cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Shale Development and Mexico

The opportunities for unconventional or shale oil and gas production in Mexico remain at the earliest stages of development. The bulk of Mexico’s shale prospects appear to lie in the North and Northeastern sections of the country, where the infrastructure is often largely undeveloped. While significant hurdles remain with regard to the ultimate success of energy reform in general, and shale oil and gas development in particular. If these issues can be addressed, Mexico will be in a position to recapture its role as an energy leader in America.
A Shared Leadership Approach to Transformational Leadership Theory: Analysis of Research Methods and Philosophies

The main objective of this paper is to identify the research philosophy as well as research methodologies that are most appropriate for the research fields identified above; this paper will highlight the research methodologies that are most applicable to this research effort by reviewing the research methodologies utilized in research performed by other researchers, in similar fields of research to those identified above. This paper acts as a guide in order to outline the research philosophies, research canons, ethical considerations, research methodologies/designs, data collection and analysis methods, sample size requirements, and "what to measure" requirements. Based on the decision to utilize the quantitative research philosophy, the paper discusses other significant research topics in terms of the quantitative research philosophy. The topics will be discussed from the quantitative perspective in order to provide the reader with the full understanding of how the quantitative research philosophy needs to be accounted for in every aspect of the research design/approach. Finally, the paper discusses a general summary of the various section of the paper and the final section also details the future intentions and responsibilities of the researcher.
Exercise and Depressive and Anxious Symptoms: What Is the Nature of Their Interrelations?

Exercise is widely viewed as both therapeutic and prophylactic regarding an array of health outcomes. We empirically examined this claim with specific reference to depressive and anxious symptoms. The interrelations of exercise and depressive and anxious symptoms were longitudinally assessed among a sample of 188 undergraduates over the course of 3 weeks. Depressive and anxious symptoms did not account for changes in self-reported exercise. However, consistent with prediction, high self-reported exercise level was associated with increases in self-esteem and decreases in depressive symptoms among women. Increases in self-esteem only partly accounted for decreases in depressive symptoms. Results were specific to depressive vs. anxious symptoms. Among men, a surprising result emerged: Men who reported higher levels of exercise tended to experience decreases in self-esteem and increases in depressive symptoms over the course of the study.
Evaluating Light-Induced Promoters for the Control of Heterologous Gene Expression in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803

Cyanobacteria are enticing microbial factories, but little is understood how their gene control elements respond to the periodic availability to light. This research tested the capability of PpsbAII to control gene expression during light/dark conditions when moved to a neutral location within the Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 genome. When the eYFP reporter gene was run by PpsbAII in the promoter's native genomic location, mutants exposed to 12-hour light conditions experienced a 15.8× increase in transcript abundance over that observed from the same construct exposed to 12-hour dark conditions. When this same construct was moved to the hypothetical coding region slr0168 in the genome, transcripts generated during 12 hour light conditions accumulated to 1.67X of the levels of transcripts generated by the same construct during 12 hour dark conditions. Three additional promoter constructs, PpsbAIII , PgroEL2 , and PsigD were also tested for differential expression in light and dark conditions within the neutral region slr0168. While low amounts of transcript accumulation were observed from PgroEL2 and PsigD , the PpsbAIII construct accumulated 5.79× more transcripts when compared to transcript abundance during dark conditions, which highlights the potential of this promoter to control gene expression during diel-cycle light conditions. Additionally, nucleotide mutations were made to regions within PpsbAII . Mutations to the cis-acting hexo-nucleotide region increased expression 3.71× over that of the native promoter, while the addition of the "HLR" nucleotide region to the PpsbAII::ΔHex construct increased expression 2.76× over that of the native promoter. © 2016 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 33:45-53, 2017.
Confusions over Time: An Interpretable Bayesian Model to Characterize Trends in Decision Making

We propose Confusions over Time (CoT), a novel generative framework which facilitates a multi-granular analysis of the decision making process. The CoT not only models the confusions or error properties of individual decision makers and their evolution over time, but also allows us to obtain diagnostic insights into the collective decision making process in an interpretable manner. To this end, the CoT models the confusions of the decision makers and their evolution over time via time-dependent confusion matrices. Interpretable insights are obtained by grouping similar decision makers (and items being judged) into clusters and representing each such cluster with an appropriate prototype and identifying the most important features characterizing the cluster via a subspace feature indicator vector. Experimentation with real world data on bail decisions, asthma treatments, and insurance policy approval decisions demonstrates that CoT can accurately model and explain the confusions of decision makers and their evolution over time.
Shifts in microbial community structure and function in surface waters impacted by unconventional oil and gas wastewater revealed by metagenomics

Unconventional oil and gas (UOG) production produces large quantities of wastewater with complex geochemistry and largely uncharacterized impacts on surface waters. In this study, we assessed shifts in microbial community structure and function in sediments and waters upstream and downstream from a UOG wastewater disposal facility. To do this, quantitative PCR for 16S rRNA and antibiotic resistance genes along with metagenomic sequencing were performed. Elevated conductivity and markers of UOG wastewater characterized sites sampled downstream from the disposal facility compared to background sites. Shifts in overall high level functions and microbial community structure were observed between background sites and downstream sediments. Increases in Deltaproteobacteria and Methanomicrobia and decreases in Thaumarchaeota were observed at downstream sites. Genes related to dormancy and sporulation and methanogenic respiration were 18-86 times higher at downstream, impacted sites. The potential for these sediments to serve as reservoirs of antimicrobial resistance was investigated given frequent reports of the use of biocides to control the growth of nuisance bacteria in UOG operations. A shift in resistance profiles downstream of the UOG facility was observed including increases in acrB and mexB genes encoding for multidrug efflux pumps, but not overall abundance of resistance genes. The observed shifts in microbial community structure and potential function indicate changes in respiration, nutrient cycling, and markers of stress in a stream impacted by UOG waste disposal operations.
Impact of 21-gene RT-PCR assay on adjuvant therapy for stage I breast cancer.

586 Background: A recurrence score (RS) derived from a 21-gene RT-PCR assay (Oncotype DX) stratifies patients (pts) with early estrogen receptor (ER)-positive, HER2-normal breast cancer (BC) into 3...
AC/DC interconnectors stability and torsional interaction

Higher levels of power transfers across AC transmission circuits (also called interconnectors when they connect two electrical systems or companies) can result in system stability issue (rotor angle and voltage stability) and prevent the use of circuits’ full thermal capacity. Due to increased amount of renewables there is also a need to reinforce the thermal capacity of such circuits. A high voltage direct current (HVDC) link parallel to these circuits can resolve the stability issue as well as provide the required additional transmission capacity. However the current controller of HVDC converters can introduce negative damping under certain operating conditions. If there are thermal generators close to the HVDC converter stations, and the negative damping exceeds the positive damping of generators, there will be a risk of sub-synchronous torsional interaction (SSTI) between the electrical and mechanical shaft system of the turbine-generators. When such an interaction is not mitigated, generators shafts could be damaged, putting generators out of service and possible loss of supply to customers – a major cost implication for power stations and system operator. This study discusses the above issues, and present ideas that have been considered in this project to enhance system stability, thermal capacities, and mitigate the SSTI issue.
Incarceration of the Posterior Tibial Tendon in an Isolated Comminuted Medial Malleolus Fracture.

Abstract Isolated medial malleolar fractures are a less common presentation of an ankle fracture. Treatment is not universally accepted, although many have agreed that any displacement warrants anatomic reduction and fixation. We present a case of an isolated, comminuted medial malleolar fracture that was displaced secondary to entrapment of the posterior tibial tendon between the fracture fragments requiring surgical intervention. The patient was treated with prompt open reduction and internal fixation and had an excellent functional outcome at 1 year. When open reduction and internal fixation of the medial malleolus is indicated, a thorough exploration of the zone of injury is required to identify and adequately address any surrounding pathologic features beyond just the disrupted bony anatomy. To the best of our knowledge, this specific injury has never been previously reported and emphasizes the importance of understanding the local anatomy and how restoration of the distorted anatomy is vital to optimize patient function.
Appraisal of testicular volumes: volumes matching ultrasound values referenced to stages of genital development.

Testicular volumes obtained with orchidometers or external linear measurements in the scrotum (centimeter ruler or calipers) grossly over-estimate ultrasound volumes, have much variability and may not be accurate or reproducible. The reference of the values obtained by orchidometers or US, to age or Tanner stages is not useful to determine the normal values for stages of puberty, because overlapping of ages and values. Pubertal development is determined by two events, genital and pubic hair development, that should be analyzed independently because one could be out of step with the other. The ultrasound (US) measurement of testicular volumes is the gold standard but is somewhat inconvenient, because it requires another procedure and, mainly, is costly. The solution of the problems would be to determine testicular volumes matching US values, from the width of the testis obtained in the scrotum with a centimeter ruler, by formulas recently described, and to reference them to the stages of genital development. The width and length of the testes in the scrotum with a centimeter ruler were obtained in 159 study subjects, in different stages of genital development and adults, for a total of 318 testicular determinations, from the age of 3 to 34 years. The width obtained in the scrotum was corrected by subtracting the values of the double scrotal skin (ss). The formulas were then applied and the testicular volumes matching US values were calculated. The volumes and the range of ages for different stages of genital development were determined. Penile measurements were obtained in 145 subjects and pubic and other hair recorded. Paired and unpaired 2 tail student t-test was used to compare the means of the different groups expressed as means and SD and, in addition the Wilcoxon rank sum test and Bootstrap methods for the testicular volume groups. A p value of 0.05 or less was considered significant. The Institutional Review Board (IRB) of Nationwide Children’s Hospital determined that this study did not require IRB approval. With a simple measurement of the width of the testis in the scrotum, with a centimeter ruler, testicular volumes matching US values were calculated and normative values for each stage of genital development were determined. This information should solve present problems.
Quickest search and learning over multiple sequences

Consider a set of random sequences, each consisting of independent and identically distributed random variables. Each sequence is generated according to one of the two possible distributions F 0 or F 1 with unknown prior probabilities (1 − ∊) and ∊, respectively. The objective is to design a sequential decision-making procedure that identifies a sequence generated according to F 1 with the fewest number of measurements. Earlier analyses of this search problem have demonstrated that the optimal design of the sequential rules strongly hinge on the exact value of ∊. Such information, however, might not be available in certain applications, especially in anomaly detection where the anomalous sequences occur with unpredicted patterns. Motivated by this premise, this paper designs a sequential inference mechanism that forms two coupled decisions for identifying a sequence of interest, and also learning the value of ∊. The paper devises three strategies that place different levels of emphasis on each of these inference goals.
Mapping the Landscape, Journeying Together: The Gold Foundation's Model for Research-Based Advocacy in Humanism in Medicine.

Mapping the Landscape, Journeying Together (MTL) is an initiative of the Arnold P. Gold Foundation Research Institute. The MTL initiative awards teams with a grant to complete a rigorous review of the literature on a topic related to humanism in health care. Teams may then seek a discovery or advocacy grant to fill in gaps in knowledge or to make or advocate for change. In this Commentary, the author reveals the MTL journey through the metaphor of cartography. She describes the initial development of a road map, as well as the MTL community’s experience of navigation, discovery, and exploration. MTL participants are not only incrementally adding to a complex body of knowledge but also actively cultivating a robust community of practice.
Crystal structure of BaMn2(AsO4)2 containing discrete [Mn4O18]28- units.

In our attempt to search for mixed alkaline-earth and transition metal arsenates, the title compound, barium dimanganese(II) bis­(arsenate), has been synthesized by employing a high-temperature RbCl flux. The crystal structure of BaMn2(AsO4)2 is made up of MnO6 octa­hedra and AsO4 tetra­hedra assembled by sharing corners and edges into infinite slabs with composition [Mn2(AsO4)2]2− that extend parallel to the ab plane. The barium cations reside between parallel slabs maintaining the inter­slab connectivity through coordination to eight oxygen anions. The layered anionic framework comprises weakly inter­acting [Mn4O18]28− tetra­meric units. In each tetra­mer, the manganese(II) cations are in a planar arrangement related by a center of inversion. Within the slabs, the tetra­meric units are separated from each other by 6.614 (2) A (Mn⋯Mn distances). The title compound has isostructural analogues amongst synthetic SrM2(XO4)2 compounds with M = Ni, Co, and X = As, P.
Soils Suppressing and Promoting Non-native Plant Invasions

Non-native invasive plants are an increasing concern and are found on every continent on the globe, including Antarctica. While non-native invasives sometimes provide benefits to humans or wildlife, they often impair ecosystem services, crowding out native plant species, pre-empting scarce water and nutrients, and creating novel plant communities that can disrupt animal herbivore and pollinator communities. Many of these impacts have economic consequences for humans as well. Therefore, understanding and predicting invasions and their impacts has become a major challenge for ecologists. This chapter reviews ways in which soils influence the establishment and spread of non-native invasive plants. I focus first on the abiotic and biotic attributes, and their interactions, that influence the initial stage of invasion, which is heuristically defined as the stage before the non-native invasive has been present long enough or in densities high enough to substantially alter soil properties. Then I describe ways in which non-native invasive plants alter these soil properties and discuss potential feedback effects on invasion rate that result from these invasion-induced changes. I also suggest some areas where further research could be useful to improve our understanding of when and how soils suppress or promote non-native invasive plants.
Toward a long-term evaluation of MPPT techniques in PV systems

Maximum power point tracking (MPPT) is required to extract the maximum available power in PV systems. Wide variety of methods exist in literature, with range of complexity and effectiveness. The features of these diverse methods are usually evaluated at specific environmental conditions for a tiny period, and then the evaluations are generalized for PV systems working under long-term environmental conditions. This makes it unclear which method is better in a location where a certain mixture of environmental conditions could occur. This paper shows that the MPPT evaluations may change under actual environmental conditions for a long period. The paper first provides a classification for the environmental conditions of PV systems. It then tests the most commonly used MPPT methods at long term environmental conditions for evaluating their performance.
The psychobiology of resilience and vulnerability to anxiety disorders: implications for prevention and treatment

Much of the research on the neurobiology of human anxiety disorders has focused on psychopaihological abnormalities in patients with anxiety disorders. While this line of research is obviously important, more investigation is needed to elucidate the psychobiology of resilience to extreme stress. Study of the psychobiology of resilience has the potential to identify neurochemical, neuropeptide, and hormonal mediators of vulnerability and resilience to severe stress. In addition, the relevance of neural mechanisms of reward and motivation, fear responsiveness, and social behavior to character traits associated with risk and resistance to anxiety disorders may be clarified. These areas of investigation should lead to improved methods of diagnosis, novel approaches to prevention, and new targets for antianxiety drug discovery.
Incremental expenditures of stroke among adults with epilepsy in the United States: Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, 2003–2014. (P6.291)

Objective: To estimate the incremental cost of stroke among individuals with epilepsy in the United States. Background: Stroke is a leading cause of epilepsy. With the aging population, the proportion of seizures related to stroke is expected to increase. Stroke accounts for nearly 2% of national health care expenditures. Yet, healthcare expenditures have not been evaluated in stroke survivors with epilepsy. Design/Methods: We analyzed data from the 2003–2014 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey Household Component to estimate medical costs among adults participants aged >18 years and older with epilepsy by stroke status. We used a two-part model (adjusting for extraneous confounders) to estimate mean and incremental healthcare expenditures epilepsy participants with stroke. Results: Of the weighted 1, 942, 413 U.S. individuals with epilepsy, 332,948 (17.1%) had stroke (with a prevalence of 12.6%, 42.0% and 45.4% in the age group of 18–44, 45–64 and ≥ 65 years, respectively). Overall, the unadjusted mean healthcare expenditure in epilepsy participants with stroke was nearly twice as high as that of non-stroke participants ($23,784, 95%CI: $9,731–$27,838 vs. $13,574, 95%CI: 10,613–16,536). Healthcare expenditures were higher for inpatient, outpatient, medications, emergency room costs but not for home health cost. Stroke incurred an incremental medical cost estimated at $3,535 (95%CI: $447–6,622, P= 0.025) among participants with epilepsy. Compared to epilepsy participants without stroke, mean inpatient and emergency room costs were increased by $1,953 (95% CI: $ 512–$3,394, P = 0.008) and $626 (95%CI: 244–1,008, P Conclusions: Epilepsy participants with stroke have significantly higher medical expenditures than their non-stroke counterparts. The incremental cost incurred by stroke in participants with epilepsy is particularly high for inpatient and emergency room costs. Disclosure: Dr. Lekoubou Looti has nothing to disclose. Dr. Bishu has nothing to disclose. Dr. Ovbiagele has nothing to disclose.
Molecular Genetics of Pancreatic Cancer

In cancer, genome stability is compromised. Ductal adenocarcinoma of the pancreas is no exception. Considerable progress in the identification and characterization of somatic and/or germline genetic alterations has provided the mechanistic foundations of this genetically complex disease. Numerous alterations, including chromosomal copy-number gains, amplifications and homozygous deletions, loss of heterozygosity (LOH) with and without copy number reduction, and balanced and unbalanced structural re-arrangements, are commonly observed ( 1 – 4 ). Gross chromosomal changes are often complemented by smaller, more subtle alterations affecting the open reading frames of proto-oncogenes, tumor suppressors, and genome caretaker genes ( 5 – 8 ). Continued evaluation of these and additional yet-unidentified genetic alterations should translate into rational diagnostic and treatment strategies. This chapter describes the spectrum and frequency of genetic alterations observed in ductal adenocarcinomas of the pancreas, as organized by the underlying presence of two, largely mutually exclusive, types of genome instability: chromosomal instability (CIN) and microsatellite instability (MIN). This distinction is justified, as each tumor type exhibits unique histologic and molecular characteristics ( 9 ).
Which scores need a core? An evaluation of MR-targeted biopsy yield by PIRADS score across different biopsy indications

Magnetic resonance imaging is being widely adopted in the clinical management of prostate cancer. The correlation of the Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System (PIRADS) to the presence of cancer has been established but studies have primarily evaluated this in a single clinical setting. This study aims to characterize the correlation of PIRADS score to the diagnosis of cancer on fusion biopsy among men who are undergoing primary biopsy, those who have had a previous negative biopsy or men on active surveillance. A consecutive sample of men undergoing US-MR biopsy at a single academic institution from 2014 to 2017 were included in this retrospective study. Men were stratified into groups according to their clinical history: biopsy-naive, previous negative transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) biopsy or on active surveillance. The correlation of PIRADS score to the diagnosis of any and clinically significant cancer (Gleason score ≥ 3 + 4) was determined. A total of 255 patients with 365 discrete lesions were analyzed. PIRADS score 1–2, 3, 4 and 5 yielded any prostate cancer in 7.7, 29.7, 42.3 and 82.4% of the cases, respectively, across all indications while clinically significant cancer was found in 0, 8.9, 21.4 and 62.7%, respectively. The area under the receiver operative curves for the diagnosis of any and significant cancer was 0.69 (95%CI: 0.64–0.74) and 0.74 (95%CI: 0.69–0.79) respectively. Men who have had a previous negative biopsy had lower detection rates for any prostate cancer for PIRADS 3 and 4 lesions compared to those that were biopsy-naive or on active surveillance. Cancer detection rates are significantly associated with PIRADS score. Biopsy yields differ across biopsy indications which should be considered when selecting a PIRADS score threshold for biopsy. Biopsy of PIRADS 3 lesions could potentially be avoided in men who have previously undergone a negative TRUS biopsy.
Urban-Rural Residence and Child Physical Abuse Hospitalizations: A National Incidence Study.

Objective To determine if child physical abuse hospitalization rates vary across urban-rural regions overall and after accounting for race/ethnicity and poverty demographics. Study design This was a retrospective cross-sectional study of black, Hispanic, and non-Hispanic white children Results We identified 3082 child physical abuse hospitalizations occurring among 18.2 million children. Neither crude nor adjusted overall rates of child physical abuse hospitalizations varied significantly across the urban-rural spectrum. When stratified by race/ethnicity, crude child physical abuse hospitalization rates decreased among black children 29.1% (P = .004) and increased among white children 25.6% (P = .001) from central metro to rural counties. After adjusting for poverty, only rates among black children continued to vary significantly, decreasing 34.8% (P = .001) from central metro to rural counties. Rates were disproportionately higher among black children compared with white children and their disproportionality increased with population density, even after poverty adjustment. Rates among Hispanic children were disproportionately lower compared with white children in nearly all urban-rural categories. Conclusions Our results suggest that urban black children have unique exposures, outside of poverty, increasing their risk for child physical abuse hospitalization. Identifying and addressing these unique urban exposures may aid in reducing black-white disproportionalities in child physical abuse.
Double Embeddedness: Towards an integration of networks and institutional theory

While networks are one of the key manifestations of embeddedness, scholars have typically overlooked that networks themselves are embedded within a larger institutional context. We address this def...
Maternal immune activation impairs cognitive flexibility and alters transcription in frontal cortex.

Abstract Background Epidemiological studies suggest that the risk of neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and schizophrenia is increased by prenatal exposure to viral or bacterial infection during pregnancy. It is still unclear how activation of the maternal immune response interacts with underlying genetic factors to influence observed ASD phenotypes. Methods The current study investigated how maternal immune activation (MIA) in mice impacts gene expression in the frontal cortex in adulthood, and how these molecular changes relate to deficits in cognitive flexibility and social behavior, and increases in repetitive behavior that are prevalent in ASD. Poly(I:C) (20 mg/kg) was administered to dams on E12.5 and offspring were tested for social approach behavior, repetitive grooming, and probabilistic reversal learning in adulthood (n = 8 vehicle; n = 9 Poly(I:C)). We employed next-generation high-throughput mRNA sequencing (RNA-seq) to comprehensively investigate the transcriptome profile in frontal cortex of adult offspring of Poly(I:C)-exposed dams. Results Exposure to poly(I:C) during gestation impaired probabilistic reversal learning and decreased social approach in MIA offspring compared to controls. We found long-term effects of MIA on expression of 24 genes, including genes involved in glutamatergic neurotransmission, mTOR signaling and potassium ion channel activity. Correlations between gene expression and specific behavioral measures provided insight into genes that may be responsible for ASD-like behavioral alterations. Conclusions These findings suggest that MIA can lead to impairments in cognitive flexibility in mice similar to those exhibited in ASD individuals, and that these impairments are associated with altered gene expression in frontal cortex.
Ancient and current resilience in the Chengdu Plain: Agropolitan development re-‘revisited’:

The Dujiangyan irrigation system, China’s largest, is one of the world’s most important examples of sustainable agropolitan development, maintained by a relatively decentralised system of governanc...
Three-Dimensional-Printed Model as a Template for Chest Wall Reconstruction.

Background To our knowledge, this is the first time that a three-dimensional (3D)–printed model was used as an intraoperative template to recreate the resected portion of the lateral chest wall after resection of a large chest-wall tumour. Methods Fabrication of 3D-printed models requires collaboration among a surgeon, radiologist, segmenter, and 3D printing centre. Three-dimensional models are created with computed tomographic and magnetic resonance data. These models can provide an accurate guide for surgical resection and can be used intraoperatively as a template to construct tailored prostheses. Results We achieved complete resection of the chest wall defect, restored skeletal function and physiologic chest excursion, and achieved the best cosmetic appearance in all cases. Conclusions Small- to medium-sized chest wall defects can be repaired with musculocutaneous flaps with or without prosthetic materials, but more complicated defects require increasingly sophisticated reconstructive techniques and technologies. An advanced technique is the use of a 3D-printed model of the chest wall as an intraoperative template.
WorkflowHub: Community Framework for Enabling Scientific Workflow Research and Development -- Technical Report

Scientific workflows are a cornerstone of modern scientific computing. They are used to describe complex computational applications that require efficient and robust management of large volumes of data, which are typically stored/processed at heterogeneous, distributed resources. The workflow research and development community has employed a number of methods for the quantitative evaluation of existing and novel workflow algorithms and systems. In particular, a common approach is to simulate workflow executions. In previous work, we have presented a collection of tools that have been used for aiding research and development activities in the Pegasus project, and that have been adopted by others for conducting workflow research. Despite their popularity, there are several shortcomings that prevent easy adoption, maintenance, and consistency with the evolving structures and computational requirements of production workflows. In this work, we present WorkflowHub, a community framework that provides a collection of tools for analyzing workflow execution traces, producing realistic synthetic workflow traces, and simulating workflow executions. We demonstrate the realism of the generated synthetic traces by comparing simulated executions of these traces with actual workflow executions. We also contrast these results with those obtained when using the previously available collection of tools. We find that our framework not only can be used to generate representative synthetic workflow traces (i.e., with workflow structures and task characteristics distributions that resembles those in traces obtained from real-world workflow executions), but can also generate representative workflow traces at larger scales than that of available workflow traces.
Discrete ordinates analysis of the forced-flight variance reduction technique in Monte Carlo neutral particle transport simulations

Abstract This paper presents mathematical formulations and methods to predict the effect of forced-flight variance reduction on Monte Carlo tally variance and calculation time. This includes deducing biasing operators that are then used to construct a history-score probability density function (HSPDF), which represents all possible Monte Carlo random walks and gives the probability of a Monte Carlo history scoring in a tally from a particular phase-space position. The history-score moment equations (HSMEs), the statistical moments of the HSPDF, are then derived to calculate the statistical behavior of the Monte Carlo tally when forced-flight variance reduction is applied. In addition, the future-time equation (FTE) is derived to predict the Monte Carlo computational time as a result of applying forced-flight variance reduction. The solutions of the HSMEs and FTE can be used to predict Monte Carlo computational cost. This work also describes a discrete ordinates method to solve the forced-flight HSMEs and FTE. Several 1-D and 2-D test problems verify that the derivations are performed and implemented correctly.
Presenting problem profiles for adolescents with ADHD: differences by sex, age, race, and family adversity

Background Adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) experience developmentally distinct challenges from children and adults with ADHD. Yet no work in this age group identifies treatment-related phenotypes that can inform treatment matching, development of tailored treatments, and screening efforts. Method This study uses Latent Profile Analysis to detect unique presenting problem profiles among adolescents with ADHD and to test whether these profiles differ by key individual characteristics (age, sex, race, family adversity level). Participants were 854 ethnically diverse adolescents (ages 10-17) from the ADHD Teen Integrative Data Analysis Longitudinal (TIDAL) dataset who were assessed at clinical referral. Parent, adolescent, and teacher ratings, educational testing, and school records measured eight key presenting problems at intake. Results A three-profile solution emerged. ADHD simplex (63.7%) was characterized by a mix of the ADHD-Inattentive and ADHD-Combined subtypes, moderate impairment levels, and infrequent comorbidities. ADHD + internalizing (11.4%) was characterized by higher likelihood of comorbid anxiety and/or depression. The disruptive/disorganized ADHD (24.9%) profile was characterized by severe organization, time management, and planning (OTP) problems, the ADHD-Combined subtype, and frequent disruptive behavior at school. Age did not vary across these phenotypes. More females were present in the ADHD + internalizing phenotype; males were more likely to be found in the disruptive/disorganized ADHD phenotype. Higher family adversity and African American race were associated with the disruptive/disorganized ADHD phenotype. Conclusions Adolescents with ADHD demonstrate varying presenting problem phenotypes that vary by sex, family adversity, and race/ethnicity. Consideration of these phenotypes may inform treatment matching and efforts to improve screening among under-diagnosed groups.
Examining Physical Space, Leadership Inheritance, and “Authentic” Community Engagement through Co-Constructed Autoethnography

Emerging educational administration leaders must navigate pre-established terrain to affect transformational change. However, an educational organization’s pre-existing, bureaucratic climate, culture, and structure can create obstacles for emerging leaders in rural Appalachian school systems. This issue is further complicated for emerging female leaders in rural areas. Therefore, it is important to understand how emerging educational leaders negotiate and create meaningful change in an already established system where leaders in power have a vested interest in preserving the status quo. Through their own, co-constructed, autoethnographic experiences Claire and Allison explore the research questions: To what extent did an existing community-oriented group embody Block’s (2018) Community: The Structure of Belonging concepts and methodologies? Where are opportunities for transformation within the pre-existing structure of the BAC? The process of understanding these research questions presented Claire and Allison with an opportunity to foster the transformative growth of their educational leadership identities. This qualitative approach encourages Claire and Allison to explore the intersectionalities of their roles within their school-community. The findings yield three prevailing themes: physical space reveals paradigm, inheritance of leadership, and “authentic” community engagement. This study aims to be informative for educational administration leaders, policy makers, and BAC stakeholders who desire to understand that Claire and Allison’s experiences, though not generalizable, have transferable qualities and assist in understanding similar situations which occur in public, educational organizations.
Queue Analysis for Probabilistic Cloud Workflows

Cloud applications can be modeled as workflows. These workflows are represented by Directed Acyclic Graphs (DAGs) or non-DAGs. The graph shows the relationship between tasks that compose a workflow and the dependencies between these tasks. in our previous work, we presented a method for transforming a workflow into an equivalent graph that shows all possible paths that a workflow will take. In this paper, we use the results of that method for multiple workflows coming to a queue and use the famous pollaczek–khintchine formula to estimate the average waiting and completion time for submitted workflows. Then, we use different scheduling algorithms, namely, Shortest Job First (SJF) and Longest Job First (LJF) and compare them with First Come First Serve (FCFS).
Human induced pluripotent stem cell– based modeling of Alzheimer’s disease, a glial perspective

Abstract Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease with no cure, characterized by extracellular amyloid β plaques, intracellular neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs), and cognitive decline. Unlike familial AD (fAD) caused by mutations of amyloid precursor protein (APP) and presenilins (PSEN1 and PSEN2), the cause for sporadic AD (sAD) remains unclear. Recently, many sAD risk genes have been identified, among which, the two top-ranked risk genes are, the e4 allele of apolipoprotein E (APOE4) expressed in astrocytes and microglia and triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM2) expressed in microglia, indicating that glial cells play critical roles during AD progression. To better understand the roles of glial cells in AD, we review the progress and share our perspective on using human iPSC-derived glia cells and glia-containing brain organoids to study AD pathogenesis, which will help us to better understand AD and develop more effective therapies for this disease.
Nickel-free high-nitrogen austenitic steel outperforms CoCrMo alloy regarding tribocorrosion in simulated inflammatory synovial fluids.

CoCrMo alloys are well-established biomaterials used for orthopedic joint replacement implants. However, such alloys have been associated with clinical problems related to wear and corrosion. A new generation of austenitic high-nitrogen steels (AHNSs) has been developed for biomedical applications. Here, we have addressed influences of hyaluronic acid, combined with inflammatory (oxidizing) conditions, on tribocorrosion of the high-nitrogen FeCrMnMoN0.9 steel (DIN/EN X13CrMnMoN18-14-3, 1.4452), and of the low carbon CoCrMo0.03 alloy (ISO 5832-12). We aimed to elucidate critical and clinically relevant conditions affecting the implant's performance in certain orthopedic applications. Tribocorrosion tests were conducted in triplicate, with discs under reciprocating sliding wear against a ceramic ball. Different lubricants were prepared from standardized bovine serum solution (ISO 14242-1), with variable additions of hyaluronic acid (HA) and hydrogen peroxide (H2 O2 ). Test conditions were: 37°C, 86,400 cycles, 37 N load (20-40 MPa after run-in phase). Volumetric wear was quantified; surfaces were evaluated by electrochemical parameters and microscopy/spectroscopy analyses (SEM/EDS). Factorial analysis of variance tests was conducted to examine the effects of HA, H2 O2 , and test material on wear- and corrosion-related dependent variables. Tribocorrosion performances of CoCrMo0.03 and FeCrMnMoN0.9 were comparable in fluids without H2 O2 . With higher H2 O2 concentrations, tribocorrosion increased for CoCrMo0.03 , while this was not the case for FeCrMnMoN0.9 . HA significantly enhanced wear of CoCrMo0.03 in the absence of H2 O2 , while it mitigated the tribocorrosive action of 3 mM H2 O2 ; HA had no impact on FeCrMnMoN0.9 . These results indicate a favorable performance of FeCrMnMoN0.9 compared to CoCrMo0.03 , and encourage further research on AHNS for certain orthopedic applications.
Contrasting Methods of Measurement in Spatial Analyses Examining the Alcohol Environment and Child Maltreatment.

Child physical abuse is a major public health issue in the United States. Environmental child welfare research has focused on neighborhood characteristics and the influence of alcohol and marijuana...
Passivity and Breakdown of Passivity

Some metals and alloys form a film with special properties when interacting with a corrosive environment. The formation of this film results in a metal surface becoming resistant (passive) to corrosive attack. This phenomenon of passivity underlies the successful use of non-noble metals in all the industries that support every modern society; the breakdown of passivity is responsible for many of the localized corrosion failures of these non-noble metals.
ARTs in action in non-human primates: introduction to workshop proceedings.

The workshop upon which these proceedings are based was designed with three objectives in mind: 1) to review the current state of reproductive research employing the assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) in non-human primates (NHPs), including both basic concepts and specific applications; 2) to enhance interactions and collaborative efforts within and between National Primate Research Centers (NPRC) and academic institutions concerning these technologies and reproductive research; and 3) to identify and discuss new developments in reproductive physiology, gamete/embryo biology and efforts to exploit the ARTs in nonhuman primate species
Fluorescence Studies of the Binding of Alkyl and Aryl Phosphates to Rat Muscle Aldolase

Abstract A series of aromatic phosphates have been prepared and tested as inhibitors of fructose 1,6-diphosphate cleavage by rat muscle aldolase (EC 4.1.2.b). Naphthalenediol diphosphates have dissociation constants (Ki) ranging from 2.2 x 10-6 to 3.5 x 10-7 m, depending on the relative positions of the phosphate groups. Phenyl phosphatate (Ki = 3.1 x 10-3 m), 1-naphthol phosphate (Ki = 5.3 x 10-4 m), and resorcinol diphosphate (Ki = 8.8 x 10-7 m), have also been examined. Equilibrium dialysis and spectrophotometric and fluorimetric titration demonstrate that the binding is specific and that there are 3.3 ± 0.2 sites per mole of aldolase. The fluorescence of some naphthol diphosphates is enhanced on binding, suggesting that the binding sites of the enzyme provide a hydrophobic environment. The quenching of aldolase fluorescence by a number of aliphatic mono- and diphosphates indicates that tryptophan may be present in or close to the binding sites. A rapid and convenient procedure for the isolation of crystalline rat muscle aldolase by ammonium sulfate fractionation is described.
Primary sclerosing cholangitis--approach to diagnosis.

Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a progressive disease of the biliary tract characterized by diffuse inflammation and fibrosis of both intra- and extrahepatic bile ducts. According to population-based studies, its prevalence is estimated at 1-10 per 100,000 persons in the United States.[1,2] Disease progression is slow and highly variable, but eventually culminates in cirrhosis and complications related to portal hypertension, with a 10-year survival of approximately 65%.[1,3,4] Problems more specific to PSC can also develop, such as recurrent ascending cholangitis and cholangiocarcinoma. Although neither the etiology nor the pathogenesis of PSC is well understood, PSC is thought to be an immune-mediated process and is indeed associated with other autoimmune diseases.[5] The vast majority of PSC cases occur in the setting of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and its association with IBD is well recognized, especially ulcerative colitis. Although PSC occurs in approximately 5% of all patients with ulcerative colitis, up to 75% of those with PSC will have associated ulcerative colitis.[1,6–8] It can be extremely difficult to diagnose PSC with confidence, particularly outside of tertiary care centers. This article uses case scenarios to illustrate the diagnostic process in PSC, and follows with a review of the current understanding of how clinical presentation, laboratory tests, endoscopy, radiology, and histology facilitate the diagnosis of PSC.
Epidemiology of Sleep Disorders in Women

Sleep medicine as a field was not established until the early 1970s after the discovery of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) in Europe in 1965 (1,2) and the establishment of the first sleep laboratory at Stanford in 1972. The term polysomnography was coined by Dr. Jerome Holland at Stanford, in 1974, to describe the studies that were done during all-night sleep.
Acrodynia: Exposure to Mercury From Fluorescent Light Bulbs

Medical attention was sought for a 23-month-old toddler because of anorexia, weight loss, irritability, profuse sweating, peeling and redness of his fingers and toes, and a miliarial rash. The diagnosis was mercury poisoning, and an investigation of his environment disclosed that he had been exposed to mercury from broken fluorescent light bulbs. Acrodynia resulting from fluorescent bulbs has not been previously reported.
Hydraulic and Electrical Conductivity: Conductivity Exponents and Critical Path Analysis

The saturation dependences of the electrokinetic current, the electrical conductivity, and the hydraulic conductivity are investigated by applying concepts from critical path analysis to the pore-size variability and universal scaling from percolation theory to the topological inputs from phase continuity. This division makes it possible to define ranges of saturation for which the pore-size or the topological effects on the given property dominate. We find that in natural media the hydraulic conductivity is predominantly influenced by the pore-size distribution, the electrical conductivity is usually controlled by topology, and there is no input from the pore-size distribution to the electrokinetic current. These calculations are based on a particular model of the medium as well as scaling of flow appropriate from Poiseuille’s law. Qualitatively similar, but quantitatively different conclusions result from different model inputs. It is shown that previously derived non-universal scaling results for the conductivity are obtained from critical path analysis in a limiting case, proving that the treatment is a generalization of known physics.