On the Modular Isomorphism Problem for groups of class 3

We study the Modular Isomorphism Problem applying a combination of existing and new techniques. We make use of the small group algebra to give a positive answer for two classes of groups of nilpotency class 3. We also introduce a new approach to derive properties of the lower central series of a finite $p$-group from the structure of the associated modular group algebra. Finally, we study the class of so-called $p$-obelisks which are highlighted by recent computer-aided investigations of the problem.Comment: 24 page

Cross-sectional and longitudinal risk of physical impairment in a cohort of postmenopausal women who experience physical and verbal abuse.

BackgroundExposure to interpersonal violence, namely verbal and physical abuse, is a highly prevalent threat to women's health and well-being. Among older, post-menopausal women, several researchers have characterized a possible bi-directional relationship of abuse exposure and diminished physical functioning. However, studies that prospectively examine the relationship between interpersonal abuse exposure and physical functioning across multiple years of observation are lacking. To address this literature gap, we prospectively evaluate the association between abuse exposure and physical functioning in a large, national cohort of post-menopausal women across 12 years of follow-up observation.MethodsMultivariable logistic regression was used to measure the adjusted association between experiencing abuse and physical function score at baseline in 154,902 Women's Health Initiative (WHI) participants. Multilevel modeling, where the trajectories of decline in physical function were modeled as a function of time-varying abuse exposure, was used to evaluate the contribution of abuse to trajectories of physical function scores over time.ResultAbuse was prevalent among WHI participants, with 11 % of our study population reporting baseline exposure. Verbal abuse was the most commonly reported abuse type (10 %), followed by combined physical and verbal abuse (1 %), followed by physical abuse in the absence of verbal abuse (0.2 %). Abuse exposure (all types) was associated with diminished physical functioning, with women exposed to combined physical and verbal abuse presenting baseline physical functioning scores consistent with non-abused women 20 years senior. Results did not reveal a differential rate of decline over time in physical functioning based on abuse exposure.ConclusionsTaken together, our findings suggest a need for increased awareness of the prevalence of abuse exposure among postmenopausal women; they also underscore the importance of clinician's vigilance in their efforts toward the prevention, early detection and effective intervention with abuse exposure, including verbal abuse exposure, in post-menopausal women. Given our findings related to abuse exposure and women's diminished physical functioning at WHI baseline, our work illuminates a need for further study, particularly the investigation of this association in younger, pre-menopausal women so that the temporal ordering if this relationship may be better understood

Association between diabetes, diabetes treatment and risk of developing endometrial cancer.

BackgroundA growing body of evidence suggests that diabetes is a risk factor for endometrial cancer incidence. However, most of these studies used case-control study designs and did not adjust for obesity, an established risk factor for endometrial cancer. In addition, few epidemiological studies have examined the association between diabetes treatment and endometrial cancer risk. The objective of this study was to assess the relationships among diabetes, diabetes treatment and endometrial cancer risk in postmenopausal women participating in the Women's Health Initiative (WHI).MethodsA total of 88 107 postmenopausal women aged 50-79 years who were free of cancer and had no hysterectomy at baseline were followed until date of endometrial cancer diagnosis, death, hysterectomy or loss to follow-up, whichever came first. Endometrial cancers were confirmed by central medical record and pathology report review. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) (95% confidence interval (CI)) for diagnosis of diabetes and metformin treatment as risk factors for endometrial cancer.ResultsOver a mean of 11 years of follow-up, 1241 endometrial cancers developed. In the primary analysis that focused on prevalent diabetes at enrolment, compared with women without diabetes, women with self-reported diabetes, and the subset of women with treated diabetes, had significantly higher risk of endometrial cancer without adjusting for BMI (HR=1.44, 95% CI: 1.13-1.85 for diabetes, HR=1.57, 95% CI: 1.19-2.07 for treated diabetes). However after adjusting for BMI, the associations between diabetes, diabetes treatment, diabetes duration and the risk of endometrial cancer became non-significant. Elevated risk was noted when considering combining diabetes diagnosed at baseline and during follow-up as time-dependent exposure (HR=1.31, 95% CI: 1.08-1.59) even after adjusting for BMI. No significant association was observed between metformin use and endometrial cancer risk.ConclusionsOur results suggest that the relationship observed in previous research between diabetes and endometrial cancer incidence may be largely confounded by body weight, although some modest independent elevated risk remains

HLA-B*57:01 Allele Prevalence in HIV-infected North American Subjects and the Impact of Allele Testing on the Incidence of Abacavir-associated Hypersensitivity Reaction in HLA-B*57:01-negative Subjects

BACKGROUND: The presence of the HLA-B*57:01 allele in HIV-infected subjects is associated with a higher risk of abacavir-associated hypersensitivity reaction (ABC HSR). HLA-B*57:01 allele prevalence varies in different populations, but HLA-B*57:01 testing with immunological confirmation has had a negative predictive value for ABC HSR between 97 and 100%. METHODS: In the ASSURE study (EPZ113734), the HLA-B*57:01 prevalence in virologically suppressed, antiretroviral treatment-experienced, HIV-infected subjects from the United States, including Puerto Rico, was assessed. RESULTS: Three hundred eighty-five subjects were screened; 13 were HLA-B*57:01 positive and 372 were negative. Only HLA-B*57:01-negative, abacavir-naive subjects were eligible to enroll into the ASSURE trial. Eleven of the 13 subjects who possessed the HLA-B*57:01 allele were white, the other 2 were African-American. There was no geographic clustering of HLA-B*57:01-positive subjects, and the incidence correlated roughly with those states with the greatest numbers of subjects screened. Similarly, there was no statistically significant correlation between subjects who possessed or lacked the allele and age, gender, ethnicity or CD4+ T-cell numbers. The incidence of ABC HSR following abacavir initiation was also evaluated. Only 1 of 199 HLA-B*57:01-negative subjects (an African-American male) randomized to receive abacavir-containing treatment developed symptoms consistent with suspected ABC HSR; ABC HSR was not immunologically confirmed. CONCLUSIONS: These findings confirm the utility of HLA-B*57:01 allele testing to reduce the frequency of ABC HSR. The prevalence of HLA-B*57:01 positivity was higher in white than in African-American subjects. In HLA-B*57:01-negative subjects, suspected ABC HSR is very rare, but should lead to discontinuation of abacavir when ABC HSR cannot be definitively excluded from the differential diagnosis. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The ASSURE (EPZ113734) study was registered on ClinicalTrials.gov registration on April 8th 2010 and the registration number is NCT01102972

Expanding Ethical Standards of HMR: Necessary Evils and the Multiple Dimensions of Impact

Ethical challenges abound in HRM. Each day, in the course of executing and communicating HR decisions, managers have the potential to change, shape, redirect, and fundamentally alter the course of other people\u27s lives. Managers make hiring decisions that reward selected applicants with salaries, benefits, knowledge, and skills, but leave the remaining applicants bereft of these opportunities and advantages. Managers make promotion decisions that reward selected employees with raises, status, and responsibility, leaving other employees wondering about their future and their potential. Managers make firing and lay-off decisions in order to improve corporate performance, all the while harming the targeted individuals and even undermining the commitment and energy of survivors. Even when managers complete performance appraisals and deliver performance feedback, they may inspire one employee and devastate another. For each HR practice, there are winners and there are losers: Those who get the job, or receive a portfolio of benefits, and those who do not

Final Cultural Resources Report For The Salt Creek Midstream, LLC Proposed Waha II Pipeline Project On State Of Texas Lands In Reeves County, Texas

Enercon Services, Inc. (ENERCON), in support of Salt Creek Midstream, LLC, conducted an intensive archeological survey for the proposed Waha II Pipeline Project. The proposed pipeline is approximately 27.33 miles in length, located near Pecos, Texas in Reeves County. This report encompasses only the two State of Texas Lands, administered by the Texas General Land Office (TGLO), segments of the proposed Waha II Pipeline Project which is approximately 0.69-miles (3,666 feet) in length in Reeves County. The State of Texas Lands portion of the project area is mapped on the United States Geological Survey (USGS) Toyah Lake, Tex. (1963), and Old X Ranch, Tex. (1963, Photorevised 1981), 7.5 Minute Quadrangles. The construction corridor consists of a 50-foot-wide permanent pipeline right-of-way (ROW) and a 50-footwide temporary workspace corridor. The cultural resources survey corridor was 100 feet wide for the entire 0.69-mile length of the pipeline segment through the State of Texas Lands. The total area inspected during the cultural resources survey of the State of Texas Lands was 8.43 acres (3.41 hectares). The survey of the State of Texas property was completed under Texas Antiquities Permit No. 9017. The cultural resources field investigation on State of Texas Lands occurred on August 2 and 3, 2018 by J. Matthew Oliver and Gary D. Edington and consisted of an intensive pedestrian survey utilizing transects not spaced greater than 15 meters apart with shovel tests. The field investigation was conducted in accordance with the Texas Historical Commission (THC) Archeological Survey Standards for Texas. The entire project was supervised by Gary D. Edington, an ENERCON archeologist who meets the U.S. Secretary of the Interior’s Professional Qualification Standards for archeology as set forth in 36 CFR 61. The cultural resources survey resulted in the observation of two isolated finds (IF). IF#8 is a single lithic flake of brown chert observed on the surface in the east tract of State of Texas Lands. IF#9 is a small bulldozer push-pile of old wooden fence posts and barbed wire observed adjacent to the east fence line of the east tract of Texas State lands. IF#8 and IF#9 lack information potential and are not eligible for the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) or State Antiquities Landmarks (SAL). The cultural resources survey did not result in finding any additional historic or prehistoric artifacts, features, cultural lenses, or sites over 50 years of age on State of Texas Lands. No archeological sites were encountered, and no artifacts were collected. Therefore, it is recommended that the project will have no effect on any cultural resources that may qualify for inclusion to the NRHP on State of Texas Lands. No further cultural resources investigations are recommended prior to construction of the proposed Waha II Pipeline project on State of Texas Lands. If cultural material, including sites, features, or artifacts that are 50 years old or older are encountered within the ROW during construction of this project, work in the area must cease and the regional THC Archeologist must be immediately be notified

Final Cultural Resources Report For The Salt Creek Midstream, LLC Proposed Bunker Hill (North Trunk) Pipeline On University Of Texas Lands In Winkler County, Texas

Enercon Services, Inc. (ENERCON), in support of Salt Creek Midstream, LLC, conducted a cultural resources investigation for the proposed Bunker Hill (North Trunk) Pipeline. The entire proposed pipeline is approximately 29.68 miles (47.77 km) in length and located in Ward and Winkler counties, Texas and Lea County, New Mexico near the towns of Wink, Texas and Kermit, Texas. This report encompasses only the portion of the proposed Bunker Hill (North Trunk) Pipeline in Winkler County, Texas on University of Texas lands. The University of Texas is a political subdivision of the State of Texas. The portion of the Bunker Hill (North Trunk) Pipeline on University of Texas lands is approximately 9.38 miles (15.10 km) in length. The University of Texas Lands portion of the APE is depicted on the United States Geological Survey (USGS) Wink South, Tex. (1968, Photorevised 1981) and Wink North, Tex. (1970), 7.5 Minute Quadrangle maps. The construction corridor consists of a 50 feet (15 m) wide permanent pipeline right-ofway (ROW) and an additional 50 feet (15 m) wide temporary workspace corridor. The cultural resources survey corridor of the area-of-potential-effect (APE) on University of Texas Lands consists of the 9.38 mi (15.10 km) by 100 feet (30 m) corridor, totaling 113.74 acres (46.03 hectares). The cultural resources intensive field survey and report are intended to assist in adhering to the 1969 Texas Antiquities Code (TAC) and the intensive field survey of the University of Texas Lands was completed under TAC Permit No. 8408. The cultural resources survey on University of Texas Lands was conducted April 9-11, 2018 by ENERCON archaeologists Cody Kiker and Steven Sykes. Fieldwork consisted of intensive pedestrian survey utilizing transects not spaced greater than 15 meters apart. The entire project was supervised by Michael Margolis, an ENERCON archaeologist who meets the U.S. Secretary of the Interior’s Professional Qualification Standards for archeology as set forth in 36 CFR 61. Fieldwork was conducted in accordance with the Texas Historical Commission (THC) Archeological Survey Standards for Texas. The cultural resources survey of the proposed Bunker Hill (North Trunk) Pipeline on University of Texas Lands resulted in the recording of two sites, 41WK131 and 41WK133. Site 41WK131 consists of a dilapidated corral or livestock pen with loading chutes. No evidence of intact deposits, features, cultural lenses, or additional cultural materials were observed at the site. Due to the lack of information potential, 41WK131 is not recommended as eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP), and no further work is recommended at the location of 41WK131. Salt Creek Midstream, LLC procedures dictate that all standing structures be avoided, thus 41WK131 was avoided during construction. Site 41WK133 consists of a small scatter of early to mid-20th century domestic trash including metal, ceramics, and glass. No evidence of intact deposits, features, cultural lenses, or additional cultural materials were observed at the site. Due to the lack of information potential, 41WK133 is not recommended as eligible for listing on the NRHP, and no further work is recommended at the location of 41WK133. The cultural resources survey did not result in the observation of any additional historic or prehistoric artifacts, features, cultural lenses, or sites on University of Texas Lands. Therefore, it is recommended that the project will have no effect on any historic property that may qualify for inclusion in the NRHP on University of Texas Lands. No further cultural resources investigations are recommended prior to construction of the proposed Bunker Hill (North Trunk) Pipeline on University of Texas Lands. If cultural material, including sites, features, or artifacts that are 50 years old or older are encountered within the ROW during construction of this project, work in the area must cease and the regional THC Archeologist must be notified immediately

Cultural Resources Report For The Salt Creek Midstream, LLC Proposed Halcon Pipeline On Texas General Land Office Lands In Reeves County, Texas

Enercon Services, Inc. (ENERCON), in support of Salt Creek Midstream, LLC, conducted an intensive cultural resources survey for the proposed Halcon Pipeline. The proposed pipeline is approximately 43.3 miles (69.7 km) in length and located near Pecos, Texas in Ward and Reeves counties. This report encompasses only the portion of the proposed Halcon Pipeline located on two tracts of Permanent School Fund land in Reeves County, Texas. The Permanent School Fund is administered by the Texas General Land Office (TGLO), a political subdivision of the State of Texas. The portion of the Halcon Pipeline on TGLO lands is approximately 1.8 miles (2.8 km) in length and depicted on the United States Geological Survey (USGS) Quito Draw, Tex. (1963, Photorevised 1981), Old X Ranch, Tex. (1963, Photorevised 1981), Toyah Lake, Tex. (1963) 7.5 Minute Quadrangle maps. The construction corridor consists of a 50 feet (15 m) wide permanent pipeline right-of-way (ROW) and an additional 50 feet (15 m) wide temporary workspace corridor. The cultural resources survey area of potential effect (APE) consists of the 1.8 mile (2.8 km) by 100 feet (30 m) corridor, totaling 21.3 acres (8.6 hectares). The cultural resources investigation is intended to assist in adhering to the 1969 Antiquities Code of Texas and the cultural resources survey on TGLO lands was completed under Texas Antiquities Permit No. 8275. The entire project was supervised by Michael M. Margolis, an ENERCON archeologist who meets the U.S. Secretary of the Interior’s Professional Qualification Standards for archeology as set forth in 36 CFR 61. Prior to the survey, a search of the Texas Archeological Sites Atlas (the Atlas) was conducted by Michael M. Margolis to locate previously recorded archeological sites, archeological surveys, National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) properties, and State Antiquities Landmarks (SALs). Based on the Atlas, one site, 41RV60, has been previously recorded within 1-mile of the APE on TGLO lands. Site 41RV60 is an Early Archaic lithic scatter recorded by URS Corporation in March 2014 and was determined ineligible for listing on the NRHP by the State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO) on April 8, 2014. Site 41RV60 is located approximately 4,500 feet (1,372 m) from the APE and will not be impacted by construction of the proposed Halcon Pipeline. Two archeological surveys or studies are mapped within 1-mile of the APE on TGLO lands. The cultural resources survey of the Halcon Pipeline APE on TGLO lands was conducted December 1-2, 2017 by Julie Wasinger and Gary D. Edington, ENERCON archeologists who meet the U.S. Secretary of the Interior’s Professional Qualification Standards for archeology as set forth in 36 CFR 61. Salt Creek Midstream, LLC procedures dictate that all standing structures be avoided during construction. Fieldwork was conducted in accordance with the Texas Historical Commission (THC) Archeological Survey Standards for Texas. The cultural resources survey of the Halcon Pipeline APE did not result in finding any historic or prehistoric artifacts, features, cultural lenses, or sites and no artifacts were collected on TGLO lands. Therefore, it is recommended that construction of the proposed Halcon Pipeline on TGLO lands will have no effect on any historic property that may qualify for inclusion on the NRHP or SAL listings. No further cultural resources investigations are recommended prior to construction of the proposed Halcon Pipeline on TGLO lands. If cultural material, including sites, features, or artifacts that are 50 years old or older are encountered within the APE during construction of the Halcon Pipeline on TGLO lands, work in the area must cease and the regional THC Archeologist (512-463-6096) must be notified immediately

Zoster vaccination is associated with a reduction of zoster in elderly patients with chronic kidney disease.

BACKGROUND: Growing epidemiological evidence demonstrates increased zoster risks in people with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Study objectives were to determine zoster vaccine effectiveness in individuals with CKD in pragmatic use. METHODS: A population-based cohort study was undertaken in a 5% random sample of US Medicare from 2007 to 2009 involving 766 330 eligible individuals aged ≥65 years who were (29 785) and were not (736 545) exposed to the zoster vaccine. Incidence rates for zoster in vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals and hazard ratios for zoster comparing vaccinated with unvaccinated were determined for individuals with CKD. Time-updated Cox proportional hazards models were used, adjusting for relevant confounders. RESULTS: CKD was present in 183 762 (24%) of individuals (15% of vaccinees). Adjusted vaccine effectiveness [95% confidence intervals (CIs)] in individuals with CKD was 0.49 (0.36-0.65). The adjusted vaccine effectiveness in participants with both CKD and diabetes mellitus was 0.46 (95% CI 0.09-0.68). Vaccine effectiveness estimates were similar to those previously reported for the general population [vaccine effectiveness 0.48 (95% CI 0.39-0.56)]. CONCLUSIONS: Zoster vaccine is effective against incident zoster in older individuals with CKD. Extra efforts are warranted to increase vaccine uptake in individuals with CKD given the known low uptake in these higher risk individuals

Peer mentorship and positive effects on student mentor and mentee retention and academic success

This study examined how the introduction of peer mentorship in an undergraduate health and social welfare programme at a large northern university affected student learning. Using an ethnographic case study approach, the study draws upon data collected from a small group of mentors and their mentees over a period of one academic year using interviews, reflective journals, assessment and course evaluation data. Analysis of the data collected identified a number of key findings: peer mentorship improves assessment performance for both mentee and mentor; reduces stress and anxiety, enhances participation and engagement in the academic community, and adds value to student outcomes