Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Creating a Community of Practice for Operations Research by Cocreating a High-impact Executive Education Program in India

This paper outlines the development of a co-created executive education program focused on operations research for an Indian company. The focus of the program was not only the development of a critical mass of operations research practitioners, but also the creation of a Community of Practice to sustain and grow the practice of operations research across the supply chain of a large company. The development and deployment of the program was co-created by a core team of senior managers from the company and faculty from a US university. The core team identified the audience and established outcomes for the executive education program. The curriculum was developed following “ADDIE”, an instructional design methodology. The program evolved into three modules with a combination of on-line, on-site, synchronous and asynchronous modes of delivery. The assessment of learning and application was carried out with assignments and action learning projects with real-life problems, evaluated using rubrics aligned to the program outcomes by a panel of faculty and senior managers. Those qualified in the assessments were formally certified as an advanced operations research practitioner within the company. A basic program in operation research was developed by the company with an Indian industrial engineering institute. The basic program was a pre-requisite for the advanced program. The action learning projects completed by the participants have led to the development of sustainable decision-support systems, and yielded significant business impact. The first program admitted 32 managers to the community, and a second iteration of the program added 28 more managers, resulting in a sizeable community of operations research practitioners. The first batch of managers have continued to leverage their skills by taking on more projects after their certification, and increased collaboration in problem solving with other members of the community. In addition, the relevance and impact of the projects was highly visible to the company’s leadership team, who have since begun leveraging the community. Based on the experience, the company has identified ten domains of strategic priority where similar CoPs can be created.
Using General-purpose Sentiment Lexicons for Suicide Risk Assessment in Electronic Health Records: Corpus-Based Analysis

Background Suicide is a serious public health issue, accounting for 1.4% of all deaths worldwide. Current risk assessment tools are reported as performing little better than chance in predicting suicide. New methods for studying dynamic features in electronic health records (EHRs) are being increasingly explored. One avenue of research involves using sentiment analysis to examine clinicians’ subjective judgments when reporting on patients. Several recent studies have used general-purpose sentiment analysis tools to automatically identify negative and positive words within EHRs to test correlations between sentiment extracted from the texts and specific medical outcomes (eg, risk of suicide or in-hospital mortality). However, little attention has been paid to analyzing the specific words identified by general-purpose sentiment lexicons when applied to EHR corpora. Objective This study aims to quantitatively and qualitatively evaluate the coverage of six general-purpose sentiment lexicons against a corpus of EHR texts to ascertain the extent to which such lexical resources are fit for use in suicide risk assessment. Methods The data for this study were a corpus of 198,451 EHR texts made up of two subcorpora drawn from a 1:4 case-control study comparing clinical notes written over the period leading up to a suicide attempt (cases, n=2913) with those not preceding such an attempt (controls, n=14,727). We calculated word frequency distributions within each subcorpus to identify representative keywords for both the case and control subcorpora. We quantified the relative coverage of the 6 lexicons with respect to this list of representative keywords in terms of weighted precision, recall, and F score. Results The six lexicons achieved reasonable precision (0.53-0.68) but very low recall (0.04-0.36). Many of the most representative keywords in the suicide-related (case) subcorpus were not identified by any of the lexicons. The sentiment-bearing status of these keywords for this use case is thus doubtful. Conclusions Our findings indicate that these 6 sentiment lexicons are not optimal for use in suicide risk assessment. We propose a set of guidelines for the creation of more suitable lexical resources for distinguishing suicide-related from non–suicide-related EHR texts.
Iron accumulation in the ventral tegmental area in Parkinson's disease

Introduction The ventral tegmental area (VTA) is less affected compared to substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) in Parkinson's disease (PD). This study aimed to quantitatively evaluate iron content in the VTA across different stages of PD in order to help explain the selective loss of dopamine neurons in PD. Methods Quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) data were obtained from 101 PD patients, 35 idiopathic rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder (RBD) patients, and 62 healthy controls (HCs). The mean QSM values in the VTA and SNc were calculated and compared among the groups. Results Both RBD and PD patients had increased iron values in the bilateral SNc compared with HCs. RBD and PD patients in the Hoehn–Yahr (H & Y) stage 1 did not show elevated iron values in the VTA, while PD patients with more than 1.5 H & Y staging had increased iron values in bilateral VTA compared to HCs. Discussion This study shows that there is no increased iron accumulation in the VTA during the prodromal and early clinical stages of PD, but iron deposition increases significantly as the disease becomes more severe.
Zip to Industry: A First-Year Corporate-STEM Connection Program

Dr. Nidaa Makki is an Associate Professor in the LeBron James Family Foundation College of Education at The University of Akron, in the department in Curricular and Instructional Studies. Her work focuses on STEM curriculum integration and science inquiry practices in middle and high school. She is a co-PI on an NSF funded project to investigate the impact of integrating engineering on middle school students’ interest and engagement in STEM. She has also received funding to conduct teacher professional development in the areas of engineering education, problem based learning and inquiry instruction.
Coffee consumption decreases the connectivity of the posterior Default Mode Network (DMN) at rest

Habitual coffee consumers justify their life choices by arguing that they become more alert and increase motor and cognitive performance and efficiency; however, these subjective impressions still do not have a neurobiological correlation. Using functional connectivity approaches to study resting-state fMRI data in a group of habitual coffee drinkers, we herein show that coffee consumption decreased connectivity of the posterior default mode network (DMN) and between the somatosensory/motor networks and the prefrontal cortex, while the connectivity in nodes of the higher visual and the right executive control network (RECN) is increased after drinking coffee; data also show that caffeine intake only replicated the impact of coffee on the posterior DMN, thus disentangling the neurochemical effects of caffeine from the experience of having a coffee.
Synchronization of Estrus and Ovulation in Dairy Cows

8 Management of the estrous cycle is now more practical than it was adecade ago because of our understanding of ovarian follicular waves.8 With availability of three gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) productsand at least three prostaglandin products, the cycle can be controlled fortimed artificial inseminations (TAI) with little loss in conception ratecompared to inseminations made after detected estrus. Various systemsare effective for programming first inseminations with or without some heatdetection.8 With the incorporation of transrectal ultrasonography for early pregnancydiagnosis 28 to 30 days after insemination, routine heat detection programscould be eliminated by reprogramming each cow after an open diagnosis.8 The most limiting factor in the control of the cycle is the proportion ofmissed heats in estrus-synchronization programs that rely partly or solelyon heat detection.8 Pregnancy rate (the proportion of cows that become pregnant of all cowsprogrammed for insemination) is the best measure of an estrus-synchronization program because it measures total number of pregnanciesachieved per unit of time rather than simple conception success at eachinsemination.
Staged use of ordinal and linear disability scales: a practical approach to granular assessment of acute stroke outcome

Background The modified Rankin Scale (mRS) assessment of global disability is the most common primary endpoint in acute stroke trials but lacks granularity (7 broad levels) and is ordinal (scale levels unknown distances apart), which constrains study power. Disability scales that are linear and continuous may better discriminate outcomes, but computerized administration in stroke patients is challenging. We, therefore, undertook to develop a staged use of an ordinal followed by a linear scale practical to use in multicenter trials. Methods Consecutive patients undergoing 3-month final visits in the NIH FAST-MAG phase 3 trial were assessed with the mRS followed by 15 mRS level-specific yes–no items of the Academic Medical Center Linear Disability Score (ALDS), a linear disability scale derived using item response theory. Results Among 55 patients, aged 71.2 (SD ± 14.2), 67% were men and the entry NIHSS was 10.7 (SD ± 9.5). At 90 days, the median mRS score was 3 (IQR, 1–4), and the median ALDS score was 78.8 (IQR, 3.3–100). ALDS scores correlated strongly with 90 days outcome measures, including the Barthel Index (r = 0.92), NIHSS (r = 0.87), and mRS (r = 0.94). ALDS scores also correlated modestly with entry NIHSS (r = 0.38). At 90 days, the ALDS showed greater scale granularity than the mRS, with fewer patients with identical values, 1.9 (SD ± 3.2) vs. 8.0 (SD ± 3.6), p < 0.001. When treatment effect magnitudes were small to moderate, projected trial sample size requirements were 2–12-fold lower when the ALDS rather than the mRS was used as the primary trial endpoint. Conclusion Among patients enrolled in an acute neuroprotective stroke trial, the ALDS showed strong convergent validity and superior discrimination characteristics compared with the modified Rankin Scale and increased projected trial power to detect clinically meaningful treatment benefits.
Dominance of potentially toxic cyanobacteria on the waterfront of Santarém, Tapajós River, Brazilian Amazon

The present study carried out an evaluation of physicochemical parameters of waters from the low Tapajós river, and the identification of dominant cyanobacteria in the blooms that occurred in a transect bordering the Santarém city waterfront, in the State of Pará, Brazilian Amazon. Five (5) sampling stations were selected along the waterfront (RT-E1, RT-E2, RT-E3, RT-E4, RTE5), where water, phytoplankton and general environmental data were collected during 10 field campaigns, at intervals of 48 hours, between January 13th and 31st 2015, at the very beginning of the rainy season. The sample collections were conducted at an average depth of 2.3 meters, always early in the morning and following the procedures of the Collection and Preservation Guide and Water Samples of the Brazilian National Water Agency. Quantitative analyses of the physicochemical parameters were performed, namely: hydrogenionic potential (pH); water temperature (oC); turbidity (NTU); electrical conductivity (EC); Dissolved Oxygen (DO); nitrate (NO-3); nitrite (NO-2); ammonium ion (NH4); ammonia (NH3); orthophosphate (PO43-); phosphate (P2O5); phosphorus (P); iron (Fe) and chlorophyll a (Chlo a). General descriptive statistics were calculated. For counting of individuals, the efficiency was superior to 80%, reaching a total of 3,910 individuals, from which 38% are species of the Cyanophyta division. The following species were dominant: Synechocystis aquatilis Microcystis aeruginosa, Dolichospermum spiroides, Nostoc sp. Except for S. aquatilis, all the others are cyanotoxin producers that can be released into the water after cell disruption. The presence of cyanobacteria potentially producing cyanotoxins is of concern and should be considered in the diagnosis of waterborne diseases, such as hepatic infections that affect the riverine population of the Tapajós river.
Active distribution network expansion planning integrating dispersed energy storage systems

This study proposes the convex model for active distribution network expansion planning integrating dispersed energy storage systems (DESS). Four active management schemes, distributed generation (DG) curtailment, demand side management, on-load tap changer tap adjustment and reactive power compensation are considered. The optimisation of DESS for peak shaving and operation cost decreasing is also integrated. The expansion model allows alternatives to be considered for new wiring, new substation, substation expansion and DG installation. The distribution network expansion planning (DNEP) problem is a mixed integer non-linear programming problem. Active management and uncertainties especially with the DG integration make the DNEP problem much complex. To find the suitable algorithm, this study converts the DNEP problem to a second-order cone programming model through distflow equations and constraints relaxation. A modified 50-bus application example is used to verify the proposed model.
Preventing knowable risk at the cost of long-term thinking

The discursive construction of climate change adaptation as a policy issue gives rise to material practices that have real effects on people‘s lives, and should thus be critically interrogated. In the realm of adaptation policies, the Nordic countries have been at the forefront, but for Icelandic decision-makers the topic remains relevantly novel. This study aimed to reveal how Reykjavik municipality and the Government of Iceland represent adaptation as a problem and where their policies and policy suggestions lead to. This was achieved through the use of Bacchi‘s „What‘s the Problem Represented to be? “ approach to discourse analysis, where policy documents and interviews were collected and scrutinized. The results show that Icelandic policymakers are leaning towards technocratic adaptation pathways that privilege experts, prioritize responses to biophysical risk, safeguard neoliberal values, and suggest that adaptive capacity can be achieved through modifications to the status quo. This is highly problematic given that such approaches ignore the societal dimensions of climate change, give rise to short-term thinking, and downplay the need for more transformative change. Furthermore, they have been shown to exasperate existing vulnerabilities, reinforce social inequalities, and lead to maladaptive outcomes. However, the presence of a supplementary sociosystemic conceptualization of adaptation in Icelandic policy discourses suggests the possibility to reframe the issue as a matter of social transformation, which is what numerous scholars are now calling for.
NEW EXTINCTION AND MASS ESTIMATES FROM OPTICAL PHOTOMETRY OF THE VERY LOW MASS BROWN DWARF COMPANION CT CHAMAELEONTIS B WITH THE MAGELLAN AO SYSTEM

We used the Magellan adaptive optics system and its VisAO CCD camera to image the young low mass brown dwarf companion CT Chamaeleontis B for the first time at visible wavelengths. We detect it at r′, i′, z′, and YS. With our new photometry and Teff ∼ 2500 K derived from the shape of its K-band spectrum, we find that CT Cha B has AV = 3.4 ± 1.1 mag, and a mass of 14–24 MJ according to the DUSTY evolutionary tracks and its 1–5 Myr age. The overluminosity of our r′ detection indicates that the companion has significant Hα emission and a mass accretion rate ∼6 × 10−10 M☉ yr−1, similar to some substellar companions. Proper motion analysis shows that another point source within 2″ of CT Cha A is not physical. This paper demonstrates how visible wavelength adaptive optics photometry (r′, i′, z′, YS) allows for a better estimate of extinction, luminosity, and mass accretion rate of young substellar companions.
Geometric data for testing implementations of point reduction algorithms : case study using Mapshaper v 0.2.28 and previous versions

There are several open source and commercial implementations of the Visvalingam algorithm for line generalisation. The algorithm provides scope for implementation-specific interpretations, with different outcomes. This is inevitable and sometimes necessary and, they do not imply that an implementation is flawed. The only restriction is that the output must not be so inconsistent with the intent of the algorithm that it becomes inappropriate. The aim of this paper is to place the algorithm within the literature, and demonstrate the value of the teragon-test for evaluating the appropriateness of implementations; Mapshaper v 0.2. 28 and earlier versions are used for illustrative purposes. Data pertaining to natural features, such as coastlines, are insufficient for establishing whether deviations in output are significant. The teragon-test produced an unexpected loss of symmetry from both the Visvalingam and Douglas-Peucker options, making the tested versions unsuitable for some applications outside of cartography. This paper describes the causes, and discusses their implications. Mapshaper 0.3. 17 passes the teragon test. Other developers and users should check their implementations using contrived geometric data, such as the teragon data provided in this paper, especially when the source code is not available. The teragon-test is also useful for evaluating other point reduction algorithms.
Improved method for measuring second-order non-linearity profile in poled silica

The measurement of thin (L≌10 µm) non-linearity profile of thermally poled silica plate through the Maker fringe analysis proves to be dubious owing to the smallness of the range spanned by the internal angle of propagation θi of the beam within the sample. Recently, D. Pureur et al. have proposed a prismassisted device leading to an accessible range for θi from 45° to 84°. We demonstrate that a new hemispherical lens assisted device allows a large range (0-85°) of internal angle θi to be sampled with Fresnel loss roughly at minimum. Taking advantage of the technique, we show that the non-linearity profile within a thermally poled Suprasil I sample spreads over the volume of the 235 µm thick plate.
Self- and other-regarding reinforcement learning: Disruptions in mental disorders and oxytocin's modulating role in healthy people

It has been suggested that reward processing and related neural substrates are disrupted in some common mental disorders such as depression, addiction, and anxiety. An increasing number of psychiatric studies have been applying reinforcement learning (RL) models to examine these disruptions in self-regarding learning (learning about rewards delivered to the learners themselves). A review of RL alterations associated with mental disorders in extant studies will be beneficial for uncovering the mechanisms of these health problems. Although impaired social reward processing is common in some mental disorders [e.g., post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), social anxiety and autism], RL has not been widely used to detect the potentially disrupted social reward learning, especially for other-regarding learning (learning about rewards delivered to others). Meanwhile, it has not been clear whether some drugs, e.g., oxytocin (OT), can alter other-regarding learning, so they may serve as a therapeutic intervention when related deficits occur. In the present set of studies, we summarized common and distinct features in terms of selfregarding RL disturbances among depression, addiction and anxiety disorders based on previous findings (Paper I), tested whether behavioral and neural selfand otherregarding RL were impaired in PTSD with and without comorbid depression (Paper II), and investigated OT’s behavioral and neural effects on selfand other-regarding RL in healthy males (Paper III). The results of our literature review showed that the commonalities in all three mental disorders were inflexibility and inconsistent choices, and the differences included decreased learning rates in depression, a higher weight to rewards versus punishments in addiction, and hypersensitivity to punishments in anxiety. The results of the PTSD study demonstrated impaired behavioral other-regarding learning in PTSD patients with and without depression, supposedly due to their hypervigilance to unexpected outcomes for others, as evidenced by the heightened responses in their inferior parietal lobule. The OT study detected OT’s effects of attenuating behavioral other-regarding learning, as well as the neural coding of unexpected outcomes for others in the anterior cingulate cortex. These findings provide new evidence of selfand otherregarding RL alterations in mental disorders, reveal potential targets for their treatments, and bring caution for using OT as a therapeutic intervention.
Controller design and FPGA implementation of a speed‐sensorless vector‐controlled induction motor drive based on stability consideration

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to determine the controller parameter tuning range for a speed sensorless vector‐ controlled induction motor drive from the system stability point of view. The tuning rules for conventional PI controllers are mostly based on experience. Trial‐and‐error procedures are used to tune the values of the controller parameters. The relationship between the tuned controller parameters and the stable operating range of the control system is generally not known. This paper starts from establishing complete dynamic models for a sensorless vector‐controlled induction motor drive. The nonlinear dynamic models are linearized around a chosen operating point. The characteristic equation is then derived, which is used to determine the values of the controller parameters corresponding to the marginal system stability. Based on these critical values, the tuning ranges of the controller parameters are obtained, which assures stable operation of the drive in the entire operating region and provides a reference for controller parameter tuning. The proposed method is further extended to include the effect of parameter sensitivity due to motor parameter variation. An experimental setup based on a DSP‐FPGA system is implemented. The simulation and experiments confirm the validity of the proposed approach.
Political Disinformation and Social Media: A Study of Twitter in the American 2016 Presidential Election

Social media has revolutionized American elections, but also made possible interference by foreign agents, such as Russia’s state-sponsored disinformation campaign during the 2016 American presidential election. While scholars claim fake accounts on Facebook and Twitter decidedly influenced the election results, empirical evidence is inconclusive and scant. This study attempts to directly observe the empirical relationships between genuine Twitter users and Russian trolls by measuring hashtag usage upticks and analyzing retweet network cascade sizes, using tweets published from October 22, 2016 to November 2, 2016. Preliminary results suggest that Russian trolls had minimal engagement on hashtag usage and retweets, following more general Twitter conversations rather than leading it.