cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Detection of Protein Nanocrystals Based on the Reversibility of Crystallization

A prerequisite for conventional X-ray protein structure analysis is the growth of crystals with a sufficient size in the range of several μm. This is a time consuming and not always successful process, challenging especially when working with membrane proteins. The recently developed technique of femtosecond X-ray crystallography enables structure analysis of crystals with a size in the nm range, thus the process of growing large single crystals can be avoided. Moreover femtosecond X-ray nanocrystallography is a potential method to overcome the radiation damage problem and to perform time-resolved structure analysis (1, 2). Nanocrystals are too small to be detected with an optical microscope, hence crystal growth cannot be monitored with common methods used in crystallography. A powerful technique to screen for nanocrystals is Second Order Nonlinear Imaging of Chiral Crystals (SONICC). This method is based on the principle of second harmonic generation and detects noncentrosymmetric ordered crystals (3). However, the instrumentation is not generally accessible yet. In addition, proteins ordered in higher symmetry crystal classes do not necessarily lead to a positive SONICC signal. In this work, a new method is developed to screen for nanocrystals based on the reversibility of crystallization. We show that dilution experiments performed with a crystallization robot and monitored by a crystallization imaging system enable the distinction between precipitation comprised of nanocrystals and precipitation caused by aggregated protein.
Analysis of piecewise-linear resistive networks using complementary pivot theory

This work develops new approaches for analysis of piecewiselinear resistive networks using an operations research analysis scheme called Complementary Pivot Theory. Complementary problem formulation for operating point and driving-point plot analysis is discussed for a general class of networks. Alternate solution determination for a general complementary problem is approached using both simple pivot operations and a breakpoint tracing technique. For networks containing active elements, the complementary approach is found to be remarkably effective at finding multiple operating points as well as driving-point (DP) or transfer characteristic (TC) plots consisting of several unconnected pieces.
Toward high-performance nanostructured thermoelectric materials: the progress of bottom-up solution chemistry approaches

Significant research effort has recently gone into the synthesis of thermoelectric nanomaterials through different chemical approaches since nanomaterials chemistry became a promising strategy for improving thermoelectric performance. Different thermoelectric nanocrystals, especially PbTe, Bi2Te3 and CoSb3, with various compositions and morphologies have been successfully prepared by solvo/hydrothermal, electrochemical, and ligand-based synthesis methods. Such nanoscale materials show not only substantial reduction in thermal conductivity due to increased phonon scattering at nanoscale grain boundaries and lower densities of phonon states but possibly also an enhancement in thermopower due to electronic quantum size effects. More recently, the notoriously low power factors of thermoelectric nanomaterials prepared by wet chemistry have been significantly improved by using an increasingly cross-disciplinary approach towards the bottom-up synthesis that combines expertise from chemistry, physics, and materials engineering. In this review, we discuss the recent progress and current challenges of preparing thermoelectric nanomaterials with solution-based chemistry approaches.
Bertrand Russell in Retrospect

As a centre for research in philosophy, McMaster University has added greatly to its strength and attractiveness by acquiring the papers of Bertrand Russell. He is the most voluminous, the most interesting, and—if the matter were determined by the vote of his colleagues—probably the most distinguished living philosopher. Yet to talk about the philosophy of Russell is curiously difficult, since in a sense there is no such thing. Russell has held not one but many philosophies.
Building Bridges: Binational Civil Society Cooperation and Water-Related Policy Problems

Economic and population growth in the U.S.-Mexico border region has had a negative impact on the region’s water resources. Although water-related problems along the border are binational in nature, the presence of interdependence alone might not be sufficient to overcome the considerable obstacles to binational collaboration. This study seeks to explain the presence and absence of binational civil society collaboration to address water-related problems in the U.S.-Mexico border region. To do so, the research compares levels of binational civil society collaboration in the Tijuana-San Diego, Ambos Nogales, Paso del Norte, and Los Dos Laredos areas. The study finds that while interdependence is a powerful concept, domestic political institutions create opportunities to pursue policy concerns through domestic channels. While transnational institutions exist, only the Border 2012 program currently produces binational civil society collaboration. Successful cooperation is dependent on key network actors that c...
Alcohol craving: the role of stress from early life to adulthood

training influences cortical thickness development, thickness was regressed against an “Age × Years of Playing” interaction term. Age, gender, total brain volume, and scanner were controlled for in analyses. Subject ID was entered as a random effect to account for within-person dependence. False discovery rate correction was applied to the entire cortical surface (q ≤ 0.05). Results: There was no association between cortical thickness and years of playing a musical instrument. The “Age × Years of Playing” interaction term was associated with thickness in a number of regions including right premotor and primary motor cortices, left primary and supplementary motor cortices, bilateral parietal cortices, as well as bilateral orbitofrontal cortices. Follow-up analysis revealed that musical training was associated with an increased rate of thinning in these regions. Results were largely unchanged when IQ and handedness were included as covariates. Conclusions: These findings suggest that, among youths and young adults, playing a musical instrument influences cerebral cortical development. Specifically, playing a musical instrument was associated with more rapid cortical thickness development within areas implicated in motor planning and coordination, visuospatial ability, and, interestingly, emotion regulation. However, given the quasi-experimental nature of this study, we cannot rule out the influence of potentially confounding variables.
Feasibility of image-based simulation to estimate ablation target in human ventricular arrhythmia.

Background Previous studies suggest that magnetic resonance imaging with late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) may identify slowly conducting tissues in scar-related ventricular tachycardia (VT). Objective To test the feasibility of image-based simulation based on LGE to estimate ablation targets in VT. Methods We conducted a retrospective study in 13 patients who had preablation magnetic resonance imaging for scar-related VT ablation. We used image-based simulation to induce VT and estimate target regions according to the simulated VT circuit. The estimated target regions were coregistered with the LGE scar map and the ablation sites from the electroanatomical map in the standard ablation approach. Results In image-based simulation, VT was inducible in 12 (92.3%) patients. All VTs showed macroreentrant propagation patterns, and the narrowest width of estimated target region that an ablation line should span to prevent VT recurrence was 5.0 ± 3.4 mm. Of 11 patients who underwent ablation, the results of image-based simulation and the standard approach were consistent in 9 (82%) patients, where ablation within the estimated target region was associated with acute success (n = 8) and ablation outside the estimated target region was associated with failure (n = 1). In 1 (9%) case, the results of image-based simulation and the standard approach were inconsistent, where ablation outside the estimated target region was associated with acute success. Conclusions The image-based simulation can be used to estimate potential ablation targets of scar-related VT. The image-based simulation may be a powerful noninvasive tool for preprocedural planning of ablation procedures to potentially reduce the procedure time and complication rates.
Hepatitis B Vaccination Among Research Participants, Seattle, Washington

We report here on a protocol to increase hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccination in participants in 2 research studies in Seattle, Wash. Injection drug users (IDUs) in a cohort study were interviewed and screened for several bloodborne viral infections, including HBV. 1 At posttest counseling, participants were informed of their test results, provided risk reduction counseling, and referred to medical services. Prevalence of core antibody to HBV (anti-HBc) was 67%, and only 14% of the participants reported prior HBV vaccination. 2 Participants who were anti-HBc negative were given a voucher for a no-cost series of HBV vaccinations redeemable at a public health clinic in downtown Seattle. The clinic agreed to accept people with vouchers on a drop-in basis, reduce waiting time, and record the number of vouchers redeemed. Between February and December 1997, 120 vouchers were distributed. Of participants with vouchers, 91 (76%) did not complete any vaccinations; 6 (5%) completed 1 vaccination and 5 (4%) completed 2. Only 18 IDUs (15%) completed the series of 3 HBV vaccinations. A similar HBV vaccination protocol was implemented for a study of men aged 15 to 22 years attending Seattle same-sex venues (the Young Men’s Survey [YMS]). 3 YMS
Magnesium depletion, diuretics, and arrhythmias

Increasing information on the potentially serious risks of potassium and magnesium depletion associated with diuretic therapy demands a clinical focus on understanding the factors involved and on methods for preventing these electrolyte deficiencies. Data suggest that serum potassium and magnesium levels may be normal in the presence of tissue depletion, but decreases in serum levels are almost always associated with tissue and whole-body depletion of these electrolytes in patients in whom such depletion cannot be risked. Ventricular ectopy has also been associated with depletion of potassium and magnesium, which may explain the increased risk of sudden unexpected death in hypertensive patients. Any clinician who treats hypertension or congestive heart failure must consider whether to replete potassium and magnesium in patients already receiving diuretic therapy, or, better still, consider how to prevent depletion of these electrolytes in patients in whom such depletion cannot be risked. If prevention is selected, the clinician must then evaluate the data on available diuretic combinations for efficacy in electrolyte conservation, bioavailability, and dosage convenience. The combination of triamterene and hydrochlorothiazide (Maxzide, 75 mg triamterene/50 mg hydrochlorothiazide) has demonstrated electrolyte conservation, with bioavailability and dosage convenience.
Supporting bursty traffic in wireless sensor networks through a distributed advertisement-based TDMA protocol (ATMA)

Nodes in wireless sensor networks (WSNs) are battery powered and oftentimes deployed in remote and hostile locations. Energy conservation is, therefore, one of the primary goals of MAC protocols designed for these networks. Contention-based protocols employ static or variable duty cycles to minimize energy dissipated in idle listening. TDMA-based protocols, on the other hand, use reservation and scheduling to minimize energy loss. Further energy savings may be obtained by taking the nature of the network traffic into consideration. Several WSN applications such as surveillance applications and habitat monitoring applications generate bursty traffic. In this paper, we combine the advantages of contention-based and TDMA-based protocols to form Advertisement-based Time-division Multiple Access (ATMA), a distributed TDMA-based MAC protocol for WSNs, that utilizes the bursty nature of the traffic to prevent energy waste through advertisements and reservations for data slots. We provide detailed comparisons of the ATMA protocol with contention-based protocols (S-MAC, T-MAC and ADV-MAC), a TDMA-based protocol (TRAMA) and hybrid protocols (Z-MAC and IEEE 802.15.4) through extensive simulations and qualitative analysis. The simulation results show that with bursty traffic, ATMA outperforms these existing protocols in terms of energy consumption with reductions of up to 80%, while providing the best packet delivery ratio (close to 100%) and latency among all the investigated protocols for several simulation scenarios studied.
Bullied Back in the Closet

F ull-time employed adults spend nearly 25% of their time working for their employers every year. For the estimated 8.8 million lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgendered (LGBT) adults living in the United States (Ramos, Badgett, & Sears, 2008), the concept of spending 25% of a year at work believing they lack the safety to self-identify as LGBT because of a fear of losing employment can cause psychological stress, diminished physical health, and reduced work performance (Chun, 2011). The LGBT equal rights movement works so that fairness and ethical treatment of LGBT individuals continue; one area of continued attention is the existing and persistent social strain for LGBT individuals within workplace environments in which they often experience exclusion and bias (Field, 2009; Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation [GLAAD] et al., 2011; Human Rights Campaign, 2011a, 2011b, 2011c). Researchers largely have focused on the bullying epidemic at schools, including primary, secondary, and collegiate levels (GLAAD et al., 2011); however, bullying is also pervasive and epidemic in adult workplace settings (Field, 2009; Namie, 2011; Salin, 2008). LGBT individuals encounter workplace bias, discrimination, and bullying; the negative treatment may occur at each level within organizations (Elmslie & Tebaldi, 2007). Such bullying treatment, which is rooted in organizational culture and power, occurs disproportionately for the LGBT community. Although school bullying in the K–12 sector is illegal in 46 states (and disproportionately affects children associated with an alternative lifestyle; Stuart-Cassel, Bell, & Springer, 2011), workplace bullying is still legal in all 50 states. Ferfolja (2007) suggested bullying of LGBT individuals is disproportionate in Western societies because heterosexuality is considered natural (an antecedent to heterosexism and homophobia), and many consider homosexuality immoral, deviant, and contradictory to biological determinism of what is normal.
The MRI appearance of cavernous malformations (angiomas)

The angiographic, computerized tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings were compared in 10 patients with a total of 16 pathologically verified cavernous angiomas. Only three lesions had abnormal vasculature in the form of venous pooling or a capillary blush. The CT scans were positive in seven patients and detected 14 lesions, while high-field strength (1.5 Tesla) MRI was positive in each case and demonstrated 27 distinct lesions. On T2-weighted MRI, the combination of a reticulated core of mixed signal intensity (SI) with a surrounding rim of decreased SI strongly suggests the diagnosis of a cavernous malformation. Smaller lesions appear as areas of decreased SI (black dots). The sensitivity of MRI is based on magnetic susceptibility and possibly diffusion effects related to field heterogeneity that is more conspicuous on high-field imaging and caused by the presence of excessive iron (hemosiderin).
Molecular dynamics boundary conditions for regular crystal lattices

We present a method for deriving molecular dynamics boundary conditions for use in multiple scale simulations that can be applied at a planar boundary for any solid that has a periodically repeating crystal lattice. The method is based on a linearization in the vicinity of the boundary, and utilizes a Fourier and Laplace transforms in space and time to eliminate the degrees of freedom associated with atoms outside the boundary. This method is straightforward to implement numerically, and thus can be automated for a general crystal lattice. We show that this method reproduces the known kernel for a 1D linear chain, and apply the approach to obtain the damping kernel matrices for two real crystal lattices: the graphene and diamond structures of carbon.
A General Framework for Forecast Verification

Abstract A general framework for forecast verification based on the joint distribution of forecasts and observations is described. For further elaboration of the framework, two factorizations of the joint distribution are investigated: 1) the calibration-refinement factorization, which involves the conditional distributions of observations given forecasts and the marginal distribution of forecasts, and 2) the likelihood-base factorization, which involve the conditional distributions of forecasts given observations and the marginal distribution of observations. The names given to the factorizations reflect the fact that they relate to different attributes of the forecasts and/or observations. Several examples are used to illustrate the interpretation of these factorizations in the context of verification and to describe the relationship between the respective factorizations. Some insight into the potential utility of the framework is provided by demonstrating that basic elements and summary measures of the...
Development of an Antarctic Regional Climate System Model. Part I: Sea Ice and Large-Scale Circulation

Abstract A coupled atmosphere–ice regional model previously used for simulations in the Arctic has been implemented in the Antarctic. Three 14-month simulations were performed for 1988–89, with different oceanic specifications. The year 1988 was interesting as there were several sensible heat polynya events in the Cosmonaut Sea region, the investigation of which is the goal of future finer-resolution simulations. Overall, the regional climate model produces reasonable simulations of the Antarctic at 100-km resolution. Root-mean-square errors range from 4 hPa in surface pressure, 4 K in near-surface air temperature, and 3 m s−1 in near-surface winds, to 1 K in air temperature and 2 m s−1 in winds at the 500-hPa level. Tests of the coupled system response to oceanic heat flux suggest that the sea-ice simulation is more sensitive than the atmospheric circulation, but it could be expected that the atmosphere would respond to these changes in sea ice over longer time periods than those of interest here. This s...
Evidence for a Rising Cloud Ceiling in Eastern North America

Abstract Data from 24 airport weather stations along the north–south axis (35°–45°N) of the Appalachian Mountains are used to show a significant rising trend in cloud-ceiling height over the past three decades. The mean change in cloud-ceiling height was 4.14 ± 1.03 m yr−1 [mean ± 1 SE (standard error), p ≤ 0.001] across all stations. The trend was negative (−2.22 ± 0.67 m yr−1) for the six stations south of 37.5°N, but positive (6.26 ± 0.89 m yr−1) for the 18 stations north of this latitude. Mean ceiling height for broken cloud cover was higher and rising faster than mean ceiling height for overcast cloud cover. There were strong seasonal patterns that varied between the northernmost and southernmost stations; differences were most pronounced during the spring and summer months. Some of the potential ecological effects on high-elevation forests, where the transition from deciduous to coniferous forest is thought to be controlled by the height of the cloud base, are discussed.
A procedure for evaluating the susceptibility to natural and anthropogenic sinkholes

The procedure for evaluating the susceptibility to natural and anthropogenic sinkholes is aimed at contributing to mitigate the risk from the most common geohazard in karst. It develops from the identification and geographical location of the caves, and then proceeds with the speleological survey, before characterising the caves in terms of geological-structural data (highlighting all the existing discontinuities in the rock mass, of both stratigraphic and tectonic origin), and of all the features related to occurrence and development of instability processes. Laboratory tests and monitoring are also mentioned as further possible steps of the analysis. Eventually, the procedure results in a zonation depicting the sectors most prone to development of sinkholes.
Intraoperative tumor localization and tissue distinction during robotic adrenalectomy using indocyanine green fluorescence imaging: a feasibility study.

Background To investigate the feasibility of a method for intraoperative tumor localization and tissue distinction during robotic adrenalectomy (RA) via indocyanine green (ICG) imaging under near-infrared light.
Comparison of Performance and Oxidation of Nitronic-50 and Stainless Steel 316 in Subcritical and Supercritical Water Environments

This work investigates two austenitic stainless steels, Nitronic-50 and stainless steel 316, for use in both subcritical and supercritical water (SCW) conditions. The mechanical characteristics of the materials were investigated using slow strain rate testing in a SCW test loop under the following conditions: nitrogen at ambient temperature and pressure, liquid water at 473 K (200 °C) and 8 MPa, liquid water at 573 K (300 °C) and 15 MPa, and SCW at 698 K (425 °C) and 27 MPa. The surfaces of the failed samples were characterized using Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Nitronic-50 was found to have superior mechanical strength characteristics at all conditions compared to stainless steel 316. At all elevated temperature conditions, stainless steel 316 was found to have a surface film consisting of iron oxides, while the surface film of Nitronic-50 predominantly consisted of nickel-iron spinel.
QL-04FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH SUICIDAL IDEATION IN CLINICALLY DISTRESSED ADULT GLIOMA PATIENTS.

OBJECTIVE: During patient care, it is critical to identify the glioma patients who are experiencing suicidal ideation among those who present with elevated levels of psychological distress, so appropriate interventions can be implemented. The aim of this study was to determine the factors that differentiated adult glioma patients with possible suicidal ideation from those without suicidal ideation among patients experiencing psychological distress. METHODS: 317 adult patients with WHO Grade II-IV glioma completed a psychosocial questionnaire comprised of several measures: Brief Symptom Inventory-18 (BSI-18) on general psychological distress, Patient Health Questionnaire-9 on depressive symptoms, General Anxiety Disorder-7 on anxiety symptoms, Revised Schwartz Cancer Fatigue Scale on fatigue, and CCSS Neurocognitive Questionnaire on cognitive symptoms. Patients with clinically elevated levels of psychological distress were identified, as determined by a BSI-18 Total T Score ≥ 50 (per Recklitis, 2007). Possible suicidal ideation was identified by endorsement of a positive response to BSI-18 item "thoughts of ending your life.“ T-tests, chi-square tests, and regression were utilized to identify the factors that distinguished the patients who endorsed possible suicidal ideation from those who did not, among the subset of patients with clinically elevated distress levels. RESULTS: 116 patients (36.6%) endorsed clinically significant distress levels. Of these, 17 patients (14.7%) endorsed possible suicidal ideation. Significantly higher levels of depression, anxiety, overall fatigue, emotional fatigue, emotional lability, task inefficiency, and memory concerns (p < .01) distinguished the patients with suicidal ideation. No medical characteristics (e.g., tumor location, grade, KPS, chemotherapy) or demographics (e.g., age, gender) significantly differentiated those with suicidal ideation from those without. CONCLUSION: The rates of clinically elevated psychological distress and potential suicidal ideation were determined in a large neuro-oncology clinic. Several psychosocial factors including fatigue and cognitive difficulties differentiated patients with possible suicidal ideation from those without, rather than tumor, treatment, or demographic characteristics.
Effects of serial learning on recognition thresholds: check on method.

In a previous srudy (Rodewald, 1967) the author did not observe the usual relationship between frequency of prior exposure of stimuli and tachistoscopic recognition thresholds for those stimuli. The author suggested that the negative findings might be the result of the method of threshold determination. Earlier srudies utilized the method of limits while Rodewald employed the method of constant stimuli. The present study is a partial replication of the earlier one, but the method of limits was used for the threshold determinations. Method.-Forty volunteers from classes at Washington University served as Ss. Four groups of 1 0 Ss were formed on the basis of Ss' availability. The memory drum, tachistoscope, and nonsense syllables were the same as those used previously. An additional set of stimulus cards was prepared by typing the syllables with a Smith-Corona Speech Writer Typewriter. This resulted in rwo sizes of print for use in the threshold determinations. The learning sessions were conducted as in the previous srudy. Groups I and I1 received 5 and Groups 111 and IV received 15 trials with the serial lists of syllables. Immediately after practice, Groups I and 111 were presented the small-typed syllables and Groups I1 and IV were presented the large-typed syllables in the tachistoscope. All threshold determinations began with an exposure of 0.01 sec. which increased in steps of 0.01 sec. until one correct recognition occurred. The syllables were presented in different random orders for each S. Resalts.-The learning sessions yielded the usual bow-shaped curves of correct anticipations as a function of serial position. The curve formed by pooling Groups 111 and IV was at all points superior to the curve formed by pooling Groups I and 11. Frequency was effective in the learning sessions. Recognition threshold was the dependent variable, with serial position (within groups) and frequency of practice (berween groups) from the learning sessions, and stimulus size (berween groups) from the threshold determinations serving a s independent variables in an analysis of variance (Winer, 1962, Case I ) . Cochran's test indicated heterogeneity of variance at the .O5 level so the analysis was performed on data modified according to a square-root transformation (Winer, 1962) . At the .05 level the only statistically significant effect was stimulus size (F = 49.62, df = 1 / 3 6 ) .' Two sizes of stimuli were used to guard against invoking a percepmal explanation of data which could also be explained by reference to the probability of recall of verbal material (Goldiamond & Hawkins, 1958) . Responses were a function of a
Potential role of mitochondrial superoxide decreasing ferrochelatase and heme in coronary artery soluble guanylate cyclase depletion by angiotensin II

Oxidation of the soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) heme promotes loss of regulation by nitric oxide (NO) and depletion of sGC. We hypothesized that angiotensin II (ANG II) stimulation of mitochondrial superoxide by its type 1 receptor could function as a potential inhibitor of heme biosynthesis by ferrochelatase, and this could decrease vascular responsiveness to NO by depleting sGC. These processes were investigated in a 24-h organoid culture model of bovine coronary arteries (BCA) with 0.1 μM ANG II. Treatment of BCA with ANG II increased mitochondrial superoxide, depleted mitochondrial superoxide dismutase (SOD2), ferrochelatase, and cytochrome oxidase subunit 4, and sGC, associated with impairment of relaxation to NO. These processes were attenuated by organoid culture with 8-bromo-cGMP and/or δ-aminolevulinic acid (a stimulator of sGC by protoporphyrin IX generation and heme biosynthesis). Organoid culture with Mito-TEMPOL, a scavenger of mitochondrial matrix superoxide, also attenuated ANG II-elicited ferrochelatase depletion and loss of relaxation to NO, whereas organoid culture with Tempol, an extramitochondrial scavenger of superoxide, attenuated the loss of relaxation to NO by ANG II, but not ferrochelatase depletion, suggesting cytosolic superoxide could be an initiating factor in the loss of sGC regulation by NO. The depletion of cytochrome oxidase subunit 4 and sGC (but not catalase) suggests that sGC expression may be very sensitive to depletion of heme caused by ANG II disrupting ferrochelatase activity by increasing mitochondrial superoxide. In addition, cGMP-dependent activation of protein kinase G appears to attenuate these ANG II-stimulated processes through both preventing SOD2 depletion and increases in mitochondrial and extramitochondrial superoxide.
The Influence of Cage Versus Floor Pen Management of Broiler Breeder Hens on Subsequent Performance of Cage Reared Broilers

Abstract Chicks from breeder hens maintained in cages or floor pens were reared in Lohman battery cages in three separate trials. The ages of the breeder flock at the time of egg collection were 29, 36, and 54 weeks, respectively. The fertility of the artificially inseminated caged hens was significantly (P
The Student as Teacher Educator in Service-Learning:

To prepare preservice teachers (PSTs) to work with diverse populations of PreK-12 students, teacher educators are incorporating a variety of field-based experiences into teacher preparation. Servic...
Unilateral Tension Fracture Behavior of PEG/N-100 Matrix

The stress-strain relations and fracture behavior of the PEG/N-100 matrix were investigated by methods of unilateral tensile testing, scanning electron microscopy, etc The experimental results indicate that maximum tensile strength of the PEG/N-100 matrix is above 7 MPa and approximately 10 MPa at the yield point, and the elongation percentage of fracture is over 400%. The spherulites of about 7 μm in diameter were found in the fractured matrix of PEG/N-100. The process of the matrix fracture has been proved to undergo the growth of micro-cracks, the expansion of micro-cracks and the final fracture of PEG/N-100 matrix.
H-2 Modulation of Aryl Hydrocarbon Hydroxylase Induction and the Mutagenicity of Benzo(a)Pyrene after 3-Methylcholanthrene Treatment

Pretreatment of animals with polycyclic aromatic compounds such as 3-methylcholanthrene (MC) and 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin can alter the subsequent biotransformation of foreign compounds both quantitatively and qualitatively (Conney, 1982; Nebert et al., 1981; Lu and West, 1980). These changes in metabolism are a result of an increase (termed induction) in several drug metabolizing enzymes including cytochrome P1-450 (Negishi and Nebert, 1979), and P3-450 (Negishi and Nebert, 1979; Negishi et al., 1981). Mouse P1-450 and P3-450 are defined (Gonzalez et al., 1984) as those forms of MC-induced cytochrome P-450 having the highest turnover number for induced aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase (AHH) and acetanilide 4-hydroxylase activity, respectively. Addition-ally, P1-450 is associated with the production of mutagenic and carcinogenic metabolites of benzo(a)pyrene (BP) as well as other polycyclic hydrocarbons (reviewed in Pelkonen and Nebert, 1982).
Impact of land surface states within the flux footprint on daytime land-atmosphere coupling in two semiarid ecosystems of the Southwestern U.S.

Land surface states play important roles in the turbulent exchanges between ecosystems and their overlying atmosphere. Field methods to estimate turbulent fluxes have time-variable source areas, while land surface observations are typically obtained at single plots with a smaller measurement scale. In this study, we characterize land-atmosphere interactions in two semiarid ecosystems in the southwestern U.S. At each study site, we combine the eddy covariance method with a distributed network of soil moisture and temperature sensors, high-resolution imagery of the spatial distribution of vegetation and soil patches, and novel spatiotemporal analyses to characterize the turbulent flux footprint analytically and identify the soil moisture, temperature, and vegetation conditions underlying the eddy covariance measurements. Four methods for aggregating the land surface observations to the scale of the daily flux footprint are tested. Our results reveal a large degree of spatial variability in the footprint, with stronger variations in soil moisture than in soil temperature. Single plot measurements are less reliable than the distributed network in capturing footprint conditions, particularly for soil moisture. Furthermore, a marked improvement is observed in the relations between turbulent fluxes and land surface states for methods capturing the footprint variability. We also identify that the composition of vegetation and soil patches in the time-variable source area affects the relative magnitudes of the turbulent fluxes and the partitioning of evapotranspiration. Our study points to the importance of monitoring the spatial distribution of land surface states (e.g., soil moisture and temperature) and vegetation and soil patches when assessing land-atmosphere interactions.
Elementary Quantum Experiments

Quantum theory provides a language for experiments and other kinds of actions. To learn this language it is not sufficient to master its syntax. We need its semantics as well. We learn and teach the language of quantum theory by using it in a quantum playground, an assembly of simple machines, and the simplest quantum machines are polarizers. The episystem in these Malusian experiments includes a photon source, several polarizers, an optical bench, a photon detector like the human eye, and an experimenter.
PRIMARY ALDOSTERONISM IN THE PRIMARY CARE CLINIC: RIFE OR RARE?

Abbreviations: ARR = aldosterone-to-renin ratio MR = mineralocorticoid receptor PA = primary aldosteronism
Fourth International Conference on Electrorheological Fluids

(1993). Fourth International Conference on Electrorheological Fluids. Materials Technology: Vol. 8, No. 11-12, pp. 259-261.
The Duty to Disregard the Law

In the practice of jury nullification, a jury votes to acquit a defendant in disregard of the factual evidence, on the grounds that a conviction would result in injustice, either because the law itself is unjust or because its application in the particular case would be unjust. Though the practice is widely condemned by courts, the arguments against jury nullification are surprisingly weak. I argue that, pursuant to the general ethical duty to avoid causing unjust harms to others, jurors are often morally obligated to disregard the law.
Applying a Framework for Complementarist Intervention Approaches to Service Organizations to Achieve a Sustainable Holistic Management Model

Organizational management often faces complex problem contexts, requiring intervention for improvement. Many intervention approaches exist to achieve a purpose in real world applications. Each intervention approach was developed with a specific world view (weltanschauung), dictating its methods and purpose. In a complex problem context, a single intervention approach is insufficient to address all challenges faced. Combining multiple intervention approaches, bringing differing perspectives, facilitates holistic action. Several methodologies have been developed to combine multiple perspectives, including soft systems methodology (SSM), total systems intervention (TSI), creative design of methods (CDM), and boundary critique. Each of these methods has strengths and weaknesses. A barrier to their use in organizations is the requirement for systems thinking education. This paper presents a framework for defining and selecting approaches for intervention in complex problem contexts. It also provides a method for utilizing this framework to design holistic and effective interventions. A case study is discussed, where the proposed framework and method are applied to a small non-profit service organization that performs knowledge-based work in a dynamic environment. The proposed framework and application method are presented through (1) description of the need, (2) review of contributing literature, (3) presentation of the framework, (4) description of the method, and (5) illustration in the case study organization. Limitations, future development, and scope of applications of the proposed framework and method are discussed.
Experimental Confirmation of Precipitation and Oxidation in Evanohm Condensate Thin Films

BY ELECTRON and optical microscopic techniques, the precipitation out of the original solid solution of a phase based on Ni3Al has been observed in the metal films condensed from the alloy Evanohm. A precipitation clustering of solute atoms causes a slight increase in the film resistivity. This is followed by a large decrease in resistivity as the solute content of the solvent or matrix is depleted by the growth of the solute rich precipitates. The rate of these processes has been observed to depend on the thickness of the film, with the thinnest films aging fastest. The oxidation of these films has been studied using electron microscopy to identify the reaction and using a quartz crystal microbalance to determine the reaction kinetics. Prior to precipitation, a uniform Cr2O3 oxide layer grows with a limiting thickness, saturating form of kinetics. This is typical of a case where a retarding electric field is created in the oxide layer by the migration of the charged species which eventually halts the diffusion or oxidation process. Later, after clustering and precipitati6n has occurred, a particulate oxide identified as NiO grows with kinetics proportional to the cube of time. This particulate oxide grows in the solute-depleted portion of the matrix.
Researching Gender in Language Use

Language and gender research has evolved considerably over the last two decades. In the 1970s and 1980s, through a variety of methodological approaches, researchers demonstrated that language use was gender differentiated. Sociolinguists offered competing theoretical explanations based on power and cross-cultural differences for the variation they found in interaction, and feminists concerned with sexist representations documented considerable bias in the lexicon. From the late 1980s to the present, ethnographic and discourse analytic research in a wide range of contexts has begun to reveal complex relations between language, gender, and power, and to illustrate that gender identity, as one aspect of social identity, is largely discursively constituted. This work demonstrates how our language use can reflect and reproduce dominant relations; it can resist dominant practices in favor of alternatives; or it can create new forms of representation and interaction that challenge and potentially transform the social order.
Databrarianship: The Academic Data Librarian in Theory and Practice

Fueled by the advent of big data, open data, and data curation, data librarianship is a reemerging field within academia—one that has sparked the creation of new positions that run the gamut of dat...
Natural history of 'second' biochemical failure after salvage radiation therapy for prostate cancer: a multi-institution study.

Objectives To describe the natural history of prostate cancer in men who experience a second biochemical recurrence (BCR) after salvage radiotherapy (SRT) following prostatectomy. Subjects/Patients and Methods Following SRT at two institutions from 1986-2013, 286 patients developed second BCR, defined as two rises in PSA of ≥0.2 ng/mL above nadir. Event rates for distant metastasis (DM) or freedom from DM (FFDM), castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC), prostate cancer-specific survival (PCSS), and overall survival (OS) were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Cox regression was used for comparative analyses. Results At a median 6.1 years following second BCR, rates of DM, CRPC, PCSS, and OS were 41%, 27%, 83%, and 73%, respectively. On multivariable analysis, interval to second BCR <1 year [hazard ratio (HR) 2.66, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.71-4.14, p<0.001], Gleason score 8-10 (HR 1.65, 95% CI 1.07-2.54, p=0.022), and concurrent ADT during SRT (HR 1.76, CI 1.08-2.88, and p = 0.024) were associated with FFDM, while PCSS was associated with interval to second BCR <1 year (HR 3.00, CI 1.69–5.32, p < 0.001) and concurrent ADT during SRT (HR 2.15, CI 1.13-4.08, p = 0.019). These risk factors were used to stratify patients into three groups, with 6-year FFDM of 71%, 59% and 33% and PCSS of 89%, 79%, and 65%, respectively. Conclusion Following second BCR after SRT, clinical progression is enriched in a sub-group of prostate cancer patients, while others remain without DM for long intervals. Stratifying patients into risk groups using prognostic factors may aid counseling and future trial design. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
The management of neurofibromatosis type 1-associated malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors: challenges, progress, and future prospects

ABSTRACTIntroduction: The most common malignancy affecting adults with the neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) cancer predisposition syndrome is the malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (MPNST), a highly aggressive sarcoma that typically develops from a pre-existing benign plexiform neurofibroma. These tumors are difficult to treat, with limited therapeutic options and poor patient responses, leading to unacceptably high mortality rates. Despite advances in our understanding of the pathogenesis of these tumors, the overall prognosis for these cancers remains dismal.Areas covered: This paper reviews the cellular and molecular etiologies underlying MPNST development and progression, the diagnostic workup of patients with these malignancies, and the current and investigational treatment options. Areas of controversy in which further research is needed will be highlighted.Expert opinion: MPNSTs remain a therapeutic challenge. Multidisciplinary care at a high volume sarcoma center is essential for optimal outcom...
Evaluating Financial and Operational Performance in the Retail Apparel Industry, 2016

This case is suitable for management students who have already been exposed to the basics of accounting and operations-management decision making. It builds business intuition that integrates concepts from the courses of operations, accounting, and finance. As such, it is appropriate in an operations course, or in an introductory finance/accounting course. Students examine the financial statements of four competitors in the global retail apparel industry and calculate the financial ratios that comprise the return on equity for each. Then, they critically evaluate the links between each company's financial ratios and its unique operations strategy and financial situation. As a result, students gain insight into the effects that strategic operations management and financial decisions can have on financial statements and important financial ratios, as well as the insights one can gain by examining the equivalent ratios of close competitors.This case begins with an overview of the market forces that have the greatest effect on the global retail apparel industry. A brief overview of the history of the industry and how it has developed since the 1980s is provided as a backdrop to illustrate the financial and operations-management decisions that have been made by the four companies profiled. Then, a high-level introduction is provided for each of four major competitors: The Gap, Inc.; HM Urban Outfitters, Inc.; and Industria de Diseno Textil, S.A. The short company profiles include a description of each company's portfolio of brands, overall positioning and operations strategy, outsourcing decisions, history, and financial situation. Finally, a series of exhibits provides income statement and balance sheet information for each company. Excerpt UVA-OM-1557 Rev. Jun. 15, 2017 Evaluating Financial and Operational Performance in the Retail Apparel Industry, 2016 Industry Background In 2016, 150 billion new clothing items were produced annually by companies in the global retail apparel industry. The estimated global value of the apparel industry was $ 1.8trillion. The industry was characterized by low switching costs, low barriers to entry, and a high degree of fragmentation and rivalry. The category included both department stores, which featured other goods in addition to apparel, and specialty retail stores that catered to specific customer segments. Both usually sold through multiple channels, including web-based and mobile platforms as well as brick-and-mortar stores, and sometimes also through outlet stores. The term “retail apparel” referred to clothing worn by women, men, girls, boys, toddlers, and infants; categories included activewear, career wear, formal occasion wear, and intimates. Most purchases were made by the individual consumer, who might be driven by convenience, value, quality, and/or a desire to display a certain social or economic standing. Sales were often seasonal, and varied by country. For example, in the United States, retail sales volumes often increased close to observed holidays, sporting events, and back-to-school time. . . .
Three-dimensional vapor intrusion modeling approach that combines wind and stack effects on indoor, atmospheric, and subsurface domains.

Vapor intrusion (IV) exposure risks are difficult to characterize due to the role of atmospheric, building and subsurface processes. This study presents a three-dimensional VI model that extends the common subsurface fate and transport equations to incorporate wind and stack effects on indoor air pressure, building air exchange rate (AER) and indoor contaminant concentration to improve VI exposure risk estimates. The model incorporates three modeling programs: (1) COMSOL Multiphysics to model subsurface fate and transport processes, (2) CFD0 to model atmospheric air flow around the building, and (3) CONTAM to model indoor air quality. The combined VI model predicts AER values, zonal indoor air pressures and zonal indoor air contaminant concentrations as a function of wind speed, wind direction and outdoor and indoor temperature. Steady state modeling results for a single-story building with a basement demonstrate that wind speed, wind direction and opening locations in a building play important roles in changing the AER, indoor air pressure, and indoor air contaminant concentration. Calculated indoor air pressures ranged from approximately −10 Pa to +4 Pa depending on weather conditions and building characteristics. AER values, mass entry rates and indoor air concentrations vary depending on weather conditions and building characteristics. The presented modeling approach can be used to investigate the relationship between building features, AER, building pressures, soil gas concentrations, indoor air concentrations and VI exposure risks.
How perceived power influences the consequences of dominance expressions in negotiations

Abstract Recent research (Wiltermuth, Tiedens, & Neale, 2015) has indicated that negotiators may use expressions of dominance and submissiveness to discover mutually-beneficial solutions and thereby create more joint value. We examined how the perceived relative power of negotiators who express dominance influences value claiming and value creation in negotiations. Negotiators with relatively little power benefitted by expressing dominance, as expressing dominance increased relatively low-power negotiators’ abilities to claim value. In contrast, relatively powerful negotiators’ expressions of dominance fueled value creation. Dyads in which only the relatively powerful negotiator expressed dominance created more value than did dyads in which neither, both, or only the relatively powerless negotiator expressed dominance. The coordination benefits attributable to dominance complementarity were therefore best achieved when there was congruence between a negotiator’s perceived power and the power/status cues the negotiator sent through expressions of dominance.