population attributable fraction (PAF), probability of causation, burden of disease, and related quantities derived from relative risk ratios are widely used in applied epidemiology and health risk analysis to quantify the extent to which reducing or eliminating exposures would reduce disease risks. This causal interpretation conflates association with causation. It has sometimes led to demonstrably mistaken predictions and ineffective risk management recommendations. Causal artificial intelligence (CAI) methods developed at the intersection of many scientific disciplines over the past century instead use quantitative high-level descriptions of networks of causal mechanisms (typically represented by conditional probability tables or structural equations) to predict the effects caused by interventions. We summarize these developments and discuss how CAI methods can be applied to realistically imperfect data and knowledge – e.g., with unobserved (latent) variables, missing data, measurement errors, interindividual heterogeneity in exposure-response functions, and model uncertainty. We recommend that CAI methods can help to improve the conceptual foundations and practical value of epidemiological calculations by replacing association-based attributions of risk to exposures or other risk factors with causal predictions of the changes in health effects caused by interventions.
Assessing availability of Space Station Freedom

An availability assessment process developed by the Space Station Freedom Program Office Operations Organization is reviewed. The process under consideration is aimed at highlighting design attributes which hamper operations for development of appropriate design alternatives.
Sex Steroids and Neuronal Growth in Adulthood

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews morphological evidence for the growth actions of gonadal steroids in several systems, including avian song-control circuitry and rat lumbar spinal cord, hypothalamus, and hippocampus. It details ultrastructural evidence for estrogen-induced activation of neuronal-steroid growth effects. It begins with steroid-hormone receptor localization and function, and discusses steroid interactions with protein growth factors, such as brain-derived neurotrophic factor, and how hormonal effects on various second-messenger systems may link hormonal changes with the activities of these growth factors. It presents the evidence of the functional significance of the growth effects of gonadal steroids. It concludes with a hypothesis that the growth effects of estrogen on nonreproductive brain areas such as the hippocampus cumulatively raise the threshold for neuronal damage or dysfunction, and that this could be key to estrogen neuroprotection.
Case Studies in Revenge: Philomel Gives Advice

Like this one guy I knew who was in love with this girl? a tiny, 90-pound thing who was always getting beaten up by her boyfriend, who was seven years older and huge. So one night this guy (maybe sixteen, ghost-white, only 140 pounds) waits outside the bar where the boyfriend works as a bouncer. He pulls the boyfriend into an alley, pushes him to the ground, stands over him with a metal bat. Tells him he should kill him. The boyfriend starts to cry and the guy thinks, "Pathetic." He still wants to kill him but won't. The boyfriend pleads, promises he won't touch her again. The girl later complains to this same guy that her boyfriend won't return her calls.
Affective Social Competence and Teacher–child Relationship Quality: Race/Ethnicity and Family Income Level as Moderators

This study examined whether race/ethnicity and family income level moderated associations between children’s affective social competence and teacher–child relationships among 132 Black, White, and Latino preschoolers. Boys and girls were equally represented in the sample. Of the three racial/ethnic groups, Latino children scored lowest on emotion regulation, were less close to their teachers, and experienced more teacher–child conflict and dependence. In contrast, Black children had closer, less conflict-laden, and less dependent teacher–child relationships than children of other racial/ethnic backgrounds. Emotion regulation served as a protective factor against problematic teacher–child relationships, particularly for Latino and Black children compared with high-income White children. Emotion regulation was positively associated with teacher–child closeness for Black children. However, it was negatively associated with teacher–child conflict for Latino children, regardless of income. For all outcomes, teacher characteristics accounted highly for the differences in teacher–child relational quality. Findings are discussed in terms of the functional role of emotions for teacher–child relationships and suggest important contextual influences on the associations.
Hydrologic data assimilation with a hillslope-scale-resolving model and L band radar observations: Synthetic experiments with the ensemble Kalman filter

United States. Army Research Office (U.S. Army RDECOM ARL Army Research Office under grant W911NF-04-1-0119)
CELESTRI/sup TM/ Ka-Band sharing

The signal processing associated with commerical communications literally is expanding to new heights and into new dimensions as constellations of satellites are built to provide telephone data, pager and fax services heretofore only associated with fictional accounts of the future. The increasing demand for communications both in capacity and in distance can be achieved due to the expanding techncial ability to process and to relay higher quantities of data. Motorola continues to populate the constellation for the IRIDIUM/sup (R)/ system by manufacturing and deploying satellites at the rate of one per week to support gloval, commercial communications services. Each Iridium satellite acts like a switchboard in orbit. These satellites race through the sky at 7.5 km per second simultaneously covering every point on the earth below. The system, which will offer commercial service in 1999, is only the beginning. In the next five years, broadband satellites, each capable of handling more than a gigabit per second throughput rate, will populate the heavens. One example, the Celestri/sup TM2/ broadband interactive, multimedia system which employs both geostationary and low-earth orbiting satellite each with an advanced signal processor, significantly surpasses the current state of the art.
Overview of Structural Interventions to Decrease Noncommercial Sex Risk

Although the majority of case studies in this book center on programs for some of the populations most at risk for HIV, this portion focuses on structural interventions to reduce HIV in the general population by targeting the primary mode of transmission throughout the world—noncommercial heterosexual behaviors. Globally, 85% of HIV transmission is through heterosexual intercourse (Nettleman, 2011). Moreover, this category of HIV/AIDS cases continues to rise rapidly. In the United States, approximately one-third of new diagnoses appear to be related to heterosexual transmission, with male-to-male sexual contact still accounting for more than half of new diagnoses and intravenous drug use contributing to the majority of the remaining cases. However, because the HIV/AIDS diagnosis often occurs years after infection, it is likely that a higher proportion of recent infections in the USA are due to heterosexual transmission (Nettleman).
Preferences for cocaine- or pup-associated chambers differentiates otherwise behaviorally identical postpartum maternal rats.

Rationale and objectives Our previous work uncovered a differential preference of maternal female rats for cues associated with pups versus cues associated with cocaine at three different postpartum time points. Our current study examines the preference for these cues in conjunction with an assessment of the capacity to express the maternal behavior at one of these time points. We examined dams at day 10 postpartum using a procedure that included two additional controls, and a complete assessment of the expression of maternal behavior and locomotor activity.
Klebsiella Pneumoniae Osteomyelitis: Demonstration by Three-Phase Radionuclide Bone Imaging

The Klebsiella pneumoniae bacillus is a rare cause of acute hematogenous osteomyelitis of long bones. Bony involvement usually develops from a bacteremia associated with a Klebsiella pulmonary or urinary tract infection. Diabetes mellitus, alcoholism, or cirrhosis are predisposing conditions to the development of this form of osteomyelitis. A case report follows in which two sites of Klebsiella osteomyelitis were demonstrated by three-phase bone imaging in a patient with both diabetes and alcoholism.
Regenerative Applications Using Tooth Derived Stem Cells in Other Than Tooth Regeneration: A Literature Review

Tooth derived stem cells or dental stem cells are categorized according to the location from which they are isolated and represent a promising source of cells for regenerative medicine. Originally, as one kind of mesenchymal stem cells, they are considered an alternative of bone marrow stromal cells. They share many commonalties but maintain differences. Considering their original function in development and the homeostasis of tooth structures, many applications of these cells in dentistry have aimed at tooth structure regeneration; however, the application in other than tooth structures has been attempted extensively. The availability from discarded or removed teeth can be an innate benefit as a source of autologous cells. Their origin from the neural crest results in exploitation of neurological and numerous other applications. This review briefly highlights current and future perspectives of the regenerative applications of tooth derived stem cells in areas beyond tooth regeneration.
Video Stream Annotations for Energy Trade-offs in Multimedia Applications

Recent applications for distributed mobile devices, including multimedia video/audio streaming, typically process streams of incoming data in a regular, predictable way. The behavior of these applications during runtime can be accurately predicted most of the time by analyzing the data to be processed and annotating the stream with the information collected. We introduce an annotation-based approach to power-quality trade-offs and demonstrate its application on CPU frequency scaling during video decoding, for an improved user experience on portable devices. Our experiments show that up to 50% of the power consumed by the CPU during video decoding can be saved with this approach.
Effects of instrumental consumption on children's food preference.

In attempts to force children to increase consumption of certain foods, parents frequently make another activity contingent upon consumption of those foods, i.e., “Drink your milk and then you can watch T.V.” The research reported below examines the effect on food preference of using a food in the instrumental component of a contingency. Twelve preschool children's preferences for seven fruit juices and seven play activities were assessed twice, before and after imposition of contingency schedules. The “target” juice and play activity used in the contingency were selected from the middle of the child's preference orders. Fixed ratio schedules were constructed for each child, using baseline data from sessions in which both the target juice and activity were freely available, and administered in six contingency sessions, each with two cycles of the contingency over a three-week period. During this same period, children received an approximately equivalent amount of exposure to the other juices and activities in the classroom to control for possible differential familiarity effects on preference. Results indicated a significant negative shift in preference for the target juice consumed instrumentally but no change in preference for the target activity. Findings are related to response deprivation and over-justification hypotheses. Implications for child feeding practices are discussed.
DC Accuracy in a Fast Boxcar Circuit Via a Comparator

A capacitor-storage boxcar (i.e., zero-order hold) circuit is described, which has a one-half ?sec sampling time and a 0-to 6-volt dynamic range, with less than 10-mv absolute error for a hold time of one second or less. No operational amplifier is used. In the new boxcar, feedback is applied via a difference amplifier comparator during sampling to make the readout voltage, not the voltage actually across the capacitor, equal to the input voltage. This effectively cancels any long-term voltage errors across either sampling switch or readout isolation amplifier. Eliminated are both offset voltage errors due to circuit assembly tolerances and also long-term offset drifts occurring over more than one storage interval, e.g., as due to temperature changes. The actual circuit given is all solid state, has no inductive or critical elements and has been easily reproduced several times. This comparator boxcar concept is not limited to capacitor storage.
A survey of issues in biomanufacturing research

Biotechnology has become one of the primary development areas of the 21st century. For a medical device or pharmaceutical manufacturer to remain on the competitive edge, not only is it necessary to satisfy the stringent product demands of the biotechnology markets, but those companies must also develop processes that can accelerate the time frame from research and development to manufacturing and actual marketing of the medical products. Biomanufacturing is defined as the design, development, implementation and management of systems for the production of products that are integrated into or interact with human systems. This paper identifies important research issues in this relatively new manufacturing field that is anticipated to be an important area for industrial engineering, because it involves products that are expensive, complex, contain rapidly changing technology and are difficult to manufacture on a large scale.
Use of Social Networking Sites by LIS Professionals in Higher Education Institutions in India: A Study

The study investigates how library and information science professionals working in higher education institutions in India integrate social networking sites (SNS) into their routine work. It was revealed through the questionnaire that the majority of respondents are members of the institution's official group on the SNS, whereas only one fifth are members of an unofficial student group. These information professionals use SNS to socialize, keep themselves up-to-date, find jobs, and acquire information about conferences and seminars in their respective fields. Some of the legitimate concerns of library and information science professionals are privacy and cyberbullying. To increase use, social networking applications must be incorporated into the curriculum of master's degree courses for library and information science.
The complexity of lattice knots

Abstract A family of polygonal knots Kn on the cubical lattice is constructed with the property that the quotient of length L(Kn) over the crossing number Cr(Kn) approaches zero as L approaches infinity. More precisely Cr(K n ) = O(L(K n ) 4 3 ) . It is shown that this construction is optimal in the sense that for any knot K on the cubical lattice with length L and Cr crossings Cr ⩽ 3.2L 4 3 .
A Method for Fabrication of Pyramid-Shaped TiO2 Nanoparticles with a High {001} Facet Percentage

A new method is demonstrated for fabricating TiO2 nanoparticles. Transformation of TiO2 nanotubes to truncated pyramid-like-shaped nanoparticles with a high percentage of photocatalytically active {001} facets has been observed in titanium dioxide (TiO2) ordered nanotube arrays after thermal annealing in ambient fluorine. It was found that the nanotube−nanoparticle transformation resulted from catalytic reaction of fluorine ions (F−) from the electrolyte residues in long nanotubes grown by anodization in ethylene glycol + NH4F electrolyte. This transformation occurs at annealing conditions when evaporation of electrolyte residues in nanotubes is slow enough to remain until 500 °C, when this transition starts. The size of the formed TiO2 nanoparticles depends on the fluorine concentration and can be controlled from 20 to 500 nm. The crystal properties of nanoparticle layers are superior compared to those of nanotube arrays. This work demonstrates a simple method for producing high-quality anatase TiO2 nano...
Defining the determinants of nicotine selectivity

Nicotine, with its simple structure connecting pyridine and methylpyrrolidine rings, acts with a high degree of selectivity on an extensive variety of nicotinic subtypes of cholinergic receptors (nAChR) in the peripheral and central nervous systems of humans (1). The addictive properties of nicotine, initiated by frequent bolus dosing through inhalation of tobacco smoke, result in chronic cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases that shorten life expectancy. Tobacco use is the most common cause of preventable death in the Western world, with increasing global consequences.
Focal-Plane Optimization For Detector Noise Limited Performance In Cryogenic Fourier Transform Spectrometer (FTS) Sensors

A study was performed to determine the optimum focal plane configuration including optics, filters and detector-preamplifier selection. The configuration was optimized particularly with respect to minimizing the noise level, but fabrication considerations for a cryogenic environment were also taken into account. The noise terms from source, background, detector electronics and charged particle radiation were quantitatively evaluated. It appears that noise equivalent spectral radiance less than 10 to the -11th W/sq cm per sr per kayser can be achieved between 2.5 and 20 microns.
In situ Raman spectroscopy of annealed diamondlike carbon metal composite films

Abstract Diamondlike carbon films and diamondlike carbon–metal composite films may provide increased component reliability, decreased fuel consumption, decreased noise/vibration/harshness (NVH), and decreased lubricant use in next generation automotive components. Raman spectra were obtained for diamondlike carbon, diamondlike carbon–platinum composite films, and diamondlike carbon–gold composite films, which were annealed to a temperature of 523 °C. The Raman spectra for these films were fitted using a two-Gaussian function. The variation of the G-peak position, the D-peak position, and the ID/IG ratio was examined as a function of temperature. The unalloyed diamondlike carbon film demonstrated greater thermal stability than the diamondlike carbon–noble metal composite films. These results suggest that the operating temperatures of the diamondlike carbon-coated automotive components must be kept under careful consideration.
Effect of Adrenalin on Blood Sugar and Lactic Acid in Addison's Disease and in Adrenalectomized Dogs

Summary1. The effect of adrenalin on the blood sugar and blood lactate was studied: A. in patients with Addison's disease. B. in adrenalectomized dogs. 2. In patients with Addison's disease, the su...
Analytical extensions on a stochastic description of Cyclonic precipitation fields in time and space

Earlier the authors have developed a stochastic geometric model for extratropical cyclonic precipitation fields at synoptic and meso scales as they are typically observed by weather radars over the mainland U S A (see Kavvas and Puri 1983; Kavvas et al. 1987). Here the earlier mathematical development of the model is further extended by incorporating the stochastic description of cyclone center births and their evolutions over U S A into the model.
Theoretical Equation of State for n‐Paraffin Liquids

Previous theoretical analyses of several n-paraffins are extended to recent PVT measurements for n = 11 and 12. The results are combined with the earlier ones to obtain interpolation equations for the characteristic scaling and other parameters of the theory as functions of chainlength. This makes it possible to predict the complete equation of state of a n-paraffin fluid. Finally we discuss the extension of these considerations to mixtures.
Airborne lidar measurements of ozone and aerosols in the summertime Arctic troposphere

Ozone (O3) and aerosol distributions were remotely measured from an aircraft using a differential absorption lidar (DIAL) system as part of the 1988 NASA Global Tropospheric Experiment - Arctic Boundary Layer Experiment (ABLE-3A). The airborne DIAL system made simultaneous measurements of O3 and aerosols from the surface to above the tropopause. These measurements were made in a broad range of atmospheric conditions over the tundra, ice, and ocean regions near Barrow and Bethel, Alaska, during July and August 1988. The tropospheric composition over the Arctic was found to be strongly influenced by stratospheric intrusions. Regions of low aerosol scattering and enhanced O3 mixing ratios were usually correlated with descending air from the upper troposphere or lower stratosphere. Several cases of enhanced O3 were observed during ABLE-3A in conjunction with enhanced aerosol layers in the free troposphere resulting from biomass burning. As was found in the Amazon, the products of biomass burning can significantly alter O3 concentrations in the troposphere. This paper describes the NASA airborne DIAL system and discusses the large-scale variations of O3 and aerosols observed with the airborne DIAL system during ABLE-3A.
Synaptic Cooperativity Regulates Persistent Network Activity in Neocortex

During behavioral quiescence, the neocortex generates spontaneous slow oscillations, which may consist of up-states and down-states. Up-states are short epochs of persistent activity that resemble the activated neocortex during arousal and cognition. Neural activity in neocortical pathways can trigger up-states, but the variables that control their occurrence are poorly understood. We used thalamocortical slices from adult mice to explore the role of thalamocortical and intracortical synaptic cooperativity (the number of coincident afferents) in driving up-states. Cooperativity was adjusted by varying the intensity of electrical or blue-light stimuli in pathways that express channelrhodopsin-2. We found that optogenetics greatly improves the study of thalamocortical pathways in slices because it produces thalamocortical responses that resemble those observed in vivo. The results indicate that more synaptic cooperativity, caused by either thalamocortical or intracortical fast AMPA-receptor excitation, leads to more robust inhibition of up-states because it drives stronger feedforward inhibition. Conversely, during strong synaptic cooperativity that suppresses up-states, blocking fast excitation, and as a result the feedforward inhibition it drives, unmasks up-states entirely mediated by slow NMDA-receptor excitation. Regardless of the pathway9s origin, cooperativity mediated by fast excitation is inversely related to the ability of excitatory synaptic pathways to trigger up-states in neocortex.
The role of spartin and its novel ubiquitin binding region in DALIS occurrence.

Spartin contributes to the formation of dendritic aggresome-like induced structures (DALIS) through a unique ubiquitin-binding region (UBR). Using NMR and in vitro binding, the authors characterize...
Maps for Lorentz transformations of spin

Lorentz transformations of spin density matrices for a particle with positive mass and spin $1∕2$ are described by maps of the kind used in open quantum dynamics. They show how the Lorentz transformations of the spin depend on the momentum. Since the spin and momentum generally are not independent, the maps generally are not completely positive and act in limited domains. States with two momentum values are considered, so the maps are for the spin qubit correlated with the qubit made from the two momentum values, and results from the open quantum dynamics of two coupled qubits can be applied. Inverses are used to show that every Lorentz transformation completely removes the spin polarization, and so completely removes the information, from a number of spin density matrices. The size of the spin polarization that is removed is calculated for particular cases.
Parallel multischeme computation with the switch of computation history

A parallel multischeme computation in the solutions of differential equation initial-value problems has been studied. The mathematical switch of computation history is used successfully in the identification of the best approximation among all available ones at a computing step. A solution correction factor is also developed to achieve an extra four digits in solution accuracy. Based on our results, if the truncation error of computation history as we defined it can be properly utilized, then a computation engaging high-order schemes or using fine grids may be unnecessary.
Designing linear systolic arrays

Abstract We develop a simple mapping technique to design linear systolic arrays. The basic idea of our technique is to map the computations of a certain class of two-dimensional systolic arrays onto one-dimensional arrays. Using this technique, systolic algorithms are derived for problems such as matrix multiplication and transitive closure on linearly connected arrays of PEs with constant I/O bandwidth. Compared to known designs in the literature, our technique leads to modular systolic arrays with constant hardware in each PE, few control lines, lexicographic data input/output, and improved delay time. The unidirectional flow of control and data in our design assures implementation of the linear array in the known fault models of Wafer Scale Integration.
Microwave Coagulating Scalpel

We present an initial report on the design and performance of a device which combines the heating and coagulating effects of a microwave field with the surgical scalpel. The device is intended to control hemorrhage in the surgical treatment of highly vascular organs such as the spleen and liver. Preliminary experiments in splenic surgery using dogs have indicated the utility of this technique.
Supply chain collaboration: Impact on collaborative advantage and firm performance

Abstract Facing uncertain environments, firms have strived to achieve greater supply chain collaboration to leverage the resources and knowledge of their suppliers and customers. The objective of the study is to uncover the nature of supply chain collaboration and explore its impact on firm performance based on a paradigm of collaborative advantage. Reliable and valid instruments of these constructs were developed through rigorous empirical analysis. Data were collected through a Web survey of U.S. manufacturing firms in various industries. The statistical methods used include confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling (i.e., LISREL). The results indicate that supply chain collaboration improves collaborative advantage and indeed has a bottom-line influence on firm performance, and collaborative advantage is an intermediate variable that enables supply chain partners to achieve synergies and create superior performance. A further analysis of the moderation effect of firm size reveals that collaborative advantage completely mediates the relationship between supply chain collaboration and firm performance for small firms while it partially mediates the relationship for medium and large firms.
1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3-stimulated mRNAs in rat small intestine.

Abstract The technique of differential hybridization has been employed to study gene expression associated with vitamin D action on the mammalian intestine. A cDNA library consisting of 10 6 independent recombinants was constructed from poly(A) + RNA extracted from vitamin D-deficient rats given 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D 3 . A survey of 20,000 clones resulted in identification of four distinct cDNAs whose corresponding mRNAs are significantly increased 12 h after an intrajugular dose of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D 3 given to vitamin D-deficient rats. DNA sequence analysis identified these mRNAs as (a) mitochondrial ATP synthetase, (b) vitamin D-dependent calcium binding protein, (c) cytochrome oxidase subunit I, and (d) cytochrome oxidase subunit III. The time course of response of three of these mRNAs was similar, with maximum values at 12 h after dosing, while that of cytochrome oxidase subunit I showed two peaks at 6 and 18 h following a single dose of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D 3 . The levels of all four mRNAs were elevated in rats supplied with vitamin D when hypocalcemia was produced by dietary calcium restriction.
Critical periods for drug administration effects in infancy.

Albino rats received daily subcutaneous administrations of Trifluoperazine in the dosages of 0.16 mg/kg and 0.33 mg/kg at the following periods in infancy: 5–10, 11–16, 17–22 and 23–28 days. At 75 days of age all animals were tested on avoidance conditioning. The results demonstrated that brief administrations of Trifluoperazine in infancy do not affect subsequent avoidance conditioning in adulthood. No one age range in which animals were particularly susceptible to drug effects was obtained. Instead, there seemed to be differential drug effectiveness in both favorable and unfavorable directions. The failure to obtain a significant dosage effect is consistent with previous findings involving chronic administration.
Electrochemistry of [(TMpyP)M(II)]4+ (X-)4 (X- = Cl- or BPh4-) and [(TMpyP)M(III)Cl]4+ (Cl-)4 in N,N-dimethylformamide where M is one of 15 different metal ions.

The electrochemistry of 16 different water-soluble porphyrins of the type [(TMpyP)MII]4+(X-)4 or [(TMpyP)MIIICl]4+(Cl-)4 is reported in nonaqueous media where TMpyP is the dianion of meso-tetrakis(N-methylpyridiniumyl)porphyrin and X- = Cl- or BPh4-. These studies were carried out to examine the effect of the metal ion and porphyrin counterion (X-) on the electrochemical properties of the TMpyP complexes with a special emphasis being given to the overall number of electrons added and the number of electrode processes upon reduction. All of the investigated compounds with electroinactive central metal ions undergo an overall addition of six electrons. This occurs for most compounds via three two-electron-transfer steps, but more than three processes are observed for porphyrins having metal ions with a low electronegativity (e.g., Cd(II)). The first reduction of each porphyrin having an M(II) ion or an electroinactive M(III) ion yields a porphyrin dianion which is characterized by an intense band located cl...
The atmospheric general circulation: Some unresolved issues

Several questions concerning the general circulation for which satisfactory answers are not yet available are discussed. The focus is on the zonal mean heat balance, since problems in our understanding of this balance are a fundamental limitation on our ability to model climate and climate change. The questions are: How strong is the atmosphere's poleward heat transport? What are the relative roles of large-scale eddies and small-scale convection in stabilizing the mid-latitude atmosphere? What are the dynamical mechanisms that maintain the time mean zonal mean state in mid-latitudes? Some suggestions for addressing these questions are given.
Improving Measurement Quality and Efficiency with Adaptive Testing

Approaches to adaptive (tailored) testing based on item response theory are described and research results summarized. Through appropriate combinations of item pool design and use of different test termination criteria, adaptive tests can be designed (1) to improve both measurement quality and measurement efficiency, resulting in measurements of equal precision at all trait levels; (2) to improve measurement efficiency for test batteries using item pools designed for conventional test administration; and (3) to improve the accuracy and efficiency of testing for classification (e.g., mastery testing). Research results show that tests based on item response theory (IRT) can achieve measurements of equal precision at all trait levels, given an adequately designed item pool; these results contrast with those of conventional tests which require a tradeoff of bandwidth for fidelity/precision of measurements. Data also show reductions in bias, inaccuracy, and root mean square error of ability estimates. Improvem...
Poly(vinyl alcohol) hydrogels: 2. Effects of processing parameters on structure and properties

Abstract Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) hydrogels were prepared by quenching solutions containing PVA polymer in pure water or an aqueous solution of dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO). Remarkably different PVA hydrogels were obtained by varying processing parameters, i.e. DMSO concentration, initial PVA concentration and quench temperature. The bulk structure of PVA hydrogels was investigated by scanning electron microscopy of samples prepared by freeze-etching. Physical and mechanical properties of the hydrogels were evaluated to determine the effects of the processing parameters. The experiments were planned according to the Box-Behnken design for surface response. PVA hydrogels prepared at low quench temperature using high DMSO and PVA concentrations exhibit low water content and significantly improved hardness, tensile strength, elongation and tear resistance strength. The best mechanical properties are obtained at the maximum DMSO concentration investigated, 75 wt%. The optical transparency of PVA hydrogels is optimized for samples prepared using 75 wt% DMSO solution containing 8 to 9 wt% PVA at a quench temperature between −20 and −35°C. An increase in DMSO and/or PVA concentrations leads to a more homogeneous and denser hydrogel structure with significantly lower equilibrium swelling. The presence of DMSO-water complexes in the medium alters the gelation mechanism and causes differences in hydrogel structure and properties.
The thallium (I)–(III) electrode reaction in acidic media

Abstract Automatically recorded polarograms have been obtained in aqueous solutions containing thalium(I) and (III) at rotating disk electrodes of Pt, Au, boron carbide, and graphite. Supporting electrolytes used were HClO 4 , H 2 SO 4 , HNO 3 , and HCl. For Pt in the first three acids, the current/voltage curves obtained were much more complex than those found in H 2 SO 4 , and HClO 4 , by earlier workers. In particular, the cathodic wave has a well-defined pre-wave, maximum to minimum, before the limiting current is attained at +0.7 V (nhe). Current/voltage curves display a marked hysteresis when the direction of voltage scanning is reversed. In the three oxyacids the cathodic pre-wave obtained at Pt is absent at boron carbide and graphite and relatively vestigial at Au. For Pt in HCl, the pre-wave disappears. In molar HClO 4 equimolar in thallium(I) and (III) at 10 −3 M, the cathodic pre-wave at a Pt electrode is gradually effaced by the addition of traces of HCl. When the added HCl reaches 2·5 × 10 −3 M, the pre-wave is eliminated and the formal potential has fallen from +1·25 to +1·11 V (nhe). Strong evidence is adduced for the idea that the anomalous cathodic wave is consequent on a strong adsorption of Tl(I) on the Pt surface inhibiting reduction of Tl(III). It is suggested that this adsorption, beginning at about +1·1 V (nhe), causes the maximum in current and its subsequent fall. The adsorption then levels off at about +0.8 V (nhe) causing the current minimum, and the subsequent rise to the limiting value. Explanations are offered for why previous workers failed to observe the effects described above. The electrode-reaction mechanisms proposed by these workers are critically discussed.
Mask Inspection - What's It Worth to You?

How many times have you discussed the need for increased I.C. complexity, C.D.'s with tighter tolerances, submicron C.D.'s, zero defects, larger dies . . . ? Since each one of these needs will require additional mask inspection effort, I suggest that you should ask, "What is it worth to you and when does the cost of mask inspection approach the critical point of a depreciating return on investment (i.e. tooling cost versus die yield)?". It has been my experience that approximately one half of the labor used to fabricate masks is devoted to mask inspection. A survey of mask fabricators and mask users indicated the following ranking, in order of importance, of four mask quality parameters: (1) pattern registration (2) critical dimensions (measured with precision) (3) fatal defects (4) critical dimensions (measured with accuracy)