cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Actions of activin A, connective tissue growth factor, hepatocyte growth factor and teratocarcinoma-derived growth factor 1 on the development of the bovine preimplantation embryo

The reproductive tract secretes bioactive molecules collectively known as embryokines that can regulate embryonic growth and development. In the present study we tested four growth factors expressed in the endometrium for their ability to modify the development of the bovine embryo to the blastocyst stage and alter the expression of genes found to be upregulated (bone morphogenetic protein 15 (BMP15) and keratin 8, type II (KRT8)) or downregulated (NADH dehydrogenase 1 (ND1) and S100 calcium binding protein A10 (S100A10)) in embryos competent to develop to term. Zygotes were treated at Day 5 with 0.01, 0.1 or 1.0nM growth factor. The highest concentration of activin A increased the percentage of putative zygotes that developed to the blastocyst stage. Connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) increased the number of cells in the inner cell mass (ICM), decreased the trophectoderm:ICM ratio and increased blastocyst expression of KRT8 and ND1. The lowest concentration of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) reduced the percentage of putative zygotes becoming blastocysts. Teratocarcinoma-derived growth factor 1 increased total cell number at 0.01nM and expression of S100A10 at 1.0nM, but otherwise had no effects. Results confirm the prodevelopmental actions of activin A and indicate that CTGF may also function as an embryokine by regulating the number of ICM cells in the blastocyst and altering gene expression. Low concentrations of HGF were inhibitory to development.
Performance Test Technique of Distributed Control System

At present, distributed control system (DCS) plays important roles in power plant, but still has some problems. So the performance test for DCS is attracting more and more attention. This paper introduced the performance test technique for DCS in terms of application. Some test techniques and results were presented, such as analog signal's real time test performance test, controller's processing period test, and channel anti-jamming's function test. These test techniques have been successfully applied in ten units, which test results are especially useful for the on-site DCS's performance tests.
The Reemergence of the Bulk Phase Theories

In Chapter 2 the work of Nasonov was mentioned. One of his students, Kamnev, published a paper in 1938 entitled “Permeability of Striated Muscle of Frog to Sugar.” In this paper Kamnev described experiments in which he followed the uptake of sucrose and galactose by frog muscle (Fig. 4.1). It took 2–4 hr for the sugars in the muscle tissues to reach equilibrium, and they did so at levels specific for each sugar (42.1% of the external solution concentration for galactose, 32.7% for sucrose). Both of these levels were considerably higher than those found in the extracellular space, which makes up about 9% of the cell volume. Kamnev further showed that in killed muscles the final equilibrium levels of both sugars were equal to those in the external solution. Kamnev concluded that the low equilibrium level of sugars in the living muscle cell could not have been the result of membrane permeability but must reflect a difference in the solubility of these substances in the protoplasm of the cells, and that this solubility must have increased after cell death.
Vector-Process Models for System Reliability

The theoretical and practical viability of multivariate time-dependent failure rate analysis is considered when the reliability model involves crossings of gauss n-vector processes out of safe-regions. While the mathematical approach is not novel, its potential for engineering application had not been explored significantly before. In this sense, a number of specific results — such as the mean failure rate of systems with piecewise linear failure boundary — are derived, which will ease the application to many cases of engineering interest. Multivariate crossing problems of the type examined here arise in the safety study of structural systems subjected to multivariate time-dependent input or with multimodal failure conditions. Two examples of time-dependent static and dynamic structural safety are studied: an RC column under moment and axial force and the joint safety of three separate stories in a building subjected to random support movement.
Time, Growth, Complexity, and Transitions: Entrepreneurial Challenges for the Future:

This paper presents a model that depicts the relationships between time, complexity, and transitions in the context of high-growth new ventures or stable ventures that have been forced into radical...
Assessing Cancer Progression and Stable Disease After Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy for Organ-confined Muscle-invasive Bladder Cancer

Objective To propose and validate a new approach to stratify clinically staged, organ-confined, muscle-invasive bladder cancer patients (cT2N0M0) who are pathologic non-responders to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) to better characterize NAC non-response. Methods We retrospectively identified radical cystectomy patients with cT2N0M0 disease at our institution (2005-2014) and in the National Cancer Database (2004-2012) for external validation. Patients were stratified as stable (pT2N0M0) or progressors (>pT2 or pN+). The primary end points were cancer-specific survival (CSS), overall survival (OS), and recurrence-free survival (RFS). Results In the institutional cohort, NAC stable patients (n = 17) had better OS (P = .05) and RFS (P = .04) than NAC progressors (n = 50), and had comparable OS (P = .7) and CSS (P = .09) with non-NAC stable patients (n = 27). Multivariable Cox proportional hazard models showed that larger tumor size predicted worse OS (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.20 per centimeter, 95% confidence interval [CI: 1.07, 1.35]), CSS (HR = 1.27, 95% CI [1.11, 1.45]), and RFS (HR = 1.24, 95% CI [1.09, 1.42]). Similarly, in the National Cancer Database, NAC stable patients (n = 223) had improved OS (P < .0001) compared with NAC progressors (n = 232) and comparable (P = .4) OS with non-NAC stable patients (n = 950). Multivariable Cox proportional hazard model showed that larger tumor size (HR = 1.03 per centimeter, 95% CI [1.02, 1.03]) and progression (HR = 2.69, 95% CI [2.40, 3.01]) predicted worse OS. Conclusion Distinct survival outcomes suggest that NAC non-responders should be further stratified into stable disease and progressors. Comparable survival between non-NAC and NAC stable disease patients suggests that NAC stable disease may represent a chemoresistant but more indolent phenotype on the disease spectrum. Moreover, tumor size is an important prognostic biomarker in NAC non-responders. Clinical predictors of disease progression on NAC were not identified, highlighting the need to explore molecular and genomic subtyping determinants of disease progression.
New insights on the sister lineage of percomorph fishes with an anchored hybrid enrichment dataset

Percomorph fishes represent over 17,100 species, including several model organisms and species of economic importance. Despite continuous advances in the resolution of the percomorph Tree of Life, resolution of the sister lineage to Percomorpha remains inconsistent but restricted to a small number of candidate lineages. Here we use an anchored hybrid enrichment (AHE) dataset of 132 loci with over 99,000 base pairs to identify the sister lineage of percomorph fishes. Initial analyses of this dataset failed to recover a strongly supported sister clade to Percomorpha, however, scrutiny of the AHE dataset revealed a bias towards high GC content at fast-evolving codon partitions (GC bias). By combining several existing approaches aimed at mitigating the impacts of convergence in GC bias, including RY coding and analyses of amino acids, we consistently recovered a strongly supported clade comprised of Holocentridae (squirrelfishes), Berycidae (Alfonsinos), Melamphaidae (bigscale fishes), Cetomimidae (flabby whalefishes), and Rondeletiidae (redmouth whalefishes) as the sister lineage to Percomorpha. Additionally, implementing phylogenetic informativeness (PI) based metrics as a filtration method yielded this same topology, suggesting PI based approaches will preferentially filter these fast-evolving regions and act in a manner consistent with other phylogenetic approaches aimed at mitigating GC bias. Our results provide a new perspective on a key issue for studies investigating the evolutionary history of more than one quarter of all living species of vertebrates.
Examining privacy concerns and ecommerce adoption in developing countries

The emergence of ecommerce has revolutionized the manner in which firms could conduct business with customers by eliminating spatial and temporal barriers. However, the personal information that customers are often required to disclose poses a threat to individuals' information privacy. While information privacy threatens the adoption of ecommerce, different countries with different cultural values can further inhibit ecommerce adoption, while increasing individuals' concern for the privacy of their personal information. As such, this study investigated the impact of national culture on the relationship between information privacy and ecommerce adoption in developing countries. We argued that the privacy concerns and ecommerce adoption of individuals within a society is dependent upon the cultural values, despite its technological and economic infrastructure. We used Hofestede's cultural dimensions to develop our research model which was tested through survey questionnaires. Our findings indicated that the level of Internet safety perceptions, ecommerce acceptance, privacy concerns and personal interest are salient factors in informing individuals' intention to transact online. Essentially, these findings reflect the effect culture has on ecommerce adoption. However, interestingly, privacy concerns were not reflective of cultural values based on the results of this study, suggesting that the concept of information privacy is more complex than reflected by a society's culture.
Regional Retinal Ganglion Cell Axon Loss in a Murine Glaucoma Model.

Purpose To determine if retinal ganglion cell (RGC) axon loss in experimental mouse glaucoma is uniform in the optic nerve. Methods Experimental glaucoma was induced for 6 weeks with a microbead injection model in CD1 (n = 78) and C57BL/6 (B6, n = 68) mice. From epoxy-embedded sections of optic nerve 1 to 2 mm posterior to the globe, total nerve area and regional axon density (axons/1600 μm2) were measured in superior, inferior, nasal, and temporal zones. Results Control eyes of CD1 mice have higher axon density and more total RGCs than control B6 mice eyes. There were no significant differences in control regional axon density in all mice or by strain (all P > 0.2, mixed model). Exposure to elevated IOP caused loss of RGC in both strains. In CD1 mice, axon density declined without significant loss of nerve area, while B6 mice had less density loss, but greater decrease in nerve area. Axon density loss in glaucoma eyes was not significantly greater in any region in either mouse strain (both P > 0.2, mixed model). In moderately damaged CD1 glaucoma eyes, and CD1 eyes with the greatest IOP elevation exposure, density loss differed by region (P = 0.05, P = 0.03, mixed model) with the greatest loss in the temporal and superior regions, while in severely injured B6 nerves superior loss was greater than inferior loss (P = 0.01, mixed model, Bonferroni corrected). Conclusions There was selectively greater loss of superior and temporal optic nerve axons of RGCs in mouse glaucoma at certain stages of damage. Differences in nerve area change suggest non-RGC responses differ between mouse strains.
Simulation as a Multidisciplinary Team Approach in Healthcare Programs in an Urban University Setting

Background: In the hospital setting, patients are usually cared for by a nurse and multidisciplinary teams which may include physical therapists, social workers, and public health workers. However, students in health care programs usually will not experience interdisciplinary scenarios developing needed skills. Combining classes and replacing certain curriculum activities with patient simulation projects that include several departments may improve their educational experience and success. Simulation is technology used to enhance instruction resources for all students. Simulation not only captures the attention of the video-game generation but actively engages students in the learning process. Simulation can be a valuable experience to keep students actively involved in learning by offering the opportunity to apply knowledge learned to the clinical setting, thus making it real. It is compelling to consider the impact of simulation in increasing the competency of students when they are in the work force while decreasing error rate and impacting the quality of care. Methods: A mixed method approach involved simulation experience followed by data collection via survey. Results: Students across all disciplines reported increased ability for collaboration and communication. Conclusions: Demonstrated the value of introducing the students to teamwork and collaboration experiences via simulation.
MILLIMETER/SUBMILLIMETER SPECTROSCOPY OF PH2CN (${\tilde{X}}$1A′) AND CH3PH2(${\tilde{X}}$1A′): PROBING THE COMPLEXITY OF INTERSTELLAR PHOSPHORUS CHEMISTRY

Millimeter/submillimeter spectra of PH{sub 2}CN ( X-tilde {sup 1}A') and CH{sub 3}PH{sub 2} ( X-tilde {sup 1}A') have been recorded for the first time using direct absorption techniques. This work extends previous measurements of both molecules beyond the 10-50 GHz range. Both species were created in the presence of an AC discharge by the reaction of phosphorus vapor and either cyanogen and hydrogen (PH{sub 2}CN) or methane (CH{sub 3}PH{sub 2}). Twelve rotational transitions of PH{sub 2}CN were recorded over the region 305-422 GHz for asymmetry components K{sub a} = 0 through 8. For CH{sub 3}PH{sub 2}, eight rotational transitions were measured from 210-470 GHz with K{sub a} = 0 through 16; these spectra exhibited greater complexity due to the presence of internal rotation, which splits the K{sub a} = 1, 2, and 3 asymmetry components into A and E states. Combined analyses of the millimeter/submillimeter and previous microwave data were performed for both molecules. For PH{sub 2}CN, the spectra were fit with a Watson S-reduced asymmetric top Hamiltonian, resulting in more accurate rotational and centrifugal distortion constants. In the case of CH{sub 3}PH{sub 2}, an asymmetric top internal-rotation Hamiltonian was employed in the analysis, significantly improving the rotational and torsionalmore » parameters over previous microwave estimates. Searches for both molecules were subsequently conducted toward Sgr B2(N), using the 12 m telescope of the Arizona Radio Observatory (ARO). Neither species was identified, with abundance upper limits, relative to H{sub 2}, of f (PH{sub 2}CN/H{sub 2}) 2 and >200, respectively.« less
Chromatin Succinylation Correlates with Active Gene Expression and Is Perturbed by Defective TCA Cycle Metabolism

Succinylation is a post-translational protein acylation modification that converts the cationic lysine side chain to an anion with large potential impacts on protein structure and function. Here we characterize the epigenome-wide distribution of succinyllysine marks in chromatin using chromatin immuno-precipitation sequencing (ChIP-seq). We estimate that more than one-third of all nucleosomes contain lysine succinylation marks and demonstrate a potential role of chromatin succinylation in modulating gene expression. We further demonstrate that defective tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle metabolism perturbs the succinyllysine distribution in chromatin, correlating with transcriptional responses. This is consistent with previous observations linking nucleosome succinylation with enhanced in vitro transcription. We additionally demonstrate that defective TCA cycle metabolism results in a DNA repair defect and sensitivity to genotoxic agents, consistent with previously reported chromatin hypersuccinylation effects observed in the context of SIRT7 depletion. Chromatin succinylation may thus represent a mechanism by which metabolism modulates both genome-wide transcription and DNA repair activities.
Preventing Body Image Problems: Digitally Delivered Interventions

This article provides a summary of what is known about the digital delivery of body image prevention and intervention programs. Most commonly, body image problems are addressed within eating disorder programs. Although the number of interventions evaluated is small, the results suggest that digitally delivered interventions are effective in improving body image. Both synchronous and asynchronous approaches with and without social networking have demonstrated positive effects on participants’ body image. There are a number of advantages and disadvantages in delivering programs digitally for both the consumer and health care professional. Many important research questions regarding the effectiveness of digitally delivered interventions remain unanswered.
A robust, qualitative method for robot spatial learning

We present a qualitative method for a mobile robot to explore an unknown environment and learn a map, which can be robust in the face of various possible errors in the real world. Procedural knowledge for the movement, topological model for the structure of the environment, and metrical information for geometrical accuracy are separately represented in our method, whereas traditional methods describe the environment mainly by metrical information. The topological model consists of distinctive places and local travel edges linking nearby distinctive places. A distinctive place is defined as the local maximum of some measure of distinctiveness appropriate to its immediate neighborhood, and is found by a hill-climbing search. Local travel edges are defined in terms of local control strategies required for travel. How to find distinctive places and follow edges is the procedural knowledge which the robot learns dynamically during exploration stage and guides the robot in the navigation stage. An accurate topological model is created by linking places and edges, and allows metrical information to be accumulated with reduced vulnerability to metrical errors. We describe a working simulation in which a robot, NX, with range sensors explores a variety of 2-D environments and we give its successful results under varying levels of random sensor error.
Scheduling robotic actions by genetic algorithms

A hybrid genetic algorithm is used to schedule tasks for a satellite that can be modeled as a robot whose goal is to retrieve objects from a two-dimensional field. The objective is to find a schedule that maximizes the value of objects retrieved. Typical of the real-world tasks to which this corresponds is the scheduling of ground contacts for a communications satellite. An important feature of our application is that the amount of time available for running the scheduler is not necessarily known in advance. This requires that the scheduler produce reasonably good results after a short period, but that it also continue to improve its results if allowed to run for a longer period. We satisfy this requirement by developing what we call a sustainable genetic algorithm.
A Multi-Criteria Decision Model for Prescribing Optimal Ergonomic Action Strategies for Industry

Multi-criteria decision analysis is presented as a method for prescribing optimal ergonomic actions for industry in response to Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) proposed ergonomic requirements. Achieving compliance with OSHA requirements can be costly for an employer, so it is important to properly analyze costs and other factors to achieve an optimal decision. A practical and efficient model is needed for decision makers in industry. For decisions related to occupational safety and health, existing models focus on economic decision factors and offer good methods of correctly analyzing costs and benefits to reach an appropriate economic decision. Unfortunately, existing models give little insight for practical inclusion of intangible decision factors. To fill this void, a strong emphasis of this writing is to provide a model that allows practical and efficient consideration of both economic (net present value of cost, quality, etc.) and intangible (production flexibility, employee morale, etc.) decision factors.
Economic Approaches to Adequacy

The cost of an adequate education can be defined as the minimum amount of money that school districts must spend in order to achieve some minimum-outcome goal. These costs may differ across school districts for reasons that are outside the control of local school boards or state governments. Economists typically measure costs by estimating cost functions, which use historical data on a large sample of districts to directly quantify the relationship between outcomes and costs for districts with a variety of characteristics. This article summarizes many of the issues that arise in cost-function estimation as well as the common conclusions that can be drawn from existing cost-function studies.
Measuring Usability via Biometrics

This paper reviews some exploratory research focused on developing a usability methodology based on objective biometrics computing using physiological data (ECG, respiration, and GSR sensors, as well as an infrared eye tracker) as well as behavior data (mouse and keystroke input). Following a high level literature review, various biometrics are discussed with the goal of motivating further study into the development of a methodology for usability testing, including the assessment of user satisfaction. Lessons learned and suggestions for future work were also discussed.
Immigration and the City

by Eric Fong and Brent Berry Cambridge (UK): Polity Press, 2017 ISBN 978-0-7456-9002-5 Softcover $????, 162pp.
Correlation of phenotype with genotype and protein structure in RYR1 -related disorders

Variants in the skeletal muscle ryanodine receptor 1 gene (RYR1) result in a spectrum of RYR1-related disorders. Presentation during infancy is typical and ranges from delayed motor milestones and proximal muscle weakness to severe respiratory impairment and ophthalmoplegia. We aimed to elucidate correlations between genotype, protein structure and clinical phenotype in this rare disease population. Genetic and clinical data from 47 affected individuals were analyzed and variants mapped to the cryo-EM RyR1 structure. Comparisons of clinical severity, motor and respiratory function and symptomatology were made according to the mode of inheritance and affected RyR1 structural domain(s). Overall, 49 RYR1 variants were identified in 47 cases (dominant/de novo, n = 35; recessive, n = 12). Three variants were previously unreported. In recessive cases, facial weakness, neonatal hypotonia, ophthalmoplegia/paresis, ptosis, and scapular winging were more frequently observed than in dominant/de novo cases (all, p < 0.05). Both dominant/de novo and recessive cases exhibited core myopathy histopathology. Clinically severe cases were typically recessive or had variants localized to the RyR1 cytosolic shell domain. Motor deficits were most apparent in the MFM-32 standing and transfers dimension, [median (IQR) 85.4 (18.8)% of maximum score] and recessive cases exhibited significantly greater overall motor function impairment compared to dominant/de novo cases [79.7 (18.8)% vs. 87.5 (17.7)% of maximum score, p = 0.03]. Variant mapping revealed patterns of clinical severity across RyR1 domains, including a structural plane of interest within the RyR1 cytosolic shell, in which 84% of variants affected the bridging solenoid. We have corroborated genotype-phenotype correlations and identified RyR1 regions that may be especially sensitive to structural modification.
Solar prominences: theory and models

Magnetic fields suspend the relatively cool material of solar prominences in an otherwise hot corona. A comprehensive understanding of solar prominences ultimately requires complex and dynamic models, constrained and validated by observations spanning the solar atmosphere. We obtain the core of this understanding from observations that give us information about the structure of the “magnetic skeleton” that supports and surrounds the prominence. Energetically-sophisticated magnetohydrodynamic simulations then add flesh and blood to the skeleton, demonstrating how a thermally varying plasma may pulse through to form the prominence, and how the plasma and magnetic fields dynamically interact.
Two‐dimensional powder diffraction

Two-dimensional X-ray diffraction, also referred to as 2D powder diffraction, covers X-ray diffraction applications with a 2D detector and corresponding data reduction and analysis. A two-dimensional diffraction pattern contains abundant information about the atomic arrangement, microstructure and defects of a solid or liquid material. In recent years, use of two-dimensional detectors has dramatically increased in academic research and various industries. When a 2D detector is used for X-ray powder diffraction, the diffraction cones are intercepted by the area detector and the X-ray intensity distribution on the sensing area is converted to a 2D diffraction pattern. A 2D diffraction pattern contains far more information than a conventional diffraction pattern, and therefore demands a special data-collection strategy and data-evaluation algorithms. This chapter covers the basic concepts and recent progress in two-dimensional X-ray diffraction theory and technologies, including geometry conventions, X-ray source and optics, two-dimensional detectors, and diffraction-data interpretation, and various applications, such as phase identification, texture, stress, crystallinity and crystallite-size analysis.
The unique and conditional effects of interoceptive exposure in the treatment of anxiety: A functional analysis.

Abstract Interoceptive exposure (IE; exposure focused on anxiety about somatic sensations) is a well-established component of treatments for panic disorder (PD), but little is known about the specificity of its effects or individual response patterns resulting from this intervention. This study investigated the utility of IE in the treatment of PD with claustrophobia, examining its mechanisms in isolation and in combination with situational exposure. Ten adults with PD and claustrophobia were treated with a flexible single-case approach. Participants received up to 6 sessions of IE; nonresponders received up to 6 additional sessions of IE combined with situational exposure. Hypotheses were: 1) Reductions in anxiety sensitivity (AS) and fearful expectancies would coincide with the introduction of IE and reach clinical significance by the end of the IE phase; 2) Reductions in claustrophobic avoidance would coincide with the introduction of situational exposure; 3) Fear extinction and distress habituation would occur in both intervention phases. Hypothesis 1 was not supported: Five participants experienced a reduction in AS and six participants experienced reduced expectancies of feared outcomes, but this did not reliably coincide with introduction of IE. Hypothesis 2 was supported: Claustrophobic avoidance improved more after the addition of situational exposure. Hypothesis 3 was supported: Habituation and fear extinction, whereby distress and expectancies of feared outcomes decreased and fear tolerance increased, were observed in response to IE delivered alone and in combination with situational exposure. IE appeared more helpful to participants who were fearful of the physical consequences of somatic sensations (e.g., heart attack) vs. other consequences (e.g., embarrassment). The observed variability in response to IE suggests a need for individualized implementation of this intervention.
The Federal Deregulation of Insurance

The efforts to get the federal government out of the business of regulating insurance have been comprehensive but not entire. The project offers two insights about deregulation and how to do it. The first insight is comparative. Given that courts, Congress, and agencies have all tried to undo the federal regulation of insurers, the higher quality of deregulation done by regulators themselves, as opposed to the other branches of government, is informative and makes out a story of comparative advantage when it comes to regulation. The second insight serves as a reminder of the stickiness of globalization. Because the federal government has made commitments to the European Union, it cannot entirely remove itself from the oversight of insurance, much as the policymakers in power today might wish to do so. Both insights make insurance a case study about the way that deregulation can work more generally.
Outcomes of Micra leadless pacemaker implantation with uninterrupted anticoagulation

BACKGROUND Implantation of the MICRA Leadless pacemaker requires the use of a 27 French introducer, blunt delivery system and device fixation to the myocardium via nitinol tines. While prior studies have proven its safety, it is unclear whether performing this procedure with uninterrupted anticoagulation exposes patients to increased risks. We sought to investigate the feasibility and safety of continuing therapeutic anticoagulation during the periprocedural period. METHODS We evaluated all patients undergoing MICRA placement at our institution between April 2014 and August 2018 with complete follow-up data (n = 170). Patients were stratified into two groups: those on active anticoagulation (OAC, n = 26), defined as having an International normalized ratio >2.0 or having continued a direct oral anticoagulant, and those not anticoagulated (Off-OAC, n = 144). We evaluated for a composite outcome of all major complications, including access site complications and pericardial effusion. RESULTS OAC and Off-OAC groups had similar mean age (74 ± 13 vs 75 ± 13 years; P = .914). The OAC group had a nonsignificantly lower prevalence of end-stage renal disease (8% vs 17%; P = .375) and aspirin use (27% vs 47%; P = .131). Those in the OAC group were more likely to be on warfarin than those in the Off-OAC group (81% vs 30%; P < .001). The rate of the composite endpoint was similar between the OAC and Off-OAC groups (3.8 % vs 1.4%, respectively; P = .761). Length of stay was similar between groups (1.3 ± 2.6 vs 2.3 ± 3.4 days; P = 0.108). CONCLUSION Continuation of therapeutic anticoagulation during MICRA implantation appears to be feasible, safe and associated with shorter hospitalization among appropriately selected individuals.
Construction of the Lyapunov function for a class of H ∞ norm problem

This paper focuses on how to directly get the accurate solution for the system H ∞ norm problem. A Lyapunov function construction method is presented. The presented method constructs the Lyapunov function according to the structure parameters of the second-order system, and gives the analytical expression for the H ∞ norm. Different from the conventional linear matrix inequality (LMI) approaches which need the complex optimization process to get the H ∞ norm, the presented method gives the analytical expression for the H ∞ norm. Thus, this paper provides an alternative way to directly get the H ∞ norm by properly constructing the Lyapunov function. The effectiveness of the presented method is verified by some examples.
Unstructured finite element mesh decimation for real-time Hurricane storm surge forecasting

Abstract A previously developed research-grade (e.g. high-resolution) unstructured mesh of the northern Gulf of Mexico (named NGOM3) is optimized to produce a computationally efficient forecast-grade mesh for deployment in a real-time hurricane storm surge early warning system. The real-time mesh is developed from a mesh decimation scheme with focus on the coastal floodplain. The mesh decimation scheme reduces mesh nodes and elements from the research-grade mesh while preserving the representation of the bare-earth topography. The resulting real-time unstructured mesh (named NGOM-RT) contains 64% less mesh nodes than the research-grade mesh. Comparison of (ADCIRC + SWAN) simulated times-series and peak water levels to observations between the research-grade and real-time-grade meshes for Hurricanes Ivan (2004), Dennis (2005), Katrina (2005), and Isaac (2012) show virtually no difference. Model simulations with the NGOM-RT mesh are 1.5–2.0 times faster than using NGOM3 on the same number of compute cores.
Effects of an F18 enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli challenge on growth performance, immunological status, and gastrointestinal structure of weaned pigs and the potential protective effect of direct-fed microbial blends

The objective of this experiment was to investigate the impact of an F18 enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) challenge on growth performance, aspects of intestinal function, and selected immune responses of piglets, as well as to evaluate potential protective effects of direct-fed microbial (DFM) blends. Seventy-two weaned piglets (6.4 ± 0.2 kg body weight [BW]; ~21 d of age) were assigned to one of four treatments: 1) NC: Nonchallenged (n = 10), 2) positive challenged control (PC): F18 ETEC-challenged (n = 10), 3) PC + DFM1 (n = 8; three strains of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens; 7.5 × 105 colony-forming units [cfu]/g), or 4) PC + DFM2 (n=8; 2 strains of B. amyloliquefaciens and one strain of Bacillus subtilis; 1.5 × 105 cfu/g). Feed intake and BW were recorded on day 0, 7, and 17. Pigs were sham-infected either with 6 mL phosphate-buffered saline or inoculated with 6 mL F18 ETEC (~1.9 × 109 cfu/mL) on day 7 (0 d postinoculation [dpi]). All ETEC-challenged pigs were confirmed to be genetically susceptible to F18. Pigs had ad libitum access to feed and water throughout the 17-d trial. Fecal scores were visually ranked and rectal temperatures were recorded daily. To evaluate ETEC shedding, fecal swabs were collected on dpi 0, 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, and 10. Blood samples were collected on dpi 0, 1, 2, 4, 7, and 10. Ileal tissues were collected at necropsy on dpi 10. All challenged treatments had lower final BW, decreased average daily gain (ADG), and average daily feed intake (ADFI) during the 10-d postchallenge period (P < 0.01). The DFM2 treatment increased E. coli shedding on dpi 2 and decreased iton dpi 7 (P < 0.05) compared with the PC. Rectal temperature decreased across all challenged treatments (P < 0.01). Ileal mRNA abundance of occludin (OCLN) and zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1) decreased in PC and DFM1 compared with NC (P < 0.05). Pigs fed DFM2 had intermediate ileal mRNA abundance of OCLN and increased ZO-1 mRNA compared with pigs in PC (P < 0.05). Interleukin 8 (IL-8) increased in the plasma of PC and DFM2 on dpi 2 compared with NC (P < 0.05). Mucosal IL-8 increased in PC compared with NC (P < 0.05). All challenged treatments tended to have elevated tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) mRNA abundance compared with NC (P < 0.10). Challenged pigs had reduced secretory immunoglobulin A and villus height compared with NC pigs (P < 0.05). The impact of an ETEC challenge on intestinal function and the immune system has been revealed, information critical to developing improved treatment regimes.
Audience Perception of Exaggerated Motions on Realistic Animated Animal Characters

The recent push for more detailed graphics and realistic visuals in animated productions has sparked much debate around the new films’ photorealistic visual style. Some critics argue that the new “live-action” versions of movie classics such as the Lion King are not as visually stylish as the original ones, and the photorealistic characters are not as likeable, fun and intriguing as their stylized counterparts. This paper reports ongoing research whose goal is to examine whether it is possible to apply traditional animation principles to photorealistic animated animal characters in order to make them more expressive, convincing and ultimately entertaining. In particular, the study reported in the paper investigated the extent to which varying degrees of exaggeration affect the perceived believability and appeal of a photorealistic talking cat character performing a series of actions in a high detail environment. The study included 82 participants and compared three levels of exaggeration applied to the cat’s motions, e.g. no exaggeration, low exaggeration and high exaggeration. Findings show that subjects found the no-exaggeration clip more appealing and believable than the exaggerated versions, although the difference in appeal was not statistically significant. When comparing the two exaggerated clips, participants rated the high exaggeration clip higher for believability and appeal than the low exaggeration one.
Fluorescent Charge-Transfer Excited States in Acceptor Derivatized Thiophene Oligomers.

A family of thiophene oligomers with lengths of 3, 4, 5, 6 and 8 units were synthesized and end-capped with a strongly coupled naphthalimide acceptor (TnNIF) which produces an emissive intramolecul...
Robotic Retinal Surgery

The use of robotic-assisted surgery has been successfully implemented in many surgical fields including, but not limited to, general surgery, cardiology, urology, and gynecology. The introduction of this technology has been increasingly accepted due to the surgical precision and dexterity required for certain procedures that may be at or beyond the limits of human capabilities. In ophthalmology, robotic-assisted surgery has not yet been widely adopted, though many robotic prototypes show great promise to improve surgical techniques, and ultimately patient outcomes. In this chapter, we review the advantages, surgical approaches, indications, limitations, and future developments of robotic-assisted surgery as it relates to the vitreoretinal surgeon.
Safety and Feasibility of Thoracoscopic Lung Resection for Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer in Octogenarians.

ObjectiveOctogenarians comprise an increasing proportion of patients presenting with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This study examines postoperative morbidity and mortality, and long-term sur...
Abstract 75: Cost-effectiveness Analysis of CHOP and R-CHOP Treatment of Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma in Malawi

Purpose: Cost-effectiveness data for cancer treatment are needed from sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), where diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is a common, curable cancer. In high-income countries, the standard of care for DLBCL is R-CHOP (rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone) chemoimmunotherapy. Rituximab is often not available in SSA due to cost, and treatment with CHOP is common. Methods: We evaluated the cost-effectiveness of DLBCL treatment using Malawi-specific data. Clinical data were from a prospective observational cohort treated with CHOP, as well as a clinical trial of R-CHOP. We used a decision-tree model to calculate costs per disability adjusted life year (DALY) averted from the health system perspective and estimated a willingness to pay (WTP) threshold of three times GDP per capita. Results: On a per-patient level, compared to no chemotherapy, CHOP is estimated to avert 7·9 DALYS, at an incremental cost of $1,500, for an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of $194 per DALY averted, which is well below WTP. In probabilistic sensitivity analysis, CHOP was cost-effective for DLBCL in >99% of simulations. Compared to CHOP, R-CHOP is estimated to avert 2·9 DALYs, at an incremental cost of $3,198 and ICER of $1,104 per DALY averted, which is at the WTP threshold and was below WTP in 45% of simulations. Conclusion: CHOP is cost-effective for DLBCL in Malawi, and the addition of rituximab may be cost-effective. Future studies in SSA and other LMIC settings should include rigorous economic evaluation to promote continued cancer treatment investments and prioritization. Citation Format: Matthew Painschab, Racquel Kohler, Stephen Kimani, Stephanie Wheeler, Satish Gopal. Cost-effectiveness Analysis of CHOP and R-CHOP Treatment of Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma in Malawi [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 9th Annual Symposium on Global Cancer Research; Global Cancer Research and Control: Looking Back and Charting a Path Forward; 2021 Mar 10-11. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2021;30(7 Suppl):Abstract nr 75.
Adaptability of protein structures to enable functional interactions and evolutionary implications

Several studies in recent years have drawn attention to the ability of proteins to adapt to intermolecular interactions by conformational changes along structure-encoded collective modes of motions. These so-called soft modes, primarily driven by entropic effects, facilitate, if not enable, functional interactions. They represent excursions on the conformational space along principal low-ascent directions/paths away from the original free energy minimum, and they are accessible to the protein even before protein-protein/ligand interactions. An emerging concept from these studies is the evolution of structures or modular domains to favor such modes of motion that will be recruited or integrated for enabling functional interactions. Structural dynamics, including the allosteric switches in conformation that are often stabilized upon formation of complexes and multimeric assemblies, emerge as key properties that are evolutionarily maintained to accomplish biological activities, consistent with the paradigm sequence→structure→dynamics→function where 'dynamics' bridges structure and function.
Discrete mathematics and algebraic structures

"Discrete Mathematics and Algebraic Structures" provides a brief but substantial introduction to ideas, structures and techniques in discrete mathematics and abstract algebra. It addresses many of the common mathematical needs of students in mathematics and computer science at undergraduate level.
Echoes from the Past: Are Global Financial Crises Reasserting Themselves?

This study compares the incidence of currency crises across two periods-the pre-World War I era (1880-1913), and the post Bretton Woods period (1975-2000). Emphasis is placed on crises that were global in nature. An index of global stress was constructed as a common component in country-specific indexes of exchange market pressure. The incidence of global crises was then obtained by fitting a probabilistic model to the data generating process underlying extreme values of this index. The evidence suggests that while overall the crisis-incidence has been no lower, and may have even been higher, in the recent period, the incidence of global crises has been significantly lower.
The Cardiovascular Effects of Obesity on Ventricular Function and Mass in Patients after Tetralogy of Fallot Repair.

Objectives To determine the cardiovascular effects of obesity on patients with tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) repair. Study design Ventricular performance measures were compared between obese (body mass index [BMI] ≥95%), overweight (85% ≤BMI P Results Of 260 consecutive patients with TOF, 32 were obese (12.3%), 48 were overweight (18.5%), and 180 were normal weight (69.2%). Biventricular mass was increased in obese compared with normal weight patients with right ventricular mass more affected than left ventricular mass. Obese patients demonstrated decreased biventricular end-diastolic volume (EDV) and stroke volume (SV) when indexed to body surface area (BSA) with an increased heart rate when compared with normal weight patients; cardiac index, ejection fraction, and pulmonary regurgitation fraction were similar. When indexed to ideal BSA, biventricular EDV and SV were similar. EDV and SV for overweight patients were nearly identical to normal weight patients with ventricular mass in between the other 2 groups. Conclusions Approximately 12% of patients after TOF repair referred for cardiac magnetic resonance in a tertiary referral center are obese with increased biventricular mass. Obese patients and normal weight patients have similar cardiac indices, however, when indexed to actual BSA, obese patients demonstrate decreased EDV and SV with increased heart rate and similar cardiac indices. When indexed to ideal BSA, no differences in biventricular volumes were noted.
Semiclassical approach to atomic and molecular interactions

A general approach, combining quantum and classical mechanics, is used to determine the electron position and velocity distributions in atoms and atomic ions (positive and negative). The Hartree-Fock electronic wave functions and the classical central field approximation are used for evaluation of the dynamic properties of the localized electrons. The distributions, which are of fundamental importance in applications of the binary encounter approximation to description of atomic and ionic collissions, are obtained in the form of simple analytical expressions. The quantum-classical distributions of this work are compared with several other distributions in Ne, Ar, and Al atoms in the ground state.
Adaptive IIR phase equalizers based on stochastic search algorithms

Two well known optimization algorithms, the genetic algorithm (GA) and the simulated annealing algorithm (SAA), are investigated for IIR adaptive phase equalizers. For non-convex error surfaces, gradient-based algorithms often fail to find the global optimum. This work compares the ability of the GA and the SAA to achieve the global minimum solution for multi-order all-pass adaptive filters to be used for the phase equalization of minimum phase SAW filters.
Evolvability of an RNA virus is determined by its mutational neighbourhood

The ubiquity of mechanisms that generate genetic variation has spurred arguments that evolvability, the ability to generate adaptive variation, has itself evolved in response to natural selection. The high mutation rate of RNA viruses is postulated to be an adaptation for evolvability, but the paradox is that whereas some RNA viruses evolve at high rates, others are highly stable. Here we show that evolvability in the RNA bacteriophage phi6 is also determined by the accessibility of advantageous genotypes within the mutational neighbourhood (the set of mutants one or a few mutational steps away). We found that two phi6 populations that were derived from a single ancestral phage repeatedly evolved at different rates and toward different fitness maxima. Fitness measurements of individual phages showed that the fitness distribution of mutants differed between the two populations. Whereas population A, which evolved toward a higher maximum, had a distribution that contained many advantageous mutants, population B, which evolved toward a lower maximum, had a distribution that contained only deleterious mutants. We interpret these distributions to measure the fitness effects of genotypes that are mutationally available to the two populations. Thus, the evolvability of phi6 is constrained by the distribution of its mutational neighbours, despite the fact that this phage has the characteristic high mutation rate of RNA viruses.
Thermal model for analysis of Mars infrared mapping

[1] The KRC numerical thermal model has been used in the analysis of observations from virtually all Mars missions with infrared sensors and for the selection of virtually all Mars' landing sites. It uses a physics-based one-layer atmosphere gray at solar and thermal wavelengths to determine the radiative effect of a dusty atmosphere. One gas component may condense to form a seasonal polar cap and affect the global surface pressure. The atmosphere may be omitted entirely to model airless bodies. KRC uses layers that become thicker geometrically with depth and it uses repeated time step doubling. The surface may be homogeneous or have two zones of material properties, each zone may have temperature-dependent thermal conductivity and specific heat. Surface slopes or depressions are modeled to first order. Here KRC is described in detail and used to compute globally the annual average surface temperature accounting for albedo, thermal inertia, elevation, slope at 3 km resolution, and zonal climate. Comparisons with three other thermal models are discussed. The model is available for general use.