cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Reducing cache power with low-cost, multi-bit error-correcting codes

Technology advancements have enabled the integration of large on-die embedded DRAM (eDRAM) caches. eDRAM is significantly denser than traditional SRAMs, but must be periodically refreshed to retain data. Like SRAM, eDRAM is susceptible to device variations, which play a role in determining refresh time for eDRAM cells. Refresh power potentially represents a large fraction of overall system power, particularly during low-power states when the CPU is idle. Future designs need to reduce cache power without incurring the high cost of flushing cache data when entering low-power states. In this paper, we show the significant impact of variations on refresh time and cache power consumption for large eDRAM caches. We propose Hi-ECC, a technique that incorporates multi-bit error-correcting codes to significantly reduce refresh rate. Multi-bit error-correcting codes usually have a complex decoder design and high storage cost. Hi-ECC avoids the decoder complexity by using strong ECC codes to identify and disable sections of the cache with multi-bit failures, while providing efficient single-bit error correction for the common case. Hi-ECC includes additional optimizations that allow us to amortize the storage cost of the code over large data words, providing the benefit of multi-bit correction at same storage cost as a single-bit error-correcting (SECDED) code (2% overhead). Our proposal achieves a 93% reduction in refresh power vs. a baseline eDRAM cache without error correcting capability, and a 66% reduction in refresh power vs. a system using SECDED codes.
Indistinguishable Synaptic Pharmacodynamics of the N-Methyl-d-Aspartate Receptor Channel Blockers Memantine and Ketamine

Memantine and ketamine, voltage- and activation-dependent channel blockers of N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors (NMDARs), have enjoyed a recent resurgence in clinical interest. Steady-state pharmacodynamic differences between these blockers have been reported, but it is unclear whether the compounds differentially affect dynamic physiologic signaling. In this study, we explored nonequilibrium conditions relevant to synaptic transmission in hippocampal networks in dissociated culture and hippocampal slices. Equimolar memantine and ketamine had indistinguishable effects on the following measures: steady-state NMDA currents, NMDAR excitatory postsynaptic current (EPSC) decay kinetics, progressive EPSC inhibition during repetitive stimulation, and extrasynaptic NMDAR inhibition. Therapeutic drug efficacy and tolerability of memantine have been attributed to fast kinetics and strong voltage dependence. However, pulse depolarization in drug presence revealed a surprisingly slow and similar time course of equilibration for the two compounds, although memantine produced a more prominent fast component (62% versus 48%) of re-equilibration. Simulations predicted that low gating efficacy underlies the slow voltage–dependent relief from block. This prediction was empirically supported by faster voltage-dependent blocker re-equilibration with several experimental manipulations of gating efficacy. Excitatory postsynaptic potential–like voltage commands produced drug differences only with large, prolonged depolarizations unlikely to be attained physiologically. In fact, we found no difference between drugs on measures of spontaneous network activity or acute effects on plasticity in hippocampal slices. Despite indistinguishable synaptic pharmacodynamics, ketamine provided significantly greater neuroprotection from damage induced by oxygen glucose deprivation, consistent with the idea that under extreme depolarizing conditions, the biophysical difference between drugs becomes detectable. We conclude that despite subtle differences in voltage dependence, during physiologic activity, blocker pharmacodynamics are largely indistinguishable and largely voltage independent.
Multidisciplinary Teamwork Assessment: Individual Contributions and Interdisciplinary Interaction

This paper demonstrates how assessing team-based project outcomes differs from assessing peer contributions to teamwork. An ability to function on a multidisciplinary team is a required student learning outcome. Two aspects related to this requirement include functioning on a team and multidisciplinary work. Clarity in measuring these two aspects is critical. Therefore, two complementary measures assessing teamwork in multidisciplinary team projects were tested among students in a semester-long multidisciplinary project. These measures include a peer evaluation instrument to assess contributions of each team member and a project specific teamwork evaluation instrument to assess multidisciplinary interaction and implementation. The results of these instruments are reported in this paper.
SynBrowse: a synteny browser for comparative sequence analysis

Motivation: The recent efforts of various sequence projects to sequence deeply into various phylogenies provide great resources for comparative sequence analysis. A generic and portable tool is essential for scientists to visualize and analyze sequence comparisons. Results: We have developed SynBrowse, a synteny browser for visualizing and analyzing genome alignments both within and between species. It is intended to help scientists study macrosynteny, microsynteny and homologous genes between sequences. It can also aid with the identification of uncharacterized genes, putative regulatory elements and novel structural features of a species. SynBrowse is a GBrowse (the Generic Genome Browser) family software tool that runs on top of the open source BioPerl modules. It consists of two components: a web-based front end and a set of relational database back ends. Each database stores pre-computed alignments from a focus sequence to reference sequences in addition to the genome annotations of the focus sequence. The user interface lets end users select a key comparative alignment type and search for syntenic blocks between two sequences and zoom in to view the relationships among the corresponding genome annotations in detail. SynBrowse is portable with simple installation, flexible configuration, convenient data input and easy integration with other components of a model organism system. Availability: The software is available at http://www.gmod.org Contact: vbrendel@iastate.edu
Assessment of Abilities of White-Tailed Deer to Jump Fences

There is a need for insight into fence heights required for impeding white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). We evaluated the ability of wild-caught deer to jump progressively taller fences and documented deterrence rates of 0% for fences M 1.5 m followed by increasing deterrence rates of 14% at 1.8 m, 85% at 2.1 m, and 100% at 2.4 m. We documented 100% deterrence rates during 5 additional experiments with different deer and the test fence at 2.4 m, a common height of fences at captive deer facilities. Our results will be valuable to those managing spread of wildlife diseases, deer-vehicle collisions, and agricultural damage.
Short-term response of shrews to prescribed fire and mechanical fuel reduction in a Southern Appalachian upland hardwood forest

As part of the multidisciplinary National Fire and Fire Surrogate study, we used drift fences with pitfall traps from May to September 2003 and 2004 to determine how three fuel reduction techniques affected shrews in the Southern Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina. Grounddwelling macroarthropods also were collected from a subset of pitfall traps to assess relative prey availability among the treatments. Four experimental units, each >14 ha were contained within each of three replicate blocks. Treatments were (1) prescribed burning; (2) mechanical felling of shrubs and small trees; (3) mechanical felling + burning; (4) forested controls. Mechanical understory felling treatments were conducted inwinter 2001‐2002,and prescribedburning wasconducted inMarch2003. High-intensityfires and hightree mortalityincreased canopyopenness in mechanical felling + burn treatment compared to the others. Burning reduced leaf litter depth in both the burned treatments (burn only and mechanical felling + burn), whereas mechanical understory felling alone increased leaf litter depth in that treatment. Dry biomass of grounddwelling macroarthropods was similar among the treatments and control. We collected a total of 269 shrews of four species during 2003 and 2004, including northern short-tailed shrews (Blarina brevicauda), smokey shrews (Sorex fumeus), pygmy shrews (S. hoyi), and southeastern shrews (S. longirostris). Relative abundance of all shrews combined and pygmy shrews was lowest in the mechanical felling + burn treatment, but differed significantly only from the mechanical understory felling treatment where the contrast in leaf litter depth was high. Our results indicate that lowintensity fuel reduction treatments, with minimal change to canopy cover or leaf litter depth, have little impact on shrews. However, high-intensity disturbance, such as prescribed burning that kills trees and dramatically reduces shade and leaf litter depth, can reduce the abundance of some shrew species and all shrews combined, at least in the short term. # 2007 Published by Elsevier B.V.
The Association of Diet with Respiratory Symptoms and Asthma in Schoolchildren in Taipei, Taiwan

This study aimed to evaluate the association of diet with respiratory symptoms and asthma in schoolchildren in Taipei, Taiwan. An in-class interview survey elicited experiences of asthma and respiratory symptoms and consumption frequencies of the major food categories in 2290 fifth graders. Respiratory symptoms surveyed included persistent cough, chest tightness, wheezing with cold, wheezing without cold, dyspnea-associated wheezing, and exercise-induced cough or wheezing. Results showed that the consumption of sweetened beverages had the strongest association with respiratory symptoms and was positively associated with six of the seven respiratory symptoms (all p < 0.05). The adjusted odds ratios (aOR) ranged from 1.05 (95% confidence interval (CI = 1.01-1.09) for exercise-induced cough to 1.09 (95% CI = 1.03-1.16) for wheezing without cold. Egg consumption was associated with 5 of the 7 respiratory symptoms. Consumptions of seafood, soy products, and fruits were each negatively associated with one of the seven respiratory symptoms (all p < 0.05). Consumption of seafood was negatively associated with physician-diagnosed asthma and consumptions of sweetened beverages and eggs were positively associated with suspected asthma (p < 0.05). In conclusion, the study suggests that diet is associated with the respiratory symptoms in schoolchildren in Taipei. Consumptions of sweetened beverages and eggs are associated with increased risk of respiratory symptoms and asthma whereas consumptions of soy products and fruits are associated with reduced risk of respiratory symptoms.
Odontogenic keratocysts: a study of 50 patients

The odontogenic keratocyst (OKC) is a locally aggressive neoplasm with rates of recurrence reported as high as 60%. Correlation between histopathology and the likelihood of recurrence remains a subject of controversy. In this review of the authors' experience in treating 50 patients with OKC between 1977 and 1993, 58 specimens were studied to correlate the likelihood of recurrence with the presence of the following histologic features--parakeratosis, orthokeratosis, satellite cysts, epithelial rests, or epithelial proliferation. Orthokeratinized cysts were associated with a higher recurrence rate than in previously reported studies. Disruption of the epithelial lining in the resected specimen was found to be a primary determinant of recurrence.
Steam reforming of methane and water-gas shift in catalytic wall reactors

Catalytic wall reactors permit high heat-transfer rates between exothermic and endothermic reactions taking place catalytically on opposite sides of a thin wall, because they eliminate resistance to heat transfer in thermal boundary layers, thus making them compact and efficient. A parallel plate catalytic wall reactor was built in which exothermic methane combustion on platinum and endothermic methane steam reforming on rhodium occurred on walls in alternate channels. This reactor gave 95% conversion of methane to synthesis gas with a residence time of ∼70 ms at a steam/methane ratio of 1/1 with a thermal efficiency of ∼60%. A preheat pass was added on the combustion side that enabled heat exchange between hot combustion products and cold combustion inlet gases to increase temperature upstream and decrease it downstream. This two-pass reactor gave H2/CO ratios of ∼14/1 with a residence time of ∼170 ms at a steam/methane ratio of 4/1. To increase the H2/CO ratio, the endothermic channel length was also extended, with a platinum-ceria wall coating on the extended region to further reduce downstream temperatures and promote water-gas shift. This reactor gave downstream temperatures as low as 200°C, and produced H2/CO ratios as high as 42/1 with a residence time of ∼300 ms at a steam/methane ratio of 4/1. The extended reactor shows good potential for producing high H2/CO ratio product streams suitable for preferential oxidation and subsequent use in fuel cells in a scalable configuration.
Escaping the False Binary of Nature and Culture Through Connection: Richard White’s The Organic Machine: The Remaking of the Columbia River

In The Organic Machine, Richard White fruitfully undermined the ease of separating nature from culture by emphasizing their relationship rather than their distinct identity. Now a staple of university curricula, White’s text has become the standard bearer for a methodology that befits environmental history as well as all manner of environmental studies. With his nuanced presentation of the political, ethical, social, and technological dynamics of land and water management, White has offered students and scholars the framework and model with which to move beyond binary approaches to nature and culture issues. The work is particularly well-regarded for its philosophical clarity and subtle consideration of environmental and technological ethics, standing as one of the few treatments of the postmodern era to argue against simplistic dichotomies while remaining outside the fray of constructivist counter-critiques. This article treats The Organic Machine for its deepening relevance to environmental scholarship ...
Sodium Intake and Vascular Smooth Muscle Responsiveness to Norepinephrine and Angiotensin in the Rabbit

The effect of dietary sodium restriction on the responses to norepinephrine and angiotensin was assessed in two vascular smooth muscle preparations in the rabbit. Sodium restriction reduced the response to angiotensin of both the limb vessels in vivo and the aorta in vitro. The response to norepinephrine was potentiated by sodium restriction in both preparations. The effects on angiotensin responsiveness did not appear to be related to tachyphylaxis, changes in extracellular electrolyte composition, or nonspecific depression of smooth muscle function. Probably, the change in sodium intake induced a change in the smooth muscle cell membranes which modified the affinity of their receptors for angiotensin and norepinephrine.
Automatic landmark tracking applied to optimize brain conformal mapping

Important anatomical features on the cortical surface are usually represented by landmark curves, called sulcal/gyral curves. Manual labeling of these landmark curves is time-consuming, especially when a large dataset is analyzed. In this paper, we propose a method to trace the landmark curves on the cortical surfaces automatically based on the principal directions of the local Weingarten matrix. Based on a global conformal parametrization of the cortical surface, our method adjusts the landmark curves iteratively on the spherical or rectangular parameter domain of the cortical surface along the principal direction field, using umbilic points of the surface as anchors. The landmark curves can then be mapped back onto the cortical surface. To speed up the iterative scheme, we obtain a good initialization by extracting the high curvature regions on the cortex using the Chan-Vese segmentation method, which solves a PDE on the manifold using our global conformal parametrization technique. Experimental results show that the landmark curves detected by our algorithm closely resemble the same curves labeled manually. We applied these automatically labeled landmark curves to build average cortical surfaces with an optimized brain conformal mapping method. Experimental results show that our method can help in automatically matching cortical surfaces of the brain across subjects.
Inorganic fillers for corona endurance enhancement of selected polymers

In high voltage applications, polymer insulation can be exposed to very high electrical field stress, resulting in long term exposure to corona. The electrical field stress may be much below dielectric breakdown threshold. Eventually the exposure to corona can lead to failure of the high voltage component. Nanometer sized inorganic fillers are increasingly used as reinforcing materials for mechanical or thermal property improvement of polymers. Improvements in mechanical modulus or heat deflection temperature are often realized. These fillers may also increase some electrical properties such as corona endurance in polymers. Polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) loaded polymers are tested for corona endurance. POSS is a synthesized silicon based cage structure with an intermediate oxidation between SiO and SiO/sub 2/. Results suggest at least a five times improvement in ac corona. lifetime of selected POSS-polymer composites.
Nitro-oleic acid and epoxyoleic acid are not altered in obesity and type 2 diabetes: reply.

We appreciate the interest in our recent study of the in vivo signalling actions of electrophilic fatty acid nitroalkenes,1 including the commentary from Tsikas et al. This study is based on a high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity murine model that displays the canonical features of metabolic syndrome, including glucose tolerance, vascular dysfunction, increased inflammation, adipokine dysfunction, and most notably development of pulmonary hypertension. We tested the pharmacological actions of synthetic 10-nitro-octadec-9-enoic acid (OA-NO2) and reported potent protective actions of OA-NO2 in this murine model of HFD-induced obesity and pulmonary hypertension. First and foremost, we stress that under no circumstance did we state or imply the existence of any link between obesity and decreased OA-NO2 biosynthesis. This is an incorrect and misleading interpretation of the data presented in our manuscript. The …
A new multi-scale structure finding algorithm to identify cosmological structure

We introduce a new structure finding algorithm that self-consistently parses large scale cosmological structure into clusters, filaments and voids. This structure finding algorithm probes the structure at multiple scales and classifies the appropriate regions with the most probable structure type and size. We show that it can identify the baryon fraction of intercluster medium and cosmological voids.
Effectiveness of an online tutorial on intimate partner violence for dental students: a pilot study.

This pilot study sought to determine whether New York University College of Dentistry’s online tutorial on domestic violence is effective for dental students poised to embark on their professional careers. The modular program is based on the RADAR model developed by the Massachusetts Medical Society. RADAR stands for Routinely screen, Ask direct questions, Document findings, Assess patient safety, and Review options and refer as indicated. An objective and validated measure, the Physician Readiness to Manage Intimate Partner Violence Survey (PREMIS), was given pre- and post-tutorial to determine whether it impacted senior dental students’ knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors about intimate partner violence. Study participants were twenty-five senior dental students (7 percent of a class of 358) who had not received didactic instruction in domestic violence for over two years. A quasi-experimental research design was utilized. Data analysis indicated statistically significant improvements in composite scale scores on the PREMIS Perceived Preparation, Perceived Knowledge, and Actual Knowledge sections. There was a statistically significant improvement on the self-efficacy and constraint opinion scales. The other six opinion scale scores showed improved but not statistically significant scores. This online tutorial was found to be effective in increasing the participants’ perceived preparation, knowledge, and self-efficacy and decreasing perceptions of provider constraints in managing victims of intimate partner violence.
Model-Based Systems Engineering

Today, we expect our systems to be highly sophisticated, intelligent, intuitive, robust, adaptive, and reliable. As technology, especially computational technology, has increased, so has our ability to imagine and develop even more capable and complex systems. This has progressed to the point where it is rare for an individual to understand all aspects of a system. In fact, it is typical that modern systems are the product of an army of highly trained specialists, each with expertise in traditionally diverse domains. In a modern system, the requirements developer, the mechanical engineer, the programmer, the cost analyst, the manager, and many others must work together to make a system a reality. Modern systems engineering recognizes the necessity of these varied perspectives yet must still achieve efficient and effective systems concepts, designs, implementations, and management. How multiple domains can be organized, managed, and sustained to achieve the development of a useful system is at the heart of systems engineering. In this chapter will discuss how Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) is shifting the emphasis of the system engineering process away from the management of documents to describe a system, to an emphasis on a common, flexible, and persistent model of the system.
Physiology and Biochemistry of Spirillum Lipoferum

There has been great interest in the organism Spirillum lipoferum because of its reported potential for fixing N2 in association with tropical grasses (3–7, 15, 19). Our discussion will center primarily on the physiology and biochemistry of the organism, but there will be reference to growth chamber and field tests of its effectiveness in N2 fixation. The organism has been discussed previously at these meetings in relation to a number of its properties.
A Case of Hypothermia.

DR. LAURA RUHLAND: The patient is a 48-year-old woman who was brought to the hospital by EMS this past February. By report, the patient had expressed suicidal thoughts to her family and then went missing at noon today. Police were notified at around 3 pm, and search and rescue became involved shortly thereafter. The patient was found with the lower half of her body submerged in brackish water and with an empty bottle of vodka cradled next to her. Per EMS, the patient had recently been diagnosed with leukemia and was despondent. At the scene, the patient was noted to be cold and obtunded. Access was difficult to obtain and an intraosseous catheter was placed in the left proximal tibia and the patient received .9 normal saline (NS) fluid. She was given 2 mg of naloxone with no effect and was brought to the emergency department. Upon arrival, vital signs revealed her blood pressure to be 84/52 mm Hg, pulse of 72, irregular rhythm and oxygen saturation of 92% on 100% oxygen face mask. A rectal probe revealed a temperature of 83.6 degrees F (28.7 C). The patient was unresponsive to verbal or noxious stimuli, and was moving very little air with minimal chest rise. She had weak pulses in the radial, femoral, and carotid locations. There was no outward evidence of any deformity or trauma to her body. Her pupils were 5 mm and minimally reactive, her heart exam revealed an irregular S1S2 with no murmurs. Her abdomen was soft, and her upper extremities were initially found to be rigid in flexion. Her Glasgow Coma Score (GCS) was 3.
PLASMA APOC-III LEVELS, TRIGLYCERIDES, AND CORONARY ARTERY CALCIFICATION IN TYPE 2 DIABETICS

Triglyceride (TG) rich lipoproteins have emerged as causal risk factors for the development of coronary heart disease (CHD) independent of circulating low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. Apolipoprotein C-III (ApoC-III) is a modulator of TG metabolism through inhibition of lipoprotein lipase
“AM/FM Activism”

SUMMARY As a cultural approach to LGBT activism, media advocacy, such as that modeled by the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), has grown in importance in the last decade. Drawing on the tactics used to educate the media about national anti-gay defamation issues, GLAAD has recently launched “AM/FM Activism,” an online resource that provides local activists with the tools necessary for responding to defamation in their own communities. Based on participant observation, in-depth interviews, and archival research, this article explores the implications of “AM/FM Activism” as a new form of media advocacy that bridges the gap between national and local activists.
Voltage/Reactive Power Coordinated Control Based on Hypervolume Indicator Search

As one of the key technologies of the intelligent network scheduling and control,voltage/reactive power coordinated control involves the coordinated control of multiple time scales,and multi-objective space.By focusing on the physical nature of voltage/reactive power coordinated control in multi-objective space,a coordinated control method is proposed based on the hypervolume-indicator searching in the multi-objective space and partitioned by the e-dominated domain.Contrast with some mainstream multi-objective optimization methods in several grid models verifies the effectiveness of the method.
Growth performance and carcass traits of pigs subjected to marginal dietary restrictions during the grower phase.

Sixty-four individually housed pigs were used to investigate the effect of amino acid content of finisher diets on growth performance of pigs subjected to marginal dietary amino acid restrictions (80% of the 1988 NRC lysine recommendation) during the grower phase. In each of the two trials, low- and high-amino-acid grower diets (.421 and .765 g lysine/MJ DE, respectively) and four finisher diets (.421, .516, .612, and .707 g lysine/MJ DE) were randomly assigned within sex to 16 gilts and 16 castrated males weighing 23.0 +/- 2.0 kg in a 2 x 4 factorial arrangement of treatments. The average weight of pigs after a completion of diet change was 50.4 +/- 2.1 kg. All pigs were slaughtered at an average weight of 105.2 +/- 4.1 kg. Ultrasound backfat thickness was measured at the time of diet change and before slaughter. Pigs were allowed ad libitum access to feed and water. During the grower phase, pigs fed the high-amino-acid diet grew faster (P < .001) and more efficiently (P < .001) and had less ultrasound backfat (P < .001) than those fed the low-amino-acid diet. The grower diet had no effect on weight gain during the finisher phase. Consequently, pigs fed the high-amino-acid grower diet had better overall weight gain (P < .01) than those fed the low-amino-acid diet. The rate of lean accretion was, however, similar between the two groups of pigs. Furthermore, pigs fed the low-amino-acid grower diet seemed to have better carcass quality, as indicated by less ultrasound backfat (P < .01) and larger carcass longissimus muscle area (P < .05). Average and 10th rib carcass backfat decreased linearly (P < or = .05) and lean accretion rate improved linearly (P < .05) as the amino acid content of finisher diets increased, but there was no grower x finisher diet interaction in these and other response criteria. Although no evidence of compensatory weight gain was observed, it is possible that compensatory lean tissue growth may have occurred in pigs subjected to early amino acid restrictions at the expense of fatty tissue growth.
Russian Nesting Doll Complexes of Molecular Baskets and Zinc Containing TPA Ligands

In this study, we examined the structural and electronic complementarities of convex 1–Zn(II), comprising functionalized tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine (TPA) ligand, and concave baskets 2 and 3, having glycine and (S)-alanine amino acids at the rim. With the assistance of 1H NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry, we found that basket 2 would entrap 1–Zn(II) in water to give equimolar 1–Zn⊂2in complex (K = (2.0 ± 0.2) × 103 M–1) resembling Russian nesting dolls. Moreover, C3 symmetric and enantiopure basket 3, containing (S)-alanine groups at the rim, was found to transfer its static chirality to entrapped 1–Zn(II) and, via intermolecular ionic contacts, twist the ligand’s pyridine rings into a left-handed (M) propeller (circular dichroism spectroscopy). With molecular baskets embodying the second coordination sphere about metal-containing TPAs, the here described findings should be useful for extending the catalytic function and chiral discrimination capability of TPAs.
Laboratory Management of Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation

Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), also known as disseminated intravascular coagulopathy or consumptive coagulopathy, is a pathological activation and loss of control of physiological coagulation and fibrinolytic systems in response to an underlying disease process. Patients with DIC may present with bleeding and/or thrombosis depending on the severity and chronicity of the disease. The diagnosis of DIC requires a combination of clinical manifestations and laboratory findings. To aid in this, the International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis has developed a scoring system. First, risk for DIC is identified from the presenting clinical scenario and medical history. Then, laboratory measurements of platelet count, D-dimer and/or fibrin degradation products/markers, fibrinogen and protime are ordered. Results are used to determine the likelihood of DIC based on the scoring system. Other tests may aid in the diagnosis and monitoring.
Venture Capital and the Market for Talent during Booms and Busts

I develop and test a model in which the characteristics of entrepreneurs and VCs are jointly determined by real investment opportunities. By inducing the entry of inept agents, booms inflate the dispersion in ability on both sides of the market. Consistent with these predictions, venture fund return data show that 1) new entrants in hot markets are associated with high cross-sectional dispersion in abnormal returns, and 2) the worst performing funds in the sample are disproportionately likely to be new entrants in hot markets.
The Phenoscape Knowledgebase: tools and APIs for computing across phenotypes from evolutionary diversity and model organisms

The Phenoscape Knowledgebase (KB) is an ontology-driven database that combines existing phenotype annotations from model organism databases with new phenotype annotations from the evolutionary literature. Phenoscape curators have created phenotype annotations for more than 5,000 species and higher taxa, by defining computable phenotype concepts for more than 20,000 character states from over 160 published phylogenetic studies. These phenotype concepts are in the form of Entity-Quality (EQ) compositions which incorporate terms from the Uberon anatomy ontology, the Biospatial Ontology (BSPO), and the Phenotype and Trait Ontology (PATO). Taxonomic concepts are drawn from the Vertebrate Taxonomy Ontology (VTO). This knowledge of comparative biodiversity is linked to potentially relevant developmental genetic mechanisms by importing associations of genes to phenotypic effects and gene expression locations from zebrafish (ZFIN), mouse (MGI), Xenopus (Xenbase), and human (Human Phenotype Ontology project). Thus far, the Phenoscape KB has been used to identify candidate genes for evolutionary phenotypes, to match profiles of ancestral evolutionary variation with gene phenotype profiles, and to combine data across many evolutionary studies by inferring indirectly asserted values within synthetic supermatrices. Here we describe the software architecture of the Phenoscape KB, including data ingestion, integration of OWL reasoning, web service interface, and application features.
The Mid-Latitude Positive Bay and the MPB Index of Substorm Activity

Substorms are a major source of magnetic activity. At substorm expansion phase onset a westward current flows through the expanding aurora. This current is the ionospheric closure of the substorm current wedge produced by diversion of tail current along magnetic field lines. At low latitudes the field-aligned currents create a systematic pattern in the north (X) and east (Y) components of the surface magnetic field. The rise and decay in X is called a midlatitude positive bay whose start is a proxy for expansion onset. In this paper we describe a new index called the midlatitude positive bay index (MPB) which monitors the power in the substorm perturbations of X and Y. The index is obtained by removing the main field, storm time variations, and the solar quiet (Sq) variation from the measured field. These are estimated with spline fits and principal component analysis. The residuals of X and Y are high pass filtered to eliminate variations with period longer than 3 hours. The sum of squares of the X and Y power is determined at each of 35 midlatitude stations. The average power in night time stations is the MPB index. The index series is standardized and intervals above a fixed threshold are taken as possible bay signatures. Post processing constrains these to have reasonable values of rise time, strength, and duration. Minima in the index before and after the peak are taken as the start and end of the bay. The MPB and AL indices can be used to identify quiet intervals in the magnetic field.
Continued midazolam versus diphenhydramine in difficult-to-sedate patients: a randomized double-blind trial

Background and Aims Current guidelines recommend diphenhydramine in patients undergoing endoscopy who are not adequately sedated with a benzodiazepine and opioid combination. Because this practice has not been adequately assessed, we performed a randomized, double-blind trial comparing diphenhydramine with continued midazolam in such patients. Methods Patients undergoing elective colonoscopy with moderate sedation were eligible. Sedation was measured with the Modified Observer's Assessment of Alertness/Sedation (MOAA/S) score with adequate sedation defined as 3 on a 0- to 5-point scale. Patients not adequately sedated with midazolam 5 mg and fentanyl 100 μg were randomly assigned to diphenhydramine 25 mg versus continued midazolam 1.5 mg. Adequacy of sedation was assessed 3 minutes after each study medication dose. If MOAA/S was 4 to 5, study medication was repeated, to a maximum of 3 doses. The primary endpoint was adequate sedation. Results The planned enrollment of 200 patients (100 in each study group) was attained. Adequate sedation was achieved less often with diphenhydramine than midazolam (27% vs 65%, difference = –38%; 95% CI, –50% to –24%; P P = .008), whereas the time to discharge from the recovery unit was similar (134 vs 129 minutes). Treatment effect was consistent across subgroups including age ≤55, substance abuse, benzodiazepine use, opioid use, and psychiatric medication use. Conclusions Endoscopists performing moderate sedation should continue midazolam rather than switching to diphenhydramine in patients who do not achieve adequate sedation with usual doses of midazolam and an opioid. (Clinical trial registration number: NCT01769586.)
Working Memory: It's a Gas, Gas, Gas.

The ellipsoid body, a doughnut-shaped part of the fly brain, is essential for visual working memory. Gaseous second messengers establish a functional ellipsoid body and act as a short-term aid in orientation behavior.
Collaborative e-Work and e-MFG.: Challenges for Production and Logistics Managers

Abstract The foundations and scope of e-Work and e-MFG., and investigations of fundamental design principles for their effectiveness are reviewed. The premise is that without effective e-Work, potential benefits of emerging and promising electronic work activities, such as virtual manufacturing, tele-robotic maintenance, automated inspection, e-supply and e-logistics cannot be materialized. Challenges and emerging solutions are described, clustered in four areas: 1. e-Work; 2. Integration, Coordination and Collaboration; 3. Distributed Decision Support; and 4. Active Middleware. Design principles, models and tools are described, and challenges in production and logistics management are illustrated. It is intended to stimulate and inspire fruitful future investigations, revolutionizing the way we can design beneficial e-Work.
Non-canonical Roles of Nuclear Pore Proteins

Thousands of nuclear pore complexes stud the nuclear envelope of a proliferating mammalian cell. At these sites, ∼30 proteins, each present in multiple copies, come together to provide a selective trafficking gateway. In addition to this vital canonical role in nucleocytoplasmic trafficking, a wide variety of other important biological functions are carried out by nuclear pore proteins. In this chapter, we survey the broad range of noncanonical roles that nuclear pore proteins play beyond the nuclear pore complex: during mitosis, in the regulation of gene expression, in response to DNA damage, at primary cilia, and as a signaling or tethering platform for other cellular processes. This chapter provides a snapshot of the scientific literature that emphasizes an ever-growing appreciation of the diverse contributions that nuclear pore proteins make to cell biology. This broader context is particularly important when considering experimental and disease-related phenotypes that arise when the role of a nuclear pore protein is impaired. An appreciation of non-canonical roles also underscores the potential for regulatory cross-talk between the status of nucleocytoplasmic trafficking and other cell functions.
Convergent Validity of a Consumer-Grade Accelerometer with a Research-Grade Pedometer in a Physical Education Setting

The cost of activity monitors has substantially reduced in recent years, making them more feasible for use in physical education programs. This study examined the convergent validity of the consumer-grade Movband activity monitor with the research-grade NL-2000 pedometer. The NL-2000 was chosen as the criterion unit because it is unaffected by BMI, pedometer tilt, or waist circumference, and has been recommended for use in research [1]. One hundred and eleven elementary school aged children (53 boys, 58 girls; 9.2 ± 0.7 yr.) from three physical education classes wore an NL-2000 on their right hip and a Movband on each wrist during a 30 minute class in which participants walked or ran on a hiking trail. A repeated measures ANOVA of mean steps indicated a significant difference (p< .001) between the NL-2000 (2411.74 ± 514.87) and the Movband worn on either wrist (left= 1554.33 ± 340.81, right= 1532.26 ± 329.76). Pearson product-moment correlations indicated that NL-2000 steps and Moves were significantly and positively correlated (p< .001; left= .79, right= .85). The correlation coefficient between left and right wrists was .87. In general, the Movband can provide reasonable estimates of physical activity for physical education teachers.
TaxSeeMe: A Taxi Administering System for the Visually Impaired

This work aims at providing complete independence to visually impaired personnel to travel using public commuting services. In this regard, we demonstrate an assistance system that helps administer a taxi ride for the visually impaired person. Our system consists of a wearable camera fit on the user, and which communicates with a smartphone app. The camera device uses computer vision to detect obstacles and navigate the person, and relays the information to the smartphone app. The app integrates that information with a taxi scheduling service on the phone. The interaction between the user and the phone is carried through speech and audio instructions. The app administers a taxi for pickup when the user clicks the screen. The person walks to the designated pick-up point and the taxi is identified using pre-registered WiFi and/or Bluetooth IDs.
Approval-directed agency and the decision theory of Newcomb-like problems

Decision theorists disagree about how instrumentally rational agents, i.e., agents trying to achieve some goal, should behave in so-called Newcomb-like problems, with the main contenders being causal and evidential decision theory. Since the main goal of artificial intelligence research is to create machines that make instrumentally rational decisions, the disagreement pertains to this field. In addition to the more philosophical question of what the right decision theory is, the goal of AI poses the question of how to implement any given decision theory in an AI. For example, how would one go about building an AI whose behavior matches evidential decision theory’s recommendations? Conversely, we can ask which decision theories (if any) describe the behavior of any existing AI design. In this paper, we study what decision theory an approval-directed agent, i.e., an agent whose goal it is to maximize the score it receives from an overseer, implements. If we assume that the overseer rewards the agent based on the expected value of some von Neumann–Morgenstern utility function, then such an approval-directed agent is guided by two decision theories: the one used by the agent to decide which action to choose in order to maximize the reward and the one used by the overseer to compute the expected utility of a chosen action. We show which of these two decision theories describes the agent’s behavior in which situations.
Continuous quality improvement methodology: a case study on multidisciplinary collaboration to improve chlamydia screening.

This article illustrates quality improvement (QI) methodology using an example intended to improve chlamydia screening in women. QI projects in healthcare provide great opportunities to improve patient quality and safety in a real-world healthcare setting, yet many academic centres lack training programmes on how to conduct QI projects. The choice of chlamydia screening was based on the significant health burden chlamydia poses despite simple ways to screen and treat. At the University of Michigan, we implemented a multidepartment process to improve the chlamydia screening rates using the plan-do-check-act model. Steps to guide QI projects include the following: (1) assemble a motivated team of stakeholders and leaders; (2) identify the problem that is considered a high priority; (3) prepare for the project including support and resources; (4) set a goal and ways to evaluate outcomes; (5) identify the root cause(s) of the problem and prioritise based on impact and effort to address; (6) develop a countermeasure that addresses the selected root cause effectively; (7) pilot a small-scale project to assess for possible modifications; (8) large-scale roll-out including education on how to implement the project; and (9) assess and modify the process with a feedback mechanism. Using this nine-step process, chlamydia screening rates increased from 29% to 60%. QI projects differ from most clinical research projects by allowing clinicians to directly improve patients’ health while contributing to the medical science body. This may interest clinicians wishing to conduct relevant research that can be disseminated through academic channels.
Improved bounds on Gaussian MAC and sparse regression via Gaussian inequalities

We consider the Gaussian multiple-access channel with two critical departures from the classical asymptotics: a) number of users proportional to block-length and b) each user sends a fixed number of data bits. We provide improved bounds on the tradeoff between the user density and the energy-per-bit. Interestingly, in this information-theoretic problem we rely on Gordon’s lemma from Gaussian process theory. From the engineering standpoint, we discover a surprising new effect: good coded-access schemes can achieve perfect multi-user interference cancellation at low user density.In addition, by a similar method we analyze the limits of false-discovery in binary sparse regression problem in the asymptotic regime of number of measurements going to infinity at fixed ratios with problem dimension, sparsity and noise level. Our rigorous bound matches the formal replica-method prediction for some range of parameters with imperceptible numerical precision.
Occupational exposure of oropharyngeal human papillomavirus amongst otolaryngologists

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a DNA virus that causes cancer in multiple sites. Although sexual activity is the primary means of oropharyngeal HPV acquisition, studies suggest HPV transmission through occupational exposure from medical instruments and surgical fumes. We assess if aerosolization of HPV16 DNA via electrocautery places otolaryngologists at risk for exposure. STUDY DESIGN Animal and human laboratory model. METHODS Plasmid (pLXSN16E6E7) expressing HPV p16 E6/E7 genes was transformed into DH5α Escherichia coli cells using the heat shock method. Miniprep and maxiprep purification of transformed DNA with subsequent restriction enzyme double digestion confirmed presence of E6E7 fragment. We injected 2 μg plasmid DNA in 20 μL TE (Tris and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid) buffer intradermally into freshly severed mouse tail then cauterized for 5 to 10 seconds. Generated fumes were collected through a suction tube fitted with Whatman filter paper. Filter paper was placed in 100 μL TE buffer. Additionally, six patients undergoing transoral robotic surgery for resection of oropharyngeal cancer were identified, three with p16-negative tumors and three with p16-positive tumors. Intraoperatively, Whatman filter paper was exposed to electrocautery fumes, then placed in 100 uL TE buffer. Additional samples were collected from the suction tubing and filter, the surgical mask of the surgeon at head of the bed, and the robot arm. RESULTS Samples were analyzed via polymerase chain reaction with an assay sensitivity of 1.5 ng E6E7 DNA. None of the patient or mouse tail samples yielded detectable HPV16 DNA in the electrocautery fumes. We did not detect HPV16 DNA on the surgical masks, suction apparatus, or robot arm intraoperatively. CONCLUSIONS There is likely minimal risk of occupational exposure to HPV16 via electrocautery fumes. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE NA Laryngoscope, 130:2366-2371, 2020.
EVIDENCE OF SOFT-SEDIMENT CEMENTATION ENCLOSING MAZON PLANT FOSSILS

ABSTRACT Plant fossils in Mazon concretions show distinguishable dorsal and ventral surface features. The concretions formed around plant fragments very early before the sediment had been consolidated and before the plants had been distorted by compression. Early cementation by authigenic minerals, chiefly iron carbonate, serves to preserve the external form of fossil fragments. This unusual feature has attracted little attention since the time of Lesquereux but it can provide additional botanical information. The fossils in Mazon concretions should be prepared by several methods now available to take advantage of their unusual features of preservation. Removal of surficial iron deposits may be readily accomplished by brief treatment with hot dilute hydrochloric acid. Results obtained by this method are shown for foliage of three species of ferns.