cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
ULTRAVIOLET PHOTOCHEMISTRY OF DIACETYLENE WITH ALKYNES AND ALKENES : SPECTROSCOPIC CHARACTERIZATION OF THE PRODUCTS

The primary reaction products formed when metastable diacetylene (C{sub 4}H{sub 2}{sup *}) reacts with ground-state diacetylene (C{sub 4}H{sub 2}), ethylene (C{sub 2}H{sub 4}), and propene (CH{sub 3}{single_bond}CH{double_bond}CH{sub 2}) have been spectroscopically characterized using a laser pump-probe scheme. Reaction is initiated in a constrained expansion which limits reaction times to about 20 {micro}s. The molecular structures of the C{sub 6}H{sub 2} product formed in the C{sub 4}H{sub 2}{sup *} + C{sub 4}H{sub 2} reaction is identified from its R2PI spectrum and two-photon ionization threshold (9.49 {+-} 0.01 eV) as triacetylene (H{single_bond}C{triple_bond}C{single_bond}C{triple_bond}C{single_bond}C{triple_bond}C{single_bond}H). The analogous scans of the C{sub 8}H{sub 2} product show a clear two-photon ionization onset at 9.09 {+-} 0.02 eV, but little resolved vibronic structure above this threshold, consistent with its assignment as tetraacetylene. The R2PI spectra of the C{sub 6}H{sub 4} product formed in the reactions of C{sub 4}H{sub 2}{sup *} with C{sub 2}H{sub 4} and CH{sub 3}{single_bond}CH{double_bond}CH{sub 2} lead to an identification of this product as 1-hexene-3,5-diyne (CH{sub 2}{double_bond}CH{single_bond}C{triple_bond}C{single_bond}C{triple_bond}CH). The C{sub 7}H{sub 6} product formed in the reaction of C{sub 4}H{sub 2}{sup *} with CH{sub 3}{single_bond}CH{double_bond}CH{sub 2} possesses an R2PI spectrum close to that of 1-hexene-3,5-diyne, supporting its identification as a methylated derivative with the same ene-diyne structure.more » Two C{sub 7}H{sub 6} isomers meet this criterion, 5-heptene-1,3-diyne (CH{sub 3}{single_bond}CH{double_bond}CH{sub 2}{single_bond}C{triple_bond}C{single_bond}C{triple_bond}C{single_bond}H) and 2-methyl-1-hexene-3,5-diyne (H{sub 2}C{double_bond}C(CH{sub 3})-C{triple_bond}C{single_bond}C{triple_bond}C{single_bond}H), between which the authors cannot distinguish. Implications for the mechanisms for these C{sub 4}H{sub 2}{sup *} reactions are discussed.« less
High-brightness line generators and fiber-coupled sources based on low-smile laser diode arrays

We describe the performance of diode laser bars mounted on conductive and water cooled platforms using low smile processes. Total smile of <1μm is readily achieved on both In and AuSn based platforms. Combined with environmentally robust lensing, these mounts form the basis of multiple, high-brightness products. Free-space-coupled devices utilizing conductively-cooled bars delivering 100W from a 200μm, 0.22NA fiber at 976nm have been developed for pumping fiber lasers, as well as for materials processing. Additionally, line generators for graphics and materials processing applications have been produced. Starting from single bars mounted on water-cooled packages that do not require de-ionized or pH-controlled water, these line generators deliver over 80W of power into a line with an aspect ratio of 600:1, and have a BPP of <2mm-mrad in the direction orthogonal to the line.
Flat fading channel estimation under generic linear space-time block coded transmissions

Linear space-time block codes (STBC) are well established as an efficient means to improve the performance of wireless MIMO communication systems. Their success is contingent upon the accurate knowledge of the channel parameters. In this paper we present a blind channel estimation scheme for general linear STBC. We furnish a set of identification conditions that are largely verifiable in terms of the code parameters and the antenna array configuration. We also present a simple algorithm to estimate the unknown channel matrix. Finally we supply some simulation results to illustrate the performance of the proposed scheme.
Thrombospondin II: partial cDNA sequence, chromosome location, and expression of a second member of the thrombospondin gene family in humans.

Abstract A novel form of human thrombospondin was identified during the screening of a human fibroblast cDNA library. We report the cDNA sequence for 1.8 kb of the 3′ end of the cDNA, plus an additional 937 bp of 3′-untranslated sequence. The translated sequence reveals a high degree of similarity to thrombospondin I. The homology ranges from 56 to 80% for different regions within the two proteins. The repeating segments of amino acid sequence identified in thrombospondin I were found to be conserved in thrombospondin II. The new form of thrombospondin hybridizes to a 7.5-kb message by Northern analysis. The THBS2 gene is located at the distal long arm of chromosome 6 at 6q27. The gene is transcribed in fibroblasts, smooth muscle cells, and an osteosarcoma cell line, at levels somewhat lower than that of thrombospondin I. Umbilical vein endothelial cells do not transcribe thrombospondin II under the conditions of this study. These findings suggest that previous studies of thrombospondin function need to be reassessed to identify the functions specific to each molecule.
Induction of muscle glutamine synthetase gene expression during endotoxemia is adrenal gland dependent

Skeletal muscle plays a crucial role in maintaining nitrogen homeostasis during health and critical illness by exporting glutamine, the most abundant amino acid in the blood. We hypothesized that induction of glutamine synthetase (GS) expression, the principal enzyme of de novo glutamine biosynthesis, in skeletal muscle after endotoxin administration was adrenal gland dependent. We studied the expression of GS in normal and adrenalectomized rats after intraperitoneal administration of Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Treatment of normal rats with LPS resulted in a marked increase in GS mRNA that was dose and time dependent, and preceded the increase in GS protein and specific activity. The increase in muscle GS mRNA observed in normal rats in response to LPS was abrogated in adrenalectomized rats at 3 h after high dose LPS treatment and markedly attenuated at 5.5 h after low dose LPS treatment. These and other studies implicate glucocorticoid hormones as a key, but not exclusive, regulator of skeletal muscle GS expression after a catabolic insult.
Molecular diversity in phenolic and polyphenolic precursors of tannin-inspired nanocoatings

The strong interfacial properties of selected plant polyphenols were recently exploited in forming functionally versatile nanocoatings via dip-coating. Here, we screened a library of ∼20 natural and synthetic phenols and polyphenols, identifying eight catechol-, gallol- and resorcinol-rich precursors capable of forming coatings. Several newly identified compounds expand the molecular diversity of tannin-inspired coatings.
A theorem on arrangements of lines in the plane

LetA be an arrangement ofn lines in the plane. IfR 1, …,R r arer distinct regions ofA, andR i is ap i-gon (i=1, …,r) then we show that $$\sum\limits_{i = 1}^r {P_i \leqq n + 4} \left( {_2^r } \right)$$ . Further we show that for allr this bound is the best possible ifn is sufficiently large.
Shorter Sleep may be a Risk Factor for Impaired Bone Mass Accrual in Childhood

Abstract The purpose of the study was to investigate whether sleep duration during early childhood was associated with fat mass and bone mineral content (BMC). BMC and fat mass were measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry in children (n=336) aged 4–12yr. Sleep was quantified according to parental report of hours slept at night and napping. The relationship between sleep pattern and body composition was tested using analysis of variance including confounding factors. Based on the sample distribution, children were grouped into tertiles of sleep duration. BMC was greater in children with longer sleep duration ( p =0.02). Age was inversely associated with sleep duration; therefore, the sample was analyzed by age category using age 7 yr as a cut-off point. The relationship remained significant only among younger children. Napping was positively associated with BMC ( p =0.001). Sleep duration was not associated with fat parameters. Longer sleep duration may allow for optimal energy resource partitioning in which bone is favored. Sleep duration of less than 8h may impair bone mass accrual, particularly during periods of rapid growth.
Identification of a Strain of Poliomyelitic Virus from Feces in Non-Paralytic Poliomyelitis. I. Immunologic Tests.

SummaryStrains of virus, recovered from the stools of a child (SK.) with nonparalytic poliomyelitis, produced typical experimental poliomyelitis in Mac. rhesus monkeys. This SK. strain appears to be related immunologically to other strains of poliomyelitis virus recovered from the same epidemic, and to be related to the Aycock strain of 1920, and to some Californian strains of 1934. On the other hand, there appears to be at least some immunologic difference between the SK. strain and the Park strain, two eastern strains of 1931, and strains from Toronto and Cleveland of 1937.The SK. strain produced no corneal reaction in rabbits and no consistent type of infection on intracerebral inoculation into rabbits, guinea pigs, and Swiss mice.These tests yield further evidence, in addition to that already reported,1 that the SK. strain is an example of poliomyelitic virus.
Popularizing The Orient In Fin De Siècle Germany

There has been a good deal of talk, in the years since Edward Said’s Orientalism appeared in 1978 about Europe’s ‘discourse on the Orient’. This presumably coherent set of speech acts and artistic ...
A Direct-Write Printed Antenna on Paper-Based Organic Substrate for Flexible Displays and WLAN Applications

This paper presents the design, fabrication and measurements of a direct-write printed low-cost and flexible inverted-F antenna on an ultra-low-cost paper-based organic substrate for wireless local area network (WLAN) and flexible display applications. Innovations include the study and utilization of paper as a high-frequency substrate for the first time in the gigahertz (GHz) range, the fabrication technology for the direct-write printing of the antenna as a flexible RF electronic device, and the investigation of antenna flexibility in conjunction with flexible displays. Although paper substrates exhibit relatively high dielectric losses (tanδ ~ 0.065 at 2.45 GHz), the maximum realized gain of the fabricated antenna is measured to be + 1.2 dBi giving a total efficiency ~ 82%. Simulated results of the antenna's return loss and radiation patterns agree well with the measurements, and can lead to a whole new class of flexible low-cost electronic devices of the future.
An Exocrine Pancreatic Stress Test with (11)C-Acetate PET and Secretin Stimulation.

The purpose of this study was to develop a noninvasive imaging test of pancreatic exocrine function. Methods: In this pilot study, 5 healthy volunteers underwent two 60-min dynamic 11C-acetate PET studies, one before and one after intravenous secretin administration. Kinetic analysis of the pancreas was performed using a 1-compartment model and an image-derived input function. From summed images, standardized uptake values were measured from the pancreas and the liver, and the pancreas-to-liver ratio was computed. Results: The baseline k1 and k2 data for all 5 volunteers were consistent. After secretin stimulation, the k1 and k2 significantly increased (paired t test P = 0.046 and P = 0.023, respectively). In the summed PET images, the pancreas-to-liver ratio decreased (P = 0.037). Increased 11C-acetate activity was observed in the duodenum after secretin stimulation consistent with secretin-induced secretion. Conclusion:11C-acetate PET studies with secretin stimulation show potential as a noninvasive method for assessing pancreatic exocrine function.
Stokes vectors, Mueller matrices, and polarized scattered light: experimental applications to optical surfaces and all other scatterers

We discuss scattering in the context of the Stokes vectors and Mueller matrices that characterize the interaction. In order to study surface structures using light-scattering techniques it is useful to examine the nature of light scattered from perfect and perturbed mirror surfaces.
Increasing and sustaining participation to support and foster social creativity

The rise in social computing has facilitated a shift from consumer cultures to cultures of participation. These developments represent unique and fundamental opportunities and challenges for social creativity.The CreativeIT Wiki project represents an effort to explore and build a socio-technical environment for members of the emerging research community interested in creativity and information technology.
Analysis of Interactions in Research

The scientific side of psychology has been concerned with describing and understanding human and animal behavior for over a century and a half. The engineering or technological side of psychology, concerned with the treatment of individuals’ illnesses, is beginning its second century. The distinction between science and engineering is important for the study of psychological treatments and the extent of their generality and complementarity. Cronbach (1957) has termed the issue the aptitude-treatment interaction (ATI). These interactions occur at the interface between the psychology of individual differences, the most basic of the psychological sciences, and the therapy and treatment of individuals.
Fuel accumulation and forest structure change following hazardous fuel reduction treatments throughout California

Altered fuel conditions coupled with changing climate have disrupted fire regimes of forests historically characterisedbyhigh-frequencyandlow-to-moderate-severityfire.Managersusefueltreatmentstoabateundesirablefire behaviour and effects. Short-term effectiveness of fuel treatments to alter fire behaviour and effects is well documented; however, long-term effectiveness is not well known. We evaluated surface fuel load, vegetation cover and forest structure beforeandaftermechanicalandfire-onlytreatmentsover8yearsacross11NationalForestsinCalifornia.Eightyearspost treatment, total surface fuel load returned to 67 to 79% and 55 to 103% of pretreatment levels following fire-only and mechanical treatments respectively. Herbaceous or shrub cover exceeded pretreatment levels two-thirds of the time 8yearsaftertreatment.Fire-onlytreatmentswarrantedre-entryat8yearsposttreatmentowingtotheaccumulationoflive and dead fuels and minimal impact on canopy bulk density. In general, mechanical treatments were more effective at reducing canopy bulk density and initially increasing canopy base height than prescribed fire. However, elevated surface fuel loads, canopy base height reductions in later years and lack of restoration of fire as an ecological process suggest that including prescribed fire would be beneficial. Additional keywords: dry mixed conifer, mechanical treatments, moist mixed conifer, prescribed fire, yellow pine.
Energy problems and alternatives: implications for the South.

Though agriculture in the United States has been looked upon as being technically efficient in terms of output per unit of labor, it is not nearly as efficient in terms of output per unit of liquid fuels consumed (Debertin, Pagoulatos, and Boadu; Pagoulatos and Timmons). In this article, we examine the potential for substituting other inputs for liquid fuels in the agricultural production process. Studies of elasticities of substitution between energy and other inputs are reviewed. On the basis of these studies, we suggest possibilities for using other inputs instead of liquid fuels in agriculture. We present recent research results relating fuel use to tractor prices and horsepower. We compare Kentucky counties in terms of their energy use in relation to their mix of agricultural enterprises and mechanization levels. Finally, we speculate on the potential impacts of significant increases in real fuel prices on the major agricultural enterprises in the South.
Agile EDI Framework for B2B Applications

The Unified Software Development Process or Unified Process[1] is a popular iterative and incremental software development process framework. The best-known and extensively documented refinement of the Unified Process is the Rational Unified Process (RUP)[2] created by the Rational Software Corporation, a division of IBM. Agile Unified Process[12] is a simplified version of the RUP developed by Scott Ambler, the Practice Leader for Agile Development at IBM. It describes a simple, easy to understand approach to developing business application software using agile techniques and concepts yet still remaining true to the RUP. This paper explains the need of applying Agile methodologies and Agile Unified Process Framework for developing B2B, EDI applications. This paper presents a refined Agile Unified Process framework tailored for EDI(Electronic Data Interchange) and B2B(Business-to-Business) software projects.
Dual roles of IL-15 in maintaining IL-7RαlowCCR7 - memory CD8+ T cells in humans via recovering the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/AKT pathway

Recently, we identified two subsets of CCR7(-) memory CD8(+) T cells expressing high and low levels of the IL-7R alpha-chain (IL-7Ralpha) that is essential for memory T cell survival in human peripheral blood. IL-7Ralpha(low)CCR7(-) memory CD8(+) T cells that produce effector cytokines and perforin have impaired proliferation and survival in response to TCR triggering and IL-7, respectively. These findings raise a question of how such cells are sustained at significant numbers, >20% of peripheral CD8(+) T cells, despite impaired IL-7- and TCR-mediated cell maintenance. In this study, we demonstrate that IL-7Ralpha(low)CCR7(-) memory CD8(+) T cells have increased expression of IL-2/15R beta-chain (IL-2/15Rbeta), which is critical for IL-15 signaling, with enhanced gene expression of T box expressed in T cells (T-bet) and eomesodermin (eomes), transcriptional factors involved in IL-2/15Rbeta expression compared with IL-7Ralpha(high)CCR7(-) memory CD8(+) T cells. Such a cytokine chain is functional as IL-7Ralpha(low)CCR7(-) memory CD8(+) T cells proliferate considerably in response to IL-15. Furthermore, adding IL-15 to TCR triggering recovers impaired TCR-mediated proliferation of IL-7Ralpha(low) memory CD8(+) T cells via restoring the activation of the PI3K/AKT pathway. These findings indicate that IL-15 has dual roles in maintaining IL-7Ralpha(low)CCR7(-) memory CD8(+) T cells via TCR-dependent and -independent mechanisms. Moreover, IL-15 can be useful in reviving impaired proliferative function of such memory CD8(+) T cells with effector functions against infections and tumors via rescuing the PI3K/AKT pathway.
Impairment-Aware Manycasting over Optical Burst-Switched Networks

In this paper we discuss the effect of physical impairments on manycasting service over the optical burst- switched (OBS) networks. Signal quality degradation in manycast networks is an important issue and it can occur due to fiber attenuation, splitter switch and amplified spontaneous noise in EDFA. These physical layer impairments causes the signal quality to be weak at the receiver and hence burst may not be detected or lost. Our objective is to select the manycast destinations based on the quality of signal received. We propose a new algorithm, impairment aware - dynamic membership (IADM) that takes into account of the physical layer impairments. Based on the simulation results we observe that IADM is more robust and practical, as bursts are scheduled not just on contention but also on the physical layer constraints.
A New Security Model for Secure Thresholding

The goal of secure computation is for distrusted parties on a network to collaborate with each other without disclosing private information. In this paper, we focus on secure thresholding, or comparing two secret numbers, which is a key step in pattern recognition. Existing cryptographic protocols are too complex to be used in real-time signal processing. We propose a new security model based on noninvertible functions called quasi-information-theoretic security. Using this model, we develop a novel secure thresholding protocol that is both secure and computationally efficient. The proposed protocol hides information in a carefully-designed random polynomial and in a lower-rank subspace based on Chebyshev's polynomials.
Review article: immunosuppressive therapy for inflammatory bowel disease

Refractory inflammatory bowel disease can be treated by surgery or using nutritional supplementation or replacement. Immunosuppressive agents may also play a role for refractory disease; they have gained widespread acceptance, due not only to trials that demonstrate efficacy but also to the realization that these side-effects are minor compared to those associated with long-term, high-dose corticosteroids. To date, 6-mercaptopurine and azathioprine remain the drugs of choice based upon extensive clinical experience, but both methotrexate and cyclosporin are promising immunosuppressants for otherwise refractory disease.
Concurrent design of hierarchical materials and structures

Significant achievements have been demonstrated in computational materials design and its broadening application in concurrent engineering. Best practices are assessed and opportunities for improvement identified, with implications for modeling and simulation in science and engineering. Successful examples of integration in undergraduate education await broader dissemination.
Baseball's International Division of Labor

Major League Baseball draws players from many nations. This article tests the predictions of neoclassical and product-lifecycle trade theory against the careers of Major League Baseball players fro...
Holographic Measurements of Transition and Turbulent Bursting in Supersonic Axisymmetric Boundary Layers

Holographic interferometric density and velocity data of laminar and turbulent boundary layers, plus boundary-layer transition and turbulent bursting on sharp-tip cones in supersonic high Reynolds number airflows, are presented. Development of an improved numerical data-reduction process that minimizes the adverse effects of anomalies in interferometric measurements is also presented. From dual-plate holography, a special form of phase-shift interferometry is used to measure the fringe shifts, and by using a microcomparator to view the object waves directly as they are reconstructed from the holograms, a practical measuring resolution of 15 jim is obtained. This resolution is demonstrated by measuring eight fringe shifts for an 0.11 mm thick laminar boundary layer and again by measuring 66 fringe shifts for a turbulent boundary layer that is approximately 1.0 mm thick. These data are reduced to density and velocity distributions that are compared to theory to assess the relative error in the optical measurements.
The genetics of sex determination in stinging nettle (Urtica dioica)

Urtica dioica (“stinging nettle”) includes both dioecious and monoecious forms. In most sexually dimorphic angiosperm species, the genetic mechanisms of sex determination are completely unknown. The few species that include both monoecious and dioecious forms provide an unusual opportunity to examine the genetic mechanisms that underlie the separation of sexual functions, through crossing experiments and analysis of progeny segregation. Our focus is on the genetic mechanisms distinguishing monoecious and dioecious forms of U. dioica. A complicated picture of sex determination in this species has resulted from crosses between dioecious and monoecious subspecies, as well as between dioecious and monoecious forms of the same subspecies. Most significant is evidence for a maternal influence on sex determination and for the possibility of gynodioecy as an intermediate stage in the evolutionary pathway to dioecy.
A computer simulation of T2 decay effects in echo planar imaging

The effect of spatially variant T2 decay in echo planar images has been investigated. A simple, direct method to remove T2 effects, requiring no knowledge of actual T2 values, is also reported. The method is based on taking the geometric mean of two Hermitian symmetric data points before Fourier transformation.
Identification of TbpA Residues Required for Transferrin-Iron Utilization by Neisseria gonorrhoeae

Neisseria gonorrhoeae requires iron for survival in the human host and therefore expresses high-affinity receptors for iron acquisition from host iron-binding proteins. The gonococcal transferrin-iron uptake system is composed of two transferrin binding proteins, TbpA and TbpB. TbpA is a TonB-dependent, outer membrane transporter critical for iron acquisition, while TbpB is a surface-exposed lipoprotein that increases the efficiency of iron uptake. The precise mechanism by which TbpA mediates iron acquisition has not been elucidated; however, the process is distinct from those of characterized siderophore transporters. Similar to these TonB-dependent transporters, TbpA is proposed to have two distinct domains, a β-barrel and a plug domain. We hypothesize that the TbpA plug coordinates iron and therefore potentially functions in multiple steps of transferrin-mediated iron acquisition. To test this hypothesis, we targeted a conserved motif within the TbpA plug domain and generated single, double, and triple alanine substitution mutants. Mutagenized TbpAs were expressed on the gonococcal cell surface and maintained wild-type transferrin binding affinity. Single alanine substitution mutants internalized iron at wild-type levels, while the double and triple mutants showed a significant decrease in iron uptake. Moreover, the triple alanine substitution mutant was unable to grow on transferrin as a sole iron source; however, expression of TbpB compensated for this defect. These data indicate that the conserved motif between residues 120 and 122 of the TbpA plug domain is critical for transferrin-iron utilization, suggesting that this region plays a role in iron acquisition that is shared by both TbpA and TbpB.
Definition of the Light Vehicle Off-Roadway Crash Problem for the Intelligent Vehicle Initiative

Off-roadway crashes involving light vehicles (passenger cars, sport utility vehicles, vans, and pickup trucks) were analyzed based on the 1998 General Estimates System crash database to support the development of countermeasure systems as part of the U.S. Department of Transportation's Intelligent Vehicle Initiative. An off-roadway crash occurs when a vehicle in transport departs the road due to loss of control or crossing the edge of the roadway. Approximately 924,000 such crashes occurred in the United States in 1998. These crashes are grouped into six distinct precrash scenarios (3x2 matrix) based on vehicle movements (going straight, negotiating a curve, or initiating a maneuver) and critical events (departed roadway edge or lost control). These scenarios are described statistically in terms of their physical setting, which consists of the roadway type, land use, relation to junction, number of travel lanes, and speed limit. Moreover, factors that might have contributed to the cause of these crashes a...
TURNOVER RATES OF FALL‐MIGRATING PECTORAL SANDPIPERS IN THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI ALLUVIAL VALLEY

Knowledge of the length of time spent at migratory stopover sites, or stopover duration, can help biologists estimate the total number of birds passing through a site, which in turn can be used to estimate population size. We estimated the stopover duration for 106 radiomarked pectoral sandpipers (Calidris melanotos) in the Lower Mississippi River Alluvial Valley (MAV) during fall migrations in 2001 and 2002. We estimated time-at-site-after-capture by tracking radiomarked birds daily to determine their time of departure from stopover sites. We used length-biased sampling and program DISTANCE to estimate stopover duration from time-at-site-after-capture. Our estimate of stopover duration for pectoral sandpipers in the MAV over all sites and both years was 10.0 days (95% CI = 8.2–11.7). Aerial telemetry relocations from 2002 indicated that many pectoral sandpipers used multiple stopover sites during their migration through the MAV, which suggested that the total time spent by pectoral sandpipers in the MAV during fall migration, or turnover rate, was longer than the stopover duration. Future research should focus on estimating the number of stopover sites used by pectoral sandpipers and determine whether other shore-bird species use multiple sites as well. If shorebirds migrating through the MAV stay in the region for a period longer than the 10 days suggested by the Lower Mississippi Valley Joint Venture (LMVJV) Migratory Bird Science Team in their modeling of shorebird energetic requirements, then more habitat may be required by shorebirds during fall migration than the 2,000 ha the group calculated for the MAV.
Drug-Induced Liver Injury: Pattern Recognition and Future Directions

Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) remains a significant clinical challenge and is the leading cause of acute liver failure in most countries. An aging population that uses more medications, a constant influx of newly developed drugs and a growing risk from unfamiliar herbal and dietary supplements will make DILI an increasing part of clinical practice. Currently, the most effective strategy for disease management is rapid identification, withholding the inciting agents, supportive care and having a firm understanding of the expected natural history. There are resources available to aid the clinician, including a new online “textbook” as well as causality assessment tools, but a heightened awareness of risk and the disease’s varying phenotypes and good history-taking remain cornerstones to diagnosis. Looking ahead, growing registries of cases, pharmacoepidemiology studies and translational research into the mechanisms of injury may produce better diagnostic tools, markers for risk and disease, and prevention and therapeutics.
At-wavelength optical metrology development at the ALS

Nano-focusing and brightness preservation for ever brighter synchrotron radiation and free electron laser beamlines require surface slope tolerances of x-ray optics on the order of 100 nrad. While the accuracy of fabrication and ex situ metrology of x-ray mirrors has improved over time, beamline in situ performance of the optics is often limited by application specific factors such as x-ray beam heat loading, temperature drift, alignment, vibration, etc. In the present work, we discuss the recent results from the Advanced Light Source developing high accuracy, in situ, at-wavelength wavefront measurement techniques to surpass 100-nrad accuracy surface slope measurements with reflecting x-ray optics. The techniques will ultimately allow closed-loop feedback systems to be implemented for x-ray nano-focusing. In addition, we present a dedicated metrology beamline endstation, applicable to a wide range of in situ metrology and test experiments. The design and performance of a bendable Kirkpatrick-Baez (KB) mirror with active temperature stabilization will also be presented. The mirror is currently used to study, refine, and optimize in situ mirror alignment, bending and metrology methods essential for nano-focusing application.
Cervical cancer in patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)

5544 Background: The objective of this study was to compare the HIV viral load (VL), and CD4 counts (CD4) in patients infected with HIV with and without cervical cancer. We hypothesize that HIV pos...
Circulatory bypass of the right side of the heart. 8. The long-term functional and morphological changes in the pulmonary circulation following cava-pulmonary artery shunt.

Abstract Evidence has been presented to demonstrate that in the dog at least 80 to 85% of superior vena caval flow continues to pass through a cava-pulmonary artery shunt for 81 months postoperative. Collateral flow to the inferior vena cava does not progressively increase and is primarily through the pericardiophrenic veins, although other collateral pathways probably participate to a lesser extent. Morphological examination of the pulmonary vasculature following a cava-pulmonary artery shunt reveals evidence of diffuse and focal increase in bronchial artery supply to the lung, with evidence of perfusion of alveolar capillaries by these vessels. This increase in bronchial circulation is due to a decrease in the blood pressure and volume of pulmonary artery flow following cava-pulmonary artery anastomosis, with a functional result analogous to pulmonary stenosis. These changes were most marked where the azygos vein was left open.
The need for accurate total cholesterol measurement. Recommended analytical goals, current state of reliability, and guidelines for better determinations.

The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute′s national awareness program on cholesterol and heart disease has produced new demands for more reliable measurements of lipids and lipoproteins. Public awareness and clinicians′ concerns about the reliability of laboratory testing make it paramount that the analytical problems and issues are identified and solutions provided to increase the reliability of measurement of these blood constituents. Assessment of the current state of reliability of cholesterol measurements in clinical laboratories is extensively discussed, and specific recommendations are provided for some of the problems.
Understanding Why the Vacancy on the United States Supreme Court Caused by Justice Antonin Scalia’s Death Triggered a Constitutional Crisis

On February 16, 2016, Justice Antonin Scalia, arguably the court’s most conservative justice died unexpectedly from a heart attack. The vacancy on the court set off a firestorm of political controversy within hours of Justice Scalia’s death. The United States Constitution empowers the President of the United States to appoint justices to the U.S. Supreme Court. As part of the system of separation of powers and checks and balances instilled into the Constitution by the framers, the United States Senate must confirm the President’s nominee to the high court. Faced with the prospect that the President’s appointment to replace Justice Scalia would likely cause a major shift in the court’s ideology that embraces an expansive and progressive interpretation of the Constitution, the conservative politicians in the Senate vowed to refuse to take up the President’s nominee regardless of his or her qualifications. The basis for the purported rejection being that the President should not make such an important appointment with less than a year left in his term of office. Accordingly, the Senators’ refusal to vote on the President’s nominee to the court created a constitutional crisis due to the fact that one entire branch of government, the Legislature, refuses to fulfill its duty expressly set forth in the text of the Constitution―the highest law in the land. Part Ⅰ of this article examines the ideological struggle between the two factions vying for control of the court and the resulting application of laws for decades to come. Part Ⅱ of the article describes the process of filing the vacancy on the court and contemplates a legal challenge within the context of justiciability doctrines, advanced by either the President or the nominee that is meant to force the Senate to vote on the appointment. Part Ⅲ of the article examines the most likely resolution to the crisis, a political solution, and explains the viable outcomes.
The perturbation of lipid bilayers by general anesthetics: a quantitative test of the disordered lipid hypothesis.

The ability of a wide range of general anesthetics to perturb the order reported from spin-labeled phospholipid:cholesterol (2:1) bilayers has been examined. The change in order induced by increasing concentrations of the following were examined: ethanol, butanol, trichloroethanol, α- and β-chloralose, urethane, pentobarbital, thiopental, ketamine, and phenytoin. All except the latter and β-chloralose caused marked decreases in order. The bilayer/buffer partition coefficients of phenobarbital, phenytoin, and urethane were measured. The change-in-order parameter as a function of total anesthetic concentration varied widely but when the agents were compared at constant concentration in the bilayer all the anesthetics examined gave very similar values. Phenobarbital was somewhat more effective at disordering than the other barbiturates. Phenytoin9s weak disordering ability was probably due to solubility limitations rather than an inability to disorder. When the general anesthetic and nerve-blocking potency of these agents were compared to their membrane disordering ability, fair correlations were obtained, but the barbiturates tended to deviate and this deserves further attention. Furthermore the change-in-order parameter at general anesthetic concentrations is only 0.6% which is small compared to the variation to be expected in the physiological temperature range. Thus although the disordered lipid hypothesis is fairly successful at correlating the anesthetic potency data over a dose range of four orders of magnitude, some problems remain. How far these can be overcome by developing more realistic models within the framework of the hypothesis remains to be seen.
Pharmacy students' use of social media sites and perception toward Facebook use

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate pharmacy students' adoption and behavior related to social networking sites (SNS) in general, and to Facebook in particular. In addition, this study aimed to explore faculty's adoption of Facebook from students' perspectives, as well as students' willingness, to "friend" their faculty. Materials and Methods: A 19-item questionnaire was administered to a sample of pharmacy students ( n = 195) at a School of Pharmacy. The survey included three sections. All questions were closed-ended. The first section had general adoption questions for different SNS. The second section had questions with regard to students' behaviors and attitudes related to Facebook in particular. Demographic data was collected in the third section. Results: One hundred ninety-three pharmacy students completed the survey for a response rate of 99%. The top three social media websites with the most frequent usage were Facebook, Wikipedia, and YouTube respectively. Nearly, all the students (93.8%) had existing Facebook profiles. More than 70% of students had 200 or more Facebook friends at the time of data collection. Given the widespread adoption of Facebook, the majority of the respondents used it for social rather than professional or educational purposes. Even though 46.6% of participants thought that at least 40% of their faculty members use Facebook, slightly more than half of the participants (54.4%) refused the idea of "friending" their faculty. After conducting logistic regression, the predictors of "friending faculty" on Facebook among pharmacy students were the number of Facebook friends that a student has and race or ethnicity. Conclusions: There has been a huge growth in the number and the use of SNS. Students, if they choose to, can take advantage of this revolutionary communication tool to advance professionally. However, the majority of students still choose to use Facebook for social purposes rather than professional or educational purposes.
Inflation and Income Distribution

It has for a long time been recognised that inflation, and especially unanticipated inflation, causes changes in income distribution. In particular, it has often been pointed out how, in an unanticipated inflation, holders of assets demoninated in nominal terms will suffer. Other groups, especially pensioners, whose nominal incomes are fixed, also lose in times of inflation. Other discussions centre on the lag structure of wage and price responses, which can produce shifts in the income distribution as between wages and profits. More recently attention has been directed toward the distributional effects of tax systems with progressive rate structures stated in nominal terms. When such a tax system is operative, inflation can produce income losses to groups paying the higher marginal tax rates. The distribution of the offsetting gain depends, of course, on the actions of the government whose revenue has been increased.
Abstract 1811: ERβ sensitizes NSCLC cells to chemotherapeutic agents by regulating DNA damage response

The expression of wild-type estrogen receptor β (ERβ1) correlates with increased survival in patients with Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC). However, the molecular mechanism that accounts for this association is unknown. ERβ1 was previously shown to sensitize breast cancer cells to chemotherapeutic agents. The role of the receptor in regulating sensitivity of NSCLC cells to chemotherapy, a common treatment option for advanced disease, has not been studied. Here we show that upregulation of ERβ1 decreases the survival of NSCLC cells in response to treatment with doxorubicin. This effect was observed in p53-defective but not wild-type p53-expressing cells. ERβ1 enhanced G2/M cell cycle arrest in NSCLC cells by activating the checkpoint kinase 1 (Chk1) and altering downstream signaling. The expression of the p63 target gene cyclin G2 that regulates the G2/M checkpoint was induced by ERβ1 proposing an ERβ1-p63 transcriptional cooperation. Our findings suggest the involvement of ERβ1 in the regulation of DNA damage response in NSCLC cells and support the potential predictive value of the receptor in clinical management of the disease. Citation Format: Igor Bado, Fotis Nikolos, Jan-Ake Gustafsson, Christoforos Thomas. ERβ sensitizes NSCLC cells to chemotherapeutic agents by regulating DNA damage response. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 1811.
Clinical validity and relevance of accidental puncture or laceration as a patient safety indicator for children.

Abstract Purpose Accidental puncture or laceration (APL) has been endorsed as a patient safety indicator and is being used to compare hospital performance and for reimbursement. We sought to determine the positive predictive value (PPV) of APL as a quality metric in a pediatric population. Methods We retrospectively reviewed all cases that met APL administrative criteria over 5years in a quaternary pediatric hospital system. Events were categorized as false positive (FP) or true positive (TP). TP cases were further categorized as "potentially consequential" or "inconsequential". The PPV of APL was calculated, and a z-test was used to provide 95% confidence intervals. Results Of the 238 cases identified, 204 were categorized as TP (86%; 95% CI: 80%–90%). Thirty-four of these events (17%) involved injuries that were considered "inconsequential". True events that required repair were identified as "potentially consequential" (n=170). Thus, the PPV of APL was 71% (95% CI: 65%–77%). Extenuating factors such as adhesive disease or abnormal anatomy were present in 39% of TP cases. Thirty-four cases (14%) were categorized as FP because no documented injury was found. Conclusions A large proportion of APL events are either false or clinically irrelevant, thus questioning its usability as a patient safety indicator for children undergoing surgery. Type of study Retrospective review. Level of evidence IV.
A heuristic wavelength assignment algorithm for multihop WDM networks with wavelength routing and wavelength reuse

The authors present a heuristic algorithm for effectively assigning a limited number of wavelengths among the access stations of a multihop network wherein the physical medium consists of optical fiber segments which interconnect wavelength-selective optical switches. Such a physical medium permits the limited number of wavelengths to be re-used among the various fiber links, thereby offering very high aggregate capacity. Although the optical connectivity among the access station can be altered by changing the states of the various optical switches, the resulting optical connectivity pattern is constrained by the limitation imposed at the physical level. They also present and study two admission control schemes, used to admit or reject requests for virtual connections. The heuristic is tested on a realistic traffic model, and the call blocking performance of new requests for virtual connections is studied through extensive simulations and compared against the blocking performance of an ideal infinite capacity centralized switch (lowest possible call blocking caused exclusively by congestion on the finite capacity user input/output links, never by the switch fabric itself). Surprisingly, they find that, for a wide range of parameters, the blocking performance of the lightwave network is almost the same as that of the ideal centralized switch. From these results, they conclude that the heuristic algorithm is effective and the admission control scheme is efficient. >
Drosophila Pax6 promotes development of the entire eye-antennal disc, thereby ensuring proper adult head formation

Paired box 6 (Pax6) is considered to be the master control gene for eye development in all seeing animals studied so far. In vertebrates, it is required not only for lens/retina formation but also for the development of the CNS, olfactory system, and pancreas. Although Pax6 plays important roles in cell differentiation, proliferation, and patterning during the development of these systems, the underlying mechanism remains poorly understood. In the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, Pax6 also functions in a range of tissues, including the eye and brain. In this report, we describe the function of Pax6 in Drosophila eye-antennal disc development. Previous studies have suggested that the two fly Pax6 genes, eyeless (ey) and twin of eyeless (toy), initiate eye specification, whereas eyegone (eyg) and the Notch (N) pathway independently regulate cell proliferation. Here, we show that Pax6 controls eye progenitor cell survival and proliferation through the activation of teashirt (tsh) and eyg, thereby indicating that Pax6 initiates both eye specification and proliferation. Although simultaneous loss of ey and toy during early eye-antennal disc development disrupts the development of all head structures derived from the eye-antennal disc, overexpression of N or tsh in the absence of Pax6 rescues only antennal and head epidermis development. Furthermore, overexpression of tsh induces a homeotic transformation of the fly head into thoracic structures. Taking these data together, we demonstrate that Pax6 promotes development of the entire eye-antennal disc and that the retinal determination network works to repress alternative tissue fates, which ensures proper development of adult head structures.
Response by Golwala et al to Letter Regarding Article, “Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator for Nonischemic Cardiomyopathy: An Updated Meta-Analysis”

We thank Nery et al for their insightful letter to our article.1 We alluded to the age and survival interaction with implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) use in patients with nonischemic cardiomyopathy (NICM) noted in the DANISH trial (Defibrillator Implantation in Patients With Nonischemic Systolic Heart Failure) in our article.1 We agree that similar trends have been observed in other trials.2 However, only 4 of 6 trials included in our meta-analysis (DEFINITE [Defibrillator in Nonischemic Cardiomyopathy Treatment Evaluation], COMPANION [Comparison of Medical Therapy, Pacing, and Defibrillation in Heart Failure], SCD-HeFT [Sudden Cardiac Death in Heart Failure Trial], and DANISH)1 reported age-stratified outcomes. Two of the 4 trials, SCD-HeFT3 and COMPANION,4 reported outcomes for both ischemic and nonischemic patients, making age-stratified analysis in patients with NICM difficult in the absence of individual patient–level data. Nonetheless, we do agree that this should be recognized as one of the key limitations of the currently available data we have from the randomized controlled trials. In addition, all treatment decisions for ICD placement should be personalized and involve …