cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Gravitational radiation from primordial solitons and soliton-star binaries.

The possibility that both the formation of nontopological solitons in a primordial second-order phase transition and binary systems of soliton stars could generate a stochastic gravitational-wave background is examined. The present contribution in gravitational radiation to the energy density of the Universe from these processes is estimated for a number of different models. The detectability of such contributions from the timing measurements of the milisecond pulsar and spaceborne laser interferometry is briefly discussed and compared to other cosmological and local sources of background gravitational waves.
Work in geophysics of the Colorado School of Mines during 1935

Instruction in geophysical prospecting by electrical methods had involved resistivity-measurements of rock specimens in the laboratory and tests for bed-rock depth along Clear Creek which flows through Golden, this being basically a placer proposition. Magnetic field-work has included an extension of a magnetic survey of Jefferson County with an Askania vertical magnetometer. Theoretical investigations have been made on the effect of the dip of layers on resistivity-depth curves. The work included a check of theory by experiments in a new compensated tank.
Calcium Determines the Shape of Fibrillin

Velocity sedimentation experiments using authentic fibrillin-1 demonstrated sedimentation coefficients of s20,w0 = 5.1 +/- 0.1 in the Ca2+ form and s20,w0 = 6.2 +/- 0.1 in the Ca2+-free form. Calculations based on these results and the corresponding molecular mass predicted a shortening of fibrillin by approximately 25% and an increase in width of approximately 13-17% upon removal of Ca2+. These observations were confirmed by analysis of Ca2+-loaded and Ca2+-free rotary shadowed fibrillin molecules. Analysis of recombinant fibrillin-1 subdomain rF17, consisting primarily of an array of 12 Ca2+-binding epidermal growth factor (cbEGF)-like repeats, by analytical ultracentrifugation and rotary shadowing further confirmed Ca2+-dependent structural changes in the tertiary structure of fibrillin-1. Based on these results, the contribution of a single cbEGF-like repeat to the length of tandem arrays is predicted to be approximately 3 nm in the Ca2+ form. Ca2+-free forms demonstrated a decrease of 20-30% in length, indicating significant structural changes of these motifs when they occur in tandem. Circular dichroism measurements of rF17 in the presence and absence of Ca2+ indicated secondary structural changes within and adjacent to the interdomain regions that connect cbEGF-like repeats. The results presented here suggest a flexible structure for the Ca2+-free form of fibrillin which becomes stabilized, more extended, and rigid in the Ca2+ form.
Social Interaction in Computer‐Mediated Communication

L'auteur examine plusieurs theories dominantes dans le domaine de l'interaction sociale au sein de la communication mediatisee par ordinateur : theorie du cues-filtered-out ; traitement social de l'information ; modele SIDE (social identity model of deindividuation effects) ; structuration adaptative. Il conclut sur les raisons d'encourager cette derniere theorie.
FKBP5 moderation of depressive symptoms in peer victimized, post-institutionalized children

The purpose of this study was to examine whether FKBP5 rs1360780 moderates relations between different forms of life stress/adversity (early institutional rearing and peer victimization) and depressive symptoms in adolescents. As reported previously, PI youth were at risk for being victimized by peers. Here, victimization was associated with elevated depressive symptoms. While FKBP5 did not moderate the association between early life adversity and depressive symptoms for either sex, it moderated the association between current adversity and depressive symptoms for victimized girls carrying the minor allele. Consistent with a differential susceptibility model, girls with the minor allele exhibited more depressive symptoms at higher levels of victimization, but fewer depressive symptoms at lower levels of victimization. Interestingly, boys with the CC genotype had higher rates of depressive symptoms compared to girls with the CC genotype in the context of heightened victimization.
Electron microscopic studies of oral benign leukoplakia.

Abstract 1. 1. Electron microscopic studies of two cases of typical benign leukoplakia (oral hyperkeratosis) revealed that basal cells contain an abundance of thick, stranded tonofilaments and RNP particles. 2. 2. The squamous layer was thick, often comprising more than twenty cell layers. Squamous cells, unlike those in normal mucosa,1 were filled with abundant, thick tonofilaments which formed a heavily interwoven network in the cytoplasm. Other cellular organelles were compressed and masked by these tonofilaments. 3. 3. In the upper squamous layer and in the granular layer, RNP particles became aggregated in many foci in the cytoplasm and appeared to produce a dense material. As these aggregations enlarged, the dense material masked individual particles of RNP, and keratohyaline granules were formed. Even in large keratohyaline granules, RNP particles were still distinctly visible at their periphery. 4. 4. In spite of the presence of many layers of horny cells, the keratinization of these cells was still parakeratotic. Parakeratotic cells were characterized by the retention of nuclei, visible bundles of filaments, and the presence of lipid bodies. 5. 5. In the basal layor, melanocytes were actively producing melanin and transferring melanosomes to neighboring cells. Either Langerhans' cells or dense cells (which are similar to dermal histiocytes and Langerhans' cells except for Langerhans' granules) were very often found in the vicinity of the melanocytes.
Guilt by intimate association: what makes an allergen an allergen?

Why specific, ubiquitous, otherwise innocuous environmental proteins tend to provoke maladaptive, T H 2-polarized immune responses in susceptible hosts is a fundamental mechanistic question for those interested in the pathogenesis, therapy, and prevention of allergic disease. The current renaissance in the study of innate immunity has provided important insights into this question. The theme emerging from recent studies is that direct (dys)functional interactions with pathways of innate immune activation that evolved to signal the presence of microbial infection are central to the molecular basis for allergenicity. This article reviews these data.
Optimizing homodyne detection of quadrature-noise squeezing by local-oscillator selection

A general formalism is developed for optimizing homodyne detection of quadrature-noise squeezing by selection of the local-oscillator (LO) field. The optimum LO is the minimum-eigenvalue eigenfunction of a particular Fredholm integral equation whose kernel depends on the signal field's normally ordered and phase-sensitive covariance functions. The squeezing that results from use of the optimum LO equals one plus twice its associated eigenvalue. A continuous-wave (cw) simplification of the general formalism is presented for the case of stationary signal-field covariances when the homodyne photocurrent is spectrum analyzed. Another simplified special case is exhibited for single-spatial-mode operation, such as is encountered in fiber-based quantum-noise experiments. The cw-source–spectrum-analysis approach is used to determine the optimum LO field and its squeezing performance for cw squeezed-state generation in a bulk Kerr medium with a Gaussian spatial-response function. The single-spatial-mode framework is employed to find the optimum LO field and its squeezing performance for pulsed squeezed-state generation in a single-mode optical fiber whose Kerr nonlinearity has a noninstantaneous response function. Comparison of the cw limit of this pulsed analysis with previous cw fiber-squeezing theory reveals a new regime for quadrature-noise reduction: Raman squeezing in fiber four-wave mixing.
Levetiracetam Use in Pregnancy

Objective:To review data evaluating levetiracetam management of epilepsy during pregnancy.Data Sources:A literature search of PubMed (1966–June 2009) was performed using the terms pregnancy, epilepsy, levetiracetam, and anticonvulsants. Bibliographies of all articles retrieved were reviewed to identify additional relevant articles.Study Selection and Data Extraction:All studies including humans and published in English with data describing levetiracetam management during pregnancy were included.Data Synthesis:The pharmacokinetic studies included in this review demonstrate that the clearance of levetiracetam increases during pregnancy, particularly during the third trimester, which subsequently leads to decreased serum levetiracetam concentrations. The increase in clearance is most likely due to an increase in renal blood flow. The teratogenic studies included in this review included a total of 147 patients. Of these patients, 2% experienced a major congenital malformation (MCM) and 4.8% experienced a mino...
Rate theory for solids. IV. Classical Brownian-motion model

In order to gain insight into classical and quantum-rate theories for solids, a model for interstitial diffusion is presented in which the impurity atom is regarded as a Brownian particle constrained to move in a single direction and subject to a periodic potential. The classical behavior of this model is studied in this paper by the use of computer-simulation techniques; the study of the behavior of this model in the quantum regime is deferred to the following paper. Particular emphasis is placed here on the effect of the magnitude of the Brownian friction coefficient upon the persistence of motion of the impurity atom and how this persistence, in turn, affects the diffusion coefficient.
Language Planning in American Indian Pueblo Communities: Contemporary Challenges and Issues

In the American southwest, Pueblo Indian tribes have managed to retain their languages and cultures far longer than many American Indian tribes who have suffered complete language loss as a result of historical oppression, displacement and annihilation. In more recent times, however, Pueblo Indian tribes have faced tremendous pressures to abandon their languages resulting in varying degrees of gradual language erosion. This paper describes some of the challenges and issues facing American Indian Pueblos in their efforts to plan and implement language maintenance initiatives. Maintaining oral language traditions that are the basis of Pueblo life raises important considerations about the starting point for community-based language planning. Tribal perspectives about teaching and learning language as well as tribal self-determination are discussed with regard to their influence on specific directions such initiatives have taken at the community level and in their introduction and expansion into mainstream sc...
Distribution of fibronectin and laminin in oral leukoplakia and carcinoma

We determined the distribution of 2 components of the extracellular matrix, fibronectin and laminin, in normal, premalignant, and malignant oral mucosa. Both indirect immunofluorescence and avidin-biotin complex immunoperoxidase techniques were used with antisera to each glycoprotein. Fibronectin was consistently present in the basement membrane and connective tissue of normal, leukoplakic and malignant oral mucosa regardless of anatomic site. A continuous laminin-reactive basement membrane structure separated tumor parenchyma from the associated stroma except in areas of invasion in which no laminin staining was evident.
Comparison of biochemical markers and cervical length for predicting preterm delivery.

Aim: To examine the clinical utility of several prognostic factors for predicting preterm delivery. Methods: One hundred and nineteen patients with a singleton pregnancy admitted to our hospital because of symptoms of preterm labor were included in this study. Maternal serum C-reactive protein (CRP), transvaginal sonographic measurement of cervical length (CL), granulocyte elastase (EL) in cervical secretions, fetal fibronectin (fFN), alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), and insulin-like growth factor binding protein-1 (IGFBP-1) in vaginal secretions were examined on admission. EL, fFN, AFP, and IGFBP-1 were measured by bed-side test kits. Correlation between each factor and the duration of pregnancy (from admission to delivery) was investigated. Results: A significant correlation was found between the duration of pregnancy and CRP (r = −0.37, P < 0.001), but not CL. The duration was significantly shorter in the fFN-positive group than in the negative group (P = 0.0015). However, no significant difference was observed between the positive group and the negative group for each of CL, EL, AFP and IGFBP-1. Conclusion: Association between the duration of the pregnancy and two biochemical markers (CRP and fFN) was confirmed. As they can be examined quickly and easily, they are quite useful for estimating prognosis of preterm labor.
The position of the disulfide bonds in human plasma α2HS-glycoprotein and the repeating double disulfide bonds in the domain structure

The positions of the inter- and intra-chain disulfide bonds of human plasma α2HS-glycoprotein were determined. α2HS-glycoprotein was digested with acid proteinase and then with thermolysin. The disulfide bonds containing peptides were separated by reversed-phase HPLC and detected by SBD-F (7-fluorobenzo-2-oxa-1,3-diasole-4-sulfonic acid ammonium salt) method. One inter-disulfide bond containing peptide and five intra-disulfide bond containing peptides (A-chain) were purified and identified as Cys-18 (B-chain)-Cys-14 (A-chain), Cys-71-Cys-82, Cys-96-Cys-114, Cys-128-Cys-131, Cys-190-Cys-201 and Cys-212-Cys-229, respectively. The location of the intra-disulfide bonds revealed that the A-chain of α2HS-glycoprotein is composed of three domains. Two domains were shown to possess intramolecular homology judging from the total chain length of the domains, size of the loops formed by the SS bonds, the location of two disulfide loops near the C-terminal end of domains A and B, the distance between two SS bonds of each domain, the amino acid sequence homology between these two domains (22.6%), number of amino acid residues between the second SS loops and the end of domains A and B, and the positions of the ordered structures.
Interfacial adhesion and toughness of nanostructured diamond coatings

Microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition was used to deposit ultrasmooth nanostructured diamond films (roughness of 14 nm) on a titanium alloy (Ti–6Al–4V) by employing a feedgas mixture containing a high methane fraction (15% by volume) in nitrogen and hydrogen. Of particular interest in this study is the exceptional adhesion of the 4-μm-thick diamond coatings to the metal substrates as observed by indentation testing up to 150 kg load with a 1/8-in.-diameter tungsten carbide ball. No film delamination was observed up to 150 kg indentation load for each of 5 samples grown under the same processing conditions. Scanning electron microscopy of the film surrounding the indentations revealed circumferential microcracking beginning at loads ranging from 60 kg to as high as 150 kg. The strain to cause film microcracking was estimated from calculations of indentation surface areas to be as high as 1.9 ± 0.2%, which represents a significant improvement in toughness over other ceramic coatings.
52: Attenuation of the cortisol awakening response (CAR) over the course of human gestation is associated with gestational age at birth

Author(s): Buss, Claudia; Entringer, Sonja; Cammack, Alison L; Reyes, Jonazary F; Chicz-Demet, Aleksandra; Sandman, Curt A; Wadhwa, Pathik D
The Choice Gap: The Divergent Online News Preferences of Journalists and Consumers

This study examines 4 online news sites to compare stories that journalists display most prominently with stories consumers read most frequently. We find that journalists' chosen stories are “soft” with respect to subject matter but not story format, and that these choices diverge from consumers' choices, resulting in a choice gap. The study design makes important methodological contributions by using the story as the unit of analysis, operationalizing “soft news” in terms of subject matter as well as format, and considering the influence of journalists' and consumers' choices on each other. This article discusses the implications of the findings on such issues as the dynamics of agenda setting, the prospects for consumer-authored content, and the watchdog function of the media.
“Society Must be Protected from the Child”: The Construction of US Juvenile Detention as Necessary and Normal

Scholarship on televised representations of juvenile punishment is missing from the literature. By way of an ethnographic content analysis of forty US representations, the current work fills this void. Through three related themes, I argue that these representations paint the US system, one unmatched in either size or punitiveness, as a necessary and normal social institution. First, coverage depicts detained youth as worthy of incarceration through a focus on their supposed violent nature and rationality. Second, it normalizes the practice of juvenile incarceration by tacitly accepting harsh custodial tactics. Finally, by using detention centers as backdrops for comedy and drama, representations relegate juvenile justice to a position outside the political arena. This work serves as a reminder that in the age of mass incarceration, it is not only media moments that incite fear or spur panic that are of importance: those that normalize the peculiar policies of the United States may be just as consequential.
On the equivalence of integral formulations for certain exterior and interior boundary value problems in mechanics

A procedure is given which relates various linear boundary value problems. It is shown that a relations exists between certain ‘exterior’ and ‘interior’ problems. For computational purposes an ‘interior’ problem is more desirable. The method is restricted by the requirement that the Neumann function, or its equivalent, be known for the problem being considered.
The costs (and benefits?) of diversified business groups: The case of Korean chaebols

Abstract We examine Korean chaebols to determine the costs and benefits associated with the operation of a diversified business group. We find that chaebol-affiliated firms suffer a value loss relative to non-affiliated firms. We observe that this value loss holds even after controlling for the relatedness of the diversification present within the chaebol. To identify the causes of this value loss, we obtain evidence suggesting that chaebol firms: (1) pursue profit stability rather than profit maximization, (2) over-invest in low performing industries, and (3) cross-subsidize the weaker members of their group. We do find however that chaebol firms possess greater debt capacity and consequently enjoy lower tax burdens. Nevertheless, because chaebols suffer an overall loss in value, we conclude that the costs associated with chaebol membership exceed its benefits.
Synthesis of vanadium oxide nanofibers and tubes using polylactide fibers as template

AbstractA new method to produce vanadium oxide nanoﬁbers with dimensions <140 nm and tubes is reported.Vanadium oxide was coated on polylactide ﬁbers by a sol–gel method using a reaction mix of ammonium vanadateand acetic acid as starting materials and water as solvent. Vanadium oxide tubes, of about 1 mm in diameter, wereformed when this coated ﬁber was heated in nitrogen and oxygen at 300 and 250 8C for 1 h. Hydrothermaltreatment of the polylactide ﬁbers with the reaction mix at 160 8C for 12 h followed by heating in oxygen at 300 8Cfor 1 h formed vanadium oxide nanoﬁbers, 60–140 nm in width and several microns in length. Electrochemicalstudies reveal that these vanadium oxide nanoﬁbers are redox active and readily undergo reversible reactions withlithium in non-aqueous cells.# 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Keywords: A. Nanostructures; B. Chemical synthesis; B. Intercalation reactions; C. Electron diffraction; D. Electrochemicalproperties; D. Crystal structure 1. IntroductionWe are exploring the synthesis and properties of vanadium oxide nanotubes and nanoﬁbers. There isconsiderable interest in the development of new synthetic routes to nanostructured materials. Chemicalstructures and systems within the size range from 1 to 100 nm in one, two, or three dimensions are typicalof such materials [1]. They attract considerable attention because of their novel and superior properties
Effects of exposure to job insecurity on workplace expectations of interns in the United States and Australia

Purpose – Linkages between downsizing, job insecurity, and negative employee outcomes have been established, but little is known about the impact they have on interns who observe them. This article aims to examine the relationship between interns' exposure to downsizing and job insecurity and their ongoing workplace perceptions and expectations.Design/methodology/approach – Two studies analyze the negative workplace experiences that influence interns' vocational socialization and pre‐employment schemata. Study 1 surveyed 96 students interning in the United States and Australia, and Study 2 surveyed 100 interns in the United States. Linear regressions were used to test hypotheses.Findings – Study 1 reveals that interns at organizations with low employee morale, previous downsizing, and job insecurity are pessimistic about the organization in which they interned and the typical organizational culture. Study 2 indicates that interns exposed to job insecurity expect less trust and support in future employment...
Genomic organization and chromosomal location of the human gene encoding the B-lymphocyte activation antigen B7

The human B lymphocyte activation antigen B7 provides regulatory signals for T lymphocytes as a consequence of binding to its ligands CD28 and CTLA-4. The cDNA for B7 has previously been isolated and predicted to encode a type I membrane protein. The predicted polypeptide has a secretory signal peptide followed by two contiguous Ig-like domains, a hydrophobic transmembrane region and a short cytoplasmic tail. Here we report the exon-intron genomic organization of human B7 and the chromosomal location. The gene has six exons that span approximately 32 kilobases of DNA. Exon 1 is not translated and the second exon contains the initiation ATG codon and encodes a predicted signal peptide. This gene structure is characteristic for several eukaryotic genes with tissue-specific expression. The third and fourth exons correspond to two Ig-like domains whereas the fifth and sixth exons encode respectively the trans-membrane portion and the cytoplasmic tail. This close relationship between exons and functional domains is a characteristic feature of genes of the Ig superfamily. Cell surface expression of the B7 gene product has previously been mapped to human chromosome 12 by antibody reactivity with the B7-specific monoclonal antibody BB-1. We here demonstrate that the B7 gene is located to the q21-qter region of chromosome 3 by DNA blot analysis of human x rodent somatic cell hybrids.
Teachning network storage technology: assessment outcomes and directions

The paper presents content, delivery and assessment mechanisms used for an undergraduate course on Networked Storage Technology. We based the course on the EMC's vendor-neutral Storage Technology Fundamentals course and provided additional content fitting our respective degree programs. This paper provides a detail review of how the course fits into our curricula, what important enhancements are included in the content, and in particular, how it helps achieve the 2008 ABET assessment requirements.
Nonradiating surface sources.

The class of three-dimensional (3D) nonradiating sources to the inhomogeneous Helmholtz equation is generalized to include nonradiating surface sources that are localized on closed or infinite surfaces Σ and that generate no radiation throughout one of the two space regions whose common boundary is Σ. The class of nonradiating surface sources is shown to be identical to the class of so-called secondary surface sources that are generated from boundary values of a field radiated by a 3D source. In particular, it is proven that any secondary surface source radiating into the interior (exterior) of Σ is a nonradiating surface source relative to the exterior (interior) of Σ, and vice versa. Examples of nonradiating surface sources are included, and a discussion is given of possible applications of such sources.
In-Flight Dimensional Tuning of Metal Nanoparticles by Microplasma Synthesis for Selective Production of Diameter-Controlled Carbon Nanotubes

Diameter-controlled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are continuously grown in a gas-phase process consisting of two sequential stages. Metal nanoparticles with tunable mean diameters between 2 and 5 nm and standard deviations less than 15% are initially prepared from metallocene vapors using an atmospheric-pressure microplasma. The narrowly dispersed catalyst particles are then introduced with acetylene and hydrogen into a flow furnace reactor to selectively grow single-, double-, triple-, or higher order multiwalled nanotubes. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy and micro Raman spectroscopy reveal the morphology of as-grown CNTs and confirm that the number of walls is controlled by catalyst size. Suspended CNTs are characterized by UV−visible-NIR absorbance spectroscopy and found to contain a high-purity (∼75%) of single-walled CNTs when the catalyst diameter is reduced to 2.2 nm.
Stability of β-Galactosidase in Starved Escherichia coli

THE endogenous metabolism of micro-organisms in aqueous suspension in the absence of added nutrients may involve the utilization of endogenous protein and RNA1, as well as amino-acid pool constituents and reserve substances such as glycogen and polyhydroxybutyric acid (see reviews by Dawes and Ribbons2). Investigations with Aerobacter aerogenes1, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas fluorescens have shown that starvation in aerated saline buffer at 37° results in a considerable loss of protein during a period when viability of the populations remains at 95–100 per cent. Since analyses of ultracentrifugal fractions separated from A. aerogenes after various periods of starvation showed decreases in the protein content of the insoluble, ribosomal and soluble fractions3, the loss apparently represents a depletion of various cell proteins. It is interesting, therefore, that induced β-galactosidase in Escherichia coli was found to be relatively stable while other proteins were being rapidly degraded during turnover4. The relative stability of induced β-galactosidase in a wild-type strain of E. coli during starvation has been investigated and this communication records the relevant data.
A Purpuric Patch on the Flank

Amaninhis60spresentedto theemergencydepartment for left flank pain of 1 week’s duration. His medical history included severe peripheral arterial disease anda remotehistory of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm. Three months before presentation, he underwent percutaneousendovascularstentingofa leftpoplitealarteryaneurysm.Physical examination of the left flank showed awell-defined 5 × 12-cmpurpuricpatchwithadarker stellatepatchwithin it (Figure, A). Twopunch biopsy specimens were obtained (Figure, B and C). A
Multilingual Mathematics: Learning Through Contested Spaces of Meaning Making

Drawing on Cultural Historical Activity Theory, language socialization, and the notion of third space, this article examines how bilingual, Latina/o students (Latina/o English learners) use sophisticated linguistic, cultural, and mathematical tools to solve community-based problems. This article examines the inherent tensions in using multiple linguistic tools to engage in a mathematically rich activity called Recipes. Rather than view these tensions as impediments, this article conceptualizes the emergent tensions as pivotal for learning and development. This analysis is drawn from a larger cross-site collaboration of 2 after-school clubs located in the Midwestern and Southwestern parts of the United States. This article focuses on findings from the Midwestern, urban, after-school club where bilingualism was explicitly privileged in the context of activities. The findings suggest that when activities are open-ended, community-based, and designed to promote multiple modalities and mediational tools, stude...
SIZE AND SHAPE TRANSFORMATIONS CORRELATED WITH OXIDATIVE PHOSPHORYLATION IN MITOCHONDRIA. II. STRUCTURAL CHANGES IN MITOCHONDRIAL MEMBRANE FRAGMENTS.

It has been demonstrated that the nature of the physical change in mitochondrial membrane fragments associated with the action of the respiratory enzymes is likely one of shape or symmetry rather than size. The findings suggest that in the state of decreased scattering the macromolecules may be present in an extended physical state. Conditions favorable for phosphorylation may give rise to a folding or contraction of the molecular complex to a more symmetrical structure. Since earlier studies have shown that there is a compulsory relationship between the integrity of systems operative in oxidative phosphorylation and scattering changes, experiments of this type may lead to values for the minimal size of a phosphorylating unit, which at present is estimated to be 2.1 x 106 from light-scattering studies.
Area/lipid of bilayers from NMR

Values of area per lipid A ranging from 56 to 72 A 2 have been reported from essentially the same SCD data from DPPC in the L alpha phase. The differences are due primarily to three separate binary choices in interpretation. It is argued that one particular combination is best; this yields A = 62 +/- 2 A 2 for DPPC at 50 degrees C. Each preceding interpretation agrees with at least one of the three present choices and disagrees with at least one.
Advances and Evolving Concepts in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

The field of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) continues to evolve rapidly. This issue of Clinics in Liver Disease captures many of the advances and evolving concepts that will be relevant for clinicians who take care of patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. In an era where personalized medicine is not just a concept but a reality in many areas, such as the use of IL-28 gene status to determine therapeutic strategies for hepatitis C, there has been remarkable advances in the understanding of the genetic predisposition to NASH and activation of disease pathways relevant to disease progression. These are comprehensively reviewed by Dr Sookian. There is considerable sampling variability with liver biopsies and there are intraand interobserver variability in assessment of liver histology that confound evaluation of the role of liver biopsies in defining prognosis in NASH. The controversies associated with this subject are thoughtfully reviewed by Dr McCullough. The limitations of liver biopsies and their interpretation are driving research to developing noninvasive biomarkers that can identify those with disease and its progression versus regression. The current state of the art is summarized lucidly by Dr Angulo. It is also now appreciated that the liver has a limited repertoire for expressing a disease phenotype and that steatosis and liver injury can result from a multitude of molecular pathways. Clinical scenarios that can cause NASH but are not classically related to obesity-related NASH and their associated pathophysiology are reviewed by Dr Rinella. Advances in the understanding of classical steatosis and disease progression are also reviewed with a view toward providing translational insights into how this knowledge can be used to prevent or treat the disease in the future. The critical role of behavioral factors that drive eating and exercise behaviors and the impact of drugs used to treat such conditions are often underplayed in the clinical literature. A very practical and clinically relevant analysis
A numerical study of the 30° parallel plate analyzer for ionospheric electron spectroscopy

A charged-particle spectrometer is described that uses a configuration of the 30° parallel plate analyzer that differs from the previous one in that the entrance slit sits at the base plate while the exit slit is, as before, displaced to a point beneath the base plate. This approach preserves the second-order focusing previously found, yielding energy resolution of 0.01−0.3 eV for electrons in the energy range 1−30 eV. This is sufficient to address two identified problems in ionospheric electron energy distributions. In addition, the analyzer provides focusing of electron energies along a flat plane to operate as an energy spectrograph with a geometric factor of 10−3 cm2-sr at an energy resolution Δ K/K=0.01; the performance required for very high resolution photoelectron spectroscopy in the ionospheric plasma.
A linear algebraic approach to queueing theory

A survey of the basic formulas of queueing theory is presented, indicating their limitations in dealing with non-exponential service time distributions and non-steady-state behavior. The authors then describe a linear algebraic formulation which is a complete procedure for dealing with non-exponential servers. The formulation is invariant to a class of similarity transformations and thus does not depend on the phases used to describe the servers. The authors show how to treat M/G/1, G/M/1 and G/G/1 queues using this formalism. Finally, they show how transient properties of queueing systems can be calculated, using the same mathematical objects which were used for analyzing their steady-state properties. >
Amplitude electroencephalogram characterization in preterm infants undergoing patent ductus arteriosus ligation.

Abstract Background Recent studies suggest an increased risk of neurodevelopmental impairment following patent ductus arteriosus surgical ligation. The mechanisms are unclear, but intraoperative stress or pain may contribute. The objectives of this study were to determine if pain, evidenced by an increase in heart rate and blood pressure, during patent ductus arteriosus ligation would be accompanied by an increase in amplitude-integrated electroencephalogram (aEEG) voltage. Methods This was an observational, pilot study of infants born at 22.6-35.1 weeks with patent ductus arteriosus requiring surgical ligation. The aEEG was recorded prior to, during surgery, and for 2 hours following surgery. Mean heart rate, blood pressure, and aEEG voltage were analyzed for each recording period. Results Seventeen preterm infants were studied at a mean postmenstrual age of 26.6 weeks. Following anesthetic induction, aEEG became suppressed and remained suppressed during the postoperative period. Heart rate and blood pressure increased significantly intraoperatively. The aEEG voltage did not increase with an increase in heart rate. Infants received between 3.7-47 μg/kg of fentanyl. Conclusions There was no correlation between aEEG voltage and vital sign changes. aEEG is not a useful tool as a marker of pain during patent ductus arteriosus ligation, rather a more standardized approach to pain management should be considered.
News as a Public Good: Cooperative Ownership, Price Commitments, and the Success of the Associated Press

In this article Professor Shmanske examines the history of the wire service industry with special attention to two economic peculiarities: the “public good” nature of news dissemination and the different ownership structures of the competing firms. By focusing on the interplay of the nonprofit, cooperative organizational structure of the Associated Press and the public good characteristics of news, the author provides a new and economically sound explanation for the AP's relative success. In addition, he demonstrates that many unusual institutions in the news-providing industry, particularly pricing structures, can be understood by analyzing the economic and marketing problems associated with private-sector production of a public good.
A 2.4GHz 2Mb/s digital PLL-based transmitter for 802.15.4 in 130nm CMOS

A fully integrated 2.4GHz transmitter for 802.15.4 based on a digital ΣΔ fractional-N PLL is presented. A self-calibrated two-point modulation scheme enables modulation rates much larger than the loop bandwidth. An oversampled 1-bit quantizer is used as a phase detector, reducing spurs and nonlinearity associated with some TDC-based digital PLLs. The prototype achieves an MSK modulation rate of 2Mb/s, delivers −2dBm of output power, and is free of in-band fractional spurs. The transmitter, implemented in 130nm CMOS, consumes 17mW from a 1.2V supply and occupies an active area of 0.6mm2.
Antimicrobial Dosing in Acute Renal Replacement

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common problem in hospitalized patients and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Two large trials showed no benefit from increased doses of renal replacement therapy (RRT) despite previous clinical data suggesting that increased clearance from RRT has beneficial effects. Since infection is the leading cause of death in AKI, my group and others hypothesized that increased RRT antibiotic clearance might create a competing morbidity. The data from my group, as well as those of other groups, show that many patients are underdosed when routine "1 size fits all" antibiotic dosing is used in patients with AKI receiving continuous RRT (CRRT). Here, concepts of drug distribution and clearance in AKI are briefly discussed and then 1 antibiotic (piperacillin) is discussed in depth to illustrate the challenges in applying the medical literature to clinical practice. The fact that published data on drug dosing in AKI and dialysis reflect the evolution of practice patterns and often do not apply to present prescribing habits is also discussed. A more general approach to drug dosing facilitates situation-specific prescribing by the nephrologist and critical care specialist.
An inversion method for the cone-beam transform

This paper presents an alternative formulation for the cone-beam projections given an arbitrary source trajectory and detector orientation. This formulation leads to a new inversion formula. As a special case, the inversion formula for the spiral source trajectory is derived.
A −173 dBc/Hz @ 1 MHz offset Colpitts oscillator using AlN contour-mode MEMS resonator

A differential Colpitts oscillator using AlN MEMS CMR designed in 0.13 um CMOS is presented in this work. The oscillator operates at 1.16 GHz, with a total power consumption of 4.2 mW at 1 V supply. It achieves a phase noise of -143.6 dBc/Hz, -173.3 dBc/Hz at 100 kHz and 1 MHz offset frequency respectively with a figure of merit (FOM) of 228.3 dB. Current-based temperature compensation was employed to reduce oscillator drift across temperature.
Cubilin Maintains Blood Levels of HDL and Albumin

Cubilin is an endocytic receptor highly expressed in renal proximal tubules, where it mediates uptake of albumin and filtered forms of apoA-I/HDL. Cubilin deficiency leads to urinary loss of albumin and apoA-I; however, the consequences of cubilin loss on the homeostasis of blood albumin and apoA-I/HDL have not been studied. Using mice heterozygous for cubilin gene deletion (cubilin HT mice), we show that cubilin haploinsufficiency leads to reduced renal proximal tubular uptake of albumin and apoA-I and significantly increased urinary loss of albumin and apoA-I. Moreover, cubilin HT mice displayed significantly decreased blood levels of albumin, apoA-I, and HDL. The levels of albumin and apoA-I protein or mRNA expressed in the liver, kidney, or intestine of cubilin HT mice did not change significantly. The clearance rate of small HDL3 particles (density>1.13 g/ml) from the blood increased significantly in cubilin HT mice. In contrast, the rate of clearance of larger HDL2 particles from the blood did not change significantly, indicating a decreased half-life for HDL particles capable of filtering through the glomerulus. On the basis of these findings, we conclude that cubilin deficiency reduces renal salvage and delivery back to the blood of albumin and apoA-I, which decreases blood levels of albumin and apoA-I/HDL. These findings raise the possibility that therapeutic increase of renal cubilin expression might reduce proteinuria and increase blood levels of albumin and HDL.
SRAM supply voltage scaling: A reliability perspective

SRAM leakage power is a significan fraction of the total power consumption on a chip. Various system level techniques have been proposed to reduce this leakage-power by reducing (scaling) the supply voltage. SRAM supply voltage scaling reduces the leakage-power, but it increases stored-data failure rate due to commonly known failure mechanisms, for example, soft-errors. This work studies SRAM leakage-power reduction using system level design techniques, with a data-reliability constraint. A statistical or probabilistic setup is used to model failure mechanisms like soft-errors or process-variations, and error-probability is used as a metric for reliability. Error models which combine various SRAM cell failure mechanisms are developed. In a probabilistic setup, the bit-error probability increases due to supply voltage reduction, but it can be compensated by suitable choices of error-correction code and data-refresh (scrubbing) rate. The trade-offs between leakage-power, supply voltage reduction, data-refresh rate, error-correction code, and decoding error probability are studied. The leakage-power ? including redundancy overhead, coding power, and data-refresh power ? is set as the cost-function and an error-probability target is set as the constraint. The cost-function is minimized subject to the constraint, over the choices of data-refresh rate, error-correction code, and supply voltage. Using this optimization procedure, simulation results and circuit-level leakage-power reduction estimates are presented.
A Hybrid Optimization Method to Analyze Metamaterial-Based Electrically Small Antennas

A model of an idealized radiating system composed of an electrically small electric dipole antenna enclosed in an electrically small multilayered metamaterial shell system is developed analytically. The far-field radiation characteristics of this system are optimized using a GA-MATLAB based hybrid optimization model. The optimized-analytical model is specifically applied to a spherical glass shell filled with a "cold plasma" epsilon-negative (ENG) medium. These analytical results are confirmed using ANSOFT HFSS and COMSOL Multiphysics simulations; these numerical results include input impedance and overall efficiency values not available with the analytical model. The optimized-analytical model is also used to achieve electrically small nonradiating metamaterial-based multilayered spherical shell designs. The optimized shell properties are exploited to obtain multiband radiating and nonradiating response characteristics. Dispersion properties of the ENG materials are also included in all the analytical models; the bandwidth characteristics of these systems are discussed
Lagrangian relaxation and enumeration for solving constrained shortest-path problems

The constrained shortest-path problem (CSPP) generalizes the standard shortest-path problem by adding one or more path-weight side constraints. We present a new algorithm for CSPP that Lagrangianizes those constraints, optimizes the resulting Lagrangian function, identifies a feasible solution, and then closes any optimality gap by enumerating near-shortest paths, measured with respect to the Lagrangianized length. “Near-shortest” implies e-optimal, with a varying e that equals the current optimality gap. The algorithm exploits a variety of techniques: a new path-enumeration method; aggregated constraints; preprocessing to eliminate edges that cannot form part of an optimal solution; “reprocessing” that reapplies preprocessing steps as improved solutions are found; and, when needed, a “phase-I procedure” to identify a feasible solution before searching for an optimal one. The new algorithm is often an order of magnitude faster than a state-of-the-art label-setting algorithm on singly constrained randomly generated grid networks. On multiconstrained grid networks, road networks, and networks for aircraft routing the advantage varies but, overall, the new algorithm is competitive with the label-setting algorithm. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. NETWORKS, 2008 This article is a US Government work and, as such, is in the public domain in the United States of America.
The Chromosomal Instability Pathway in Colon Cancer

The acquisition of genomic instability is a crucial feature in tumor development and there are at least 3 distinct pathways in colorectal cancer pathogenesis: the chromosomal instability (CIN), microsatellite instability, and CpG island methylator phenotype pathways. Most cases of colorectal cancer arise through the CIN pathway, which is characterized by widespread imbalances in chromosome number (aneuploidy) and loss of heterozygosity. It can result from defects in chromosomal segregation, telomere stability, and the DNA damage response, although the full complement of genes underlying CIN remains incompletely described. Coupled with the karyotypic abnormalities observed in CIN tumors are the accumulation of a characteristic set of mutations in specific tumor suppressor genes and oncogenes that activate pathways critical for colorectal cancer initiation and progression. Whether CIN creates the appropriate milieu for the accumulation of these mutations or vice versa remains a provocative and unanswered question. The goal of this review is to provide an updated perspective on the mechanisms that lead to CIN and the key mutations that are acquired in this pathway.
Development and trends of China’s automobile market: evidence from urban household ownership of cars, bicycles, motorcycles and motorbikes

This paper first examines the development, trends, and regional disparities of China’s automobile production and ownership, then presents a quantitative analysis of urban household ownership of cars, bicycles, motorcycles, and motorbikes (similar to European mopeds), and finally discusses the potential global impacts of China’s emerging automobile market. While the trend analysis of the most recently available time-series data indicates that both production and demand for automobiles, especially cars, in China have increased rapidly since the late 1990s and that China is likely to remain the world’s largest or second largest national automobile market, demand analysis using the urban household survey data by income groups from 1997 to 2008 suggests that the ownership of cars is most elastic with respect to real disposable income, followed by motorbikes and motorcycles, and that the ownership of bicycles has shown a negative but insignificant response to income changes.
The Urban Roots of the Arab Spring

Demonstrations in the Arab spring were successful in affecting the tenure of incumbent authoritarian rulers where they occurred in national capitals that were also primate cities. The outstanding examples are Tunis and Cairo. Where the national capital was not a primate city street demonstrations had limited effects or failed to oust incumbents as in Bahrain, Libya, Syria and Yemen. In such instances incumbents were more likely to be ousted by civil war than relatively peaceful urban uprising.