Analysis of a Casimir-driven parametric amplifier with resilience to Casimir pull-in for MEMS single-point magnetic gradiometry

The Casimir force, a quantum mechanical effect, has been observed in several microelectromechanical system (MEMS) platforms. Due to its extreme sensitivity to the separation of two objects, the Casimir force has been proposed as an excellent avenue for quantum metrology. Practical application, however, is challenging due to attractive forces leading to stiction and device failure, called Casimir pull-in. In this work, we design and simulate a Casimir-driven metrology platform, where a time-delay-based parametric amplification technique is developed to achieve a steady-state and avoid pull-in. We apply the design to the detection of weak, low-frequency, gradient magnetic fields similar to those emanating from ionic currents in the heart and brain. Simulation parameters are selected from recent experimental platforms developed for Casimir metrology and magnetic gradiometry, both on MEMS platforms. While a MEMS offers many advantages to such an application, the detected signal must typically be at the resonant frequency of the device, with diminished sensitivity in the low frequency regime of biomagnetic fields. Using a Casimir-driven parametric amplifier, we report a 10,000-fold improvement in the best-case resolution of MEMS single-point gradiometers, with a maximum sensitivity of 6 Hz/(pT/cm) at 1 Hz. Further development of the proposed design has the potential to revolutionize metrology and may specifically enable the unshielded monitoring of biomagnetic fields in ambient conditions.Boston UniversityPublished versio

Feedforward control algorithms for MEMS galvos and scanners

Published versio

Homomorphisms from functional equations: the Goldie equation

The theory of regular variation, in its Karamata and Bojani´c-Karamata/de Haan forms, is long established and makes essential use of the Cauchy functional equation. Both forms are subsumed within the recent theory of Beurling regular variation, developed elsewhere. Various generalizations of the Cauchy equation, including the Gołab–Schinzel functional equation (GS) and Goldie's equation (GBE) below, are prominent there. Here we unify their treatment by algebraicization: extensive use of group structures introduced by Popa and Javor in the 1960s turn all the various (known) solutions into homomorphisms, in fact identifying them 'en passant', and show that (GS) is present everywhere, even if in a thick disguise

Practical computational toolkits for dendrimers and dendrons structure design

Dendrimers and dendrons offer an excellent platform for developing novel drug delivery systems and medicines. The rational design and further development of these repetitively branched systems are restricted by difficulties in scalable synthesis and structural determination, which can be overcome by judicious use of molecular modelling and molecular simulations. A major difficulty to utilise in silico studies to design dendrimers lies in the laborious generation of their structures. Current modelling tools utilise automated assembly of simpler dendrimers or the inefficient manual assembly of monomer precursors to generate more complicated dendrimer structures. Herein we describe two novel graphical user interface (GUI) toolkits written in Python that provide an improved degree of automation for rapid assembly of dendrimers and generation of their 2D and 3D structures. Our first toolkit uses the RDkit library, SMILES nomenclature of monomers and SMARTS reaction nomenclature to generate SMILES and mol files of dendrimers without 3D coordinates. These files are used for simple graphical representations and storing their structures in databases. The second toolkit assembles complex topology dendrimers from monomers to construct 3D dendrimer structures to be used as starting points for simulation using existing and widely available software and force fields. Both tools were validated for ease-of-use to prototype dendrimer structure and the second toolkit was especially relevant for dendrimers of high complexity and size.Peer reviewe

Sinteza i antihipoksično djelovanje alifatskih i arilalifatskih amida kofein-8-tioglikolne kiseline

The synthesis of some aliphatic and arylaliphatic amides of caffeine-8-thioglycolic acid was studied. The structures of synthesized compounds were proved by microanalyses, IR- and 1H NMR data. Values of acute p.o. and i.p. toxicity in mice show lower toxicity compared to caffeine. Declines in spontaneous locomotor activity support the idea of depressive CNS activity of the compounds. Two compounds exhibited brain antihypoxic activity (5a and 5b against haemic and circulatory hypoxia, respectively).U radu je opisana sinteza alifatskih i arilalifatskih amida kofein-8-tioglikolne kiseline i njihova karakterizacija elementarnom analizom, IR- i 1H NMR spektroskopijom. Testiranja na miševima pokazuju da su sintetizirani spojevi primijenjeni p.o. i i.p. manje toksični od kofeina. Smanjenje lokomotoričke aktivnosti podupire ideju o njihovom depresivnom djelovanju na SŽS. Spojevi 5a i 5b djeluju antihipoksički u uvjetima krvne i cirkulacijske hipoksije u mozgu

Intakes of fruits and vegetables, carotenoids and vitamins A, E, C in relation to the risk of bladder cancer in the ATBC cohort study

We examined the relation between dietary fruit and vegetables, carotenoids and vitamin intakes and the risk of bladder cancer among male smokers in a prospective cohort study. Over a median of 11 years, we followed 27 111 male smokers aged 50–69 years who were initially enrolled in the Alpha-Tocopherol Beta-Carotene Cancer Prevention Study. During this period, 344 men developed bladder cancer. All of these men had completed a 276-food item dietary questionnaire at baseline. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate the relative risks and 95% confidence intervals and to simultaneously adjust for age, smoking history, energy intake and intervention group. Consumption of fruits and vegetables was not associated with the risk of bladder cancer (relative risk=1.28; 95% confidence intervals CI: 0.89–1.84, for highest vs lowest quintile). Similarly, no associations were observed for groups of fruits or vegetables (berries and cruciferous vegetables), or for specific fruits and vegetables. Dietary intakes of alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, lycopene, lutein/zeaxanthin, beta-cryptoxanthin, vitamins A, E, and C, and folate were not related to the risk of bladder cancer. These findings suggest that fruit and vegetable intakes are not likely to be associated with bladder cancer risk. However, these results may not be generalisable to non-smokers

Variation in cytokine genes can contribute to severity of acetabular osteolysis and risk for revision in patients with ABG 1 total hip arthroplasty: a genetic association study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The differences in total hip arthroplasty (THA) survivorship may be influenced by individual susceptibility to periprosthetic osteolysis. This may be driven by functional polymorphisms in the genes for cytokines and cytokine receptors involved in the development of osteolysis in THA, thereby having an effect on the individual's phenotype.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We performed a study on 22 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) for 11 cytokines and two cytokine receptor candidate genes for association with severity of acetabular osteolysis and risk to failure in THA. Samples from 205 unrelated Caucasian patients with cementless type THA (ABG 1) were investigated. Distribution of investigated SNP variants between the groups of mild and severe acetabular osteolysis was determined by univariate and multivariate analysis. Time-dependent output variables were analyzed by the Cox hazards model.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Univariate analysis showed: 1) <it>TNF</it>-238*A allele was associated with severe osteolysis (odds ratio, OR = 6.59, <it>p </it>= 0.005, population attributable risk, PAR 5.2%); 2) carriers of the <it>IL6</it>-174*G allele were 2.5 times more prone to develop severe osteolysis than non-carriers (OR = 2.51, <it>p </it>= 0.007, PAR = 31.5%); 3) the carriage of <it>IL2</it>-330*G allele was associated with protection from severe osteolysis (OR = 0.55, <it>p </it>= 0.043). Based on logistic regression, the alleles <it>TNF</it>-238*A and <it>IL6</it>-174*G were independent predictors for the development of severe acetabular osteolysis. Carriers of <it>TNF</it>-238*A had increased cumulative hazard of THA failure according to Cox model (<it>p </it>= 0.024). In contrast, <it>IL2</it>-330*G allele predicted lower cumulative hazard of THA failure (<it>p </it>= 0.019).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Genetic variants of proinflammatory cytokines TNF-alpha and IL-6 confer susceptibility to severe OL. In this way, presence of the minor <it>TNF </it>allele could increase the cumulative risk of THA failure. Conversely, SNP in the <it>IL2 </it>gene may protect carriers from the above THA complications.</p