cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Tensor completion via group-sparse regularization

To enable low-rank tensor completion and factorization, this paper puts forth a novel tensor rank regularization method based on the l 1,2 -norm of the tensor's parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC) factors. Specifically, for an N-way tensor, upon collecting the magnitudes of its rank-1 components in a vector, the proposed regularizer controls the tensor's rank by inducing sparsity in the vector of magnitudes through l 1 / N (pseudo)-norm regularization. Our approach favors sparser magnitude vectors than existing l 2 / N - and l 1 -based alternatives. With an eye towards large-scale tensor mining applications, we also develop efficient and highly scalable solvers for tensor factorization and completion using the proposed criterion. Extensive numerical tests using both synthetic and real data demonstrate that the proposed criterion is better in terms of revealing the correct number of components and estimating the underlying factors than competing alternatives.
Studies on Phytic Acid, Aroma and Leachates of Basmati Rice ( Oryza sativa L.) during Storage

Rice, the major staple cereal food in many parts of the world, is used as a supplementary food in many countries. It is a common practice to age the freshly harvested rice at least for six months before consumption. Storage induced aging has both desirable and undesirable effects on the end products, depending upon storage conditions and rice variety. Aromatic rice has been very popular and command a higher price in the rice market than non aromatic rice varieties. Aroma is the result of genetic factors and environment.
The Small Intestinal Mucosa in Dermatitis Herpetiformis: II. Relationship of the small intestinal lesion to gluten

Six patients with dermatitis herpetiformis (DH) and "flat" proximal intestinal lesions were placed on strict gluten-free diets for 2 1/2 to 6 months. Multiple biopsies were obtained from the whole length of the duodenum and up to the first two loops of jejunum, before and after gluten withdrawal. A striking improvement in villous architecture occurred in all 6 patients. Three of the 6 patients had definite steatorrhea which improved after gluten withdrawal. It is concluded that these 6 patients with DH and flat proximal intestinal mucosa have celiac sprue.
Statistical Characterization of WiFi White Space

This letter presents an analytical framework based on Markov modulated batch Poisson processes for stochastic modeling of WiFi temporal activity and its idle gaps, or white spaces. The proposed model takes into account the dynamic and bursty nature of WiFi traffic to mathematically characterize the duration and the frequency of occurrence of white spaces in unlicensed bands. Closed-form expressions as well as simple approximations are derived. Numerical results demonstrate the accuracy of the model, along with the plenitude of the spectral resources in an arbitrary WiFi network that may be exploited opportunistically, with minimum impact on WiFi activity.
Chlorhexidine Gluconate Bathing Outside the Intensive Care Unit

Chlorhexidine gluconate is a biguanide antiseptic with both bacteriostatic and bactericidal activities against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria (both aerobes and anaerobes), fungi, and some enveloped viruses, but is not sporicidal (Milstone AM, Passaretti CL, Perl TM, Clin Infect Dis 46(2):274–281, 2008). One of the benefits is that it maintains residual activity for hours after it is applied (Whitman TJ, Herlihy RK, Schlett CD et al, Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 31(12):1207–1215, 2010; Edmiston CE Jr, Krepel CJ, Seabrook GR, Lewis BD, Brown KR, Towne JB, J Am Coll Surg 207(2):233–239, 2008). It has been employed with increased frequency in healthcare settings for infection control and prevention. Over the last decade, several studies have documented the success of daily chlorhexidine (CHG) bathing as a means of source control in intensive care unit (ICU) settings. Daily CHG bathing in the medical ICU has been associated with a reduction in patient colonization with potential pathogens as well as a decrease in contamination of healthcare worker hands, thus likely reducing transmission of these potential pathogens to other patients (i.e., “source control”) (Vernon MO, Hayden MK, Trick WE et al, Arch Intern Med 166(3):306–312, 2006). In addition, daily CHG bathing in various types of ICUs (medical, surgical, trauma) has led to reductions in healthcare-associated infections, including those due to multidrug-resistant organisms such as vancomycin-resistant Enterococci (VRE) and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) (Climo MW, Yokoe DS, Warren DK et al, N Engl J Med 368(6):533–542, 2013). As a result of the several studies demonstrating the effectiveness of CHG bathing in ICUs, several hospitals across the United States now use CHG for patient bathing in the ICU. This has prompted extension of the use of CHG from the ICU to hospital wards and ambulatory, institutional, and community populations. There may be a significant value of CHG bathing outside the ICU for both infection control and infection prevention. However, it is also essential to recognize the potential challenges of CHG bathing in more mobile and healthy patient populations.
Functional outcomes after inpatient rehabilitation for trauma—improved but unable to return home

Abstract Background Twenty-five percent of trauma patients are discharged to postacute care, indicating a loss of physical function and need for rehabilitation. The purpose of this study was to quantify the functional improvements in trauma patients discharged from inpatient rehabilitation facility (IRF) and identify predictors of improvement. Materials and methods A retrospective cohort study of trauma patients aged ≥ 18 years were admitted to an IRF after discharge from a level-1 trauma center. Data included demographics, injury characteristics, hospital, and IRF course. The functional independence measure (FIM) was used to measure change in physical and cognitive function. Results There were 245 patients with a mean age of 55.8 years and mean injury severity score (ISS) of 14.7. Fall was the leading mechanism of injury (45.7%). On IRF admission, 50.7% of patients required moderate or greater assistance. On discharge, the mean intraindividual change in FIM score was 29.9; 85.4% of the patients improved by ≥1 level of functioning. Before injury, 99.6% of patients were living at home, but only 56.0% were discharged home from the IRF, despite 81.8% requiring minimal assistance at most (23.5% to skilled nursing; 19.7% readmitted). Increasing age and lower ISS were associated with less FIM improvement, and increasing ISS was associated with increased FIM improvement. Conclusions More than 80% of the trauma patients experienced meaningful functional improvements during IRF admission. However, only half were discharged home, and a quarter required further institutional care. Further research is needed to identify the additional impediments to return to preinjury functioning.
Providing Home-Based HIV Testing and Counseling for Transgender Youth (Project Moxie): Protocol for a Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

Background: Transgender and gender nonconforming people experience some of the highest human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) rates in the United States, and experience many structural and behavioral barriers that may limit their engagement in HIV testing, prevention, and care. Evidence suggests that transgender and gender nonconforming youth (TY) are especially vulnerable to acquiring HIV, yet there is little research on TY and few services are targeted towards HIV testing, prevention, and care for this population. Telehealth presents an opportunity to mitigate some structural barriers that TY experience in accessing HIV testing, allowing TY to engage in HIV testing and counseling in a safe and nonjudgmental space of their choosing. Project Moxie is an HIV prevention intervention that pairs the use of HIV self-testing with remote video-based counseling and support from a trained, gender-affirming counselor. This study aims to offer a more positive HIV testing and counseling experience, with the goal of improving HIV testing frequency. Objective: Project Moxie involves a pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT) of 200 TY aged 15-24 years, who are randomized on a 1:1 basis to control or intervention arms. The aim is to examine whether the addition of counseling provided via telehealth, coupled with home-based HIV testing, can create gains in routine HIV testing among TY over a six-month follow-up period. Methods: This study implements a prospective pilot RCT of 200 TY recruited online. Participants in the control arm will receive one HIV self-testing kit and will be asked to report their results via the study’s website. Participants in the experimental arm will receive one HIV self-testing kit and will test with a remotely-located counselor during a prescheduled video-counseling session. Participants are assessed at baseline, and at three and six months posttesting. Results: Project Moxie was launched in June 2017 and recruitment is ongoing. As of August 21, 2017, the study had enrolled 130 eligible participants. Conclusions: Combining home-based HIV testing and video-based counseling allows TY, an often stigmatized and marginalized population, to test for HIV in a safe and nonjudgmental setting of their choosing. This approach creates an opportunity to reduce the high rate of HIV among TY through engagement in care, support, and linkage to the HIV treatment cascade for those who test positive. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03185975; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03185975 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6vIjHJ93s)
Investigating the Et-1/SphK/S1P Pathway as a Novel Approach for the Prevention of Inflammation-Induced Preterm Birth.

Background Preterm birth (PTB), defined as birth before 37 completed weeks of gestation, occurs in up to 18 percent of births worldwide and accounts for the majority of perinatal morbidity and mortality. While the single most common cause of PTB has been identified as inflammation, safe and effective pharmacotherapy to prevent PTB has yet to be developed. Methods Our group has used an in vivo model of inflammation-driven PTB, biochemical methods, pharmacological approaches, a novel endothelin receptor antagonist that we synthesized and RNA knockdown to help establish the role of endothelin-1 (ET-1) in inflammation-associated PTB. Further, we have used our in vivo model to test whether sphingosine kinase, which acts downstream of ET-1, plays a role in PTB. Results We have shown that levels of endothelin converting enzyme-1 (ECE-1) and ET-1 are increased when PTB is induced in timed pregnant mice with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and that blocking ET-1 action, pharmacologically or using ECE-1 RNA silencing, rescues LPS-induced mice from PTB. ET-1 activates the sphingosine kinase/sphingosine-1-phosphate (SphK/S1P) pathway. S1P, in turn, is an important signaling molecule in the proinflammatory response. Interestingly, we have shown that SphK inhibition also prevents LPS-induced PTB in timed pregnant mice. Further, we showed that SphK inhibition suppresses the ECE-1/ET-1 axis, implicating positive feedback regulation of the SphK/S1P/ECE-1/ET-1 axis. Conclusion The ET-1/SphK/SIP pathway is a potential pharmacotherapeutic target for the prevention of PTB.
Attitudes toward Tobacco, Alcohol, and Non-Alcoholic Beverage Advertisement Themes among Adolescent Boys.

Background: Previous studies have examined what adolescents find appealing in tobacco and alcohol advertisements and how different themes in advertisements are used to manipulate consumer behaviors...
Volumetric segmentation-free method for rapid visualization of vascular wall shear stress using 4D flow MRI.

Author(s): Masutani, Evan M; Contijoch, Francisco; Kyubwa, Espoir; Cheng, Joseph; Alley, Marcus T; Vasanawala, Shreyas; Hsiao, Albert | Abstract: PurposeTo develop a rapid segmentation-free method to visualize and compute wall shear stress (WSS) throughout the aorta using 4D Flow MRI data. WSS is the drag force-per-area the vessel endothelium exerts on luminal blood; abnormal levels of WSS are associated with cardiovascular pathologies. Previous methods for computing WSS are bottlenecked by labor-intensive manual segmentation of vessel boundaries. A rapid automated segmentation-free method for computing WSS is presented.Theory and methodsShear stress is the dot-product of the viscous stress tensor and the inward normal vector. The inward normal vectors are approximated as the gradient of fluid speed at every voxel. Subsequently, a 4D map of shear stress is computed as the partial derivatives of velocity with respect to the inward normal vectors. We highlight the shear stress near the wall by fusing visualization with edge-emphasized anatomical data.ResultsAs a proof-of-concept, four cases with aortic pathologies are presented. Visualization allows for rapid localization of pathologic WSS. Subsequent analysis of these pathological regions enables quantification of WSS. Average WSS during peak systole measures approximately 50-60 cPa in nonpathological regions of the aorta and is elevated in regions of stenosis, coarctation, and dissection. WSS is reduced in regions of aneurysm.ConclusionA volumetric technique for calculation and visualization of WSS from 4D Flow MRI data is presented. Traditional labor-intensive methods for WSS rely on explicit manual segmentation of vessel boundaries before visualization. This automated volumetric strategy for visualization and quantification of WSS may facilitate its clinical translation.
A 25-Year Experience of US Food and Drug Administration Accelerated Approval of Malignant Hematology and Oncology Drugs and Biologics: A Review.

Importance Accelerated approval (AA) is a US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) expedited program intended to speed the approval of drugs and biologics that may demonstrate a meaningful advantage over available therapies for diseases that are serious or life-threatening. Observations This review describes all malignant hematology and oncology AAs from inception of the program on December 11, 1992, to May 31, 2017. During this period, the FDA granted AA to 64 malignant hematology and oncology products for 93 new indications. Of these AAs, 53 were for new molecular entities. Overall, the end point of response rate, including hematologic response rates, accounted for most AAs (81 [87%]), followed by time-to-event end points of progression-free survival or time to progression (8 [9%]) and disease-free survival or recurrence-free survival (4 [4%]). Single-arm trial designs provided the data for 67 (72%) of the initial AA indications. Of the 93 AAs, 51 (55%) have fulfilled their postmarketing requirement and verified benefit in a median of 3.4 years after their initial AA. Thirty-seven (40%) indications have not yet completed confirmatory trial(s) or verified benefit, and 5 indications receiving AA (5%) have been withdrawn from the market. Conclusions and Relevance The use of the AA program during the past 25 years has increased over time, and only a small portion of indications under the AA program fail to verify clinical benefit. For patients with serious or life-threatening oncologic diseases, AA brings products to the market years before confirmatory trials are typically completed.
Mango: A General Tool for Collision Induced Dissociation-Cleavable Cross-Linked Peptide Identification

Chemical cross-linking combined with mass spectrometry provides a method to study protein structures and interactions. The introduction of cleavable bonds in a cross-linker provides an avenue to decouple released peptide masses from their precursor species, greatly simplifying the downstream search, allowing for whole proteome investigations to be performed. Typically, these experiments have been challenging to carry out, often utilizing nonstandard methods to fully identify cross-linked peptides. Mango is an open source software tool that extracts precursor masses from chimeric spectra generated using cleavable cross-linkers, greatly simplifying the downstream search. As it is designed to work with chimeric spectra, Mango can be used on traditional high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) capable mass spectrometers without the need for additional modifications. When paired with a traditional proteomics search engine, Mango can be used to identify several thousand cross-linked peptide pairs search...
Connecting SAT algorithms and complexity lower bounds

I will describe prior and current work on connecting the art of finding good satisfiability algorithms with the art of proving complexity lower bounds: proofs of limitations on what problems can be solved by good algorithms. Surprisingly, even minor algorithmic progress on solving the circuit satisfiability problem faster than exhaustive search can be applied to prove strong circuit complexity lower bounds. These connections have made it possible to prove new complexity lower bounds that had long been conjectured, and they suggest concrete directions for further progress.
Minimizing Dispersion Introduced by Turns on Microchips

For electrophoretic separations on microchip devices the introduction of turns into the separation channel often creates a geometrical contribution to analyte dispersion in addition to the dispersion generated from analyte diffusion and the injection plug length. We have developed a one-dimensional model which predicts the amount of geometrical dispersion introduced by turns. This model accounts for the migration length and field strength differences experienced by the individual molecules in the analyte band as they traverse the turn. It also accounts for the effects of transverse diffusion which occurs across the width of the channel as the analyte band migrates through the turn. The model describes the experimental data well.
HONORS:: Advanced miniature processing hardware for ATR applications

Abstract The hybrid optoelectronic neural object recognition system (HONORS), underway at the jet propulsion laboratory (JPL), consists of two major building blocks: (1) an advanced grayscale optical correlator (OC) and (2) a massively parallel, neural 3-D processor (N3DP). The OC, with its inherent advantages in parallel processing and shift invariance, will be used for target of interest (TOI) detection and segmentation. The N3DP, with its robust neural learning capability, will be used for target classification and identification. HONORS, with its powerful combination of optical processing and neural networks, will enable real-time, large frame, automatic target recognition (ATR). This paper presents the system architecture and processing algorithms. We provide the results from simulations and experiments, including the detection, classification, and tracking of tanks and aircraft. We will also discuss the potential application of using HONORS for real-time digital palomar observatory survey system (DPOSS).
Idea: Family Flash Cards for Second-Language or ELL Classes

Second-language and ELL students can practice vocabulary building, sentence construction, grammar, culture, and geography using this new and improved take on the flash card.
Post-Crazing Analysis of Glass-Epoxy Laminates

A glass-epoxy material known as Scotchply SP-250 was characterized. Lamination theory together with the material’s nonlinear ply shear curve was used to predict the post-crazing response of several laminates. These predictions were compared with tests on laminate coupons. A finite element program was developed for obtaining stress and failure analysis of laminated structures with stress concentrations loaded transversely or inplane. The program uses the nonlinear material model together with a doubly-curved, isoparametric, thick-plate or thick-shell element.
Taxonomy of Hymenoxys Subgenus Rydbergia (Asteraceae: Helenieae: Tetraneurinae)

Hymenoxys subg. Rydbergia comprises H. brandegeei, H. grandiflora, and H. insignis. The treatment includes a discussion of the original circumscription of the taxa, the description of the genus Rydbergia to accommodate H. brandegeei and H. grandiflora, the eventual placement of Rydbergia within Hymenoxys as a subgenus, and relationships of the three taxa to one another and to other taxa of Hymenoxys. The treatment also includes synonymies, descriptions, and range maps for each of the species, and lectotypification of Actinella brandegeei.
The role of microRNAs in the development, regulation, and treatment of atrial fibrillation

MicroRNAs (miRNA)s regulate expression of genes involved in various processes including cardiac automaticity, conduction, excitability, and fibrosis and therefore may provide a diagnostic utility to identify high-risk patients for atrial fibrillation (AF). In this study, we tested the hypothesis that specific profiles of circulating miRNAs can identify patients with AF and can also help to identify patients at high risk of AF recurrence after ablation. Two patient populations were studied: 140 AF cases (93 paroxysmal and 47 persistent) and 50 healthy controls, and 141 AF ablation cases with (n = 86) and without (n = 55) 1-year recurrence. Assessment of several previously identified AF-associated plasma miRNAs (21, 29a, 133a, 133b, 150, 328) was performed with TaqMan assays, using synthetic miRNAs as standards. The AF cases compared to the healthy controls were older and were more often male and hypertensive. After multivariate adjustment, higher miRNA-21 levels significantly decreased the risk of AF (OR = 0.93 per fmol/μl (95% CI = 0.89–0.98, p = 0.007)). There were no significant differences in circulating miRNAs between the AF subtypes of persistent and paroxysmal. Among the AF ablation cases, miRNA-150 was lower for those with AF recurrences at 1 year (adjusted OR = 0.98 per 500,000 fmol/μl; 95% CI = 0.965, 0.998; p = 0.039). Decreased circulating miRNA-21 is associated with AF, but not with AF subtypes, suggestive that molecular mechanisms responsible for the onset and progression of the AF may be different. Circulating miRNA-150 was significantly associated with a reduction in 1-year AF recurrence post ablation suggestive of adverse structural and electrical remodeling as recurrence mechanisms.
Complications of Peptic Ulcer Disease

Peptic Ulcer disease (PUD) was a disease which had previously been managed surgically in most cases. This has decreased in recent years with the development of effective medical management with proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) and histamine-2 (H2) blockers. However, these procedures had complications and risks which have led to several important complications that all clinicians should be able to know and identify. These include dumping syndrome, diarrhea, gastric stasis, bile reflux, and Roux syndrome.
Meloxicam in the management of post-operative pain: Narrative review

Oral formulations of meloxicam, a preferential cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitor, have long been used to treat osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, as well as various pain syndromes of skeletomuscular origin (e.g., low back pain). However, these preparations are rarely indicated for the treatment of acute pain due to a poor dissolution rate and consequently a slow onset of action. The recent introduction of an intravenous (IV) NanoCrystal Colloidal Dispersion formulation opens up the possibility of using this drug during the perioperative period. The present review summarizes the pharmacologic properties of meloxicam, including its pharmacokinetics, adverse effects, and tolerability. In addition, we critically examined a number of recently completed clinical trials that evaluated the efficacy and safety of meloxicam IV in the treatment of post-operative pain. Literature retrieval was performed through PubMed and Medline (through March 2018) using combinations of the terms meloxicam, acute pain, and pharmacology. In addition, bibliographical information, including contributory unpublished data, was requested from the company developing the drug. Clinical trials suggest that single IV doses of 30 mg meloxicam significantly reduce post-operative pain as well as opioid requirements. We conclude that meloxicam IV is an effective and well-tolerated analgesic agent for the management of moderate to severe post-operative pain.
Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation for Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

Abstract The utilization of hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) for the management of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) has undergone substantial changes over the last decade, especially with the advent of novel therapeutic options including kinase inhibitors. The various new therapeutics including b-cell receptor (BCR; BTK and PI3K), and BCL-2 inhibitors have also demonstrated activity in patients with refractory disease and high-risk features. Given the limited benefit and substantial toxicity of autologous HCT, it is not recommended for routine use in patients with CLL. Moreover, the use of allogeneic HCT should also be limited to appropriate patients with high-risk and progressive disease on BCR or BCL-2 inhibitors. These recommendations are also likely to be modified in the future given the increasing use of combination strategies of these novel agents resulting in deeper and potentially more durable responses and the promising efficacy observed with the use of chimeric antigen receptor cell therapy.
Two elementary schools’ developing potential for sustainability of engineering education

The Next Generation Science Standards present a way for engineering lessons to be formally integrated into elementary classrooms at a national level in the United States. Professional development programs are an important method for preparing teachers to enact the new engineering practices in their science classrooms. To better understand what contextual factors help a professional development program have a sustained effect on the implementation of engineering, we closely examined two elementary schools within the same school district that participated in the same professional development program but had very different outcomes in their lasting implementation of engineering. Using the case study method, we corroborate quantitative and qualitative sources of data measuring students’ learning and attitudes; teachers’ learning, attitudes, and implementation fidelity; perceived teacher community; and administrative support. Our analysis revealed that although the professional development program had district-level administrative support, there was considerable variation between schools in how teachers’ perceived school level support. In addition, teachers at the sustaining school collaborated and co-taught with one another. Our findings support previous literature on the role of administrative support and teacher learning communities. We discuss practical ways that professional development programs can seek to foster a context which is supportive of sustaining curriculum change for engineering.
The dynamic interactions between the stroma, pancreatic stellate cells and pancreatic tumor development: Novel therapeutic targets

The stroma is a main driver of metastasis and aggressiveness in pancreatic cancer (PC), one of the deadliest malignancies worldwide. Pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs) form approximately 50% of the pancreatic tumor stroma, causing desmoplasia, extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and metastatic spread. Furthermore, activated PSCs can remodel the pancreatic tumor microenvironment (TME) via dynamic and complex interactions and feedback loops with PC cells, thus facilitating tumor growth through various signalling and immune pathways. Hence, increased understanding of these cellular cross-talks and how they shape the TME in PC might guide the development of novel treatment approaches against this stubborn and deadly malignancy that has so far resisted therapeutic advances. In this review, we will explore the role of the stroma and PSCs in PC development, invasion and metastasis, examine their interaction with PC cells and discuss potential treatment approaches aimed at targeting PSCs in order to reprogram the pancreatic tumor environment.
A Comparison Between Emerging and Current Biophysical Methods for the Assessment of Higher-Order Structure of Biopharmaceuticals

The higher-order structure (HOS) of protein therapeutics is a critical quality attribute directly related to their function. Traditionally, the HOS of protein therapeutics has been characterized by methods with low to medium structural resolution such as Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR), circular dichroism (CD), and intrinsic fluorescence spectroscopy, and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Recently, high-resolution nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) methods have emerged as powerful tools for HOS characterization. NMR is a multi-attribute method with unique capabilities to provide information about all the structural levels of proteins in solution. We have in this study compared 1 D 1H Profile NMR with the established biophysical methods for HOS assessments using a set of blended samples of the monoclonal antibodies belonging to the subclasses IgG1 and IgG2. The study shows that Profile NMR can distinguish between most sample combinations (93%), DSC can differentiate 61% of the sample combinations, and near-ultraviolet CD spectroscopy can differentiate 52% of the sample combinations, whereas no significant distinction could be made between any samples using FTIR or intrinsic fluorescence. Our data therefore show that NMR has superior ability to address differences in HOS, a feature that could be directly applicable in comparability and similarity assessments.
Interchanging Breast Pump Kit Brands Alters Breast Pump Suction Pressure

Background: Postpartum mothers express and store breast milk using a hospital-grade pump and manufacturer-specific kit (flanges, bottles, tubing, valves, and membranes). After hospital discharge, m...
Skill Sets, Employee Types, and Strategies for Remediation: Analytical and Clinical Considerations for the Workplace

Many disciplines such as human and organizational development, psychology, social psychology, sociology, conflict resolution, psychiatry, and economics have applied their unique perspectives in analyzing and describing workplace dynamics. After all, most humans throughout the world spend the greater part of their days working. When workplace conflict, dissatisfaction, unacceptable productivity, and even homicide occur, naturally solutions are sought. This chapter describes one of the many possible frameworks to explain workplace communication. Observing employee interaction exposes several obvious skills including, trust, collaboration, ego-strength, and communication. Assessing how each employee expresses these skills yields a profile or ideal prototype such as the Workplace Optimizer, the Pressured Employee, and the Low-Level Underperformer. Employee prototypes become the gateway to effective workplace problem resolution. In other words, the combination of skill sets subsumed under the rubric of specific prototypes helps guide human resource professionals and others in their efforts to improve workplace communication, suggest remediation work with specific employees, and ultimately aid in achieving the organization’s mission. The reader is offered practical solutions for working with conflictual and unproductive interaction in the workplace.
Shearing Behavior of Interfaces between Tire-Derived Aggregate and Three Soil Materials

AbstractWhen tire derived aggregate (TDA) is used as a lightweight monolithic fill in civil engineering applications, such as embankments and retaining walls, the shearing behavior of TDA-interface...
7.2 – Claisen Rearrangements

This article surveys variants of the Claisen rearrangement that are of general use in stereoselective organic synthesis. Recent results concerning the influence of steric and electronic parameters on transition state geometries are highlighted. The impact of the Claisen methodology in modern synthetic strategy and its application for the preparation of highly functionalized derivatives is exemplified.
Rare earth element cycling and reaction path modeling across the chemocline of the Pettaquamscutt River estuary, Rhode Island

Abstract Rare earth elements (REEs) were measured in the water column of the highly stratified and euxinic Upper Basin of the Pettaquamscutt River estuary (Rhode Island) to investigate their cycling and evolution across the chemocline. The euxinic bottom waters of the estuary exhibit total dissolved sulfide (i.e., ΣS-II) concentrations up to 4 mmol kg−1, which exceeds values of the Black Sea by nearly 10-fold and makes this system ideal for study of redox-sensitive elements. The REE concentrations decrease with depth in the oxic surface waters, before substantially increasing across the chemocline, corresponding to redox cycling of manganese (Mn) and iron (Fe). For example, the mean ± 1σ neodymium (Nd) concentration in the oxic surface waters is 511 ± 184 pmol kg−1, but increases by approximately 5-fold across the chemocline reaching 2476 pmol kg−1 at 7.4 m depth. Concurrently, Mn and Fe concentrations increase by 5- and 11-fold, respectively, within the chemocline relative to their oxic surface water values. The pore water within the Upper Basin sediments exhibits REE concentrations that are on average 130-fold greater than their values in the overlying waters, driving an upward diffusive REE flux into the euxinic bottom waters. An outstanding feature of the REEs in this study is the preservation of negative cerium (Ce) anomalies across the chemocline into the highly euxinic bottom waters. Likewise, our reaction path model shows that the mass balance of the local water sources is the major driver of the REE compositions of the water column. Primarily, the negative Ce anomaly in the euxinic bottom waters highlights the influence of the Ce depleted sediment pore water on the REE composition and fractionation patterns of the euxinic bottom waters. This study underscores the importance of local sources and indicates that negative Ce anomalies can persist in highly euxinic waters that evolve from Ce depleted sources, further demonstrating that negative Ce anomalies are not necessarily a good proxy of the redox conditions of aqueous environments.
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF 3D-PRINTED BLOOD VESSELS

La demanda de sustitutos vasculares en la practica clinica ha aumentado, y los vasos sanguineos impresos en 3D podrian ser alternativas ventajosas. Determinar las propiedades mecanicas de los vasos sanguineos impresos en 3D es importante para mejorar aun mas la tecnologia y la aplicacion clinica. En este caso, se prepararon probetas "dogbone" con y sin celulas mediante la impresion en 3D con un curado combinado de luz ultra violeta (UV) y de iones quimicos en el hidrogel. Se realizaron pruebas de traccion para medir los parametros mecanicos de las probetas "dogbone" y construir dos tipos de modelos de interaccion fluido-solido. De acuerdo con los teoremas de hidrodinamica y de la cantidad de movimiento, se seleccionaron como velocidades de entrada las velocidades en el periodo de eyeccion acelerado, el pico de eyeccion, el periodo de eyeccion reducido y el periodo diastolico temprano. Se analizo la distribucion de la velocidad en la superficie de simetria del fluido y el estres y la tension del tubo solido bajo diferentes velocidades. Los resultados revelan que la velocidad disminuye gradualmente desde el centro del fluido hasta la pared. A una alta velocidad de entrada, la velocidad del fluido es alta, mientras que la tension y el esfuerzo de la pared aumentan. Durante el pico de eyeccion cardiaca, la tension en la pared alcanza el valor maximo de 2018 Pa, que es mucho menor que la tension final. Ademas, la resistencia y la rigidez disminuyen para los vasos que contienen celulas. Este trabajo proporciona un metodo factible para medir las propiedades mecanicas de los vasos sanguineos impresos en 3D. Palabras clave: Impresion 3D, propiedades mecanicas, interaccion fluido-solido
Machine Learning for evaluating Kaizens in Volkswagen Production System - An Industrial Case study

In this paper, we classify Kaizen (production process related best practices) from Volkswagen internal knowledge database into their adaptability status over other Volkswagen production plants with help of supervised machine learning. Different criteria’s like Return on Investment, implementation time-frame, impact on various other key performance indicators, plant-specific technical details, etc. are used to evaluate Kaizens and eventually cluster them into two categories. Empirical results show that the Decision tree model can predict the degree of adaptability (Success/Denied) with 85% accuracy.
It Changed My Sympathy, Not My Opinion: Alternative Jewish Tourism to the Occupied Palestinian Territories

The deployment of tourism to strengthen diaspora support for homeland countries is well documented; however, there is a dearth of research on the use of tourism to complicate diasporic allegiances....
Fine-mapping of the non-coding variation driving the Caucasian LRRK2 GWAS signal in Parkinson's disease

Abstract Introduction Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have confirmed the leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) gene as a susceptibility locus for idiopathic Parkinson's disease (PD) in Caucasians. Though the rs1491942 and rs76904798 variants have shown the strongest associations, the causal variant(s) remains unresolved. Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify variants that may be driving the LRRK2 GWAS signal by sequencing the entire LRRK2 gene in Caucasian PD patients and controls. Methods A discovery series (287 PD patients, 294 controls) and replication series (362 PD patients, 168 controls) were included. The entire LRRK2 gene as well as 10 Kb upstream/downstream was sequenced. Candidate potential causal variants were considered to be those that (a) were in at least weak linkage disequilibrium with the two GWAS-nominated variants (rs1491942 and rs76904798), and (b) displayed an association odds ratio (OR) that is stronger than the two GWAS variants. Results Thirty-four candidate variants (all intronic/intergenic) that may drive the LRRK2 PD GWAS signal were identified in the discovery series. However, examination of the replication series for these variants did not reveal any with a consistently stronger OR than both PD GWAS variants. Evaluation of public databases to determine which candidate variants are most likely to have a direct functional effect on LRRK2 expression was inconclusive. Conclusion Though our findings provide novel insights into the LRRK2 GWAS association, a clear causal variant was not identified. The identified candidate variants can form the basis for future experiments and functional studies that can more definitively assess causal LRRK2 variants.
Guideline-adherent treatment, sociodemographic disparities, and cause-specific survival for endometrial carcinomas.

BACKGROUND Adherence to National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines have been adopted as the standard of care for various cancers and have been cited to have survival benefits. Few studies have examined the association of adherent treatment and endometrial cancer survival among various racial/ethnic groups and socioeconomic statuses. METHODS Between January 1, 2006 and December 31, 2015, 83,673 women diagnosed with endometrial carcinomas were identified from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database. Descriptive statistics of demographic and clinical characteristics were performed. Cox-proportional hazards models were used to examine the effect on cause-specific survival for adherence to guidelines across racial/ethnic and socioeconomic groups. RESULTS Within our sample, 59.5% were treated according to guidelines. Nonadherence to treatment guidelines was significantly associated with decreased survival compared with adherent care (adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 1.59; 95% CI, 1.52-1.67). Being of Black (adjusted HR, 1.41; 95% CI, 1.32-1.51) or Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (adjusted HR, 1.44; 95% CI, 1.19-1.73) race/ethnicity compared with White women was significantly associated with worse survival. Being of Asian race/ethnicity (adjusted HR, 0.86, 95% CI, 0.78-0.94) was significantly associated with improved survival compared with White women. Lower neighborhood socioeconomic status was associated with a negative effect on survival relative to women in the highest socioeconomic status category. CONCLUSIONS Findings from this study suggest treatment adherence is an independent predictor of improved survival; however, improved survival was not observed equally among all racial/ethnic and socioeconomic status groups. LAY SUMMARY The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) has developed guidelines for physicians to follow in treating various cancers. Within this study of 83,673 women with endometrial cancer, 59.5% of women were treated according to the NCCN guidelines. The findings suggest following NCCN guidelines for treatment of endometrial cancer improves survival. Black or Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander race and lower neighborhood socioeconomic status has worse survival rates compared with other groups, indicating the importance of exploring other factors that may shape treatment across racial/ethnic and socioeconomic status groups.
M Dwarf Luminosity, Radius, and α-enrichment from I-band Spectral Features

Despite the ubiquity of M dwarfs and their growing importance to studies of exoplanets, Galactic evolution, and stellar structure, methods for precisely measuring their fundamental stellar properties remain elusive. Existing techniques for measuring M dwarf luminosity, mass, radius, or composition are calibrated over a limited range of stellar parameters or require expensive observations. We find a strong correlation between the KS-band luminosity (MK), the observed strength of the I-band sodium doublet absorption feature, and [Fe/H] in M dwarfs without strong Hα emission. We show that the strength of this feature, coupled with [Fe/H] and spectral type, can be used to derive M dwarf MK and radius without requiring parallax. Additionally, we find promising evidence that the strengths of the I-band sodium doublet and the nearby I-band calcium triplet may jointly indicate α-element enrichment. The use of these I-band features requires only moderate-resolution near-infrared spectroscopy to provide valuable information about the potential habitability of exoplanets around M dwarfs, and surface gravity and distance for M dwarfs throughout the Galaxy. This technique has immediate applicability for both target selection and candidate planet–host system characterization for exoplanet missions such as TESS and K2.
Leveraging dynamic norms to reduce alcohol use among college students: A proof-of-concept experimental study.

Background Norm-correcting interventions are an effective alcohol harm-reduction approach, but innovation is needed to increase modest effect sizes. Recent social psychology research shows that individuals may be influenced by social norms that are increasing in prevalence. Contrary to static norms that reflect the current state of normative behavior, dynamic norms reflect behavioral norms that are shifting over time. This proof-of-concept study tested the utility of dynamic norms messages within norm-correcting interventions. Method Undergraduate student drinkers (N = 461; Mage = 19.97; 64.43% female) were randomly assigned to receive (a) dynamic norms messages highlighting a steady decrease over the past six years in heavy drinking among college students; (b) static norms messaging stating only the current norms; or (c) a control condition without normative information. Proximal outcomes assessed immediately following the experimental paradigm included intentions for total weekly drinks and heavy episodic drinking. Self-reported information on alcohol use behavior was collected at 1-month follow-up. Results Following the experimental paradigm, participants in the dynamic norms condition estimated that future drinking norms would decrease, while those in the static norms and control groups estimated that future drinking norms would increase. Participants in the dynamic norms condition reported lower intentions for weekly drinks and heavy episodic drinking than those in the static norms and control conditions. No significant differences between conditions were found on alcohol use indices reported at the 1-month follow-up. However, dynamic norms messaging had a favorable indirect effect on heavy episodic drinking intentions mediated through lower perceived future drinking norms. Conclusions These findings provide proof-of-concept that dynamic norms messaging may be a prudent strategy for reducing alcohol use intentions, which can be integrated into or used alongside existing norm-correcting strategies.
Russia on the Eve of Modernity: The sectarians: dualism and secret history

Although the majority of its Russian subjects were members of the “official” Orthodox Church, Imperial Russia generated a great variety of religious dissident groupings. These religious forms are in themselves a fascinating field for inquiry, and familiarity with them is essential for an adequate understanding of Russian culture. Insofar as historians have paid attention to the topic, it has been the usual practice to categorize the “sectarians” as being in sharp and total distinction to Orthodoxy. This approach derives from the nineteenth century, when the literary-propagandistic efforts of two mutually antagonistic groups – the radical opposition and the Orthodox clergy – created the standard picture of the Russian sectarian as the enemy of Orthodoxy and established order. The pre-revolutionary intelligentsia was quite correct in seeing the Orthodox Church as a bulwark of autocracy, but it deluded itself when it assumed that dissent from the Church was a total rejection of Orthodoxy and therefore a harbinger of a fervently awaited general popular rejection of Tsarism. Conversely, the Orthodox clergy was justified in seeing dissent as a repudiation of ecclesiastical authority and separation from the Church, but wrong in portraying it as a complete break with piety and a first step to open sedition. From a cultural–historical perspective, the picture is quite different – rather than setting off in radically-new directions, the various sects took specific elements of the general traditional culture to their extreme and thereby offered vivid illustrations of the underlying (and oftentimes obscured) tendencies of that culture.
ANALYZING ENCRYPTION PROTOCOLS USING FORMAL VERIFICATION TECHNIQUES (Extended Abstract)

Much work has been done in the area of analyzing encryption algorithms, such as DES [Dav 81.Bri 85.BMP 861]. A vast amount of work has also been expended on formally verifying com- munication protocols [IEE 82,STE 82,RW 83.LS 84.Hol 871]. In contrast, very little work has been devoted to the analysis and formal verification of encryption protocols.
Photoassisted Reactions on Doped Metal Oxide Particles

Abstract : Photoassisted reactions involving doped metal oxide semiconductor powders are reviewed. The mechanisms, insofar as they are now understood, are discussed for several reactions involving gas phase water near its equilibrium vapor pressure in contact with the oxide. Experimental results are presented along with some discussion of how these processes may be involved with heterogeneous processes in the atmosphere. (Author)