In an effort to understand the olfactory code of rats, we collected more than 1,500,000 measurements of glomerular activity in response to 54 odorants selected to provide differences in functional groups and hydrocarbon structure. Each odorant evoked a unique response pattern by differentially stimulating clusters of glomeruli, called modules. Odorants sharing specific aspects of their structure activated the same modules, allowing us to relate responses to structure across approximately 80% of the glomerular layer. The most obvious relationship was between the presence of particular oxygen-containing functional groups and the activity of glomeruli within dorsal modules. Functional group-specific responses were observed for odorants possessing a wide range of hydrocarbon structure, including aliphatic, cyclic, and aromatic features. Even formic acid and acetone, the simplest odorants possessing acid or ketone functional groups, respectively, stimulated modules specific for these functional groups. At the same time, quantitative analysis of pattern similarities revealed relationships in activation patterns between odorants of similar hydrocarbon structure. The odorant responses were reliable enough to allow us to predict accurately specific aspects of odorant molecular structure from the evoked glomerular activity pattern, as well as predicting the location of glomerular activity evoked by novel odorants.

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Objective To estimate the association of age, medical comorbidities, functional status, and unintentional weight loss (as a marker of frailty) with postoperative complications in women undergoing major gynecologic surgery. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program 2005-2009 participant use data files were used to analyze gynecologic procedures. The primary outcome was composite 30-day major postoperative complications. Results A total of 22,214 women were included in our final analysis. The overall prevalence of composite 30 day major postoperative complications was 3.7% (n=817). Age 80 years or older (adjusted odds ratio (OR)=1.8(95% Confidence Interval (CI) 1.25,2.58)), dependent functional status (adjusted OR= 2.37(95% CI 1.53,3.68)), and unintentional weight loss (adjusted OR = 2.49(95% CI 1.48,4.17)) were significantly associated with postoperative morbidity after adjusting for diabetes mellitus (adjusted OR= 1.44(95% CI 1.15,1.79)), known bleeding disorder (adjusted OR= 2.29 (95% 1.49,3.52)), morbid obesity (adjusted OR= 1.77(95% CI 1.45,2.17)), ascites (adjusted OR= 3.27(95% CI 2.18,4.90)), preoperative systemic infection (adjusted OR= 3.02(95% CI 2.03,4.48)), procedures for gynecologic cancer (adjusted OR= 1.60(95% CI 1.27,2.0)), disseminated cancer (adjusted OR= 2.57(95% CI 1.64,4.03)), emergency procedures (adjusted OR = 1.82(95% CI 1.18,2.79)), operative time greater than 4 hours vs. less than 1 hour (adjusted OR = 2.91(95%CI 2.18,3.89)) and wound class 4 vs. 1(adjusted OR= 4.28(95%CI 1.82,10.1). Conclusion Age 80 years or older, medical comorbidities, dependent functional status, and unintentional weight loss are associated with increased major postoperative complications after gynecologic procedures.