cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Is It Easier the Second Time Around? Fathers’ Roles Across the Transition from One Child to Two

This chapter addresses the father’s involvement in the family after the birth of a second child. Parenting roles continue to evolve with the birth of each additional child; yet, few studies have considered the ways in which fathers and mothers manage the transition from one child to two and how children adjust to the birth of a sibling. Based on a family systems framework, we briefly review the literature on fathering and children’s adjustment after the second birth before presenting recent findings examining whether fathers’ involvement protects firstborn children from developing emotional and behavioral problems.
Epidermal growth factor receptor regulates insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 in esophageal epithelial cells

956 Introduction: Insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3), a major carrier protein for insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) in circulation, exhibits an antiproliferative effect. We have recently observed IGFBP-3 overexpression in esophageal cancer with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) overexpression (Takaoka et al. Cancer Res. 2004 64:7711-23). However, IGFBP-3 is subject to complex regulation by EGF as well as other serum factors, such as growth hormone and IGF-I, and it remains unclear how EGFR regulates IGFBP-3 expression and its cellular functions. Methods: IGFBP-3 was stably transduced with a retroviral vector. Gene expression was determined by real-time RT-PCR, Western blotting or enzyme linked-immunosorbent assay. Pharmacological inhibitors were used to dissect the signaling pathways involved. Cell proliferation was assessed by 3H-thymidine incorporation assay. Results: In all esophageal cancer cell lines, EGF greatly decreased IGFBP-3 mRNA and protein levels within 24 hours in a dose dependent fashion. However, a subset of cell lines demonstrated induction of IGFBP-3 protein in cell lysates and conditioned media between 24 and 48 hours after EGF treatment, which was antagonized by AG1478, an EGFR specific inhibitor. Furthermore, such induction of IGFBP-3 by EGF was enhanced by increased cellular density. Cycloheximide abrogated the induction of IGFBP-3, suggesting a requirement of de novo protein synthesis. Furthermore, LY294002 (PI3K inhibitor) and rapamycin, but not PD 98059 (MEK inhibitor), prevented the induction of IGFBP-3 with reduced phosphorylation levels of p70S6 kinase and 4E-BP1, suggesting the involvement of the phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase (PI3K)-mTOR pathway. When overexpressed in immortalized human esophageal cells, IGFBP-3 greatly reduced IGF-I, but not EGF, mediated AKT activation, resulting in inhibition of DNA synthesis. These results suggested that EGFR may indirectly regulate IGF signaling by regulation of IGFBP-3 expression. Conclusions: EGFR appears to regulate IGFBP-3 in a biphasic manner in a subset of esophageal cancer cell lines. While EGF transcriptionally suppresses IGFBP-3, its induction involved translational regulation through the PI3K-mTOR pathway. EGFR may regulate the IGF signaling pathway by modulating IGFBP-3 levels, a novel mechanistic finding.
Treatment of sacroiliac joint laxity-induced coronal imbalance with the kickstand rod technique

Considerations of the sacroiliac joint (SIJ) and its role in causing lower back and limb pain have taken a secondary role ever since Mixter and Barr’s hallmark article in 1934 on the herniated nucl...
Disease Distribution at Presentation Impacts Benefit of IP Chemotherapy Among Patients with Advanced-Stage Ovarian Cancer

Ovarian cancer with miliary disease spread is an aggressive phenotype lacking targeted management strategies. We sought to determine whether adjuvant intravenous/intraperitoneal (IV/IP) chemotherapy is beneficial in this disease setting. Patient/tumor characteristics and survival data of patients with stage IIIC epithelial ovarian cancer who underwent optimal primary debulking surgery from 01/2010 to 11/2014 were abstracted from records. Chi-square and Mann–Whitney U tests were used to compare categorical and continuous variables. The Kaplan–Meier method was used to estimate survival curves, and outcomes were compared using log-rank tests. Factors significant on univariate analysis were combined into multivariate logistic regression survival models. Among 90 patients with miliary disease spread, 41 (46%) received IV/IP chemotherapy and 49 (54%) received IV chemotherapy. IV/IP chemotherapy, compared with IV chemotherapy, resulted in improved progression-free survival (PFS; 23.0 versus 12.0 months; p = 0.0002) and overall survival (OS; 52 versus 36 months; p = 0.002) in patients with miliary disease. Among 78 patients with nonmiliary disease spread, 23 (29%) underwent IV/IP chemotherapy and 55 (71%) underwent IV chemotherapy. There was no PFS or OS benefit associated with IV/IP chemotherapy over IV chemotherapy in these patients. On multivariate analysis, IV/IP chemotherapy was associated with improved PFS (HR, 0.28; 95% CI 0.15–0.53) and OS (HR, 0.33; 95% CI 0.18–0.61) in patients with miliary disease compared with those with nonmiliary disease (PFS [HR, 1.53; 95% CI 0.74–3.19]; OS [HR, 1.47; 95% CI 0.70–3.09]). Adjuvant IV/IP chemotherapy was associated with oncologic benefit in miliary disease spread. This survival benefit was not observed in nonmiliary disease.
Ophthalmoplegic migraine

Ophthalmoplegic migraine is a rare condition, previously thought to represent a variant of migraine. Recent observations regarding its usual clinical presentation and common magnetic resonance imaging findings have given rise to speculation that this illness is more likely to represent an inflammatory cranial neuropathy. The recent revision of the International Headache Classification has reclassified ophthalmoplegic migraine from a subtype of migraine to the category of neuralgia. In this article, potential pathophysiological mechanisms are discussed. The typical clinical presentation of ophthalmoplegic migraine generally involves transient migraine-like headache accompanied by often long-lasting oculomotor, abducens or, rarely, trochlear neuropathy with diplopia and (if oculomotor nerve is involved) pupillary abnormalities and ptosis. Ophthalmoplegic migraine generally occurs in children, but a number of adult cases have been reported. Prognosis is good because symptoms almost always resolve, but, after several episodes, some deficits may persist. Differential diagnosis is rather large, although most other possible causes of ophthalmoplegia and headache have distinctive presentations or can be excluded with fairly straightforward diagnostic testing. Optimal prophylactic and acute treatment is still unclear, but migraine prophylactic medications such as a blockers and calcium channel blockers have been proposed. Steroids have been used with mixed results.
Regional biomechanical and failure properties of healthy human ascending aorta and root

Abstract Purpose Aortic dissection (AD) is a life-threatening event that occurs when the intimal entry tear propagates and separates inner from outer layers of the aorta. Diameter, the current criterion for aneurysm repair, is far from ideal and additional evidence to optimize clinical decision would be extremely beneficial. Biomechanical investigation of the regional failure properties of aortic tissue is essential to understand and proactively prevent AD. We previously studied biaxial mechanical properties of healthy human aorta. In this study, we investigated the regional failure properties of healthy human ascending aorta (AscAo) including sinuses of Valsalva (SOV), and sinotubular junction (STJ). Results A total of 430 intact tissue samples were harvested from 19 healthy donors whose hearts were excluded from heart transplantation. The donors had mean age of 51 ± 11.7 years and nearly equal gender distribution. Samples were excised from aortic regions and subregions at defined locations. Tissue strips were subjected to either biaxial or uniaxial failure testing. Wall thickness varied regionally being thickest at AscAo (2.08 ± 0.66 mm) and thinnest at SOV (1.46 ± 0.31 mm). Biaxial testing demonstrated hyperplastic behavior of aortic tissues. Posterior and lateral STJ subregions were found to be stiffer than anterior and medial subregions in both circumferential and longitudinal directions. Failure stresses were significantly higher in the circumferential than longitudinal directions in each subregion of AscAo, STJ, and SOV. Longitudinal failure stresses were significantly greater in AscAo than those in STJ or SOV. Longitudinal failure stresses in AscAo were much smaller anteriorly than posteriorly, and medially than laterally. Conclusions The finding of weakest region at the sinotubular junction along the longitudinal direction corroborates clinical observations of that region being commonly involved as the initial site of intimal tear in aortic dissections. Failure stretch ratios correlated to elastic modulus at each region. Furthermore, strong correlation was seen between STJ failure stresses and elastic modulus at physiological pressure along both circumferential and longitudinal directions. Correlating in-vivo aortic elastic modulus based on in-vivo imaging with experimentally determined elastic modulus at physiological pressure and failure stresses may potentially provide valuable information regarding aortic wall strength. Better understanding of aortic biomechanics in normal physiologic and aneurysmal pathologic states may aid in determining risk factors for predicting dissection in patient-specific fashion.
Demonstration of a fully neural network based synthetic aperture radar processing pipeline for image formation and analysis

Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imaging systems operate by emitting radar signals from a moving object, such as a satellite, towards the target of interest. Reflected radar echoes are received and later used by image formation algorithms to form a SAR image. There is great interest in using SAR images in computer vision tasks such as classification or automatic target recognition. Today, however, SAR applications consist of multiple operations: image formation followed by image processing. In this work, we train a deep neural network that performs both the image formation and image processing tasks, integrating the SAR processing pipeline. Results show that our integrated pipeline can output accurately classified SAR imagery with image quality comparable to those formed using a traditional algorithm, showing that fully neural network based SAR processing pipeline is feasible.
The Theory of the Galactic Magnetic Field

We discuss the role of the magnetic field in determining the large scale structure and dynamics of the interstellar medium. We then discuss the origin and maintenance of the galactic field. The two major competing theories are that the field is primordial and connected to an intergalactic field or that the field is removed from and regenerated within the galaxy. We review the theoretical and observational basis for these theories. Finally, we discuss cosmic ray acceleration and confinement in the interstellar medium.
Studies on Milk Xanthine Oxidase: Some spectral and kinetic properties

Milk xanthine oxidase has been isolated in good yield and purity from pasteurized buttermilk and found to contain FAD, molybdenum, iron, and labile sulfide in the ratio of 1:1:4:4. Analytical data on the spectral characteristics of the enzyme in the oxidized and various reduced states are presented. The anaerobic reduction of the enzyme by substrates proceeds in two phases: a catalytically significant fast phase and a very much slower secondary phase. Anaerobic titration studies indicate that per eq of enzyme-bound FAD a 4-electron reduction occurs in the fast phase: 3 additional electrons may be accepted from substrates in the slow phase, and an 8th electron from dithionite. Rapid reaction studies indicate that, with all substrates tested, with the possible exception of purine, the rate-limiting step in catalysis is the 4-electron reduction of the enzyme, the reaction of the reduced enzyme with O2 being considerably more rapid.
Creating predictive haptic feedback for obstacle avoidance using a model predictive control (MPC) framework

New sensing technologies allow modern vehicles to perceive the environment around them even when human visual perception is limited due to poor lighting or fog. Steer-by-wire technology enables active steering capability in which the driver's command to the roadwheels is augmented for maintaining safety. Predictive controllers can leverage both of these technologies to create shared control safety systems that work with the driver to ensure a safe and collision-free vehicle trajectory. The earlier the system intervenes, the smoother the intervention but the more it interferes with the driver's control authority. Ideally, predictive controllers should still intervene late but also indicate upcoming environmental threats to the driver as early as possible. Haptic feedback provides a good means of communicating information to the driver early. Together with a controller still providing a late intervention fallback, this regime provides an ideal framework for predictive shared control systems. This paper presents a novel technique for creating haptic steering feedback, based on future differences between the predictive controller and the driver. This feedback mirrors the tension between the sometimes competing controller objectives of following the driver and maintaining a feasible path. The paper uses simulation and experiment to investigate the inherent trade-offs of predictive haptic feedback and qualitatively discuss its impact.
Activation and desensitization of AMPA/kainate receptors by novel derivatives of willardiine

Willardiine [(S)-1-(2-amino-2-carboxyethyl)pyrimidine-2,4-dione] is a naturally occurring heterocyclic excitatory amino acid present in the seeds of Acacia and Mimosa. A series of 5-substituted willardiines were synthesized in single enantiomeric forms and tested for activity at AMPA/kainate receptors, using whole-cell recording from mouse embryonic hippocampal neurons. The (S)- but not (R)-isomers of willardiine and 5- bromowillardiine were potent agonists, producing rapidly but incompletely desensitizing responses. At equilibrium, (S)-5- fluorowillardiine (EC50, 1.5 microM) was seven times more potent than (R,S)-AMPA (EC50, 11 microM) and 30 times more potent than willardiine (EC50, 45 microM); the potency sequence was fluoro greater than nitro greater than chloro approximately bromo greater than iodo greater than willardiine. Willardiines produce strikingly different degrees of desensitization: at saturating doses the equilibrium response to the weakly desensitizing agonist (S)-5-iodowillardiine was similar in amplitude to the response to kainate and 10 times larger than the response to the strongly desensitizing agonist (S)-willardiine. The desensitization sequence was fluoro greater than willardiine greater than nitro approximately chloro greater than bromo greater than iodo greater than kainate. Cross-desensitization experiments confirm that willardiines bind to the same receptors activated by kainate and AMPA, and show that both the rapidly desensitizing and equilibrium responses to willardiines are mediated by the same receptor: (S)-5- iodowillardiine blocked activation of the rapidly desensitizing response evoked by (S)-willardiine and (S)-5-fluorowillardiine, while the latter agonists blocked the equilibrium response to (S)-5- iodowillardiine. A slowly decaying inward tail current was recorded after a brief application of (S)-5-fluorowillardiine but not (S)- willardiine, consistent with a model in which willardiines bind with different affinity to desensitized receptors, such that following removal of agonist, receptors trapped in the desensitized state can return to the open state before dissociation of agonist terminates receptor activation. Willardiines are the first compounds characterized in which simple changes in molecular structure are associated with marked differences in the ability of agonists to produce desensitization of AMPA/kainate receptors.
The Gunn Rat Model

In 1938, an important paper appeared in The Journal of Heredity, which described for the first time a genetic mutation in Wistar rats resulting in neonatal jaundice (Gunn, C. 1938). The significance of this can hardly be overstated, as nearly all features of this murine model of hyperbilirubinemia correlate exactly with those of the human disorder known as the Crigler–Najjar syndrome. This has permitted extensive and meaningful data to be derived from animal studies. Because of this, knowledge of hyperbilirubinemia has been advanced at a rapid rate. This chapter will detail with some of the pertinent findings from the Gunn rat model.
Rad10-YFP focus induction in response to UV depends on RAD14 in yeast

Rad14 is a DNA damage recognition protein in yeast Nucleotide Excision Repair (NER) and believed to function early in the cascade of events. The function of Rad14 presumably precedes that of the Rad1-Rad10 endonuclease complex, which functions in a downstream step incising DNA 5' to the site of DNA damage. We investigated whether recruitment of Rad10 to UV-induced DNA damage sites in live cells is dependent on Rad14 using fluorescence microscopy. Experiments were carried out using Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains in which the gene for Rad14 was fused to Cyan Fluorescent Protein (Rad14-CFP) and that of Rad10 was fused to Yellow Fluorescent Protein (Rad10-YFP). Rad14-CFP forms nuclear localized CFP fluorescent foci in response to UV irradiation with the peak induction occurring 15min post-irradiation. In contrast, Rad10-YFP foci form in response to UV with the peak induction occurring 2h post-irradiation. Recruitment of Rad14-CFP is not dependent on the RAD10 gene but Rad10-YFP is recruited to UV-induced YFP foci in a RAD14-dependent fashion. Time-lapse experiments indicate that Rad14-CFP foci are transient, typically persisting less than 6min. Together these data support the model that yeast NER protein assembly is step-wise whereas Rad14 required to recruit Rad10 and Rad14 involvement is transient.
Detecting Differential Drift in Weigh-in-Motion Wheel Track Sensors

Weigh-in-motion (WIM) sensors are being used by state agencies for commercial vehicle weight enforcement applications that require a high level of accuracy for determining individual vehicle weights. Existing methods of evaluating WIM weight data accuracy have not been effective for detecting small but consistent calibration drifts. This paper proposes the use of a left-right differential metric that is computed as a percentage difference between the left and right wheel weights on the steer axle of Class 9 trucks for WIM sensors that measure and report individual left and right wheel weights. In this paper, the left-right differential is monitored over time by using statistical process control charts to identify when sensors are exhibiting statistically significant variations. The monitoring procedure can be integrated into existing quality control programs. Data from WIM sites in Indiana and California were used to evaluate the effectiveness of this metric.
Extend your journey: Introducing signal strength into location-based applications

Reducing the communication energy is essential to facilitate the growth of emerging mobile applications. In this paper, we introduce signal strength into location-based applications to reduce the energy consumption of mobile devices for data reception. First, we model the problem of data fetch scheduling, with the objective of minimizing the energy required to fetch location-based information without adversely impacting user experience. Then, we propose a dynamic-programming algorithm to solve the fundamental problem and prove its optimality in terms of energy savings. We also provide an optimality condition with respect to signal strength fluctuations. Finally, based on the algorithm, we consider implementation issues. We have also developed a virtual tour system integrated with existing web applications to validate the practicability of the proposed concept. The results of experiments conducted based on real-world case studies are very encouraging.
Metabolic activation of aromatic amines and dialkylnitrosamines.

Metabolic activation steps involved in carcinogenesis by several aromatic amines, their N-acetylated derivatives, and dialkylnitrosamines are reviewed. N-Hydroxylation is the first activation step in the carcinogenesis by 2-acetylaminofluorene (AAF), other aromatic amides and amines. The cytochrome P-450 enzyme system is involved in AAF N-hydroxylation. Reconstitution studies indicate that the specificity of AAF N-hydroxylation is determined by the source of cytochrome P-450. Further metabolic activations of aromatic N-hydroxy amines and amides via sulfate, acetyl, and glucuronyl transfer reactions in the hepatic and extrahepatic tissue carcinogenesis by AAF, 4-aminobiphenyl, 2-naphthylamine, and aminoazo dyes are discussed. Dialkylnitrosamines are shown to be activated by oxidative dealkylation via cytochrome P-450 enzyme systems. Other microsomal enzymes are also believed to be involved in oxidation of these compounds. Tissue and species show specificity in oxidative metabolism of these carcinogens. During oxidation of these compounds, reactive alkylating species are generated which interact covalently with cellular macromolecules. DNA methylation does occur during NADPH dependent oxidation of dimethylnitrosamine by liver microsomes. High pressure liquid chromatography separation of acid hydrolyzed DNA indicates the presence of methylated bases including N-7 methylguanine und O6-methylguanine. It is believed that the presence of O6-alkylguanine in DNA may be responsible for the initiation of carcinogenesis by dialkylnitrosamines.
THE MECHANISM OF BENZENE-INDUCED LEUKEMIA : A HYPOTHESIS AND SPECULATIONS ON THE CAUSES OF LEUKEMIA

An overall hypothesis for benzene-induced leukemia is proposed. Key components of the hypothesis include a) activation of benzene in the liver to phenolic metabolites; b) transport of these metabolites to the bone marrow and conversion to semiquinone radicals and quinones via peroxidase enzymes; c) generation of active oxygen species via redox cycling; d) damage to tubulin, histone proteins, topoisomerase II, other DNA associated proteins, and DNA itself; and e) consequent damage including DNA strand breakage, mitotic recombination, chromosome translocations, and aneuploidy. If these effects take place in stem or early progenitor cells a leukemic clone with selective advantage to grow may arise, as a result of protooncogene activation, gene fusion, and suppressor gene inactivation. Epigenetic effects of benzene metabolites on the bone marrow stroma, and perhaps the stem cell itself, may then foster development and survival of the leukemic clone. Evidence for this hypothesis is mounting with the recent demonstration that benzene induces gene-duplicating mutations in human bone marrow and chromosome-specific aneuploidy and translocations in peripheral blood cells. If this hypothesis is correct, it also potentially implicates phenolic and quinonoid compounds in the induction of "spontaneous" leukemia in man.
Experimental three-dimensional optical image reconstruction of heterogeneous turbid media from continuous-wave data

This paper demonstrates experimental three-dimensional (3D) image reconstruction of optically heterogeneous turbid media from near-infrared continuous-wave measurements. Successful reconstruction is achieved through a full 3D finite-element based, Newton-type reconstruction algorithm. Our experimental evidence shows that both absorption and scattering images of a 10×15 mm cylindrical object embedded in a 50×50 mm cylindrical background can be reconstructed using our algorithm.
Divalent metal transporter 1

Abstract In the last few years, the field of iron metabolism has exploded with the discovery of many new proteins including ferroportin, hephaestin, hepcidin, duodenal cytochrome b and the topic of this review, divalent metal ion transporter 1 (DMT1). DMT1 functions in transport of ferrous iron, and some, but not all divalent metal ions across the plasma membrane and/or out of the endosomal compartment. DMT1 mRNA has been found in every cell type in which it has been sought and its structure is highly conserved in evolution with similar proteins expressed in plants, insects, microorganisms and vertebrate animals. Rodents with defects in iron absorption and utilization were identified long before it was determined that the defect was due to a single nucleotide mutation in DMT1. Study of these animals reveals that transport of iron and other divalent metal ions by DMT1 is pH dependent, but the exact manner in which pH exerts its effect is unknown. The structure of the DMT1 gene is complex. Alternative usage...
Tidal velocity asymmetries and bedload transport in shallow embayments

Abstract Tidal circulation can cause a net transport of sediment when the tidal velocity is asymmetric about a zero mean (flood or ebb dominant) and the sediment transport rate is related nonlinearly to velocity. The relationship between tidal elevation and velocity is elucidated here to permit determination from tide gauge data and sediment transport relations whether tidal asymmetry needs to be considered as a mechanism for net sediment transport in the embayment of interest. A relationship between elevation and velocity in a shallow water, nonlinear system is derived through the continuity equation and shown to be significantly different than the linear relation. Finite difference numerical solutions of the one-dimensional, shallow water nonlinear equations are compared to the continuity relation and are in agreement especially toward the landward end of the channel. Tide gauge data collected at the landward end of the embayment are most useful for predicting velocity asymmetries throughout a major portion of the embayment channel. The ratio of flood-to-ebb bedload transport and its relation to an asymmetric tidal elevation has been determined for both the linear relation between elevation and velocity and the nonlinear relation. Results show that the ratio of flood-to-ebb bedload transport as calculated from the nonlinear relation between elevation and velocity is similar to the flood-to-ebb ratio calculated from the linear relation because of offsetting effects.
APCs size up antigens.

Intracellular antigens—from viruses, tumors, bacteria and other sources—pose a challenge to the immune response and to vaccine development. How do such antigens enter antigen-presenting cells? Three new studies examine this process, implicating whole proteins instead of small peptides as key intermediaries.
Testing for a unit root by frequency domain regression

Abstract Frequency domain tests for the presence of a unit root are developed. Their limit distributions are derived under the assumption of weakly stationary errors and are free of nuisance parameters. Results on test consistency are also reported. Monte Carlo simulations are performed to study the size and power of the proposed tests in finite samples. The computations indicate that the frequency domain tests have stable size and good power in finite samples for a variety of error-generating mechanisms. We conclude that the frequency domain tests have some good performance characteristics in relation to time domain procedures, although they are also susceptible to size distortion when there is negative serial correlation in the errors.
Inclusive study of Λ0 and Σ± hyperons produced in proton-proton collisions from 6.6 to 28 GeV/c

Abstract Inclusive production of Λ 0 , Σ + and Σ − hyperons has been studied in proton-proton interactions from 6.6 to 28 GeV/ c . Cross sections rise rapidly from 6.6 to 13 GeV/ c . Above approximately 20 GeV/ c the cross sections appear to have reached a scaling limit in the laboratory longitudinal momentum variable q L and the c.m. Feynman variable x . There is no detectable polarization of the Λ 0 as a function of - t at all energies. Laboratory production differential cross sections are presented.
Expression of PCNA-binding domain of CtIP, a motif required for CtIP localization at DNA replication foci, causes DNA damage and activation of DNA damage checkpoint

CtIP, CtBP-interacting protein, is a nuclear protein that was identified as a cofactor for the transcriptional repressor CtBP. Our genetic studies in mice revealed that haploid insufficiency of CtIP leads to tumorigenesis and is associated with shortened life span. At the molecular level, CtIP is a multivalent adaptor. It interacts directly with pRB family members, the prototype tumor suppressor proteins, and contributes to G1/S regulation. It has also been implicated in DNA damage checkpoint control through its interaction with the breast cancer susceptibility gene product BRCA1. Recently, it was found to modulate the nuclease activity of the Mre11/Rad50/NBS1 complex. Here we report that CtIP is recruited to S-phase DNA replication foci through a novel motif functioning as replication foci targeting sequence (RFTS). This motif contains a consensus PCNA-interacting protein box that binds to PCNA both in vivo and in vitro. In support of the biological significance of this interaction, we detected arrest of...
Analytical heat-transfer modeling of multilayered microdevices

In this paper, we present a general analytical modeling of the steady-state temperature distribution within a two-dimensional multilayered structure heated by arbitrary multi-heaters. Possible heat flux distributions on the heater?layer interface are discussed in detail. For a double-layer device, the selection of these distributions shows negligible influence on the total energy consumption and the average temperature across each heater?layer interface. The effects of the heat conduction inside the heaters are investigated according to the heater?layer thermal conductivity contrast and the thickness-to-width aspect ratio of heaters. Based on this model, we have developed a new method that can directly compute the electricity input powers to maintain required temperatures in specified regions. The cross talk within the heater array can be easily evaluated with this method. Moreover, its application in the thermal design of microfluidic devices is demonstrated by analyzing the experimental results in [2]. The linear relationship between the temperatures of the microchannel and corresponding heater is proven with our analytical model. The solution is also extended to structures with arbitrary embedded thin-film heaters and utilized to evaluate the surface temperature linearity of a microdevice with thin-film heaters that are covered with an insulating SiO2 layer.
Low-complexity collision detection scheme using pseudo-coded ON-OFF pilot transmission per-packet for Wireless Sensor Networks

Power consumption minimization in Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) has been discussed extensively in literature. Usually, a central node (a receiver) in WSNs consumes large amount of power due to the necessity to decode every received packet regardless of the fact that the transmission may suffer from packets collision. Current collision detection mechanisms in WSNs have largely been revolving around direct demodulation and full decoding of received packets. The obvious drawback of full decoding of a received packet is the need to expend a significant amount of energy and processing complexity in order to fully-decode a packet, only to discover the packet is illegible due to a collision. In this paper, we propose a suite of novel, yet simple and power-efficient technique to detect a collision at the receiver side of WSNs without the need for full-decoding of the received packet. Our novel approach aims at detecting collision through fast examination of the signal statistics of a short snippet of the received packet via a relatively small number of computations over a small number of received IQ samples. We also present a complexity and power-saving comparison between our novel approach and a conventional full-decoding approach (Log-MAP algorithm) to demonstrate the significant power and complexity saving advantage of our approach. In addition, we demonstrate how to tune various design parameters in order to allow a system designer multiple degrees of freedom for design trade-offs and optimization.
Stimulation of membrane-associated protein kinase-C activity in spleen lymphocytes by hPTH-(1-31)NH2, its lactam derivative, [Leu27]-cyclo(Glu22-Lys26)-hPTH-(1-31)NH2, and hPTH-(1-30)NH2.

Abstract Human parathyroid hormone, hPTH-(1–34), stimulates adenylyl cyclase and phosphatidylinositol- bis phosphate-specific phospholipase-C (PIP 2 -PLC), as indicated by increased membrane-associated protein kinase C (PKC) activity in ROS 17/2 rat osteosarcoma cells. The C-terminally truncated hPTH-(1–31)NH 2 stimulates adenylyl cyclase as strongly as hPTH-(1–34) in these cells, but it does not stimulate PKC activity. Even [Leu 27 ]-cyclo(Glu 22 -Lys 26 )-hPTH-(1–31)NH 2 , a 6-fold stronger adenylyl cyclase stimulator than hPTH-(1–34), cannot stimulate PKC activity in ROS cells. Therefore PTH required its 32–34 region to stimulate PIP 2 -PLC/PKCs in this osteosarcoma line. In contrast, hPTH-(1–31)NH 2 [Leu 27 ]-cyclo(Glu 22 -Lys 26 )-hPTH-(1–31)NH 2 and even hPTH-(1–30)NH 2 can stimulate PKC activity in freshly isolated rat spleen lymphocytes as strongly as hPTH-(1–34)NH 2 . The difference in the ability of membrane-associated PKC activity in spleen lymphocytes, but not in ROS cells, to be stimulated by C-terminally truncated PTH fragments might be due to different receptor densities or to the lymphocyte's atypical PTH/PTHrP receptor.
Patients with Throat Symptoms on Acid Suppressive Therapy: Do They Have Reflux?

Purpose The aim of this study was to characterize the reflux events in patients with laryngeal symptoms unresponsive to proton pump inhibitor (PPI) therapy. Background Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is commonly implicated as the cause of laryngeal symptoms. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the pH/impedance records of 21 patients evaluated for persistent throat symptoms despite PPI therapy. They were compared to 30 others with typical reflux symptoms despite medication. Results Five of 21 (24%) patients in the “throat group” had normal reflux values, 13 (62%) continued to have abnormal acid reflux, and three (14%) had abnormal nonacid reflux but normal acid reflux while on medication. These results did not differ from those with typical symptoms unresponsive to medication. Conclusion In patients with chronic laryngeal symptoms despite PPI therapy, a substantial minority have no reflux at all, but the majority have abnormal amounts of acid reflux despite their taking PPI medication.
Elevated intracranial pressure associated with hypermetabolism in isolated head trauma.

Summary Both metabolic rate and protein catabolism are known to increase following severe head trauma, but the etiology of this hypermetabolism is unknown. To further investigate the problem, we studied the metabolism of 17 patients with indirect calorimetry who had severe craniocerebral trauma only and who required ICP monitoring for management. Patients were studied daily and immediately after ICP spikes greater than 20ram Hg, prior to treatment with hyperventilation, osmotic diuretics, or barbiturates. Oxygen consumption (VO2) was correlated with ICP. Two groups of patients were identified. Group I patients were treated with hyperventilation and osmotic diuretics while Group II patients additionally received cerebral metabolic depressants. Group I had a significant correlation coefflcent between VO2 and ICP. Significant hypercatabolism early in the post trauma period was demonstrated by increased urine urea nitrogen. Our observations suggest that in patients with craniocerebral trauma, elevated ICP is associated with increased oxygen consumption, protein catabolism and systemic hypermetabolism. Cerebral metabolic depressants blunted increases in VO2 which were seen with elevated ICP.
The Paradox of Powerlessness

Feminist critics have largely argued Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is oppressive, male dominated, and places women in yet another patriarchal institution. However, one third of AA's membership is made up of women. Despite the feminist criticisms, women find healing, recovery, and empowerment within AA. Through in-depth interviews with 10 diverse women, this qualitative study seeks to bring academic discourse around AA into conversation with the voices and experiences of women in AA. The goal of this study is not to refute prior feminist criticisms but to question how women in AA navigate and negotiate the contradictions found within a male-dominated and male-centered program.
OxyR: A Molecular Code for Redox Sensing?

Helmann discusses the controversy surrounding the activation of the bacterial redox-regulated transcription factor OxyR. Evidence from different sources, including crystallographic data, has led to opposing models for the chemical changes that activate OxyR. Is it an intramolecular disulfide-linkage? Is it oxidation of a single cysteine residue to a sulfenic acid? Are there different active forms depending on the type of cysteine modification: intramolecular disulfide bond, sulfenic acid, S-nitrosothiol, or mixed disulfide with glutathione? These issues are discussed in the broader context of transcriptional regulation and how particular regulators may activate distinct genetic programs depending on the precise state of the regulator produced in response to environmental cues.
Exact Levy-Type Solutions for Plate Bending Exist for Transversely Isotropic but Not for General Monoclinic Materials

An exact three-dimensional Levy-type solution for the bending of an elastic slab is one in which there are edge loads only and the unknown displacement and stresses have very simple polynomial dependence on the thickness coordinate. Levy obtained such a solution in 1877 for a linearly elastic, isotropic, plate-like body. The most general material that allows bending and stretching to be uncoupled is monoclinic (13 elastic constants). However, it is shown that only transversely isotropic materials (5 elastic constants) admit exact solutions having polynomial dependence in the thickness direction. Such solutions are listed explicitly.
Catalysed carbon gasification with Ba13CO3

The interaction of barium carbonate with carbon black was studied to understand catalysed CO2 gasification of carbon. Temperature-programmed reaction with isotopic labelling of the carbonate and the carbon showed that carbon dramatically accelerated the rate of BaCO3 decomposition to form BaO and CO2, which rapidly gasified carbon to form CO. Pure BaCO3 was observed to exchange carbon dioxide with the gas-phase, and the exchange rate was increased significantly by carbon at higher temperatures, due to formation of a carbon-carbonate complex. The interaction of BaCO3 and C to form a complex occurred well below gasification temperatures, and BaCO3 did not decompose until after gasification began and the gas phase CO2 concentration was low. During catalysed gasification, formation of gaseous CO from a surface oxide is shown directly to be the slow step in the reaction. The active catalyst appears to cycle between BaCO3 and BaO (both of which interact with carbon). The rates of carbonate decomposition, catalytic gasification, and exchange with gaseous CO2 are all slower for BaCO3 than for K2CO3, indicating the large differences in carbonate-carbon interaction between alkali carbonates and alkaline earth carbonates. The two carbonates apparently follow different reaction mechanisms.
Low-Temperature Radiation Damage Effects in a Room-Temperature Radiation-Hard Surface Channel CCD

Room temperature radiation hard p-surface channel CCD's were irradiated at 85°K with 2 MeV electrons while being operated as dynamic shift registers. The increased charge trapping in the oxide at liquid nitrogen temperatures produced an input gate threshold voltage shift of -5.6V at 4×104 rads as compared to a -2.2V shift after 1×106 rads at 300°K. Except for the input gate voltage, the devices could be operated with the pre-irradiation clock and bias voltages after receiving 4×104 rads. A 20% increase in the signal handling capacity was observed after 3×104 rads. The output source-follower gain increased by approximately 10% after 4×104 rads. The excess flat-band voltage shift and increased transfer inefficiency was annealed by warming the device to 300°K with all clock and bias voltages applied.
Variational principle for nonlinear Rossby waves and conservation laws

Abstract A variational principle for Rossby waves in β-plane approximation is formulated. Special attention is given to particular situations in water waves. Some conservation laws are derived from full nonlinear equations of Rossby waves.
Cash benefits are associated with lower risk behavior among the homeless and marginally housed in San Francisco.

To address the widespread debate about the role of public assistance to the urban poor, the authors determined characteristics of individuals receiving cash assistance and explored the link between cash subsidies and risk behavior. From 1999 to 2000, a representative sample of homeless and marginally housed (HMH) adults living in San Francisco was recruited and interviewed about subsidies, shelter, jail, and drug use. Among 1,156 adults, 87% were ever homeless, 22% currently injected drugs, and 14% were HIV positive. Sixty percent of participants reported that most of their income came from subsidies [mostly subsidized (MS)]. The MS had lower odds of receiving any income from selling drugs or trading sex. Adjusting for HIV infection, the MS had higher odds of sleeping in a hotel [odds ratio (OR)=2.39] or shelter (OR=1.61) compared to the street. The MS had lower odds of injection drug use (OR=0.69) and recent incarceration (OR=0.77). Among San Francisco’s homeless, being MS was positively associated with having shelter and negatively associated with injection drug use and incarceration. These data suggest that government subsidies are associated with positive health behaviors among the urban poor.
Relative Effects of Delayed Reinforcement and Partial Reinforcement on Acquisition and Extinction

While the effects of delayed reinforcement have been studied under n wide variety of conditions, the effects of delay on acquisition and extinction relative to those of partial reinforcement, other factors constant, have not as yet been determined. In this experiment, two groups were employed. In the case of one group, immediate reinforcement was given on one trial, delayed reinforcement on the other in alternating fashion. In the case of the other group, immediate reinforcement alternated with nonreinforcement. Regarding acquisition, three specific comparisons were of primary concern to this investigation. First, it is characteristic of partial reinforcement that running speeds in the early stages of training are significantly less rapid on trials following non-reinforcement as opposed to trials following reinforcement (Bloom & Capaldi, in press; Capaldi & Senko, 1961; Tyler, Wortz, & Bitterman, 1953). The initial concern, then, was to determine if such was also characteristic of delayed as opposed to immediate rrials. Another comparison of interest involved asymptotic running speeds which have been shown to be higher under partial as opposed to consistent reinforcement (Goodrich, 1958; Weinstock, 1958). In the case where reinforcement and nonreinforcement are consistently alternated, it has been shown that later in training rat Ss run quite rapidly on the reinforced trials (Bloom & Capaldi, in press; Tyler, et al., 1953). The second concern, then, was to determine if a delay group would run as rapidly in the later stages of training as a partial group on those uials which were immediately reinforced in both groups. The final determination as regards acquisition grows out of a recent study by Wike, Kintsch, & Gutekunst (1959), who found that increased resistance (continuous reinforcement control) occurred when delayed trials preceded immediate trials but not when delayed trials followed immediate ones. Grosslight, Hall, and Murnin ( 1953 ) and Grosslight and Radlow ( 1955 ) have shown that similar variations involving nonreinforcement rather than delay support an aftereffects hypothesis (Sheffield, 1949). If the aftereffects of delayed and of immediate trials are indeed discriminably different, then, when delayed and immediate uials are given according to an alternating schedule, the rats should run relatively more rapidly on the immediate trials later in training (Bloom & Capaldi, in press; Capaldi & Senko, 1961 ) . Indeed, Wike, et aL. (1959) suggested that some of their delay Ss did manifest such pattern
Weak lensing and dark energy

We study the power of upcoming weak lensing surveys to probe dark energy. Dark energy modifies the distance-redshift relation as well as the matter power spectrum, both of which affect the weak lensing convergence power spectrum. Some dark-energy models predict additional clustering on very large scales, but this probably cannot be detected by weak lensing alone due to cosmic variance. With reasonable prior information on other cosmological parameters, we find that a survey covering 1000 sq deg down to a limiting magnitude of $R=27$ can impose constraints comparable to those expected from upcoming type Ia supernova and number-count surveys. This result, however, is contingent on the control of both observational and theoretical systematics. Concentrating on the latter, we find that the nonlinear power spectrum of matter perturbations and the redshift distribution of source galaxies both need to be determined accurately in order for weak lensing to achieve its full potential. Finally, we discuss the sensitivity of the three-point statistics to dark energy.
Biosynthesis of sterols in the soybean plant

Abstract Radiochemically pure stigmasterol and β-sitosterol were isolated as major products of mevalonic acid-2-C14 incubation with excised leaves of the soybean plant. Two minor biosynthetic products of this radioactive sterol precursor were partially characterized. Incubation experiments with radioactive stigmasterol and β-sitosterol indicate that the two are not directly related biosynthetically via hydrogenase-dehydrogenase enzyme systems.
Self-compatibilization of polymer blends via concentrated emulsions

A novel approach to the formation and compatibilization of polymeric blends is suggested, namely the self-compatibilization via concentrated emulsions. In this method, two concentrated emulsions are prepared from different monomers and subjected to partial polymerization; at least one concentrated emulsion contains also some di-vinyl-terminated macro-monomers. A blend is formed by mixing the partially polymerized latexes and subjecting the mixture to complete polymerization. Some AB networks, with the macro-monomers as chains A and the homo- and co-polymers generated from the other monomers as chains B, are formed, which ensure the self-compatibilization of the resulting blend. Blends of styrene-co-methyl methacrylate and poly (vinyl acetate) were prepared and investigated as a model system.