cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Next generation artificial neural networks and their application to civil engineering

The aims of this paper are: to stimulate interest within the civil engineering research community for developing the next generation of applied artificial neural networks; to identify what the next generation of devices needs to achieve, and; to provide direction in terms of how their development may proceed. An analysis of the current situation indicates that progress in the development of this technology has largely stagnated. Suggestions are made for achieving the above goals based on the use of genetic algorithms and related techniques. It is noted that this approach will require the design of some very sophisticated genetic coding mechanisms in order to develop the required higher-order network structures, and may utilize development mechanisms observed in nature such as growth, self-organization, and multi-stage objective functions. The capabilities of such an approach and the way in which they can be achieved are explored in reference to the truck weigh-in-motion problem.
Dual Signaling of MyD88 and TRIF Is Critical for Maximal TLR4-Induced Dendritic Cell Maturation

TLR4 is a unique TLR because downstream signaling occurs via two separate pathways, as follows: MyD88 and Toll IL-1 receptor (TIR) domain-containing adaptor-inducing IFN-β (TRIF). In this study, we compared and contrasted the interplay of these pathways between murine dendritic cells (DCs) and macrophages during LPS stimulation. During TLR4 activation, neither pathway on its own was critical for up-regulation of costimulatory molecules in DCs, whereas the up-regulation of costimulatory molecules was largely TRIF dependent in macrophages. LPS-induced secreted factors, of which type I IFNs were one of the active components, played a larger role in promoting the up-regulation of costimulatory molecules in macrophages than DCs. In both cell types, MyD88 and TRIF pathways together accounted for the inflammatory response to LPS activation. Furthermore, signaling of both adaptors allowed maximal T cell priming by LPS-matured DCs, with MyD88 playing a larger role than TRIF. In sum, in our experimental systems, TRIF signaling plays a more important role in LPS-induced macrophage activation than in DC activation.
Effects of ractopamine on performance and composition of pigs phenotypically sorted into fat and lean groups.

Crossbred barrows (n = 144; 80 kg) from four farrowing groups were phenotypically selected into fat (FAT) and lean (LEAN) pens using ultrasound. The difference in 10th-rib fat depth between the LEAN and FAT groups was > or =0.5 cm. Within a farrowing group, pigs were assigned to pens (five pigs per pen and eight pens per phenotype) to equalize pen weight and fat depth. Pigs were fed a corn-soybean meal diet containing 19% CP, 1.0% added animal/vegetable fat, and 1.1% lysine (as-fed basis). Half the pens received 10 ppm (as-fed basis) of ractopamine (RAC) during the 28-d finishing phase. At 7-d intervals, live weight and feed disappearance were recorded to calculate ADG, ADFI, and G:F, and 10th-rib fat depth and LM area were ultrasonically measured to calculate fat-free lean and fat and muscle accretion rates. During the first 7 d on feed, LEAN pigs fed RAC gained less (P 0.25) affect ADG after the second, third, and fourth weeks, or over the entire 28-d feeding period. Although wk-2 and -3 ADG were higher (P 0.20) affected by phenotype. Neither RAC nor phenotype affected (P > 0.10) G:F after 7 d on trial; however, RAC improved (P or = 0.10) affected by RAC; however, LEAN pigs had greater (P < or = 0.02) ULA in wk 2 and 4 than FAT pigs. Although fat depth was lower (P < 0.01) in RAC-fed pigs than pigs fed the control diet, ultrasound fat accretion rate indicated that RAC-pigs deposited less (P = 0.04) fat only during wk 4. In addition, calculated fat-free lean (using ultrasound body fat, ULA, and BW) was increased (P < 0.05) in RAC pigs after 3 and 4 wk of supplementation. In conclusion, RAC enhanced the performance of finishing swine through decreased ADFI and increased G:F, whereas carcass lean was enhanced through decreases in carcass fat and increases in carcass muscling.
Energy Absorption of Aluminum Foam-Filled Tubes Under Quasi-Static Axial Loading

Closed aluminum foams fitted thin-walled circular tubes was investigated for its energy absorption characteristics. Compression test was carried out to obtain the representative quasi-static stress-strain curves. The deformation characteristic (foam, tube and their combination) was analyzed. The results indicated that the deformation mode of aluminum foam and tube changed after combine. Foam-tube configuration absorbed more energy than the sum of foam and tube due to the interaction between tube and filler which contains friction, extrusion, crack formation and growth. In addition, the energy absorption of foam-tube configuration was 6 times of aluminum foams. The experiment results reflected that the foam-tube configuration was a potential energy absorber candidate for car industry and transportation cask.
Effect of Combinations of Histamine and Pentagastrin on Gastric Secretion in Man and Dog

Gastric secretion in response to intravenous infusions of histamine and pentagastrin, alone and in combination, was studied in 4 men. Mean acid outputs stimulated by combinations of histamine and pentagastrin, in doses that produced maximal responses when given alone, were not significantly higher than the maximal observed response to either agent alone and clearly were below the calculated maximal response to histamine. Similarly, there was no potentiation of pepsin secretion by combinations of stimulants. In dogs with gastric fistulas, equivalent combinations of histamine and pentagastrin potentiated acid secretion.
Cyclic GMP-AMP Synthase Is an Innate Immune DNA Sensor for Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Activation of the DNA-dependent cytosolic surveillance pathway in response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection stimulates ubiquitin-dependent autophagy and inflammatory cytokine production, and plays an important role in host defense against M. tuberculosis. However, the identity of the host sensor for M. tuberculosis DNA is unknown. Here we show that M. tuberculosis activated cyclic guanosine monophosphate-adenosine monophosphate (cGAMP) synthase (cGAS) in macrophages to produce cGAMP, a second messenger that activates the adaptor protein stimulator of interferon genes (STING) to induce type I interferons and other cytokines. cGAS localized with M. tuberculosis in mouse and human cells and in human tuberculosis lesions. Knockdown or knockout of cGAS in human or mouse macrophages blocked cytokine production and induction of autophagy. Mice deficient in cGAS were more susceptible to lethality caused by infection with M. tuberculosis. These results demonstrate that cGAS is a vital innate immune sensor of M. tuberculosis infection.
Reparations and Unjust Enrichment

Despite an initial appearance of superior doctrinal fit, restitution is not an appropriate vehicle for reparations claims based on slavery and similar large-scale historical injustices. The justifying principle behind restitution - prevention of unjust enrichment - lacks the moral force necessary to resolve a controversial public dispute about moral rights and obligations among segments of society. At its core, a claim to restitution is an attempt to right a wrong not by alleviating the adverse consequences to oneself, but by diminishing the position of others. In other words, the notion of unjust enrichment is a comparative idea that draws on resentment and the desire for retaliation, rather than the desire to be made whole. Retaliatory impulses probably are inevitable in human affairs, and if so it may be wise to include some avenues for retaliation among the legal remedies available in private disputes. In a public controversy of considerable social significance, however, resentment and retaliation should not be accommodated by law.
Quantitative full time course analysis of nonlinear enzyme cycling kinetics

Enzyme inhibition due to the reversible binding of reaction products is common and underlies the origins of negative feedback inhibition in many metabolic and signaling pathways. Product inhibition generates non-linearity in steady-state time courses of enzyme activity, which limits the utility of well-established enzymology approaches developed under the assumption of irreversible product release. For more than a century, numerous attempts to find a mathematical solution for analysis of kinetic time courses with product inhibition have been put forth. However, no practical general method capable of extracting common enzymatic parameters from such non-linear time courses has been successfully developed. Here we present a simple and practical method of analysis capable of efficiently extracting steady-state enzyme kinetic parameters and product binding constants from non-linear kinetic time courses with product inhibition and/or substrate depletion. The method is general and applicable to all enzyme systems, independent of reaction schemes and pathways.
Validation of blood phosphatidylethanol as an alcohol consumption biomarker in patients with chronic liver disease.

Background Blood phosphatidylethanol (PEth) is a promising biomarker of alcohol consumption. This study was conducted to evaluate its performance in patients with liver disease. Methods This study included 222 patients with liver disease. Patient-reported alcohol use was obtained as a reference standard, and PEth was measured by tandem mass spectrometry. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) and contingency table analyses were used to assess the performance of PEth in detecting any drinking and averaging 4 or more drinks daily in the past 30 days. Results At the limit of quantitation (20 ng/ml), PEth was 73% sensitive (95% confidence interval [CI] 65 to 80) and 96% specific (95% CI 92 to 100) for any drinking in the past month. Subjects who drank but had a negative PEth result were mainly light drinkers. Subjects who reported 30-day abstinence but with quantifiable PEth either reported heavy drinking within the past 6 weeks or had data that suggested underreported drinking. At the optimal cutoff concentration of 80 ng/ml, PEth was 91% sensitive (95% CI 82 to 100) and 77% specific (95% CI 70 to 83) for averaging at least 4 drinks daily. Conclusions PEth is a useful test for detecting alcohol use in patients with liver disease, but cutoff concentrations for heavy drinking will result in misclassification of some moderate to heavy drinkers.
Characterization of sinusoidal gating of InGaAs/InP single photon avalanche diodes

We report sinusoidal gating of InGaAs/InP single photon avalanche diodes (SPAD) operated at wavelength of 1310 nm with high photon detection efficiency (PDE) and low dark count rate (DCR). At a gating frequency of 80 MHz and temperature of 240 K the DCR and PDE were 15.5 kHz and 55%, respectively. The slope of DCR versus PDE increases with higher laser repetition rate. There are two mechanisms that contribute to this trend. The first is due to the lower afterpulse probability associated with a lower laser repetition rate. The other is due to the RC effect, which is illustrated by an equivalent circuit that includes a model of the SPAD. We also show that relative to gated passive quenching with active reset (PQAR) for fixed PDE, sinusoidal gating yields lower afterpulsing rates for the same hold-off time. This is explained in terms of the integrated pulse shape and the resultant charge flow. The afterpulse probability, Pa, is related to the hold off time, T, through the power law, PapT-a where a is a measure of the detrapping time in the multiplication region.© (2012) COPYRIGHT Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE). Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Demonstrating the Temperature Dependence of Density via Construction of a Galilean Thermometer

A method for the construction of a Galilean thermometer out of common chemistry glassware is described. Students in a first-semester physical chemistry (thermodynamics) class can construct the Galilean thermometer as an investigation of the thermal expansivity of liquids and the temperature dependence of density. This is an excellent first laboratory for physical chemistry as it generates student interest; plus, it is a green experiment only using water, food coloring, and glassware that can be recycled from year to year. The thermometer can also be constructed without a detailed discussion of the mathematics behind it, making it accessible to general chemistry students.
TA1 oncofetal rat liver cDNA and putative amino acid permease : Temporal correlation with c-myc during acute CCl4 liver injury and variation of RNA levels in response to amino acids in hepatocyte cultures

TA1 is a rat liver oncofetal cDNA and a member of an emerging family of evolutionarily conserved molecules with homology to amino acid transporters and permeases. The aim of these studies was to characterize the regulation and role of TA1 in acute rat liver injury by examining its relation to regeneration and metabolic stress. Following a single dose of CCl4, TA1 message was expressed 3-48 h. The major 3.3-kb TA1 transcript correlated temporally with c-myc expression. A novel 2.9-kb TA1 transcript was expressed more variably 24-48 h. TA1 protein was restricted to hepatocytes in G0 and G1 phases of the cell cycle. Relative to CCl4, a much smaller increase in TA1 was noted after partial hepatectomy and TA1 preceded the peak of c-myc expression. In vitro TA1 was not induced in hepatocytes by EGF or the acute-phase cytokines IL-6 and TNF-alpha, but was found to be modulated in response to amino acid availability. TA1 expression increased in media without arginine and glutamine and was repressed by total amino acid levels 5-fold over basal MEM. Together, these results contrast with the constitutive expression observed in transformed cells and suggest an adaptive role for TA1 during liver injury.
Static and dynamic evaluation of Silicon-On-Insulator-based scanning micromirrors

Microfabricated Silicon-On-Insulator (SOI) optical micromirrors are often used in switching applications due to their high reflectivity and low residual stress. In the present study, an industrial bulk micromachining technology based on SOI wafer called the MicraGEM SOI technique is used to fabricate the micromirror. Further, analytical studies were carried out for the static and dynamic characteristics, and are validated using experimental results. A test set-up comprising a laser source and Laser Doppler Vibrometer (LDV) was used for dynamic testing. The microfabrication and test method proposed are simple and can be used to study optical micromirrors of any size.
Update on allergy immunotherapy.

This article summarizes and provides commentary regarding guidelines on the administration of immunotherapy (IT) for allergic airway disease. Recent investigations have provided important insights into the immunologic mechanism of IT and the prominent role of interleukin-10-producing regulatory T lymphocytes. The most important aspect of successful IT is the administration of an appropriate dose of an extract containing a sufficient concentration of the relevant allergen. This is largely possible now only with standardized extracts. When the major allergen content of successful IT extracts was quantified, efficacy was demonstrated across a surprisingly narrow concentration range (approximately 5-24 μg per injection), irrespective of the extract. This presumably reflects the concentration of an antigen that drives an immune response toward tolerance. It may be predicted that as major allergen content is quantified in currently nonstandardized extracts, effective IT will also be achieved by administering a dose in this range, in contrast to current practices involving fairly arbitrary dosing decisions. With the availability of nonsedating antihistamines, intranasal corticosteroids, and the leukotriene modifiers, inadequate pharmacologic response or intolerable side effects are less commonly the major indications for starting IT for allergic rhinitis (AR). However, with the recognition that a relatively short course (3-5 years) of IT can provide long-term immunomodulation and clinical benefit, a desire to avoid long-term pharmacotherapy and the associated high costs may be the primary indication for IT in AR cases. While evidence overwhelmingly supports the beneficial influences of IT in asthma cases, the positioning of IT for this disorder is not established. The observed prevention of asthma in children who have AR is intriguing, but further studies are required to assess the extent to which the prevalence and severity of chronic asthma will be reduced when these children reach adulthood. Similarly, safety issues overwhelmingly suggest that uncontrolled asthma is the greatest risk factor for mortality associated with IT and that IT therefore may be contraindicated for most patients who have inadequate pharmacologic responses or are unable to tolerate useful pharmacologic agents. Paradoxically, these are the patients for whom a response to IT may be most desirable.
Sheet electron concentration at the heterointerface in Al0.48In0.52As/Ga0.47In0.53As modulation-doped structures

Sheet electron concentration at the heterointerface in Al0.48In0.52As/Ga0.47In0.53As modulation-doped structures has been calculated as a function of the spacer layer thickness, the doping concentration in Al0.48In0.52As and the lattice temperature. The calculated results were compared with those for Al0.3Ga0.7As/GaAs structures and also with the experimental data. It is shown that, compared with AlGaAs/GaAs about 1.5 times higher sheet electron concentration can be obtained in AlInAs/GaInAs at the same doping level, which is in good agreement with the experimental results.
First temperature corrections to the Fermi-liquid fixed point in two dimensions

We calculate using perturbative calculations and Ward identities the basic parameters of the Fermi Liquid: the scattering vertex, the Landau interaction function, the effective mass, specific heat, and physical susceptibilities for a model of two-dimensional (2D) fermions with a short ranged interaction at non-zero temperature. The leading temperature dependence of the spin components of the scattering vertex, the Landau function, and the spin susceptibility is found to be linear. We find that the standard T=0 relationships for a Galilean-invariant Fermi Liquid are violated by finite-temperature terms. The coefficients in the temperature corrections to these relationships involve a subtle interplay between contributions from small and large ($\sim 2k_F$) momentum processes. A connection with previous studies of the 2D Fermi-Liquid parameters is discussed. We conclude that the linear leading temperature dependence of the parameters is a generic feature of the 2D Fermi Liquid.
Design, Simulation and Testing of Shape Memory Alloy Actuator for Mixing Two Solutions in High-Pressure Optical Cell for Biophysical Studies

Window-type high-pressure optical cells (HPOC) such as the one designed by Paladini and Weber [Rev. Sci. Instrum. 52, (1981) p. 419] have provided biophysicists a powerful tool to understand the structure-function relationships of biological molecules. However, the conventional HPOC is only good for single solution testing and does not allow for quick mixing and stirring of additional components while the sample is under pressure. To mix two solutions under pressure, Zhou et al [Rev. Sci. Instrum. 69, (1998) p. 3958] developed a laser activated dual chamber HPOC. However, the expensive laser device and its unavailability in most laboratories make the application difficult. In a later study, Zhou et al. [Rev. Sci. Instrum. 71, (2000) p. 4249] introduced shape memory alloy (SMA) as an actuator to unplug a urethane stopper with a biasing spring for agitation. The drawback is that the biasing spring blocks the observing light beam and creates unwanted reflections. This research is to construct an actuator with concentric SMA spring and compressive biasing spring: an SMA helical tensile spring to pull out the stopper to let two solutions mix; and a helical compressive spring to bias and to agitate solutions, and to leave the lower half cuvette clear for optical observation. Due to the limited space in the cuvette, the alignment of two springs is critical for both motion and heat response to activate each spring separately. This paper discusses the design of SMA actuator, SMA spring testing and mixing testing by the SMA spring actuator. Since SMA (nickel-titanium) spring is not solderable and crimping method is limited due to the space, a conductive adhesive is used not only to fix the alignment between springs and cap, but also to conduct electric current. Spring force testing was done by INSTRON. Mixing testing used flourescein intensity change to trace the mixing process. The bio-compatibility of the nickel-titanium SMA with proteins and phospholipids has also been tested.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
Physical Chemical Study of the Distribution of Some Amine Salts Between Immiscible Solvents

Several alkyl amine salts of tropaeolin 00 have been isolated. The apparent distribution constant, K, of these salts was found to be governed by the molecular weight and branching of the aliphatic amine, the relative concentrations of the amine and dye, and the dielectric constant of the solvent. Equilibria and absorbance studies showed that the salts existed as monomeric ion-ion pairs in the non-polar phase. Quantitative treatment of the K values revealed a direct relationship between the log K value and the molecular weight of the amine. The apparent distribution constants are indicative of the complexity which a pharmaceutical amine should possess before a colorimetric method of analysis can be developed by extracting the dye salt with a suitable immiscible solvent. The true distribution constant, Kd, was determined for di-iso-amylamine tropaeolinate.
Comparing Traditional and Collaborative Settings for Language Intervention

Inclusive and collaborative intervention settings represent a restructuring of service delivery for students with special needs. This article contrasts traditional versus collaborative service delivery settings designed for students with language impairments. The Class Within a Class model (CWC) of collaborative practice is discussed and effective practices for adapting this model to use for a language intervention is explained. The described case study contrasts language gains when service delivery is changed from a pull-out model to the CWC model. Significantly more language gains were obtained when services were delivered through CWC.
Modulation of oxidative DNA damage levels by dietary fat and calories.

Abstract Decreased dietary intake of fat and/or calories generally results in a lower incidence of mammary gland tumors in rodents. Feeding of either low-fat or calorie-restricted diets to rats also has been shown to result in decreased levels of oxidative DNA damage. Since oxidative DNA damage is suggested to have a role in carcinogenesis, this may be one mechanism by which dietary change can reduce cancer risk. The effects of calorie-restricted diets on both oxidative DNA damage levels and mammary gland tumor incidence are generally more pronounced than that of low-fat diets. There is, however, some difficulty in defining what amount of fat should be used to prepare ‘low-fat’ and ‘high-fat’ rodent diets as well as what a suitable fat intake for control diets should be in studies that examine the effects of dietary fat and/or calories on tumorigenesis. In particular, the promoting effects of dietary fat may be exerted only up to a certain level of fat, above which no further effect is observed. Another difficulty in the interpretation of the results is that there may be a time-dependent effect of high fat diets on oxidative damage, with increased damage resulting only when the diets are fed for longer periods of time. The appropriate experimental approach to model human dietary exposures therefore remains to be determined. Although the effects of caloric intake on mammary gland tumorigenesis appear to be more pronounced than that of fat intake, low-fat diets still may be useful as a preventive measure in human populations to reduce breast cancer risk for individuals who cannot safely reduce their caloric intake.
Mechanism of cardiac glycoside inhibition of the (Na+-K+)-dependent ATPase from cardiac tissue

Specific digoxin binding to a (Na+−K+)-ATPase (ATP phosphohydrolase, EC 3.6.1.3) from cardiac tissue was determined by use of [3H]digoxin. The binding required ATP and Mg2+, was stimulated by Na+ and depressed by K+. Active cardiac glycosides significantly diluted the [3H]digoxin binding, while inactive ones had no effect. The binding was also observed in the presence of acetyl phosphate substituted for ATP; in this case Na+ had no stimulatory effect while K+ still depressed the binding. Considering the similarity of the increase and decrease of both the digoxin binding and the phosphorylated intermediate of ATPase under various conditions, these results suggest that digoxin binds with the phosphorylated conformation of the enzyme. The mechanism of digoxin inhibition of the ATPase is explained by the stability of the digoxin-intermediate complex.
Full rubs, bouncing and quasi chaotic orbits in rotating equipment

Abstract In order to improve performance, closer tolerances are usually required in high performance turbomachinery. This often results in an increase in rotor casing/real rub sensitivities. The objective of this paper is to investigate the effects of mass, support stiffness and blade stiffness during a rotor-casing rub event. Special emphasis will be given to defining the tuning/detuning effects of the system during such variations in mass and stiffness. The overall model will incorporate the influence of : (i) casing and rotor inertia, (ii) casing and rotor support stiffness, (iii) contact friction induced during rub interaction, (iv) single and multiple blade contact, as well as (v) lateral and radial blade stiffness effects. The main thrust will be investigate the different regimes of rubbing, i.e. the development of full rubs, rigid bouncing and essentially chaotic behavior due to the changes in rotor-to-casing mass and stiffness ratios, as well as blade stiffness and friction effects.
Epigenetic, transposon and small RNA determinants of hybrid dysfunctions

Accumulating evidence suggests that hybrid genetic dysfunctions accrue not only because of sequence divergence of incompatible alleles but also result from a broad variety of mechanisms related to the maintenance of chromatin integrity. For example, it has been observed that hybridization in plants and mammals disrupts patterns of DNA methylation and imprinting. These epigenetic changes can be associated with transcriptional activation and mobilization of transposable elements in hybrids. It raises a question of how these alterations are matched by small regulatory RNAs, such as piwi-interacting RNAs, which play a potent role in both suppressing transposable elements and epigenetic control. The review offers a handful of glimpses into these complex dynamics.
Transmission of affective disorders: An application of segregation analysis to blind family study data

The single major locus (SML) model of Bucher and Elston (1981) was applied to data collected in a long-term follow-up and family study of major effective disorders. Pedigree segregation analysis was used to test the hypothesis that bipolar and unipolar disorders are phenotypic variants of the same genotype at a SML. The particular SML model examined did not adequately describe the familial pattern of these disorders in families of bipolar and unipolar probands. Although other SML models may be superior, it is likely that the existence of a SML will be obscured by genetic heterogeneity.
Molecular recognition in the FMN-RNA aptamer complex.

We report on a combined NMR-molecular dynamics calculation approach that has solved the solution structure of the complex of flavin mononucleotide (FMN) bound to the conserved internal loop segment of a 35 nucleotide RNA aptamer identified through in vitro selection. The FMN-RNA aptamer complex exhibits exceptionally well-resolved NMR spectra that have been assigned following application of two, three and four-dimensional heteronuclear NMR techniques on samples containing uniformly 13C, 15N-labeled RNA aptamer in the complex. The assignments were aided by a new through-bond NMR technique for assignment of guanine imino and adenine amino protons in RNA loop segments. The conserved internal loop zippers up through the formation of base-pair mismatches and a base-triple on complex formation with the isoalloxazine ring of FMN intercalating into the helix between a G.G mismatch and a G.U.A base-triple. The recognition specificity is associated with hydrogen bonding of the uracil like edge of the isoalloxazine ring of FMN to the Hoogsteen edge of an adenine at the intercalation site. There is significant overlap between the intercalated isoalloxazine ring and its adjacent base-triple platform in the complex. The remaining conserved residues in the internal loop participate in two G.A mismatches in the complex. The zippered-up internal loop and flanking stem regions form a continuous helix with a regular sugar-phosphate backbone except at a non-conserved adenine, which loops out of the helix to facilitate base-triple formation. Our solution structure of the FMN-RNA aptamer complex is to our knowledge the first structure of an RNA aptamer complex and outlines folding principles that are common to other RNA internal and hairpin loops, and molecular recognition principles common to model self-replication systems in chemical biology.
Evolution of VCSELs

Over the last 20 years, nearly 1 billion VCSELs have been shipped, the vast majority of them emitting at 850nm using GaAs active regions, and primarily used in data communications and optical tracking applications. Looking to the future, the ever increasing speed of data communications is driving the VCSEL to evolve with more complex active regions, optical mode control, and alternate wavelengths to meet the more stringent requirements. We will discuss the current state of VCSELs for 28Gbps, and higher speeds, focusing on evolution to more complex active regions and alternate wavelength approaches, particularly as the market evolves to more active optical cables. Other high volume applications for VCSELs are driving improvements in single mode and optical power characteristics. We will present several evolving market trends and applications, and the specific VCSEL requirements that are imposed. The ubiquitous 850nm, GaAs active region VCSEL is evolving in multiple ways, and will continue to be a viable optical source well in to the future.
Using Shear and Direct Current Electric Fields to Manipulate and Self-Assemble Dielectric Particles on Microchannel Walls

Manipulating suspended neutrally buoyant colloidal particles of radii a = O(0.1 μm–1 μm) near solid surfaces, or walls, is a key technology in various microfluidics devices. These particles, suspended in an aqueous solution at rest near a solid surface, or wall, are subject to wall-normal “lift” forces described by the DLVO theory of colloid science. The particles experience additional lift forces, however, when suspended in a flowing solution. A fundamental understanding of such lift forces could therefore lead to new methods for the transport and self-assembly of particles near and on solid surfaces.Various studies have reported repulsive electroviscous and hydrodynamic lift forces on colloidal particles in Poiseuille flow (with a constant shear rate γ near the wall) driven by a pressure gradient. A few studies have also observed repulsive dielectrophoretic-like lift forces in electroosmotic (EO) flows driven by electric fields.Recently, evanescent-wave particle tracking has been used to quantify near-wall lift forces on a = 125 nm–245 nm polystyrene (PS) particles suspended in a monovalent electrolyte solution in EO flow, Poiseuille flow, and combined Poiseuille and EO flow through ∼30 μm deep fused-silica channels. In Poiseuille flow, the repulsive lift force appears to be proportional to γ, a scaling consistent with hydrodynamic, vs. electroviscous, lift.In combined Poiseuille and EO flow, the lift forces can be repulsive or attractive, depending upon whether the EO flow is in the same or opposite direction as the Poiseuille flow, respectively. The magnitude of the force appears to be proportional to the electric field magnitude. Moreover, the force in combined flow exceeds the sum of the forces observed in EO flow for the same electric field or in Poiseuille flow for the same γ. Initial results also imply that this force, when repulsive, scales as γ1/2. These results suggest that the lift force in combined flow is fundamentally different from electroviscous, hydrodynamic, or dielectrophoretic-like lift.Moreover, for the case when the EO flow opposes the Poiseuille flow, the particles self-assemble into dense stable periodic streamwise bands with an average width of ∼6 μm and a spacing of 2–4 times the band width when the electric field magnitude exceeds a threshold value. These results are described and reviewed here.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
Improved method for automatic identification of lung regions on chest radiographs.

Abstract Rationale and Objectives The authors performed this study to evaluate an algorithm developed to help identify lungs on chest radiographs. Materials and Methods Forty clinical posteroanterior chest radiographs obtained in adult patients were digitized to 12-bit gray-scale resolution. In the proposed algorithm, the authors simplified the current approach of edge detection with derivatives by using only the first derivative of the horizontal and/or vertical image profiles. In addition to the derivative method, pattern classification and image feature analysis were used to determine the region of interest and lung boundaries. Instead of using the traditional curve-fitting method to delineate the lung, the authors applied an iterative contour-smoothing algorithm to each of the four detected boundary segments (costal, mediastinal, lung apex, and hemidiaphragm edges) to form a smooth lung boundary. Results The algorithm had an average accuracy of 96.0% for the right lung and 95.2% for the left lung and was especially useful in the delineation of hemidiaphragm edges. In addition, it took about 0.775 second per image to identify the lung boundaries, which is much faster than that of other algorithms noted in the literature. Conclusion The computer-generated segmentation results can be used directly in the detection and compensation of rib structures and in lung nodule detection.
Phytosterols, cholesterol absorption and healthy diets

The purpose of this review is to outline the emerging role of dietary phytosterols in human health. Dietary saturated fat, cholesterol and fiber are currently emphasized in the reduction of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. However, other dietary components such as phytosterols may have equivalent or even larger effects on circulating cholesterol and need further study with respect to the potential for coronary heart disease risk reduction. Phytosterol effects were not considered in classic fat-exchange clinical trials and may account for some of the differences attributed to the food fats studied. Phytosterols reduce cholesterol absorption while being poorly absorbed themselves and the effects can be studied in human subjects in single-meal tests using stable isotopic tracers. Because phytosterols are insoluble and biologically inactive when purified, careful attention needs to be given to ensuring that commercial supplement products are rendered bioavailable by dissolution in fat or by emulsification. Recent work shows that phytosterols in natural food matrices are also bioactive. The retention of phytosterols during food manufacturing and the use of foods with high phytosterol content may constitute an alternative to the use of supplements.
Prenatal Cocaine Exposure Alters Postnatal Ornithine Decarboxylase Activity in Rabbit Brain

Abstract Ornithine decarboxylase, a modulator of tissue growth during fetal and neonatal mammalian development, serves as a sensitive marker enzyme for perturbations in neural development. To test the hypothesis that cocaine is a central nervous system neurodevelopmental teratogen through mechanisms involving direct cellular injury, we measured ornithine decarboxylase activity in brain sections of 4- to 6-day-old rabbit pups which were prenatally cocaine exposed and in pair-fed and free-fed controls. Rabbit does were implanted with the osmotic minipump prior to Gestational Day 10 and cocaine and/or sterile water was delivered between Gestational Days 10 and 32. The flow rate in the cocaine group was calculated to provide a daily cocaine dose of 30 mg/kg/day. Pups were sacrificed, brains were dissected into the cortex, pons, and medulla, and ornithine decarboxylase activity was measured. When compared to the pair-fed group, prenatal cocaine exposure significantly decreased ornithine decarboxylase activity in the cortex (0.531 ± 0.070 nmol/g/h SEM vs 0.913 ± 0.201 nmol/g/h SEM; cocaine vs pair fed, respectively; P ≤ 0.05) and in the pons (0.533 ± 0.036 nmol/g/h SEM vs 0.728 ± 0.075 nmol/g/h SEM, cocaine vs pair fed, respectively; P ≤ 0.05) but not in the medulla (0.374 ± 0.040 nmol/g/h SEM vs 0.392 ± 0.045 nmol/g/h SEM, cocaine vs pair fed, respectively; P > 0.05). Although there were no statistically significant differences in ornithine decarboxylase activity between the cocaine-exposed group and the free-fed group in any brain region, all regions showed a relative decrease in ornithine decarboxylase activity with prenatal cocaine exposure. These data support the concept that prenatal cocaine exposure and malnutrition play a role in the adverse central nervous system outcomes associated with prenatal cocaine exposure.
Effects of Body Positioning on Automatically Reinforced Self-Injurious Behavior Exhibited by a Child with Duane Syndrome and Goldenhar Syndrome

We evaluated the effects of client positioning on the occurrence of self-injurious behavior (i.e., repetitive head weaving resulting in tissue damage and hair loss) exhibited by a child with Duane and Goldenhar syndromes. First, we conducted a functional analysis of head weaving, the results of which suggested that the behavior was maintained by automatic reinforcement. Next, we conducted a preference assessment to identify stimuli that would result in high levels of appropriate engagement and low levels of head weaving. Following the preference assessment, we evaluated the influence of client position on the occurrence of head weaving with results suggesting that body position (i.e., lying in a supine position) had an evocative effect on the occurrence of this response. Finally, we implemented an antecedent-based treatment consisting of both access to preferred items and manipulation of client body position.
HUMAN CAPITAL AND THE LABOR OF LEARNING: A CASE OF MISTAKEN IDENTITY

In this essay, Alexander Sidorkin offers a conceptual critique of the human capital theory that makes erroneous assumptions about the nature of student work and the private cost of schooling. Specifically, human capital theorists underestimate the private cost of schooling by taking low-level manual labor as the basis for estimating students’ forgone earnings. This does not take into consideration the nature of students’ labor of learning. In the essay, Sidorkin describes student work as a form of labor, not an investment activity, and considers the implications such an understanding of student work has for school reform.
Fifty years of radar

After the almost simultaneous, independent invention of radar in several countries of the world in the mid-1930s, radar development progressed rapidly with its use by both sides during World War II. Since then, radar has been growing through the years in both capability and in applications. In this paper, highlights of the first fifty years of modern radar development are briefly reviewed, current areas of interest are mentioned, and illustrations of many of the radars of the 1980s are given.
Electroretinographic Testing as an Aid in Detection of Carriers of X-Chromosome-Linked Retinitis Pigmentosa

Twenty-two of 23 obligate female carriers in nine families with known X-chromosome-linked retinitis pigmentosa were detected on the basis of abnormal full-field electroretinograms (ERGs). Only 14 of these carriers had fundus findings characteristic of the carrier state. Electroretinograms of carriers were either reduced in amplitude to white light under dark-adapted conditions or delayed in cone b-wave implicit time, or both. Daughters of obligate carriers had either normal ERGs or abnormal ERGs similar to those recorded from obligate carriers. Abnormal ERGs of carriers of X-chromosome-linked retinitis pigmentosa contrasted with the normal ERGs recorded from female carriers of autosomal recessive disease. These data support the idea that ERG testing of female relatives of males with retinitis pigmentosa can help to establish for a given family whether the mode of inheritance is X-chromosome-linked or autosomal recessive.
Synthesis and structure of dicarbonyldi-η-cyclopentadienylbis(μ-thiocarbonyl)diiron, a thiocarbonyl analog of the dicarbonyl-η-cycglopentadienyliron dimer

Abstract Sodium hydride reduction of (η-C5H5)Fe(CO)2(CS)+ gives cis- and trans[(η-C5H5)Fe(CS) (CO)]2. The trans isomer slowly converts to a cis—trans mixture in xylene solution. An X-ray structural study of the cis isomer shows the CS groups to be in the bridging positions, but otherwise, its structure is nearly identical to that of cia-[(η-C5H5)Fe(CO)2]2. The cis isomer reacts with CH3OSO2F to give the compound, (η-C5H5)2Fe2(CSCH3)(CS)(CO)2+, with a methylated bridging thiocarbonyl group.
Concentration and Preservation of Crude Penicillin.

SummaryThe volume of crude penicillin can be greatly reduced with considerable increase in potency of the active principle by a process of low temperature-partial vacuum concentration. After an initial drop the titer of the concentrated material kept in a dry-ice cabinet is maintained for as long as 6 months.
Yield stress of cemented tungsten carbide

Cemented tungsten carbide yields plastically at room temperature in the presence of a large hydrostatic pressure component. By approximate analysis of the state of stress in supported opposed anvils and by measurement of the pressure at which the anvil tips exhibit a permanent deviation from planarity, we have obtained the yield stress of such materials. Our value for the yield stress of a 3% cobalt cemented tungsten carbide is 86 kbar.
Enhanced optical absorption for photovoltaics via excitation of waveguide and plasmon-polariton modes

We study theoretically the mechanisms by which optical absorption is enhanced in an optical nanostructure consisting of a slab waveguide, made of a-Si:H, sandwiched between a periodic array of metallic nanowires and a substrate, both made of Au. We demonstrate that for the TM polarization the optical absorption in the slab waveguide can be enhanced by almost an order of magnitude by the excitation of plasmon modes, whereas for both the TM and TE polarizations the grating-induced excitation of slab waveguide modes leads to more than twofold enhancement of the optical absorption.
Decarboxylation of 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine by oxyhemoglobin.

Abstract A lysate of red blood cells catalyzes the decarboxylation of 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine. This activity appears to be due to a reaction with oxyhemoglobin and not the presence of aromatic L amino acid decarboxylase in erythrocytes.
Window calibration for harmonic analysis of Raman spectra

In this paper, a method for calibrating a Raman spectrum within a measured wavelength window is presented. In support of a novel method for Raman analysis based on a FFT, the main peak needs to remain in the same position within the window in order to produce a repeatable transformation. This calibration uses multi-modal switching to efficiently and accurately tune the starting wavelength value. Upon completion of the calibration the main spectrum peak is in the center of the window. The results of the performed simulations show the calibration centering and stabilizing the main peak in less than 15 Raman spectra measurements within ±10 µs from the true center, with a sampling rate of 100 kHz.
Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli in nham (Thai-style fermented pork sausage)

The fate of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli was determined when they were introduced into ground pork made into nham (Thai-style fermented pork sausage) with or without 0.75 or 1.5% added starter culture. Without starter culture, the numbers of E. coli remained little changed but there was slow multiplication of S. aureus. With 0.75% starter culture, S. aureus was no longer detectable after 48 h and E. coli numbers decreased by 1 log after 96 h. No viable S. aureus or E. coli were recovered after 36 h and 96 h, respectively, when 1.5% starter culture was added. The addition of a starter culture is recommended when making nham.
Common threads in eukaryotic circadian systems.

Abstract Within the past 18 months, common regulatory patterns have emerged among eukaryotic circadian systems — extending from fungi through to mammals. Heterodimeric complexes of PAS-domain-containing transcription factors play positive roles in clock-associated feedback loops, and classic clock proteins like FREQUENCY (FRQ), PERIOD (PER), and TIMELESS (TIM) appear as negative elements. Post-transcriptional control governs the amount and type of FRQ and makes the clock responsive to temperature.
Large-amplitude oscillatory shear flow from the corotational Maxwell model

Abstract Using the single relaxation time corotational Maxwell fluid, we derive explicit analytical expressions for the first, third, and fifth harmonics of the alternating shear stress response in large-amplitude oscillatory shear (LAOS). We also derive corresponding expressions for the zeroth, second, and fourth harmonics of both the first and second normal stress differences. These harmonics are found to depend upon just two dimensionless groups: the Deborah and Weissenberg numbers, each of which causes non-Newtonian behavior. The form of the solution for the corotational Maxwell model in LAOS matches the forms of the analytical solutions for two molecular models for dilute solutions and one for concentrated solutions or melts. We also derive an analytical solution for the corotational Maxwell model after startup of LAOS. For this we find that both small and large amplitude cases approach a periodic limit cycle (alternance) at the same rate for both the shear stress response and for the normal stress differences. For molten high density polyethylene that is lightly filled with carbon black, we find good quantitative agreement with measured LAOS behavior when our analytical solution is superposed for multiple relaxation times.
Diffusion in mantle liquids: Ion dynamics

New calculations by ion dynamics computer simulation methods suggest that the component diffusion coefficients of many silicate liquids show anomalous pressure dependences. At high pressures of several hundred kilobars the viscosities of certain silicate melts decrease strongly and the ion diffusivities of their components increase sharply. Formerly, the question of diffusion coefficients in silicate liquids in the earth was answered easily: there was little or, essentially, no diffusion. Stirring, mixing, and density-driven upwelling processes were thought to be effective in transporting ions in silicate liquids, but the excess of free energy provided by temperature or compositional gradients in magmatic-liquids were considered to be insufficient to drive ionic diffusional processes within appropriate time scales. In laboratory experiments, for example, if two chemically miscible silicate liquids of differing composition are placed in contact along a plane surface, they remain essentially unchanged. After hundreds of hours of contact there is no more than microscale chemical diffusion observed