Materials and Wireless Microfluidic Systems for Electronics Capable of Chemical Dissolution on Demand

Electronics that are capable of destroying themselves, on demand and in a harmless way, might provide the ultimate form of data security. This paper presents materials and device architectures for triggered destruction of conventional microelectronic systems by means of microfluidic chemical etching of the constituent materials, including silicon, silicon dioxide, and metals (e.g., aluminum). Demonstrations in an array of home‐built metal‐oxide‐semiconductor field‐effect transistors that exploit ultrathin sheets of monocrystalline silicon and in radio‐frequency identification devices illustrate the utility of the approaches.     

Benchmarking advanced architecture computers

Recently, a number of advanced architecture machines have become commercially available. These new machines promise better cost performance than traditional computers, and some of them have the potential of competing with current supercomputers, such as the CRAY X-MP, in terms of maximum performance. This paper describes the methodology and results of a pilot study of the performance of a broad range of advanced architecture computers using a number of complete scientific application programs. The computers evaluated include:

• 1 shared-memory bus architecture machines such as the Alliant FX/8, the Encore Multimax, and the Sequent Balance and Symmetry
• 2 shared-memory network-connected machines such as the Butterfly
• 3 distributed-memory machines such as the NCUBE, Intel and Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)/Caltech hypercubes
• 4 very long instruction word machines such as the Cydrome Cydra-5
• 5 SIMD machines such as the Connection Machine
• 6 ‘traditional’ supercomputers such as the CRAY X-MP, CRAY-2 and SCS-40.

Seven application codes from a number of scientific disciplines have been used in the study, although not all the codes were run on every machine. The methodology and guidelines for establishing a standard set of benchmark programs for advanced architecture computers are discussed. The CRAYs offer the best performance on the benchmark suite; the shared memory multiprocessor machines generally permitted some parallelism, and when coupled with substantial floating point capabilities (as in the Alliant FX/8 and Sequent Symmetry), provided an order of magnitude less speed than the CRAYs. Likewise, the early generation hypercubes studied here generally ran slower than the CRAYs, but permitted substantial parallelism from each of the application codes.     

Novel Insights into Autophagy and Prostate Cancer: A Comprehensive Review

Autophagy is a complex process involved in several cell activities, including tissue growth, differentiation, metabolic modulation, and cancer development. In prostate cancer, autophagy has a pivotal role in the regulation of apoptosis and disease progression. Several molecular pathways are involved, including PI3K/AKT/mTOR. However, depending on the cellular context, autophagy may play either a detrimental or a protective role in prostate cancer. For this purpose, current evidence has investigated how autophagy interacts within these complex interactions. In this article, we discuss novel findings about autophagic machinery in order to better understand the therapeutic response and the chemotherapy resistance of prostate cancer. Autophagic-modulation drugs have been employed in clinical trials to regulate autophagy, aiming to improve the response to chemotherapy or to anti-cancer treatments. Furthermore, the genetic signature of autophagy has been found to have a potential means to stratify prostate cancer aggressiveness. Unfortunately, stronger evidence is needed to better understand this field, and the application of these findings in clinical practice still remains poorly feasible.     

Characterization of a class of spatially interconnected systems (ladder circuits) using two-dimensional systems theory

Multidimensional Systems and Signal Processing - This paper considers a class of spatially interconnected systems formed by ladder circuits using two-dimensional systems theory. The individual...     

Human endometrial angiogenesis

Angiogenesis is the development of new microvessels from existing vessels, a process that involves microvascular endothelial cells. Physiological angiogenesis rarely occurs in adults except in the ovary and endometrium during the reproductive life of females. Angiogenesis occurs by sprouting and non-sprouting mechanisms. Since endothelial sprouts are not observed in human endometrium, we hypothesized that non-sprouting mechanisms such as intussusception and elongation are involved in endometrial angiogenesis. The demand for angiogenesis differs spatially and temporally in the endometrium: angiogenesis occurs in the basalis layer during menstruation and in the functionalis and subepithelial capillary plexus during the proliferative and early secretory stages. Most studies have failed to demonstrate a link between expression of endometrial angiogenic factors and new vessel growth. However, we demonstrated recently a strong relationship between vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) immunolocalized in in-travascular neutrophils and endothelial cell proliferation in each of the subepithelial capillary plexus, functionalis and basalis regions of the human endometrium. Our data also indicate that focal neutrophil VEGF has a role in the development of the subepithelial capillary plexus and functionalis microvessels during the proliferative phase of the menstrual cycle. We propose that neutrophils are an intravascular source of VEGF for vessels that undergo angiogenesis by intussusception and elongation.     

A twin slot antenna on a layered substrate coupled to a microstrip feed line

A method is described for calculating the input impedance as seen by the detector for a twin slot antenna structure. This technique is then used to analyze several twin slot antenna configurations, leading to improved performance.     

Correlations among body condition scores from various sources, dairy form, and cow health from the United States and Denmark

The objectives of this study were to estimate genetic correlations among body condition scores (BCS) from various sources, dairy form, and measures of cow health. Body condition score and dairy form evaluated during routine type appraisal was obtained from the Holstein Association USA, Inc. A second set of BCS was obtained from Dairy Records Managements Systems (DRMS) and was recorded by producers that use PCDART dairy management software. Disease observations were obtained from recorded veterinarian treatments in several dairy herds in the United States. Estimated breeding values for diseases in Denmark were also obtained. Genetic correlations among BCS, dairy form, and cow health traits in the United States were generated with sire models. Models included fixed effects for age, DIM, and contemporary group. Random effects included sire, permanent environment, herd-year season for health traits, and error. Predicted transmitting abilities (PTA) for BCS and dairy form were correlated with estimated breeding values for disease in Denmark. The genetic correlation estimate between BCS from DRMS and BCS from the Holstein Association USA, Inc., was 0.85. The genetic correlation estimate between BCS and a composite of all diseases in the United States was -0.79, and PTA for BCS was favorably correlated with an index of resistance to disease other than mastitis in Denmark (0.27). Dairy form was positively correlated with a composite of all diseases in the United States (0.85) and was unfavorably correlated with an index for resistance to disease other than mastitis in Denmark (-0.29). Adjustment for protein yield PTA had a minimal affect on correlations between PTA for BCS or dairy form and disease in Denmark. Selection for higher body condition or lower dairy form with continued selection for yield may slow deterioration in cow health as a correlated response to selection for increased yield.