Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Delay time in GaAs high-power photoconductive switches

The delay time defined as the time interval between the beginning of optical illumination and the onset of switching in photocurrent in gallium arsenide (GaAs) high-power photoconductivity switches is studied on the basis of electroabsorption caused by absorption edge shifting due to bandgap narrowing. The influences of the initial open-state field, the laser wavelength and the temperature are given. The results show it is the reflection and the transmission of the switch semiconductor slab indicated by the absorption fraction express the absorption rate of the illumination energy by the switch.
Incidence of Antitachycardia Therapy Suspension Due to Magnet Reversion in Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators

Electromagnetic interference may result in transient or persistent suspension of antitachycardia therapies in ICDs. The incidence of such events has not been assessed so far. Patient charts were retrospectively analyzed for the occurrence of temporary suspension of antitachycardia therapies as it is stored in the Holter of St. Jude Medical or Ventritex ICDs. Follow‐up data of 46 patients and 83.7‐patient years were analyzed. Overall, 43 episodes of transient ICD inactivation occurred. Twenty‐two of these episodes were related to intentional ICD inactivation in the emergency room or during surgery and 12 episodes were related to ICD follow‐up. In nine episodes an environmental source of electromagnetic interference is presumed. None of the interactions resulted in persistent ICD inactivation or reprogramming of the devices. The risk for temporary suspension of ICD therapies unrelated to surgery, intentional magnet application in the emergency room, or routine follow‐up is 11% per patient and year. Evaluation of its potential sources and the prevalence of ICD inhibition is warranted. (PACE 2004; 27:221–223)
Leadership styles of Finnish nurse managers and factors influencing it.

AIM The purpose of the present study was to explore nurse managers' perceptions of their leadership styles and factors influencing it. BACKGROUND It is a challenge for nurse managers to retain nurses in hospitals and to ensure a high quality of care in nursing practice. Leadership style is an important part of leadership. Knowledge concerning nurse managers' resonant and non-resonant leadership styles provides nurse managers with tools to reflect on their own leadership style. METHOD Open-ended, tape-recorded interviews were conducted with 13 nurse managers from five Finnish hospitals and two long-term care facilities. The data were analysed using qualitative content analysis. RESULTS Five categories of leadership style were discerned: visionary, coaching, affiliate, democratic, commanding. Factors that influence leadership style were identified: earlier superiors, values, information, cooperation, employees and education. CONCLUSIONS The results of this study show that Finnish nurse managers use both resonant and non-resonant leadership styles. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT The findings of this study show that nurse managers use a variety of leadership styles. The study demonstrates the importance of knowledge about leadership styles and factors influencing it among nurse managers providing future leadership and management education.
Diffusion tensor measures of the corpus callosum in adolescents with adolescent onset alcohol use disorders.

BACKGROUND In adults, myelination injury is associated with alcoholism. Maturation of the corpus callosum is prominent during adolescence. We hypothesized that subjects with adolescent-onset alcohol use disorders (AUD; defined as Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-IV alcohol dependence or abuse) would have myelination microstructural differences compared to controls. METHODS Adolescent subjects (25 males, 7 females) with an AUD (16.9 +/- 1.2 years), who were recruited from substance abuse treatment programs and had co-morbid mental disorders, and 28 sociodemographically similar healthy controls (17 males, 11 females; 15.9 +/- 1.1 years) underwent a 3.0 T MRI diffusion tensor imaging scan. RESULTS Measures of rostral body fractional anisotropy (FA) were higher in the AUD group than in the control group. Compared to controls, mean diffusivity (MD) was lower, while FA was higher, in the AUD group in the isthmus region. Anterior corpus callosum microstructural development differed in adolescents with AUD, as age was positively (not negatively) associated with rostrum MD and age was negatively (not positively) associated with rostrum FA. There were sex by group interactions in that control females had higher posterior midbody FA when compared to female adolescents with AUD. CONCLUSIONS Lower MD and higher FA values in the AUD group suggest pre-morbid vulnerability for accelerated prefrontal and temporo-parietal myelin maturation that may enhance the risk for adolescent AUD. Significant (and opposite to developmentally expected) correlations were seen between anterior corpus callosum MD and FA measures and age in the AUD group, suggesting neurotoxic effects of alcohol on adolescent corpus callosum microstructure. As seen in adults, female adolescents with AUD may be especially vulnerable to corpus callosum microstructural injury. Further diffusion tensor imaging studies of corpus callosum maturation in children at familial risk for alcoholism, and in those with AUD, need to be done to elucidate these mechanisms.
Cytokines and the Pathophysiology of Bone Erosions in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is an inflammatory joint disease in which the chronic synovitis leads to bone and cartilage degradation. Proinflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-1 (IL-1) and tumor necrosis factor α are key factors in this process. The specific control of the action of these cytokines can be obtained with blocking antibodies, soluble receptors and receptor antagonists. Many of these products are now in clinical investigation. Some of the anti-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-4, IL-13 and IL-10 appear to affect more directly the consequences of inflammation, reducing destruction and inducing repair. Modulation of cytokine production by the rheumatoid synovitis appears to represent a potential way to control local bone degradation.
Simulating light transport through skin for color prediction of port wine stain lesions: a review

Abstract. A survey of the literature is presented regarding the simulation of port wine stain (PWS) skin color. Knowledge of PWS features, such as the depths and diameters of affected vessels, is essential for informing laser treatment. These may be determined through the inverse application of a skin model. The techniques which have been applied to achieve this are analyzed in detail. Radiative transfer (RT) is found to be the preferred method of simulation. By far the most common approximations to RT are the diffusion approximations, which have been applied successfully in the past and Monte Carlo techniques, which are now the methods of choice. As the requirements for improvement of laser treatment on an individual basis continues, the needs for further work towards accurate estimations of individual optical coefficients and robust, flexible simulation techniques are identified.
University of Birmingham Response Time-Dependent Force Perception During Hand Movement

For the perception of haptic environmental properties such as stiﬀness, damping, or inertia, estimates of force and movement must be combined continuously over time. We investigate the relations be-tween perceptual judgments about force, the time a perceptual response is given, and diﬀerent types of hand movement conditions. Portions of response data are selected according to their response time and psychometric functions are ﬁtted. In this way, we can estimate time-dependent JND and PSE functions. We show that response time and movement condition inﬂuence the JND and that there is a time window when force discrimination is most sensitive. These ﬁndings have the potential to in-ﬂuence the development of novel human-centered control algorithms, e.g. communication protocols in haptic telerobotics and haptic rendering.
Industrial pollution and adverse reproductive outcomes in Spain 2004-2008

ANTECEDENTES: Una de las consecuencias de los procesos industriales modernos es la liberacion al medio ambiente de una gama cada vez mas amplia, y a mayores niveles, de nuevas sustancias quimicas, la mayor parte de ellas persistentes a lo largo de anos. Esto ha despertado una creciente preocupacion sobre sus efectos en la salud reproductiva. Las investigaciones se han centrado principalmente en el analisis de los efectos sobre la capacidad reproductiva del adulto y, en menor medida, en los efectos sobre el desarrollo fetal y la salud del recien nacido. Por otro lado la mayor parte de los estudios publicados hacen referencia a exposiciones ocupacionales o desastres naturales pero en Espana no se ha llevado a cabo ninguna investigacion sobre los efectos de la contaminacion industrial en la salud reproductiva. OBJETIVOS: Describir la distribucion espacial del riesgo de muy prematuro (MPT), prematuro moderado (PTM), muy bajo peso (MBP), bajo peso moderado (BPM) y pequeno para edad gestacional (PEG) para todos los nacimientos ocurridos en Espana en el periodo 2004-2008. Explorar la posible asociacion entre estos resultados reproductivos adversos y la proximidad a industrias contaminantes. METODOLOGIA: Estudio ecologico. Se utilizaron modelos jerarquicos bayesianos para calcular la distribucion del riesgo de MPT, PTM, MPB, BPM y PEG en todos los municipios espanoles, asi como para explorar la asociacion entre el riesgo de dichos resultados con la proximidad del municipio de residencia de la madre a industrias contaminantes (<3.5km). RESULTADOS: Algunos municipios de las Islas Canarias mostraron alto riesgo para todos los resultados adversos mencionados. El sur de Espana mostro un mayor riesgo de prematuridad, mientras que para la distribucion de bajo peso y pequeno para edad gestacional no observo ningun patron espacial. Las asociaciones mas fuertes se encontraron con proximidad a empresas de manejo de residuos (peligrosos, no peligrosos y sobre todo residuos animales) seguidas de empresas de productos farmaceuticos. No se encontro asociacion con proximidad a refinerias, industria metalurgica, produccion de explosivos, depuradoras de agua, empresas textiles y astilleros.
Label-free biosensing with functionalized nanopipette probes

Nanopipette technology can uniquely identify biomolecules such as proteins based on differences in size, shape, and electrical charge. These differences are determined by the detection of changes in ionic current as the proteins interact with the nanopipette tip coated with probe molecules. Here we show that electrostatic, biotin-streptavidin, and antibody-antigen interactions on the nanopipette tip surface affect ionic current flowing through a 50-nm pore. Highly charged polymers interacting with the glass surface modulated the rectification property of the nanopipette electrode. Affinity-based binding between the probes tethered to the surface and their target proteins caused a change in the ionic current due to a partial blockade or an altered surface charge. These findings suggest that nanopipettes functionalized with appropriate molecular recognition elements can be used as nanosensors in biomedical and biological research.
Inactivated Sendai virus induces apoptosis mediated by reactive oxygen species in murine melanoma cells.

OBJECTIVE This paper aims to investigate the apoptotic effect of inactivated Sendai virus (hemagglutinating virus of Japan-enveloped, HVJ-E) on murine melanoma cells (B16F10) and the possible mechanisms involved in the putative apoptotic reactions. METHODS B16F10 cells were treated with HVJ-E at various multiplicities of infection (MOI), and the reactive oxygen species (ROS), cell viability, and apoptosis were measured. Next, the roles of ROS in the regulation of Bcl-2/Bax and the activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways in HVJ-E-treated B16F10 cells were analyzed. To further evaluate the cytotoxic effect of HVJ-E-generated ROS on B16F10 cells, HVJ-E was intratumorally injected, both with and without N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC), into melanoma tumors on BALB/c mice. Tumor volume was then monitored for 3 weeks, and the tumor proteins were separated for immunoblot assay. RESULTS Treatment of B16F10 cells with HVJ-E resulted in a dose-dependent inhibition of cell-viability and an induction of apoptosis. The latter effect was associated with the generation of ROS. Inhibition of ROS generation by NAC resulted in a significant reduction of HVJ-E-induced Erk1/2, JNK, and p38 MAPK activation. Additionally, ROS inhibition caused a decrease in the Bcl-2/Bax ratio as well as promoting activation of apoptosis both in vitro and in vivo. CONCLUSION These results suggest that HVJ-E possesses potential anticancer activity in B16F10 cells through ROS-mediated mitochondrial dysfunction involving the MAPK pathway.
Growth and investigation SiC based heterostructures

It is known that cubic silicon carbide (3C-SiC) differs from other SiC polytypes in the highest electron mobility (1200 cm2/(V s)) [1], which is independent of the crystallographic direction. The rest of the SiC parameters (critical electric field, maximum working temperatures, electron saturation velocity, heat conductivity) differ from the parameters of the hexagonal polytypes only slightly [2]. Thus, 3C-SiC is a rather promising material for development of various kinds of semiconductor devices. In this work epitaxial 3C-SiC layers were grown by sublimation epitaxy in a vacuum. As substrates served semiinsulating substrates of the 4H polytype. The growth was performed on polar C (0001) and Si (0001) faces of the substrate. The growth temperature was 1950-2000oC; growth duration 10 min; area of a 3C-SiC layer, 1 cm2. Commercial finely grained silicon carbide powder with grain size of 10-20 μm was used as a source.
Prise en charge des fractures mandibulaires à l’hôpital Saint Luc de Cotonou (Bénin). A propos de 83 cas

Il s’agit d’une etude descriptive retrospective sur les fractures mandibulaires traitees dans le Service de Chirurgie de l’hopital Saint Luc de Cotonou (Benin) de juin 2006 a decembre 2009. Le but de ce travail etait d’evaluer la prise en charge des fractures mandibulaires.Au total, 83 cas de fractures mandibulaires ont ete repertories. L’âge moyen des patients etait de 30,16 ± 10,16 ans avec une fourchette allant de 6 a 72 ans. Le sex ratio H/F etait de 8,33. L’etiologie etait dominee par les accidents de la voie publique (85 % des cas). La region parasymphysaire constituait la principale localisation (35,71 % des cas), souvent associee a d’autres localisations dans le cadre de fractures complexes (39 % des cas). Les methodes therapeutiques etaient dominees par le traitement chirurgical (osteosynthese) et tous les patients ont ete traites sous anesthesie generale.
von Hippel-Lindau Tumor Suppressor Protein and Hypoxia-Inducible Factor in Kidney Cancer

The development of hereditary von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) disease and the majority of sporadic kidney cancers are due to the functional inactivation of the VHL gene. The product of the VHL gene, pVHL, in association with elongins B and C, cullin 2, and Rbx1 form an E3 ubiquitin-ligase complex VEC that targets the alpha subunits of hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) for ubiquitination. Ubiquitin-tagged HIF-α proteins are subsequently degraded by the common 26S proteasome. pVHL functions as the substrate-docking interface that specifically recognizes prolyl-hydroxylated HIF-α. This hydroxylation occurs only in the presence of oxygen or normoxia. Thus, under hypoxia, HIF-α subunits are no longer subjected to degradation and are thereby able to dimerize with the common and constitutively stable β subunits. The heterodimeric HIFs upregulate a myriad of hypoxia-inducible genes, triggering our physiologic response to hypoxia. Inappropriate accumulations of HIF-α in VHL disease are believed to contribute to the pathogenesis via the upregulation of several of these HIF target genes. Our current molecular understanding of the roles of HIF and pVHL in the development of VHL-associated clear-cell renal cell carcinoma (CC-RCC) is the focus of this review.
Decolorization and Detoxification of Textile Dyes with a Laccase from Trametes hirsuta

ABSTRACT Trametes hirsuta and a purified laccase from this organism were able to degrade triarylmethane, indigoid, azo, and anthraquinonic dyes. Initial decolorization velocities depended on the substituents on the phenolic rings of the dyes. Immobilization of theT. hirsuta laccase on alumina enhanced the thermal stabilities of the enzyme and its tolerance against some enzyme inhibitors, such as halides, copper chelators, and dyeing additives. The laccase lost 50% of its activity at 50 mM NaCl while the 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) of the immobilized enzyme was 85 mM. Treatment of dyes with the immobilized laccase reduced their toxicities (based on the oxygen consumption rate of Pseudomonas putida) by up to 80% (anthraquinonic dyes). Textile effluents decolorized with T. hirsuta or the laccase were used for dyeing. Metabolites and/or enzyme protein strongly interacted with the dyeing process indicated by lower staining levels (K/S) values than obtained with a blank using water. However, when the effluents were decolorized with immobilized laccase, they could be used for dyeing and acceptable color differences (ΔE*) below 1.1 were measured for most dyes.
The RanGTP gradient – a GPS for the mitotic spindle

The GTPase Ran has a key role in nuclear import and export, mitotic spindle assembly and nuclear envelope formation. The cycling of Ran between its GTP- and GDP-bound forms is catalyzed by the chromatin-bound guanine nucleotide exchange factor RCC1 and the cytoplasmic Ran GTPase-activating protein RanGAP. The result is an intracellular concentration gradient of RanGTP that equips eukaryotic cells with a `genome-positioning system' (GPS). The binding of RanGTP to nuclear transport receptors (NTRs) of the importin β superfamily mediates the effects of the gradient and generates further downstream gradients, which have been elucidated by fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) imaging and computational modeling. The Ran-dependent GPS spatially directs many functions required for genome segregation by the mitotic spindle during mitosis. Through exportin 1, RanGTP recruits essential centrosome and kinetochore components, whereas the RanGTP-induced release of spindle assembly factors (SAFs) from importins activates SAFs to nucleate, bind and organize nascent spindle microtubules. Although a considerable fraction of cytoplasmic SAFs is active and RanGTP induces only partial further activation near chromatin, bipolar spindle assembly is robustly induced by cooperativity and positive-feedback mechanisms within the network of Ran-activated SAFs. The RanGTP gradient is conserved, although its roles vary among different cell types and species, and much remains to be learned regarding its functions.
Navigation patterns & usability of zoomable user interfaces: with and without an overview

The following abstracts are from recent issues and the forthcoming issue of ACM's Transactions of Computer Human Interaction (ToCHI). They are included here to alert interactions' readers to what research is being done in the field of Computer Human Interaction. The complete papers, when published, can be found in ACM's Digital Library at www.acm. org/pubs/contents/journals/tochi/
Für oder wider die Natur? Verhaltens- und Orientierungsmuster der Bevölkerung im Umgang mit der Natur

Im Rahmen der Anstrengungen um einen verbesserten Umwelt- und Naturschutz wird oft vermutet, die Bevolkerung in modernen Gesellschaften sei auf dem Weg, den Bezug zur Natur zu verlieren, und damit wurde eine wichtige Stutze fur umwelt- und naturbewusstes Handeln untergraben. Bisher handelt es sich dabei aber um eine Diskussion, der weitgehend die empirische Grundlage fehlt. Der Beitrag untersucht auf der Basis der Umfrage „Naturbewusstsein in Deutschland 2009“ den Naturbezug der Bevolkerung anhand der vier Bereiche Naturnutzung, subjektive Vertrautheit mit der Natur, Besorgnis uber den Zustand der Natur und naturbezogene Wertdispositionen. Folgt man den deskriptiven Ergebnissen, scheint die Diagnose eines „schwachen Naturbezugs“ zunachst verfehlt, denn die grose Mehrheit bekundet einen engen Naturbezug. Aber an dieser Stelle ist Vorsicht geboten, denn die Befragten geben sozial erwunschte Antworten. Multivariate Analysen zu den Bestimmungsfaktoren des Naturbezugs zeigen, dass altere Menschen, Personen mit Kindern und Menschen mit religioser Bindung einen starkeren Bezug zur Natur haben. Daruber hinaus ergeben sich deutliche Ost-West-Unterschiede. Weniger bedeutsam sind die Einflussgrosen Geschlecht, Bildung, Erwerbstatigkeit und Wohnort. Insgesamt ist insbesondere hervorzuheben, dass sich bei jungeren Geburtskohorten ein „Abschied von der Natur“ andeutet.
Morphological and proliferative responses of endothelial cells to hydrostatic pressure: Role of fibroblast growth factor

Subconfluent bovine pulmonary artery endothelial cells on rigid substrates were exposed to 1.5–15 cm H2O sustained hydrostatic pressure for up to 7 days and exhibited elongation, cytoskeletal rearrangement, increased cell proliferation, and bilayering. The role of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) in the mechanism(s) of these endothelial cell responses to sustained hydrostatic pressure was investigated. Evidence that bFGF was released from endothelial cells exposed to sustained hydrostatic pressure or compression was provided by the following experimental results: (1) Cells exposed to control (3 mm H2O) pressure displayed intense nuclear and cytoplasmic bFGF staining by immunocytochemical techniques; this staining was absent in cells exposed to 10 cm H2O for 7 days. (2) Conditioned medium from endothelial cells exposed to 10 cm H2O for 7 days contained at ansferable, growth‐promoting activity exhibiting heparin‐Sepharose affinity, lability to both heat and freeze/thawing, and neutralization by anti‐bovine bFGF. (3) Suramin (0.1 mM), a growth‐factor receptor inhibitor, abrogated the proliferative and morphological responses of endothelial cells exposed to sustained hydrostatic pressure. Endothelial cells exposed to elevated hydrostatic pressure demonstrated no detectable decrement in cell viability as assessed by Trypan blue exclusion. The results of the present study indicate that hydrostatic pressure or compression can induce bFGF release from endothelial cells independent of cell injury or death; bFGF is subsequently responsible for the morphological, proliferative, and bilayering responses of endothelial cells to hydrostatic pressure. © 1993 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Experimental investigations on miniaturized high-frequency vacuum electron devices

We investigated the foundations for high-frequency vacuum electron devices experimentally, with emphasis on deep etch X-ray lithography: lithographie, galvanoformung, abformung (LIGA) to fabricate a miniaturized interaction circuit and a photonic crystal (PC) resonator to excite a stable high-order mode. The successful operation of a LIGA-fabricated folded-waveguide traveling-wave tube was reported. From such physical considerations as Debye length and photonic band gap, we proposed a reflex klystron adopting a cold cathode and a PC resonator.