cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A coupled-oscillator model of ovarian-cycle synchrony among female rats.

The ovarian cycles of female rats become synchronized when they live together, as do the cycles of many other mammals. Ovarian cycles also become synchronized when rats live apart if they share a common air supply, indicating that ovarian-cycle synchrony is mediated by pheromones. We developed a coupled-oscillator model of ovarian-cycle synchrony to test several hypotheses about its pheromonal and neuroendocrine mechanisms and to guide our experimental research. The model spans three levels of organization: the group, the rat, and the neuroendocrine components of the ovarian system. The ovarian system (not the ovaries themselves) are modeled as an oscillating system. Coupling among ovarian systems is mediated by the exchange of two pheromones, one that delays the phase of the ovarian system and one that advances it. Computer simulation experiments showed that this coupled-oscillator model can explain the levels of ovarian-cycle synchrony observed in groups of female rats while, at the same time, matching an empirical distribution of ovariancycle lengths. By successfully matching computer simulation data with empirical data, we were able to infer theoretical predictions in a number of areas: (1) effect of initial conditions on the probability that a group will change to different synchrony level and phase relationships, i.e. the transition probability between all synchrony levels and phase relationships; (2) effects of individual differences in pheromone sensitivity on ovarian-cycle synchrony; (3) the timing of pheromone sensitivity during the ovarian cycle; and (4) the existence of partial luteinizing hormone surges, which may cause the “spontaneous” prolonged ovarian cycles associated with ovarian-cycle synchrony. The paper concludes by discussing the integrative role of this model for experimental research. In particular, we focus on the role of this model in interpreting theoretical aspects of ovarian-cycle synchrony as well as for guiding future experimental research into its mechanisms and functions.
Culture and self-construal as predictors of relational responses to emotional infidelity: China and the United States

This research examined how American and Chinese participants differ when they respond to situations involving the emotional infidelity of their dating partners. It also assessed how different self-construal types influence relational response strategies. Four of the six culture-level hypotheses were supported. Overall, US respondents tend to prefer exit and anger voice responses more so than Chinese respondents. Comparatively, Chinese respondents tend to prefer loyalty, passive neglect, and third-party help responses. Both cultural groups, however, tend to use integrative voice responses to a high degree. This research marks a first attempt to modify and extend the existing Exit-Voice-Loyalty-Neglect (EVLN) relationship typology.
Generalized k‐linear equations over a finite field

A generalization of a theorem of A. D. PORTER on the number of solutions of the k-linear equation over a finite field is given. AMS Subject Classifications. Primary 1225.
Resonance interaction between a neutral molecule and a metal surface

Abstract The theory of the interaction between a neutral molecule and a metal surface is used to discuss the physical process of resonance where the energy of excitation of the free atom or molecule is equal to that of the surface plasmon. It is shown that the radiative decay rate of the symmetric modes depends on the static polarizability of the atom and on its distance from the surface. Numerical results for the inert gas atoms adsorbed on metal surfaces indicate a large enhancement for the Dicke superradiant states. Estimates of the energies of excitation and energy-shifts are obtained. The excitation spectrum of the antisymmetric modes is also discussed.
Height distribution of Joule heating and its influence on the thermosphere

[1] The National Center for Atmospheric Research Thermosphere-Ionosphere-Electrodynamics General Circulation Model (NCAR TIE-GCM) is employed to quantify the influence of Joule heating at different altitudes on the neutral temperature and density at 400 km for solar minimum and maximum conditions. The results show that high-altitude Joule heating is more efficient than low-altitude heating in affecting the upper thermosphere. Most of the Joule heating is deposited under 150 km, and the largest Joule heating deposition per scale height happens at about 125 km, independent of solar activity. However, the temperature and density changes at 400 km are largest for heat deposited at ∼140 km for solar minimum and ∼263 km for solar maximum. The timescale for the thermospheric response varies with the altitude of heating. Joule heating deposited at lower heights needs more time to conduct upward, and it takes more time for the thermosphere at 400 km to approach a steady state. A simple one-dimensional model is utilized to explain how the amplitude and characteristic timescale of the upper-thermosphere response to Joule heating depends on the height of heat input. The characteristic response timescale for heat deposited around 135 km is ∼6 hours, while that for heat deposited around 238 km is ∼0.5 hours. The initial temperature response at 400 km to the high-altitude heating is much stronger than the response to the low-altitude heating, but the responses become comparable after about 4 days.
Pregnancy-Related Group A Streptococcal Infections: Temporal Relationships Between Bacterial Acquisition, Infection Onset, Clinical Findings, and Outcome

Puerperal sepsis caused by group A Streptococcus (GAS) remains an important cause of maternal and infant mortality worldwide, including countries with modern antibiotic regimens, intensive care measures and infection control practices. To provide insights into the genesis of modern GAS puerperal sepsis, we reviewed the published cases and case series from 1974 to 2009, specifically seeking relationships between the likely source of pathogen acquisition, clinical signs, and symptoms at infection onset and patient outcomes that could provide clues for early diagnosis. Results suggest that the pathogenesis of pregnancy-related GAS infections in modern times is complex and not simply the result of exposure to GAS in the hospital setting. Additional research is needed to further explore the source of GAS, the specific M types involved, and the pathogenesis of these pregnancy-related infections to generate novel preventative and therapeutic strategies.
Calmodulin Antagonizes a Calcium-Activated SCF Ubiquitin E3 Ligase Subunit, FBXL2, To Regulate Surfactant Homeostasis

Calmodulin is a universal calcium-sensing protein that has pleiotropic effects. Here we show that calmodulin inhibits a new SCF (Skp1-Cullin-F-box) E3 ligase component, FBXL2. During Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection, SCF (FBXL2) targets the key enzyme, CCTα, for its monoubiquitination and degradation, thereby reducing synthesis of the indispensable membrane and surfactant component, phosphatidylcholine. P. aeruginosa triggers calcium influx and calcium-dependent activation of FBXL2 within the Golgi complex, where it engages CCTα. FBXL2 through its C terminus binds to the CCTα IQ motif. FBXL2 knockdown increases CCTα levels and phospholipid synthesis. The molecular interaction of FBXL2 with CCTα is opposed by calmodulin, which traffics to the Golgi complex, binds FBXL2 (residues 80 to 90) via its C terminus, and vies with the ligase for occupancy within the IQ motif. These observations were recapitulated in murine models of P. aeruginosa-induced surfactant deficiency, where calmodulin gene transfer reduced FBXL2 actions by stabilizing CCTα and lessening the severity of inflammatory lung injury. The results provide a unique model of calcium-regulated intermolecular competition between an E3 ligase subunit and an antagonist that is critically relevant to pneumonia and lipid homeostasis.
Electron pairing in the presence of incipient bands in iron-based superconductors

Recent experiments on certain Fe-based superconductors have hinted at a role for paired electrons in ``incipient'' bands that are close to, but do not cross, the Fermi level. Related theoretical works disagree on whether or not strong-coupling superconductivity is required to explain such effects, and whether a critical interaction strength exists. In this work, we consider various versions of the model problem of pairing of electrons in the presence of an incipient band, within a simple multiband weak-coupling BCS approximation. We categorize the problem into two cases: case (i), where superconductivity arises from the ``incipient band pairing'' alone, and case (ii), where it is induced on an incipient band by pairing due to Fermi-surface-based interactions. Negative conclusions regarding the importance of incipient bands have been drawn so far largely based on case (i), but we show explicitly that models under case (ii) are qualitatively different, and can explain the nonexponential suppression of ${T}_{c}$, as well as robust large gaps on an incipient band. In the latter situation, large gaps on the incipient band do not require a critical interaction strength. We also model the interplay between phonon and spin fluctuation driven superconductivity and describe situations in which they can enhance each other rather than compete. Finally, we discuss the effect of the dimensionality of the incipient band on our results. We argue that pairing on incipient bands may be significant and important in several Fe-based materials, including LiFeAs, FeSe intercalates, and FeSe monolayers on strontium titanate, and indeed may contribute to high critical temperatures in some cases.
Optical Encryption With OCDMA Code Swapping Using All-Optical xor Logic Gate

A novel optical code-division multiple access (OCDMA) transmission system with all-optical exclusive or (XOR) encryption architecture is proposed and demonstrated. This all-optical system conducts OCDMA code swapping based on XOR operation. This multilayer approach eliminates radio-frequency data radiation and improves the confidentiality of the transmission system.
Finding an optimal DE model for biological network inference

A variety of biological processes can be modeled by a network composed of many interacting component units (e.g. genes, proteins, neurons). It is of great biological interest to learn the interactions among these units involved in a biological process by network inference methods. However, one main obstacle in model-based network inference is the high dimensionality of the corresponding mathematical problem due to the large scale of the network model of the biological system under study. In particular, for those models based on differential equations, the large number of model parameters that need to be optimally estimated pose a major challenge due to the high computational costs in the optimization search process. This paper presents a new algorithm that decomposes the task of global search for the optimal parameters for the entire network model into a set of sub-tasks each searching for a subset of parameters associated with one unit in the network. (Such an algorithm can also be easily implemented in parallel by a multiprocessor computer system with each processor responsible for the computation for one or more of the units in the network.) The improved algorithm makes it possible to address realistic problems involving large number of components. The implementation details of the algorithm are discussed and the simulation results based on synthetic data are presented.
Spontaneous symmetry breaking in a quenched ferromagnetic spinor Bose–Einstein condensate

A central goal in condensed matter and modern atomic physics is the exploration of quantum phases of matter--in particular, how the universal characteristics of zero-temperature quantum phase transitions differ from those established for thermal phase transitions at non-zero temperature. Compared to conventional condensed matter systems, atomic gases provide a unique opportunity to explore quantum dynamics far from equilibrium. For example, gaseous spinor Bose-Einstein condensates (whose atoms have non-zero internal angular momentum) are quantum fluids that simultaneously realize superfluidity and magnetism, both of which are associated with symmetry breaking. Here we explore spontaneous symmetry breaking in 87Rb spinor condensates, rapidly quenched across a quantum phase transition to a ferromagnetic state. We observe the formation of spin textures, ferromagnetic domains and domain walls, and demonstrate phase-sensitive in situ detection of spin vortices. The latter are topological defects resulting from the symmetry breaking, containing non-zero spin current but no net mass current.
Ischemic dose-response in the spinal cord: both immediate and delayed paraplegia.

Background Paraplegia remains a significant complication of thoracoabdominal aortic surgery. The study of this spinal cord ischemia and reperfusion injury (SCIR) has been stifled by the constraints of current models. Large animal models are costly and restricting with regard to mechanisms of both injury and protection. While few studies of a murine model of SCIR have been published, the dose-response curve of the ischemic injury has not yet been published. We hypothesized that a viable dose-response curve of the neurological injury relative to the ischemic time could be developed. Materials and Methods Through a cervicothoracic approach, the aortic arches of C57bl/6 mice were exposed to the origins of the left common carotid and the left subclavian arteries. The aorta was clamped between these two vessels with additional occlusion of the left subclavian artery. Ischemic times ranged from 3 to 12 min. Hindlimb motor function was observed for 48 h. Survival and motor function were evaluated. Spinal cord tissue was preserved for histologic analysis. Results Survival curves showed increasing mortality with increasing spinal cord ischemia. This model reproduced spinal cord injury ranging from immediate paraplegia to progressive paraparesis depending on the ischemic time. Spinal cord histology mirrored the extent of functional deficits. Conclusions Reproducible spinal cord ischemic injury is possible in a murine model and is directly translatable to thoracoabdominal surgery. The dose-response curve demonstrates that different degrees of injury can be studied from dense paraplegia to delayed onset injury depending on the ischemic insult.
Disease in freshwater zooplankton: what have we learned and where are we going?

In the last few decades, zooplankton (especially Daphnia )h ave emerged as am odel system for examining the ecological and evolutionary roles of parasites in populations, communities and ecosystems. We build on this foundation, moving towards continued integration of epidemiology and community ecology to understand the distribution and abundance of infectious diseases. Future studies should link processes that occur over multiple time scales: from deep-time phylogenetic patterns that have shaped and been shaped by host–parasite interactions, to the dynamics that play out over decades or within seasons, to the physiological time scales over which parasites operate to infect and kill their hosts. We also consider how the combination of processes across multiple time scales has shaped the biogeography and changing mosaic of host–parasite interactions in time and space. Finally, we consider a future where zooplankton–parasite interactions are influenced by global change. The Daphnia –parasite model system offers a powerful tool to link anthropogenic changes to infectious diseases, including zoonotic diseases of significance to human health.
Integrated task planning and control for mobile manipulators

This paper presents an integrated task planning and control approach for manipulating a nonholonomic cart by mobile manipulators. The task considered in this study is to manipulate a nonholonomic cart to perform certain tasks such as pushing the cart along a straight line, making a turn at a corner, or tracking a sine wave. The cart manipulation task fully integrates the motion and force planning of the cart, and the planning and control of the mobile manipulators. The motion of the mobile manipulator and cart is coordinated by a common motion reference. The cart manipulating control has been implemented based on the decoupled mobile manipulation model and the force planning of the cart. The proposed integrated task planning and control approach enables the mobile manipulator complete complicated tasks by regulating its output force. The approach has been tested on a mobile manipulator consisting of a Nomadic XR4000 and a Puma 560 robot arm. The experimental results demonstrate the efficacy of this approach in the mobile manipulation of a nonholonomic cart.
Modularity issues in reactive planning

The RAP reactive plan execution system is specifically designed to accept plans and goals at a high level of abstraction and expand them into detailed actions at run time. One of the key features of the RAP system is the use of hierarchical expansion methods that allow different paths of execution for the same goals in different situations. Another central reason for the hierarchy is to create modular expansion methods that can be used in the execution of many different tasks. However, experience using the RAP system to control the University of Chicago robot Chip in the 1995 IJCAI robot competition has shown that there are difficult trade-offs between modularity and correctness in a predefined plan hierarchy. This paper describes the RAP hierarchies used to control the robot while cleaning up a small office space and discusses some of the issues raised in writing these RAPs to be useful for other tasks as well. In particular, realistic reactive plans must support concurrency that crosses simple modular decomposition boundaries and efficient strategies for carrying out tasks that depend on active sensing require advanced knowledge of sensing requirements.
PHEROMONALLY MEDIATED SEXUAL ISOLATION AMONG DENNING POPULATIONS OF RED-SIDED GARTER SNAKES, Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis

Utilizing behavioral experiments and chemical analyses, we examined whether pheromonally mediated sexual isolation exists between denning populations of red-sided garter snakes (Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis) in Manitoba, Canada. Simultaneous choice tests conducted during the breeding season revealed that adult males from a hibernaculum in central Manitoba displayed a strong courtship preference for females from their own population over females from a hibernaculum in western Manitoba, whereas males from the western Manitoba hibernaculum showed no such preference. In addition, trailing experiments testing the response of males from the two hibernacula to familiar and unfamiliar female trails showed similar results, demonstrating that the observed male preference is mediated through chemical cues. Subsequent chemical analysis of the female sexual attractiveness pheromone, a homologous series of long-chain saturated and ω-9 cis-unsaturated methyl ketones responsible for eliciting male courtship behavior and trailing behavior in garter snakes, showed significant variation in the composition of the pheromone between the two populations. Specifically, the two populations varied in the relative concentrations of individual unsaturated methyl ketones expressed by females. These results suggest that sexual isolation exists to a degree among denning populations of red-sided garter snakes due to variation in the expression of the female sexual attractiveness pheromone.
Thorndike's Law 2.0: Dopamine and the Regulation of Thrift

Dopamine is widely associated with reward, motivation, and reinforcement learning. Research on dopamine has emphasized its contribution to compulsive behaviors, such as addiction and overeating, with less examination of its potential role in behavioral flexibility in normal, non-pathological states. In the study reviewed here, we investigated the effect of increased tonic dopamine in a two-lever homecage operant paradigm where the relative value of the levers was dynamic, requiring the mice to constantly monitor reward outcome and adapt their behavior. The data were fit to a temporal difference learning model that showed that mice with elevated dopamine exhibited less coupling between reward history and behavioral choice. This work suggests a way to integrate motivational and learning theories of dopamine into a single formal model where tonic dopamine regulates the expression of prior reward learning by controlling the degree to which learned reward values bias behavioral choice. Here I place these results in a broader context of dopamine's role in instrumental learning and suggest a novel hypothesis that tonic dopamine regulates thrift, the degree to which an animal needs to exploit its prior reward learning to maximize return on energy expenditure. Our data suggest that increased dopamine decreases thriftiness, facilitating energy expenditure, and permitting greater exploration. Conversely, this implies that decreased dopamine increases thriftiness, favoring the exploitation of prior reward learning, and diminishing exploration. This perspective provides a different window onto the role dopamine may play in behavioral flexibility and its failure, compulsive behavior.
Dialysis disequilibrium syndrome occurring during continuous renal replacement therapy

The dialysis disequilibrium syndrome (DDS) is characterized by progressive neurological symptoms and signs attributable to cerebral edema that occurs due to fluid shifts into the brain following a relatively rapid decrease in serum osmolality during hemodialysis (HD). Since continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) is less efficient at solute clearance than intermittent HD, it seems logical that this mode of therapy is less likely to cause DDS. This entity has not been previously reported to occur with this modality. Here, we report two cases of DDS associated with CRRT that provide insights into its pathophysiological mechanisms and suggest strategies for its prevention.
The resurgence of parallelism

Parallel computation is making a comeback after a quarter century of neglect. Past research can be put to quick use today.
Impulsivity and prefrontal hypometabolism in borderline personality disorder

Prefrontal hypoperfusion and decreased glucose uptake in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) are found in violent criminal offenders, murderers and aggressive psychiatric patients. These abnormalities may be independent of diagnosis and associated with impulsive-aggression as a personality trait. Impulsive-aggression is a clinical characteristic of borderline personality disorder (BPD) where it is associated with assaultive and suicidal behaviors. We conducted FDG-PET studies in 13 non-depressed, impulsive female subjects with BPD and 9 healthy controls to look for abnormalities in glucose metabolism in areas of the PFC associated with regulation of impulsive behavior. Statistical Parametric Mapping-99 (SPM99) was used to analyze the PET data with Hamilton depression scores as covariate. Significant reductions in FDG uptake in BPD subjects relative to healthy controls were found bilaterally in medial orbital frontal cortex, including Brodmann's areas 9, 10 and 11. There were no significant areas of increased uptake in BPD subjects compared to control subjects. Covarying for measures of impulsivity or impulsive-aggression rendered insignificant the differences between groups. Decreased glucose uptake in medial orbital frontal cortex may be associated with diminished regulation of impulsive behavior in BPD.
Modification of the CpsA Protein Reveals a Role in Alteration of the Streptococcus agalactiae Cell Envelope

The bacterial cell envelope is a crucial first line of defense for a systemic pathogen, with production of capsular polysaccharides and maintenance of the peptidoglycan cell wall serving essential roles in survival in the host environment. The LytR-CpsA-Psr proteins are important for cell envelope maintenance in many Gram-positive species. In this study, we examined the role of the extracellular domain of the CpsA protein of the zoonotic pathogen group B Streptococcus in capsule production and cell wall integrity. CpsA has multiple functional domains, including a DNA-binding/transcriptional activation domain and a large extracellular domain. We demonstrated that episomal expression of extracellularly truncated CpsA causes a dominant-negative effect on capsule production when expressed in the wild-type strain. Regions of the extracellular domain essential to this phenotype were identified. The dominant-negative effect could be recapitulated by addition of purified CpsA protein or a short CpsA peptide to cultures of wild-type bacteria. Changes in cell wall morphology were also observed when the dominant-negative peptide was added to wild-type cultures. Fluorescently labeled CpsA peptide could be visualized bound at the mid-cell region near the division septae, suggesting a novel role for CpsA in cell division. Finally, expression of truncated CpsA also led to attenuation of virulence in zebrafish models of infection, to levels below that of a cpsA deletion strain, demonstrating the key role of the extracellular domain in virulence of GBS.
Altered expression of muscle glucose transporter GLUT-4 in diabetic fatty Zucker rats (ZDF/Drt-fa).

We examined GLUT-4 glucose transporter protein and mRNA in muscle tissue from a new rodent model of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM), the male obese Zucker diabetic fatty (ZDF) rat [...
Complementary and Competitive Regimes of Accumulation: Natural Resources and Development in the World-System

During the post-war period, natural resource production has often been associated withperipheralization in the world-economy. This paper seeks to demonstrate that this associationdoes not hold when examined from a long-term perspective, and explains the conditions underwhich natural resource production can support upward economic mobility in the world-system.First, this paper provides evidence that the production of cash crops and resource extraction hasnot always equaled peripheralization in the world-economy, as demonstrated by, among otherthings, the upward economic mobility of the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealandduring the nineteenth century. It then puts forth a new hypothesis that the existence ofopportunities for raw material producing countries depends on whether the hegemonic regime ofaccumulation at a given time structures the economy in a way that is either complementary orcompetitive to the economic development of raw material producing countries. By examining theBritish centered regime of accumulation during the nineteenth century, we find that it wascomparatively complementary to economic development in raw material producing countrieswhereas the twentieth century United States centered regime was comparatively competitive withraw material producers. Based on a comparison with Britain and the United States, the paperalso suggests that Chinas increasingly central role in the world-economy may be comparativelycomplementary to economic development in raw material producing countries.
Maturation of cutaneous sensory neurons from normal and NGF-overexpressing mice.

In the rodent, cutaneous sensory neurons mature over the first two postnatal weeks, both in terms of their electrical properties and their responses to mechanical stimulation of the skin. To examin...
Estimated lead (Pb) exposures for a population of urban community gardeners.

Urban community gardens provide affordable, locally grown, healthy foods and many other benefits. However, urban garden soils can contain lead (Pb) that may pose risks to human health. To help evaluate these risks, we measured Pb concentrations in soil, vegetables, and chicken eggs from New York City community gardens, and we asked gardeners about vegetable consumption and time spent in the garden. We then estimated Pb intakes deterministically and probabilistically for adult gardeners, children who spend time in the garden, and adult (non-gardener) household members. Most central tendency Pb intakes were below provisional total tolerable intake (PTTI) levels. High contact intakes generally exceeded PTTIs. Probabilistic estimates showed approximately 40 % of children and 10 % of gardeners exceeding PTTIs. Children's exposure came primarily from dust ingestion and exposure to higher Pb soil between beds. Gardeners' Pb intakes were comparable to children's (in µg/day) but were dominated by vegetable consumption. Adult household members ate less garden-grown produce than gardeners and had the lowest Pb intakes. Our results suggest that healthy gardening practices to reduce Pb exposure in urban community gardens should focus on encouraging cultivation of lower Pb vegetables (i.e., fruits) for adult gardeners and on covering higher Pb non-bed soils accessible to young children. However, the common practice of replacement of root-zone bed soil with clean soil (e.g., in raised beds) has many benefits and should also continue to be encouraged.
"No Distinction Would Be Tolerated": Thaddeus Stevens, Disability, and the Original Intent of the Equal Protection Clause

Almost fifty years ago, Thurgood Marshall looked upon the work of his staff with disappointment.1 He was preparing to argue for a second time before the Supreme Court in Brown v. Board of Education (Brown I)} and the brief William Ming, Jr., and Alfred Kelly had prepared was lacking.3 It argued that the framers of the Fourteenth Amendment were sufficiently idealistic to intend that all racial discrimination on the part of the states, including segregation, would be rendered illegal under the Equal Protection Clause.4 The problem was that the brief was unpersuasive and vague; "there was nothing concrete in it."5
Chronic hypoxia does not cause wall thickening of intra-acinar pulmonary supernumerary arteries.

Chronic exposure to hypoxia causes pulmonary hypertension and pulmonary arterial remodeling. Although the exact mechanisms of this remodeling are unclear, there is evidence that it is dependent on hemodynamic stress, rather than on hypoxia alone. Pulmonary supernumerary arteries experience low hemodynamic stress as a consequence of reduced perfusion due to 90° branching angles, small diameters, and “valve‐like” structures at their orifices. We investigated whether or not intra‐acinar supernumerary arteries undergo structural remodeling during the moderate pulmonary hypertension induced by chronic hypoxia. Rats were exposed to either normoxia or hypoxia for 6 weeks. The chronically hypoxic rats developed pulmonary hypertension. For both groups, pulmonary arteries were selectively filled with barium–gelatin mixture, and the wall thickness of intra‐acinar pulmonary arteries was measured in histological samples. Only thin‐walled arteries were observed in normoxic lungs. In hypertensive lungs, we found both thin‐ and thick‐walled pulmonary arteries with similar diameters. Disproportionate degrees of arterial wall thickening between parent and daughter branches were observed with supernumerary branching patterns. While parent arteries developed significant wall thickening, their supernumerary branches did not. Thus, chronic hypoxia‐induced pulmonary hypertension did not cause wall thickening of intra‐acinar pulmonary supernumerary arteries. These findings are consistent with the idea that hemodynamic stress, rather than hypoxia alone, is the cause of structural remodeling during chronic exposure to hypoxia.
Globalization, Sacred Beliefs, and Defiance: Is Human Rights Discourse Relevant in the Muslim World?

• MAHMOOD MONSHIPOURI (B.A., Teacher's Training University, Tehran, Iran; M.A., Allamah Tabataba'i University, Tehran, Iran; Ph.D., University of Georgia) is professor and chair of political science at Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Connecticut. He is author of Islamism, Secularism, and Human Rights in the Middle East and Democratization, Liberali zation, and Human Rights in the Third World. His articles have appeared in Netherlands Quarterly of Human Rights, Ethics and International Affairs, Journal of Church and State, The Muslim World, Journal of Third World Studies, Middle East Policy, and the Journal of South Asian and Middle Eastern Studies. Special interests include Middle East politics, ethics in foreign policy, human rights and democracy in the Third World. His articfes have appeared in the Pennsylvania Journal of Business and Economics, The Journal of Resource Management and Technology, and the International Journal of Commerce and Management, among others. Special interests include global marketing, strategic planning, and interdisci plinary business interface. REZA MOTAMENI (B.S., College of Mass Communication, Tehran, Iran; M.S., West Coast University; M.A., Ph.D., Claremont Graduate School; Ph.D., The University of Georgia) is professor of marketing at California State University, Fresno, California. This essay was defivered at the 31st Annual Meeting of the Northeast Political Science Association and International Studies Association-Northeast, Crowne Plaza Hotel, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 11-13 November 1999. Comments by Craig N. Murphy and Mehdi Mozaffari on the earlier draft are gratefully acknowledged. Some of the themes and discussions here are further elaborated in Mahmood Monshipouri's essay, "Islam and Human Rights in the Age of Globalization," in Islam Encountering Globalization, ed. Ali Mohammadi (London; Bookextra, 2000) (forthcoming).
Time-, Energy-, and Phase-Resolved Second-Harmonic Generation at Semiconductor Interfaces

Interfacial charge transfer is ubiquitous in many chemical and physical processes and can occur on ultrafast time scales of femtoseconds to picoseconds. Probing dynamics on such time scales necessitates the use of ultrafast laser spectroscopies, but signatures of interfacial charge transfer can be overwhelmed by the signal from bulk materials. This problem may be alleviated in second-harmonic generation, which can be specifically sensitive to interfacial charge transfer if other bulk and interfacial contributions to the measured second-harmonic signal can be resolved. We report the development of a femtosecond spectral interferometry technique for second-harmonic generation with time, energy, and phase resolution. Using the model systems of a passivated GaAs(100) surface and copper phthalocyanine/GaAs(100) interface, we demonstrate the application of this technique in unveiling the rich dynamics of band renormalization, charge carrier motion, and interfacial charge transfer, all induced by across-bandgap ...
Toward an Algorithm for Estimating Latent Heat Release in Warm Rain Systems

AbstractThis paper outlines an approach for estimating latent heating, surface rainfall rate, and liquid water path in warm rain from downward-viewing W-band radar observations using a Bayesian Monte Carlo algorithm. The algorithm utilizes observed vertical and path-integrated characteristics of precipitating liquid clouds to identify the most appropriate hydrometeor and latent heating structures in a large database of profiles generated using a cloud-resolving model. These characteristics are selected by applying multiple performance metrics to synthetic retrievals. Analysis of the retrievals suggests that a combination of cloud-top, rain-top, and maximum reflectivity heights; vertically integrated reflectivity and attenuation; and a measure of near-surface intensity is sufficient to constrain bulk properties and the vertical structure of warm rain systems. When applied to observations at CloudSat resolution, biases in retrieved liquid water path and surface rainfall rate are small (less than 10%). The a...
Rm6240B/C computer collecting and disposing system of organic signal and its application in animal medical physiology

It introduces Rm6240B/C computer collecting and disposing system of organic signal and its application in animal medical physiology and experiment examples.
Secondary Shaping of the TRAM Flap

Excellent results from TRAM flap reconstruction depend on proper patient selection and proper surgical planning and execution. It is difficult to achieve perfection and completion of the reconstruction in a single operative procedure. The second stage gives the surgeon an excellent opportunity to not only perform the nipple-areola reconstruction but also to enhance the quality of the initial procedure and give the patient the best possible result as well.
Strangers No More: a Rejoinder

These reviews of Strangers No More reassure us that our original decision to undertake what turned out to be a seven-year odyssey was the right one: more than half a century after the onset of mass...
Toxicology Study of Single-walled Carbon Nanotubes and Reduced Graphene Oxide in Human Sperm.

Carbon-based nanomaterials such as single-walled carbon nanotubes and reduced graphene oxide are currently being evaluated for biomedical applications including in vivo drug delivery and tumor imaging. Several reports have studied the toxicity of carbon nanomaterials, but their effects on human male reproduction have not been fully examined. Additionally, it is not clear whether the nanomaterial exposure has any effect on sperm sorting procedures used in clinical settings. Here, we show that the presence of functionalized single walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT-COOH) and reduced graphene oxide at concentrations of 1–25 μg/mL do not affect sperm viability. However, SWCNT-COOH generate significant reactive superoxide species at a higher concentration (25 μg/mL), while reduced graphene oxide does not initiate reactive species in human sperm. Further, we demonstrate that exposure to these nanomaterials does not hinder the sperm sorting process, and microfluidic sorting systems can select the sperm that show low oxidative stress post-exposure.
Societal Inequality and individual subjective well-being: Results from 68 societies and over 200,000 individuals, 1981-2008.

Abstract Income inequality has been contentious for millennia, a source of political conflict for centuries, and is now widely feared as a pernicious “side effect” of economic progress. But equality is only a means to an end and so must be evaluated by its consequences. The fundamental question is: What effect does a country's level of income inequality have on its citizens' quality of life, their subjective well-being? We show that in developing nations inequality is certainly not harmful but probably beneficial, increasing well-being by about 8 points out of 100. This may well be Kuznets's inverted “U”: In the earliest stages of development some are able to move out of the (poorly paying) subsistence economy into the (better paying) modern economy; their higher pay increases their well-being while simultaneously increasing inequality. In advanced nations, income inequality on average neither helps nor harms. Estimates are from random-intercept fixed-effects multi-level models, confirmed by over four dozen sensitivity tests. Data are from the pooled World Values/European Values Surveys, Waves 1 to 5 with 169 representative national samples in 68 nations, 1981 to 2009, and over 200,000 respondents, replicated and extended in the European Quality of Life Surveys.
Digital mapping alternatives : GIS for the busy forester

Geographic Information System (GIS) technology is rapidly becoming one of the most useful and widespread tools in our profession. As capability of these systems increase, so does their complexity. While full-featured GIS systems require a substantial time investment for learning and keeping current, various low-cost and easy-to-use alternatives are now available. These systems offer forestry professionals an opportunity to take advantage of the capabilities that geospatial technologies can offer. This article reviews some of these "small-scale" GIS systems and presents recommendations for several types of forestry applications.
Pharmacogenetics of stimulant abuse liability: association of CDH13 variant with amphetamine response in a racially-heterogeneous sample of healthy young adults

A previous genome-wide association study (GWAS) in a predominately Caucasian sample of healthy young adults linked greater amphetamine-induced rewarding effects with the rs3784943 G allele of the cadherin 13 (CDH13; i.e., a cell adhesion molecule implicated in neuronal connectivity) gene. This association has not been subsequently examined, nor has it been studied in Asian populations, which may have greater frequencies of the risk allele. The objective of this study was to examine the association of rs3784943 with amphetamine response in a racially heterogeneous sample (37 % Asian) of healthy young adults. Participants (N = 84; 18–35 years old) genotyped for rs3784943 completed counterbalanced sessions involving 20 mg oral d-amphetamine or placebo administration. At both sessions, cardiovascular and subjective drug effects measures were collected. In the combined racially heterogeneous sample, amphetamine (vs. placebo) effects were significantly greater on “Feel Drug” ratings (p < 0.05) and marginally greater on “Feel High” ratings and systolic blood pressure (p < 0.10) in G/A + G/G genotypes than A/A genotypes. The G allele was more common among Asian than other racial groups. Among the subsample of Asian participants (N = 31), drug effects were significantly greater on Feel Drug (p < 0.05) and marginally greater on Feel High and heart rate (p < 0.10) among Asians with G/A + G/G (vs. A/A) genotypes. In concert with a previous GWAS result, this candidate gene study provides convergent evidence implicating CDH13 rs3784943 variant in d-amphetamine’s drug effect profile and suggests generalization to Asian populations. CDH13 and genes coding for other cell adhesion molecules may be worthy of study in the biology of psychostimulant abuse liability.
Atlas-based automatic measurements of the morphology of the tibiofemoral joint

Purpose: Anatomical metrics of the tibiofemoral joint support assessment of joint stability and surgical planning. We propose an automated, atlas-based algorithm to streamline the measurements in 3D images of the joint and reduce userdependence of the metrics arising from manual identification of the anatomical landmarks. Methods: The method is initialized with coarse registrations of a set of atlas images to the fixed input image. The initial registrations are then refined separately for the tibia and femur and the best matching atlas is selected. Finally, the anatomical landmarks of the best matching atlas are transformed onto the input image by deforming a surface model of the atlas to fit the shape of the tibial plateau in the input image (a mesh-to-volume registration). We apply the method to weight-bearing volumetric images of the knee obtained from 23 subjects using an extremity cone-beam CT system. Results of the automated algorithm were compared to an expert radiologist for measurements of Static Alignment (SA), Medial Tibial Slope (MTS) and Lateral Tibial Slope (LTS). Results: Intra-reader variability as high as ~10% for LTS and 7% for MTS (ratio of standard deviation to the mean in repeated measurements) was found for expert radiologist, illustrating the potential benefits of an automated approach in improving the precision of the metrics. The proposed method achieved excellent registration of the atlas mesh to the input volumes. The resulting automated measurements yielded high correlations with expert radiologist, as indicated by correlation coefficients of 0.72 for MTS, 0.8 for LTS, and 0.89 for SA. Conclusions: The automated method for measurement of anatomical metrics of the tibiofemoral joint achieves high correlation with expert radiologist without the need for time consuming and error prone manual selection of landmarks.
Autopia: Notes on Banham’s Visionary Metropolis

In 1959 Reyner Banham challenged zoned urbanism by combining the Situationist psychogeographic drift with his love for Los Angeles. His essay “City as Scrambled Egg” (Banham, 1959) effectively produced a new urban image and introduced a new outlook on postwar modernization, communication, and leisure. The radicalization of contemporary life resonated in images of the city as decentralized, free, and in motion. While Le Corbusier had compared the city to an egg with demarcating zones and boundaries, Banham argued that motorization and telecommunications had long scrambled the city; “I don’t just mean in Los Angeles. A large part of the population of Europe already lives conurbatively” (Banham, 1959, p. 21). The entire region between Amsterdam and Rotterdam was already one conurbanized arena, effectively formulating an early definition of the megalopolis.Unlike CIAM’s city of the urban core with designated outskirts, thecenter was now seen to be everywhere. For Banham, this was theterrain of contemporary urbanization that needed to be understoodby holding prejudgments at bay and instead doing, what he called,“leg-work on the territory” (Banham, 1959, p. 21). But, as his ongoing fascinations with Futurism and post-war technologies revealed, this departure from modernist imagery of the city was not a disregard of modernist urban utopias but a way to rework these ideas towards a new kind of visionary; one that is less about forecasting the new and, instead, is contingent on a new optical vision of the existing city. A key site for his development of a different way of seeing the modernized urban world was the city of Los Angeles and particularly its traffic, which he called “Autopia.”
Nutrient enrichment increases plant biomass and exotic plant proportional cover independent of warming in freshwater wetland communities

Anthropogenic environmental change can increase exotic species performance and reduce native biodiversity. Nutrient enrichment may favor exotic plants with higher growth rates. Warming may increase the performance of exotic species from warmer native ranges and/or decrease the performance of locally adapted native species. However, community level impacts of nutrient enrichment and warming may depend on their combined effects on individual species and species interactions. We conducted a factorial 11-month field experiment that manipulated 1) plant origin: native, exotic (species from warmer and nutrient rich habitats), or native-&-exotic; 2) nutrients: ambient or high; and 3) temperature: ambient, +1 °C, or +2 °C. Elevated nutrients increased biomass and exotic plant proportional cover. Exotic diversity was higher with elevated nutrients. Native and exotic biomass responses to elevated nutrients were smaller in native-&-exotic treatments. Elevated nutrients increased the relative abundance of two exotic and decreased one exotic and three native species in native-&-exotic treatments. The predicted exotic to native biomass ratio was higher than the observed ratio, indicating that native plants reduced the potential growth of exotic plants in native-&-exotic treatments. Warming had no effect on plant biomass or diversity. These results suggest that nutrient enrichment increases the performance of some exotic plants and that it is critical to consider native and exotic plant interactions when assessing anthropogenic factor and exotic plant effects on native plant communities.