Human-Machine Collaborative Optimization via Apprenticeship Scheduling

Coordinating agents to complete a set of tasks with intercoupled temporal and resource constraints is computationally challenging, yet human domain experts can solve these difficult scheduling problems using paradigms learned through years of apprenticeship. A process for manually codifying this domain knowledge within a computational framework is necessary to scale beyond the ``single-expert, single-trainee" apprenticeship model. However, human domain experts often have difficulty describing their decision-making processes, causing the codification of this knowledge to become laborious. We propose a new approach for capturing domain-expert heuristics through a pairwise ranking formulation. Our approach is model-free and does not require enumerating or iterating through a large state space. We empirically demonstrate that this approach accurately learns multifaceted heuristics on a synthetic data set incorporating job-shop scheduling and vehicle routing problems, as well as on two real-world data sets consisting of demonstrations of experts solving a weapon-to-target assignment problem and a hospital resource allocation problem. We also demonstrate that policies learned from human scheduling demonstration via apprenticeship learning can substantially improve the efficiency of a branch-and-bound search for an optimal schedule. We employ this human-machine collaborative optimization technique on a variant of the weapon-to-target assignment problem. We demonstrate that this technique generates solutions substantially superior to those produced by human domain experts at a rate up to 9.5 times faster than an optimization approach and can be applied to optimally solve problems twice as complex as those solved by a human demonstrator.Comment: Portions of this paper were published in the Proceedings of the International Joint Conference on Artificial Intelligence (IJCAI) in 2016 and in the Proceedings of Robotics: Science and Systems (RSS) in 2016. The paper consists of 50 pages with 11 figures and 4 table

Preferences for Early Retirement: The Role of Work Related Factors

This study investigated the work related factors related to the retirement preferences of 132 full time older workers, defined as those aged 55+, in a range of New Zealand organisations. This research is important as due to the ageing population, maintaining the employability of the older worker for as long as possible is vital for economic growth and sustainability. Identifying the work related factors that may be influencing the early retirement preferences of older workers may lead to a better understanding of ways to maintain these workers in employment. The aim of this study was to contribute to the understanding of the factors which can be influenced directly by organisations, as retirement preferences are strongly influenced by norms and attitudes within the workplace. The research proposed that the predictor variables perceived age discrimination, job flexibility satisfaction, attitudes towards information and communication technologies (ICTs), perceptions of techno-complexity, and perceived threat from organisational downsizing, would have a direct relationship with early retirement preferences. In this study, the older worker was considered to have early retirement preferences if their preferred retirement age was earlier than their expected retirement age. The model predicted that job satisfaction and job security would mediate the relationships between the predictor variables and early retirement preferences. Correlation and mediation analyses were performed in SPSS to test the proposed hypotheses. Several hypotheses were supported: perceived age discrimination was positively related to early retirement preferences; perceived age discrimination was negatively related to job satisfaction; job flexibility satisfaction was positively related to job satisfaction; perceived threat from organisational downsizing was negatively related to job security; job satisfaction was negatively related to early retirement preferences; and job security was negatively related to early retirement preferences. The other hypotheses were not supported. This may be due to external factors not explored in this study potentially influencing the retirement intentions of older workers more heavily than the work related factors studied. Non-hypothesized significant relationships were also found. Firstly, perceived age discrimination was significantly related to job flexibility satisfaction, job security, and perceived threat from organisational downsizing. Job satisfaction and job security were also found to be significantly related to perceived threat from organisational downsizing. These results indicate that the work related factors thought to predict early retirement intentions, are perhaps not currently as important to New Zealand employees as past research has shown, as none of the predictor variables except perceived age discrimination correlated significantly with early retirement preferences. Overall, the results indicate that there are likely to be other factors not explored in this study influencing the retirement intentions of older workers in New Zealand organisations. For organisations who have recently been through organisational downsizing, employers should be mindful of the negative impacts this can have on older workers, namely job security and job satisfaction. New Zealand organisations should strive to create working environments that take into consideration the needs of older workers, and which encourage older workers to want to stay working, even past the age they are eligible for New Zealand Superannuation. Older workers who feel as though they have limited choice when it comes to making decisions surrounding their retirement may have difficulty adjusting to post-retirement life, thus organisations should be doing all they can to encourage flexible transitions to retiremen

The University of Massachusetts Medical School Child Trauma Training Center (UMMS-CTTC) [English and Spanish versions]

A Spanish translation of this publication is available to download under Additional Files below. The UMMS Child Trauma Training Center mission is to improve the identification of trauma and increase trauma-sensitive care and access to evidence-based trauma-focused treatment for at-risk and underserved populations in Central and Western Massachusetts, including court-involved youth and military families, ages 6 to 18 years

Examination of the Cumulative Risk Assessment and Nutritional Profiles among College Ballet Dancers

This study examined female collegiate ballet dancers\u27 ( = 28) Female Athlete Triad (Triad) risk via the Cumulative Risk Assessment (CRA) and nutritional profiles (macro- and micronutrients; = 26). The CRA identified Triad return to play criteria (RTP: Full Clearance, Provisional Clearance, or Restricted/Medical Disqualified) by assessing eating disorder risk, low energy availability, menstrual cycle dysfunction, and low bone mineral density. Seven-day dietary assessments identified any energy imbalances of macro- and micronutrients. Ballet dancers were identified as low, within normal, or high for each of the 19 nutrients assessed. Basic descriptive statistics assessed CRA risk classification and dietary macro- and micronutrient levels. Dancers averaged 3.5 ± 1.6 total score on the CRA. Based on these scores, the RTP outcomes revealed Full Clearance 7.1%, = 2; Provisional Clearance 82.1%, = 23; and Restricted/Medical Disqualification 10.7%, = 3. Dietary reports revealed that 96.2% ( = 25) of ballet dancers were low in carbohydrates, 92.3% ( = 24) low in protein, 19.2% ( = 5) low in fat percent, 19.2% ( = 5) exceeding saturated fats, 100% ( = 26) low in Vitamin D, and 96.2% ( = 25) low in calcium. Due to the variability in individual risks and nutrient requirements, a patient-centered approach is a critical part of early prevention, evaluation, intervention, and healthcare for the Triad and nutritional-based clinical evaluations

A New α5β1 Integrin-Dependent Survival Pathway Through GSK3β Activation in Leukemic Cells

Cell survival mediated by integrin engagement has been implicated in cell adhesion-mediated drug resistance. We have recently demonstrated that the activation of glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta (GSK3beta) is a new pathway supporting the chemoresistance of leukemic cells adhered to fibronectin.We show here that in conditions of serum starvation, the fibronectin receptor alpha(5)beta(1) integrin, but not alpha(4)beta(1), induced activation of GSK3beta through Ser-9 dephosphorylation in adherent U937 cells. The GSK3beta-dependent survival pathway occurred in adherent leukemic cells from patients but not in the HL-60 and KG1 cell lines. In adhesion, activated GSK3beta was found in the cytosol/plasma membrane compartment and was co-immunoprecipitated with alpha(5) integrin, the phosphatase PP2A and the scaffolding protein RACK1. PP2A and its regulatory subunit B' regulated the Ser-9 phosphorylation of GSK3beta. In adherent leukemic cells, alpha(5)beta(1) integrin but not alpha(4)beta(1) upregulated the resistance to TNFalpha-induced apoptosis. Both extrinsic and intrinsic apoptotic pathways were under the control of alpha(5)beta(1) and GSK3beta.Our data show that, upon serum starvation, alpha(5)beta(1) integrin engagement could regulate specific pro-survival functions through the activation of GSK3beta

Educational Interventions to Improve Advance Care Planning Discussions, Documentation and Billing

Background/Objectives: To determine the impact of educational interventions, clinic workflow redesign, and quality improvement coaching on the frequency of advance care planning (ACP) activities for patients over the age of 65. Design: Nonrandomized before-and-after study. Setting: 13 ambulatory care clinics with 81 primary care providers in eastern and central North Carolina. Participants: Patients across 13 primary care clinics staffed by 66 physicians, 8 physician assistants and 7 family nurse practitioners. Interventions: Interprofessional, interactive ACP training for the entire interprofessional team and quality improvement project management with an emphasis on workflow redesign. Measurements: From July 2017 through June 2018—number of ACP discussions, number of written ACP documents incorporated into the electronic medical record (EMR), number of ACP encounters billed. Results: Following the interventions, healthcare providers were more than twice as likely to conduct ACP discussions with their patients. Patients were 1.4 times more likely to have an ACP document included in their electronic medical record. Providers were significantly (p < 0.05) more likely to bill for an ACP encounter in only one clinic. Conclusions: Implementing ACP education for all clinic staff, planning for workflow changes to involve the entire interprofessional team and supporting ACP activities with quality improvement coaching leads to statistically significant improvements in the frequency of ACP discussions, the number of ACP documents included in the electronic medical record and number of ACP encounters billed

Identification of Chlamydia trachomatis Antigens Recognized by T Cells From Highly Exposed Women Who Limit or Resist Genital Tract Infection

Background. Natural infection induces partial immunity to Chlamydia trachomatis. Identification of chlamydial antigens that induce interferon γ (IFN-) secretion by T cells from immune women could advance vaccine development

Correction: Managing Climate Change Refugia for Climate Adaptation.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0159909.]

Examination of the Cumulative Risk Assessment and Nutritional Profiles among College Ballet Dancers

This study examined female collegiate ballet dancers’ (n = 28) Female Athlete Triad (Triad) risk via the Cumulative Risk Assessment (CRA) and nutritional profiles (macro- and micronutrients; n = 26). The CRA identified Triad return to play criteria (RTP: Full Clearance, Provisional Clearance, or Restricted/Medical Disqualified) by assessing eating disorder risk, low energy availability, menstrual cycle dysfunction, and low bone mineral density. Seven-day dietary assessments identified any energy imbalances of macro- and micronutrients. Ballet dancers were identified as low, within normal, or high for each of the 19 nutrients assessed. Basic descriptive statistics assessed CRA risk classification and dietary macro- and micronutrient levels. Dancers averaged 3.5 ± 1.6 total score on the CRA. Based on these scores, the RTP outcomes revealed Full Clearance 7.1%, n = 2; Provisional Clearance 82.1%, n = 23; and Restricted/Medical Disqualification 10.7%, n = 3. Dietary reports revealed that 96.2% (n = 25) of ballet dancers were low in carbohydrates, 92.3% (n = 24) low in protein, 19.2% (n = 5) low in fat percent, 19.2% (n = 5) exceeding saturated fats, 100% (n = 26) low in Vitamin D, and 96.2% (n = 25) low in calcium. Due to the variability in individual risks and nutrient requirements, a patient-centered approach is a critical part of early prevention, evaluation, intervention, and healthcare for the Triad and nutritional-based clinical evaluations

Managing climate change refugia for climate adaptation

Refugia have long been studied from paleontological and biogeographical perspectives to understand how populations persisted during past periods of unfavorable climate. Recently, researchers have applied the idea to contemporary landscapes to identify climate change refugia, here defined as areas relatively buffered from contemporary climate change over time that enable persistence of valued physical, ecological, and socio-cultural resources. We differentiate historical and contemporary views, and characterize physical and ecological processes that create and maintain climate change refugia. We then delineate how refugia can fit into existing decision support frameworks for climate adaptation and describe seven steps for managing them. Finally, we identify challenges and opportunities for operationalizing the concept of climate change refugia. Managing climate change refugia can be an important option for conservation in the face of ongoing climate change