cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A constructive algorithm for feedforward neural networks with incremental training

We develop, in this brief, a new constructive learning algorithm for feedforward neural networks. We employ an incremental training procedure where training patterns are learned one by one. Our algorithm starts with a single training pattern and a single hidden-layer neuron. During the course of neural network training, when the algorithm gets stuck in a local minimum, we will attempt to escape from the local minimum by using the weight scaling technique. It is only after several consecutive failed attempts in escaping from a local minimum that will we allow the network to grow by adding a hidden-layer neuron. At this stage, we employ an optimization procedure based on quadratic/linear programming to select initial weights for the newly added neuron. Our optimization procedure tends to make the network reach the error tolerance with no or little training after adding a hidden-layer neuron. Our simulation results indicate that the present constructive algorithm can obtain neural networks very close to minimal structures (with the least possible number of hidden-layer neurons) and that convergence (to a solution) in neural network training can be guaranteed. We tested our algorithm extensively using a widely used benchmark problem, i.e., the parity problem. Many researchers have studied the neural network training problem, and many algorithms have been reported. Although there have been many successful applications, there are still a number of issues that have not been completely resolved. These include the determination of the number of hidden-layer neurons, and the convergence as well as the speed of convergence in training. We say that a training is con- vergent if the training algorithm can eventually find a solution (i.e., a trained neural network) to the problem at hand without human inter- vention. This implies, in many cases, that the training algorithm can escape from local minima which the algorithm may visit during the course of a neural network training. Techniques reported in the liter- ature to deal with the local minimum problem (i.e., the convergence problem) include weight scaling (6), (13) and dynamic tunneling (14). The number of hidden-layer neurons is one of the most important considerations when solving problems using multilayered feedforward neural networks. An insufficient number of hidden-layer neurons gen- erally results in the network's inability to solve a particular problem, while too many hidden-layer neurons may result in a network with poor generalization performance. The required number of hidden nodes de- pends on the dimension of the input space and the number of sepa- rable regions required to solve a particular classification (mapping) problem (11), (16). Choosing an insufficient number of hidden neu- rons leads to an overdetermined problem since there are not enough
Slim-Filter: an interactive windows-based application for illumina genome analyzer data assessment and manipulation

The emergence of Next Generation Sequencing technologies has made it possible for individual investigators to generate gigabases of sequencing data per week. Effective analysis and manipulation of these data is limited due to large file sizes, so even simple tasks such as data filtration and quality assessment have to be performed in several steps. This requires (potentially problematic) interaction between the investigator and a bioinformatics/computational service provider. Furthermore, such services are often performed using specialized computational facilities. We present a Windows-based application, Slim-Filter designed to interactively examine the statistical properties of sequencing reads produced by Illumina Genome Analyzer and to perform a broad spectrum of data manipulation tasks including: filtration of low quality and low complexity reads; filtration of reads containing undesired subsequences (such as parts of adapters and PCR primers used during the sample and sequencing libraries preparation steps); excluding duplicated reads (while keeping each read’s copy number information in a specialized data format); and sorting reads by copy numbers allowing for easy access and manual editing of the resulting files. Slim-Filter is organized as a sequence of windows summarizing the statistical properties of the reads. Each data manipulation step has roll-back abilities, allowing for return to previous steps of the data analysis process. Slim-Filter is written in C++ and is compatible with fasta, fastq, and specialized AS file formats presented in this manuscript. Setup files and a user’s manual are available for download at the supplementary web site ( https://www.bioinfo.uh.edu/Slim_Filter/ ). The presented Windows-based application has been developed with the goal of providing individual investigators with integrated sequencing reads analysis, curation, and manipulation capabilities.
Description and Validation of a Dynamical Systems Model of Presynaptic Serotonin Function: Genetic Variation, Brain Activation and Impulsivity

Despite more than a decade of empirical work on the role of genetic polymorphisms in the serotonin system on behavior, the details across levels of analysis are not well understood. We describe a mathematical model of the genetic control of presynaptic serotonergic function that is based on control theory, implemented using systems of differential equations, and focused on better characterizing pathways from genes to behavior. We present the results of model validation tests that include the comparison of simulation outcomes with empirical data on genetic effects on brain response to affective stimuli and on impulsivity. Patterns of simulated neural firing were consistent with recent findings of additive effects of serotonin transporter and tryptophan hydroxylase-2 polymorphisms on brain activation. In addition, simulated levels of cerebral spinal fluid 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (CSF 5-HIAA) were negatively correlated with Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (Version 11) Total scores in college students (r = −.22, p = .002, N = 187), which is consistent with the well-established negative correlation between CSF 5-HIAA and impulsivity. The results of the validation tests suggest that the model captures important aspects of the genetic control of presynaptic serotonergic function and behavior via brain activation. The proposed model can be: (1) extended to include other system components, neurotransmitter systems, behaviors and environmental influences; (2) used to generate testable hypotheses.
Cascaded interband/intersubband thermophotovoltaic energy conversion

The use of interband/intersubband photodetection for thermophotovoltaic energy conversion is numerically investigated. The simulation results indicate that this approach can double the present state-of-the-art in thermophotovoltaic power generation.
Decomposing data machines

This paper describes a new FSM decomposition algorithm which extracts a data register from a given FSM. The algorithm is a generalization of the standard minimization algorithm--it selects output values which, when stored in a separate data register, will make additional states in the control machine equivalent. Experimental results show that the algorithm is both effective and fast.
On Bisubmodular Maximization

Bisubmodularity extends the concept of submodularity to set functions with two arguments. We show how bisubmodular maximization leads to richer value-of-information problems, using examples in sensor placement and feature selection. We present the first constant-factor approximation algorithm for a wide class of bisubmodular maximizations.
A developmental study of vigilance in learning-disabled and nondisabled children.

To test the proposition that learning-disabled children manifest a sustained attentional deficit, the Continuous Performance Test was administered to learningdisabled and nondisabled children at three age levels. Children were tested on three task lengths (5, 10, and 15 minutes) and two modalities (auditory and visual) in which dependent measures were correct detections and false responses, d′ and B values. As expected, learning-disabled children made fewer correct detections and more false responses and were less sensitive (d') to critical stimuli than were nondisabled children at all ages. There was also evidence to indicate that learningdisabled children apply different response criteria across age when compared to nondisabled children. B values varied significantly across age, group, modality, and time on task; d′ remained relatively unchanged across time periods. The popular notion that learning-disabled and younger subjects start a vigilance task with the same capacity as nondisabled older children but show a decline in attention as time on task increases was not supported.
Isothermal Titration Calorimetry Study of Pectin−Ionic Surfactant Interactions

Isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) was used to measure enthalpy changes resulting from injection of anionic (sodium dodecyl sulfate, SDS) or cationic (dodecyl trimethylammonium bromide, DTAB) surfactants into aqueous 1 wt % pectin solutions (30, 60, or 90% methoxylated). In the absence of pectin, the critical micelle concentrations (cmc) determined by ITC were 14.7 mM for DTAB and 7.7 mM for SDS. Binding of DTAB to pectin was endothermic and was attributed to electrostatic attraction between the cationic surfactant and anionic biopolymer. Binding of SDS to pectin was exothermic and was attributed to hydrophobic interactions. Pectin reduced the cmc of SDS, probably because of long-range electrostatic repulsion between the molecules. Above a particular concentration, which depended on pectin and surfactant type, both ionic surfactants promoted pectin aggregation (monitored by turbidity increase). This study demonstrates the potential of ITC for providing valuable information about interactions between polysaccharides and amphiphiles.
Proton Pumps and Chemiosmotic Coupling as a Generalized Mechanism for Neurotransmitter and Hormone Transport

Neuroendocrine secretory vesicles contain within their membranes a highly specialized H1-translocating ATPase responsible for the generation and maintenance of an electrochemical proton gradient, delta pH inside acidic, and delta psi inside positive. Coupled with a high internal buffering capacity and extremely low permeability of the membrane to protons, this proton pump can generate and maintain an intravesicular pH of 5.5, independent of the external pH, and transmembrane electrical potential of 60 mV. The chemiosmotic gradient has important implications for several functions of the secretory vesicles: (1) maintaining oxidizable substances (such as biogenic amines) in the unoxidized form; (2) stimulating (or inhibiting) peptide processing enzymes; (3) permitting precipitation of intravesicular protein complexes, thereby increasing the amount that can be stored within the vesicle; and (4) serving as the driving force for the uptake of certain hormones and neurotransmitters such as acetylcholine, biogenic amines, and ATP. By using the putative biogenic amine transporter as an example, it can be demonstrated that based purely upon the existence of a transporter in equilibrium with the electrochemical proton gradients, an amine concentration approaching 135,000 to 1 can be achieved. The bioenergetics of amine transport do not predict the molecular mechanism of amine translocation. By using kinetic analyses of amine accumulation under a variety of situations, however, initial information concerning the salient aspects of amine transport is being obtained.
The origin of the psychrosphere as recorded in changes of deep-sea ostracode assemblages

Cretaceous and Cenozoic benthic ostracodes and their species assemblage structure have been analyzed by several different association and distribution form techniques. 425 core samples were obtained by the Deep Sea Drilling Project from 77 sites of the first 14 Legs of its survey of the world ocean floor. These analyses of 80 species from 27 composite planktic-foraminiferal time zones representing the last 75 million years of deep-sea faunal development revealed that a major change took place at about 40X106 BP in Late Eocene or Early Oligocene, marking the time of origin of the present cold, bottom water-mass system (psychrosphere). Prior to this world-wide event another important, but previously unknown, ostracode fauna had been present in a wanner deep sea for at least 25 million years without significant change.
A homotopy decomposition for the classifying space of virtually torsion-free groups and applications

Let Γ be a discrete group. Γ is said to have finite virtual cohomological dimension ( vcd ) if there exists a finite index torsion-free subgroup Γ' of Γ such that Γ' has finite cohomological dimension over . Examples of such groups include the fundamental group of a finite graph of finite groups, arithmetic groups, mapping class groups and outer automorphism groups of free groups. One of the fundamental problems in topology is to understand the cohomology of these finite vcd -groups.
Politics and Interpersonal Attraction

Two explanations have been offered for the similarity of husband and wife political views. One is mutual socialization, which states that after a period of time married couples come to share political values. An alternative explanation is that individuals select mates who share their political views. A test of the mutual socialization hypothesis would require panel data, but the selection hypothesis can be tested using experimental techniques. Drawing on the literature from social psychology, an experiment was designed to deter mine whether political views make any difference in interpersonal attraction. The findings of the experiment revealed that the political views of opposite sex others do have an effect on interpersonal attraction. The attraction scores of females who were interested in politics were influenced the most by political issues. This study provides partial confirma tion of the selection hypothesis.
Biofeedback and signaled punishment in the modification of inappropriate sexual age preferences

In the first study, 30 child molesters who had received behavioral treatment designed to modify inappropriate sexual age preferences were followed after their discharge or transfer from a psychiatric institution for an average of 29 months. Posttreatment penile response data in the form of ratio of response to adult stimuli divided by response to child stimuli significantly differentiated the six recidivists from the nonrecidivists, providing support for the external validity of the assessment technique. In the second study, 18 hospitalized child molesters received biofeedback alone or in combination with signaled punishment aversion therapy as methods designed to modify inappropriate sexual age preferences. The biofeedback procedure involved signaling the patient by different colored lights when his penile response to a child or adult slide was above a preset criterion. Signaled punishment was superimposed on the biofeedback procedure and involved programming a mild shock to the arm to occur at intervals when the patient was above criterion during a child slide. The punishment plus biofeedback procedure was more effective in modifying inappropriate sexual arousal both as a first and second treatment type.
Polarization insensitive antenna remoting link with frequency conversion gain

We demonstrate a novel photonic link that simultaneously achieves frequency conversion, optical amplification, polarization sensitivity elimination, and fiber dispersion effect minimization. The link also uses low loss and less expensive phase modulators to replace intensity modulators and thus eliminates modulator bias problems.
Soil microbial eco-physiological response to nutrient enrichment in a sub-tropical wetland

Abstract Eutrophication in subtropical wetland ecosystems can lead to extensive displacements of vegetative communities and as a result changes in overall environmental conditions (loss of indigenous habitat, substrate quality, etc.). This has generated a demand for a set of sensitive indicator(s) that prelude these structural changes. The functional response of bacterial communities may indicate the effect and extent of the impact on the overall system. The effects of nutrient enrichment on the microbial community and its ecophysiology were measured in a subtropical marsh (Water Conservation Area 2a) in the northern Everglades, USA. We investigated the microbially mediated organic matter decomposition processes and nutrient cycling in three areas of the marsh, a nutrient enriched site, an intermediate site and a unimpacted (oligotrophic) site. We chose measures associated to the hydrolytic enzyme activities of alkaline phosphatase, β-glucosidase and aminopeptidase. We also monitored microbial biomass carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) and the associated elemental turnover rates (C, N and P). We found a significant (α = 0.05) spike in microbial biomass C, N, and P in the intermediate site. The elemental turnover rates (C, N and P) where significantly higher in the impacted and intermediate site when compared to the unimpacted site. The enzymatic profiles at the unimpacted site illustrate a system regulated for optimal use of P. In the intermediate zone between the overall P-limited and P-impacted areas, the nutrient inputs alleviates the stress imposed by the P-limitation. Microbial biomass increased dramatically without a decrease in the overall microbial metabolic efficiency. The metabolic coefficients (particularly q-Potentially Mineralizable P – qPMP and qCO2) indicated that after the disturbance, the impacted areas in the Everglades are characterized by relatively open, inefficient nutrient cycles. The nonlinear shifts (threshold behavior) in microbial parameters indicate that microbial indicators function effectively as early warning signals.
High-Resolution Chemical Characterization of Heterojunctions in InP-Based Compound Semiconductors

Chemical profiles of interfacial (transition) regions in InP-based heterostructures, fabricated by (1) vapor levitation epitaxy (VLE), (2) liquid phase epitaxy (LPE), and (3) molecular beam epitaxy (MBE), have been measured with a high degree of resolution on inclined surfaces by Auger electron microscopy (AES). This particular technique involves production of a chamfered wedge, characterized by a surface inclined by angle o(≈ 0.02°) with respect to the interface, by controlled chemical etching and subsequent scanning across the trace of the interface on the (inclined) surface by AES, thereby allowing enhanced magnification of the interface by a factor of cot o (≈ 2,000X) without deleterious effects associated with mechanical polishing and/or ion milling. Results indicate that corresponding transition widths δ between adjacent layers vary according to δLPE < δMBE < δVLE and may be explained by a combination of inherent surface roughness and interdiffusion of various chemical species across the original interface during and subsequent to the deposition process. It is concluded that the chamfered wedge technique provides a reliable and sensitive method to determine chemical profiles across a wide variety of heterojunctions, provided that a suitable chemical etch is available.
Relationship of multiscale entropy to task difficulty and sway velocity in healthy young adults.

AbstractPurpose/background: Multiscale entropy (MSE) is a nonlinear measure of postural control that quantifies how complex the postural sway is by assigning a complexity index to the center of pressure (COP) oscillations. While complexity has been shown to be task dependent, the relationship between sway complexity and level of task challenge is currently unclear. This study tested whether MSE can detect short-term changes in postural control in response to increased standing balance task difficulty in healthy young adults and compared this response to that of a traditional measure of postural steadiness, root mean square of velocity (VRMS).Methods: COP data from 20 s of quiet stance were analyzed when 30 healthy young adults stood on the following surfaces: on floor and foam with eyes open and closed and on the compliant side of a Both Sides Up (BOSU) ball with eyes open. Complexity index (CompI) was derived from MSE curves.Results: Repeated measures analysis of variance across standing conditions showe...
Anesthetics and the Injured Brain

Anesthetics are by definition, pharmacologic compounds having potent effects on neural transmission allowing the subject to become unconscious and insensate to noxious stimuli. Because of these effects, major interactions between anesthetics and injured neural tissue can be expected. Effects of anesthetics on cerebral pathophysiology were reported more than 120 years ago. Since then, considerable scientific inquiry has been devoted to defining both beneficial and detrimental effects of these drugs. Evidence from both animal and human investigations now allows reasonable scientific basis for use of these compounds in humans suffering acute brain injury.
Decision making for pregnant adolescents: applying reasoned action theory to research and treatment.

Adoption decision making is a difficult process for pregnant teenagers. Most studies have examined adoption decision making within either a sociological, psychological, or cultural context. The aut...
Egyptian Attitudes on Accepting Bribes

This study presents the results of an empirical investigation of attitudes toward bribe taking in Egypt. The authors use the Human Beliefs and Values Survey data to examine several demographic variables to determine whether demographics make a difference. The total sample size was over 3000. The study found that some demographic variables do make a difference.
Matched delay technique for high-speed digital design

This chapter describes the matched delay technique and its applications. First, the fundamental concepts of matched delay design are described. Next, we discuss several practical issues that must be considered in matched delay system designs. Finally, three fabricated designs using the matched delay technique are presented. The matched delay technique was employed in developing a high-performance digital sampler with 1 Gbit/s bandwidth and 25ps resolution in a MOSIS 1.2μm CMOS process. The matched delay sampler implements the demultiplexing function of a network interface by performing a serial-to-parallel conversion on an incoming data stream. In addition, this device is a core component in another matched delay design, a data recovery circuit.
Firms' Responses to CEO Underwater Options

This study examines the dynamics of firms’ responses to CEO underwater options following stock price decline and increased CEO wealth loss. The contracting view which is based on agency theory sugg...
Convective Flows in Evaporating Sessile Droplets

The evaporation rate and internal convective flows of a sessile droplet with a pinned contact line were formulated and investigated numerically. We developed and analyzed a unified numerical model that includes the effects of temperature, droplet volume, and contact angle on evaporation rate and internal flows. The temperature gradient on the air/liquid interface causes an internal flow due to Marangoni stress, which provides good convective mixing within the droplet, depending upon Marangoni number. As the droplet volume decreases, the thermal gradient becomes smaller and the Marangoni flow becomes negligible. Simultaneously, as the droplet height decreases, evaporation-induced flow creates a large jet-like flow radially toward the contact line. For a droplet containing suspended particles, this jet-like convective flow carries particles toward the contact line and deposits them on the surface, forming the so-called “coffee ring stain”. In addition, we reported a simple polynomial correlation for dimensi...
Screening Colonoscopy among Uninsured and Underinsured Urban Minorities

BACKGROUND/AIMS Uninsured individuals have lower rates of screening colonoscopy (SC), and little is known regarding the pathology results obtained when they undergo colonoscopies. Since 2004, we have participated in a program that offers SC to uninsured New Yorkers; herein, we report our findings. METHODS Uninsured, average-risk patients who were at least 50 years of age underwent SC at our institution between April 2004 and June 2011. We analyzed polyp pathology, location, size, incidence of adenomas, and incidence of adenomas with advanced pathology (AAP) with respect to ethnicity, gender, and age. RESULTS Out of 493 referrals, 222 patients completed the colonoscopies. Polyps were identified in 21.2% of all patients; 14% had adenomas, and 4.5% had AAP. The rates of adenomas among African-Americans, Hispanics, and Whites were 24.3%, 12.1%, and 11.6%, respectively, and the corresponding rates of AAP were 10.8%, 3.5%, and 2.3%. Differences in the polyp type, location, and AAP did not reach statistical significance with respect to ethnicity or gender. Patients aged 60 and older were found to have a higher rate of advanced adenomas compared with younger patients (8.6% vs. 2.6%, p=0.047). CONCLUSIONS Further efforts to fund screening colonoscopies for uninsured individuals will likely result in the identification of advanced lesions of the colon before they progress to colorectal cancer.
Shifts in Ratios of Laboratory Populations of Heliothis zea and H. virescens Surviving Exposure to a Nonspecific and Specific Nucleopolybedrosis Virus

Larvae of Heliothis virescens (F.) were ca. 1.2× more susceptible to the single-embedded (SEV) nucleopolyhedrosis virus (NPY) of Heliothis than were larvae of Heliothis zea (Boddie). Larvae of H. virescens were also ca. 5× more susceptible to the multiple-embedded (MEV) NPY of Autographa californica (Speyer) than were larvae of H. zea . The ratio of pupae surviving from larvae of H. virescens and H. zea exposed to MEV at one inclusion body/mm2 changed from 1:1 ( H. virescens : H. zea ) to 1:8, 1:8 to 1:27, 1:24 to 1:366 for the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd serial exposure, respectively. In contrast, the changes in ratio of pupal survivors exposed to SEV was less than 3× after the 3rd serial exposure, with an average change of ca. 1.5×/exposure.
Relative Analysis between Drug Sensitivity and Escherichia Coli Induced Enzymes in Childhood Diarrhea

Objective To investigate the distribution of pathogenic bacteria,drug sensitivity,and the relationship between drug sensitivity and Escherichia coli(E.coli) induced enzymes in childhood diarrhea in the last 2 years in Chongqing area,so as to provide important evidence for pediatric clinical therapy.Methods Thirty-one E.coli induced enzymes,extended spectrum β-laetamases(ESBLs),cephalosporinase(AmpC)detected in different phenotype methods,and drug sensitivity was measured in paper strip method,and the specimens were collected from children′s hospital affiliated to chongqing university of medical sciences from Jan.2005 to Dec.2006 were determined.Among the total,there were 18 enteropathogeic E.coli(EPEC) strains,8 enterotoxigenic E.coli(ETEC) strains and 5 enteroinvasive E.coli(EIEC) strains.In addition,drug resistance tests by paper strip included chloramphenicol(CHL),amikacin(AMK),gentamicin(GEN),norfloxacin(NOF),ciproflocacin(CIP),cefazolin(CEZ),cefoperazone(CPZ),ceftriaxone(CRO),ceftazidime(CAZ),cefotacime(CTX),cefepime(FEP),imipenem(IPM).SPSS 12.0 software was used to analyze the data.Results Three point two percent of the 31 E.coli were drug resistant to IPM,and 35.5%,38.7% to NOF,CIP individually,but more than 60% to AMK,GEN,even more than 67.7% towards cephalosporin(except ceftazidime and cefepime);the gross enzyme-produced rate was 87.1%,rate of single ESBLs,AmpC,and induction of both enzymes simultaneously presented 64.5%,6.5%,16.1% respectively;and there was marked difference in drug resistance when bacteria that produced single AmpC versus bacteria that produced single ESBLs or that produced both ESBLs and AmpC(Pa﹤0.05).Conclusions The relationships among enzyme′s quantity,sort and bacterial resistance are different.These data show E.coli infected by bacterial diarrhea children in Chongqing due to a high rate of induced enzymes,and their drug resistance vary according to the state of induced enzymes.
A comparative study of endothelin- and platelet-activating-factor-mediated signal transduction and prostaglandin synthesis in rat Kupffer cells.

Endothelin-3 (ET-3) stimulated phosphoinositide metabolism and synthesis of prostaglandins in cultured rat Kupffer cells. ET-3-induced hydrolysis of phosphoinositides was characterized by the production of various inositol phosphates and of glycerophosphoinositol. The mechanism of ET-3-stimulated metabolism of phosphoinositides and synthesis of prostaglandins appeared to be distinct from the effect of platelet-activating factor (PAF) on these processes described previously [Gandhi, Hanahan & Olson (1990) J. Biol. Chem. 265, 18234-18241]. On a molar basis ET-3 was significantly more potent than PAF in stimulating phosphoinositide metabolism, e.g. ET-3-induced hydrolysis of phosphoinositides occurred at 1 pM, whereas PAF was ineffective at concentrations less than 1 nM. Upon challenging Kupffer cells with both ET-3 and PAF, an additive stimulation of phosphoinositide metabolism was observed, suggesting that the actions of these factors may be exerted on separate phosphoinositide pools. Treatment of Kupffer cells with pertussis toxin resulted in an inhibition of ET-3-induced phospholipase C activation; in contrast, cholera toxin treatment caused potentiation of ET-3-stimulated phospholipase C activity. Both toxins, however, inhibited PAF-stimulated phospholipase C activity. The present results suggest that the stimulatory effects of ET-3 and PAF on the phosphodiesteric metabolism of phosphoinositides in Kupffer cells require different guanine-nucleotide-binding proteins. Furthermore, the effects of bacterial toxins on ET-3- and PAF-induced phosphoinositide metabolism were not mediated by cyclic AMP. ET-3-induced metabolism of phosphoinositides was inhibited completely in Kupffer cells pretreated with ET-3, suggesting homologous ligand-induced desensitization of the ET-3 receptors. In contrast, similar experiments using PAF showed only a partial desensitization of subsequent PAF-induced phosphoinositide metabolism. In contrast to the increased production of prostaglandins E2 and D2 observed upon stimulation of Kupffer cells with PAF, ET-3 stimulated the biosynthesis of prostaglandin E2 only. Consistent with their additive effects on phosphoinositide metabolism, PAF and ET-3 exhibited an additive stimulation of the synthesis of prostaglandin E2.
Merits of pressure and geochemical data as indicators of CO2/brine leakage into a heterogeneous, sedimentary aquifer

Abstract This study assesses the merits of pressure data and geochemical data as indicators of a combined CO 2 /brine leakage into a heterogeneous, sedimentary aquifer. We simulate the changes in three aquifer responses (pressure, total dissolved solids (TDS), and pH) due to CO 2 /brine leakage at an abandoned well with an uncertain location and hypothesize that these changes can only be observed from a single shallow monitoring well, mimicking the low density of observation wells for the considered aquifer. Specifically, detection likelihoods are calculated to describe how frequently pressure, TDS, and pH signals will coincide with a leak for observations made at different distances and times from the initiation of the CO 2 /brine leakage rate. The pressure signal gives a more spatially extensive signal than either TDS or pH, and pressure detection probabilities increase upstream of flow barriers (pressurizing-affect). The pH and TDS rebound down-stream of the flow barriers. When only considering the samples that experience the highest leakage volumes, there is a 50% likelihood of detecting a pressure change 400 m away at times ≥30 years. However, the TDS and pH detection likelihoods are
Flexor Hallucis Longus Tendon Transfer Fixation A Biomechanical Analysis of the Effects of a Terminal Whipstitch and Bone Tunnel Length

Introduction. Flexor hallucis longus (FHL) tendon transfer to the calcaneus is commonly used in the surgical treatment of chronic Achilles tendinopathy. This study assesses the integrity of FHL ten...
Sterigmatocystin and other Mycotoxins Produced by Aspergillus Species

The aflatoxins, ochratoxins and sterigmatocystin are the principal mycotoxins of Aspergillus spp. that are known to occur naturally in levels sufficient to be regarded as significant hazards to animal and human health. Adequate research has not been done to allow generalizations concerning the other 27 or more mycotoxins of Aspergillus spp. However, the widespread and frequent occurrence of toxigenic isolates of these fungi in feed and food materials indicates that concern is justified, and these fungi and their mycotoxins must be considered hazards until proven otherwise.
Knowledge management in the era of digital medicine: A programmatic approach to optimize patient care in an academic medical center

Introduction The pace of medical discovery is accelerating to the point where caregivers can no longer keep up with the latest diagnosis or treatment recommendations. At the same time, sophisticated and complex electronic medical records and clinical systems are generating increasing volumes of patient data, making it difficult to find the important information required for patient care. To address these challenges, Mayo Clinic established a knowledge management program to curate, store, and disseminate clinical knowledge. Methods The authors describe AskMayoExpert, a point-of-care knowledge delivery system, and discuss the process by which the clinical knowledge is captured, vetted by clinicians, annotated, and stored in a knowledge content management system. The content generated for AskMayoExpert is considered to be core clinical content and serves as the basis for knowledge diffusion to clinicians through order sets and clinical decision support rules, as well as to patients and consumers through patient education materials and internet content. The authors evaluate alternative approaches for better integration of knowledge into the clinical workflow through development of computer-interpretable care process models. Results Each of the modeling approaches evaluated has shown promise. However, because each of them addresses the problem from a different perspective, there have been challenges in coming to a common model. Given the current state of guideline modeling and the need for a near-term solution, Mayo Clinic will likely focus on breaking down care process models into components and on standardization of those components, deferring, for now, the orchestration. Conclusion A point-of-care knowledge resource developed to support an individualized approach to patient care has grown into a formal knowledge management program. Translation of the textual knowledge into machine executable knowledge will allow integration of the knowledge with specific patient data and truly serve as a colleague and mentor for the physicians taking care of the patient.
Intervento sulla crisi con vittime di abuso sessuale

Il termine violenza sessuale si riferisce a ogni tipo di attivita sessuale in cui il consenso non viene ottenuto o dato liberamente da entrambi i partecipanti; nonostante chiunque sia a rischio di un’esposizione alla violenza sessuale, la maggioranza delle vittime sono donne e l’individuo che compie la violenza e generalmente un uomo, in molti casi qualcuno che la vittima conosce, come un amico, un vicino, un collega, un membro della famiglia o un compagno di studi.
Combining parallel techniques for ecosystem modeling and management

Publisher Summary This chapter explores a parallel technique to remove limits on both the frequency and quantity of model output, thus allowing the maximum possible amount of comparative information to be available to the ecosystem manager. The parallel technique involves running a base simulation along with test simulations simultaneously. By coupling simulations together, ecosystem managers can dynamically compare the ecosystems' response to various managerial scenarios versus a base scenario simultaneously. The chapter is divided into two main sections. First, it describes the underlying parallel and integrated modeling system along with a description of how multiple simulations are coupled for the passage of state information. Second, two applications of this coupling are presented for study of the Indian River Lagoon (IRL). Several three-dimensional field variables are compared as the simulations are simultaneously performed without the need to save model output. This procedure is shown to be very efficient and effective for comparing simulations over the entire model domain where previously impractical because of excessive storage requirements.
Prophylaxis against infection in total joint arthroplasty. One day of cefuroxime compared with three days of cefazolin

The efficacy of cefuroxime was compared with the efficacy of cefazolin for prophylaxis against postoperative wound infection in a prospective, double-blind, multicenter study of 1354 patients who had had elective primary or revision total hip or knee arthroplasty. The patients were randomly assigned to receive either 1.5 grams of cefuroxime followed by 750 milligrams eight and sixteen hours later (for a total of one day of antibiotic treatment), or one gram of cefazolin every eight hours for nine doses (for a total of three days of antibiotic treatment). The first dose of each drug was administered fifteen to sixty minutes before the operative incision was made (for a primary operation) or after tissue samples had been obtained for culture (for a revision procedure). After the operation, the patients were assessed daily while hospitalized and then at two to three months and one year after the operation. Demographic characteristics and risk factors were similar in the two groups. For the patients who had had a primary hip arthroplasty, the rate of deep wound infection was 0.5 per cent (one of 187) for those who had received cefuroxime and 1.2 per cent (two of 168) for those who had received cefazolin. For the patients who had had a primary knee arthroplasty, the rate of deep wound infection was 0.6 per cent (one of 178) for those who had received cefuroxime and 1.4 per cent (three of 207) for those who had received cefazolin.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
A pilot trial of anti-KIR antibody with or without 5-azacitidine for myelodysplastic syndrome.

7067Background: Experimental and clinical data suggest that enhancement of NK cell activity by a surrogate of KIR blockage improves the outcomes in myeloid malignancies. Lirilumab (LIRI) is a human...
Probabilistic Analysis of Power-Gating in Network-on-Chip Routers

By increasing the number of cores on a chip in the past decade, the network-on-chip technology has been developed to address scalability issues that arise in highly demanded multi-core architectures. Nevertheless, interconnection networks impose additional hardware overhead such as: routers, network interfaces, and increased power consumption. Power-gating (PG) the idle components has been employed in some recent research as a promising solution to decrease the static power consumption while its drawbacks such as wake-up delay and power overhead should be addressed properly. In this brief, a probabilistic analysis has been conducted to estimate the PG efficiency in queuing-theory context and a control unit has been proposed to manage the sleep signal assertion to buffer entries based on the analysis results. Our simulation results show an average improvement of static power saving of about 40% compared to naive PG, and 20% with respect to related works where it can enhance the average latency by about 20% without significant impact on overall throughput.
Introduction to the Special Section on the 2018 Custom Integrated Circuits Conference

This Special Section of the IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits features expanded versions of key papers presented at the 2018 Custom Integrated Circuits Conference (CICC), held in the DoubleTree Mission Valley in San Diego, CA, USA, April 8–11.
Creative Cultural Studies: encountering African elephants in China

ABSTRACTIn this essay, I propose an alternative to Critical Cultural Studies that I term Creative Cultural Studies. In so doing, I explore important shifts scholars are making away from critique, moralism, humanism and rationalism to creativity, becomings, assemblages and affective forces. I look to International Fund for Animal Welfare’s (IFAW) ivory campaign to trace how their networked approach to an international problem disrupted connections and shifted affective valences. Beginning with a poster from IFAW’s ivory campaign, I trace lines that crisscross among continents, environmental non-government organisations (ENGOs), ivory vendors, flora, fauna, social media and subway riders. To get a feel for what is happening involves less judgment and more encounters with the pandemonium of things.
RLS Caused by Over-the-Counter Medications/Bruises on My Legs

Restless legs syndrome (RLS)/Willis-Ekbom disease (WEB) is a common sleep-related disorder affecting approximately 7% of the adult European and American population and 2% of children between 8–17 years old. It is described as an urge to move the legs when resting, with associated dysesthesia, and a circadian appearance. There is a higher prevalence of RLS cases in female sex, increasing age and patients with a positive family history. Other factors as iron deficiency, medications, chronic renal failure, pregnancy and immobility may precipitate and worsen symptoms. Many common classes of medications such as antihistamines and anticholinergics can exacerbate RLS symptoms. A histaminergic abnormality related to increased hypocretin has been the proposed mechanism for RLS exacerbation with antihistamines. RLS symptoms can cause sleep-onset or sleep-maintenance insomnia, unrestorative sleep and poor quality of life. Comprehensive evaluation and medication review by health care providers should be performed in all patients with sleep disturbances.
Sociality and Magical Language

On a certain reading, the respective theories of Freud and Nietzsche might be described as exploring the suffered relational histories of the subject, who is driven by need; these histories might also be understood as histories of language. This suggests a view of language as a complicated mode of identifying-with, which obliges linguistic subjects to identify the non-identical, but also enables them to simultaneously identify with each other in the psychoanalytic sense. This ambivalent space of psychoanalytic identification would be conditioned by relational histories. On one hand, this might lead to conformity within a system of language as a shared, obligatory compromise formation that would defend against the non-identical; magical language, typified in Freud’s critique of animism and in Nietzsche’s critique of “free will” guided by absolute normative signifiers (“Good” and “Evil”), would be symptomatic of this sort of defense. On the other hand, given other relational histories, it may produce the possibility for more transitional modes of identification, and thereby modes of language that can bear its suffered histories, and lead to proliferation of singular compromise formations. It is suggested that while the former is historically dominant, Nietzsche and various psychoanalytic thinkers contribute to conceiving of the possibility of working ourselves towards the latter.
Comparison of Process Control Viruses for use in Extraction and Detection of Human Norovirus from Food Matrices

Abstract Although RT-qPCR is a powerful tool for human norovirus (HuNoV) detection, low virus concentrations in potentially large sample volumes necessitate the use of inefficient sample processing step(s) prior to detection. Process control viruses (PCVs) are used to monitor the efficiency of these virus concentration steps. This study compared five PCVs [Mengovirus (Mengo), murine norovirus (MNV-1), MS2 coliphage, Tulane virus, and turnip crinkle virus (TCV)] to two HuNoV strains for recovery during the steps of elution, polyethylene glycol precipitation (PEG), and RNA extraction from select foods (lettuce and sliced deli ham). Results demonstrate high recovery efficiencies of HuNoV GI.6 and GII.4 using the methods described in this study: combined (sequential) losses during processing from sliced deli ham and lettuce were 10 genome equivalent copies (GEC). When considering the processing steps separately, HuNoV loss was negligible after elution, and low after PEG precipitation (mean 0.5 log 10 GEC) and RNA extraction (mean 0.1 log 10 GEC). The virus that least mimicked the behavior of HuNoV during sample processing was MNV-1. Of the viruses tested, a commercial mengovirus strain gave recovery efficiencies closest to HuNoV, showing combined losses from sliced deli ham and lettuce of 10 GEC and ~ 1 log 10 GEC, respectively. All PCVs do not behave equivalently and validation of their performance is recommended before their routine use on an application-by-application basis.
Syntax-aware Multi-task Graph Convolutional Networks for Biomedical Relation Extraction

In this paper we tackle two unique challenges in biomedical relation extraction. The first challenge is that the contextual information between two entity mentions often involves sophisticated syntactic structures. We propose a novel graph convolutional networks model that incorporates dependency parsing and contextualized embedding to effectively capture comprehensive contextual information. The second challenge is that most of the benchmark data sets for this task are quite imbalanced because more than 80% mention pairs are negative instances (i.e., no relations). We propose a multi-task learning framework to jointly model relation identification and classification tasks to propagate supervision signals from each other and apply a focal loss to focus training on ambiguous mention pairs. By applying these two strategies, experiments show that our model achieves state-of-the-art F-score on the 2013 drug-drug interaction extraction task.
Understanding the roles of three academic communities in a prospective learning health ecosystem for diagnostic excellence

Inaccurate, untimely, and miscommunicated medical diagnoses represent a wicked problem requiring comprehensive and coordinated approaches, such as those demonstrated in the characteristics of learning health systems (LHSs). To appreciate a vision for how LHS methods can optimize processes and outcomes in medical diagnosis (diagnostic excellence), we interviewed 32 individuals with relevant expertise: 18 who have studied diagnostic processes using traditional behavioral science and health services research methods, six focused on machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) approaches, and eight multidisciplinary researchers experienced in advocating for and incorporating LHS methods, ie, scalable continuous learning in health care. We report on barriers and facilitators, identified by these subjects, to applying their methods toward optimizing medical diagnosis. We then employ their insights to envision the emergence of a learning ecosystem that leverages the tools of each of the three research groups to advance diagnostic excellence. We found that these communities represent a natural fit forward, in which together, they can better measure diagnostic processes and close the loop of putting insights into practice. Members of the three academic communities will need to network and bring in additional stakeholders before they can design and implement the necessary infrastructure that would support ongoing learning of diagnostic processes at an economy of scale and scope.
Extreme Almanacs and Transient Justices

A close look at "The Perpetual Almanack; Or, Gentleman Soldier’s Prayer Book" (circa 1837-38), and Edward Waite’s "The Washington Directory, and Congressional, and Executive Register, for 1850" prompts a couple of questions - (1) what is an almanac? and (2) where do Supreme Court Justices work and live, or where did they in the mid-19th century? - and invites a couple of answers.