cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Executive coaching: An outcome study.

While executive coaching continues to mushroom as a practice area, there has been little outcome research. This articles presents the results of a study that explored factors influencing the choice of a coach, executives’ reactions to working with a coach, the pros and cons of both internal and external coaches, the focus of executive coaching engagements, indications of successful coaching engagements, coaching tools executives favored, and the sustainability of coached executives’ learning and behavior change. The author also raises a question about which executives are most likely to benefit from this development resource and presents a typology for gauging this issue. ________________________________________________________________ Karol M. Wasylyshyn, Psy.D., is president of Leadership Development Forum, a management consulting firm specializing in applications of psychology in business. She is a member of the coaching faculty in The Wharton School’s Advanced Management Program, an adjunct professor of clinical psychology at Widener University and was appointed to the University’s Board of Trustees in 1995. Since 1982, Wasylyshyn has profiled and coached hundreds of senior executives from every global sector. She is also in clinical practice. Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Karol M. Wasylyshyn, 431 Chestnut Street, Pennsylvania 19106 or kwasylyshyn@erols.com.
The Culinary Reality of Roman Upper-Class Convivia: Integrating Texts and Images

Twenty years ago, in Cooking, Cuisine and Class, Jack Goody trained his sights, those of a social anthropologist, on the conditions prerequisite for the emergence of differentiated cuisine—a high and a low cuisine—in societies and cultures. Sweeping boldly over Europe, Asia, and Africa, and traversing a period of time which extended from the fourth millennium B.C.E. in Egypt to two contemporary societies in northern Ghana, Goody could find space for only a few pages on ancient Rome; these may conveniently serve as my point of departure.
Experimental investigation of laumontite → wairakite+H2O; a model diagenetic reaction

The rate and mechanism of a key diagenetic reaction, laumontite → wairakite 1 H2O, have been determined in experiments with durations as long as three months at 5 P HO 2 100 MPa and temperatures of 350‐450 8C. In the lower temperature range, 350‐400 8C, nucleation of wairakite occurred on the smallest laumontite fragments in the starting material. Growth then proceeded by the dissolution of large laumontite grains, transport within the fluid, and precipitation of euhedral to subhedral wairakite. At higher temperatures, 425 and 450 8C, each sample contains two product phases: wairakite and an unidentified plagioclase-like phase. The plagioclase-like silicate was stabilized by the uptake of Na and formed early as ;10 mm wide skeletal grains along laumontite grain boundaries. The wairakite grains subsequently nucleated on and grew into the interiors of large laumontite grains. Nucleation rates at 425‐450 8C were 10‐100 wairakite grains per square meter of laumontite surface per second. Growth rates varied from 1.5 3 10 211 m/s at 350 8 Ct o 2.1 3 10 210 m/s at 450 8C; the low-temperature data can be fit with an apparent activation energy of 72 6 13 kJ/mol and a pre-exponential ‘‘interface jump distance’’ of ;1 3 10 218 m. This activation energy and these growth rates are comparable to those calculated by Walther and Wood (1984) to characterize interface-controlled reactions in silicates under H 2Osaturated conditions. Our data predict transformation rates for geologic conditions that are too fast to account for the commonly observed incomplete natural reaction of laumontite → wairakite, indicating that transformation in nature must be limited by slower nucleation rates or by slower intergranular diffusion—perhaps as a result of lower H 2O activity or slower heating rates.
Enhanced Killing of Candida albicans by Human Macrophages Adherent to Type 1 Collagen Matrices via Induction of Phagolysosomal Fusion

Candida albicans, a component of the normal flora of the alimentary tract and mucocutaneous membranes, is the leading cause of invasive fungal disease in premature infants, diabetics, and surgical patients and of oropharyngeal disease in AIDS patients. As little is known about the regulation of monocyte/macrophage anti-Candida activity, we sought to determine if fungicidal activity might be regulated by extracellular matrix proteins to which monocytes/macrophages are adherent in vivo. Compared to monocyte/macrophages that adhered to plastic, human monocytes and monocyte-derived macrophages that adhered to type 1 collagen matrices, but not to fibronectin, vitronectin, or laminin, demonstrated a significant increase in candidacidal activity. The enhancement of monocyte fungicidal activity was maintained over a 4-h period, whereas macrophage fungicidal activity was maximum at 1 h. Although adherence of monocytes and macrophages to collagen matrices concomitantly enhanced the production of superoxide anion, only the fungicidal activity of collagen-adherent monocytes was partially blocked by superoxide dismutase and catalase. Remarkably, we found that only 10% of the phagosomes in C. albicans-infected macrophages that adhered to plastic fused with lysosomes. In contrast, 80% of yeast-containing phagosomes of collagen-adherent macrophages fused with lysosomes. These data suggest that nonoxidative mechanisms are critical for human macrophage anti-Candida activity and that C. albicans pathogenicity is mediated, in part, by its ability to inhibit phagolysosomal fusion in macrophages.
The Diabetic Foot

Diabetes is an ever-growing problem and financial burden faced by the health-care community. It is a disease marked by hyperglycemia leading to systemic changes affecting the nervous, vascular, immune, and musculoskeletal systems. Many diabetics experience difficulties with neuropathy that may lead to ulceration and ultimately infection. If issues are identified early in the disease process, they may be treated conservatively with footwear and activity modification, local wound care, and total contact casting. Infections, including osteomyelitis and abscesses, are common in diabetic feet. Typically, infections are treated with antibiotics, but may also require surgical treatment. Overall, the best treatment for preventing foot complications in a patient with diabetes is a team approach that addresses glucose management, patient education, and off-loading bony prominences or areas of increased pressure both conservatively and surgically.
Comparison of trends in sepsis incidence and coding using administrative claims versus objective clinical data

Background. National reports of a dramatic rise in sepsis incidence are largely based on analyses of administrative databases. It is unclear if these estimates are biased by changes in coding practices over time. Methods. We calculated linear trends in the annual incidence of septicemia, sepsis, and severe sepsis at 2 academic hospitals from 2003 to 2012 using 5 different claims methods and compared case identification rates to selected objective clinical markers, including positive blood cultures, vasopressors, and/or lactic acid levels. Results. The annual incidence of hospitalizations with sepsis claims increased over the decade, ranging from a 54% increase for the method combining septicemia, bacteremia, and fungemia codes (P< .001 for linear trend) to a 706% increase for explicit severe sepsis/septic shock codes (P= .001). In contrast, the incidence of hospitalizations with positive blood cultures decreased by 17% (P= .006), and hospitalizations with positive blood cultures with concurrent vasopressors and/or lactic acidosis remained stable (P= .098). The sensitivity of sepsis claims for capturing hospitalizations with positive blood cultures with concurrent vasopressors and/or lactic acidosis increased (P< .001 for all methods), whereas the proportion of septicemia hospitalizations with positive blood cultures decreased from 50% to 30% (P< .001). Conclusions. The incidence of hospitalizations with sepsis codes rose dramatically while hospitalizations with corresponding objective clinical markers remained stable or decreased. Coding for sepsis has become more inclusive, and septicemia diagnoses are increasingly being applied to patients without positive blood cultures. These changes likely explain some of the apparent rise in sepsis incidence and underscore the need for more reliable surveillance methods.
Semiparametric regression analysis of longitudinal data with informative drop-outs.

SUMMARY Informative drop-out arises in longitudinal studies when the subject’s follow-up time depends on the unobserved values of the response variable. We specify a semiparametric linear regression model for the repeatedly measured response variable and an accelerated failure time model for the time to informative drop-out. The error terms from the two models are assumed to have a common, but completely arbitrary joint distribution. Using a rank-based estimator for the accelerated failure time model and an artificial censoring device, we construct an asymptotically unbiased estimating function for the linear regression model. The resultant estimator is shown to be consistent and asymptotically normal. A resampling scheme is developed to estimate the limiting covariance matrix. Extensive simulation studies demonstrate that the proposed methods are suitable for practical use. Illustrations with data taken from two AIDS clinical trials are provided.
Role of 19-Hydroxy,Δ4-Androstene-3,17-Dione as an Intermediate for Aromatization of Δ4-Androstene-3,17-Dione by Placental Microsomes1

Under conditions which give total conversion of C14-androstenedione to estrogen by placental microsomes, 19-hydroxyandrostenedione was also introduced to act as a trapping agent for radioactivity. The results obtained in these experiments show that the 19-hydroxyandrostenedione had a much lower specific activity than the estrogen at any time and therefore that free 19-hydroxyandrostenedione could not be an obligatory intermediate in aromatization.
Factorial Learning by Clustering Features

We introduce a novel algorithm for factorial learning, motivated by segmentation problems in computational vision, in which the underlying factors correspond to clusters of highly correlated input features. The algorithm derives from a new kind of competitive clustering model, in which the cluster generators compete to explain each feature of the data set and cooperate to explain each input example, rather than competing for examples and cooperating on features, as in traditional clustering algorithms. A natural extension of the algorithm recovers hierarchical models of data generated from multiple unknown categories, each with a different, multiple causal structure. Several simulations demonstrate the power of this approach.
Simulation analysis of early commit concurrency control protocols

This paper describes results of a simulation model for decomposition of concurrency control enforcement in databases. The database is partitioned into atomic data sets using constraints defined during database design. For each atomic data set A, the transaction writer declares a point in his transaction after which there will be no more accesses to A. This location is a candidate for early commitment. We present three new concurrency control protocols: early-commit versions of conventional locking, timestamp ordering, and optimistic protocols, and two new recovery protocols: merged-commit and replay. A simulation model used to model these protocols is described. The new protocols performance is compared to that of their conventional counterparts using the described simulator. >
Dual inhibition of β-adrenergic and angiotensin II receptors by a single antagonist: A functional role for receptor-receptor interaction in vivo

Background— Although the renin–angiotensin and the β-adrenergic systems are interrelated, a direct interaction between β-adrenergic receptors (βARs) and angiotensin II type 1 receptors (AT1Rs) has not been identified. Methods and Results— Here, we provide evidence for a functional and physiological interaction between 2 G protein–coupled receptors: the βAR and the AT1R. Selective blockade of βARs in mouse cardiomyocytes inhibits angiotensin-induced contractility with an IC50 that is similar to its inhibition of isoproterenol-mediated contractility. Furthermore, administration of the angiotensin receptor blocker valsartan to intact mice results in a significant reduction in the maximal response to catecholamine-induced elevation of heart rate. The mechanism for this transinhibitory effect of β-blockers and angiotensin receptor blockers is through receptor–G protein uncoupling; ie, β-blockers interfere with AT1R-Gq coupling, and valsartan interferes with βAR-Gs coupling. Finally, we demonstrate that AT1Rs a...
Definitive proton radiation therapy and concurrent cisplatin for unresectable head and neck adenoid cystic carcinoma: A series of 9 cases and a critical review of the literature.

Background The primary treatment for head and neck adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) is surgery. Infrequently, however, ACC's propensity for perineural and base of skull invasion can preclude definitive surgical management. We present our experience with proton radiation therapy (RT) and concurrent platinum-based chemotherapy. Methods Nine patients with unresectable node-negative, nonmetastatic head and neck ACC received definitive proton RT and concurrent cisplatin. Outcomes and toxicities were recorded. A systematic review of the literature was performed. Results Median follow-up was 27 months (range, 9.2–48.3 months). Four patients achieved complete response at the primary site, and an additional 4 patients achieved stabilization of local disease. Only 1 patient developed local disease progression. Four patients had 5 acute grade 3 (G3) toxicities, and 1 patient developed a chronic G4 optic nerve disorder. Conclusion Our preliminary results suggest proton RT and concurrent chemotherapy is a definitive treatment option for select patients with head and neck ACC. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck, 2015
Label free piezoelectric DNA sensor array by selective immobilization via electrochemical method

An 8-pixel quartz crystal resonator array with a fundamental resonance frequency of 73 MHz has been designed and fabricated. We established a protocol for selectively functionalizing the surface of resonator array via electrochemical desorption. The creation of hydrophobic and hydrophilic surface with methyl terminated and carboxylate terminated alkanethiols is characterized by Fourier transform spectroscopy (FTIR) and contact angle measurements. QCMs functionalized with hydrophobic and hydrophilic terminations show a clearly distinguishable response to ionic (buffer) solution.
Recovery of Selected Bacteria in Media Containing 0.5% Food Grade Poly- and Pyrophosphates

Pure cultures of Salmonella typhimurium, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus and two lactic starters were plated with laboratory media containing 0.5% of a food grade poly- or pyrophosphate. Heated or unheated tetra sodium pyrophosphate (TSPP) was highly inhibitory or lethal to all cultures tested, followed by unheated sodium tripolyphosphate (STPP) and sodium polyphosphate glassy (SPG), while sodium acid pyrophosphate (SAPP) was not inhibitory or enhanced recoveries. Heating reduced the effectiveness of phsophates as inhibitors.
The effect of NaCl on stomatal opening in Arabidopsis wild type and agb1 heterotrimeric G-protein mutant plants

Salinity is a major agricultural problem that affects crop yield. Na(+) is transported to the shoot through the transpiration stream. The mutant of the sole Arabidopsis heterotrimeric G protein β subunit, agb1, is hypersensitive to salinity in part due to a higher transpiration rate. Here, we investigated the direct effect of Na(+) on stomatal opening using detached epidermal peels of wild type and agb1 plants. In both genotypes, NaCl is equally as effective as KCl in mediating stomatal opening at the concentrations tested. In both genotypes, ABA is less effective in inhibiting Na(+) mediated stomatal opening than K(+) mediated stomatal opening. The agb1 mutant is hyposensitive to ABA inhibition of K(+)-mediated but not Na(+)-mediated stomatal opening. These results suggest that the greater transpiration observed in agb1 plants grown in saline conditions is likely not mediated by differential genotypic direct effects of Na(+) on stomatal apertures.
Learning Professionalism in Athletic Training Education

Objective: Student learning of professionalism in athletic training education programs (ATEPs) can be varied and even elusive. The purpose of this article is to define professionalism and discuss its development in athletic training students. Background: Medical professions have studied extensively how students learn pr ofessionalism. However, with some studies reporting up t o 90 different associated ch aracteristics, no set definition of professionalism has been adopted. Students may learn professional behaviors in the classroom and the clinic. Research in medical education reports that a majority of this learning occurs in the clinical environment. Description: There are numerous ways to promote the learning of professionalism in athletic training students. After engaging each student personally in this pursuit, techniques such as communicating the mission and code of ethics of the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA), clearly stating expectations the ATEP holds of students’ professional behavior, providing a variety of learning opportunities in differ ent clinical set tings, ca refully selecting approved clinical instructors (ACIs), and using self-assessment and reflection a re a f ew o f the t echniques recommended. The importance of the role of ACIs in the development of professional behaviors in athletic training students is stressed. Advantages: Without purposefully including t he l earning of professionalism in ATEP curriculums (the classroom and clinical experiences), students are at risk of not being prepared to represent and promote athletic training at the highest levels within the allied health professions.
Effect of Eyestalk-Ablation on Circulating Ecdysteroids in Hemolymph of Snow Crabs, Chionoecetes opilio: Physiological Evidence for a Terminal Molt.

SYNOPSIS. Bering Sea snow crabs (Chionoecetes opilio) are a commercially important crab harvested in the Bering Sea. Optimal management of this species requires an understanding of the biology of this crab that is currently incomplete. Fisheries managers apply a continuous growth model in their management of snow crab, which assumes that male crabs increase in size throughout their lifespan. Male snow crabs undergo a morphometric molt that leads to a disproportionate increase in chelae size and it is still debated whether this molt is associated with a terminal molt. This study was conducted to determine whether adult male C. opilio are anecdysic. Using current knowledge of the hormonal regulation of crustacean growth, snow crab physiology was manipulated to induce an increase in molting hormones (ecdysteroids). Since female snow crabs are known to undergo a terminal molt after attaining reproductive maturity, we compared ecdysteroid levels in eyestalk-ablated terminally molted females, small-clawed males and large-clawed males. Snow crabs were collected from the Bering Sea and maintained in circulating seawater at approximately 6 8C. Animals were either eyestalk-ablated or left intact. Ecdysteroid levels in hemolymph were quantified using an enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA). Circulating ecdysteroids were significantly higher in small-clawed male crabs when compared to large-clawed males or terminally molted females. Eyestalk-ablation increased circulating ecdysteroids in small-clawed males, but had no significant effect on circulating ecdysteroids in large-clawed males or in terminally molted females.
Mantled howler monkey spatial foraging decisions reflect spatial and temporal knowledge of resource distributions

An animal's ability to find and relocate food items is directly related to its survival and reproductive success. This study evaluates how mantled howler monkeys make spatial foraging decisions in the wild. Specifically, discrete choice models and agent-based simulations are used to test whether mantled howler monkeys on Barro Colorado Island, Panama, integrate spatial information in order to maximize new leaf flush and fruit gain while minimizing distance traveled. Several heuristic models of decision making are also tested as possible alternative strategies (movement to core home range areas instead of individual trees, travel along a sensory gradient, movement along arboreal pathway networks without a predetermined destination, straight-line travel in a randomly chosen direction, and random walks). Results indicate that although leaves are the single most abundant item in the mantled howler monkey diet, long-distance travel bouts target the areas with the highest concentrations of mature fruits. Observed travel patterns yielded larger estimated quantities of fruit in shorter distances traveled than all alternative foraging strategies. Thus, this study both provides novel information regarding how primates select travel paths and suggests that a highly folivorous primate integrates knowledge of spatiotemporal resource distributions in highly efficient foraging strategies.
Visual probability learning in the rat

The mean asymptotic choice ratios of three groups of rats trained in 100:0, 70:30, and 50:50 visual problems corresponded closely to the reinforcement ratios. A fourth group of rats, which was shifted to 70:30 after some 100:0 training, continued for many trials to show a preference for the 70% alternative which substantially exceeded that of the 70:30 group. Examination of individual performances revealed a variety of systematic tendencies quite different from the random probability matching found in submammalian forms.
Retention of Ions Implanted at Non-Normal Incidence

Future applications of ion implantation require a knowledge of how the retention of implanted ions varies with angle of ion incidence. In this work the retention of 150-keV Ar,Ti,Cr,and Ta ions in AISI-M50 and 52100 bearing steels was measured for incidence angles up to 60° off normal. Fluences between 3×10 15 and 3×10 17 /cm 2 were used, typically on 3/8” diameter cylindrical samples. Retention was measured for Ar, Ti, and Cr by ion induced x-ray emission and for Ta by backscattering of He ions. Range and sputtering parameters needed for model calculations were experimentally determined from Ta-implanted thin Fe film samples. Generally, at the low-fluence limit a near-cos θ dependence obtained while at the high-fluence limit a (cos θ) 8/3 dependence applied where θ is the angle between the sample normal and the beam direction.
Transmitting risk effectively in studies is feasible, but insufficient for shared decision-making.

Commentary to : Zipkin DA, Umscheid CA, Keating NL, et al. Evidence-based risk communication: a systematic review. Ann Intern Med 2014;161:270–80.[OpenUrl][1][CrossRef][2][PubMed][3][Web of Science][4] Shared decision-making is a collaboration between patients and clinical health professionals. It is a conversation about their unique health situation in which they form preferences and make informed healthcare decisions. To improve this decision-making process, the Institute of Medicine recommended development and implementation of high-quality communication tools that match the mathematic abilities of patients and clinicians, which are often limited.1 The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the comparative effectiveness of methods of communicating probabilistic risk information to patients. The systematic review included cross-sectional and longitudinal studies published in English that recruited patients or healthy volunteers and compared any method of communicating probabilistic information with another method. No limits were placed on location, study size, duration or on the … [1]: {openurl}?query=rft.jtitle%253DAnn%2BIntern%2BMed%26rft.volume%253D161%26rft.spage%253D270%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Adoi%252F10.7326%252FM14-0295%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Apmid%252F25133362%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx [2]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=10.7326/M14-0295&link_type=DOI [3]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=25133362&link_type=MED&atom=%2Febmed%2F20%2F2%2F76.atom [4]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=000342347300017&link_type=ISI
235 U Prompt Fission Neutron Spectra-Experimental Mistakes or Lack of Understanding?

The isotope 235 U is the most important one for nuclear energy production. This explains the particular interest in measurements and evaluation of 235 U(n;f) neutron emission data. The Prompt Fission Neutron Spectrum (PFNS) from the 235 U(n;f) reaction has been investigated in many experiments at dierent incident neutron energies from thermal to the fast region. These eorts were motivated by a persistent conict between microscopic and macroscopic (integral average cross section and Ke experiments) data which still exists today. Can we explain this dierence due to experimental mistakes or we should assume unknown physical eect? The experimental facts which conrm that problem exist, some suggestions for future investigations are discussing in the presentation.
Performance Characteristics of Three Whole-Blood Glucose Monitors

We evaluated the performance of three whole-blood glucose meters for introduction to hospital bedside testing. The samples were from hospital patients who had a wide range of glucose concentrations and hematocrit values. The whole-blood specimens were kept on ice to minimize preanalytic degradation. Plasma glucose from each sample was quantitated for the reference value. The maximum acceptable error between whole-blood measurements and reference was set at ±15%. Glucose meter readings exceeded this limit in 35.4%, 27.0%, and 43.4% of samples with the three different meters. Variation from reference values was also analyzed according to specimen hematocrit and glucose concentration. Each instrument exhibited different bias with hematocrit and glucose. These results indicate that none of the three instruments has met current standards for interchangeable hospital-wide use.
Prediction of broadband fan exit guide vane response

The ability to predict the broadband fan exit guide vane response to interaction with wake turbulence using a low-order method is investigated. The RSI method is used to simulate the response of the low-count vanes in the Source Diagnostic Test. The predicted pressure spectrum is compared to that measured experimentally. The predicted spectrum of the broadband vane response at all points on the vane is similar to the final acoustic spectrum, both measured and predicted, that has been presented previously in the literature. However, this means that the simulated results do not capture spectral features above 20 kHz that are present in the experimental data. The physical source of the additional spectral features must still be identified. The simulated results match the data under 20 kHz fairly well near the midspan, but underpredict the levels for frequencies below 4 kHz at positions near the hub and the tip.
Reconstruction of lateral nasal defects.

Lateral nasal defects involve either restoration of skin with or without a small amount of subcutaneous fat or reconstruction of deeper defects that may involve the full thickness of the nose. The author gives his recommendations for flaps and grafts, depending on the extent of the defect.
LARYNGEAL MASK AIRWAY : USES IN ANESTHESIOLOGY

The laryngeal mask airway (LMA), developed in 1983, is a new device to assist in the management of the pediatric and adult airway. In 1991, the Food and Drug Administration gave its approval for use of the LMA in the United States. The LMA is reusable and appears to provide cost-effective airway management in numerous situations. The LMA is simple to use, atraumatic to insert, and helpful in overcoming an obstructed airway. Its role in management of the difficult airway and the traumatic airway is still evolving. This review will introduce the LMA to the nonanesthesiologist and review for the anesthesiologist the origins of the LMA, its physical structure, the technical aspects of insertion, problems with aspiration, its role in the difficult airway, and experience with the pediatric population.
Acquisition of Elementary Swimming Skills by Negro and White College Women

Abstract This study was undertaken to compare Negro and white college women in beginning swimming on performance, motor ability, buoyancy, and body measurements. Thirteen Negro and 44 white nonswimmers were assigned to one of four classes for eight weeks of instruction. The criterion of a nonswimmer was the inability to propel the body 15 feet in a prone position with the face immersed. Preliminary tests included the Scott Motor Ability Test and measurements of height, weight, sitting height, leg length, shoulder width, hip width, and breathing capacity. Buoyancy was assessed by hydrostatic weighing. Learning rate was recorded as the number of trials required to execute successfully 15 progressive swimming skills. The Fox Power Test was administered as a measure of terminal achievement. Evidence indicated that the Negro group was significantly superior in motor ability, while the white group was significantly superior in swimming performance and was more buoyant. Because of the difficulty experienced by t...
On the analytic accuracy of battery SOC, capacity and resistance estimation

The Cramer-Rao bounds for battery state of charge, capacity and resistance estimation are derived in this paper. Independent of any specific form of observers, the bounds explore the quality of the data collected for estimation and indicate the best achievable accuracy of any (unbiased) estimator under measurement noise. The derivation is performed based on an equivalent circuit model. First, the Cramer-Rao bounds for standalone estimation, where only one state/parameter is estimated, is derived. The discussion is then extended to combined estimation where multiple state/parameters are estimated from the same data set. It is found that for current inputs that satisfy certain patterns, loss of accuracy in combined estimation can be avoided. The derived explicit analytic expressions are easy to use for improving the accuracy of both online and offline state/parameter estimation.
A proposal towards computer information systems curriculum

It is important to study how to redesign the curriculum for survival in the current economic environment. An understanding of these programs will help us create a more consistent MIS/IS/CIS curriculum that will be challenging and yet attractive to more students. One hundred and five 105 IS programs are evaluated in the USA. This study examines some of the differences in the IS curricula at different institution of higher education accredited by AACSB. The study provides descriptive statistics for testing hypothesis. The main purpose is to compare these programs with 2010-IS model and show the differences that exist between these programs regarding core and elective courses credit hours. A curriculum is proposed based on studying these 105 IS programs and 2010-IS model. The results show a significant difference between institutions of higher education with respect to core and elective course credit hour offerings in their IS programs.
CHAPTER 106 – Calcineurin

Calcineurin (also called PP2B), a protein phosphatase under the control of Ca 2+ and calmodulin (CaM), is ideally suited to play an important role in modulating cellular responses in response to the second messenger Ca 2+ . The identification of calcineurin as the target of the immunosup-pressive drugs cyclosporin A (CsA) and FK506, complexed with their respective binding proteins cyclophilin A (CypA) and FKBP12 (FK506 binding protein), revealed the key role of calcineurin in the Ca 2+ -dependent steps of T-cell activation. This discovery led to purification of the transcription factor NFAT (nuclear factor of activated T cells) and the first identification of a complete transduction pathway from the plasma membrane to the nucleus. The specific inhibition of calcineurin by FK506 and CsA and the over-expression of the catalytic subunit of a CaM-independent derivative of calcineurin (calcineurin Aα, residues 1 to 392) have been widely used to identify the roles of calcineurin in the regulation of cellular processes as diverse as gene expression, ion homeostasis, muscle differentiation, embryogenesis, secretion, and neurological functions. It is no wonder that alteration of calcineurin activity has been implicated in the pathogenesis of such diseases as cardiac hypertrophy, congenital heart disease, and immunological and neurological disorders.
Models of Growth and Change

Cross-sectional and longitudinal investigations of development have resulted in an accumulation of large masses of data in which differences or changes of particular variables have been plotted against chronological age, revealing the various growth trends reported in texts and handbooks such as those edited by Mussen (1970) on child psychology or by Birren (1959) on aging. Despite the wealth of data collected, the records are insufficient for at least three reasons: (1) Almost none of the reports have been addressed to the question of why organisms grow and change, but have remained descriptive and prescientific. (2) The uncritical application of physical time scales has been harmful for the development of theoretical interpretations of growth. (3) Without exception, individual and cultural changes have been confounded.
HAS Should Not Be NICE: Rejecting Imaginary Worlds in the French Technology Assessment Guidelines

Pricing decisions and access to pharmaceuticals should be evidence based. Unfortunately, the French guidelines for technology assessment, in their adoption of the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) reference case modeling standard ensure that this is not the case. Rather than requiring the submission of claims that are credible, evaluable and replicable, the Haute Autorite de Sante (HAS) mandates the creation of imaginary worlds to support comparative effectiveness and cost-outcome claims. The purpose of this commentary is to make the case that HAS should reconsider this commitment to standards for health technology assessment that are more appropriately seen as pseudoscience. The recommendation is that HAS should put to one side mandating lifetime cost-per-quality adjusted life year (QALY) or life years saved claims in favor of short-term claims that can be evaluated and reported to health system decision makers as part of a provisional assessment of new products as well as supporting ongoing disease area and therapeutic class reviews. Type: Commentary
MLEM2 Rule Induction Algorithm with Multiple Scanning Discretization

In this paper we show experimental results on the MLEM2 rule induction algorithm and the Multiple Scanning discretization algorithm. The MLEM2 algorithm of rule induction has its own mechanisms to handle missing attribute values and numerical data. We compare, in terms of an error rate, two setups: MLEM2 used for rule induction directly from incomplete and numerical data and MLEM2 inducing rule sets from data sets previously discretized by Multiple Scanning and then converted to be incomplete. In both setups certain and possible rule sets were induced. For certain rule sets, the former setup was more successful for two data sets, while the latter setup was more successful for four data sets, for eight data sets the difference was not significant (Wilcoxon test, 5% significance level). Similarly, for possible rule sets the former setup was more successful for two data sets, while the latter setup was more successful for three data sets. Thus we may conclude that there is not significant difference between both setups and that we may use MLEM2 for rule induction directly from incomplete and numerical data.
SoMeta: Scalable Object-Centric Metadata Management for High Performance Computing

Scientific data sets, which grow rapidly in volume, are often attached with plentiful metadata, such as their associated experiment or simulation information. Thus, it becomes difficult for them to be utilized and their value is lost over time. Ideally, metadata should be managed along with its corresponding data by a single storage system, and can be accessed and updated directly. However, existing storage systems in high-performance computing (HPC) environments, such as Lustre parallel file system, still use a static metadata structure composed of non-extensible and fixed amount of information. The burden of metadata management falls upon the end-users and require ad-hoc metadata management software to be developed.With the advent of "object-centric" storage systems, there is an opportunity to solve this issue. In this paper, we present SoMeta, a scalable and decentralized metadata management approach for object-centric storage in HPC systems. It provides a flat namespace that is dynamically partitioned, a tagging approach to manage metadata that can be efficiently searched and updated, and a light-weight and fault tolerant management strategy. In our experiments, SoMeta achieves up to 3.7X speedup over Lustre in performing common metadata operations, and up to 16X faster than SciDB and MongoDB for advanced metadata operations, such as adding and searching tags. Additionally, in contrast to existing storage systems, SoMeta offers scalable user-space metadata management by allowing users with the capability to specify the number of metadata servers depending on their workload.
Youth voice in service acceptability: Experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender adolescents

This study engaged lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) youths to tell their stories of satisfying and dissatisfying HIV-related service features and tapped into their common language whe...
Herbal Supplement-Based Interactions

As herbal supplements are purchased and used by more than 25% of the general population, herbal supplement-based interactions have become increasingly reported. The primary mechanism of herb–drug interactions is modulation of metabolizing enzymes and/or transporters. This chapter highlights the modulation effects of several top selling herbal supplements (St. John’s wort, garlic, ginseng, milk thistle, ginkgo, and others) and important herbal constituents (flavonoids and isothiocyanates) on metabolizing enzymes/transporters and the subsequent herb–drug interactions. Literature reports indicate that these herbal supplements/constituents modulate various phase I/II enzymes and/or transporters at both functional and expression levels and have an impact on the pharmacokinetics of co-administered drugs, which are mainly metabolized/transported by these enzymes/transporters. The alteration in enzyme/transporter function by an herbal product may vary markedly due to different manufacturers or lots of herbal products, doses, drug substrates, and experimental systems used to evaluate potential interactions. Many effects of herbal supplements/constituents on enzymes/transporters have been investigated only in vitro. Further in vivo animal studies and clinical trials need to be carried out to confirm these in vitro observations and determine the clinical relevance of herbal–drug interactions.
Pressure sensitive adhesive performance: The effect of chemistry

Abstract Regulatory and economic pressures are forcing reassessment of the value-in-use of the various pressure sensitive adhesives now used. The emphasis has been directed mainly towards the relative merit of physical forms; solvent solution, water-borne emulsion/latex, and 100% solids hot melt. While form is a major concern, property variations due to chemical differences in the two major types — rubber/resin and acrylic copolymer — should also be an integral part of the alternative evaluation process. Each chemistry involves advantages and disadvantages. An understanding of the differences between them and of the effect of the constraints imposed by that chemistry gives a basis for rational selection for a given end-use.
Working With Gay and Lesbian Students at Catholic Colleges and Universities: A Student Affairs Perspective

Controversy often surrounds issues of sexual ethics on campus. This article offers a helpful framework for consideration of one of today’s difficult issues: ministry to gay and lesbian students at Catholic institutions. By demonstrating how one may be faithful to Magisterial teaching, the Gospel command to love, and solid principles of human development and psychology, the author offers concrete steps for establishing and protecting a climate of conversation.
Accelerator Transmutation of Waste Economics

A parametric systems model of the accelerator transmutation of (nuclear) waste (ATW) is used to examine key system trade-offs and design drivers on the basis of unit costs. This model is applied primarily to a fluid-fuel blanket concept for an ATW that generates net electric power from the fissioning of spent commercial reactor fuel. An important goal of this study is the development of essential parametric trade-offs to aid in any future conceptual engineering design of an ATW that would burn spent commercial fuel and generate net electric power. As such, costing procedures and methodologies used to estimate and compare advanced nuclear power generation systems are applied. The cost of electricity required by an electrical power-generating ATW fueled with spent commercial fuels is generally found to be above that projected for other advanced fission power plants. The accelerator and the chemical plant equipment cost accounts are quantitatively identified as main cost drivers, with the capital cost of radio-frequency power dominating the former. Significant reductions of this cost differential are possible by increased blanket neutron multiplication, increased plant capacity, or increased thermal-to-electric conversion efficiency. The benefits of reduced long-lived fission products and spent commercial fuel actinides provided by the ATW approachmore » translate into a less tangible source of revenue to be provided by a charge that must be levied on the client fission power plants being serviced. The main goal of this study, however, is not a direct cost comparison but is instead a quantitative determination of cost-based sensitivity of key cost drivers and operational modes for an ATW concept that would address the growing spent commercial fuel problem; parametric results presented focus on this goal, and a specific ATW ``straw man`` is given to achieve this main objective.« less
Novel fluid–fluid interface domains in geologic media

Pore-scale fluid processes in geological media are critical for numerous applications in several fields. Continued improvement of high-resolution image acquisition and processing methods has provided a means to directly characterize pore-scale fluid processes for natural geomedia, and to test the representativeness of theoretical and computational models developed to simulate them. High-resolution synchrotron X-ray microtomography (XMT) combined with advanced 3-D image visualization was used to investigate the impact of larger-scale solid-surface heterogeneity on nonwetting–wetting (air–water) interfacial area for two natural geomedia (a sand and a soil). The studies revealed the presence of air–water interfaces associated with water residing within macroscopic features such as pits and crevices on the surfaces of the solids. The diameters of the features ranged from tens to 100's of μm for the sand, and the aggregate associated air–water interfacial area was estimated to represent ∼12% of the maximum capillary interfacial area. These features and respective fluid interfaces, which are not considered in standard conceptualizations of fluid distribution in geomedia, may have an impact on pore-scale physical and biogeochemical processes.
Queer Farmland: Land Access Strategies for Small-Scale Agriculture

Farmers struggle to afford farmland because competing land uses raise prices higher than what farmers earn, especially in small-scale and sustainable agriculture. Farmers often depend on an intimat...
Genomics-Enabled Precision Medicine for Cancer

Genomic information is increasingly being incorporated into clinical cancer care. Large-scale sequencing efforts have deepened our understanding of the genomic landscape of cancer and contributed to the expanding catalog of alterations being leveraged to aid in cancer diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment. Genomic profiling can provide clinically relevant information regarding somatic point mutations, copy number alterations, translocations, and gene fusions. Genomic features, such as mutational burden, can also be measured by more comprehensive sequencing strategies and have shown value in informing potential treatment options. Ongoing clinical trials are evaluating the use of molecularly targeted agents in genomically defined subsets of cancers within and across tumor histologies. Continued advancements in clinical genomics promise to further expand the application of genomics-enabled medicine to a broader spectrum of oncology patients.
Pragmatic Study of Clinician Use of a Personalized Patient Decision Aid Integrated into the Electronic Health Record: An 8-Year Experience.

Background: Patient decision aids (PDAs) facilitate shared decision-making (SDM) and are delivered in a variety of formats, including printed material or instructional videos, and, more recently, web-based tools. Barriers such as time constraints and disruption to clinical workflow are reported to impede usage in routine practice. Introduction: This pragmatic study examines use of PDAs integrated (iPDAs) into the electronic health record (EHR) over an 8-year period. Methods: A suite of iPDAs that personalize decision-making was integrated into an academic health system EHR. Clinician use was tracked using patient and clinician encrypted information, enabling identification of clinician types and unique uses for an 8-year period. Clinician feedback was obtained through survey. Results: Over 8 years, 1,209 identifiable clinicians used the iPDAs at least once ("aware"). Use increased over time, with 2,415 unique uses in 2010, and 23,456 in 2017. Clinicians who used an iPDA with at least 5 patients ("adopters"), increased by 82 clinicians each year (range 56-108); of clinicians who used the tool once, 54.3% became adopters. Of 261 primary care clinicians, 93.5% were aware, 86.2% were adopters, and 80.5% used the tools in the last 90 days. Clinicians perceived the iPDAs to be convenient, efficient, and encouraging of SDM. Discussion: We demonstrate that use of decision aids integrated into the EHR result in repeated use among clinicians over time and have the potential to overcome barriers to implementation. We noted a high degree of clinician satisfaction, without a sense of increase in visit time. Conclusion: Integration of PDAs into the EHR results in sustained use. Further research is needed to assess the impact of iPDAs on decisional quality.