cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Toward a Contingency Theory of Business Strategy

In the past two decades the concept of organizational strategy has emerged as one of the cornerstones of both management theory and practice. During the period, numerous papers, articles, and books have explored this concept and its myriad characteristics and nuances. Nevertheless, some aspects of the subject have received far more attention than others. For example, much greater emphasis has been placed on the organizational processes by which strategies are developed than on the content of the strategies themselves. Also, more attention has been focused on strategy formulation at the corporate level than at the business level. [The term business level refers to that level in an organization at which responsibility for the formulation of a multifunctional strategy for a single industry or product-market arena is determined; the term corporate level refers to the top level of the organization regardless of the number of industries in which it competes. Thus, for a multi-industry company, the business level normally would correspond to the divisional level. In a single product line company, however, the business and corporate levels would be the same.] Likewise, more emphasis has been placed on the analytical and informational aspects of the strategic planning process than on its behavioral and political dimensions. Finally, nearly all of the research studies and many of the papers and articles have been descriptive rather than prescriptive in their orientation, especially with respect to the content of the strategies involved.
On the optimality of multiantenna broadcast scheduling using zero-forcing beamforming

Although the capacity of multiple-input/multiple-output (MIMO) broadcast channels (BCs) can be achieved by dirty paper coding (DPC), it is difficult to implement in practical systems. This paper investigates if, for a large number of users, simpler schemes can achieve the same performance. Specifically, we show that a zero-forcing beamforming (ZFBF) strategy, while generally suboptimal, can achieve the same asymptotic sum capacity as that of DPC, as the number of users goes to infinity. In proving this asymptotic result, we provide an algorithm for determining which users should be active under ZFBF. These users are semiorthogonal to one another and can be grouped for simultaneous transmission to enhance the throughput of scheduling algorithms. Based on the user grouping, we propose and compare two fair scheduling schemes in round-robin ZFBF and proportional-fair ZFBF. We provide numerical results to confirm the optimality of ZFBF and to compare the performance of ZFBF and proposed fair scheduling schemes with that of various MIMO BC strategies.
Acquisition of semantic patterns for information extraction from corpora

A knowledge acquisition tool to extract semantic patterns for a memory-based information retrieval system is presented. The major goal of this tool is to facilitate the construction of a large knowledge base of semantic patterns. The system acquires semantic patterns from texts with a small amount of user interaction. It acquires new phrasal patterns from the input text, maps each element of the pattern to a meaning frame, generalizes the acquired pattern, and merges it into the current knowledge base. Interaction with the user is introduced at some decision points, where the ambiguity cannot be resolved automatically without other pieces of predefined knowledge. The acquisition process is described in detail, and a preliminary experimental result is discussed. >
Requirement-based design methods for adaptive communications links

High-speed communications link cores must consume low-power, feature, low bit-error-rates (BER), and address many applications. We pFsent a methodology to design adaptive link architectures, whereby the link's intemal logic complexity, frequency, and supply are simultaneously adapted to application requirements. The requirement space is mapped to the design space using requirements measurement circuits and configurable logic blocks. CMOS results indicatk that power savings of 60% versus the worst case arc Dossible. while the area overhead is keot under 5%.
Estrous Characteristics and Pregnancy Rates of Beef Heifers Administered Two Synchronization Protocols12

Two estrous synchronization protocols were used to determine their effect on estrous characteristics, synchronization rates, and pregnancy rates in nulliparous beef heifers on a commercial cow-calf operation in western New Mexico. Fifty-three Red Angus and Angus × Hereford heifers were sorted by age and BW to compare heifers treated with gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) 7 d before treatment with prostaglandin F2α [PGF2α; SelectSynch (SS); n = 26] and heifers treated with two administrations of PGF2α 14 d apart [Targeted Breeding™ (TB) (Pharmacia, Kalamazoo, MI); n = 27). An androgenized cow fitted with a chin-ball marker was placed in each pen of heifers, and a HeatWatch (HW) transmitter (DDx, Inc., Denver, CO) was attached to each heifer to monitor estrous characteristics. Heifers were artificially inseminated after estrus was determined by HW. Number of standing events tended (P=0.12) to increase for TB heifers compared with SS heifers (54.4 ± 7.4 and 37.5 ± 7.7, respectively). Duration of estrus was increased (P 0.10) between protocols. Androgenized cows identified 53% of the estruses detected by HW. When utilizing synchronization protocols, radiotelemetric estrous detection systems may identify more heifers in estrus than androgenized cows. Intensity of estrus was increased in TB heifers compared with SS heifers; however, synchronization and pregnancy rates were not influenced by synchronization protocol.
Exploiting Microscopic Spectrum Opportunities in Cognitive Radio Networks via Coordinated Channel Access

Under the current opportunistic spectrum access (OSA) paradigm, a common belief is that a cognitive radio (CR) can use a channel only when this channel is not being used by any neighboring primary radio (PR). Therefore, the existence of a spectrum opportunity hinges on the absence of active cochannel PRs in a macroscopic region. In this paper, we propose the concept of microscopic spectrum opportunity and show that CRs can still utilize this type of opportunities without interfering with active cochannel PRs, even when these PRs are close to them. As a result, a channel may at the same time present different levels of availability to different CRs. Channel access needs to be carefully coordinated between these CRs to avoid collisions, and more importantly, ensure efficient utilization of the spectrum opportunity from a network's standpoint. In this paper, we formulate the coordinated channel access as a joint power/rate control and channel assignment optimization problem, with the objective of maximizing the sum-rate achieved by the cognitive radio network (CRN). We develop both centralized and distributed algorithms to solve this problem. Our simulation results show that even when accounting for the implementation overhead, significant throughput gain is achieved under our designs.
Pharmacological Treatments of Insomnia

In most cases of insomnia, the best treatment is a combination of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and pharmacotherapy. The medications are usually used for the short term and tapered off once the full benefit of CBT has been achieved. A detailed discussion of the different CBT modalities is beyond the scope of this chapter. The focus of the chapter instead is on the various pharmacological agents and when and if they should be used. Thus far, GABAA agonists, either non-benzodiazepine (GABAA receptor agonist or the “Z” drugs) or the traditional benzodiazepines, have been the most effective. Melatonin receptor agonists such as ramelteon and some antidepressants such as doxepin have also been shown effective in many forms of insomnia while others such as gabapentin, melatonin, mirtazapine, and valerian root have been shown effective in select populations. There are also a number of medications the use of which remains controversial. Of the commonly recommended and prescribed medications, diphenhydramine is neither proven to help insomnia nor is safe with long-term use given the adverse cognitive effects. The use of trazodone is controversial. Zolpidem although usually considered safe, can lead to complex sleep-related behaviors especially if taken at higher than 10mg doses or when combined with alcohol and other sedative hypnotics. Lastly there are a number of unique medications in the drug development pipeline; these fall in the categories of orexin antagonists, 5-HT antagonists, and H1/H2 antagonists.
Peroxiredoxin 6 homodimerization and heterodimerization with glutathione S-transferase pi are required for its peroxidase but not phospholipase A2 activity

Peroxiredoxin 6 (Prdx6) is a unique 1-Cys member of the peroxiredoxin family with both GSH peroxidase and phospholipase A2 (PLA2) activities. It is highly expressed in the lung where it plays an important role in antioxidant defense and lung surfactant metabolism. Glutathionylation of Prdx6 mediated by its heterodimerization with GSH S-transferase π (πGST) is required for its peroxidatic catalytic cycle. Recombinant human Prdx6 crystallizes as a homodimer and sedimentation equilibrium analysis confirmed that this protein exists as a high affinity dimer in solution. Based on measurement of molecular mass, dimeric Prdx6 that was oxidized to the sulfenic acid formed a sulfenylamide during storage. After examination of the dimer interface in the crystal structure, we postulated that the hydrophobic amino acids L145 and L148 play an important role in homodimerization of Prdx6 as well as in its heterodimerization with πGST. Oxidation of Prdx6 also was required for its heterodimerization. Sedimentation equilibrium analysis and the Duolink proximity ligation assay following mutation of the L145 and L148 residues of Prdx6 to Glu indicated greatly decreased dimerization propensity reflecting the loss of hydrophobic interactions between the protein monomers. Peroxidase activity was markedly reduced by mutation at either of the Leu sites and was essentially abolished by the double mutation, while PLA2 activity was unaffected. Decreased peroxidase activity following mutation of the interfacial leucines presumably is mediated via impaired heterodimerization of Prdx6 with πGST that is required for reduction and re-activation of the oxidized enzyme.
The Secular, the Religious, and the Ethical in Kierkegaard and Levinas

This paper examines the possibility of an asymmetrical ethics and the role of the secular and the religious in articulating such an ethics in the philosophical and religious writings of Kierkegaard and Levinas. Although it is Kierkegaard who more adequately distinguishes the secular and the religious, I argue against reading Levinas as an author who either atheistically secularizes transcendence or theistically reifies it. Levinas's discussions of an atheistic monotheism for adults and his criticisms of conventional atheism and religiosity suggest that he is pursuing a double strategy and an "ethical reduction" that sacralizes the secular and secularizes the religious for the sake of their irreducible ethical moment.
Real World Experience With Natalizumab at a Tertiary Care Pediatric IBD Center.

Objectives: Natalizumab is a humanized monoclonal antibody inhibiting lymphocyte migration and prescribed in patients with Crohn disease (CD) failing anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) therapies. Because of the risk of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy in patients with John Cunningham virus (JCV) positive, natalizumab is not widely used in clinical practice. Published experience of the use of natalizumab in pediatric patients is lacking. We aimed to describe the experience of natalizumab in patients with CD, including those who are JCV positive, at a tertiary care pediatric inflammatory bowel disease center. Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed in patients with CD Results: Nine patients received natalizumab with a median age at diagnosis of 10 (range 7–16) years and median disease duration 72 (range 13–156) months. All of the patients had failed at least 1 anti-TNF agent. At baseline, the median HBI was 8 (IQR 6.5–11). By week 10, the median HBI was 4.5 (IQR 2–6), with 4 of 8 (50%) patients with CD being in remission. Forty-four percent (4/9) of patients were JCV antibody positive at baseline and had anti-JCV antibody index >0.9 (median 3.36). There were no serious adverse events, including progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy. All of the patients were transitioned to vedolizumab. Conclusions: In our experience, natalizumab is a safe and efficacious medication in pediatric in patients with inflammatory bowel disease. Given the favorable results with natalizumab, pediatric studies with the more gut targeted anti-integrin agent vedolizumab are warranted.
Frequency and predictors of post-operative pericardial effusion requiring drainage following percutaneous epicardial access in the electrophysiology laboratory

Purpose: Percutaneous pericardial access is increasingly performed for mapping and ablation. Pericardial fat irritation, disruption of intrapericardial vessels, inadvertent right ventricular entry and periprocedural anticoagulation may predispose towards pericardial effusion but post-operative pericardial drains are associated with pain and pericarditis. While intra-procedural fluid accumulation is managed with existing epicardial access, post-procedural development of pericardial effusion following drain removal requires a separate invasive procedure with inherent risks. We sought to identify the frequency and predictors of pericardial effusion following epicardial sheath removal. Methods: All patients who underwent attempted epicardial access as part of an electrophysiology procedure were included in this retrospective study. Baseline clinical and echocardiography characteristics were collected. Patients who developed pericardial effusion requiring a separate pericardiocentesis following ablation were identified and compared to those who did not develop this complication. Results: Between 1/2004 and 12/2011, 116 pericardial access attempts were made in 107 consecutive patients (94.4% successful). Of these, 9 (7.8%) patients developed post-operative pericardial effusion requiring repeat access and drainage, an average of 1 day post-operatively. Patients with post-operative effusion tended to be younger (42.2 vs 51.8 years, P=0.05), and have a higher ejection fraction (EF, 55.6% vs. 44.6% P=0.03). There was no difference in gender (44.4 vs. 32.7% female), BMI (mean 29.3 vs. 29.4), inferior (vs. anterior) access (77.8 vs. 61.5%), peri-operative heparin use, and epicardial mapping only vs. epicardial mapping and ablation (44.4 vs. 56.1%) in patients with and without pericardial effusion (P>0.05). Three percent of patients with EF <55% had a pericardial effusion, vs. 18% with EF≥55%, P=0.02. Conclusion: Pericardial effusion requiring repeat access and drainage occurred in 7.8% of patients shortly after epicardial mapping/ablation procedures, and was more common in younger patients with normal ejection fraction. This may be due to increased trauma risk with vigorous ventricular contraction, and suggests that pericardial drains are best left in place post-procedure in young patients with ejection fraction of 50-55%.
Apoptosis—When Cells Die

Apoptosis is a regulated process of programmed cell death, and is one of many homeostatic mechanisms that regulate the physiology of and interactions between the body’s various cell populations. Under normal conditions, apoptosis controls the number and types of cells present in the human body. Unregulated apoptosis, however, promotes certain disease states, such as cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, and AIDS. AIDS, in particular, appears to result from loss of healthy, uninfected lymphocytes, due to induced genetic changes that lead to increased cell death by apoptosis. Current knowledge of the molecular mechanisms that underlie the process of apoptosis, with emphasis on the role of apoptosis in AIDS, is presented.
Ultrastructural features of plasma cells in patients with paraproteinemias.

Bone marrow biopsies from 42 patients representing a variety of paraproteinemias, including plasma cell myeloma, heavy chain disease, and light chain disease, Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia, and primary amyloidosis, were examined by electron microscopy. No consistent association between the various morphologic types of plasma cells or occurrence of lymphocytoid plasma cells (transitional, intermediate form) and immunologic type of myeloma or other paraproteinemia was encountered. Similarly, no correlation between clinical stage of the disorder, i.e. , lanthanic (asymptomatic), incipient, or advanced, and cell type was observed. On the other hand, a rare plasma cell with Russell bodies was encountered in the marrow specimen from only one patient who had Bence Jones proteinuria. The presence of Russell bodies in cells from patients who had paraproteinemias without such proteinuria suggests that in the latter the bodies may represent stored or accumulated light chains which are not being utilized in the biosynthesis of the complete globulin molecule. No unusual cytoplasmic inclusions were found in the cells from patients with paraproteinemia. Cytoplasmic particles which resembled virus-like structures, found in cells from some patients with light chain disease and myeloma, appear most likely to represent incipient or early stages in the development of Russell bodies. Intranuclear inclusions observed in some plasma cells from these patients resulted from entrapment of cytoplasm within nuclear folds.
Co-dependent recruitment of Ino80p and Snf2p is required for yeast CUP1 activation.

In yeast, Ace1p-dependent induction of CUP1 is responsible for protecting cells from copper toxicity. Although the mechanism of yeast CUP1 induction has been studied intensively, it is still uncert...
Matrices, Relations, and Graphs

From its infancy barely a century ago, the theory of matrices has become a sprawling giant, invading every branch of pure and applied mathematics. As late as twenty years ago, few college undergraduates had a knowledge of matrices; today we introduce college freshmen and even high school students to matric methods. Vast as the literature of matrices is, the field is young enough and varied enough for professional and amateur alike. It might seem that if we restrict our investigation to square matrices whose elements are zero or unity, we might find only a few applications, yet the evidence is to the contrary. Even a superficial investigation answers many questions and at the same time suggests many new questions, which is exactly what a mathematical investigation should do. This paper treats only a few such applications and probably none of these are completely new.
Epidemic Features of Tuberculosis in Gongjing District from 1998 to 2007

Objective To make clear the epidemic feature and morbidity of tuberculosis in Gongjing District so as to offer convincing and scientific measuers for controlling tuberculosis.Method The epidemic information of tuberculosis from 1998 to 2007 in the district was collected and analysed.Results The lowest morbidity of tuberculosis was 53.97/105 of 2005 and the highest 83.31/105 of 2004 in Gongjing District.The average morbidity was 71.04/105 from 1998 to 2007. Cases happened in every season and the morbidity of male was higher than that of female.The difference of sexual morbidity was significant (χ2=294.7,P0.01). At the same time,the morbidity of the city was lower than that of the countryside.The difference of the morbidity between the nrban and the rural was also significant (χ2=58.59,P0.01).The morbidity increased along with age incrensing. From the year of 1998 to 2007,the reported morbidity of tuberculosis did not go up or dowm both in men and women,including the whole level in the district. Conclusions The reported morbidity of the tuberculosis lies in a high levelise. 70/105,and it also lies in the first place among all kinds of infectious diseases in the district.
Assessing the Control of Preservational Environment on Taphonomic and Ecological Patterns in an Oligocene Mammal Fauna from Badlands National Park, South Dakota

Comparisons of paleofaunas from different facies are often hampered by the uncertainty in the variation of taphonomic processes biasing the paleoecological parameters of interest. By examining the taphonomic patterns exhibited by different facies in the same stratigraphic interval and area, it is possible to quantify this variation, and assess inter-facies comparability. The fossil assemblages preserved in Badlands National Park (BNP), South Dakota, have long been a rich source for mammalian faunas of the White River Group. To investigate the influence of the variation of taphonomic bias with lithology whilst controlling for the influence of changes in patterns of taphonomic modification with time, taphonomic and paleoecological data were collected from four mammal-dominated fossil assemblages (two siltstone hosted and two sandstone hosted) from a narrow stratigraphic interval within the Oligocene Poleslide Member of the Brule Formation, in the Palmer Creek Unit of BNP. Previous work in the region confirmed that the two major lithologies represent primarily aeolian- and primarily fluvial-dominated depositional environments, respectively. A suite of quantifiable taphonomic and ecological variables was recorded for each of the more than 800 vertebrate specimens studied here (857 specimens were studied in the field, 9 specimens were collected and are reposited at BNP). Distinctly different patterns of taphonomic biasing were observed between the aeolian and fluvial samples, albeit with some variability between all four sites. Fluvial samples were more heavily weathered and abraded, but also contained fewer large taxa and fewer tooth-bearing elements. No quantifiable paleofaunal differences in generic richness or evenness were observed between the respective facies. This suggests that while large vertebrate taxonomic composition in the region did vary with paleodepositional environment, there is no evidence of confounding variation in faunal structure, and therefore differences between the assemblages are attributed to differing preservational environments producing a taphonomic overprint on the assemblages. The lack of apparent taphonomic bias on paleofaunal structure suggests that such paleoecological data can be compared throughout the Poleslide Member, irrespective of lithology.
Metric Based Automatic Event Segmentation

This paper describes a metric-based model for event segmentation of sensor data recorded by a mobile phone worn around subjects’ necks during their daily life. More specifically, we aim at detecting human daily event boundaries by analysing the recorded triaxial accelerometer signals and images sequence (lifelog data). In the experiments, different signal representations and three boundary detection models are evaluated on a corpus of 2 subjects over total 24 days. The contribution of this paper is three-fold. First, we find that using accelerometer signals can provide much more reliable and significantly better performance than using image signals with MPEG-7 low level features. Second, the models using the accelerometer data based on the world’s coordinates system can provide equally or even much better performance than using the accelerometer data based on the device’s coordinates system. Finally, our proposed model has a better performance than the state of the art system [1].
Monte Carlo Simulations of the Disordered Three-Color Quantum Ashkin-Teller Chain

We investigate the zero-temperature quantum phase transitions of the disordered three-color quantum Ashkin-Teller spin chain by means of large-scale Monte Carlo simulations. We find that the first-order phase transitions of the clean system are rounded by the quenched disorder. For weak intercolor coupling, the resulting emergent quantum critical point between the paramagnetic phase and the magnetically ordered Baxter phase is of infinite-randomness type and belongs to the universality class of the random transverse-field Ising model, as predicted by recent strong-disorder renormalization group calculations. We also find evidence for unconventional critical behavior in the case of strong intercolor coupling, even though an unequivocal determination of the universality class is beyond our numerical capabilities. We compare our results to earlier simulations, and we discuss implications for the classification of phase transitions in the presence of disorder.
Galileo's legacy: a critical edition and translation of the manuscript of Vincenzo Viviani's Grati Animi Monumenta.

Having been found ‘vehemently suspected of heresy’ by the Holy Office in 1633, at the time of his death (1642) Galileo's remains were laid to rest in the tiny vestry of a lateral chapel of the Santa Croce Basilica, Florence. Throughout his life, Vincenzo Viviani, Galileo's last disciple, struggled to have his master's name rehabilitated and his banned works reprinted, as well as a proper funeral monument erected. He did not live to see all this come true, but his efforts triggered a mechanism that eventually led to the fulfilment of his wishes. A key element of his project was the transformation of the facade of his palace into a private (but publicly rendered) tribute to Galileo, with two long inscriptions celebrating Galileo's achievements and calling Florence's attention to the need to pay a proper tribute to him. Shortly afterwards, he revised the text and circulated it in print. This article presents the first critical edition and annotated translation of Viviani's original manuscript, long thought to be lost, and describes its role in Viviani's lifelong struggle for Galileo's intellectual legacy, as well as its impact on future historiography.
Common due date assignment with generalized earliness/tardiness penalties

Abstract We consider the single-machine common due date assignment problem with generalized earliness/tardiness penalties and show that the problem can be solved optimally in polynomial time by dynamic programming. We also present a faster linear time algorithm for a special case of the problem. A number of extensions with compressible job processing times, two assigned due dates and additional terms in the objective function are also analyzed and solved optimally in polynomial time.
Hilbert decomposition and semicontinuity

The integrals of the calculs of variation are redefined and their Hilbert decomposition is defined in general abstract terms. An immediate, obvious proof of the fact that integrals which admit a Hilbert decomposition are semicontinuous is given. This lemma, which establishes a relation between continuous and semicontinuous integrals and indicates a method of constructing Weierstrass ξ-functions for each particular problem, is formal and independent of the topology adopted. An open problem is stated.
Hyperspectral imaging for simultaneous measurements of two FRET biosensors in pancreatic β-cells.

Fluorescent protein (FP) biosensors based on Forster resonance energy transfer (FRET) are commonly used to study molecular processes in living cells. There are FP-FRET biosensors for many cellular molecules, but it remains difficult to perform simultaneous measurements of multiple biosensors. The overlapping emission spectra of the commonly used FPs, including CFP/YFP and GFP/RFP make dual FRET measurements challenging. In addition, a snapshot imaging modality is required for simultaneous imaging. The Image Mapping Spectrometer (IMS) is a snapshot hyperspectral imaging system that collects high resolution spectral data and can be used to overcome these challenges. We have previously demonstrated the IMS’s capabilities for simultaneously imaging GFP and CFP/YFP-based biosensors in pancreatic β-cells. Here, we demonstrate a further capability of the IMS to image simultaneously two FRET biosensors with a single excitation band, one for cAMP and the other for Caspase-3. We use these measurements to measure simultaneously cAMP signaling and Caspase-3 activation in pancreatic β-cells during oxidative stress and hyperglycemia, which are essential components in the pathology of diabetes.
Altered phosphorylation, electrophysiology, and behavior on attenuation of PDE4B action in hippocampus.

PDE4 cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases regulate 3′, 5′ cAMP abundance in the CNS and thereby regulate PKA activity and phosphorylation of CREB, which has been implicated in learning and memory, depression and other functions. The PDE4 isoform PDE4B1 also interacts with the DISC1 protein, implicated in neural development and behavioral disorders. The cellular functions of PDE4B1 have been investigated extensively, but its function(s) in the intact organism remained unexplored. To specifically disrupt PDE4B1, we developed mice that express a PDE4B1-D564A transgene in the hippocampus and forebrain. The transgenic mice showed enhanced phosphorylation of CREB and ERK1/2 in hippocampus. Hippocampal neurogenesis was increased in the transgenic mice. Hippocampal electrophysiological studies showed increased baseline synaptic transmission and enhanced LTP in male transgenic mice. Behaviorally, male transgenic mice showed increased activity in prolonged open field testing, but neither male nor female transgenic mice showed detectable anxiety-like behavior or antidepressant effects in the elevated plus-maze, tail-suspension or forced-swim tests. Neither sex showed any significant differences in associative fear conditioning or showed any demonstrable abnormalities in pre-pulse inhibition. These data support the use of an isoform-selective approach to the study of PDE4B1 function in the CNS and suggest a probable role of PDE4B1 in synaptic plasticity and behavior. They also provide additional rationale and a refined approach to the development of small-molecule PDE4B1-selective inhibitors, which have potential functions in disorders of cognition, memory, mood and affect.
The Poltergeist Office: Re-Envisioning the Office in an Era of Boundary-Less Work, Ghost Connections, and Virtual Lives

In the new work environment of the 21st century, the office has become a concept as much as a place. The conjunction of advances in technology, the introduction of social media, and the economic pressures that drive an expectation of twenty-four hour work, have transformed the workplace into something that is as much a state of mind as a physical place. This shift has significant implications for both the culture and the architecture of the 21st century. This thesis draws concepts from Dalton Conley's cultural analysis presented in his book "Elsewhere U.S.A.," as well as the stream of consciousness presented daily in the social media sphere, and weaves together a picture of the changing architectural and cultural landscape of the modern white collar workforce. To quote Dr. Joseph Juhasz, "Architecture is a container for ideas too radical to be released unfiltered into the outside world." There is an opportunity for the Architecture of the Elsewhere Office to contain solutions to the dilemmas faced by today's white collar workers. From new ways to envision the office setting to ideas to rehabilitate the cubicle dweller, architecture can act as a mediator in the lives of the people inhabiting it.
Macroscopic Description of Complex Self-Organizing System: Belousov–Zhabotinsky Reaction

Based on the information theory of mutifractal objects was developed the method for analysis of complex self-organized system, such as living cells. To demonstrate some of the features of the analysis we choose the simplest system—the Belousov–Zhabotinsky reaction (chemical clock). It is always composed of observed sequence of states stable for certain period of time and the experimenter has full control of mechanical constraints imposed on the system. We use the Renyi information entropy equation for calculation of information gain by which a point contributes to the total information in the image. In this way we create characteristic vector of the system state in phenomenological coordinates of phase space. We have also derived related variables, the point information gain entropy and point information gain entropy density. The later values are unique to structured information. The ultimate goal of the method is to determine the characteristics of a system which best characterize momentary multifractal properties of the system. The relation between the phenomenological phase space and the internal coordinates of the system remain unknown.
Voice Onset Time in English voiceless stops is affected by following postvocalic liquids and voiceless onsets

Voice Onset Time is an important characteristic of stop consonants that plays a large role in perceptual discrimination in many languages, and is widely used in phonetic research. The current paper aims to account for Voice Onset Time variation in English that has defied previously understood phonetic and lexical factors, particularly involving stops that are followed in the word by liquids and voiceless obstruents. 122 Canadian English speakers produced 120 /p/- and /k/-initial words (n = 17 533), and word-initial Voice Onset Time was analyzed. It was found that Voice Onset Time is shorter when the following syllable starts with a voiceless obstruent, and that this effect is mediated by speech rate. Voice Onset Time is also longer before postvocalic liquids, even when they are intervocalic. Voice Onset Time generally decreases through the course of the task, and speakers tend to drift during the course of a word reading task, and this is best accounted for by the residual Voice Onset Time of recently spoken words.
Medical-surgical readmissions in patients with co-occurring serious mental illness: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Abstract Objective To estimate the relationship between comorbid serious mental illness (SMI) diagnosis and 30-day medical-surgical readmissions. Methods In accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) we searched five databases (2012 to 2017) to identify relevant articles on the relationship between SMI diagnosis and readmissions. We used the National Institute of Health's Quality Appraisal Tool for Observational Cohort and Cross-Sectional Studies guidelines to appraise studies and assess risk of bias. Data were narratively synthesized and a pooled random effects unadjusted odds ratio was estimated using meta-analysis. Heterogeneity was investigated using subgroup analysis and meta-regression. Results Our search yielded 424 articles after removing duplicates. Nine met inclusion criteria. All studies were retrospective observational cohort studies. The meta-analysis showed that people with SMI have greater odds of readmission than people without SMI (pooled OR 1.38, CI 1.23–1.56, I2 = 98.6%). There was heterogeneity in patient cohorts, study methodology, and definition of SMI. No significant possibility of publication bias was detected (Classic fail-safe N = 3480). Conclusion There is a meaningful relationship between SMI diagnosis and medical-surgical readmissions. Given the prevalence of SMI in patients hospitalized for medical-surgical problems and the heterogeneity of evidence, further research on sources of variation in outcomes is critically needed.
Stochastic optimization in supply chain networks: averaging robust solutions

We propose a novel robust optimization approach to analyze and optimize the expected performance of supply chain networks. We model uncertainty in the demand at the sink nodes via polyhedral sets which are inspired from the limit laws of probability. We characterize the uncertainty sets by variability parameters which control the degree of conservatism of the model, and thus the level of probabilistic protection. At each level, and following the steps of the traditional robust optimization approach, we obtain worst case values which directly depend on the values of the variability parameters. We go beyond the traditional robust approach and treat the variability parameters as random variables. This allows us to devise a methodology to approximate and optimize the expected behavior via averaging the worst case values over the possible realizations of the variability parameters. Unlike stochastic analysis and optimization, our approach replaces the high-dimensional problem of evaluating expectations with a low-dimensional approximation that is inspired by probabilistic limit laws. We illustrate our approach by finding optimal base-stock and affine policies for fairly complex supply chain networks. Our computations suggest that our methodology (a) generates optimal base-stock levels that match the optimal solutions obtained via stochastic optimization within no more than 4 iterations, (b) yields optimal affine policies which often times exhibit better results compared to optimal base-stock policies, and (c) provides optimal policies that consistently outperform the solutions obtained via the traditional robust optimization approach.
Experimental Medicine Approaches in CNS Drug Development

Abstract Experimental medicine (EM) involves a human study where a model system is used to understand a drug's mechanism of action or disease pathophysiology. Typically, it is used to demonstrate proof of pharmacology, proof of mechanism, disease mechanism, or exposure response relationships. The approach is to perturb or challenge a model system to assess a pharmacological response to drug, and it is conducted prior to the Phase 2 POC study. Response biomarkers and models may not be fully validated, but may be sensitive to the target pathways. EM models vary in their level of reliability and validity and should be assessed for their constructive, face, and predicative validity. If used appropriately, EM studies can be a valuable tool for derisking a CNS project as they can provide translational information on pathway systems, active dose range, and PK/PD relationships prior to initiating Phase 2 POC studies.
Evolving Indications for Neuromonitoring In Spinal Surgery: What and When to Monitor

Intraoperative neuromonitoring (IONM) is utilized during spine surgery to help prevent intraoperative neurologic injury. The first reported use of IONM in humans occurred more than four decades ago. Since its initial inception, technological advances such as the ability to monitor afferent sensory pathways and efferent motor pathways has greatly improved the efficiency and accuracy of IONM. Clinical research has established the superiority of multimodal IONM over unimodal techniques. However, controversy still exists regarding the most appropriate use of IONM. Currently, the surgeon is responsible for the interpretation of neuromonitoring alerts with the assistance of technicians and neurologists. Furthermore, the surgeon must determine the interventions necessary to mitigate neurologic risk according to such alerts. To that end, this chapter provides a historical context for IONM, reviews the physiologic mechanisms of common IONM modalities and examines the clinical evidence for IONM use.
Endoscopic-assisted surgical repair of superior canal dehiscence using a keyhole middle fossa craniotomy approach

Superior canal dehiscence (SCD) is a bony defect of the superior semicircular canal that is called SCD syndrome (SCDS) when associated with vestibular and auditory dysfunction. Surgical management of SCD is reserved for patients with intractable auditory and/or vestibular symptoms. As direct visualization of an arcuate eminence defect is most easily achieved from above, the majority of cases use a microscope-assisted middle fossa craniotomy. However, approximately 30% of SCD cases have a medial arcuate eminence defect along a downsloping tegmen. These defects can be difficult to visualize without a large cranial window, drilling down a prominent lateral skull base ridge, and/or prolonged brain retraction. In line with recent development of endoscopic ear surgery, the endoscope has been employed at our institution via a middle fossa craniotomy approach to repair a SCD. We believe that skull base endoscopy is a safe and effective way to identify and repair a medial or blue-lined SCD when used with a middle fossa craniotomy approach. The angled endoscope enhances visualization and transillumination of the SCD and reduces temporal lobe retraction. The following chapter highlights an endoscopic-assisted middle fossa craniotomy repair of SCD.
Opportunity or Burden? A Behavioral Framework for Patient Engagement.

Background Engaging patients as partners in their care is clinically appealing, yet challenging to implement, and we lack a measurement framework that is applicable to vulnerable populations. To address this gap, we conducted a qualitative study to refine a conceptual framework that reflects an individual's propensity to engage with care. Objectives Our objectives were to refine the framework's domains of engagement behavior; identify key behaviors within each domain that describe engagement with providers, health systems or settings; and illustrate examples for each behavior where higher self-efficacy describes an opportunity to enhance engagement, and lower self-efficacy describes difficulties with engagement that risk burden. Research design and sample We elicited patient perspectives by conducting individual semistructured interviews with veterans receiving care for mental health and/or chronic conditions from the Veterans Health Administration. Data were analyzed using the framework method. Results The resulting engagement framework encompassed 4 interrelated domains: Self-Management, Health Information Use, Collaborative Communication, and Healthcare Navigation. The propensity to engage with care was conceptualized as the cumulative self-efficacy to engage in behaviors across these domains. Results emphasize the collaborative nature of engagement behaviors and the impact of veteran cultural influences via perceptions of collective efficacy. Conclusions This framework can be applied to judgments regarding a patient's propensity to engage in care. Because self-efficacy is an individual's context-specific judgment of their capabilities, this framework may inform health care and social service interventions that aim to engage patients. This maybe especially useful for public sector settings and populations with social risks.
Resilient and Stochastic Load Frequency Control of Microgrids

Islanded microgrids including renewables are very uncertain systems that need additional communications and information exchange for Load Frequency Control (LFC) leading to Cyber Physical Systems (CPS). This additional communication based coordination of generators is called the secondary frequency control (SFC) of a microgrid. Moreover, Electric Vehicle (EV) batteries also participate in the SFC to adjust frequency deviation through cyber interface. The SFC is highly susceptible to various types of cyber disruptions, e.g., False Data Injection (FDI) that can compromise sensor and actuator data to manipulate decision-making process or trigger disruptive reconstructing actions that may result in blackouts. For detection and control of FDI, all uncertainties, including renewable energies and measurement noises, should be modeled and addressed to replicate actual conditions. This paper designs a resilient control approach against FDI to actuators in the presence of uncertainties which are formulated as Unknown Inputs (UIs). The proposed controller operates in two layers: with Stochastic Unknown Input Observer (SUIO) in the first layer to identify the microgrid states and UIs as well as optimal control in the second layer to mitigate the frequency excursions. The proposed resilient control framework is compared against traditional LQR using simulations to show superiority in performance.
A pragmatic sign theory of truth for the behavioral sciences

Abstract In their essay on Functional and Descriptive Contextualism, Hayes and Fryling (2019) distinguish interbehaviorism from both descriptive and functional contextualism. In doing so, however, Hayes and Fryling seem to have dismissed the notion of truth from philosophy and science. The purpose of the current essay is to clarify the notion of truth in philosophy and science by couching it within the theory of signs that undergirds Charles Sanders Peirce's pragmatic maxim. Based on Peirce's theory of signs, truth is not in the “correspondence” of beliefs with their expected outcomes. Rather, truth is in the effect of various signs to orient people to the practical bearings of conceivable objects. The pragmatic sign theory of truth offered herein is a potential way forward for both interbehaviorism and functional contextualism, as it shares an affinity with the specificity logic of interbehaviorism and may enhance the rigor of functional contextualism's notion of truth in successful working. In today's cultural context, wherein virality is the common measure of a claim's truth, there is a need for explicitly stated criteria by which scientists and practitioners can judge their products as true and worth pursuing to some extent. Functional contextualism is lauded for having some of those criteria along with a noble cause for its community of scientists to pursue. While interbehaviorism might inform functional contextualism without carrying the label descriptive contextualism, functional contextualism may inform the various behaviorisms on the upshot of having an explicit theory of truth with the explicit aim of reducing human suffering.
Learning Intuitive Physics by Explaining Surprise

The IntPhys Challenge aims to evaluate how well algorithms capture "common sense" about the physical world by measuring the ability to detect violations of intuitive physics in dynamic multi-object visual scenes. One approach to this problem is to define or learn a detailed model of the observations and dynamics and to then detect violations of that model. While viable, this approach poses challenges in acquiring an accurate enough model that can handle detailed non-linear object interactions, such as visual occlusion and collisions. In this work, we consider an alternative approach, the Surprise and Explain (SnE) framework, which aims for simplicity while remaining highly flexible. The key idea is to exploit the assumption that, for the vast majority of time, objects follow simple dynamic models, e.g. linear dynamics. Further, when the simple dynamics are occasionally violated ("surprises") due to non-linear interactions, e.g. collisions and occlusion, it is assumed that there is a small set of detectable explanations for the surprise. Violations of intuitive physics then correspond to surprises for which an explanation cannot be inferred. This paper develops an instantiation of the SnE framework and demonstrates its potential in the IntPhys Challenge by placing 2 nd at the time of this paper's submission. 1
Assessing the Impact of a Training Initiative for Nasopharyngeal and Oropharyngeal Swabbing for COVID-19 Testing

ObjectiveThe accuracy and reliability of COVID-19 testing are critical to limit transmission. After observing variability in testing techniques, we otolaryngologists at a tertiary medical center in...
Correlations between the Electronic Properties of Shewanella oneidensis Cytochrome c Nitrite Reductase (ccNiR) and Its Structure: Effects of Heme Oxidation State and Active Site Ligation.

The electrochemical properties of Shewanella oneidensis cytochrome c nitrite reductase (ccNiR), a homodimer that contains five hemes per protomer, were investigated by UV–visible and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectropotentiometries. Global analysis of the UV–vis spectropotentiometric results yielded highly reproducible values for the heme midpoint potentials. These midpoint potential values were then assigned to specific hemes in each protomer (as defined in previous X-ray diffraction studies) by comparing the EPR and UV–vis spectropotentiometric results, taking advantage of the high sensitivity of EPR spectra to the structural microenvironment of paramagnetic centers. Addition of the strong-field ligand cyanide led to a 70 mV positive shift of the active site’s midpoint potential, as the cyanide bound to the initially five-coordinate high-spin heme and triggered a high-spin to low-spin transition. With cyanide present, three of the remaining hemes gave rise to distinctive and readily assignab...