cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Holmium:YAG percutaneous nephrolithotomy : The laser incident angle matters

AbstractPurpose: Laser physics dictate that maximal radiant exposure occurs when the laser strikes the target at a normal incidence. Since the renal collecting system often limits nephroscope movements during percutaneous nephrolithotomy, the laser-calculus incidence angle may vary. We have observed during holmium:YAG percutaneous nephrolithotomy that the side firing fiber more easily approaches a normal incidence compared to the end firing fiber. We test the hypothesis that holmium:YAG percutaneous nephrolithotomy is faster with a side firing fiber compared to an end firing fiber.Materials and Methods: Consecutive holmium:YAG percutaneous nephrolithotomy cases were studied retrospectively. The calculus size and composition, surgical time, fragmentation speed (size/time) and stone-free rates were compared between 11 patients treated with end and 8 treated with side firing fibers.Results: When the end and side firing groups were compared, calculus sizes (mean plus or minus standard deviation) were 22 +/− 1...
The epilepsy of Emperor Michael IV, Paphlagon (1034-1041 A.D.): accounts of Byzantine historians and physicians.

Summary: Purpose: Presentation of epilepsy suffered by Byzantine Emperor Michael IV, Paphlagon (who reigned from 1034 to 1041 A.D.) and the attitude of his contemporary society to his disorder. Methods: Research into the accounts of Byzantine historians and chroniclers referring to the case of the emperor and Byzantine medical texts revealing the opinion of official medicine about the disorder. Results: Byzantine historians and chroniclers provide detailed clinical descriptions of the seizures of Emperor Michael IV. Nearly all, expressing popular opinion, considered his disease to be demonic possession that constituted a form of divine punishment for the emperor's adultery and act of murder; his royal entourage continually attempted euphemistically to present this condition as a psychic disease. On the contrary, research into Byzantine medical texts reveals that the physicians, already from the 4th century, following Hippocratic tradition, believed that epilepsy was primarily a brain-related disorder and based their treatment on this etiological principle. Conclusions: From the study of the Byzantine histories and chronicles, it can be deduced that Emperor Michael IV, Paphlagon, suffered from generalized tonic-clonic epileptic seizures. Despite the concept then held by well-educated Byzantine doctors, who considered epilepsy a brain disorder, information indicates the deep prejudices of his social environment.
The CNN of the Arab World or a Shill for Terrorists? How Support for Press Freedom and Political Ideology Predict Credibility of Al-Jazeera among its Audience

/ This study surveyed Al-Jazeera viewers through a survey posted on the network's Arabic-language website to examine how credible Al-Jazeera viewers judge the network. Not surprisingly, Al-Jazeera viewers rated the network as highly credible on all measures. They rated CNN and BBC high on expertise, but ranked them low on trustworthiness. Consequently, BBC and CNN were also rated low on other credibility measures. Local Arab media were judged lowest on all credibility measures. Those who were younger and who relied heavily on Al-Jazeera were more likely to judge the network as credible.
Removing the high-frequency gain assumption in discrete adaptive control

In this paper, we present a globally stable adaptive control algorithm applicable to discrete-time single-input single-output linear time-invariant systems. Apriori knowledge of neither the sign of the system's high frequency gain nor an upper bound on its magnitude is needed to ensure global stability.
Identification and Efficient Estimation of the Natural Direct Effect Among the Untreated

The natural direct effect (NDE), or the effect of an exposure on an outcome if an intermediate variable was set to the level it would have been in the absence of the exposure, is often of interest to investigators. In general, the statistical parameter associated with the NDE is difficult to estimate in the non-parametric model, particularly when the intermediate variable is continuous or high dimensional. In this paper we introduce a new causal parameter called the natural direct effect among the untreated, discus identifiability assumptions, propose a sensitivity analysis for some of the assumptions, and show that this new parameter is equivalent to the NDE in a randomized controlled trial. We also present a targeted minimum loss estimator (TMLE), a locally efficient, double robust substitution estimator for the statistical parameter associated with this causal parameter. The TMLE can be applied to problems with continuous and high dimensional intermediate variables, and can be used to estimate the NDE in a randomized controlled trial with such data. Additionally, we define and discuss the estimation of three related causal parameters: the natural direct effect among the treated, the indirect effect among the untreated and the indirect effect among the treated.
Are embrasure wires better than arch bars for intermaxillary fixation

Purpose To compare the outcomes of mandible fractures treated with open reduction and internal fixation versus adjunctive intermaxillary fixation (IMF) using 2 different techniques. Materials and Methods We performed a retrospective medical record review. The medical records of consecutive patients with mandible fractures treated surgically with adjunctive use of IMF (embrasure wires vs arch bars) were reviewed for demographic data, etiology, fracture location, antibiotic use, and interval to repair. Specifically, the complications, including infection, malunion or nonunion, hardware failure, and wound dehiscence, were recorded. The data were analyzed using Student's t test and the chi-square test or Fisher's exact test, as appropriate. Statistical significance was set at P Results The data from 86 subjects were included in the present study. Of the 86 subjects, 33 were in the embrasure wire group and 53 in the arch bar group. Of the patients in the arch bar group, 26% had complications compared with 15% in the embrasure wire IMF group. No statistically significant difference between the groups in terms of infection ( P = .63), hardware failure ( P = .75), malocclusion ( P = .85), and nonunion ( P = 1.0). However, the cost of arch bar placement and removal was approximately $2,672 more than the placement of embrasure wires. Conclusions Patients treated with embrasure wire IMF had slightly better clinical outcomes compared with those treated with arch bar IMF. Also, the cost reduction for patients treated with embrasure wire IMF was significant.
Integrating open-source technologies to build low-cost information systems for improved access to public health data

Effective public health practice relies on the availability of public health data sources and assessment tools to convey information to investigators, practitioners, policy makers, and the general public. Emerging communication technologies on the Internet can deliver all components of the "who, what, when, and where" quartet more quickly than ever with a potentially higher level of quality and assurance, using new analysis and visualization tools. Open-source software provides the opportunity to build low-cost information systems allowing health departments with modest resources access to modern data analysis and visualization tools. In this paper, we integrate open-source technologies and public health data to create a web information system which is accessible to a wide audience through the Internet. Our web application, "EpiVue," was tested using two public health datasets from the Washington State Cancer Registry and Washington State Center for Health Statistics. A third dataset shows the extensibility and scalability of EpiVue in displaying gender-based longevity statistics over a twenty-year interval for 3,143 United States counties. In addition to providing an integrated visualization framework, EpiVue's highly interactive web environment empowers users by allowing them to upload their own geospatial public health data in either comma-separated text files or MS Excel™ spreadsheet files and visualize the geospatial datasets with Google Maps™.
A stochastic optimization algorithm based on Newton-type method

An algorithm is presented for optimization problems in which the objective function, its gradient, and its Hessian would require Monte-Carlo-type simulations. First, a conceptual algorithm is presented. Then, an implementable version of this conceptual algorithm, based on the idea of Newton's method, is given, together with convergence results and the conditions needed to achieve convergence. >
Partial SP-B deficiency perturbs lung function and causes air space abnormalities.

Surfactant protein B (SP-B) is required for function of newborn and adult lung, and partial deficiency has been associated with susceptibility to lung injury. In the present study, transgenic mice ...
PORT Through a Recovery Lens

studies they reviewed over the previous 5 years. Rather,it is welcome as it is for the most part better to know thefactsthannottoknowthem.Oneofthecornerstoneprin-ciplesoftherecoveryparadigm,infact,isthatpeoplewithserious mental illnesses are best served by being educatedaboutthe nature ofmental illness andthevarioussomaticandpsychosocialtreatmentsandinterventionsavailabletothemsothattheycanmakefullyinformedchoices.Forthepurposes of informing decision making by people withmental illnesses and their families, the information andrecommendations contained in the PORT reports areinvaluable. It is in this sense that it is a most welcomeresource.But what about the fact that there have been no dra-matic breakthroughs in the past 5 years? Surely, this isnot news to patients and their families. They are onlytoo familiar with the limitations of our currentapproaches, with the dangerous side effects of existingmedications and with the small to modest effect sizesof even those practices that are considered evidencebased. It is useful, though, to have these unfortunate re-alities of current psychiatric care carefully and publiclydocumented, especially in the face of pharmaceuticalmarketing claims and zealous practitioners. This updat-ing of the PORT provides a very sober recognition of thefact that, again in the terms of Kreyenbuhl et al,
The Ghosts of Development: The United States and Jordan's East Ghor Canal

The East Ghor Canal was a Cold War–era irrigation project financed by the U.S. government in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. By placing East Ghor in the context of previous land reform campaigns in the Jordan River valley during the Ottoman imperial and British mandatory periods, this article criticizes scholarly interpretations of Cold War modernization. Portraying U.S. overseas development policies as outgrowths of American liberalism ignores the ways in which the liberal tradition could be reconfigured when it encountered other reform legacies in Third World regions. The transnational study of postwar expertise neglects the distinct historical antecedents that prepared the ground for development programs in particular places. The article challenges the notion of American exceptionalism by reinterpreting East Ghor in a long-term regional context. Global and regional perspectives together are needed to understand the history of development, a point that underscores the need for greater collaboration bet...
Self-Tuning for SQL Performance in Oracle Database 11g

Commercial database customers across the board list SQL performance tuning as one of the most time-consuming tasks for database administrators (DBAs). The 10g Oracle Database provides a feature called the SQL Tuning Advisor to simplify the task. The 11g release adds a new database feature, called Automatic SQL Tuning, that closes the feedback loop for the first time, fully automating the SQL tuning workflow and solving some SQL performance problems without any DBA intervention.
Unified methodology to quantify the morphology and properties of inhomogeneous media

Abstract Recent progress that we have made on the problem of determining the effective properties of random heterogeneous media from the morphology is reviewed. A variety of different effective properties are considered, including the electrical conductivity and elastic moduli of composites, time scales associated with diffusion and reaction among traps, and fluid permeability of porous media. Studying seemingly disparate properties from a general viewpoint is shown to be fruitful.
Workload-Aware Neuromorphic Design of the Power Controller

A workload-aware low-power neuromorphic controller for dynamic voltage and frequency scaling (DVFS) in very large scale integration (VLSI) systems is presented. The neuromorphic controller predicts future workload values and preemptively regulates supply voltage and frequency based on past workload profile. Our specific contributions include: 1) implementation of a digital and analog version of the controller in 45 nm CMOS technology, resulting in a 3% performance hit with a power overhead in the range of 10-150 μW from the controller circuit; 2) higher prediction accuracy compared to a software based OS-governed DVFS scheme, reducing wasted power and improving error margins; and 3) power savings of up to 52% and improvement of up to 15% compared to the OS-based scheme. The digital design has minimal power overhead and is more reconfigurable, while analog design is better suited for nonlinear and complex computational tasks.
Polyamin‐Hydroxo‐Komplexe von Übergangsmetallen

Ubergangsmetall-Polyamin-OH-Komplexe wie [Fe(trien) (OH)2]+, [Co2(tren)2(OH)3]+ oder [Ni2(tren)2(OH)3]+ haben katalytische Eigenschaften trien = Triathylentetramin tren = Tri-(2-aminoathyl)-amin . Zweiwertige Ionen anderer Ubergangsmetalle wie Zn2+, Cd2+, Cu2+ und Fe2+ bilden ahnliche Komplexe: [Zn2(tren)2(OH)2]2+, [Cd2(tren)2(OH)2]2+, [Fe2(tren)2(OH)3]+ und [Cu(tren) (OH)]+; an Stelle von tren kann auch trien stehen. Von den untersuchten Komplexen erweist sich die Verbindung des Kupfers, [Cu(tren) (OH)]+ als katalytisch wirksam bei der Zersetzung von Wasserstoffperoxid.
Willows Beyond Wetlands: Uses of Salix L. Species for Environmental Projects

Species of Salix characterized by particular physiological adaptations and ecological resilience are predisposed to use in conservation and environmental projects in many climatic zones and adverse microsite conditions. The economic importance of Salix is currently increasing and emerging in a wide array of practical applications to restore damaged ecosystems. Here we describe the ecology, physiological characteristics and agricultural requirements of Salix and present an integrated picture based on literature review, of current uses for willows well beyond wetland and riparian situations. These uses include ecosystem restoration, phytoremediation (phytoextraction, phytodegradation, rhizofiltration and phytostabilization), bioengineering (water and wind erosion, and protective structures), and biomass production for both fuel and fiber.
From consilium to advice: A review of the evaluation and related literature on advisory structures and processes

The literature in evaluation and related disciplines on advice and advisory structures and processes is described and analyzed. The purposes of evaluation advisory groups and evaluation consultation groups are discussed, and working and formal definitions of each are provided. ©Wiley Periodicals, Inc., and the American Evaluation Association.
Holdings about holdings: modeling contradictions in judicial precedent

This paper attempts to formalize the differences between two methods of analysis used by judicial opinions in common law jurisdictions to contradict holdings posited by earlier opinions: "disagreeing" with the holdings of the earlier opinions and "attributing" holdings to the prior opinions. The paper will demonstrate that it is necessary to model both methods of analysis differently to generate an accurate picture of the state of legal authority in hypothetical examples, as well as in an example based on Barry Friedman's analysis of the "stealth overruling" of Miranda v. Arizona through subsequent judicial interpretations. Because the question of whether "disagreement" and "attribution" need to be modeled separately relates to contradictions rather than to subtler interactions between holdings such as "distinguishing," it can be answered using the simple technique of modeling holdings as propositional variables and evaluating the holdings using truth tables.
Gene–Environment Interactions, Phenotypic Changes, and Human Health

The contribution of the environment to the development of chronic disease has historically been documented. As early as 1775, scrotal and nasal cancer was observed among chimney sweepers in London, England by British physician, Percival Potts. His hypothesis was that these cancers were induced by cumulative environmental exposure to chimney soot as they worked. The discipline of cancer epidemiology has continued in the tradition of Dr. Potts. The purpose of this discipline has not been to prove a cause-effect relationship between exposure and development of disease but to identify the “common thread” of exposures. Today, cancer epidemiology incorporates various scientific disciplines (i.e., risk assessment, toxicology, cellular and molecular biology) to quantify the dose-response relationship between an individual and suspect environmental factor. With the completion of the Human Genome Project in 2003, we now know that individual genetic variability plays a significant role in modifying the effect of environmental exposures on disease development. Additionally, the utility of assessing the individual’s genetic variability is invaluable in estimating the degree of severity at time of diagnosis as well as the risk of metastasis and other complications. This chapter explores the relationship of gene–environment interactions in cancer from an environmental epidemiology and public health perspective.
Integrating research and grant writing in an undergraduate dietetics program

The Council on Research of The American Dietetic Association considers research by dietitians a necessity. A number of authors conclude that the link between research and practice needs to begin with the educational experience. We report on a model for integrating research and grant proposal writing in the undergraduate dietetics curriculum that has been used successfully for 6 years in a coordinated program. Students carry out research projects so that they learn teamwork, read research articles more critically, become more skilled with statistical analysis, and learn how to seek funding for their work. This model could easily be adopted by educational programs. Having such research and writing experience as students may stimulate continued research in the practice setting.
Nostalgic Lives: Memories of Maria in Sidi Ifni, Morocco

This article examines the relationship between nostalgia and understandings of place through memories of Maria, the ‘last of the Spanish’ in the former Spanish enclave of Sidi Ifni in southern Morocco. The old sections of town have largely fallen into ruins and yet the practice of storytelling about this one particular woman and the remaining Spanish buildings are alive and well. It argues that through the pointed use of nostalgic memories, inhabitants of Sidi Ifni are making pointed observations about the Moroccan nation and their place in it. The bricolage of spatio‐temporal experiences is part of the construction of the social life of the town itself. People use nostalgia to make sense of the very complicated and uncomfortable relationship of the past to the present while simultaneously imagining a new future for themselves and this town that has been largely left behind by both the Spanish and the Moroccans.
UNOLS now oversees research aircraft facilities for ocean science

In recognition of the increasing importance and value of aircraft as observational platforms in oceanographic research, the University National Oceanographic Laboratory System (UNOLS) has established the Scientific Committee for Oceanographic Aircraft Research (SCOAR). SCOAR aims to establish procedures for research aircraft that follow the present UNOLS practices for research vessel use, with the goal of making it understandable, and easy, and thus desirable, for oceanographic scientists to utilize research aircraft more. For consistency with the operation of UNOLS ships, this will require UNOLS to designate appropriate research aircraft operating organizations to be National Oceanographic Aircraft Facilities (NOAFs), essentially like institutions that operate one or more UNOLS ships. UNOLS presently has one designated NOAF, the Center for Interdisciplinary Remotely Piloted Aircraft Studies (CIRPAS) at the Naval Postgraduate School, in Monterey, California.
Donor to host transmission of disease via corneal transplantation

A literature search was conducted to report all cases of documented transmission of infectious diseases from donors to recipients of corneal transplants. Fourteen such cases have been reported. There is no experimental or clinical evidence to suggest the transmissions of either hepatitis or syphilis via corneal grafting. Available evidence regarding a number of neurologic and other disorders in which a slow virus etiology has been implicated were reviewed. On the basis of this review, we are able to draw certain conclusions and guidelines for selection or rejection of donor material for transplant surgery.
Cancerogenesis Risks between 64 and 320 Row Detector CT for Coronary CTA Screening.

Objectives: This study compares cancerogenesis risks posed by the 64 row detector and the 320 row detector computed tomography scanners used during coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) following decennial screening guidelines. Material and Methods: Data of the radiation absorbed after CCTA by lung, thyroid, and female breast in patients between 50 and 70 years of age obtained from prior published literature for the 64 row CT scanner were compared with data from our study using 320 row detector CT scanner. Data from the 64 row and the 320 row detector CT scanners was used to determine lifetime attributable risks (LAR) of cancer based on the biological effects of ionizing radiation (BEIR) VII report. Results: The relative reduction of LAR (%) for 50-, 60-, and 70-year-old patients undergoing scanning with the 320 row detector CT scanner was 30% lower for lung, and more than 50% lower for female breast when compared with results from 64 row detector CT scanner. The use of 320 row detector CT would result in a combined cumulative cancer incidence of less than 1/500 for breast in women and less than 1/1000 for lung in men; By comparison, this is much lower than other more common risk factors: 16-fold for lung cancer in persistent smokers, 2-fold for breast cancer with a first degree family member history of breast cancer, and 10-fold for thyroid cancer with a family member with thyroid cancer. Decennial screening would benefit at least 355,000 patients from sudden cardiac death each year, 94% of whom have significant coronary artery disease, with at least one stenosis >75%. LAR for thyroid cancer was negligible for both scanners. Conclusion: Lung and female breast LAR reductions with 320 row detector compared with 64 row detector CT are substantial, and the benefits would outweigh increased cancer risks with decennial screening in the age group of 50-70 years.
Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) gene expression and protein production during pubertal development of the seminiferous tubule: follicle-stimulating hormone-induced Sertoli cell bFGF expression.

The potential role of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) as a mediator of cell-cell interactions in the growth and development of the testis was examined. Nuclease protection analysis was used to evaluate bFGF gene expression in the testis and other male reproductive tract tissues. bFGF expression was evident in seminal vesicle, prostate, epididymis, and, at low levels, testis of 20.day-old rats. The developmental expression of bFGF in whole testis and isolated somatic cells types was determined. Mesenchymal-derived peritubular cells and epithelial-like Sertoli cells were isolated from prepubertal, midpubertal, and late pubertal rat testes. In whole testis, bFGF expression is predominant early in prepubertal testicular development and decreases with sexual maturity. Both freshly isolated peritubular and Sertoli cells express bFGF at relatively constant levels during pubertal development, with a slight suppression at the late pubertal stages. Freshly isolated mature Leydig cells also expressed low levels of bFGF. Cultured Sertoli and peritubular cells produced bFGF-like proteins, including 1% and 24.kilodalton forms. Interestingly, FSH increased Sertoli cell bFGF gene expression and protein production. Previously, FSH and bFGF have been shown to stimulate immature Sertoli cell growth. The results of the current study suggest that the ability of FSH to regulate testis and Sertoli cell proliferation may in part be indirectly mediated through the local production and action of bFGF. bFGF has also previously been shown to localize in developing germinal cells. Therefore, FSH-induced Sertoli cell bFGF expression may mediate Sertoligerminal cell interactions involved in the control of the spermatogenic process. Observations demonstrate the presence of bFGF at a time coinciding with active growth of the somatic cell populations of the seminiferous tubule. Potential roles for bFGF in the seminiferous tubule to consider include angiogenesis of the tubule, prepubertal Sertoli cell proliferation, and mediating Sertoli-germinal cell interactions. (Endocrinology 131: 2928-2934,1992)
A Risk Score for Risk Factors: Rationale and Roadmap for Preventing Hypertension

I find it increasingly helpful to distinguish two kinds of aetiological questions. The first seeks the causes of cases, and the second seeks the causes of incidence. “Why do some individuals have hypertension?” is a quite different question from “Why do some populations have much hypertension, whilst in others it is rare?” The questions require different kinds of study, and they have different answers. — —Geoffrey Rose 1 High blood pressure (BP) is a common problem and a major cause of morbidity and mortality. It is estimated that there are ≈972 million people with hypertension worldwide, and a much larger number of people have nonoptimal BP (defined as a systolic pressure >115 mm Hg).2 From a global perspective, “suboptimal” BP accounts annually for ≈7.6 million premature deaths and a loss of 92 million disability-adjusted life-years (1 disability-adjusted life-year is equivalent to 1 lost year of healthy life).3 Suboptimal BP is also common in the United States, with an estimated 73.6 million people having hypertension (33% of the population >20 years of age) and another 53.6 million individuals with prehypertension (25% of the population >20 years of age).4 More than 70% of patients with a first stroke, heart attack, or heart failure have had antecedent hypertension,4 and the condition accounts for 1 in 5 deaths in the United States, rivaling the impact of smoking on mortality.5 It is also an expensive condition, with an estimated cost of over $73 billion in terms of healthcare expenses in 2009.4 Given the burden posed by suboptimal BP in general and by hypertension in particular, preventing the condition is a major public health priority. The last 6 decades have led to major advances in our understanding of the epidemiology of high BP. It is increasingly acknowledged that hypertension is …
Normalization of Plasma Glucose Concentration by Insulin Therapy Improves Insulin-Stimulated Glycogen Synthesis in Type 2 Diabetes

Considerable evidence suggests that skeletal muscle insulin resistance is an inherent feature of type 2 diabetes and contributes to the pathogenesis of the disease. In patients with poorly controlled diabetes, hyperglycemia is thought to produce additional insulin resistance in muscle. The magnitude and nature of hyperglycemia-induced insulin resistance is not known. The purpose of the present study was to determine the biochemical mechanisms responsible for increased insulin-stimulated glucose disposal after the achievement of tight glycemic control with a mixed-split regimen. We performed hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamps with indirect calorimetry and vastus lateralis muscle biopsies in eight type 2 diabetic patients who had poor glycemic control (HbA(1c) 10.1%) and again after 3 months of intensive insulin therapy designed to produce near-normoglycemia (HbA(1c) 6.6%). Improved glycemic control increased insulin-stimulated glucose disposal (5.16 +/- 0.32 vs. 3.69 +/- 0.33 mg x kg(-1) x min(-1); P < 0.01); nonoxidative glucose disposal, which primarily reflects glycogen synthesis (2.11 +/- 0.26 vs. 0.90 +/- 0.16 mg x kg(-1) x min(-1); P < 0.01); and glycogen synthase fractional velocity (0.094 +/- 0.017 vs. 0.045 +/- 0.007; P < 0.05). There was no improvement in insulin-stimulated glucose oxidation (3.05 +/- 0.25 vs. 2.79 +/- 0.20 mg x kg(-1) x min(-1)), hexokinase II mRNA expression (increase over basal values), or hexokinase II enzymatic activity (0.51 +/- 0.16 vs. 0.42 +/- 0.18 pmol x min(-1) x microg(-1) protein). All of the increase in insulin-stimulated glucose disposal could be accounted for by increased glycogen synthesis, which is likely attributable to increased activation of glycogen synthase by insulin.
Vitrification of High-Level Waste at the Savannah River Site

The objective of this study was to experimentally measure the properties and performance of a series of glasses with compositions that could represent high level waste Sludge Batch 5 (SB5) as vitrified at the Savannah River Site Defense Waste Processing Facility. These data were used to guide frit optimization efforts as the SB5 composition was finalized. Glass compositions for this study were developed by combining a series of SB5 composition projections with a group of candidate frits. The study glasses were fabricated using depleted uranium and their chemical compositions, crystalline contents and chemical durabilities were characterized. Trevorite was the only crystalline phase that was identified in a few of the study glasses after slow cooling, and is not of concern as spinels have been shown to have little impact on the durability of high level waste glasses. Chemical durability was quantified using the Product Consistency Test (PCT). All of the glasses had very acceptable durability performance. The results of this study indicate that a frit composition can be identified that will provide a processable and durable glass when combined with SB5.
Monoclonal Antibody Purification (Nicotiana benthamiana Plants)

Plant-based expression systems provide an alternative biomanufacturing platform for recombinant proteins (Matoba et al., 2011). In particular, plant virus-based vectors can overexpress proteins within days in the leaf tissue of Nicotiana benthamiana (N. benthamiana). To overcome the issues of genetic instability and limited infectivity of recombinant viruses, Agrobacterium-mediated delivery of "deconstructed" virus vectors has become the mainstay for the production of large and/or multicomponent proteins, such as immunoglobulin (Ig)G monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). Here, we describe a method of producing human IgG mAbs in N. benthamiana using the tobamoviral replicon vector magnICON®. The vector can express up to a few hundred mg of a mAb per kg of leaf material in 7 days. A representative case for the broadly neutralizing anti-HIV and anti-influenza mAbs, VRC01 and CR6261 respectively, is shown (Hamorsky et al., 2013). Leaf tissue is homogenized and the extract is clarified by filtration and centrifugation. The mAb is purified by fast protein liquid chromatography (FPLC) using Protein A affinity and Phenyl HP hydrophobic interection resins.
Front contact metallization of Si solar cells: Insights from in-situ X-ray diffraction

The front contact metallization of Si solar cells begins with printing a mixture of an Ag powder, glass frit (mixture of metal oxides such as PbO, SiO2, B2O3, and Bi2O3) and an organic binder over the antireflection coating that is subsequently fired up to about 825 °C. It is known that the frit allows the paste to react with and burn through the anti-reflective coating such that the metal can react with the underlying c-Si during firing. However, the precise phase transformations between Ag, Si, SiNx, and the frit constituents, which happen within a few seconds during rapid thermal processing (RTP), giving rise to an Ag-Si contact, are not well understood in the absence of in-situ characterization under the actual processing conditions. We have carried out in-situ x-ray diffraction studies on sample mixtures of different component powders (Ag, sinks, PbO-fruit and Si) under realistic processing conditions using an in-situ rapid thermal processing setup. We track the phase progression and reaction pathways at a time resolution of 100 milliseconds. We show the direct evidence of SiNx oxidation by PbO between 600–750 °C. On subsequent heating to higher temperature, up to 825 °C, Ag dissolves into the frit etches the c-Si surface and is deposited on etch pits forming intimate electrical contacts.
Bad Sounds Good Sounds: Attacking and Defending Tap-Based Rhythmic Passwords Using Acoustic Signals

Tapping-based rhythmic passwords have recently been proposed for the purpose of user authentication and device pairing. They offer a usability advantage over traditional passwords in that memorizing and recalling rhythms is believed to be an easier task for human users. Such passwords might also be harder to guess, thus possibly providing higher security.
Effects of Angular Dependent Terms in the Interatomic Potential on Defect Properties in TiAl

Interatomic potentials of the Embedded Atom and Embedded Defect types were used to study the effect of the angular dependent term in the Embedded Defect potential on the properties of defects in TiAl. The defect properties were computed with interatomic potentials developed with and without angular dependent terms. It was found that the inclusion of the angular dependent terms tends to increase the energies of the APB`s and lower the energies of stacking faults. The effects of the angular term on the relaxation around vacancies and antisites in TiAl was also studied, as well as the core structure of several dislocations in this compound.
Notes on the Biology of Desmocerus Palliatus

The cloaked knotty-horn beetle (Desmocerus palliatus) lives on the common wild elder and attacks the Golden elder which is used for ornamental purposes. The eggs have been found attached to leaves of the elder but it is questionable if this is normal. The larvae bore into the stems of the elder, just above and below the surface of the soil. The larvae pupate in the spring in their burrows in the stems and the adults appear during the last of Mayor early June. The beetles feed sparingly on the leaves before ovipositing.
Brainstorming Data Science as a Fluency Course for Non-Majors and as a New Specialization (Abstract Only)

Data Science programs are emerging in many areas and are related to many disciplines. This includes sciences, social sciences, business, journalism, history, and any other area dealing with massive amounts of data. Some institutions are establishing majors or minors in data science while others need to incorporate some level of introduction to relevant topics within the context of other coursework. The BOF will engage SIGCSE participants who have views on the content and role of courses and programs in data science. Two existing NSF sponsored projects will seed the discussion. One of the projects investigates the use of flipped classroom instruction for course material in data science, with significant attention to what can be done with a minimum of prerequisites. The other project produced a workshop to elicit opinions from a number of perspectives on what are the core elements of data science and how the subject is seen by different disciplines. Results from the workshop will be available at SIGCSE. With these as a starting point, participants in the Birds of a Feather session will explore the emerging field of data science and its relationship to computer science education.
Keeping it fresh: Revisiting an historic tourist city's streetscape improvement project

Abstract This research examines a downtown streetscape improvement project in a heritage tourism destination. A survey, conducted in Charleston, South Carolina, USA, provided data on merchant attitudes about the project following completion of the work, adding to two previous studies that have looked at the project pre-construction and mid-construction. The results indicate that the merchants grade the project favorably but do not credit the project for the significant recent tourism success enjoyed by the city. Concepts and issues borrowed from the urban conservation literature are considered and suggestions are provided that should be of value to destination management officials in heritage cities.
Social Media in Employee Selection and Recruitment: Current Knowledge, Unanswered Questions, and Future Directions

There is disagreement in the academic literature regarding the use of social media in selection and recruitment. To get a sense of the degree of disagreement, we conducted a qualitative survey of 13 experts in this domain. Results of the survey revealed four principle challenges for researchers and three principal challenges for practitioners in this area. Almost all experts recommended against the use of social media in selection at this time due to measurement issues, legal issues, and others, but approximately half stated that their recommendation could change in the future depending upon pending research. Several experts stated that the use of social media in recruitment was less risky than in selection and recommended it explicitly. All but one expert recommended adopting an interdisciplinary approach. From our results, we highlight four priorities for future research, involving the identification of useful information from social media, strategies for acting on that information, fairness and ethicality, and international implications.
Abstract LB-035: Caveolin-1 loss alters matrix protein deposition and duct formation in murine mammary glands

Breast cancer is responsible for 28.5% of all newly diagnosed cancers in women, but has only a 20% 5-year survival rate. The microenvironment, which is comprised of fibroblasts, extracellular matrix (ECM), immune cells and endothelial cells, is abnormal in malignant mammary glands in comparison to healthy tissues. The complex and ill-understood changes which take place in the ECM, a supportive stromal tissue comprised of collagens glycoproteins and proteoglycans, and the subsequent changes in its physical composition have been reported to act as a contributing factor for the development of the disease. Of particular interest is the composition and density of the ECM and cross-linking of these proteins which contributes to the increased mechanical stiffness of the tumor. The aberrant ECM associated with breast tumors is in part mediated by reduced expression of caveolin-1 (cav-1), a scaffolding protein of caveolae, which participates in endocytosis and cellular signaling cascades, and has been reported to act as a tumor suppressor. Decreased expression of cav-1 has been observed in patients with breast cancer and has been linked to metastasis and decreased patient survival. In particular, decreased expression of cav-1 has been reported in fibroblasts, mesenchymal cells which synthesize ECM, in patients with breast cancer. To determine whether the absence of cav-1 results in an abnormal mammary gland architecture, the expression of several ECM proteins in addition to changes in duct structure were assessed in the mammary glands of cav-1 deficient (cav-1 -/-) and wild type (cav-1 +/+) mice. The ECM proteins fibronectin, tenascin-c and collagen-I were analyzed given their atypical expression in breast cancers. Overall, expression of fibronectin and collagen-1 were elevated in the mammary glands of cav-1 -/- mice in comparison to mammary glands of cav-1 +/+ mice. Conversely, tenascin-c appeared to be downregulated in the mammary glands of cav-1 -/- mice when compared to the mammary glands of cav-1 +/+ mice. Utilizing α smooth muscle actin as a marker of the myoepithelial cells surrounding the ducts, the number of mammary lactiferous ducts in histological sections was counted. Results demonstrated a significant increase in the number of ducts in cav-1 -/- mice compared to cav-1 +/+ mice, averaging 7.8 and 4.6 ducts per 9.4 x105 μm2 of tissue respectively (p Citation Format: Christopher M. Thompson, Abigail Hielscher. Caveolin-1 loss alters matrix protein deposition and duct formation in murine mammary glands. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr LB-035.
Figura of a Negro Problem

When Ralph Ellison’s short story “Invisible Man” was published in the British literary journal Horizon in 1947 it did not meet with much fanfare. This is not to say that critics who read Ellison’s story did not praise it.2 However, it was not until “Invisible Man” appeared under the title we now associate with it — “Battle Royal” — in the January issue of 48’: The Magazine of the Year that Ellison made his first big literary splash. The success of “Battle Royal,” however, would soon be eclipsed by the publication of his novel in progress, Invisible Man, which would propel Ellison to literary stardom. Looking back on “Battle Royal,” the short fiction that preceded it, and Ellison’s book reviews and literary criticism, one can see that he was a writer in transition. In a letter to Karl Menninger about “Battle Royal” this transition is evident. For all its detail, Ellison concludes in his letter, “Battle Royal” is not naturalism but “realism — a realism dilated to deal with the almost surreal state of our everyday American life” (218). Ellison, like many of his peers, was re-evaluating his relationship to the literary styles and techniques as well as the cultural politics of the 1930s. More often than not reconsiderations of naturalism and realism were the avenues through which literary critics in the post-World War II period engaged those cultural politics.
Time-periodic approximations of the Euler–Poisson system near Lane–Emden stars

We show a long-time validity of the time-periodic linear approximations to the gravitational Euler–Poisson system near Lane–Emden equilibria for all relevant adiabatic exponents. To prove the result, we reformulate the problem in Lagrangian coordinates and use the weighted energy estimates together with Hardy inequalities.
Russell Body Inflammatory Polyp: A Case Report and Review of Literature

Russell body gastroenteritis has been reported as a reactive inflammatory process in most cases and many of the reports were from the upper gastrointestinal tract, especially the stomach, which may...
Radical Environmentalism: Challenging Our Institutions and Beliefs

Radical environmentalism believes our economic and political institutions, as well as our social ethics, are major causes of the devastation we are perpetuating on the environment. Borrowing the concept of “carrying capacity” from the science of ecology, ecological economics argues we need to move to a steady-state, no-growth economy. Social ecology believes our predicament can be reduced to the propensity to view all troubles as resulting from a lack of control and a reliance on hierarchy and domination as the solution. The clash between established values and an alternative environmental ethic clearly presents itself in the neo-Malthusian focus on human population control. Bioregionalists attempt to discover a meaningful environmental ethic within an extended notion of community or “place.” At the most profound level, deep ecology moves our attention from the physical environment to those needs and processes experienced inside the psyche.
High AC/A Ratio Esotropia: Do We Really Need to Be Using Bifocals?

Introduction and purpose Most strabismus specialists use bifocals for patients with convergence excess esotropia whose distance deviation is small. While this is a popular treatment modality, there is actually no good data to indicate that this should be considered a standard of care. Patients and methods In patients for whom the distance deviation is small enough to allow for the development of binocular vision, my preference is to simply observe these patients. Most will improve with time. For those who do not, or who decompensate, surgery may be indicated. Results A careful review of the literature shows a lack of evidence to suggest that bifocals provide an effective treatment for this problem. Some data and theoretical concern may raise a concern over their use. Time and observation may be all that is necessary. There may be a role for surgical correction in these patients as well. Conclusion While there are theoretical advantages to the use of bifocals in patients with convergence excess esotropia, current data does not support the actual need for active treatment of these patients.
Are We the Walking Dead? Zombie Apocalypse as Liberatory Art

AbstractMarcuse argued that subversive visions of a better reality can emerge from “low” as well as “high” culture, from within as well as outside the repressive apparatus. This article leverages Marcuse’s aesthetic theory to consider whether the enormously popular AMC cable series, The Walking Dead, might be considered emancipatory art. Set in a post-neoliberal America suffering through a zombie apocalypse, the dark, existential themes and urgent political ambivalences of this series reflect collective yearnings, tensions, and fissures in the current social reality worth attending to. I argue that The Walking Dead does have emancipatory potential, in that it addresses “depth dimension” concerns that occupied Marcuse; reflects disillusionment with core aspects of American neoliberalism; and reaches for less repressive, more life-affirming, alternative political visions. Time will tell if the show will sustain such visions or surrender to the status quo.