cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Impact lethality and risks in today's world: Lessons for interpreting Earth history

There is a modern-day hazard, threatening the existence of civilization, from impacts of comets and asteroids larger than 1.5 km diameter. The average annual world fatality rate is similar to that due to significant accidents (e.g., airplane crashes) and natural disasters (e.g., floods), although impact events are much more rare and the deaths per impact event are much greater. (Smaller, more frequent impacts can cause regional catastrophes from tsunamis of unprecedented scale at intervals similar to the duration of recorded human history.) As the telescopic Spaceguard Survey census of Near Earth Asteroids advances, numerical simulations of the dynamic and collisional evolution of asteroids and comets have become robust, defining unambiguously past rates of impacts of larger, more dangerous cosmic bodies on Earth. What are very tiny risks for impacts during a human lifetime become certainties on geologic time scales. Widely reported errors in predictions of possible impacts during the next century have no bearing on the certainty that enormous impacts have happened in the past. The magnitudes and qualitative features of environmental consequences of impacts of objects of various sizes are increasingly well understood. Prime attributes of impacts, not duplicated by any other natural processes, are (1) extreme suddenness, providing little opportunity for escape and no chance for adaptation, (2) globally pervasive, and (3) unlimited potential (for Cretaceous-Tertiary [K-T] boundary-scale impacts and larger) for overwhelming destruction of the life-sustaining characteristics of the fragile ecosphere, notwithstanding the rather puny evidence for impacts in the geologic record. A civilization-ending impact would be an environmental and human catastrophe of unprecedented proportions. The K-T-scale impacts, of which there must have been at least several during the Phanerozoic (past 0.5 b.y.), are 1000 times more destructive. No other plausible, known natural (or human) processes can approach such catastrophic potential. The largest impacts must have caused mass extinctions in the fossil record; other natural processes could not have done so. Perspectives concerning both the potential modern-day destructive potential of impacts and conceivable, almost miraculous refugia in our own world provide a new gestalt for thinking about past cataclysms.
The strange online death and possible rebirth of brand theory and practice

Like a thief in the night, the Web has progressively undermined the validity of traditional brand theory and practice.Yet few brand owners and marketers appear to be aware of this fundamental shift and continue to treat the medium as if it were just another distribution channel, when in fact the Web demands a complete reappraisal of the brand building, marketing and total business processes. This paper aims to review traditional brand and marketing theory, to consider its relevance in the global digital age and to suggest necessary changes that brand owners need to manage in order to take advantage of and avoid the dangers inherent within a fast changing environment.
Proteomic analysis shows the upregulation of erythrocyte dematin in zinc-restricted human subjects.

Background: Although the importance of adequate zinc intake has been known for decades, the estimated global prevalence of zinc deficiency remains high. This substantiates the need for a specific and sensitive status assessment tool. Objective: The objective was to evaluate erythrocyte zinc transporters as candidate molecules with the potential of being a biomarker of dietary zinc status in humans. Design: A 24-d observational study with acclimation (7 d, 10.4 mg Zn/d), zinc-depletion (10 d, 0.3 mg Zn/d), and zinc-repletion (7 d, 29.5 mg Zn/d) phases was conducted in healthy men (n = 9). Proteomic approaches including Western blot analyses and tandem mass spectrometry were implemented to identify the zinc responsiveness of selected red blood cell membrane proteins. Results: Zinc transporter 1 (ZnT1) and Zrt/Irt-like proteins ZIP8 and ZIP10 were detected in human erythrocyte membranes. No effects of short-term dietary zinc depletion were observed on the amounts of these proteins. However, changes in a cytoskeletal protein, dematin, by zinc depletion were identified through the nonspecific signals produced by an anti-ZIP8 antibody. This response was further validated by a dematin-specific antibody and with erythrocytes collected from mice fed a zinc-deficient diet. Conclusions: The presence of ZnT1, ZIP8, and ZIP10 in human red blood cells implicates their role in the regulation of cellular zinc metabolism in the human erythroid system. The zinc responsiveness of membrane dematin suggests its capability to serve as a biomarker for dietary zinc depletion and its involvement in impaired erythroid membrane fragility by zinc restriction. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as {"type":"clinical-trial","attrs":{"text":"NCT01221129","term_id":"NCT01221129"}}NCT01221129.
Shape transformation for polyhedral objects

Techniques that transform one two-dimensionaf image into another have gained widespread use m recent yeara. Extending these techniques to transform pairs of 3D objects, as opposed to 2D images of the objects, providea several advsntagea, including the ability to snimate the objects independently of the transformation. This paper presents an algorithm for computing such transformations. The algorithm merges the topological structures of a pair of 3D polyhedral models into a common vertex/edgeJface network. This allows trsmsformations from one object to the other to be easily computed by interpolating between corresponding v@ex positions.
Borderline Personality as a Self-Other Representational Disturbance

A great deal has been written about the nature of borderline personality. We maintain that borderline psychopathology emanates from particular disturbances in mental representations-impairment in the ability to maintain and use benign and integrated internal images of self and others-and that these troubled ways of thinking drive the troubled interpersonal relations, affective instability, and impulsivity associated with borderline. Aspects of borderline self-other representational disturbances are present across a wide theoretical spectrum, and a number of research methodologies already exist to assess the phenomena. We conclude that borderline attributes exist on continua, and summarize important features as: (1) unstable mental images of self and others, often marked by self-loathing and attributions of malevolence to others; (2) interactions with others organized around a fundamental need for care that is felt to be necessary for basic functioning; (3) fear of others based on expectations of being mistreated and disappointed and/or terror of having one's identity subsumed by another person; (4) difficulty considering multiple and/or conflicting perspectives, with a tendency toward concrete, all-or-none, or black-and-white, thinking and distortion of reality; and (5) sadomasochistic interpersonal interactions in which a person alternatively inflicts suffering on others and suffers at the hands of others.
Bayesian network approach to understand regulation of biological processes in cyanobacteria

Bayesian networks have extensively been used in numerous fields including artificial intelligence, decision theory and control. Its ability to utilize noisy and missing data makes it a good candidate to study biological systems. In this paper we propose the use of Bayesian network approach to study cellular response of cyanobacteria. We discuss how to combine individual gene expressions, obtained from microarrays generated using different platforms, to get biological process level behaviors. Biological processes carry more information towards understanding overall cell behavior. We then discuss several approaches available for identifying the structure of a Bayesian network and derive corresponding system level regulatory network for cyanobacterium, Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. We discuss a method to quantify the strengths of the associations between different processes. The resultant network is used to simulate some of the experimental conditions and the responses of the network under those conditions are inferred. We show that these inferences agree with the observations made in the original experiments. Finally, we discuss how these type of networks could be helpful in making decisions on controlling the cellular activities so that the desired behaviors are achieved.
Cystinosis Presenting with Features Suggesting Bartter Syndrome Case Report and Literature Review

Features suggestive of Bartter syndrome (hypokalemia, hypochloremic metabolic alkalosis, and normal blood pressure despite hyperreninemia and hyperaldoster onism) were found in a 5-year-old black child with cystinosis and Fanconi syndrome. Review of his medical records revealed that these abnormalities had probably been present when he first became clinically ill at 2 years of age. Sodium and potassium chloride supplementation lead to improved growth and strength, partial correction of his electrolyte abnormalities, and a decrease in markedly elevated plasma renin activity. Literature review disclosed a similar presentation in four Caucasian children with cystinosis.Biochemical findings compatible with Bartter syndrome can occur together with evidence of generalized proximal renal tubular dysfunction (Fanconi syn drome) in nephropathic cystinosis.
Glia–Neuron Interactions in Nervous System Function and Development

Nervous systems are generally composed of two cell types-neurons and glia. Early studies of neurons revealed that these cells can conduct electrical currents, immediately implying that they have roles in the relay of information throughout the nervous system. Roles for glia have, until recently, remained obscure. The importance of glia in regulating neuronal survival had been long recognized. However, this trophic support function has hampered attempts to address additional, more active functions of these cells in the nervous system. In this chapter, recent efforts to reveal some of these additional functions are described. Evidence supporting a role for glia in synaptic development and activity is presented, as well as experiments suggesting glial guidance of neuronal migration and process outgrowth. Roles for glia in influencing the electrical activity of neurons are also discussed. Finally, an exciting system is described for studying glial cells in the nematode C. elegans, in which recent studies suggest that glia are not required for neuronal viability.
MOUNDS OF THE AMERICAN BADGER (TAXIDEA TAXUS): SIGNIFICANT FEATURES OF NORTH AMERICAN SHRUB–STEPPE ECOSYSTEMS

In the western United States, American badgers (Taxidea taxus) excavate large volumes of soil and create fanshaped mounds while foraging for fossorial rodents. Densities of 790 mounds/ha were recorded on the Snake River Plain, west-central Idaho. More mounds were recorded from unburned compared with burned sites, but no differences were found between sites dominated by sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata wyomingensis) and winterfat (Krascheninnikovia lanata). Mounds and diggings occupied an average of 5–8% of the landscape and the mass of mounded soil averaged 33.8 kg, equivalent to 26 t/ha. The surface cover of plants, cryptogams, and litter increased, and bare ground decreased, as mounds aged. Excavation holes were present at 96% of active and crusted mounds compared with 31% of older recovering mounds. Sites with a greater density of shrubs tended to have a greater density of both badger mounds and ground squirrel diggings. Additionally, increased density of badger mounds was associated with increases in the density of ground squirrel holes and scratchings. These results indicate that badger mounds are a significant landscape structure and that badger activity is likely to have major impacts on soil and ecosystem processes in shrub–steppe ecosystems.
Dietary Adherence: Impact of the American Diabetes Association 1994 Recommendations on Definition and Assessment

Abstract LEARNING OUTCOME: To understand if and how diabetes educators have modified the content of their counseling sessions after the 1994 American Diabetes Association recommendations. The American Diabetes Association released new dietary recommendations in 1994 that differed substantially from previous ones, and changed what was required of patients to achieve dietary adherence. The purpose of this study was to determine if dietary counseling practices and the definition of dietary adherence changed due to these recommendations. All Illinois ADA Diabetes Practice Group (DPG) members (n=196) were sent a survey of their counseling practices. Two reminder postcards were sent to non-respondents. Five open-ended questions elicited information on changes in counseling and the definition of dietary adherence. Dietitians ranked 17 specific dietary behaviors in order of importance and identified which behaviors were discussed more and less since the 1994 recommendations. Respondents (n=102, 52% response rate) counseled a mean of 12.7±14 clients with diabetes per week (mean 11.3±9 hrs). Most (72%) respondents thought the definition of adherence had changed, with the most commonly cited changes being flexibility (n=54) and sweets being acceptable (n=20). Most also (n=77) reported changes in counseling sessions. The most commonly cited changes were stressing flexibility (n=21), more focus on carbohydrates and carbohydrate counting (n=21), and including sweets in the diet (n=14). Of the specific dietary behaviors listed on the survey, limiting simple carbohydrates were discussed less often (n=38), while label reading (n=21) and total carbohydrates (n=17) were discussed more often. The two specific behaviors that were considered most important were using standard portion sizes and consistency of meal schedules. There were no significant differences between certified diabetes educators (CDE) and non-CDEs for changes in the definition or the content of sessions. Therefore, even within the DPG and after two years, not all diabetes educators have incorporated the 1994 American Diabetes Association dietary recommendations. Defining and assessing dietary adherence for diabetes remains problematic.
CauloBrowser: A systems biology resource for Caulobacter crescentus

Caulobacter crescentus is a premier model organism for studying the molecular basis of cellular asymmetry. The Caulobacter community has generated a wealth of high-throughput spatiotemporal databases including data from gene expression profiling experiments (microarrays, RNA-seq, ChIP-seq, ribosome profiling, LC-ms proteomics), gene essentiality studies (Tn-seq), genome wide protein localization studies, and global chromosome methylation analyses (SMRT sequencing). A major challenge involves the integration of these diverse data sets into one comprehensive community resource. To address this need, we have generated CauloBrowser (www.caulobrowser.org), an online resource for Caulobacter studies. This site provides a user-friendly interface for quickly searching genes of interest and downloading genome-wide results. Search results about individual genes are displayed as tables, graphs of time resolved expression profiles, and schematics of protein localization throughout the cell cycle. In addition, the site provides a genome viewer that enables customizable visualization of all published high-throughput genomic data. The depth and diversity of data sets collected by the Caulobacter community makes CauloBrowser a unique and valuable systems biology resource.
Unusual, Rare Case of Ascending Aortic Atresia and Right Ventricle Dependent Coronary Circulation in a Newborn

We describe a newborn with complex, congenital cardiac anomalies, most notably single ventricle physiology, interruption/atresia of the ascending aorta and a coronary circulation that was totally Right Ventricle (RV) dependent. This arrangement left the coronary supply in a very precarious situation, theoretically much worse than most patients with Pulmonary Atresia/Intact Ventricular Septum ( PA/IVS), since the entire coronary circulation was RV dependent. The patient underwent a palliative surgical correction, but expired the following day. We believe this is the first reported case in the literature with this constellation of lesions.
Skeletal myopathy in a family with lamin A/C cardiac disease.

Background: The objective of this study was to evaluate patients with known hereditary cardiac conduction and myocardial disease (HCCMD) caused by a lamin A/C gene mutation for skeletal muscle involvement using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) computed tomography (CT). Methods: Twenty-one patients with the diagnosis of HCCMD were available for study. Of these 21, 11 had MRI scans of the lower legs. The 11 that had an MRI were compared to a control group of 17 healthy controls. In ten patients in whom MRI was contraindicated, CT was used for lower leg imaging and the gastrocnemius muscle was compared to an unaffected muscle. Results: In patients with severe cardiac involvement defined as conduction system disease requiring pacemaker implant and CT instead of MRI, there was a significant difference in the composition of the unaffected muscle versus the gastrocnemius muscle, P Conclusions: Our results showed that patients with HCCMD can also present with skeletal muscle problems. The degree of skeletal muscle involvement is greater in HCCMD patients requiring implantable cardiac devices.
MBE Growth of GaAs on Porous Silicon

GaAs layers have been grown on porous silicon (PS) substrates by molecular beam epitaxyNo surface morphology deterioration was observed onGaAs-on-PS layers in spite of the roughness of PS. A 10% Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy (RBS) channeling minimum yield for GaAs-on-PS layers as compared to 16% for GaAs-on-Si layers grown under the same condition indicates a possible improvement of crystallinity when GaAs is grown on PS. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) reveals that the dominant defects in the GaAs-on-PS layers are microtwins and stacking faults, which originate from the GaAs/PS interface. GaAs is found to penetrate into the PS layers.
Mitochondrial Ca2+ Buffering Regulates Synaptic Transmission Between Retinal Amacrine Cells

The diverse functions of retinal amacrine cells are reliant on the physiological properties of their synapses. Here we examine the role of mitochondria as Ca(2+) buffering organelles in synaptic transmission between GABAergic amacrine cells. We used the protonophore p-trifluoromethoxy-phenylhydrazone (FCCP) to dissipate the membrane potential across the inner mitochondrial membrane that normally sustains the activity of the mitochondrial Ca(2+) uniporter. Measurements of cytosolic Ca(2+) levels reveal that prolonged depolarization-induced Ca(2+) elevations measured at the cell body are altered by inhibition of mitochondrial Ca(2+) uptake. Furthermore, an analysis of the ratio of Ca(2+) efflux on the plasma membrane Na-Ca exchanger to influx through Ca(2+) channels during voltage steps indicates that mitochondria can also buffer Ca(2+) loads induced by relatively brief stimuli. Importantly, we also demonstrate that mitochondrial Ca(2+) uptake operates at rest to help maintain low cytosolic Ca(2+) levels. This aspect of mitochondrial Ca(2+) buffering suggests that in amacrine cells, the normal function of Ca(2+)-dependent mechanisms would be contingent upon ongoing mitochondrial Ca(2+) uptake. To test the role of mitochondrial Ca(2+) buffering at amacrine cell synapses, we record from amacrine cells receiving GABAergic synaptic input. The Ca(2+) elevations produced by inhibition of mitochondrial Ca(2+) uptake are localized and sufficient in magnitude to stimulate exocytosis, indicating that mitochondria help to maintain low levels of exocytosis at rest. However, we found that inhibition of mitochondrial Ca(2+) uptake during evoked synaptic transmission results in a reduction in the charge transferred at the synapse. Recordings from isolated amacrine cells reveal that this is most likely due to the increase in the inactivation of presynaptic Ca(2+) channels observed in the absence of mitochondrial Ca(2+) buffering. These results demonstrate that mitochondrial Ca(2+) buffering plays a critical role in the function of amacrine cell synapses.
Cranial Nerves Contouring Among Patients Treated With IMRT for Base of Skull, Nasopharyngeal, and Paranasal Sinus Cancer.

Purpose/Objectives: To develop a standardized methodology for cranial nerves IX-XII contouring among patients treated with intensitymodulated radiotherapy (IMRT) for head and neck cancer (HNC). Materials/Methods: Using anatomic texts, radiologic data, and T1/2 magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), a standardized method for delineating the cranial nerves IX-XII on computed tomography (CT) was performed. A neuroradiologist assisted with identification of the cranial nerves IX-XII and adjacent structures (i.e. Midbrain, Pons, and Medulla Oblongata). These organs at risk were then contoured on 5 consecutive patients undergoing IMRT for locally advanced HNC (i.e. base of skull, nasopharyngeal and Paranasal-sinus cancer). Dosevolume histogram (DVH) curves were generated by applying the proposed cranial nerves contour to the initial treatment plan. Due to anatomical nature and proximity of cranial nerves IX, X and XI, they were contoured as one structure while cranial nerve XII was contoured individually. Results: The median total dose to the planning target volume (PTV) was 70 (ranged from 66–70 Gy). The median cranial nerves (IX-XI) and (XII) volumes were 20 cm3 (15–25) and 18 cm3 (15–22) respectively. The median V50, V60, V66, and V70 of the cranial nerves (IX-XI) and (XII) volumes were (85, 77, 71, 65) and (88, 80, 74, 64) respectively. The maximal dose to the cranial nerves (IX-XI) and (XII) were 72 (66–77) and 71 Gy (64–78) respectively. Conclusions: The proposed methodology provides a highly reproducible, defined and standardized way for delineating the cranial nerves IX-XII organ at risk on IMRT based CT planning. Our dosimetric analysis should serve as pilot data for prospective studies for patients undergoing IMRT for HNC to establish a limiting dose for these structures at risk.
Improving procedural and conceptual mathematics outcomes: evidence from a randomised controlled trial in Kenya

ABSTRACTTo improve learning outcomes, an intervention in Kenya called the Primary Math and Reading (PRIMR) Initiative provided pupil learning materials, teachers’ guides and modest teacher professional development in mathematics. This paper presents the causal impact of PRIMR’s mathematics intervention on pupil achievement indices for procedural and conceptual numeracy, using a differences-in-differences analytic strategy. The mathematics intervention produced modest, statistically significant results: generally similar results for males and females, a larger impact in grade 2 than grade 1, a larger impact in nongovernment schools than public schools, and smaller outcomes in mathematics than for English or Kiswahili. These findings have relevant policy implications in Kenya given an impending national mathematics programme.
Context:The Actual Field of Technology

Context is the actual field of technology.Although traditional research noticed the technological dimension of context,its approaches were mainly focused on separating context from technology,which failed to solve some problems.Actually,context is not outside technology but a basic component of technology,serving as a carrier for breeding and interpreting technology.Reality technology manifests itself with the technical-social system,and it is only in actual context that technology acquires its structure as well as functions and realizes its significance.In essence,technological reflection from the perspective of context is a specific,systematic and comprehensive study of technology,which owns a unique advantage.
Nocturnally migrating songbirds drift when they can and compensate when they must

The shortest possible migratory route for birds is not always the best route to travel. Substantial research effort has established that birds in captivity are capable of orienting toward the direction of an intended goal, but efforts to examine how free-living birds use navigational information under conditions that potentially make direct flight toward that goal inefficient have been limited in spatiotemporal scales and in the number of individuals observed because of logistical and technological limitations. Using novel and recently developed techniques for analysis of Doppler polarimetric weather surveillance radar data, we examined two impediments for nocturnally migrating songbirds in eastern North America following shortest-distance routes: crosswinds and oceans. We found that migrants in flight often drifted sideways on crosswinds, but most strongly compensated for drift when near the Atlantic coast. Coastal migrants’ tendency to compensate for wind drift also increased through the night, while no strong temporal differences were observed at inland sites. Such behaviors suggest that birds migrate in an adaptive way to conserve energy by assessing while airborne the degree to which they must compensate for wind drift.
Predictors of knee joint loading after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury results in altered knee joint mechanics which frequently continue even after ACL reconstruction. The persistence of altered mechanical loading of the knee is of concern due to its likely role in the development of post-traumatic osteoarthritis (OA). Joint contact forces are associated with post-traumatic OA development, but evaluation of factors influencing the magnitude of contact forces after ACL injury is needed to advance current strategies aimed at preventing post-traumatic OA. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to identify predictive factors of knee joint contact forces after ACL reconstruction. Thirty athletes completed standard gait analysis with surface electromyography 6 months after ACL reconstruction. An electromyographic-driven musculoskeletal model was used to estimate joint contact forces. External knee adduction moment was a significant predictor of medial compartment contact forces in both limbs, while vertical ground reaction force and co-contraction only contributed significantly in the uninvolved limb. The large influence of the knee adduction moment on joint contact forces provides mechanistic clues to understanding the mechanical pathway of post-traumatic OA after ACL injury. Statement of Clinical Significance: This study provides critical information in improving the understanding of mechanisms influencing the development of post-traumatic OA after ACL injury. Further work is needed to identify additional driving factors of joint loading in the ACL-injured limb and develop treatment strategies to avert the deleterious consequences of post-traumatic OA. © 2016 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 35:651-656, 2017.
A multi-solver framework for electromagnetic analysis

A multi-solver framework based on Robin transmission conditions is presented for solving scattering from complex objects. According to the material and geometry property, the entire computational domain consisting of the object and its background is decomposed into multiple subdomains. The inhomogeneous subdomains are modeled by the finite element method and the homogeneous subdomains with impedance and conducting boundaries are modeled by the method of moments. To construct a global system, the Robin transmission condition is used to couple adjacent subdomains. The preconditioner based on an absorbing boundary condition and the multilevel fast multipole algorithm are employed in the iterative solution. Numerical examples show the accuracy and the flexibility of the proposed method.
Abstract A10: Biomarker independant microfluidic Labyrinth for the high throughput enrichment and characterization of circulating tumor cells in pancreatic cancer

Introduction and Objective: Pancreatic cancer is a devastating disease with a 5-year survival rate of less than 6%. By the time of diagnosis, less than 15% of patients have surgically resectable tumors, which is one reason why it has the highest mortality rate among all cancer types. Emerging evidence has pointed the importance of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in the spread of cancers and metastasis. CTCs are believed to be the most promising cancer biomarkers available in blood. Recent reports also show that these cells could be a good surrogate biomarker for not only prognosis, but also for cancer detection and development of personalized treatment. We have developed an inertial microfluidic-based separation technique for high throughput and label-free isolation of CTCs. Methods: To investigate the isolation efficiency of our technology before running cancer patients’ samples, PANC-1 cells labeled with cell tracker dye were spiked into 1 mL of whole blood. Using this optimized platform we isolate CTCs from pancreatic cancer patients, followed by downstream analysis . CTCs are characterized using immunocytochemistry for heterogeneity studies among CTC population. Results: Our microfluidic device consists of a size based separation platform in which CTCs are separated from other blood components. This high throughput label free separation device was designed and developed by our lab. After more than 20 generations of device revision, an optimized flow rate of 2.5 ml/min for PANC-1 pancreatic cancer cell line has yielded a 95% recovery of these cells from whole blood, with cancer cells traveling to the second outlet and 80% of the White Blood Cells (WBC) to the first outlet. We have successfully isolated CTCs from over 100 pancreatic cancer patients. Among several patients we were able to characterize different subpopulations using the epithelial marker CK-19 and EpCAM, and the EMT-like marker ZEB1. Conclusion: The implementation of our engineering technology to the study of pancreatic cancer can present novel ways to confront major hurdles in cancer research, such as early detection and the lack of effective therapeutics. The isolation and expansion of CTCs, the heterogeneous population of cells that promote metastasis, can provide meaningful information to elucidate the process of pancreatic tumorigenesis to preempt its fatal result. Citation Format: Lianette Rivera-Baez, Eric Lin, Meghna Waghray, Shamileh Fouladdel, Ebrahim Azizi, Max Wicha, Vaibhav Sahai, Diane Simeone, Sunitha Nagrath.{Authors}. Biomarker independant microfluidic Labyrinth for the high throughput enrichment and characterization of circulating tumor cells in pancreatic cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Pancreatic Cancer: Advances in Science and Clinical Care; 2016 May 12-15; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(24 Suppl):Abstract nr A10.
Doing Style: Youth and Mass Mediation in South India, by Constantine V. Nakassis

In this immensely engaging ethnographic study of youth practices in Tamil Nadu, India, Constantine Nakassis explores the meaning of the catchword ‘style’ in everyday discourse, its relationship to ...
Single-Port Robotic Surgery: Current Status and Future Considerations

The adoption of robotics in urology has been successful as it provides several advantages over standard laparoscopy including three-dimensional vision, improved ergonomics, and enhanced dexterity. These facets ultimately resulted in robotics being adopted in laparoendoscopic single-site surgery (LESS) to overcome the challenges associated with suturing, intra-abdominal triangulation, and instrument clashing. Since the inception of robotic LESS (RLESS) by our institution in 2008, many centers have gone on to study this approach in various urologic applications. Herein, we will discuss instrumentation, access, step-by-step instructions, and outcomes as reported in the literature for various urologic procedures utilizing RLESS.
The Indefinite "Stay" on Regulatory Reforms for Research With Prisoners.

The verdict is in, so to speak. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has issued the 2018 Common Rule, which purportedly “allows more flexibility in keeping with today's dynamic researc...
Metabolic Regulation of T Cell Longevity and Function in Tumor Immunotherapy

Cancer immunotherapy is an increasingly successful strategy for the treatment of patients who have advanced or conventional therapy-resistant cancers. T cells are key mediators of tumor destruction and their specificity for tumor-expressed antigens is of paramount importance, but other T cell-intrinsic qualities, such as durability, longevity, and functionality also play important roles in determining the efficacy of immunotherapy. The cellular energetic pathways that are utilized by T cells play a key role in regulating each of these qualities. Metabolic activity, which both regulates and is regulated by cellular signaling pathways and epigenetics, also profoundly influences the trajectories of T cell differentiation and fate. In this Review, we discuss how cell metabolism influences T cell anti-tumor activity, the metabolic qualities of highly-functional T cells, and strategies to modulate metabolism for improving the immune response to tumors.
Coding for the Large-Alphabet Adversarial Channel

We consider the problem of encoding an i.i.d. source into a set of symbols or messages that may be altered by an adversary while en route to the decoder. We focus in particular on the regime in which the number of messages is fixed while the blocklength of the source and the size of each message tend to infinity. For this fixed-blocklength, “large alphabet” channel, we show that combining an optimal rate-distortion code with an optimal error-correction code yields an optimal overall code for Gaussian sources with quadratic distortion and binary uniform sources with Hamming distortion but that it can be suboptimal by an arbitrarily large factor in general. We also consider the scenario in which the distortion constraint that the decoder must satisfy depends on the number of errors that occur. We show that the problem can be reduced operationally to one with erasures instead of errors in two special cases: one involving lossless reproduction of functions of the source and one in which the encoder and decoder share common randomness.
Oxygen pressure leaching of copper from primary chalcopyrite ore containing pyrite under simulated solution-mining conditions

The leaching of primary porphyry chalcopyrite ore under simulated solution-mining conditions was studied using a packed-bed reactor. A mathematical model incorporating the intrinsic leaching kinetics of chalcopyrite and pyrite grains, the pore diffusion of dissolved oxygen within the ore fragments, liquid-solid mass transfer, and the effect of fluid flow and axial dispersion was formulated and tested for the overall leaching process. The dependence of oxygen solubility on ionic strength of the solution was also incorporated into the model. Satisfactory agreement between model predictions and experimental data was obtained. The model can also predict the rate of the leaching process under different temperatures, oxygen pressures, solution flow rates, and different size distributions of ores.
Bullies and blackouts: Examining the participatory culture of online book reviewing:

This article examines online book reviewing practices through Henry Jenkins’s notion of ‘participatory culture’ and illustrates the power dynamics and market pressures that shape this participation. While the individuals featured in this article participate in shared affinity spaces around a passion for reading and writing books, they also participate in a publishing industry increasingly reliant on reviews and ratings. I argue that the sabotaging and bullying of authors and reviewers, and the power dynamics reinforced through these tactics, risk being occluded by scholarship that emphasizes the literacy practices fostered through participatory culture over the content and social actions reproduced through them. My analysis of book reviewing practices demonstrates the need to critique the positive imagery evoked by terms like ‘participatory’, ‘affinity’, ‘online community’, ‘shared goals’, and ‘collective knowledge’ and to examine these terms within their specific discursive and economic conditions.
Musculotendinous Disorders in the Lower Leg.

Musculotendinous injury in the lower leg is associated with a variety of athletic activities. Myotendinous strain is typically localized to the posterior calf muscles, with involvement of the medial head of gastrocnemius muscle most common. Nontraumatic soft tissue injuries of the lower leg, including muscle herniation, are less frequently imaged. Ruptured popliteal cysts and deep vein thrombosis are important differential considerations in the patient presenting with acute calf pain and swelling.
Negative Affect Is Associated With Higher Risk of Incident Cognitive Impairment in Nondepressed Postmenopausal Women.

Background Positive affect (PA) and negative affect (NA) reflect subjective emotional experiences. Although related to depression and anxiety, these dimensions are distinct constructs representing affective states and patterns. Prior studies suggest that elevated depressive symptoms are associated with risk of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and probable dementia, but whether affective states are associated with cognitive impairment is still unknown. The present study examined relationships between baseline affective states and cognitive impairment (MCI, probable dementia) in nondepressed women. Method Baseline PA and NA were assessed in postmenopausal women (N = 2,137; mean age = 73.8 years) from the Women's Health Initiative Study of Cognitive Aging (WHISCA) using the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS). Women were followed annually for an average of 11.3 years; those with elevated depressive symptoms at baseline were excluded. Results Higher NA was associated with a higher risk of MCI and probable dementia, even after adjusting for important covariates including age, education, sociodemographic, lifestyle, and cardiovascular risk factors, global cognition, and hormone therapy assignment at baseline. PA was not significantly associated with either outcome. Conclusions We present the first evidence to date that greater NA, even in the absence of elevated depressive symptoms, is associated with higher risk of MCI and dementia. This suggests that NA may be an important, measureable and potentially modifiable risk factor for age-related cognitive decline.
Toll-Like Receptor abundance in colonic epithelium is selectively altered in HIV disease and partially normalizes with effective Antiretroviral Therapy

Background Since the intestinal mucosa and microbiome are disrupted in HIV disease, we studied the abundance of innate immune sensors, Toll-Like Receptors (TLR), in the epithelia of patients with Viremia, prior to antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation, Immune Success (IS- >500 CD4 T cells/ul after 2 years of ART; suppressed viremia), and Immune Failure (IF- Method Immunofluorescence for TLR3, TLR4, and TLR9 on sections cut from paraffin embedded colonic biopsies of uninfected, viremic, IS, and IF was imaged with a DeltaVision microscope and quantified with Metamorph software. Results Viremic patients have significantly higher viral TLR9 and TLR3, and significantly lower bacterial TLR4, on the surface epithelium when compared to levels seen on uninfected control. Viremic patients have significantly higher TLR9, similar TLR3, and significantly lower TLR4 expression, in the crypts when compared to uninfected control. TLR9 abundance remains elevated in IF, while normalization occurs in IS. TLR3 abundance on surface epithelium and crypt is even more elevated in IF and IS, suggesting an effect of ART. TLR4 abundance on surface epithelium normalizes in IF and IS; in the crypt, in IS TLR4 decreases further. Conclusion Epithelial TLR abundance is selectively altered in HIV disease; effective ART partially normalizes some TLRs, and enhances TLR3. Mucosal TLR desensitization or hyper-vigilance, possibly caused by disrupted cytokine levels in the HIV+ colon, may contribute to systemic inflammation.
Marshallese Language and Diaspora

This section on Marshallese language provides a series of interviews of a diverse group of Marshallese community members in Springdale, Arkansas, who share their thoughts on challenges related to language, its transmission, and Marshallese orthography. As these interviews demonstrate, the Marshallese language functions in diaspora in ways that confound Western binaries that pit preservation against change. As Marshallese continue to relocate to the United States from the Republic of the Marshall Islands, an archipelago of 29 low-lying atolls and five islands in the central Pacific, community members increasingly express concerns over language and culture loss. Some Marshallese feel that their written language is a cultural manifestation of their Christian culture and learning the language in its relational spoken context is of primary importance. Still, others reflect on American imperialism, which exercised geopolitical power through nuclear colonialism and militaristic that enabled Americans to exploit ...
Copper nucleation and growth during the corrosion of aluminum alloy 2524 in sodium chloride solutions

Copper clusters, as nodules and micro dendritic masses, were observed to nucleate and grow on Al 2524 surfaces after corrosion immersion experiments for up to 5 days in 0.6 M NaCl solutions; with pH values ranging from 3 to 11. Cu clusters observed by SEM on the corroded surfaces and confirmed by EDX analysis were extracted or stripped from their original sites and examined in detail utilizing TEM and EDX spectrometry. These observations confirm a mechanism contributing to pitting corrosion in copper-rich aluminum alloys involving the plating or cementation of Cu2+ from solution as an electrochemical displacement reaction, resulting in nucleation and growth of Cu clusters on the aluminum alloy surface, and causing additional aluminum dissolution and pitting around the Cu deposits.
Increased neuronal synchrony prepares mesial temporal networks for seizures of neocortical origin.

OBJECTIVE To gain understanding of the neuronal mechanisms underlying regional seizure spread, the impact of regional synchrony between seizure focus and downstream networks on neuronal activity during the transition to seizure in those downstream networks was assessed. METHODS Seven patients undergoing diagnostic intracranial electroencephalographic studies for surgical resection of epileptogenic regions were implanted with subdural clinical electrodes into the cortex (site of seizure initiation) and mesial temporal lobe (MTL) structures (downstream) as well as microwires into MTL. Neural activity was recorded (24/7) in parallel with the clinical intracranial electroencephalogram recordings for the duration of the patient's diagnostic stay. Changes in (1) regional synchrony (ie, coherence) between the presumptive neocortical seizure focus and MTL, (2) local synchrony between MTL neurons and their local field potential, and (3) neuronal firing rates within MTL in the time leading up to seizure were examined to study the mechanisms underlying seizure spread. RESULTS In seizures of neocortical origin, an increase in regional synchrony preceded the spread of seizures into MTL (predominantly hippocampal). Within frequencies similar to those of regional synchrony, MTL networks showed an increase in unit-field coherence and a decrease in neuronal firing rate, specifically for inhibitory interneuron populations but not pyramidal cell populations. SIGNIFICANCE These results suggest a mechanism of spreading seizures whereby the seizure focus first synchronizes local field potentials in downstream networks to the seizure activity. This change in local field coherence modifies the activity of interneuron populations in these downstream networks, which leads to the attenuation of interneuronal firing rate, effectively shutting down local interneuron populations prior to the spread of seizure. Therefore, regional synchrony may influence the failure of downstream interneurons to prevent the spread of the seizures during generalization.
Understanding the causes of calcium carbonate crystal growth and inhibition during the carbonatation refining of raw sugars

Abstract The inhibitory activity of soluble and insoluble starch (0–550 ppm/Brix) in factory raw sugars were investigated using simulated refinery carbonatation clarification reactions to underpin what causes the undesirable formation of CaCO3 crystal fines (≤5 μm). It was found that CaCO3 crystal growth was inhibited mostly by soluble starch by forming starch-Ca2+ metal complexes. Insoluble (granular) starch, however, had a greater affinity for inhibiting CaCO3 crystallization because it retained the carbonatation clarification reactants, i.e., Ca2+and OH−, in the granule interior which caused granule gelatinization and increased viscosity of the melt liquor. Causes for poor press filterability and CaCO3 fines using raw sugar melts were found to be complex and attributed to the combinatorial roles that both soluble and insoluble starch have, among other impurities. More studies are now warranted at the carbonatation refinery to correlate processing characteristics with raw sugars quality attributes to underpin how each impurity impedes carbonatation.
Spaceborne P-Band Mimo SAR for Planetary Applications

SESAR (Space Exploration Synthetic Aperture Radar) is a next generation P-band beamforming radar instrument concept that will enable a new class of observations suitable to meet Decadal Survey science goals for planetary exploration. The radar operates at full polarimetry and fine (meter scale) resolution, and achieves beam agility through programmable transmit waveforms and digital beamforming on receive. The radar is based on a low power, lightweight design approach conceived to meet the stringent planetary instrument requirements. This instrument concept has the potential to provide unprecedented surface and near-subsurface measurements of planetary bodies including the Moon, Mars, and asteroids.
Shame and its Soundscapes

In this essay, I engage with issues of shame and social marginalization through “assisted” musical artworks, which combine an individual’s words with my musical accompaniment. Despite being a first-year medical student without clinical or therapeutic credentials, I generate interpretations of how collaborative, improvisatory, and informal artworks I have created as a music volunteer may assist in recognition and affirmation of one’s humanity. I present and discuss one experience in hospice care and its accompanying artwork which reflected the beauty and humanity of an individual I became close to. Additionally, I discuss more broadly how artistic creation may grant agency for people in marginalized social positions to express adverse affective and social states in their own voice. I believe that musical artworks such as these can serve to retain elements of an individual’s life and psychosocial profile that may not be directly medical in nature, but matter greatly transforming how one appraises, expresses, and resists fixed positions of shame and social stigma.