cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Henry Kissinger's War Crimes in Africa

A recent attempt to question Henry Kissinger in a court of law in the United Kingdom flowed from alleged war crimes committed by the former National Security Adviser and later Secretary of State who served under the Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford administrations during 1969-1977. The crimes that were cited by the plaintiff stemmed from policy decisions made by the Nixon and Ford administrations that adversely affected the peoples of Vietnam. Cambodia and Laos.
Effectiveness of essential amino acid supplementation in stimulating whole body net protein anabolism is comparable between COPD patients and healthy older adults

Abstract Background The development of effective nutritional strategies in support of muscle growth for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) remains challenging. Dietary essential amino acids (EAAs) are the main driver of postprandial net protein anabolism. In agreement, EAA supplements in healthy older adults are more effective than supplements with the composition of complete proteins. In patients with COPD it is still unknown whether complete protein supplements can be substituted with only EAAs, and whether they are as effective as in healthy older adults. Methods According to a double-blind randomized crossover design, we examined in 23 patients with moderate to very severe COPD (age: 65±2 years, FEV 1 : 40±2% of predicted) and 19 healthy age-matched subjects (age: 64±2 years), whether a free EAA mixture with a high proportion (40%) of leucine (EAA mixture) stimulated whole body net protein gain more than a similar mixture of balanced free EAAs and non-EAAs as present in whey protein (TAA mixture). Whole body net protein gain and splanchnic extraction of phenylalanine (PHE) were assessed by continuous IV infusion of L-[ring- 2 H 5 ]-PHE and L-[ring- 2 H 2 ]-tyrosine, and enteral intake of L-[ 15 N]-PHE (added to the mixtures). Results Besides an excellent positive linear relationship between PHE intake and net protein gain in both groups (r=0.84–0.91, P P P P Conclusions In COPD patients, similarly to healthy older adults, free EAA supplements stimulate whole body protein anabolism more than free amino acid supplements with the composition of complete proteins. Therefore, free EAA supplements may aid in the prevention and treatment of muscle wasting in this patient population.
VIPACT: a visualization interface for analyzing calling context trees

Profiling tools are indispensable for performance optimization of parallel codes. They allow users to understand where a code spends its time, and to focus optimization efforts on the most time consuming regions. However, two sources of complexity make them difficult to use on large-scale parallel applications. First, the code complexity of parallel applications is increasingly, and identifying the problematic regions in the code is difficult. Traditional profilers show either a flat view or a calling context tree view. Second, most tools average performance data across processes, losing per-process behavior. Diagnosing problems like load imbalance requires profiles from many processes, and manually analyzing profiles from hundreds or thousands of processes is infeasible. We introduce VIPACT, a visualization tool to identify different behaviors in multiple processes. VIPACT introduces “halo nodes” that concisely encode the distributions of runtimes from all processes, and a hybrid tree view that combines the advantages of calling context trees with those of flat profiles. We combine these with approaches such as ring charts, as well as the filtering and subselection of nodes, and we apply these techniques to a production multi-physics code.
Nonparametric analysis of nonexponential and multidimensional kinetics. I. Quantifying rate dispersion, rate heterogeneity, and exchange dynamics

The quantification of nonexponential (dispersed) kinetics has relied on empirical functions, which yield parameters that are neither unique nor easily related to the underlying mechanism. Multidimensional kinetics provide more information on dispersed processes, but a good approach to their analysis is even less clear than for standard, one-dimensional kinetics. This paper is the first in a series that analyzes kinetic data in one or many dimensions with a scheme that is nonparametric: it quantifies nonexponential decays without relying on a specific functional form. The quantities obtained are directly related to properties of the mechanism causing the rate dispersion. Log-moments of decays, which parallel the standard moments of distributions (mean, standard deviation, etc.), are introduced for both one- and multi-dimensional decays. Kinetic spectra are defined to visualize the data. The utility of this approach is demonstrated on a simple, but general, model of dispersed kinetics—a nonexponential homog...
Roberto Burle Marx: Brazilian Modernist

Without question, Robert Burle Marx (1909–1994) stands as a preeminent figure in landscape architecture internationally; but perhaps only in Brazil is he equally appreciated as an artist whose prod...
Is Reality TV a Bad Girls Club? Television Use, Docusoap Reality Television Viewing, and the Cultivation of the Approval of Aggression:

In this study, associations between overall amount of television viewing as well as viewing of reality programs featuring adults in romantic, friendship-oriented, or familial settings and the appro...
Developing Use Cases for the Evaluation of ADMS Applications to Accelerate Technology Adoption

Grid modernization for distribution systems comprises the ability to effectively monitor and manage unplanned events while ensuring reliable operation. The integration of distributed energy resources and the proliferation of autonomous smart controllers such as microgrids and smart inverters in distribution networks challenges the status quo of distribution system operation. Advanced distribution management system (ADMS) technologies are being increasingly deployed to manage the complexities of operating distribution systems. The ability to evaluate the ADMS applications in specific utility environments and for future scenarios will accelerate wider adoption of the ADMS and will lower the risks and costs of their implementation. This paper addresses the first step: to identify and define the use cases for evaluating these applications. The applications that are selected for this discussion include volt-VAr optimization (VVO), fault location isolation and service restoration (FLISR), online power flow (OLPF) and distribution system state estimation (DSSE), and market participation. A technical description and general operational requirements for each of these applications is presented. The test scenarios that are most relevant to the utility challenges are also addressed.
The purchase of Internet subscriptions in Native American households

Abstract With the growing use of the Internet for information, education, job hunting, and other activities, its economic value increases. The incidence of in-home Internet subscriptions, however, varies across households, and Native American households are less likely than other American households to subscribe to Internet services. The lack of universality has, potentially, enormous consequences for households not subscribing to the Internet. Using descriptive statistics and logistic regressions we find that the growth of U.S. Internet subscriptions may have peaked and exhibited a small decline between 2012 and 2015; technology adoption has reached the third stage of the S-curve. Internet adoption in Native American households, however, may not have fully reached into the third stage. While rural-urban location is a small factor for non-Native American households, it remains a major factor for Native American households.
In vivo controlled release of fenretinide from long-acting release depots for chemoprevention of oral squamous cell carcinoma recurrence.

Abstract Local, long-acting release fenretinide (4HPR) millicylindrical implants were prepared and evaluated for their release kinetics in vivo and their ability to suppress oral cancer tumor explant growth. Poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid)(PLGA) implants were prepared as a function of drug loading and the presence of various excipients (pore-formers, solubilizers, crystallization inhibitors) to enhance release of the insoluble 4HPR. Release kinetics and bioerosion of PLGA were monitored both in vitro in a PBS/Tween 80 buffer and in vivo by recovery of the drug remaining at the injection site. 4HPR was released from PLGA implants much slower in vivo than in the drug solubilizing media in vitro, with a 3-week lag phase and continuous release of >2 months, but showed some release enhancement by addition of solubilizers. Water-soluble PVA/sucrose implants for release of 4HPR served to determine if drug dissolution provided suitable controlled release without the PLGA, and this formulation showed continuous drug release over 6 weeks in vivo. Placement of PLGA-4HPR implants adjacent to oral cancer tumor murine xenografts showed inhibition of tumor growth relative to sham implants, indicating the potential for the local 4HPR delivery approach to be useful for oral cancer chemoprevention.
Rethinking Transitional Justice for the Twenty-First Century: Beyond the End of History

Transitional justice is the dominant lens through which the world grapples with legacies of mass atrocity, and yet it has rarely reflected the diversity of peace and justice traditions around the world. Hewing to a largely western and legalist script, truth commissions and war crimes tribunals have become the default means of 'doing justice'. Rethinking Transitional Justice for the Twenty-First Century puts the blind spots and assumptions of transitional justice under the microscope, and asks whether the field might be re-imagined to better suit the diversity and realities of the twenty-first century. At the core of this re-imagining is an examination of the broader field of post-conflict peace building and associated critical theory, from which both caution and inspiration can be drawn. By using this lens, Dustin N. Sharp shows how we might begin to generate a more cosmopolitan and mosaic theory, and imagine more creative and context-sensitive approaches to building peace with justice.
Systemic autoinflammation with intractable epilepsy managed with interleukin-1 blockade

Autoinflammatory disorders are distinguished by seemingly random episodes of systemic hyperinflammation, driven in particular by IL-1. Recent pre-clinical work has shown a key role for IL-1 in epilepsy in animal models, and therapies for autoinflammation including IL-1 blockade are proposed for refractory epilepsy. Here, we report an adolescent female with signs of persistent systemic inflammation and epilepsy unresponsive to multiple anti-epileptic drugs (AED). She was diagnosed with generalized epilepsy with a normal brain MRI and an electroencephalogram (EEG) showing occasional generalized spike and slow wave discharges. Her diagnostic evaluation showed no signs of autoimmunity or genetic causes of epilepsy or periodic fever syndromes but persistently elevated serum inflammatory markers including S100 alarmin proteins. She experienced prompt clinical response to IL-1 blockade with first anakinra and then canakinumab, with near complete resolution of clinical seizures. Additionally, she displayed marked improvements in quality of life and social/academic functioning. Baseline gene expression studies on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from this patient showed significantly activated gene pathways suggesting systemic immune activation, including focal adhesion, platelet activation, and Rap1 signaling, which is an upstream regulator of IL-1β production by the NLRP3 inflammasome. It also showed activation of genes that characterize inflammasome-mediated autoinflammatory disorders and no signs of interferon activation. This gene expression signature was largely extinguished after anakinra treatment. Together, these findings suggest that patients with epilepsy responsive to immune modulation may have distinct autoinflammatory features supporting IL-1 blockade. As such, IL-1 blockade may be highly efficacious adjunctive medication for certain refractory epilepsy syndromes.
Incorporating Flight Data

Robust stability analysis considers the stability of a system subject to a set of modeling errors and perturbations represented by a norm bounded set △. A logical question that arises is how to reasonably determine this set. This issue is important for computing robust aeroservoelastic stability margins since μ may be overly conservative if the uncertainty is excessive beyond the true modeling errors and may be overly optimistic if the uncertainty does not sufficiently account for the true modeling errors.
Biological Reductionism and Genic Selectionism

Issues concerning the scope and viability of reductionistic explanations in biology have come recently to be discussed under the rubric of controversies over the “units” or “levels” of selection; that is, over the level or levels at which natural selection is properly said to operate. As critics have pointed out, some of the more a priori defenses of genic selectionism, the view that the sole unit of selection is the gene, have failed to demonstrate that genic selectionism provides an adequate explanatory theory. These same critics have concluded that the context dependence of genic effects due to linkage and interaction, and the resulting misrepresentation of underlying causal processes, are the cause of this deficiency. This is incorrect. Advocates of genic selectionism have not denied interaction at any variety of levels. Furthermore, to press that context dependence is sufficient grounds to impugn the explanatory adequacy of genic selectionism is untenable. Recent biological work on the coevolution of traits and historical controversies over the importance of “linkage effects” on the expression of genes suffice to press the point that context dependence is consistent with retaining lower levels of organization. Controversies over the units or levels of selection will be resolved only with due attention to the details of biological models which purport to explain evolution in terms of forces acting on lower level units and to the substantial methodological problems attendant to applying these models to actual biological systems.
MICROVASCULAR BLOOD FLOW OF SICKLED ERYTHROCYTES. A DYNAMIC MORPHOLOGIC STUDY.

Resistance to capillary flow in the sickle cell disorders is related to decreased deformability of erythrocytes. Increased blood viscosity leads to initiation of the ‘vicious cycle’ with subsequent stasis, hypoxia, sickle transformation and vaso-occlusion. In this study, impedance to the microcirculation of sickle cells was demonstrated by microcinematography of sickle cell flow in the capillary bed of an experimental animal. Male Wistar rats weighing 150 gm were anesthetized and 60–80% exchange transfusion was carried out with 6–10 ml of fresh whole blood from patients with sickle cell anemia. Mesenteric capillary flow observed by light microscopy was recorded by cinematography and videotape with the animal in both oxygenated and deoxygenated states. Dynamic morphologic observations included the following: 1. Oxygenated AA and SS cells were capable of deformation into elongated, teardrop, cup or parachute shapes in order to traverse vessels of 10 μm or less at high and moderate flow rates. Intermittent bolus flow was observed, and red blood cell aggregates formed at low flow velocity were dispersed by the force of the bolus flow. 2. Critical vessel radius for SS discocytes was larger than that for AA cells. 3. Sudden increase in viscosity, which occurred when SS discocytes were unable to pass through critical size capillaries, retarded the already slow flow to a standstill long enough to permit hypoxic SS cells to transform into sickle shapes within 20–30 s. 4. Rigid reversible and irreversible sickle cells induced capillary blockades resulting in a marked increase in viscosity. 5. The occlusive sickle cell blockade could be dislodged by a sudden increase in bolus flow induced by reoxygenation or epinephrine, which was sufficient to overcome cellular yield stress and disperse cell aggregrates.
Understanding ecological contexts for active reforestation following wildfires

To forestall loss of ecological values associated with forests, land managers need to consider where and when to prioritize active reforestation following major disturbance events. To aid this decision-making process, we summarize recent research findings pertaining to the Sierra Nevada region of California, USA to identify contexts in which active reforestation or passive recovery may best promote desirable post-fire ecological trajectories. Based on our synthesis, we suggest conceptual frameworks for assessing landscape conditions and determining areas that may be the highest priorities for tree planting to avoid persistent loss of conifer forests. Field studies have shown that some large patches of high severity burn can have relatively low levels of natural regeneration, especially among desired pine species. The accumulation of fuels and competition with shrubs and resprouting hardwoods may hinder the reestablishment of mature conifer trees. However, severe fires could also play a restorative role, by promoting non-conifer forested communities, such as meadows, shrubfields, and open forests with significant hardwood components. Such communities were historically rejuvenated and maintained by fire but have been replaced by conifer forest due in part to fire suppression. Reforestation in such areas may run counter to restoring ecological function and the ecosystem services that are provided by non-conifer communities. Through this framework, managers and stakeholders may better understand the contexts in which planting and passive recovery may better support ecological restoration.
Tobacco industry's investment in sweetness comes full circle.

Nguyen and colleagues clearly describe how the tobacco industry marketing juggernaut firmly established artificially flavoured, sugar sweetened drinks as part of children’s diets, contributing to today’s obesity and diabetes epidemic.1 Tobacco companies sold their sugary beverage assets years ago, but this groundwork probably underlies today’s strong preference of adolescents and young adults for intensely flavoured and sweetened tobacco products marketed by the same companies, including Reynolds and Altria (which owns Philip Morris). …
Reflexivity as a Process for Coming into Knowing.

Acting reflexively implies a “self-critical and self-conscious stance” (Glass, 2015, p. 555) of recognizing myself within a research process as an intentional participant-practitioner of generating knowledge. This article attempts to reveal visual evidence across a landscape of textual references and material implementations as a process of the what and how of knowing. My aim is to affirm the intentionality of my reflexive praxis as a way of knowing and becoming through committed intertextual inquiry and discovery.
MDCT evaluation of complications of percutaneous gastrostomy tube placement

Percutaneous gastrostomy tube placement is a commonly performed procedure to provide enteral alimentation to patients unable to tolerate oral feeds. Percutaneous gastrostomy is a relatively safe procedure, and serious complications like gastrointestinal bleeding, perforated viscus, and adjacent organ injury are rare. The most common complications after gastrostomy tube placement occur early and are usually minor. The purpose of this review article is to describe the techniques of percutaneous gastrostomy tube insertion and imaging protocol for gastrostomy tube evaluation, and describe the early, late, and anytime complications. The article will also illustrate very rare late complications of gastrostomy tube placement like gastro-hepatic fistula, gastro-colic fistula, buried bumper syndrome, and gastrostomy site hernia.
The Talbot effect in a two-dimensional system with Rashba spin–orbit coupling

In this work, a theory for the scattering of two-dimensional plane-waves from a periodic, one-dimensional array of nonmagnetic, localized scatterers in the presence of Rashba spin-orbit coupling is presented. Formulas for the spin-subband resolved transmission and reflection coefficients along with the transmitted and reflected wave functions are derived. In the presence of spin-orbit coupling, the Talbot effect, where periodic modulations in the transmitted probability density arise along a direction orthogonal to the periodic direction of the scattering potential, is shown to occur. However, it is demonstrated that Rashba spin-orbit coupling increases the complexity of the observed interference patterns where different types of Talbot lengths due to both alt;iagt;interspinalt;/iagt; and alt;iagt;intraspinalt;/iagt; subband scattering are predicted. Numerical calculations are provided to support the theoretical calculations presented in this work.
The evolution of sentinel node biopsy for breast cancer: Personal experience.

Sentinel node biopsy has dramatically altered the treatment of breast cancer worldwide. The author's investigation into its use in breast cancer began nearly 30 years ago and evolved from simply identifying a node predictive of the axillary status to being a therapeutic procedure eliminating axillary dissection for selected node-negative and some node-positive women. This paper summarizes a personal experience with the evolution of this technique.
Breaking Down Barriers So All May Worship

ABSTRACT This article addresses the moral and ethical imperatives for the religious community to be proactive in addressing the architectural, attitudinal, and communication barriers confronting people with disabilities. The author calls for the eager and forthright application of the provisions and spirit of inclusion embraced in the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 as a standard of practice for religious communities, and she posits that all persons are bearers of God's image and giace and equal partners in God's covenantal community.
Designer, injectable gels to prevent transplanted Schwann cell loss during spinal cord injury therapy

Transplantation of patient-derived Schwann cells is a promising regenerative medicine therapy for spinal cord injuries; however, therapeutic efficacy is compromised by inefficient cell delivery. We present a materials-based strategy that addresses three common causes of transplanted cell death: (i) membrane damage during injection, (ii) cell leakage from the injection site, and (iii) apoptosis due to loss of endogenous matrix. Using protein engineering and peptide-based assembly, we designed injectable hydrogels with modular cell-adhesive and mechanical properties. In a cervical contusion model, our hydrogel matrix resulted in a greater than 700% improvement in successful Schwann cell transplantation. The combination therapy of cells and gel significantly improved the spatial distribution of transplanted cells within the endogenous tissue. A reduction in cystic cavitation and neuronal loss were also observed with substantial increases in forelimb strength and coordination. Using an injectable hydrogel matrix, therefore, can markedly improve the outcomes of cellular transplantation therapies.
Autonomous Driving and Control: Case Studies with Self-Driving Platforms

In this paper, we have developed a laboratory testbed with low-cost self-driving platforms for providing new, feasible means for students to learn, test, validate, and demonstrate the feasibility of new techniques in data mining, artificial intelligence, and autonomous driving. In this paper, we describe the design and structure of the testbed with self-driving platforms and drones. It can easily support further expansion with new sensors as well as robots or support needs to make rapid development of artificial intelligence applications and self-driving applications. We also discuss two case studies in which we successfully applied feature detection and matching to generate panoramic views and conducted CNN-based self-driving on the testbed. Our results indicate the effectiveness of our testbed. Both the testbed and individual platforms can be easily duplicated and extended in low cost to foster student learning interests and improve their technical skills.
Characterization of the reflectivity of various black materials II

We report on an expanded catalog of total and specular reflectance measurements of various common (and uncommon) materials used in the construction and/or baffling of optical systems. Total reflectance is measured over a broad wavelength range (250 nm < λ < 2500 nm) that is applicable to ultraviolet, visible, and near-infrared instrumentation. Characterization of each sample's specular reflection was measured using a helium-neon laser in two degree steps from near normal to grazing angles of incidence. The total and specular reflection measurements were then used to derive the specular fraction of each material.
Abstract P428: The Intracerebral Hemorrhage Score Overestimates Mortality in Young Adults

Introduction: The intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) score is a widely used scoring system for predicting mortality in patients with ICH. This score has been validated for use in adults of all ages wit...
Examining the Use of PhET Simulations on Students’ Attitudes and Learning in General Chemistry II

Chemistry is considered difficult to students to learn because many of its concepts are abstract in nature and require visualization at the sub-microscopic level of representation. Physics Education Technology (PhET) offers students the ability to understand and relate both chemical systems and what is happening at the sub-microscopic level through dynamic visualization. Simulations like PhET can be used as a powerful transformative tool for the teaching and learning of science. The research design and paradigm goal is to investigate the students’ perceptions on the impact of PhET simulations on their learning and attitudes and to identify PhET’s most helpful features. The data gathering tool in this research project is a survey that comprised of Likert-type and open-ended questions that was handed out to students who have completed General Chemistry II and were acquainted with PhET simulations as part of their laboratory sessions. The research took place at the City College of New York, an urban, minority serving, and public college. The number of research participants is 158. The implications of the research findings are PhET interactive simulations have an overall positive impact on students’ attitudes and perceptions about learning, PhET simulations promote students’ development of conceptual understanding of chemistry concepts and content, PhET simulations seem to promote and facilitate learning and understanding of abstract concepts, and PhET simulations furnish learning opportunities that otherwise cannot be attained in a traditional laboratory setting. The data presented in this paper support the notion that there is a need to update and modify general chemistry laboratories to reflect emerging technologies such as PhET interactive simulations.
Barriers and facilitators associated with establishment of emergency department-initiated buprenorphine for opioid use disorder in rural Maine

Purpose The opioid epidemic in the United States continues to grow, particularly impacting rural communities served by critical access hospitals (CAHs) in Maine. Buprenorphine is an effective medication for the treatment of opioid use disorder (OUD) that can be successfully initiated in the emergency department (ED). However, many EDs have not implemented programs to initiate buprenorphine. This study sought to identify barriers and facilitators to successful implementation of buprenorphine programs inCAH EDs. Methods Semistructured interviews were conducted with ED directors of Maine CAHs regarding barriers and facilitators to developing programs for ED-initiated buprenorphine. Seventeen Maine CAH EDs exist and 11 of their directors agreed to participate and completed interviews, which were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using a thematic approach. Results Four themes and 11 subthemes were identified, including (1) compelled to act-directors' personal experiences with patients facilitated the development of buprenorphine programs in their EDs; (2) leadership and mentorship-peer mentorship from other CAH ED directors facilitated, and senior hospital administrators facilitated, or created a barrier in some cases; (3) stigma-fear that EDs would be overcrowded by drug-seeking patients was a common barrier; and (4) follow-up-finding appropriate outpatient follow-up for OUD patients created the greatest logistical barrier. Discussion ED directors' clinical experience with OUD patients, supportive hospital leadership, and peer mentorship facilitated ED-initiated buprenorphine programs in rural Maine CAH EDs. Overcoming stigma, developing community outreach, and appropriate follow-up were the greatest barriers. Future research should focus on enhancing peer mentorship, administrative support, community outreach, and staff education.
Enhancing palliative care consultation workflow on an inpatient oncology unit.

208Background: The American Society of Clinical Oncology practice guidelines recommend early palliative care integration for all patients with cancer. At UMass Memorial Medical Center from Sept. to...
Stabilizing Set Based Design of Digital Controllers Based on Mikhailov’s Criterion

In this paper we develop a systematic approach to the design of a digital controller for a linear plant. The digital controller is parametrized by an unknown or design, real parameter vector k, which may represent for instance, the coefficients of the digital controller transfer function. The stabilizing set ${\mathcal{S}}$ in the space of these design parameters is an important and crucial piece of information which is needed to initiate the design process, since every design must reside in this set. In particular multiobjective design is impossible without determining this set. In general this set is not convex or even connected, its computation is di cult and few results are available. In this paper, we use Mikhailov’s criterion and the Tchebychev representation of a polynomial, evaluated on the unit circle, to determine an inner approximation ${{\mathcal{S}}_i}$ of ${\mathcal{S}}$, which is convex and described by linear inequalities. Applications of this result to the design of controllers are presented. In particular we show that a geometric approach to gain and phase margin based designs are feasible in this framework. Illustrative examples are presented with a focus on the practically important case of PI and PID controllers. The results should have application to many areas of digital controller design such as hard disk servomechanisms, driverless cars and robots.
Measuring the Business Impact of Employee Learning: A View From the Professional Services Sector

Although the HRD literature is fairly consistent in affirming the recognition that employee learning is critical to organizational performance, there has been little agreement about how best to demonstrate the contribution of employee learning to the organization's bottom line, with approaches varying from industry to industry and from organization to organization. Focusing on the professional services sector, an industry sector that has garnered little attention in terms of HRD measurement research, this paper draws on the analytical techniques from Grounded Theory to explore how 15 professional service firm (PSF) decision-makers who are responsible for their firm's learning and development strategy measure the business impact of professional employee learning. The outcome of this study is a preliminary theory, grounded in the interview data, that explains what learning opportunities are offered to professional employees and why, how the business impact of professional employee learning is measured, and how PSF decision-makers use those business outcome measures to make decisions. The unifying theme emerging from the study is Win Rate, a composite of multiple quantitative measures that include direct as well as indirect contributors to the firm's bottom line. Implications of our findings for HRD research and practice are also addressed.
Boron—nitrogen compounds : LXXVI. (Hexafluoroisopropylidenimino)boranes

Abstract The compound (CF 3 ) 2 CNB[N(CH 3 ) 2 ] 2 has been synthesized and spectroscopic data on species of the type (CF 3 ) 2 CNBR 2 have been evaluated; the data substantiate a linear arrangement for the central CNB moiety of the compounds.
ULTRASTRUCTURE OF WARTHIN'S TUMOR. II. CRYSTALLOIDS.

The epithelium of Warthin's tumor is pseudostratified, consisting of tall, clavate cells, and small, pyramidal cells. Examination of the tumor in the electron microscope revealed the presence of crystalline material within the pyramidal cells. The crystalloids exhibit a repeating pattern of 60 to 90 A and are delimited by a single unit membrane. They appear to originate within certain cytoplasmic structures which resemble microbodies.
Examining the quality and student acceptability of school lunches in a Title 1, Alaska Native serving school district: findings from the Neqa Elicarvigmun study.

The national school lunch program (NSLP) is particularly important in vulnerable communities with high rates of food insecurity. The nutritional quality and student acceptability of the lunch, however, affect and potentially limit the program's benefits to vulnerable students. Our objective was to examine the quality and student acceptability of the school lunch in a Title 1, Alaska Native serving school district participating in a Fish-to-School program. Lunch trays were photographed before and after students ate to estimate plate waste, which was used as a proxy for student acceptability. School lunch menus were entered into NDS-R 2014 to estimate nutrient quality. On average, more than 50% of vegetables were thrown away. This average was significantly lower when the vegetables were included in a mixed dish (e.g. salmon soup). Less than 10% of the main entrees were thrown away. Entrees featuring salmon, a culturally important traditional food, were among the most popular. Menu modifications that are mor...
Multi-agent Adaptive Dynamic Programming

Dynamic programming offers an exact, general solution method for completely known sequential decision problems, formulated as Markov Decision Processes (MDP), with a finite number of states. Recently, there has been a great amount of interest in the adaptive version of the problem, where the task to be solved is not completely known a priori. In such a case, an agent has to acquire the necessary knowledge through learning, while simultaneously solving the optimal control or decision problem. A large variety of algorithms, variously known as Adaptive Dynamic Programming (ADP) or Reinforcement Learning (RL), has been proposed in the literature. However, almost invariably such algorithms suffer from slow convergence in terms of the number of experiments needed. In this paper we investigate how the learning speed can be considerably improved by exploiting and combining knowledge accumulated by multiple agents. These agents operate in the same task environment but follow possibly different trajectories. We discuss methods of combining the knowledge structures associated with the multiple agents and different strategies (with varying overheads) for knowledge communication between agents. Results of simulation experiments are also presented to indicate that combining multiple learning agents is a promising direction to improve learning speed. The method also performs significantly better than some of the fastest MDP learning algorithms such as the prioritized sweeping.
Developing Leadership Skills in Engineering Students – Foundational Approach through Enhancement of Self-Awareness and Interpersonal Communication

Engineering leadership education is emerging as a vital addition to the development of theprofession. However, practitioners of engineering leadership education are still defining outcomes, objectives and curricula. The assumptions, desired outcomes, and our pedagogical approach to engineering leadership education discussed in this paper starts with a strategic assumption to minimize the emphasis on development of “vision” that is a clear focus of leadership training in business and other disciplines. While vision is clearly a critical leadership characteristic, engineering schools already excel at developing students who envision solutions to complex problems. Therefore, less effort is needed for the engineer to transition “problem solving” into “leadership vision.” Instead, the focus is placed on interpersonal communication (vs. organizational communication) and understanding of motivation and behaviors of self and with respect to interactions with others. This paper will present the methodology and reflective assessments in teaching engineering students “leadership communication,” and “self-awareness.”Leadership communication consists of techniques to develop intentional listening skills and questioning/interviewing approaches to define problems and understand motivations with emphasis on application of lessons learned from behavior inventory assessment. Further, the use of self and group reflection will be discussed in the context of both learning leadership concepts and increasing self-awareness.
Adrenal hemorrhage: a complication of anticoagulant therapy--a case history.

A seventy-five year-old woman developed adrenal hemorrhage and acute adrenal insufficiency while receiving anticoagulant therapy. Abdominal CT scan was consistent with bilateral adrenal hemorrhage ...
Anderson's theory of localization and the Mott-CFO model

Abstract Mott's contributions to the electronic theory of disordered materials are briefly reviewed with particular emphasis on localization of electronic states. Anderson's theory of localization is critically reviewed and extended, with particular emphasis on some controversial aspects. It is shown that when the randomness exceeds a certain critical value, all the eigenstates become localized in agreement with Anderson's original result. When the randomness is less than this critical value, the tails of a band consist of localized states. The character of the states changes from localized to extended sharply at mobility edges, in agreement with the Mott-CFO model. As the randomness increases, the mobility edges move inwards into the band and they coincide at Anderson's critical value of the randomness. The nature of the eigenstates is related to properties of the average Green's function. Consequently, when the single site energies follow a Lorentzian probability distribution, exact results for the position of the mobility edges are obtained, which verify both Anderson's original result and the Mott-CFO model. Moreover, preliminary results obtained within the framework of the coherent potential approximation are in excellent agreement with the Mott-CFO model.
Mismatched Side Information in Wireless Network Compression via Overhearing Helpers

Recently, we proposed wireless network compression via memory-enabled overhearing helpers as an endeavor to reduce the traffic load on the wireless gateway via elimination of the redundant data in the network. In this setup, each memory- enabled helper overhears the data packets previously sent by the wireless gateway to various mobile clients within its coverage and uses them toward forming a model about the content of the packets from the traffic. The resulting model is then used as side information by the wireless network compression module in a two-part code to reduce the overall cost of delivering a packet to a client over links with asymmetric cost (where the helper- client link is far less costly than the gateway-client link). One main challenge in this scenario is the fact that memory-enabled overhearing helpers do not receive all of the sequences sent to the mobile clients (as there is no feedback in place in the overhearing link), resulting in mismatched side information between the encoder (i.e., gateway) and the helper. In this paper, we present an information theoretic formulation for the mismatched side information problem. We study this problem in the context of universal lossless compression and derive bounds on the average minimax redundancy of encoding each packet. Our results also lead to construction of coding schemes for the mismatched side information using two-part codes. Index Terms—Wireless Networks, Mismatched Side Informa- tion, Memory-Assisted Compression, Redundancy Elimination.
Pheochromocytoma: inherited associations, bilaterality, and cortex preservation.

Abstract Background. Hereditary pheochromocytoma (HP) is characterized by early onset, bilateral adrenal involvement, low malignancy rate, and genetic linkage with certain familial syndromes. This retrospective review is intended to show the high yield of surveillance, predictable bilaterality, and the challenge of cortex-sparing adrenalectomy. Methods. From 1964 to 1999, 32 patients with HP were treated at a single institution and followed for a mean of 7 years. There were 15 cases of multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2A (MEN 2A), 12 cases of von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) disease, 3 cases of von Recklinghausen's disease (VRD), and 2 cases of familial pheochromocytoma. Twenty-four of 32 patients underwent bilateral adrenalectomy (9 metachronous). Subtotal resection with orthotopic cortex preservation was performed in 5 patients, and heterotopic autografting was performed in 14 patients. Results. Pheochromocytoma was the first manifestation in 50% of patients with VHL disease and in 27% of patients with MEN 2A. Surveillance uncovered medullary thyroid cancer in 5 of 15 patients with MEN 2A and hemangioblastomas, renal cell carcinoma, and islet cell tumors in 7 of 15 patients with VHL disease and VRD. HP was bilateral in 24 of 32 patients (14/15 in patients with MEN 2A, 7/12 in patients with VHL disease, 2/3 in patients with VRD, and 1/2 in patients with familial pheochromocytoma). In 9 cases of metachronous adrenalectomy, the mean interval was 67 months (range, 9-156 months). Three of 5 patients who underwent orthotopic preservation of the adrenal cortex experienced recurrence compared with 0 of 14 patients with heterotopic autotransplantation of cortical tissue. Conclusions. Pheochromocytoma frequently heralds coexisting silent VHL disease or MEN-2, mandating surveillance for inherited associations. The long interval of metachronous pheochromocytoma argues against prophylactic removal of the contralateral “normal” adrenal gland. Total adrenalectomy and heterotopic autotransplantation of medulla-free cortex may diminish the need for lifelong steroid substitution and eliminates recurrence. (Surgery 2000;128:1007-12.)
The Photodynamic Antibacterial Effects of Silicon Phthalocyanine (Pc) 4

The emergence of antibiotic-resistant strains in facultative anaerobic Gram-positive coccal bacteria, such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), is a global health issue. Typically, MRSA strains are found associated with institutions like hospitals but recent data suggest that they are becoming more prevalent in community-acquired infections. It is thought that the incidence and prevalence of bacterial infections will continue to increase as (a) more frequent use of broad-spectrum antibiotics and immunosuppressive medications; (b) increased number of invasive medical procedures; and (c) higher incidence of neutropenia and HIV infections. Therefore, more optimal treatments, such as photodynamic therapy (PDT), are warranted. PDT requires the interaction of light, a photosensitizing agent, and molecular oxygen to induce cytotoxic effects. In this study, we investigated the efficacy and characterized the mechanism of cytotoxicity induced by photodynamic therapy sensitized by silicon phthalocyanine (Pc) 4 on (a) methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) (ATCC 25923); (b) community acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) (ATCC 43300); and (c) hospital acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (HA-MRSA) (PFGE type 300). Our data include confocal image analysis, which confirmed that Pc 4 is taken up by all S. aureus strains, and viable cell recovery assay, which showed that concentrations as low as 1.0 μM Pc 4 incubated for 3 h at 37 °C followed by light at 2.0 J/cm2 can reduce cell survival by 2–5 logs. These results are encouraging, but before PDT can be utilized as an alternative treatment for eradicating resistant strains, we must first characterize the mechanism of cell death that Pc 4-based PDT employs in eliminating these pathogens.
Treatment of opioid-related central sleep apnea with positive airway pressure: a systematic review.

Objective: To systematically review the various modalities of positive airway pressure (PAP) in the treatment of opioid-related central sleep apnea (CSA). Design: Systematic review. Interventions: MEDLINE, the Cochrane Library, and EMBASE were screened through March 2013 to identify articles which investigated treatment of opioid-related CSA with PAP. Eligible articles were identified in a staged process and were assessed by two investigators independently. The methodological quality of the reporting of eligible articles was assessed using a set of questions addressing both general and statistical methodologies. Results: Five articles met the inclusion criteria for a total of 127 patients. All patients had been on opioids for at least 6 months. The dose ranged from 10 mg to 450 mg daily of morphine equivalent dose. Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) was proven mostly ineffective in reducing central apneic events. Bilevel positive airway pressure (BiPAP) with and without supplemental oxygen achieved elimination of central apneas in 62 percent of patients. Adaptive servo ventilation (ASV) yielded conflicting results with 58 percent of participants attaining a central apnea index <10 per hour. The presence of ataxic breathing predicted poor response to PAP. Conclusions: The available evidence on the efficacy of PAP in opioid-related CSA is inconclusive. With the increasing use of opioids, further studies are needed to assess optimal PAP therapy and predictors of success in this group of patients.
Statin use and infections in Veterans with cirrhosis.

Summary Background Evidence about the beneficial effects of statins on reducing infections is accumulating. Identifying ways to reduce infection risk in patients with cirrhosis is important because of increased mortality risk and costs associated with infections. Aim To estimate the extent to which statin use prolongs time to infection among patients with cirrhosis. Methods We identified Veterans with cirrhosis, but without decompensation (n = 19 379) using US Veterans Health Administration data from 2001 to 2009. New users of statins were identified and propensity matched to non-users and users of other cholesterol-lowering medications (1:1 matching). The cohort was followed up for hospitalisations with infections. Cox regression models with time-varying exposures provided estimates of adjusted hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Results New statin use was present among 13% of VA patients with cirrhosis without decompensation. Overall, 12.4% of patients developed a serious infection, and 0.1% of patients died. In the propensity-matched sample, statin users experienced hospitalisations with infections at a rate 0.67 less than non-users (95% Confidence Interval: 0.47–0.95). Conclusions Infections are a major concern among cirrhotic patients and have the potential to seriously impact both life expectancy and quality of life. Statin use may potentially reduce the risk of infections among patients with cirrhosis.