Efficient Parallel Circuits and Algorithms for Division

Coordinated Science Laboratory was formerly known as Control Systems LaboratoryNational Science Foundation / ECS 8404866Semiconductor Research Corporation / SRC 86-12-109Joint Services Electronics Program / N00014-84-C-014

Quantum thermodynamics at critical points during melting and solidification processes

We systematically explore and show the existence of finite-temperature continuous quantum phase transition (CTQPT) at a critical point, namely, during solidification or melting such that the first-order thermal phase transition is a special case within CTQPT. Infact, CTQPT is related to chemical reaction where quantum fluctuation (due to wavefunction transformation) is caused by thermal energy and it can occur maximally for temperatures much higher than zero Kelvin. To extract the quantity related to CTQPT, we use the ionization energy theory and the energy-level spacing renormalization group method to derive the energy-level spacing entropy, renormalized Bose-Einstein distribution and the time-dependent specific heat capacity. This work unambiguously shows that the quantum phase transition applies for any finite temperatures.Comment: To be published in Indian Journal of Physics (Kolkata

A Novel Role for Connexin Hemichannel in Oxidative Stress and Smoking-Induced Cell Injury

Oxidative stress is linked to many pathological conditions, including ischemia, atherosclerosis and neurodegenerative disorders. The molecular mechanisms of oxidative stress induced pathophysiology and cell death are currently poorly understood. Our present work demonstrates that oxidative stress induced by reactive oxygen species and cigarette smoke extract depolarize the cell membrane and open connexin hemichannels. Under oxidative stress, connexin expression and connexin silencing resulted in increased and reduced cell deaths, respectively. Morphological and live/dead assays indicate that cell death is likely through apoptosis. Our studies provide new insights into the mechanistic role of hemichannels in oxidative stress induced cell injury.</p

A Comparative Study on the Shaping Ability of K3, Profile and ProTaper Instruments in Simulated Curved Root Canals

INTRODUCTION: The objective of this study was to compare the shaping ability of three rotary filing systems; constant taper K3 instruments, constant taper ProFile instruments and progressive taper ProTaper rotary instruments in clear resin blocks with simulated curved root canals. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty five resin blocks were divided into three groups. Group A preparation was conducted with K3, Group B with ProFile and Group C with ProTaper instruments. Pre and post instrumentation images were superimposed and assessment of the canal shape was completed with a computer image analysis program at 14 levels of the root canal system. RESULTS: Group A inner and outer curvature pre and post instrumentation values were significantly different (P&lt;0.05) at levels 3; at level 13 only the outer curvature and levels 6, 7, 8 the inner curvature had significantly different values between pre and post instrumentation. Group C had significant P values (P&lt;0.05) at levels 2, 3, 4, 12, 13 in the outer curvature and at levels 6, 7, 8 of the inner curvature. CONCLUSION: Overall, all three rotary instruments maintained root canal curvatures well. ProTaper instruments significantly removed more resin material from outer canal curvature in the apical third when compared to the other two groups

A Novel Role for Connexin Hemichannel in Oxidative Stress and Smoking-Induced Cell Injury

Oxidative stress is linked to many pathological conditions, including ischemia, atherosclerosis and neurodegenerative disorders. The molecular mechanisms of oxidative stress induced pathophysiology and cell death are currently poorly understood. Our present work demonstrates that oxidative stress induced by reactive oxygen species and cigarette smoke extract depolarize the cell membrane and open connexin hemichannels. Under oxidative stress, connexin expression and connexin silencing resulted in increased and reduced cell deaths, respectively. Morphological and live/dead assays indicate that cell death is likely through apoptosis. Our studies provide new insights into the mechanistic role of hemichannels in oxidative stress induced cell injury

OAM beam generation using all-fiber fused couplers

We demonstrate the orbital angular momentum (OAM) beam generation using an all-fiber fused coupler based on single mode fiber (SMF) and air-core fiber. The fabricated device is directly SMF compatible with ~80% power coupling efficiency

Care seeking behaviour for childhood illness- a questionnaire survey in western Nepal

BACKGROUND: The World Health Organization estimates that seeking prompt and appropriate care could reduce child deaths due to acute respiratory infections by 20%. The purpose of our study was to assess care seeking behaviour of the mothers during childhood illness and to determine the predictors of mother's care seeking behaviour. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in the immunization clinics of Pokhara city, Kaski district, western Nepal. A trained health worker interviewed the mothers of children suffering from illness during the preceding 15 days. RESULTS: A total of 292 mothers were interviewed. Pharmacies (46.2%) were the most common facilities where care was sought followed by allopathic medical practitioners (26.4%). No care was sought for 8 (2.7%) children and 26 (8.9%) children received traditional/home remedies. 'Appropriate', 'prompt' and 'appropriate and prompt' care was sought by 77 (26.4%), 166 (56.8%) and 33 (11.3%) mothers respectively. The mothers were aware of fever (51%), child becoming sicker (45.2%) and drinking poorly (42.5%) as the danger signs of childhood illness. By multiple logistic regression analysis total family income, number of symptoms, mothers' education and perceived severity of illness were the predictors of care seeking behaviour. CONCLUSION: The results of the present study show that the mothers were more likely to seek care when they perceived the illness as 'serious'. Poor maternal knowledge of danger signs of childhood illness warrants the need for a complementary introduction of community-based Integrated Management of Childhood Illness programmes to improve family's care seeking behaviour and their ability to recognize danger signs of childhood illness. Socioeconomic development of the urban poor may overcome their financial constraints to seek 'appropriate' and 'prompt' care during the childhood illness

Trauma and the Periodontal Tissues: A Narrative Review

The health of the periodontium including the soft tissues – gingiva and periodontal ligament; and the hard tissues – cementum and alveolar bone is of key importance in the overall homeostasis of the dentition. Injury to the periodontal tissues in any form such as microbial, physical, thermal, chemical, mechanical, occlusal and habitual injury affects the harmony of the periodontal attachment apparatus thereby altering the entire functioning of the dentition. The type of tissue damage when trauma is unintentional and iatrogenic tends to be acute and self-limiting. On the other hand, mechanical and occlusal forces could result in chronic damage. This book chapter provides a review on the various forms of non-microbial trauma to the periodontal tissues, their clinical manifestations and its management

Immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome in association with HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis: Views over hidden possibilities

Gut immune components are severely compromised among persons with AIDS, which allows increased translocation of bacterial lipopolysaccharides (LPS) into the systemic circulation. These microbial LPS are reportedly increased in chronically HIV-infected individuals and findings have correlated convincingly with measures of immune activation. Immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS) is an adverse consequence of the restoration of pathogen-specific immune responses in a subset of HIV-infected subjects with underlying latent infections during the initial months of highly active antiretroviral treatment (HAART). Whether IRIS is the result of a response to a high antigen burden, an excessive response by the recovering immune system, exacerbated production of pro-inflammatory cytokines or a lack of immune regulation due to inability to produce regulatory cytokines remains to be determined. We theorize that those who develop IRIS have a high burden of proinflammatory cytokines produced also in response to systemic bacterial LPS that nonspecifically act on latent mycobacterial antigens. We also hypothesize that subjects that do not develop IRIS could have developed either tolerance (anergy) to persistent LPS/tubercle antigens or could have normal FOXP3+ gene and that those with defective FOXP3+ gene or those with enormous plasma LPS could be vulnerable to IRIS. The measure of microbial LPS, anti-LPS antibodies and nonspecific plasma cytokines in subjects on HAART shall predict the role of these components in IRIS

Port-site metastases following robotic radical cystectomy: A systematic review and management options

BACKGROUND: Port-site metastases (PSM) are a rare occurrence in robotic surgery. For robot assisted radical cystectomy (RARC), isolated cases have been reported but management has not been described previously. We present a case of PSM that occurred after RARC and perform the results of our systematic review of previously reported port site metastases, and describe treatment options. METHODS: We describe a case of a PSM in a 55-year old gentleman who underwent intracorporeal RARC. We performed a systematic review of MEDLINE and EMBASE databases for previously reported PSMs, detailing the stage and grade of the primary tumour, time to presentation of PSM, treatment offered and outcomes for the identified cases. RESULTS: We identified four cases of PSMs following RARC in the literature, and included our case for analysis. All five cases had muscle invasive bladder cancer at time of cystectomy (>T2) and three of them had local lymph node positive disease. Our aggressive treatment of chemotherapy, wide surgical excision of PSM and radiotherapy has provided the patient a two-year disease-free status. CONCLUSION: PSMs are a rare event in RARC, with only four other cases described in the literature. Outcomes have are not well reported for all of these cases, and we propose that a multi-modality treatment consisting of salvage chemotherapy, surgery and radiotherapy should be considered, but concessions have to be made taking patient factors into account