cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A parallel IEEE P754 decimal floating-point multiplier

Decimal floating-point multiplication is important in many commercial applications including banking, tax calculation, currency conversion, and other financial areas. This paper presents a fully parallel decimal floating-point multiplier compliant with the recent draft of the IEEE P754 Standard for Floating-point Arithmetic (IEEE P754). The novelty of the design is that it is the first parallel decimal floating-point multiplier offering low latency and high throughput. This design is based on a previously published parallel fixed-point decimal multiplier which uses alternate decimal digit encodings to reduce area and delay. The fixed-point design is extended to support floating-point multiplication by adding several components including exponent generation, rounding, shifting, and exception handling. Area and delay estimates are presented that show a significant latency and throughput improvement with a substantial increase in area as compared to the only published IEEE P754 compliant sequential floating-point multiplier. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first publication to present a fully parallel decimal floating-point multiplier that complies with IEEE P754.
Confirming the Revised C-Terminal Domain of the MscL Crystal Structure ☆

The structure of the C-terminal domain of the mechanosensitive channel of large conductance (MscL) has generated significant controversy. As a result, several structures have been proposed for this region: the original crystal structure (1MSL) of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis homolog (Tb), a model of the Escherichia coli homolog, and, most recently, a revised crystal structure of Tb-MscL (2OAR). To understand which of these structures represents a physiological conformation, we measured the impact of mutations to the C-terminal domain on the thermal stability of Tb-MscL using circular dichroism and performed molecular dynamics simulations of the original and the revised crystal structures of Tb-MscL. Our results imply that this region is helical and adopts an α-helical bundle conformation similar to that observed in the E. coli MscL model and the revised Tb-MscL crystal structure.
Twice Daily Plasma Exchange in Refractory Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura

: Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) usually responds to daily single total plasma exchange (TPE) or to plasma infusion. However, some cases are refractory to total plasma exchange, and additional efficacious treatment may not be available. A 34-year-old white male diagnosed with TTP was found to be refractory to single TPE. Steroids and twice daily TPE, in addition to splenectomy and vincristine, worked well to prevent further clinical deterioration. Laboratory values were normalized at the completion of treatment protocol. Cases of TTP refractory to single TPE/day may benefit from early treatment of twice-daily TPE in addition to a combination therapy of steroids, splenectomy, and vincristine.
Recurrence-Free Survival After Radical Cystectomy of Patients Downstaged by Transurethral Resection

OBJECTIVES The finding of bladder cancer invading the detrusor muscle on transurethral resection (TUR) is one of the clearest indications for radical cystectomy. To the extent that detrusor invasion is, in practical effect, a binary variable, the variety of outcomes after radical cystectomy in these patients belies the simplicity of this approach. In this context, we assessed bladder cancer recurrence-free survival among patients noted to have muscle-invasive urothelial carcinoma (transitional cell cancer [TCC]) on staging TUR subsequently found to have non-muscle-invasive TCC at radical cystectomy (downstaged). METHODS The records of 248 consecutive patients who underwent radical cystectomy for TCC at a single academic institution from 1994 to 2002 were retrospectively reviewed. Of these patients, 112 (45%) had documented muscle-invasive disease by TUR and were clear of gross residual tumor on cystoscopy before radical cystectomy. RESULTS Of the 112 patients, 25 (22.3%) were downstaged to non-muscle-invasive disease (Stage pT1 or less) at cystectomy and 87 (77.7%) had persistent muscle-invasive disease (Stage pT2 or greater) at cystectomy. Recurrence occurred in 4 downstaged patients (16.0%) compared with 29 patients (33.3%) who were not downstaged (P = 0.094). Kaplan-Meier analysis demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in recurrence-free survival with downstaging (log-rank P = 0.008). Multivariate analysis demonstrated a threefold reduction in recurrence risk with tumor downstaging (hazard ratio 0.33, 95% confidence interval 0.10 to 1.12) that approached statistical significance (P = 0.075). Nodal status was the strongest predictor of RFS. CONCLUSIONS Downstaging from muscle-invasive TCC on TUR to non-muscle-invasive TCC at radical cystectomy can be associated with a reduced risk of recurrence even after adjusting for lymph node status and adjuvant chemotherapy.
The Indispensable Enemy and American-Soviet Relations

In this paper I explore the psychological "fit" between enemies and draw upon the conflict between the United States and the Soviet Union to illustrate this process and structure. I argue that group self-definition and cohesiveness are achieved by contrast with and opposition to a historic enemy that is perceived through projection as embodying disavowed characteristics of one's own group. I describe this psychocultural gap, and inquire into what functions this gap serves. Specifically, I argue that opposition occurs where unconscious similarity cannot be acknowledged. As a result, the adversaries are locked in a permanent "dance." They are in fact a cultural "pair," since self-definition is impossible without reference to the other. The cultivation and availability of such an indispensable enemy is a recurrent feature of a group's own internal self-regulation. Consequently, conflicts between groups cannot be solved so long as intragroup stability is purchased through intergroup hostility, and one group's knowledge of the other is largely governed by projection. This dynamic between groups is reciprocal, resulting in what I have called "adversary symbiosis" (Stein 1982, 1987).
A note on the absolute continuity and singularity of Polya tree priors and posteriors

In the context of Polya tree processes, we obtain conditions for the prior and posterior to be mutually absolutely continuous, as well as conditions for the prior and posterior to be mutually singular.
Duration of the second stage of labor while wearing a dental support device: a pilot study.

Aim: Developing a method of maximizing maternal expulsive effort should be of great value in reducing the number of cesarean sections or instrumental deliveries. Various investigations have shown that use of a dental support device (DSD) increases the isometric strength of different muscle groups. The aim of our study was to investigate the role of a DSD in second stage of pushing. Methods: Nulliparous women with an uncomplicated singleton pregnancy course were randomly assigned either to a DSD group or to a non-device group. Duration of the second stage of labor was evaluated. Rates of cesarean section or instrumental delivery indicated for failure to descend in the second stage of labor were also evaluated. Satisfaction scores for the DSD group were evaluated (range 1–5). Results: Sixty-four subjects were enrolled in the study. Cesarean section and instrumental delivery were performed for 12 (18.8%) and 5 (7.8%) patients, respectively. There was no difference in obstetrical and neonatal demographics between the two groups. Among 64 enrolled patients, 38 (59.3%) were evaluated for the second stage of labor (n = 19 for each group). Duration of the second stage of labor in the DSD group was significantly shorter than in the non-device group: (median 19 min (interquartile interval, IQI, 9) vs 31 min (IQI, 23)), P < 0.001. One patient in the non-device group required a vacuum extraction for failure to descend. The mode of satisfaction score for the DSD group was 5 (59.3%). Conclusion: Wearing a dental support device may shorten the second stage of labor, and may decrease the number of failures to descend requiring operative intervention.
On mitigating emissions leakage under biofuel policies

© 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd. A reason for much pessimism about the environmental benefits of today's biofuels, essentially corn and sugarcane ethanol, is the so-called indirect land-use change (ILUC) emissions associated with expanding biofuel production. While there exist several simulation-based estimates of indirect emissions, the empirical basis underlying key input parameters to such simulations is not beyond doubt, while empirical verification of indirect emissions is hard. Regardless, regulators have adopted global warming intensity ratings for biofuels based on those simulations and in some case are holding regulated firms accountable for (some forms of) leakage. Suffice to say that both the estimates of and the approach to regulating leakage are controversial. The objective of this study is therefore to review a wider economic in order to identify a broader set of policy options for mitigating emissions leakage. We find that controlling leakage by affixing responsibility to regulated firms lacks support in the broader literature, which emphasizes alternative approaches.
Development of a sliding-leg tripod as an add-on device for manufacturing

This paper presents the work on developing a sliding-leg tripod as a programmable add-on device for manufacturing. The purpose is to enhance the capabilities of any machine by providing it with a more flexible range of motion. This device can be used as a toolhead for CNC machine tools and robots, or as a work stage for coordinate measuring machines and laser scanning systems. In this paper, system modelling, analysis and control of this device is presented. System modeling includes mobility study, kinematic model and inverse kinematics. System analysis includes workspace analysis, transmission ratio and stiffness analysis. System control includes path planning, joint space control and Cartesian space prediction. It is shown that the proposed device can provide flexibility and dexterity to machines.
And therefore I have sailed the seas and come: To the holy city of Byzantium

Suggested citation for this article: Potter P. And therefore I have sailed the seas and come To the holy city of Byzantium. Emerg Infect Dis [serial on the Internet]. 2011 May [date cited]. http://dx.doi.org/10.3201/eid1705.AC1705
Amyloid β peptide cleavage by kallikrein 7 attenuates fibril growth and rescues neurons from Aβ-mediated toxicity in vitro

The gradual accumulation and assembly of β-amyloid (Aβ) peptide into neuritic plaques is a major pathological hallmark of Alzheimer disease (AD). Proteolytic degradation of Aβ is an important clearance mechanism under normal circumstances, and it has been found to be compromised in those with AD. Here, the extended substrate specificity and Aβ-degrading capacity of kallikrein 7 (KLK7), a serine protease with a unique chymotrypsin-like specificity, was characterized. Preferred peptide substrates of KLK7 identified using a bacterial display substrate library were found to exhibit a consensus motif of RXΦ(Y/F)↓(Y/F)↓(S/A/G/T) or RXΦ(Y/F)↓(S/T/A) (Φ=hydrophobic), which is remarkably similar to the hydrophobic core motif of Aβ (K16L17V18F19F20 A21) that is largely responsible for aggregation propensity. KLK7 was found to cleave after both Phe residues within the core of Aβ42 in vitro, thereby inhibiting Aβ fibril formation and promoting the degradation of preformed fibrils. Finally, the treatment of Aβ oligomer preparations with KLK7, but not inactive pro-KLK7, significantly reduced Aβ42-mediated toxicity to rat hippocampal neurons to the same extent as the known Aβ-degrading protease insulin-degrading enzyme (IDE). Taken together, these results indicate that KLK7 possesses an Aβ-degrading capacity that can ameliorate the toxic effects of the aggregated peptide in vitro.
Avoidance conditioning following preadaptation to weak shock

Four groups of rats were preadapted, respectively, to no-shock,.004 mA,.008 mA, and.02 mA, before being conditioned in a jump box to.03 mA shock preceded by a bell CS. Both the.004-mA and the,008-mA groups required significantly fewer trials (p <.01) to criterion than the other two groups. The results were related to those of studies using subliminal anchor stimuli with human Ss and were interpreted in an adaptation-level framework.
The impact of self-service technology and the presence of others on cause-related marketing programs in restaurants.

Self-service technology (SST) is rapidly gaining traction in the restaurant industry, yet the impact on consumer behavior remains to be seen. This study lends a theoretical perspective to the growing issue of SST and its effect on consumer donation behavior. From the lens of costly signaling theory, we examine how the use of SST impacts guest responses to cause-related marketing (CRM) initiatives. Employing an experimental design, we found that customers who were solicited in the presence of others were more likely to donate than those solicited via SST. These results suggest that when the participation decision is conspicuous, donating is a way to raise social status in front of others. To the best of the authors[#x02019] knowledge, no extant research has examined the joint impact of SST and matching donations on the customer[#x02019]s participation in CRM programs. Our findings suggest that SST adoption may have unintended consequences for corporations.
Public versus Private Employees: Debunking Stereotypes

This article explores whether common negative stereotypes of public employees are consistent with the descriptive and empirical literature comparing public and private employees. It reviews this literature to explore specifically whether public employees are more lazy, security-seeking, insensitive, inefficient, and incompetent than private employees. Given the ethics crises in government in the 1980s, it also explores whether public employees are less ethical than private employees. The primary focus of the article is on the findings and methodology of the empirical comparisons of public and private employees. Suggestions for future public-private comparative studies of employees are proposed.
Plasma cell dyscrasias.

In this article the usefulness and limitations of the bone marrow examination in the differential diagnosis of the plasma cell dyscrasias is discussed. Because of the overlapping clinical and morphologic features encountered with these disorders and problems due to random marrow sampling, the difficulties in making a correct bone marrow interpretation may be quite formidable. The applicability of immunohistochemistry is discussed as well as the need for clinical correlation.
Multimodal Imaging and Lighting Bias Correction for Improved μPAD-based Water Quality Monitoring via Smartphones

National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship [DGE-1143953]; Paul D. Coverdell Fellows Program; Water and Environmental Technology (WET) Center at the University of Arizona; Tucson Water
Scaling Capitalist Class Relations: Commercial Property Development in Tampa, Florida

We test the relationship between the implied cost of capital and two agency problems, free cash flows and overinvestment. We show that free cash flows have a significant negative impact on the implied cost of capital, but overinvestment has a significantly positive impact. In addition, the pay-for-performance sensitivity has a negative effect but the sensitivity of volatility has a significantly positive effect on the implied cost of capital. After taking the incentives into account, we find that the significance of the impact from both agency problems still exists. Finally, we conclude that well-designed executive compensation should focus on reducing overinvestment and the sensitivity of volatility.
Restless Legs Syndrome: Current Concepts about Disease Pathophysiology.

Background: In the past few decades, much has been learned about the pathophysiology of restless legs syndrome (RLS). Investigators have studied neuropathology, imaging, electrophysiology, and genetics of RLS, identifying brain regions and biological systems affected in RLS. This manuscript will review RLS pathophysiology literature, examining the RLS state through consideration of the neuroanatomy, then the biological, organ, and genetic systems. Methods: Pubmed (1966 to April 2016) was searched for the term “restless legs syndrome” cross-referenced with “pathophysiology,” “pathogenesis,” “pathology,” or “imaging.” English language papers were reviewed. Studies that focused on RLS in relation to another disease were not reviewed. Results: Although there are no gross structural brain abnormalities in RLS, widespread brain areas are activated, including the pre- and post-central gyri, cingulate cortex, thalamus, and cerebellum. Pathologically, the most consistent finding is striatal iron deficiency in RLS patients. A host of other biological systems are also altered in RLS, including the dopaminergic, oxygen-sensing, opioid, glutamatergic, and serotonergic systems. Polymorphisms in genes including BTBD9 and MEIS1 are associated with RLS. Discussion: RLS is a neurologic sensorimotor disorder that involves pathology, most notably iron deficiency, in motor and sensory brain areas. Brain areas not subserving movement or sensation such as the cingulate cortex and cerebellum are also involved. Other biological systems including the dopaminergic, oxygen-sensing, opioid, glutamatergic, and serotonergic systems are involved. Further research is needed to determine which of these anatomic locations or biological systems are affected primarily, and which are affected in a secondary response.
Effects of Oxandrolone on Cardiometabolic Health in Boys With Klinefelter Syndrome: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Context: Klinefelter syndrome (KS) is a common condition in males resulting in androgen deficiency and cardiometabolic diseases. These conditions are likely related and may be present in pre-pubertal boys with KS. Objective: To determine if supplemental low-dose androgen has a beneficial effect on body composition and other cardiometabolic risk factors in pre-pubertal boys with KS. Design, Setting and Participants: Secondary analysis of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial of oxandrolone between 2007 and 2011 at an academic referral center. 93 boys with KS age 4-12 years were randomized 1:1 to treatment group. Interventions: Oral oxandrolone 0.06 mg/kg/day or placebo for 2 years. Outcome measures: The primary outcome was percent body fat standard deviation score (%BF SDS) at 2 years. Secondary outcomes included additional measures of cardiometabolic health and safety. Results: %BF SDS at 2 years was significantly lower in the treatment (0.29 ± 0.76 SDS) compared to placebo group (...
Extracellular Ca2+ Is Required for Fertilization in the African Clawed Frog, Xenopus laevis.

Background The necessity of extracellular Ca2+ for fertilization and early embryonic development in the African clawed frog, Xenopus laevis, is controversial. Ca2+ entry into X. laevis sperm is reportedly required for the acrosome reaction, yet fertilization and embryonic development have been documented to occur in high concentrations of the Ca2+ chelator BAPTA. Here we sought to resolve this controversy. Methodology/principal finding Using the appearance of cleavage furrows as an indicator of embryonic development, we found that X. laevis eggs inseminated in a solution lacking added divalent cations developed normally. By contrast, eggs inseminated in millimolar concentrations of BAPTA or EGTA failed to develop. Transferring embryos to varying solutions after sperm addition, we found that extracellular Ca2+ is specifically required for events occurring within the first 30 minutes after sperm addition, but not after. We found that the fluorescently stained sperm were not able to penetrate the envelope of eggs inseminated in high BAPTA, whereas several had penetrated the vitelline envelope of eggs inseminated without a Ca2+ chelator, or with BAPTA and saturating CaCl2. Together these results indicate that fertilization does not occur in high concentrations of Ca2+ chelators. Finally, we found that the jelly coat includes >5 mM of readily diffusible Ca2+. Conclusions/Significance Taken together, these data are consistent with requirement of extracellular Ca2+ for fertilization. Based on our findings, we hypothesize that the jelly coat surrounding the egg acts as a reserve of readily available Ca2+ ions to foster fertilization in changing extracellular milieu.
Assessing groundwater availability of the Maldives under future climate conditions

Groundwater resources of the Republic of the Maldives are threatened by a variety of factors including variable future rainfall patterns, continued population growth and associated pumping demands, rising sea level, and contamination from the land surface. This study assesses changes in groundwater availability due to variable rainfall patterns and sea level rise (SLR) in the coming decades, a key component of water resources management for the country. Using a suite of two-dimensional density-dependent groundwater flow models, time-dependent thickness of the freshwater lens is simulated for a range of island sizes (200 m to 1100 m) during the time period of 2011 to 2050, with recharge to the freshwater lens calculated using rainfall patterns provided by General Circulation Models (GCM) for the three distinct geographic regions of the Maldives. The effect of SLR on the freshwater lens is quantified using estimates of shoreline recession and associated decreases in island width. If rainfall is solely considered, groundwater availability is projected to increase, as lens thickness during the 2031-2050 time periods is slightly greater (1-5%) than during the 2011-2030 time period. However, including the impact of SLR indicates an overall decrease in lens thickness, with drastic decreases (60% to 100%) projected for small islands (200 m) and moderate decreases (12% to 14%) expected for 400 m islands, which accommodate one-third of the national population. Similar methodologies can be used for other atoll island nations, such as the Republic of Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia and the Republic of Kiribati. For the Maldives, results from this study can be used in conjunction with population growth estimates to determine the feasibility of including groundwater in water resources planning and management for the country.
Designing self-powered materials systems that perform pattern recognition

Inspired by the advances in both materials and computer science, we describe efforts to design “materials that compute” where the material and the computer are the same entity. Using theory and simulation, we devise systems that integrate the behavior of self-oscillating gels and fundamental concepts from oscillator-based computing. We specifically focus on gels that undergo the Belousov–Zhabotinsky (BZ) reaction and thus exhibit self-sustained oscillations. In our models, we couple the BZ gel to an overlaying piezoelectric (PZ) cantilever to create a BZ–PZ unit. By connecting the BZ–PZ units by electrical wires, we design networks that autonomously transduce chemical, mechanical, and electrical energy to propagate a signal across the device and achieve synchronization of the oscillating gels in the network. This synchronization allows the device to perform pattern recognition in a self-organized manner, without the need for external electrical power sources. In particular, we imposed a collection of input patterns onto different BZ–PZ networks, where each network encompassed a distinct stored pattern. The network encompassing the stored pattern closest to the input pattern exhibited the fastest convergence time to the stable synchronization behavior, and could be identified as the “winner”. In this way, the networks of coupled BZ–PZ oscillators achieved pattern recognition. We demonstrated that the convergence time to the stable synchronization provides a robust measure of the degree of match between the input and stored patterns. Through these studies, we laid out fundamental and experimentally realizable design rules for creating “materials that compute”.
CNTs in Composites: A Case Study

To understand the exposure to Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) from CNT composites in work environments, case studies were conducted on machining, weaving, and incineration, in work environments and in simulation studies. The case studies showed that fragments of CNT composites having protruding CNTs were observed in most of the cases, moreover, individual CNTs or agglomerates were also observed in some cases during mechanical processes. In most cases, direct-reading instruments are being used; however, most of the released particles are a mixture of fragments with or without CNTs. Moreover, in real workplaces, direct-reading instruments are not sensitive enough to detect the release of small numbers of particles. To distinguish CNTs or CNTs embedded in polymers from the interference of background particles, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy observations should be conducted. The release of particles should be evaluated quantitatively to compare the results and assess the health effects. To quantify these particles, a harmonized method is needed.
TOM RIPLEY, QUEER EXCEPTIONALISM, AND THE ANXIETY OF BEING CLOSE TO NORMAL

AbstractIn this essay, I engage with the work of the mid-twentieth-century US suspense novelist Patricia Highsmith in order to open up the question of queerness as a historically locatable theory and practice of antinormativity in the post-identitarian, post-new-social-movement United States. I argue that Highsmith's Ripley novels offer a discomfitingly intimate counter-fantasy to the politically radical ambitions of both gay liberation and queer studies, one that reminds us of the constitutive power of commodification in the making of social fantasies of gendered and sexual subversion in the United States in the second half of the twentieth century. In offering her readers scenes that become situations in their reliance on repetition in order to create and then alleviate tension, Highsmith's Ripley novels enact a relation of attachment (to excitement, distraction, danger, the illicit, etc.) indicative of the momentary and addictive pleasures of consumer capitalism. Through this formal signature, I argue,...
Reactions to Illness: The Acute Phase: The Interplay of Environmental Factors in Intensive Care Units

The nature of specialized units with highly trained staff and special equipment can render such environments themselves stressful to patients. Awareness of and attention to a variety of factors can help alleviate such stress.
Changes in Symmetry in Elastic Crystals

It is not unusual for real material bodies to undergo what we consider to be changes in symmetry. We see water freeze to form solid ice, and know that mechanical forces, as well as temperature, influence such transitions. Similarly, crystals undergo changes in their symmetry, in some phase transitions. There are other phenomena which seem not to involve quite the same kind of change, but which crystallographers rationalize by considerations of symmetry, such as the twinning of crystals. By and large, continuum theory has ignored such phenomena, and conventional theories of material symmetry seem to exclude them. In the abstract, it is not so easy to decide just how we should modify theory to accommodate such phenomena. This induced me to attempt to construct models indicating how it should work, in special cases. For various reasons, the theory of elastic or thermoelastic crystals seemed to me a good place to start. As nonlinear continuum theories go, elasticity and thermoelasticity are relatively well understood. In terms of atomic arrangements, etc., the symmetry of crystals has been studied in some detail. Conceptually, classical molecular theories of elasticity theory are simple enough so that we can ascertain some of the general implications which are more or less independent of specific assumptions about interatomic force laws. As is to be discussed, some progress has been made toward this end, but some subtleties are not yet well understood.
Enzymes Involved in the Biosynthesis and Degradation of Catecholamines

Under normal physiological conditions, the concentration of tissue catecholamines does not change appreciably. This is because all the tissues that store and release catecholamines have the capacity to synthesize them. In addition, the sympathetic nerve endings and probably most of the central adrenergic structures have the property of taking up a considerable fraction of the catecholamines which have been released.
An Approach to Image Editing and Filing

Among the various aspects of digital image manipulation tasks for business or office applications, image editing and filing can be regarded as one of the most fundamental and important elements at least from software standpoint. At Tokyo Scientific Center/ IBM Japan, a prototype system has been developed to provide a practical solution to this problem, and this paper presents the concepts and functions of this prototype system, which consists of two major components, i.e. Image Editor for interactive image display/editing and Aggregate Data Manager for database management including both image and alphanumeric data.
Abstract 3712: Optimizing design parameters of a VLA-4-targeted liposomal nanoparticle in a multiple myeloma disease model

Ligand-targeted liposomes have garnered interest as drug delivery vehicles for cancer therapy, however they have not consistently produced successful outcomes. These inconsistencies likely arise from differences in disease models and target receptors, as well as from nanoparticle design parameters which can significantly influence therapeutic efficacy. We systematically evaluated the role that peptide-linker length, peptide hydrophilicity, peptide density, and nanoparticle size play on tumor targeting using a multifaceted synthetic strategy to prepare highly controlled and consistent peptide-targeted liposomes. We analyzed these parameters in a VLA-4-expressing multiple myeloma model system where liposomes were functionalized with a VLA-4-antagonist peptide to evaluate in vitro targeting efficiency and in vivo biodistribution and tumor cell uptake. Our studies demonstrated that by increasing the hydrophilicity of the targeting peptide sequence via addition of an oligolysine chain and simultaneously optimizing the EG peptide-linker length, cellular uptake of targeted liposomes was significantly enhanced in vitro. Specifically, the cellular uptake was greatly enhanced for 50-100 nm size liposomes with shorter peptide-linker lengths of EG6 when compared to the industry standard EG45 linker. For in vivo applications, although targeted formulations did not enhance tumor accumulation directly relative to non-targeted formulations, liposomes designed with EG6 linker and an oligolysine chain provided a significant advantage by demonstrating significantly enhanced tumor cell uptake relative to non-targeted liposomes. These results highlighted the importance of creating a comprehensive understanding of the effect of each liposome design parameter on multifactorial biological endpoints in determining the therapeutic potential of peptide-targeted liposomes. Citation Format: Basar Bilgicer, Tanyel Kiziltepe, David Omstead, Peter Deak. Optimizing design parameters of a VLA-4-targeted liposomal nanoparticle in a multiple myeloma disease model [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 3712.
Abstract TMP34: Effects of Exercise Training on Splenocytes and Recovery in a Stroke Model

Background: Exercise training increases brain-derived neurotrophic factors associated with stroke recovery. However, exercise training, as a stressful stimulus, might lead to spleen contraction, and affect peripheral immune responses to impact stroke recovery. Methods: 48 C57 male adult mice were subjected to middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAo) for 60 mins. 3 days later, they were randomly divided into two groups: 1) placed on running wheel for 20 mins daily up to 2 weeks after MCAo (RW) 2) standard housing without running wheel (no-RW). At day 5 and 7 after MCAo, the spleen and the brain were harvested. Spleen mass, splenocytes and microglia were analyzed. In another experiment, circling and corner testing were performed as neuro-functional evaluations up to 3 weeks after MCAo. Results: At day 5, compared to no-RW group, RW mice have smaller ratio of spleen weight to body weight (2.0±0.4 vs.2.6±0.4, p=0.10) but higher CD3/CD8 T-cells (13.3%±2.3 vs. 8.3%±4.0, p=0.15), and significant higher neutrophil...
Quality and Experience of Outpatient Care in the United States for Adults With or Without Primary Care

Importance The US health care system is typically organized around hospitals and specialty care. The value of primary care remains unclear and debated. Objective To determine whether an association exists between receipt of primary care and high-value services, low-value services, and patient experience. Design, Setting, and Participants This is a nationally representative analysis of noninstitutionalized US adults 18 years or older who participated in the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey. Propensity score–weighted quality and experience of care were compared between 49 286 US adults with and 21 133 adults without primary care from 2012 to 2014. Temporal trends were also analyzed from 2002 to 2014. Exposures Patient-reported receipt of primary care, determined by the 4 “Cs” of primary care: first-contact care that is comprehensive, continuous, and coordinated. Main Outcomes and Measures Thirty-nine clinical quality measures and 7 patient experience measures aggregated into 10 clinical quality composites (6 high-value and 4 low-value services), an overall patient experience rating, and 2 experience composites. Results From 2002 to 2014, the mean annual survey response rate was 58% (range, 49%-65%). Between 2012 and 2014, compared with respondents without primary care (before adjustment), those with primary care were older (50 [95% CI, 50-51] vs 38 [95% CI, 38-39] years old), more often female (55% [95% CI, 54%-55%] vs 42% [95% CI, 41%-43%]), and predominately white individuals (50% [95% CI, 49%-52%] vs 43% [95% CI, 41%-45%]). After propensity score weighting, US adults with or without primary care had the same mean numbers of outpatient (6.7 vs 5.9; difference, 0.8 [95% CI, −0.2 to 1.8];P = .11), emergency department (0.2 for both; difference, 0.0 [95% CI, −0.1 to 0.0];P = .17), and inpatient (0.1 for both; difference, 0.0 [95% CI, 0.0-0.0];P = .92) encounters annually, but those with primary care filled more prescriptions (mean, 14.1 vs 10.7; difference, 3.4 [95% CI, 2.0-4.7];P Conclusions and Relevance Receipt of primary care was associated with significantly more high-value care, slightly more low-value care, and better health care experience. Policymakers and health system leaders seeking to improve value should consider increasing investments in primary care.
Abstract 040: Association of Physical Inactivity and Lifetime Risk of Heart Failure Among White and Black US Adults

Introduction: Adherence with the American Heart Association (AHA) guidelines for physical activity (AHA-PA) may reduce the risk of heart failure (HF). However, the association of AHA-PA in relation...
Microbiota and Antibiotic Resistome of Lettuce Leaves and Radishes Grown in Soils Receiving Manure-Based Amendments Derived From Antibiotic-Treated Cows

This work was supported by the USDA NIFA-AFRI 2014-05280/2015-68003-23050 awards and the Virginia Agricultural Experiment Station and the Hatch Program of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The Readability of Mathematics Textbooks Revisited.

ALL mathematics textbooks are written in more than one language. Each contains portions in a natural language, such as English, together with portions in one or more additional languages, such as Hindu Arabic numeration, various algebraic no tational systems, the language of the sentential calculus, and the like. The mix of these languages varies greatly from book to book, topic to topic, and level to level. The natural language component often is replete with translations from one of the other symbol systems. Fox example, phrases such as if and only if, if . . . then, A and are direct translations from the
Effect of source blur on digital breast tomosynthesis reconstruction.

Purpose Most digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) reconstruction methods neglect the blurring of the projection views caused by the finite size or motion of the x-ray focal spot. This paper studies the effect of source blur on the spatial resolution of reconstructed DBT using analytical calculation and simulation, and compares the influence of source blur over a range of blurred source sizes. Methods Mathematically derived formulas describe the point spread function (PSF) of source blur on the detector plane as a function of the spatial locations of the finite-sized source and the object. By using the available technical parameters of some clinical DBT systems, we estimated the effective source sizes over a range of exposure time and DBT scan geometries. We used the CatSim simulation tool (GE Global Research, NY) to generate digital phantoms containing line pairs and beads at different locations and imaged with sources of four different sizes covering the range of potential source blur. By analyzing the relative contrasts of the test objects in the reconstructed images, we studied the effect of the source blur on the spatial resolution of DBT. Furthermore, we simulated a detector that rotated in synchrony with the source about the rotation center and calculated the spatial distribution of the blurring distance in the imaged volume to estimate its influence on source blur. Results Calculations demonstrate that the PSF is highly shift-variant, making it challenging to accurately implement during reconstruction. The results of the simulated phantoms demonstrated that a typical finite-sized focal spot (~0.3 mm) will not affect the reconstructed image resolution if the x-ray tube is stationary during data acquisition. If the x-ray tube moves during exposure, the extra blur due to the source motion may degrade image resolution, depending on the effective size of the source along the direction of the motion. A detector that rotates in synchrony with the source does not reduce the influence of source blur substantially. Conclusions This study demonstrates that the extra source blur due to the motion of the x-ray tube during image acquisition substantially degrades the reconstructed image resolution. This effect cannot be alleviated by rotating the detector in synchrony with the source. The simulation results suggest that there are potential benefits of modeling the source blur in image reconstruction for DBT systems using continuous-motion acquisition mode.
An Empirical Typology of the Institutional Diversity of U.S. Colleges and Universities

Researchers consider a high level of institutional diversity in a higher education system as a strength. While the literature considers key elements of diversity, existing research fails to employ methodological approaches that balance the need for capturing the breadth and depth of similarities and differences across institutions. This article reports on the use of cluster analysis to examine data from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) and to create a typology of six institutional types present across four-year institutions in U.S. higher education. The typology presented here helps identify the main types of institutions and offers useful insights for understanding the current state of institutional diversity. Drawing from the research on institutional diversity and organizational theory, the findings of this study provide a typology that can inform both researchers and practitioners as they compare different institutions. An enhanced understanding of the similarities and differences between institutions can clarify not only the range of characteristics and features within U.S. higher education, but also guide administrative decision-making.
Nodular pulmonary deposition disease in a patient with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome: a case report.

Pulmonary nodules are a common cause for concern in patients with human immunodeficiency virus and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. Most commonly, they are the result of an infection, given the patients’ immunocompromised state; however, in some cases, pulmonary nodules in patients with human immunodeficiency virus and patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome can result from cellular or protein deposits. We report a rare case of nodular pulmonary light chain deposition disease in a patient with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance. A 53-year-old African American woman with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome had pulmonary nodules detected incidentally by imaging of her lungs. Pulmonary tuberculosis was high on the differential diagnosis, but she had a negative test result for pulmonary tuberculosis. Imaging also revealed multiple lucent bone lesions, and earlier in the year, serum protein electrophoresis had shown an immunoglobulin G-kappa monoclonal protein (M spike). She was mildly anemic, so there was concern for progression to myeloma; however, the result of her bone marrow biopsy was unremarkable. Lung biopsy revealed finely granular eosinophilic material with negative Congo red staining, consistent with light chain deposition disease. The extent of this patient’s light chain deposition disease was thought to be caused by a combination of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance, and the interval decrease in lung nodule size after restarting antiretroviral therapy confirms this hypothesis and also highlights a potentially unique contribution of the hypergammaglobulinemia to this disease process in patients with human immunodeficiency virus and patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome .
The Conservative Bias of Tightly Split Opinions

This paper documents a paradoxical phenomenon in tightly split opinions of the United States Supreme Court. They exhibit a conservative bias. This bias of 5–4 opinions from 1946 to 2018 has remained mostly steady at about 58% conservative. Other splits of the United States Supreme Court do not exhibit similar consistency, except 9–0 splits. Those have a liberal bias, but only until the 1975 term. Forces consistent with the data are offered as avenues for further research: (a) pliant conservatism to 1975 and firm conservatism from 1976 in the justices; (b) nation-shaping liberal decisions that attracted unanimity and repelled tight splits to 1975; (c) liberal justices not voting for certiorari in some disputes after 1976; liberal litigants (d) switching from firm to conciliatory attitudes in 1976; and (e) reducing their test case litigation in 1972.
Media and Disaster Scene Management

Given the dramatic rise of disasters around the world in the past 20 years, building and maintaining effective disaster prevention and management systems is a global priority. A core component of disaster planning, response, and recovery is communication. This chapter examines the importance of effective communication before, during, and after disasters. It discusses the role of the media during emergencies and how agencies and response organizations should operate within this ecosystem in order to effectively address the unique challenges presented by crisis events. It further explores best practices in crisis communication strategy and implementation targeted at optimizing disaster response. The chapter offers a roadmap with guidelines on how to improve communication effectiveness during emergencies. Key success factors include a symbiotic relationship between the media and disaster response organizations; a proactive, transparent, and swift communication response from all actors involved in disaster management; and crisis communication preparedness as an inherent part of all relevant organizations’ operations. In sum, this chapter argues that well-planned and well-executed crisis communication interventions, conceptualized within a continuous communication lifecycle, are central pieces of effective disaster preparedness and response systems. Thus, communities worldwide need to invest in communication as a core element of their readiness to respond to crises now and in the future.
On Online Optimization: Dynamic Regret Analysis of Strongly Convex and Smooth Problems

The regret bound of dynamic online learning algorithms is often expressed in terms of the variation in the function sequence (V_T) and/or the path-length of the minimizer sequence after T rounds. For strongly convex and smooth functions, Zhang et al. (2017) establish the squared path-length of the minimizer sequence (C*_{2,T}) as a lower bound on regret. They also show that online gradient descent (OGD) achieves this lower bound using multiple gradient queries per round. In this paper, we focus on unconstrained online optimization. We first show that a preconditioned variant of OGD achieves O(min{C*_T,C*_{2,T}}) with one gradient query per round (C*_T refers to the normal path-length). We then propose online optimistic Newton (OON) method for the case when the first and second order information of the function sequence is predictable. The regret bound of OON is captured via the quartic path-length of the minimizer sequence (C*_{4,T}), which can be much smaller than C*_{2,T}. We finally show that by using multiple gradients for OGD, we can achieve an upper bound of O(min{C*_{2,T},V_T}) on regret.
The Effects of Exposure to Practice Risk on Tax Professionals' Judgements and Recommendations*

Tax professionals are responsible for objectively evaluating tax authorities and evidence relevant to their application and for serving as client advocates. We predict that practice risk — that is, exposure to monetary and nonmonetary costs of making inappropriate recommendations — will affect tax professionals' ability to meet these responsibilities by influencing the manner in which they process information about a tax situation as well as their resulting recommendations for clients. We conduct an experiment in which we manipulate practice risk through client characteristics. We also manipulate provision and nature of outcome information. We find that tax professionals process information differently for clients of different risk levels. Specifically, tax professionals weight negative outcome information more heavily when forming likelihood assessments underlying recommendations for a high-risk client, relative to a low-risk client. Further, risk directly affects recommendations in that tax professionals more strongly recommend an aggressive position for a low-risk client. Differential processing of information for clients with identical transactions but different risk levels may protect the tax professional from the higher expected costs of making inappropriate recommendations to high-risk clients. However, it indicates that tax professionals do not evaluate evidence objectively for all types of clients.