cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Neoconservatism: A Death Prematurely Foretold?

The foreign policy mishaps of the Bush administration supposedly discredited neoconservatism as an international political philosophy. Yet, American foreign policy officials continue to advocate for its precepts, namely that US global hegemony and the spread of democracy abroad are mutually necessary for US security and global stability. I argue that such neoconservative beliefs persist—even if the term itself is rejected—because it brings together ideas from liberalism and realism into a more coherent foreign policy philosophy than either liberalism and realism as currently conceived. Rather, the most coherent alternative to neoconservatism is a restrained realism. This poses a particular dilemma for liberals, as either choice requires jettisoning a core belief.
A Review on Biomechanical and Treatment Aspects Associated with Anterior Cruciate Ligament

Abstract Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), a structure involved in providing knee stability, is an important restraint for anterior tibial translation and secondary restraint for internal tibial rotation. Injury to ACL, leading to its rupture can cause a lot of problems such as effect on knee stability, cartilage wear and other joint structures. Understanding the anatomy, physiology and the mechanical behavior is important as it helps in the understanding of its function and healing capacity after injury. This review takes a brief look at the anatomy, physiology and mechanical behavior of ACL. The causes of injury and healing process of ACL have also been discussed. This review gives an overview of the surgical treatment options for ACL rupture. These treatment options include methods that have been abandoned like primary repair, methods that are currently in use like the biological grafts and prosthetic grafts that are no longer being used (except LARS which is currently not used widely) due to the complications associated with them. Non-surgical, conservative treatment options for ACL have also been discussed.
The Effects of Bug-in-Ear Coaching on Pre-Service Behavior Analysts' Use of Functional Communication Training.

Behavior analysts play an important role in supporting the behavior and learning of young children with disabilities in natural settings. However, there is very little research related specifically to developing the skills and competencies needed by pre-service behavior analysts. This study examined the effects of “bug-in-ear” (BIE) coaching on pre-service behavior analysts’ implementation of functional communication training with pre-school children with autism in their classrooms. BIE coaching was associated with increases in the rate of functional communication training trials each intern initiated per session and in the fidelity with which interns implemented functional communication training. Adults created more intentional opportunities for children to communicate, and adults provided more systematic instruction around those opportunities.
Variability in Percentage Above Cut Scores Due to Discreteness in Score Scale

For standard- or criterion-based assessments, the use of cut scores to indicate mastery, nonmastery, or different levels of skill mastery is very common. As part of performance summary, it is of interest to examine the percentage of examinees at or above the cut scores (PAC) and how PAC evolves across administrations. This paper shows that discreteness in score scales can affect the PAC statistics considerably, especially when the test is short and when there are high examinee density and low item density near the cut score on the reporting score scale. This paper also includes recommendations on how to adjust the PAC statistics when they are used in trend analyses.
Errors in Martian paleodischarges skew interpretations of hydrologic history: Case study of the Aeolis Dorsa, Mars, with insights from the Quinn River, NV

Abstract Changes in Martian fluvial geomorphology with time-stratigraphic age, including decreases in paleochannel widths, suggest waning paleodischarges through time. Where fluvial landforms do not preserve paleochannel widths (e.g., meander deposits), other landform dimensions (i.e., radius of curvature) may be used to estimate paleodischarges. In the Aeolis Dorsa region, topographically inverted and stacked fluvial deposits – wide meander point bars overlain by thin channel fills – preserve ostensible evidence of decreasing paleodischarges through time. However, a robust paleohydraulic analysis of these distinct deposits requires knowledge of the accuracy of a terrestrial-based empirical relationship that estimates channel width from point-bar radius of curvature. We assess the accuracy of this radius-width relationship by applying it to a well-studied terrestrial analog, the Quinn River, Nevada. We find that radii of curvature from the Quinn River exceed the values predicted from the empirical relationship. These anomalously high radii are associated with greater resistance in the channel cut banks, indicating that bank strength is a confounding factor in the radius-width relationship. Some deposits in the Aeolis Dorsa include irregular meander morphologies, suggesting variably resistant channel banks and overestimates of both paleochannel widths and paleodischarges. Furthermore, the morphometry of the overlying thin channel fills suggests their widths have been eroded, such that their paleodischarges are underestimates. These overestimates and underestimates, when considered together, suggest little change in paleodischarge during the stratigraphic transition from meander deposits to channel fills. This work demonstrates the importance of terrestrial analog studies for revealing confounding factors in Martian fluvial systems and cautions against simplistic interpretations of Martian fluvial history. The discovered inaccuracies of paleodischarge estimates expose sources of uncertainty in the extant paleodischarge data that bias inferences toward waning hydrologic activity through time.
Nonneoplastic Diseases of the Stomach

The term ‘gastritis’ is commonly used loosely by clinicians to describe any condition in which the patient complains of upper central abdominal pain or discomfort, nausea and vomiting, and heartburn, while no specific clinical signs are recognized, and imaging studies are negative. It is well recognized that there is a poor correlation between the symptomatology and the endoscopic appearance of the gastric mucosa. In many cases, an endoscopic impression of gastritis corresponds to a normal biopsy. Thus, histology, which allows the microscopic determination of the mucosa, is essential to reach a specific diagnosis.
Racial Expropriation in Higher Education: Are Whiter Hispanic Serving Institutions More Likely to Receive Minority Serving Institution Funds?:

Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs) are colleges with 25 percent or higher Latinx student bodies. Categorization as HSI permits institutions to apply for restricted competitive federal grants that...
Reproductive Urologist and Gynecologist Involvement in Postvasectomy Sperm Retrieval Procedures at American Fertility Clinics.

ABSTRACT Objective To evaluate reproductive urologist and reproductive endocrinologist practice patterns for postvasectomy surgical sperm retrieval at American private practice fertility clinics. Methods Private practice American fertility clinics were contacted by telephone and administered a telephone survey. In states with multiple large cities, several clinics in different cities were surveyed. Our primary endpoint was to determine what specialty of physician (urologist or reproductive endocrinology gynecologist) performed sperm retrieval procedures. Secondarily, we inquired about the location that these procedures were performed (urology vs gynecology clinic), type of anesthesia used, and cash cost for the procedure. Results Two hundred and twenty-five infertility clinics were contacted (per state range 2-10). 90.2% (203/225) of clinics responded to our queries. Zero clinics had an on-site urologist. An on-staff gynecologist with reproductive endocrinology training performed postvasectomy sperm retrievals in 9.4% (19/203) of clinics. A urologist “partnered” with the infertility clinic performed sperm retrievals at the fertility clinic in 11.8% (24/203) of clinics. 18.7% (38/203) did not offer sperm retrieval on-site, but did have a referral pattern established with a local urologist. Among reproductive endocrinologist performing sperm retrievals, intravenous anesthesia was used in 76.9% (10/13) of clinics. The quoted costs for surgical sperm retrieval performed by a reproductive endocrinologist ranged from $1000 to 10,000. Conclusion Surgical sperm retrieval postvasectomy performed by an on-site reproductive endocrinologist was offered by 9.4% of contacted fertility clinics. The majority (76.9%) of these cases were routinely performed under intravenous anesthesia. Costs for reproductive endocrinologist performed sperm retrievals varied considerably. The reasons for, and safety of reproductive endocrinologists performing these procedures remains to be determined.
Afghanistan in Ink: Literature between Diaspora and Nation: Nile Green and Nushin Arbabzadah (eds.), New York: Oxford University Press, 2012, ISBN-10: 0-19-932776-9 (hbk), 288 pp.

A photograph of Afghan president Dr. Ashraf Ghani onboard a flight back to Afghanistan was recently tweeted by his spokesperson. Surely, a rather quotidian occurrence in our digital age. Yet, it is...
Higher and Higher? Drug and Alcohol Use and Misuse among HIV-Vulnerable Men, Trans Men, and Trans Women Who Have Sex with Men in the United States

Substance use (SU) and misuse are disproportionately more common among sexual and gender minority (SGM) individuals compared to their heterosexual peers. Yet, little is known about regional and dem...
Wolbachia in mosquitoes from the Central Valley of California, USA

Wolbachia bacteria are widely distributed throughout terrestrial arthropod species. These bacteria can manipulate reproduction and influence the vector competence of their hosts. Recently, Wolbachia have been integrated into vector control programmes for mosquito management. A number of supergroups and strains exist for Wolbachia, and they have yet to be characterized for many mosquito species. In this study, we examined Wolbachia prevalence and their phylogenetic relationship to other Wolbachia, using mosquitoes collected in Merced County in the Central Valley of California. Adult mosquitoes were collected from 85 sites in Merced County, California in 2017 and 2018. Traditional and quantitative PCR were used to investigate the presence or absence and the density of Wolbachia, using Wolbachia-specific 16S rRNA and Wolbachia-surface protein (wsp) genes. The supergroup of Wolbachia was determined, and Multilocus Sequence Typing (MLST) by sequencing five housekeeping genes (coxA, gatB, ftsZ, hcpA and fbpA) was also used to determine Wolbachia supergroup as well as strain. Over 7100 mosquitoes of 12 species were collected: Aedes melanimon, Ae. nigromaculis, Ae. vexans, Ae. aegypti, Culex pipiens, Cx. stigmatosoma, Cx. tarsalis, Anopheles franciscanus, An. freeborni, An. punctipennis, Culiseta incidens and Cs. inornata. Eight showed evidence of Wolbachia. To our knowledge, this study is the first to report detection of Wolbachia in five of these species (Ae. melanimon, Cx. stigmatosoma, Cx. tarsalis, Cs. incidens and Cs. inornata). Culex pipiens and Cx. stigmatosoma had a high frequency and density of Wolbachia infection, which grouped into supergroup B; Cs. inornata clustered with supergroup A. MLST comparisons identified Cx. pipiens and Cx. stigmatosoma as wPip strain type 9 supergroup B. Six species had moderate to low (< 14%) frequencies of Wolbachia. Four species were negative, Ae. nigromaculis, An. franciscanus, An. freeborni and Ae. aegypti. New records of Wolbachia detection were found in mosquitoes from Merced County, California. Culex stigmatosoma and Cs. inornata were new records for Wolbachia supergroup B and A, respectively. Other species with Wolbachia occurred with low frequency and low density. Detection of Wolbachia in mosquitoes can be used to inform potential vector control applications. Future study of Wolbachia within Cx. stigmatosoma and Cs. inornata in California and through the range of these species could further explore Wolbachia infection in these two species.
Putting It All Together: What to Keep and What to Refer?

Back pain is very common in children and even more common in adults. Back pain is a symptom, not a diagnosis, so seek a deeper understanding of the condition. Always evaluate the child’s development and growth. Be very concerned about a young child with a stiff spine, night pain, or abnormal neurological findings. Seek the underlying diagnosis in evaluating back pain or scoliosis. For the child under age 10 years, consider inflammation and the common pitfalls to avoid—especially tumors and infections. Stiffness can be a sign of inflammation. This inflammation can show up as night pain, limp, or refusal to walk. For the child older than age 10 years, think of mechanical origins, spondylolysis, spondylolisthesis, or Scheuermann kyphosis, but don’t forget the possible pitfalls. After a thorough evaluation, there may be no specific diagnosis, and you then need to reassure the family and provide comfort.
Evaluation of Staged TCAR and Cardiac Surgery or Structural Heart Intervention.

INTRODUCTION The optimal treatment strategy for patients with concomitant carotid and cardiac disease remains controversial. Transcarotid artery revascularization stenting with reversed flow protection (TCAR) has achieved results equivalent to carotid endarterectomy (CEA) in high risk patients. METHODS A retrospective review of all patients at a single center who received staged TCAR prior to cardiac intervention was performed. RESULTS 37 patients underwent 42 TCAR procedures prior to cardiac intervention (25 requiring open cardiac surgery and 12 requiring percutaneous intervention). There were no myocardial or neurological complications following TCAR prior to cardiac intervention. Three patients (8%) developed a neck hematoma which required evacuation. CONCLUSION A staged approach to combined carotid and cardiac pathology with TCAR prior to cardiac intervention appears to be a safe and effective strategy.
Infralimbic cortex pyramidal neuron GIRK signaling contributes to regulation of cognitive flexibility but not affect-related behavior in male mice

Dysfunction of the infralimbic cortical (ILC) region of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) is thought to be an underlying factor in both affect- and cognition-related behavioral deficits that co-occur across neuropsychiatric disorders. Increasing evidence highlights pathological imbalances in prefrontal pyramidal neuron excitability and associated aberrant firing as an underlying factor in this dysfunction. G protein-gated inwardly rectifying K+ (GIRK/Kir3) channels mediate excitability of mPFC pyramidal neurons, however the functional role of these channels in ILC-dependent regulation of behavior and pyramidal neuron excitation is unknown. The present study used a viral-cre approach in male mice harboring a 'floxed' version of the kcnj3 (Girk1) gene, to disrupt GIRK1-containing channel expression in pyramidal neurons within the ILC. Loss of GIRK1-dependent signaling increased excitability and spike firing of pyramidal neurons but did not alter affective behavior measured in an elevated plus maze, forced swim test, or progressive ratio test of motivation. Alternatively, ablation of GIRK1 impaired performance in an operant-based attentional set-shifting task designed to assess cognitive flexibility. These data highlight a unique role for GIRK1 signaling in ILC pyramidal neurons in the regulation of strategy shifting but not affect and suggest that these channels may represent a therapeutic target for treatment of cognitive deficits in neuropsychiatric disease.
Chiral Phonons in Moiré Superlattices.

We discover chiral phonons at the lowest energy bands in moire superlattices. The moire chiral phonons we uncover are the collective excitations of the stacking domains. Their origin is uniquely attributed to the stacking configurations whose interlayer binding energy breaks the C2z symmetry on the moire length scale. Within elastic theory, we use a general symmetry analysis to provide a complete classification of van der Waals heterostructures in respect to hosting moire chiral phonons and show the calculation for twisted MoS2 as an example. We present a low-energy effective model to qualitatively understand the moire chiral phonons and show that it captures the essential physics remarkably well. Our result potentially opens up new possibilities in phononic twistronics as the moire chiral phonons have high tunability, moire scale wavelengths, excitation energies in only a few meV and can possibly be mechanically excited.
Coughs and Colds

Coughing is one of the most frequent problems in children. Most children will have several colds or coughs per year; pharmacy shelves are loaded with over-the-counter cough remedies, many of them aimed at children.
A system for automatic quantification of cigarette smoking behavior.

� Abstract— Cigarette smoking remains the principal source of preventable disease in the United States. Although most tobacco companies have developed filtered cigarettes to reduce the levels of some toxins, smokers have adapted their inhalation patterns to compensate for these newer "light" cigarettes. We describe a new system designed to unobtrusively monitor such elements of smoking behavior. The system used a video camera to capture movies of smoking behavior. Subsequently, image processing and analysis algorithms were applied to the movie frames to form a time-series, termed the smoking topography, which quantified various parameters of smoking behavior.
A new chalcogenide crystal for nonlinear optics in the infrared

Currently available nonlinear optical materials for frequency conversion applications in the mid-wave and long-wave infrared lack one (or more) of the following desired properties: a large nonlinear coefficient, wideband spectral transparency, low absorption loss at convenient pump-laser wavelengths, high laser- damage threshold, reasonable chemical stability, good mechanical robustness, high thermal conductivity, low thermal index change, or bi-refringently phase-matched over an appropriate wavelength regime.
The Structure of the Yeast Cell Wall: SOLUBILIZATION OF A MARKER ENZYME, β-FRUCTOFURANOSIDASE, BY THE AUTOLYTIC ENZYME SYSTEM

The autolytic release of β-fructofuranosidase (EC 3.2.1.26) and acid phosphatase (EC 3.1.3.2) from the cell wall of yeast was studied under different organic solvents and with a variety of pH and temperature conditions. β-Fructofuranosidase (but not acid phosphatase) was found to be a convenient marker for studying changes in the wall structure. The ethyl acetate-treated cell was characterized in terms of changes in cell volume, dry weight, total nitrogen, and phospholipid; and it was used as a model of wall structure. The β-fructofuranosidase content is little affected by ethyl acetate treatment, but a 2-day exposure completely inactivates the autolytic enzyme system. Approximately 50% of the marker can then be enzymatically released by incubation with a cell-free extract from fresh yeast. If ethyl acetate-treated cells are previously treated with dithiothreitol, 100% of the marker now becomes accessible and is liberated by cell-free extract. The effect of sulfhydryls was shown to be on a wall component. The cell-free extract was partially purified by heat treatment, ammonium sulfate precipitation, and dialysis with full retention of autolytic activity. Diethylaminoethyl-cellulose chromatography was used to resolve the extract into two active fractions. Fraction I is a β(1 → 6) glucanase, while Fraction II is a β(1 → 3) glucanase; both appear to be endohydrolases in their action pattern. Fractions I and II will account for, at most, 77% release of marker from ethyl acetate-treated cells. A third (or more) fraction(s) was clearly indicated but not identified. In living yeast cells the autolytic enzyme system is located internal to the protoplasmic membrane and, during toluene-induced autolysis, is retained by the cell at least until 20% of the marker has been liberated.
Abstract 19165: Hypoxia-Induced Downregulation of Sirtuin 1 Impairs Cardiac Stem Cell Proliferation

Background: Myocardial infarction (MI) produces severe hypoxia within regions of the myocardium, resulting in the formation of scar tissue and significant cardiac cell death. Adult hearts contain endogenous cardiac stem cells (CSCs) that have regenerative capacity and participate in myocardial tissue homeostasis and repair post-MI, but are insufficient to promote complete regeneration. The histone deacetylase Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) likely mediates this hypoxia-induced decrease in regeneration via roles in cell cycle progression and conferring protection from senescence and oxidative damage. Hypothesis: Hypoxia decreases CSC proliferation through reduced SIRT1-mediated deacetylation. Methods and Results: Murine CSCs were grown at room air (21% O2), physiologic (5% O2), and ischemic hypoxic (0.5% O2) conditions for 72 hours. Ischemic hypoxia, but not physiologic, reduced CSC proliferation and DNA synthesis to 25±2.0% (N=3; p<0.05) and 54±7.0% (N=7; p<0.05), respectively, relative to cells grown in room air. SIRT...
Log-concave Probability Distributions: Theory and Statistical Testing 1

This paper studies the broad class of log-concave probability distributions that arise in economics of uncertainty and information. For univariate, continuous, and log-concave random variables we prove useful properties without imposing the dierentiability of density functions. Discrete and multivariate distributions are also discussed. We propose simple non-parametric testing procedures for log-concavity. The test statistics are constructed to test one of the two implications of log-concavity: increasing hazard rates and new-is-better-than-used (NBU) property. The tests for increasing hazard rates are based on normalized spacing of the sample order statistics. The tests for NBU property fall into the category of Hoeding’s U-statistics.
Lower bounds for oblivious transfer reductions

We prove the first general and non-trivial lower bound for the number of times a 1-out-of-n Oblivious Transfer of strings of length l should be invoked so as to obtain, by an information-theoretically secure reduction, a 1-out-of-N Oblivious Transfer of strings of length L. Our bound is tight in many significant cases. We also prove the first non-trivial lower bound for the number of random bits needed to implement such a reduction whenever the receiver sends no messages to the sender. This bound is also tight in many significant cases.
On the performance of wavelength division multiple access networks

The authors present a mathematical model which approximates wavelength division multiple access (WDMA) networks with general hardware configurations and arbitrary traffic patterns. They study the case of a uniform traffic matrix and observe that, when the number of wavelengths is fewer than the number of stations, it is better to have both tunable transmitters and tunable receivers, rather than having only one of them tunable. Only a small number of tunable transmitters and receivers per station is needed to produce performance close to the upper bound. A general traffic model is constructed and an iterative solution procedure is proposed. A case of hot-spot traffic is studied by using this model. It is found that adding more resources to the hot-spot node will help improve its performance, but only to a limited extent determined by the traffic imbalance. The match between the model and simulation results is shown to be excellent. >
Sentinel California sea lions provide insight into legacy organochlorine exposure trends and their association with cancer and infectious disease.

Abstract Background Organochlorine contaminants (OCs), like polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethanes (DDTs), are widespread marine pollutants resulting from massive historical use and environmental persistence. Exposure to and health effects of these OCs in the marine environment may be examined by studying California sea lions (Zalophus californianus ), which are long lived, apex predators capable of accumulating OCs. Methods We evaluated PCB and DDT levels in 310 sea lions sampled between 1992 and 2007: 204 individuals stranded along the coast of central California, 60 healthy males from Washington State, and 46 healthy females from southern California. Lipid-normalized contaminant concentrations were analyzed using general linear models and logistic regression to ascertain temporal trends; differences between stranded and healthy sea lions; and association of organochlorines with sex, age, and presence of cancer or fatal infectious disease. Results Concentrations of the contaminants in stranded adults decreased over time in the study period (adjusted for sex, as adult males had higher mean blubber concentrations than adult females and juveniles). Cancer was almost eight and six times more likely in animals with higher summed PCBs and DDTs, compared to those with lower levels (95% CI 5.55–10.51 and 4.54–7.99, respectively). Fatal infectious diseases were similarly seven and five times more likely in animals with higher contaminant burdens (95% CI 4.20–10.89 and 3.27–7.86, respectively). Mean contaminant loads were significantly higher in stranded sea lions than in healthy live captured animals ( p Conclusion Organochlorine contamination has significant associations with health outcomes in California sea lions, raising concerns for humans and other animals eating tainted seafood. While environmental exposure to these organochlorines appears to be decreasing over time based on levels in sea lion tissues, their persistence in the environment and food web for all predators, including humans, and the associated serious health risks, warrant monitoring, possibly through sentinel species like marine mammals.
Protective Action of 2,2-Bis(Parachlorophenyl)-1,1,1-Trichloroethane Against Intoxication of Cells by Staphylococcal Enterotoxin B

Abstract Chlorinated hydrocarbon 2,2-bis(parachlorophenyl)-1,1,1-trichloroethane (DDT) and its derivative 2,2-bis(parachlorophenyl)-1,1-dichloroethane (o,p′-DDD) protected the cells of human embryonic intestine, Henle strain, against the cytotoxic effects induced by staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB). The hydrocarbons were incorporated in the culture medium, and the cytotoxicity of SEB was measured by cell destruction and by inhibition of cell growth during incubation for 48 hr. When DDT at nontoxic levels (4 to 25 μg/ml) was added to cultures, 24 or 4 hr prior to or 7 hr after the administration of toxin (100 μg/ml), the cells did not show the characteristic cytotoxicity. A therapeutic effect was also observed with o,p′-DDD added to cultures 9 hr after SEB. Because the cells treated with DDT for a period of 24 hr remained resistant to the toxin when DDT was removed from the cultures, it appears that DDT acts upon the cells rather then upon enterotoxin B. The protective effect of DDT was also observed against the toxin-induced skin erythemas and necrosis in guinea pigs treated with DDT.
Models and Algorithms for Stochastic and Robust Vehicle Routing with Deadlines

We consider the vehicle routing problem with deadlines under travel time uncertainty in the contexts of stochastic and robust optimization. The problem is defined on a directed graph where a fleet of vehicles is required to visit a given set of nodes and deadlines are imposed at a subset of nodes. In the stochastic vehicle routing problem with deadlines (SVRP-D), the probability distribution of the travel times is assumed to be known and the problem is solved to minimize the sum of probability of deadline violations. In the robust vehicle routing problem with deadlines (RVRP-D), however, the exact probability distribution is unknown but it belongs to a certain family of distributions. The objective of the problem is to optimize a performance measure, called lateness index, which represents the risk of violating the deadlines. Although novel mathematical frameworks have been proposed to solve these problems, the size of the problem that those approaches can handle is relatively small. Our focus in this pap...
Does Kant's ethics require that the moral law be the sole determining ground of the will?

En se fondant principalement sur la seconde Critique, l'A. argue que Kant ne revendique pas systematiquement l'exclusivite de la loi morale et qu'il n'est pas oblige de le faire pour que son ethique pure reste intacte.
Modification of gap junctions in cells transformed by a temperature-sensitive mutant of Rous sarcoma virus.

Prompted by our observation that a reduction in junctional permeance is one of the earlier events in the process of neoplastic transformation of a cell line by Rous sarcoma virus, we analyzed the gap junctions, from these cells to determine if the basis of the reduction is a loss of junctional channels. The cells (normal rat kidney, or NRK) are infected with a temperature-sensitive mutant of Rous sarcoma virus, allowing one easily to manipulate the cells into and out of the transformed state, and hence also to manipulate the junctional permeance. Using freeze-fracture electron microscopy, we found that the number and size of the junctions did not change in parallel with the permeance changes we had previously characterized. There is, however, a significant rearrangement of the junctional particles to a more random configuration when the cells are transformed and a reversal to the more ordered pattern when the cells are shifted back to the normal phenotype. These changes do parallel the changes in junctional permeance. We conclude that the permeance of existing junctional channels is modified and that the change in permeance may involve a change in the interaction of the junctional channels with each other and/or the surrounding lipid domain.
Restructured Reindeer Steaks: Effects of Flake Size, Phosphate, and Salt on Sensory Properties

Steaks, fabricated from forequarters from field-slaughtered Alaskan reindeer, were prepared from meat flaked to two sizes (1.295 and 1.905 cm), with (0.5%) and without phosphate, and with (0.5%) and without salt. Phosphate did not appreciably affect sensory properties. Larger flakes and salt improved quality and acceptability, therefore, additional steaks were fabricated from meat flaked with a larger cutting head (4.064-cm) and with three levels of salt (0.0, 0.5 and 0.75%). Steaks containing 0.75% salt were less chewy, softer, juicier, and more acceptable than those made with 0.5% salt but did not differ from those containing no salt. Feasibility of producing restructured steaks from reindeer forequarters was demonstrated.
Dutasteride for the treatment of prostate-related conditions

Introduction: A variety of pharmaceuticals have been developed directed at mitigating the symptoms associated with benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH) and have also been evaluated for their potential role in prevention and treatment of prostate cancer. One such agent is dutasteride, a non-selective inhibitor of 5α-reductase, an enzyme responsible for conversion of testosterone to a more potent androgen dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Areas covered: This review will cover the safety profile of dutasteride when it is used in the treatment of prostate-related conditions, specifically looking at the pivotal clinical trials on this drug. Expert opinion: Dutasteride has proved to be a safe and efficacious treatment for symptoms related to BPH. The primary safety concern relates to the increased incidence of high-grade prostate cancer seen in men treated with dutasteride in the setting of prostate cancer prevention. Dutasteride has a role as an adjunct in the treatment of prostate cancer; however, this is an area stil...
Men's voices as dominance signals: vocal fundamental and formant frequencies influence dominance attributions among men

Men's vocal folds and vocal tracts are longer than those of women, resulting in lower fundamental frequency (F0) and closer spacing of formant frequencies (formant dispersion, Df) in men than in women. The evolutionary reasons for these sex differences are uncertain, but some evidence implicates male dominance competition. Previous manipulations of F0 and Df affected perceptions of dominance among men. However, because these acoustic dimensions were manipulated simultaneously, their relative contributions are unclear. In unscripted recordings of men speaking to a competitor, we manipulated F0 and Df independently and by similar perceptual amounts to examine effects on social and physical dominance ratings. Recordings lowered in either F0 or Df were perceived as being produced by more dominant men than were the respective raised recordings. Df had a greater effect than did F0, and both Df and F0 tended to affect physical dominance more than social dominance, although this difference was significant only for Df.
Interfacial shear stresses in fiber-reinforced glasses

The single fiber pull-out test has been used to measure interfacial properties of SiC fibers in soda-borosilicate glass matrices. Two parameters are examined: the SiC to free carbon ratio at the surface of the SiC fiber is varied to test the effect of interfacial chemistry and the glass expansion is varied to investigate the effect of residual stresses. A carbon coating is shown to be effective in preventing strong fiber-matrix bonding and oxidation of the SiC fibers by the glass. However, coatings with higher carbon content result in stronger bonding to the soda-borosilicate glass. Both the interfacial shear strength and the frictional shear stress increase linearly with residual stress and reach a maximum of nearly double the strain-free value above which the interfacial strength decreases as a result of radial crack formation in the glass matrix. The measured interfacial shear properties are also found to be stress rate dependent.
Deprivation, expectation and threat: effects on salivation in the obese and nonobese.

Abstract Eight obese and 8 nonobese male subjects' salivation was measured before and after presentation of a food stimulus (pizza) on four different days at 8:00 p.m. Half the time subjects had skipped supper (deprivation condition); half the time they were not allowed to eat the pizza after salivation measurement (expectation condition). Deprivation and expectation conditions were crossed and counterbalanced. Subjects salivated more in response to the food when they expected to eat it than when it was prohibited. The nonobese subjects salivated more if they were deprived, especially before the food was present. The obese were unaffected by deprivation. These findings are interpreted in terms of the classical conditioning concepts, negative conditioned stimulus and differentiation. The obese subjects salivated less under conditions of threat (high deprivation-negative expectation) than under conditions of nonthreat (low deprivation-positive expectation); the nonobese salivated more when threatened than when not. These findings support a hypothesis that the obese tend to conserve energy in the face of threats associated with eating and the nonobese tend to expend it.
Real-Time Application of the iPSC™ Concurrent Computer

Abstract Concurrent processing, the use of many microcomputers working together on a single computation, is an attractive new approach to solving scientific problems previously requiring a supercomputer. The other advantages of commercial VLSI-based microcomputers--reduced size, weight, power, and cost--make them potentially useful elements of real-time systems. Intel has introduced the first commercial computer system based on the hypercube architecture developed at the California Institute of Technology. Now it is possible for designers of real-time systems to discover how to apply this new technology effectively.
Antennal sensilla of the adult alfalfa weevil, Hypera postica (Gyllenhal) (Coleoptera : Curculionidae)

Abstract Sensilla on the antennae of adult alfalfa weevils, Hypera postica (Gyllenhal),were studied with scanning and transmission electron microscopes to determine the sensilla structure and possible chemo- and mechanoreceptive functions for food detection. Five types of sensilla trichodea (s.t.) occur (length 35 – 135 μm); s.t. I (71 – 135-μm long)are thick-walled without radial pores and s.t. II (50 – 75-μm long), the most abundant s.t., are multiporous. Bifurcated and trifurcated types (75 –85 -μm long) also occur. Five types of sensilla basiconica (s.b.) are present and include s.b. I (26 – 50-μm long), a fluted uniporous type with a rugose surface and encircling ledges; s.b. II (15 – 35-gm long), a common multiporous type with many longitudinal grooves; and s.b. IV (4 – 7-μm long), which are 3 apical, short pegs. Sensilla styloconica occur in a small band among the s.b. type II. One or 2 epidermal gland ducts are adjacent to most s.t. and some s.b.
Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunts in liver transplant recipients for management of refractory ascites: clinical outcome.

Purpose To determine the effectiveness of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) creation in liver transplant recipients with recurrent portal hypertension presenting with refractory ascites. Materials and Methods A retrospective review of transplant recipients undergoing TIPS creation was performed over a 6-year period. Recipients were noted for age, sex, TIPS indication, Model for End-stage Liver Disease (MELD) score, cause of initial liver disease, and time between first transplantation and TIPS creation. Clinical success was defined as graft survival of longer than 1 month with improvement in ascites. New-onset or worsening encephalopathy was noted. Graft survival and patency were calculated according to the Kaplan-Meier method. MELD score and portosystemic gradient (PSG) before and after TIPS creation were evaluated for prediction of graft loss less than 3 months after TIPS creation. Results Nineteen liver transplant recipients underwent TIPS creation for ascites. Mean time from transplantation was 3.5 years (range, 3.7–112.2 months). Mean MELD score before TIPS creation was 17 (range, 7–24). The technical, hemodynamic, and clinical success rates were 100%, 95%, and 16%, respectively. Encephalopathy developed in five patients (26%). Thirty- and 90-day mortality rates were 16% ( n = 3) and 21% ( n = 4), respectively. Primary unassisted patency and graft survival rates at 1, 3, and 6 months were 100%, 90%, and 90% and 79%, 58%, and 47%, respectively. MELD score parameters were significant indicators ( P Conclusions TIPS for the management of ascites in liver transplant recipients is not as clinically effective as it is in patients with native livers (16% vs 50%–80% in the literature). MELD score is a predictor of graft survival; PSG parameters are not.
Shoreline tufa and tufaglomerate from Pleistocene Lake Bonneville, Utah, USA: stable isotopic and mineralogical records of lake conditions, processes, and climate

Shoreline carbonate deposits of Pleistocene Lake Bonneville record the conditions and processes within the lake, including the evaporative balance as well as vertical and lateral chemical and isotopic gradients. Tufas (swash-zone) and tufaglomerates (cemented, subaqueous colluvium or beachrock) on multiple, well-developed shorelines near the Silver Island Range, Utah, also present an opportunity to examine physicochemical lake processes through time. Three shorelines are represented by carbonate deposits, including the 23–20 ka Stansbury stage, 15–14.5 ka Bonneville stage, and 14.5–14 ka Provo stage. Mean δ18OVSMOW values of all three shorelines are statistically indistinguishable ( ∼ 27 ± 1‰), when a few Bonneville samples of unusual composition are neglected. However, differences in primary carbonate mineralogy indicate that the correspondence is an artefact of the different fractionation factors between calcite or aragonite and water. Second, in order to sustain a much smaller, shallower lake during the colder Stansbury stage, the climate must have also been relatively dry. Third, δ18O values in tufa are higher than tufaglomerate by ∼ 0.5‰, consistent with greater evaporative enrichment of lake water in the swash zone. Fourth, mean δ13C values for the Provo, Stansbury and Bonneville shorelines (4.4, 5.0 and 5.2‰, respectively) show that carbon species were dominated by atmospheric exchange, with the variations produced by differences in the oxidation of organic matter. Comparisons of shoreline carbonates with deep-lake marls of the same approximate age indicate that shoreline carbonate was much higher in δ13C and δ18O values (both ∼ 2.5‰) during Bonneville time, whereas isotopic differences were minor (both ∼ 1‰) in Stansbury time. In particular, the Bonneville stage may have sustained large vertical or lateral isotopic gradients due to evaporative enrichment effects on δ18O values. In contrast, the lake during the much shallower Stansbury stage may have been well mixed. Differences in the primary mineralogy (Stansbury and Bonneville, aragonite > calcite; Provo, calcite > aragonite) reflect profound differences in lake chemistry in terms of open versus closed-basin lakes. The establishment of a continuous outlet during Provo time probably reduced the Mg2+/Ca2+ ratio of lake water. Curiously, regardless of primary mineralogy, tufaglomerate cements are enriched in Na+ and Cl− and depleted in Mg2+ relative to capping tufa of the same age. This probably reflects vital or kinetic effects in the swash zone (tufa). We suspect that ‘abiotic’ effects may have been important in the dark pore space of developing tufaglomerate, where the absence of light suppressed photosynthesis. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Gender differences among HIV-positive methadone maintenance patients enrolled in a medication adherence trial.

Abstract This study examined baseline gender differences among HIV-positive methadone maintenance outpatients currently prescribed antiretroviral medications. Participants were enrolled in a larger clinical trial, which included a 4-week observation period using electronic monitors to track medication adherence. Contrary to previous literature, no significant differences were detected between men (n = 42) and women (n = 36) on medication adherence or depression. Both groups showed remarkably poor adherence during baseline (M = 56% of doses taken on time), high overall prevalence of depression (47%) and illicit cocaine use (47%). Women reported significantly more medication side effects (M = 21.4 vs. 14.9), higher severity of ASI psychiatric problems (M = 0.50 vs. 0.40), and lower SF-36 health-related quality of life in physical (M = 42.1 vs. 63.3) and emotional functioning (M = 26.9 vs. 58.9) than men. Women tested positive for opioids at higher rates than men (53% vs. 29%, respectively), whereas men were...
An equal-area map projection for irregular objects

An increasing number of objects discovered in the Solar System have irregular shapes which require unconventional mapping techniques. Here we present a technique that produces equivalent maps of such objects. As such maps preserve surface area they are especially useful for mapping the distribution of geological features on irregular objects. Maps of blocks and craters on the Asteroid 433 Eros are used to illustrate the potential use of the technique. Two equal-area maps are adequate to cover the entire asteroid and convincingly demonstrate variations in surface density of mapped features. Similar coverage by orthographic views requires 4 to 6 plots. The distortion of the maps are comparable to the distortions of maps created by other techniques.
Contrast-enhanced imaging of SPIO-labeled platelets using magnetomotive ultrasound.

The ability to image platelets in vivo can provide insight into blood clotting processes and coagulopathies, and aid in identifying sites of vascular endothelial damage related to trauma or cardiovascular disease. Toward this end, we have developed a magnetomotive ultrasound (MMUS) system that provides contrast-enhanced imaging of superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) labeled platelets via magnetically-induced vibration. Platelets are a promising platform for functional imaging contrast because they readily take up SPIOs and are easily harvested from blood. Here we report a novel MMUS system that accommodates an arbitrarily thick sample while maintaining portability. We employed a frequency- and phase-locked motion detection algorithm based on bandpass filtering of the differential RF phase, which allows for the detection of sub-resolution vibration amplitudes on the order of several nanometers. We then demonstrated MMUS in homogenous tissue phantoms at SPIO concentrations as low as 0.09?mg ml?1?Fe (p < 0.0001, n = 6, t-test). Finally, we showed that our system is capable of three-dimensional imaging of a 185??L simulated clot containing SPIO-platelets. This highlights the potential utility for non-invasive imaging of platelet-rich clots, which would constitute a fundamental advance in technology for the study of hemostasis and detection of clinically relevant thrombi.
Search and discovery: news that matters

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to reflect on two announcements from The Library of Congress and OCLC, the Online Library Computer Center, with immediate, long‐lasting and profound impact on search and discovery.Design/methodology/approach – Announcements from two organizations are explored for implications to libraries and users.Findings – Libraries need to consider service implications of changes implemented in series authority cataloging by the Library of Congress, and to explore what the impact on access will be. The enhancements to search and access through WorldCat's search box will provide our users with improved discovery and information management.Originality/value – This editorial offers a reflection on the importance to our users of both series authority work and access to the collections of the world's libraries.
TOTALSYNTHESE VON (-)-MUCOCIN

Hochkonvergent und modular ist die Totalsynthese des Annonin-Naturstoffs (−)-Mucocin. Bemerkenswert ist hierbei unter anderem der endo-selektive Aufbau des Tetrahydropyranrings uber ein aktiviertes Epoxid und die Stabilitat des Butenolids bei der Kupplung mit einer magnesiumorganischen Verbindung.
We Should Talk: Western History and Western Literature in Dialogue

At the very beginning of his new book, Marriage, Violence, and the Nation in the American Literary West, William R. Handley announces his intention "to demonstrate why literary and historical imaginations should not be thought about separately, and to employ an intertextual methodology that insists on bringing the two together by locating the historical in the literary and vice versa, rather than by treating one as the 'background' of the other" (1). The impulse to level the boundary separating history and literature is widely shared among regional literary scholars who believe that the distinction between the "imagined" West and the "real" West cannot be sustained. "Historically," Handley insists, "the analogy between marriage and the nation has had profound effects" (3). In contextualizing that analogy as it informs popular and canonical texts by Owen Wister, Zane Grey, Willa Cather, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Joan Didion, and Wallace Stegner, he finds that failures of domestic union in Western fiction form windows on dominant cultural assumptions about the nation and its people. Riders of the Purple Sage, for example, with its attention to Mormon polygamy, affords us a measure of "the contradictions and anxieties inherent in American beliefs about racial and