cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Integrated high-power electro-optic lens/scanner for space-based platforms

Dynamic scanning and focusing of a laser beam using a robust integrated solid state platform is desirable for many space-based applications including free-space optical communications, target tracking, and optical data storage/processing. Electro-optic devices offer promise as an ideal platform for such applications. However, the relatively low focal powers and scan angles of existing electro-optic devices have limited their use in these areas. Recently, we have applied state of the art fabrication techniques and design optimization to achieve the first integrated lens and scanner device capable of collimating and focusing beams with input diameters of a few microns, then scanning the beam through a large angular range (nearly 20 degrees). The device, fabricated in a bulk LiTaO3 crystal, is deal for coupling light into or out of channel waveguide or fiber optic systems. We will discuss the expected performance of the existing device in a radiation environment for space-based applications. In addition, we will discuss the expected performance of similarly optimized devices fabricated in other ferroelectric materials, radiation hardened and otherwise.© (2000) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Vasopressin Receptor Antagonists

The first non-peptide vasopressin receptor antagonist (VRA) was recently approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration, and several others are now in late stages of clinical development. Phase 3 trials indicate that these agents predictably reduce urine osmolality, increase electrolyte-free water excretion, and raise serum sodium concentration. They are likely to become a mainstay of treatment of euvolemic and hypervolemic hyponatremia. Although tachyphylaxis to the hydro-osmotic effect of these agents does not appear to occur, their use is accompanied by an increase in thirst, and they do not always eliminate altogether the need for water restriction during treatment of hyponatremia. Experience with use of these agents for treatment of acute, severe, life-threatening hyponatremia as well as chronic hyponatremia is limited. Further studies are needed to determine how they are best used in these situations, but the risk of overly rapid correction of hyponatremia seems low. Results of long-term trials to determine the ability of VRAs to reduce morbidity or mortality in congestive heart failure or to slow the progression of polycystic kidney disease are awaited with great interest.
Understanding the Geomagnetic Precursor of the Solar Cycle

Geomagnetic activity late in the sunspot cycle has been used successfully to forecast the amplitude of the following cycle. This success is somewhat surprising, however, because the recurrent high-speed wind streams that trigger the activity are not proxies of the Sun's polar fields, whose strength is a critical factor in many solar dynamo models. Instead, recurrent geomagnetic activity signals increases in the Sun's equatorial dipole moment, which decays on the ~1-2 yr timescale of the surface meridional flow and does not survive into the next cycle. In accordance with the original empirical method of Ohl, we therefore argue that solar cycle predictions should be based on the minimum level of geomagnetic activity, which is determined by the Sun's axial dipole strength, not on the peak activity during the declining phase of the cycle. On physical grounds, we suggest that an even better indicator would be the total open flux (or strength of the radial interplanetary field component) at sunspot minimum, which in turn can be derived from the historical aa index by removing the contribution of the solar wind speed. This predictor yields a peak yearly sunspot number R max = 97 ± 25 for solar cycle 24.
System crosstalk measurement of a time-sequential 3D display using ideal shutter glasses

The market of stereoscopic 3D TV grows up fast recently; however, for 3D TV really taking off, the interoperability of shutter glasses (SG) to view different TV sets must be solved, so we developed a measurement method with ideal shutter glasses (ISG) to separate time-sequential stereoscopic displays and SG. For measuring the crosstalk from time-sequential stereoscopic 3D displays, the influences from SG must be eliminated. The advantages are that the sources to crosstalk are distinguished, and the interoperability of SG is broadened. Hence, this paper proposed ideal shutter glasses, whose non-ideal properties are eliminated, as a platform to evaluate the crosstalk purely from the display. In the ISG method, the illuminance of the display was measured in time domain to analyze the system crosstalk SCT of the display. In this experiment, the ISG method was used to measure SCT with a high-speed-response illuminance meter. From the time-resolved illuminance signals, the slow time response of liquid crystal leading to SCT is visualized and quantified. Furthermore, an intriguing phenomenon that SCT measured through SG increases with shortening view distance was observed, and it may arise from LC leakage of the display and shutter leakage at large view angle. Thus, we measured how LC and shutter leakage depending on view angle and verified our argument. Besides, we used the ISG method to evaluate two displays.
Mitogen-activated protein phosphorylation in endothelial cells exposed to hyperosmolar conditions.

The effect of hyperosmolarity on the induction of the mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) was studied in bovine aortic endothelial cell (EC). Different types of agents were used to differentiate the effects of osmolarity from other variables. Hypertonic treatment with physiologically relevant levels of NaCl (350 mOsm/kg H(2)O) significantly increased the level of expression of p38 within 2 min, and ERK-1/2 and JNK after 10 min. The inductions peaked between 30 and 60 min and returned to baseline levels within 2 h. A similar pattern of induction occurred with ionic contrast agent. p38 induction by glucose and mannitol showed a similar pattern, although the level of ERK-1/2 phosphorylation was not as robust, and JNK was not induced by glucose. Urea did not affect the level of induction of the MAPK isoforms. It is concluded that MAPK plays an important role in hyperosmolality-induced signal transduction. Different osmotic agents induce MAPK expression differently. No MAPK induction with urea implies that cell shrinkage may be an important component of hyperosmolality-induced MAPK phosphorylation.
Concise Review: Drug Discovery in the Age of the Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell

For decades, the paradigm of drug discovery and development has relied on immortalized cell lines, animal models of human disease, and clinical trials. With the discovery of induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology in 2007, a new human in vitro drug testing platform has potentially augmented this set of tools by providing additional ways to screen compounds for safety and efficacy. The growing number of human disease models made with patient-specific iPSCs has made it possible to conduct research on a wide range of disorders, including rare diseases and those with multifactorial origin, as well as to simulate drug effects on difficult-to-obtain tissues such as brain and cardiac muscle. Toxicity and teratogenicity assays developed with iPSC-derived cells can also provide an additional layer of safety before advancing drugs to clinical trials. The incorporation of iPSC technology into drug therapy development holds promise as a more powerful and nuanced approach to personalized medicine.
Attenuation correction for small animal SPECT imaging using x-ray CT data

Photon attenuation in small animal nuclear medicine scans can be significant when using isotopes that emit lower energy photons such as iodine-125. We have developed a method to use microCT data to perform attenuation corrected small animal single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). A microCT calibration phantom was first imaged, and the resulting calibration curve was used to convert microCT image values to linear attenuation coefficient values that were then used in an iterative SPECT reconstruction algorithm. This method was applied to reconstruct a SPECT image of a uniform phantom filled with {sup 125}I-NaI. Without attenuation correction, the image suffered a 30% decrease in intensity in the center of the image, which was removed with the addition of attenuation correction. This reduced the relative standard deviation in the region of interest from 10% to 6%.
Partial polymorphic type inference and higher-order unification

We show that the problem of partial type inference in the nth-order polymorphic l-calculus is equivalent to nth-order unification. On the one hand, this means that partial type inference in polymorphic l-calculi of order 2 or higher is undecidable. On the other hand, higher-order unification is often tractable in practice, and our translation entails a very useful algorithm for partial type inference in the o-order polymorphic l-calculus. We present an implementation in lProlog in full.
Stability of the monoclinic and orthorhombic phases of LiMnO2 with temperature, oxygen partial pressure, and Al doping

Abstract The monoclinic and orthorhombic ordered-rocksalt polymorphs of LiMnO2 are of interest as high-capacity cathode materials for rechargeable Li batteries. The relative stability of the monoclinic and orthorhombic phases has been studied as a function of firing temperature, oxygen partial pressure, and Al doping. Control of temperature and oxygen partial pressure is crucial in order to obtain the LiAlyMn1−yO2 phases while minimizing impurity phases such as LiMn2O4, Li2MnO3, and Mn3O4. The solid solubility of Al in LiMnO2 has been determined to reach a maximum of 5–7% at 950°C and PO2=10−7 atm. The existence of a maximum in Al solid solubility is attributed to the competing stability of γ-LiAlO2 at higher temperatures. A phase stability mechanism for the monoclinic phase upon Al-doping is proposed.
Two regions of sulfonylurea receptor specify the spontaneous bursting and ATP inhibition of KATP channel isoforms.

Abstract KATP channels are heteromultimers of KIR6.2 and a sulfonylurea receptor, SUR, an ATP binding cassette (ABC) protein with several isoforms. KIR6.2 forms a channel pore whose spontaneous activity and ATP sensitivity are modulated by the receptor via an unknown interaction(s). Side by side comparison of single-channel kinetics and steady-state ATP inhibition of human β-cell, SUR1/KIR6.2,versus cardiac, SUR2A/KIR6.2 channels demonstrate that the latter have a greater mean burst duration and open probability in the absence of nucleotides and ∼4-fold higher IC50(ATP). We have used matched chimeras of SUR1 and SUR2A to show that the kinetics, which determine the maximal open probability (Pomax), and the ATP sensitivity are functionally separable and to identify the two segments of SUR responsible for these isoform differences. A region within the first five transmembrane domains specifies the interburst kinetics, whereas a C-terminal segment determines the sensitivity to inhibitory ATP. The separable effects of SUR on ATP inhibition and channel kinetics implies that the cytoplasmic C terminus of SUR either directly modulates the affinity of a weak ATP binding site on the inward rectifier or affects linkage between the binding site and the gate. This is the first identification of parts of an ABC protein that interact with an ion channel subunit to modulate the spontaneous activity and ATP sensitivity of the heteromeric channel.
Block-level designs of die-to-wafer bonded 3D ICs and their design quality tradeoffs

In 3D ICs, block-level designs provide various advantages over designs done at other granularity such as gate-level because they promote the reuse of IP blocks. In this paper, we study block-level 3D-IC designs, where the footprint of the dies in the stack are different. This happens in case of die-to-wafer bonding, which is more popular choice for near-term low-cost 3D designs. We study design quality tradeoffs among three different ways to place through-silicon vias (TSVs): TSV-farm, TSV-distributed, and TSV-whitespace. In our holistic approach, we use wirelength, power, performance, temperature, and mechanical stress metrics to conduct comprehensive comparative studies on the three design styles. In addition, we provide analysis on the impact of TSV size and pitch on the design quality of these three styles.
The genetics of multiple sclerosis. A review.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is characterized by chronic inflammation and demyelination in the central nervous system (CNS). Although the etiology of MS is unknown, both genetic and environmental contributions to the pathogenesis are inferred from epidemiologic studies. Geographic distributions and epidemics of MS and data from migration studies provide evidence for some, thus far unidentified, environmental effects. The co-occurrence of MS with high and low frequencies in ethnic groups often sharing an environment, the increased recurrence rate in families, and the high concordance rate among identical twins point to inheritable determinants of susceptibility. Based on the autoimmune hypothesis of demyelination, genetic studies sought associations between MS and polymorphic alleles of candidate genes which regulate either the immune response or myelin production. The most consistent finding in case-control studies was the association with the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) (also called human leukocyte antigen--HLA) class II, DR15, DQ6, Dw2 haplotype. Studies on other gene products encoded within or close to the MHC complex on chromosome 6p21.3 (e.g., HLA DP, complement components, transporter proteins, tumor necrosis factor, and myelin-oligodendrocyte glycoprotein) resulted in conflicting observations in different patient populations. The potential contribution of polymorphic alleles within the genes of the T-cell receptor alpha beta chains, immunoglobulins, cytokines, and oligodendrocyte growth factors or their receptors to MS susceptibility either remains equivocal or is rejected. Studies on families with multiple affected members have revealed that MS is a complex trait, that the contribution of individual genes to susceptibility is probably small, and that differences are possible between familial and sporadic forms. The development of molecular and computer technologies have facilitated the performance of comprehensive genomic scans in multiplex families, which have confirmed the possible linkage of multiple loci to susceptibility, each with a minor contribution. Several provisional sites were reported, but only 6p21 (MHC complex), 5p14, and 17q22 were positive in more than one study. The British update demonstrated segregation among regions of interest depending on DR15 sharing, and excluded a gene of major effect from 95%, and one with a moderate effect from 65% of the genome. The extended study by the US collaboration group revealed that the MHC linkage was limited to families segregating HLA DR2 alleles, which suggested that linkage to the MHC is related to the HLA DR2 association, and that sporadic and familial MS share at least one common susceptibility marker. Further identification of MS susceptibility loci may involve additional family sets, more polymorphic markers, and the exploration of telomeric chromosomal regions. Data from these studies may further elucidate pathogenic mechanisms of MS.
Postural correction reduces hip pain in adult with acetabular dysplasia: A case report

Developmental dysplasia of the hip is often diagnosed in infancy, but less severe cases of acetabular dysplasia are being detected in young active adults. The purpose of this case report is to present a non-surgical intervention for a 31-year-old female with mild acetabular dysplasia and an anterior acetabular labral tear. The patient presented with right anterior hip and groin pain, and she stood with the trunk swayed posterior to the pelvis (swayback posture). The hip pain was reproduced with the anterior impingement test. During gait, the patient maintained the swayback posture and reported 6/10 hip pain. Following correction of the patient's posture, the patient's pain rating was reduced to a 2/10 while walking. The patient was instructed to maintain the improved posture. At the 1 year follow-up, she demonstrated significantly improved posture in standing and walking. She had returned to recreational running and was generally pain-free. The patient demonstrated improvement on self-reported questionnaires for pain, function, and activity. These findings suggest that alteration of posture can have an immediate and lasting effect on hip pain in persons with structural abnormality and labral pathology.
Experimental study on using ionic liquids to upgrade heavy oil

Abstract The effects of ionic liquids on viscosity, hydrocarbon composition and average molecular weight of the heavy oil are investigated. The results indicate that ionic liquids have good viscosity reduction property for the heavy oil. After reaction with ionic liquids, the contents of saturates, aromatics and resins in the heavy oil increase, while the content of asphaltenes decreases. This leads to the decrease of the average molecular weight and the reduction of viscosity of the heavy oil. The results also indicate that metal ion modified ionic liquids have the catalytic effect on upgrading the heavy oil.
Juvenile idiopathic arthritis is associated with potentially pathogenic glycosylation of IgG

Purpose The structure of human IgG includes 2 internal glycans that modulate the conformation and function of the Fc region. Adult-type rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has been associated with an elevated proportion of hypogalactosylated (G0) IgG that exhibits enhanced fixation of complement and greater pathogenicity in experimental murine arthritis. We aimed to determine the profile of IgG glycans in normal children and in those with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), for comparison with healthy adults and adult RA controls.
SMAD4 is essential for generating subtypes of neurons during cerebellar development

Cerebellum development involves the coordinated production of multiple neuronal cell types. The cerebellar primordium contains two germinative zones, the rhombic lip (RL) and the ventricular zone (VZ), which generate different types of glutamatergic and GABAergic neurons, respectively. What regulates the specification and production of glutamatergic and GABAergic neurons as well as the subtypes for each of these two broad classes remains largely unknown. Here we demonstrate with conditional genetic approaches in mice that SMAD4, a major mediator of BMP and TGFβ signaling, is required early in cerebellar development for maintaining the RL and generating subsets of RL-derived glutamatergic neurons, namely neurons of the deep cerebellar nuclei, unipolar brush cells, and the late cohort of granule cell precursors (GCPs). The early cohort of GCPs, despite being deficient for SMAD4, is still generated. In addition, the numbers of GABAergic neurons are reduced in the mutant and the distribution of Purkinje cells becomes abnormal. These studies demonstrate a temporally and spatially restricted requirement for SMAD4 in generating subtypes of cerebellar neurons.
Numerical analysis of dynamical systems

This article reviews the application of various notions from the theory of dynamical systems to the analysis of numerical approximation of initial value problems over long-time intervals. Standard error estimates comparing individual trajectories are of no direct use in this context since the error constant typically grows like the exponential of the time interval under consideration. Instead of comparing trajectories, the effect of discretization on various sets which are invariant under the evolution of the underlying differential equation is studied. Such invariant sets are crucial in determining long-time dynamics. The particular invariant sets which are studied are equilibrium points, together with their unstable manifolds and local phase portraits, periodic solutions, quasi-periodic solutions and strange attractors. Particular attention is paid to the development of a unified theory and to the development of an existence theory for invariant sets of the underlying differential equation which may be used directly to construct an analogous existence theory (and hence a simple approximation theory) for the numerical method.
A general robust adaptive law for tuning controllers

A general robust adaptive law is developed which can stably tune model reference and pole placement control schemes despite the presence of unmodeled dynamics and bounded disturbances.
On propagation speed of evolution equations

Consider the evolution equation [formula] where ap(t) are complex value functions and ap(t) ∈ L1loc(R). We prove that if u ∈ C(R; L2(Rn)) is a solution of (∗) (in the weak sense) and it has compact support in the space Rn at t = t0 for some t0 ∈ R, then in order that u(x, t) has compact support at another time t = t1, it is necessary that ∫t1t0ap(t) dt = 0, for all p ∈ Nn with |p| ≥ 2. (∗∗)With a few more assumptions on the coefficients ap, we show that (∗∗) is also a sufficient condition for the solution u(x, t) to have compact support at t = t1. Then, based on the above result, the necessary and sufficient conditions are given for evolution equation (∗) to have finite propagation speed or infinite propagation speed.
Simultaneous injection locking of couples of high-power broad-area lasers driven by a common current source

We experimentally demonstrate the simultaneous injection locking of pairs of high-power broad-area laser diodes in a 19-laser array driven by a common current source. Each pair is injection locked by use of a single-mode low-power semiconductor laser. The frequency and phase locking are verified by the optical spectrum and the interference pattern between the injection-locked lasers. The influence of frequency detuning on the (simultaneous) injection behavior has been experimentally clarified. We validate a necessary condition for the injection locking of a broad-area laser array.
Geographic and Temporal Variation in Numbers of Myomeres in Fish Larvae from the Lower Mississippi River

Abstract There was statistically significant geographic and temporal variation in numbers of myomeres in larval freshwater drum Aplodinotus grunniens, river carpsucker Carpiodes carpio, and bluegill Lepomis macrochirus collected throughout the 1978 spawning season from the Mississippi River at Eudora, Arkansas, and St. Francisville, Louisiana. The mean number of total myomeres in each species usually was higher at St. Francisville than 400 river kilometers north at Eudora. Freshwater drum larvae at Eudora had fewest myomeres during periods of warmer water temperatures; freshwater drums at St. Francisville, and river carpsuckers and bluegills at both locations, had either stable or fluctuating myomere counts as the season progressed. Such variation in diagnostic characters should be accounted for when local or regional keys are constructed for fish larvae.
New issue dividend reinvestment plans and the cost of equity capital

Abstract The cost of equity capital raised through new issue dividend reinvestment plans (NIDRPs) is greater than the cost of retention-financed equity capital but is less than the cost of stock-financed equity capital when shares are sold through the NIDRP at their market value. Selling shares through an NIDRP at a discount from market value results in a transfer of wealth from nonparticipants to participants, raises the cost of NIDRP-financed equity capital, and, when the discount becomes large enough, makes NIDRP-financed equity capital even more expensive than stock-financed equity capital.
Reproducibility of gas chromatography–mass spectrometry measurements of 2H labeling of water: Application for measuring body composition in mice

Deuterium-labeled water (2H2O) has emerged as a novel isotope tracer. Following the administration of 2H2O, it is possible to study the dynamics of carbohydrate, protein, lipid, and DNA and to determine body composition. Those studies require reliable measurements of the 2H labeling of water. Although simple gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) methods have been developed for measuring the 2H enrichment of biological fluids, investigators have not reported on the intra- and/or interdaily variability of the measurements. We have experimentally examined the reproducibility of one GC-MS method for measuring the 2H labeling of water. Briefly, hydrogen (deuterium) atoms in water were exchanged with those bound to acetone, and the 2H labeling of acetone was then determined under electron impact ionization. We found that the coefficient of variation is generally less than 0.5% when water is labeled between 0 and 2.8 mole percentage excess 2H. We demonstrated that this highly reproducible result allows one to use 2H2O and the "acetone method" to measure physiological parameters such as body composition in mice.
Monensin Mediates a Rapid and Selective Transport of Pb2+ POSSIBLE APPLICATION OF MONENSIN FOR THE TREATMENT OF Pb2+ INTOXICATION

Abstract The carboxylic acid ionophore monensin, known as an electroneutral Na+ ionophore, an anticoccidial agent, and a growth-promoting feed additive in agriculture, is shown to be highly efficient as an ionophore for Pb2+ and to be highly selective for Pb2+ compared with other divalent cations. Monensin transports Pb2+ by an electroneutral mechanism in which the complex PbMonOH is the transporting species. Electrogenic transport via the species PbMon+ may also be possible. Monensin catalyzed Pb2+ transport is little affected by Ca2+, Mg2+, or K+concentrations that are encountered in living systems. Na+is inhibitory, but its effectiveness at 100 mm does not exceed ∼50%. The poor activity of monensin as an ionophore for divalent cations other than Pb2+ is consistent with the pattern of complex formation constants observed in the mixed solvent 80% methanol/water. This pattern also explains why Ca2+, Mg2+, and K+ are ineffective as inhibitors of Pb2+ transport, but it does not fully explain the actions of Na+, where kinetic features of the transport mechanism may also be important. When given to rats at 100 ppm in feed together with Pb2+ at 100 ppm in drinking water, monensin reduces Pb accumulation in several organs and tissues. It also accelerates the excretion of Pb that was accumulated previously and produces this effect without depleting the organs of zinc or copper. Monensin, used alone or in combination with other agents, may be useful for the treatment of Pb intoxication.
A reliability index for models

Abstract Since the prediction of environmental changes depends heavily on mathematical models, environmental planners have a definite need for a general test that can be easily applied to determine the reliability of a model or to choose between available models. In this paper a ‘reliability index’ for a model is defined. This index is a number k ⩾ 1 which is determined from a set x 1 , x 2 ,…, x n of model predictions and a corresponding set y 1 , y 2 ,…, y n of observations. One interpretation of the index k is that the model predictions agree with observations, in some sense, within a factor of k. The index k is defined using an intuitive, geometric approach and is justified through agreement with another index developed using statistical techniques. Examples are given for a model which predicts the atmospheric movement of radon-222 originating from a concentrated source of radium-226, such as a uranium tailings pile.
Collagen-binding Microbial Surface Components Recognizing Adhesive Matrix Molecule (MSCRAMM) of Gram-positive Bacteria Inhibit Complement Activation via the Classical Pathway

Members of a family of collagen-binding microbial surface components recognizing adhesive matrix molecules (MSCRAMMs) from Gram-positive bacteria are established virulence factors in several infectious diseases models. Here, we report that these adhesins also can bind C1q and act as inhibitors of the classical complement pathway. Molecular analyses of Cna from Staphylococcus aureus suggested that this prototype MSCRAMM bound to the collagenous domain of C1q and interfered with the interactions of C1r with C1q. As a result, C1r2C1s2 was displaced from C1q, and the C1 complex was deactivated. This novel function of the Cna-like MSCRAMMs represents a potential immune evasion strategy that could be used by numerous Gram-positive pathogens.
Hepatitis C virus infection and bone marrow transplantation: a cohort study with 10-year follow-up.

Before the introduction of routine blood donor screening in 1991, marrow transplant recipients were at significant transfusion-associated risk for infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV). We followed a cohort of 355 patients undergoing transplant in Seattle during 1987 to 1988 to determine (1) the impact of pretransplant HCV infection on the occurrence and severity of venocclusive disease (VOD); (2) the impact of HCV infection on liver dysfunction, other than VOD, occurring between 21 and 60 days after transplantation; and (3) the natural history of post-transplant HCV liver disease with a 10-year follow-up. HCV-RNA status was determined on serum stored before transplant and at day 100 post-transplant. Sixty-two (17%) patients were HCV-RNA positive before transplant, and 113 (32%) were HCV-RNA positive by day 100 post-transplant (or before death). Severe VOD developed in 22 of 46 (48%) evaluable patients with pretransplant HCV infection and in 150 of 229 (14%) evaluable patients without HCV (P 10 times the upper limit of normal) developed at a mean of 136 +/- 58 days in 31% of HCV-positive patients; no patients developed fulminant hepatitis. Between 5 and 10 years after transplant, 57% of HCV-positive and 6% of HCV-negative patients had mild to moderate elevations of AST (P <. 0001), but HCV infection was not associated with excess mortality between 3 and 10 years after bone marrow transplantation. In summary, HCV infection with elevated AST levels is a significant risk factor for severe VOD after marrow transplant. However, the decision to proceed to transplantation in HCV-positive patients must balance the absolute risk of death from VOD against the risks of the underlying disease. In long-term survivors, HCV infection is not associated with excess mortality over 10 years of follow-up.
Facile reduction of carbon monoxide in zeolites by ionic sodium clusters

Ionic alkali clusters such as Na43+ produced as (dark purple) zeolites under mild conditions efficiently activate carbon monoxide even at −130 ° C. The well-resolved ESR spectra showing both23Na and13C hyperfine splittings provide structural insight into the initial CO interaction.
Opportunities and barriers for smaller portions in food service: lessons from marketing and behavioral economics

This paper uses the frameworks and evidence from marketing and behavioral economics to highlight the opportunities and barriers for portion control in food service environments. Applying Kahneman's ‘thinking fast and slow' concepts, it describes 10 strategies that can be effective in ‘tricking' the consumer's fast cognitive system to make better decisions and in triggering the slow cognitive system to help prevent the fast system from making bad decisions. These strategies include shrinking defaults, elongating packages, increasing the visibility of small portions, offering more mixed virtue options, adding more small sizes, offering ‘right-sized' standard portions, using meaningful size labels, adopting linear pricing, using temporal landmarks to push smaller portions and facilitating pre-commitment. For each of these strategies, I discuss the specific cost and revenue barriers that a food service operator would face if the strategy were adopted.
The biology and therapy of adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

BACKGROUND Much progress has been made in understanding the biology of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). This has translated into the recognition of several subgroups of ALL and the institution of risk-adapted therapies. New therapies are emerging based on the definition of specific cytogenetic-molecular abnormalities. METHODS A review from the English literature, including original articles and related reviews from Medline (Pubmed) and abstracts based on publication of meeting material, was performed. RESULTS Changes in the pathologic classification of ALL have led to therapeutic consequences. Adaptation of successful treatment strategies in children with ALL has resulted in similar complete response rates in adults. Prognosis has especially improved in mature–B-cell and T-lineage ALL. The role of tyrosine kinase inhibitors in Philadelphia chromosome–positive ALL was evaluated in the current study. However, regardless of the ALL subgroup, long-term survival of adults is still inferior to that in children. CONCLUSIONS Intense clinical and laboratory research is attempting to close the gap in outcome between children and adults with ALL. Investigations are focusing on 1) refinement of the basic treatment stratagem of induction, consolidation, and maintenance; 2) expansion of risk-based, subgroup-oriented therapies; 3) assessment of minimal residual disease, its impact on disease recurrence, and its practical implications in clinical practice; 4) salvage strategies; 5) the role of stem cell transplantation in ALL; and 6) the development of new drugs based on a better understanding of disease biology. Cancer 2003;98:1337–54. © 2003 American Cancer Society.
Schrödinger equation for a dirac bubble potential

Abstract The quantum-mechanical problem of a particle moving in a “Dirac bubble potential” U ( r ) = (λ/ r o )δ( r - r o ) is solved exactly for both bound and continuum states by making use of partial wave Green's functions G l ( r , r 0 , k ). Phase shifts are expressed in a compact form related to those for an impenetrable sphere.
Does India Have History? Does History Have India?

It was the unanimous opinion of the early Orientalists of British India that India had no history, at least in the sense of historical writings. Like every consensus, it contained many variations of detail, as we shall see, but as the view of experts it was widely influential for a long time. For example, R. C. Majumdar gave a thoughtful version of this view at the beginning of the multivolume History and Culture of the Indian People (Majumdar 1951) by Indian scholars, published shortly after independence. But the consensus was eroded by the rise of what we may call the “colonial knowledge” paradigm, which asserted a close connection between European rule and European knowledge of India. It tended to discredit the old consensus and to lighten the specific gravity of Orientalist knowledge, simplifying it as an object of historical explanation. This development has cleared an opening, in recent decades, for a rush of new studies tending to create an opposing consensus, that India did have history of a kind, it being the task of scholars to explicate what kind, exactly, that was (for example, Pathak 1966; Warder 1972; Thapar 1992; Wagoner 1993; Ali, ed. 1999; Narayana Rao, Shulman, and Subrahmanyam 2001; Guha 2004; Mantena 2007). This in itself has been very much to the good, by reopening questions that had been closed by the old consensus. The old consensus itself, by contrast, was dismissed without much examination, and was attributed to colonial interest, cultural misunderstanding, or insufficient grasp of Indian languages and literatures. The old consensus now is seen as a simple ideological projection, easily explained and dismissed, with little complexity or interest for historical investigation. But this simplifying action of the prevailing paradigm renders invisible some of the very real effects of the old consensus, effects whose explanation can be very valuable to us. In order to gain the benefit it holds we have to take it seriously, trying both to explain it historically and to decide whether or in what way it is true.
IL-18 and IL-33 elicit Th2 cytokines from basophils via a MyD88- and p38α-dependent pathway

IL-4 and IL-13 are instrumental in the development and progression of allergy and atopic disease. Basophils represent a key source of these cytokines and produce IL-4 and IL-13 when stimulated with IL-18, a member of the IL-1 family of cytokines. Comparative analyses of the effects of caspase-1-dependent IL-1 family cytokines on basophil IL-4 and IL-13 production have not been performed, and the signaling pathway proteins required for FceRI-independent Th2 cytokine production from basophils remain incompletely defined. Using mouse bone marrow-derived cultured basophils, we found that IL-4 and IL-13 are produced in response to IL-18 or IL-33 stimulation. IL-18- or IL-33-mediated Th2 cytokine production is dependent on MyD88 and p38α signaling proteins. In addition, basophil survival increased in the presence of IL-18 or IL-33 as a result of increased Akt activation. Studies in vivo confirmed the potency of IL-18 and IL-33 in activating cytokine release from mouse basophils.
Changes in serum cortisol and prolactin associated with acupuncture during controlled ovarian hyperstimulation in women undergoing in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer treatment.

Objective To determine whether changes in serum cortisol (CORT) and PRL are affected by acupuncture (Ac) in Ac-treated IVF patients. Design Prospective cohort clinical study. Setting Private practice reproductive endocrinology and infertility clinic and private practice acupuncture consortium. Patient(s) Sixty-seven reproductive-age infertile women undergoing IVF. Intervention(s) Blood samples were obtained from all consenting new infertility patients and serum CORT and serum PRL were obtained prospectively. Patients were grouped as controls (IVF with no Ac) and treated (IVF with Ac) according to acupuncture protocols derived from randomized controlled trials. Main Outcome Measure(s) Serum levels of CORT and PRL were measured and synchronized with medication stimulation days of the IVF cycle (e.g., day 2 of stimulation, day 3, etc.). Reproductive outcomes were collected according to Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology protocols, and results were compared between controls and those patients treated with Ac. Result(s) CORT levels in Ac group were significantly higher on IVF medication days 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, and 13 compared with controls. PRL levels in the Ac group were significantly higher on IVF medication days 5, 6, 7, and 8 compared with controls. Conclusion(s) In this study, there appears to be a beneficial regulation of CORT and PRL in the Ac group during the medication phase of the IVF treatment with a trend toward more normal fertile cycle dynamics.
Gender dimorphism in cardiac adaptation to hypertension is unveiled by prior treatment and efficacy

Abstract Prior antihypertensive treatment and its efficacy should be considered in population studies designed to evaluate the impact of LV hypertrophy or its regression, along with age, race, weight, and body surface area.
Interactive simulation of the NIST USAR arenas

We are developing interactive simulations of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Reference Test Facility for Autonomous Mobile Robots (Urban Search and Rescue). The NIST USAR Test Facility is a standardized disaster environment consisting of three scenarios of progressive difficulty: Yellow, Orange, and Red arenas. The USAR task focuses on robot behaviors, and physical interaction with standardized but disorderly rubble filled environments. The simulation will be used to test and evaluate designs for teleoperation interfaces and robot sensing and cooperation that will subsequently be incorporated into experimental robots. This paper describes our novel simulation approach using an inexpensive game engine to rapidly construct a visually and dynamically accurate simulation for both individual robots and robot teams.
Is the extent of glaciation limited by marine gas-hydrates

Methane may have been released to the atmosphere during the Quaternary from Arctic shelf gas-hydrates as a result of thermal decomposition caused by climatic warming and rising sea-level; this release of methane (a greenhouse gas) may represent a positive feedback on global warming. The authors consider the response to sea-level changes by the immense amount of gas-hydrate that exists in continental rise sediments, and suggest that the reverse situation may apply - that release of methane trapped in the deep-sea sediments as gas-hydrates may provide a negative feedback to advancing glaciation. Methane is likely to be released from deep-sea gas-hydrates as sea-level falls because methane gas-hydrates decompose with pressure decrease. Methane would be released to sediment pore space at shallow sub-bottom depths (100's of meters beneath the seafloor, commonly at water depths of 500 to 4,000 m) producing zones of markedly decreased sediment strength, leading to slumping and abrupt release of the gas. Methane is likely to be released to the atmosphere in spikes that become larger and more frequent as glaciation progresses. Because addition of methane to the atmosphere warms the planet, this process provides a negative feedback to glaciation, and could trigger deglaciation.
Joint image coding and image authentication based on absolute moment block truncation coding

A joint image coding and image authentication scheme based on absolute moment block truncation coding (AMBTC) is pro- posed. In the proposed scheme, the authentication data is generated by using the pseudo random sequence. Then, the authentication codes are embedded into the bit maps of AMBTC-compressed image blocks. The embedded bit maps and these quantization levels are further losslessly compressed to cut down the required storage cost. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed scheme achieves good image quality of the embedded image while keeping good detecting accuracy. © 2013 SPIE and IS&T (DOI: 10.1117/1.JEI .22.1.013012)
Alignment of Instruction, Expectations, and Accountability Testing for Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder:

Current large-scale assessment and accountability policies in the United States emphasize the need for all students to be appropriately included. However, there are many challenges to effective inclusion. Students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) exhibit unique social communication and behavior challenges that can hinder their effective inclusion in instruction and testing. However, no studies have systematically examined how this unique group of students is currently included in accountability programs. A statewide representative sample of 191 teachers selected a student with ASD and reported on (a) the extent to which the student received instruction according to the general curriculum, (b) the teacher’s academic expectations for the student, and (c) the method by which the student participated in accountability testing. Results indicated that many students were reported to rarely receive instruction according to the general curriculum, and many were reported to participate in an alternate assessment.
Evaluation of Rare-Earth Modified ZrB2–SiC Ablation Resistance Using an Oxyacetylene Torch

Rare-earth modified ZrB2–SiC coatings were prepared via mechanical mixing Sm2O3 or Tm2O3 powders with spray-dried ZrB2, or by chemically doping samarium ions into spray-dried ZrB2. In either approach, SiC powders were also added and coatings were fabricated via shrouded air plasma spray. An oxyacetylene torch was utilized to evaluate the coatings under high heat flux conditions for hold times of 30 and 60 s. The resulting phases and microstructures were evaluated as a function of rare-earth type, modification approach, and ablation time. A brittle m-ZrO2 scale was observed in the ZrB2/SiC-only coating after ablative tests; during cooling this scale detached from the unreacted coating. In contrast, rare-earth modified coatings formed a protective oxide scale consisting primarily of either Sm0.2Zr0.8O1.9 or Tm0.2Zr0.8O1.9, along with small amount of m-ZrO2. These rare-earth oxide scales displayed high thermal stability and remained adhered to the unreacted coating during heating and cooling, offering additional oxidation protection.
Antiplatelet therapy after percutaneous coronary intervention.

There is intense interest in the relationship between inflammation, thrombosis, platelet aggregation, and hyperlipidemia in patients with coronary artery disease. The specific role of inflammation wit
The effect of cognitive responses on the attitudes of preservice elementary teachers toward energy conservation

The investigation attempted to determine if subjects' cognitive responses to a persuasive communication are more highly correlated with attitude change than the recall of arguments presented in the communication. Subjects were exposed to a systematically designed persuasive communication and then tested for their retention of arguments presented in the communication and cognitive responses. Attitude change was significantly correlated with cognitive responses elicited immediately following the persuasive communication and cognitive responses recalled three weeks later. There was no significant correlation between recall of communication arguments and attitude change. The results offer a plausible explanation for the contradictory findings reported in the science education literature regarding the dissipation of attitudes changed using persuasive communication.
Management of the Skin and Soft Tissue in the Geriatric Surgical Patient

Aging has significant effects on the healing ability of the geriatric population. When the elderly suffer injuries, they have a decreased metabolic reserve to handle the stress required to recover. Diseases of the elderly, such as malnutrition, diabetes mellitus, treatment of malignancies, and vascular disease, all impair tissue repair. The geriatric population is more prone to pressure ulcers, venous stasis ulcers, and other chronic wounds. This review discusses how changes in the elderly lead to impaired healing or chronic wounds. Prevention of these problems and their treatment are also discussed.
Feedback control of spacecraft large-angle maneuvers using reaction wheels and on-off thrusters

The large-angle maneuver problem with reaction wheels and on-off thrusters is addressed. On-off thrusters are used for the maneuver in the large, and the final attitude acquisition is performed by reaction wheels. Nonideal thruster operations are considered and analyzed.
Single-dose safety and pharmacokinetic evaluation of fluorocoxib A: pilot study of novel cyclooxygenase-2-targeted optical imaging agent in a canine model.

We evaluated preclinical single-dose safety, pharmacokinetic properties, and specific uptake of the new optical imaging agent fluorocoxib A in dogs. Fluorocoxib A, N-[(5-carboxy-X-rhodaminyl)but-4-yl]-2-[1-(4-chlorobenzoyl)-5-methoxy-2-methyl-1H-indol-3-yl]acetamide, selectively binds and inhibits the cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) enzyme, which is overexpressed in many cancers. Safety pilot studies were performed in research dogs following intravenous (i.v.) administration of 0.1 and 1 mg/kg fluorocoxib A. Blood and urine samples collected three days after administration of each dose of fluorocoxib A revealed no evidence of toxicity, and no clinically relevant adverse events were noted on physical examination of exposed dogs over that time period. Pharmacokinetic parameters were assessed in additional research dogs from plasma collected at several time points after i.v. administration of fluorocoxib A using high-performance liquid chromatography analysis. The pharmacokinetic studies using 1 mg/kg showed a peak of fluorocoxib A (92±28 ng/ml) in plasma collected at 0.5 h. Tumor specific uptake of fluorocoxib A was demonstrated using a dog diagnosed with colorectal cancer expressing COX-2. Our data support the safe single-dose administration and in vivo efficacy of fluorocoxib A, suggesting a high potential for successful translation to clinical use as an imaging agent for improved tumor detection in humans.