cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Design and implementation of a distributed transaction processing system

The extension of the transaction concept to the distributed environment has introduced problems not present in centralized systems. Some of these new problems are due to the communication network, which has become the major speed limitation factor. This suggests that minimizing communication in distributed transactions is as crucial as minimizing disk access for centralized systems. A system for distributed transaction processing that reflects this concern is presented. A novel construct called 'execute' is used that allows the initiation and execution of a group of remote operations with one command. >
Universality in Fully Developed Chaos, and Statistics at Small Scales in Turbulence

Fully chaotic maps of the interval universally generate a complete binary tree in backward iteration: each map generates 2n natural intervals ln by the n times backward iteration of the unit interval. In forward iteration, different classes of initial conditions yield different classes of symbol sequences, hence different classes of statistics over the natural intervals. The symbol sequences and statistics on the natural intervals are universal for the class of maps whereas a set of intervals is the finite signature of a particular map. In fluid turbulence, and in observations of low Reynolds number vorticity dynamics, there is evidence for a hierarchy of intervals on a tree: the eddy cascade provides the tree and the intervals. The trees, intervals, and probabilities generated by fully chaotic maps are linked to corresponding quantities in turbulence through the analysis of the results of experiments on intermittence in energy dissipation obtained for the smallest scales of turbulence.
Large-area field-ionization detector for the study of Rydberg atoms

We describe here the development and characterization of a micro-channel plate (MCP) based detector designed for the efficient collection and detection of Rydberg positronium (Ps) atoms for use in a time-of-flight apparatus. The designed detector collects Rydberg atoms over a large area (∼4 times greater than the active area of the MCP), ionizing incident atoms and then collecting and focusing the freed positrons onto the MCP. Here we discuss the function, design, and optimization of the device. The detector has an efficiency for Rydberg Ps that is two times larger than that of the γ-ray scintillation detector based scheme it has been designed to replace, with half the background signal. In principle, detectors of the type described here could be readily employed for the detection of any Rydberg atom species, provided a sufficient field can be applied to achieve an ionization rate of ≥108/s. In such cases, the best time resolution would be achieved by collecting ionized electrons rather than the positive ions.
Optogenetic Control of Neural Activity with Time-Reversed Ultrasound Encoded Light

We developed an optical technique that can focus light multi-millimeter deep inside biological tissue noninvasively. We demonstrated that this technique enables optogenetic control of individual neurons in brain slices.
Urinary cGMP as biological marker of the renal activity of atrial natriuretic factor

Current evidence suggests guanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cGMP) serves as the second messenger for atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) in the kidney in vivo. We examined whether extracellular cGMP accumulation quantitatively reflected the concentration of cGMP within renal cells and whether urinary excretion of cGMP correlated with the physiological action of ANF. cGMP egression was examined in renal epithelial LLC-PK1 cells. ANF augmented intracellular cGMP concentration and extracellular cGMP appearance. Extracellular cGMP was an excellent function of the time-integrated intracellular cGMP concentration. In clearance studies in awake rats, urinary cGMP was primarily of renal cellular origin and correlated with the natriuresis induced by ANF in a time-dependent and concentration-dependent fashion. Urinary cGMP excretion may be useful as a biological marker for the renal activity of ANF in vivo.
Herders and herdsmen: The remaking of pastoral livelihoods in Laikipia, Kenya

Pastoralists have long overlapped with wildlife in rangelands of sub-Saharan Africa. With growing recognition of the importance of wildlife outside of protected areas, conservation efforts are increasingly managed through hybrid governance activities worldwide, activities which often involve pastoralists. These efforts are especially prevalent in East African rangelands where pastoralists, livestock, and wildlife commonly overlap outside of formal protected areas. Laikipia County, Kenya, is one region renowned for abundant and diverse wildlife species sustained outside protected areas through a collective of conservation activities among private landowners and pastoral group ranches. Little research has considered pastoralists’ roles in the region’s conservation efforts or the ways that those efforts shape local livelihoods. Based on data from interviews, surveys, and participant observation, this article uses a case study approach to demonstrate how some of Laikipia’s pastoralists are increasingly drawn into professional herding jobs with powerful landowners involved in joint commercial ranching and wildlife conservation activities. This has caused many pastoralists to shift from traditional livestock ownership in favour of livestock caretaking for other owners, with substantial implications for livelihoods. This study offers empirical evidence for the importance of considering how diversifying pastoral livelihoods entwine with hybrid conservation processes outside protected areas.
2.9 – ATP Production I: Glycolysis

This chapter begins a section on how the body produces ATP. It introduces the main biochemical pathways in general terms and then discusses how glucose is metabolized to pyruvic acid in the process of glycolysis. It begins discussing glycolysis by describing the sources of glucose for the tissues—either glucose in the blood or glycogen in the tissues or glycogen in the liver mobilized as blood glucose, or gluconeogenesis from peripheral tissues. Therefore, it describes the mobilization of liver glycogen through sympathetic activation or epinephrine-induced glycogenolysis. This chapter focuses on substrate-level phosphorylation derived from glycolysis. It discusses the requirement of oxidized NAD+ for the continued production of glucose by glycolysis.
Abstract 44: Telomere and Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a lethal X-linked recessive disease that is result of mutations in the dystrophin gene and is the most common myopathic disease in humans with a prevalence of o...
Instilling Historical Perspective and a Critical Faculty in the First Undergraduate Course in Financial Accounting

ABSTRACT This article explains how the author discovered his interest in accounting history, and how he used his research and readings in history to enliven his more than 50 years of teaching introductory financial accounting to undergraduates. He then presents nine illustrations of how he has brought historical background and a critical mien into his lectures and discussion sessions with students, in the hope that colleagues elsewhere might consider doing likewise.
Evaluation of mean fiber diameter measurements by FibreLux micron meter and OFDA2000 in Texas and Intermountain west wool

Abstract Objective measurements of wool, specifically mean fiber diameter (MFD), plays an important role in the selection of replacement animals and the marketing of greasy wool. The FibreLux (FL) was designed for field use and will be a cost-effective instrument for producers if it compares favorably to the OFDA2000 on U.S. wool samples. The aim of this study was to compare accuracy and precision of the FL to the OFDA2000 for measurement of mean fiber diameter of U.S. wool. We hypothesized that MFD accuracy of the FL vs. OFDA2000 would be within manufacturer recommended 0.8 μm specifications in U.S. wool samples. Wool from animals originating from two distinct regions was used in this study. Side samples from Montana, Wyoming, and South Dakota (n = 998; 21 flocks) and Texas (n = 883; 11 flocks) were measured on the FL and OFDA2000 at the Montana State University Wool Lab (MSU) and the Texas A&M AgriLife Bill Simms Wool and Mohair Research Lab (AgriLife), respectively. The FL and OFDA2000 were strongly correlated (P
Enhancing Evolutionary Couplings with Deep Convolutional Neural Networks

Summary While genes are defined by sequence, in biological systems a protein's function is largely determined by its three-dimensional structure. Evolutionary information embedded within multiple sequence alignments provides a rich source of data for inferring structural constraints on macromolecules. Still, many proteins of interest lack sufficient numbers of related sequences, leading to noisy, error-prone residue-residue contact predictions. Here we introduce DeepContact, a convolutional neural network (CNN)-based approach that discovers co-evolutionary motifs and leverages these patterns to enable accurate inference of contact probabilities, particularly when few related sequences are available. DeepContact significantly improves performance over previous methods, including in the CASP12 blind contact prediction task where we achieved top performance with another CNN-based approach. Moreover, our tool converts hard-to-interpret coupling scores into probabilities, moving the field toward a consistent metric to assess contact prediction across diverse proteins. Through substantially improving the precision-recall behavior of contact prediction, DeepContact suggests we are near a paradigm shift in template-free modeling for protein structure prediction.
The evaluation of three comorbidity indices in predicting postoperative complications and readmissions in pediatric urology

Summary Introduction The surgical comorbidity assessment is important for patient risk stratification, counseling, and research. In adults, risk assessment indices, such as the Charlson Co-morbidity Score (CCS) or Van Walraven Index (VWI), are well established. In pediatrics, however, risk assessment indices are scarce. Recently, a pediatric-specific risk assessment index, the Rhee index, was developed to discriminate mortality for pediatric general surgery patients. Currently, there is no validated risk assessment tool in pediatric urology. Objective We compared the performance of the CCS, VWI, and Rhee Index in discriminating postoperative complications and readmissions to the emergency room/inpatient unit after pediatric urological procedures. Methods We analyzed the Nationwide Readmissions Database (NRD), State Inpatient Databases (SID), and State Emergency Department Databases (SEDD). We included patients ( This protocol was reviewed by our Institutional Review Board and deemed to be exempt. Results We identified a total of 8006 patients in NRD and 6236 patients in SID/SEDD. The Rhee index had the best performance for discriminating postoperative complications (AUC = 0.67, 95% CI 0.64–0.70) compared to CCS (AUC = 0.62, 95% CI 0.60–0.65) and VWI (AUC = 0.62, 95% CI 0.59–0.65); p Discussion The Rhee Index had the best performance for discriminating postoperative complications, while the CCS was superior for discriminating inpatient readmissions among the three indices. Limitations to our study include inpatient-only procedures, inability to identify complications managed in clinics, omission of secondary operations, accounting for parental anxiety, and the generalizability of SID. Conclusions The three comorbidity indices evaluated are poor discriminators for postoperative complications, 30-day inpatient readmissions or 30-day ER admissions. A new index is needed for pediatric urology patients. Table Results summary. 30-day inpatient readmission 30-day ER admission Postoperative complication CCS AUC = 0.63 (95% CI 0.61–0.66) AUC = 0.52 (95% CI 0.50–0.54) AUC = 0.62 (95% CI 0.58–0.66) VWI AUC = 0.54 (95% CI 0.52–0.56) AUC = 0.51 (95% CI 0.49–0.53) AUC = 0.61 (95% CI 0.58–0.65) Rhee AUC = 0.56 (95% CI 0.53–0.58) AUC = 0.50 (95% CI 0.48–0.52) AUC = 0.67 (95% CI 0.63–0.71) Comparison p p p The p-value represents the larger p-value between the two comorbidity scores compared with the reference score. * Charlson Comorbidity Score was used as the reference group. ** Rhee was used as the reference group.
Screening Mammography Benefit Controversies Sorting the Evidence

Numerous clinical studies have confirmed that screening women age 40 years and older reduces breast cancer mortality by 30% to 50%. Several factors including faster breast cancer growth rates and lower breast cancer incidence among younger women, as well as shorter life expectancy and more comorbid conditions among older women, should also be considered in screening guidelines. Annual screening beginning at age 40 years and continuing with no upper age limit, as long as a woman has a life expectancy of at least 5 years and no significant comorbid conditions, is currently recommended.
Affordable Supercomputing Solutions: Cluster Computers: In Business Applications

Businesses need fast computing environments to quickly process the voluminous transactions and to respond to market requirements. Most companies cannot afford the cost of a supercomputer. As an experimental design, the authors have developed a cluster -computing project at their institution, to expose business students to the process of building and operating a cluster computer for use in supercomputin g applications. The project helps students learn the technologies of distributed computing, parallel computing, networking, securing networked environments and designing applications for distributed computing. The purpose of this paper is to share the experiences of cluster computer implementation in a business curriculum and how cluster computing can be exploited for solving many complex real world business applications in a wide variety of industries.
Abstract 3701: Vitamin D Deficiency is Associated With Myalgias in Hyperlipidemic Subjects Taking Statins

Myalgias are a frequent symptom among patients taking statins, but it is sometimes uncertain whether myalgias are drug-related. Since vitamin D deficiency is common in the general population, and can be associated with reversible myalgias, we hypothesized that vitamin D deficiency may contribute to symptoms in some patients. This hypothesis was tested in 99 patients referred to our tertiary care academic Lipid Disorders Clinic with a diagnosis of hyperlipidemia. Mean age 58.7 ± 11.6 yr (range 20 – 84), 43% men, mean serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D (vit D) level 26.7 ± 12.5 ng/ml (range 5– 64). Statin-associated myalgias were present in 38.8% of patients. Patients with statin-associated myalgias were the same age as patients without myalgias (59.3 ± 10.4 vs 58.4 ± 12.3, P=NS), but had 32% lower mean vit D (20.5 ± 10.0 vs 30.1 ± 12.5 ng/ml, P=0.0003) and trended toward being female (68% vs 49%, P=0.095). Vit D was similar in men and women (24.3 ± 10.1 vs 28.8 ± 14.0, P=0.09). In the entire cohort, vit D deficiency was prevalent: 62.6% were
Focal Epilepsy and the Neuroglial Impairment Hypothesis

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses focal epilepsy and the neuroglial impairment hypothesis. Brain slices of scar tissue from epileptic patients, unlike slices of normal brain, fail to extrude Na + and take up K + . In established scars, astrocytes show diminished quantities of glycogen and mitochondria. Astrocytic processes in glial scars show an extraordinary increase in the number of glial fibrils which, by taking up space inertly, can lead to marked increase in the internal resistivity and thereby decrease the space constant. Reactive astrocytes in gliotic areas cannot respond to K + released from active neurons and hence, hyperexcitability can persist. Gliotic, epileptogenic cortex contains some inexcitable cells, whose rates and amplitudes of depolarization following neuronal activity evoked by electrical stimulation are very similar to those of inexcitable cells in normal cortex. Many inexcitable cells are found with low membrane potentials, and the activities of these cells can predominate in injured cortex.
Reasoning about action using a possible models approach

Ginsberg and Smith [6, 7] propose a new method for reasoning about action, which they term a possible worlds approach (PWA). The PWA is an elegant, simple, and potentially very powerful domain-independent technique that has proven fruitful in other areas of AI [13, 5]. In the domain of reasoning about action, Ginsberg and Smith offer the PWA as a solution to the frame problem (What facts about the world remain true when an action is performed?) and its dual, the ramification problem [3] (What facts about the world must change when an action is performed?). In addition, Ginsberg and Smith offer the PWA as a solution to the qualification problem (When is it reasonable to assume that an action will succeed?), and claim for the PWA computational advantages over other approaches such as situation calculus. Here and in [16] I show that the PWA fails to solve the frame, ramification, and qualification problems, even with additional simplifying restrictions not imposed by Ginsberg and Smith. The cause of the failure seems to be a lack of distinction in the PWA between the state of the world and the description of the state of the world. I introduce a new approach to reasoning about action, called the possible models approach, and show that the possible models approach works as well as the PWA on the examples of [6, 7] but does not suffer from its deficiencies.
Mind the Gap: An Analysis of "Gap Year" Prevalence, Productivity, and Perspectives Among Radiation Oncology Residency Applicants.

Purpose Medical students may take a year off during medical school (a “gap year”) to strengthen their applications for competitive specialties such as radiation oncology. This can incur significant financial and opportunity costs. We sought to understand the prevalence, nature, and funding of gap years undertaken by radiation oncology applicants. Methods and Materials An anonymous survey was emailed to all applicants to a single radiation oncology program from 2015 to 2017. Survey questions assessed gap year utilization, funding, motivations, and perceptions. Separately, all 2017 Electronic Residency Application Service (n = 176) applications to this program were reviewed for reference. Results The 2017 cohort had a response rate of 69% (n = 121), with an overall response rate of 39% (n = 194) for applicants between 2015 to 2017. Of non-MD/PhD respondents, 33% (n = 53) reported taking a gap year. The main reason for a gap year (68%) was to produce more publications, and 50% of all respondents viewed a gap year as “important” or “very important” for matching in radiation oncology. Twenty-eight students (53%) reported using personal loans, savings, or family support to cover gap year expenses. Most who took a gap year (83%) viewed funding as “difficult” or “extremely difficult” to obtain. Fewer publications before gap year and more dedicated research time were significant predictors of undertaking a gap year, whereas sex, marital status, dependent status, and financial aid were not significant. Conclusions Research productivity is commonly perceived as important for matching in radiation oncology, leading many applicants to take gap years, which are usually supported by personal financial resources. We did not identify statistically significant socioeconomic disparities between applicants that took a gap year and those who did not. However, further study is warranted to determine whether pressure to take a gap year, particularly in the absence of readily available funding sources, deters some potential applicants from pursuing radiation oncology altogether.
Adverse drug reactions in the Veterans Affairs healthcare system: Frequency, severity, and causative medications analyzed by patient age.

Purpose Adverse drug events (ADEs) in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) were evaluated, and differences in age group report rates and reported medications in different age groups were assessed. Methods We utilized the VA Adverse Drug Event Reporting System (ADERS) to assess 10-year age groups regarding ADE reporting rates, event severity, and associated reported medications. Data were derived from 484,351 ADE reports from 395,703 patients included in VA ADERS from 2009 through 2016. Results Reported rates of ADEs per 10,000 unique users demonstrated a nonlinear relationship with age, peaking in the group aged 60-69 years (148.6 reports/10,000 unique users) and declining thereafter. However, the percentage of adverse events reported as severe consistently rose with age group (3% in patients age 20-29 years versus 6% in patients older than 90 years). The types of medications reported as causative agents shifted over time from predominantly mental health and pain medications in younger veterans (e.g., age 20-29 years) to medications for chronic diseases in older cohorts (e.g., age 60-69 years). Conclusion An analysis of VA ADE reports revealed a nonlinear relationship between age and events, with events peaking at age 60-69 years. Rates of severe ADEs increased in older age groups. Drugs commonly associated with ADEs tended to be those primarily used for mental health and pain treatment in younger patients and those used to address chronic disease states in older patients.
The Large Hadron Collider

This chapter provides a brief introduction to the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). More information about the design, construction and operation of the LHC can be found in References.
Familial pancreatic cancer risk: a population-based study in Utah.

Pancreas adenocarcinoma (PC) has an undefined hereditary component. We quantified the familial risk of PC among relatives of patients diagnosed with PC and stratified it based on anatomic location of PC and age and sex of the proband. This is a retrospective, population-based, case–control study of PC diagnosed in Utah between 1980 and 2011. The Utah population database and cancer registry were used to identify index patients with PC. The risk of PC in first-degree relatives (FDRs), second-degree relatives (SDRs), and first cousins (FCs) of probands was compared with randomly selected sex- and age-matched population controls. A total of 4,095 patients and 40,933 controls were identified. The relative risk (RR) of PC was 1.76 (95% CI 1.35–2.29) in FDRs, 1.42 (95% CI 1.18–1.7) in SDRs and 1.08 (95% CI 0.95–1.23) in FCs of probands compared to relatives of PC-free controls. The RR were elevated in FDRs (1.96, 95% CI 1.45–2.65), SDRs (1.54, 95% CI 1.19–1.98) and FCs (1.18, 95% CI 1.0–1.64) of female probands. Among probands diagnosed as < 65 years, RR was 2.12 (95% CI 1.37–3.28) in FDRs, 1.94 (95% CI 1.44–2.62) in SDRs, and 1.28 (95% CI 1.0–1.64) in FCs. Overall, the RR for PC was elevated in FDRs regardless of the anatomic location of PC. There is an increased risk of PC in FDR and more distant relatives of patients with PC. Relatives of female patients with PC and patients diagnosed at age < 65 years are at a significantly increased risk of PC.
Policy levers to promote cultural competence in early childhood programs in the USA: recommendations from system specialists

The purpose of the study was to investigate ways in which early childhood systems that rate and license child care programs, known as Quality Rating and Improvement Systems (QRISs), might incorporate requirements related to cultural competence into the system, including incentives, supports, and rewards for programs that foster cultural competence of the early care and education (ECE) workforce. The study employed a focus group design to consider the research problem from the vantage point of key informants such as coaches and other system staff who routinely support ECE programs to meet system requirements and to engage in quality improvement work. Three focus groups were convened, with a total of N = 28 participants. The meetings were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using the constant comparative method. Emergent themes were noted and grouped into four categories: QRIS requirements; system alignment; ECE progrm administrator training; and ECE teacher training and technical assistance. Focus group members advocated for incorporation of system-level requirements related to cultural competence as well as program supports to ensure that ECE providers could succeed in meeting new requirements. Policy recommendations to support cultural competence development in the ECE workforce and to embed cultural competence in ECE systems are discussed.
A kinetic model of the circulatory regulation of tissue plasminogen activator during exercise, epinephrine infusion, and endurance training

A computer simulation of the circulatory system was used to kinetically model secretion, inhibition, and clearance of tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) during three different processes that increase active t-PA levels: epinephrine infusion, exercise, and endurance training. Infusion of epinephrine stimulated an increase in t-PA secretion that was proportional to the plasma epinephrine concentration. In addition, epinephrine infusion increased hepatic blood flow and t-PA clearance, thus slowing the increase of plasma t-PA levels. During exercise, t-PA levels increased due both to increased t-PA secretion and to decreased clearance secondary to reduced hepatic blood flow. The increase in t-PA secretion during exercise was directly proportional to the epinephrine concentration in blood with the same ratio of t-PA secretion to epinephrine as found during epinephrine infusion, suggesting that increased plasma epinephrine during exercise was the primary stimulus for t-PA secretion. Lastly, the simulation predicted that 6 months of endurance training produced a decrease in resting plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 (PAI-1) secretion, resulting in less t-PA inhibition and an overall increase in active t-PA after training. Accurate analysis of the regulation of active t-PA levels in blood required simultaneous modeling of t-PA and PAI-1 secretion, hepatic clearance, and inhibition of t-PA by PAI-1.
Voluntary Disclosure with Uncertainty About Investors' Response: Evidence from M&A Conference Calls

We examine the voluntary disclosure theory’s prediction of heterogeneous stock market reaction to M&A conference calls attributable to the uncertainty of investors’ response. Using a series of quantile regressions, we find that the incidence of conference calls is associated with both extremely negative and extremely positive M&A announcement abnormal returns. We find that this heterogeneous stock market reaction occurs for both low and high levels of words/ forward-looking words. Furthermore, the heterogeneous stock market reaction is substantially weaker when M&A conference calls are held after the firms observe the initial market reaction to the M&A press release. These results are robust to a battery of robustness tests. Collectively, the findings support the uncertainty of investors’ response to voluntary disclosures that can be perceived by investors as very good or very bad news, as an important factor for examining the valuation implications of voluntary disclosures.
Red and Processed Meat, Poultry, Fish, and Egg Intakes and Cause-Specific and All-Cause Mortality among Men with Nonmetastatic Prostate Cancer in a U.S. Cohort.

Background: Research on the relationship of meat, fish, and egg consumption and mortality among prostate cancer survivors is limited. Methods: In the Cancer Prevention Study-II Nutrition Cohort, men diagnosed with nonmetastatic prostate cancer between baseline in 1992/1993 and 2015 were followed for mortality until 2016. Analyses of pre- and postdiagnosis intakes of red and processed meat, poultry, fish, and eggs included 9,286 and 4,882 survivors, respectively. Multivariable-adjusted RRs and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated using Cox proportional hazards models. Results: A total of 4,682 and 2,768 deaths occurred during follow-up in pre- and postdiagnosis analyses, respectively. Both pre- and postdiagnosis intakes of total red and processed meat were positively associated with all-cause mortality (quartile 4 vs. 1: RR = 1.13; 95% CI, 1.03–1.25; Ptrend = 0.02; RR = 1.22; 95% CI, 1.07–1.39; Ptrend = 0.03, respectively), and both pre- and postdiagnosis poultry intakes were inversely associated with all-cause mortality (quartile 4 vs. 1 RR = 0.90; 95% CI, 0.82–0.98; Ptrend = 0.04; RR = 0.84; 95% CI, 0.75–0.95; Ptrend = 0.01, respectively). No associations were seen for prostate cancer–specific mortality, except that higher postdiagnosis unprocessed red meat intake was associated with lower risk. Conclusions: Higher red and processed meat, and lower poultry, intakes either before or after prostate cancer diagnosis were associated with higher risk of all-cause mortality. Impact: Our findings provide additional evidence that prostate cancer survivors should follow the nutrition guidelines limiting red and processed meat consumption to improve overall survival. Additional research on the relationship of specific meat types and mortality is needed.
Recovery-based Model Predictive Control for Cascade Mitigation under Cyber-Physical Attacks

The ever-growing threats of cascading failures due to cyber-attacks pose a significant challenge to power grid security. A wrong system state estimate caused by a false data injection attack could lead to a wrong control actions and take the system into a more insecure operating condition. As a consequence, an attack-resilient failure mitigation strategy needs to be developed to correctly determine control actions to prevent the propagation of cascades. In this paper, a recovery-based model predictive control methodology is developed to eliminate power system component violations following coordinated cyber-physical attacks where physical attacks are masked by targeted false data injection attacks. Specifically, to address the problem of wrong system state estimation with compromised data, a developed methodology recovers the incorrect states from historical data rather than utilizing the tampered data, and thus allowing control centers to identify proper control actions. Additionally, instead of using a one-step method to optimize control actions, the recovery-based model predictive control methodology scheme incorporates the effect of controls over a finite time horizon and the attack detection delay to make appropriate control decisions. Case studies, performed on IEEE 30-bus and Illinois 200-bus systems, show that the developed recovery-based model predictive control methodology scheme is robust to coordinated attacks and efficient in mitigating cascades.
The effects of sepsis on endothelium and clinical implications.

ABSTRACT Sepsis accounts for nearly 700 000 deaths in Europe annually and is caused by an overwhelming host response to infection resulting in organ failure. The endothelium is an active contributor to sepsis and as such represents a major target for therapy. During sepsis, endothelial cells amplify the immune response and activate the coagulation system. They are both a target and source of inflammation and serve as a link between local and systemic immune responses. In response to cytokines produced by immune cells, the endothelium expresses adhesion molecules and produces vasoactive compounds, inflammatory cytokines, and chemoattractants, thus switching from an anticoagulant to procoagulant state. These responses contribute to local control of infection, but systemic activation can lead to microvascular thrombosis, capillary permeability, hypotension, tissue hypoxia, and ultimately tissue damage. This review focuses on the role of the endothelium in leucocyte adhesion and transmigration as well as production of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, microRNAs and cytokines, formation of signalling microparticles, and disseminated intravascular coagulation. We also discuss alterations in endothelial permeability and apoptosis. Finally, we review the diagnostic potential of endothelial markers and endothelial pathways as therapeutic targets for this devastating disease.
Local Ties in the Social Networks of Older Adults.

Objectives Family members and friends who live nearby may be especially well-positioned to provide social support and companionship for community-residing older adults, but prior research has not examined the distribution and characteristics of local ties in older adults' networks. We hypothesize that local ties are newer, more frequently accessed, and more embedded in the network, and that social disadvantage and neighborhood conditions structure older adults' access to local ties. Methods We use egocentric network data from 15,137 alters named by 3,735 older adults in Wave 3 of the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project (NSHAP). We conduct dyadic analysis to compare characteristics of local and nonlocal ties. Logistic regression models estimate how personal and neighborhood characteristics are associated with naming local kin and local non-kin ties. Results Nearly half of the older adults named at least one local network tie, and about 60% of these local ties are non-kin. Local ties are newer, frequently accessed, and highly embedded in older adults' networks. Local kin ties are most common among socially disadvantaged older adults. Local non-kin ties are most common among white older adults and those who live in areas with high levels of collective efficacy, although local non-kin ties are also associated with residence in high-poverty neighborhoods. Discussion Local ties may bring unique benefits for community-residing older adults, but their availability is likely structured by residential mobility, neighborhood context, disparities in resources, and support needs. Future research should consider their implications for health and well-being.
Discovering leptonic forces using nonconserved currents

Differences in lepton number (i.e., ${L}_{e}\ensuremath{-}{L}_{\ensuremath{\mu}}$, ${L}_{e}\ensuremath{-}{L}_{\ensuremath{\tau}}$, ${L}_{\ensuremath{\mu}}\ensuremath{-}{L}_{\ensuremath{\tau}}$, or combinations thereof) are not conserved charges in the Standard Model due to the observation of neutrino oscillations. We compute the divergence of the corresponding currents in the case of Majorana or Dirac-type neutrinos and show that, in the high energy limit, the vector interactions map onto those of a light scalar coupled to neutrinos with its coupling fixed by the observed neutrino masses and mixing. This leads to amplitudes with external light vectors that scale inversely with the vector mass. By studying these processes, we set new constraints on ${L}_{i}\ensuremath{-}{L}_{j}$ through a combination of semileptonic meson decays, invisible neutrino decays, neutrinoless double beta decays, and observations of big bang nucleosynthesis/supernova, which can be much stronger than previous limits for vector masses below an eV. These bounds have important implications on the experimental prospects of detecting ${L}_{i}\ensuremath{-}{L}_{j}$ long-range forces.
A parsimonious weight function for modeling publication bias

Quantitative research literature is often biased because studies that fail to find a significant effect (or that demonstrate effects that are not in the desired or expected direction) are less likely to be published. This phenomenon, termed publication bias, can cause problems when researchers attempt to synthesize results through the set of techniques known as meta-analysis. Various methods exist that estimate and correct meta-analyses for publication bias. However, no single method exists that 1) can account for continuous moderators by including them within the model, 2) allow for substantial data heterogeneity, 3) produce an adjusted mean effect size, 4) include a formal test for publication bias, and 5) allow for correction when only a small number of effects is included in the analysis. This dissertation develops a method that tries to encompass those characteristics. The model uses the beta density as a weight function that estimates the selection process in order to produce adjusted parameter estimates. The model is implemented both by maximum-likelihood (ML) and by Bayesian estimation. The utility of the model is assessed by simulations and through use on real data sets. The ML simulations indicate that the likelihood-ratio test has good Type I error performance. However, the test is not very powerful for small data sets. Coverage rates indicate that the model’s 95% confidence intervals based on adjusted parameter estimates (those that correct for bias) are more likely to contain the true parameter values than are CIs around the unadjusted parameter estimates (those that do not account for bias). Bias and root mean squared errors of the estimates are better for the adjusted mean effect than the unadjusted mean effect whenever bias is present. The ML simulations also show that the model is good at distinguishing systematic study differences from publication bias. The utility of the Bayesian implementation of the model is demonstrated in two ways: 1) when ML estimation produces nonsensical parameter estimates for real data sets, Bayesian estimation does a good job of adjusting to appropriate estimates; and 2) when bias is present in small data sets, the adjusted Bayesian parameter estimates are generally closer to the true population values than the adjusted ML estimates.
Additive manufacturing of soft magnets for electrical machines—a review

Abstract With growing interest in electrification from clean energy technologies, such as wind power and use of pure electric powertrains in various applications, the demand for next-generation, high-performance magnetic materials has risen significantly. Electrical machine design for these applications is facing challenges in terms of meeting very demanding metrics for power densities and conversion efficiencies, thereby motivating the exploration of advanced materials and manufacturing for the next generation of lightweight ultraefficient electric machines. Additive manufacturing (AM), a layer-by-layer three dimensional (3D) printing technology, opens up new venues of improvements for industrial manufacturing of electrical machines via near-net shape printing of complex geometries, reduction of parts count and production lead time, and conservation of expensive critical materials such as rare-earth magnets as well as nanocrystalline and amorphous soft magnetic composites, allowing their use in only critical regions required by desired properties of the printed parts. The magnetic, electrical, thermal, and mechanical properties of the magnetic materials are also greatly influenced by the selection of the AM method. Among the seven major American Standard Testing and Materials-defined standard modes of 3D printing, selective laser melting, fused deposition modeling, and binder jetting technology dominate the AM processing of soft magnetic materials and their integration in electrical machines. In this work, the state of the art in printability and performance characteristics of soft magnetic materials for electric machines is summarized and discussed. The prospects of soft magnetic materials selection in terms of price, printability, weight, and performance of the electrical machines are also discussed. This review highlights the current status of AM of large electrical machines, AM process selection guidelines, hybrid printing technologies, and the associated opportunities and challenges. An emphasis is put on multimaterial processing that is essential for electrical machines. Hybrid printing technologies that combine multiple AM processes with adequate automation and enable simultaneous multimaterials dispensing, real-time quality control, postprocessing, and surface finish with integrated subtractive computer numeric control machining are the requirements for progressing toward the end-user electrical machines.
Towards real-time forecasting of natural gas production by harnessing graph theory for stochastic discrete fracture networks

Abstract In this work, we compare hydrocarbon production curves obtained from a graph-based reduced-order model with the high-fidelity Discrete Fracture Network (DFN) predictions for a fracture network created using data from a real shale site. We observe that the bounds for the high fidelity DFN model lie within the bounds for the reduced order model, implying that the reduced-order model provides a conservative estimate. Moreover, we found that except for first-passage times and late arriving mass, the production curves from the reduced-order model predict transport accurately. However, it is to be noted that the results are inspite of trading a three-dimensional geometry for a reduced system in the form of a graph, one that is 500–1000 times faster in terms of computational efficiency (for this particular application). In addition, we also compare the production curves for large drawdown and small drawdown using our graph approach. The reduced-order model is successful in showing that the long term productivity is higher in case of small drawdown although the initial productivity is higher for large drawdown. Thus, this reduced-order model offers great potential in uncertainty quantification for production, as well as in providing operators with information to make real-time decisions for optimal production.
Risk evaluation of ballistic penetration by small caliber ammunition of live-fire shoot house facilities with comparison to numerical and experimental results:

The development of advanced small caliber weapon systems has resulted in rounds with more material penetration capabilities. The increased capabilities may mean that existing live-fire facilities w...
The Effects of Structural Disorder on the Luminescence Quenching in Poly(phenylene vinylene)

Luminescence quenching experiments on oriented and drop-cast poly(phenylene vinylene), (PPV), films identify the excitons in these polymer films as Wannier-Mott excitons. The data are interpreted in terms of a distribution of exciton binding energies (Eb ). We find that the width of this distribution is well correlated with the degree of structural disorder. The relatively small mean EbEb , approximately 60 meV, results in field-induced exciton disociation that limits the quantum efficiency obtained from polymer-based light emitting diodes (PLEDs) which typically are operated at applied fields of 106 V/cm or greater where the field-induced exciton disociation is significant. We present data and analysis that support these conclusions, as well as a discussion on the implications of our findings on polymer-based display technology.
Low SWaP real-time edge processing for cognitive sensing and autonomous control applications

Many real-time cognitive sensing signal processing and control applications require low SWAP edge processors with ultra-low latency adaptation and learning capabilities along with strict throughput, accuracy and power requirements. Achieving 3rd generation AI capabilities, i.e., real-time contextual adaptation, requires fast adaptive inference operations at low power beyond what is achievable with currently available neural networks and deep learning systems. While there has been tremendous progress in the form of edge accelerators, today’s processors lack capabilities for real-time processing, adaptation to novel situations, and low latency decision making. This paper addresses currently unsolved critical challenges in real-time cognitive sensing and autonomous system control applications, such as ultra-wide bandwidth and real-time signal denoising, anomaly detection, blind signal separation, and adaptive system equalization and control. We also present experimental results for low Cost – Size Weight and Power (C-SWAP) hardware implementation of an edge processor prototype implemented on a commercially available FPGA board.
Abstract P813: Enhanced Stress Response is Associated With Increased Inflammation and Worse Outcomes Following Ischemic Stroke in Diabetic Condition

Introduction: Although stroke severity is increased in patients with diabetes (e.g., higher mortality, larger infarcts, and worse neurological deficits), the underlying mechanism(s) of the worse ou...
Cobolt: Joint analysis of multimodal single-cell sequencing data

Single-cell measurements of different cellular features or modalities from cells from the same system allow for a comprehensive understanding of a biological process. While the most common single-cell sequencing technologies require separate input cells for different modalities, there are a growing number of platforms that allow for measuring several modalities on a single cell. We present a novel method, Cobolt, for analyzing such multi-modality single-cell sequencing datasets. Cobolt jointly models the multiple modalities via a novel application of Multimodal Variational Autoencoder (MVAE) to a hierarchical generative model. We first demonstrate its performance on data from the multi-modality platform SNARE-seq, consisting of measurements of gene expression and chromatin accessibility on the same cells. We then illustrate the ability of Cobolt to integrate multi-modality platforms with single-modality platforms by jointly analyzing a SNARE-seq dataset, a single-cell gene expression dataset, and a single-cell chromatin accessibility dataset. We compared Cobolt with current options for analyzing such datasets and show that Cobolt provides robust and flexible results for integration of single-cell data on multiple modalities.
Coarse-Grained Modeling and Simulations of Thermoresponsive Biopolymers and Polymer Nanocomposites with Specific and Directional Interactions

We present our recent work on development in coarse-grained models to investigate materials made of synthetic and biological polymers with chemistries that have specific and directional molecular interactions. These coarse-grained models address an existing need within the field of polymer simulations for models that can capture the small scale, specific and directional interactions alongside longer, macromolecular/polymeric length and time scales. In particular, we describe our recent work developing and using coarse-grained models that allow us to simulate experimentally relevant systems of oligomers of nucleic acids (e.g., DNA, RNA, etc.), collagen-mimetic peptides or collagen-like peptides and polymer nanocomposites. We organize this chapter in three sections with each section independently focused on each of these three topics. In each section, we present a background subsection where we describe briefly relevant literature from other researchers on the topic, followed by subsections describing our model, simulation and analyses methods, a subsection describing key results achieved using simulations with these models, and conclude with a limitations and potential future directions subsection.
Personalized, Electronic Health Record–Integrated Decision Aid for Stroke Prevention in Atrial Fibrillation: A Small Cluster Randomized Trial and Qualitative Analysis of Efficacy and Acceptability

Background: Shared decision-making in cardiology is increasingly recommended to improve patient-centeredness of care. Decision aids can improve patient knowledge and decisional quality but are infr...