cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Blood meal-induced changes to antennal transcriptome profiles reveal shifts in odor sensitivities in Anopheles gambiae

Olfactory-driven behaviors are central to the lifecycle of the malaria vector mosquito Anopheles gambiae and are initiated by peripheral signaling in the antenna and other olfactory tissues. To continue gaining insight into the relationship between gene expression and olfaction, we have performed cohort comparisons of antennal transcript abundances at five time points after a blood meal, a key event in both reproduction and disease transmission cycles. We found that more than 5,000 transcripts displayed significant abundance differences, many of which were correlated by cluster analysis. Within the chemosensory gene families, we observed a general reduction in the level of chemosensory gene transcripts, although a subset of odorant receptors (AgOrs) was modestly enhanced in post–blood-fed samples. Integration of AgOr transcript abundance data with previously characterized AgOr excitatory odorant response profiles revealed potential changes in antennal odorant receptivity that coincided with the shift from host-seeking to oviposition behaviors in blood-fed female mosquitoes. Behavioral testing of ovipositing females to odorants highlighted by this synthetic analysis identified two unique, unitary oviposition cues for An. gambiae, 2-propylphenol and 4-methylcyclohexanol. We posit that modest, yet cumulative, alterations of AgOr transcript levels modulate peripheral odor coding resulting in biologically relevant behavioral effects. Moreover, these results demonstrate that highly quantitative, RNAseq transcript abundance data can be successfully integrated with functional data to generate testable hypotheses.
Evolution of particle number distribution near roadways. Part II: the 'Road-to-Ambient' process

Abstract The ‘road-to-ambient’ evolution of particle number distributions near the 405 and 710 freeways in Los Angeles, California, in both summer and winter, were analyzed and then simulated by a multi-component sectional aerosol dynamic model. Condensation/evaporation and dilution were demonstrated to be the major mechanisms in altering aerosol size distribution, while coagulation and deposition play minor roles. Seasonal effects were significant with winters generally less dynamic than summers. A large number of particles grew into the >10 nm range around 30–90 m downwind of the freeways. Beyond 90 m some shrink to 100 nm as a result of competition between partial pressure and vapor pressure. Particle compositions probably change dramatically as components adapt to decreasing gas-phase concentration due to dilution, so number distribution evolution is also an evolution of composition. As a result, people who live within about 90 m of roadways are exposed to particle sizes and compositions that others are not.
A graph coloring based approach for self-checking logic circuit design

This paper presents a technique for designing self-checking logic circuits by using residue codes. There are no restrictions or assumptions made about the implementation of the circuit. For any single stuck-at fault that causes bi-directional error at the output, all pairs of faulty output lines that show bi-directional errors are identified. Based on the bi-directional dependency between the outputs, a minimum set of residue weights are assigned to the output lines so that any error at the outputs can be detected.
Otolith function as determined by body orientation in a human centrifuge

In an attempt to better understand the otolith organs' contribution to postural control and their involvement with antigravity muscle spindle gain, we propose employing a human centrifuge to simulate prolonged exposure to free-fall and +G environments while quantifying each volunteer's vestibulospinal reflex (VSR) utilizing vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (VEMP). The two testing environments will stimulate the saccule organ in opposing fashions, acting inferiorly and superiorly respectively, either hyperpolarizing or depolarizing the organ's hair cells. The findings of this study may lead to new techniques that assist with motor control in cerebral palsy patients and astronauts returning from spaceflight.
Incorporating compiler feedback into the design of ASIPs

This paper presents a framework for providing feedback from an optimizing compiler into the design of an ASIP (Application Specific Instruction-set Processor). The optimizing compiler is used to assess the hardware needs of a suite of applications to which the ASIP is to be tuned. By incorporating the compiler into the design process, the design space is increased as more information is provided at an earlier stage during the design process. Our initial study involves detecting potentially chainable operation sequences using scheduling techniques developed for exploiting instruction-level parallelism. Results of this study are included. >
Biological and molecular correlates between induced dedifferentiation and spore germination in Dictyostelium

When developing cultures of Dictyostelium discoideum are disaggregated at any time prior to cell wall formation and challenged to reinitiate development, amoebae will progress through the original sequence of morphogenetic stages, but the second time through they will do so in roughly one-tenth the original time, a process known as ‘rapid recapitulation’. However, if disaggregated cells are suspended in nutrient medium, they enter a program of dedifferentiation during which they lose the capacity to rapidly recapitulate after an 80 minute lag period in a process known as ‘erasure’. Here we show that cells that have completed the morphogenetic program and emerge from spore coats in the process of germination have also erased. In addition, the germination-specific 270 gene family is expressed during induced dedifferentiation in a unique fashion, and a germination-defective mutant exhibits a dramatic delay in erasure without concomitant defects in the program of gene regulation accompanying induced dedifferentiation. These results suggest for the first time that induced dedifferentiation and spore germination share some common processes in converting cells from a developmental to vegetative state.
Criminal Liability of the Field Engineer

The state shall save harmless and indemnify all officers and employees of the state from financial loss arising out of any claim, demand, suit, or judgment by reason of alleged negligence or other act by such officer or employee provided that such officer or employee at the time damages were sustained was acting in the discharge of his duties and within the scope of his employment and that such damages did not result from the willful and wrongful act or gross negligence of such officer or employee (McKinney's Consolidated Laws of New York, Annotated, Public Officers Law, 17.) Certainly the time to enact legislation beneficial to the resident engineer is before the disaster. Responsible officials must contractually define the responsibilities of the field engineer thereby reducing the liability in case of a disaster. Indemnification legislation should be enacted in all the states for the protection of the field engineer.
“America’s New Design for Living:” The Interstate Highway System and the Spatial Transformation of the U.S.

The Interstate Highway System is a 46,000 mi (74,030 km) freeway system created in 1944 and funded beginning in 1956, and which has thus far cost over $120 billion. It was created as a modern and fully planned highway system to connect metropolitan areas and serve long distance automobile and truck travel. The Interstate Highway System helped transform the spatial organization of the country as travel times and costs greatly decreased, reducing the importance of locations within the traditional manufacturing areas. Urban freeway systems have similarly transformed metropolitan areas into non-centered sprawling regions. Within several years opposition to the System began to emerge, growing in strength through the 1960s as the “freeway revolt.” Increased environmental requirements and growing costs slowed down construction and resulted in more flexibility. In recent decades attention has shifted towards a more multimodal transport system, but new highway projects in China and India are based on the U.S. Interstate System and explicitly seek to create similar outcomes.
Vindicating the Defendant's Constitutional Right to Testify at a Criminal Trial: The Need for an On-the-Record Waiver

This paper contends that a criminal defendant's right to testify on her own behalf is illusory without a mechanism that will guarantee that she understands that she possesses this right. It suggests a method for obtaining a voluntary, knowing, and intelligent on-the-record waiver in those cases in which the defendant has chosen not to testify.
Narrative Explanation and Redescription

Over the past decade numerous philosophers have devoted considerable effort to explicating and defending the claim that narrative can be a satisfactory form of explanation. Much of this interest in narrative has taken the form of a reaction against the covering-law model of explanation particularly against the claim that that model is applicable to history and to what W. B. Gallie has called "the genetic sciences."1 What has been lacking from most of this discussion of narrative is any very clear indication of just what narrative is or any extended attempt to delineate its logical features. The philosophical yield of introducing the concept "narrative" into discussions of explanation has frequently appeared to be very small. In a recent paper Michael Ruse has argued that the logical structure of explanations relating to the theory of evolution can be examined more helpfully by using the covering-law model than by using a narrative model of explanation.2 Ruse's paper takes the form of a critique of T. A. Goudge's The Ascent of Life,3 in which Goudge argues for the particular appropriateness of a narrative model for some kinds of explanation involving evolutionary theory. Ruse suggests that the logical features even of the example which Goudge selects are revealed more fully by the covering-law model than by Goudge's narrative model. I should like to argue here that the covering-law model is
Acute emotional crises and ulcerative colitis. Report of seven cases.

In patients with ulcerative colitis, psychogenic factors, emotional disturbances, and personality deviations are present more consistently than can be explained on the basis of chance. The onset of ulcerative colitis after certain types of traumatic emotional shock occurs more frequently than mere coincidence would indicate.
Variability in seed oil content and fatty acid composition, phenotypic traits and self-incompatibility among selected niger germplasm accessions

Niger (Guizotia abyssinica, L.) is a desirable oilseed crop for birdseed, especially for finches (Spinus spp.) because of its high ratio of unsaturated to saturated fatty acids and relatively high oil content. In 2012, phenotypic traits, seed oil and fatty acid content measurements were made on 14 plant introductions (PIs) from the United States Department of Agriculture germplasm collection. The PIs originated in Ethiopia (ten), India (three) and USA (one). The phenotypic traits analysed included seed/plant, branches/plant, capitula/plant1, average seed/capitulum and plant height. After initial assessments of the 14 PIs, three were selected for use as parents to produce two one-way and two two-way F 1 crosses for the purpose of evaluating self-incompatibility (SI). Parent and F 1 progeny seeds were planted in a greenhouse and transplanted to a field site at the East Tennessee Research and Education Center (2012, 2013 and 2014). Comparisons from 2012 showed seed oil of the 14 PIs ranging from 32.9 to 37.9% (PI 508076 (Ethiopia) and PI 509436 (India), respectively). Major fatty acids included stearic, palmitic, oleic and linoleic; with linoleic acid in highest amount. PI508079 (Ethiopia) had the best combination of seed yield, seed oil and linoleic acid content. Over 2013 and 2014, SI ranged from 91.1 to 100.0%. W6 18860 (USA) had the most self-compatibility, and the F 1 plants generated from crosses between W6 18860 and other plants tended to be self-compatible when the former was used as a pollen recipient. The results obtained from this study should be useful for niger breeding and production purposes.
Flight Test Validation of a Neural Network based Long Term Learning Adaptive Flight Controller

Presented at the AIAA Guidance Navigation and Control Conference; Chicago, Illinois; August, 2009.
Mean Platelet Volume During Coagulase- Negative Staphylococcal Sepsis in Neonates

Coagulase-negative staphylococci are the most common cause of late-onset septicemia in neonates in intensive care nurseries. Clinical and laboratory diagnosis of infection with coagulase-negative staphylococci can be difficult. The authors reviewed serial mean platelet volumes of 18 infants in whom coagulase-negative staphylococci sepsis developed and found a significant increase in the mean platelet volume at the time of diagnosis and a return to baseline after resolution of the infection. The increase in mean platelet volume occurred although thrombocytopenia developed in only two of the infants and no difference was found in the mean platelet counts before and at the time of diagnosis of the infection. This finding may be a useful adjunct to the current laboratory tests used to diagnose coagulase-negative staphylococci sepsis in neonates.
Macroscopic Behavior of Kraft Lignin Fractions: Melt Stability Considerations for Lignin–Polyethylene Blends

Questions that pertain to the behavior of softwood kraft lignin fractions as opposed to the whole lignin still prevail. In an effort to further understand such effects at a macroscopic level, we have examined the issue of melt stability of polyethylene (PE) in blends with fractionated and unfractionated softwood kraft lignin. While methylation of the phenolic OH groups significantly stabilizes any lignin/PE melt, more in depth data demonstrate that when separate, acetone soluble (ASKL) and acetone insoluble (AIKL) kraft lignin fractions behave completely differently than the original unfractionated material. The low molecular weight methylated ASKL offers unexpected plasticizing action to PE melts, possibly as a consequence of its low molecular weight and spherical configuration. The higher molecular weight AIKL offers relatively stable PE melts, possibly manifesting its rigid nature and higher glass transition temperature likely occurring due to π stacking operating among its aromatic rings. Mixing these...
Correlation between polymorphism of ACE gene and lipid metabolism and blood pressure in children with obesity

Objective To explore the distribution of polymorphisms of 16th intron for angiotensin converting enzyme(ACE) gene(insertion/deletion,I/D) and frequency of D-allele in healthy children and patients with simple obesity,and investigate the impact of polymorphisms for ACE gene on lipid metabolism and blood pressure in chi1dren with simple obesity.Methods One hundred and five children with simple obesity were enrolled in the study,and 98 healthy children were studied as controls.Polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism(RFLP) and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis were used to analyze the variation of the ACE gene and frequency of D allele.Serum triglyceride(TG),total cholesterol(TC),high density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C),and low density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C) were tested,height and weight were measured,and their body mass indexes(BMI) were calculated as well.Results Three genotypes of 16th intron of ACE gene(D/D,D/I,I/I) were detected.Compared with control subjects,D-allele frequency and D/D frequency of ACE gene were higher in simple obesity children(43.75% and 27.5%,respectively,P 0.05).The comparison among heterozygotus simple obesity children showed that the levels of the TG and TC,LDL-C and blood pressure,BMI were higher,while HDL-C was lower in children with D/D genotype(P 0.01).Conclusions There is polymorphism of the ACE gene in healthy and obesity children.The ACE gene affects lipid metabolisms,distribution of lipids,and blood pressure in children.
Analysis on Duopoly under Nonlinear Pricing to Product

In this paper the authors analyze the consumer behavior and market structure in duopoly industry under nonlinear pricing,and get the conclusion that the high level consumers are favor of high fixed cost and low marginal price products and with the low level consumers in the contrary when the difference between the two is not similar.When it happens,the market would be divided into several parts.The two enterprises could only increase their marketing shares via decreasing the fixed fee and marginal price.In the last chapter of the article,the author would use the date of mobile communication to illustrate the application of the nonlinear pricing in duopoly market.
Clinical analysis of 47 children with status epilepticus

Objective To approach the etiological factors,clinical features and therapeutic principle of status epileptics in children.Methods To analyze retrospectively 47 hospitalized patients in recent 11 years,including etiological factors,seizure types,convulsion durations,correlation auxiliary examination clinical therapeutic efficacy and prognosis.Results According to the etiological factors,the patients were classified as idiopathic epilepsy 22(46.8%),symptomatic epilepsy 21(44.7%),febrile convulsion 4(8.5%).Thirty-six(76.6%) children were administrated utility and sufficient anticonvulsant drugs as soon as quickly.Twenty-five(69.4%) children were used association medication and 11(30.6%) children were used single medication.The surplus 11(30.6%)children were not administrated anticonvulsant drugs because of convulsion cessation after hospitalization.Seven(19.4%) patients appearanced all kinds of complications,but none was fatality.The difference was obvious in duration time after anticonvulsant drugs therapy among three groups(χ~2=7.52,P0.05),especially the duration time of symptomatic epilepsy was longer than that of the other two(χ~2=4.13-5.19,P0.05).Conclusion Status epilepticus should be treated by performance severity and energetic therapeutic principle,intensive care,supported and symptomatic treatment.Mutilation and mortality rate will be decreased obviously and the prognosis will be ameliorated.
The Red Eye

Red eyes are caused by foreign bodies; acute congestive, chronic simple and chronic congestive glaucoma; acute iritis; and conjunctivitis, which may be bacterial, viral or allergic in origin.Accurate diagnosis permits early and definitive treatment of numerous potentially serious threats to vision.Signs and symptoms of the causative conditions are described, and preferred therapy is indicated.
Disclosure Versus Recognition: Inferences from Subsequent Events: DISCLOSURE VERSUS RECOGNITION

Standard setters explicitly state that disclosure should not substitute for recognition in financial reports. Consistent with this directive, prior research shows that investors find recognized values more pertinent than disclosed values. However, it remains unclear whether reporting items are recognized because they are more relevant for investing decisions, or whether requiring recognition itself prompts differing behavior on the part of firms and investors. Using the setting of subsequent events, I identify the differential effect of requiring disclosure versus recognition in a setting where the accounting treatment of an item is exogenously determined. For comparable events, I find a stronger initial market response for firms required to recognize relative to firms that must disclose, although the large magnitude of the identified effect calls into question whether this difference can be attributed to accounting treatments alone. In examining various reasons for the stronger market response to recognized values, I fail to find support for the hypothesis that this difference is due to differential reliability of disclosed and recognized values. I do find some evidence that investors underreact to disclosed events, consistent with investors incurring higher processing costs when using disclosed information.
Diagnostic Testing and Hospital Outcomes of Children with Neurologic Impairment and Bacterial Pneumonia

Objective To assess hospital-level variability in diagnostic testing and outcomes for children with neurologic impairment hospitalized with pneumonia. Study design A retrospective cohort study of 27 455 children ages 1-18 years with neurologic impairment hospitalized with pneumonia at 39 children's hospitals. K-means clustering was used to assign each hospital to 1 of 3 groups (termed A, B, and C) based on similar diagnostic testing patterns. Outcomes of hospital-level median length of stay (LOS), 30-day readmissions, and pneumonia-associated complications were compared while controlling for patient differences. Results Overall, 48.5% had comorbid complex chronic conditions, and 25.4% were assisted with medical technology. Outcomes and diagnostic testing varied across hospitals: median hospital-level LOS, 3.2 days (IQR 2.8-3.8); median readmission, 8.4% (IQR 6.8,-10.0); and median pneumonia-associated complication rate, 23.1% (IQR 18.7-26.8). Despite similar populations, hospitals in group A tended to perform fewer tests than those in groups B and C. Across hospital groups, there was a significant difference in adjusted readmission rates (group A 7.2%, group B 9.0%, group C 7.7%, P = .003). There was no significant difference in adjusted median LOS (group A 3.4 days, group B 3.2 days, group C 3.3 days, P = .3) or adjusted pneumonia-associated complication rates (group A 22.5%, group B 22.5%, group C 25.0%, P = .6). Conclusions For children with neurologic impairment hospitalized with pneumonia, across hospital differences in diagnostic testing were not associated with clinically meaningful differences in outcomes. High-utilizing hospitals may be able to decrease diagnostic testing for children with neurologic impairment hospitalized with pneumonia without adversely impacting outcomes.
Defining a Radiomic Response Phenotype: A Pilot Study using targeted therapy in NSCLC.

Medical imaging plays a fundamental role in oncology and drug development, by providing a non-invasive method to visualize tumor phenotype. Radiomics can quantify this phenotype comprehensively by applying image-characterization algorithms, and may provide important information beyond tumor size or burden. In this study, we investigated if radiomics can identify a gefitinib response-phenotype, studying high-resolution computed-tomography (CT) imaging of forty-seven patients with early-stage non-small cell lung cancer before and after three weeks of therapy. On the baseline-scan, radiomic-feature Laws-Energy was significantly predictive for EGFR-mutation status (AUC = 0.67, p = 0.03), while volume (AUC = 0.59, p = 0.27) and diameter (AUC = 0.56, p = 0.46) were not. Although no features were predictive on the post-treatment scan (p > 0.08), the change in features between the two scans was strongly predictive (significant feature AUC-range = 0.74–0.91). A technical validation revealed that the associated features were also highly stable for test-retest (mean ± std: ICC = 0.96 ± 0.06). This pilot study shows that radiomic data before treatment is able to predict mutation status and associated gefitinib response non-invasively, demonstrating the potential of radiomics-based phenotyping to improve the stratification and response assessment between tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) sensitive and resistant patient populations.
Blended Learning in Obstetrics and Gynecology Resident Education: Impact on Resident Clinical Performance:

Problem: Effects of residents’ blended learning on their clinical performance have rarely been reported. A blended learning pilot program was instituted at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine’s Obstetrics and Gynecology program. One of the modules was chronic hypertension in pregnancy. We sought to evaluate if the resident blended learning was transferred to their clinical performance six months after the module. Intervention: A review of patient charts demonstrated inadequate documentation of history, evaluation, and counseling of patients with chronic hypertension at the first prenatal visit by Obstetrics and Gynecology (OB/GYN) residents. A blended learning module on chronic hypertension in pregnancy was then provided to the residents. A retrospective chart review was then performed to assess behavioral changes in the OB/GYN residents. Context: This intervention was carried out at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Southern Illinois University. All 16 OB/GYN residents were enrolled in this module as part of their educational curriculum. A query of all prenatal patients diagnosed with chronic hypertension presenting to the OB/GYN resident clinics four months prior to the implementation of the blended learning module (March 2015–June 2015) and six months after (July 20, 2015–February 2016) was performed. Data were collected from outpatient charts utilizing the electronic medical record. Data were abstracted from resident documentation at the first prenatal visit. Outcome: The residents thought that the blended learning module was applicable to performance improvement in the real-world setting. Patients evaluated before (n = 10) and after (n = 7) the intervention were compared. After the intervention, there was an increase in assessment of baseline liver enzymes, referral for electrocardiogram, and early assessment for diabetes in the obese patients. More patients were provided a blood pressure cuff after the module (71.4% vs. 20%). Data were provided to the residents in an informal setting. Discussion during this session suggested that inconsistent use of the algorithm and incomplete documentation were reasons for the findings. Lessons learned: This study suggests that blended learning may be a viable tool to support sustained changes in the performance of OB/GYN residents. Scheduled follow-up should be employed to facilitate and ensure continued learning and behavioral changes.
Abstract 19720: Jay D. Coffman Early Career Investigator Award: Comparative Efficacy of Initial Endovascular Revascularization vs. Supervised Exercise Training in Patients With Intermittent Claudication: A Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Introduction: Current guidelines recommend supervised exercise training (SET) as the initial treatment modality for patients with intermittent claudication (IC), in addition to optimal medical therapy. The role of endovascular revascularization (ER) as a primary treatment option has been controversial. We performed a meta-analysis to compare the efficacy of initial ER vs. initial SET in patients with IC using data from randomized controlled trials. Methods: The primary outcome was treadmill-measured maximum walking distance (MWD) at the end of follow-up. Secondary outcomes included resting ankle brachial index (ABI) and treadmill-measured ischemic claudication distance (ICD) on follow-up. Risk of adverse limb events (revascularization, amputations) was also compared between the two groups. Random effects models were used for all analyses. Results: We included 1,145 patients from nine trials with a mean follow up duration of 13.7 months (42% aortoiliac lesions; 35% stent use; mean baseline ABI 0.64 vs. 0.67 for ER vs. SET). Follow-up MWD was not significantly different between patients undergoing ER vs. SET [Weighted mean difference (WMD) (95% CI): 19.1 m (-79.6 to 117.8 m); publication bias p=0.86]. Metaregression did not identify significant differences based on stent use or presence of aortoiliac disease. ICD was also similar between the two groups [WMD (95% CI): 36.1 m (-99.4 to 171.5 m)]. In contrast, patients undergoing ER had higher resting ABI on follow-up [WMD (95% CI): 0.14 (0.11 to 0.17), p<0.0001]. Adverse limb event rates were similar [5.4% vs. 8.2%, p=0.21]. Conclusion: Compared with initial SET, initial ER significantly improves resting ABI values. Although longer walking distance and lower rates of adverse limb events also appeared favorable for ER, these differences were not statistically significant in these intermediate term studies. Longer-term studies and those incorporating contemporary revascularization techniques are necessary. ![][1] [1]: /embed/graphic-1.gif
Impulsive Personality Traits and Alcohol Use: Does Sleeping Help with Thinking?

Both impulsivity and sleep disturbance have been associated with heavy alcohol use among young adults; yet studies to date have not examined their interactive effects. The current study aimed to determine if adequate sleep moderates the association between impulsive personality traits and alcohol use among young adults. College students (N = 568) who had been mandated to alcohol treatment following violation of campus alcohol policy provided information regarding alcohol use and related consequences, impulsive personality traits (measured using the UPPS Impulsive Behavior Scale), and perception of sleep adequacy as part of a larger intervention trial. Higher urgency, lower premeditation, and higher sensation-seeking predicted greater levels of alcohol consumption, while higher urgency predicted more alcohol-related consequences. As hypothesized, there was a significant interaction between premeditation and sleep adequacy in the prediction of drinks per week; in contrast to hypotheses, however, premeditation was associated with drinking only among those reporting adequate (rather than inadequate) sleep. Specifically, the tendency to premeditate was associated with less drinking among those who reported adequate sleep and was not associated with drinking among those reporting inadequate sleep. Sensation-seeking and urgency are associated with greater alcohol involvement among young adults, regardless of sleep adequacy. Conversely, the ability to plan ahead and anticipate the consequences of one's behaviors (premeditation) is only protective against heavy drinking among individuals receiving adequate sleep. With replication, these findings may inform alcohol prevention and intervention efforts. (PsycINFO Database Record
Fast Nearest Neighbor Search with Transformed Residual Quantization

Product quantization (PQ) and residual quantization (RQ) have been successfully used to solve fast nearest neighbor search problems thanks to their exponentially reduced complexities of both storage and computation with respect to the codebook size, Recent efforts have been focused on employing optimization strategies and seeking more effective models. Based on the observation that randomness typically increases in subsequent residual spaces, we propose a new strategy, called, transformed RQ (TRQ), that jointly learns a local transformation per residual cluster with an ultimate goal to further reduce overall quantization errors. Additionally we propose a hybrid approximate nearest search method based on the proposed TRQ and PQ. We show that our methods achieve significantly better accuracy on nearest neighbor search than both the original and the optimized PQ on several benchmark datasets.
Modeling of stability of electrostatic and magnetostatic systems: Analysis based on Gibbs methodology

Models, based on variational principles, provide for multiple features which of key importance for computational implementation. Based on this vision, we combine the Gibbsian thermodynamic (variational) method for heterogeneous systems with electrostatics. The substances under study are those which are able to accumulate free (i.e., not dipolar) electric charges. We announce several key formulas related to the first and second energy variations for these macroscopic heterogeneous systems.
Multiple-Cell Upsets Induced by Single High-Energy Electrons

Multiple-cell upsets (MCUs) in static random access memory-based field-programmable gate arrays from three different technology nodes are recorded from single-particle interactions with 20–52 MeV electrons. Indirect ionization events associated with an electronuclear reaction are shown to be the cause of the MCUs. As has been observed with other ionizing particles such as heavy ions and neutrons, the electron upset cross section per bit is shown to decrease with smaller technology nodes, but the prevalence of electron-induced MCUs increases with scaling.
Prior binge-drinking history promotes the positive affective valence of methamphetamine in mice.

Abstract An alcohol use disorder is a major predisposing factor for methamphetamine (MA) abuse. Further, MA-alcohol co-abuse is a risk factor for treatment discontinuation and non-compliance in MA-dependent individuals. No effective treatment exists for MA addiction, let alone treatments directed at those suffering from MA-alcohol addiction co-morbidity. Thus, it is imperative that we develop high-throughput animal models to study the biobehavioral interactions between MA and alcohol of relevance to the etiology and treatment of co-abuse. To this end, we reported that a history of binge alcohol-drinking [5,10, 20 and 40% (v/v); 2 h/day for 10–14 days] reduces MA reinforcement and intake, but it augments MA-preference and intake when drug availability is behaviorally non-contingent. To reconcile this apparent discrepancy in findings, we employed a comparable 2-week binge-drinking paradigm as that employed in our previous studies followed by place-conditioning procedures (4 pairings of 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2 or 4 mg/kg MA, i.p.). This was meant to determine how a prior binge-drinking history impacts the affective valence of MA and sensitivity to MA-induced psychomotor-activation/sensitization. Prior binge-drinking history blunted spontaneous locomotor activity and shifted the MA dose-place-preference function upwards of water drinking controls. The potentiation of MA-conditioned reward by prior binge-drinking history was independent of any alcohol effects upon the locomotor-activating or –sensitizing effects of MA. Based on these results we propose that the reduced MA reinforcement reported previously by our group likely reflects a compensatory response to an increased sensitivity to MA’s positive subjective effects rather than increased sensitivity to the drug’s psychomotor-activating effects.
Resources to Grow Your Leadership Skills

Current surgical practice now necessitates not only expertise in medical knowledge and surgical technique but also mastery of modern leadership skills. Surgeons are the obvious leader in the operating room, but this is no longer the only setting in which leadership abilities are needed. The health-care system suffers from a scarcity of physician involvement in organizational management. Physician leaders are needed to participate in the administrative, financial, research, and quality improvement initiatives of their institutions to shape policies and to advance the health-care system for the benefits of patients.
Eosinophilic Esophagitis and the Eosinophilic Gastrointestinal Diseases: Approach to Diagnosis and Management

The eosinophilic gastrointestinal diseases (EGIDs) represent disorders of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract that result from the local infiltration and aberrant activity of eosinophils and other immune cells. Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is the most well-characterized EGID and is defined by the presence of intraepithelial eosinophils in the esophagus (≥15 eosinophils per high-powered field) and clinical symptoms associated with esophageal dysfunction. The other EGIDs are rare and lack strong data regarding pathogenesis and management. The incidence and prevalence of EoE are increasing, and EoE is now a major cause of upper GI morbidity. Management is multidisciplinary, with collaboration between gastroenterologists, allergists, pathologists, and dieticians, and is aimed at amelioration of symptoms and prevention of long-term complications such as esophageal stricture. Treatment options for EoE include proton pump inhibitors, swallowed topical corticosteroids, and elimination diets. Esophageal dilation is used when esophageal strictures or fibrostenotic changes are present. Additional therapies targeting eosinophils and other mediators of Th2 inflammation are under development and are promising. Treatment options for other EGIDs typically involve corticosteroids or dietary elimination.
Microarray approaches to gene expression analysis

1.1. Background And Overview A powerful suite of new technologies now makes it possible to measure simultaneously the expression of many thousands of genes directly from a clinical sample (1). Known alternately as DNA microarrays, gene arrays, expression arrays, “pgene chips,” or various permutations thereof, technologies for measuring gene expression are already beginning to have many applications in clinical diagnosis. The most promising to date are in cancer diagnosis, where microarray classification has suggested clinically meaningful distinctions that are difficult or impossible to make by conventional histopathology alone (2,3).As the experimental and analytical techniques have developed, applications have been suggested across the spectrum of human pathology, including infectious, vascular, genetic, inflammatory, psychiatric, and metabolic diseases.
Spatiotemporal Dynamics of Eukaryotic Gradient Sensing

The crawling movement of eukaryotic cells in response to a chemical gradient is a complex process involving the orchestration of several subcellular activities. Although a complete description of the mechanisms underlying cell movement remains elusive, the very first step of gradient sensing, enabling the cell to perceive the imposed gradient, is becoming more transparent. The increased understanding of this step has been driven by the discovery that within 5–10 seconds of applying a weak chemoattractant gradient, membrane phosphoinositides, such as PIP3, localize at the front end of the cell, where they activate a process of intense actin polymerization and trigger the extension of a protrusion. This train of events implies that the key to gradient sensing is a mechanistic understanding of the phosphoinositide localization. Since the phosphoinositide distribution is highly localized compared to the shallow chemoattractant gradient, it has been suggested that the cell merely amplifies the chemoattractant gradient. However, this cannot be true since the phosphoinositide localization can display a bewildering array of spatial distributions that bear no resemblance to the external chemoattractant profile. For instance, a single phosphoinositide localization is produced in the face of multiple chemoattractant sources. More surprisingly, the localization forms at a random location even if the chemoattractant concentration is uniform. Here we show that all these seemingly complex dynamics are consistent with the so-called activator-inhibitor class of models. To this end, we formulate and simulate an activator-inhibitor model of gradient sensing based on the phosphoinositide signaling pathways.
High Sensitivity, Time-Resolved Absorption Spectroscopy by Intracavity Laser Techniques

Absorption measurements obtained by intracavity laser spectroscopy (ILS) are described which encompass exceptionally high detection sensi- tivites while maintaining the characteristics associated with quantitative, time-resolved spectrometry. The optical physics underlying ILS and the instrumentation utilized in obtaining these spectra are described. Absorption spectra recorded by ILS for stable absorbers, transient intermediates formed during reactions, and van der Waals complexes formed at low-temperature in supersonic jet expansions are presented.
Introduction to Autophagy in Physiology and Pathophysiology

In this chapter autophagy and cell death pathways in cancer are reviewed and their roles in physiology and pathophysiology are discussed. Network organization of these pathways are explained and a signalling network linking autophagy to programmed cell death is proposed.
Clinical and infection dynamics of foot-and-mouth disease in beef feedlot cattle: An expert survey.

Abstract Parameterizing mathematical models of foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDv) transmission is challenging due to knowledge gaps on the variable dynamics in susceptible populations. Expert opinion surveys are an approach to gather data on topics where no data have been reported. The objective of this study was to collect—via an expert-opinion survey—key parameter values of the potential FMD natural history and transmissibility in beef feedlot cattle in the U.S. Experts with experience working with FMD in endemic and non-endemic settings were targeted. Parameters surveyed were: duration of infection and disease stages, proportions of animals with specific clinical manifestations, duration and extent of the reduction in feed consumption, and probabilities of severe clinical disease and FMDv transmission. We surveyed the parameter values for infections by strains of different virulence, different infection doses, and routes of transmission. Twenty-seven experts from around the world agreed to participate and 16 (59%) completed the survey. The expert responses to individual questions were resampled via Monte Carlo simulations; to the resulting distributions, candidate theoretical distributions were fitted using the maximum likelihood method and the sought parameter values estimated based on the best-fit distributions. Of the infection stages, the estimates of the expected FMD latent period in beef feedlot ranged from 1.7 to 5.3 days and the infectious period from 5.6 to 10.9 days. Of the disease stages, the estimated incubation period ranged from 2.9 to 6.1 days, subclinical period from 1.2 to 2.8 days, and clinical period from 4.2 to 7.5 days. Probability of developing clinical disease after infection varied from 82% (IQ range 90–70%) with high-virulent to 63% (IQ range 89–60%) with low-virulent strains. Reduction in feed consumption was estimated to last 5 (SD ± 2) days in cattle infected by a low-virulent FMDv strain and 7 (SD ± 2) days for high virulent strains . The study results can be used in combination with experimental and outbreak investigation data to parameterize FMDv-transmission models to evaluate intervention responses during hypothetical FMD epidemics in beef feedlot populations in the U.S.
Personalized Interventions to Support Families in the Intensive Care Unit

This article describes different novel approaches to individualizing care at the patient and family member level in the intensive care unit (ICU) and beyond. The first example discussed is using web-based decision support that displays information individualized to patients in the context of prolonged mechanical ventilation. The second example highlights approaches to addressing post-discharge psychological distress using mobile apps. The final example outlines a mobile app system that integrates both physician and family member perspectives while also enhancing the delivery of personalized palliative care. Successful attributes of these interventions are noted, along with the challenges that represent targets for future improvement.
Primary Tonsillar Epithelioid Follicular Dendritic Cell Sarcoma: Report of a Rare Case Mimicking Undifferentiated Carcinoma and a Brief Review of the Literature

We present a 52 years old male with a left tonsillar follicular dendritic cell sarcoma with prominent epithelioid features that on light microscopical examination bore a striking resemblance to a lymphoepithelial or undifferentiated carcinoma. The tumor was immunohistochemically positive for CD21 and CD35 and negative for cytokeratins. Two distinct histopathological features (both present in our case) that may serve as clues to the correct diagnosis on light microscopical examination were formation of ectatic pseudovascular spaces lined by malignant cells and the presence of non-neoplastic multinucleated giant cells. Familiarity with the above-mentioned morphological clues, and awareness that this tumour may occur in anatomical sites outside the lymph node, are essential for accurate diagnosis.
Removal of 17β-estradiol from secondary wastewater treatment plant effluent using Fe3+-Saturated montmorillonite.

Estrogens are of environmental concern because disruptive effect on biological functions at levels as low as ng/L. Wastewater treatment plant effluent is a significant source of estrogens in aquatic environment. Ferric ions (Fe3+)-saturated montmorillonite has been shown to effectively remove 17β-estradiol (βE2), a common estrogen, from pure water by catalyzing formation of insoluble βE2 oligomers on mineral surfaces. We investigated the effects of reaction temperature, dissolved organic matter, pH, and common cations, on Fe3+-saturated montmorillonite-surface catalyzed βE2 polymerization, and the removal of this estrogen from three different secondary wastewater effluents with more complicated matrixes. Highest βE2 removal occurred at near neutral pH and it increased with increasing treatment temperatures. Presence of common cations in the water did not affect the reaction efficiency. Dissolved organic matter at 15 mg C/L slightly lowered the βE2 removal efficiency as compared to that in pure water. Regardless of the source of wastewater effluents, βE2 removal efficiency of ∼40% was achieved using the dosage of Fe3+-saturated montmorillonite similar to that tested for the aqueous phases with simpler matrix. Doubling this dosage resulted in removal of ∼80% of βE2 from a tested secondary wastewater effluent within 30 min reaction. For wastewater with complex matrixes at the commonly reported βE2 levels which are magnitudes lower than the tested concentration in our study, this dosage would provide sufficient available reaction sites for the surface-catalyzed βE2 polymerization. This study demonstrated that Fe3+-saturated montmorillonite is a promising material for effective removal of phenolic estrogen compounds from domestic wastewater effluents.
Partikularismus und Vaterland

Im 18. Jahrhundert tritt das Deutschlandthema zunachst zuruck. Es ist eine Konsequenz der Erkenntnis, dass das Heilige Romische Reich Deutscher Nation seine politische Bedeutung verloren hatte ; die groseren Territorien, Osterreich und Preusen vor allen anderen, bestimmen nun das Geschehen. Darauf gibt es unterschiedliche Reaktionen : Klage uber die Folgen des Zerfalls des Reichs (Kriege um Schlesien, Osterreichischer Erbfolgekrieg, Siebenjahriger Krieg) auf der einen Seite, Territorialpatriotismus auf der anderen. Erst im letzten Drittel des Jahrhunderts wird mit Klopstock und den von ihm inspirierten jungen Dichtern des Gottinger Hains das ganze Deutschland, das ›Vaterland‹, wieder mehr als nur ein beilaufiges Thema der Lyrik.
Intuitive Idea of Implication vs. Formal Definition: How to Define the Corresponding Degree

Formal implication does not capture the intuitive idea of “if A then B”, since in formal implication, every two true statements—even completely unrelated ones—imply each other. A more adequate description of intuitive implication happens if we consider how much the use of A can shorten a derivation of B. At first glance, it may seem that the number of bits by which we shorten this derivation is a reasonable degree of implication, but we show that this number is not in good accordance with our intuition, and that a natural formalization of this intuition leads to the need to use, as the desired degree, the ratio between the shortened derivation length and the original length.