Energy Deposition of Energetic Silicon Atoms Within a Silicon Lattice

The energy dependence of the ionization produced in silicon by recoiling silicon atoms was measured in the 4–54-keV energy interval. It is found that the fraction of the recoil energy that is dissipated as ionization follows an E1/2 dependence which agrees well with the predictions of the theory of Lindhard et al. [Mat. Fys. Medd. 33, 10 (1963)]

Photon-noise limited sensitivity in titanium nitride kinetic inductance detectors

We demonstrate photon-noise limited performance at sub-millimeter wavelengths in feedhorn-coupled, microwave kinetic inductance detectors (MKIDs) made of a TiN/Ti/TiN trilayer superconducting film, tuned to have a transition temperature of 1.4~K. Micro-machining of the silicon-on-insulator wafer backside creates a quarter-wavelength backshort optimized for efficient coupling at 250~\micron. Using frequency read out and when viewing a variable temperature blackbody source, we measure device noise consistent with photon noise when the incident optical power is $>$~0.5~pW, corresponding to noise equivalent powers $>$~3$\times 10^{-17}$ W/$\sqrt{\mathrm{Hz}}$. This sensitivity makes these devices suitable for broadband photometric applications at these wavelengths

Identification of KANSARL as the First Cancer Predisposition Fusion Gene Specific to the Population of European Ancestry Origin

Gene fusion is one of the hallmarks of cancer. Recent advances in RNA-seq of cancer transcriptomes have facilitated the discovery of fusion transcripts. In this study, we report identification of a surprisingly large number of fusion transcripts, including six KANSARL (KANSL1-ARL17A) transcripts that resulted from the fusion between the KANSL1 and ARL17A genes using a RNA splicingcode model. Five of these six KANSARL fusion transcripts are novel. By systematic analysis of RNA-seq data of glioblastoma, prostate cancer, lung cancer, breast cancer, and lymphoma from different regions of the World, we have found that KANSARL fusion transcripts were rarely detected in the tumors of individuals from Asia or Africa. In contrast, they exist in 30 - 52% of the tumors from North Americans cancer patients. Analysis of CEPH/Utah Pedigree 1463 has revealed that KANSARL is a familially-inherited fusion gene. Further analysis of RNA-seq datasets of the 1000 Genome Project has indicated that KANSARL fusion gene is specific to 28.9% of the population of European ancestry origin. In summary, we demonstrated that KANSARL is the first cancer predisposition fusion gene associated with genetic backgrounds of European ancestry origin

Particulate Matter Air Pollution Exposure, Distance to Road, and Incident Lung Cancer in the Nurses’ Health Study Cohort

Background: A body of literature has suggested an elevated risk of lung cancer associated with particulate matter and traffic-related pollutants. Objective: We examined the relation of lung cancer incidence with long-term residential exposures to ambient particulate matter and residential distance to roadway, as a proxy for traffic-related exposures. Methods: For participants in the Nurses’ Health Study, a nationwide prospective cohort of women, we estimated 72-month average exposures to PM2.5, PM2.5–10, and PM10 and residential distance to road. Follow-up for incident cases of lung cancer occurred from 1994 through 2010. Cox proportional hazards models were adjusted for potential confounders. Effect modification by smoking status was examined. Results: During 1,510,027 person-years, 2,155 incident cases of lung cancer were observed among 103,650 participants. In fully adjusted models, a 10-μg/m3 increase in 72-month average PM10 [hazard ratio (HR) = 1.04; 95% CI: 0.95, 1.14], PM2.5 (HR = 1.06; 95% CI: 0.91, 1.25), or PM2.5–10 (HR = 1.05; 95% CI: 0.92, 1.20) was positively associated with lung cancer. When the cohort was restricted to never-smokers and to former smokers who had quit at least 10 years before, the associations appeared to increase and were strongest for PM2.5 (PM10: HR = 1.15; 95% CI: 1.00, 1.32; PM2.5: HR = 1.37; 95% CI: 1.06, 1.77; PM2.5–10: HR = 1.11; 95% CI: 0.90, 1.37). Results were most elevated when restricted to the most prevalent subtype, adenocarcinomas. Risks with roadway proximity were less consistent. Conclusions: Our findings support those from other studies indicating increased risk of incident lung cancer associated with ambient PM exposures, especially among never- and long-term former smokers. Citation: Puett RC, Hart JE, Yanosky JD, Spiegelman D, Wang M, Fisher JA, Hong B, Laden F. 2014. Particulate matter air pollution exposure, distance to road, and incident lung cancer in the Nurses’ Health Study Cohort. Environ Health Perspect 122:926–932; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.130749

Cooperative and noncooperative magnetization reversal in alnicos

It is investigated how magnetostatic interactions affect the coercivity of alnicotype magnets. Starting from exact micromagnetic relations, we analyze two limits, namely cooperative reversal processes operative on short lengths scales and noncooperative reversal processes on long length scales. In alnicos, intrawire interactions are predominantly cooperative, whereas interwire effects are typically noncooperative. However, the transition between the regimes depends on feature size and hysteresis-loop shape, and interwire cooperative effects are largest for nearly rectangular loops. Our analysis revises the common shape-anisotropy interpretation of alnicos

Characterizing and predicting repeat food consumption behavior for just-in-time interventions

National Research Foundation (NRF) Singapore under its International Research Centres in Singapore Funding Initiativ

Molecular Gas in Redshift 6 Quasar Host Galaxies

We report our new observations of redshifted carbon monoxide emission from six z~6 quasars, using the PdBI. CO (6-5) or (5-4) line emission was detected in all six sources. Together with two other previous CO detections, these observations provide unique constraints on the molecular gas emission properties in these quasar systems close to the end of the cosmic reionization. Complementary results are also presented for low-J CO lines observed at the GBT and the VLA, and dust continuum from five of these sources with the SHARC-II bolometer camera at the CSO. We then present a study of the molecular gas properties in our combined sample of eight CO-detected quasars at z~6. The detections of high-order CO line emission in these objects indicates the presence of highly excited molecular gas, with estimated masses on the order of 10^10 M_sun within the quasar host galaxies. No significant difference is found in the gas mass and CO line width distributions between our z~6 quasars and samples of CO-detected $1.4\leq z\leq5$ quasars and submillimeter galaxies. Most of the CO-detected quasars at z~6 follow the far infrared-CO luminosity relationship defined by actively star-forming galaxies at low and high redshifts. This suggests that ongoing star formation in their hosts contributes significantly to the dust heating at FIR wavelengths. The result is consistent with the picture of galaxy formation co-eval with supermassive black hole (SMBH) accretion in the earliest quasar-host systems. We investigate the black hole--bulge relationships of our quasar sample, using the CO dynamics as a tracer for the dynamical mass of the quasar host. The results place important constraints on the formation and evolution of the most massive SMBH-spheroidal host systems at the highest redshift.Comment: 34 pages, 8 figures, accepted for publication in Ap

An in vivo demonstration of efficacy and acute safety of burst wave lithotripsy using a porcine model

Burst wave lithotripsy (BWL) is a new non-invasive method for stone comminution using bursts of sub-megahertz ultrasound. A porcine model of urolithiasis and techniques to implement BWL treatment has been developed to evaluate its effectiveness and acute safety. Six human calcium oxalate monohydrate stones (6–7 mm) were hydrated, weighed, and surgically implanted into the kidneys of three pigs. Transcutaneous stone treatments were performed with a BWL transducer coupled to the skin via an external water bath. Stone targeting and treatment monitoring were performed with a co-aligned ultrasound imaging probe. Treatment exposures were applied in three 10-minute intervals for each stone. If sustained cavitation in the parenchyma was observed by ultrasound imaging feedback, treatment was paused and the pressure amplitude was decreased for the remaining time. Peak negative focal pressures between 6.5 and 7 MPa were applied for all treatments. After treatment, stone fragments were removed from the kidneys. At least 50% of each stone was reduced to <2 mm fragments. 100% of four stones were reduced to <4 mm fragments. Magnetic resonance imaging showed minimal injury to the functional renal volume. This study demonstrated that BWL could be used to effectively fragment kidney stones with minimal injury

ASCT2 regulates glutamine uptake and cell growth in endometrial carcinoma

Glutamine commonly becomes a conditionally essential amino acid in cancer. Glutamine is supplied to the cell by transporters such as ASCT2 (SLC1A5), which is frequently upregulated in multiple cancers. Here we investigated the expression of ASCT2 in endometrial carcinoma, and evaluated the contribution of ASCT2 to glutamine uptake and endometrial cancer cell growth. Analysis of human gene expression data showed that ASCT2 was significantly upregulated in both endometrioid and serous subtypes of endometrial carcinoma, compared to normal, age-matched endometrium. Furthermore, immunohistochemical staining of primary human endometrioid adenocarcinomas showed that tumours stain positive for ASCT2 in either a uniform or mosaic expression pattern, while normal adjacent glands appeared predominantly negative for ASCT2 staining. Chemical inhibition of glutamine transport by benzylserine or GPNA led to a significant decrease in endometrial cancer cell growth and spheroid cross-sectional area. ASCT2 knockdown recapitulated the decrease of cell growth and spheroid cross-sectional area in HEC1A cells, suggesting a reliance on ASCT2-mediated glutamine uptake. ASCT2 knockdown in Ishikawa cells led to lower glutamine uptake and cell growth, but did not affect spheroid area. Ishikawa cells express higher levels of the glutamine transporter SNAT1 compared to HEC1A cells, suggesting these cells may rely on both ASCT2 and SNAT1 for glutamine uptake. Since SNAT1 is also significantly upregulated in the endometrioid and serous subtypes, these data indicate that ASCT2 and SNAT1 could be used as markers of malignancy, and/or potential therapeutic targets in patients with endometrial carcinoma