cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
"Heat Flowing from Cold to Hot without External Intervention" Demystified: Thermal-Transformer and Temperature Oscillator

A recent Science Advances paper by Schilling et al, claiming "flow of heat from cold to hot without intervention" with "oscillatory thermal inertia" are fundamentally misplaced and dramatized as miraculous, even though compliance with the Second Law of thermodynamics is acknowledged. There is nothing "magical and beyond the proof-of-concept" as claimed. It could have been achieved by any work generating device, stored by any suitable device (superconductive inductor was beneficial but not essential as claimed), and such stored work used subsequently in any refrigeration device to sub-cool the body. Cooling devices work by transforming temperature to desired level by work transfer (thermal transformer and temperature oscillator), by non-thermal, adiabatic processes. However, the "direct heat transfer" is always from higher to lower temperature in all refrigeration components, without exception - it is not to be confused by "net-transport of thermal energy by work" from cold to hot ambients. The unjustified claims are critically analyzed and demystified here.
Zonulin as a potential putative biomarker of risk for shared Type 1 Diabetes and Celiac disease Autoimmunity

The incidence of type 1 diabetes (T1D) is increasing annually, in addition to other childhood-onset autoimmune diseases. This review is inspired by recent strides in research defining the pathophysiology of autoimmunity in celiac disease, a disease that has significant genetic overlap with T1D. Population genetic studies have demonstrated an increased proportion of newly diagnosed young children with T1D also have a higher genetic risk of celiac disease, suggesting that shared environmental risk factors are driving the incidence of both diseases. The small intestine barrier forms a tightly regulated interface of the immune system with the outside world and largely controls the mucosal immune response to non-self-antigens, dictating the balance between tolerance and immune response. Zonulin is the only known physiological modulator of the intercellular tight junctions, important in antigen trafficking, and therefore, is a key player in regulation of the mucosal immune response. While usually tightly controlled, when the zonulin pathway is dysregulated by changes in microbiome composition and function, antigen trafficking control is lost, leading to loss of mucosal tolerance in genetically susceptible individuals. The tenant of this hypothesis is that loss of tolerance would not occur if the zonulin-dependent intestinal barrier function is restored, thereby preventing the influence of environmental triggers in individuals genetically susceptible to autoimmunity. This review outlines the current research and a structured hypothesis on how a dysregulated small intestinal epithelial barrier, a "leaky gut," may be important in the pathogenesis of autoimmunity in certain individuals at risk of both T1D and celiac disease.
Moving: The Core of Religion

Identifying hope and redemption with moving and vitality, the dystopian film Mad Max: Fury Road surprisingly inspires us to develop the implications of moving as the core of religion. For animate organisms life is synonymous with self-moving. Philosophy and biology connect moving with not only vitality, but also with experience, perception and conception. Hope and redemption are qualia of human living. Enduring academic standards tend to halt the moving richness of religions. Taking as radically as possible the primacy of self-moving, an alternative is presented that prefers kinesiology to autopsy. Seven propositions are developed, directed especially to the emerging generation of religion scholars.
An NKX2-1/ERK/WNT feedback loop modulates gastric identity and response to targeted therapy in lung adenocarcinoma.

When cells become cancerous they grow uncontrollably and spread into surrounding healthy tissue. As the cancer progresses different genes are switched on and off which can cause tumor cells to change their identity and transition into other types of cell. How closely tumor cells resemble the healthy tissue they came from can influence how well the cancer responds to treatment. Many lung cancers have an identity similar to normal lung cells. However, some turn off a gene that codes for a protein called NKX2-1, which leads to a type of cancer called invasive mucinous adenocarcinoma (or IMA for short). Cells from this type of cancer develop an identity similar to mucous cells that line the surface of the stomach. But it was unclear how IMA tumor cells that developed from a mutation in the BRAF gene are affected by this loss in NKX2-1, and how transitioning to a different cell type impacts their response to treatment. To investigate this, Zewdu et al. studied lung cells from patients with IMA tumors driven by a mutation in BRAF and cells from mice that have been genetically engineered to have a similar form of cancer. This revealed that the NKX2-1 protein is needed to initiate the formation of cancer cells but is not required for the growth of already established BRAF-driven tumors. Further experiments showed that removing the gene for NKX2-1 made these cancer cells less responsive to drugs known as BRAF/MEK inhibitors that are commonly used to treat cancer. These drugs caused the IMA cancer cells to change their identity and become another type of stomach cell. This identity change was found to depend on two signaling pathways which cells use to communicate. This study provides some explanation of how IMA lung cancers that lack the gene for NKX2-1 resist treatment with BRAF/MEK inhibitors. It also shows new relationships between key genes in these cancers and systems for cell communication. These findings could lead to better therapies for lung cancer, particularly for patients whose tumor cells are deficient in NKX2-1 and therefore require specialized treatment.
Evaluation of the orthopaedic trauma association open fracture classification (OTA-OFC) as an outcome prediction tool in open tibial shaft fractures

It was the goal of this study to determine if the Orthopaedic Trauma Association Open Fracture Classification (OTA-OFC) correlates with complication rates and to determine if it can be used as a predictive tool in the treatment of open tibial shaft fractures. Retrospective review from two high-volume level 1 trauma centers of open tibial shaft fractures over a 5 year period. Variables of interest included OTA-OFC, type of wound closure, 90-day wound complication, unplanned re-operation, non-union, and amputation. 501 consecutive open tibial shaft fractures. 57.3% (n = 287) were closed primarily; local soft tissue advancement/rotational flap was used in 9.6% (n = 48); free soft tissue transfer used in 22.8% (n = 114); 8.6% (n = 43) required amputation. Of those followed for 90 days (n = 419), 45 (9.0%) had a wound complication, of which 40 (8%) required an unplanned reoperation. 40 (8.0%) patients went on to a documented non-union. All OTA-OFC classification groups significantly correlated with type of definitive closure (r = 0.18–0.81, p < 0.05) with OTA-OFC skin showing the strongest correlation (r = 0.81). OTA-OFC bone loss weakly correlated with wound complication (r = 0.12, p = 0.02) and no OTA-OFC classification correlated with the need for an unplanned secondary procedure. OTA-OFC skin, muscle and arterial all weakly correlated with non-union (r = 0.18–0.25, p < 0.05). OTA-OFC muscle was predictive of non-union (OR = OR = 2.2, 95% CI = 1.2–4.1) and amputation (OR 9.3, 95% CI = 3.7–23.7). OTA-OFC arterial was also predictive of amputation (OR 4.8, 95% CI = 2.5–9.3). The OTA-OFC correlates variably with the type of definitive closure, the development of a 90-day wound complication, and the occurrence of a non-union. Importantly, OTA-OFC muscle classification is predictive of non-union while both OTA-OFC muscle and arterial were predictive of amputation.
Changes in Assortative Matching and Educational Inequality: Evidence from Marriage and Birth Records in Mexico

Over the past three decades, educational attainment in Mexico has grown substantially, and changing demographic trends have resulted in lower birth and marriage rates. Increasing educational attainment may affect marriage patterns through the growing supply of partners with higher education levels and changing preferences over their partner's education level. Using administrative records on births and marriages, we quantify changes in the relative education levels within married and non-married couples. Our findings suggest two main patterns. First, assortativeness is higher when focusing on non-adjacent versus adjacent education categories. That is, it is more common for a college graduate to partner with a secondary-school educated partner rather than a partner with only a primary-school education. Second, assortativeness among college graduates has grown considerably over time. These findings hold across both marital and birth records.
The effectiveness of vigorous training on cardiorespiratory fitness in persons with spinal cord injury: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Systematic review and meta-analysis. Traditional forms of upper-body moderate intensity exercise consistently provide little cardiovascular benefits for persons with spinal cord injury (PwSCI). Explorations of new training methods are vital to improve cardiovascular fitness among PwSCI. This study sought to evaluate the effectiveness of vigorous training on cardiorespiratory fitness in PwSCI. Database search through PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, SportDiscus, and Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) was conducted from the databases’ inception to November 2020 to identify relevant exercise studies with PwSCI. Two independent reviewers screened articles for inclusion. Data were extracted from included studies and methodological quality evaluated. Sixteen trials (eight pre-post trials and eight controlled trials [CTs]) with a total of 145 participants were analyzed. Results from pre-post studies revealed significant improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness following high-intensity interval training (HIIT) (Peak Oxygen Uptake [VO2peak], standardized mean difference [SMD] = 0.81; 95% CI 0.23–1.39; P < 0.01 and Peak Power Output [PPO], SMD = 0.91; 95% CI 0.32–1.5; P < 0.01) and circuit resistance training (CRT) (VO2peak, MD = 0.38; 95% CI 0.19–0.57; P < 0.01 and PPO, MD = 20.17; 95% CI 8.26–32.08; P < 0.01). Meta-analysis of CTs did not demonstrate significant improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness following vigorous training interventions in comparison to lower intensity training interventions. Evidence from HIIT and CRT interventions suggest benefits for cardiovascular functions; however, vigorous training was not more beneficial than other forms of endurance training. More CTs are needed to better understand the effectiveness of vigorous training on cardiorespiratory fitness in PwSCI.
Battery Management System (BMS) Test Stand Utilizing a Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) Emulated Battery

Most people rely on lithium-ion batteries to power one or more of their portable devices every day. Though most portable devices operate at low voltage, there are many emerging applications that may rely on batteries with voltages up to 1 kVDC. As battery voltage increases, so does the number of series connected, individual cells used to construct it. Battery management systems (BMSs) are used to maintain safe operation, ensuring that no cell is ever charged too high or discharged too low. It also bleeds off excess energy from high cells to bring all the cells down to the same state of charge (SoC). There are countless BMS systems on the market and many more that are being designed and introduced for sale every day. While most BMSs share some common features, there is no single standard that defines BMS architecture, operation, or communication. Evaluation of the short- and long-term performance of a BMS is difficult; requiring it to be either connected to a physical high voltage battery, which is expensive and potentially unsafe, or to some other device that can accurately emulate the battery. In the work presented here, a battery emulator has been assembled and validated using a power-hardware-in-the-Loop (PHIL) system. Using this method, any type of battery can be emulated so long as a validated MATLAB simulation model at the cell level is available. A 264-cell battery model has been created and simulated. Though the eventual plan is to emulate all 264 cells, only six of those cells have been emulated using a PHIL system and interfaced with a BMS to date. The options considered for emulation of the real-time cell model are discussed along with the rationale for the emulator design choices made so far. Some initial results from the 6-cell emulation experiment are also presented.
Listed Species Reintroductions on Private Land-Limiting Landowner Liability

This paper presents an overview of the various methods available to limit liability under the Endangered Species Act for landowners seeking to reintroduce populations of listed species on their lands.
Transbronchial biopsy vs. bronchoalveolar lavage in interstitial lung disease

Purpose of review Interstitial lung diseases (ILDs) are heterogeneous disorders characterized by varying degrees of inflammation and fibrosis in the lung parenchyma. The use of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) cellular analysis and transbronchial biopsy with forceps (TBLB) in ILD is often a matter of debate. ILDs have been a diagnostic challenge and require multidisciplinary discussion (MDD) to develop a consensus diagnosis based on clinical, radiologic, laboratory, BAL cellular analysis, and histologic information. Recent findings The BAL cellular analysis is a commonly performed tool, and some ILDs have distinctive cellular findings. Its use alone is seldom diagnostic and almost always requires clinical, radiologic findings, and or histologic information interpretation. The minimally invasive procedures, such as TBLB, transbronchial cryo-biopsy (TBCB), and invasive procedures, such as surgical lung biopsy (SLB) help obtain a histologic diagnosis. Summary This review serves as a resource to assist clinicians to develop effective communication and close collaboration through MDD for accurate selection of diagnostic tools to reach the correct and final diagnosis.
Should rare diseases get special treatment

Orphan drug policy often gives 'special treatment' to rare diseases, by giving additional priority or making exceptions to specific drugs, based on the rarity of the conditions they aim to treat. This essay argues that the goal of orphan drug policy should be to make prevalence irrelevant to funding decisions. It aims to demonstrate that it is severity, not prevalence, which drives our judgments that important claims are being overlooked when treatments for severe rare diseases are not funded. It shows that prioritising severity avoids problems caused by prioritising rarity, and that it is compatible with a range of normative frameworks. The implications of a severity-based view for drug development are then derived. The severity-based view also accounts for what is wrong with how the current system of drug development unfairly neglects common diseases that burden the developing world. Lastly, the implications of a severity-based view for current orphan drug policies are discussed.
Growth arrest-specific protein 6 protects against renal ischemia-reperfusion injury

Abstract Background Renal injury caused by ischemia–reperfusion (I/R) often occurs after shock or transplantation. Growth arrest–specific protein 6 (Gas6) is a secreted protein that binds to the TAM—Tyro3, Axl, Mer—family tyrosine kinase receptors, which modulate the inflammatory response and activate cell survival pathways. We hypothesized that Gas6 could have a protective role in attenuating the severity of renal injury after I/R. Materials and methods Adult mice were subjected to 45 min of bilateral renal ischemia. Recombinant mouse Gas6 (rmGas6, 5 μg per mouse) or normal saline (vehicle) was administered intraperitoneally 1 h before ischemia and all subjects were sacrificed at 23 h after I/R for blood and tissue analysis. The expression of protein and messenger RNA (mRNA) was assessed by Western blotting and quantitative polymerase chain reaction, respectively. Results Treatment with rmGas6 significantly decreased serum levels of creatinine and blood urea nitrogen by 29% and 27%, respectively, improved the renal histologic injury index, and reduced the apoptosis in the kidneys, compared with the vehicle. Renal mRNA levels of interleukin 1β, interleukin 6, tumor necrosis factor α, keratinocyte-derived chemokine and macrophage inflammatory protein 2 were decreased significantly by 99%, 60%, 53%, 58%, and 43%, with rmGas6 treatment, respectively. After I/R, renal I-kappa-B α levels were reduced by 40%, whereas they returned to sham levels with rmGas6 treatment. The mRNA levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase and cyclooxygenase 2 were reduced by 79% and 70%, respectively, whereas the expression of cyclin D1 was increased by 2.1-fold in the rmGas6-treated group, compared with the vehicle. Conclusions Gas6 suppresses the nuclear factor κB pathway and promotes cell proliferation, leading to the reduction of inflammation and protection of renal injury induced by I/R.
Local Civic Participation and Democratic Legitimacy: Evidence from England and Wales

Concern about declining legitimacy of national democratic institutions has driven an expansion of reforms to increase public participation. This article tests the claim that greater local civic participation is associated with increased democratic legitimacy. It makes explicit a theoretical basis for this relationship and builds indices for civic participation and legitimating attitudes. Empirical implications are tested in a series of hierarchical linear and ordered probit models using detailed individual-level data from the UK Citizenship Survey. I find that participation is persistently positively associated with attitudes expressive of democratic legitimacy, even when accompanied by negative evaluations of local authority outcomes, and that this effect is specific to procedural and fairness evaluations of legitimacy rather than governmental trust. This article thus broadly supports assumptions of democratic legitimation from expanding civic participation.
Surface immunoglobulin on rabbit lymphoid cells. III. Double expression and separate endocytosis of surface immunoglobulin allotypes on heterozygous lymphocytes demonstrated by immunoelectron microscopic labeling.

Abstract The expression of immunoglobulin b locus ( k chain) allotypes on the surface of rabbit peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL's) is examined using an indirect double immunoelectron microscopic labeling technique. Ferritin and whelk hemocyanin individually conjugated to allotypically specific IgG are used as ultrastructurally identifiable molecular markers. These indicators are coupled to lymphocyte surface immunoglobulin (Ig) allotypic determinants by an antiallotype antibody linkage. Human red blood cells, conjugated with IgG of a specific allotype and used as test cells, demonstrate the absolute specificity and high efficiency of the ultrastructural labeling technique. Specific labeling on rabbit PBL's shows that 65–75% of the cells are positive for surface Ig. Lymphocytes from homozygous donors (b4b4 or b6b6) are labeled specifically with only the appropriate allotypic labeling system. Thirty-three percent of the PBL's from heterozygous donors (b4b6) express both allotypes (allelic inclusion) on the cell surface; the remaining proportion of Ig-bearing cells have only one detectable allotype present (allelic exclusion). We conclude that approximately 50% of the Ig-bearing PBL's demonstrate allelic inclusion for the b locus allotypes. On allelically included heterozygous lymphocytes, both allotypic determinants can undergo specific endocytosis. Endocytosis of one allotype on heterozygous cells can be induced by stimulation with antiallotypic serum without affecting the surface appearance of the other allelic marker (separate endocytosis).
Neuronal gene expression profiling: uncovering the molecular biology of neurodegenerative disease.

Abstract The development of gene array techniques to quantify expression levels of dozens to thousands of genes simultaneously within selected tissue samples from control and diseased brain has enabled researchers to generate expression profiles of vulnerable neuronal populations in several neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, schizophrenia, multiple sclerosis, and Creutzfeld–Jakob disease. Intriguingly, gene expression analysis reveals that vulnerable brain regions in many of these diseases share putative pathogenetic alterations in common classes of genes, including decrements in synaptic transcript levels and increments in immune response transcripts. Thus, gene expression profiles of diseased neuronal populations may reveal mechanistic clues to the molecular pathogenesis underlying various neurological diseases and aid in identifying potential therapeutic targets. This chapter will review how regional and single cell gene array technologies have advanced our understanding of the genetics of human neurological disease.
Laminar Natural Convection Over a Slender Vertical Frustum of a Cone

The problem of laminar, natural convection flow over a slender frustum of a cone is treated in this paper. The governing differential equations are solved by a combination of quasi-linearization and finite-difference methods. Numerical solutions are obtained for Pr=0.7 and for a range of values of the transverse curvature parameter. It is shown that the effect of transverse curvature is of great significance in such flows.
Comparative Scaling Technique

Noncomparative scaling techniques is a set of scaling methods in which each item is scaled independently of each of the others. There are various types of noncomparative scaling techniques such as the graphic rating scale, Likert scale, semantic differential scale, and Stapel scale. In addition to the type of scale, researchers must make decisions regarding the number of scale categories (odd or even), whether to use verbal descriptors along with numbered response categories, balanced versus unbalanced scales, and forced or nonforced responses. Keywords: scaling; Likert scale; semantic differential; Stapel; graphic rating scales; measurement; surveys
The Effects of Epinephrine and Prostaglandin E1 on Cyclic Adenosine 3' : 5'-Monophosphate Levels in WI-38 Fibroblasts

Abstract 1. Intact WI-38 human diploid lung fibroblasts were shown to respond to epinephrine (3 x 10-7 m) and prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) (0.57 x 10-7 m) with increased cyclic adenosine 3' : 5'-monophosphate (cyclic AMP) levels. Corticotropin (1.25 units per ml), insulin (0.02 to 200 milliunits per ml), and glucagon (5 x 10-7 m) were ineffective. Although the response to PGE1 was not clearly maximal at concentrations up to 2.8 x 10-5 m, the response to 5.7 x 10-6 m PGE1 was greater than the maximal response to epinephrine (10 x 10-6 m) under all conditions studied. 2. Theophylline (2 mm) potentiated the action of PGE1 on cyclic AMP levels by at least 2-fold in all experiments, but was less effective with epinephrine; in several experiments theophylline did not potentiate the effects of the catecholamine. 3. Propranolol (0.1 mm) completely inhibited the effect of epinephrine but only slightly diminished that of PGE1. 4. Cells grown to high population density responded poorly or not at all to epinephrine while cells at low population densities responded very well. A converse relationship was observed between PGE1 action and population density, although it was not as dramatic. The effect of population density on the epinephrine stimulation did not appear to be due to a difference in sensitivity of the populations to epinephrine. 5. Cyclic AMP appeared in the incubation medium of WI-38 cells treated with epinephrine or PGE1. This appearance reached maximal levels more slowly than did intracellular cyclic AMP but represented a considerable amount of cyclic nucleotide.
Issues and Techniques in Networked-Based Distributed Healthcare: Overview

For telemedicine to reach its potential in the Internet2 environment,significant progress must be made in a number of areas. The emergingtelecommunications will include the Internet2 between medicalinstitutions and emerging broadband loop and wireless technologiesfor interconnections to homes. Within the technical environment,problems that must be addressed include the development of robotic-controlled,remote-monitoring devices unique to the various medical specialties;the encoding, transmission, and decoding of raw data specificto the specialized needs of various medical application areas;and the reduction of data for storage and retrieval in patientrecords. Institutionally, human factor and information accessissues with respect to physicians, patients, and non-physicianhealthcare providers must be addressed; healthcare insuranceprovider policies, government regulation, and state licensinglaws must be adapted for a new paradigm of healthcare delivery;and the philosophy of capital investment for the delivery ofhealthcare must be revised.
Driving with Mild Cognitive Impairment or Dementia: Cognitive Test Performance and Proxy Report of Daily Life Function in Older Women

Objectives To investigate associations between proxy report of cognitive and functional limitations and cognitive performance and current or former driving status in older women with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and all-cause dementia. Design Cross-sectional data analysis of retrospectively identified older women with adjudicated MCI and all-cause dementia in the Women's Health Initiative Memory Study—Epidemiology of Cognitive Health Outcomes (WHIMS-ECHO). Setting Academic medical center. Participants Women (mean age ± standard deviation 83.7 ± 3.5) adjudicated with MCI or dementia during Year 1, 2, 3, or 4 of the WHIMS-ECHO follow-up period (N = 385). Measurements The telephone-administered cognitive battery included tests of attention, verbal learning and memory, verbal fluency, executive function, working memory, and global cognitive function plus self-report measures of depressive symptomatology. The Dementia Questionnaire (DQ) was administered to a knowledgeable proxy (family member, friend). Results Sixty percent of women with MCI and 40% of those with dementia are current drivers. Proxy reports of functional limitations in instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) are associated with current driving status in women with MCI, whereas performance-based cognitive tests are not. In women with dementia, proxy reports of functional limitations in IADLs and performance-based cognitive tests are associated with current driving status, as expected. Conclusion These findings have clinical implications for the importance of evaluating driving concurrently with other instrumental functional abilities in MCI and dementia. Additional work is needed to determine whether proxy report of cognitive and functional impairments should help guide referrals for driving assessment and rehabilitation or counseling for driving transition.
Power gain at THz frequencies employing grating-gate RTD-gated HEMTs

Over the past decades, the THz frequency regime has become the subject of much attention due to its wide range of applications in diverse areas such as astronomy, imaging, spectroscopy, communications, and so on. Although significant progress has been recently achieved, there is still a need for devices efficiently operating at these frequencies, for instance, devices enabling THz power amplification. In this context, resonant tunneling gated high-electron mobility transistors (RTD-gated HEMTs) have been recently proposed as devices capable of producing power gain at THz frequencies. In these devices, the power gain originates due to the interplay between: (i) electron plasma waves, which are excited in the HEMT two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG), and (ii) resonant tunneling, which occurs when electrons tunnel from the gate-electrode to the 2DEG because of the device gate-stack being a double-barrier hetero-structure. Previous theoretical work on these devices, employing antenna fed configurations, predicts the potential of achieving power amplification with a gain exceeding 5 dB in the GaN materials system (Sensale-Rodriguez et al., IEEE Trans. THz. Sci. Tech. 3(2), 200–206, 2013). This work discusses the THz power amplification in GaN-based grating-gate RTD-gated HEMTs. In these structures, THz radiation is coupled into plasmons in the active region of the device via the grating-gate itself, rather than by an antenna structure as in our previous work. These plasmons are then amplified as they travel through the RTD-gated 2DEG in the HEMT structure. When analyzing by means of numerical simulations the reradiated THz radiation by the structure, upon an initial THz excitation, power amplification with gains > 30dB are observed.
Secure transmission for big data based on nested sampling and coprime sampling with spectrum efficiency

Big data presents critical requirements for security in data collection and transmission of selected data through a communication network. This paper presents a new secure transmission for big data based on nested sparse sampling and coprime sampling. With nested sampling and coprime sampling, besides the advantage of higher spectrum efficiency, big data could also achieve higher power spectral density for binary frequency shift keying BFSK signal. When the sampling spacing pairs are big enough, the spectrum of BFSK signal performs like frequency hopping. This property has great advantage in the security of big data collection and transmission using FH/BFSK, as it could achieve low error probability. With the same multitone interfering signal added to FH/BFSK, the error probability becomes much lower using nested sampling and coprime sampling compared with the original FH/BFSK signal. This proves that both nested sampling and coprime sampling could be used in big data transmission to resist interference, while guaranteeing the transmission performance. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Low-K Dielectric Material Chemical Mechanical Polishing Process Monitoring using Acoustic Emission

Low-k dielectric material removal rate, which is significantly affected by process factors such as polishing load, wafer carrier rotation, platen rotation speed and pad age, is one of the critical issues in CMP planarization of a dielectric film when concerning productivity, throughputs and stabilization of the process, especially when trying to achieve a target polishing thickness. Scratching is another critical issue in low-k dielectric filmi CMP planarization due to the lower hardness relative to silicon dioxide. This research relates to a methodology for in-situ monitoring of the low-k dielectric material CMP planarization process, specifically for monitoring material removal rate and scratch occurrence, using acoustic emission (AE) sensing technology. Systematic investigations of CMP process variables on AE signals were carried out in this research. The sensitivity of AE to polishing load, polishing speed, wafer surface roughness (wafer pattern density) and pad roughness were verified. The results showed that, under steady state, the AE rms signal increases with increasing polishing load, polishing speed, slurry particle size, wafer surface roughness and pad roughness. Based on the research in tribology and other application fields of loose abrasive machining such as lapping and polishing, scratching was known to be caused by the presence of particles which are much larger than average slurry particles. It has been proven that scratching can be avoided or reduced by timely cleaning the slurry supply system. Therefore, to avoid scratching, one strategy is to develop an in-situ method for detecting larger particles involved in CMP process. In this paper, the high sensitivity of AE signals to the presence of larger particles during CMP was experimentally verified.
Understanding “Green Germany” through Images and Film: A Critical Literacy Approach

This article reports on the ways of incorporating paintings, posters, and film into an advanced German content- and language-integrated course called Green Germany. It demonstrates how these visual media can be employed for enriching the exploration of various aspects of the course's environmental themes. In line with the research on the development of visual literacies (Cope & Kalantzis, 2009; Unsworth, 2006), the approach helps equip German learners with the tools to analyze the socially and culturally constructed nature of, in this instance, German public discourse on the environment, and thus develop their critical literacy abilities. In particular, it is demonstrated how leading learners towards interpretation of the visual media within a genre-based and systemic-functional framework (Halliday, 1994; Kress and van Leeuwen, 1996; Martin, 1985, 1997) facilitates critical distance from the solely referential information in these examples of public discourse. The article concludes with a brief examination of an analysis by one of the class participants, showing how she applies the proposed critical literacy tools.
Children Crying at Birthday Parties. Why

We consider the problem of dividing a non-homogeneous one-dimensional continuum whose endpoints are topologically identified. Examples are the division of a birthday cake, the partition of a circular market, the assignment of sentry duty or medical call. We study the existence of rules satisfying requirements of efficiency, fairness (no-envy), and immunity to misrepresentation of preferences (strategy-proofness).
A genome-wide search for quantitative trait loci influencing substance dependence vulnerability in adolescence

Abstract This study describes results from a genome-wide search for quantitative trait loci (QTL) influencing substance dependence vulnerability in adolescence. We utilized regression-based multipoint (and single-point) QTL mapping procedures designed for selected sibpair samples. Selected sibling pairs included 250 proband-sibling pairs from 192 families. Clinical probands (13–19 years of age) were drawn from consecutive admissions to substance abuse treatment facilities in the Denver metropolitan area; siblings of probands ranged in age from 12 to 25 years. In addition to the selected sample, a community-based sample of 3676 adolescents and young adults were utilized to define a clinically-significant, heritable, age- and sex-normed index of substance dependence vulnerability—a priori and independent of our linkage results. Siblings and their parents were genotyped for 374 STR micro-satellite markers distributed across the 22 autosomes (average inter-marker distance=9.2 cM). Non-parametric single-point linkage results indicated 17 markers on 11 chromosomes with nominally significant tests of linkage; six markers with LOD scores greater than 1.0 and one marker (D3S1614) with a LOD score of 2.2. Multipoint mapping corroborated two locations and provided preliminary evidence for linkage to regions on chromosome 3q24-25 (near markers D3S1279 and D3S1614) and chromosome 9q34 (near markers D9S1826 and D9S1838).
An Unappreciated but Important Factor in the Pasteurization of Milk

Summary The age of bacterial cells influences greatly the susceptibility of the organisms to heat, young cells being more easily killed than are older ones. Milks which have been kept at temperatures at which bacterial growth takes place (e.g., 15.5°C.) show a greater percentage destruction of bacteria than occurs in similar milks when fresh or when held at temperatures (e.g., 4.4°C.) too low to allow multiplication of the bacteria involved. It has been established that some important milk bacteria (e.g., "ropy milk" types) may be entirely eliminated from milk by pasteurization when the cells are in a young and growing condition, while the old cells of the same organisms are able to withstand the process. A number of points of practical significance in connection with pasteurization are discussed.
High resolution decoding techniques and single-chip decoders for multi-anode microchannel arrays

While the pixel size in a standard multianode microchannel array (MAMA) photon-counting detector is determined by the spacing of the anode array, the factor most fundamentally limiting pixel resolution is the spacing of the channels in the microchannel plate. Detector resolution can be improved by means of digitization followed by a centroiding procedure. The decoding hardware and the techniques for enhanced pixel resolution are presently discussed with a view to the factors of speed and complexity. A single-chip CMOS gate-array implementation of the decoder is devised and compared with existing multichip decoders' performance.
Hydroxyproline containing chromatin proteins from tobacco callus tissue.

Abstract The amount of different histone fractions (resolved on CMC Column), their amino acid composition, and the composition of nonhistone chromatin protein fractions from tobacco stem callus tissue were determined. The amounts of FI, FII and FIII histones were found to be 92%, 5% and 3% respectively. Non-histone protein fractionsP1 (part of chromatin insoluble in 1 M NaCl) and P4 (fraction eluting from the CMC Column by 0.175 M NaCl) and the lysine-rich histone fraction FI were found to contain 3%, 2.1% and 0.5% hydroxyproline respectively. It is suggested that proline hydroxylation of histones may play a role similar to acetylation, methylation, or phosphorylation of histones.
The effect of point defects on the scattering and trapping of rare gases on metallic surfaces

Abstract Classical stochastic trajectory simulations with an empirical Morse potential were employed to study the effect of surface defects on the scattering and trapping of argon on Pt(1 1 1) at both thermal and structural regimes. Angular distribution patterns in the thermal regime were wide and sub-specular, while in the structural regime the patterns are sharper and centered about the specular angle. Specific features of the angular distribution curves were associated with the particular topography of the defect. Surfaces with adatoms produce broad angular distribution patterns, have higher trapping probabilities and exhibit total energy scaling behavior, while surfaces with vacancies have narrow distribution patterns, low trapping probabilities and exhibit normal scaling behavior.
An N e Method For Evaluation Of Screen-Film Combinations

A method for evaluating the imaging properties of film-screen combinations is described. This method incorporates Schade's noise equivalent bandpass, Ne, and Selwyn's concept of granularity into a figure of merit which can be derived from measurements of the sensitometric and frequency response characteristics of the system. Details of the techniques involved in obtaining the H F, D curve and MTF of the system are presented along with the formalisms involved in calculating Ne and the figure of merit.
Academic socialization: Understanding parental influences on children’s school-related development in the early years

This review summarizes the research literature on the academic socialization of children within the family context. A conceptual model is introduced that describes the process of academic socialization, including parental experiences in school, parental school-related cognitions, and specific parenting behaviors. Parental attitudes and practices provide the foundation for children's development of schemas about school performance and thus are critical determinants of children's early school experiences. In addition, recent efforts to understand the role of transition practices aimed at facilitating children's early adjustment in school are described. The present review extends the transition practices literature by providing a developmental perspective on parenting influences on children's academic socialization, within an ecological systems perspective. The authors describe academic socialization as a process that occurs under the broad umbrella of socioeconomic and cultural contexts.
From one to many.

The beginning of wisdom is to call things by their right name (Chinese proverb; Bridges, [2003])A group of nursing, medical, pharmacy, and health administration students join together to form an in...
Volume holographic quarter-wave plate

It is well known that gratings with high spatial frequency (spacings <EQ (lambda) /2) show form birefringence. Therefore, gratings formed in dielectric materials can act as a wave plate when the grating spacing is smaller than, or near to, half of the incident beam wavelength. Previous researchers used high frequency surface relief structures or sinusoidal gratings formed in photoresists to produce this effect. In this paper we show the performance of a volume holographic quarterwave plate formed in DCG operating at 632.8 nm. To our knowledge this is the first demonstration of a retardation plate exhibiting this magnitude of phase delay in a volume material. The fabrication techniques required to realize this element are also presented.
Covalent surface modification of a titanium alloy with a phosphorylcholine-containing copolymer for reduced thrombogenicity in cardiovascular devices

Our objective was to develop a surface modification strategy for a titanium alloy (TiAl6V4) to provide thromboresistance for surfaces in rigorous blood-contacting cardiovascular applications, such as that found in ventricular assist devices. We hypothesized that this could be accomplished by the covalent attachment of a phospholipid polymer, poly(2-methacryloyloxyethylphosphorylcholine (MPC)-co-methacryl acid) (PMA). TiAl6V4 was H2O plasma treated by radio frequency glow discharge, silanated with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APS), and ammonia plasma treated to increase surface reactivity. The TiAl6V4 surface was then modified with PMA via a condensation reaction between the amino groups on the TiAl6V4 surface and the carboxyl groups on PMA. The surface composition was verified by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, confirming successful modification of the TiAl6V4 surfaces with APS and PMA as evidenced by increased Si and P. Plasma treatments with H2O and ammonia were effective at further increasing the surface reactivity of TiAl6V4 as evidenced by increased surface PMA. The adsorption of ovine fibrinogen onto PMA-modified surfaces was reduced relative to unmodified surfaces, and in vitro ovine blood contact through a rocking test revealed marked reductions in platelet deposition and bulk phase platelet activation relative to unmodified TiAl6V4 and polystyrene controls. The results indicate that the PMA-modification scheme for TiAl6V4 surfaces offers a potential pathway to improve the thromboresistance of the blood-contacting surfaces of cardiovascular devices.
Detachment of Breast Tumor Cells Induces Rapid Secretion of Exosomes Which Subsequently Mediate Cellular Adhesion and Spreading

Exosomes are nano-vesicles secreted by a wide range of mammalian cell types. These vesicles are abundant in serum and other extracellular fluids and contain a large repertoire of proteins, mRNA and microRNA. Exosomes have been implicated in cell to cell communication, the transfer of infectious agents, and neurodegenerative diseases as well as tumor progression. However, the precise mechanisms by which they are internalized and/or secreted remain poorly understood. In order to follow their release and uptake in breast tumor cells in real time, cell-derived exosomes were tagged with green fluorescent protein (GFP)-CD63 while human serum exosomes were rhodamine isothiocynate-labeled. We show that detachment of adherent cells from various substrata induces a rapid and substantial secretion of exosomes, which then concentrate on the cell surfaces and mediate adhesion to various extracellular matrix proteins. We also demonstrate that disruption of lipid rafts with methyl-beta-cyclodextrin (MβCD) inhibits the internalization of exosomes and that annexins are essential for the exosomal uptake mechanisms. Taken together, these data suggest that cellular detachment is accompanied by significant release of exosomes while cellular adhesion and spreading are enhanced by rapid uptake and disposition of exosomes on the cell surface.
Hypertension in pediatric patients

The importance of hypertension in the pediatric population has not been as well-appreciated as in adults. This may be due in part to the much lower prevalence of hypertension in children. Nevertheless, hypertension is an important clinical problem in pediatrics, and the approach to its management differs from that in adults in several major respects. Compared with adults, a much greater percentage of hypertension in children is caused by secondary, potentially correctable, disease states. Elevated blood pressure in children may also represent the early expression of primary or essential hypertension. In addition, the technique of blood pressure measurement, the definitions of high blood pressure, and the classifications of blood pressure values in children are different than in adults. These factors dictate a pediatric approach to detection, evaluation, and management of hypertension in children and adolescents.
Post-craniectomy intracranial hypotension: potential impact on rehabilitation.

More aggressive neurosurgical management of intractably elevated intracranial pressure has resulted in increased survival of severely brain injured patients, many of whom are transferred for inpati...
38-year old woman with hypertension, headaches, and abdominal bruit.

A 38-year-old woman presented to her local clinic for recurrent episodes of headache of several weeks' duration. Evaluation revealed a blood pressure of 202/136 mm Hg. The patient was prescribed 37.5 mg of triamterene with 25 mg of hydrochlorothiazide (1 tablet) twice daily and 50 mg of atenolol once daily.
Metabolic Fate of 2,3,5-Triiodobenzoic Acid in Laying Hens

The whole body retention, distribution, and metabolism of carboxyl-14C-labeled 2,3,5-triiodobenzoic acid (TIBA*) were studied in five laying hens. A single oral dose of TIBA* showed a 22-hr, biological half-life. No organ concentration of TIBA* was noted. TIBA* and seven labeled metabolites were found in excreta collected 6 to 12 hr. after the dose, with TIBA* representing the major end product. TIBA* and four labeled metabolites were detected in excreta collected during the 78 to 90-hr, interval; the metabolites occurred in greater proportion than did TIBA* in this sample.
Modelling and analysis of recruitment distributions

Recruitment data for 18 marine fish stocks are smoothed using 10 parametric families of probability distributions. Comparative fit of the 10 families is assessed by means of the maximized log-likelihood. Results indicate that the gamma distribution provides an overall good fit in the right-hand tail of the data, but that some adjustment to the gamma distribution is called for in the left-hand tail. Weight functions and weighted distributions are suggested as one means of achieving the needed adjustment.
Modified subset simulation method for reliability analysis of structural systems

Abstract A “Regenerative Adaptive Subset Simulation” (RASS) method is proposed for performing the reliability analysis of complex structural systems. Proposed modifications to the classic subset simulation method include the implementation of advanced Markov Chain processes to combine the benefits of a Markov Chain regeneration process, a Delayed Rejection and Adaptive sample selection algorithms and a Componentwise sampling model. The proposed modifications help to overcome the limitations of the original Metropolis–Hasting algorithm used in the subset simulation which include the “burn-in problem” and the difficulty of the selection of the proposal probability function. Several illustrative examples are presented to demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed simulation and compare its results to those of other methods. The results show that RASS is robust and efficient in estimating the probability of failure of structural systems with complex failure regions, large numbers of random variables, and small probabilities of failure.