cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Phase diagram of a cold polarized Fermi gas

We propose a phase diagram for a cold polarized atomic Fermi gas with zero-range interaction. We identify four main phases in the plane of density and polarization: the superfluid phase, the normal phase, the gapless superfluid phase, and the modulated phase. We argue that there exists a Lifshitz point at the junction of the normal, the gapless superfluid, and the modulated phases, and a splitting point where the superfluid, the gapless superfluid, and the modulated phases meet. We show that the physics near the splitting point is universal and derive an effective field theory describing it. We also show that subregions with one and two Fermi surfaces exist within the normal and the gapless superfluid phases.
The Effect of Posthodiplostomum Minimum upon the Body Weight of the Bluegill

(1964). The Effect of Posthodiplostomum Minimum upon the Body Weight of the Bluegill. The Progressive Fish-Culturist: Vol. 26, No. 3, pp. 121-123.
Pollen ultrastructure of the Philydraceae

Abstract Pollen morphology, sculpturing, and wall ultrastructure of the five species in the monocot family Philydraceae were investigated in order to assess phylogenetic relationships. All members of the Philydraceae have monosulcate, heteropolar pollen grains with a tectatecolumellate exine having distinctive lamellae inner to the foot-layer. Histochemical tests of Philydrum lanuginosum indicate an ektexinous exine composition. The aperture wall of all members of the family consists of a thick, 2-layered intine with exine absent or composed of scattered deposits. The inner intine layer is infused with numerous vesicular or channellike structures. Histochemical tests of Philydrum lanuginosum suggest that the outer intine layer is primarily cellulosic and the inner intine layer is pectic-rich, a trend opposite from that noted in pollen of other monocot taxa. Palynological similarities between the Philydraceae and related families, including monosulcate apertures and a tectate-columellate exine, are hypothe...
Reduced incidence of atrial fibrillation with minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass.

Abstract Background . Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a frequent complication after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence of postoperative AF after minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass (MIDCAB) in comparison with CABG. Methods . Between November 1995 and May 1997, 96 MIDCAB procedures were performed. During the same period, 42 patients underwent traditional single CABG using the left internal mammary artery graft (S-CABG). The incidence of in-hospital AF, defined as a sustained episode requiring treatment, was compared between the two groups. Results . There was no difference in age, ejection fraction, or preoperative risk score between the groups. The use of β-blockers before or after surgery was not different. The incidence of postoperative AF in the first 6 weeks after surgery was 4% (4 of 96) for MIDCAB and 28% (12 of 42) for S-CABG ( p = 0.003). Patients with postoperative AF were older than those without AF (AF 75.5 ± 13.2, non-AF 64.4 ± 10.9, p = 0.005). MIDCAB patients had a shorter hospital stay (4.0 ± 1.2 versus 7.0 ± 5.1 days, p Conclusions . The incidence of postoperative AF after single vessel bypass surgery is reduced to a very low level after MIDCAB in comparison with CABG.
The Role of Dual Entitlement and Equity Theories in Consumers' Formation of Fair Price Judgments: An Investigation Within a Business-to-Business Service Setting

ABSTRACT Fair price judgments are one type of reference price used by consumers in evaluating a seller's price. In this study, dual entitlement theory and equity theory were the two conceptual frameworks used to identify factors that may influence consumers fair price perceptions. Data collected from businesses purchasing a service was analyzed to investigate the relative influence of these factors. Knowledge of seller's costs, perceptions of product benefit, and prices of other competing products contributed to consumers' fair price perceptions, whereas prior year's price, perceived cost or sacrifice, and prices paid by other buyers were not influential. The relative importance of these factors in fair price judgments did not change when the pricing environment changed from regulated to deregulated.
Bridging the Mass-Interpersonal Divide Synthesis Scholarship in HCR

Despite tremendous progress in communication research and theory, the history of the communication field has been marked by theoretical fragmentation, identity crises, and disciplinary isolation. Human Communication Research (HCR) has provided a forum for research that strengthens the discipline's legacy of theory construction as well as discussions about theory development. An important contribution was a 1988 symposium, where leading scholars examined the “false dichotomy” between mass and interpersonal communication research. Although the philosophical discussion has continued, innovation in communication technologies have challenged the traditional definitions of mass and interpersonal communication by blurring many of the practical distinctions. This article assesses HCR's contribution to synthesis scholarship and compares it to similar efforts in other national journals. It also examines how new communication technologies are intensifying the need for scholars to construct theory that transcends outmoded levels of analysis. This important theoretical discussion is viewed as central to the future of the field during its next 25 years.
Employee Attitudes as a Function of Age and Length of Service: A Reconceptualization

The data reported here suggest: (1) a linear positive relationship between employee satisfaction and age, and (2) a linear negative relationship between employee satisfaction and length of service....
Layer‐by‐Layer Fabrication of Nanowire Sensitized Solar Cells: Geometry‐Independent Integration

Thin film solar cells that are low in cost but still reasonably efficient comprise an important strategy for reaching price-performance ratios competitive with fossil fuel electrical generation. Sensitized solar cells – most commonly dye but also semiconductor nanocrystal sensitized – are a thin film device option benefitting from lost cost material components and processing. Nanocrystal sensitized solar cells are predicted to outpace their dye-based counterparts, but suffer from limited availability of approaches for integrating the nano-sensitizers within a mesoporous oxide anode, which effectively limits the choice of sensitizer to those that are synthesized in situ or those that are easily incorporated into the oxide framework. The latter methods favor small, symmetric nanocrystals, while highly asymmetric semiconductors (e.g., nanowires, tetrapods, carbon nanotubes) have to date found limited utility in sensitized solar-cell devices, despite their promise as efficient solar energy converters. Here, a new strategy for solar cell fabrication is demonstrated that is independent of sensitizer geometry. Nanocrystal-sensitized solar cells are fabricated from either CdSe semiconductor quantum dots or nanowires with facile control over nanocrystal loading. Without substantial optimization and using low processing temperatures, efficiencies approaching 2% are demonstrated. Furthermore, the significance of a ‘geometry-independent’ fabrication strategy is shown by revealing that nanowires afford important advantages compared to quantum dots as sensitizers. For equivalent nanocrystal masses and otherwise identical devices, nanowire devices yield higher power conversion efficiencies, resulting from both enhanced light harvesting efficiencies for all overlapping wavelengths and internal quantum efficiencies that are more than double those obtained for quantum dot devices.
Herbivores affect natural selection for floral-sex ratio in a field population of horsenettle, Solanum carolinense

Although aspects of a plant's breeding system are generally believed to have evolved in response to selection for effective pollination, herbivores may also play a selective role. Here we report on a field experiment involving 960 transplanted ramets of the andromonoecious herb Solanum carolinense in which the pattern of natural selection for an important breeding-system trait was influenced by naturally occurring herbivores. As the level of flower and fruit herbivory increased, the pattern of selection on floral-sex ratio went from stabilizing (with an optimum of 29% male flowers), to directional toward a lower proportion of males, with the optimum bottoming at 0% male. This pattern of selection likely helped generate the broad-sense genetic correlation (r = 0.42) between floral-sex ratio and resistance to herbivory. These results contribute to the growing awareness that herbivores can be important influences not only on plant resistance traits, but also on the evolution of their hosts' breeding system.
Effect of Pethidine, Fentanyl and Morphine on Post‐Operative Shivering in Man

One hundred consecutive patients who shivered following general or regional anesthesia and a surgical procedure were randomly treated with 25 mg pethidine, 2.5 mg morphine, 25 micrograms fentanyl or sodium chloride 0.9%, given in equal intravenous volumes over a 15-min period. The effects were evaluated every 5 min after the first injection. There was a spontaneous, time-related disappearance of shivering in the sodium chloride-treated patients. In the pethidine-treated group, shivering disappeared more than twice as fast as in the control group. The difference was highly significant at 15 and 20 min (P less than 0.001) and was unrelated to weight, body temperature or duration of anesthesia. Women responded sooner than men, reaching significance at 10 min (P less than 0.05), while men did so only at 20 min. Morphine or fentanyl had no effect. Nausea and vomiting were minimal and of equal incidence in narcotic- and placebo-treated patients.
Multi-resolution modeling and locally refined collision detection for haptic interaction

The computational cost of a collision detection (CD) algorithm on polygonal surfaces depends highly on the complexity of the models. A novel "locally refined" approach is introduced in this paper for fast CD in haptic rendering applications, e.g. haptic surgery and haptic sculpture simulations. Exact interference detections are performed on proposed locally refined meshes, which are in multiresolution representation. The meshes are generated using mesh simplification and space partition. A new BVH algorithm called "active bounding tree", or AB-tree, handling collision queries is introduced. At runtime the meshes are dynamically refined to higher resolution in areas that are most likely to collide with other objects. The algorithms are successfully demonstrated in an interactive haptic environment. Compared to existing CD algorithms on single resolution models, noticeable performance improvement has been observed in terms of the precision of collision queries, frame rate, and memory usage.
Wall and ceiling protection for heating appliances

An evaluation was made of the effects of radiant heat transfer from hot stove and chimney pipes to unprotected and protected room walls and ceilings. Pipe surface temperatures were 350° C (662° F) for normal operation, and 400–450° C (752–842° F) to simulate overfire conditions. Unprotected ceilings at 457 mm (18 in.) clearance met code recommended temperature rise limits for normal operation, but protection was needed for overfire exposures. Some protected walls allowed for clearance reductions to 76 mm (3 in.) for all exposures, while others needed at least 304 mm (12 in.) for normal and 457 mm (18 in.) for overfire exposures.
Coplink center: social network analysis and identity deception detection for law enforcement and homeland security intelligence and security informatics: a crime data mining approach to developing border safe research

The goal of the COPLINK project is to develop information and knowledge management systems technologies and methodology appropriate for capturing, accessing, analyzing, visualizing, and sharing law enforcement related information. Continuing our pursuit of this goal, we have developed a framework for creating cross-jurisdictional Criminal Activity Networks for social network analysis, and have constructed a taxonomy of criminal identity resolution problems for detecting intentional identity deception and unintentional identity errors.
Managing the infected shoulder

Abstract Sepsis of the glenohumeral joint is a devastating event for both patient and surgeon alike. When it occurs in the face of an existing arthroplasty, the problem is magnified severalfold. The key steps in treating the septic shoulder include making the diagnosis and not delaying treatment. Such management requires the use of careful physical examination, laboratory tests, imaging studies, and clinical acumen. Once the diagnosis is made, early aggressive clean-out is indicated. In some cases this may be adequately handled arthroscopically with synovectomy and debridement or with formal arthrotomy, synovectomy, and debridement if there is any question that the more aggressive clean-out is needed. However, in the face of recurrence or when treatment has been delayed, management requires removal of the implants and foreign materials such as cement, debridement of all nonviable tissue, and insertion of an antibiotic prosthetic spacer as a first step in a staged exchange arthroplasty process.
Fault trees and imperfect coverage

A new algorithm is presented for solving the fault tree. The algorithm includes the dynamic behavior of the fault/error handling model but obviates the need for the Markov chain solution. As the state space is expanded in a breadth-first search (the same is done in the conversion to a Markov chain), the state's contribution to each future state is calculated exactly. A dynamic state truncation technique is also presented; it produces bounds on the unreliability of the system by considering only part of the state space. Since the model is solved as the state space is generated, the process can be stopped as soon as the desired accuracy is reached. >
Production of pyruvate by Candida albicans: proposed role in virulence

Proposed herein is a mechanism for virulence by Candida albicans based upon this organism's ability to produce high levels of pyruvate, potentially resulting in localized tissue ketosis and undermining the normal defensive function of neutrophil myeloperoxidase. Neutrophils, a key component of our innate defense against microbial infections, seem to play a particularly important role protecting us against fungal agents such as C. albicans. In this regard, it is myeloperoxidase which is central to many of the antimicrobial properties of neutrophils. We have previously shown that metabolic ketones inactivate myeloperoxidase and impair phagocytosis. Thus, production of pyruvate by C. albicans may indeed be a significant virulence factor.
Web Page Resources by Surgical Specialty

The Web pages cited here have been visited recently, and verification has been made prior to publication that the Web pages were up and running Like any commercial venture, however, some of these sites may no longer be in business.
Aquaporin-1 shifts the critical transmural pressure to compress the aortic intima and change transmural flow: theory and implications.

Aortic endothelial cell aquaporin-1 participates in transmural-pressure-driven water flow. This flow may affect the kinetics of lipid-vessel wall matrix binding that can trigger preatherosclerotic ...
EVALUATION OF FEEDER BUS SYSTEMS WITH PROBABILISTIC TIME - VARYING DEMANDS AND NONADDITIVE TIME COSTS

Optimal fixed-route conventional bus (CBS) and flexible-route subscription bus (SBS) systems are compared. The average cost, including operator and user costs, is defined as the objective function to be minimized. The decision variables are route spacing and vehicle size in CBS, but service area and vehicle size in SBS. The systems serve probabilistic demand that varies over a 10-h operating period with high demand in the morning and afternoon peak hours. Passengers are assumed to have nonadditive value of time. Average cost per trip is calculated for a numerical example designed to compare the suitability of a particular service under various demand conditions. For this particular example, the CBS provides the lower-cost service. However, the operator can further reduce the cost of daily operation by providing the CBS service in periods of high demand and operating the SBS during off-peak periods. In general, the threshold value of demand at which one system is more cost-effective than another is readily...
Control of Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor γ2 Stability and Activity by SUMOylation

Objective: To determine whether small ubiquitin-related modifier (SUMO)ylation of lysine 107 plays a role in regulating the activity of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ). Research Methods and Procedures: Transient expression of wild-type and K107R-PPARγ2 in the NIH 3T3 fibroblast cell line was carried out in conjunction with half-life studies, luciferase activity assays, and indirect immunofluorescence localization studies. Additional in vitro analysis was carried out using recombinant SUMOylation pathway proteins along with in vitro transcribed and translated wild-type or K107R-PPARγ2 to examine the SUMO-1 modification state of wild-type and SUMO-deficient K107R-PPARγ2. Results: While examining PPARγ2 for potential ubiquitylation sites, we identified a strong consensus site for SUMO modification that contains lysine 107. In vitro, SUMOylation studies showed that lysine 107 of PPARγ2 is a major SUMOylation site and that at least one other SUMOylation site is present in PPARγ. In addition, our results demonstrated that SUMO-1 affects PPARγ stability and transcriptional activity but not the nuclear localization of PPARγ. Discussion: These results indicated that SUMOylation plays a role in regulating PPARγ, both indirectly and directly by modification of lysine 107. Because PPARγ is regulated in numerous animal models of obesity, understanding the covalent modifications of PPARγ may enhance our understanding of the metabolic syndrome.
Did it happen? the pragmatic complexity of veridicality assessment

Natural language understanding depends heavily on assessing veridicality-whether events mentioned in a text are viewed as happening or not-but little consideration is given to this property in current relation and event extraction systems. Furthermore, the work that has been done has generally assumed that veridicality can be captured by lexical semantic properties whereas we show that context and world knowledge play a significant role in shaping veridicality. We extend the FactBank corpus, which contains semantically driven veridicality annotations, with pragmatically informed ones. Our annotations are more complex than the lexical assumption predicts but systematic enough to be included in computational work on textual understanding. They also indicate that veridicality judgments are not always categorical, and should therefore be modeled as distributions. We build a classifier to automatically assign event veridicality distributions based on our new annotations. The classifier relies not only on lexical features like hedges or negations, but also on structural features and approximations of world knowledge, thereby providing a nuanced picture of the diverse factors that shape veridicality. "All I know is what I read in the papers" -Will Rogers
What Sleeping Babies Hear: A Functional MRI Study of Interparental Conflict and Infants’ Emotion Processing

Experiences of adversity in the early years of life alter the developing brain. However, evidence documenting this relationship often focuses on severe stressors and relies on peripheral measures of neurobiological functioning during infancy. In the present study, we employed functional MRI during natural sleep to examine associations between a more moderate environmental stressor (nonphysical interparental conflict) and 6- to 12-month-old infants' neural processing of emotional tone of voice. The primary question was whether interparental conflict experienced by infants is associated with neural responses to emotional tone of voice, particularly very angry speech. Results indicated that maternal report of higher interparental conflict was associated with infants' greater neural responses to very angry relative to neutral speech across several brain regions implicated in emotion and stress reactivity and regulation (including rostral anterior cingulate cortex, caudate, thalamus, and hypothalamus). These findings suggest that even moderate environmental stress may be associated with brain functioning during infancy.
Genomic Organization of Nematode 4TM K+ Channelsa

Abstract As many as 50 genes in the C. elegans genome may encode K+ channels belonging to the novel structural class of two-pore (4TM) channels. Many 4TM channels can be grouped into channel subfamilies. We analyzed 4TM channels in C. elegans using methods made possible by having complete genomic sequence. Two genes were chosen for comprehensive analysis, n2P16 and n2P17. By comparing the pattern of conservation in genomic DNA sequences between C. elegans and a closely related species, C. briggsae, we were able to identify all coding regions and predict the gene structure for these two genes. Given the extent of the 4TM channel family, we were surprised to discover that n2P17 produced at least six alternative transcripts encoding a constant central region and variable amino- and carboxyl-termini. Blocks of highly conserved DNA sequences in noncoding regions were also apparent and most likely confer important regulatory functions. The interspecies comparison of the deduced channel proteins revealed that the extracellular loop between M1 and P1 is an apparent hot spot for evolutionary change in both channels. This contrasts with the membrane-spanning domains that are highly conserved. Analysis of intron positions for 36 channels revealed that introns are frequently present at an identical position within the pore region, but very few are located in membrane-spanning domains.
Sequential Rank Tests with Repeated Measurements in Clinical Trials

Abstract For comparing responses in two groups of subjects observed repeatedly, we propose a group sequential procedure based on linear rank statistics. The asymptotic normality of the sequentially computed linear rank statistics is obtained, and construction of the group sequential boundaries is based on this distribution theory. By virtue of this asymptotic approximation, the proposed procedure can be applied to interim analyses with either continuous or discrete repeated measurements. Even for staggered patient entry, simulation results suggest the theory is approximately correct. It can also be useful for testing the equality of two changes and rates of change, as well as the equality of two means of the responses. This procedure is illustrated with a real example.
Degradation of Host MicroRNAs by Poxvirus Poly(A) Polymerase Reveals Terminal RNA Methylation as a Protective Antiviral Mechanism

SUMMARY The life cycle of several viruses involves host or virally encoded small noncoding RNAs, which play important roles in posttranscriptional regulation. Small noncoding RNAs include microRNAs (miRNAs), which modulate the transcriptome, and small interfering RNAs (siRNAs), which are involved in pathogen defense in plants, worms, and insects. We show that insect and mammalian poxviruses induce the degradation of host miRNAs. The virally encoded poly(A) polymerase, which polyadenylates viral transcripts, also mediates 3 0 polyadenylation of host miRNAs, resulting in their degradation by the host machinery. In contrast, siRNAs, which are protected by 2 0 O-methylation (2 0 OMe), were not targeted by poxviruses. These findings suggest that poxviruses may degrade host miRNAs to promote replication and that virus-mediated small RNA degradation likely contributed to 2 0 OMe evolution.
Investigating muscle regeneration with a dermis/small intestinal submucosa scaffold in a rat full‐thickness abdominal wall defect model

Repair of large complex ventral wall hernias is challenging and outcomes are often poor due to hernia recurrence and compromised abdominal wall function. Currently, biological grafts are used to assist in repairing these complex hernias. Dermis grafts are often chosen because of their mechanical characteristics; however, dermis does not have the ability to promote the muscle regeneration needed to regain abdominal wall function. In contrast, small intestinal submucosa (SIS) grafts have been shown to promote muscle generation in volumetric muscle loss (VML) models. Hence, the objective of this study is to investigate the extent to which SIS grafts can be used together with dermis grafts to repair and promote muscle regeneration in a full-thickness abdominal wall defect in a rat model. The dermis layer is intended to mechanically bridge the defect and support constructive tissue remodeling while the SIS is intended to degrade and promote neo-muscle formation. After 16 weeks of implantation, we found only a small amount of vascularized muscle (<10% of the defect area) in the repaired defects. No significant difference in defect muscle area was found between the groups receiving the dermis + SIS scaffolds and the control (dermis alone) group. Our findings indicate that the SIS constructions investigated could not promote appreciable muscle regeneration in this rigorous animal model of VML and incomplete abdominal closure. Future investigation into combination scaffold, cell and molecular therapies would be warranted to address the need for functional muscle regeneration in challenging clinical conditions such as complex abdominal wall repair. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 103B: 355–364, 2015.
MBA Student And Alumni Ratings Of Critical Skills In Graduate Business Programs

Newly matriculating MBAs, recent MBA graduates, and MBA alumni were surveyed with respect to program and curriculum issues and opinions concerning nine skills deemed to be critical for graduate business education. At the time of matriculation, MBA students were surveyed concerning how important the skills were to them. The students were also surveyed immediately after graduation, and asked how successful the program had been in developing these skills. The final analysis group was MBA alumni who were asked to identify the most improved and most important skills. Between-group comparisons of results concerning these nine skills will be presented along with other results reflecting evaluations of program attributes.
Pairing properties of cross-ranked multivariate incidence and intensity distributions

Sequentially ordered placement of cross-ranks is used to explore evidence of strong structure in multivariate distributions of incidence and/or intensity variates. Cross-ranking consists of ranking the ranks in observational rows after first ranking the values in column variates. Strong structure is viewed as being expressed in conditionally conjunctive characteristics of joint distribution for variates. Such structure can be internal to the data matrix and/or external as arrangement in space or on a network. In exploration of a study situation involving ecological conservation characteristics, the pairing properties of placements for cross-ranks reveal strong structure that is both internal to the data matrix and external as geographic clustering but not immediately evident from conventional rank correlations. The R statistical software system is used for analysis, and special R functions are included.
Fructose-induced increases in expression of intestinal fructolytic and gluconeogenic genes are regulated by GLUT5 and KHK

Marked increases in fructose consumption have been tightly linked to metabolic diseases. One-third of ingested fructose is metabolized in the small intestine, but the underlying mechanisms regulating expression of fructose-metabolizing enzymes are not known. We used genetic mouse models to test the hypothesis that fructose absorption via glucose transporter protein, member 5 (GLUT5), metabolism via ketohexokinase (KHK), as well as GLUT5 trafficking to the apical membrane via the Ras-related protein in brain 11a (Rab11a)-dependent endosomes are required for the regulation of intestinal fructolytic and gluconeogenic enzymes. Fructose feeding increased the intestinal mRNA and protein expression of these enzymes in the small intestine of adult wild-type (WT) mice compared with those gavage fed with lysine or glucose. Fructose did not increase expression of these enzymes in the GLUT5 knockout (KO) mice. Blocking intracellular fructose metabolism by KHK ablation also prevented fructose-induced upregulation. Glycolytic hexokinase I expression was similar between WT and GLUT5- or KHK-KO mice and did not vary with feeding solution. Gavage feeding with the fructose-specific metabolite glyceraldehyde did not increase enzyme expression, suggesting that signaling occurs before the hydrolysis of fructose to three-carbon compounds. Impeding GLUT5 trafficking to the apical membrane using intestinal epithelial cell-specific Rab11a-KO mice impaired fructose-induced upregulation. KHK expression was uniformly distributed along the villus but was localized mainly in the basal region of the cytosol of enterocytes. The feedforward upregulation of fructolytic and gluconeogenic enzymes specifically requires GLUT5 and KHK and may proactively enhance the intestine's ability to process anticipated increases in dietary fructose concentrations.
Distributed Energy Storage Control for Optimal Adoption of Solar Energy in Residential Networks

Environmental concerns, global warming and fossil fuel prices are creating a shift in the expectations of consumers and industries to move toward renewable energy resources. However, the inability to control the output of renewable resources, like wind and solar, results in operational challenges in power systems. The operational challenges of renewable resources can be met by energy storage systems. The energy storage systems scheduling can be used to control the effect of intermittent renewable energy resources. Furthermore, energy storage systems can be used for ancillary services, peak reduction, and mitigating contingencies in the distribution and transmission networks [1]. Distributed photovoltaic (DPV) rooftop panels are considered as renewable energy resources in this paper. Depending on the DPV size and solar irradiation, DPV adoption can create problems for the distribution network. In addition, utility companies have to pay different prices for electricity during different times of the day due to the dynamic electricity market. Therefore, the DPV adoption can be controlled with the help of real-time electricity price and the load profile. Facing these challenges, this paper presents an operational optimization algorithm for a Distributed Energy Storage (DES) system. The DES system presents a fleet of batteries connected to distribution transformers. The DES can be used for withholding DPV power before it is bid into the market. Withholding DPV generation represents a gaming method to realize higher revenues due to the time varying cost of electricity. Energy storage systems may be used to control DPV power variation and thus help distribution network operations
Activation of Mitochondrial SK Channels in Cardiomyocytes Derived from Hypertrophic Hearts Attenuates Ca2+-Dependent Arrhythmia by Reducing Mitochondrial ROS Production Thereby Stabilizing RyRs

Small conductance Ca2+-activated K+ (SK) channels were recently discovered in mitochondria inner membrane. Activation of these voltage-independent channels was found to be protective against ischemia-reperfusion injury by reducing intracellular levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Considering submicromolar [Ca2+] sensitivity of SKs we hypothesized that these channels may play an important role in cardiac hypertrophy. To investigate the role of mSK channels in cardiac hypertrophy we used a rat model of pressure-overload induced by ligation of ascending aorta (TAB). Using confocal Ca2+ imaging and patch-clamp we found that inhibition of SK channels with cell-permeable inhibitor UCL-1468 (1 uM) increased frequency of spontaneous Ca2+ waves (SCWs) and delayed afterdepolarizations (DADs) in TAB ventricular myocytes (TCMs). Conversely, membrane-permeable SK enhancer CyPPA (10 uM) attenuated pro-arrhythmic SCWs and DADs in TCMs. Furthermore, inhibition of mSKs enhanced; and activation reduced ROS production by mitochondria in TCMs measured with MitoSox. Monobromobimane assay demonstrated that increased oxidation of ryanodine receptors (RyRs) in TCMs was reversed by CyPPA. Experiments in permeabilized myocytes showed that CyPPA was unable to completely reverse increase in spark frequency in TCMs. However, incubation of TCMs with CyPPA restored SR Ca2+ content, suggestive of substantial improvement in RyR function. Optical mapping experiments of TAB hearts using dual Ca2+ and membrane potential imaging revealed that incubation with membrane-permeable SK activator NS309 (2 uM) improved aberrant Ca2+ homeostasis and abolished DADs and VT/VF induced by beta-adrenergic stimulation. These data suggest that pharmacological activation of mSK channels in hypertrophy protects from Ca2+-dependent arrhythmia via reduction of mitochondrial ROS, and thereby reduction of oxidized RyR leading to its stabilization.
Stochastic Predictive Boundary Management for a Hybrid Powertrain

Hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) are capable of improving fuel economy with reduced emissions over traditional vehicles powered only by the internal combustion (IC) engine. HEV durability is often significantly limited by the useful life of the battery, and battery life can be significantly reduced if the battery is often operated outside its allowed discharging/charging limits. This could occur particularly at extremely low temperature, leading to permanent damage and reduced useful life of the battery. To reduce battery overdischarging duration for extended battery life, this paper proposes a stochastic predictive boundary management (SPBM) strategy to proactively make the engine power available to the powertrain based on the predicted torque requirement and its prediction error variance. The effectiveness of the proposed SPBM is validated in simulations, and its performance is compared with the baseline power follower control strategy (PFCS) and predictive boundary management (PBM) under five typical driving cycles with selected initial battery temperature. The simulation results show that the proposed control strategy dramatically reduces the battery overdischarging energy under all five typical driving cycles over both PFCS and PBM, where the average reduction is 82% under aggressive US06 and ARB02 driving cycles, 67% under NYCC and FTP driving cycles, and 37% under the IM240 highway driving cycle. Note that the adaptive prediction and its error variance can be calculated in real time with fairly low computational load.
SU-F-R-14: PET Based Radiomics to Predict Outcomes in Patients with Hodgkin Lymphoma

Purpose: To identify PET-based radiomics features associated with high refractory/relapsed disease risk for Hodgkin lymphoma patients. Methods: A total of 251 Hodgkin lymphoma patients including 19 primary refractory and 9 relapsed patients were investigated. All patients underwent an initial pre-treatment diagnostic FDG PET/CT scan. All cancerous lymph node regions (ROIs) were delineated by an experienced physician based on thresholding each volume of disease in the anatomical regions to SUV>2.5. We extracted 122 image features and evaluated the effect of ROI selection (the largest ROI, the ROI with highest mean SUV, merged ROI, and a single anatomic region [e.g. mediastinum]) on classification accuracy. Random forest was used as a classifier and ROC analysis was used to assess the relationship between selected features and patient's outcome status. Results: Each patient had between 1 and 9 separate ROIs, with much intra-patient variability in PET features. The best model, which used features from a single anatomic region (the mediastinal ROI, only volumes>5cc: 169 patients with 12 primary refractory) had a classification accuracy of 80.5% for primary refractory disease. The top five features, based on Gini index, consist of shape features (max 3D-diameter and volume) and texture features (correlation and information measure of correlation1&2). In the ROC analysis, sensitivity and specificity of the best model were 0.92 and 0.80, respectively. The area under the ROC (AUC) and the accuracy were 0.86 and 0.86, respectively. The classification accuracy was less than 60% for other ROI models or when ROIs less than 5cc were included. Conclusion: This study showed that PET-based radiomics features from the mediastinal lymph region are associated with primary refractory disease and therefore may play an important role in predicting outcomes in Hodgkin lymphoma patients. These features could be additive beyond baseline tumor and clinical characteristics, and may warrant more aggressive treatment.
Exploring the relationship between cortical GABA concentrations, auditory gamma‐band responses and development in ASD: Evidence for an altered maturational trajectory in ASD

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is hypothesized to arise from imbalances between excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmission (E/I imbalance). Studies have demonstrated E/I imbalance in individuals with ASD and also corresponding rodent models. One neural process thought to be reliant on E/I balance is gamma-band activity (Gamma), with support arising from observed correlations between motor, as well as visual, Gamma and underlying GABA concentrations in healthy adults. Additionally, decreased Gamma has been observed in ASD individuals and relevant animal models, though the direct relationship between Gamma and GABA concentrations in ASD remains unexplored. This study combined magnetoencephalography (MEG) and edited magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) in 27 typically developing individuals (TD) and 30 individuals with ASD. Auditory cortex localized phase-locked Gamma was compared to resting Superior Temporal Gyrus relative cortical GABA concentrations for both children/adolescents and adults. Children/adolescents with ASD exhibited significantly decreased GABA+/Creatine (Cr) levels, though typical Gamma. Additionally, these children/adolescents lacked the typical maturation of GABA+/Cr concentrations and gamma-band coherence. Furthermore, children/adolescents with ASD additionally failed to exhibit the typical GABA+/Cr to gamma-band coherence association. This altered coupling during childhood/adolescence may result in Gamma decreases observed in the adults with ASD. Therefore, individuals with ASD exhibit improper local neuronal circuitry maturation during a childhood/adolescence critical period, when GABA is involved in configuring of such circuit functioning. Provocatively a novel line of treatment is suggested (with a critical time window); by increasing neural GABA levels in children/adolescents with ASD, proper local circuitry maturation may be restored resulting in typical Gamma in adulthood. Autism Res 2017, 10: 593-607. © 2016 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Nitrogen Content and Isotopic Composition of Spanish Moss (Tillandsia usneoides L.): Reactive Nitrogen Variations and Source Implications Across an Urban Coastal Air Shed

In order to assess the use of Spanish moss (Tillandsia usneoides L.) as a biomonitor for atmospheric reactive nitrogen (Nr), T. usneoides samples were collected in urban Wilmington, NC, USA and at a remote barrier island 30 km away (Bald Head Island, NC, USA), and were analyzed for N content and δ15N. The mean urban N content (n = 64) was 0.8 ± 0.5 % whereas the island samples (n = 4) mean was 0.1 ± 0.04 %. δ15N values for Wilmington samples ranged from −13.9 to +23.6‰ (mean = −2.2 ± 9.3‰) while δ15N for island samples (n = 4) ranged from −12.4 to −9.8‰ (mean = −11.2 ± 1.1‰). Both the N content and δ15N values in the urban air shed were significantly higher than those at the barrier island due to urban anthropogenic Nr emissions including inputs from vehicles. δ15N of T. usneoides was correlated with road density, and δ15N values at a road transect decreased with distance from the road, indicating the importance of vehicle emissions as a source of Nr to urban ecosystems. A 3.5 kg ha−1y−1 bulk N deposition rate was estimated for the air shed using average T. usneoides N content (0.8 %) and a previously developed model relating N content in European moss from 16 countries to bulk N deposition. This deposition is remarkably similar to the N deposition rate (3.19 kg ha−1y−1) measured by the U.S. EPA Clean Air Status and Trends Network at the nearest coastal collection site. This suggests the relationship between European moss N content and bulk N deposition is also true for T. usneoides in the southeastern USA and underscores the efficacy of this method. Results presented here are significant because they indicate that T. usneoides can be used as an effective and inexpensive biomonitor for atmospheric N deposition.
Activation of DR3 Signaling Expands Recipient Derived Regulatory T Cells and Enhances Donor Immune Reconstitution Derived from Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cells

Abstract CD4+ Foxp3+ regulatory T cells (Treg) are a subpopulation of T cells which regulate the immune system, maintain the tolerance of self-antigens and enhance immune tolerance after transplantation. It was also reported that recipient derived Treg could provide immune privilege to allogeneic stem cells (HSC) after transplantation. However, the precise interaction with Treg and HSC has not been fully elucidated. In this study, we investigated the role of recipient derived Treg in the engraftment and immune reconstitution following transplantation of purified allogeneic HSC and the effectiveness of Treg expansion following activation of DR3 (Death receptor 3, also called as TNFRSF25) signaling in this model. We first tested the effect of Treg depletion using Foxp3-DTR mice in allogeneic HSC transplantation. In this system, FACS-sorted purified HSC (Lin-cKit+Sca1+ population) derived from WT-FVB mice (CD45.1+/H2kq+) were injected into lethally irradiated B6-Foxp3-DTR mice (CD45.2+/H2kb+) with or without pre-treatment of diphtheria toxin (DT). On day 0 and day 28 after transplantation decreased frequencies of Foxp3+ cells in residual recipient derived CD4+ T cells were observed in peripheral blood from the DT treated mice (P DR3 is a member of the TNF receptor superfamily and we previously reported the expansion of Treg by the activation of this signaling pathway (Kim et al, ASH abstract 2013). We next tested whether activation of DR3 signaling by its agonistic antibody would affect the donor immune reconstitution after allogeneic HSC transplantation. The frequencies of Foxp3+ cells in CD4+ T cells were significantly increased in thymus, spleen, peripheral blood, and bone marrow 4 days after antibody injection (P The mice treated with antibody on day -4 were transplanted with purified allogeneic HSC on day 0. Antibody treated mice showed a higher frequency of donor derived CD4+ T cells (P In summary, our data suggest that recipient derived CD4+Foxp3+ Treg play an important role in donor immune reconstitution and the activation of DR3 signaling in recipient mice enhances donor immune reconstitution by expansion of recipient derived Treg. H.N and BS-K contributed equally to this work. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Sustainable Fisheries Production: Management Challenges and Implications for Coastal Poverty

Wild-caught fisheries and aquaculture constitute a critical sector for fishing communities and developing coastal economies throughout the world. They contribute a nominal value of $170 billion to the global economy, while supporting the livelihoods of an estimated 520 million people (FAO 2008). While a significant portion of the value of production is through large-scale or high-value stocks such as tuna, shrimp, and anchovy, demographically, 90% of all fishermen work at a small scale and live in developing countries (McClanahan et al. 2008; World Bank 2008). At the household level, fisheries provide not only significant employment income but also critical food security as the main source of protein for numerous small island states and coastal countries such as Bangladesh, Cambodia, Equatorial Guinea, French Guiana, the Gambia, Ghana, Indonesia, and Sierra Leone (FAO 2008). On a national scale, fishery contribution to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) ranges from around 0.5% to 2.5%, but may be as much as 7% in some coastal countries, such as Senegal, and upwards of 20% on small Pacific islands (Zeller et al. 2007).
Beyond the Arab–Israeli Conflict Ecosystem

In this chapter, Szekely explores the broader theoretical implications of the contrasts generated by the cases of the Palestine Liberation Organization, Amal, Hizbullah, and Hamas. The chapter engages with themes such as the unintended consequences of military proxyhood, the role of militant groups in shaping ethno-political divisions, and the overlap and interaction between the strategies discussed throughout the book. To explore the broader implications of the theory, Szekely then turns to the emerging Syrian–Iraqi conflict ecosystem, with a focus on the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, as a means of demonstrating its predictive and analytical power beyond the Arab–Israeli conflict.
Abstract 287: Oxidative Stress Modulates Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Phenotype via Connective Tissue Growth Factor in Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm

Rationale. Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm (TAA) is characterized by a dysregulation of cellular and extracellular components of the aortic wall which contribute to the weakening of the ascending aorta. Oxidative stress has long been implicated in the pathogenesis of aneurysms for its role in inducing cellular apoptosis and matrix degradation. However, the link between oxidative stress and TAA formation remains to be firmly established. Connective Tissue Growth Factor (CTGF) regulates matrix biosynthesis as well as Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells (VSMC) proliferation and apoptosis. We hypothesized that Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS), modulated by altered hemodynamic conditions, could regulate VSMC phenotype and matrix composition via CTGF, affecting - in turn - the aortic tissue structure. Methods. Finite element analysis (FEA) based on computed tomography geometries was used to estimate wall stress in control and TAA patients. In vitro and ex vivo studies on human tissues and isolated VSMC were used to demonstrate the correlation between ROS, CTGF, and VSMC synthetic phenotype in TAA development. Results were validated in vivo by a murine model of TAA based on Angiotensin II (AngII) infusion. Results. TAA patients have higher wall stress in the ascending aorta than non-dilated patients. High aortic wall stress is associated with increased levels of ROS, media degeneration and accumulation of synthetic VSMCs in TAA tissues. ROS directly induce CTGF expression, which modulates synthetic VSMC phenotype in human isolated cells. ROS effect is reverted in vitro either using a neutralizing antibody against CTGF or by antioxidant administration. In AngII- induced TAA in mice, medial thickening and luminal expansion of the proximal aorta are associated with ROS accumulation, CTGF up-regulation and VSMC with a synthetic phenotype as seen in human specimens. Conclusions. Increased peak wall stress correlates with change in VSMCs towards a synthetic phenotype mediated by ROS accumulation via CTGF. Understanding the molecular mechanisms that regulate VSMCs towards a synthetic phenotype could unveil new regulatory pathways for aortic homeostasis and identify new therapeutic targets for patients at risk of aortic dissection and rupture.