cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Perceptions of the Importance and Preparedness of Interpersonal Communication Skills of the Entry-Level Hospitality Leader: Implications for Hospitality Educators

Interpersonal communication is a skill that is crucial to successful leaders (Brownell, 1992;Scudder & Guinan, 1989) however, English, Manton, and Walker (2007) found that most college graduates tend to be deficient in these skills when entering the business world. In the service industry, leaders interpersonally communicate with many constituents. The purpose of this study was to determine entry-level hospitality leaders’ perceptions of which interpersonal communication skills are important and whether their college curriculum prepared them to be competent interpersonal communicators. Participants rated the importance of all interpersonal communication skills evaluated as higher than their level of preparedness. The results will aid educators in better determining more selective criteria on which to design curricula and learning outcomes for interpersonal communication so that graduates will be more prepared when entering the hospitality industry as entry-level leaders.
Getting there in a global industry: Impacts on performance of changing international presence

We investigate the effects of increasing and decreasing international presence on market share and survival in the American medical diagnostic imaging equipment industry. Imaging equipment manufacturers possessing international medical operations tend to achieve superior market share and longer survival, but we find that attempting to become an international medical player is risky. Both increasing and decreasing international presence have negative associations with survival, while decreased internationalization is associated with decreased American market share. Brief case studies suggest that the ingredients for success in internationalization may include preparedness, focused management, and learning from international experience.
Regional scale patterns of fine root lifespan and turnover under current and future climate

Fine root dynamics control a dominant flux of carbon from plants and into soils and mediate potential uptake and cycling of nutrients and water in terrestrial ecosystems. Understanding of these patterns is needed to accurately describe critical processes like productivity and carbon storage from ecosystem to global scales. However, limited observations of root dynamics make it difficult to define and predict patterns of root dynamics across broad spatial scales. Here, we combine species-specific estimates of fine root dynamics with a model that predicts current distribution and future suitable habitat of temperate tree species across the eastern United States (US). Estimates of fine root lifespan and turnover are based on empirical observations and relationships with fine root and whole-plant traits and apply explicitly to the fine root pool that is relatively short-lived and most active in nutrient and water uptake. Results from the combined model identified patterns of faster root turnover rates in the North Central US and slower turnover rates in the Southeastern US. Portions of Minnesota, Ohio, and Pennsylvania were also predicted to experience >10% increases in root turnover rates given potential shifts in tree species composition under future climate scenarios while root turnover rates in other portions of the eastern US were predicted to decrease. Despite potential regional changes, the average estimates of root lifespan and turnover for the entire study area remained relatively stable between the current and future climate scenarios. Our combined model provides the first empirically based, spatially explicit, and spatially extensive estimates of fine root lifespan and turnover and is a potentially powerful tool allowing researchers to identify reasonable approximations of forest fine root turnover in areas where no direct observations are available. Future efforts should focus on reducing uncertainty in estimates of root dynamics by better understanding how climate and soil factors drive variability in root dynamics of different species.
Multidimensional Space: The Intersection of Architecture and Engineering in the Realm of the Senses

The historically lush and varied sensory environments we evolved in have paled to a relatively bland homogeneous palette. With ever-increasing technological accuracy, the environments we now design and build are controlled to narrowly acceptable ranges of temperature, light, smell, sound and color. To address the comparatively impoverished sensory environments prevalent in contemporary architectural/urban design practice, this paper explores the intersection of the design and engineering professions as they overlap inthe realm of the senses. The paper presents a new framework for design of sensory spaces including light, color, temperature, smell, sound, touch and the personal and communal spaces brought to life through habitual use patterns. Each of these sensory dimensions is identified as an independently shaped space with attendant characteristics of location, boundary, intensity, duration, etc. which may coincide with or only partially overlap the architectural geometric space of solids and voids. The multidimensional design framework outlined in the paper explores how these sensory spaces may be either congruent, reinforcing each other for anintense nodal experience, or dissonant, diverging to create an illusion. To accomplish the paradigm shift required to implement the framework, the paper addresses the current silos of design and engineering professions and explores a collaborative relationship between them, where architects and urban planners move to embrace the traditional engineering realm of environmental controls and engineers claim their due place in the design arena.
A Tale of Two Judgments: United States v. Said and United States v. Hasan

On August 17, 2010, the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia issued an opinion of global significance concerning the trial of five defendants alleged by the government to be Somali pirates. Judge Raymond A. Jackson granted the defendants’ joint motion to dismiss the count of piracy, and in so doing Judge Jackson issued the first court opinion to directly examine the definition of “piracy” in nearly two hundred years. This Order and Opinion rested on United States v. Smith. Judge Jackson’s interpretation of Smith however, was incorrect. Judge Jackson erroneously held Smith was controlling precedent and further, that Smith declared a comprehensive definition of “piracy as defined by the law of nations.” Just over two months later, on October 29, 2010, Judge Mark S. Davis addressed the same issue. In a 98-page Order and Opinion, which referenced Judge Jackson’s earlier decision only briefly in a footnote, Judge Davis concluded Smith was not controlling precedent and had not announced an authoritative definition of piracy. While Judge Davis was legally correct in declaring Smith inapposite, he had no authority to do so. Stare decisis dictates Judge Davis follow the precedent established in Said, regardless of how poorly reasoned it may have been. This paper discusses these two legally identical decisions in which two different judges reached two incorrect outcomes. Each decision was plagued by a misapplication of the doctrine of stare decisis.
Pólya's Orchard Problem

(1986). Polya's Orchard Problem. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 93, No. 2, pp. 98-104.
Trusting Outsourced Components In Flight Critical Systems

A common practice in the development of complex component-based flight critical software systems is to outsource the implementation of some of the components to external contractors or assemble them from commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) systems. Those components are delivered as black-box systems, although they may have been first prototyped in-house by the system integrator. In this paper we present our idea to formally analyze flight critical software that has been assembled from COTS or outsourced for implementation. Our approach is based on contract-based compositional verification. Specifically, we propose a two-stage approach with a pre-delivery and a post-delivery verification stage. In the first stage, verification focuses on generating contracts, a widely used method for organizing the integration of component-based systems, for the outsourced component. Contracts specify the precise information needed to reason about a component’s interaction with other parts of the system as well as system-level properties. In the second stage, outsourced components or COTS must be checked for conformance to the pre-specified formal contract. This stage involves two types of testing: contract-based component (unit) testing and contract-based system (integration) testing. To illustrate our approach, we provide two case studies of flight-critical systems.
THE EFFECTS OF CONTRASTING MODES OF FERTILIZATION ON LEVELS OF INBREEDING IN THE MARINE INVERTEBRATE GENUS CORELLA.

A simple difference in the body design of two species of marine urochordates in the ascidian genus Corella suggested that these species may differ in their mating systems. The two coexisting species share common life-history traits and morphology with the exception of a difference in body design that affects site of fertilization and embryonic development. Corella inflata has internal fertilization and embryonic development, while C. willmeriana has external fertilization and embryonic development. The natural mating system of these two species of solitary ascidians was inferred by comparing the relative survival of selfed and outcrossed fertilizations in the laboratory. Corella inflata, the internal fertilizer, showed no difference in survival between selfed and outcrossed fertilizations at any developmental stage through metamorphosis and early juvenile development. In contrast, self-fertilized crosses of C. willmeriana had significantly lower survival than outcrossed fertilizations even at the earliest scorable developmental stages. These results suggest that C. inflata may inbreed frequently in nature, while viable C. willmeriana offspring are primarily a result of outcrossing. The internally-fertilizing species, C. inflata, showed approximately 10% male sterility in laboratory crosses despite apparent morphological hermaphroditism. The externally-fertilizing, commonly outcrossing species, C. willmeriana, showed no difference in fertility between genders.
Evolution of Craniodental Correlates of Diet in African Bovidae

Establishing the relationship between craniodental morphology and dietary ecology in extant species permits inferences to be made about the ecology and biology of fossil species and the habitats they inhabited. Previous work linking diet and craniodental morphology has historically relied upon categorical classifications of diet and has not considered the phylogenetic signal (i.e., non-independence) of morphology due to shared evolutionary history. Here we use phylogenetic comparative methods to analyze the relationship between diet and eight craniodental indices for 40 species of African Bovidae using both categorical and continuous (stable carbon isotopes of enamel, δ13C) classifications of diet. In addition, we examine three modes of evolution that best explain interspecific variation in each of these indices, including: Brownian Motion (BM), Early Burst (EB), and Ornstein-Uhlenbeck (OU). Our results show that the hypsodonty index (HI), the length of the masseteric fossa relative to facial depth (MAS-F), and the length of the diastema relative to the total toothrow length (DIAS-TR) are the best predictors of diet among African bovids. These indices are best explained by either a BM or OU mode of evolution. Our findings have important implications for understanding the evolution of craniodental traits and reconstructing the diet of fossil mammals, especially bovids.
Stereotypical Metabolic Response to Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography Show Alterations in Pancreatic Function Regardless of Post-Procedure Pancreatitis.

Stereotypical Metabolic Response to Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography Show Alterations in Pancreatic Function Regardless of Post-Procedure Pancreatitis
Testing Methods for YY 0709—2009 Medical Alarm System

The testing methods involved in YY 0709—2009 Medical electrical equipment-Part 1-8:General requirements for basic safety-Collateral Standard:General requirements,tests and guidance for alarm systems in medical electrical equipment and medical electrical systems are analyzed,in order that the testing for visual signal and audible signal can be executed effectively.Some method is proposed after comparing the advantages and disadvantages of the testing methods.
Freedom of Conscience and the Value of Personal Integrity

Certain philosophers have argued in favour of recognising a (moral and legal) right to freedom of conscience that includes a defeasible right of individuals to live in accordance with their perceived moral duties. This right requires the government to exempt people from general laws or regulations that prevent them from acting consistently with their perceived moral duties. The importance of protecting individuals’ integrity is sometimes invoked in favour of accommodating conscience. I argue that personal integrity is valuable since autonomy, identity (selfhood) and self-respect are all dependent on the preservation of personal integrity. I respond to two objections, one pressed by Andrew Koppelman and the other by Richard Arneson, to the claim that personal integrity is valuable, and to a further argument by Arneson to the effect that it is unfair to others claiming accommodations to exempt those with conscience-based claims.
Single Particle ICP-MS: Advances toward routine analysis of nanomaterials

From its early beginnings in characterizing aerosol particles to its recent applications for investigating natural waters and waste streams, single particle inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (spICP-MS) has proven to be a powerful technique for the detection and characterization of aqueous dispersions of metal-containing nanomaterials. Combining the high-throughput of an ensemble technique with the specificity of a single particle counting technique and the elemental specificity of ICP-MS, spICP-MS is capable of rapidly providing researchers with information pertaining to size, size distribution, particle number concentration, and major elemental composition with minimal sample perturbation. Recently, advances in data acquisition, signal processing, and the implementation of alternative mass analyzers (e.g., time-of-flight) has resulted in a wider breadth of particle analyses and made significant progress toward overcoming many of the challenges in the quantitative analysis of nanoparticles. This review provides an overview of spICP-MS development from a niche technique to application for routine analysis, a discussion of the key issues for quantitative analysis, and examples of its further advancement for analysis of increasingly complex environmental and biological samples. Graphical Abstract Single particle ICP-MS workflow for the analysis of suspended nanoparticles.
Coupled Thermal-Hydrologic-Chemical Coupled Model for In-Drift Disposal Test

The simulation work presented in this report supports DOE-NE Used Fuel Disposition Campaign (UFDC) goals related to the development of drift scale in-situ field testing of heat generating nuclear waste (HGNW) in salt formations. Numerical code verification and validation is an important part of the lead-up to field testing, allowing exploration of potential heater emplacement designs, monitoring locations, and perhaps most importantly the ability to predict heat and mass transfer around an evolving test. Such predictions are crucial for the design and location of sampling and monitoring that can be used to validate our understanding of a drift scale test that is likely to span several years.
Minority Stress and Intimate Partner Violence Among Gay and Bisexual Men in Atlanta

Intimate partner violence (IPV) rates are disproportionately high among sexual minority populations. Few studies have examined the plausible relationship between minority stress and IPV among men who have sex with men. This study examines the associations between IPV and three indicators of minority stress: internalized homophobia, sexuality-based discrimination, and racism, in a large venue-based sample of gay and bisexual men from Atlanta, USA. Each of the minority stress measures was found to be significantly associated with increased odds of self-reporting any form of receipt of IPV. Significant associations were also identified between perpetration of IPV and minority stressors, with most types of IPV perpetration linked to internalized homophobia. This study confirms findings in a growing body of research supporting the relationship between minority stress and increased prevalence of IPV among men who have sex with men, and points to the need to address structural factors in IPV prevention programs for male-male couples.
The Second-Person Perspective in the Preface of Nicholas of Cusa's De Visione Dei

In De visione Dei ’s preface, a multidimensional, embodied experience of the second-person perspective becomes the medium by which Nicholas of Cusa’s audience, the benedictine brothers of Tegernsee, receive answers to questions regarding whether and in what sense mystical theology’s divine term is an object of contemplation, and whether union with God is a matter of knowledge or love. The experience of joint attention that is described in this text is enigmatic (paradoxical, resisting objectification), dynamic (enactive, participatory), integrative (cognitive and affective), and transformative (self- creative). As such, it instantiates the coincidentia oppositorum and docta ignorantia which, for Cusa, alone can give rise to a vision of the infinite.
Vitamin E Succinate: Mechanisms of Action as Tumor Cell Growth Inhibitor

Vitamin E succinate (VES; RRR-α-tocopheryl succinate; formerly designated d-α-tocopherol acid succinate and d-α-tocopheryl hemisuccinate), a derivative of natural vitamin E, inh vitamin E, inhibits the proliferation of a number of different types of cells in culture (1, reviewed by 2). The antiproliferative properties of VES appear to be unique to this particular tocopherol compound since RRR-α-tocopherol (natural vitamin E, formerly designated d-α-tocopherol), RRR-α-tocopherol acetate (the acetate derivative of natural vitamin E), and all-rac-α-tocopherol (formerly designated dl-α-tocopherol, a synthetic compound that is a mixture of eight different stereoisomers, only one of which is RRR-α-tocopherol) do not exhibit antiproliferative properties in most cell culture systems (1,2,3,4).
Oscillatory Behavior in Continuous Aggregate Cultures of Mammalian Cells

Animal cells cultivated as aggregates are easier to retain in a perfusion bioreactor using a settling device or a spinning wire cage. The efficiency of settling is affected by the size of the aggregates. Using confocal microscopy and thin sectioning techniques, we have demonstrated that viability and other properties are distributed unevenly within the aggregates and are affected by the size of the aggregates. Thus, the variation in growth characteristics in aggregates of different size can conceivably lead to oscillations in cell concentration in a perfusion bioreactor. This phenomenon was analyzed using Monte Carlo simulation techniques.
Primidone crystalluria following overdose. A report of a case and an analysis of the literature.

Seven cases of crystalluria following primidone overdose have been reported since the 1950s. An eighth case of primidone crystalluria following overdose is presented. Because of low aqueous solubility (600 mg/L at 37°C) which is directly proportional to temperature, any factor increasing renal excretion of unchanged primidone predisposes to crystal formation. Renal clearance is dependent on dosage because of negligible protein binding, zero-order conversion to phenobarbitone (phenobarbital) and first-order conversion to phenylethylmalonamide. Therapy with other anticonvulsants known to induce the metabolism to phenobarbitone does not appear to be protective against crystalluria in overdose situations. The critical serum primidone concentration for crystalluria presence seems to be 80 mg/L. There is evidence for nephrotoxicity of the crystals themselves if formed in vivo (actual crystal presence during voiding). The chemical phenomenon of supersaturation of a solution is protective against in vivo crystal formation with subsequent nephrotoxicity. Vigorous hydration to augment elimination and to lessen the propensity for renal toxicity is recommended.
Evaluating the Economic Impact of Palliative and End-of-Life Care Interventions on Intensive Care Unit Utilization and Costs from the Hospital and Healthcare System Perspective.

Abstract Purpose of report: Understanding the impact of palliative care interventions on intensive care unit (ICU) costs and utilization is critical for demonstrating the value of palliative care. Performing these economic assessments, however, can be challenging. The purpose of this special report is to highlight and discuss important considerations when assessing ICU utilization and costs from the hospital perspective, with the goal of providing recommendations on methods to consider for future analyses. Findings: ICU length of stay (LOS) and associated costs of care are common and important outcome measures, but must be analyzed properly to yield valid conclusions. There is significant variation in costs by day of stay in the ICU with only modest differences between an ICU day at the end of a stay and the first day on the acute care floor; this variation must be appropriately accounted for analytically. Furthermore, reporting direct variable costs, in addition to total ICU costs, is needed to understan...
The Effect of Classroom Capacity on Vocal Fatigue as Quantified by the Vocal Fatigue Index.

OBJECTIVE Previous research has concluded that teachers are at a higher-than-normal risk for voice issues that can cause occupational limitations. While some risk factors have been identified, there are still many unknowns. PATIENTS AND METHODS A survey was distributed electronically with 506 female teacher respondents. The survey included questions to quantify three aspects of vocal fatigue as captured by the Vocal Fatigue Index (VFI): (1) general tiredness of voice (performance), (2) physical discomfort associated with voicing (pain), and (3) improvement of symptoms with rest (recovery). The effect of classroom capacity on US teachers' self-reported experience of vocal fatigue was analyzed. RESULTS The results indicated that a classroom's capacity significantly affected teachers' reported amounts of vocal fatigue, while a teacher's age also appeared to significantly affect the reported amount of vocal fatigue. A quadratic rather than linear effect was seen, with the largest age effect occurring at around 40-45 years in all three factors of the VFI. CONCLUSION Further factors which may affect vocal fatigue must be explored in future research. By understanding what increases the risk for vocal fatigue, educators and school administrators can take precautions to mitigate the occupational risk of short- and long-term vocal health issues in school teachers.
Electrochemical Redox Cycling Amplification Technology for Point-of-Care Cancer Diagnosis

Biosensors are analytical devices with one or more biologic recognition elements that are specific for a certain target analyte of interest. Clinical diagnosis and disease prevention are the major applications of biosensor technology (Mascini and Tombelli 2008). It has several benefits over conventional diagnostic analysis including simplicity of use, specificity for the target analyte, and capability for continuous monitoring and multiplexing (Mascini and Tombelli 2008; Yu and Irudayaraj 2007). Point-of-care testing is known as medical diagnostic process which is conducted to the near patient and outside the clinical laboratory that don’t involve the use of laboratory staff. The diagnosis device should be cheap and disposable to provide the benefits to the large part of the population in developing countries. Recently, with the printed electronics and roll-2-roll technologies tools have been developed that could potentially make diagnostics available to a much wider population (Gates et al. 2005). Electrochemical detection method is considered as one of the major sensing methods in microchip-based biosensors as it facilitates miniature sensing system and could be practically applied to a portable biosensing device for next-generation point-of-care biomedical testing (Gubala et al. 2012; Sharma et al. 2015; Rusling et al. 2010; Mahato et al. 2016). The tests need only simple instruction to use and detect multiple analytes or biomarkers in patient body fluids.
INQUIRY-BASED APPROACHES IN SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS TEACHER EDUCATION: AN ANALYSIS OF STUDIES PUBLISHED IN BRAZIL

RESUMO: O artigo apresenta um estudo bibliografico com o objetivo de ampliar as compreensoes acerca das abordagens investigativas comunicadas em periodicos nacionais sobre/na formacao de professores de Ciencias da Natureza (Quimica, Fisica e Biologia) e Matematica. O estudo contemplou 13 periodicos brasileiros, disponiveis on-line e de classificacao A1 e A2 em termos de Qualis Capes. Registra 35 artigos, que foram analisados seguindo os principios da Analise Textual Discursiva (ATD). Na analise das informacoes emergiram tres categorias finais: I) Investigacao na escola como espaco da formacao de professores; II) As concepcoes de ensino perpassam as praticas de investigacao dos professores; III) A Pratica profissional na formacao do professor pesquisador. Compreendemos com a analise, a emergencia de um argumento aglutinador de que a insercao de praticas investigativas em sala de aula perpassa pelas distintas concepcoes de ensino dos professores.
David Oliver: Learning from deaths in hospital

The secretary of state for health and social care, Jeremy Hunt, has spoken of “750 avoidable deaths in hospitals in England every month”1—the equivalent of a passenger plane falling out of the sky each week. The source of this figure was a methodologically rigorous, peer reviewed study by a respected group, published in The BMJ in 2015.2 But the researchers who conducted the study had expressed caution about the limitations of their methods and baseline data, saying that their metric was no reliable indicator of the quality of care. They had reviewed 100 random sets of case notes from 34 hospitals, estimating that 3.6% of deaths had at least a 50% chance of being …
Impact of end stage renal disease on in-hospital outcomes of patients with systolic and diastolic heart failure (insights from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample 2010 to 2014)

Abstract Background Heart Failure (HF) and end stage renal disease (ESRD) are associated with increased morbidity, mortality, and are responsible for an immense economic burden. We sought to evaluate the impact of ESRD in heart failure by using a national cohort. Methods This is a retrospective cohort study using the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) of patients hospitalized with HF from 2010 to 2014. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. Multivariate regression was used for the statistical analysis. Results We identified a total 1,587,172 patients with systolic HF and 1,316,220 with diastolic HF. Patients with systolic HF and ESRD had higher in-hospital mortality (4.6% vs 2.7% OR: 1.86, p Conclusion ESRD is associated with significantly increased in-hospital mortality in HF but the increase is nearly two-fold (86%) for systolic HF and very modest (11%) in diastolic HF. However, hospital costs, ICU admissions, acute respiratory failure, and length of stay are similarly higher for patients with both systolic and diastolic HF and ESRD.
Modeling Free-Surface Fluctuation Effects for Calculation of Turbulent Open-Channel Flows

A new method of introducing the free-surface effects in the calculation of turbulent open-channel flows using the amplitude of the free-surface fluctuation is proposed along with a modeling method of the equation for the free-surface fluctuation. It can be incorporated in two-equation models like k-eor k-ωtype models by introducing the damping factor to represent the interaction of the eddies with the fluctuating free-surface. Test calculations for fully developed flows and those over backward-facing step indicate good agreement with direct numerical simulation results as well as experimental results.
Speech perception: a model of acoustic–phonetic analysis and lexical access

Abstract: Lexical hypothesis formation from acoustic input is an important component of the normal speech perception process. Any model of bottom-up lexical access must address the well-known problems of (1) acoustic-phonetic non-invariance, (2) phonetic segmentation, (3) time normalization, (4) talker normalization, (5) specification of lexical representations for optimal search, (6) phonological recoding of word sequences in sentences, (7) ambiguity caused by errors in the preliminary phonetic representation, and (8) interpretation of prosodic cues to lexical identity. Previous models of speech perception, such as the motor theory, analysis by synthesis, and the Logogen, have not detailed solutions to all eight problems. The LAFS (Lexical Access From Spectra) model is proposed here as a response to those issues; it combines expected phonological and acoustic-phonetic properties of English word sequences into a simple spectral-sequence decoding network structure. Phonetic segments and phonological rules play an important role in network compilation, but not in the direct analysis of the speech waveform during lexical search. There is no feature-detector stage in LAFS either. If viewed as a perceptual model, LAFS constitutes a simple “null hypothesis” against which to compare and refine alternative theories of acoustic analysis and lexical search.
Energy and water recovery using air-handling unit condensate from laboratory HVAC systems

Abstract This paper examines ways to reduce energy and water consumption in laboratory HVAC systems. The data add to existing research into reduced potable water consumption derived from air handling unit (AHU) condensate. It also explores and validates the potential for energy recovery. The literature shows that hot, humid climates can be ideal for AHU condensate to be leveraged as a source for pre-cooling and dehumidifying. The findings also reveal locations best suited for its application, because condensate generation is greatest when pre-cooling and dehumidification are needed most. Psychrometric relationships are used to predict condensate generation based upon ambient meteorological conditions. Since laboratories require high volumes of 100% outside air, data show they are the perfect candidates to re-use relatively pure, cold condensate. This study analyzes AHU condensate utilization for both energy and water recovery modes; evaporative pre-cooling for sensible energy recovery, and condensate as a source for cooling tower make-up water. An optimization scheme is presented that maximizes energy and water savings based on outside air enthalpy, condensation generation, and energy recovery mode.
How to Get Promoted 101: Hooking Your OB Students Early with a "What's in It for Me?" Opener.

Organizational behavior (OB) students often have difficulty understanding how individual-, group-, and organization-level OB concepts interact to influence employee behavior in the workplace. As a ...
Innovation in Service Design Thinking

Innovative service design is crucial in the ever-changing healthcare environment in order for organizations to hold competitive advantage. The concept of service design thinking refers to the marketing and design of services that improve the customer experience and the interactions between customers and service providers. Innovative thinking in service design can help organizations gain competitive advantage. The challenges with service design thinking in healthcare and innovative ways of thinking about service design in healthcare are introduced, as well as ways to build and sustain competitive advantage in healthcare.
Association of Posttreatment Lymphopenia and Elevated Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio With Poor Clinical Outcomes in Patients With Human Papillomavirus-Negative Oropharyngeal Cancers.

Importance Better biomarkers are needed for human papillomavirus (HPV)–negative oropharyngeal cancer (OPC) to identify patients at risk of recurrence. Lymphopenia and an elevated ratio of neutrophils to lymphocytes (NLR) have been associated with poor disease outcomes in a number of solid tumors. Objective To test the hypothesis that postradiotherapy lymphopenia and elevated NLR are associated with poor clinical outcomes. Design, Setting, and Participants This single-institution retrospective analysis included patients with HPV-negative OPC treated from January 1, 1997, through January 4, 2017. Median follow-up was 37 months (range, 2-197 months). A total of 108 patients with HPV-negative OPC and at least 1 complete blood cell count 2 to 12 months after the start of radiotherapy were included. Data were analyzed from August 26 to September 7, 2017. Interventions Surgery followed by radiotherapy vs definitive radiotherapy, with or without chemotherapy. Main Outcomes and Measures Absolute lymphocyte (ALC) and absolute neutrophil (ANC) counts were tested as variables affecting locoregional control, recurrence-free survival, and overall survival. Results Of a total of 108 patients included in the analysis (87.0% male; mean age, 56 years [range, 35-84 years]), 57 received surgery followed by postoperative radiotherapy and 51 received definitive radiotherapy. During treatment, 67 of 79 patients (84.8%) had grades 3 to 4 lymphopenia and 17 of 79 (21.5%) had grade 4 lymphopenia. The ANC recovered by 6 months after radiotherapy, but ALC remained depressed to 1 year after radiotherapy. Posttreatment lymphopenia and elevated NLR were associated with worse recurrence-free and overall survival. The estimated 3-year LRC in patients with and without grades 3 to 4 lymphopenia at 3 months after radiotherapy start was 73% vs 82% (hazard ratio [HR], 0.58; 95% CI, 0.19-1.8); estimated 3-year recurrence-free survival, 36% vs 63% (HR, 0.45; 95% CI, 0.23-0.87); and estimated 3-year overall survival, 34% vs 64% (HR, 0.45; 95% CI, 0.23-0.88). In multivariable analysis, an association with worse overall survival was found for definitive radiotherapy (HR, 3.3; 95% CI, 1.6-7.1) and grades 3 to 4 lymphopenia (HR, 2.6; 95% CI, 1.3-5.5) at 3 months after radiotherapy. Conclusions and Relevance Lymphopenia and NLR as early as 3 months after treatment start may serve as biomarkers of clinical outcomes in patients with HPV-negative OPC. These patients may benefit from adjuvant treatment intensification or closer surveillance.
Phase Changes for Clusters and for Bulk Matter

Two kinds of phase changes are analyzed and compared, in the context of clusters and in terms of their implications for bulk matter. The homogeneous melting and freezing transition is reviewed briefly with regard especially to the simultaneous coexistence throughout a range of temperatures or energies of solid-like and liquid-like clusters. This picture is extended from the zero-pressure conditions applied in earlier analyses to a full range of pressures, so that a full phase diagram is obtained. Coexistence persists to cluster sizes of at least 147 for Lennard-Jones clusters. Surface melting is a different kind of transition, showing no coexistence, i.e. only one form that is locally stable at any temperature, and a very small but apparently nonzero latent heat. The nature of homogeneous melting of clusters implies metastability (undercooling in particular) but with a lower sharp temperature limit for bulk matter, and likewise for superheating if there is no free surface or the melt does not wet the solid. However if the bulk solid has a free surface and the melt wets the solid, then the behavior of cluster surfaces implies that such a solid cannot exhibit superheating.
Frontiers in natural and un-natural glasses: An interdisciplinary dialogue and review

Abstract The purpose of this review is to compare and contrast silicate natural glasses with so-called un-natural glasses, bringing together literature and common issues in geology and technical glass science and engineering. The review is organized into three proposed ‘frontiers’ of glass science of interdisciplinary interest: 1) extreme conditions for glass formation, 2) crystallization in complex glasses, and 3) long-term glass alteration. In each frontier, examples of natural (geologic) as well as un-natural (accidental anthropogenic) glasses are presented, and their characteristics are compared and contrasted. Since crystallization is an important consideration, not only fully amorphous glasses but also partially crystallized glasses are considered. Natural glasses discussed include primarily impactites, obsidian, and basaltic glass, though glasses formed by other means are also considered. Un-natural glasses discussed include those created in atomic blasts, vitrified Iron Age hillforts, and slags from metallurgical processes. Conditions for extreme glass formation in different types of glasses formed by shock metamorphism are compared to modern time-resolved shock and high-pressure experiments for observing polyamorphism and densification changes. Silicate magmas producing obsidian and basaltic glasses are presented and the differences in crystallization pathways are discussed as they relate to changes in flow properties and eruptions. Vitrified hillfort materials and combustion natural glasses are then compared with respect to their felsic-mafic liquid phase separation and crystal assemblage. Finally, an appeal is made for the use of natural and un-natural glasses for understanding long-term glass corrosion as a function of composition. Glass corrosion models are considered as applied to both types of glasses, particularly relating to the neo-formed crystals, biologically-induced glass corrosion, and nuclear waste management. It is hoped that this unorthodox presentation will foster dialogue between earth scientists and technical glass scientists and further research into these and other frontiers of natural glass science.
6.601 – Current and Projected Utilization of Total Joint Replacements

Total joint arthroplasty (TJA) is one of the most clinically efficacious and cost-effective interventions in health care. The United States, which performs roughly 1 million partial and total joint replacement procedures annually, accounts for roughly 50% of the world's TJA procedures. Procedure volumes continue to grow, and new biomaterials and implant technologies are continually introduced into the marketplace. There is often minimal supporting evidence regarding the comparative effectiveness of new technologies; the costs and appropriateness of new TJA procedures and related biomaterials have been the subject of increased public scrutiny and debate. Understanding the epidemiology of TJA is important for guiding research, implant design, clinical decision-making, and health care policy related to TJA. International total joint registries provide valuable information regarding the outcomes of total joint replacements in Europe and Australia. Since the United States currently lacks a TJA registry, administrative databases offer the only nationwide source of epidemiological data for orthopedic procedures. As such, administrative databases offer unique insights into the current and projected use of TJA across the entire US population.
434 DEMOGRAPHIC DETERMINANTS OF URINARY CALCIUM EXCRETION IN HEALTHY CHILDREN.

Elevated urinary calcium excretion is a risk factor for renal calculi. Age-related differences in calcium excretion have been shown in Caucasian children; few data are present for other ethnicities. Our study aimed to establish normative data for calcium excretion in children of different ethnicities by age. A convenience sample of 1,365 healthy children (3-18 years) was prospectively recruited from August 2002 to June 2005. The random urinary calcium to creatinine ratio (ratio) was used to measure calcium excretion. Quantile regression was used to assess the relationship between age and the ratio. Of the subjects, 558 (31%) were Caucasian, 393 (22%) were African American, 272 (15%) were Hispanic, and 142 (8%) were Asian. The 95th percentiles for the ratio are shown in Table 1 for a subset of the study sample. Compared with Caucasians, only African Americans had a lower ratio (p
Laparoscopic Ovarian Cystectomy for a 32 Cm Simple Cyst

Study Objective To demonstrate a successful example of performing a laparoscopic ovarian cystectomy of a large 32 cm benign pelvic cyst to avoid increased morbidity involved with typical exploratory laparotomy approach for this size mass. This video highlights minimally invasive techniques including how to enter laparoscopically with primary trocar placement directed into the cyst, demonstrates safe retroperitoneal dissection to perform cystectomy, and reviews tissue extraction for a large pelvic cyst. Design A 6-minute video reviewing step-by-step demonstration of a laparoscopic ovarian cystectomy of a large, simple, 32 cm pelvic cyst. Setting Surgery was performed in an outpatient surgical operating room with the patient under general anesthesia, positioned in low lithotomy with both arms tucked along her sides. Patients or Participants 31-year-old nulligravid female with no significant past medical or surgical history presented with a large 32 cm simple ovarian cyst with no concerning signs or objective data consistent with malignancy. Interventions Successful resection and removal of a 32 cm simple ovarian cyst via laparoscopy Measurements and Main Results N/A Conclusion Laparoscopic ovarian cystectomy can be considered as a feasible approach for young females with a large simple adnexal cyst and no concerning signs or objective data consistent with malignancy. With adequate training and appropriate patient selection, a minimally invasive procedure would typically result in faster recovery time and less morbidity for a patient compared to the standard exploratory laparotomy approach.
SIRT3 Deficiency Sensitizes Angiotensin-II-Induced Renal Fibrosis.

Background: Sirtuin 3 (SIRT3) has a crucial role in the cardiovascular diseases. Our previous study revealed that SIRT3 knockout (SIRT3KO) promoted cardiac pericyte–fibroblast transition. In this study, we investigated the involvement of pericyte and iron in angiotensin II (Ang-II)-mediated renal fibrosis in the SIRT3KO mice. Methods and Results: NG2-DsRed mice and NG2-DsRed-SIRT3 knockout (SIRT3KO) mice were infused with saline or Ang-II (1000 ng/kg/min) for 4 weeks. Renal fibrosis, iron content and reactive oxygen species (ROS) were measured. Masson’s trichrome staining showed that SIRT3KO enhanced Ang-II-induced renal fibrosis. Immunostaining showed that Ang-II treatment increased the number of NG2-DsRed+ cells in the kidney, and SIRT3KO further enhanced NG2-DsRed+ cells. Moreover, SIRT3KO promoted pericyte differentiation into fibroblasts as evidenced by co-staining NG2-DsRed/FSP-1. Furthermore, DsRed/FSP-1+ and DsRed/transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1)+ fibroblasts were elevated by SIRT3KO after Ang-II infusion. Ang-II-induced collagen I and TGF-β1 expression was also enhanced in the SIRT3KO mice. SIRT3KO significantly exacerbated Ang-II-induced iron accumulation. This was accompanied by an increase in acetyl-p53, HO-1 and FPN expression. Further, SIRT3KO sensitized Ang-II-induced upregulation of p47phox and gp91phox together with increased ROS formation in the kidney. Conclusion: Our study suggests that SIRT3 deficiency sensitized Ang-II-induced renal fibrosis by the mechanisms involved in promoting differentiation of pericytes into fibroblasts, exacerbating iron overload and accelerating NADPH oxidase-derived ROS formation.
Rate and Power Adaptation for Multihop Regenerative Relaying Systems.

In this work, we provide a global framework analysis of a multi-hop relaying systems wherein the transmitter (TX) communicates with the receiver (RX) through a set of intermediary relays deployed either in series or in parallel. Regenerative based relaying scheme is assumed such as the repetition-coded decoded-and-forward (DF) wherein the decoding is threshold-based. To reflect a wide range of fading, we introduce the generalized $H$-function (also termed as Fox-$H$ function) distribution model which enables the modeling of radio-frequency (RF) fading like Weibull and Gamma, as well as the free-space optic (FSO) such as the Double Generalized Gamma and Malaga fading. In this context, we introduce various power and rate adaptation policies based on the channel state information (CSI) availability at TX and RX. Finally, we address the effects of relaying topology, number of relays and fading model, etc, on the performance reliability of each link adaptation policy.
Effects of Source Diffusion on SILC and Cycling-Induced Charge Loss in Source-Bias Erase Flash Cells

A recent report reveals that in source-bias erase flash cells, light source doping can cause room temperature erratic charge loss after program/erase cycling. In this paper, we present tunnel oxide hole trapping and stress induced leakage current (SILC) measurements under source-bias erase stress conditions, in cell structures with different source doping profiles. Data suggests the deep depletion in cell source during erase causes hole trapping in tunnel oxide above the source diffusion, which is responsible for the room temperature charge loss after P/E cycling for light doping source
Comparative analysis of kernel methods for statistical shape learning

Prior knowledge about shape may be quite important for image segmentation. In particular, a number of different methods have been proposed to compute the statistics on a set of training shapes, which are then used for a given image segmentation task to provide the shape prior. In this work, we perform a comparative analysis of shape learning techniques such as linear PCA, kernel PCA, locally linear embedding and propose a new method, kernelized locally linear embedding for doing shape analysis. The surfaces are represented as the zero level set of a signed distance function and shape learning is performed on the embeddings of these shapes. We carry out some experiments to see how well each of these methods can represent a shape, given the training set.
A Bargaining Power Theory of Default Rules

This Essay explores the merits of a new criterion for default rules in incomplete contracts: filling gaps with terms that are favorable to the party with the greater bargaining power. It argues that some of the more common gaps in contracts involve purely distributive issues, such as the contract price, for which it is impossible to choose a unique, joint-maximizing, "most efficient" term. Instead, the term that mimics the hypothetical bargain in these settings must be sensitive to the bargaining power of the parties the term they would have chosen to divide the surplus in light of their relative bargaining strengths. This Essay explores the justifications for such a bargain-mimicking principle, the ways in which it could be implemented by courts, and the subtle ways it is already in place.