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Background There is increasing use of anti-osteoporotic agents (AOA) worldwide for prevention or management of patients with osteoporosis. However, there have been reports of severe cutaneous adverse reactions (SCAR) induced by AOA. A recent study showed weak association between HLA and strontium ranelate (SR)-SCAR. Objective To characterize patients with AOA-SCAR and investigate the HLA association and utility of in vitro diagnostic methods. Methods We enrolled 16 cases with AOA-cutaneous adverse drug reactions (cADR), including SCAR (n = 10: 8 with Stevens-Johnson syndrome [SJS] and 2 with drug rash with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms [DRESS]) and maculopapular exanthema (MPE) (n = 6) from Taiwan and Hong Kong. We analysed the clinical characteristics, outcomes, HLA alleles and in vitro testing of AOA-SCAR, and tolerability to alternative drugs. We further performed literature review and meta-analysis on the HLA association of AOA-SCAR. Results Our data showed strontium ranelate is the most common causality of AOA-SCAR in Asian populations. There was no cross-hypersensitivity of SR-SCAR with other AOA. HLA genotyping showed that SR-SJS was most significantly associated with HLA-A*33:03 (Pc = 5.17 × 10-3 , OR: 25.97, 95% CI: 3.08-219.33). Meta-analysis showed that HLA-A*33:03 was associated with SR-SJS (P = 5.01 × 10-5 ; sensitivity: 85.7%) in Asians. The sensitivity of lymphocyte activation test (LAT) for identifying the culprit drug of SR-SJS was 83.3%. Conclusions Strontium ranelate is identified as the most notorious AOA associated with SCAR. The HLA-A*33:03 genetic allele and LAT testing may add benefits to the diagnosis of SR-SCAR in patients whose reaction developed while taking multiple drugs.

The dicot genus Flaveria (Asteraceae), besides species with C3 or C4 photosynthesis, contains taxa with a broad range of different states of transition between the two major photosynthetic types. We have developed a reproducible and efficient Agrobacterium-mediated method for the stable genetic transformation of the C3–C4 intermediate species F. pubescens. Fusion constructs of the reporter gene β-glucuronidase (uidA, GUS) to several plant promoters, mainly derived from genes encoding subunits of the glycine cleavage system (gdcs), have been used to confirm the reproducibility and efficiency of the method. The stable integration of the foreign DNA has been examined by Southern analysis, kanamycin resistance, GUS enzyme activities and histochemical staining. Transformed shoots can be routinely obtained within 8–10 weeks after co-cultivation with A. tumefaciens.

The presence of foreign materials like wound closure biomaterials or devices and surgical trauma from operation can induce inflammatory tissue reactions. Although the inflammation due to surgical trauma subsides within 7 to 14 d postoperation, inflammatory tissue reactions due to the presence of wound closure biomaterials persist as long as they remain present within the tissue. Absorbable sutures are generally defined as suture materials that lose most of their tensile strength within 60 d after implantation beneath the skin surface. Polydioxanone suture is made of a paradioxanone polymer and was marketed as having prolonged tensile strength in vivo compared with Vicryl or Dexon. Nonabsorbable sutures are generally defined as filamentous material that is appropriately resistant to the degradation mechanisms of living tissues. Silk suture is made from natural protein filaments spun by the silkworm larva as it builds a cocoon.

Background and Objectives The aims of the first workshop of the International Platelet Immunology Working Party, Asia Regional (IPIWP-AR), were to identify antibodies against human platelet antigen (HPA), to compare laboratory performance in the detection of the antibodies and to help laboratories to audit and standardize the own in-house platelet DNA genotyping methods. Materials and Methods Fourteen laboratories from eight countries participated, which were provided with six DNA samples for genotyping, six serum samples, monoclonal antibodies for monoclonal antibody immobilization of platelet antigens (MAIPA) and the mixed passive hemagglutination (MPHA) kits for antibody detection. Results Most of the laboratories could detect the anti-HPA-2b, anti-HPA-4b, anti-HPA-5b and Naka antibodies, by the combination of MAIPA and MPHA. However, some had difficulties with the HPA-1a antibody, possibly dependent on the rarity of HPA-1b alloantigen among Asian. Although a good concordance was obtained in genotyping, a significant inter-laboratory variation was observed, possibly dependent on the methods used. Conclusions The IPIWP-AR and the workshop were successfully established, and most laboratories were able to identify majority of HPA antibodies and genotype HPA correctly.

The HLA-B*40:238 allele has one non-synonymous transversion from HLA-B*40:01:01 at nucleotide position 484.

Introduction: Phthalate exposure may reduce intellectual development in young children. In 2011, numerous Taiwanese children had been reported to have consumed phthalate-tainted products. We investigated the effects of phthalate exposure on the intellectual development of these children after the 2011 Taiwan di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) episode. Methods: We recruited 204 children, aged 3–12 y, from 3 hospitals in Taiwan between 2012 and 2013. First-morning urine samples were collected for analyzing 5 phthalate metabolites. We applied a Bayesian model to estimate the past DEHP exposure (estDEHPADD) of each participant before the 2011 DEHP episode. Demographic information, consumption of phthalate-tainted products, and maternal education, of each participant were obtained using a questionnaire. We used the Wechsler intelligence evaluation tools for assessing the children’s and maternal intelligence quotient. Results and discussion: The median levels of mono-2-ethylhexyl phthalate, mono(2-ethyl-5-hydroxyhexyl) phthalate, mono(2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl) phthalate (MEOHP), mono-n-butyl phthalate, and mono-iso-butyl phthalate in the children were 9.97, 45.8, 32.2, 46.2, and 24.3 μg/g creatinine, respectively. Using the aforementioned urinary phthalate metabolites, we found that the children’s verbal comprehension index (N =98) was significantly negatively associated with urinary log₁₀ MEOHP (β, −11.92; SE, 5.33; 95%CI, −22.52~ −1.33; P=0.028) and log₁₀ ΣDBP metabolites (β, −10.95; SE, 4.93; 95%CI, −20.74~ −1.16; P=0.029) after adjustment for age, gender, maternal IQ and education, passive smoking, estDEHPADD, active and passive smoking during pregnancy. Through a tolerable daily intake-based approach, we only found a significant negative association between past estimate DEHPADD and VIQ≥3–

The detection of nucleobases, the informational subunits of DNA and RNA, in several meteorites suggests that these compounds of biological interest were formed via astrophysical, abiotic processes. This hypothesis is in agreement with recent laboratory studies of irradiation of pyrimidine in H2O-rich ices with vacuum UV photons emitted by an H2-discharge lamp in the 6.9–11.3 eV (110–180 nm) range at low temperature, shown to lead to the abiotic formation of several compounds including the nucleobases uracil, cytosine, and thymine. In this work, we irradiated H2O:pyrimidine ice mixtures under astrophysically relevant conditions (14 K, ≤10−9 torr) with high-energy UV photons provided by a synchrotron source in three different ranges: the 0th order light (4.1–49.6 eV, 25–300 nm), the He i line (21.2 eV, 58.4 nm), and the He ii line (40.8 eV, 30.4 nm). The photodestruction of pyrimidine was monitored with IR spectroscopy, and the samples recovered at room temperature were analyzed with liquid and gas chromatographies. Uracil and its precursor 4(3H)-pyrimidone were found in all samples, with absolute and relative abundances varying significantly from one sample to another. These results support a scenario in which compounds of biological interest can be formed and survive in environments subjected to high-energy UV radiation fields. Key Words: Pyrimidine—Nucleobases—Interstellar ices—Cometary ices—High-energy photons—Molecular processes—Prebiotic chemistry. Astrobiology 14, 119–131.

An H2O:CO2:NH3 = 1:1:1 ice mixture, used as a model mixture for cometary and interstellar ices, was irradiated with ultraviolet (UV)/extreme ultraviolet (EUV) photons in the broad 4–20 eV (62–310 nm) energy range at 16 K. The desorbed species were detected in situ by mass spectrometry during photo-irradiation, and a quartz microbalance was used as a substrate to measure the mass of material remaining on the surface. The total mass desorption for this H2O:CO2:NH3 = 1:1:1 ice mixture at 16 K was measured to be 1.8 × 10−18 μg photon−1, which is comparable to the 1.5 × 10−18 μg photon−1 measured for pure H2O ice irradiated under the same conditions. The main desorbed species produced during the photolysis of the ices were H2, NH 2 • , OH•, CO, and O2, along with the starting components H2O, NH3, and CO2. We also tentatively assigned minor mass peaks to larger species such as OCN•/OCN−, HNCO, CH4, H2CO, CH3OH, and HCOOH. This result supports the scenario in which complex organic molecules can be formed in cometary and/or astrophysical ices and desorbed to the gas phase, and helps to better understand the photochemical processes occurring at the surface of Solar System icy bodies such as comets, as well as in cold astrophysical environments such as star-forming regions and protostars.

Background Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) may activate hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α, which up-regulates cytokine expression and the lethality of LPS-induced shock. We investigated the effect of propofol on HIF-1α expression and acute lung injury in LPS-treated mice. Methods A series of both positive and negative control experiments were performed. We injected BALB/C mice with propofol or vehicle i.p. immediately and 12 h after an LPS challenge. After 24 h, we examined the lung wet/dry weight ratio, neutrophil infiltration, and HIF-1α mRNA expression and inflammatory cytokines in the lung tissue. Survival was determined for 48 h after LPS injection. In vitro, we determined the responses of A549 cells, with and without HIF-1α silenced, to treatment with LPS alone and LPS plus propofol. Results Propofol prolonged survival and attenuated acute lung injury and decreased the expression of HIF-1α, interleukin (IL)-6, keratinocyte-derived chemokine, and tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) in the lungs of endotoxaemic mice. In HIF-1α knockdown-A549 cells, LPS-induced TNF-α, IL-6, and the pro-apoptotic gene, BNIP3 expression and apoptosis were reduced. Propofol, but not an inhibitor of nuclear factor κB, reduced HIF-1α expression in LPS-stimulated A549 cells. Propofol also down-regulated, in A549 cells, the expression of IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α, Bcl-2/adenovirus E1B 19 kDa interacting protein 3 (BNIP3), and apoptosis. Conclusions Propofol reduces apoptosis in LPS-stimulated lung epithelial cells by decreasing HIF-1α, BNIP3, and cytokine production. Using propofol to inhibit HIF-1α expression may protect against the acute lung injury caused by LPS-induced sepsis.

Following publication of their article “CCN2 inhibits lung cancer metastasis through promoting DAPK-dependent anoikis and inducing EGFR degradation”, the authors reported an error in Fig.6b. α-Tubulin image of rCCN2 treatment (upper panel in CL1-5) only showed eight lanes, when there should be nine.

Background: We evaluated the prophylactic effect of low-dose haloperidol (1 mg) on post-operative nausea and vomiting (PONV) in women undergoing ambulatory laparoscopic surgery. Droperidol (0.625 mg) and saline were controls. Methods: One hundred and fifty women undergoing ambulatory laparoscopic surgery under general anaesthesia were enrolled in this randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled study. After tracheal intubation, the haloperidol group (n=50) received intravenous haloperidol (1 mg), the droperidol group (n=50) received intravenous droperidol (0.625 mg), and the saline group (n=50) received intravenous saline. Results: Haloperidol- and droperidol-group patients reported a lower incidence of PONV [24% and 23% vs. 49% (saline group); P

Neuropsychiatric lupus is a well-recognized complication of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and encompasses a wide variety of neurological manifestations. Although isolated cranial nerve involvement is rare, it can cause significant morbidity and disability. This report describes a case with isolated vagus nerve involvement as the principal sign of central nervous system involvement. A 30-year-old female with SLE had one short course of lupus-associated psychosis in December 2001. In August 2002, the patient suffered from progressive swallowing difficulty, developed a transient episode of hypercapnic respiratory failure and required nasogastric tube feeding due to isolated vagus nerve involvement. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a subtle but distinct brainstem lesion over the ponto-medullary junction, near the location of the vagus nerve nuclei. The patient completely recovered three weeks later following treatment with intravenous dexamethasone. This report also discusses the differential diagnosis of this rare condition. Lupus (2007) 16, 746—749.

The new allele B*39:01:15 differs from B*39:01:01 by a point mutation at position 315 (GT) of exon 2.

The market for insuring insect damage is far from complete. This study introduces a new type of derivative instrument‐insect derivatives‐that provide growers a market‐based means of transferring insect risk to speculators or others who may profit from higher insect populations. A risk‐neutral valuation model is developed and applied to Bemisia tabaci population data. Economic simulation models show how insect derivatives can improve risk‐return results for a representative cotton farm in the Imperial Valley of California. The results suggest that insect derivatives may become important risk management tools for a wide range of growers.

We show that while corrections to spectroscopically measured Franck?Condon energies, arising from motion of the parent molecules at the edge of fusion plasmas, are insignificant in many practical cases, ion collisions play an important role in randomizing and redistributing the velocities of the atomic products of molecular dissociation. Formulae are obtained from which the time scales for randomization and equilibration of the atomic velocity distribution may be estimated, and hence compared with characteristic times for other important atomic processes. Examples of the latter are: spontaneous emission, production of atoms by electron impact-induced dissociation and ionization of molecules, electron collisions of the first and second kinds, charge-exchange recombination and electron impact ionization. We show that the time scales of randomization and equilibration can be comparable with those for some of the other processes listed above, but are much longer than typical times for spontaneous emission. The ion?atom collisional processes considered here therefore affect the atomic velocity distribution mainly after the atoms produced directly by molecular dissociation have arrived in their ground states. The formulae derived for these collisional time scales may well be useful in modelling hydrogen transport and recycling in fusion plasmas.

Deuterium fuelling through a carbon test limiter has been applied to maximize the plasma density in the Radiative Improved Mode. The impact of the fuelling on the local plasma edge properties has been investigated, by analyzing the spectral emission of both deuterium atoms and molecules, which indicates the creation of a cold and dense plasma cloud with a local electron density at the last closed flux surface up to 8 × 10 19 m −3 , about 4 times higher than the electron density far away from the puffing location at the same plasma radius. The local electron temperature decreases to less than 10 eV. The experimental data can be reproduced by a model for the development of the cold plasma cloud and the critical fuelling rate to initiate the process based on the heat balance in the cloud. The correlation of the resulting local perturbation with the global confinement properties is discussed.

Analysis of the laser forming process has been focused on geometry, yield strength, and microstructure change in the past. However fatigue life has been the primary concern for engineering components in many applications. For laser forming to become a practical rapid prototyping tool, research has to be done to predict fatigue life of sheet metal after laser forming. Microstructure as well as the distribution of residual stresses and strains changes during laser forming process. The current models cannot predict the fatigue life after laser forming accurately because of differences in assumptions. This work presents a model to predict fatigue life of sheet metal after laser forming. Results from microstructure integrated finite element modeling of laser forming are incorporated in the fatigue life model. Low carbon steel is used in this work to validate the model. It is shown that the proposed model can predict the fatigue life of sheet metal after laser forming with good accuracy. The predictions from the model are consistent with experimental results. Effects of laser forming conditions on fatigue life of sheet metal are under investigation.

Spectra of the hydrogen isotopes, the major atomic constituents of magnetically confined fusion plasmas, are of particular importance for understanding the physical processes occurring in the plasma edge. A detailed analysis of the Zeeman-split Balmer lines reveals a number of subtle effects related to the formation of the radiating atoms by molecular dissociation, as well as charge-exchange recombination, and their subsequent heating by atom–ion collisions. We discuss and compare two of the possible physical processes whereby the spectra are broadened, through collisions transferring momentum between fast ions from the interior of the plasma and slow ('cold') atoms at the plasma edge. The evaluation of momentum transfer cross-sections for these processes is considered, and rate coefficients are compared with typical plasma conditions of interest. The picture of the heating process, as presented in an earlier paper, is modified in several respects, both as regards the calculation of the rate coefficients and the identification of the major channels (pathways between states) of interest.

Fracture toughness is one of the most important mechanical properties for sheet metal in many applications. However not enough attention has been paid to the effects of laser forming conditions on fracture toughness of sheet metal. This paper presents an integrated fracture toughness model to study fracture toughness of sheet metal after laser forming. Microstructure, distribution of residual stresses and geometry of sheet metal specimen are considered in the model. Results of residual stress from microstructure-integrated finite element modelling of laser forming are incorporated in the model. Low carbon steel is used in this paper to validate the model. The results from the fracture toughness study are found to be consistent with microstructure analysis .

After a brief introduction to Zeeman spectroscopy of fusion plasmas, this diagnostic method is illustrated by a 'simple' spectrum obtained from the tokamak edge plasma. Thereafter, the more complex case of the Balmer lines is considered, as well as their interpretation in terms of those atomic and molecular processes which are relevant both for the production of these spectra and the line shapes. The corresponding case of the Balmer lines emitted by gas discharge plasmas is briefly considered, and we conclude by mentioning collisional processes requiring a fuller treatment in order to improve our understanding of these spectra.

Oxygen ion impurity radiation is a potential source of inaccuracy in ion temperature determination with the aid of the commonly used C VI transition n = 8→n' = 7, produced by charge-exchange recombination (CXR) of C6+ ions, since the corresponding transition in O VI cannot be resolved under typical plasma conditions in the tokamak. In order to demonstrate the possible importance of oxygen ion impurity radiation, we have selected a convenient spectroscopic `window' (about 8 A wide) containing the major Zeeman components of two prominent lines in the visible (multiplet 1), one emitted by C2+ and one by O+. Observations have been performed in this wavelength range, both tangentially and perpendicularly to the magnetic flux surfaces, in the second case with the aid of a special graphite test limiter. Measurements include the case of special plasma discharges in which oxygen gas was introduced from the test limiter. The temperatures of both species are evaluated from the Doppler broadening of the respective Zeeman components, and compared with the results from a model for collisional heating by impact with hot protons (deuterons) in the plasma edge. The spectra and derived results show that impurity identification in tokamak edge plasmas should not be carried out with the aid of spectral lines from highly excited levels populated by CXR, but using lines corresponding to much more species-specific transitions from lower ionization stages. The identification and quantitative analysis should be performed with the aid of carefully measured and calculated Zeeman-(Paschen-Back-) broadened line profiles, since these have features practically unique to the species under investigation. Some allowance may, however, be required for deviation, from a statistical distribution, of population among fine-structure sublevels.

The Minnan and Hakka people groups, the so-called "Taiwanese", are the descendants of early settlers from the southeast coast of China during the last few centuries. Genetically they showed affinities to southern Asian populations, as determined by phylogenetic trees and correspondence analysis calculated from HLA allele frequencies. This corresponds historically with the fact that they are the descendants of the southeast coastal indigenous population (Yueh) of China and should therefore not be considered as descendants of "pure" northern Han Chinese. A33-B58-DRB1*03 (A33-Cw10-B58-DRB1*03-DQB1*02), the most common HLA haplotype among "Taiwanese", with a haplotype frequency of 6.3%, has also been found to be the most common haplotype among Thai-Chinese and Singapore Chinese, two other populations also originating from the southeast coast of China. These observations suggests that this haplotype is the most well-conserved ancient haplotype of the Yueh.

The recently developed crack-closure based fatigue method seems to hold great promise for analyzing a wide range of fatigue problems, particularly those involving large mean stress and/or occasional overloads. The method, however, requires the determination of material constants which characterize the influence of loading history on the closure mechanism. Such material fatigue properties generally take a great deal of experimental effort involving fatigue crack measurements and hence are not widely available yet. In this paper it is found that by using the closure-based method to analyze fatigue tests with mean stress, constant maximum stress tests and constant minimum stress tests not only help record mean stress effects on fatigue, they also help derive the material constants that are required for applying the closure-based fatigue method.

Atomic data on the Zeeman effect, especially for hydrogen and deuterium atoms, are vital for the analysis of spectral line profiles from magnetically confined fusion plasmas. In our laboratory, a 1.33 m McPherson spectrometer has been equipped with a CCD detector system, for precise Zeeman splitting and line intensity measurements. In the wavelength range 5000-8000 A, the resolution achieved in first and second order is about 0.07 A and 0.04 A, respectively. Construction of the CCD detector system is described, and sample spectra are displayed and discussed, with experimental errors within 0.5-1 % in known cases. Zeeman spectra of Balmer H α,β and D α,β lines were generated in a Plucker tube discharge containing a mixture of Kr and H 2 /D 2 (6:1). Disturbance of the polarization of the π-components and an increase in the apparent atomic temperature derived from the widths of the H α,β and D α,β Zeeman components are described and discussed.

This article presents a simple measuring apparatus that is capable of measuring column density and absolute photoabsorption cross sections. The apparatus includes a simple high-temperature heatpipe furnace, an MKS Instruments Baratron, a hydrogen discharge lamp, and an optical detecting system. The heatpipe furnace provides an absorbing medium with a steady total pressure in a closed system so that the column density can be obtained using the ideal gas relation. The apparatus is designed for a working temperature range below 1000 K and a pressure range up to 10 Torr. Encountered experimental difficulties and their found solutions will be discussed in detail. In this work, the absolute photoabsorption cross section of Mg is measured near the 3s threshold using this apparatus. The absolute photoabsorption cross section result at the 3s threshold, which is 2.1±0.3 Mb, is in good agreement with hook method data (2.36 Mb).

Spectroscopic measurements of the D and H line profiles emitted within the edge region of a tokamak plasma, have revealed the existence of a cold central component, broadened mainly by the Zeeman effect arising from the confining magnetic field. Evaluation of the Doppler broadening suggests that the cold component is probably produced by electron impact-induced molecular dissociation, dissociative excitation being one of the few mechanisms which can explain the formation of atoms of kinetic energy around 0.2 eV against a background of comparatively hot electrons and ions. Further analysis of these line profiles, observed along different directions in the equatorial plane and under various tokamak discharge conditions, reveals, in addition to this effective `cold temperature', an effective `lukewarm temperature', which we explain in terms of an appreciable collisional heating mechanism. Estimates of the rates for ion-induced dipole and ion-induced quadrupole collisions with excited atoms, yield values of the correct order of magnitude for this observed `lukewarm temperature'. In addition, measurements of Balmer- line profiles, radiated from a gas discharge in a magnetic field of similar magnitude, are analysed and their shapes compared with those from the tokamak plasma.

Absolute photoabsorption cross sections of strontium have been measured in the energy range extending from the threshold up to above the 6s threshold. The synchrotron radiation source of the Synchrotron Radiation Research Center at Hsin-Chu was used as the background continuum. Strontium vapour was confined in a heatpipe oven. The absolute column density was determined by simultaneously measuring the temperature distribution profiles and the total pressure in the heatpipe. Absolute cross sections were determined using the Beer-Lambert law. The observed spectrum was analysed using a combination of a recent extension of the jj-coupled eigenchannel R-matrix adapted to handle highly correlated levels and the phase-shifted multichannel quantum defect theory. The main features of the observed spectrum, dominated by the presence of many window-type resonances, are well reproduced and the structures are identified. The observed absorption windows result from the fact that only continua are directly excited from the ground state.

We demonstrate a novel structure of a electroabsorption modulator (EAM) at a 1.55-mum wavelength. By incorporating the epilayer structure of dual-depletion-region EAM with an evanescently coupled optical waveguide, the demonstrated device can achieve low electrical return loss (-20 dB at ~60 GHz), wide 3-dB bandwidth (60 GHz) of electrical transmission loss, wide electrical-to-optical bandwidth (45 GHz), and low 20-dB static driving voltage (V20dB, 1.65 V) with extremely small polarization dependency. This new structure can not only achieve excellent figures-of-merit but release the burden imposed on downscaling the core width or length of high-speed/low driving-voltage EAM without using epitaxial regrowth or ion-implantation techniques to isolate the active and passive regions

We have employed spectrally resolved, subpicosecond transient four-wave-mixing techniques to identify and to study the four-particle ‘‘antibound states’’ associated with excitonic molecules in a binary ZnSe single quantum well. Previously, the existence of robust bound biexcitons have been observed in this wide band-gap semiconductor heterostructure, including a density regime where optical gain is dominated by the molecular states. We employ selective circular polarization excitation to suppress the bound ~ground state! exciton-pair state contribution and find a spectrally distinct and isolated feature emerging approximately 3.5 meV higher in photon energy than the n51 heavy-hole exciton transition. The new resonance is distinct only in the negative time delay regime, and is interpreted as a manifestation of coherent four-particle correlated states within the biexciton continuum. @S0163-1829~98!51736-5#

We have measured the absolute photoabsorption cross sections of Sr I from its 5s ionization threshold up to the thresholds. The spectrum includes the Sr I , , and doubly excited series which converge to the or series limits. Synchrotron radiation, from the 1 m Seya-Namioka beam line of the Synchrotron Radiation Research Center at Hsin-Chu, Taiwan, was used as the background continuum. The absolute column density was determined by measuring simultaneously the temperature distribution profiles and the total pressure in a heatpipe. Absolute cross sections were obtained using the Beer-Lambert law. The measured absolute cross section for the 5s ionization threshold was . At the most significant autoionizing resonance, around , the absolute cross section was measured as . The absolute cross sections presented here are larger than those based on saturated vapour-pressure data, and less than those based on the f-value measurements. All the absolute cross sections in this work are compared with both recent experiments and

We report a case of relapsing polychondritis with focal sensorimotor seizures, aseptic meningitis, and migratory leptomeningeal enhancement on contrast MRI. These abnormalities on imaging studies correlated accurately with laterality of the patient's seizures, facilitating early aggressive management of his neurologic symptoms.

Yellow sticky traps are widely used for monitoring and management of whiteflies and certain other pests and have also been used to monitor their natural enemy activity. A new, nonsticky whitefly trap (CC trap), standard yellow sticky cards, and clear colorless sticky cards were evaluated in cotton ( Gossypium hirsutum L.) to compare their attractiveness to Eretmocerus eremicus Rose and Zolnerowich, an aphelinid parasitoid of Bemisia argentifolii Bellows & Perring [= Bernisia tabaci (Gennadius) B-strain] that is indigenous to southwestern U.S. deserts. The CC traps caught an average of 264 adult whiteflies during 24-h test periods compared with 523 adult whiteflies on yellow sticky traps. The colorless sticky cards trapped only 37 whiteflies per card during the same period. The CC traps caught an average of 0.4 adult E. eremicus over a 24-h period compared with 26.6 adult E. eremicus trapped by yellow sticky cards. Colorless plastic sticky cards trapped an average of 1.1 parasitoids per card, demonstrating that E. eremicus was strongly attracted to the yellow sticky cards. Thirty-nine percent of E. eremicus trapped on yellow sticky cards and 42% trapped on colorless sticky cards were female. CC traps caught the lowest numbers of other arthropods. On average

Enhanced light-matter coupling effects are striking in II–VI quantum well microresonators, with the normal mode (Rabi) splitting exceeding 10 meV per quantum well at the exciton resonance in ZnSe-based heterostructures. Such a dominating imprint of the mixed exciton-photon modes extends to high electron-hole pair densities, including the regime of vertical cavity laser operation. We present results from gain spectroscopy to show how the composite photon-exciton oscillator supplies optical gain for a laser operating beyond the conventional perturbative regime.