cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
SEX DIFFERENCES IN SPACE USE OF CHIRICAHUA FOX SQUIRRELS

Sex differences in reproductive investment influence space use patterns of many animals. In polygynous mammals, male space use reflects distribution of females and female space use reflects relative distribution of food. We used radiotelemetry to examine seasonal patterns of home-range size, overlap, and distance traveled by male and female Chiricahua fox squirrels (Sciurus nayaritensis chiricahuae) from 2002 to 2003. Male and female home-range and core-area size varied little between nonmating and mating seasons. Female core areas had a greater percentage overlap by males than by females during mating and nonmating seasons. Males traveled farther in the mating season and females showed little variation between seasons. Extreme spatial and temporal fluctuations of food experienced by Chiricahua fox squirrels may result in space use patterns that differ from those of tree squirrels living in forests with a greater abundance of food.
Dynamically-expressed prion-like proteins form a cuticle in the pharynx of Caenorhabditis elegans

In molting animals, a cuticular extracellular matrix forms the first barrier to infection and other environmental insults. In the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans there are two types of cuticle: a well-studied collagenous cuticle lines the body, and a poorly-understood chitinous cuticle lines the pharynx. In the posterior end of the pharynx is the grinder, a tooth-like cuticular specialization that crushes food prior to transport to the intestine for digestion. We here show that the grinder increases in size only during the molt. To gain molecular insight into the structure of the grinder and pharyngeal cuticle, we performed a microarray analysis to identify mRNAs increased during the molt. We found strong transcriptional induction during the molt of 12 of 15 previously identified abu genes encoding Prion-like (P) glutamine (Q) and asparagine (N) rich PQN proteins, as well as 15 additional genes encoding closely related PQN proteins. abu/pqn genes, which we name the abu/pqn paralog group (APPG) genes, were expressed in pharyngeal cells and the proteins encoded by two APPG genes we tested localized to the pharyngeal cuticle. Deleting the APPG gene abu-14 caused abnormal pharyngeal cuticular structures and knocking down other APPG genes resulted in abnormal cuticular function. We propose that APPG proteins promote the assembly and function of a unique cuticular structure. The strong developmental regulation of the APPG genes raises the possibility that such genes would be identified in transcriptional profiling experiments in which the animals' developmental stage is not precisely staged.
De novo hypokalemia in incident peritoneal dialysis patients: a 1-year observational study

Hypokalemia occurs frequently in patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis (PD). However, the therapeutic strategy may differ from that of non-PD-related hypokalemia. We investigated clinical features and related factors of de novo hypokalemia in incident PD patients. We retrospectively enrolled 82 normokalemic patients starting PD at Gachon University Gil Hospital, Korea. The patients were divided into hypokalemia (K(+)<3.5 mEq/L) and normokalemia (3.5 mEq/L≤K(+)<5.5 mEq/L) groups based on the plasma potassium levels at month 13, and then clinical parameters including peritoneal function and adequacy tests and biochemical parameters were compared. Eight patients who showed hyperkalemia (K(+)≥5.5 mEq/L) at month 13 were excluded from our analyses. The incidence of hypokalemia in PD patients was 7.3% in a year. The de novo hypokalemia (n=6) and normokalemia (n=68) groups had no significant differences in baseline characteristics. The serum albumin levels and normalized protein equivalent of nitrogen appearance (nPNA) at month 1 were not significantly different between the two groups. At month 13, on the other hand, serum albumin levels and nPNA were significantly lower in the hypokalemia group (P=0.014; P=0.006, respectively). Kt/Vurea, residual renal function, dialysate-peritoneal creatinine ratio, and glucose load were not significantly different between the two groups. Hypokalemia occurring after initiation of PD may largely be associated with poor nutritional status.
Haematopoietic leptin receptor deficiency does not affect macrophage accumulation in adipose tissue or systemic insulin sensitivity

The adipokine leptin is primarily produced by white adipose tissue (AT) and is a potent monocyte/macrophage chemoattractant in vitro. The long form of the leptin receptor (LepR) is required for monocyte/macrophage chemotaxis towards leptin. In this study, we examined the effects of haematopoietic LepR as well as LepR with C-C chemokine receptor 2 (CCR2) deficiency (double knockout (DKO)) on macrophage recruitment to AT after two different periods of high fat diet (HFD) feeding. Briefly, 8-week-old C57BL/6 mice were transplanted with bone marrow (BM) from Lepr(+/+), Lepr(-/-) or DKO donors (groups named BM-Lepr(+/+), BM-Lepr(-/-) and BM-DKO respectively), and were placed on an HFD for 6 or 12 weeks. At the end of the study, macrophage infiltration and the inflammatory state of AT were evaluated by real-time RT-PCR, histology and flow cytometry. In addition, glucose and insulin tolerance were assessed at both time points. Our results showed no differences in macrophage accumulation or AT inflammatory state between the BM-Lepr(+/+) and BM-Lepr(-/-) mice after 6 or 12 weeks of HFD feeding; any effects observed in the BM-DKO were attributed to the haematopoietic deficiency of CCR2. In addition, no changes in glucose or insulin tolerance were observed between groups after either period of HFD feeding. Our findings suggest that although leptin is a potent chemoattractant in vitro, haematopoietic LepR deficiency does not affect macrophage accumulation in AT in early to moderate stages of diet-induced obesity.
Modeling and Experimental Identification of Silicon Microheater Dynamics: A Systems Approach

Microfabricated silicon cantilevers with integrated heating elements are powerful tools for manipulation and interrogation at the nanoscale. They can be used for highly localized heating of surfaces and also serve as electrothermal probes such as topography and position sensors. A thorough understanding of the dynamics of these heating elements is essential for an effective design and operation of such devices. In this paper, we present a tractable feedback model that captures the dynamics of these microheaters. The operator model separates the thermal and the electrical response of the microheater into two operators, with a linear dynamic operator mapping the applied electrical power to the heater temperature and a second nonlinear but memoryless operator mapping the heater temperature to the electrical resistance. We present experimental results that show the identification of a write heater used in probe-based thermomechanical data storage and the accurate synthesis of arbitrary temperature profiles. In the application of microheaters as electrothermal probes, the signals being measured are believed to perturb the thermal system. Therefore, an extension of our model is presented to analyze the response to this perturbation. The extended model is used to identify and forecast the performance of electrothermal sensors, such as the read heater in probe-based data storage. Also presented are results on thermal position sensors, in which microheaters are employed as nanoscale position sensors for a MEMS-based microscanner.
Combination of hook plate and tibial pro-fibular screw fixation of osteoporotic fractures: a clinical evaluation of operative strategy.

Background: Internal fixation of osteoporotic ankle fractures is technically difficult and may fail because of unreliable purchase. This study was undertaken to determine if a combination of a hook...
Dual polarized RCS grazing angle characteristics of internal gravity waves

Grazing angle dependencies of radar cross section (RCS) are shown to differ for horizontally (HH) and vertically (VV) polarized X-band marine radar sea scatter from internal gravity wave (IGW) spatial modulations. For these internal gravity waves, observed off the coast of North Carolina, an IGW crest-to-trough modulation of 30-dB is observed at HH at 1/spl deg/, but only 10 dB at VV. The HH RCS decreases with increasing grazing angle, roughly to the minus one power, whereas VV RCS increases as for the composite model, but only to the first power. The HH/VV RCS ratio is 10 dB at 1/spl deg/, again opposite that expected from the two scale model, and decreases to -10 dB at 10/spl deg/ grazing. The two scale model with wave-current modulation of short waves by wave-current interaction predicts a decrease in modulation as grazing is approached, opposite the results presented. The authors suggest an influence of wave breaking radar scatter sources to explain these internal wave results, similar to arguments made for breaking wave scatter occurring near fronts.
Maternal and Offspring Dopamine D4 Receptor Genotypes Interact to Influence Juvenile Impulsivity in Vervet Monkeys

The merging of psychological and genetic methodologies has led to an increasing appreciation of environmental moderators of the relationships between genotype and phenotype. Here we used a nonhuman-primate model to study the moderating effect of the mother’s genotype on the association of a dopamine D4 receptor (DRD4) gene polymorphism with juvenile impulsivity, assessed in a standardized social-challenge test. The results showed that juvenile carriers of the rare 5-repeat variant of the exon III 48-base-pair repeat polymorphism scored significantly higher in social impulsivity than juveniles homozygous for the common 6-repeat allele. In addition, juvenile genotype interacted with maternal genotype to influence impulsivity, with the highest rates of impulsivity found in variant offspring with variant mothers. These results highlight the importance of considering the genotype of the parents in studies of early experience and vulnerability genes for impulsivity-related traits.
PCC for Warfarin Reversal in High Risk Pediatric Cardiac Transplantation

s S313 Conclusion: The risk of thrombosis after anticoagulation reversal in our cohort of CF-LVAD patients was acceptably low.
Theory of Sparse Coprime Sensing in Multiple Dimensions

Coprime sampling and coprime sensor arrays have been introduced recently for the one-dimensional (1-D) case, and applications in beamforming and direction finding discussed. A pair of coprime arrays can be used to sample a wide-sense stationary signal sparsely, and then reconstruct the autocorrelation at a significantly denser set of points. All applications based on autocorrelation (e.g., spectrum and DOA estimation) benefit from this property. It was also shown in the past that coprimality can be exploited in the frequency domain by using a pair of coprime DFT filter banks, to produce the effect of a much denser tiling in the frequency domain, compared to what the two filter banks can individually achieve. This paper extends these ideas to multiple dimensions. In the 1-D case the samples or sensors lie on a pair of uniform grids, whereas in the multidimensional case, they lie on a pair of multidimensional lattices, not necessarily rectangular. This makes the developments mathematically more intricate. First several properties of coarrays of lattices are derived. It is shown how one can get dense coarrays from sparse arrays on non rectangular lattices. This requires that the lattice generating matrices M and N be commuting and coprime (to be defined). Multidimensional DFT filter banks for applications such as beamforming, with commuting coprime lattice arrays, are then described, and it is shown that a very dense tiling of the frequency plane can be obtained from the two sparse lattice arrays. A particular family of commuting coprime matrices called adjugate pairs are considered in some detail, and shown to have attractive properties. A brief review of the 1-D case is included at the beginning for convenience.
Multitarget Tracking in Distributed Sensor Networks

In this article, a survey of techniques for tracking multiple targets in distributed sensor networks is provided and introduce some recent developments. The single target tracking in distributed sensor networks is reviewed. The tracking and resource management issues can be readily extended to MTT. The MTT problem is also briefly reviewed and describe the traditional approaches in centralized systems. Then focus on MTT in resource-constrained sensor networks and present two distinct example methods demonstrating how limited resources can be utilized in MTT applications. Finally, the most important remaining problems are discussed and suggest future directions
Here Begins the Fourth Chapter on the Subtraction of Lesser Numbers from Greater Numbers

However when one will wish to subtract one number from another, then he writes the lesser number beneath the greater, locating similar places below similar, and he begins to subtract the first figure in the lesser number from the first in the greater; and he puts the excess of the number over the first figures. And next he subtracts from the second, and he puts the difference above the second, and the third above the third. And the differences of the others in order, always putting the differences. And when the subtraction is not valid for the figure of the lesser number from the figure of the same place of the greater number for the reason that the figure in the lesser number will be larger than the figure in the same place in the greater number, then the figure of the greater number is added with the tens, and from the sum of the numbers, the figure of the lesser number will be subtracted. And for the sum with the said tens the units will be kept in hand. And for the following figure of the lesser number above added and built quantities of the upper figure of the same place, if it is made possible, will be subtracted, but however from the added tens, as we said above, it is subtracted; and thus up to the last figure of the lesser number operating by steps; and if the greater number is less in the place above the figure showing in the same place, it will be put in the end. And thus will be had the difference of any subtracted numbers.
Gonzalez v. Oregon: The Assisted Suicide of Chevron Deference

In The Assisted Suicide of Chevron Deference, Professor Wagner argues that the Supreme Court's decision in Gonzalez v. Oregon has continued the Court's trend of weakening the policymaking power and political accountability of administrative agencies. He contends that the Court's new federalism, which is more supportive of states' rights and more restrictive of federal power, has advanced judicial control of policymaking, particularly the assisted suicide movement.
Magnetic structure of antiferromagnetic MnCl/sub 2/. 4H/sub 2/O

The magnetic structure of monoclinic Mn${\mathrm{Cl}}_{2}$ \ifmmode\cdot\else\textperiodcentered\fi{}4${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$O has been determined by analysis of neutron-diffraction data on single crystals. A collinear antiferromagnetic structure was found in which the magnetic and crystallographic unit cells were the same. The ${\mathrm{Mn}}^{++}$ spins were found to point neither along the $c$ axis nor along the ${c}^{\ensuremath{'}}$ axis (perpendicular to the $\mathrm{ab}$ plane), but in a direction intermediate between the two.
An evaluation of U.S. consumer perceptions of controversial global sourcing practices

Global sourcing has led to lower cost and more effective supply chains for many companies. However, when the cost-driven practices of many suppliers in these chains come to light there is often con...
Application of the Grey Clustering Method to Assessing the Eutrophication of Shengzhong Reservoir

Reservoir water environment is a grey system. Applying the grey clustering method to assessing the eutrophication of reservoir water is to establish a comparatively perfect model for reservoir eutrophication evaluation and give a sound assessment of the quality of reservoir water, thus, providing a ground for reservoir management. Taking ShengZhong Reservoir of Sichuan Province as the subject and selecting evaluation indices by referring to China's lakes and reservoirs eutrophication criteria and the characteristics of reservoir eutrophication, dividing the eutrophication into six categories and using the whitenization weight function to describe its grading sideline and determine the clustering weights, coefficients and their grades of the corresponding indices in the grey system, a comprehensive evaluation model was established in our study .Through the analysis of the data form several representative monitoring points in ShengZhong Reservoir region in 2006, the findings indicated that eutrophication in such places as Tiebian Hydropouer Station, Guoyuanchang and Dashiqiao comed the most, with Tielushi and Qinggangya secondary, and Lijiaba the least. The eutrophication of the reservoir was closely in relation to the irrational exploitation in its surrounding areas, especially to the non-point source pollutions and net fishery. Therefore, grey cluster is feasible for environmental quality assessment and key is the right dividing of whitenization weight function.
Applying concepts of visual perception to formats of hospital menus.

Improved productivity and accuracy in a machine-paced tray assembly line was achieved by standardizing of menu formats.
Heat stress protects the perfused rabbit heart from complement-mediated injury

We determined if heat stress induction of heat shock protein (HSP) 70 modulates complement activation in an experimental model of xenograft rejection. Male New Zealand White rabbits were heat stressed (core body temperature to 42 degrees C for 15 min; n = 9). Control rabbits (n = 13) were not exposed to heat stress. Hearts were removed 18 h later and perfused by the Langendorff method. After equilibration, human plasma (source of human complement) was added to the perfusion medium. Hemodynamic variables recorded during perfusion with human plasma were improved in hearts from heat-stressed animals compared with control hearts. Assembly of the soluble membrane attack complex was reduced in the interstitial fluid effluent from the heat-stressed hearts. Electron microscopic evidence of ultrastructural changes was attenuated in the hearts from heat-stressed rabbits. Myocardial tissue from heat-stressed animals exhibited an increase in inducible HSP 70 that was virtually absent in the hearts of control rabbits. Previous whole body hyperthermia protects the rabbit heart against the detrimental effects of heterologous plasma, suggesting that heat-stress induction of HSP 70 limits the extent of complement activation by a discordant vascularized tissue (xenograft). Induction of heat stress proteins by the donor organ might be an important mechanism affecting the outcome of xenograft transplants.
Rehabilitation of neck and low back injuries.

Rehabilitation of sport-related neck and low back injuries is discussed. Treatment must include the determination of the mechanism of injury, the correction of technical faults, and the development of criteria for readiness to return to sport.
Phosphorylation of the glucocorticoid receptor

In 1968, Munck and Brinck-Johnson showed that the ability of intact rat thymic lymphocytes to bind glucocorticoids in a specific manner is reduced if the cells are incubated in the absence of oxygen and glucose. The binding capacity rapidly returns to normal levels when aerobic conditions are restored. The thymocytes regain steroid binding even in the presence of cycloheximide (Bell & Munck, 1973), suggesting that new protein synthesis is not required for receptor reactivation. As these changes in receptor activity were accompanied by similar changes in thymocyte ATP content, Munck and his co-workers (Munck et al., 1972) proposed that the glucocorticoid receptor exists in two states in intact cells, and that energy is required to convert the receptor from the non-binding form to the steroid-binding form.
Curbing Clientelism in Argentina: Accountability, Democracy, and the Study of Clientelism

Stepping off the bus on the main road in Campo Santo, a small, impoverished municipality in Argentina's northwest, it is not difficult to find the town's social welfare office. The office is prominently located near the main entrance to the municipality and, more importantly, identifiable by the sizable crowd of residents waiting outside. The crowd is made up mostly of women, many with small children, joined by a few elderly men. Various staff members from the social welfare office are present, but only a top bureaucrat in the office, Liliana, actually attends to the crowd. The type of requests residents make vary widely: as I arrived on one occasion, an older man asked for help paying for a prescription, while later in the morning a mother came by to pick up a mattress she had recently requested so that her daughter could move out of their shared bed. These benefits, along with others that Liliana distributes, are funded by the government – municipal, provincial, or federal. However, the treatment beneficiaries receive in Campo Santo is both personal and politicized. Liliana's desk is crowded with photos of herself with the mayor, the governor, and the lieutenant governor. Above her chair hangs a hand-drawn portrait of Juan and Eva Peron, the icons of Argentina's largest political party, the Partido Justicialista (PJ), to which both Liliana and the mayor belong.
Konzeptionelle Grundlagen und Spezifizierung des Untersuchungsgebietes

Im Rahmen dieses Kapitels erfolgt zunachst eine Erlauterung der konzeptionellen Grundlagen zum Geschaftsmodell, zu Multinationalen Unternehmen und zu Systeminnovationen. Daruber hinaus wird im ersten Teil der Fallstudie die Elektromobilitat als Systeminnovation diskutiert, welche den Wandel von Geschaftsmodellen hervorbringt.
Positive Impact of Transition From Noon Conference to Academic Half Day in a Pediatric Residency Program

Abstract Objective To evaluate the impact of transitioning from noon conference (NC) to academic half day (AHD) on conference attendance, interruptions, and perceived protected educational time and to describe pediatric resident experiences with AHD. Methods In this mixed-methods study, data before and after AHD implementation were collected. Quantitative data were analyzed with a 2-variable t test or chi-square test. Five focus groups and 5 individual interviews of pediatric residents were conducted. Data were analyzed using constant comparative methods, and were collected until reaching saturation. In accordance with grounded theory methodology, we developed codes using an iterative approach and identified major themes. Results After AHD implementation, resident attendance increased from 55% (of residents expected at NC) to 94% (of residents scheduled for AHD) ( P P P Conclusions AHD improves resident attendance, interruptions, and perceived learning, and it contributes to resident wellness. More work is needed to mitigate the workload of cross-covering residents.
Food watch: detecting and characterizing eating episodes through feeding gestures

Obesity, caused primarily by overeating, is a preventable chronic disease yielding staggering healthcare costs. To detect overeating passively, a machine learning framework was designed to detect and accurately count the number of feeding gestures during an eating episode to characterize each eating episode with a feeding gesture count. With the ubiquitous nature of wrist-worn sensors, existing literature has focused on detecting eating-related gestures and eating episodes that are at least f ve minutes long. In this paper, our objective is to show the potential of commercial smartwatches to be used in detection of eating episodes with short durations confounded by other activities of daily living in order to truly capture all eating episodes in the field The effect of time-series segmentation and sensing configuration on the accuracy of detecting and characterizing feeding gestures is then analyzed. Finally, the effects of personalized and generalized machine learning models in predicting feeding gestures are compared. Results demonstrate the large within-subject variability of eating, where a generalized user-independentmodel yields a 75.7% average F-measure, whereas a personalized user-dependent modelyields a 85.7% average F-measure. This shows the effects of personalized clustering on feeding gesture count, resulting in a root mean square error of 8.4.
Reduced membrane cholesterol after chronic hypoxia limits Orai1-mediated pulmonary endothelial Ca2+ entry

This research demonstrates a novel contribution of cholesterol to regulate the interaction of Orai1 and stromal interaction molecule 1 required for pulmonary endothelial store-operated Ca2+ entry. ...
From Gurudev to Doctor-Sahib

The All World Gayatri Pariwar is a modern Hindu movement working to revive ancient Vedic-style rituals. The movement was founded by a charismatic figure named Shriram Sharma, but is now headed by his successor, a medical doctor named Pranav Pandya. I argue that the continued vitality of the movement in the absence of its charismatic founder has to do with the ways in which Pandya’s scientific authority as a medical doctor replaces Sharma’s charismatic authority. By attending to the affective dimensions of these two forms of authority, their differences become less stark and it becomes clear how scientific authority, despite its seeming disenchantment, might retain some of the emotional power of charismatic authority.
A Pragmatic Evaluation of Symptom Distress After Group Meditation for Cancer Patients and Caregivers: A Preliminary Report.

Abstract Context Complementary health approaches such as meditation may help improve cancer patient and caregiver symptoms, yet little research has examined the clinical application of these programs. Objectives We explored the effects of a meditation group class, offered as part of an integrative medicine clinic at a comprehensive cancer center, on patient and caregiver self-reported symptoms. Methods Participants (patients and caregivers) of any three meditation group classes offered—Power of Breath (PB), Sacred Sounds (SS), and Movement & Breath (MB)—were asked to complete the Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (ESAS; scale 0–10, 10 most severe) before and after participation. ESAS individual items and subscales were analyzed; distress subscales included global (global distress score 0–90), physical (physical distress score 0–60), and psychological (psychological distress score, 0–20). Data were analyzed examining premeditation/postmeditation scores using paired t-tests and between types of meditation using analyses of variance. Results One hundred forty-two unique participants (76 patients and 66 caregivers) attended one or more meditation groups (mean 1.84) from May to December 2015 (265 total attendance: PB n = 92; SS n = 87; MB n = 86). For all participants, we observed clinically significant reduction/improvement in global distress scores (−5.17, SD 8; P Conclusion A single meditation group class offered as part of clinical care resulted in relief of multiple self-reported symptoms in both patients and caregivers.
Thrombospondins 1 and 2 affect lysyl oxidase protein and collagen matrix maturation in cortical bone of growing male and female mice via non-redundant pathways

Thrombospondin-2-deficiency is associated with impaired matrix maturation in osteoblasts and cortical bone of growing mice. Here we addressed the possibility that lysyl oxidase (LOX) contributes to this phenotype. After overnight serum starvation, pro-LOX levels were elevated compared to wild-type in marrow-derived osteoblasts from male and female TSP2-/- mice. The liberated LOX pro-peptide (LOPP) was faintly visible in serum-starved cultures. When serum was maintained, pro-LOX content was not affected by TSP2 status, but relative LOPP levels were elevated in cultures from female TSP2-/- mice. Two isoforms of pro-LOX at 75 kDa and 50 kDa were detected in detergent soluble protein extracts of diaphyseal tissue from growing mice. In female mice, TSP2 status did not affect detergent soluble pro-LOX content or the relative contribution of each band to the total signal. Instead, levels of the 50 kDa band were reduced in female TSP1-/- samples. In male diaphyseal tissue, total pro-LOX content and the contribution each isoform made to the total signal was not affected by TSP1 or TSP2 status. We did not detect 32 kDa mature LOX in detergent soluble preparations of cells or whole bone tissue. Detergent insoluble hydroxyproline content was reduced in diaphyseal tissue obtained from female TSP1-/- and TSP2-/- mice. In male diaphyseal cortical samples, TSP2 but not TSP1 deficiency was associated with reduced insoluble hydroxyproline content. Our data suggest that the trimeric thrombospondins contribute to bone matrix quality via non-redundant mechanisms that are dependent on the unique tissue milieu of the male and female skeleton.
MP86-16 SPILLOVER EFFECTS OF THE HOSPITAL READMISSION REDUCTION PROGRAM ON RADICAL CYSTECTOMY READMISSIONS

AbstractIntroduction:Readmission rates after radical cystectomy are among the highest of any surgery. The HRRP (Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program) penalizes hospitals with excess readmissions...
Credible execution of bounded-time parallel systems with delayed diagnosis

This paper presents a forward recovery method for the fault-tolerant execution of parallel software systems on multicomputers such that faults are neither detected nor diagnosed until the fault prevents progress in the computation of the system. The method minimizes the communication and synchronization overhead required to verify the reliability of the system and consequently minimizes the impact of fault-tolerance on the throughput of the computation. We say the system is credible provided that the system is diagnosable and complete, where complete means that at least one copy of each process exists on a fault-free processor. We apply the method to the process structure deriving from parallel, bounded-time decision systems and show through an exact Markov analysis that the method will yield a very credible system. We then introduce a much simpler but approximate Markov model that facilitates credibility analysis over a larger range of parameters and applications.
Operation of Microgrid with cascaded Current-Voltage Control of Voltage-sourced Converter based on H-infinity Repetitive Control Strategy

The aim of this research is to identify some issues related to practical implementation of cascaded Current-Voltage Control of Voltage-sourced Converter (VSC), based on H-infinity Repetitive Control Strategy, through Simulations. Earlier research implemented the subject Control Strategy of VSC on a Laboratory scale System with a constant DC Voltage Source. This research replaces DC Voltage Source in Laboratory Setup with a 700 Volts DC Bus, with DC Voltage being controlled by Lead-Acid Battery based Battery Energy Storage System (BESS). DC Bus also includes a 40 kW Fuel Cell and 41 kW Photovoltaic (PV) System. The Control Strategy is tested for balanced Loads, unbalanced Loads and nonlinear Loads in Grid-connected and Islanded Modes. In Islanded Mode, the Voltage of DC Link can be controlled by BESS with smaller Discharge Power. In Grid-connected Mode, large Power Exchanges occur between Grid and DC Link at start up, due to slow response time of Repetitive Controllers, resulting in unacceptably large deviations of DC Link Voltage. To settle DC Link Voltage within reasonable time, BESS with Discharge Power equal to sum of Microgrid’s local Load and main Grid’s Demand is needed. Moreover, the DC Link Voltage has ripples at low frequency with unbalanced local Load in Grid-connected and Islanded Modes, despite presence of independently controlled Neutral Leg. All Simulations are carried out in MATLAB/Simulink Environment.
Abstract 306: Deficiency of ROCK1 in Macrophages Protects Against Atherosclerosis

Background: Rho kinases (ROCKs) are serine-threonine protein kinases that regulate various cellular functions. There is increasing evidence that the RhoA/ROCK pathway plays an important pathophysiological role in cardiovascular diseases. However, direct evidence of which ROCK isoforms or target tissues are involved in the atherogenic process is still lacking. Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the effect of ROCK1 deficiency on atherogenesis and how ROCK1 affects key atherosclerosis-related macrophage function such as lipid uptake and chemotaxis. Methods: We utilized ROCK1 −/− mice and the atherosclerosis-prone apolipoprotein E knockout (apoE −/− ) mice or low-density lipoprotein receptor knockout (LDLR −/− ) mice to investigate the role of ROCK1 in the pathogenesis of atherosclerotic plaque formation. Bone marrow-derived macrophages from ROCK1 −/− and ROCK1 +/+ mice were used to investigate acetylated (Ac)LDL-mediated foam cell formation and chemotaxis. Results: Compared to atherosclerosis-prone apoE −/− mice, apoE −/− ROCK1 +/− mice had substantially less fatty streaks foam cells and atherosclerosis (77.0 ± 12.9 × 10 3 μm 2 versus 166.4 ± 14.6 × 10 3 μm 2 , P 0.01). Atherosclerotic lesions were reduced also in LDLR −/− mice, whose bone marrow were replaced with bone marrow derived from ROCK1 −/− mice compared to ROCK1 +/+ recipients (181.5 ± 15.6 × 10 3 μm 2 versus 448.5 ± 33.3 × 10 3 μm 2 , P 0.05). Bone marrow-derived ROCK1-deficient macrophages exhibited impaired chemotaxis to monocyte chemotactic protein-1 and showed reduced ability to take up lipids and to develop into foam cells when exposed to modified low density lipoprotein. Conclusion: These findings indicate that ROCK1 in macrophages is a critical mediator of foam cell formation, macrophage chemotaxis and atherogenesis, and suggest that macrophage ROCK1 may be an important therapeutic target for vascular inflammation and atherosclerosis.
In-Hospital Complications and Outcomes of Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation in Multiple Myeloma Patients Older Than 65-Years Old in the United States: National Inpatient Sample Analysis, 2011-2015

Background. Use of Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation (ASCT) continues to increase in elderly patients with multiple myeloma. The main goal of our study was to describe in-hospital complications and outcomes after ASCT in patients younger and older than 65-years old utilizing the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) database. Methods. Cohort selection. The NIS database for the years 2011 to 2015 was queried for the analysis. We used International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) in order to identify patients with MM as a primary diagnosis for the hospitalization, and ASCT as a primary diagnosis of the hospitalization. In order to determine comorbidities in selected population we used Clinical Classifications Software (CCS) in conjunction with ICD-9-CM codes. Statistical Analysis.Complex weights were used throughout all calculations, enabling appropriate national projections. Chi-squared and independent t-tests were used for univariate analysis where appropriate. In our study p-value Results.A total of 3,664 patients with MM receiving ASCT were identified in our cohort. Males represented 57.1% of the population, majority of the patients were white, with private insurance, located at the urban teaching hospitals (Table 1). Main insurance in patients older than 65 years old was Medicare. Main comorbidities during hospitalization were anemia, hypertension, electrolyte abnormalities, acute kidney injury, cardiac dysrhythmias, sepsis and pneumonia (Table 2). Overall in-hospital mortality was low, 0.7%, and was significantly higher in patients older than 65 years old (1.3% vs 0.4%, p-value 0.002), however when adjusted for the baseline characteristics with multivariate logistic regression analysis in-hospital mortality was no longer statistically significant (Table 3). Conclusions. We found that patients older than 65 years with MM receiving ASCT are more susceptible to in-hospital complications. However we found that in-hospital outcomes are not statistically significant when adjusted to baseline characteristics, suggesting that the procedure is safe even in the elderly population. Findings of our study can be used to design future randomized controlled trials. Download : Download high-res image (698KB) Download : Download full-size image Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
High-Speed Approaches

The discussion on actuated control up to this point has been implicitly focusing on intersections with low-speed approaches. This chapter begins with a broad picture by combining factors such as approach speed, controller detection memory, and detector size to present a matrix of applications of actuated control. Each cell of the matrix represents a particular application based on a combination of the above factors, some of which have been introduced in the previous chapter while others will be elaborated in this chapter. In particular, dilemma zone problem is typical to high-speed approaches, solutions to which based on various schemes will be addressed in this chapter.
Disease and Treatment-Related Hypothalamic Alterations in Craniopharyngioma: Clinical Presentation, Prognostic Impact, and Implications for Treatment Strategies

Hypothalamic obesity frequently occurs in craniopharyngiomas (CP) patients due to disease or treatment-related damage to medial hypothalamic structures, encompassing arcuate nucleus, paraventricular nucleus, ventromedial nucleus, dorsomedial nucleus, and dorsal hypothalamic area, which are critically involved in the regulation of satiety and energy balance through neural and endocrine connections. A constellation of loss of satiety, reduction of metabolic rate, thermogenesis, and physical activity, and increased vagal tone and hyperinsulinism with insulin and leptin resistance results in rapid weight gain due to decreased energy expenditure and increased energy storage in adipose cells. To date, no viable long-term solution for hypothalamic syndrome has been found. Accordingly, multidisciplinary hypothalamus-sparing treatment strategies are warranted for prevention of additional treatment-related hypothalamic damage.
Role of aspirin and statin therapy in patients with cerebral cavernous malformations.

Abstract Stagnant blood flow and organizing thrombus are intralesional components of patients with cerebral cavernous malformations (CCM). Stasis and inflammation are mechanisms of growth, lesional instability and acute hemorrhages with or w/o symptoms. We evaluate the association of pre-diagnostic aspirin and/or statin use with acute hemorrhages at diagnosis. Patients with a CCM diagnosis were identified and categorized according to their medications on admission into four groups (no therapy, statin, aspirin, combined). The primary outcome was an acute hemorrhage (with or w/o symptoms) at diagnosis reported in a standardized manner from the T2 weighted magnetic resonance image. A multivariate generalized linear mixed models (GLMM) was utilized to conduct per-lesion analysis. We identified 446 patients with 635 lesions. An acute hemorrhage at diagnosis was observed in 31% of the patients. There were 328 patients without statin or aspirin therapy, 34% of whom presented with acute hemorrhage. Of patients on aspirin therapy at diagnosis, 25% presented with hemorrhage. Of patients on statin therapy, 26% had a hemorrhage at diagnosis. Combined therapy in 44 patients demonstrated a lower proportion of patients with acute hemorrhages (7 patients, 16% incidence). A GLMM showed that patients in the combined therapy group to have significantly lower odds of having an acute hemorrhage at diagnosis compared to the reference group of no therapy (OR 0.24; 95% CI 0.09–0.59; P = 0.002). Patients with a CCM receiving therapy with both aspirin and statins were less likely to present at diagnosis with acute hemorrhage.
The Use of the N + 1 Difference in Entrainment Mapping of Ventricular Tachycardia

Entrainment mapping during ventricular tachycardia ablation can be useful for identifying critical parts of the re-entry circuit. However, the post-pacing interval cannot always be measured due to saturation or noise at the pacing site. In these situations, measurement of the N + 1 difference can be useful.
Teaching and Learning in Doctoral Programs: An Introduction to the Themed Section:

What should doctoral education look like? Prior research has tended to focus on the broad curriculum, especially as it relates to the development of researchers, but with a (mostly) brief nod to th...
The association between longer durations of the latent phase of labor and subsequent perinatal processes and outcomes among midwifery patients.

Background/Objective To evaluate the association between the duration of the latent phase of labor and subsequent processes and outcomes. Methods Secondary analysis of prospectively collected data among 1,189 women with low-risk pregnancies and spontaneous labor. Results Longer latent phase duration was associated with labor dystocia (eg, nulliparous ≥ mean [compared with 80th% [compared with < 80th%] aOR 6.39 [4.04-10.12]; multiparous ≥ 80th% [compared with < 80th%] aOR 6.35 [3.79-10.64]). Longer latent phase duration was also associated with longer active phase and second stage. There were no associations between latent phase duration and risk for cesarean delivery or postpartum hemorrhage in a practice setting with relatively low rates of primary cesarean. Newborns born to multiparous women with latent phase of labor durations at and beyond the 80th% were more frequently admitted to the NICU (≥80th% [compared with < 80th%] aOR 2.7 [1.22-5.84]); however, two-thirds of these NICU admissions were likely for observation only. Conclusions Longer duration of the spontaneous latent phase of labor among women with low-risk pregnancies may signal longer total labor processes, leading to an increase in diagnosis of dystocia, interventions to manage dystocia, and epidural use. Apart from multiparous neonatal NICU admission, no other maternal or child morbidity outcomes were elevated with longer duration of the latent phase of labor.
Endothelial Tip Cell Finds Its Way with Piezo1.

Like axon guidance, the tuning of vascular tip cells during angiogenesis is an intriguing but puzzling developmental process. A new study in zebrafish (Liu et al., 2020) now demonstrates a critical role of the Piezo1 mechanosensitive ion channel in guiding vascular tip cells in pathfinding.
Performance of white oak (Quercus alba) and three pine species in novel multi-cropped plantations in eastern Tennessee, USA

Abstract Loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.), shortleaf pine (Pinus echinata Mill.), and eastern white pine (Pinus strobus L.) seedlings were multi-cropped with standard and large-diameter white oak (Quercus alba L.) seedlings to test for neutral or positive effects of multi-cropping. The study was established in 2014 in three complete blocks within recent clearcuts in eastern Tennessee, USA. Each block consisted of six multi-cropped treatments and four monocultures randomly assigned to ten 14.63 × 21.95 m plots. Within each block, monocultures of white oak and each pine species were planted in four control plots. Multi-cropped treatments included loblolly pine planted with white oak at a 0.31 m spacing, loblolly pine planted with white oak in alternating rows at a 1.74 m spacing, shortleaf pine planted with white oak at a 0.31 m spacing, shortleaf pine planted with white oak at a 1.74 m spacing, eastern white pine planted with white oak at a 0.31 m spacing, and eastern white pine planted with white oak at a 1.74 m spacing. Each plot with white oak received 20 standard (~0.127 cm in basal diameter) and 20 large-diameter (~0.632 cm in basal diameter) white oak seedlings that were randomly assigned to planting locations. Initial height, basal diameter, and early survival were recorded for each seedling just after planting. Height growth, basal diameter growth, survival, herbivory, and insect damage were recorded in early December 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019. In 2019, percent survival among treatments did not differ significantly for white oak (p = 0.152), loblolly pine (p = 0.396), shortleaf pine (p = 0.246), or eastern white pine (p = 0.065). In addition, mean height growth and mean basal diameter growth did not differ significantly among treatments for white oak (p = 0.698 and 0.437, respectively), loblolly pine (p = 0.630 and 0.762, respectively), shortleaf pine (p = 0.324 and 0.251, respectively), or eastern white pine (p = 0.623 and 0.823, respectively). Survival was greater for large-diameter white oak seedlings than standard seedlings (p
Developing Antimicrobial Synergy With AMPs

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have been extensively studied due to their vast natural abundance and ability to kill microbes. In an era critically lacking in new antibiotics, manipulating AMPs for therapeutic application is a promising option. However, bacterial pathogens resistant to AMPs remain problematic. To improve AMPs antimicrobial efficacy, their use in conjunction with other antimicrobials has been proposed. How might this work? AMPs kill bacteria by forming pores in bacterial membranes or by inhibiting bacterial macromolecular functions. What remains unknown is the duration for which AMPs keep bacterial pores open, and the extent to which bacteria can recover by repairing these pores. In this mini-review, we discuss various antimicrobial synergies with AMPs. Such synergies might arise if the antimicrobial agents helped to keep bacterial pores open for longer periods of time, prevented pore repair, perturbed bacterial intracellular functions at greater levels, or performed other independent bacterial killing mechanisms. We first discuss combinations of AMPs, and then focus on histones, which have antimicrobial activity and co-localize with AMPs on lipid droplets and in neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs). Recent work has demonstrated that histones can enhance AMP-induced membrane permeation. It is possible that histones, histone fragments, and histone-like peptides could amplify the antimicrobial effects of AMPs, giving rise to antimicrobial synergy. If so, clarifying these mechanisms will thus improve our overall understanding of the antimicrobial processes and potentially contribute to improved drug design.
Tissue-specific transcriptomics reveal functional differences in maize floral development

Abstract Flowers are produced by floral meristems, groups of stem cells that give rise to floral organs. In grasses, including the major cereal crops, flowers (florets) are contained in spikelets, which contain one to many florets, depending on the species. Importantly, not all grass florets are developmentally equivalent, and one or more florets are often sterile or abort in each spikelet. Members of the Andropogoneae tribe, including maize, produce spikelets with two florets; the upper and lower florets are usually dimorphic and the lower floret greatly reduced compared to the upper floret. In maize ears, early development appears identical in both florets but the lower floret ultimately aborts. To gain insight into the functional differences between florets of different fates, we used laser capture microdissection coupled with RNA-seq to globally examine gene expression in upper and lower floral meristems in maize. Differentially expressed genes were involved in hormone regulation, cell wall, sugar and energy homeostasis. Furthermore, cell wall modifications and sugar accumulation differed between the upper and lower florets. Finally, we identified a novel boundary domain between upper and lower florets, which we hypothesize is important for floral meristem activity. We propose a model in which growth is suppressed in the lower floret by limiting sugar availability and upregulating genes involved in growth repression. This growth repression module may also regulate floret fertility in other grasses and potentially be modulated to engineer more productive cereal crops. One sentence summary Floret-specific differences in cell wall composition and sugar accumulation likely contribute to growth suppression in the lower floret of maize spikelets.