cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Radical cystectomy for bladder cancer after definitive prostate cancer treatment

Abstract Objectives To review our perioperative experience with patients presenting with high-risk bladder cancer who had undergone prior therapy for prostate cancer. With the increase in diagnosis and subsequent treatment of prostate cancer, more patients presenting with high-risk bladder cancer have undergone prior therapy for prostate cancer. Radical cystectomy in these patients can be technically challenging and may be associated with added morbidity. Methods A retrospective review of 458 patients treated with radical cystectomy between January 1993 and January 2002 revealed 29 patients (mean age 72 years) who had received definitive treatment for prostate cancer prior to cystectomy for bladder carcinoma. The initial treatment in this cohort was radical prostatectomy or external beam radiotherapy in 12 (41%) and 17 (59%) men, respectively. Cystectomy was performed for transitional cell carcinoma in 25 (86%), small cell carcinoma in 2 (6%), and sarcoma in 2 (6%) patients. Results At the time of cystectomy, the mean blood loss was 1175 mL (range 275 to 3500), and the median length of hospitalization was 8 days (range 4 to 23). No intraoperative or perioperative deaths occurred in this cohort. Twenty-seven early complications were identified in 16 (55%) of 29 patients; no rectal injuries occurred. Patients with prior radiotherapy had a higher rate of extravesical bladder carcinoma (60%) than those patients treated with prior prostatectomy (33%). An orthotopic neobladder diversion was created in 5 patients (17%). Conclusions Patients with bladder cancer previously treated for prostate cancer with external beam radiotherapy or radical prostatectomy have an increased risk of perioperative complications compared with patients undergoing cystectomy without prior therapy. This risk is not prohibitive, and radical cystectomy should remain the treatment of choice for high-risk bladder cancer in this population. Furthermore, orthotopic urinary diversion may be a reasonable option and should be considered in select patients.
Basking in the glow of superstars: Demand for top managers by domestic firms and MNCS in the advertising industry

Superstars, or prominent managers who are responsible for strategic external relationships, are a resource for domestic firms and multinational corporations (MNCs). Theory suggests that MNCs employ superstars to manage organizational legitimacy and offer greater compensation and promotion potential. Domestic firms may employ superstars to enhance their organizational identity and offer them status and a supportive organizational environment. Empirical analysis of 411 advertising agencies in the U.S. and 239 superstars in advertising suggests that domestic agencies have a slight but statistically significant advantage in attracting and retaining superstars relative to MNCs. The strategic implications for domestic firms and MNCs are discussed.
Butyrate-inducible elements in the human γ-globin promoter

Abstract Objective Several agents including hydroxyurea, erythropoietin and butyric acid have been shown to reactivate γ gene expression during adult stage development by unknown molecular mechanisms. In addition to inhibiting the enzyme histone deacetylase, butyrate may modulate transcription factor binding to specific DNA sequences defined as butyrate response elements (BREs). The purpose of this study was to identify promoter sequences involved in γ gene activation by butyrate using truncation mutants in stable cell lines. Materials and Methods A detailed analysis of Aγ gene activation in the presence of α-aminobutyric acid and sodium butyrate was completed in stable mouse erythroleukemia (MEL) cell pools established with seven Aγ promoter truncation mutants. Functional studies were performed in a transient assay system followed by gel mobility shift assays to define protein binding patterns and to demonstrate transcription factor interactions in the γ promoter BRE. Results Aγ promoter analysis in stable MEL cell pools revealed BREs between nucleotide-141 and −201, and nucleotide-822 and -893 (γBRE). The γBRE required the minimal Aγ promoter (−201 to +36) to stimulate gene expression. We observed a 6.1-fold ( p 0.05) increase in CAT activity for the minimal Aγ promoter alone compared with an 11.5-fold ( p 0.05) increase when the γ promoter was combined with the −822 to −893 fragment. Protein binding studies demonstrated altered protein-DNA interactions in the γBRE after butyrate induction. The pattern for binding observed suggest both negative- and positive-acting transcription factors may interact in this region. Conclusion The data supports the −822 to −893 region as a DNA regulatory element that contributes to Aγ gene inducibility by butyrate.
Effects of age and time of day on Internet advertising outcomes

Prior research indicates that age is associated with increased use of schemas/heuristics, especially later in the day. In this study, processing differences by age and time of day are expected to impact attention to online advertising, brand attitude and purchase intention. Results indicate that older adults pay greater attention than younger adults to online banner ads (a type of heuristic), regardless of time of day. A mere exposure effect, with lower attention associated with more favorable brand attitudes, is found for the entire sample, but is not especially pronounced for older adults. Purchase intention is highest for older adults, especially later in the day when processing resources are lowest, raising potential societal and ethical issues. Managerial implications are discussed.
Instrumentation for Spectral Phonocardiography

The development stages of the instrumentation system for displaying the three dimensions of heart sounds, time, frequency and intensity are described. The heart sounds and physiological data are recorded on magnetic tape. The tape information is repetitively played back, filtered and presented as intensity modulation on cathode-ray tubes having a slow TV type raster where the horizontal sweep represents time in the cardiac cycle and the vertical represents frequency. The resulting patterns which are photographed and visually monitored are used for research, teaching and diagnosis.
Neuroanatomic Organization of Sound Memory in Humans

The neural interface between sensory perception and memory is a central issue in neuroscience, particularly initial memory organization following perceptual analyses. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging to identify anatomic regions extracting initial auditory semantic memory information related to environmental sounds. Two distinct anatomic foci were detected in the right superior temporal gyrus when subjects identified sounds representing either animals or threatening items. Threatening animal stimuli elicited signal changes in both foci, suggesting a distributed neural representation. Our results demonstrate both category- and feature-specific responses to nonverbal sounds in early stages of extracting semantic memory information from these sounds. This organization allows for these category-feature detection nodes to extract early, semantic memory information for efficient processing of transient sound stimuli. Neural regions selective for threatening sounds are similar to those of nonhuman primates, demonstrating semantic memory organization for basic biological/survival primitives are present across species.
Exploring Gender Differences Socially Interactive Technology Use/Abuse Among Dating Teens

This qualitative study explored gender differences in socially interactive technology (SIT) use/abuse among dating teens from Michigan (N = 23). Focus group transcripts were coded using three categories: (1) type of SIT (e.g., social networking); (2) abusive action (e.g., monitoring); and (3) consequence (e.g., jealousy). Texting and social networking were the most commonly used types of SIT. Spying/monitoring, sexting, and password sharing/account access were the most common abusive actions. Distrust and jealousy were the most frequent consequences. Young men and women differed in their conceptualization of SIT abuse. Most participants agreed that some abusive actions were typical parts of adolescent dating experiences.
Heritage-making and political identity

In this essay, I argue that the concept of heritage today, as we have come to understand it through the lens of the politics of recognition and through various tourism-oriented national and global programs of public recognition, contains within itself a number of inherent structural logics ‐ logics which suggest that projects labeled heritage will be pulled in directions which might run counter to the hopes and expectations of those invoking the term. We must, therefore, be cognizant of the fact that at the same moment that heritage discourse enables one mode of conceiving of ‐ and potentially celebrating ‐ historical persons and events, it also disables other forms and modes. We must take seriously what these modes are and what are the implications of their being bracketed. This essay, then, is a call for scholars to consider carefully the fundamental political rationalities at the hearts of our central concepts if we are to understand more fully what is at stake in choosing them.
Eccrine Angiomatous Hamartoma Mimicking a Traumatic Hemorrhage

Eccrine angiomatous hamartoma (EAH) is a rare benign disease that is characterized by an abnormal proliferation of eccrine glands and vascular elements. It is generally congenital, but it can appear before puberty. It usually presents as a single plaque or nodule, but multiple patch-like lesions are also possible. EAH is mostly asymptomatic, but it is sometimes associated with pain or hyperhidrosis. It generally does not require aggressive treatment, but the lesion can be excised due to pain, enlargement and cosmetic reasons. A 3-week-old Korean female presented with a hemorrhagic skin lesion on the right foot since birth. There was no specific birth history. The lesion first appeared on the third toe of the right foot and quickly spread to almost half of the right foot. Histopathology examination revealed acanthosis in the epidermis and a proliferation of eccrine ducts, glands and capillaries. The eccrine glands were immunohistochemically-positive for carcinoembryonic antigen.
Direct TFIIA-TFIID protein contacts drive budding yeast ribosomal protein gene transcription.

We have previously shown that yeast TFIID provides coactivator function on the promoters of ribosomal protein-encoding genes (RPGs) by making direct contact with the transactivator repressor activator protein 1 (Rap1). Further, our structural studies of assemblies generated with purified Rap1, TFIID, and TFIIA on RPG enhancer-promoter DNA indicate that Rap1-TFIID interaction induces dramatic conformational rearrangements of enhancer-promoter DNA and TFIID-bound TFIIA. These data indicate a previously unknown yet critical role for yeast TFIIA in the integration of activator-TFIID contacts with promoter conformation and downstream preinitiation complex formation and/or function. Here we describe the use of systematic mutagenesis to define how specific TFIIA contacts contribute to these processes. We have verified that TFIIA is required for RPG transcription in vivo and in vitro, consistent with the existence of a critical Rap1-TFIIA-TFIID interaction network. We also identified essential points of contact for TFIIA and Rap1 within the Rap1 binding domain of the Taf4 subunit of TFIID. These data suggest a mechanism for how interactions between TFIID, TFIIA, and Rap1 contribute to the high rate of transcription initiation seen on RPGs in vivo. Background: Enhancer-bound transactivators communicate with promoter-bound transcription machinery through specific interactions. Results: We identified and dissected the interacting surfaces of TFIIA, TFIID, and the transactivator Rap1. Conclusion: Rap1 and TFIIA make specific contacts with the Taf4 subunit of TFIID, leading to Rap1-controlled transcription of ribosomal protein coding genes. Significance: Knowledge of the mechanisms of mRNA gene transcription activation is crucial for understanding gene control.
Creating a socialist feminist cultural front: Women of China (1949-1966)

This article is a study of socialist feminist cultural practices in the early PRC. It investigates stories behind the scenes and treats the All-China Women's Federation's official journal Women of China as a site of feminist contention to reveal gender conflicts within the Party, diverse visions of socialist transformation, and state feminist strategies in the pursuit of women's liberation. A close examination of discrepancies between the covers and contents of the magazine explicates multiple meanings in establishing a socialist feminist visual culture that attempted to disrupt gender and class hierarchies. Special attention to state feminists' identification with and divergence from the Party's agenda illuminates a unique historical process in which a gendered democracy was enacted in the creation of a feminist cultural front when the Party was consolidating its centralizing power. The article demonstrates a prominent “gender line” in the socialist state that has been neglected in much of the scholarship on the Mao era.
Maximizing the Traffic Throughput of Turn Bays at a Signalized Intersection Approach

This paper proposes a method to maximize the throughput of a single-lane approach with a branched configuration (one-lane arterial with multiple turn bays at the intersection approach). Field observations determined that, for such an intersection approach, turn bays can be efficiently used only for a limited amount of time after the start of green, and setting the maximum green too high will result in loss of efficiency. The proposed method provides equations for estimating the maximum green that would maximize throughput and suggests repeating the phase twice in the cycle, such that the multilane section can be filled up each time before the green is given. After the new approach is presented and discussed, it is applied to modify the signalization pattern of an existing signalized intersection. This study site is along a single-lane arterial with three lanes at the stop bar: left turn, through and right turn. The new signalization pattern is applied at the study site, and the field evaluation of the before and after conditions are reported. It was concluded that the new scheme increased the throughput of the subject approach by 12.6%.
Direct comparison of revascularization techniques in an adult North American moyamoya patient: case report and literature review

Abstract Objective To compare the effectiveness of two different revascularization techniques in a single patient with moyamoya disease. Setting Academic neurosurgery practice. Design Retrospective chart review and evaluation of radiographic results. Participants North American adult Caucasian female with moyamoya disease, who underwent direct revascularization in one hemisphere (superficial temporal artery–middle cerebral artery bypass) and indirect revascularization in the other hemisphere (pial synangiosis) in close temporal proximity. Outcome measures Clinical evaluation and radiographic follow-up for two years. Catheter-based cerebral angiography, CT angiography, and CT perfusion imaging were used to assess results. Results Both hemispheres showed revascularization following bypass with significant cortical supply. The direct bypass demonstrated superior flow and territory coverage. Conclusions This case provides a demonstration of both main revascularization techniques for moyamoya disease in a single adult patient over the same time period, allowing for a direct comparison. While the indirect technique showed evidence of revascularization, the direct bypass showed more vascular supply. A comprehensive review of recent case series supports this conclusion.
Legislation Approaching Sonography

All health care professionals are affected in some way, shape, or form by the continual changes in health care education, delivery, and regulation. As multiple states have now moved forward to impl...
Radiometric-microbiologic assay of niacin using Kloeckera brevis: analysis of human blood and food.

Kloeckera brevis, a yeast, was used as the test organism for the devel opment of a radiometrie-microbiologie (RMA) assay for niacin. The assay was deter mined to be sensitive to the 2 ng niacin per vial level and specific for the biologically active forms of this vitamin. The method was shown to be simple, accurate, and pre cise in the analysis of niacin in human blood and food. The application of the radio- metric technique eliminates some of the problems encountered with conventional turbidimetric-microbiologic assay. J. Nutr. 113: 2587-2594, 1983.
Biologically induced calcite and its isotopic composition in Lake Ontario

We studied water, sediment trap, and core samples from eastern Lake Ontario to reconstruct the factors controlling the biologically induced production and sedimentation of calcite during so-called whiting events. Calcite accumulation and its isotopic composition are controlled by a complex set of interrelated factors, including temperature, primary productivity, and the abundance of pica-cyanobacteria during the stratified period. Calcite precipitation is highly correlated to lake temperature, because physical and biological factors interact to produce conditions favorable for whitings during warm years when the lake stratifies early in the seasonal cycle. Carbonate stratigraphies in multiple cores from eastern Lake Ontario revealed similar patterns of historical variation in percent carbonate. An exponential rise in carbonate accumulation occurred in nine cores after 1930, culminating in peak values in the early 1980s. This rise was related to historic increases in primary productivity resulting from increased phosphorus loading to Lake Ontario. Superimposed upon this rise were four peaks (centered on 1940-1942, 1957-1961, 1971-1977, and 1983) that correlate with maxima in summer air-temperature anomalies from the Great Lakes region and with strong El Niiio events. These peaks are also associated with maxima in S’C values and minima in S180 values of carbonate, lending support to our model that more calcite is precipitated with higher 6’C values during warm years when thermal stratitication occurs early in the seasonal cycle. Beginning in the mid-1980s calcite accumulation and its 6°C ratio began to decrease, suggesting a reduction in primary productivity in surface waters, probably related to lower phosphate concentrations in epilimnetic waters of Lake Ontario during the stratified period. Reduced summer P loading may be explained either by a lagged response to P abatement measures that began in the late 1970s or by decreased P loading from upstream Lake Erie beginning in the late 1980s as a result of the establishment of filter-feeding zebra mussels
Sorption of water vapor in partially hydrolyzed poly(vinyl acetate)

The sorption kinetics of H$sub 2$O and D$sub 2$O in copolymers of partially hydrolyzed poly(vinyl acetate) were studied and compared with the sorption kinetics of vinyl acetate--vinyl alcohol copolymers, and poly(vinyl alcohol). The special measurement problems presented by transient-state sorption studies in water vapor--polymer systems and their effects on the results are discussed. (JSR)
Inverse-vector approach for smoothing dips and azimuths

We have explored a new approach for smoothing volumetric seismic dips and azimuths. This method iterates through a loop of three steps: (1) set a guide direction, (2) invert opposite vectors, and (3) average vectors and update the guide. This inverse-vector method can overcome instabilities where the gradient structure tensor approach fails — namely, when a dominant eigenvalue does not exist and the wrong eigenvector is selected to determine orientation. Inverse-vector smoothing is simple to implement and computationally efficient. The resultant dips and azimuths are consistent spatially and thus are more interpretable and suitable for calculating curvature and other dip-based attributes.
Instantaneous secondary organic aerosol yields and their comparison with overall aerosol yields for aromatic and biogenic hydrocarbons

Abstract An instantaneous secondary organic aerosol yield (IAY) is a different quantity than an overall aerosol yield (OAY), both qualitatively and quantitatively. Starting from Odum's OAY equation, this paper derives and presents a new equation for the calculation of IAY values. As examples, the two-product form of the equation is applied to 10 representative aromatic and biogenic reactive organic gas (ROG) experiments in the literature. Values of IAY and OAY corresponding to wide ranges of organic aerosol mass concentrations ( M 0 ) are calculated using the new IAY equation in this paper and the original Odum's OAY equation. These IAY and OAY values are shown through aerosol yield curves, which are the plots of IAY or OAY versus M 0 . Comparative analysis of the IAY and OAY curves shows that both IAY and OAY increase monotonically with M 0 and they approach a common maximum value when M 0 becomes very high. However, when M 0 approaches zero, OAY also approaches zero but IAY approaches a fixed positive value for a given ROG. At any given M 0 value, the value of IAY is always higher than that of OAY. The relative differences between IAY and OAY are especially significant under typical ambient and experimental M 0 levels. IAY values can be orders of magnitude higher than OAY values and are much better representations of aerosol yields under these M 0 levels. When it is used for secondary organic aerosols (SOA) estimation and modelling, the new IAY equation will significantly improve the underestimation of SOA formation caused by directly using the original OAY equation. More sophisticated SOA algorithms could also be developed based on the IAY equation presented here.
Seven forms of rarity in mammals

Conservation biologists have identified threats to the survival of about a quarter of the mammalian species; to identify patterns of rarity and commonness of mammals, we studied a global sample of 1212 species (about 28% of the mammals) using the ‘7 forms of rarity’ model (in which species are roughly divided into above and below the median for local population density, species’ range area, and number of habitat types). From a niche-based hypothesis of abundance and distribution, we predicted that mammals would exhibit a bimodal pattern of rarity and commonness, with an overabundance of species in the relatively rarest and most common categories; and just such a significant bimodal pattern emerged, with over a quarter of the species classified as exceedingly rare and a further quarter very common, supporting the niche-based hypothesis. Orders that include large mammals, including perissodactyls, primates, diprotodonts, and carnivores, exhibited significantly high proportions of relatively rare species; and tropical zoogeographic regions, especially Indomalaya, had relatively high proportions of species in the rarest category. Significant biases in the available data on mammals included under-sampling of small species like rodents and bats, and a relative paucity of data on zoogeographic regions outside of North America and Australia. Mammalian species listed as of conservation concern by the IUCN occurred in all cells of the model, indicating that even relatively common species can be listed as threatened under some conditions; but we also found that sixty-three species were relatively rare in all three criteria of the 7-forms model but were not listed as threatened, indicating potential candidates for further study. Mammals may be a group of animals where rarity or commonness is a natural aspect of species biology, both confirming and perhaps partly explaining the large proportion of mammals assigned threatened status.
Dynamic Models for Control System Design of Integrated Robot and Drive Systems

The design of high performance motion controls for industrial robots is based on accurate models for the robot arm and drive systems. This paper presents analytical models and experimental data to show that interactions between electromechanical drives coupled with compliant linkages to arm link drive points are of fundamental importance to robot control system design. Flexibility in harmonic drives produces resonances in the 5 Hz to 8 Hz range. Flexibility in the robot linkages and joints connecting essentially rigid arm members produces higher frequency modes at 14 Hz and 40 Hz. The nonlinear characteristics of the drive system are modeled, and compared to experimental data. The models presented have been validated over the frequency range 0 to 50 Hz. The paper concludes with a brief discussion of the influence of model characteristics on motion control design.
Identification of viral mutants by mass spectrometry

A method to identify mutations of virus proteins by using protein mass mapping is described. Comparative mass mapping was applied to a structural protein of the human rhinovirus Cys1199 → Tyr mutant and to genetically engineered mutants of tobacco mosaic virus. The information generated from this approach can rapidly identify the peptide or protein containing the mutation and, in cases when nucleic acid sequencing is required, significantly narrows the region of the genome that must be sequenced. High-resolution matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry and tandem mass spectrometry were used to identify amino acid substitutions. This method provides valuable information for those analyzing viral variants and, in some cases, offers a rapid and accurate alternative to nucleotide sequencing.
Determining the Lifetime of Detectable Amounts of Gunshot Residue on the Hands of a Shooter Using Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) has been used to determine the period of time that a shooter will test positive for gunshot residue (GSR) after firing a revolver. Multiple rounds of primer were fired and samples collected at multiple hour intervals using an adhesive tape pressed against the skin. Samples were analyzed directly using a commercially available laser-induced breakdown spectrometer where barium emission (originating from barium nitrate in the primer) was observed. Population statistics were used to compare suspected GSR to a library of blank samples from which a threshold value was established. Statistically significant results, positive for GSR, are obtained 5.27 days after a firearm discharge using these techniques.
Polycystin-dependent fluid flow sensing targets histone deacetylase 5 to prevent the development of renal cysts

Polycystin 1 and polycystin 2 are large transmembrane proteins, which, when mutated, cause autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD), a highly prevalent human genetic disease. The polycystins are thought to form a receptor-calcium channel complex in the plasma membrane of renal epithelial cells and elicit a calcium influx in response to mechanical stimulation, such as fluid flow across the apical surface of renal epithelial cells. The functional role of the polycystins in mechanosensation remains largely unknown. Here, we found that myocyte enhancer factor 2C (MEF2C) and histone deacetylase 5 (HDAC5), two key regulators of cardiac hypertrophy, are targets of polycystin-dependent fluid stress sensing in renal epithelial cells in mice. We show that fluid flow stimulation of polarized epithelial monolayers induced phosphorylation and nuclear export of HDAC5, which are crucial events in the activation of MEF2C-based transcription. Kidney-specific knockout of Mef2c, or genetrap-inactivation of a MEF2C transcriptional target, MIM, resulted in extensive renal tubule dilation and cysts, whereas Hdac5 heterozygosity or treatment with TSA, an HDAC inhibitor, reduced cyst formation in Pkd2−/− mouse embryos. These findings suggest a common signaling motif between myocardial hypertrophy and maintenance of renal epithelial architecture, and a potential therapeutic approach to treat ADPKD.
Scalable MPI design over InfiniBand using eXtended Reliable Connection

A significant component of a high-performance cluster is the compute node interconnect. InfiniBand, is an interconnect of such systems that is enjoying wide success due to low latency (1.0-3.0 musec) and high bandwidth and other features. The Message Passing Interface (MPI) is the dominant programming model for parallel scientific applications. As a result, the MPI library and interconnect play a significant role in the scalability. These clusters continue to scale to ever-increasing levels making the role very important. As an example, the ldquoRangerrdquo system at the Texas Advanced Computing Center (TACC) includes over 60,000 cores with nearly 4000 InfiniBand ports. Previous work has shown that memory usage simply for connections when using the Reliable Connection (RC) transport of InfiniBand can reach hundreds of megabytes of memory per process at that level. To address these scalability problems a new InfiniBand transport, eXtended Reliable Connection, has been introduced. In this paper we describe XRC and design MPI over this new transport. We describe the variety of design choices that must be made as well as the various optimizations that XRC allows. We implement our designs and evaluate it on an InfiniBand cluster against RC-based designs. The memory scalability in terms of both connection memory and memory efficiency for communication buffers is evaluated for all of the configurations. Connection memory scalability evaluation shows a potential 100 times improvement over a similarly configured RC-based design. Evaluation using NAMD shows a 10% performance improvement for our XRC-based prototype for the jac2000 benchmark.
Conning or Conversion? The Role of Religion in Prison Coping

Prisons today face what might be a nearly insurmountable task: somehow to meld humane, safe confinement and correctional programming within the context of expanding populations of offenders serving...
Nonmethane Hydrocarbon Intercomparison Experiment (NOMHICE): Task 4, ambient air

[1] The Nonmethane Hydrocarbon Intercomparison Experiment (NOMHICE) was designed to assess the accuracy and comparability of nonmethane hydrocarbon (NMHC) measurements from research groups around the globe. This is being accomplished by conducting a series of intercomparisons, called Tasks, of prepared mixtures or collected ambient air. This paper presents results for an ambient air challenge sample as part of the fourth NOMHICE installment (Task 4). Twenty-three laboratories participated in Task 4, and 30 overall analytical results are compared. The air sample provided a wide dynamic range of mixing ratios (parts per trillion by volume (pptv) to parts per billion by volume (ppbv)) as well as large number of compounds (>100). Coelutions of NMHCs with other volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as oxygenated VOCs are shown to make the analysis of whole air samples more challenging than for prepared standard mixtures. Individual canisters containing the air sample were prepared and analyzed by the NOMHICE group at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR-NOMHICE), sent to participants for analysis, and reanalyzed upon return to NCAR-NOMHICE. The mixing ratio of propylene increased by 10% (14 pptv) in the canisters with time, and some of the less volatile compounds decreased in the canisters with time; however, the majority of the compounds were stable throughout the experiment. Participants were asked to identify and quantify as many compounds as possible with their analytical techniques and to submit their results to NCAR-NOMHICE scientists. Fifty-four compounds were chosen for the intercomparison. Eight hundred eighty-three measurements were compared overall; the average of the mean ratios of the participants' results to NCAR-NOMHICE results was 1.03. The participants' results were combined and averaged for each individual NMHC measured and compared to the reference results; thirty-three of the 54 compounds agreed to within ±20% of the reference results. Individual analyses from participant laboratories were compared and ranked with respect to agreement with the reference values; the ranking was reconciled with the analytical procedures employed for each analysis. From this, recommendations were derived for preferred analytical techniques and practice. Recommendations include but are not limited to the following: (1) National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) standards or NIST-traceable standards should be used and, for mass spectrometric analyses, multicomponent NIST-traceable standards should be used; (2) if solid adsorbents are used for preconcentrating NMHCs, extensive tests should be performed to test for artifact formation and compound losses; and (3) for whole air sampling in canisters, subsequent analyses should be performed as soon as is reasonably possible to avoid the potential for compositional changes.
A Process Model of Healing and Personal Transformation in Persons With Chronic Skin Wounds

Utilizing Newman’s research as praxis process, this research examined the patterns of those living with chronic skin wounds. Ten men and 8 women, primarily of retirement age and living with chronic skin wounds for a year or more, reflected upon important relationships and life events during two in-depth interviews and a self-expressive drawing. Emerging from each participant’s pattern was the link among human development, expanding consciousness, and processing a serious physical threat. Considering data across participants, five themes emerged from the data with evolution of a process model of wholistic healing that has implications for advanced nursing practice.
X-ray line broadening studies on aluminum nitride, titanium carbide and titanium diboride modified by high pressure shock loading

Powders of AlN, TiC and TiB/sub 2/ have been subjected to controlled shock loading with peak pressures in the samples between 14 to 27 GPa and preserved for post-shock study. Broadened x-ray diffraction peak profiles are analyzed by a simplified method and show increases in residual lattice strain and small decreases in crystallite size. Strain values range from 10/sup -5/ to 10/sup -4/ for TiB/sub 2/ and to values larger than 10/sup -3/ for TiC and AlN.
Present-centered dialogue with heritage representations.

Abstract This study aims to examine heritage representations of a metropolitan city in the United States, using a dialogical present-centered approach. Heritage themes and icons contextualized by the local agencies are identified. Views of a purposeful stratified sample of local residents are sought. Statistically significant differences in perceptions and level of connectedness to heritage expressions and icons are determined between the Whites (the mainstream population), the Hispanics and the Asians. Information is also elicited on preferred themes and images that hold potential to showcase local heritage in an equitable manner to heritage tourists. Traces of heritage dissonance and societal exclusion are identified and proactive dialogical initiatives are suggested that portray meaningful present-centered public heritage representations to promote sustainable heritage tourism.
The effect of liver disease on lactate normalization in severe sepsis and septic shock: a cohort study

OBJECTIVE To describe the effect of liver disease (LD) on lactate clearance during early sepsis resuscitation. METHODS This is a multicenter randomized clinical trial. An initial lactate >2 mmol/L and subsequent serum lactate measurement within 6 hours were required for inclusion. LD was categorized by two methods: 1) past medical history (PMH) categorized as no LD, mild LD (no Child's score criteria, but PMH of hepatitis B/C), cirrhosis; and 2) measurable liver dysfunction determined by the liver component of the sequential organ failure assessment (L-SOFA) score as no dysfunction (L-SOFA score 0), mild dysfunction (score 1), moderate-severe dysfunction (score 2 to 4). Primary outcome was the rate of lactate normalization. RESULTS One hundred eighty-seven patients were included. When categorized by PMH, 169 patients had no LD, 6 mild LD, and 12 cirrhosis. 63/169 (37%) of patients with no LD achieved lactate normalization, compared to 4/6 (67%) with mild LD, and 1/12 (8%) with cirrhosis (P<0.03). Categorized by L-SOFA score, 59/124 (47%) patients with L-SOFA 0 achieved lactate normalization, compared to 6/31 (19%) with L-SOFA 1, and 3/32 (9%) with L-SOFA 2-4 (P<0.01). Relative lactate clearance [(initial lactate-subsequent lactate)/initial lactate] was lower in patients with more advanced LD by PMH (37.7 vs. 40.4 vs. 21.8, P=0.07), and lower with increasing L-SOFA score (42.0 vs. 30.1 vs. 23.4, P=0.01). CONCLUSION Liver dysfunction was significantly associated with impaired lactate clearance and normalization during the early resuscitation of sepsis.
A review of the structure-property relationships in lead-free piezoelectric (1−x)Na0.5Bi0.5TiO3–(x)BaTiO3

Abstract Piezoelectric materials are increasingly being investigated for energy harvesting applications where (1−x)Na0.5Bi0.5TiO3–(x)BaTiO3 (NBT-BT) is an important lead-free piezoelectric material with potential to be used as an actuator in energy harvesting devices. Much effort has been put into modifying NBT-BT to tune the properties for specific applications, but there is currently no consensus regarding the structure-property relationships in this material, making targeted, rational design a major challenge. In this review, we will summarize the current body of knowledge of NBT-BT and discuss contradicting studies, unresolved problems, and future directions in the field.
Alternate Immersion in an External Glucose Solution Differentially Affects Blood Sugar Values in Older Versus Younger Zebrafish Adults.

Abstract Recently, zebrafish have been used to examine hyperglycemia-induced complications (retinopathy and neuropathy), as would occur in individuals with diabetes. Current models to induce hyperglycemia in zebrafish include glucose immersion and streptozotocin injections. Both are effective, although neither is reported to elevate blood sugar values for more than 1 month. In this article, we report differences in hyperglycemia induction and maintenance in young (4–11 months) versus old (1–3 years) zebrafish adults. In particular, older fish immersed in an alternating constant external glucose solution (2%) for 2 months displayed elevated blood glucose levels for the entire experimental duration. In contrast, younger adults displayed only transient hyperglycemia, suggesting the fish were acclimating to the glucose exposure protocol. However, modifying the immersion protocol to include a stepwise increasing glucose concentration (from 1% → 2%→3%) resulted in maintained hyperglycemia in younger zebrafish a...
Looking for Mr. Goodbar: A Proposal for Judicial Reform of the Property Tax

Findings by various researchers suggest that ad valorem malassessments are best understood if one realizes their political consequences for assessing officials. High assessment dispersion often results from the assessors' sensitivities to political influence. Also, political incentives may explain why researchers have found that traditional reforms are often not associated with greater assessment uniformity.This paper argues that because of three major factors, we should look to the courts for leadership in ensuring greater assessment uniformity. These three factors are: 1) political incentives that limit administration of property assessments; 2) a history which demonstrates an active reform role for the judicial branch; and 3) advances made in professional assessment practices. Specifically, it is proposed that courts: 1) expand their role in this litigation area; 2) use professionally accepted uniformity measures to gauge assessment practices; and 3) use a range of judicial remedies to ensure enforcement of their uniformity-seeking decisions.
Thermodynamic Descriptors for Molecules That Catalyze Efficient CO2 Electroreductions

Guiding proton and electron transfers in an energetically efficient manner remains a hurdle in renewable energy catalysis. To help identify and better understand efficient CO2 conversion catalysts, we used first-principles quantum chemistry to determine pH and electrode potential dependent energies for different classes of aromatic N-heterocycles based on pyridine and imidazole moieties. From these data, we locate Pourbaix diagram triple points that denote the electrochemical conditions where these molecules would facilitate energetically efficient proton or hydride shuttling. Within surprisingly reasonable accuracy, the calculated molecular Pourbaix diagram triple points correspond to experimental conditions under which molecular-promoted CO2 reduction has been observed. This indicates a novel thermodynamic descriptor suitable for high-throughput computational screening can be used to predict molecular cocatalysts and their ideal reaction conditions for renewable energy catalysis.
Review: Architecture and Globalisation in the Persian Gulf Region, by Murray Fraser and Nasser Golzari, eds.

Murray Fraser and Nasser Golzari, eds. Architecture and Globalisation in the Persian Gulf Region Farnham, England: Ashgate, 2013, 494 pp., 32 color and 310 b/w illus. $147.20, ISBN 9781409443148 Architecture and Globalisation in the Persian Gulf Region is an impressive volume that deals exclusively with the architecture of a region in need of much historical analysis and scholarly attention. This book is a very timely and important contribution to our improved understanding of the region and its global impact. Such understanding is imperative not only because the region itself is, and has long been, a hotbed of debates and solutions, but also because many of the most extreme manifestations of globalism—both in breathtaking architectural works and in the most ghastly violations of human rights that make them possible—are played out here. The text is divided into three parts: “Western Coastline of Persian Gulf,” “Eastern Coastline of Persian Gulf,” and “Contemporary Design Approaches.” In the first and second parts each chapter examines a different city in the region, while the third part comprises four thematic explorations of contemporary stylistic, ideological, and design strategies. Murray Fraser provides a comprehensive introduction, outlining the unique approach of the book to the study of the region as a cultural and historical unit. While methodological and thematic concerns—for instance, the rather controversial question regarding the name of the Gulf—are well traced in the introduction, the collection of essays would have benefited from an in-depth historical examination of the Persian Gulf’s architectural and corresponding sociopolitical history. In part I, Tanis Hinchcliffe lays out a brief history of the region and explores the relationship between the discovery of oil and large architectural commissions in the Gulf states between 1950 and 1980. He examines the motivations, disparities, difficulties, and lingering colonial stereotypes that conditioned interactions between Arab clients and British architects. While British architects found in the Gulf region a …
Control of ferromagnetic relaxation in magnetic thin films through thermally induced interfacial spin transfer.

Relaxation control in magnetic thin films via thermally induced interfacial spin transfers was demonstrated for the first time. The experiments used a trilayered structure that consisted of an yttrium iron garnet (YIG) thin film grown on a gadolinium gallium garnet substrate and capped with a nanometer-thick Pt layer. As a temperature gradient is applied across the thickness of the structure, there exists a spin angular momentum transfer across the $\mathrm{YIG}/\mathrm{Pt}$ interface. This spin transfer results in a torque on YIG magnetic moments. The torque can either speed up or slow down the relaxation in the YIG film, depending on the sign of the temperature gradient with respect to the trilayered structure.
Commuting maps over the ring of strictly upper triangular matrices

Abstract Let N r , r ≥ 4 , be the ring of strictly upper triangular matrices with entries in a field F of characteristic zero. We describe all linear maps f : N r → N r satisfying [ f ( x ) , x ] = 0 for every x ∈ N r .
Owen, D. 2003. Tasmanian Tiger—The Tragic Tale of How The World Lost Its Most Mysterious Predator. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, Maryland, 228 pp. ISBN 0-8018-7952-3, price (hardbound), $25.00

D. Owen. 2003. Tasmanian Tiger—The Tragic Tale of How The World Lost Its Most Mysterious Predator. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, Maryland, 228 pp. ISBN 0-8018-7952-3, price (hardbound), $25.00. David Owen has written 9 novels and edits the Australian literary journal Island . His book, Tasmanian Tiger , is purely informative and presents summaries of different viewpoints rather than intensive arguments. His target audience is the general public rather than the scientific community. In Tasmanian Tiger , a map of Tasmania precedes the title page and table of contents. There is a brief preface and acknowledgements, followed by 15 chapters. Each chapter begins with a quotation, cited to a name and place, but unfortunately without date. The footnotes, many of which are simply citations, are gathered and organized by chapter at the end of the text, preceding the select bibliography. Some, but not …
Expression of E-selectin mRNA during ischemia/reperfusion injury

To better understand molecular and cellular processes involved in tissue inflammation, we have examined expression of endothelial leukocyte adhesion molecule 1 (E-selectin) mRNA in adult male rats after ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury and after intravenous injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The polymerase chain reaction was used to generate a rat E-selectin cDNA fragment by using heart total RNA from rats exposed to LPS. This partial cDNA fragment spanned sequences from complement repeat region-5 to the second cytoplasmic tail domain. Comparison of the predicted amino acid sequence from the rat cDNA fragment to mouse and human E-selectin protein sequences showed significant conservation. The rat E-selectin cDNA fragment was used as a probe to examine the regulation of E-selectin mRNA expression by Northern blot analysis. As previously described in other animal species, E-selectin mRNA expression was induced after intravenous injection of LPS. In contrast, ischemia did not induce E-selectin mRNA expression, except in the setting of I/R injury. I/R injury triggered expression of E-selectin mRNA in the kidney. These experiments represent a first in vivo examination of E-selectin mRNA expression after I/R injury and constitute an initial step in characterizing a model system for investigating inflammation in the setting of acute ischemic injury.
Thermal Decomposition of IMX-104: Ingredient Interactions Govern Thermal Insensitivity

This report summarizes initial studies into the chemical basis of the thermal insensitivity of INMX-104. The work follows upon similar efforts investigating this behavior for another DNAN-based insensitive explosive, IMX-101. The experiments described demonstrate a clear similarity between the ingredient interactions that were shown to lead to the thermal insensitivity observed in IMX-101 and those that are active in IMX-104 at elevated temperatures. Specifically, the onset of decomposition of RDX is shifted to a lower temperature based on the interaction of the RDX with liquid DNAN. This early onset of decomposition dissipates some stored energy that is then unavailable for a delayed, more violent release.