cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Strategy, human capital investments, business‐domain capabilities, and performance: a study in the global software services industry

Research summary: In knowledge-based industries, continuous human capital investments are essential for firms to enhance capabilities and sustain competitive advantage. However, such investments present a dilemma for firms, because human resources are mobile. Using detailed project-level operational, financial, and human capital data from a leading multinational firm in the global IT services industry, this study finds that deliberate investments in improving general human capital can help firms develop superior capabilities and maintain high profits. This paper identifies two types of capabilities essential for success in this industry—technological and business-domain capabilities—and provides empirical evidence justifying such investments. Theoretical and practical implications of capability-seeking general human capital investments are discussed. Managerial summary: The primary managerial implication of this research is that capability-seeking investments in developing general human capital through strategic learning (training and internal certifications) can enhance firm performance. Although investing in general human capital is risky, the firm considered this a strategic necessity in order to thrive in the fast paced IT services industry. By leveraging general technological skills in combination with business-domain knowledge to address customer's business problems firms can earn and sustain higher profits. Our study also demonstrates how a developing-country firm responded to strong competitive challenge from global rivals possessing superior capabilities by upgrading the capabilities of its employees through internal development. In doing so the firm was able to narrow the capability gap vis-a-vis its foreign peers and expand its business globally. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Cardinalities ofD-classes inB n

LetB n be the semigroup of all binary relations on a set of n elements. Let D be aD-class ofB n with row rank s and column rank t and whose lattice has p elements. Then the number of elements in an L (R)-class of D is given by $$\sum\limits_{i = 0}^s {( - 1)^i (_i^s )} (p - i)^n \sum\limits_{i = 0}^t {( - 1)^i (_i^t )} (p - i)^n ).$$
Muscarinic cholinergic receptor subtypes in rat sublingual glands

Mucin glycoprotein secretion by rat sublingual glands is regulated primarily by muscarinic cholinergic receptors. Studies were conducted to identify muscarinic receptor subtypes in whole glands as ...
Paired Corporate Bond Trades

Using a newly introduced TRACE variable that identifies the side(s) taken by dealers in each trade, I find that 37 percent of dealer-client trades are accompanied by an inter-dealer trade, usually for the exact same quantity and often executed at the exact second as the client trade. All but 0.4 percent of these trade pairs would involve a non-negative profit for a dealer who was involved in both trades. Pairing is much more common for small trades - 46 percent of trades under $100,000 are paired, but only 4.5 percent of trades of $500,000 and above. Controlling for trade size, pairing is less common for trades by institutional clients. Paired trades involve higher trading costs, which are split roughly 50-50 between the pairing dealer and the dealer ultimately taking the other side. Taken together, the evidence suggests that pairing is a symptom of clients being unable to search over the entire market, producing nearly risk-free trading profits for dealers with client relationships or contractual rights to handle order flow.
Optimization of Perfluorocarbon Emulsions for Cellular Encapsulation

This study examined the parameters governing the formation of stable oxygen carrying emulsions for use in cellular encapsulation. Select perfluorocarbon, surfactant and physiological salt solution mixtures were manufactured and compared. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) particle size analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), measurements of effective oxygen diffusivity and toxicity assessments in cell culture were utilized to generate optimized solutions for use in microencapsulation of cellular products. The most stable, non-toxic and oxygen permeable emulsions were made from low w/v percent pluronic polaxamers dissolved in physiological saline and emulsified with 10% v/v perfluorotributylamine (FC-43). These emulsions had stable particle sizes at room temperature, little or no toxicity in cell co-cultures with the surfactant solution and enhanced diffusivity relative to the physiological salt solution.
Observations on a Consumer Panel Operation

sentially a by-product of a broader study designed to investigate the influence of consumer expectations on durable-goods purchases and the relationship between purchase intentions and realizations. Inasmuch as this study was conducted by means of a continuous monthly consumer panel, considerable information was necessarily accumulated on the characteristics of such an operation. At the same time, it became highly desirable to analyze these data in order to evaluate
Commentary: Academic Learning, Worker Learning, and the Hawthorne Studies

After 50 years, the debate over the significance of the Hawthorne Studies (Roethlisberger and Dickson; Whitehead) rages on in our professional journals. These studies have been credited with inspiring major redirection in the disciplines of sociology, psychology, ard social anthropology, as well as helping to precipitate the emerging fields of social psychology, industrial relations, and organization behavior. Nonetheless, this research developed two schools of hardened critics. The ideological critics complained about the treatment of class conffict (e.g., Bell; Kerr; Mills), whereas the methodological critics complained about the study conditions, the research design, and the data analysis (e.g., Carey; Franke and Kaul; Parsons, a, b). Pitcher's recent article in Social Forces cogently used the arguments of Hawthorne defenders Schlaifer and Wardwell to refute the charges of the prominent methodological critics Franke and Kaul and Carey. He further discredited these critics through an interesting reinspection of the original study data. Pitcher supported the Hawthorne conclusion that the increased productivity of the workers studied in the famed Relay Assembly Test room phase of the research was best explained as a consequence of the passage of time. Unfortunately, however, he used passage of time as a surrogate for increased task experience, and thus explained the continuous trend upward in worker productivity as the result of greater worker competence or task learning. A review of the official Hawthorne records and conversations with the surviving study participants, however, casts a shadow of doubt on this learning hypothesis.
Biology of Chironomus atrella in a Tidal Cove

Chironomus atrella (Townes) overwinters as a 3rd or 4th-instar larva and has 2 distinct adult emergences during the year. Adult emergence is characterized by a diel periodicity which commences shortly after sundown and is independent of tidal fluctuations. Larvae were found in the bottom of the cove at depths ranging to the 6-to-8-inch stratum, but were found predominantly in the top 2 inches of mud throughout the year. The largest numbers of larvae were found in areas closest to the salt marsh and where the bottom was a soft highly organic mud. Males and females do not mate immediately upon eclosion. A female lays 300–600 eggs which hatch in 2½ days at 24°C.
Assessment of the Efficiency of Tobacco Cessation Counseling in Primary Care

Clinical Practice Guidelines for Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence advocate for using counseling targeted at tobacco users' motivation to quit during each office visit. We evaluate tobacco use screening and counseling interventions delivered during routine periodic health examinations by 44 adult primary care physicians practicing in 22 clinics of a large health system in southeast Michigan. 484 office visits were audio-recorded and transcribed. For this study, current tobacco users (N = 91) were identified using pre-visit surveys and audio-recordings. Transcripts were coded for the delivery of tobacco-related counseling interventions. The extent to which counseling interventions were used and/or targeted to the patients' readiness to quit was the main outcome measure. The majority of tobacco users (n = 77) had their tobacco use status assessed, and most received some sort of tobacco-related counseling (n = 74). However, only 15% received the recommended counseling targeted to their readiness to quit. On the other hand, 19% received less counseling than recommended given their readiness to quit, 7% received only nonindicated counseling, and 59% received nonindicated counseling in addition to indicated counseling. Results illustrate physicians' commitment to cessation counseling and also identify potential opportunities to improve the efficiency of tobacco-related counseling in primary care.
Cellulose Deficiency Is Enhanced on Hyper Accumulation of Sucrose by a H+-Coupled Sucrose Symporter

In order to understand factors controlling the synthesis and deposition of cellulose, we have studied the Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) double mutant shaven3 shaven3-like1 (shv3svl1), which was shown previously to exhibit a marked cellulose deficiency. We discovered that exogenous sucrose (Suc) in growth medium greatly enhances the reduction in hypocotyl elongation and cellulose content of shv3svl1. This effect was specific to Suc and was not observed with other sugars or osmoticum. Live-cell imaging of fluorescently labeled cellulose synthase complexes revealed a slowing of cellulose synthase complexes in shv3svl1 compared with the wild type that is enhanced in a Suc-conditional manner. Solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance confirmed a cellulose deficiency of shv3svl1 but indicated that cellulose crystallinity was unaffected in the mutant. A genetic suppressor screen identified mutants of the plasma membrane Suc/H+ symporter SUC1, indicating that the accumulation of Suc underlies the Suc-dependent enhancement of shv3svl1 phenotypes. While other cellulose-deficient mutants were not specifically sensitive to exogenous Suc, the feronia (fer) receptor kinase mutant partially phenocopied shv3svl1 and exhibited a similar Suc-conditional cellulose defect. We demonstrate that shv3svl1, like fer, exhibits a hyperpolarized plasma membrane H+ gradient that likely underlies the enhanced accumulation of Suc via Suc/H+ symporters. Enhanced intracellular Suc abundance appears to favor the partitioning of carbon to starch rather than cellulose in both mutants. We conclude that SHV3-like proteins may be involved in signaling during cell expansion that coordinates proton pumping and cellulose synthesis.
Grading Errors in Prostatic Needle Biopsies: Relation to the Accuracy of Tumor Grade in Predicting Pelvic Lymph Node Metastases

Abstract: To examine how accurately needle biopsies reflect the true histologic grade of prostatic cancers the histologic grade of needle biopsy specimens was compared to that of the radical prostatectomy specimen in 66 consecutive patients. Needle biopsies were given a lower grade than the prostatectomy specimen in 21 patients (33 per cent) and a higher grade in 5 patients (8 per cent).To examine how accurately the tumor grade of needle biopsy specimens predicts lymph node metastases in patients with clinical stage B prostatic cancer the needle biopsy grade was compared to lymph node metastases in 78 consecutive patients who underwent staging pelvic lymphadenectomy. Thirteen per cent of the patients with well differentiated cancer, 50 per cent with moderately differentiated cancer and 64 per cent with poorly differentiated cancer had pelvic lymph node metastases. In most cases grading errors did not influence the capacity of needle biopsies to predictnodal involvement. We conclude that although prostatic...
Breastfeeding and human milk: their association with jaundice in the neonate.

This article examines the factors that can contribute to feeding-related jaundice. It reviews the evidence supporting numerous hypotheses proposed to explain the etiology of breastmilk jaundice, and it discusses the possible relationship between breastfeeding and breastmilk jaundice. Management recommendations supportive of breastfeeding for early-and late-onset jaundice are offered.
The Songs of Other Birds

In this essay, written for a volume that re-engages with David Engel's classic article, The Oven Bird's Song, I consider how we decide how to situate what we encounter in our research. Comparing the findings of my own research in Taipei with Engel's work in Thailand and America, I ask how we can decide to give different interpretations of seemingly similar social phenomena -- specifically, our interlocutors' evident distaste for invoking the law. Although many of my interlocutors in Taiwan expressed dismay at the disorder of their nation, no one ever suggested that law would be a good way to solve the problem. The community activists I studied did not see law as a useful tool. I studied government administrators and community activists. For both, the invocation of law was at best a bit of icing on a cake of otherwise appropriate social belonging. At worst, it could signal breakdown: a failure of social engagement; of social norms; of other, more legitimate, values. This devaluation of legality among my interlocutors is certainly reminiscent of the devaluation of litigation in Sander County (Engel 1984) and in northern Thailand (Engel 2006). Yet seen within its sociohistorical context, it highlights important differences as well. These differences, in turn, highlight the way that understanding the roles of law in society depends heavily on historically informed, culturally embedded, and locally specific research.
An Initial Assessment of the Production and Movement of Thirteenth Century Ceramic Vessels in the Mesa Verde Region

Neutron activation analysis was employed on ceramics and clays (N=234) from the Mesa Verde region of southwestern Colorado. Quantitative analysis of the resulting data indicates that Mesa Verde variety Black-on-white bowls were locally produced at Sand Canyon and Castle Rock pueblos and up on Mesa Verde. Corrugated jars from Long House and Mug House were produced using different raw materials than the Black-on-white bowls. The results also indicate that ceramics were moved in and between the Sand Canyon and Mesa Verde localities.
Benzodiazepine use in seizure emergencies: A systematic review

Abstract Purpose The aim of this review was to systematically examine safety and efficacy outcomes, as well as patient/caregiver satisfaction, from clinical studies in pediatric and adult patients treated with benzodiazepines (BZDs) through various administration routes in response to seizure emergencies. Methods A literature search was conducted to identify articles describing the use of various routes of administration (RoAs) of BZDs for the treatment of seizure emergencies through April 21, 2015, using Embase™ and PubMed®. Eligible studies included (a) randomized controlled trials or (b) controlled nonrandomized clinical trials, either retrospective or prospective. Outcome assessments reviewed were 1) time to administration, 2) time to seizure termination, 3) rate of treatment failure, 4) prevention of seizure recurrence, 5) patient and caregiver treatment satisfaction, 6) adverse events related to BDZ treatment or RoA, and 7) respiratory adverse events. Results Seventy-five studies evaluated safety and efficacy using individual or comparator BDZs of various RoAs for treating seizure emergencies in all-aged patients with epilepsy. Buccal, intranasal (IN), or intramuscular (IM) BZDs were often more rapidly administered compared with rectal and intravenous (IV) formulations. Time to seizure termination, seizure recurrence rates, and adverse events were generally similar among RoAs, whereas nonrectal RoAs resulted in greater patient and caregiver satisfaction compared with rectal RoA. Significance Results of this systematic literature review suggest that nonrectal and non-IV BZD formulations provide equal or improved efficacy and safety outcomes compared with rectal and IV formulations for the treatment of seizure emergencies.
The Measurement of Sulfur-Containing Aroma Compounds in Samples from Production-Scale Brewery Operations

A method employing solid-phase microextraction followed by gas chromatography and detection by chemiluminescence has been used to measure sulfur-containing volatile substances in a range of beers a...
Does the Region of Diagnosis Correlate with Overall Survival in Patients with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) - a SEER Review of AML Diagnosis from 2004 - 2007

Abstract Background: Epidemiologic features accounting for poor outcomes in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) have been under-reported in the literature. Although it is generally accepted that AML portends an ominous prognosis, there is a paucity of understanding in the etiology and risk factors attributing to such poor outcomes in this condition. We aimed to study the epidemiology and survival outcome of AML and its correlation with the region of diagnosis by reviewing the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Result Program (SEER database). Methods: A SEER database (version 8.1.5) review was performed for all age groups with an International Classification of Diseases in Oncology (ICD-O-3) diagnosis of histologically confirmed non acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL)-AML from 2004 -2007. Age of included patients ranged from 15 years to 90 years. Collected variables included date of diagnosis, age at diagnosis, gender, ethnicity, location of diagnosis, reported intervals of follow up, and 3- year overall survival (OS). Primary outcome was 3-year OS correlation with the region/state of diagnosis. All SEER Registries were included in the analysis. Data were analyzed using Kaplan Meier and Cox proportional hazard regression model. Results: A total of 13,238 pts with non APL-AML were identified between 2004 and 2007. The mean age of the overall study population was 61.6 years. The Caucasian to non-Caucasian race ratio was 5:1 and male to female ratio was 7:6. The 3-year OS was 24% in the West region (CA, WA, HA, AL and UT). Patients in East region (NJ, CT) had better 3-year OS (24.5%) when compared with patients in West region. However, patients in Midwest (MI,IW and KY) and South regions (GA, NM and LA) had worse 3-year OS when compared to the West region ( 21.2% and 23.2 % respectively). The 3 year OS was statistically associated with region of diagnosis (P= 0.0003). This conclusion held after adjusting for race, gender, and age with statistical significance (P = 0.0165). Furthermore, the 3 year OS was statistically significant for its association with ethnicity as non-Caucasian groups had better OS compared with Caucasian populations (HR 0.92). However, after adjusting for region, gender and age, the association between OS and ethnicity was not significant (P = 0.588). Conclusion: Non APL-AML OS was statistically associated with the region of diagnosis and presumed treatment based on analysis of all available data. The patients in East region had better survival compared with patients in West region (HR 0.96). However, the patients in South and Midwest regions had poorer survival when compared with the West region (HR 1.01 and 1.13, respectively). This survival difference was statistically significant after adjusting for other confounding factors including age, race and gender. Also the difference in OS among different patient racial populations was not significant when adjusted for the region of diagnosis and treatment. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
21. A Theoretical Perspective on Enhancing Coordination and Collaboration in ROV Teams

To understand the importance of coordination and collaboration for ROV teams, let us examine some of the typical tasks that ROV operators might be required to perform (Cooke & Shope, 2004; Gugerty, DeBoom, Walker, & Burns, 1999). To do so, we will use the members of a U.S. Air Force Predator crew as an example. The team consists of three members: an Air Vehicle Operator (AVO) who pilots the aircraft, a Payload Operator (PLO) who operates the surveillance equipment, and a Data Exploitation, Mission Planning, and Communications Operator (DEMPC) who is responsible for mission planning. In the course of a mission, the AVO is responsible for the take off and landing of the aircraft. Because they fly the aircraft from a remote location, AVOs are generally required to use visual input from a camera mounted on the nose of the aircraft to guide their flight. Once in the air, the PLO can operate cameras and sensors mounted on the belly of the plane to gather information. The DEMPC, who is in contact with the upper echelons of the organization, provides the AVO with the desired heading and the PLO with target coordinates.
Does it Matter if Students Have the Same Instructor for Both Lecture and Lab Sections? An Analysis of Introductory Biology Students

With the goal of increasing the immediacy of the relationship between tenure-track professors and students, science departments in liberal arts colleges may try to arrange their curriculum so that students have the same professor in both the lecture and the lab section of introductory courses. While this goal seems laudable, empirical data are currently lacking to justify the logistical hurdles and professional sacrifices likely required to match professors to students in both lecture and lab sections of large courses. To address this data gap, I analyzed student evaluations and grades from three years of an introductory biology course that included separate lecture and lab sections. There was no evidence that matching a student’s lecture and lab instructor had any benefit on either the students’ perception of the effectiveness of the labs, or on the students’ performance in their lab or lecture sections. In addition, there was no consistent pattern in students’ perceptions of the relative effectiveness of tenure-track professors, visiting professors, and adjunct instructors. This study suggests that students may even benefit from having different instructors in their lecture and lab, whether they are tenured professors, visiting professors, or part-time adjuncts.
Healthcare personnel intestinal colonization with multidrug-resistant organisms

Abstract Objectives This study aims to assess the association between patient contact and intestinal carriage of multidrug-resistant organisms (MDRO) by sampling healthcare personnel (HCP) and staff without patient contact. Methods For this observational study, we recruited 400 HCP who worked in our 200-bed research hospital and 400 individuals without patient contact between November 2013 and February 2015. Participants submitted two self-collected perirectal swabs and a questionnaire. Swabs were processed for multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria and vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE). Questionnaires explored occupational and personal risk factors for MDRO carriage. Results Among 800 participants, 94.4% (755/800) submitted at least one swab, and 91.4% (731/800) also submitted questionnaires. Extended spectrum β-lactamase-producing organisms were recovered from 3.4% (26/755) of participants, and only one carbapenemase-producing organism was recovered. No VRE were detected. The potential exposure of 68.9% (250/363) of HCP who reported caring for MDRO-colonized patients did not result in a rate of MDRO carriage among HCP (4.0%; 15/379) significantly higher than that of staff without patient contact (3.2%; 12/376; p 0.55). Conclusions This is the largest US study of HCP intestinal MDRO carriage. The low colonization rate is probably reflective of local community background rates, suggesting that HCP intestinal colonization plays a minor role in nosocomial spread of MDROs in a non-outbreak setting. Trial Registration. clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT01952158.
Are beliefs stronger than taste? A field experiment on organic and local apples

Abstract While consumers purchase organic and local foods for many reasons, taste is a key factor. Different consumers though have different beliefs about the taste of these types of foods. The goal here was to examine if those beliefs are enough for people to change their taste rating of a product simply by having an organic or local label. To determine this, field taste experiments were conducted in three locations (a university campus, a public park, and a natural foods store) to create a diverse subject pool. Participants rated the taste of five apple slices: two from the same organic apple and two from the same local apple (each with one labeled and one not), and an unlabeled conventional apple. Ratings differed significantly between the locations. Accompanying surveys gathered participants’ attitudes and beliefs about organic and local foods used in an exploratory factor analysis. Tobit regression models showed the factor representing taste to significantly increase the taste rating for both the labeled organic and local slices over their unlabeled counterparts. Groups with strong beliefs in organic and local foods also rated the taste of the respective labeled versions significantly higher. Results suggest beliefs about how organic and local foods taste can play a stronger role in taste perceptions than actual taste for certain segments of consumers.
Moonlighting GAPDH and Age-Related Neurodegenerative Disease: Diversity of Protein Interactions and Complexity of Function

The etiologies of many age-related neurodegenerative diseases remain a puzzle in spite of the identification of many of their pieces. Although each disease is characterized by distinctive clinical presentations, moonlighting GAPDH is implicated in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), as well as Huntington's disease (HD) and other triplet repeat disorders. The diversity of GAPDH interactions and the resultant complexity of its functions are indicated by its association with the aggregates associated with each disease (AD:amyloid plaques; PD: Lewy bodies); the formation of subcellular complexes with potential causative proteins (AD: β-amyloid protein; HD: huntingtin and other triplet repeat disorder proteins; PD: α-synuclein); the effect of protein complex formation on GAPDH glycolytic activity; specific changes not only in GAPDH subcellular structure and function but also that of neuronal disease proteins; and, lastly, specific mechanisms that may underlie the distinctive cell toxicity that characterizes age-related neurodegenerative disorders.
Preoperative Frailty Score for 30-Day Morbidity and Mortality After Cranial Neurosurgery.

Background Evaluating preoperative frailty is critical for guiding shared surgical decision-making. The purpose of this study was to develop a novel preoperative frailty index for classification of adverse outcomes following cranial neurosurgery procedures. Methods The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database was queried for all cranial neurosurgery cases from 2006 to 2014. Sequential univariate and multivariate testing was used to identify significant independent predictors of 30-day mortality. Frailty scores were computed by summating across weighted predictors. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis quantified the discriminative capacity of the frailty score for classifying mortality and other major adverse outcomes. Results List-wise exclusion of patients with incomplete datasets yielded a final sample of 27,098 patients (mortality rate = 3.9%). Multivariate regression testing identified 19 independent predictors of 30-day mortality. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis revealed impressive outcome discrimination (area under the curve = 0.87, P Conclusions Neurosurgical patients undergo extensive preoperative evaluation, but the field currently lacks a robust bedside scoring system for quantifying patient frailty. In this study, we introduced a novel preoperative frailty index capable of classifying 30-day morbidity and mortality outcomes following cranial neurosurgeries.
Improving Care vs. Transforming Care

My apologies for the Chaucerian reference and the double entendre! This brief recount of transformation is the story of Angus. Angus was my son’s Australian Bearded Dragon, a fierce appearing spine-laden desert lizard that was as docile as could be, provided you were not a cricket.
Monitoring volatilization products using Residual Gas Analyzers during MeV ion beam irradiations

Abstract The use of Residual Gas Analyzers (RGAs) during irradiation experiments can provide valuable information when incorporated into experimental end-stations. The instruments can track the volatilization products of beam-sensitive materials, which may ultimately aid researchers in selecting appropriate flux values for conducting experiments. Furthermore, the type of gaseous species released during an irradiation can be monitored directly, which may lead to new insights into the radiolysis and/or heating mechanisms responsible for gas evolution. A survey of several classes of materials exposed to extremes in particle flux is presented to show how RGA instrumentation can be incorporated to qualitatively assess ion-solid interactions in a variety of fields.
Time-resolved proteome profiling of normal lung development

Biochemical networks mediating normal lung morphogenesis and function have important implications for ameliorating morbidity and mortality in premature infants. Although several transcript-level st...
Prevalence and predictors of parental concern for children's weight from 2002 to 2012.

Abstract Objectives Public health initiatives to increase parental awareness about children's obesity have become more prominent in the past decade. These initiatives may contribute to increased concern in parents for their children's weight, even if their children are at a healthy weight. The aim of the present study was to document trends in parental (N = 365; 67.9% female) concern for their children's weight from 2002 to 2012 using surveys on health and eating behaviors. Study design Participants (N = 365) were parents who completed surveys in 2002 and were followed up in 2012 as part of a longitudinal epidemiological study of eating attitudes and behavior. Methods McNemar's test and logistic regression models estimated changes in and predictors of parental concern. Results In 2002, 36.5% of participants indicated concern for their children's weight, which rose to 54.4% in 2012. Parents of overweight children were more likely to report concern than parents of average-weight children at baseline and 10-year follow-up. However, concern increased significantly even among parents of average-weight children, rising from 28.7% to 41.6% (McNemar's test statistic: 8.20, P = .002). Secondary analyses revealed that parents' baseline drive for thinness predicted increased likelihood of concern in these parents (odds ratio: 1.10, P = .04). Conclusion Findings support the need for future research to examine consequences of societal messages about pediatric obesity.
N-Homomorphisms of Topological N-Groups

Let N be a right topological nearring. A topological N-group is a pair (G, μ) where G is a topological group and μ is a continuous function from N × G into G such that. This is, of course, just the topological analogue of the definition of N-group as given by G. Pilz on page 13 of [4] and a nearring module or N-module as defined by J.R. Clay on page 261 of [2]. We note that Clay deals primarily with left nearrings while Pilz deals with right nearrings as we do here. For any locally compact Hausdorff topological group G, we denote by N(G) the nearring of all continuous selfmaps of G under pointwise addition and composition. Now, fix a continuous selfmap a of G and denote by N(G) α the nearring whose additive group coincides with that of N(G) but where multiplication is defined by for all. The nearring N(G) α is referred to as a laminated nearring with laminating function or laminator α. If α is taken to be the identity map, then N(G) α coincides with N(G). It was observed in [3] that N(G) α, with the compact-open topology (hereafter referred to as the c-topology) is a topological nearring when G is locally compact and Hausdorff. Throughout this paper, function spaces will have the c-topology. As usual, homomorphisms from one topological algebraic system to another will be assumed to be continuous and isomorphisms will be assumed to be homeomorphisms as well.
Why are couples satisfied with infertility treatment

Objective To determine which factors relate to satisfaction with infertility treatment. Design A prospective structured interview research design was used. Setting In-person and telephone interviews were conducted. Participants Wives and husbands from 185 couples in southeastern Michigan with primary infertility were studied. Main Outcome Measures There were two main outcome measures: how satisfied people were with the infertility treatment they received and why they were satisfied. Results Both men and women were satisfied with the infertility treatment they had received. The most frequently mentioned reasons for satisfaction were the technical skills and the emotional support of infertility specialists. Both men and women advised infertility specialists to be compassionate and share information with their patients. Spouses' satisfaction with treatment was the greatest predictor for both men and women. For men, using escape as a coping skill was a negative predictor for treatment satisfaction. For women, personal control and the number of infertility treatments received were other predictors for treatment satisfaction. Conclusions As hypothesized, a variety of psychosocial factors were related to treatment satisfaction. Contrary to expectation, treatment costs and how long respondents had been trying to have a child were not related to treatment satisfaction. This study's results suggest that physicians and their staff should pay particular attention to their patients' emotional needs, to their patients' understanding of procedures explained to them, to discussing adoption with their patients, to involving men more in the infertility treatment, and to assisting women to have more control over their course of treatment.
Temporal ensemble learning of univariate methods for short term load forecasting

Short term load forecasting (STLF) is a fundamental component of demand response programs in smart grids. Recent literature has focused on complex neural networks and deep learning models for solving STLF. While these models work well for load forecasting with complex non-linear relationships, they have been shown to be less effective than simpler univariate models for STLF problems with under a 6 hours horizon. Given the lack of multivariate data (such as temperature) in many practical datasets, we need better univariate prediction models for STLF. By partitioning the dataset by temporal features, we develop a novel ensemble learning method that exploits daily seasonality in electricity consumption data to improve accuracy of popular univariate models. We train an ensemble of models from the dataset partitions. We develop a variety of methods, including Ridge Regression, to increase the robustness of the ensemble prediction. To show the effectiveness of our approach, we perform detailed evaluation using an aggregated user electricity consumption dataset collected by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP). We select four popular prediction algorithms in literature for our experiments, including Kernel Regression (KR), Support Vector Regression (SVR) and neural network approaches. We compare the performance of these algorithms applying our ensemble approach to training only one single model. Our approach leads to an 11.2% decrease in mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) and 21.3% decrease in root mean squared error (RMSE) over the single model approach for KR, and a 30% and 32.4% decrease in MAPE and RMSE respectively for SVR. These ensemble models also outperform the neural network approaches.
Sostdc1 regulates natural killer cell maturation and cytotoxicity

Natural killer (NK) cells are specialized lymphocytes with the innate ability to eliminate virally infected and cancerous cells, but the mechanisms that control NK cell development and cytotoxicity are incompletely understood. We identified novel roles for Sclerostin domain containing-1 (Sostdc1) in NK cell development and function. Sostdc1-knockout (Sostdc1-/-) mice display a progressive accumulation of transitional NK cells (CD27+CD11b+, tNK) with age, indicating a partial developmental block. The Ly49 repertoire on NK cells in Sostdc1-/- mice is also changed. Lower frequencies of Sostdc1-/- splenic tNKs express inhibitory Ly49G2 receptors, but higher frequencies express activating Ly49H and Ly49D receptors. However, the frequencies of Ly49I+, G2+, H+ and D+ populations were universally decreased at the most mature (CD27-CD11b+, mNK) stage. We hypothesized that the Ly49 repertoire in Sostdc1-/- mice would correlate with NK killing ability, and observed that Sostdc1-/- NK cells are hyporesponsive against MHC-I-deficient cell targets in vitro and in vivo, despite higher CD107a surface levels and similar IFNγexpression to controls. Consistent with known role of Sostdc1 in the regulation of Wnt signaling, high levels of Wnt coactivators Tcf7 and Lef1 were observed in Sostdc1-/- NK cells. Expression of the NK development gene Id2 was decreased in Sostdc1-/- iNK and tNK cells, but we observed no changes in Eomes and Tbx21 expression. Reciprocal bone marrow transplant experiments showed that Sostdc1 regulates NK cell maturation and expression of Ly49 receptors in a cell-extrinsic fashion from both non-hematopoietic and hematopoietic sources. Taken together, these data support a role for Sostdc1 in the regulation of NK cell maturation, and NK cell cytotoxicity, and identify potential NK cell niches.
A modular reaction pairing approach to the diversity-oriented synthesis of fused- and bridged-polycyclic sultams.

A reaction pairing strategy centered on utilization of a reaction triad (sulfonylation, SNAr addition and Mitsunobu alkylation) generating skeletally diverse, tricyclic and bicyclic benzofused sultams is reported. Pairing sulfonylation and SNAr reactions yields bridged, tricyclic and bicyclic benzofused sultams. Application of the Mitsunobu reaction in a sulfonylation–Mitsunobu–SNAr pairing allows access to benzthiazocine-1,1-dioxides, while a simple change in the order of pairing to sulfonylation–SNAr–Mitsunobu affords structurally different, bridged tricyclic benzofused sultams.
Correlates of Executive Dysfunction in HIV

Despite advancements in combination antiretroviral therapy rates of mild neurocognitive impairment remain elevated amongst persons living with HIV (PLWH). Concomitant with the greater rate of survival into old age PLWH show accelerated cognitive aging in multiple domains. Executive function is among the domains where early onset of decline is most evident. This chapter will discuss what are known correlates of executive dysfunction in PLWH in this era of antiretroviral therapy. The goal of this chapter is to expand on what is known regarding HIV disease severity and executive dysfunction to provide a more nuanced look at how other central and peripheral biomarkers, psychosocial and behavioral risk factors relate to deficits in inhibition, updating and working memory, cognitive set-shifting, and mental flexibility.
Respecting Different Ways of Life: A Daoist Ethics of Virtue in the Zhuangzi

As the ethics of virtue, with a focus on cultivating admirable traits of character instead of commanding adherence to rigid rules, becomes increasingly popular in contemporary moral discourses, scholars have tried to find evidence of virtue ethics in such ancient traditions as Hinduism, Buddhism, and Confucianism. This article explores the possibility of a virtue ethics in a tradition that has been largely neglected, Chinese Daoism, by focusing on one of the most important classics in this tradition, the Zhuangzi. Contrary to a common misconception of the Zhuangzi as skeptical, relativistic, and therefore empty of any guide to moral life, it presents a solid normative ethics through various stories, and this normative ethics is a virtue ethics. The most important trait of character in this Daoist virtue ethics is respect for different ways of life—a virtue not discussed in any familiar versions of virtue ethics in the West and yet most valuable to contemporary life in a global and pluralistic society.
mHealth Research Applied to Regulated and Unregulated Behavioral Health Sciences

Behavioral scientists are developing new methods and frameworks that leverage mobile health technologies to optimize individual level behavior change. Pervasive sensors and mobile apps allow researchers to passively observe human behaviors "in the wild" 24/7 which supports delivery of personalized interventions in the real-world environment. This is all possible because these technologies contain an incredible array of sensors that allow applications to constantly record user location and can contextualize current environmental conditions through barometers, thermometers, and ambient light sensors and can also capture audio and video of the user and their surroundings through multiple integrated high-definition cameras and microphones. These tools are a game changer in behavioral health research and, not surprisingly, introduce new ethical, regulatory/legal and social implications described in this article.
Far Eastern Vacuum and Electricity: Augustin Hallerstein and Experimental Correspondence between Beijing and Europe

Hallerstein's astronomical excellence was widely recognized recently. As one of the prominent scientist attached to the Chinese Imperial Court, he was involved in other types of research besides astronomy, but his authorship was not always obvious amidst the Jesuits' collective work. Besides astronomical observations the Beijing Jesuits also provided early electricity experiment, which enabled Volta's inventions of the electrophorus and battery. The development of such devices paved the way for electrical observations that were longer in duration than the quick ones conducted with the Leyden jar. The scientists urgently needed a new approach because they wanted to know the process responsible for an interesting electrical spark. Electric experiments became fashionable in European high society meetings, as vacuum pumps had somewhat earlier. Both innovations were introduced to the Chinese court in Hallerstein's time, but never garnered the same amount of interest as Western astronomy did. One reason for the Chinese indifference was the nonexistence of a wider technical use for vacuum or electricity during Hallerstein's lifetime. Ingenhousz and other physicians educated in Leyden eventually developed a broader use of electricity in countries considered somewhat scientifically backward, such as Hallerstein's native Habsburg monarchy and Japan.
A review of dental cone-beam CT dose conversion coefficients.

Objective:The purpose of this study was to review the literature to examine the usage and magnitude of effective dose conversion factors (DCE) for dental cone beam CT (CBCT) scanners.Methods:A PubM...
Assessing the performance of uncertainty-aware transactive controls for building thermal energy storage systems

Abstract Energy storage systems provide a wide range of technological approaches to manage the balance between energy supply and demand in the electric grid. With the increasing uncertainty and variability that comes with wide-spread adoption of grid-scale and behind-the-meter renewable energy, it is imperative to develop stochastic operational planning and control approaches that can account for uncertainty in future conditions. Although, coordination of multiple thermal energy storage resources can support the transition to low carbon energy by enabling valuable system flexibility, few stochastic planning and control approaches have been developed for coordinating building-level thermal energy storage resources. In addition, there is also a need to analyze the potential benefits of an aggregator-level stochastic control framework versus applying stochastic planning and controls at each building individually. This work addresses these needs by developing an uncertainty-aware transactive control (UA-Tx) framework for an aggregator to coordinate the thermal energy storage (TES) assets of multiple buildings. A two-stage stochastic optimization framework is formulated for day-ahead energy procurement that considers uncertainty in building occupancy patterns, weather conditions, and real-time energy prices of the following day. In the second stage, possible recourse decisions through modifying TES operation are also considered. The dispatch of TES operational strategies is implemented through transactive controls, which use market mechanisms and customer preferences to achieve changes in building demand. During real-time operation, a local demand response aggregator determines the transactive clearing prices to dispatch the flexibility enabled by TES. Simulation case studies were conducted to demonstrate the capabilities of the uncertainty-aware aggregator control framework compared to the performance of applying intelligent controllers at each individual building. Up to 3.7% energy cost savings were observed for buildings under the UA-Tx aggregator control framework. Other potential benefits of the control approach are also discussed, along with anticipated future extensions.
Iranian Cosmopolitanism : A Cinematic History

From popular and 'New Wave' pre-revolutionary films of Fereydoon Goleh and Abbas Kiarostami to post-revolutionary films of Mohsen Makhmalbaf, the Iranian cinema has produced a range of films and directors that have garnered international fame and earned a global following. Golbarg Rekabtalaei takes a unique look at Iranian cosmopolitanism and how it transformed in the Iranian imagination through the cinematic lens. By examining the development of Iranian cinema from the early twentieth century to the revolution, Rekabtalaei locates discussions of modernity in Iranian cinema as rooted within local experiences, rather than being primarily concerned with Western ideals or industrialisation. Her research further illustrates how the ethnic, linguistic, and religious diversity of Iran's citizenry shaped a heterogeneous culture and a cosmopolitan cinema that was part and parcel of Iran's experience of modernity. In turn, this cosmopolitanism fed into an assertion of sovereignty and national identity in a modernising Iran in the decades leading up to the revolution.
Is There an Association Between Authors' Conflicts of Interest and Outcomes in Clinical Studies Involving Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation?

Background:Autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI) is an increasingly popular technique for the treatment of articular cartilage defects. Because several companies have financial interests in ACI...
Coagulopathy and Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome: Dual Complications of E-Cigarette-Associated Lung Injury.

E-cigarette-associated lung injury (EVALI) is related to the usage of e-cigarettes or a related product (e.g., “vaping” or “dabbing”). It presents mainly with constitutional, respiratory, or gastrointestinal symptoms, and EVALI is currently a diagnosis of exclusion. EVALI patients are more prone to rapid clinical decline requiring close monitoring, with some requiring intensive care unit (ICU) level of care or intubation. Mortality occurs in rare cases. We are presenting an interesting case of a male in his mid-60s who presented to the emergency department with worsening dyspnea and cough for two weeks, preceded by a one-week history of fever, nausea, and diarrhea. He was diagnosed with bilateral pneumonia based on computed tomography (CT) findings. Subsequent CT of the chest showed worsening bilateral diffuse ground-glass opacities (GGOs) correlating with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Laboratory workup showed leukocytosis and lactic acidosis. The rest of the laboratory workup was normal. The patient was intubated due to ARDS, developed multiorgan failure, and passed away subsequently.